I really didn't like this book for a lot of different reasons, but the main one is that I couldn't get past the writing style. Everything was very on the nose. There was a ton of telling and not showing. A lot of things are mention that we think will have a part to play given the details given, but nothing comes from them. The dialogue felt very unnatural and clunky.

I'm a sucker for romance and I couldn't believe in the love between Fitz and Sam. There was nothing that led me to think they really did love each other and the filler just wasn't there to flesh out the relationship (there was basically no build up).

The characters simply felt very two dimensional to me and Fitz came off as a Mary-Sue.

In this fantastic World War II historical fiction novel, readers follow pilot Geraldine Fitz-Herbert who prefers the nickname Fitz and flying to her aristocratic life and its restrictions. When World War II breaks out, Fitz chooses to enlist in the Air Transport Authority and put her flying skills to use for the war effort. Missions around England keep putting her in contact with American pilot Sam Carter, and their relationship is something new, exciting, and passionate. When ATA leaders and other top secret officials discover Fitz has years of foreign language education under her belt, they assign her to a top-secret mission with the Brittany resistance which proves to be more difficult than she expects. Combining several different facets of the World War II historical fiction genre and different wartime military occupations for women, Fortin’s latest novel is a fascinating, high stakes, and emotional adventure. With her complex characters and a fantastic protagonist in Fitz, the emotional heart of the novel is definitely present throughout the book. A fantastic foray into World War II and how women’s lives changed during the war, Fortin’s novel is powerful, emotional, and complex, and she brings Fitz and her world to life through powerful descriptions, high-stakes events, and realistic, complex character relationships.

The Girl in the Sky by Suzanne Fortin. An amazing story Fitz finds Yvette and she is hiding. She decides to become her protector not knowing if her mother survived the attack.

An incredible story of one womans determination to serve her country. Based on real life stories, The Girl in the Sky follows Fitz as she trains with the Air Transport Auxiliary and takes to the sky. However, her fluency in French means she is recruited for a special mission in Britanny, where her colleagues are compromised by the Germans and she has to embark alone on a perilous journey. She isn't alone for long as she recruits a doggy companion, whom she names Scout and a child called Yvette. It is a story of courage and stoicism, much heart and a determination to save her country and cointryfolk. Absolutely absorbing. #thegirlinthesky #suzannefortin #embla #netgalley

Thank you net galley for the advance reader copy of this novel. I loved this historical fiction set in WWII and especially like the spy part! I do feel like lots more details during that section of the novel could be shared......like details of Yvette's mother, was Sam the injured pilot, etc. I loved that the book had an epilogue!!! An over good read!

A well-done combination of a suspense and romance novel. The story is fast paced and will hold your interest. The characters are colorful and well developed. There is plenty of action to also keep your attention. Overall, a great read.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

William Meade Lindsley "Billy" Fiske III (4 June 1911–17 August 1940), was an American combat fighter pilot and Olympian.Fiske was the son of a New England banking magnate. Fiske attended Trinity Hall, Cambridge in 1928 where he studied Economics and History.He then worked at the London office of Dillon, Reed & Co, the New York bankers.At the 1928 and 1932 Winter Olympics, Fiske won gold as driver for the US bobsledding team, also acting as the American Olympic flagbearer in 1932.In 1939,Fiske traveled to the UK and joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve,claiming to be Canadian in order to be permitted to enlist.On 12 July 1940, Fiske joined No. 601 Squadron RAF, a Hawker Hurricane unit, at RAF Tangmere, West Sussex, aka the "Millionaires' Squadron", since a lot of its members were rich, carrying out his first sorties with the squadron on 20 July.He participated in the Battle of Britain, before being KIA.Fiske was also instrumental in the early development of the Aspen ski resort.During WWII,Bignor Manor House was the rented family home of Major Anthony Bertram who was working for military intelligence with French resistance agents. He volunteered to use the manor house as a secret forward base for members of the resistance who were waiting to be flown by light aircraft to France on moonlit nights from RAF Tangmere air base.His wife Barbara looked after the agents.Agents returning from France would also be taken there.RAF Westhampnett was built as an emergency landing airfield for fighter aircraft, as a satellite station to RAF Tangmere.RAF Tangmere was famous for its role in the Battle of Britain.WWII aces Wing Commander Douglas Baden and Johnnie Johnson were stationed there in 1941.Later, Douglas Baden commanded the Tangmere wing of Fighter Command.The station was used by the Royal Air Force Special Duty Service when 161 (Special Duty) Squadron's Westland Lysander flight came down to do their insertion and pick-up operations into occupied Europe. The SOE used Tangmere Cottage, to house their agents.Group Captain Peter Townsend,another WWII ace,known for his doomed love affair with Princess Margaret,spent time at Tangmere.

What a great beach read! Another fabulous WWII tale about a young woman who refused to live the conventional life set forth by her father’s second wife, who believed she should settle down and marry a successful, established man instead of following her heart and dreams. As WWII envelopes Europe and Hitler begins his bombing raids on England, Fitz first joins the land army, quickly becomes bored with that endeavor, so with her love and knowledge of flying, joins the Women’s Air Transport Auxiliary transporting Spitfires and war materials to the pilots, across England.

The story is another wonderfully written tale of a strong woman who breaks down the barriers of gender conventions to aid the king and country against a tyrant threatening the world. Fitz refused to be tied to conventional societal rules for women when women were doing the jobs of men. The development of the characters of the father and stepmother was impressive, with the stepmother having little use for Fitz while the father stood by her most of the time.

Her love of flying, which her father endorsed, became a helpful skill she developed further as war raged worldwide. Slow to start, the setup in the first few chapters almost had me putting the book aside. But I am glad I continued reading, as the story picked up as soon as she stood up to her stepmother, left her privileged lifestyle, and joined the war effort her way. Fitz’s character was feisty and advanced for her time as a woman, and as I hit mid-book, I truly identified with this character. Her bravery in times of peril and her determination to soldier on kept me reading into the night. The romance that developed was an added plot twist in a book filled with wartime dynamics and internal strife for everyone. I felt I could see a bit of myself in Fitz and easily identify with some traits of others in the many characters Fitz met and interacted with throughout the book.

Seen as aloof by some, Fitz’s resilience and strength of character had me right there inside the story with her. It's a four-star book all around because of its slow start. Once this story unfolded, it took off and held me in its thrall until the end.

I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

Thank you to Net Galley and Embla Books for the free Advanced Copy. This review is voluntary and mine alone.

4.5 glowing stars! The Girl in the Sky was the third book that I have had the pleasure of reading by author, Suzanne Fortin. Her newest one, The Girl in the Sky, was so captivating. Much of The Girl in the Sky was inspired by real people, events and places. The Girl in the Sky was well written and impeccably researched. It took place during World War II in England and France and explored aspects that occurred during World War II that I had not previously known about. The characters were well developed and believable. It was hard for me to put this book down once I started reading it. The Girl in the Sky was everything I have come to expect from author, Suzanne Fortin, and then some.

Geraldine Fritz-Herbert grew up in Badcombe House in Cambridgeshire, England. Everyone except for her father called her Fritz. He always called her Geraldine. She tragically lost her mother when she was eight years old. That loss defined much of Fritz’s life in regard to her behavior, actions and choices. Fritz’s father, Edward, remarried within a year after Fitz’s mother died. Her father married, Camilla, a much younger woman. Fitz resented Camilla from the very start. She went out of her way to make Camilla’s life as miserable as she could.

In July of 1939, Fritz was twenty-one years old. She was still living in her father’s home with her half brother, Michael. Fritz adored her younger brother and tried to protect him as much as she could. The one thing that Fritz had a true passion for was flying airplanes. It gave her a true sense of freedom. Fritz had talked her father into giving her flying lessons at the local airfield. Her instructor, Johnny Fisher, was supportive of Fritz’s passion for flying and stuck up for her among the male pilots who questioned her ability and desire to fly. Fritz loved flying the Tiger Moth planes and had gotten really good at flying them. However, Fritz’s flying days were numbered. When England declared war on Germany, civilians were banned from the airfields. It was now occupied by RAF pilots and troops.

Fritz wanted to do her part for the war effort. She joined the Women’s Land Army and began helping a neighbor with the chores on his farm. The neighbor’s son had been called on to serve his country. When news came that the neighbor’s son had been killed in action, the neighbor lost all his desire to keep the farm running. Fritz had to find something else to do. She had heard about the Air Transport Auxiliary or ATA where women pilots ferried planes to different bases. That was what she really wanted to do. Fritz had to convince her father that she would be safe doing it. Her stepmother had other ideas for Fritz, though. Camilla wanted Fritz to go to Scotland and care for one of her elderly aunts. There was no way that Fritz was going to Scotland. She ended up signing up with ATA. In the end, her father was proud of Fritz’s decision but also concerned for her safety.

Fritz boarded a train for the training camp she was required to attend. When the train arrived, Fritz met other women who had been accepted to ATA. A very handsome American pilot came to her rescue when some English pilots started harassing Fritz and some of the other women. Fritz was surprised at how attracted she was to American Flight Officer Sam Carter. After he valiantly saved her from the incident with the other pilots she thanked him and knew that she would probably never see him again. That was so far from the truth. Flight Officer Sam Carter kept showing up when Fritz least expected him.

In 1941, Fritz and the other women that had been accepted to train in the Air Transport Auxiliary reported to the Central Flying School in Maidenhead and learned how to fly Tiger Moths and Spitfires. Fritz was one of the better pilots. She ferried the different planes from one base to another. When Fritz was sent to RAF Tangmere, she always hoped that she would get to see Flight Officer Sam Carter. Fritz had always been bold and confident. She never went anywhere without applying her red lipstick, the exact same shade that her mother used to wear. It was against the rules for the women in ATA to wear any makeup but that did not stop Fritz. Very shortly after meeting Sam, Fritz and Sam mutually agreed that they enjoyed spending time together. They began to develop feelings for each other. Fritz was scared by this. All she wanted was to have a good time. She was not supposed to feel this way about anyone. Scared by the feelings Fritz was developing for Sam, she ended things with Sam. It was the hardest thing that she ever had to do. Despite, ending their relationship, Sam was never out of her thoughts.

On one of Fritz’s numerous trips to Tangmere, she encountered some French pilots. Fritz had learned French as a young girl through her many French born governesses. She spoke to the pilots in perfect accented and flawless French. That led to Fritz being asked to train as a spy for the Special Operations Executive (SOE). Right before Fritz was due to depart for France, she went to see Sam. Fritz learned that Sam had recently been assigned to fly a plane into Nazi occupied France and had been shot down. No one knew what happened to him after that. Fritz had come to tell him that she was in love with him. Now it was too late. She had to believe that Sam survived. Right after hearing that devastating news, Fritz was sent into Nazi occupied France on a very dangerous mission. With all the detailed planning for this mission, who would have expected that the mission would be derailed right from the very beginning. Fritz was left to her own devices and instincts. Everyone else had been captured by the Nazis. She knew where she had to get to so she cautiously proceeded on her own under the cover of darkness, forests and the few genuine good souls that provided her with food and a place to sleep. As she cautiously approached villages and towns, she was horrified by what she saw. Along her way, she acquired a dog that she named Scout and a young girl named Yvette, who had been hiding from the Nazis in a well. There had been a mass murder in the church in the center of the town. It seemed to Fritz that the entire village had been executed. All the people in young Yvette’s town were dead. Fritz was not sure what the fate of Yvette’s mother was but Fritz knew that she couldn’t leave the girl there all by herself. With no other choice, Fritz took Yvette with her. Would Fritz’s mission be successful? Will she make it back to England safely? What will happen to Yvette? What happened to Sam?

I really enjoyed reading The girl in the Sky by Suzanne Fortin. Prior to reading this book, I had not known that women were trained to ferry planes between the air bases during World War II. It was not always as safe as some believed. The women were often tormented by the male pilots who did not believe that women should be allowed to fly planes. I enjoyed how strong, confident, intelligent and determined Fritz was. She was also extremely brave, courageous and caring. Her mother’s death left her unable to emotionally commit to anyone for fear of losing them. Rescuing Yvette brought many of Fritz’s feelings of losing her mother back. Fritz tried to give Yvette what she needed by recalling what she had longed for all those years ago. There were instances of Nazi brutality and cruelty. Some of the places that were mentioned in The Girl in the Sky still exist. Among them are the RAF baes of Tangmere and Westhampnet and Bignor Manor House that housed SOE agents prior to sending them to France. It was also nice to be reminded that good people existed among all those that sided with the Nazis. There were those that were willing to share their limited rations and provide a bed for those that were trying to escape from the Nazis. Unfortunately, they were far less than those who were Nazi supporters. I really enjoyed reading The Girl in the Sky and highly recommend it.

Thank you to Embia Books for allowing me to read The Girl in the Sky by Suzanne Fortin through Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

ww2 historical romance with strong heroine

I love ww2 historical novels that highlight how women stepped up and provided strong brains, fortitude and arms for the war effort. Our heroine, Fitz, brought up in an upper-class household, wanted to fly and fly she did. This is a very inspiring book for us all, especially given current events.

Thank you to the publisher who lent me an e-arc via Netgalley. This review is optional and my own opinion.

The Girl in the Sky follows a privileged upper class English girl named Geraldine Fitz-Herbert as she fulfills her dream of flying by becoming a Air Transport Auxiliary pilot during WWII. Suzanne Fotin does a great job layering in the historical realities of the war and the tragedies faced by these groups, even if they never saw combat, and the emotional toll. The book is very fast paced and well balanced storytelling that kept me interested and wanting to find out what happened next.

This eARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Geraldine Fitz-Herbert, a young woman growing up in a privileged household in England in the late 1930s, has only one desire- to fly. Once the war starts, Fitz devotes her time helping her country and eventually becomes an Air Transport Auxiliary pilot, helping to move planes and personnel around her country. Her skills as a pilot and a multilingual woman, being fluent in German, English, and French, soon catches the attention of the Joint Technical Board and is requited into the Special Operations Executive to become an operative in France. There, she has to fight not only for her life, but for the people she has come to love.

The Fitz we meet at the beginning of the novel is very different from the Fitz we see at the end and the journey she takes to become that person is incredible to read. Honestly, she was fairly average, even unlikeable, at the beginning. She comes across as self-centered and childish and can even be cruel to the people who love her to keep them from getting close to her. Her mother passed away when she was younger and when her father remarries she never gives her stepmother a chance and thinks the worst of her even though her stepmother only wants the best for her. When Fitz meets the American Flight Officer Sam Carter they clearly fall for each other immediately. However, after being faced with the reality that they are in a war and she could lose him at any time, she cruelly pushes him away afraid that, like her mother, he will die in the war and she will be alone and broken-hearted. It isn’t until she is recruited to join the resistance in France that the story really takes off and Fitz truly grows as a person.

The time Fitz spent in France left me breathless and I couldn’t stop reading. She becomes such a strong and selfless person, making incredibly difficult decisions to keep not only herself alive, but the people she meets along the way. She grows so much as a person during this time and realizes all the mistakes she has made with the people who love her back home. The experience changes her for the rest of her life, but it makes her a better person.

Fritz is a headstrong, stubborn, young women. With experience and love of flying she joins the Air Transport Auxiliary helping to fly planes between bases. She meets Sam an American pilot. With her pilot experience and language skills she is soon being recruited by the SOE. The Girl in the Sky is a page turning, historical fiction novel. This interesting story portrays a women’s love for flying, her complicated relation with her stepmother, a love she fought against and a battle to survive. Fritz’s spirit, passion, courage and growth draws you in to this drama filled fast pace read.
I would like to thank Embla Books, NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read this complimentary copy for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
#TheGirlintheSky #NetGalley

I found myself cheering for Fitz from the first chapter! Throughout the entirety of this book Fitz went on many adventures and missions where I could wait to find out what happened next. I have read about several of the roles that women held during WWII but this is one of my favorites!

There were so many life lessons that were taught between the pages of this book. Looking forward to pick up more books my Suzanne Fortin!

This is an interesting story about WW2 and the brave pilots who flew at this time ,some of them woman who were recruited for Special Operations .Fitz who comes from a well to do family has always wanted to fly and her Father paid for lessons .War broke out and she was recruited to serve in the ATA.The story follows her career and life .A very enjoyable read Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this exceptional book

being able to fly a plane was normally only for the men but fitz knew she was special.... her dad had paid for her flying lessons and she loved it, any chance she got she was up there free as a bird....

so with the outbreak of war with the knowledge that her evil stepmom was sending her to scotland fitz did the only thing she could do and that was to join up and fly the planes that were needed to the different air bases for the boys in blue.... and she loved it

it was there she met sam an american flighter pilot and her life would never be the same again.....

but fitz was getting well known at the air bases when she dropped off her planes and that attention suddenly brought her towards a new exciting phase in her war career.....

oh man this book is so good ... i was on the edge of my seat and i also had tears in my eyes at certain points of the story... oh man this author certainly knows how to string you along and keep you dangling on that string.... waiting to find out what was going to happen next...

*** I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. ***

This historical fiction novel starts introducing us to the main character, Geraldine Fitz-Herbert, known as Fitz to her friends and family, who is growing up in England in the late 1930s, while their country is on the brink of war. Fitz balks at societal norms and despises the idea of learning French and German, taking etiquette lessons, entertaining guests, and marrying rich to become a wife who takes care of the kids and home. She would much rather be up in the sky, flying a plane. Against her family's wishes, she decides to join the Air Transport Auxiliary, ferrying planes to and from different military bases around England. At one such base, she meets Sam, an American flight officer working for the RAF. Romance ensues, however, Fitz still can't see herself giving up her independence and love of flying to settle down with Sam.

With her language skills, Fitz gets recruited to be a Special Operations Executive (SOE), spying for the government. She's sent on a mission to retrieve something in France, and be in and out within a few days. When things go awry, Fitz has to use her intelligence and survival skills to try and make it back to England.

My thoughts- The story starts off pretty fast, with Fitz already knowing how to fly planes, without much explanation other than introducing us to who she took lessons from. I would've loved to get more information on the challenges of pursuing an aviation passion as a woman in the 1930s. I loved Fitz's sass and passion for life, her ability to be her own person. When she and Sam become sexually involved, I was shocked that she would risk her aviation career by having sex. They don't explain how she protects herself from pregnancy so I thought it was odd. I did not like it when Sam lectures her about why he thinks she's so obsessed with flying, but otherwise, he was an adorable romantic interest with charisma, good looks, and adoration for Fitz's independent spirit.

While the first half of the book was a bit slow, it really picked up when Fitz learns how to be a SOE. I loved the descriptions of her going to training for weapons, combat, demolition, map reading, field craft, and parachute training. Then seeing her have to put it into action when her mission fails in France kept me on the edge of my seat. I loved that she saves a dog's life and a child, and we start to see a shift in her putting herself before anyone and anything else. I loved seeing the growth in her realizing she can have connections with other people while still maintaining her independence
and strengths.

I felt the ending of the book didn't tie up all the loose ends. We never did find out why Margot and Philippe acted so suspiciously. Who ratted out her comrades? And what ever happened to Colonel Hoffman and Engel?

Loved this book!

This story was so good. Fitz, ("real name" Geraldine) comes from a well-to-do household. Her mother died when she was young, and her father remarried shortly after. Of course as happens, as a pre-teen/teenager grows up, they rebel against authority, and Fitz was no exception. All she wanted to do was fly airplanes!

Unfortunately for many, the war gave her the opportunity she craved. She was accepted to serve in the ATA, and spent time ferrying planes from one location to another. She meets Sam, a funny, outgoing American pilot, but is reluctant to get attached. I really enjoyed the way their relationship developed, but not with the way Fitz handled things.

The story follows Fitz through her early career and life. Some experiences are heartbreaking, others are so hopeful, like Yvette. I think anyone who enjoys wartime historical fiction through a woman's lens will enjoy this book.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, but my opinions are my own.

An excellent world war 2 story at a cracking pace that will keep the pages turning so you can find out what happens next. Fitz starts out as a petulant teenager without a lot of direction, except for her love of flying. War breaking out gives her the opportunity to follow her dream as well as give her focus and learn about responsibility. She meets handsome Sam, but is too scared to admit she loves him. They are separated by missions to France, where Fitz has to grow up fast and actually look after other people, while trying to escape from the Germans. Fitz is a flawed and fabulous heroine, all of the characters are beautifully written, a lot of the story is based on real events that happened, and a lovely romance just puts the icing on the cake.

I have read a few of Suzanne's WWII books now and have loved each one I've read. This one is no exception with a fabulous strong female main character in Fitz. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys books set around WWII.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this fabulous read.