The Long Flight Home

Thanks to NetGalley for an early copy in return for an honest review
A very good read and one I can highly recommend to others.
I could not put this down.
Thoroughly enjoyable with an amazing cast of characters that you cannot help but engage with.

michelle De Alwis's review Jun 26, 2019 · edit
it was amazing

I have read quite a few novels set in 1940 during the war but, The Long fight home by Alan Hlad is different to other books that I have read.
It’s September 1940 and it’s a year into the war. Sam Shepherd lives with her Grandfather Bertie in Epping Forest. She was studying Zoology until the war came and halted her studies and she came involved in helping her Grandfather raise homing pigeons, due to her Grandfather suffering with Arthritis. They are part of the National Pigeon service. When Bertie is called to the war office regarding a mission called Colombia were pigeons are used to carry information back and forth between enemy lines. Because of Bertie’s arthritic knees Sam goes instead on his behalf.
Ollie from Maine is a crop duster on his parent’s farm. When a tragic accident kills his parents and the farm is taken over by the bank because of debt. He has British linage in his family. So, he decides that he want to flight for the RAF in the present war. Without no money he manages to get on a ship and finds his way to Britain. But an incident happens, and he gets on the wrong side of Flight Lieutenant Boar, he gets arrested. Instead of flying he manages to meet Sam and Bertie and it is arranged that he helps with the pigeons. There is also a connection between Sam and Ollie.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book. I really enjoyed this book. Not only it taught me more about WW11 as is based on true events. I never hear about the Nation Pigeon service and how heroic not only pigeons but their handlers getting the messages across enemy lines. I liked the authors writing style it was an easy read but informative. Only concern I had was I thought the ending was a bit rushed. 4.5 stars from me.

An absolutely amazing story. I never knew that the war had used pigeons to help carry messages. The story had me guessing right from the beginning of how it would turn out. It was written so well and was so easy to follow. Not one part of it felt boring or lost its way. A few things happened in it that was a bit unexpected but definitely a good read all round. It truly opened my eyes to how things went within the war

A great historical read and fascinating to hear about the role that pigeons played in the war effort. An easy writing style that really draws you in and keeps you reading.

This is one most the most beautiful and enthralling books that I have ever read.
I loved it from the beginning to the end
Amazing talent from the author.
A must read

This was such an outstanding, true to life story that it drew me in right from the start.
Tear jerkers are not normally for me but this has me gripped .

This book tells of the beautiful love story between fictional characters Ollie and Susan but was made to feel real. I love how the author was able to bring his readers into Susan’s beloved pigeons daily-life. I was invested 100% and in-tears praying for them to return home safe, especially Duchess!

Some parts of the book are recreated with information from the author researching real events. 200,000 carrier pigeons were used by the Royal Air Force between 1939-1945 to carry encrypted messages into German-occupied France and Holland, and then back to Britain. Through Susan’s eyes the author describes the Blitz with the German bombers heading Over London dropping bombs, putting you in the scene as a scared onlooker. This is a very informative read which I strongly recommend and I am glad I had the opportunity to read and review via Netgalley, all opinions expressed are my own.