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4.18 AVERAGE
4.18 AVERAGE
adventurous
inspiring
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley. Review based on final copy. All opinions are my own.
Sara Ackerman once again delivers a solid historical fiction set in Hawaii with The Uncharted Flight of Olivia West, albeit this time pivoting away from World War II to a new, lesser known event: the Dole Air Race, also known as the Dole Derby. I was surprised to learn about this, as while I admit I’m not super knowledgeable about local history, I’m surprised this never came up before in school, even in passing, given how tragic it was. But Ackerman gives the event its due, capturing the gravitas of the tragic bits, while also paying tribute to those who participated. I also liked how, while the story is fictionalized, the story serves to acknowledge the contributions of women to early aviation.
Olivia “Livy” West is a compelling heroine. I immediately resonated with her fearlessness and ambition, and I loved watching her come into her own as she made her dreams reality, even with massive odds, first being from a lower class upbringing and having to work odd jobs to afford training, and then in the race itself with all the challenges she and her fellow pilot, Felix, encounter.
I wasn’t sure about Wren at first, as while she has a solid story in her own right, with family issues, her boyfriend recently having cheated on her, and trying to get by as a struggling artist, the connection to Olivia’s story felt very tenuous at first, so I wasn’t expecting much from her arc. And her chapters were initially more spaced out between Livy’s, so the connection came about quite slowly. But as the connection became clearer, I became more engaged, and I loved how it all came together by the end.
This is a solid and original historical novel, and I’d recommend it to readers looking for historical fiction with new/less discussed settings.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
All Olivia West wants to do is fly a plane and she’s tired of hearing no. In 1927, Olivia is a fearless, young pilot. When she hears about the Dole Air Race - a high stakes flight from San Francisco to Hawaii - she wants in. Since she’s a woman, she’s not allowed to be the pilot. She manages to be picked as a navigator for one of the pilots and that’s just the beginning of this story. Meanwhile, in 1987, Wren is left a remote piece of land on the Big Island. When she goes exploring the land, she finds a dilapidated barn and overgrown nut grove. But the true treasure is inside the barn, leading her down a rabbit hole to discover just how special the find is.
Sara Ackerman is one of my favorite historical authors as she finds pieces of Hawaiian history and brings them life. This was a fantastic book and the audio made me feel as if I was along for the ride for both Olivia and Wren’s stories. I wish I could be Olivia - her determination and grit were big aspects of her success! I loved this book and was a little sad that it ended. If you love a high stakes historical fiction story, look no further
Sara Ackerman is one of my favorite historical authors as she finds pieces of Hawaiian history and brings them life. This was a fantastic book and the audio made me feel as if I was along for the ride for both Olivia and Wren’s stories. I wish I could be Olivia - her determination and grit were big aspects of her success! I loved this book and was a little sad that it ended. If you love a high stakes historical fiction story, look no further
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
It was a book that definitely kept me interested but didn't wowed me. I enjoyed Wren and Olivia's POV and how they came together at the end. I thought for sure, I wasn't gonna see both of them together in that lifetime, but I was wrong. I enjoyed reading both their love interest and how it came to be a happy ending. I was expecting a sad ending, but I am glad it wasn't.
adventurous
emotional
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
I really enjoyed this story! It's a dual timeline story set in 1927 with Olivia (Livy West) who loves to fly, is an excellent pilot and navigator, and is trying to participate in the Dole Race (a fictional character in a real-life race. The other timeline is 1987 with Wren Summers who just inherited a barn on some land in Hawaii from her great aunt. She heads out there to decide what to do with it and ends up uncovering a mystery there with the help of the people at an old folks home nearby. She also learns more about her family history on her Dad's side.
I enjoyed the stories in both timelines and felt that they both fit together very well. It was an interesting read learning about Livy who wanted to fly so badly, no matter what the risk. Since it was the beginning days of flying there was much more risk than nowadays. I learned about the Dole Air Race, or Dole Derby a deadly race from CA to Hawaii back in 1927. I enjoyed Wren's story as well as she decides what to do about her property and uncovers the mystery of Livy West and her family background. I definitely want to read more by this author.
Thanks to Harlequin Trade, Netgalley, and the author of this story.
I enjoyed the stories in both timelines and felt that they both fit together very well. It was an interesting read learning about Livy who wanted to fly so badly, no matter what the risk. Since it was the beginning days of flying there was much more risk than nowadays. I learned about the Dole Air Race, or Dole Derby a deadly race from CA to Hawaii back in 1927. I enjoyed Wren's story as well as she decides what to do about her property and uncovers the mystery of Livy West and her family background. I definitely want to read more by this author.
Thanks to Harlequin Trade, Netgalley, and the author of this story.
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced