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4.18 AVERAGE
4.18 AVERAGE
I haven't read any Sara Ackerman before getting this book and I am so glad I requested it! The Uncharted Flight of Olivia West is one of my most favorite reads in a long time. I found the 1920s chapters to be completely captivating. I wanted more Livy!! Wren's chapters set in the 1980s slowly grew on me as the book went on and by the middle/end, I loved both characters! The pace is wonderfully done, keeping you in the action and the setting descriptions made you feel like you were IN the book. Love love love, I cant wait to recommend when it comes out in Feb 2024!
adventurous
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A story of determination, spunk, and bravery! A dual timeline that converges at the right moment.
It’s the 1920’s and Olivia West is a fearless pilot. She is determined to be part of the Dole Derby, an air race from California to Hawaii. Dominated and run by men, Olivia finds the will and grit to be a navigator for one of the pilots. What ensues is a harrowing journey to the Hawaiian islands.
In 1987, Wren Summers learned she had inherited property on the Big Island. What she finds in the dilapidated barn will ultimately intersect her story with Olivia’s.
Sara Ackerman is a great storyteller. From the first page, I was drawn into the story of Olivia and Wren. Both characters showed us how to be fearless in the face of adversity. The fact that this story is part fiction and part fact fascinates me.
I highly recommend this book. Pre-order today! This book will be published on February 6th. Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and the author for the e-ARC.
I enjoyed the storyline of this book. Dual timelines that converge at the end, it is the story of a female pilot in the 20’s flying in the Dole Air Race and a woman in the 80’s that inherits property that includes two antique aircraft. Oftentimes sweet and sometimes sad this story is a great one to read when you have an afternoon at home with a cozy blanket and a hot cocoa.
Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this book.
Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this book.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
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
Dual timeline historical fiction involving family secrets for one woman in 1987 and another woman grits her way into the all-male world of 1927 aviation and a race of a lifetime. The Uncharted Flight of Olivia West fired my cylinders and had me going full throttle through the pages on a voyage of adventure and discovery for both women. I’ve only read three previous Sara Ackerman books, but since they all tend to elicit the same response from me, I think it is safe to call her an auto-buy author these days.
I don’t always cotton to both timelines in this sort of story equally and that was the case for The Uncharted Flight of Olivia West…At first.
In 1987, Wren Summers’ life has fallen to the very bottom from her boyfriend cheating and expecting her to suck it up, to her rent due and getting fired, to her mom being distant and her art not selling. Learning she’s inherited land from her long abandoning dad’s side of the family over on the ‘Big’ Island sets her on a path of discovery for that whole lost side to her heritage and an attractive local rancher. I was interested and rooting on Wren to claw her way up, but I confess, that it was Livy’s story that had me utterly fascinated and intrigued in the beginning and for much of the book.
In 1927, Lily West is a rare female commercial pilot. She grew up in San Diego and the daughter of a fisherman who taught her heeps about marine weather and navigation which she brought with her along with the grit to get taught how to fly to the local air strip. In those brief early years, a young adventurous pilot taught her a great deal about flying and first love- along with first disappointment, but she’s toughened up and now wants in on the Dole Race with its big prize and the chance to prove what she’s got if only she can get in the race. I loved seeing her do what she had to do even if it meant taking a chance on a guy and plane no sane person would and even if it meant that her competition included her first love and some other pretty big names among whom is someone ruthless enough to win at all costs.
The prep for the race, the race itself, and what happened all rushed forward in a tale growing in suspense and rising action. I was racing my bedtime and had zero desire, exhausted as I was, to put the book down. I felt I was in it to win it with both Wren and Livy so I stuck it out into the wee hours. The payoff for both sides of the book which do eventually land together was utter satisfaction after a few doubtful moments that either woman would win what they wanted.
And so, another page of Hawaiian history comes alive with the Dole Race and the lush Hawaiian settings and early days of aviation and planes were equally vibrant backdrops to rival the characters and plot. Loved this women’s history adventure with a dash of romance and suspense and can’t recommend it enough to long time historical fiction lovers to those warily wondering if it’s for them.
adventurous
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:
Complicated