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4.18 AVERAGE
4.18 AVERAGE
adventurous
informative
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
Title: The Uncharted Flight of Olivia West
Author: Sara Ackerman
Genre: historical fiction
Rating: 4.25
Pub Date: February 6, 2024
I received a complimentary eARC from Harlequin Trade Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Gifted
T H R E E • W O R D S
Adventurous • Informative • Inspiring
📖 S Y N O P S I S
1927. Olivia "Livy" West is a fearless young pilot with a love of adventure. She yearns to cross oceans and travel the skies. When she learns of the Dole Air Race—a high-stakes contest to be the first to make the 2,400 mile Pacific crossing from the West Coast to Hawai'i—she sets her sights on qualifying. But it soon becomes clear that only men will make the cut. In a last-ditch effort to take part, Livy manages to be picked as a navigator for one of the pilots, before setting out on a harrowing journey that some will not survive.
1987. Wren Summers is down to her last dime when she learns she has inherited a remote piece of land on the Big Island with nothing on it but a dilapidated barn and an overgrown mac nut grove. She plans on selling it and using the money to live on, but she is drawn in by the mysterious objects kept in the barn by her late great-uncle—clues to a tragic piece of aviation history lost to time. Determined to find out what really happened all those years ago, Wren enlists the help of residents at a nearby retirement home to uncover Olivia’s story piece by piece. What she discovers is more earth-shattering, and closer to home, than she could have ever imagined.
💭 T H O U G H T S
I was initially intrigued by the cover of The Uncharted Flight of Olivia West but the synopsis is what actually hooked me. I wasn't aware of Sara Ackerman as an author before discovering this one and as her details in her author's note at the end, this is her first book set outside of the WWII historical fiction subgenre.
Told through dual timelines, this story touches on the general history of women in aviation, while specifically focusing in on the Dole Air Race - a race across the Pacific from California to Hawai'i - a topic I'd never heard of before. It contains a lot of history, a slight mystery, and a touch of romance that all combine in an enjoyable manner.
I greatly appreciated the Hawai'i / California setting. The author has a way of bringing the Hawaiian landscape to life - at times I felt myself right there with the characters. Olivia and Wren, the two main characters, share similar characteristics and backgrounds, each having their own fierceness and determination.
While the two timelines are certainly necessary to move the story along and connect everything, it takes awhile for them to converge in a way that makes sense. In fact, the more recent timeline wasn't as engaging (until the end) as the flight timeline, simply because it didn't have the same amount of action and suspense. For this, the narrative felt a tad disjointed, even though I knew the timelines would connect in some way.
The Uncharted Flight of Olivia West was a refreshing and different historical fiction read. The characters themselves may have been fictional, yet I feel as though I learned a lot from this story, which is one of the reasons I enjoy picking up historical fiction. While this was my first read from this author, it won't be my last. In fact, I'm looking forward to reading her first contemporary romance The Maui Effect which released earlier this week.
📚 R E A D • I F • Y O U • L I K E
• novels inspired by true events
• learning about little known historical events
• strong female characters
⚠️ CW: death, grief, infidelity, misogyny, sexism, panic attacks/disorders, dementia, alcohol, injury/injury detail, plane crash
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"Old people were like icebergs, she realized. All you saw was the tip, but beneath the surface there was this long and full life lived."
"Some things stay with you forever, in a place deeper than memory."
Author: Sara Ackerman
Genre: historical fiction
Rating: 4.25
Pub Date: February 6, 2024
I received a complimentary eARC from Harlequin Trade Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Gifted
T H R E E • W O R D S
Adventurous • Informative • Inspiring
📖 S Y N O P S I S
1927. Olivia "Livy" West is a fearless young pilot with a love of adventure. She yearns to cross oceans and travel the skies. When she learns of the Dole Air Race—a high-stakes contest to be the first to make the 2,400 mile Pacific crossing from the West Coast to Hawai'i—she sets her sights on qualifying. But it soon becomes clear that only men will make the cut. In a last-ditch effort to take part, Livy manages to be picked as a navigator for one of the pilots, before setting out on a harrowing journey that some will not survive.
1987. Wren Summers is down to her last dime when she learns she has inherited a remote piece of land on the Big Island with nothing on it but a dilapidated barn and an overgrown mac nut grove. She plans on selling it and using the money to live on, but she is drawn in by the mysterious objects kept in the barn by her late great-uncle—clues to a tragic piece of aviation history lost to time. Determined to find out what really happened all those years ago, Wren enlists the help of residents at a nearby retirement home to uncover Olivia’s story piece by piece. What she discovers is more earth-shattering, and closer to home, than she could have ever imagined.
💭 T H O U G H T S
I was initially intrigued by the cover of The Uncharted Flight of Olivia West but the synopsis is what actually hooked me. I wasn't aware of Sara Ackerman as an author before discovering this one and as her details in her author's note at the end, this is her first book set outside of the WWII historical fiction subgenre.
Told through dual timelines, this story touches on the general history of women in aviation, while specifically focusing in on the Dole Air Race - a race across the Pacific from California to Hawai'i - a topic I'd never heard of before. It contains a lot of history, a slight mystery, and a touch of romance that all combine in an enjoyable manner.
I greatly appreciated the Hawai'i / California setting. The author has a way of bringing the Hawaiian landscape to life - at times I felt myself right there with the characters. Olivia and Wren, the two main characters, share similar characteristics and backgrounds, each having their own fierceness and determination.
While the two timelines are certainly necessary to move the story along and connect everything, it takes awhile for them to converge in a way that makes sense. In fact, the more recent timeline wasn't as engaging (until the end) as the flight timeline, simply because it didn't have the same amount of action and suspense. For this, the narrative felt a tad disjointed, even though I knew the timelines would connect in some way.
The Uncharted Flight of Olivia West was a refreshing and different historical fiction read. The characters themselves may have been fictional, yet I feel as though I learned a lot from this story, which is one of the reasons I enjoy picking up historical fiction. While this was my first read from this author, it won't be my last. In fact, I'm looking forward to reading her first contemporary romance The Maui Effect which released earlier this week.
📚 R E A D • I F • Y O U • L I K E
• novels inspired by true events
• learning about little known historical events
• strong female characters
⚠️ CW: death, grief, infidelity, misogyny, sexism, panic attacks/disorders, dementia, alcohol, injury/injury detail, plane crash
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"Old people were like icebergs, she realized. All you saw was the tip, but beneath the surface there was this long and full life lived."
"Some things stay with you forever, in a place deeper than memory."
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Dementia, Grief, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Infertility, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcohol
plane crash
Sara Ackerman’s exploration of women’s history, particularly as it pertains to Hawaiian history as well; it’s just fascinating. With every book, she delivers another bold story.
The Uncharted Flight of Olivia West features two women, inspired by real events. First, Livy West is an aviator in the 1920s who wants to enter the Dole Air Race, attempting to be the first to cross the 2,400 miles from the west coast to Hawaii. She wants to be the first woman; however, only men are being chosen.
In the 1980s, Wren Summers inherits land on the Big Island; land with not much on it but an old barn filled with historical artifacts belonging to her late great uncle. The items are tied to Olivia, and Wren goes down the rabbit hole piecing together who Olivia was.
Everything about this book is captivating. I love how the two stories merge. All the characters and side characters are perfectly drawn. Overall, it’s a stunning portrayal of second chances and starting over. I gave it a big hug when I finished, and for that, I award it all the stars. Ackerman’s finest work yet.
I received a gifted copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
The Uncharted Flight of Olivia West features two women, inspired by real events. First, Livy West is an aviator in the 1920s who wants to enter the Dole Air Race, attempting to be the first to cross the 2,400 miles from the west coast to Hawaii. She wants to be the first woman; however, only men are being chosen.
In the 1980s, Wren Summers inherits land on the Big Island; land with not much on it but an old barn filled with historical artifacts belonging to her late great uncle. The items are tied to Olivia, and Wren goes down the rabbit hole piecing together who Olivia was.
Everything about this book is captivating. I love how the two stories merge. All the characters and side characters are perfectly drawn. Overall, it’s a stunning portrayal of second chances and starting over. I gave it a big hug when I finished, and for that, I award it all the stars. Ackerman’s finest work yet.
I received a gifted copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
fast-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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Grief
Minor: Sexual content
I loved this book! As the author mentions in her very insightful note, this is her first non World War 2 book and I for one hope she continues to explore little known historical events, such as the Dole Air Race chronicled in this novel. The dual time lines moved the story forward while relating the history to current day Hawaii. Ms Ackermann has done her homework and presents a great story based in aviation history which she liberally adjusts to meet her story telling. I love the strong female characters: Livy and Wren. This book really has everything - great plot, wonderful location, romance, action, suspense and it’s not totally predictable. The ending came a bit fast for this reader’s taste but it would be a wonderful movie finale! Thanks to NetGalley and the author for the early read. I will definitely be referring others to this book.
adventurous
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
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
I loved this book. Olivia is a pilot in the 1920s. She was ahead of her time. Romance and a strong character made it a good read.
adventurous
emotional
informative
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
hopeful
informative
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes