Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me a copy of this inspiring historical fiction novel.

Interesting WWII novel - As the quote at the end of the book says, “We will not again look upon a women’s flying organization as experimental.” Not only did the women pilots in this book (and in real life) learn they could do so much more than given credit for, but so did the Army Air Force.

'The perfect ladies’ plane’, that’s what they used to call the Spitfire, although I doubt they were ever designed with women in mind. – a quote from the epilogue.

These courageous women made a great contribution in both England and the US during WWII, willing to risk their lives while faced with discrimination from almost everyone -including the male pilots and often times, their own families.

Three women’s life stories are told here, all with flying skills but very different personalities. Women who must overcome their differences to step up and help their country during WWII.

It’s an enjoyable, informative read!

( )

Ostensibly this is my sort of story, about a trio of women flying aeroplanes for the British Air Transport Auxiliary during WWII.

But I very nearly did not finish it. As someone who’s read other books set during WWII, I found this one rather info-dumpy. Moreover, characterisation and dialogue were clichéd, plot developments were predictable, and, instead of feeling increasingly invested in the characters as the story progressed, I became more detached and critical. In short, I did not get along with the writing style at all.

(But, hey, it’s good to know that I’m not interested in Lane’s other books!) ( )

War genre fiction is a favorite of mine and I certainly enjoy a book that educates me on a new aspect as to how women served during the war. A very good historical fiction. ( )

This book follows the lives and work of three women pilots during WWII. I hate to say this but I really disliked the book. May, the leader of the women pilots, was weepy and prone to break down. She only seemed comfortable in the arms of her mechanic, who she eventually fell for. Lizzie, the American pilot, was arrogant, over-the-top, and a complete caricature. Ruby had a little bit of promise, but she continually obsessed over her fiancée and her relationship with her soon to be mother-in-law. These were not the strong determined women that I expected to read about. Overall, a complete disappointment. ( )

I like that The Spitfire Girls shows the role of female pilots in England and America during World War II. I enjoyed learning more about the WASPs and ATA. I thought the author accurately portrayed how women were treated during this time period. The powers that be may not have wanted the women’s help, but they needed their assistance (I can just imagine the discussions that took place). Of course, once the war was over, females were soon ousted from their wartime positions. May Jones was a strong female character with a hard exterior. She kept her emotions in check while fighting for the women in her command. It was hard for May to show weakness and open up to someone. Ruby Sanders is the petite beauty who lacks confidence. She is engaged to Tom who is under his society mother’s thumb and feels that women belong at home. Ruby is a good flyer, but she needs to believe in herself. Lizzie Dunlop is a talented flyer and lets people know it. She is big, bold and brash (from Texas). Lizzie feels that flyers are on their own in the sky and does not understand the team mentality. Each woman has a different issue that they need to overcome. I thought the characters lacked depth. Each lady finds the right man for her and they fall in love. The story played out in a predictable manner. The pace was steady in the first half and slowed down considerably in the second. I liked the author’s note at the end which provided additional information on the WASPs, ATA and female pilots from WWII. I can tell the author did her research for The Spitfire Girls. However, I wanted more depth, realism and emotion. Readers who take pleasure in reading light, historical romance novels will appreciate The Spitfire Girls. ( )