The Uncharted Flight of Olivia West

The Uncharted Flight of Olivia West
Author: Sara Ackerman
Publisher: Harlequin
Total Pages: 414
Release: 2024-02-06
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 036974778X

An exciting page-turner about a fearless female aviator competing in a death-defying race across the Pacific. Brilliantly told… My favorite read this year!” —Andie Newton, USA TODAY bestselling author of A Child for the Reich This extraordinary novel, inspired by real events, tells the story of a female aviator who defies the odds to embark on a daring air race across the Pacific. 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.

The Lieutenant's Nurse

The Lieutenant's Nurse
Author: Sara Ackerman
Publisher: MIRA
Total Pages: 352
Release: 2019-03-05
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 148808856X

An Army nurse in Hawaii grapples with wounded soldiers and a broken heart as America enters WWII in a novel of “nonstop action, romance, and suspense” (Publishers Weekly). A USA Today Bestseller November, 1941. Though she’s never seen the ocean before, Eva Cassidy has her reasons for making the crossing to Hawaii aboard the SS Lurline. Newly enlisted as an Army Corps nurse, she is stunned by the splendor of the Pacific, and even more so by Lt. Clark Spencer, a man who clearly has secrets of his own. Though she is drawn to him, Eva’s troubled past prevents her from following her heart. Though Clark warns Eva that America will be drawn into the war, nothing could prepare them for the surprise attack that will change the world they know. In the wake of the Pearl Harbor bombing, Eva and her fellow nurses take on the immense duty of keeping the American wounded alive. But the danger that finds Eva threatens everything she holds dear. Amid the chaos and heartbreak, she must decide whom to trust and how far she will go to protect those she loves.

Radar Girls

Radar Girls
Author: Sara Ackerman
Publisher: MIRA
Total Pages: 331
Release: 2021-07-27
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 0369704835

"A fresh, delightful romp of a novel."—Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author of The Rose Code * SheReads Most Anticipated Historical Fiction of Summer 2021 pick * Book Reporter Summer Reading pick * BiblioLifestyle Most Anticipated Summer 2021 Historical Fiction Books selection * Greatist Best Historical Fiction Books pick * An extraordinary story inspired by the real Women’s Air Raid Defense, where an unlikely recruit and her sisters-in-arms forge their place in WWII history. Daisy Wilder prefers the company of horses to people, bare feet and salt water to high heels and society parties. Then, in the dizzying aftermath of the attack on Pearl Harbor, Daisy enlists in a top secret program, replacing male soldiers in a war zone for the first time. Under fear of imminent invasion, the WARDs guide pilots into blacked-out airstrips and track unidentified planes across Pacific skies. But not everyone thinks the women are up to the job, and the new recruits must rise above their differences and work side by side despite the resistance and heartache they meet along the way. With America’s future on the line, Daisy is determined to prove herself worthy. And with the man she’s falling for out on the front lines, she cannot fail. From radar towers on remote mountaintops to flooded bomb shelters, she’ll need her new team when the stakes are highest. Because the most important battles are fought—and won—together. This inspiring and uplifting tale of pioneering, unsung heroines vividly transports the reader to wartime Hawaii, where one woman’s call to duty leads her to find courage, strength and sisterhood. “A wow of a book…[that is] a captivating story of friendship, heartbreak and true love. Highly recommend!” —Karen Robards, New York Times bestselling author of The Black Swan of Paris

Island Of Sweet Pies And Soldiers

Island Of Sweet Pies And Soldiers
Author: Sara Ackerman
Publisher: HarperCollins Australia
Total Pages: 240
Release: 2018-03-01
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1489257608

Hawaii, 1944. The Pacific battles of World War II continue to threaten American soil, and on the home front, the bonds of friendship and the strength of love are tested. Violet Iverson and her young daughter, Ella, are piecing their lives together one year after the disappearance of her husband. As rumours swirl and questions about his loyalties surface, Violet believes Ella knows something. But Ella is stubbornly silent. Something – or someone – has scared her. And with the island overrun by troops training for a secret mission, tension and suspicion between neighbors is rising. Violet bands together with her close friends to get through the difficult days. To support themselves, they open a pie stand near the military base, offering the soldiers a little homemade comfort. Try as she might, Violet can't ignore her attraction to the brash marine who comes to her aid when the women are accused of spying. Desperate to discover the truth behind what happened to her husband, while keeping her friends and daughter safe, Violet is torn by guilt, fear and longing as she faces losing everything. Again.

Red Sky Over Hawaii

Red Sky Over Hawaii
Author: Sara Ackerman
Publisher: HarperCollins Australia
Total Pages: 275
Release: 2020-06-01
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 186720651X

Inspired by real places and events of WWII, Red Sky Over Hawaii immerses the reader in a time of American history full of suspicion and peril in this lush and poignant tale about the indisputable power of doing the right thing against all odds. The attack on Pearl Harbor changes everything for Lana Hitchcock. Arriving home on the Big Island too late to reconcile with her estranged father, she is left alone to untangle the clues of his legacy, which lead to a secret property tucked away in the remote rain forest of Kilauea volcano. When the government starts taking away her neighbours as suspected sympathisers, Lana shelters two young German girls, a Japanese fisherman and his son. As tensions escalate, they are forced into hiding — only to discover the hideaway house is not what they expected. When a detainment camp is established nearby, Lana struggles to keep the secrets of those in her care. Trust could have dangerous consequences. As their lives weave together, Lana begins to understand the true meaning of family and how the bonds of love carry us through the worst times.

Red Sky Over Hawaii

Red Sky Over Hawaii
Author: Sara Ackerman
Publisher: MIRA
Total Pages: 373
Release: 2020-06-09
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1488056145

Inspired by real places and events of WWII, Red Sky Over Hawaii immerses the reader in a time of American history full of suspicion and peril in this lush and poignant tale about the indisputable power of doing the right thing against all odds. The attack on Pearl Harbor changes everything for Lana Hitchcock. Arriving home on the Big Island too late to reconcile with her estranged father, she is left alone to untangle the clues of his legacy, which lead to a secret property tucked away in the remote rain forest of Kilauea volcano. When the government starts taking away her neighbors as suspected sympathizers, Lana shelters two young German girls, a Japanese fisherman and his son. As tensions escalate, they are forced into hiding—only to discover the hideaway house is not what they expected. When a detainment camp is established nearby, Lana struggles to keep the secrets of those in her care. Trust could have dangerous consequences. As their lives weave together, Lana begins to understand the true meaning of family and how the bonds of love carry us through the worst times.

Unsinkable

Unsinkable
Author: Jenni L Walsh
Publisher: Harper Muse
Total Pages: 353
Release: 2024-01-09
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 140023395X

“AN INSTANT USA TODAY BESTSELLER” The Titanic was only the beginning. What she survived has become legend. Inspired by true stories of survival and resilience, Unsinkable entwines the lives of two women, one from World War 1 and another from World War 2, as they face adversity and take hold of the second chances given to them. Violet Jessop is Miss Unsinkable. After her mother becomes too ill to work, the responsibility to provide for the family falls to Violet as the oldest of nine. When the world enters the Great War, she serves as a nurse, helping men who could very well be her brothers. Working as a stewardess and wartime nurse, Violet not only survives a shipwreck but also two sinkings, one on the infamous Titanic. No one can understand why she would return to sea, but something keeps drawing Violet back to the tumultuous waters, where she struggles to put the tragedies of her past behind her and pursue a life and love all her own. Daphne has survived calamity of her own. Daphne Chaundanson grows up as an unwanted child after her mother died in a tragedy. She throws herself into education, collecting languages like candy in a desperate attempt to finally earn her father's approval. When the Special Operations Executive invites her to be an agent in France in World War II, her childhood of anonymity and her love of languages make her the perfect fit. She sees it as an opportunity to help the country she loves and live up to her father's expectations. But the dangers of war challenge Daphne in ways she never could have expected, and the secrets from her own past must be faced for her to truly have a future beyond the conflict--if she can survive it. Inspired by true stories of Violet Jessop and the thirty-nine women of the Special Operations Executive. Two unsinkable women. Two stories of survival, family, and finding one's own happiness. One connection that reshapes both their lives forever. Historical, stand-alone novel Themes of: true events, second chances, and happy endings Book length: approximately 103,000 words Includes discussion questions for book clubs

The Codebreaker's Secret

The Codebreaker's Secret
Author: Sara Ackerman
Publisher: HarperCollins Australia
Total Pages: 368
Release: 2022-10-01
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1867260069

A brilliant female codebreaker. An ‘unbreakable’ Japanese naval code. A pilot on a top-secret mission that could change the course of WWII. The Codebreaker’s Secret is a dazzling story of love and intrigue set during America’s darkest hour. 1943. As war in the Pacific rages on, Isabel Cooper and her codebreaker colleagues huddle in ‘the dungeon’ at Station HYPO in Pearl Harbor, deciphering secrets plucked from the airwaves in a race to bring down the enemy. Isabel has only one wish: to avenge her brother’s death. But she soon finds life has other plans when she meets his best friend, a hotshot pilot with secrets of his own. 1965. Fledgling journalist Lu Freitas comes home to Hawai’i to cover the grand opening of the glamorous Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, Rockefeller’s newest and grandest project. When a high-profile guest goes missing, Lu forms an unlikely alliance with an intimidating veteran photographer to unravel the mystery. The two make a shocking discovery that stirs up memories and uncovers an explosive secret from the war days. A secret that only a codebreaker can crack.

The Uncharted Flight of Olivia West

The Uncharted Flight of Olivia West
Author: Sara Ackerman
Publisher: Center Point
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2024-03
Genre: Fiction
ISBN:

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 Hawaii -- 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.

In the Heart of Paradise

In the Heart of Paradise
Author: Jamie McGillen
Publisher:
Total Pages: 284
Release: 2021-11-02
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
ISBN: 9781733423960

When Anna discovers she's with child, it doesn't feel as wonderful as she'd imagined. She quickly feels trapped between the doctors blaming her for her morning sickness, older women wanting her to stay home, and very real risks to her baby. She's caught between protecting her family and living a fulfilling life-an impossible choice. Anna's new friend Elizabeth is reeling from an unexpected loss, and she believes her nervous tendencies are getting worse. Her thoughts have always been strange, and the threat of ending up in an insane asylum is never far from her mind. When she meets a handsome stranger on the train, she wonders if she can simply keep her "fits of mania" to herself. But when she develops a phobia, she'll have to face her most dreaded fear to save what she loves most. In the Heart of Paradise is a deeply hopeful story that explores themes of mental health and motherhood in the nineteenth century. It is the third book in the Rainier Series, which is historical fiction set in Washington State.