The Spitfire Girls by Soraya M. Lane

Synopsis

Three skilled aviators determined to help win the war. Three brave women who know their place is not at home. At the height of World War II, the British Air Transport Auxiliary need help. A group of young women volunteer for action, but the perils of their new job don’t end on the tarmac. Things are tough in the air, but on the ground their abilities as pilots are constantly questioned. There is friction from the start between the new recruits. Spirited American Lizzie turns heads with her audacity, but few can deny her flying skills. She couldn’t be more different from shy, petite Ruby, who is far from diminutive in the sky. It falls to pragmatic pilot May to bring the women together and create a formidable team capable of bringing the aircraft home. As these very different women fight to prove themselves up to the task at hand, they are faced with challenges and tragedies at every turn. They must fight for equal pay and respect while handling aircraft that are dangerously ill-equipped; meanwhile, lives continue to be lost in the tumult of war. Determined to assist the war effort doing what they love, can May, Lizzie and Ruby put aside their differences to overcome adversity, and will they find love in the skies?

Audiobook review

4,5 stars

That story has been recommended by a friend (Vladi) who has the same taste as I do in stories and audiobooks. What sold the story to me was the narrator Sarah Zimmerman who has become a recent favorite!

And I am glad that I listened to that story as I learned new facts about WWII!

I am a huge fan of historical fiction happening during WWII and what I love most is learning about new historical facts. That’s why I love authors like Ruta Sepetys and Kate Quinn as they always choose less known facts to build their stories upon.

That was Soraya M. Lane’s choice too as I had no idea that the women had such crucial role piloting Spitfires and big bombers during WWII, ferrying these planes from the factory to where the pilots were settled, enabling them to go fight the nazis!

We will follow three main characters, the flamboyant, brash and bold American Lizzie; the petite, discreet but terribly talented English Ruby and the solid, responsible and very dedicated May.

All these women will give their best to contribute to the war effort, using their ability to fly but they will all deal with numerous obstacles linked to their gender! The men were so not ready to concede their planes to women, until they had no more choices if they wanted to use their pilots to fight the Germans. Yet that will be done with a lower pay, no instruments to navigate the planes and no radio.

What all of these pilot women accomplished is even more awe inspiring then their male counterparts as they had only their instincts to fly these huge beasts, while the men had all the technology available to help them! And yet their casualty rate luckily was very low.

I loved following each of these women, each with very distinctive tempers but all highly loveable and easy to fall for. I loved that “band of sisters” atmosphere and all the historical facts interspersed in the story.

Cherry on top: you even have some romance!

What’s not to love right?

Thanks for reading!

Sophie