Glamour Girls

November 15, 2020
A young woman leaves her family home to fly airplanes for the British Air Transport Auxiliary during World War II and gets caught in a confusing love triangle. In 1932, Rosalie Wright, a 10-year-old farm girl from Cambridgeshire, takes her first ride in an airplane and is forever smitten with flight. When she turns 16, her parents finally allow her to take flying lessons. Only a short time later, World War II erupts, and the local airfield halts civilian operations. It seems Rosalie will be stuck working the family farm forever. But then she stumbles on an article about Pauline Gower, a pilot she's long admired, who has been appointed to the Women's Division of the Air Transport Auxiliary, a group that ferries airplanes for the Royal Air Force. After repeated rejections based on her age, she finally secures a position with this elite squad of aviatrices, often referred to as "Attagirls." As Rosalie builds her career within the ATA, she develops close friendships with the other Attagirls and also finds a love interest. Unfortunately, the man has questionable intentions, and another intriguing fellow is vying for Rosalie's attention. As the story progresses, it is unclear whether Rosalie will realize that sometimes the best route to happiness comes from following the path of least resistance. Full of interesting details about the different types of airplanes used by the British during World War II, as well as the purposes of each, the narrative takes an unhurried approach toward detailing Rosalie's adventures. The book reads almost like a diary, delving into many of the mundane parts of Rosalie's life, often too deeply, before getting to the juicier tidbits. Even so, the author manages to depict Rosalie's friendships with fellow Attagirls and RAF pilots in a manner that is both realistic and touching. A few twists and turns keep the story engaging despite its often sluggish tempo. A detailed recounting of one woman's passion for aviation above all else.

COPYRIGHT(2020) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Starred review from December 1, 2020
Pilot Rosalie Wright will not let anyone weigh her down because she knows she was born to fly. As a second officer responsible for ferrying aircraft cross-country for the Royal Air Force's Air Transport Auxiliary, Rosalie is fiercely passionate and truly gifted in the cockpit, but she fears her dream may not last forever, what with familial and social pressure to give up flying once she marries. But the war spares no one the sting of loss, and not even cruising thousands of feet above the world's harsh realities will allow Rosalie to escape heartache and uncertainty. Inspired by the real-life pilot Mary Wilkins Ellis and the WWII female pilots known as Attagirls, Wingate imagines the inner experience of women in the war effort who embraced the challenge yet still longed for the traditional dreams of love and family. Wingate writes wonderfully exciting action scenes in a calm, well-paced tone that allows readers to savor every moment, whether it takes place in a crowded pub or a dramatic in-flight roll away from enemy fire. Her command of WWII history and the uncelebrated roles of women is exemplary, and the emotional resonance makes this a deeply fulfilling read.

COPYRIGHT(2020) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.