Skye has been flying planes since she was a little girl. Headstrong, brave and fearless, she’s always had impeccable control of a plane up in the air, yet cant seem to command the same restraint over her emotions on the ground.
As Skye moves up the ranks of the ATA -an all female pilot crew that assists with the war effort- she comes face to face with Nicholas, a childhood friend who left her heartbroken. Cool, aloof and guarded, and engaged to the gorgeous yet equally mysterious Margaeux, it seems he’s different to the loyal, brave boy she met when she was 13. Or is he? As the facade begins to drop, what dangerous secrets will be uncovered?
In the present day, Kat, a fashion conservator discovers a set of 65 immaculately preserved Dior gowns in a home her grandmother owns, yet doesn’t visit. Why would her unassuming grandmother own these original gowns? And with this discovery, we are flung back in time to meet Skye and Liberty Penrose, Nicholas, Marguaex and O’Farell, unravelling their stories and discovering a secret buried for decades.
I loved this book. I loved the sense of hopeful nostalgia Lester captured, not only in the past but also projecting into the future, juxtaposed with the current hopelessness of the situation the characters faced. Parts of this book were tough to read, but covered very skilfully by Lester.
I loved how Skye was fearless, blazing a trail for the women who came after her, using her voice, her smarts and her wit to outsmart the prejudice flung at her, the insulting test flights and medical exams all while flying under conditions men would refuse.
I loved the injection of glamour the gowns provided. A shout out to the author for weaving them so deftly into the fabric of the story, as well as showcasing each gown on her instagram, which really brought the story vividly to life.
This is an amazing book that will fly you away from quarantine (😅) to Cornwall, Paris, Germany and beyond. My husband found me crying listlessly after reading this, and if that’s not a sure sign of a 5 star read, I don’t know what is. 🤣
Thanks to @hachetteaus for sending this my way 🥰.
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