Cover Image: The Spitfire Girl: Over and Out

The Spitfire Girl: Over and Out

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Over and Out for the Spitfire Girl by Fenella Miller is another wonderful read by this author. I have not had the opportunity to read all of The Spitfire Girls series, which is a shame because they should probably be read in order. However, this book was great.
Ellie Simpson Reynolds flies four engine bombers. She ferries them from airport to airport in England during the war. She is married to Jack Reynolds who has lost a hand in air combat. He also ferries planes, but cannot go back into combat. Ellie’s ex-fiance was wealthy and upon his death she was bequeathed his estate. Her grandfather is close to passing away and she will inherit his farm estate. Jack feels very inadequate because Ellie has money and he has a disability from his service. Their lives are in turmoil because Ellie does not want children yet. They have purchased a home, which they will only be able to live in on their off times.
I loved the characters and will endeavor to read all of the books in this series. I wish I had read more before reading this last novel of the series, but I soon sorted out their stories.

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Sorry - forgot to post this review, now going through reviews had written and saved, yet not posted:

The final book in a four book series. I missed books 2 and 3 and this book suffers for that, but my fault though. In spite of this, it was enjoyable, though not as much as I'd hoped for. I do need to read the othres though.

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I absolutely love historical fiction, particularly those set in the World War 2 era, however when I requested THE SPITFIRE GIRL: OVER AND OUT I didn't realise it was not only a part of a series but the conclusion to it as well. For that reason, I didn't particularly enjoy the book as much as I had hoped since I hadn't read the first three. There were characters and circumstances alluded to that I didn't know about and added to the confusion was the fact that some offspring had been named after previous characters and the mention of past and present names had me thoroughly confused.

The series follows the women, namely Ellie Simpson, who join the ATA (Air Transport Auxiliary) to ferry planes all over the country for the RAF for men to use in battle - their lives and loves throughout. The story picks up in February 1943 with the former Ellie Simpson, now Reynolds, learning to fly four-engined bombers to gain a Class V licence and promote her to First Class Officer. Ellie's husband, Squadron Leader Jack Reynolds, is busy ferrying planes out of White Waltham while Ellie is stationed with an all female crew at Hamble. The separation is tough on the newly married couple, but they manage to catch up every few weeks or so when they coincide their leave together.

When Ellie receives news that her odious grandfather Sir Reginald is dying, the couple join the rest of the family for Sir Reginald to make amends before it's too late. Ellie's brother George will inherit his estate and title while the family farm will go to Ellie. Jack is already uncomfortable with his wife's wealth, inherited by her former fiance, and does not want to be a kept man by his wife. This leads to a most ridiculous turn of events that I saw having no purpose in the story and which was over within a few pages. It left me thinking "what was the point of that?"

Back to work for the couple - Ellie in Hamble and Jack in White Waltham - and they begin to think about their future. Ellie's best friend Amanda, and former pilot, gives birth to a baby girl and it has her thinking about the possibility of motherhood, despite her lack of maternal instinct. After much deliberation, Ellie and Jack decide to buy a house close to White Waltham for them to settle down when the war finally comes to an end, with the intention of Ellie transferring from Hamble to White Waltham to be with her husband.

After looking at several houses, Ellie and Jack come across "The Rookery" which was own by the local witch Mary and they soon find themselves embroiled in a mystery. But have the couple got more than they bargained when they discover a cellar full of shocking and scandalous secrets?

With my love for historical fiction, I was looking forward to reading this book but as it was the final in a four book series, I felt I had arrived in the middle of the story and missed certain aspects that were key to the entire series. I didn't have time to go back and read the first three, though that is what is needed here. THE SPITFIRE GIRL: OVER AND OUT, a title which certainly suggests a conclusion, cannot be read as a standalone. Too much has taken place prior to this book for it to make sense to the reader, and I recommend tackling them in order.

1. The Spitfire Girl
2. The Spitfire Girl in the Skies
3. A Wedding for the The Spitfire Girl
4. The Spitfire Girl: Over and Out

While I didn't enjoy this book as much as I'd hoped, I do intend on coming back to it after I have read the first three at a later date, because I truly believe this final installment to the series will make far better sense when read after the first three.

THE SPITFIRE GIRL: OVER AND OUT, I'm sure, brings a satisfying conclusion to the story of Ellie Simpson Reynolds and her journey as first a flying instructor (I believe) to ATA pilot and First Class Officer during one of Britain's darkest times. I wholeheartedly recommend the series be read in order before tackling this one which I'm sure will make this read an even greater delight.

2.5 stars. Mainly because maybe if I had read the first three books, this one would have been a more satisfying conclusion.

I would like to thank #FenellaJMiller, #NetGalley and #Aria for an ARC of #TheSpitfireGirlOverAndOut in exchange for an honest review.

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I enjoyed this book so much that I went back to get the first books in the series. Very interesting reads!

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

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I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Fenella J. Miller writes beautifully, and I was captivated from the first page.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

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Fenella Miller brings her wonderfully evocative and immensely poignant Spitfire Girl series to a close with the final touching and uplifting instalment, Over and Out.

In 1943, after years of conflict, darkness and despair, there finally seems to be a chink of hope on the horizon. Italy has surrendered and the sweet taste of victory is in the air and for the first time in what feels like ages, people seem optimistic that this wretched war will end. First Officer Ellie is still engaged in the activity which she enjoys most -flying and she loves nothing more than taking to the skies and trying her utmost to do her bit for King and Country and do what she can to win this war. However, her success and prowess on the airfield is not decreasing the tension that has arisen between Ellie and her new boyfriend, Squadron Leader Jack Reynolds. Just when finally they have a reason to be hopeful and optimistic, are Ellie and Jack going to let their disagreements get between them and ruin what might be a long, happy and peaceful future together?
Just when Ellie and Jack have found their dream home, they find themselves getting the shock of their lives when they realise that they might have got far more than they bargained for when they discover a cellar full of shocking and scandalous secrets. As the future which they had planned and dreamed of looks set to be snatched out of their hands forever, Ellie and Jack realise that they have to stick together and trust in one another because only then can the happiness which they’ve been planning for for so long finally come to fruition.

Is Ellie and Jack’s love strong enough to withstand all the obstacles being thrown their way? Will love find a way to triumph against adversity? Or are Ellie and Jack about to lose everything just when what they wanted most seemed to be within reach?

Fenella J Miller’s Spitfire Girl series has been an absolute joy to read and in the last title in the series, Over and Out, she has written a compelling and captivating read spiced with secrets, intrigue and mystery that is sure to keep readers turning the pages and desperate to find out what happens next. Ellie and Jack’s story will touch readers’ hearts and make them cry as they navigate their way towards hopefully getting the happy ending they have been searching for.

A must-read for fans of Nancy Revell and Rosie Clarke, Fenella J Miller’s Spitfire Girl: Over and Out is a terrific saga that should not be missed.

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As the war is progressing Ellie has to step up a level and learn to fly the big bombers earning herself a promotion to First Officer. She and Jack buy themselves a house and everything seems to be perfect in her life...... but can Jack accept the fact that she is the rich one and can pay for everything especially when he is struggling with his own disability

A lovely ending to the series I have really enjoyed all of the books following Ellie through the war and the amazing story of the brave women fighting to keep the planes in the sky and earn their own piece of history

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Thoroughly enjoyed the Spitfire girls series. Shows us women can do anything!! Beautifully written and comes highly recommended. A must read. I look forward to reading more from this author.Thank you for the ARC.

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The Spitfire Girl: Over and Out by Fenella J. Miller is the conclusion of The Spitfire Girls series. The story picks up in February 1943 with Ellie Simpson Reynolds learning to fly four-engined bombers which will earn her a promotion to First Officer. Jack Reynolds, Ellie’s husband, is busy ferrying planes out of White Waltham while Ellie is stationed with all female pilot crew at Hamble. Ellie’s grandfather, Sir Reginald is dying which means her brother, George will inherit the estate and title. Their father’s farm, Glebe Farm will now go to Ellie. Jack is already uncomfortable with the inheritance Ellie received from her ex-fiancé. As the war marches to its conclusion, Jack and Ellie begin to think about life after the war. They purchase The Rookery which was owned by the local “witch”, Mary. The Reynolds soon find themselves embroiled in a mystery. I thought this story was well-written with developed characters. We get to see what life was like for female pilots during World War II. Ellie is a member of the ATA which ferries planes all over England. It was interesting to learn about this brave group of women and their contribution to the war effort. The story is full of British sayings and slangs which I enjoyed because they add color to the story. George and his wife, Fiona are back along with Fred and Mabel. We get to follow Jack and Ellie through their day to day activities. They are thinking about the future. What they will do for work after the war and where they will live. We get to see a realistic view of marriage. It is not a smooth ride for our two pilots. Life has its ups and downs. Jack has insecurities over the money Ellie inherited and that he is not a complete “man” since he lost his arm. Ellie worries about the life after the war she will not be flying every day. I was happy that the author included a mystery. It added another level to this book. I do feel that The Spitfire Girl series needs to be read in order. I thought that the ending was abrupt. I wish the author had included an epilogue that took Ellie and Jack a year or two into the future. It would have provided a more fulfilling conclusion to this charming historical series. The Spitfire Girl: Over and Out is a satisfying wrap up to this inviting historical series with pragmatic pilots, booming bombs, a mysterious murder, and happily-ever-afters.

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A sad yet beautiful conclusion to what has been a fantastic series, been in a great journey with all the characters throughout, I will miss them.

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This has been a wonderful series and I was sorry to reach the final book; it's absolutely packed and finishes off Ellie's story beautifully.

As the war continues, life in the ATA can be somewhat manic; whilst Ellie and Jack are busy collecting and delivering aircraft all over the country they find time spent together is rare. Married life has began in an unusual manner and they both find themselves thinking of finding a home to share. However, when they do find the ideal property it turns out they've got more than they bargained for . . .

Each book in this series has opened up new and different direction and this one excels in spreading out to take in not only Ellie and Jack's lives, but that of all their friends and families. It's a real reminder of just what personal sacrifices people made for the war effort. Following through the final years of world war two, this is a well written and terrifically crafted story of the deprivations of rationing (we could do with it at the moment to stop the selfish from stockpiling whilst others do without). Rich in detail with marvellous characters, I really enjoyed this one; it complements the whole series and brings everything to a lovely conclusion, leaving no questions unanswered.  If you love to read a historical saga that you can immerse yourself in, then this is one I highly recommend! Entertaining, totally enjoyable and well worth 4.5*.

My thanks to the publisher for my copy via NetGalley; this is - as always - my honest, original and unbiased review.

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Thoroughly enjoyed this book and devastated to think it might be the last in the series. It was sad to have a death of one of the main characters although it did fit well with the storyline. The whole series has been excellent and I hope to read more similar books from this author if indeed this is the last one. Highly recommended.

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I absolutely love historical fiction and in particular I love reading fiction set during the Second World War. I have followed 'The Spitfire Girl' series from the start and I have thoroughly enjoyed the series. I couldn't wait to get my hands on a copy of this final instalment ('The Spitfire Girl: Over & Out'). When I finally did manage to get my hands on a copy, I squirreled myself away and read it as soon as I could. 'The Spitfire Girl: Over & Out' is another cracking read and a fitting end to the series. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book but more about that in a bit.
As soon as I started to read, I was swept back to 1940s Britain and back into the lives of the Spitfire Girl. I found that it was nigh on impossible to put this book to one side for any length of time. Sadly I wasn't able to read the book over the course of a day because I had other commitments, but I did manage to finish the book over the course of three days, which is still pretty good going for me. If I wasn't reading the book, I was thinking about the book and if I had to put the book to one side for any reason, then I would immediately look forward to being able to pick the book up again. The pages of the book turned increasingly quickly as my desperation to find out how the story concluded grew and grew. All too soon, I had to bid farewell to the Spitfire Girl. 'The Spitfire Girl: Over & Out' was one of those books that I wanted to finish but I didn't want to finish. Fellow bookworms will know exactly what I mean.
'The Spitfire Girl: Over & Out' is extremely well written, but then I think that to be true of the whole series. Fenella draws you into the story from the first word on the first page and she doesn't release you until the moment you read the last word on the last page. Fenella J. Miller is one of those authors who makes history come alive. She has clearly done an awful lot of research, which shines through in the quality of her writing. Reading her very vivid and realistic writing literally made me feel as though I had borrowed the Tardis from Dr. Who and I had been transported back in time to Wartime Britain. Fenella has created likeable and realistic characters, who seem just as real as you or I. I felt as though I was part of the story myself and that's down to Fenella's fantastic storytelling.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'The Spitfire Girl: Over & Out' and I would definitely recommend this book to other readers. I will definitely be reading more from this author in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board has to be 5* out of 5*.

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A very interesting take on the contributions of women during WWII. Ellie Reynolds transports planes in England and she truly loves her job. Her marriage to Jack is new and full of minor issues but it was lovely seeing how they found their way back to each other while the world is still so unsure. Miller gives us a birds-eye view of 1943 and beyond and how everyone had to conserve and struggle each day to survive amidst this ungodly war.

Her take on wartime England is full of Britishisms that at times were a bit unclear but the joy found in the little things happening around Jack and Ellie made the story palatable. It's a bit one-dimensional at times and I found myself skimming a bit when descriptions were a bit tedious.

There is a surprising mystery that adds a bit of depth and the love Jack and Ellie share is more than enough when things seem dire. But it's truly the skill Ellie shows over and over again as a first class pilot that is at the crux of this story. The family life she finds with Jack is an added bonus with secondary characters providing the assistance and support when needed. Most notably my favorites, Grey and Ginger.

Again, my lack of knowledge of certain British terms held me back a bit but overall it is a pleasant story that gave me a new perspective about the grand importance of women during the war.

3 stars.

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I would like to thank Aria for sending me a copy of this book to review and to be apart of the blog tour.
I have followed Ellie's story from the beginning and I have loved reading about it. Stories set in WW2 have to be a firm favourite of mine. I love the stories of the camaraderie that were present during that time and all the elements that made up the war. Ellie is a strong women who already knew how to fly and joined the war flying Spitfires and other aircraft up and down the country. Through these turbulent times she has found love and while continuing to do her duty Ellie finds that love courses its own issues, alongside worry about friends and family.
In this instalment of The Spitfire Girl Ellie and Jack buy a house together and begin to think of life after the war, while still doing their duty to their country. Jack struggles with the lose of his hand and Ellie being independent and their relationship struggles.
Fenella has captured the very essence of what war is all about and I love reading about the history that features. Her characters develop throughout the four books and you can really see the change in them from the start of the war. An easy read that has great depth to it I found myself completing lost in Ellie's story each time I picked up a book.
This is a perfect ending to a great series.

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Ing what a brilliant series this was so sad it's the last one of the series let's hope the next series is just as good

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I would like to thank netgalley and Aria for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

A conclusion to Ellie's story.

The ending was a little sad and not far off what I expected. I'm glad this series has finally come to an end, as it started to drag a little.

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Lovely historical fiction and don't worry if you, like me, haven't read the earlier books- this is fine as a standalone. It's 1943 and the war is wearing on everyone, not least Ellie and Jack. She's a pilot who ferries planes where they need to be while he's dealing with a devastating physical injury that has made him rethink his career goals. He's also coping with the fact that Ellie has money while he does not. They're also struggling with wanting a child and with the new house (well, it's an old house but new to them) that they've bought. Although things can be a bit grim for them, they always have each other. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

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We’ve been following Ellie since the beginning as she traded her farm life for flying aircraft from manufacturing plants to repair and even to bases for the RAF. Doing her part and proving to be invaluable to the service, her own skills have moved her through the ranks quickly, and now married to childhood friend Jack, everyone is ready for the war to end. Losing her best friend to marriage and pregnancy wasn’t easy, and she’s worried that now Jack will expect her to be ready for a child, housekeeping and a quiet life. When we add in the family and friends with babies arriving or on the way, the imminent death of her grandfather – the odious titled man who cast a pall on all their lives, and dealing with the bequest from her first love after his death, and the possibility of yet more from her grandfather’s estate, she and Jack have some decisions to make.

There are so many elements that come into this story: from Elle’s family and friends to Jack’s struggles (still) with the loss of his hand and the fact that Elie is a rich woman of her own right where he’s got no one but his aunt, once married to his gangster uncle. When Jack has started to think of the future after the war, as the Americans are arriving in greater numbers, Italy is surrendering and much of the German bombardment of London has slowed, he wants to make a difference, and they decide to buy a house close to Oxford and the base where they both work. The house comes with a few quirks: Mary the former owner and proclaimed witch, a giant dog and cat that love them both, and plenty of recognition in the village, if not welcome.

Throughout this series, Miller has taken care to develop characters and their relationships in front of our eyes, and it’s easy to invest in the ups and downs and struggles that they have all endured through the long years of war. With things heating up and neither Jack nor Ellie feeling as if they are truly being ‘heard’, there are some rough patches. Fortunately, both are more sensible than stubborn (at least in the long term) and with plenty of ‘realignments’ what is (and always has been) important to them is family, friends and one another. The story has shown over the four books the changes in the country, in women’s views of themselves, in their contributions and perhaps even a bit of the conflicting emotions that allow everyone who reads it a chance to connect and empathize. A lovely series that is laden with information many may not know, plenty of heart and lots of moments to celebrate, it’s well worth a weekend’s hideaway.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Review first appeared at <a href=” https://wp.me/p3OmRo-aF1/”> <a> I am, Indeed </a>

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I try never to read a series out of order. I had heard so much about Fenella J. Miller's writing and this series that I went outside of my box. I felt at first that I had arrived in the middle of the story. It felt as if I had missed the back story. So I went to the start and read the first three books to this series. Fenella J. Miler does an excellent job of giving life to her characters. Ellie's character is outstanding. She is a very strong independent woman. She is a great pilot that can fly as well, if not better than some of the men. Even though she often stays to herself, her caring side is evidenced in her concern for Jack as well as her best friend Amanda. I found it interesting to learn the contribution the women made to the war effort. War is hard on everyone and holding a relationship together in such times makes it extra hard. I received a copy of this book from Aria Publishing through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

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