I have been looking forward to reading this novel since I first heard about it, so to say I was excited to receive an advanced digital copy of it is putting it lightly. This was heightened even more by my current interest in historical fiction. Having never previously read Ackerman's works, I was didn't know what to expect in relation to Ackerman's writing style. Though I was initially excited to be diving into such an interesting story, from the story's description, I found it to be lacking at times. I repeatedly found it hard to get into this story, as it felt like there was a depth missing to it that if explored would have made it that much more intriguing to read. The writing style was something I also had to get accustomed to, as it wasn't a smooth transition and didn't necessarily capture my attention initially. Nonetheless, the plot progressed wonderfully and the characters were interesting to read. Though, I truly think more could have been developed in certain sections of the novel, it was nonetheless an enjoy book to read.

eARC was kindly provided by HarperCollins Canada in exchange for an honest review.

So much of the recently published fiction on WWII has taken place in Europe. That makes perfect sense but, of course, America was impacted as well.

In this historical novel, the story is set in Hawaii and centers on a group of characters, including those of German and Japanese heritage, whose lives were upended.

Readers will follow protagonist Lana as she reacts and acts in response to the aftermath of Pearl Harbor, This title also is about Lana’s personal life, including her father’s legacy and her romantic life.

Consider this one if you would like to read an America based WWII story.

While I expected this book to be a bit more fluff, it drew me in and had me fully invested in the characters right away. My family thought these were people I actually knew from my repeated mumblings. I missed living in Hawaii...but I've never actually lived in Hawaii. You get the picture. It was a well-written and engrossing book.

It all starts when Lana gets a call from her father. He's ill, and he's not the kind of guy to admit that easily. She walks out of her husband's home, knowing it's likely she won't come back (they are so done). Anyway, it takes some finagling, but she gets a flight to Hilo to see her father. 

Once she finds out her father has already passed, she returns to his house and meets his neighbors. While having breakfast with the neighbors the next day, they're taken in by the FBI because Pearl Harbor was bombed and the neighbors are German. Lana promises to care for the charming daughters of the neighbors.

Soon enough, Lana realizes Hilo probably isn't the safest place for them all, so she decides to take the girls to her father's other property in Volcano. Her father's best friend and his teenager tag along. Oh, and they're Japanese (also wanted for questioning). Her father's friend is in poor health and old, but his philosophy is very calming. She values his input and is grateful to not be the only adult.

The story of Lana's instant responsibility for three kids isn't enough drama for that girl - the author even throws in a romantic interest. Add in a bit of magical realism and I can't do anything else til I've read this story through to its conclusion.

I'd give this book 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it for fans of historical fiction. It's also a great message of a woman's resilience and strength to do what's needed.

Thank you for the opportunity to read Red Sky Over Hawaii. Unfortunately, I was not able to get engrossed into the book so I won't be leaving a full review.

I fell in love with Ackerman's writing in The LT's Nurse last year and Red Sky Over Hawaii was among my most anticipated reads for 2020. One thing that Ackerman never fails to deliver is a rich setting for her historical fiction. Even with this story being a glimpse into the past, the tension and fear within the communities is palpable. Medium paced, readers have the chance to experience a bit of rural Hawaii with a dash of magic.

It took me a while to settle in with the characters but, overall, each had their own fun quirks that made them feel authentic and well-rounded. I adored Coco, Marie was a typical pre-teen, and Sailor lent some much needed goofy puppy love to offset some of the heartache. As well rounded each of the characters were, I had trouble identifying with Lana which made this a slower read for me.

I'm also on the fence regarding the romance. I enjoyed the fated aspect, but I wish we had more time to build up the foundation for a romance that doesn't hinge on his relationship with her father. It made her love for him feel a little forced.

That aside, I adored the magical realism and rich Hawaiian culture Ackerman wove into the tale. Hands down, that was my favorite part. 

Red Sky Over Hawaii's unique approach to Pearl Harbor and the island internment camps made for a compelling read. While I didn't connect with Lana, I definitely still recommend readers pick this up. Especially if you enjoy rich settings and a dose of magical realism with your history. 

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I love historical fiction especially set around Wii and this one was fantastic with engaging characters and a plot the keeps you glue to the page

this was a really well done story, the characters were great and I really enjoyed the WW2 setting. It really added to the immersion.

Loved everything about this book. I loved the setting and time period around the attack on Pearl Harbor. Exquisite writing and characters. 
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book

I loved everything about this piece of historical fiction.  Lana returns to her home after a long estrangement from her father, Jack.  Her father is dying, and as she returns, the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor and life in Hawaii changes instantly.  She is a day late to see her father, but there in time to see his German neighbors arrested.  On the island, many Japanese and Germans, as well as Italians, are arrested without any other reason than their nationality.  Lana takes the two daughters, Coco and Marie, to safety at a house her father built in a remote section of the island.  In addition, she hides her father’s friend, more Hawaiian than Japanese,but at risk of arrest.  It is an important work with ramifications for today’s political situation, while telling an engrossing story of a strong woman and her actions in the face of danger.  Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Red Sky over Hawaii is a book about the courage and bravery of a young woman after the attack at Pearl Harbor. Lana rushed home to see her estranged ill father but got there after he died. She went to his home where she met his next door neighbors. When the parents of the German family are picked up by the government and sent to an internment camp, she decides to keep the children safe until their parents return. (During the time right after the war started, German and Japanese families were put into internment camps because the government was worried that they might be spies or sympathetic to the enemies of the US.) To keep them safe, Lana decides to travel to secret property that her father owned that was tucked away in the remote rain forest of Kilauea volcano She also takes a Japanese fisherman and his son who were friends of her father. She knows that she is going against the government but is willing to take a risk to keep them safe. They have visitors from the nearby Army base show up and she struggles to keep their secrets. When she finds out that there is an internment camp at the Army base, she knows that has to work even harder to keep her secrets.

Lana was a extremely well written character. Even though she had no family of her own she was willing to make a family out of the people that she helped escape from being taken away by the government. Family is more than blood ties - it is also the people that we love and protect.

This book is an interesting look about how the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the war against Japan affected the people of Hawaii. If you enjoy light historical fiction with a little romance, give this one a try!

I am ashamed to say that I was never taught about the concentration camps.

I was never told about what the American government and it’s people did to people of German and Japanese descent. Red Sky Over Hawaii speaks of that time, when the US was attacked at Pearl Harbor and all the racists came out.

Taking place in Hawaii, part of Polynesia where most of it’s residents are of Asian descent, the book follows Native Hawaiian Lana Hitchcock from her separation from her husband to finding a whole new family. Red Sky Over Hawaii really explored what actually brings people together as well as giving readers a glimpse into a Hawaii, I’m sure, most tourists don’t see.

Lana had to lie and go against her very strong ethical code to survive in the middle of a world war. The extreme circumstances that she, Maria, Benji, Coco, and Grant are thrust in have a way of making the important things seem even more important.. The characters were amazing. The writing was magical and all I want to do is go to Hawaii and see a volcano erupt and fall in love.

This is the first book I have read by Sara Ackerman, but it won't be my last. She has a beautiful and descriptive writing style that I loved. This story might take place after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, but this is the story of the people who lived on the Big Island in Hawaii and what they dealt with and how their lives changed after that event.

Lana Hitchcock has flown over to see her father in the hospital. She arrives to find out that she is too late and he has already died. Heartbroken, she heads to his house to figure out what to do. Her marriage is over, and she is now alone. Arriving at Jack's house, she meets his neighbors, the Wagners. She has a couple of meals with them and quickly gets to know their two girls. When they are arrested, being turned in by an acquaintance for being nazi sympathizers, Lana takes the two girls and head to her father's hideaway in the forest near the volcano. She also takes two other neighbors and friends of her fathers who happen to be Japanese. The story is about their life there, the things they deal with, their relationships and how they develop, the role pets and the wild horses play in their lives and a bit of a romance. There are serious issues of racism, turning on friends, mistrust during wartime, chosen family rather than blood, and living under the shadow of war and attack. The descriptions of the rain forest of Kilauea volcano was beautiful. I enjoyed Lana's character. She was strong, smart, determined, protective and lovely. She was a heroine to those she stood up. I will say I liked the ending and was happy that it was happy. This book gives the reader a lot to think about regarding the country's actions during this war. I recommend this one to those who enjoy historic fiction that is not too dark.

What a treat to be back in Sara Ackerman's world of Hawaii during World War II. She reminds me of my trips there: the soft breezes, volcanoes, beautiful people, etc. The thing I'll take with me about this book is the way that residents experienced December 7, 1941. I had no idea that the fact of an imminent attack had been published in the newspaper just days before it happened. Wow. And how the locals experienced the attack the days afterward when local people of Japanese descent were rounded up and imprisoned. Reading this book was an delightful experience from the first page to the last.

This novel is set in Hawaii during WWII. Main character Lana returns to the big island because her dad is sick and then Pearl Harbor happens, and when the German neighbors get detained, she takes their two daughters with her to a remote part of the island by the volcano. The setting of this book is great, and almost a character in and of itself. The rest of the book is sweet and a relatively light read for war fiction, but felt a touch insubstantial at times. I thought Sara Ackerman’s previous book, “The Lieutenant’s Nurse,” was better, but I still look forward to checking out her debut novel which I have yet to read and anything she writes in the future as well. 3.5 stars.

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing, Netgalley, and MIRA Books for this free copy. All quotes in this review are taken from the Advanced Reader Copy and may change in final publication.

I think I’m low-key jealous that not only was Ackerman born and raised in Hawaii like me, but that she’s still living there. Do you know how badly I wish I was back home on Oahu right now? Ughhh. Anyway, I thought it was cool that Ackerman loved Hawaii enough to write about it in a novel.

It’s also very clear from this book – and Ackerman’s other books – that living in Hawaii for the majority of her life (if not her whole life) has made an impact on her and her creativity. All three novels that she has takes place in Hawaii and has to deal with some world event that directly impacted Hawaii. In this case, RED SKY OVER HAWAII takes place after the attack on Pearl Harbor, and during the events of World War II. Now, while I do appreciate the fact that this book has Hawaii on the forefront of a WWII story – something that I personally have never seen before – I was a little worried about how Ackerman would portray the local Hawaiian people in this story. Since that has never been discussed in historical fiction to an extent like Europe, I wanted to make sure that this was done right, and that it truly captured what it was like for Hawaii after Pearl Harbor.

I also appreciated the fact that even though this story takes place in Hawaii, Ackerman did not try to tell the story of a POC living during WWII for this story. I don’t think she would have been able to portray everything that POCs were going through in the right way, and that’s just based on the fact that there’s no way she could have known. I am grateful that she stuck with a character that she could relate to, and told this story through their eyes. I don’t know if I got “white savior” vibes from this because of the fact that Lana was helping to hide people from being taken to a detainment camp, and I don’t personally know if there were white people that actually did help them during this time, but I just don’t know even now if that was what I felt. I do think that it wasn’t Ackerman’s intention at all, but for those that may have a more personal connection to the events of WWII and most especially in Hawaii, there is a possibility that it could come off that way.

In the end, I do feel like Ackerman’s love and appreciation for the history of Hawaii is clear in her novels, and making sure that she doesn’t overstep any boundaries of telling stories that are not meant for her to tell was good on her part.

Red Sky Over Hawaii by Sara Ackerman gives new perspective to the WWII historical fiction canon, as it takes place in the Pacific arena. This setting was new for me, which added a fresh take to a crowded field. 

When Lana Hitchcock receives news that her estranged father is dying, it prompts her to return to Hilo, Hawaii. While she does not return home in time to reconcile, she does inherit a bequeathment that puts her life on an unexpected course that will push her in unexpected ways.

When the US starts putting suspected Japanese sympathizers into detainment camps, Lana takes in a group of four unlikely guests. What happens from there is an intriguing tale of love and an exploration of chosen family. 

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.

The setting is in Hawaii during the beginning of WWII.  A sweet love story unfolds amongst the trauma of the war.
Fans of WWII historical women fiction will enjoy reading this book.
Thank you NetGallery for allowing me to read and give my honest review about this book.

Blog Tour: Red Sky Over Hawaii by Sara Ackerman-Historical Fiction
BLOG TOUR: RED SKY OVER HAWAII
Welcome to the Blog Tour for Red Sky Over Hawaii by Sara Ackerman

https://wendyreadsandwrites.blogspot.com/2020/06/blog-tour-red-sky-over-hawaii-by-sara.html

For fans of Chanel Cleeton and Beatriz Williams, RED SKY OVER HAWAII is historical women's fiction set in the islands during WWII. It's the story of a woman who has to put her safety and her heart on the line when she becomes the unexpected guardian of a misfit group and decides to hide with them in a secret home in the forest on Kilauea Volcano.

The attack on Pearl Harbor changes everything for Lana Hitchcock. Arriving home on the Big Island too late to reconcile with her estranged father, all she can do is untangle the clues of his legacy, which lead to a secret property in the forest on Kilauea Volcano. America has been drawn into WWII, and amid rumors of impending invasion, the army places the islands under martial law. When they start taking away neighbors as possible sympathizers, Lana finds herself suddenly guardian to two girls, as well as accomplice to an old family friend who is Japanese, along with his son. In a heartbeat, she makes the decision to go into hiding with them all.
The hideaway house is not what Lana expected, revealing its secrets slowly, and things become even more complicated by the interest of Major Grant Bailey, a soldier from the nearby internment camp. Lana is drawn to him, too, but needs to protect her little group. With a little help from the magic on the volcano, Lana finds she can open her bruised heart to the children--and maybe to Grant.

A lush and evocative novel about doing what is right against the odds, following your heart, and what makes a family.

Red Sky Over Hawaii by Sara Ackerman has Lana Hitchcock receiving a call from her estranged father, Jack telling her he is in the hospital.  Lana flies to Hilo the next day, but she is several hours too late.  Jack left her a note which leads her to a hidden one with clues on how to find a project he was working on in the rain forest near Kilauea volcano.  December 7th arrives, and everyone is shocked when the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor.  FBI men soon arrive and take away Jack’s neighbors, Fred and Ingrid Wagner but leave their two daughters behind.  Lana loads up a truck with provisions along with the Wagner’s daughter and hides a local Japanese fisherman and his adopted son in the back.  They traverse the mountain road and find a house that her father had almost completed before he fell ill.  It seems to be the perfect hideaway until they notice activity at the nearby Kilauea Military Camp.  It appears that the camp is now being turned into a detainment camp.  Major Grant Bailey is in charge, and he has taken a shine to Lana.  Can Lana keep them all safe during these perilous times?   Red Sky Over Hawaii is an intriguing historical novel.  It gives us a look at life in Hawaii during World War II.  We get to see how fearful the people were after the attack and how the government responded.  There are mystical elements woven into the story which I enjoyed.  It added another level to the story.  The story starts off a little slow in the beginning as we learn how Lana came to the island and why she was estranged from her father.  The story goes back and forth in time which was a little confusing.  The author’s vivid descriptions brings the scenery alive.  I could imagine the rain forest, the fog, and the half-finished house.  The romance is a little heavy in places as Grant and Lana spend time together, but it was understandable that they wanted to be together.  People needed to find comfort and hope during the war.  I enjoyed reading how these group came together and became a family.  Red Sky Over Hawaii is a heartwarming story with uncommon honey, mystical forces, wartime woes, a rare romance, and a found family.

Red Sky Over Hawaii, authored by native Hawaiian Sara Ackerman, opens with Lana Hitchcock racing from Hilo to Volcano on December 8, 1941, with two young girls -- Marie and Coco -- in tow, along with two geese and a Great Dane named Sailor. Two more passengers are concealed in the back of her vehicle, and she's terrified they will be discovered by the officers stationed at the checkpoint near the entrance to the park, situated not far from Kilauea military camp. Fortunately, she convinces them to let her and the girls be on their way, and they eventually find the house she has just learned her father left her. Lana and her father were estranged for a number of years, but when he called three days earlier to tell her he was dying, she rushed to see him. She had long desired a reconciliation, and believed that eventually she and her father would make amends. Tragically, however, Lana arrives at the hospital too late. 

Lana journeys on to her father's house where she meets his German neighbors, Ingrid and Fred Wagner, and their daughters. From them, she learns that her father, the gregarious Jack Spalding, sold the house to them, explaining that he needed the money for a project and Lana had no interest in keeping the property. Jack had been spending weeks at a time away from home. Following clues he left her, Lana discovers she has inherited a house in Volcano. Her father's cryptic message -- "When the time comes, all are welcome" -- only begins to make sense the following day as she and the Wagners listen in shocked silence to radio reports that enemy planes are attacking Pearl Harbor. Clearly, Lana cannot return to Honolulu and her unfaithful husband, Buck, with whom she has been unable to have the child she longs for. The Wagners know they will immediately come under suspicion because of the alliance between Germany and Japan, even though they fled Germany to escape Hitler's rule. Sure enough, later that day two FBI agents take the Wagners into custody for questioning, so Lana agrees to watch over Marie and Coco, naively hopeful that their parents will be released in a few hours. That does not happen, of course, but Mr. London, one of Fred's business associates arrives, claiming he was appointed by Fred to watch over the girls and the Wagners' business interests. It is apparent to Lana that he is not a suitable guardian for two young girls.

So Lana gathers up her charges, and they make the treacherous trip to Volcano. Once they locate her father's hideaway house, they work together to make it inhabitable. Their futures are uncertain -- the war has literally just begun and no one knows how long it will last or how the world will have been changed by the time it is over. Hawaii remains vulnerable and endangered, so residents must comply with orders dictating movement about the island and a curfew. With trade routes cut off, food staples are quickly in short supply. Fear and distrust threaten the previously peaceful way of life on the islands among diverse people. Not only are the Wagners still being held against their will because of their German births. Japanese residents are taken into custody because of concerns about their loyalty. Lana is determined to keep Mochi and Benji safe, hidden away at her father's house where. hopefully, the local authorities won't discover them. Lana risks her own freedom and safety to ensure that Marie and Coco are not returned to Hilo in the dubious care of the unscrupulous Mr. London.

As the days pass and Christmas approaches, Ackerman's characters learn to trust and depend upon each other. Lana becomes acquainted with Major Grant Bailey, who met her father on the golf course and grew close to him over the course of the prior year. Grant is a cowboy from Wyoming who is equally at home atop a horse as with people. He is also in charge of Ki'lauea Military Camp which is being converted to a detention center. As Lana and Grant grow closer, she questions whether she can be entirely forthcoming with him about the composition of her newly-established household, as well as the events in her past that fractured her relationship with her father.

Ackerman's affection for her subject matter and characters is evident in the thoughtful, compassionate way she tells an engrossing story about what it means to create and be part of a family in the face of adversity. The Big Island is as much a character in the book as its human counterparts. Ackerman's descriptive, evocative prose transports readers to the remote hideaway; the lava fields where Lana and the girls visit her Auntie, a kapuna (elder); and the little town of Volcano where the elderly Mrs. Kano and her granddaughter, Iris, operate the Kano Store -- past which government vehicles roll through town bringing troops and prisoners to the nearby detention facility. 

Ackerman convincingly depicts Lana "at one of those difficult crossroads in life, where everything seems to fall apart at once." She is disappointed about her failed marriage and regrets that she did not heal her relationship with her father while she still had time. She accepts responsibility for her part in their separation, as she mourns him and strives to discern what he wanted her to know. Her commitment to the girls and concern for her father's dear friend, Mochi, as well as young Benji, fuel her determination. Her outrage and dismay at how quickly her fellow Hawaiians are viewed with suspicion and deprived of their rights is palpable and believable, as is the fear and trepidation that all of the characters experience. As soon as they learn of the attack on Pearl Harbor, Lana instantly recognizes that life will never be the same, and her anger about that is credible. So are her burgeoning feelings for Grant and hesitation to act on them, in light of the duties he is charged with carrying out and obligation to comply with orders from his superiors. Empowered, yet vulnerable, Lana is principled and refuses to yield her loyalty to those she has gathered around her.

Two particular aspects of Ackerman's writing distinguish Red Sky Over Hawaii from other historical fiction set during World War II. The first is her depiction of the varying ways the characters react to the circumstances in which they find themselves, and the strong relationships that evolve in a short period of time. Thrown together by events beyond their imagining or control, they become an empathetic, cohesive unit in spite of their differences. 

The second is the character who truly embodies the heart and soul of Ackerman's story. Coco is a stubborn little girl, devastated by being separated from her parents, especially her mother. Ingrid has always been Coco's defender, the one who understands and protects her, including from the other children at school who don't understand how special she is. Coco can charm animals and has the gift of seeing things others can't. She senses when events are about to take place because she observes a crack in the sky. When Lana looks to the sky for signs of it, Coca sternly tells her she won't be able to see it "because you don't believe, not really." But that's not true. Lana relates to and connects with Coco because Lana too has also always had a sense of knowing when a disaster is on the way -- just as she did as she frantically made her way to Hilo the day before the attack. Lana recognizes that Coco is not like other children, and lovingly does everything she can to ensure that Coco is permitted to be her authentic self. Through characters like Auntie, a deeply spiritual woman, Ackerman educates readers about Hawaiian culture, and the sacred connections to the land and beliefs of her people.

Red Sky Over Hawaii is a captivating, mesmerizing, and moving tale about a time in American history when ordinary people refused to succumb to distrust and wariness even in the face of a calculated, vicious attack. Ackerman examines the dark and disturbing aftermath of the attack on Pearl Harbor, and depicts characters who are resilient, determined, and come together to support and care for each in the face of prejudice and divisiveness. Her injection of elements of magical realism into the story make it even more entertaining, charming, and touching. Red Sky Over Hawaii is a delight, especially for historical fiction fans, but a must-read for anyone who enjoys an uplifting and engrossing exploration of what it means to be part of a family.