Cover Image: Her Last Flight

Her Last Flight

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Member Reviews

Janey Everett, a photographer, arrives at a Hawaiian Island to find the story of Sam Mallory, a pilot who mysteriously disappeared in a plane crash. She meets Irene Lindquist who she believes might be Irene Foster, Sam's flight partner and possible lover.


Mrs. Lindquist at first denies to being Foster but slowly begins to share her story of her flight career. Together Janey and Irene's stories are told and you find how they intertwine.

At times I found it difficult to figure out who was telling the story and it would take me a few minutes to figure it out. The twists at the end of the book surprised me which doesn't happen often. I thought this was one of Beatriz Williams's better books in the past few years.

*Thank you to the Book Girls Book Club for the free copy*

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The story is very inspiring. I guess it made me realize how difficult it was to be a woman back then. This book is my first Beatriz Williams' book. I would say I am impressed with the details of the story so you could be in the moment with the characters. I liked how she made two angles of the story from two different timelines. It's like questions and answers. It's also lovely to learn these two women were strong in their own ways - pilot and photojournalist. It gave me a pleasant surprise at the end too. Even though I liked the story and the characters, I didn't know why it was a bit hard for me to finish it; it took me almost a week. I might not be in the right mood when I read it, but this book is excellent!

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In 1937, Irene Foster, a famed aviatrix, went missing during her attempt to fly around the world. Foster was the longtime student and suspected lover of Sam Mallory, a fearless aviation pioneer who disappeared years prior. In 1947, photographer and war correspondent Janey Everett arrives in Kauai, Hawaii to research the book she plans to write about Mallory’s disappearance. Janey suspects that Irene Foster is alive, and is now known as Irene Lindquist, the owner of a local airline. Determined to find the truth, Janey goes down a path riddled with secrets, long-buried and deeply held.

Beatriz Williams is a master historical fiction writer as she weaves unique pieces of history into fascinating, gripping tales. Her Last Flight includes threads of early aviation, the Spanish Civil War, Hawaii, and Amelia Earhart’s disappearance. This is the perfect escapist read that will keep the reader engrossed throughout the journey as we race to piece together the puzzle Janey reveals.

This period of history is one I haven’t often read about and Williams’ handling of such a robust history is notable. She takes so many different stories and weaves an incredibly layered story. Williams' writing is timeless and is easily identifiable as Williams while still ringing true of the time period within which the story takes place. I always appreciate that Williams’ stories emphasize strong female characters and their relationship to the world in a given moment in history. I adored Irene’s gumption and initiative and general determination. Janey’s development was subtle yet intense. Each character in the story was delicately crafted and I was sad to say goodbye to them.

This is ultimately a story of ambition, loss, love, and of people yearning for answers that can offer closure. I highly recommend to lovers of historical fiction, aviation, and ambitious, complex women.

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Beatriz Williams has fast become one of my absolute favorite historical fiction authors. I love her writing style and the amazing stories she creates. In particular, her stories always have fascinating and complex female characters. Her Last Flight instantly had me absorbed into the story. I've always been fascinated by Amelia Earhart, so I loved the setting of this one. The story reminded me somewhat of Evelyn Hugo (which I loved) with a young journalist interviewing an enigmatic female icon. The dynamic between Irene and Janey was so dynamic and intense and I loved the banter between the two strong-willed women. From start to finish I was engrossed in the story - historical fiction fans definitely won't want to miss this one!

5/5 stars

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

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I say this in the best way possible, when I finished Her Last Flight, I screamed a little to myself because it was so good. I love all of Beatriz’s Williams books, but this one is definitely one of my favorites! I was totally surprised by the ending and after I finished screaming, I may have also cried a little. I get emotionally attached to my books, don’t judge. 😂

Inspired by Amelia Earhart, Her Last Flight tells the story of Irene Foster, a pilot who went missing during an attempt to fly around the world, and Sam Mallory her former flying teacher and suspected love interest. Twenty years later, a journalist named Janey Everett has tracked down the woman she believes to be Irene to find out the truth of what happened to the once famous pilots. This book has the perfect balance of action, romance, mystery, and that signature Beatriz Williams glamour. One of my favorite books from the summer for sure!

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I loved this book! It was so atmospheric and casually twisty that I could NOT stop reading. The Golden Age of Aviation, the Spanish Civil War, dual timelines~ this story was exciting and well-researched. A must read for historical fiction fans like me!

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If you enjoy historical fiction, aviation, and women who don't follow the proscribed rules, then you will enjoy this book. In 1928 Irene Foster is out surfing and meets aviator Sam Mallory. He introduces her to flying, and the story soars. In post war 1947 Janey Everett is a photojournalist who has covered WWII. She is hunting for Irene Foster in order to complete a biography of Sam Mallory. When Janey finds Irene (who had been presumed dead), the story continues to move between the past and 1947.

This book is compulsively readable with just enough history, mystery, suspense, and romance to keep me reading well into the night. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.

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I did enjoy this one – it was a bit slow, took a bit to get into. It takes place between 1928 and 1947, but I feel like it’s written in such a modern way – especially with the way characters behave – that I would forget until something specific was mentioned. I’ve not found that to be a problem with her books before, so maybe it was just this one.

I will say, I loved the sections of the book that followed Irene Lindquist and Sam Mallory – It was a wee bit harder to like or connect with Janey and her sections. She just didn’t seem to be as developed as Irene or Sam and didn’t seem to grow as much. I did understand why she was aloof and things like that, I just wanted to connect with her in the way I felt I did with Irene. I did like her with Leo. Really quite cranky about not knowing what she whispered to him!

The second half is definitely better than the first and I love how this author connects everything and always has a good twist or turn.

And of course, a bazillion stars for the cat, Sandy. What a sweetie.

Thank you to Netgalley, Beatriz Williams and William Morrow for providing the ARC in exchange for honest review

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I had the classic struggle with Her Last Flight: binge it all quickly because it was just that good, or slow read and savor even chapter, every page, every sentence. I opted for savoring this captivating novel. Author Beatriz Williams doesn’t spare any words, and yet the book remains lush with details.

While this is solidly historical fiction, the story also surrounds the mystery of the female pilot who goes missing during an around the world airplane derby. (Nope, not a story about Amelia Earhart, but definitely has some Earhart feels to it).

I loved the juxtaposition of Janey and Irene – both independent, strong and stubborn women. Janey is an AP war photographer who sets off to a remote Hawaiian village to interview Irene Lindquist, the owner of a local island-hopping airline and who she believes is the missing pilot.

The ending was shocking – I didn’t see it coming! I won’t say anymore because – spoilers. But, let me just say…wow!

That said, while I loved Janey, our narrator and main character, I didn’t always connect with her. I did enjoy her story – both in Hawaii, and in her past when she’s covering the war. She has a difficult time connecting to other people and, because of her job, moves from one place to another without making or keeping too many relationships herself. And, once she’s in Hawaii, I felt she was stubborn and pushy, but also withholding information.

This was a great read: I soared through the skies with Irene, and I laughed, and I cried with Janey and Irene and the whole cast of characters.

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I absolutely loved this book! I loved Sam and Irene. I thought their love story was wonderful. It was well written and a fairly quick read. I’ve never read anything else by this author but definitely will
In the future. Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the ARC!

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Beatriz Williams writes pitch perfect historical fiction. I loved Her Last Flight. Details were finely written and the characters all believable in a story I did not want to end.

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I have always been a big fan of Beatriz Williams, and was so excited for her newest release. Her Last Flight was such a wonderful character study, and it may just be my most Favorite recent historical fiction read!

I have recommended this book for so many people since reading.

Many thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the gifted digital copy.

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I loved loved loved this book. The way the author waves two stories together, 2 decades apart was brilliant. About 80% through the book I was like "man, I didn't see that coming!" The women leads were brought together and their characters were so well developed that you felt like you were part of their families. I learned about aviation and how strong Irene, the main aviatrix, had to be to fly those long flights. How they communicated by passing notes and how after the flight it took a day or more before she could hear again. What an amazing women she was. This was also a story of love. The kind of love that leaves you wanting more. I have to say this is the best book I have read so far in 2020. It was published on June 30, 2020 and everyone should get a copy because they will not be disappointed.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #HarperCollins for an ARC of #HerLastFlight

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Her Last Flight tells the story of two women, wartime photographer Janey Everett, and legendary pilot Irene Foster. Told in current time (1947) and in flashbacks to the mid 1920’s, Janey is hunting down the story of Sam Mallory, Irene’s one time teacher and co-pilot. She travels to Hawaii where she has tracked down Irene and hopes to convince her to tell her story.

Historical novels can often be slow and get bogged down in the details of the era in which the story is told. Her Last Flight, taking place in two timelines does a great job of giving you the flavor of those era’s yet doesn’t take time away from the plot by being over descriptive. Because of this, the pace was quick and I found myself speeding through this fascinating novel of these two women.

Janey is tracking down the story of the famous pilot Sam Mallory which is done through Irene’s memories, yet at the same time we are given flashbacks to Janey’s own life and the people who have influenced who she has become. As we read her story we are given hints that she and Irene’s stories have parallels and I read eagerly to see how or if they might intersect.

Did I have a favorite between the two characters? I’ll admit I leaned a little more towards Irene’s story because it was a little more glamorous, despite her life’s hiccups. Janey as the narrator, didn’t lay all of her cards on the table until the end, but with each reveal about her past you realized her’s was the more difficult life and I ended up pulling for her to find her happiness by the end. So, it was kind of a toss up! I liked them both for different reasons.

As a pilot’s daughter myself I was fascinated to read about the early days of flight and how women became involved in it. Irene’s and Sam’s story took place in the 1920’s when the country was recovering from the Great Depression and flying and air shows were a bit like going to the circus At that time; exciting and dangerous. To read how far flight advanced, even in the 25 years told in this story, was also pretty incredible, a point made by Irene’s love of aviation becoming tainted when she realized the damage in Spain from bombs being dropped from planes. A much more modern view of the capabilities technology brings.

There were quite a bit of twists and turns in Her Last Flight, none of which I want to go into as it would spoil your enjoyment of reading this story on your own. I’ll just say that it was deftly done and despite the turbulents the journey was completely enjoyable. I would recommend this story to everyone who loves this genre, it’s not one to be missed. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

I received a copy of this ARC from the publisher through NetGalley for my honest review and it was honest!

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There was so much to love about Her Last Flight by Beatriz Williams. It combined history, romance, mystery and strong women forging a path at a time when a woman's place was in the home. As the dual narratives converged, I was compelled to keep reading to discover the next reveal. Thanks to Book Club Girl, NetGalley and William Morrow for the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for my honest opinion

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Beatriz Williams is excellent at weaving a story through different periods and making it all come together in the end. She is one of my favorite historical fiction writers. Williams’ new book, Her Last Flight, did not disappoint.

This is a story of two strong females that ended up living daring lives. In 1947, Janey Everett was a photographer on a mission to discover the mystery surrounding a famed pilot Sam Mallory. In her pursuits, Janey finds Irene Lindquist, formerly Irene Foster, the flying partner to Sam Mallory. In the beginning, Janey and Irene clash; Janey is set on discovering the truth about Sam Mallory and believes Irene is the one to give her answers.

With alternating storylines, the book flows pretty quickly. I found myself flying through this book to uncover the story behind these two captivating women.

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The story of Janey Everett seeking information about a famous pilot, Samuel Mallory, leads her to Hawaii and the doorstep of Irene Lindquist. With the use of a dual timeline, I was captivated to keep on reading and find out more about the histories of Janey and Irene. The rich history of aviation and women in aviation was woven into the story throughout the flashbacks and storyline. I found myself wanting to keep reading to find out more around the mystery of Samuel Mallory's accident. If you are looking for a historical fiction book that is different, this one is for you.

I received a copy of this story from Netgalley and the opinions are my own.

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Thank you to Net Galley and Harper Collins Publishers for the chance to read and review this book.

This book was billed as " the story of a lost pilot and wartime photographer that will leave its mark on your soul.."
I found this to be so true. I could not stop thinking about this story-it was so good! If there was a rating higher then 5, it would go to this book! There were so many twists and turns and it didn't turn out quite the way I expected. I love stories about aviators, but this one was a cut above the rest. It involved early flight, but it also told a wonderful story!. I highly recommend this story and I plan to read more by this author!

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Another profound story that transports the reader to a different place and time. This story grabs you from the first page. The development and progression of the characters and the plot were spot on, and the ending pulled everything together. A perfect book from an astounding author

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Her Last Flight by Beatriz Williams is beautifully written oftentimes sad story. I love the cover of the book.

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