I’m a little bit speechless. I absolutely loved this novel - a solid 10/10 🌟

A historical fiction based on true events, set during WW2, and told through 3 POV’s.
It’s the year 1943: Evelyn, Vita, and Dot have trained to be nurses and are members of the 807th Medical Air Evacuation Transport Squadron. After facing a setback, a larger crew of 26 nurses/medics are rounded up to make up for their lost time transporting wounded soldiers. One plane crash later, and they find themselves deep in enemy territory in Albania.

This novel features female friendship, growth, survival, and romance. Very well written - the author gave us a story set during the war without it overly screaming WW2 or feeling like a history lesson, if you get what I mean.
The epilogue had me looking like: 🥺

Overall, thoroughly pleased and surprised because this is normally not a subject I’d like to read about.

[Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC]

Review - Under a Sky of Memories by Soraya M. Lane
This was a remarkable story about three women serving as flight nurses in the Medical Air Evacuation Flight Squadron during WWII. Their mission: to transport, triage and manage pain for soldiers who are in the most dire of circumstances. Their plane comes under attack and crashes behind enemy lines. Who will survive and will they make it to safety? This was a quick and easy read but also a highly engaging read. This book checked so many boxes for me!
✔️daring mission
✔️dangerous rescue
✔️page turner
✔️action and suspense
✔️friendship
✔️romance
✔️bravery
✔️tear jerker 😢
✔️heartwarming 🥰
Well done @sorayalaneauthor 👏🏻
Coming January 11th, 2022
Thank you to @netgalley and @amazonpublishing for this review copy. 🥰
#bookstagram #canadianbookstagram #underaskyofmemories #sorayamlane #netgalley #amazonpublishing #bookadoration

(Actual rating 3.5/5)

Thank you NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for the chance to read and review this book before publishing!

This novel focuses on three nurses-Evelyn, Vita, and Dot-who become best friends during training for a special squadron in WWII. Throughout the book we experience the tragedy of this situation from each of the main characters while simultaneously learning about their lives before the war.

I had a hard time figuring out a rating for this simply because the synopsis was incredibly misleading. The synopsis lead me to believe this was going to be action packed the whole time (kind of like The Alice Network or The Nightingale) but it really wasn’t. It was much more of a light introduction to WWII fiction with a heavy subplot of romance. If I knew that going in I likely wouldn’t have picked it up BUT putting my expectations aside, I did enjoy this book a lot!

I really loved seeing how each of their lives before WWII influenced their relationships and the actions they took while in such a dire situation. There were many parts in this book that got my heart pounding with anticipation and equally as many that warmed my heart. I truly enjoyed seeing each of these women grow throughout the book and confront the insecurities of their pasts. These women were definitely strong and capable but their reactions to the tragedy felt much like what any person would feel if they crash-landed in enemy territory in the middle of a war.

This book wasn’t as intense as some WWII fiction I’ve read so if you’ve been meaning to try it, this might be a good place to start! Although Under A Sky of Memories isn’t categorized as romance I would say romance is definitely the subplot. Historical fiction/romance lovers might want to check this out as well. I was definitely rooting for the love interests throughout the book!

This book is an amazing work of historical fiction, one of the few 5 star reviews I've granted this year.

Evelyn, Vita and Dot are Americans from different walks of life who signed up during the war to be trained as flying nurses. After training, they were sent to Italy as part of the 807th MAETS, a squadron that flies medics and nurses into war-torn areas and picks up the wounded for transport to hospitals.

During a one of a kind assignment, 13 nurses and several medics are sent on a large plane to pick up a large number of wounded. Tragedy strikes, and the group is left on their own to survive. I'll stop there because I don't write spoilers, but will say this is a story of heroism, strength, resiliency and love that will stay with you for a long time after you close the book.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC, but my opinions are my own.

Are you looking for a great historical historical novel with wonderful characters? Then look no further! Filled with wonderful friendships and a little romance, this book treats us to the tale of 3 friends who are nurses in a new type of unit. These women are part of a unique unit that flies in to field hospitals and transports by air the wounded to a more permanent hospital that can more successfully treat their wounds. This is a great book from a wonderful author!

How I enjoyed this historical fiction novel! Ten stars!
World War ll is in full swing and in need of nurses to assist with medical transport planes and aid the medics to bring home wounded soldiers.
Three women who become the best of friends, similar, yet very different take the challenge to sign up for this dangerous mission after completing nurses training.

Things don't go the way they are planned and they crash on enemy territory. Will they survive? Can they ever make it back home?

Strength, determination, heartbreak, heartache, and shear terror are portrayed in this story that is based on true facts.
You will be on the edge of your seat as you travel with this amazing group of nurses and share in their experiences.
It is a well detailed story that will definitely stay with me a long, long time!

Loved this book! Full of suspense that kept me on the edge of my seat (not surprising since Soraya Lane is a master at writing suspenseful scenes), I enjoyed immersing myself in this fictional account of a true event that happened during WWII in Europe. There are three points of view here. All of them are from American nurses who meet during their training to support the troops fighting against the Nazi forces. They subsequently become fast friends. Their job is to provide care for soldiers injured in battle as they are evacuated in planes flown out by Air Force pilots. A harrowing job not all are cut out for which is why they are so meticulously trained and then hand-picked for suitability. I was astounded that I hadn't read about what happened before now, but after reading the author's notes at the end, I understood. There is so much in this book besides the actual events though. There is love and heartbreak, uncertainty and fear. But mostly, there is a fierceness among the main characters that exemplifies the extraordinary bravery they had to maintain even when they didn't think they could. Putting this book down for bare necessities (such as sleep) is almost not an option. You will want to find out what happens, page by page. Thank you to Soraya Lane and NetGalley for my early copy. Pub date is January 11, 2022.

On November 8, 1943, a plane full of nurses and medics from the Medical Air Evacuation Transport Squadron boarded a Douglas C-53 transport in Sicily for a 90-minute flight to the Italian mainland to pick up wounded soldiers from the front lines. Unfortunately, the mission didn’t go as planned and the plane crash-landed in German-occupied Albania. This is their story.

I’m so glad author Soraya Lane chose to retell this recently declassified account as I love her ability to instantly bring readers into the action. She is able to give us a taste of what it must have been like for these heroic nurses and medics of the 807th squadron. Lane highlights the crash landing, the toll of surviving in a country rife with danger, living with the knowledge that there was no way to communicate and possibly no way to get home and the harrowing attempts at reaching the evac transport on an airfield overrun with Germans!
Honoring Vita, Dot and Evelyn’s experience, Lane writes about the enduring power of female friendship. You’ll feel the bond between the characters and know that surviving for months and making it out of enemy territory alive would be miraculous and a real test of their friendship. Will the Albanians come to their rescue? Will the British special operations lieutenant be able to find them?

This survival against all odds five-star historical fiction story needs to be on your reading list come January 11, 2022.

I was gifted this advance copy by Soraya Lane, Amazon Publishing UK, and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

Visceral, Harrowing, And Heartbreaking. Yet again Lane manages to take an event out of WWII, fictionalize a story into it, and show just how real and relatable it must have been to have been the real people involved here. The motivations for our three primary women here are distinct but relatable, and their journeys through the tale are seemingly all too real - so many times, you're going to find yourself dreading that the worst is about to happen. In the end, you will likely shed tears of both happiness and heartbreak - and particularly when joined with the resources in the Author's Note, you'll likely learn a few things too. As in, despite both mine and my father's life long "obsession" with WWII (in his case due to how it shaped his father and in mine due to how it shaped *both* of my grandfathers in dramatically different ways), even I had never heard of this particular event that Lane bases the story around here. Once again a very fine piece of researched fiction from Lane, and very much recommended.

UNDER A SKY OF MEMORIES by Soraya M. Lane is a beautifully-written and powerful story of three brave American women who trained as nurses and became part of Medical Air Evacuation Transport Squadron that was formed to airlift wounded soldiers from the battlefields to hospitals they wouldn’t otherwise be able to reach. Evelyn, Vita and Dot all have strong reasons to leave their lives behind and enlist to serve their country overseas. Although very different, these three woman unexpectedly become the closest of friends. During a critical mission with twenty-three other medics aboard, their plane crashes in German-occupied Albania behind enemy lines. With no way to communicate their location, they face unthinkable danger and hardship with only local Albanian partisan fighters to assist them. The courage and resilience of this group as they struggle to survive was awe-inspiring. I love when I learn something I never knew about World War II. This story is inspired by true events and real people. The records were only recently de-classified and the author’s extensive research as well as the fictional aspects she wove in truly brought this story to life. Don’t miss the Author’s Note at the end for even more insight. I really enjoyed this compelling story of friendship, love and survival and recommend it most highly. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read and review an early copy.

In her latest novel, Soraya M. Lane brings history back to life with an actual event that occurred during WWII. Under A Sky of Memories tells the captivating tale of the 26 rescues following the crash of the 807th Medical Air Evacuation Transport Squadron in 1943 in Albania.

I loved learning more about such an important event I did not know happened. The characters’ friendships and sense of courage, determination, passion and resilience were impressive. The storyline was captivating, and the characters were crafted with such details and care. The author brings light on the role of women, and especially nurses in the medical corps during WWII were incredibly insightful and empowering.

I very much enjoyed the first half of the book, being a little more fast-paced and plot-driven than the latter half. A beautiful and enjoyable story I recommend to every WWII historical fiction enthusiast.

Soraya Lane's World War II Historical Fiction novels are some of my absolute favorites. I love how she find some amazing women to learn about in her books and Under A Sky of Memories is no exception.

I'm a history person. I love reading non-fiction about women during WWII, especially those who served in the WAVES, WAC, code breakers, pilots and I just found out about the coolest group those who served as Flight Nurses in the MAETS. MAETS is Medical Air Evacuation Transport Squadrons and they helped with air evacuations of those wounded.

In Under A Sky of Memories we meet 3 flight nurses - Vita, Dot and Evelyn as they meet after training as they were heading to Italy. They quickly become friends and after a few flights where they were the nurse in charge of the care for the wounded men they were picked to serve on a special mission. When their transport flight crash lands in enemy occupied Albania will they find their way home?

YES, this is based on a true story of the 807th MAETS Squadron where 26 nurses and medics crashed in Albania in November 1943. How is this the first I'm hearing of this remarkable story of survival.

I love Soraya's writing style and this book is no exception. She combines the history with wonderful characters that you love, a little bit of drama and romance.

Even if you're not a WWII historical fiction fan you should read Under a Sky A Memories!

Wow! A sweet and wonderful adventure back in time lovers of WWII fiction won’t want to miss! This is the story of three nurses who find love and adventure after a plane crash in Albania.

This book is beyond amazing. There's a little humour, some sadness,
moments that kept me on the edge of my seat. Every time I put this book down,
I could think of nothing else but to get back to it.
These three women were the best of friends even though they were very
different from each other. Each of them had a little something to hide that kept
me wondering when the truth would come out.
This is an excellent writer! She really builds up this story to make you
care for and fear for these characters' lives.
At this point, I'm very interested in reading everything she has written!

Thank you so much, NetGalley, Soraya M. Lane, and your publisher for allowing
me to read and review this early copy. It's phenomenal.

Wow, what an amazing story based on a true event during WWII. A plane load of nurses and medics are being flown in to assist in transportation of wounded soldiers. Unfortunately the plane crash lands in Albania in an area held by Nazis. The book tells the story of the entire group but centers on 3 nurses and follows them from begining till end, thru the crash, journey to be rescued and freedom. Cut off from communication or assistance from the squadron, they have to depend on each other and assistance from the local resistance when possible. They go thu terrifying dangers and events while hiding from the nazis and making their way to the coast and a chance of rescue.
I loved that Soraya was able to blend true events into such a great story using actual events woven skillfully into the story. You will want to keep reading to find out what happens and how it turns out.
Thank you to Net Galley, the Author and Publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this amazing book. Under A Sky Of Memories is amazing! This book is expertly researched and so very well written. The book is based on an amazing event during World War 2. This is a story that will stay with you long after you finish.

I enjoyed this one massively, as I knew I would. The characters were crafted with such care and consideration and the history was incredibly interesting. Lane always has me falling in love and crying throughout her novels and this was no different. Another brilliant read, so grateful I got a chance to read it.

Firstly I must thank The publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read read this advance copy.

I really enjoyed this historical novel, after reading a variety of books that were un-impressive. It was so nice to be able to finally read a novel that started at the beginning and worked through the story without any interruptions for flashbacks. The fact that this novel is a blend of fact and fiction made it even more enjoyable. This provided an insight into the amazing strength of character of the women’s contribution to the war effort, their commitment, resourcefulness and camaraderie. The contrasting background of the three nurses is well scripted as it unites these strangers. An excellent read. Thank you.

This book is based on a true story about nurses and medics crashlanding in Albania during ww2. It is about their struggle to survive. It is also a cute lovestory in all the darkness. I highly recommend this book

Under a Sky of Memories by Soraya M. Lane was such a beautiful sad story. This book was based on a true story. the story of how 26 Air Force nurses, pilots crash landed in Albania and through lots of hardships made it back to the United States. A true love story. If you love historical fiction read it.