Book picks similar to
The Kingdom of the Air by C.T. Wells


historical
fiction
world-war-ii
adult-fiction

Daisy's Secret


Freda Lightfoot - 2003
    Still grieving for the baby boy she was forced to give up for adoption, she agrees that he will be her secret - a precious memory but spoken of to no one. She seeks consolation by taking under her wing two frightened little girls. Together they suffer the hardship and insecurity of poor billets until finally settling at Lane End Farm near Keswick, the home of her Aunt Florrie, where she collects a few other lost souls in need of a sympathetic ear.When she meets Harry Driscoll, a young airman, Daisy hopes to have a second chance at love; little does she know that her secret is about to come back to haunt her.

A Fine Day for Revenge: A Historical Western Adventure Book


Ethan Westfield - 2021
    The day his stepfather dies, however, his world will suddenly turn upside down. Even though Shaun grows increasingly suspicious of his stepfather's death, believing that something treacherous has happened to him, no one wants to listen to his fears.Will Shaun manage to unravel the truth behind the enigmatic and shocking death?While Shaun is still haunted by the mysterious loss of his father, he will soon have to confront another daunting obstacle; his stepbrother Clayton's decision to sell the family ranch. Moreover, Shaun is allowed to keep one horse but must leave the ranch, never to return. With nothing to live for and no place to call home, Shaun crosses paths with a horse enthusiast. Little does he know that together they're about to change the rules of horseracing forever... Will Shaun finally have a chance to make his way in the world, or will his hostility toward his stepbrother destroy a chance at a new life and success?With Shaun's move to Prescott and start in horse racing, his life will finally begin to improve. Moreover, a beautiful and sophisticated woman will soon steal his heart. Nonetheless, ghosts from the past continue to pursue him and lead him down a dark path... Will Shaun be able to overcome the lies and deceit that could undermine his chance for a good future? Or will forces beyond his control rob him of his smile once and for all?An action-packed story, featuring complex and fascinating characters, and twists and turns that will take your breath away. A must-read for fans of Western action and romance.

Mistress of the Ritz


Melanie Benjamin - 2019
    Nothing bad can happen at the Ritz; inside its gilded walls every woman looks beautiful, every man appears witty. Favored guests like Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Coco Chanel, and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor walk through its famous doors to be welcomed and pampered by Blanche Auzello and her husband, Claude, the hotel's director. The Auzellos are the mistress and master of the Ritz, allowing the glamour and glitz to take their minds off their troubled marriage, and off the secrets that they keep from their guests--and each other.Until June 1940, when the German army sweeps into Paris, setting up headquarters at the Ritz. Suddenly, with the likes of Hermann Goring moving into suites once occupied by royalty, Blanche and Claude must navigate a terrifying new reality. One that entails even more secrets. One that may destroy the tempestuous marriage between this beautiful, reckless American and her very proper Frenchman. For the falsehoods they tell to survive, and to strike a blow against their Nazi "guests," spin a web of deceit that ensnares everything and everyone they cherish.But one secret is shared between Blanche and Claude alone--the secret that, in the end, threatens to imperil both of their lives, and to bring down the legendary Ritz itself.Based on true events, Mistress of the Ritz is a taut tale of suspense wrapped up in a love story for the ages, the inspiring story of a woman and a man who discover the best in each other amid the turbulence of war.

Empress Gold


Jeffrey Whittam - 2013
    Both keys slid in unopposed. Both locks operated first time – lifting the heavy lid took all of Lee’s strength.From inside the box the accumulated wealth of twenty years stared up at him. Though he had seen it a hundred times before, under that yellow glare from his cap lamp the buttery glint of raw metal took his breath away.For over two decades, the Goddards have struggled through the uncertainties of war, political upheaval and now, faced with mounting pressure from a corrupt government, they are forced to make decisions that will change their lives forever. As Managing Director of the Empress Deep gold mine, Lee Goddard rolls into play the final ball of an already dangerous game.Fostered by rampant avarice and political uncertainty, life in Zimbabwe is worthless – only the elite survive. For a fortune in gold and tribal treasures, some are willing to sell the very soul of an emergent country.

Blue Man Falling


Frank Barnard - 2006
    Above all, Frank Barnard lays bare the meaning of war, and the selflessness of those prepared to fight until the end. The perfect read for fans of Band of Brothers. In September 1939, war is declared and Europe holds its breath. For RAF fighter pilots patrolling the Franco-German border it is a bizarre time: one moment they are chasing an elusive Luftwaffe, the next ordering champagne in Paris. Then, in May 1940, Hitler launches Blitzkrieg and the Hurricane squadrons find themselves engulfed in battle. Blue Man Falling follows the fortunes of two RAF pilots; Englishman Kit Curtis, and American Ossie Wolf, who clash not only with the Germans, but also with each other, fighting for different reasons and employing different methods as France collapses and the Allies face humiliation and defeat. They also encounter the insidious Fifth Column, the enemy within, and those intent on profiting from chaos...What readers are saying about Blue Man Falling:'Brilliantly conceived and superbly written. There is humour and a fascination throughout. Without doubt this is a must-read book - one that grips you from start to finish' 'Captures the harrowing, insidious shadow of despair that swept across Franceand the civilised world in the wake of Blitzkrieg. Each character is drawn with touching, intimate detail and it is the many finely portrayed action scenes that gives this novel a life of its own''Takes you to another world effortlessly. Pacy, gripping and full of unexpected twists and turns'

Maeve Binchy: Firefly Summer / Circle of Friends (Omnibus 1)


Maeve Binchy - 1994
    

The Dressmaker's War


Mary Chamberlain - 2015
    For readers of Amy Bloom and Anthony Doerr.In London, 1939, Ada Vaughan is a young woman with an unusual dressmaking skill, and dreams of a better life for herself. That life seems to arrive when Stanislaus, an Austrian aristocrat, sweeps Ada off her feet and brings her to Paris. When war breaks out, Stanislaus vanishes, and Ada is taken prisoner by the Germans, she must do everything she can to survive: by becoming dressmaker to the Nazi wives. Abandoned and alone as war rages, the choices Ada makes will come to back to haunt her years later, as the truth of her experience is twisted and distorted after the war. From glamorous London hotels and Parisian cafes to the desperation of wartime Germany, here is a mesmerizing, richly textured historical novel, a story of heartbreak, survival and ambition, of the nature of truth, and the untold story of what happens to women during war.