Caffeinated Reviewer

Sophia Rose is here with a review of Ghost Flight by Don Jacobson, a World War II Pride and Prejudice variation. Come see why this espionage romance left Sophia teary-eyed and captivated by this tale.

Darkness Dims the Dawn

War’s clouds have choked the world for five years. Now, the Allies ready their great push to drive Hitler back to Berlin.

WAAF Section Officer Elizabeth Bennet and RAF Wing Commander Fitzwilliam Darcy have already done their bit. Both bear scars—seen and unseen—from their service. They have done much; now they will do more.

Elizabeth and Darcy step forward to undertake the deadliest of tasks: gathering intelligence behind German lines. They go knowing that the Gestapo’s destiny for captured Special Operations Executive agents was simple: a bullet.

World War II’s road to romance was bumpy. Cultivating affection’s fragile bloom while looking over their shoulders, Darcy and Elizabeth discover what is universal: the most ardent of loves.

Explore the dark, gritty world of Occupied France in 1944 at the shoulders of Fitzwilliam Darcy, SOE Agent Jeeves, and his radio operator, Elizabeth Bennet, Agent Madeline. Ghost Flight asks how Darcy and Elizabeth might have served if they had been part of the Greatest Generation.

Sophia Rose’s Review

A mission that is for all the marbles, bigger than their individual lives, but also a love story for the ages in a tumultuous WWII-era P&P variation espionage romance. Don Jacobson’s tale resonated deep and left me teary-eyed and lost in the story at times.

Ghost Flight begins with a heart-wrenching prologue when an RAF pilot’s shot up plane is on approach, but has very little chance of making it. Pilot and the voice on the other end of control have a brief exchange, sharing the important news that his flight mission was compromised by someone on their side and a shared banter until the plane goes down.

The main story picks up months later when that Control radio operator finds herself leaving the obvious war work behind for something dark, gritty, and clandestine, but might be part of what it takes to turn the tide of war in the long march to D-Day. Elizabeth is trained as an operative and encounters someone surprising out in the field of Nazi-occupied France. They are like oil and water, Elizabeth and Darcy, but they must work together.  Things are intense, but get taken up that one notch tighter when they are faced with betrayal by one of their own- P&P fans will guess what Austen character is ripe for that role.

Because yes, this is a taut, wartime romantic suspense, but also a revisit to Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice set in another period. Ghost Flight is versatile in that it will appeal to Austen lovers- at least those who will read a darker ‘behind-the-lines’ war backdrop setting, but it could also simply be read by a historical romance reader for the arch and bantering heroine, slightly arrogant, but true-blue hero and their race to get their mission done, defeat a traitor, and save their country. Their romance isn’t quick or easy with the misunderstandings on both sides and interference from others. Loved that their commander is a certain Darcy cousin, Fitzwilliam, who balances out Darcy’s personality.

Oh the fun of the other literary and cultural Easter eggs Don Jacobson drops into his stories from minor characters who peopled earlier works to famous real-life or fictional figures from elsewhere.  Ian Fleming ring a bell with anyone?

Wordy writing style that can take some getting used to, but I have long appreciated character, plot, and attention to historical detail that permeate Jacobson’s stories, and Ghost Flight and it’s high-impacting WWII backdrop is a fabulous and touching recent addition.

Amazon*

*kindleunlimited

About Don Jacobson

Don Jacobson has written professionally since his post-collegiate days as a wire service reporter in Chicago. His output has ranged from news and features to advertising, television and radio. His work has been nominated for Emmys and other awards. Earlier in his career, he published five books, all non-fiction. He holds an advanced degree in History with specialties in Modern European History and the History of American Foreign Relations. As a college instructor, Don teaches United States History, World History, the History of Western Civilization and Research Writing. Don turned his passion for reading The Canon into writing #Austeesque Fiction. He has published thirteen works in the genre since late 2015. As a member of The Austen Authors Collective, Don joins (and he is modestly bowing his head to admit that he is the knave in this deck of Queens and Kings) other Janites who seek to extend the Mistress’ stories beyond the endings she so carefully crafted.

About Sophia Rose

Sophia is a quiet though curious gal who dabbles in cooking, book reviewing, and gardening. Encouraged and supported by an incredible man and loving family. A Northern Californian transplant to the Great Lakes Region of the US. Lover of Jane Austen, Baseball, Cats, Scooby Doo, and Chocolate.

Goodreads

About Kimberly

Kimberly is a coffee loving book addict who reads and listens to fictional stories in all genres. Whovian, Ravenclaw, Howler and proud Nonna. She owns and manages Caffeinated PR. The coffee is always on and she is ready to chat. BlueSky | Facebook | Instagram

Related Posts

• Same Genre