Red Sky Over Hawaii: A Novel

Red Sky Over Hawaii takes us to a troubling time for this country, and Sara Ackerman does a good job of pulling the reader into the emotions of the aftermath of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Lana is a great character, maybe a little too caught up in her love life but still a great character. She's stronger than she realizes, and her bravery in doing the right thing despite possible repercussions was rather inspiring, especially in a time when it seems so many have forgotten that we're all part of the human race regardless of race or ethnicity. The romance aspect of this one really wasn't necessary. I feel like I would've liked it with or without it, but it was a nice touch. It's been a while since I've read a book set in this time period, and now I'm wondering why that is. The author weaves historical fact with fiction very well and came up with a story that is well written, engaging, and a truly heartfelt look at 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.

full review at I am, Indeed I will admit that I would have much preferred to focus on the struggles that Lana had with keeping people and secrets, and was far less interested in her actions: but wanted to see much more of her struggles with her reasoning. Sure, what she was doing was morally right, but legally questionable, and we didn’t see a ton of her own internal struggles in clear form. Much time spent describing landscapes, travel hardships and her wishes for things to be different left me wanting more. I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.