Synopses & Reviews
For fans of Alan Furst and Sarah Blake, a spellbinding story of a secret mission and dangerous passion in World War II Paris: After delivering a B-17 Flying Fortress to Britain, an American volunteers to copilot a plane carrying special agents to their drop spot over Normandy. Her personal mission: to find her brother, who is missing in action. Their plane is shot down, and only she and five agents survive. Now they are on the run for their lives.
As they head to Paris, the beautiful aviatrix Velva Jean Hart becomes Clementine Roux, a daring woman on an epic adventure with her team to capture an operative known only as "Swan." Once settled on Rue de la Néva, Clementine works as a spy with the Resistance and finds herself falling in love with her fellow agent, Émile, a handsome and mysterious Frenchman with secrets of his own. When Clementine ends up in the most brutal prison in Paris, trying to help Émile and the team rescue Swan, she discovers the depths of human cruelty, the triumph of her own spirit, and the bravery of her team, who will stop at nothing to carry out their mission.
Readers of 22 Britannia Road, The Postmistress, and Suite Francaise will cherish Becoming Clementine—a romantic World War II adventure told from the perspective of a courageous and beautiful heroine. Niven is the author of the popular Velva Jean novels, including Velva Jean Learns to Drive and Velva Jean Learns to Fly.
Review
"I devoured Velva Jean Learns to Fly and immediately began spreading the word: This one is not to be missed!"
Review
"You don't have to read the first to become completely engrossed with the second, but once you meet Velva Jean, you're going to want to!"
Review
"Niven creates a world long gone, a mountain past where people suffer failure, loss, and betrayal, as well as the strength and joy of connection and deep love.
Velva Jean Learns to Drive takes us far into this soaring, emotional country, the place where our best music comes from."
-Robert Morgan, author of Gap Creek
"Velva Jean learns to . . . not only drive, but to soar. This beautifully written coming- of-age story captivated me, and I recommend it to anyone who has ever longed to 'live out there.'"
-Ann B. Ross, author of the bestselling Miss Julia novels
"It's a touching read, funny and wise, like a crazy blend of Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, a less morose Flannery O'Connor and maybe a shot of Hank Williams."
-Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)
"Jennifer Niven brings pre-World War II Appalachia to life in her spirited new novel..."
-The Costco Connection
"Velva Jean...feels very much like a homecoming."
-Star-News
"...it is not hard to enjoy the romance of images like the one that opens the book: a little girl, pondering questions of salvation, tucked up in bed under the tin roof of a narrow house, with the 'high, lonesome cry' of a panther in the background."
-Christian Science Monitor
Review
"It’s hard to imagine a more appealing heroine than Olivia." —
San Francisco Chronicle
"Dependably delicious . . . Pitch perfect." —Newsweek
Recklessly cosmopolitan, jet-setting, worldly, adventurous-a 340 page romp." —The Independent
"This is a girl’s own adventure - with added sauce - to rattle through in one entertaining sitting. Helen Fielding is a great comic writer." —The Spectator
"Very addictive…. Fielding’s comic talent lies in her adorable observations.... This is quintessential Fielding." —The Observer
"If Bridget Jones shaped and named a certain kind of life in the 1990s, it looks as if Olivia Joules, Helen Fielding’s new heroine, may do the same for the new decade." —The Times (London)
"Hurrah for Fielding! Yet again she’s picked up on what’s lacking in the girly train read, and whistled us up Olivia Joules: a Jane Bond heroine with a wonderfully overactive imagination…. Fielding’s prose shimmers and glares with wit, sophistication and humanity. A brilliant comic writer, Fielding’s talent exceeds any sociological explanation." —The Independent on Sunday
"Fielding is an extremely skillful and engaging writer. The book works as a fast-paced thriller - I gulped in down in one reading. But it also has great charm and, in its shy fashion, a moral theme." —The Telegraph
"The name is Joules, Olivia Joules.... Post Bridget Jones, Helen Fielding has written an action-packed thriller starring ‘a heroine for the 21st century.’ The result is a book that’s fast-moving and entertaining." —The Guardian
Review
Praise for Velva Jean Learns to Fly Featured on Los Angeles Magazine's "To Read" list for August 2011
Named the September Read of the Month by the Southern Literary Review
“An endearing portrait of a young woman with a big heart—Velva Jean Learns to Fly illuminates the power of going after a dream and the courage it takes to never let go." —Beth Hoffman, bestselling author of Saving CeeCee Honeycutt
“Velva Jean Hart is a heroine with grit, grace, determination, and enough humanity to hook readers with ferocious tenderness, making them want to find and befriend her. Besides creating a gutsy heroine, who, despite the repressive times, never becomes bitter, Niven's writing shines overall. Cheers to Niven, Velva Jean, and the two further books of her remarkable story to come in 2012 and 2013.” —Booklist, starred review
“Velva Jean’s story delves into the contributions made by amazing women during World War II and tells a compassionate story about adventure, love, and war. This is a wonderful book—very hard to put down.” —Ann Howard Creel, author of The Magic of Ordinary Days
“Readers who enjoy Fannie Flagg and other down-home Southern writers will be entertained by this saucy adventure sprinkled with a gamut of human emotions.” —Library Journal
“A tasteful blend of comedy, inspiration, and endurance…. filled with love, despair, and life-threatening adventures. Niven delivers another tale full of hope, heartbreak, and nostalgia in this sequel to Velva Jean Learns to Drive.” —Publishers Weekly
“I devoured Velva Jean Learns to Fly and immediately began spreading the word: This one is not to be missed!"—Cassandra King, author of The Same Sweet Girls
“For any who have ever chased a dream, for any who have ever risked it all, for any who have ever stumbled and risen and brushed the grit from their palms, for any who have ever grieved and mended, fallen in and out of love, wished to fly and then flown, there is Velva Jean, the fearless, wide-eyed, big-hearted heroine of Jennifer Niven’s second novel, a sweeping adventure that takes the reader from the streets of Nashville to the belly of a WWII bomber.” —Benjamin Percy, award-winning author of The Wilding and Refresh, Refresh
“A very special World War II novel…. Jennifer Niven’s ongoing portrayal of this totally engaging young woman set within a stunning vision of the American South during WWII is a major achievement. The explorations of the Nashville music industry and the WASP initiative are rich in evocative detail.” —Southern Literary Review
“In this fun, fast-paced, heartwarming sequel to Velva Jean Learns to Drive, we follow the beloved young heroine from her mountain home to Nashville. But soon after Pearl Harbor is attacked, Velva Jean begins singing a new song—one full of patriotism, courage, and feisty independence. The perfect read for any girl of any age who yearns to soar beyond her dreams." —Susan Gregg Gilmore, author of The Improper Life of Bezellia Grove and Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen
“I loved Velva Jean Learns to Drive, but I love the sequel even more. Niven’s gift for place, space, and character made me feel the heat and dust in Texas and the fear Velva Jean felt at the North Carolina base and the determination she had to prove herself.” —Historical Novels Review
“God Bless Southern women, their dreams, energy, and courage. Jennifer Niven and her heroine Velva Jean have those in spades.” —Beth Grant, award-winning actress from Little Miss Sunshine and No Country for Old Men
“You don’t have to read the first to become completely engrossed with the second, but once you meet Velva Jean, you’re going to want to!” —American Library Association
“Who would have thought that a young woman’s adventures in World War II would capture my attention—and keep it? Velva Jean pulled me into her story and wouldn’t let me go, from her comical and sometimes humiliating trip to Nashville, the city of her dreams, to the first time she grabs the throttle of a plane and soars. We see her get her wings and fly through wartime danger, intrigue, suspense, and even sabotage. This gripping, heartwarming action-adventure tale stays with you long after you turn the last page.” —James Earl Jones, Tony Award–winning, Emmy Award–winning actor
“Funny [and] touching.” —Wilmington Star News
“Putting this one down is a near impossibility. The descriptions of the work, the prejudice, fear, and bittersweet success of becoming a female pilot seemed so real I felt as if I were sharing every step with Velva Jean.” —Nancy E. Turner, award-winning author of These Is My Words
“From the ballads of the Grand Ole Opry to the magnificent women of Avenger Field, Jennifer Niven spins a tall tale that is utterly heartfelt and rings true.” —Sherri L. Smith, author of Flygirl
Review
Praise for Velva Jean Learns to Drive
“A touching read, funny and wise, like a crazy blend of Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, a less morose Flannery O’Connor, and maybe a shot of Hank Williams . . . Niven makes some memorable moonspun magic in her rich fiction debut.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review
“In this story Jennifer Niven creates a world long gone, a mountain past where people suffer failure, loss, and betrayal, as well as the strength and joy of connection and deep love. Velva Jean Learns to Drive takes us far into this soaring, emotional country, the place where our best music comes from.” —Robert Morgan, author of Gap Creek
“A fluid storyteller.” —Wall Street Journal
“Velva Jean learns to . . . not only drive, but to soar. This beautifully written coming-of-age story captivated me, and I recommend it to anyone who has ever longed to ‘live out there.’” —Ann B. Ross, author of the bestselling Miss Julia novels
“Spirited.” —Parade
Review
“Becoming Clementine is a spirited tale of courage, honor and loyalty. Jennifer Niven succeeds in not only illuminating an important and little-known role played by women during the war, but creating an unforgettable and heartfelt story that will resonate with readers far and wide.” —Pam Jenoff, author of The Diplomat’s Wife
Review
“Richly textured, historically evocative, emotionally mesmerizing, Becoming Clementine takes you on a journey through World War II France so gripping you can smell the gun smoke. Niven’s deft prose transports readers on a finely blended internal and external voyage, where Velva Jean’s physical adventures are as engrossing as her emotional exploration.” —Kerry Reichs, author of What You Wish For and Leaving Unknown
Review
“Niven has done something I didn’t think was possible. She has topped Velva Jean Hart’s first two stirring adventures with a third that is an epic—powerful, gripping, tragic, romantic, and inspiring. Becoming Clementine is a page-turner of a story, with its riveting, insightful, on-the-ground perspectives of World War II. The time, the place, and the events are as authentic as Velva Jean herself. Spellbinding.” —James Earl Jones, Tony Award-winning, Emmy Award-winning actor
Review
Praise for Becoming Clementine:
“Unforgettable and heartfelt.”
—Pam Jenoff, bestselling author of The Kommandant's Girl and The Diplomat's Wife
“A page-turner of a story.”
—James Earl Jones, Tony Award-winning and Emmy Award-winning actor
“An unforgettable tale of love, sacrifice, courage and compassion that will resonate with readers long after they finish the book.”
—Chicago Tribune
“A spell-binding spy saga.”
—Elizabeth P. McIntosh, OSS/CIA, and author of Sisterhood of Spies
“A heart-stopping tale of wartime intrigue, romance and high adventure.”
—Romantic Times (A Top Pick)
“It's all here—intrigue, romance, heroism. A terrifically absorbing read.”
—Will Irwin, author of The Jedburghs and Abundance of Valor
“Richly textured, historically evocative, emotionally mesmerizing, Becoming Clementine takes you on a journey so gripping you can smell the gun smoke.”
—Kerry Reichs, author of What You Wish For and Leaving Unknown
Synopsis
For fans of Alan Furst and Sarah Blake, a spellbinding story of a secret mission and dangerous passion in World War II Paris, from the author of the New York Times bestselling All the Bright PlacesAfter delivering a B-17 Flying Fortress to Britain, an American volunteers to copilot a plane carrying special agents to their drop spot over Normandy. Her personal mission: to find her brother, who is missing in action. Their plane is shot down, and only she and five agents survive. Now they are on the run for their lives.
As they head to Paris, the beautiful aviatrix Velva Jean Hart becomes Clementine Roux, a daring woman on an epic adventure with her team to capture an operative known only as "Swan." Once settled on Rue de la Neva, Clementine works as a spy with the Resistance and finds herself falling in love with her fellow agent, Emile, a handsome and mysterious Frenchman with secrets of his own. When Clementine ends up in the most brutal prison in Paris, trying to help Emile and the team rescue Swan, she discovers the depths of human cruelty, the triumph of her own spirit, and the bravery of her team, who will stop at nothing to carry out their mission.
Readers of 22 Britannia Road, The Postmistress, and Suite Francaise will cherish Becoming Clementine a romantic World War II adventure told from the perspective of acourageous and beautiful heroine. Niven is the author of the popular Velva Jean novels, including Velva Jean Learns to Drive and Velva Jean Learns to Fly.
"
Synopsis
From the author of the New York Times bestseller All the Bright Places--soon to be a Netflix film starring Elle Fanning--comes a spellbinding story of a secret mission and dangerous passion in World War II Paris. After delivering a B-17 Flying Fortress to Britain, an American volunteers to copilot a plane carrying special agents to their drop spot over Normandy. Her personal mission: to find her brother, who is missing in action. After her plane is shot down, though, she's on the run for her life.
In Paris, the beautiful aviatrix Velva Jean Hart becomes Clementine Roux, a daring woman on an epic adventure with her team to capture an operative known only as "Swan." Once settled on Rue de la N va, Clementine works as a spy with the Resistance and finds herself falling in love with her fellow agent, mile, a handsome and mysterious Frenchman with secrets of his own. When Clementine ends up in the most brutal prison in Paris, trying to help mile and the team rescue Swan, she discovers the depths of human cruelty, the triumph of her own spirit, and the bravery of her team, who will stop at nothing to carry out their mission.
Readers of 22 Britannia Road, The Postmistress, and Suite Francaise will cherish Becoming Clementine--a romantic World War II adventure told from the perspective of a courageous and beautiful heroine.
Synopsis
After Pearl Harbor, Velva Jean signs up for service and gets her wings, risking her life-and her heart.
Velva Jean Hart, the fiercely independent heroine of Jennifer Niven's spectacular debut novel, Velva Jean Learns to Drive, returns in a captivating adventure that literally sends her soaring. Bristling at the limitations faced by a woman in rural Appalachia and fuelled by the memory of her late Mama telling her to "live out there," Velva Jean hits the road to pursue her dream of singing at the Grand Ole Opry. But after a string of auditions, she begins to lose hope- until her brother pays her a surprise visit and treats Velva Jean to a flying lesson that ignites a brand-new dream: to become a female pilot. Funny, poignant, and utterly unforgettable, Velva Jean Learns to Fly will have fans cheering all over again
Synopsis
In this spellbinding debut, Velva Jean Hart finds true love-and then risks everything to follow her dreams Set in Appalachia in the years before World War II, Velva Jean Learns to Drive is a poignant story of a spirited young girl growing up in the gold- mining and moonshining South.
Before she dies, Velva Jean's mother urges her to "live out there in the great wide world". Velva Jean dreams of becoming a big-time singer in Nashville until she falls in love with Harley Bright, a handsome juvenile delinquent turned revival preacher. As their tumultuous love story unfolds, Velva Jean must choose between keeping her hard-won home and pursuing her dream of singing in the Grand Ole Opry.
Synopsis
At the close of the last millennium, Helen Fielding debuted the irrepressible (and blockbuster-bestselling) Bridget Jones. Now, Fielding gives us a sensational new heroine for a new era...Move over 007, a stunning, sexy-and decidedly female-new player has entered the world of international espionage. Her name is Olivia Joules (that’s "J.O.U.L.E.S. the unit of kinetic energy") and she's ready to take America by storm with charm, style, and her infamous Overactive Imagination.
How could a girl not be drawn to the alluring, powerful Pierre Ferramo-he of the hooded eyes, impeccable taste, unimaginable wealth, exotic international homes, and dubious French accent? Could Ferramo really be a major terrorist bent on the Western world’s destruction, hiding behind a smokescreen of fine wines, yachts, and actresses slash models? Or is it all just a product of Olivia Joules’s overactive imagination?
Join Olivia in her heart-stopping, hilarious, nerve-frazzling quest from hip hotel to eco-lodge to underwater cave, by light aircraft, speedboat, helicopter, and horse, in this witty, contemporary, and utterly unputdownable novel deluxe.
About the Author
Helen Fielding, a journalist and a novelist, is the author of three previous novels, Bridget Jones’s Diary, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, and Cause Celeb. She also co-wrote the screenplays for the movie of Bridget Jones’s Diary and the forthcoming sequel based on Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason.