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Island of Sweet Pies and Soldiers Paperback – February 13, 2018

by Sara Ackerman (Author)
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 1,450 ratings
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“A close-up look at how wartime chaos affects a tight-knit group of women living on Hawaii in 1944 at the height of Pacific combat.... [Violet’s] journey overcoming her trials and grief through friendship, family, and romance is a story of strength and perseverance.”—Booklist

Violet Iverson and her young daughter, Ella, are piecing their lives together after the disappearance of her husband. As rumors swirl and questions about his loyalties surface, Violet believes Ella knows something. But Ella is stubbornly silent. Something—or someone—has scared her.

With the island overrun by troops training for a secret mission, tension and suspicion between neighbors is rising. To get through the difficult days, Violet bands together with her close friends and they open a pie stand near the military base, offering the soldiers a little homemade comfort.

Try as she might, Violet can’t ignore her attraction to the brash marine who comes to her aid when the women are accused of spying. Desperate to discover the truth behind what happened to her husband, while keeping her friends and daughter safe, Violet is torn by guilt, fear and longing as she faces losing everything. Again.

“A bittersweet story of cinematic proportions.”—BookPage
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Previous page
  1. Print length
    400 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    MIRA
  4. Publication date
    February 13, 2018
  5. Dimensions
    5.33 x 0.96 x 7.95 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0778319210
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0778319214
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"A dramatic saga of motherhood, loss and the possibility of renewal... With a sensitive touch and an instinct for authenticity, Ackerman depicts the fraught nature of wartime relationships...mixes romance, suspense and history into a bittersweet story of cinematic proportions." --Bookpage

"A close-up look at how wartime chaos affects a tight-knit group of women... [Violet's] journey overcoming her trials and grief through friendship, family, and romance is a story of strength and perseverance." -Booklist

"A unique portrait of WWII...Ackerman's clear prose delineates how the ignorance that ran rampant could be healed by love. The interesting and well-crafted plot and characters carry the story while the backdrop will bring readers back in time. Island of Sweet Pies and Soldiers is a novel of courage and compassion that is sure to satisfy fans of WWII literature." -RT Book Reviews

"Strong female friendships and an unusual World War II home front setting add to this debut novel's appeal for historical fiction fans." -Library Journal

"Island of Sweet Pies and Soldiers is part mystery and part history. The setting of Hawaii during the expansion of WWII into the Pacific theater is uniquely captivating. A must-read historical fiction, an emotional and evocative story of an era not so long ago when war was literally on our doorstep. Don't miss this impressive debut novel!" --Readertoreader.com

"Simply put, 'Island of Sweet Pies and Soldiers' is a great novel.... It tells of a time and place most of us know nothing about and keeps us entertained. It's hard to beat that combination." --Cooperstown Crier

About the Author

Sara Ackerman is the Hawai'i born bestselling author of historical novels set in the islands. Her books have been labeled “unforgettable” by Apple Books, “empowering & deliciously visceral” by Book Riot, and New York Times bestselling authors Kate Quinn and Madeline Martin have praised Sara’s novels as “fresh and delightful” and “brilliantly written.” Amazon chose Radar Girls as a best book of the month, and ALA Booklist gave The Codebreaker’s Secret a starred review.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ MIRA; Original edition (February 13, 2018)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 400 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0778319210
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0778319214
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 9.6 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.33 x 0.96 x 7.95 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 1,450 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Sara Ackerman

Sara Ackerman

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Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Sara Ackerman is the Hawaii born, bestselling author of The Codebreaker's Secret, Radar Girls, Red Sky Over Hawaii, The Lieutenant’s Nurse, and Island of Sweet Pies and Soldiers.

Sara's books have been labeled “unforgettable” by Apple Books, “empowering & deliciously visceral” by Book Riot, and New York Times bestselling authors Kate Quinn and Madeline Martin have praised Sara’s novels as “fresh and delightful” and “brilliantly written.” Amazon chose Radar Girls as a best book of the month, and ALA Booklist gave The Codebreaker’s Secret a starred review.

Find out more about Sara and her books at www.ackermanbooks.com and follow her on Instagram @saraackermanbooks and on FB @ackermanbooks.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
1,450 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Another great novel
Reviewed in the United States on March 28, 2024
Verified Purchase
I am a big fan of Sarah Ackerman's books. I have read 3 or 4 of the

m now and have loved every one. They are historical, easy to read, engrossing and full of characters that are meaningful to me.
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Natasha Luckett
4.0 out of 5 stars A great historical fiction about Hawaii
Reviewed in the United States on January 8, 2021
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I really enjoyed reading the book from the child's perspective I liked it that there were numerous voices throughout the novel also that it took place on the island of Hawaii in a small town that really did exist with a camp of Marines that really did exist stories like this help round out the World war two narrative and make sure that it's not just focused on the European theater.
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Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Read
Reviewed in the United States on August 5, 2023
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The book was a little slow in the beginning, however, it Doon picked up and I was hooked. The characters were well developed and the Big Island was brought to life in my mind. It was set during WWII and the author managed to bring the reader into those desperate times. There was joy, sadness, trauma, intrigue and other emotions brought out while immersing yourself in this novel. I hope to read more by this author and highly recommend Island of Sweet Pies and Soldiers.
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Malia Eversole
5.0 out of 5 stars A fantastic read!!! A mystery and a love story wrapped in historical fiction.
Reviewed in the United States on February 16, 2018
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A beautifully written historical fiction novel about the lives of a family residing in Honoka'a during WWII. Ms. Ackerman perfectly paints the backdrop of Hawaii in rich descriptions, full of the birds, flowers, plants, smells, and the heat of Hawaii. The family is a single mom (Violet) and her young daughter (Ella), who are left with each other after their patriarch (Herman) disappears. The book is told from the differing points of view of Violet and Ella, which each provide a different take on the disappearance, the war, and the people of the time. The community around this family is full of interesting characters, from their roommate and close friend (Jean), to the information-sharing telephone operator (Irene), to the reclusive okolehau (home-brewed alcohol) maker of Waipio (Bernard). The family also has a close relationship with their Japanese neighbors (the Hamasas), and are constantly standing up for them after the Pearl Harbor attack. The soldiers who enter the story are also well-written characters, ranging from those filled with hate for the Japanese, to those who separate the conflict from the American Japanese. One multi-faceted soldier (Parker) finds a way into the good graces of Violet and Ella, through a pet lion cub (Roscoe), which is based on a true lion mascot brought to the island by soldiers. The romantic tension between Violet and Parker makes for great suspenseful reading!

The true effects of WWII are woven throughout the book, from food and fuel rationing, to curfews, to the air raid drills of the time. In order to make extra money, the women cook pies to supplement their income, and come up with a funny and unique name for their pies. Also discussed are internment camps for the Japanese, and the constant fear the American Japanese lived with of being plucked from their homes and the lives, or separated from their families out of suspicion of collusion with the enemy.

The mystery of Herman's disappearance haunts the characters, causing Ella mental anguish, and emotional conflict to Violet. As the mystery is solved in an intense climax, Ms. Ackerman pulls key characters together for a satisfying finish.

This book was a joy to read, due to the rich and interesting characters, the unique interchange of the narrators, the underlying mystery, the historical accuracy, and the descriptions of Hawaii that really bring the backdrop of the story alive. I highly recommend this book!!
28 people found this helpful
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Kreditor
3.0 out of 5 stars Atmospheric but otherwise disappointing
Reviewed in the United States on May 15, 2022
Verified Purchase
While I was vacationing on the Big Island, I received a Book Bub offer to buy this book for $2.99. It seemed like it would be the perfect read, so I bought it. I appreciated the author's attention to detail about location, history, sights, sounds, food, wartime (including the racial conflict), and general atmosphere.

The story is sweet if not compelling. The narration is split between a young woman and her 10-year-old daughter. The biggest reason for my rating is that the author chose to narrate the young girl's story in first person (the adult's story is told in third person), but she failed (miserably). Instead, Ackerman's writing was that of an adult unsuccessfully trying to capture a child's voice, which meant that fully half the book was less engaging and appealing than it should have been. Thus, my extreme disappointment.
4 people found this helpful
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Annette Johnson
4.0 out of 5 stars Nice story
Reviewed in the United States on March 16, 2021
Verified Purchase
This was a lovely story about living in Hawaii after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. We meet a group of friends who meet some GI’s stationed on their island. I enjoyed the story and the mystery surrounding what happened to Herman. I really like the addition of Rosco and his part of the story.
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Ethel F.
5.0 out of 5 stars Aloha
Reviewed in the United States on February 24, 2018
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Set in Hawaii in 1944, this novel is told between two protagonists, Ella, 10 years old and her mother, Violet. With the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and the influx of soldiers, Hawaii with its lushness, sets the background for this WWII story. While Violet and Ella have gone a year without knowing the whereabouts of Herman, Ella's dad and Violet's husband, their lives are in limbo. Enter the army and the soldiers who come to train before being shipped out, both are now ensconced in a different and more unsettled way of living. Surrounded by their friends and neighbors, the women decide to open a pie stand to make a few extra dollars. Their sweet pies give them an opportunity to keep themselves busy, while the soldiers have a taste of home. In the midst of this, we catch a glimpse of those Japanese families who now are no longer friends to some in the community, but are considered the enemy. How quickly people become prejudiced, scared and more than just a little paranoid. We watch, as Ella carries a big secret inside of her, causing her fear and a great deal of angst for her mother.

This was a well written novel, well researched and well told. A book that I could hardly put down, I highly recommend it, this is a 5 star novel.
22 people found this helpful
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TribalCat
5.0 out of 5 stars Loved this book!
Reviewed in the United States on September 28, 2023
Verified Purchase
A terrified little girl, a grieving mother, brave Marines, a friendly lion, mystery, romance, and best of all…Hawai’i! It left me hungry for pies and with love in my heart.
One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Joni K...
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in Canada on March 30, 2018
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Liked the story !
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Wanderlust
4.0 out of 5 stars Good read
Reviewed in Canada on July 15, 2018
Verified Purchase
This was a new author for me, and I found the story entertaining. I liked the characters and the storyline, and there were few if any grammatical errors which can be annoying.
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Cathy Bluteau
4.0 out of 5 stars I really enjoyed this book - different subject matter with a little ...
Reviewed in Canada on April 4, 2018
Verified Purchase
I really enjoyed this book - different subject matter with a little history thrown in made a good solid read.
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Tena O'Leary
2.0 out of 5 stars What a disappointment! I found it rather boring and I just ...
Reviewed in Canada on May 17, 2018
Verified Purchase
I bought this book because of the title, the cover, and the setting. What a disappointment! I found it rather boring and I just couldn't like any of the characters. I only finished the book because I spent money on it.
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