This is a true story of adventure, danger and romance. Jessie "Chubbie" Miller from Australia was a 1920s housewife who became an aviator, a thriller-seeker and a heartbreaker. During the golden age of aviation she became a record-breaker by winner races, even beating out Amelia Earhart. She also became the world's first female test pilot. This book was a very fascinating read for me as I have read 3 other books about early female aviators. The book was well-researched by the author and very well-written. The characters were believable and I loved reading about all the timed races and records that were broken. I will definitely be checking out some of the other books that Carol Baxter has written. I would highly suggest that you read this book if you are interested in early aviators and their passion for flying ( )

The Fabulous Flying Mrs. Miller is a fabulous story! Carol Baxter tells the story of Chubbie Miller in an engaging narrative that contains enough details to immerse the reader in this period of history without being overwhelming. I like how Baxter did not whitewash Miller's story. She is an inspiration for following dreams and overcoming obstacles, even if her personal life was imperfect. I had never heard of Miller and don't know why she isn't as well known as Amelia Earhart or Anne Morrow Lindbergh. This well-written book can change that. ( )

The Fabulous Flying Mrs Miller by Carol Baxter
I am slowly forming my second Sentimental Airman Collection. So when I saw The Fabulous Flying Mrs Miller listed in the February batch of Early Reviewer books on Library Thing, I requested it, won it, and received my copy in March.
This book is about an Australian woman, Mrs Chubbie Miller, who meets a Royal Air Force Reservist, William "Bill" Newton Lancaster at a party in London. in the late 1920s. He intends to be the first aviator to fly a light aircraft from Great Britain to Australia, but lacks the funds required for the trip. Chubbie offers to help pay for the trip if she can fly as a passenger with him to Australia. The trip is fraught with bad weather and mishaps, and another aviator becomes the first to complete the trip from Great Britain to Australia. Chubbie, however, becomes the first woman to fly as a passenger from Great Britain to Australia.
After spending a few months flying around in Australia, Chubbie and Bill decide to try their luck in America. Chubbie learns to fly, and enters women's cross-country derby races, making a name for herself.
The Great Depression happens and jobs are scarce. Chubbie is hired to fly from Pittsburgh to Havana and back again. The purpose of the her trip was to promote Pittsburgh as an air centre. The weather deteriorates rapidly after Chubbie departs from Havana, and Chubbie never reaches Miami. Search planes are sent out but no one can find her. On the fourth day, everyone learns she is still alive. Chubbie over-accounted for the strong winds of the storm that were pulling her off course. Instead of running out of fuel over the Gulf, she ran out of fuel and landed in a remote marsh in Andros Island, Bahamas.
In the last third of the book, Chubbie becomes involved in a love triangle in Miami. While Bill is out of state looking for work, Chubbie has a romantic tryst with her ghostwriter, and then tells Bill of her ongoing affair in a letter. Bill, still in love with Chubbie, rushes back to Miami and the ghostwriter dies that very night. Bill either kills him or the ghostwriter commits suicide by gun. The book now becomes a murder mystery with Bill on trial for murder and Chubbie as one of the witnesses. And here is where I stop, because you will enjoy reading the true tale the author weaves of how the trial plays out.
https://www.moibibliomaniac.com/2019/04/the-fabulous-flying-mrs-miller-by-carol.... ( )

A fascinating story of early aviation history, told as a biography of Mrs. Keith Miller, or "Chubbie". Tells of her exploits in racing against multiple odds. She also becomes involved in a love triangle and subsequent murder case. Exciting and hard to believe, I had to keep reminding myself it was a true story. The author describes it as "narrative nonfiction" and has consulted numerous sources as listed in the bibliography. ( )

I won an advanced copy of this book through Library’s Early Reviewers group.

One of the best biographical novels I have ever read. Entertaining, easy, not dry or too historic, this one really takes you into the life and experiences of Chubbie. I’ve always been fascinated with female aviators at the start of human flight, there is just something so daring and rambunctious about how hard they worked to gain access to that world. This novel introduces us not only to Chubbie, but also to a host of other notable pilots making and breaking records during this time. I was afraid when’s i received my copy as it’s a little longer than I had hoped, but because of the writing style it’s a quick read, and had a tendency to keep me up at night to read “one more chapter.” I’d highly recommend! ( )