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Velva Jean #3
Becoming Clementine
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 Places
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.
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.
351 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2012
25 people are currently reading
1803 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Niven
18 books15.2k followersJENNIFER NIVEN is the #1 New York Times and internationally bestselling author of All the Bright Places, Holding Up the Universe, and Breathless. Her books have been translated in over 75 languages and have won literary awards around the world.
An Emmy-award winning screenwriter, she co-wrote the script for the All the Bright Places movie— currently streaming on Netflix and starring Elle Fanning and Justice Smith. She is also the author of several narrative nonfiction titles and the Velva Jean historical fiction series.
Her latest YA novel, When We Were Monsters, was published September 2, and she has an adult novel-- Meet the Newmans-- releasing January 6, 2026.
Jennifer divides her time between coastal Georgia and Los Angeles with her husband and literary cats.
An Emmy-award winning screenwriter, she co-wrote the script for the All the Bright Places movie— currently streaming on Netflix and starring Elle Fanning and Justice Smith. She is also the author of several narrative nonfiction titles and the Velva Jean historical fiction series.
Her latest YA novel, When We Were Monsters, was published September 2, and she has an adult novel-- Meet the Newmans-- releasing January 6, 2026.
Jennifer divides her time between coastal Georgia and Los Angeles with her husband and literary cats.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 164 reviews
February 18, 2013
This was a powerful story with a melancholy ending that still left me satisfied. While it's not a Christian book, the heroine still thought about life after death, heaven and hell, and the fact that we will all die someday. I found that part of the story to be very heartfelt and honest. This story was a great illustration of how war changes people, especially when it comes to what matters most.
I really liked the heroine in this story and felt compassion for her plight. She went through a lot of difficult circumstances and did her best to survive the war. Her characterization felt real and genuine. The way she came to love Emile was touching and powerfully written. In fact, there were a lot of emotionally evocative scenes in this book.
The honesty and realism in this book spoke to my heart. There was profanity in the story, but it always came from the soldier's mouths and in the most dire of circumstances, so it fit the story. Still, sensitive ears may find it particularly offensive. I didn't find the cussing excessive, but true-to-life and appropriately placed.
Even if some of the swear words used weren't ones I wanted to read, they seemed to fit the scenes. They didn't take away from the story's impact, either. But that's only my opinion. The story probably would have been just as good without them.
Anyway, I've always had a fascination for WWII stories that include spies and the French Resistance. This one is unforgettable and heartfelt novel, just like the quote says on the cover. I will be thinking about the lessons I gleaned for some time because this novel has the kind of insight that sticks with you. Great story.
I really liked the heroine in this story and felt compassion for her plight. She went through a lot of difficult circumstances and did her best to survive the war. Her characterization felt real and genuine. The way she came to love Emile was touching and powerfully written. In fact, there were a lot of emotionally evocative scenes in this book.
The honesty and realism in this book spoke to my heart. There was profanity in the story, but it always came from the soldier's mouths and in the most dire of circumstances, so it fit the story. Still, sensitive ears may find it particularly offensive. I didn't find the cussing excessive, but true-to-life and appropriately placed.
Even if some of the swear words used weren't ones I wanted to read, they seemed to fit the scenes. They didn't take away from the story's impact, either. But that's only my opinion. The story probably would have been just as good without them.
Anyway, I've always had a fascination for WWII stories that include spies and the French Resistance. This one is unforgettable and heartfelt novel, just like the quote says on the cover. I will be thinking about the lessons I gleaned for some time because this novel has the kind of insight that sticks with you. Great story.
February 21, 2013
I'm about 80 pages away from finishing this book,
Being the huge fan of Velva Jean that I am, I was extremely excited to read about her adventures in WWII!!
I love that starts right where "Velva Jean Learns To Fly" ends, you don't miss a second :)
From the first chapters Niven pulls me back in time to WWII and I'm immediately invested her story,
I haven't been able to put it down and my heart yearns to find out what happens next, I've even been sneakily reading in class,
I've said before and will say again, Niven has such control over my emotions, she has so caught up in all the characters and then just tugs on my heart strings, the story is so amazing and there have been times where I want to cry or throw things and I laugh out loud to myself all the time,
I will probably finish it today (which will be sad because that means no more Velva Jean for a year) but I have to know what happens next!! Jennifer Niven continues to make me fall in love with her writing and with Velva Jean <3
Being the huge fan of Velva Jean that I am, I was extremely excited to read about her adventures in WWII!!
I love that starts right where "Velva Jean Learns To Fly" ends, you don't miss a second :)
From the first chapters Niven pulls me back in time to WWII and I'm immediately invested her story,
I haven't been able to put it down and my heart yearns to find out what happens next, I've even been sneakily reading in class,
I've said before and will say again, Niven has such control over my emotions, she has so caught up in all the characters and then just tugs on my heart strings, the story is so amazing and there have been times where I want to cry or throw things and I laugh out loud to myself all the time,
I will probably finish it today (which will be sad because that means no more Velva Jean for a year) but I have to know what happens next!! Jennifer Niven continues to make me fall in love with her writing and with Velva Jean <3
April 2, 2013
A silly book full of grammatical, factual and technical errors. The plot is over the top and often implausible. The author tried to use historical events, and gives the illusion of having "done her homework" as far as technical details are concerned, but glaring errors are spread throughout the book.
In other words, a very "fluffy" book that was wrongly compared to books by Alan Furst (who should feel insulted - but he is a gentleman.)
Any reader with aviation, World War II, French grammar, or French geography knowledge will be very disapointed.
This reviewer came across an advance uncorrected proof version of the book in mid 2012 (via his daughter who works at The Huntington library) and e-mailed a long list of suggested corrections and comments to the author and editor. None were used in the final version of the book!
A few examples:
Page 7 - The B-17..., back wheels on the grass - a B17 has only one back wheel.
Page 90 - "etes vous americain?" - the heroine is feminine therefore "americaine".
Page 155 - ...and the little pond that was there. The Luxembourg Gardens has a huge basin (a photo was sent.)
Page 300 - I gave it more gas and pushed the throttle - Redundant. No pilot would "give it more gas" when talking about his plane. That's for cars...
A total of 17 pages needed some form of correction or revision.
It's sad that an author, or an publisher, can be so casual about their work and, by doing so, discredit the writing profession, regardless of the genre.
Michel Wehrey
In other words, a very "fluffy" book that was wrongly compared to books by Alan Furst (who should feel insulted - but he is a gentleman.)
Any reader with aviation, World War II, French grammar, or French geography knowledge will be very disapointed.
This reviewer came across an advance uncorrected proof version of the book in mid 2012 (via his daughter who works at The Huntington library) and e-mailed a long list of suggested corrections and comments to the author and editor. None were used in the final version of the book!
A few examples:
Page 7 - The B-17..., back wheels on the grass - a B17 has only one back wheel.
Page 90 - "etes vous americain?" - the heroine is feminine therefore "americaine".
Page 155 - ...and the little pond that was there. The Luxembourg Gardens has a huge basin (a photo was sent.)
Page 300 - I gave it more gas and pushed the throttle - Redundant. No pilot would "give it more gas" when talking about his plane. That's for cars...
A total of 17 pages needed some form of correction or revision.
It's sad that an author, or an publisher, can be so casual about their work and, by doing so, discredit the writing profession, regardless of the genre.
Michel Wehrey
January 11, 2018
I gave it more gas and pushed the throttle, and there was that one moment, the one that happens just before a plane takes off when everything seems to drop into the feet - heart, stomach, knees. It's the moment when anything can happen, when you feel as if you can do anything and everything and live forever. It's the moment when I can suddenly hear all the songs there are to write in this world and see all the places there are to go. It is ceiling and visibility unlimited. It is beyond the keep.
Velva Jean, our plucky and beloved heroine, is now a bonafide WASP. In fact, she's just flown a B17 bomber over the Atlantic, and has joined another mission, where she must make a drop into France. She wants to prove that she can do this, because she's tired of men, and even her government, saying that women can't fly planes, but secretly, she has another mission of her own to accomplish. Her brother and best friend, Johnny Clay, has gone missing, and it's up to Velva Jean to find him.
Velva Jean goes on quite the journey, twisting and wandering throughout different countries, different people, and even different identities, in the search for her brother, but she's also tasked with finding someone else, too. They call them the "Swan," and they're a spy that's of the utmost importance to get back. To do this, Velva Jean becomes a spy herself, but when she's captured and sent to prison, she must work her way out, because nothing is going to stop her.
Though determination and love is at the forefront of this story, like with all other Velva Jean books, I do have to say that this specific story was missing that sort of backwoods charm Velva Jean always seems to bring. However, this is by no means a complaint! It makes sense with the story, as she is going through a war, and she encounters things that no human should have to encounter, ever. But having said that, I did miss that special, je ne sais quoi, the other two books had.
What was so special with this book though was the fact that Niven really managed to get into the heads of those fighting, and those who have fought. We see Velva Jean struggle to adapt to a new life, and a completely new identity. Towards the end, she has literally no sense of who she is anymore, and when an officer tells her that they have to verify her identification, she thinks to herself, "good luck". It's hard to read through, because the other books have set up this character that's written so well that she becomes a friend, and when we see her lose sight of herself, of her own identity, it's jarring, but that's exactly what makes this story so profound.
We see soldiers who have no clue what they'll do when the war is over, because it's been their life for the past five years. We see others who are happy one minute, and the next they're angry, or just staring up at the ceiling, refusing, or being unable to, speak. They have tough times sleeping in beds, because they're too soft, they have a tough time being wounded because they aren't out there fighting, they have a tough time accepting that they lost a body part, or a friend, they have a tough time eating a full meal, and what's so great about all of that is that it's so real.
Actually, I only have one complaint for the whole book, and that's with the "Swan" character (I won't tell you who they are). We learn next to nothing about them, except for the fact that they're very, very important, and that bugged me. Half of the story is about Velva Jean rescuing them, and then, we don't even get to learn why they were such a big deal, that 16 men lost their lives trying to save them. But, all in all, the story isn't really about them. It's about Velva Jean, and then not Velva Jean, and about Johnny Clay.
I do wish though, that at the end, we got to see how the rest of the war played out, and how Velva Jean reacted to that. The ending was great, and fit in very nicely with the story, but I wanted more! What did she think? How did she react? Did she find out about the Holocaust? What happened to Gossie, and the others? We saw her finding out about the fact that the WASP were disbanded, and that the government essentially told all the women who had volunteered and fought for their country to pack up and go home, no awards or medals given. (And I loved a certain character's reaction to that, too!) But I still have so many more questions! Maybe they'll get answered in the next book, but I'll have to wait and see!
I want to say so much more in this review, but I don't want to give everything away. I also think that this is the kind of book where, if you dissect it too much, you lose the magic. (And when you do read it, you'll completely understand what I mean). All I'll say is that you'll have to read it for yourself, and that I'm jealous of you if you're reading it for the first time!
Though it's a light read, it's a very in depth story, and one that I'd greatly recommend. I'd recommend the whole Velva Jean series, actually! I do have to say though, too, I know there's one more book after this, and I think that the fourth book might be the last, but this book really seemed like an ending. I'm getting sad thinking about having no more Velva Jean books to read!
Just a quick little note, and then I'm done! I promise! If you do want to read this book, I would say almost 100% you should read the others before it, even if they don't seem interesting to you. Though you could read this as a stand alone, I wouldn't recommend it, because then, you won't get the true essence of who Velva Jean is, and that's what makes this series.
Velva Jean, our plucky and beloved heroine, is now a bonafide WASP. In fact, she's just flown a B17 bomber over the Atlantic, and has joined another mission, where she must make a drop into France. She wants to prove that she can do this, because she's tired of men, and even her government, saying that women can't fly planes, but secretly, she has another mission of her own to accomplish. Her brother and best friend, Johnny Clay, has gone missing, and it's up to Velva Jean to find him.
Velva Jean goes on quite the journey, twisting and wandering throughout different countries, different people, and even different identities, in the search for her brother, but she's also tasked with finding someone else, too. They call them the "Swan," and they're a spy that's of the utmost importance to get back. To do this, Velva Jean becomes a spy herself, but when she's captured and sent to prison, she must work her way out, because nothing is going to stop her.
Though determination and love is at the forefront of this story, like with all other Velva Jean books, I do have to say that this specific story was missing that sort of backwoods charm Velva Jean always seems to bring. However, this is by no means a complaint! It makes sense with the story, as she is going through a war, and she encounters things that no human should have to encounter, ever. But having said that, I did miss that special, je ne sais quoi, the other two books had.
What was so special with this book though was the fact that Niven really managed to get into the heads of those fighting, and those who have fought. We see Velva Jean struggle to adapt to a new life, and a completely new identity. Towards the end, she has literally no sense of who she is anymore, and when an officer tells her that they have to verify her identification, she thinks to herself, "good luck". It's hard to read through, because the other books have set up this character that's written so well that she becomes a friend, and when we see her lose sight of herself, of her own identity, it's jarring, but that's exactly what makes this story so profound.
We see soldiers who have no clue what they'll do when the war is over, because it's been their life for the past five years. We see others who are happy one minute, and the next they're angry, or just staring up at the ceiling, refusing, or being unable to, speak. They have tough times sleeping in beds, because they're too soft, they have a tough time being wounded because they aren't out there fighting, they have a tough time accepting that they lost a body part, or a friend, they have a tough time eating a full meal, and what's so great about all of that is that it's so real.
Actually, I only have one complaint for the whole book, and that's with the "Swan" character (I won't tell you who they are). We learn next to nothing about them, except for the fact that they're very, very important, and that bugged me. Half of the story is about Velva Jean rescuing them, and then, we don't even get to learn why they were such a big deal, that 16 men lost their lives trying to save them. But, all in all, the story isn't really about them. It's about Velva Jean, and then not Velva Jean, and about Johnny Clay.
I do wish though, that at the end, we got to see how the rest of the war played out, and how Velva Jean reacted to that. The ending was great, and fit in very nicely with the story, but I wanted more! What did she think? How did she react? Did she find out about the Holocaust? What happened to Gossie, and the others? We saw her finding out about the fact that the WASP were disbanded, and that the government essentially told all the women who had volunteered and fought for their country to pack up and go home, no awards or medals given. (And I loved a certain character's reaction to that, too!) But I still have so many more questions! Maybe they'll get answered in the next book, but I'll have to wait and see!
I want to say so much more in this review, but I don't want to give everything away. I also think that this is the kind of book where, if you dissect it too much, you lose the magic. (And when you do read it, you'll completely understand what I mean). All I'll say is that you'll have to read it for yourself, and that I'm jealous of you if you're reading it for the first time!
Though it's a light read, it's a very in depth story, and one that I'd greatly recommend. I'd recommend the whole Velva Jean series, actually! I do have to say though, too, I know there's one more book after this, and I think that the fourth book might be the last, but this book really seemed like an ending. I'm getting sad thinking about having no more Velva Jean books to read!
Just a quick little note, and then I'm done! I promise! If you do want to read this book, I would say almost 100% you should read the others before it, even if they don't seem interesting to you. Though you could read this as a stand alone, I wouldn't recommend it, because then, you won't get the true essence of who Velva Jean is, and that's what makes this series.
May 28, 2019
I'm glad I finally read this installment in the Velva Jean series. I'm not sure I always buy the elements of the plot, but Niven is such a gifted writer, that I keep reading.
Velva Jean finds herself in London during WWII. She has been trained to fly B-17 airplanes, but, of course, finds herself crash landed somewhere in France with a group of men that work in a secret group of the military. Velva Jean is determined to stick with them as her brother, Johnny, is missing in the war and she wants to find him. Velva Jean assumes a different identity, thus the title, and this begins a new chapter of her experience in the war.
Niven draws on personal experience to get the background of the story. I liked Velva Jean Learns to Fly because it took place in Sweetwater, Texas and taught me about a slice of history I didn't know about at all. This also takes me into some history I wasn't aware of, but while the plot moved along quickly, I did have to suspend my disbelief quite a bit.
I hope Niven gives us a new installment soon as I am eager for Velva Jean and Butch Dawkins to finally end up together.
Velva Jean finds herself in London during WWII. She has been trained to fly B-17 airplanes, but, of course, finds herself crash landed somewhere in France with a group of men that work in a secret group of the military. Velva Jean is determined to stick with them as her brother, Johnny, is missing in the war and she wants to find him. Velva Jean assumes a different identity, thus the title, and this begins a new chapter of her experience in the war.
Niven draws on personal experience to get the background of the story. I liked Velva Jean Learns to Fly because it took place in Sweetwater, Texas and taught me about a slice of history I didn't know about at all. This also takes me into some history I wasn't aware of, but while the plot moved along quickly, I did have to suspend my disbelief quite a bit.
I hope Niven gives us a new installment soon as I am eager for Velva Jean and Butch Dawkins to finally end up together.
September 25, 2012
This novel is the third in the Velva Jean series by author Jennifer Niven. She continues the heartfelt but incredible journey of Velva Jean. In the first book, we saw her grow up and into herself. In the second book, she literally earned her wings, becoming a pilot.
In this third book, Velva Jean continues that mission.
Velva Jean is a Wasp pilot, in the Women’s Air Service Pilot Corps. It is 1944, and her mission is transporting pilots from the United States to England. She is also searching for her brother, Johnny, missing in action since D-Day.
While carrying supplies, her plane goes down, crashing in Nazi-occupied France. An undercover French spy comes to her assistance. Velva Jean enters the world of espionage taking her to Paris, France and across the French countryside in search of justice and freedom.
Not only has Velva Jean honed her craft, so has Jennifer Niven. She has again written a well detailed, very intense novel. This is an amazing story of WWII espionage, women in the Armed Forces, history, geography, romance, and intrigue. Yet, this is also about love, family, patriotism, and a woman being true to self and what she believes, no matter what.
In this third book, Velva Jean continues that mission.
Velva Jean is a Wasp pilot, in the Women’s Air Service Pilot Corps. It is 1944, and her mission is transporting pilots from the United States to England. She is also searching for her brother, Johnny, missing in action since D-Day.
While carrying supplies, her plane goes down, crashing in Nazi-occupied France. An undercover French spy comes to her assistance. Velva Jean enters the world of espionage taking her to Paris, France and across the French countryside in search of justice and freedom.
Not only has Velva Jean honed her craft, so has Jennifer Niven. She has again written a well detailed, very intense novel. This is an amazing story of WWII espionage, women in the Armed Forces, history, geography, romance, and intrigue. Yet, this is also about love, family, patriotism, and a woman being true to self and what she believes, no matter what.
June 30, 2018
Characters: 5
Plot: 4.5
Writing: 4.5
Worldbuilding: 4
Plot: 4.5
Writing: 4.5
Worldbuilding: 4
August 11, 2023
The writing style was different in this 3rd book. It took a while to adjust. The author again presents little known history in a fascinating way.
September 26, 2012
It has been almost a year since I reviewed Velva Jean Learns to Fly by Jennifer Niven. As you may recall, Velva Jean married at 16, learned to drive and at 18, drove from North Carolina to Nashville by herself, leaving her husband and hoping to a sing at the Grand Ol' Opry. Talk about coming of age.
But then World War II began and VelvaJean found herself in the WASP Program (Women's Airforce Service Pilots.) Now, in Becoming Clementine, it is June 16, 1944, Velva Jean is 21 and a seasoned pilot. So seasoned that she has just become the first woman to fly a B-17 Flying Fortress across the Atlantic Ocean to Preswick Airfield, Scotland. Proud of her accomplishment, she also has an ulterior motive for accepting this challenge - her beloved brother Johnny Clay, a paratrooper, hasn't been heard from since October 18, 1943 and Velva Jean is on a personal mission to find him.
As luck would have it, Preswick has been short of pilots since D-Day, less than two weeks earlier and Velva Jean decides getting to Europe would be the best way to find Johnny Clay, so she convinces all relevant authorities to let her copilot a mission to France. On July 13, she gets orders to fly to Roun, dropping supplies and a team of OSS agents and returning immediately to base.
Naturally, over France, the plane is hit by enemy ground fire and badly damaged though still flying. Then, when they finally find the place to make their drop, they realize it has been compromised by Germans. In an attempt to avoid them and singing "My Darling Clementine" to keep herself calm, the plane nevertheless crashes. Velva Jean's flight crew is killed. The team of five she was to drop does survive, but, angry and disgusted, they want to leave Velva Jean behind and try to find their own way.
Well, they may have wanted to leave Velva Jean, but she was a woman with a mission and a strong will. Eventually, the survivors meet up with a member of the resistance and that begins their journey through occupied France with the aid of the Underground, eventually ending in Paris. Through all this, Velva Jean finds herself more and more attracted to the leader of the OSS team, Émile Gravais and eventually this becomes a mutual attraction.
In Paris, Velva Jean is given a new identity, Clementine Roux, an American who married a Frenchman, unable to return to the US after the war began and her husband was killed. Now, she is pulled into the mission Gravais and his team are to accomplish - rescuing an important agent code-named Swan being held in a woman's prison in Paris.
Velva Jean alias Clementine's new mission: get herself picked up and sent to the same prison. Is that what happens? No, it isn't. And don't think for a moment she has forgotten about Johnny Clay.
One of the things I found very interesting in Becoming Clementine was how difficult it was for Velva Jean to embrace her new identity as Clementine Roux. It is a testament to her strong sense of who she is that made Velva Jean want to keep surfacing, even in the face of danger.
I did feel that some of the technical bits about planes and things like that could have used some editing, mostly because I have no idea what I was reading about. Confession: I thought skipping those bits but actually read on, all the while realizing that my fear of flying was getting the best of me and that some readers would find this fascinating.
Becoming Clementine has something for everyone: excitement, espionage, romance (but not much sex, none explicit), action, but it also has violence, lots of it and cursing, lots of that, so be warned. It is a gritty, fact-paced novel but I felt it may still have the same level of YA appeal that Velva Jean Learns to Fly had even since it is still a coming of age story of sorts. After all she had been through, it was hard to realize the Velva Jean is only 22 by the end of this novel.
And yes, there will be a fourth Velva Jean novel in autumn 2013.
This book is recommended for readers age 18+ and sophisticated teens with an interest in WWII
This book was received as an E-ARC through Net Galley
But then World War II began and VelvaJean found herself in the WASP Program (Women's Airforce Service Pilots.) Now, in Becoming Clementine, it is June 16, 1944, Velva Jean is 21 and a seasoned pilot. So seasoned that she has just become the first woman to fly a B-17 Flying Fortress across the Atlantic Ocean to Preswick Airfield, Scotland. Proud of her accomplishment, she also has an ulterior motive for accepting this challenge - her beloved brother Johnny Clay, a paratrooper, hasn't been heard from since October 18, 1943 and Velva Jean is on a personal mission to find him.
As luck would have it, Preswick has been short of pilots since D-Day, less than two weeks earlier and Velva Jean decides getting to Europe would be the best way to find Johnny Clay, so she convinces all relevant authorities to let her copilot a mission to France. On July 13, she gets orders to fly to Roun, dropping supplies and a team of OSS agents and returning immediately to base.
Naturally, over France, the plane is hit by enemy ground fire and badly damaged though still flying. Then, when they finally find the place to make their drop, they realize it has been compromised by Germans. In an attempt to avoid them and singing "My Darling Clementine" to keep herself calm, the plane nevertheless crashes. Velva Jean's flight crew is killed. The team of five she was to drop does survive, but, angry and disgusted, they want to leave Velva Jean behind and try to find their own way.
Well, they may have wanted to leave Velva Jean, but she was a woman with a mission and a strong will. Eventually, the survivors meet up with a member of the resistance and that begins their journey through occupied France with the aid of the Underground, eventually ending in Paris. Through all this, Velva Jean finds herself more and more attracted to the leader of the OSS team, Émile Gravais and eventually this becomes a mutual attraction.
In Paris, Velva Jean is given a new identity, Clementine Roux, an American who married a Frenchman, unable to return to the US after the war began and her husband was killed. Now, she is pulled into the mission Gravais and his team are to accomplish - rescuing an important agent code-named Swan being held in a woman's prison in Paris.
Velva Jean alias Clementine's new mission: get herself picked up and sent to the same prison. Is that what happens? No, it isn't. And don't think for a moment she has forgotten about Johnny Clay.
One of the things I found very interesting in Becoming Clementine was how difficult it was for Velva Jean to embrace her new identity as Clementine Roux. It is a testament to her strong sense of who she is that made Velva Jean want to keep surfacing, even in the face of danger.
I did feel that some of the technical bits about planes and things like that could have used some editing, mostly because I have no idea what I was reading about. Confession: I thought skipping those bits but actually read on, all the while realizing that my fear of flying was getting the best of me and that some readers would find this fascinating.
Becoming Clementine has something for everyone: excitement, espionage, romance (but not much sex, none explicit), action, but it also has violence, lots of it and cursing, lots of that, so be warned. It is a gritty, fact-paced novel but I felt it may still have the same level of YA appeal that Velva Jean Learns to Fly had even since it is still a coming of age story of sorts. After all she had been through, it was hard to realize the Velva Jean is only 22 by the end of this novel.
And yes, there will be a fourth Velva Jean novel in autumn 2013.
This book is recommended for readers age 18+ and sophisticated teens with an interest in WWII
This book was received as an E-ARC through Net Galley
January 25, 2018
A bunch of silliness. Mildly entertaining. Seemed to make light of what happened during that period. Not overly impressed.
January 23, 2016
From the opening pages when 21-year-old Velma Jean Hart is piloting a B-17 bomber across the Atlantic Ocean, I was intrigued with this character. In 1944 she was only the second woman to have accomplished this feat. Velma is a member of the Women Air Force Pilots (WASP) and nothing is more challenging for her than flying a plane. When she volunteers to co-pilot an allied mission to drop agents in France, she has no idea that it will change her life forever. The plane is shot down in the French countryside and Velma must learn to survive while eluding capture by the Germans who are scouring the area for survivors. With the 5 agents who parachuted before the plane crashed, Velma makes her way to Paris where she takes up her alias as Clementine Roux. She works with the Resistance sabotaging German operations however she can.
This story is one of courage, commitment to doing the right thing and the will to survive despite overwhelming odds. Scene after scene will keep you glued to the story especially the chapters dealing with the brutal prison. Will Clementine crack under interrogation by the German commandant? Is she still trying to collect intel on the enigmatic spy known only as "Swan" who is also in German custody even when her own life is in jeopardy. The storyline is riveting, and though it is not a true story, it could very well be one. That's how realistic and compelling Velma/Clementine's story is. There were so many courageous and dedicated people trying to defeat the Germans during World War II. This is just one story, but an absolute must read.
This story is one of courage, commitment to doing the right thing and the will to survive despite overwhelming odds. Scene after scene will keep you glued to the story especially the chapters dealing with the brutal prison. Will Clementine crack under interrogation by the German commandant? Is she still trying to collect intel on the enigmatic spy known only as "Swan" who is also in German custody even when her own life is in jeopardy. The storyline is riveting, and though it is not a true story, it could very well be one. That's how realistic and compelling Velma/Clementine's story is. There were so many courageous and dedicated people trying to defeat the Germans during World War II. This is just one story, but an absolute must read.
September 21, 2012
“They said the B-17 had mythical powers, that it was magic because it could defend itself, even with the pilot knocked cold and no one at the wheel, and that it could return home even if it was blown apart. It was the fiercest fighter of the war, the Flying Fortress, a daylight precision bomber that flew smooth for being so big and heavy – as smooth as Three Gum River, back home in North Carolina, on a sunny cloudless day . . .[ellipsis mine] . . . I was dressed in my Santiago Blues, the official uniform of the WASP, or Women Airforce Service Pilots with a smart little hat and a fitted navy skirt designed by Bergdorf Goodman in New York, and I had a .45 pistol strapped to my hip.”
We’re still on page 1, mind you … in fact, we’re only in the second paragraph. But we have established time, place, peril, and voice. We know our narrator is a brave, strong woman, young because she is deferential enough to refer to the “they” who describe the B-17 even though she is the one flying it, and therefore strong because the plane is “fierce” and “big and heavy.” She is prone to a poetic turn of phrase, credulous of myth, not above appreciating a flattering cap but still, packing heat. While pinpointing the place in history, Niven has also foreshadowed danger and given way to a sneeze of nostalgia for home. If I taught fiction, I would use this book.
for the full review, go to http://www.somuchsomanysofew.wordpres...
We’re still on page 1, mind you … in fact, we’re only in the second paragraph. But we have established time, place, peril, and voice. We know our narrator is a brave, strong woman, young because she is deferential enough to refer to the “they” who describe the B-17 even though she is the one flying it, and therefore strong because the plane is “fierce” and “big and heavy.” She is prone to a poetic turn of phrase, credulous of myth, not above appreciating a flattering cap but still, packing heat. While pinpointing the place in history, Niven has also foreshadowed danger and given way to a sneeze of nostalgia for home. If I taught fiction, I would use this book.
for the full review, go to http://www.somuchsomanysofew.wordpres...
November 19, 2012
Absolutely loved book two, Velva Jean Learns to Fly and so was super excited about this. So excited I broke my price rule and spent 9.99 on the Kindle edition.
But...if you're expecting lots of flying, you'll be disappointed. The story starts with her landing in England, then she crashes a plane and later steals a plane, but most of the book is her acting like a spy. I say "acting" cause really, she doesn't any real spying. I'll get to that.
She crashes in France, which in under the Germans so she's in enemy territory. Still searching for her brother, she insists on joining the resistance. She's mighty brave. I still love her. She ends up in Paris and has all these Resistance friends, even a French lover, but despite being surrounded by these people and making big plans, she does nothing.
She wears fancy lipstick, eats a map, PLANS to save a girl from prison, but gets arrested herself, wears knife bobby pins, but really, never once does she deliver pertinent information to anyone, just runs around with the Resistance. She can't even take credit for saving the girl in the end, because she didn't bomb the train and Eleanor is capable of escaping herself.
http://wwwbookbabe.blogspot.com/2012/...
Full review on Book Babe.
But...if you're expecting lots of flying, you'll be disappointed. The story starts with her landing in England, then she crashes a plane and later steals a plane, but most of the book is her acting like a spy. I say "acting" cause really, she doesn't any real spying. I'll get to that.
She crashes in France, which in under the Germans so she's in enemy territory. Still searching for her brother, she insists on joining the resistance. She's mighty brave. I still love her. She ends up in Paris and has all these Resistance friends, even a French lover, but despite being surrounded by these people and making big plans, she does nothing.
She wears fancy lipstick, eats a map, PLANS to save a girl from prison, but gets arrested herself, wears knife bobby pins, but really, never once does she deliver pertinent information to anyone, just runs around with the Resistance. She can't even take credit for saving the girl in the end, because she didn't bomb the train and Eleanor is capable of escaping herself.
http://wwwbookbabe.blogspot.com/2012/...
Full review on Book Babe.
December 24, 2012
The action never stops in the 3rd book of the series about Velva Jean and intrepid young lady from North Carolina.Life hasn't been easy for her but she meets it head on.I have watched the same movies as the author about female agents dropped into France which are based on actual events so Velva Jeans adventures are not at all far fetched. Women made a big contribution during WWII.Velva Jean has to loose herself into a new identity,Clementine Roux in order to survive in occupied France.Her whole purpose for ending up there was to find her brother who"disappeared" right before D-Day but she has a new mission,to help rescue an agent"Swan" from a German prison.
What happens next will stay with her the rest of her life.
I really enjoyed the book and recommenmd it highly to women and older teenage girls who like a good story and want to know about what women contributed to the war effort. The violence is not graphic but everpresent as the danger was for the Resistance and American and British agents during that time. I am going to read the first two books in the series and I can't wait for the next chapter in her life.Will she become a test pilot or a Nashviulle singer??
What happens next will stay with her the rest of her life.
I really enjoyed the book and recommenmd it highly to women and older teenage girls who like a good story and want to know about what women contributed to the war effort. The violence is not graphic but everpresent as the danger was for the Resistance and American and British agents during that time. I am going to read the first two books in the series and I can't wait for the next chapter in her life.Will she become a test pilot or a Nashviulle singer??
October 14, 2012
I do love fiction books. I might love other genres more, but fiction is the genre that gives me so much. Good writing, good stories and well just a good genre.
This is actually book 3, but that does not show. It's a perfectly good standalone novel that shows us the life of Velva Jean as she in 1944 flies over the Atlantic. She is a Wasp, one of the forgotten of the WWII. The book shows what women did in the war. Velva Jean is brave and wonderful. She goes to France to find her brother. She goes into a warzone cos of family. And to be a tool of war.
I have heard about the Wasps, the women pilots of the war. But I never knew much and they struggled. The men were not happy, no one was really happy. Not that there is much flying, no, instead there is spying, and danger.
The book is well written and there is this tone over the book that I liked. Velva thinks, feels, and well it just have to be read.
A great book about forgotten heroines.
This is actually book 3, but that does not show. It's a perfectly good standalone novel that shows us the life of Velva Jean as she in 1944 flies over the Atlantic. She is a Wasp, one of the forgotten of the WWII. The book shows what women did in the war. Velva Jean is brave and wonderful. She goes to France to find her brother. She goes into a warzone cos of family. And to be a tool of war.
I have heard about the Wasps, the women pilots of the war. But I never knew much and they struggled. The men were not happy, no one was really happy. Not that there is much flying, no, instead there is spying, and danger.
The book is well written and there is this tone over the book that I liked. Velva thinks, feels, and well it just have to be read.
A great book about forgotten heroines.
June 2, 2013
Spoiler alert! Don't read this review if you haven't finished the book.
This book started out so strong I was entranced. I kept reading passages to my husband, who was even convinced he'd enjoy it when I was done. I could not put it down, and read all the way to page 139 the first night!
However, about 3/4 of the way through, it lost some power, and the wind-down to the end was kind of a disappointment, in that after all that action, it's mostly Clementine killing time while her brother recovers, and thinking about things. Walking and thinking. Thinking and walking. Also, in retrospect, at the end when she reminds us she was only 22, it seemed a bit too far of a stretch to think a kid that young could have all that experience and expertise in flying, weaponry, and spycraft. So I'm a little bummed, but for the magic of the first half, the detail of the days in Paris, and the dramatic tension, all of which were very well done, this book deserves 4 stars, and I am glad I read it.
This book started out so strong I was entranced. I kept reading passages to my husband, who was even convinced he'd enjoy it when I was done. I could not put it down, and read all the way to page 139 the first night!
However, about 3/4 of the way through, it lost some power, and the wind-down to the end was kind of a disappointment, in that after all that action, it's mostly Clementine killing time while her brother recovers, and thinking about things. Walking and thinking. Thinking and walking. Also, in retrospect, at the end when she reminds us she was only 22, it seemed a bit too far of a stretch to think a kid that young could have all that experience and expertise in flying, weaponry, and spycraft. So I'm a little bummed, but for the magic of the first half, the detail of the days in Paris, and the dramatic tension, all of which were very well done, this book deserves 4 stars, and I am glad I read it.
September 24, 2017
Another great book in the continuing story of Velva Jean Hart. I've loved this series from the first book, Velva Jean Learns to Drive. I really like how Jennifer Niven starts this one right where Velva Jean Learns to Fly left off. There's no guessing what happened or time lapse. I love a good historical fiction and each of these books has brought some history into them which I found great. I'm looking forward to the next one.
This review can be found at https://mcdawnreviews.wordpress.com/2...
This review can be found at https://mcdawnreviews.wordpress.com/2...
November 28, 2012
Finished this last night and was so sad to turn the last page. This is an excellent series of 3 books about Velva Jean but you don't have to start with the first in the series. You really should cause all three books are excellent and I am so hoping Jennifer someday continues Velva Jean's story in another book.
Highly recommend!
Highly recommend!
June 29, 2015
Love this series! Really well-written. Great book club read.
May 25, 2020
This is the third book in a series and, admittedly, I did not read the first two installments. I was a little behind on some of the past relationships and references to Velva Jean's home, but it didn't deter from her story.
When I met Velva Jean, she was a WASP who had just flown a B17 from the US to Scotland. From here, she insinuates herself into an assignment flying a group of servicemen to Europe and dropping them, as well as supplies, into France. The plane crashes and then story takes off. Velva Jean finds herself working with the French Resistance, landing in Paris, getting caught by the Germans, etc. Was the plot all that plausible? No, but the writing was engaging and the character was exciting to travel along with. Overall, this was a good read for a lazy Memorial Day during the Great Quarantine of 2020!
Go Cards! L1C4!!
When I met Velva Jean, she was a WASP who had just flown a B17 from the US to Scotland. From here, she insinuates herself into an assignment flying a group of servicemen to Europe and dropping them, as well as supplies, into France. The plane crashes and then story takes off. Velva Jean finds herself working with the French Resistance, landing in Paris, getting caught by the Germans, etc. Was the plot all that plausible? No, but the writing was engaging and the character was exciting to travel along with. Overall, this was a good read for a lazy Memorial Day during the Great Quarantine of 2020!
Go Cards! L1C4!!
October 20, 2020
Sometimes in a series there’s a certain something lost in each new story. Not in this one! What an amazing story. Couldn’t put it down. It definitely is not what I expected for Velva Jean’s latest adventure but a story I am so glad to have read. I really felt what it was like to be in Paris during WWII. You could read this without reading the first two books in the series but I don’t recommend that. You really need to know where Velva Jean comes from and what she’s been through to understand her reasoning behind all her choices and decisions. She is an amazing character that I’m so glad to know. The narrator wasn’t my favorite at first but I got used to her pretty fast and she didn’t deter me from enjoying the story. I highly recommend this book, this series as well as Jennifer Nivens other books. She is an amazing author.
October 25, 2024
This is the third book in Jennifer Niven's Velva Jean series, and I'm giving it 5 stars despite the implausibility of it. But, that's what's great about fiction if you can suspend your disbelief. Little Velva Jean, from Alluvial, NC at the base of a mountain, at 22 years old, has already been married, divorced, moved to Nashville to be a singer, become a pilot, and flew a bomber across the ocean. And now she crashes in occupied France, becomes a spy and survives a prison?! And EVERYTHING works out okay? I think I felt this book romanticized the war a little bit and I didn't like that aspect of it. But at the same time, I wouldn't want anything to happen to our main character. So I guess I'm glad it all works out?
I know Velva Jean goes to Hollywood and becomes a star in the next book. I had to wait a little to read that one, though.
I know Velva Jean goes to Hollywood and becomes a star in the next book. I had to wait a little to read that one, though.
June 20, 2017
This is the first book for me by this author. I chose to read this when I saw that the story revolved around a young WASP pilot who flew a Bomber across the Atlantic into occupied France during World War II. The heroine is a brave, adventurous, fiercely independent woman who proves herself through all kinds of adversity - crash landing her B-17 in occupied France, prisoner of war, escaped spy flying a German plane and shot at by American bombers, etc. This is a great piece of historical World War II fiction that I intend to share both with my adult daughter and my physician writer wife - who interviewed several surviving WASP pilots two decades ago.
March 15, 2024
I listened to an audiobook on this one. Becoming Clementine was a rather slow paced historical spy novel of the WWII era. Perhaps its slow pace was due to the Reader, Kada Mazer, who had a curious southern draw that was rather endearing. I enjoyed the story but found the cursing unnecessary thus 3*s. It held my attention and I learned a few things about the US Air Force and the women who flew the Atlantic delivering Bombers to England. The WASP flew every military aircraft including Boeing B-17 and B-29 bombers available at that time.
November 13, 2017
This is a book I picked up somewhere a long time ago and just got around to reading. The WASP (Women Airforce Service Pilots) did exist duing the war and the main character has many amazing adventures in this book, many rather far fetched, but it's a good entertaining well written book which among other things mentions a town in Germany where my husband and I were briefly on our honeymoon.
Highly recommended!
Highly recommended!
December 28, 2017
I love Velva Jean, but I didn't like this book nearly as much as the first two in the series. VJ is still spunky and determined but (for me) this story was missing something. I wasn't pulled into it the way I was the previous two books. That won't stop me from reading/listening to the final book, American Blonde, though. ;-)
July 26, 2019
Velva Jean May not have existed, but scores of young, brave men & women sacrificing unimaginably for our freedom did! This book gave insight into some of the many ways WWII was fought & won by those within & without the military, specifically undercover ops, the resistance & the Freedom Trail. Fascinating!
March 9, 2020
I have been reading a lot of WW2 fiction recently. This book had a different perspective with the female pilot and I really enjoyed it! Strong female leads are always a bonus in a story. Interesting facts intertwined into the story also. Definitely recommend if you are into this era for stories as well.
June 11, 2022
Loved the Velva Jean series! Becoming Clementine took place during World War II in Scotland and France. It was fantastic. I learned something about how spies for the Allies worked and something about the Resistance. And, of course, I loved that “Clementine” was a girl from our NC mountains! Fun book to listen to. The reader was good although I preferred the reader for the first two books.
June 17, 2023
Not my favorite of the Velva Jean books, but I do so love her as a character, so this was still a good read, even if there is a little bit (okay, maybe a lot!) of a stretch with some plot points. I was quite happy to settle back into Velva Jean's life and see her story continue in this installment, and I look forward to reading the next one as well.
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