Under a Southern Sky: War and loss brought her to Australia. Will love make her stay?

by Clare Flynn

After a German fighter sinks her husband's ship in the icy Atlantic, grief-stricken Hannah Kidd flees the rubble and ration queues of wartime Liverpool for a new life on the other side of the world. In sun-soaked Sydney, she discovers more than just refuge from nightly bombing raids—she finds unexpected family connections, meaningful work, and the handsome Eddie Greenbank.

As Hannah explores the golden beaches of Sydney's eastern shores, the misty valleys of the Blue Mountains, and the rolling scenery of the Hunter Valley, she begins to believe that happiness isn't lost forever. But even in Australia, the war's long shadow threatens everything she's begun to rebuild. Hannah must will she let grief define her, or will she fight for the future she never thought she'd have?

A sweeping story of resilience and renewal set against the dramatic backdrop of wartime Australia, Under a Southern Sky explores how far we must sometimes travel—both in miles and in spirit—to find our way home.

NOTE TO READERS
This book is part of a four-book series but as books 1 and 2 are published by a different publisher they can't be grouped on the page as a single series. The reading order should be A Greater World Book 1, and Storms Gather Between Us, Book 2 (published by Canelo) and Sisters at War, book 3 and Under a Southern Sky book 4 published by Cranbrook Press.

Genres: Historical Fiction

336 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 30, 2025

About the author

Clare Flynn is the author of twety historical novels and a collection of short stories. She is the 2020 winner of the UK Selfies Adult Fiction prize for her best-selling novel The Pearl of Penang, was shortlisted for the RNA Industry Awards Indie Champion of the Year for 2021 and won the award in 2022.

Clare lives in Eastbourne. on the south coast of the UK. She is a fluent Italian speaker and loves spending time in Italy. In her spare time she likes to quilt, paint and travel often and widely as possible.

Clare Flynn is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, an active member of The Romantic Novelists Association, The Historical Writers Association, The Alliance of Independent Authors and The Society of Authors. More information about her books can be found at www.clareflynn.co.uk

Reviews

[Anita · Rating 2 out of 5]

This story in the ‘Across the Sea’ series follows the lives of Hannah and her younger sister Judith, after their relocation to Australia. In spite of the author’s assurances, I think it would be difficult to read this book without having read some of the previous books in this series, due to the very tangled family relationships involved. I do not believe it could be read as a stand-alone story with any real comprehension of the history of the characters involved.
Throughout this narration of Hannah’s struggles to come to terms with the death of her husband, Will, in WW11, she is purported to be living as a truly independent single woman. I did not perceive her as such, she is constantly supported in her new life by her friends, her landlady, and at a later stage by her Aunt Elizabeth and family. They selflessly give her financial and emotional support on many occasions, without which Hannah would have not sustained her lifestyle. There were also many coincidences which occurred during the course of the story, some of which I found it difficult to believe in.
Although the author had carefully researched the wartime events in Australia after the entry of Japan into the fight, and I found these interesting to follow, as I did not realise that Australia was so impacted by the War, I did not see either Hannah or her sister to be particularly empathetic characters. Hannah’s treatment of Eddie is selfish and her shock at her pregnancy rather naive.
My honest opinion, the conclusion to this story is a dramatic improbability.
I did not enjoy this book as much as the author’s previous stories.

[Eclectic Review · Rating 4 out of 5]

This captivating novel drew me in with its rich historical context and poignant storytelling set in wartime Australia. Although it’s a sequel, it stands on its own beautifully.

The story follows Hannah, a young war widow in Sydney. After losing her husband, she feels like a burden to her sister Judith and her family. Determined to reclaim her independence, Hannah steps out of her comfort zone to find a job and forge new friendships—all while searching for her long-lost Aunt Elizabeth, who just so happens to be her late husband’s stepmother.

Hannah’s journey is filled with struggles and emotional turmoil. She has faced profound heartache at such a young age, and her resilience really struck a chord with me. Despite her sometimes misguided choices, there is something incredibly inspiring about her strength and her ability to keep pressing forward. The path she travels is tough, but I promise you, it leads to a satisfying, happy conclusion.

One of the highlights of this book is its well-developed characters. Each one feels real and three-dimensional. Plus, the historical elements are woven seamlessly throughout the narrative. I admit, I don’t read many books about WWII in Australia, and this one opened my eyes to the remarkable contributions Australians made during that time. It’s a refreshing perspective that’s often overlooked in casual discussions of the war.

If you’re a fan of character-driven sagas that delve into vibrant historical themes, I highly recommend giving this book a shot. It has enough heart and depth to resonate with anyone seeking an engaging read.

Thank you to Ms. Flynn for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.

For more of my reviews, visit The Eclectic Review.

[Monica Mac · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hannah has lost her young husband to the waters of the Atlantic and her home in Liverpool has been bombed so she follows her sister Judith to Australia. Judith is pretty busy with her own life, so Hannah goes to Sydney, where she boards with the lovely Dot.

She finds a job and she slowly starts to get a bit of a life. When she meets Eddie, she isn't too sure about him, he is a bit of a moody one. However, there IS an attraction between them. Hannah then starts her training with the WAAAF's, doing much the same type of thing as she did in England, only the setting is very different and quite difficult. The author does a great job of describing this!

Of course, there are good and bad aspects of living in Australia during the war years and I can "see" these conditions pretty well. I am always in awe of what my ancestors must have gone through during those years!

I don't want to write any spoilers but suffice to say that there are some big surprises coming Hannah's way.

I did feel like the ending was a bit rushed but all in all, this was a good read :)

4.5 stars from me.

[Ritu Bhathal · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful story set during WW2.
Hannah Kidd is in Australia after tragically losing her husband in a war-related incident.
She is still grieving but finding her way around life without him present. Australia was his home, so she tries to find links to him while getting on with life.
There is a roller coaster of emotions as she dips into normality for a young woman, despite feeling anything but normal, and she finds herself in a predicament that she has no clue how to handle.
This is a story that doesn't rely purely on romance to tell it, but on Hannah's feelings and hurt, and it gives a glimpse into what were very different wartime experiences from those usually read about in the UK.
The ending came about very quickly but was most satisfying, given all Hannah went through.
This book is part of a series, but the books can be read as standalones.

[JT CAREY · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again Clare has outdone herself. Under a Southern Sky reunites us with Hannah Kidd from the Across the Seas series. However, if you haven't read the other books in this series, not to worry as this third book could easily be read as a standalone. Clare's writing is easy reading. Her research into the historical time and culture of the venue (Australia) truly puts you in the WWII timeframe. Her characters are well-developed and engaging and the storyline is full of twists and turns making it a page-turner of a book. If you have some 'me' time in which to relax, I strongly recommend this book to you....it's definitely worth the read!

[Judy Granit · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really wonderful sequel!
A drama, adventure and historical novel in one gorgeous package 😊
This great storyline is woven into fascinating facts about the situation in Australia during the second world war.

The characters are authentic and endearing and I love the way the author's use of Australian expressions that make the story so authentic and bring the characters to life.
It's a bit sad to say goodbye to Hannah and Elizabeth and all the other lovely participants but seem all set to go on and have great lives.

[Janilyn Kocher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven’t read many book set in Australia during WWII so this one was interesting.
Hannah’s mourning of her husband Will’s demise never ends.
I had hoped she would give Eddie a chance but the narrative turned differently.
I figured out partly what would happen but despaired she would ever give someone a chance.
The best ending occurred, something I hadn’t anticipated so I was happy with the results.
Thanks Rachel’s Random Resources for the advance copy.

[Belinda LaPierre · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great story

I love how Clare continues the characters story from the previous books. But makes their story even better.

I have read all of Clare's
books. Can't wait for the next book to be written and released.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this a really interesting read about what life was like in Australia in WW2. Hannah Kidd flees Liverpool for Australia when her husband is lost at sea. The story follows her journey from the discovery of unexpected family connections to meeting new friends. As she adapts to her life in Australia she finds that she has so many difficult decisions and feelings to work through. Some of these are not very easy at all. Then just as she believes that she can move on the war again causes her heartache. I liked how this flowed and became quite invested in how Hannah’s life was developing and what the eventual outcome would be. Great characters and plenty in the storyline to keep me engaged.

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hannah has lost her husband during the war and leaves for Australia with her sister. Thinking she might finally be safe from the war she moves on with her life.
This was an enjoyable book with some interesting parts especially the sheep sheering. I was kinda surprised by the ending. It’s a good historical fiction story.