When We Had Wings is gripping, heart-tugging WWII novel written by 3 of the best historical fiction authors. This emotionally-stirring book tells the story of three nurses stationed in Manila at the beginning of the war, and the harrowing, life-changing years to follow. Each of their stories filled me with terror, heartache, and pain, but I was also in awe of their bravery, their resilience, and their strength. These women witnessed both the worst of humanity and also the best of humanity, they suffered physically and emotionally, but somehow they held on to the hope that they’d get through it all. This powerful novel will keep your heart racing, it will bring you to tears, and it will remind you to always look for the glimmer of hope and peace.

This multi-author historical novel set in the Philippines is a World War II story told in the context of the friendship that develops between three nurses (a US Army nurse, a US Navy nurse and a Filipina civilian nurse). The story begins pre-Pearl Harbour when Manila is a tropical paradise and a posting there seems far removed from the conflict. With the onset of hostilities in the region and the occupation of the island by the Japanese, the three young women endure harsh combat conditions and later captivity as the first female prisoners of the Second World War but their unwavering friendship helps them to maintain hope that they will survive and reunite. When We Had Wings is an enjoyable, well-researched read that provides a captivating story as well as a great deal of information about Second World War events in the Pacific Theatre specifically related to the Philippines and the nurses who became known as The Angels of Bataan. This is my favourite type of historical novel - one where I finish feeling like a learned a great deal and want to know more!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Philippines, 1941 -1945

Three women, and three nurses right before Pearl Habour is bombed form a tentative friendship in Manilla. They meet once a month but when the Philippines is taken over by the Japanese - everything changes.

When We Had Wings was a very interesting and immersive look at how the Army and Navy nurses lived
as POWs. It’s not a subject I have read a lot about - well, not at all. I found the beginning to start too slow for me, but it slowly gained good momentum when all the women were incarcerated under Japanese rule.

It kept my attention as the atrocities were ratched up by the Japanese who did not seem to have beating hearts. This may be too graphic for some, but for me, I was able to continue reading. The authors give enough but not too much detail to show what Lita, Penny and Eleanor, and all the prisoners are facing.

Despite the gruesome period these innocent people are forced to live in a brutalized existence that no one should endure. I really liked the camaraderie that is found among the prisoners especially Lita, Penny, and Eleanor and even though they are separated from knowing how each other is doing for months on end. Even though separated by miles, the value of their friendship helped keep them going.

Definitely recommended. 4.5 stars

My gratitude to NetGalley and Harper Muse. All opinions expressed are honest and mine.

That was a great book….very hard to read in some points…I had to put it down for a while a few times…but I enjoyed the story. The friendship between the 3 women was very heart warming. I have read several WW2 books but never about the Japanese in the war. This book takes place in Manila. Three nurses meet and become friends. Then as the war breaks out they get seperated and become POWs. You go through all their imprisonment with them and just keep waiting for them to be freeded. When I started this book I was thinking man this is all over the place but got into the flow of it and it was well worth the read! Very intense and sad but a great ending. Thank you NetGalley for letting me read this book.

This is a novel of World War II but with an interesting twist. It takes place in the Pacific theater starting in 1942 in Manilla, Philippines. It follows three friends, all nurses from either the Army or Navy. One nurse is Filipino and dreams of coming to the United States, one is running away from an affair that wasn’t what she thought, and one is trying to forget her failures as a wife and mother. None of the three had any inkling of the horrific disaster about to befall the idyllic island and how their lives would change or the Hell they would endure.

The three authors did a fantastic job seamlessly weaving the story lines together. They created a narrative involving a subject that I hadn't previously read anything about, the women who were POWs during World War II. It is heart breaking, gut wrenching and emotional and I couldn’t put it down.

If you are a historical fiction fan, you will want to read this book. It presents a story of women who are not often mentioned in this time period. All they witnessed and endured deserves to be recognized.

I requested and reviewed this book for NetGalley.

When We Had Wings
by Ariel Lawhon, Kristina McMorris; Susan Meissner
Pub Date: October 18, 2022
Harper Muse
Thanks to the authors, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. From three bestselling authors comes an interwoven tale about a trio of World War II nurses stationed in the South Pacific who wage their own battle for freedom and survival. "Three of the biggest powerhouses in historical fiction come together to pen this breathtaking story of three nurses serving in the Philippines during the Second World War.”
I thought this book was rather slow-paced but I did enjoy this World War II historical fiction that was a stand-alone novel and that it had discussion questions for book clubs.
4 stars

I enjoyed this story of friendship and survival of three young nurses set in the Philippines during its history of Japanese occupation. What I enjoyed most:
- the highlight of a piece of history I did not know: Japan invaded the Philippines immediately after bombing Pearl Harbor. Army and Navy nurses along with many American civilians and Filipino citizens were taken as POWs.
- the heroism, bravery, resourcefulness, and mercy conducted by the nurses and the local people while they were held captive with little food and supplies for 4 years.

The story is told from three person POV and did feel a little repetitive and slow during the rescues. However, it ended with a well written epigraph.

Thank you to Netgalley, Harper Muse, and the authors for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. Pub Date: Oct 2022.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Harper Muse and NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Wow what a read. I am always interested in reading about the world wars and through When We Had Wings I learned more about a chapter of WWII that i previously knew nothing about. We follow three nurses from the US army stationed in the Philippines as they experience the Japanese invasion of the islands. The authours of this novel made me feel like I was right there with these women. If historical fiction is your thing or even if it's not give this book a read

This engaging, emotional, and well researched WWII saga follows the bonding friendship of three nurses during the Japanese takeover of the Philippines.
As we learn about how Eleanor, Penny, and Lita devote their time to caring for the sick and dying during wartime, we also experience their growing friendships, family dynamics, and romantic interludes.
The collaborative prose from these three fine writers made it hard to put this one down. I had a history lesson on the torturous treatment of civilians, as well as the hospital military, who were held captive in the numerous internment camps in the Pacific theater. The writing is so good that I felt as though I was right there in captivity alongside the three strong female characters experiencing the fear, anger, horror, and even small joys, during their captivity.

Get yourself a box of tissues and keep your phone nearby to order takeout because you won’t stop reading this one to cook!

Thanks to #NetGalley and the publisher for this arc. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

At once breathtaking and horrifying. Set in the South Pacific during World War II, this novel by three master storytellers features three, expertly drawn, dynamic and likable military nurses. The obviously well researched and well written tale is - like war - dark and harrowing and tragic. The authors chose not to romanticize the effects of the war but to depict relatively realistically its evils, savagery and the ensuing multitude of hardships, which makes for quite a difficult, utterly heartbreaking read. This is also, however, an ode to friendship, courage, perseverance and acting for the greater good, which adds dashes of hope and humanity to the story. Additionally, the novel importantly educates its readers regarding the Philippines and the critical roles played by Filipinos during WWII, which are not often explored in WWII fiction in my experience. Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Muse for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

Thanks to NetGalley, Harper Muse the publisher and the authors for a story of three nurses looking to escape their pasts but end up being captured by the Japanese. The background is the Philippines , a paradise assignment they believed. What they experienced in the camps was unbelievable. They were the first female prisoners of the Second War. So well written shedding light on so many things we haven’t heard or thought of. We should we extremely proud of these women!

Unusual in that it has three authors, although it also has three main characters so perhaps they each wrote one part of the story arc. It takes place during the Japanese invasion of the Philippines and leading through to liberation. Enjoyable read.

Epic storytelling in motion, this book had it all! I always feel like I learn so much from any book Kristina McMorris is part of and that I get a history lesson as well as inspiration for my day.

3 Bestsellerautorinnen haben sich zusammen getan, um einen historischen Roman zu schreiben, der auf wahren Tatsachen basiert – hörte sich spannend an. Zumal ich Susan Meissner als Autorin kenne und schätze, und daher habe ich mich sehr gefreut, diesen Roman vorab lesen zu dürfen.
Der Roman beginnt 1941, als sich als sich die 3 Krankenschwestern Penny, Lita und Eleanor auf dem US Stützpunkt in Manila kennenlernen. Alle drei haben unterschiedliche Motive, sich auf den Pazifik versetzen zu lassen, und haben gerade Wendepunkte in ihrem Leben erreicht. In den ersten Wochen erscheint Manila auch als tropisches Paradies, aber es ist Krieg, und irgendwann wendet sich im Pazifik das Blatt: nachdem die Japaner Pearl Harbour bombadiert haben, fallen sie auch auf den Philippinen ein, und es dauert nicht lange, und die drei Freundinnen finden sich als Kriegsgefangene wieder. Auf unterschiedlichen Standorten gefangen, erleben sie als die ersten weiblichen amerikanischen Kriegsgefangenen hautnah die Gräuel des Krieges und versuchen doch, ihre Menschlichkeit zu bewahren und als Krankenschwestern zu helfen, wo sie nur können. Und das ist nicht so einfach gewesen, denn in ihren jeweiligen „POW Camps“ haben die japanischen Besatzer die Genfer Konventionen schlicht missachtet, und die Lebensumstände in den Lagern waren geprägt von Nahrungsmittelknappheit, schlechten hygienischen Verhältnissen und militärischer Unterdrückung. Penny, Lita und Eleanor hält aber ihre Freundschaft aufrecht, auch wenn sie sich teilweise lange Jahre nicht sehen können.
Die Kapitel sind immer wechselseitig bei einer der drei Freundinnen, und wir begleiten sie insgesamt 10 Jahre. Die Kriegsjahre werden sehr minutiös dargestellt, und nach dem Krieg, nach der Befreiung, gibt es dann noch einen Epilog im Jahre 51, sodass wir als Leser wissen, was mit den dreien noch so passiert ist.
Ich muss jetzt sagen, ich fand es einerseits super interessant: die Einblicke in das Leben der Kriegsgefangenen und die Geschichte dieser Freundschaft haben mich gefesselt. Und für mich als Deutsche war jetzt auch dieser amerikanische Blickwinkel auf den Zweiten Weltkrieg spannend. Die kriegerischen Auseinandersetzungen im Pazifik gehören bei uns nämlich nicht zum Allgemeinwissen. Also, für mich war dieser Roman auch eine kleine Nachhilfestunde in Geschichte.
Andererseits fand ich, der Roman hatte schon ein paar Längen. Der Alltag der Krankenschwestern in den diversen Camps wurde schon sehr detailliert beschrieben, und ich fand, es hat sich halt einiges wiederholt. Das ist allerdings auch mein einziger Kritikpunkt. Ansonsten hat mich die Geschichte emotional schon sehr berührt. 3 tapfere Frauen, inmitten sehr tapferer anderer Krankenschwestern, Ärzte und Zivilisten, plus ein wenig Romantik – mich hat’s abgeholt. Das war eine Geschichte mit grossen Emotionen.
Und ich habe nicht bemerkt, dass hier verschiedene Autorinnen am Werk waren, stilistisch hat man keine Brüche merken können – das ist eine wirklich gute schriftstellerische Zusammenarbeit!
Alles in allem eine packende Geschichte, die ich gerne weiter empfehle!
Allerdings sollte man abwarten auf das „normale“ Buch, das im Oktober erscheint: mein Vorab-Rezensionsexemplar war nämlich mit einem sehr nervigem dunklem digitalem Wasserzeichen versehen – auf jeder Seite in braun erschien quer über die Schrift das Harper-Muse-Logo, und das hat meinen Lesefluss echt gestört. So was hatte ich noch nie, und das macht echt keinen Spass.

The scope of World War II is mind-boggling. I tend to think if WWII in terms of the war in Europe but it was much more than that. Three nurses from different backgrounds are in Manila, working in the local
Hospital. Shortly after Pear Harbor, the Philippines are occupied by the Japanese and the women are separated and sent to various camps where they endure hardships that they never anticipated. All three women survived the war, but didn’t necessarily get the happy endings they saw for themselves. But the resilience of the human spirit is realistically portrayed here, as are the horrors of war. Well researched and well written.

This was an amazing book and I can not wait for it to come out so I can add a hard copy to my shelf. I knew with this powerhouse trio of authors that it would be good. It wasn't just good, it was amazing. I love reading historical fiction that not only entertains but teaches. I knew next to nothing about the events of World War II in the Philippines and after reading this book (with breaks to Google search up more info), I have learned so much. The 3 main characters are wonderfully developed and I instantly fell in love with all 3 of their story lines as they were all relatable in one way or another. This book is an absolute winner and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good historical fiction novel!

I was interested in this book for a couple of reasons: that Susan Meissner was involved because she's one of my favorite authors, and it was a story about WWII with a POV from three nurses held captive in a Japanese prisoner camp, a premise I had never explored.

The idea of this book was good, but the story dragged along, especially in the middle. It would have helped if there was a fact or an occurrence that moved the plot along, but these were few. The sameness of the conditions under which the nurses found themselves, while horrible, were the same, day in and day out.

I think this book could be shortened a bit, because it would be that much more interesting to read. The characters were wonderfully drawn, and each had their own story to tell.

I am grateful to Netgalley and Harper Muse for the privilege of reading this well-written, historically accurate story.

A World War II story unlike any other I’ve read. Told from three different nurses perspectives, two who are in the military and one local Filipina about their service, triumphs, trials and struggles being a prisoner of war. They find love, heartache, death, and a very deep friendship that helps them survive the war. I did struggle with the beginning and keeping perspectives straight but glad I stuck with it!!

I have read many of Susan Meissner's novels, but this was a first for me by Ariel Lawhon and Kristina McMorris. When We Had Wings is the story of three nurses stationed in the Philippines as they serve and ultimately become prisoners of war. Their stories are separate, but also intersect throughout the novel. I have read many books set during the second World War, but they are usually set in Paris, Italy or elsewhere in Western Europe. This was the first one I have read with the plot centered in the Philippines. It was an interesting change as the country was occupied by the Japanese and not the Germans and I learned new things about the devastation and cruelties subjected on its people as well as the resistance efforts of the Americans and Filipinos living there. All three parts were well written, engaging and at times heart breaking. I'm not sure who wrote which parts but this book has made me want to look into reading more from Lawhon and McMorris.

For my clean reader friends, the book had a bit of language, and threats of sexual violence and depictions of torture.

If you enjoy WW2 fiction I highly recommend this book.

Thank you Harper Muse and Net Galley for the free DRC of this book. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I have read WWII fiction about Paris, the Netherlands, the concentration camps, but When We Had Wings by Ariel Lawson, Kristina McMorris, and Susan Meissner is the first I've read about the work of Army & Navy nurses in the Philippines. It was eye-opening and heart breaking to read what happened in the Philippines when General MacArthur left the islands, leaving thousands of soldiers, noncombatent nurses, American businessmen, tourists and their families for the Japanese to find.

Pamela, Eleanor, and Lita are nurses who spend years in various POW camps. While they try to care for others, they are mistreated, starved, and threatened. They saw priests and doctors killed when they were caught trying to sneak food and messages into the camps. The book shows both the worst and the best of mankind. It is not a light, easy read, but it was worth it to gain insight into this page of history.

I was able to read an ARC on #NetGalley.