WHEN WE HAD WINGS: A Story of the Angels of Bataan by Ariel Lawhon, Kristina McMorris & Susan Meissner

As a first-gen Filipina 🇵🇭 I was excited to receive this ARC because I have not come across many historical fiction novels set in my birthplace of Manila, Philippines.

Based on first hand accounts of the 77 US Army and Navy nurses who became POWs during the Battle of the Philippines in WWII. The story follows US Army nurse Penny Franklin, US Navy nurse Eleanor Lindstrom and Filipina nurse Angelita “Lita” Capal.

Eleanor meets Penny and Lita at the ANC (Army Navy Club) and the three become fast friends as they bond over their troubled pasts and the “light duties” of their jobs.

After bombing Pearl Harbor, the Japanese Imperial Army begin their attack on the Philippines. Penny, Lita and Eleanor are captured and transported to different internment camps. There the women and their fellow nurses continue to treat the sick, injured and dying all the while battling various diseases, suffering from malnutrition and the brutal treatment of the Japanese army.

I fell in love with the major and minor characters. The women’s backstories and narratives were relatable and compelling. The pacing and action kept me interested and I read well into the wee hours. I also appreciate the addition/inclusion of a native Filipina nurse’s perspective during this time period as it helped with context.

The story is well researched and a seamless collaboration by three authors. Yes, this story recounts the horrors of the war, but it’s also about friendship, sacrifice, perseverance and love. Highly recommend!


Rating: 4.5/5 ⭐️

Pub Date: 10.17.22 (available now!)
#WhenWeHadWings #ArielLawhon #KristinaMcMorris #SusanMeissner

**ARC courtesy of @NetGalley & @HarperMuseBooks

Such an amazing story! One that will stay with me for a long time.

The authors are new to me, and I hope to read more of their books. The writing was flawless and kept me interested in the story. I had a hard time putting it down. The story took me to one of the many places where my Dad served in the Army during WWII...the Philippines. When I read the synopsis, I thought oh wow a historical fiction book placed in the Philippines I haven't read a story based there during WWII. The story was brilliant, and I had so many emotions hit me during the reading of this book. I was happy, angry, disheartened, and man did I cry.

There were so many characters I have to say that it is hard to pick a favourite so I'm not going to pick just one. I'm going to pick 3 Penny, Lita, and Eleanor. They were the main protagonists for When We Had Wings. Each a nurse Penny was Army, Eleanor was Navy and Lita was a Filipino nurse. Each had their trials and tribulations to go through and at times it was really hard to read. Their bravery when the Japanese took the Philippines, and they became POW's. It nearly broke my heart the way they were treated. Each one of them was taken to a different camp and sometimes they were moved, and their paths crossed but not often.

When We Had Wings has become one of my favourite books this year. I really wish I could give it a higher rating than 5 stars...I don't say this often but in this case, it is true! A truly exceptional story from start to finish.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for allowing me to read a digital copy for an honest review. These are my words and my words only.

The ability of people to endure the unendurable and find light and hope in the darkest of times forms the central theme of this story of three nurses caught in the occupation of the Phillipines by the Japanese Army in World War II. Wanting to put as much distance as she can between herself and a hopeless love, Eleanor Lindstrom joins the Navy Nurse Corps and accepts duty in the Phillipines. A widow leaving behind a tragic past, Penny Franklin joins the Army Nurse Corps and is stationed in Manila, where she strikes up a friendship with Fillipina nurse Lita Capel. The three become friends, vowing to meet once a month at the Army-Navy club to compare notes. Those plans are swept away by the conquest and occupation of the Phillipines. Through transfers to prison camps and detainment centers, the three struggle to maintain their bonds, hanging on to their friendship for each other and their calling as nurses to aid the sick and injured. For some, the terrible conditions of internment are brightened by the light of unexpected love; for all, weathering the loss of independence, the privations, cruelty and starvation of wartime occupation require every bit of their courage and stamina. Based on true stories of the “Angels of Bataan,” this novel is sometimes difficult to read but always inspiring.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

The three authors did an excellent job of writing about WWII in the Philippines. The story is about three nurses who become close friends and their differing experiences during a horrible time. We learn how the conditions in Manila went from paradise to hell when the Japanese invaded just after Pearl Harbor. Everything was effected - the lives of the people, food, water, hospitals.

Although they were in different areas of the country, the three women tried to stay in contact as much as wartime situations allowed. We see what these nurses had to contend with as they tried to care for the sick and wounded. We learn of their loves and losses, hopes and dreams for the future.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC publication for an honest review.

When We Had Wings
by Ariel Lawhon; Kristina McMorris; Susan Meissner
Pub Date: 18 Oct 2022

This book centered around three nurses who bonded and became friends during World War 2. It is written by three different authors giving each nurse a different voice. The book was well written and showed a deeply dark and traumatic season of our world. I can't quite put my finger on it, but I didn't feel quite fully connected or invested in the characters and storyline. It probably is just the mindset I was in when reading it because truly there was nothing wrong with the writing. I will admit, however, I have read similar books that I was in fact riveted and more emotionally invested in.

I have tremendous respect for all three authors who collaborated on this one, which prompted me to ask for an early copy from NetGalley. This is a beautifully written historical fiction novel. I loved the detailed descriptions of the setting, as well as the friendships that formed between the women. Although difficult to read sometimes, I appreciated the in-depth insights into the global conflict and the forces at work during this time in human history. Reading When We Had Wings was a learning experience for me. Having said that, the pacing for the novel was a bit slow for me in the middle. Overall, the characters' determination to fight evil with good, to pursue love and connection despite the horrors of war, and to keep moving forward no matter how what was all incredibly inspiring.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions shared here are my own.

Although I enjoyed it slightly more than the audiobook version, my rating stays the same as I have an issue with the pacing. At times, it felt rather slow going with lots of set up and almost textbook-like backstory of setting. It was like there was not subtext, everything was handed to me.

1941, three young ladies, Eleanor, Penny, and Lita, are assigned to nursing duty in Manila. The story is a historical fiction story based on World War 2, however the story itself dives into the gift of friendships formed, and how they lasted throughout the tragedies of a war.

Thank you to Netgalley, Harper Muse, and Ariel Lawhon for the opportunity to read this arc ebook version.

Historical fiction at its best, as the novel tells the story of three nurses in the Philippines as war broke out with the Japanese. Lita is a nurse from the Philippines, hoping to join her sisters in America. Peg joined the US Army as an Army nurse after the death of her husband, while Eleanor joined as a Navy nurse to forget an unrequited love. All three never expected to be caught in the middle of atrocities and horrors, as they were seen as prisoners of war. Their friendship helped them to survive, even as they were separated. There is much written about this time period but this is an area I have not been familiar with, learning about the American prisoners of war that were also civilians caught up in the attack. I highly recommend this impactful story. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I was provided a free copy of this book from @netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
Set in the Philippines starting in 1941, we meet three women serving as nurses for the U.S. military. Two Americans and one Filipina quickly become great friends and believe they are in paradise! They don't realize how much they will need their friendship as war is about to take over the islands! Over the next few years they will be forced to serve in combat conditions, endure huge struggles, and become the first female prisoners of war of WWII.
Although I've read a lot of WWII historical fiction, I don't think I've ever read about what happened in the Philippines. This is a pretty tough book at times as many of the circumstances the characters faced were unimaginably difficult. But it was also a book of hope, friendship, love, resilience, and all based on real experiences of nurses known as "the Angels of Bataan".
I appreciated hearing the story from the different women. One serving as an Army nurse, one a Navy nurse, and one a Filipina nurse serving with the U.S. military. This allowed the reader to get a broader perspective of what was happening during the war.
If you are a fan of historical fiction or learning new things, I would give this one a read! Luckily for you, it is already published and available now, so go check it out!
#WhenWeHadWings #NetGalley

First, the cover is stunning. Immediately gripping and I would gravitate to it if I saw it on a bookstore shelf. Second, this entire book start to finish was awe inspiring. I was hooked from go and read it in one sitting.

An inspiring tale that sticks with the reader for a long time, what feats of bravery and heroism, An outstanding justice to these stories and true accounts.

Ariel Lawhon is a must-read author for me, but I admittedly haven’t read anything from the other two authors. I love historical fiction but I haven’t read any WWII fiction regarding the South Pacific or the “Angels of Bataan”.

When We Had Wings follows three nurses in the Philippines - Eleanor, Lita, and Penny. After the Japanese take control of the islands, they are forced to endure the harshness and cruelty of captivity separately, all the while trying to serve as nurses against insurmountable odds.

While interesting at points, this book didn’t completely work for me. The three POVs felt disjointed, the constant back and forth didn’t seem to allow for the characters to fully develop or for me to become overly invested in their stories.

What a treat! I love each of these authors on their own, and this collaboration was magnificent!

Set in the Philippines during the Japanese occupation during WWII, we learn the story of brave American military nurses who were essentially abandoned by General MacArthur and became prisoners of war.

Through the fictional accounts of three nurses - Lita (a Philippine), Penny, and Eleanor - the story of horrors, atrocities, bravery, resilience, and HOPE are beautifully told. I got a vivid sense of place and of the unimaginable situations all of the prisoners of war in the Philippines faced.

I am anxious to learn more about this event in history. Don’t you love it when a book leaves you much richer for having read it?

Thank you to @netgalley and @harpermusebooks for the complimentary digital copy!

Five stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I was excited to see a book that address some of the Pacific theater battles from WWII. When We Had Wings is based in the Philippines and three women nurses - one Filipina, one US Navy nurse, and one US Army nurse. All three spend time as prisoners of war and struggle to survive the Japanese invasion and atrocities. I found the individual stories to be compelling. However, there is a constant POV shift between the three nurses, and it could be confusing about where events were taking place. I couldn't have told you which author wrote which parts, so it wasn't a matter of authorial voice that was a problem. Instead, I think it was just the sheer volume of 4 years of captivity for three protagonists and all of the side characters involved in each one's captivity. The pace was also very slow at times.

I kept reading because I was invested in knowing what happened to each of the nurses, as the beginning hooked me in. However, while the friendship between the three is the hook initially, we really do not see them together through the rest of the book. At the end they have a chance to come together only to be instantly separated again. The epilogue felt forced after not seeing these three characters together for most of the book. As a result, the theme of the friendship between the three, ended up not working for me. There were other friendships that were more impactful and lasting, such as Lita and Reyna as one example. Even there, those friendships are in each main character's individual story.

This might work better if considered as an anthology of connected stories, with the early friendship being the thread between the three.

I was left more curious about Pacific theater battles in World War II, which for me is part of the draw of historical fiction. I do want to know something more than I did before I read the book. I hope the published book has some resources for those interested.

Overall, the individual stories were compelling. But it was hard to overcome the slow pacing, the constantly switching POV, and the friendship arc between the three main characters that wasn't really working.

As an aside just for the publisher, the formatting on the ARC was terrible. It was almost unreadable, and I expect many put this aside because of it. It is a significant reason for why this book took me far too long to read. You do a disservice to your authors when reviewers can't get through a poorly formatted book.

I’m a huge fan of these authors and together they put together an amazing novel of female bonds and determination during a dark period in history. I knew very little about what occurred in the war torn Philippine Islands and this book was enlightening. This is a story that needed to be told even though parts were incredibly difficult to read.

I’ve enjoyed these author’s individual novels, so to see them working together to tell the untold story of the Angels of Bataan and Corregidor, I was thrilled to have been chosen by HarperCollins to review this book.
This is a fascinating novel showing unsung heroes who found themselves in an unimaginable situation in WWII. In Author Notes, it states how they discovered these brave women. All the authors were surprised they’d never heard of these courageous nurses before.
One of the reasons nobody heard of this group was the fact that, ”the United States government forced these women to sign papers saying they would not discuss their experiences after the war.’ These authors were compelled to tell their story.
This novel is told from all three nurses POV, Eleanor Lindstrom, Penny Frank, and Lita Capel were good friends, all nurses and looked at their situation from a medical standpoint. Things needed to change, or they’d all be wiped out at the Internment camps in the Philippines.

The authors have themes of hope, survival, and explore the bonds of friendship. It’s an intriguing read and one that would work well for your book club. The authors have included fifteen discussion questions, allowing your discussion to go deeper.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I requested and received a copy of this book from the publisher.. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins! https://psalm516.blogspot.com/
The Book Club Network blog

A unique perspective of a heartbreaking WWII story.

We are all mostly familiar with the German atrocities and oppressions during WWII. But When We Had Wings chooses to bring the spotlight on three nurses who served in The Philippines, where the Imperial Japanese Army battled for control.

Thanks NetGalley and Harper Muse for providing me access to this ARC.

Synopsis –

Based on the true story of nurses known as “Angels of Bataan”, we follow US Navy nurse Eleanor Lindstrom, US Army nurse Penny Franklin & Filipina nurse Lita Capel, who become friends in what they deem as their “Paradise” mission. But when Japan attacks Pearl Harbor in Dec 1941, the paradise quickly turns to hell as they are forced to serve under combat conditions & as POWs.


Review -

As we keep switching between the POVs of the three nurses, their backgrounds, the circumstances that led them to take up a far-away assignment and the general attitudes towards the work they do are introduced. I could connect to all the three women and loved how quickly they bonded and forged wonderful friendships.

As tables are turned, it was so sad to see them getting separated, having to deal with the war on their own, amidst impossible living conditions. The longing they felt for knowing their friends’ well-being, the lack of communication and the way they got shifted around the island mercilessly was indeed miserable.

The kind of tyranny and brutality the Japanese inflicted over The Philippines is simply horrendous. Even innocent civilians aren’t spared, as they are herded into crowded internment camps.

The nurses lives are unimaginable - being short staffed, they have to deal with overflowing patients, food and medicine shortages, rampant diseases like dysentery, malaria all while working long hours and fighting these illnesses themselves. The only silver lining was their budding love lives, which gave them a reason to smile and keep going.

It was a bit hard to keep track of each of them over several locations and while the plot does not involve much of action I expect from HF, I came to appreciate the resilience and resourcefulness of these nurses.
The dedication towards their duties, hard-work and honesty in the face of war induced inhumanity are truly commendable.

The authors deserve credit for all the research and meticulous planning that has gone into this book, highlighting this lesser known part of WWII history.

This is a story that needs to be told and read by everyone who likes the genre.

I absolutely loved this book! It was my first time reading a historical fiction novel about Americans in Japanese concentration camps and I found it completely fascinating. I appreciated the strong female leads and felt all of their sadness, anger, frustrations, and anguish. Such a great read and I've already recommended it to all my fellow historical fiction lovers!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

There are a glut of WWII historical fiction stories, and I feel that market is oversaturated. I've read a ton of WWII fiction, and have reached a point where I get suspicious, because surely there are other historical fiction stories to tell. Still, I give props to the authors because they wrote a WWII story about the Japanese occupation of Manila, and that's not a story that's been told much. So good on them for that.

Sadly, that wasn't enough to really keep my interest in this book, which I felt had a lot of potential. I had two main complaints. One, the pacing. The beginning glosses over the friendship of the 3 nurses so quickly I had a hard time believing that they could be such close friends. There needed to be more time spent establishing their relationship. The ending also had a lot of pacing issues, they gloss over 6 years of these nurses rebuilding their lives after the war has ended, and again, it was all a bit of handwaving.

I felt that was done to focus mostly on the bulk of the book, when the nurses were prisoners of war. And this is where I had my biggest complaint about the book. I felt like every chapter was just another way to show us cruelty being done to the prisoners of war. To the point where frankly it just started to feel like torture porn, and I wanted to stop reading altogether.

I also at times had a hard time keeping the places separate in my mind.

I get that war is cruel, but I felt like at times the cruelty was the point, instead of it serving to move the story or develop the characters. I didn't enjoy reading at least half this book. By the time the nurses are rescued, there was still 10% of the book to go.

So pacing is probably my biggest complaint, it was all over, some of it too quick, some of it too slow. And so much cruelty. On and there is a scene near the end where Lita goes to a convent to save some children. I won't say more about this except I found that whole set up and scene completely unbelievable.

In the end I wish the authors had spent a little more time figuring out what kind of book this was meant to be, because I don't think I really figured it out.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for the advanced copy of When We Had Wings. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

When We Had Wings is based on the true experiences of nurses dubbed “the Angels of Bataan,” It is 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. I loved following the stories of these three women, through their heart wrenching years between the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the end of WWII.

I love historical fiction and enjoyed reading a different side of the war, this being based in the South Pacific. As with most WWII historical fiction, it was painful to spend time in these nurse's shoes. However, their stories and the pain, fear, and trauma they endured was beautifully captured. And although there are three authors of this book, it read seamlessly. I was so invested in these characters, I felt I was on the edge of my seat by the end of the book just to know if and how their stories would meet back up. I highly recommend this book to those who love historical fiction like I do!

4.5 stars, rounded up to 5 stars.