I enjoyed reading this historical story. This is written by three newer authors for me but I look forward to seeing what is next. This is a well written story that takes place in WWII with nurses who put it all on the line. This is an emotional, inspirational story about three nurses who have battles of their own. This is a story you don't want to miss what happens with the.m. I found them to be connectable and truly made the story for me. I enjoyed how they pulled me into the story and made it come to life. The author's use of details made the story realistic as if I was right there. There is great growth throughout the story with the plot and characters. I really enjoyed reading this entertaining, fast paced, hard to put down story. I highly recommend it.

My grandfathers both served in the Pacific. While there are many WW2 fiction books based in Europe, the Pacific Theater is vastly under represented. One grandfather served in the Philippines, so this book was of particular interest to me. The trio of authors blended well together. I enjoyed this partly on audio and part in print. Both were wonderful!

I have read all three of these authors separately and was thrilled to hear that they had come together to write a World War II book, my favorite genre. 432 pages seemed a little daunting to me, I have been on a kick of reading short, quick book, but I decided to jump right in. Once I read the first page, I knew that I would not be able to stop.



When We Had Wings is a story of war, being POW’s, but mostly it is a story of friendship. Penny, Lita, and Eleanor all entered the military to get away from their pasts but what they found was a future that was full of unknowns. The unknowns of war caused them to question their choices but never their friendship. Even as they were separated, they somehow managed to find ways to contact each other, keep tabs on each other’s locations, and find ways to get back together.



This book is full of history but still reads as a historical fiction. It is a story, but there is so much that I learned. I cannot imagine the lives that those nurses lived, the things they had to do, the things they saw. The three authors need to continue writing together and separate.

When We Had Wings is a historical fiction novel based on a true story. It is unlike any other historical fiction book I have read.

In this story we get to know three nurses, Eleanor Lindstrom, Penny Franklin, and Lita Capel. These three nurses form a friendship that will carry then through the war, the three years spent as prisoners of war, and love and loss while being prisoners of war.

I didn’t know anything about the first female prisoners of WWII. As the Japanese gained further control of the Philippine Islands, conditions for all prisoners rapidly deteriorated. These women were determined to use very limited resources to do all they could to keep as many people as possible alive. I can see why they were dubbed “the Angels of Bataan.” The result is a story that drew me in, breaking my heart at times, and teaching me so very much.

So much of WWII historical fiction focuses on Europe. This story took on a less common location and wrote about a part of the war not written about much.

The authors’ unique voices melded together into one unforgettable story that kept me absorbed the entire time. I can only hope they will write another story together in the future.

I voluntarily received a copy of this book from Harper Muse. All views are my honest opinion.

I absolutely loved this mesmerising, gripping story, set in the Philippines during WWII.
Written by three very talented authors they have done a brilliant job of bringing the story together.
If I hadn’t known I would never have believed three people had written it as it flowed so effortlessly.
This is the first I’ve read about war in the Philippines & this was something different from the usual WW11 stories.
A really harrowing read at times but it’s amazing how that close bond of friendship & the resilience of people can get you through such horrendous times.
The story itself is well researched & based on true happening’s of nurses based in the Philippines during WWII.
It follows the lives of three nurses Lita, Eleanor & penny, who find themselves caught in the middle of a Japanese attack on the Philippines.
The war related atrocities can be quite hard to read about & their struggle to survive becomes a daily battle.
I lost myself for hours at a time with this book as I couldn’t put it down.
One of my favourite books this year, I actually felt a little choked at the end of it.
A powerful emotional story that draws you in & one I would definitely recommend.

When We Had Wings is a page-turning, well-researched historical fiction story about the “Angels of Bataan” during WW11.

Thanks #NetGalley #HarperMuse @HarperMuseBooks for a complimentary e ARC of #WhenWeHadWings upon my request. All opinions are my own.

Set in the Philippines during WW11, When We Had Wings is a story of friendship and survival. Eleanor (Navy), Penny (Army), and Lita (Filipina) meet and become friends at the Army/Navy Club in Manila. As war breaks out, they serve as nurses under combat conditions but soon find themselves in captivity and among the first female prisoners of war. Their fictionalized stories are representative of the “Angels of Bataan.”

When We Had Wings is told from three perspectives and the story moves frequently between perspectives and jumps from location to location. At times, this slowed my reading as I had to stop and think about which nurse I was reading about, her circumstances, and where she was located.

All three nurses have a backstory and are admirable, brave, and realistically drawn. I think more time could have been devoted to developing their friendship in the beginning of the story to make that part stronger. Selecting a representative nurse from the Army and Navy, and one locally added a layer of complexity, interest, and depth. Despite their wartime hardships and harrowing circumstances, these characters enjoy a realistic ending written for them at story’s end.

Even though the women were separated during their service and for much of their captivity, friendship is one of the strongest themes in When We Had Wings. Other themes include endurance, survival, wartime hardships, resourcefulness, overcoming obstacles, hope of rescue, and small sides of romance that do not overshadow the plot.

Content Considerations: War related atrocities (physical and mental abuse), war injuries and medical circumstances, captivity, horrific conditions.

If you’re able to read about conditions in captivity, I’m recommending When We Had Wings for fans of page-turning and well-researched historical fiction and for readers who would appreciate reading about nursing during WW11. Book clubs will find rich discussion possibilities.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a free audiobook and E-reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
I absolute loved When We Had Wings. This beautiful historical novel is based on the true story of the “Angels of Bataan,” the US Army and Navy enlisted nurses who were in the Philippines on Pearl Harbor Day and were subsequently captured by the Japanese during World War II. The description of how these heroic women treated the sick and injured under difficult and sometimes inhumane conditions shined a light not only on this little known historical event, but on the backdrop of the war in the Pacific theater. I was totally entranced by this gorgeously written book, and look forward to reading many others by these three exceptionally talented authors. The narration was excellent. Five enthusiastic stars.

“When We Had the Wings” is a heartful novel about a friendship formed between three nurses (Eleanor, Penny and Lita) in Manila during WWII. Each woman houses her own secrets. Each woman faces further hardships during this novel, but it’s their perseverance that makes this such an enjoyable read.

While the women’s duties in the Philippines start out as light, it’s 1941, and all readers know what’s ahead. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the Japanese army attack the Philippines. As a result, the outnumbered allied forces retreat, are eventually surrounded, and given no choice but to surrender. Eleanor, Penny and Lita are sent to different internment camps and struggle to survive. Most of the historical fiction I have read has focused on Europe, so I appreciated a narration of this slice of history.

My thanks to the author, the authors and NetGalley for this intriguing book.

"When We Had Wings" is a fresh take on World War II historical fiction, following the story of three nurses (one army, one navy, and one Filipina) serving in the Philippines. Susan Meissner is one of my absolute favorite authors and I had high hopes for this one. Unfortunately, it didn't quite live up to my expectations and left me feeling a bit disappointed.

The concept for the story was very good and unlike anything I've previously read. Eleanor, Penny, and Lita are three nurses from very different backgrounds, each with a different reason for wanting to serve as a nurse. The women are briefly thrust together by war and become fast friends,; they are then thrust apart again when the Japanese take over the territory and the three women become prisoners of war. At its heart, this book is about friendship, hope, and bravery in the face of the brutality of war. The story clearly showed how vital women were to the war effort, even though history tends to gloss over their achievements.

However, this book could have used a more thorough editing. I don't know if it's because this book was written by three different authors, but it really did drag and I found myself skimming portions of the book until the plot began to move again. I think it would be more impactful if it were 50 pages shorter. I understand that life in a POW camp could be tedious, but that doesn't mean that the novel needs to be tedious as well. I wish the language would have "showed" me the story more rather than just "told" me the story.

There was also one glaring continuity error that I just could not get past. The Japanese character Akibo changed rank several times, back and forth. First he was a lieutenant, then he was a captain, then a lieutenant, then a captain, then a lieutenant...well you get the picture. This was not a story told through dual timelines. Now, I did read an advanced copy of this book and perhaps this error was corrected in the final version, but it was very distracting and a bit confusing. I had to keep flipping back to make sure he was in fact the same person.

I really wanted to like this book more than I did. Women military personnel rarely get the credit and/or attention they deserve and I was very excited to see about them.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read an advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I learned quite a bit reading this book. I hadn't known very much about the parts of the war based in the Philippines, or that they were attacked right after Pearl Harbor. I liked the way the material was presented, felt very well-researched, written in such a way that it wasn't at a rudimentary level.

Eleanor, Penny and Lita became friends under difficult conditions. The strength that they and all the prisoners exhibited was amazing and hopeful to me. I highly recommend this book, especially if you want to learn about this dark period in history.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, but my opinions are my own.

These are three of my favorite authors so I couldn’t wait to read this book.Told through the eyes of three nurses held captive I was immediately drawn in to their story their survival their emotions.#netgalley #harpermuse

What a novel! Despite the book market being saturated with WW2 novels, this novel of nurses stationed inthe Pacific IA not one to miss. The trio of authors kept you engaged in the plot throughout.

This trio of fabulous authors are among my favorites, and so I was thrilled to read their collaborative novel. This historical fiction takes us to the Philippines in 1941 to a chapter of the war that I knew little about. The story is told through 3 women, Lita, Penny and Eleanor who are nurses and heroines who are eventually referred to as the Angels of Bataan for their courage, care and hope during an atrocious time.

Just when I was sure I wouldn't read yet another book set during the Second World War, WHEN WE HAD WINGS by Ariel Lawhon, Kristina McMorris, and Susan Meissner grabbed me by the heart and would not let go through the harrowing tale of three nurses stationed in the Pacific. When their once-paradise becomes a war zone and the nurses are imprisoned, the three survive, thrive, and inspire with their intelligence, skills, and indomitable spirit, encouraging and enabling one another to continue unbearable and unthinkable privation. The writing is beautiful, the characters so well-drawn that I felt like I knew them, and the biggest bonus for me is that I have discovered two writers of historic fiction that I had not read before -- and cannot wait to enjoy. A must-read for gripping, involving, wonderful. I received a copy of this novel and these opinions are my own, unbiased thoughts.

Title: When We Had Wings
By: Ariel Lawhon; Kristina McMorris; Susan Meissner
Harper Muse
Release Date: 10/18/2022
Genre: Historical Fiction, History, Women's Fiction

Three talented authors joined together to write an extraordinary work of historical fiction in When We Had Wings. Set in the Philippines during World War II, this is the story of the experiences of nurses Eleanor, Lita, and Penny. The three women displayed undeniable bravery and courage during times of adversity and danger. Lawhon, McMorris, and Meissner tell of not only the occurrences and perils of this period in history, but also of the friendship of the women.

The book is well researched and provides education into the events during an important period and location in history. The authors are to be commended for this superior collaboration.

Thank you to Net Galley and Harper Muse. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I have a goal of reading a historical novel set in each country involved in WWII. This book checks the box for the Philippines.

While many novels focus on the western European countries, the publishing world seems to overlook eastern Europe and the Pacific. (Yes, that’s a hint!) So I was thrilled to find “When We Had Wings” which portrays the experience of Army and Navy nurses, who along with their Filipina counterparts, became prisoners of war. The book focuses on three women: Eleanor (Navy), Penny (Army), and Lita (a local Filipina nurse). The women became friends when stationed in Manila, but in the aftermath of Pearl Harbor they are scattered across the islands. Eventually, the installations where they worked fell to the Japanese.

Frequently, I would stop reading in order to google a place or event, such as Corregidor, the Malinta Tunnel, Bataan Death March, and the Santo Tomas Internment Camp, a 60-acre campus which housed well over 4000 people. There is plenty of illness, mistreatment, and deprivation in the story, but also the power of friendship coupled with resilience of the human spirit.

Prior to this book, I was already a fan of each of these authors individually; together—they are amazing.

There are so many WWII novels out there that it takes a new spin to make my want to read a new novel set in this time period. I really enjoyed reading about the experiences of three nurses in the Phillipines who are held as POW's when the Japanese invade. This is a story about resilience and survival.

This book focused on three women who are nurses in the South Pacific during World War II. The book shares the hard decisions and horrible conditions these nurses dealt with as they worked to help heal injured soldiers, while also dealing with much uncertainty in their day-to-day activities.

This was a decent novel about the second world war as it happened in the Philippines. This was a piece of history I knew nothing about and I enjoyed learning what happened. I was especially interested in the prison camps and how supplies were smuggled in. I liked having the perspective of three characters and the fact that they were nurses gave an added dimension.

I did enjoy the book, but I feel like it could have been more moving. There was a lot of telling rather than showing - sometimes I felt it was just "this happened, and then this happened," which distanced me from the story. We were often told how great friends the three girls were but I never really felt that friendship, it was more of a device to connect up the stories. I never felt fully engaged with the characters and atmosphere. I also found some parts of the ending a bit too neatly wrapped up. So not entirely a hit for me but still worth a read for the history aspect and the individual stories.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thanks to the publishers, Harper Muse, and Netgalley.

Three wonderful authors Ariel Lawhorn, Kristina McMorris, and Susan Meissner worked together to bring their readers an amazing story about three brave nurses who served in Manilla in the South Pacific during WWII. Each is escaping their past. In their early 20’s, one is a widow, one has lost the person she loves, and one is a Filipina whose older sisters have moved to the United States. A few months before the bombing at Pearl Harbor, they meet at the Army Navy club. This is a story of friendship as they bond together. At first, they work long hours taking care of patients injured in the South Pacific. Conditions worsen and then the Japanese arrive. Each has their own story of survival.

I did struggle through the first part of the book. It moved too slowly for me and sometimes read like a history book. After the Japanese invaded, the story picked up, and I felt the pain each went through in trying to survive. I felt like I was there with each of them. I loved that they reunite at the Army Navy Club in 1951, and we learn what happened to them after the war.

Throughout the book, I tried to figure out which author’s writing I was reading, but I could not! My thanks to Harper Muse and NetGalley for an ARC of this book. The opinions in this review are my own.