A beautifully written historical fiction by three powerhouse authors, Ariel Lawhon, Kristina McMorris, and Susan Meissner —WHEN WE HAD WINGS, A Story of the Angels of Bataan, based on true experiences.

Three women, World War II nurses stationed in the South Pacific, wage their battle for freedom and survival during the darkest days of war while remaining true friends.

The Philippines, 1941.

U.S. Navy nurse Eleanor Lindstrom, U.S. Army nurse Penny Franklin, and Filipina nurse Lita Capel develop a friendship at the Army Navy Club in Manila.

They want to believe they are living a paradise assignment. All three women are seeking a way to escape their pasts, but soon the beauty and promise of their surroundings give way to the heavy mantle of war.

They bond over shared experiences during their time in the South Pacific. Then the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Three brave nurses are caught in the crosshairs of a fight for the Philippine Islands, enduring combat and captivity as the first female prisoners of World War II.

Based on real but little-known history of the first and largest group of American women ever taken captive as prisoners of war.

Alternating between three perspectives, rich in history, deeply felt, and meticulously researched—a tale of friendships, struggles, sacrifice, survival, courage, love, and endurance!

Ideal for book clubs and further discussions.

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Saskia Maarleveld for an engaging performance; however, I think it would have been better to have three different narrators for the three distinct voices of women.

Thank you to #HarperMuse and #NetGalley for a gifted ALC (audio) and ARC (digital) in exchange for an honest review. #covercrush

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My Rating: 4 Stars
Pub Date: Oct 18, 2022
Oct 2022 Must-Read Books

The Nurses

In 1943 three young women join the service to escape their past. One was running from family problems, another a broken heart and the third the loss of her husband. They never dreamed that they would be involved in a horrible war that would change all of them.

Many young people were excited to join the service for their country, the uniform, the prestige and their own patriotism. They do not and cannot know the trials they will face and the courage they must possess.

These three young nurses two in the Army and one in the Navy met each other at the Army/Navy club and became close friends. They would remain close friends. They would worry about each other even as they went through trials of war themselves. Stationed in the Philippines and caught between two warring armies they suffered fear, imprisonment, Internment, hunger, thirst and harsh treatment at the hands of their captors. Still they found ways to survive.

This is a story of a true time in history and the conditions in which our service men and women were asked to live and how they were treated by the Japanese after their capture. It is about their liberation and their return to life after the war. For some it was hard to adjust. Friends were lost and they were forced to face horrible acts by the Japanese Army. Some had a hard time with that. When they returned home some found it hard to adjust.

I loved all the characters and the beautiful descriptions of both the beauty of the land before the war started and the devastation afterwards. I loved how the story was told from three points of view each one of the nurses Eleanor, LIta, and Penny. How strong their bond was to each other and how they kept in touch after they were liberated.

The narrator did a fantastic job telling the story with a pleasant and easy to understand voice.. It helped to listen to the audiobook as I read the book. I really enjoyed this story and I would definitely recommend it.

Thanks to three fine authors Ariel Lawhon, Kristina McMorris, and Susan Meissner for writing a great story, to Harper Muse for publishing it and to NetGalley for allowing me to listen and review a copy.

Set in the South Pacific during WWII, When We Had Wings is a harrowing, heart crushing and achingly touching story based on real people and true events. American nurses Eleanor and Penny and Filipina nurse Lita join the Navy Nurse Corps in Manila for their own personal reasons, meet and become friends. The first several months of relative ease do not prepare them for the war which strikes swiftly and terribly when Japan attacks Pearl Harbor. America enters the war and the three friends witness unspeakable horrors at their nursing jobs at hospitals and then as prisoners in internment camps. Liberation Day was a long time coming and even then did not feel like relief. I like that the aftermath is included, too.

The chapter heading quotes are so lovely. The first one really struck me in particular. The historical details and vivid descriptions of the beautiful and ugly surroundings not only build a great book but creates an experience. Indescribable conditions such as punishment for not bowing deeply enough, eating grass and worms, humidity, mosquitoes, torture, nursing without supplies, stunted children, disease and horrendous injuries are not glossed over. It was their reality. But many prisoners were enterprising and the girls did not give up even during the deepest of sorrows. They made the best out of the worst possible situations to survive. Acts of kindness meant the world to them. Tears sprang to my eyes several times as I got utterly lost in their stories, knowing such deliberate acts of cruelty by human beings in power to innocent human beings including precious children truly happened. But this book is also about love, joy, determination, friendship and hope.

Those interested in an original Historical Fiction loaded with historical bits ought to seek this out. Very well worth your time. Though the details are difficult to process, this is a very easy book to engage with.

My sincere thank you to Harper Muse and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this stunner of a book! I enjoyed it tremendously.

If I could give this thousands of stars I would.. The writing was so real I thought I was actually living the horrors of World War II. All wars have atrocities but this was just beyond. It stands to reason that PTSD would run rampant for years. Can’t thank those authors enough for this wonderful book!

I think the authors did a valuable service by providing information on the nurses that served during WWII. We hear about PTSD and how difficult it is for our soldiers to get the mental health care that they need once they get home. The stories are agonizing. Now, to read the story of nurses, both civilian and military, in the Phillipines makes me ashamed that they haven’t been recognized as heroes. What they lived through is quite horrifying and would impact them forever. The brightness in this book comes from the love and friendships that are identified throughout the book. Such bravery. Kudos to the authors for writing this book. I received a complimentary copy of this book from HarperCollins Publishing and NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Three powerhouse authors of historical fiction teamed up to write this book about three nurses stationed in the Philippines during WWII. When the Japanese invade after Pearl Harbor, they become prisoners of war. The next few years bring so much hardship, but they hold on to the hope that they will see each other again. A beautiful tale of friendship and found family!

The power of friendship helped Eleanor, Lita and Penny survive the war. Upon meeting, they made a pact to keep each other safe and an unlikely sisterhood was formed. While their paths differed, each nurse faced imprisonment during World War II. Due to their nationalities, they were captured and imprisoned by the Japanese during the war. Forced to endure cruel treatment, their strength and love embolden them to save others.

I love historical fiction and authors Ariel Lawhon, Kristina McMorris and Susan Meissner brilliantly captured the era and unlocked a chapter of history that often goes unwritten. Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher for the early edition of #WhenWeHadWings in exchange for an honest review. Historical fiction fans will fall in love the women's stories and the bravery they displayed.

I just finished When We Had Wings by Ariel Lawhon, Kristina McMorris, and Susan Meissner. All very talented writers, how can you not read this one? If you are a fan of any of those incredible authors or if you love historical fiction, this book is for you. I am in awe of anyone who writes historical fiction and cannot imagine the amount of research that goes into a book like this!

Reading about the Philippines during World War II was interesting and I appreciated the details of the setting. The nurses struggled to keep it all together as they did their job under the worst of conditions and they were certainly brave and strong in ways I could never be!

Synopsis:

The Philippines, 1941. When U.S. Navy nurse Eleanor Lindstrom, U.S. Army nurse Penny Franklin, and Filipina nurse Lita Capel forge a friendship at the Army Navy Club in Manila, they believe they’re living a paradise assignment. All three are seeking a way to escape their pasts, but soon the beauty and promise of their surroundings give way to the heavy mantle of war.

Caught in the crosshairs of a fight between the U.S. military and the Imperial Japanese Army for control of the Philippine Islands, the nurses are forced to serve under combat conditions and, ultimately, endure captivity as the first female prisoners of the Second World War. As their resiliency is tested in the face of squalid living arrangements, food shortages, and the enemy’s blatant disregard for the articles of the Geneva Convention, the women strive to keep their hope— and their fellow inmates—alive, though not without great cost.

In this sweeping story based on the true experiences of nurses dubbed “the Angels of Bataan,” three women shift in and out of each other’s lives through the darkest days of the war, buoyed by their unwavering friendship and distant dreams of liberation.

This was a good story, though a little slow-moving. Take your time with it and savor the details with this solid historical novel.

It’s due out on October 18

Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. This book follows Penny, a US Army Nurse, Eleanor, a US Navy Nurse, and Lita, a Filipina nurse as they are sent to Manila during WWII. The three meet in the Army Navy Club and are fast friends, relying on one another through the beginning of the war. As time goes on, the three are separated, each facing their own battles and worries as the Japanese slowly take over their residents and each become held in captivity as the first female prisoners of the World War II. The stories are told in alternating storylines and with bated breathe, the authors take readers through the war through the eyes of Eleanor, Penny and Lita. There were several times that my stomach was in my throat with the description of the story and the secondary characters within the story. I fell in love with not only the three nurses but the host of other characters, especially Charley, who made me smile more times than I could count. Before reading this book, I wasn’t as familiar with the Pacific front of WWII, as I was with the European front. In reading this, I learned a lot and really enjoyed the storyline. Highly recommend this book if you like any of the authors’ books.

Pub date: 10/18/22
Genre: historical fiction
Thanks @harpermusebooks for my ARC and ALC!

Susan Meissner is one of my favorite writers, and she and co-authors Ariel Lawhon and Kristina McMorris hit a home run here! I loved learning about the Angels of Bataan, nurses imprisoned in the Philippines during WWII. The three MCs defied the odds to survive and care for their patients, and their hope in the face of adversity was so inspiring. Saskia Maarleveld did a great job narrating, creating three distinct voices for Eleanor, Penny, and Lita.

If you enjoy historical fiction, don't miss this one! 4.5 stars rounded to 5.

I am a huge fan of Susan Meissner so when I saw she had co wrote this book with 2 other authors I had to request it.

I was a bit disappointed The plot was all over the place and I couldnt keep my attention on the characters. It felt like three writers wrote this book without paying attention to the other authors writing. It felt like the story went above and beyond what the story should of been. It felt like there was too much going on and I was getting dizzy from it.

Thank you to the publisher, and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

All thoughts and opinions are my own and are not influenced by anyone else.

‘When We Had Wings’ follows three nurses stationed in the Philippines at the outset of WWII. After a short, idyllic time they became caught up in the Battle of the Philippines and subsequently POWs. Based on the real life ‘Angels of Bataan’, these women were a part of the largest group of American women to be taken captive during WWII.

Penny (US Army nurse), Eleanor (US Navy nurse), and Lita a local Filipino nurse, quickly become a tight trio despite working in different hospitals in Manila. However, once Japan attacked Pearl Harbour and aggressively fought for more of the Pacific, the Philippines quickly fell into Japanese hands and the nurses found themselves ‘in a strange hybrid world in which they are both captive and caregiver’. A world in which they remained until liberated in early 1945.

When We Had Wings’ is authored by three writers who do well to manage the flow, continuity and tone across the three nurses’ experiences. The book captures both the monotony of imprisonment, juxtaposed with uncertainty, fear and violence. The despair the nurses must have felt, being rendered helpless by circumstances is palpable to the reader. Despite this Penny, Eleanor and Lita never gave up hope and kept fighting to live another day. ‘They’ll say we’ve been rescued instead of acknowledging that we’ve been doing a fine job rescuing ourselves over the last four years’. This book is a great WWII, strong women, historical romance which highlights the war for the Pacific- as an alternate to the more frequently written war for Europe.

I was delighted to recommend this on Episode 350 of What Should I Read Next, with an air date of 10/11/22. It was the perfect recommendation for a reader who loves historical fiction, particularly when it deals with untold stories of history. The connection to the Philippines was particularly meaningful for this reader.

3.5 stars, rounded up. Three authors teamed up to write this WWII novel set in the Philippines, and I think there were too many cooks in the kitchen. I don't know how the writing was divvied up, but having read both Lawhon and Meissner before, this book didn't measure up to my previous experiences with their novels. The story follows three nurses - an Army nurse, a Navy nurse, and a civilian Filipina nurse - as Japan captures the Philippines and they each undergo countless tribulations as prisoners of war. The book was well researched and I learned a lot about this portion of WWII history. It was bleak, but still a story of resilience and deep friendship. Overall, the character development was a little lacking, and I struggled to keep the various storylines and light romantic interests straight. Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for a digital review copy.

I loved the setting of this book. It was an interesting departure from WWII fiction set in Europe, and it provided some great insight into the events happening in The Philippines at the time. Unfortunately, despite taking place amidst such pivotal and heartbreaking events, the story fell a bit flat for me.

I found the pacing was off, which affected both the plot and the character development. In attempting to build mystery surrounding each main character's motivations, the authors delayed too long in providing much-needed detail. Ultimately, I became frustrated and didn't grow attached to any of them.

The plot was somewhat chaotic, with the characters moving around so much that I felt disoriented. It felt as though the priority was to adhere to historical events at the expense of the story, and I believe the book would have been more effective with a shorter timeline. In my opinion, the authors tried to do too much with this story, and it just didn't quite hit the mark.

Thank you to the authors, Harper Muse, and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

WHEN WE HAD WINGS (Pub 10.18) Authors @ariellawhon and @susanmeissner write some of my all-time favorite historical fiction novels and I had a feeling that new-to-me author @kristinamcmorris could only add to the powerhouse. I was right. Thank you to @harpermuse and @netgalley for the early copy.

The literary world is not lacking for WWII stories, but it was missing a fascinating untold story of the nurses serving in the Philippines in August 1941, who quickly formed a strong friendship and later became POWs after the Japanese occupation. The harrowing and emotional experiences of Eleanor, Lita and Penny were cleverly crafted and expertly researched which made for compulsively readable historical fiction. Their courage and resilience left me stupefied on more than one occasion.

If you like stories about women with unrelenting strength and irreplaceable friendships- add this to your TBR.

This was such a good historical novel, it worked perfectly with the World War 2 setting. I loved the idea of the interweaving point of view and that the characters were interesting. I was invested in the characters and what was happening to this story, I enjoyed the way the authors wrote this and look forward to reading more from them.

These three master storytellers came together to give all of us this exquisite piece of literature, and I, for one, am very happy about that!! I love my historical fiction, and with this book I was able to learn so much more than the typical WW2/Pearl Harbor drama. We're taken to the Philippines and are given a very close up look into what it looked like for Army nurses at that time (my dad's rank and profession, coincidentally enough - which is part of the reason I requested this egalley). The nurses on this team are all female and we're shown all the ins and outs of being captured by the Japanese Imperial Army and held in several different POW camps, a very harsh reality indeed.

I like that the romance didn't drown out the plot, which was very essential to the storyline, but it was still given enough of a presence for an element of happiness in a time and place where there were very few things to be happy about. Sort of like a light at the end of a long, dreary tunnel.

A few things that made me subtract a star from this otherwise fantastic book... The relationship between the three women. We're not given much of a backstory on their bond/friendship. Just that they worry about each other immensely while held at different/separate prison camps. Was it that they went through Basic together? Met at parties after graduation? But even then that doesn't really work because 1 of the girls is Navy. And at least 1 is Army. So their Basic/Boot Camp would have been separate. Did they meet at Tech/Training school? When they were being trained on how to be a military nurse? I'm still wondering about this after reading the last page and it's bothering me.

Thanks netgalley for giving me the advanced pdf so that I can share my thoughts and opinions with y'all 💛

The premise of this book caught my eye as it was a topic I had not yet read about. but I found the storyline to be far too convoluted to follow. I believe the fact that there were three authors played into this odd story format. There were several times during the story when I was unsure who was speaking or how we suddenly went from inside a cave to outside the cave without explaining how we got there.

This book had potential but it was not something I could finish.

When We Had Wings is one of the best WW2 historical fiction novels I’ve read. It’s the story of three very different women, two from the U. S. And one from the Philippines, and their accomplishments and struggles as nurses in the Philippines. Be prepared for some tears mixed with feelings of joy as we follow our heroines through their initial deployment, imprisonment, and beyond.