Set in the Philippines in 1941, three nurses, Eleanor, Penny, and Lita become fast friends. Eleanor and Penny were both US military nurses, while Lita was a Philipino nurse working in the hospital. On the weekends, they gathered for drinks and marveled at the paradise around them. All three women came to Manila to forget their pasts…a broken heart and a lost husband and child. Then Pearl Harbor is hit by the Japanese and their lives are suddenly and unexpectedly surrounded by war.

Collaborative novels seem to be much more common lately, the third one I have read this year. So, when three well-respected authors come together to write a book, you shouldn’t miss it. Longtime friends already, the three authors were approached by the publisher to write a WWII novel, with the subject matter to be decided by them. They wanted to write something that hadn’t been written about much and knew it must feature women. During their research, Susan Meissner found a documentary on the “Angels of Bataan”. They had their topic.

After Pearl Harbor was hit, many of the people on bases in Manila were taken as POWs including the nurses. Some were sent to remote hospitals in horrible conditions and others were forced to serve under combat conditions with little to no supplies, food, and in horrible living arrangements. These were the first women POWs. Even though there was the Geneva Convention, the Japanese forces had no concerns regarding their violations and the treatment of their prisoners. They also viewed Philippinos as traitors since they were working on the US military bases.

Eleanor, Penny, and Lita were separated into different camps, each struggling with the conditions while also having to continue their duties as nurses. They were confronted with horrible losses and brutality, starvation, and watching some of their closest friends be killed on the spot. All without any connection to the outside world. Did the US even know this was happening to them? Was anyone coming to save them?

“Sometimes love can break your heart”, Maud said.
Penny looked at her friend and tried to smile but couldn’t. “In my experience, it’s the only thing that does.”

I listened to this book on audio and enjoyed the narration. Since the chapters mostly alternated between the three women, I expected three different narrators, but there was only one. Saskia did a wonderful job with the character’s voices and made the listening experience easy to follow.

"Hope was what kept you putting one foot in front of the other. Hope was what kept you laying down your head at night and rising from your cot the next morning. Hope was what kept you mopping fevered brows and changing dressings and administering aspirin when you could get it. Hope was what made you pick at husks of rice until your fingers bled. Hope was what sent you out into a forbidden village to get food for starving children."

This story moved me like a novel hadn’t in a while. I’m not sure if it was because of the friendships between the women, the horrible conditions they endured, that it was based on actual events, or all of the above. But, I was quite emotional listening to this story. No war story is happy and there is much sadness in this one, but all three leaned on the hope that they would see each other again. They prayed the suffering of the people in their care would end and the US would end the war. They hoped each day that their closest friends would make it through another day. Sadly, not all of those wishes came true, but once they were liberated, they did find ways to move on…just not necessarily on the path they expected.

These nurses were brave, fierce, and committed to their duties. I knew very little about the people in the Philipines during WWII and my eyes were opened regarding the tragedies there. On your next free weekend, pick up this book and immerse yourself in the lives of these three women. The story is seamless and you would never know it was a collaborative novel. It will definitely be a favorite of 2022 for me.

It is funny how the textbooks report history. You never hear about the role women played in the wars that men started. Reading historical fiction has really opened my eyes to the sacrifices the women of the world made during these awful times.
This book follows a group of three friends who meet in the Philippines just before the Japanese takeover in WWII. Each had their reasons to join up with the nurse brigade and each is affected by their history, That said, while I enjoy a happy ending (we all know how WWII ended up), why oh why does every single one of these women rely on a man to make their endings happy? You've got three strong ladies who trudge through everything they're put through and SURVIVE...and you end up with happy-dappy smooshy endings.

I listened to this book through the Netgalley app. I'm not crazy about the breathy whispery voice narrating the story. It makes it tricky to hear in all situations that I happen to be listening. You could definitely tell the difference in the voices for each character, though.

A well-written story about the Angels of Bataan, nurses who were in Manila on the day Pearl Harbor was bombed. Over the next four years, they experienced the worst of what mankind does to each other, yet continued to offer hope and inspiration to the people under their care.

While I have read many historical novels set during World War II, this is the first I've seen of one that focuses on the Angels of Bataan, and I was happy to see some recognition for them.

The book uses the friendship of three of the nurses as the framework for sharing their stories, but given that most of the time they weren't in the same place, each of the nurse's stories had a cast of characters that went with them. So there were a lot of names to keep straight. As a reader, it did feel a little overwhelming at times. Yet, it makes sense that there would be so many people involved, given that each of the prison camps they were in had hundreds to thousands of internees.

Overall, I truly enjoyed the story. Thank you to Ariel Lawhon, Kristina McMorris, Susan Meissner, Harper Muse and NetGalley for the advance review copy.

I loved how this book was written by three authors. It was very well done. I loved the story. Lots of heartbreak and seems as if research was done to get this book written. My only complaint is that it felt like it was drug on. It was slow at some parts and I got lost.

A collaborative effort by Ariel Lawhon, Kristina McMorris, and Susan Meissner, this work of historical fiction is based on the "Angels of Bataan," military nurses who were working in Manila on December 7, 1941..

With the Japanese ignoring conventions of prisoner treatment, the women spent the war in different, wretched POW camps while trying to care for other sick and injured prisoners with little food and few supplies. The three main characters of the book met by chance and supported one another before and during the war, though they saw one another seldom. Each had their own burdens at the outset. Each of the women persevered and were profoundly changed by their nightmarish experiences.

A must read for those who enjoy historical fiction, WWII fiction, or even stories of solid friendships.

Wow! Just wow! A nail biter with gut-wrenching details of war terrors. The hope captives kept carried them through it all. Beautifully written, in an intense fast pace that I just could not put down! So many twists and turns. One minute the smell of freedom the next its snatched away. Brave men and women that had me weeping, cheering, and reflecting. If you love historical fiction, you won't want to miss this beautiful novel of friendship, love, and survival.

It's the story of 3 women who find themselves caught up between the Japanese and the American forces during the Second World War. The story is set in the Philippines and takes you through the trials and tribulations of these three women who find each other just to be thrown in different directions during the war. It is the story of grit and determination to survive while also trying to ensure the survival of those near you. It is the story of not giving up despite the horrible conditions. Like all world war stories, this is one of resilience. A good attempt, all in all.

I wanted to listen to this audio book about a very important part of WWII. The story is very good. I’m not sure I loved the narrator, but part of it could be I couldn’t control the speed of the narrator.
I would recommend this book for anyone who wants to learn about the South Pacific during WWII.

I loved this book! I'm a huge historical fiction fan and this one most definitely did not disappoint. I highly recommend!

When bestselling authors Ariel Lawhon, Kristina McMorris, and Susan Meissner combined their outstanding talents to write a novel, I knew the result would be powerful and feature an important subject. This is definitely true of When We Had Wings.

This World War II novel based in the South Pacific was inspired by the true experiences of a group of nurses known as "the Angels of Bataan." The story is told through three character with very different pasts: Eleanor, a US Navy nurse; Penny, a US Army nurse; and Lita, a Flilpina nurse. They become friends while serving at a military base in Manila, but are sent to different internment camps when the war intensifies with Japan's attacks on Pearl Harbor and the Philippines.

These military and civilian nurses became the first female prisoners of war of WWII, and were forced to endure horrible living conditions, including malnourishment, yet continued to provide medical care to their fellow internees with very limited resources. Several scenes depicting the horrors of war were difficult to read, but the personal relationships between the main characters and the people in their lives kept me connected to the plot. The novel is ultimately hopeful and is a tribute to the enduring power of the human spirit.

I appreciated reading this audiobook skillfully narrated by Saskia Maarleveld. Thank you to Harper Muse and NetGalley for the review copies of this memorable novel.

I listened to this story and enjoyed it very much. The narration was excellent, the plot always enthralling and interesting and the characters very credible. I learned so much about the historical gruesome events which made me shudder many a time. Highly recommended!
I received a complimentary ARC of this novel from NetGalley and I am leaving voluntarily an honest review.

I’m tired of WWII historical fiction honestly. It all reads mostly the same but something told me to request this from NetGalley anyway and I am so glad I did.

While this follows much the WWII historical fiction path, the characters are where the differences lie - and what made this different and enjoyable. We follow nurses that find themselves as POWs after the Philippines falls to Japan shortly after Pearl Harbor. It’s told from multiple POV as we see the lives of each individual nurse separately as well as when they intersect. It’s heart wrenching and feels incredibly real.

This is absolutely perfect for fans of historical fiction but want something different from the usual WWII story.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks NetGalley for the audio!

3.5 🌟
When We Had Wings is going to be a hit with fans of historical fiction!

What I loved:

-- The book is by three best-selling historical fiction authors (Ariel Lawhon, Kristina McMorris and Susan Meissner), and the execution felt seamless.

-- The writing style is well done. Modern and clean. Not overly verbose sentences and dialogue. Easy-to-read (or listen to).

-- I very much enjoyed the narration by the award-winning voice actor, Saskia Maarleveld. Saskia has recorded over 160 audiobooks.

-- The focus on the strong female bond and friendship formed between nurses Lita, Eleanor and Penny. Yes, there were romances, but the story was more about strong women overcoming physical, emotional and mental obstacles.

-- Learned something new! Bataan is a province in the Philippines islands, and was were American military personnel (and other expatriates) were held as prisoners of war by the Japanese during World War II. The soldiers and our three female protagonists faced horrifying conditions and treatment as POWs. They were deprived of food, water, and medical attention, and were put into confinement camps.


What I didn't love:

-- 13 hours


I'd like to thank Harper Muse for the advanced listener copy of this novel via the NetGalley app. Published on Oct. 18th.

Thank you to the publishers, author and NetGalley for the free copy of this audio book.

I can't say I've ever read a novel of WWII from this perspective before so I'm I got my hands on this! Very interesting and moving. I will say I found it hard to differentiate at times which character's perspective was which, but other than that I enjoyed it.

I love these authors and I enjoyed this book. I always find it very interesting to learn things about WWII that I didn’t know, like the story of American nurses in POW camps in the Philippines. At first it was hard to keep the characters straight but I really liked the plot and character development. I would definitely recommend this book for anyone who likes historical fiction and strong female characters. I received a free copy of this book from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

🎧⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I found my audiobook stack empty, so on a spur of the moment I requested this audiobook from @netgalley. What a great decision. This was a historical fiction of a group that is rately heard from. They are the nurse POWs in WWII. With the fall of the Philippines to the Japanese right after Pearl Harbor, the Japanese quickly invaded and occupied the Philippines, and those living, stationed, or had the unfortunate luck of traveling through there found themselves Japanese POWs.

The women who became known as the “Angels of Bataan” were the army, navy, and Filipino nurses who continued their work from the prison camps in horrible conditions as well as through the resistance.

This is a powerful story of three nurses, and friends, and it follows their parallel, and sometimes intersecting, stories of the 3 years of internment. For fans of WWII historical fiction and of strong women this is a great novel. Bravo!

Themes: 👩🏼‍⚕️👩🏻‍⚕️👩🏾‍⚕️nurses, 🇺🇸🇵🇭🇯🇵, 🔀 intersecting stories, 👯‍♀️friendship

My feelings: 🥹😭🤬🙌👏🙏❤️‍🩹❤️

#netgalley
#harpermuse
#historicalfiction
#readmorebooks
#readmorebooksbywomen
#strongwomenpowerfulstories
#goodreads
#readersofinstagram
#audiobook
#mybookishlife

When We Had Wings was one of the saddest most violent stories of historical fiction. The person narrating the story was good at telling it.

I really wanted to like this book more. The concept of the friendships during the war intrigued me but it lacked substance and a lot of the story seemed rushed. Just seemed filled with event after event with little character development.

A tragic yet beautiful tale of friendship between Military nurses while they struggle to survive during WWII.

This book was such a heartfelt read. Yes, it was also heartbreaking, but even with the raging war, torture, death, and struggle for survival, it was full of hope, love and most of all, friendship of the truest kind. Two American military nurses and one Filipina nurse start an unconditional friendship in the first few days of their assignment in the Philippines in 1941. What they expected to be a relaxing assignment turns into a nightmare when they are taken captive by the Japanese Imperial Army and become the first female POW. As they struggle for survival against the Japanese Army’s torture, their newfound friendship and love would be their pillars of support and keep them hopeful for life beyond war.

This story is based on the actual account of the ‘Angels of Bataan’, a group of 66 United States Army Nurse Corps and 11 United States Navy Nurse Corps stationed in the Philippines at the outset of the Pacific War and served during the Battle of the Philippines (1941–1942). When Bataan and Corregidor fell, they were captured and imprisoned in and around Manila. They continued to serve as a nursing unit while being prisoners of war. After years of hardship, they were finally liberated in February 1945. (Source: Wiki).

The extent to which the Japanese Army ignored the Geneva Convention and brutally treated the POW is sure to make the reader uncomfortable, and if you’re weak like me, you might also shed a tear or two. The nurses not just fought against imprisonment, they were both physically and mentally abused and deliberately starved. We are also given a sneak peek into the nurses’ past lives, making them more relatable with their share of insecurities and vulnerabilities. There’s also a good share of low-key romance which is pretty realistic considering the length of their confinement and other conditions. Forming relationships is natural when you’re cut off from the world and unsure of the future.

What I didn’t like: The book has a monotonous tone. Even though chilling events happen now and then, the content is delivered in a sluggish way that makes the reading experience underwhelming at times. I initially thought this was due to the audiobook’s slow narration, but with time, I realised the plot itself was moving slowly, making me zone out.

Lastly, I recommend the audio over the physical copy owing to the slow pace of the story.

Overall, a heartbreaking, yet satisfying tale of hope, love and friendship in times of war.

Thanks to Harper Muse and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
When We Had Wings is now available for purchase.

4.5/5🌟(umm, sorry, but I am rounding this down).

TW: War, Imprisonment, POW, Physical Abuse, Mental Abuse, Torture, Starvation, and Death.

I’m not sure how I feel about this. I appreciate the story taking place in the Philippines in a time in history when, if you say “World War two” people think Europe and the Nazi’s. I appreciate how the authors shone a light on how the Japanese treated people, but this is also why I’m wavering on how I feel about it.

I’m glad the Japanese atrocities weren’t gratuitously detailed* , but at the same time, this is an adult book and at times felt like I was reading YA. Like the writers were pulling back to protect my “delicate sensibilities”.

I also have an issue with the pacing. It felt rather slow going with lots of set up and almost textbook-like backstory of setting.