Many thanks to my friends at @harpermuse and @tlcbooktours for this #gifted copy.  

 

Harrowing, heartrending, and powerful.  

 

When it comes to WW2 fiction, the vast majority is set within the European theater with stories of the Pacific going largely untapped.  

 

However, in this collaboration by @ariellawhon @kristinamcmorris and @susanmeissner, we are introduced to the “Angels of Bataan,” nurses stationed in the Philippines, where their exotic paradise quickly turned into the most heinous war ensconced region.  

 

Abject cruelty, disease, famine, death.  Imprisoned by captors that refused the articles of the Geneva Code, these nurses faced some of the most dire circumstances of war, all while being expected to honor their own Hippocratic Oath.  

 

Though the conditions were brutal and harsh, the spirit of these astonishing women kept me hanging on each word.  With strength and determination, these angels never allowed defeat.  Each character was the embodiment of resiliency and courage, and I couldn’t have been more inspired by their bravery.   

 

But it was the unwavering friendship between our three main characters that truly buoyed my adoration for this story.  Those lasting bonds, forged in wartime atrocity, showcased the power of connection and the healing capacity found in love.  And that ending.  “Chef’s kiss.” 

 

If you’re looking for unique WW2 literature and/or aspirational women whose stories need to be heard, look no further.  

 

🎧It’s worth noting that the audiobook is narrated by Saskia Maarleveld, one of my favorites.  Her powerhouse execution of this story was an easy listen.