Engaging book about the often forgotten women in WWII: army nurses. The heroine faces many challenges which help fully develop her character. She appears to reflect common attitudes and actions of many young women in the early 1940s. The setting of the book is often forgotten Manila and areas near by. The book was well-researched, so it is very believable, and its plot compels readers to put aside chores to find-out the next challenge the heroine and her cohorts will face. If you're interested in historical fiction ( esp. WWII) I highly recommend this novel, but don't start it unless you have time to read it because it's so engaging, other chores will be put aside. ( )

Frontline Angel by Genevieve Jordayne starts in 1939 in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Elizabeth “Eliza” O’Grady has important news to tell her parents, but she is not sure how to break the news. Eliza heads down to dinner and is surprised to see her beau, Steven Howard at the table. Steven has a surprise for Eliza. He proposes marriage much to her surprise (and to her parent’s delight). But, Eliza is not ready to settle down. Eliza has completed her nursing training and, due to the depression, has not been able to find a job locally. Eliza has signed up with the Army Nursing Corp (she had planned to tell her parents at dinner). She has dreamed of traveling and adventure. Eliza turns down Steven’s proposal and breaks the news to her parents. Eliza spends two years stateside and then gets her dream assignment in the Philippines (Manila). Eliza falls in love with this tropical island and quickly settles in. Eliza is working at Sternberg Hospital one evening when some drunk soldiers stumble in. Private First Class James Marshall (Jimmy) and his friend, Corporal Jonathon “Reese” Moretti. Reese and Eliza are instantly attracted to each other and thus begins their relationship. Then the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor. The war rapidly spreads to the Philippines, and Eliza’s dream assignment turns into a nightmare. Eliza will need her wits about her to survive the next three years on the Japanese occupied island. To see how Eliza fares during the war along with Reese you will need to read Frontline Angel.

Frontline Angel was very good. Genevieve Jordayne does a superb job at capturing the time and place (the events that happened to the nurses and soldiers at the hands of the Japanese Imperial Army). I have read many non-fiction books on the subject, and Ms. Jordayne does a great job at handling this terrible time in history. It is tragic what the nurses endured. Frontline Angel is well-written and has a good main character in Eliza. The women of the Army Nursing Corp are often overlooked in the history books. I give Frontline Angel 4 out of 5 stars (I liked it). I just felt there was too much romance (and sex scenes) in the first part of the book (after Eliza and Reese meet). It took away from an otherwise wonderful novel (if not for that section I would have given the book 5 stars). Frontline Angel will take you through the full range of emotions (happy, sad, angry). I enjoyed the ending the author gave to the novel. If you enjoy novels set during World War II, I recommend you read Frontline Angel. ( )

Eliza, a small town girl from the Midwest decides that she needs to find some adventure after completing her nurses training in the early 1940s. She upsets her family and turns down a marriage proposal and joins the Army. She is sent to the Philippines which is a real paradise for nurses and officers at this time. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the advancement of the Japanese, her paradise turns into hell. The nurses are moved to Corregidor to set up a hospital but after the US surrenders to the Japanese Army, the nurses are put into an interment camp where they are treated horrifically. It is a day to day battle for the nurses to get enough food and try not to succumb to the diseases that are rampant in the camp while at the same time taking care of people with minimal medical supplies.

This is a fantastic book about heroes from WWII that are often ignored. It's a must read for anyone who enjoys books about this period but more than that, it's a must read for anyone who wants to read about the brave women who helped America win the war and then had to learn to survive their normal lives once the war was over. ( )