“America was most definitely at war now; the only uncertainty was what step they’d be forced to take next to keep their country safe.”

Loved it! 5 stars for this wonderful story of determination, loyalty and friendship!
When two sisters and their best friend join the Army Corp as nurses, they feel lucky to be stationed in beautiful Hawaii. They strike up a friendship with another nurse stationed on a nearby Navy ship. The Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor soon after their arrival. The scene the author set of the destruction and deaths felt very real as if seeing it with your own eyes. These women stayed strong, showed kindness and gave hope to the injured soldiers in their care, even though they knew many wouldn’t make it.
The women were then sent to Africa to set up a medical hospital, once again the women are at the frontline being bombarded with bombs and gunfire “where the smell of death permeates the air.” Told in alternating storylines, we also see romance bloom under the sadness and terrible losses of wartime. The Girls of Pearl Harbor is a beautiful, heartfelt book I highly recommend. A fantastic story!

*Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for kindly sharing a review copy with me. All opinions are my own*

#TheGirlsOfPearlHarbor #NetGalley

This is the second historical fiction book I’ve read by this author and I really enjoy how she writes such strong and independent women. The three women this story centers around all have their ups and downs, their moments of weakness and their times of strength. Through it all they are determined to make their mark on the world and help others.

I wasn’t sure if Grace was going to win me over because I had issues with her in the beginning. Rest assured, she does redeem herself. But in the first half of this story Grace was very egocentric. Every time I would start to like her and think she wasn’t as spoiled as I was making her out to be, she would do or say something to her sister that would make my blood boil. By the end Grace will not only redeem herself, but will even earn my respect.

Eva has the biggest climb out of despair after the Pearl Harbor attack, and she seems to take the longest. Through everything she has to come to terms with she is still such a nurturer. There are some things that have to do with Eva’s thought process in the beginning that I had issues with. I kept reminding myself that it was a different time and most women had far fewer options than what we have today. If some of the things Eva fears start to rile you I’ll tell you the same thing about her as I said about Grace, by the end you won’t really think of those earlier problems.

Now April I liked from the start. She could be a bit uptight and strict, but when you get to know her you realize that she came by those personality traits honestly. In other words, you can’t hold those things against her. Plus, they tend to serve her and the other women well. April is the strongest of them all and the most forward thinking, but she still feels the need to conform to the ideals of the time. She slowly starts to gain more confidence. There is something that happens with her that most readers will pick up on pretty early on but that she is oblivious to…once all of those issues come to light she will come through even stronger.

There are love stories throughout this book, but it’s truly about the strength of these women and how they support one another through many hard times. Don’t worry if you’re here for the love, there’s plenty of chemistry and sweet moments. There is heartbreak and things that will make your heart soar. I like that these women find love, but that you know they’ll be okay even if they don’t.

A historical fiction romance that starts off during the bombing of Pearl Harbor and continues on to North Africa, a part of the war I was not very familiar with. This was a captivating and intense read and is one I enjoyed very much. A story of friendship, sisterhood, love, trust, loss and heartbreak. Very well written with likable characters. I have enjoyed Soraya Lane's historical fiction work immensely and always look forward to her next book. The Girls of Pearl Harbor is one I will be recommending to my friends.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy.

Linda's Book Obsession Reviews "The Girls of Pearl Harbor" by Soraya M. Lane, Lake Union, September 10, 2019

Soraya M. Lane, Author of "The Girls of Pearl Harbor" has written a captivating, intense, heartbreaking, intriguing emotional and thought-provoking novel. The Genre for this Novel is Historical Fiction and takes place during the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and the United States involvement into World War Two.  I appreciate that the author vividly writes and describes the tragedies and the camaraderie, and courage of the nurses, and servicemen and women.  The author describes her characters as complex, complicated, flawed, perhaps due to the dire circumstances. There are also supportive, brave and courageous.

When Poppy, Grace, and April first join the Nurse's Corp and are at Pearl Harbor, it seems like Paradise. They meet another nurse, Eva. Everything seems wonderful until the fateful day of Dec. 7, when they are attacked at Pearl Harbor.  The devastation and the horrors only get worse, as the nurses and doctors tend to hurt bodies.  There is so much destruction and death. There is also so much uncertainty and lack of man-power.

The medical staff and soldiers are transferred to even more difficult places and situations. I appreciate that the author discusses the horrors of war, but also stresses the importance of emotional support, protecting your country, the importance of friendship, love, and hope. I would highly recommend this story.

One of my favorite WWII historical fiction novels.

Grace, April and Poppy become nurses and are stationed in Hawaii. They see this as a grand adventure and a bit of a vacation. Shortly after arriving they met Eva, a nurse on the USS Solace. Eva quickly becomes part of their group. They enjoy dances, parties and the beach. Plans are tragically altered when the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor.

The group volunteers to be sent to Africa. There they are faced with unbalanced soldiers, amputations, death and worse. They fully support each other as each one fights their own battles in and around the hospital.

This is an excellent WWII read. Many historical fiction books are being written in this era, but I found this one to be particularly satisfying. It examines nurses on the front lines. Each of the women grow as they face hardships and exciting adventures. The characters are full and complicated. The reader will laugh and cry with them. Even the minor characters are developed in such a way that they are important, as well.


I received an ARC from Amazon Publishing UK through NetGalley. That in no way affects my opinion or rating of this book. I am voluntarily submitting this review.

The Girls of Pearl Harbor was my first book by Soraya M Lane, but I am certain it will not be my last. I have read numerous books set during the Second World War but this was the first focused on Pearl Harbor and its aftermath. Sisters April and Grace, together with their best friend Poppy are working as nurses at Pearl Harbor, where the meet Eve, a fellow nurse stationed on one of the ships. In the early part of the book, they often discuss what will happen if America enters the war, but it seems like an unlikely prospect, and instead they are enjoying their freedom on Hawaii, dressing up for dances , and going for horse rides on the beach. One fateful day everything changes , the Japanese attack with devastating consequences and our brave crew of nurses must deal with horrific injuries and losses. Soon they find themselves working almost on the front lines, and challenged in ways they never expected.
While I am not a romance fan, this historical romance was surprisingly enjoyable, largely due to the skill shown by the author in crafting her characters. They are interesting and believable and I enjoyed seeing them grow over the course of the book to become stronger and more independent women, while maintaining the relationships that bind them together. The author also does not shy away from describing the brutality of war, from gory injuries and amputations to shocking deaths.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

This is a story of four nurses who faced the attack on Pearl Harbor and their deployment to Northern Africa afterwards These women faced horrific situations, taking care of the wounded, and yet having the courage and bravery to endure. It was definitely an emotional read. This is the first book I have read by Ms. Lane, but look forward to reading others. My thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a well written book that holds your attention. It has action, adventure and romance and will keep you turning the pages to see what happens next. Thank you Amazon Publishing UK via NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

I have mixed feelings on this book. On the one hand I liked reading about four girl friends who became nurses during WWII and the attack on Pearl Harbor. On the other hand I didn't really like the romance aspect, but at the same time it wasn't to overdone. It was an entertaining light read.

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy free of charge. This is my honest and unbiased opinion of it.

Naturally enough, when a book is about Pearl Harbor and the events surrounding the attacks there, it is confronting.

The author did a great job of describing how life was for the people stationed there, before the attacks, and I felt like I was right there in the 40's, with Poppy, April, Grace and Eva, who were enjoying their time in Hawaii as young, single women. I enjoyed the scenes that the author set, and part of me wanted to go back and live in that time period myself, when people got dressed up to go to dances and things were a little more innocent. However, there were some aspects of that time that I am glad we have left far behind us as well. Women didn't have much of a say nor did they have as many options as the young women of today, and I am glad about that. Good manners could make a comeback though, any time they like!

Then, of course, came the attacks and the horror of that day was described very well, as were the aftereffects which were horrifying also. Grace was a bit squeamish about blood so that was interesting, considering she was a nurse! I think nursing was a slightly different kind of profession back in those days, although I had a friend who fainted the first time she saw an operation being done, so girls not being entirely suited to their profession isn't an entirely new thing.

This book was an excellent snapshot in time in so many ways.

4.5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing.

I had read a previous work of Soraya Lane before, and thought it was a good read without being too light and fluffy. The Girls of Pearl Harbor also falls into this category. It's a well thought out, interesting read about nurses during World War II. Not only does it cover areas of death and sadness, it also covers what it means to literally pull oneself up by one's own boot straps and grow and learn.

I had a general idea of what army nurses went through during war thanks to shows like M*A*S*H and China Beach, but this book, I felt, had a deeper understanding than the latter with all the joy and humor of the former. You had a strong willed, intelligent woman, a girl coming into her own and growing up, and the woman who needed to escape, all forming a strong, family like bond like the military can give. The best part, though, is that it wasn't too twee or cute. Yes, there are relationships and marriages, but it's dealt with in a mature, not cutesy, manner.

Very good story about young nurses planning to have fun with handsome soldiers at Pearl Harbor. All that changes December 7th, with the bombing. Being trained as a nurse has not prepared them for the heartbreak and horror they will experience. It is a very well written historical fiction novel. the writing is vivid and powerful, giving the reader a vast array of emotions. It is the first book I have read by this author but certainly not the last.

My review is mixed on this one. I believe this is simply a matter of reader-novel mismatch occurring at the wrong time. When I requested The Girls of Pearl Harbor from Net Galley, I had two goals in mind: to learn the details of the events at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 and to get more insight into the working lives of brave nurses during World War II. I really wasn’t satisfied on either count.

This novel is primarily a romance novel with World War II as the backdrop. There were several things I did like about the book. First of all, if you are looking for a light romance with some suspenseful nonromantic scenes, this book is for you. As a romance, it is fine, though a bit predictable. The three women protagonists are likeable and easy to root for. With the backdrop of the war, there are several well done intense scenes involving the women out in the field, which were the best parts of the book for me. I also really liked the scenes of the nurses tending to emergencies in the hospital. The fact that part of the book was set in North Africa was another plus—I had not read much about that arena of the war.

On the other hand, the facts of the attack on Pearl Harbor was given very little airtime in this book. This disappointed me as I was eager to read about this milestone event in American history. I wanted more detail about what went on in North Africa as well, but again, the focus is on the lives of the three protagonists. And this may sound picky, but there is way too much handholding and too many tears in this story for me. I did however enjoy seeing the women get through some difficult times and grow in character. And I never felt the urge to give up on the book. It was good entertainment.

I just want to add if one is interested in the struggles of a dedicated nurse and a young doctor learning on the job during wartime, I highly recommend The Winter Soldier by Daniel Mason, set in Carpathian Mountains during World War I. For a wartime romance with more depth, I suggest Last Christmas in Paris, a wonderfully heartfelt epistolary (written in letters) novel by Helen Gaynor and Heather Webb.

So a mixed bag for me. I recommend this novel to those looking for a lighter historical fiction romance tale with a wartime backdrop. Most readers have given this book 5 stars, so there is clearly a great audience for this one. I will say that despite my so-so rating, I am open to reading more from Ms. Lane. I will just make sure I am in the mood for something lighter.

I wish to thank Net Galley, Lake Union Publishing/Amazon Publishing UK, and Ms. Soraya Lane for an ARC of this novel. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.

The Girls of Pearl Harbor alternates perspectives between four friends who are stationed as Nurses in Hawaii on the Day of Infamy. It can be classified as chick-lit and is a piece of historical fiction that will appeal to women. The story begins so care-free as all the young service men and women stationed in Hawaii mingle and enjoy the paradise around them. It quickly turns to embody all the terror and frantic moments that occurred on December 7th, 1941 as the island suddenly came under attack. This was such a pivotal moment in American History and I felt emotional reading it. One thing I was puzzled by was why the nurses were so focused on Tetanus shots rather than tourniquets. This baffled me as I assumed the men would have received those vaccines prior to going into service and emergency medicine would call for stopping the bleeding, not administering shots. Anyway, if you enjoyed the movie, Pearl Harbor, and want a new twist on it in book form then it’s worth picking up!

Such a great story of friends/nurses at Pearl Harbor and WWII. The great writing made me feel the tragedy of Pearl Harbor and the battlefields of WWII in a personal way. Such horrendous loss and suffering. 3 friends, 1 not even sure that they wanted to be a nurse, stationed in beautiful Hawaii, enjoying "the life" until that fateful day. We continue to follow them through the war and more loss, more tragedy along with professional growth and maturing. They find love and learn to pick up the pieces. Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.

Sisters Grace and April team up with friends Poppy and Eva in Hawaii after being stationed at Pearl Harbor. They luxuriate in the paradise spending their days by the water and their nights dancing with handsome soldiers, convinced war is far removed from their current situation. Until the infamous attack of December 7th, 1941.

I was surprised by how little the story covered the events of Pearl Harbor. There was little build up to really get a sense of the characters before the attack to feel invested, and the recounting of the event from the perspective of these nurses felt generic and uninspired. It seemed the answers to all medical intervention was morphine and tetanus shot or amputation of a limb. The time period language and views seemed stereotypical.

After the attack, the girls are transferred to North Africa. At this point I felt the story finally unravel and the characters seemed to become more well rounded.

The ending was wrapped up a little too pretty for my tastes. It just wasn't for me.

Even though this particular story wasn't my cup of tea, it was an interesting romance in the backdrop of WW2

Thanks to Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley for an advance e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Grace, Eva, Poppy, and Alice are nurses recently stationed at Pearl Harbor. They thought it would be a great time and felt lucky they were there. Then the shooting began and their lives changed forever. They were thrust into the war and the only choice was to survive.

I have read many WWII stories and am very interested in this time in history. When I started reading the book it reminded me of the movie, Pearl Harbor, and I was a little disappointed because I had heard this story before. As I kept reading the nurse’s stories continue to the aftermath of the war. They are sent overseas while still dealing with the horror and immense loss of Pearl Harbor. I loved reading about the female view of WWII from the battlefield. I also loved reading about the characters as they grew both personally and in their jobs. I was fascinated by the book and highly recommend it.

This heartbreaking tale tells the story of 4 nurses. This book has educated me a lot on the events of pearl harbour.
I highly recommend this for all fans of historical fiction

Thank Net Gallery to read this book of the nurses who fought this war among all the other women and men and suffered their personal losses these three friends did. So many different stories but here we have nurses,and war and hospitals anywhere there was someonehurt. Great history to this well researched book I so much enjoyed reading and did some crying! You need to read this book!🙈

If i could give more than 5 stars, i would. Absolutely enjoyed this book and couldn't turn the pages quick enough. Loved the characters and the bond that was formed between the girls. There were parts that i found myself reaching for a tissue. So happy how things turned out at the end. I am not going to write what the story is about, as i prefer one to read the book for themselves, but i do highly recommend. I shall be looking out for more books by this author.

My thanks to Netgalley and the Publishers for my copy. This is my honest review, freely given.