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While You Were Mine
Everything she loved could so easily be lost.
The end of World War II should have brought joy to Gwen Mullen. But on V-J Day, her worst fear is realized. As celebrating crowds gather in Times Square, a soldier appears on her doorstep to claim Mary, the baby abandoned to Gwen one year earlier. Suddenly Gwen is on the verge of losing the child she has nurtured and loves dearly.
With no legal claim to Mary, Gwen begins to teach Lieutenant John McKee how to care for his child, knowing that he will ultimately take Mary away. What starts as a contentious relationship, however, turns into something more, and Gwen must open her heart to learn that love means taking chances.
While You Were Mine paints a vivid portrait of 1940s New York and tells an enchanting tale of the nature of love and trust.
The end of World War II should have brought joy to Gwen Mullen. But on V-J Day, her worst fear is realized. As celebrating crowds gather in Times Square, a soldier appears on her doorstep to claim Mary, the baby abandoned to Gwen one year earlier. Suddenly Gwen is on the verge of losing the child she has nurtured and loves dearly.
With no legal claim to Mary, Gwen begins to teach Lieutenant John McKee how to care for his child, knowing that he will ultimately take Mary away. What starts as a contentious relationship, however, turns into something more, and Gwen must open her heart to learn that love means taking chances.
While You Were Mine paints a vivid portrait of 1940s New York and tells an enchanting tale of the nature of love and trust.
301 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 22, 2016
1783 people are currently reading
11689 people want to read
About the author
Ann Howard Creel
16 books488 followersAnn Howard Creel writes guaranteed heart-wrenching historical fiction. In her novels, strong female characters face unforeseen obstacles and then have to make life-changing decisions.
After first writing for children, she turned her attention to Historical Fiction. Her first novel for adults, THE MAGIC OF ORDINARY DAYS, was made into a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie on CBS. Her recent titles have been Kindle bestsellers and include WHILE YOU WERE MINE, THE WHISKEY SEA, THE UNCERTAIN SEASON, THE RIVER WIDOW, and MERCY ROAD.
She now writes full-time. Ann's main characters are always strong women facing high-stakes situations and having to make life-changing decisions. Her historical settings have ranged from Victorian-era Galveston to World War II in New York City. Her latest novel, A LIFE CAME CALLING, coming in August 2025, takes readers to the Smoky Mountains near the end of World War II.
WHY I WRITE ABOUT WORLD WAR II
My biggest inspiration has been my parents, who lived the war. Due to the courage and unity of their time, they have been called "the greatest generation," and WWII has also been called "the last good war."
After first writing for children, she turned her attention to Historical Fiction. Her first novel for adults, THE MAGIC OF ORDINARY DAYS, was made into a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie on CBS. Her recent titles have been Kindle bestsellers and include WHILE YOU WERE MINE, THE WHISKEY SEA, THE UNCERTAIN SEASON, THE RIVER WIDOW, and MERCY ROAD.
She now writes full-time. Ann's main characters are always strong women facing high-stakes situations and having to make life-changing decisions. Her historical settings have ranged from Victorian-era Galveston to World War II in New York City. Her latest novel, A LIFE CAME CALLING, coming in August 2025, takes readers to the Smoky Mountains near the end of World War II.
WHY I WRITE ABOUT WORLD WAR II
My biggest inspiration has been my parents, who lived the war. Due to the courage and unity of their time, they have been called "the greatest generation," and WWII has also been called "the last good war."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 819 reviews
March 13, 2016
So glad this was free from Kindle First for March, because I'd regret paying for it otherwise. Boring, predictable plot that you could transplant to almost any other era--part of what draws me to historical fiction is the historical setting's unique effect on the plot, but in this book the post-WWII era is just kind of there. The author tries to describe what life was like in 1945, but it feels like someone mixed up a fun, descriptive history article with the pages of the novel, since the setting has so little bearing on the actual story. You could shift the plot to almost any other postwar period in American history and the story would be the same. After the first chapter, you can take a guess as to where the story is going and you'll be right--no unpredictable, unique plot twists or anything. Two stars because it was a mildly entertaining distraction I blew through in about 2 hours.
March 5, 2017
I'm a fan of the plot, but the execution is not the best. The story dragged on and on at points, and I felt like I was never going to finish the book, even though it's not that lengthy. Unlike some reviewers, I like Gwen, the main character, because of her selflessness, but I do agree with the complaints about her low self-esteem. This story had so much potential, but something was lacking for me and prevented me from giving it four stars. I'd still recommend it for someone interested in a mix of historical fiction and romance.
May 31, 2016
I could barely read through my tears as I came to the end of this book. So much magic, so much love, so much beauty, so much tragedy. A couple bonded by a baby, or rather a toddler, who brings them together, and who fall in love, but must face unforeseen consequences when the birth mother who abandoned the baby reappears in their lives. An exquisitely told tale, complex, provoking mixed emotions and reflecting deep historical significance based on the theme of war veterans and how they survive. The reader's experience is one of being lifted up only to be let down, blown up and torn apart along with the narrator, herself. A strongly narrated story by an author who has obviously done a great deal of research, and one who has great insight into human nature and the way the littlest things touch one. The descriptions of New York City, Coney Island, Greenwich Village, Central Park, and the wonderful escapes outside the city, as well as descriptions of scenes in other parts of the country, are totally exquisite. In other words, this author is a master. I couldn't recommend a book more highly.
March 9, 2016
Luckily it was free! Characters were one dimensional. Plot was slow, then fast like there was a hurry to wrap things up! Same way I felt!
March 2, 2016
It is unusual for me to give a book I've finished one star, but if I could return a Kindle First book, I would. All the historical accuracy of a Time/Life glossy grocery-store aisle special and all the romance of...Hamlet. No. Hamlet has more romance. It also commits the double sin of having a hero with the fortitude of a banana slug and a heroine with the self-esteem of a dishrag.
August 31, 2016
After Magic of Ordinary Days ( a fabulous book), I knew I wanted to read more about love in unexpectedly quiet places.
Creel holds soft command of the narrative and paints a vivid portrait of New York during a time in a nation's upheaval. Though the marketplace has been (too?) saturated with WWII set books over the past few years, Creel's stands out for painting a deft canvas of the homefront and a woman whose life will be changed in more ways than one.
Creel has a way of painting relationships that help you sink into them with empathy like a comfy blanket. When the last page ends, you feel as if you are saying goodbye to friends who wistfully hover thereafter for awhile, rolling around in your brain.
Creel's brand of soft romance appeals to me in a far more natural way than most. While this book had notes of The Light Between Oceans and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, it is stands in a gentle, poignant class of its own.
Creel holds soft command of the narrative and paints a vivid portrait of New York during a time in a nation's upheaval. Though the marketplace has been (too?) saturated with WWII set books over the past few years, Creel's stands out for painting a deft canvas of the homefront and a woman whose life will be changed in more ways than one.
Creel has a way of painting relationships that help you sink into them with empathy like a comfy blanket. When the last page ends, you feel as if you are saying goodbye to friends who wistfully hover thereafter for awhile, rolling around in your brain.
Creel's brand of soft romance appeals to me in a far more natural way than most. While this book had notes of The Light Between Oceans and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, it is stands in a gentle, poignant class of its own.
April 12, 2016
Best part was the synopsis.
Read
November 8, 2016You can find this review in English below.
No he podido terminármelo. No es un mal libro, bajo ningún concepto, es sólo que lo he encontrado aburrido y muy lento. Al principio me pareció muy interesante, con todas las descripciones del final de la segunda guerra mundial, la referencia a la famosa foto del beso entre el marinero y la enfermera, las necesidades y penurias que cambian el estilo de vida de todo el planeta, la historia me tenía captivada. Pero llegados al ecuador de la misma, la sensación es de aburrimiento. El romance es muy sutil, demasiado, y la historia está atascada. La autora no nos ha dejado disfrutar del inicio del romance, en cuanto los protagonistas han cruzado la línea de conocidos a novios, el resto de las interacciones son mencionadas, pero no las vivimos. Quizás esta historia sería más ficción histórica que romance.
Estoy en ese punto en el que sé lo que va a pasar y no me apetece obligarme a leer otras 150 páginas de lo mismo.
Una pena…
***
I could not finish it. It´s not a bad book, not by any means, it's just that I have found it boring and so slow. At first I found it very interesting, with all the descriptions of the end of World War II, the reference to the famous photo of the kiss between the sailor and the nurse, the needs and hardships that change the lifestyle of the entire planet, the story had me captivated. But once I reached the story´s halfway point, the primary feeling is boredom. The romance is very subtle and the story is stuck. The author has not left us to enjoy the beginning of the romance, as the MC´s have crossed the line from acquaintances to, well, I wouldn´t say lovers, so I´ll say to something more, their interactions are mentioned, but we don´t get to saw it. Perhaps this story would be more historical fiction than romance.
I'm at that point where I know what will happen and I do not want to force myself to read another 150 pages.
A pity ...
No he podido terminármelo. No es un mal libro, bajo ningún concepto, es sólo que lo he encontrado aburrido y muy lento. Al principio me pareció muy interesante, con todas las descripciones del final de la segunda guerra mundial, la referencia a la famosa foto del beso entre el marinero y la enfermera, las necesidades y penurias que cambian el estilo de vida de todo el planeta, la historia me tenía captivada. Pero llegados al ecuador de la misma, la sensación es de aburrimiento. El romance es muy sutil, demasiado, y la historia está atascada. La autora no nos ha dejado disfrutar del inicio del romance, en cuanto los protagonistas han cruzado la línea de conocidos a novios, el resto de las interacciones son mencionadas, pero no las vivimos. Quizás esta historia sería más ficción histórica que romance.
Estoy en ese punto en el que sé lo que va a pasar y no me apetece obligarme a leer otras 150 páginas de lo mismo.
Una pena…
***
I could not finish it. It´s not a bad book, not by any means, it's just that I have found it boring and so slow. At first I found it very interesting, with all the descriptions of the end of World War II, the reference to the famous photo of the kiss between the sailor and the nurse, the needs and hardships that change the lifestyle of the entire planet, the story had me captivated. But once I reached the story´s halfway point, the primary feeling is boredom. The romance is very subtle and the story is stuck. The author has not left us to enjoy the beginning of the romance, as the MC´s have crossed the line from acquaintances to, well, I wouldn´t say lovers, so I´ll say to something more, their interactions are mentioned, but we don´t get to saw it. Perhaps this story would be more historical fiction than romance.
I'm at that point where I know what will happen and I do not want to force myself to read another 150 pages.
A pity ...
May 4, 2016
There was much I liked about this book, but parts just dragged a bit. The story is based on the iconic photo of the nurse and serviceman kissing in Times Square after the WWII victory is announced. The character of Gwen is supposed to be that nurse. The story opens with Gwen sharing an apartment in NYC with Alice, a troubled woman whose husband is a MIA during the war. Alice is suffering from possible postpartum depression and cannot face the responsibility of raising Mary, her infant daughter alone. She leaves without warning and Gwen is left caring for infant, Mary, with the help of an upstairs neighbor. Alice's husband John turns up out of the blue and finds his wife is gone,no forwarding address, nobody knows where she is. By this time Gwen and Mary have bonded and after determining he cannot find Alice, John decides to become a father to Mary with Gwen's guidance. Once John and Gwen start spending so much time together sharing the parenting duties of Mary, they find themselves inexplicably falling in love. Alice comes back on the scene and John drops Gwen. Gwen and John find themselves together in the end, both a bit stronger in themselves, than at the start of their relationship. Thank you Net galley for the opportunity to review this book.
April 5, 2016
This book has all emotions packed in it!.... love, hate, sadness, joy, passion, fear, longing, hope, anxiety.... The list goes on and on. It was definitely a roller coaster ride for me. I enjoyed the idea of the story and you can clearly tell that times were different back then. There were many times throughout the book where I thought if I were Gwen, someone would have gotten an earful or worse because of their words and actions (or lack thereof). The author definitely pulled on my heart strings and had me thinking. I don't know if I could have handled everything that Gwen endured in the span of a year.
I gave the book 3 stars because although I liked it. I wasn't surprised and/or shocked by anything. It was just a good heart felt story about a year in a woman's life.
I gave the book 3 stars because although I liked it. I wasn't surprised and/or shocked by anything. It was just a good heart felt story about a year in a woman's life.
March 10, 2017
This was a freebie book I got ages ago (I believe it was a Kindle First pick?) and since I’ve been sick and working for a while, I wanted a little standalone to ease me into reading again. Usually when I look to books that are historical in setting, I steer more towards 1910’s and back, just because the closer we get to the 21st century the less I feel immersed. Overall, it was okay, but honestly, I’ve seen the concepts in this book tackled better elsewhere. This is definitely a quick, simple read and it’s not bad, but not so much my cup of tea.
*I'm writing this review while sick with the flu and recovering so I might need to rewrite someday*
So, what went wrong?
Well, first of all, the book doesn’t really feel historical—sure, they mention some distinct historical stuff and the author is trying to make you feel that this is 1940’s New York, she even had her main character be based off the nurse in that famous V-J Day photo—but there were times it felt distinctly 21st century.
Another flaw is that this book isn’t emotionally charged despite the subjects being naturally emotional in nature. The subjects weren’t really given any weight and the characters ended up feeling pretty 2-D. Gwen was perhaps the only character I really felt anything for and I overall liked her. We talk about war and how it affects the soldiers who survive and deal with the complexities of being a parent and romantic love, but overall I wasn’t really moved by the romantic subplot. In fact, I think I’d rather have read a book about Gwen going to court for custody of Mary and moving the legal system with her love for Mary. I would have even tried reading a story about Gwen dating Gunter and seeing if life with him could work out. I honestly wasn’t invested in the romance and only kept reading out of a general curiosity to see how things got resolved.
I also wasn’t the biggest fan of John. He’s not like abusive or annoying or anything, but he’s very… bland and he’s also wishy-washy and a bit spineless. Like a person who is nice but really tends to feel like there’s not much substance, more worried about being pleasing to everyone than focusing on what matters. I was really unhappy with the way he handled Alice’s return. She threatens to get sole custody of Mary, so he leaves Gwen (only a few days, maybe a week or two after taking her virginity and swearing love and all that stuff too, mind you) and gets with Alice, then has the gull to be like “this is hard for me too Gwen, I’m losing us too” while forgetting that Gwen is also losing Mary, aka the child she’s raised and whom she loves as her own, which is probably MUCH harder to deal with. Then, when Alice realizes she doesn’t actually want John or Mary and runs away once more, he shows up at Gwen’s place and is like “Alice left! We can be together now! Isn’t this great?” as if Alice was just a bump in the road and all he did can be forgiven and forgotten as if it was just a bump in the road and they can continue their relationship like it never happened, which really shouldn’t be his mentality after crushing Gwen like that and then he also admits he slept with Alice a few times because he was “trying to love her again.” It’s one thing to be with someone you don’t love for a kid’s sake and break up with someone you do love, but it’s another to try to recklessly sleep with them while you love someone else. Like it really came off as him going “whelp I’m with alice now, guess I should try to make the husband/wife thing work out” which seems to go against the “I am doing this ONLY for Mary.” Newsflash you can partner up with someone in a civil way to raise a kid without being involved with them romantically/sexually. Just FYI.
As you can imagine Gwen forgives and they move on and it’s a happily after kind of book since it’s a fluffy little standalone, but I was like REALLY. I don’t know; John just feels so spineless and eager to placate that he’ll turn his back on things and Gwen deserved better. In all honestly, Alice’s return was really just a pointless conflict that ruined John’s character and made me pity and scold Gwen for taking him back. He doesn’t scream “unfaithful” as much as he screams “unable to hold his ground” but either way I wasn’t impressed.
As for the good, the author can write pretty well. It’s simple, to the point, pleasant to read and easy to understand. Though I noticed that she used some of the same sentences (like, five or more word long sentences) several times in the story, which is probably a poor reflection of the editing. It should have caught these duplicates and rewritten them. I did overall like Gwen a lot. She’s relatable, likeable, perhaps not the most complex or moving heroine, but generally amiable without any grievous problems outside of her ability to forgive John for being such spineless, eager-to-please moron. I think the story’s idea was pretty good too, and the plot could have performed amazingly well, but the approach was so bland and simple and John wasn’t the best male lead, so overall this gets a tepid 2.5 stars from me since I got through it in one sitting. Though I did skim some parts here and there and did consider stopping a few times.
*I'm writing this review while sick with the flu and recovering so I might need to rewrite someday*
So, what went wrong?
Well, first of all, the book doesn’t really feel historical—sure, they mention some distinct historical stuff and the author is trying to make you feel that this is 1940’s New York, she even had her main character be based off the nurse in that famous V-J Day photo—but there were times it felt distinctly 21st century.
Another flaw is that this book isn’t emotionally charged despite the subjects being naturally emotional in nature. The subjects weren’t really given any weight and the characters ended up feeling pretty 2-D. Gwen was perhaps the only character I really felt anything for and I overall liked her. We talk about war and how it affects the soldiers who survive and deal with the complexities of being a parent and romantic love, but overall I wasn’t really moved by the romantic subplot. In fact, I think I’d rather have read a book about Gwen going to court for custody of Mary and moving the legal system with her love for Mary. I would have even tried reading a story about Gwen dating Gunter and seeing if life with him could work out. I honestly wasn’t invested in the romance and only kept reading out of a general curiosity to see how things got resolved.
I also wasn’t the biggest fan of John. He’s not like abusive or annoying or anything, but he’s very… bland and he’s also wishy-washy and a bit spineless. Like a person who is nice but really tends to feel like there’s not much substance, more worried about being pleasing to everyone than focusing on what matters. I was really unhappy with the way he handled Alice’s return. She threatens to get sole custody of Mary, so he leaves Gwen (only a few days, maybe a week or two after taking her virginity and swearing love and all that stuff too, mind you) and gets with Alice, then has the gull to be like “this is hard for me too Gwen, I’m losing us too” while forgetting that Gwen is also losing Mary, aka the child she’s raised and whom she loves as her own, which is probably MUCH harder to deal with. Then, when Alice realizes she doesn’t actually want John or Mary and runs away once more, he shows up at Gwen’s place and is like “Alice left! We can be together now! Isn’t this great?” as if Alice was just a bump in the road and all he did can be forgiven and forgotten as if it was just a bump in the road and they can continue their relationship like it never happened, which really shouldn’t be his mentality after crushing Gwen like that and then he also admits he slept with Alice a few times because he was “trying to love her again.” It’s one thing to be with someone you don’t love for a kid’s sake and break up with someone you do love, but it’s another to try to recklessly sleep with them while you love someone else. Like it really came off as him going “whelp I’m with alice now, guess I should try to make the husband/wife thing work out” which seems to go against the “I am doing this ONLY for Mary.” Newsflash you can partner up with someone in a civil way to raise a kid without being involved with them romantically/sexually. Just FYI.
As you can imagine Gwen forgives and they move on and it’s a happily after kind of book since it’s a fluffy little standalone, but I was like REALLY. I don’t know; John just feels so spineless and eager to placate that he’ll turn his back on things and Gwen deserved better. In all honestly, Alice’s return was really just a pointless conflict that ruined John’s character and made me pity and scold Gwen for taking him back. He doesn’t scream “unfaithful” as much as he screams “unable to hold his ground” but either way I wasn’t impressed.
As for the good, the author can write pretty well. It’s simple, to the point, pleasant to read and easy to understand. Though I noticed that she used some of the same sentences (like, five or more word long sentences) several times in the story, which is probably a poor reflection of the editing. It should have caught these duplicates and rewritten them. I did overall like Gwen a lot. She’s relatable, likeable, perhaps not the most complex or moving heroine, but generally amiable without any grievous problems outside of her ability to forgive John for being such spineless, eager-to-please moron. I think the story’s idea was pretty good too, and the plot could have performed amazingly well, but the approach was so bland and simple and John wasn’t the best male lead, so overall this gets a tepid 2.5 stars from me since I got through it in one sitting. Though I did skim some parts here and there and did consider stopping a few times.
February 14, 2018
4 While You Were Mine Stars
I quite enjoyed this book, again it isn’t my preferred genre but the story was really well written.
Gwen has a lot thrown at her but she rolls with it so well you almost forget that she is just as young as Mary’s mother was. I am so glad Gwen had some support in this book I don’t think I would have liked it if she hadn’t had Dot or the lady upstairs.
When John enters the scene I was worried for a little bit but he too grew on me that was until his ex-wife came into the picture. I guess I wanted him to stand up for himself and for Gwen.
I think that is my only real complaint I wanted him to be the man Gwen deserved. The father Mary deserved.
I will say I couldn’t put this book down and the narration again was perfect for this story.
*You don't have to like my review but its 100% my opinion, and I am allowed to have it.*
I quite enjoyed this book, again it isn’t my preferred genre but the story was really well written.
Gwen has a lot thrown at her but she rolls with it so well you almost forget that she is just as young as Mary’s mother was. I am so glad Gwen had some support in this book I don’t think I would have liked it if she hadn’t had Dot or the lady upstairs.
When John enters the scene I was worried for a little bit but he too grew on me that was until his ex-wife came into the picture. I guess I wanted him to stand up for himself and for Gwen.
I think that is my only real complaint I wanted him to be the man Gwen deserved. The father Mary deserved.
I will say I couldn’t put this book down and the narration again was perfect for this story.
*You don't have to like my review but its 100% my opinion, and I am allowed to have it.*
September 15, 2018
As a big fan of the film, The Magic of Ordinary Days, and the novel it was adapted from, I had high hopes for this story. The premise is touching, the era and setting a little intriguing, but I was left feeling the story lacked real substance. It lingered quite a bit on the main character's visceral feelings, and her emotions were the extent of any conflict, since anything that hinted at conflict quickly and conveniently resolved itself. The conflict felt like what I'd find in a soap opera, and all it took to be resolved was a simple change of mind. I was surprised by the inclusion of 2 random chapters in another character's POV--An unusual choice for a good writer to make.
March 18, 2016
Creeper
This book was a creeper. It creeped up in my recommendations, and the cover caught my eye. I read the synopsis and was intrigued. I'm pleasantly surprised. This was a beautiful story of a WWII nurse who stumbled upon motherhood when her roommate abandoned her child to her. The father comes home, after being away at war and not a POW camp. A friendship is forged and, blossoms into a love born from a bond from one little girl. If you want to read something new and refreshing, give this book a chance.
This book was a creeper. It creeped up in my recommendations, and the cover caught my eye. I read the synopsis and was intrigued. I'm pleasantly surprised. This was a beautiful story of a WWII nurse who stumbled upon motherhood when her roommate abandoned her child to her. The father comes home, after being away at war and not a POW camp. A friendship is forged and, blossoms into a love born from a bond from one little girl. If you want to read something new and refreshing, give this book a chance.
February 13, 2019
This is one of the few books I couldn't put down. I found it very emotionally tolling and I was completely sucked in! A lot of reviews complained that the plot is predictable, but I fully enjoyed the journey and felt the ups and downs of the main character as I read. As much as I loved it I was disappointed in the ending; I found it a bit anti-climactic.
This one is sweet and slow moving like The Magic of Ordinary Days. I LOVE that book as well but I have to say that While You Were Mine topped it for me! I love this era in history and I got a taste of the everyday life after WWII.
This one is sweet and slow moving like The Magic of Ordinary Days. I LOVE that book as well but I have to say that While You Were Mine topped it for me! I love this era in history and I got a taste of the everyday life after WWII.
April 21, 2016
Disappointing
The story was ok but there was such a fuss about that the nurse and sailor picture from Life magazine at first...resulted in nothing. I thought it would involve both of them instead of just the nurse. It was brought up a few times during the story but never led to anything.. Story could have written and been ok without the reference
The story was ok but there was such a fuss about that the nurse and sailor picture from Life magazine at first...resulted in nothing. I thought it would involve both of them instead of just the nurse. It was brought up a few times during the story but never led to anything.. Story could have written and been ok without the reference
October 5, 2023
I loved this more than I could say. Expertly written from an investigative journalistic view but with compassion toward her family’s illnesses in a way I’ve never quite seen. Highly recommended. Still thinking about it.
July 9, 2019
A very 'meh' novel. Predictable, repetitive, sort of 'one note' throughout. I did plod along through the entirety without giving up, but the characters didn't captivate and the storyline seemed contrived. Maybe I was just too cranky or something, but I didn't care for this one.
July 12, 2020
The chances of me moving this down to 2 stars is really probable. It started off as a five star book and slowly made its way down. Between ridiculous metaphors, cringeworthy abrupt moments and just pure ANGST this book just wasn’t for me. The concept was wonderful but the execution was just lacking. I loved the characters but towards the end of the book they just REALLY frustrated me. If you’re a fan of angst 100% read this book.
March 17, 2016
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. But in the case of Ann Howard Creel's novel, WHILE YOU WERE MINE (Lake Union Publishing), a picture turns out to be worth an entire novel. We've posted the photo that inspired her book above. It's the iconic shot of a World War II–era sailor kissing a nurse in a back-bending swoon. Taken in Times Square, by photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt, to this day, people still don't agree who the couple is. The majority think they're Rhode Island sailor, George Mendonsa and dental assistant, Greta Zimmer, but there's no consensus.
So with that mystery lingering, author Ann Howard Creel, creates her version of the unknown nurse's story in her novel, WHILE YOU WERE MINE. Who was she? How did she end up in Times Square? Where did she go after that kiss? No one knows. It was exactly this not-knowing that inspired Creel to create Gwen, a young nurse making her way in New York City during World War II—a time when people made extraordinary sacrifices, and whirlwind romances often led to hasty marriages with profound repercussions and what happened to Gwen was nothing short of a drama worthy of a novel.
Twenty-five year-old, Gwen was single and enjoying the time of her life working as a nurse and dating in New York City, far from the farm she grew up on in Colorado. She had a lovely apartment with a roommate who had an infant with a MIA soldier husband. But everything seemed perfect until it wasn't.
Soon after the excitement of the end of the war and the kiss, Gwen's roommate, Alice said she was leaving and not taking her six-week old, Mary with her. Once the shock settled in and Alice was gone, Gwen realizes, she's become a "mother." Gwen handles single-parenthood with grace and courage and luckily, Mary's regular babysitter, Lisen lives upstairs. But for the most part Gwen is on her own.
Seven months later, after Gwen has nursed Mary through strep-throats, fevers, nightmares, while juggling her career as a nurse, Mary's father John shows up. He's not MIA or dead, but very much alive, and shocked his wife, Alice has left and that he has a daughter. His initial reaction is to take Mary away from Gwen, the only woman Mary has known as her mother, but then things get really complicated.
Creel weaves a interesting multi-layered, narrative including relationships, heartbreak and trust. She uses alternating perspectives between Gwen and John, which worked well for me while reading. The cover is beautifully designed. Lake Union design is doing nice work for their authors. I enjoyed how Creel described the NYC landscape in the 1940's. I could see, smell and hear the taxis, people and the rain falling in the evenings. But I felt the novel was somewhat over-written, perhaps twenty-ish or so pages. It seemed to be repetitive and it dragged towards the end. I believe a more focused ending would have been more satisfying. The copy editor should have caught that.
WHILE YOU WERE MINE will be published April 1st. Thanks to Amazon for providing a kindle copy for an honest review. Creel has another novel with the working title, "The Whiskey Sea" scheduled to be published later this year. What a busy lady!
You can contact Ann Howard Creel on Twitter, Facebook and on her website www.annhowardcreel.com
So with that mystery lingering, author Ann Howard Creel, creates her version of the unknown nurse's story in her novel, WHILE YOU WERE MINE. Who was she? How did she end up in Times Square? Where did she go after that kiss? No one knows. It was exactly this not-knowing that inspired Creel to create Gwen, a young nurse making her way in New York City during World War II—a time when people made extraordinary sacrifices, and whirlwind romances often led to hasty marriages with profound repercussions and what happened to Gwen was nothing short of a drama worthy of a novel.
Twenty-five year-old, Gwen was single and enjoying the time of her life working as a nurse and dating in New York City, far from the farm she grew up on in Colorado. She had a lovely apartment with a roommate who had an infant with a MIA soldier husband. But everything seemed perfect until it wasn't.
Soon after the excitement of the end of the war and the kiss, Gwen's roommate, Alice said she was leaving and not taking her six-week old, Mary with her. Once the shock settled in and Alice was gone, Gwen realizes, she's become a "mother." Gwen handles single-parenthood with grace and courage and luckily, Mary's regular babysitter, Lisen lives upstairs. But for the most part Gwen is on her own.
Seven months later, after Gwen has nursed Mary through strep-throats, fevers, nightmares, while juggling her career as a nurse, Mary's father John shows up. He's not MIA or dead, but very much alive, and shocked his wife, Alice has left and that he has a daughter. His initial reaction is to take Mary away from Gwen, the only woman Mary has known as her mother, but then things get really complicated.
Creel weaves a interesting multi-layered, narrative including relationships, heartbreak and trust. She uses alternating perspectives between Gwen and John, which worked well for me while reading. The cover is beautifully designed. Lake Union design is doing nice work for their authors. I enjoyed how Creel described the NYC landscape in the 1940's. I could see, smell and hear the taxis, people and the rain falling in the evenings. But I felt the novel was somewhat over-written, perhaps twenty-ish or so pages. It seemed to be repetitive and it dragged towards the end. I believe a more focused ending would have been more satisfying. The copy editor should have caught that.
WHILE YOU WERE MINE will be published April 1st. Thanks to Amazon for providing a kindle copy for an honest review. Creel has another novel with the working title, "The Whiskey Sea" scheduled to be published later this year. What a busy lady!
You can contact Ann Howard Creel on Twitter, Facebook and on her website www.annhowardcreel.com
April 3, 2016
Title: While You Were Mine
Author: Ann Howard Creel
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Four
Review:
"While You Were Mine" By Ann Howard Creel
My Thoughts...
I enjoyed reading this historical fiction 'While You Were Mine' was really a love story. This read caught my attention and I couldn't put it down until the end. The characters...Gwen, Mary, Dot, Dennis, John, Lisen, and Georff to name a few were off the chart well developed, defined, portrayed and believable giving the reader a interesting read. Yes, some of the story was somewhat predictable, however to me it didn't take anything away from this well told story that took place after WW II in New Year during the 1940's. especially with a few sailors dealing with PTSD ...an abandoned baby...and this story takes off.
I liked how this author was able to use that part of 'Gwen being kissed by an unknown sailor, being photographed and put on the cover of Life Magazine which became a well know photos in our American history.' Now, I don't want to tell you too much about the read other than to find out what this novel is all about you will need to pick up 'While You Were Mine' to see how well it is presented to the readers. The gust to the whole story will have some twist and turns that will take the reader to a reassuring end.
Thanks to Amazon for providing a kindle copy for Prime members for an honest review.
Author: Ann Howard Creel
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Four
Review:
"While You Were Mine" By Ann Howard Creel
My Thoughts...
I enjoyed reading this historical fiction 'While You Were Mine' was really a love story. This read caught my attention and I couldn't put it down until the end. The characters...Gwen, Mary, Dot, Dennis, John, Lisen, and Georff to name a few were off the chart well developed, defined, portrayed and believable giving the reader a interesting read. Yes, some of the story was somewhat predictable, however to me it didn't take anything away from this well told story that took place after WW II in New Year during the 1940's. especially with a few sailors dealing with PTSD ...an abandoned baby...and this story takes off.
I liked how this author was able to use that part of 'Gwen being kissed by an unknown sailor, being photographed and put on the cover of Life Magazine which became a well know photos in our American history.' Now, I don't want to tell you too much about the read other than to find out what this novel is all about you will need to pick up 'While You Were Mine' to see how well it is presented to the readers. The gust to the whole story will have some twist and turns that will take the reader to a reassuring end.
Thanks to Amazon for providing a kindle copy for Prime members for an honest review.
December 31, 2017
This is my last book of 2017. While You Were Mine is that kind of book that pulls at your heartstrings. Gwen is a nurse during WWII living in NYC. Her roommate and friend has a baby but she doesn't want it because maybe she has post par-tum depression or maybe she just wants to pursue her career. Anyway, Gwen takes care of the baby and comes to love her as her own. The roommate's husband comes back from war to discover that his child was abandoned but he is grateful that Gwen has taken good care of the baby. You can guess what will happen next and I did as well as I was reading. I enjoyed this romance and I flip my kindle pages quickly wanting to find out if we will have a happy or sad ending. Some of the harsh criticism below I did not agree with. I like the development of the story and I thought it was a good entertaining romance novel.
May 26, 2016
This book was okay-good. There were aspects I was really drawn to but I just felt it was very drawn out and a little idyllic (why I don't usually read "romance-y" books). I didn't agree with many of the characters' choices but it was nice for something different.
June 19, 2019
While You Were Mine by [Creel, Ann Howard]I was given this book by NetGalley with the understanding that I will give an honest review.
This book drew me in by being set after WWII, plus the fact that it is historical fiction.
Gwen Mullen, a nurse who left her family in Colorado, moved to New York City to find other women who are taking care of wounded soldiers, like herself. She finders herself caring for a friend's baby, giving it love and care like a mother. When the child's father returns from the war, she feels torn apart. She and the father, John McKee, begin to spend time together to the child can be comfortable with him. As she spends more time, Gwen finds herself falling for John, knowing that he could take what has become her world away.
This was a endearing book, which made it difficult to put down once I began reading it. I like being reminded of what it was like when I first fell in love. Even though it is listed as historical fiction, I don't believe that is the correct heading. Historical romance would be a better fit. It was a fun book to read which is nice when facing stressful to not-so-pleasant days. If the reader is looking for a light-read, then I would recommend it.
This book drew me in by being set after WWII, plus the fact that it is historical fiction.
Gwen Mullen, a nurse who left her family in Colorado, moved to New York City to find other women who are taking care of wounded soldiers, like herself. She finders herself caring for a friend's baby, giving it love and care like a mother. When the child's father returns from the war, she feels torn apart. She and the father, John McKee, begin to spend time together to the child can be comfortable with him. As she spends more time, Gwen finds herself falling for John, knowing that he could take what has become her world away.
This was a endearing book, which made it difficult to put down once I began reading it. I like being reminded of what it was like when I first fell in love. Even though it is listed as historical fiction, I don't believe that is the correct heading. Historical romance would be a better fit. It was a fun book to read which is nice when facing stressful to not-so-pleasant days. If the reader is looking for a light-read, then I would recommend it.
June 28, 2023
3.45 STARS
Eh. I've read better.
It's not like the book was bad it just honestly didn't live up to my expectations. I was looking forward to this historical romance but I feel dissatisfied. It felt tedious at times and the romance didn't wow me. I wanted the connection between Gwen and John to be compelling but I just didn't get that. I also feel it was too focused on Dot's marriage and I wish we would've gotten answers about John's nightmares. I like the side characters Lisen, Dot, and Geoff. Mary was cute too but everything just went downhill after
Overall I wouldn't recommend this because I feel like there were so many missed opportunities. I wanted to fall for the main characters but that didn't happen. The writing was okay but ultimately the romance was a big letdown for me. The book could've been about 50 pages shorter. I do think that it was very informational, you can see that the author did her research. Thanks for reading.
Bye!
Eh. I've read better.
It's not like the book was bad it just honestly didn't live up to my expectations. I was looking forward to this historical romance but I feel dissatisfied. It felt tedious at times and the romance didn't wow me. I wanted the connection between Gwen and John to be compelling but I just didn't get that. I also feel it was too focused on Dot's marriage and I wish we would've gotten answers about John's nightmares. I like the side characters Lisen, Dot, and Geoff. Mary was cute too but everything just went downhill after
Overall I wouldn't recommend this because I feel like there were so many missed opportunities. I wanted to fall for the main characters but that didn't happen. The writing was okay but ultimately the romance was a big letdown for me. The book could've been about 50 pages shorter. I do think that it was very informational, you can see that the author did her research. Thanks for reading.
Bye!
November 7, 2017
The story is told during WWII, and Gwen and pregnant Alice are roommates while Alice's husband is off fighting in the war.
Alice has the baby, but develops what is probably postpartum syndrome, and leaves her baby with Gwen and flees to parts unknown. Gwen takes care of baby Mary for nearly a year when she notices a man standing on her front stoop-John, Mary's father.
That's the premise of the story without revealing too much. I will say that the story was enjoyable, but it was also predictable. However, sometimes I like to read a book that doesn't require too much thinking on my part. It's kind of like watching a romantic comedy; it's entertaining and you don't have to worry about who is holding the knife around the next corner.
Alice has the baby, but develops what is probably postpartum syndrome, and leaves her baby with Gwen and flees to parts unknown. Gwen takes care of baby Mary for nearly a year when she notices a man standing on her front stoop-John, Mary's father.
That's the premise of the story without revealing too much. I will say that the story was enjoyable, but it was also predictable. However, sometimes I like to read a book that doesn't require too much thinking on my part. It's kind of like watching a romantic comedy; it's entertaining and you don't have to worry about who is holding the knife around the next corner.
September 17, 2018
I wanted to read this book because the same author wrote "The Magic of Ordinary Days" and I really liked that Hallmark Hall of Fame Movie. Ann Howard Creel developed the characters in this book very well. The affects of war caused a lot of pain for many during the war and after the war. Some marriages made it and some did not. The main character in the book was a nurse. I have so much respect for women and men that are nurses. This woman was very caring and giving. She gave her love to many so freely.
If you like stories featured in the New York area, you will like this novel. There is so much activity and people are so animated while working and living there.
If you like stories featured in the New York area, you will like this novel. There is so much activity and people are so animated while working and living there.
August 13, 2023
Emotional! Heart-wrenching! This was a beautiful story and I enjoyed it a lot. I loved Gwen and found her to be such an admirable character, and little Mary was sweet too. I kept mentally encouraging John and Gwen to follow their hearts but of course, we had to add in some drama! I found the historical aspect very interesting too, and Gwen’s identity as the nurse in the famous photo to be a great addition! I just loved this! 4.5 stars! ❤️
August 22, 2017
I loved it!
I started reading it as my Sunday-reading-at-work but this book is so much more! I love the details, the story, the way that I fell in love with John and how Dennis made me cringe. A really good, light but fulfilling read
I started reading it as my Sunday-reading-at-work but this book is so much more! I love the details, the story, the way that I fell in love with John and how Dennis made me cringe. A really good, light but fulfilling read
April 16, 2018
I was hooked on this book after the first chapter. It did kind of drag a little right before the halfway point, but after that I couldn't put it down. This is the first I've read by this author, but will have to look at her other books.
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