The Long March Home

by Tosca Lee, Marcus Brotherton

Jimmy Propfield joined the army for two reasons: to get out of Mobile, Alabama, with his best friends Hank and Billy and to forget his high school sweetheart, Claire.

Life in the Philippines seems like paradise--until the morning of December 8, 1941, when news comes from Manila: the Japanese have bombed Pearl Harbor. Within hours, the teenage friends are plunged into war as Japanese warplanes attack Luzon, beginning a battle for control of the Pacific Theater that will culminate with a last stand on the Bataan Peninsula and end with the largest surrender of American troops in history.

What follows will become known as one of the worst atrocities in modern warfare: the Bataan Death March. With no hope of rescue, the three friends vow to make it back home together. But the ordeal is only the beginning of their nearly four-year fight to survive.

Inspired by true stories, The Long March Home is a gripping coming-of-age tale of friendship, sacrifice, and the power of unrelenting hope.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, World War II, Historical, Audiobook, War, Christian

400 pages, Paperback

First published May 2, 2023

About the author

"Superior storytelling."
-Publishers Weekly starred review

Tosca Lee is the New York Times bestselling author of The Line Between, Havah: The Story of Eve, The Progeny, The Legend of Sheba, Iscariot, The Long March Home (with New York Times bestselling author Marcus Brotherton) and others. Her work has been translated into seventeen languages and been optioned for TV and film.

She is the recipient of three International Book Awards, Killer Nashville's Silver Falchion, ECPA Book of the Year, and the Nebraska Book Award, and has finaled for numerous others including the Library of Virginia People's Choice Award, the High Plains Book Award, a second Silver Falchion, a second ECPA Book of the Year, and the Christy. The Line Between was a Goodreads Choice Awards semifinalist for Best Mystery/Thriller of 2019.

You can find Tosca at ToscaLee.com, on social media, or hanging around the nearest snack table. To learn more, please visit ToscaLee.com

For book release news and giveaways, join Tosca Lee's Nocturnal Cafe.

Reviews

[Bonnie DeMoss · Rating 5 out of 5]

How do I do justice to this amazing book? I'm not sure I can, but I will try. I would say that mere words can't express such deep emotions as those that are conveyed in this book, but that's not true because Marcus Brotherton and Tosca Lee did just that, and then some.

The bond of four friends seems unbreakable, as we flash back and forth between Jimmy's childhood and his service in World War II. Jimmy, Claire, Billy, and Hank grew up together. Only Claire is left behind as Jimmy, Billy, and Hank go off to war. Jimmy really enlisted because he is trying to forget his ex-girlfriend Claire, who has moved on. Jimmy, Billy, and Hank are stationed in the Philippines and life is pretty uneventful until December 7 1941, the day the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor. It is not long before the Philippines is attacked too, and the three friends become prisoners of war.

Marcus Brotherton and Tosca Lee do a completely remarkable job of relating the torture, starvation, and psychological cruelty the Japanese inflicted on the American prisoners of war in the Philippines. This is a truthful, realistic, and bloody tale that the reader won't soon forget. This is the first book I've read about the Bataan Death March, but I was transported there, and I could see Jimmy and his friends trudging along, starving, mad with thirst, and knowing that if they fell down they would never get up again.

When they arrive at a concentration camp, they stand out because of their strong bond, and the commander does something even more despicable that sends Jimmy and Hank on a desperate mission to save a life.

As we watch Jimmy trying to survive, we also flash back to his childhood, and Claire is a huge part of this story. The families of all three young men come alive as we watch them grow up, each with their own private struggles.

This book is full of pain, love, loss, misery, and hope. It is one I will not soon forget.

I received a free copy of this book from the publishers via Netgalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

Here's my 5.5 star blog review: https://bonniereadsandwrites.com/2023...

[Sharon Orlopp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three high school friends (Jimmy, Hank, and Billy) from Mobile, AL enlist in World War II in the historical novel, The Long March Home: A World War II Novel of the Pacific . They are stationed in the Philippines when the unimaginable assault on Pearl Harbor happens on December 7, 1941. Immediately after the crippling devastation to Pearl Harbor, the Imperial Japanese Army attacked the Philippines. For the next several months, Filipino and American troops fought the Japanese, but without reinforcements or fresh supplies and no support from the US Navy, an order came on April 9, 1942 for American and Filipino soldiers to lay down their weapons.

Most non-fiction and historical fiction books about WW II are set in Germany, Poland, Holland, or Russia. Very few are based in the Philippines or in Japan. The Long March Home: A World War II Novel of the Pacific is a gripping, page-turning novel complete with thorough research by the authors, Marcus Brotherton and Tosca Lee, regarding the Bataan Death March and other atrocities inflicted on American forces based in the Philippines. Imperial soldiers were taught to not show any mercy for captured soldiers. The prison camps were horrendous.

I read this book in one day because I was not very familiar with these historical events. The narrative non-fiction is spectacular. There are many gruesome scenes.

The authors also recommend the following non-fiction books on the Bataan Death March:

Death March: The Survivors of Bataan

Some Survived: An Eyewitness Account of the Bataan Death March and the Men Who Lived Through It

Tears in the Darkness: The Story of the Bataan Death March and Its Aftermath

Thanks, NetGalley, for a free ARC of this book in exchange for my fair and unbiased opinion. Expected publication date is May 2, 2023.

I highly recommend this book!

[Lisa Gardner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tosca Lee is one of my fav historical fiction authors and this book did not disappoint! Not just a tough, and at times horrific, accounting of one of WW II’s most awful chapters, but a deeply moving and human tale of friendship, bravery and love. I wept through most of the ending. Have been recommending it to everyone I know since. Absolutely amazing!

[Amanda (BookLoverAmanda) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Long March Home by Marcus Brotherton and Tosca Lee will leave you with a renewed appreciation for the young American men who went through the Bataan Death March in the Philippines. Not many people know about what happened to these young men and this story truly brings their stories to life. I know I certainly have a new appreciation for these young men as I didn’t know this part of history either.

In this story, based on true events, we have three best friends, Billy, Hank, and Jimmy. The story is told from Jimmy’s main POV. We see his life leading up to the attack on Pearl Harbor and after as they suffer through the Bataan Death March, a 60-mile death march to prison camps where they are forced to work as prisoners in the worst conditions possible. We see flashbacks of Billy, Hank, and Jimmy with family and with Jimmy’s high school sweetheart, Claire. These scenes were nice, as it broke up the hard chapters. Our characters are so real and the story itself takes you on a heart-wrenching journey where you are hoping these men just make it home from all the hardship they have endured.

I was so moved by this story – completely and utterly compelled by it. I don’t read a lot of World War II Historical Fiction, but this is easily a top 10 book of the year for me as I just felt so enamored with our characters and their journeys. I cried. My heart was broken and restored. We have true brotherhood depicted in this book and I am so thankful to have read it. Thank you to those men who gave the ultimate sacrifice fighting for our country. If you love books surrounding World War II, strong friendships, and high emotional impact, this is for you. Thank you to Baker Publishing, Revell and NetGalley for providing a copy to honestly read and review.

Content warnings: This book has very graphic war battle scenes, prisoner torture, the horrors of war, etc. It does have some “war time drinking” and very minimal language.

[Kristina Hall · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disclosure: I received this book free from the publisher/author. The opinions I have expressed are my own, and I was not required to write a positive review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

I'm conflicted about this book. On one hand, Brotherton and Lee know how to tell an engaging story and craft realistic, sympathetic characters. On the other hand, I struggled with the fact that this book was published by Revell, a Christian publisher. The Long March Home is a general market war novel with lots of drinking and womanizing and some cussing.

But moving on from that ... This was still a compelling story of friendship, courage, and perseverance in the face of extreme adversity. I liked how Brotherton and Lee highlighted an aspect of WW2 that isn't often discussed.

Overall, The Long March Home was a thought-provoking read that I'd recommend to those who enjoy war novels.

[Missy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Battle of Baatan, not something I have read about. I think I have heard of it and how terrible it was, but not something you hear about as much as Pearl Harbor, or the goings on in Europe.

It follows the story of three best friends, Billy, Hank, and Jimmy, and Billy's sister, Claire. After Cowboy, Hank's brother, enlists to fly planes, Jimmy and Hank decide to enlist in August 1941, Billy decides he is too, even though he is only 16. Claire is the girl of Jimmy, Hank, and Cowboy's eye and the girl they all want to marry. Jimmy and Claire have been bestfriends since they were born, Cowboy is the hometown football hero who is the star QB for Alabama, and Hank his brother. With one condition from Claire, they all come home.

When Pearl Harbor is bombed in December, Jimmy, Hank, and Billy are stationed in Manilla, Philippines, and find out real quick that even though they are in a different country, they are not safe. It follows their death march, their time in different prisoner of war camps, their stories of survival, and in the end the homecoming.

I enjoyed this book very much and would recommend to other readers. Since it was a subject you don't normally get in WWII fiction, I enjoyed it very much.

[Audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

World War II novels and histories focus a lot on the European front. This story features the Japanese front. Three best friends from Alabama (two of whom are in love with the third’s sister) enlist together and are stationed in the Philippines. What starts out as paradise turns to hell as they are subjected to the Bataan Death March and other atrocities as POWs.



The story and characters are fictional but based on true accounts. While the descriptions of war horrors are disturbing, they aren’t graphic, and the story doesn’t dwell on them too long without a break (usually to the past). It’s a story of friendship and survival and human struggles, not just ‘war is hell.’ It’s a tough story to write, and it was done well.

(The publisher is apparently a Christian fiction publisher, but this book is not Christian fiction. The MC’s father is a hell-and-brimstone Protestant preacher who is abusive to his family, so not a very positive portrayal in general.)

*Reader’s Choice Nominee Fall 2024*

Language: Clean
Sexual Content: Vaguely hinted at
Violence/Gore: Disturbing war violence despite not being very graphic
Harm to Animals: None
Harm to Children: child abuse
Other (Triggers): Field injuries (no anesthesia): amateur treatment or no treatment involving amputations, broken bones, eye loss, etc.; torture, starvation, disease, and other brutal conditions and deprivations of concentration camps; heartbreak; deaths of loved ones; hypocrisy, domestic abuse

[Susie Finkbeiner]

When I read a novel set in the midst of war I am often disappointed by how wooden and flat the characters feel. That is absolutely not the case for The Long March Home. I cared about the three primary characters from the very first chapter and will think of them often. Brotherton and Lee not only conveyed the history of the troops in the Philippines, they crafted a novel that captures the fullness of the soldiers' humanity.

[Katie Ziegler (Life Between Words) · Rating 5 out of 5]

At turns harrowing and hopeful, this book will rip your heart out and make it swell. At turns a war story, survival story, love story, and friendship story, it tells the story of three boyhood friends attempting to survive the war in a Japanese POW camp in the Philippines.

Often my introduction to different historical stories and events is through fiction. I will then go on deep dives and add a million nonfiction books to my TBR. This book about the Bataan Death March was no different.

I loved it.

[Nora St Laurent · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story opens with a private letter Jimmy Profield received from his closest friend, Claire Crockett. The letter provides information about these close friends and their relationships with Claire. She says, “You left without a single word. How could you?”

Jimmy, the only child, of a preacher’s son, enjoyed the time he spent as a kid playing outside with childhood friends. He was born in Alabama in the 1930s and shared his formative years with Claire his sweetheart and best friend, along with her younger sibling Billy. They were a close-knit group that got even closer when Hank Wright joined them in the fourth grade. Tragedy strikes their small town, prompting Hank, Jimmy, and Billy to enlist in the war effort, without saying goodbye to their families.

The writers proceed to transport readers to Manila on December 7, 1941, where this trio is getting ready for combat. This group was assigned to the 31st infantry in Manila. This was insane. Could they be gazing at a wartime paradise playground in the Philippines, where women, alcohol and fun are freely available?

However, everything instantly changes when the Japanese bomb Pear Harbor. Suddenly, the three friends must gather all of their resourcefulness and courage they have to survive, and they vow to go to any length to return home together. I liked how the story was told through these friends, including flashbacks to their childhood and the challenges they faced as they grew up and tried to figure out their place in life.


They have no clue how difficult the promise they made would be to keep, especially after they are ordered to surrender on April 9, 1942, and are forced to begin a 60 - mile death march up the Bataan Peninsula to the horrific prison camps that are completely unprepared to handle approximately 10,000 American Troops.

Because this tale was based on astonishingly real events, I appreciated how the story wasn’t as graphic as it could have been. Through this moving, heartbreaking, yet uplifting story, readers get a close-up and incredibly personal look at what it means to go to war in service to our nation, fight an impossible battle, and through many miracles find their way home with honor.

In the end, this book honors the strength of the human spirit, despite all of its imperfections and insecurities. It emphasizes the significance of friendship, family, home, and forgiveness as well as the worth of love and mercy. This is a tough read, but a necessary one. The Bataan Death March, in the Philippines, is something I’d never heard of. I was overcome with emotion as I concluded reading this amazing, moving tale. These likable characters, their fight, and the story they told won’t be easily forgotten. This novel is a fantastic choice for your next book club pick.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I requested and received a copy of this book by Interview & Reviews and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[Lisa G. Hudson · Rating 5 out of 5]

RIVETING WWII NOVEL

The Long March Home is a riveting WWII novel. It is presented in a way I appreciate – inspired by true stories. It is a novel you will never forget reading that tells the story of three boys on the brink of manhood and their friendship, sacrifice, and the power of unrelenting hope. Three young boys from Mobile, AL, signed up for different motives, and they all signed up together, vowing to stick together to the end. Upon their arrival in the Philippines, it seemed like paradise. December 8, 1941, changed everything as enemy warplanes attacked Luzon. This attack marked the beginning of the Battle of the Pacific Theatre. What these three endured over the next four years is challenging to read about, but documents have proven these stories accurate. They would become part of the horrific Bataan Death March. This is a riveting WWII novel of brotherhood, sacrifice, and the hope of surviving to return home to loved ones.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by Revell and NetGalley. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own and without influence.

[Hannah Linder · Rating 5 out of 5]

I sum up THE LONG MARCH HOME with two words: significant and real. From chapter one, I took passage through the pages of the book into a gripping World War II setting, where I was allowed to feel, smell, and touch history in an unforgettable way.

Brotherton and Lee accomplish the perfect juxtaposition of lulling home life and wartime horrors, swaying us back and forth between past and present—while still managing to surprise us in the end. I loved Hank. I loved Jimmy. I loved Claire. More importantly, I loved the portrayal of human love in this book. Not exaggerated or flawless—but the gritty reality of love that makes mistakes, takes the wrong turn, argues, forgives, sacrifices, and in the end starts over.

THE LONG MARCH HOME belongs on a shelf with the classics. Truly a masterpiece.

CW: mild profanity, violence, minimal sexual content.

[(Katie) Paperbacks · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you don't want to be seen crying your eyes out in the middle of a parking lot, better read this at home 😅.

An extreme look in the lives of three childhood friends who are part of the Bataan Death March. Graphic at some points of the story, but felt the authors did a good teamup with giving breaks in the story and looking back on the lives of these three friends and their school years. I loved the emotions I got from this story, I cried quite a bit at the ending (which is rare for me). The story was really well written and definetely a book I will be thinking about for awhile.

*thank you to Baker and Revell for a copy of this book to read and give my honest thoughts on.

[Sherry Sharpnack · Rating 5 out of 5]

CONTENT WARNINGS: Vivid descriptions of violence and brutality.

Jimmy and Claire are best friends from babyhood in Mobile, Alabama. Their childhood quartet of best friends is completed when Claire's little brother, Billy, becomes old enough to tag along and outsider Hank moves to town. All three of the older kids deal with the town's expectations for them: Claire will marry and settle down; Jimmy will follow his father into a pastorship; and who knows how Hank will end up?
The war has started in Europe, but not reached the U.S. In a surprise reaction to a shocking twist in the plot, the three young men (Jimmy, Hank, and a too-young Billy) enlist and are sent to the idyllic Philippines. Their idyll is interrupted when Pearl Harbor is bombed, and hours later, Clark Field outside Manila is also bombed. The three happen to be there, and fight the Japanese invaders, as well as fighting to return to their units.
The plot only becomes more harrowing, as the Japanese finally overcome American and Philippine resistance and round up the surviving servicemen -- who have been abandoned on the Bataan peninsula by the brass. The infamous Bataan Death March occurs, and the three men suffer privation, brutality, and impossible situations. It is impossible that all three will make it out alive.
The earlier parts of the plot unfold in a series of flashback chapters, actually beginning in Manila. This makes sense, as the men hang on to any memory to maintain their sanity, and basic humanity.
This is a deeply affecting, absorbing read. The collaboration of a novelist with a historian works seamlessly as Ms. Lee uses the research from Mr. Brotherton to incorporate many men's memories of this time and place in WWII into her story of these three best friends. I literally read 'WAY past my bedtime on several nights and cried my eyes out as I finished this novel. I could not help but think of my Dad's hard-drinking, crotchety friend as I read this, as he was a survivor of Bataan.
I totally understand why "The Long March Home" was a finalist in the "One Book, One Lincoln" reading experience a couple of years ago. (It doesn't hurt that Ms. Lee lives in Omaha.) 5 heartfelt stars.

[Joanne | wellreadcoffeeaddict · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read A Company of Heroes by Marcus Brotherton early this year – or was it last year… I can’t quite remember anymore. Too many books 😅. I walked away from that one feeling like it was written for me, since it fit so well with what I like from World War 2 stories. That one was a collection of biographies, so I was both intrigued and thrilled to see he was writing a novel for Revell. I’ve never read Tosca Lee, so altogether I was very interested in picking this one up.

I want to address first that this book has a faith thread in it; however, with the swearing and content (crass talk, drinking, womanizing etc.) it felt like a general market book. I love reading this kind of story, but I am uncomfortable reading many of the GM books because of the content. I was excited for this one because Revell is a Christian publisher, so I had been hoping the content that bothers me in the GM books would not be in this one, or at least as prevalent as it is. The biggest issue for me is taking the Lord’s name in vain, which I do not approve of in GM and especially not in Christian markets. That disappoints me. I’ve listed the content details in the rating section of this post.

The story itself is very good. It features three boys who have signed up, and in these three boys the authors somehow seem to represent the various sentiments of war and reasons of joining. I thought you could swap any of the characters’ names with someone you knew and the story would fit. That’s how real it felt.

I love that the authors picked a lesser-known atrocity that often gets overshadowed by the big one in Pearl Harbour. I admit, I didn’t know about the Bataan Death March until reading this. I knew the fight in the Philippines was awful, but didn’t realize just how horrendous the conditions were that these often very young men faced.

But [shooting] ain’t what I came for. The up-close war part never even occurred to me until today.

While I did not appreciate the content, I did love this story. The authors’ note at the end says this: 'In 2013, a World War II veteran told an interviewer, “We know a lot about Pearl Harbor and other things [today], but nobody knows about Bataan, unforuntately.” We aim to help remedy that.'

I would say they’ve succeeded.

For a list of the content notes, please check out my ratings here.

[Alayna | Literarily Persuaded · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t cry while reading. I just don’t. It takes a lot in a book to make me cry, but this book had it.

I hadn’t known much about Bataan Death March. I’d just heard a little in passing. But whatever I knew, it was only a little. Only that whatever had happened during that march was awful. Reading this book was eye opening, and after finishing it, I decided to do my own research. What I found out was horrific.
On April 9, 1942, 12,000 American soldiers and 63,000 Filipinos were captured, and what followed truly was awful. The Bataan Death March, where they were marched 65 miles away to Camp O’Donnell. They were marched through blistering heat, with barely enough food to survive.
I don’t mean to make this a history lesson, though, so I’ll get onto the book.

The Long March Home is a fictional story that takes place during this time. It follows three friends as they make that long march home. Holding on to the promise they made together in the earlier days of the capturing. “All home alive”. Written in first-person-pov of the main character, Jimmy Propfield, we’re told the tale in a gripping manner.
If you love learning WW2 history, please pick up this book! As quoted in the Author’s Note “‘nobody knows about Bataan, unfortunately.’ We aim to help remedy that.”
This book does that amazingly.

[Deacon Tom (Feeling Better) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 1/2 stars

I truly loved, this story and I was really touched by the way the authors wrap the story around personalities of the main characters, Jimmy, Claire, Billy, and Hank.

The characters were damaged when they were finished. Some died, others had physical injuries, and all had psychological injuries from the violence that they saw.

This is a tremendous book, and I highly recommend it to anyone.

[Staci · Rating 5 out of 5]

1930-1946 Mobile, Alabama and Philippines

What a page turner! The suspense of what would happen next to close friends Jimmy, Billy and Hank was intense.

The authors expertly weave chapters with the history of their friendship among the more current thread of their time serving in the Philippines. Back in Mobile, it was a group of four constantly together. Billy's older sister Claire grew up with Jimmy from the time they were infants. Hank moved to Mobile during grade school.

What the three of them experienced during the war was tragic and gives readers a glimpse of what it was like to be a US soldier serving in the Philippines during WWII including the Bataan Death March.

The Long March Home is an emotional and well written historical novel based upon factual events. Highly recommended!

My gratitude to publisher Revell for a complimentary copy of the novel. I was not required to post a review and all opinions expressed are my own.

[Connie Saunders · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a powerful story, but the subject is one that I knew little about before reading this book. I've long known about Pearl Harbor and America's involvement in WWII, but I was totally ignorant about the largest surrender of American troops in history, on the Bataan Peninsula, and the Bataan Death March that followed. Thankfully, two respected authors decided that a story needed to be told, and the results of their collaboration are pure magic!

Authors Marcus Brotherton and Tosca Lee use a dual timeline plot in The Long March Home. The present-day story revolves around the sacrificial war efforts of three friends from Alabama, and the past story relates the happenings that led them to this service. Three young men with different dreams and a strong female character with ties to them all were forever changed by choices that were made in Mobile, Alabama! The Long March Home is an emotional narrative of friendship, young love, and the discovery that the right choices aren't always obvious. It's also a touching chronicle of the pain and hardships that these soldiers endured during battle, their experiences as prisoners of war, and their valiant efforts to return to the life they'd left behind. Many of the war scenes are painful to read but they're needed to remind all of us about the high cost of freedom. I highly recommend this riveting war story to all who enjoy historical fiction!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. There was no obligation for a positive review. These are my own thoughts.

[Robin Hatcher · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5🌟
Audiobook (narrated by Nick Walter)
Confession: I speeded up the narration quite a bit through the tougher portions of this book. I’ve read enough WWII books to know what happened in the Pacific and what POWs suffered. However, the authors didn’t linger in the horror as some books do which actually made it more effective. My favorite parts of the story were the flashbacks, learning about the friendship that was born in boyhood and of the love for Claire that blossomed among the boys. And I cried my way through the final chapters, beginning in the scenes just before the Japanese laid down their weapons and right through to the end. I was close to sobbing a time or two. A powerful book.

Robin’s Ratings
5🌟 = Out of this world. Amazing. Unforgettable. A personal favorite.
4🌟 = Enjoyed/loved it. Will recommend to others.
3🌟 = Liked it. Glad I read it. Engaging/entertaining/interesting.
2🌟 = The book was okay, but I’ve enjoyed other books so much more.
1🌟 = For whatever reason, I didn’t like it and can’t recommend it.

[Paula Shreckhise · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book should come with a trigger warning. It is raw, gritty and depicts atrocities of war in a very personal way. It is about a dark time in history: The Bataan Death March and POW camps. Although it is published by a Christian publishing house , I would say it did not clearly present the Gospel message. Some characters were Christian, a pastor and family, but some were decidedly unrepentant.
The authors realistically showed gut wrenching, heartbreaking situations. The scenes in the Philippines were broken up by those in Mobile, Alabama before the war. The background story of Jimmy, Hank, Billy and Claire was a homey, welcome break from the painful horrors of war.
Although distressing to read, I am glad these authors chose to tell the story. We should not forget or cover up the facts of what brave men endured in order to secure our freedom.
Emotional, haunting, and unsettling, but well written and not soon forgotten.
* A complimentary copy of this book was provided by Revell through Interviews and Reviews. I was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own.*

[Allison Dutton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the most moving, human, and engaging books I've read in a really long time. It is enjoyable but hard to read in parts as well. I believe those parts need to be read. This book made me think and consider a lot of the aspects of war.

[Anna Galicinski · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t know the words to say how much I loved this book. The deep bond between Jimmy, Hank and Billy was so tangible and moving, and I loved the threads going back with Claire. My eyes were watering by the end of this book.

The history was so deep and well researched it brought me straight into the story. A lot of WWII novels focus on the European side of the war and you forget there were other angles. The Long March Home does it so much justice.

An incredible read. It’s brutal and heart wrenching, but I’d highly recommend.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was amazzzzzzing and reminded me of "Unbroken." But the torture (even though it's fiction) and horrors are very, very difficult to read about.

Some of this is based on real places and on people who really lived. This one will stick with me for a long, long time. 5/5 stars. One of my favorite reads of the year.

[Darcy Schock · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Long March Home by Marcus Brotherton and Tosca Lee

I wish I could give this book more than five stars!

Topic or themes I saw: The strong force of friendship, camaraderie. The horrors of war and the perseverance of the human body and spirit.

Read it if you love:

✔️WWII books
✔️Books with combat
✔️POW books
✔️Strong friendships
✔️Tougher reads

Story: Inspired by true stories, The Long March Home exposes the heartbreaking reality of the Bataan Death March. This novel placed you directly into the horror of war, pain of loss, fear of what’s to come, and the test to the limits of a human body. This story had me riveted, flipping pages. It’s a gritty and hard read, but those are often my favorite. Just when you think human endurance can’t be pushed any further, it is and the characters keep going. The intense parts were broken up by a duel time-line of the past making for perfect pacing.

As I read, I had a strong desire to sweep in and rescue the men myself. Or will time to speed up for them. This book was intense and heartbreaking. There was a point in the book that just shattered my heart and I wasn’t sure I could forgive the authors 😅. They made me cry but they finished it in a beautiful way.

If you want a deeply spiritual book, don’t pick this up. But if you want a clean, incredibly beautiful read on the horrors and hero’s of WWII, pick this book up as fast as you can. I closed the last page with an even deeper appreciation for what veterans in the Philippines faced and the sacrifices they and their families made. What an incredible read that shines a light on the Bataan Death March.

If you read and loved unbroken, you will want to pick up this novel!

Main takeaway: Do your best for as long as you’re given.

A few quotes:

“They’re skinnier and dirtier than I remember—walking skeletons with skin sagging from their bones. Souls staring out from their human remains, waiting to be released.”

“It strikes me funny that at the end of life, it doesn’t matter what uniform we wore.”

Thank you Revell for a gifted copy of this novel. All opinions are my own.

[Jessica Higgins · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most moving story with the best characters, storyline and gut-wrenching moments that brought me to tears!

When World War II becomes a real threat to America, Jimmy Propfield and his best friends, Hank and Billy, join up to get out of Mobile Alabama and see the world. Jimmy is also trying to leave behind a broken heart from his high school sweetheart, Claire. The boys are sent to the Philippines which seems like a paradise compared to Alabama. On December 8, 1941, when Pearl Harbor is attacked, life as they knew it changes. They are thrown headfirst into the war with the enemy as the battle for the Pacific ensues. The last stand on the Bataan Peninsula ends with the largest surrender of American troops in history following in the Bataan Death March, one of the worst atrocities in modern warfare. The three friends band together to make it home alive not knowing they are in for a four-year fight to see family again.

I don’t remember the last time I was so moved by a work of fiction. If you had told me that a book about World War II, a historical fiction novel, would become one of my favorite books of the year, I would have laughed at you. This story was about so much more than war and history, this story was about the men that went over there and how they were changed; a story of character development that is some of the best of any written I have read in a very long time.

These two authors have collaborated to craft one of the best written stories I’ve picked up in years. I have read books by Tosca Lee before and knew immediately this would be a top of the year read for me and I can easily say that is true. Normally if you ask me what my favorite genre to read is I say suspense thriller, but I’m starting to rethink that. Honestly, if it is a well-written story with characters that grab me by the heart, I will be hooked. A great story doesn’t have to have shoot outs or fast car chases or serial killers to keep me glued to the page, characters that are on a journey like this and written so well are the best glue. Readers that are looking for a book with amazing characters, a heartfelt story, and tears as they turn the last page will not want to miss this one. If I could give this book more than 5 stars, it is one of the few I would!

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

[Kelly Bridgewater · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read a number of World War II stories. Most of them taking place in Europe. I have read a few of them that have taken place in the Pacific Theater, but not a lot. While The Long March Home does feature three friends that grew up together and show their struggles once they arrive in the Philippines with the Japanese, I had a hard time following the story. The story does have two timelines. The first one is in the past, which shows the friendship as the boys mature into young men. Then the second one shows them during World War II. The first part is interesting and shows the different sides of the boys and the coming-of-age lifestyle from Nebraska. The second plot line reads a lot like a history textbook. Japanese were bombing. Americans were running, fighting, and hiding in the foxholes. While I believe this helps show the historical aspect of the Bataan Death March, it just felt really dry to me. I wanted to have more of a story, not a textbook of the historical event. Of course, what young man in this time period did not miss a girl back home. Following one of the guys, readers will see him yearn for what happened in the past. The descriptions of the war and the setting were a play-by-play of what was happening. This is shown in an example with just a description “We held the line there for a week before being ordered to withdraw east” (Chapter 10). Overall, the World War II aspect felt more like a documentary feeling than a story feeling. Some readers this might be right up their alley, but for me, I wanted a story that I could follow and fall in love with. Not to be told what happens.

I received a complimentary copy of The Long March Home by Marcus Brotherton and Tosca Lee from Revell Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

[Kaitlyn Krispense · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy cow y'all, I don't know what to say.

The book is intense. Not so intense that most people couldn't handle it, but intense in that it's not for younger readers. War is real, it's ugly, and it's scary. The language was mostly clean - a couple of words thrown in here and there, but not enough to actually bother me.

The dual timeline messed me up at first - they usually do - but while I normally skim-read one timeline to get back to the other, I didn't this time. I definitely preferred the scenes from the war, but reading about Jimmy and Hank and Billy and Charlotte as children, and all the events that led up to this moment...it felt so real.

I suppose that was kind of the point, being inspired by true stories and all, haha.

To be honest, I adored every single one of the characters, and then I realized why: they were humans. There wasn't the holy-mission main character with adorably flawed and endearing side characters. They were all relatable. They all had their fears, they all had their flaws, and they all snuck their way into my heart without warning.

A few random things in the book that stood out to me:
-Jimmy's last name is Propfield, so his nickname is Propper and I love it. Even his COs called him Propper
-Cowboy. Roy. Whatever you want to call him. A minor character but so so good. Such a fantastic big brother
-The whole bit with Jimmy's dad. It added an entire dimension to the story that I'd love to say more about but I will refrain due to spoilers.
-It didn't wrap everything up in a pretty bow but it left me with hope and inspiration all the same

"A gripping coming-of-age tale of friendship, sacrifice, and the power of unrelenting hope." I couldn't have said it better myself.

[Stephanie Landsem · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a heartbreaking story of war, friendship, and perseverance set against the backdrop of the Pacific Theater and the Bataan Death March. The setting is unique in a sea of historical fiction based in Europe, and the writers do a masterful job of drawing the reader into the lives of these three friends who endure incredible suffering and grow in courage as the story unfolds. Be prepared for heartbreak and the realities of war, but also for a story of resilience, loyalty and ultimate hope.

[Michele Morin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Based on a true story, The Long March Home puts a face on the part of World War 2 I didn’t learn about in high school. Jimmy, Hank, and Billy leave Mobile, Alabama behind when they enlist in the army with teenage dreams of glory.

At first, it seems as if they might be on the right track. Military life on the Philippine island of Luzon seemed idyllic–until Japanese warplanes started dropping bombs and ultimately prevailed over and occupied the Bataan Peninsula.

Marcus Brotherton and Tosca Lee write with tremendous insight to the depths and heights of the human spirit, portraying luminescent heroism and dark depravity, sometimes on the same page. Images of the brand of cultural Christianity found in the deep south, the pressures of growing up in a ministry family, and the galvanizing impact of friendship communicate without interrupting the narrative flow or being even remotely preachy.

With drama and grit reminiscent of Laura Hillenbrand’s Unbroken, the captivating storyline kept me reading past a prudent lights-out for a couple of evenings. I found that I couldn’t stop rooting for the characters to somehow fulfill their vow to make it home together–even against unbelievable odds. The Long March Home is a well-written historical novel that laments the parts of history we wish had never happened and reveals the redemption that rises from the ashes of loss.

Many thanks to Revell for providing a copy of this book to facilitate my review, which is, of course, offered freely and with honesty.