Customer Reviews

On Wings of the Morning

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3 star:		(1)
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What a wonderful way to tell a story! We're given two main characters to follow through the years of 1933 to 1975. Each narrates his/her own story, switching back and forth from chapter to chapter. Morgan and Georgia emerged from completely different backgrounds, yet shared a single passion. The passion of flight, so exquisitely expressed by Marie, that the reader is transported to the sky. At once a heartfelt and visual experience, it is impossible to not become fully invested in the lives of these two individuals as they fledge toward a relationship.

Although the book takes place during World War II and carries with it much historical content, it is so much more than just historical fiction. Marie has developed a variety of secondary characters, with colorful personalities. In doing so, she has livened up the mix, and given us the opportunity to feel a multitude of emotions toward everyone in the story. There are those that are sadly comical, the ones you love to hate, and those that have struggled through hardship and can only be an inspiration. This book had me both crying and laughing outright.

Wings of the Morning can be read simply, as an easy-flowing love story, or as an example of patriotism and the recognition of the women of the WASPs, or if you are so inclined, delve deeply, and delight in the spiritual side of the story, consider such intriguing topics as Nature vs Nurture. But most of all, enjoy what Marie so capably brings to the mind's eye.

This book really ought to come with a warning. Seriously. Maybe not on the front cover as it would mar the pretty cover but on the first page there should be a warning label done in cheerful yellow stating that once you pick this book up, you will not be able to put it back down till the last page has been turned.

Ok, so no cheerful yellow label. But that's my warning.

I have read all of Bostwick's books and I have fallen in love with every single one of them, this one being no exeception. This one is Morgan's story. Morgan is Eva's son who was born with a heart of gold and a desire to fly the skies like his father did. Only, he never knew the deep dark secret of his life till later. And that secret ironically saved his life.

And this is Georgia's story as well. An illegimate daughter of a woman who relies on her looks to attract men, Georgia never knew where her dreams would take her till she saw Lindbergh's plane leaving the Chicago airport when she was a child. Her dreams soared to the skies and she became one of the few elite who joined the WASPs in WWII. Though attractive and pretty, the young widow refused all offers of male companionships till she met Morgan. Even then, she had a hard time resisting his natural charms.

This is a lovely love story and one that will take your heart soaring through the skies with their dreams. It is inspirational and beautifully written. It is a keeper in anyone's library. As this reader can testify, you won't regret reading this one.

2/22/08

Bostwick's novels are historical fiction love stories that feature dedicated,strong women who successfully overcome life's hardships and setbacks to achieve their goals. WINGS tells the story of the Women's Air Service Pilots (WASP); an organization of brave women who helped win World War II, and about which too little is known. This book will go a long way to making that history better known. One of the main characters is Georgia, one of these pilots. Readers will cheer her as she succeeds in her life's desire to become a pilot.

Readers who are looking for books that are inspiring, uplifting, soul satisfying, and that celebrates the virtues of honor, duty, dedication, and love that endures, buy books written by Bostwick. You will not be disappointed. Fans of Jan Karon will fall in love with Marie Bostwick.

This was a heartwarming story following the lives of two people that love flying and whose lives interweave at various points in their history. Morgan Glennon grew up in a small Oklahoma village and at a young age began a passion with flying. Morgan is illegitimate and his mother won't tell him the identity of his father and this has caused him much heartache as he grows up and decides to become a professional pilot, eventually being part of the war against Japan in World War II. However he has bumped into Georgia Welles, a widow who is also a WASP (a female pilot that carries out deliveries and other tasks) and finds himself interested in her. However Georgia is quite remote from him and he doesn't understand why. Half of the chapters are written from Georgia's point of view and we understand that her illegitimacy and her difficult mother have very much affected her belief in love. Georgia pours her energy and talent into flying and yet she can't forget about Morgan.

When Morgan is missing in action Georgia realises her feelings for him, and when Morgan believes he is going to die he reconsiders his life and what is important. The shock of discovering the identity of his father followed by his forced landing makes him reconsider some of his ideas about life and God and Georgia.

This book has a firm Christian thread running through its pages with both hero and heroine behaving morally and with integrity. The author doesn't lay the spiritual side on too thick, it's a gentle leavening of the story which helps the characters to understand a little more of their position in the world and to each other. The detail of flying in America in the 1930s and 40s is fascinating, particularly with regard to Georgia's role as a WASP. This is a gentle and touching love story, a sequel to 'Fields of Gold', the story of Morgan's mother, but it worked excellent as a standalone novel. It's a book to savour and enjoy.

Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book © Helen Hancox 2008

Reviewed by Jamie Driggers

Morgan has lived under a smothering pile of secrets his whole life. Though he has fabricated a story about his absent father, Morgan still grew up with the stigma of having an un-wed mother. His only escape from his tightly bound soul is in the air, flying. It is only natural, then, that he will enlist and become a fighter pilot when the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor.

Georgia has grown up under her own set of secrets and limitations. Though her unwed mother is ever searching for the man to rescue her from her woes, Georgia takes to the sky where flying gives her everything she perceives a man cannot. And as WWII progresses, Georgia will devote her time and energy flying for the WASP.

Through several brief encounters, the worlds of these two collide, sometimes creating sparks and other times friction. But will anything create the healing that each of them so desperately need?

On Wings of the Morning is a beautiful tale of heartbreak and aspiration, of overcoming and loss. I love the little known history behind the WASP and the minute details that set the period. I especially appreciated the realistic characters with realistic flaws--who didn't always give in to their desires.

There were entire passages that made the writer in me mark for their beauty or poignancy. Unfortunately a couple also felt contrived. Without revealing too much, I need to say I'm also a little uncomfortable with the paternity "reveal." Though it made good story, I felt the need to squirm at what the living family might think, even with the author's disclaimer at the end.

Armchair Interviews says: This story was a fascinating concept with a beautiful ending and lovely writing.

I just loved this book - so far it is my favorite one Marie has written! Bostwick is an excellent writer and I enjoyed her book from the first page to the last.

The story unfolds in just a perfect way... you may think you know what will happen around the corner but Bostwick surprises you each time! Great read and a wonderful gift for family and friends. Keep writing Marie! Can't wait for the next one! PS: Pamela Hellman is my favorite character. Keep up the good work!!!

...continues the story of Morgan, a farm-town boy raised in humble surroundings by an amazing woman and his grandfather. If you haven't read Fields of Gold, I highly recommend reading it first. It is not absolutely necessary, as this could stand alone, but it makes the reading so much better to know the background. I found the two books to be very different from each other, however, the first one being more in depth into the personalities and relationships of the main characters. Morgan is a little boy in Fields, with a love of flying and natural born gene for it on his paternal side. His mother is a shy introverted but admirable woman, and the first book is more about her, and about how she fell in love with a famous pilot but never married Morgan's father. We don't hear much more about her in the sequel, as her life is quietly settled by then.

This sequel continues on with Morgan's love of flying, and introduces us to Georgia, a young woman with the same passion for flying at a time (during WWII) when it was difficult for women to get into the field and be respected. The WASP organization gave a chosen few that opportunity, and this young woman was one of them. Ultimately her path is crossed with Morgan's and we can foresee their personal destinies will overlap. We also are exposed to her struggle to measure up to the male perception of her abilities as a pilot, always having to prove herself. I loved her spunk and passion for the craft. There is a lot of history here, with the WASPs and as usual, Marie has done an exceptional job in the research and brought us a wonderful story which will touch the hearts of women everywhere and make them proud.

I think the character development was better in Fields, but found Wings to be a satisfying read and do recommend it. I have read all of her books and they never disappoint.

In a Christmas paperback called Comfort and Joy, Marie Bostwick is one of 4 authors writing short holiday stories and in my humble opinion, hers was the only one worth reading - the only one that had the true message of Christmas wrapped up in a short lovely story with wonderful characters. Loved it.

This was an exdcellent book! I thoroughly enjoyed readding it! It was very hard to put the book down. Good supplement to the first book "Fields of Gold".

This was a nice story. It is the sequel to Fields Of Gold. I highly recommend one reads that one first to understand Morgan and where he comes from. I liked this novel a lot more tho mainly because it has a lady pilot in it, whereas its predecessor was about Charles Lindbergh and a farm girl.

This book does the back and forth thing but it is not done in a confusing manner. One chapter tells Georgia's side of the story and then next chapter tells us what is going on in Morgan's mind. Georgia is a WASP (women air service pilot) from a troubled home. We meet her in the early days of her childhood and watch her grow into a young woman with the desire to fly. She accomplishes her goal and also aides in the war effort. She finds and loses love. She loses and regains faith. She also narrates about her WASP training and readers meet a lot of great lady pilots. And of course, she tells of the disagreeable men she must deal with on a daily basis.

Morgan is the unknown child of Charles Lindbergh tho he does not know it. He grew up on a small farm in Oklahoma, but like Georgia, has always wanted to fly. He enlists and flies bombers in World War 2 and his paths often cross with the beautiful Georgia. Morgan's narratives will englighten readers about world war 2 aircraft as well as details about the dangers fighter pilots faced during that time of history.

Will Morgan survive the war? Will Georgia allow herself to love again? Perhaps these two will unite before the end of the book...

A good story. I highly recommend it for aviation buffs. I think this is somewhat a Christian novel tho as there was a lot of relgious content regarding prayer, faith, and also a bit of preaching.

When I read a book I look for a story that engages and entertains me. If it's a really good book, I gain knowledge or insight in having read it. This book accomplished all of that for me. Ms. Bostwick did a very nice job conveying the passion felt by Georgia and Morgan for flying and how each was affected by their own illegitimacy. I loved the spiritual and patriotic elements. She also educated me on an area in our nation's history I only new vaguely. I was aware that women were involved in the military in non-combat roles during WWII, but I never new the role of the WASP. What an amazing and strong group of women. I took a look at the web site referenced by Ms. Bostwick at the back of the book...very interesting information.