This book, as so many of Kristin Hannah’s, opens our eyes to some forgotten women from history. I found the story intriguing, and I wanted to research more about the time period when I was done.

It wasn’t my favorite of her books, as I felt in comparison to The Nightingale and The Great Alone, the characters could have used a bit more development.

Fantastic novel that really sheds light on an often neglected and forgotten about aspect of women’s history. Especially enjoyed the camaraderie among the women and how it didn’t shy away from the tough life and trouble with reentry these women had.

This book an eye opening, and largely untold story of the women who held all kinds of roles during the Vietnam War. The material is HEAVY. Heartbreak, death, and deception are themes that rear their ugly heads time and time again. But so does friendship, and love, fierce loyalty and bravery. I would recommend this to anybody interested in learning more about the path women took during the war. Just know that the hits keep coming so buckle up and hold on tight.

WOW WOW WOW. I don't think I will ever get over this story. I was hesitant because it is technically historical fiction and that genre can be a bit dry, in my opinion. This story though was anything but dry. The emotional rollercoaster Kristin Hannah takes you on is unforgettable. The historical truth, the loss, the grieving, the research she put in, the way you can so easily relate to Frankie makes The Women hands down one of the best books I've ever read. I don't have enough words to show how much I loved this story from start to end. I am not one to cry in a book unless something happens to an animal, but this ending left me sobbing. I would give this 1,000 stars if I could.

Powerful and amazing read. Read it quickly without stopping! Another great story from Kristin Hannah! It did not disappoint. One of her best.

omen can be heroes. When twenty-year-old nursing student Frances “Frankie” McGrath hears these words, it is a revelation. Raised in the sun-drenched, idyllic world of Southern California and sheltered by her conservative parents, she has always prided herself on doing the right thing. But in 1965, the world is changing, and she suddenly dares to imagine a different future for herself. When her brother ships out to serve in Vietnam, she joins the Army Nurse Corps and follows his path.

As green and inexperienced as the men sent to Vietnam to fight, Frankie is over-whelmed by the chaos and destruction of war. Each day is a gamble of life and death, hope and betrayal; friendships run deep and can be shattered in an instant. In war, she meets—and becomes one of—the lucky, the brave, the broken, and the lost.

But war is just the beginning for Frankie and her veteran friends. The real battle lies in coming home to a changed and divided America, to angry protesters, and to a country that wants to forget Vietnam.

The Women by Kristin Hannah is one of the best books I read this year. The protagonist, Frances “Frankie” McGrath volunteers as a nurse during the Vietnam War. What makes this a stellar novel is the historic setting and realistic treatment of what it was like for women in Vietnam. Of course, Kristin Hannah’s writing is beautiful as well. Highly recommend!

One of my favorite things about Kristin Hannah is, she does her research! And The Women was another perfect example. This story was extremely well written, I loved the point of view coming from not only the Vietnam War, but focusing on the women's experience. As a reader, Hannah, gives you factual information, moments of deep thought and reflection. This was a perfect read for our store book club. And it really added to our conversation that we had a male who read the story as well for a different opinion. I thought Frankie really grew as a character and well developed as written.

Kristin Hannah's historical novels are always some of my favorites, and I was excited to read this one.

The book centers around Frankie, her experiences as a nurse during the Vietnam War, and her life afterward. As expected, there were times in the novel that were heart-warming and times that were sad and emotional. I always know that I have to save Hannah's books for times when I'm willing to be emotional annihilated, and this book is no exception.

If you're a fan of Hannah's or of historical fiction, this is one you don't want to miss!

Holy moly folks, I officially have a new favorite Kristin Hannah novel! The Women completely destroyed me and this is going to be a top favorite of all time as well as easily making my top 25 in 2025 list. I wish I hadn’t waited a year to read it, though part of me kept putting it off because I had a feeling I was going to love it, and it’s not like I can ever read it again fresh. It’s rare that I read historical fiction that isn’t focused on WWII, and it was refreshing to get a Vietnam War storyline for once. I was riveted to the book and after I started the audiobook, I didn’t put it down until I was done. Frankie’s story was one of courage and heartache and I found myself thinking hasn’t this poor girl been through enough? It hurts to know her story, despite being fictional, is a very real experience women had of the war.

I will forever be singing praises for the audiobook as well and I loved that Julia Whelan (the queen 👑 of audio narration) was the voice of our girl Frankie. It was also wonderful to have the author herself read the dedication as well as her author’s note and acknowledgements. Whelan perfectly expressed every emotion that was in this story and the author’s note made even more of an impact on me after finishing the book. The pacing was very steady though there was a lot more graphic description and action during the time Frankie was in Vietnam. I learned so much about the political climate during that time as well as the war itself, and I loved the mix of that with an epic story of love, family, friendship, and betrayal. Triggers should be checked prior to reading, but this would make an excellent book club pick, and I would love to see it onscreen someday!

Read this if you are looking for beautifully vivid writing, female strength in desperate times, and a dash of romance.

Audiobook Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Absolutely breathtaking fabulous book. This is the first book in a long time where I truly lost myself. The outside world disappeared. Kristin Hannah has a way with words that paints a picture of where the story is taking place. To the point you feel like you’re the main character.

Kristin Hannah is one of my favorite authors, and she knocks it out of the park again with The Women! I could not put this book down, it was a complete page-turner... and I loved the ending!!

4.5 stars!
This is my first book by Kristin Hannah and for sure it will not be my last. I absolutely enjoyed this book. Its heartbreaking and the book is so written well to the point that I start feeling the emotions that draw the reader to continue

Kristin Hannah is truly great at weaving emotion into her stories!

Having read Hannah before, I did find this story to be a bit predictable on most of the main plot points. However, that doesn’t mean that I didn’t feel the tug on my heartstrings as she intended.

A story about the Vietnam War, and from a woman veteran’s perspective, The Women delves into the reaction the war received from civilians, and the even stronger reaction women veterans received from civilians. This story is full of anger, sadness, pride, and the struggle to cope with the after-effects of war.

Wonderfully done, as always. 4 stars

I enjoyed Hannah's books as each provides a strong female character (or characters) and a thoughtful storyline that always packs a punch at some point for that "moment" when something changes. This book followed that style, but on a topic I didn't know much about -- the female nurses in Vietnam. We meet a very likable character Frances “Frankie” McGrath and follow her story over 20 years. Have your kleenex ready as it does pull at your heart strings and emotions -- as all Hannah books do. Very readable and for any fans of Hannah's or who enjoy historical fiction, it's well worth it for the plot, but also to learn more about the unsung heroines of any war -- the nurses.

The Women by Kristin Hannah brings us to the Vietnam War, particularly to the women who served. As with other Kristin Hannah books, this one covers a lot of ground, incorporating a multitude of challenges and issued faced by these women - as women, as those who served in war, as survivors, and as veterans. Frankie is a memorable character telling a memorable story.

Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2025/03/the-women.html

Reviewed for NetGalley.

I really learned so much about the Vietnam war from this book and found it completely devastating in so many ways. I think the book was well researched and offered something unique. This was definitely a great read, however I struggled with the transition between the time leaving Vietnam and acclimating back in the states. I really felt that there was a lot there that was extraneous and it meandered a bit. Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley.

It is no secret that I am a fan of Kristin Hannah’s work and I was really excited to get an advanced copy of The Women. This story depicts the Viet Nam War through the eyes of the women who signed up to serve as nurses. This is a story of war, love, feminism and how the world treated the veterans when they returned home with no supports. Ms. Hannah, you did it again! I can see why they are going to make this one into a movie - it will be great!

Full review to come on Goodreads and Amazon. Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for a review copy.

Kristin Hannah is an incredible story writer. The women was by far one of my favorite stories. This had a journey of friendship, romance, courage, strength, and finding yourself. Kristin's writing always makes you feel like you're inside the story and that's how I felt reading this. It shows the struggle women endured being in the military but also war. The PTSD flashbacks were such a vital part of Frankie finding herself after she returned from the war. It really takes friends to come together and help each other through tough times. The friendships shown in this book were everything I could want from Kristin's writing.