I have never been interested in history -- until I started to read Kristin Hannah's historical fiction novels. She has a way with creating characters and painting a picture of the world in these different eras. In The Women, Hannah sets her novel in the sixties, with much of the novel taking place with characters who are serving in the Vietnam War. Women nurses who do the work of doctors in some instances. Frankie McGrath's brother is headed off to war. A party is thrown in his honor, and her parents are so proud of his services, and put him up on the "hero's wall.". Then Frankie hears that women can be hero's too, so she enlists to be in the army nurse corp. She is not ready for what she finds there. She grows up while serving, but when she finally comes home in 1965, she faces something worse - an America that thinks the war is wrong and so is anyone that had anything to do with it. Oh, and apparently - women did not serve in Vietnam. This novel spans over a 20-year period, so we get a glimpse of the Frankie before the war, Frankie in the war, and Frankie trying to recover after the war. She is a character that you cannot help but love and who will stay with you long after the novel is complete.

This novel is beautifully written. Hannah has a way with words and transports her readers into history to experience it, almost like they are there... witnessing right along with the characters in the novel. Watching the female friendships in the novel absolutely warmed my heart. Even in the absolutely worst times, these women found a way to be there for each other and everyone should be so lucky as to have friends like Ethel, Barb and Frankie. The subject matter was a hard one to read about, and yet, I did not want to put the book down. The book flew by for me, and I didn't want it to end. I cheered, I cried (have tissues at the ready), and I think I laughed out loud a time or two. I bet this will be an award-winning novel after it comes out in 2024.

Many Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for giving me an advanced e-galley of this novel.

This is one of those books that stays with you for a while, after you have flipped that final page.
Frankie McGrath, a 20 yr old from the California coast who never really knew hardships in her easy life, ships out to Viet Nam, as nursing school graduate, determined to follow her brother, who enlisted months before.
She quickly finds herself immersed in the midst of a battle she knew nothing about and was completely ill prepared to be part of. The boys being brough into her MASH unit are little older than herself and
are missing limbs, digits and basically, fighting for their very young and unlived lives.
The story rolls around and through the struggles of a war that was never a declared war and introduced post-traumatic stress as a new word in the American language.
A story of battlefield horrors with all the pain and misery that surrounds war as well as love. lost and found and a
search for self, amidst the whole bag.

Grateful for the advanced copy from @netgalley!

I have lots of thoughts on this one.
First, this book hits like all Kristen Hannah books. She pulls you into the story masterfully. I couldn’t help rooting for the characters and flew through it because I wanted to know what would happen.

I thought this was predictable but then it wasn’t. I loved the strong and flawed female characters that were woven so well into a really nuanced historical time. I also found myself getting so angry at gender roles of the past and women asking for help but being turned away.

One criticism I felt was that so much focused on the main character and her own struggles but one of her besties is a black woman with this story set in the 60’s. I think the story would have been better if it had highlighted with more depth the strength and challenges her friend faced coming home from Vietnam as a black woman. Her role was one of supporting bestie but I think she needs a bigger voice. Maybe we need a sequel told from her perspective? Would recommend!

This was an advanced reader copy. It does not affect my review.

Wow. I think that sums it up quite well. My husband served in the Marines but spent most of his time on ship working with communications. When I talked about this book he talked about being told not to wear his uniform when he came home.

I am 9 years younger so I only have a vague memory of what was going on during that time. This book opened my eyes. I definitely learned alot. I wish everyone would read this.

Wow! Another epic piece of literature from one of my favourite authors of all time. Imagine going off to war as a nurse in Vietnam. Hoping to make it on the heroes wall of your fathers office, making him proud. You return home from war and everyone makes you feel ashamed, especially your family, saying you were on vacation in Florence. Frankie faces so many hardships in this story, I had tears spilling on my cheeks a few times. I hope you ends up finding love, especially with that ending……….

Well done Kristin. 🙌🏻👏🏻👏🏻🤗

This author is an autobuy for me, she never disappoints.

Thanks to NetGalley, St Martins Press, and the author for an arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Once again, Kristin Hannah has hit it out of the park. If you are looking for a happy book don’t grab this one. But, if you are looking for a realistic look at what it was like to be a nurse during the Vietnam war, and all the heartache that went along with it, please jump in.

The depth of character development and plot are as good as I’ve seen. Following Frances (Frankie) through her willingness to enlist against her parents wishes, what she endured and fights through in country to her return home and the PTSD and trying to acclimate back into society with all of the struggles that go with that. And when I thought there might be a light at the end of the tunnel, it was slowly distinguished.

And absolutely stunning take and high on my list of best books. A true 5 star read.

Reviewed for NetGalley:

Very grateful to have had the opportunity to review this arc ahead of time.

Franke McGrath, while just starting her nursing degree, and saying goodbye to her brother heading off the the Vietnam War, she soon learns that women can join the fight behind the lines as part of the medic.

Spanning years, continents, great love and loss, mental illness, and friendship, Hannah does a spectacular job telling Frankie's story.

Kristin Hannah has such a wonderful and captivating style of writing, I normally have no interest in historical fiction, but that goes out the window when Hannah is involved. Another great work.

This book has impacted me like few others have.
The heroin of this story, Frankie, was so real, independent and strong! I loved her deviance to conform to what a woman of her age and in her time was expected to do; and instead forged her own path! And she did so in the most impactful ways; it was dangerous, but it was meaningful. She dedicated her life to serve and to save others, when it felt like nobody could be saved; she is a true hero!
The coming home after war era of the book, made me so upset! The inequality, the lack of resources and support for veterans, the overall hate people showed these soliders for fighting, and coming home, in a war they didn't ask for was so ugly and so emotional.
The last chapter of this book was everything; it ruined me in many ways but also in the best of ways. I was so emotional I could barely read the pages. Without spoilers, the final 3 words of this book were exactly how it needed to end; they gave me goosebumps from head to toe and frankly were the giant middle finger required for the haters that tried to discredit a solders service and sacrifice!!
Out in February, 2024; I couldn't recommend this book enough to everyone I know!

Loved this book! Another Kristin Hannah classic. I have already recommended it to my mom who was a nurse and grew up during the Vietnam War. I had no idea about the sexism encountered by the women who went to war. I thought I could have predicted how the book ended up, but I was so wrong! Great book!

3.5 stars.

Let me start by saying that I am very conflicted about this book. There's so much that's amazing and important that Kristin Hannah brings to light, but it also goes totally off the rails in the second part. It is impossible to share my gripes without spoiling it, so I'll just say that I think she threw in too much too quickly, and it may have landed better had she opted for one or two events instead. There were also a few elements that were unnecessarily repetitive.

The shining star of this book was the mental health representation. Frankie's struggles both during and after the war were enlightening and well-written. I also learned a ton about life for female veterans after the war, and it broke my heart.

Overall, I would say there was more I liked than didn't; however, the parts that I didn't care for REALLY rubbed me the wrong way.

A masterpiece! Historical fiction at its finest! Honestly a million stars! In gut wrenching detail, Kristin Hannah has penned a novel that champions the silent heroes of the Vietnam War….the women who served as nurses in the most dire of circumstances, who cared for, comforted and lived through the atrocities of war alongside the men whose lives they fought to save.

Twenty year old Frances “Frankie” McGrath has lived an idyllic life on Coronado, off the coast of San Diego. Her staunchly conservative father maintains a “hero wall”for all the McGrath men who served their country and Frankie knows that her brother who has just graduated from the naval academy and is getting ready to ship off to Vietnam, will also be included on this wall. At her brothers send off celebration, she makes a decision that will change the trajectory of her life, by finishing nursing school and enlisting in the Army Nurse Corps. Her first assignment…..Vietnam. The story follows Frankie and her fellow nurses who witness the atrocities of the war while working tirelessly to save the lives of fallen soldiers and Vietnamese villagers who land in their hospital. When Frankie returns home, she is devastated to find not only is she not considered a hero but the political unrest in the states has people spitting on her, calling her a baby killer or not willing to even acknowledge that women served in Vietnam. A journey of fighting demons begins for Frankie as she struggles through the emotional and mental wounds of the war.

I have never been more profoundly affected by a novel. I found myself sobbing with tears literally falling off my face. The war took place when I was in my late teens and early 20’s and reading this book brought back so many memories and emotions that I faced during this time in history, as an idealistic college student. Whether you are young or old, male or female, this is a must read and I encourage you to keep tissues, lots of tissues, close at hand. Thank you to NetGalley and St.Martin’s Press for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC which will undoubtably be the BEST book I’ll read this year. A huge thank you to Kristin Hannah for writing this very important, insightful and emotional story for all our women heroes, whether living or gone, who serve(d) our country at home and abroad. Publication date: February 6,2024

This was a wonderful book. It centers around a young woman, Frankie McGrath, who decides to join the Army Nurse Corps, after her brother goes off to serve in Vietnam. She is fresh out of nursing school and she makes the sudden decision to enlist when someone mentions “women can be heroes too”. She arrives in Vietnam, unprepared for the chaos and trauma she witnesses from the very start. Frankie has lived a sheltered life in Coronado Island and her journey to Vietnam is also a “coming of age” story as she learns to navigate life under harsh circumstances. The book does a wonderful job of making us feel all of what Frankie is going through - the physical and emotional toll the war was putting soldiers and nurses through. The women that served were not recognized as “serving” in the war. The book also details the difficult task of returning home and trying to adjust to a “normal” life. I found this book so well written. I found it very moving and very eye-opening to the plight of women in the 1960’s and 70’s. I recommend reading this book if you get the chance. I give it 5 stars out of 5.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. It is due to be published in Feb. 2024.

I knew I would love this book before I even started!!! I purposefully read it slooooow because so wanted to soak in all its glory, and I’m so glad I did. Kristin Hannah strikes again with a 5⭐️ historical fiction piece of ART, this time about the nurses in the Vietnam War, post war life, and the struggles the veterans faced when they came back to America

this book has it all, but are we surprised??? of course it does!
🤓 HISTORY: let’s just start off with how much I learned from this one lol I swear this woman teaches me more than I ever learned in history class. the amount of research that goes into these books is incredible. so much of the Vietnam War was explained and brought to life in full detail and also full heartbreak 😭😭
💔 EMOTION: speaking of heartbreak, wowwwww. war is never easy to read or hear about and the story of these women and men during and after the war is gut wrenching at times. not to mention the personal stories you learn about the characters, and watching them face some heavy struggles up close… very sad but so so good (for the sake of the story, of course lol)
🗣️ FEMALE PROTAGONIST: Frankie is a character that is going to stick with me for a very very very long time. I love her so much. she is strong, independent, trustworthy, broken, scarred, emotional, and all around wonderful. sure she makes mistakes but she is struggling so hard and you just want to keep rooting for her. I’m so glad Kristin Hannah brought this character to life (thank you🙏🏼!!!)
🫶🏼 LOVE: yes there is some romance sprinkled into this book but most importantly the love between friends and family is such a strong theme and it really carries book and makes it oh so wonderful. the female friendships in this book are 10/10. everyone deserves friends like Barb and Ethel

THE WOMEN is out February 2024 and trust meeeee you’re gonna want to get your hands on this one!! huge thank you as always to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the early digital copy of this book. all thoughts are my own 😊

💕💕💕FAV QUOTES:
“Thank God for girlfriends. In this crazy, chaotic, divided world that was run by men, you could count on the women.”

“The women had a story to tell, even if the world wasn’t quite yet ready to hear it, and their story began with three simple words. We were there.”

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and author for a chance to read The Women by Kristin Hannah.

The Nightingale is one of my all time favourite books and I have really enjoyed many of the Hannah books I’ve read, so I was excited to read her newest, The Women. It definitely doesn’t disappoint. Set during the war in Vietnam, this book follows the life of Frankie McGrath as she joins the Army to become a nurse. The first half of the book follows her life in Vietnam, with the second following her life after the fact.

This book was really well written and obviously a ton of research went into it. I didn’t know a lot about the war in Vietnam so I was interested to read and flew through the first bit quite quickly. The second half was also a good read, showing Frankie dealing with the aftermath and life after war. I did find the last bit a bit rushed and the end I predicted from like 30% in. However, this book is 100% worth reading. It reads super well, is written very well and you will love Frankie as the main character.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

I am a huge fan of the author and was so excited to be able to read her upcoming book The Women. It is the story of Frankie McGrath, a 20 year old in 1966 who just graduated college with a degree in nursing. She decides impulsively to enlist in the army as a nurse in Vietnam. The book is the story of her experience there and the difficult road after she returns to the US. I could not put this book down! I was so engrossed in the story! There were definitely difficult parts to read but ultimately there was hope in the end. I cannot recommend this book enough!

This was my first Kristin Hannah experience. I went in with high expectation and quickly realized this was not for me. I found the topic valiant. I value the attempt to express the female experience in the Vietnam war. The writing lacked style and the pacing shook me around a little bit. I could not connect with or find myself interested in any of the characters or their relationships. Overall, I see the appeal and I understand why Hannah has such a following. But this was not for me. I would definitely be willing to give her another chance in the future.

When The Women is published in 2024 it will be on all the celebrity book club lists and will be touted as one of the books of the year. There is just so much to discuss! I finished this yesterday and can't stop thinking about it and calling friends to talk about it.
Without a doubt there is a lot here. This is a lengthy book, covering many years and multiple settings. Beginning in 1965, we follow Frankie McGrath through two tours of duty as an army nurse in Vietnam. We witness her struggles with re-entry, difficulties with relationships, family, employment, and we are saddened by her self destructive behaviors.

It was tempting for the author to address every aspect of the war and the post war era. Clearly that puts the reader in emotional overload at times. That's Kristin Hannah at her peak. Where she surprised me was with the wisdom, thoughtfulness and poignancy of her wrap up. That was good writing.

The Women will undoubtedly stir an interest in the Vietnam era and especially the situations women found themselves in. It is an under represented aspect of the history books, so many thanks to Kristin Hannah. Thank you also to NetGalley and St Martin's press for this ARC, in exchange for an unbiased review.

The Women~Outstanding a five star read! Be ready for one heart break after another. I learned the most I ever have about the Vietnam War and the soldiers that served even if they were not given the credit for being there. So many people are for women's rights yet at the same time there was no credit for service or support when they returned. Today politicians want to put mental health services in the forefront. Yet we are willing to continue on the path of WAR without services.

Frances McGrath was a woman before her time. She volunteered for Vietnam. Served her first term and knew she had more in her. Did a second tour, was there for soldier after soldier. For villager after villager, always being kind. To return home to a country that did not support soldiers, especially women soldiers. Time after time her family and community knocked her down. Thank goddess for good friends that will drop everything to scope Frank up and give her the will to carry on.

Gripping, heartbreaking and takes your breath away over and over.

Thank you NetGalley for this wonderful ARC!

Kristin Hannah's newest novel, The Women, tells the story of the forgotten women who sacrificed their own lives to help save others in Vietnam. Frances McGrath comes from a family who's men are honored veterans. However, when "Frankie" decides to represent her country as a nurse in Vietnam, she is shocked when her family doesn't share the same sense of pride.

The Women is a story of Frankie's experiences in Vietnam and her struggles when she returns home. Hannah bravely reflects the time period and struggles many had. The characters are beautifully developed and the plot is eloquently written. Although this book is a difficult read, I could not put it down. I absolutely loved it. Thank you NetGalley for an arc of Kristin Hannah's newest novel in exchange for an honest review. Once again, Kristin Hannah did not disappoint.

It's 1965 and Frances “Frankie” McGrath, an inexperienced twenty year old nurse, joins the Army Nurse Corps on an impulse in order to follow her brother into Vietnam. Having been raised sheltered and privileged Frankie is immediately overwhelmed by the harsh realities of war. When Frankie finally does come home she is drastically changed, as is the America she thought she knew...

Very mixed feelings on this one... Loved the portrayal of strong female nurses and their contributions in Vietnam. Their strength and struggles and the lifelong friendships they built with one another were portrayed beautifully. While a book set in Vietnam is naturally going to be a "heavy" read, tragedy after tragedy occurs throughout and it becomes almost overwhelming at times. The ending felt somewhat rushed and we would have LOVED to have had more of a focus on Barb and Ethel, her two amazing friends, and a little less on the men who she allows to derail her life. Basically, more of the women in The Women.

Many thanks to #netgalley and #stmartinspress for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Goodreads Review- 9/8/23: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5716825976
Instagram Review- 9/11/23: https://www.instagram.com/the_books_we_love_/