Wow, wow, wow! Kristin Hannah has done a truly miraculous thing with THE WOMEN. She's created a story that is raw, heartbreaking, gut-wrenching, captivating, but at the same time beautiful, fulfilling, and educational. THE WOMEN follows Frankie McGrath, a young woman from California, who enlists as an Army combat nurse during the Vietnam War. As a child of the 80s, I'd heard stories of how American didn't support the war effort, but I was not at all prepared for how this book shed light on the treatment of veterans and troops during this time. My heart ached for these men and women who gave everything for their country, only to be treated like criminals upon their return. This is a beautiful story of family, redemption and forgiveness. One my top 3 favorite books of all time, easily....

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I have been looking forward to reading this book ever since I saw it mentioned on the author's Facebook feed. I love Kristin Hannah and I literally squealed when I got approved to be an early reader for her. That said, this book was everything I hoped and imagined it would be. I wish I could give more than 5 stars! This is one of those books that make you question every other 5 star rating you've ever given because those books are nowhere near as amazing as this one. I knew after about 4 chapters in, that I was going to be wishing I could read this again for the first time. I tried to make it last and savored every single word.
This story is about Frankie, who decides to be a combat nurse in Vietnam during the war because she wants to be a hero in her father's eyes. The details of the environment and the war itself had me feeling like I was right there "in the shit" with all of the combat nurses, doctors, and injured soldiers.
The descriptions of how those same nurses and soldiers were treated when they came home had me feeling angry and hurt for them. Kristin Hannah has such a beautiful way with words that the story not only plays through my head with all the vivid details of a movie, but I also feel all the things each character is feeling.
The love, loss, heartache, and healing in The Women makes this story an important one that I think everyone should read (even if you don't think you want to read a story about the Vietnam war). It's definitely in my top 3 books I've read in my entire life.

Kristin Hannah is one of my favorite authors so this pains me to write. I did not love this one. I found the pacing to be way off and thought way too much was going on in the book.

I don't know if I can find the words to describe how inspiring and heartbreaking this book is. I couldn't believe where Frankie's story took me. I learned so much about the Vietnam War, particularly about women's roles, and I couldn't believe how veterans, particularly women veterans, were received when they came home. This book is all about Frankie's journey in both worlds, and how both affected how she viewed herself and her life.

While I didn't agree with some of Frankie's choices, I could definitely see why she made them. She is a deeply flawed character who went through SO MUCH, but she's also a woman just trying to do good in the world, even if the world hates her. She has stunning growth through this book, and I cried for her.

Most of all, I love how this book made me think and reimagine history. I'm painfully not well-versed in the Vietnam War and its aftereffects, but this book went deep into the nitty gritty of it. It's emotional (what Kristin Hannah book isn't), and I can tell this book will leave a lasting effect on me. My only critiques are that it is a bit slow in the middle and I very much disagreed with one of Frankie's choices, so much so that it almost ruined her character for me. But overall, I really liked this book, and I think it's a mandatory read for every American.

Writing Aesthetic/Style: 4
Plot/Movement: 4
Character Development: 5
Overall: 4

Thank you, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley, for the arc!
Release Date: February 6, 2024

Trigger/Content Warnings: detailed war violence, gore, and death (including children); medical procedures and surgeries described in detail; several fade to black scenes; pregnancy and miscarriage; cheating/an affair; drug and alcohol abuse; suicide attempts; car crash; near drowning; misogony

This book….THIS BOOK! I don’t even have the words. I could not put it down, it sucked me in immediately. Frankie’s story was inspiring and devastating, as the stories of all the women who experienced that war, or any other, are, I am sure. The trauma, the inequality, the at times condescension and superiority from others, and yet still the hope for change - these are all so incredibly relevant today despite how much has changed since Vietnam. I cannot recommend this story enough.

The Women by Kristin Hannah is a book that I can't quit thinking about, a week after I finished it.

It centers on Frankie, a young woman whose brother is in the Navy and is sent to Vietnam, and fresh out of nursing school, she follows to help how she can in the war.

Once in the Army Nurse Corp., with the help of her bunkmates, she is immediately immersed in the realities of medical service in a war zone. Amidst the horrors that she has to see, she creates life long friendships, serves her patients in all that she can do and after two tours, returns home.

Once home, she doesn't get the heroic welcome she anticipated - no one acknowledges what she went through and that women actually were there or made a difference.

Ms. Hannah brings the horror of real life after Vietnam through PTSD, hatred of Americans for anyone who was there and the way our Vets struggled to return to "normal". Her way with words drew me in and made me realize that female friendships really are the best thing ever.

I can't wait for this to release, so I can suggest for my book club.

This book was given to me as an ARC by NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

The Women is both absolutely beautiful and completely heartbreaking. It's been a long time since a book has captivated me this strongly emotionally (especially on the tears front), and this did it. This is about the women of the Vietnam War. Specifically, it focuses on women who served as nurses who are often forgotten in considering service and impact of this war. Their story is honest and raw and so well-told. This war was before I was alive, and most of what I've read/seen is through the eyes of men, so this was a powerful story as it was told through this lens. Frankie is an incredibly compelling main character, especially with the stories of her service and her relationships. I have loved Kristin Hannah's historical fiction, and this to me is her absolute best. I cannot say enough how incredible this book is. Thanks to NetGalley for the early look at this February 2024 release. Add this to your lists now, and let me know once you've read as I would love to process this journey with others.

Wow. I needed sometime after finishing this book to gather my thoughts. Kristin Hannah has done again. This book is utterly amazing and I don’t have anything negative to say about it. The way Kristin Hannah writes is like no other author I’ve read before. She made me feel so compassionately about these characters the entire time reading this book. I was not born until the early 90’s so what I have learned about the war in Vietnam was unfortunately very little in school. The Women has shed so much light on the brutal conditions and hardships of all the women who were there even though “there were no women in Vietnam”. She was able to demonstrate the grief and journeys many individuals had faced during this time through the characters in the book. I was impressed with how she was able to incorporate Frankie’s parents and the loved ones who may not have experienced the war directly but the aftermath (nightmares, addiction etc) as well as the perspective of them waiting for their loved ones to come home. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this from a woman’s perspective and am embarrassed to say I had absolutely no idea what these women went through when they came home after risking their lives fighting for their country. Not only was the story and writing captivating but the honest and brutal accuracy of history was overwhelming. The way she was able to take the reader on this heart wrenching journey of grief and coming of age was something I’ve never experienced before and am so happy I did, Thank you Kristin Hannah for writing something so raw and allowing us readers to take this journey with you. I am overwhelmed and so thankful I was able to read this ARC. Thanks to NetGalley snd St Martin’s Press.

Thank you to NetGallery for the advance ecopy of this title. This is a magnificent, seeping story of Frankie McGrath who impulsively enlists as an army nurse at the height of the Vietnam War. Her brother was recently killed in action, and a small part of her wanted to be a hero in her family's legacy. She leaves for Vietnam without parental support, and arrives with no knowledge of the horrors of war. She becomes an outstanding combat nurse, meets lifelong friends, and has her heart broken more than once.

Upon return to the US, she is shunned and dismissed for her service, and astounded that veteran's groups refuse to support her, stating"therew were no women in Vietnam." She finally receives the help she needs, and the acceptance of her parents, and goes on to pay thear forward to other women like herself.

This is a heart-wrenching, full-bodied story told impeccably by Kristen Hannah. Hightly recommend!

The Women is Kristin Hannah’s poignant, uplifting, sad, wonderful story about the nurses who served in Vietnam but who went unrecognized by the powers that be for far too long. Part One details the story of three nurses caught in the bloody war trying to save the lives of those fighting and the Vietnamese caught up in the conflict. Part Two spotlights the struggles these women faced when they came home…reviled, spat upon and lied about. This reviewer came of age during these years and remembers the news reports, the protests, the music, POW bracelets and the difficulties a lot of my friends’ husbands had readjusting to civilian life. My brother-in-law was Dust Off pilot. This book is an important lesson in history that should not be ignored. Just know that once you start reading you will not want to close this book unfinished. I voluntarily reviewed an advance copy of this book from NetGalley. Most highly recommend.

Oh my god,
I can't believe that I was selected to read Kristin Hannah's book, I am so grateful! I actually screamed.

As many of you know, I am a huge Kristin Hannah fan. I wait every four years for her books, and when the time comes, I'll even call off work on release day so that I can binge the book. And I will still read it on release day. Lucky me.

I was born in the 1990s, so I never had to live through Vietnam. While I had family, friends, and teachers who fought in Vietnam, I didn't have to deal with the disgusting war and so many deaths that didn't have to happen. I know that my aunt and my mom still get really angry when they talk about Vietnam. This book really helped me understand the anger and the sense of their country betraying their trust and lying to the American people.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book for its unique perspective, as it delved into the experiences of a woman dedicated to serving her country and supporting the soldiers. Kristin Hannah skillfully sheds light on the often overlooked contributions of female nurses and other courageous women who risked their lives during the war. It was truly refreshing to see these remarkable individuals finally receiving the recognition they deserve.

I fell in love with Frances “Frankie” McGrath, she's 21 and and a nurse and her brother ships out to serve in Vietnam, she impulsively joins the Army Nurse Corps and follows his path. Frankie felt very real to me and because the book spans on a 20-year journey with Frankie, we really get to know her and Frankie very soon realizes that she's not regarded as a war hero like the men who fought in combat. People dismiss her and her family is embarrassed by her, we get to see her struggle with PTSD and I was in tears reading this book.

I was so happy to get an early copy of this book prior to publication! Kristin Hannah is an amazing and accomplished author, and this book does not disappoint. The book is sent in America during the turbulent 1960s. Frankie was raised in a sheltered family, but strikes out on a different path when she follows her brother to Vietnam; she enlists in the Army as a nurse. In Vietnam, Frankie gets more than she bargained for, along with everyone else. It is overwhelming, but those feelings become even more so when she returns to America which is embroiled in political division and changed from what she knew. This book is more than just a story about Frankie's experiences; it is a reminder that many women went not only to Vietnam, but other traumatic places as well. And a reminder that we should not forget them, for they are heroes as well. Women are veterans, women have contributed to American society in ways beyond domestic, and women also suffer from the same after effects as men do when it comes to traumatic events. A phenomenal and riveting read.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC. Kristin is one of my absolute favourite authors and she’s done it again. The Women transported me, while this was a time I wasn’t alive I felt as if I could have been. Frankie’s story undoubtedly hits home with many who have felt the same way. Many of those topics are still wildly relevant today, I think everyone can take away something from her story. Love, loss, betrayal, turbulent relationships, grief and finally healing, Frankie’s story spans years, telling what it was like for women serving in the Vietnam War. I 10/10 recommend.

I have read every single one of Kristin Hannah's books and loved them all, The Women is now my favorite. This book explores the Vietnam War through the viewpoint of the war nurses. It really shows the terrors of war, and the devastating aftermath.

This book took me on a rollercoaster of emotions, and has left a lasting impression on me.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Net Galley for the advanced reader copy

Kristin Hannah has the gift of transporting readers to a new place and time. In her latest book, The Women, we meet Frankie, who enlists in the Army as a combat nurse in Vietnam. She’s following in the footsteps of her brother, as well as generations of her family before her.

The Women shines a light on the brutal Vietnam war - specifically the women who served - and a period in history that isn’t often discussed. Frankie isn’t a perfect person and I enjoyed seeing her character evolve from an idealistic 21-year-old who just wants to serve her country, to a gifted combat nurse, to a fragile veteran who returns to a country where she’s reviled and everyone (even the VA) insists that women didn’t serve in Vietnam. Frankie has the same issues with PTSD as many men, but she never seems to fit in anywhere. She makes mistakes but remains true to herself through the hardships life throws at her.

Hannah places special emphasis on friendship, family and healing. The romances are touching and there are some unexpected twists that seem too unrealistic. One twist was good, two was overkill IMHO.

Hannah really captures life in the sixties, seventies and eighties, from the music, clothes and cars mentioned to the political atmosphere.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC.

No one does it better than Kristin Hannah. The Vietnam War is deeply personal to my family, and I was weary going into this knowing that this book focuses on that, but also curious, wanting to see how it was represented.

This story captured the anguish, the grief, and the devastation that this war had and still has on those who served and their families. The Women amplified the voices of those hushed by a country for so many years. You felt a tangible connection to these characters and their experiences. This book really blurred the lines between fiction and reality, because the story Kristin told is the truth.

Kristin Hannah captured this moment in time and delivered it with such power, care, and eloquence. 5 stars is not enough for this book.

I am so thankful to have been provided an ARC to this book and to have been able to read this raw and beautifully written story early. Thank you St. Martins Press and Kristin Hannah for the amazing opportunity. I encourage everyone to pick this up upon release and read the truths so often passed by and forgotten.

Everyone should put this on their TBR list and get it when it releases in 2024. I loved Kristin Hannah's The Nightingale but I think I might love The Women more. It's that good.

The story is about Frankie (Frances) who grows up across on the beach in Coronado Island, wealthy and privileged. It opens as her brother is heading to Vietnam as is expected from his family of military servicemen. As brother Finley is about to ship out, someone says to Frankie that women can be heroes too. In the 60's this isn't something you think about. Your job is the get married and have babies and take care of your family. But Frankie is desperate to make a difference. So she signs up with the Army nurses and is sent to Vietnam.

This will grab you from the first chapter and it never lets up, full of laughter, love, blood and heartache. It's raw and real and emotional. Tissues will be needed! The writing is so good you feel like you are there with them. Returning from war is very hard but when you are a woman returning and everyone tells you there were no women in Vietnam, it makes it even more difficult.

Get the book. Read Frankie's story. You'll be glad you did!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Net Galley for the advanced reader copy

A gritty description of the nurses serving in the Vietnam War and the aftermath of their service. I enjoyed this book and learned so much about the war and its many heroes.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read this incredible book. I always love Kristin Hannah's books, but this one has easily become my favorite. Gosh I love Frankie. This book shows not only the terrors of war when it's happening, but also the horrific aftermath and the destruction it causes in the lives of those who bravely served their country and are not properly prepared to return home. I have so much respect for the women and men who served in Vietnam and then were treated poorly when they came home. This book made me realize just how much more our veterans deserve. If you are a vet, thank you for your service.

Content warnings: war violence, parental illness, infant death (war related), child illness and injury (war related), miscarriage, alcoholism, prescription abuse, family member death

I just reviewed The Women by Kristin Hannah. #KristinHannah #NetGalley

I feel so honored to have been given an opportunity to read an advanced copy of Kristin Hannah's newest book, "The Women." I really couldn't put it down but that goes for all of her work. I was so excited to learn she decided to tackle the Vietnam Era, which is no easy feat and might be why not many historical fiction books cover this time period. What I love about Kristin's books, and this one in particular, is her exceptional attention to historical details and accuracy. She manages to incorporate so much of what was going on in the country during this time, the war, the protests, the treatment of veterans when they returned, the equal rights movement, and even musical references. The story begins with a young women, Frankie, who decides to become a nurse and enlist in the Army during the Vietnam War. This is a coming-of-age story where you are whisked away across the world to one of the most horrific conflicts in American history. You see everything through Frankie's young and naive eyes as she tries to process her experience and changing views on life. This is a beautiful story of love, heartache, tragedy, and redemption. Enjoy! Thank you to NetGalley and the publishes for allowing me to read this book in advance in exchange for an honest review. I loved it.