There are almost no words for this story. Kristin Hannah is a masterful story teller and an artist with her words. I learned so much from this book. Heartwrenching and eye-opening, this book kept me on the edge of my seat. I was rooting for Frankie!

The Women will build you up and destroy you over and over and over again. Frankie McGrath is a 21 year-old heroine who optimistically heads to Vietnam to serve as a combat nurse. The things she sees and does are unimaginable to her younger self, yet she thrives. That is until she comes home. This is a story of veterans forgotten, the women who served in Vietnam... a story of friendship, heartbreak, PTSD, addiction, recovery, and self-discovery. It is both ugly and beautiful and completely heart-wrenching in true Kristin Hannah fashion. It is a book to clear your day's calendar for and devour in one sitting. It is a book to make you read and learn more about our country's not so distant past (apparently Vietnam was just "too soon" to cover in my teenage history lessons). It is not a book for someone looking for happiness or for those easily triggered. This will undoubtedly be one of the biggest books of 2024 for good reason. Grab your box of Kleenex, put on your '60s greatest hits, and become one of The Women for a few hundred pages!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

Kristin Hannah does it again! I have not a 5 star book in a year and it felt so good to get sucked into that I could not stop thinking about. This is a coming-of-age story of Frankie as she choices to serve her county in the Vietnam war as a nurse. I have only read a small amount of books set in Vietnam but as always with Kristin Hannah, I am learning something new and experiencing it on a different level because of her storytelling. We get to experience the Vietnam war through Frankie's and her co-workers experience and then follow her home to see how difficult it can be for one to transition out of that. It is sad and hard but also so helpful to hear from this point of view. I have been thinking about this one for days after reading. If you have loved her books in the past, I think this one will be another hit for you.
I am grateful to the publisher, author, and netgalley for the opportunity to read this book early for an exchange of a review. I

I cannot say enough good things about The Women by Kristin Hannah! I usually only read mystery and thrillers but decided to branch out. So happy I did! This was a breathtaking story of a young woman who was a combat nurse in the Vietnam War. I have never heard much about these women heroes of the war. I was fully in the world of this book and did not want to leave. In fact, I quit reading for a day or two because I didn’t want it to be over. Now I see why there is so much hype about this author. I am fully planning on going back and reading all of her other books. Her character development is outstanding. This book made me laugh and cry! Please read this book! Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

The Women
by: Kristin Hannah
St. Martin's Press

The Women is simply a masterpiece of historical fiction and women's fiction. Hannah writes with passion in the story of Frankie, a young woman who enlists in the Army Nurse Corps during the Viet Nam War. Frankie's life is forever changed when she leaves her home on Coronado Island, California to serve her country.

Hannah clearly did her research for the story, revealing all of the rawness and horror concerning the war and Frankie's role in it. She takes us there directly into the pain, the fear, the courage, and the battles in and out of the war zone. The character and relationship development of Frankie and the women in her life are rich. The power of female friendships and loyalty are taken to a very high level. I won't forget Frankie, one of the most memorable characters I have read about in a very long time. The book deserves all of the recognition it has and will receive.

Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for an advance reader's copy. My review is my own.

I typically enjoy the author’s work and historical focus.

However, the main character was sometimes hard to like. She was very wealthy and had a lot of things handed to her. I think I would have liked the book more if it would have been a woman from the working class.

Also how do we hold these important stories and also give voice to the people of Vietnam? They were only mentioned in brief encounters she had and I feel there was a missed opportunity here.

Hannah's writing style is a bit too simplistic for my tastes. That said though, I think this is her best book. And I applaud her for bringing awareness to the women who served in Vietnam and the difficulties they faces "back in the world."

I feel like I have been waiting a long time for this book. I am rarely disappointed by Kristin Hannah and I certainly was NOT disappointed by her with this book.

I was a very young child during the Vietnam War era and in my conservative home. I don't remember the subject being discussed. I didn't have any family members in the war so I don't know much about it. Other than TV shows, I have very little education on Vietnam.

I loved the strong women that are characterized in The Women. I love that "women can be heroes".

I know this title will sell extraordinarily well for us, and our order reflects that. My own book club chose it for February and our store has chosen it as our first ever “Athena Favorite”. We would love to have Kristin Hannah speak should she ever find herself in New England!

What an excellent book this was! I read it straight through and wished it had been longer. My brothers and I grew up during the Vietnam War era (a bit younger than the main character) and this book brought back so many memories of those times.

Frankie McGrath has grown up in southern California, is twenty years old, and has trained to be a nurse (just until she gets married, or so her parents say). Her older brother goes to the Naval Academy and ships off with accolades to fight in the Vietnam War.

Someone mentions to Frankie that women can be heroes too and without her parent's blessing she joins the Army Nurse Corps and becomes Second Lieutenant Frances McGrath and is soon headed off to Vietnam in 1966.

This is a story of war, of young men and young women fighting for their country under adverse conditions, of bravery, of lifetime friendships. It tells of the horror of war.

And then Frankie is shipped back home and, in the case of the Vietnam War, the soldier's pain didn't end when they got home and this story explores the subjects of a country that ridiculed its Vietnam soldiers, didn't acknowledge its female soldiers, took years to help with PTSD and Agent Orange casualties and more.

I highly recommend this book to anyone that is interested in Vietnam War era history, women's fiction (although this doesn't read like fiction), or just want an exceptional read.

I received this Digital Review Copy from St. Martin's Press through Net Galley in the hopes that I would read it and leave an unbiased review. This is that review.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for access to this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

As the daughter of a nurse, I am so glad that Kristin Hannah decided to focus her next novel on the American nurses that served in Vietnam. A gripping historical, once I opened to the first page I was transported back first to California where we meet Francis McGrath and her family and then to Vietnam from 1966-1969. The rich detail in the book shows how respectful Kristin Hannah was of her research as she shows what the world was like at that time. As a reader, I watched as Francis went from being an innocent nursing student who craved to be a hero to the nurse who returned from Vietnam with the memories of a solider in combat. Yet her countrymen and her family tell her again and again, "THERE WERE NO WOMEN IN VIETNAM."

Another aspect of the book that I loved was the friendship between Francis and her fellow nurses, Barb and Ethel. I am thankful that Hannah created such a strong bond between these women that followed them all through the 70's and the 80's. I also enjoyed the journey with Francis's family- after the loss of Francis' brother, Finley, it is understandable that the family would be wracked with grief. I am grateful that we follow their journey past the initial part one of the story.

One final thought, years ago, my 9-10-11 grade students had created multi-media presentations for November 11th that were presented at a dinner of Canadian veterans and peacekeepers. I will never forget when a peacekeeper, a nurse who served in Kosvo, stood up and thanked one of the student groups for including images of the wounded from the different Canadian Forces missions and Peacekeeping operations. I thought of that peacekeeper's words when reading about Francis McGrath sitting by the wounded soldiers and civilians she cared for in Vietnam. May we never forget those who served and those returned with their wounds, both physical and emotional.

If I could give this novel 10 stars, I gladly would!




Publication Date 06/02/24
Goodreads Review 03/02/24
#KristinHannah #NetGalley.

Kristin Hannah can do no wrong when it comes to historical fiction and stories about women. "The Women" is no different. I was immediately hooked by the premise; then I was extremely anxious as the narrator Frankie jumped straight into the Vietnam War as a green-as-hell Army nurse. But I was proud of her as she learned how to be a truly excellent nurse and friend, despite the awful conditions all around and in front of her in the OR. The pacing of Frankie's first and second tours felt frantic; by the time of her departure from the country I realized I still had half a book left to go and had no idea what the second half would look like. Turns out, the second half focuses on Frankie's transition back to "the real world" in the States and her struggles and challenges over years as she fights for recognition of her service and tries to heal from her traumas. I felt at times that the second half struggled to find a cohesive narrative, but it also felt true to the experience of nonlinear healing. Overall, I really enjoyed this novel and learned quite a bit from it as well.

I was also glad to read in the author's note that this had been an idea Hannah had been sitting on for decades, waiting until she had the skills and experience to dive deep into telling an incredibly troubling and moving story, with veteran readers providing counsel and feedback.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC copy of “The Women” in exchange for an honest review.

This story was full of tragic, sad, emotional, and hopeful moments! It was so descriptive that I felt like I was there with Frankie, Ethel and Barb! There were many parts which were hard to read. The ending especially moved me to tears. I learned a great deal about the Vietnam War, the women who served and how they were treated after they returned home. It's important that their stories are never forgotten.

A riveting, heartbreaking, and infuriating view of the life of an Army nurse in the Vietnam War and the struggles she deals with upon returning home. The devastating loves and losses. The scenes in Vietnam were vividly descriptive and hard to read at times. Her struggles afterwards, especially as a female veteran returning from a "man's" war, were just soul wrenching, more than any human should ever have to deal with, and it made the book hard to put down. You root for her with all your heart that she'll come out the other side happy and healthy. Kristin Hannah never fails to write the most incredible novels that stay with me for years. This one touched me very deeply. If you read one book this year, let it be this one. A must read!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this eARC.

Exceptional. What an emotional whirlwind . Few authors impact me the way Kristin Hannah can . A heart-wrenching story about love, loss, and war. Easily a five-star read.

“𝑾𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒃𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒐𝒆𝒔.”

No one knows how to paint a picture and rip your heart out like Kristin Hannah. And I keep coming back for it, book after book.

War. Friendship. Love. Heartbreak. Death. Grief. PTSD. Shame. Addiction. Anger. Loss. The list could go on. This story is HEAVY, but it is so worth reading.

Imagine volunteering to serve your country during the Vietnam War as a combat nurse, then coming home two years later to a country that despises you, spits on you, and calls you names; to a family that’s ashamed of your service; to other vets who tell you, “There were no women in Vietnam”; to your local VA refusing to help you. That’s what happens to 1st Lieutenant Frances “Frankie” McGrath in Kristin Hannah’s newest book, The Women.

Hannah’s storytelling is, as always, top notch. I was immersed in Frankie’s world, her pain. It’s not an easy read, but it’s a fast one. Highly, highly recommend.

Thank you to the publisher for sending me a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. The Women will be published on February 6, 2024.

The Women by Kristin Hannah from #stmartinspress #partner

Read if you like:
▪️Vietnam War period
▪️Unsung heroes
▪️Coming of age
▪️First love
▪️Road to recovery

This author has written some of my favorite books EVER (Great Alone, Four Winds), so I was super excited to get an advanced copy of her new book, which tells the story of the women who served in the Vietnam War. I don’t read a lot about this time period, so I learned a lot, especially about the war conditions and how veterans, especially women, were treated when they returned from war. As always, Hannah paints a gruesome yet realistic portrait of the time period, and hits you right in the feels. Just based on writing and research alone, this book deserves all the stars (as always). That said, I deducted a star this time around because I didn’t like *any* of the romantic interests and that part of the story frustrated me. Anyone who knows me, knows that I don’t do well with any kind of infidelity storyline (emotional or physical) and this book has a lot of it. Of course, this is just a personal thing, so don’t let it stop you from reading the book. Overall, still highly recommend it!

This story will stay with me for some time. It's about the nurses, or Women, who DID go to Vietnam to serve their country during the war. The book describes the horrors for everybody 'in country', the doubts sneaking in on the war's justification, the chilly welcome when they came home, and the very first acknowledgment of the PTSD these service men and women suffered after fighting a hellish war. All collected in Frankie McGrath's very personal story.

In the afterword Hannah mentions that this is a story she wanted to write for some time, but she needed a certain level of maturity to do it justice. I'm so very glad she did.

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read and review this ARC.

You know, one thing I love about books is that it lets you live someone else’s life for a little while and see the world through a different perspective.

In The Women by @kristinhannahauthor , we jump in the life of Frankie McGrath in 1965 as the Vietnam War takes place.

I cannot even begin to express how heartbreakingly beautiful this story was. Frankie’s (and Barb and Ethel’s) strength, resilience blew me away. Some parts were sad but others were hopeful and funny and touching. I loved the found family and it me rage at the injustices of the world. One certain someone that I won’t spoil absolutely enraged me but that’s a story for when you’ve read it.

It was an easy 5 ⭐️ for me! You are going to want to grab this book!

Thank you @netgalley , @macmillan.audio and @stmartinspress for my advanced copies!

The Women is available February 6th!

Following in her brothers footsteps, Frances “Frankie” McGrath, goes to Vietnam to become a “hero” as an army nurse in the war. Frankie, having lived a somewhat charmed life in Southern California, is quickly overwhelmed and disarmed by the realities of war and we see how her views of the world change during her time in-country and back in the US.

I don’t love stories about war and typically avoid them, however, I did enjoy this book. While Frankie’s story is fictional, I'm sure there are many similarities to what the actual women of the Vietnam War faced. I hadn’t really ever thought about women serving in Vietnam, but really, why wouldn’t they have been there? When there is war and soldiers are hurt, nurses will be needed. Frankie is very naive and some of the decisions she makes align with her age and station in life, but she does grow throughout the book and it was insightful to see the war through this young woman's perspective.

My only criticisms of the book were that with this being called, “The Women,” I wish there had been a little more about Frankie’s fellow nurses and friends, Barb and Ethel. In addition, the talk about napalm and Agent Orange and its effects on the Vietnam people also made my insides twist; one of the reasons I don’t enjoy stories about war. The things we as a people have done and continue to do to each other never ceases to amaze me.