Every time I read a book from Kristin Hannah, the same thing happens in my thought pattern: "Wow... such a difficult topic, will I enjoy it? Oh, so long..... I prefer somewhat shorter novels... should I do this now or wait?" When The Women became available from NetGalley, I clicked request and was awarded a copy. I pulled it up this week in my queue and decided to take it on, even though it was focused on the Vietnam War, and I don't enjoy reading those kinds of books. Twenty percent in, I was totally hooked and unable to stop reading it. Work got in the way this week, but I hit fifty percent before bed last night and took on the rest this morning. From start to finish, I was enamored with Frankie, the protagonist, a nineteen-year-old girl from California who signs up to be a nurse when her brother is killed in Vietnam. Hannah thoroughly entertains and tugs at a reader's heartstrings. How much suffering can one person endure?

The war is the focus; don't think it's only part of the book. Although Frankie returns home, she witnesses endless trauma and heartbreak. It's the right amount to show the truth of what happened but also not make her an exaggerated character. She tries so hard to always do the right thing yet the world spins around her with its own intentions, flawed and furious, as she lands on her feet on some occasions and into despair on others. She's a tragic heroine who needed someone to rescue her when she couldn't help herself. Don't misunderstand, she's a true formidable force and motivates herself quite often... but Vietnam impacted her ability to always find her own strength. Her besties help ground her. Her parents are typical in that they don't support her but occasionally surprise readers with good intentions. Frankie's romantic relationships are innocent and heartfelt but ruined and built on lies.

I could go on and on, but I'll stop and leave you with a few key thoughts. This is an amazing story filled with a range of emotions that will leave readers more connected to history than they thought they could be. It's not about war but it is about war, and there are moments when you need to put the book down to recover your senses and summon an ability to heal the rawness. But there are tender moments where you just want to hug Frankie and tell her she's the best kind of person, despite the problems she causes to her own sense of purpose. It made me think about how I view people and whether I'm not doing enough to help others around me... and that's when you know it's a five-star book.

The Women by Kristin Hannah. Just like her past books the storyline of this one will keep you intrigued. From the first chapter until the last you will not want to put this book down. I know I'll be thinking about The Women long after I finish it. I totally recommend it.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

WOW! A complete emotional upside down corkscrew rollercoaster ! What a great book but I will say very very sad book. Not to the point that I wanted to stop reading but how eye opening to the failures of our history and the evil of war.

Let me back up and summarize this book. This was a story about a young woman (girl) who wanted to go serve her country (US) after she finishes nursing school. Frankie signs up for the Army Nurse Corp and is sent to Vietnam to save our soldiers. It is a shocking world to her and the readers. She experiences pain, suffering and blood like no one could imagine, all while living in the lowest, worst of conditions on our great earth.
As a fan of the M*A*S*H tv series set in Korea, I was glued in. Medical providers working hard, playing hard, loving and losing it is very similar to the show. But amp it up about 1,000 times to imagine the devastation those young people had to experience in Vietnam.
BUT it doesn’t end there. We follow Frankie home again, where is she completely lost, not to mention shunned , spit on and depressed.

This was a well written story to make every American learn about how devastating war can be. It is not a book I would usually pick up , which is why I love Fictional History books. I learn so much through the fictional lives which Kristin Hannah researched thoroughly.

Excellent book, Fans of KH’s previous books will love this one and I recommend it to all fans of Historical Fiction.

There's no question that Kristin Hannah knows how to weave a story! In this historical fiction she turns her focus to the women who served in the US military during the Vietnam War =- a population that has often been overlooked. The first half of the book largely takes part in Vietnam as the main character, Frankie, enlists as an Army nurse. The second half of the book takes place after Frankie returns to the US after two tours of duty. I have to say the first and second half of the books almost felt like two different books. The Vietnam portions were fast-paced, descriptive, and you could really feel the oppressive heat of the Southeast Asian jungle, the feeling of the rainy season, but also the fun times the military personal could carve our during their tours of duty. The second half, for me, felt a lot slower and focused more on Frankie's re-integration to American life, her friendships and relationships. Personally it was less compelling than the first half.

A few things that didn't really work for me: in the first half Frankie serves alongside two other nurses, Ethel and Barb. I feel like they went from just meeting each other to all of a sudden they were calling each other their best friends. Did I miss their friendship developing? I know war brings people together, but I seemed to miss some development of their friendship. The other thing -- there were a lot more romance side-plots in the book than I would have thought based on the description. There's romance while she's in Vietnam. There's romance while she's in the US. I know that's part of life, but I didn't expect those elements to be such a large plot point.

All in all the book was a page turner. I learned a lot of things I didn't know about that time period in history, and I think the author accomplished her goals of honoring the women who served and were unseen during the Vietnam War.

This was a fantastic, sweeping tale, following one specific girl turned into a woman, who volunteered to go into the Army as a nurse during the Vietnam War. Through her eyes, we see her friends, and lovers, and her experience of being a forgotten participant in the war. Her PTSD goes undiagnosed and her service goes unrecognized for years, being told both that "there were no women in Vietnam" and that she should be ashamed of serving in that war. Can't recommend this more highly.

Thank you to NetGalley for letting me read this ARC.

This is my 13th Kristin Hannah book and I continue to love her writing so much. She is so so good at writing beloved main characters. All throughout this book, our MC, Frankie, made bad decisions, but Kristin Hannah wrote her in a way that I was able to empathize with the deep pain behind them.

This book focuses on the Vietnam War:
-the complexity’s of the war
-the hatred veterans received when they came home
-PTSD, addiction, loss & other mental health issues
-the erasure of the role women played in the war.
-found family

I laughed and I cried. Such a beautifully written story.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/127305853

Whoa this book was a page turner! I started it at 9:30 PM and read through until I finished it at 3:30 AM. I could not put it down!

The Women by Kristin Hannah follows Frankie, a California native, as she serves as a nurse during the Vietnam War and navigates life back in the U.S. upon her return. Frankie is a strong and genuine character; her experiences and emotional journey resonated with me profoundly. Admittedly, the novel is at times a challenging read due to the relentless hardships that Frankie encounters. I deducted a star because the continual sorrow in the novel sometimes felt overwhelming rather than integral to driving the plot forward. That said, recognizing the novel's setting amid war, my reaction may be unfair as it kind of just reflects the discomfort society feels towards the harsh realities of war, preferring to look away or idealize it.

The book does a commendable job of shedding light on various aspects of the era, such as the societal reception of soldiers returning from Vietnam and the unique challenges faced by female veterans like Frankie. I honestly learned so much from this novel, and that’s always one of my major goals when reading historical fiction. While the author's focus on Frankie's personal story is deeply engaging, I found myself desiring more historical context and details about the broader environment of the time.

Overall, this novel is a heartrending and powerful read. For those who are drawn to emotionally rich, sweeping tales, you’ll love this one!

I appreciate NetGalley for providing access to this engaging novel.

Kristin Hannah's storytelling can’t disappoint. I was so into the story and couldn’t stop reading.

This is war story, it’s heartbreaking, but must be read and told.

I was so immersed in the part of the story in Vietnam that I felt like being in there beside Frankie and living with her through all her emotions and feelings.

It was just so good! The story is so fast paced , you will fly through it and will be sad when it’s over.

I have only a few words to say about this book, you must read for yourself. First and foremost when you start the book get your 'Kleenex' box & set it beside you for quick use. I can relate to most of the book since the 'Viet Nam 'conflict' ( as it was called for many years) was in the news daily during my childhood until I graduated from highschool. As an RN for the past 44 years it is easy to relate to the main character and her trials and tribulations. Excellent tribute to the many women and men who served then and continue to serve our military.
I was provided an advanced reader copy of this book at my request and was under no obligation to write a review. The opinions expressed are my own. Many thanks to the author, St. Martins Press & NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

This. Book. 📖 😮‍💨. I’m at a loss for words. Hands down one of the best books I have ever read! Kristin Hannah always show up but she is showing out with this one! I felt like I was dropped right in the middle of the Vietnam War and it was before my time. I couldn’t stop turning pages!

Kudos to Kristin for all the time she spent learning and researching for this book. It is absolutely flawless and she deserves all the praise for this masterpiece.

Great job Kristin! You’ve outdone yourself! Runnnn🏃🏻‍♀️ to the bookstore Feb 6th and get this book immediately. You will not be disappointed.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press, Kristin Hannah, and NetGalley for the ARC. 🙏🏼🫶🏼👏🏼

Wow wow wow. Kristin Hannah never misses. I always look forward to her books and this one was no different. The pacing in this book is impeccable. I could not stop reading. I have always been a historical fiction reader and I love when I pick up a book about a time period I don’t know much about. Hannah took great care with this topic. I felt so deeply for Frankie before, during, and after her time in Vietnam. and that ending!!!! All the tears. Easy 5⭐️

Wow, I loved this book. It was heartbreaking, but so so good. I’ve never cried so much with a book in my life! The losses and the way women were treated after coming back from war broke my heart. I can’t imagine going through what they did, and being treated like crap. I want to punch Rye so bad, he was the worst! I loved Jamie from the beginning, and I’m choosing to believe that Frankie and him end up together forever.

“There were no women in ’Nam.”

Kristin Hannah has once again given me the history lesson that public schools in the 90’s and early aughts could not. Going in to this book, I knew so little about the Vietnam War and particularly the role of women. The Women taught me not only about the war, but also the US political climate at the time, and the way the women and many veterans of Vietnam were forgotten. I learned about the psychological effects after the war, the way mental health was not a priority and PTSD wasn’t even part of the DSM yet, and the sheer amount of misinformation circulating.

Frankie was an amazing female main character. She was deeply flawed, but it was easy for me to have empathy for her considering all that she went through. I was surprised that book was as much about her struggles after coming home as it was during her time in Vietnam, however both parts of the story were very powerful.

As always, I highly recommend reading the author’s note and acknowledgements at the end of the book. Kristin Hannah mentioned that she has been wanting to write this book for a long time and I do feel that she was able to give us a well done and historically accurate book.

A sincere thank you to St. Martin’s Press and to Netgalley for providing me with an electronic arc of The Women. My thoughts and review are entirely my own. I’m looking forward to purchasing a hardcover copy on February 6.

“We are the women who went to war—the nurses of Vietnam—and many of us felt silenced at home. We lost who we were, who we wanted to be. But I’m living proof that it can get better. You can get better. It starts here. In these chairs, reminding ourselves and each other that we are not alone.”

Frankie comes from a well to do family in California. During the going away party for her brother before he heads off to war she meets one of his friends that makes a comment that “women can be heroes too.” This comment changes Frankie’s path. She decides that she can use her nursing training and serve as well. The Navy and Air Force refused to take her without more experience, but the Army lets her join. Her parents are not pleased, but Frankie heads out anyway. During her time in Vietnam she sees things that change her. Life during and after the war aren’t easy for Frankie, but she must dig deep within herself to find strength and who she really is.,

Before reading this I don’t think I really understood how trying the Vietnam war was on the people there, both while in country and once they got home. Politicians lied about what was going on there and the nation didn’t welcome home the veterans as heroes. Hannah does what she does best…weaves a story full of history and a stories of strength.

Thank you to NetGalley, St Martin’s Press, and Kristin Hannah for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

As always, Kristin Hannah delivers. I truly can’t put into words just how much I love her books. One of my favorite things about Kristin Hannah books are her characters. She writes such real and human characters. They are raw and imperfect and just trying to find their way through life. Frankie is as green as a protagonist can be in all the ways that count: she is young, she is idealistic, she is naive, she is hopeful, she is determined. Her journey throughout this book was beautiful and heartbreaking and everything in between. I love how this book followed her development through all stages. We truly experience her grief, her trauma, her healing. Ether and Barb are tremendous side characters. They show the impact that friendships, true friendships, can have despite any distance or hardship. Jamie is honestly just wonderful; I loved his character so much and I loved the way he and Frankie connected and cared for one another. It wouldn’t be a Kristin Hannah novel if I didn’t bawl my eyes out multiple times, and The Women is no different. I experienced any and every emotion possible. Frankie’s path grappling with her PTSD, her battling shame and pride for serving her country, the dismissal of her service, and the repercussions of the war were literally devastating. Hannah did not shy away from the ugly and gruesome. This story was about the forgotten, the broken, the hurting, and the healing. The final two chapters were pure perfection. And that ending? I couldn’t breathe through the tears I had flowing when Frankie stood before the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial. The final chapter took my breath away. Honestly, some of Kristin Hannah’s best work. Here’s to the strong women we know and love.💜

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced digital copy of this book.

Another good one from Kristin Hannah.

CAN women be heroes? Frances "Frankie" McGrath is told they can, and she believes she may actually BE a hero, but most of the world does not agree. A Vietnam veteran, she is told time after time that "there were no women in Vietnam". But she knows better. She spent two years as a nurse in and near the combat zones and she KNOWS she is not the only woman who served there.

When her beloved older brother volunteers to go to Vietnam, Frankie impulsively decides to follow him, thinking it will strengthen their already strong bond to share the experience. But just as she enlists, before she even goes to basic training, the family receives word that her brother has been killed. There are no remains and the shipment home contains only a pair of combat boots from another soldier. But she has signed up and that cannot be undone, so she ships off, having no idea what awaits her.

Some of the descriptions of the hospital, and especially the Vietnamese people affected by the war, are hard to read, but they have the ring of authenticity. I am about the same age as Frankie, grew up in the same America she did, and had a husband who miraculously was spared being sent to Vietnam. I remember those years, and I remember how our country changed as a result of that war.

Frankie is a normal person forever scarred by her life experiences and some of those experiences are not pleasant. I am glad I read this.

My thoughts

OMG this book was good. Right up there with all of this author's books. It's about a time that I have not read a lot about but was born during. The Vietnam War... The Women of Vietnam. And yes they were there. A very emotional book.

I think this author did a perfect job of making this story flow right off the pages into the heart. Making you feel the pain that these people felt upon returning from Vietnam. The struggles that they all felt but mainly the women who were told repeatedly that "there were no women in Vietnam." Yes there was. In this story they are the brave nurses that worked hard to help the men who were brought in to be sewn up or operated on. Holding a hand while they died. Watching as women and children from the villages were brought in burnt and wounded from a war that they wanted no part of. The emotional turmoil that these women went through, both over there and back at home.

This story tells the story of Frances McGrath. Also called Frankie. It's her story from beginning to end but also tells about some of the friends she made while serving her country. Other nurses, Doctors, soldiers. The Many things she learned about life and especially herself. She was only twenty-one years old when she arrived in Vietnam. Scared and lonely. Not knowing what to expect except what she was no prepared for it in any way. Frankie learned though. She was a good nurse. One of the best. She had two close friends in Ethel and Barb. They became lifelong friends/sisters. She lost so much over there. Friends. Loves.

Coming back to the states was so hard for Frankie. The way people treated her was atrocious. Deplorable. Pretty awful considering she was a vet returning home from a war that should not have been. Even worse was the way the young boys that were shipped right out of high school were treated upon return. They were called names. Spit on. Shunned. Suppose to be silent about Vietnam. Now the same things happened to the women but for some reason it seemed worse for these kids because our country forced the boys to go. Took away their youths. Their lives in so many cases. It was an ugly time for all that served.

Then you get to see how Frankie coped after returning. All she went through. And repeatedly told that women didn't serve in Vietnam. Well they did. They came back with many of the same horrors the men did. Some with even more wounds. The kind you can't see but they are there.

Many of the homeless in this country are vets. From many wars but mostly the Vietnam war. This country literally turned their backs on these women and men. They fought for recognition. To be heard. To be helped. Yet it seems they are still fighting in many ways.

Quote from the book:
1974... "Civil rights and women's rights were a constant battle and the Stonewall riots had put gay rights in the news, too."
Think about that. In 1974 and in 2024 it's almost the same thing and seems to be going backwards at an alarming rate. We all have the right to live in a free country and be treated with respect. Equals.

Thank you #NetGalley, #kristinhannah, #stmartinspress, for this ARC. This is my own true thoughts about this book.

FIVE stars and I'd give it more if possible. It's so good.

4.5 stars rounded up. The Women opened my eyes to the women who served in the military during the Vietnam War (and despite living in DC, I didn't know there was a memorial on the Mall devoted to their service). While the book covered topics that weren't always easy to read about, it was compelling and moved quickly. Thanks to Netgalley and St Martin's Press for the ARC.

This is the story no one wanted to hear or think about - it’s about the women who went to war in Vietnam despite so many saying there were no women in Vietnam - this is about being erased and how even as vets they weren’t given the consideration that the men did. It’s about lasting friendships and bonds formed quickly in horrific circumstances.

The Vietnam war was protested, the soldiers spit on when returning home, the USA did not treat them with the respect they deserved after serving their country. The military has no say on whether they fight or not so the protests and treatment of these vets only made their already horrific war time experience worse. However the men had the advantage of help from the VA, the POW's were seen as heroes returning home but he women, the nurses and volunteers who were there seeing the broken bodies and minds of young men - who worked under some of the most basic and difficult circumstances were cast aside and forgotten.

This one will stay with me for a long time - bring your tissues and prepare to have your heartstrings tugged. Brilliant and powerful Kristin Hannah was the perfect person to bring this story to light as historical fiction. If there is any of her works that would make a brilliant and moving movie this would be it. The stories of these brave women is one that needs to be brought more attention.

Kristin Hannah has done it again. This may just become my favorite of hers. I loved this book for so many reasons. I didn't know the history of women serving in Vietnam during the war and this was so eye opening and intriguing. The scenery and emotions Hannah evoked throughout this novel was nothing short of incredible and it had me enthralled the whole time. It was heartbreaking and beautiful all at the same time. I loved the female friendships and empowerment throughout the novel. All the female characters were wonderfully portraited and you couldn't help but love them all. Frankie, the main character, was so well developed and through her ups and downs I was constantly rooting for her.

I read a lot of books and this is one of the best I've read in a LONG time.