I really enjoyed this book. You can not help but connect to these characters, especially the main character, Frankie. Her story is not an easy one. This woman goes through so much, but reading her overcome her troubles was inspiring.

Read this book! You will be captivated

Kristin Hannah does it again! knew I was going to love this book as soon as I saw it.

I thought this was going to mostly take place in Vietnam. The first half is action-packed and Kristin Hannah does such a great job of describing the setting and the characters’ experiences. I was immediately sucked in.

The second half is about Frankie starting life back in California. She is struggling with PTSD, relationship problems, health complications from what she was exposed to in Vietnam, and that no one recognized her as a Veteran of the war, because ‘there were no women in Vietnam.’

Frankie is one of my favorite characters. She is determined, strong, and flawed. I loved the beautiful friendship between her and two other nurses she served with, how they ebbed and flowed in each other’s lives but were always there when needed.

I think my heart broke at least three times while reading this. I think the ending was perfect.

I really appreciate the amount of research Kristin Hannah did to make this story authentic. She certainly made me interested in learning more and I will be checking out the books she recommended in the afterword.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Macmillan Audio for the advanced copies in exchange for my honest review.

THIS IS AMAZING. Kristen Hannah gets me every single time. I feel so lucky to have received this book. I had no idea about the women of Vietnam and took some time to deep dive into how they served after reading this. I wish that my dad, who served in Vietnam, was still around for me to discuss this with. I had a feeling she was going to end up with PTSD and was sad to see the spiral it caused in her life. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

This is a very tough review for me to write, to separate out my personal experiences with a Vietnam Veteran and this book. But sharing this story is part of the message of this story: they were there. Do not forget them.
Backstory: my father was a Marine in the Vietnam War on the DMZ from 1967-1968. He was an enlistee and came home in 1969 to a country that hated him, his parents ignored him, and his grief, suffering, and trauma were never fixed. He slept in his room for a week, no one ever bothered to check in on him. It was shameful to my grandparents that he had gone (even though my father came from a long line of those who had served in wars) and while my father got sicker and sicker from whatever he had picked up in Vietnam, they let him be in his room, ignoring the problem until he needed to be taken to the hospital.
He had untreated PTSD, anger management problems, became a prescription drug addict, and was physically and emotionally violent. Jane Fonda was a swear word in my house growing up. I've often told people that the choices we make, in this case my father's decision to enlist, can have ramifications beyond that simple choice- the tendrils of that touch everyone they meet.
So here's this book. A book about women serving in Vietnam, so few fiction books written about the Vietnam experience. I chose this book for our bookmarked subscription box at work because the story of these women, and stories about Vietnam need to be told, and listened to.
This is not an easy book to read. Hannah includes descriptions of war violence, war injuries, and death, as well as PTSD, drug and alcohol addiction, etc. While I was not the one who served in Vietnam, this book was as familiar to me as wearing a well-used pair of shoes.
You need to read this book. Only if to understand what people went through while there, what they endured when they came home, and how things have changed because of all of that. When you talk to someone about the Vietnam War, people shrug away, don't want to talk about it. Many likely feel ashamed about how they treated veterans when they came home. Others feel shame about their service or are unable to talk about what they experienced there. It's ok to have complex thoughts about the war and have open and honest conversations about it. I know I certainly do, because of how deeply it has affected my life.
Many of Frankie's stories, situations, were so similar to my father's, and I'm sure typical of others. I hope this book opens a door for more to share their experience, as memoirs, in nonfiction, or fictional stories to be told. We need to honor their service and sacrifice, even if we do not agree to the war they fought in.
Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of this e-book.

When twenty-year-old nursing student Frankie McGrath is told “women can be heroes, too” she has a revelation. Raised on idyllic Coronado Island and sheltered by her conservative parents, Frankie has prided herself on being a good girl. But in 1965 the world is changing, and her brother ships out to serve in Vietnam, she impulsively joins the Army Nurse Corps and follows his path.

As green and inexperienced as the men sent to Vietnam to fight, Frankie is overwhelmed by the chaos and destruction of war, as well as the unexpected trauma of coming home to a changed and politically divided America.

This novel holds so much importance. I learned so much from this novel, mainly through the eyes of Frankie. This book not only covers what it was like for soldiers and nurses alike in Vietnam, but how the women were treated upon their return. Being told there were no women in Vietnam, when there were many serving as nurses and Red Cross aides who came back home only to pretend as if their service never happened. Frankie's relationships with her fellow nurses and her romantic relationships were so well written, I found myself cheering the women on and rooting for Frankie (I cannot say more without spoilers). This may be Kristin Hannah's best work yet!

I could go on and on about this book, but I will leave that pleasure up to the reader. To all the women who served in Vietnam, we know you were there and thank you for your service!

Where would we women be without our girlfriends? Certainly no one learns that better than the nurses who served in Vietnam! Kristin Hannah illustrates this so vividly in her heart-wrenching, touching new novel, which is titled simply The Women.

Frances “Frankie” McGrath is an idealistic 21-year-old woman who wants to follow her brother when he ships out to war. She learns that the quickest path is to become an Army nurse, so after she completes her basic training in 1965, she ships out to Vietnam. She quickly finds that she is totally unprepared for the realities of life as an Army nurse during the chaos of war. With the help of her fellow nurses, Barb Johnson, a surgical nurse from Georgia, and Ethel Flint, ER nurse from Virginia, Frankie (AKA Frank), learns the ropes. Along the way, she gets lots of help from the doctors, who also show more than professional interest in her. But Frankie tries hard to sticks to her morals.

Back home, the war becomes increasingly unpopular. Her upper-crust parents don’t understand. Her father’s “Heroes Wall” has pictures of male soldiers, including her brother; war is not for women, he feels. Her mother seems to agree. Frankie keeps her nose to the grindstone and does her job. Nursing is her calling. Despite the pain of seeing young men blown to bits and innocent civilians burned beyond recognition by Napalm, she continues to work long shifts, sleeps little, and keeps on keeping on. Frankie McGrath is a stellar nurse. Like the other nurses, she is a hero.

When she finally returns home, she is shocked at the welcome she receives. She’s not made to feel welcome at all – not at the airport, not by taxi drivers, and barely by her own parents. They try to pretend she never served in the Army. She has nightmares, PTSD. She’s a mess. She relies upon her two friends, but they have their own lives now. Even the organizations that help veterans deny that women ever served in Vietnam. Should it be up to the women themselves to “pull themselves up by their bootstraps” ? (to quote a former president) Not all the choices she makes are good ones, but sometimes a person must reach rock bottom to seek change and find the right path.

I marveled at the realism in this book. I cried, particularly at the scenes where villagers, children died. I raged. I got goosebumps at several scenes toward the end when Frankie’s life was turning around. She was healing and helping others. The women were working together. The women were being recognized. Would Frankie finally find the happiness and the love she longed for?

I’ve read some wonderful books by Kristin Hannah. This one, although it is very tough to read at times, is marvelously written and researched.

If I could give 10 stars, I would.

I received a digital copy of The Women in exchange for my honest review. Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Kristin Hannah.

Kristin Hannah’s soon-to-be-released novel, The Women, is a poignant depiction of both women’s grit and the relative recent history of the war in Vietnam and its toll.
I was a young child when the war in Vietnam was raging. Mainly through photos, I remember a thin, somewhat hollow-eyed cousin staying with us on leave one Christmas. He thoughtfully brought us dolls and outfits from Vietnam. Fast forward four to five years and I remember putting together care packages in elementary school. Fast forward a couple more years, and I remember buying POW/MIA bracelets in support of the effort to bring home missing service men. My use of “service men” was intentional, and that is part of Kristin Hannah’s point in writing this book. Aside from somewhat benign television programs like China Beach and MASH, the general public did not hear the story of the women who served their country and saved many lives.
Strong women and women’s friendships are featured in The Women. The grit and fortitude they showed during their tours of duty and upon coming home should be inspirational for the today’s young women. While the storytelling overall is enthralling, I found the pace to be inconsistent. That might have been intentional to reflect life as a combat nurse vs. life back at home. The lead character, Frankie, appears to be a strong person but to me, she needed too much support from the men around her before she could find her strength.
Ms. Hannah’s depiction of PTSD and the propensity of addiction for returning Vietnam vets rang true. Her signature research was obvious in The Women. I especially appreciate the numerous primary references she used in her research.
Frankie’s journey is filled with horror and death, demons and emotions, and love and friendship. Her journey in The Women is compelling, and the ending to her story is perfect. The Women is one of three books that has made me cry hard. It was worth every teardrop and the resulting puffy eyes. The Women is a must read and not just for historical fiction lovers.

I was in desperate need for a 5-star read and this one absolutely delivered. This book is an example of storytelling at its best. I love historical fiction that sends me on my own historical research while also captivating me with all the emotions. I felt sadness, anger, love, and even surprise! This will be a top read for me and a definite recommendation for fans of historical fiction. Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Book for the advanced digital copy.

This was a captivating read and it shed a light on a different part of the Vietnam war that people need to know about.

I'm normally a big fan of Kristen Hannah but this book falls flat for me. It's too slow and I am not connecting with the main character Frankie

I finally finished this ARC! What an emotional roller coaster, which ended with a gentle whisper of hope (and a surprise twist!). Now I want to watch a good Vietnam documentary. A gut-wrenching story of women forgotten in war, and the power of female friendship during adversity. Highly recommend!

Wow. Let me preface this by saying…I do not like historical fiction, especially if it take place during a war. 𝙃𝙊𝙒𝙀𝙑𝙀𝙍, I loved this book. It’s actually my 1st book by this author and I can totally see why people love her writing so much.

Frankie is a 21 year old woman in a family who holds military service as one of the most important sacrifices you can make for your country…it is honorable, unless…you’re a woman. The story takes place during the Vietnam war, a war that took her brother from her. So she jumps at the chance to go support the war effort as a nurse. Frankie works hard and becomes an excellent nurse and sees horrific things that will plague her the rest of her life.

After signing for 2nd round in Vietnam, she finally comes home…but not to a welcome party, not to a country who is proud or a family that is in awe of her bravery. What she did wasn’t seen as brave or honorable but shameful. The way she was treated when she returned home broke my heart.

Life chews Frankie up and spits her back out again and again. She falls in love in different ways with Jamie, Rye and Henry and has hardships aplenty. There is a constant piece of good in her life though, the bond she forms with Barb and Ethel. Barb was such a lovely presence in this book.

Throughout the book Frankie and other women looking for support were told they couldn’t enter support groups for Vets of the Vietnam War because “women weren’t in the war.” I can’t imagine risking my life for a country only to be treated as less than.

I learned a lot about the Vietnam War from this book especially the contributions of women to the war effort. It was such a tumultuous time in our country as the civil rights movement was in full swing. I didn’t realize so many were reported dead only to return home after being falsely reported deceased. Talk about a roller coaster!

I always knew many vets had PTSD after being in Vietnam, seeing & experiencing such awful things but I didn’t even think of how they were treated upon their return to the states and how that also impacted their psyche.

This book gave me all of the emotions. I was flying high with Frankie when things were good and I would shed a tear during her lowest lows. Kristin Hannah crafts such a deep, raw tale of life and all of the peaks and valleys we encounter throughout the course of our lifetime.

The horrors of Vietnam for doctors, nurses, and medics become real in the pages of Hannah’s new novel. Frances ‘Frankie’ McGrath is a good girl from Coronado Island, CA who decides to enlist so she can go to war and support her brother. Things don’t work out exactly as planned but as an Army combat nurse Frankie soon finds herself in Vietnam, in the thick of it, learning as she goes.

Frankie is first assigned to neuro under Dr Smith where she gets excellent training in a somewhat lower intensity environment but she is soon moved to surgery where she works closely with Dr Jamie Callahan. Jamie is a great teacher and an even better friend and they spend many hours each day in surgical procedures that will hopefully save the lives of their fellow soldiers. It is a brutal and grinding existence and the medical staff leans on one another then they party hard when they have down time.

The hardships are a way of life for the duration of their deployment and Hannah does not let up on the pressure that the reader gets from the story. Frankie’s life however does not end with the war so as readers we follow her back home and into the next chapters of her life. But America has changed and so has she.

It’s a powerful and brutally honest telling of the Vietnam experience that will leave readers reaching for tissues more than once.

This was an easy five-star read for me. I think it will be hard for other readers to not love this book. This was an incredibly fast pace read. I found myself flipping pages like nobody's business. You could tell right from the start that this book was very very well researched. To be very specific and real stories, it was incredibly eye opening in a way that you wouldn't be able to get elsewhere. I don't think I have ever cried so hard reading a book. To the point of sobbing uncontrollably. It was absolutely incredible. Make sure you read the author's note as well, very touching. A special thank you to Netgalley, Kristin Hannah, and St. Martin's Press for gifting me this e-ARC. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

This novel tells the story of a combat nurse who served in the Vietnam War. It is brutally honest. The protagonist, Frankie, is a Southern California girl living in an affluent island near San Diego. She gets hit with the brutal realities of war soon after arriving in country. She experiences it all - missing limbs, mortally wounded young soldiers, blood everywhere, horrible living conditions, and unspeakable losses.

Then, when Frankie returns to California, her problems keep going. Though she is supported by two other women with whom she served, she succumbs to addiction problems, nightmares, and is unable to fit into the affluent world she left.

This book was well written and well researched. It's an important book for understanding the true horrors of any war. Yet the book is unrelenting in chronicling the aftermath of war. The main character does not get a break, and she does not get a Hollywood ending. Sensitive readers might want to read this book in sections, taking breaks for something lighter.

“What is it good for…absolutely nothing.” - War

When twenty-year-old nursing student Frankie McGrath is told by her brother’s friend that “women can be heroes too,” it sparks an indelible flame within her. When her brother is drafted to serve in the Vietnam War, she decides to enlist in the Army Nurse Corps and join him, having no idea just how much that decision will ultimately affect the course of her life.

This book pays homage to the millions of vets who experienced detrimental physical and emotional damage in a widely unpopular war (not of their own volition in most cases) only to return home to public outrage. Kristin Hannah gives voice to the pain and suffering these veterans experienced post war - both the high suicide rates and the very high drug and alcohol addiction rates in a world that was only beginning to recognize PTSD.

At the heart of this story though, are the women - those who served their country in the same vain as their male counterparts, and yet received none of the recognition from their fellow Veterans, including the Veterans Administration (VA) who refused them needed psychological treatment.

I have read some criticism that the second part of the story has too much going on, and is too dramatic and/or all over the place. I have to very respectfully disagree. It is through the mess and the chaos (both very present in this turbulent part of history) that we see just how much the war has broken these men and women, and how hard they must work to find their way back to being whole.

I chose to do an immersive read of this book, primarily because my all time favorite narrator was at the helm. Julia Whelan could not have done a better job of voicing this incredible story, these unforgettable characters, and all of the angst, tension, distress, and messiness of the times. If you could only choose one book to read immersively, make it this one.

This will easily top my list of 2024 favorites.

Read if you like:
•learning about the Vietnam war
•the turbulence of the 1960s and 1970s
•strong female protagonist
•coming of age stories
•messy love stories
•emotional reads

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan audio for my gifted copies.

As soon I finished the first sentence I knew this was going to be a 5 star read. Kristin Hannah can do no wrong for me. Her books make you think, fell, cry and just plain addictive, I thought nothing could top The Nightingale but this just took the top spot. Thanks so much to the publisher and NetGalley for advanced copy for a honest review.

Kristin Hannah can do no wrong. I think this one is one of her best ones. The emotions the characters went through. From being in war to how it was being home. People hating Frankie and being ashamed of her for serving as a nurse in Vietnam. I can’t even imagine how that must of felt for those to have served over there and under appreciated for their sacrifices. Loved it so much

Another fabulous Kristin Hannah book. I highly recommend this book. It is truly historical fiction at its best, with an emotionally charged narrative that transcends the war genre.

The book’s compelling narrative kept me hooked from beginning to end. The characters were well-developed. The protagonist, Frankie McGrath, is a complex, relatable character. Her flaws and strengths were so realistic she could have been any of us. The pacing of the book is fast and engaging, with rapid page-turning action in the first half of the novel specifically.

I loved the strong female friendships of the three central women characters. Their relationship provided an emotional depth.

Kristin Hannah undertook extensive research and gave us a novel that sheds light on lesser-known aspects of the Vietnam War, particularly the role of female military nurses.

The heartbreaking realism deeply moved me and was a realistic portrayal of the Vietnam War and the challenges faced by the characters both during and after the conflict.

The conclusion of the novel is emotionally powerful and has left a lasting impression on me.

Kristin Hannah's upcoming release, The Women, left me in a severe love-hate conundrum. I can only give it three stars, an average of the five stars it deserves for the parts set in Vietnam and the one star it deserves for the backstories and romances.

I loved the section of the book set in Vietnam. This part of the book was well-researched, action-packed, and took me as close as I wanted to be to a combat medical evacuation unit. Vietnam War literature has not covered the nurse's perspective much, so I especially valued this content. The Vietnam writing was gritty and sometimes challenging to read but written very well (trigger warnings for some readers, though, so be forewarned).

However, the book chapters preceding Frankie's tour in Vietnam were slow and plodding. Frankie seemed devoid of personality - a cardboard caricature of "the good girl." I came close to DNFing the book before it even took off. The last half of this overly long book covered Frankie's return home and her struggles with PTSD. Aspects of these sections had decent content, covering the abysmal treatment of returning vets, the complete dismissal of women serving in combat zones, and the range of issues Vietnam Vets had adapting to life back home.

All good, but then there were the intertwined romances and backstories, and these were, in my opinion, just horrible. I've watched soap operas with more feasible plot lines. I don't want to include spoilers, but there were way too many times I rolled my eyes in dismay. It wasn't even that the romance aspect was too swoony (people familiar with my reviews know I have a low tolerance for swooniness), but the plot devolved into the ludicrous. The ridiculousness of some of the events in Frankie's relationships detracted from the seriousness of the rest of the story. Given the book was almost 500 pages long, much of this could have (should have) been edited out.

Some details in the book's second half would have benefitted from better research. As written, they detracted from the good parts of the story and came off as just plain lazy. It's small stuff, but it piled up and was sometimes so frustrating I wanted to give up reading. Here are a few of my issues (that won't give away the plot). First, one nurse friend wants to be a veterinarian. OK, good for her, but in the late 1960s, few women were getting into vet school and, indeed, were mostly blocked from becoming large animal vets as this woman aspired to (I am a veterinarian, and vet school did not open broadly to women until the early 1980s). So this friend comes home from her tour in, I think, March and enrolls in vet school during the middle of the school year because, of course, a nurse can just do that without taking any prerequisites or entrance exams or even applying. Then this same friend, more than once, drops everything, including vet school, to fly out at the last minute and spend weeks helping Frankie, who is dealing with one melodramatic romantic crisis after another. Because you can do that in the middle of vet school with no apparent repercussions. This isn't the vet school I remember. And what regular folks just flew around the country on a whim in the 1960s? Flying was a big deal then, not done on a day's notice. Later in the book, a character living in rural Montana decides to become a clinical psychologist and does so while living in rural Montana because they have so many clinical psychology programs (yes, this is sarcasm).

I understand I am an outlier here, but I'm also not alone in my criticisms of the non-Vietnam aspects of the novel. You'll enjoy the book if melodrama, lack of historical accuracy, and telenovela-level romances don't bother you.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an eBook version of the novel in return for a review.