In this captivating read, the author masterfully weaves a narrative that is both engaging and thought-provoking. Through a blend of richly developed characters and a meticulously crafted plot, the book offers a unique exploration of its central themes, inviting readers to immerse themselves in the story's depth and complexity. The narrative is paced perfectly, balancing moments of intense action with thoughtful reflection, ensuring that readers are hooked from the first page to the last. The author's ability to evoke emotion and create a vivid, immersive world is truly remarkable, making this book a must-read for anyone looking for an exceptional literary experience.

Beyond its compelling storyline, the book stands out for its insightful commentary on the human condition, weaving philosophical questions into the fabric of its narrative. The author's skillful use of language not only enriches the text but also elevates the reader's experience, offering new perspectives on familiar themes. Whether it's the intricate dynamics of relationships, the exploration of identity, or the confrontation with ethical dilemmas, this book tackles complex issues with sensitivity and intelligence. It's a testament to the power of storytelling to illuminate the nuances of life, making it a valuable addition to any book lover's collection. Regardless of genre, this is a work that resonates on multiple levels, affirming the enduring impact of well-crafted literature.

I cannot say enough wonderful things about Kristin Hannah. As a writer, she has to be top of her game. I honestly don't know how she's going to top The Women.
The story starts off in 1966 with Frankie McGrath, 21 year-old newly minted nurse who follows her brother Finley to war. Frankie is immediately thrown into combat and surgical nursing and rises to the occasion. She makes fast friends with Ethel and Barbara, nurses who help Frankie find her way and become the sort of friends you have forever.
The second half of the novel focuses on Frankie's struggles when she gets home and how horrible our veterans were treated after a war they wanted no part in. Along the way, Ethel and Barbara stand by her and eventually Frankie finds her footing.
I cannot stress enough how awesome this book was to experience. Just do yourself a favor and pick it up ASAP!

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this audio e-arc read by Julia Whelan.*

"In this crazy, chaotic, divided world that was run by men, you would count on The Women."

Kristin Hannah never misses. This time we follow Frankie McGrath to Vietnam where she is a combat nurse, only to return to America to constantly hear, "There were no women in Vietnam." This novel is extremely well-researched, and its attention to detail makes the audiobook compelling and thought-provoking. I will read anything Kristin Hannah writes, and I especially appreciate her consistent portrayal of strong female characters. Hannah has become a roaring voice for women in history.

I consider THE NIGHTINGALE one of my favorite books of all time, and while she has an extensive backlog, THE WOMEN was only my second written by Kristin Hannah. Additionally, it was my first historical fiction novel from the Vietnam War era. One of my favorite things about historical fiction is the opportunity that it provides to consider how I would have fared during the period depicted, and often, I come away astounded by the resilience of humankind.

"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."

I found so much of Frankie's story to be heart wrenching. Hannah did not shy away from any of the ugly, which was so important when it came to better understanding what the women who served experienced. Part one was eye-opening and emotional. However, I felt that the second half of the book was excessively painful. Some of it, such as the reception veterans received—particularly female veterans—and the portrayal of mental health, including PTSD, was incredibly powerful. The mental health representation particularly struck a chord within me. That said, I wish that one or two of Frankie's traumas post-homecoming could have been omitted. The story was strong enough on its own without the added hurdles to overcome.

"We were the last believers, my generation. We trusted what our parents taught us about right and wrong, good and evil, the American myth of equality and justice and honor. I wonder if any generation will ever believe again."

There is a reason that Julia Whelan is considered the queen of audiobook narration. She brought the story and emotions to life. If you enjoy audio, I highly recommend this one. The ending was hopeful, and I am looking forward to going back to read THE GREAT ALONE, which covers the post-Vietnam War era. Many thanks to Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review!

Wow. The Women is an example of the best kind of historical fiction. If your history course have resembled mine over the years (start at the American Revolution, make it to WWII, repeat) The Women can fill in so many gaps about the Vietnam War and era. I found myself unable to stop reading and actively thinking about this book during the times I was unable to be reading.

Kristin Hannah has chosen to follow Frankie, an Army nurse as she deploys to Vietnam, and also as she returns home and attempts to reintegrate into 1960's society. Frankie is a relatable character who will have you rooting for her from the outset. Hannah does a wonderful job of respectfully and impactfully depicting the experiences of The Women in Vietnam, the realities of PTSD, and the intersection of gender and help seeking when Frankie returns home. A special shoutout for not falling into any of my pet peeve pitfalls of depicting mental illness and treatment.

I was lucky enough to be able to review The Women in audiobook format, and Julia Whelan's narration added life and depth to the character of Frankie, I could hear the emotion behind her words as she narrated the ups and downs of the plot. Thank you to Kristin Hannah and Macmillan Audio for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Friends, I am no longer a KH virgin and braved a book by hers finally! 😂

If you’ve known me for awhile, you’d know that I avoid emotional books like the plague because I’m scared of tears but omgggg after reading The Women I know that Ive missed out on so many good books from an amazing author!!

The Women is a masterpiece! This book was so well written, touching on so many important topics and it will make you go through a rollercoaster of emotions!

Reading this made me angry, frustrated, sad, and happy and that’s because Kristin Hannah is such an amazing and effective author! I don’t even know how she pulled a story like this to be twisty but she did! Despite this being a war story and a little heavy to read at times, it was so bingeable and I promise you, you wouldn’t be able to put this book down!!

Reading historical fiction is very interesting but equally tough at times! Reading about the war, how badly Vietnam veterans were treated, the social expectations from females back then, and all the deaths during the 60s/70s was tough. And I’m just happy that humanity as a whole had come a long way since then!

I also listened to parts of it on audio. And friends, nobody really does it any better than juliawhelan! This is definitely one of her best performances ever!

This comes out on Feb 6 and I definitely recommend preordering it because this is a definite must read!

Lastly, THANK YOU to all the amazing nurses and veterans/ soldiers out there! I hope this book finds you and make you more proud of what you do 💗

Just a note, I didn’t include TWs in the book because I don’t want anybody to be spoiled but you can DM me for them if you think you need it before reading the book :)

Frankie’s brother has been killed in Vietnam. Frankie decides she is going to do something different than what her conservative parents want for her. She signs up for the Army Nurse Corps. She is immediately shipped to Vietnam. To say this experience changed her life is an understatement, it ruled her life for years to come.

Frankie’s experience in Vietnam is something I will think about for weeks…heck…months. Add that in with how she was treated after she got home, even by her family, no wonder she had trouble adjusting.

Well, February is starting off with a bang! And this book is the reason! It is so dang good! Hannah incorporates so much into this novel. The research, the strong characters, the fantastic writing, the setting…GEEZ! This is such an amazing read!

Julia Whelan is one of my all time favorite narrators and she nailed this book!

Need a novel which will have your emotions all over the place…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

women can be heroes too



AMAZING! I don't know how to express how much I love The Women!

I've read of how Vietnam soldiers were mistreated when they returned home. Never once had I read about the women who served in that war. Never.

We knew about the lack of support the veterans received, the nurses in this story had none whatsoever. No one admitted women were serving in Vietnam.

Frances “Frankie” McGrath wants to make her parents proud. After graduating from nursing school, she decides to follow her brother to Vietnam by joining the Navy. But with a two-year requirement, she decides to enlist with the Army which will send her to Vietnam after a short training.

Little did she understand, that heroes in their family were exclusively men who served. Against her parent's wishes that she should marry and start a family, she heads to Vietnam ill-prepared for what's ahead.

Part of the novel is set in Vietnam but Frankie's heartwrenching journey continues after her service. Ashamed by her family and broken by war. The story covers romance, tragedies, casualties, trauma, addiction, PTSD, civil rights, and women's rights. As with other returning soldiers, they are forgotten by all especially the women.

I enjoyed listening to The Women knowing little detail when I started. Julia Whelan's narration was phenomenal and I highly recommend this audiobook.

The story of army nurse Frankie McGrath will stay with me for a long time. No question The Women is my favorite read so far this year and the best I've read by Kristin Hannah.

I can’t even put into words how much I loved this book! The beautiful tribute this will be for so many who fought in the Vietnam war, but specifically the women.

I personally lived in Hanoi, Vietnam for several years, and have been to many war memorials and this story was very near to my heart.

Frankie Mcgraph is every solider that wasn’t welcomed home. I loved that this work followed her rise & fall, but most specifically, I love that this story showed her struggles & deep anguish. It’s a story that shows army vets they are not alone, and that they can be validated in their pain and grief!

This story ended full circle, and when Jamie said her name at the memorial wall, my heart imploded. This was a masterpiece! Quite possible the best historical fiction story in existence!

Best of luck to Kristin Hannah who always astounds!

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of The Women. I will start by saying, if Julia Whelan can’t make a book sound good, then it was doomed from the start. I appreciate the careful historical perspective that Hannah applies here, and the first third of the book gave me hope of a solid finish. I loved this untold story of women in war, and I will seek to educate myself more on the veterans of Vietnam. I also appreciate the feminist push this book gives, as it felt genuine and meaningful to our characters However, the unrealistic nature of the healing process and the jolting timeline leave the reader confused and unsure how to understand the novel as a whole. I think the book could have been cut down significantly and that many of the relationships in the book were unrealistic and pointless to the overall arc. Without giving spoilers, I think the last 1/4 of the book will leave you disappointed and wishing for something different. I’m sure the Kristin Hannah fans will disagree with me, but if you take a look at the book objectively, I think you’ll realize that healing from trauma and PTSD does not immediately lead to the abilities that our protagonist was able to create on her own. This book felt rushed in some places and overdone in others. I would not necessarily recommend you spend the lengthy amount of time reading it.

Kristin Hannah does it again! Powerful characters with believeable relationships tugging at every emotion throughout this story! She should be proud of the spotlight she brings to the veteran women of Vietnam.

WOW -WOW, WOW Amazing! February 6 The Women comes out! Many thanks to Net Galley and Macmillan Audio for giving me an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! Can I give a book 5+ stars! It is so well done and at the end the author’s note describes how all the time and research she put into the story works! Julia Whelan does an amazing job narrating the character’s voice and passion.

The story begins in the mid sixties and a family of war heroes are having a party to send their young son/brother off to serve in the Vietnam war. However when his sister, the main character Francis “Frankie” McGrath later enlists also as an army nurse her father tells people she is studying abroad in Florence! The book chronicles her journey as well as her return. You feel every emotion with her. The author did such an amazing job developing her character- so much research was done to allow the reader to feel her pain, frustration, exhaustion and heartbreaks while at the same time seeing her strength, grit and compassion. The friendship that Frankie, Barb and Ethel share is heartwarming during such an emotional story. Thank you for allowing me this advanced copy. Frankie will forever be remembered as a war hero in my eyes! “Women are war heroes too” This is a must read!

Holy Moly! Kristin Hannah has done it again! I think this is my favorite book yet! History, feminism, romance, drama….I want to read more and learn more about the Vietnam war. Thank you for writing such an incredible book! Looking forward to more!!!!

Kristin Hannah consistently writes amazing stories with strong female characters, and this is no different.

Frankie McGrath comes from a long line of Navy veterans. She joins the army as a nurse and heads to Vietnam to serve her country. She soon learns that Nam is much more gruesome than the newspapers let on and she will get anything but a hero’s welcome upon returning.

I was disappointed by how much of the storyline focused on Frankie’s love life and hopping through romantic partners. I feel like her struggles with combat and PTSD carried the story well enough without the love interests. That’s my personal preference. I loved the scenes in combat and how we watched her character grow day by day. Her tenuous and changing relationship with her mom and dad were also very well done and developed. The whole journey through Frankie’s life was heartbreaking but rewarding.

The narrator for this audiobook was perfect, and I’m so glad I chose to listen. Each character’s emotion range true in the narration. Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced readers copy of the audio!

The story of Lieutenant Frankie McGrath, a young and naive new nurse drew me in right away. Wanting a life away from her sheltered existence in California, she endeavored to follow her brother in Vietnam and earn a spot on the family’s wall of heroes. Immediately overwhelmed by this terrible and bloody war, she rose to the challenge and evolved into a proficient surgical nurse. What followed was a heart-wrenching account of her time in Vietnam as well as her return stateside—the friends and men who would shape the rest of her life, the bitter attitude of a divided country blinded to the truth, and a significant lack of assistance for what we now know as PTSD. This was not an easy story to read, even so I was very invested in the lives of Frank and her loved ones. As a woman, nurse, and military veteran, there were so many aspects of Frankie’s story that I felt viscerally (one could nitpick some of these details, but I do not feel that it took away from the reading experience). Parts of this book made me angry (justifiably so), incredibly sad, and also deeply moved which is a credit to the author’s writing and passion for this topic. Grateful that this brought attention to an overlooked period in American history. Julia Whelan was an ideal narrator for this book.

"Women can be heroes too."

I will read anything Kristin Hannah writes and when I saw a new historical fiction, I immediately picked it up. Historical fiction is really hard to do well, especially books that span over a large period of time, and this is done SO well.

The Women follows Frankie, a nurse in the Army Corps in Vietnam. I didn't know a lot about the Vietnam war before reading this, but I learned so much more while reading, especially about what happened after. This book dives into the war, ptsd, trauma, addiction, mental health, love and friendships. Once I started reading, I literally could not stop. I felt all of the emotions Frankie was feeling, and this book pulled at heartstrings I didn't even know I had.

This book was an eye opener for me as to how many women were involved in the war, and forgotten about. Women seem to be so often forgotten, and I felt that this book really did women who served justice.

The Women will definitely be in my top 10 favorite books of the year. I made it my February BOTM so I can have a physical book on my shelves.

Thank you NetGalley & Macmillian for an advanced listener copy.

I fell in love with Kristin Hannah’s writing after reading Night Road in 2012, so last year after learning of its pending publication, The Woman instantly became my most anticipated read of 2024. It remained true to everything I’ve come to love about Hannah’s writing: themes of death, grief, love and hope are ever present, while emphasizing strength. And in the classic Hannah way, The Hobbit was referenced.

Emotions:
I somehow neglected to remember Hannah's expert writing skills and just how quickly she lures me into her story and plot, causing me to forget everything outside the book. I was transported, engrossed and tossed into the Vietnam War alongside Frankie, already shedding tears at 11%, 18% and 19% in. But 77% and 78%? Nothing prepared me for that. I bawled from 93% on.

Audiobook:
I often keep some anticipated books to read traditionally (without the audiobook in my ears), to sink into the way I did pre-Bookstagram; The Women is my exception. Hannah's unprecedented writing remained the same but with the added enhancement audiobook narration adds. This book ended up being my third in a row that Julia Whelan narrated, and somehow, she transforms herself like a chameleon with each book, each role taking her voice and tone to a different place. With this narration, it was not Whelan reciting Hannah's words, it was simply Frankie sharing about her life. The special appearance by Hannah was added enjoyment to my already amazing audiobook experience.

Stylistically:
The focus of this story was truly on Frankie’s time in Vietnam; the emphasis remained there with the utter horror depicted on page time and time again. Other aspects in Frankie’s life, although also dreadful, were skillfully edged around and instead remained in the shadows, allowing the true focus of Vietnam to become vivid in technicolour. There was a subtle shift as to how time was noted, showing Frankie’s character growth, however dismal at times. Each romantic chapter of Frankie's life had closure, but yet the ending was left optimistically open-ended.

The strength. The tenacity. The truth.

The Women.

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for the complimentary copies to read and review.

The Women by Kristin Hannah, explores a moment in history that we have not seen in historical fiction - the role women played in the Vietnam War. I appreciated the viewpoint of our main character Frankie, as she follows her older brother into war, volunteering as a combat nurse as a naive and idealistic young 21 year old.
This is an era of history that we see infrequently portrayed. It's the beginning of understanding trauma and PTSD, when veterans could not get the help they needed after the war, and society treated them like pariahs. Even moreso for the women who could not receive the help they needed after the war.
One thing I really appreciated was the way the author keeps from giving Frankie a happy or easy resolution, just to appease the reader. Frankie goes through horrible things, and she must actually go THROUGH these things, no easy answer to her traumas and experiences.
I listened on audio through Libro.fm, and the narrator was fabulous. There are also moments of music from that era, and the narrator does sound effects very well.
Thank you to MacMillan Audio and Libro.fm for the advance listening copy.

I finished the audiobook in about a day. I could not stop, it was that good.

Frankie is a 21-year-old, volunteering to join the Army as a nurse during the Vietnam War. The story follows her while she is deployed and is an emotional ride with one account after another of the horrors of war and the resulting "reception" upon return. It details the veterans' struggles and Frankie's trying to fit back into their lives away from the war.

The story paints a clear picture and seems to have been well-researched. The story flowed easily and it was never slow or boring. Some of the love interest storylines were a bit predictable but didn't hurt the story.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an advance reader copy of the audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

Put this book on your must read list!! Kristin Hannah has written a beautiful story about the forgotten women who served during Vietnam. In this book we follow the journey of Frankie McGrath as she navigates her life during Vietnam as a combat nurse and how that experience changes her life. Although it is a fiction novel Kristin Hannah has done her research she explores all the complexities of being a Vietnam veteran and the hardship they met when returning home.