Not long before COVID, my children's grandfather died from liver cancer. Took him in less than a year. The cause? Agent Orange from his time as a Marine in Vietnam. The Vietnam War so often gets swept under the rug but it's affecting families to this day. Kristin Hannah truly did ALL the veterans service with The Women. I loved everything about this book. Everyone knows war is ugly. But the aftermath, the way we treat our veterans, is so often much uglier for many families. There were times the book felt almost too real, too raw and I wasn't sure how I could continue reading it. Kristin Hannah is the master at ripping your heart out and then handing it right back to you though. The lows are low but the highs are high. And along the way you get to experience a time in history that might have otherwise passed you by. A solid 5 out of 5 stars.

I have read a lot of World War II books but I haven’t read a single book set in Vietnam. First off I have the utmost respect for the women and men that bravely served in this war. Listening to this audio book was excruciating for me. I kept thinking what the hell is going on in Vietnam. Kristen Hannah did a great job painting a picture of what it was like over there. I think I have trauma just listening to this book.

For me the book lacked in story development. I know a lot of people are raving about this book but I’m in the minority on this one. It felt like I was reading about bombing, casualties, surgeries, senseless war. Over and over and over again. I can only stomach so much. I loved the characters and wanted to hear more development and focus on the characters rather than casualties and surgeries.



Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

I started listening to this audiobook while riding with my husband after returning our son to college. At first, I wasn't too sure about the book and the voice actor. But, within an hour I was completely hooked and wished the trip was longer than 3 hours. I listened at work when doing tasks that needed minimal brainpower. I would have listened in bed at night to finish it, but had started reading a borrowed copy of "The Four Winds" that I didn't want to stop either. So, I doubled up on Kristin Hannah (a new author for me at the time.)

The imagery of Vietnam along with the internal angst that Frankie McGrath has along her journey "in country" and back stateside after her two years of service are over. This is a period and war that still offers many stories to be told that were previously not. Sure, there are books and movies about Vietnam and the men who served. But, Kristin Hannah takes that tumultuous time in American history and brings it to life in a new way - painting a picture of the women who served and were rarely (if ever) recognized for their sacrifices.

Beyond painting a vivid picture of Frankie's time in Vietnam, she continues to show the difficulties faced by veterans when they returned stateside. And how the ways some chose to quell the pain (alcohol, drugs, and sex) often barely masked the pain and led them down a dark road.

There's way more I could say, but I don't like to divulge a lot of the plot.

Overall, one of the best audiobooks I've listened to in a long time. It may have taken me a while to embrace Julia Whelan's narration style, but it ended up so perfectly fitting the novel.

As for the story woven together by KH. Amazing just scratches the surface. I'm now looking at all her past books to see which one to read next and wondering how I missed reading one of her novels before now.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the audiobook version of this ARC. My listening was time well spent.

This is my favourite of all the ARC's I've received. I never read Historical Fiction, not my genre, and what a high bar this book has set. Kristen Hannah wrote this so thoughtfully and it felt very real as if I was there without being emotionally punishing or depressing at all. Although I have no connection to the Vietnam was this story and the things Charlie faces reminded me of experiences throughout my own life and the plot kept me interested all the way through. I love the female friendships in this book, I'll be reading more of this authors work for sure. Thank you for being my gateway into this genre!

Run out on Feb 6 and get this book. I have so much to say! This book by a favorite author, Kristin Hannah, is an epic, sweeping story about one of the very few women who were in the nursing unit of the army in the 1960s and saw firsthand the horrors of the Vietnam War. Extremely well-researched, this story made me feel like I was there, experiencing the loss, frustration, music, horrors, unfairness, love, and betrayal that the protagonist Frankie went through. Relationships are the center of this story, which is both historical fiction and feminist fiction and even romance! (sort-of) Complicated yet spun perfectly into a story that will stay with me for a long time. If you remember the Vietnam War, or if you don't - this will scar you and give you a new perspective on life. Can I give it 6 stars?!

What a heart wrenching story-so important for people to read and understand. A story about the women in the Vietnam war-mainly the nurses who saved as many lives as they could while in the thick of it. My heart broke over and over again for Frankie.

I loved this story and hope to learn more about these women who were there in Vietnam. They deserve as much respect as the men who served.

Julia Whelan is one of my favorite narrators and she did this story justice.

Thank you NetGalley, Macmillan audio and Kristin Hannah for the ALC for my honest review.

So beautifully written! Kristin Hannah’s command of the English language is extraordinary. Detailed,descriptive passages paint vivid pictures/scenes as the story unravels. The Women shreds a light on the impacts of the Vietnam War, the heroic efforts of the women and so much more.
The audiobook narration, by Julia Whelan, is incredible. Her voice is soft but strong, well paced, and pleasant to listen to. The narration is more like a storytelling. A moving story beautifully told.
Be sure to listen to the Author’s Note and Acknowledgements at the end. I was moved to tears.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to thoroughly enjoy the audiobook version of this ARC

I’ve been waiting for this book since the moment I finished The Four Winds back in 2021. It’s no secret that Kristin Hannah is my favorite author. Her book Winter Garden made me truly fall in love with reading when I read it back in 2014.

Receiving an early physical copy of this book was an absolute dream come true! Thank you so much @stmartinspress and also for an audio copy through @netgalley ❤️❤️❤️ I did a combination of both and the audio is perfection! 👌🏼

In The Women Kristin truly transports you to this period in history known for its political, social and cultural upheaval. She achieves this through the sites, smells, major events, and music. I have never read a historical fiction book transporting me straight into the Vietnam War and I loved learning more about this sad and difficult time in history.

Kristin doesn’t hold back at all in highlighting how awful this war truly was. She takes you straight to the jungles of Vietnam through the eyes of Frankie McGrath, a young nurse serving in the Army Nurse Corps and the horrors she witnessed taking care of these men severely injured while serving their country and the toll it took on her. The women who served over there were not recognized after returning to the U.S. and did not receive the help they needed to deal with the aftermath and all that they witnessed.

I don’t want to give too much away because I’m a firm believer in just diving into a book without knowing too much. It’s a powerful story about courage, loss, love, friendship, family, and healing.

This will definitely make my top 10 books of the year. I don’t know if it’s my favorite KH book (too hard to choose!), but I will say it’s my favorite of hers since The Nightingale. She is a master storyteller and I felt like I was right there beside Frankie the entire time, rooting for her every step of her journey. I devoured this book in two days which is super fast for me with it being almost 500 pages. I just couldn’t put it down!

The women by Kristin Hannah is
Deeply moving and poignant. Evocative. Frankie’s story is impactful from multiple perspectives. I tried to figure out which one spoke to me the most, but I have to say, all of them are meaningful and sure to resonate with someone in the audience.
A young, innocent woman who longed to make a difference by maintaining her family’s honor and remembering a brother who deeply impacted her life. A brave human who embarks on an army tour she never could have imagined. A humbled nurse who could not believe what she was seeing, living, experiencing, or being asked to do. A battle tried and seasoned surgical nurse who excelled despite the pain and chaos. A loyal friend who found lifelong sisters. A woman who longed for and found love. A tender soul who experienced unspeakable heartache and loss. A daughter who learned first hand the polarizing differences in generational approach to hardships. An addict who longed for understanding and healing from the experiences that broke her. An army vet who learned that PTSD is a real thing, not to mention the effects of chemical warfare. A champion who learned how to fight for women vets to be seen and heard. A warrior who earned her scars and the right to tell her story.
The uncertainty but dedication followed by the immediate panic of her regretful and naive decision to enlist were depicted in perfect detail. The dialogue, the sounds and smells, and the descriptions of life during combat in the jungle allowed me to experience it in my mind’s eye.
The second half, reentry and life going forward, broke my heart. Not in a way that I didn’t enjoy the story, but in a way that had me screaming with Frankie for someone to see her and validate her experiences. Ethel and Barb remained true and faithful in a way that heart sisters do and I was so grateful she had them.
While this book may been fiction, the story is not. The author mentioned at the end that this book has been with her for awhile but she knew she wasn’t ready or matured enough in her skill to tackle and honor such a difficult topic. Thank you for waiting. For taking the time get it right through maturity and research.
As one who grew up Army and has been a nurse for 25+ years, I can’t help but believe that time to marinate is what made this book phenomenal. Attention to detail and historical representation are so well done.
For all the heaviness, and there’s plenty of it (it’s war and nurses), there’s also tender, sweet, everyday life moments. The balance happened at just the right moments and demonstrate the mastery of a spellbinding story.
I had the privilege of reading the written words in addition to listening to audiobook which truly brought the story to life in a unique and captivating way.
Many thanks for the complimentary copies I received from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are solely my own, freely given.

★★★★★♾️ ALL THE STARS

✦ Synopsis
In 1965, Frankie McGrath, a twenty year old fresh faced nursing school graduate, impulsively joins the Army Nurse Corps when her brother ships out to serve in Vietnam. Women can be heroes too, right?
As green & inexperienced as the men sent to Vietnam to fight, Frankie is overwhelmed by the chaos & destruction of war, as well as the unexpected trauma of coming home to a changed & divided America.

The Women is the story of one woman gone to war, but it shines a light on the story of all women who put themselves in harm's way to help others. Women whose sacrifice and commitment to their country has all too often been forgotten.

✦ My Thoughts
The easiest 5★ I’ve ever given. This is without a doubt one of the most powerful, expertly written books I’ve ever read.

From the opening dedication to the very last page, I felt immersed in the storytelling. I laughed, I cried, I was utterly captivated - literally hanging onto every word.

Frankie McGrath is now one of my favorite fictional women. Her story is full of hardships, sacrifice, disappointment & sorrow. I don't think I ever rooted for a character as hard as I did for Frankie. I saw pieces of myself in her. Her bravery in leaning on her friends, in asking for help, was truly remarkable.

This was a beautiful tribute to all the women who served in Vietnam, highlighting the real yet unimaginable hardships & trauma that these veterans endured. The level of research that went into this novel was truly astounding.

Whether you are a seasoned historical fiction reader or are new to the genre, this is a MUST READ. If I ever convince anyone to read one book, I hope it’s this one.

⟡ Read if you like
- mental health representation
- the movie hacksaw ridge
- War stories
- Medical dramas
- female empowerment
- absolutely incredible audiobook
- bonds of friendship

Thank you to Kristin Hannah for writing this absolute masterpiece of a book, to Julia Whelan for her wonderful narration, & to netgalley + Macmillan audio for the opportunity to listen to this arc.

Kristin Hannah does it again! Fans of Hannah’s heartfelt women-centric historical fiction won’t be disappointed with her latest novel. The Women takes readers to Vietnam alongside Frankie McGrath, an Army combat nurse but the real journey begins when Frankie comes home.

The novel is very well researched. Hannah transports the reader to Frankie’s new world. I shared in Frankie’s triumphs, fears and heartbreaks. Hannah opened my eyes to the reality of the US in the late 60s, early 70s especially for those who served in Vietnam. I always enjoy how Hannah explores female relationships, this time she focuses on the life-affirming power of girlfriends. I highly recommend this book for all adult readers.

This book left me in awe. It was an amazing and insightful read that I could not put down. The journey that Francis went through was one that I couldn't imagine, but the author did a beautiful job of making you feel like you were right along the characters. The story goes through Frankie's childhood, becoming a nurse, joining the army, Vietnam and life after coming home from the war and living a life of a veteran and the struggles. I will forever remember this book!
I just reviewed The Women by Kristin Hannah. #NetGalley
[NetGalley URL]

Kristen Hannah has done it again!

Before reading The Women, I read The Nightingale and The Four Winds. I rated them all five stars. I've found that she has a way of pulling at all your emotions.

The Women grips you with how well-rounded and complex the characters are. On top of that, this is a beautifully written novel that will leave you captivated from the beginning until the end.

The book follows Frankie, an Army nurse, through her journey before, during, and after the Vietnam War.

Through Frankie's character development, we see her transformation from a naive girl to a strong woman who navigates through the horrors and bleakness of war.

The book handles the topics of war, grief, and trauma with great care and intertwines them with moments of hope and happiness.

As you read the book, you will find yourself cheering for Frankie as she falls in love during a difficult time overseas, rooting for her to overcome her challenges when she returns home, and feeling angry alongside her for many things.

Get this book because you will not regret reading this enthralling story.

Just WOW! Where to begin with this one. Kristin Hannah absolutely blew me away with her story telling in “The Women”. As a nurse, and a woman, I found this story so compelling. Just like her other novels, she takes you on quite a roller coaster of devastating experiences, with moments of peace in between. The Women is such a beautiful story of beginnings, friendship, loss, and finding oneself.

This novel feels like you are in the middle of a film, and I think Julia Whelan did an incredible job of creating that atmosphere (as always). She was the absolute perfect narrator for this story!

This is a must read book this year. You won’t be able to put it down! I only wish I could relive the experience of hearing this book for the first time again.

Thank you so much for this audio advanced copy Macmillan Audio and NetGalley.

Thanks to NetGalley and MacMillian Audio for the advance listening copy of "The Women" by Kristin Hannah. This si my second Hannah book and I was a little hesitant to pick it up after "The Four Winds". I felt like there was so much trauma that happened to that lead (an overwhelming amount) that I wasn't sure I wanted to read another of this author's book.
Frankly, I picked it up because Julia Whelan was the narrator. I love her and have listened to most of her reads. No one narrate a story like Julia.
I thought this was a heavy book about loss, unresolved grief, personal flaws and female friendship all interwoven through the Vietnam War era.
The same pattern unfolded here, with our female enduring a seemingly endless string of bad things.
I liked Frankie, although it did seem like her friends rescued her-a lot.
The ending was more pleasing than I expected.
It seemed very submersive regarding the story of war.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for this advanced audio arc! The book is a fantastically, hard read. I don't know much about PTSD, or the Vietnam War, but I definitely forsee the future rabbit hole that I am about to fall into... Kristen Hannah is a master at building the background stories for her main characters. Each of her books leaves me a "book hangover".

Plenty of books about the men returning from Vietnam but not so many about the woman nurses returning. They came back with the same war weary bodies as the men. The loss of friends killed. The nightmares and how they were not accepted as a fully experienced nurse when trying to get a job in hospitals in the States. Been treated as somebody who just graduated from school with no experience. Frankie went to nursing school to do more than her parents expected. Get married, have children and help your husband climb the social latter. Jointed the army thinking it would make her parents proud. Instead, they were angry and tried to stop her. Returning home after having finished two tours in Vietnam she met an angry reception by the protesters against the war. Getting home wasn’t much better. Instead of been proud of her service, her parents were embarrassed and had lied to everybody that she had been away in Europe. Been giving beginners jobs in the hospital and dealing with the aftereffects of her service time in Vietnam she was an easy target for alcohol and drug use. Looking for help when she realized that she couldn’t go on any longer like this she turned to the VA for Vietnam veterans. Only to be turned away when they insisted only men were Vietnam veterans. What saved her was the interference of the women nurses who had served with her in Vietnam. This is a very emotional story and I cried various times throughout the story. I was a young adult at that time and my oldest was born at the Fort Devens military hospital in 68. The narrators did a wonderful job in presenting the story.

Kristin Hannah's "The Women" immerses you in 1960's America going into the Vietnam War. I could picture the clothes, the music, and the social climate. Frankie McGrath's story will captivate you as she becomes a combat nurse in the war. Frankie goes through A LOT. But the story has a good ending.
Netflix, if you are listening, this would make a fantastic series!

Ooof. This one hit home HARD. As an Army spouse, there are many things in here that came very close to home and were difficult to read. But also, what a privilege to read. Kristin Hannah takes a very challenging time in our history and sheds the right light on the things that truly mattered. Women can be heroes and these women were right along with the men they served with. I loved and appreciated the care Hannah took with telling Frankie's story. She got so many things right. Two parts that particularly rang true for me was the experiences of a soldier coming home from war and the ways in which the Army becomes your family. They understand.

This is an important story to tell and one I was not super familiar with. Hannah does an fantastic job of making a difficult topic approachable. Julia Whalen, as narrator, takes it a step further. The narration of Frankie's journey had so much heart. You could feel so much of her heartache, her fear, and her stress found in the pages due to Whalen's impeccable performance.

Whether you read this in print, digital, or audio, this is a book that will stop you in your tracks and make you think. We need these stories told and I am grateful to Hannah for doing so. A resounding 5 stars for a book that will stay with me forever.

i enjoyed this read! as usual, the amazing Julia Whelan did a fantastic job with the audio narration. i didn't love this book as much as this author's book The Nightingale (an all-time favorite of mine), but thought it was well-written. it was also eye-opening as to how Vietnam War vets were treated upon returning to the US, focusing on the woman's perspective. this book takes the reader from a nurse's POV through the Vietnam War, then back in America and the aftermath--the PTSD (not very known about at the time), protests, and American attitudes about the war. i did cry a few times (in typical KH fashion). this book was very well-researched and the characters, though flawed, felt very real.

as for the characters, i've seen other early readers critiquing the main character, Frances (Frankie) as being overly naive. however, i feel that she was supposed to be written this way so while her decisions could be frustrating at times, i got why she acted that way, and i feel like that's what matters when writing a character--being able to understand what makes them do what they do.

as for my own critiques, i do think that this author uses a number of tropes that show up in many of her books. i will not be saying what these tropes are because of spoilers, but i found some parts of the book to be rather predictable because of it. however, i wasn't sure how the book would end and wound up liking the ending.

i would recommend this if you like:
- historical fiction set in the 60s
- female-focused books (including reliable female friendships)
- messy main characters
- books that discuss dealing with trauma
- reading about women's contributions during wartime

The Women releases on February 6, 2024. thank you to Macmillan Audio, Kristin Hannah, and Netgalley for an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review!