I have admittedly only read a couple of Kristin's books, but this was an incredible story to immerse myself into. As a woman, there are many emotions that it evokes: anger, pride, sadness, fear. Frankie's story has a depth that I have not experienced many times in novels, and it is not one that I will soon forget. Julia did an excellent job with the narration, as well, which truly helps bring the book to life in a new way.

Heartbreak and Heroism
Death and Destruction

I listened to the Audiobook version narrated by Julia Whelan. Julia voiced all of the characters, distinguished each with different dialect, switching from male to Female. She did an excellent job.
This is the first Historical Fiction book I’ve read placed during the Vietnam War Era. A significant time in history told from a Combat Nurses point of view.
Frankie was born into a family of Heros. Someone from each generation had served in the military. The wall of heros inside her Fathers office was no place for a Woman. A chance encounter at her Brothers deployment party altered Frankies goals. Women can be heros too he said.
Frankie signed up and found herself in the thick of the war. Saving lives and fearing for hers.
Not only does “The Women” tell the heart breaking story of love and loss it brings light to the mistreatment of Vietnam Vets. Struggling to get help Frankie stumbles through life suffering with war related health issues.
I like that “The Women” not only told the story during the war it showed us the aftermath. Following Frankie well into the 80s we are able to see the world change and embrace these courageous Men and Women who fought for our country. This story seems to be historically accurate even though it is fiction.
I had a hard time putting this book down. It left such an impact on me that it will be a book I recommend for a very long time. Be prepared for an emotional rollercoaster. Have some tissues nearby.

I've read a good number of Kristin Hannah's novels and even though they tend to be a bit more on the melodramatic side, I still enjoy delving into the stories she weaves so expertly. The Women is perhaps my favorite (after The Nightingale and The Great Alone), for a number of reasons. I've always been interested in the history of the Vietnam War and the military vet experience and perspective -- my dad served in Vietnam, as did my father-in-law. When I was a teenager, I loved watching China Beach and Tour of Duty. Mostly, I was intrigued that the protagonist is a nurse, my chosen profession. The references to Coronado and the Navy were also special as I'm married to a Navy vet.

Anyhow, the book was a pleasure to listen to and the main character, Frankie McGrath, was likeable enough. I could relate so much to her initial feelings of being a baby nurse and of being inexperienced and afraid. But I loved seeing how she grew and matured into her role, became confident and competent, found her true self in nursing. The story is set against the backdrop of the late 60's to early 80's, a volatile time in American history. Through Frankie's eyes we see the horrors of being in an unpopular, devastating war, of loving and of losing, of coming home not celebrated but despised. We share in her struggles dealing with unimaginable loss and pain, loneliness, PTSD, alcohol, prescription misuse, and betrayal. Not to mention, facing coldness and disapproval from those who *should* be her biggest supporters.

The message that resonates throughout is that she is not truly alone because she has her best friends ("the women," joined by others in later years) in her corner the whole time. She leaned on them through the most heartbreaking moments (there were a few). Frankie comes of age before our eyes, going from a young, wide-eyed, idealistic girl, to a mature, seasoned, and introspective woman. It's remarkable she overcame her demons and found her passion despite all that she'd been through. The ending does a good job of tying up loose ends nicely and neatly, a "happily ever after" for Frankie that we can expect from Hannah. I didn't mind this; I was rooting for Frankie throughout.

This was my first audiobook and I liked it a lot more than I thought I would; it made my work commute enjoyable. I recommend having tissues nearby -- this book made me not only tear up several times but caused actual crying jags. Even though I experienced this novel as an audiobook, I'm still preordering a hard copy to add to my library.

Frankie's story will stay with me a while. She and all the combat nurses who served in Vietnam are inspiring -- my heroes. For three years in a row, I've made the trip to Arlington National Cemetery to lay wreaths on tombs and visit the Nurses Memorial there. It's the least I can do.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley, for this ARC.

Oh my heart. This book. Beautiful.

I can't even write in proper sentences, that's how much this book affected me! In typical Kristin Hannah fashion, once again, I found myself tearing up multiple times throughout this story. An absolutely fantastic read, I cannot recommend it enough. If you know me then you know I don't read much historical fiction. Kristin Hannah is my exception to the rule and this book will be one I'm going to remember for a long time. Women really can do anything and this book is proof of this.

With huge thanks to @macmillan for the fabulous audiobook. The narration was on point especially with my favourite narrator Julia Whelan at the helm.

I will pick up anything Kristin Hannah writes for the rest of my life. She’s an “auto-buy” for me. I wasn’t thrilled about reading a historical fiction piece based on Vietnam because I know Kristin Hannah, and Kristin Hannah is a heartbreaker! On February 8th, I am going to meet her for a book talk in New York City so I was thrilled to get this audiobook from Netgalley! Julia Whelan as a narrator is flawless. Her narration is a symphony of voices, each character uniquely brought to life with a skillful touch. Her ability to infuse authenticity into the dialogue doesn't just tell the story—it invites me to live it. The diverse voices not only distinguish characters but also create a vivid tapestry that immerses me in the narrative. Whelan's mastery elevates the audiobook experience, making every moment resonate and ensuring that I'm not merely a listener but an active participant in the unfolding tale. Since the main character is a nurse, and I am a huge fan of Grey’s Anatomy 😋, I felt like I could “see” each trauma, which was difficult to listen to at times! I easily became attached to the characters in The Women because they were developed so well; KH immersed me in the scenes - her writing is flawless. Her descriptions put you THERE with these women on every journey and heartbreaking moment, and the narration exacerbates these moments. It’s not an “easy” read, because of the hardship and suffering, but I had to see it through because I was so invested in these strong, powerful, inspirational women being okay! The environment, the characters, the impact this book had on me is bar none. Do not wear mascara when you tackle a Kristin Hannah book! 💙 It should probably come with a disclaimer that it will grab your soul and shake it to make sure it’s there. 😂 Of course, as with all KH novels I read, immediately afterward I had to know everything about the historical details in the book and found myself in a Vietnam worm hole; she definitely makes you smarter. I know it’s her job and everything, but KH’s writing is impeccable to me!

My first experience with @kristinhannahauthor was when I read “The Nightingale”, which quickly became one of my favorite books. “The Women” not only met my expectations for Kristin Hannah’s superior storytelling, but surpassed it.

Unlike “The Nightingale”, while reading we do not spend the entirely of the book inside of the war, but instead spend a good deal of time in the aftermath. This choice, in my opinion, is what made the book so spectacular. Whilst the war scenes were thrilling, anxiety-ridden and had me on the edge of my seat, it was the journey through grief, trauma and finding oneself that spoke to me.

“The Women” beautifully highlights the hard truths of the Vietnam War, and speaks for those who were silenced by so many, simply by bringing their stories to light. So many of us are not properly educated on this time in our history, and though this book is historical fiction, it is evident that Kristin went above and beyond in her research for this book. Reading this book makes you want to dive into its history and uncover all there is to learn.

The FMC is relatable in her coming of age journey. Her innocence is stolen from her in an instant, and she is forced to cope with the unimaginable. She does this with resilience and great pride, only to be shamed and mocked and told she is a liar because her reality is not recognized by others. The once good girl who plummets into poor habits in desperation to find a little peace from her trauma, is someone who so many women can relate to.

It is also worth noting that Kristin is a master of foreshadowing. There are so many small details that I, as a person who usually is not surprised by “twists”, completely missed. I was absolutely shocked by some of the events that occurred.

Lastly, I want to praise Kristin on her ability to get the reader emotionally invested in her characters. I have never rooted for characters the way I rooted for the trio! I love them dearly. Throughout the duration of this book I laughed, yelled, screamed, SOBBED and was so grateful for it.

I made it a goal to find a 6⭐️ read this year. “The Women” has certainly crossed that goal off of my list.

This book was difficult and emotional and wonderful. I was mourning with Frankie and rooting for her the entire book. Even when she does something you don't agree with you understand where it's coming from. This was so well written and the audiobook narrator was excellent.

Wow, I felt like I had to come up for a big gulp of air after finishing this book. requested this book with no idea what it was about because Kristin Hannah writes a new book, I'm gonna read it. I finished it feeling like my education on the Vietnam War had been an utter joke. I felt as though I'd been there and back with brave Frankie McGrath. It is heartbreaking and powerful; to see how awful the war was and even more so how awful our country was to those who came home nearly made me physically ill. This is a story I think we needed and Kristin Hannah thoughtfully tells it. Frankie McGrath is a character that I will not soon forget. The audiobook is narrated by the incomparable Julia Whelan and is at good as you would expect. Kristin Hannah has another bestseller here, but more importantly she is telling a story that's been too long pushed aside and forgotten.

I’ve been a fan of Kristin Hannah for some time, and The Women once again reminded me why I love this author. Kristin Hannah is a storyteller!

The Women follows Frankie as she embarks on a journey into Vietnam. From enlisting to coming home, the novel travels with Frankie through it all.

I especially appreciated the pacing of this novel and the spanning throughout Frankie’s tour and the realities of coming home from a controversial war as a woman.

I was fortunate to be able to listen to the audio narration of this novel, which was brilliantly done!

I cannot recommend this novel enough for fans of Kristin Hannah and all historical fiction. A must read!

This audiobook is amazing!
Julia Whelan is the narrator, so you know it is going to be amazing. I am 70% done and already don't want it to end. Kristin Hannah tells an amazing storyteller. Every book of hers is 5 STARS!
Add this to your playlist on February 6th, 2024. You will not be diappointed.

WOW!!! Thank you netGalley for this ARC!! This book is a must read! I want people to read it, so I can discuss it with them. This will definitely be my Book Club pick when it comes around to my turn. It Comes out February 6th.

This book is way up there in terms of five star books that I’ve read. I feel so lucky that most of the books that I read are pretty darn good. These great reads are because I get fantastic recommendations from my job,my customers, my coworkers, and my book loving friends. Kristen Hannah outdid herself with this book. And that saying something because she is a great author. This book will have you feeling all the feelings, have a tissue close….

I just finished listening to the audiobook and I’m numb. I experienced so many emotions and shed so many tears over this moving and important story that took too long to be told. It made an extra powerful and personal impact on me because this was my generation. Yes, I was the exact age that Frankie was back then. I don’t remember men being patriotic and wanting to go to war. I only remember the fear and panic of young men who hoped to qualify for the various deferments in order to avoid going. I can acknowledge what Frankie said about girls, how we were programmed to attend college to become nurses, secretaries, teachers, or for the Mrs. degree. I remember that it was years later before I learned that a former high school buddy was killed in combat and how I bawled when I found his name on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall.

Kristin Hannah beautifully told this story about the McGrath family’s pride in their son Finley’s graduation from Annapolis. A huge party gathered together to celebrate his send-off to war. However, when sister Frankie graduated from nursing school, wanting to follow her brother to Vietnam as an army nurse, her family was ashamed. Her father even lied, telling people that she was studying abroad.

I could never understand why those who returned from Vietnam weren’t honored and praised, but instead were confronted by protestors in airports who antagonized and yelled hateful things at them. There are still so many homeless Vietnam vets today who have struggled all these years because of the effects of war and the reception they received. It wasn’t until after the war ended that the returning POW’s were treated as heroes.

Frankie’s story was surely not the only one about how women were traumatized. She had gone to war to find her brother. Instead, she found herself, but not until after she suffered with PTSD and addiction. She struggled getting help from the VA, and was always denied and told that no woman were in Vietnam. No one acknowledged their importance nor how they also suffered. How ignorant and disrespectful was that, I ask you?

There were actually over 10,000 women who served in Vietnam in different capacities as nurses, medical personnel, military intelligence and air traffic controllers. There were also many civilian women who were there. Just because they didn’t carry weapons on the front line didn’t mean that they weren’t traumatized by the death and tragedy they were consumed in. Frankie learned surgical procedures, treated men who had lost limbs and held their hands as they died. Their living conditions were horrible, but she kept some sense of sanity with her close friendships, namely Barb and Ethyl, both who maintained extreme importance long after the war.

There’s too much else that I didn’t touch on, such as the romantic hurts, but this is a must-read, powerful story. Kristin Hannah obviously did extensive research before writing and Julia Whelan did a beautiful job with her narration.
I am so grateful to have been awarded an ARC by NetGalley and McMillan audio.

Through the lens of one woman’s story, Kristin Hannah underscores the impact of women during Vietnam.

We meet Francis “Frankie” McGrath in 1966 during the farewell party for her older brother Finley, who is to serve in Vietnam. Shortly after, rejecting the traditional plans of her conservative parents and imagining a different future for herself, she enlists in the Army Nurse Corp and follows her brother to war.

Immediately, Frankie’s life is thrust into a reality painted by the chaos of war, the incessant din of gunfire, and the blood-drenched, endless hospital shifts that eventually shape her into a skilled surgery nurse.

While in Vietnam, Frankie falls in love, faces the devastation of loss and heart break, forges lifelong friendships, and reshapes her world and place in it as a result.

The second part of the novel shakes the ground beneath her once again, as she returns to a country divided and a life markedly different. There is no gratitude for her service, no real belief that she—along with other women—were even there. And while the world is intent to dismiss Vietnam, Frankie, like so many others, finds herself utterly broken and lost.

Through Frankie’s story, Hannah takes us on an extraordinary journey that’s deeply evocative and sobering—one that explores everything from the massive loss of life (on both sides) in Vietnam, to the political division the war engendered, to both the physical and psychological scars Veterans struggled with upon their return to a country defined by protest and a hostile dismissal of their sacrifice.

Through rich details and cultural signposts, Frankie’s story felt intimate, transportive, and all consuming. I couldn’t put it down, even as tears streamed down my face in parts particularly difficult to read.

There are so many reasons I have loved this, and all the Kristin Hannah books I’ve devoured. One of those reasons is that her stories stay with me long after I’m done. They’re steeped in compelling histories I yearn to learn more about, and I always spiral into them in the aftermath of reading.

I can’t recommend this book enough. I listened to the audio version (narrated by Julia Whalen) and it’s amazing.

5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 For THE WOMEN by Kristin Hannah, narrated by Julia Whelan.
PUB. DATE: FEB 6, 2024
Such a poignant story and so well researched! The narration is also one of the most amazing I’ve heard.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC of this audiobook.

It should be one of the best books in 2024.
It’s the story of Frankie McGrath, a 20 year old who joins the Army Nurse Corps to follow her brother to serve in the Vietnam War but returns home with a PTSD, a broken heart and no compassion from her parents.

It takes you on a roller coaster of emotions as she struggles with alcoholism, drugs, depression, etc.
The cast of characters is well developed and interesting as they are as vibrant as flawed.

That audiobook kept me up for 2 nights and during a couple of long drives. I cannot recommend it enough!

This was beautiful and heartbreaking- I am convinced it’s as good as The Nightingale, Kristen Hannah’s best book in my opinion.
The topic? The Vietnam war, especially the women who served in it.
I was sucked in by the main character Frankie, and I could see myself in her at the beginning of the novel. The first third is about her experience as a combat nurse in Vietnam and the last two thirds about her experience, similar to many other Americans, returning to the United States villainized due to her service.
There were so many things I didn’t know before- Vietnam is not the most popular topic for historical fiction- and I feel as if I learned so much. I’m already telling everyone to read this book.

Wow, what a rollercoaster of a beautiful book. Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the ARC. I knew I was in for it when I was crying a quarter into the book. The story of Frankie and her fellow war nurses in Vietnam and their experiences and struggles after coming home were beautifully portrayed by Kristin Hannah. In a time where women were not allowed in combat, and their contributions were overlooked, this book pays homage to their extraordinary efforts in wartime. This book quickly became my favorite KH book and is a must read for anyone in 2024!

Kristin Hannah's latest work, "The Women," is another exquisite addition to her repertoire, showcasing the author's dedication to thorough research and heartfelt storytelling. This poignant novel not only immerses readers in a compelling narrative but also serves as an enlightening exploration of the Vietnam War and the often-overlooked women who played significant roles during this tumultuous period. For those seeking a gripping story with a rich historical backdrop and characters that linger in the heart, "The Women" is undoubtedly a worthy addition to your reading list.

A resounding 4.5/5

Kristin Hannah is an absolute gem at writing historical fiction. You can always tell she does her background research to do justice to the time periods and historical events.

The Women is a perfect example of this. Throughout the book, I was transported back to the Vietnam War and could almost see myself in the situations the characters were struggling through. Her writing is truly immersive.

It is a must-read for those who love historical fiction.

This was my first Kristin Hannah book, and apparently I have been living under a rock.

This book tells the heartbreaking story of Frankie and her friends who were combat nurses through the Vietnam War. The book follows them through war time and after their return home.

I had the opportunity to read along while I listened to the audio. The narration for this book was what brought Frankie to life for me. The tone, voice inflection and everything else was absolutely perfect. The growth and change that Frankie experienced was so perfectly captured in the narration as well.

Frankie's character felt so real to me. How she was treated upon her return home was just as heartbreaking as the horrors she faced while serving in Vietnam. On top of returning to no one supporting the war, the soldiers or their service, Frankie had the addition of everyone claiming there "were no women in Vietnam" and the VA refusing to help her.

How much pain and sorrow can one woman face without breaking? Because Frankie saw it all. My heart broke for her over and over again.

At it's heart, the book is about overcoming hardship, friendship and family.

I am a huge fan of Kristin Hannah’s books, so I was so excited to get my hands on her newest one! I did enjoy this book a lot, but it took me awhile to get into it, and I almost DNF it. The beginning was so slow, I felt like it dragged on. The book was also way longer than it needed to be.

But, what I did enjoy about this book was learning more about the Vietnam War. I also really liked learning what it was like from a women’s POV. I feel like that’s not something people think about a lot. I also loved the female friendship in the book. The trio of friends was a main part of the story, and I loved that! If you’re a fan of Kristin Hannah’s books, I think you’ll enjoy this one! Be sure to check it out.

Thank you Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.