“We were there.”

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced audiobook copy of this amazing novel.

I am unwell - this might be the easiest five stars I have ever awarded to a historical fiction novel. It is clear that Kristin Hannah invested immense amounts of time and energy researching for the setting, plot, and characters and has created a masterpiece that is not only a historically accurate representation of the time, but a moving and emotional journey through Frankie’s life during and after the Vietnam War.

“Maybe happy now, happy for a moment, is all we really get. Happy forever seems like a shitload to ask in a world on fire.”

While experiencing utter devastation and trauma in Vietnam, Frankie also experiencing some of the greatest moments of her life… including the development of lifelong friendships and deep love.

Upon returning home, Frankie is met with the realization that America isn’t the same patriotic, vet-loving country she left behind and finds herself unsupported and feeling alone.

Without spoiling anything, this book takes you on a gripping emotional journey through war, and the effects of returning from war - including PTSD, alcoholism, drug abuse, loss, mental health, etc. Check your content warnings.

But despite the overwhelming depressing moments, there are also such beautiful moments of friendship, family, recovery, healing, and love. Just trust that Kristin Hannah will tie it all together into the most heart-wrenching, yet gorgeous story.

**As a note on the audiobook - Julia Whelan knocked it out of the park as the narrator for this story!

Some other favorite quotes:

“You’re the hero, aren’t you Frankie?”

“‘He’s here, I feel him.’ ‘I always feel him.’”

“Life was like that, she guessed. It was all wrong, until suddenly it was right-and you didn’t really know how to react in either instance. But she knew love when she saw it, and it filled her.”

“Remembering you got me through”

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of the audiobook.

Julia Whelan, the narrator, did a superb job on this one. There slow parts in the story but she really keeps you in it.


This book was slow and long. Overall I enjoyed the story however if I would have read a physical book I'm not sure I would have finished.

Frankie goes to Vietnam War as a nurse where every man she meets falls in love with her. How exhausting. Shes a fantastic nurse and when there's action the story is great. The story tells her experiences in war and her life and troubles after the war. I had a hard time getting thru parts of adultery. I don't typically read books with cheating and all that scandal. However, the book had a good ending for Frankie, which she deserved.

Wow, wow, wow! I have never experienced so many emotions as I had with listening to this book. I have always loved the books written by Kristen Hannah and was looking forward to reading her new one. I would give this more than 5 stars. It follows the life of Frankie an army nurse who volunteered to serve in the War of Vietnam. Since the book is historical fiction it is based on the true stories of what happened during that war. The women were not acknowledged as having served in Vietnam since they were not actually in physical combat. It describes the way the soldiers were treated when they returned home and so much more. This story needed to be told. It is filled with courage, fear, sorrow and love. I thank Kristen Hannah for writing it and NetGalley for allowing me to listen to the audiobook!

Kristin Hannah was phenomenal (yet again)! Not knowing a lot about the Vietnam War, this novel was both a great story with twists and turns and informative about the lives of service men and women during and after the war. It gave a great historical perspective on the war and the little-known, but extremely important, role of thousands of women who served as nurses. Even though we only got the fictional perspective of a few of these women, I now feel extremely knowledgeable about issues faced while in country and even more so of service-members after their tumultuous return home. This is a must read!

Wow! Another powerful read from Kristin Hannah. The Women tells Frankie’s story as she serves as a nurse in the Vietnam War and all of the battles she has to fight as she comes to terms with all that is lost and feels lost when she returns.
I can't say enough to capture all that is in this novel! Highly recommended for all!

* I received an advanced reader's copy of this book from NetGalley and Macmillan Audio in exchange for my honest review

As much as I’m a Kristin Hannah fan I’m not a big historical reader but I took a chance on this one and damn, was it worth it. I knew very little about the Vietnam War and even less about the women who served during that time and was floored by how informative and eye opening this one was for me. The research and care here was impeccable, (the authors note is a must read for some backstory on just how careful she was in writing this) and I was blown away by how well written this was. The characters are beyond life like and truly leap off of the pages and Frankie’s journey was incredibly touching and raw. I’ll stop rambling because I could go on for days, but this is a must read and the audio version is narrated by queen Julia Whelan so obviously it’s amazing. An easy ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Well, unsurprisingly, Kristin Hannah does it again! The Women presents a side of the Vietnam War that many people have never considered. Just as her other historical fiction novels, Hannah writes a story with a badass female main character that represents both the pretty and ugly sides of humanity. I was lucky enough to get to read this book via audio, narrated by the incomparable Julia Whelan and enjoyed it immensely.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the audio arc in exchange for an honest review.

Another amazing book from Kristin Hannah. Beautiful writing, excellent movement with the plot and character development without being rushed. Julia Whelen's narration was top-notch. Five stars.

As someone who lived during the Viet Nam era and had friends and relatives that served this book was particularly poignant. I would find myself trying to hold back tears as I was listening to it and sometimes had people around me and did not want to explain. Frankie, the main character starts out with stars in her eyes, but then is quickly hardened by what she sees, hears, and smells. Ms. Hannah brings all those impressions to the reader so it as if "you are there". As gruesome as the first half of the book is, the second part was much more difficult to get through--especially the part when the VA hospital refuses to help Frankie when she asks for aid--"there were no women in Viet Nam" was the reply she got--it was truly heartbreaking. The book does contain closure of sort for both Frankie, other Viet Nam vets, and the reader--not exactly a all's well that ends well, but it was satisfying none the less.
**note: one thing that bothered me was in the scenes with Frankie and her parents, sometimes her mother was referred to as "her mother" and sometimes as just "mom". I found it kind of bothersome--I think I might have been more comfortable with either her mother or the woman's name. For some reason I did not notice it as much with her father.

An interesting historical fiction book about a woman, Frankie McGrath, who serves as a nurse in the Vietnam War. The book is plot driven straight away, which some readers likely prefer, though I found myself wanting more characterization of Frankie before the action took off. Julia Whelan's narration was great and suits Kristin Hannah's work well, as usual.

What can I say that hasn't already been said about The Women? It's only January and I already have my favorite book of 2024. This book blows The Nightingale out of the water.

You will feel like you are right there alongside Frankie in Vietnam. You will go through ALL the emotions when she returns home. I can't wait to get my hands on a physical copy (plus any and all special editions) just so that I can hug it.

The narrator does a fantastic job bringing these characters to life. For those listeners with misophonia, there are no gasps or swallows that I noticed.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

The Women
by Kristin Hannah
Narrated by Julia Whelan; Kristin Hannah

Rating: 4.7/5.0 Stars

The Women by Kristin Hannah was absolutely fantastic. I binged it as fast as an audiobook over 14 hours can be binged, while still making sure my kids were fed. ;) This book sucked me in from the very beginning and held on until the very end. Frankie's journey from a privileged, wealthy debutante to a war-torn army nurse who cut her teeth in Vietnam was nonstop action.

I adored the story of Frankie, Ethel, and Barb. Their friendship was everything, not only in-country but afterward, coming back to an America that didn't acknowledge them or want them. My heart broke for Frankie when every loss hit her. Though I wasn't around during the Vietnam War, Kristin Hannah did an amazing job bringing the era to life and Julia Whelan's narration brought everyone to life. It's just a spectacularly written story, and I highly recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Kristin Hannah for the chance to listen to and review this ARC!

Perfection of course this narrator always delivers. The author hands down one of our generation’s best. This story will surely be a movie.

I received a complimentary audiobook for THE WOMEN by Kristin Hannah from Macmillan Audio!

THE WOMEN follows Frances (Frankie) McGrath, a young woman and nurse. Her family has a wall of heroes in their home, men who have fought for their country and her brother is the latest McGrath ready to leave Coronado Island and ship out overseas to Vietnam. When her brother’s friend makes a comment that women can be heroes too, Frankie decides to enlist in the Army Nurse Corps. Frankie’s arrival in Vietnam is as chaotic and scary as the rest of her time there will remain. It is a place of fast and close relationships and danger in many forms.

I have been sort of burned out by Historical Fiction, but when Kristin Hannah has a new book, I absolutely pick it up regardless. And something I rarely say about a historical fiction read… I could not put it down! This book put me through the emotional ringer and kept me up way late in the night to finish it because the ‘just one more chapter’ got me every time!

I really loved Frankie and the heart she put into everything. She went through so much between the traumas of life in Vietnam and the return to the real world back home where the traumas continued. I think the author did a fantastic job of showing the good people who were in Vietnam for pure purposes, but also the ways that the war also did wrong. Media and the government withheld truths from the public. Frankie witnesses the trauma of innocent Vietnamese children and people killed for no reason.

This book follows Frankie over the years in the war and the years following it and it took a good look at issues of mental health and addiction and trauma. The friendships formed and the losses felt really pulled at my heart. I think the author also did a great job of covering multiple perspectives even as we were only following one woman throughout the story.

The women who served in Vietnam truly saved lives, but their contributions are largely forgotten by history and I really appreciated reading this book. Frankie is a character who will absolutely stick with me and I have a very strong feeling this will be one of my best reads of the year!

THE WOMEN is out 2/6! The audio narrated by Julia Whelan (with author notes narrated by the author herself) is fantastic so I highly recommend the audio, but really, pick this up in any format as it is well worth the read!

A heart-wrenching exploration of an under-represented part of history, The Women takes listeners to the front lines of the US war with Vietnam as the futile war destroys a generation of young people and then brings them back home to a country at a crossroads.

Review will be posted on Bookstagram on pub date: https://www.instagram.com/readinginstead/

Every book Kristin Hannah has written has made me cry but this was something else. I either felt close to tears or had them brimming most of the book. Near the end I was just angry and speechless. I Silently screamed in my head about the betrayal. And then I was just sad.
My husband came home to the mess I was from reading this and I made him promise me things about our relationship while I cried about the Vietnam war!
I listened to the audiobook and Julia Whelan did an Oscar winning narration. She is simply the best at this. And Kristin Hannah wrote a beautiful, heartbreaking novel that gave me things I didn’t know I needed. The entire thing was so brilliantly done. Believe the hype!
I had so many God moments I wouldn’t even know where to begin. It was so good and I feel sorry for anyone who doesn’t read this.
Thanks Macmillan Audio via NetGalley.

Women can be heroes.

Grab your tissues for this one, y’all. The Women by Kristin Hannah releases on February 6, 2024 and will take you on an epic, heart-wrenching, soul-stirring ride.

Based on the experiences of women, mostly nurses, serving in Vietnam, this book is the historical fiction novel we need. Kristin Hannah shines a light on a dark, controversial, and important era in history with so much grace, empathy, and nuance. The Women tells the story of the often forgotten wartime service of American women and gives them credit where it’s more than due, but it also tells the broader stories of the Vietnamese people who experienced the war. The humanity captured in this book is breathtaking and heartbreaking all at once. Love, friendship, family dynamics, clashes between generations, civil unrest, the fragile domestic state of the US during the era, PTSD, substance use, racism, sexism..it’s all there and laid bare.

If there’s one thing I hope we can all take away from this novel, it’s the ability to look at each other with compassion and grace, and the ability to hold more than one truth at once. It’s the ability to not look away from the pain and suffering, but to sit in it with our fellow men and women & offer a hand.

I learned so much from this book, and it was a difficult read. I thought of the veterans in my life- my grandfathers who served in Vietnam, my brother who is a combat veteran of a more recent war, and my husband who served in the Navy. I thought about the yellow ribbons on the trees in our front yard in the early 2000’s, my nursing clinicals at the VA, and every burn or trauma patient I’ve encountered. I can’t imagine the trauma of caring for them in a field hospital in a war zone.

To all who have served & their families, thank you. ❤️

To @kristinhannahauthor - thank you for this beautiful novel. The world needs it.

Thank you @netgalley & @macmillan.audio for the early copy.

Thank you @justjuliawhelan for bringing these characters to life.

#bookstagram #bookstagrammer #books #bookworm #bookreview #goodreads #storygraph #kirbyreads #kirbyreadsandreviews #audiobooks#audiobookreview #kristinhannah #thewomen #historicalfiction

THIS BOOK… 🤯🤯🤯

I received this ARC in audio format in exchange for review and my god I I will definitely be buying this book when it comes out. The way she captured what it was like as a nurse in Vietnam made you feel like you yourself was there.

If I could give a book 10⭐️ this would be the book

This will forever live rent free in my head.

Read this book next!!!! One of the best books I have ever read.

Life is messy. Messy in the best and worst ways possible. This story will have you feeling high, highs, and low, lows.

This is my first Kristin Hannah book & I am so glad I chose THE WOMEN, as my first. Ms. Hannah paints the most realistic story and imagery of what if must have felt like to be not only a woman, but a woman in the military during the time of Vietnam.

When Frankie McGrath decides that she wants to assist those serving in Vietnam, she turns her back on everything she was raised to be, a well behaved lady, mother, and wife. Once Frankie is thrown into the fire of combat as a nurse, the realities of what is happening in the world is a shock to the system.

The woman who served in the military have not been given the proper respect and honor they deserve. Until reading THE WOMEN, I didn’t understand the entire scope of what servicemen and women endured when returning from Vietnam.

The truth of sexism is explained as Frankie is repeatedly advised that “There are no women in Vietnam.” To when Frankie’s mother writes to her that, “The world changes for men, not women.”

The pain and trauma experienced by Frankie depicts what it must be like for all people who have served. The lack of mental health treatment and assistance in transitioning from combat to every day life, was present during Vietnam, and has hopefully improved greatly since.

The friendship forged between Frankie, Ethel, and Barb, serving as nurses in war, forged a lifelong friendship people dream of having. The loyalty, trust, and unending love for one another, is probably the best love story woven during this story.

THE WOMEN, is a heartbreakingly beautiful, tragic, and eye opening story of women who learned to fight to be acknowledged and respected for their assistance in saving the lives of hundreds, if not thousands, while trying to survive themselves.

I didn't even know what this book was about honestly before I requested it on NetGalley. That's how much I love Kristin Hannah's writing. Never before had I read or heard about the Vietnam War from a woman's perspective. Kristin Hannah brilliantly researched and brought to life the story of many women in Vietnam - many of them forgotten or unrecognized. The details within the story are as historically accurate as possible, and while it's really hard to read at times, this book is unbelievably good and so memorable. The character Frankie is one I will think about for a long time. I imagine this will be one of the biggest books of 2024! Thank you NetGalley for the early audiobook copy.