Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan audio for this audio ARC.

Julia Whelan is a goddess and should narrate everything always!!!!

This book was wonderful. And hard. I’m pretty sure I felt an entire dictionary worth of emotions, particularly rage. It is relevant and powerful, especially given the state of women’s rights and challenges we face still today.

Pro tip: kleenex. You will need it.

What a story. Spoiler, I loved it. Right from the start it sucked me in. I felt for Frankie, I loved the audio and felt like I was there. I loved her two friends she met along the way who always stood by her side. I cannot wait to get a copy and re read it in print. Love the title. How fitting and that author’s note 😭

Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan audio for the advance copy.

Publish date: February 6, 2024

Kristin Hannah always does a great job of finding an interesting/women in history topic and delivering a thought provoking set of themes and contexts but... it's the same story, a naive woman finds herself in a space where she has to learn quickly to adapt/becomes stronger than she realizes, encounters a range of challenges and tragedies, complicated romance issues arise, and she has to show resilience in the face of trauma and adversity and comes out some how stronger but damaged for all that she endured. Does this work for many readers? Sure and that's great, it just feels like the settings and real world history, and more diverse identities...., need more that the run through the big and expected themes.

“Women can be heroes too”…these words change everything that young nursing student Frankie thought she knew. It’s the 1960s, the country is changing and the war in Vietnam is raging. Though Frankie has always prided herself on being a good girl and doing what her parents expect of her, she impulsively joins the Army Nursing Corp after her brother ships out to Vietnam. She is shocked by what she encounters - why is the savage reality of the war so very different from what the American Media has been reporting? Frankie learns quickly and by the time her tour is over, she doesn’t know how to function back home. Worse still, the country’s opinion of the war has changed drastically from when she left. The returning heroes are treated like criminals. Throughout the years, she struggles to find a place in the world but nothing seems right anymore.

Kristin Hannah is one of my favorite writers. Her books always draw me in with their carefully crafted plots, complex characters and so much humanity and emotion. “The Women” is no different. Told from Frankie’s perspective, we follow her to Vietnam, back home and on a long journey of self-discovery and healing. Her story was so emotionally charged and I thought Hannah did a very respectful job describing what it must feel like for a veteran returning to regular life after seeing the atrocities of war. As Frankie heard repeatedly, “there were no women in Vietnam”, but there were - they were nursing, right down in the thick of it alongside the men. It was so frustrating to see her dismissed over and over again, and I was rooting so hard for her to find her way. In “The Women”, Kristin Hannah brings a time in history alive so beautifully. Don’t skip the author’s note at the end, as she explains why this part of history is so dear to her. I am SO glad I had the audio for this (narrated by January LaVoy with an appearance from Kristin Hannah too), because I simply could not stop until I knew how the story ended! Easily a contender for book of the year.

Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press and Kristin Hannah for the ARC! This review will be shared to my instagram blog (@books_by_the_bottle) shortly.

This is what I love about historical fiction. In the hands of master storyteller Kristin Hannah, THE WOMEN follows Frankie as she enlists to serve as a nurse in Vietnam. What starts off as a war story evolves into a thoughtful exploration of PTSD, sexism in the military, and reimagining a new life when old dreams are stripped away.

The women were overlooked, undervalued upon their return, and left to feel ashamed about their service. I appreciated how Hannah shines a light on the women who served and how their experience returning home differed from that of their male counterparts.

When I saw the narration was done by Julia Whelan I got my hands on the audiobook ASAP. As always, Julia truly brings the story to life and makes these characters come alive. I’d highly recommend the audiobook!

You can bet you’ll see this one make an appearance in my Winter Reading Guide out January 11th!

RATING: 4.5/5 (rounded up to 5 stars)
PUB DATE: February 6, 2024

Many thanks to Saint Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio for an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is like no other history fiction book I read this year. It was gripping, and I was immediately immersed in Frankie’s world. The first part was about her time in Vietnam, and the second part was about the aftermath of the war and the struggles she went through. The writing was so descriptive that it was easy to imagine the horror Frankie had seen as an Army nurse in Vietnam. My heart went out to Frankie for the entire book. She was a tough, resilient, courageous woman and a true badass. The ending left me wanting a tissue with a few tears in my eyes.

Also, I applaud Kristen Hannah for the intensive research on the Vietnam War for this book. Not only did she feel obligated to tell about the heroic women of the war, but she spent years making sure she did the story justice. She also wanted to educate readers about the war and what veterans go through after coming home. I highly recommend reading for the upcoming year!

I had access to both the Kindle and audiobook versions. I loved reading the Kindle version, but the audiobook version was so good. Julia Whelan did an incredible job as the narrator, and I felt Frankie’s emotions come through as Whelan was narrating. Whelan effortlessly made the story come alive and helped make the story even more compelling.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio for my copy of the book.

WHY WAS RYE SUCH A PIECE OF SHIT TO HIS BEST FRIENDS SISTER AND WHY WAS SHE SUCH A SUCKER!!
Now that I've got that out this was a beautiful and heartbreaking book that I learned alot from, it was a journey that I was happy to go on with Frankie and the narration was perfection.
I found myself taking notes many times during the book to look up the events described so I could learn more and I find that alot of Kristin Hannahs books give the reader a wonderful for story with endearing characters and an amazing well researched learning experience and this was no different!!
5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thank you so much

Thank you MacMillan audio and St Martin's Press for copies of The Women by Kristin Hannah. My thoughts are my own and heck many people will read this because it's a great theme and a popular author.

And yet my two cents:

Kristin Hannah always does a great job of finding an interesting/women in history topic and delivering a thought provoking set of themes and contexts but... it's the same story, a naive woman finds herself in a space where she has to learn quickly to adapt/becomes stronger than she realizes, encounters a range of challenges and tragedies, complicated romance issues arise, and she has to show resilience in the face of trauma and adversity and comes out some how stronger but damaged for all that she endured. Does this work for many readers? Sure and that's great, it just feels like the settings and real world history, and more diverse identities...., need more that the run through the big and expected themes.

This is book is also LONG, it felt like there were some parts that could have been streamlined more, edited out and the main themes and plot points would not have been lost.

What does work: 100% here for the themes on veterans and mental health and public support, themes on political discord, and of course recognizing all who did serve in the Vietnam war.

Did I still find myself sucked in at times, well yes I did and that's the little magic of the author and a lot of the joy of listening to Julia Whelan make me care about the work she narrates.

5 star plot potential, 3-4 star execution for me, 5 star audio narration

This book already has 82 holds system wide, not including audiobook holds, and for good reason. The approach is similar to Hannah's most recent works, and provides a lens and perspective that offers reminders of what stories get overlooked in history. I would not recommend for readers who are going through a lot in their own lives, as escapism isn't really offered here, but there is a lot on offer for readers.

So, so well done. I learned so much about a time I realized I know so little about, and I empathized with Frankie every step of the way. Julia Whelan is also one of my favorite narrators, and she told this story beautifully. I think because of her distinct voice and the time period in which the book is set, it did take me back to ‘Malibu Rising’ a little bit. This one is going to be a top read of 2024!

WOW! Kristin Hannah really knows how to make the reader feel all the feelings while reading her books. I'm still thinking about this book days later. It was so beautifully written. My only wish was for a tiny bit more happy moments. There was just so much heartbreak. The main character just could not catch a break. Reading is an escape from all the craziness going on in the world so it just seemed too heavy.

I listened to the audiobook version and Julia Whalen did an amazing job. I couldn't stop listening. I highly recommend the audiobook version.

At just twenty years old, nursing student Frankie McGrath makes the brave decision to leave Coronado Island, California, to enlist in the war effort as an Army Nurse. Reaching the raging war zone in Vietnam, Frankie quickly learns just how dire the situation is for American soldiers..... but that isn't the most shocking part of the experience. Arriving back in the United States, Frankie finds a politically torn country with little to no respect (and much misguided anger) towards returning veterans. Entering her thirties and then her forties, Frankie has to navigate readjusting to civilian life.

I really enjoyed this book. I finished the audio in two days and would have finished it sooner if I wasn't working. As always, Kristin Hannah builds the story in such a way that you really feel like you are in it. Your heart breaks for Frankie as she experiences these drastic swings her life takes. I am in my late thirties; I do not have a lot of information about Vietnam outside of the basic blurbs in grammar school history books. For that reason, this book was really fascinating for me and I learned so much about a different part of history.

I also really appreciated the author's notes and recommendations for further reading. It's clear (as it always is) that she does a ton of research and speaks to people with first-hand knowledge when possible which I think really helps to bring her stories to life in an authentic way.

Can't rave about this enough!

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the audio version of this book. I am in no way compensated for my review of this book. Everything I write is of my own thoughts and feelings.
This book is one that when you start reading/listening you do not want to put it down. The details are so beautifully written with such detail you feel like you're actually there in the book. This is a gripping story of what some of the women who served in the Vietnam war experienced when they arrived back home.
The author touches on many hard but real situations such as war-pregnancy/infant loss- PTSD- addiction- that just names a few.
This book is one you will absolutely love.

Kristin Hannah, master storyteller, has done it again! The Women is all at once a coming of age story, a love story, and per her usual a very real feeling historical fiction. The story spans several decades of Frankie McGrath's life and Hannah does it beautifully. Often times when authors try to cover this span of time for a character it can fall flat or leave us lacking in emotion, but not this time. Hannah expertly draws us in to the story and makes us feel every moment right alongside Frankie, and Julie Whalen's narration brings the story to life. The devastation of the Vietnam war, and the horrible way veterans were treated when they returned. I've read my fair share of historical fiction, but this particular era I haven't read much about. Kristin Hannah broke my heart and put it back together again with this story and I cannot say enough good things about it.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest opinion. It was an honor and a pleasure to experience this book early!

Wow! I really loved this story. I was able to listen to this on audio and Julia Whelan narrating did not disappoint
This story was a difficult read, but such a needed story and it was done so well. I thought the characters were so well developed, and the story was full of both heartbreak and joy. It was an emotional story. Easy 5 star read that I cannot wait to recommend

Phenomenal!! This is Kristen Hannah's best and this book will haunt me for years. The story she weaves about Frances and her experiences in Vietnam and after are so realistic. I felt like I was walking right beside Frances through her entire story, experiencing heartbreak after heartbreak. This book is a true gem and is already at the top of my list of books to recommend to everyone I know.

I listened to this , but this is probably one of the best books I have read and a return to what makes Kristin Hannah great at what she does. I didn’t like Four Winds but this is a return to her amazing style and ability to capture fully a time and place and people.

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.

I’ve read and listened to several books about the Vietnam war but I can say without a doubt that this has been the most powerful. It was heartbreaking and enlightening in many ways and I don’t think I’ll ever forget it. Julia Whalen is one of my very favorite narrators. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed all of the rom coms I’ve listened to with her as the narrator so wasn’t surprised that she absolutely nailed this historical fiction novel. She has a knack for bringing stories to life no matter what the genre and I thought she was perfect to share Frankie’s compelling story.

I love everything Kristin Hannah! I really enjoyed this book, it wasn't one of my favorites but still so good and I really enjoyed it! I knew nothing about the Vietnam war so this was so interesting. I loved the chapters during the war on the ground in Vietnam. I struggled with the love interests and those various storylines. They all felt a little clunky to me, but I also think some of that was purposefully because it showed how the war affected relationships.
I flew through this book but then still wanted more once it ended! I enjoyed the ending but I just wanted to stay with the characters a little longer.
As always the audiobook was read by Julia Whelan which is always a treat because she's the best audiobook narrator!

Thanks a bunch to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for sending me an advanced copy of the audiobook!