This was another great book by Kristin Hannah. I found it interesting and informative while I learned about women and men that went to Vietnam during the war.
The main character joins the Army after her brother gets sent to Vietnam and she wants to be able to be with him and help as she’s a nurse. There is more than she bargained for and the story is very emotional and tragic.
I think this is right up there for me with The Nightingale as being one of my favourite books that I’ve read!

Powers out (dumb) , it’s been raining all day (dumb) , and it’s very windy (really dumb) so I curled up in bed and finished a book after work (living the dream over here) .
I’ve never read a book about the Vietnam War & I forget the role women play in wartime . @kristinhannahauthor did a wonderful job of balancing the changing political climate with conservative American culture while maintaining the integrity of the stories of the women who served in Vietnam .
If you have served our country in any capacity - especially if you are a women - thank you for your service . American freedoms remain because of your service and your story is not forgotten .
Grab your copy of @kristinhannahauthor’s newest novel in February 2024 - highly recommended . As always , thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the opportunity to read prior to publication .
#vietnam #vietnamwar #thewomen #kristinhannah #stmartinspress #womenwhoserve #unitedstates #military #armynurse #macmillianaudio #macmillian #womensfiction #historicalfiction #goodreads #netgalley #netgalleyreads #goodreadschallenge #bookstagram #neverforget #thankyouforyourservice

Kristin Hannah's latest historical fiction novel, "The Women," offers us a glimpse of what it was like to serve in Vietnam as a women in the Army. Set during a time when the contributions of women in the military were often overlooked, Hannah sheds light on the struggles, traumas and resilience of these unsung heroes.

We learn of the challenges experienced abroad, but also the harsh reality of returning home to a society that failed to acknowledge their sacrifices. The audiobook, narrated by the exceptionally talented Julia Whelan, brings each character to life with precision. She is my very favorite narrator!

I'm grateful to have received an early listener copy from Macmillan Audio via the NetGalley app, and wholeheartedly recommend pre-ordering this page-turning novel from your favorite indie bookstore.

Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Historical Fiction
Setting: Vietnam, California
Time: 1966+/Vietnam War
Format: 🎧
Performance: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Narrator: Julian Whelan
Release Date: February 6, 2024
Length: 14hrs/57 mins

Every now and then a novel comes along that leaves you emotional drained .. The Women by Kristin Hannah was that for me .. maybe because the Vietnam War was my generation and so many memories surfaces during this story. It is a novel I recommend to be on your 2024 TBR list. It is not an easy story to read, it is poignant, touching yet heartbreaking and at times infuriating .. my advice having some tissues nearby for I often found myself in tears.

Kristin Hannah’s beautifully written story and Julian Whelan stunning narration; will awaken all your senses as you follow naive twenty-year old, graduated nurse, Frankie McGrath from her sheltered life with her conservative, country club member parents in California to the Army Nurse Corps MASH units in Vietnam. Hannah is at time brutal with Frankie’s experiences and life during these tremulous times from the sudden thrums of incoming helicopters, becoming a surgical nurse, making split decisions on the injured, working in unbearable living conditions – from hot to monsoon season, to sudden attacks by the VC. So many times, I was on the edge of my seat waiting for that “moment” to hit Frankie. Yet, there were times that Hannah managed to weave in tender moments with finding new love, forming a tight bond with her sister nurses or just being able to sit by a young man and provide him comfort.

What Frankie is not expecting is her treatment as she returns to the US; she was spit on, called names, an embarrassment to her parents, and a community that does not believe women were in Vietnam. What shocked me the most is when seeking help at a Veterans Hospital she was told because she did not see action, she was not a veteran; yet she suffers from terrible nightmares, depression, drug addiction, alcoholism, and PTSD. Will someone finally believe in Frankie and help her turn her life around to become the person she is meant to be?

Thank you, Kristin Hannah, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This novel is due to be released on February 6, 2024.

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I mean Kristin Hannah CAN DO NO WRONG!!! The book is broken into two parts. Frankie, a young woman, enlists in the Army to be a nurse in Vietnam. The first part of the books details her experience during the war, and part two is her civilian life back in Los Angeles after her tour is up. All of the characters are so well written and developed. You can’t help but fall in love and root for them (except for one, IYKYK). I adored the friendship between Frankie, women and no matter if they were near or far, through thick and thin, they stayed in contact and had each other’s backs. This is definitely an emotional read and my heart absolutely broke for Frankie at all she endured and how no one seemed to want to help her until she hit rock bottom. There are themes of loss, love, grief, complex family dynamics, PTSD, the power of friendship, new beginnings. Kristin’s writing is so vivid and descriptive that I felt like i was right there experiencing it all. She is just an amazing storyteller and I know this book is going to stay with me for a while.
Julia Whelan did an incredible job narrating the story. She has amazing pitch, tone, and energy which really brought the characters to life.

About The Narration:
Julia Whelan narrates this story beautifully creating a listening environment that will have you feeling all the emotions. There is also a superb guest voice appearance by the author.

About The Book:
This was such a unique voice and story about the Vietnam war. I loved spending time with these young nurses who became brave heroes, best friends, and life-lines for each other. The author’s ability to capture the confusion and anger around the Vietnam War while layering in a captivating personal story of loss and hope is what truly makes this a great book.

This book was phenomenal, I just didn't want to put it down. I have never been a fan of historical fiction but this book just grabbed me right from the beginning. I cared so deeply for Frankie & felt her pain. I was born in 1980, so I was not alive for the war. I feel like this book helped me to be more empathetic for the nurses who were in Vietnam during the war, but also for the soldiers. I have already begun recommending this book for friends to read in 2024 when it is released. Thank you for allowing me to read it early!

This gave me the biggest book hangover. Written very well and I respect the author so much for knowing as a young writer she couldn’t do it Justice so she waited- well worth the wait. I kept getting my hopes up and there was so much turmoil and tragedy, I couldn’t stop. I devoured this one and it left me wanting more. Honestly, the most perfect ending though.

🌀Synopsis
Frankie signs up to be a nurse in the army so she can go to Vietnam with her brother. She mistakenly thinks that because her family has a rich military history, her parents will be proud. They are not proud, they are shocked. Nevertheless, the decision is made and off she goes.
A naïve new nurse in a foreign land, she had no idea what to expect and the training she received did not prepare her for this. Tragedy all around stuns her. With a little time she manages to make two incredible friends and find love, multiple times because death is all around.
Then she finally comes home, another heartbreak plaguing her. Life has changed here in the states though and she no longer feels like she knows what in the world is going on. Her mental health is in the trash and no one will help her. After a miscarriage, she starts taking pills and drinking. By some miracle, she keeps battling and ends up in rehab to find a new path in life. That path finally leads her to freedom and back to someone she’d been missing for a long time.

Reading a book about the Vietnam War was a new experience for me, and 'The Women' by Kristin Hannah exceeded all expectations! Kristin Hannah skillfully captures the essence of the era, and her portrayal of Frances 'Frankie' McGrath's journey over several decades is both powerful and heart-wrenching. The narrative follows Frankie's path after her brother heads off to fight in Vietnam, detailing her own decision to sign up. The story is a rollercoaster of emotions, from joy to heartbreak. Be prepared with some tissues, as you'll definitely need them.

A special shoutout to the narrator, Julia Whelan, whose exceptional performance added an extra layer of brilliance to the already captivating story!

This book is a must-read for anyone who appreciates powerful storytelling, historical depth, and emotional read. Whether you're drawn to wartime narrative, 'The Women' by Kristin Hannah is sure to leave a lasting impact.

"Her name is Francis"

Kristin Hannah has once again left me speechless.

"Women can be heroes too..."

Lieutenant Francis McGrath. I wish she was someone I could walk up to, say thank you and give her a hug. Based off the authors notes at the end, I know there are women out there like Frankie. How I wish I could sit and listen to the stories of these amazing women who served their country and saved so many lives. Who came home and were left feeling unwelcome.

Frankies character had such an amazing arc. From the first time we meet her, growing up with the expectations of being a house wife and a good Catholic girl. We then watch her grow from the time she decides she is going to Vietnam to coming back home to a country who is ok with spitting in the faces of the women who were saving lives while witnessing young men and children die on a daily basis.

I love reading books that make me want to educate myself about our history. This book has provoked so much emotion and the want to learn more about the women who served as nurses in Vietnam and I love how the author left so many resources at the end of the book to start.

Julia Whelan did a fantastic job narrating this book and is one of my favorite narrators so I was really happy to see she was the narrator for this.

If you are a Kristin Hannah fan, you are going to love this book. I think this is making it hard to say the nightingale is my favorite book by her now as this is right there next to it.

As a warning, there is talk towards the middle of the book about addiction and miscarriages

So thankful I was chosen for this ARC by St.Martins Press

And to "The missing. The forgotten. The brave. The women...."

Thank you

This is very 2.5 at best for me. My first Kristen Hannah and I can tell both why people love her and why I don’t care about her. That sounds mean, but mostly I think it’s solidly written and appropriately melodramatic (a word I use with sincere appreciation) so readers can get swept up and totally into it if that’s your thing.

While I appreciate those things about The Women, it also felt deeply predictable and repetitive to me. For most of the book’s major events, there was a tiny foreshadowing mention that made me think, “okay, so this thing is about to happen,” which was proven true at least three different times. And for a war book, nothing about the storytelling feels in any way unique or illuminating to me. It felt like this could have been any war or any general book about Vietnam; nothing felt special here. Did I also find Frankie a rather annoying protagonist? Yes! This didn’t help.

My ambivalence will do nothing to hurt Kristen Hannah’s popularity. If you’re a fan of her other work, then I imagine you’ll like this one, too.

This book brings out what it must have been like to be a nurse in Vietnam. It bright to light the horrors of war and the aftermath it caused for thousands. I enjoyed the narrator in this audiobook. As well as the life long friendships that lasted through war, death, sorrow and happinesses. The disregard to Frankie towards the end when she was a cry for help. Those telling her women were not in the front lines on the battlefield. That she couldn't get the help she seeked, as was for men only. Really brought perspective the lack of support these army nurses must have faced during that Era. This book was full of realism and the hardships and the battles those face during and after war. I did really enjoy this book, however it was not my favorite from Kristen Hannah. It is a heavy read that I would recommend

This was such a powerful and heartbreaking story from the POV of women who were nurses during the Vietnam War. Frankie was such a strong, amazing, flawed character that survived so much and my heart broke for all the things she had to go through. This book shows the bravery of these women and the effects of PTSD. I absolutely couldn’t put this book down.

The first half of the book gives us a look at life during the war with lots of action and the second half is life post-war. This was a brutal and heartbreaking story that will stick with me for a long time. I think it was really important to get to see a different side of the war that I hadn’t heard about before. I was shocked by some of the things that took place!

Powerful, impactful, emotional, thought-provoking, and educational. Kristin’s incredible writing brought these characters to life in such a real way! I smiled, cried, and rooted for Frankie and the women of the war. The strong bonds and friendships were beautiful to read.

The audio was so wonderful and I highly recommend it.

This book stopped me dead in my tracks more than once.

This novel is a whole experience. I struggled to find appropriate sentences to describe this book. Hero. Women. Friends. Love. War. Veterans. Mental Health. Healing. Recovery…..are just a few words that come to mind. It was so good.

Ironically, I was crocheting an American Flag afghan while I finished listening to the last half of this novel. I felt off doing so, learning so much more about the Vietnam War and how our government completely failed so many of our vets. I have always been proud of those that fight for our country but this novel changed something inside of me. Next time I see a Vet wearing a Vietnam hat or a solider passing out poppy’s I know I will feel more than pride for them. And I’ll tell them and thank them more whole heartedly than I have in the past.

This book captivated me from the very beginning. I loved and was so invested in the characters. And I definitely learned a lot about a time in history where my knowledge was sorely lacking. Kristin Hannah has done it again - written a book that I both love and hate and want more of the story!

Julia Whelan is unparalleled as a narrator. She is the queen and no one can convince me otherwise.

I’m glad it brought to my attention the brave women who served as nurses in Vietnam. The narrator was also terrific and the only reason I finished this very long book. I felt the front 50% was too long and so little happened. I could have also done with less descriptions of the gore.

Another strong and heroic female main character by Kristin Hannah. Her storytelling of the lesser or unseen side of wartime is flawless and her additional storytelling of strong women during these times, impeccable.

The things Kristin drags these women through is gut wrenching yet the way she lifts them up is inspiring.

The choice of Julia Whelan for narrator is never a bad one but for this book she was perfect to tell this story.

I am so grateful to have gotten an audio ARC of this from NetGalley.

This book broke me repeatedly. I didn’t know much about the Vietnam war, nor about the women who served. This has inspired me to find more good stories about it to consume.

Congrats to Kristin Hannah on another masterpiece.

This should be your most anticipated read of 2023!! I definitely need the paperback because it’s a story that will stay with me forever.

I lived a lifetime while reading this book 📖 my heart felt her pain throughout the years. It definitely gave me all the feels. She went to Vietnam to follow her brother but ended up finding herself.

The topics might be sensitive for some readers since it deals with many difficult & heavy topics.
All the topics are heavy but it’s impossible for you to not love this book.
The women is about ptsd & how they dealt with the tragedies they seen and everything they sacrificed. The story takes us back to the 60s, Vietnam. Frankie’s painful journey will have you glued to the book! How the women were treated for going to war and how they all find themselves.

Let me just add the Authors note gave me chills!

✨𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄✨

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗯𝘆 𝗞𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻 𝗛𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗮𝗵

𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁: Audiobook
𝗡𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿: Julia Whelan
𝗔𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲: February 6, 2024

𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ★★★★★

I never knew I had so much love for historical fiction until I read my first Kristin Hannah book, The Four Winds, at the beginning of the year. Her writing is truly like nothing else, it opens your eyes to situations you didn’t know possible and feelings you didn’t know could exist from reading a novel. 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙒𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣 took this revelation to a whole new level and I fell more in love with Kristin Hannah’s writing.

First and foremost I have to say, the level of research and work that went into this novel was truly astounding. I applaud Kristin for all she did to research the history of events, speak to the people who were there and adjust her writing accordingly. The fact that this book became an idea back in 1995 and is just now hitting the shelves is impressive!

I have only read a handful of historical fiction books and this was my first that covered the Vietnam War. This novel was deeply thought provoking and it took my breath away by the amount of shocking information I learned about the time of the Vietnam War. It was beyond emotional hearing the details and honestly I was becoming angry by the treatment of the women and the people fighting the war along with the harsh treatment of the innocent and villages in Vietnam. The fact that this story was very close to what did actually happen was even more shocking and eye opening. Julia Whelan did a phenomenal job narrating this story and her passion in her words brought this even closer to your heart.

The main character of the story Frankie McGrath, was such a selfless person, a young nurse going off to war to serve her county and show her family she can also be a hero like the men of her family. Unfortunately, tragedy hit the family hard and hit Frankie even harder when she arrived in Vietnam.

The story goes deep into the years Frankie spent in Vietnam, from life as a nurse, to a female in the country and to the friendships formed and the friends and loves lost. I deeply loved the friends Frankie made. Barb and Ethel gave this story some balance and hope. They were both like a breath of fresh air amongst the chaos of Frankie’s life.

The part of the story when Frankie finally made it home broke me. After going through all that she did and coming home to deal with the aftermath and adjustments was devastating. This story has so many ups and downs and shocking moments that you will be hanging on for dear life as you navigate your way through this novel. I can honestly say this book was a life changing book, you will not feel the same after reading this one and I am truly honored to have been able to experience this novel. I cannot wait to get my hands on the completed copy and read it yet again 💖

My deepest gratitude goes to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Kristin Hannah for the opportunity to listen to this ARC. I may have screamed loudly and did a happy dance at finding this approval email 🫶🏻😁