What can I say about this book? It just had the signature #kristinhannah feeling that I can't seem to get from any other author.

I'm typically not drawn to historical fiction unless it's a super interesting topic because, quite honestly, it usually puts me to sleep. Such is never the case with Kristin Hannah! Her books start strong, grip me right away, and never let go until the VERY. LAST. PAGE. This book just kept delivering plot twist after plot twist and never left me bored for even a second. Do not be intimidated by the length (480 pages), it reads so quickly and easily.

I was so emotionally invested in every single character, but Frankie McGrath is one to remember for sure. I cried and smiled and learned a lot and I don't know what more you can ask from a book.

This book tells the often ignored or untold story of THE WOMEN in the Vietnam War. With that naturally comes a lot of heavy topics such as PTSD, loss of loved ones, drug addiction, suicide, etc. I think KH handled extremely difficult subject matter very knowledgably and delicately. The vast amount of research she put into this story is blatantly obvious throughout the whole book.

Thank you so much to Macmillan Audio for the ALC! Julia Whelan is the perfect narrator for Kristin Hannah's books!

This is available for purchase on Feb 6, 2024.

Wow, wow, wow! I am always swept away by @kristinhannahauthor historical fiction novels. Her upcoming release is a must read! The story of the nurses of the Vietnam War, the novel not only covers what they experienced in war, but also in the years following at home. This often forgotten group is getting the remembrance that they deserve in this beautiful, yet haunting, novel. Don’t miss it when it is released on February 6, 2024. Thank you to @macmillan.audio and @netgalley for the opportunity to listen to this advance copy. #historicalfiction #vietnamwar #nurses #ptsdrecovery #netgalleyreview

4⭐
Genre ~ historical fiction
Setting ~ California, Vietnam, Virginia, Montana
Publication date ~ February 6, 2024
Est page Count ~ 480 (35 chapters)
Audio length ~ 14 hours 57 minutes
Narrator ~ Julia Whelan
POV ~ single 3rd
Featuring ~ nurse, sexism, some graphic scenes, death, miscarriage, PTSD, reckless behavior, substance abuse, suicide attempt, infidelity

Part 1 ~ 1966 ~ California & Vietnam
21 year old Frankie is missing her brother after he heads off to Vietnam with the navy. She enlists with the Army since they're the only branch that will get her over there quickly. This part is full on war and all the chaos that it entails.

Oh Frankie, I salute you for your service, but not for your decision making when it comes to men.

Part 2 ~ 1971 ~ 1982 ~Virginia & California & Montana
She has completed her tours and is understandably having a tough time. It really dives deep into how getting back into civilian life is not easy to do. She joins the protests. She tries to look for support, but gets turned away for being a woman and not having actually been in combat. Her journey to get her mental health in check is a long one, but eventually she gets there and uses her experience perfectly in the end.

It was really hard to listen to her father disrespect her time and time again, but different times I suppose. The friendships she made with Ethel and Barb were ones to last a lifetime as they each know what the other has lived through. They'd drop everything to be by her side when she needed them the most (not sure how they were able to get to her so quickly, cuz it's fiction I guess).

Overall, as expected, it was well researched, but I do think this could have been cut down quite a bit.

Narration notes:
A superb job as usual. She really brought the story to life.

The Women is a beautifully detailed, lovingly written portrayal of the women who served as nurses during the Vietnam War. Frances McGrath decides to serve as a nurse after her brother enlists and goes from a girl who lunches at the country club, to a nurse who works 18-hour shifts in mud, blood, and combat. This book shows the deep emotional scars of serving in a war and then being politely told there were no women serving in Vietnam. I loved that Hannah shows all sides of the war, before, during, and the aftermath of the terrible toll it took on the women. I highly recommend this book. Wonderful storytelling of a turbulent time that not everyone understood.
I received a copy of this book through Net Galley and have left an honest review.

Wow. Let me preface this by saying…I do not like historical fiction, especially if it take place during a war. 𝙃𝙊𝙒𝙀𝙑𝙀𝙍, I loved this book. It’s actually my 1st book by this author and I can totally see why people love her writing so much.

Frankie is a 21 year old woman in a family who holds military service as one of the most important sacrifices you can make for your country…it is honorable, unless…you’re a woman. The story takes place during the Vietnam war, a war that took her brother from her. So she jumps at the chance to go support the war effort as a nurse. Frankie works hard and becomes an excellent nurse and sees horrific things that will plague her the rest of her life.

After signing for 2nd round in Vietnam, she finally comes home…but not to a welcome party, not to a country who is proud or a family that is in awe of her bravery. What she did wasn’t seen as brave or honorable but shameful. The way she was treated when she returned home broke my heart.

Life chews Frankie up and spits her back out again and again. She falls in love in different ways with Jamie, Rye and Henry and has hardships aplenty. There is a constant piece of good in her life though, the bond she forms with Barb and Ethel. Barb was such a lovely presence in this book.

Throughout the book Frankie and other women looking for support were told they couldn’t enter support groups for Vets of the Vietnam War because “women weren’t in the war.” I can’t imagine risking my life for a country only to be treated as less than.

I learned a lot about the Vietnam War from this book especially the contributions of women to the war effort. It was such a tumultuous time in our country as the civil rights movement was in full swing. I didn’t realize so many were reported dead only to return home after being falsely reported deceased. Talk about a roller coaster!

I always knew many vets had PTSD after being in Vietnam, seeing & experiencing such awful things but I didn’t even think of how they were treated upon their return to the states and how that also impacted their psyche.

This book gave me all of the emotions. I was flying high with Frankie when things were good and I would shed a tear during her lowest lows. Kristin Hannah crafts such a deep, raw tale of life and all of the peaks and valleys we encounter throughout the course of our lifetime.

Move over WWII vietnam histotical novels are come back. This is a story about young women surviving in 60's. Being independed women was not accepted. Also she is burse from Vietnam that never been accepted and her love story has been complicated. From PTSD to depression and suicied - all she wanted just to b3 accepted and heard

This book was Kristin Hannah gold!

I did not expect to binge this book in three days, but here we are. This is easily going to be one of the best books of 2024. The character development, story line, and historical accuracy were phenomenal.


Quick thoughts:

• multiple times during this book my heart broke. Death and grief. Love lost. Addiction.
• Frankie McGrath’s character growth is 🔥🔥 She is young, brave, flawed, angry, strong, reckless, and lost at times. She learns from her mistakes, and then helps women like her to overcome their PTSD, anger, and grief.
• how badass are the women in this novel. Their friendship and support of one another throughout is wonderful.
• the amount of time and research that Kristin Hannah put into this novel is apparent in every page.
• the love stories weaved into the pages of this novel will leave you shattered.
• the twist at the end was unexpected!
• hands down one of my top 5 favorite books ever.

I can’t wait for all of my friends to read this book in 2024!! I know they are going to love it as well.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Kristin Hannah, and Macmillan Audio for providing me with an early copy of the audiobook in exchange for my honest review. It truly was my pleasure to have read it and I learned a lot of things about Vietnam and the struggles the female veterans from this era endured.

Thank you @netgalley, @macmillan.audio, @kristinhannahauthor @stmartinspress for an audio ARC of The Women.

Release: 2/6/2024 (5*)

This was my first Kristin Hannah novel & I’ve already added several others to my TBR! I have never had the desire to read Kristin Hannah’s book for some odd reason & that I can’t even explain. I apologize, Kristin! I am kicking myself for waiting sooooo long to pic one of your titles up! In my defense, I have just recently started enjoying historical fiction more. I used to loathe it, so if I’m guessing, that’s probably why I never gravitated to your books in the past. I have two very close book friends who RAVED about The Women as one of the best books EVER. So, this is where I finally took the plunge.

Kristin – I am currently bowing down at your feet in complete awe your writing & this book. I agree with my friends, this is one of the best books EVER. I loved every second. I listened to the majority of it on my drive up to KC this past weekend & worked my daughter’s last nerve with my audible gasps, blubbering, excitement, anger – pretty much all of the emotions. The only thing I would have liked was an Epilogue for Frankie & “you know who.” I was hoping for the ending you provided, but darn it, I wanted more! LOL

Readers – if you’re already a Kristin Hannah fan, this is a MUST READ, please trust me on this! If you’re not already a fan, start with this one! If you’re not really a historical fiction-type person, I don’t care – pick this book up! I’m calling it now, it will make multiple book lists for 2024 & will definitely be in the running for book of the year on at least one list.

This story is TRULY spectacular!

QOTD: If you read Kristin Hannah, what is your favorite book by her?

Synopsis:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/127305853-the-women?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_17

#Historical #HistoricalFiction #War #Feminism #Fiction #Adult #Women #WomenHeroes #Audiobook #Audio #ARC #Review #February #2024 #TheWomen #KristinHannah #MacMillanAudio #TBR #AudioReview #Bookstagram #Booksta #Read #Books #Bibliophile #BookSlayer #Vietnam #Emotional #Moving #Nurse #Friendship #BooksofIG

As expected, Kristin Hannah did not disappoint with her newest novel, 'The Women'. She is an absolute master in creating real, complicated, nuanced characters that feel as alive as your best friend. I feel like I personally know each person from this novel. What an undertaking! From the war in Vietnam to PTSD to sexism to loss... I don't want to give too much away in this review. There is always hope in her books and I just love that. The narration is masterfully done by Julia Whelan. If you love Kristin Hannah, you'll love this book. I'm so grateful I was able to get an early copy of this audiobook as I know the wait time will be months in a library once it comes out!

I’m not sure even where to begin on this review. Kristin Hannah has once again left me absolutely speechless and trying to process all my thoughts.

This book was just…. Perfection, to put it simply. It was heartbreaking, it was emotional, it was a real look into the devastation of war, and the broken men and women that came home from Vietnam. Our country failed our veterans, and this book showed a really in depth look at what life looked like. The drug and alcohol abuse, the PTSD, and just broken human souls. Hannah doesn’t shy away from the brutal realities of what the nurses and the men faced over there, nor for what those who came home dealt with. But on top of all of that, there was a truly beautiful story of love, of friendships, of a sisterhood.

Julia Whelan brought this story to life with her incredible narration, and was the absolute PERFECT choice to narrate this book. Her inflections, her emotion, and the ease of which she slips into each character made me fall even more in love with the story, and helped connect me.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for approving me for an ALC of The Women in exchange for my honest feedback. This story has joined the top of my favorites list, and it was an honor to be able to review it early.

“What is it good for…absolutely nothing.” - War

When twenty-year-old nursing student Frankie McGrath is told by her brother’s friend that “women can be heroes too,” it sparks an indelible flame within her. When her brother is drafted to serve in the Vietnam War, she decides to enlist in the Army Nurse Corps and join him, having no idea just how much that decision will ultimately affect the course of her life.

This book pays homage to the millions of vets who experienced detrimental physical and emotional damage in a widely unpopular war (not of their own volition in most cases) only to return home to public outrage. Kristin Hannah gives voice to the pain and suffering these veterans experienced post war - both the high suicide rates and the very high drug and alcohol addiction rates in a world that was only beginning to recognize PTSD.

At the heart of this story though, are the women - those who served their country in the same vain as their male counterparts, and yet received none of the recognition from their fellow Veterans, including the Veterans Administration (VA) who refused them needed psychological treatment.

I have read some criticism that the second part of the story has too much going on, and is too dramatic and/or all over the place. I have to very respectfully disagree. It is through the mess and the chaos (both very present in this turbulent part of history) that we see just how much the war has broken these men and women, and how hard they must work to find their way back to being whole.

I chose to do an immersive read of this book, primarily because my all time favorite narrator was at the helm. Julia Whelan could not have done a better job of voicing this incredible story, these unforgettable characters, and all of the angst, tension, distress, and messiness of the times. If you could only choose one book to read immersively, make it this one.

This will easily top my list of 2024 favorites.

Read if you like:
•learning about the Vietnam war
•the turbulence of the 1960s and 1970s
•strong female protagonist
•coming of age stories
•messy love stories
•emotional reads

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio for my gifted copies.

If you're looking for a book that feels like M*A*S*H and China Beach, you'll definitely get what you're looking for here. And then some. Half the book is dedicated to Frankie's experiences in Vietnam, and the rest focuses on the aftermath: coming home, the reception from family and friends, the PTSD. It might end up being the definitive novel about the experience of the women who served in Vietnam.

Kristin Hannah can do no wrong. I think this one is one of her best ones. The narrator was fantastic! The emotions the characters went through. From being in war to how it was being home. People hating Frankie and being ashamed of her for serving as a nurse in Vietnam. I can’t even imagine how that must of felt for those to have served over there and under appreciated for their sacrifices.

The missing. The forgotten. The brave… The women.

This book left me speechless and in tears. Historical fiction reminds me to research personal stories instead of the big picture (yes, I read historical fiction when not reading historical research and texts). The stories that are often forgotten are of the women in war, the ones who are nurses, the ones who save lives and comfort those who are dying.

The Women follows the story of Frances "Frankie" McGrath, who decides to follow her big brother into war and use her newly earned nursing degree. Once she is in the country, she quickly realizes what they have been told about the war in Vietnam is not reality. Frankie also meets two friends, who end up being her friends for life, through thick and thin. Frankie grows and learns about life outside her idyllic southern California upbringing. Frankie comes home emotionally scared and fights a war of hurt and emotions once she gets back home.

This book is going to stay with me for a very long time.

The audiobook is narrated by Julia Whelan, honestly she could read the side of a cereal box and I would listen. She brings an extra layer of emotion to an already emotional story.

Thank you, NetGalley and MacmillanAudio, for an advanced audio file of this beautiful story.

I am a huge fan of Kristin Hannah’s historical fiction and she will be an auto-read author for me. This book was no exception and I was thrilled to be able to receive an advanced audio copy. The choice of Julia Whelan as a narrator for the audiobook is perfect. She is my favorite narrator because she truly is a fantastic voice ACTOR. She is able to distinguish between characters without it being forced, which is extremely difficult to do well in my opinion, especially with male characters. Kristin Hannah has an exceptional ability to tell stories that are so multifaceted and gripping. She does a great amount of research and it really, really shows. You truly feel every action and emotion of the characters, which is just absolutely my favorite kind of novel, especially in historical fiction. This untold story was particularly enjoyable for me to read given the time period, one that was quite forgotten in my schooling and I am seeking to learn more about now. This is one of my favorite parts about reading historical fiction: dipping into a certain event/time period/situation through a novel , and having that inspire me to learn more about it in further reading and research. I’ve been trying to think of anything I disliked about this book and really can’t think of anything personally. I could see that some may consider it quite dramatic, but to me that is the point and what made it such a powerful read. I highly encourage readers to read content warnings prior to reading because they were some very intense and graphic themes throughout the book. Thank you NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for an advanced audio copy in exchange for my honest review. 5 stars!

Not every author can be trusted to tackle such a difficult period in American history, but Kristin Hannah did an amazing job. She clearly does impeccable research, and her ability to evoke emotions in her readers is second to none. I truly loved Frankie’s story and her arc as a main character. This book didn’t shy away from the horrors of war or the horrors veterans faced upon coming back home, and I loved the honesty. This was a truly heart wrenching story that I will be thinking about for a long time. Julia Whelan did an amazing job with the audio - I am always impressed with her ability to imbue the characters with such raw emotion.

Kristin Hannah's "The Women" is about the female soldiers in Vietnam and their return to the United States. Our main character Frankie, serves two tours in Vietnam and we see her transform from a girl in heels from a more than middle class family to a seasoned soldier who is far prouder of her service than her family or many Americans back home. Frankie wants to have her picture on her father's war wall and have him be proud of her, but the sexism of the times makes this impossible. The audiobook is excellent, the pacing of this book keeps the pages turning (and the play button going). Just like in war, there is much loss in this book too.

Kristin Hannah delivers another 5 star book! A wonderfully story about women during the war and how little recognition they received. Highly recommended! Loved every page and am sad I’m done reading it.

I just can't handle this book. I loved it so much, and I have so many feelings. Several times, I had to just stop myself from sobbing. I've always known how awful vets were treated after the war, but to read it, and women treated even worse... I hope they know how appreciated they are now.

I need to process more before I can write more... I have already told 3 people about this book and how it is so emotional and worth the read. My top book for 2023!!

Thank you @Goodreads & StMartin Press for a physical copy from Goodreads giveaways.

Thank you, MacMillan Audio & Netgalley, for an AudioARC.

From almost the first chapter I was hooked! I love that we get a women's view of the Vietnam war and of what it was like coming back after that experience. During the war, I couldn't stop listening, the author really didn't sugar coat this part which I loved. I'm glad we got the ugly truth about what went on in Vietnam but also the ugly truth about all the lies reported back home. I loved the relationships and friendships Frankie made during this part of her life. I also loved how raw things were when she returned home and how obviously we know she has PTSD even if that wasn't even a diagnosis during that time. I have to say there were a few things I didn't love about the story after she got home and was trying to figure out her life that felt a little "easy" for this author. I mean things that happened that I saw coming a mile away and that were just too coincidental. But that didn't make me love this book any less! The ending made up for it! As always with Kristin Hannah books, I finished it unsure if I was happy or sad for the story but feeling like she really did her research and gave us a great view into the life for a women in Vietnam and the world during that time.

It is no surprise that I LOVED the narration for this audiobook. I think Julie Whelan is fantastic at pulling me into the story and making me forget that it's not the character telling me the story.