Kristin Hannah always hits them out of the park. Set in Vietnam during the Vietnam War this is the story of a naive young woman who becomes a combat nurse. I probably would have given it a higher rating but like Four Winds I found that the heroine was just put through too much trauma where it almost became predictable.

SPOILER :


I couldn’t even get excited for the main character’s pregnancy because I just knew it wasn’t meant to last and I hated that!!!

I’d still recommend and I learned a lot about a subject I wasn’t as familiar with as I’d like to have been.

I absolutely loved this book. I love this authors work but don’t always love historical fiction. This showed a side of Vietnam that isn’t widely known and bridged several different genres that made the story extra compelling. Will be recommending!

Heartbreaking and intense but also uplifting and inspirational!

I don’t read a lot of historical fiction, but when it comes to Kristin Hannah I will read anything she writes. She is definitely one of my very favorite authors and I’m always THRILLED when a new book comes out.

When I read Kristin Hannah’s stories it’s easy to forget all the other things that usually crowd my busy mind. Her stories take me away and on top of being entertained, I learn things too.

The Women was story of resilience and sacrifice. Kristin Hannah often writes about inspiring women who have done amazing things and The Women is another example of that. The writing pulled me into the story immediately and refused to let go until I finished. 480 Pages felt like nothing.

The Women was a deeply compelling and impactful read that will likely stay with me for a very long time. This intense and emotional story was not always easy to read but I couldn’t put it down.

I had both the ebook and audiobook and both were excellent. The audiobook was narrated by Julia Whelan and was very well performed.

5 Stars!!!!

I'd like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this novel. All opinions are my own.

Wow, a very powerful book that takes you inside the Vietnam war through the eyes of a young woman from a long line of soldiers who enlists as a nurse, because someone told her 'women can be heroes too'. The first person account of what these nurses saw and felt everyday is riveting. There's love and betrayal from family, lovers and the government. If you know how men were discarded when they came home from this war, if they came home, imagine it 100x worse for the women.

Once again Kristin Hannah tied my heart up in a tight knot and then destroyed it.

A must read if you don’t mind crying at least 15-20x.

Women have served as nurses in war since the beginning of time & while their role was *vital*, they have never been seen as equivalent to the roles of men. Women still are rarely seen as equals. Just look at well- spoken Nikki Haley vs Trump in the polls- people would rather vote for absolute chaos than a woman.

Kristin Hannah did an excellent job portraying this gender disparity through Frankie’s story, as well as a painting a realistic picture of PTSD. Choosing the Vietnam war was a bit ironic because it was actually the first war where male nurses were used. I understand why she chose it though; it was the first war the US lost & political leaders were real quick to shove it away out of embarrassment & shame- that’s the American way!

I thoroughly enjoyed & appreciated that she highlighted on the strength & role of female friendships. I made my best friends through nursing & wouldn’t have changed that experience for the world.

Thank you Net Galley & to the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

An incredibly powerful, intensely moving book. I cried A LOT. Impecably researched. I am still thinking about it days later and have recommended to many friends and colleagues already.

Kristin Hannah does not disappoint. This was my 5th book by her and it ranks as one of my favourites. Frankie, a wealthy young woman who's future is to marry well and continue in her mothers footsteps as a dutiful daughter, wife, mother, etc. At her brother's going away party, for his navy pilot deployment to Vietnam, someone tells her "Women can be heroes". This sends her following in her brother's footsteps on her own journey of discovery, loss and pain. Stationed as a conflict nurse Frankie is thrown head first into life in 'Nam. She forms fierce friendships, engages in big love and of course suffers great loss.

I really enjoyed the half of the book set in Vietnam. It was fast paced and so very emotional. In true KH style, the queen of emotive writing, she will have your heart in in your stomach at every turn. While I understand the trauma of life after war and the understanding of PTSD and other post war disorders and illnesses, this part of the book was a bit slower. I fully recommend this to any historical fiction fan. It is a very interesting time period and this book tries to focus on a number of issues.

I loved all the musical references and the characters. You can't help but to be engrossed in Frankie's story and those of her fellow nurses and Vietnam vets.

We were there.

I was around 10 or 11 years old at the height of the Vietnam War. Old enough to feel that it was wrong, old enough to wish that I could protest it, but too young to be able to do anything. Too young to really understand what was going on.

When I thought of the Vietnam War, I thought about boys going over. Boys who didn’t want to fight. Boys, anxiously watching the draft, like my cousins. I had no idea there were women, nurses, who went over their voluntarily. Voluntarily to help their country, to help the boys and the men that were fighting. Women, who didn’t necessarily think the war was right, but felt the need to help.

This book was amazing and such an eye-opener. I couldn’t put it down, from the very first word to the very last word. We follow Frankie McGrath, who strives to be a hero on her father’s wall - only to find that her father only thinks men can be heroes.

In Vietnam, there was no time to ease yourself into it, you are literally thrown into the fire from day one. The book truly captures the feel of the chaos, the heartache, the hopelessness, the hopefulness. It also captures the friendships that develop. People thrown together who may not live to see tomorrow. You celebrate when you can, grieve when you can, and go on.

Then you come home and face a whole new war at home. Again, the book captures the feeling of coming home to a country that doesn’t value what you did. The after-effects of war, heightened by the world you return to.

Loved everything about this book.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Publishing Group for sending me a widget for this book.

This book is book very much follows Kristin Hannah's style of historical fiction to make you cry. The Women follows Frankie as she enlists to become a nurse so that she can be close to her brother who is currently fighting in Vietnam. Not shockingly, being a combat nurse is unlike anything Frankie could have prepared for, even if she wasn't fresh off graduation.

While I did enjoy this book, I found it to be a little long. There was so much story to tell, that I feel some parts were well developed and others, not so much. Some parts moved a little slow but I found the overall payoff worth it. 4 Stars.

I have loved everything that I have read by Kristin Hannah and "The Women" was no different. Kristin Hannah takes readers on a journey through eras of history with likeable characters. I found myself immediately swept into this story as we follow Frankie who enters the Vietnam War as a nurse. Not only do we see details of what life might have been like in these camps and on the frontlines, we are also taken through the struggles that were faced upon returning. Kristin Hannah took me through a rollercoaster of emotions and feelings as I read this book. I couldn't help but want to root for Frankie and her found family as they navigated their way through the story. I couldn't put this book down! Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own!

Th hype you’ve heard about this book is without a doubt, well deserved and accurate. Out of all the Kristin Hannah books I’ve read, this one was so different in terms of her writing style. I loved it! It felt more modern, as she was writing about real history, in comparison to her other books. There were times I found myself laughing out loud and hurting for all of the characters. The depiction of loss was so vivid that I felt it was happening to me personally. I appreciated how Kristin Hannah gave each female character a distinct path to illustrate that we are all individuals with our unique stories to tell. This book is a physical reminder that there is healing after loss and with the support of the right people there is hope through life’s trials. If you are looking for a book to make you laugh, cry, and encourage you, don’t sleep on this one for very long. You will thoroughly enjoy it.

"The Women" is an emotional and unforgettable story that immerses readers in the heart of the Vietnam War, with women taking center stage. Among them is Frankie, a nurse whose journey is a poignant exploration of the overlooked experiences of female heroes in war.

Before delving into "The Women," I hadn't realized how traditionally the focus had been on the male experience, as though women were barely acknowledged as if "There were no women in Vietnam" in the narrative. Kristin Hannah’s "The Women" offers a different perspective by highlighting that there were “women in Vietnam," and encountering them was a matter of luck for soldiers who had managed to avoid hospitals under the harsh lights.

One of Kristin Hannah's signature trademarks is presenting history from the resilient perspective of women who must summon strength to survive challenging times. Through Frankie’s journey, Kristin Hannah showcases bravery, compassion, and dedication. She shows us the trauma women faced during and after the war, shedding light on their often harsh treatment upon returning home. It's eye-opening to realize how overlooked female heroes in war are, and how much we don't know or think about their experiences. Recognizing their struggles adds depth to our understanding of the war's impact on all involved.

BUT Kristin Hannah has also been critiqued for overdramatizing her stories, and here she leans towards more soap opera drama with a clichéd romantic element. Despite Frankie facing adversity and challenges, the plot's predictability makes it seem more like a checklist of plot devices rather than adding complexity to the characters. While it might have reflected the era, the portrayal of Frankie's vulnerabilities felt more like a weakness than a demonstration of her growth and resilience, which would have mirrored the strength of women today—something Hannah accomplishes in "The Four Winds." It's frustrating to see her character defined more by her weaknesses than her strengths, especially considering Hannah's reputation for crafting strong female protagonists.

Despite these criticisms, "The Women" offers a refreshing look and insight into the struggles faced by women in wartime, serving as a reminder of the resilience and sacrifices of female veterans.

I adored this historical fiction novel set in the time of the Vietnam War. The women't side of the events that transpired and how they were treated was fascinating. Somehow this was my first Kristin Hannah novel, and it will not be my last! I was also given access to the audiobook narrated by Julia Whelan who is such a gifted narrator. I love everything she does!

Every historical fiction reader knows Kristin Hannah - and this book even further cements her place in the genre! An incredible story about a group of women that history has almost forgotten. This is a heavy, hard-hitting story about what it was really like for Americans to return home after the Vietnam war and readers will feel so emotionally swept into the story.

Kristin Hannah returns with the tour de force that is The Women. The novel opens as twenty-year old Frankie McGrath makes the decision to follow her beloved brother to Vietnam. We follow Frankie through her journey and her time spent in-country. Hannah's sense of place and attention to detail in her stories are unrivaled. Frankie's heartbreaking journey home and recovery from the tragedies of war is a story that needs to be told more often. Prior to reading The Women, I had only a basic knowledge of the Vietnam War, and never really thought about the women who served there. These unsung heroes really deserved to be talked about, and Hannah is taking us to task. The Women is a saga that will sweep you in, and refuse to release you. Cheers to Kristin Hannah for another masterpiece. I look forward to the movie.

Ok, now this is. more like what I love about Kristin Hannah. The four winds left me wanting more, and thank you for delivering Kristin. Frankie and the other women in this book will forever be in my heart.

I knew this book would be emotional but I didn’t KNOW. Every possible horrible thing that can happen, happened. This story is complete emotional destruction and many aspects broke my heart.

Each historical fiction by Kristin Hannah that I read, provides so much insight into the era explored and makes me feel like I was there.

Many parts of this story made me ashamed of our country and how things were handled. It reminded me of how, even today, we treat people terribly and forget their humanity when we don’t agree on something.

I recommend this book IF you’re looking for a completely raw and transparent account of life as a combat nurse during war and returning home, AND are prepared to bawl your eyes out. It is very traumatic and has a significant list of trigger warnings.

I read this through a combination of physical and audio formats. Julia Whelan was PHENOMENAL in this performance and I cannot imagine how it could’ve been read better. Highly, highly recommend the audio.

Perfect for you if you like:
Raw retelling of war
Historical fiction that FEELS REAL
Complete and utter emotional destruction
Facing terrible parts of our country’s history

I absolutely loved this novel. The Vietnam war is not one that I've ever read a historical fiction book about. I found the whole thing very interesting and sad.

If you're old enough to remember China Beach on TV in the late 80's, this book will feel very familiar. Some of the plot points are even the same. It is the story of American nurses who served during the Viet Nam war and what it was like for one of them, Frankie, to come home.

The first half of the book mostly took place in Viet Nam and that part was good (I liked China Beach, too), and gory and harrowing. Frankie enlists with the Army because all of the other military branches wouldn't take on such an inexperienced nurse. She learns the ropes literally under fire. She forms friendships with some of the other nurses. There was romance. And there was a lot of tears.

The second half is Frankie's return to civilian life and the struggles there. I was irritated by her privilege, and the love story was meh.

I really enjoy this author's recent work and hope she can write another winner (for me...I see LOTS of 5-star reviews, so someone's happy!).

My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Frankie loved looking at her fathers Wall of Heroes. Pictures of the men in her family who served their Country, soon Frankie's brothers picture will be up there as well.
As Frankie's family prepares for her brothers deployment a single sentence said to Frankie will change the course of her life.
"Women can be Heroes"
With this in mind Frankie enlists, joining the Army Nurse Corp, determined to make it onto her Fathers Wall of Heroes.

I have been trying to write this review for almost a month now.
I love Kristin Hannah, she is probably my favourite female author, a definite auto buy author, I recommend her books like I'm getting paid for it. Yet somehow this book caught me off guard.
It burrowed under my skin and has been living there for the past three weeks. 
I loved this book, I am already predicting that this will be my favourite read of 2024.