Kristin Hannah knows how to tug at your heartstrings and hit you right in the feels. The Women is such a heroic tale about the strength and the struggles of the nurses who served in Vietnam and the friendships formed between those overseas. Frankie is a young inexperienced nurse and she signs up to be an army nurse after her naval brother ships off determined to follow him over there a be a hero when the whole world tells her she’s not.

Once in country, Frankie struggles but is taken under the wings of Ethel and Barb and they form a deep friendship forged through blood, sweat and tears. Their friendship becomes so important for her survival there and when she returns home- everyone needs friends like that no matter what you’re going through. Their friendship was probably my favorite relationship aspect of the book because of the deep understanding and love they shared for each other.

While overseas Frankie experienced more heartbreak than she could ever imagine and the reality of what she saw was not lost on her when she returned home unwelcome. Frankie struggled adjusting greatly to her new life from her family’s shame of her service, to being unappreciated at work, and heartache for the ones she lost and the future she envisioned leading her to make reckless decisions until it all came crashing down.

The struggles Frankie experienced were not uncommon and honestly a lot of times way worst for the women returning home compared to the men because so many times they were told there were no women in Vietnam or she didn’t see combat so she couldn’t possibly understand what they were going through. I know the amount of research Kristin Hannah put into this book to do right and pay tribute to the brave nurses and it shows throughout.


Thank you @stmartinspress and @kristinhannahauthor for this eARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

Frankie McGrath was living in luxury on Catalina Island, preparing to say goodbye to her older brother Finley, who was shipping out for Viet Nam. Frankie knew how important military service was to her family, in fact, her father maintained a “Hero’s Wall” where he kept pictures of the men in the family who had been in the service. Talking to Finley’s best friend Rye gave her the idea that yes, women can be heroes, too.

Frankie finishes her nursing degree and applies to various branches of the service, eager to impress her father and get her picture on the “Hero’s Wall.” The only branch that would accept her was the Army, and soon Frankie was shipped out to Viet Nam.

This book! It tore my heart out and made me cry several times, but laugh many more. Frankie’s experiences were horrific, though I loved the way the women looked out for one another. And then to come home and be told there were no women in Viet Nam by the VA who really should have known better added insult to injury. It’s an awesome book and I loved every word.

I have always been a huge fan of Kristin Hannah's books, though I have found her past few have not been homeruns for me. While she is an incredible writer and clearly does her research, I find the pacing has been off for her past couple of books. I know many will love this, but I found it too melodramatic and contrived.

This is a wonderful book. I lived this era and I couldn’t put it down. I was up very late. Women can be heroes. When twenty-year-old nursing student Frances “Frankie” McGrath hears these words, it is a revelation.It changes her life and the dynamic with her family. A recent graduate from nursing school she enlists in the army nursing corp to be close to her brother in Vietnam. He is killed but she becomes the best surgical nurse they’ve seen. Ms. Hannah does a fantastic job of showing the war through Frankie’s young innocent eyes. Death seems to follow her in her personal life, not only is her brother killed but her best friend, a doctor and her lover are also gone. The second half of the book deals with her homecoming and the army’s treatment of the women who served. “No women went to Vietnam” was always there answer when she went for help. I always have liked Kristin Hannah’s books but this one is 10 stars.

I think this is Kristin Hannah's best book yet. I was completely engrossed from start to finish, although I did love the first half more than the second. I learned so much about the Vietnam War that I didn't know about before. When I was finished I immediately wanted to start it over again. Frankie is such a memorable character and I enjoyed my time with her.

The Women by Kristin Hannah: 5 out of 5 stars.

They were there. For so long, the American public didn’t know or didn’t care that women were in Vietnam, but they were there.

This story follows Frankie McGrath as enters the Vietnam war, her time in-country, and what it was like for her and so many other veterans once they returned home. I’ve read some reviews that said Frankie was unlikeable, but I disagree- Frankie is flawed and human. She makes some bad choices, but who among us hasn’t done something we’ve regretted? There are times when I like to read about perfect characters making perfect choices, but to have Frankie be that character would’ve been a disservice to all the Vietnam vets who struggled (and continue to struggle) once they were home.

My favorite aspect of this book was the found family between Frankie and her fellow veteran nurses Ethel and Barb. Their friendship is so true and full of love.

I’ve loved this time in American history but have never heard anyone mention women who served in Vietnam, and I’m excited to learn more.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for this digital ARC.

3.5 stars

Women’s wartime contributions is a topic I’ve been interested in for awhile now. For this historical fiction novel, I was pleased to see Kristin Hannah chose to focus on the nurses who served during the Vietnam War. She was able to capture the extreme working conditions as well as post war life. Its well-known veterans during this time period were not exactly welcomed back with open arms due to public sentiment about the war. Female veterans also didn’t receive much support from fellow veterans or even the US government.

Unfortunately, the story has a soap opera quality to it at times. The main character, Frances “Frankie” McGrath, has an interesting character arc but there is one particular storyline that could have been eliminated. Doing so serves the overall story better as the ending would pack more of an emotional punch. (Yes, I’m trying to be vague so I don’t dip into spoiler territory.)

Even though The Women isn’t my favorite book by this author, it still was a good read because of the historical content and depiction of women who served during this time period.

Women can be heroes, this line has stayed with me since finishing the book. In true Hannah fashion The Women is emotinal rollercoaster.

Ugh, Kristin Hannah knows how to hit you hard!! LOVED this book, as I knew I would. So well researched, and loved learning about a topic I really didn't know much about. So thankful for the women that served as nurses during the Vietnam war. Tough and heartbreaking, but such a lovely book.

The Women is the very moving and illuminating story of Frankie, a young woman who makes the decision to join the Army to serve as a nurse in Vietnam. Frankie’s journey during her time in country is wrought with heartache after heartache. Hannah crafts a stunning story that takes readers on a journey with Frankie while she deals with her personal struggles while trying to endure being in war torn Vietnam, as well as the important time of her return home. It’s a story of grief, hope, perseverance, friendships, and love.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the e-ARC of Kristin Hannah’s new book, The Women.

I've never read a book focusing on Vietnam and had such a great time reading this. Kristin has done it again!

Thank you so much to St Martin's Press and NetGalley.

I love Kristin Hannah's writing so much. I was thrilled to read this one and it did not disappoint. This one takes us to the Vietnam War and we get to know Frankie as she has joined the Army Nurse Corps. Such an important story and I am such a fan of Kristin Hannah!

One of the best books of this time period in US history. Excellent descriptions of military life during the Vietnam War and for veterans afterwards, especially for women who served. Frankie becomes an Army nurse from California who follows her brother to Vietnam, but like most, is ill prepared for the difficult conditions and challenges she encounters. Befriended by two other young nurses she quickly learns and becomes skilled. When her tour is up, she returns home to less than a hero’s welcome and also has nightmares about her time in service. Even her family rejects her service, having told their friends she was elsewhere. Frankie’s problems reintegrating continue even when her nurse friends try to help. Things are ok for awhile and then they aren’t. There is a hopeful ending for Frankie, this book is one you won’t be able to put down.

Review: The Women by Kristen Hannah 5 ️stars

Women can be heroes. When twenty-year-old nursing student Frances “Frankie” McGrath hears these words, it is a revelation. Raised in the sun-drenched, idyllic world of Southern California and sheltered by her conservative parents, she has always prided herself on doing the right thing. But in 1965, the world is changing, and she suddenly dares to imagine a different future for herself. When her brother ships out to serve in Vietnam, she joins the Army Nurse Corps and follows his path.

When I first heard this was during the Vietnam War, I wasn’t super excited to read it. But boy did she deliver!

The first half of the book is war heavy. There are graphic and traumatic scenes but the book also shines a light on the comradery among service members. The second half of the book focuses on Frankie’s reintegration into the world - returning home to a hostile environment where veterans, especially women, were treated horribly or forgotten. 

Frankie’s change from naïve and sheltered new Army nurse to confused, ashamed returning vet was so complex and well executed. I was so immersed in Frankie’s story, I felt her joy, pain, fear, and it was an emotional rollercoaster that somehow balanced absolutely heart wrenching with hopeful. While this was Frankie’s story, her relationships were layered and continued to change as the story progressed. I loved her female friendships, her relationship with her parents was tough to read and the friendship with Henry gave me hope. 

I loved this book, it was tough to read but the storytelling, characterization and research that went into this book was amazing. The Women is one of my new favorites of all time!

Wow. Kristin Hannah continues surprising me with every book she writes. I absolutely adored The Nightingale and The Four Winds and I really think this one is up there with hr other books. Kristin Hannah really captures the reality of war and its consequences. This has a lot of emotional moments and if you loved other Kristin Hannah books, you will love this one..

What can Kristin Hannah NOT do? I’m a puddle finishing this. A masterpiece of heartache with so much impact in a story! I loved Frankie, an amazing heroine and a new favorite of mine from Kristin Hannah’s stories. I always walk away feeling so many emotions finishing her books yet for The Women, I felt transported during the Vietnam War in such an immersive and heart wrenching with these characters. So much I learned, found family discovered, trauma, love, and more for my empathetic heart!!!

Amazing!! Emotional and troubling and important. The nurses in Vietnam held men's chests closed, operated on the ground while being bombed, held the hands and wrote letters for dying men and when they came home, they were told "There were no women in Vietnam". This is one woman's story, from an innocent, Catholic upbringing through Vietnam, several romances and lost loves, PTSD and so many other things that effected her life because of Vietnam and how she finally found some semblance of peace in her life.

This was an amazing read. An acknowledgment of the amazing women who served in the Viet Nam war and were barely recognized for their service and their devotion to their country for so many years. You can get the gist of the story from the editors blurb, but this book is so much more that it conveys. We meet Frankie, who when her beloved brother enlists in the Navy wonders why women cannot be heroes too. When his life is lost, she signs up and then we go on a twenty year journey with her. It’s painful, emotional, sad, beautiful, tough story filled with love, loss, respect, pain in trying to reintegrate into life when she (and all of those who served) returns home to so much hate and vitriol, PTSD, addiction, friendship, the lingering impact of her parents not respecting her choices, missing her beloved brother, health issues both mental and physical that last a lifetime and so much more. I was drawn in from paragraph one and drank in every page. Though a fictional story, it is clear that the author did amazing research and showed incredible respect and empathy for these incredible unsung heroes who deserved so much better. I cannot recommend this highly enough. Though early in the year, it is on my list of best reads. A very emotional read that will require a lot of tissues.

5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Frankie McGrath is a young, affluent nursing student from Southern California when her brother ships out for Vietnam. Feeling lost at home and eager to earn a spot on her father’s “hero wall,” Frankie impulsively joins the Army Nurse Corps in an attempt to follow her brother into war. Frankie is woefully unprepared for the brutality of war, but the powerful bonds that she forms with her friends and colleagues buoy both her spirit and her skill. Frankie survives Vietnam, but nothing could prepare her for the battle that awaited her back on American soil.

Kristin Hannah does it again. This was such a beautiful book. Heartbreaking, but beautiful. Not only does the character of Frankie give voice to the thousands of women who served in Vietnam, she also shines light on the predicament that many combat soldiers find themselves in when they return from war. Frankie is isolated, underutilized at work, and lacks support (to put it mildly) from her family and fellow veterans. She is utterly lost in a world that, after two years “in country,” feels foreign to her. This was such a rollercoaster of a book. I was sad, I was angry, and I was in love. Incredible story by an incredible writer. 10/10 recommend.

Kristin Hannah's books always grip the reading and this historical fiction was no exception. Taking place in the 1960's this book weaves the tale of a woman coming of age in a time of dreamers and war. It is impossible for the reader not to bond with the main character and feel everything she does. The story and the setting are well research and incredibly believable and the message that woman can be heroes too, is one that will resonate with a lot of readers.