You can always learn something from this author's books. I didn't know all this about the Vietnam War. It was a pretty good story although two surprise non-deaths were a bit much. ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

This book is absolutely perfect and I will be thinking about it for a long time to come. Such an important story and I'm so thankful Kristin Hannah took it upon herself to do the work and get it out there. I cried my eyes out. I will continue to read anything this woman let's us!

This is such a powerful story that follows the highly emotional journey of our main character, Frankie, who decides to become an Army nurse in the Vietnam War after her brother ships out to serve there. She experiences horrific things and devastating loss during her service in Vietnam. Then she returns home to a divided country with angry protesters and violence, utter disrespect to those who served, and a failure to even recognize women as having served in Vietnam. I felt so connected to Frankie and all she went through, and this book also helped me form a better understanding to this time in our history. I had to put it down at times for short breaks from it, and at reaching the last chapter was emotionally drained but in the best way.

As with Kristin Hannah novels, this book is super emotional, and in her true form, is written of strong women and female empowerment. I applaud KH for the recognition given to female Vietnam War vets. They are all to be remembered for their heroism and courageous service to our country. 5 stars — Pub. 2/6/24

I received a NetGalley digital copy for review from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Kristin Hannah brings historical events to life in a way that few other authors manage. I felt like I was there in Vietnam with these nurses fighting for the lives of the soldiers, and then to arrive home to disdain and disgust. To work so hard and be an actual hero, and have people not even acknowledge your service, or that there were even women in Nam. I loved this book from beginning to end.

This was one of the best books I’ve ever read. (Another favorite is Hannah’s The Nightingale.)

The Women is a stunning story that will stick with me for years to come. Kristin Hannah destroyed my emotions multiple times as I read this book, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Frankie’s story is so well written that you can imagine yourself right there alongside her. The friendship that she, Barb, and Ethel share is unlike any other. The way these women stuck together for life and would do anything to support one another explains the intense bond they collectively shared while experiencing some of the most traumatic years of their lives.

Absolutely amazing book and I will be recommending to everyone I talk to. Thank you, Kristin Hannah, for telling this story and wading through such charged topics. I feel like I have a much better understanding of the nuances of this war, the political climate, sexism, racism, psychology, and even love after reading this book.

To say that I loved this book and Frankie would be an understatement. I had no idea just how much this book would mean to me. My brother-in-law and my uncle not only served multiple tours each during the Vietnam War, but they were both injured multiple times, my brother-in-law critically during his last tour. The thought of nurses like Frankie, Barb and Ethel being at their sides helping them survive gave me a comfort I didn't know I needed. This book also helped me understand both my uncle and my brother-in-law a little more. I can never thank Kristin Hannah enough for The Women.

After her family’s history of serving in the military Frankie decides she wants to follow her brother in serving in Vietnam. Frankie then becomes a member of the Army Nurse Corps and immediately gets thrown into the brutal reality of emergency medicine during the controversial war. With the help of two other female nurses Frankie slowly becomes accustomed to and learns to thrive in unfathomable situations. She is even able to fall in love.

When Frankie returns home after two tours she is met with the ugly reality of the war back home. Her parents have told no one of her military service and refuse to talk about the war. Frankie is spat at and harassed by the public as well as turned away from help from the veteran’s clinic because “women weren’t over in Vietnam”. Due to lack of information and respect Frankie has no way to deal with her PTSD and turns to substances to try to steady her. That has her ending up in rehab. Finally Frankie is able to begin her healing journey after all she has endured.

This story was tough to swallow, even if was beautifully written. I learned so much from this story which is why I love historical fiction. A history lesson along with a heart wrenching story you can’t help but become immersed in. The characters make their way into our hearts, no matter how flawed they are. That is what it means to be human after all.

This was obviously a very depressing book based on the subject matter. The PTSD and after effects of the war seemed very real. However, what did not seem real, was the many love stories and the surprise ending. Unfortunately I was not a fan.

First , I would like to thank the author, Kristen Hannah, St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for gifting me an ARC of this book in exchange for my thoughts. This is the best book I have read in a long time! Five stars easy.

The Women unfolds like a flower, but feels actually more like a blown rose. It fearlessly takes you on an incredible 20 year physical and emotional journey with Frankie, a young woman from a well to do family who does the unthinkable..she volunteers for service in Vietnam. Her parents are beside themselves but Frankie is determined. She finds herself right in the middle of the carnage working as a nurse in one of the most contentious and bloodiest wars. Vietnam.

The women is a book about how Frankie and the women close to her took on a war (and the trauma of wartime) while dealing with issues of morality, society’s expectations of women, love, death and betrayal.

The Women is a story that will draw you in for decades of Frankie’s life from her first day as a new nurse in ‘Nam and her journey through the bloodiest conflict and returning home to find things are not what she expected..to say the least. What she and every Vietnam vet endured was unspeakable horror. But this book brings a voice, finally, to the Women of Vietnam who’s story has finally been told.

I am so grateful that such an accomplished and gifted writer like Kristin Hannah wrote this extremely important book about the Vietnam war and the role of Women in it. While this was a war that nobody wanted, the reception our vets received when they came home was disgraceful and Hannah brings that point home through her highly relatable characters.

The plot is very well crafted and focuses on the Vietnam war from a combat nurses’s perspective as well as family issues and a welcome home that never happened. It is so unfortunate that the unwelcome home is completely true. Our Vietnam vets were never recognized for their service and sacrifice and Hannah shows us how they were treated through Frankie McGrath. The aftermath is also an essential part of this story, which includes lack of respect as well as nightmares, drugs and alcohol abuse. The action that Frankie and other nurses as well as doctors experienced is conveyed in detail, from the living conditions to the nearly constant stress. We witness the horrors of war and its devastating consequences for those who fought - how we helped our injured but also the civilian population.

The Women is a gripping read and may be Hannah’s best to date. There is love, heartbreak, endurance, courage, trauma, healing and PTSD to name a few of the feels contained in this story. I highly recommend this book for being not only a great story that will move you but for the important perspective on the Vietnam war.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Women by Kristin Hannah is a breathtakingly beautiful book that broke my heart multiple times. I absolutely loved this book that tells of the women that served as nurses in Vietnam. The imagery is so real, I felt like I was there in the oppressive heat hearing the raids and then back in the United States being slighted for serving the United States during a war. Kristin Hannah's way with words brought everything to life in an incredibly vivid way. The main character of The Women is Frankie, she's mighty, yet also delicate and fragile and has a very strong desire to make her father proud of her. To do this, she enlists as a nurse to serve her country. Unfortunately, this did not make her father (or mother) proud of her one little bit, something that serves as an issue throughout the book. Frankie's character is authentic, someone any of us could be, she is incredibly relatable in many ways during her time in Vietnam and once back in the United States. Another area of the book that hit a note with me are the female friendships, they are truly ride or die, besties for life, loyal to the end. The book is split in two parts, which are quite different from each other, but equally excellent and heartbreaking. Make sure to have your tissues handy, there were parts for me that I felt deeply and I suspect that would be true for many. In reading this book, I can tell Kristin Hannah did a boatload of research and it shows, something I really appreciate because I never thought about women having served in Vietnam. I know it's early in 2024, but I have a feeling this book will be one of my favorites of the year.

Possibly one of the most well written stories about Vietnam. Also gut wrenching. It brought back so many memories. I grew up on military bases and watched soldiers leave and return. The women who served are so often overlooked. The Women shows they were as much a part of the war as any man. Highly recommend

I was 100% engrossed in this book. I am not a huge fan of historical fiction, never mind stories of war. But I am a huge fan of our veterans and the people who have fought for our freedom. This story of the untold side of war had me in a stronghold. The brave men and women of the Vietnam War have a place of rememberence with <i>The Women</i>. Kristin Hannah does the most amazing job of telling the stories of these heroes - especially the nurses of the Army Corp. They endured horrors and were not welcomed when then came home in the way that was earned and most certainly deserved. Most importantly, Hannah so delicately discusses the taboo and importance of understaning PTSD. This book is going to stay with me for a very long time. I felt ALL of the emotions - sad, happy, horror, incredulousness, strength, hope. I am also very thankful for those that serve for our freedom. Thank you for giving them such a beautifully written, but sometimes hard to read story.

I applaud Kristen Hannah for tackling the topic of women nurses in the Vietnam War. It is a needed topic that I have never read about before. She also did a wonderful job depicting PTSD, all the unrest in America, and the neglect of the veterans returning from war. There are so many weighty topics, yet I failed to really feel anything while reading this book. Maybe it was because so many things happened and there was no time to feel anything before we were rushed into the next big thing. Maybe it was the romantic interests that felt flat to me and way overdone.

I think I would have enjoyed this better without all the romance and with less stuff (mostly bad) happening. I would have loved to see more from Barb and Ethel's perspective during the war. That also would have made the title of the book make more sense. There was also a lot of repetitiveness throughout the book (I did not need to know how many times she drank a Tab). Anyways, I just felt like the story dragged on too long and it felt like a chore to finish. And then that ending. Yikes.

I can see how some people would really enjoy the story. It just wasn't for me. But I did like all of the information about Vietnam.

Kristin Hannah can do no wrong, in my opinion. She's a captivating writer and wildly skilled at tugging on a reader's emotions. While this was a lovely novel, it didn't snag a spot in my Top 3 by her. But if you're a fan of Hannah's, there's no doubt you'll enjoy this book ... it's a captivating take on a facet of the Vietnam War that's rarely talked about and serves as a poignant reminder of the strength and resilience of women. A great read for fans of historical fiction and anyone seeking a powerful and unforgettable story.

(Many thanks to NetGalley for an advance reading copy in exchange for an honest review!)

I LOVED this book! I have read several of Kristin Hannah’s books and this one ranked right up there with The Nightingale. Hannah’s attention to detail and accuracy made me feel like I was experiencing Vietnam at the same time as Frankie, from the sights to the smells. Frankie’s return to the US and the hell she had to endure made me angry and sad right along with her. I rooted for Frankie the whole time and I loved that the throughout it all, she had her girlfriends to rely on. Such a moving, powerful tribute to women.

Read if you like: untold stories in history.
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The book tells the story of Frankie, a young woman who is a nurse in Vietnam. When she returns to the States, she gets no support or recognition because people are told that there are no women in Vietnam. Frankie's story is heartbreaking and I thought Hannah did a great job of telling this story. I loved all the nuances that made up this book and I highly recommend it!

Kristin Hannah does it again! She transports you to a new time and place, and breaks your heart and puts it back together again! Huge fan of books where you can laugh and cry, so I absolutely recommend this book!

Thank you to the publishers and #Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely LOVED this novel. Although I don't usually enjoy wartime historical fiction, I thought the author did a great job of weaving in other elements to make this novel super compelling. There was a lot of heavy subject matter, but the author handled it all with care. I loved the friendship between the three nurses. Their resilience and strength was admirable. I enjoyed the twists toward the end of the novel, however, I felt that the adultery subplot felt forced and unwarranted. This novel made me want to keep reading and I didn't want it to end.

“Some women had worn love beads in the sixties; others had worn dog tags.”


Army nurses, 93rd Evacuation Hospital, Long Binh, Vietnam, 1968. B.J. (Greenway) Rasmussen Collection, Women In Military Service For America Memorial Foundation, Inc.
Kristin Hannah’s The Women is a compelling, fictional account an Army nurse’s service in Vietnam and her struggles to return to American civilian life. Army field nurses were a small group of women who were heroes in their own right, enduring many of the hardships of war while trying valiently to save the multitudes of US soldiers and Vietnam civilians that flooded their understaffed and poorly supplied field hospitals. In the majority of cases their efforts were unappreciated while in Vietnam and scorned when they returned home, with little to no acknowledgement of the PTSD and physical effects they struggled to overcome.

“As bad as it had been in ‘Nam, as frightened and angry and betrayed as she’d often felt by her government and the war, she’d also felt alive. Competent and important. A woman who made a difference in the world. This place would forever hold a piece of her heart.”


The Women is the fictional story of Frankie McGrath, a young, idealistic nurse from Coronado, CA who chooses to enlist after her older, Naval Academy graduate brother is shipped off to Vietnam. Frankie’s experiences mirror many of those lived by the Army nurses serving during the late 1960s. The places included and timelines followed are real, as Kristin was encouraged by Vietnam veterans to “name the places accurately”. This facet of the book makes Frankie’s story so much more impacting. Frankie’s personal relationships, encounters, and struggles humanize an event that for most people are only chapters in a history book they studied in school. This controversial time in American history was so much more than that as Kristin is so eloquently able to convey through Frankie’s time as a field nurse, her coming of age through love and heartbreak, and her struggles to come to peace with the person she was as a result of her time in Vietnam and the way she was treated when she got back home.


I loved The Women by Kristin Hannah! I knew, early on, it would easily be a five star read for me as I quickly became immersed in Frankie’s life as a field nurse and would completely lose track of time as the chapters quickly flowed by. I also couldn’t help but think of my daughter-in-law, who is also an active duty Army nurse, as the major themes had me contemplating ideas of war and service. Kristin humanizes this time in history with a story that expresses both the dark tragedy of the event but also the personal growth, maturity, and fulfillment that can come out of hardship and the friendships that can supersede economic or racial differences to form lasting anchors in a person’s life. You definitely want to read The Women, a story that makes history come alive in a way that will fully entertain but also grow you as a person.

Barb held out her hand. The three put their hands together. “Enough bad memories,” she said solemnly. “We won’t ever forget, God knows, but we move forward. Away from Vietnam. Into the future.”