An emotionally charged story of courageous women and the battles they faced as Army nurses during the Vietnam military action. The story resonates as only a Kristen Hannah book can. Hannah's fans expect an awesome story line intertwined with the personal stories of the characters, a story that will make them FEEL what the characters feel. THE WOMEN delivers this on so many levels. If you've not read any of Kristen Hannah's books, you can pick any title and jump in. You'll soon be a member of her fan club too.

This book is phenomenal, but it’s hard for me to review. It must have been hard to write, and surely so hard to live through.This book is about the nurses in the Vietnam War, but it’s so much more than that. It’s friendship, loss, grief, sacrifice, despair, hope, and remembrance.

Unlike many of Hannah’s other novels, this book is told from one POV and from one timeline, and I really loved not taking any breaks from Frankie’s story. An idealistic and sheltered girl from a well-to-do family in California, she volunteers as a nurse in Vietnam with the hopes of connecting with her brother fighting in the war. What she gets is life-changing experiences and relationships that affect the course of her entire life.

I was born in 1983, and the truth is that the bulk of my knowledge of the Vietnam War is thanks to watching Forrest Gump in high school. This book taught me so much about the war and life in America during that time. I learned so much, but I also felt so much. This is NOT a vacation read. I devoured this book and couldn’t get enough even as it was so painful to read about Frankie’s experiences both during and after the war. Oftentimes it takes me a while to warm up to Hannah’s characters, but I loved Frankie from the beginning.

This is one of those books that will stick with me for a long time. I highly recommend it, but it’s not a vacation read. This is a heavy, powerful book that I’m so glad is in the world. I learned so much, and I still have much to learn. Women CAN be heroes.

No one tells a story like Kristin Hannah does. Every story she writes captures my heart and leaves me thinking about it long after I finish the last page. I didn’t think there was any way Hannah could possibly outdo herself, but The Women is absolutely outstanding, definitely my favorite read of January, and I say with confidence it will be one of my favorites of 2024!

Hannah’s novels are always well researched & it’s clear she did her homework when it comes to the Vietnam War, both in terms of what those who served our country experienced while they were there, as well as what they returned home to find, which was a divided nation, many of whom furious at them for serving.

Where Hannah’s writing truly shines though is when she combines that sweeping story of our nation’s reaction to the war with a more intimate portrait of one woman’s journey when she makes the choice to serve as a combat nurse in Vietnam. It’s a coming of age story in that nurse Frankie McGrath really comes into her own while trying to save lives in Vietnam. She is a hero in every sense of the word, which makes it all the more frustrating when she returns home to not only hatred from war protesters, but also denial that any women served in Vietnam. My heart broke for her every time she turned to someone for help with her PTSD, only to be told “There were no women in Vietnam.”

Thank goodness for the nurses who served with her. While I cried tears of frustration for Frankie several times, this sisterhood of “ride or die” nurses with whom Frankie served brought tears of relief and joy to my ears. They are always there to pick her up when no one else seems to care.

Filled with heartbreak and healing, The Women shines a light on those brave women who answered the call to serve and affirms that whether anyone wants to believe it or not, “They were there...”

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this book.

In all the books I've read about Vietnam, this one is unique. I'd never read one from the perspective of women in the war. This novel is vivid and heartbreaking, dealing with the many facets of war and its destruction. I love the focus on friendships and the bonds formed in combat. This is an A+ read!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for granting me an e-arc!

Frankie McGrath comes from a military family, in which all of the men have served their country proudly. The exception is her father, who desperately wanted to serve but was unable to, but regardless he instilled the importance of serving to his family.

When Frankie’s brother, Flynn, leaves to serve in Vietnam, Frankie is filled with sadness at the prospect of being without him. Her world changes forever when someone tells her that women can be heroes too, and she realizes that is just what she’ll do. Frankie enlists as an Army nurse to serve in Vietnam, following the path of her brother.

When Frankie gets to Vietnam, she is horrified by all of the death and suffering that she sees on a daily basis. Nothing could ever have prepared her for war, and as she learns the ropes and continues to become an increasingly better nurse, she realizes she has found her purpose despite the great hardships. Frankie has a passion for saving lives and making a difference, as do her hooch mates and women serving with her, Ethel and Barb.

As Frankie goes through one traumatic experience after another, her bonds with her friends strengthen. The love between her friends and the knowledge that she is truly making a difference is what gets her through Vietnam and all the grief caused by the war. What Frankie isn’t expecting is that life will be filled with difficulties going home to the U.S.

When Frankie returns home, there is veteran’s welcome or civilians thanking her for her service. Instead, she comes home to a very divided America that is angry about the war and protesting for it to end. Unfortunately, the anger also extends to those who served in Vietnam, and Frankie finds herself being spat at and called horrible names. Her parents are ashamed of her service, and as a woman many people do not take her seriously as a veteran because she was not in combat. Many people, even veterans, do not even believe there were any women in Vietnam.

Feeling more isolated than ever, Frankie struggles to live in this different America as a veteran who is traumatized, hurting and in need of help. People keep telling her to forget Vietnam and move on with her life, but many couldn’t possibly understand all that she’s been through.

Let me just say that I LOVED this book. It was so heartbreaking and eye opening. I knew that there was unrest in the U.S. during the Vietnam War, but I didn’t know that those who served were treated so poorly upon their initial return, and that it took many years to properly honor and recognize them for their sacrifice. It was also very interesting yet infuriating to read about how female veterans were treated so differently, making them even more isolated than the male Vietnam veterans. The men at least could go to support groups and get help at the local VA, but the women were turned away since they weren’t in combat.

If you’re reading a Kristin Hannah novel then you already know going into it that it’s going to be impeccably researched and written carefully and thoughtfully. Kristin Hannah has such a way of story telling that I’m sold on all of her novels for life. I’m really glad that she tackled such a difficult yet important topic, as I feel like there aren’t many historical fiction books about the Vietnam war, especially ones that focus on women. This is a unique read that you won’t want to put down, and Frankie is an inspirational, imperfect human that I think we can all relate to in some way or on some level.

Really, a wonderful book..I highly recommend!

Me: Historical Fiction? War? Both of those statements usually make me NOT want to read a book

Everyone Else: 5 STARS!!! ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS EVER!

Me: Okay, I will try it out but I have to buddy read it so I am held accountable!

Two Days Later....
Me: I just read an almost 500 page historical fiction book that takes place during a war....5 STARS!!! ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS EVER!

Well played Kristin Hannah, well played.

I can't even put into sentences how I feel about this book so I will just use words - stunning, heartbreaking, important, frustrating, beautiful, lovely, maddening, devastating, difficult, sweeping, amazing!

The characters stole my heart - Frankie and her friendship Barb & Ethel just absolutely made this book for me. Yes it takes place during the Vietnam War (which is. not usually my jam) but this is a story of love, friendship, strength, perseverance, family, heroism, grief, trauma, and most importantly the women.

They were there.

Thank you to Netgalley & St. Martin's Press for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read this book and give my honest opinion. I am not the target audience for this book as the only thing I knew about the Vietnam War was that my stepfather went and was never the same (and on the flip side, my dad ran from the draft and created a new identity). The day I downloaded it, I could NOT get into it. I put it down for a few weeks and picked it back up. I could not put my kindle down for two days. This book starts off with Francis at her brother's going away party as he was leaving to go to Vietnam. At that party, one of Finley's friends tells Frankie that the sky is limit. She decides, now that she is done with her RN license, she was going to go to war. She ended up signing up with the Army and was sent promptly to Vietnam after basic training. She ends up being assigned to a first place where she meets Ethel and Barb who become life long friends. I felt like I was there. Every step of the way. I mourned the losses and got angry at certain parts (really trying not to give spoilers but a certain "bread" name is the worst). When it ended (with that twist), I laid awake and imagining what came after. This is one of the best Kristin Hannah books I have read and it unseated Nightengale as my favorite book of hers!

An absolute must read. One of Kristin Hannah’s best. I couldn’t put this down of Frankie, a nurse who goes to Vietnam. The retelling of her experience both during and after the war is a beautiful portrayal.

There are gaping wounds because of the treatment of the women and men who served our country during the Vietnam War. Reading The Women will certainly be a reminder to acknowledge men and women soldiers with, “Thank you for your service,” no matter when or where they have served.
Freedom is bought with sacrifice.

This book was absolutely fantastic and completely blew me away. The emotions that I went through while reading this story were unlike any other I have read in a while and I found myself engaged the whole time. I had no doubt that a book written by Kristin Hannah would be good, but this was on another level. I can only image the research that went into putting this novel together and it breaks my heart that Veterans were treated this way, especially women, when they returned home. I find myself wanting to research even more after reading. The minute I finished this one, I found myself wanting to immediately start it over and read it again, which rarely happens for me. I cannot thank the publisher and Netgalley enough for the access to this ebook. A glowing 5 stars!

Kristen Hannah does it again! Another book that is a captivating, emotional and powerful story that I couldn’t put down. The story follows Frankie McGrath in her journey to prove that “women can be heroes” too. The horrors that she experiences as an army nurse during the Vietnam War and in the aftermath where no one was willing to help her, is tragic. This is a story that will stick with me for a long time. Every character had such depth and I truly felt for each one of them. The combination of action-filled, and vivid descriptions mixed with a love story and finding one’s true self makes way for a great book. The amount of research that is put into creating this work of art is unreal. This was a beautiful historical fiction novel about the power of friendship, trauma, and being true to yourself. Kristen Hannah has been and will be a favorite writer of mine for years to come.

WOWWWWW. After feeling absolutely gutted and disappointed by the end of The Four Winds, I thought The Women was a magnificent tribute to the Vietnam veterans and their stories. While at times it felt a little convoluted, I trusted the process and development and knew we were heading to a ending that would reflect hope.

Kristin Hannah never disappoints me. The Women was a beautifully tragic and uplifting tale of the strength of women. I have never seen any other media address women serving in the Vietnam War and so I never realized the struggle they had while serving and also when returning. Not only did they not fit back into the civilian life from all they saw and experienced, but they also didn't have a place amongst the male veterans, who didn't recognize the trauma the women also experienced. One thing though, is that the women had each other. The friendships in this book were so well-written. These women made it through the war and life afterwards due to the support they offered one another. No other person could understand what they experienced.

I'm always so impressed with Kristin Hannah's extensive research she does for her books and her historical romances always prompt me to do my own research about these times in history that I had little to no knowledge about. Of course, I'll always recommend having Kleenex handy when reading any Kristin Hannah book. She possesses the ability to pull such strong emotions from me and reading her books is always such an experience.

What an amazing story! I loved this book! It was not always easy to read, but it was always engaging. This was my first Kristin Hannah novel and it won't be my last! The story was so well-written and detailed, that I really felt I understood so much about that time and the struggles the soldiers and nurses went through at such a divisive time in our history. I felt the joy, the horror, the sadness, the hope...all of it. It just pulled me in and wouldn't let me go until the last word. Absolutely loved it! Not a book I will soon forget.

This book absolutely ripped me apart and put me back together again and again. 😭

I have never read any historical fiction set in the Vietnam War, and I learned so much reading this book. The writing drew me in right away — it went down so easily, kept me turning the pages, and was absolutely packed with emotion. The main character was so raw and real and someone I could really root for. My absolute favorite part of the book though was the female friendships made throughout the book. I loved seeing Frankie, Barb and Ethel — three incredibly strong women — stand together and support one another through all life’s hardships (and there were many!).

I probably don’t need to say much else about this book because I know it’s everywhere, but I’ll just say: Read this book. It’s absolutely fantastic. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

This book was beautifully written, well researched and if I had to choice one word for it the word would be perfection. It was amazing. I sat down and was captivated from page one, I couldn't put it down and stayed up to finish it. The stories of the nurses in Vietnam was an important one to tell, the story of the war itself and how it was looked at here in the United States was an important piece of it too, as was how it affected not only the men who were on the front lines, but the women who cared for the injured and the dead. All important, all relevant today. This is a story everyone should read!

This book has left me speechless. I am not sure I can properly review this book - there are no words to describe just how incredible it is. I have always been a huge Kristin Hannah fan, but this one exceeded all my expectations. The characters, the history, the heartbreak and growth - all done incredibly. It was my first book about women in Vietnam and wow did it deliver the horrific experience of everyone there flawlessly. The emotions of the women were so well done that at times I was transported to Vietnam and experiencing their experiences. I cried through the entire book, but also could not stop reading (and listening to it.) Every part of the book was so realistic, that I would not have been surprised if someone told me it was a memoir. For any Kristin Hannah Fan, Historical Fiction fan or just a fan of a well written, throughout and created book with strong female characters - a must read. 
Thank you netgalley for my audio and e advanced reader copies.

Maybe. 4.5/5? I’ll preface with saying I am a huge Kristin Hannah. My first book of hers was Firefly Lane, and I grabbed it because I’d hear she was excellent, Prose-wise, this book kind of reads as one of her earlier works. While this is definitely historical fiction, it felt less history-centered than, say, The Four Winds. This centers the female protagonist who, rather glibly, enters the Vietnam War. The exposition felt a little rushed, and a lot of key moments did as well, so maybe that’s why I had trouble connecting to Frankie initially. However, the book quickly gained the gravitas I’ve come accustomed to with her books. I am ashamed to admit I knew hardly anything about this war prior to reading this, and it igniting conversations with my family that helped me understand my our family’s experiences during that time. Thank you to Hannah, St Martins Press, and NetGalley for the ARC.

This book. OMG. Kristin Hannah really did it this time. I thought The Nightingale was my forever favorite, but The Women just really tugged at every emotion. I was shocked, angry, happy, relieved, sad, frustrated, and hopeful. I have read stories about Vietnam, but none that really showed the side from a woman's perspective, that wasn't a wife waiting for her boyfriend/husband to come home.

Frankie's story was incredible. We get to know her as a young woman shipping off to Vietnam and to her time returning home, which is nothing like she expected. I read this book so quickly, and alternating from the audiobook as well. I felt like I was right there in each scene with her. From reliving the moments in Vietnam and also her struggles towards the end.

I would feel like I knew what was going to happen and then Kristin just went a totally different direction with the story than I was expecting. Time after time. The twists in this story were WOW!

THAT ENDING!!!!!

I’m not sure how to feel or review this book. There are parts that I very much enjoyed and would give 4 stars to. Then there are the other more drudgery parts that I would give 2 stars to. So I guess I’ll land in the middle and give it 3 stars and go against the grain of all those who give it 5 stars (I’m used to that at this point)
Frankie is a spoiled SoCal girl who signs up to be a war nurse because her father has a wall of heroes in his office and they’re all male, and her brother goes to war and she wants to be with him. We see what life was like during the Vietnam War for those working as trauma nurses as Frankie sees the horrors of war, finds love, makes lifelong friendships and then, finally gets to come back home and deal with an American public who don’t believe that there were any women serving in Vietnam. Frankie suffers from PTSD and doesn’t know how to cope, but the way she is written is flat and makes it hard to care about her. And I would have loved to have more about Barb and Ethel and their lives when they returned home. Yes, we got to see snippets of their lives when Frankie was in crisis after crisis and called on them for help, but maybe seeing them in their day to day after wartime would have put Frankie into perspective. And while KH doesn’t hide the fact that many Vietnamese civilians were killed in the war, they are nameless, faceless and glossed over.
The story is compelling but overly wordy and it felt like most of the story was told instead of shown. This should have been a slam dunk win for me-a novel about nursing, the turbulence of the 60s, civil rights and women’s rights….but it ended up being just so so and that was just so disappointing after thoroughly enjoying her last several books. Hopefully her next one will win me back again.
Thanks to St. Martins Press and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.