First of all, let me say I was enthralled by this book. I couldn't stop reading it. After completion it took me a long time to get my head around a review. I have never read a book about women in the Vietnam War. It was about time that women got their voices heart! Thank you, Kristin Hannah!

I truly believe this is a book that everyone should read - men and women (my husband is reading it now). So much of history is devoted to what men do and it's time to change that.

I'm not going to provide a summary of the book. It's bold and it held my interest from start to finish. At some point I will read this book again.

Thank you to St. Martins Press and NetGalley for the opportunity read read and review this dynamic book!

I couldn’t wait to read The Women by Kristin Hannah, especially when I learned about the plot. I’m very drawn to anything related to women during the Vietnam War and I dove right into this one, not coming up for air until the very end. For many of us, this author is an automatic read- I see her name and want to read whatever she writes. This book is getting solid four and five star reviews, it’s just fantastic.

Highly recommended- if you haven’t already read it!

Synopsis:

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.

As green and inexperienced as the men sent to Vietnam to fight, Frankie is over-whelmed by the chaos and destruction of war. Each day is a gamble of life and death, hope and betrayal; friendships run deep and can be shattered in an instant. In war, she meets—and becomes one of—the lucky, the brave, the broken, and the lost.

But war is just the beginning for Frankie and her veteran friends. The real battle lies in coming home to a changed and divided America, to angry protesters, and to a country that wants to forget Vietnam.

Read it now! Get it today, its so good!

This was my first Vietnam War historical fiction novel. I really enjoyed the history of the war and US sentiments towards vets, particularly women. Frankie was such a complex and dynamic character. It was so well written you couldn't help but root for her! Kristin Hannah can write anything!

Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to @netgalley for the ARC of this beautiful story detailing the power of friendship and love.

Words truly cannot express how much I enjoyed this book. It’s been a while since a book made me feel like I couldn’t do anything else before I finished it.

The Women details the fictional story of Frances McGrath as she enlists as an Army nurse in the Vietnam War. Spurred on by her love for her (also enlisted) brother and pride in this job, she finds herself in a world unlike any she had expected.

The story is split into two parts: The Vietnam War and the War Within Herself (how I’m categorizing it).

The details of her experiences were based on real-life accounts from nurses who served and the PTSD they experienced when they returned home to a world that had forgotten them or, worse, despised them.

This book was heart-wrenching in many ways, but my least favorite parts were watching Frankie ask for help and being told, “There were no women in the world” and to “move on.”

The story arc of friendship with her two roommates, when she arrives at her first post is an absolute treasure. Time and time again, they help one another through every hurdle they experience and always show up for Frankie even when she’s afraid to ask for it.

I could go on about how much this story will stay with me. Still, it proves that Kristin Hannah is an author with an immense talent for capturing real-life experiences and turning them into visual stories that bring every emotion alive.

My favorite part of the author’s note: “According to the Vietnam Women’s Memorial Foundation statement, approximately 10,000 American military women were stationed in Vietnam during the war. Most were nurses in the Army, Air Force, and Navy, but women also served as physicians and medical personnel, and in air traffic control and military intelligence”.

Nobody does historical fiction better than Kristin Hannah. This time she focuses on the Vietnam War and highlights artfully the untold stories and courage of many women. Highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of "The Women" by Kristin Hannah. I am a huge fan of Kristin Hannah and couldn't wait to read through this after The Four Winds (one of my favorites). The book follows Frances "Frankie" McGrath, a sheltered young nurse from California, as she goes to serve in Vietnam. Weaving forward and time and following Frankie once she returns stateside, the story does a good job of showing the struggle our Veterans face when they come home from conflict. I thought the pacing and storytelling was great and the ending was very satisfying.

Im sure at some point in my life I knew a good bit about the Vietnam War. Last week version of me, however, knew next to nothing. And something I love about reading historical fiction is that I’m able to learn or relearn about times in history in an educational but also entertaining way and no one does that better than Kristin Hannah.

Even if you DO know a lot about Vietnam, I’ll bet what you don’t know is hearing about it from a Woman’s perspective because “there were no women in ‘nam.” Hannah highlights not only the tragedies that went down during the war, but also, and maybe more importantly, focuses on the aftermath. She shows how the public’s reception of Nam vets combined with the horrific memories of the war as well as being a product of the sexist nature of the 60s can really cause a woman to completely spiral.

I loved this novel so much, just as I have all of Hannah’s. She tells a story of not only horror and destruction, but love, family, and friendship. Of regaining your power. Of overcoming grief. Of fixing what appear to be irreparable familiar relationships. Of learning to lean on people when you need it the most. And most importantly, of being a woman in one of the toughest times in history.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the Netgalley!

Wow. I know very little about the Vietnam War. After reading about it, while it seemed like an absolute waste, I could not be hurt for the people who came from a war they may not have asked to go to and how they were treated. Hannah clearly did a ton of research to make this book what it ended up being.

I loved reading about Frankie, Ethel and Barb. Their stories and friendship were so well written. It was hard to see Frankie go through what she did when she arrived home, but such an important story to read. Seeing her ups and downs during a difficult decade of her life was heartbreaking.

Overall, this book will be highly recommended by me for many, many years.

Focusing on a young nurse that volunteered for service in the Vietnam War, the Women tells the story of the brutality of the war, and also the aftermath of trying to come home and fit into a "normal" life after experiencing trauma. Told from the POV of Frances "Frankie" McGrath, a young woman from a well-to-do family in Coronado California, who decides to be a hero and strive for a place of recognition on her father's wall of family heroes in his office.
For me the book falls into two parts - the actual Vietnam service, which I was riveted, and then when Frankie returns home and experiences how American has changed - particularly in regards to this war, and how US service men and women were blamed and villainized. I enjoyed reading the first part much more than the second part. I will be thinking about this book for awhile, but there were several events in the book that just did not sit well with me, especially in regards to one character. I also felt like Frankie had every issue possible, while her two friends seemed to be unscathed. I confess I don't do well suspending disbelief plot lines, particularly in a historical or literary novel.

1966- Francis “Frankie” McGrath lives in Coronado Island, raised in a conservative family and shes a twenty year old nursing student, she’s always been told her job is to get married and have children. Her brother is about to ship off to a Vietnam and she’s feeling confused that is until she’s told “Women can be heroes, too.” Frankie decides she can serve her country so she joins the Army Nurse Corps and after training, she is sent to Vietnam to work as a nurse.
When she arrives she’s shocked with what she sees. what she experiences is shocking, traumatizing, heartbreaking and life changing. She immediately begins treating horrifically injured soldiers, Frankie soon forms close bonds and friendships with her fellow nurses, friendships that will last a lifetime. While her time in Vietnam she soon hears in letters how there are protests about the war. Her days are long and hard and she witnesses unbelievable horror but she’s proud to be able to help her country and the soldiers that are in need of medical help.
After completing her tours she arrives home and soon realizes that the her experiences she had in Vietnam haven’t left her, she relives them daily especially at night. Frankie tries getting back into civilian life but it is not easy to do. She’s not welcomed back and women are not considered Veterans. Frankie is told to just forget about everything that she witnessed, and not think about it anymore. Frankie soon comes to terms that the real battle lies in coming home to a changed and divided America, to angry protesters, and to a country that wants to forget Vietnam. This book opened my eyes! I honestly didn’t know about the nurses in Vietnam, the author did an incredible job, this story was had me crying and wanting Frankie to find her happiness she so much deserved.
Triggers- nurse, sexism, some graphic scenes, death, miscarriage, PTSD, reckless behavior, substance abuse, suicide attempt, infidelity.

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!