Gah! This story was so great. I curled up on my couch with a cup of tea and in typical Kristin Hannah fashion was instantly transported. The characters who were all so real that I felt like I could actually lean over and talk to them. I stayed in the story for two sold days. The best book.

This book was not a favorite for me. Soapy and unbelievable. I finished it, but really did not enjoy it.

I appreciate the varying time periods represented in Hannah's books. This one gave me new perspective as to the state of the world when I was a child. As always, the characters were well-developed and multi-faceted. The setting, while foreign to me, became familiar because of the detailed descriptions that included all senses. I have suggested or gifted this title to many friends.

Another winner from Kristin Hannah! I knew very little about the Vietnam War so these women's stories were very impactful. I enjoyed the different perspectives and following people's lives after the war too. Hannah’s historical fiction is always so well-researched and center the women’ experience during critical moments in history. This was a favorite read of the year and I recommend to all, especially those interested in better understanding the complexity of the Vietnam War.

This was an excellent book!! I enjoyed the character development as well as how the plot was developed throughout the story. The author was able to to do a good job with all aspects of the story. I would recommend to others.

A really powerful and well written story, I always really like and connect with Kristen Hannah’s writing - I just don’t think her books need to be as long as they are

Another Winner for Kristin!!!
This is a win for all women to read! Very Powerful!!
You will not be disappointed.

Fantastic read! I haven't read this author before, but the story she told was eye-opening, heart breaking, and hopeful all at the same time.

This was my favorite book of 2024 one of the best historical fiction books I’ve ever read and she is an auto author for me!

"Women can be heroes."
“The women had a story to tell, even if the world wasn’t quite yet ready to hear it, and their story began with three simple words. We were there.”

5 Stars = Standing Ovation!
Incredible book, one of my favorites of 2024! And my Book Club ladies loved it also!
We (Book Club) loved The Women so much that it was our Favorite Read of 2024!

Personally having read all of Kristin Hannah's books, Hannah’s writing has matured much like a fine wine. Each of her stories becoming richer, more complex, multi-layered. Incredible! Hannah masterly develops a character from a young naïve girl, to a professional combat nurse, to a veteran returning home.
This story and it's characters stayed with me and made me truly appreciate our service men and women. Especially women.

This novel focuses on 20-year-old Frankie McGrath, who decides to leave her idyllic life as a dutiful daughter and sister in Coronado, California, and enlist in the Army Nurse Corps. What Frankie finds in Vietnam is very different from what she had imagined. The horror. The exhaustion. The endless hours trying to save lives.
Part of the novel is set in Vietnam but Frankie's heart wrenching journey continues after her service. Ashamed by her family and broken by war. The story covers romance, tragedies, casualties, trauma, addiction, PTSD, civil rights, and women's rights. As with other returning soldiers, they are forgotten by all... especially the women.

The best parts of the book for me where the parts when I learned something new.

Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and the author for an ARC of this book, which I had the pleasure of reading. All opinions are my own.

Kristin Hannah is an automatic author buy for me. I could not wait to read this book, the description alone had me hooked.
The first half of the book we follow Frances aka “Frankie” to Vietnam after she leaves her comfort and sheltered life of Southern California. She is a fresh nursing student who decides to follow her brother to the war torn country. We read Frankie’s journey as she is overwhelmed, terrified and second guessing herself on the daily. Frankie forms relationships that feel like they will last forever.
The second half of the book brings us back to Southern California.where we continue to follow Frankie after her return from Vietnam. We learn of her sadness and heartbreak and her attempt to get her life back on track.
If you have read a Kristin Hannah book before than you know there is some twist. I highly recommend this book, it is an emotional roller coaster with moments of brilliance.

“The Women” was an outstanding book. I’m not a huge historical fiction fan, but 9/10 times if Kristin Hannah is the author, then I’m a fan. It was informative as I’m not used to fiction tackling the Vietnam war in addition to being an addictive story. I found myself really rooting for the protagonist and entrenched in these scenes with her. My emotions were all over the place as her story developed. It probably could’ve been a little bit shorter, but nonetheless this was one of my top three reads of the year. 5 stars ⭐️. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the advanced copy for review.

I had no idea.

Thank you, Kristin Hannah for telling us what our mothers, aunts, and grandmothers went through.

I cannot imagine what it was like to research this topic and listen to all of the stories and not want to include each one. And maybe that's why so many hardships befall Frankie- to not tell each story was in a way denying it.

Nothing else can be said about the book that hasn't already been said.

One of the best of 2024.

I always know that Kristin Hannah's historical fictions are going to pack an emotional punch and this one is no different. This is the story of Frankie McGrath and her experience as a nurse in the Vietnam War and the aftermath once she is back home. Frankie starts off innocent, unknown to the world at large after being sheltered her whole life by her affluent parents. She soon learns what the realities of war are like and relies on those around her to get through the experience. The war follows her once she returns as she battles PTSD and has no one to talk to about her experience as many dismiss her experiences claiming that "there were no women in Vietnam." Kristin Hannah does an incredible job of portraying not only Frankie's experiences, but also her emotions and her journey throughout the book. The book spans about 20 years during Frankie's life and I feel like as the reader, we really got to see what Frankie goes through during this time. I felt so many emotions while reading, from fear and despair to rage at the way Frankie was treated at times.

I read this via audio, and I felt that Julia Whelan's narration really added to the reading experience. My only critique is that I wish some of the ensemble cast, specifically the experiences of the women around Frankie during the war and after, were more fleshed out so the reader gets more than one perspective. Regardless, I'm glad we got glimpses of these other stories through Frankie. Overall, this was a really great historical fiction and I look forward to reading more of Hannah's upcoming and backlist works. I would definitely recommend this to fans of historical fiction, keeping in mind that there are several TWs.

I really enjoyed this novel. I’ll be honest, the writing itself didn’t blow me away, but Hannah created characters and a story that sucked me in and wouldn’t let me go. I really appreciated that she didn’t shy away from the darker sides of the war and what returning home was like for the veterans. I love characters with nuance and flaws, and Frankie had those in spades, and I think really showed what the struggle was like. I would definitely recommend this one to fans of historical fiction.

Every book I’ve read by Hannah has been full of political climates and a built out world during a certain event in history. This was just as heartbreaking yet maddening at the same time. The horrors of war that their home country doesn’t want and gives them a hard time when they return. The media is a fickle thing reporting what is expected not what is actually happening. Not reporting on women during combat or combat zones is never helpful. They have been fighting for millennia. That was also had a lot of ptsd issues for the survivors and this applied to all involved.

The fact that there are not very many books written about the women who served in the Vietnam war just speaks volumes itself. The way this book was written was beautiful. It was also tremendously heartbreaking and I sobbed so many times but I am incredibly grateful to Kristin and Hannah for writing this beautiful story that needed a light shown on it.

I love love love Kristin Hannah and her writing.
What can be said about The Women that others haven’t already said.
The Women is about a young woman who decides to serve in Vietnam as a Nurse and her experience. Although this book is fiction it is inspired by real life historical events and women who lived to recount their experiences working as Nurses in Vietnam. I appreciated reading about the war in Vietnam Nam as there are not very many fictional books written on this subject.
It is hard hitting, sad, tragic and heartbreaking while showing how strong we as humans and women can be. I gave it 4 stars due to that I really did not believe in the romance between the protagonist and the soldiers.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to review this book.

Kristin Hannah has an incredible talent for writing novels that transport you to a different place and time, immersing you in the tragedy, triumph, and drama of days past. The Women is set during the Vietnam War, and while history usually focuses on the young men who fought, this novel shines a light on the brave women whose sacrifice and commitment to their country were often overlooked. Kristin Hannah will break your heart and put it back together in this heartwarming novel— it's definitely a must-read!

Kristin Hannah is one of my favorite novelists and this book did not disappoint! A fascinating deep dive into the lived experiences of female nurses during the Vietnam War. It was gripping and absolutely unputdownable.