Exceptional. What an emotional whirlwind . Few authors impact me the way Kristin Hannah can . A heart-wrenching story about love, loss, and war. Easily a five-star read.

“𝑾𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒃𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒐𝒆𝒔.”

No one knows how to paint a picture and rip your heart out like Kristin Hannah. And I keep coming back for it, book after book.

War. Friendship. Love. Heartbreak. Death. Grief. PTSD. Shame. Addiction. Anger. Loss. The list could go on. This story is HEAVY, but it is so worth reading.

Imagine volunteering to serve your country during the Vietnam War as a combat nurse, then coming home two years later to a country that despises you, spits on you, and calls you names; to a family that’s ashamed of your service; to other vets who tell you, “There were no women in Vietnam”; to your local VA refusing to help you. That’s what happens to 1st Lieutenant Frances “Frankie” McGrath in Kristin Hannah’s newest book, The Women.

Hannah’s storytelling is, as always, top notch. I was immersed in Frankie’s world, her pain. It’s not an easy read, but it’s a fast one. Highly, highly recommend.

Thank you to the publisher for sending me a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. The Women will be published on February 6, 2024.

The Women by Kristin Hannah from #stmartinspress #partner

Read if you like:
▪️Vietnam War period
▪️Unsung heroes
▪️Coming of age
▪️First love
▪️Road to recovery

This author has written some of my favorite books EVER (Great Alone, Four Winds), so I was super excited to get an advanced copy of her new book, which tells the story of the women who served in the Vietnam War. I don’t read a lot about this time period, so I learned a lot, especially about the war conditions and how veterans, especially women, were treated when they returned from war. As always, Hannah paints a gruesome yet realistic portrait of the time period, and hits you right in the feels. Just based on writing and research alone, this book deserves all the stars (as always). That said, I deducted a star this time around because I didn’t like *any* of the romantic interests and that part of the story frustrated me. Anyone who knows me, knows that I don’t do well with any kind of infidelity storyline (emotional or physical) and this book has a lot of it. Of course, this is just a personal thing, so don’t let it stop you from reading the book. Overall, still highly recommend it!

This story will stay with me for some time. It's about the nurses, or Women, who DID go to Vietnam to serve their country during the war. The book describes the horrors for everybody 'in country', the doubts sneaking in on the war's justification, the chilly welcome when they came home, and the very first acknowledgment of the PTSD these service men and women suffered after fighting a hellish war. All collected in Frankie McGrath's very personal story.

In the afterword Hannah mentions that this is a story she wanted to write for some time, but she needed a certain level of maturity to do it justice. I'm so very glad she did.

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read and review this ARC.

You know, one thing I love about books is that it lets you live someone else’s life for a little while and see the world through a different perspective.

In The Women by @kristinhannahauthor , we jump in the life of Frankie McGrath in 1965 as the Vietnam War takes place.

I cannot even begin to express how heartbreakingly beautiful this story was. Frankie’s (and Barb and Ethel’s) strength, resilience blew me away. Some parts were sad but others were hopeful and funny and touching. I loved the found family and it me rage at the injustices of the world. One certain someone that I won’t spoil absolutely enraged me but that’s a story for when you’ve read it.

It was an easy 5 ⭐️ for me! You are going to want to grab this book!

Thank you @netgalley , @macmillan.audio and @stmartinspress for my advanced copies!

The Women is available February 6th!

Following in her brothers footsteps, Frances “Frankie” McGrath, goes to Vietnam to become a “hero” as an army nurse in the war. Frankie, having lived a somewhat charmed life in Southern California, is quickly overwhelmed and disarmed by the realities of war and we see how her views of the world change during her time in-country and back in the US.

I don’t love stories about war and typically avoid them, however, I did enjoy this book. While Frankie’s story is fictional, I'm sure there are many similarities to what the actual women of the Vietnam War faced. I hadn’t really ever thought about women serving in Vietnam, but really, why wouldn’t they have been there? When there is war and soldiers are hurt, nurses will be needed. Frankie is very naive and some of the decisions she makes align with her age and station in life, but she does grow throughout the book and it was insightful to see the war through this young woman's perspective.

My only criticisms of the book were that with this being called, “The Women,” I wish there had been a little more about Frankie’s fellow nurses and friends, Barb and Ethel. In addition, the talk about napalm and Agent Orange and its effects on the Vietnam people also made my insides twist; one of the reasons I don’t enjoy stories about war. The things we as a people have done and continue to do to each other never ceases to amaze me.

I was so excited to get an ARC of Kristin Hannah’s new book. This is the eight book of hers that I have read and it’s in my top three of them.

I loved the main character and the supporting cast of women characters - for a book titled “The Women” it truly showed the strength and resilience of women.

Reading about the devastation of the Vietnam War and how the men and women who served in the war were treated once they returned home was very upsetting. No matter what your beliefs are about the Vietnam War, Hannah does a great job of showing how the veterans were treated by their fellow Americans unlike how veterans of the previous wars were treated.

I appreciated that this book wasn’t a sanitized or whitewashed depiction of this time period.

While I found the sorry emotional and she’d some tears. I found the plot twists predictable. I wish I had been wrong about one twist in particular. Overall, I enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it to fans of historical fiction and readers who like books featuring strong women and unsung heroes.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Another winner by Kristin Hannah! I always learn so much about history when I read her books. This story takes place in Vietnam and vividly details what it may have been like for women who served and the struggles they had to overcome.

I chose this book from NetGalley since I have enjoyed Hannah's work, and to learn more about women serving as nurses in Vietnam. I realized, while reading, that my ignorance regarding the Vietnam war (I was a child then) was tempered only by my apparently vivid memories of the television series China Beach. Hannah's depiction of Vietnam had a similar feel, with compelling, often graphic action, though the romance angles tended to test believability. For me, that was ok under the guise of "we could all be dead tomorrow."

Hannah's real focus is on the ambivalent country the women found upon their return home. I knew the men who returned from Vietnam were demonized and scapegoated, but I knew nothing about what women suffered. I had mixed feelings, though, about Hannah's heroine, Frankie McGrath, who gives up an extraordinarily privileged life to join a war her family has crudely glamorized, choosing to forgo needed training to get there as quickly as possible. Given that the vast number of soldiers in Vietnam had no such choice in the matter, and were poorly trained and fighting a hopeless war precisely because they lacked the very privilege she disdained, it was hard for me to empathize. Her friends, who suffered their own trauma in almost complete silence and deference to her, often seemed more compelling. Of course she suffers upon her return home, but in almost every incident, her friends or family provide a soft landing. I read some of the reviews, and I agree that there were some glaring omissions here, and that the people of Vietnam were mostly depicted as grateful to the US intruders. At home, McGrath's relationships with men were concerning, yet predictable. Regardless of all of that, Hannah's writing kept me turning the pages. And I really appreciated the resources provided at the end for further reading.

What a story! The Women is Kristen Hannah's gripping tale of women who served as combat nurses in Vietnam. There is no sugarcoating here. Life is hard, filled with harsh weather, horrible injuries to treat, and occasional days of too-close bombings. But worse are the conditions when they return home to a world that scorns them for being in the military or flat out denies they were in Vietnam.

Hannah does a remarkable job walking a very fine line between man-hate and portraying the time period's sexism. These characters have flaws, making some really bad choices along the way, but they are very relatable. The writing is excellent, and the story is well-paced.

I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to everyone.

Not family friendly due to profanity, some scenes of war trauma, and sexual situations. Note - this book also deals with PTSD, drug and alcohol abuse, and depression.

Kristin Hannah has worked her magic yet again! The amount of time and energy she puts into her research to create such captivating stories that, while technically categorized as fiction, feel more real than a lot of non-fiction I've read.

The Women is such a beautiful story of the brutality of war both on the front lines and in the tents that serve as triage centers and operating rooms for the wounded. The story of the women who fearlessly served their country during such a critical time in our nation's history is one that everyone should read. Their sacrifice, the love they experienced, the loss they suffered, the horrific things they witnessed, the after-effects of their trauma as they returned home and the loved ones and government that overlooked their cries for help....it's hard to read at times but such a beautifully crafted story, regardless.

I'll be thinking about this book for a very long time!

What a story!! So much emotion. As an Army veteran, I really loved this story. I didn't want to put it down. Frankie had the perfect life, then she went to Vietnam as a nurse, and everything changed. Her beloved brother was killed in Vietnam just before she went there. Just arriving there was a shock. She was not prepared for all the noise, smells, rain, blood and gore. Nothing prepared her for that. She thought she had nurse's training, but nothing could have prepared her for what she waded into. All she could do was suck it up and go for it. Frankie had so many losses and found some very wonderful friends. Then when her tour of duty was up, nothing could prepare her for coming home. The world she left behind was not the same one she left. She was not prepared to be spit on and called a baby killer. Where did she fit into all of this? When the alcohol and drugs got to be too much, she either had to get help or just give up altogether. Her family and best friends are there to help her. Will she choose to live?

The Women

Quick Synopsis:
Despite the month only being February, I can confidently say this will be one of my favorite reads of 2024. Usually, I finish a novel and immediately want to write a review so I don’t forget any parts of the book. The difference with The Women is that I know I won’t forget this novel anytime soon. Kristin Hannah’s portrayal of Frances McGrath’s experience as a combat nurse in Vietnam was equally inspiring and haunting. Her story upon returning to the United States was devastating.

Characters:
I don’t feel I can adequately explain the characters in The Women through a review. Kristin Hannah’s portrait of the women and men of Vietnam was so well done. I particularly loved the way Kristin Hannah portrayed the friendship between Ethel, Barb, and Frances. Vietnam forced the three women into a friendship that evolved into a lifelong sisterhood. Their beautifully depicted bond anchored the novel for me. Kristin Hannah showed both the veteran perspective and the stateside perspective. All the characters and their heartache came alive through her words.

Storyline/Pacing:
Admittedly, I read well into the night with this book on more than one occasion. This novel could easily be considered a character study in that it follows the life of Frances McGrath through Vietnam and afterward. For me, it was a fast-paced, historical fiction story that read like a movie. By that, I mean I could envision all that occurred and rarely wanted to put it down. I had minimal knowledge of the women or war in Vietnam, and that lack of knowledge propelled me through this novel.

Overall:
I requested The Women because of my love for The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. Amazingly, I adored The Women even more. At times, I noted echoes of the history we are living through today. Kristin Hannah’s portrayal of Frances McGrath’s story and other Vietnam veterans underscores the truth in American society that our veterans’ stories are often hidden or swept away. For that reason and so many more, this is a novel I wholeheartedly recommend to any reader. It will be among my favorite books of 2024 and beyond.

Disclosure:
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the Digital Review Copy of The Women. I intend to purchase a printed copy for myself and others. All opinions are my own.

Friends, she has done it again! No one transports and immerses you into a location like Kristin Hannah. Whether it’s war-torn France or the wilds of Alaska, she creates a setting so vivid you feel like you are there. She does it again in this novel with the posh neighborhood of Coronado and the war hospitals of Vietnam.

Wanting to join the photo wall of heroes in her father’s office, Frankie enlists in the Army Nurse Corps and follows her officer brother to Vietnam. We are given detailed descriptions - often quite graphic - of what life was like as a nurse during the war. Perhaps what is more disturbing, though, is her life after returning home. It is far from the hero’s welcome she expected, Frankie returns to a country she doesn’t recognize and PTSD after two tours of duty so severe it is soul crushing.

My dad fought in Vietnam but it was never discussed. This book was so helpful for me as it shed so much light on what he must have experienced and holds so close to himself. To come home to protesters and so much hate after all he did in Vietnam in the name of our country must have been devastating.

Once again, Kristin Hannah has written an amazingly wonderful, compelling, and powerful novel. This time, she has told the story of the women who served as nurses during the Vietnam War. I learned so much from this novel about the nurses that served and was fully vested in Frankie, the main character’s life, from the beginning to the end. I feel like I was fully immersed in everything that Frankie experienced, which is the power of a wonderfully written story.

Kristin Hannah, once again, proves her storytelling prowess with a captivating departure from the WWII era in her latest novel. While the initial pace might seem gradual, it's a rich narrative that delves into the complexities of the Vietnam War. Loved this change-up from her traditional WWII stories.
Hannah's meticulous research shines through, with such an immersive experience into the historical backdrop.
The emotional depth of the book is truly commendable, eliciting a myriad of feelings - from gut-wrenching moments to anger, heartbreak, empathy, sadness, and eventual joy. Frankie, the main character, becomes the vessel through which we navigate the pre, during, and post-war periods, providing a profound perspective, respect, and appreciation for the time.
This is a must-read for Kristin Hannah fans, who want to witness the transformative impact of war on individuals and communities.

Kristin Hannah’s upcoming book is going to be a big one! As usual, she delivers with a 5 star book.

The Women publishes in February and I was blessed to receive an e-galley from @stmartinspress but even MORE BLESSED to be friends with @megsbookclub! Here’s the thing… I’m definitely affected by the way I read a book and I know that reading a print book is my favorite way to read. I received the e-galley of this book several months ago but because I love Kristin Hannah’s books and I know we only get one every couple of years, I was actually going to wait until the book was published in February to read it. Meg has many more followers than I do so she gets lots of arcs that I don’t and she’s so generous to share with me. I literally screamed when she said she got the print #arc of The Women and I went to her house the next day to get it!

Anyway, all that to say, this book does not disappoint! It’s set during the Vietnam War and tells the story of a young woman, recently graduating with a nursing degree, who signed up to go help fight a war that her own nation didn’t fully support her in. And even years later it was still said “there were no women in Vietnam” but there were. They weren’t soldiers but they were definitely on the front lines and should be treated as such. This is a powerful story of the bonds of friendship, a daughter living up to and falling short of her parents expectations, coming of age and falling in love amidst the bloody ravages of war, and a look at how a nation treated it’s veterans during and after one of the most brutal wars we have fought.

Five stars, you definitely need to read this when it publishes on February 6, 2024.

Hannah does it again!!

After Frankie's brother goes to war, she decides to enlist as a nurse to aid in the Vietnam war. We follow Frankie as she heads to Vietnam, where she jumps right into her life as a nurse, helping every wounded soldier that comes through her doors. 

This book may be set during war time, but it really highlights the female bonds and the results of trauma. This is set in the late 60s when women were expected to become wives and mothers only. Frankie isn't treated like the hero she is. The toll all this pain does to her is not recognized. 

This book has a lot of heartache...ALOT. But it is also such a well told story of a woman who is fighting for herself. 
I listened to the audiobook for the majority of this book. Julia Whalen is a wonder. She brought Frankie to life and made us feel every emotion there is. 

This is a must read for any Hannah fans or fans of historical fiction.

Kristin Hannah is known for her thorough historical research. But this time, she has outdone herself. The Women is set in the Vietnam war era. The book paints an all too familiar picture of white privilege and the insular, ignorant world of people in the US. And in that picture we find Frances (Frankie) McGrath. Frankie rebels against the preordained world for women of that era and goes to Vietnam as a nurse. The book paints a very realistic picture of Frankie's experience - in Vietnam, coming home. surviving in the years to come. You won't be able to put this book down, even with the awful, graphic reality of the times. Ms. Hannah, kudos to you for such a well developed, engaging novel.

Thank you St. Martins Press and Netgalley for the ARC.

This book was the gut punch, emotional rollercoaster I expect and hope for from Kristin Hannah so it definitely delivered on that. It transported me to the era like KH always manages to do through her descriptive writing and captivating storytelling. The characters were dynamic, layered, messy and complicated like I’ve come to expect in a KH novel. I’m so happy with all of those aspects of this story.

There were some storylines that I didn’t jive with which knocked the reading experience down a star for me. But overall I can appreciate the raw and emotionally challenging story that this was.