I mean, flat-out, if you enjoy wartime historical fiction, this is a must-read. I took my sweet time reading this story and am so glad I did - I feel so deeply connected and emotionally exhausted in the best way. Bravo to Kristin Hannah for bringing attention to the women who served in the Vietnam war, often forgotten or left out of the narrative, but who went through unimaginable hardships that deserve to be honored. Please check trigger warnings before reading but I can’t recommend this book enough!

WOW! WOW! WOW! I don't have many words for this book because I'm still processing it! It's only January but this will be one of the best books of the YEAR. Hannah crafted a heart wrenching story that completely immerses her readers in the setting. This will be my library's hot title b0ok club pick in March 2024!

"Maybe happy now, happy for a moment, is all we really get. Happy forever seems like a shitload to ask in a world on fire."

Maybe it’s just me but I cried for well over half of this book on and off from start to finish. I am a daughter of not one, but two veterans, and I have a young adult child getting ready for a first deployment and as a mother, it is heartbreaking to imagine the things people of the past saw during war times and even more so, were made to feel the way they felt after serving their country. This book is a bit of a heavy topic. Having made poor choices in my 20s myself. I could see how this could happen to a girl that endured what she did which to me makes the story believable.

“Maybe that was a fundamental truth: War looked one way for those who saw it from a safe distance. Close up, the view was different.”

In this story Frankie is an army nurse who struggled with the trauma of the Vietnam war, no one would even acknowledge that women had these struggles though, not even herself. She saw things no one should during the war, but she made a difference to those she could help and those she could not. On her return home things are not as she expected and the trauma and heartache just continues for her. The worst part is she has a waterfall of choices that she makes that just makes her life out of control. But thankfully she also has friends and people in her life that won’t give up on her.

This book is so beautifully written. It brings a light to a topic that isn’t talked enough about. And things may be changing now and improvements are being made to the way we treat veterans and handle PTSD, (even though it still is not enough) we still cannot deny the things that happened in the past, it is a piece of history and this was a great way to tell the story.

Wow.

Kristin Hannah is such a provocative writer or historical fiction. As someone who was not alive during the Vietnam War, I learned quite a bit while reading The Women. This novel painted such a vivid picture of a space other than "field combat", leaving me uncomfortable and emotional while I read. The raw treatment of the soldiers returning home, the constant brush off of the women of Nam, and the warfront hospital scenes unfolded in captivating layers.

Frankie was a character with an unbelievably nuanced personality and an incredible character development. However, if this novel had given us just Frankie as an Army Nurse, I don't think it would have packed the punch it did. Thankfully, we were gifted with her two best friends, Ethel and Barb, creating multiple views on the war, the soldiers, and returning home. The three together were a perfect package.

The relationships Frankie went through in the novel's entirety were painful -- not just romantic, but also familial and friendly. Honestly, I took away a star based on this element...I understand the path that the author took, but it took away a piece of the story that I needed.

I devoured this novel.

Special thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and MacMillan Audio for providing me with a digital/audio review copy of this novel in exchange for my honest thoughts.

This book follows Frankie as she works as a nurse in the Vietnam War and her struggles following the war. Kristin Hannah does a wonderful job of putting you in the story with Frankie and her friends. You feel her frustration, sadness, anger, joy and grief. This is a must read in 2024.

As with every Kristin Hannah novel, I knew I was going to be destroyed at least once. And like many others, I have familial ties to the Vietnam War which really personal ties will always amp up the emotions tenfold.

The first half of this book takes the reader on quite the ride. And I’m going to be honest, I don’t think I’ have been any less prepared for a book than in the first half of this one. It came on fast and it hit hard. The knots this book had me in. The tears I shed in just the first half? I was gutted.

The second half had so many beautiful moments. Moments of overcoming difficult things. Moments of facing harsh realities. Moments of finding yourself and your truths. And through each of them, my heart ached, mourned, screamed out in joy.

Unfortunately, while beautiful individually, together it seemed like we were getting playlist of “what else could go wrong.” In addition to this, there were a couple of conflicts that happened, albeit with different people, where it was almost identical events. And ultimately, I think there were just too many conflicts, repeated events, and even phrases happening that it gave me reader whiplash.

Would I recommend this book? I truly don’t know. If you need an automatic cry? Absolutely. If you want to feel like you keep taking the hits? This one is for you. But if you want to feel like you’re reading two completely different books in one? Maybe you should steer clear.

Truly masterful. Kristin Hannah takes a heartbreaking story and leaves us with hope, inspiration, and a reminder of the importance of friendship.

I was not thrilled to learn that Kristin Hannah's latest novel would be set in Vietnam. I didn't know much about the war or the time period and wasn't too eager to learn more. HOWEVER, I trust Kristin Hannah with my life and knew she would find a way to make me love the subject matter.

I could not put this book down. I was blown away at the impeccable story telling of Hannah. This is one of my favorite books of 2024!

Thank you so much NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Macmillan Audio for the advanced copy and giving me the chance to review it honestly.

When I tell you that this book ripped my heart out right from my chest… it did just that. I was fortunate to have received this as an ARC and an ALC and I will be getting myself a finished copy to keep on my shelves FOREVER. I cried too many times to count. Although this story is fictional, the struggles were real and are still real for vets to this day. I can truly appreciate all of the research the author had to have done in order to write this story. This story is heartbreaking, raw, and real… an easy five star read. I loved our main character, Frankie. She was inspiring, tough, and flawed… you know, human. I can’t remember the last time a book had me pouring tears from these tear ducts of mine. Oh wait!! Maybe it was Nightingale, also by Kristin Hannah. The ending of The Women absolutely wrecked me in happy tears. Kristin Hannah, you are an incredible artist and story teller. Thank you so much for gifting us with your talents. I’d also like to praise Julia Whelan for being such an incredible narrator and truly bringing this story to life. When I wasn’t using my own eyes to read these pages, I was listening to Julia put her heart into telling this story, and both ways completely ruined me in the best of ways. I honestly think this might be my favorite book of 2024. The Women by Kristin Hannah is out 2/6/24 and trust me, you need this book in your life and on your shelves.

Happy reading!!

“Women can be heroes.”

Poignant. Moving. Absolutely Incredible: Kristin Hannah outdoes herself in her newest novel, The Women – which I expect to be one of the top reads of the year.

The Women is a heartrending tale of women serving in the Vietnam War, predominately as nurses, and then coming home and trying to fit back in with society - while suffering from anxiety, anger, alcoholism, bad dreams, and what now is known as PTSD. Twenty-year-old Frankie McGrath is a nurse that chooses to follow her brother and serve in Vietnam to “mak[e] a difference and help[] to save lives.” However, “[s]he’d joined the Army to find her brother and found herself instead; in war, she’d found out who she really was and who she wanted to be…” Stationed at the Thirty-Sixth evac hospital near Saigon to begin her tour, Frankie’s story as a combat nurse during a time when people truly believed that there were “no women in Vietnam” will take you on an unforgettable journey and leaves you at the Vietnam Memorial in Washington D.C. - where there are more than 58,000 names on the wall, only 8 of which are women (all nurses).

I cannot stress enough how much I absolutely loved this novel. The characters; the vivid scenery; the writing; the emotional, physical, and mental clashes that bring this novel to life are just breathtaking. The relationship between Frankie, Ethel, and Barb makes you feel like you are there through it all and that you yourself can count on these women to be there for you.

Hannah took a very complicated subject matter and told it from the female point of view – and somehow accomplished to not make it seem feminist in any way (I have already recommended this novel to my dad!). “[I]t’s tough to be a woman in a man’s world, even when you’re working for change.”

Being born in the mid-80s, I only heard stories from my father, and sadly one of my friend’s lost her dad to Agent Orange in elementary school – reading this, I felt like I learned so much (yes, it’s fiction but Hannah did so much research) and have a deeper appreciation of this war and the people who served.

This is one of the easiest 5 stars I have ever given – I will be screaming from the rooftops recommending that everyone buy and read this novel immediately! (It is already picked as the read in my February book club!) Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for most likely my favorite ARC I’ve ever received. All opinions are my own and honest!

“In this crazy, chaotic, divided world that was run by men, you could count on the women.”

“No fear, McGrath.”

Kristin Hannah is a powerhouse and will be known as one of The Best Women Authors without question.

This is her best book since Four Winds. Emotional. Relevant. Well written. HIghly recommended! Way better than her earlier books.

Very much recommended! Definitely purchasing a copy at publication.

Thanks to Kristin Hannah, Netgalley and St MArtin's Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Available: 2/6/2024

The Women is one of those books that you definitely get emotionally involved in as a reader.

The time is the late 60's during the Vietnam War when the novel begins and Frankie McGrath is a young woman just graduating as a nurse living in California. Her older brother, Finley, leaves for Vietnam and she misses him so much, she decides to enlist herself. Nurses are in great demand and she is sent into the thick of things from the get go.

Right before she leaves, her family is informed that Finley was killed in action, but she has no choice but to go now. She makes fast friends with two other nurses who help show her the ropes and how to survive yet help all of the wounded that never seem to stop coming into the evac hospital she is assigned to. Back at home, her family is ashamed that as a woman she enlisted so Frankie is dealing with guilt on top of being petrified of all of the devastation she sees on daily basis.

After two tours, Frankie is back home and having a hard time adjusting back to civilian life especially since her mom and dad barely acknowledge that was there and do not want to hear about her experience. Her two best friends who are also now stateside try to help her as best they can, but Frankie eventually turns s to drugs to help ease the nightmares of war and the mental anguish of being back in the states where no one appreciates the people who served let alone acknowledge that women were even there. Time and again, they hear that "woman were not in Vietnam" when seeking help at the VA office even.

Of course, there are romantic relationships throughout in addition to the friendships and familial issues and I was so involved with all of them that I would dream about these women in Vietnam thinking that I was one of them. I was already a Kristin Hannah fan, but this may be her best work yet in my opinion. I appreciate the advanced copy from Netgalley and will be recommending it to all of my customers for sure.

#netgalley #thewomen #kristinhannah

Kristin Hannah is one of my favorite authors and she DID NOT disappoint with her new historical fiction, The Women. After her brother is shipped off to Vietnam, Frances McGrath decides she wants to join the war effort in the way she can - enlisting in the Army Nurse Corps. We follow Frankie as she serves in Vietnam and as she comes back to a country that is ashamed of the war she gave her life to for the last two years. This is such a phenomenal story containing themes of love, friendship, humanity, PTSD, addiction, pride in your country, and so much more. I cried at least four times. LOVE.

Ever since I read The Nightingale, Kristin Hannah has been a must-read author for me. I’m thrilled to say she’s continued to amaze me with The Women.

I consider myself a regular reader of historical fiction, but I don’t think I’ve read a novel focused on the soldiers within the Vietnam War before this one. I have to first applaud Hannah for picking a topic and time period that hasn’t been written about nearly enough. The Women centers on Frances “Frankie” McGrath, who follows her brother to Vietnam as a member of the Army Nurse Corps. She arrives to the warzone as a naïve, 20-year-old with minimal training, but quickly adapts to learn how to thrive in the chaos.

She returns home to find not only a nation divided, but a country that doesn’t even recognize her service. Hannah spends about as much time detailing her time in Vietnam as she does the struggles she faces when she gets back home to southern California.

Frankie is an incredible protagonist, and her female friendships were one of my favorite parts of this book. I also appreciated how brutally honest this depiction of Frankie’s struggles was. In typical Hannah form, the ending brought me to tears. I have no doubt as I write this in January that this will be one of the best books of 2024. Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for providing me with this ARC.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read the ARC of The Women.

I don't even have the words to describe how much I loved this book. It was so well-written and well-researched. It was a book about courage, hope, love, friendship, war, PTSD, a nation divided, and finding yourself in a very difficult time in history. The sights and sounds were so vivid - it felt like you could have been there. I love how each character was developed and felt attached to each of them, especially Frankie. Another bonus was the music playlist was fantastic.

I give this all 5 stars and would give more if I could. This was educational, thought-provoking, and unputdownable.

Publication date: February 6, 2024.

This book is phenomenal. As always, Kristin Hannah can weave a story about something we think we know about, but make us realize we don't. The characters she created i this book are so real and so easy to get swept along with. My heart broke, was repaired, and broke several times over in this book and I just couldn't stop reading.

Frankie McGrath chose to follow her brother, Finley, and joined the Army Nurse Corps and followed his path into the Vietnam War. Frankie is overwhelmed by the chaos and destruction of war. The real battle lies in coming home to a changed and divided America, to angry protesters, and a country that wants to forget Vietnam. Frankie would stop by the VA and go to discussion groups and be told that only men were in Vietnam and fought in the war. Even her parents told her not to talk about the war. Kristin Hannah has written a book about all the women who served in Vietnam. The book is a great tribute to these women and one that should be read by all. Her best friends, Barb and Ethel, she met in Vietnam. They help her as best they can to overcome her inability to get back to normal. There are many other parts of the book that I could write about but I think you should just get a copy and read it for yourself. It’s a great book and there are three words that stand out: WE WERE THERE!

Kristin Hannah has done it again in this tale from the perspective of a female Vietnam War veteran both during and after her time of service.

Kristin Hannah is known for writing captivating stories centered on the human experience in a variety of settings, times, and conflicts, and The Women dives deeper into this character's experience than the other books I've read. The Women is harrowing, emotional, and reflective while being propulsive, direct, and utterly real as the reader follows Frances "Frankie" McGrath through her time in- and out-of-country in Vietnam after being told "Women can be heroes, too."

While it centers around Frankie's experience, it tells the story of so much more - the atrocities of 'Nam (often unspoken or unrecognized), the fortitude of those who served, the power and strength of female friendship, and the sacrifices and decisions we make throughout our lives. Kristin Hannah did not sugarcoat or idealize the story, and I am forever grateful for that. The number of times I found myself crying, gasping, smiling, and angry during the book are innumerable, but all those emotions played their part in helping the reader be entrenched in the setting with Frankie (and her friends).

The pacing was spot on, the twists were just right and believable, and the ending was timely and realistic. I also appreciated Kristin Hannah's acknowledgment/notes at the end of the book explaining her process about authoring this novel. This is going to be in my top reads for 2024, and I cannot recommend it enough. It was beautiful and harrowing all in one. Be sure to get your copy on February 6, 2024!

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my review and opinions.

WOW! This was Kristin Hannah's best work yet! She has woven an intricate story about women who served during a tumultuous time in history. She gave these women a voice and shared the story of Frankie on her journey to self discovery as young woman who enlists as an army nurse. She has big dreams as she heads off only to be thrown into the harsh reality of war. Readers follow her journey, as she loves, loses, and grows as a human being. I felt like I was along side with her and often wanted to shout out advice as she navigating some challenges in life. I had no idea about the women and the impact of the war on them at this time. They saw so much, and I am thrilled their story is being told! Thank you to #KristinHannah #NetGalley. and St. Martin's Press for an early copy, so I could give an honest review.

A terrific read from a master of the immersive, emotional novel. Frankie's father worships heroes-all men- who serve in the military and so, bored with her privileged life in Coronado, she joins the Army as a nurse, hoping to join her brother Finley in Vietnam but he's shot down before she leaves the US. Her arrival in Vietnam is a shock- she's unprepared for trauma nursing- but she makes two good lifelong friends, Barb and Ethel. And she finds love. Love and tragedy and nothing is easy. Her return to the US isn't easy either because she's got PTSD and the VA doesn't acknowledge her service or provide help. Frankie's struggles are compounded by her inability to connect with her father (geez he's a snot). This has more downs than ups but Frankie persists, mostly thanks to Barb and Ethel. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. I'm not sure that I can add anything to the many many reviews of this novel, which is very much a page turner but this- make sure you read to the very end, through the afterword, to the last page.

This is a story about the wars we fight.

I think this was definitely a case of it’s me, not you- because I’ve seen such good reviews for this one & it just didn’t land for me. That being said, it was an excellent look at ptsd and the impacts of trauma. If you’re a KH fan, you’ll probably love it!

Thank you so much Netgalley & Smp for the eArc!