Thank you to Netgalley for the advance listening copy of this highly anticipated historical audiobook, performed with her usual
excellence by Julia Whelan.

I had difficulty finishing this book. Most likely, one of the book groups I regularly attend will select it as a monthly read and as I do not like to attend the groups without finishing the title, I will give it another go.

Many people comment on her settings and plot, but his was more a character driven story which is usually to my taste, just not hrer. Perhaps it was the time period revealed in this story that did not cinnect with me.

As always, Julia Whelan was quite good at revealing mood and emotion.

Ok this story got me in the #feels today. It’s a chilly quiet Saturday afternoon. The weather is moody as all hell and so am I. I actually listened to this on audio bc HELLOOOOOOOO it’s done by @macmillan.audio with one of my all time favs @justjuliawhelan !!!
This story started off with a very green new RN barely 18 deciding to follow in her brother’s footsteps (and family’s footsteps) to be a #hero by serving her country in the war of her generation : the #vietnamwar …. Much thanks to @netgalley for making this available and for @macmillan.audio for allowing me to listen to their wonderful production of the fantastic story by @kristinhannahauthor ❤️❤️ In addition, thanks so much to @stmartinspress for sending me this early copy. I always enjoy Kristin Hannah’s books, but this one OMG hit me so deeply I have to tell you that I was sobbing at the end when her dad called her peanut and said what he said??!!!! (Not a spoiler) I mean… 😭 for real tears … loved this book for SO many reasons. This author has such an amazing way of building a character throughout the story, by making you CARE about them, making you feel what they’re feeling and cringe at their tragedies and cry for their triumphs. Sure Frankie McGrath was just a green, wet behind the ears kinda gal when she flew off to Vietnam, barely a trained nurse for the Army; but as this book shows, so MANY KIDS were the same - unprepared for what they got - unprepared for the unfair treatment when they returned. I was an oblivious kid in the 70s, but I never heard my parents or anyone I KNEW badmouthing veterans. Ever. As an older teen I’d heard stories of ppl being disrespectful to vets and it made me sad. War movies always gave ME shell shock; my mind wouldn’t have been able to handle anyyy of it. Not handling the wounded either like so many women and men did, sometimes while under fire or shelling themselves. I’m so glad this story gave a voice to the women of vietnam, the children & innocents that were destroyed; and the ones who fought for our country even when they had no clue and were scared to death. Highly recommend, 5 star story it will stick with me. 😭❤️😭

In this intimate historical drama, Kristin Hannah pays tribute to the often overlooked women who served in the Vietnam War. Hannah captures the resilience, sacrifice, and unspoken stories of these remarkable women. She made us fall in love with the women, and we cheered, feared, and grieved with them. Despite war’s ravages and post-war struggles, “The Women” stands as a powerful testament to their courage and friendship.

What an amazing book! Once I started listening to it I could not stop and I finished it in 2 days. I fell in love with Frankie and her friends Barb and Ethel and my heart ached for all that they went through. There are not enough books that depict what those who served in the Vietnam War went through. This is definitely a 5 star read for me and it is officially now my favorite book by Kristin Hannah!

Julia Whelan is a wonderful narrator and was perfect for The Women!

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review. All opinions are my own.

Publication date: 06 February 2024.

No surprise, another masterpiece by Kristin Hannah! Wow. I loved this. While historical fictional isn’t typically my go-to genre, I found the historical aspects so fascinating and engaging! There was little to no info dumping; I was just experiencing the time period through the eyes of rockstar of a character, Frankie McGrath. Talk about a powerful female MC, wow! The suffering and trauma that this character endured was painful and heartbreaking to listen to, but oh so captivating. And narrator Julia Whalen never disappoints! Kristin Hannah has a way of sucking you in and never letting go until the very end. Not only do I feel like I’ve learned a little about a period of history through her books, but her stories are never predictable. The turns the story took left me enthralled and craving more.

Thank you so much to Kristin Hannah, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the advance listening copy in exchange for my honest review! Out now, this one is a can’t miss for historical and contemporary fiction readers who want to be transported to a different time!

This book is amazing! Kristen Hannah creates a story that is often sad but always tempered with strength, friendship, and hope. The action scenes in Viet Nam are fast-moving, realistic, and at times over whelming. The tough, but poignant stories of the soldiers being treated by the nurses, partnered with the stories of friendship between the women, round out the toughness and gives the story an overall theme of hope.

When the story switches to the home front and and tumultuous times of America during the Viet Nam war, the author tells the story through the eyes of women affected by the War, but without preaching or being militant.

Wow what a book. While this was very overhyped and widely popular, I still wanted to read it and had very low expectations. Overly hyped books tend to fall short in terms of plot and pacing, but this book was so good. It was unlike any I’ve read, especially since I don’t normally read historical nonfiction. I really liked how the entire book wasn’t centered on Vietnam per se, but life afterwards. I was wondering how many chapters would be devoted to her time serving as a nurse. I could’ve used a few more chapters but it was not a deal breaker. I think it was a realistic portrayal of life for women during that horrible time. It was a bit frustrating how Frankie was unable to get help and that point felt a little too extended, but it was probably pretty accurate even if a tad frustrating because times like that now are definitely not the same. The ending was good and I was definitely surprised by a few characters that came back into the picture. Overall this was a great book and I’m glad I gave it a chance. Did I cry? No. But I was fully invested. And the narrator did an amazing job, as always.

⚠️: graphic description of war, death, injuries, PTSD, mental illness, substance abuse, miscarriage, adultery

This was my first Kristin Hannah read. I KNOW I KNOW GUYS BUT BEFORE YOU GET THE PITCHFORKS OUT, HEAR ME OUT… historical fiction is not usually a genre I read and I tend to try to stay farrr away from tearjerker books that will destroy me.. both things which Kristin is very well known for.

But when Kristin announced she was coming out with this book, as a female service member in the U.S. Army myself, I could absolutely not pass it up.

This book is touching, heartbreaking tribute to the women and men who served in Vietnam, the severely traumatizing physical and mental challenges they faced, and the long-term struggles they faced after they came home for many years to come. I ugly cried so many times and I learned so much. The book was truly a gift and a reminder to humanity, Kristin.

I decided that for such a heavy topic and so long of a book, I would listen on audio. I absolutely adored the narrator (the queen Julia Whelan of course) and the 15 hours on this book were over in the blink of an eye.

I did like the ending (mostly). The first 75% of the book was an incredibly solid 5 star read for me, but most of the last 25% fell a little flat, so I’m rating 4.5 stars rounded up overall.

Thank you so much to Kristin, MacMillan Audio, and NetGalley for the advance listener’s copy!

This is a real tear-jerker!! If you thought you’ve read tragedy and heartbreak, think again. This book will break you until there is nothing left to break. One of her best works yet! Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for the opportunity to read in exchange for a review!

What a fantastic book! The story was amazing & the writing phenomenal. I felt all the emotions reading this book and I loved to have a historical fiction book set in time other than WW2.

Wow, this audiobook was amazing! I know so little about the Vietnam War. It is crazy to me how the soldiers were treated upon their arrival home. There were definitely times I needed to wipe my eyes, because my heart was broken for Frankie and the other women.

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

I've made a point to read all of Kristin Hannah's books published since The Nightingale. She is a masterful storyteller and this novel about the nurses who served in Vietnam sheds light on a time in American history that I knew very little about. I recently read about PTSD becoming a medical diagnosis in another book, which stemmed from research involving Vietnam War veterans, and did not occur until 1980 - well after the events of this book. The lack of support available to Frankie is shocking by today's standards.

Reading THE WOMEN was one of those experiences that reminded me why I love to read. The story gave me all the feelings I sought when cracking open a new book as a teenager, feelings I still chase to this day. It is propulsive, emotional, and resonant. I stayed up too late reading it, ending some chapters with my jaw on the floor and others with tears in my eyes.

Set in the Vietnam War era, we follow Frankie, a young women who signs up to serve the U.S. army as a nurse. She is completely unaware of the realities awaiting her.

The research Kristin Hannah poured into this novel is evident. She blends historical with the plot seamlessly, using the characters to bring the story to life in a way that made me forget it is a HF novel.

The main character, Frankie, is also a perfect leading lady. She is incredibly real, which is to say at times her actions made me want to pull my hair out and at times made me want to wrap her in a hug or find my glitter glue and craft a “Go Frankie!” sign.

Most importantly, this story is about the American women who served in Vietnam, a story that is tragically missing from history books. It is filled with their heart, loss, trauma, and pain. This war is a complicated era of American and global history and Hannah captures it thoughtfully.

For all these reasons, this is - without a doubt - my new favorite Kristin Hannah novel. It lives up to the hype and I highly recommend you find a spot for it on your TBR. The audio is performed by Julia Whelan so you know it’s great, too 😉

The Women is a thoroughly satisfying page turner. From the start, Kristin Hannah engages the reader with her compelling characters and storylines. Hannah very clearly did her research and I learned a lot from the book.

Thank you St. Martin's Press for the advanced audio copy of The Women via Netgalley! I grew up watching China Beach with my mom and MASH with my dad, so I felt as though I had a small bit of background before starting this book. Kristin Hannah is an expert at evoking emotions, and Frankie McGrath's experiences during and after the Vietnam War evoked them all. As the story of a singular set of experiences, Frankie's time working as a nurse in Vietnam during the war, and then the homecoming where her contributions were either a source of outrage or ignored, this book is excellent.
This is clearly not meant to be a commentary on the conflict itself, nor does it discuss the effects the war had on the people of Vietnam.

What a powerful, difficult read. I learned so much about Vietnam, nursing in Vietnam, and the women of Vietnam. Possibly the best Kristen Hannah book. This left me rocked for days. I highly recommend this book for all. Many thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for an advanced copy of the book for my opinions.

I finished this book a few weeks ago now and it is still stuck in my mind in the best way. As a huge Kristin Hannah fan I have been waiting for this one with bated breath. This story absolutely moved me the way her novels always do and I feel like I genuinely learned so much. I had never heard stories of women nurses in Vietnam and not only their experiences during the war but also the welcome they received when they got home. The narration was exquisite and I felt that it added so much to the story. I am so grateful for this new novel and the impact it had on me!

Immersive and compelling. My heart was in my throat for the majority of this book. It was so moving. Brilliant, complex characters, smart plot, satisfying ending. Thoroughly enjoyed this book!

I had read "The Women" in August, but received the audio version in December which I listened to right away. Narrated by one of my favorite narrators, Julie Whelan, I found this even more compelling, heart wrenching and powerful than when I originally read the book. Whelan brings these characters to life in a way that just reading it myself - and hearing my own voice doesn't do justice to each individual character, especially Frankie. I highly recommend reading this book and then listening to the audio version. And unforgettable experience for sure. Thank you to Neutrally and MacMillan Audio for the audio ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Woooo, not sure if all my thoughts will fit in the space allotted. I will start by saying this audiobook is LONG, perhaps too long.

The narration was …interesting. I thought the narrator’s vocal choice for Barb was….bad, bordering on effecting a “blaccent.”

I think Hannah’s goal of portraying women in Vietnam was well-intentioned, but you take away from the female empowerment of it all when your main character feels overly tied to men she’s encountering. There was opportunity for positive growth - she’s surrounded by other women who are attempting to give her depth - but she only takes it in a half-ass way and the author uses it as another opportunity to introduce another man. I was waiting for some sort of STATEMENT from the main character - an understanding that the Vietnam War was a scam, etc - but Hannah edged around it without actually her character embody it.

This was my first Hannah novel and with all the hubub surrounding this book, I was disappointed to say the least.

Thanks to Macmillan Audio for the ALC.