Oh my god, I'm not sure how any other book will ever top this one.
I was hooked from the first chapter & stole any free time I could, to read a few pages.
It follows Frankie, who signs up to be a nurse in the Army, heading straight to Vietnam.
It's so beautifully written and brings the history of it all to life, telling it so rawly, emotionally and amazingly.
I didn't want it to end and cried solidly for the last 40 pages.
I had never considered that the women who served in Vietnam (nurses, doctors, air traffic control) were never recognised and told repeatedly that 'women didn't serve in Vietnam'. How traumatic & how it must have added to their trauma & made it more difficult to heal.
I'd go as far to say this is the best book I've ever read. Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author in exchange for a review.

Kristin Hannah is an auto read for me, so I was beyond excited when I was granted early access to her new novel!

The Women is a captivating historical fiction set against the backdrop of World War II. It follows the story of Frances "Frankie" McGrath, a young nursing student who joins the Army Nurse Corps during the Vietnam War and her return home after her tours.
The book pay homage to the resilience, sacrifice, and commitment of women who put themselves in harm's way during challenging times.

It is the perfect book choice for anyone who enjoys reading, in particular, those who enjoy books that have strong female characters in them.

This will be a tough book to beat this year!

Wow. A rude awakening to the role of and the prejudicial attitude to women who were on the front in the Vietnam War. Frankie goes off to be a nurse in Vietnam looking for her brother but he is killed in the war. This is a harrowing account of life , friendships, love, loss and danger on the front line in part one then coping with the aftermath back in USA . There is double prejudice towards the women primarily nurses as they are not recognised as war casualties and veterans . Strong women characters abound An eye opener

The Women is one of my most highly anticipated books of 2024. I expected a lot from it, having loved all of the other books I've read by the author, but even so, it massively exceeded my expectations.

The first thing you need to know when you're about to pick up this book, is that you will need two things by your side. The first is a giant pack of tissues, honestly, there is no such thing as too many tissues, believe me. The second is a bingo card, with every possible emotion written on it. I say that, because you'll get a "full house" by the end of the book.

As I read, I felt like I experienced every emotion in parallel to Frankie. I felt like I lived every moment of that book.
For me, that is what makes The Women such a masterpiece - the experience of reading it. It's beautiful but harrowing. It's devastating but inspiring. It's also so informative. I knew almost nothing about the Vietnam war going in to this book but now I've finished reading it, I feel so much better informed, yet all the more horrified and dismayed by what the vets, the women especially, endured during the war and the years beyond it.

I cannot think of a single type of reader who would not benefit from reading this book. The book and the issues within it, deserve every single bit of recognition and discussion they get.

Thank you SO much to Kristin Hannah, Pan Macmillan and NetGalley for the chance to review this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is an amazing book to read I had never even considered what the females who were in Vietnam and their experiences. To start I found the book a bit harrowing and I had to stop and give myself a day (just because of the issues that were being raised) but the second day I couldn't stop. It is interesting as the second half is actually more harrowing in terms of Frankie (and her friends and family) cope with being back in the USA, but I just needed to know more. it was so well researched.

The Women follows Frankie McGrath through her time as a combat nurse in the Vietnam War to returning to America as a veteran, trying to integrate back into society.

This is the first historical fiction book I've read set during the Vietnam War - safe to say I didn't know much about it, so I found it interesting learning about the history. .

Frankie is an easy character to root for, even if she doesn't always make the best decisions but her actions are a result of her returning from war, so it is all very complicated. I loved the female friendships in this book - they were strong and were there for each other through thick and thin.

I also thought it was a good move on Hannah's part splitting half of the book into Frankie's time in Vietnam, and the other half back in America after returning from Vietnam. You don't often get the aftermath of returning from the war in historical fiction. Seeing Frankie have to build herself back up again and again only made the payoff more worthwhile.

Whilst not my favourite from Hannah, still a great read. For me, it sits firmly in the middle of the ones I've read of hers.

Huge thanks to Net Galley and Pan Macmillan for an ARC of this book. What a fabulous read. Congratulations to Kristen Hannah on yet another masterpiece. Happy Publishing Day!
This is a very powerful read, it’s beautifully written. Frankie is only 20 years old when she signs enlists as a army nurse to serve in Vietnam. Frankie has had a privileged sheltered upbringing, arriving in Vietnam, she feels out of her depth, 2 nurses take her under their wing, and these three woman become lifelong friends. Determination and hard work see her skills develop, she earns respect and feels she is helping to save lives, and comforting those who cannot be saved with soft words and her gentle touch.
The descriptive detail, the atmosphere created is amazing, I could hear the explosions, smell the damp, hear the cries of the wounded, feel the pounding rain, feel the stifling heat. Frankie is courageous as she helps saves lives, sees young soldiers dying, the poor conditions they not only work in but sleep in, and the sheer devastation war creates.
This story fills the reader with inspiration, it reminds us of the horrendous loss of life to the Vietnam war, it also reminds us how courageous the women were, they made sacrifices, witnessed and experienced loss, built lasting friendships and fell in love.
The story goes on to tell us of Frankie’s return home after two tours, of the way the women who served were treated, spat at and made to feel ashamed, being told numerous times “there were no women in Vietnam” her struggles with PTSD and rebuilding her life
Thank you to this author for reminding us “ Women were in Vietnam” they were brave, courageous, relentless warriors who helped save many lives. This story will stay with me for a long time. This book is one where a 6th star is needed.

This book is a hard read at times. I have to start with this statement to give my truth to this review. I read through the story extremely quickly, i became really invested in Frankie’s story as you will. I was born in 1972, so didn’t really live the Vietnam war as it was. So this was very interesting subject matter for me. Seeing as Kristin Hannah wrote it, I’ll tell you now that it is a fantastic book! You will feel all wealth of emotions living through all the experiences Frankie and her fellow nurses feel, and the suffering afterwards. You can tell how much research went into the book to make it what it is.
I gave this book 5* when I hadn’t even finished, that’s how good it is!!.
Many thanks to Pan Macmillan for providing this book for review consideration via Netgalley. My opinion is my own.
#Netgalley, #PanMacmillan, #KristinHannahAuthor

I don’t know how to sum up this book other than to say ‘wow!’ I have read and enjoyed a few books by this author now but this was on another level. Read this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book… I will be purchasing a physical copy for my bookshelf!

Wow. This book will stay with me for a long long time. I absolutely love Kristin Hannah’s style of writing and the tough parts of history that she writes about. Having recently visited Vietnam, I found this book particularly heartbreaking. The story is powerful, gut wrenching, shocking and completely emotional. I learnt so much and will recommend this to everyone.

This is one of the most beautifully written, powerful, well researched and emotionally moving books I have ever read.

Frankie is a nurse and is missing her brother, who is serving in Vietnam and thus proclaimed a hero, along with other members of her family who have ever served their country. Why can’t women be showcased in her father’s office on his “hero’s wall”?

So Frankie joins the war effort, desperate for her father’s approval, but he is appalled and angry. When the telegram notifying them of her brother’s death arrives, Frankie is more determined to serve.

Nothing could ever prepare Frankie for the horrors she would face in the Vietnam hospital. This is where I struggle to find the right words to describe the anguish I felt for Frankie, her closest friends, Ethel and Barb, Doctor Jamie and the wounded men and women they treat.

This is not just a historical novel set in wartime. This is so much more. When Frankie returns home, she is shunned by her countrymen and her family and crippled by grief, she can hardly bear to go on.

To think that real people suffered in this way is heartbreaking. This is fiction, yes, but the amount of research the author has carried out is clear.

Moving, gripping, emotional and so important. This book teaches us so much about what must never happen again.

5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Pan Macmillan and Kristin Hannah, for an ARC in return for an honest review.

The Nightingale is one of my favourite books. I had tried a few more of Kristen Hannah's books but they didn't have the same draw for me...until now.

Wow, wow, wow. The Women had me hooked from the first few pages. Frankie's parents have a heroes wall in their house dedicated to family members who served in the Navy and Frankie wants to have her photo up there. She is a student nurse who once qualifies heads to Vietnam as an army nurse. The book covers both her time in Vietnam and when she comes home again a different woman to the young naive girl who headed out there. It is a story of how circumstances change a person and how friendship can help us through the darkest of times. I wish that I could go back and read this again for the first time.

Thanks to netgalley for a free copy in exchange for my honest review.

I wanted to read this book so much - from the moment I first heard about it, I knew it was going to be a fantastic read.

That ending! Kristin Hannah can certainly wrote them. I have laughed and cried at this wonderful writing. Before you open the novel make sure you have plenty of time because you won’t want to stop reading and you need tissues… lots of them!

I already knew the basics about the Vietnam War, mostly gained through popular culture as someone who was born after the war and in the UK. This book has made me hungry to learn so much more now! The first half is mainly set in Vietnam and felt compelling and authentic. The second half of the novel, depicting the vets’ experiences upon return to the US was totally shocking. Not to mention the concept that there were no women serving in Vietnam so there was no help for them after the war!

The relationships and characterisation in the novel are convincing and beautifully developed. Frankie’s pains were heartbreaking, her path devastating. Her downward trajectory was so obvious and yet delicately revealed that I was left breathless. The men in her life, what can I say? She deserved more.

This will, without doubt, be my read of 2024! Don’t miss this fabulous book. You may read it in one sitting!! How long until the next Kristin Hannah book is out?!

The Women by Kristin Hannah is inspired by the many brave women who went to Vietnam as part of the US armed services, often as nurses or doctors but also working in air traffic control and military intelligence. I will be honest and say that this often forgotten group is not something I had ever really thought about, so I was intrigued to see what one of my favourite authors would do to highlight their story and I was not disappointed.
The central character is Frances (Frankie ) McGrath, a young nursing student from a family that has long valued military service as part of its ethos. Inspired by her brother's decision to join the navy and ship out to Vietnam, Frankie decides to follow him into the services, though she is forced to join the army as the only one who will accept her limited experience. To say her family are less than thrilled is something of an understatement, but there is nothing they can say or do to stop her, and soon Frankie finds herself in the overwhelming chaos and destruction of a combat zone. She is quickly befriended by some of the other nurses and soon starts to find her feet, even though she is faced with some of the most brutally injured soldiers and locals. Despite the ongoing war around her Frankie finds friendship and even love in a combat zone, but she is not prepared for the realities of returning home to a country where the tide of popular opinion is turning against the war and those who served in it and soon finds herself overwhelmed again, especially as she is grieving the loss of the man she loved. Even her family seem to turn against her, and after numerous fights and arguments she turns to her friends for help- at least they will understand what she has been through.
This is a book that does not shy away from describing the horrors of war in all their vivid and often gory detail, but this is never used for shock value, but rather so that the reader can gain insight into how it affects those in the midst of it, and how the traumas involved can be life long and life altering. It does not make for easy reading, yet I could not put it down, and I found myself really engaged by Frankie as a character, rooting for her in all her struggles . I am so glad that I picked up a copy of this book and I feel like it will stay with me for quite some time to come.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinons are my own.

Brilliant storytelling. Powerful, thought provoking writing. I knew about the vets, (my cousin having been one), but knew very little about the brave army nurses sent out to Vietnam.
The story centres around Frankie, a young nurse who joins the army to be sent out to Vietnam,following the death of her brother over there. She is ill prepared for what she is about to find, but builds a strong bond with her two room mates, Barb and Ethel.. The support they give each other is wonderfully told and this friendship continues when they return to America, Frankie finds it hard to settle down to civilian life when she returns, with nightmares continuing, but her friends are there for her.
The nurses work long hours in awful conditions and the author's descriptions so vivid that I felt emotionally drained at times, but then a little romance is introduced to lighten the mood and I was rooting all the way for Frankie.
These were troubled times in America with protests and marches, and the way the vets were treated on their return was so unfair.
This is a story that will stay with me. Very highly recommended.

A beautifully written story. The book mainly follows Frankie through her time as a nurse in the Vietnam war and beyond. The horrors of war are laid bare alongside acts of friendships and honour. All the characters are flawed and may make you question what exactly is a "hero".
The story does not shy away from the horrors of war both within Vietnam and back at home, both during the war and the 'peace' after the war. The violence, horror and sadness is never gratuitous or excessive.
This is the first Kristin Hannah book I have read so I cannot compare this to her other books. But her writing in this is so evocative that I will be picking up another of her books soon.

I received an advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own and freely given.

A shocking story of the Vietnam war, seen through the eyes of a 20 year old woman and nursing student - Frankie McGrath. Inspired by her brothers service in Vietnam, she embarks on her own journey to become an Army Nurse Corp. What an eye opening poignant change for Frankie as the war zone is a far cry from her idyllic home in Coronado Island, California.

The sisterhood, friendships, heroism, camaraderie, love and growth through a truly devastating period of war. Frankie, Barb and Ethel are the best of friend who can truly relate and support one another after everything they experienced together in ‘nam.

Once Frankie had served her time she returns home only to find that her mental health is in absolute tatters with her family ultimately adding to her upset. Women and their involvement was lied about and no-one would provide the help necessary. This is a very brilliantly written heartbreaking historical fiction novel.

I have been aware for some time of Kristin Hannah as a hugely popular author but this is the first title I have read a novel by her. The Women is also the first novel I've read set in the Vietnam war.

The scenes in the hospitals are truly harrowing and gripping. The US politics of the time is also well depicted, as is the consequent abuse of returning veterans.

The reservations I have are as follows. The title is The Women, plural, but the focus is too heavy on Frankie. The other women's experiences are very much in the background, how they coped both in Vietnam and back home dealing with the trauma. I think also that there is too much about the various men who fell in love with Frankie and that detracts from its impact. I found the return of missing in action characters totally predictable.

I appreciate that a great deal of research has gone into this work. I was a child at the time of Vietnam so have only vague recollections, so I did learn a lot but I cannot quite give it 5 stars.

Thank you so much to @netgalley and @panmacmillan for my ARC of this wonderful book which is released TODAY!!!

Kristin Hannah is easily one of my favourite authors, and like any other Kristin Hannah book, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘞𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯 packs a punch, and is a vivid, poignant, yet heartbreaking read.

I've never read a book following the Vietnam War before, so found this to be a very eye-opening read, which introduced me to the brutalities of the Vietnam War. It's worth noting that in the authors note at the end, she explains how this book has been in the works for over 20 years, as she wanted to do it justice and didn't feel ready to properly write it yet. The years of research, graft, and devotion to the topic and story shines through with Hannah's writing, making this a spectacular read.

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘞𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯 tells the story of Frankie McGrath from Southern California, who's parents expect her to follow the path of settling down with marriage and a child. But Frankie wants more, and she wants to be a hero like all of the males in her family who have proudly served the US Military. When Frankies Brother ships out to Vietnam, Frankie yearns for something more for herself, and follows pursuit, joining the Army Nurse Corps to help the injured soldiers.

This book is partially set in Vietnam, and partially set when Frankie returns home afterwards, following her struggles with grief, PTSD, and trauma. This is by no means an easy read, as it is harrowing, heartbreaking and brutal. Some of the descriptions are so vivid you feel you are there with Frankie as every bomb goes off, and as more soliders are sadly killed. The portrayal of friendships within the war was extraordinary, meaning there was a silver lining throughout the darkest of times. This is not an easy read, and will certainly pull on your heartstrings, but it is an incredible one that I'll certainly remember for a long time.

Kristin Hannah has done it again.

If you don’t know much about the Vietnam War, or American history of that time you are in for an education. It’s a very tough read. Disturbing, gritty & raw. There’s lots of blood & gore; sadness & loss; lies & immorality; desperation & bad coping strategies! Persevere in reading the whole of this totally absorbing book to be rewarded with the full story. And women most definitely were in Vietnam