The Women

Frances “Frankie” McGrath is twenty years old when her brother Finley ships off to Vietnam. Growing up in beautiful Southern California, they shared a charming childhood, surfing at the beach and riding bicycles throughout their bucolic neighborhood. Their father spent his time at work while mother doted on them between martinis and lunches at the club. Now, out of nursing school Frankie is determined to make a difference. She shocks her family by enlisting with the Army Nurse Corps. With little experience, Frankie is instantly overwhelmed. Upon arrival at the hospital tent, her two roommates quickly become mentors and sisters. Through countless exhausting nights filled with the blood curdling screams of injured soldiers, Frankie becomes a top surgical nurse executing procedures she never imagined. At the same time, her compassion is endless - understanding that sometimes holding a patients hand through his last moments is all she can do. After two tours she returns to California a different person. The public is protesting the war as they spit on the returning Vietnam Vets. Frankie is left with parents that do not recognize her sacrifice and hard work, who will not accept that a woman could contribute. Frankie suffers through excruciating nightmares. As a nurse she recognizes her PTSD but with no-one to help her navigate the pain she turns to pills and alcohol, a slippery slope to the bottom. This novel highlights the heartbreak of war for those who serve, their loved ones left behind and the hardship veterans face upon returning to civilian life. Sadly, a history that continues to repeats itself. Well researched and expertly narrated, author Kristin Hannah’s latest novel releases February 2024. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️