If you’re looking for a book that completely pulls you in, The Women by Kristin Hannah is it. It’s one of those rare reads that grabs you from the first chapter and doesn’t let go — gut-wrenching, powerful, and deeply human.

It ended up being my favorite book of 2024 — honestly, one of my favorites of all time. It captured me in a way no book ever has. I know Kristin Hannah is a popular author, but this was my first time reading her work — and I loved every second of it.

The first part of the book is set in Vietnam, focusing on a young nurse who is thrown into the chaos of war, forcing her to mature rapidly. The latter portion of the book takes you back home with her, revealing the harsh reality of leaving a war yet never truly escaping its impact.

I felt so much rage and sadness for the nurses and soldiers who gave everything — their safety, their youth, their sanity — only to come home and be treated so poorly. The Women isn’t just a story about war; it’s also about what happens after. About trauma, resilience, and how history has overlooked so many of these wartime heroes.

What I love most is how Kristin Hannah gave those nurses the acknowledgment they never received. She honored them — the women who did the work, held it all together, and were never properly seen for it. These women deserved to be seen, and Kristin Hannah made sure that they were.

It’s one of the best historical fiction books I’ve ever read — the kind of book that stays with you long after you finish it.