The saying that most affected Frankie's life is "women can be heroes". She is 20 years old and just graduated from nursing school. She grows up in paradise in a home with loving parents, a brother, ocean front on Coronado Island. Her first nursing job at the hospital doesn't give her much spark. In 1965 the world is in turmoil with the war in Vietnam. Her brother leaves to serve in the military there. Several months later, he meets his fate. Frankie enlists in the Army as they are the only ones who will take her. She serves in the Army Nurse Corps and is assigned to several MASH type units. Surgery is where she lands. She has several romantic relationships. Will she survive Vietnam? Will she have lasting effects of serving there?
Being a nurse, I can tell you that I have heard many stories from nurse friends who served in Vietnam. The stories are horrific. No one who served comes back the same person who left. This is a story that grips you from the beginning. It speaks to the struggles that many military returning experience. I couldn't put this book down once I started reading it. This is one of Kristen Hannah's best!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
