It's only January, but this will probably be one of the easiest books to give five stars to this year. As a longtime lover of Kristin Hannah, I know what to expect from her books: great writing, strong characters, emotional moments, and a stunning story. All these things were true, and this book completely blew me away. This story was heartbreaking and I know a lot of it was based on real events that happened during the 60s when the book took place. I didn't know a ton about the Vietnam War going into this and I feel like I learned so much while reading. My heart was beating out of my chest at moments and I was completely engaged in the narrative. The friendships were powerful, the pain was intense, and the healing was beautiful. This book was also heavy. It was emotional with a lot to take in and there were moments I had to pause and reflect on what was occurring. Have the tissues ready for sure. The amount of research and. care that was put into this story was so well done. Frankie was an incredible narrator and I truly felt like she was real and/or I was by her side at points. Hannah has been a favorite of mine for a while and this one solidified that even more. Thank you to St. Martin's Press for sending me an e-ARC of this book to read and review!