Kristin Hannah is an American author who has published over 20 novels. She rose to fame with the publication of her historical fiction novel The Nightingale (2015). Hannah was over 50 when The Nightingale reached immense commercial success, and the novel is currently in production to become a film. While she has written primarily historical fiction novels since The Nightingale, her early work, including Summer Island, was more focused on women’s issues, including relationships and family dynamics. Hannah lives in the Pacific Northwest, where many of her books take place.

Hannah continues to write about women’s issues, especially instances where women were ignored or misrepresented by history. Her latest novel, The Women (2024), focuses on female nurses during the Vietnam War.