Set against the turbulent landscape of the early 1970's, Sarah McCraw Crow has penned a thought-provoking debut novel about vividly portrayed, complex characters searching for their place in a changing world. Choosing a college campus for her setting was inspired as it provides a microcosm of what was happening across the United States at the time. It also allows for an organic intersection of characters that may not have so easily happened were it not for the classes and activities that naturally occur on campuses.

Virginia is a product of her upbringing. Setting aside her own dreams when she married, she's spent the past several years supporting her husband as he pursues his academic goals and mothering their daughter. But suddenly, she's a 39-year-old widow in a patriarchal society on the cusp of upheaval. Where does she belong? How does she move forward without her husband? Who are her allies? With a 13-year-old daughter to protect and her financial security in the hands of men fighting to maintain the status quo, will she once again sacrifice herself for others or, this time, will she finally find her own voice? I found the character of Virginia very compelling and her journey, both insightful and realistic.

Sam is another character I found compelling. A brilliant but socially awkward college student struggling with the dissolution of his parents' marriage and his father's subsequent remarriage and new baby, his Jewish religion in a small, predominantly Christian school, and his internal struggles with his sexuality, he was ripe for the picking by those who did not have his best interests at heart.

And then there's Virginia's daughter, also is an interesting character, dealing with her father's death, the upheaval of her home life, confusing changes in her mother, and the hormonal challenges of most young teen girls. I have a feeling the author has, at some point, probably lived with a 13-year-old girl.

The secondary cast of characters, especially the Gang of Four, highlight the hope, frustration, fear, and dedication of the women of this time who put everything on the line to fight for equality, and in many cases, basic human rights. They are fully developed characters who bring authenticity to the story.

I was a 19-year-old college sophomore in 1970, living with riots, sit-ins, campus streets occupied by armed National Guard, a National uneasiness, and, among females, growing frustration with a woman's place in society. It was a time of confusion, a time of upheaval, a time when a courageous segment of our female population began to take a stand, and a time that Sarah McCraw Crow has indelibly captured in The Wrong Kind of Woman.

*Advance copy received for fair and unbiased review

Somewhat quiet but very well-written novel set in a fictional all male college Clarendon in New Hampshire in the early 1970s, which I guess now qualifies as historical fiction as it is nearly 50 years ago. The book is told from multiple perspectives and with the through line being not just that they are all in the same place, but about the search for identity in a tumultuous time of protests. Virginia is a woman trying to figure out who she is after the unexpected death of her husband, a professor at Clarendon; her daughter Rebecca is trying to figure out her identity in the same way many teenagers struggle with it; Sam is a student at Clarendon who doesn’t quite fit in; and there are just a few bits from the perspective of Louise, one of only a handful of female professors at Clarendon.

As I was born in 1980 but I always wanted to be a bonafide hippie from the ’70s, I love to read books such a The Wrong Kind of Women that gives me an insight into what life may have been different if I had been born a decade earlier.



The husband of Virginia drops dead from an arynusim, and from there, the story takes us through different plot lines to show how each deals with that aftermath.

I was sad to realize that when I studied feminism in college, I had not thought about it since that alone is a huge privileged view. In The Wrong Kind of woman, the Author Sarah McCgrow, aims to take us all back in time for the second wave of Feminism. Since I was not yet born, I have to take it in good faith that what I have heard about that Era of feminism is that I liked this book because everything feels like it really could happen. It felt very authentic.

The book The Wrong Kind of women is so slooow at the beginning. To be honest with you, I was about to DNF the whole book, then I got to the middle part, and I am so glad that I did not give up…

I have no idea WHY I do not think of a boys-only College. It nugs my feminist side that boys maybe received a better education than I did. I can see how the whole scene is set up what the author is doing. At first, it seems like 6 different stories in one book, but all of the loose ends are tied up nicely at the end.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book. It is the 1970s and women are starting to ask for equal rights, colleges are beginning to go co-ed, and sometimes violent demonstrations are occurring. I found the action a little hard to follow and couldn't really get into any of the characters. Nonetheless, interesting points are made.

I could not get into the story. We dove head first into the loss of the father figure without context of the family. It was disorienting and I was unable to connect to the story from there.

*** Blog Tour ***

The most intriguing thought of The Wrong Kind of Woman by Sarah McCraw Crow is captured in its title. So many for so long have labeled the choices of women as "wrong". Looking around me today, it amazes me how far we have come and yet how frequently, these same conversations are taking place today. I wish the book had delivered this statement in a stronger way and in the context of a stronger story, but it is a reminder of an important statement nevertheless.

Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2020/11/the-wrong-kind-of-woman.html

Reviewed for NetGalley and a publisher's blog tour.

This was a little slow to get going for me, and be aware that the overall pace is slow and steady throughout. I am here for stories about women that change the norms, that challenge the patriarchy, and are able to effect change, that part of the story resonated with me very much. Rebecca and Virginia resonated with me the most, as they were trying to find their way as individuals but yet trying to find their new relationship as a daughter and a mother moving forward without a father. I couldn't imagine doing that during this time period, and they both handled it as I would expect.

I have to admit I'm really getting tired of books that use continuous alternating viewpoints without announcing the change! I seem to lose a few minutes every couple pages to determine who it is that's doing the talking.

I lived through the 70's and thought I would be able to relate to this book but aside from a few aspects, I really couldn't. The characters weren't especially interesting to me and the whole feminist emphasis felt artificial to me. I'm sure many will disagree with me - and that's ok - but for me this book was just ok.

I found this book to be moving and thought-provoking. Set in the late '60s and early 70's we met Virginia a woman who has lost her husband and is trying to find her way.

this story takes us to bake to a time when women's places were thought to be in the home raising kids and cooking. So to see Virginia struggle with her identity was heartbreaking. She struggled with whom the world thought she should be and whom she wanted to be. As we follow her journey her life is interwoven with 2 other women.

I loved the alternating perspective and getting to known the other characters. I was captivated by Virginia's story as I could relate to her. As someone who is trying to find her way in this world but society keeps telling me I can't do the things I want to do to health issues. I really bonded with the character.

This is a powerful story of self-discovery and one many can relate to living in this time of a pandemic and having to rediscover who we are.

Just before Christmas in 1970, Oliver Desmarais dies suddenly leaving his wife Virginia and daughter Rebecca to mourn and rebuild their lives. Virginia, not knowing where she fits anymore after losing her job, embarks on new friendships with four interesting women from the college her husband worked for. These women are forward thinkers, trying to make a change in a male dominated world. With political unrest, social injustice, and women’s rights, can Virginia be the role model she needs to be for her daughter and help the women make the change that the world so desperately needs?

This was a powerful novel of self discovery. The reader gets to witness the 1970’s through the eyes of not only Virginia, but also her daughter Rebecca and Sam, a student of Oliver’s. Three different people all emerging to becoming something from the loss they suffered. This story also has many similarities to the changes we are all facing today amidst the pandemic and the world we now live in. Thank you so much to the author Sara McCraw Crow, HarperCollins Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced copy of the book to review. It was riveting! All opinions expressed for this review are unbiased and entirely my own.

This book is great! Would definitely recommend. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Sarah McCraw Crow's novel The Wrong Kind of Woman, set in the 1970s, opens with Virginia's husband Oliver dying of an aneurysm in front of their thirteen year-old daughter Rebecca. Oliver was a history professor at Clarendon, an all-boy's college in New Hampshire.

Virginia is devastated by Oliver's premature death, as is Rebecca, who adored her father. Virginia taught an art history class at the college, so in addition to dealing with the emotional loss of her husband, she has to deal with the financial loss of his income.

We also meet Sam, a student at Clarendon who was in the faculty/student jazz band with Oliver. He admired Oliver and enjoyed his friendship as he didn't fit in with the other young men at school. After Sam ends up partnering with Jerry, a Vietnam vet, on a project, Jerry brings Sam to the commune where he is staying.

Sam is enchanted by Elodie, a young woman from the commune. Elodie wants to see change in society, perhaps by any means necessary. She is planning something, will Sam get himself involved to win her affection?

The most interesting character to me is Louise, a professor in the history department. She was the only female tenured professor at the college, one of only four women professors. They were called the Gang of Four, and following Oliver's death, Louise invited Virginia to join them for an evening out.

It was an eye-opening experience for Virginia. Although Oliver didn't like Louise, he found her too pushy, Virginia liked these women, especially Louise. They spoke of their difficult experiences at the college, and their desire to make Clarendon a coed institution.

I would have liked to have seen more of Louise and the other female professors. I found their stories so intriguing, and the scene where they invited two women to speak at the college was very strong. It reminded me of the FX miniseries Mrs. America, which I enjoyed immensely. There are even a few mentions of Shirley Chisholm and Bella Abzug, who were prominently featured in that series.

Virginia has her consciousness raised by economic necessity; she needed to get a better paying job for herself and Rebecca. She was close to getting her PhD, and Louise convinces her that she can do it, and they will help her in any way they can.

There are many 1970s touchstones in this novel for those of us who remember that era. Who else spent their Friday nights watching The Brady Bunch followed by The Partridge Family? And we all remember Tim Conway trying to make Harvery Korman laugh in The Carol Burnett Show skits.

The Wrong Kind of Woman mines some of the same territory as Jennifer Weiner's wonderful 2018 novel, Mrs. Everything, taking the macroview of women's lives in the 1970s through the microview of the women in these novels, allowing the reader to see the tumultous times through these women's eyes.

Thanks to MIRA Books for putting me on Sarah McCraw Crow's book tour.

The Wrong Kind of Woman has the dark, sleepy feel of many movies from the 70s, which is fitting since it is set in that era as well; it starts with a tragedy, it delves into the existential tragedy and dread of being, mixed with the inevitable observations of terrifying truths a stay at home Mom faces when the sole breadwinner of the family dies unexpectedly, and young at that.

Crow's writing is very solid, and the story moves forward, ambling toward an ending that makes sense, however, it is all dry for something that still manages to be a page turner at the same time.

For the lovers of a good, solid tragedy this will fit that bill nicely; for me, it left me sad and pondering my own existential dread. Crow is a great writer, however, this story was not for me.

A book set in the 1970's.
Virginia has lost her husband to an aneurism. She's widowed and alone. Many have offered comfort in their own blind ways. She's trying to rediscover herself and wants to finish her Ph.D. Of course, considering the era. Virginia was considered "the wrong kind of woman". For trying to better herself and most of all because she has a daughter.

She finds the comfort in a group at her college where her husband used to work. Getting to know these women, she starts to realize all about what her husband used to tell her about them. These women taught her about the toxicness that surrounds being a woman in the 70's. It's amazing how some of these issues are prevalent in today's society.

I really enjoyed this story and how much it teaches you, especially being a woman. Even though Virginia lost her husband. The story teaches you resilience, determination, and motivation. All while raising a child. Thanks to NetGalley, HarperCollins, and Mira Books for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

One minute Virginia Desmarais is preparing for Christmas with her family, the next her husband, Professor Oliver Desmarais is dead on the ground from a brain hemorrhage.  It's the 1970s and Virginia has given up much of herself for marriage and family, having never finished her dissertation and has little to no job skills.  Emotionally adrift, she soon finds all the areas where she'd previously been able to count on financially have dried up, save for a small pension to cover her mortgage.  While Virginia has always taken her husband's side when it comes to women in teaching roles, the Vietnam war and other controversial subjects, she begins to learn that maybe her blanket following of her husband was not always the right step. Four women she previously panned at Clarendon College due to Oliver's opinion, begin to reach out to her with friendship.  These women have been nicknamed The Gang of Four; none have been married, and all are outspoken, making them a target for the mostly male faculty of Clarendon.   While she's never seen herself as a feminist, Virginia finds herself trying to decide whether to support her new friends in the fight and possibly risk her quiet life and family, or hide from a cause she isn't sure she belongs in.

The Wrong Kind of Woman is set in the 1970s against the backdrop of the Vietnam War, the rise of Counterculture, and the movement of Second Wave Feminism onto college campuses. The sense of change, confusion, and exploration is something that modern readers in 2020 will feel a kinship with, especially with recent large protest movements to fight for Black Lives and Women's Rights.  For those who have long experienced the benefits of feminism, you may find your stomach dropping every time Virginia reflects on her previous opinions or something Oliver has said.  Her initially hanging up on the Four when they call to offer support is cringeworthy, but once they finally get her out to talk and share an appetizer or to, the text breaks up from what feels like an ice flow into individual pieces.  The Wrong Kind of Woman follows the modern technique of frequently jumping between perspectives, which can be frustrating. I personally am not a fan of this technique and feel like frequent perspective changes can weaken the power of the story telling.  Where the book shines is enforcing the situations that women in the United States during the 1970s would have experienced. Many women lost everything when their husbands died or if they were left for another person.

The Wrong Kind of Woman by Sarah McCraw Crow is now available from Harlequin Trade.

I know I am submitting this review after its publication date. Honestly, if I had read it earlier, I don't know that I would have appreciated it as much. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg recently passed away. She had so much impact on women's lives in terms of financial independence, education and employment. This book touches on all of these topics, in indirect ways.

Virginia's husband, a faculty member at a male only college in New Hampshire passes away. She is an intelligent woman, with an advanced degree herself, but has not completed her dissertation. After becoming a widow, she is befriended by the "Gang of Four," women faculty at the above-mentioned college. While she begrudgingly becomes their friend, it is through them that she learns what she needs to do for herself, her daughter, and staking her place in her community.

I absolutely loved this moved. It moved along slowly, but that's okay. It gave me plenty of time to really think about what was going on in the book and how it related to women's rights today.

When Oliver Desmarais, a professor at a conservative New England college, drops dead of an aneurysm, the story follows his wife Virginia as she copes with being a single mother and widow.

I wanted to like this story, but it fell flat for me because I found very little in the story to hold my interest. The book lacked character development, and the plot was predictable.

The author gives readers a glimpse of sexism in the 1970’s New England academia, which is why I stuck with it.

With all that’s going on in the world right now I was really excited to read this book. Overall I liked it but it was different than I expected it to be.

It’s really Virginia’s journey of self discovery set in the 1960s. It’s more a book of slow, beautiful prose than it is anything else.

Thank you NetGally for the arc

This one sounded right up my alley, but unfortunately it was a bit too character driven for me. I had trouble connecting with the characters and ended up DNF'ing.

I received a free electronic ARC of this novel from Netgalley, Sarah McCraw Crow, and Harlequin-MIRA. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read this novel of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work. Sarah McCraw Crow writes a tight, accurate portrayal of the time and place and attitudes women were required to try to workaround. (Believe it or not, things are much better, now. It was, truly, just this bad back in the day, though.) Our story begins on the Sunday after Thanksgiving in 1970. The setting is Clarendon College, an all-male school in Westfield, New Hampshire. The Desmarais family consists of Oliver, a tenured professor and clarinet player in the schools' jazz ensemble, daughter Rebecca, 14 and bright, and wife Virginia, just one step away from receiving her Ph.D. when she married Oliver, still on hold on that, teaching the odd class in art history and totally unprepared to step into single parenthood on the death of Oliver on page one.

A strong woman, not afraid to show her feelings but able to work around them, we witness the growth of both Virginia and Rebecca over the nest year, the structured changes necessary to become independent women in a world in social rebellion. A good read.