What a wonderful, heartfelt, coming-of-age novel. Set in the mid ‘50’s, this follows four Radcliffe students through their first year on campus. Their first year away from home, their first year making decisions for themselves, and their first year tasting the concept of independent thought.

The experience so many parts of the traditional freshman experience—football games, difficult classes, dating life, trips home with friends, the crushing overwhelm of doing something that most women don’t do (at the time), and even a horrific crime. They are from all across the country, and from all income levels. One thing that surprisingly ties them together? Book club.

Run by a bookshop owner, their monthly book club helps the women explore themes of what it means to be a woman in the day’s society. It shows them how their thoughts and opinions have been formed by the men in their lives, and the men running their worlds. And it helps them start thinking outside of a man’s world.

This book was especially poignant for me. My grandmother attended Radcliffe in the early 1950’s, and when she arrived, had a very similar backstory to Caroline as the daughter of a banker, where it was expected that she would attend a prestigious school. In the end, her story was more like Evie’s…but she fondly spoke of her time in Cambridge during her life. I imagine she would have loved a shop like Alice’s. She was an avid reader, and her library was one of her most beloved places to be.

📚 The Radcliffe Ladies’ Book Club - Julia Bryan Thomas

4 ⭐️- I really enjoyed this one! This story was a wild ride of adventures through books. It starts out sweet and lovable, takes a mysterious turn and finishes out with a nice bow on top. A book for book clubs, gal pals, and historical fiction fans.

Alice Campbell escaped halfway across the country and found herself outside a small bookshop. The bookshop soon becomes a safe haven for Radcliffe College students - Tess, Caroline, Merritt, and Evie as they struggle with independent college woman freedom and life choices in the 1950s. When a member of the new reading club finds her life shattered, everything they know about themselves and each other is questioned.

This story was about so much more than a bookshop and a new bookclub. It has friendship lessons, lessons about finding yourself, social norms in the 50s, and every day struggles that women face. The women read books and have discussions about real life struggles, choices, and hopes for the future. I definitely recommend this one for historical fiction lovers and readers who love books about books!

This one came out earlier this month (6/6) so check it out now! Thank you Sourcebooks and NetGalley for the early ARC!

When Alice invites a serious-looking young woman to attend a book club meeting in her bookshop, she could never imagine the journeys she is both about to witness and to take herself. Four young and impressionable ladies attend monthly and the changes they go through during this time of newfound freedom and self exploration are large and small.

While the tone of the novel is unfortunately a bit dry, the stories of the girls are intriguing and emotional. I particularly fell in love with Alice, possibly because of her greater age (like myself), but certainly because of her self-assured nature and love of books. The most poignant piece of the narrative was the power of books to inform and shape our perceptions and understanding of the world.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my free copy. These opinions are my own.

I loved loved LOVED this book. The book club characters were all so interesting. Their book club meetings made me want to go back and reread some of those classic novels.

If you're looking for a novel about new beginnings, female friendships, books and a book shop in a setting that's a character all on its own, you'll find it here!!

The Radcliffe Ladies' Read Club by Julia Bryan Thomas is an inspiring historical women's fiction set in Cambridge, Massachusetts during the 50's. We are first introduced to Alice Campbell who has left her marriage and Chicago behind for a fresh start in Cambridge, opening her own bookstore, and starting a book club. The book club consists of four young women who are roommates and freshman at Radcliffe College. Through reading and discussing books, the women are able to bond and learn some important life lessons during their time together. Alice helps them think outside the box and look at situations from multiple angles.

I love books about books and women supporting women!! This book started a little slow for me, but it really picked up about a third of the way in. I really enjoyed getting to know each of the women better, along with their past struggles and attempting to figure out what they want for their future. This book has also given me several inspiring books that I will be adding to my TBR. I enjoyed this book a great deal.

This book gave me MONA LISA SMILE vibes. Set in the 1950s, 4 girls are starting their first year of college. All four girls have very different backgrounds. One girl, Tess, comes across a local bookstore and sees a flyer for a book club. The girls join the owner, Alice, reading books each month that Alice hopes will help broaden their minds and lead to great discussions.

The book follows the POVs of all are MCs. All women are interesting and very different. Watching (some of) them grow throughout the chapters was wonderful.

This book takes place over a year, so we are with the girls at the start of their first year at university up to the end, with a small epilogue after. While it starts off more lighthearted, tragedy does strike one of the girls, leaving the tight knit group coming apart at the seams. The bookstore becomes almost a safe haven for the girls, and I loved that so much.

While I did enjoy this book, I was expecting to follow the book store owner, Alice, more and I was looking forward to that. Though the book wasn’t exactly what I was expecting, I did end up liking it.

One quote that really stood out to me as a book lover was:

“All around the world, she knew, were kindred spirits who reached for the same book on the same evening for comfort or affirmation, souls who found themselves on the pages of a book. But there were other readers too: readers who didn’t yet know who they were and how much a particular novel would mean to them. Alice felt it was her job to find them and give them a book.”

I did a combo of eBook and audiobook for this one. The audiobook narrator was fine, except you can hear her intake of breath at the beginning of almost every sentence and it was so distracting. At first, I thought it was because I was listening with my earbuds, but I noticed it even in the car.

A lovely discussion on friendship, empowerment, and the power of books, I highly recommend this one.

One thing I enjoy about Women’s Fiction books is that they are filled with layers of depth, growth, and an emotional journey for the characters (and reader) to go thru whether the setting is contemporary or historical. And let me tell you, “The Radcliffe Ladies Reading Club” delivers on that front and more!

Set in 1954, when societal expectations for women were focused on finding a husband rather than pursuing a career, this heart-wrenching yet inspiring story follows Alice and four college girls. After life didn’t go according to plan, Alice transforms a rundown shop into the charming bookstore of her dreams.

Tess, Caroline, Evie, and Merritt, are college girls seeking refuge from the pressures of newfound independence. They join Alice’s monthly reading club at The Cambridge Bookshop, forming a deep bond under Alice’s guiding wisdom. Together, they challenge societal norms and expand their horizons.

I was captivated by the way this novel beautifully explores the impact of literature on our lives. The book club discussions were a highlight, and I cherished Alice’s thought-provoking questions for the girls. She encouraged them to broaden their perspectives, redefine their roles, and embrace their own potential.

With multiple points of view, we get to know each woman intimately, understanding how their personal experiences shaped their interpretations of the books they read, as well as their beliefs about education, love, marriage, and ambition. The author skillfully captures the essence of the era, tackling sensitive subjects like sexual abuse, misogyny, and the challenges faced in a male-dominated society with compassion and grace.

If you’re a fan of empowering movies like “Mona Lisa Smile,” “A League of Their Own,” and “Hidden Figures,” then this book is a must-read for you!

This cozy, endearing story had so many things that I absolutely love in a book—a college campus setting, a coming-of-age story, themes revolving around bookstores/book clubs/books in general, strong female characters and friendships. I thought the 50s setting was so compelling and well-drawn, and I liked how the novels that the women read were woven throughout the narrative, too! I did wish that the characters were a bit more developed in certain aspects. I think the author overall does a great job of establishing their distinct voices and personalities, but I also felt like I wanted more of them and their stories, especially in regards to the ending. Still, I really enjoyed this one! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

The Radcliffe Ladies Reading Club is available now! I loved the simple writing style in this poignant and thought provoking story! Plus, it’s a book about books and mentions quite a few favorite classics.

The novel follows four friends during their freshman year of college in the 1950s. Each of the girls are from different walks of life and many women can identify with their stories. The girls join a book club at a local bookstore and over the course of the year their ideals and beliefs are challenged through the books they read. The bookstore owner, Alice, hopes to encourage the girls to think for themselves and not just accept the pat that society says they should follow. The girls are not prepared for the challenges they will face that year and none of them will walk away unchanged.

The Radcliffe Ladies Reading Club is a heart wrenching but inspiring story about the complexities of female friendships, the power of books and finding the strength to start over.

1954 in Cambridge, MA, Alice Campbell restarts her life after a divorce, she opens a bookshop and starts a book club with 4 freshman girls at Radcliffe. The girls in the group couldn’t be more different. Alice picks books that will get the girls thinking about their lives. All goes well until there is tragedy, secrets and lies.

I loved Thomas' debut last year so I was eagerly looking forward to this book. As a former citizen of Cambridge, Massachusetts, I loved the setting and especially the bookstore. I liked the rapport between the bookstore owner and the four Radcliffe girls.

My favorite part of the book was the use of literature as a balm to their complicated lives. I also believe that a good book can transport you to another time and place while making you more aware of the truths in your own life.

I would have liked a little more development in the characters’ backstories, particularly the bookstore owner’s former life. We got glimpses of it but I would have enjoyed more depth there. The assault described in the book is jarring and could be triggering for some.

4.5⭐
In the 1950s, a failed marriage brings Alice Campbell to Cambridge Massachusetts where she opens her own bookshop. Her love for literature motivates her to begin a reading club where she meets four young women, Tess, Caroline, Evie, and Merritt, navigating their way through their first year as students at Radcliffe College. Alice carefully curates selections for her reading club, sharing books that she feels will stimulate their young minds, encourage discussion and in the process inspire them to look at life and all the opportunities open to them from a fresh perspective.

The girls, each from different socio-economic backgrounds are struggling– each of them torn between familial and societal expectations and their own dreams in what was predominantly a paternalistic society. They become friends and the bookshop proves to be a safe space for them with Alice motivating them to share their hopes, fears and beliefs. Between attending classes and reading, the girls spend time watching movies, attending dances and socializing with the male students at Harvard. While there are moments of friendship and empathy, not all of their experiences are pleasant ones and there are also moments of friction and disagreements. When one of them experiences a traumatic event, that episode irrevocably impacts their lives and the paths they had chalked out for themselves.
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I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Radcliffe Ladies’ Reading Club by Julia Bryan Thomas. This is a relatively slow-paced novel but I loved getting to know these ladies and following them as they took their first steps as college students. The author does a wonderful job of painting a picture of college life for women in that era, societal expectations and how young women perceived education, relationships, marriage and ambition. I found the discussions on the books ( I loved the book club sections) fascinating in that they reflected how the same book and characters can affect readers differently. I loved how the author developed these characters, giving us a glimpse inot their motivations, convictions and beliefs through these literary discussions on topics ranging from education, ambition, love, marriage, divorce, morality and what it meant to be a woman in an evolving, yet male-dominated society. The characterizations are superbly done and though there are several characters and their backstories to keep track of, at no point did I lose interest or find it difficult to follow the different threads of the story. The author addresses sensitive issues such as misogyny, domestic abuse and sexual violence realistically but with much sensitivity and compassion. The fluid narrative, the elegant prose, the literary references and the underlying message about how books impact not only our understanding of others but also ourselves, rendered this novel a joy to read.

Many thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and Netgalley for the digital review copy of this novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This was a really great book to read. Julia Bryan Thomas is a master storyteller. The setting and the era that this book is set really made me think about my path and how these women forge their own paths and inspire others to do the same.

This was a great story about four women, who were students at Racliffe during the 1950s. A time when women were not usually pursuing higher education and men felt they shouldn’t be, for the most part.

Tess, Evie, Caroline, and Merritt live in the same dorm and are away at college for their first year.

These four women couldn’t be more different. Their backgrounds, their world views, their interests are all so different from each other and that is part of what makes this story so good.

We also get to know Alice. She is the owner of the Cambridge Bookshop and runs the book club the girls join. Through the books they read their opinions and views will be challenged. It was so interesting watching them grow and change throughout this story as they discovered things about themselves.

This story is not without some tough topics. While hard to read, it was such a major turning point for these girls, a chance to see what really motivated them, what they really wanted.

I am drawn to any books about books, libraries, reading clubs. I am so glad I read this one. A different time period and then I usually read and a good story to go with it.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark for the copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Julia Bryan Thomas nailed the stereotypes - Tess Collins, driven academically with an inflexible moral compass; Caroline Hanson, a glamorous, rich debutante with an inner strength that is going to surprise everyone, Evie Miller, a girl escaping from the everyday humdrum of farm life studying economics while eagerly looking for that perfect husband, and Merritt Weber from San Francisco studying art while trying to find herself with no parental help or guidance. The glue is Alice Campbell and her Cambridge Bookshop which offers these young women a place to come together and exchange ideas through the medium of a book club.

1955 is less than a lifetime ago and while we would like to think we have moved forward, how much has really changed? Some sure, but som much sounds the same. Remember the expression “You’ve come a long way baby”? Sadly it all makes me wonder how far we really have traveled down the road of collegial and intellectual equality. This is a well written throw back to a more formal college experience expertly weaving in the consequences of inexperience and the damage caused by allowing devastating insecurities to guide behavior.

Thank you Sourcebook Landmark and NetGalley for a copy.

Thank you to Net Galley and Sourcebook Landmark for the chance to read and review this book. the opinions expressed are my own.
I liked this book! It was well-written, with believable characters. Also, I liked the settings-a bookshop and a college campus. In 1954, Alice Campbell escapes an abusive relationship and opens up a bookshop in Massachusetts. Tess, a college student, comes into the shop one day and decides to attend a book club offered by Alice at the bookshop. She also invites her friends Caroline, Evie, and Merrit. They soon become friends with Alice. This is the story of the friendship between all the characters. It also offers some good book titles and discussions about the books. Good story about young women finding their way in the world centering around a bookshop!

We start into this one in Cambridge, at the beginning of a new school year in the mid-fifties. Each chapter follows a different character, as we progress through the months of the year.

We meet Alice, the owner of a new bookshop in town. She was recently divorced, and just moved to town from Chicago. We also meet four new Radcliffe students, freshmen from different walks of life. They are friends from their residence hall already, and meet up with Alice at the bookshop once a month to discuss a work that she has chosen for them to read.

We spend a lot of time getting to know these characters, so I was not looking forward to one of them being “shattered.” The event itself takes place at Christmas, and therefore around 40% into the book.

Not to give too much away, but there is a brutal rape on the way home from a school dance. The girl in question ends up hiding out at the bookstore after, because she is too ashamed to go back to the dorms.

A lot happens after that. In fact, I had to stop myself from bingeing the back half of the book! Most of these girls had shaky relationships with their families to begin with, and events through the spring strain their relationships with each other.

There is an overarching theme, though, throughout the main story and the debates they have about books here and there through the book. Because these girls are just tasting their first bits of freedom, Alice chooses books to make them question the roles, rights, and expectations of women. The things they face on campus, and with their families back home, often reinforce gender stereotypes – that they are only at college to bide their time until they get married, for example. That they don’t need jobs, because they’ll have men to take care of them. That sort of thing. But is that all they want from life?

Of course, with four main characters – some do, some don’t.

Major content warnings for this one: rape, discussion of abortion, miscarriage.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for a complimentary copy if this book! If you love books and book clubs, I highly recommend this novel! Alice Campbell, who escaped a difficult past opened a bookstore. Four young ladies- Tess, Evie, Caroline, and Merritt- end up in the bookstore for a monthly Bookclub hosted by Alice. All four girls attend the local Radcliffe College. I enjoyed how the girls came from different backgrounds and how they each had different expectations for their future and eventual married life. The Bookclub meetings in the novel were enjoyable because each one had a different perspective and were not afraid to voice it. All seems to be going well with the young ladies until one of them suffers a terrible tragedy. Who will she be able to turn to for help? Will this tragedy rip them apart or bring them closer?

4.5⭐️
I really enjoyed this novel! It has been a while since I have read straight historical fiction vs historical fantasy and this was exactly what I needed.
An amazing character study of a group of young ladies in their first year of study at Radcliffe College. There were lighthearted times, heady emotional moments, and ones that were purely atmospheric.
Highly recommend for anyone who enjoys historical fiction.