For some reason I thought it was going to be queer. Nevertheless, I was enjoying the dynamic between the women at the Golden Yarrow and how Greer's magnetism altered it. That is until it jumped the shark leading up to the novel's climax and then the ending was unnecessary.

The Divorcees by Rowan Beaird has an interesting setup. In the 1950s Reno, Nevada was the center for people seeking divorces and there was a required length of residency to qualify. I was aware of this situation and appreciated the look backward to see that within my lifetime choices were so limited for women. Unfortunately I just never got into the main character of Lois and so I struggled some with the book. I would recommend it for learning more about the times of the 1950s.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The Divorcees is available now.

This drama is set at a 1950s “divorce ranch”- a place where wealthy women would go to establish residency in Nevada and become eligible to file for divorce against their husbands back home. I liked the premise of this- a lot of historical fiction seems to tread the same ground, but I had never read anything on this topic before, so I found it interesting. Definitely more of a character study rather than a plot driven book- at the end there was a bit of a plot twist that felt kind of melodramatic to me, but all of the character development and complex dynamics leading up to it were what really made this book shine.

Thank you to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for the early read!

I always enjoy reading historical fiction about a time and place that I know nothing about and The Divorcées is just that. It takes place in the 1950's and follows Lois and a group of women who are staying at a divorce ranch where they must live for 6 weeks in order to be granted a divorce. I really enjoyed the author's writing style even though I found the middle part of the book to be a bit slow. There is a surprise ending and even if you see it coming, it manages to shock all the same. If you enjoy books about female friendships, desire, independence, and coming of age, give this one a go. Would make a great book club book and a great beach read.

Thank you to Flatiron Books and NetGalley for this ARC.

The Divorcees had such a lovely very specific slice of life, giving color to a historical time and experience I didn’t really know much about, which I enjoyed. I enjoyed getting snippets of the women who were at the ranch in Reno, but honestly just never felt that connected to Lois. I think I kept waiting for more to happen to deepen the reader’s understanding of her, but it never came. I wanted a little more intrigue with Greer, a little more messiness. The book was just a little too tidy, but still an interesting exploration!

Women waiting for their lives to change - that’s the theme of this book. And I felt like I spent most of the book waiting for something to happen. Just when I thought something was going to happen, nope, actually it was nothing after all. I found the setting of the divorce ranch to be interesting, as well as Reno of that time. I just ended the book wanting something more, but I’m not sure what that more should be. Funnily enough, I think that was the main character’s problem, too.

Thank you to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am so thankful to Flatiron Books, Rowan Beaird, and Netgalley for granting me advanced digital access to this riveting collection of prose before it hits shelves on March 19, 2024.

Interesting take on a very difficult time in history for women who had zero legal options of their own.

Happy publication day to Rowan Beaird and The Divorcées! Thank you to Rowan Beaird, Faltiron Books, and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book for an honest review!

I was so excited to read this book because it had a plot different from any book I’ve read but it fell a little flat for me. Don’t get me wrong, it was a good read but I was hoping for more!

It’s the 1950’s and many women, like Lois Saunders, think that getting married will solve all of their problems and concerns because that’s what society has preached to them. Once Lois is married, she finds that train of thought to be so very far from the truth. She struggles as she tries to navigate a loveless marriage. She wants a divorce but that is unheard of across the United States at the time unless you move out west to a Divorce Ranch like the Golden Yarrow.

So, that’s just what Lois does. She files for divorce and establishes her new place at the Golden Yarrow where the ladies ride horses and sit by the pool by day and hit the local bars at night. Lois doesn’t truly feel a sense of belonging until Greer Lang arrives. For the first time in her life, Lois feels noticed and accepted for who she is. She may also feel a sense of infatuation. Will Greer prove to be loyal or will she let Lois down like so many before have?

This book was not the easiest for me to get through. The story dragged at times, and it also jumped around (mostly at the beginning) between timelines. I think a linear timeline may have worked better, starting from Lois’ marriage and how things fell apart - I found that to be a compelling part of the story that didn’t get explored enough. Her relationship with Greer was interesting, but it could have been developed more. We didn’t get enough from the other girls at the ranch. The involvement of the casino just didn’t flow for me and the ending was abrupt.

A great audio book about a very interesting story. I loved the twist and reading about women going to Reno for divorces.

Set in the 1950's, the Golden Yarrow in Reno, NV is a glorified boardinghouse for elite women filing for a divorce. They were catered to there while they waited their 6 week requirement for a divorce. Lois is a young twenty-something year old who left a controlling father, only to marry a man who is equally controlling, and is still under his mother's thumb. Fleeing to Reno to seek a divorce, she ends up at the Golden Yarrow. Most of the other women there really serve no purpose in the story - it's not until mysterious Greer shows up that the story picks up. The women spend their time lounging, indulging in horseback riding on the trails, but mainly drinking themselves into drunken stages every night. I found this tiresome. When Greer proposes a get rich quick scheme, Lois is sucked in by being "chosen" by Greer to help, but she should have listened to her inner doubts. I really wanted to like this book much more than I did, but I felt the characters were just flat and Lois really didn't show as much growth as I would have hoped. And it was pretty evident that Greer was a bad apple. I was given an ARCby Netgalley for my honest review, all opinions are my own.

Two and half stars rounded up. The only word to describe this book is boring. Lois is an incredibly flat and uninteresting character, and Greer is so predictable it’s almost comical. What could have been an atmospheric and compelling character story in the vein of ‘Eileen’ (a better version of what this wanted to be) fell incredibly flat. Don’t let the chic cover fool you.

(Thanks to @flatiron_books and @macmillan.audio #gifted.) 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗗𝗜𝗩𝗢𝗥𝗖𝗘𝗘𝗦 by debut author Rowan Beaird follows Lois, a woman in her mid-twenties, who finds herself at a marital crossroads. She knows she can’t stay in a marriage where she’s deeply unhappy, but it’s 1951 and great shame is still widely attached to divorced women and getting a divorce can itself be difficult. Moving from the controlling rigor of her marriage to her father’s equally soul crushing expectations, Lois is shipped to Reno, NV and one of the many divorce ranches that had become a cottage industry there. After living in the state for six weeks, a divorce could easily be granted. During that time, Lois meets other women in similar positions, becoming close to some and learning lessons from others.⁣
⁣
While the overall story was not entirely surprising, I really liked the setting as I know this area all too well. Over the years, many relatives migrated from the Bay Area to Northern Nevada, including my own mother when I was in college. (Thank goodness I missed out on that!) It was fun hearing about Reno in its more glamorous days. I also enjoyed the Nevada divorce connection which again relates to my mom. In the mid-60’s she found herself in need of a divorce, but at that time they still weren’t easy to get…except in NV. Mom left our stepdad, called in my grandparents to mind us kids, and took herself to Nevada for a “quickie” divorce. She wasn’t living on a glamorous ranch when we visited, but in short order she had that divorce!⁣
⁣
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘋𝘪𝘷𝘰𝘳𝘤é𝘦𝘴 audiobook was narrated by Bailey Carr who is new to me, and a narrator I’d be happy to hear again. That, combined with the personal connections made this a story that wasn’t perfect, but that worked well for me. If you’re looking for some light summer listening, consider this one. If you happen to be a Nevada history buff, definitely go for it! ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75 (rounded up)

The Divorcees by Rowan BairdThis is what I did today in the car-besides eating lots of snacks- I finished this book!
The idea of it really intrigued me- women in the 50s had to go to Nevada to get a divorce and had to become a resident. So in order for them to be there for 6 weeks "ranches" were set up where they could stay. If you had money you could stay at places like Rita's Golden Yarrow where you had a pool, great meals and transportation to the night life. Here we meet Lois who has been sent by her father. Lois had been married for 4 years and realized her life was getting smaller and smaller. So she got her father to agree that she could divorce Lawrence and thus was sent to the Golden Yarrow.
This character driven novel is Rowan Beaird's first novel and I can't wait for more. AND - I'm saying it again- this needs to be a movie!!!
@reesesbookclub @reesewitherspoon It publishes March 19,2024 from @flatiron_books. Thank you @netgalley for an early copy!!
...

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. This was a fictional fiction book that takes place in 1950. It follows a woman who has decided that she doesn't want child but wants a divorce from her husband. But at that time they were hard to get.

Jesus Christ this book is so boring.
I'm giving up at the halfway point. The characters are bland, there's no plot, nothing is happening. There better be a murder or something in the second half to make this worthwhile.

3/5 - A fascinating read. I’d never heard of divorcee ranches until I read this and was super intrigued by the topic and time period. I thought the concept and a lot of the big themes like friendship, independence, self worth and trusting your gut were well addressed and the writing was fabulous - descriptive and nuanced and artful. That being said, I didn’t find any of the characters to be particularly likable - some were insufferable and some simply frustrating - so overall this story stressed me out more than anything. It also is very much NOT a light read (topically, like oh to be a woman during that time, woof), so maybe the vibes were off for me at this point in my life. If you like a moody book with history and some deepness and darkness, you’d probably vibe with it!

Thank you to @netgalley, Flatiron and Rowan Beaird for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. Out now!

These types of ranches are something I've read very little about and Beaird had me at the edge of my seat despite this not being a plot driven novel. I was fascinated by the world created and didn't want to leave. Highly recommend!

Of historical value, this startling debut novel reflects the life of women who came to Nevada in the 1950s for a six week stay primarily at various ranches set up to accommodate the women in order to be granted a divorce. It shares the responsibilities of the hostess who has to validate the fact that each person was present for the entire six weeks. While it seemed to drag as a storyline at times, suddenly there are events that shake you out of your sleepy reading whether it’s the description of the barren dry land within a glimpse of a beautiful vista; a repetition of an evening starting with cocktail hour at the ranch and then continuing the long night at a bar or a casino. The occupants are a study in themselves with the despair along with hopes and dreams of the future. Two gals are the primary characters with such a story to be told. Thanks to Flatiron Books and NetGalley for an advance copy; the review is my honest opinion.