This is an interesting debut that showcases how a woman could get a divorce in the early 1950’s without a lot of problems. A woman could go to divorce ranches in Reno, Nevada for a 6 week stay and leave single. The author introduces us to various women and their personalities as they live and wait out their stay. We see their growth as they come to terms with their independence. When Lois meets Greer her whole world changes for both the good and the bad. The good news is she examines her life and what she wants and needs for her future. #TheDivorcees #RowanBeaird #NetGalley

I was intrigued by the concept of this book, and I wasn’t disappointed. I found it interesting to learn about that time period.

I think this is a very interesting concept for a book. Having ranches where women can go to get a mess free divorce is such a concept that I never knew existed. Knowing that women had access to these types of options though was so much fun to learn about. I really wanted to enjoy this story. I love how Greer really challenged Lois to get outside of her comfort zone and showed her that always being the good girl wasn’t necessary. Yet the relationship was very unhealthy, and I am kind of glad it ended the way it did. However, I do feel bad that Lois was put in the position that she was. Yet if she had never met Greer she would not have been able to figure out how to function on her own. So, I appreciate Lois’s character development throughout the book. The book itself though was incredibly slow and I guess I was hoping for a bit more from it.
Thank you to Flatiron Books and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this book.

Lois Saunders is an only child whose mother has died and she lives with her father, who doesn't seem to have much interest in her, and the housekeeper, who seems to be the only one who cares about her. She thinks marrying this man who is a little older will solver her loneliness problem, but she feels worse. In 1951, the only escape she sees is divorce and her father sends her to a "divorce ranch" in Nevada, the state with "quickie divorces" in only 6 weeks on the ranch.

I went into this book pretty blind and I would sure recommend not reading a lot about it. I was reading and wondering where this story was going and getting more invested in these women and their lives at the ranch. It wasn't until about 2/3 or 3/4 in that it got really interesting, and that is all I'll say!

This is a debut author and I did enjoy this story and love the cover which all has meaning in the book.

My thanks to Net Galley and Flat Iron Books for an advanced copy of this e-book.

I love an original setting and this novel gave me that! Lois goes to a divorce ranch in the 1950s near Reno. She must stay there for 6 weeks so she can get her divorce. She has always struggled with fitting in with others and she continues to find it difficult to make connections with the other women at the ranch. This begins to change with the arrival of Greer who begins to include Lois in the casino and bar visits. I was surprised with the path the story took. I really expected to read about snobby women with too much money but that was not what this book was about.

These women all had different stories but all shared the stigma of divorce. The novel included an interested cast of characters. At times I had trouble connecting with Lois but one got to hear her inner thoughts. Thank you net galley for the chance to review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher. This was an interesting read, although is did slightly fall flat for me.

I had to DNF. I was incredibly intrigued by the blurb and the unknown slice of history this was about but, honestly, it was drab and boring. Since it was an ARC, i tried pushing through and skimming it, but it just isn’t the book for me. I found Lois about as interesting as wallpaper and the storyline moved too slowly.

I think I would’ve enjoyed it more if it had been a multiple POV of all the women at the divorce ranch and their backstories.

I loved the premise of this book. The setting - a Reno, Nevada divorce ranch - were the first thing that hooked me. I also really enjoy historical fiction when it isn’t the “usual” timeframe (WW2, I’m looking at you). This book follows the six weeks that Lois spends at Golden Yarrow Ranch. Lois makes a fast friend once Greer arrives and the book follows their (mis)adventures. I don’t know that this book is one that’s going to stick with me, but I enjoyed it enough to finish it.

Lois Saunders is in a loveless marriage, but in the 1950s, unhappiness isn't grounds for divorce....except in Reno, Nevada. She finds herself at Golden Yarrow ("divorce ranch") where she is for the six weeks that is the only requirement for divorce. When Greer Lang arrives, her world is shattered. She begins to push against previous limitations. But how much can she really trust him?

This book initially intrigued me because I love strong, independent women who live life on their terms, despite societal expectations. Lois Saunders heads to a divorce ranch in Reno, NV for a six week residency, for which is the state’s only divorce requirement. Louis leaves her loveless marriage, joining other affluent women who are seeking a divorce.

I felt like the first half was really fast paced, as you’re trying to figure out what is going to become of each woman at the ranch. I was hoping there might be deep connections, friendships, growth and self exploration outside of marriage for these women. However, I felt like this is the area where the book was lacking— I wanted to really understand who they are and what went wrong in their marriages, and who they will become as a divorcee.

Greer’s character was a fun addition to the book, and kept me wanting to read, but I felt like this book tried too hard to be too many things. Without giving away the ending, this book ended up feeling like a historical fiction book that wanted to be a mystery, but I think I would have enjoyed it more if the last 30% played out a little differently.

This character-driven novel takes place in the 1950s in Reno, Nevada. It also has a compelling plot, which you don't see coming until the last third of the book. For a debut book, it is very well written and reveals all kinds of personality traits of the women living on a divorce ranch called the Golden Yarrow. In the 1950s divorces were very uncommon and even harder to get. So the state of Nevada came up with the clever idea that women who wanted out of the marriage could live at one of these ranched for 6 weeks, thereby establishing residency, then they went to court and were divorced, at least most of the time.

The divorce ranch part of the story is true, but the characters were created by the author and a fine band of gals they were. They liked drinking and going out at night.

Some became friends while others didn't speak. I think readers of historical fiction will find this a very good read. And be blown away by the ending.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of The Divorcées.

Unfortunately this one was a miss for me. We follow Lois throughout the entirety of the story, who I didn’t find likable or interesting, so I had a hard time caring about her story. At about 80% into the book I was beginning to get intrigued in the storyline (which is way too far in to finally get interesting) but it quickly faded into a missed opportunity for a big finish and ended on a low note. I think the author forgot to tie the story together and give us a good reason for reading. I would skip this one.

I was intrigued by the premise of this historical fiction. Set in the early 1950s, a woman goes to a Reno “divorce ranch” to live for 6 weeks and establish residency in order to obtain a divorce that wouldn’t be granted anywhere else in the country at that time. Sounds like a great set up, right? Sadly, it wasn’t what I was hoping for. A house full of women on the brink of a new life should, to me, be packed with well developed characters with interesting back stories and some personal growth and bonding. I struggled to keep the women straight, though, and was frustrated by the stagnation of the characters and the slow pace of the plot. It may just not have been the author’s intent to create an uplifting story like I was in the mood for, and that’s fair, but in the end it felt like she reconsidered and tacked one on. There was a “flash forward” that bypassed the opportunity for some fun confrontation between the protagonist and her controlling father, but it did serve to show some evidence of growth and a sort of happy ending. It felt disjointed, though, like I was suddenly reading an entirely different book. All in all, I think this is a book with potential that just missed the mark for me.

A fun read about the Reno Nevada divorce ranches of the 1950s, where women and celebrities stayed for 6 weeks each to establish residency and qualify to legally end their marriages. Lots of exploits from women who are suddenly free of the negative pressures of marriage, all from the perspective of a sheltered Chicago woman-child who feels suffocated in her loveless marriage. Great premise for a novel. Thank you to Flatiron Books and NetGalley for the Advance Reader Copy.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

The publisher’s blurb of The Divorceés sounded exciting and intriguing. It was giving me The Women vibes and I was here for it!

This novel is, in one word, boring. Lois is boring and she is the cardboard cutout for a one dimensional character. The main character displays either ennui or melancholy over her mother’s death. (The word “mother” is used 173 times in a 272 page book.)

There were a lot of characters without distinction. The standouts were the ranch owner and Greer. This is where the book gives off strong vibes of The Price of Salt (Carol) by Patricia Highsmith. The author seems to mesh this with Thelma & Louise as well.

The writing was mediocre. Using introductory sentences for every single line of a paragraph made felt as if they were to reach a word count instead of advancing the storyline.

If I didn’t have an ARC I would have DNF’d this book at the mention of radiation used as a cancer treatment at the “gasp end” of the war (WWII mind you). When I read historical fiction I don’t expect to encounter anachronisms that are easily researched in the very beginning of the novel. Radiation therapy wasn’t used on malignant tumors until the 50’s.

The actual sentence had no bearing on the story. Yes it described the end of her mother’s life but it didn’t actually provide us with any depth or understanding of how Lois felt. Her character development was nil at best.

There were no friendships. Just cattiness. The crimes involved were not compelling and their result predictable.

This story has potential. It would be much more fun to see Lois break out from her shell and overcome her sadness and ennui.

I first want to thank NetGalley and Flatiron books for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book ahead of its publication date. My review consists of my personal opinions and thoughts and is in no way influenced by anyone else.

This is a debut novel by Rowen Beaird. I always try to cut debut novels a little slack because I feel like authors always get better with time and very few debut novels are 5 star reads. This one is definitely not the exception to that rule. I wanted to give this one 3 stars because I felt bad giving a debut novel less than that. But…this one hit all of my criteria for a 2 star read so I have to give it what is fair.

I had such high hopes for this book. I loved the premise...a 1950’s divorce ranch in Reno sounds like Leave it to Beaver meets Girls gone Wild. It was Not. There was not one exciting moment in this whole book. I, honest to God, could not tell you anything about this book. Not a single thing is memorable other than that it was so boring that I wanted to DNF it about every 3 chapters; however, I received the ARC and felt it was my due diligence to at least see it through and give it a review. This story was so slow until the last 5 chapters and then it was like a rush to the finish. There are so many unnecessary details that for the last half of the book I found myself skimming everything that wasn't a conversation. By the time I got to 50%, I was just done. I was ready for the story to be over. I needed something exciting to happen. It didn’t. There was absolutely nothing to keep me turning the pages except thinking that there surely has to be a huge, "What?!?" moment. I was severely disappointed. This 272 page book felt 3 times that long.

As for the characters, they were awful. I really did not like these characters. They were all so shallow and unlikeable. For me, a large part of a story's success is the connection between the reader and the characters. I don't feel like I got that with this book. I really thought I was going to like Greer but she was an instigator and a manipulator. She exploited the weaker characters simply for her own pleasure. She teased them and challenged them in unhealthy ways for her own amusement. She was essentially a narcissist. And Lois...I wanted to shake her. She was spineless. I swear she didn't have an original thought in her head. She was a grown woman with the emotional intelligence of a 16 year old. But worse…at no point did I ever feel like I really knew these characters.

I hate to bash a debut novel because I can only imagine how hard it is to produce such a thing and I know that an incredible amount of work must have gone into this book. This one just wasn’t for me. I wouldn’t discourage anyone who wants to read it but it would be highly unlikely that I would recommend it. I will be lucky if I even remember it tomorrow.

Rowan Beaird's The Divorcées allows a glimpse into the lives of wealthy women seeking to end their marriages in the Divorce Capital of the World: Reno. I loved how even though the book isn't written in the first person, we are still seeing the world through Lois' eyes. The things we learn about other characters, we only know because Lois has learned them. Beaird manages to capture the complexities of female friendship. She shows the way an enigmatic woman can become a kind of magnet - pulling some people tightly into her orbit while repelling others. This is a fascinating moment in time, worthy of getting some of that historical fiction attention so often focused on WWII.

Before I get into it, I want to say thank you to NetGalley, Rowan and FlatIron books for an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I had a hard time with this book and here's why:

The Plot:
The way it was described, I thought this book would be about a group of divorcees having a cray time at this ranch and we would get to see the shenanigans they get into, while discovering themselves and planning for their futures. MAYBE we got that, but I didn't... I thought this plot could have been so good and entertaining and it just didn't hold my attention and was very slow to get into. I was waiting for some crazy plot twist to happen and it just never came. I didn't get the climax I expected or wanted. and maybe that's my fault for having false hopes lol!

The Characters: (first, I wish the book would've been from Lois' perspective) There were so many ladies and Greer was the only one who stood out! I can't tell you anything about any of the other women. I think one of the women could've been given a crazier story that really grasped readers attention.

My two stars are coming from the fact that I genuinely did like Rowans writing (just thought it was a bit boring for my taste, but I love dark romances and thrillers haha). I think this would be a great book for a bookclub who enjoys historical fiction or need a pallet cleanser for a cute easy read. That's how I describe this book, a simple easy read.

I'd love to read more by Rowan and compare, but unfortunately I wasn't in the right headspace to get into/enjoy this book.

⭐️⭐️From the publisher Flatiron Books: Lois Saunders thought that marrying the right man would finally cure her loneliness. But as picture-perfect as her husband is, she is suffocating in their loveless marriage. In 1951, though, unhappiness is hardly grounds for divorce—except in Reno, Nevada.

At the Golden Yarrow, the most respectable of Reno’s famous “divorce ranches,” Lois finds herself living with half a dozen other would-be divorcees, all in Reno for the six weeks’ residency that is the state’s only divorce requirement. But it isn’t until Greer Lang arrives that Lois’s world truly cracks open. Gorgeous, beguiling, and completely indifferent to societal convention, Greer is unlike anyone Lois has ever met—and she sees something in Lois that no one else ever has. Under her influence, Lois begins to push against the limits that have always restrained her. How far will she go to forge her independence, on her own terms?
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My review: This book had a super slow build up. I keep reading, waiting for the big reveal about Lois. When Greer shows up I figured, “Yes! Here we go.” But not much happened, except the idea that Greer was different. And even by the end the book was just a portrait of women in the 1940-50's. Women who had few choices. I waited for a big lesson or some huge growth for Lois or Greer, or even Mary Elizabeth...but they just dredged onward.

An interesting book if you'd like to know more about women and bad marriages in the 1950's but I found it pretty slow.

⭐️⭐️ Thank you to Flatiron Books and NetGalley for an advance digital copy in exchange for my review.

Rowan Beaird's The Divorcees captures a specific and forgotten moment in time where women were able to find a way to get legally divorced from their husbands. In 1951, Lois heads to the Golden Yarrow, one of Reno's "divorce ranches," to get a divorce from her husband. While timid and unsure of herself, Lois begins to find out who she is and what she wants out of life when Greer arrives at the ranch. Greer begins to show Lois and the other women what a liberated woman could be much to the chagrin of the owners of the ranch. As the pace quickens and the tension rises, Lois prepares to ultimately free herself from the power of the men in her life. Beaird's character development and ability to set up these women as more than elements of their husbands and fathers grabs the reader from the jump.