Very nearly a DNF for me; the plot pacing is just unfortunate--much too slow--and while the divorce ranch concept is interesting and worth learning more about, and the author's descriptions of characters and places are quite well-done, the overall plot drags, Greer is annoying, and the Thelma and Louise vibe wears thin quite early on.

"The Divorcees" by Rowan Beaird is an interesting read with well-developed characters and an engaging storyline. However, at times, the pacing feels a bit slow, and some plot points could have been more fleshed out. Overall, it's worth a read!

Welcome to Reno in the 1950’s at a divorce ranch. A place that houses the women waiting out their 6 weeks of the required residency rule in order to obtain a divorce.
Narrated by the consistently sweet voiced Bailey Carr. We get an inside look to the pressures that women faced in those years and are reminded of how much things have changed for the better. We also see how two people in the same circumstances can cope so differently and use one another for their own gain.
Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for granting me the opportunity to listen to this great audiobook .
#NetGalley #Goodreads ##MacmillanAudio

It's 1951. Lois feels trapped in a marriage she never should have entered into. Unfortunately for her, you can't just leave your husband because you're unhappy, unless you live in Reno. Lois checks herself into a divorce ranch, a temporary home for unhappy women to give them a way out of their marriages. Amongst the women she is introduced to Greer, a mysterious newcomer who pushed Lois to be the person she always dreamed of being. Only, is this the person she's always wanted to be?

The vibe of this book is totally Thelma and Louise. Two women on the outskirts of society who ban together to make the life for themselves that they've always dreamed of. My only issue with this story is that it took so long to get to the meat of the story. All in all, I thought the story was interesting and unique.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this audiobook!

This debut novel about a Chicago woman seeking a divorce in Reno in the 1950s is the slowest of slow burns. The characters are compelling, although I HATED the vulnerability of Lois and the snarky know-it-all attitude of Greer. I know their personalities are what drive the story, but I found both of them to be annoying.

The storytelling through certain swaths was just downright boring, to the point that I wanted to DNF this book a few times. But Beaird does have a style of writing that brought the settings to life in a way that many writers can't for me, and Bailey Carr's narration of the audiobook gave the scenes a needed layer of richness.

I was really intrigued but not at all surprised at the turn of events that occurs before Lois finalizes her divorce. I wanted to grab her by the shoulders and shake her for being so ridiculous. But her character development is interesting.

I was ready to maybe rate this 3.5 stars, but the ending was a huge yawn that I'm sure was meant to be symbolic or metaphorical. Whatever.

Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres and I had high hopes for this book. I was fascinated to learn about “divorce ranches” as I had never heard of such a thing. While this was a part of the story, Lois’s relationship with Greer was the main focus. I ended up going back and forth between kindle and audiobook, hoping that one of the versions would entertain me more. I felt like the storyline went nowhere and it was almost a DNF for me.

Thank you @netgalley and @flatiron_books for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review!

So much potential with this one but it fell flat for me in the end. I really enjoyed learning more about “divorce camps” in the 1950s but the story itself was so compelling only to just leave the reader/listener with what felt like no resolution.

In the 1950s, if a woman wanted a divorce she had to go to Reno, Nevada. Divorce ranches allowed women to live on the premises for a minimum of 6 weeks, establish residency, and then be eligible for divorce. Lois is divorcing her older, controlling husband, and by moving to Nevada, escaping her overbearing father.

At the Golden Yarrow, she and a handful of other women wait out their time. When Greer shows up in the middle of the night with bruises on her face, the women all speculate as to who she is and what may have happened to her. The novel explores the stigma of divorce in that time period, especially the limited options women had post-divorce.

The story took a long time to get going, especially since the prologue sets us up for suspense. The dynamic between the women was interesting, and the twist was a good one. But frankly, the ending lost me.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve never read a book that so effectively transports me to a totally unexpected time and place, this ranch in the desert populated by would be divorcees. Its descriptions were beautiful, characters memorable and prose vivid. I felt for Lois and was rooting for her ability to find a new life.

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 Divorcées follows Lois to Reno, Nevada in 1951, where she's staying at a divorce ranch, until she can divorce her husband and leave her loveless marriage. Lois has a hard time connecting to other people, always wearing the wrong clothes or talking too much about movies. She feels the same way at the Golden Yarrow amongst her fellow divorcées until Greer shows up. Greer is beautiful and mysterious, with a bruise on her cheek and a secret past. She pulls Lois into the limelight, taking her and the girls out to bars and casinos, challenging the women to dares and always pushing the limits. The writing of this book was really beautiful with a lot of internal dialogue and metaphors. It started out a bit slow, but the pace really picked up in the middle and towards the end. The narrator did a good job, although there were some snippets of audio that were obviously recorded at a different time. This will definitely appeal to readers of historical fiction and women's fiction.

I really wanted to like this book, and the author and audiobook narrator had my rapt attention at first. I didn't know anything about the historical divorce ranches and appreciated stepping in to that world. But about a third of the way in, I realized I didn't much care about any of the characters, and it didn't seem like anything was happening. I ended up setting it down.

Because I was so captivated by the first third, I will be picking this book up in hard copy and trying it again. I"ll also give the author another try for the same reason.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free audio copy for review.

I had a hard time getting through this one. I thought the plot seemed really interesting but I felt the story just dragged on with very little drama or entertainment. There were quite a few characters to keep track of as well and they didnt have very distinct personalities so it was a bit tough. I really wanted to love this because I love a female empowerment centered plot, but it just left a lot to be desired. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

My first audiobook narrated by Bailey Carr and first book by Rowan Beaird. I was drawn into the description of the "divorce ranches" in Reno, where you have to reside for 6 weeks to qualify for a divorce in 1951. The whole story was fascinating to me. It was a slow build. I did enjoy how Greer befriends Lois and we have to stick around to find out why Greer really wants a divorce from her own marriage. Interesting setting, the narrator does a great job creating the atmosphere and all the different characters. Really enjoyed listening!

"**The Divorcées**" by Rowan Beaird is a historical novel set in 1950s America. It follows Lois Saunders at a Reno divorce ranch, capturing the era's spirit and women's quest for independence. The narrative, rich in period detail, sometimes slows due to extensive character introspection. Lois's relatable struggle and Greer Lang's mysterious past add depth. Despite occasional pacing issues, the novel offers a genuine look at women challenging societal norms. Beaird's debut is commendable for its authenticity and character exploration, earning three stars for its historical insight and portrayal of women's liberation.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the ALC to review!

I forget how hard it was for women to get a divorce not that long ago when their husbands were awful human beings. This historical fiction novel is about Lois, a woman who goes to stay six weeks on a divorce ranch in Nevada in order to establish residency and end her marriage to a controlling husband. A fascinating story, especially when a lot of the women are figuring out how to start over, as most are not getting much out of the divorce, but they are forming friendships and then in comes Greer Lang, a mysterious enigma that gets special treatment. She gets close with Lois and her world is further turned upside down, as Lois thinks this is the friend she has been needing all her life.

This was a fascinating read that took a turn I was not expecting but really enjoyed. It was a focused look into these divorce ranches, specifically Golden Yarrow, one of the more affluent, respectable ranches in Nevada, and how far we have come in what is really a short period of time. The audio was great, I really enjoyed Bailey Carr and her narration of this book.

I had never heard about the Nevada divorce ranches of the 50’s prior to reading this novel. I was intrigued! I mostly enjoyed listening to this audiobook, although it was definitely a bit slow at times. This book gave an interesting view into the lives of a group of wealthy white women that were all trying to get an easy “out” from their marriages for different reasons. The last quarter of the book is when it finally picked up for me. If I could give 1/2 stars, this one would be 3.5 for me. Not the most exciting book, but worth the listen.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

I really wanted to like this audiobook, but I found it to be a bit boring. None of the characters were particularly gripping, even Greer, who is meant to be the mysterious newcomer.

I do think the concept of a divorce ranch is very interesting and I know the author did her research in that capacity. While the narration was fine, it couldn’t save the book itself.

Thanks to Macmillan Audio for the ALC!

The description of this book was more exciting than the actual novel. It was slow and boring. There was so much potential for the main character, Lois, who claimed she wanted independence from the men in her life, but then she cared way too much about what the other girls at the ranch thought about her. The internal conflict of people pleasing went on way too long.

I found this book very meh. A bit of a coming of age story that felt like it was supposed to have more intrigue than it actually did. I never was able to care much about Lois. It felt like the story of the ranch owner and staff would have been more interesting.