3/5 stars

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the advanced listening copy!

SYNOPSIS -- It's 1951 and Lois Saunders is headed to the only place where she can get a divorce: Reno, Nevada. At the Golden Yarrow Ranch, women travel from far and wide to establish their six weeks' residency needed to maintain a divorce in Nevada. Lois has a tough time acclimating at first, until Greer Lang arrives and knocks everything out of equilibrium. Greer's mysterious and glamourous demeanor, coupled with her instant taking to Lois changes the dynamic at the ranch immensely. All of the girls start to push their own limits under Greer's watchful eye and fierce encouragement. Can Lois become truly independent before her six weeks are up?

This book was much different from anything I typically go for, and I enjoyed it! It was fast-paced and, while definitely historical fiction, there was some action and mystery sprinkled throughout. The 50's are such a fascinating time, especially when considering the wild rules against women, and learning about the culture around divorce was so enticing. I would have been disappointed had this book ended before the time jump; I think that epilogue tied everything together so nicely and left me both comforted and satisfied. Lois was, at times, frustrating to listen to, and I'm not sure how much of that was her specifically, or the period of time in general. Overall, I enjoyed this book and am glad that I tried something different.

The Divorcees, by Rowan Beaird, narrated by Bailey Carr, is a thoroughly enjoyable listen. I'd heard of the "divorce ranches" of the 50s but this was the first book I read set at one. I love stories about female friendship, and Lois & Greed didn't disappoint. And the other women at The Golden Yarrow were fascinating, too. Beaird is a talented author and Bailey was a perfect narrator., Highly recommend!!

I’m always seeking out historical fiction from the 1950s and up because my heart can only take so much aching and breaking from all of the war stories out there. I’m betting that at least 75% of the historical fiction I read is set during WWII, so it’s always refreshing to find something from a different time period. It’s for this reason alone that The Divorcées by Rowan Beaird appealed to me so much. Have you ever heard of a divorce ranch before? Say what!? Prior to reading this novel, I had no idea that such places existed. These ranches attracted wealthy women who were looking for a quickie divorce, and were required to stay for a six week residency, as ordered by the state. They lived a life of luxury at the ranch and spent their days horseback riding, swimming, and relaxing. At night, they let their hair down at the casinos, gambling and drinking. This is where things get very entertaining in the novel. If you’re looking for drama and scandal, this one has plenty of it. The nightlife is full of small crimes, sex, alcohol, bad behavior, and cattiness from the women. This novel also explores a complex female friendship, which I appreciated. Sadly, I didn’t connect to this story as much as I’d hoped. I absolutely loved the unique premise, but things moved very slowly, and felt drawn out. Also, I found the last 25% of the novel very underwhelming. My biggest complaint would have to be about the characters. They simply fell flat, showed very little growth, and weren’t particularly likable. However, I did appreciate the information and insight received by reading this novel. My eyes were opened wide to this time in our history that I was unfamiliar with. The Divorcées is out now, and it gets 3.5/5 stars from me!

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ARC Copy!

This book follows the lives of women who are sent to basically a divorce camp to bide their time until the 6 week separation requirement is met to finalize their divorce. There are a lot of different personalities and stages of grief over their marriages amongst the women who are staying at the ranch.

The FMC is immediately drawn to the mysterious and confidant new arrival to the ranch and finds herself in an unlikely and tumultuous friendship that turns into a plan for a heist and an escape from under the fingers of the men who have controlled their lives.

The story does drag a bit in places but all in all it was a good read and I enjoyed listing to the audio.

The narrator Bailey Carr, did a very good job narrating this book. Bailey used lots of inflection in her voice to differentiate between people as she was narrating the story. Lois was sent to a women’s divorce ranch for six weeks as she was waiting for her divorce to process. At this time she met several other females who were at the same ranch. Also waiting for their divorces. This is set in 1951 outside of Reno Nevada. Lois ends up becoming good friends with another woman named Greer she met at the ranch and they had formed a friendship that Lois always craved but never had. The book ending left me with a few questions about some things that were not clear to me. It’s very interesting to listen to the story of how different woman’s lives were in the 1950s and how much they had to be dependent on a male for almost everything. This book was a fast read and I forward to the authors next book.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. This was a slow moving historical fiction about a women, Lois, who doesn't want children and wants to divorce her husband. But in 1950's divorces were hard to get and not easy. This is pretty much the story of her trying to get one that I felt dragged.

I devoured this book in a single day. For the longest time I was ready to kick ass and reestablish all of my own dreams… then everything flipped & the last 25% of the book my mouth was in a constant state of just hanging open! I could feel the pain Lois was enduring throughout the book… her shock at the deception she had been put through on so many occasions. I loved the ending; she was where she needed to be, thriving with what she had, but never forgetting the one who shaped her. Also… were they ‘just friends?’ This read is thick with highs - backstabbing - salacious - gambling - a French 75 or two - & women making a name for themselves.

*** Thank you NetGalley for providing this audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was completely interested with this book once I read the synopsis. I love the cover too. I enjoy the concept and slice of life Americana of the 1950’s - women wanting to divorce they must stay a ranch for six weeks.

The relationship between the women was interesting but also somewhat catty. Gossip and judgment. Add random men trying to temp them.

This book is a slow burn. And there is a lot of subplots. Maybe too many or too slow, is what disconnected me from the book.

A bit slow paced, but an interesting look at a time in history (divorce ranches) I'm not very familiar with. For the first half, I wasn't sure where the story was going and thought a few characters lacked development, but found the ending satisfying. Loved the women's dynamics. One scene that stood out to me as odd was the rabbit hunting :/. But it was well-written and interesting enough that I may check out this author's next book.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC of the audiobook.
The reader does a great job!
Very timely as the history of divorce is a popular topic. Set in Reno, the ladies stay at the ranch while waiting for their divorce.
Many women dealing with sad backstories. We learn about their reasons for coming to Reno. One woman seems to stand above the others with her confidence, but should she be trusted? This one will make you realize that sometimes you can only trust yourself and those instincts are right!

It is the story of a woman in the 1950s who goes to a “divorce ranch” in Nevada. Yup. Because there were no rights to a no-fault divorce, women went to these ranches for 6 weeks to gain fake Nevada residency so they could file for a no-fault divorce. The book tells the story of such a place and a woman who gets pulled into the world of a mysterious fellow guest. This book really had me hooked. It was a slow burn and I loved how the historical parts were woven into the intrigue and the mystery. It really hit home how women had to rights and it was not that long ago. I loved learning something new, especially in a suspenseful and fascinating kind of context.

A quick read with a great storyline about women running to Nevada to get legally divorced. It's a snapshot of the lengths women would have to go to separate from situations that weren't good.

Thank you to Netgalley for an early reading of this audiobook.

This book was a little slow for me, but u did enjoy the historical aspect of the time frame it takes place in. I learned some interesting facts about woman getting divorced and what they had to go through. I give it 3 stars because even though most of the book followed one direction in plot, the ending threw me for a loop and I felt didn't make a lot of sense with the rest of the book.

** spoiler alert ** Thank you, NetGalley, for an advanced audio copy in exchange for my honest review.

This one was really difficult to get into. Maybe if I had read it, the first half of the book would have been a bit more tolerable. Listening to it was not easy. The narrator is lovely and did a great job, but the material, at times, could not be salvaged.

What I liked:
- we get to see the divorce ranches in Reno circa 1950s, a real part of history that I was not aware of. It was sometimes the only way for women to divorce their husbands at the time. Loved the spotlight on all that.
- most of the book's characters are women, and we see a lot of different dynamics.
- the last 20% or so of the book finally picks up the pace, and we get a bit of a resolution for all the characters (was I satisfied? Not completely. But I was glad it was over.)
- the descriptions are nice for the most part, and the book is decently written. There were a few specific descriptions of Lois being uncomfortable in her body or in a particular situation, which I found very realistic and well done.

What baffled me:
- the book trudges on for many, many pages without much going on. The ladies have breakfast, they ride horses on local trails, they have dinner, and they go out to a local bar. Lois is not invited at first, which seems as much on her as on the others, and then, at some point, she joins the group. One night, they decide to go to the casino. Big twist.
- the ranch dynamics could be so much more interesting if we got to see more of the stories of the other women. We get glimpses here and there, but not nearly enough to distinguish the women or make us care about them. We only know the story from Luis's point of view, and she is just not a fascinating character.
- Lois had so much almost erotic longing for Greer, yet nothing ever comes out of it. I am not saying I was hoping for a romance, but a conclusion of sorts or examination of it would have been nice.
- there were a few particularly disturbing moments that I had trouble connecting to: the hunting episode where everyone just cheerfully kills rabbits, and we get a nice detail about one of the animals being blown to pieces; Lois watching another woman have sex with a man at the casino - and not walking away sooner; Lois spitting in the face of the reporter who was rude to the women at the bar; Lois climbing up the wall to kiss a bleached scull of the animal at the bar.
- the whole dynamic with Greer was really messed up, and it was painful to listen to some of the moments. Yet we don't really get her story and never learn why she did what she did. (beyond the greed/survival)

Honestly, if this was not an ARC, I would have probably gave up half way.

I love historical fiction, and the 1950s is one of my favorite American decades to consume content about, but I feel like the characters lack development for me. I wish I loved it more, but I just don't. 3 star read for me personally, would've loved to see the friendships developed more.

I love everything about this book, including the cover. This is a fantastic debut about a piece of history I knew absolutely nothing about, a divorce ranch.

I am already waiting for her next book.

The audio book was so well done and I think it made it even better

The Divorcées is an enlightening read about women defying societal norms and seeking empowerment for what they believe in.

Before being introduced to this book, I didn’t know about the divorce ranch business. They’re no longer in operation but prior to the 1960s, they were residences for women (primarily) who could not get a divorce in their home state or were faced with other obstacles preventing them from obtaining a divorce. Those seeking to end their marriages, moved to Nevada for the minimum residency requirement of six weeks. Once they satisfied this condition, they would then file for divorce in Nevada.

In the Divorcées, women from affluent backgrounds, rotated throughout the Golden Yarrow Ranch. They befriended one another by spending time at the casinos and the pool. The main character, Lois, was from a wealthy family in the suburbs of Chicago. She checked into the ranch because she didn’t want to be married any longer but since divorce was considered taboo, this was her chance to be independent. I enjoyed watching Lois make relationships with like-minded women and I appreciated her seeking self-discovery and personal growth. The storyline had some exciting moments and I loved the addition of the Greer, a new resident who appeared to be reserved yet edgy. This was a great debut featuring a piece of history that I was unfamiliar with.

This book was boring. A novel about women needing a divorce going to a ranch in Nevada. The ranch provided a quick divorce to wealthy women after 6 weeks.

The Divorcees is a tale about one of the divorce farms in Reno that were popular in the 40's and 50's for quick divorces. For the first time in their lives, these women are largely unsupervised and away from the control of their husbands and fathers.

The women at the ranch get to know one another, make plans for their future, and create their own support system. It's an interesting insight into what women (there are no men in Reno waiting for a divorce) endured to obtain their freedom back in the era when they couldn't even open their own bank accounts.

Great audio narration.

I loved this narrator! The plot was good and the characters were likable but the ending was a little disappointing for me. The narrator’s voice is excellent for this book. She did an exceptional job!