A wonderful story with struggles that seem to come from every direction. Gia has so many issues, it seems going home may not be the best choice. But, it’s the choice she must make. Margot seems to be struggling with things as well. With each turn of the page you will be drawn in and fall in love with these characters.

I couldn’t put this book down and finished it in a day! The story flowed beautifully and kept me hooked. The characters, especially Gia & Cormac, were compelling, and the plot struck a perfect balance of intrigue and emotion. The way it tackled important themes made it even more impactful. Highly recommend!

Books should not be banned, and making them banned makes me want to read them even more. When I heard about this book, I knew I had to read it, and I’m so glad I did! I loved it!

There were so many facets to this book. Gia,the headstrong teen girl who left her hometown after scandal is called back to care for her terminal mother. Margot, her sister has her own reasons as to why she wants her there. With the town taking opposing sides to the truth Gia has never stayed for more than a few days. With time on her hands she must face her demons and clear her name unwillingly. She wants you to keep the past in the past. Forgiveness has a way of opening eyes and hearts. There’s so much to this story that could cause trigger warnings to some but I thought the subjects were handled beautifully and added to the story. Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this free advanced copy. I am voluntarily leaving this review

Novak’s latest takes on series subjects, including domestic violence and sexual abuse, which will not be for everyone (take the content warning seriously). This is a heartwarming story about facing your past and moving forward into your own future.

This book was not what I was expecting but I did enjoy it. Definitely some heavy topics in the plot and subplots but it was interesting and well written. I did feel that parts of it were slightly repetitive but overall I enjoyed this read.

There is much to unpack about this book, and it's tough to know where to begin. The novel shows a family with both love and secrets--big, scary secrets. Misunderstandings abound, assumptions fly fast and furious, and loyalties shift. The journey of the two sisters is a bumpy ride, but ultimately they support each other in the best ways. While I was invested in the story to write a review, I'm not sure I would choose to read it again. The title is misleading in one sense, but in another it encompasses all the issues and angst within its pages.

thank you netgalley for the e-arc. a main character passionate about books and standing up for what's right? sign me right up! this was so good, i usually like novak's books but for some reason this really was perfect and contemporary.

Loved this book and have recommended it to many! I enjoyed it so much and it does touch on a topics that are hard and I'm glad they were discussed in the book

I thought the title of this book was a little misleading in terms of the overall context. Yes, there is a banned books club, and some of the characters featured are members. But the book was so much more than that. The plot focuses on sexual and domestic abuse, how those instances of abuse affect the victims and the community around them, and how we view victims as a societal whole.
There were two main storylines following the sisters, Gia and Margo, each dealing with a form of abuse, one that happened years before (Gia) and one that was happening in the story (Margo). The intertwining of the two stories is what makes this book good. I started to see how each character played a role with another and how each story relied on the another. The third-person POV of the story made me stop reading a few times to figure out and remember which character we were following. Still, it was necessary when trying to tell the individual and overlapping stories that were happening with so many different people.

Thank you to Brenda Novak, MIRA/Harlequin Trade Publishing, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This book was truly heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time. Loved the small town romance vibes, and that it had such a true feeling of family. I was hooked from the first page, I felt for Gia and wanted to jump into the book and fight the town LOL. I went into this blind and was not disappointed.

This book was ok. I didn't love that there wasn't much about a book club in there. I was hopeful that there would be a bit more about books. I think the premise was good, but I didn't connect with the book as much as I would have liked.

A story about secrets, scandal, sexual assault, and betrayal.

Based on the title of the story I was expecting a book centered around a bookclub or discussion of banned books. Instead this was a story of a town and two families dealing with a scandal years later. Instead it centered around the fall-out of the accusations and the assumptions to this day. The truths, the lies, the injustice is in-line with a romantic suspense and less centered around a book club.

While this wasn't the book I was expecting based on the blurb this will find an audience of readers who will discover this to be for them a very captivating and impacting read.

Note: the story should have content/trigger warnings - sexual assault, verbal abuse, attempted murder, and a few others both off and one the page..

On the backdrop of a contemporary romance novel, this is full of very difficult topics - health, cancer and the loss of a parent; marital (verbal) abuse; teenage sexual assault and the repercussions of speaking up against your oppressor / assailant. The "banned book club" is in the background of this story but definitely not what it is about.

This was quite different than I had expected. Based on the title, I thought this would be an excellent fit for me considering I’m on my school districts book review committee that reviews books parents want banned.

The title had very little to due with the book. The story is about Gia who owns a wildness excursion company in Idaho with a partner. She returns to her hometown when her sister Margo calls saying she needs help with their mother who was diagnosed with stage four breast cancer.

Gia fled after high school due to the fallout of her accusations of a beloved English teacher molesting her when she was a senior. He was found guilty which ended his marriage and negatively affected his three children, one of whom was a year younger than Gia.

Little does Gia know that Margo called her sister home for very different reasons than their mother’s illness. She’s planning to leave her abusive husband, taking her two children with her.

I gave this three stars because I felt there were multiple story lines going on with several main characters. And again, based on the title, the novel had very little to do with any kind of banned book club.

This book is available now and as always, while this was a three star read for me, I’m sure it could be someone else’s favorite book of the year. I can’t wait to read more from Brenda Novak.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
Brenda Novak writes really funny and relatable womens fiction/romance novels and this book is no exception. If you love books I can pretty much guarantee you will find this book enjoyable. It certainly put a smile on my face and at times I even laughed out loud.

Many thanks again to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this book.

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This book was a 5 star for me. Had the over all feeling of makings that f a good Hallmark movie .. loved the conflict between sisters so realistic .. Loved learning why Gia is Gia .. One of those reads that you can’t put down !!!

As an educator and an advocate for banned books, I was really excited to read this book. Unfortunately, I ended up being disappointed. A book club started by one of the main characters (Gia) when she was in high school played a minor role in the plot, but that was the extent of the involvement of banned books in this story.

The storyline revolves around Gia returning to her hometown to help care for her dying mother. Upon her return, she is forced to face a traumatic event (that occurred when she was in high school) head-on. The book also follows the story of her sister (Margot) who flees from her abusive husband.

In general, I just didn’t care for the writing style of The Banned Book Club. The storytelling itself was alright, but I felt a lot of the events were unbelievable and the dialogue seemed like it was written by an amateur. It just didn’t feel like real-life conversations.

This was my first experience with this author, and sadly, I feel let down. I’ve heard a lot of hype surrounding Brenda Novak books & I know her readers love her. I WILL give her another try in the future, hopefully I will enjoy the next one more.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

5⭐️

This book made me feel a plethora of emotions. We follow three differenct POVs in this story.  Two sisters Gia and Margot and a man named Cormac. When Gia was in high-school her english teacher tried to take advantage of her and rather than go to college she sought out her place in the world. Cormac is the son of that very same teacher who upon hearing the news about the accusations towards his father got into an altercation with Gia. Now he's an established vetinarian in her hometown and Gia has returned for the winter to take care of her mother whose dying. Meanwhile, her sister is in a very unpleasant marriage and is plotting to leave him.

There were so many twists and turns in this book and my intial thought was it would be weird seeing Cormac and Gia end up together seeing as Cormac is the son of the man that tried to take advantage of her. I think this book did need the Cormac POVs it really helped show his character and unearth a side of the story that it really needed. This book was brilliantly written and I loved how Gia was kind, strong, and resolute. Gia was relatable to me in so many ways and it really touched my heartstrings seeing despite everything she
went about life trying to be kind and standing up for others.

This is a read perfect for anytime of the year.

Content warnings to note:
Manipulation, Gaslighting, Abuse, Cancer, Attempted SA of a minor, Harassment, Misogyny

I just finished reading The Banned Books Club by Brenda Novak, and I really enjoyed it! The story follows Gia Rossi, who returns to her hometown of Wakefield, Iowa, to help care for her ailing mother. Gia’s homecoming is complicated by her past, especially the scandal involving her former teacher, Mr. Hart, whom she accused of misconduct years ago.

The book does a great job of blending family drama, romance, and the power of standing up for what’s right. I loved how Gia’s old book club, which she started in high school to fight against banned books, plays a central role in the story. It was interesting to see how the town’s dynamics and Gia’s relationships evolved over time.

The characters felt real and relatable, and the small-town setting added a cozy, yet sometimes tense, atmosphere. Overall, The Banned Books Club is a heartfelt and engaging read that tackles important issues while still being an enjoyable story.