It’s so difficult to believe that as recent as fifty years ago, women in Ireland had no access to contraception and were subject to their husband’s control. Saoirse boards the train from Dublin to Belfast after a chance meeting with an older woman with a story to tell. Maura’s story is set in the late 1960’s, early 1970’s Dublin; Maura had to leave the job she loved at a department store because she was getting married, and married woman were expected to have babies and stay home. Bernie has three young daughters, is pregnant and expected to keep having babies. Bernie meets Maura and the two become best friends, despite their differences in social status. The heartbreak and sadness experienced by both draw them closer, as they start to fight for a woman’s control of her own body. I highly recommend this well written, important novel, with relevance today as a woman’s right to make her own decisions about her body is challenged. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

The Women on Platform Two, by Laura Anthony, discusses reproductive rights through the interconnected lives of three Irish women.

It's an interesting story overall, with a dual-timeline structure, but contains some slightly forced moments.  The modern timeline follows Saoirse, a young woman considering if she even wants to have kids, and she bumps into Maura, an older woman taking a train ride with her scrapbook of photos, in commemoration of her own fight for reproductive rights. Ok, so it's pretty contrived. There are way too many perfect coincidences in this book, which really hurts the plot and the overall message. 

In the 1960s storyline, a young Maura leaves her job for a marriage to a rich and handsome doctor.  Her parents are proud of her for making such a good match, so she's isolated when her perfect husband turns out to be controlling and abusive.  Maura becomes friends with Bernie, a butcher's wife who already has daughters and is facing another dangerous pregnancy. (The friends just randomly bump into each other one day, because Maura holds the world record in meet-cutes.) Neither woman wants a pregnancy, both for very strong reasons. Yes, OK, it feels like more of a test case than a novel having the two besties both in need contraception for the most sympathetic, not-a-slut, reasons, but then they randomly bump into a knocked-up teenager who also has a blameless and tragic need for birth control. 

Then Maura meets a group of feminist activists fighting for access to contraception, which was illegal in Ireland then, and is suddenly not shy about her abusive marriage anymore, and she immediately becomes the face of the movement, even going on TV to share her story of spousal abuse under her real name.  Of course, this causes her parents to react with shame, and she seems caught off guard, which didn’t feel entirely believable. Her husband, Christy, was dangerous and irredeemably awful,  but after she goes public, he just disappears from the story. There’s no confrontation or resolution between them, and then, in another too-convenient coincidence, Christy dies just days before he was about to sell their house, leaving Maura financially secure and free from him forever.  

It's all a bit much, although I do like when a female protag decides she'll be happy not having children (even if she has to randomly bump into a birth control activist carrying a photo album of her activism to reach this self-discovery). I appreciated the book’s focus on the courage and resilience of these women, but the coincidences and tidy resolutions made parts of it feel a bit forced.

In 2023, Saoirse lives in Dublin, Ireland with her fiancé, who is eager to have children. As a nurse working with ill children, Saoirse is uncertain of what she wants. Following an argument, Saoirse meets Maura Flynn, an elderly woman boarding a train to Belfast, Northern Ireland. Maura has an incredible story she enjoys sharing, and Saoirse decides to join her on the ride to hear it. Maura's story begins in 1969. She works at Switzer's department store and meets Christopher Davenport, a charming and accomplished doctor. After they marry, Maura has to give up her job and is expected to start having children. After she discovers that her husband is not the man she thought he was, she fears getting pregnant. Maura develops a close friendship with Bernie, her butcher's wife, who has three daughters. With contraception being illegal in Ireland, they find out that courageous women are advocating for change. But they stand to lose a lot if they get involved. When the story shifts back to the present day, Maura's story deeply affects Saoirse.

The Women on Platform Two is a powerful and touching book. Laura Anthony was inspired to write this novel based on the efforts of the Irish Women's Liberation Movement and a significant event in 1971. While heartbreaking at times, this is an inspiring and uplifting story. You'll want to read more about the efforts of these real-life heroines.

4.5 stars.

Courage and despair!

Poignant story set in Ireland in the late 60’s early 70’s. Attitudes towards women in Dublin are . Contraception is not allowed. Pregnant girls are thrown out onto the streets. Let’s not even talk about the Magdalene Laundries. Girls die from backyard treatments. Women are their husband’s chattels, abuse in marriage is common but never talked about.
The story of a group of women for various reasons who challenge the law is based on a true story, heroic and life changing. The law is different across the border in Northern Ireland. The women take a stand.
We join Saoirse in 2023 Dublin. She’s just discovered she and her partner Miles aren’t pregnant. She needs to getaways to think. She ends up on a train bound for Belfast with an older woman Maura Davenport bound for Belfast, and is enthralled by the story Maura tells. So much so that she ends up staying on the train.
A courageous look at these times and those women who took action, paving the way for future generations.

A Gallery Books ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

The Women on Platform Two by Laura Anthony is a captivating novel!
I absolutely loved it. It's a rare thing to get a historical fiction that is wonderfully researched, pitch-perfectly voiced and unputdownable, but this is the real deal. A perfectly formed masterpiece. I raced through it
With riveting prose the pages fly and the heart beats for the astonishing heroine. Well-developed character pulls you into the story immediately and stirs emotions within you. This book was masterfully narrated.
This really was historical fiction at its finest, this book made me feel things I haven't felt in some time.

This is a well written book based on a true story. And while it was harder to read right now given what is happening in my own country with civil rights being taken away it was also especially inspiring given that. This book alternates between 2023 with Saoirse who had a disagreement about having children with her partner and 1969 with Maura who has just gotten married to a doctor and started her life. Maura is on the train and bumps into Saoirse and shares her story which was a fun way to get both timelines. This book is about a group of women who stood up for their rights to their bodies and started some revolutionary things in Ireland. It’s a wonderfully written book full of well written and compelling characters. I really enjoyed this one and highly recommend it.

Well, written account of the challenges of living as a woman in Southern Ireland during the 60s and 70s. The tale of a woman who thought she was marrying into the ideal scenario is an eye opener.

I DEVOURED this book. WOW. Told so well from multiple decades and points of view- and such a beautifully written novel of hope and resilience. At times, this book is so painful it’s hard to read. Hard to stomach the fact that so many women are stuck in a dangerous situation with no way out. My heart broke for Maura and rejoiced with her in the end. Well done. So so well done.

Title: The Woman on Platform Two
Author: Laura Anthony ~ Debut Author
Publisher: Gallery Books
Genre: Historical Fiction
Pub Date: March 11, 2025
My Rating: 4 Stars
Pages 336

In 1970s Dublin, all forms of contraception are strictly forbidden, but an intrepid group of women will risk everything to change that in this sweeping, timely novel inspired by a remarkable and little-known true story.

This story is told by three Irish women; Maura and Bernie in late 1960s to early 1970s Dublin, and Saoirse 2023 in modern Ireland, overlapping with Maura while on a train ride.

~Maura is married to a Doctor who is an abusive husband and worries their home might not be safe for a child
~Bernie is the mother of three daughters. Her fourth child is a son however dies due to preeclampsia. She is warned her if she were to get pregnant again it surely will be fatal and advises no more children due to this situation.
Maura and Bernie come from different socioeconomic backgrounds but circumstances brought them together, and they became friends.

~Saoirse’s fiancé Miles is ready to be a dad but Saoirse, a nurse works with very sick children and sees the pain the illness bring to their mothers and feels she may never want to be a mother.

Saoirse meets an interesting woman at a train station. The woman drops a piece of paper when getting on the train, Saoirse runs on to return it, and we embark on the woman’s history. There’s a special reason why she’s riding that train on that day.

Maura and Bernie come from different socioeconomic backgrounds but circumstances brought them together, and they became friends.

This emotional story is a fictional account of the effort that went into achieving women’s rights as well as equal waged by the women of the Republic of Ireland in the 1960s/1970s.

Want to thank NetGalley and Gallery Books for this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for March 11, 2025.

Thank you NetGalley, Gallery Books and Laura Anthony for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy of The Women on Platform Two.
This is a beautifully written, powerful story set in 1970’s Dublin and 2023 Dublin. A group of women will risk everything to have their voices heard in a time when women were treated with little respect. Contraception was not allowed to be discussed under any circumstances, rich or poor, medical issues or just simply wants or desires. It’s amazing how far behind Ireland was in its rights for women. I was totally immersed in this story and rooted for these women all the way. Even in 2023 women struggle with what they want but the guilt continues. I enjoyed how the two timelines converged and the learning from each other.
I needed more development in some of the minor characters. The older generations and Dr. Christy seemed flat and I wanted more understanding in their decisions. It felt like these characters were set in their ways and it would be enjoyable to see some of them change and grow.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story and look forward to more from Laura Anthony.

This was one of the best books I’ve ever read. It was incredibly eye opening. I will say that there are definitely trigger warnings, including domestic abuse, abortion, and loss of a child.

This is inspired by a true story. It is the story of the women of Dublin in the 1970s fighting for the right to be able to access contraception when it is outlawed.

The women in this story are absolutely incredible. They are inspiring, strong, and I wish I knew each of them.

I was truly blown away by the writing. The fact that the story is told on a train in present day Dublin by one of the women that fought for these rights for women was so creative.

I absolutely loved this book and I think it’ll be a top read of the year for me.

Thank you to net galley for providing an arc to this outstanding book in exchange for an honest review.
The story of these characters was so profound that I will truly miss them. Each character provides such a necessary component to this little known piece of history. From the first time that we meet Maura and Bernie the two main characters we are swept up into such a poignant friendship that, as a reader I felt a part of.

Inspired by true events which took place in the 1970's in Dublin at a time when all forms of contraception are illegal. The story centers on three women, two from the 1970's and one present day. Saoirse, questioning her own life decisions encounters Maura who relates her life story of friendship and Ireland's quest for women's rights to contraception and choice. Maura who appears to have a perfect life, married to a wealthy Dr., is in fact abused by him, While Bernie, her best friend has three children and a very attentive husband. These women bond over the lack of rights of women of the time.

The story of these women while heartbreaking at times is a page turner indeed. This book is released on 3/11 and should be on everyone's list! Beautiful writing that kept me up log into the night. A must read!

It’s 1968 and Maura has just married a handsome doctor. She’s disappointed to give up her retail job but excited to start a family. That desire changes when the doctor shows his true colors.

A great historical fiction that uses the fictional story of a 1960’s housewife to tell the real tale of Dublin’s (and other area’s of Ireland) fight for women’s rights, specifically contraception. The story of Maura was heartbreaking but a page turner. We meet her as a young working girl and see her vibrant, stylish, and vivacious personality. When she marries the wrong man all of this changes, but she learns about herself and the world and uses it for good. Major trigger warnings for abuse, suicide, and abortion.

“We need the ordinary housewives of Ireland to stand alongside us. We need every woman in Ireland to fight.”

The Women on Platform Two comes out 3/11.

It's hard to love a book while hating the subject matter, but this book was so well done!

Saoirse just had the same old argument with her partner and took off for a walk to think about it. When the rain starts, she ducks into the train station to wait it out. She sees a photo on the floor of the train station and hops on board to return the old photo to the women she thinks must have dropped it when the train suddenly departs.

Maura is thrilled to be reunited with the photo and says Saoirse can hear the story of the photo as they ride to the next stop where she can get off. Of course the story is too interesting to get off, so the story unfolds for us as well as for her.

Maura and Bernie had such different lives, but the friendship was a strong and good one for them both. Maura had the outwardly easy or comfortable lifestyle, envied by many since they didn't know what else was happening in her "perfect" life. Bernie was raising 3 children with a 4th on the way when they met. The timing was perfect as they both really needed each other and Ireland needed them, too, for birth control was against the law, even for married people. Constant pregnancies meant no control over your own body and it also led to deaths as constantly being pregnant takes a toll on a woman's body and there was nothing she could do about it.

Time for a change!!

Thank you NetGalley for an advance copy. Honest opinions expressed here are my own and are freely given.

This book was so informative about a part of history that was not that long ago.. Women’s contraceptive rights was the basis for this emotional story which takes place in Ireland but could very easily be the United States. It showcases a woman’s role in marriage and what was expected or demanded of her in the sixties. I applaud this group of women who banded together to fight for not only their rights but those of their daughters and all women in the future.
The author did a great job sharing this part of history. I paused while reading certain parts to reflect and let it sink in.
All opinions expressed are my own. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an honest review.
#TheWomenOnPlatformTwo #LauraAnthony #NetGalley

While trying to make decisions about her life in present day, Saoirse encounters Maura who tells her the remarkable story of the women who fought to give other women a choice with their selves and their bodies in Ireland. In the 1970s, women weren’t allowed to work after marriage and contraception was illegal, even though it was readily available in Northern Ireland. A brave group of women banded together and one day they rode a train to Belfast and returned with contraception, thus paving the way for Irish women to have control over their lives. Maura, who married "well" but whose husband turned out to be an abuser, recounts her life along with Bernie’s, a beloved wife and mother of three who is told that she could die if she conceives another child.

While the characters are fictional, this book is based on true events.This is an important story. So many younger people don’t realize what it was once like and the sacrifices that brave young women and some men made to give them the life, freedom, and choices that they are living now.

This is a well written story that takes you in and won’t let go. I found it heartbreaking, charming, poignant, infuriating and I couldn’t put it down, reading well into the night to finish it. With well developed and captivating characters, these women's resilience is inspiring. This is a story that needs to be recounted no matter where you reside for women the world over have to be aware of the history that provided their present day freedoms and how easy it is to have their options limited.

This story moved me to tears as I recognize the forces in the country in which I live who want females to go back to, as the author describes it, “the dark ages.”

I highly recommend this book. It is truly a #Timely #CautionaryTale.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Unputdownable!

A powerful fictionalized account of the fight for contraception and equal rights waged by the women of the Republic of Ireland in the 1960s/1970s. So relevant as American women are battling for their own reproductive rights in our upcoming election.

I will recommend this book far and wide!

Thank you Gallery Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this digital ARC!

This is absolutely the right moment to read this compelling novel about the struggle of the women of Ireland to be allowed to use contraception. No, this did not take place in the 1800’s, but in 1970. The author has set this novel within a modern day encounter between a young woman and a dogged feminist rights leader on a train.

An old photo encourages the retelling of the moment that women, taking a train, demanded the right to obtain contraception. Of course, this became the catalyst for women of Ireland to obtain other human rights. The story is told by a survivor, Maura, who struggled under the physical abuse of her doctor husband. It is Maura and her intrepid friend Bernie who lead the way, bravely, to allow women to make the personal decisions about their families.

I enjoyed the novel and the very interesting way it reminded me of the basic need for women to determine their futures free of abuse, physical, emotional or legal. I highly recommend this novel. I think our woman’s studies seminars and book clubs can use this novel as a jumping off point for discussions about the past and the FUTURE.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC which is both engrossing and timely.

This was one of my favorite books that I have ready this year! I was so engaged in this story. This is an emotional and beautiful story that I will recommend to everyone!

I both adored and devoured this book! A lovely storyline about friendship that turns into progressive thinking about contraception in Ireland where it was illegal. The characters have real depth. The plot is told in dual timelines and the writing is marvelous. A must read!