I enjoyed the era, the 60's, in this novel. I also loved the personal meaning this book had to the author. I loved getting a glimpse of life for a woman in the 60's. This book reminds me a little of the show Mad Men. I guess the only thing that I did not really enjoy about it was just the strong feminist approach. I think it was just overdone here for some reason. 3 stars.

The Book Club for Troublesome Women is one of those rare, quietly brilliant reads that feels like it was written just for you. It’s funny, sharp, and filled with heart, wrapped in a kind of rebellious charm that had me grinning through most of it. The women at the heart of the story are refreshingly bold—perfectly imperfect and unapologetically themselves—and their friendship feels like an electric current running through the book.

What I loved most was how it balanced wit with wisdom. Beneath the sarcasm and banter are moments of real emotional depth and strength—especially in how these women lift each other up through life’s messier moments. It’s like spending time with your sassiest, most loyal friends over wine and stories, the kind that make you laugh till you cry.

If you love stories about strong women who dare to disrupt the status quo—and look fabulous while doing it—you’ll want a seat at this table. It’s a total gem.

This was a good book but not one I was dying to finish. The characters were all very kind and likeable.

Set in early 60’s, housewives facing discrimination, frustration and resentment find commonality and comfort in their challenges. This would be an excellent choice for a book club because there are so many different ways their lives could be affected. Thanks to #NetGalley and TheBookClubForTroublesomeWomen.

In the 1960s in America, four women start a book club. Little do they know that the book club will change their lives. They live in a moment where women are still very much repressed, but change is happening. They begin reading “The Feminist Mystique” by Betty Friedan and find it relatable in some ways. Margaret, the main character, starts writing for a women’s magazine. Betsy wanted to be a veterinarian, but stopped her studies when she married. Charlotte is an artist, married to a man who cheats frequently, but who is loved by her father and works in his company. Viv is happy, but wants to do more than just take care of her kids. We follow the four women as they open their eyes to the rigid expectations and strive to change some aspects of their lives. I liked seeing their growth. The book touches upon feminism with some good insights (even today) and also upon the differences between middle-class and poor women, and non-white and white women. Additionally, the rigid expectations of men are also discussed. Overall, a great read.

"We’ve got to start someplace. If we don’t, how is anything ever going to change?"

"The invisible fence of rules and mores that confined women to a small, carefully designed patch of human achievement impacted men as well, required them to carry the bulk of a family’s financial burden, even if it meant doing work they dislike."

Set against the buttoned-up backdrop of 1960s suburbia, The Book Club for Troublesome Women brings a delightful Desperate Housewives energy - with all the secrets, scandals, and sisterhood you could hope for. But don’t let the pearls and pastel kitchens fool you - this is a smart, empowering read that digs beneath the surface.

Four women, each battling invisible cages of repression, come together to start a book club - and in doing so, unknowingly ignite their own revolutions. Through reading The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan and other feminist literature such as Virginia Woolf’s A Room of One’s Own, they confront the deep inequalities of the time: women needing their husband’s permission to open a bank account, access contraception, or even receive certain medical care. Bostwick doesn’t just show the era’s injustices, she makes you feel the weight of them.

What I truly loved was the friendship at the heart of it all. Each character felt vibrant and real, and the unwavering loyalty between them was both heartwarming and inspiring. Their journeys of self-discovery and self-determination felt authentic and hard-won.

This isn’t just historical fiction. It’s a tribute to the power of women coming together, reading together, and daring to imagine more for themselves.

Smart, funny, and quietly revolutionary. A solid four star read 💪📖

A huge thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins Focus and Harper Muse for the complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Book Club for Troublesome Women is based upon the story of four women living in the same neighbourhood but all under different life circumstances. A very coming-of-age tale about the challenges women faced, and still face to this date surrounding gender equality.

Thank you to the author, HarperCollins Focus | Harper Muse and NetGalley - I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. My apologies for the delay in posting, I have had continuing familial health challenges to contend with in the past months.

This novel, set in the early 1960s, follows the lives of four very different women as they decide to form a bookclub and meet to read "The Feminine Mystique" by Betty Friedan. From our vantage point today, it's hard to comprehend how revolutionary this book was at the time. The author does a great job of weaving the constraints upon women into the story, and shows how each of the four women evolves and grows in the course of the book - and I loved the strong friendships that were formed between these very different personalities, and how they encouraged and supported one another. Highly recommend for those that enjoy fiction based on real events.

If you need a book of female discovery and rage, here it is. What I liked most about this book is that it rooted itself in history, and somewhat recent history at that, and that while it show cased the hardships of marriage and homemaking, it also praised them and showed how rewarding having a family and a partner can be. It encouraged options for women, a thoughtfulness of what they choose to do in life and how they let people treat them. It dealt with the harsh realities of womenhood in the sixties, and now as well, without dampening the hardships and also showed some really great aspects of life too.

In 1963 Virginia, near Washington, D.C., four housewives in a small suburb come together to discuss books. They are all very different from each other - Margaret (Maggie) Ryan wants to write; Viv Buschetti is a nurse with a large family; Bitsy Cobb is a horse trainer who dreams of being a veterinarian; Charlotte Gustafson want to be an artist. When they read Betty Friedan's The Feminine Mystique their lives change. They realize they can change their lives and work to achieve their dreams. As the "Bettys" meet regularly to discuss books, close friendships develop, their dreams grow - and sometimes change.

I wanted to read this book because I love Marie Bostwick's fiction. I absolutely love the Mid-Century time period (big Man Men fan here, and I look for this period in fiction).

This was such an engrossing book! It focuses on all four characters, which lead to a slower and more leisurely read, as there was a lot of viewpoint shifting. I initially was mostly interested in Maggie, the character I found most relatable, but as the book went on I really cared about the other friends as well.

I highly recommend The Book Club for Troublesome Women for other fans of historical fiction, and especially for anyone interested in the early 1960's time period. I found it thought provoking and inspiring!

As a host of a book club that focuses on women writers, I knew I had to choose this book as soon as it came out. The Book Club for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick is the story of a group of women in the 1960s, apparently they "have it all" but in reality they are not happy with their lives, for different reasons. Brought together by a simple book club, they start opening up and talking about their problems, finding friendship, support, their own voice and finally following their own path.

This is not what I would normally read, but I really loved this book. Here's its strengths:
- the four main characters are so well written, easily distinguishable, with different problems and situations to face but sooo relatable;
- they have flaws and make mistakes and proactively work on both;
- even though sexism and misogyny are a big topic in this book, the main theme is female friendship;
- the story is well written and, despite the heavy topics, I found it really enjoyable, made me laugh a few times, it has a positive light and it's relatable in so many ways;
- the book they chose for their book club, the book that makes them question their condition, really exists: The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan, published in 1963;
- the ending is so heartwarming <3

Honestly I could keep talking about this book forever, but I'll keep the rest of my opinions for my book club eheh. Really loved this book, 5 stars.

* I'd like to thank Marie Bostwick, HarperCollins Focus and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️(4.5/5)
The Book Club for Troublesome Women” is a delightful blend of wit, heart, and empowerment. The characters are layered and full of personality, each with her own unique struggles and triumphs. Marie Bostwick captures the power of friendship and the magic of women supporting women in a way that feels both warm and inspiring. Perfect for fans of feel-good fiction with substance, this one had me smiling, tearing up, and cheering them on. Highly recommend for your next book club pick!

Marie Bostwick’s The Book Club for Troublesome Women is one of the best historical fiction releases of the year. From the minute that Margaret knocked on Charlotte’s door and the idea for their book club was born, I became invested in the lives of the four women desperately seeking to be seen and heard in the sixties.

Charlotte is an aspiring artist whose eccentricity is alluring and a bit intimidating to her suburban neighbors. Bitsy dreams of becoming a veterinarian although she has been told by everyone- including her husband- that women can’t practice medicine. Viv has six children and loves her family life but wants to pursue her own career outside of her chaotic home. Margaret is a housewife and a budding writer with a lot to say, but her editor only wants fluff.

The fierce friendship that forms between these strong, compassionate women is unexpected and unforgettable. Thank you to NetGalley for introducing me to the extraordinary writing of Marie Bostwick.

Women of the 60’s really were on the cusp of rights and privileges (and expectations) changing for women. I loved reading about each and every character Bostwick created within this novel. Bostwick is able to write each character with its own unique opinions and individual approach to women’s rights. I loved this novel.

In 1963 suburban Virginia, four women—Margaret, Viv, Bitsy, and newcomer Charlotte—form a book club that begins with *The Feminine Mystique* and sparks a journey of self-discovery and transformation. As they share their frustrations, dreams, and ambitions, the “Bettys” build deep friendships and begin to reimagine their roles beyond the confines of traditional domestic life. Each character is distinct and faces a unique challenge, yet their bonds of friendship endure throughout. Perfect for fans of historical fiction that features strong female characters succeeding in a world where the odds are stacked against them.

2.5 stars. This had such great potential. Surprisingly, a relevant topic still in 2025. I had high hopes for more “troublesome” women up for a fight. I loved Charlotte the most, she had the brave spirit I was looking for. My favorite scene though, was when Bitsy fought for Delilah and showed King who’s boss haha. Other than that, it was excruciatingly long. This could have been at least 100 pages shorter. I much prefer a fast-paced plot-driven novel. The theme was great—girl power, feminism, civil rights—but the execution didn’t work for me.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

4+ ⭐

This book started really slow for me, as do most of the fiction/slice of life stories I decide to read...
And then it became exciting.
And then it made me so angry I had to put it down and swallow the unfairness of it with a couple fluffy romance because I needed it.
And then it made me change my perspective a bit.
And finally it was all those things mixed together in the last 10 chapters or so.

This is an hymn to sisterhood, to equality and to staying strong, beliving in yourself.

The Betties were all amazing, different and unique. Their husbands were... not.
Not all of them. But also it was not as bad nor as good as I once thought regarding those males... 🤔

I'd say everyone should read it, because it will stay with me for a while ❤️

Ⓟⓡⓔ—Ⓡⓔⓥⓘⓔⓦ

This caught my eye as something really worth reading, even if I don't often read historical fiction... 🩷

// Thank you to Netgalley, Marie Bostwick and HarperCollins Focus | Harper Muse for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange of my honest opinion //

The Book Club for Troublesome Women is the first book I have read by Marie Bostwick, but it won’t be my last! I really enjoyed this book that tells how life was for women in the early 60’s. Four neighbors form a book club to read Betty Friedan’s The Feminine Mystique. During the course of the book, the women become close friends who encourage each other to live their best lives. Great story about the power of women, despite societal limitations that were placed on them. Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Muse for the advance digital copy of the book.

The Bookclub for Troublesome Women is an interesting and informative work of historical fiction set in the 1960s about a group of women grappling with the rapid and volatile societal changes that are occurring during this pivotal period in time.

Margaret, Bitsy, and Viv are friends and neighbors in the same affluent suburb of Northern Virginia. They start a bookclub and invite a new neighbor, Charlotte, to join. Charlotte is an artist who marches to the beat of her own drum and eschews being the typical housewife, so she encourages the group to read The Feminine Mystique together. The club decides to call themselves "The Bettys" after the book's author, Betty Friedan, and they begin to realize how misogyny and living within a patriarchal society has impacted each of their lives.

I appreciated the novel's nuanced and realistic portrayal of the constraints of women during that period of history, and many of the themes are still relevant today. Overall, I would recommend this book for anyone who appreciates historical fiction based on true events and enjoys ensemble casts featuring strong female protagonists. I found myself highlighting several quotes and passages, and included one of my favorites below.

"But as I discovered while reading Mrs. Friedan's book, there are countless good and right ways to be a woman and only two wrong. The first is to insist that your way is 'the' way, the only way. The second is to buy into that nonsense and spend your life limping along an aimless path in shoes that will never fit."

Thank you NetGalley & Harper Collins Focus for audiobook and ebook ARCs in exchange for my honest feedback.

3.5 stars
Thank you to Net Galley and Harper Collins for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This was an enjoyable read about the power of friendships women empowerment. There's a lot to this book besides the journey of each main character, there's the backdrop of the political environment of the 1960s and the civil rights movement along with the struggle for women to maintain some type of independence outside of marriage and children. All in all a good read from beginning to end.