What a delightful read of four strong female characters who refer to themselves as “the Bettys” after they are all significantly affected by their first book club pick, Betty Friedan’s The Feminine Mystique. I enjoyed getting to know these four women as they navigated life in the 1960s and beyond. While I’d not heard of the author before being granted an advance reader copy of The Book Club for Troublesome Women, the description of the book appealed to me and it did not disappoint. The characters were multidimensional. Their storylines felt realistic, particularly as they were peppered with real historical facts and people. The plot moved along well and the ending was satisfying. This would make an excellent book club choice. I will look for more works by Marie Bostwick. Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the opportunity to read and give my honest review of this novel.

Four women living in Concordia start a book club. Initially, they don’t know each other and one suggests The Feminine Mystique - a controversial book about the rights of women and that they can and should think for themselves.
All are married and all are beset by issues of America in 1963 and the expectations (or lack of) for women. Although a book of fiction, some of the characters problems would have been very real at the time. The four go through relationship difficulties, career difficulties and yet support one another to keep going.
The characters, particularly our four protagonists, Margaret, Viv, Charlotte and Bitsy really grew on me and I found them realistic and engaging.
Great to listen to, well narrated.

Very fun read
This was very well written fun story of a group of troublesome women.

The realities of the 1960 housewife were outlined in this book perfectly. The freedoms as well as the road blocks of a modern women.
Today when we talk about troublesome women we think about something outlandish and radical. Back in the 60s women who wanted more, like job outside being housewife, finish their education etc were viewed as outrageous and different…. Somewhat problematic.

This book highlights how far we got from that minds set and how easy it is to slip back in to it if we are not careful.

I received an audio ARC for The Book Club for Troublesome Women through NetGalley. Four women without much in common besides living in the same neighborhood, become life long friends through an accidental book club. Margaret in an attempt to get to know the Charlotte invites her to a book club that doesn't exist yet. The women read and bond over The Feminine Mystique. Although Bitsy, Margaret, Viv, and Charlotte are different ages, in different stages and income brackets, they show up to support each other. They shoulder each others burdens, encourage each of them to be the best they can be and don't leave when things get messy.

Marie Bostwick has written a story that is still relevant today as it was in the early 1960's. Women still struggle with who they are, what their purpose is, and how to not lose themselves when they become a mother. Finding the right women to walk alongside you is key. And never underestimate a good book, fiction or non fiction, with the power of words to help remind you of how far you have come or the potential to be more than you are.

ARC provided by NetGalley and Harper Muse Audiobooks in exchange for my honest review.

When I saw this ARC I was intrigued because I really enjoyed Lessons in Chemistry, and the synopsis of this book reminded me of it. Both books are about women in a time where our rights were not even close to mens doing new and (for that time) daring this. Where in Lessons in Chemistry the rebellion is in teaching women science through cooking, in the Book Club for Troublesome Women, a group of housewifes starts a book club and read the The Feminine Mystique, pushed by a new eccentric housewife in the neighborhood, Charlotte. This opens doors for them and dares them do new things. Margaret applies to a writing competition - not winning but getting a job offer writing a column. Margaret, with the help of Charlotte, starts doing various cultural experiences such as visiting art galleries to prepare her for the job. Viv used to be an army nurse, now motivated to start work as a nurse again after having kids and staying at home. And so every woman in this story, and book club, has her own story and growth.

Because I listened to the audiobook while also doing different things, I feel like I sometimes lost the plot and got a bit lost. Thats entirely on me though

Thank you to NetGalley for this ACL.

I have never read anything by this author before - this was book was right up my street.

It was beautifully written and I really related to the story.

The narrator was really good and I would read more books by this author in the future.

This was an enjoyable read/listen with very good narration. While it didn't feel like there was a lot of plot, I appreciated the friendship of the women and getting to know them individually. I especially liked learning about what women's rights looked like in the early 60s. This book reminded me a lot of The Help because of the era and the friend group (plus, one of the women is a writer). This would be a good choice for a book discussion.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Focus for allowing me early access to the ARC audiobook edition of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Reminiscent of Lessons in Chemistry, Jojo Moyes, and Kristin Hannah, The Bookclub for Troublesome Women is one of the best books I’ve read this year. The audio narration was excellent as well.

Marie Bostwick’s The Book Club for Troublesome Women is a powerful story about friendship, self-discovery, and the fight against societal expectations. Set in the 1960s, the novel follows four suburban housewives—Margaret, Viv, Bitsy, and Charlotte—who form a book club that quickly becomes much more than just a literary gathering. Their decision to read The Feminine Mystique sparks a profound awakening, forcing them to confront their dissatisfaction and redefine their futures.

This book gave me serious Now and Then meets Don’t Worry Darling vibes. While rooted in the past, its themes feel incredibly relevant today, especially as conversations around the “tradwife” movement resurface. Why should women—who are talented, intelligent, and capable—be reduced to homemaking and motherhood simply because they are biologically able to have children? Bostwick beautifully captures the magic of women supporting women, showing how a simple book club can evolve into a movement of personal empowerment.

I had the pleasure of listening to an early audiobook copy (thank you, NetGalley and HarperCollins Focus | Harper Muse), and narrator Lisa Flanagan truly brought this story to life. Her performance, especially in voicing Charlotte, added an extra layer of charm and personality to the characters. While I don’t typically gravitate toward books set in this era, Bostwick’s engaging writing and Flanagan’s narration kept me captivated from start to finish.

This novel is perfect for anyone who loves stories about female empowerment, friendship, and the courage to challenge the status quo. It’s a must-read for the girls and for all the troublesome women out there.

If you are a fan of Kristin Hannah, you will love this book. "The Book Club for Troublesome Women" was an INCREDIBLE read that I have already recommended to my book club. Reading about the lives of these women was inspirational, often funny, and so dang relatable.

I hung on to every word as Marie easily transported me to book club with these strong, bright, “troublesome” women. I could feel the era deeply, and the hardships these women endured, through her vivid details and supportive history of the 60’s. It was very easy to see that Marie is very knowledgeable of the time period. I admired these women the more and more the story grew— by forming a book club, they formed a bond that was everlasting and strengthening their views on equality and respect as women in the 60’s. I needed this book in my life, and I’ve already been recommending it to everyone!

I could not stop listening to this I was carrying around my phone and my iPad all day listening.
To start the narrator was fantastic. I was able to speed this audiobook up to 1.5 and it wasn’t distorted. It still sounded like I was being read to.
The book itself was so good, there was a lot of insight into your typical 1960s housewife, where they don’t have a lot of freedom husbands control everything women are expected to run the house and take care of the kids. Women are expected to do as they told not argue be very submissive.
The main characters in this book break that mold by getting jobs by getting a divorce by doing things that at the time were frowned upon, but are now not thought of twice.
Absolutely fantastic book and I can’t wait till I can pick up a physical copy at the bookstore!

This was a great historical fiction novel about book club members who become life-long friends during the second wave of the feminist movement in the early 1960s.

It was a really interesting look at what life could have been like at the time for women with many different backgrounds, all of whom were fighting personal battles with the patriarchal ideals of the times, but together they made each other's lives a little easier.

I listened to the audiobook of this novel, and it was very well done and a pleasant listen. I could see this book being enjoyed by many women's book clubs.

The Book Club for Troublesome Women was my first read by Marie Bostwick, and I absolutely loved it! This novel gave me Stepford Wives meets “Lessons in Chemistry” vibes, with its themes of
friendship & feminism.
Set in the early 1960s, the story follows a group of women who move into a planned community, expected to live the so-called "American Dream." But as we know, not everyone’s dream looks the same. As they bond over the book The Feminine Mystique, their friendships deepen, becoming a source of strength and solidarity throughout their lives.
I loved the different POVs from Viv, Bitsy, Margaret, and Charlotte—each woman navigating her own struggles while finding common ground in their growing friendship. Watching their relationships grow was one of my favorite parts of the book.
If you enjoyed Lessons in Chemistry, I think you’ll love this one too!
The audible version brought these characters to life, and the narrators did a great job!

4.5 stars
Marie Bostwick said, in the concluding author’s note, that this book was a labor of love for her. It definitely came through while listening to the audiobook. I loved these four different women who came from different circumstances and came together as found family. And they were joined together through their inquisitive natures and love of reading. Talk about a win-win!
1963 was a time of tumult and change for American housewives. Betty Friedan’s The Feminine Mystique is a catalyst for each of our four main characters to examine themselves, their circumstances, and their relationships. I felt fully invested in each of them over the course of this story and was rooting them all on!
*Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance audiobook copy

The Book Club for Troublesome Women was my first book by Marie Bostwick, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I don’t typically read historical fiction, but I am glad I took a chance on this. Lisa Flanagan did a great job narrating this novel.

The description is spot on. It was a very “thought provoking, and nostalgic romp through one pivotal and tumultuous American year--as well as an ode to self-discovery, persistence, and the power of sisterhood.” The Bettys made me realize how valuable it is to have a supportive social group especially when the world feels like it’s against you (women). I really enjoyed this book and will be sharing it with all my family and friends.

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you so much, @NetGalley, for providing me with this ALC in exchange for an honest review! #TheBookClubforTroublesomeWomen #NetGalley.

God reading about how horrendous women’s rights were not even 50 years ago honestly made me feel so deeply angry. Women couldn’t open banks accounts without their husbands permission or have access to birth control without their husbands permission. Husbands permission. Permission. Good god it makes me want to punch someone. I cannot even comprehend how women after the war felt, they were just expected to be shoved back into the gender social norm boxes, go back to being homemakers and mothers with no other prospects. Honestly in 50 years society has taken leaps and bounds into women’s equality, it just makes me sad things are STILL not equal even in 2025.

Let’s get into the characters, we got a range of cast in this book. Margret the stereotypical housewife, Viv the retired war nurse and housewife, Bitsy the youngest housewife struggling to conceive and Charlotte, rich and eccentric. To be honest she seemed to be the only one of the group that was actually ‘troublesome’ and the only character that had a decent backbone and stood up for herself.

I did really enjoy this book, it has strong themes of feminism, friendships and family. All four women come together to overcome their problems, personal and marital. I do wish a little more had happened in the book, some parts were very slow and repetitive but the overall story was really enjoyable.

I also enjoyed the mention of Betty Frieden’s ‘The feminine Mystique’. At the time of publication this book was highly controversial and challenged gender norms in the 60’s. I love that this piece of literature was the spark that made these characters question themselves and the society around them. I also really enjoyed the author mentioned and acknowledged the outdated nature of Friedman’s book. For the time it was as controversial as you could get, but only really targeted (and talked about) the middle class citizens who could afford to be housewives,
and basically ignored the working class.

Over all I think anyone who’s a fan of women’s fiction will like this book! Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 ⭐️
Set in a small American town 60 years ago—but just as relevant today—this book follows a group of women who call themselves a book club, even though the only book they all read and loved was The Feminine Mystique. But that one book sparks a chain of events that will have you laughing, crying, and absolutely furious.

This book mostly focuses on the experiences of white women during a time when they were expected to be nothing more than wives and mothers. While it dives into their struggles for independence and identity, it also hints at the broader inequalities of the era, making you think about the voices that were left out of the conversation. In the background of the main story, you can hear the echoes of MLK, JFK, and the events of a country on the brink of change.

The writing was beautiful and I love books based around female friendships. My only 2 critiques are that it could have been a little shorter, I prefer a faster pace and there were some slow bits. And second, I was waiting for more troublesome-ness. The only somewhat troublesome woman was Charlotte - my favorite! And although the others may have been characterized as troublesome because of their dissatisfaction with their lives, I would have liked to see them do something about it.

@mariebostwick #thebookclubfortroublesomewomen #bookclubfortroublesomewomen #tbftw #mariebostwick #mbostwick

When four women decide to read a controversial book detailing what a good housewife “should” be and not be for their inaugural book club, they realize they aren’t alone in their thoughts or commonalities of womanhood. This book chronicles women’s roles during the 1960s- what they could, but mostly could not do without the approval from their spouse. It takes us through the struggles women faced, but also the strength they found within their selves and their community.

1960's housewives Margaret, Viv, and Bitsy are introduced to Charlotte, a wild card. To break the ice, they start a book club, but Charlotte insists on reading "The Feminine Mystique" which sets off feelings and events that will impact them for the rest of their lives.

This was an absolutely fantastic book. These 4 women have grit and determination, and watching them take their own lives in their hands was beautiful. Womens rights, civil rights, JFK...it was all at the forefront in their lives. The ambitions and lives of these women is inspiring. A solid five-star read.