Oh Marie Bostwick, you’ve done it again. The Book Club for Troublesome Women was an absolute amazing read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins Focus for the free audiobook in exchange for my honest review. Lisa Flanagan does a fabulous job making the story come to life with her narration!

Its the 1960s and four suburban housewives from different walks of life form an unbreakable bond through their book club, forever altering the course of their lives.

I loved that the first book that the women read is the The Feminine Mystique which focuses on the core issue of these housewives and their dissatisfaction with domestic life. With the radical socio and economic changes headed their way, the reader gets a front row seat into the characters lives as they face motherhood, community and feminism. The Bettys are very likeable and relatable. This is a fast paced and entertaining read!

Highly recommend!

Margaret, Charlotte, Bitsy, and Vivian are each individually stunning characters. The breadth of each one of their stories is both enchanting and captivating. I listen enraptured to each one's story as it unfolded in this marvelous historical fiction. The 1960s were a difficult time in American History for lots of disparaged minorities. Each woman faces setbacks in their journey to discovering who they are in a society that only values women in Motherhood. I love that the book club finds it's bearings in The Feminine Mystique! Marie Bostwick brilliantly faces the topic of women being second class figures in society during this time-frame. It felt balanced that she honored the Civil Rights Movement also occurring in that time.

The audiobook is excellent! Charlotte's character came through vividly.

Thank you Netgalley and Harper Muse Audiobooks for this Audio ARC!

Historical fiction isn’t typically one of my interests, and while this book may be classified as such, its theme of women’s empowerment, female friendships and relationships is relevant and relatable today. I literally gasped out loud when basic choices related to contraception, working outside the home and opening a bank account without your husband’s permission were called into question. I often wonder about ‘simpler times’ and think back to the 50s and 60s but this book made me realize that while they may not have had the same challenges of today, they had their own and it was in no way easier. I loved this book and could not help but feel pride for the women that helped to make the choices and rights I have today possible.

*As a side note I’d like to include that I listened to the audio book and Lisa Flanagan was perfection!

Thank you to #netgalley #harpermuse #mariebostwick for an ARC!

Omg! I can't begin to express how much I loved this book. I'm part of 2 book clubs and the book club from this book is all I've ever dreamt of. Female friendships between the lost improbable of characters, deep connection and personal growth. Also, the historical setting that makes us realise how far the feminist cause has come as well as is still lagging behind... I'll gather my thoughts in the next few days and try to do this book justice. For now, just know you should run to buy it as soon as it comes out.

I really enjoyed this book! It activated my feminine rage without a doubt. This is such an important read because we need to remember how much women before us have fought for us to be where we are today.

I fell in love with the characters and they were so relatable in so many ways. I think every woman will be able to identify one way or the other with one or several of these characters.

Marie is an incredible writer and I was completely enthralled from start to finish! This was such a wonderful read!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, HarperCollins Focus, Harper Muse and Marie Bostwick for giving me an ALC of this incredible book!

The Book Club for Troublesome Women is a thought-provoking and still highly relevant exploration of women's rights, set against the backdrop of the 1960s. The story follows four dissatisfied housewives who are grappling with the struggles of not being able to access birth control without their husband's permission, needing their husband's signature to open a bank account, and generally feeling undervalued for the constant work they do.

I absolutely loved this book! While it shines a light on the challenges these women face, it also beautifully highlights the power of communication, friendship, and love. It's a powerful reminder of how far we've come and how much further we still have to go.

An excellent read that blends history with emotion and reflection—highly recommend!

The narrator, Lisa Flanagan, performs perfectly and adds much to the story!

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Focus for the opportunity to listen to this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the audio version. This was a fun read! I was honestly worried it would be very very liberal feminist book, but at times it was but I was happy with how the author incorporated how men were expected to have a good job and all the weight on their shoulders to support a family etc. I did like the female friendships and how they all came together and bonded and became such good friends and how encouraging they were to one another. I read this book in a day as I could not put it down. I was also talking to my mom not to long ago who was a late teenager at the time this book takes place. And she remembers how hard it was for a woman in some areas even though she is pro housewife stay at home and always took care of us kids while my dad went to work and provided for the family. I highly recommend this novel! It was a fantastic read! The narrator did a great job!

I loved this audiobook! Lisa Flanagan delivered a brilliant narration, but the true star was Marie Bostwick’s story—a powerful, heartfelt tribute to friendship, feminism, and the courage to challenge the status quo.

Set in 1960s Virginia, The Book Club for Troublesome Women follows Margaret Ryan, who never intended to start a book club… or spark a feminist revolution. When a new neighbour, Charlotte Gustafson, arrives in Concordia, Margaret seizes the chance to bring women together, hosting a book club that tackles The Feminine Mystique. Alongside Bitsy and Viv, these four women—the Bettys—find themselves questioning the roles they’ve been assigned and discovering the strength to want more.

Bostwick captures the era’s microaggressions and societal limitations with nuance and honesty, making me cheer for Margaret, Charlotte, Viv, and Bitsy as they push against expectations and claim their space. The themes of self-discovery, sisterhood, and resilience are woven beautifully throughout, making this both an empowering and emotional read.

The Book Club for Troublesome Women is humorous, thought-provoking, and utterly absorbing. If you love books about strong women finding their voice, the power of friendship, and the courage to challenge the status quo, this is a must-read. Highly recommended!

This novel is set in the 1960s, and follows four traditional housewives. They formed a book club together, and the books they read challenged their perspectives of the world, their roles as women, and what they can be. The book follows these women's stories as they change, grow, and take steps towards their own autonomy. It was a good glimpse into the struggles of that day. A good reminder of how much we have to be thankful for the work feminists have done to bring us to where we are today.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I've been fascinated by The Feminine Mystique both in its own right and as a cultural artifact since college. I love a book club, and I love troublesome women. I found this group (who call themselves The Bettys) to be totally endearing. I received a copy of this audiobook from Netgalley for review, and I'm so glad. I will be recommending this to many of my reading friends, especially my book club!

“The Book Club for Troublesome Women” by Marie Bostwick and narrated by Lisa Flanagan is a wonderful novel of friendship, self-exploration, and ultimately, self-actualization. Set in the early 1960s, a group of women—housewives in an up and coming suburb—come together as friends through a bookclub. They had no idea that the first book that they would read, The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan would have such a profound change on all their lives. In fact, they started calling themselves “The Bettys” after the author. This is a story that clearly illustrates how far American women have come in such a short time. Young women today really should never forget what their grandmothers and great-grandmothers had to do so they can enjoy the freedom they have today.

The characters are believable and the story line kept me hooked right up until the very end. I also enjoyed the author’s epilog at the end of the book as well. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this wonderful book. My opinions are my own.

Set in the early 1960s, The Book Club for Troublesome Women follows Margaret Ryan, Viv Buschetti, and Bitsy Cobb—suburban housewives in a brand-new planned community in Northern Virginia—who appear to have it all by society’s standards. Yet, they can’t shake the feeling that something is missing. When their new neighbor, Charlotte Gustafson, an artsy and independent woman from Manhattan, introduces them to Betty Friedan’s groundbreaking book, The Feminine Mystique, their perspectives begin to shift. But is it truly Friedan’s book that changes their lives, or is it the power of female friendship that gives them the courage to face the challenges of a rapidly evolving world?

I am absolutely the perfect audience for this book. As the daughter of a woman who came of age in the ’60s and fought some of these very battles so I could have more rights as a woman in a productive society, this story resonated deeply. As a Gen-X woman, I watched these archetypes persist into the ’80s as that generation of mothers aged, and while some barriers were broken, others stubbornly remained. This book also took me back to my early reading experiences—devouring Erma Bombeck’s humorous columns about the realities of being a wife and mother. That nostalgia hit hard, even though I wasn’t from this generation.

Beyond nostalgia, this book also made me reflect on my own experiences. When my husband and I married in 1992, I remember how frustrating it was trying to get his name removed as the guarantor for my medical bills—even though I had my own insurance through my employer. It took countless phone calls to fix something that should have been simple, and it made me think about all the women before me who had to fight even harder for basic autonomy. This novel has an incredible ability to evoke memory and emotion, and anytime a book can do that, it deserves major accolades.

I loved each of the female characters in this book and found myself relating to them in different ways. Even the secondary characters, like Erline and Viv’s boss, were well-developed and interesting. Marie Bostwick did a phenomenal job making each woman feel real and distinct, and I was completely engrossed in their journeys. The character arcs were so compelling that I found myself squeezing in listening time at every opportunity. I finished this audiobook in just a few days, and now that it’s over, I genuinely miss these characters.

If you read this book, don’t skip the author’s note at the end! She shares important historical context, including the fact that women weren’t able to benefit from the Equal Credit Opportunity Act until 1974. That’s within my lifetime—and it’s wild to think how recent some of these fundamental rights are. Parts of this book will enrage you, amaze you, and leave you with a deep appreciation for the women who fought for equality.

“You can have it all, just not all at the same time.”
― Betty Friedan

A special shoutout to Lisa Flanagan, whose narration was absolutely outstanding. She gave each of the women in this book a distinct voice and personality, making it easy to tell them apart. Her ability to bring even the male characters to life with unique, natural-sounding voices is no small feat, and it elevated the entire listening experience.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to listen to and review this fantastic audiobook.

*I listened to the audiobook provided by Netgalley*

An absolute must read! The Betty's are what all women should aspire to be; fierce, take no non-sense, and paving their own way. I bravery of these women to do something that seems so simple, stand up for themselves, creates a powerful and moving story. These are the kind of women I strive to be. I was laughing out loud at parts and teary eyed at others. The ending made me cry. I cannot recommend this book enough!

I loved this book. What an empowering book. Every woman should read this book. This is the kind of book that you need to read when you feel powerless, not good enough, or like something in your life is just not sitting right. I just might buy this book and read it again and again when these moods hit me.

These ladies in the book group, The Betty's, are all married in the 1960's. They all go through ups and downs and lots of changes and they grow TOGETHER. I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!!

Many thanks to Net Galley and HarperCollins Focus for an audio ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Wow…..this was fabulous! What an inspiring and empowering work of historical fiction from Marie Bostwick. This book felt like a breath of fresh air.

Through a book club that came into being on an unintended spur of the moment, I learned of the obstacles and injustices faced by women in the US in the 1960’s; the many social and political changes taking place during this time period; witnessed a group of women become the most solid of friends and also flourish as individuals in ways they could never have imagined. The characters really grew on me as the plot progressed, so that I felt invested in the outcomes of each one of them. The construction and the development of this story is wonderful, and along with the fantastic dialogue and humour, makes this a book that I highly recommend. I sincerely hope that Marie Bostwick reaps the rewards for this piece of work in which she has clearly invested her heart and time (do read / listen to Marie’s author note at the end - this was really moving).

The audio narration from Lisa Flanagan is outstanding - very clear and perfectly paced. She eloquently brings to life the wonderful array of characters regardless of gender, social class or age.

I received a complimentary audio copy of this book from the publisher, HarperCollins Focus. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

If you’ve read The Briar Club or The Women, this book has the same feeling of female friendships, not letting anyone down, and coming together from all walks of life to support each other. This is great historical fiction, set during a time when women couldn’t get a checking account themselves. It shows that you don’t have to be rich to lead a rich life. Navigating life is a challenge and having friends to support is vital, and this book shows it in a way that is hopeful and always engaging. These characters become friends over the course of this novel. You will feel empowered and hopeful and will be moved by this wonderful book.

Thank you to Harper Muse, Harper Muse Audiobooks and NetGalley for sending me an ARC and Audio-ARC of The Book Club for Troublesome Women in exchange for review.

Firstly let me just say, I absolutely adored this book and am very grateful I not only got to read it but then immediately after I finished was able to listen to the audio version as well.

This book is a wonderful combination of women of different backgrounds coming together to form a strong bond and endure life’s injustices. It’s hilarious and sad, with the perfect amount of feminine rage.

Being born in the 90s I very luckily missed this time of cruelty towards women of the 1970s. However does it really ever end? We still are fighting for our rights. Though these days we ARE able to open our own bank accounts.

The stories of each of these women being based in truth makes it feel so real. Along with the writing, I felt like I knew these women. I could picture each of them and their struggles. The narrator also did a wonderful job differentiating between voices for each of these women so if you want to read or listen to this book both ways are fantastic.

I felt on a high listening to the end of Charlottes story. It was just so good. They all took back their power in the most meaningful ways. I can’t stress how much I liked this book enough! They were all so relatable.

Thank you so much for the magnificent read!

This was such an insightful narration about women and how they were perceived in the early 60’s! Four different women find friendship and comradery as they try to navigate their roles as wife and mother. After reading “The Feminine Mystique”, during a newly formed book club, they begin to question what more they want from life. As they face blowback from what society expects vs what they want, the “Betty’s” support one another. Being a child of the 60’s I witnessed many of the changes and this book captures the true feelings of women AND MEN in that time.

Thank you to author Marie Bostwick, NetGalley, and Harper Collins Focus for the Advanced Reader Copy of The Book Club For Troublesome Women.

This book is based in the 1960s when women were expected to be seen and not heard. Traditional roles were at the forefront- get married, birth and raise babies, and have meals on the table three times a day. It was frowned upon for women to want more for themselves.

Four women- Margaret, Viv, Bitsy, and Charlotte- create a book club on the premise of reading a controversial (at the time) book. These four women create an unbreakable bond in a time where women most needed encouragement to be more and do more than just be an everyday housewife. Watch their lives come full circle in this beautifully written historical fiction novel.

First of all, my biggest thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins Focus for accepting my request to be provided with the ARC of this audiobook. I know it seems exaggerated, but honestly, I AM grateful. After getting so many rejections, I've learnt to be grateful for the approvals I get now!

OH, AND BEFORE I CONTINUE, I'd also love to express my gratefulness and admiration for the narrator! I've always said that a good narrator plays a vital role in how enjoyable a story can be, and I stand by it. The narration was done wonderfully!

When I had first sent my request for the audiobook, it was with the intention of having it as an easy side-read while doing tasks that require eyes and hands going 5-10% by day. But I started it after finishing my audiobook of 1984, and I just wanted to be able to listen to the entire book in one day! Unfortunately, life goes on, too fast. So, I had to set it aside to do my other tasks where I can't focus simultaneously on an audiobook. Day 3 of reading, where I started at 31%, and here I am, at 4:30 pm, writing my review while still buzzing after the end of the book.

Reading the book, I felt as if I was a part of it! Not just as a reader, but someone in the book. Maybe Denise? I don't know, I didn't relate on a PARTICULAR level with either of them, but I know a lot of women who would, on a deeply personal level. That's what made this book so special. Women, all with different personalities, different sort of problems, all forming such a lovely bond with each other, that you can't even be envious of it, just admire it with the proudest smile. At least, that's what I felt.

As a girl, and a feminist, seeing women uplifting each other, being there for each other, being determined to get what they deserve, all of it just gives me the inexplicable joy that's hard to translate into words, but I'm certain several other women must have experienced it too at some point! The book not only highlights women's issues, but the men's too. I do not want to spoil the experience for you, so I won't say much. But let's just say that the women aren't the only part I grew to love in the story. Every character was exceptionally well-written.

It's rare for me to give a book 5 stars. Specially one that didn't make me lose my shit. But I feel that this book deserves it. I would even call it a comfort read, in fact! It wasn't all sunshines, obviously. There were ups and downs, highs and lows, but their pacing, and the ending was so perfectly executed that you just can't help but love it, and love the characters!

Afterthoughts:
This book is set on the situation of 1960s, which would make one think that you can't relate to it. Enjoy it, maybe? But relate? How? It's been over half a century since the book was written, surely a lot must've changed! Right? I wish. Yes, a LOT of changes have taken place since that era, women have their own rights now (at least, more than they did, I guess), but there are still so many parts of the world which went backwards drastically. Worse than what we could've imagined! Will this ever end? Will women ever get the privilege to have to stop fighting for their rights, or that of other women in different parts of the world?

This book was so good!! It's the first book I've read by this author and won't be my last. The Book Club for Troublesome Women is a delightful, thought-provoking story of friendship, hardship, sexual inequality, determination, strength, and acceptance. Set in the 1960s, four women form a strong bond after Margaret Ryan starts a book club on a whim, dissatisfied with her lot in life and hoping to meet others who don't just want to be a housewife. There are multiple POVs, and through these the reader is drawn into the life of each woman. There is a lot of 'man-bashing' in this story, but it is levelled out by positive interactions as well as recognition of the struggles men deal with as well. It was such a thought-provoking and educational story for me and I kept reminding myself how far we have come as a society. While set in the 1960s, some of the struggles and emotions are very relevant and current, such as the desire to have a family, a career, hobbies, and then having to juggle them all. The characters were well-developed and relatable, with some great humour, and a few heartbreaking moments. The narrator was excellent and gave each character their own voice and personality - I loved the narration as much as the story.

Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins Focus, and the author for an ALC for review. All opinions are my own and my review is voluntary.

By the title, I knew I had to read this book! I loved each of the Bettys—their journeys, lessons, and changes as reflected by the books they explore in their club. The male characters were perhaps a little cartoonish—most either absolute angels or total buffoons but this was not their story so I did not mind. I appreciated the judicious sprinkling of real people and events, which were helped to ground the book in its not-so distant historical time period. Nice job by the narrator, deftly differentiating each character and bringing the whole story to vibrant life.

5 Stars!

This was fabulous slow burn!! Based on a real book in 1962, The Feminine Mystique, that changed women and how they viewed themselves. It’s also about some real women, fictionalized but told in a Desperate Housewives style of the 50s and 60s up to the 70s.
4 women that come together monthly over a book club and leave stronger . Just finished and it always leaves me inspired and humbled because some women couldn’t even divorce or, as we know, get credit cards/bank accounts… couples couldn’t even get contraception until 1965.

Loved this historical fiction! Loved the Author's Note, it brought everything together.
The content is pivotal right now as we (women) face uncertainty with the current administration and wanting to take women back to the kitchen.

A complex and thought-provoking story woven with joy reminiscent of watching Desperate Housewives. An honest portrayal of the lives of housewives in the 60s, The Book Club for Troublesome Women sheds light on lives that in popular literature are most commonly shown from a standpoint of mocking or privilege.

I loved (LOVED) this audiobook. I haven't ever taken the time to dive deep into women's revolutionary acts beyond the suffrage movement, and I feel like I left this book so much more knowledgable than I had anticipated. It isn't bad that the characters are also so dynamic, complex, and hilarious. Each character struggles in some facet of their life, from children to husbands to career, yet they all come together once a month to read feminine literature (while also gossiping, duh).

The pacing of this book is amazing, and I kept thinking to myself, "Wow, this would be a great TV show!"

5 stars for me :)

I absolutely loved The Book Club for Troublesome Women! Marie Bostwick brings together a group of women bonded by books—especially The Feminine Mystique—and turns their meetings into something so much bigger. Their friendship felt so real, and I wanted to pull up a chair and join them.

At first, their lives seem picture-perfect, but as the story unfolds, you realize they’re all facing their own struggles. Watching them lean on each other, grow, and find strength together was such a joy. This book is all about friendship, life’s curveballs, and the power of having people in your corner. Highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Focus for the opportunity to listen to an advanced copy of this wonderful audiobook!

Four women who live just outside of Washington DC in the early 1960's become friends, united by being in a book club where they first read Betty Friedan's The Feminine Mystique. The "Betty's" become close as they go thru struggles between their traditional roles as wives and mothers while also wanting careers and passions. One is an aspiring magazine writer, one is an equine vet assistant to her husband, one is an aspiring artist from a judgmental wealthy family, and one is a former combat nurse with six kids. These four friends explore who they are and what they want out of their lives, set to the backdrop of the mid-1960's.

This was a great historical fiction book. It felt like the spirit sister to The Women by Kristin Hannah, so if you liked that one, you might like this one too. I thought the four women were great and so well written and different enough from each other that I didn't have any trouble keeping them straight (so refreshing!) I loved the rural Maryland setting and the time period, with a few touches of well-known names to help center the cultural time period. I listened to this on audio and read it and really liked both versions. They audio was great and kept the pace moving well.

I would highly recommend this historical fiction novel for readers of Kristin Hannah and Beatriz Williams. Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy and audio for review.

“But if your peers were ordinary people destined to lead ordinary lives, and you understood that you were the opposite, why would you waste time trying to fit in?

You wouldn’t.”

This story was a beautiful and at times heartbreaking portrayal of the quiet lives women were forced to live and how they climbed out of the expected molds in both small, and big ways. The cast of characters were diverse in their feelings toward the expectations of women, each with a husband showing the unfair expectations set on women by the men in their lives. While each women faced different challenges, some larger than others, each one had to find their own way to create a life outside of their expected role of mother and wife. I loved that they connected through a book club and learned to find themselves both through the books they read, and the “troublesome women” they surrounded themselves with.

The narrator was animated in a way that I appreciated as it really helped me disappear into the story and forgot I wasn’t a member of this book club - though I truly wish I was.

While much of this story broke my heart, seeing the way women were forced to fit into the “correct” box, I also found myself laughing along with these women as they joked, scoffed and were angered by the way those around them treated their unorthodox thoughts about gaining independence.

Overall, this story was a generous combination of hard to swallow truths about women’s expectations, and a comical, breath of fresh air living alongside women who spoke up for themselves, fought for what they wanted, and ultimately found their own ways to break the hold expected of them. I was inspired by these women jumping off the page at me and truly loved every word.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Book Club For Troublesome Women was a wonderful, inspiring read filled with hope and heart. Immersive story telling, with a charming cast of characters that I was very excited to learn more about with each turn of the page. I loved the political undertones of the plot, and the focus on reproductive rights, divorce, and women's rights. I feel like the author approached these themes gracefully and accurately with regard to the historical time period. Overall I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the plot, or historical fiction as a whole.

I absolutely loved this book. This is one to watch! If you loved Steele Magnolias, Lessons in Chemistry or Behind Every Good Man, you will adore this book! I loved all the characters and felt like I was in the book club with the characters.

The Book Club for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick, was a great women's historical fiction look. It is about how a group of women form a Book Club, starting with reading the Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan and other books with "troublesome" them, examining the roles women fill on our society, that allow the group image a new trajectory for their lives, breaking the bonds of the cultural expectations for women of the 1960's. Through the book club and the exploration of their lives, these women develop strong bonds and support each other in achieving their own agency.

This book paints the historical events of the time including the civil rights movement. I am sure some people will be upset that the book did not address some of the other politics around race at the time, I appreciated that this book only focused on the characters in the book and their experience, instead of trying to be all things for all audiences.

Written in the spirit of The Women by Kristin Hannah and Mona Lisa Smile by Deborah Chiel, it demonstrates the importance of women's friendships and the need to support each other. I hope that this book inspires a new generation of women to read the classics mentioned in this book.

I had the good fortune to listen to the narration of this book by Lisa Flanagan. She is an amazing narrator with enough range to ensure that each character had a distinct voice, including the male characters. I look forward to listening to her narrations in the future.

I want to thank HarperCollins Focus | Harper Muse and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook. My Opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley for the advance audible of The Book Club for Troublesome Women. I loved it! The narrator was amazing and I enjoyed every minute. I was also fortunate to receive the ARC for the book also. I guess I'm odd and I like to listen and read at the same time. I flew through this story. The time period of the 1960's was interesting since I was born in 1960. I imagined my mother and her friends having coffee klatches and boo clubs. I have already recommended this book/audible to my book club members and friends. One of my favorites now! Thank you again!

I did not expect to love this book as much as I did. I suppose part is due to the fact that I grew up in the sixties and 1963 is a year etched deeply in my memory. Women couldn’t get birth control without their husband’s approval in 1963, nor could they open a bank account in their own name, even though they were simply trying to cashing their own pay checks. How quickly we forget, but now my Granddaughter is roughly the same age that I was in the early 6o ‘s and I see her rights being stripped away.

The story of four neighbors ( Margaret, Betsy, Viv, and Charlotte, begins in March 1963 when they form a book club called The Betty’s after reading Betty Friedan’s classic The Feminine Mystique. Books can change lives and be the catalyst for change, and throughout the book we see how friendship can facilitate important transformation in the lives of these women, as they strive to live their best life. I thoroughly enjoyed this trip back into the past and it’s a good reminder that women still possess the strength to go after what they are due. We have plenty left to fight for.

Set in the 1960s - four women created a strong relationship, a sisterhood through a book club.

The book was really amazing and I did like the characters in the story. This was a delight to read, thought provoking novel about women, acceptance and equality.
The narrator was really good and gave life to the characters.

Thank you NetGalley and to the publisher HarperCollins Focus/ Harper Muse for an amazing book - ARC (audio).

The Book Club for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick

To begin with, I found the audiobook a little overwhelming with so many characters being introduced and their backstories being told. But soon, I found myself getting to know these women and their characters came alive.

The Book Club for Troublesome Women is a thought-provoking book which follows four women in the 1960s as they struggle with society’s expectations. They want more from life and are willing to fight for it.

This was a fascinating book that followed the various trials of four housewives as they navigate life and fight for a better future.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Muse Audiobooks for this ARC

I absolutely loved this book. I loved all the characters and how the books made them best friends. I loved the message that women can have dreams outside of being a housewife. It made you think, laugh, and sometimes cry. Thank you so much for the advanced copy!

This story offers a distinctive perspective on a typical white American home in the 1960s. The husbands are the primary earners, while the wives take care of the children and manage the household until the arrival of "The Feminine Mystique" sparks significant change. Set in a Virginia suburb, this historical fiction places a groundbreaking feminist book at the center of transformation within a tiny book club.
The book club is founded by Margaret, a housewife and mother. Margaret is a writer but put her dreams on hold while her husband, Walt, climbs the corporate ladder.
Margaret first recruits her new neighbor, Charlotte, into the club. Charlotte is a mysterious type, living off generational wealth and soon to send her oldest child off to college.
Bitsy and Viv are the final in this group, who affectionately call themselves “The Bettys.” Bitsy is a very young, newly married woman who gave up her dreams of being an equine veterinarian after marrying a veterinarian. Viv is a former army field nurse that has the largest brood of children in The Bettys.
Throughout this story we have the pharmaceutical industry impacting women with the abusive overprescription of Miltown (a.k.a. “Mother’s Little Helper”), cocktail parties, infidelity, and the enduring strength of the daughters and granddaughters of the Women’s Suffrage Movement. The narrative sheds light on some progress we have made, reminding us of the struggles women faced, such as needing approval from their father or husband to open a bank account, lacking access to birth control without husband’s consent, and facing barriers to jobs and careers due to societal expectations that were reaching them via all sources of media.
I found I could relate to different aspects of each of The Bettys, and I also saw reflections of my mother in their stories, as they represent her generation of women. The author skillfully incorporated significant events and historical figures from American history, helping us connect with the era. Notable references included the rise of Martin Luther King Jr., the assassination of JFK, and the remarkable newspaper publisher Katherine Graham.
I believe this is a story I will revisit in the future and one that I will definitely recommend to my daughter. It explores a broad range of societal psychology, highlighting the sexism and racism of the era while also reflecting on the impacts of WWII and the Korean war upon the homes of the previous generation. I really only have one complaint about the story and it is the ending. I’m a sucker for happily ever afters but do not need that to wrap up the characters to the ends of their lives. Beyond that, this is an absolutely gorgeous story displaying the resilience, strength and tenacity of women.
This story is narrated beautifully by Lisa Flanagan. Flanagan is able not only to keep the listener on track between four leading women but also their husbands and a full cast of characters including children, in-laws, neighbors and more. She gives us a slight taste of a Kentucky accent in Bitsy, and an upper class mid-Atlantic sound in Charlotte. Flanagan kept me engaged in this rather long and windy story that I would have become restless with if I was reading it with my own eyes. I very highly recommend this audiobook experience. I received a copy of this Advanced Listeners Copy and am leaving a voluntary review.

The Book Club for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick

Wow!!! The Book Club for Troublesome Women is a powerful and heartwarming tale set in the early 1960s, giving readers a glimpse into what life for women might have been like during that time. The story follows four women who come together through a book club, forming a bond that goes beyond friendship. Throughout the novel, the women support each other, share in each other’s triumphs, challenge one another, and even have their disagreements. It’s a beautiful, raw portrayal of the complexities of female friendship.

As the story unfolds, we watch these women grow and evolve. Though they start off as strong and confident individuals, they become even more determined and empowered as they navigate their personal journeys. Their resilience and drive to carve out their own paths are inspiring and add depth to the story.

The narration of the novel is truly outstanding. Each character is perfectly portrayed, making them feel real and relatable. The author skillfully brings the women to life, capturing their personalities and emotions with such authenticity. This strong character development, combined with the rich, immersive setting, makes The Book Club for Troublesome Women a deeply engaging read from start to finish.

Overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves stories about friendship, empowerment, and personal growth. It’s a beautiful celebration of women supporting women and the strength that can be found in community.

It's 1963, and housewife Margaret Ryan has just inadvertently started a book club. Her fashionable new neighbor, Charlotte, suggests that they read Betty Friedan's The Feminine Mystique, and Margaret invites her neighbors Viv, who has six school-age kids and is finally hoping to return to nursing, and Bitsy, a young wife who dreamed of being a veterinarian but is now temping as a stable-hand. The women have different reactions to the book, but as the year unfolds, each woman's life changes in drastic ways and the "Bettys," as they call themselves, credit Ms. Friedan's book as the catalyst for recognizing their own unfulfilled desires and giving them courage to reach for them.

I really, really enjoyed this novel; I'm a sucker for feminist literature and this book most certainly qualifies. The four characters' perspectives are compelling and each does not necessarily go in the direction you'd expect. The author manages to bring in factual details about women's lives at the time, like how married women could not open checking accounts without their husband's permission, without these details feeling shoehorned into the plot to make a point. The mix of these facts and subtle integration of real-life individuals, like Katharine Graham of the Washington Post, made the book feel almost biographical at times, even though these main characters are purely fictional. The narrator was excellent and gave each woman a brilliant voice and style--I am so glad I had the opportunity to listen to this one. Highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse Audiobooks for a complimentary copy for review purposes; the opinions expressed in my review are my own.

The book club of troublesome women, is such a great book! Four suburban housewives of the 1960s begin a book club. Starting with Betty Fredian s the female mystique. This book and these friends, change each others lives. I can’t wait for this book to come out so our book club can do this

Marie Bostwick is a modern-day Mary McCarthy. I adored The Betty's, their trials, tribulations and the enduring friendship between them. ‘The Book Club for Troublesome Women’ really illustrates, and brings to life, the times (and misogynistic restrictions) my Mother lived through. It feels like a sad, timely reminder. Let us never, ever go back. I look forward to more from this author, and I enjoyed Lisa Flanagan’s audiobook narration.

The 60s were a challenging time for women, and no one exposed and elevated the discontent of the white suburban housewife quite like Betty Friedan in her groundbreaking book, The Feminine Mystique (1963). In this novel, four women in a planned suburban neighborhood form a book club and their first selection is Friedan’s book. They decide to call themselves “The Bettys” and become essential in each other’s lives. The author did a good job of building four very different characters with different reasons for marriage and very different husbands. From a rake to a feminist, the men are at times dismissive of or supportive of their wives’ growing awareness that there could be (SHOULD be) more to their lives than shopping, kids, and housework.
In those days, bank accounts, jobs, and even medications (including birth control) had to be signed off on by the male head of household. It’s sobering to believe that was the norm just two generations ago. And yet there is still so much more to be done. The author also addresses some of the weaknesses of Friedan’s seminal work by including a (minor) female character of color, and by recognizing that there are and were men who “got it” early on in the struggle for equal rights.
The story is less about a specific plot line and more about the different chapters in our lives, and the importance of having a support group. Naturally, it would make a great reading selection for a book group. The author and publisher have helpfully provided reading guides and questions on the author’s website.
I enjoyed it very much and look forward to discussing it with my own “Bettys” once it is available (22 April 2025).
My thanks to the author, publisher, Harper Muse, and #NetGalley for early access to the audiobook of #TheBookClubforTroublesomeWomen for review purposes.

The book in general was really well written and enjoyable. The pacing was good as the storytelling from the author. The story gives humor and seriousness while also giving the reader a positive ending. The women are well rounded characters. Each character learns and grows for the better in this book. I would recommend this book. I really enjoyed listening to it, though it does come in print/ebook form. Be sure to pick it up when it comes out in April 2025.

The book tackles the complicated roles women have overcome but done it in a way that also showcases love, heartbreak, found family and the shifts of society. I enjoyed getting to learn the different characters and the varied paths they took but how one bookclub brought them together. It was beautiful

I absolutely loved The Book Club for Troublesome Women! This book was engaging, compelling, and, most importantly, inspiring. The story wonderfully captures the complexities of female friendships and personal growth, weaving together humor and emotion in a way that feels both authentic and uplifting. The narrator, who did an excellent job bringing the characters to life. Their pacing and tone was spot-on.

I really enjoyed listening to this book! The stories of the Betty's were so entertaining! So many bits of history intertwined that are so important to know about today! The characters and the books they read brought everything together!

I am absolutely enamored with "The Book Club for Troublesome Women"! From start to finish, I adored every moment spent with these characters, and now that I’ve finished, I find myself missing them dearly. I didn’t even want to finish the book because I wasn’t ready to say goodbye.

Marie Bostwick is such a talented writer—her storytelling feels effortless, and she crafted an incredibly authentic world that pulled me right in. I absolutely loved that this book was set in the 1960s; it made me nostalgic for a time I never even experienced. It was such a fresh take on historical fiction, especially since so much of the genre focuses on World War II. In her author's note, Bostwick mentions how hard it was to let go of these characters, and I felt the exact same way. It truly felt like I was one of the Bettys. Margaret, Charlotte, Viv, and Bitsy will stay with me for a long time, and I already can’t wait to read more from Bostwick.

As for the audiobook, Lisa Flanagan’s narration was phenomenal. She has been one of my favorite narrators ever since "The Shoemaker’s Wife", and she is just as excellent here. Her precise pronunciations and dulcet tone brought every character to life in a way that made this book even more special.

This is, without a doubt, my first five-star read of 2025, and I cannot recommend it enough—especially in audio!

Thank you to Marie Bostwick, Lisa Flanagan, Harper Muse, and NetGalley for sending me the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley, Harper Muse and Marie Bostwick for the advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

You know it’s a good book when you forget that its story is fictional. The way that I connected with Charlotte, Margaret, Viv and Bitsy felt seamless, like if I were to show up to their book club to talk about The Feminine Mystique I would be welcomed without a bat of an eyelash. Finding yourself as a woman in 2025 can be hard - finding yourself in 1960 as a woman that can’t even open their own bank account without their husband’s permission… just puts in perspective how far we have come in the last 60 years, but the work is also far from done.

This book was about navigating life, breaking social norms and finding empowerment within yourself. If Concordia, Virginia were a real place - sign me up to be a new resident, just so I could join the “Betty’s” and their book club.

Also, thank you for adding the part about Charlotte having power windows in her car, because I would have never googled when they became a thing - and would have never known they were invented in the 1940s.

The Book Club for Troublesome Women is a nostalgic journey through a pivotal year in American history, celebrating the power of sisterhood and the courage to challenge the status quo. It's an inspiring read for those interested in stories about strong women finding their voices and the enduring impact of friendship

This wonderfully narrated audiobook talks about how life was in the early 1960s, it reminded me of the television show 'Leave it to Beaver'. This story takes place in a DC suburb, 4 women, neighbors, decide to form a book club. And, when they read Betty Friedan's book, The Feminine Mystique', they all want more out of life aside from being a wife and mother. I love hearing them talk abour ordering pantyhose for the first time from the Sear's catalogue. This is the time period when many of us, myself included, helped glue green stamps into books for prizes and we had a milkman deliver dairy. It was also a time period when fur coats were status symbols, you could rent a typewriter for $7 a month, wives were getting an allowance from their husbands, and it wasn't until 1974 that a married woman could open a bank account for herself. This story is about the power of female friendships, the friendships that can change your life for the better. Along with the author, I also loved her characters.

This was like a 1950s desperate housewives and I loved it! Not at all what I was expecting but different. A bookclub I could join! Loved the characters. And the narrator is one of my very favorites!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Thank you netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read/listen to this book.
If you enjoyed housewife 49 then this is for you.
It follows a woman called margaret and her life in the 60s.
A very inciteful look into how she grows to being independent even though her husband is against her working.
Her get together with the ladies of her bookclub and their stories.
Brilliantly written and beautifully narrated.

What a lovely group of women. Can I join this book club?

I received an advance audiobook of The Book Club for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick.

This was a heartwarming, heartbreaking, fun book to listen to. I really enjoyed The narration.

The characters are well written with great character development. You can really feel their struggles and growth and all the emotions.

A 5 star historical fiction.

The Book Club for Troublesome Women is incredible and I loved it. I feel like the time period in this book, the early 60s, is either idealized or vilified in storytelling and this story is so nuanced and has so much depth.

The primary characters, Margaret, Vivian, Bitsy, and Charlotte, feel so true that I checked a few times to see if this was based on actual events. Set in a fictional planned community in Northern Virginia in the months leading up to JFK's assassination, this is the story of four smart and capable women and how their quests to deeper meaning and fulfilling connections lead them to form a seemingly random book club. They face the traditional issues of the day, but the characters never feel two-dimensional. Four richly drawn women and the people in their orbit create a charming time capsule in which to visit. Loved the appearances from Katherine Graham!

I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator was really good. So many voices and points of view and I was never taken out of the story.

Why I have not read more books from Marie Bostwick? I will be remedying that!

Definitely recommend! Perfect for book clubs, vacation reads, or anyone looking for a wonderful post WWII historical fiction novel.

Thank you for the ARC, NetGalley and Harper Muse!

What a wonderful novel about 4 women who come together in the early 1960s to read Feminine Mystique. Each coming from different backgrounds and current situations and each woman begins to see their life transformed as they reflect on this book. A bookclub is formed and with each book read the women grow, learn more about each other and themselves. While labeled troublesome, they are truly regular woman trying to navigate what it means to be a woman in that time. This novel encouraged me to think back on my own mother’s experience as well as other women I knew. It also made me so thankful for all the small steps taken by these women in their lives so that I’ve been able to enjoy different freedoms and opportunities.

I want to thank Netgalley and Harper Muse for the audio arc!

You just can't go wrong with a novel by Marie Bostwick! This is going to be a new favorite for book clubs! And the leading question will be "Who is your favorite character?".

So often with women's fiction, there are so many characters that it is difficult to keep them straight. That wasn't a problem for me with this book. All the characters had so much personality ... and they were all so unique. This book was so well woven. It was just perfect. I loved it!

I want to start describing the characters in detail, but Marie Bostwick does that best. So in short about the main characters ... a magazine columnist, nurse with 6 children who has prior war experience, an artist, veterinarian's daughter. But my favorite character wasn't any of these, one of the book clubs daughters stole my heart.

A great book. And a great book for your next book club. Worth the purchase ... or get your name on the waitlist now.

Many thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Focus for approving my request to listen to the advance copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review. Expertly narrated by Lisa Flanagan who brought each of these unique women (and their own cast of characters) to life. The audio is 10hr 49 min (book version is 384 pages), this included a little bit of commentary from Marie Bostwick at the end saying that her mother gave her much inspiration for this book. Publication date is April 22, 2025.

I LOVED this book! Four women in the early sixties sharing their trials of being a woman during this time. I love books about women who like to stir up trouble and come out on top.

Thank you to Netgally Canada and publisher for the audio version in exchange for a honest review. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ story and utterly engaging narration.

*No spoilers*

Always enjoy stories around found friendships, in-depth character development and strong women who push the envelope; especially in the turmoil of historical events in the 1960’s.

The Betties was pulled together with 4 neighborhood housewives who decided to form a book club. One newly arrived housewife who is quite different from the 3 with the rich clothing, chain smoking and vocalized budding artist is approached to join. She had 1 stipulation: they have to read The Feminine Mystique by Bettie Friedan. The 3 women were baffled considering the controversy of the content being anything but what they were living….cookie cutter neighbourhood with abiding to strict rules and housewives who are all expected to fit the norm of care of the house, cooking and childcare… THE typical 1960’s housewife.

Thoroughly enjoyed the growth and supportive friendships these ladies brought to each other and any that came along their path. I felt connected and was inspired by all 4 of these witty, intelligent and uplifting women.

The years-later ending brought profound tears as I was invested in all of them.

Will be tackling the Feminine Mystique soon and analyze how similar or different women are today.

Fabulous novel about how one book can change your life.

Four unhappy women create a book club that not only begins lifelong friendships but also improves each one’s lives. Set in a neighborhood of wealthy unhappy housewives in the early 1960’s, the ladies read the book, The Feminine Mystique. Each woman makes decision to change their own lives to achieve their dreams.

I was afraid this book was going to be a man-bashing book, but it was not at all. This novel celebrated women and the advancement and changes women have made since the 20th Century. I love how each woman had to work hard to achieve their dreams, that not one woman felt entitled. It also, encouraged men to also follow their dreams.

This novel told the story of each of the four women’s lives and every character was unique and very interesting. The narrator was fabulous and did a great job with each voice.

This book was very enjoyable and made me proud to be a working woman balancing a career and family.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Muse Audiobooks for this wonderful Advanced Reader Copy. I will highly recommend this for book clubs and women of all ages #NetGalley #TheBookClubForTroublesomeWomen

Wow. The Book Club For Troublesome Women predominantly follows 4 women who are all struggling to reconcile their positions as a housewife and their dreams during the 60s, each for their own individual reasons. The 4 very different women end up forming a book club and their very first book sparks a lot of thought and discourse about roles that women were boxed into, how could they possibly ‘have it all’, and why deep down they felt somewhat unfulfilled.

I love that rather than this just being a book about women rejecting the notion of being a housewife entirely and bucking societal norms its an exploration of sacrifice, finding balance, giving yourself and others space to grow, appreciation of what it means to be a caregiver, AND bucking societal norms and rejecting the notion that women had to choose between being a mother or their dreams.

An incredible read and the narration in the audiobook was incredible. I feel like when you have a book that follows 4 women who are all voiced by the same narrator it could be easy to get confused on who was currently making which remarks but the narrator did a great job of giving each woman a subtle enough change in tone or cadence that I could pretty easily distinguish them.

I appreciate the author, publisher and NetGalley for giving me an opportunity to listen to an early access of the audiobook.

Thank you Macmillan Audio, Netgalley and Marie Bostwick for the opportunity to review this ALC/ARC. The Book Club for Troublesome Women was the perfect mashup of the female experience. Touching deeply on the inner conflict that so many women faced in the 60s, and often still face today. I am one of those women who absolutely loves my life, I CHOSE to be a wife, a mother, a homemaker AND to work full time. I thrive in knowing that I am setting an example for my children that family is about balance. My husband and I share household responsibilities, childcare responsibilities and financial responsibilities... we are partners. This is something that you see with the FMC and her husband in this book, but you see it evolve and go through growing pains. Some of the other female leads go through equally common struggles... fertility issues, spousal infidelity, being turned away or turned down for career aspirations simply for being a woman, lifestyles based on appearances rather than substance... But at the heart of it all, they have each other, to empower, advocate and support each other. This is such a beautiful story of resilience, challenge, and friendship.

A book really can change your life. Just ask Margaret who was a simple housewife in the 60s until she accidentally starts a book club after visiting her radical new neighbor. After they read The Feminine Mystique, all of them embrace the fact that they do want more. And that’s exactly what they get. For fans of Lessons in Chemistry and The Help.

An amazing look into the not so recent past. A very timely book considering all of the changes that are going on in the world, and the challenges that minorities and women are facing with regards to rolling back rights and freedoms.

This book was at the heart a story about female friendship and encouragement. It was a window into the lives of women in our grandmother's time, and weather you had the support of a good husband, or was strapped to a dud of a man, the challenges and tribulations of just being a woman existing were steeper and stronger than those of today. Challenges like having a bank account or a job without the permission of your husband. Certainly limited freedoms as to what sort of education, career-if any, and hobbies you had access to.

I love that books brought these women together and have them experiencing life differently, and used the book club as the foundation of their fierce and lovely friendship story. I loved this book. I can't wait to recommend it to all my book club gals.

Good supportive friends and empowering books can achieve remarkable things. I didn't waste a moment considering how much longer I had left in the book—I simply relished the experience. The Book Club for Troublesome Women intricately weaves the lives of four distinct women who convene for a book club. It delves deeply into their relationships with their husbands and children, or the absence thereof. The narrative provides a fascinating glimpse into the treatment of women in the 1960s, highlighting the rights they were denied and the expectations they faced. I found the storyline profoundly empowering. Despite the societal pressures to conform to certain behaviors and ways of thinking, many women defied these norms, and I greatly admired how they navigated these challenges.

My only comment pertains to the section about the JFK funeral; while I understood its inclusion, it felt somewhat corny. I appreciated the historical perspective of the book and the included snippets, but this particular segment felt distracting from the storyline.

If you enjoyed Lessons in Chemistry, I think this should be added to your list. Books bringing women together for girl power, what could be better! Highly recommend.

This has been posted to Goodreads.

Thank you to the author, publisher and Net Galley for an ARC of this book.

I didn't realize I would love this book as much as I did until I was telling my friend about it. If a book is about books, bookstores, libraries, librarians or book clubs, then I want to read it. I loved getting to know Maggie, Viv, Charlotte, and Bitsy. I loved how they built their book club and friendship. I loved getting their views of the 1960s and seeing them deal with the struggles of the times. It also makes me scared right now that we, as women, may be fighting for the same rights again. I want to hop into the book and join the Betty's (their book club). The book concluded in a perfect way, but I am saddened that on my ride home today I won't be listening to my girls. I have added the Feminine Mystique and A Room of Her Own to my TBR. I am thankful for the author's note at the end. I love hearing how authors come up with their stories. If you are a historical fiction reader or love a good story about friendship and overcoming difficulties, finding yourself or BOOKS, give this one a try.

✨ 𝘼𝙇𝘾 𝙍𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬 ✨

𝙋𝙪𝙗 𝘿𝙖𝙩𝙚: April 22, 2025

𝘽𝙤𝙤𝙠: The Bookclub for Troublesome Women

𝙍𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜: 🤯

𝙍𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬: Audiobook Review: The Book Club for Troublesome Women

This book took me on an emotional rollercoaster, and the audiobook narration made it even more immersive. The narrator did an incredible job bringing the characters to life—there were moments where I felt like I was sitting in the same room, experiencing their frustrations, their anger, and their triumphs right alongside them.

Set in the early 1960s, The Book Club for Troublesome Women follows a group of women who begin reading The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan. Through their discussions, they start to see the limitations placed on them—some they had accepted as normal, others they had been fighting against without even realizing it. The injustices these women face are infuriating. Not being able to open a checking account without a husband’s permission? Being blamed entirely if they couldn’t get pregnant? A woman’s struggles being dismissed simply because she’s female? It’s a stark reminder of how far we’ve come—and how much we take for granted today.

The historical backdrop was also powerful—1963 marked the fight for equal pay, and MLK’s speech was happening at the same time. The book blended these real-world events seamlessly into the characters’ lives, making it feel even more authentic.

Overall, The Book Club for Troublesome Women is a must-read (or listen!) for anyone who appreciates historical fiction, feminist themes, and powerful female friendships. It’s a book that will make you feel everything—anger, frustration, hope, and empowerment.

"The Book Club for Troublesome Women" is a really touching and relevant read, especially with everything going on with women's rights today. Set in the 1960s, it shows how far we've come in the feminist movement, but also how much more there is to do.

The story is about four housewives—Margret, Charlotte, Viv, and Bitsy—who read "The Feminine Mystique" and it totally changes their lives. They start to question the roles society has given them and go on a journey of self-discovery and empowerment.

What I loved most was the strong friendship between these women. Their support for each other is at the heart of the story, and it really shows how powerful friendship and personal growth can be. Watching them challenge the norms of their time was super inspiring.

I listened to the audiobook and it was fantastic. The narration really brought the characters to life and made the story even more engaging.

Reading this book made me realize how much I take for granted today. For example, I had no idea that women in the 1960s couldn't open a bank account without their husband's permission. That was a real eye-opener and made me appreciate the freedoms we have now.

I haven't been part of a book club in a while, but this book made me wish I had a group to discuss it with. The themes and characters are so rich and engaging, it would make for a great conversation.

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for letting me listen to the ARC of this audiobook. "The Book Club for Troublesome Women" is a must-read that will leave you thinking about friendship, personal growth, and the ongoing fight for women's rights. It also inspired me to read "The Feminine Mystique" myself!