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!

The Book Club for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick was my first read from her, and I really enjoyed this book, it’s one of those books I won’t stop thinking about. It is set back in the 1960s and follows a group of housewives that are living in this new “planned community”. They started this book club and their first book they planned to read was The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan. Margaret, Viv, Bitsy and Charolette meet and bond over afternoon cocktails and their books. These four women created a sisterhood from this bookclub, their friendship feels authentic and following their stories made me sit back and think just how lucky women are now compared to the 1960s. These ladies would discuss all the controversies of their first read, this book was so groundbreaking for women in that generation. It helped them see that they were more than just housewives while their husbands worked and they stayed home and were homemakers and mothers. The book highlights alot of historical events taking place during this time including the civil rights movement. It was really eye opening to see just how few things were able to do, I know how many more rights women have due to this time of our history. I loved that this wasnt like other historical fiction books, it was more real and raw. I was appalled reading that before 1974 a women wasn’t able to have their own bank account without their husbands signature. I fell in love with these women and I so wish I was part of a book club like theirs. I will not stop recommending this book to every single female I know. This is one of those books that you won’t forget. I highly recommend listening to this audiobook.

* Historical Fiction
* Women’s fiction
* Women’s rights during the Civil Rights Movement
* Literary Fiction

Thank you so much to NetGalley and HarperCollins Focus and Marie Bostwick for allowing me access to this advance copy of this audiobook.

This audiobook was exceptional. If you loved the themes of Lessons in Chemistry; you will love The Book Club for Troublesome Women.

Margaret is feeling a little lost in her life and marriage and crosses paths with the eccentric and fabulous Charlotte. Margaret decides that she must meet her. She shows up at her house with dessert and an offer to join her book club. Charlotte rejects her boring book but says she will commit if they are willing to read The Feminine Mystic.

What starts as a book club becomes a life long friendship between four bold women. They support each other through infidelity, fertility issues, mental health challenges and finding themselves in a world where women have limited rights. Margaret, Charlotte, Betsy, and Viv are will keep you entertained from start to finish.

A poignant, relevant, and moving story about a group of women from the 60's who find a book that challenging their roles as housewives in a time of revolution. Each of the lead characters are faced with their own search for meaning at various stages in their married life.

I went into this book without reading much about what to expect and I was moved to tears by the end. Such an uplifting reminder of how hard the women who came before us had to fight to get the most basic of rights. And here we are again, fighting against a patriarchy that doesn't believe we have the right to our own choices. What a beautiful reminder that it was not that long ago that women and POC were considered second class citizens. And how those very rights are under attack today.

Usually I let ARC's simmer for a day before I write a review. Not today. I feel motivated and invigorated by these characters, fictional or not. There was entire generations of women who were stifled and diminished. We wont go back. And we won't go down without a fight. This book has made it to my top 10 and it's only February. 10/10 Will recommend to my book club.

5 stars.
I received this Audio book from NetGalley and Harper Muse Audiobooks in exchange for an honest review.

Loved it. Feel good, uplifting book about friendship. Built on books, but the relationship of the ladies in the book club is so much more. They are there for each other in ways no one else could be and it’s so incredibly beautiful.

Advanced listener copy provided by Harper Collin’s Focus but all opinions are my own.

This was full of details and reflections that activated my feminist rage and I want to share this with all of my friends and their daughters and sons to gain a perspective that we have seem to have lost in this current political era. Women are a range and deserve to chart their own paths without society telling them how or what to do. The historical details were impactful and the story wove itself through the lives of four white women. The focus was narrow on women that had options, but it did address those that didn't have the choice to stay home and also lightly touched on women of color. I think the focus was on this perception of 1960s idealism and the impacts of the patriarchy on society and women. Obviously, I don't have to say "all men", but the misogyny was so prevalent then and it is still now.

What a fascinating read! The title alone had me engaged but the story hooked me in. The four women, the protagonist’s in the story couldn’t be so diverse but their friendship binds them together. These ladies experience life and events together and yet remained loyal to one another despite of it. I will never forget the Betty’s and makes me happy be part of a bookclub the way the Betty’s were. For any book lover who is also part of a bookclub I highly recommend this book.

I want to thank @NetGalley and @harpermusebooks for the ARC

Thank you NetGalley and Harpers Collins Focus for the advanced audiobook.

WOW WOW WOW WOW. This had me hooked from the beginning as the novel chronicles the lives and book club of four women who are each facing different challenges/stereotypes posed against women in the 1960s. They all lead very different lives, marriages, and careers, but the thread that weaves them together is their will to fight for what they each deserve.

It seamlessly flows from one story to the next over a course of years and you are truly rooting for each one to succeed. What I found most interesting is the secondary characters who either fully redeemed themselves - or messed up so badly there was no going back.

The author’s note at the end sharing that she felt this book was different was beautiful as you can feel a sense of pride in what she’s accomplished here … and she should. I will recommend this book to everyone, including my own book club.

I loved this story. I listened to the audiobook arc and enjoyed every minute of it. The characters personalities, struggles, and relationships are easy to
Identify with in one detail or another.

I think you can identify with the friendships, the relationship with their partners, and the relationship the characters have with herself as relatable - it was easy to see myself or understand what the character was going through at least once throughout the novel. The personal growth and strengths of the women were entertaining and inspiring.

I thoroughly enjoyed the wit, humor, and determination of each of the main characters. The book gave me Lessons in Chemistry vibes from multi-POVs.

I enjoyed listening to this book so much!!! Four women, from different walks of life, came together for a book club that brought them very close. I loved the camaraderie the women shared and the ups and downs that came with it. It took me into the past when women were supposed to be doing 'this or that' during this time of the 1060's, and actually some things were shocking. to hear about. Women have come a long ways, for sure. This story took place during the time when my mom was raising my siblings and me, so it gave me a lot to think about. The narrator had a pleasant voice so listening to it was delightful. Thanks so much for the opportunity to read this, and I will definitely look for more books by this author.

two weeks ago i started this audiobook and connected immediately with the characters. this is set in the early 1960’e and each of the four fmc’s is struggling with something in her personal life that she feels embarrassed to admit. they have all been raised to be housewives and support their families, no matter the result it may have on them. they decide they need more time outside the home and start a book club together! not only do they get time for themselves, but they share stories with one another. the more they share, the more they realize they are not alone in their feelings and build a strong support system. whenever they world feels like it’s falling apart, they are there for each other in any way they can!

while in the middle of this book, i watched a movie with my sister (virtually) which ended up being mona lisa smile. i knew nothing about the film but i know i love me some julia roberts! the more i watched the more this felt just like my book! a teacher of an all girls college teaches the women they are more than a future wife/homemaker. they are strong, intelligent women who can choose their own path.

once I finished up this book i could not stop thinking it was a combo of mona lisa smile meets sex and the city🩷 here is who i envision for each character in the book

a heart warming book and a great reminder in my busy season of work.
- i’m not alone
- i’m stronger than i think
-hard work does pay off

thank you NetGalley, Marie Bostwick, and Harper Muse for providing this audio ARC in exchange for an honest review! i adored the whole experience

Thank you to @Harpermusebooks and @netgalley for the ARC of The Book Club for Troublesome Women in exchange for feedback.
The book is set in the 60s in the small town of Concordia, where 4 women friends form a book club.
The first book they choose to read is The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan, the controversial book that gave voice to what women were feeling in the early 60s. Women could not open a bank account or get on birth control without the signature of their husband!
The book group consists of Margaret, a want-to-be writer, Bitsy, a horse caregiver, Charlotte, an eccentric want-to-be artist, and Viv, a nurse with six children. They each want to do something worthwhile but must navigate society and their family responsibilities.
The book is historical fiction, I like how the author weaves in real life characters like Jackie Kennedy and Katherine Graham. I found myself cheering for each of the ladies, Bostwick was able to develop the characters over the course of the book in a way that the reader could understand the times they lived.
I would recommend the book, actually the July pick for book group I am in.

I love the idea of more feminist historical fiction set against the backdrop of the second wave of feminism. It is essential to recognize how far women have come while also acknowledging how much work remains. During this period, many women were fighting for civil rights, the right to work, and reproductive rights. Today, many advancements, such as not facing discrimination in college admissions or being able to fill a prescription for birth control at the pharmacy, are often taken for granted. It's important to remember that these rights would not exist without the brave women who fought for them. I do wish this novel had been released during Women’s History Month. However, I am grateful to have the opportunity to preview it early and to offer my recommendation to other women and champions.

Margaret, Viv, Bitsy, and Charlotte are four discontented housewives navigating the monotonous rhythms of suburban life just outside Washington D.C. Each woman brings their unique background and experience to the group, none of which aligns with the domestic confines they currently inhabit. Their lives, once full of ambition and dreams, are now constrained by the expectations of marriage and motherhood. Each one of them experiences varying degrees of support, or lack thereof, from their spouses.

The arrival of the groundbreaking book, "The Feminine Mystique," serves as a catalyst for change, marking the beginning of their monthly book club meetings. For many white, middle-class suburban housewives like them, this powerful text sparks a profound awakening into their dissatisfaction.

These women are now poised to challenge the societal expectations that have confined them to their current roles. While they embrace their identities as housewives and mothers, a deep yearning for something greater stirs within each of them. In homage to Betty Friedan's groundbreaking contributions, they adopt a new collective name: the Bettys. This powerful act of rebranding marks the beginning of their journey as they embark on a quest for personal fulfillment. Each woman takes meaningful steps to redefine her life, gradually dismantling the invisible barriers that have held her back. With courage and determination, they begin to shatter their individual glass ceilings, paving the way for a newfound sense of freedom and self-discovery.

I appreciate this novel and the effort and research that went into bringing it to life. One challenging aspect is the overall lack of diversity in the book, which is a valid concern. However, this issue also applies to Ms. Friedan’s famous work and previous leadership of NOW, which has faced criticism for lack of diverse representation. While her book may have sparked a movement for change, it wasn't intersectional or inclusive. I don’t hold this novel accountable for its representation of those most affected by the issues it addresses, but I hope we can read such works while also acknowledging the women whose voices were omitted. Recognizing how their perspectives might have differed can help us understand how much better our society could be if their wants and needs had been heard.

In celebration of this month and in honor of International Women’s Day on March 8th, I encourage women and their supporters to read this work and reflect on how we can ensure that this modern movement is more inclusive of all voices. The only way forward is to participate actively in the solution. In alignment with International Women’s Day, I support #accelerateaction.

What a great story, I did not want it to end. The Betty’s are 1960s housewives who are not completely happy with their “roles”. They form a book club, and after reading TheFeminine Mystique, they find their voices in their homes and in society.

Marge, Charlotte, Viv and Bitsy bring out the best in each other. Their friendship knows no bounds, and the way they show up for each other is beautiful.

The narrator of this audiobook was very enjoyable to listen to.

I look forward to reading more books by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins, and Marie Bostwick for the advanced copy of the audiobook!

Set in 1963, The Book Club for Troublesome Women follows Margaret, Viv, Bitsy, and Charlotte—four women who form a book club called The Bettys, with The Feminine Mystique as their inaugural read. While the novel centers largely on middle-class, privileged white women, Bostwick does include a nurse of color, offering a brief but meaningful glimpse into the realities faced by women of color during Freedom Summer and the March on Washington.

Bostwick skillfully explores the societal limitations imposed on women in the early ‘60s, even those with wealth and social standing. The author’s strength lies in her character development. As The Bettys open up to one another, their friendships deepen, revealing their true selves in a way that feels authentic and rewarding.

Lisa Flanagan’s narration adds an extra layer to the experience, as she expertly differentiates each character’s voice, making the audiobook an engaging listen. While Charlotte is the only one who truly lives up to the "troublesome" label, all the women wrestle with societal expectations in their own ways, making for a compelling read.

Wow! What a fascinating read! THE BOOK CLUB FOR TROUBLESOME WOMEN is a historical novel that skillfully transports you to the early '60s, exploring the societal limitations imposed on women during that time. It follows Margaret, Viv, Bitsy, and Charlotte, four discontented housewives navigating the monotonous rhythms of suburban life as they decide to form a book club. Their first book is The Feminine Mystique (I am so curious about this one now!) by Betty Friedan, and it changes their lives and marriages.

I fell in love with the troublesome women and their journeys, and I appreciated the encouragement to go after your dreams. Each woman brings her unique background and experience to the group, none of which aligns with the domestic confines they currently inhabit. It is hard to believe women were so limited then. The character development is fantastic, and there is always so much to learn! The book concluded in a perfect way, leaving me with a lot of food for thought.

The audiobook narrator, Lisa Flanagan, deserves special mention for her outstanding performance. Her distinct voices added an authentic touch to the characters, and their ability to convey depth and emotion made me feel as though I was right there with them. I will miss them.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Focus / Harper Muse for providing me with the audio copy of THE BOOK CLUB FOR TROUBLESOME WOMEN in exchange for an honest review. Marie Bostwick, I sincerely thank you for crafting such a captivating story! Your storytelling prowess is genuinely remarkable, and I am looking forward to reading some of your other books.

I love reading books about women empowering each other and that's exactly what this was!

Set in the 1960s, this book follows a group of women of varying ages - <i>the Bettys</i> - as they go about their lives and the happenings between their book club meetings. This book covers many topics: love, loss, life changes, infidelity, social injustices, social reform, inequality, and so much more.

I enjoyed how different Margaret, Charlotte, Bitsy, and Viv were from one another. There's something so beautiful about watching a group of characters bond over reading and brainstorming ways to integrate what they've read into their lives to make a difference. I felt like the honorary fifth member of the Bettys, witnessing their growth, their ability to stand up for themselves, and their efforts to make the world a better place. I felt honored to immerse myself in these women's stories, for better or worse.

This was an easy 5 stars for me!

Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins, and Marie Bostwick for the advanced copy of the audiobook!

(ALC provided by NetGalley) this was fabulous! Strong women writing about strong women is always special. This book kept my attention the entire time and I really enjoyed it. The narrator was also fabulous and the perfect pick for this story. Highly recommend this to everyone who enjoys reading about female trailblazers.

A big thank you to Harper Muse Audiobooks for approving me to experience The Book Club for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick on NetGalley. This book was filled with many vibrant and engaging characters. I loved how their stories progressed by each chapter. I caught myself laughing and tearing up during multiple moments. The narration helped to engage me with the characters by giving distinct voices and depth.

This was my first book by Marie Bostwick and I have now added a few in my ever growing TBR list.

This is a book every woman should read, filled with strong women who buck against conventions and build a strong and lasting friendship. I was rooting for each of them to overcome their barriers and felt pride in what they accomplished. Despite being a woman-focused book, not all of the men were portrayed badly. There were those that deserved to be and then those that were legitimately good men that sometimes made a mistake along the way. While the story is set in the 1960’s and there have been some improvements for women since then, we can still relate to some of those expectations and barriers and I’d like to think there are more of us today that would be labeled troublesome. This was one of the top books I’ve read so far this year, and I’m happy I was able to read an Advanced copy and can help spread the word to others that they should pick it up when it comes out!

The Book Club for Troublesome Women, by Marie Bostwick, is a beautifully written tale of a group of very different women all bonded together by their unique perspectives of their place, as women, in society and their families during the 1960s. Margaret forms a book club with the neighborhood women and their first book is The Feminine Mystique, by Betty Friedan. They call themselves the Betties.

The story is engaging, fast moving, and masterfully told. While each character is very different and complex, they are all easy to become invested in and they are all likable.

The audio narration is excellent and added to the book's depth and enjoyability.

Thank you to #MarieBostwick, #Netgalley and #HarperMuse for the ARC of the audiobook.

I almost hesitated to request this, thinking I had read it five years ago. It turns out that was *The Book Women of Troublesome Creek,* which I thoroughly enjoyed. Set in 1936 in Troublesome Creek, Kentucky, it follows the journey of 19-year-old Cussy Carter, the last surviving female of the rare Blue People lineage. This unique blue skin condition stems from a genetic blood disorder prevalent in the Eastern Kentucky region.

Cussy, a solitary figure in the Appalachian community, eagerly joins the historical Pack Horse Library Project of Kentucky. As a librarian, she traverses slippery creek beds and climbs perilous mountains on her trusted mule to bring books and other reading materials to the underserved hill people.

In contrast, the story I’m interested in is set in 1963 in the planned community of Concordia, Northern Virginia. Here, four housewives—Margaret, Viv, Charlotte, and Bitsy—join forces to form a Book Club. They decide to read and discuss Betty Friedan’s newly released work, *The Feminine Mystique.* Initially, these women barely knew one another, but as they meet, they begin to forge a connection and adopt the nickname “The Betties.”

"The Book Club for Troublesome Women" by Marie Bostwick, expertly narrated by Lisa Flanagan, I found myself transported back to the 1960s—a time filled with transformation, exploration, and a quiet yet palpable revolution simmering beneath the surface of suburban life. Margaret Ryan, our main character, epitomizes the so-called "American Woman's Dream," yet it quickly becomes clear that beneath her picture-perfect exterior lies a yearning for more than just domesticity.
Margaret’s life initially seems complete: a loving husband, three children, and a lovely home in the idyllic suburb of Concordia. However, upon meeting the enigmatic Charlotte Gustafson, everything shifts. It’s not long before Margaret concocts the idea of a book club to bring together a few women from the neighbourhoods. Little does she know, this book club will not only forge deep connections between the four women—Margaret, Charlotte, Bitsy, and Viv—but will also catalyse a transformative journey for them all.
Listening to this audiobook was a delightful experience; Lisa Flanagan's narration brought the characters to life in such a vivid way that I felt as though I were right there at their gatherings, sharing in their laughter, frustrations, and revelations. The camaraderie among the “Bettys” (inspired by Betty Friedan) is beautifully captured, and it struck me how their discussions around "The Feminine Mystique" gradually unveil the deeper emotional landscapes each woman grapples with, exploring their dissatisfaction and longing for a sense of self beyond motherhood.
What I particularly loved was how Marie Bostwick wove in the striking socio-economic changes of the time, highlighting the struggles and triumphs these women face as they navigate their identities in a society that often sidelines them. Each woman, with her unique story and perspective, highlights the diverse challenges women encountered during this era. From Margaret's initial hesitations to embrace her desires to Viv's spirited journey towards authenticity, I was enraptured by their tales.
Bostwick's writing is witty and profound, and she deftly tackles the emerging consciousness of women as they reclaim their narratives, resisting the roles that society has confined them to. Amidst the backdrop of the Civil Rights Movement simmering in the same era, I appreciated how Bostwick remains mindful and respectful of the larger struggles for equality, capturing a sense of solidarity that resonated deeply with me.
The pacing of this novel is just right; every moment felt significant, and I found myself laughing, crying, and cheering for the Bettys as they experienced the highs and lows of life together. By the end of the story, I felt a sense of inspiration and empowerment—a testament to the formidable strength that comes from sisterhood.
"The Book Club for Troublesome Women" is not just a nostalgic nod to the past; it is a celebration of resilience, self-discovery, and the power of women coming together. I can’t recommend this book enough, especially for anyone looking for a meaningful yet entertaining listen that will leave you reflecting on the importance of friendship and the capacity for transformation. Thank you, Marie Bostwick, for crafting such a wonderful narrative that not only entertains but also enlightens.

This is my first time reading anything by Marie Bostick and I am now a fan! I enjoy reading historical fiction that highlights women’s stories so I was excited to get an advanced listeners copy of the audiobook The Book Club for Troublesome Women. The story centers around four women living in a planned community during the 1960s. Margaret Ryan, Viv Buschetti, and Bitsy Cobb, join their new neighbor Charlotte Gustafson for a book club and their lives are never the same.
Each woman goes through a personal journey of discovery and the book club becomes more than just reading books, but a place of sisterhood and support for each character.
Lisa Flanagan does a fantastic job narrating the novel to tell each woman's unique story.
Thank you so much to NetGalley, HarperCollins Focus, Harper Muse and Marie Bostwick for giving me an ALC of this enjoyable book!

I listened to The Book Club for Troublesome Women. It's set in the 60's, a group of housewives read The Feminine Mystique. The Feminine Mystique is credited with starting a second wave of feminism. It encouraged women to look beyond being a housewife for satisfaction. Many of the women in this book club start to pursue careers outside the house, some to the dismay of their husband.

Splendid ode to female friendship, thoroughly enjoyed the story, narration and writing style! I really appreciated the way the writer emphasised the need to safeguard women's rights and how she illustrated the dire situation in the 60s.

I absolutely loved this book! It was reminiscent of one of my favorite films, The Prize Winner of Defiance Ohio. I felt connected to all of the characters and was thrilled to see where their stories went. I was not alive during this time, but some of the parallels are relevant today. I have already started to recommend this book to people!

What an incredible listen this book was. The narrator did an amazing job reading this story. The memories of the time came flooding back while at the same time I had my eyes open as to how limiting a woman’s life was in the sixties. I enjoyed this book from start to finish. The main characters were amazing and I found myself cheering for them. If you are looking for a thoughtful yet nostalgic read hurry out and pick this audiobook up. You will not be disappointed!

This was a new author for me but I loved this book! As I got to know each woman and her story, it pulled me in and I was cheering for each one! They are all so different but the way they helped each other along the way was so beautiful. I was sad when the book ended and that's the sign of a really good one!

This book was just what I needed at the moment I needed it. It was easily relatable. The writing was done so well and the story was so compelling. There are times while reading I was thinking my thoughts were on the page. I was not expecting to relate to a book that was supposed to be set so many years ago. I wish I could read it again for the first time. I know this would be a book a lot of people would like. It has a stunning message that many people have forgotten. I absolutely loved the ending of this book and wanted for nothing with how it played out.

This was an interesting, well researched and well written story about a group of four women who form a book club in 1963 and who remain lifelong friends. The first book they chose to read was The Feminine Mystique by Betty Freidan and this becomes a catalyst for deep and meaningful discussion between the four housewives. They begin to question their roles as mothers, wives and women and what more they would like out of life. As historical fiction goes this is right up there with some of the best I have read. I read The Feminine Mystique in college and it certainly changed my view of women's roles in the world. I can see how it would incite some serious discussion between readers in the 1960's. Highly recommended. I listened to the audio version of the book and the narrator was fantastic.

Many thanks to Net Galley and HarperCollins Focus | Harper Muse for a chance to listen to an ARC version of this book. All opinions are my own.

My first 6 star read of the year. I LOVED it. I studied women's rights and Betty Friedan at college and university, so to read this about the Bettys was perfect.

I loved these 4 characters brought together from completely different background all with their own hopes and dreams. I loved their life developments from vet to nurse to writer to gallery owner. They were all so perfect.

I felt so invested I never wanted it to end. Charlotte held a special place in my heart as did Denise, but my favourite character had to be Bitzy (not sure how I'm spelling it because of it being an audiobook!!!). Her development was amazing and her ending was perfect and everything the girl deserved.

Marie Bostwick’s The Book Club for Troublesome Women is a heartfelt and empowering celebration of female friendship, self-discovery, and resilience, earning a well-deserved five stars. Set in 1960s suburban Virginia, the story follows four women—Margaret, Viv, Bitsy, and the eccentric newcomer Charlotte—who form a book club that begins with Betty Friedan’s The Feminine Mystique. What starts as casual discussions evolves into a transformative sisterhood as they confront societal norms, rediscover their identities, and reshape their futures. Bostwick’s richly drawn characters, sharp prose, and nuanced depiction of the era’s limitations create an immersive and thought-provoking narrative. Balancing humor with poignant reflections, the novel captures the courage it takes to challenge expectations and embrace change. Perfect for fans of women’s fiction and stories about the power of connection, The Book Club for Troublesome Women is an inspiring and deeply satisfying read that will leave you cheering for these “troublesome” women long after the final page.

Received a free audio copy via NetGalley.

As we go towards the middle of Women's History Month, this book can give insight into what our mothers, grandmothers, and so on had to endure to ensure we got the rights and privileges we have today (hopefully we continue so in the future). This book was so heartwarming and feisty that I couldn't put it down! Well done to the author!

If you enter Bostwick’s endearing world of mid-century madness, her half-baked bookclub Betties will marinate your mind in a pleasing melodrama of madness. These forlorn females rescue and recreate themselves with a recipe for success that only their finding of the Friedan philosophy from The Feminine Mystique can make materialize. Forging friendships, sharing, supporting, sacrificing, and daring to dream, these women will wow you and wake you up. Get ready for a feel good read and a personal philosophy refresh if you dare to flip open the front cover of Marie Bostwick’s nostalgic novel Bookclub for Troublesome Women. Once you start, you can't stop. And you're gonna be thinking about it long after you finish. Historic name dropping and a book list for future reading included at no extra cost. I loved and highly recommend this book . Publish date April 22, 2025, so order it for a fantastic and uplifting Spring read.
Audiobook by Harper Muse is a highly recommended mellow listening experience. Lisa Flanagan balances her delivery of clear characterizations with a certain simple touch in her free flowing narration that allows for an effective style of middle era immersiveness.

This book was a perfect historical fiction novel. It touched on the struggles of life as middle-class women in the early 1960s, while acknowledging the privilege those women had. This book was extremely well written and the narration really kept you engaged. I sometimes struggle with books from multiple POVs with the same voice, but the narrator does a great job of making each woman stand out and feel different. The message of community and sisterhood. It reminded me of the women who are so important in my life, and the book clubs I am in that have helped me become a better person. It also reminded me of the power we each have and how vital it is to use our voices for change. I cannot wait for this book to come out to share with my book club for troublesome women.

<i>The Book Club for Troublesome Women</i> by Marie Bostwick is an engaging and thought-provoking novel that beautifully captures the complexities of women's lives in 1963. This book doesn’t just skim the surface of history—it dives into the societal and familial challenges that women faced and how some found the strength to push back against the constraints placed upon them.

One of the things I loved most about this novel was how layered the women’s stories were. Each character had her own struggles, yet their journeys intertwined in a way that felt natural and real. Bostwick does an excellent job of showing how expectations were placed on women—not just by men, but sometimes by other women too.

Bostwick also does an incredible job of highlighting the small but significant obstacles women faced—things like opening a bank account or getting birth control without a husband's permission. These everyday struggles may seem shocking to modern readers, but they were very real in 1963, and in some ways, women are still fighting for true equality today.

What really made this book stand out for me was how much I recognized these women. We all know them—they are our mothers, our grandmothers, and for some readers, maybe even great-grandmothers. Their struggles, their resilience, their desire for more while still loving their families—it all felt so authentic. The book club and their reading of The Feminine Mystique weren’t just plot points; they were catalysts for reflection, making each woman reassess what she wanted for herself, not just what society dictated.

I have not read other books by Marie Bostwick, but I will be adding some of her other titles to my TBR List. I highly recommend <i>The Book Club for Troublesome Women</i> to historical fiction lovers, readers who enjoy books about books or book clubs, and those interested in feminism and women's rights. This is a great novel filled with rich, character-driven stories that explore how people navigate societal expectations. Lisa Flanagan, the audio version's narrator, was terrific. She did an excellent job with all the characters' voices, bringing their words to life. I truly loved this book, and I learned so much from it.

Thank you to HarperCollins Focus | Harper Muse and NetGalley for the privilege of being able to listen and read along with the printed copy. The book is due to be released on April 22, 2025.

With a title like “The Book Club for Troublesome Women” how could I not be convinced to read, and I am happy to report I was not let down! Highly recommend for your own book club to read!

A historical fiction set mainly in 1963 revolving around 4 women who decide to create a book club. I loved how unique each woman was to the group and how important their differences were in coming together around commonality. While the characters were fictional, there were many truths about their experiences

I did a lot of thinking with this book. I thought about my own book club and how important their differences discussions we have are and also how powerful uniting with other women is. I understand why governments try to silence women and this book discusses how patriarchal society does this covertly. I thought about how important my female friendships are and how many obstacles we overcome and how our support is so important. I also thought about my grandmothers who were the women of the 60’s and grew curiosity about what their lives looked like past the surface.

Lisa Flanagan did an excellent job narrating this. She gave each woman a unique voice, and I was entranced!

Thank you to Harper Muse and NetGalley for an advanced listener copy of this Audiobook

This book blew me away. 4 women form a book club in the early 1960's that ends up being a support system as well as pushing them to examine their thoughts and push societal boundaries. I loved how clearly defined these women were, while allowing for changes and growth. The backdrop of the 1960's and how culture was changing just intensified what was going on in their families. I listened to the audio version and the narrator was engaging and showed a different perspective for each character. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes history, feminism or book clubs!

This book took me completely by surprise and is easily the best book I’ve read this month!

The women of Concordia, a brand new planned community in Northern Virginia in the 1960s, are living the dream: beautiful new homes, successful husbands, children they adore. It’s not until four of them find themselves members of an impromptu book club that each woman realizes she’s not the only one with a nagging feeling that something is missing.

True confession time. From the description, I half expected this to be a man-bashing reading experience. It is NOT. Yes, The Feminine Mystique is the first book the ladies read, and all that follows stems from there. Yes, there are some painful actions, words, and attitudes toward women, often from their husbands. Yes, female empowerment is certainly a theme in this book, but marriage and families are not made the enemy. These women find friendship, they find their footing and their purpose, they make their precarious way through the frenetic changes of the time, and they hold on to – or let go of, when necessary – the good in themselves, their families, and each other.

This is a perfect book club pick – especially if you have a multi-generational group! – there is so much to talk about here.

The Book Club for Troublesome Women will be published April 22, 2025, so get your pre-orders or library holds in now.

This was my first book by Marie Bostwick – it will not be my last!

Thank you to @harpercollinsfocus, @netgalley, and author @MarieBostwick for the complimentary copy. It was my pleasure to write this candid review.

Set in the 1963, this book gives a view of what it was like to be a woman in this time: traditional roles and limiting laws but feeling the need to be something bigger and knowing we deserve it. I really appreciated the historical elements that were weaved into each characters lives and honestly, some of the sentiments explored can ring very true for being a woman in today’s age. I found myself nodding in agreement with their views on friendship, family life and their frustrations with the culture around them. Really amazing read! The narrators voice was also amazing. The character voices were also a plus!

This was a phenomenal read! Margaret, Bitsy, Charlotte and Viv were the epitome of what a book club in the 1960s would look like. Faced with real life issues, in and out of the household, these four women find friendship, support, and a place to share their personal thoughts and feelings that society had led them to have long kept to themselves.
This book was the whole package. It's very rare that I finish a book and don't have a single thought of what I wish was done a bit differently, but this book was absolutely an exception. Very well-written, moderately paced, and full of juicy gossip that kept me wanting 'just one more chapter'

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Focus for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

The housewives of Concordia, Virgina, are the picture-perfect women their husbands dreamed of. They deliver the children to school, the dinner to the table promptly as the men arrive home from work, and support their husband’s aspirations through their social adventures. But when the women form a book club, they find they share more than just a love of books – a shared need for independence and self-worth. Carreers outside the home, a need to contribute to society and be more than just a mom are at the center of their dreams, but their husbands disagree. Will the women win their fight for purpose, or will they end up bending to the will of their husbands again?

The Book Club for Troublesome Women is Marie Bostwick’s historical fiction novel that will transport readers to 1960’s Virginia. In a Stepford Wives meets Golden Girls type narrative, Bostwick weaves a plot of unlikely friendship and women empowering each other that will remind readers how far we’ve come in women’s rights…and how far we have left to go. This is a story about finding your community and support system wherever you land, but also about advocating for your dreams and not allowing anyone to ruin that for you.

I give The Book Club for Troublesome Women 5 out of 5 stars. If you have been following me here long, you know I am a sucker for a good book that tackles mental health issues, and Bostwick does that here with polished ease. Looking at underlying conditions and situational challenges, as well as substance abuse, these characters exemplify the dangers of mental health in motherhood that are often overlooked and discounted as just “emotional women”. I also really appreciated the historical look at the fight women had to be relevant in society – the things women could and could not do without their husband’s approval in the 60’s like bank accounts or owning assets. It is easy to forget that just a few decades ago, women faced a very different world than what we see today and books like this are a great reminder of how easy it would be to go back to that environment.

If you are a fan of the way Fredrik Backman tackles mental health in his writing – you’ll love this book. If you like the way Patti Callahan Henry or Marie Benedict transport readers to past eras in their historical fiction, this is definitely the book for you. However, with themes of substance abuse, mental health struggles, and emotional abuse in marital relationships, this may not be a book for all audiences and may be best directed to more mature readers over 16.

I was excited to see this book as a NetGalley option. The title and cover captured my attention right away – I think my grandmother had the same couch when I was growing up! Once I reviewed the publisher’s description, I knew I had to read this book – book clubs and strong female friendships are right up my alley!

The Book Club for Troublesome Women will release April 22nd. You can pre-order your copy today on our Bookshop.org page!

The Book Club for Troublesome Women
Author: Marie Bostwick
Publication Date: April 22, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you @netgalley @harpermusebooks @harpercollinsfocus and @mariebostwick for this audiobook ARC! I enjoyed every second of it…so much so that I listened to it twice! I preordered a signed copy and am excited to add this beautiful book to my home library 💛

A thought-provoking and relevant story about the healing power of fierce female friendships.

Set in the 1960’s, we meet Margaret, Viv, Bitsy and Charlotte, who, through a book club, form a small neighborhood group known as “the Bettys”. After reading The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan as their first book club pick, they all find that this book challenges their ideas of the role of women. We get to follow along as each of these women go on individual journeys of self-discovery, together. With their strong support system, they each learn that it’s ok to dare to dream of a different life.

This is the first book I have read by Marie Bostwick and I know that I will be reaching for her other titles after loving this one so much! I listened to this story as an audiobook narrated by Lisa Flanagan. Lisa did such an outstanding job, she really always does! I gave this book 5 stars and will highly recommend it!

#BookReview #TheBookClubforTroublesomeWomen #NetGalley #HarperMuseBooks #MarieBostwickAuthor #MyBookshelf #BookNerd

The Book Club for Troublesome Women is told from the perspective of 4 dissatisfied housewives, Margaret, Charlotte, Bitsy, and Viv. They start a book club where they read The Feminine Mystique, inspiring them to challenge their traditional roles and change their lives.

This audiobook immediately sucked me in; it was my first read by Marie Bostwick and definitely won't be my last. I love reading books from that time period and felt totally immersed in that world; it's fascinating to see how far we have come and how much farther we have to go as women. It makes me want to join a book club!

Thank you, NetGalley and Harper Muse, for the audiobook arc of The Book Club for Troublesome Women.

I felt transported to the 60s in this book! We follow the lives of 4 women, not only are the in a book club, but we get to read about their ups and downs in life and love. This book is about friendship but also strength and growth!
The four suburban housewives in this book are Margaret, Viv, Bitsy and Charlotte. I feel like I am living their life 60 years later. Thankfully I have lots more freedoms than they experienced (getting a bank account on my own, and being. working mom without judgement, and I have a degree!). These ladies are representative of the ones that paved the way! I enjoyed each of their stories and how they came together too.
The narrator of this audiobook did a fantastic job and I loved her narration! I highly recommend this book!

Thank you, NetGalley and Harper Muse, for the early read in exchange for my honest review.

The Book Club for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick is set in 1963 against the backdrop of the civil rights movement and the shifting landscape of women's rights. The story follows four suburban housewives—Margaret, Viv, Bitsy, and Charlotte—who form a book club to explore literature challenging societal norms. Beginning with Betty Friedan’s The Feminine Mystique, they examine women's societal roles and the cultural expectations of the 1960s, inspiring them to imagine new life paths.

As they engage in discussions, the women confront personal challenges: Charlotte navigates a toxic marriage, while Bitsy seeks self-worth amidst societal pressures. The book club becomes a supportive space where they form strong bonds and empower each other to pursue their desires and aspirations.

I loved how the author gave each woman their own story and voice. Although the story started a bit slow, I couldn't put it down once their lives began to intertwine! I have been on a historical fiction kick lately, and this one didn't disappoint!

Quotes I loved:
"You know what Eleanor Roosevelt used to say: "A woman is like a tea bag. You never know how strong it is until it's in hot water."
"You can have it all, just not all at the same time."
"Things have a way of working out when and how they're meant to. Youll see."
"Acquaintances abound, but true friendships are rare and worth waiting for."
"It is a man's world. And there's not a thing we can do about it"

I loved this story of four housewives from different backgrounds and statuses who join together to form a bookclub. We then follow them through their ups and downs during the year of 1963.
All the lead characters had worthy storylines and reflected the different issues that women faced at the time. An eye opening read that highlights the frustrations and many limitations that were imposed on women at the time.
I look forward to reading more from this author.
Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollinsFocus for this ARC.

I could not love this book more than I do. Imagine a gang of 1963 housewives getting together, forming a book club, and a book changes their outlook on everything. I fell in love with every single character and simply did not want this to end. I kept picturing this as a movie or limited series. Right now, it is my favorite book of 2025.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. It's 1963 and four women find each other through a happenstance book club. Margaret, the main character, who was raised mainly by a single mother who worked long hours in a factory in WWII and is now raising her own family wants to befriend a seemingly glamorous new neighbor. In hopes to entice her new neighbor, Charlotte, she invites her to a book club she hasn't quite started yet. When Charlotte scoffs at Margot's suggested first title, Charlotte challenges her with a suggestion of her own. The "Feminine Mystique" as the club's first read.

The reading of this first book begins the formation of a lifetime bond of friendship through the highs and lows of life. The "The Feminine Mystique" causes each of the women to examine themselves individually and the societal restrictions placed upon them. The story highlights the specific struggles of American feminism in the 60's when the push was to keep women in the home and out of the workplace. These women all come together and learn how to encourage and fight for each other while they fight for themselves in marriage, independence and employment.

I absolutely loved this story. I found it empowering and heartwarming. The story is a true reminder of the importance of friendship and the impact it can have on our success. A true reminder that women do so much better when we build each other up.

10/10 no notes. This book was wonderful and I didn't want to put it down.

Set in the early 1960's, we have women who call themselves the Betty's. These women are married and homemakers and mothers. As a new women comes to town, the women invite her to join their book club. She only joins if they read "The Feminine Mystique." The women decide and the book changes their lives. These women decide to stand up for their rights and be their own person. Bostwick intertwines the narrative from the different perspectives, so you really see what is going on behind the scenes in these women's lives.

I've realized that I enjoy a good historical fiction novel when it is centered around women fighting for their rights as human beings. I recommend this for everyone to read. Another hist. fic. at the top of my favorites list!!

Thanks to the publisher for the advanced copies.

I was lucky enough to receive an early copy of @harpermusebooks The Book Club for Troublesome Women and I loved this book!

The title instantly captivated me, especially with “Book Club” in it, and it truly delivered! This novel follows the journey of four women in the early sixties who decide to invigorate their housewife lives by forming a book club and reading “The Feminine Mystique.” Though they came for the books, they gained so much more through the bonds they created over literature.

Each character grapples with her own struggles and triumphs as they seek balance and understanding of what it means to be a fulfilled woman today. In a time when women couldn’t even open a bank account, they felt guilty not embracing every aspect of homemaking.

I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Charlotte, Viv, Margaret, and Bitsy, each adding unique perspectives to the narrative. Many pressures they faced in the past resonate with us in 2025, prompting us to question if we are enough, doing enough, or making the right life choices. We often juggle countless roles while striving to “have it all,” as society dictates.

This book fostered deep human connections, providing a poignant snapshot of suburban housewives during that era. It instilled hope as I witnessed these women navigate societal restrictions, a challenge we still face today regarding women’s rights and uplifting each other. The author expertly illustrates the progress of the feminist movement while shedding light on how much still needs to be done. I reflected on my grandmother raising children in the 60s, feeling a profound connection to the women who came before us and the transformative power of a book to broaden our lives and perspectives!

This comes out April 22nd and I highly recommend it to fans of Kristin Hannah, Kate Quinn and Historical Fiction lovers! I also think it makes a wonderful bookclub book read and discussion ☺️. Thank you so much @harpermusebooks for this ARC and to Marie for writing such a wonderfully written book!

If you are looking for a book featuring strong, independent women who support each other and their dreams and ambitions, then look no further! This is the book for you!

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐂𝐥𝐮𝐛 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 is focused around four sixties-era housewives who form a book club during a time when the world is rapidly changing. They read a book that makes them realize that they are not alone in their feelings of dissatisfaction and wanting more out of life. Through the support of each of the other women, they embark on life journeys to chase their dreams. This is an inspiring story that I think still rings true today. It is a timeless story and I highly recommend it! I listened to the audio and it was fantastic.

This book has two of my favorite things…book clubs and strong women supporting each other. This book takes place in the 1960’s and the writing truly made me think what it was like during this time for women. This book was a wonderful story and I highly recommend it.

I can't believe I got an ARC copy of this audiobook. I loved it! Set in the early 1960s, it follows four housewives who form a book club to discuss The Feminine Mystique, only to find themselves gaining much more than they expected through their shared journey. Each woman struggles with societal expectations while navigating personal fulfillment, and their stories are deeply relatable, even today. Who doesn't love a book about string female characters. I thought this was great. A great book for those who enjoy Kristin Hannah.

What can I say~ I did enjoy this audiobook very much. One can say that the story itself wasn't much but I think that while the plot wasn't that complicated the characters and their development throughout the story was very interesting. The way the main characters were treated by the society and their families shows how women overall were treated in 60., how their opinions were omitted, how they were squished and forced to go with the current – marry, have children, sacrifice yourself to others well-being.

Just reading it you can see how far we've progressed since those times, how much has changed. And, in a way, it makes me hopeful for the future. Because, if we could do this in this fairly short amount of time, we can do even more going into the future.

I'd like to send my thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing a free audiobook of this publication in exchange for an honest review.

What a fun listen. I really enjoyed this book. It wasn't just an entertainig story but also thought-provoking -- a reminder of how recent women's rights were given, but also a reflection on living authentically and finding your happiness and purpose. The narrator was excellent and able to voice the four women differently enough that they were distinctive. Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the opportunity to listen and offer my honest review.

I want to join the Bettys! That’s what the Troublesome ladies of the book club call themselves. This story is a funny, heartwarming, thought provoking tale of neighbors who decide to form a book club. The first book: Betty Friedan’s The Feminine Mystique. From that point on strong friendships are formed. This book was such a great lens into being a woman in the 60’s, we couldn’t open bank accounts on our own, needed our husband’s permission at the doctor’s office, and were expected to not want more than being a homemaker! Each woman has a different version of empowerment as the story grows, and I loved every bit of this!

I highly recommend this read, especially if we women are to keep pushing forward, rather than going backwards!

Thank you NetGalley, Harper Collins Focus, and Marie Bostwick for the ARC (I listened to my advanced copy and loved

In the early 1960s, Margaret, Viv, and Bitsy discover a sense of dissatisfaction with their mundane housewife lives. Their formation of a book club with their new unconventional friend, Charlotte, and their subsequent reading of "The Feminine Mystique" sparks a realization that their discontent is shared by many women.

I love badass women, and the 4 main characters in this book are definitely badass women. in some capacity, yes, this was about a book club, but in actuality this was not really about a book club at all. It was more about the bond that these women form together as they discover their own courage and purpose. Post World War II, the American Dream was at the forefront of the social discourse. Women were sold the lie that their sole purpose was to be a wife and mother, and that ambitions outside of those roles were frivolous. Marie Bostwick is a new-to-me author, so I didn't really know what to expect with this one, but I feel like she knocked it out of the park with this one. I learned a lot while reading this book, and I fell in love with the characters!

Top notch book. I would give it more stars if I could. Almost all of the novel takes place in 1963 and Betty Friedan’s Feminine Mystique is the catalyst for a book club in suburban Washington. Four women are inspired by this book and subsequently come to understand themselves and strive for fulfillment. Each person was well-developed and completely real. I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator did an excellent job. Marie Bostwick’s note at the end of the book states she feels this was the book she was always meant to write. I’m so glad she did.

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.

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.

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!

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 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.

‘The Book Club for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick is a heartwarming and insightful exploration of female empowerment and the impact of literature on the lives of suburban housewives in 1963. Set against the backdrop of a rapidly changing society, the novel follows four women who come together through their reading of Betty Friedan's ‘The Feminine Mystique’ - a book that challenges the traditional roles of women in post-war America.

Bostwick masterfully brings to life the era's societal pressures, capturing the constraints of gender roles and the unspoken labor that defined many women's lives at the time. The historical details, from fashion to cocktails, add a rich texture to the setting. The novel's emotional core lies in the bond these women form, creating a supportive sisterhood that empowers them to question their roles and discover new parts of themselves.

The premise is compelling and the narrative is uplifting and the novel is a valuable and thoughtful read, particularly for those interested in historical fiction centred around female friendship. The feminist undertones, combined with well-developed characters and a poignant look at the lives of women in the early '60s, make ‘The Book Club for Troublesome Women’ a delightful and rewarding read, and the audiobook narration is engaging and clear, with each character easy to differentiate.

The novel offers a deeply engaging narrative that shines in its portrayal of female solidarity, making it a worthwhile choice for fans of character-driven historical fiction.

I was immediately sucked into the world that Marie Bostwick created by the narrator Lisa Flanagan. Her talent shone through as she brought to life not only each of the character's personalities and fun little quirks, but she did an impeccable job at captivating me as the story came to life. Not only was the narration perfection, but the story itself was one I truly adored.

Author Marie Bostwick did a phenomenal job at carefully crafting a beautiful story about a group of women (the Bettys) who read a certain book that opened their eyes to new possibilities that changed the course of their lives and, along the way, formed an unbreakable sisterhood. The bond the women had was truly touching, making me smile, laugh, and at times brought tears to my eyes.

The Book Club for Troublesome Women is an amazing, thought-provoking book about a sisterhood of friends navigating life together while rooting each other on in the early 60s and briefly touches on many different subjects that were problematic during that time and is a book I highly recommend.

The Book Club for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick is a witty, heartwarming, and refreshingly honest celebration of female friendship, self-discovery, and the quiet rebellion of living life on your own terms.

From the first few chapters, I instantly fell in love with the narration and how the story was going. 

Margaret Ryan has it all. She lives her American dream—she is a housewife, has kids and lives in the best suburb. She must be happy. And she must not be ungrateful nor desire for more. But deep inside, Margaret believes she wants more from her life. 

She starts a book club and invites her other housewife friends, Charlotte, Bitsy, and Viv.  Soon the women realize they have far more in common than a love of reading.

Each character arrives with her own set of challenges: there is a career burnout, a recent divorcee, a woman facing retirement, a single mom juggling too much, and a free spirit searching for meaning. Their stories unfold with humour, vulnerability, and resilience, weaving together a rich tapestry of modern womanhood.

We must keep in mind that this is 1960s America, where women were fed with a dream that they were considered blessed if they were full-time housewives and that their men were the providers. 

As a woman, I do not think that this is a hundred percent bad idea as when you have babies, you are needed as a full-time mother. If you have a job, it gets extremely overwhelming for a woman to handle both sick babies and whining bosses, with a man (husband) who expects you to smile on dinner table. 

I believe this was the point historically when women decided that if we are doing all the household work and not even being acknowledged for it (a simple thank you works, too!), what is the point of doing all this when you are not even getting paid? For every transaction, as minor as a magazine subscription, you have to face and answer your husband. This is the point when a woman decides to take charge of her own decisions and make her own financial choices. 

Some of the dialogues in the book are something many women can relate to. Like, a man asking: What else do you want? I provide you. Or... I am the one who works. I am tired. What have you been doing all day? Just sit home?

What men don't see is that being a homemaker is also a full-time job. Looking after kids, feeding them, addressing their tantrums, managing groceries, cleaning the house, doing their laundry—it is an exhausting and yet unpaid and thankless job. And for what? You get to hear: What have you been doing all day? 

Bostwick’s writing is warm, witty, and filled with emotional honesty. She explores themes of reinvention, resilience, and the importance of showing up for yourself—and for others. The book club becomes more than just a place to talk about literature; it becomes a lifeline. What makes this novel especially compelling is how the author balances depth with levity. The issues the women face—grief, betrayal, identity, aging, self-worth—are real and relatable, but the author handles them with such grace and wit that the novel never feels heavy. Instead, it’s uplifting and empowering, reminding readers that it’s never too late to change your life or embrace who you truly are.

Marie Bostwick’s The Book Club for Troublesome Women is a warm, witty, and life-affirming novel that celebrates the power of female friendship, personal reinvention, and the healing magic of books. It’s about women refusing to be confined by the roles society assigns them—whether as wives, mothers, employees, or caretakers—and instead embracing their own agency and individuality. The title itself is a nod to this rebellious spirit: being “troublesome” isn’t a flaw but a badge of honour.

Thank you, NetGalley and Harper Collins, for providing me with an Audio ARC.

Expected release date: 22 April 2025

#TheBookClubforTroublesomeWomen #NetGalley

Thank you HarperCollins Focus | Harper Muse and Netgalley for ALC

This is an excellent audiobook; Lisa Flanagan does a superb job capturing the characters and the era.

Audiobook rating: 5 ⭐️

Novel rating: TBD

Thank you NetGalley for the audio ARC. I'm glad I wasn't an adult woman in the early 60's. These women's careers were destroyed when they got married & had children. Your husband was head of the household. Just an example: A woman's husband had to sign for her to get Birth Control. I truly enjoyed "The Betty's" book club. They formed a friendship and bonded over books. I will make sure our book club reads this one and may even read " The Feminine Mystique" by Betty Friedman.

Wow, what an amazing five star read! This book connected with me so much. I didn't expect to love this book so much due to the setting being in the 1960s! I laughed, sobbed, and felt seen as a woman. I wish I could have been a part of their book clubb i would love to be a Betty!

A book club affectionately called the Bettys made up of four women living in a brand new subdivision in the surburbs of DC inthe 1960s. Margaret, Charlotte, Viv, and Bitsy reading their first book, the Feminine Mystic by Betty Friedan. I loved the characters in this book.

This book touches on women's struggles, daily life, and rights. Even though this book takes place in the 1960s, many of issues feel relatable and relevant today.

I enjoyed the narration of this novel. It was narrated by Lisa Flanagan.

Marie's book has influenced me to add the Feminine Mystic and Virginia Woolf's books to my tbr.

Takeaway: the importance of a community of women to hold each other up in all ways -triumph, challenges, and every day support.

"Thanks girls, thanks for everything"

Wow! I’ve been entertained, immersed in history, and felt the joy of comic relief by the books I’ve read in recent years. However, I was moved and touched by Marie Bostwick’s most recent novel - “The Book Club for Troublesome Women.” I know that much of my pull to the story is how relatable it is to the time and circumstances of my own parents.

In 1963 (when most of the novel is set), I was the youngest (at age 5) of my parents’ three children and both of my parents were 34 at that time. My mother could have easily been the a member of this neighborhood book club. She was a gifted (although not published) writer and a strong reader. In particular, I remember how she loved Anne Morrow Lindbergh’s “Gift From the Sea” - one of the books selected for the book club in the story. I can also imagine my mom advocating for my performing arts preference with an Assistant Principal in the same way the character Margaret Ryan did for her daughter. There were so many realistic scenes from the 1960s in this beautiful story that I was often brought to tears. (No, I’m not usually such a sentimental reader but this book really opened the door to my childhood past.)

I highly recommend this novel to all my fellow readers, regardless of whether you’re of the “baby boomer” generation or not. It is a love story to everyone who fought - and are still fighting - for women’s rights. (Thank you, mom, for all of the League of Women Voters committees you served on as well as your example in speaking up and voting on critical issues!)

I listened to the audiobook, which was expertly narrated by Lisa Flanagan. I am always amazed at narrators, such as Ms. Flanagan, who can seamlessly bring out the unique voices and nuances of several different characters. In this story, there were four primary women characters, their spouses, children, coworkers, as well as other personalities that made an appearance. Brava, Ms Flanagan, for a wonderful reading of this special book!

Much gratitude to NetGalley and Harper Muse Audiobooks for the opportunity to listen to this ARC in exchange for my honest review. I’ve enjoyed Marie Bostwick’s insight and encouragement as a member ot “The 10 Minute Book Talk” interviews (a regular podcast she participate in with her writer friends Katherine Reay and Rachel Linden) and have intended to read her publications as a result hearing the show. This book (“The Book Club for Troublesome Women”) sealed the deal for me and I’ll be working through her backlist very soon.

I love reading historical fiction set in the 1960's. This book hit the mark for me and I found it deeply moving. The female friendships and self discovery were superbly written.

The story centers around four women - Margaret, Charlotte, Bitsy and Viv (such southern names) who come together to form a book club. The club ends up becoming a catalyst for their own personal transformations.

I really enjoyed how each character is richly developed and grapples with their own issues. The camaraderie among them is beautifully portrayed.

If you are looking for a book that celebrates resilience, the search for identity with the power of literacy and friendship, I highly recommend this book. It's a very uplifting read.

I love a book about books and about book clubs and this one did not disappoint!

It is a story set in the 1960s and is about female friendships and empowerment. The right friends are always going to support your empowered self!!

The characters in this book are really well written - I understand the 1960s through their eyes - their challenges and their hopes/dreams. As book lovers - we understand as these women come to find out that books can change our perspective and sometimes our lives.

I listened and read this book at the same time - I recommend both - the narrator Lisa Flanagan truly brought this story to life!

I received an ebook ARC of this book, and I had the pleasure of listening to an early audiobook copy (thank you, Net Galley and HarperCollins Focus | Harper Muse).

Thank you so much Net Galley for the advanced audio of THE BOOK CLUB FOR TROUBLESOME WOMEN. this novel centers around 4 women who -obviously-start a book club. The first book that they read is Betty Ferdan's THE FEMININE MYSTIQUE and after discussing it, and encouraging those who hadn't started, become fast friends. The first novel read affects all of the women in different ways and really shows them how unfair the world--most especially men--are to their gender. Though most of the things mentioned happened before I would be affected, I do remember some things such as my mother using my father's credit card. This novel really gave life to that time period and putting myself in that time period I could really feel for the characters. I enjoyed the narration and felt they really gave good voice to all of the characters.

It's the sixties , four woman form a bookclub and from there they grow into the women they are meant to be , rather going to school, writing or nursing these women define the era of women changing for the better . Great read ! ,I really enjoyed the narrator ,as well .

This has not yet been released!!! Look for it on April 22, 2025!!

What an absolutely delightful book!! Especially if you are a woman! And, especially if you have some experience with the goings on of 1960's America!! Luckily, I am both, and my Mom was most definitely in this category, and in my opinion...so ahead of her time, so this book definitely resonated with me, throughout!!!

Margaret, Bitsy and Viv all live in this new-ish suburban community in Virginia...not far from D.C.
Supposedly, they have it all! A nice home. A lovely husband. Community...what else is there? Some have kids. Some do not. And then one day, a new couple arrives in one of the biggest homes in the community...from NYC.

And so, Margaret sets out to meet her, and welcome her to the neighborhood. HOWEVER, when Charlotte opens the door, Margaret realizes that what she was about to say is never going to work. You see, she was going to invite her to be a part of their monthly coffee klatch...where they catch up on happenings. Instead, she decides to invite her to their book club (which by the way they don't really have, but she's ok with starting one to have Charlotte be a part of it!) Charlotte seems to have no interest whatsoever, but then asks 'what book are you reading?'... and when Margaret comes up with what she thought was a great answer, Charlotte declines. Instead, she hands Margaret a book to read! One that she says is wonderful...speaking of new ways for women. "The Feminie Mystique"... and if they decide to read this one, she will come!

This now not only sparks up conversation among the three friends, but also sets the stage for new friendships and beginnings all around. And as they start to explore each other, as well as the entire world around them, they realize that the world is their oyster... and there are so many opportunities out there.. if only you CHOOSE to search them out, and NOT give up along the way!

This was like a breath of FRESH Spring Air! Once you get a whiff, you want to keep going!

Lovely to read about the strong relationships that were formed, yet upsetting to re-visit the stark contrast to living in today's world. I mean, women back then couldn't even open up a bank account in their own name, without the husband co-signing and PERMITTING them to do so. Even if they were working and earning their own money!! Unbelievable... but true!!!

Also, so nice to see women rooting for each other, and working hard to try to promote self-appreciation, instead of tearing others down... as is so common nowadays....

Absolutely LOVED this one!!!
All the stars for me, and then some!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨✨✨✨✨💫💫💫💫💫

#TheBookClubForTroublesomeWomen by #MarieBostwick and narrated beautifully by #LisaFlanagan.

Thanks so much to #NetGalley and #HarperCollilnsFocus, #HarperMuse for an ARC of the audiobook, in exchange for an honest review.
*** Release date is 4/22/25, so look 👀 for it on shelves soon!! ***

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I loooooooved The Book Club for Troublesome Women - it was everything I wanted, but didn't get from The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires. I loved how messy and honest every moment of it was!

This book completely drew me in. Set in the 1960s, The Book Club for Troublesome Women follows Margaret Ryan, a woman who seems to have everything—three kids, a good husband, and a beautiful home in a prestigious neighborhood—but still feels like something is missing. That restlessness really resonated with me.

When the bold and unconventional Charlotte moves to town, she and Margaret—along with two other women—start a book club that ends up becoming so much more. As they read The Feminine Mystique (which I now want to reread myself), they start unpacking their lives, their roles as wives and mothers, and the quiet frustration so many women carried during that time.

Marie Bostwick did a beautiful job capturing the emotions of these women—the pressure to be perfect, the fear of rocking the boat, and the courage it takes to ask for more. I loved watching the friendship between these four women grow, and how their conversations helped them find their own voices.

It’s thought-provoking, heartfelt, and surprisingly hopeful. If you love books about friendship, identity, and women finding their power, I highly recommend picking this one up.

The Book Club for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick

This was an inspiring journey! It often amazes me how one person’s words can inspire so many.

A small group of women gathered to discuss a profound book and it changed their lives.

All from different backgrounds and circumstances found a family of women that learned so much about themselves. Through so many significant life changes they encouraged and challenged one another and championed their causes.

I absolutely loved reading this journey of women finding their way and supporting one another in ways no one could imagine.

This is told from multiple points but only to characterize the journey.

In the 1960s, four housewives found a gold mine with the sisterhood they formed with a book club. They live in a “planned community” and appear to have it all.

Margaret Ryan, Viv Buschetti, Bitsy Cob and Charlotte Gustafson come together discussing the controversial “The Feminine Mystique”. They call themselves “The Bettys”.

The book introduced them to the possibility of what could be, and planted hope among their frustration and dissatisfaction as they navigate a world of change, their sisterhood carries them into the future.

This is historical fiction covering women’s rights, Jackie Kennedy, and more.

I loved it! Four women, four friends take on the world after reading an inspiring book! 5/5⭐

I would like to say Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to review the ARC of both the e-book and the audiobook. Both are phenomenal!

The narration is excellent!

The “Bettys”—a suburban book club named in honor of Betty Friedan and her groundbreaking The Feminine Mystique—seem to have everything the 1960s idealized: loving families, beautiful homes, and successful husbands in Northern Virginia. But Margaret, Vivian, Bitsy, and Charlotte know the truth: something vital is missing.

Margaret, a gifted writer, dreams of becoming a journalist. Vivian, a former war nurse, longs to reconnect with the purpose and intensity of her past career. Bitsy, with her gentle spirit and love of animals, yearns to become a veterinarian. And Charlotte, a bold transplant from New York City, aches to make her mark as an artist. Society tells them they’re foolish for wanting more—but their hearts won’t listen.

Through shared frustration and secret ambitions, their book club becomes a lifeline. As they discuss Friedan’s radical ideas, these women begin to realize they’re not alone—and they’re not wrong. The “Bettys” evolve into a sisterhood, championing one another as they push against expectations and pursue the lives they were meant to lead.

Full of heart, humor, and fierce determination, this story of friendship and feminist awakening is perfect for fans of Marie Bostwick. With richly drawn characters and a vibrant historical backdrop, it celebrates the everyday revolutionaries who dared to ask for more—and got it. Five big stars from me!

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Collins Focus, and of course the author Marie Bostwick for the advanced copy of the audiobook. The Book Club for Troublesome Women is out on April 22nd. All opinions are my own.

Thanks to @netgalley and @Harpermusebooks for the audio ALC. The book will be released April 22, 2025.

I found this book to be an uplifting historical fiction and loved it. I realized I enjoy a good historical fiction novel when it is centered around women fighting for their rights as human beings. I recommend this for everyone to read.

This book gives insight into what our mothers and grandmothers had to endure to ensure we got the rights and privileges we have today (hopefully we continue to keep them in our future). It activated my feminine rage without a doubt. This book was so heartwarming and feisty that I couldn't put it down!

I really enjoyed this one. The friendships, the quiet rebellion, the 60s setting, all of it just worked. It hit that balance between emotional and empowering without being too heavy. I loved how each woman had her own arc, and the book club theme tied everything together so well.

Also, the audiobook narrator was perfect, made the story feel even more personal.

Definitely recommend if you’re into character-driven stories with heart.

The Book Club for Troublesome Women, written by Marie Bostwick, narrated by Lisa Flanagan, is a novel that transported me back in time to the 60s, an era where women couldn't open a bank account or get a birth control prescription without their husband's approval. The female friendships depicted on the page, however, are familiar and relatable. I absolutely loved this peek into the past and these women's lives. The narrator was fantastic, giving each character's voice their own distinct pitch and tempo. Highly recommend!!!

I did think there would be more "book clubbing" in this book than there actually was, but I do realize that there weren't a ton of options for literature back then. I liked how each woman's story played out, and I think that each was given equal "page" time. I knew each character equally throughout the novel, which kept me invested in their lives.

I really enjoyed this book. 4.5 stars. This book focuses on the trials, tribulations, joys, and successes of a dynamic group of women as they build their book club along with a strong support network. The majority of the book takes place in suburban Virginia during the 1960s.

I listened to the audio book and feel that the narrator did a perfect job. It flowed so nicely, her voice added to the story and never detracted in any way. The characters were well developed and I loved how supportive the women were of each other, even when they disagreed. I did feel that it all wrapped up a little too perfectly after the majority of the book seemed quite realistic.

I am very glad I read this book and highly recommend it. I don’t often listen to historical fiction. This was done well because the characters felt real, not written in a stuffy one-dimensional way like some books writing about past events. The author researched the time well and included a lot of details that I heard my mom talk about. A beautiful story of friendship, family, and being brave enough to believe in yourself.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ALC. #TheBookClubforTroublesomeWomen #NetGalley

This might be one of my favorite reads this year! The Book Club for Troublesome Women is set in the 1960s, and all the women start out as housewives, but equipped with the knowledge from their reads, chart new courses for their lives such that they are so much more fulfilled beyond what society says is their wifely duties. Even though this book was set in the 60s, which had different expectations for women, so many of the messages of this book were still relevant today.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Book Club for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick takes place in the early 60s, a time of change, both cultural and legal, in the United States, for women as well as others. I was a young teen when all this was happening so I was aware on the fringes. My mother had always been independent and my father had adjusted, mostly. These four women led very different lives but all lived in the same “planned community.” The book, Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan brought them together and had varying amounts of influence on each of them. It was more their lives that wrought the changes for them, who had become fast friends. They were forced into them by circumstances. It may have been the change in society that allowed them to follow the paths they did, which did include being a wife and a mother.

I think it would be hard for a young women to understand what these women went through, having never lived it. It was their grandmothers. It was a good book, with each reader bleeding along with each of the women as they faced what they must. It coved racism, cheating, “having it all,” as well well as sexism. But, it was the time. These women fought for what we have today. It is hard to imagine that in a time as close as the 60s, women could not open their own bank account, or be prescribed birth control without their husband’s signatures. That is exactly the way it was and was described in this book. Excellent retelling of a monumental time in history as close and as unbelievable as it is.

The narrator is Lisa Flanagan who did a more than credible rendition of this lovely novel. She infused it with warmth and caring and did justice to each of the four stories while remaining impartial and true to her art.

I was invited to both listen to and read The Book Club for Troublesome Women by HarperCollins Focus. Always interesting to compare the two. All opinions and thoughts are mine. #Netgalley #HarperFocus #MarieBostwick #LisaFlanagan #TheBookClubForTroublesomeWomen

Wow, I loved this book. I was drawn to it after reading another (unrelated) book with “Troublesome” in the title, and this did not dissapoint.

Sure, it was saccharine and cheesy at times, and it has kind of a giant plot hole in the form of an ad that would never get run, but I love a book club, I love an unlikely friendship, and I love a story of women building each other up.

If those are things you like too, absolutely check this one out.

I’ve been telling everyone to read this book. It’s historical fiction set in 1963 in an early planned community not far from Washington, DC.

Four women that live in the neighborhood form a book club and the first book they read is
THE FEMININE MYSTIQUE by Betty Friedan. THE FEMININE MYSTIQUE captured the frustration (such as a married woman unable to open her own bank account without her husband’s signature) that the 4 women in this book are feeling.

I loved each of the four main characters in this book. Each woman is different. They are going through different things, but they begin to stand together to support and nurture each other’s dreams.

This is such a great book for discussion. Even if historical fiction isn’t your normal genre, I think it’s an important book for women to see exactly how life was for a woman that would be your parents or grandparents age.

I also at least want to look through THE FEMININE MYSTIQUE to see what caused such a stir 60 years ago.

Meet Margaret, Charlotte, Bitsy and Viv or "The Bettys" as they are know around town. Four women who share one thing in commen - their love of books. What starts as a typical book club for ladies turns into friendships that last a lifetime. These four women go through so much after they meet and their only way to cope is to read books and, eventually, learn to lean on one another. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel written during the Sixties as it adequately portrayed what women went through during that time period. It's unfathamable to me that I would need my husban'd permission to open a checking account! Although I knew this, it was still just one of many interesting tidbits the author included. I loved learning about these characters and watching them grow into to strong, beautiful women.

I love reading about book clubs, book stores and libraries. So I was extremely excited about receiving an advance audio copy for this book. I absolutely loved it! Already ordered a finished copy. This is definitely a book. I would recommend to my friends and family.

Many thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Focus for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of this wonderful historical fiction book by Marie Bostwick, with the audiobook perfectly narrated by Lisa Flanagan. All opinions expressed in this review are my own – 5 stars!

Set in the 1960s, we meet four women – Margaret, Charlotte, Bitsy, and Viv – living in an exclusive Virginia suburb. Margaret starts a book club, and their first pick is The Feminine Mystique. As the women get closer, they realize that they all secretly share the feeling that they aren’t as happy and fulfilled in their lives as they should be. They seem to have it all, but it doesn’t feel like enough. They nickname themselves The Bettys, after author Betty Friedan, and begin forging a tight bond.

I adored this book! I started reading it digitally but quickly switched to the audiobook because Lisa Flanagan perfectly captured the different women’s voices and personalities. This book has it all – humor, nostalgia, sisterhood, self-discovery. It’s still jaw dropping to realize that in this time period, women couldn’t open bank accounts or get birth control without their husband’s permission. I admired how these women provided strength for each other when needed, and highlighted how important standing up for ourselves and others is. Plus, it isn’t total man bashing as I loved Walt! This is the absolute perfect book club pick, and I highly recommended it!

There is so much power in female friendship. And female friendships in literature? Wow.

I think I first realized this when I read Anne of Green Gables, reveling in the trials and triumphs Anne and Diana faced. It really hit home in high school when I first read Rebecca Wells’ Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood and saw the lengths those women went to for each other. And it’s shown up so many times since then—from Sex and the City to Big Little Lies to Everything I Know About Love (and so many more in between).

It’s meaningful. It’s timeless. It’s so very important.

This book was not only wonderfully entertaining, but it was touching and enlightening. Centering around four housewives in the early 1960s, it looks at opportunity, femininity, power, prosperity, education, and what it means to be a woman in a changing world.

I’ve read Betty Friedan’s The Feminine Mystique, but now I want to go back and read it again, just to make The Bettys proud!

I appreciated the varied characters in this book (both male and female) and the different awakenings they have throughout the story. I listened to an ALC of this book, and the narration was truly enjoyable, adding to the story’s impact. Listening to it really felt like a night at book club with my best friends (and how could I not love a book that referenced both Pollyanna AND The Music Man?).

I liked The Book Club for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick. I want all the feminism books always, even the historical fiction ones.
I loved the characters even when they were being ridiculous. I could relate with them even though it is a different era, all humans crave to be seen and valued and when that doesn't happen it's a horrible feeling. This book was very emotional, and I shed a few tears a few different times. I loved the friendships and getting to know each of the Betties.

I thought the audiobook narrator did a fabulous job bringing the listener into the book and helping the experience the story.

I have zero negative things to say about this book except I would have liked to see a few of the men get poisoned and suffer horrible painful deaths. This is where I remind myself, I wasn't reading a horror book. ;)

Marie Bostwick's latest, THE BOOK CLUB FOR TROUBLESOME WOMEN, is a compelling and nostalgic novel about female friendship and empowerment, featuring four homemakers in the 1960s who form a book club that changes their lives.

Empowering women through history and literature!

About...

Early 1960s: Margaret Ryan, Viv Buschetti, and Bitsy Cobb are suburban housewives who have moved to a new planned community, Concordia, in northern Virginia, with their husbands.

However, they are unhappy in a world and time when they do not feel like a person, just a wife, a homemaker, and a shadow of their husband, with no voice. They are struggling with the societal expectations of being a perfect wife and mother, the lack of personal identity, and the feeling of being trapped in their roles.

Things change when they form a book club led by Charlotte Gustafson, the new neighbor from Manhattan, who is both eccentric and artsy. They start with the newly released book, The Feminine Mystique.

These women, realizing they are not alone in their dissatisfaction, form a bond of sisterhood. This bond gives them the courage to confront their past and take a stand in a changing world for women, inspiring readers with their bravery.

My thoughts...

Growing up in the 1950s and 1960s, I adore books set in that era and can recall my working mother from that time. I probably did not appreciate the challenges she and other women faced at the time. Marie's research was spot on, and I immensely enjoyed all the fun, nostalgic references I am familiar with, which made me smile and reminisce.

It wasn't much better in the early 1970s when my husband and I built our first home. I had a full-time income, but the mortgage companies wouldn't count mine because I was in my childbearing years.

THE BOOK CLUB OF TROUBLESOME WOMEN is brilliantly written, thought-provoking, with vivid descriptions of time and place, and the rich characters come alive on the page.

At first, it just surfaces talk, but as we dive into the book and form a close friendship, the women share their secrets, cocktails, and honest reactions to the controversial bestseller.

The women soon discover that the American Dream isn't all it's cracked up to be, and they want more. They want a voice.

THE BOOK CLUB FOR TROUBLESOME WOMEN is a charming, humorous, and nostalgic tale of sisterhood and self-discovery. It explores the historical roles of women, the challenges they faced in society during this time, and the transformative power of books, leaving readers feeling empowered by the women's journey. 1963 was truly the beginning of the feminist movement. As modern women of today, we can thank this generation of courageous women.

Several novels from the 1960s explored themes of female empowerment and challenged traditional gender roles, contributing to the burgeoning feminist movement of the time. Key examples include Doris Lessing's "The Golden Notebook" (1962), Sylvia Plath's "The Bell Jar" (1963), and Betty Friedan's "The Feminine Mystique" (1963), which gave voice to the experiences of women feeling stifled by societal expectations.

Friedan's book exposed the limitations of the "cult of domesticity" and inspired women to challenge their traditional roles and seek fulfillment beyond the home. This non-fiction work is widely recognized as a catalyst for the second-wave feminist movement, exploring the widespread unhappiness experienced by American women in the post-war era.

"The Help" by Kathryn Stockett (2009):
Although published later, the book's setting in the 1960s and its focus on the struggles of African American women servants in the American South qualify it as a work of women's fiction, exploring themes of resilience, resistance, and female empowerment.

Audiobook...

As a reader, I had the privilege of experiencing both the book and the audiobook. The audiobook, narrated by the super-talented storyteller Lisa Flanagan, was a delight! Her voice, which has brought over 300 audiobooks to life and earned numerous awards, was the perfect fit for this group of ladies. Her excellent pacing draws you into the world of women in the 60s, making for an engaging and entertaining listening experience. I highly recommend the audio version to all readers.

Recs...

THE BOOK CLUB FOR TROUBLESOME WOMEN is for fans of the author and those who enjoy thought-provoking historical novels about women, book clubs, nostalgia, and female friendship. The story is also for fans of Kristin Hannah, Kate Quinn, Patti Callahan Henry, and Ellen Meister..

Special thanks to Harper Muse for a gifted digital ARC and ALC via Netgalley for my honest thoughts.

blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: April 22, 2025
My Rating: 4.5 Stars rounded to 5 Stars
April 2025 Must-Read Books
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I had the opportunity to hear Marie share her story through a virtual book pitch hosted by Adventures By Book. Marie shared that this story was inspired through conversations with her mother. Her pitch was so intriguing that I had to read it!

This book is a five-star read for me. I finished this story back in March and surprised myself I finished it so quickly! The sisterhood these women developed and the scenarios they encountered through their own self-discoveries kept me wanting to hear more. Bostwick nailed it in describing life for women in the 1960s, like I was walking side by side with Margaret, Vivian, Charlotte, and Bitsy.

: TOP FAVORITES ABOUT THIS BOOK :

➡️ THE EMOTIONS

I laughed. I cried. I felted pissed-off when the characters were. That's what I got me the most. Give me the feels, and I won't forget the story.

➡️ TALENTED NARRATION

Narrators can either make it or fail it through audio format. Lisa Flanagan, you're a gem! She did fantastic in narrating all the voices, and you could tell which of the four women were talking. It was so well done! 👏

➡️ SLIGHT SURPRISE

I won't give this way, but Marie Bostwick takes this story and makes a slight change in perspective. I wasn't expecting it, and it's still fresh in my mind because it's true. This made me enjoy the story even more, but I'm not going to spoil it! Read it yourself!!

The Book Club for Troublesome Women follows four housewives in 1960s in 1960’s Virginia who start a book club and friendship blossoms. Bitsy, Charlotte, Margaret and Viv seem to live perfect lives and live in guilt wanting more out of life. When they read The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan, everything begins to change.

I loved that it mentioned other books in this story like Revolutionary Road, Herland by Charlotte Perkins Gilman are just a few to name. The pacing was a bit slow at times, but I honestly didn’t mind the story’s unique perspective and historical setting kept me engaged. definitely added a few titles to my TBR list. I listened to the audiobook and read the book together.

I received a complimentary copy of this book/audiobook. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I LOVED this book. From the beginning, I was hooked. I could relate to the characters, and their feeling of being 'stuck'. I love what they did for themselves and the effort they put forth to make their lives what they want it to be. I loved how they progressed in the story. I cheered them on when things were difficult. I became more angry at men, and felt frustrated at times, as there were struggles I could relate to. I loved the ending, and the 'epilogue' that told us how these women progressed. I have nothing negative to say

I truly enjoyed this book. It’s amazing what women go through to get us where we are in life today. This was definitely a book of sisterhood friendship, and support of other women. I really wish I could give it more than five stars.

Thanks to NetGalley and the author for an arc of this audio book. I was so pleasantly surprised with this book. I really really it and could not stop listening. I loved the characters and their stories.Not my typical read but i definitely recommend. The audiobook was just perfect I really enjoyed the narrators as well. If you are a woman i definitely recommend picking up this book about women in the 60’s and what was and wasn’t expected of them. ❤️

Historical feminist fiction about a group of housewives who start a book club, with the first book being The Feminist Mystique. It follows the characters as they start to break gender roles and push boundaries. Fantastic read! If you liked The Briar Club, you’d love this!

I was so excited to pick up a historical fiction novel that takes place during the early 1960s, a time period I've never encountered but often wonder about.
This book tells the story of 4 suburban housewives who form an unlikely friendship circle after starting a book club to discuss the controversial book "The Feminine Mystique." Each woman is navigating her own path of needs and wants, and trying to remain true to her self while also meeting the needs of her family.
A tale of friendship, marriage, loss, strength, and resolve, this had me cheering for each character as I read through the book.

The storytelling had a Jennifer Chiaverini feel to it, and I appreciated the fact that while there is a predominant narrator to the story, we also get to see inside the thoughts of each of the 4 women throughout the story.

My only critique is that the book felt a little too drawn out. I was ready for it to wrap up about 70% of the way through. I did feel a little more sympathy for the length after reading the author's afternote.

All in all a fun read with relatable characters that takes place in a fresh time period. My grandmother was a working mom raising my dad during the same years, so it was a fun insight into what their day-t0-day lives might have looked like.

I finished this audiobook in one day. It’s about a group of suburban housewives and mostly in the early 60’s with the struggles women went through trying to care for their husbands, children and their own mental wellbeing in a time when women were expected to give their all to their families with complete disregard for anything they might want.
This is historical fiction but it felt real. The struggles these women went through were very realistic. One woman trying to open a bank account couldn’t without her husband. I know a woman who couldn’t get her own credit card without her husband in 1970, well after most of this book takes place.
This book is very well written and the characters really came to life. I was sad to reach the end although it wrapped up nicely.
I received this book as a free ARC and am submitting this review voluntarily.