This just wasn’t a story that I could get into and I think it all started with the title. So, instead of the 2 stars I really want to give it, I’ll give 3 because others might not be as picky. “It’s not you; it’s me.”
Even with the blurb explanation about this being a drama regarding abuse, past (sexual assault) and present (emotional abuse, potential domestic violence), the title sends one’s mind in an absolutely different direction. The fact that so little of the book actually had to do with said club makes it feel like this was a ploy to take advantage of a “trendy” focus, not unlike clickbait.
The story’s dramas were compelling but the pacing of the actions was uneven. The dialogue was unnatural and the characters were flat. Issues that festered for nearly two decades were overcome in a matter of days (the final romantic entanglement was particularly ridiculous- not a meet-cute at all). Some might like the writing style but it felt incomplete (not all was resolved or addressed) and a little lazy, considering how easily some of the issues were resolved.
Again, it’s probably me and not the book but it wasn’t definitely wasn’t my cup of tea.


Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free ARC. This opinion is entirely my own.

In a small town in Iowa, secrets simmer beneath the surface, and family loyalties collide with old hurts that have never healed or been forgiven. Gia Rossi reluctantly returns home when her sister, Margot, pleads for help caring for their ailing mother. But Wakefield isn’t just a place of memories—it’s a town divided by scandal and whispers.

THE BANNED BOOKS CLUB isn’t really about a book club for people to read books that schools have banned, especially since it’s such a small part of this novel. Seventeen-year-old Gia was assaulted by her high school English teacher. The teacher, Mr. Hart, loses his job, his wife, and any respectability he had in that small town, but he remains there a broken and bitter man. After the trial, Gia leaves town and rarely comes back, ultimately co-owning and operating an outdoor adventures business in Idaho. That leaves her perfect sister Margot to take care of their mother when she falls ill with stage four cancer. Margot is barely holding it together with a very controlling and emotionally abusive husband that the entire town loves, but her two young boys keep her going and staying since she knows her chance of escape is almost zero.

Gia returns to town, hoping to keep a low profile and see a few friends while taking care of their mother in her last months. Margot is finally able to plan her escape with her boys, but everything has to be meticulously planned since her husband’s controlling nature could turn dangerous at any time. Mr. Hart’s son, two daughters, and ex-wife all have varying opinions of how he’s turned out and what really went down all those years ago with Gia. While his kids are firmly on his side, his son, who is the town veterinarian and now lives directly behind Gia’s parents’ house, finally starts to see the cracks in his story with the help of Gia and his father’s behavior. This sets off a lot of tension, hurt, and betrayal in his family, but Gia’s also dragged into everything.

While the cast of characters is a bit big, it wasn’t hard to know who was who and how they fit into the overall story. I loved the strength that Gia, Margot, and their mother had throughout the book, even when things grew very hard. Their father and Mr. Hart’s son turned out to be some of the most supportive and level-headed men I’ve read in a book lately, and I enjoyed the contrast with Margot’s husband’s horrible behavior.

I’ve enjoyed every Brenda Novak book that I’ve read, and this one featured complex, realistic characters that evolved throughout. The hurt, drama, and even quite a bit of danger were incorporated well. How victims of sexual abuse are treated, even years after the fact, was explored nicely. The book was very engaging, especially when listening to the audiobook. The ending felt a bit rushed though, and I feel like we didn’t really get any kind of ending for Mr. Hart. Overall, THE BANNED BOOKS CLUB is an engaging women’s fiction novel that has something for everyone inside the cover.

This was a great read! It was heartwarming and emotional, and the characters felt real. It wasn't what I expected, it was even more. Thank you NetGalley and MIRA for this ARC!

The Banned Books Club was a sweet, easy read with a nice message about community and the love of reading. The idea behind the story is great, and there are definitely some heartwarming moments—but overall, it just didn’t leave a big impression on me.

The characters were likable but felt a bit flat, and the plot played out pretty predictably. It was cute and pleasant, but I kept hoping for a little more depth or spark. Nothing bad—just not super memorable either.

If you’re looking for a light, feel-good book with a cozy vibe, this could be a nice pick. Just don’t expect anything too deep or groundbreaking.

This book was a page-turner. I loved the complex relationships between the characters, especially Gia and Margot. Gia's relationship with her parents is improving while Margot's relationship declines for most of the book, so they could see what the other had to navigate was wonderful to see. Cormac and Gia's romance didn't get me at the beginning, but by the end it was something beautiful.

A wonderful read!
This novel drew me in from the very first page and kept me hooked until the end. The characters were vibrant and relatable, the writing was engaging, and the story had just the right balance of heart and humor. Highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

I don’t entirely understand why this book has this title. I get what they’re trying to say but it doesn’t fit.
I don’t feel like the topics discussed, particularly DV and SA, were handled carefully in this book.
The romance storyline was honestly just yucky.

The Banned Books Club is the story of Gia Rossi who is asked to come back to her hometown by her sister Margot. Gia has a hard time saying no, despite the fact that her old teacher who sexually assaulted her still lives there, an ex-boyfriend that rejected her, and the Banned Books Club she runs has some complications. However, her sister has been taking care of her parents, especially their mom that has dementia, so she decides to go despite her worries.

This book is about trauma, growth, love, grief, and so much more. I truly loved the storyline and the characters. It was less about books than I expected, but that doesn't matter because the storyline is so much bigger than that.

Brenda Novak did a wonderful job of sensitively handling hard topics and bringing her characters to life. I highly recommend this book and will definitely read more of Brenda's work.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. The cover of this book was quite misleading, and trigger warnings for sexual assault and spousal abuse would have been helpful. ,

I really like the direction Brenda Novak has gone with her Women’s Fiction / Romance books, add in a side of suspense. Developed characters and well written plot with a few twists and turns along the way. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and highly recommend it.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a digital advance copy. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was so amazing! The three different points of view were done so well and the overall story was such an emotional ride. I am in awe of these characters and the emotional journeys they went on during this book. This was such a great novel with so many emotions. I can’t get over how amazing this book was and it blew my expectations out of the water.

The Banned Books Club really has very little to do with banned books, but a lot to do with how society treats victims of sexual and domestic violence/abuse. Gia was molested by her high school English teacher, and he was convicted and sent to jail, but many of the people in her hometown believe his claim of innocence. She left town after high school and rarely came back. Her sister, Margot, is in a marriage with an emotionally abusive and controlling man, who is from a “pillar of society” family and feels powerless to truly escape him without losing her children

There are two main storylines in the novel. One is about Gia, a woman coming home to help care for her dying mother while facing her childhood trauma and the stigma the town has against her. The other storyline is about Gia's younger sister Margot, who is trying to escape an abusive marriage. The format of the book has the stories overlap within the same chapters, without smooth transitions. This made it more difficult to follow. The ideas were good and I liked the overall stories, but I found myself skimming through it.

I received an ARC of The Banned Books Club from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So I am going to be totally honest. This book has virtually nothing to do with banned books and very little to do with a book club in general. There should. be a trigger warning about this book. It deals with sexual abuse by a teacher, but not in a very sensitive way. A main storyline is that the mother of two young women is dying of cancer. The daughter who was molested by her teacher in high school returns to her hometown to help care for her dying mother, and to give her younger sister a break in caregiving. The younger sister is in an unhappy marriage and wants to leave her angry and controlling husband. She makes a decision to leave in way that I found totally cruel and unbelievable under the circumstances. There's a romantic storyline that seems unlikely. I cannot recommend this book, which should have had a different title.

#thebannedbooksclub
#netglley
#domesticviolence
#sexualabuse
#harlequin

I really enjoyed this book! It was an engaging read from start to finish, and I found it incredibly accessible. The writing was easy to follow, and I appreciated how the story kept me hooked without feeling overwhelming. Overall, it was a great experience, and I definitely recommend it!

The Banned Books Club by Brenda Novak is a compelling and thought-provoking novel that tackles themes of censorship, the power of literature, and the importance of free expression. Set in a small town during the 1950s, the story follows a group of students who secretly form a book club to read and discuss banned books. As they face challenges and danger from those who wish to control what they read, the group learns the importance of standing up for their beliefs and the transformative power of books. Novak’s writing is engaging and impactful, making this an inspiring read for anyone who values intellectual freedom and the written word.

Banned books is an every day reality in my world so I was intrigued to read this book. Was I surprised at the depth of characters and the many layers to this story. It’s so much more than about banned books! The troubled relationship Gia has with her family. And how Gia, her family and community come to terms with past events.

I loved the title, and I always enjoy this author so I figured I would love this book. The first third was a struggle, the middle was decent, and the last third - I couldn't put it down. On the surface it's a romance but beneath the surface it's so much more. How to overcome your past, how important is it to write old wrongs, emotional abuse, & cancer. Overall I really enjoyed it to be honest, I would love to see a follow up to this! I do feel like the ending was both what we expected and had a surprise. Gia's decisions at the end came from out of the blue, wasn't anything she had ever mentioned thinking of doing, wanting to do, dreaming of in the entire book so to see what she decided in the end was a complete surprise. This is what I want to see a follow up on and what might be able to better play off the title "The Banned Books Club" since the club was Not really the main focal point of this book but more of a bit player. 🤞 for a second book!

A very interesting read. Thank you to the publisher for allowing me to read this book. It wasn't really for me, but I am sure that it will be loved by the right audience.

I could not get into this book the first time I tried to read it. After several months I went back to it and once I got past the first few chapters I couldn't put it down. At the beginning I had a hard time with Margot's character because she was so weak but then as the story unfolded I was rooting he on. i loved Gia's character and how she stood up to everyone. Glad they both found happiness in the end