I went into this book blind thinking it would have more to do with banned books. However, it ended up being a story about having integrity despite what others may think and being strong while going through hard things.

I admired the strength of the characters as they went through their own trials. People don’t realize how scary emotional and verbal abuse can be and how dangerous it can be to leave.

Some notes of things I hope are fixed in the book before printing
- easier distinction of when points of view are changing to another person. In my copy it changed one line to the next so I would have to realize it was a new person and go back to the beginning of that perspective.
- a few times throughout the book, Evan Hart was called Mr. Evans instead of Evan or Mr. Hart. I assume a name change had happened and this was caught.
- when Gia pokes Sheldon’s eyes, it says she dug her thumbs into her eyes. I figured it out, but wanted to report just in case.

Overall this was a great book and I plan to share it on my Instagram on sept 16th

Thank you to Harlequin Books, MIRA and NetGalley for this eARC.

The title is a bit misleading as this novel has less to due with banned books and more with women's domestic issues. Gia Rossi is from a small town in Iowa. An incident occured when Gia was in high school that lead to the dismissal of a favorite teacher, Evan Hart. Gia left town after graduation and is only back seventeen years later because her mother is dying. The Mr. Hart and his family remained in town, proclaiming his innocence. Cormac Hart is beginning to doubt his father's version of the events and sympathizes with Gia. Meanwhile, Gia's sister, Margot, is planning her escape with her children from her controlling and verbally abusive husband.

There is a lot going on in this novel. While fairly predictable, it will hold your attention and is a quick read. This would make a great book club book.

loved this mystery and keeping secrets and the different point of views. Also loved trying to figure out who did it . I enjoyed the mystery behind it.

I thoroughly enjoy reading Brenda Novak's book, but there were some issues with this one. First of all, the Banned Books Club title doesn't fit the book at all. It really has more to do with how society treats victims of sexual and domestic violence and abuse, as opposed to how society tries to silence writers of uncomfortable topics. I see what Novak was trying to do. Both of these topics need more representation in literature, but I just don't feel like the title adequately fits the novel.

The ending was a bit rush, but overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the character development of her protagonist, as well as her voice in speaking up.

I have always enjoyed Brenda Novak's books. The Banned Books Club did not disappoint. It took a few chapters to pull me in but once I was hooked, I couldn't stop reading. While the book does have a book club regarding Banned Books, the book is more about how victims of sexual assault and domestic violence are treated when the tell their story. The title Banned Book Club is a commentary on society's refusal to address issues of sexual assault and victim blaming. The book also explores family ties and how big events can bring you together or rip you a part.

I received an electronic ARC from Harlequin Trade Publishing through NetGalley.
Novak tackles abuse and sexual assault with a soft touch that, sadly, offers a clear look at how victims are often treated. Two sisters face different situations but both have suffered and not been believed by some. Gia was brave enough at seventeen to face her teacher in court and describe what he did to her. She has wrestled with what happened and it has definitely affected her life all these years later. Margot is married to an abusive man and has made a plan to take her children and escape. Both have had to deal with the families of their abusers accusing them of lying. As the story unfolds, readers see how they cope and the thrive. We also see an unlikely love story unfold for Gia as she falls in love with the son of the man who assaulted her. The Epilogue is satisfying even with the emotions surrounding its setting.
The title is a bit of a stretch though the club does meet and several banned books are discussed throughout.

What a great book that tells a story and also touches on the topic of banned books. Interesting story lines that keeps you involved and turning the page!

1.5⭐️ thank you NetGalley and HA for this advanced ebook.

I originally was drawn to this book because of the title. The topic of banned books is definitely prominent in the world today and I was curious to see an authors approach to discussing it. Unfortunately, this book fell flat for me.

I’ll start with what I enjoyed: it had a good mix of classic characters of mystery, romance, and litfic books. I think the premise of the story was intriguing.

However… this story wasn’t executed well in my opinion. So many plot points felt underdeveloped and messy. Truthfully, I also don’t feel that the topic of SA and DV was approached with the sensitivity that it deserves. Additionally, the dialogue felt so unnatural. Like painfully so. And that detracted from the emotional connection the characters. Lastly, this book quite literally has nothing to do with banned books other than the mention of a Banned Books Club that came up minimally.

Overall, I don’t think I’d recommend this book to any one of my reader friends.

The Banned Books Club is the first book I’ve read by this author. The title intrigued me since it’s a hot topic across the country. The core of the book doesn’t deal that much about banned books but it does set the premise for the story. The author thoughtfully explores the topic of sexual misconduct by a teacher and the lives of both the teacher as well as his student 17 years later. It’s a book where the present and the past powerfully collide. The issue of mental abuse by a husband is thoughtfully written into the story. Both Gia and her sister Margot are strong women as they move forward with their lives. Although these are topics might not be for everyone, the author writes them in such a way that you can’t put it down. It’s thoughtful with romance intertwined!
Thank you to HQ and NetGalley for an advanced ebook. All opinions are my own and I will be enthusiastically recommending this book!
#TheBannedBooksClub #BrendaNovak #NetGalley

The title, The Banned Books Club, intrigued me to try this new novel by Brenda Novak. Although I had heard of the author, this is the first book of hers I've read.
It has very little to do with banned books or the book club; it's more of a family drama and romance. The story is told from multiple viewpoints, but the two main characters are Gia and Margot Rossi. Gia left her small town of Wakefield, Iowa, at age 18 after a traumatic experience that destroyed lives and turned her into a pariah. Her favorite high school English teacher molested her, and she reported him. There was a very public trial; he was found guilty and fired from his job. His wife divorced him, and he became a drunk. But he's always maintained his innocence. His children and many of the townspeople stood by him. Even Gia's family and friends had their doubts that she was telling the truth.
When the story opens, their mother is dying of cancer, and Margot begs Gia to come home to help care for her in her last days. Gia agrees and hopes she can repair their relationship.
Margot has an ideal life on the surface. Her husband, Sheldon, is a pillar of the community with a thriving family business, and she has two well-mannered boys. But out of the public eye, her controlling husband is verbally and emotionally abusive. Margot has an ulterior motive for begging Gia to come home; she has plans to run away with the boys and cut all ties to her hometown making it harder for Sheldon to find them.
Once Sheldon realizes Margot has taken off, he blames Gia and starts harassing their family.
As Gia tries to navigate the gossips and haters, she strikes up an unlikely friendship with Cormac Hart, her teacher's son, and the two fall in love.
I liked the characters, and it's a pretty good story with an underlying message. However, there were times it moved slowly because there was so much repetition. Also some head-hopping and a lot more telling than showing. Although there are a few triggers, I hope this book won't be banned!

Brenda Novak writes compelling women’s fiction and this book is no exception. This was an interesting topic to explore and the author handled it well.

This was my first Brenda Novak book and I absolutely loved it. The title of the book is a bit misleading, as it's not so much about banned books as it is about two sisters - Gia and Margot. Gia returns home to a town she left almost 20 years ago because of a SA by her teacher. Margot is dealing with an abusive husband (every way but physical). While Gia was the main focus of the book, I found myself really drawn to Margot's story. I couldn't put this book down and finished it in 3 hours. The way the book ended, gave me hope that maybe a book for Margot could be on the way. I'll be keeping an eye out for it, and will most definitely be reading more books by Ms. Novak.

Gia’s life was changed forever by her teacher and she left her hometown to escape the stares and whispers. But when her mother is dying, Gia must return to help her sister who is also in trouble too. The author tells a realistic story of what happens after and how secrets can destroy a family.

I was lured by the title of this book but drawn in by the writing and the nearly instant connection to the characters. The multiple points of view are enjoyable to read as the reader gets a glimpse into the characters thoughts. The author changes the POV well chapter by chapter.
I found this book fairly predictable throughout-that is, until the ending. Novak does well with resolving the issues and problems in an appropriate and satisfying way for the reader.
This book is a quick and enjoyable read.

Gia returns to her hometown when he mother is dying, a place she has avoided since accusing her high school English test if molesting her. The trial splits the small town and her return 17 years later shows this is still very current in the town's thoughts. But Cormac, his son, begins to see that what he believes as truth might not be. An interesting read, but themes of mental abuse and molestation are central and many not be for all readers.

This was an easy book to read. It was enjoyable and emotional. A lot happens in this book, which makes the ending feel rushed. I felt the ending was presented in a pretty bow quickly. Other than the ending, it was a good book that should have been longer, with the ending more thought out.

A bit of a mystery, who’s telling the truth; and a bit of romance. Multi-layered plot, righting wrongs, and healing. Realistic characters and domestic setting. I liked the characters, especially the direct and feisty Gia, and Cormac was such a stand up guy. Part mystery (who’s telling the truth) and bit of romance. Highly recommend.

I could have sworn I posted this review months ago, but I’m not seeing it anywhere. Somehow, I can’t even find my lovely, flowing, original document. These were my notes from the time- arranged in a semi-coherent manner. My apologies for the lateness.

Three stars at current, with a few fixes, it could easily jump to a four star review.

Formatting difficult, medium typos, but one glaring editing flaw (Hart/Evans)
The story was good, but challenged by pacing issues
After reading the whole book, I’m going to assume that TBBC is the first of an upcoming series. While others have noted the title is misleading, I’m of the belief that it is a working title based on the basis of this series.
Book Club was not as prevalent as I would have expected
Too many characters appear and fall off later in the story- Sammie and Ruth, Louisa and Edith, etc.
The epilogue is what really pushed this idea, with a hint of Margot’s story coming soon.
More of a Women’s Fiction than a romance novel- which I enjoyed. There is certainly some romance, but the more compelling storylines give credence to being a WF.
Would consider sharing with the ladies at the library, if- and only if- it had better editing.

I received a copy of The Banned Books Club by Brenda Novak via Netgalley in exchange for an honest, yet very overdue review.
I could have sworn I posted this review months ago, but I’m not seeing it anywhere. Somehow, I can’t even find my lovely, flowing, original document. These were my notes from the time- arranged in a semi-coherent manner. My apologies for the lateness.

Three stars at current, with a few fixes, it could easily jump to a four star review.

Formatting difficult, medium typos, but one glaring editing flaw (Hart/Evans)
The story was good, but challenged by pacing issues
After reading the whole book, I’m going to assume that TBBC is the first of an upcoming series. While others have noted the title is misleading, I’m of the belief that it is a working title based on the basis of this series.
Book Club was not as prevalent as I would have expected
Too many characters appear and fall off later in the story- Sammie and Ruth, Louisa and Edith, etc.
The epilogue is what really pushed this idea, with a hint of Margot’s story coming soon.
More of a Women’s Fiction than a romance novel- which I enjoyed. There is certainly some romance, but the more compelling storylines give credence to being a WF.
Would consider sharing with the ladies at the library, if- and only if- it had better editing.

I received a copy of The Banned Books Club by Brenda Novak via Netgalley in exchange for an honest, yet very overdue review.

Thank you NetGalleyfor sharing this ARCwith me. Well to start off thisbookwasnotwhat I expected but I really liked it. It had some sad things, l po beans some down- right frightening thi gs. The characters were real and believable. So mucheasgoing on in this book I really recommend it

I received a free e-arc of this book through Netgalley.
The title of this book grabbed my attention, but really the title is more of an aside in the book than the heart of the book which covers abusive controlling relationships and power differentials in teacher-student relationships. I appreciate the author tackling some topics that shouldn't be controversial, but seem to be at times. I really had a hard time putting this book down. I wanted to find out what happened to the characters. I also appreciated that some of the characters were able to admit when they had been wrong and made mistakes in the past.