Set in 1963 Virginia, The Bookclub for Troublesome Women follows four women—Margaret, Viv, Bitsy, and Charlotte—whose lives intertwine through a book club that promises connection, but delivers more personal reflection than plot.

While the book explores the personal struggles and quiet strength of each woman it takes a long time to get there. The first 75% is heavy on character backstory and light on actual story progression or book club moments. With frequent time jumps and multiple perspectives, the structure feels disjointed and slow. Though the characters eventually find empowerment, the pacing and lack of plot make it a slog.

Overall, it’s a well-intentioned story about female resilience that ultimately feels more like “talk talk talk” than compelling fiction.

I don't know where to start with this book. I absolutely loved it. I loved the development of all the ladies and that the author wrapped everything up at the end. It was so interesting to read about that time period and how hard it was for women to be independent. Highly recommend this book! Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

I truly have no words for this book. It was incredible. It put some of my feelings on the female experience that I could never describe, into words. You know when you have those 'oh wow, this is going to change things for me' moments? That is how I felt about reading this book.

The story is set in 1963 and follows the lives of 4 housewives who start a book club to get to know each other better. The formation of this book club and reading 'The Feminine Mystique' changes the trajectory of their lives. The sisterhood that's formed had me feeling warm and fuzzy. Seriously, imagine going through a hard time only for your besties to show up on your doorstep with a bundt cake and open ears ready to listen 🥹 Seeing these women grow such a beautiful bond where they both support and challenge each other was amazing.

A main theme in the book is women challenging society, and the pressures and expectations placed on them. One thing I truly loved was how each woman followed their own path that was right for them. Some pushed boundaries within the more traditional housewife role, while others were a little more extreme and went out on their own.

One part of the book that really got me was: "Even in moments of despair, that hardwired, hard-learned hatred of inconveniencing others isn't easily pushed aside". I won't go into detail to avoid spoilers, but holy hell, my breath caught in my throat when I read that line. I have seen the most important women in my life put their issues aside to make sure they take care of everyone else before they even dare to think about taking care of themselves. So that line really hit me.

thank you netgalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review!

this book is set in 1963's virginia, where a group of suburban housewives decide to start a book club and read betty friedan's 'the feminine mystique'. the four female main characters (Margaret, Bitsy, Viv and Charlotte) receive proper introductions, with slightly differing but still very similar lives, living in an America that is severely lacking in woman's rights, and instead pushing a happy housewife propaganda that is neatly tied in with advertising products for women like household appliances, groceries and beauty items. the historical aspect and setting of this book of this was really interesting to me.

what didn't really live up for me, however, were the characters and their storylines. though introduced properly in the first hundred-or-so pages, they fell quite flat for me in the rest of the book, as did the storyline. they all had very similar problems, similar lives, and i found them quite lacking in diversity or nuance. moreover, most of their dreams were realised through decisions of their husbands, not because they stirred up some trouble as the book title promised. even the 'scandalous' character charlotte manages to find her destiny only because she (little spoiler here) extorts her husband and father for a large sum of money. whether deserved or not, i didn't find the book particularly empowering or inspiring when it came to these women's struggles to fight the status quo. i would even go a step further and say it was quite a display of white feminism/privilege to me, because while the characters were absolutely right in standing up for themselves and demanding equality, there was little to no consideration from them for minorities like black women, queer women, or women without the suburban dream house. not everyone would have the means to blackmail a man into the money to achieve their dream, or round up enough cash to post an advert in a magazine. i don't think that all minorities should always be considered for every story, but for a book about feminism in the 1960's, i found it very lacking - particularly because there was a mention of MLK once or twice that never sparked a debate between the women.

overall, i enjoyed the first half a lot more than the second half, story-wise. the book is quite feel-good and gives an interesting insight into the 1960's capitalist housewife fantasy, but for a book that dives deep into the history and intricacies of 1960's feminism, perhaps this is not the choice.

The book I didn’t know I needed. Could not let this book out of my sight till I finished it. The writing the characters it is absolutely everything! When you got to buy it buy two copies because you are going to want to pass it on to your best friend.

When I picture the beautiful neighborhood utopia described in this book, I see freshly painted homes, manicured lawns, picket fences and problems firmly staying within the confines of those freshly vacuumed rooms. That is, until three current residents create a bookclub with the new neighbor to discuss The Feminine Mystique. These women: Margaret, an aspiring writer, Viv, a nurse, Bitsy, a young bride who hopes to someday finish school and Charlotte, a free spirited writer, forge a bond initially based on books that quickly becomes an unstoppable friendship.

Through conversations over coffee and sidecars, they support each other through the small and big issues of life and are an excellent example of what a powerful source of comfort friends can be. Grab your book club or besties and read The Book Club for Troublesome Women.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins Focus/Harper Muse for the advance copy. All opinions are my own.

This book was a perfect blend of things I love in a story: books, friendship, and the 1960s.

Margaret Ryan, the typical 1960s housewife and mother, starts a book club, and with their first book, The Feminine Mystique, the four ladies realize they are all unsatisfied with their lives.

While this was a fantastic trip back to the early ‘60s, I loved becoming engrossed in the lives of each of these women. The author did an excellent job of making them dimensional characters; they were wives and some mothers, but they all had dreams and desires that had been brushed aside. As friends, they were sometimes brutally honest with one another, yet they were also supportive and longed to see each other succeed.

I loved how the books they read were integral to their friendship, binding them and inspiring them. They even named themselves “The Bettys” after Betty Friedan, author of The Feminine Mystique.

Even with the historical references to popular culture and societal norms reminding me of the time and place, this incredible story of marriage, motherhood, feminism, and friendship was remarkably relatable at times. I didn’t want it to end; I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with these ladies and being part of their book club, even if only within these pages.

Thank you @mariebostwick @uplitreads and @harpermusebooks for these gifted books and ebook via #netgalley.

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.

*Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Focus for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.*
When I see a "book about books" with a historical setting and strong female characters, I'm immediately excited to read it. The Book Club for Troublesome Women checked all these boxes and more for me! I found the four main characters delightfully unique from each other and interesting to spend time with. Maggie, Charlotte, Viv and Bitsy are northern Virginia housewives who form a book club in the 1960s, beginning with Betty Friedan's The Feminine Mystique, and along the way become close friends who empower each other to strive for more than the roles of wife and mother that society wishes to limit them to. I thought the characters' struggles with career, ambition, balancing priorities, and independence were realistic and relatable. I was also impressed by how funny some of the dialogue was, even as they dealt with serious issues (infidelity, suicide, alcoholism, pregnancy, and more). I would recommend this to fans of Natalie Jenner's Bloomsbury Girls, and Jennifer Chiaverini's Canary Girls. 3.75/5 stars

EXCERPT: At age seventeen, Margaret had promised herself that she would grow up to be nothing like her mother. After a promising start, the fruit of her early efforts had shriveled. Now, at age thirty-three, Margaret sometimes wondered if every woman was destined to become her mother eventually. Recently, however, things had started to shift.
And not just for Margaret.
As with any seismic occurrence, the impact would be felt more keenly by some than others, and responses to it would vary widely. Some would embrace the change. Some would decry it. Some would avert their eyes and pretend nothing had happened. It didn't come all at once of course, Meaningful change rarely does. But in the fullness of time, no one could deny that landscapes and lives had been irrevocably transformed.
Nevertheless, Margaret didn't fully appreciate that yet. Neither did she understand that the impulses she'd given in to over the last three months, and the secrets she kept - including the rented seafoam-green typewriter she'd hidden in the far reaches of the linen closet - would alter her family, her future, and her sense of self. Today she was just excited about the book club, thrilled to be the point of connection for the other three women who had agreed to take part, some more reluctantly than others, and determined to make their first meeting memorable.

ABOUT 'THE BOOK CLUB FOR TROUBLESOME WOMEN': Four dissatisfied sixties-era housewives form a book club turned sisterhood that will hold fast amid the turmoil of a rapidly changing world and alter the course of each of their lives.

By early 1960s standards, Margaret Ryan, Viv Buschetti, and Bitsy Cobb, suburban housewives in a brand-new "planned community" in Northern Virginia, appear to have it all. The fact that "all" doesn't feel like enough leaves them feeling confused and guilty, certain the fault must lie with them. Things begin to change when they form a book club with Charlotte Gustafson--the eccentric and artsy "new neighbor" from Manhattan--and read Betty Friedan's just-released book, The Feminine Mystique.

Controversial and groundbreaking, the book struck a chord with an entire generation of women, helping them realize that they weren't alone in their dissatisfactions, or their longings, lifting their eyes to new horizons of possibility and achievement. Margaret, Charlotte, Bitsy, and Viv are among them. But is it really the book that alters the lives of these four very different women? Or is it the bond of sisterhood that helps them find courage to confront the past, navigate turmoil in a rapidly changing world, and see themselves in a new and limitless light?

MY THOUGHTS: I fell in love with this book early one when one of the characters states, 'Mother wanted me to be a lady, but the only thing I cared about was horses and books.' Hello, me! But what really made me fall in love with this book were the characters - Margaret, Charlotte, Viv and Bitsy - and the mutual support club they become. Everyone needs friends like these, and everyone will be able to relate in some way to the struggles and triumphs of these women.

I read The Book Club for Troublesome Women in less than twenty-four hours, unable to put it down. I was born in the 50s and grew up in the 60s, so a lot of this was familiar territory to me. My mother played tennis two afternoons a week, the neighborhood coffee morning rotated from one house to the next, the phone would ring hot with the latest gossip or a warning that 'so-and-so' was on her way . . .

But if this sounds somewhat idyllic, it wasn't. A woman couldn't open a bank account in her own right without either her parents' or husband's permission. Higher education for women was discouraged - seen as a waste of time because they were only going to get married and have babies. Contraception was difficult to come by and unreliable, divorce shameful, and infidelity (as long as you were a man) and domestic abuse considered acceptable - because men were just, well . . . men. And women were popping 'happy pills' in their hundreds and wondering what was wrong with them. After all, they had nice homes filled with labor saving devices - what did they have to be unhappy about?

The four women at the centre of this novel are all very different in both character, circumstances, and where they are at in their lives. And yet they all have this one thing in common - they all feel unseen and dissatisfied. They want more than housework and childcare. They want to use their minds and improve both themselves and society.

The Book Club for Troublesome Women is very different to Marie Bostwick's usual writing, which I have always enjoyed. This I LOVED.

And please, do make sure you read the note about how this book came about. It is very special.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A couple of quotes I particularly liked: Novels force you to think - to make your own conclusions about characters and themes, and decide if they're valid or relevant or true or good, or the opposite or maybe somewhere in between.

Most people are a bundle of walking contradictions.

#TheBookClubforTroublesomeWomen #NetGalley

MEET THE AUTHOR: Marie lives in Washington state with her husband and a beautiful but moderately spoiled Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.

When not curled up with a good book, Marie Bostwick can usually be found in her office, trying to write one.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Harper Collins Focus, Harper Muse, via NetGalley for providing an e-ARC of The Book Club for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

Four Sixties-era housewives, all a bit dissatisfied with their lives get together to form a book club to discuss a brand new, ground-breaking book called The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan. These ladies barely knew each other, or had never met yet, but their journey together discussing this book and getting to know each other and the struggles in their lives, bring them together in a wonderful way.

I personally was so invested in each of their stories, I could not put this book/ audio down until I had finished!

My thanks to Net Galley and Harper Muse for an advanced copy of this e-book and audiobook.

The subject matter and time period of this book by Marie Bostwick really intrigued me, and I am happy to say I quite enjoyed it. Set in 1963 in a Northern Virginia suburb, the book tells the story of four women who create a book club that reads feminist literature. The reading enlightens them and leads them to take some steps in their lives and marriages that will ultimately make their lives more fulfilling.

The four main women in this book each have a unique struggle within their marriages. Societal expectations have kept them from following their desired academic, career, and social paths. While they are not all unhappy in their marriages, they all feel held back from reaching their potential and living a life of which they can feel proud. I found myself sympathizing with these women. I am very grateful that I did not live in a time that was so limiting to women.

This book is emotional at times and explores important topics and themes around women's rights. It even explores the idea of societal pressures on men and the unfairness attached to them. I would definitely recommend it to readers who enjoy historical fiction set in the 1960s and focused on female protagonists.

The Book Club for Troublesome Women is such a feel-good, empowering read! I loved following Margaret, Charlotte, Bitsy, and Viv as they slowly realized that the "perfect" lives they were expected to live weren't really making them happy—and how a simple book club ended up changing everything. Their friendship felt so real, full of laughter, tough conversations, and lots of heart.

Marie Bostwick did a great job capturing the vibe of the 1960s without making it feel too heavy or preachy. Some parts were a little predictable, but honestly, I didn't mind because I was so invested in the characters. It's one of those books that reminds you how powerful it can be when women come together and start asking "what if?"

If you like stories about friendship, feminism, and finding your voice, definitely give this one a shot! Big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read an early copy!

When life gets messy, four women form a book club and end up rebuilding their lives too. Full of humor, hope and unforgettable friendships, this story proves it's never too late to find your people.

Thank you to NetGalley for this advance readers copy in exchange for my honest review.

Such a fun read! This is the story of a group of traditional housewives in the early 60s who come together to form a book club. Their first book selection is The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan. The book opens their eyes to many new ideas, and each character is spurred into her own transformation. The ladies form strong bonds of friendship and start calling themselves The Bettys. This book is a celebration of the power of friendship among women. It's a great reminder of how far women have come and how far they have to go and it also delves into how expectations and traditional roles have impacted both men and women. It captures a specific moment in time when society as a whole was undergoing some momentous changes. I really enjoyed it!

It was enlightening to learn about the basic rights that women didn't have, like opening a bank account or getting a prescription filled. However, thinking about the actual story, I didn't get that much from it. Not all the women seemed to face the challenges the book highlighted; just Charlotte did. The pace was also too slow. Thank you, NetGalley.

This book definitely gets off to a slow start, but I found myself getting very invested in the characters and their relationships. It's 1963, Betty Friedan's The Feminine Mystique has just come out, and four women in a suburb of Virginia start a book club inspired by it. Margaret has three kids and a relatively good relationship with her husband, but she craves a writing career. Viv has six kids and is expecting a seventh, is madly in love with her husband, but misses the purpose she felt when she was an army nurse during World War II. Bitsy is twenty-three, newly married, and sad that no veterinary schools would take her since she's a woman. And Charlotte is estranged from her husband and has no idea what she wants out of life. Together, they try to figure out their next steps and find meaning.

This book is very sweet and earnest. It started out kind of feeling like an afterschool special, but as the story went on it became less cliche and felt more nuanced and real. It was really fascinating to follow along as these women navigated the constraints of their lives in different ways, and I loved their friendship and how they supported each other. It's not a revolutionary book at all, but I enjoyed it :)

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review! I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance reader's copy of this book. Unfortunately at this time I will be unable to give it my full attention, so I will provide a starred rating and return when I can give it a proper review.

I really hoped I would love this book, but unfortunately I dnf’d at 30%: I couldn’t connect with the characters and I felt like the book addressed some topics in a too distant way, and the writing style made it feel forced through the story.

just not my cup of tea! but still a big thanks to netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review!

The Book Club for Troublesome Women is one of those books you would like to see turned into a movie. I loved the message behind this book. I thought The Book Club for Troublesome Women was a beautiful story about the power of a book and how it can inspire and change the course of people's lives. I liked that this book revolved around four women. Throughout the story, we get glimpses of each of the woman's lives. Each woman's story was interesting and inspiring. Despite having many similarities, each of their stories were unique. I was intrigued by all of their stories. I liked Margaret's writing journey, Viv's desire to go back to work, Bitsy's path back to school, and Charlotte's breakthrough. It was empowering to watch each woman start to pushback at society and their relationships. Some of the men in this book were horrible. At first, I couldn't stand Margaret's husband, Walt. I hated how he treated her and belittled her jobs as a writer and stay-at-home mom. It was disheartening to see that a belief from the 1960's still holds true for some today, that stay-at-home moms aren't "working." Bitsy's husband was the worst out of the lot. His behavior at the stalls and further down the road was disgusting. I liked that the author included Tony in the story to showcase that not all men were bad. What I enjoyed so much about this book was the way the author highlighted the issues women faced in the 1960's. As someone who was born thirty years later, it's still hard for me to wrap my head around all of the barriers' women faced. This book really opened my eyes to the things my grandmothers were dealing with. How many women were denied career paths like Bitsy because a male advisor wouldn't write them a letter of recommendation? How many women like Viv ended up pregnant because a doctor wouldn't prescribe them birth control without their husband present? How many women like Charlotte were told to fall in line and be happy with their unsatisfying role in life? I was surprised to learn that some colleges required women to take courses in marriage and family studies. A big topic of this book was the first book club book, The Feminine Mystique. I liked that the author addressed the limitations of the book and how it left viewpoints out. I also liked that she highlighted how men could also be trapped in societal norms like Walt. I was happy that she discussed the experience of black women nurses during WWII. The writing was smooth, the character development was spot on, and the pacing was just right. Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for the ARC.