In this brilliant new historical fiction novel, readers follow Margaret, Charlotte, Bitsy, and Viv as they form an unlikely friendship out of their book club in 1960s Concordia, a wealthy suburb in northern Virginia. After reading Betty Friedan’s The Feminine Mystique, they all discover, to varying degrees, that their lives are not as picture perfect, happy, or fulfilling as they had thought. Nicknaming themselves the Bettys, all four friends have no idea that this book club and resulting friendship will become the catalyst for the most consequential, liberating, and important year of their lives. Packed with details and alternating perspectives between the four women, readers will get fascinating glimpses into each woman’s unique and complex life in this brilliant, emotional, and powerful new novel. The characters are absolutely the stars of the book, and their relationships with each other are particularly interesting due to the complexity, tension, and secrets in their relationships and separate lives. The characters are so well-written and the setting complements their relationships, backstories, and conflicts perfectly thanks to Marie Bostwick’s incredible attention to detail and immersive writing style. Well-written, entertaining, and emotional, this is a powerful and fascinating new historical fiction novel that readers of women’s fiction will absolutely love.

How lucky am I to have so many 4 & 5 star books in a row? But wow, I really enjoyed this book.

I’d like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for this book. I had no idea what it was about when I picked it up and after finishing a few great books back to back, I was a bit apprehensive but it blew my expectations.

The premise is a book club, “The Betty’s”, set in a time where women had no rights, lots of rules and little say in the world as a whole. A group of women who are vastly different, move into a newly formed subdivision and start a club to meet friends. It’s pro women and very positive and full of reassurance but mostly it’s about real friendship and what a beautiful story that was. Sure, each of these women had a wonderful story to tell. Some were empowering, tragic and lovely but really what got me was their love for each other. I think my generation missed out on those type of friendships.

I highly recommend this book. Read it within a 24 hour span because I couldn’t put it down.

Rating: 4.5/5

*Thank you to Marie Bostwick, Harper Muse, and NetGalley for this ARC! All reviews are my own opinions.

As a member of a spectacular bookclub myself, I've seen the power and love that can form through books we read. This book captured that and more. The Bettys are some of the most realistic women I've read about and throughout it all, I just wanted to become a Betty too. Do yourself a favor and pick up this book!

I think this is one of those books that every woman will relate to at some point or the other. A beautifully written book, I enjoyed every moment of it. Definitely one of my top reads of 2025!

thank you to NetGalley & HarperCollins Focus for the e-ARC of this book for my honest review <3


historical fiction always has a soft spot in my heart, and this just solidified that further. this book set in the 1960s follows four women who join a book club where they read about other women and call themselves "the bettys". as the story goes along, we learn more about each betty and their struggles in their family life and how their friendship grows stronger.

this was so beautifully written and has made me feel so many raw emotions as it shows that the women have to face their own personal challenges whether it be from their own husbands, aspirations, or even societal standards where they can't even open their own bank account without the permission of their husband. however, even though they had their own obstacles in life, their book club was their way to escape and be able to speak without judgement and receive help no matter what it is (even putting socks on a sick horse in the dead of night). i could only hope to have such a strong connection with those who love so unconditionally.

going into this, i wasn't sure how i would feel reading about each separate women in the club but all of their stories were so in depth and realistic that it never got boring. i found myself rooting for each and every women, and whenever there were were struggling, i felt for them in more ways than one. i'm happy to have gotten closure from them in the last chapter.

now, why is it not a five star read? you would think that if you create a book club (and also have the title "book club" in the novel) , you'd talk about the books that you read and i feel as though they hardly even discussed them in depth if at all. also, the pacing was slow at times but still manageable. the thing that really took me out of the book was when margaret was in that office with other real-life women in journalism (and even jackie kennedy??) that it ruined the illusion for me. i just really didn't like that scene, and felt as if it went on for too long. however, the pros of the book was so strong that it outweighed the cons in my eyes, so that's why it is a four-star read. i LOVED it!!!!

The Book Club for Troublesome Women was a great read! The Bettys, nicknamed after author Betty Friedan, start a book club in their polished suburban neighborhood. Each with their own unique, yet somehow universal problems, they support one another through kids, marriages, and the wonder that something more than being “just a housewife” might be out there.

Overall, I really enjoyed this story! It would be a great book club read, as I think it lends itself to a lot of discussion about both past and current expectations of women at home and at work.

I'm so torn on what to think about this book. On one hand I loved women in the 60's seeking out their larger purpose and confronting the patriarchy head on. On the other hand a lot of it felt really easy and obvious?

Loved the friendships that were formed and that each woman had their own journey. The author did a great job showing what different journeys to fulfillment might look like and that none of those chosen paths were less than.

The men in the story really pissed me off and while I was happy for the redemption arc of one that felt way too Donna Reed.

I read this for bookclub and I think it will make a great discussion; and perhaps after chatting I will have a deeper appreciation for the story but initial thoughts is that it's just kind of mid.

I absolutely loved this!
Set in 1960s Virginia, it follows four housewives who feel stifled by the roles society has placed on them. After reading The Feminine Mystique they being to question their paths and imagine what real change would look like.
It’s about so much more than breaking free - it’s about friendship, support and the courage to grow. I especially appreciated how it also showed how men felt trapped by their roles too.
There’s no major drama or plot twists, but the writing is quietly powerful and I was completely drawn into their stories. I also loved all the book references, some making it onto my tbr!
A must read for anyone that loves character driven stories and strong women finding their voice.

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.

The story of friends whose lives are changed by reading a book - The Feminine Mystique. Set in the 1960s, the lives of these women are brought together through community, motherhood, and their exploration of feminism. Brilliantly written with engaging character arcs! loved it

I loved this book. I'll read most books and book clubs and the fact that its set in the 1960s made it even better. The research about the diverse backgrounds that the women come from was well down. Great storytelling.

Thank you Netgalley for the copy.

It's 1963, and a newly formed bookclub, whose inaugural book is "The Feminine Mystique", begins in a middle class neighborhood. The four women of the bookclub are living (or trying to live) traditional lives as wives and mothers. Some are happy to do so and some are not. They quickly form close friendships and each decides if she is content living her life as she has been, or if she wants to shake off the expectations of her generation. I enjoyed finding out how each character decides she wants to live her life. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to give an unbiased opinion of this book.

I ate this one up. The Book Club for Troublesome Women is exactly the kind of historical fiction I love.

Set in the early 60s, the story follows Margaret, Viv, Bitsy, and Charlotte. They’re suburban housewives with picture-perfect lives on the surface, but under all that, they’re restless and stuck. Everything shifts when they form a book club and read The Feminine Mystique, and watching each of them crack open to new possibilities is so satisfying. Marie Bostwick balances the charm of neighborhood dynamics with some genuinely moving reflections on womanhood, friendship, and self-discovery.

Thank you to HarperCollins Focus | Harper Muse and NetGalley for the ARC!

What an amazing book! I couldn't put it down and I will recommend it to all my friends. Set in the 1960's, when women were supposed to be happy with the goal of simply being wife and mothers, The Book Club for Troublesome women follows 4 very different women who after reading Betty Friedan's The Feminine Mystique form a book group to explore why they feel as they do, and what they can do to make their lives more fulfilling outside the constricting confines of days social mores. The four women couldn't be more different, but they share a frustration that is unleashed when one of them reads the Feminine Mystique and shares it with the others. There is Bitsy, a young wife who longs to be a mother, married to a veterinarian. Bitsy dropped out of college to get married when she was just one semester short of completing her undergrad, what had had plans of becoming a veterinarian herself. Margaret is married to Walt, a solid husband and good provider who's in a job he hates but its what makes him a good provider and that's all that's expected. Charlotte is the daughter of a wealthy man, married to a man she loathes because her father arranged the marriage when she unexpectedly became pregnant. And Viv is a nurse with 6 children and another on the way. As the group reads more they become more of a mutual support team, and each begins to stretch their expectations and challenge their restrictions.

The 4 women are beautifully written, with imperfections and frustrations that will resonate with every reader, even in modern America (and maybe more so!). It's one of those books that is impossible to put down, you know exactly how they feel. Definitely a 5 star read!

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5

Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ 4.5

I’d like to officially join The Book Club of Troublesome Women please—and never leave. 💅📚
This was such a bold, bookish delight! I read the ebook and listened to the audiobook, and both formats brought the fierce female friendships and rebellious heart of the story to life.
4.5 stars for this witty, empowering, and totally charming read! 🌸💖

What I loved💕
💕Authentic, complex female characters
💕women finding their voice at any age
💕Female friendships endure
💕Exposes historical sexism
💕The power of reading

Not my cuppa tea ☕️
☕️Lacks racial diversity due to time period

Ideal reader ⭐️
⭐️ Reader looking for a book about female friendships
⭐️ Reader who likes Apple TVs ‘The Buccaneers’

Thanks to the author @mariebostwick , the publisher @harpercollins @harpercollinsnz
for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Violence

This book helped me understand this generation of women, including my mother, better.

Set in the 1960s, Margaret Ryan thought she had the perfect life. The husband, the kids, the station wagon and a house in a popular suburb. But when she forms a book club to impress her mysterious new neighbor, Charlotte, she begins to understand why she's still not satisfied. Four women, Margaret, Charlotte, Bitsy and Viv, form a sisterhood around the controversial book, The Feminine Mystic. As their eyes are opened, their lives begin to change.

this book was a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me! I loved the themes of the power of books (words) and sisterhood. I loved these characters who were # all very different but worked so well together. They all had growth through the story. I could not put it down once I started reading. It would be a great book club book because there's a lot to unpack.

I had the pleasure of meeting @mariebostwick and listening to her speak in Huntsville, AL in May. She was fantastic and really funny. This was my first book I had read of hers, but it will not be my last!

I enjoyed this historical fiction novel set in the 1960s. I especially loved that the friendships formed and the paths taken in life all started with a book club and an influential book. Books are powerful and friendships are powerful!

I absolutely loved this book. The audio drew me in from the first chapter and I loved all the characters. I loved the way they came together and formed friendship regardless of their background and expectations. I made me wish I lived in a neighborhood to hopefully form a group like this.

I have been recommending this book since I finished it.

Thank you Netgalley and Uplit reads for a gifted physical and audio copy.

By early 1960s standards, Margaret, Viv, and Bitsy seem to have it all—until a book club and one groundbreaking read, The Feminine Mystique, shake up everything they thought they wanted. With help from their bold new neighbor Charlotte, the women begin to question, dream, and discover that maybe it’s not just the book—but their bond—that changes everything.

It’s always wild to remember that not even that long ago, women couldn’t open their own bank accounts without a husband's permission—and honestly, that blows my mind every time. This book is set in the 1960s, during a time of massive social shifts in the U.S., and it centers around one powerful truth: even the smallest acts of rebellion can spark real change.

What I loved about this story is how deeply it honors the women who came before us—mothers, grandmothers, and trailblazers—who weren’t just fighting for a voice, but for the right to simply exist as full human beings. It highlights what so many women went through after WWII—being pushed back into the home and made to feel like they had no purpose. And it doesn’t shy away from hard truths, like how the U.S. barred women of color from serving as nurses overseas, while also complaining about a nurse shortage. Make that make sense.

This book is heartfelt, powerful, and honestly should be required reading. It’s a reminder of how far we’ve come and why we still keep going. When the world feels discouraging, this story shows that there is still light—and that our voices, our bodies, and our rights are always worth fighting for.
Thank you to NetGalley & HarperCollins for the ARC!
3.5 stars!

I didn't see this one coming! Bostwick crafts an interesting, informative tale from the unlikely friendship forged among women in a new suburb in the 1960s. As the women navigate, negotiate, and renegotiate their lives and their roles within their families, the historical context rings loud and clear. Memorable female characters, tough and believable decisions, memorable historical situations make this work of fiction ring with truth. Don't miss this one!