I was not grabbed in by this. The first part of the book especially I had a hard time keeping the characters straight. I didn’t find the plot especially gripping.

I absolutely loved this one. The 1960s time period is one of my favorites and Marie Bostwick totally transported to that era. I loved the message of female power and am in awe of strong female friendships in this one.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

(I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

First and foremost, thank you to NetGalley and the author and publisher for my copy of this book!

I like consuming media about the early 1960s, and I especially like consuming media about strong women. This book had both, so the description caught my eye from the beginning! This book makes me wish my grandma was still alive so we could have read it and talked about it together. This is the kind of book we could have talked a lot about, especially given that she would have been around the same age as Margaret during the same era.

Ultimately, while I enjoyed this book and liked getting to know the characters and the era, this book landed a little flat for me. I felt like I was waiting for more, even amongst the few dramatic moments for each of the characters. It felt like the story was written to be turned into a movie or TV series — and it would work well as such. I appreciated the strength, resilience, and tenacity of each of the Betty’s, and the flash forward in time at the end was a great way to wrap things up. Overall, I enjoyed it, it just wasn’t as groundbreaking as I was hoping it would be.

Another reviewer described this book as "the perfect antidote to tradwife nonsense" and I think it perfectly sums it up as a retort to recent noise about returning to "traditional" gender roles, and a reminder of how far women have come and how far we have yet to go.

It's a little... I don't know, emotionally simplistic or lightly emotionally manipulative, because it's obvious Bostwick had an agenda here and I think she successfully fulfilled it. The lives of these women, their trials, their relationships to the men in their lives feel stifling and frustrating, and they're supposed to. It's not so much "don't we have it so much better now" but more "this is what we don't want to go back to".

I suppose that, by the narrow definition of their time, the Bettys were "troublesome" but I wanted them to be more disruptive. I wanted Margaret to shuck her housewife mantle and really stand up to Walt when he was being particularly dismissive. I wanted Viv to take her fertility into her own hands. I wanted Bitsy to make a choice rather than have the choice made for her. Perhaps it could be argued that the women did what they could within the parameters of their lives and what was available to them, but I wanted more good trouble!

Charlotte was the most troublesome character, but I actually liked Margaret the most. She seemed most realistic in her struggle to balance her family, whom she loved and cherished, and her need for something more in her life.

The pacing was great and Bostwick's voice is clear, casual, and forthright. I could see the crisp lawns of Concordia and feel the frustrations of the Bettys. Most of the book feels like a 'slice of life' glimpse into the worlds of these women, as they read feminist authors, watched historic events on television, and baked cakes for book club meetings. The one thing I didn't really love was the ending - it felt a little too neatly wrapped up with a tidy bow - somehow too satisfying in its eagerness to wish everyone a happily ever after. The Bettys deserved it, but it would have been perhaps just as satisfying, if not more, to leave something to the imagination.

Marie Bostwick did a phenomenal job of hooking the reader instantly. By giving us multiple perspectives of unhappy housewives in the 60s, we were able to gain insight into the feminist struggles that plague us to this day. As too many women romanticize the era before women could open bank accounts or have a say over their bodies, this book felt timely and impactful. I was enthralled and found each of the women’s stories to be poignant and detailed.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Focus for an advanced copy of this book. I consumed this as both an audio and ebook. Either way, the story is engaging and emotional. The reader truly connects with these four women: Margaret, Bitsy, Viv, and Charlotte as they discover who they are as individuals in 1960s America. After forming a book club and reading a book on female empowerment, these ladies each decided they owed themselves to discover who they are beyond the typical housewife. I found myself wanting the best for all of these characters and rooting them on in each endeavor.

My biggest gripes with the book are as follows:
1. It dragged at times! The story could have been shorter and removed the monotony, namely in the middle. I also did not see a need for the final chapter. If you are one who likes your stories wrapped up in a nice bow, the final chapter is for you! Personally, I didn’t find it necessary.
2. I needed to know more about Walt, Margaret’s husband, before his transformation for it to be more believable for me. I didn’t know enough about him as an individual prior to his “change” for it to really make that big of a difference to me.

Overall, if you are a historical fiction fan, I do believe you will enjoy both the audio and print of this book.

Thank you to netgalley for the arc of “The bookclub for troublesome women” in exchange for my honest review. Unfortunately I did not get to read this book prior to the release date but luckily it was available on hoopla and I was able to listen to it for free. The audio is very well done and if you enjoy listening to books then I would suggest picking up that version of this story. This book is about four women in the 1960s who are all going through very different situations but are all in a way looking for more. They gather together and read the feminine mystique which encourages them to change their lives. Recommending this one for those who like period books about womens lives. Well written and enjoyable.

I found The Book Club for Troublesome Women to be a fun, easy read overall—enjoyable in parts but not particularly memorable for me personally. The premise is charming, and the themes of friendship, resilience, and reinvention are well-intentioned and heartwarming. Bostwick does a solid job of developing the characters, and readers who enjoy stories about strong women coming together to support each other will likely find it uplifting. I think what was hard for me was the length of the book, mixed with it being slow at some parts.

3.5 -4.0 Stars
The Book Club for Troublesome Women
Marie Bostwick

I enjoyed this historical fiction novel that focused on "The Betty's" remarkable decades-long friendship. I felt that these empowering and supportive relationships were the strongest part of this novel. I found the pacing to be uneven at times and I did not care for the title. I believe "The Betty's" were pioneers, but not troubesome. . The progression of the women from timid housewifes to independent women who decided to question the status quo and find a balance between the families that lthey loved and a purpose for their own lives was a hopeful, humorous and a revolutionary story.

I would like to Thank NetGalley and Harper Muse for the eARC of The Book of Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick. My opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and Marie Botswick for the opportunity to read The Book Club for Troubelsome Women.

Set in 1960s subruban Virginia, our "troublesome women" are a group of housewives struggling to find purpose and fulfillment in their lives. Coming together as a book club and dabbling in feminist books opens them up to new possibilities and futures.

This book felt a little flat to me - there wasn't a lot of new territory mined here, and the women's arcs were a little too tidy.

Thank you to Harper Muse for the free ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This one is out now!

Historical Fiction. Four 1960s housewives have just moved into a brand new “planned community” in Virginia. After the four friends join a book club and read The Feminine Mystique, they can’t help but feel like their lives are missing something. Margaret’s marriage is feeling stale and with her kids in school she feels bored. On a lark she writes a story for a women’s magazine and receives an offer to write a column. She’s thrilled, but can’t help feel her husband isn’t very supportive. Viv finally has her 7 kids and school and is looking forward to going back to Nursing, but a surprise pregnancy throws a bit of a wrench into her plans. Bitsy is a new wife of a much older vet, and the pressure to have a child is straining her new marriage. And Charlotte is an artist who is trying to be taken seriously in the art world and is in a loveless marriage. Together - they find out what’s most important to them, and how to achieve it.

This was okay for me. I liked the characters but thought everyone’s problems got resolved a little too easily. I do know I would not be cut out or be a 1960’s housewife and it also freaks me out that some people believe we should go back to how life was then (not being able to open a bank account or get birth control without your husband’s sign off? Hard pass). Overall enjoyable, just felt a little long for me.

In the 1960s, a group of suburban housewives formed a book club. When a newcomer arrives in their neighbourhood, she suggests they read Betty Friedan's book The Feminine Mystique. What ensues is an awakening to the possibilities for these women that lie beyond their small cookie-cutter lives.

I enjoyed this book as this was the time frame my mother was living in, and it demonstrated all the challenges she and other women overcame. I loved these women and their strong bond and how they challenged and supported one another to seek out their dreams.

This story is a fabulous glimpse back in time. It recognizes the obstacles women overcame to break down barriers and create better opportunities for their daughters. I was engrossed in the characters and their stories. Each one had a unique life situation.

This was such an inspiring read! Historical fiction isn't typically my favorite genre, but this sounded exactly like something I would love and I'm so glad I took a chance on it.

In the early 1960s, three seemingly content suburban housewives—Margaret, Viv, and Bitsy—quietly struggle with feelings of emptiness and guilt. Their lives begin to shift when they form a book club with Charlotte, an outspoken newcomer from Manhattan. Together, they read The Feminine Mystique, sparking a journey of self-discovery and awakening. As the women confront societal expectations, personal regrets, and the upheaval of a changing world, their bond deepens into a powerful sisterhood. Ultimately, it is not just the book, but their connection that empowers them to redefine their identities and embrace a future filled with choice, purpose, and possibility.

4 stars!

This book is so well done! The mistreatment of women is an absolute outrage and reading stories from this era is both enlightening and infuriating. Imagine earning a paycheck and wanting to open your own bank account, only to have the bank tell you your husband needs to be the one to sign off on it all??

The sisterhood these women form, built around time they set aside from their families and schedules for Book Club, is a testament to the powerful force of friendship when women support one another in their endeavors, their dreams, their personal lives and their struggles. Having people who cheer you on, who build you up and care for your well being, is such an important part of success.

There is so much growth, change and introspection amongst the characters - a tremendous representation of how we should all assess and reassess our hopes, goals and desires for the life we are living.

As someone with a degree in Gender and Women’s Studies I love stories like this. Women finding each other and their way throughout all of history is something that has been often overlooked. So stories like this that are beautiful and about “real” people are what we need more of. Loved it!

The Bookclub for Troublesome Woman is such a great look at what it’s like to be a woman in America. Though things have certainly changed, we have a long way to go. I found myself in love with every character and wanted to see them all get what they wanted out of life. I just ordered The Feminine Mystique and can’t wait to dive in.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Harper Muse for the opportunity to read this ARC. *I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.*

I loved this book about friendship, marriage and women's rights in the 1960s. The characters were memorable and so realistic. I wanted to be a part of their book club. I highly recommend this one!

In this mildly enjoyable novel, four women read Betty Friedan’s The Feminine Mystique and their lives change.

Set in 1963, in Concordia, a “planned community”, Margaret Ryan forms a book club with Charlotte, Bitsy, and Viv and their first book is The Feminine Mystique. While they don’t all like it (or even finish it), they all find parts of it that they can relate to their experience and it pushes them all to try something new and different in both their professional and personal lives.

The novel does a pretty good job of showing the stiflingly restricted and dull life for a middle class white heterosexual woman in the early 1960's. The post-war reversion to enforced housewifery, after the independence and freedom of the war period, isn’t new territory but the author gives some very specific examples of this straitjacketed life when, for example, Margaret can’t open a bank account without her husband’s signature even though it’s her money and when Viv has to have her husband present before she can get a prescription for the Pill.

Through their own efforts and supported by this group, each woman finds a more fulfilling professional path. Similarly in their personal lives, the friends, in the spirit of "Aunt Betty", help each other through thick and thin, providing assistance and comfort.

At one point in the book, Charlotte complains that all the women in Mary McCarthy’s The Group end up suffering and unfulfilled. My problem with this book is the opposite: everything turns out brilliantly for all four women and, in the epilogue set in 2006, we find that they all have found deep satisfaction both personally and professionally. Personally I like a bit of grit in my reads and while each of these women has a dip, it’s nothing that a good cry, a group hug, and a straight talk with the others can’t resolve.

The author’s bio states that she writes “uplifting” historical fiction. If that appeals and if you liked Lessons in Chemistry but found it too quirky, then I think you’ll enjoy this a bit more than I did.

Thanks to Harper Collins and Netgalley for the digital review copy.

I love a book about the empowerment of women, and this historical fiction novel about suburban housewives in the early 60s who change their lives for the better after reading The Feminine Mystique feels pretty apropos to right now.

It all starts with Margaret, who, wanting to impress her new sophisticated neighbour, impulsively starts a book club. Struggling to pick their first book, the neighbour- the eccentric and enigmatic Charlotte- recommends the book that would soon spark the second wave of feminism. Joined by Vivi and Bitsy, the book club names itself after inspirationational author and activist Betty Freidan. The Bettys lean on each other as they confront the things in their lived that are holding them back- not surprisingly, often the men in it- and chase their dreams.

While not necessarily unique or groundbreaking, I really enjoyed this feel good book and the wonderful women that graced its pages. Margaret, Charlotte, Vivi and Bitsy are told in distinctive voices and each character has her own set of challenges, whether it be succeeding with the support of their husband or in spite of it. The 1960s was another turning point in history for women, who at that time couldn't open a bank account or be prescribed the pill without their husband's permission. (Sound infuriating? Not so different than recent stories about doctor's asking for men's agreement when their wives request for their tubed to be tied...)

There are some real-life trailblazers that make an appearance in this book- Katherine Graham, who famously assumed the reigns of publisher of The Washington Post, was a cool featured character. There is also acknowledgement that while Freidan's work was important, it was also directed as middle class women who had more choices and therfore not generalizable to all women.

Overall I think historical fictional readers will enjoy this uplifting, easy read about self-discovery, female friendships, breaking the (gelatin) mold and strong women.

Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins Focus/ Harper Muse for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Muse for the opportunity to read the ARC for “The Book Club for Troublesome Women” by Marie Bostwick.

I discovered Marie Bostwick’s “Cobbled Court Quilts” series at a used book store. I read that first one, and bought some more, and now I have two left to read. I save them for when I need a book break - because I know I’ll feel good after reading them. So I was super excited to receive this new one.

This new book had similar themes, of women friends who get together and share their lives, in this case in a book club. They are unlikely friends at first, but come together after reading Betty Friedan’s “The Feminine Mystique.” This book takes place in the early 60’s, a time when my own mother was dealing with the problems women faced at the time. This book really helped me understand and sympathize with my mother’s unhappiness at the time. For that reason it unsettled me a bit - which takes Marie Bostwick’s writing to a new level for me. The Quilt series I love always has a woman who has a huge problem to solve, and her friends help her solve it. This book’s problem - the way women were 2nd class citizens - was and in many ways still is universal. Which means I still go over and over it in my mind - and that is the sign of a really great book.

Even though it wouldn’t be as much of a cleansing feel good book for me, it was so well written and thought provoking. 5 Stars!!!!