3.5 Stars

In 1963 in an exclusive suburb in Northern Virginia, four women (Margaret, Viv, Bitsy, and Charlotte) come together to form a book club. They name themselves The Bettys, after the author of the first book they read: The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan. As they read and bond together, they embark on journeys of self-discovery and each emerges transformed.

The women are all married but their home lives differ. Nonetheless they all struggle with a feeling of dissatisfaction; they all want more from their lives, finding that the lives they are leading and have been told to strive for as American women are not fulfilling. The traditional roles imposed on them are limiting and do not take into account personal hopes and ambitions.

The novel is well-intentioned, but it lacks subtlety. Charlotte describes The Feminine Mystique as “’a treatise on the conditions and suffocating boundaries of American womanhood.’” At times this novel feels like that – a treatise. The author crams so much information: for instance, we learn about how women cannot open a bank account or be prescribed birth control pills without a husband’s permission, how women “are denied the chance to pursue certain professions because it’s assumed they’ll quit after marriage,’” and how men’s control of a family’s finances can leave women vulnerable should a husband die. We are told that certain traits in a woman are dangerous: “’intelligence, stubbornness, creativity, and drive – are really neuroses that make her sick and unfeminine, even unlovable.’” It feels as if the author felt compelled to mention every obstacle and judgment women faced.

It’s obvious that the author did considerable research and that is commendable. But, again, it seems as if she wanted to mention every detail: the food and drinks and clothing styles popular at the time. Is it necessary to mention that “Bitsy ordered a strawberry shake, Margaret a cherry cola, Viv a banana split,” that one woman wore “a cream-colored skirt of wool and silk and a matching jacket with navy-blue trim,” and that another woman wore “a green bouclé knit suit with a pencil skirt, asymmetrical collar, and oversized buttons aligned on the left side”? I get the desire to add local colour, but . . . On the other hand, I did like the appearance of actual historical people and the references to current events.

Besides detailing the obstacles faced by women, the book also examines the power and joy of female friendships. It is the support that the women give each other that helps them overcome their fears. “’Why do you think [men] join all those clubs – the Elks? The VFW? The Masons? Congress? . . . To support one another, that’s why. Why do you think they call them booster clubs? Because they’re trying to boost each other over the wall or bend the rules in their favor, help the group. If women stuck up for one another the way men do, this would be a very different world.’”

Generally men do not fare well. There are a couple of good guys, but many are sexists, hypocrites and manipulators. What is concerning is the lack of redeeming qualities in the men like Howard, Dr. Barry, and G.G. (How is it that Charlotte, a married woman in 1963, uses her maiden name?)

I found the plot predictable, and those who enjoy a warm and fuzzy ending will definitely find it here. The book brought to mind Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus, another book with a positive message about female empowerment also delivered in a heavy-handed fashion. Though slow paced at times, the book is entertaining enough but its tone feels didactic and its style, forced.

Note: I received an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

Thank you to @Harpermusebooks and @netgalley for the ARC of The Book Club for Troublesome Women in exchange for feedback.
The book is set in the 60s in the small town of Concordia, where 4 women friends form a book club.
The first book they choose to read is The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan, the controversial book that gave voice to what women were feeling in the early 60s. Women could not open a bank account or get on birth control without the signature of their husband!
The book group consists of Margaret, a want-to-be writer, Bitsy, a horse caregiver, Charlotte, an eccentric want-to-be artist, and Viv, a nurse with six children. They each want to do something worthwhile but must navigate society and their family responsibilities.
The book is historical fiction, I like how the author weaves in real life characters like Jackie Kennedy and Katherine Graham. I found myself cheering for each of the ladies, Bostwick was able to develop the characters over the course of the book in a way that the reader could understand the times they lived.
I would recommend the book, actually the July pick for book group I am in.

The Book Club for Troublesome Women hooked me in right from the start. A small group of suburban housewives being radicalized by reading The Feminine Mystique for their new book club was such a fun concept, and the author did really well with it. My expectations for the most part were pretty well met, and in some areas, it even surpassed my expectations.

I went into this fully understanding it was going to be focused on the struggles of middle class suburban straight white housewives in America in the 1960s. I didn't expect the book to touch on women of color and queer women of the time. Of queer women, there wasn't anything present, but they did manage to touch on race and how much more difficult it was for black women and other women of color to succeed. It was nice that the white women the book focused on were able to acknowledge that.

I enjoyed how each of the four main women, as well as Denise, the daughter of Charlotte, was able to break away from their stereotypical gender roles and were able to succeed in their lives by the end of it. Each of them had their own goals in life and all felt trapped in some way, but by the end they each got to where they wanted to.

I also quite enjoyed how the novel showed how men sometimes were negatively effected by the strict roles placed on people in the time. This was mostly shown through Walt, Margaret's husband, and by the end he too was able to break out of that. Other men, however, are just plain douchebags, such as Bitsy and Charlotte's husbands.

The reason I wasn't quite able to give this a full five stars was that at times it felt a bit preachy. The novel sometimes was telling the reader something instead of letting them pick up on it themselves through the text. I felt this was especially evident through the passages where race is the main topic. It wasn't written in as naturally as it could have been. There were also moments that felt a bit cheesy, which isn't necessarily bad, and I do love my cheesy books sometimes, but here it could feel a bit out of place at times, so I thought I might mention that as well.

Overall, this was such a fun read. I'll definitely be looking out for other works by this author in the future. I've already been recommending this book to several patrons at the library, even when I still had quite a bit of it left to go through. Many of them have already been placing holds on the copy we have on order, and I believe that this book 100% deserves all that attention.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thank you Netgalley and Harper Muse for the chance to read an ARC of The book club for Troublesome women by Marie Bostwick. I love historical fiction especially if it involves books, libraries and strong-willed women and this hit the mark! I couldn't put it down, and highly recommend this to everyone!!! Four women are drawn together to form a book club, after reading The feminine mystique by Betty Friedan, suggested by newcomer Charlotte. At the beginning, Viv, and Bitsy are reluctant to read it, but Margaret embraces the book, and discussing it draws Viv, and Bitsy in. Not only does the book bring the women together, the Betty's as they called themselves, changed their view of the world, themselves and inspired other women to change their lives!

When you think of the 60s, you might think of civil rights marches, the summer of love or the Vietnam War. Before those events, there were the early 60s. Women could not open a checking account or get birth control without their husband’s signature. Women were expected to stay home, raise children, do laundry and have dinner waiting for their husband. Margaret Ryan thinks she is different. So do her friends Charlotte, Bitsy and Viv. Actually, they are not all that different. They have ideas and ambitions beyond what seems to be expected of them. Margaret wants to be a writer. When she takes a job writing a “housewife humor” column for a magazine, she is successful but columns about more serious subjects are not accepted. Viv was an army nurse and is now the mother of six, soon to be seven. Bitsy couldn’t get references to Veterinary School because she is female. And Charlotte? Charlotte longs to be an artist but has been held back by her husband and parents. We follow these four women as they meet monthly for their book club called “The Bettys” after Betty Friedan, author of The Feminine Mystique, a book championing women’s rights. Through their discussions and friendships, with chapters describing their lives, we see the women change and achieve meaningful careers.

The Book Club for Troublesome Women provides a look at the early days of the women’s liberation movement. It is compelling, hard to put down and disturbing because it is true. While all the characters are sympathetic, my favorite is Viv because of this thought provoking comment. “ You and I work because we want to, because we love it. But so many…work jobs they hate because they have to. They’d give anything to have what we have, the choice to stay home and take care of their kids.” Mare Bostwick has delivered a novel that will stay with you long after you have finished the final pages. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Collins Focus and Marie Bostwick for this ARC.

I’ve been telling everyone to read this book. It’s historical fiction set in 1963 in an early planned community not far from Washington, DC.

Four women that live in the neighborhood form a book club and the first book they read is
THE FEMININE MYSTIQUE by Betty Friedan. THE FEMININE MYSTIQUE captured the frustration (such as a married woman unable to open her own bank account without her husband’s signature) that the 4 women in this book are feeling.

I loved each of the four main characters in this book. Each woman is different. They are going through different things, but they begin to stand together to support and nurture each other’s dreams.

This is such a great book for discussion. Even if historical fiction isn’t your normal genre, I think it’s an important book for women to see exactly how life was for a woman that would be your parents or grandparents age.

I also at least want to look through THE FEMININE MYSTIQUE to see what caused such a stir 60 years ago.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the ARC copy of this book.

This book follows a group of four women who form a book club to read the newly published The Feminine Mystique. All four narrate their journeys through life and navigating the hardships of the 1960s.

I have very mixed feelings about this novel. While it has the markings of a classic, inspiring novel, I felt that there wasn’t enough of a plot to keep me engaged. I found myself often skimming and wishing there was more.

That being said, the overall message of empowering women and the critique of The Feminine Mystique was powerful. Having read this in college, it was fascinating to explore the impact it had at the time of publication through these characters.

Overall, I believe this could be a very enjoyable read for the right person. I was disappointed that I couldn’t find the enjoyment in the story itself, but also glad to have been able to consider the themes nonetheless.

"When men find new mountains to climb, they get a pat on the back and a round of applause".

4 very different women embark on a journey of self- discovery, learning about their worth and female frienships. They are all dealing with the sexist, male centered world of the 1960's and all the injustices that came with it. After reading The Feminine Mystique, they form the Betty Friedan book club, the Bettys for short. This book and the women within it will help each other through the worst parts in their marriage and the bad men within them.
Margaret, Charlotte, Viv and Bitsy were such delightful, complex characters that even through their flaws one can see their yearning for more, even during the time where more was next to impossible.

The Bookclub For Troublesome Women revived the feminist in me and rattled me once again. A must read for everyone! 💫💫💫💫💫

Thank you Netgalley and Harper Collins Focus / Harper Muse

The Book Club For Troublesome Women is an interesting look into how the publication of The Feminine Mystique changed the lives of suburban women in America in 1963. I appreciated that one of the characters acknowledged Friedan’s limited perspective—middle-class suburban housewives—and that limited perspective is highlighted in the book’s characters, there’s no diversity in thought or experience. There aren’t too many opportunities for true introspection for the women in the book. There were times when it was difficult to figure out how they got from thought A to thought B. The ending was a bit rushed, though I did enjoy the epilogue. I wouldn’t say this was a particularly complex or nuanced story, but it was enjoyable enough if you like women’s fiction and mid-century America.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Muse for an advance reader’s copy.

I adored The Book Club for Troublesome Women! "The Bettys" as the group named themselves were so absolutely relatable. I loved that each of the women had such a different background, yet they all found such deep friendship with each other. I think this book is also relatable as the social & political landscape doesn't look significantly different now than it did in the 1960s when the book was set. Overall, a wonderful book that I will absolutely be recommending to my customers.

When I first saw this book on NetGalley the title reminded me of The Women of Troublesome Creek, I've not read those books but I initially thought this was part of a series and thus couldn't request the book without reading the others. That is not the case.

The Book Club for Troublesome Women is a portrayal of what female rage looked like in the 1960s. While it's easy to talk about the women who came before or the people that fought to make good trouble throughout history, it's easy to forget what that looked like. Progress hasn't been one step forward, one step back, but perhaps two steps forward and one step back in the long term. Like Margaret says in the book " Those who were, those who are, and those who will be in the years to come."

This book captured my attention because I love a good story abut troublesome women and female rage. In addition to the overall themes of women empowerment it was insightful to hear about the stories of Margaret, Bitsy, Viv and Charlotte and each of their experiences being women in the 1960s. Of all the characters, I particularly loved Margaret's husband Walt and his growth throughout the book.

I absolutely recommend this book for readers who love women's fiction, historical fiction, literary fiction and strong female characters who challenge the status quo. I think readers who like Kirsten Miller, Kristin Hannah, and Jodi Picoult will like this book.

My review has been posted on GoodReads, and submitted to Barnes and Noble (link will be updated once it's approved.) I will also be posting a review on Instagram on Tuesday and will update the links once posted.

The Book Club of Troublesome Women did not disappoint! It takes place in Concordia, a suburb of Washington DC in the early 1963 when women did not have much of a voice. The narrative follows four suburban housewives: Margaret, Charlotte, Bitsy and Viv. The women form a book club and call themselves “the Bettys” after reading their first selection, The Feminine Mystique by Betty Freidan. The Feminine Mystique has a profound effect on each woman over the course of the year as they try to make changes and find their voice.
It was wonderful to read a novel about female empowerment and the power of community in obtaining goals. This was ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ book only because I felt the ending was a bit rushed to tie up loose ends.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for the Advanced Reader Copy. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Book Club for Troublesome Women follows four housewives in 1960s Northern Virginia who find themselves yearning for more than the domestic lives they've been told should fulfill them. When they form a book club and choose Betty Friedan’s “The Feminine Mystique” as their first read, they begin to realize they share the feelings of dissatisfaction they have been hiding.

I loved Marie Bostwick’s portrayal of the post-war American housewife expectations and the propaganda that shaped a generation of women. The bond these women formed, despite their differences, was a beautiful depiction of the importance of female friendship. Each woman learns to find strength not only in herself, but also in her friends. They all take turns leaning on each other in moments of crisis and lifting each other up when needed.

I constantly found myself reflecting on the conversations had and relationships developed in my own book club while reading this one. This book is for anyone who loves stories of female friendship, challenging societal norms, and the impact that books can have on your life.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Muse for the advanced copy of this book.

If you remember the early 1960s this book will be a real treat for you and a walk down memory lane. And if you don't, I think you'll be fascinated by this story of what Betty Friedan sparked with her book The Feminine Mystique. The book club includes both women with and without children, and a few husbands as well. It's a stand-up-and-cheer book in the way that it ends.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. It is so enjoyable to read!

With my thanks to NetGalley and Harper Muse for an early Kindle copy of The Book Club for Troublesome Women, by Marie Bostwick.

I enjoyed this novel, I had known that women didn't have anything close to equality 1960s, but I hadn't realised just how difficult life could be for women then. The author puts this across well, bringing together an eclectic mix of women who can support one another to be the best that they can be. I loved that the husbands and children were very much secondary characters and the spotlight was on the women alone to highlight their difficulties, desires and triumphs.

A bit of a different read for me, but the overview just spoke to me. Overall, I really enjoyed it - and will seek out similar books in the future. The character development was superb throughout, the relationships felt real and meaningful. As some others have said; the ending was somewhat of a let down in comparison to the rest of the book. The calibre of the first 80% of the book just didn’t hold for the final 20%. However, I would still recommend this book, just slightly disappointed with the rushed feeling of the ending.

On paper this is my ideal book - and I actually loved all the characters and how they were never actually in a state of helplessness. I think these 60s stories about (the real life circumstances of) women's lives often fall into the blissfully unaware narrative but I'm glad this breaks that. I also liked that not all the men in this were evil; obviously some men back then realised things were not good and were simply playing into the system but I do wish Margaret wasn't such a sap sometimes. Overall, it was really good it just didn't work the whole time for me.

A thoughtful, timely read that had so much power—until the ending dropped the ball.

Set in 1963 Virginia, this follows four women who form a book club and read The Feminine Mystique. What starts as small talk over books turns into a full-blown awakening. Each woman wrestles with identity, lost dreams, and the crushing expectations of being a "good wife" and "good mother" in a world that wants them quiet.

The pacing picks up once they start reading Friedan. I devoured the second half and wanted to cheer—and scream. I adored all four women and loathed (deeply) some of their husbands.

But the ending? Way too rushed, with real-life historical figures shoehorned in and an unnecessary fast-forward that didn’t land. The story didn’t need a tidy bow—it deserved the messiness of real life.

What hit me most was how relevant this 1960s story feels in 2025. We're still fighting the same fights. Still shrinking women's dreams. And that’s the scariest part of all.

Set in the 60's - this book follows the stories of four housewives in surburban Virginia that are unhappy with their lives and form a bookclub. Starting with a feminist book, The Feminine Mystique, that would change their lives forever. Each wife has a unique story and finds solice in the books they read and in learning that they each feel unfulfilled. It's a really interesting story and the characters are well written and relatable.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a temporary, digital ARC in return for my review.

“‘Do you know why money matters? Because it buys power. Power to influence outcomes and break people, power to bend the world to your will. And who has the money? The power? The control?’ ‘Men.’”

I was expecting this to be more of a Book Woman Of Troublesome Creek book with the focus being on the book club and the books themselves. But it ended up being more about women in the 60’s fighting for the right to work and find some balance in that regard. And marital drama. A lot of marital drama.

“If women stuck up for one another the way men do, this would be a very different world.” ‼️‼️‼️

Thank you to Netgalley, Harper Collins Focus, Harper Muse, and the author for the ARC. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.