I really wish I could say I liked this book more than I did. The premise is great-- a perfect antidote to tradwife nonsense --but the story itself is inconsistent, both in terms of pacing and characterization.

The new housing development of Concordia attracted a group of young families to the area. The young housewives are all different but searching for themselves in their own way whilst dealing with motherhood. Set against the backdrop of 60's America the book follows the journey of the women from their first meeting of the Betty's book group where they start by reading The Feminine Mystique.
The novel builds the strive fir equality from a time when women could not open bank accounts or receive contraceptives without the permission of their husbands to the present day. The novel is poignant in a time when Supreme Courts are being used to give a definition of what the definition of a woman is.
I received a free copy of the ebook in return for an honest review.

This is an excellent book to pick up as we head into beach read season!

I loved the way that this unlikely group of neighborhood friends came together through a book club.

The book is set in the 60's, and the first selection for the book club is The Feminine Mystique, which was quite controversial in those days.

After reading and discussing the book, the women start to realize that perhaps it's okay to want more out of life than simply being a housewife, slaving away in silence to meet the family's needs.

What follows is an extraordinary tale of female friendship and solidarity, marked by both humor and profound emotion.

A wonderful read that also applies to modern-day women and their friendships and struggles.

Thank you #netgalley for this ARC of #thebookclubfortroublesomewomen

“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. My personal preference is for in between. I don’t think I’ve ever met anybody who was all one thing or the other, have you? Most people are a bundle of walking contradictions.”

In 1963 Virginia, four housewives create a book club. After reading a book that changes their perspective on life—The Feminine Mystique—Margaret, Charlotte, Bitsy and Viv slowly take turns rebelling against gender roles in a post-war climate where Americans are starting to fight more and more for civil rights and racial equality. Through hard times, the four women will find friendship and support in this book club which will help them blossom in the long run.

This book was beautifully written, and the story was well-balanced between the four main characters. Each of them had a unique background and significant growth. There were also some interesting historical facts, and being able to picture the characters experiencing them was even more impactful. However, I was a bit let down by the ending. I thought it was a bit unrealistic that almost everyone ended up with success in their respective fields. Also, the title is a bit misleading as the women didn’t really feel “troublesome”. Overall, I still think it is a good book.

Thank you to the author, the publisher and Net Galley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Marie Bostwick’s ‘The Book Club for Troublesome Women’ is a beautifully crafted novel that captures the frustrations and transformations of post-war women. Set in the 1960s, four housewives, disillusioned with their constrained roles, form a book club just as Betty Friedan’s ‘The Feminine Mystique’ ignites a national conversation. What starts as casual reading evolves into a powerful journey of self-discovery that reshapes their views on marriage, independence, and identity.

Bostwick’s writing is immersive and emotionally resonant. Her richly developed characters made me feel deeply connected to their struggles and triumphs, a rarity in recent reads. Against the backdrop of political upheaval and Civil Rights movements, these women find their voices, mirroring the real-life fight for autonomy and equality, a struggle that, disturbingly, remains relevant today.

I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone eager for an engaging, insightful, and deeply inspiring read. It’s a celebration of women’s resilience, the power of shared stories, and the importance of understanding the past to appreciate the present. Five stars, without hesitation

This book definitely started out a little slow for me; I found it hard at first to connect with all the characters and care about their journeys. However, I feel like at some point around halfway through, something clicked and I was hooked. I found myself feeling like I was a part of the book club and going through all of their problems together.

I found the characters to all be so real and raw - one thing I liked about them is that I wasn't always agreeing with them, but I was always rooting for them; for them to succeed and for them to grow and learn. I thought it was interesting that I tend to pick one character that I like the most, but I was equally fond of all four of these women.

The only thing I wanted to complain about, other than the somewhat slow start, was the ending - it all just felt a little bit too idealistic.

4.5 Stars for me and one of my favorite reads this year so far!
I loved this story so much: the different characters, the bookclub, the topics they talked about, how every one of those four women stood up for themselves and their believes in a time where it was so hard for women. Learning more about this time and the hardships a lot of people had to face was so special. As was the writing of this book.
Huge recommendation!

Having grown up during the 60’s, I enjoyed the setting and the content of the story. The trials of these women who live in a male dominated world where others would ask women if they had their husband’s permission before opening a bank account or making a simple purchase was astonishing. Yet while “we’ve come a long way baby”, even in our society today there exists still the inequalities these women suffered. Luckily, I was fortunate where in our household, there seemed to be more of an equal partnership between my parents which seems rare for those days. Women , if they chose to work, really only had opportunities as a secretary, teacher, or nurse. As a result, children of this generation were encouraged to be anything they wanted to be and to get a college education, although it was still stifled for girls. It was suggested that I choose a career that would be flexible for when I became a mom and could not work full time. I love that these women bonded over a book about being strong women and finding themselves, which in turn gave them inner strength and respect for themselves and each other. This would lend itself to a great discussion, and especially how book clubs may be about talking about books but more so about supporting each other. Many thanks to #netgalley #mariebostwick #the book clubfortroublesomewomen for the opportunity to read and review this book. Loved it! 4.5/5

Thank you to NetGalley for the free advance copy of The Book Club for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick in exchange for an honest review. It's out now so you can - and should! right now! - go get it.

The Book Club for Troublesome Women takes place in 1963 and follows a group of four women - Margaret, Bitsy, Vivian and Charlotte - who all live in a planned community near Washington, DC. All are considering what it means to be a wife, mother and woman at a time of significant change. After Charlotte hands Margaret a copy of Betty Friedan's "The Feminine Mystique," the four form a book club in which they read works that explore the role of women in the home, the workplace (should they be so lucky), and in society, and all are changed in the process. The final chapters of the book are particularly delicious.

I absolutely loved this book and am sorry I can no longer talk to my mom about it. Five stars, easy, and I'll be reading this author's back catalog, too.

I imagine <i>The Book Club for Troublesome Women</i> will become the new women's book club darling this year. I was drawn in by the premise of four women navigating the changing times of 1960s Suburban America. I think it will become a book club favorite because it is appealing to a widespread audience. This is the problem with this book. The characters are so watered down that they become disingenuous in characterization. The acrimonious marriage between some of the wives and husbands seems saccharine creating unrealistic relationships. None of these women are troublesome as most of their decisions/ fates are a result of a man's actions. Storylines are polished to palatability and the ending wraps up like a Hallmark movie. Ironically, the characters and plot are quite prim and prudish for being set during a women's revolutionary time. This is the novel that the uptight Coffee Klatch of the 1960s would pick for their own women's book club.

4.5 🌟

In "The Book Club for Troublesome Women," we follow a group of women in the 1960s who are unhappy with how their lives are panning out. After starting a book club and reading "The Feminine Mystique" they believe they can have more in life and not just be complacent house wives in unhappy marriages. This book follows their friendship and growth as women in a very difficult time for. It showcases some of the social injustices women face in a patriarchal world and the importance of women helping women.

I really enjoyed this book! It is about women finding who they are outside of their roles as mothers/wives and how friendships can help in more ways than one.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Muse for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

I was a bit slow getting into this book, as I have a hard time with "history" stories. However, once I got through the "background" of the time and characters, I became enthralled in these women's lives! I then, really enjoyed the story, to the very last sentence.

This was a wonderful novel - so close to 5 stars for me. Despite the length of the book, it was a quick read. The storyline was exciting (and as thriller reader, I feel like sometimes certain fiction can feel slow). All the female characters seemed to be likable, and it was so interesting to see what a book can do. Loved it.

I really enjoyed this book! I gave it 3 stars because I felt like the story wasn’t going anywhere. Also, I would have loved direct POVs for each character, as I wanted to learn more about them!
I think the book was missing a central theme that joined all these characters together, besides the Feminine Mystique

The Book Club for Troublesome Women is an absolute gem! I was completely drawn in by this heartfelt and empowering story about a group of women coming together to face life’s challenges and celebrate each other’s strengths. The characters felt so real—each one had her own struggles, but their bond and support for one another were truly inspiring.

The writing is beautiful, and the themes of friendship, resilience, and self-discovery really resonated with me. It’s the kind of book that stays with you long after you’ve turned the last page.

Sometimes there are good reads that come along that I just want to discuss with my mom. We were book buddies - and often disagreed, but discussions were so real and thorough, with victories on both sides where she could see where I was coming from, and I had a better sense of where she was on it. She's reading somewhere else now, and I miss her.

I think she'd agree with me on this book - it's a little premature in it's timing - 1963 was too soon for book clubs especially on this topic. I was a kid in the middle of the 60's and the big discussions countrywide didn't really happen until the 70's. But maybe that's just me.

Something was just a little off - it was chirpy, wry, and clever. More opportunities even before jumping on the wagon than I remember from that time. It didn't quite ring wrong, but it wasn't the ring that I think mom heard. And, she my friends, was a Feminist! but she was underhanded about it. Oh, I'd love to discuss this with her.

Overall my experience in this time felt a tad darker than the book. Women seeking social freedoms was a contentious topic in homes - dads were not happy and if they had any power feminism and all of its advocates were quashed. It took a decade or more for the moms to rise up, and they did. Divorces were blamed on it, and families affected fell out of their class because parents were split. Not that those sacrifices were for naught - so this read for me was more a reminder of the past than most books. That said, my past was awfully white, deeply suburban and the families I knew didn't have the cash these Bettys had. I grew up awfully white, but poorer - way poorer.

This read did nudge me to brush up on my feminist history reads though, adding to my TBR. Find someone you know from those days and do a buddy-read of this, especially if they were in their 20's in the 60's. . . .would love to hear. . .

*A sincere thank you to Marie Bostwick, HarperCollins Focus | Harper Muse, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.* #TheBookClubforTroublesomeWomen #NetGalley

It’s 1963 in suburban D.C., and a quartet of affluent women decide they want more out of life. Enter: the power of books.

Margaret Cobb plays the role of dutiful wife and mother while her husband works, but something about her life feels off. Then along comes the dynamic Charlotte Gustofson, who encourages Margaret to change her first book-club pick from A Tree Grows in Brooklyn to the provocative The Feminine Mystique. Two other women join the club, each constrained by the era’s sexist norms: Bitsy Cobb dreamed of becoming a veterinarian but instead married one, and Vivian Bushetti, a former Army nurse, is now pregnant with her seventh child.

The four women form “The Bettys,” meeting monthly to read feminist books. As they read, their perspectives shift—and so do their lives. Margaret begins writing a column for the local paper, Charlotte and Bitsy confront their subpar marriages, and Vivian returns to nursing.

I really appreciated how reading became the catalyst for these women to reclaim their identities and push back against the limitations of their time. While some storylines felt a bit too neatly resolved or characters occasionally seemed too cookie-cutter, I still thoroughly enjoyed spending time with them and watching them grow. The inclusion of real-life figures like Katharine Graham added a meaningful layer of authenticity.

as soon as i read the premise for the book club for troublesome women i knew this one would be the great book for me, and indeed, it was!! it did not disappoint, i loved every single aspect of it. from the characters, to the writing and to the plot, everything fell into place so nicely and it was so well done that even days later after finishing it, i cannot stop thinking about it.

The Book Club for Troublesome Women is exactly what the title promises—warm, empowering, and a little rebellious in all the right ways. Marie Bostwick delivers a heartfelt story about female friendship, reinvention, and the strength we find when we stop playing by the rules that were never made for us in the first place.

While the narrative starts a bit slow, I found myself completely invested in the characters by the end. The story follows a group of four women—each dealing with their own challenges, secrets, and messy realities—as they find refuge and renewal with the other women in their book club. Bostwick has created multi-dimensional characters who feel real and relatable. These women aren't perfect, and that’s precisely what makes them compelling. Their growth is hard-won, their conflicts believable, and their solidarity moving.

While not every storyline wraps up with a traditional “happy ending,” each character reaches a resolution that feels satisfying and emotionally honest.

One thing I deeply appreciated about this story is that it doesn’t default to blaming all of life’s problems on men. Even Margaret’s husband Walter—initially presented as a minor villain—gets a small but thoughtful redemption arc. The narrative respects complexity, showing how relationships can be messy and flawed, but can still be worth salvaging.

With a wealth of sources of frustration, I found myself like Charlotte's daughter—waiting for the metaphorical “other shoe” to drop plotwise—BUT I was pleasantly surprised to find that the book resists going in that direction. Instead, it maintains a steady emotional honesty, never slipping into melodrama. It’s a story about real-life resilience, not manufactured heartbreak.

Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins Focus | Harper Muse, and Marie Bostwirk for this free, advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

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

Absolutely loved this novel, describing the challenges facing women in the 1960’s as the world around them starts to change. Maggie invites three of her neighbors to join the Bettys , a book club for women to read meaningful books, starting with The Feminine Mystique. The role of women as housewives and supporting characters for their men was changing as women wanted more in their lives. Viv is a former army nurse, with six children. Bitsy is married to a veterinarian, and frustrated that she herself didn’t finish her schooling. Charlotte is an artist with a wealthy philandering husband. Maggie is married to Walt, with three kids and the desire to write. Their stories, and the development of their close friendship was written with such insight. I highly recommend this wonderful and important piece of social history. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.