This is a book every woman and young girl must read to fully understand why we stand up for our women's rights today. This is an outstanding read that focuses on the lack of rights of women in the sixties. The writing is excellent and captures the reader. Each character is done to perfection for the era. I found myself reflecting on the stories my mother told of being a woman in the sixties and how far women have come. As we all stand today and fight for our most basic of rights, we must remember that those that are destroying women's rights are setting us back generations to this era where white republican men controlled every aspect of a women's life. This book is a perfect example through women's fiction of how women are treated like property and breeders in this county.

Margaret is a wife in the sixties. She is suffocating among the lack of rights she has. Her husband is a control freak and even provides her with reading material on conformity. Fighting for her own rights as a person she forms a book club with other women seeking friendship and freedom from the restrictive lives they lead. They read "The Feminine Mystique" first and find their voices. Soon Margaret begins to write for a magazine and the others find their courage amid the rapid discrimination against women of the time.

This is a example of women's courage and bravery breaking through discrimination and antiquated beliefs. This reader cheered for these women as they found themselves and put the confines of men's restrictions behind them to gain success and freedom. I loved this book and found it to be very timely to what women are suffering through now with our rights being taken from us. Thank you with gratitude to the publishers, Net Galley and the author. I highly recommend this book .

Interesting story involving women in a book club set back in the day when women were to be in the home. Many characters and story lines which at times was hard to follow. Slow start and almost did not finish it, but it got better.

I wanted to like this one. The setup sounded like the best kind of feminist fiction—women forming a book club in the 1960s to read The Feminine Mystique? Yes please. Give me the quiet rebellion, the consciousness-raising, the whole “books will save us” energy.

But instead, I got a slow, meandering story that never pulled me in. The characters felt flat, the dialogue lacked spark, and the pacing just dragged. I kept waiting for the moment it would grab me—and it never did. I put it down, thinking I’d pick it up again. I didn’t. And honestly? I didn’t miss it.

"The Book Club for Troublesome Women" is a heartwarming, easy read about four housewives in the 1960s who form an unlikely friendship—and a book club. As they read the radical "The Feminine Mystique", their perspectives begin to shift, and they start questioning what it really means to be a woman in traditional, conservative suburbia. As the women open up to each other, we get to see the unique struggles they each face—whether it's an unfulfilling marriage, a lack of independence, or the quiet ache of feeling stuck. It's nice to see how these sometimes polar opposites begin to support one another, cheering each other on as they set new goals and take real steps toward personal growth, even when it's messy or uncertain.
The story flows easily and is very accessible. It’s sometimes a little predictable—you can guess where a few plot lines are headed—but that doesn’t take away from the story overall. I generally found it to be an enjoyable, feel-good read with a thoughtful message about friendship, identity, and finding your voice.

“The Book Club for Troublesome Women“ by Marie Bostwick” is set in the 1960s—and is exceptionally well written. I appreciated how the storylines played out in a thoughtful way. The richly detailed setting and strong character development kept me fully engaged throughout. Bostwick did an excellent job addressing micro aggressions against a women’s book club, and how women challenged social norms in an oppressive era. This had similar vibes to Lessons in Chemistry. Fans of historical fiction should add this one to their TBR.
Thank you to NetGallery and HarperCollins Focus for an advanced copy of this ebook in exchange for my honest review.

Loooooove this story! Not a huge historical fiction fan however the writing in this makes it feel like I am right there with the ladies in the story. Each character has such a great storyline where I can visualize their day to day back in this timeframe. Not only does it give you all the feels but it makes me grateful that I am living in the current times.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for the advanced reader copy of this novel--all opinions are my own.

Well, its been quite some time since I cried at the end of a book, but that is what happened here. The Book Club for Troublesome Women was such a beautiful story about a group of indepently-minded strong women in the early 60s, frustrated by where their lives had led them, stifled and longing for change. Really adored all the twists and turns the characters lives took, and was tremendously sad to see the book end. Highly recommend.

The Book Club for Troublesome Women has an interesting plot and portrays an important period of history that is still relevant. The issues with its writing and characterization render its treatment of the subject more trivial than it deserves.

4.5 stars! I loved these women and their stories & friendship. The writing was great. I only drop it half a star because the conclusion ended everyone's stories a little too perfectly and it didnt feel as realistic as the rest of the novel

This is the story of four very different women who formed a life long bond after joining a book club in 1963. This was nearly a decade before I was born and during a time where women were not allowed to do things independently and needed their husband’s permission for many things that I’ve taken for granted. I really learned a lot about this time period in Northern Virginia.

This was an excellent story that I listened on audio during my morning walk as it’s very well narrated. I love being able to listen to an engaging narrator when I am not able to sit down and read it. While I was walking and listening , I ran into three older ladies in my neighborhood. I told him all about this book and shared a few of the events that ocurred. This sparked a conversation and added an additional 30 minutes to my walk when I butted in on their walk! The stories they shared during this time period when they were young women were just so eye opening. They were genuinely interested in reading this book and took a picture when I pulled it up on my phone to show them. I hope they enjoy it as much as I did.

Thank you Netgalley for an ARC and the audible version. I truly enjoyed both reading and listening to this well written story of these four amazing ladies and their families. The opinions expressed are my own.

I enjoyed the era, the 60's, in this novel. I also loved the personal meaning this book had to the author. I loved getting a glimpse of life for a woman in the 60's. This book reminds me a little of the show Mad Men. I guess the only thing that I did not really enjoy about it was just the strong feminist approach. I think it was just overdone here for some reason. 3 stars.

The Book Club for Troublesome Women is one of those rare, quietly brilliant reads that feels like it was written just for you. It’s funny, sharp, and filled with heart, wrapped in a kind of rebellious charm that had me grinning through most of it. The women at the heart of the story are refreshingly bold—perfectly imperfect and unapologetically themselves—and their friendship feels like an electric current running through the book.

What I loved most was how it balanced wit with wisdom. Beneath the sarcasm and banter are moments of real emotional depth and strength—especially in how these women lift each other up through life’s messier moments. It’s like spending time with your sassiest, most loyal friends over wine and stories, the kind that make you laugh till you cry.

If you love stories about strong women who dare to disrupt the status quo—and look fabulous while doing it—you’ll want a seat at this table. It’s a total gem.

This was a good book but not one I was dying to finish. The characters were all very kind and likeable.

Set in early 60’s, housewives facing discrimination, frustration and resentment find commonality and comfort in their challenges. This would be an excellent choice for a book club because there are so many different ways their lives could be affected. Thanks to #NetGalley and TheBookClubForTroublesomeWomen.

In the 1960s in America, four women start a book club. Little do they know that the book club will change their lives. They live in a moment where women are still very much repressed, but change is happening. They begin reading “The Feminist Mystique” by Betty Friedan and find it relatable in some ways. Margaret, the main character, starts writing for a women’s magazine. Betsy wanted to be a veterinarian, but stopped her studies when she married. Charlotte is an artist, married to a man who cheats frequently, but who is loved by her father and works in his company. Viv is happy, but wants to do more than just take care of her kids. We follow the four women as they open their eyes to the rigid expectations and strive to change some aspects of their lives. I liked seeing their growth. The book touches upon feminism with some good insights (even today) and also upon the differences between middle-class and poor women, and non-white and white women. Additionally, the rigid expectations of men are also discussed. Overall, a great read.

"We’ve got to start someplace. If we don’t, how is anything ever going to change?"

"The invisible fence of rules and mores that confined women to a small, carefully designed patch of human achievement impacted men as well, required them to carry the bulk of a family’s financial burden, even if it meant doing work they dislike."

Set against the buttoned-up backdrop of 1960s suburbia, The Book Club for Troublesome Women brings a delightful Desperate Housewives energy - with all the secrets, scandals, and sisterhood you could hope for. But don’t let the pearls and pastel kitchens fool you - this is a smart, empowering read that digs beneath the surface.

Four women, each battling invisible cages of repression, come together to start a book club - and in doing so, unknowingly ignite their own revolutions. Through reading The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan and other feminist literature such as Virginia Woolf’s A Room of One’s Own, they confront the deep inequalities of the time: women needing their husband’s permission to open a bank account, access contraception, or even receive certain medical care. Bostwick doesn’t just show the era’s injustices, she makes you feel the weight of them.

What I truly loved was the friendship at the heart of it all. Each character felt vibrant and real, and the unwavering loyalty between them was both heartwarming and inspiring. Their journeys of self-discovery and self-determination felt authentic and hard-won.

This isn’t just historical fiction. It’s a tribute to the power of women coming together, reading together, and daring to imagine more for themselves.

Smart, funny, and quietly revolutionary. A solid four star read 💪📖

A huge thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins Focus and Harper Muse for the complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Book Club for Troublesome Women is based upon the story of four women living in the same neighbourhood but all under different life circumstances. A very coming-of-age tale about the challenges women faced, and still face to this date surrounding gender equality.

Thank you to the author, HarperCollins Focus | Harper Muse and NetGalley - I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. My apologies for the delay in posting, I have had continuing familial health challenges to contend with in the past months.

This novel, set in the early 1960s, follows the lives of four very different women as they decide to form a bookclub and meet to read "The Feminine Mystique" by Betty Friedan. From our vantage point today, it's hard to comprehend how revolutionary this book was at the time. The author does a great job of weaving the constraints upon women into the story, and shows how each of the four women evolves and grows in the course of the book - and I loved the strong friendships that were formed between these very different personalities, and how they encouraged and supported one another. Highly recommend for those that enjoy fiction based on real events.

If you need a book of female discovery and rage, here it is. What I liked most about this book is that it rooted itself in history, and somewhat recent history at that, and that while it show cased the hardships of marriage and homemaking, it also praised them and showed how rewarding having a family and a partner can be. It encouraged options for women, a thoughtfulness of what they choose to do in life and how they let people treat them. It dealt with the harsh realities of womenhood in the sixties, and now as well, without dampening the hardships and also showed some really great aspects of life too.

In 1963 Virginia, near Washington, D.C., four housewives in a small suburb come together to discuss books. They are all very different from each other - Margaret (Maggie) Ryan wants to write; Viv Buschetti is a nurse with a large family; Bitsy Cobb is a horse trainer who dreams of being a veterinarian; Charlotte Gustafson want to be an artist. When they read Betty Friedan's The Feminine Mystique their lives change. They realize they can change their lives and work to achieve their dreams. As the "Bettys" meet regularly to discuss books, close friendships develop, their dreams grow - and sometimes change.

I wanted to read this book because I love Marie Bostwick's fiction. I absolutely love the Mid-Century time period (big Man Men fan here, and I look for this period in fiction).

This was such an engrossing book! It focuses on all four characters, which lead to a slower and more leisurely read, as there was a lot of viewpoint shifting. I initially was mostly interested in Maggie, the character I found most relatable, but as the book went on I really cared about the other friends as well.

I highly recommend The Book Club for Troublesome Women for other fans of historical fiction, and especially for anyone interested in the early 1960's time period. I found it thought provoking and inspiring!