The characters are wonderfully written, each bringing their own quirks and struggles to the table, making them feel incredibly real. The narrative is a perfect blend of humor and heartfelt moments, with themes that resonate deeply. If you’re looking for a book that celebrates strong, imperfect women and the bonds they form, this one is a must-read

Thank you so much for this ARC. I love books that center on women pushing the gender norm. Especially in today’s world, it’s great to be reminded how far we’ve come and to be motivated to continue to push the boundary of gender norms.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This novel about life for women in the 60s was enlightening and disturbing. I love the characters!

Ah, finally, a great book set in the 1960s! It's my favourite era to read about and yet many novels make the mistake of sounding a bit like a modern day story. Marie Bostwick really nailed the historical fiction element and I loved it. This is a lovely story about four women living in 1960s suburbia. It's more on the slow side in terms of plot (the characters more than make up for this) but I really enjoyed it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers.

The sixties was a time of reformation especially for women . The conceived notion that a woman’s place was in the home was being challenged. Four women living in a suburban neighborhood confronted this challenge with determination and a zest to improve not only themselves but other women and , even men who were stagnant in roles they dislike . These four women had careers or dreamed of careers ( nurse , writer, artist , vet) before married life . This book showed that a group of women who valued each other and realized that working together their lives could improve but not without challenges , disappointments and but mostly through hard work .

Suburban mommy drama-- but set it in the 1960s.

This book centers around a small group of women who forma book club to read the new release 'the Feminine Mystique' and it ends up impacting their careers, their marriages, their friendship, their education, dreams and goals.

There was good commentary about how patriarchy and gender roles inhibit women, but also men too because of societal pressures. It was interesting to read about how stifled women were int he 60d and how nearly impossible it was to break out and go against the grain, and the more upper class you were, the more difficult. But ultimately this book just wasn't as interesting or as juicy as it should have been. It took 50% of the way through for anything dramatic to happen among the women, and the pay off wasn't there.

I also would have benefitted from more of an explanation of what exactly is written in 'the Feminine Mystique,' the author made a lot of assumptions that the reader was more familiar with that text than I actually am.

I may come back to this one later, but it just wasn’t holding my attention. It’s one of those books where not much happens, and the biggest problem to me was that it was hard to distinguish between the characters and at times they were overdrawn. Great premise, like I said, and I may come back.

Thank you #netgalley, #harpermuse and #mariebostwick for the early copy of The Book Club For Troublesome Women. This novel is set in the early 60s when housewives were all the rage and women working outside the home was still a bit frowned upon. We first meet Margaret, mother to three and wife of Walt, an unhappy accountant. Margaret is not exactly unhappy but also not fulfilled in her expected role. Then she meets the new wife in the neighborhood, Charlotte and her world quickly changes. In a ruse to get to know Charlotte better, Margaret decides on a whim to start a book club. And the first book, at Charlotte’s suggestion is The Feminine Mystique. The four women in this book club don’t know it, but their lives are about to be turned upside down. I loved this empowering story about the battles women fought to get us to where we are today. Funny and heartwarming read!

While I found this story to be interesting and timely (women still fighting for equality all these years later), I kept waiting for "the thing" to happen but it never did and as much I wanted to love these women, I just couldn't connect with them on any meaningful level.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

I really wanted to like this book, but I didn’t.
The story was so promising, a book about a Bookclub and about how one book can change the life of multiple people? Sign me in now. But it turned out to be boring, flat, full of cliché. I couldn’t emphasised with the characters, their “ingenuity” was somewhat annoying.
I am well aware of the rights and privileges I, as a woman and human being, have in this current society. And I understand that I owe a lot of this to the women before me who fought for the type of freedom I have now. That’s why I was really into the concept of this book, but it ended up not meeting my expectations, and I had to drag myself to finish it.

"The Book Club for Troublesome Women" by Marie Bostwick is a heartfelt and uplifting novel that delves into the lives of a diverse group of women who come together in a book club, forging friendships and supporting each other through life's challenges.
Bostwick’s writing is warm and engaging, drawing readers into the lives of her characters from the very first page. The story is rich with themes of resilience, empowerment, and the importance of community, showcasing how these women navigate personal struggles while finding solace and strength in their shared love of literature.
The characters are wonderfully developed, each bringing unique perspectives and backgrounds to the group. Readers will find themselves relating to the challenges they face, whether it’s dealing with loss, navigating relationships, or pursuing dreams. The dynamics within the book club provide a safe space for vulnerability and growth, highlighting the power of connection and support among women.
Bostwick’s exploration of various social issues adds depth to the narrative, making it not just a light-hearted read, but a thought-provoking one as well. The conversations sparked by the books they read often mirror their own lives, fostering insights and reflections that are both relevant and relatable.
Overall, "The Book Club for Troublesome Women" is a delightful read that celebrates the spirit of friendship and the transformative power of literature. With its relatable characters and heartwarming moments, this novel is sure to resonate with anyone who cherishes the bonds formed through shared stories. It’s a perfect pick for fans of women’s fiction and anyone looking to be inspired by the strength of community. Highly recommended!

Enjoyable, but a bit formulaic. "The Book Club for Troublesome Women" is a pleasant read with a heartwarming message about female friendship and self-discovery. The author effectively captures the spirit of the 1960s and the impact of "The Feminine Mystique." However, the plot follows a familiar formula, and some of the character arcs feel a bit predictable. Despite its formulaic elements, the book is an enjoyable read with well-developed characters and a strong focus on female empowerment.

The Book Club for Troublesome Young Women feels like a 1950’s iteration of Sex & the City. Charlotte (the Carrie of the group) even starts out as an absolutely insufferable heroin. Early in my read I was on the fence about this one. The first few chapters of the book were a bit clunky, with run on sentences and a lot of awkward expository dialogue. With that said, it was deeply entertaining and a wonderful story about the power of female friendships and maintaining a strong sense of individuality.

The FMC, Margaret starts the story extremely preoccupied with status and optics. Her food, family and appearance are all meticulously kept, as is her stereotypical 1950’s brute of a husband. She’s a tad vapid and extremely judgmental of those around. Throughout the story, Margaret blossoms into a self actualized, empathetic and supportive friend. It’s a unique experience to feel a full range of strong feelings about a character. That in and of itself is a compliment to Bostwick’s writing.

The side characters in this book are really what saved it for me. Though a bit two dimensional, Viv was a standout as a strong and independent women. Similarly, the complex and troubled Charlotte’s arch stood out as the most satisfying (F*** the patriarchy).

Overall, this is a gorgeous tale of women shedding societal norms and becoming their best selves, in a time where societies expectations of women were demonstrably suffocating. It made me feel grateful for the women who came before me, paving the way for me to choose my own path.

The Book Club for Troublesome Young Women feels like a 1950’s iteration of Sex & the City. Charlotte (the Carrie of the group) even starts out as an absolutely insufferable heroin. Early in my read I was on the fence about this one. The first few chapters of the book were a bit clunky, with run on sentences and a lot of awkward expository dialogue. With that said, it was deeply entertaining and a wonderful story about the power of female friendships and maintaining a strong sense of individuality.

The FMC, Margaret starts the story extremely preoccupied with status and optics. Her food, family and appearance are all meticulously kept, as is her stereotypical 1950’s brute of a husband. She’s a tad vapid and extremely judgmental of those around. Throughout the story, Margaret blossoms into a self actualized, empathetic and supportive friend. It’s a unique experience to feel a full range of strong feelings about a character. That in and of itself is a compliment to Bostwick’s writing.

The side characters in this book are really what saved it for me. Though a bit two dimensional, Viv was a standout as a strong and independent women. Similarly, the complex and troubled Charlotte’s arch stood out as the most satisfying (F*** the patriarchy).

Overall, this is a gorgeous tale of women shedding societal norms and becoming their best selves, in a time where societies expectations of women were demonstrably suffocating. It made me feel grateful for the women who came before me, paving the way for me to choose my own path.

Set in the 1960s, The Book Club for Troublesome Women tells the story of a book club of women who read The Feminine Mystique and ultimately how their perspective on their own lives changes following this.

Really enjoyed this! The women felt real, as did their situations. Witty and inspiring, good writing and pacing.

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

I was drawn to The Book Club for Troublesome Women by its intriguing premise—a story about ambitious women, friendship, and self-discovery during a pivotal era in American history. The blurb promised a nostalgic and thought-provoking journey, and I was excited to delve into this tale of sisterhood and empowerment.

However, as I began reading, I found it difficult to connect with the characters or the narrative. The story introduces a large cast of characters early on, which felt overwhelming and made it challenging to build a bond with any one of them. As someone who enjoys a well-paced introduction to characters, this made the initial chapters hard to follow.

Additionally, the writing style didn’t resonate with me. It felt disjointed at times, making it difficult to immerse myself fully in the story. While the premise had potential, the execution fell short for me, and I found it hard to stay engaged.

That said, I do think this book might appeal to readers who enjoy character-driven stories set in the 1960s or who are looking for a light exploration of feminist themes through the lens of a suburban book club. Unfortunately, it just wasn’t the right fit for me.

I certainly enjoyed this read and had a hard time putting it down!

These four women, with somewhat differing backgrounds, had so much to offer eachother in various ways. The strength and encouragement that they gave to one another was true friendship. The timeline was set in the 1960s and displayed some of the struggles that women faced during that time. I did enjoy that these women started a bookclub to have a thing just for them, but not always were they able to stay on topic during bookclub "meetings". I found this kinda funny because that is so true how we often do go off on tangents during these "meetings".

The story had so many different emotions mixed into the read that it gave all the feels and made it personal, and real life.

Thank you, NetGalley and Harper CollinsFocus/HarperMuse for the ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley, Marie Bostwick, and the publisher for an ARC of this book. I'm rounding up my rating to 3.5 stars. The story is entertaining but I kept waiting for something big to happen. I never felt that engaged with the characters, it just wasn't a page turner for me and felt a bit predictable. Nevertheless, I'm happy to have read the book and women are still fighting for equality in 2024.

Thank you to Netgalley and HarperMuseBooks for allowing me to read this book in advance. All opinions stated below are my own.
I am quietly new to the genre, but I really liked “The book club for troublesome women”: to think that going even a little bit off from “normalcy” would define a woman as “troublesome” is one of the points highlighted in the book, that, from a modern perspective, helps even more to understand what life was like for American women in the Sixties. Before the first half it bothered me how all the main characters are white, but I then found snippets and parts about race and equality that sounded right to me both in context and execution, so I’m satisfied with that.
What’s not to like in a book of uplifting historical fiction about women who find their way despite the hardships they have to go through just because of their gender? The writing was well paced and fluent, and all of the four women’ depictions and thoughts are thorough, making them memorable and easy to identify with. My favourites were Charlotte and Bitsy, and Denise, because I’m quite the odd duck myself.
I am not familiar with The Feminine Mystique and, as an Italian, I couldn’t appreciate some of the cultural nuances, but I still could connect with the characters and their experiences. Most of all, I liked how the author emphasized how the patriarchy wounds both women and men in how Walt’s character evolved.

I enjoyed this! I read a lot of historical fiction, and while I read books about this era (early 60s), I enjoyed the book club’s take on it.