In the 1960s, a book club starts up in quiet suburbia - 4 housewives, Margaret, Viv , Charlotte and Bitsy read the Feminine Mystique. Their friendship and realization that they want more out of life (and they deserve it!!!) pushes each woman to a journey of self-discovery and growth. I truly enjoyed the character developments of each woman and the successful relationships/marriages.

"How did one go from being the girl in the white dress— giving and receiving promises to eternally love, honor, and cherish— to the wife who shrugs her shoulders and nods her head when a newlywed asks if it’s normal for her to hate her husband? Surely it wasn’t meant to be that way. Yet here they all were."

"In a lot of ways, Walt was just as trapped as she was. The invisible fence of rules and mores that confined women to a small, carefully defined 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 disliked. It occurred to Margaret that Walt, too, must sometimes feel as if he were living a life that belonged to someone else— "

This novel is centred around the establishment of enduring female friendships in America in the 1960s and how women’s lives are impacted by societal expectations and gender power imbalances .Hefty issues to address and still very relevant today. The novel is well written and I found the characters interesting, likeable and engaging. It was easy to read and I enjoyed following the lives and experiences of the main 4 female characters. This was the first time I have read anything by this author but will now look at her other books . I think it would be a good choice for a book club.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a eARC of this novel.

Thank you to Harper Muse and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an eARC of this book early. "The Book Club for Troublesome Women" by Marie Bostwick marks my first foray with historical fiction and it proved to be a memorable and enjoyable experience. The women that this story centered on felt real, multi-faceted, and I enjoyed getting to read about their experiences. As a black woman in modern times, I was skeptical about how relatable 4 suburban women in 1960's Virginia would be, but I was enthralled by their story and their experiences from the very beginning.

This book makes me want to read other novels by the author, but also other historical fiction novels. I would recommend it to others definitely.

It’s wonderful historical fiction set in the 1960’s and focuses on 4 suburban women who start a book club. the love and support given by these women direct their lives and the lives of women. I highly recommend this book with relatable characters that you feel you could be friends with.

This book is magnetic and personal. Each female character has a full arc with diverse pathways. Bostwick is brilliant in creating the historical world for women of the 1960s, such as the character of Margaret being unable to open a bank account without her husband present. The writing thoroughly follows Margaret, Bitsy, Viv, and Charlotte through to the 1980s, providing the reader with a multitude of ways in which women suffered and the possibilities of triumph or injustice through it all.
I am grateful for writers like Marie Bostwick who continue to tell the truth about history.

A special thanks to Netgalley, Marie Bostwick, and Harper Collins Focus for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

The most brilliant, heartwarming book I've read in a while. I loved all of the Bettys. It was impossible not to root them all on, with four distinct back stories that drew me in. I also loved the historical references. This story is satisfying from beginning to end.

The Bookclub for Troublesome Women
Rating: 3/5 stars

I really wanted to love this one—and in a lot of ways, I did. The post-WWII setting was rich and interesting, and I loved how the story tied in real historical events. The characters were easily the best part for me: strong, smart women figuring out how to take up space in a world that didn’t always make room for them. Their friendship, growth, and quiet rebellion gave the book heart, and I definitely felt proud of the moves they made for themselves.

That said, the pacing dragged at times. It’s not that the writing wasn’t good—it was—but there just wasn’t a ton of plot to keep things moving. I kept waiting for something big to happen, and it never really did. I stuck with it because I was attached to the characters, but I do wish the story had given us a little more to work with.

Still, I closed the book feeling empowered and glad I read it. Just not quite blown away.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Book Club for Troublesome Woman does a great job of capturing life in the suburbs during the early 1960s. It took me back to those days of children playing outside until the streetlights came on and families greeting new neighbors with casseroles in hand. I loved the different characters in the book club and how they related to one another. I did keep falling asleep toward the end of the book as it seemed more agenda-driven than character-driven. All in all, it's an enjoyable read.

Margaret leads the perfect life: she has a loving husband that provides for most of her and her children's needs. She has three children to tend to, a car to drive them by, and a lovely house in Concordia, North Virginia. She has her circle of neighborhood women that invite her for coffee sessions regularly, and even the small luxuries a woman can wish for, such as the silly little magazines that offer advice on how to be a good little wife.

As it is the 60s, that really sounds like the dream of every woman back then. Yet, Margaret finds herself slightly restless. Even more so, when Charlotte moves into the neighborhood: Charlotte who comes from the big city and looks mysterious and arrogant and so interesting, that Margaret, while trying to impress her, founded a book club. Snatching two more women from the neighborhood coffee sessions, Viv and Bitsy, they all agree to read a book that has made quite a sensation in their time. So they name themselves the Bettys, after the author. The women read together, drink together, open up to each other and form a bond that supports each other through their coming turbulent times, as they discover that the life everyone raves about isn't what they really want.

Set in the American suburbs of the 60s, this book is a pleasant surprise. I loved the Bettys. I laughed and cried along with them, as the narrative slowly demolished the myth of the perfect American wife the women of their era were fed. Each one of the Bettys had something unique to bring to the table, and their struggles in their family and work life was palpable, written in a way that flashed before my eyes like a movie. I connected so much with this little group, that I celebrated their success as I read along. I will note that I wanted a less abrupt ending, but since the author explained everything that we missed in the time gap, I am happy. More than happy. I’m excited to have read such a pleasurable read.

I was offered this ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to Netgalley, Marie Bostwick and Harper Muse for the offer.

Sometimes a book just hits all the right notes and leaves you feeling satisfied, connected to the characters, and changed. The Book Club For Troublesome Women is that book for me.

I loved the era - the 1960s - so incredibly different from today, yet so many of the issues the women faced were the same. I related to these women on such a deep level. The desire they felt for MORE. The ache in wanting to be the best moms but also successful career women, partners, and friends. Again, a different time with potentially different expectations, yet so similar all the same.

Each woman was different and I appreciated the unlikely friendship. The Feminine Mystique was such a bold first bookclub choice and I loved that the women embraced it and opened their minds. This book helped demonstrate the power of knowledge, female friendship, and the way books can open our minds and our hearts.

I listened to the audio for this one and adored it. Slightly slow start but once I got familiar with the characters, I didn’t want it to end. If this isn’t on your radar, it needs to be!

Thank you to Libro, Harper Muse, and Harper Muse Audio for the copy.

4⭐
four 1960s housewives move into a brand new planned community and start a book club. after reading <i>the feminine mystique</i>, they begin to question whether something’s missing in their lives.

margaret, stuck in her marriage and bored now that her kids are in school. she submits a piece for a writing contest in a women’s magazine, and it turns into a column offer.
viv, finally has all six kids in school and ready to go back to nursing, but an unexpected pregnancy throws her off track.
bitsy, young equestrian newly married to an older man, and the pressure to have a baby is putting a strain on their relationship.
charlotte, aspiring artist born to wealth, but no one seems to take her work seriously, and her marriage is completely loveless.

as the women support each other through every challenge, they start figuring out what they truly want and how to go after it. the friendship between these women, built around their book club, is such a strong reminder of how powerful it is when women lift each other up.

having people who truly care about you, cheer you on, and believe in you can make a huge difference. this story shows a lot of personal growth and reflection in each of the women. it's a good reminder to think about what you really want in life and not be afraid to change direction when you need to.

After reading the summary my first thought was is this another anti men women’s lib story? I was pleasantly surprised! It’s wonderful historical fiction set in the 1960’s and focuses on 4 suburban women who start a book club to read Betty Friedan’s A Feminine’ Mystique. The readers will learn about the limitations on women during that time period, unless you lived them. Then you already know! They realize they all want something more from life but aren’t sure what that might be or how to achieve it. For some it meant a total and complete disruption of life as they knew it. But for others they were happy with their spouses and family life but just needed to add to that dream. I enjoyed the characters too. We’ve come a long way and this story reflects that.
Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Muse for this advanced copy and this is my review.

This book was so captivating and had such an impact on me. It is historical fiction, which isn't my usual choice of reading material, but I'm so glad I picked this one up. It's about four women from different backgrounds who form a book club in the 60's. Love, loss, and friendship are heavy topics, and so much empowerment. I loved everything about this story.

I love books about women and book clubs - this did not disappoint! I enjoyed it from the first to last page, actually

The early sixties were a time of nascent change for many, including women. There was restlessness as some felt that being a housewife and mother was not fully satisfying in and of itself. (This may have been true before, of course, but it was at this time that Betty Friedan published a book that spoke to and legitimized these feelings).

In this novel, Marie Bostwick looks at a group of women who are living in a planned, suburban community outside of Washington DC. The group includes Margaret who was a bright, successful college student when she met her husband. Now she is a mother of three. When she gets an opportunity to do a bit more will she take it?

Bitsy married an older man. She loves horses but passed on vet school to marry a vet. Readers will find out why. Bitsy is having trouble with the suburban dream because she hasn't been able to have a child.

Viv is a mother to many with a husband who seems supportive. But, when she wants more and looks for a job, will she tell Tony?

Then there is artistic, chaotic Charlotte. She challenges Margaret and the others. Will she cross a line too far?

These women meet regularly in a book club with the first book being The Feminine Mystique. Readers follow their lives over the course of this long and satisfying novel that is special to the author (read what she says).

Recommended to those who enjoy (women's) fiction and would like a look at the 1960s.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins Focus for this title. All opinions are my own.

If you agree that women's rights are still being fought, you should read this book. Set in 1960's, it was a man's world then and while equality among men and women has increased, it is not where it should be.
I had to laugh, I saw my mother all over this book. My brothers did not do housework. My brothers always came first with the explanation that "they were boys" and I was "just a girl." As I became an adult, moved out, got married my mom always asked "well, what does your husband think?" or "you went without your husband, and he let you?"
What a great book club--I would have joined and become one of the Betty's. A nostalgic read and one that I highly recommend. Thank you to Harper Muse for the complementary digital ARC. This review is my own opinion and has not been coerced in any way.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Bookclub of Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick
Pub date 4/22/25

One amazing thing about women is we are a force to be reckoned with when we lift each other up. Women empowerment is unstoppable. May we continue to rise. #

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC. It was a fantastic read. #netgalley #harpermuse #mariebostwick #historicalfiction #womenempowerment #thebookclubfortroublesomewomen #womensfiction #literaryfiction #harpercollinsfocus

STORYLINE
A group of women connect through their book club and begin to evolve as they connect and discuss Betty Friedan’s The Feminine Mystique. They build confidence to chase their dreams. Their lives include infidelity, social injustices, inequality, misogyny, and much more.

THOUGHTS
I slipped right into this book club group and became a huge cheerleader in their growth as they joined the second wave of feminism in the 60’s. We’ve come a long way but also a very short way in the inequality women face in society and in our marriages. Each woman brings a different dynamic and journey. Sharing stories from books and from our own lives is healing and also empowering.

3.5 stars

Historical fiction is my typical genre. I maybe read a few a year, but the premise of this book intrigued me. Four neighborhood housewives start a book club. Their first book is The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan. The Book Club for Troublesome Women then goes on to tell how each of the four women are impacted by the message of The Feminine Mystique.

Even though Margaret, Viv, and Charlotte have the “white picket fence”, a marriage with heathy children, and everything they were told would make them happy, they still feel like their lives aren’t enough. And Bitsy is striving to make things work in her marriage, putting her dreams behind her to start a family. The book covers about a year in their lives and how thinking really started to change in the 1960s for women.

The writing in this book was good. I was equally invested in each persons life. I will say the pacing felt off. The middle could have been shortened and the ending a bit more flushed out. I’d say 3.5 stars total.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

book: 4.25
you know what, i want to time travel back to 1960's and join their book club (even though i'm not a housewife. but hey, i want to read and discuss books!)
jokes aside, there are some of the scenes that i relate to (as a 20 something year old). i'm glad at how the betty's have their own perspectives as the story goes on. and their friendship? top tier!

audiobook: 4.25
i like lisa flanagan's narration, especially the way she voiced different characters. i want to listen more of her narrations soon

The novel relates the story of women that form a book club and read The Feminine Mystique
by Betty Friedan when it was first published. The book challenges the women to look at their lives and at the injustices to women in a male dominated society.
I found the novel to be a slow read. I did not connect with the women although I know the history of the time represented.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.