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.

The Book Club for Troublesome Women shows a true side of the days when women had no rights and even to be able to open a bank account for yourself required your husband’s signature. But the world after war was changing fast and so were the women and their place in the world.

I am in no means a feminist but this book was enjoyable in a way that showed some of the struggle of those times while keeping up with a story of several woman that created a book club called The Bettys. They were all in different phases of life with kids, messy marriages and overall struggles that anyone can go through.

One of my favorite thing was how the author showed a side of women friendships that can be just as complicated as any relationship but wish some of conversations that happened mid-book were narrowed down. It almost felt as it needed to be a certain length so conversations or chapters felt like fillers without adding anything to the story.

Overall, it got me out of my comfort zone of what I typically read and was enjoyable with a side of history that was an important churn in women’s rights. I would recommend this book if I know someone’s interests are within this space but not for general read.

I LOVED THIS!!! Themes of womanhood and sisterhood among different and somewhat hidden lives…it was so refreshing to read I really enjoyed this

Title is rather deceiving. Readers looking for a book set in the 1960's may be interested in this rather slow moving novel. Not really book club going on. Where is the discussion on books? I usually enjoy books by this author but this is a pass.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC for my honest review. This book is about a group of four unhappy housewives who form a book club. These women have hopes, dreams and real life struggles. I did enjoy seeing the relationships that these women made and how they became each others support systems. However, it started very slow and I struggled to finish it.

Blurb: “By 1960s standards, Margaret Ryan is living the American woman's dream. She has a husband, three children, a station wagon, and a home in Concordia--one of Northern Virginia's most exclusive and picturesque suburbs. She has a standing invitation to the neighborhood coffee klatch, and now, thanks to her husband, a new subscription to A Woman's Place--a magazine that tells housewives like Margaret exactly who to be and what to buy. On paper, she has it all. So why doesn't that feel like enough?

Margaret is thrown for a loop when she first meets Charlotte Gustafson, Concordia's newest and most intriguing resident. As an excuse to be in the mysterious Charlotte's orbit, Margaret concocts a book club get-together and invites two other neighborhood women--Bitsy and Viv--to the inaugural meeting. As the women share secrets, cocktails, and their honest reactions to the controversial bestseller The Feminine Mystique, they begin to discover that the American dream they'd been sold isn't all roses and sunshine--and that their secret longing for more is something they share. Nicknaming themselves the Bettys, after Betty Friedan, these four friends have no idea their impromptu club and the books they read together will become the glue that helps them hold fast through tears, triumphs, angst, and arguments--and what will prove to be the most consequential and freeing year of their lives.”

The Plot: This was such an interesting read. I won’t lie to you and say that the sexism and misogyny didn’t ruffle my feathers, because, oh boy, it did. 😅 I’m not one to use those terms lightly or freely, so you can get a good idea of what injustices the characters faced. And you don’t have to be a feminist to enjoy this book. I think every woman (and man because I know the message and struggles concerning fulfillment pertain to you, too, fellas) can relate to the characters and/or the message. It’s about four women who want to live fulfilling lives that utilize the gifts and talents they have. For Margaret, it was writing; for Viv, it was nursing; for Bitsy, it was veterinarian work; and for Charlotte, it was her art. And they go on the most rewarding and life-changing adventure when Margaret decides to start a book club (which was not planned). I knew that it took a long time for women to be accepted as equals in both the workforce and society, but goodness, I didn’t think it took that long. It makes me so grateful for the brave women who stood up and fought for equality.

The Characters: I don’t know if I have a favorite character because all four women were amazing in their own way. I think I related to Margaret more than I did the others, but the beauty of humanity is that we can find similarities with everyone, if you are looking for them. Obviously, some of the men (and women) who were minor characters angered me because of their ignorance or arrogance, but it made me smile to see our awesome characters fight back and gain the respect and dignity they deserve. Each had their strengths and weaknesses, which beautifully balanced the friendships and made them a joy to read. 🥰

The Writing: Marie Bostwick is a brilliant author! The story flowed so well, the paragraphs and dialogue were readable, and the story was so engaging and fun. The plot wasn’t confusing whatsoever and I felt that the characters were old friends of mine. 💖

Overall Thoughts: I highly recommend this book. It was such a joy to read, and I got to learn a lot of things I did not know about. I truly enjoyed reading it. ☺

Content Warnings: mentions of self-harm/suicide, death, sexism/misogyny

Pub Date: 04/22/25

I received a digital arc from HarperCollins Focus via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions and statements are my own.

#TheBookClubforTroublesomeWomen #NetGalley

Loved this one! Female friendship/sisterhood is something I love to see in books and this one really hit the mark. Very reminiscent of Kristen Hannah and Coco Mellors with a unique feel that was entirely new to me. I will definitely be recommending this one and looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.

“when men find new mountains to climb, they get a pat on the back and a round of applause. people call them go getters. why should it be different for women?“

i’ve been trying to explore more genres this year, so i thought i’d give this historical fiction book a shot— and boy am i glad that i did! in this book we followed 4 women in the 1960’s who are grappling with their place in the world, especially in comparison to men.

the women live in a suburb of washington dc and at the beginning of the book, they all would call themselves housewives and homemakers. however, after reading the feminine mystique by betty friedan they all start to question if their lives are as fulfilling as they could be.

each woman comes from a unique circumstance, and while i’d call margaret our main character, there is a good amount of focus on each woman throughout the book. each of them have different hopes and dreams and are trying to find ways to break out of the mold they were cast in as young girls.

margaret wants to be a writer, viv was a nurse during the war and wishes to return to that field, bitsy always dreamed of becoming a veterinarian, and charlotte wants to be an artist. it was super interesting to see all of them grow into the characters they are by the end of that book, and how their relationships with their husbands and children impact them on this journey of self discovery.

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘵𝘰 #𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 𝘰𝘧 #𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘊𝘭𝘶𝘣𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘛𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘞𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯. 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘢𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘮𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.

I loved this story. Loved having a historical fiction book set in the post-WWII era that didn’t have much of a focus on the aftereffects of the war. Loved the focus on the friendship between the women. Loved the four very different women and how they were all strong in their own way and supported each other in going after their goals and dreams… no matter what that meant.

👍🏻👍🏻 Two big thumbs up for this book!

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

#NetGalley #HistoricalFiction #BooksAboutBooks #Feminism #Friendship

As a student in the 80s, I took a Women in History glass and we read Betty Friedan’s book The Feminine Mystique. I think of a young Donna, I was so naive and relate so much more to the book now than I did then. That being said, I loved the characters in this book and the issues they faced being a woman in the 60s. I still see similar issues today but women have come so far. Don’t let us slip back … unless that’s really what you want! The bottom line is to be true to oneself and don’t take no for an answer. How motivating!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Marie Bostwick.

The Book Club for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick takes place in the early 60s, a time of change, both cultural and legal, in the United States, for women as well as others. I was a young teen when all this was happening so I was aware on the fringes. My mother had always been independent and my father had adjusted, mostly. These four women led very different lives but all lived in the same “planned community.” The book, Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan brought them together and had varying amounts of influence on each of them. It was more their lives that wrought the changes for them, who had become fast friends. They were forced into them by circumstances. It may have been the change in society that allowed them to follow the paths they did, which did include being a wife and a mother.

I think it would be hard for a young women to understand what these women went through, having never lived it. It was their grandmothers. It was a good book, with each reader bleeding along with each of the women as they faced what they must. It coved racism, cheating, “having it all,” as well well as sexism. But, it was the time. These women fought for what we have today. It is hard to imagine that in a time as close as the 60s, women could not open their own bank account, or be prescribed birth control without their husband’s signatures. That is exactly the way it was and was described in this book. Excellent retelling of a monumental time in history as close and as unbelievable as it is.

The narrator is Lisa Flanagan who did a more than credible rendition of this lovely novel. She infused it with warmth and caring and did justice to each of the four stories while remaining impartial and true to her art.

I was invited to both listen to and read The Book Club for Troublesome Women by HarperCollins Focus. Always interesting to compare the two. All opinions and thoughts are mine. #Netgalley #HarperFocus #MarieBostwick #LisaFlanagan #TheBookClubForTroublesomeWomen

Thank you HarperCollins Focus for access to this arc.

This book is hitting on a lot of themes I’ve seen recently – female friendship plus historical struggles that women have faced to get us to the point we’re at now. Tossing in a book club is an added bonus. The book starts strongly with some dynamite female characters but, I’ll be honest, it also loses its way a bit by the end.

The women aren’t just copies of each other though nor are their life circumstances. Two wanted what was thought to be a woman’s road to happiness – marriage, a house in the suburbs, and children and both are more or less happy with what they’ve got. One was railroaded into marriage because of family pressure due to her publicly acting out while another faced losing the family home after her father’s death and accepted a proposal for a marriage of convenience. One husband is a louse, one is selfish, one needs a wake-up call and the other – who appears infrequently – is shown as a prince among men.

By midway, I could see some of the conflicts coming – both in the marriages as well as struggles for the women to be faced with. Margaret gets a part time job and needs her husband signing off on her opening a savings account, one husband is pushing his wife to get pregnant, one wife faces an unplanned pregnancy, and one woman tries to break into a career that few women can achieve. Then there are the issues of the mothers trying to carve out me-time while still keeping the floors mopped and waxed, cooking all the meals, and picking up the children.

The things they’re faced with are real and for the most part their inclusion in the plot feels realistic but at the same time, predictable. In the final quarter, things pick up with Margaret making a stand, Charlotte finally finding her freedom, Bitsy seeing a way to achieve her dream, and Viv being able to work in a career she loves. Then there’s an epilogue of sorts that felt tacked on.

I really like that the women work out their own happiness and that not all the men in the book are assholes. Two are actually pretty good guys. The epilogue, regardless of how out of place it felt, shows the daughters of the MCs taking advantage of what the mid-century women of the 60s and 70s fought for. B-

The Book Club for Troublesome Women
by Marie Bostwick

*The Book Club for Troublesome Women* offers an exploration of the lives of suburban housewives navigating the complexities of societal expectations in the 1960s. Despite my initial excitement about the premise—four women embarking on a journey of self-discovery—I found it difficult to connect with any of the characters on a deeper level.

The narrative centres around Margaret, Viv, Bitsy, and Charlotte, who come together to form a book club with the intention of reading Betty Friedan’s groundbreaking work, *The Feminine Mystique*. While I appreciated the evocative depiction of the era, immersing myself in the social dynamics and cultural shifts of the time, I ultimately felt that the storyline didn’t resonate with me. If you have an interest in historical stories and enjoy delving into the nuances of women’s experiences during this transformative decade, this book might still capture your interest, but for me, it fell short of delivering the impact I had hoped for.