Set in the 60s, this story follows a group of housewives who form a book club that ends up providing them with the courage they didn't know they had to be who they always wanted to be, far removed from the current state of frustrated, dissatisfied lives. Margaret, Charlotte, Viv and Bitsy live in a new community in Virginia and they seem to have it all; if this is the case, why are they so angry and unhappy? When they start reading books which challenge them, it strikes a chord with them all and they realize they're not alone in their feelings of unhappiness; with the support of each other they realize that life holds possibilities if only you have the courage to seek them out. A story that speaks to the frustration and difficulties faced by women at this time in history and a group of women who fought in their own way to shatter misconceptions about women's capabilities and dreams.

I wasn't sure how this book would turn out - I had a sense that I would either really love it or end up hating it (I loved it!). A powerful story about a group of women who despite the many obstacles they face, find their own way to rebel against what society expects of them. A great read!

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Focus for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I absolutely loved this book! Marie Bostwick has written a wonderful book that has fully immersed us into the trials of women in 1960s Virginia. Historical Fiction fans this one is for you. I loved the characters of Charlotte, Bitsy, Viv, and Margaret each one of them struggled in their lives alone but once they began leaning on and supporting one another they found their strength. Bostwick has written a beautiful novel of friendship and the struggle it was to be a women in the 1960s, The women are looking for more than the life of housewife and mother. They want more and the more is different for each character, these women are striving to create their own identity outside of their households. The book club Margaret forms on a whim to entice her new eccentric neighbor Charlotte starts with the controversial The Feminine Mystique By Betty Friedan, which sets in motion the foundation of friendship and a new identity for each of these women. A must read!

I was very excited when I read the description of this book, but I was disappointed. While the book tried to tackle many issues of social justice, especially feminism, it did so in a way that felt soft and ineffective, perhaps even perpetuating these stereotypes and discrimination. I did not emotionally connect to the characters and I feel as though their relationship was not well developed. It was like they had the first book club meeting and all of the sudden they were best friends that would drop everything for each other. So I wasn't invested in the individuals or their friendship. I feel like there was a lot of excusing misogynistic male behavior and too brief of a discussion around intersectionality that it almost should not have been included at all. Overall, it took me a long time to read this because I ultimately found it dull and the women were hardly troublesome.

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.

This is the story of a group of women finding them wives assist the turmoil of the 1969s. I think that it an important read for those of us who didn’t live during this time period to see some of the oppression that women encountered at that time. Some of it hits pretty hard during our current political climate.
I received a ARC of this title, all opinions are my own.

Five women living in a cookie-cutter suburb in the early 60s, bond over reading The Feminine Mystique.
A buoyant book about friendship and finding your personal power and truth, set in troubling times and filled with relatable, flawed and loveable characters.

I loved this book! Marie Bostwick has brilliantly written of the experiences of women in the 1960's. (I was one of those women!) Betty Frieden did much to liberate the women of my generation and expose the discrimination of those times. The characters of The Book Club for Troublesome Women, Maggie, Bitsy, Viv and Charlotte are brought together by forming The Betty's, a book club to read and explore what Betty had to say. At that time, college for women wasn't encouraged, except as a way to find a husband. Working outside the home after marriage was frowned upon. Buying a car needed the signature of a father or husband. Birth control also needed a written approval by a husband. As the women meet to discuss the book, they form a bond and a lasting friendship with the others. They soon realize that, by supporting each other, they may be able to slowly change the world in which they live in. The author has created a cast of memorable and realistic characters (both the women, the men and children their lives) that expose that time in history as pivotal for women's freedoms! The book delves into the growth of the characters, as it follows their lives through their early married years and beyond. Some of it may seem a bit farfetched, but that was the reality of that time. The book with its amazing characters and plot, is quite a trip down memory lane and made me realize just how far we have all come! Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for my advance copy. The opinions of my review are my own!

4.5⭐ rounded up
An eye-opening read for those who didn't live through the 60s, but a calibrated fusion of the daily insidious and demeaning frustrations of women in that era combined with learning to believe in yourselves and relying on one another, commonly called sisterhood. The four women in an affluent suburb in Northern Virginia formed a bookclub and chose Betty Friedan's The Feminine Mystique as it's first book. Each woman's story propels the narrative in specific manner that ensures its depth and breadth.

The Book Club for Troublesome Women is Marie Bostwick’s Historical Fiction novel set in northern Virginia in the 1960s. It’s vastly different from her romances and will appeal to a wider range of female readers, especially those who want to learn more about how the roles of women have changed in modern America. Readers who enjoyed Bonnie Garmus's Lessons in Chemistry, Kristin Hannah's The Women, or Kate Quinn's The Briar Club, Margot Lee Shetterly’s Hidden Figures, and Kathryn Stockett’s The Help will be entranced with this tale.

Margaret Ryan has an idyllic life in 1960s suburban Virginia: she has a husband, three children, a station wagon, and a beautiful home. She’s a typical housewife, socializing with the neighbors and submitting to her husband’s guidance, yet feeling strangely unfulfilled. Margaret is fascinated when she meets a new neighbor, Charlotte Gustafson. She invents a book club and invites Bitsy and Viv, also neighbors, to legitimize the meeting with Charlotte. The four women soon bond over cocktails and their honest reactions to The Feminine Mystique, Betty Friedan’s controversial bestseller. Over a year’s time, the ladies share secrets and heartbreak, strengthening their friendship while breaking out of the feminine roles that they were boxed into by societal standards.

The Book Club for Troublesome Women is a character-development story which explains a point in American history which hasn’t been introduced in textbooks yet. The characters are very realistic, and readers will certainly identify them as resembling themselves or older female relatives. Younger readers will be able to understand the struggles of older females and appreciate the opportunities and freedoms that they now have. I loved this story so much that I ordered the hardback edition as a Mother’s Day gift for my mom. I really hope that a studio makes this into a movie.

I received an Advance Review Copy (ARC) from NetGalley and HarperCollins Focus for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I really liked this book! What a great story of women, friendships, where we’ve been and where we’re going. Such an empowering look back. I loved all of the women and found myself identifying with each of them at some point. Bravo!

It’s 1963 in the Washington DC suburbs, and four housewives form a book club and more importantly build strong, supportive friendships. They help each other navigate the ups and downs of life and the changes in their lives.

3.5 rounded down. I really enjoyed this book but found it was a bit too long. I liked the perspective the story was told from, the main characters themselves and the message of women lifting up other women. I think it is definitely worth the read and that it’s an important read for women who are in their 40s or younger that don’t remember how oppressive it was to be a woman before the 90s and how much we stand to lose in the current political climate.

I loved the look into this group of women's lives - how we saw them as mothers, friends, professionals, etc. and how we got to watch them all grow with each other's support. I feel like, though the 60's does make a great backdrop for women's independence, this story could take place in any time period and have the same lessons and the same general plot points - which is great! Reading about these friendships were heartwarming and inspiring - a great reminder that no matter what, having a group of girl friends that are behind you 100% will change (and improve) your life. I felt it was a little bit long for my attention however it was great overall!

This is probably my favorite book I've read this year so far.

I received an ARC and was so excited to read this book.

This book is based in the 60's and follows a group of women, the Bettys, through life and all their differences and similarities. They start a book club and read the book "The Feminine Mystique" hence the name the Bettys.

You follow Margaret, Charlotte, Bitsy, and Viv as they build friendships, go through heartbreak, realize the dreams they've been putting off, and learn to use their voice. This book is a good representation for what life was like in the 1960s for women and the gender bias that existed. It also covered the experience women in the suburbs experience based off of the expectations of a housewife.

I read both the ebook and listened to the audio book. The narrator of the audio book did an amazing job of bringing the piece life. A good narrator is a big deal, especially in a story like this where there are multiple main characters.

The book was beautifully written and I will be looking into more of Marie Bostwick's writing.

The Book Club for Troublesome Women is set in one of my favorite historical periods, the early to mid 1960s when the women's movement is just starting to flourish. I liked the premise of starting with The Feminine Mystique and bringing together several suburban women with very different life experiences and current situations. It occasionally fell into a bit of caricature as all the "classic" issues of early women's liberation are revealed and discussed, but my reaction might be colored by the fact that I've written about this era and know a lot about it. For others, these plot points could prove very revealing of the time period. I thought the writing was good in terms of both character development and pacing. I'll definitely recommend this to readers interested in a not-too-heavy historical fiction read.

I really struggled to get into this book. It just wasn’t something I wanted to pick up due to the pacing. I definitely expected the FMCs to be more troublesome considering the title; however, one could argue that only one of them was a bit troublesome, even considering the time frame. Additionally, I was hoping the book club aspect of the novel would have a greater emphasis.

Its the 1960s four very different personalities join a book club and four very deep friendships are forged. Each one had strengths and weaknesses, and it is unbelievable that even in the 1960s the amount of power men had over women’s lifestyles, their attitudes, definitely their finances.

The Feminine Mystique was the first book that the club read. It opened up vistas for many and for these four it struck a chord that they could be doing more for themselves, their families and their marriages by living the way they wanted to, and not a facade dictated by society, mainly men.

The story about how four women supported each other through crisis after crisis, forming a unique group giving strength to carry out dreams, and live a life they wanted to.

I was engrossed in reading this book, cheering madly from the sidelines.

Set in 1963 Virginia, The Bookclub for Troublesome Women follows four women—Margaret, Viv, Bitsy, and Charlotte—whose lives intertwine through a book club that promises connection, but delivers more personal reflection than plot.

While the book explores the personal struggles and quiet strength of each woman it takes a long time to get there. The first 75% is heavy on character backstory and light on actual story progression or book club moments. With frequent time jumps and multiple perspectives, the structure feels disjointed and slow. Though the characters eventually find empowerment, the pacing and lack of plot make it a slog.

Overall, it’s a well-intentioned story about female resilience that ultimately feels more like “talk talk talk” than compelling fiction.

I don't know where to start with this book. I absolutely loved it. I loved the development of all the ladies and that the author wrapped everything up at the end. It was so interesting to read about that time period and how hard it was for women to be independent. Highly recommend this book! Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

I truly have no words for this book. It was incredible. It put some of my feelings on the female experience that I could never describe, into words. You know when you have those 'oh wow, this is going to change things for me' moments? That is how I felt about reading this book.

The story is set in 1963 and follows the lives of 4 housewives who start a book club to get to know each other better. The formation of this book club and reading 'The Feminine Mystique' changes the trajectory of their lives. The sisterhood that's formed had me feeling warm and fuzzy. Seriously, imagine going through a hard time only for your besties to show up on your doorstep with a bundt cake and open ears ready to listen 🥹 Seeing these women grow such a beautiful bond where they both support and challenge each other was amazing.

A main theme in the book is women challenging society, and the pressures and expectations placed on them. One thing I truly loved was how each woman followed their own path that was right for them. Some pushed boundaries within the more traditional housewife role, while others were a little more extreme and went out on their own.

One part of the book that really got me was: "Even in moments of despair, that hardwired, hard-learned hatred of inconveniencing others isn't easily pushed aside". I won't go into detail to avoid spoilers, but holy hell, my breath caught in my throat when I read that line. I have seen the most important women in my life put their issues aside to make sure they take care of everyone else before they even dare to think about taking care of themselves. So that line really hit me.

thank you netgalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review!

this book is set in 1963's virginia, where a group of suburban housewives decide to start a book club and read betty friedan's 'the feminine mystique'. the four female main characters (Margaret, Bitsy, Viv and Charlotte) receive proper introductions, with slightly differing but still very similar lives, living in an America that is severely lacking in woman's rights, and instead pushing a happy housewife propaganda that is neatly tied in with advertising products for women like household appliances, groceries and beauty items. the historical aspect and setting of this book of this was really interesting to me.

what didn't really live up for me, however, were the characters and their storylines. though introduced properly in the first hundred-or-so pages, they fell quite flat for me in the rest of the book, as did the storyline. they all had very similar problems, similar lives, and i found them quite lacking in diversity or nuance. moreover, most of their dreams were realised through decisions of their husbands, not because they stirred up some trouble as the book title promised. even the 'scandalous' character charlotte manages to find her destiny only because she (little spoiler here) extorts her husband and father for a large sum of money. whether deserved or not, i didn't find the book particularly empowering or inspiring when it came to these women's struggles to fight the status quo. i would even go a step further and say it was quite a display of white feminism/privilege to me, because while the characters were absolutely right in standing up for themselves and demanding equality, there was little to no consideration from them for minorities like black women, queer women, or women without the suburban dream house. not everyone would have the means to blackmail a man into the money to achieve their dream, or round up enough cash to post an advert in a magazine. i don't think that all minorities should always be considered for every story, but for a book about feminism in the 1960's, i found it very lacking - particularly because there was a mention of MLK once or twice that never sparked a debate between the women.

overall, i enjoyed the first half a lot more than the second half, story-wise. the book is quite feel-good and gives an interesting insight into the 1960's capitalist housewife fantasy, but for a book that dives deep into the history and intricacies of 1960's feminism, perhaps this is not the choice.