Thank you to Marie Bostwick, HarperCollins, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book.
(Please check the trigger warnings before reading this book)

The Book Club for Troublesome Women follows Margaret Ryan, a housewife living in the idyllic town of Concordia during the 1950s, as she decides to start a book club for herself and her fellow housewives. This leads to a unique friendship group, where these women come to realise the many ways in which life is unjust for women of their time.

I enjoyed this novel a lot. It offered such a refreshing perspective on a Womans experience during this period, and I found the character development particularly interesting as the women began to recognise their own oppression. As a feminist living in the 21st century, I’ve always been aware of the struggles faced by women before us, but I had never considered the process by which these women, in real-time, would discover the limitations placed on them.

That said, I did feel that the story began to drag a bit towards the end. Perhaps this is a result of being a Brit, but I also found the commentary on JFK's death somewhat unnecessary and overly patriotic.

Overall, however, I absolutely loved this book and will be recommending it to others without hesitation.

With a title like this I knew I had to give this book a listen! I enjoyed the audio version and I feel that the production team did a great job. The narrator read at a steady pace and was easy to listen to and understand. Great plot line that wasn’t overly complicated.

I had the pleasure of receiving an advance copy from NetGalley of The Book Club of Troublesome Woman. I enjoyed the storyline and plot. There were moments of confusion having multiple characters and trying to remember which person was married to which. It did have moments that carried a slow pace, but I did enjoy the narrators voice and the multiple characters she was able to show the different pov.

Rating 4.5

AMAZING!!! What a nice surprise! This book is perfect for those who enjoyed The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes, Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus and even The Women by Kristin Hannah 💜
This book reminds me of the friends I made because of my own Bookclub and it made me very happy.

Loved the Audiobook version! Very good narrator

I had the opportunity to listen to an Advance Reader Copy of the audiobook version of The Book Club for Troublesome Women. While my review is highly positive, I want to emphasize that it is in no way influenced by the free preview.
This was my first experience reading a novel by Marie Bostwick, and I was thoroughly impressed by her creativity and intelligence, which shine throughout the book. She skillfully intertwines historical fiction, women's issues, and personal growth, setting the story in Northern Virginia during the 1960s.
The novel follows four women—Margaret, Charlotte, Viv, and Bitsy—who come together for a book club centered around The Feminine Mystique. Inspired by the book’s author, they affectionately nickname themselves "The Bettys." Each character is distinct, and their experiences within the club shape them in different ways. The story spans the course of a year, incorporating discussions of multiple books along the way.
I found the characters engaging, though at times, both character and plot development felt somewhat superficial. That said, Bostwick handles thought-provoking themes with a well-balanced mix of humor and insight, ensuring the novel never feels overly heavy or moralizing.
Overall, I rated this book 4.25 stars. The storytelling was compelling, the audiobook narration was enjoyable, and I even discovered a couple of new book recommendations within the story. The Book Club for Troublesome Women is an enjoyable and thought-provoking read—definitely worth picking up!

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Focus for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review. I liked this book. It was a real eye opener as to what life was like in the 1960s. If you were married you were expected to stay home and tend to your husband's every need, clean house, raise the kids and have meals on the table when he got home. Back in the day, you could not even open your own bank account with your own money without your husband signing off on it....WHAT...no thank you! So needless to say when a new neighbour moves to the neighbourhood and suggests that the ladies start a book club they are excited to get out and meet new friends. Then the book is chosen for the first meeting and it is the controversial book by Betty Friedan called The Feminine Mystique. Four ladies who become a close group of the friends start to see what life could be like based on the information outlined in the book. A good read and it was a nice change of pace from what I normally read.......Enjoy!!!

The author’s dedication to her mom was touching. I knew when her mother said that The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan changed her, this was going to be a great book.
This was a heartfelt and engaging novel about friendship, resilience, and personal transformation. The story follows a diverse group of women who come together to form a book club, only to find that their shared love of literature leads them to confront their own life challenges and societal issues.
The characters are well-developed, humorous and relatable, each bringing their own unique perspective and struggles to the story. Margaret, Bitsy, Viv and Charlotte all faced different challenges. The dynamics within the group highlight the importance of friendship and support, particularly when facing adversity. I laughed and cried along with them.
As the women open up to one another, they begin to see their own strength and potential and encourage one another to confront their challenges.
This book further enlightened me as to how women were treated in generations before me. In 1963, my own mother was a high school sophomore.
Thank you to the publisher/author for the opportunity to read this complimentary advanced copy. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

3.5/5

Although it did not at first seem that any of the 4 white women in this suburban book club were actually very troublesome by today's standards, the fact that they were pushing against what was expected of them in their time and community probably would have labeled them as troublesome at the time. Their book club read books that encouraged them to question their current situation, while their friendship gave them the support and safety net to share their own struggles and push the boundaries around them.

The book sometimes felt like it was trying to hit a checklist of obstacles that would have blocked women from jobs, bank accounts, bodily autonomy, and opportunities. The book did not always seem to flow. It was almost like many short stories with their own story arcs that addressed conflict, climax, and resolution before moving on to the next problem women faced in the 1960s. Almost all problems found a solution that was favorable for the woman struggling in the situation, which, while satisfying, was also unrealistic. Most of the obstacles were predictable if you know of the history of women in that time.

I found it ironic that the author was recognizing how The Feminine Mystique was targeted to middle-class white women while writing a book that was also reflecting on the lives of the same demographic. In Bostwick's book, there were mentions that poor people do exist in relation to the medical office, and also a strong smart Black nurse that we meet for about 2 pages to hear her story who later attends a rally with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. No one has to escape a phsically abusive relationship, however they are all talked down to and emotionally manipulated in a variety of ways.

If this book were part of any of my current book clubs, I feel like it would give us many topics of discussion. There are discussion questions already in the book version, and the author mentions she will be adding recipes and more on her personal website. But even without those things, the book lends itself to many discussions about what life was like for these women with varying challenges in the 1960s and comparisons of experiences of women in current times.

Even though I had some issues with some of the book, I did enjoy it and was invested in the women, their journeys, and the bond between them that made each more courageous to stand up for themselves.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an audio ARC.

The Book Club for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick explores the lives of four housewives in the 1960s.The four women bond over Betty Friedan's book, The Feminine Mystique, and start a book club called the “Betties.”

The title of the book is a bit deceiving. The Book Club itself takes a backseat to the other events happening in each of the women’s lives. And perhaps “pushing boundaries” is a better description of what happens in the book versus “troublesome.”

Ultimately, the book was a good exploration of what life was like for women in the early 60s. It was fun to see how much has changed and a bit sad to think about how much has not.

After reading this book, I plan to add The Feminine Mystique to my TBR list.

I listened to The Book Club for Troublesome Women’s audiobook. The narrator did a great job of giving life to four distinct characters

I love a book based on a book with books scattered throughout. The Book Club for Troublesome Women is centered around a group of women who read Betty Friedan's The Feminine Mystique. The Feminine Mystique, published in 1963, is a groundbreaking manifesto that gave voice to women's belief that institutions were working to stifle their creativity and intellect in an effort to keep them at home {aka "the problem that has no name"}. That being said, the book was problematic in that it focused only on middle class white women and ignored Black women, women of color, and women who had to work in order to support their families. This is the world that is inhabited by Margaret, Charlotte, Bitsy, and Viv.

I found the Margaret, Charlotte, Bitsy, and Viv to be relatable and charming in their own way. The character growth was not what I expected. Many of the choices made by the women were in reaction to decisions of the men in their lives. I would've liked to have seen more autonomy on the part of the women. For example, Bitsy could've left her cad of a husband when he was disrespecting her, rather than waiting to find out he had a pregnant side piece. Still, the way the women supported each other was well written. 

The supporting characters were well written and provided a nice break in the drama between the women. These characters also filled in the gaps that were glaringly obvious in Friedan's original work. Additionally, there were historical events and a running list of books that also added to the story and helped challenge the circumstances of the women's lives.

My greatest takeaway from this novel is that women need a support system that is comprised of other women. We absolutely cannot make it through this world on our own. The relationship that develops between Margaret, Charlotte, Bitsy, and Viv is relatable and aspirational. We watch them go from strangers who meet by happenstance to framily {friends + family} who are deeply devoted to each other individually and collectively. Even the women's families come to rely on the women for support and intercession when needed. 

I loved that the author's note at the end of the book contained important historical information relevant to the lives of women, such as the fact that women weren't able to benefit from the Equal Credit Opportunity Act until 1974 or that women required their husband's permission in order to receive medical care {side note: I was a corporal in the U.S. Army and a mother of three who needed my husband's permission to have a tubal ligation. This was in 1996.}. 

This novel is a nice counter to the "trad wife" trend that seems to be taking shape online.

What a delightful read of four strong female characters who refer to themselves as “the Bettys” after they are all significantly affected by their first book club pick, Betty Friedan’s The Feminine Mystique. I enjoyed getting to know these four women as they navigated life in the 1960s and beyond. While I’d not heard of the author before being granted an advance reader copy of The Book Club for Troublesome Women, the description of the book appealed to me and it did not disappoint. The characters were multidimensional. Their storylines felt realistic, particularly as they were peppered with real historical facts and people. The plot moved along well and the ending was satisfying. This would make an excellent book club choice. I will look for more works by Marie Bostwick. Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the opportunity to read and give my honest review of this novel.

Four women living in Concordia start a book club. Initially, they don’t know each other and one suggests The Feminine Mystique - a controversial book about the rights of women and that they can and should think for themselves.
All are married and all are beset by issues of America in 1963 and the expectations (or lack of) for women. Although a book of fiction, some of the characters problems would have been very real at the time. The four go through relationship difficulties, career difficulties and yet support one another to keep going.
The characters, particularly our four protagonists, Margaret, Viv, Charlotte and Bitsy really grew on me and I found them realistic and engaging.
Great to listen to, well narrated.

Very fun read
This was very well written fun story of a group of troublesome women.

The realities of the 1960 housewife were outlined in this book perfectly. The freedoms as well as the road blocks of a modern women.
Today when we talk about troublesome women we think about something outlandish and radical. Back in the 60s women who wanted more, like job outside being housewife, finish their education etc were viewed as outrageous and different…. Somewhat problematic.

This book highlights how far we got from that minds set and how easy it is to slip back in to it if we are not careful.

I received an audio ARC for The Book Club for Troublesome Women through NetGalley. Four women without much in common besides living in the same neighborhood, become life long friends through an accidental book club. Margaret in an attempt to get to know the Charlotte invites her to a book club that doesn't exist yet. The women read and bond over The Feminine Mystique. Although Bitsy, Margaret, Viv, and Charlotte are different ages, in different stages and income brackets, they show up to support each other. They shoulder each others burdens, encourage each of them to be the best they can be and don't leave when things get messy.

Marie Bostwick has written a story that is still relevant today as it was in the early 1960's. Women still struggle with who they are, what their purpose is, and how to not lose themselves when they become a mother. Finding the right women to walk alongside you is key. And never underestimate a good book, fiction or non fiction, with the power of words to help remind you of how far you have come or the potential to be more than you are.

ARC provided by NetGalley and Harper Muse Audiobooks in exchange for my honest review.

When I saw this ARC I was intrigued because I really enjoyed Lessons in Chemistry, and the synopsis of this book reminded me of it. Both books are about women in a time where our rights were not even close to mens doing new and (for that time) daring this. Where in Lessons in Chemistry the rebellion is in teaching women science through cooking, in the Book Club for Troublesome Women, a group of housewifes starts a book club and read the The Feminine Mystique, pushed by a new eccentric housewife in the neighborhood, Charlotte. This opens doors for them and dares them do new things. Margaret applies to a writing competition - not winning but getting a job offer writing a column. Margaret, with the help of Charlotte, starts doing various cultural experiences such as visiting art galleries to prepare her for the job. Viv used to be an army nurse, now motivated to start work as a nurse again after having kids and staying at home. And so every woman in this story, and book club, has her own story and growth.

Because I listened to the audiobook while also doing different things, I feel like I sometimes lost the plot and got a bit lost. Thats entirely on me though

Thank you to NetGalley for this ACL.

I have never read anything by this author before - this was book was right up my street.

It was beautifully written and I really related to the story.

The narrator was really good and I would read more books by this author in the future.

This was an enjoyable read/listen with very good narration. While it didn't feel like there was a lot of plot, I appreciated the friendship of the women and getting to know them individually. I especially liked learning about what women's rights looked like in the early 60s. This book reminded me a lot of The Help because of the era and the friend group (plus, one of the women is a writer). This would be a good choice for a book discussion.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Focus for allowing me early access to the ARC audiobook edition of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Reminiscent of Lessons in Chemistry, Jojo Moyes, and Kristin Hannah, The Bookclub for Troublesome Women is one of the best books I’ve read this year. The audio narration was excellent as well.

Marie Bostwick’s The Book Club for Troublesome Women is a powerful story about friendship, self-discovery, and the fight against societal expectations. Set in the 1960s, the novel follows four suburban housewives—Margaret, Viv, Bitsy, and Charlotte—who form a book club that quickly becomes much more than just a literary gathering. Their decision to read The Feminine Mystique sparks a profound awakening, forcing them to confront their dissatisfaction and redefine their futures.

This book gave me serious Now and Then meets Don’t Worry Darling vibes. While rooted in the past, its themes feel incredibly relevant today, especially as conversations around the “tradwife” movement resurface. Why should women—who are talented, intelligent, and capable—be reduced to homemaking and motherhood simply because they are biologically able to have children? Bostwick beautifully captures the magic of women supporting women, showing how a simple book club can evolve into a movement of personal empowerment.

I had the pleasure of listening to an early audiobook copy (thank you, NetGalley and HarperCollins Focus | Harper Muse), and narrator Lisa Flanagan truly brought this story to life. Her performance, especially in voicing Charlotte, added an extra layer of charm and personality to the characters. While I don’t typically gravitate toward books set in this era, Bostwick’s engaging writing and Flanagan’s narration kept me captivated from start to finish.

This novel is perfect for anyone who loves stories about female empowerment, friendship, and the courage to challenge the status quo. It’s a must-read for the girls and for all the troublesome women out there.

If you are a fan of Kristin Hannah, you will love this book. "The Book Club for Troublesome Women" was an INCREDIBLE read that I have already recommended to my book club. Reading about the lives of these women was inspirational, often funny, and so dang relatable.