I felt transported to the 60s in this book! We follow the lives of 4 women, not only are the in a book club, but we get to read about their ups and downs in life and love. This book is about friendship but also strength and growth!
The four suburban housewives in this book are Margaret, Viv, Bitsy and Charlotte. I feel like I am living their life 60 years later. Thankfully I have lots more freedoms than they experienced (getting a bank account on my own, and being. working mom without judgement, and I have a degree!). These ladies are representative of the ones that paved the way! I enjoyed each of their stories and how they came together too.
The narrator of this audiobook did a fantastic job and I loved her narration! I highly recommend this book!

The Book Club for Troublesome Women is told from the perspective of 4 dissatisfied housewives, Margaret, Charlotte, Bitsy, and Viv. They start a book club where they read The Feminine Mystique, inspiring them to challenge their traditional roles and change their lives.

This audiobook immediately sucked me in; it was my first read by Marie Bostwick and definitely won't be my last. I love reading books from that time period and felt totally immersed in that world; it's fascinating to see how far we have come and how much farther we have to go as women. It makes me want to join a book club!

Thank you, NetGalley and Harper Muse, for the audiobook arc of The Book Club for Troublesome Women.

The Book Club for Troublesome Women transports readers back to the 1960s, where four women serendipitously come together to start a book club together and begin to question everything society has taught them about the "American Dream" and their roles in it.

Author Marie Bostwick did a really good job of building up all four characters and their lives. As this was an audio ARC, I worried I may have trouble keeping each character straight, but I quickly fell into the world of Margaret, Charlotte, Bitsy, and Viv. Each woman was in a different place in their lives, but each one yearned for something that was missing. When the club reads "The Feminine Mystique", they are empowered to redefine their goals, follow their hearts, and question society's rules.

Narrator Lisa Flanagan was a fantastic reader for this book, and I thoroughly enjoyed her reading, with nice pacing and excellent dialogue. The storyline was full of 1960s nostalgia, bringing the suburban housewife stereotype to life.

This was my first book by Marie Bostwick - but not my last!! Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Focus | Harper Muse for this advanced audiobook. I will absolutely be recommending this to my library patrons and suggest they request it now!

The Book Club for Troublesome Women
Author: Marie Bostwick
Publication Date: April 22, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you @netgalley @harpermusebooks @harpercollinsfocus and @mariebostwick for this audiobook ARC! I enjoyed every second of it…so much so that I listened to it twice! I preordered a signed copy and am excited to add this beautiful book to my home library 💛

A thought-provoking and relevant story about the healing power of fierce female friendships.

Set in the 1960’s, we meet Margaret, Viv, Bitsy and Charlotte, who, through a book club, form a small neighborhood group known as “the Bettys”. After reading The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan as their first book club pick, they all find that this book challenges their ideas of the role of women. We get to follow along as each of these women go on individual journeys of self-discovery, together. With their strong support system, they each learn that it’s ok to dare to dream of a different life.

This is the first book I have read by Marie Bostwick and I know that I will be reaching for her other titles after loving this one so much! I listened to this story as an audiobook narrated by Lisa Flanagan. Lisa did such an outstanding job, she really always does! I gave this book 5 stars and will highly recommend it!

#BookReview #TheBookClubforTroublesomeWomen #NetGalley #HarperMuseBooks #MarieBostwickAuthor #MyBookshelf #BookNerd

A fun read (listen) with some themes that are honestly still applicable today - even though this book is set in the 1960s. The women are relatable, and though they have their own unique perspectives and trials, they come together as a strongly-bonded group supporting one another through the ups and downs of their daily lives. This would be so sweet to choose as a book club read. 🤍

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this audiobook!

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Focus for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

The housewives of Concordia, Virgina, are the picture-perfect women their husbands dreamed of. They deliver the children to school, the dinner to the table promptly as the men arrive home from work, and support their husband’s aspirations through their social adventures. But when the women form a book club, they find they share more than just a love of books – a shared need for independence and self-worth. Carreers outside the home, a need to contribute to society and be more than just a mom are at the center of their dreams, but their husbands disagree. Will the women win their fight for purpose, or will they end up bending to the will of their husbands again?

The Book Club for Troublesome Women is Marie Bostwick’s historical fiction novel that will transport readers to 1960’s Virginia. In a Stepford Wives meets Golden Girls type narrative, Bostwick weaves a plot of unlikely friendship and women empowering each other that will remind readers how far we’ve come in women’s rights…and how far we have left to go. This is a story about finding your community and support system wherever you land, but also about advocating for your dreams and not allowing anyone to ruin that for you.

I give The Book Club for Troublesome Women 5 out of 5 stars. If you have been following me here long, you know I am a sucker for a good book that tackles mental health issues, and Bostwick does that here with polished ease. Looking at underlying conditions and situational challenges, as well as substance abuse, these characters exemplify the dangers of mental health in motherhood that are often overlooked and discounted as just “emotional women”. I also really appreciated the historical look at the fight women had to be relevant in society – the things women could and could not do without their husband’s approval in the 60’s like bank accounts or owning assets. It is easy to forget that just a few decades ago, women faced a very different world than what we see today and books like this are a great reminder of how easy it would be to go back to that environment.

If you are a fan of the way Fredrik Backman tackles mental health in his writing – you’ll love this book. If you like the way Patti Callahan Henry or Marie Benedict transport readers to past eras in their historical fiction, this is definitely the book for you. However, with themes of substance abuse, mental health struggles, and emotional abuse in marital relationships, this may not be a book for all audiences and may be best directed to more mature readers over 16.

I was excited to see this book as a NetGalley option. The title and cover captured my attention right away – I think my grandmother had the same couch when I was growing up! Once I reviewed the publisher’s description, I knew I had to read this book – book clubs and strong female friendships are right up my alley!

The Book Club for Troublesome Women will release April 22nd. You can pre-order your copy today on our Bookshop.org page!

This was a lovely historical fiction about a group of strong women growing together through a book club in the 60s. I loved all the characters and everyone's arc. The book dragged at points though and I was bored quite often, but it was heartwarming how everyone's story wrapped up.

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for the arc :)

Sex in the City but make it DC and set in the 60s and they have a book club.

Well written historical fiction. I enjoyed it. It covered a ton of women’s issues but I liked the “show don’t tell” of the many things a 60s woman went through that we don’t have to worry about. They walked so we could run.

Historical fiction isn't usually my genre of choice, but this synopsis and some good reviews convinced me to request it. What a treat!

📖: It's the early 1960s, and four suburban women decide start a book club. Margaret, Charlotte, Viv, and Bitsy start with the controversial The Feminine Mystique. As the story progresses the friends encourage and support each other through the seasons of life, especially when it comes to breaking the mold of the typical 1960s woman.

🤝: This may be a good fit if you enjoy:
- strong female friendship
- books that hit all the feels
- polite female rage 😆

💭: I went into this book with zero expectations, and I had such a lovely experience. I don't read much historical fiction, yet I connected with this one right away. I was pleasantly surprised with how much I related to these 1960s housewives with their ambition and persistence. They didn't want to sit silently in a system that didn't work for them. I was touched by their friendship, angry at their obstacles, and inspired by how the women advocated each other.

🎧: Lisa Flanagan reminds me a bit of January LaVoy, and that is a high compliment in my book. I highly recommend this format if you're an audiobook fan.

Rating: I really liked it! (4.5 rounded up)

Thank you to HarperCollins Muse and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This was a phenomenal read! Margaret, Bitsy, Charlotte and Viv were the epitome of what a book club in the 1960s would look like. Faced with real life issues, in and out of the household, these four women find friendship, support, and a place to share their personal thoughts and feelings that society had led them to have long kept to themselves.
This book was the whole package. It's very rare that I finish a book and don't have a single thought of what I wish was done a bit differently, but this book was absolutely an exception. Very well-written, moderately paced, and full of juicy gossip that kept me wanting 'just one more chapter'

Set in the 1963, this book gives a view of what it was like to be a woman in this time: traditional roles and limiting laws but feeling the need to be something bigger and knowing we deserve it. I really appreciated the historical elements that were weaved into each characters lives and honestly, some of the sentiments explored can ring very true for being a woman in today’s age. I found myself nodding in agreement with their views on friendship, family life and their frustrations with the culture around them. Really amazing read! The narrators voice was also amazing. The character voices were also a plus!

Great book that explore female relationships within the context of a book club. Highly enjoyable

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book took me completely by surprise and is easily the best book I’ve read this month!

The women of Concordia, a brand new planned community in Northern Virginia in the 1960s, are living the dream: beautiful new homes, successful husbands, children they adore. It’s not until four of them find themselves members of an impromptu book club that each woman realizes she’s not the only one with a nagging feeling that something is missing.

True confession time. From the description, I half expected this to be a man-bashing reading experience. It is NOT. Yes, The Feminine Mystique is the first book the ladies read, and all that follows stems from there. Yes, there are some painful actions, words, and attitudes toward women, often from their husbands. Yes, female empowerment is certainly a theme in this book, but marriage and families are not made the enemy. These women find friendship, they find their footing and their purpose, they make their precarious way through the frenetic changes of the time, and they hold on to – or let go of, when necessary – the good in themselves, their families, and each other.

This is a perfect book club pick – especially if you have a multi-generational group! – there is so much to talk about here.

The Book Club for Troublesome Women will be published April 22, 2025, so get your pre-orders or library holds in now.

This was my first book by Marie Bostwick – it will not be my last!

Thank you to @harpercollinsfocus, @netgalley, and author @MarieBostwick for the complimentary copy. It was my pleasure to write this candid review.

This book blew me away. 4 women form a book club in the early 1960's that ends up being a support system as well as pushing them to examine their thoughts and push societal boundaries. I loved how clearly defined these women were, while allowing for changes and growth. The backdrop of the 1960's and how culture was changing just intensified what was going on in their families. I listened to the audio version and the narrator was engaging and showed a different perspective for each character. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes history, feminism or book clubs!

If you enter Bostwick’s endearing world of mid-century madness, her half-baked bookclub Betties will marinate your mind in a pleasing melodrama of madness. These forlorn females rescue and recreate themselves with a recipe for success that only their finding of the Friedan philosophy from The Feminine Mystique can make materialize. Forging friendships, sharing, supporting, sacrificing, and daring to dream, these women will wow you and wake you up. Get ready for a feel good read and a personal philosophy refresh if you dare to flip open the front cover of Marie Bostwick’s nostalgic novel Bookclub for Troublesome Women. Once you start, you can't stop. And you're gonna be thinking about it long after you finish. Historic name dropping and a book list for future reading included at no extra cost. I loved and highly recommend this book . Publish date April 22, 2025, so order it for a fantastic and uplifting Spring read.
Audiobook by Harper Muse is a highly recommended mellow listening experience. Lisa Flanagan balances her delivery of clear characterizations with a certain simple touch in her free flowing narration that allows for an effective style of middle era immersiveness.

A fabulous read of 4 fierce females set in post war America, create a book club. Each from different walks of the 4 females are each fighting for gender equality, through their own way, a writer, a nurse, a “privileged” artist and an animal healer. I loved this one, great character arcs, social conversations and thought provoking. I think if you liked Lessons in Chemistry or The Giver Of Stars you’ll enjoy this one.

With a title like “The Book Club for Troublesome Women” how could I not be convinced to read, and I am happy to report I was not let down! Highly recommend for your own book club to read!

A historical fiction set mainly in 1963 revolving around 4 women who decide to create a book club. I loved how unique each woman was to the group and how important their differences were in coming together around commonality. While the characters were fictional, there were many truths about their experiences

I did a lot of thinking with this book. I thought about my own book club and how important their differences discussions we have are and also how powerful uniting with other women is. I understand why governments try to silence women and this book discusses how patriarchal society does this covertly. I thought about how important my female friendships are and how many obstacles we overcome and how our support is so important. I also thought about my grandmothers who were the women of the 60’s and grew curiosity about what their lives looked like past the surface.

Lisa Flanagan did an excellent job narrating this. She gave each woman a unique voice, and I was entranced!

Thank you to Harper Muse and NetGalley for an advanced listener copy of this Audiobook

This book was a perfect historical fiction novel. It touched on the struggles of life as middle-class women in the early 1960s, while acknowledging the privilege those women had. This book was extremely well written and the narration really kept you engaged. I sometimes struggle with books from multiple POVs with the same voice, but the narrator does a great job of making each woman stand out and feel different. The message of community and sisterhood. It reminded me of the women who are so important in my life, and the book clubs I am in that have helped me become a better person. It also reminded me of the power we each have and how vital it is to use our voices for change. I cannot wait for this book to come out to share with my book club for troublesome women.

<i>The Book Club for Troublesome Women</i> by Marie Bostwick is an engaging and thought-provoking novel that beautifully captures the complexities of women's lives in 1963. This book doesn’t just skim the surface of history—it dives into the societal and familial challenges that women faced and how some found the strength to push back against the constraints placed upon them.

One of the things I loved most about this novel was how layered the women’s stories were. Each character had her own struggles, yet their journeys intertwined in a way that felt natural and real. Bostwick does an excellent job of showing how expectations were placed on women—not just by men, but sometimes by other women too.

Bostwick also does an incredible job of highlighting the small but significant obstacles women faced—things like opening a bank account or getting birth control without a husband's permission. These everyday struggles may seem shocking to modern readers, but they were very real in 1963, and in some ways, women are still fighting for true equality today.

What really made this book stand out for me was how much I recognized these women. We all know them—they are our mothers, our grandmothers, and for some readers, maybe even great-grandmothers. Their struggles, their resilience, their desire for more while still loving their families—it all felt so authentic. The book club and their reading of The Feminine Mystique weren’t just plot points; they were catalysts for reflection, making each woman reassess what she wanted for herself, not just what society dictated.

I have not read other books by Marie Bostwick, but I will be adding some of her other titles to my TBR List. I highly recommend <i>The Book Club for Troublesome Women</i> to historical fiction lovers, readers who enjoy books about books or book clubs, and those interested in feminism and women's rights. This is a great novel filled with rich, character-driven stories that explore how people navigate societal expectations. Lisa Flanagan, the audio version's narrator, was terrific. She did an excellent job with all the characters' voices, bringing their words to life. I truly loved this book, and I learned so much from it.

Thank you to HarperCollins Focus | Harper Muse and NetGalley for the privilege of being able to listen and read along with the printed copy. The book is due to be released on April 22, 2025.

<i>Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.</i>

4 stars

I really enjoyed listening to this! It was a fun and different take on female friendship and pushing the boundaries (through reading and community) of what we’re “supposed” to do. Set in the 1960s but feels especially relevant unfortunately today.