This isn’t the kind of book I usually gravitate toward, but I’m so glad I picked it up. The Book Club for Troublesome Women was a powerful and eye-opening read that really shed light on what life used to be like for women—not just the big moments, but all the little, everyday ways misogyny and sexism played a role.

There were definitely parts that were frustrating to read, but in that "wow, this is real and still relevant" kind of way. At its heart, though, this book is a beautiful story about sisterhood, friendship, and the ways women support each other through life's messiness and milestones.

The writing was excellent—thoughtful, honest, and at times even funny. I wasn’t expecting to connect with it as much as I did, but it really left an impression. Highly recommend, especially if you're in the mood for something heartfelt and empowering.

Sometimes there are good reads that come along that I just want to discuss with my mom. We were book buddies - and often disagreed, but discussions were so real and thorough, with victories on both sides where she could see where I was coming from, and I had a better sense of where she was on it. She's reading somewhere else now, and I miss her.

I think she'd agree with me on this book - it's a little premature in it's timing - 1963 was too soon for book clubs especially on this topic. I was a kid in the middle of the 60's and the big discussions countrywide didn't really happen until the 70's. But maybe that's just me.

Something was just a little off - it was chirpy, wry, and clever. More opportunities even before jumping on the wagon than I remember from that time. It didn't quite ring wrong, but it wasn't the ring that I think mom heard. And, she my friends, was a Feminist! but she was underhanded about it. Oh, I'd love to discuss this with her.

Overall my experience in this time felt a tad darker than the book. Women seeking social freedoms was a contentious topic in homes - dads were not happy and if they had any power feminism and all of its advocates were quashed. It took a decade or more for the moms to rise up, and they did. Divorces were blamed on it, and families affected fell out of their class because parents were split. Not that those sacrifices were for naught - so this read for me was more a reminder of the past than most books. That said, my past was awfully white, deeply suburban and the families I knew didn't have the cash these Bettys had. I grew up awfully white, but poorer - way poorer.

This read did nudge me to brush up on my feminist history reads though, adding to my TBR. Find someone you know from those days and do a buddy-read of this, especially if they were in their 20's in the 60's. . . .would love to hear. . .

*A sincere thank you to Marie Bostwick, HarperCollins Focus | Harper Muse, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.* #TheBookClubforTroublesomeWomen #NetGalley

It’s 1963 in suburban D.C., and a quartet of affluent women decide they want more out of life. Enter: the power of books.

Margaret Cobb plays the role of dutiful wife and mother while her husband works, but something about her life feels off. Then along comes the dynamic Charlotte Gustofson, who encourages Margaret to change her first book-club pick from A Tree Grows in Brooklyn to the provocative The Feminine Mystique. Two other women join the club, each constrained by the era’s sexist norms: Bitsy Cobb dreamed of becoming a veterinarian but instead married one, and Vivian Bushetti, a former Army nurse, is now pregnant with her seventh child.

The four women form “The Bettys,” meeting monthly to read feminist books. As they read, their perspectives shift—and so do their lives. Margaret begins writing a column for the local paper, Charlotte and Bitsy confront their subpar marriages, and Vivian returns to nursing.

I really appreciated how reading became the catalyst for these women to reclaim their identities and push back against the limitations of their time. While some storylines felt a bit too neatly resolved or characters occasionally seemed too cookie-cutter, I still thoroughly enjoyed spending time with them and watching them grow. The inclusion of real-life figures like Katharine Graham added a meaningful layer of authenticity.

A special shoutout to the audiobook—it's stellar. Hearing the distinct voices of these women brought their journeys to life in a way that made the story even more powerful and emotional.

thank you netgalley for the advanced audiobook copy of this novel! I’m a big fan of historical fiction for certain decades and this definitely captured the time period! the narrator was wonderful in embodying the story.

This book was exactly what I didn’t know I needed. I adored every second of it; the characters, the humor, the warmth, and the reminder that it’s never too late to shake things up. Marie Bostwick nailed the messy, beautiful complexities of friendship, reinvention, and finding your voice.

The story is full of heart and perfectly balanced with sass and soul. Every character felt lived-in and real, like someone you might run into at the grocery store or accidentally confess your secrets to at a book club.

And the narrator did a fantastic job.

Highly recommend if you’re craving a feel-good story with a little fire in its belly.

This is the kind of story that leaves you both uplifted and empowered. As someone who reads widely in feminist literature, I'm often wary of stories that oversimplify women's experiences, but Marie Bostwick avoids every pitfall with grace and authenticity.

What makes this novel exceptional is how it balances its big heart with real substance. The characters are fully realized women navigating complex lives, relationships, and societal expectations. Bostwick's storytelling shines with humor and warmth, but never shies away from the genuine challenges her characters face.

I finished this on April 17, 2025 and immediately pressed it into the hands of two friends and my mom—a rare trifecta of recommendation! There's a special alchemy here that transforms what could be a simple feel-good story into something genuinely nourishing, which a lot of us are craving right now.

My sincere thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. This glowing review reflects my genuine enthusiasm for a book that's already found a permanent place on my favorites shelf.

The Book Club for Troublesome Women is exactly what the title promises—warm, empowering, and a little rebellious in all the right ways. Marie Bostwick delivers a heartfelt story about female friendship, reinvention, and the strength we find when we stop playing by the rules that were never made for us in the first place.

While the narrative starts a bit slow, I found myself completely invested in the characters by the end. The story follows a group of four women—each dealing with their own challenges, secrets, and messy realities—as they find refuge and renewal with the other women in their book club. Bostwick has created multi-dimensional characters who feel real and relatable. These women aren't perfect, and that’s precisely what makes them compelling. Their growth is hard-won, their conflicts believable, and their solidarity moving.

Lisa Flanagan’s narration adds a wonderful depth to the story. Her performance is expressive and engaging, with distinct voices and emotional range that bring each character to life. It feels less like listening to an audiobook and more like sitting in the room with these women as they share stories, frustrations, and laughter.

While not every storyline wraps up with a traditional “happy ending,” each character reaches a resolution that feels satisfying and emotionally honest.

One thing I deeply appreciated about this story is that it doesn’t default to blaming all of life’s problems on men. Even Margaret’s husband Walter—initially presented as a minor villain—gets a small but thoughtful redemption arc. The narrative respects complexity, showing how relationships can be messy and flawed, but can still be worth salvaging.

With a wealth of sources of frustration, I found myself like Charlotte's daughter—waiting for the metaphorical “other shoe” to drop plotwise—BUT I was pleasantly surprised to find that the book resists going in that direction. Instead, it maintains a steady emotional honesty, never slipping into melodrama. It’s a story about real-life resilience, not manufactured heartbreak.

Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins Focus | Harper Muse, and Marie Bostwirk for this free, advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Bookclub for Troublesome Women
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A great book about women in 1960. Wow! We have come along way. Thank goodness! A great story about Sisterhood, friendship, courage to confront the past & present. Strength to make it through the up & downs with strong friendship.
Thank you NetGalley

I really like the idea and premise behind this book- the strong female friendships and supporting each other! However in some areas in fell flat for me and I wanted there to be more!

I absolutely loved this book—it’s a heartfelt, empowering story that blends humor, heartache, and hope in a way that kept me turning the pages and rooting for every character.

At its core, The Trouble with Trouble Women is a celebration of female friendship, resilience, and second chances. The novel follows a group of women—each with her own scars, secrets, and setbacks—who are brought together by circumstance and held together by the unbreakable bond they forge. What starts as a support group for “troublesome” women becomes a safe haven for healing and reinvention.

Marie Bostwick does a beautiful job giving each woman a distinct voice and story, and I found myself genuinely inspired by their courage and vulnerability. The dialogue is sharp, the relationships feel authentic, and there’s a perfect balance of lighthearted moments and deeper emotional threads.

This is a story about more than just overcoming obstacles—it's about owning your truth, embracing your quirks, and finding strength in community. If you've ever felt broken, underestimated, or ready to start over, this book will speak to you.

Thank you Netgalley for the ALC in exchange of my honest opinion.

Set in a time period when women weren’t whole people, it’s sad to think this was just outside my lifetime and not forever ago. It’s a stark reminder of where we came from.

But don’t think this is all doom and gloom, it’s a beautiful story of friendship. I connected with this spunky group of women. I loved how their friendship, strength and a book club discussing The Feminine Mystique could be so impactful in their lives.

It’s such a character driven story and though I have absolutely nothing in common with them, they were so relatable. I rooted for them to find satisfaction in their lives and find that missing piece.

Lisa Flanagan Does such a great job bringing all the women to life. Having their displeasure shine through while not sounding whiny or preachy.

If you need to understand what women are fighting for when we say we don’t want to slip backwards, this book serves as a reminder all rolled up in a great story.

A well-written look into the not-to-distant past view of the role of women in society. This book was a mirror to society, those pushing against the norm, feminism, self-transformation, friendship and the resilience of women.

Emotional and realistic, I think most readers will identify with at least one of our main characters.

Fans of The Women will be pleased with this newest offering from Marie Bostwick. Like The Women, we have people breaking through societal boundaries and forming a strong and supportive network of friends. Each character in this friend group represents a hardship that women faced in the 1960s, so it might seem like this little band of women face more than their share of obstacles. But Bostwick is using them to represent the trials of a much larger group distilled down to four women.

Audiobook is well narrated and fun to listen to. Characters are distinct and the book is easy to follow.

The narrator was fine, but I increased the rate of audio while listening. Story was okay. I could see this being a good book club read to discuss women's rights and how things have changed/ not changed over time. Characters were alright, very stereotypical with each moving from sheltered housewife to I am woman hear me roar.

This was a wonderful novel and I enjoyed the narrator used. Despite the length of the audiobook, it was a quick read. The storyline was exciting (and as thriller reader, I feel like sometimes certain fiction can feel slow). All the female characters seemed to be likable and it was so interesting to see what a book can do.

One of my favorite reads so far this year. Beautiful writing, intriguing characters and truly inspiring message.

Margaret, Viv, Charlotte and Bitsy are housewives and mothers in the 1960s. They embarked on starting a bookclub and end up with a life changing friendship. As their fist book is the Feminine Mystique they also begin to recognized the societal oppression and unrealistic expecting as a women at that time. Each has their own journey but I throughly enjoyed following each of them.
For those who enjoy female friendship stories like The Yaya Sisterhood or Fried Green Tomatoes this should be your next read.

Thank you to NetGalley and HaperCollins Focus for an advanced audiobook for review

A heartwarming and empowering, historical fiction that will have you thanking the troublesome women of the past for making a better tomorrow for those in the future.

Margaret, Bitsy, Viv and Charlotte are living what seems to be the ideal life. Living in the Virginia suburbs in the 1960’s they are living the American Dream. But after a book club invite to read The Feminine Mystique they find themselves wondering what more life has to offer.

I really loved this book and felt like it was written in a way that most women will be able to resonate with. Going in I was afraid it would be a biased piece that demonized men with unrealistic scenarios as a way to get the reader riled up. Instead I got a heartwarming story that left me feeling grateful for the women of the 60’s that wanted to be known as more than just a wife and mother. I loved that the four main characters in the story are diverse and offer different circumstances and POVs. The friendship that they develop is so heartwarming. I loved how they were all there for each other and were each other’s biggest supporters.

I read the ebook in tandem with the audio and loved the audio! The narrator’s voice was perfect for the story.

The Book Club for Troublesome Women is a solid kaleidoscope view of how commiseration, support, and thought-provoking material like The Feminine Mystique can help a group of women in a 1960's seemingly idyllic community open their eyes to how their marriages and other aspects of their lives do or don't contribute to their happiness and wellbeing. Getting together proves enlightening and eye-opening as they see how having/lacking a job, raising/wanting/avoiding kids, and husbands on a range from clueless to arrogant may not be the only path through life. The dialog and situations are very evocative, and the book does a good job using the characters and their circumstance to touch on many of the issues from that time; some of which have evolved and others not so much in the present, such as abortion/birth control, field-specific opportunities/role models/support for women, and even what we take for granted like having a job and bank account. Other areas that were even more telling would be around race, nationality, gender identity, sexuality, etc. but that might have been a stretch to plausibly bring these women into meaningful contact with others at this time. A present day epilogue helps wrap up many of the stories.

The Book Club for Troublesome Women is a beautifully written, emotionally resonant novel that celebrates friendship, self-discovery, and the quiet power of rebellion. Marie Bostwick transports readers to 1960s suburban Virginia, where Margaret Ryan and a group of women form a book club that becomes so much more—a safe space for truth, transformation, and courage.

The story is both nostalgic and timely, weaving in themes of feminism, identity, and the societal expectations placed on women. Bostwick’s characters are richly drawn and relatable, each facing internal battles while finding strength in one another. Including The Feminine Mystique as a catalyst for change adds a thoughtful historical layer that deepens the narrative.

Lisa Flanagan’s narration is nothing short of exceptional. She brings each character to life with warmth, nuance, and distinct personality. Her performance enhances the story's emotional depth and makes the listening experience feel intimate and immersive. Whether Margaret’s quiet determination or Charlotte’s enigmatic charm, Flanagan captures it gracefully and authentically.

This audiobook is a must-listen for fans of historical fiction, women’s fiction, and stories that celebrate the bonds of sisterhood. Uplifting, thought-provoking, and full of heart—The Book Club for Troublesome Women is a triumph.

Thank you, NetGalley, Marie Bostwick, and HarperCollins Focus | Harper Muse for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Great book for book clubs. Readers will identify with at least one of the characters. This will be a history lesson for younger Readers and a trip down memory lane for older ones!