I was quickly drawn in by the premise of The Book Club for Troublesome Women: four dissatisfied 1960s housewives form a book club that blossoms into a lasting friendship, through the struggles of a rapidly changing world, and ultimately transforms each of their lives.

The 1960s were such an interesting and complex time for being a woman. And I always love a found-family story—especially one brought together by books.

While the concept was compelling, I found it a bit challenging to fully engage with each of the four women’s personal storylines. Each character brought something unique to the group, but I didn't engage with all of them, and it didn’t quite click for me as a whole.

Still, I’d recommend this to readers interested in the era and to those who enjoy stories centered on female friendship and resilience.

I listened to this book in advance of publication and overall, I found it to be delightful and cozy. As far as historical fiction goes, I am not quite sure if this stays true within the genre (leaning towards more fiction than history) but I read it more like character portrayals of upper middle class white women in the 60s and the situations they find themselves in (not so much around one historical event per se). The entire book reads a bit like Lessons in Chemistry but with multiple characters facing their own dilemmas in a world where men rule and the women just have to endure.

While the messaging is empowering and inspiring, at times, the scenes are a little cringy and preachy (the author wants to make sure all points of views - including the men - are considered which inherently is fine but I find when you try to fit in all of the misogynistic issues, it can get bland, stereotypical and overdone). Books like Lessons in Chemistry are successful and original because when you focus on one story arc and one flawed, quirky character, you are able to convey more depth and a more nuanced message with a clear purpose.

I know this particular time period was challenging for all women, regardless of race and stature and it is thanks to many brave women like the ones in this book who fought societal norms to grant the privileges women have today; however, I do not think this book offered anything new to me. It was just an entertaining story full of endearing characters and feel good moments (sprinkled a handful of trigger warning situations). With that being said, any book club that makes a little trouble (the good kind) in society seems alright in my book!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

As a book club member myself, I’m always drawn to stories about book clubs—and this one did not disappoint! The Book Club for Troublesome Women is a heartfelt, empowering read that celebrates the strength of women, the power of friendship, and the resilience we often don’t realize we have. I wanted to be part of Betty’s book club so badly—her group felt like a circle of real, supportive women who lift each other up through life’s messiness. This book reminded me why I love reading and sharing stories with others. Thanks you for the opportunity to listen to this book.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to experience this book. This was definitely a 5 star read for me. The Betty’s all feel so real and I love each and every one of them in different ways.

This book inspired me to want to make changes in my life and helped me grasp hold of the fact that it is vital to seek what you truly want to get out of life. Not only does this book bring into focus the important theme of feminism and women’s rights, but it also paints men into the picture, where they become active participants rather than only villains, spotlighting the little boxes they are forced to fit into, as well.

This book had me cheering out loud for the Betty’s. I can’t wait to read the Feminine Mystique and see what all the fuss is about.😉

I went into this book completely blind aside from the cover and knowing it was about women in the 1960's, and it did not disappoint. A small group of friends decide to form a book group and start with the book, The Feminine Mystique. Inspired by Betty and the thoughts she shared in the real life book, these women take matters into their own hands to change the course of their lives and do things that they once thought were only dreams.

What an inspiring, motivating, fictional book that can be applied to our real lives. An easy read that was fun along the way. My one qualm was by doing it on audio, it was difficult to keep track of the 4 different POV's and their storylines. They kind of meshed together at times.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for the gifted ALC.

#TheBookClubforTroublesomeWomen by Marie Bostwick is engaging and thoughtful historical fiction novel set in 1960s America. A group of ladies become neighbors in a newly developed planned community in the suburbs. Seeking friendship and community they start a book club, their first read being the Feminine Mystic. Through their book club a deep friendship blossoms. Together they push each other to find happiness, which sometimes leads them outside traditional gender roles.

I really enjoyed this book. It’s a book that provokes thought, and one I will one I think back to from time to time. I plan on suggesting it to my own book club. The audiobook narration is also very good quality.

Thank you to Harper Collins Focus for providing me with an advanced copy of this book through #NetGallery for my review. All opinions are my own.

This was an interesting historical fiction novel in that it looked specifically at social issues women were facing in the 60s, but was able to look at many different points of view as we followed the different book club members.

3.5 rounded up. This was a very heartfelt story surrounding a group of women and their book club. I felt the women were all believable characters, each battling their own internal and external struggles throughout the 60’s in America.
While I feel the story dragged on in several spots, and I still fail to see many of the “troublesome” aspects, I overall enjoyed the book and the growth all of the women had throughout. The audiobook narrator was great and really fit in well with the story.

Thank you to HarperCollins, HarperCollins Muse and Netgalley for an ALC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Book Club for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick is a heartwarming and empowering ode to friendship, feminism, and finding your voice. Set in the 1960s, the novel perfectly captures the era’s cultural shifts while introducing readers to four unforgettable women who come together—over books and cocktails—and begin to question everything they’ve been told about who they should be. With humor, heart, and a touch of nostalgia, Bostwick delivers a beautifully written story about self-discovery, courage, and the transformative power of sisterhood. A must-read for fans of historical fiction and stories about strong, complex women.

Thank you Marie Bostwick, HarperCollins Fuse, and Netgalley for the advanced copy!

Four women formed a friendship in 1960s Virginia when they read The Feminine Mystique. The Book Club, they call themselves The Bettys, spawns unlikely bonds and fortifies each woman to take a stand for herself. Told from the perspective of each woman you get a feel for the culture and challenges women faced at that time. They could not even get a prescription for birth control or open a bank account without their husband's signature. I feel that Marie Bostwick did a good job researching this period and putting authentic details that make the story come alive. I received an ARC of this audiobook and highly recommend the book, all opinions are my own.

I truly loved this book. I listened to it and the narration was so perfect for the book. The story follows four suburban housewives who live in a planned community in Northern Virginia during the early 1960s. They form a book club, reading The Feminine Mystique as their first book, a controversial book for women at the time. Each of the women is searching for something. I loved the bonds these women form and the way they grown throughout the book as they support one another. Even in today’s world where woman have more rights and more respect for the most part, I can relate to these women and the struggles they face. I definitely recommend.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher, Harper Muse, for an ARC of this book which I had the pleasure of reading. All opinions are my own. Publication date: April 22, 2025

I loved this book so much that I can't wait to go out and buy the physical copy. This book is an important look at female friendship and what it means to be a wife and mother.

The story of 4 women who start a book club to read The Feminine Mystique that then leads to lifetime friendships and support.

Genre: Historical Fiction (1960s)
Age: Adult
Spice: none
Read for: Netgalley
Obtained from: Thanks to Harper Collins and Netgalley for the ALC
Song recommendation for the vibes: Labour by Paris Paloma

This is the first book I've read by this author. I enjoyed the storyline learning about the historical events of the 60's.
The audiobook narrator was excellent and made for a very satisfy8inng listen.
Thanks to NetGalley and HarperMuse for the advanced audiobook.

The Book Club for Troublesome Women is a witty, heartfelt, and empowering novel set in 1960s suburban Virginia — which was particularly fun for me also living in suburban VA to imagine this area 60+ years ago. Margaret Ryan seems to have the perfect life until a new neighbor with a copy of The Feminine Mystique burst into her life. What starts as a simple book club turns into a life-changing journey for Margaret and her three new friends, Charlotte, Bitsy, and Viv.

Dubbed The Bettys these women form a fierce bond, confronting the pressures of domestic life and questioning the roles they’ve been handed. With humor, nostalgia, and emotional depth, this book is a tribute to friendship, self-discovery, and the courage to want more.

If you enjoyed Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmas, Mad Men, or The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, I believe you’ll love this book immensely.

Thank you to NetGalley, Marie Bostwick, Lisa Flanagan, and HarperCollins Focus for the ARC audio. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

In the early 1960s, Concordia housewife Margaret Ryan knocks on the door of a newcomer to the estate, welcoming her and inviting her to the coffee klatch, but at the last minute, confronted by the bold, artistic Charlotte, Margaret quickly changes the invitation to a hastily conjured book club instead. Margaret, and her friends Bitsy and Viv take up the challenge by Charlotte to read "The Feminine Mystique" by Betty Friedan as the first book for the club, and find their lives irrevocably altered by both the new friendship and the revelations inspired by the book.

Sharing cocktails and secrets, the four women discover they can be so much more than "just" a housewife and mother - dusting off old aspirations and pushing their own personal boundaries past breaking point to fulfil their dreams. Margaret invests in a typewriter and enters essay competitions, Viv dreams of going back to nursing, Bitsy longs to attend Vet school, and Charlotte aspires to be a respected painter.

Amidst it all, the book club - known as The Bettys - support each other through devastating lows, celebrate the soaring highs, battle conflicts, witness major global events, and offer that example of golden, true friendship that lasts a lifetime.

The book pushes back against the conservative middle-class, mid-century housewife "ideal" and leans into the themes of Freidan's words: “You can have it all, just not all at the same time.”

A fabulous book of women's strength and friendship and ambition, set in mid-century suburbia. Loved it!

The audiobook, narrated by Lisa Flanagan is excellent, and Ms Flanagan brings life and warmth to these complicated, heartfelt women.

~This is a NetGalley title. All opinions are my own.~

This book struck a chord with me. The women who read The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan started a revolution that opened doors for me and several generations of women in this country. In the book, four women decided to start a book club and they chose to read The Feminine Mystique. All of the women were educated and smart. All were limited by society, and maybe by their husbands and fathers, as to what they could expect of and for themselves. They were raised to run a household, take care of their husbands and children and not to have any aspirations for themselves. But they did want more. That book opened their eyes and told them that they could be more. I have always acknowledged and have been grateful for the women who were a generation before mine, as well as women who continue to fight for the rights of women.

These fictional women started knocking down doors for women like me. They were wives, some were mothers. Each had a reason to want and need changes in her life. There were some real-life women who made brief appearances in the book. Younger women might be surprised, even shocked at how low the opportunities were for women. And how women were expected to be financially supported by their husbands as well as being supportive. And the stress that often caused for the men. Did you know that married women needed their husband's signature to open a bank account for themselves. Or to get their husband's approval to get birth control? This book is great from an historical perspective, as well as being a great story. It brought tears to my eyes at the end. Well done, Marie Bostwick!

I had both the e-book and the audio book. The narrator is great.

Thank you to Marie Bostwick and Harper Muse for the advanced listener copy of The Book Club for Troublesome Women. All opinions are my own.

Anyone who knows me or follows me at all knows that book clubs are basically my entire social life. The wonderful women I have met in book clubs throw birthday parties for members, band together to pay deductible payments for members, make meal trains for members, and frankly just show up for each other regularly and consistently. The Book Club for Troublesome Women truly has the same vibes as the book clubs that I attend now, but set in a historical setting when women were going through the Second-Wave feminist movement which was sparked by Betty Friedan’s The Feminine Mystique which was published in early 1963. These amazing women decide to read The Feminine Mystique for their new book club and it changes each of their lives in very different but profound ways. I really encourage you to go on the journey with Charlotte, Viv, Margaret and Bitsy and discover how they found themselves and each other in this book.

I really enjoyed The Book Club for Troublesome Women! . It’s a much-needed reminder of the struggles that women before us have faced and the ground they’ve broken to get us to where we are today. In a world where we sometimes take progress for granted, this book makes it clear that it is the result of countless battles fought by brave women.

The characters are truly what made this story so captivating. Each one felt deeply human and relatable, with unique strengths, flaws, and complexities. What I loved most was how these characters’ lives intersected in unexpected ways, creating a beautiful tapestry of different perspectives on womanhood. I found myself seeing parts of myself in several of them, whether in their frustrations, their triumphs, or their quiet acts of rebellion. I truly believe that every woman will find a piece of herself reflected in at least one of these characters.

What I found especially powerful is how the book addresses the importance of community and how women often navigate both personal and systemic challenges together. This collective strength is at the heart of the book, and it serves as a poignant reminder of how vital it is to support one another.

In conclusion, The Book Club for Troublesome Women is a brilliant exploration of women’s resilience, solidarity, and empowerment. It’s a book that doesn’t just entertain but also challenges us to reflect on how far we’ve come and how much further we still have to go. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a read that will stir your emotions, ignite your passions, and make you proud of the trailblazing women who paved the way.

Thank you so much NetGalley for letting me listen to an ARC copy of this book!

This is not only the BEST book I've read so far this year, but it's the best I've read in a long time! A book that women of all generations would enjoy if they'd give it a chance. The crazy part is though I do like historical fiction, I'm mostly a WWII lover, not a 1960's lover. That said, this is also my FIRST Marie Bostwick book. I am utterly blown away by the premise, the facts that were intricately sewn in, and the lives of each of these characters.

While I loved each of the four main characters, Margaret Ryan, Viv Buschetti, Bitsy Cobb, and Charlotte Gustafson, I definitely related to Margaret the most, as I am an amateur writer myself. I also have the most amazing husband like Margaret. I'd dare even say a better one :) I couldn't imagine having a husband that was described in this book that was unsupportive of my education, or my desire to work. Most days I can't stand my desk job, but at least I have the opportunity to have this job.

I've never read Betty Friedan's The Feminine Mestique because though I believe myself to be a feminist, I was always worried it would be more of a radical feminist story. The way Bostwick's characters interpret this story has changed my perspective and I'm finally ready to give it a shot! Not to mention Bostwick is an auto buy author for me now. That said, will it be possible for her to write another one that's better than this one? I'm not sure. The author even stated in her letter to the readers that this was the book of her life, I believe, and well, I can't imagine a better one. I can't imagine I'll read a more impactful book this year. I'm only 39 years old, but this book changed me. Thank you, Marie Bostwick.

This book made me angry in the best way. It made me glad that America has come so far and I don’t have to live in the 60’s. I love a book that educates but still keeps your interest.