I enjoyed this book, set in the late 1800s, about a group of women who find strength in each other and in the books they share. Each of the women have a heartfelt story, as they struggle to find their place in society. Most of the men do not come off very well, control freaks, abusers, and worse. While the ending was a bit predictable, I loved the story. The writing is good and there is a pretty good twist or two!

Book Review: The Secret Book Society
Reviewed from an advance pre-release copy provided by the publisher

Madeline Martin’s The Secret Book Society is a powerful and evocative exploration of what it meant to be a woman in Victorian England. Through the lives of Eleanor, Rose, and Lavinia, readers are drawn into a richly imagined world where social expectations suffocate personal freedom, and even reading is seen as a subversive act. These women, each battling their own struggles within the confines of marriage, reputation, and secrecy, come together in an unexpected sanctuary: a private book club hosted by the enigmatic Lady Duxbury. What begins as a quiet gathering over tea blossoms into a life-changing fellowship that challenges the beliefs and boundaries of their time.

The novel is as informative as it is emotionally gripping. Martin does not shy away from portraying the chilling realities of the era. Women were discouraged from reading beyond texts that reinforced their domestic roles, with literature deemed a distraction that could lead to disobedience and dangerous ideas. Even more disturbing is the treatment of emotional and psychological struggles under the label of “hysteria,” which served as a convenient excuse to silence or institutionalize women who dared to express anger, grief, or defiance. These historical details are seamlessly woven into the narrative, providing context without weighing down the story’s pace.

What makes this book unforgettable is its balance of resilience and vulnerability. The characters are richly developed and heartbreakingly real. Their fears, secrets, and small triumphs draw the reader in, making it nearly impossible to set the book aside. I found myself deeply invested in their fates and moved by the courage it took for them to find their voices in a world designed to keep them quiet. This wasn’t a book I could breeze through. It’s a longer read, but every page kept me engaged. For me, The Secret Book Society unfolded over several days, and I found myself looking forward to settling back into its world each time.

Madeline Martin’s novel doesn’t just tell a story. It offers a place to reflect, to witness the quiet strength of women who refused to stay silent, and to remember how powerful words can be. It’s a story that leaves a lasting impression because of how deeply it resonates.

#TheSecretBookSocietyTheHive #NetGalley #MadelineMartin

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Review of The Secret Book Society by Madeline Martin
Publisher: Harlequin Trade Publishing

Set in Victorian England, The Secret Book Society explores the rigid class structures and gender expectations of the time through the eyes of three women: Eleanor, Lavinia, and Rose. Each woman faces her own challenges within a society that limits their choices based on wealth, status, and especially gender. The story is centered around a mysterious book club run by Lady Duxbury, a wealthy and sharp widow with three deceased husbands and a reputation that keeps people guessing. The book club serves as a hidden sanctuary where women come together, not just to read, but to push back against the roles they’ve been boxed into. Through alternating points of view, the novel reveals how literature becomes a lifeline—and a form of quiet rebellion—for women seeking agency in a world built to silence them.

I liked that the novel didn’t just focus on romance or drama, but really leaned into themes of personal growth, trust, and female empowerment. The dynamic between the women felt realistic—they don’t instantly bond, but slowly learn to rely on each other, which made their friendship more believable. The book club itself is a great centerpiece—there’s something powerful about women secretly reading banned or controversial books and letting that reshape how they see themselves. That part of the story worked really well for me.

The most interesting part of the novel, though, was actually the Author’s Note at the end. Learning about the real historical fears around women reading—how it was viewed as dangerous, even immoral—gave the whole story an extra layer of meaning. It tied everything together and reminded me how hard women had to fight just to have access to knowledge. I kind of wish that depth had come through even more in the story itself.

If I had one complaint, it’s that the ending felt a little too neat, like everything got wrapped up faster than it should’ve. But overall, I enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone who likes historical fiction with strong women at its center.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for providing an advance copy.

Not my usual type of book but it was very refreshing. I was forcing myself to finish it because I didn't know how it would end bad or good. But overall I really liked the characters and the style of writing.

I loved it so much! Perfect for historical fiction fans, perfect for women- or anyone! It was wonderful. :)

I really enjoyed this book.
Rating 4.5 stars

This book is a love letter to readers, rebels, and the quiet power of words. Set in war-torn France during WWII, The Secret Book Society introduces us to a group of women who risk everything to keep the magic of books alive—even as their world crumbles around them.

Madeline Martin masterfully blends historical fiction with heart, weaving a story of courage, connection, and the deep human need for hope. These women don’t just share books—they share survival, strength, and sisterhood..

An unforgettable tribute to bravery, resilience, and the secret societies built one page at a time.

Beautifully written and emotionally rich—an inspiring read for any book lover.

Interesting take on different ways women were oppressed a century or so ago, with the ultimate punishment fairly easy to enforce: placement in the insane asylum. I had a bit of trouble keeping all of the "Lady" so-and-so's straight in the initial chapters but things coalesced nicely the more the book went on. I enjoyed the last portion more than the earlier part of the book and I'm unsure if it's because I settled in to knowing the characters better or if the story got stronger. I particularly liked the hidden garden of helpful/deadly plants and their useful applications!

I found it slightly convenient that problems were fairly easily wrapped up by simply attending a book club - especially Rose's rather rapid reconciliation with her husband but it served the plot purpose and wasn't detrimental. The hatpin training and attack were entertaining!

It made it frighteningly clear how much power husbands/doctors/men had over women in Victorian London and portrayed that via several different expressions of oppression.

What a great book. I throughly enjoyed it and I could not put it down!

This book shows why we need the power of books, the author does a great job giving these characters life and writing a very well done historical fiction.

4 stars - definitely recommend!!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publishers for this arc!

The Secret Book Society finds a myriad of women’s lives from abusive husbands, to supportive suitors, and even parental support with their love of books, identified as crazy to wanting to just love the art of reading, and even the writing of and poetry of. This unputdownable read goes from begins with one boot to the ends with the same boot. Aslyum. And even Death. #netgalley #madelinemartin #arc

Thank you NetGalley and Madeline for this beautiful masterpiece.

I was not sure what to expect but I quickly became enthralled in this story. The women coming together and learning to support each other and themselves was awesome to be a part of.

There is such an array of emotions throughout this story. Happiness, joy, sadness, fear, anger, anxiety. There is a little bit of all.

I quite enjoyed Lady Duxbury's journal entries and
How her horrific past was able to have such a positive impact on not only her, but other women as well and no spoilers but I adored how the story continued on the very last page.

What a page-turning, wonderfully entertaining read! When the elegant and enigmatic Lady Duxbury invites friends Eleanor, Lavinia, and Rose to join her secret book society, none of them have any idea that they’re embarking on a journey of literary subversion and rebellion. Each of them is being stifled by Victorian England’s rules of propriety. Each of them is facing private struggles in their marriages or families. They’re forbidden to read books deemed improper, and boxed in by society’s rigid rules for women. Lady Duxbury unites all of these women in friendship, bringing them courage and a renewed sense of self through their shared love of books. There is hairpin fighting, seances, and asylums; overbearing husbands, hidden poetry, and ballroom dancing. The writing is vivid and transportive, and I loved the nods to JANE EYRE (a personal favorite). Lady Duxbury’s Secret Book Society is one you’ll want to join!

What a beautiful story about the power in female friendship and literature. A reminder to women that our emotions are not too much, and that we have the right to hold space and speak our minds. While this story was set in the past, the discussion of censorship and control over women is still very much a current day issue, and I found myself drawing many parallels as I read it.

This book was incredible 🤩 As soon as I started this book I couldn't put it down and I finished it fairly quickly.

Once again, I can't help but appreciate the depth of research that shines through in Madeline Martin's historical fiction. I enjoyed watching the friendships between the women in the story develop and the ways they supported and uplifted one another. There are difficult themes tackled, including domestic violence, mistreatment of women under the guise of "hysteria" and the suppression of the women's freedoms. Each chapter gave more depth and insight into the characters, their circumstances and how they could relate to one another. I enjoyed the bookish references, exquisite vocabulary and themes of found sisterhood throughout. I could easily read more of Lady Duxbury and her friends.

I was lucky enough to receive a copy of the eARC of this book (thanks to Netgalley and Madeline's team) in exchange for an honest review.

At a time when women are discouraged from reading, Lady Duxbury invites select women to enjoy her
personal collection. Each of the three women who accept are dealing with the challenges of living in a
restrictive society where it is very easy for family or husbands to have them committed to insane
asylums if they don't toe the line. The support the women receive from the group aids in resolving the
challenges they face, leaving them with more control over their lives. Well written strong female characters.
#TheSecretBookSociety #HarlequinTradePublishing #HanoverSquarePress #NetGalley

Ladies unite! It's time to take control of your life which is easier said than done when you have little say in that life. I loved Madeline Martin's new historical novel which is set in Victorian London at a time when every aspect of a woman's life to include access to books was usually controlled by a man or by society's constraints.

Lady Duxbury, a reclusive widow has survived 3 marriages which has lead to rumors of possible foul play. When she sends an invitation to a select few ladies to tea which includes a covert offer to join a secret bookclub, little do they realize the life changing impact their acceptance will wrought. Eleanor, a devoted mother is struggling to survive an abusive marriage. Rose ,a wealthy American heiress is seeking acceptance as the wife of an English aristocrat. Lavinia struggles to control her artistic passion which she fears will lead to the exposure of a family secret. Three ladies brought together at a time when even what they read is curtailed or denied by the majority of men in an effort to keep them under a man's control. As their new bonds of friendships strengthen, danger is never far behind as they each seek to find their own inner strengths to forge a life of their own making.

This is my first book by Madeline Martin, but it will not be my last! I loved the strong female characters and the strength of their friendship that evolved as the story progressed. Her historical research as to life in the Victorian age made the story come alive for me so that the injustices the characters suffered felt as if I was living through them too. It is hard to phantom that in a time when a woman, Queen Victoria was ruling Great Britain many of her contemporaries were controlled to the point they were not even given the freedom to read a book of their own choosing! This story brings to light this privilege that many of us today takes for granted. Yet, around the world, millions of women are still being denied this basic freedom. This is a well crafted novel with a strong message about the power of friendship, resilience, and the desire in all of us to seek a path of our own choosing. Thank you Madeline Martin, NetGalley and Hanover Square Press for the opportunity to review this ARC.

It is 1895 in London and a time when women are highly restricted and unable to do things without consent from their spouse.
There are many consequences for not following rules!
This unfortunately includes simple pleasures as reading a good novel, spending time with friends and family.
That is until three women receive an invite to a tea party by the influential Lady Duxbury.
But- it is not just a tea party; it is a place where they can speak, obtain a book and learn who they really can be.
The secrets, fear, and solutions are shared.

This is historical fiction and one that is well written, intense, sad and filled with suspense. Excellent!
It is definitely a book to put on your reading list!

Thank you to @NetGalley and to @Harlequin Trade Publishing for this ARC and allowing me to provide my own review.

First book by Madeline Martin and it was my “cup of tea”. This was a well done historical fiction read. I loved the focus on female friendships especially in a time of coveted invitations and societal positions in a male dominated world.

Madeline Martin did an excellent job of bringing together a group of women who appear quite diverse, but they all harbor secrets that will draw them together into this friendship. I loved diving into the backgrounds of each of these women and feel Madeline Martin did a fantastic job of bringing them to life. The research was well done on how women were treated and expected to be in Victorian England. There are definitely times that you want to go toe-to-toe with the men in this book, but there may be a few for whom you might want to kiss on the cheek and say well done ol’ chap. The writing flowed and allowed easy visuals of drawing rooms and gardens in all their grandeur. Emotions were well written and heart pounding at times. I love a book that just put you through all the feels.

This is a book that unites these 5 ladies through friendship, books, and the quiet strength and courage inside us all. I highly recommend this book whether you are new to historical fiction or this is your jam.

Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing | Hanover Square Press for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This book follows a group of women and shows how books can literally change your life. This book was fast paced, easy to follow, and just overall beautifully written.

An empowering story of women who become friends through the safety and freedom they find in books.

Seeing the characters go from their distressing, mundane lives and come into who they are thanks to the friendship and kindness they find in the Society was so uplifting. Lady Duxbury was my hero and she just kept reminding me of Lady Danbury from Bridgerton. She saw these women and the need they had to escape into a library, but more so just to be seen and known.

The writing was so beautiful, very Bridgerton. If you want a story to shows why books and friendship make the world better, this is it.

Thanks to Harper Collins for the advanced copy. I was not required to write a review.