The Secret Book Society by Madeline Martin follows three women stuck in suffocating marriages and expectations. Eleanor is a devoted mother with a cruel husband, Rose is an American heiress struggling to fit into British high society, and Lavinia has an artistic soul and a dangerous secret. They're all drawn to the mysterious Lady Duxbury rumored to have murdered three husbands, who invites them to a secret book club that’s way more than just tea and novels!

What starts as a quiet gathering turns into a lifeline, a place to share their stories, uncover truths, and find the courage to push back against the rules trying to break them.

It’s emotional, empowering, and full of heart. Think sisterhood, secrets, and a slow-burn rebellion dressed in corsets!

⚡️Thank you Uplit Reads and Madeline Martin for sharing this book with me!

I quite enjoyed my time with the women of this story, who all deal with issues associated with the patriarchy in 19th century England. Despite the dark themes, the story wasn't that affecting though. It felt pretty tame and inoffensive. I think it had to do with the writing. Despite some pretty sentences, it lacked some depth for me.

I would still recommend if the story sounds appealing to you or if you're looking for a quick read that isn't frivolous.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the arc !

A thoroughly enjoyable read with interesting complex characters. Wives suffocating under the tyranny of their husbands meet and form friendships. Lots of twists and turns and a misstep that could cost them everything, make this a real page turner and a must read!

I loved this. Like the author, I have always been fascinated by the appalling restrictions and lack of freedoms women in the Victorian age were forced to endure. The Secret Book Society explores those constraints, while also showing the development of lovely, supportive female friendships across age and circumstance. The countess invites 3 women to The Secret Book Society who have each been restricted from reading by the men in their lives. She offers them a safe place to not only read, but express themselves amongst women who can understand them. There are sections of beautiful prose and I felt the anger and frustration at the injustices the women suffered, as well as satisfied at the resolutions. Each woman takes a different approach to her unique circumstances, but each became stronger and emboldened by the friendships they develop.

While I enjoyed reading this myself, it would be a good book for a book club that reads historical fiction.


I am so happy to have received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book, and all opinions are my own.

I absolutely loved this book!! This was a beautiful story about friendship, caring, and kindness. This would be a great book club book due to the fact there is a lot to discuss. This portrayed how women’s lives were in London during the 1800s and what they went through. I did not like the flashbacks and diary entry’s but that is something I have never liked it’s not just this book I didn’t like it.

This historical fiction novel is a fascinating portrayal of women's lives in London during the late 1800s. The detail and dialogue provide a convincing take on how some of the women in the upper echelons of society were treated in their marriages and in their communities. Women were controlled by domineering men and often subjugated in their own homes. Those women who did not conform were sometimes sent to insane asylums or mental institutions.

The plight of the four main female characters in this story is very unlike the freedoms and choices that women enjoy today. This is a beautiful story about friendship, caring, kindness, and giving. I believe that this would be a great book club discussion book. I would highly recommend this book to historical fiction fans everywhere.

My sincere thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing-Hanover Square Press for the digital ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

My Rating: 4.25*

Set in Victorian London when women were not free to live as they chose nor do the things they would like without the threat of being institutionalized, this book follows four women as they build a friendship over books and support. Lady Duxbury has been married and widowed three times she has also suffered great loss and heartache at the hands of those men. In her single status, she decides to form a secret book club where she is able to invite women from society to join her in a quest for finding a sense of freedom in a time of oppression.

Rose is a transplant from America and having a hard time fitting into the cultured ways of the high society women. Though her husband loves her, her brother in law sees her as crass and she is not frequently invited to high society events. She is trying to find her footing in this new world, but was struggling until she found her place within the book society.

Eleanor is trapped in an abusive and loveless marriage by a tyrannical husband who uses their son as leverage over his wife. He also frequently threatens her with sending her "away" and she is almost isolated from society beyond attending the book society where her husband feels she may be able to gain a new level of status for them.

There is quite a bit going on in this book but everything works well together and the women are wonderfully supportive of each other. I highly recommend others to read this book and agree with many comments that this book could make a great book club read.

If your book club is looking for an energizing read, you can’t go wrong with a novel about the power of book clubs. In 1890s Victorian London, the mysterious widow Lady Duxbury invites three women to start a secret book club. As they read books including “Jane Eyre” and “Sense and Sensibility” together, a powerful sisterhood grows. For those already missing the atmosphere of “The Gilded Age,” this historical novel might help.

The Secret Book Society is a stunning tribute to the power of friendship and the quiet courage it takes to challenge societal norms. Madeline Martin weaves an atmospheric tale of Victorian London, where books become both refuge and rebellion. The characters are richly drawn, and their bond feels authentic and inspiring. This novel is perfect for anyone who believes in the transformative power of literature and the strength of women standing together. Absolutely captivating from start to finish. I will definitely be sharing this book with my friends!

4.5
“Jane reminds of us that we have a choice. That we are not relegated to the paths men carve for us but can forge ahead on a road of our own making.”

In 1895 London, three women trapped by societal and marital oppression are invited to a mysterious book club that offers more than just stories—it offers freedom. As they bond over secrets, sisterhood, and the will to reclaim their lives, one wrong move could destroy everything.

I absolutely loved this! It’s built on friendship, feminism and what freedom actually looks like. To think women were sent to asylums for “hysteria” because their husbands wanted to get rid of them makes my blood pressure sky rocket. I highlighted so many quotes from this book, I thought it was incredible. There are many parts of the world where reading is an act of rebellion even today. It truly highlights how far women have come to regain their freedom and power. It is a privilege denied by many. Just a reminder to never take our daily comforts for granted, our ancestors fought so hard for them.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing for this incredible story & early copy.

I WANT EVERYONE IN MY LIFE TO READ THIS. I felt so seen, so enraged, and so empowered. This is outside of my typical realm of genres, so I was pleasantly surprised that this ended up being my latest 5 STAR read!

This book revolves around a group of women who are invited to participate in a secret book club. It has to be a secret because in Victorian London, the books available to women were often limited to subjects that were primarily around being a mother, etc. I loved seeing the correlation between the women growing intellectually from the books they read and the women growing in important qualities like courage, strength, and independence.

Lady Duxbury is the woman who initially invites the other women to the book club. Her journal entries are interspersed throughout the novel, as one woman in particular reads them. I loved this unique way of having different timelines and seeing how they tied together in the end.

Book banning shouldn't be a thing. Please read this book if you feel otherwise.

(Thank you to NetGalley for the e-ARC)

I absolutely enjoyed this book from beginning to end. Such a wonderful story of friendship and empowerment.
I did think it ended a little abruptly, and the epilogue left me wondering if there could be more to come.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC. The story took place in Early Victorian times when women had barely any rights. Including those to openly read without it being frowned upon. This story follows the lives of 4 women whom have come together to form a secret book club. All having their own personal secrets. Together they face these secrets head on and empower their womanhood.

The Secret Book Society by Madeline Martin is set during Victorian Society, and centers on four women who come together to form a secret book club. Each of these women exist in an oppressive patriarchal society, and through these new friendships they find a way to take control of their own destinies. All forbidden to read (because women must not not read should they suffer from 'hysteria), the secret book society gives them this small opportunity of resistance. I love stories that center on books as a form a resistance, and this book delivered on that theme.

If you love historical fiction with strong female protagonists giving Bridgerton society vibes with a healthy dose of mystery, women's rights, bringing down the patriarchy AND the power of books-- then this book is for you!!

Loved this story!!! The writing was captivating and kept you intrigued. Great character development! You really felt like you go to know these characters! The author made you feel as you lived in that time with the characters!

Another amazing and well researched book from Madeline Martin. If she writes it, I will read it because I know I'll love it! This book feels especially poignant this year with the current political climate and the banning of books. Each woman's story is so important to the storyline while all woven together. The Secret Book Society invites women to read and discuss books they wouldn't have access to otherwise in 1890's London. Each woman takes something different from their meetings but it's exactly what they need to help them in their lives. It also touches on just how easy it was for men to control women's lives and use asylum's to rid of women who were "difficult."
*4.5 stars*

Thank you to NetGalley & Harlequin Trade Publishing for the eARC of this book.

A beautifully written, heart-tugging story about the power of books, friendship, and resilience. Martin weaves history and emotion into a tale that’s both heartbreaking and hopeful, with characters who feel real and unforgettable. Perfect for fans of historical fiction that celebrates the strength of community and the healing magic of stories.

(4.25 stars)
The Secret Book Society is set in England in the 1890s and by the time you have finished this book, you will wonder why any woman would want to time-travel back to this era! Nevertheless, I loved this book and heartily recommend it.

Lady Duxbury is a three-time widow with a sad history. She decides to invite a few women to a Secret Book Society, under the guise of inviting them for tea - which was an acceptable cover story, enabling them to attend. Three women show up (one other was invited but didn’t appear): Rose, an American married to a second son in the nobility), Lavinia, an unmarried daughter of an upper-crust family (her mother was actually invited but urged her daughter to go in her stead), and Eleanor, who is married to a cruel husband. These women have a lot in common: their lives are extremely restricted by their families, not just society. And they have been forbidden to read for pleasure! Apparently it was not uncommon then to believe that reading novels (even ones considered classics in our time) would lead to immorality and other bad outcomes for the woman. Men were in complete control of their lives. If women didn’t conform to family or society expectations, the men in their lives could send them off to an asylum, where they might never again see the light of day. Shiver! In fact, the prologue teases us with that very thing - one of these friends is being carted off to an asylum.

The women form a tight bond of friendship as a result of these meetings and wind up helping each other in many ways. One thing that niggled at me - the timeframe is extremely short, just a couple of months. I find it difficult to believe that such deep friendships formed that quickly, especially given how hard it was for the four of them to continue to meet. I did appreciate that the author did not paint ALL men as evil and domineering.

I bounced between the printed version and the audio version, which was narrated beautifully by the ever-amazing Saskia Maarleveld. She is one of my absolute favorite narrators.

Thank you to Hanover Square Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy of this book and to Harlequin Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.

This is a must read. It will be in my top twenty at the end of the year. This book was so good. A sad tale of what life was like for women who loved reading back in 1895. And what happened if they disobeyed their husband. Yes I said disobeyed. Can you imagine?

This is about four women: Mrs Eleanor Clarke. She was married and had a baby boy. Her husband was a beast. You will thoroughly hate him. His abuse knows no boundaries. Mrs Rose Wharton. She's also married. Her husband truly loves her. But he had banned books for her because of his brother. Lady Lavinia Cavendish. She's the youngest. Not married. She lives with her parents and siblings. She suffers from what to me seems like social anxiety. Writing poetry helps her deal with that. Lady Duxbury. She is the one who invited the other three to her Secret Book Society. She's truly a force. A caring, understanding, force. She's been married three times. She gives these women a place where they feel safe. Feel like they can express themselves. Not just with books. With their thoughts. Their wishes. Their lives. Their hurts.

This book is so well written. You truly can feel each woman's pain and happiness. The way they deal or can't deal. Most likely you can relate to at least one of these women in some way.

I have to say this book is emotional. It will have you in tears in many places. Also give hope to these women. Give hope that all will be ok. Eventually. The sad part is that women are still held hostage by most men. In one way or another we have to answer to them for something. But we have honestly come a long way since they could ban books from us. Now it's the government that bans the books. Go figure.

Add this one to your tbr list. I promise you won't regret it.

Thank you to the publisher for this arc.

Five big fat stars.

A book written by a reader of books and a believer of how the right book can change a life. In this particular book, Madeline Martin envelopes us in the world of society restrictions and oppression on opulence. Each woman we follow has her own challenges and secrets. As relationships grow among these women, they are guided by our heroine into a sage place of support and loyal friendship that was so lacking in their age and ours. I found I was interested in each woman and their experiences and had great empathy for their challenges and seemingly hopeless solutions. I thoroughly experienced and finally enjoyed our time together.