Whew there is so much to unpack! You will laugh, cry and cheer with the women who endure much and gain success in various ways!
We have shy, beautiful gifted Lavinia who found her voice in a poetry outlet that allows her to escape her fears! She writes the release and finds bravery she needs to find love!
We also have Rose aka Mrs Wharton whose husband is now not the second son but heir to an Earldom! She is considered by her brother in law a brash American! She of course suffers because of this! Can she find her way back to love with her husband!?
We have also the bravest with a very abusive and violent husband! Mrs Eleanor Clarke married to a man who is vulgar and very unkind but they have a son! Eleanor would do anything for her son! Anything including face a lion in a lions den!
Lady Clara Chambers, Countess of Duxbury has issued these ladies an invitation to a Secret Book Society!
All have been curtailed in their reading in some form or another!
This invite will gain them freedom never before experienced in the mind, thoughts and values! Women of the Ton are notorious for their spiteful back biting ways! This is a chance for a real connection and a true sisterhood!
Each of these women have faced and will face trials but it is the bond of friendship that sees them through these challenges! Do get a handkerchief or a box of tissues for you will need them! Bravo! Very well done!

A beautiful period piece that emboldens women through friendship and a love for reading. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and look forward to more from the author.

Thank you to HTP, NetGalley and Madeline Martin for this advanced reader copy.

The book opens with a woman being whisked away to a “lunatic” asylum. She throws a boot out the window of her carriage, asking it be rushed to Lady Daxbury.

The story then jumps back a few months before — showing an invitation being sent by Lady Daxbury to three women in London Society. Each woman has been forbidden from reading for one reason or another. Eleanor Clarke suffers at the hand of an abusive husband who controls her every move. Rose Wharton is oppressed by a sickly brother in law who disapproves of her “American” ways. Lavinia Cavendish is threatened by her father to be removed to an asylum for her “hysteria.”

Over time, Lady Daxbury works to empower each woman to take charge of her own life. She hides a heartbreaking past and never discloses her reasons for helping the young women. The story follows the journeys of all four women. Whether or not they escape their fates is something left for readers to find out.

Martin’s writing draws out several different emotions from her readers. Anger and anguish at Eleanor’s suffering. A wistfulness at the dismissal of Rose’s strength. Along with a deep sense of sadness for Lavinia’s suppression of her feelings. Similarly, Martin draws out hope, joy, and empathy. She unites the struggles of Victorian women with the struggles of women today — creating a story that draws you in. It is impossible to not become invested in the journeys of all four women.

I highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy historical fiction and women’s fiction. But be prepared with a box of tissues because the story will destroy you in the best ways.

I picked up this book because I was intrigued by the premise of women banding together to discuss literature, something we as women could not do in the Victorian era. However, what the premise of the book doesn’t tell you is that this is a transformative experience that takes you back to the height of Victorian England and aristocratic society, resplendent with all its virtues and moral failings. Central to this work is the plight of women (albeit wealthy Caucasian women) in society, and their systemic mistreatment at the mercy of their fathers, brothers, husbands, and other male relations. However, this book also touches on aspects related to mental health and the perception of mental illnesses throughout history and the western world, which is something less enumerated in the literature.

I found this work to be captivating and the writing style very evocative of the Victorian era and their writers. The women of the story were colorfully imbibed, though a bit stiff and mechanical in their character tropes at times. As this is an unpublished advanced reader copy, I noticed some formatting and grammatical/spelling errors as well which I hope will be corrected prior to publication. In all though, I think this is an engaging and relatively fast paced work that is able to convey the depth of emotion and care for the female lived experience.

Title: The Secret Book Society
Author: Madeline Martin
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Lady Duxbury invites three young women to her home for tea. The motive: to give them a chance to escape back into the books that had been taken from them for different reasons by a man in their lives. One day, this secret book society is ripped apart when one of the women is sent to an asylum, devastating Lady Duxbury for the danger she put them in because of their common love of reading.

Takeaways:
1. As I learn more about Victorian times through books, I am convinced I would not be subdued and subservient like men expected of women. Of course, I’ve been raised 100 years past that time and we know generationally how things change in the way we present ourselves and speak. It makes for spots of anger when reading about constraints and double standards men put on their wives and daughters.
2. The power of one’s words are evident in this story. Our words can impact like the bite of pain or the comfort of a warmed blanket, but they cannot be taken back once uttered. There are men within this book that exhibit their greatest fear being a strong woman, so in order to maintain the higher hand, they hold the threat of an asylum to control one they view as weaker.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins/Hanover Square Press for the advanced copy. Opinions expressed are my own. This book will be published on August 26, 2025.

#netgalley #arc #bookstagram @madelinemartin @harpercollins @hanoversquarepress #TheSecretBookSociety

4.5 Stars!!
The Secret Book Society was a fantastic historical novel set during the Victorian Age. Lady Duxbury (three times a widow) sends out invitations to a secret book society. The women invited were forbidden to read and all three have been threatened with being admitted to an asylum. This was a common practice of this time period.
The women:
Eleanor Clark: abuse wife and mother
Rose Wharton: an American trying to find her place in society
Lavinia: a shy young woman at odds with her father
I felt the character development of each of the four main characters was well defined as I got a sense for their personal journey and self discovery. These were women learning to find a voice in an era when women did not have one. I was rooting for them! Be sure to read the author’s notes at the end as there is valuable insight to the story.
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this wonderful ARC.

I'm still coming down from the emotional impact of this book. Madeline Martin delivers a deeply moving story about sisterhood, motherhood, friendship,and the transformative power of literature-- all while shining a light on the inequality women have long endured. I love how she weaponized traditionally "vapid" female interests like fashion and reading to dismantle the power of men in the story. Martin delicately unpacks themes like domestic abuse, the suppression of female creativity, and the constant invalidation of women's emotions. What hit hardest was how timely it all felt-- we've made progress, yes, but the fight for equality is far from over. True change can only happen when women stand united. My only complaint? I wish it had been longer. I found myself completely absorbed and greedy for more time with these characters-- it was genuinely hard to say goodbye. This book is set to be released August 26th, and I highly recommended adding it to your TBR!

This was more like a 4.5 star read, and my oh my, it was A READ! Thank you for approving my ARC request and giving me the chance to read this poignant, beautiful and atmospheric book.

This book touched my heart and really spoke to me about the challenges people can go through, but mostly, the challenges we grow through. The connections we make, the bonds that both break and form, and the journeys we go through... this book just showcased them in such a way it feels magical. Friendship is such a huge theme in this book and it was done beautifully. I feel like I need time to reflect (and cry—in a good way), it was so powerful and well done.

I would have been in such trouble in Victorian times, what with my love of reading novels and all. The aforementioned book society is filled with special invitees who all face trouble, possibly even confinement in an asylum, if they're caught. Well written, gripping, and one I couldn't put down!

This book was right up my alley. In the Victorian era, women were afforded few choices - the author points out the only choice may have been what a woman wore. Women were not allowed to read for fear this would take away time from their duties as a housekeeper, wife and mother. And of course, to insure they didn't form their own opinions from any literature read. This was also the period of time that women could be admitted to insane asylums with very little proof of hysteria. All of these struggles were addressed by the author.

The Lady Duxbury has led a storied life with her past three husbands now dead. The details of these marriages were revealed thoughtfully in stages throughout the book. Lady Duxbury befriended three ladies who she invited to a secret book club as she has an extensive library that was left to her. The three ladies all benefit from the friendships formed and the insightful support provided by Lady Duxbury. The main theme reiterated throughout the book was that women standing together can accomplish much. There's just so little to be gained by women who try to tear others down to maintain their status in society.

Thanks to Net Galley, the publisher and the author for an advanced copy of The Secret Book Society.

Admittedly, historical fiction is not my favorite genre but sometimes descriptions stand out and the plot overshadows its time period. It’s a balance for me and in this regard the book was a success. I enjoyed reading about the in and out of the Victorian time period for sure but the execution of the book itself is where I was challenged.

I find it really hard to believe that after everything that went down (which was fairly predictable and it was like if Hallmark delved into historical fiction) it was all tied up in neat little bows? The impact of everything they supposedly went through was thrown out the window!

On the good side of it for those that love the era, it’s a fluffy place to pass the time and it’s an early copy so hopefully the prose will be fixed a bit before publication. I felt like I was reading a Bridgerton fanfic side story. Take the concept and throw books at it.

Sadly it just didn’t work for me but it goes beyond that where it didn’t meet its goal.

I am thankful to have gotten a complimentary eARC from Hanover Square Press through NetGalley to read which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.

My general rating system is below. Since I primarily read ARC books I rate according to how I think like minded readers will receive the book. I will round up or down depending on many factors and try not to let my personal wants affect a books ratings.

⭐️ Hated It but pushed through as so don’t DNF ARCs I have received.
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, content issues, poorly edited.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but it had something that stopped me from rounding up. Usually the book may have much more potential than what was given. I recommend it but with reservations.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I Really enjoyed it or think others will. These are solid reads that I definitely would recommend for a variety of reasons.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! These are books that remain rent free in my head for well after unfinished the book. It can be for a variety of reasons from being very well written or just the vibes that captured my mind. These books are also ones I would probably read again.

A little bit of a slow start but I enjoyed this one- I love Madeline Martins historical fiction and I’ve read most of her WW2 stories, this was a good departure from that. All the women were great characters and I was really rooting for them. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc! 3.75 stars

What a great book and such a historical background feel to it that was very Downton Abbey, which made it even cozier to read.

I found myself completely engrossed in this story and the stories of its characters immediately. By the end of the prologue I was hooked. I could not stop turning the pages. I liked that Lady Duxbury had used the wealth she had amassed over the years to help those less fortunate than her and to encourage women to stand up for themselves and each other. I especially enjoyed the characters of Rose and Lavinia. And I liked watching the women and their friendships grow over the course of the novel.

The Secret Book Society is a heartfelt, stirring celebration of female solidarity and the courage to speak and read freely, When the time was an age designed to keep women silent. Its emotional core and rich period detail that will resonate deeply with readers who appreciate thoughtful, character-driven storytelling and the quiet power of books. Absolutely loved this story

Thank you to netgalley for providing this eARC,

I think I’m going to give this book a 4/6… maybe a 3.5, I’m not quite sure…
This review is going to be full of spoilers, so read at your own risk.


This story centers around 4 women and their horrible families. One has a horrible father, intent on sending her to an asylum because she feels emotions too deeply (Lavinia). Another has a husband who has been verbally cruel to her as he crumbles under the weight of his Count brother’s expectations (Rose), and a third who has a truly abusive husband, who beats her and keeps her away from her child, running his house with such an iron fist that the servants are terrified to even be kind to the beaten wife (Eleanor). The last woman, the mysterious Lady Duxbury, has had three husbands, all of whom die under mysterious circumstances.

The three women are invited by Lady Duxbury to attend a tea party afternoon house while being invited to join the “secret book society”. The 3 women have been restricted in their reading by their husbands/father, and this is a place for them to read freely, become friends, share secrets, and build a trust that normally wouldn’t be encouraged in this Society. After a half a dozen or so meetings, the four become good friends, feeling confident in themselves and each other to share secrets, fears, and hopes.

Through Eleanor, we are given the secrets to Lady Duxbury’s past via the lady’s journal. She gives permission for Eleanor to read it. In it, we the reader, are given the whole tale of Duxbury’s past and her three husbands, her great love, and her betrayal by the one she thought was her dear friend.

Part of this secret society Duxbury brings them to her country house and shows them her secret poison garden. And here I thought “ah, maybe she has killed her husbands after all! Maybe one of these other women will kill their husband!” Alas, while it’s heavily implied that Duxbury killed her husbands, there is no confirmation. The ladies are also taught how to fight with their hatpins.

The ending of this story made me roll my eyes a bit, as it was all wrapped up nicely with a bow, without very much effort.
SPOILERS
But…. Rose and her husband make up, the brother-in-law grudgingly accepts her.
Lavinia’s father doesn’t send her to an asylum, even though he basically had the carriage ready to go (reading poetry by men saved her… really? That’s all it took? And a conversation between her mom and dad? Mom! Where’ve you been this whole time???)
Eleanor, however, IS sent to an asylum, and her time there is short. We’re told it’s 5 days, but we only see one night/day where the horrors seemed to be glossed over and lasted very few pages. She’s pushed, knocks into someone, and then is accused of starting the fight by the asylum’s troublemaker/murderess. So Eleanor is then pulled away, chained to a wall, and has water blasted on her for 12 minutes. After that she is drugged to sleep and the chapter ends. But unlike Lavinia’s deep, expressive emotions, Eleanor’s seems flat, and we don’t come back to her until she’s rescued by her friends.

I really wasn’t expecting Lavinia’s father and Rose’s husband to turn out to be “good”. I honestly thought they’d continued to be threatened and all three would poison their men with the plants from Duxbury’s garden. I was disappointed that no one was poisoned.. Though a case could be made that the dates Eleanor’s husband ate WERE poisoned, but we don’t know for certain.

The story ends with everyone happy and the future looking bright for all of them. Then a woman arrives at Duxbury’s for tea, a woman who had been invited to the beginning of the secret book society, but never attended.

There was another “bad guy” the Lady Meddleson, and her name fits her as she WAS a meddler, couldn’t keep her big nose out of other peoples’ business… And ruined a friendship and a reputation or two along the way.

The book felt very short, and when I looked it up, it was! Only 336 pages, no wonder I finished it in two days lol.

A note I took when I first started, that I wanted to keep because it made me laugh looking back at it:
Prologue June 1895, I think it’s a flash forward and the book will be a flashback.
It’s only a flashback of 2 months?!? It all went to shit pretty quickly then.

“And we women are, after all, too frail to handle the excitement of a novel. Why, that might lead to bouts of hysteria.”

A captivating and beautifully written story about women helping women. At a time when a woman who spoke her mind was thrown into an asylum for hysteria to never be seen again, her only hope is a sisterhood of like-minded women. I love that this story was about the empowerment of women through story. The books the women read in secret gave them the courage to change their situation and forge a new path for future generations.

The Secret Book Society is a tale about repressed women in the 1800's who gather secretly to read while finding comfort and strength in one another's company and experiences. Women being sent away to asylums at the whim of their husbands due to speaking their minds was a sore spot of the story. It was at times hard to read, given our current political climate and the injustices women still face today.

*I was given an ARC from Net Galley for an honest review.

3.5 🌟

While I was intrigued by the Victorian setting, I found the story a bit lackluster. For some reason I found the characters hard to separate and remember and also didn't find them as strong as I like my fmcs. A slow moving story with not much happening except ladies getting together for tea and reading. Cute premise, but not enough substance for me.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advance digital copy of this book.

The Secret Book Society is a captivating read that will have you going back in time to the fascinating story that takes place in London during the Victorian era.

Women had no rights back then and reading was one of the forbidden pleasures.

Lady Duxbury is not having that and she secretly sends out inviations to a few select women.

If they are found out the consquences are dire. (How I would have loved to join this group of women. )

This group of women share more than the power of books. They all have a story to tell and together they learn strength, tenactiy and not only the power of the written word but the power of friendshp.

Madeline Martin writes beautifully and I felt like I was sitting in the library with the ladies and on the mission to save their friend.

I hated this book to end.

The Secret Book Society will no doubt be a Book Club Selection for many Book Clubs.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harelquin Tade Publishing /Hanover Square Press for the privilege to read and review this fascinating book The Secret Book Society.