I received a digital arc from the publisher via Netgalley though all thoughts are my own.

This is a story set in the late 1800s about four women who all appear to live a privileged life and yet are trapped in cages due to the restrictions placed on women during that time due to the pressures of society and the men in charge who often treated women as inferior.

It was interesting getting the background on each of the women and how their struggles were one of many things that brought the women closer while being a part of The Secret Book Society that is run by a woman who has recently found a form of freedom after her husband died.

Seeing the abuse and bitter pills that women had to swallow was hard to read about but also important as it showed how these women were able to blossom once they found support in each other and refused to continue to take things lying down.

I highly recommend this book if you enjoy the elements I've mentioned about this story, the bonds of friendship and how help can often come from unexpected places.

Trigger warnings: domestic abuse, mistreatment at asylums, forced admittance to an asylum, oppression of women, death of a child, death of spouses, death of loved ones

In Victorian London, three women trapped in oppressive marriages are drawn into a secret book club hosted by the enigmatic Lady Duxbury. Within its walls, they discover friendship, freedom, and the courage to confront the dangerous secrets that could cost them everything.

Once again, we have historical fiction where men are oppressing women because they’re afraid the women might be smarter than them (spoiler: they were). At that time, men kept control by dangling the constant threat of institutionalization over their wives and daughters, declaring them “hysterical” whenever it suited them. Most of the men in this story are cruel, and the things they do made me furious, which only made me root harder for the women’s liberation.

The women themselves are so well developed and interesting, and Madeline Martin does a wonderful job making me care deeply about them. I loved how they cared for each other with such tenderness under Lady Duxbury’s encouragement and guidance. This ended up being a beautiful book about the power of female friendship and the way books connect us.

I listened to the audiobook, and Saskia Maarleveld once again proved why she’s one of the very best narrators out there. She gave each character a distinct, compelling voice, adding even more depth to the story. I thoroughly enjoyed every moment.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for the gift of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

In Victorian London, women were considered the property of their husbands or fathers. Many activities were frowned upon, including reading for pleasure, and even spousal abuse was tolerated.

Lady Duxbury, a thrice-widowed countess, invites four trapped women to a secret book society disguised as a tea party. At these gatherings, the women are given the freedom to choose books, gain the courage to face their lives, and form lifelong friendships.

A beautifully written story that highlights the healing power of books and female friendship. I loved it.

Thank you to Hanover Square Press and NetGalley for the early read in exchange for an honest review.

I am going to preface my review with the fact that I do not typically love historical fiction. That being said, I thought the premise of this story was incredibly intriguing and promising. Women during a time when books were not available for females and men called the shots who sought secret access to books is a great concept. I liked the female empowerment message of the book and the overall writing was well executed. I think what lost me was the fact that it took place in Victorian London. It's not a setting that jives with me. I knew this going in but wanted to give it a try. Therefore, my issues connecting with this book are definitely a "me problem" and think that for readers who appreciate historical settings and girl power vibes, this is definitely a must read. Thanks NetGalley for this arc!

In Victorian England, women were under the thumbs of their fathers and husbands. They were expected to conform and had few rights and freedoms. In this historical novel, Lady Duxbury invites three trapped women to join her Secret Book Society, where they will have access to her large reading library. While secretly reading the books they love, the women discover their inner strengths and form a strong friendship with each other.

I found the beginning of the book repetitive and depressing and almost stopped reading. I am so glad that I continued with the story. I enjoyed learning how each of these women successfully gained freedom from her trapped life.

Thank you, Harlequin Trade Publishing and Net Galley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my comments.

I really enjoyed this historical fiction! I think the store is applicable to today, and really enjoyed all the characters. Their journeys were all different but equally interesting. The flashbacks in the beginning had the book start off very fast but the stories felt really relatable. A must read for reading lovers.

I really liked this book. It drew me in from the start. The characters were so interesting and well-developed. Even the unlikable ones. Would definitely read more from this author!

I've read most of Madeline Martin's historical "bookish" novels (she also has several historical romance series but I haven't read any of them). All of the ones I've read (there's only one I haven't read) have been set during WWII. I assumed this one would be too. I was a little surprised and worried. The Victorian Era is not really a period I care for.

Because of the time period, I had trouble getting into the novel. The chapters rotate to focus on one of the main characters - Rose, Eleanor, and Lavinia. It took a while to remember which character was which because when addressed by the other characters, it would be Mrs. Wharton and Mrs. Clarke (Lavinia was referred to as Lady Lavinia), but in their chapters is was Rose and Eleanor so it was confusing.

I also struggled because it seemed that all the men in the book were awful. I know women didn't have a lot of freedoms and were often married off for reasons other than love, but surely not all men of that time hated their wives and wanted to control every little thing.

But as I learned more about the women and their lives, I became invested in their stories. Between that and the pretty big hook presented in the prologue, I found myself devouring large chunks of the book.

The ending was satisfying, and the whole book was entertaining.

My review is published at Girl Who Reads - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2025/08/the-secret-book-society-by-madeline.html

I really enjoyed this one! I don’t read too much historical fiction but this one just called to me. I loved the idea of women creating a secret book club while under the scrutiny of men. I easily felt a connection to each woman and was really invested in their story. Their characters arcs were so freeing and inspiring. I honestly couldn’t imagine what life was like for women in the Victorian era. Books are an escape from life for me so being told I couldn’t read would be awful. This book really explores strong and resilient women in the face of oppression and power. It also explores friendship and the importance of the support they contribute. Highly recommend for all the book lovers, feminists, and those who want an empowering read ♡

If you’re looking for a book with Taylor Swift’s TTPD vibes, look no further. This is truly a story you cannot put down and one this fires up the female rage within us.

Set in Victorian London, where women were to be seen but not heard and literature was banned for fear of causing women to be “hysterical”. Lady Duxbury takes 3 women, all fighting very different but also similar struggles, under her wing by creating a secret book society disguised as weekly afternoon tea.

This book will open your eyes and show you how far we’ve come, but also how quickly it can be taken away if we don’t stand up, speak out, and work together.

“What started with books and freedom became a sisterhood.”

Girl Power in Victorian London looks vastly different from what I imagined! In Madeline Martin’s new novel readers get to take a look behind the velvet curtain of the British elite, revealing some nefarious details of the time.

The single timeline historical fiction book opens with an invitation to tea at the posh residence of Lady Duxbury, a three time widow who continues to stir up rumors among the landed gentry. We meet three of her guests Eleanor Clarke, Rose Wharton and Lavinia Cavendish, who share a love for literature and a desire to hide their secrets. But it turns out in a world of finery, jewels and opulence women aren’t just restricted by their corsets.

With perfect pacing and Jane Austen influence, this new novel was a delightful return to Ms. Martin’s excellent writing.

Thank you Hanover Square Press for the early digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

First off, The Secret Book Society would make a fantastic book club pick! Madeline Martin, known for her gripping WWII historical fiction, masterfully transports readers to Victorian England in The Secret Book Society. This novel is a tribute to female resilience and the transformative power of friendship. The bond between Eleanor, Rose, Lavinia, and Lady Duxbury is heartwarming and empowering, showcasing how women can lift each other up in a society designed to keep them down. Martin’s research shines, immersing readers in the restrictive world of Victorian high society, where even the books women read were policed. The characters’ journeys are deeply moving, and the subtle mystery surrounding Lady Duxbury adds a thrilling subplot.

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 Harlequin Trade Publishing and Netgalley for the digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This novel is set against the backdrop of Victorian London, where women were forbidden from reading, due to it giving them 'wild ideas', such as using their voice. Lady Duxbury, a young widow three times over, invites three women to join her weekly to come to her home to discuss books. Each woman is dealing with some form of oppression in her home or marriage, and each chapter we learn a little more about why Lady Duxbury chose them. The women quickly form a strong bond with one another as they begin to understand they aren't alone, and that their oppression is real. When one of the women is placed in an asylum, the Secret Book Society team up to rescue her.

I have not read anything by Ms. Martin before now, but I really enjoyed her writing style. The characters are layered, we have a good understanding of the time that we are reading about, and how the women themselves reading is incredibly dangerous for them. We feel each woman's frustration as they try to navigate husbands and fathers that don't want the women to read because of their 'delicate natures,' and 'forming opinions.'

This book is for every reader who had a novel, poem, essay, short story, save their life. 5 stars.

intense, intent-filled, and quite interesting historical fiction filled with some interesting characters and some intense decisions. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

I don’t typically seek out historical fiction, but this book caught my attention because an all-female forbidden book club set in Victorian London sounded too good to pass up!

The prologue offers a glimpse of a key moment that comes much later in the story: one of the book club members is being taken against their will to an asylum! The mystery of who it is and why becomes a central thread throughout the novel.

Chapter One opens just two months before that event in April 1895. The reader is introduced to Eleanor Clarke as she receives a mysterious invitation to join the Secret Book Society. Outwardly, she appears to be the perfect Victorian lady and is admired by many. But behind closed doors, she is a suffocated wife and mother, physically and emotionally abused by her controlling husband.

In Chapter Two, we meet Rose Wharton — an American adjusting to life in London after marrying her British husband. She struggles to fit into society’s expectations, and her home life is far from ideal, especially as her husband is being groomed for higher social status.

Next comes Lavinia Cavendish, who reluctantly takes her mother’s place in the Secret Book Society. She’s viewed as odd and frequently judged for her behavior. With a family history of mental illness (her grandmother was committed to an asylum), Lavinia fears she may meet the same fate.

Lady Clara Duxbury, the founder and host of the Secret Book Society, gradually brings these three very different, yet surprisingly similar, women together. In this era, women were not free to speak their minds. They were expected to behave a certain way or risk being diagnosed with hysteria and institutionalized. Reading books was believed to corrupt women’s thoughts and was often discouraged. Lady Clara is determined to defy those norms by giving women the freedom to read whatever they choose and speak without fear.

I really enjoyed how the story alternates between each of the three women’s points of view. The transitions are seamless, and their stories frequently overlap as their friendships deepen. Each character is unique, well-developed, and compelling in her own right.

The epilogue, told from Lady Clara’s perspective, offers a refreshing change of pace and brings the story to a satisfying close. I also appreciated the author's note, which provided historical context about asylums and the rampant misuse of “hysteria” diagnoses to control women during this period. It was disturbing yet important to learn how easily men could have women committed for being “difficult” or simply nonconforming.

Overall, I found this book beautifully written, with rich characters and a well-balanced pace that kept me engaged from start to finish. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction centered on strong women challenging societal norms and rewriting their own stories.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and Hanover Square Press for the opportunity to read an advanced reader's copy of this book for an honest review.

Interesting look at women’s rights and the threat of the insane asylum for women in Victorian England. Really liked the characters and the sisterhood between them.

I teach an undergraduate class on storytelling for journalism majors -- it's called How Stories Work and it's meant to help first and second year students understand the power of story. This book brings that idea to life as we watch the impact of story on the lives of the characters in this book.

Set in Victorian London, The Secret Book Society brings together four women—Eleanor, Rose, Lavinia -- each invited by the enigmatic Lady Duxbury. All four women love of books (and each of Lady Duxbury's invitees lack free access to them). This invitation, and the "society" Lady Duxbury creates, sparks something much bigger than an afternoon tea.

On the surface, these women live in comfort. In reality, each is trapped—by husbands, fathers, and a society designed to keep them silent. Isolated and lonely, they find in each other what they’ve been missing: friendship, courage, and the space to imagine a different future. The stories they read empower them, bond them, and—bit by bit—help them break free.

Martin captures the period so vividly that you can feel the weight of a corset and the sharper weight of societal judgment. You fear for Eleanor, ache for Lavinia, hold hope for Rose, and cry for Lady Duxbury's losses. It’s a story about the way books can crack open a closed world, and the way women—when they gather—can burn it down entirely.

A powerful, heartfelt novel.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing | Hanover Square Press for access to this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

Well, this might be my first Madeline Martin historical fiction, but I promise you all that it won't be my last. Victorian London is just one of those code words that heighten my reader's senses. Add forbidden book clubs and women who do not want to be defined by societal norms, and I cannot resist.

Let me tell you, it was worth the insomnia that struck me at 2 a.m. to read this title on my Kindle app. From the beginning, I had a sense that this book would keep me going until sunrise. I may have dark circles under my eyes as I head to town to pay bills and get our groceries, but Lady Duxbury, Rose Wharton, Eleanor Clarke, and Lady Lavinia Cavendish made it all worthwhile. At times, I was terrified for their welfare as it seemed like a lunatic asylum was on all their menfolk's tongues. The author's information about this subject was quite fascinating.

It is Lady Duxbury who sends the invitations to the other women. Whispered in some circles as a "black widow" because she has outlived three husbands, Lady D also has a habit of employing men and women in her household who are not necessarily society's first choice.

Eleanor Clarke suffers greatly at the hands of her husband, Cecil, but her love for her little son, William, keeps her steady.

Rose Wharton is an American who married a younger son of a proud British family. It is a love match, but now, with his eldest brother's illness, Rose is constantly told that she will never measure up in English society.

Lady Lavinia lives with the constant fear that her grandmother's fate will become her own, but she longs to be free.

I came to love all these women, and to be honest, as I write this review, I must confess how much I miss them.

An outstanding historical fiction!






Expected Publication Date 26/08/25
Goodreads Review Date 14/08/25
#TheSecretBookSocietyTheHive #NetGalley.

I was so grabbed by this book that I finished it in one day. I love Madeline Martin's books, and this one is the best yet.
Three young women receive an invitation to what is supposedly an afternoon tea, but is in reality a mysterious book club. Women are not allowed to read because the wrong books can cause hysteria and upset fragile female minds - or so the men think. Led by the lovely thrice widowed Lady Duxbury, three young women gain access to a marvelous library....and wonderful supportive friendships. Young Lavinia is creative and passionate but terrified out in public at the balls required of young women of her station. Eleanor's husband is a beast, physically and emotionally abusive, and not above using their young son as a tool to manipulate and punish Eleanor for the slightest perceived infraction. And Rose is an American, terribly in love with her husband but viewed by high society as an interloper. When her brother in law (who is viscount or similar) is diagnosed with a terminal disease her husband has to step up and prepare to become the next viscount. And her brother in law resents American Rose and nothing she does will ever be appropriate for a wife of the nobility. Lady Duxbury takes all three under her wing and they all find support and encouragement in each other.

This is one of those books where you cheer for the heroines and hiss at the villains. Not everyone is as they seem and there are plenty of high society folks not to like. But Lavinia, Rose, Eleanor and Lady Duxbury rise to the occasion for each other. it's a great girl power story. Don't miss this book!