Tired Ladies Take a Stand

by Gretchen Anthony

You've heard of Year of Yes. Introducing... Year of No.

During one unforgettable year in their twenties, best friends Emma, Fern, Carolina, and Andi make a pact to embrace whatever life throws at them, inspiring Fern to write a memoir detailing their escapades and the magical power of saying Yes.

But fast forward twenty years and they have reached their bandwidth of responsibilities. Fern is a full-time writer struggling to pay the bills. Carolina is a fitness-obsessed workaholic. Andi is a disillusioned human rights lawyer. And Emma is a stressed-out divorcée in the thick of planning her daughter’s wedding. To reconnect to the fun, fulfilled women they were before, they must learn how to stop saying Yes to everything asked of them. And so begins the "Year of No."

Heartfelt, emotionally perceptive and sharply funny, Tired Ladies Take a Stand celebrates the bonds of female friendship and women reclaiming their autonomy in a world that expects them to do it all.

Genres: Fiction, Book Club, Chick Lit, Contemporary, Audiobook, Adult

336 pages, Paperback

Published May 14, 2024

About the author

GRETCHEN ANTHONY is a speaker, humorist, and author of Tired Ladies Take a Stand, a book that the Minneapolis Star Tribune predicted “will almost certainly be snapped up by books clubs everywhere.” Her previous titles include The Book Haters’ Book Club, and Evergreen Tidings from the Baumgartners. Her novel The Kids Are Gonna Ask received the 2021 Alex Award from the American Library. She lives in Minneapolis with her family, where she stays on the hunt for a good story while listening to 70’s classic rock and scouting a great Manhattan.

She also hosts The Middle Book Club, a virtual book club dedicated to reading novels that feature midlife heroines.
Find us online: https://bit.ly/3XeX7hP
Find us on Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3LoSeQK

Follow Gretchen on BookBub https://bit.ly/3yfnqf0

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https://amzn.to/3WCYGGQ

Reviews

[Elisa Forshey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m here for the middle-aged revelations novels! Coming-of-age stories are all well and good, but give me the stories of women who are DONE. Done working too hard for too little recognition, done with deadbeat bosses, done looking for Me Right, done waiting for things to “calm down a little”. Bring on the stories of women who are kicking ass and taking names! And bring on the love stories of well-seasoned relationships, ripe and full of flavor❤️ Loved this book❤️❤️

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A moving, highly relatable novel about four middle aged friends exhausted with their lives and the various bullshit related to demanding jobs, parenting and marital troubles. I loved this book and highly recommend it to fans of the movie, The first wives club. Strong female characters taking back their power are always a hit for me and I imagine this would make a great book club pick. Good on audio too narrated by Gail Shalan. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

[Janene Martens · Rating 2 out of 5]

I struggled getting into the book and had to restart the audio and take it extra slow during the character introductions. There were too many backstories and on audio it was really tough to follow the shifts in POV.

I really thought the book was going to be about saying no to everything that could cause stress. While the women did say no, it was not like I envisioned. Saying yes when someone else agrees to say yes was active and fun. Saying no was more passive.

I also expected more from the women in terms of supporting one another. I was disappointed in some of their actions. This was a book club read and while I cannot attend the book club meeting I think it will provide a lot of discussion points.

[Grace Atkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was fine. The last 100 pages were a skim. Good character writing and good episodic storytelling, but the greater plot was kind of meh. The Golden Girls did it better lol, but not bad for a book blind date

[Angela bookish_mamabear on IG · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book about friendship and loyalty! There are so many relatable stories and I laughed often. This is a feel good book!!

[Nancy H · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun book! This book tells the story of four friends who all have situations and lives that are somewhat difficult. Their friendship has survived decades of ups and downs as they have now reached another set of crises that may truly test their friendship forever. There is humor, sadness, family drama, but most of all, four women who truly know what is important in life. This novel is so excellent that I read it in one day!

[Andrea Grift · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75⭐️

[Rhonda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here's to saying no!

[Assunta · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Shannon (The Book Club Mom) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Happy Publication Day to Gretchen Anthony for Tired Ladies Take a Stand! I first discovered Gretchen’s writing when my IRL book club read one of her earlier novels, Evergreen Tidings from the Baumgartners a few years ago. So, when Gretchen reached out to me about reading her latest, I couldn’t say YES fast enough!

When I turned 40, so many wise and wonderful women in my life told me that I’d really start to feel comfortable in my own skin at this age, and stop caring so much about what people thought of me. (They were correct.) The women in this novel are in their early 50s, and have fully embraced this mentality! They’re tired of people-pleasing, picking up the slack, and being expected to do it all! They’re ready to live life for themselves without feeling selfish about it. Sounds liberating, right?

In true Gretchen Anthony form, this novel is funny as heck. I laughed, giggled, and may have even snorted a few times. It made me think of the women in my life who I’m proud to call friends, and also strive to be more like these characters!

READ THIS IF YOU ENJOY:

- Multiple perspectives
- Strong and long-lasting female friendship
- Mature/middle-aged characters
- Themes of motherhood and marriage
- Hardworking career women
- Juicy drama and entertainment
- Hilarious and witty banter

If you’re a big fan of friendship fiction, you gotta grab a copy of this one! Out today! 4/5 stars!

[Sharyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I saw this author at the Palm Springs Readers festival. If any of you live in the Coachella Valley, this is an annual festival put on by The Best bookstore in Palm Springs. If you visit you must stop in there. As I was watching Gretchen speak, I went to Hoopla (a great library app) and downloaded the book. However, as the book has several characters narrating chapters, as well as going back and forth in time, this might be a better read. What I liked about it is the characters are in their 50's and have lived interesting lives. The friendship among the women has lasted for over 25 years. The main tension is that Fern has written a book about their twenties, and they aren't all happy about it.

[Sheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Tired Ladies Take a Stand” by Gretchen Anthony was an engaging and delightful read. It is a story about the deep and lasting friendships of women who met in college and have now reached the age where they realize the importance and value of really being there to support each other. For all of us who have reached a certain maturity, this book reminds us of all the years we spent saying Yes to make everyone else happy, family, work, marriage and friendships. Ultimately the women in the book realize that for themselves and each others future happiness learning to say No gives them the strength to deal with the challenges and joy of the years ahead..The characters are wonderful, the writing heartfelt and honest. I really enjoyed reading this book!

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Arynn Acdan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tired Ladies Take a Stand by Gretchen Anthony is a story about the power of boundaries and saying no. It is also a story about female friendships between four women in their 50s. I stumbled upon this book at the public library and I thought that this was a cute premise. This was a nice and lighthearted novel. I thought that characters could have been fleshed out a little more, but I enjoyed the dynamics between them. To me, this is a slow-medium paced novel. Overall, not a bad novel, but not one of the most exciting ones that I have came across lately.

[nessa · Rating 2 out of 5]

na teoria, toda a ideia de saber "dizer não" era uma ideia maravilhosa. na prática, acho que não foi assim tão bem conseguido. ou pelo menos, dentro de como eu imaginei que seria.

custou-me muito entrar na história, e perdi-me na mesma várias vezes. muitas personagens, muitas backstories, muitas coisas a acontecer ao mesmo tempo - achei demasiado.

[Marlies · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was fine. An easy, light listen. Glad I did audio rather than reading it. Just not quite my style but I enjoyed the message - it was kinda like having wine with four older ladies telling their story and sharing some life lessons and advice 🤷🏻‍♀️

[Sydney Walters · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was Femininomenon in book form. Such a fun, lighthearted book! I wish there was a bit more structure to the plot and loose ends tied together, but overall, this is a must read for all my ladies!

[cate · Rating 3 out of 5]

taylor swift reading challenge
⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂ ⠂⠄⠄⠂☆
long live — read a book about loyalty or friendship

this had potential up until the moment middle-aged women started referring to other women as "females" and talking to each other like they're writing an article for buzzfeed

[Cari · Rating 4 out of 5]

Booklist review to come!

[Sam Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sweet story about girlhood/ womanhood and female friendships. It dragged and was kind of boring and mundane but maybe that’s the point??

[Therese · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5!!!

[Marti · Rating 3 out of 5]

Borrowed on Hoopla through JCPL
Listening length eight hr 30 min

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! My 9 year old picked it out for me. It’s an easy read. It’s light hearted and just a book of pure friendship. Loved it!

[Stacia Vega · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tired Ladies Take a Stand by Gretchen Anthony
.
During one unforgettable year in their twenties, a group of friends made a pact to embrace whatever life threw at them. Now twenty years later these friends are struggling with their various responsibilities and situations in life.
.
What I liked:
-I loved how these women were in my age range, it really made this story come alive for me and I felt a lot of what these women were feeling.
-I love books with strong friend groups. It was so hopeful to see how these friends really had each others backs, despite some hurt feelings and strong emotions.
.
4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The audiobook was really good!

[HTP Books]

Humorous Fiction, Women's Fiction, Feminist

[Sara Schreiber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious and touching. This book of friendship and support and unconditional love was riveting and warm. I read it to my mother who felt kinship with all the characters. It was wonderful to share with her. I love stories of female friendship, and this one made me feel like a part of the group. Beautiful and a great shared experience with my mom.

[Toni Azad · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the title and was hoping for something that really explored what it is like to be exhausted from life and how to take a stand and opt for a different path. But the book was superficial, the writing rambled and contained so much superfluous information about the characters. I appreciated the story of many years of friendship between the women, but I did not find their individual stories compelling. The basic premise isn’t a bad one, but for me this book was not well executed.

[Mrs. VanHorn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick read about the power of friendship--from first heartaches, first jobs, first marriages, first children, first divorce, etc. Emma, Fern, Andi, and Carolina have know each other for decades and when life becomes overwhelming, they support each other as they learn when to say "no" and when to say "yes" to life's opportunities and demands.

[Jenny K · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a novel about female friendship, and if you like fun books about girl power, you'll like this.
I have mixed thoughts about it. It started out strong, and the four women friends are all real. likeable, developed characters, each with her own characterization and story. The writing is excellent and engaging.
However, I felt like it fell short in some important places. The plot was thin. The novel was more about each person's struggles and wins in her own life, with some chapters pulling them together. There were also chapters interspersed with stories about how the friends met and what happened to them in their single days. It kind of jumps from each girl's story to the next, and you have to remember what's happening at each point.
I also found the ending to be very anticlimactic. Instead of the expected confrontation and culmination, the problem that was building up just....disappeared. I would have loved to see the friends do some power move to demonstrate their bond. That would have been satisfying. There's just this bland finish. Also, Doris...people that horrible don't really exist! Do they? She didn't have much nuance.
I enjoyed reading this, but it could have packed a stronger punch.

3.5 stars rounded down to 3.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for an advanced copy for review. All opinions are my own.

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fern, Andi, Carolina and Emma have been friends for twenty years. Their lives have changed since their twenties but they have maintained and celebrated their friendship. Andi is passionate and wants to save her abused clients while her husband and son have problems at home. Carolina runs marathons to manage the stress at work. Emma is planning her daughter’s perfect weeding, while Fern…Fern has just has had her book “Smart Girls Say Yes” optioned as a movie. She wrote this collection of essays years ago but it has now been popularized by the TikTok generation. There’s one problem. Fern used her friend’s real names in her essays and there were some potentially embarrassing moments. And how does Fern deal with this problem? She doesn’t tell them. She knows that she will have to but that doesn’t happen until there have been there have been physical injuries, MeToo moments, revelations, tough decisions and more.

Tired Ladies Take a Stand is a quick, fun read that will appeal to all women. We all want to have close friends who will love and support us. We would all like the friendship Fern, Andi, Carolina and Emma have. And who wouldn’t want to play “buy Me a Drink BINGO?” 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing and Gretchen Anthony for this ARC.

[Jacque Dalton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kinda a fun twist on the whole “year of yes” concept — which they did in their twenties! These 50 year olds are entering their year of no! I love that they’ve been friends since their 20s and I think anyone with a long term friend group would love how easily their friendship works despite not being perfect. The true representation of when friends become family — you’re bound to fight!

Sprinkled in are excerpts from the book that one of the friends published! A book within a book, so fun.

Overall, these Tired Ladies really did Take a Stand! This novel is so realistic which is nice for a beachy read. Not a ton of wild conflict, mostly mundane things that we’ve heard of. Horrible, cheating husband, kiddo is starting to do bad in school, work a holic mom, annoying neighbors, the whole thing. Very cozy! We do get a lot of backstory of how they were in their twenties which helped me feel connected with the characters and how they’ve changed.

The ending had me audibly laughing😆😆 The perfect way to wrap it all up!

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for an ARC of this book that got released yesterday! A perfect palette cleanser.