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The Book Club for Troublesome Women
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Historical Fiction (2025)Four dissatisfied sixties-era housewives form a book club turned sisterhood that will hold fast amid the turmoil of a rapidly changing world and alter the course of each of their lives.
By early 1960s standards, Margaret Ryan, Viv Buschetti, and Bitsy Cobb, suburban housewives in a brand-new "planned community" in Northern Virginia, appear to have it all. The fact that "all" doesn't feel like enough leaves them feeling confused and guilty, certain the fault must lie with them. Things begin to change when they form a book club with Charlotte Gustafson--the eccentric and artsy "new neighbor" from Manhattan--and read Betty Friedan's just-released book, The Feminine Mystique.
Controversial and groundbreaking, the book struck a chord with an entire generation of women, helping them realize that they weren't alone in their dissatisfactions, or their longings, lifting their eyes to new horizons of possibility and achievement. Margaret, Charlotte, Bitsy, and Viv are among them. But is it really the book that alters the lives of these four very different women? Or is it the bond of sisterhood that helps them find courage to confront the past, navigate turmoil in a rapidly changing world, and see themselves in a new and limitless light?
By early 1960s standards, Margaret Ryan, Viv Buschetti, and Bitsy Cobb, suburban housewives in a brand-new "planned community" in Northern Virginia, appear to have it all. The fact that "all" doesn't feel like enough leaves them feeling confused and guilty, certain the fault must lie with them. Things begin to change when they form a book club with Charlotte Gustafson--the eccentric and artsy "new neighbor" from Manhattan--and read Betty Friedan's just-released book, The Feminine Mystique.
Controversial and groundbreaking, the book struck a chord with an entire generation of women, helping them realize that they weren't alone in their dissatisfactions, or their longings, lifting their eyes to new horizons of possibility and achievement. Margaret, Charlotte, Bitsy, and Viv are among them. But is it really the book that alters the lives of these four very different women? Or is it the bond of sisterhood that helps them find courage to confront the past, navigate turmoil in a rapidly changing world, and see themselves in a new and limitless light?
Audiobook
First published April 22, 2025
About the author
Marie Bostwick
32 books2,438 followersMarie Bostwick is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of uplifting historical and contemporary fiction. She lives in the state of Washington and travels frequently to sign books, speak to reading groups, and meet her readers. Keep up with Marie, her travels, new releases and lifestyle blog, Fiercely Marie, at www.mariebostwick.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 17,042 reviews
February 13, 2025
What must it feel like to be like that, a woman who wasn’t afraid to make demands or stir up trouble?
I really wish I could say I liked this book more than I did. The premise is great-- a perfect antidote to tradwife nonsense --but the story itself is inconsistent, both in terms of pacing and characterization.
The Book Club for Troublesome Women is set in 1963, shortly after the publication of The Feminine Mystique. A group of suburban housewives in Virginia start a book club and their first pick is Friedan's new release: a decision that will change all of their lives.
Moving through the perspectives of these women-- Margaret, Viv, Bitsy and Charlotte --Bostwick explores this very specific time and place. She covers the weird post-war housewife fixation and propaganda in America, showing how emerging consumerism benefitted from encouraging this as a "natural" role for middle class women because it sold household appliances. We see the invisible labour carried out by women, how challenging it could be to have and keep a career, and how many housewives turned to prescription drugs to cope with their six kids and stagnant lives (literally Mother's Little Helper.)
In 1963, married women couldn't open a bank account without their husband's permission (even if the money going into it was their own wage), couldn't be prescribed the pill without his signature. It was stifling just reading about it.
I also really appreciated that Bostwick acknowledged the limitations of Friedan's work. As Viv notes, her book primarily applies to middle class women with choices, whereas many other women, and men, were forced to work jobs they hated just to feed their kids.
But while all this is great, these positives are all about the message of the book and the takeaways from Betty Friedan's writing. What actually unfolded in the story was... not that much. Especially when compared to the length of the book. There were quite a lot of slow spots, good bits interspersed with more tedious stretches.
Also, I know women faced a lot of difficulties at this time, but I was disappointed that we didn't see much in the way of the promised "troublesome women." Only Charlotte really caused any trouble (and that was thanks to her brilliant daughter). It was frustrating that Bitsy and Margaret's lives only really changed as a result of their husbands' decisions; they themselves did not actually make much trouble. There was a lot of tongue-biting and easy forgiveness, and while I appreciate character growth, I did not fully buy Walt's about-turn.
Still, I read it all and made a bunch of notes, so obviously not a bad read. Charlotte's story was by far the most satisfying.
April 13, 2025
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The Book Review Crew Blog
This novel brings together a group of unhappy women in the 1960s and start a book club. The story unfolds very slowly, allowing you to become invested in the struggles these women face. I loved the newcomer, Charlotte, who is having some setbacks in her life. So, she decides to join the book club. It's here where the ladies learn to find a source of strength and friendship.
The club consists of a very diverse group of women. Margaret, Viv and Bitsy are all dealing with their unique issues. The author has crafted a diverse group of women, so their first meeting doesn't go as smoothly as planned. But as they learn about themselves and each other, a bond begins to form. I love books about women helping women so much. I also loved that the story shows how books can start a conversation and help us while we are trying to get through difficult times, and these women use this book club as a support system of sorts.
This is more than the typical story of a book club. It's a book about women finding their inner strength, getting support from each other and the power of female friendships. It was heartwarming and insightful, and it proves that sharing stories can be healing. It's the perfect read for anyone who loves books about books.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.
The Book Review Crew Blog
This novel brings together a group of unhappy women in the 1960s and start a book club. The story unfolds very slowly, allowing you to become invested in the struggles these women face. I loved the newcomer, Charlotte, who is having some setbacks in her life. So, she decides to join the book club. It's here where the ladies learn to find a source of strength and friendship.
The club consists of a very diverse group of women. Margaret, Viv and Bitsy are all dealing with their unique issues. The author has crafted a diverse group of women, so their first meeting doesn't go as smoothly as planned. But as they learn about themselves and each other, a bond begins to form. I love books about women helping women so much. I also loved that the story shows how books can start a conversation and help us while we are trying to get through difficult times, and these women use this book club as a support system of sorts.
This is more than the typical story of a book club. It's a book about women finding their inner strength, getting support from each other and the power of female friendships. It was heartwarming and insightful, and it proves that sharing stories can be healing. It's the perfect read for anyone who loves books about books.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.
April 8, 2025
This story had such an impact on me I started reading Virginia Woolf.
In Virginia, in the early 60s, four women start a bookclub where they read a feminist book, The Feminine Mystique, that would change their lives forever. Through their conversations, they realize they aren’t the only married women with children who feel they are still not satisfied. They want to have independence, something of their own, but they feel guilty about wanting more. Their husbands don’t understand why they can’t be happy with the life they provide, and they also don’t have a clue of what went wrong, but they are determined to figure it out.
When I read the blurb (the author did a better job at it than me), I didn’t hesitate to request it. I felt it was written for me: friendships, the 60s, a bookclub, a novel changing their lives…When I read the author's note that her mother read the same book, The Feminine Mystique, and changed her life, I got even more excited. It didn’t disappoint.
The Bookclub for Troublesome Women is one of those books that captures you from the second you start reading. Despite not being married and not having children, I understood the desperation of the women narrating the story. They love their children and husbands (at least, the ones who had good husbands), but they never feel fulfilled. Every year, they turn more miserable because they don't understand why it isn’t enough for them, why they dream about that time when they were students or had a job outside their houses. And they feel guilty for not appreciating what they have, but they can’t help wanting something more.
I was afraid I was going to get bored of following four women for an entire book, but I quickly realized it wasn’t going to be the case. At 40%, I still felt I was beginning to get to know all the amazing women who protagonize this wonderful story. I was obsessed with them. I enjoyed how their situations were different but they were all experiencing the same feelings, and that’s how they went from neighbours to best friends-and with the help of good books, of course.
I loved reading this book. It made me want to live in it forever, pick up hundreds of historical fiction books, start reading classics (I read Virginia Woolf after this, which I never thought I would do)... Then the ending happened, and I would lie if I didn’t say it spoiled the book a bit for me. The problem with the ending was that it was too perfect for a historical book that aimed to show a real historical situation. During the first half of the book, the story feels real. But then, everyone starts to get exactly what they deserve, and everything starts to be solved way too perfectly. I went from seeing this as an accurate statement of a historical situation to seeing it as what it was: a fictional book.
I was going to give it 5-stars; I was so angry at the ending I wanted to scream. But a couple weeks have passed since I finished this and I’m back at appreciating everything this book gave me: the inspiration to stand out of my comfort zone and read classics, feminist non-fiction and historical fiction, four characters that stole my heart and a very enjoyable reading experience.
Overall, I would have changed the HEA for a more realistic ending I could believe in, but I loved everything else about this book. If the premise interests you half as much as it interested me, you’re going to enjoy this story. You’ll fall in love with the four friends-and with Viv’s husband, the man was so dreamy he only needed one scene to charm me forever-, and you’ll cheer for them to follow their dreams. This book changed me, pushing me to read out of my comfort zone (which I ended up enjoying and made me want more), and I’ll be forever grateful for that.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
In Virginia, in the early 60s, four women start a bookclub where they read a feminist book, The Feminine Mystique, that would change their lives forever. Through their conversations, they realize they aren’t the only married women with children who feel they are still not satisfied. They want to have independence, something of their own, but they feel guilty about wanting more. Their husbands don’t understand why they can’t be happy with the life they provide, and they also don’t have a clue of what went wrong, but they are determined to figure it out.
When I read the blurb (the author did a better job at it than me), I didn’t hesitate to request it. I felt it was written for me: friendships, the 60s, a bookclub, a novel changing their lives…When I read the author's note that her mother read the same book, The Feminine Mystique, and changed her life, I got even more excited. It didn’t disappoint.
The Bookclub for Troublesome Women is one of those books that captures you from the second you start reading. Despite not being married and not having children, I understood the desperation of the women narrating the story. They love their children and husbands (at least, the ones who had good husbands), but they never feel fulfilled. Every year, they turn more miserable because they don't understand why it isn’t enough for them, why they dream about that time when they were students or had a job outside their houses. And they feel guilty for not appreciating what they have, but they can’t help wanting something more.
Margaret climbed the stairs and slammed the bedroom door, feeling furious but also foolish. And yes, small. Lonely and small and less. Just less.
I was afraid I was going to get bored of following four women for an entire book, but I quickly realized it wasn’t going to be the case. At 40%, I still felt I was beginning to get to know all the amazing women who protagonize this wonderful story. I was obsessed with them. I enjoyed how their situations were different but they were all experiencing the same feelings, and that’s how they went from neighbours to best friends-and with the help of good books, of course.
I loved reading this book. It made me want to live in it forever, pick up hundreds of historical fiction books, start reading classics (I read Virginia Woolf after this, which I never thought I would do)... Then the ending happened, and I would lie if I didn’t say it spoiled the book a bit for me. The problem with the ending was that it was too perfect for a historical book that aimed to show a real historical situation. During the first half of the book, the story feels real. But then, everyone starts to get exactly what they deserve, and everything starts to be solved way too perfectly. I went from seeing this as an accurate statement of a historical situation to seeing it as what it was: a fictional book.
I was going to give it 5-stars; I was so angry at the ending I wanted to scream. But a couple weeks have passed since I finished this and I’m back at appreciating everything this book gave me: the inspiration to stand out of my comfort zone and read classics, feminist non-fiction and historical fiction, four characters that stole my heart and a very enjoyable reading experience.
In a lot of ways, her husband was just as trapped as she was. The invisible fence of rules and mores that confined women to a small, carefully defined patch of human achievement impacted men as well, required them to carry the bulk of a family’s financial burden.
Overall, I would have changed the HEA for a more realistic ending I could believe in, but I loved everything else about this book. If the premise interests you half as much as it interested me, you’re going to enjoy this story. You’ll fall in love with the four friends-and with Viv’s husband, the man was so dreamy he only needed one scene to charm me forever-, and you’ll cheer for them to follow their dreams. This book changed me, pushing me to read out of my comfort zone (which I ended up enjoying and made me want more), and I’ll be forever grateful for that.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
May 28, 2025
In short, the book was my book club pick which maddens me that I feel like I wasted my choice.
The whole story lacked complexity. I wanted a story about troublesome women shaking up their world. What I got was a group of women quietly making do.
JFK’s assassination felt jarringly out of place, like the author ran out of ideas and tried to link the story with a dramatic historical event. It didn’t add emotional weight.
The feminist themes were more than superficial, and left me wanting for so much more fight and strength.
The whole story lacked complexity. I wanted a story about troublesome women shaking up their world. What I got was a group of women quietly making do.
JFK’s assassination felt jarringly out of place, like the author ran out of ideas and tried to link the story with a dramatic historical event. It didn’t add emotional weight.
The feminist themes were more than superficial, and left me wanting for so much more fight and strength.
April 17, 2025
WASN'T REALLY WHAT I EXPECTED
If you give me book with the title "The Book Club for Troublesome Women" I am going to be expecting two things - a book club and some troublesome women. I didn't really feel like this book delivered fully on either one of those, which was a disappointment.
What I liked
👍Feminism: I adore stories of women discovering their feminism and starting to demand what's theirs.
👍1960's: I liked the 1960's setting and vibe, it was a good background for this story in particular.
What I didn't like
👎Pace: The pacing was just too slow for me, not a lot happened to grab my attention.
👎Book club: I so wanted the book club - and especially "The Feminine Mystique" - to take center stage of this book. Sadly, I didn't really feel like the book(s) got the attention, they deserved. I wanted more debate about the books, their effects on the women and their thoughts. You know, like a book club.
👎Troublesome women: Aside from Charlotte, I didn't really feel like any of the women were particularly troublesome.
ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
If you give me book with the title "The Book Club for Troublesome Women" I am going to be expecting two things - a book club and some troublesome women. I didn't really feel like this book delivered fully on either one of those, which was a disappointment.
What I liked
👍Feminism: I adore stories of women discovering their feminism and starting to demand what's theirs.
👍1960's: I liked the 1960's setting and vibe, it was a good background for this story in particular.
What I didn't like
👎Pace: The pacing was just too slow for me, not a lot happened to grab my attention.
👎Book club: I so wanted the book club - and especially "The Feminine Mystique" - to take center stage of this book. Sadly, I didn't really feel like the book(s) got the attention, they deserved. I wanted more debate about the books, their effects on the women and their thoughts. You know, like a book club.
👎Troublesome women: Aside from Charlotte, I didn't really feel like any of the women were particularly troublesome.
ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Read
May 2, 2025I so did not enjoy reading this. So much so that I stayed up past my bedtime last night to finish it just so I would not have to face another day with the thought of having to read this book. It probably isn’t that bad, but it was so dull. I didn’t really like or care about the characters and they really weren’t that troublesome given the title. It read like Hallmark circa 2015 trying to tackle social issues. Ultimately, I was disappointed.
September 3, 2025
What a lovely story!! I love a cast of women that all have different stories but collectively make such an incredible powerhouse support for each other. The ending after 80% lost me but this book is definitely one to add to your list!
April 24, 2025
1963, Northern Virginia, Margaret Ryan, Viv Buschetti, and Bitsy Cobb, are housewives in a brand-new suburb called Concordia and when Charlotte Gustafson moves into the neighbourhood, she’s a flamboyant artist from Manhattan and they decide to start a book club and read Betty Friedan's new novel, The Feminine Mystique.
The phrase "feminine mystique" was coined by the author to describe the assumptions that women should be fulfilled from doing their housework, being married, and having children and what more could they possibly need or want. Women who were truly feminine should not work outside of the home, get an education, or have political opinions. Friedan wanted to prove that women were unsatisfied and voiceless and it’s true.
At the time a woman couldn’t open a bank account without her husband’s permission and needed her spouse to accompany her to a gynaecological appointment to get the prescription for the contraceptive pill, infertility was never due to the male and some families found divorce shameful and infidelity was something ladies shouldn't complain about and pretended it wasn’t happening.
Margaret, Charlotte, Bitsy, and Viv share how they feel, unseen, undervalued and dissatisfied and they discover they are not alone and their new friends listen and understand their grievances and spread the word to help others and knowledge is power.
I received a copy of The Book Club for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick from the publisher HarperCollins Focus in exchange for an honest review. The story was wonderful and well written, it really shines a light on what it was like for American women in the 1960’s, society thought things were fine and despite the world changing.
A narrative about friendship and sisterhood, and it helps the ladies to find courage to confront the past, and see themselves in a new way and move forward. I really liked Margaret and her husband Walt and how together they weathered life’s ups and downs and five stars from me and I highly recommend.
The phrase "feminine mystique" was coined by the author to describe the assumptions that women should be fulfilled from doing their housework, being married, and having children and what more could they possibly need or want. Women who were truly feminine should not work outside of the home, get an education, or have political opinions. Friedan wanted to prove that women were unsatisfied and voiceless and it’s true.
At the time a woman couldn’t open a bank account without her husband’s permission and needed her spouse to accompany her to a gynaecological appointment to get the prescription for the contraceptive pill, infertility was never due to the male and some families found divorce shameful and infidelity was something ladies shouldn't complain about and pretended it wasn’t happening.
Margaret, Charlotte, Bitsy, and Viv share how they feel, unseen, undervalued and dissatisfied and they discover they are not alone and their new friends listen and understand their grievances and spread the word to help others and knowledge is power.
I received a copy of The Book Club for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick from the publisher HarperCollins Focus in exchange for an honest review. The story was wonderful and well written, it really shines a light on what it was like for American women in the 1960’s, society thought things were fine and despite the world changing.
A narrative about friendship and sisterhood, and it helps the ladies to find courage to confront the past, and see themselves in a new way and move forward. I really liked Margaret and her husband Walt and how together they weathered life’s ups and downs and five stars from me and I highly recommend.
February 6, 2026
Really cute and fun. Liked it, didn’t love it. 3 stars
February 5, 2025
⭐️⭐️ 2/5 Stars (Meh)
Setting: The early 1960s in Concordia, a planned community in Northern Virginia
Genre: Literary Fiction, Women’s Fiction, Historical Fiction
The Book Club for Troublesome Women offers a touching glimpse into the lives of suburban housewives in the 1960s, grappling with societal expectations and the stirrings of second-wave feminism. The novel beautifully captures the power of female friendship, with Margaret Ryan’s accidental book club serving as a safe haven for self-discovery and quiet rebellion. The themes of marriage, identity, and personal freedom resonate, making for a heartfelt and nostalgic read.
However, despite its promising premise, the novel struggles with execution. The pacing is uneven, often dragging in moments that should feel more impactful. While the themes are important, they become repetitive, and the characters—though engaging—sometimes feel like archetypes rather than fully realized individuals. The conflicts unfold predictably, and by the end, there’s a lingering sense that the story could have gone deeper, delivering more emotional weight.
While The Book Club for Troublesome Women has moments of warmth and insight, it ultimately falls short of its full potential. Readers who enjoy stories of female camaraderie and historical reflection may still find value here, but those seeking a more nuanced or dynamic narrative might be left wanting more. #NetGalley #thebookclubfortroublesomewomen #booked_this_weekend
Setting: The early 1960s in Concordia, a planned community in Northern Virginia
Genre: Literary Fiction, Women’s Fiction, Historical Fiction
The Book Club for Troublesome Women offers a touching glimpse into the lives of suburban housewives in the 1960s, grappling with societal expectations and the stirrings of second-wave feminism. The novel beautifully captures the power of female friendship, with Margaret Ryan’s accidental book club serving as a safe haven for self-discovery and quiet rebellion. The themes of marriage, identity, and personal freedom resonate, making for a heartfelt and nostalgic read.
However, despite its promising premise, the novel struggles with execution. The pacing is uneven, often dragging in moments that should feel more impactful. While the themes are important, they become repetitive, and the characters—though engaging—sometimes feel like archetypes rather than fully realized individuals. The conflicts unfold predictably, and by the end, there’s a lingering sense that the story could have gone deeper, delivering more emotional weight.
While The Book Club for Troublesome Women has moments of warmth and insight, it ultimately falls short of its full potential. Readers who enjoy stories of female camaraderie and historical reflection may still find value here, but those seeking a more nuanced or dynamic narrative might be left wanting more. #NetGalley #thebookclubfortroublesomewomen #booked_this_weekend
July 4, 2025
5💫
i love the betty’s!!
this story follows four women in the 1960s who start a bookclub together that leads them to form "radical" views on their societal and social norms. each of the four women are at completely different stages in their lives experiencing different drawbacks and struggles, but they create such a strong bond with one another that they are able to encourage and push each other to break their set expectations and achieve goals that most women in this time period aren't able to achieve.
each character had a unique and humorous personality but they all complemented each other so well. i became so proud of these women for the battles they overcame and being able to watch them grow throughout this book. i think that this is a really good example of how the right friends can push you to be your best self and encourage you to achieve your goals, even when they seem impossible. i loved these women so much. i want to be a part of the betty's, or a group like them, so bad!!!
this book really put into perspective what life was like as a women in this time period and how hard it was to do anything that wasn't a standard women's position. reading first hand how tough it was to do something other than be a man's wife made me appreciate everything that I have and everything I am able to do, such as getting a job and a good education. it's an important reminder that those things are a privilege that some people still don't get this day and to be grateful for them even when I complain about it.
i highly recommend this book if you are a historical fiction lover and enjoy reading about female friendships!!
i love the betty’s!!
this story follows four women in the 1960s who start a bookclub together that leads them to form "radical" views on their societal and social norms. each of the four women are at completely different stages in their lives experiencing different drawbacks and struggles, but they create such a strong bond with one another that they are able to encourage and push each other to break their set expectations and achieve goals that most women in this time period aren't able to achieve.
each character had a unique and humorous personality but they all complemented each other so well. i became so proud of these women for the battles they overcame and being able to watch them grow throughout this book. i think that this is a really good example of how the right friends can push you to be your best self and encourage you to achieve your goals, even when they seem impossible. i loved these women so much. i want to be a part of the betty's, or a group like them, so bad!!!
this book really put into perspective what life was like as a women in this time period and how hard it was to do anything that wasn't a standard women's position. reading first hand how tough it was to do something other than be a man's wife made me appreciate everything that I have and everything I am able to do, such as getting a job and a good education. it's an important reminder that those things are a privilege that some people still don't get this day and to be grateful for them even when I complain about it.
i highly recommend this book if you are a historical fiction lover and enjoy reading about female friendships!!
July 7, 2025
3.5 stars, rounded up
I had high hopes for The Book Club of Troublesome Women. A historical fiction, set in 1963 and focused on a group of four suburban wives who read The Feminine Mystique. And it does a great job setting the scene, but a bit too much. Bostwick hits you over the head with the constant smoking, the dress code, the arrogant husbands, the put downs from every male . In fact, my problem with the book is that it comes across more as soap opera than historical fiction. Too many of the men were just caricatures. Which means, it’s great entertainment but it’s not the depth I was hoping for. She manages to explain to younger generations what it was like for women in the 60s without slowing down the pace of the story. I’m sure there will be young women truly not realizing that married women were nothing but chattel, unable to open up banking accounts of any sort (not just credit cards, but even a savings account) without their husband’s co-signature or unable to get birth control without a husband’s ok. The Feminine Mystique truly was a game changer, making many women realize they weren’t alone in their unhappiness. I read it in the early 70s and even a decade later, it was still an important work because not much had changed.
The female main characters were better developed than the men. And I did come to care about each of them.
This is a timely novel as we watch the rights of women again being removed. Unlike real life, everyone has their own version of a fairy tale ending.
I listened to this and it worked well as an audio experience. Lisa Flanagan was a great choice as the narrator.
I had high hopes for The Book Club of Troublesome Women. A historical fiction, set in 1963 and focused on a group of four suburban wives who read The Feminine Mystique. And it does a great job setting the scene, but a bit too much. Bostwick hits you over the head with the constant smoking, the dress code, the arrogant husbands, the put downs from every male . In fact, my problem with the book is that it comes across more as soap opera than historical fiction. Too many of the men were just caricatures. Which means, it’s great entertainment but it’s not the depth I was hoping for. She manages to explain to younger generations what it was like for women in the 60s without slowing down the pace of the story. I’m sure there will be young women truly not realizing that married women were nothing but chattel, unable to open up banking accounts of any sort (not just credit cards, but even a savings account) without their husband’s co-signature or unable to get birth control without a husband’s ok. The Feminine Mystique truly was a game changer, making many women realize they weren’t alone in their unhappiness. I read it in the early 70s and even a decade later, it was still an important work because not much had changed.
The female main characters were better developed than the men. And I did come to care about each of them.
This is a timely novel as we watch the rights of women again being removed. Unlike real life, everyone has their own version of a fairy tale ending.
I listened to this and it worked well as an audio experience. Lisa Flanagan was a great choice as the narrator.
April 10, 2025
I loved this Audiobook. Just started listening and couldn’t stop. It was terrific. 4 Women living in the Virginia Suburbs seem to have it all, yet feel that something just isn’t right. There is a lacking in their life. So, the new neighbor from Manhattan, Charlotte will only join Margaret’s book club if they will read The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan. Two other friends, Viv and Betsy join, too.
Times are changing and the book affects each woman differently. Yet, the magic here is the friendship these four different women form. True and Real Friendships are always difficult to find. We long for that connection, but often don’t have it. The women do all make changes in their lives, but the reason they happen is because of the sheer force of love and backing by their friends. It makes them feel ok being different and able to stand up for themselves. Each knows her other 3 friends will support her with any decision she makes.
Loved that message. Loved the wonder of growth and change. Loved the Excitement of Women’s Lives getting Brighter and having Deep Meaning. I am going to hear Marie Bostwick speak and am really looking forward to this so much.
I was really Excited, managed on Tuesday to hear this Author speak and she signed my book. This was at Beautiful Weymouth Center and set-up by The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, NC. So, glad to have listened to the Audio and now have the Signed Copy of her book 🥰
Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Focus for a copy of this Audiobook. I always leave reviews of books I read.
Times are changing and the book affects each woman differently. Yet, the magic here is the friendship these four different women form. True and Real Friendships are always difficult to find. We long for that connection, but often don’t have it. The women do all make changes in their lives, but the reason they happen is because of the sheer force of love and backing by their friends. It makes them feel ok being different and able to stand up for themselves. Each knows her other 3 friends will support her with any decision she makes.
Loved that message. Loved the wonder of growth and change. Loved the Excitement of Women’s Lives getting Brighter and having Deep Meaning. I am going to hear Marie Bostwick speak and am really looking forward to this so much.
I was really Excited, managed on Tuesday to hear this Author speak and she signed my book. This was at Beautiful Weymouth Center and set-up by The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, NC. So, glad to have listened to the Audio and now have the Signed Copy of her book 🥰
Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Focus for a copy of this Audiobook. I always leave reviews of books I read.
May 5, 2025
The Book Club for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick was a novel i was looking forward to reading. A Historical Fiction novel which took place in the 1960s. It show how women were stereotyped and considered to stay home in the kitchen, take care of the home and children and has no future goals. Men were the head of the family. The boss, not to be questioned. This group of “Bettys” were women that were complacent in their roles but progressive in their minds. 4 ladies who formed a bookclub. 4 women from different backgrounds. 4 married women who depict the mold of women giving up everything for their husbands. This book really brought out the mindset of conservative principles of the times.
May 20, 2025
What a fucking snooze-fest. This book was boring as hell, too on the nose, and filled with worn-out tropes. None of the characters resonated with me (even the childless ones), everyone is dull and uninteresting, the writing is rudimentary and superficial, and the topics that should have been explored in depth were just kind of glazed over by the author. Like, you want your man to apologize but then won’t let him as he tries to do so? I was frustrated and incredibly bored.
August 5, 2025
I have very little to say about this book as I neither loved it nor hated it. It's such a middle of the road book.
Set during the 1960s, we follow four women who formed a book club. We see snippets of their lives with their families alongside their frustration with the times. Their inability to open bank accounts, get contraception, or have any career ambition.
While all these things are important, I didn't personally feel that this book was bringing anything new to the table.
I also felt like the author was pushing every theme possible into 400 pages, and nothing was properly explored.
Three stars was ok, but I am sure it will be forgettable.
Set during the 1960s, we follow four women who formed a book club. We see snippets of their lives with their families alongside their frustration with the times. Their inability to open bank accounts, get contraception, or have any career ambition.
While all these things are important, I didn't personally feel that this book was bringing anything new to the table.
I also felt like the author was pushing every theme possible into 400 pages, and nothing was properly explored.
Three stars was ok, but I am sure it will be forgettable.
April 27, 2025
EXCERPT: At age seventeen, Margaret had promised herself that she would grow up to be nothing like her mother. After a promising start, the fruit of her early efforts had shriveled. Now, at age thirty-three, Margaret sometimes wondered if every woman was destined to become her mother eventually. Recently, however, things had started to shift.
And not just for Margaret.
As with any seismic occurrence, the impact would be felt more keenly by some than others, and responses to it would vary widely. Some would embrace the change. Some would decry it. Some would avert their eyes and pretend nothing had happened. It didn't come all at once of course, Meaningful change rarely does. But in the fullness of time, no one could deny that landscapes and lives had been irrevocably transformed.
Nevertheless, Margaret didn't fully appreciate that yet. Neither did she understand that the impulses she'd given in to over the last three months, and the secrets she kept - including the rented seafoam-green typewriter she'd hidden in the far reaches of the linen closet - would alter her family, her future, and her sense of self. Today she was just excited about the book club, thrilled to be the point of connection for the other three women who had agreed to take part, some more reluctantly than others, and determined to make their first meeting memorable.
ABOUT 'THE BOOK CLUB FOR TROUBLESOME WOMEN': Four dissatisfied sixties-era housewives form a book club turned sisterhood that will hold fast amid the turmoil of a rapidly changing world and alter the course of each of their lives.
By early 1960s standards, Margaret Ryan, Viv Buschetti, and Bitsy Cobb, suburban housewives in a brand-new "planned community" in Northern Virginia, appear to have it all. The fact that "all" doesn't feel like enough leaves them feeling confused and guilty, certain the fault must lie with them. Things begin to change when they form a book club with Charlotte Gustafson--the eccentric and artsy "new neighbor" from Manhattan--and read Betty Friedan's just-released book, The Feminine Mystique.
Controversial and groundbreaking, the book struck a chord with an entire generation of women, helping them realize that they weren't alone in their dissatisfactions, or their longings, lifting their eyes to new horizons of possibility and achievement. Margaret, Charlotte, Bitsy, and Viv are among them. But is it really the book that alters the lives of these four very different women? Or is it the bond of sisterhood that helps them find courage to confront the past, navigate turmoil in a rapidly changing world, and see themselves in a new and limitless light?
MY THOUGHTS: I fell in love with this book early one when one of the characters states, 'Mother wanted me to be a lady, but the only thing I cared about was horses and books.' Hello, me! But what really made me fall in love with this book were the characters - Margaret, Charlotte, Viv and Bitsy - and the mutual support club they become. Everyone needs friends like these, and everyone will be able to relate in some way to the struggles and triumphs of these women.
I read The Book Club for Troublesome Women in less than twenty-four hours, unable to put it down. I was born in the 50s and grew up in the 60s, so a lot of this was familiar territory to me. My mother played tennis two afternoons a week, the neighborhood coffee morning rotated from one house to the next, the phone would ring hot with the latest gossip or a warning that 'so-and-so' was on her way . . .
But if this sounds somewhat idyllic, it wasn't. A woman couldn't open a bank account in her own right without either her parents' or husband's permission. Higher education for women was discouraged - seen as a waste of time because they were only going to get married and have babies. Contraception was difficult to come by and unreliable, divorce shameful, and infidelity (as long as you were a man) and domestic abuse considered acceptable - because men were just, well . . . men. And women were popping 'happy pills' in their hundreds and wondering what was wrong with them. After all, they had nice homes filled with labor saving devices - what did they have to be unhappy about?
The four women at the centre of this novel are all very different in both character, circumstances, and where they are at in their lives. And yet they all have this one thing in common - they all feel unseen and dissatisfied. They want more than housework and childcare. They want to use their minds and improve both themselves and society.
The Book Club for Troublesome Women is very different to Marie Bostwick's usual writing, which I have always enjoyed. This I LOVED.
And please, do make sure you read the note about how this book came about. It is very special.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A couple of quotes I particularly liked: Novels force you to think - to make your own conclusions about characters and themes, and decide if they're valid or relevant or true or good, or the opposite or maybe somewhere in between.
Most people are a bundle of walking contradictions.
#TheBookClubforTroublesomeWomen #NetGalley
MEET THE AUTHOR: Marie lives in Washington state with her husband and a beautiful but moderately spoiled Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.
When not curled up with a good book, Marie Bostwick can usually be found in her office, trying to write one.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Harper Collins Focus, Harper Muse, via NetGalley for providing an e-ARC of The Book Club for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
The Book Club for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick was published 22 April 2025.
https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
And not just for Margaret.
As with any seismic occurrence, the impact would be felt more keenly by some than others, and responses to it would vary widely. Some would embrace the change. Some would decry it. Some would avert their eyes and pretend nothing had happened. It didn't come all at once of course, Meaningful change rarely does. But in the fullness of time, no one could deny that landscapes and lives had been irrevocably transformed.
Nevertheless, Margaret didn't fully appreciate that yet. Neither did she understand that the impulses she'd given in to over the last three months, and the secrets she kept - including the rented seafoam-green typewriter she'd hidden in the far reaches of the linen closet - would alter her family, her future, and her sense of self. Today she was just excited about the book club, thrilled to be the point of connection for the other three women who had agreed to take part, some more reluctantly than others, and determined to make their first meeting memorable.
ABOUT 'THE BOOK CLUB FOR TROUBLESOME WOMEN': Four dissatisfied sixties-era housewives form a book club turned sisterhood that will hold fast amid the turmoil of a rapidly changing world and alter the course of each of their lives.
By early 1960s standards, Margaret Ryan, Viv Buschetti, and Bitsy Cobb, suburban housewives in a brand-new "planned community" in Northern Virginia, appear to have it all. The fact that "all" doesn't feel like enough leaves them feeling confused and guilty, certain the fault must lie with them. Things begin to change when they form a book club with Charlotte Gustafson--the eccentric and artsy "new neighbor" from Manhattan--and read Betty Friedan's just-released book, The Feminine Mystique.
Controversial and groundbreaking, the book struck a chord with an entire generation of women, helping them realize that they weren't alone in their dissatisfactions, or their longings, lifting their eyes to new horizons of possibility and achievement. Margaret, Charlotte, Bitsy, and Viv are among them. But is it really the book that alters the lives of these four very different women? Or is it the bond of sisterhood that helps them find courage to confront the past, navigate turmoil in a rapidly changing world, and see themselves in a new and limitless light?
MY THOUGHTS: I fell in love with this book early one when one of the characters states, 'Mother wanted me to be a lady, but the only thing I cared about was horses and books.' Hello, me! But what really made me fall in love with this book were the characters - Margaret, Charlotte, Viv and Bitsy - and the mutual support club they become. Everyone needs friends like these, and everyone will be able to relate in some way to the struggles and triumphs of these women.
I read The Book Club for Troublesome Women in less than twenty-four hours, unable to put it down. I was born in the 50s and grew up in the 60s, so a lot of this was familiar territory to me. My mother played tennis two afternoons a week, the neighborhood coffee morning rotated from one house to the next, the phone would ring hot with the latest gossip or a warning that 'so-and-so' was on her way . . .
But if this sounds somewhat idyllic, it wasn't. A woman couldn't open a bank account in her own right without either her parents' or husband's permission. Higher education for women was discouraged - seen as a waste of time because they were only going to get married and have babies. Contraception was difficult to come by and unreliable, divorce shameful, and infidelity (as long as you were a man) and domestic abuse considered acceptable - because men were just, well . . . men. And women were popping 'happy pills' in their hundreds and wondering what was wrong with them. After all, they had nice homes filled with labor saving devices - what did they have to be unhappy about?
The four women at the centre of this novel are all very different in both character, circumstances, and where they are at in their lives. And yet they all have this one thing in common - they all feel unseen and dissatisfied. They want more than housework and childcare. They want to use their minds and improve both themselves and society.
The Book Club for Troublesome Women is very different to Marie Bostwick's usual writing, which I have always enjoyed. This I LOVED.
And please, do make sure you read the note about how this book came about. It is very special.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A couple of quotes I particularly liked: Novels force you to think - to make your own conclusions about characters and themes, and decide if they're valid or relevant or true or good, or the opposite or maybe somewhere in between.
Most people are a bundle of walking contradictions.
#TheBookClubforTroublesomeWomen #NetGalley
MEET THE AUTHOR: Marie lives in Washington state with her husband and a beautiful but moderately spoiled Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.
When not curled up with a good book, Marie Bostwick can usually be found in her office, trying to write one.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Harper Collins Focus, Harper Muse, via NetGalley for providing an e-ARC of The Book Club for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
The Book Club for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick was published 22 April 2025.
https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
June 2, 2026
Loved the story, all the incredible women and the challenges they had to go through just to be recognized.
April 18, 2025
Blurb:
“By 1960s standards, Margaret Ryan is living the American woman's dream. She has a husband, three children, a station wagon, and a home in Concordia--one of Northern Virginia's most exclusive and picturesque suburbs. She has a standing invitation to the neighborhood coffee klatch, and now, thanks to her husband, a new subscription to A Woman's Place--a magazine that tells housewives like Margaret exactly who to be and what to buy. On paper, she has it all. So why doesn't that feel like enough?
Margaret is thrown for a loop when she first meets Charlotte Gustafson, Concordia's newest and most intriguing resident. As an excuse to be in the mysterious Charlotte's orbit, Margaret concocts a book club get-together and invites two other neighborhood women--Bitsy and Viv--to the inaugural meeting. As the women share secrets, cocktails, and their honest reactions to the controversial bestseller The Feminine Mystique, they begin to discover that the American dream they'd been sold isn't all roses and sunshine--and that their secret longing for more is something they share. Nicknaming themselves the Bettys, after Betty Friedan, these four friends have no idea their impromptu club and the books they read together will become the glue that helps them hold fast through tears, triumphs, angst, and arguments--and what will prove to be the most consequential and freeing year of their lives.”
The Plot: This was such an interesting read. I won’t lie to you and say that the sexism and misogyny didn’t ruffle my feathers, because, oh boy, it did. 😅 I’m not one to use those terms lightly or freely, so you can get a good idea of what injustices the characters faced. And you don’t have to be a feminist to enjoy this book. I think every woman (and man because I know the message and struggles concerning fulfillment pertain to you, too, fellas) can relate to the characters and/or the message. It’s about four women who want to live fulfilling lives that utilize the gifts and talents they have. For Margaret, it was writing; for Viv, it was nursing; for Bitsy, it was veterinarian work; and for Charlotte, it was her art. And they go on the most rewarding and life-changing adventure when Margaret decides to start a book club (which was not planned). I knew that it took a long time for women to be accepted as equals in both the workforce and society, but goodness, I didn’t think it took that long. It makes me so grateful for the brave women who stood up and fought for equality.
The Characters: I don’t know if I have a favorite character because all four women were amazing in their own way. I think I related to Margaret more than I did the others, but the beauty of humanity is that we can find similarities with everyone, if you are looking for them. Obviously, some of the men (and women) who were minor characters angered me because of their ignorance or arrogance, but it made me smile to see our awesome characters fight back and gain the respect and dignity they deserve. Each had their strengths and weaknesses, which beautifully balanced the friendships and made them a joy to read. 🥰
The Writing: Marie Bostwick is a brilliant author! The story flowed so well, the paragraphs and dialogue were readable, and the story was so engaging and fun. The plot wasn’t confusing whatsoever and I felt that the characters were old friends of mine. 💖
Overall Thoughts: I highly recommend this book. It was such a joy to read, and I got to learn a lot of things I did not know about. I truly enjoyed reading it. ☺
Content Warnings: mentions of self-harm/suicide, death, sexism/misogyny
Pub Date: 04/22/25
I received a digital arc from HarperCollins Focus via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions and statements are my own.
#TheBookClubforTroublesomeWomen #NetGalley
Margaret is thrown for a loop when she first meets Charlotte Gustafson, Concordia's newest and most intriguing resident. As an excuse to be in the mysterious Charlotte's orbit, Margaret concocts a book club get-together and invites two other neighborhood women--Bitsy and Viv--to the inaugural meeting. As the women share secrets, cocktails, and their honest reactions to the controversial bestseller The Feminine Mystique, they begin to discover that the American dream they'd been sold isn't all roses and sunshine--and that their secret longing for more is something they share. Nicknaming themselves the Bettys, after Betty Friedan, these four friends have no idea their impromptu club and the books they read together will become the glue that helps them hold fast through tears, triumphs, angst, and arguments--and what will prove to be the most consequential and freeing year of their lives.”
The Plot: This was such an interesting read. I won’t lie to you and say that the sexism and misogyny didn’t ruffle my feathers, because, oh boy, it did. 😅 I’m not one to use those terms lightly or freely, so you can get a good idea of what injustices the characters faced. And you don’t have to be a feminist to enjoy this book. I think every woman (and man because I know the message and struggles concerning fulfillment pertain to you, too, fellas) can relate to the characters and/or the message. It’s about four women who want to live fulfilling lives that utilize the gifts and talents they have. For Margaret, it was writing; for Viv, it was nursing; for Bitsy, it was veterinarian work; and for Charlotte, it was her art. And they go on the most rewarding and life-changing adventure when Margaret decides to start a book club (which was not planned). I knew that it took a long time for women to be accepted as equals in both the workforce and society, but goodness, I didn’t think it took that long. It makes me so grateful for the brave women who stood up and fought for equality.
The Characters: I don’t know if I have a favorite character because all four women were amazing in their own way. I think I related to Margaret more than I did the others, but the beauty of humanity is that we can find similarities with everyone, if you are looking for them. Obviously, some of the men (and women) who were minor characters angered me because of their ignorance or arrogance, but it made me smile to see our awesome characters fight back and gain the respect and dignity they deserve. Each had their strengths and weaknesses, which beautifully balanced the friendships and made them a joy to read. 🥰
The Writing: Marie Bostwick is a brilliant author! The story flowed so well, the paragraphs and dialogue were readable, and the story was so engaging and fun. The plot wasn’t confusing whatsoever and I felt that the characters were old friends of mine. 💖
Overall Thoughts: I highly recommend this book. It was such a joy to read, and I got to learn a lot of things I did not know about. I truly enjoyed reading it. ☺
Content Warnings: mentions of self-harm/suicide, death, sexism/misogyny
Pub Date: 04/22/25
I received a digital arc from HarperCollins Focus via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions and statements are my own.
#TheBookClubforTroublesomeWomen #NetGalley
June 6, 2025
With a promising title and fascinating premise focused on women challenging norms in the vibrant 1960s, I had high expectations for this historical novel. The Book Club of Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick aimed to dive into this complex and transformative era. However, the execution ultimately fell short of its potential. The novel introduces a group of women who come together in a book club, seeking connection and solidarity within their predictable lives as suburban housewives. As they navigate changing times and personal aspirations, they grapple with the era's expectations and limitations. Despite an intriguing title and a topic of high interest to me, I was ultimately disappointed by the delivery here. The narrative felt foreseeable from start to finish. The characters largely came across as flat, playing heavily on familiar tropes and stereotypes rather than developing into nuanced individuals. What could have been a rich exploration of a transformative decade often felt simplistic, particularly as historical references felt forced rather than deftly woven in throughout the story.
Recommended for: Readers who enjoy light, feel-good stories and might be fans of a Hallmark movie aesthetic. However, for those seeking depth, complexity, or a truly subversive take on historical women's roles, this will likely be a miss.
I am grateful to NetGalley and Harper Muse for providing me with an advanced reader copy of Marie Bostwick’s The Book Club for Troublesome Women.
Recommended for: Readers who enjoy light, feel-good stories and might be fans of a Hallmark movie aesthetic. However, for those seeking depth, complexity, or a truly subversive take on historical women's roles, this will likely be a miss.
I am grateful to NetGalley and Harper Muse for providing me with an advanced reader copy of Marie Bostwick’s The Book Club for Troublesome Women.
July 18, 2026
3.5 rounded up.
Oh boy, did this book activate my social work brain! My school framed all classes around an intersectional and critical thinking framework, so I have a lot of thoughts!
But first, can we appreciate the quote that had me cheering out loud?
“I’m cleaning house. The first thing to go is Howard.”
Hell YES, Charlotte! 👏🏻 Toodaloo, Howie!
I enjoyed The Book Club for Troublesome Women a fair bit, but I also struggled with some larger, overarching parts. Fair warning: this review gets political (because books are inherently political 😉)so if that’s going to annoy you, you may wanna just scroll on past.
I think this story spoke to me as much as it did because of the current political climate, particularly what we are seeing in the United States. While the book doesn’t explore every aspect of women’s lives in the early 1960s, it does highlight some of the rights and freedoms they were denied.
One woman cannot get a birth control prescription without her husband’s signature. Another cannot open her own bank account without her husband’s permission. A character struggles to get recommendation letters for higher education because teachers assume she will eventually drop out, get married, and have children anyway.
Today, certain groups are trying to convince people that the past was a better time for women and families. They argue that women were happier because divorce rates were lower, that women should return to only caring for their husbands, children, and homes, and, in some more extreme cases, that women should not even have the right to vote.
They romanticize time periods like the 1960s, but the women in this story remind us that those years were not all sunshine and roses (hence the many people on transqlizers!).
The book shows women wanting more than society was willing to give them. Women with ambitions beyond marriage and motherhood were dismissed as unstable or neurotic. They were expected to make themselves smaller to protect their husbands’ egos. They were supposed to remain quiet while their husbands embarrassed them publicly, dismissed their intelligence, invalidated their work, and controlled their choices.
Charlotte’s story especially demonstrates how trapped a woman could be. She comes from generational wealth, yet her husband controls most the finances. The money may technically come from her family, but she still has no meaningful control over it.
Women fought for us to have the rights we have today: the ability to choose our own paths and decide how we want to live our lives. This book is an important reminder that those rights were not simply handed to us and they should never be taken for granted (looking directly at some of the MAGA tradwife influencers saying men should vote on behalf of their entire household 👀).
The story also highlights another political issue we continue to see today: books being treated as dangerous when they challenge the dominant narrative. The women’s reactions to The Feminine Mystique, and the attempts to limit its influence, felt especially relevant in a time when books are still being banned or restricted for exposing people to perspectives that make those in power uncomfortable.
This is a very character driven story. It spans several months and does not have one major destination or central plot beyond following four women as they learn, grow, and begin fighting back against society’s expectations. That did not bother me, but readers who prefer a strongly plot driven book may struggle with the pacing.
One of my favourite parts was the friendship between the four women. The way they supported, encouraged, and pushed one another beyond their comfort zones was truly inspiring. The power of female friendship and of women supporting women knows no bounds. This book did a wonderful job of showing why women only support networks matter so much, both in the past and today.
I also loved that the author incorporated real books and writers, including Virginia Woolf. People sometimes look back at older feminist works and criticize them for not being progressive enough by today’s standards, without acknowledging how incredibly progressive and influential they were at the time. I appreciated the author paying homage to the women who came before and helped pave the way for others.
However, I did have (more than) some frustrations.
There were a few moments when Margaret discussed the expectations placed on men, such as the pressure to be providers, in a way that made them seem comparable to the limitations placed on women. Society absolutely places men in boxes too, and those expectations deserve to be discussed. However, I did not think they needed to be centred in this particular story, which is specifically about women’s rights and female empowerment.
During the 1960s (and still today!) heterosexual white men had more freedom, power, and privilege than anyone else. Their struggles were not equivalent to women being denied legal, financial, educational, and reproductive autonomy.
I also felt conflicted about the lack of diversity. All four main characters are middle or upper class white women, who were among the most privileged people in the United States after white men. Historically, many white women promoted forms of feminism that excluded Black, Indigenous, and other racialized women, so part of me wished the book had included more diverse voices and shown a broader picture of what women were fighting against in the 1960s.
That said, the author is a white woman, and part of me wonders whether it was more responsible for her to remain within perspectives she felt equipped to write. Writing a Black woman without extensive research, care, and understanding could easily lead to misrepresentation or the reinforcement of harmful stereotypes. So I would not necessarily call this a criticism, just something worth considering when discussing the scope of the story.
I do wish the book had explored class differences more deeply, even if all the main characters remained white.
Charlotte takes the greatest risk of the four women, particularly for someone living in 1963. However, she is also the wealthiest in terms of family money and has resources that make such a drastic change more possible. The other women are not necessarily wealthy, but they still have enough financial stability to push back against their circumstances.
Women living in or near poverty would have faced even greater limitations. Their ability to leave a marriage, pursue education, take professional risks, attend a book club, or simply find time away from domestic labour would have been very different from that of a suburban middle class woman. Exploring those differences would have made the story feel more complete.
The husbands also made me raise an eyebrow a little.
Yes, they are the breadwinners, and they sometimes publicly embarrass their wives or dismiss their intelligence and skills. However, most of them are also surprisingly progressive.
One woman’s husband cheats constantly, but she can spend as much money as she wants and go wherever she pleases. Another woman’s husband supports her working, washes dishes, helps care for the children, and makes it possible for her to attend book club and spend time with friends. Another openly challenges powerful men to defend his wife and her writing.
I am not saying these men could not have existed. Of course they did. But having nearly every husband be more progressive and supportive than what many women of the period experienced made the story feel slightly unrealistic. Also, please note I am not saying woman being able to spend money whenever she wanted made it fair her husband cheated on her. Of course no one should look at the men in this book as the gold standard, I'm just saying it came off a tad sugarcoated compared to the reality at the time.
Many women in the early 1960s lived with intense financial control, emotional neglect, psychological abuse, physical violence, and husbands who played little to no role in childcare or domestic work. Giving all four women comparatively flexible husbands increases their privilege even further and makes their experiences feel less representative of the average woman’s life at the time.
I was also frustrated by the ending. Everything wrapped up in a very neat little bow, which gives readers a satisfying and hopeful conclusion but does not necessarily reflect the reality most women would have faced.
Most disappointing was the lack of a meaningful conclusion to Charlotte’s story. She fought back the hardest against the patriarchal society around her and took some of the greatest risks, yet we receive no follow-up on what happens to her. For the character I found most compelling, that felt deeply unsatisfying.
Overall, The Book Club for Troublesome Women gives readers a meaningful, although sugarcoated, glimpse into some of the challenges women faced in the 1960s, when they did not have many of the rights women have today. It celebrates the power of female friendship and demonstrates why prescribing one single path for every woman will never create happiness or fulfilment on a large scale.
At the same time, it is important to recognize that the book focuses on a very specific group of women with considerably more racial and financial privilege than many others had. It should not be treated as representing anywhere near the full spectrum of women’s experiences during that period.
Lastly, as a Canadian, I must ask: what on earth is a Homeowners Association!? How do people justify telling someone they cannot plant a certain tree in a yard they legally own and pay for?
Like, what do you mean I can’t paint my own house whatever colour I damn well please because Becky two streets over doesn’t like it?
Absolutely wild concept.
Oh boy, did this book activate my social work brain! My school framed all classes around an intersectional and critical thinking framework, so I have a lot of thoughts!
But first, can we appreciate the quote that had me cheering out loud?
“I’m cleaning house. The first thing to go is Howard.”
Hell YES, Charlotte! 👏🏻 Toodaloo, Howie!
I enjoyed The Book Club for Troublesome Women a fair bit, but I also struggled with some larger, overarching parts. Fair warning: this review gets political (because books are inherently political 😉)so if that’s going to annoy you, you may wanna just scroll on past.
I think this story spoke to me as much as it did because of the current political climate, particularly what we are seeing in the United States. While the book doesn’t explore every aspect of women’s lives in the early 1960s, it does highlight some of the rights and freedoms they were denied.
One woman cannot get a birth control prescription without her husband’s signature. Another cannot open her own bank account without her husband’s permission. A character struggles to get recommendation letters for higher education because teachers assume she will eventually drop out, get married, and have children anyway.
Today, certain groups are trying to convince people that the past was a better time for women and families. They argue that women were happier because divorce rates were lower, that women should return to only caring for their husbands, children, and homes, and, in some more extreme cases, that women should not even have the right to vote.
They romanticize time periods like the 1960s, but the women in this story remind us that those years were not all sunshine and roses (hence the many people on transqlizers!).
The book shows women wanting more than society was willing to give them. Women with ambitions beyond marriage and motherhood were dismissed as unstable or neurotic. They were expected to make themselves smaller to protect their husbands’ egos. They were supposed to remain quiet while their husbands embarrassed them publicly, dismissed their intelligence, invalidated their work, and controlled their choices.
Charlotte’s story especially demonstrates how trapped a woman could be. She comes from generational wealth, yet her husband controls most the finances. The money may technically come from her family, but she still has no meaningful control over it.
Women fought for us to have the rights we have today: the ability to choose our own paths and decide how we want to live our lives. This book is an important reminder that those rights were not simply handed to us and they should never be taken for granted (looking directly at some of the MAGA tradwife influencers saying men should vote on behalf of their entire household 👀).
The story also highlights another political issue we continue to see today: books being treated as dangerous when they challenge the dominant narrative. The women’s reactions to The Feminine Mystique, and the attempts to limit its influence, felt especially relevant in a time when books are still being banned or restricted for exposing people to perspectives that make those in power uncomfortable.
This is a very character driven story. It spans several months and does not have one major destination or central plot beyond following four women as they learn, grow, and begin fighting back against society’s expectations. That did not bother me, but readers who prefer a strongly plot driven book may struggle with the pacing.
One of my favourite parts was the friendship between the four women. The way they supported, encouraged, and pushed one another beyond their comfort zones was truly inspiring. The power of female friendship and of women supporting women knows no bounds. This book did a wonderful job of showing why women only support networks matter so much, both in the past and today.
I also loved that the author incorporated real books and writers, including Virginia Woolf. People sometimes look back at older feminist works and criticize them for not being progressive enough by today’s standards, without acknowledging how incredibly progressive and influential they were at the time. I appreciated the author paying homage to the women who came before and helped pave the way for others.
However, I did have (more than) some frustrations.
There were a few moments when Margaret discussed the expectations placed on men, such as the pressure to be providers, in a way that made them seem comparable to the limitations placed on women. Society absolutely places men in boxes too, and those expectations deserve to be discussed. However, I did not think they needed to be centred in this particular story, which is specifically about women’s rights and female empowerment.
During the 1960s (and still today!) heterosexual white men had more freedom, power, and privilege than anyone else. Their struggles were not equivalent to women being denied legal, financial, educational, and reproductive autonomy.
I also felt conflicted about the lack of diversity. All four main characters are middle or upper class white women, who were among the most privileged people in the United States after white men. Historically, many white women promoted forms of feminism that excluded Black, Indigenous, and other racialized women, so part of me wished the book had included more diverse voices and shown a broader picture of what women were fighting against in the 1960s.
That said, the author is a white woman, and part of me wonders whether it was more responsible for her to remain within perspectives she felt equipped to write. Writing a Black woman without extensive research, care, and understanding could easily lead to misrepresentation or the reinforcement of harmful stereotypes. So I would not necessarily call this a criticism, just something worth considering when discussing the scope of the story.
I do wish the book had explored class differences more deeply, even if all the main characters remained white.
Charlotte takes the greatest risk of the four women, particularly for someone living in 1963. However, she is also the wealthiest in terms of family money and has resources that make such a drastic change more possible. The other women are not necessarily wealthy, but they still have enough financial stability to push back against their circumstances.
Women living in or near poverty would have faced even greater limitations. Their ability to leave a marriage, pursue education, take professional risks, attend a book club, or simply find time away from domestic labour would have been very different from that of a suburban middle class woman. Exploring those differences would have made the story feel more complete.
The husbands also made me raise an eyebrow a little.
Yes, they are the breadwinners, and they sometimes publicly embarrass their wives or dismiss their intelligence and skills. However, most of them are also surprisingly progressive.
One woman’s husband cheats constantly, but she can spend as much money as she wants and go wherever she pleases. Another woman’s husband supports her working, washes dishes, helps care for the children, and makes it possible for her to attend book club and spend time with friends. Another openly challenges powerful men to defend his wife and her writing.
I am not saying these men could not have existed. Of course they did. But having nearly every husband be more progressive and supportive than what many women of the period experienced made the story feel slightly unrealistic. Also, please note I am not saying woman being able to spend money whenever she wanted made it fair her husband cheated on her. Of course no one should look at the men in this book as the gold standard, I'm just saying it came off a tad sugarcoated compared to the reality at the time.
Many women in the early 1960s lived with intense financial control, emotional neglect, psychological abuse, physical violence, and husbands who played little to no role in childcare or domestic work. Giving all four women comparatively flexible husbands increases their privilege even further and makes their experiences feel less representative of the average woman’s life at the time.
I was also frustrated by the ending. Everything wrapped up in a very neat little bow, which gives readers a satisfying and hopeful conclusion but does not necessarily reflect the reality most women would have faced.
Most disappointing was the lack of a meaningful conclusion to Charlotte’s story. She fought back the hardest against the patriarchal society around her and took some of the greatest risks, yet we receive no follow-up on what happens to her. For the character I found most compelling, that felt deeply unsatisfying.
Overall, The Book Club for Troublesome Women gives readers a meaningful, although sugarcoated, glimpse into some of the challenges women faced in the 1960s, when they did not have many of the rights women have today. It celebrates the power of female friendship and demonstrates why prescribing one single path for every woman will never create happiness or fulfilment on a large scale.
At the same time, it is important to recognize that the book focuses on a very specific group of women with considerably more racial and financial privilege than many others had. It should not be treated as representing anywhere near the full spectrum of women’s experiences during that period.
Lastly, as a Canadian, I must ask: what on earth is a Homeowners Association!? How do people justify telling someone they cannot plant a certain tree in a yard they legally own and pay for?
Like, what do you mean I can’t paint my own house whatever colour I damn well please because Becky two streets over doesn’t like it?
Absolutely wild concept.
September 11, 2025
After her move to a new upper middle-class housing development in Virginia, Margaret Ryan decides to ask several neighbors to form a small book club. Her new artistic neighbor, Charlotte, suggests Betty Friedan's The Feminine Mystique for their first discussion. It's 1963, and the book resonates with the housewives who feel like something is missing in their lives. Margaret and Charlotte are joined by Vivian, a former Army nurse with six children, and Bitsy, a horse lover who wanted to be an equine veterinarian but instead married one.
The book group called themselves "The Bettys" and read more feminist literature after finishing The Feminine Mystique. Each of them made changes in their lives since they found they needed an interest beyond marriage, children, and housework.
Some real-life women appear in the book including Katharine Graham, the owner of the "Washington Post." She shows the importance of making connections with other women, and "paying forward" by making recommendations of talented women for jobs and educational opportunities.
As might be expected in the early 1960s, some of the husbands are more supportive than others about their feminist ideas. One of the husbands is working a job that he dislikes, but feels the obligation of supporting his wife and children. The best marriages in the group were the ones where they had good communication and worked as a team so they both felt fulfilled. While solutions to their problems seemed to work out easier than expected in real life, there was a lot of food for thought in this novel.
While I was still a child back in 1963 when the book was set, I did feel like The Book Club for Troublesome Women did reflect the position of women back in that decade. The constant smoking and drinking seemed a bit excessive for a bunch of neighborhood housewives. The background--from historical events to the food--had a '60s vibe. Even the cover had the popular colors at the time--gold and olive green! The topics of 1960s feminism, friendship, and the challenges faced by the four women would probably spark interesting discussions for book clubs.
The book group called themselves "The Bettys" and read more feminist literature after finishing The Feminine Mystique. Each of them made changes in their lives since they found they needed an interest beyond marriage, children, and housework.
Some real-life women appear in the book including Katharine Graham, the owner of the "Washington Post." She shows the importance of making connections with other women, and "paying forward" by making recommendations of talented women for jobs and educational opportunities.
As might be expected in the early 1960s, some of the husbands are more supportive than others about their feminist ideas. One of the husbands is working a job that he dislikes, but feels the obligation of supporting his wife and children. The best marriages in the group were the ones where they had good communication and worked as a team so they both felt fulfilled. While solutions to their problems seemed to work out easier than expected in real life, there was a lot of food for thought in this novel.
While I was still a child back in 1963 when the book was set, I did feel like The Book Club for Troublesome Women did reflect the position of women back in that decade. The constant smoking and drinking seemed a bit excessive for a bunch of neighborhood housewives. The background--from historical events to the food--had a '60s vibe. Even the cover had the popular colors at the time--gold and olive green! The topics of 1960s feminism, friendship, and the challenges faced by the four women would probably spark interesting discussions for book clubs.
September 17, 2025
My book club read this so you don’t have to. You’re welcome. We all really did want to like it. The concept was so good: four 1960s housewives facing a changing society, exploring their identities, and navigating marriage, motherhood, and their own passions. A+ for concept but C- for execution. Harsh, I know, but I owe it to my followers to be honest. (How are the 8 of you lovely people doing?;) It’s all very surface. You don’t really get to know the characters well. There’s a weird vagueness to everything. The dialogue is stilted and inauthentic. At one point, one of the characters lets her daughter jump off a low roof so she can fly into her open outstretched arms, and I almost threw out the book right then and there. I’m all for liberation, but that little girl was going to break her neck. It is very rare for my entire book club to dislike a book. Usually there is at least one of us who can see the good in the pages. (For the record, that person is never me.) However, we all agreed on this one. It’s a 2 for all of us. What troublesome women we are.
April 23, 2025
This is the perfect book club read. I loved the 1960s setting and all the changes starting to take place in the home and the workforce, especially for women. Every character in this novel brought something to the table, and through these women, the reader experiences their triumphs and disappointments as they strive for empowerment in a time when a woman wanting a career, or to be childless, or to remain single was met with a crockpot full of negativity. It's the friendship between the women that shines brightest here, even in the face of heartbreak and loss. Thanks to @librofm for the gifted audiobook. The narration was spot on.
August 9, 2025
I did not like this book. If you find yourself rolling your eyes in the first chapter with the name drop of Katherine Graham, put the book down immediately because chapter 38 is insufferable. The whole plot can be summized from the first chapter, as the author has no sense of subtlety. There are no characters, rather stereotypes that monologue at each other in ways no human conversation has ever occurred. Even worse than the predictable plot, non-human characters, incessant name dropping, and general ridiculous use of conversation to provide needless background, the entire book is written in a tone of smug self-satisfaction unique to an author with 60 years of hindsight to make anachronistic judgments of people.
Now, if that had been Bitsy in the garden with Howard… maybe that would have prompted some interest…
Now, if that had been Bitsy in the garden with Howard… maybe that would have prompted some interest…
March 7, 2025
What a delightful read with delightful characters.
We meet housewives in the 1960s who say they are happy, but are they really?
Some of them gave up careers to be a housewife and mother while others didn't know there was anything else to life but getting married and having their husband be in charge of the finances and anything they could do outside the home like opening a bank account and relying on his controlling of money.
When the neighborhood women gather together for a book club and read The Feminine Mystique by Betty Frieden, their bonds become stronger and some break out of their roles.
This is a truly enjoyable book that made me smile and actually laugh out loud even though it got bogged down a bit at times.
Hurray for these housewives and friendships women make!! 5/5
Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
We meet housewives in the 1960s who say they are happy, but are they really?
Some of them gave up careers to be a housewife and mother while others didn't know there was anything else to life but getting married and having their husband be in charge of the finances and anything they could do outside the home like opening a bank account and relying on his controlling of money.
When the neighborhood women gather together for a book club and read The Feminine Mystique by Betty Frieden, their bonds become stronger and some break out of their roles.
This is a truly enjoyable book that made me smile and actually laugh out loud even though it got bogged down a bit at times.
Hurray for these housewives and friendships women make!! 5/5
Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
August 18, 2026
Welcome to Concordia, home of the Bettys!! A lovely suburb of picket fences, frolicking families, and misogyny. Loads of it!!
Let me introduce you to the Bettys, a pack of 60's era housewives turned burgeoning second wave feminists. And what lit the spark to such a perspective shift? 'The Feminine Mystique' of course. A book the Bettys (Margaret, Viv, Bitsy, and Charlotte) read in their neighborhood bookclub turned diatribe. A book that spoke to the women individually and as a collective so acutely that they made the author Betty Friedan their clubs namesake and unofficial aunt.
Yes, Aunt Betty sure did open the Bettys' peepers to what was going on around them. Like with Viv, a mother of six who had the pill withheld from her, needing her husband's express permission. And geez Louise did that one sting when she ended up with a whoopsie number seven baby on her hands, or her womb more like.
And it wasn't just doctors doing the Bettys dirty but pharmacists too. Sheesh were they all in cahoots or what!! The local rotten old pharmacist tried to hold poor nervous wreck Charlotte's Milltown prescription hostage. Umm, sir, these women need their anxiety medication if they're meant to deal with the likes of you!!
And if all that doesn't get your pantyhose in a tangle, get a load of this one!! Any fiscally responsible ladies in the neighborhood like Margaret looking to squirrel away a few nuts needed to get their husband's written permission.Well hell's bells a gal can't even pinch her pennies without asking her dad, opps pardon me, asking her husband first. Good grief, I need a prescription for Milltown just thinking about all this!!
But don't fret pets it's the 60's and as the song goes 'times they are a-changin'. So Bettys hold fast to your copies of 'Feminine Mystique' and toss out your girdles gals!! And obviously un-shellac your bouffants cause the winds of change are blowing and God only knows what that would do to a bouffant hairdo!!!
Let me introduce you to the Bettys, a pack of 60's era housewives turned burgeoning second wave feminists. And what lit the spark to such a perspective shift? 'The Feminine Mystique' of course. A book the Bettys (Margaret, Viv, Bitsy, and Charlotte) read in their neighborhood bookclub turned diatribe. A book that spoke to the women individually and as a collective so acutely that they made the author Betty Friedan their clubs namesake and unofficial aunt.
Yes, Aunt Betty sure did open the Bettys' peepers to what was going on around them. Like with Viv, a mother of six who had the pill withheld from her, needing her husband's express permission. And geez Louise did that one sting when she ended up with a whoopsie number seven baby on her hands, or her womb more like.
And it wasn't just doctors doing the Bettys dirty but pharmacists too. Sheesh were they all in cahoots or what!! The local rotten old pharmacist tried to hold poor nervous wreck Charlotte's Milltown prescription hostage. Umm, sir, these women need their anxiety medication if they're meant to deal with the likes of you!!
And if all that doesn't get your pantyhose in a tangle, get a load of this one!! Any fiscally responsible ladies in the neighborhood like Margaret looking to squirrel away a few nuts needed to get their husband's written permission.Well hell's bells a gal can't even pinch her pennies without asking her dad, opps pardon me, asking her husband first. Good grief, I need a prescription for Milltown just thinking about all this!!
But don't fret pets it's the 60's and as the song goes 'times they are a-changin'. So Bettys hold fast to your copies of 'Feminine Mystique' and toss out your girdles gals!! And obviously un-shellac your bouffants cause the winds of change are blowing and God only knows what that would do to a bouffant hairdo!!!
January 11, 2025
1/14/25: The title of Marie Bostwick's upcoming release (4/22/25) was what attracted me to her novel, and I'm sure many book club members will jump at this one. It is a historical fiction, set over 8 months in 1963, beginning with the March release of The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan, and ending with the November assassination of JFK.
The book uses the Feminine Mystique and the book club that forms in suburban Virginia to read it as their inaugural book as a vehicle to showcase what being a woman in 1960's America was like. Definitely pre-women's lib. Can't open a bank account without your husband's signature and approval. Expected to have dinner on the table, clean up and put the kids to bed while your husband drinks a 6-pack on the couch. Have men generally put down any educational or career interests from their wives. The book is very white-suburban-fairly upper middle class focused, so we do have a limited viewpoint from the book, save for one Black nurse that has a small but positive mention and an urban health clinic helping the underserved.
So this novel is a chronologically organized narrative, where we follow the lives of 4 women, read about their troubles, and see them develop identities thanks to Betty Friedan and their collective friendship. Some men step up, and some men get left behind. Most of the women get smarter and figure out how to achieve their goals. The group calls themselves The Betty's in honor of Friedan. Their is not a singular 'transformation' point, but many smaller ones throughout the book. The book tells its stories with a lighter hand, so we are spared any violence or extreme situations.
The storyline felt a little too obvious to me, and I wasn't excited at the beginning. But the women grew on me and I became invested in their outcomes. I like how Bostwick weaves in famous real life characters like Katherine Graham of the Washington Post and Jackie Kennedy, among others. I like that the book is very accessible for a wide range of readers, but did feel the story was pretty expected. It was uplifting, and while that was good I would also love to read a bit more drama or something unexpected. I was thankful the author didn't use any timeframe jumps, but kept it linear. 3.5 stars rounded up. I do think it would make a great book club read. Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for providing an ARC to review.
1/11/25: Just started this NetGalley pre-release, and although the first 10% was a little slow, I am getting into it as it progresses. Review coming soon.
The book uses the Feminine Mystique and the book club that forms in suburban Virginia to read it as their inaugural book as a vehicle to showcase what being a woman in 1960's America was like. Definitely pre-women's lib. Can't open a bank account without your husband's signature and approval. Expected to have dinner on the table, clean up and put the kids to bed while your husband drinks a 6-pack on the couch. Have men generally put down any educational or career interests from their wives. The book is very white-suburban-fairly upper middle class focused, so we do have a limited viewpoint from the book, save for one Black nurse that has a small but positive mention and an urban health clinic helping the underserved.
So this novel is a chronologically organized narrative, where we follow the lives of 4 women, read about their troubles, and see them develop identities thanks to Betty Friedan and their collective friendship. Some men step up, and some men get left behind. Most of the women get smarter and figure out how to achieve their goals. The group calls themselves The Betty's in honor of Friedan. Their is not a singular 'transformation' point, but many smaller ones throughout the book. The book tells its stories with a lighter hand, so we are spared any violence or extreme situations.
The storyline felt a little too obvious to me, and I wasn't excited at the beginning. But the women grew on me and I became invested in their outcomes. I like how Bostwick weaves in famous real life characters like Katherine Graham of the Washington Post and Jackie Kennedy, among others. I like that the book is very accessible for a wide range of readers, but did feel the story was pretty expected. It was uplifting, and while that was good I would also love to read a bit more drama or something unexpected. I was thankful the author didn't use any timeframe jumps, but kept it linear. 3.5 stars rounded up. I do think it would make a great book club read. Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for providing an ARC to review.
1/11/25: Just started this NetGalley pre-release, and although the first 10% was a little slow, I am getting into it as it progresses. Review coming soon.
Did Not Finish
July 3, 2026Made it 50% through and I’m just not interested….. adding to DNF
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