The Club for Rebellious Ladies: A totally unputdownable dual timeline historical novel of friendship, romance and secrets

by Siobhan Curham

424 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication July 8, 2026

About the author

Hi, I’m Siobhan - which for those of you not familiar with the wonder of Irish names, is actually pronounced, Shiv-on!

I’m an award-winning author of over 50 books, fiction and non-fiction, for adults, young adults and children, and my first book was published back in 2000, so I’ve been at this writing game for almost a quarter of a century now.

I’m also a former council estate kid and a university drop-out - I dropped out because I didn’t think I had what it took to make it in the middle class world of publishing. Thankfully I managed to overcome my self doubt and fear and achieve my writing dreams, and now I love helping others do the same through my mentoring, courses and talks.

I don’t know about you, but during the pandemic I felt as if my life had collapsed in on itself and I’d had to shrink myself to fit this strange new world of lockdowns and zoom calls (oh, so many Zoom calls!) and working from home and working alone. Even when things returned to some semblance of normal back in 2022, I felt that I’d lost sight of who I was and I’d definitely lost my joy for living.

Then, an unexpected trip to Jamaica changed everything, jolting me back to life and reminding me of who I truly am. In a bid to never lose sight of myself and my sense of wonder and purpose again, I started travelling more and writing a weekly Substack letter called Wonderstruck. And in September 2023 I gave up my home in the UK and pretty much all of my worldly goods to solo travel the world while I write my books and mentor other writers.

I send Wonderstruck out to my subscribers every Sunday morning, writing about the places I visit and the lessons I learn there. My sole aim for writing this letter is to inspire others to rediscover their own sense of purpose, wonder and adventure.

If you've enjoyed reading any of my books I'd love it if you joined the Wonderstruck community over on Substack.

Thanks so much for reading and reviewing my books, I really appreciate it!

Siobhan

Substack: siobhancurham.substack.com
Facebook: Siobhan Curham Author
Instagram: @SiobhanCurhamAuthor
Twitter: @SiobhanCurham

For more information about my books, mentoring and courses, please visit: http://www.siobhancurham.com

Reviews

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Club For Rebellious Ladies by Siobhan Curham is a powerful dual timeline novel that I absolutely adored.
The action is set-in present-day France, and also towards the end of World War I in 1918 in France. The two time periods are linked by location and family.
We witness family secrets. The silence of those who knew make them complicit in the abuse of a husband to teenage girls living in the school next door in 1918. In present day, descendants are appalled, distancing themselves from their long-dead relatives.
A secret diary is found that uncovers the truth. We learn the tale, along with the present-day characters.
We witness the devastating effects of World War I. Some died, others left their minds on the battlefields of France. “The things I saw in the war, it’s like I can’t escape the memories.”
At the start of the twentieth century, young girls were seen as ornaments and the property of males – first fathers, and then husbands. “Being trained in the art of becoming an ornament rather than a living, dreaming human being.” Girls’ ambitions were squashed. We see a group of girls determined to break free of the mould of society. They wanted to live their lives.
All the characters were well drawn and believable. We cheer the bravery and the guts of the leading lady in 1918. She rises above her circumstances; chooses her own North Star; and hangs on, breaking out of traditions.
The Club For Rebellious Ladies is a powerful read. It is a difficult read at times as there are scenes of abuse and male dominance – but we applaud the bravery of the leading lady in a society dominated by men.
I received a free copy from the publishers. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.
A word of caution: there are upsetting scenes of abuse that some may not wish to read. And if you, or anyone you know, is affected by these topics, please seek help and tell someone.

[Desiree Mosley - A Love Affair With Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

★★★☆☆ The Club for Rebellious Ladies by Siobhan Curham

I enjoyed The Club for Rebellious Ladies and especially appreciated the dual timelines that connected the lives of two women separated by a century. The story follows Elodie in the 1920s and Rae in 2025, creating a parallel journey of self-discovery, courage, and finding one's place in the world. Elodie is an American student trapped in a French finishing school, longing to escape to Paris and pursue her dream of becoming an artist while worrying about her brother Edward fighting in the war. In the present day, Rae is a recently divorced American who impulsively travels to France and unexpectedly purchases the very building that once housed Elodie's school.

Both women face hardships and challenges as they struggle to define who they are and who they want to become. I enjoyed watching their stories unfold side by side and seeing the connections between their experiences. The French setting added charm to the novel, and the themes of independence, resilience, and rebellion against societal expectations were woven throughout both timelines.

One of my favorite aspects of the book was the mystery threaded through the story. It kept me engaged and eager to uncover the truth behind the secrets linking the past and present. I was genuinely surprised by some of the revelations near the end. Several things I had convinced myself were true turned out not to be, while other clues I had overlooked became important pieces of the puzzle. Although the pacing occasionally felt slow for me, the satisfying conclusion and unexpected twists made for an enjoyable read overall.

Thank you to NetGalley and Siobhan Curham for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75 rounded up to 5

I truly enjoyed this dual timeline story of Elodie and Rae. There was mystery and romance and strong female characters.

Early 1900s; fiery, determined Elodie is a trailblazer set on being more than a pretty accessory to a husband. She is a smart creative that wishes to forge her own path but faces some rather harsh obstacles along the way.

2025: Rae is reeling from a very public divorce from a weasel of a husband and sets off for the Tuscan hillside to recover when she stumbles upon a discovery from the past. This will then lead Rae down a path to figure out what happened to Elodie, all while dealing with a contentious new neighbor.

The story grabbed my interest and held on until I finished as I became quite invested in what happened to Elodie.

As I do like my historical fiction to be tied into real people in the past, I was a little disappointed that The Club for Rebellious Ladies was not based on an historical figure. This was my only negative.

The book itself is amazing and I definitely recommend it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the eARC!

[heyshelbyhi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This had a dual timeline, and I enjoyed both, but especially liked reading about Elodie in the 1919 story. I loved her untamed spirit when we first met her and the other Wildflowers.

The 2025 timeline reminded me a little of “Under the Tuscan Sun” but with a slightly foreboding undertone, and in the 1919 timeline my heart broke for Elodie and the injustices of society at the time. This is the story of a survivor!

*Content warning: one of the main themes is a rape that occurred, and the way that incident altered the girl it affected. This is a story that will stick with you for a long time.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

[Libby Reidy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A dual storyline novel that once you begin it, you will not put it down.. In the past, we meet Elodie, a rebellious young woman who has been sent to a French Finishing School. In the present , we meet Rae, who moves to France to begin a new life after a disasterous divorce. Both are strong women who encounter difficult situations to overcome. Rae,buying the old school, finds clues to what happened to Elodie in the past. I enjoyed the sections on Elodie, her ambitions and her struggle to become the womam she became. Rae also struggles to find out who she is and what she can acccomplish. A fascinating book that I will highly recommend.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rae has come through a bad divorce and has escaped to France while she is there she views a Chateau in need of a lot of restoration and decides to buy. It used to be a finishing school. She finds a diary and starts to read she decides to investigate and find out more about the writer. This leads us into a dual story line with the history of the writer running concurrently with her investigation. This was very good lots of suspense and a bit of romance both with Rae and the mysterious diarist. I enjoyed reading this book
Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for my arc copy

[Chronically Bookish Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book broke my heart, and then put the pieces back together.

I love a dual timeline story and this book executed it really well and I loved the journal format used for the flashbacks.

The characters were really interesting, although I wasn’t super invested in Kwame and would happily have just read about Rae and her journey of recovering from divorce and finding something to be passionate about again without the added new romance angle.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this gifted eARC.

[Miriam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had it all, romance, heartbreak and two spirited main characters that were completely different but connected through the house in France, the way women in the 1920s were expected to blend in invisiblely always makes me sad so Elodie refusing to conform made me smile. The dual timeline did add to the story as the reader gets the story directly and how Rae is able to piece it together through finding the diary.

[Tiffany (areyoutellingstories) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rebellious ladies, you say? Say less! I am always up for a story of women fighting against the oppression of their era. Elodie was one of those women, refusing to become a demure wallflower to snag a rich husband, she longed to be a wildflower, strong and free. I love that the dual timeline gives us Rae, a woman trying to find a new life for herself after heartbreak. Elodie and the rest of the wildflowers are just the inspiration she needs to live life full and free.

[Lynn Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Club for Rebellious Ladies is a wonderful well-written book with lovely characters and a sprinkle of mystery. Both timelines were equally enjoyable, although quite different.
I would have liked to read more about Genevieve and Lucille to find out about their rebellious spirits.

Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this review copy.

[Bookish Venturess · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a great story. A mix between current and past for the story line while both sets of people are going through troubles. I loved the back and forth and the reveal of some of the crazy secrets that were shared.