The Book Club for Troublesome Women

A Novel

De: Marie Bostwick

Narrado por: Lisa Flanagan

Margaret never really meant to start a book club . . . or a feminist revolution, for that matter in this bold and plucky novel from New York Times bestselling author Marie Bostwick.

"Ideal for fans of historical fiction and those who enjoyed Bonnie Garmus's Lessons in Chemistry." --Library Journal, starred review

"Readers will cheer." --Kirkus

"Perfect for those who love book club, nostalgia for the 1960s, and stories of female friendship." --Booklist

"A feel-good beach read with . . . elements that spark a revolution." --Southern Review of Books

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 Book Club for Troublesome Women is a humorous, thought provoking, and nostalgic romp through one pivotal and tumultuous American year--as well as an ode to self-discovery, persistence, and the power of sisterhood.

©2025 Marie Bostwick (P)2025 Harper Muse

Reseñas de la Crítica

USA TODAY BESTSELLER

SOUTHERN INDIE BESTSELLER

A BRENDA NOVAK BOOK GROUP PICK

GLOSS BOOK CLUB PICK

THE GIRLFRIEND BOOK CLUB PICK

A MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK OF 2025 (SheReads)

The struggle women had in that time.

The things we take for granted today that could not happen without a man's consent.

I’m sold!! Joining the book club!!

What a wonderful story and an incredible group of characters. I feel like I traveled back in time and met some wonderful new friends.

Dakota

Echoes of my own experiences. Characters who are real, Vlad, and lovable. An uplifting ending. What more could a reader ask?

Good enough

I was a young girl during the early 60’s, so this book’s historical perspective helped me glean a part of my Mother’s life, and those of her peers,that I could not have known. As the characters were aptly portrayed in this story, women were reluctant to acknowledge their own needs and desires beyond their husbands and families. I typically like Marie Bostwick’s style and characters. This story had, for my tastes, a few too many overly sentimental aspects. Could have been the times! Worth a read/listen.

Great characters!

Loved all the characters and their support of each other. Really good historical fiction and I got teary at the ending.

Magnificent story

I loved the rich characters and historical references. These women felt like friends by the end.

Surprisingly detailed and beautifully written

I really liked how the story chronicles a time just before i was born. I really could relate to the feeling of the time. One of the things I disliked about my parents is that they were always trying to new things like vegetarian food and leaving their religion. This book echoes the challenges in the 60’s and why things changed so dramatically. It was difficult to take some of the abrasive dynamics between men and women. I think that Bostwick was accurate about how women were treated as second class citizens then. She wrote about how lmen and women won the battle in a myriad of ways. I love this author. I think this is the 10th book I have read of hers. All of her books are great!

Ladies! Read this book!

From to start to finish, I found this book very emotional. It’s unfathomable to believe that standards for women left them in a world of not being able to find their own identities but the societies idea of what they “should” be. A group of conforming women in the same cookie cutter neighborhood found themselves in a book club. But far more than a book club. The friendships that developed made my heart swell. This group was the beginning of lives to be lived by each one of them and not to the standards of societal norms. Loved it so much and feel grateful my life as a woman is NOT like that of a woman in the 60s. Some of those stigmas do still exist but maybe, just maybe they will all vanish one day? Wishful thinking.

60’s Women of courage and determination

The support and honesty amongst the women within the book. Their growth! Memories of the struggles for women before the 1970’s.

Historical fiction highlighting female friendships

I adored this story. It highlighted complex societal change, relationships that may feel similar to l relationships even in today’s world, and focused on the power of female friendships. You can’t help but love each of the women and some of the husbands too.