The Book Club for Troublesome Women Audiobook By Marie Bostwick cover art

The Book Club for Troublesome Women

A Novel

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The Book Club for Troublesome Women

By: Marie Bostwick
Narrated by: Lisa Flanagan
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About this listen

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
Friendship Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Women's Fiction Inspiring Witty Marriage Dream
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Critic reviews

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)

Enduring Friendships • Powerful Community • Fantastic Reader • Relatable Characters • Historical Significance
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The things we take for granted today that could not happen without a man's consent.

The struggle women had in that time.

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

60’s Women of courage and determination

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Marie Bostwick is the queen of creating community among women - strong friendships, support systems, and real life.

The Bookclub for Troublesome Women doesn’t disappoint - and does it in an era of tumultuous social change.

I might start another book club for this book!

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This book was the best book I have listened to in a long time. I loved it and I think any woman to read this would love it too. It was amazing. The story was superb. I enjoyed it a lot, and I recommend it to all my friends.

Book club for troublesome woman

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This storyline resonated with me even though we are 40+ years after the setting. Women have an important role in this world and though this is a fictional book, the experiences of these women are not. I’ve never spent a lot of time thinking about traditional gender roles as I’ve generally marched to the beat of my own drum, but this book brought me to a deeper understanding of what, historically, women have faced to have a voice. This book captured beautifully the determination of individual women, but also how powerful and important it is when good friends come alongside you to elevate and encourage you to forge paths you might not otherwise. Thank you, Marie Bostwick, for writing a beautiful book that speaks to women.

I relate to Troublesome Women

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Great job Marie, even for those of us that were born in the early 60s, we have seen so many many changes especially being a woman.
And I am so thankful for all of those that took a stand against really tough odds…
Thank you for putting it on paper, our granddaughters and great granddaughters really have no idea just how hard it was and how tough you had to be to make it in a man's world.
🎈

Outstanding....

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The characters felt like people I wanted to meet. Looking back at this time in a woman’s journey to choice was done inspiring, maddening, strengthening, and encouraging! I’ll be recommending this book to my book club at our next meeting. 😁

The Betty’s

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I thought Marie did an excellent job of portraying that era. Through the book club we faced the problems of that period for women.

I loved the time period and the character development

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I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characters were engaging and I didn't want the story to end.

Great book!

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I absolutely loved the is story of enduring friendships and the plights of being a woman in the 50’s/60’s. Beautiful story with remarkably relatable characters.

This one is special.

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