The Book Club for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick

The Book Club for Troublesome Women: A Novel by Marie Bostwick

In the highly celebrated 2025 release The Book Club for Troublesome Women, New York Times bestselling author Marie Bostwick delivers a bold, plucky, and deeply nostalgic romp through a pivotal year in American history. Margaret never really meant to start a feminist revolution, but sometimes the most profound changes begin with a simple invitation. An instant USA Today and Southern Indie Bestseller, this humorous and thought-provoking novel serves as a powerful ode to self-discovery, persistence, and the unbreakable bonds of sisterhood.

By 1960s standards, Margaret Ryan is living the quintessential American woman's dream. She has a husband, three children, a station wagon, and a beautiful home in Concordia, one of Northern Virginia's most exclusive and picturesque suburbs. She enjoys a standing invitation to the neighborhood coffee klatch, and her husband recently gifted her a subscription to A Woman's Place—a magazine dictating exactly who housewives should be and what they should buy. On paper, Margaret has it all. So why doesn't her perfect life feel like enough?

The Birth of the "Bettys"

Margaret’s neatly ordered world is thrown for a loop when she meets Charlotte Gustafson, Concordia's newest and most intriguing resident. Desperate for an excuse to spend more time in the mysterious Charlotte's orbit, Margaret concocts a faux book club and invites two other neighborhood women, Bitsy and Viv, to the inaugural meeting. As the four women share cocktails, hidden secrets, and their shockingly honest reactions to Betty Friedan's controversial bestseller, The Feminine Mystique, a quiet revolution is sparked.

Nicknaming themselves the "Bettys," these four friends quickly discover that the American dream they were sold is not entirely sunshine and roses. They realize their secret longing for more is a shared burden. Over the course of the most consequential year of their lives, their impromptu club becomes the vital glue that helps them navigate tears, triumphs, angst, and arguments, forever altering the trajectory of their futures.

Critical Acclaim & Praise

• "Ideal for fans of historical fiction and those who enjoyed Bonnie Garmus's Lessons in Chemistry." — Library Journal (Starred Review)
• "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
• "Readers will cheer." — Kirkus

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