The Book Club for Troublesome Women

(Paperback)

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"This is a novel about ambitious women and the mentors that inspired them to excellence . . . Bostwick carves an unforgettable path for her characters."--Adriana Trigiani, bestselling author of The Good Left Undone

Margaret Ryan never really meant to start a book club . . . or a feminist revolution in her buttoned-up suburb.

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.

Reviews

'In THE BOOK CLUB FOR TROUBLESOME WOMEN, the talented Marie Bostwick says this, 'Acquaintances abound, but true friendships are rare and worth waiting for,' capturing the essence, and the heart, of this story. If you love stories about friendships, strong women, the 60s, and the power of the written word, this is the book for you.' * Marybeth Mayhew Whalen, author of EVERY MOMENT SINCE *
'No one writes female friendship like the luminous Marie Bostwick. When a group of friends decide to read Betty Friedan's blockbuster, THE FEMININE MYSTIQUE, the words on the page serve as a rally cry to action for Margaret, Viv, Bitsy, and Charlotte. Long before women were recognized for their contributions and talents, Bostwick carves an unforgettable path for her characters in THE BOOK CLUB FOR TROUBLESOME WOMEN. At its heart, this is a novel about ambitious women and the mentors that inspired them to excellence. This story is a time capsule of what was, which shows us who we are today.' * Adriana Trigiani, bestselling author of THE GOOD LEFT UNDONE *

Author Bio

Marie Bostwick is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of heartwarming fiction for women. Marie lives in Oregon with Brad, her husband of thirty-seven years. When not writing, she enjoys quilting, reading, cooking, spending time with family and friends. Marie travels extensively, speaking at libraries, bookstores, quilt guilds, and at quilt shows. Marie's latest endeavor is Fiercely Marie, a lifestyle blog that encourages women to live every minute and love every moment.