Women supporting women 💪❤️ That's the heart of Madeline Martin's *The Secret Book Club*, and it's a sentiment I'm completely here for! This book is a warm hug in literary form. If you're looking for your next feel-good read, or a great book club pick, look no further. *The Secret Book Club* is it!

Happy Friday, everyone!! We made it!! 🥳 Guys… I absolutely *loved* Madeline Martin's *The Secret Book Club*!!! I've been getting into historical fiction this year, and really enjoying it. This one is an easy 5 stars! ⭐️ I seriously can’t recommend *The Secret Book Club* enough!What did I love? EVERYTHING!! I mean... a book about a secret book society? Sign me up! 🙋‍♀️The year is 1895… London… and things aren't exactly a walk in the park for women. They have to sneak around just to read books. ...

In a Nutshell: A historical fiction novel that's about much more than just a secret book society. It's partly a book about books, but mostly a book about male machismo and female frustration. The female characters are interesting, but the male characters are stock. It goes wide rather than deep in its themes and topics. The final quarter is quite dark, and yet it's the strongest part of the book. *The Secret Book Club* is a good novel, as long as you aren’t expecting a light-hearted story about ...

Madeline Martin's historical fiction novel, *The Secret Book Club*, offers a fascinating glimpse into the lives of women in London during the late 1800s. The rich detail and authentic dialogue create a convincing portrayal of how women in the upper classes were treated within their marriages and communities. These women were often controlled by domineering men and subjugated within their own homes, and those who dared to defy societal norms risked being sent to insane asylums or mental instituti...

4.25 stars! "The Secret Book Club" by Madeline Martin is a captivating historical novel set in Victorian London, brimming with forbidden book clubs, dangerous secrets, and women who dare to break free. It's a must-read for fans of historical fiction and strong female characters!You're cordially invited to the Secret Book Society…The year is 1895, and Lady Duxbury in London starts a ladies' tea to assist women in society who are restricted by controlling men. She offers them access to her library...

A truly informative story that makes me proud to be a woman living in this day and age. Life was undeniably difficult for those living in Victorian England, not just for the poor, but also for women—even those considered to be part of high society.In this beautifully written story, Madeline Martin introduces us to three women trapped by societal norms: Rose Wharton, Lavinia Cavendish, and Eleanor Clarke. They face everything from an austere and abusive husband and brother-in-law, to the overwhel...

I ABSOLUTELY LOVED this historical fiction novel that I received from Harper Collins! "The Secret Book Club" is the kind of historical fiction that still hits home today, especially for women in 2025. Lady Duxbury, Lavinia, Rose, and Eleanor each embark on their own journey, sparked and nurtured by Lady Duxbury’s Secret Book Club, where they are invited to read freely and forge connections as they grapple with the oppression of 1890s London. The book kicks off with a dramatic prologue, and diary...

London, 1895: Several women receive an invitation from Lady Duxbury to join The Secret Book Club. (Lady Duxbury is a three-time widow, and some whisper that her husbands might not have died of natural causes, given her knowledge of herbs.) These women have been forbidden by the men in their lives from reading for pleasure and live in tightly controlled, sometimes even abusive, patriarchal households. And what happens to women who dare to defy these constraints? They risk being committed to lunat...

While I'm usually a total pushover for stories about the magic of books and women supporting each other, *The Secret Book Club* just didn't click for me. I found the female characters pretty one-dimensional, and the male characters were basically cartoon villains.The story takes place in Victorian England. There are four main characters. Lady Duxbury is the woman who starts the book club; she's been widowed three times, is single now, and wealthy enough to make a difference in the world. Eleanor...

***Adding one final update on November 30, 2025***The Secret Book Club is a finalist for the Goodreads Choice Award for Favorite Historical Fiction - this truly means SO MUCH to me that so many of you have voted for The Secret Book Club!!! I cannot thank you enough for your support and for believing in this story. Today is the last day to vote, so if you haven't done so yet and enjoyed this book, I would so appreciate your vote: https://www.goodreads.com/choiceaward... I'm so immensely grateful ...