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The Secret Book Society
A captivating new historical novel from Madeline Martin, set in Victorian London about a forbidden book club, dangerous secrets, and the women who dare to break free.
You are cordially invited to the Secret Book Society…
London, 1895: Trapped by oppressive marriages and societal expectations, three women receive a mysterious invitation to an afternoon tea at the home of the reclusive Lady Duxbury. Beneath the genteel facade of the gathering lies a secret book club—a sanctuary where they can discover freedom, sisterhood, and the courage to rewrite their stories.
Eleanor Clarke, a devoted mother suffocating under the tyranny of her husband. Rose Wharton, a transplanted American dollar princess struggling to fit the mold of an aristocratic wife. Lavinia Cavendish, an artistic young woman haunted by a dangerous family secret. All are drawn to the enigmatic Lady Duxbury, a thrice-widowed countess whose husbands’ untimely deaths have sparked whispers of murder.
As the women form deep, heartwarming friendships, they uncover secrets about their marriages, their pasts, and the risks they face. Their courage is their only weapon in the oppressive world that has kept them silent, but when secrets are deadly, one misstep could cost them everything.
You are cordially invited to the Secret Book Society…
London, 1895: Trapped by oppressive marriages and societal expectations, three women receive a mysterious invitation to an afternoon tea at the home of the reclusive Lady Duxbury. Beneath the genteel facade of the gathering lies a secret book club—a sanctuary where they can discover freedom, sisterhood, and the courage to rewrite their stories.
Eleanor Clarke, a devoted mother suffocating under the tyranny of her husband. Rose Wharton, a transplanted American dollar princess struggling to fit the mold of an aristocratic wife. Lavinia Cavendish, an artistic young woman haunted by a dangerous family secret. All are drawn to the enigmatic Lady Duxbury, a thrice-widowed countess whose husbands’ untimely deaths have sparked whispers of murder.
As the women form deep, heartwarming friendships, they uncover secrets about their marriages, their pasts, and the risks they face. Their courage is their only weapon in the oppressive world that has kept them silent, but when secrets are deadly, one misstep could cost them everything.
336 pages, Paperback
First published August 26, 2025
733 people are currently reading
90868 people want to read
About the author
Madeline Martin
76 books4,345 followersMadeline Martin is a New York Times, USA Today, Publisher's Weekly, and international bestselling author of historical fiction and historical romance with books that have been translated into over twenty-five different languages.
She lives in sunny Florida with her two daughters (known collectively as the minions), two incredibly spoiled cats and a man so wonderful he's been dubbed Mr. Awesome. She is a die-hard history lover who will happily lose herself in research any day. When she's not writing, researching or 'moming', you can find her spending time with her family at Disney or sneaking a couple spoonfuls of Nutella while laughing over cat videos. She also loves research and travel, attributing her fascination with history to having spent most of her childhood as an Army brat in Germany.
Check out her website for book club visits, reader guides for her historical fiction, upcoming events, book news and more: https://madelinemartin.com
She lives in sunny Florida with her two daughters (known collectively as the minions), two incredibly spoiled cats and a man so wonderful he's been dubbed Mr. Awesome. She is a die-hard history lover who will happily lose herself in research any day. When she's not writing, researching or 'moming', you can find her spending time with her family at Disney or sneaking a couple spoonfuls of Nutella while laughing over cat videos. She also loves research and travel, attributing her fascination with history to having spent most of her childhood as an Army brat in Germany.
Check out her website for book club visits, reader guides for her historical fiction, upcoming events, book news and more: https://madelinemartin.com
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August 20, 2025**Updated as of 08/26/25**
There is less than a week to go before the release of The Secret Book Society!!
This book was such a passion project for me and was just an absolute joy to write. I feel like it just poured out of me, which is such a gift as an author.
I have an incredible book tour lined up and hope to get to meet many of you while I'm on the road. I'll be in MA, NJ, MD, DE, OH, IN, FL, GA, AL, SC, and NC with a couple virtual events too.
And with the afternoon tea that masks the forbidden book club in The Secret Book Society, there are a LOT of events with tea parties! So fun!!
You can find the list of my book tour on my website here: https://madelinemartin.com/events/
I hope to see you there!
xoxo,
Madeline
*Updated as of 3/29/25*
Hey, early reviewers...The Secret Book Society is officially up on NetGalley! You can request it here: https://www.netgalley.com/catalog/boo...
I forgot to post here, but The Secret Book Society also has a cover!!! It's going to have gold foil embellishments on the cover and I just absolutely love it so much! (Sorry for all the exclamation points - I'm obviously very excited LOL)
And if you'd like a sneak peek at the prologue, you can find an exclusive one here at People Magazine: https://people.com/madeline-martin-th...
I'm SO over the moon to see this book starting to break out into the world - it was such a thrill to write and I hope everyone enjoys it!
Thank you again for following me on this fun journey!
xoxo,
Madeline
*Updated as of 01/27/2025*
I finally have an official blurb for The Secret Book Society:
"A captivating new historical novel from Madeline Martin, set in Victorian London about a forbidden book club, dangerous secrets, and the women who dare to break free.
You are cordially invited to the Secret Book Society…
London, 1895: Trapped by oppressive marriages and societal expectations, three women receive a mysterious invitation to an afternoon tea at the home of the reclusive Lady Duxbury. Beneath the genteel facade of the gathering lies a secret book club—a sanctuary where they can discover freedom, sisterhood, and the courage to rewrite their stories.
Eleanor Clarke, a devoted mother suffocating under the tyranny of her husband. Rose Wharton, a transplanted American dollar princess struggling to fit the mold of an aristocratic wife. Lavinia Cavendish, an artistic young woman haunted by a dangerous family secret. All are drawn to the enigmatic Lady Duxbury, a thrice-widowed countess whose husbands’ untimely deaths have sparked whispers of murder.
As the women form deep, heartwarming friendships, they uncover secrets about their marriages, their pasts, and the risks they face. Their courage is their only weapon in the oppressive world that has kept them silent, but when secrets are deadly, one misstep could cost them everything."
And - even better - it's available for pre-order now at all your favorite vendor sites.
The edits and copy edits are both done as well and hopefully we'll even have ARCs soon.
I also have a cover now too and it's so gorgeous, I gasped when I first saw it! I can't share it yet, but hopefully can sooner than later. Stay tuned!
xoxo,
Madeline
***
I am tremendously excited for my next historical fiction, The Secret Book Society. I have always been fascinated with the Victorian era and having the opportunity to write in this time period has just been exquisite! I came up with this idea in September and loved it so much, the story just poured out of me onto the page. By the beginning of December, the entire book was written and by mid-December, my publisher had already read my proposal and immediately began deal negotiations. It is my hope that all of you will be ask excited for this book as me and my publisher.
I don't have a set date yet in 2025 when this book will be released (I think Goodreads automatically assigned January 1st - that will not be the release date), but I still have several months to work on my personal edits for this story while also gleaning more research. Many of you know I spend months researching my books before I even write one word. This time I was too excited to wait. I had a strong foundational knowledge of the time period already (history nerd here!) and greedily consumed anything Victorian I could lay my hands on while I was plotting and writing this story.
I am also doing something I haven't done in the past with my historical fiction: I'm creating a Pinterest board of book ideas. It's still private while I mull over my process with this book, but when we start to share more publication details on this book, I'll make my board visible so you can see where I've drawn some of my inspiration.
More info to come - in the meantime, thank you so much for your interest and excitement in this new idea.
xoxo,
Madeline (2/23/24)
There is less than a week to go before the release of The Secret Book Society!!
This book was such a passion project for me and was just an absolute joy to write. I feel like it just poured out of me, which is such a gift as an author.
I have an incredible book tour lined up and hope to get to meet many of you while I'm on the road. I'll be in MA, NJ, MD, DE, OH, IN, FL, GA, AL, SC, and NC with a couple virtual events too.
And with the afternoon tea that masks the forbidden book club in The Secret Book Society, there are a LOT of events with tea parties! So fun!!
You can find the list of my book tour on my website here: https://madelinemartin.com/events/
I hope to see you there!
xoxo,
Madeline
*Updated as of 3/29/25*
Hey, early reviewers...The Secret Book Society is officially up on NetGalley! You can request it here: https://www.netgalley.com/catalog/boo...
I forgot to post here, but The Secret Book Society also has a cover!!! It's going to have gold foil embellishments on the cover and I just absolutely love it so much! (Sorry for all the exclamation points - I'm obviously very excited LOL)
And if you'd like a sneak peek at the prologue, you can find an exclusive one here at People Magazine: https://people.com/madeline-martin-th...
I'm SO over the moon to see this book starting to break out into the world - it was such a thrill to write and I hope everyone enjoys it!
Thank you again for following me on this fun journey!
xoxo,
Madeline
*Updated as of 01/27/2025*
I finally have an official blurb for The Secret Book Society:
"A captivating new historical novel from Madeline Martin, set in Victorian London about a forbidden book club, dangerous secrets, and the women who dare to break free.
You are cordially invited to the Secret Book Society…
London, 1895: Trapped by oppressive marriages and societal expectations, three women receive a mysterious invitation to an afternoon tea at the home of the reclusive Lady Duxbury. Beneath the genteel facade of the gathering lies a secret book club—a sanctuary where they can discover freedom, sisterhood, and the courage to rewrite their stories.
Eleanor Clarke, a devoted mother suffocating under the tyranny of her husband. Rose Wharton, a transplanted American dollar princess struggling to fit the mold of an aristocratic wife. Lavinia Cavendish, an artistic young woman haunted by a dangerous family secret. All are drawn to the enigmatic Lady Duxbury, a thrice-widowed countess whose husbands’ untimely deaths have sparked whispers of murder.
As the women form deep, heartwarming friendships, they uncover secrets about their marriages, their pasts, and the risks they face. Their courage is their only weapon in the oppressive world that has kept them silent, but when secrets are deadly, one misstep could cost them everything."
And - even better - it's available for pre-order now at all your favorite vendor sites.
The edits and copy edits are both done as well and hopefully we'll even have ARCs soon.
I also have a cover now too and it's so gorgeous, I gasped when I first saw it! I can't share it yet, but hopefully can sooner than later. Stay tuned!
xoxo,
Madeline
***
I am tremendously excited for my next historical fiction, The Secret Book Society. I have always been fascinated with the Victorian era and having the opportunity to write in this time period has just been exquisite! I came up with this idea in September and loved it so much, the story just poured out of me onto the page. By the beginning of December, the entire book was written and by mid-December, my publisher had already read my proposal and immediately began deal negotiations. It is my hope that all of you will be ask excited for this book as me and my publisher.
I don't have a set date yet in 2025 when this book will be released (I think Goodreads automatically assigned January 1st - that will not be the release date), but I still have several months to work on my personal edits for this story while also gleaning more research. Many of you know I spend months researching my books before I even write one word. This time I was too excited to wait. I had a strong foundational knowledge of the time period already (history nerd here!) and greedily consumed anything Victorian I could lay my hands on while I was plotting and writing this story.
I am also doing something I haven't done in the past with my historical fiction: I'm creating a Pinterest board of book ideas. It's still private while I mull over my process with this book, but when we start to share more publication details on this book, I'll make my board visible so you can see where I've drawn some of my inspiration.
More info to come - in the meantime, thank you so much for your interest and excitement in this new idea.
xoxo,
Madeline (2/23/24)
September 5, 2025
In a Nutshell: A historical fiction that goes much beyond a secret book society. Partly a book about books. Mostly a book about male machoism and female frustration. Interesting female characters, stock male characters. Goes wide rather than deep in themes and topics. The final quarter is quite dark and yet the strongest part of the book. A good novel, as long as you aren’t expecting a light-hearted story about a book club.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
Bookish Yays:
📚 The four women characters. The pillars of this book. Each unique and yet strong in various ways. Eleanor was my favourite.
📚 Rose’s experience as the American outsider in the closed ranks of the English upper class. A well-written example of how discrimination existed even among the privileged.
📚 The accurate portrayal of the rigid requirements in the historical English society not just from women but also from titled aristocrats, outsiders, merchant-class men, and elder siblings. The content captures nicely the pulse of the restrictive social mores.
📚 A related yay for highlighting the male privilege, and the bias against wives and daughters, whether it came to inheritance or hobbies or even the clothes worn.
📚 The depiction of the domestic violence – chilling!
📚 Great vocabulary. In today’s overly-processed and digitally-edited writing world, it is always a treat to see apt words being used. Even if these might have been edited through digital aids, the correct contextual usage made it feel natural rather than a shoved-in higher vocab word.
📚 I think my biggest yay from this book has to be the gratitude I felt for being a woman born in the second half of the 20th century.
📚 The author’s note at the end.
Bookish Mixed Bags:
📖 Somehow, Lady Duxbury always sounds much older than she is supposed to be: in her thirties. I don’t know if my mind muddled her with Lady Danbury from the Bridgerton books. The other ladies always sounded their age, whether the teenaged Lavinia or the twenty-something Rose or the thirty-something Eleanor.
📖 Considering that the title highlights a “secret book society”, I expected more bookish discussions. There are references to books and women authors, but a major chunk of the plot is about the characters’ personal travails.
📖 Given that every single female character is in a troublesome domestic situation, the proceedings get a bit too negative. The only positive depiction of marriage comes through Rose’s perspective, but that is also a partially happy situation. I wish there had been a better variety of relationship situations instead of having a variety only in terms of types of female subjugation.
📖 On that note, there are too many examples of how women are maltreated in society. Every theme was important, yes. But not every single trauma faced by women has to be included in a single book!
📖 Pet peeve: I hate it when characters take ages to read a personal journal. In this novel, it was even more odd as the characters blazed through other novels within a week but took more than a few weeks to read the journal. This contained the story-within-a-story I referred to earlier, and it was fairly interesting, even though it also went overboard in terms of feminist themes.
📖 The middle section is the weakest part of the book, going off track into a random trend of the day, which was boring. The final section saves the book to a great extent. At the same time, this section is too dark and disturbing, which wasn’t expected from the title and the initial chapters.
Bookish Nays:
📕 So tiresome and repetitive to see women-oriented plots show most men being monsters. Rose’s husband is the only one with a few good attributes, and another male character is shown as being a feminist in the modern sense of the word. The rest are all narrow-minded caricatures.
📕 Unrealistic to see modern feminist thoughts and anachronous phrases such as “Not all men” pop up in a historical work. The content felt historical in terms of costumes and social behaviour, but the feminism was not of that century, even counting exceptions.
Overall, I expected a more uplifting and soothing read, but this ended up as an infuriating experience for various reasons. It is still a great book (except for that boring tangent in between), as long as you go in prepared for a story about historical discrimination against women than about a secret book club.
Recommended to historical fiction fans. Triggers galore related to women’s mistreatment, matrimony, pregnancy, and motherhood, so ensure that you are in a strong headspace before picking this up.
3.5 stars, rounding up for the final section.
My thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing and Hanover Square Press for providing the DRC of “The Secret Book Society” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || Facebook ||
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
1895. England. Three women receive an unexpected, strangely-worded invitation for afternoon tea from Lady Duxbury. Each of the women is trapped in their social role in some way or the other. Lady Duxbury intends for them to meet regularly under the façade of a casual get-together, and find what they need, be it friendship, solace, books, or freedom.
Eleanor Clarke, who is of noble birth, is married to an abusive nouveau riche blinded by his new wealth and his desire to climb up the social ladder. Rose Wharton is a rich young American struggling to fit into her new role as an English aristocrat’s wife. Lavinia Cavendish is a nineteen-year-old with a longing to be accepted for what she is. All of them are enamoured by what their new patron, the thrice-widowed Lady Duxbury, proposes: a secret book society. As they begin this journey, they discover more about each other’s lives, not knowing that soon, the strength of their new friendship will be tested.
The story comes to us in the third-person perspectives of Lady Duxbury, Eleanor, Rose, and Lavinia. There is also a first-person story-within-a-story.
Bookish Yays:
📚 The four women characters. The pillars of this book. Each unique and yet strong in various ways. Eleanor was my favourite.
📚 Rose’s experience as the American outsider in the closed ranks of the English upper class. A well-written example of how discrimination existed even among the privileged.
📚 The accurate portrayal of the rigid requirements in the historical English society not just from women but also from titled aristocrats, outsiders, merchant-class men, and elder siblings. The content captures nicely the pulse of the restrictive social mores.
📚 A related yay for highlighting the male privilege, and the bias against wives and daughters, whether it came to inheritance or hobbies or even the clothes worn.
📚 The depiction of the domestic violence – chilling!
📚 Great vocabulary. In today’s overly-processed and digitally-edited writing world, it is always a treat to see apt words being used. Even if these might have been edited through digital aids, the correct contextual usage made it feel natural rather than a shoved-in higher vocab word.
📚 I think my biggest yay from this book has to be the gratitude I felt for being a woman born in the second half of the 20th century.
📚 The author’s note at the end.
Bookish Mixed Bags:
📖 Somehow, Lady Duxbury always sounds much older than she is supposed to be: in her thirties. I don’t know if my mind muddled her with Lady Danbury from the Bridgerton books. The other ladies always sounded their age, whether the teenaged Lavinia or the twenty-something Rose or the thirty-something Eleanor.
📖 Considering that the title highlights a “secret book society”, I expected more bookish discussions. There are references to books and women authors, but a major chunk of the plot is about the characters’ personal travails.
📖 Given that every single female character is in a troublesome domestic situation, the proceedings get a bit too negative. The only positive depiction of marriage comes through Rose’s perspective, but that is also a partially happy situation. I wish there had been a better variety of relationship situations instead of having a variety only in terms of types of female subjugation.
📖 On that note, there are too many examples of how women are maltreated in society. Every theme was important, yes. But not every single trauma faced by women has to be included in a single book!
📖 Pet peeve: I hate it when characters take ages to read a personal journal. In this novel, it was even more odd as the characters blazed through other novels within a week but took more than a few weeks to read the journal. This contained the story-within-a-story I referred to earlier, and it was fairly interesting, even though it also went overboard in terms of feminist themes.
📖 The middle section is the weakest part of the book, going off track into a random trend of the day, which was boring. The final section saves the book to a great extent. At the same time, this section is too dark and disturbing, which wasn’t expected from the title and the initial chapters.
Bookish Nays:
📕 So tiresome and repetitive to see women-oriented plots show most men being monsters. Rose’s husband is the only one with a few good attributes, and another male character is shown as being a feminist in the modern sense of the word. The rest are all narrow-minded caricatures.
📕 Unrealistic to see modern feminist thoughts and anachronous phrases such as “Not all men” pop up in a historical work. The content felt historical in terms of costumes and social behaviour, but the feminism was not of that century, even counting exceptions.
Overall, I expected a more uplifting and soothing read, but this ended up as an infuriating experience for various reasons. It is still a great book (except for that boring tangent in between), as long as you go in prepared for a story about historical discrimination against women than about a secret book club.
Recommended to historical fiction fans. Triggers galore related to women’s mistreatment, matrimony, pregnancy, and motherhood, so ensure that you are in a strong headspace before picking this up.
3.5 stars, rounding up for the final section.
My thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing and Hanover Square Press for providing the DRC of “The Secret Book Society” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || Facebook ||
August 11, 2025
Informative story making me once again proud to be a woman of this current time
Life was hard for those living in Victorian England, not only for the poor but also for woman who would be considered high society.
In this well written story, Madeline Martin, introduces us to three ladies who are trapped by societal norms, an austere and abusive husband and brother in law, and the overwhelming fear of being confined to an insane asylum. (apparently something husband's did at their whim)
An invitation arrives at the homes of Rose Wharton, Lavinia Cavendish, and Eleanor Clarke sent by Lady Duxbury. The purpose is to allow these women a chance to be themselves, to drop the false pretenses and be able to read what they want because Lady Druxbury understands how difficult their lives have been.
Under the guidance of Lady Druxbury, (a widow who was married three times), the ladies learn about their courage and the right to be themselves.
They all come away better people with friends who care and are united in comradery.
Fear is replaced with courageousness, timidness is replaced with confidence and daring, and the ladies learn their mettle is stronger than they ever thought.
The men of the story are conventional, knowing their word is law within their households, even if that law is dangerous and filled with cruelty. However, some do learn that the spirit and confidence the women acquire is definitely an attribute they learn to value.
4.5 stars
Life was hard for those living in Victorian England, not only for the poor but also for woman who would be considered high society.
In this well written story, Madeline Martin, introduces us to three ladies who are trapped by societal norms, an austere and abusive husband and brother in law, and the overwhelming fear of being confined to an insane asylum. (apparently something husband's did at their whim)
An invitation arrives at the homes of Rose Wharton, Lavinia Cavendish, and Eleanor Clarke sent by Lady Duxbury. The purpose is to allow these women a chance to be themselves, to drop the false pretenses and be able to read what they want because Lady Druxbury understands how difficult their lives have been.
Under the guidance of Lady Druxbury, (a widow who was married three times), the ladies learn about their courage and the right to be themselves.
They all come away better people with friends who care and are united in comradery.
Fear is replaced with courageousness, timidness is replaced with confidence and daring, and the ladies learn their mettle is stronger than they ever thought.
The men of the story are conventional, knowing their word is law within their households, even if that law is dangerous and filled with cruelty. However, some do learn that the spirit and confidence the women acquire is definitely an attribute they learn to value.
4.5 stars
September 3, 2025
This historical fiction novel is a fascinating portrayal of women's lives in London during the late 1800s. The detail and dialogue provide a convincing take on how some of the women in the upper echelons of society were treated in their marriages and in their communities. Women were controlled by domineering men and often subjugated in their own homes. Those women who did not conform were sometimes sent to insane asylums or mental institutions.
The plight of the four main female characters in this story is very unlike the freedoms and choices that women enjoy today. It comes down to freedom and choice. The freedom to voice ideas and move around freely, as well as being able to choose a mate and read books of one's own choosing.
This is a beautiful story about friendship, caring, kindness, and giving. I believe that this would be a great book club discussion book. I would highly recommend this book to fans of historical fiction and women's fiction.
My sincere thanks to NetGalley Harlequin Trade Publishing-Hanover Square Press for a digital ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
The plight of the four main female characters in this story is very unlike the freedoms and choices that women enjoy today. It comes down to freedom and choice. The freedom to voice ideas and move around freely, as well as being able to choose a mate and read books of one's own choosing.
This is a beautiful story about friendship, caring, kindness, and giving. I believe that this would be a great book club discussion book. I would highly recommend this book to fans of historical fiction and women's fiction.
My sincere thanks to NetGalley Harlequin Trade Publishing-Hanover Square Press for a digital ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
July 24, 2025
I LOVED this historical fiction that I received from Harper Collins as part of The Hive. The Secret Book Society is the kind of historical fiction that still resonates today, especially for women in 2025. Lady Duxbury, Lavinia, Rose and Eleanor each have their own journey spawned by and fostered with the support of Lady Duxbury’s Secret Book Society, where they’ve been invited to read freely and build connection as they face the oppression of 1890s London. This book starts off with a dramatic prologue, and interspersed are diary entries/flashbacks. I was rooting for the women the entire time, and their stories felt very relatable and poignant. I will absolutely be coming back for more from this author!
August 23, 2025
4.25 stars "A captivating historical novel set in Victorian London about a forbidden book club, dangerous secrets, and the women who dare to break free.
You are cordially invited to the Secret Book Society…
It is London, 1895, and Lady Duxbury starts a ladies' tea to assist women in society who are restricted by controlling men. She offers them access to her library as most women are forbidden from reading fictional novels. They range in age from late teens on. Lavinia, Rose, and Eleanor captured my heart immediately. They all have different backgrounds but are similar in that a man in their life is trying to control them. What starts as a book club quickly becomes a master class in self-reliance, confidence, sisterhood, and friendship, helping the women achieve more together than they ever could alone.
I loved the themes of women's rights in an era when women had so few but were on the cusp of achieving it. These women at the turn of the twentieth century were brave, and women today who have many more rights owe this generation a lot for our freedoms. Of course, weaving classic books and the importance of reading and writing is just icing on the cake in this beautiful story of courage and friendship. Highly recommend this delightful novel with a bit of mystery and suspense that transports you to Victorian London.🇬🇧
Many thanks to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing (HTP), and Madeline Martin for an advance reader's copy in exchange for my honest review.
You are cordially invited to the Secret Book Society…
It is London, 1895, and Lady Duxbury starts a ladies' tea to assist women in society who are restricted by controlling men. She offers them access to her library as most women are forbidden from reading fictional novels. They range in age from late teens on. Lavinia, Rose, and Eleanor captured my heart immediately. They all have different backgrounds but are similar in that a man in their life is trying to control them. What starts as a book club quickly becomes a master class in self-reliance, confidence, sisterhood, and friendship, helping the women achieve more together than they ever could alone.
I loved the themes of women's rights in an era when women had so few but were on the cusp of achieving it. These women at the turn of the twentieth century were brave, and women today who have many more rights owe this generation a lot for our freedoms. Of course, weaving classic books and the importance of reading and writing is just icing on the cake in this beautiful story of courage and friendship. Highly recommend this delightful novel with a bit of mystery and suspense that transports you to Victorian London.🇬🇧
Many thanks to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing (HTP), and Madeline Martin for an advance reader's copy in exchange for my honest review.
June 9, 2025
London, 1895: Several women receive an invitation from Lady Duxbury to The Secret Book Society. (Lady Duxbury is thrice widowed, and some wonder if her husbands died naturally or were helped along by her knowledge of herbs.) These women have been forbidden by the men in their lives from reading for pleasure, and live in tightly controlled, and sometimes abusive, patriarchal households. And what happens to women who don't conform? They can be sent to lunatic asylums, which is precisely what happens to one of their group when her odious abusive husband learns of her plans to leave. Can Lady Duxbury and her friends save her? Recommended fans of historical fiction with strong female characters. Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the ARC.
August 19, 2025
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: Aug. 26, 2025
Madeline Martin’s “The Secret Book Society” is a historical fiction novel, set in Victorian London.
Three women, residing in elite society of London in 1895 receive invitations to a tea hosted by the mysterious and elusive Lady Duxbury. Of course, due to Lady Duxbury’s influential status, it is an invitation they can’t turn down, even if they wanted to. Eleanor, Rose and Lavinia soon find themselves sequestered in Lady Duxbury’s personal library- where they freely share and exchange novels with and between each other. All of the women know that if they are caught reading or sharing their opinions on the stories within, they run the risk of being sent to an asylum by the men in their life, which is just the fate that befalls Eleanor when her abusive husband discovers her secret. The women quickly ban together to try and free Eleanor, while trying to keep themselves from suffering the same fate.
Martin is a kindred spirit of mine, as the majority of her books feature bookshops, libraries, or simply the pure love of literature and books themselves, and “The Secret Book Society” is another one for the list. It is a beautiful story of the bonds that a love of reading can create, and the influence and power that women can wield when they choose to work together. “Secret” also speaks to the true fears of the time, especially those of women who are deemed to be independent thinkers, going against the men in their lives and sharing their own thoughts and feelings- admission to the lunatic asylum.
All of the three women take a turn at narrating (all except Lady Duxbury, who’s secretive nature prevents her from taking centre stage, but we do learn about her as the novel progresses through journal entries) and they are all so different, yet they connect and bond over their love of reading. All of these women are so relatable, and their situations are easy to sympathize with, especially for those of us life-long readers.
“Secret” is as heartbreaking as it is heartwarming, and Martin creates a realistic picture of women in Victorian England, while still ensuring that her story is overall uplifting and positive. The power of women working together is inspiring, and it had me cheering loudly.
Martin’s love of reading and books is obvious, and I love how she waves this flag proudly in “Secret”, like the rest of her novels, while still managing to tell a realistic and tragic tale of a (slightly more) dangerous time for women. I adore Martin, and I appreciate her love of books, and any book fan should definitely check out “The Secret Book Society".
Expected publication date: Aug. 26, 2025
Madeline Martin’s “The Secret Book Society” is a historical fiction novel, set in Victorian London.
Three women, residing in elite society of London in 1895 receive invitations to a tea hosted by the mysterious and elusive Lady Duxbury. Of course, due to Lady Duxbury’s influential status, it is an invitation they can’t turn down, even if they wanted to. Eleanor, Rose and Lavinia soon find themselves sequestered in Lady Duxbury’s personal library- where they freely share and exchange novels with and between each other. All of the women know that if they are caught reading or sharing their opinions on the stories within, they run the risk of being sent to an asylum by the men in their life, which is just the fate that befalls Eleanor when her abusive husband discovers her secret. The women quickly ban together to try and free Eleanor, while trying to keep themselves from suffering the same fate.
Martin is a kindred spirit of mine, as the majority of her books feature bookshops, libraries, or simply the pure love of literature and books themselves, and “The Secret Book Society” is another one for the list. It is a beautiful story of the bonds that a love of reading can create, and the influence and power that women can wield when they choose to work together. “Secret” also speaks to the true fears of the time, especially those of women who are deemed to be independent thinkers, going against the men in their lives and sharing their own thoughts and feelings- admission to the lunatic asylum.
All of the three women take a turn at narrating (all except Lady Duxbury, who’s secretive nature prevents her from taking centre stage, but we do learn about her as the novel progresses through journal entries) and they are all so different, yet they connect and bond over their love of reading. All of these women are so relatable, and their situations are easy to sympathize with, especially for those of us life-long readers.
“Secret” is as heartbreaking as it is heartwarming, and Martin creates a realistic picture of women in Victorian England, while still ensuring that her story is overall uplifting and positive. The power of women working together is inspiring, and it had me cheering loudly.
Martin’s love of reading and books is obvious, and I love how she waves this flag proudly in “Secret”, like the rest of her novels, while still managing to tell a realistic and tragic tale of a (slightly more) dangerous time for women. I adore Martin, and I appreciate her love of books, and any book fan should definitely check out “The Secret Book Society".
August 29, 2025
Easily a new favorite by author Madeline Martin!! I loved this book about a secret book club of women angry at the injustices forced upon them by a world controlled by men.
Set in the late 19th century, this book follows a wealthy widow, Lady Duxbury, who invites fellow privileged women to partake of the volumes in her library and find solace and comfort among a group of like-minded women.
Told in alternating perspectives we get to know four women who each have their own struggles but are all subject to the whims of the men in their lives, whether it be husbands, fathers or the love they have for their children.
The most infuriating part is the story is based on things that actually happened, such as the forced institutionalization of women falsely labeled as mad or hysterical.
This is a book for book lovers and women who are angry at the injustices that still continue in our world. Highly recommended and amazing on audio narrated by the estimable Saskia Maarleveld.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review! This one is going on my new favorites shelf and has a great reading guide and author's note included at the end.
Fav quotes:
"The power of women coming together could truly do powerful things."
Set in the late 19th century, this book follows a wealthy widow, Lady Duxbury, who invites fellow privileged women to partake of the volumes in her library and find solace and comfort among a group of like-minded women.
Told in alternating perspectives we get to know four women who each have their own struggles but are all subject to the whims of the men in their lives, whether it be husbands, fathers or the love they have for their children.
The most infuriating part is the story is based on things that actually happened, such as the forced institutionalization of women falsely labeled as mad or hysterical.
This is a book for book lovers and women who are angry at the injustices that still continue in our world. Highly recommended and amazing on audio narrated by the estimable Saskia Maarleveld.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review! This one is going on my new favorites shelf and has a great reading guide and author's note included at the end.
Fav quotes:
"The power of women coming together could truly do powerful things."
June 4, 2025
"You are cordially invited to the Secret Book Society … "
Madeline Martin capably whisked me back to Victorian London and showed me why secret societies formed among women seeking independence. I was shocked to discover that women were discouraged from reading and that forbidden book clubs were organized so that women who dared to break free from restrictions could share their dangerous secrets and rewrite their stories.
I was absorbed in the stories of three women who received an invitation to tea at Lady Duxbury’s and read in trepidation as they empowered each other to find joy both in life and in reading. I learned about how asylums became depositories for the disenfranchised and the ingenious who dared to be different.
Martin successfully balanced mystery, suspense, and sisterhood while pulling back the curtains on a sobering time in history. You’ll feel empowered and invincible after reading this great historical fiction book by a trusted author.
I was gifted this copy by Edelweiss and was under no obligation to provide a review.
Madeline Martin capably whisked me back to Victorian London and showed me why secret societies formed among women seeking independence. I was shocked to discover that women were discouraged from reading and that forbidden book clubs were organized so that women who dared to break free from restrictions could share their dangerous secrets and rewrite their stories.
I was absorbed in the stories of three women who received an invitation to tea at Lady Duxbury’s and read in trepidation as they empowered each other to find joy both in life and in reading. I learned about how asylums became depositories for the disenfranchised and the ingenious who dared to be different.
Martin successfully balanced mystery, suspense, and sisterhood while pulling back the curtains on a sobering time in history. You’ll feel empowered and invincible after reading this great historical fiction book by a trusted author.
I was gifted this copy by Edelweiss and was under no obligation to provide a review.
September 1, 2025
(4.25 stars)
The Secret Book Society is set in England in the 1890s and by the time you have finished this book, you will wonder why any woman would want to time-travel back to this era! Nevertheless, I loved this book and heartily recommend it.
Lady Duxbury is a three-time widow with a sad history. She decides to invite a few women to a Secret Book Society, under the guise of inviting them for tea - which was an acceptable cover story, enabling them to attend. Three women show up (one other was invited but didn’t appear): Rose, an American married to a second son in the nobility), Lavinia, an unmarried daughter of an upper-crust family (her mother was actually invited but urged her daughter to go in her stead), and Eleanor, who is married to a cruel husband. These women have a lot in common: their lives are extremely restricted by their families, not just society. And they have been forbidden to read for pleasure! Apparently it was not uncommon then to believe that reading novels (even ones considered classics in our time) would lead to immorality and other bad outcomes for the woman. Men were in complete control of their lives. If women didn’t conform to family or society expectations, the men in their lives could send them off to an asylum, where they might never again see the light of day. Shiver! In fact, the prologue teases us with that very thing - one of these friends is being carted off to an asylum.
The women form a tight bond of friendship as a result of these meetings and wind up helping each other in many ways. One thing that niggled at me - the timeframe is extremely short, just a couple of months. I find it difficult to believe that such deep friendships formed that quickly, especially given how hard it was for the four of them to continue to meet. I did appreciate that the author did not paint ALL men as evil and domineering.
I bounced between the printed version and the audio version, which was narrated beautifully by the ever-amazing Saskia Maarleveld. She is one of my absolute favorite narrators.
Thank you to Hanover Square Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy of this book and to Harlequin Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.
The Secret Book Society is set in England in the 1890s and by the time you have finished this book, you will wonder why any woman would want to time-travel back to this era! Nevertheless, I loved this book and heartily recommend it.
Lady Duxbury is a three-time widow with a sad history. She decides to invite a few women to a Secret Book Society, under the guise of inviting them for tea - which was an acceptable cover story, enabling them to attend. Three women show up (one other was invited but didn’t appear): Rose, an American married to a second son in the nobility), Lavinia, an unmarried daughter of an upper-crust family (her mother was actually invited but urged her daughter to go in her stead), and Eleanor, who is married to a cruel husband. These women have a lot in common: their lives are extremely restricted by their families, not just society. And they have been forbidden to read for pleasure! Apparently it was not uncommon then to believe that reading novels (even ones considered classics in our time) would lead to immorality and other bad outcomes for the woman. Men were in complete control of their lives. If women didn’t conform to family or society expectations, the men in their lives could send them off to an asylum, where they might never again see the light of day. Shiver! In fact, the prologue teases us with that very thing - one of these friends is being carted off to an asylum.
The women form a tight bond of friendship as a result of these meetings and wind up helping each other in many ways. One thing that niggled at me - the timeframe is extremely short, just a couple of months. I find it difficult to believe that such deep friendships formed that quickly, especially given how hard it was for the four of them to continue to meet. I did appreciate that the author did not paint ALL men as evil and domineering.
I bounced between the printed version and the audio version, which was narrated beautifully by the ever-amazing Saskia Maarleveld. She is one of my absolute favorite narrators.
Thank you to Hanover Square Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy of this book and to Harlequin Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.
September 7, 2025
This is a beautifully written, entertaining historical fiction novel which has themes of female bonding and empowerment. It is told from the point of view of four distinct, likable female protagonists, and has heartbreak, adversity, strength, resilience, friendship, healing, hope, and a gratifying conclusion. The author note is enlightening and informative, and is truly appreciated. I listened to the audio book, and the truly talented Saskia Maarleveld, who has a captivating voice, does an outstanding job voicing the characters.
September 2, 2025
I only have time for a quick review, maybe one day when I have more time, I will write another one!
I really enjoyed this one and it's really well written and researched!! I loved all the ladies of the Secret Book Society, especially Rose and Lavavina. This time period is very dominated by men and women had little choices. Reading a novel was simply unheard of. I'd hate that! The four women made strong and lasting friendships and I really enjoyed that!!
I very highly recommend this one!!
Enjoy and Happy Reading 💫
I really enjoyed this one and it's really well written and researched!! I loved all the ladies of the Secret Book Society, especially Rose and Lavavina. This time period is very dominated by men and women had little choices. Reading a novel was simply unheard of. I'd hate that! The four women made strong and lasting friendships and I really enjoyed that!!
I very highly recommend this one!!
Enjoy and Happy Reading 💫
June 7, 2025
Thank you to HTP Books/Hanover Square Press for providing me with a gifted ebook copy of The Secret Book Society through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
The Secret Book Society is a beautifully written story following four different women, in Victorian era England. Martin weaves together a story of heartbreak, hope, friendship, and empowerment with each of the women facing different situations in their lives. The setting of the book has a great Regency era feel, along the lines of the Bridgerton books, but it deals with a lot of heavier subject matter. The chapters switch POVs between each of the female characters, along with diary entries from Lady Duxbury, and I thought this helped to keep the story interesting.
All of the female characters were well-written, and the situations they each faced were believable for this time period. Lady Duxbury was the stand-out character and well layered from her past experiences, and now working to help other women who are facing hardships and challenges within their families. I loved that at the heart of the story, books were used to empower the women, who lived during a time when their reading was limited or completely removed.
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐓𝐨 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭:
* Historical Fiction
* Female Friendships
* Victorian Era Society
* Secrets & Betrayals
* Control/Abuse
𝐈𝐬 𝐈𝐭 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐲?
🥶 (No)
I would highly recommend The Secret Book Society if you love female characters who grow to overcome adversity and hardship, women who lift one another up, and the life-changing effects that books can bring to one's life.
The Secret Book Society is a beautifully written story following four different women, in Victorian era England. Martin weaves together a story of heartbreak, hope, friendship, and empowerment with each of the women facing different situations in their lives. The setting of the book has a great Regency era feel, along the lines of the Bridgerton books, but it deals with a lot of heavier subject matter. The chapters switch POVs between each of the female characters, along with diary entries from Lady Duxbury, and I thought this helped to keep the story interesting.
All of the female characters were well-written, and the situations they each faced were believable for this time period. Lady Duxbury was the stand-out character and well layered from her past experiences, and now working to help other women who are facing hardships and challenges within their families. I loved that at the heart of the story, books were used to empower the women, who lived during a time when their reading was limited or completely removed.
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐓𝐨 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭:
* Historical Fiction
* Female Friendships
* Victorian Era Society
* Secrets & Betrayals
* Control/Abuse
𝐈𝐬 𝐈𝐭 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐲?
🥶 (No)
I would highly recommend The Secret Book Society if you love female characters who grow to overcome adversity and hardship, women who lift one another up, and the life-changing effects that books can bring to one's life.
April 11, 2025
The Secret Book Society by Madeline Martin has made it to my Best Books of All Time list…and it is at the top. Oh, this book. This book showcases the power of books, the desperate need we have for them, the ways they can empower us to literally change our lives and the beautiful communities that form around sharing them. In this book, we go back in time to Victorian London where women were often forbidden to read by the men in their lives for fear of the emotions, ideas and independent thoughts they might elicit. But when a group of women come together in a secret book society to read, the grow and to change, anything can happen. My goodness, this book showcases why I do what I do. Reading can change everything.
August 30, 2025
4.5 stars.
August 9, 2025
Loved! A group of women in Victorian London come together for a book club, but end up pushing against the constraints of their time and their marriages. A book about the power of books but also women.
August 25, 2025
3.5⭐️
Thank you @hanoversquarepress @htp_hive for the galley! ♡
I can see why this is getting rave reviews. The letter from the author got me in my feels.
It does have trauma in the form of domestic abuse, bullying, and vast inequality between women and men circa 19th century London.
It’s also a feel good story about 3 women, societal outcasts, who are taken under the wing of a mysterious benefactor Lady Duxbury. They drink tea and form their own support group + impromptu book club among kindred spirits.
If I had a complaint it is that the villains are just so evil that there’s no room for grey or redemption of any kind. I like for there to be more complexity.
Having said that, I do appreciate the historical context and what Madeline Martin depicts — a fascinating period of history in Victorian England (and one I definitely am glad to have been born long after).
▶︎ •၊၊||၊|။||။|• 🎧 Saskia Maarleveld is one of my fave voice actors. In the first few chapters bc of the POV swapping, it took me a sec to figure out who was who, but once we learn the 4 main characters, smooth sailing.
Thank you @hanoversquarepress @htp_hive for the galley! ♡
I can see why this is getting rave reviews. The letter from the author got me in my feels.
It does have trauma in the form of domestic abuse, bullying, and vast inequality between women and men circa 19th century London.
It’s also a feel good story about 3 women, societal outcasts, who are taken under the wing of a mysterious benefactor Lady Duxbury. They drink tea and form their own support group + impromptu book club among kindred spirits.
If I had a complaint it is that the villains are just so evil that there’s no room for grey or redemption of any kind. I like for there to be more complexity.
Having said that, I do appreciate the historical context and what Madeline Martin depicts — a fascinating period of history in Victorian England (and one I definitely am glad to have been born long after).
▶︎ •၊၊||၊|။||။|• 🎧 Saskia Maarleveld is one of my fave voice actors. In the first few chapters bc of the POV swapping, it took me a sec to figure out who was who, but once we learn the 4 main characters, smooth sailing.
May 12, 2025
Although I’m usually a sucker for stories about the power of books and women banding together, this one did nothing for me. I found the women characters pretty thin and the male characters wholly negative villains.
It is set in Victorian times. There are four main characters. The woman who calls this group together is Lady Duxbury, widowed three times, single now and rich enough to do good in the world. Eleanor Clark, emotionally and physically, abused by her husband. Rose Wharton an American married into an aristocratic family who is belittled by her husband’s brother and not welcomed into this closed society. Lavinia Cavendish a hypersensitive, emotional woman living under threat of being sent to a lunatic asylum like her grandmother.
When Lady Duxbury brings the women together to share true friendship and exchange books previously denied, these new found friendships profoundly influence the course of their lives. No longer isolated, they help each other free themselves of their untenable situations.
It was very predictable and repetitive. The one upside is that my relief in living now and not then!
Many thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins for the opportunity to read this advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.
It is set in Victorian times. There are four main characters. The woman who calls this group together is Lady Duxbury, widowed three times, single now and rich enough to do good in the world. Eleanor Clark, emotionally and physically, abused by her husband. Rose Wharton an American married into an aristocratic family who is belittled by her husband’s brother and not welcomed into this closed society. Lavinia Cavendish a hypersensitive, emotional woman living under threat of being sent to a lunatic asylum like her grandmother.
When Lady Duxbury brings the women together to share true friendship and exchange books previously denied, these new found friendships profoundly influence the course of their lives. No longer isolated, they help each other free themselves of their untenable situations.
It was very predictable and repetitive. The one upside is that my relief in living now and not then!
Many thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins for the opportunity to read this advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.
July 5, 2025
I know going into a book by Madeline Martin that I'm going to become attached to charming characters, shed few tears as they navigate significant challenges, and revel in a beautiful ending. I've come to expect this after reading all of her historical fiction books. This story is a little different and it's extra special. We aren't dealing with women during a war, which is a common theme in Martin's books, but with woman who come from restrictive and abusive homes. All of them have soft landings, but a reader should be aware that the road to happily ever after has some details that may be difficult for some to read.
The book starts almost at the end, which is always a fascinating tactic to me. We have Lady Duxbury finding out that a friend has been sent to an asylum by her husband. The first chapter circles back to Lady Duxbury starting a book club for three women who she detects to be in difficult home situations. Eleanor Clarke is the seemingly perfect society woman who has a controlling and sometimes violent husband. Rose Warton is the American "dollar princess" whose once-loving husband is under the influence of an older brother who abhors Rose's background and different behavior (though her money saved their home). Lavinia Cavendish is passionate young woman who has trouble being demure (and may have what we would consider an anxiety disorder in modern times). The three women find community in Lady Duxbury's home and they become friends through their meetings.
The writing in this book is beautiful and I found it hard to put the book down, even before the fast-paced final act during which the friends attempt to extract the one who was sent to the asylum. Despite the difficult details of their home lives, this book felt like a comfort read. The friendships are just so lovely and satisfying.
I imagine that anyone who reads this as their first Madeline Martin book will want to circle back to read her backlist. All of her books are wonderful, but this might be my favorite!
Reviews are for readers. I received an advanced copy on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The book starts almost at the end, which is always a fascinating tactic to me. We have Lady Duxbury finding out that a friend has been sent to an asylum by her husband. The first chapter circles back to Lady Duxbury starting a book club for three women who she detects to be in difficult home situations. Eleanor Clarke is the seemingly perfect society woman who has a controlling and sometimes violent husband. Rose Warton is the American "dollar princess" whose once-loving husband is under the influence of an older brother who abhors Rose's background and different behavior (though her money saved their home). Lavinia Cavendish is passionate young woman who has trouble being demure (and may have what we would consider an anxiety disorder in modern times). The three women find community in Lady Duxbury's home and they become friends through their meetings.
The writing in this book is beautiful and I found it hard to put the book down, even before the fast-paced final act during which the friends attempt to extract the one who was sent to the asylum. Despite the difficult details of their home lives, this book felt like a comfort read. The friendships are just so lovely and satisfying.
I imagine that anyone who reads this as their first Madeline Martin book will want to circle back to read her backlist. All of her books are wonderful, but this might be my favorite!
Reviews are for readers. I received an advanced copy on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 15, 2025
3.5 🌟
While I was intrigued by the Victorian setting, I found the story a bit lackluster. For some reason I found the characters hard to separate and remember and also didn't find them as strong as I like my fmcs. A slow moving story with not much happening except ladies getting together for tea and reading. Cute premise, but not enough substance for me.
Thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing and Netgalley for the digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
While I was intrigued by the Victorian setting, I found the story a bit lackluster. For some reason I found the characters hard to separate and remember and also didn't find them as strong as I like my fmcs. A slow moving story with not much happening except ladies getting together for tea and reading. Cute premise, but not enough substance for me.
Thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing and Netgalley for the digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 6, 2025
Thank you, @htphive, and @madelinemartin the gifted ARC!
Rundown:
✨️London 1895
✨️secret book club
✨️women supporting women
✨️oppressive relationships
Synopsis ✒️
"You are cordially invited to The Secret Book Society..."
The mysterious Lady Duxbury sends out invitations to three women to join her for tea as a ruse for a secret book club. Eleanor is a devoted mother in a controlling relationship. Rose Wharton is an American who married for love, but now her husband wants her to act more fitting of her position. Lavinia Cavendish has a family secret that makes her uncomfortable in public. These women share their secrets and love of books but can't risk being discovered.
Thoughts 💭
Wow! I loved everything this stands for. We have a central character (Lady Duxbury) who brings three unlikely women together. Lady Duxbury is an interesting character who makes it her mission to help those who can't help themselves. We learn about her story through Eleanor, who is gifted her diary to read. These women share their stories, traumas, and secrets. Instead of judging or being envious, they use their strengths to help each other. It also doesn't hurt that they have a shared love of reading. The growth these women went through was because of their support for each other, and it's a beautiful thing to see. Victorian times could be dangerous for women. They could be committed simply because their husband or father deemed them to be too emotional, and they didn't have a lot of options available to them. The message is clear. We are stronger together. Don't miss this beautiful story.
Rundown:
✨️London 1895
✨️secret book club
✨️women supporting women
✨️oppressive relationships
Synopsis ✒️
"You are cordially invited to The Secret Book Society..."
The mysterious Lady Duxbury sends out invitations to three women to join her for tea as a ruse for a secret book club. Eleanor is a devoted mother in a controlling relationship. Rose Wharton is an American who married for love, but now her husband wants her to act more fitting of her position. Lavinia Cavendish has a family secret that makes her uncomfortable in public. These women share their secrets and love of books but can't risk being discovered.
Thoughts 💭
Wow! I loved everything this stands for. We have a central character (Lady Duxbury) who brings three unlikely women together. Lady Duxbury is an interesting character who makes it her mission to help those who can't help themselves. We learn about her story through Eleanor, who is gifted her diary to read. These women share their stories, traumas, and secrets. Instead of judging or being envious, they use their strengths to help each other. It also doesn't hurt that they have a shared love of reading. The growth these women went through was because of their support for each other, and it's a beautiful thing to see. Victorian times could be dangerous for women. They could be committed simply because their husband or father deemed them to be too emotional, and they didn't have a lot of options available to them. The message is clear. We are stronger together. Don't miss this beautiful story.
September 7, 2025
Strong women, motherhood, love, loss, pain, and literature? It’s a dream of a book! My only complaint is that I wish this had gone on longer. While that should probably earn it five stars, I really did feel like the ending was rushed and underdeveloped.
August 27, 2025
The Secret Book Society is a compelling story set in Victorian London with themes of women supporting women.
A forbidden book club + dangerous secrets + women who dare to break free = one page-turning story. In 1895, women were often trapped by oppressive marriages and societal expectations. Lady Duxbury, a reclusive widow, issues three mysterious invitations to afternoon tea, which is, in reality, a secret book club. This gathering provides women with a safe space to form meaningful friendships, select reading material, and share their thoughts and feelings (secrets). They face severe consequences and great danger to protect one of their own.
I always appreciate a theme of women supporting women. I love the fierce loyalty and solidarity. In a society where women have little power and are trapped by societal norms, it’s often their only recourse. Can you imagine a husband who controls his wife’s reading life?! Or gives her “permission” to read what she wants to read? Can you envision meeting in secret to discuss books?!
Favorite Quote: “The kindred joy of having discovered someone who read the same book was immediate, a friend whose mind had resided once in the same fictional world.”
This group of women is forced to consider some extreme actions to protect one of their own. Compelling themes include sisterhood, friendship, loyalty, self-reliance, women’s rights, bravery, and courage.
Reading this story reminds me of the gratitude we owe women in history who have fought for women’s rights in their own unique ways. Some of these women built a public platform, and others fought quietly. We honor each one who worked to secure the freedoms and rights women enjoy today. We stand on their shoulders.
Content Consideration: domestic abuse
Fans of Madeline Martin and stories of women supporting women will want to add The Secret Book Society to their fall TBRs! I have read many of her books, and I appreciate her well-researched and well-written historical fiction.
Thanks #NetGalley @HTP_Books @Hanover_Square for a complimentary eARC of #TheSecretBookSociety upon my request. All opinions are my own.
For more reviews visit my blog www.readingladies.com where this review was first published.
A forbidden book club + dangerous secrets + women who dare to break free = one page-turning story. In 1895, women were often trapped by oppressive marriages and societal expectations. Lady Duxbury, a reclusive widow, issues three mysterious invitations to afternoon tea, which is, in reality, a secret book club. This gathering provides women with a safe space to form meaningful friendships, select reading material, and share their thoughts and feelings (secrets). They face severe consequences and great danger to protect one of their own.
I always appreciate a theme of women supporting women. I love the fierce loyalty and solidarity. In a society where women have little power and are trapped by societal norms, it’s often their only recourse. Can you imagine a husband who controls his wife’s reading life?! Or gives her “permission” to read what she wants to read? Can you envision meeting in secret to discuss books?!
Favorite Quote: “The kindred joy of having discovered someone who read the same book was immediate, a friend whose mind had resided once in the same fictional world.”
This group of women is forced to consider some extreme actions to protect one of their own. Compelling themes include sisterhood, friendship, loyalty, self-reliance, women’s rights, bravery, and courage.
Reading this story reminds me of the gratitude we owe women in history who have fought for women’s rights in their own unique ways. Some of these women built a public platform, and others fought quietly. We honor each one who worked to secure the freedoms and rights women enjoy today. We stand on their shoulders.
Content Consideration: domestic abuse
Fans of Madeline Martin and stories of women supporting women will want to add The Secret Book Society to their fall TBRs! I have read many of her books, and I appreciate her well-researched and well-written historical fiction.
Thanks #NetGalley @HTP_Books @Hanover_Square for a complimentary eARC of #TheSecretBookSociety upon my request. All opinions are my own.
For more reviews visit my blog www.readingladies.com where this review was first published.
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August 31, 2025Ahhhh so excited to read this 🤸
September 3, 2025
Absolutely loved this. The audio was fast paced and captivating. Definitely recommend!
August 1, 2025
Wow wow WOW! I’ll be honest, historical fiction normally isn’t my jam. But the title reeled me in, because ~of course~ I wanted to find out what a secret book society would entail!
I am genuinely in awe that so much depth and care was conveyed for each main character in a relatively short book. Every character was fully fleshed out, each with their own reason for the reader to beg that they receive all that they deserve. What a beautiful show of the absolutely vital gift of female friendship, especially in a time period that often pitted women against each other to perpetuate the oppressive patriarchy the fairer sex was trapped in.
A few key aspects I loved about this book:
1. I loved that the majority of Lady Duxbury’s story was “told without being told.” Her story being unraveled in the manner it was successfully kept her air of mystery to her friends in the story while giving readers insight into the woman that seemed untouchable to the whims of London society.
2. The twist that was foreshadowed in the prologue made my jaw drop!
3. The book had what I’ll always think of as a “Barbie movie monologue moment” (please note this is from an ARC and may be edited prior to publication): “A woman was a man’s property when she was wed, and yet told she must want to be a wife. She must go to her bridal bed entirely innocent, but desirous, committing herself to a lifetime of never being able to say no. Her beauty was to be maintained, though she would be lambasted for the expense and denigrated for her vanity. Her duty included bearing a child, but her time with them was limited for fear of making the offspring soft.” OOOOF. This was Victorian England, yet so much still rings true today.
It was a true delight to be able to read this novel. A huge thank you to HarperCollins for providing me an advanced readers copy of this phenomenal book via NetGalley. It would seem I have quite an enjoyable to do list to catch up on Ms. Martin’s works!
I am genuinely in awe that so much depth and care was conveyed for each main character in a relatively short book. Every character was fully fleshed out, each with their own reason for the reader to beg that they receive all that they deserve. What a beautiful show of the absolutely vital gift of female friendship, especially in a time period that often pitted women against each other to perpetuate the oppressive patriarchy the fairer sex was trapped in.
A few key aspects I loved about this book:
1. I loved that the majority of Lady Duxbury’s story was “told without being told.” Her story being unraveled in the manner it was successfully kept her air of mystery to her friends in the story while giving readers insight into the woman that seemed untouchable to the whims of London society.
2. The twist that was foreshadowed in the prologue made my jaw drop!
3. The book had what I’ll always think of as a “Barbie movie monologue moment” (please note this is from an ARC and may be edited prior to publication): “A woman was a man’s property when she was wed, and yet told she must want to be a wife. She must go to her bridal bed entirely innocent, but desirous, committing herself to a lifetime of never being able to say no. Her beauty was to be maintained, though she would be lambasted for the expense and denigrated for her vanity. Her duty included bearing a child, but her time with them was limited for fear of making the offspring soft.” OOOOF. This was Victorian England, yet so much still rings true today.
It was a true delight to be able to read this novel. A huge thank you to HarperCollins for providing me an advanced readers copy of this phenomenal book via NetGalley. It would seem I have quite an enjoyable to do list to catch up on Ms. Martin’s works!
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September 11, 2025Whoa the ending was super Daniel Deronda! 😮 Can you say comeuppance?! I enjoyed this though it’s not my favorite of Madeline Martin’s books. I prefer the single storyline so that is simply my personal preference. This has all of Madeline’s usual sympathetic characters, engaging plot, and thorough historical research. The subject matter was understandably heavy, especially with abuse in one of the character’s marriage. That is always hard to read. It does have a good ending though all around, and I love the many clever ways the women help each other.
September 7, 2025
This was sooo good! I hope there is a book 2. If there isn't, I'm definitely going to reread in the future.
*Provided a DRC (digital review copy) from the publisher for review. All opinions are my own.
*Provided a DRC (digital review copy) from the publisher for review. All opinions are my own.
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September 3, 2025⋆｡°✩
post-read
⤵
still deciding on a rating, but this was amazing! rtc
still deciding on a rating, but this was amazing! rtc
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