This review is written with thanks to the publisher for my copy of The Divorcees.

Blurb:

Lois Saunders thought that marrying the right man would finally cure her loneliness. But as picture-perfect as her husband is, she is suffocating in their loveless marriage. In 1951, though, unhappiness is hardly grounds for divorce – except in Reno, Nevada.

At the Golden Yarrow, the most respectable of Reno’s ‘divorce ranches’ Lois finds herself living with half a dozen other would-be divorcees, all in Reno for the six weeks’ residency that is the state’s only divorce requirement. They spend their days riding horses and their nights flirting with cowboys, and it’s as wild and fun as Lake Forest, Illinois, was prim and stifling. But it isn’t until Greer Lange arrives that Lois’s world truly cracks open . . .

Gorgeous, beguiling, and completely indifferent to societal convention, Greer is unlike anyone Lois has ever met – and she sees something in Lois that no one else ever has. Under her influence, Lois begins to push against the limits that have always restrained her. But how much can she really trust her mysterious new friend? And how far will she go to forge her independence, on her own terms?

Set in the glamorous, dizzying world of 1950s Reno, THE DIVORCEES is a dark, riveting page-turner and a dazzling exploration of female friendship, desire, and freedom.

Review:

The Divorcees is not a book I would normally read, nor would have chosen for myself, but for the most part I did enjoy it. Rowan Beaird is a really gifted writer, who uses words with wonderful precision to take the reader to the places and time in in the novel. I was surprised to see that she is a debut author and I can imagine that her writing will only improve with time.

I was not previously aware of the ranches for divorcees in America, and I was really interested by the concept. I enjoyed getting to know the characters as they navigated their new lives. All the characters are really well drawn and they help to create a series of intriguing situations.

I am used to reading much more fast paced novels and I was waiting for The Divorcees to have an explosive moment, which never really happened and in this respect, I was slightly disappointed, but readers who enjoy more literary fiction will love this novel.

The Divorcees is available from Amazon.