I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
A young woman must navigate life in a small town and find solace in a group of women in 1960s South Dakota in author Kristine Jensen’s “Wednesday Club.”
The Synopsis
A heartfelt coming-of-age novel set in 1963 South Dakota, Wednesday Club is a work of historical and women’s fiction that explores inter-generational friendship and the power of finding home where you least expect it.
Ivy Hanson is pretty sure her life is over. At sixteen, she’s been dumped at her grandparents’ South Dakota farm while her mother chases Hollywood dreams. Stuck with a critical grandfather and a rural life she doesn’t understand, Ivy is isolated, friendless, and desperate to escape.
Then, her grandmother ropes her into the Wednesday Club, a group of six women who gather once a month to swap gossip, tackle community projects, and make sense of the turbulent world of 1963. Each of these women carries her own struggles, including Tillie, the aspiring artist stretched thin by motherhood; quirky Etola, desperate to find a husband; and Hattie, whose past holds painful secrets.
Over the months, Ivy navigates harsh realities—romantic disappointment, small-town life, and a terrifying experience with a horse—and through it all, the Wednesday Club women offer her something unexpected: a sense of home she’s never known. But when Ivy stumbles upon a shocking family secret, it threatens everything.
Told with humor and heart, here is proof that every woman needs a Wednesday Club.
Perfect for book clubs! Ideal for fans of Elizabeth Berg, Jojo Moyes, and Elizabeth Strout.
As vivid and gripping as a movie, Wednesday Club is an uplifting tale of unlikely friendships, where a teen girl finds belonging among a band of unforgettable older women.
The Review
This was such a heartfelt and emotional read. The author possesses a unique ability to write in a way that is both straightforward in delivery and yet nuanced, filled with emotional depth, and speaks to the greater story and character arcs being conveyed. The author expertly captures the rural farm setting and the 60s era with ease, delivering a cinematic quality that feels like a moving women’s fiction miniseries that would be found on Hulu or Netflix today.
The heart of the narrative was in the dynamic character development and connections the author makes between them, as well as the use of multiple POVs in the story. The growth and evolution of protagonist Ivy in this story as she comes to know nd understand what family and life is truly meant to be is remarkable, and the way the author gives each member of the community, especially the Wednesday club, a chance to shine and bring their own unique journey to life in this story was naturally done to allow the story to feel still cohesive and engaging.
The Verdict
Heartfelt, compelling, and emotionally-driven, author Kristine Jensen’s “Wednesday Club” is a must-read women’s fiction novel. Filled with heart and community, the exploration of social dynamics and family ties, as well as the quiet strength that so many women led their lives with during a tumultuous time, made this a remarkable story to get lost in. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
About the Author
Kristine Jensen is a lifelong storyteller whose career has included writing scripts, screenplays, and narratives for some of the world’s most recognizable brands. With a talent for bringing characters and ideas to life, she has spent decades distilling complex ideas into language that resonates.
Born and raised on a farm in South Dakota, Kristine found the spark for her debut novel in a box of handwritten club minutes kept by her grandmother—records of a real-life women’s group that met for more than sixty years. That discovery blossomed into Wednesday Club, a novel about inter-generational friendship, quiet resilience, and the search for belonging.
Now living in Oregon, Kristine writes fiction that honors women’s inner lives and the quiet beauty of small-town communities. You can learn more about the true Wednesday Club that inspired her work and the movement to create Wednesday Clubs everywhere at her wednesday-club website.
https://www.wednesday-club.com/author
https://www.instagram.com/wednesday_club_novel/
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/wednesday-club-kristine-jensen/1148138398?ean=9798999264305
Author Anthony Avina 