I had a lot of fun with this book. Bev’s quick wit makes me wish I had her sharp humor but sadly I don’t have clever comebacks ready like her. There’s never a dull moment with Bev. It’s like every conversation is a game of ping-pong. Bev skillfully hits the ball back and forth until she wins or faces an equally skilled opponent like her mother. Loved everyone else too. Bev may be the main character but her friends and family are just as amusing.

The story reads so smoothly that I didn’t realize how much I’d gone through until I needed a break. Every conversation played out naturally in my head but the build-up between Bev and Michael was perfect. I mean based on the blurb you can predict where it’s going, but it’s not like there was instant love or immediate attraction, it happened organically.

It was interesting to see what a woman’s support system might look like if she were getting divorced in 1962. Beverly was lucky enough to have friends, family, and legal connections through Michael to assist her. However, we do get a glimpse at what it would look like if Bev didn’t have such support through Fran, such as becoming a social pariah.

I guess I would’ve liked the side plot with Bev’s parents to play out a bit differently. I wanted to see what her dad’s big gesture would’ve been if her mom wasn’t arrested, because how does a man apologize to his wife for not properly showing appreciation? That’s a question I would’ve liked to see Bev’s dad answer.

But overall this was a great read. 4 stars from me! :)

I was so thrilled to receive an ARC of Behind Every Good Man by Sara Goodman Confino. After stumbling across Confino’s last novel Don’t Forget to Write, I have sailed through her books and this one is no exception. What a fantastic book to read beginning on International Women’s Day!

Bev is a character you root for and while the book is immensely readable, you really do pick up some history of the time period, and being from Maryland I especially enjoyed some of the references. I also loved the bits of crossover from DFTW, but you absolutely could read this as a standalone without the history of the other book.

My only complaint of reading this early is knowing how long it will be until the chance to read her next novel!

I absolutely love the writing style of Sara Goodman Confino and have literally devoured every book she has written. This one is another 5 stars for me. The way Confino develops the characters makes you feel like you know them in real life and makes you sad when the books ends. Loved rooting for Bev while learning more about women's involvement in politics. Great story and of course, with every Confino book, I'd love a sequel! Highly recommend. You won't be disappointed!

I am so thrilled to have received this ARC from NetGalley!

As part of the Peloton Mom's Book Club Sara Goodman Confino is superstar as she should be!!

I read,.. a lot, and her books are always my 5 Star reads, I can not recommend them enough! So with that being said I was excited to get my hands on this ARC, I finished it in less then 2 days as with her other books I could not put it down!
Beverly and her family give me a very "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" Vibe and I am 100% here for it. Bev Diamond proves to us woman are more than just the pretty little housewives that just clean and take care of the kids, She was breaking that glass ceilings in the 1960-something.
I absolutely love that both Ada is mentioned & Marilyn is intertwined through the story (from Don't Forget To Write")

This is my third book by this author and if you have read and enjoyed any of her other books, you will love this one as well. Strong female main character that handles herself with grace. I loved Beverly's mother even if she could be a pain sometimes. I found myself getting so frustrated with Beverly's dad but I think that is the point so I get it. I loved seeing references to characters from her other work, and even if you don't know who they are, it will not be confusing in any way.
All in all I enjoyed this book and will continue to read works by this author. Well done.

Thank you NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing and Sara Goodman Confino for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC
Sara did it again! I have read all of her books and I never have anything bad to say.
After finding her husband in the act with his secretary, Evelyn immediately kicks him out and files for divorce.. However doing so in the 60s isn't the norm. Evelyn isn't fully aware of her rights, so her husband Larry threatens to sell the house and force her into an apartment. Evelyn needs to find a job and fast, and what better way to stick it to her husband, who happens to be the campaign manager of incumbent Maryland Senator, then to sign on to help his opponent, the younger and handsome Michael Landau. Currently living in a country run by a young handsome president, Evelyn knows exactly what to do to sell her opponent.

Sometimes the reality of our lives are every different than how we portray them to outsiders…and Beverly’s husband is definitely on the outside now after she finds him cheating on her. The truth is Beverly is the real powerhouse in this DC couple and she’s ready to break the glass ceiling in 1962. Sara Goodman Confino makes a lot of bold and impactful statements on the treatment and worth of women in this novel but delivers it in the most delightful and comical way. Beverly is a once in a lifetime character, who absolutely inspires and earns a special spot in the heart.

Review is on Goodreads and will be posted on Instagram closer to publication date!

I can’t say enough great things about this book.

Beverly is a strong, formidable badass. Every character fit so well into the story, and the ending was perfection. Beverly’s ability to get shit done even when her personal life took a nosedive was inspiring. The nods to Marilyn and Ada from DFTW made me giddy each time they would come up, and I hope it’s not the last we hear of them. Or any character that Sara creates or real life people that she molds into these stories.

I already preordered my signed copy and was ecstatic to see it as an ARC because there was NO WAY I was waiting until release date if I didn’t have to. I’m still just as excited to receive it as before I knew this would be a possibility.

Now off to harass my Mom to preorder hers, too.

This book is SO GOOD. I’m not always drawn to historical fiction but I tore through this. Honestly, it may take place in the 60’s but the journey of the main character is very much something that women still relate to today.

I have loved every one of Sara Goodman Confrino’s books and while I don’t think anything could beat “Don’t Forget To Write,” this one comes in a close second. The character development is always amazing in Sara’s books and this one was no different. This book sucked me in right away. I finished it in about two days because it was that good. I highly recommend this book to anyone but especially to those women who have been able to “do anything, be anything, from a wife and mother to an astronaut” because of all of the trailblazers that Sara wrote about in this book.

I loved this book! BEHIND EVERY GOOD MAN, Sara Goodman Confino's her latest gem, is a lighthearted, feel-good story with a healthy serving of romance and a powerful message of female empowerment. Bev is an irresistible heroine who perfectly captures the hopeful spirit of America in the early 1960s, when the burgeoning Civil and Women’s rights movements began to give a voice to the unheard and progressive thinking started shaking up affluent suburban idylls . Bev’s transformation from perfect housewife into deft political strategist, all while balancing motherhood, a collapsing marriage and lots of family drama, is a master class in how to be a strong, confident, lovable, and vulnerably human woman. With the perfect balance of humor, romance, and strong female characters you root so hard for you get goosebumps, I devoured this book in one sitting and then wished I could pick up and start again immediately.

“But I’ll tell you this much: behind every good man is an even better woman. ... That’s how you win this thing. You get the women on board ...”

“I wanted to be something, do something, leave a legacy. And if we lost, we would lose knowing we had fought our hardest and not been outsmarted by a man who took me for granted.”

“Don’t underestimate what determined women can do.”

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Sara Confino has done it again!

I am so honored and grateful to be giving this early review on Sara Confino’s upcoming novel, BEHIND EVERY GOOD MAN.

After flying through an ARC of Don’t Forget to Write last May and absolutely adoring it, I needed more of Sara’s strong, firecracker female characters, and so I was beyond appreciative to read through an early manuscript of Behind Every Good Man last summer!

Like all of her novels, Behind Every Good Man was riveting and held my attention and heartstrings from the very first word to the end of the acknowledgements. In the same vein as Marilyn and Ada, Beverly and Millie are both larger than life. Their wit, intelligence, gall and sheer determination are positively endearing, and in her magical and masterful way, Sara wove feminism and historical events together to create a women’s fiction/historical fiction story that leapt off the page and made me wish I’d been alive during the 1960s to witness the incredible work and results that were made possible by these indomitable women. Bev and Millie are true queens and bosses, and lord help anybody who gets in their way!

The character growth in Behind Every Good Man was simply lovely. Bev not only grows as a mother and woman, but also as a daughter, and subsequently, so does Millie. Their journey made me both laugh and cry, and their dynamics with Robbie and Debbie provided a lot of comedic and heartwarming relief.

And let’s not forget about aspiring senator, Michael Landau, and his campaign manager, Stuart. These two took a backseat to the women in this book, but they also cracked me up and warmed my heart. Bev managed to win them both over, and with the help of her own parents, made Michael’s campaign one to remember.

Don't sleep on this book! Get those preorders and library holds in now and get excited for Aug. 6 because this is the perfect read to get you pumped up and out to the polls in November! This country needs all of the strong, determined, and politically engaged women it can get, so draw some inspiration from Bev and Millie and rock that vote! Check out Sara's bio for links and details on how you can get signed and personalized copies too!

Thank you so very much to Sara for the opportunity to read and review this one early, and for a mention in her Acknowledgments. Sara, I love you so and can't wait to read more from you!! You're truly one of the very best!

Behind Every Good Man by S.G. Confino, published by Lake Union Publishing, is an heartfelt novel, excellent written and gives all the feels.
I enjoyed reading this gem, 5 stars.
Blurb:
It’s a doozy of a bad day for Beverly Diamond when she catches her husband, Larry, in a compromising position with his secretary. What’s a DC suburban wife to do with a soon-to-be ex, two young kids, and no degree or financial support in 1962? Beat the louse at his own game, that’s what.
Larry runs the Maryland senatorial campaign for the incumbent candidate projected to win against his younger underdog opponent, Michael Landau. But Beverly has the pluck, political savvy, and sheer drive to push Landau’s campaign in a successful new direction, even if he already has a campaign manager who is less than pleased she has inserted herself into the race.
Now it’s rival against rival. She and Michael do make a great team…maybe in more ways than one. But with the election heating up, she needs to focus on one thing at a time. If Bev can convince Michael to go modern, pay attention to women’s issues, and learn how to dress himself properly, maybe she can show Larry exactly how much he has underestimated her their entire marriage—and make her own dreams come true in the process.

Loved this book. Great character development, want a sequel to see what happens to Bev and Michael. Plot was engaging and well developed, finished the book in two days.

Sara does it again. So grateful to get access to an ARC of her 4th book. She’s great at creating characters you love and want to root for. Read this in one sitting and was sad when it ended. Loved the seeing references to other characters from her previous books in this one too. Will definitely read this again when it comes out later this year.

This book was everything I needed!! I read it in one day, as I have done with all of Confino’s novels. I loved the crossover of characters from a previous novel (Don’t Forget to Write). The characters were developed so well and I felt like I was on every page with them. The plot of the novel was incredible. The focus on women and minorities voting was done really well. If you need a quick, fun, cute read with an important message, I cannot recommend this book enough. Easily a 5/5 star novel!

Another great read from Sara Confino, the characters were well developed and it was hard to put down.