The Divorcees by Rowan Beaird

This book is set in an almost forgotten part of history, when you couldn't easily divorce, and Nevada’s more liberal divorce laws in the mid-twentieth century spawned an industry whereby women who were seeking to end their marriages but looking for a "respectable" place to spend the six weeks required for residency without kicking up even more of a scandal than was already the case. It weaves all of this into a story about independence, trust and the restrictions on women at the time. It is built on that framework, but it takes it from there, and now that abortion rights are rolled back, contraception is on the chopping block, all aimed at controlling women's lives and their choices in the 21st century, this is a timely look back at what the future would hold if the misogynists could have their way. The main character is Lois, who wants a divorce from her husband because he is causing her to implode in on herself. When he hides her diaphragm, she starts to fear pregnancy, and realizes she has to escape before it is too late. She gets her period, tells her overbearing and controlling father that she needs to get our. She wants her own freedom, and the only way she can do that is through divorce. But in the 1950s, divorce is not as accepted so her father organizes for her to travel to Reno to reside for six weeks at a ‘divorce ranch’. There she will meet the laws for divorce in Nevada and the owner of the ranch can keep an eye on her as per her father’s instruction. At first, Lois stays in every night at her father’s request and doesn’t go out to the bars and casinos with the other women living at the ranch. They are all more wealthy and of a higher class and shun Lois somewhat. But when the exotic Greer arrives, all the women are enthralled by her mystery. Greer and Lois become friends and things get wilder – dares in bars and casinos until they plan the ultimate escape. It all goes terribly wrong--but only sort of, and while the story seems lackadaisical in it's pace, there is a lot of potent material contained within.