Behind Every Good Man by Sara Goodman Confino is a book I found to be incredibly interesting and uplifting. Beverly Diamond really showed she had gumption and made some awesome lemonade from the sour lemons she was dealt. I loved how she didn't let the terrible situation her husband put her in get her down, she fought through and showed that making a success of yourself is true victory. This is my fourth book by SGC and she's been a consistently delight of an author to read. Her characters have depth, great backstory, and the "Easter eggs" in each book make the stories all that much more fun.

👉🏻 For my friends who want feel-good, fast-moving, female-empowerment historical fiction.

I love Sara’s writing, and she outdid herself with this one, hitting the gas on page one and not letting up until her satisfying ending. As one of our book club remarked, “That’s how I read it, too! I couldn’t put it down.”

Beverly's life goes off the rails after a typical morning (waking an hour before her husband so she can be fully showered, dressed, and made up before putting his perfect breakfast on the table). She catches her husband cheating on her, kicks him out, and after a series of failed attempts to earn money, takes the lead on her hubby’s political rival’s campaign for Senate.

The book is full of characters to root for, especially “not going to take it anymore” Beverly, her spunky mother, and her wildly capable best friend. It’s also one of those rare books you can love and then pass on to your 17-year-old daughter or 84-year-old mother confidently.

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

Everyone and their mom has said that Sara Goodman Confino books are amazing and let me tell you what. This book was an utter delight. I cried and laughed and felt so heard and understood as a mom, a daughter and just as a person. Beverly finds her husband, Larry, a senatorial campaign manager, having an affair with his secretary (ala Marvelous Mrs. Maisel but in a political world). Beverly finds herself, the daughter of a politician, looking for a divorce and also using her knowledge to help the opponent of her husbands boss. I know this book was written and published prior to our current election but there were just so many times I felt like we (women) needed a reminder that was provided in the book.

Some favorite quotes I highlighted:

"you may think women will vote how their husbands do, but I’ll tell you this much: behind every good man is an even better woman."

"For the first time in my life, I was speaking my mind for myself. Not someone else. And it felt like coming home."

"But I also remember what it’s like to put yourself last and put everyone else first.”

And LAST BUT NOT LEAST (and probably most important of all)

"I did this for her as much as for me. Because I wanted this little girl to grow up to know she could do so much more than just marry well and make the perfect brisket. I wanted her to see that she could do anything, be anything, from a wife and mother to an astronaut."

"Because she deserved to be the person she wanted to be, not just who the world expected her to be."

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.

I freaking loved this. We need more Beverly in the world. She is such a fierce lady. Will recommend to others.

Set in a similar time frame to one of my favourite novels of the last few years, "Lessons in Chemistry", "Behind Every Good Man" was a delightfully escapist read. A woman scorned teaming up with her terrible husband's rival made for a fast paced, funny read. I really liked it!

This book is a delight! Perfect for fans of Gilmore Girls and Mrs. Maisel, the sharp wit will have you kicking up your heels and giggling. I loved seeing Beverly transform from dutiful wife to force to be reckoned with. The novel has tons of fun 1960s references., and provides a welcome break from the stressors of our modern world. Highly recommend!

A quick and fun read about a wronged woman in the 60's finding her place in the male-dominated world of US politics. I love Beverly's spunk and willingness to break out on her own. Great selection for book club discussions.

This was such a great read. I love a story about a woman who takes charge and fixes her life. Sara is such a great writer who knows how to keep audiences engaged. I loved the cameos from Don’t Forget to Write as well!

I absolutely flew thru Sara Goodman Confino’s newest novel and am so grateful to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC of Behind Every Good Man! Once again, Goodman Confino created a book that hooks you quickly and you don’t want to put down - and for those who’ve enjoyed her other books, you’ll adore the Easter eggs that appear here (particularly from “Don’t Forget to Write”).

I had high expectations for the book given how much I’ve enjoyed her previous work (especially She’s Up To No Good) and while I liked this newest novel, I didn’t love it the way I have her previous books. In her previous novels, the closed door nature of the romance elements worked seamlessly in her plots; here the way it was handled felt awkward and seemed unnecessarily YA/juvenile and in my opinion, actually detracted from the plot rather than added to it. I never felt this way with any of her other books and usually appreciate that I can recommend them to a wide range of readers. Overall, this felt geared towards a younger audience to me and I wished for a bit more depth given the subject matter she chose.

If you’ve read her other books, I certainly recommend reading this one too (publication date: August 6, 2024) and if I am introducing someone to her work, I’ll recommend her other 3 first & then to read this after those rather than as an introduction to her work.

That being said, I really did fly thru this book and was picking it up every moment I could. Beverly was very likable, I appreciated the setting (both time period and geographical), and I always enjoy Goodman Confino’s style of writing. I recommend grabbing a copy when it’s officially released because even if I didn’t love it the way I’ve loved her other work, it’s a fun, quick read with likable characters and some laugh out loud moments.

*reviewed on Goodreads previously but didn’t realize I had to enter the review directly on NetGalley also and thought it automatically linked - I apologize for delay in recognizing that!

As Beverly Diamond navigates the cutthroat world of politics and her own tumultuous marriage, she finds herself drawn to Michael Landau, a man who may be her ally, her rival, or something more. With her sharp wit and determination, she takes on the challenge of turning his campaign around, all while proving to herself and others that she’s more than just a wronged wife.

I loved the bones of this one. I loved the idea of a woman fighting to be seen, to be considered, to matter. As a woman in 2024, I am often reminded of how little our voice matters to some.

While this wasn’t my favorite book from this author, I did enjoy my time within the pages of “Behind Every Good Man”. I also think this makes a great read during an election year in the U.S.

I really enjoyed this book! It felt new and refreshing, centered around politics without being political, and had a great romance storyline. It makes me want to go back and read the author’s other work!

i find this book super cool, the protagonist, Bev, was so interesting and smart and I loved watching her story go by. tysm for the arc

Everyone better look out for Beverly Diamond! She is here to make a difference! This book was written during one of the most interesting times in American history and politics, JFK. If you think you can’t change the world l, think again. I love Sara Goodman Confino’s writing style. Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy.

I absolutely loved this book! This was my favourite read for August. It was so interesting that I couldn’t stop reading. The chapters are short and it makes reading easier. The book is fun, smart, and leaves you happy and light hearted. I am looking forward to reading more of her works. This book may appeal to people who love politics, humour and romance.

Sara Goodman Confino writes some of the absolute best books! This story just sucks you in and you feel a part of it. Behind Every Good Man has so many good one-liners and also life lessons. I found myself rooting so hard for Beverly, and I also loved her mother! Definitely did not want this one to end but I loved how it all wrapped up.

4.5, rounded up to 5

This was such a refreshing read and Beverly is a FMC you will definitely want to root for. I love how the author wrote a book about strong empowered women who don't fold at the first sign of adversity, but instead rise to the occasion and make one hell of a lemonade when life throws them lemons, because seriously, who run the world? Girls, we run this motha!

Behind Every Good Man was a quick, fun read with heart. I loved Beverly and her strength. I also really appreciated the depiction of strong female friendships and women supporting each other. This was my first time reading a novel by Sara Goodman Confino, but it won’t be my last!

Special thanks to Lake Union Publishing for the ARC via NetGalley.

This author has quickly turned into a must read for me and this book was no different. Her grasp on character development and writing characters that you can’t help but cheer for is so refreshing. Plus I thought this book release was perfectly timed given the current election cycle

I really enjoyed this book! I love books with strong female leads and this did not disappoint! I love how we see Beverly grow her confidence - she is strong and feisty! I liked the 1960’s setting as well as the great side characters. Great read!

This was the 3rd or 4th book I have read by Sara and I just love them all. I adored the characters in Behind Every Good Man, but I think I loved the time period even more. Politics during the Kennedy era, just perfect!