Thanks to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing, and Brilliance Publishing for the digital copy of this book and audiobook; I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I’m not sure why I requested this book about a “divorce ranch” other than the title intrigued me, and I love reading historical fiction. I knew from a lot of previous reading that Reno was THE place to go for a “quickie” divorce. I had no idea that the six-week requirement used to be six months and that it changed in the early 1930s.

It is because of this loosening of requirements that the protagonist of the story, Evelyn, has decided to make the trip, divorce her husband, and start a new life. She has spent 20 years with her husband and was one of those women who stayed with him as long as she did because of their two children. Her husband lost his job some years prior (even before the Great Depression started), and their family has been living with Evelyn’s well-to-do parents the past ten years.

Evelyn meets some women at the divorce ranch who are leaving their husbands for various reasons: infidelity, domestic violence, and other reasons. These six-weekers become roommates and friends as they await their divorces. Many of the women are enjoying the freedom that they haven’t felt in years, just like Evelyn. The book proceeds with their stories, which are a bit repetitive and monotonous, interspersed with some of the excitement of being in the wild wild west of Nevada.

Overall, I enjoyed this book for the most part. From other reviews I’ve read, it’s apparent that the author did her research into the history of Reno with accurate details. I always appreciate it when I hear from locals who confirm the writer didn’t play fast and loose with details. Sarah Naughton is the narrator of the book, and I especially liked the tone of her voice. It made the listening experience enjoyable, even when dealing with some unsavory conduct by men in the novel. I would definitely listen to something narrated by Naughton again.

After twenty years in a loveless marriage, Evelyn Henderson will do anything to escape her stifling suburban life. She boards a train for Reno, Nevada, a former frontier town that’s booming thanks to “six-weekers”: women from all walks of life who take up residence there just long enough to secure an uncontested divorce—a right they don’t yet have in their home states.

I found this book well written but it didn’t progress at any speed. It’s a very sedate pace and I found myself getting bored and skipping pages here and there to push it forward. Sorry but it wasn’t for me.

Thank you Lake Union Publishing for this arc.

Sorry but this one is just not going to work for me. Within 3 pages I realized that the FMC is very, as another reviewer says, "snooty, snobby, prissy and judgmental." The writing was choppy as well. I think the FMC has an eating disorder which is randomly mentioned in a paragraph with no other context. Once everyone got to Reno, it was dull and boring. This is an interesting idea but poor execution of it. DNF

An historical fiction of women learning independency. The women stay for six weeks in a hotel in order to gain a divorce in Reno, Nevada. The women come together and form friendships and try to invest in new developments. With the relaxation of the Reno residence requirement for divorce going from 6 months to six weeks, Evelyn has finally decided to take the train to Reno. She seeks to file for divorce from her husband of 20 years who has all but given up on finding employment and is also harboring secrets within their marriage. Evelyn meets several other women on her journey who are all seeking divorce for different reasons- infidelity, domestic violence, etc. These women become roommates, friends, and companions as they navigate their first taste of freedom in Reno. Much of the story highlights the day to day life of the women which swings vastly between the monotony of living the same life just in a different place and the excitement of life out west. There was a repetitive emphasis on the classic east coast versus Wild West that I couldn’t shake. This portrayed the east coast women as high class, snobby, and fashionable. The women in Reno were salt of the earth, brothel owner with a heart of gold, or Native Americans. This was definitely an interesting book and educated me on the divorce aspect in older times. Thanks to Netgalley, the author and publisher for the opportunity.

Spending six weeks in Reno, which qualifies as residency, gives a person the chance to get a “quicky” divorce without having grounds or having to pay huge legal bills. The story takes place in 1931 when divorces were still considered very scandalous. Most of the people going to Reno were women, all of them had their individual reasons.

Evelyn, from New Jersey, is the main character, backed up by several other women in the same position. They are all in Reno, spending six weeks, to get divorced. I have trouble connecting with Evelyn. She has been a runway model previously, a fact that she likes to repeat often. I couldn’t find any endearing characteristics.

Reno was just in the early development stages in the story. I found this interesting. There were brothels, casinos, dance halls. It was still a frontier town, full of cowboys. There were ranches to accommodate and feed the “six weekers”.

There were day-by-day accounts of the divorce seekers' activities. Mostly rather dull: shopping trips, visiting a hair salon, manicures, going to dance halls.

One of the things that really bugged me: one of the woman’s names was Thistlena. Seriously??? It shouldn't affect how I feel about the book but I cringed every time it was mentioned. It didn't even come up when I Googled.

The second half of the book was slightly better than the first. But it's a long way to go to find enjoyment in a book. The premise of the book sounded interesting. However, the delivery, lack of character development and simplistic writing style did not appeal.
Sadly, this book did not do it for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.

What an absolute intrigue of a premise. I have never heard of divorce ranches in Reno until I came across this book!

We meet Evelyn, who after dealing with her husband Dean’s depression and lack of motivation for 10 years decides to divorce him. In 1931, a six month required period of separation turns into 6 weeks and Reno is the place to do so as discreetly as possible. While I found Evelyn insufferable at times, I’m assuming her judgements were pretty true to being a woman in that time.

I found the stories of the other women at the ranch to be more intriguing, even if at times it felt highly unrealistic. What happens to each woman was either amazing or devastating.

I do wish the writing could have been more cohesive and fluid because I do think this was a good story to tell but I found myself at times bored with the repetition of the dance halls and Virginia Street.

Trigger warnings of what sounds like an eating disorder, attempted rape and suicide.

Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC in exchange of an honest review!

I was originally pulled in by the title of this book. I was unfamiliar with the concept of the divorce ranch which was surprising as a Nevada native.

With the relaxation of the Reno residence requirement for divorce going from 6 months to six weeks, Evelyn has finally decided to take the train to Reno. She seeks to file for divorce from her husband of 20 years who has all but given up on finding employment and is also harboring secrets within their marriage. Evelyn meets several other women on her journey who are all seeking divorce for different reasons- infidelity, domestic violence, etc.

These women become roommates, friends, and companions as they navigate their first taste of freedom in Reno. Much of the story highlights the day to day life of the women which swings vastly between the monotony of living the same life just in a different place and the excitement of life out west. There was a repetitive emphasis on the classic east coast versus Wild West that I couldn’t shake. This portrayed the east coast women as high class, snobby, and fashionable. The women in Reno were salt of the earth, brothel owner with a heart of gold, or Native Americans.

Overall, I enjoyed this book as this has given me a unique perspective of this subject. I have never read anything else featuring the divorce ranches or the “six weekers”. I also sincerely appreciate the attention to detail regarding the geographical locations and names. The street names, alleyways, towns, and the Native American tribes mentioned were used correctly. Even the mention of the wedding chapel across from the court house is a very important detail, as there are many wedding chapels to this day right across the street. A huge pet peeve of mine is to read a book featuring a place the author has not researched.

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing for the eARC via NetGalley.

4.5 Stars rounded up

Set in 1931 USA, this story is a great example of the difficulties women faced when wanting to remove themselves from bad marriages. This is a topic I haven't read about before, so this was an informative story for me and a perfect way to learn about this time in history. It's a story of friendship, deceit, strength, and resilience. It's thought-provoking, empowering, engaging, and a great example of the challenges faced not only by women wanting to escape from sometimes life-threatening marriages, but also the hardships communities faced as a result of the Great Depression and severe dust storms. I enjoyed the romance aspect, which is mostly clean. I was not ready for this story to end - I have so many questions and I hope there's going to be a sequel!

I started out reading the novel, but I couldn't find time to read it and I was so invested in the story that I ended up switching to the audiobook. The narration is excellent and really brings the story to life.

Thank you to NetGalley, Brilliance Publishing, and the author for an ARC for review. All opinions are my own and my review is left voluntarily.

The premise of this book had so much potential, but unfortunately, the execution didn’t live up to it. I often found myself confused about what was happening or who the characters were, as they weren’t introduced in a clear or meaningful way. Some sections felt rushed and lacked depth, while others were bogged down by repetitive details that seemed to drag on endlessly. I kept hoping the story would pick up or improve, but by the end, I was just eager for it to be over. It’s a shame because the concept had promise, but the delivery just wasn’t there.

My favorite thing about this book is its social commentary on open-mindedness and privilege. You never know what another person is going through. Everyone has different experiences that have brought them to where they are. Everyone feels strongly about the choices that they are making. Each person's feelings and experiences are valid, and no one's story should be used as a competition for the "Poor Me Award." Evelyn is an excellent example of knowing one's privilege, acknowledging it, and then learning and doing better for those around without that same privilege.

Thoroughly enjoyable!

Going back to the 1930's, divorces were not easy to obtain, and those that were divorced were often judged poorly for it. One place to accomplish this was Nevada; specifically Reno. But up until recently, the residency requirement was lengthy. But now that it's been reduced to six weeks, Miss Evelyn Henderson sees this as a viable option to escape her loveless marriage.

Boarding a train from the east cost bound for Reno, she and many other women referred to as "six weekers" are along for the same ride. And this has developed into a new business avenue amid the Depression for small ranches in Reno, offering a place to stay during the six week required stay. How different life is at these ranches compared to the stuffy atmosphere of their normal environment out East. The Flying N Ranch is where Evelyn lands, along with a group of women in similar situations. There's not much "culture" in Reno, and dancehalls provide most of the entertainment. And this is where Evelyn lays eyes on a handsome cowboy - one that could make it in Hollywood most certainly.

Having spent a fair bit of time in Reno, it was fun to imagine it way back when. There were so many enjoyable facets to the story and the characters were well developed but not predictable. Most inspiring was the way that most of these women built such independence and fortitude.

Thanks to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing and Lucy H. Hedrick for the eARC.

When I first came across this one, I thought it sounded interesting. I had actually never read anything about a “divorce ranch” before. I’ve read about how back in the 60’s a lot of states started adopting the “no-fault” divorces, but one didn’t need to establish residency to do that. At least I don’t think they had to. Anyway, the premise and storyline sounded interesting.

The book summary pretty much lays out the primary storyline of Evelyn, leaving her dead-beat husband after 20yrs. What the book summary doesn’t say is that Evelyn is harboring some kind of secret of what happened with her husband. The rest of the women that Evelyn comes across on the train out to Reno as well as the divorce ranch are there for so many of the typical reasons women leave their marriage like physical/substance abuse, infidelity, incarceration, abandonment, roommate syndrome, etc. With their first taste of freedom in years, they run around like kids in a candy store, getting high off the sugar rush (been there, done that). It’s not long before another storyline of Evelyn and her crush on one of the local ranch cowboys.

Anyway, most of the story revolves around Evelyn and her interactions with various women and their activities in and around town and on the ranch. Pretty early in the story, several of the “six weekers” (what the women at the divorce ranches are called by the townspeople) are approached and targeted by two men, Nate and Ray, and one of the women, Thistlena, about investing into a new casino that the three of them are going to start building as soon as they get enough investors. Oh dear! It’s obvious what’s going on with those three. However, Evelyn is not fooled by them and makes it clear she isn’t interested at all. Not the case with so many other women.

The character development for Evelyn and one or two of the women and Sundown (Evelyn’s Reno fling) was good, but really thin for the rest of the cast of characters with most of them just being talking heads. Frankly, I didn’t really like Evelyn all that much and I don’t do well with unlikeable MC’s. From the start I found her snooty, snobby, prissy and extremely judgmental. She learned a lot in the six weeks in Reno and lightened up a bit by the end. The pacing was really slow. Honestly, I wasn’t sure what to expect the pacing to be. I went into the story with little to no expectations other than to find out what a divorce ranch was like during the depression and the story certainly served that purpose. It was actually that storyline that appealed to me from the start and remained throughout. The writing was ok, I liked the parts where Evelyn spent time on the ranch learning about life in Reno.

I’m looking at an overall rating of 3.3 that I will be rounding down to a 3star review. I want to thank NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

#NetGalley #LakeUnionPublishing #SixWeeksInReno

I loved the first 2/3 of this book - it tackled the subject of divorce when it was still taboo masterfully- unfortunately the last third was a disappointment.

Based on the true story of the Reno divorce ranches, it follows Evelyn and her new friends who travel from the East in 1931 at the height of the American Depression to spend six weeks before their papers can be finalised. I liked the friendship bonds, the description of the Nevada landscape and the differences in culture. Though I would like to know more about the other characters, this was an enjoyable read.

This was a really interesting premise - following the women who travel cross country to fulfil a six week residency requirement to obtain a divorce. The women all go on personal journeys of self discovery which are entertaining enough. But it felt like this book barely scratched the surface of any of the issues it began to explore. Maybe it was just the first person narrative style that didn’t allow the story to delve into the background of the other characters. There were some inconsistencies with Evelyn as well she goes from discussing her own arrangement to see a local lawyer and then becomes suspicious of a fellow divorce seeker having an appointment for example.

fast read, loved the location and general setting, interesting and followed-through plot lines!

gonna record a podcast episode on it & update the link here :)

Evelyn Henderson goes against social norms of the 1930s and decides to divorce her husband. She put up with a loveless marriage, but when she found evidence of his deception she decided to divorce him. Evelyn got on a train to Reno. She needed to stay there for 6 weeks before she could obtain her divorce. This was quite the adventure for a proper, refined lady from New Jersey. Evelyn made new friends, did things she would never have done and became a different woman. She attended dances in town and started to have feelings for a handsome cowboy. All of her adventures were set against the backdrop of Reno in the 1930s which is a history lesson in itself. All of the characters were very interesting and their stories were intriguing. I highly recommend this book. It is a great story about female determination. It should also make women who read it thankful for the freedoms we have now that women did not have in the 1930s.

I really enjoyed the historical aspect of Six Weeks in Reno. The author does a great job of showing the life of the six-weekers, who were coming to Reno for divorces in the early 1930s. Some of the women have experienced abuse and infidelity in their marriages, and Evelyn has been living in a loveless marriage with a husband who seems to have given up on life. I thought the book did a great job showing what the time in Reno looked like for these women. They were building relationships with one another, with the owners of the ranches that they stayed at, and for some, the cowboys that were there to show them a good time. There is also a side story of real estate fraud, that was taking place in the growing city of Reno during this time, that I thought was a nice addition to the story.

As far as Evelyn's character, I did feel sorry for her. She had been pushed into a marriage to an older man, by her mother. And after living with his failure to secure a job after so many years, and a secret that Evelyn has discovered, she decided it is finally time to take control of her life. For me, personally, I struggled with connecting to Evelyn. I felt like she was shallow and snobbish for most of the book, but she was also kind at times. I just didn't feel engaged with her as the FMC, as I find myself doing in other books.

The story does become a bit repetitive with the characters daily routines, but overall I found I just really loved the historical fiction story, and learning more about what was happening with the divorce laws for women during this time period.

I started reading this book as my first ARC of the year, but it ended up being the last ARC I finished. Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for providing this book in exchange for my honest review.

This is truly a women’s fiction novel. As a fiction lover, I’ve always had a soft spot for stories that delve into women’s emotions, struggles, and resilience. Often, in women’s fiction, I notice a tendency for characters to be portrayed in extremes—either too soft or too tough. However, this book offered a more nuanced exploration.

When I first came across the title and description, I assumed it might be a daily diary-type book. But as I began reading, I realized how wrong I was. So, what is it about? Well, to know that, you’ll have to read the book! The story revolves around Evelyn Henderson, who, in 1931, decides to restart her life in Reno after being stuck for the past 20 years. Despite opposition from her sister and maternal family, she courageously pursues this journey of self-discovery.

The plot was engaging, and there were some unexpected twists that made the book more enjoyable. However, at times, I felt the narrative included excessive detail in certain scenes. For instance, the author described environments and objects to the smallest detail, which occasionally made the reading experience feel tedious. While the intention was likely to immerse the reader in the setting, it sometimes felt unnecessary. Overall, this book paints a vivid picture of a woman’s journey in the 1931s, highlighting the challenges, emotions, and resilience of women during that time.

I enjoyed reading this book about a short period in women’s history where they could travel to Reno, NV and get a divorce after a six week stay. The characters came for a variety of reasons and each had their own hopes and dreams for the future. It was interesting to view the area when it was still a budding gambling town in contrast to the cowboys and ranchers who first came to the area. It was a quick read that I finished on my flights to and from my destination.
#womenshistory #SixWeeksinReno #NetGalley