Grown Women
By Sarai Johnson
My reflections on this novel is less about the content itself and more about how much I’m still wrestling with the outcome. But maybe that’s the point—it challenged me in ways I didn’t expect and stayed with me long after I turned the final page.
Grown Women offers a nuanced look at what it means to come into yourself, to navigate relationships, and to sit with the complexities of growth, identity, and accountability. The characters felt real in ways that were at times uncomfortable, forcing me to confront perspectives and choices that didn’t always resolve neatly. I found myself questioning not just the characters, but my own assumptions about what growth and healing should look like.
What makes this book stand out—and likely why it became our highest-rated read of the 2025–2026 season—is its ability to spark conversation. It doesn’t hand you easy answers or a perfectly tied ending. Instead, it invites reflection, disagreement, and introspection. For me, that tension is what made the reading experience so impactful, even as I continue to wrestle with parts of it.
Whether you walk away feeling satisfied or unsettled, Grown Women is a book that demands engagement—and that, in itself, is worth noting.
Please note that all reflections shared here are those of the founder of Read and Wine About It, De’Ja Wood, and may not reflect the perspectives of the broader book club community.
400 pages
Published Jun 16, 2025 by Harper Perennial
Fiction - Literary
Fiction - Family Life - Marriage & Divorce
Fiction - African American & Black - Women
Fiction - Family Life - Siblings
Fiction - Coming of Age
Fiction - Women
Fiction - Small Town & Rural
Fiction - Psychological