In a world where motherhood can feel all-consuming and isolating, finding your people matters. This Benicia-based mom duo is doing just that, building community through two simple but powerful shared hobbies: fitness and reading. Their fitness and book club, Fit Mom Book Club, offers more than workouts or buddy reads; they create space for connection, honesty, and support through every season of life. From early motherhood to moments of transition and growth, this club reminds us that showing up together can make life feel a little lighter and a lot less lonely.
BM: How did the idea for the Fit Mom Book Club come about?
The idea for Fit Mom Book Club started with us chatting about launching a podcast together. We wanted a space to talk about our experiences with motherhood, exercise, and reading. All things that have helped us feel more like ourselves again in the trenches of motherhood.
From there, Fit Mom Book Club was born. We decided to bring the idea to life on Instagram and TikTok by documenting our strength training and sharing book reviews. In the near future, we’ll be launching a podcast where we can dive even deeper into our fitness and reading journeys.
BM: How has sharing this book club strengthened your friendship, and what does it feel like to be active, engaged friends for each other in the midst of busy motherhood?
Bekah: It gets me excited to spend more time with Sophie doing things we love outside of motherhood like working out, reading books together, and creating content for our page. It also gives me a purpose outside of being a mom. It feels really good to get to inspire and encourage each other in every aspect of our lives.
Sophie: It has diversified the activities we get to do and enjoy together outside of being moms which has strengthened our bond and friendship. It feels so empowering to get stronger with my best friend , read about strong female characters together, and get to walk beside her in the chaos of motherhood.
BM: How do you choose the books you read for the club? Do you suggest books for each other? Are there themes or genres that excite you most, and do you ever find that a book sparks unexpected conversations or personal reflection?
We choose books based on TikTok and Instagram recommendations, recommendations from friends and family, and our own previous reads. We do sometimes pick books for each other for a fun way to get out of our comfort zones.
We both love romantasy and fantasy books with strong female main characters. No matter the genre or topic; whether it’s mental health, trauma, friendship, or specific characters, we each bring our own unique reflections and takeaways to the stories we read. Sharing those perspectives has opened up deeper conversations between us, often leading to discussions we may not have otherwise had.
BM: Has this book club inspired other hobbies, interests, or creative projects—things you might not have explored without that spark of inspiration?
Launching Fit Mom Book Club has encouraged us to diversify the way we move our bodies. In addition to going to the gym we are also currently doing an Assassin Academy program inspired by strong female characters from some of our favorite fantasy novels. We also have plans to take archery, belly dancing, and aerial classes together. We both love art and book journaling and always make time to meet weekly to journal and craft together.
BM: Fitness is a key part of your book club. What made you connect the two? Was there a specific book series or character that inspired you to work on strength training?
We’ve both always been inspired by strong female main characters in romantasy and fantasy novels. In so many of the books we read, these women are training to become powerful warriors and assassins and we wanted to feel strong and unstoppable in our own lives, just like the characters on the page. This led us to start concentrating on strength and mobility training during our work outs.
Some of the first characters and series that inspired us to start strength training together were Feyre and Nesta from A Court of Thorns and Roses and Violet from The Empyrean Series. Watching their journeys of resilience, strength, and growth pushed us to pursue that same kind of power; physically and mentally.
BM: Do your daughters share your love of reading? What do they enjoy reading, and do you notice them picking up inspiration from your club in their own lives?
Bekah: My daughter is 4 so doesn’t really understand our book club but she also loves books. We read together every night and her favorite books feature princesses.
Sophie: My daughter is 3 so she also doesn’t really understand our book club but she loves books and to have me read to her. We read every night and she has recently had an interest in books about fairies and animals.
BM: Can you share a moment from the book club where you felt especially supported, challenged, or inspired—something that really made you appreciate each other?
Bekah: The most challenging moment for me was when Sophie encouraged me to diversify our training by adding in the Assassin Academy. I was surprised by how challenging adding in mobility and balance to our work outs has been. I am thankful that she pushed me out of my comfort zone to try new things.
Sophie: The start of my fitness journey is the most memorable and challenging moment to me. Before meeting Bekah I had never really been in a gym or lifted weights. She inspired me to start strength training and helped me believe that I was capable of being strong and doing things I never believed my body was capable of.
BM: What does being an active and engaged friend look like for you, both in the club and in life, and how has that shaped your friendships and your approach to community?
Bekah: For me being an active and engaged friend means showing up for my friends when I say I will. That looks like meeting my friends at the gym and never missing a workout together, feeding my friends, hosting playdates or hangouts at my house, planning girls’ nights, and making sure the people in my life feel supported and cared for.
It has made creating new friendships and maintaining established ones easy for me because I make space for everyone and show up for my village when they need it.
Sophie: Being an active and engaged friend for me means meeting my friends where they are and meeting whatever their needs are. Sometimes that might mean a phone call so they can vent, watching their kids so they can rest or go on a date with their spouse, or helping them clean up their house when they are having a hard day. I am so thankful that my village shows up and does the same for me.
Me and Bekah joke that we co-parent together because most days we hang out and share the load of being busy moms and tag team taking care of our kids, feeding them, and running our households. Community to me means being the village for my friends that they are for me.
BM: Beyond the fun of reading and working out together, how do you hope the Fit Mom Book Club inspires other moms or readers? Do you hope it encourages them to carve out time for themselves, explore new hobbies, build friendships, or find their own sense of community?
We hope Fit Mom Book Club shows other moms that it’s possible to find your person and a mom friend to truly do life with. We want to encourage people to carve out time for themselves, explore new hobbies, and rediscover what lights them up.
By sharing the things that bring us joy, like reading and strength training, we hope other moms see that they don’t have to put themselves last. Everyone is worthy of self-care, connection, joy, and protecting their mental health.
BM: If you could only recommend one book each to a mom, or anyone, who wanted to get into reading, what book would you recommend?
Bekah: Fourth Wing
Sophie: A Court of Thorns and Roses
Fit Mom Book Club is about more than reading lists and personal records, it’s about reclaiming pieces of yourself and discovering the strength found in shared experience. Through books, movement, and dedicated friendship, Bekah and Sophie are modeling what it looks like to build a village rooted in care, encouragement, and joy. Their story is a reminder that motherhood doesn’t have to be lived alone and that sometimes the most powerful character arcs begin when we choose to show up for ourselves and for each other.
Follow them on Instagram and Tiktok @fitmombookclub and keep an eye out for their podcast in the near future!
