Lauren is a single woman who lives in a London neighborhood. After coming home from her friend's hen do (bachelorette party) she is greeted by Michael, a man she doesn't know yet claims to be her husband. The visible wedding photo and other images and texts on her phone seem to confirm it. She calls her friends and of course they know Michael. But when this man goes up to the attic, another man comes down with the same story that he is her husband. And it keeps happening with various elements of her life changing each time the current husband goes back up to the attic and a new one comes down including her job, her home decor and more. Lauren finally accepts the strange phenomenon happening and starts to consider if any of these men could possibly be a viable match for her. Is she going to be stuck in this recurring alternate reality forever?
Holly Gramazio has created quite the dilemma for her main character in The Husbands, her debut novel. When faced with a seemingly endless number of men who she apparently has chosen as suitable in parallel universes, Lauren starts analyzing what qualities she is seeking in a mate. This is a light, often humorous book which requires complete acceptance of the "magic" of her attic, which becomes symbolic of the world of dating apps and speed dating where people make very quick decisions on whether someone is right for them or not. It's a cute premise with a serious side to it as well. I rarely read books incorporating fantasy and alternate realities, but this one intrigued me. Don't we all have friends who can't seem to find the right partner as no one ever seems good enough for them?
Many thanks to Doubleday Books for the advance copy of this intriguing book. Nice to see it was selected as this month's Read With Jenna Book Club pick.
Rated 4 out of 5 stars.
Contemporary Fiction | Fantasy/Magical Realism.
Publication Date: April 2, 2024.
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