Lauren's life is okay. Four years after a break up and she is still single while her closest friends are either married or coupled up. After a night out for her best friends Hen party, she finds a strange man in her house. He says he is her husband, everything in their home says he is her husband, yet she has no memory of him. When he makes a trip into the attic for, he suddenly disappears and in his place, a new husband. Does Lauren now have an endless supply of spouses, and would she be the one to disappear if she went into the attic?
I haven't read very many magical realism books, but the ones I have, I have enjoyed immensely. Especially when they have some sort of sci-fi element to them like The Husbands. Huge thanks to Netgalley and Doubleday for an advanced copy for me to read.
There is no time travel in this book. Time doesn't stand still while Lauren shuffles through the many attic husbands. Life around her continues, but with each husband there are bits and pieces of her life that changes. She is no longer friends with this or that person, maybe she has had a promotion at work or she doesn't work at all. She could even wind up with a pet raccoon for all she knows, but she still forges on trading one husband for the next.
At first I thought this book was about feeling the need to conform to societal norms. Feeling like you have to settle down just because all of those around you are. That isn't the case though. Yes it does have some of those elements but it is more about acceptance. Accepting the life you have, and the realization that not everything will be perfect all the time.
The Husbands is a delightful read. Are we given a peek into every single moment of life with each trade in? No. Thank goodness because that would be a bit tedious. Gramazio's prose seamlessly blends emotion with amusement, offering a delightful combination of heartfelt sincerity and witty humor. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for Holly Gramazio's debut The Husbands. Grab your own copy at the link.
Psst! Just so you know, some of the links sprinkled here are affiliate links. If you decide to click and treat yourself, I might get a little high-five in the form of a commission at no additional cost to you. Cheers to good vibes and happy reading!