I think this book was trying to have it both ways, and its point was fundamentally muddled. The twists were also pretty well telegraphed. That said, I felt a lot of empathy for the main character.

I don’t know. It’s billed as a feminist mystery but I felt like The Husbands was bleak and snarky. It’s worth the read though because Chandler Baker will definitely make you think!
ARC provided by NetGalley.

Domestic fiction meets SciFi meets thriller in this fast paced novel that features Nora Spangler, an overworked mom who spends her professional life as an attorney, and her personal life wishing that her husband would help out more. As the couple begins house hunting, they stumble into a neighborhood of high-powered women with agreeable, Stepford-like husbands. As Nora is pulled in to the appealing and close-knit world of the neighborhood, she is offered an opportunity to improve her marriage as well, while also starting to wonder what secrets the community may hold. Lots of appeal for fans of Liane Moriarty or Megan Miranda, with a twist of futuristic imagination.

I received an eARC of this book from Netgalley for an honest review

This is not the first book I have received via netgalley from Chandler Baker and I won't be surprised if I continue to read anything published in the future because we are two for two now.

This is how I pitched this to my best friend who happens to be a wife and mother - this is a commentary on feminism mostly in the work place and oh yeah there also a mystery involved if you're into that. I pitched it like this because the feministic commentary was so prevalent that when the mystery elements would come up my brain would go "oh that's right! this is a mystery," and I have to say I absolutely loved the way it was done.
The amount of passages I highlighted and annotated! I don't usually go out of my way to purchase physical copies of mystery books but I just have to get my hands on this one. I enjoyed that sparadically before chapters there would be excerpts from articles or online blogs etc. This book created so much conversation with the people in my life because I would share certain parts I highlighted to get their opinion. I can say I am not the demographic or this book; I am not a mother or a wife, but honestly I think any women would identify and appreciate this book. There were so many moments where I literally gasped out loud or made gruntled sighing noises.
Since the mystery portion seemed like such a subplot I didn't find myself trying to solve it (and usually be totally wrong) so when things started laying out I was just one big *circle mouth emoji*

Im afraid to say more without it possibly being a spoiler as I went into this blind, I blindly accepted this book for review based on my enjoyment of the authors previous work. I do believe I enjoyed this one more. It gave Stepford Wives vibes or maybe I should say Stepford Husband vibes - iykyk

I didn't finish this book. It didn’t feel thrilling or especially interesting, probably because I am not married nor a mom, so the whole domestic conflict didn’t really grip me. I think the pacing was a bit off, which made the disconnect in subject matter more obvious to me. If it had been more fast-paced, I think I could have become invested in the story and continued onwards, regardless of the dearth of marriage and motherhood themes.

I also think I maybe guessed the ending or at least part of the twist? But who knows since I didn’t finish it!

The Husbands centers on Nora Spangler, a litigator on track to become a partner if she can meet the firm's quotas for billable hours and bringing in new clients. In addition to her professional workload, she and her husband, Hayden, are the parents of four-year-old Liv and she is three months pregnant with their second child during a year that is typically one of the hardest in a young lawyer's life. And she is at her wit's end as she tries to juggle all of the demands upon her . . . without sufficient assistance from Hayden. She tries not to nag or cajole or fight with him in order to get him to step up and help more around the house and with Liv. As the story opens, she is trying to work at home on the weekend and respond to her boss's demands while Hayden watches Liv. With both the senior partner and Liv vying for her attention, Hayden seems to have disappeared. When she calls his name several times, he finally comes into the house from the garage, removes his AirPods, and announces that he was working out, innocently asking, "Did you need me? What's wrong?" Nora points out that she's trying to work "with a toddler hanging on me while you're off in la-la land." Hayden declares she should have come to the garage to get him because he would have been happy to help, chastising her for her tone. "I was just in the garage," he says. "Well, don't be," she snaps, turning away from him. "Geez. Someone's in a mood," Hayden complains. Nora then begins sweeping up crumbs left on the kitchen floor from Liv's snack as she explains to Hayden how different their lives are. When he goes to work, that's all he has to think or worry about. Just work. It's not so simple for Nora, who has to pick up and drop off Liv, manage medical appointments, take time to purchase birthday presents for Liv's friends, and figure out what to do if Liv is sick. "Tell me what you want from me," Hayden replies.

Every woman who has ever raised children will recognize the scene playing out, nodding their head in solidarity with Nora. She is an instantly recognizable, empathetic protagonist -- a woman in her 30's who is trying to succeed in her profession, give her child everything she needs, and hold her marriage together. And Hayden is a typical husband -- hardworking and devoted to his family -- who does not face the same pressures or have to navigate the same challenges that Nora does. Because of her gender.

So in response to Hayden's inquiry, Nora's answer is one readers will also recognize: "I just need time." And when Hayden tries to comfort her, assuring her that everything will work out, Nora know that means she will be the one to figure it all out. And his promise to help out more with packing Liv's lunch, cleaning, transportation, etc. will only yield the status quo. Nothing will change. And the same scene will play out again, and again, and again . . . "Women are tasked not only with the burden of the problem that exists, but also with how to solve it," author Chandler Baker aptly observes.

Even when Nora and Hayden fight, it's her responsibility to smooth things over. After all, he forgave her for the worst thing she has ever done in her life. And Nora is certain that she would do anything to keep something like what happened on that one horrible day from ever happening again.

Baker was interested to "create a Stepford scheme but actually justify it, and see if we could agree that perhaps the ends could justify the means." The female residents of fictional Dynasty Ranch -- a neighborhood inspired by those near her own Austin home -- are all accomplished and successful. When Nora and Hayden, who need a larger house with the impending arrival of the baby and can afford to move with Nora's partnership a distinct probability, consider purchasing a home there, they recognize her potential. Richard March, the husband of Penny March, an advice columnist (A Penny for Your Thoughts), died when their home burned and the residents inform Nora that Penny wants to file a wrongful death lawsuit. It's not Nora's area of expertise. But it's an opportunity to bring a major client and case to the firm and, hopefully, seal the partnership deal. But as Nora begins investigating the circumstances surrounding the fire, it begins to look more like arson and murder than a spark from a malfunctioning appliance.

Curiously, all of the husbands of the Dynasty Ranch women gush about performing domestic chores. In fact, the first one Nora encounters gallantly assists her with a flat tire, but then rushes off because he has to finish doing laundry. It seems that the resourceful women of Dynasty Ranch have "taken it upon themselves to figure out how to solve the problem of the inequality in the division of domestic labor." And the closer to the truth Nora inches, the more appalled, yet intrigued, she becomes.

Baker's contemporary twist on a very old problem is, much like The Whisper Network, centered around the frustration that plague women as they strive to balance their responsibilities and desires in a world that still doesn't acknowledge, much less reward, the value of motherhood. Women devote twice as much time as men to unpaid work. It may be the post-#MeToo era, but women still earn less money than men who perform the same work, and are subjected to criticism and judgment if they need to take time away from their careers in order to attend to the needs of their families.

Baker's characters are compelling and credible, especially Nora and Hayden, a typical couple in their 30's who love each other but have not figured out how to run their household in an egalitarian manner. Hayden is no more clueless than the average man, and he struggles to understand Nora and accede to her demands. It's not his fault that he is neither perceived by nor perceives the world in the same way as Nora, so can never fully relate to her dilemma. That's only partly because he is not a lawyer, although that's one aspect. Baker places Nora is a highly competitive, demanding profession in which partnership is attained by billing an unrealistic number of hours per month, networking with other lawyers in order to secure referrals, and courting potential clients. It's a world with which Baker, a former corporate attorney, is familiar and believably proves her thesis.

Baker's supporting characters are an eclectic mix of being diabolical and committed to their worldview. They are controlling and manipulating the emotionally distraught Penny, whose behavior must be managed lest their secrets be revealed. Baker keeps the action moving at a steady pace, interjecting details about Nora's struggle to juggle everything -- for example, she forgets to register Liv for the upcoming school year which is catastrophic because enrollment is full and Liv will not have a place in the school she loves with her friends . The guilt she carries with her every day, not just for a past lapse in judgment but her ongoing failure to achieve perfection, endears her to readers.

Nora's investigation reveals that, prior to his death, Richard complained about hearing a clicking noise coming from an indeterminate location within the home at unpredictable hours of the day. She also learns that neighborhood residents' marriages weren't always idyllic. In fact, some of the couples improved their relationships by participating in couples therapy with resident neurosurgeon Cornelia White. Nora and Hayden are convinced to try White's immersive and disorienting approach employing unconventional modalities. As Nora unravels the mysteries surrounding not just Richard's death, but the activities of the neighbors, she must figure out what is actually transpiring in time to extricate herself and Hayden from the neighborhood -- and its residents -- in which they so naively allowed themselves to become enmeshed. And, even more importantly, decide if she wants to give up her dream home, and the progress she and Hayden have been making in their relationship and co-parenting.

The Husbands is, at its core, an engrossing and darkly humorous mystery that keeps readers guessing about the domesticated Dynasty Ranch husbands right up to its shocking conclusion. Baker touchingly dedicates the book to "the millions of women who are struggling to be caregivers, mothers, coworkers, and spouses all at once -- and who left the workforce this past year in record numbers (at four times the rate of men) -- because women can do anything, but they can't do everything." Nor should they have to.

Baker hopes The Husbands will inspire "mad women everything [to] cackle with the possibilities" it presents. If it starts productive conversations between partners, change can take place one small step at a time. If not, women can at least be entertained by quiet moments spent reading the book . . . after they've finished folding the laundry, shopping, picking the kids up from school, helping with homework and baths, and getting the kids to bed before finishing the work they brought home from the office and ensuring that they picked their suits up from the cleaners so that they have something to wear to work the following morning. If they can stay awake.

Nora is burnt out. Between work, family, and taking care of her home, she feels overwhelmed and unsupported by her husband. When she becomes pregnant, she and her husband decided it's time to move out of the city into the suburbs. When Nora becomes closer with the woman in the community, she begins to notice that things might just be too good to be true. The author did a nice job of capturing Nora's frustrations and made her very relatable. The story unfolded at a nice pace, and there was enough of a mystery in the plot to keep me wanting to know more. There are strong Stepford Wives vibes in this story, and it's interesting to see the gender roles reversed in this retelling.

Just like with THE WHISPER NETWORK, Chandler Baker's previous novel, the author combines delicious humor with sharp commentary on contemporary life. The ending was especially chilling. The comparisons to STEPFORD WIVES are definitely apt! (Disclaimer: I read/listened to this novel in advance of serving as the interlocutor for her launch event for The Husbands.) (This is the same as the review I submitted for the audio version).

There were times where I felt like this was a line for line remake of the Stepford Wives. It was a little too close, you know?

I sort of enjoyed it but for a book about strange happenings in the suburbs there was no real sense of urgency. Things happened but in an oddly removed way. I didn’t really care about anyone and the plot dragged.

I was 52% through the book (per my kindle) and it felt like the author was still adding more to the plot instead of starting the breakdown. I’m not sure that makes sense, but if this were a law and order episode, we would have at least had an idea of the motive and a few suspects.
With that said, I kinda guessed the who and what based off of some of the events in the story, I just felt like the big reveal happened way too late in the story and was packed into the last few chapters. While I get what the author was going for, I tend not to like having to take on so many details in my last few chapters,
Luckily there is an epilogue, because after the last chapter I was completely miffed. There was definitely potential there because I REALLY was enjoying the story and looking forward to how it would all play out. It for me, last 1/4 of the book was fumbled.
I really liked the main character and the addition of the comments from the blogs.

Idyllic, upper-middle class neighborhood Dynasty Ranch looks perfect... from the outside. All the families are led by powerful matriarchs-raising their families while breaking the glass ceiling. But when Nora and her family peek into the inner workings of Dynasty Ranch and what makes each household tick, she discovers some unusual occurrences.

To me, there was no real element of suspense or surprise to this novel. From page one the idea of Stepford Husbands is planted in the reader's mind. While interesting and compelling enough, this wasn't a stand-out novel for me. Every "plot twist" was predictable and Nora's behaviors and extreme allegiances towards these women she'd just met came off as very sad and naive. While it wrapped up nicely enough, this was not a memorable example of contemporary suspense/thriller fiction. Perfect fodder for the beach read pile or never-ending book club list.

Moms who work outside the home are going to be nodding YES throughout this book as the husband is constantly in the doghouse for the same things our own husbands are constantly doing! This is a twisty thriller that starts a bit slower, but definitely picks up along the way.

Nora Spangler is a successful attorney, hoping to become a partner in her firm. She works hard both on the job and at home. She is totally in love with her husband, Hayden and they have a daughter, with another baby on the way. Life seems good, although Nora feels like she works 24/7 – if not at the office, then at home.

Now with a new family member on the way, they are looking for a larger home. When they visit an open house in the exclusive suburban neighborhood of Dynasty Ranch, it seems as though Nora has found exactly what she hoped for. Even the women she meets are impressive – a therapist, a tech CEO, a successful author, and a neurosurgeon. Nora is pulled into the dynamics of the neighborhood even more when she is retained to investigate a fire that could lead to a wrongful death suit.

The Husbands is a feminist thriller that will lead the reader into the lives of a group of women who have discovered how they can have it all. It is chilling and a bit uncomfortable. But, even though I found the characters to be interesting, it is reminiscent of the Stepford Wives, which makes it bit less original than I had hoped for.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review.

Listen, Chandler Baker's writing is phenomenal. I loved The Whisper Network, and couldn't this one. She digs right into current and relevant events without even batting an eye. The character of Nora is written beautifully. I imagine many folks will enjoy her snarky internal dialogue and appreciate how hard it is to be a respectable working woman/mother in the cutthroat legal world...and just in the general world of a working mom. Dynasty Ranch is a neighborhood where the women are in charge. They have influence, powerful jobs, and husbands that keep the household running like clockwork. There’s the suspense of the house fire and what really happened to the husband who died. There’s suspense in how these husbands become so domesticated and helpful. And there’s suspense about what Nora is going to do about everything.

What I really enjoyed about the story is how realistic this story is about working mothers. Women do continue to make the home front their domain while working just as hard as their husbands. The situations that Nora found herself in are ones that every working mother can relate to. Gender inequality isn’t just in the workforce, it’s in the home as well.

I thought this was a really fun and entertaining read. The author did a good job setting up the plot and the characters, and I really enjoyed the digs on marriage problems - they felt relatable but also humorous and dramatized! Some of the parts focused on the lawsuit seemed to drag on a bit to me, but overall this book captured my attention and drew me in from the very beginning.

After reading the first 1/3 of the novel I just felt frustrated, wondering how this gender-flipped Stepford Wives could deliver more than the original. I ended up skipping to the end and skimming it, feeling fine with my decision to not read the whole thing.

I typically do not enjoy any novel where you have to suspend belief. However, The Husbands was an enjoyable read. Perhaps because so much of it touched that third rail of reality in marriages. It was more satire than sci-fi, more humor than drama….insightful and, unfortunately, for so many women, highly relatable. I’m going to encourage my husband to read it!!!!!

I read this while cluster-feeding a newborn. If you can swing it, I would recommend reading this at a similarly sensitive time in your life. The isolation of newborn days combined with the anxiety of a return to work date looming on the horizon meant I felt completely heard by this story line.

This is not the book to read if your idea of a good time is huge twists and turns with a satisfying gimmick to neatly wrap up a story. This is the book to read if you need to feel the catharsis of the sentiment "I want you to want to do the dishes".

As I started this entertaining read by Chandler Baker, I took an immediate dislike to Nora Spangler's husband Hayden. Nora is a succesful attorney and has been seeing advertisements to an exclusive community called Dynasty Ranch. She deserves a home there. After all, she works hard as a very successful attorney. Then she comes home and does everything from cooking, cleaning, bath time, trips to the dry cleaners and more. Hayden just glides along.

When they do go look at a house at Dynasty Ranch, Nora feels like she has found her people. The other successful women, including a CEO, a neurosurgeon and more. If they can have it all, why can't she? After meeting with a real estate agent, it is discovered that she is an attorney, Nora is asked to help with a resident's wrongful death case. She agrees, feeling that it will get her in the door to the house she wants.

As a reader all I could see was the Stepford Wives - in reverse! The husbands all seem to be domesticated, something Hayden could definitely learn from. How do all of these successful women have husbands who share the load, even taking more of it than would possibly be expected? Nora has her doubts to be sure, but she also knows what she wants. Can she push her nagging concerns aside and represent the case, get the house, and get her husband to pick up his feet?

I loved this book, finding myself surprised at the twists as they were occurring, and especially the ending! In fact, I reread the last chapter because of how expertly the author brought this enjoyable book to a close.

Many thanks to Macmillan and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Similar theme to her first novel: modern women juggling the professional and domestic. I love how she weaves in the setting of Austin (similar to Dallas in The Whisper Network), if you know the area you can really appreciate the nods she makes to the local culture. The dystopian twist was a major departure from The Whisper Network. Reminded me in many ways to The Other Black Girl. A thoroughly enjoyable read, not excellent, but far from bad.

Thanks to NetGalley, Flatiron, and Macmillan Audio for the ARCs!