3.5 stars. I found this to be enjoyable most times but seemed to drag on and could have been much shorter. The premise was good. Thank you to Netgalley , the author and Doubleday books for the arc in exchange for a fair and honest review.

What fun this was! I really enjoyed the unusual concept of this book, and the various complications that arose. This will be an easy book to recommend to a wide variety of readers. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The debut novel by Holly Gramazio had the template for books I generally enjoy, but I simply could not connect with the characters enough to buy into the story and the rotating husbands.

The Husbands is the first book of Holly Gramazio's for me to read. I was intrigued with the premise that the main character was getting new husband's every time the current husband went to the attic. Little did I know that we aren't talking four or five husbands. Insert eye roll.

The problem that I had with this book is twofold.
1) I found Lauren to be annoying. I could not relate to her. She was so superficial so many times with different men.

2) I am not a science fiction or magical realism reader but I could wrap my head around the premise until Lauren about halfway through the book. Things just got too weird for me. The only reason that I finish was I had to know how the book ended and which husband she chose. The ended redeemed the book for me. I wish she would have made that decision many husbands earlier.

2.5 stars rounded up to 3.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

What would you do if you had a never ending choice of husbands? All you had to do is send them into the attic and new one come down. How long would you keep them before trying a new one? That is what Lauren is dealing with. With each one, she doesn't remember being married or anything about their marriage, Yet all her friends do. Lauran is trying to figure out if she has taken the right path or if she can do better with each new husband.

This was a delightfully funny book that might spark deep reflection in your own life and relationships. Laura returns home after a night of fun with her girlfriends only to find a husband she didn’t know she had waiting for her. But a quick glance around the house and through her phone reveals they’ve been together for a while. She’s still reeling from this news when her husband goes to the attic to change a lightbulb….and then steps down as a completely DIFFERENT husband. Yes, there’s something off about the attic, but once Laura realizes what it can do, she moves through husbands quite quickly, waiting for the perfect one to emerge. But when that doesn’t happen and Laura’s life is upended again and again, will she finally stop obsessing over what could be and finally start living with what’s right in front of her? This. Book. Is. DELIGHTFUL. And while it’s funny and light and uplifting, readers can’t help but think about their own lives, their own partners and their own thoughts of what might have been….or still could be. Read this one!

This was a really fun and quick read, but still brought a lot to discuss. Gramazio highlights plenty of the pitfalls of modern dating and our instant gratification culture, but the book never feels preachy or too heavy. This will be a big hit for book clubs this spring.

3.5 stars

Thank you DoubleDay and NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

This premise was so original and interesting and COULD have been so very fun and entertaining…

Gramazio really pulled things together for the ending and earned back some more stars (loved seeing a husband POV and the glimpse of Sam was kind of dreamy so bravo). However, that middle just dragggggged on and turned incredibly repetitive. She should have cut a couple hundred husbands out, stuck to one dramatic attic return (Zach, not Amos) and generally tightened up the plot.

CW/TW: infidelity, gaslighting, stalking, fire, gun violence, drug use

"Delightfully witty and irresistibly charming, it is a delightful escapade into the world of modern romance. With its relatable protagonist and hilarious mishaps, it's a perfect blend of humor, heart, and self-discovery. The author's sharp wit and engaging storytelling keep you turning the pages, making it a must-read for anyone in need of a good laugh and a dose of feel-good romance.

I was truly enjoying this book, but it got way too repetitive. Poor Lauren has to keep being forced to deal with different husbands, which in of itself was not terrible, but she never gets a break. There is no guy outside of one that interests her, and even when she goes to visit him in a different timeline, he is lack luster, so she just keeps going through husbands. This book just drags. I wish there was a husband that maybe she had felt a little bit more drawn to and then something happened where she had to find him again, or that she kept a husband for longer. I just got exhausted, probably as much as Lauren was. This book is for sure not a romcom in any sense of the word. Or at least not one that resonated with me personally.
Thank you to Doubleday Books and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.

At first I was really enjoying the premise, but after a while, it did start to become very repetitive. It was about 100 pages too long and lacked depth at times. If you’re into romcoms, this might be a great read for you. It would have been PERFECT as a novella!

Thanks to NetGalley for this book.

I LOVED THIS. The premise was fascinating.. reminded me very much of the movie Sliding Doors , a movie I think about quite often. What if I had made one tiny different choice? How changed would my life be?
Even though Lauren was annoying at times, I felt like she could be a real person- she was imaginable and a magic attic is the perfect amount of magic for me. Loved.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.

The Husbands is a great idea—don’t like this husband, send him back to the attic for a new one! Much like a dating app though, there are so many choices/husbands , it’s hard to keep track. I enjoyed this one, it was a quick, and funny, read, but felt it was missing something.

SYNOPSIS
- One night, Lauren returns home to her flat in London and discovers a man who claims to be her husband.
- Despite having no recollection of him, evidence suggests they've been together for years.
- Meanwhile, Michael goes to the attic to change a lightbulb, but suddenly disappears.
- In his place, a new man appears, and a new, slightly altered life forms around Lauren.
- She soon realizes that her attic is creating an infinite supply of husbands, leaving her questioning what the right path and perfect match might be.

MY THOUGHTS
- Very unique plot. From the start, I was intrigued by what would happen. Major kudos to the author for creativity.
- Thoughtful and witty. Enjoyed the writing.
- Blends several genres (contemporary, sci-fi, literary fiction)
- Explores interesting concepts, like seemingly endless choices & overanalyzing your decisions.
- Lauren’s partner choice also impacts other areas of her life. Close friends, jobs, hobbies, decor, and all aspects of her life are different, depending on the husband that emerges from the attic.
- My only complaint is it got a bit repetitive in some sections, and I think it could’ve been shorter

TL;DR: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️one of a kind premise; good palate cleansing read.

Thanks to Doubleday Books and Netgalley for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book will be published on April 2, 2024.

🩵What I Loved
✨The clever premise

🩶What Could Have Been Better
✨I want to keep things positive, but this mostly fell flat for me.
✨I didn’t see any character development, and as a result the main character came across as a really unscrupulous person that I just didn’t like or connect with at all.
✨There were so many missed opportunities for connection with readers that just didn’t happen.
✨Lots of telling. Not a lot of showing.

I wanted to like it. 🤷🏻‍♀️ Maybe you will, though!

This was such a unique premise and set up, and I was initially all in on this story. However, after about 1/3 I got tired of the flat husbands and switching and wanted more depth on what was/wasn’t working. It’s definitely unique and I’m sure will have great support.

“When Lauren returns home to her flat in London late one night, she is greeted at the door by her husband, Michael. There’s only one problem—she’s not married. She’s never seen this man before in her life. But according to her friends, her much-improved decor, and the photos on her phone, they’ve been together for years.”

This is a fun and quirky read. Lauren gets the choice of several different husbands by asking them to go to the attic and change a lightbulb. Her life resets and a new husband appears! Could you imagine!? It was an engaging read and I thought the concept was funny. The characters did fall a little flat for me and I felt like it was drawn out a little. Overall it’s a fun read!

Thank you NetGalley and Doubleday books for the arc.

I was browsing Netgalley one day, looking for something fun to read, and The Husbands by Holly Gramazio appealed to me immediately—I couldn’t request it fast enough! I don’t normally gravitate towards novels with elements of fantasy or magical realism, but the plot of this one really piqued my interest. A woman endlessly swaps out a supply of husbands simply by asking them to go up into the attic to change a lightbulb, and then her life resets as a new husband suddenly appears! Sounds hilariously fun, right? It was. It really was…at first. I truly adored the unique premise, and it started off SO strong. I was giggling away, but then it eventually got old. The storyline didn’t really go anywhere, and the main character quickly started to grate on my nerves. In all honesty, the lack of character growth, and overall weak execution knocked this novel down a few pegs. Don’t get me wrong, this novel is entertaining as heck, but it just needed a bit more editing in my opinion. If you’re looking for something fresh and quirky, this debut is definitely it! The Husbands releases on April 2nd, and it gets 3.5/5 stars from me!

This book is an original take on modern dating and married life with a twist. Lauren is a single woman enjoying her life and after a night celebrating finds herself with a husband she has no memory of marrying. Different husbands keep emerging from her attic and Lauren has to decide who she wants to keep. There are a lot of funny moments anyone in a long term relationship can relate to. At times, it became tedious and could have ended a bit sooner. Her relationship with the husband who didn’t want her either was the best part and made the rest of the story easier to get through.
Thank you to NetGalley and Doubleday for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Fascinating and quirky book about a woman dealing with a multiverse of parallel husbands. Enjoyable for fans of movies like Sliding Doors. Well done..