I very much enjoyed the majority of this book. The premise was interesting, and I kept coming back to see what would happen. Unfortunately, I didn’t love the ending, and the jumping between husbands got a little tedious. Some good life lessons in the book, but was a little let down at the end.

Entertaining romantic comedy set in current times. A single woman returns home from a freind's hen party to find a man in her hom e- and her life altered to include this husband. She soon discovers that sending him to the attic turns him into a different man. . . again and again. As she works through the husbands, she questions her choices and what she really wants in her life and in relationships.

Lauren arrives home one night to a husband everyone seems to remember she married but her. Even her phone and picture frames agree with such. We quickly realize that the stranger/husband climbed down from her (recently magical) attic and said attic produces a new husband every time the current husband goes in. Comedy and hard decisions ensue!

I thought this was a lot of fun and scratched that Midnight Library itch. I love what-ifs scenarios especially when done well and do not involve time travel. I found Lauren to be pragmatic and relatable - especially how she handles being given a magic attic. The the side characters and husbands were equally interesting and overall the book was solid.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book has such an interesting premise. However, I felt that many of the questions about how the attic worked were never answered and I would have liked to see that. The story sees the main character grow and learn what is important and what is trivial. There is a lot of self-discovery and thought provoking going on in this read. However, for me, it was just an OK read. It moved too slowly for my liking and some parts felt repetitive. The premise had promise, but I hoped for more.

Holly Gramazio takes the idea of alternate realities and runs with it in a fun but thoughtful way. Lauren is a likable character. Through her husbands, she goes through the stages of what ifs that we all would given the same situation. What if I don't like this guy? What if I don't like this life? What if this is all there is?

The Husbands would be great for a weekend snuggle read.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

“The Husbands” is a fantasy tale about an attic that produces an infinite number of husbands for our protagonist, Laure, who, before the attic, was a single person who had just broken up with her boyfriend of several years. All she needs to do is decide which attic husband is the one she wants to commit to, if she wants to commit to any of them!

I found this story to be rather unique. It started out as funny, as she banishes husband after husband for little things, such as the fact that one of them chews too loudly, with his mouth open. For the first couple of husbands, she consults her family as to how they like him, how the marriage is, etc. She quickly abandons that as quickly as she lets each husband go. Also with each husband comes other sets of challenges for Lauren, such as a different job or differences within her family or friends. This makes the story a little intriguing, but the reader doesn’t get a chance to adjust either because as soon as the changes are introduced into the story, Lauren sends the husband back, like a reset of sorts with her life and those around her. The story takes another turn when one of Lauren’s husbands voluntarily tries to go to the attic to get away from her. What’s going on here? You’ll have to finish the novel to find out.

As I mentioned earlier, I found the story to be unique and at times funny. However, it also got a bit annoying with the constant banishing of husbands. At one point in the novel, it’s mentioned that Lauren has gone through over 200 husbands in the span of the year the novel appears to take place. That is a lot of husbands! And it also says a lot about Lauren. Does she have a commitment phobia? Is there something down deep in her subconscious that says she unhappy with her life? Is she trying to find that perfect life, with that perfect person? She seems to find fault with every husband that comes along, not willing to accept the person for who he is, and not willing to make changes to herself to make any of them last longer than a few hours or days. Considering that she was single at the beginning of the novel, returning from a bachelorette (or hen) party for her best friend, perhaps there was some underlying resentment with her friend getting married and she still being single, and Lauren somehow willed a way to dip her feet into marriage without the messiness of an actual real commitment? Unfortunately, the novel doesn’t really delve into any of these thoughts and certainly doesn’t address how an ordinary attic one day suddenly starts spitting out husbands the next, seemingly without end. There were a lot of questions that I wished the author had at least tried to give resolutions to, but it never happened.

So I’m giving this debut novel three stars and suggesting it as a beach read, recommending a lot of suspension of belief. Don’t try to read too much into it; just go along for the ride.

Not quite like anything else as this novel creates a unique situation. How unexpected to suddenly have a husband descend the stairs from the attic. And then every time he goes into the attic, a different husband appears. What to do? Where are they coming from? Is one of them actually Mr. Right?

We've all heard the song "It's Raining Men" and thought how much fun that would be to have unlimited choices for our life partner. Well, as it happens, its not so much fun in this mind bending novel. Lauren comes home from a hen do and finds a stranger in her flat who says he's her husband. When he goes up in the attic to change a light bulb, a new husband comes down. After the initial shock wears off, Lauren samples them all. With the new husbands comes new jobs, new lifestyles and changes in her friends and families lives. It finally gets to be too much and Lauren figures out a drastic way to settle on just one man.

Love, love, loved!! A never ending supply of husbands sounds so perfect, but life and people rarely are perfect! This is a great book club pick, where only one question needs to be asked-“What would you do?”

In this captivating read, the author masterfully weaves a narrative that is both engaging and thought-provoking. Through a blend of richly developed characters and a meticulously crafted plot, the book offers a unique exploration of its central themes, inviting readers to immerse themselves in the story's depth and complexity. The narrative is paced perfectly, balancing moments of intense action with thoughtful reflection, ensuring that readers are hooked from the first page to the last. The author's ability to evoke emotion and create a vivid, immersive world is truly remarkable, making this book a must-read for anyone looking for an exceptional literary experience.

Beyond its compelling storyline, the book stands out for its insightful commentary on the human condition, weaving philosophical questions into the fabric of its narrative. The author's skillful use of language not only enriches the text but also elevates the reader's experience, offering new perspectives on familiar themes. Whether it's the intricate dynamics of relationships, the exploration of identity, or the confrontation with ethical dilemmas, this book tackles complex issues with sensitivity and intelligence. It's a testament to the power of storytelling to illuminate the nuances of life, making it a valuable addition to any book lover's collection. Regardless of genre, this is a work that resonates on multiple levels, affirming the enduring impact of well-crafted literature.

When Lauren gets home from a night out with her friends, she finds she is married to a man she does not remember. She realizes she is able to switch him for a different husband by sending him into the attic. While I do think it was a fun read, I felt it was a little long. I would still recommend this book. I think it would make a cute movie!

Not my usual rom-com... When Lauren returns to her flat after a night of drinking, she finds a man in her apartment who says he is her husband. She can't possibly be so drunk that she doesn't remember him?! In the morning, he is still there. She tries to piece together their relationship by scrolling through text messages, photos and google. Her friends all seem to know him but she just can't remember him. He goes up to the attic to change a lightbulb and comes down a different man - another man who is another husband and with that comes a new life. Same friends, same apartment, lol, but with different decor. It is then that Lauren realizes that she can change her husbands and life just by sending the men up to the attic.
The book centers around a revolving door of husbands, It gets a little weird after a while, but then when Bohai comes down and they start talking, Lauren realizes he has had more husbands/ wives then her and they instantly bond and become best of friends, as they can both share the craziness. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I wasnt sure what to expect when i received this book.....It turned out to be a total surprise! A magic attic.... a book about friendship..... self reflection..... suspense..... all in one! It was funny and quirky, and i quite liked the ending! I will watch out for more books by this author

This book is definitely for an adult audience, so I can’t necessarily purchase it for students to check out from my library, but it would be a fascinating choice for our teacher book club. We could have discussions for days about the rightness/wrongness of her choices, how this relates to the real world, our responses to certain husbands or episodes, etc. The book was a bit slow-paced, so it took me some time to get into the story, but the time spent turned out to be worthwhile. I would recommend it to readers who are willing to wade slowly through a literary fiction title before reaching a firm conclusion to wrap up a “What if…?” story.

I pushed through reading this book, trying so hard to like the idea of a woman who could trade the husband in her life for a new one, with just a trip for him up to the attic. I couldn’t do it. It went on too long, though the ending was a good one. I didn’t and I couldn’t feel as though the main character deserved better. I tried to like the book, but I really can’t see my way to recommending it to any of our readers.

When Lauren returns from her bffs bachelorette party, she is shocked the find a man in her home. She is even more shocked when he goes to the attic, and a different man comes down. Then when the second man goes up, a third comes down…all of them claiming to be her husband. What is happening in this weird, maybe magic (?) attic of hers? Knowing she can send each guy back for someone new, will Lauren ever find someone good enough? Or will each small thing have her sending him back for what’s next?

Yes, hello…where do I sign up for this? Like seriously, dude sucks? Send him back to the attic for a new model! In all seriousness this book was just such a delight. Some of the husbands had me dying laughing, while others I was bored for Lauren! The Zach story was just too much, I was reading it through my fingers covering my eyes it was so crazy! Overall this was a really fun book and I loved the way it ended! Highly recommend grabbing a copy of this one!

This was a unique read! Lauren, a single woman, comes home to find she has a husband, and then each time a husband goes up to the attic, a different one comes down. Repeat, repeat, repeat. I found myself thinking about what would happen next and seeking out minutes here and there to keep reading.

That said, it did feel a bit long at times and if you like a book with a clear storyline (build up, problem, neat solution), this may not be the book for you. Despite that, I enjoyed this author’s writing style and know I’ll be thinking about this book for awhile. Im looking forward to reading more from them in the future!

Thanks to NetGalley and Doubleday for early access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

What a fun book to read! It had a unique storyline, unlike anything else I've read. And the craziness of the ever-changing husbands just got better and better. Each time she kept one of the husbands, it was an interesting tale within the tale. I just had to keep reading to she how she was going to handle each one. Especially Bohai, Amos #2, and Zach. Oh and what a great ending.

The Husbands , is the debut novel by Holly Gramazio. I was drawn in by the premise and it truly was an original story. The story is based around Lauren who wakes up from her flat in London and is surprised to meet her husband Michael. Especially, because as she knows it she is not currently married. After a short lived relationship Michael heads up to the attic to change a lightbulb and lo and behold another husband climbs down the ladder. It seems with every new husband her life is slightly altered although her core family and friendships remain. Lauren’s journey through husbands provides for some comedy relief , a few surprises and maybe a little whiplash. It is a time-bending tale both entertaining and thought provoking. I was captivated until the end wondering if she would ever settle and remain married. In my opinion this is a wonderful book to curl up with and I definitely recommend it!

Lauren is mildly content with her single life in London. When she returns home after a night out, a man named Michael is in her flat. And not just any man: her husband. Before Lauren can wrap her mind around how a man she doesn't know could possibly be her husband, Michael goes up to the attic and a new man retreats down the ladder in his place. Also her husband.

In a seemingly-contained and spontaneous burst of magic, Lauren now has access to an infinite number of ever-replenishing husbands of all shapes, sizes, interests, and quirks; it's as simple as getting them to go up into the attic. Along with the husbands come versions of Lauren's life she's never known--lavish mansions, exhilarating travel, and an uncomfortably close call with her neighbors-turned-swingers. As each new husband retreats from the attic, Lauren's life around her changes and her other relationships shift.

There's got to be a perfect combination out there somewhere, right?

"The Husbands" is a hilarious, truly ingenious debut novel. Smartly written, almost bafflingly-simple, it combines humor and heart in a way that weaves such a unique story it's utterly impossible not to love it. This breath of fresh air of a novel begs the question: if you had a revolving door of options before you, how would you ever know if you've found "the one?"