An excellent premise somewhat unevenly executed - the political aspects felt a bit too glossed over given the current climate, but it was still and engaging listen.

A really fun, smart read which was surprisingly engaging given its political themes, with one half of a gay couple being liberal and the other deciding to run for Congress as a republican.

This book was very readable but i don't think it fully grappled with the issues it presented. I wish it delved deeper into the conflicts of gabe and ethan on specific issues

Based on the synopsis I really thought I’d love this - the pitch is a gay Republican running for office which sounds so intriguing! unfortunately there was just something about the writing that I didn’t vibe with, for such a great premise it was just a bit dry. also the story seems to focus more on the sister’s storyline as she begins an affair with an ex-girlfriend and I kept wanting to go back to Ethan.

thanks to netgalley for providing me and e-arc in exchange for a review!

this was interesting, and i was hopeful it had a lot to say. unfortunately, the end left something to be desired for me. ethan and gabe are trying to navigate their marriage and parent a child as ethan runs as a republican, putting a massive wedge in their relationship. nicole is a stay at home mom who is feeling aimless and unfulfilled, reconnects with a fling from college and wonders what could have been if she didn't settle down with a husband. all very juicy topics with lots to say, and then it didn't really end up saying much about how relationships fall apart around political beliefs and the underlying biphobia so many people experience. it certainly gave me a lot to think about but i really wished it fleshed everything out more.

Thank you, NetGalley and William Morrow for this ARC for review. This was an interesting and at times, humorous story when getting into politics, as a conservative man in New Jersey, but he is also a married gay man. You get the different perspectives as the married couple and the siblings of the married couple as his decision to run as conservative. The characters are real and the conversations and story is fast read and keeps you entertained throughout. I’m interested to see what this author comes up with next.

Elizabeth's Harris' How to Sleep at Night has an engaging story. The writing is sharp. If you've ever wondered how it would feel to have a spouse/partner whose political beliefs are far from your own, this book will likely interest you. This is also a story of marital satisfaction/dissatisfaction and the things that pull people to each other. Some of it is about people doing the wrong thing sometimes, and it makes you question why they do it. The characters have issues that make them do things that many readers will find questionable, but we get inside their heads and get a window into how they feel and why they do what they do. All in all, a compelling read.

Because I'm interested in politics, I found the premise of this book intriguing. A gay man's husband runs for office as a conservative Republican, and he has to deal with the fallout. His husband's sister and her on-again, off-again lover, who's now married, turns out to be just as prominent a storyline in the novel, if not more so. I liked following these characters, but I felt like I barely got to know them and the writing felt very simple and straightforward, which is not always my jam. There's nothing wrong with this book, but there's nothing knocking my socks off either. I recommend this book to anyone looking for an easy, accessible read that is in the realm of politics but doesn't go very deep.

Could not put this book down. Current and relevant political environment as the setting for a contemporary novel about relationships and love. Flawed but emphatic characters make this one.

New York Times reporter Elizabeth Harris' debut novel, “How to Sleep at Night,” centers on four queer characters and the mistakes they make that jeopardize their marriages, ultimately leading to the titular question: "How do these characters sleep at night based on their choices?"

Ethan Keller, a Democrat turned Republican after working for a corrupt Democratic congressman, announces his plans to run for the soon-to-be-vacant Republican congressional seat in New Jersey. His husband, Gabriel “Gabe” Alter, a history teacher at an elite Manhattan arts school and a staunch Democrat, is appalled and disgusted by the announcement. Fathers to a five-year-old daughter, Chloe, the couple presents an image of a healthy marriage—but their political differences strain their relationship. Gabe realizes that if he opposes Ethan’s political aspirations, their marriage will suffer, and Ethan will resent him. Reluctantly, Gabe decides to support Ethan, reasoning that “if their roles were reversed, there was no question that Ethan would support him.”

As Ethan’s campaign picks up steam with photoshoots and fundraisers, Gabe’s reputation begins to suffer. Neighbors, colleagues, and students start resenting him when they discover his husband is running as a Republican. Torn between being a devoted husband and staying true to his own beliefs, Gabe faces an internal struggle: should he stand by Ethan despite their political divide, or should he speak out and risk further harming their marriage? Will their relationship survive the pressure?
Ethan’s sister, Kate Keller, an award-winning journalist at the Herald Ledger, is also Gabe’s best friend. A Democrat herself, Kate is conflicted about her brother’s run for office but supports him, even though she struggles to understand his decision. Her brother’s campaign creates a professional dilemma for Kate: she must stay “ten thousand miles away from this race at all times,” or risk jeopardizing both her journalistic integrity and career.

Nicole Harmon, married to Austin with two children, Henry and Sarah, is also grappling with dissatisfaction. Despite her early ambition, Nicole feels unfulfilled as a stay-at-home mom. Her marriage to Austin is stagnant; their communication and intimacy have deteriorated, and they simply go through the motions of daily life without truly connecting.

When Nicole sees Kate on the television, she decides to reach out. Kate, recently divorced, agrees to meet and starts asking Nicole about the breakup of their relationship fifteen years earlier. As they reconnect, their old passion resurfaces, and they begin an affair, despite Nicole’s marriage. This puts Nicole in a difficult position—should she embrace this new relationship and leave her husband, or reject Kate again and continue with her unremarkable life?

Harris excels at writing realistic characters wrestling with both inner and outer turmoil. As tensions rise between them, each character is forced to make decisions that challenge their integrity, risking both their careers and marriages. Harris skillfully portrays the relentless grind of a political campaign and the minutiae of parenthood, building tension as the characters’ choices and mistakes begin to unravel their lives.

However, despite the gripping, tension-filled plot, the novel’s structure and writing style detract from its overall effectiveness. Each chapter focuses on one of the four main characters, but time jumps between paragraphs are often unclear, leaving readers confused about how much time has passed. Additionally, at times, the narrative shifts abruptly between characters within a single chapter, creating further confusion. This lack of consistent structure and flow makes the novel a more tedious read than it could have been.

This book was not for me. I loved the premise and that it had many gay-centric characters. However, I found the dialogue and plot to be predictable and banal. Too many quips and whitty back-and-forth banter that isn’t realistic or entertaining.

I enjoyed the premise of the book and it had a lot of funny moments; however, some of the plot felt too unrealistic even as the satire it was meant to be. I wish there had been a little more crossover between the connecting characters as well.

What an interesting premise for a book and what a book very much of the moment. The intersection of politics, family, and love hit a little too close to the bone every once in a while, but it made me appreciate this author's talents all the more. This book is very much what I would consider "slice of life" reading, so you are expecting a high stakes thriller or a deeply romantic love story, maybe find something else. But, if you want a look at queer relationships and how contemporary politics are impacting them, I would highly recommend this book. Overall, and exciting debut and I can't wait to see what else the author publishes!

This book starts out promising: Ethan tells his husband Gabe that he’s going to run for Congress - as a Republican. The setup of a gay couple with opposing political views seemed like really good material. There’s also Ethan’s sister Kate and her on-again/off-again relationship with Nicole (who’s married to a man and lives in the congressional district where Ethan is seeking election).

The stories of the two couples exist mostly side by side with a little overlap. The political campaign covers all of the expected tropes of today’s partisan divide, but there aren’t any great new thoughts or understanding of how Ethan and Gabe can be so diametrically opposed in politics yet remain together. There’s no real depth to their characters. In many ways, Nicole is the most interesting character as she struggles with her identity and needs.

Everything is wrapped up a bit too quickly and neatly. Although I enjoyed the book, it never really took off in an exciting way.

Thank you to William Morrow Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I did not know what to expect when I read this title, I loved the premise and the beginning of the story started out really strong. However, I felt like the book began to drag around the halfway point and I found the commentary to be redundant. I would be curious to read something else from the author in the future, but this one did not do it for me.

Thank you to the publisher & netgalley for the early e-arc.

This novel is told from the perspective of three characters: Gabe, a liberal teacher and dad married to Ethan; Kate, a political reporter who is Ethan’s sister; and Nicole, who years ago had a fling with Kate but is now a bored suburban housewife and mom. Everyone’s lives are thrown into chaos when two things happen: (1) Ethan announces he’s running for Congress - as a Republican; and (2) Nicole and Kate get back in touch after many years.

I really enjoyed this one - a sharply observed character novel but one which also had two good plot strands moving things along. The plot felt unique and I enjoyed the behind the scenes look at both politics and reporting. And the characters were interestingly flawed. I will say if you can’t deal with politics right now, or if you’re super-conservative, this book probably isn’t for you. But I thought it was a really enjoyable quick read with plenty to think about - would make a good book club novel with lots to discuss. A great debut and I would definitely read another book by Elizabeth Harris.

This one didn't grab my attention and so I DNF'd it. I was intrigued by the premise but couldn't really get into it. I am sure it is good but not the kind of fiction I am drawn to.

This debut book was sooo good!! I was sold simply from the description of a married gay man with a young daughter deciding to run for a Republican Congress seat in New Jersey. Told from multiple perspectives, this book is both a study in gay and straight marriage and the way queer identity, sexuality and desire can complicate things made even more complex by its examination of how opposing political views can cause conflict in relationships. An entertaining, FUNNY and thought-provoking read that I couldn't put down! Highly recommended and good on audio narrated by Gabra Zackman. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

This is a good one! HOW TO SLEEP AT NIGHT covers so many different types of relationships and how politics and strong feelings can change things in an instant. This book is very clever and hard to put down. Thank you, NetGalley.

While the premise is very relevant to the political zeitgeist, and the characters are very real, I don't know who the audience for this is supposed to be. Very quickly I came to hate pretty much across the board either for their idiotic simplifications in political ideology or their complicity. Well before the politics part even comes into full gear, I couldn't care less about any of them making it through the churning. Perhaps as a liberal in the current time period, everything about this makes me feel too sick to stomach, because it feels like a conservative parody of the white liberal quandary no matter which way you look at it. Sorry, but not for me.