Reviews with content warning for Gun violence - The Husbands

I loved it. It has a similar premise to The Midnight Library but I liked it much better than ML. I really wasn’t sure how it would wrap up and I think it was the perfect ending. I loved that even though there was mention of Lauren’s “type”, by and large she didn’t have one, physically or personality wise. I think that’s a good message. I also liked how it started small and then… escalated. Would read again, may even purchase though I’m generally a library lady.

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subbasileia's review

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funny lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Husbands is a fine book, with some insightful nuances, hilarious jokes, and notable character growth. Unfortunately, it suffers from missing the forest to appreciate the trees, leaving my fairly unsatisfied with its sudden ending.

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cesca_natalia's review against another edition

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funny hopeful lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Holly Gramazio are doing God's work with her debut novel of The Husbands.

I decide to read this, at first, solely because of the cover art. It's pretty, stunning, gives off 70's vintage art & with the word "husbands" falling down from the attic, it's so aesthetically pleasing. I'd say if this doesn't end up well, at least the cover art looks cute.

The Husbands were told from 3rd POV where us, as a reader, meet Lauren, drunk & half panic after saw a male stranger inside her flat whom later she found out was her husband which she somehow totally forgot about. In the morning, before she could confronted the stranger, he was gone & replaced by another male stranger which happened to be another husband of her.

This part of Lauren's husband magically change & an attic were a part of it is the one which baffled me a lot. This idea is uniquely authentic & very thought-provoking; all I'm thinking every time is "when will this end? and how? and why?"

From the character itself, Lauren, as our main, were giving a very astonishing & wonderful development; through the book, we follow her journey, her question & confusion regarding everything that happened in her life & from the girl craved for a perfect husband & perfect love life to girl whose satisfied & felt enough with her life, Holly Gramazio definitely did an amazing job.

The Husbands, in my opinion, is more of a story of women's self-journey to find herself rather than trying to find the perfect untainted husbands. The Husbands in here were acted as her "bridge" or "equipment" for her to achieve those self-discovery. And I think it's so nice of Holly to create this book; I certainly could relate with Lauren's story & couldn't wait to read more from her in the future.

This masterpiece is 5 out of 5; I totally recommended this for all of you to read

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beate251's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK, Vintage for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Lauren is single but one day she comes home and there is a man in her flat, and he's her husband, as countless photos prove. Somehow her attic acts like a magic husband portal, and as soon as she sends one back, a new one emerges. Why is never explained - Lauren just has to deal with a neverending stream of blokes.

I'm not sure whether the prospect of an endless supply of husbands from the loft is thrilling or disturbing - especially as they feel like arranged marriages, but with a great return guarantee - you don't like the way he chews? Just send him into the attic.

A new husband always means a new life - sometimes it's only subtle wall colour changes, sometimes more profound. The people around her, neighbours, friends, family seem to stay the same at least.

Unfortunately, it brings out the worst in Lauren, she hardly goes to work anymore as she knows she can just reboot her life with the next guy, and if there is just the tiniest problem, she just sends the current husband into the attic, consequence-free.

I really started to dislike Lauren - she makes no attempt to be a good wife, just judges her husbands and sends them back, sometimes within minutes. Her life becomes an exhausting, chaotic mess. I doubt she remembers anymore where she is supposed to work nor how much money she has or what her husband's name is. In all this, she never seems to once fall in love with any of them, though she likes some more than others. The situation is becoming a curse and she knows she needs to take drastic action if she ever wants this scenario to end.

This is a debut novel and for that it's quite accomplished but maybe we could have had more time with fewer husbands to make it less repetitive. The ending is a bit abrupt, and I can't say we get a great love story - just a resigned "love the one you're with" realisation. Points for originality though.

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