Reviews

Like a House on Fire by Lauren McBrayer

carrieemoran's review against another edition

3.0

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this title. I'm realizing I am a sucker for a lesbian/queer romance novel, and I wanted to love this. I was thrilled in small moments, but overall I wish there'd been more complexity and depth to the characters. The narrator's husband was so wholly unlikable and irredeemable, it made it hard to understand why she was so torn about leaving him. Also, the extended affair narrative was uncomfortable. I wanted to root for her love with Jane, but felt too skeeved out by her lying to her husband.

creativepoet's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

3.75

There were lot of times I wanted to give up on this book. It was a very uncomfortable read, in terms of both cheating and some of the inner monologues of merit on parenting rang too close to my thoughts. I pushed through and finished however. I’m glad I did it, I don’t agree with all of merits choices however it did give me perspective on what goes in the mind of someone who is stuck. Relationships are complicated. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity

madelineoki's review against another edition

4.0

Shocking end to the book that I was not expecting. A little bit of a slow burn for the first half.

arockinsamsara's review against another edition

4.0

This was one of the best character studies I have read in a long time. The novel is billed as general fiction, or maybe romance, and it definitely hits a lot of the popular romance-trope notes. Sure. But what it excels at is shining a light into a singular character, and the despair and longing and malaise the fester at the heart of complacency and societal expectations of woman and motherhood. Nothing about the protagonist, Merit, felt like it was caricature or forced, she felt like someone I could and probably do know, and her decisions, good and bad, all made sense in the tortured set of choices she made available to herself. The two main secondary characters, Merit’s husband and boss, both felt interesting and multi-dimensional. The nature of the story and the fact that is was written through Merit’s point of view meant that our experience of the other characters was always filtered through that lens, meaning it wasn’t entirely reliable, but there was an honesty about the experience that made both secondary characters feel like more than a collection of attributes that were plot conveniences. The plotting of the story was really nice, too, sometimes taking its time and sometimes having time jumps of weeks or months, but never wasting exposition filling in more than needed. A spot was marked on the horizon right form the beginning and the story felt like it was always bringing us there, which kept the story moving at a good pace and stopped it from dragging. As I mentioned, the story is definitely romance-adjacent and so there are some tropes from the genre that are borrowed, allowing for certain plot developments to follow an expected trajectory. But, with that being said, as someone who isn’t particularly fond of the romance genre, even when I had a good idea of where the story was going and what would likely happen next, the detail of Merit’s internal emotional landscape and journey kept me engaged and not wanting to put the book down. If I were being especially critical I might say some of the writing and style feels expected, if that makes sense… And yet, the book not only really kept me thinking about relationships and expectations and emotional labor in important ways, it even compelled me to have discussions with family about the issues that it really beautifully dives into. So if a book can do that, and keep me wanting to read the next chapter after chapter, then it is more than doing its job. This is a really wonderful debut novel, McBrayer shows she is incredibly skilled at creating and developing an interesting and dynamic character that feels real and true, and using the story to show how the weight of the world and the options circumstance offered her affect that characters decisions, emotional state, and ability to recognize and appreciate herself in the world. I look forward to reading more!

I want to thank NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam, G.P. Putnam's Sons, who gave me a complimentary eARC in exchange for an honest review.

genthebookworm's review against another edition

5.0

I love a book that looks at the gray areas of life and Like A House on Fire has it all....imperfect characters that challenge you, the dualities of adult life, the complexities of our relationships and pondering a crossroads in life.
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This book was not only a page turner but it, at times, also made me quite uncomfortable, which really is one of my favorite kinds of books to consume and then discuss. Author Lauren McBrayers voice is unique and fresh and the storyline was totally unpredictable.
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In Like A House on Fire, McBrayer takes on the societal expectations of women, from their careers, to the emotional labor of mothering, and the subtle nuances of long term partnerships. It's a "where do I go from here?" when the answers are never black and white. There's depth and dimension and I loved the idea that midlife can also unfold new beginnings.
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This story is compelling and both heartbreaking and beautiful and I highly recommend picking it up. It would also make for an amazing book club discussion.

Thank you to Putnam Books for my gifted review copy.

kerryamchugh's review

emotional funny inspiring lighthearted reflective slow-paced

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

3.5

Went into this with little to no expectations and I was pleasantly surprised to find a nuanced work of women's fiction. When Merit, thirty-something stay-at-home/work-as-(failing) artist-from home mother of two decides to go back to work as an architect, she can't imagine how fully that decision will upend her life. Stretched thin by the mental load of running a house with two littles, a loving and well-intentioned but ultimately unhelpful husband, and a boss that she wants to please more than she can say, something in her starts to shift -- at first imperceptibly, then in wave after wave of self-realization. And, dare I say, self-actualization. 

I've seen many reviews paint Merit as selfish, but this felt to me like the opposite: a woman who gave everything of herself, over and over and over again, until there was nothing left to give. And then what?

(Mild spoiler: I didn't love the five-year flash forward to an epilogue as a device to finish this story.)

Great narration on audio. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual content and Alcohol

hannamarieee's review against another edition

4.0

cory is such a little punk! flop! jane made me gayer! merit is lowkey the bad guy in the story and i don’t even care i approve of almost all of her actions

ctin2's review

medium-paced

3.5

samantharosec's review against another edition

reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes

3.0

juliannasiegrist's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

there were so many things I loved about this book, but the ending was so disappointing for me!!

I hate that we didn't get to see a piece of merit's life after she broke things off with jane, or how they reconciled and eventually ended up together. I honestly would much rather want to read that than the drawn out details of their affair.

merit's husband absolutely sucked and I don't understand why she was so upset about the prospect of leaving him for this great love of her life!! merit's character also felt a bit flat to me; the book made me fall in love with jane, but merit came off as really whiny and annoying and by the end I couldn't see why jane would even want to be with her. but all in all it was an entertaining read and story