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The Husbands
An exuberant debut, The Husbands delights in how do we navigate life, love, and choice in a world of never-ending options?
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.
As Lauren tries to puzzle out how she could be married to someone she can’t remember meeting, Michael goes to the attic to change a lightbulb and abruptly disappears. In his place, a new man emerges, and a new, slightly altered life re-forms around her. Realizing that her attic is creating an infinite supply of husbands, Lauren confronts the question: If swapping lives is as easy as changing a lightbulb, how do you know you’ve taken the right path? When do you stop trying to do better and start actually living?
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.
As Lauren tries to puzzle out how she could be married to someone she can’t remember meeting, Michael goes to the attic to change a lightbulb and abruptly disappears. In his place, a new man emerges, and a new, slightly altered life re-forms around her. Realizing that her attic is creating an infinite supply of husbands, Lauren confronts the question: If swapping lives is as easy as changing a lightbulb, how do you know you’ve taken the right path? When do you stop trying to do better and start actually living?
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 2, 2024
7393 people are currently reading
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About the author
Holly Gramazio
7 books788 followersHolly Gramazio is a writer, game designer and curator based in London. Her novel The Husbands was released in April 2024.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 18,358 reviews
May 9, 2025
So let me get this straight. Anytime you tire of your current husband, you can just send him off to the attic and a new one will appear? Hmm, you don't say.
I can't resist a good premise. And this is undoubtedly a compelling one. But what starts out as a fun and possibly thought-provoking read just kept going on and on, for far too long.
Initially, this had all the markings of a terrific speculative fiction. It drew me in almost immediately, and it wasn't long before I was turning the pages as fast as I could. Lauren's situation, though not one I've personally encountered thank goodness, is surely something that most of us could relate to. And not only that, but I had gone in thinking this was a serious read, and when it turned out to be more of a fun romp than anything else, I certainly wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth.
But at some point, I started thinking to myself, where is this all going? The more I read, the more I wasn't sure. Usually, books drop hints along the way to help guide readers toward the intended direction and destination, but this book remained distinctly rudderless. Lauren just kept happily switching husbands and we were taken along for the ride.
Then as the story continued, it started taking on a rather unhinged vibe that I just didn't know what to do with. Instead of progressing the way I expected, with Lauren slowly gaining insight into her life, she went the other way and started becoming crazier. I felt like I had been dropped into some sort of slapstick comedy routine or possibly the twilight zone.
This is a problem I've seen before, and it's especially noticeable in books with as enticing of a premise as this one. The author writes a terrific start and middle, building up and building up... into something. But what, that's the question? And more often than not, it feels like the author themselves don't know either.
And that's such a shame. The story does eventually reach a conclusion, but there's no real journey for Lauren or us readers to get there. Rather, we are just dropped at the end, and that's about it.
I wanted more from this. I was hoping for something profound, or at least a little bit insightful and interesting. But premise aside, this didn't really get there.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
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✧ This was a pick for my BOTM box. Get your first book for $5 here.
I can't resist a good premise. And this is undoubtedly a compelling one. But what starts out as a fun and possibly thought-provoking read just kept going on and on, for far too long.
Initially, this had all the markings of a terrific speculative fiction. It drew me in almost immediately, and it wasn't long before I was turning the pages as fast as I could. Lauren's situation, though not one I've personally encountered thank goodness, is surely something that most of us could relate to. And not only that, but I had gone in thinking this was a serious read, and when it turned out to be more of a fun romp than anything else, I certainly wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth.
But at some point, I started thinking to myself, where is this all going? The more I read, the more I wasn't sure. Usually, books drop hints along the way to help guide readers toward the intended direction and destination, but this book remained distinctly rudderless. Lauren just kept happily switching husbands and we were taken along for the ride.
Then as the story continued, it started taking on a rather unhinged vibe that I just didn't know what to do with. Instead of progressing the way I expected, with Lauren slowly gaining insight into her life, she went the other way and started becoming crazier. I felt like I had been dropped into some sort of slapstick comedy routine or possibly the twilight zone.
This is a problem I've seen before, and it's especially noticeable in books with as enticing of a premise as this one. The author writes a terrific start and middle, building up and building up... into something. But what, that's the question? And more often than not, it feels like the author themselves don't know either.
And that's such a shame. The story does eventually reach a conclusion, but there's no real journey for Lauren or us readers to get there. Rather, we are just dropped at the end, and that's about it.
I wanted more from this. I was hoping for something profound, or at least a little bit insightful and interesting. But premise aside, this didn't really get there.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
✧ Connect with me ✧ Instagram ✧
✧ This was a pick for my BOTM box. Get your first book for $5 here.
March 29, 2024
The only reason this fun, twisty, insightful book didn't get five stars is because I might still find a better one in the attic.
April 2, 2024
LESS IS MORE
“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”.
But before she can figure out how she could possibly be married to someone she can’t remember meeting, Michael goes to the attic to change a lightbulb and a different man emerges in his place.
And, like a parallel universe, a slightly altered life re-forms around her as well-Same flat, though furnished differently, same friends, though at different stages in their lives, DIFFERENT HUSBAND.
If you don’t like the one who climbs down the ladder-send him back to the attic for something and see if you prefer who climbs down the ladder next!😂
This unique premise sounded like so much fun BUT I didn’t really care for the execution. By the 50% point Lauren had met and rejected 160 husbands!!!
No need to start a flow chart-we DON’T meet them all so we don’t get to know them any better than she did.
At the halfway point, a husband emerges who really “gets” her. Will she decide to settle down, or will her quest to find “perfection” continue? I was hoping that this would be a turning point in the book.
For me, this would have been better with LESS husbands and MORE of an opportunity to really get to know a couple and root for a favorite !! But, honestly, I didn’t warm up to Lauren and can’t say that I was rooting for her either!
As written, I wasn’t quite as satisfied with this story as I had hoped to be, despite the fresh premise and the adorable book cover!
A buddy read with DeAnn. Was she more enamored with it? Be sure to watch for her review!!
3 ⭐️ (an average read)
AVAILABLE NOW
Thank You to Doubleday for the gifted copy provided through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review.
“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”.
But before she can figure out how she could possibly be married to someone she can’t remember meeting, Michael goes to the attic to change a lightbulb and a different man emerges in his place.
And, like a parallel universe, a slightly altered life re-forms around her as well-Same flat, though furnished differently, same friends, though at different stages in their lives, DIFFERENT HUSBAND.
If you don’t like the one who climbs down the ladder-send him back to the attic for something and see if you prefer who climbs down the ladder next!😂
This unique premise sounded like so much fun BUT I didn’t really care for the execution. By the 50% point Lauren had met and rejected 160 husbands!!!
No need to start a flow chart-we DON’T meet them all so we don’t get to know them any better than she did.
At the halfway point, a husband emerges who really “gets” her. Will she decide to settle down, or will her quest to find “perfection” continue? I was hoping that this would be a turning point in the book.
For me, this would have been better with LESS husbands and MORE of an opportunity to really get to know a couple and root for a favorite !! But, honestly, I didn’t warm up to Lauren and can’t say that I was rooting for her either!
As written, I wasn’t quite as satisfied with this story as I had hoped to be, despite the fresh premise and the adorable book cover!
A buddy read with DeAnn. Was she more enamored with it? Be sure to watch for her review!!
3 ⭐️ (an average read)
AVAILABLE NOW
Thank You to Doubleday for the gifted copy provided through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review.
April 4, 2024
WHY IS THIS BOOK SO LONG?! It did not need to be more than 200 pages max. This was one of my most anticipated reads this year, and I pretty well speed read my way through this book. This concept is so amazing, but you get so many husbands, with almost no time invested in them, with the most one note flat female lead. I’m so disappointed.
January 11, 2025
This book was the perfect exploration of this strange concept. In a fabulist story, it remained so real and mundane. The repetitive googling trying to figure out what's going on, testing the magic attic over and over and over again, the cycle of contentedness to curiosity and back again...it was just my taste.
October 14, 2023
This book had such a unique plot and awesome direction in the first 100 pages, but the execution was poorly done. The characters were as flat as a pancake and the story stayed in the “safe zone.” We never got to know our FMC. She was one note. The attic husband exchange needed less husbands and more depth with the few that she actually really liked. I was hoping to really feel sad when they accidentally went into the attic without her knowledge (like with Carter) and I never felt that deep connection that she kept talking about after he left. The author told us but didn’t show us.
March 13, 2024
I HATED THIS BOOK AND I’M SO SAD ABOUT IT. was genuinely SO excited to read it, the first time I read the summary I was hooked. The plot sounded so fun and I’m such a magical realism girlie so I fully expected to love it…spoiler alert: I did not.
It started off strong and I was invested—a little confused as to why she wasn’t freaking out more or putting any kind of effort into figuring out why her attic had started spitting out magical husbands, but invested nevertheless. But it just kept…going….and going..and going…aaaaand going. And it’s not until literally 50% of the way through that we finally get some kind of plotline? And then it just went back to the same old boring monotony of the first half? I could have forgiven a lot if the characters were lovable or funny or anything other than potatoes with dialogue but uh….that’s exactly what they were.
Now that I think about it, this book read a LOT like The Midnight Library by Matt Haig (which I also hated). A revolving door of lives/husbands, no real plot, somehow both too fast paced and wayyyy too slow, characters with the personalities of wet cardboard, and an ending that made the whole thing not worth it.
I hate giving out one star reviews but I usually demolish even mediocre books in a day and a half. This one took me 5 days and I was SHOCKED when I checked and it was only 350ish pages. It felt like 1000
It started off strong and I was invested—a little confused as to why she wasn’t freaking out more or putting any kind of effort into figuring out why her attic had started spitting out magical husbands, but invested nevertheless. But it just kept…going….and going..and going…aaaaand going. And it’s not until literally 50% of the way through that we finally get some kind of plotline? And then it just went back to the same old boring monotony of the first half? I could have forgiven a lot if the characters were lovable or funny or anything other than potatoes with dialogue but uh….that’s exactly what they were.
Now that I think about it, this book read a LOT like The Midnight Library by Matt Haig (which I also hated). A revolving door of lives/husbands, no real plot, somehow both too fast paced and wayyyy too slow, characters with the personalities of wet cardboard, and an ending that made the whole thing not worth it.
I hate giving out one star reviews but I usually demolish even mediocre books in a day and a half. This one took me 5 days and I was SHOCKED when I checked and it was only 350ish pages. It felt like 1000
November 23, 2023
Thank you Random House UK for granting my NetGalley wish (!!!!!!!!!!). IYKYK, my reviews are ALWAYS honest.
Writing: Lindsey Kelk-esque | Plot: unique | Ending: abrupt
SYNOPSIS
Lauren leaves her house single but comes home to a husband... a revolving attic door of them it seems.
MY OPINION
This was one of my most anticipated reads for 2024 (shameless plug check out my YouTube video to see the rest) so just imagine the scream I screamed when my wish was granted on NetGalley. I thought 'wishes' were scams—mostly because I was bitter for never getting on granted—but apparently not!
Anyways, I absolutely love the premise and it would make for a great movie with a few tweaks. My main qualm was the length; there just wasn't enough substance to carry this story over 300+ pages. This would've absolutely banged as a novella. There's great humour and the 'lessons' would've popped more in a condensed story. However, I found myself getting tired of the revolving husbands without very little plot progression. The Carter storyline was interesting, and I wish it had ended differently. Or, we can keep that ending and just stop the book there. Lesson learned. Wham bam thank you ma'am. Instead, we meander on for another 100 pages or so before the most abrupt ending of all endings.
This is told in omnipresent third person narration; it was so omnipresent that whenever the name Lauren popped up I was confused because I felt like the story was told in first person. I know some people despise third person because it distances the reader from the story, but you won't need to fret in this case. You're right on in there.
If you've read this... who was your fave husband?
PROS AND CONS
Pros: fantastic, original concept, good balance of wit and seriousness, some points were made
Cons: too long – would've worked better as a novella, ending was abrupt af (I would like an alternate ending with Carter and Lauren tysm)
___
Check out my YouTube
Writing: Lindsey Kelk-esque | Plot: unique | Ending: abrupt
SYNOPSIS
Lauren leaves her house single but comes home to a husband... a revolving attic door of them it seems.
MY OPINION
This was one of my most anticipated reads for 2024 (shameless plug check out my YouTube video to see the rest) so just imagine the scream I screamed when my wish was granted on NetGalley. I thought 'wishes' were scams—mostly because I was bitter for never getting on granted—but apparently not!
Anyways, I absolutely love the premise and it would make for a great movie with a few tweaks. My main qualm was the length; there just wasn't enough substance to carry this story over 300+ pages. This would've absolutely banged as a novella. There's great humour and the 'lessons' would've popped more in a condensed story. However, I found myself getting tired of the revolving husbands without very little plot progression. The Carter storyline was interesting, and I wish it had ended differently. Or, we can keep that ending and just stop the book there. Lesson learned. Wham bam thank you ma'am. Instead, we meander on for another 100 pages or so before the most abrupt ending of all endings.
This is told in omnipresent third person narration; it was so omnipresent that whenever the name Lauren popped up I was confused because I felt like the story was told in first person. I know some people despise third person because it distances the reader from the story, but you won't need to fret in this case. You're right on in there.
If you've read this... who was your fave husband?
PROS AND CONS
Pros: fantastic, original concept, good balance of wit and seriousness, some points were made
Cons: too long – would've worked better as a novella, ending was abrupt af (I would like an alternate ending with Carter and Lauren tysm)
___
Check out my YouTube
July 4, 2025
Have you ever been on an online dating site? It’s practically a full-time job with a parade of potential dating partners. It’s easy to be picky when there is a sea of choice.
(Full disclosure: I’ve been happily married for many decades but I have kids who have participated in online dating. Quite happily I might add - our daughter met her husband on Match - but I’m well aware of the pitfalls, especially for men.)
The paradox of choice: Too much choice causes the feeling of less happiness and less satisfaction with the constant search for what might be better out there.
I think we’ve all found ourselves caught in the endless search for the best of something: who hasn’t gone down that online rabbit hole?
But what if you had an endless choice of husbands with the lure of someone better right around the corner (or, in this case, up in the attic?).
When Lauren returns home one evening her husband Michael is waiting. The problem? She’s not married.
When Michael goes to the attic to change a lightbulb, a new husband descends. It seems Lauren has a magical attic that can supply her with a new husband whenever the old one is sent to the attic. Some are immediately sent back up to the attic, while others stick around for a while before being sent away (sound familiar?….swipe left, swipe right…)
The dilemma: when different people offer you different things, and it’s so easy to find someone different, how do you settle? When there’s even a hint of dissatisfaction, why not see who might be next in the sea of possibilities?
The tone is light-hearted and I had a lot of fun with this story. Many of the situations Lauren finds herself in are quite humorous (an IRL version of a dick pic? Off to the attic you go!), while others are a bit tense.
The heart of the problem is when do you say “enough”, and stop looking for something or someone better and be content with the life you have?
This is fun and compulsively readable while also thought-provoking when viewed from the lens of online dating. Highly recommend!
(Full disclosure: I’ve been happily married for many decades but I have kids who have participated in online dating. Quite happily I might add - our daughter met her husband on Match - but I’m well aware of the pitfalls, especially for men.)
The paradox of choice: Too much choice causes the feeling of less happiness and less satisfaction with the constant search for what might be better out there.
I think we’ve all found ourselves caught in the endless search for the best of something: who hasn’t gone down that online rabbit hole?
But what if you had an endless choice of husbands with the lure of someone better right around the corner (or, in this case, up in the attic?).
When Lauren returns home one evening her husband Michael is waiting. The problem? She’s not married.
When Michael goes to the attic to change a lightbulb, a new husband descends. It seems Lauren has a magical attic that can supply her with a new husband whenever the old one is sent to the attic. Some are immediately sent back up to the attic, while others stick around for a while before being sent away (sound familiar?….swipe left, swipe right…)
The dilemma: when different people offer you different things, and it’s so easy to find someone different, how do you settle? When there’s even a hint of dissatisfaction, why not see who might be next in the sea of possibilities?
The tone is light-hearted and I had a lot of fun with this story. Many of the situations Lauren finds herself in are quite humorous (an IRL version of a dick pic? Off to the attic you go!), while others are a bit tense.
The heart of the problem is when do you say “enough”, and stop looking for something or someone better and be content with the life you have?
This is fun and compulsively readable while also thought-provoking when viewed from the lens of online dating. Highly recommend!
April 15, 2024
Simply put, I devoured this book. It was just what I needed: a fun, page-turning story built around an engaging premise with both heart and humor. A mix of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (which I loved!) The Midnight Library (which wasn't my favorite). This one falls squarely in the "solid read I can recommend to a wide audience" and "vacation read with a bit more heft to it" camps.
Lauren comes home from her friend's hen do (that's a bachelorette party, for us Americans) to find...she has a husband? She doesn't remember him, or being married for that matter. And soon she discovers he came from her attic. Then, when he returns to the attic, another husband replaces him. With each new husband she swaps out, her life looks slightly different, and thus she is off on a journey of self-discovery and determining what is it exactly that makes a spouse the 'right' one? What are you willing to look past and what are deal-breakers that have Lauren sending the husband back into the attic?
Obviously the premise is clever and so fun to see how it plays out. There are twists and turns, hilarious moments and suspenseful scenes that made this an incredibly engaging read. I got totally lost in the story while reading it and flew through it.
Plus, with so many new and differing experiences, Lauren examines many aspects of life (not just married life) that are relatable to a lot of people. What do we truly want out of life? Is that something we can get from another person? If not, are we willing to sacrifice our personal ambitions for romantic love? Is there such a thing as a soulmate, 'the one,' Mr. Right? Or is marriage about making it work with the person you've chosen to stick it out with?
Gramazio does a great job for a debut novelist. It's heartfelt, hilarious and a memorable story that I would highly recommend!
Lauren comes home from her friend's hen do (that's a bachelorette party, for us Americans) to find...she has a husband? She doesn't remember him, or being married for that matter. And soon she discovers he came from her attic. Then, when he returns to the attic, another husband replaces him. With each new husband she swaps out, her life looks slightly different, and thus she is off on a journey of self-discovery and determining what is it exactly that makes a spouse the 'right' one? What are you willing to look past and what are deal-breakers that have Lauren sending the husband back into the attic?
Obviously the premise is clever and so fun to see how it plays out. There are twists and turns, hilarious moments and suspenseful scenes that made this an incredibly engaging read. I got totally lost in the story while reading it and flew through it.
Plus, with so many new and differing experiences, Lauren examines many aspects of life (not just married life) that are relatable to a lot of people. What do we truly want out of life? Is that something we can get from another person? If not, are we willing to sacrifice our personal ambitions for romantic love? Is there such a thing as a soulmate, 'the one,' Mr. Right? Or is marriage about making it work with the person you've chosen to stick it out with?
Gramazio does a great job for a debut novelist. It's heartfelt, hilarious and a memorable story that I would highly recommend!
May 3, 2024
thanks for the Buddy Read my sweet Louise💖
Book Review
Rating 3⭐️
The premise of the story is what really caught my attention. I mean, come on a new husband every time you send one into the attic. “Oh, you didn’t do dishes tonight in the attic you go “😂😭 “Oh you don’t know how to put your laundry in the basket, time to go in the attic?” HAHA In all seriousness it’s was more than exchanging your husband every time you didn’t like him. Every time the FMC changed her husband her life changed including her job, her friends, she changed mentally and physically. It goes to show you how the partner you pick really does affect the person you become.
What To Expect-
💍Magic Realism
💍Humor
💍 Finding Yourself
💍Found Family
I did enjoy this book but it did fall flat for me in some parts. It was entertaining, and creative a very refreshing concept. But for me the pacing was uneven. Some chapters I was so invested in the story and for most of them I felt like it was very repetitive and dragged. I also feel like the ending was abrupt. I wasn’t quite as satisfied with this story as I had hoped to be, but still an overall good read. I still recommend this read as a lot of readers will find this book entertaining.
Book Review
Rating 3⭐️
The premise of the story is what really caught my attention. I mean, come on a new husband every time you send one into the attic. “Oh, you didn’t do dishes tonight in the attic you go “😂😭 “Oh you don’t know how to put your laundry in the basket, time to go in the attic?” HAHA In all seriousness it’s was more than exchanging your husband every time you didn’t like him. Every time the FMC changed her husband her life changed including her job, her friends, she changed mentally and physically. It goes to show you how the partner you pick really does affect the person you become.
What To Expect-
💍Magic Realism
💍Humor
💍 Finding Yourself
💍Found Family
I did enjoy this book but it did fall flat for me in some parts. It was entertaining, and creative a very refreshing concept. But for me the pacing was uneven. Some chapters I was so invested in the story and for most of them I felt like it was very repetitive and dragged. I also feel like the ending was abrupt. I wasn’t quite as satisfied with this story as I had hoped to be, but still an overall good read. I still recommend this read as a lot of readers will find this book entertaining.
June 2, 2024
“You can’t stay married to someone forever just because they climb out of your attic one afternoon.”
I thought this would be the perfect book to read the week leading up to a big wedding. It was my sister’s wedding, her first after being independent and unattached for decades. I wanted something light and funny; I was too distracted for anything too weighty. A young woman comes home from a friend’s hen party one night to find that she now has a husband. She doesn’t have any idea who he is. When she sends him up to the attic for something or another, a different husband descends. And so the plot goes. One husband after another. Liz Taylor had nothing on Lauren. I’m not even talking about a baker's dozen. Her husband tally would make your head spin.
“He seems like a husband she can live with for a while.”
Some husbands remain for a couple of days, or even more. Some for just several seconds before being sent back. Did this entertain me? Sometimes. Did I learn anything? No. Did I laugh? Yes. I kept waiting for the moment when the plot would propel a bit more forward. I reached a point when I thought this was finally going somewhere. It really didn’t. Still, I had some laughs and it kept me occupied while I decided whether or not to wear shapewear under my bridesmaid dress. Hosiery or bare legs? Which sneakers to pack for the hours after the pointed-toe heels became unbearable? While ranting about the fact I was too damn old to be a bridesmaid! Mostly, the story was anchored for me by those passages that were funny. So, I’ll make this easy and share a few of them.
Lauren is usually just a slightly different version of her former self with each new husband. Sometimes she surprises herself:
“It’s looking suspiciously like she’s taken up hiking.”
On marital sex:
“… the whole thing is done in not much more than ten minutes. Gosh. Married life, she thinks.”
Special requests:
“Surely if she’d invented him, she’d have invented someone better at cleaning?”
Vows, what vows?:
“… what she needs is not a husband for better and worse but rather a husband for next Saturday.”
Regarding weddings:
“It must be nice to be that sure of anything, to risk the mistake, to have the big party."
Childrearing:
“Parenting is easy! At least if you never have to make any decisions whose ramifications will last for longer than a week!”
Don't worry guys, this isn't a piece of feminist writing - this could just as easily have been titled The Wives with a different MC. This doesn’t come with a recommendation attached, but I’m not sorry that I read it. Read it by the pool or at the beach. Maybe not at your sister’s wedding reception.
I thought this would be the perfect book to read the week leading up to a big wedding. It was my sister’s wedding, her first after being independent and unattached for decades. I wanted something light and funny; I was too distracted for anything too weighty. A young woman comes home from a friend’s hen party one night to find that she now has a husband. She doesn’t have any idea who he is. When she sends him up to the attic for something or another, a different husband descends. And so the plot goes. One husband after another. Liz Taylor had nothing on Lauren. I’m not even talking about a baker's dozen. Her husband tally would make your head spin.
“He seems like a husband she can live with for a while.”
Some husbands remain for a couple of days, or even more. Some for just several seconds before being sent back. Did this entertain me? Sometimes. Did I learn anything? No. Did I laugh? Yes. I kept waiting for the moment when the plot would propel a bit more forward. I reached a point when I thought this was finally going somewhere. It really didn’t. Still, I had some laughs and it kept me occupied while I decided whether or not to wear shapewear under my bridesmaid dress. Hosiery or bare legs? Which sneakers to pack for the hours after the pointed-toe heels became unbearable? While ranting about the fact I was too damn old to be a bridesmaid! Mostly, the story was anchored for me by those passages that were funny. So, I’ll make this easy and share a few of them.
Lauren is usually just a slightly different version of her former self with each new husband. Sometimes she surprises herself:
“It’s looking suspiciously like she’s taken up hiking.”
On marital sex:
“… the whole thing is done in not much more than ten minutes. Gosh. Married life, she thinks.”
Special requests:
“Surely if she’d invented him, she’d have invented someone better at cleaning?”
Vows, what vows?:
“… what she needs is not a husband for better and worse but rather a husband for next Saturday.”
Regarding weddings:
“It must be nice to be that sure of anything, to risk the mistake, to have the big party."
Childrearing:
“Parenting is easy! At least if you never have to make any decisions whose ramifications will last for longer than a week!”
Don't worry guys, this isn't a piece of feminist writing - this could just as easily have been titled The Wives with a different MC. This doesn’t come with a recommendation attached, but I’m not sorry that I read it. Read it by the pool or at the beach. Maybe not at your sister’s wedding reception.
April 4, 2024
this one had a lot of potential but lacked in execution. the plot was creative and really funny at times, but also 50% of the book i had major “so where is this going….?” vibes.
i reco the audiobook for this one. i’ve seen quite a handful of friends DNF this book and i can see why (see above re: where is this going). if i read the physical copy, i may have DNF. loved the audiobook version and it deff helped me stay invested—plus British narrators are always a fun time!
THE HUSBANDS plot is this quote to a T: “my weird attic has magic. it’s been creating a whole bunch of husbands and idk what to do.” 😂
this book basically repeats itself over and over and over again and it’s really hard to find the point….truly even to the very end. for me, it was missing a “twist” or major plot event besides the changing husbands.
i’m also very very picky with magical realism (as you all know) so if we don’t even get one sentence explaining how the “magic” is possible/happens, then it kind of loses me. sadly we never really got that clarification here so it was too much in the gray for me.
was it entertaining? yes. was it creative? yes. did i laugh? yes. is it a light read? yes. if you go in wanting and expecting all of that, you will enjoy it! but i think most readers will feel a little bit unsatisfied at the end, and be left wanting a bit more and wandering the overall point.
if you read this lmk your thoughts!!
i reco the audiobook for this one. i’ve seen quite a handful of friends DNF this book and i can see why (see above re: where is this going). if i read the physical copy, i may have DNF. loved the audiobook version and it deff helped me stay invested—plus British narrators are always a fun time!
THE HUSBANDS plot is this quote to a T: “my weird attic has magic. it’s been creating a whole bunch of husbands and idk what to do.” 😂
this book basically repeats itself over and over and over again and it’s really hard to find the point….truly even to the very end. for me, it was missing a “twist” or major plot event besides the changing husbands.
i’m also very very picky with magical realism (as you all know) so if we don’t even get one sentence explaining how the “magic” is possible/happens, then it kind of loses me. sadly we never really got that clarification here so it was too much in the gray for me.
was it entertaining? yes. was it creative? yes. did i laugh? yes. is it a light read? yes. if you go in wanting and expecting all of that, you will enjoy it! but i think most readers will feel a little bit unsatisfied at the end, and be left wanting a bit more and wandering the overall point.
if you read this lmk your thoughts!!
April 21, 2024
Do not read the jacket copy or a summary or let your friend tell you what it's about. All you need to know going in is this: Lauren comes home from a night out with her friends to find her husband in her flat, which is weird because Lauren is not married. This you learn on the first page, so it is not a spoiler. Then Gramazio deftly and brilliantly moves us through an exploration of what we want from relationships, the high buzz of new love vs the low hum of an existing one, considerations of loneliness and companionship and what is it any of us are looking for anyway through her hilarious high concept premise.
It is mostly light, but it never makes the mistake of being so light that it overlooks how people really are. There are, as there should be, plenty of brushes with danger. But at its heart is a deep meditation on love and long-term relationships of all kinds. Or, at least, you can make it that if you want. You can also just bounce through it because it gives you plenty to bounce with. It is bubbly and fun like a great night out, but if you really engage with it it will be the kind of night out where you end up sharing your deepest secrets until the wee hours.
I listened to the audio of this and was so heavily immersed that on a long walk with it I kept realizing I had no idea where I was even though it was a well known path. I wanted to do nothing else but read it.
Lauren is a perfect balancing act. You know how in thrillers the protagonist has to do incredibly stupid things to keep the thrills going? That drives me up the wall. Lauren will occasionally veer towards this but never go full ridiculous. Sometimes she does something pretty wild, but only sometimes, only when she's backed into a corner, and Gramazio always makes these escapades callbacks to previous parts of the plot which is its own joy.
This also has a couple fantastic twists and plenty of small ones. This book knows exactly when to set into a groove and when to shake things up. The pacing is, basically, perfect and the big shakeups are so smart. (The two biggest both made me respond out loud to the book, which always means you did something very good or very bad.)
I have had a few years of reading slumps, I have started to wonder if I could really enjoy myself in books anymore. But more and more a book will just capture me and let me lose myself in the pleasure of it and this was one of those books. A 5 star experience for me.
The audio is wonderfully done, the reader has to manage many many accents and moves between them smoothly and suredly. And she doesn't make her male voices too low in that annoying way. Well done all around.
It is mostly light, but it never makes the mistake of being so light that it overlooks how people really are. There are, as there should be, plenty of brushes with danger. But at its heart is a deep meditation on love and long-term relationships of all kinds. Or, at least, you can make it that if you want. You can also just bounce through it because it gives you plenty to bounce with. It is bubbly and fun like a great night out, but if you really engage with it it will be the kind of night out where you end up sharing your deepest secrets until the wee hours.
I listened to the audio of this and was so heavily immersed that on a long walk with it I kept realizing I had no idea where I was even though it was a well known path. I wanted to do nothing else but read it.
Lauren is a perfect balancing act. You know how in thrillers the protagonist has to do incredibly stupid things to keep the thrills going? That drives me up the wall. Lauren will occasionally veer towards this but never go full ridiculous. Sometimes she does something pretty wild, but only sometimes, only when she's backed into a corner, and Gramazio always makes these escapades callbacks to previous parts of the plot which is its own joy.
This also has a couple fantastic twists and plenty of small ones. This book knows exactly when to set into a groove and when to shake things up. The pacing is, basically, perfect and the big shakeups are so smart. (The two biggest both made me respond out loud to the book, which always means you did something very good or very bad.)
I have had a few years of reading slumps, I have started to wonder if I could really enjoy myself in books anymore. But more and more a book will just capture me and let me lose myself in the pleasure of it and this was one of those books. A 5 star experience for me.
The audio is wonderfully done, the reader has to manage many many accents and moves between them smoothly and suredly. And she doesn't make her male voices too low in that annoying way. Well done all around.
July 18, 2024
Goodreads…this is NOT a romance! This is a perfect example of magical realism in a book. I adored the premise that you can just replace a husband anytime you so desire. This started out so strong; I was hooked immediately. I understand some of the criticism I’ve heard from other readers about the book getting a little redundant in the middle, but I just really didn’t feel that kind of way. I think it was deliberate, much like the mundanity of marriage and everyday life. I was intrigued with every new husband, regardless of how long they stayed. I loved the friendship story in the last third of the book, so much. I couldn't put it down.
May 3, 2024
"Look. I like her, but is she that much better than the other six hundred partners? So much better that it's worth going through a divorce and setting up a whole life from scratch?"
He shrugs. "I dunno. I mean, maybe? One of 'em has to be the best, why not her?"
i went into this expecting a romcom and it delivered on neither the romance nor the comedy part and i had a whole review complaining about it written up but i have been thinking about it and. you know. this might be my fault.
has the author written an entire 360-page manifesto about how today's dating culture is so focused on finding the absolute best™ and getting through an insane amount of dating partners (thanks to dating apps) without ever settling because what if someone better is out there? discarding people left and right for the most non-consequential reasons (like one husband grabbed her ankles a couple times and the mc was like back to the attic you go)? - yes
has she done it in an interesting or thought-provoking way? - no
this is very water is wet - the dating culture edition. like i know!!! i know!!!!! i have been there!! mindless swiping is bad!! not giving people a real chance is bad!! saying something gives you the ick is bad!!! i didn't need a boring and badly written book to tell me that.
also the moral of the story is literally: one day you will choose someone and they will choose you and you will have to hope that you can build something good from it and ... I KNOW.
maybe,,, i am not the target audience,,,, i just don't like it when something is a poorly veiled criticism of something. i don't like being hit by a bat that has moral of the story written on it. where's the poetry of that. this was pointless and boring and a waste of about 17 euros.
He shrugs. "I dunno. I mean, maybe? One of 'em has to be the best, why not her?"
i went into this expecting a romcom and it delivered on neither the romance nor the comedy part and i had a whole review complaining about it written up but i have been thinking about it and. you know. this might be my fault.
has the author written an entire 360-page manifesto about how today's dating culture is so focused on finding the absolute best™ and getting through an insane amount of dating partners (thanks to dating apps) without ever settling because what if someone better is out there? discarding people left and right for the most non-consequential reasons (like one husband grabbed her ankles a couple times and the mc was like back to the attic you go)? - yes
has she done it in an interesting or thought-provoking way? - no
this is very water is wet - the dating culture edition. like i know!!! i know!!!!! i have been there!! mindless swiping is bad!! not giving people a real chance is bad!! saying something gives you the ick is bad!!! i didn't need a boring and badly written book to tell me that.
also the moral of the story is literally: one day you will choose someone and they will choose you and you will have to hope that you can build something good from it and ... I KNOW.
maybe,,, i am not the target audience,,,, i just don't like it when something is a poorly veiled criticism of something. i don't like being hit by a bat that has moral of the story written on it. where's the poetry of that. this was pointless and boring and a waste of about 17 euros.
May 4, 2024
How could a book about hundreds of husbands be so utterly boring? Oh yeah, because it was a book about hundreds of dull husbands. A revolving door of vague and unlikable characters, including the female main character. What a complete and utter waste of time.
August 28, 2024
really enjoyed this! it has such a 2000s rom com feel to it despite not being a romance in that way (pls someone adapt it asap). this felt like a really refreshing take on the type of journey you see characters go through when they end up being able to live forever or time travel etc but instead with a character who has different husbands popping out of her attic. it’s quirky and light hearted in a way that makes it such a quick, fun and easy read, because of that i wouldn’t go into this expecting any deep introspection or commentary. personally i was enjoying myself enough along the ride to not be bothered by the scarcity in that department but with it being so out there of a concept i was curious how (and even if) things would eventually wrap up but, to me atleast, it has a very satisfying ending :)
Read
December 23, 2024a unique plot that got a little too cyclical for me, but it was interesting to explore the theme about finding "the one". tonally it felt like a beach read but with a bit more depth to keep you contemplating.
April 2, 2024
The Husbands has a truly unique premise and from the get go I was hooked. The main character, Lauren, returns to her flat one night and is greeted by her husband, Michael. Nothing odd about that except for the fact Lauren isn’t married and Michael is a complete stranger to her. Michael goes up into the attic to change a lightbulb, and a different husband comes down the stairs. Lauren soon realizes a new husband will appear anytime the previous one goes up into the attic. Why is all this happening to Lauren?
Crazy situation but it was fun seeing how it would all play out in the end. While the story dragged a bit in certain spots due to some non essential characters, my curiosity won out. The ending was the highlight for me and I appreciate the author’s effort to spin a not so typical tale about love and relationships.
Recommend if you are in the mood for something different in the contemporary fiction genre.
Thank you Doubleday for sending an advance reader’s copy! All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion
Crazy situation but it was fun seeing how it would all play out in the end. While the story dragged a bit in certain spots due to some non essential characters, my curiosity won out. The ending was the highlight for me and I appreciate the author’s effort to spin a not so typical tale about love and relationships.
Recommend if you are in the mood for something different in the contemporary fiction genre.
Thank you Doubleday for sending an advance reader’s copy! All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion
June 2, 2024
Listened on audio to this clever Groundhog Day kind of book. Excellent voice actor. Was fully invested from the getgo but found the protagonist becoming sadly less likeable as the story progressed- although perhaps that is the point. Because she couldn’t go on living that way and staying who she was. If you find the same when you read, stay with it because the ending is very satisfying, as all Groundhog Day stories should be, otherwise they’d be too devastating to read.
January 20, 2025
you guys just wouldn’t get it idk
April 11, 2024
I had a similar experience to so many of the other reviews here. The idea of this book sounds absolutely fantastic and unique, but the execution was not amazing. We met so so so many husbands and spent so little time with so many that you never really get to know their personalities, or anything about their potential relationship.
The female main character is also hard to root for and truthfully I felt like I knew nothing aboht her halfway through the story. We don’t get enough back story about her life - or what she’s like or what she would need in a spouse
Over all the idea is fantastic but I wish that we had maybe a rotating 5-6 husbands we got to know instead of hindreds.
The female main character is also hard to root for and truthfully I felt like I knew nothing aboht her halfway through the story. We don’t get enough back story about her life - or what she’s like or what she would need in a spouse
Over all the idea is fantastic but I wish that we had maybe a rotating 5-6 husbands we got to know instead of hindreds.
July 4, 2024
This is not a romance. In fact, it may be the least romantic book I have ever read.
The premise of this book sounded so interesting to me, but the rate at which she blew through husbands was appalling. If they had a tiny imperfection, if she was annoyed by any of their habits, if they had an argument or it wasn’t a perfect day, right back into the attic they went. Keep in mind, these aren’t randos off Hinge we’re talking about, these are men that an alternate version of herself has already chosen to be with forever. The only husband that really snagged her interest was the one she described as the most attractive which made the entire experience feel extremely superficial.
The ending sort of made it seem like any of the husbands would have been just as good a choice as the last and as someone who believes in finding the right person, this really didn’t work for me. Of course, any relationship takes work and there is no such thing as a perfect person or a perfect marriage, but I don’t think people are as interchangeable as this ending implied. I think this concept worked better in theory than in practice.
* I might have enjoyed this more if it hadn’t been labeled as romance on Goodreads. If you plan to pick this up, please think of it as a thought provoking contemporary fiction instead.
2.5 stars rounded up
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Very intrigued by this premise! Wish my attic produced an unlimited supply of husbands. 🙃
The premise of this book sounded so interesting to me, but the rate at which she blew through husbands was appalling. If they had a tiny imperfection, if she was annoyed by any of their habits, if they had an argument or it wasn’t a perfect day, right back into the attic they went. Keep in mind, these aren’t randos off Hinge we’re talking about, these are men that an alternate version of herself has already chosen to be with forever. The only husband that really snagged her interest was the one she described as the most attractive which made the entire experience feel extremely superficial.
The ending sort of made it seem like any of the husbands would have been just as good a choice as the last and as someone who believes in finding the right person, this really didn’t work for me. Of course, any relationship takes work and there is no such thing as a perfect person or a perfect marriage, but I don’t think people are as interchangeable as this ending implied. I think this concept worked better in theory than in practice.
* I might have enjoyed this more if it hadn’t been labeled as romance on Goodreads. If you plan to pick this up, please think of it as a thought provoking contemporary fiction instead.
2.5 stars rounded up
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Very intrigued by this premise! Wish my attic produced an unlimited supply of husbands. 🙃
July 26, 2024
When Lauren comes home from a night out only to find a strange man in her apartment, she’s terrified. Things get weirder when he insists that he’s her husband…and she notices her phone background has been changed to a picture of the two of them. It may sound like the start of a juicy thriller, but things take a much gentler (and WAY quirkier) turn.
Lauren’s new husband goes up into the attic, and an entirely different man comes down. This one also insists that he is her husband. Lauren quickly learns that her attic is magic, and it’s letting her explore a series of alternate realities with men she could have married. Some of the new husbands are horrible, others wonderful, but Lauren must decide if any of them are worth sticking with.
I LOVED this book. It’s full of humour and heart, and raises interesting ideas about how much a single relationship can change a person’s entire life. In many of the parallel realities, Lauren has a different job, look or friend group. Readers will find themselves wondering which of Lauren’s many husbands they themselves would settle down with…and which ones they would send back to the attic!
Lauren’s new husband goes up into the attic, and an entirely different man comes down. This one also insists that he is her husband. Lauren quickly learns that her attic is magic, and it’s letting her explore a series of alternate realities with men she could have married. Some of the new husbands are horrible, others wonderful, but Lauren must decide if any of them are worth sticking with.
I LOVED this book. It’s full of humour and heart, and raises interesting ideas about how much a single relationship can change a person’s entire life. In many of the parallel realities, Lauren has a different job, look or friend group. Readers will find themselves wondering which of Lauren’s many husbands they themselves would settle down with…and which ones they would send back to the attic!
April 3, 2025
I really liked The Husbands, Holly Gramazio’s debut novel, despite the story tripping me up with two major stumbling blocks.
The first being the why of the story. The book opens with Lauren returning to her flat after a night out with friends and finding a husband at home waiting for her. But she’s not married and never has been, though photos on her phone beg to differ as she finds years’ worth of pictures showing the history of their relationship. Weirder still, all she has to do is send the husband up to the attic and, like magic, he disappears, replaced by a new husband coming down the stairs.
What follows is a whirlwind husband exchange, where Lauren trades spouses out within days, sometimes within hours and minutes, of each other. It’s so rapid at first that it took me a long time to settle into the story and enjoy it. And I also couldn’t shake the nagging question of why is this happening to Lauren. What is it about her specifically that causes the universe to place her in this predicament? Why do the powers that be think that she even needs a husband? Gramazio neither addresses this, nor gives us any background information about Lauren indicating that her dating life is special in any way.
Though my questions were never answered, I did find a workaround in my thinking so that I could enjoy the story once the husbands started sticking around a bit longer. I began to view it as a modern-day fable or parable, one where I would never have all the information I needed; a story that wasn’t Lauren’s story per se, it was instead an everyman’s tale, and one I just had to go with.
It’s notable to me how much this shift in how I saw the novel affected the listening experience. Because once I pushed my nagging questions aside, I became so invested in Lauren’s journey. The book then became a smart and incisive exploration of the search many of us embark upon to find a life partner. It’s an examination of the individual qualities we all look for – what works for us and what doesn’t, what personality characteristics we're willing to settle on and which are deal-breakers – and whether we even need or want a partner at all. The story is sometimes funny, sometimes melancholy, and even when Lauren’s actions verge toward the extreme and idiotic, it all feels real and relatable. There are also surprising twists and turns to the narrative, none of which are typical of these types of stories.
But then the ending rolled around, and, yet again, I was scratching my head in puzzlement. I won’t spoil it, of course. I’ll only say that it left me with another question: What was it all for? Because what I took away from the ending negates so much of what Lauren experiences.
Still, a solid four-star audiobook, even with the stumbling blocks. I’ll note, too, that Miranda Raison is the narrator, and she’s terrific.
The first being the why of the story. The book opens with Lauren returning to her flat after a night out with friends and finding a husband at home waiting for her. But she’s not married and never has been, though photos on her phone beg to differ as she finds years’ worth of pictures showing the history of their relationship. Weirder still, all she has to do is send the husband up to the attic and, like magic, he disappears, replaced by a new husband coming down the stairs.
What follows is a whirlwind husband exchange, where Lauren trades spouses out within days, sometimes within hours and minutes, of each other. It’s so rapid at first that it took me a long time to settle into the story and enjoy it. And I also couldn’t shake the nagging question of why is this happening to Lauren. What is it about her specifically that causes the universe to place her in this predicament? Why do the powers that be think that she even needs a husband? Gramazio neither addresses this, nor gives us any background information about Lauren indicating that her dating life is special in any way.
Though my questions were never answered, I did find a workaround in my thinking so that I could enjoy the story once the husbands started sticking around a bit longer. I began to view it as a modern-day fable or parable, one where I would never have all the information I needed; a story that wasn’t Lauren’s story per se, it was instead an everyman’s tale, and one I just had to go with.
It’s notable to me how much this shift in how I saw the novel affected the listening experience. Because once I pushed my nagging questions aside, I became so invested in Lauren’s journey. The book then became a smart and incisive exploration of the search many of us embark upon to find a life partner. It’s an examination of the individual qualities we all look for – what works for us and what doesn’t, what personality characteristics we're willing to settle on and which are deal-breakers – and whether we even need or want a partner at all. The story is sometimes funny, sometimes melancholy, and even when Lauren’s actions verge toward the extreme and idiotic, it all feels real and relatable. There are also surprising twists and turns to the narrative, none of which are typical of these types of stories.
But then the ending rolled around, and, yet again, I was scratching my head in puzzlement. I won’t spoil it, of course. I’ll only say that it left me with another question: What was it all for? Because what I took away from the ending negates so much of what Lauren experiences.
Still, a solid four-star audiobook, even with the stumbling blocks. I’ll note, too, that Miranda Raison is the narrator, and she’s terrific.
May 7, 2024
waited until the very last page for any sort of plot to develop🥲
May 1, 2024
3.5⭐️ When Lauren returns home to be greeted by a husband she cannot remember, she tries to piece together what has happened. And then she sends him into the attic to change a lightbulb, and in his place, a new husband returns.
This is one of the most unique books I have ever read. Right off the bat, it struck me just how fantastic this would be on the big screen. The premise of a rotating door of never-ending husbands and the ability to alter the course of your life depending on who appears next, was endlessly fascinating. With themes of friendship, the complexities of romantic relationships and the idea of self determination, there is a lot to appreciate in this quirky, debut novel.
While I enjoyed this one overall, there were a few elements that did not work as well. Due to the plot of the rotating husbands, so much of the character development felt more two dimensional and I never connected to any of the characters on an emotional level. Although I enjoyed getting to see just what husband would appear next, after a while, it became quite repetitive. And we never did get to the bottom of how this was all occurring to begin with, which would have added so much more to the story.
🎧 I read this one with my ears, in part, and loved how Miranda Raison managed to add the emotional nuance the story itself seemed to be missing at times. I think audio is the way to go with this one.
Read if you like:
•literary fiction
•magical realism
•original plot lines
•slow burn stories
•London setting
•debut novels
Thank you Double Day and PRH Audio for the gifted copies.
This is one of the most unique books I have ever read. Right off the bat, it struck me just how fantastic this would be on the big screen. The premise of a rotating door of never-ending husbands and the ability to alter the course of your life depending on who appears next, was endlessly fascinating. With themes of friendship, the complexities of romantic relationships and the idea of self determination, there is a lot to appreciate in this quirky, debut novel.
While I enjoyed this one overall, there were a few elements that did not work as well. Due to the plot of the rotating husbands, so much of the character development felt more two dimensional and I never connected to any of the characters on an emotional level. Although I enjoyed getting to see just what husband would appear next, after a while, it became quite repetitive. And we never did get to the bottom of how this was all occurring to begin with, which would have added so much more to the story.
🎧 I read this one with my ears, in part, and loved how Miranda Raison managed to add the emotional nuance the story itself seemed to be missing at times. I think audio is the way to go with this one.
Read if you like:
•literary fiction
•magical realism
•original plot lines
•slow burn stories
•London setting
•debut novels
Thank you Double Day and PRH Audio for the gifted copies.
August 26, 2024
If I ever recommend this book to you, it’s official I don’t like you.
June 28, 2024
I’ve said it a billion times that I don’t generally love magical realism . . . unless it’s in the form of a romance story. I was 100% sure this would be for me. The idea of coming home from a girl’s night out to be greeted by a husband you didn’t have when you left the flat – only to be greeted by a NEW husband each time the previous one goes in to the attic to fetch something sounded absolutely delightful. I wasn’t sure if this would be finding Mr. Right by accident or maybe a “one who got away” do-over sort of love connection, but I was certain I was going to love it.
But then I read it and . . . . .
I mean NOTHING happened aside from Lauren sending literally hundreds of dudes back up the ladder. WTF? Where was the plot? The character development? The chemistry? The romance???? I have soooooo many can’t wait to reads that have queued up from the library in the past few days I spent wasting my time waiting for something to happen with this. So disappointing!
But then I read it and . . . . .
I mean NOTHING happened aside from Lauren sending literally hundreds of dudes back up the ladder. WTF? Where was the plot? The character development? The chemistry? The romance???? I have soooooo many can’t wait to reads that have queued up from the library in the past few days I spent wasting my time waiting for something to happen with this. So disappointing!
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