The Husbands: A Read with Jenna Pick: A Novel

Written by Holly Gramazio

Narrated by Miranda Raison

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • READ WITH JENNA’S APRIL BOOK CLUB PICK • NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF 2024 BY THE WASHINGTON POST, NPR, PEOPLE, PARADE, AND BOOKRIOT

The Husbands delights in asking: how do we navigate life, love, and choice in a world of never-ending options? (“A bottomless champagne flute of a novel —The Washington Post)

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?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group
• Release date: Apr 2, 2024
• ISBN: 9780593865507

Reviews for The Husbands

[Kayla Pratt · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was HILARIOUS and REALLY kept me on the edge of my seat. I can't imagine going through an experience like this cycling through "husbands," but I'm sure it kept life interesting. I loved this. It was very entertaining.

4.5 stars

[bookwyrmm_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Fun alternate-reality novel about a woman learning what she wants in a husband with the help of her magic attic.

[vwinsloe · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A highly sophisticated friend once told me that she considered leaving her husband for another man, but she decided not to bother since men are basically all the same. I'm not sure if she meant it or whether it was just a throw-away line for a laugh, but as "The Husbands" shows, it's not true. All husbands are imperfect in different ways!

[berly_4 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Loved this concept!! Only two complaints: thought it went on a bit too long in the middle and I didn't enjoy that the entire book was in Lauren's voice and the last chapter was in his voice, but other than that, it was an easy, fun read.

[73pctgeek-23012 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Absolutely mesmerizing premise. One night Lauren stumbles, slightly drunk, back to her flat and finds a husband that she has no memory of waiting at home for her. The situation escalates quickly.

Interesting read, but unfortunately it's not an SF&F book. I didn't much care if there was an explanation to Lauren's predicament, there isn't. I did care about a strong finish, however. Sadly Gramazio doesn't deliver one. In all fairness I can't see a plethora of other ways it could have ended, but the one chosen was a little too… boring.

[sdbookhound · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

All I can say is what a crazy book!

Lauren is a little tipsy after she gets home from her friend's hen do. In her flat she finds a husband that wasn't there before. She's never been married! What's going on? After she figures out it's real and is getting used to the idea, the husband goes up into the attic to change a light bulb. When he comes down, it's no longer him, but a whole new husband. The flat has changed colors and she's wearing different clothes and hairstyle. What?!

Like I said, this is a little crazy. Lauren goes through hundreds of men. Some don't make it all the way back down the ladder before she sends them back up. Sometimes she has to come up with an elaborate plan to GET them to go back up. Some show up more than once. Does that mean he is supposed to be the one?

I enjoyed this. I went in with no expectations. Truly unique, but I'm not sure what to rate it. There were parts where I sped through some husbands wanting more to happen.

[nyiper · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was fun. How she came up with SOOOOO many different descriptions of husbands with SO many occupations, characteristics, descriptions....very, very clever. Quite a different sort of "time travel" book and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[mav1n1libby · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

What a fun read! It was really funny and entertaining. I took it for what it was. It was not earth shattering in any way, but a book that can make me laugh. Again, I could also relate to it being single. And when she first comes home and there's a "husband" in her house and how she confused she is. I would've been the same. And the cycle of husbands that every time they go in the attic, a different one comes down. Just a funny concept. I did have to look up the ending since I read this a few months ago. And she burned down the house before she could meet the new husband that came down, so she could stop the cycle. She did eventually go meet him and that's how it ends. I think they have a sweet moment together. But some of the husbands were assholes, so I feel like I'd want a quick look before burning it down site unseen. But it was fun how things changed constantly from husband to husband and how her family always knew her husbands. And the one guy she met that he was doing the same thing. That was a fun twist! Just a general fun and entertaining read! I would own this book if I came across it. I gave it four stars because I think at one point, I was like, OK...enough with the switching.

[kayanelson · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Utterly charming book. The simple premise of getting a new husband when you send your current husband in the attic seems like it could be tiring. However Holly Gramazio inserts some twist that make it really interesting. A fun summer read.

[labfs39 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

What would you do if one day you returned home to find a strange man in your house, who claims to be your husband? What if everyone you know agrees with him? That's what happens to Lauren. And what's even odder, when he goes up into the attic to fetch something, a different husband comes down. So begins a fun story of finding the perfect husband when the possibilities are endless. How to choose? Or do you?

[shazjhb · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Not sure about this book. What was the point. Multiple husbands coming through the attic.

[foggidawn · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Lauren returns from her best friend's hen night to find her husband in her flat. The problem? She doesn't have a husband. This one apparently showed up through some sort of magic portal in the attic, and as far as he and everyone else are concerned, he's always been there. But then, Lauren discovers that she can swap him out by sending him up to the attic, and a different husband will come down. Is this better than online dating? Is one of these husbands her true love -- or at least, her best possible match? How long will this magic attic thing work?

This was a fun read. I loved the premise, though the magic is never really explained, or even fully explored. The author leans into the humor of the situation, and while I did feel that it could have been a little shorter, I liked the way she built up to the climax and resolution. If this concept intrigues you, check it out!

[midmomo · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Loved this book. It was a little long, but the concept of this book was something I'd never read before and kept me entertained the whole book.

[japaul22 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

[The Husbands] is one of those books that all my friends are reading, so I decided to give it a try. The premise is great - a young woman comes home from a night of partying with her friends to find a husband in her home that she doesn't remember. She quickly discovers that any time the husband goes fully into the attic of her apartment, a new husband comes down and her life is subtly changed.

Lauren flies through husbands, keeping some a few months, most a couple days, and lots for just minutes. I was worried the author wouldn't be able to sustain the premise for a whole novel, but actually, I think it worked pretty well. The book ends up bringing up lots of thoughts about relationships and what people are really looking for. Is there such a thing as a perfect person to marry? A soul mate? Are all husbands "just ok"? Are you yourself no matter who you marry/love?

I liked this and recommend it if you're looking for something modern and fun.

[keithchaffee · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Gramazio jumps directly into her story: Lauren has returned home from a night out with friends, and there is a man in her apartment. Once she gets over that shock, she begins to notice that the apartment has changed -- different furniture and art, and photos of herself that she doesn't recognize, including what seems to be a photo from her wedding to the strange man.

As if that's not enough, things get even stranger when the man goes into the attic. A different man comes down, and once again, Lauren's surroundings have changed. The cycle continues: Every time a husband goes into the attic, the attic sends down a new husband.

You could handle that premise in a lot of ways. It could veer into horror; you could emphasize the comic fantasy, and send Lauren on a quest to find the wizard who can stop this; it could become a Serious Literary Novel, exploring questions of identity and the importance of permanent relationships.

Gramazio puts a mostly rom-com spin on things, which is not to say that this is a rom-com (there's no one guy to focus on, no gradually developing story of true love, no happily ever after). But it's mostly got that light, breezy tone, in which the author is taking us for a cheerful romp. Things get a bit more serious in the final chapters, to an extent that I don't think Gramazio quite pulls off, but this is mostly a fizzy comedy, and a darned good one at that.

Every time you think the story is falling into a rut -- "OK, how many more husbands are we going to test and reject?" -- Gramazio finds an unexpected variation on the magic attic that deepens and enriches the story. And by the end, it actually does become an exploration of identity and permanence, a reminder that you don't have to write a Serious Literary Novel to examine serious ideas. Thoughtful and fun aren't mutually exclusive.

[bookczuk · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Quirky bit of what can happen when parallel universe lines collide, but only for some people. It got a little bogged down in places for me, then sped along in others. But does pacing really matter if you can just go up to the attic and redo it?

[ridgewaygirl · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is such a wonderful and thought-provoking book, I'd rather just tell you to skip the reviews and go read it yourself. But if you want more information, the novel follows Lauren, who comes home half drunk from a great night out with a close friend to find a strange man in the hallway, attempting to get her upstairs. He claims to be her husband, but Lauren isn't married. It's all terrifying, and then more so when she sees that she's been texting with this man in a way that suggests that they are married and her apartment is different, the walls are painted differently, there are some of her things, but also things she doesn't recognize. Her phone is full of photos of them together and the downstairs neighbors act as though he's lived there for years.

And then this man goes up to the attic and a different husband emerges.

And Lauren, caught in this endless husband supply (not all of them good, from the man who likes to stick his head between her and the book she is reading to tell her to spend time with him instead, to a man full of barely contained anger) has to figure out what is going on and what she should do with it.

Gramazio writes so well and with such ease, it's surprising to know this is her first published novel. Lauren is a great character to follow. She's resourceful and resilient and, placed into an odd and unique situation, tries to make the best of things, while learning a lot about herself and what matters most to her. This was a lot of fun to read and I am already ready for her next book.

[rmarcin-630843 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A humorous look at the options we have when it comes to love and life.
Lauren comes home one night to find her husband, Michael, waiting for her. But, Lauren isn't married. However, her friends tell her they've been together for a long time. She doesn't understand it, because she can't remember him at all. Then, he goes up to the attic, and disappears. Another man appears in his place.
Lauren realizes that her attic is magical, that it produces new husbands for her all the time. So, she keeps trying them out. She finally meets someone that is experiencing the same phenomenon. Now, Lauren must decide - does she keep trying or does she enjoy what she has?
A funny and unique take on our life choices.

[keristars_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It's been so long since I picked up a book based on widespread popularity, rather than a recommendation from someone trusted, and truly loved it, that I was prepared to be bored or disappointed by this one, or both. Luckily, neither is the case! I found it entertaining and funny, and just generally engaging.

Sometimes it felt a bit like Gramazio and her friends may have played a game of coming up with traits and pasts (good and bad) for the husbands descending from the attic, but never in a bad way. Often I thought the plot introducing a husband or a scenario just as I started to formulate a "but what about....?" question, satisfying me before I'd even fully articulated it to myself. Other readers may find it tedious or too obvious, especially in the scenes where Lauren tests the magic attic's abilities, but it worked for me. Not too much analysis or heavy thought needed to have fun with the story.

The general themes are about finding happiness, what that means, and the things that tie Lauren (and anyone) to others. It's a portal fantasy to parallel realities, but the main character isn't the one who passes through the portal - and yet, her reality changes around her. How that works and the trickiness of triggering another portal shift were among my favorite parts. Lauren at one point in the book reflects that it's like a time loop, but always moving forward - there is loss and grief even when shifting to a new reality is a relief.

[arlenadean · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Title: The Husbands
Author: Holly Gramazio
Publisher: Doubleday Books
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Four
Review:
"The Husbands" by Holly Gramazio

My Thoughts:
'The Husbands' was quite an exciting read. Lauren Strickland comes home from a bachelorette party to find a man named Michael in her apartment who was supposed to be her husband. But she didn't know of him because she had never been married. This is one of those stories that went in many different directions; you must keep up with how this author presents this fun read to the readers. This story was interesting as different guys came out of the magic attic. To understand all of this, you must pick up 'The Hustbands' to see what I am talking about as you see the 'humor and crazy differences between the characters of each world' that are presented.

If you are looking for a read that is not only funny, unique, and somewhat charming but also very thought-provoking, this book will keep you turning the pages to see what will happen next for Lauren as the story jumps between husbands. What will happen when Lauren finally 'figures out a drastic way to settle on just one man?' The story had an exciting ending.


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