I thought the premise was quirky, with plenty of scope for humour. I’ve been reading a bit more contemporary romance recently and the cover encouraged me to think this would be a light frothy read with loads of laughs.
BLURB: 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?
REVIEW: I hate it when a blurb and book cover have me thinking this is one sort of book – when it’s actually something quite different. And that’s what happened here.
I opened this one up expecting a funny, frothy read full of laughs and the inevitable happy ending we tend to get in romance literature. The prose is fluent, the dialogue works and the setting is vividly depicted – in fact I think that is Gramazio’s strength. I’m not so sure about the characterisation, which is a bit unfortunate as romances are allll about the characters. Indeed, as the story wore on, I found myself increasingly less sympathetic towards Lauren. Her behaviour towards the constant stream of men appearing from her attic got steadily worse as the book progressed. So that by the end, I frankly hated her. I got that this magical attic is supposed to be a parable for online dating sites and modern romance, but the message was hammered home very hard.
Though there were a few funny moments that I could visualise, overall I found this to be a fairly bleak read. Lauren’s behaviour became increasingly unhinged and even her lovely dependable neighbours ended up having a darker side, which I didn’t find believable.
Part of my frustration with this one, is that it’s been poorly marketed. It isn’t remotely fluffy and while I’m reluctant to say too much about the ending because I don’t want to Spoil it – it wasn’t the romantic happy-ever-after I was led to believe was part of the deal. Particularly after reading the taglines on the cover. If I had known it was a critique on modern dating practices with some dark warnings thrown into the mix as to what happens to us when we can swap our partners for all sorts of trivial reasons – I wouldn’t have touched it with a bargepole. As it happens, I think it’s an important message and one that’s delivered with punch in a memorable story. But this wasn’t the book I was looking to read. Recommended for fans of quirky contemporary tales that step outside the typical romance genre. While I obtained an arc of The Husbands from the publishers via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
6/10
Brainfluff 
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughtful review. I did think it was romantic comedy based on the cover and glimpses of it. It’s good to know it is something different.
Anne
You’re welcome:)). If anyone is looking for something more nuanced and hard-hitting, it’s an ideal read. But that isn’t how it’s being presented.
Great review Sarah! I was on the fence about reading this one and based on your thoughts I think I will pass.
Thank you, Jodie. I’m glad I’ve been able to help you decide whether this one lines up with your current mood:)).
Interesting review. You haven’t turned me off the book, but you have prepared me that the cover text (and the image itself) doesn’t jibe with the story.
Thank you, Priscilla. For what it’s worth, it’s an interesting read with a strong message that is highly pertinent. And I’m glad my review has given a more accurate insight into what this one is actually about.
I might not have given this a second thought – fluffy romance is not my cup of tea – but your description of the story is enough for me to know that I’d better look elsewhere… 😉
I’m glad you’re able to make that decision based on my review, Maddalena:)).
Mismarketing is awful. I hate when you end up feeling deceived by a book! I actually think I’d enjoy this a lot more than you, but I’m sorry it didn’t work out.
I think that’s why I was so very fed up. I’m being quite careful with the books I’m reading atm. And as a very experienced reader I know I didn’t make a mistake – this book isn’t what was advertised on the cover.
I think this would have frustrated me as well. It’s always a bit distracting when the book is completely not what you expected and it never makes sense to me as to why that happens. I think I’ll pass on this one.
It’s a shame, because it’s a book that has a point to make and is highly pertinent. It’s also a book that I think would have a loyal, appreciative audience, too. But not when folks like me pick it up expecting something completely different!