Emma is a heart surgeon and is divorcing her husband, Simon. who is also a surgeon. A cocky man, he has had one affair too many. They are the parents of two girls, Iris, 7 and Violet 5. Emma has 4 sisters and her sister, Lucy, is currently helping her with the girls.

Lucy is doing all she can to get Emma to date some men but she feels like it has been so long since she dated, she doesn’t know where to start.

We see how compassionate Emma is with people. Her medical knowledge is great and it’s so funny when some people ask her inapprpriate medical questions when she's at a social event. What a hoot!

The sisters all join together as one big family to support one another. They are very close and would defend one another to the death.

Lucy is funny but does some wild things. I liked Emma and felt she is a strong character but she showed that she’s also human. My favorite character is Lewis. What a little love he is! This book shows how difficult divorce can be especially if one is a total jerk like Simon. The sisterly love is cute but I wonder if all sisters are as open with one another. All in all, this is a good book with lots of laugh out loud humor. In addition, there are some serious things as well to balance it out. Check it out and enjoy!

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

“Can I Give My Husband Back” by Kristen Bailey

Sorbet.

I’ll just leave that word hanging there for a moment.

My reading diet consists mainly - but, not exclusively - of thrillers, crime thrillers and each new Stephen King as soon as it is published. Into this menu, you can add historical fiction, history books and true crime tales. Of the fifteen books I have read thus far in 2020, six have been books about real-life historical events and a further two have been retellings of the Greek legends by the English legend that is Stephen Fry.

Add to these a comic tale from an English comedian, a wonderful book by an upcoming British Asian writer and the joyous read that is “The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse”.

Despite my fondness for the aforementioned genres, I try to mix up the books I read occasionally - increasingly often in fact - especially in these times. I find it can be rewarding to freshen up my choice of reading with a title that goes against my usual fare. Which leads me back to that single word at the start of my review.

Sorbet.

Sometimes you need the tang that only comes with a mouthful of the delicious fruity sugary-sweet frozen dessert. That unexpectedly expected hit of sweetness and zest gives you a start, makes you smile and refreshes you. It leaves you energised, invigorated and, often, happy.

And that, dear reader, is exactly what “Can I Give My Husband Back?” did for me.

Kristen Bailey first came to my attention at the start of this year. I forget exactly how I heard of her previous book, “Has Anyone Seen My Sex Life?”. It was most likely excited chatter via Twitter and, with its vibrantly coloured cover and its intriguing title, I knew I had to dip my toes into her world.

And, as with that hit of sorbet, I’m so pleased I took a taste.

So much so, that when I saw Kristen had a second book coming out, I jumped at the opportunity to explore her work again.

When I first picked up this book, I didn’t realise that it continued the Callaghan sisters stories. But I am so glad that it does. It was a delight to have the chance to reacquaint myself with the five sisters from the first book. They are an absorbing quintet, each with her own personality - personalities that leap from the pages - and pull you happily along with the narrative. Each sister brings a different dynamic and vibe to what I now know will be a series of at least five books; maybe more if Ma and Pa Callaghan get their own outings.

This particular outing tells the tale of Emma Callaghan - the second oldest sibling (“HASMSL” concerned the oldest sister, Meg) as Emma copes with the aftermath of her husband Simon’s infidelities and their subsequent divorce and relationship in caring for their two daughters.

While I cannot say I believe this book is aimed specifically at readers like myself - a married man of thirty plus years (to the same woman, yes, she’s a saint) - I simply loved it.

The author writes engaging characters, full of life and zest, complete with their flaws, foibles, fears and frustrations. She breathes life into them and into their relationships and actions. And, she has a great way with dialogue, when the girls speak, their words sparkle and snap.

You’d be wrong for thinking that this would be a hard read about bitterness and divorce, such an emotive and terrible time in someone’s life. Far from it, this book is an absolute blast; it’s tangy, zesty (that word again), fruity and, at many times, downright filthy. It is also very funny and, often, downright hilarious.

These Callaghan girls are no shy, retiring wallflowers; they are in your face, say it like it is, feisty and fun females. Modern, empowered, unwilling to let life - or the men in their lives (PS. We’re not all bad. Honest.) - derail them.

Personally, I cannot wait for the book in which the youngest sister (I hope I have my chronology correct) appears. I’m looking forward to Luce Cannon’s tale.

“Can I Give My Husband Back?” is a terrific read; it’s fun and entertaining, well written and so very enjoyable.

As I said earlier, it’s sorbet. Light and refreshing with a sharp kick.

The author’s writing puts a smile of your face. Her books are definitely moreish.

So, book three very soon, please, Ms Bailey.

I need my sorbet fix ASAP.

was one of my favourite reads this year. Can I Give My Husband Back is just as good and Kristen Bailey is now an author I will be watching out for.

This story follows Emma as she divorces her serial cheat of a husband. She dips her toe into the new world of dating alongside working and bringing up her two daughters with the help of her crazy sister Lucy. 

There are lots of laugh out loud moments, along with a moving story too. The characters are brilliant, believable, funny, and in the case of the husband, quite despicable.

Initially, I didn't realise that Emma was the sister of Meg from Has Anyone Seen My Sex Life.  The storyline was very cleverly brought in to join the two books about halfway through. I do hope there are going to be more in this series. There are five sisters so I would like to think there will be.

Top marks for Kristen Bailey. I highly recommend both these books for 2020.

Is your children's happiness worth a bad marriage: fun and frustration

4.5 stars
What a rollercoaster of fun and fractious times in an odd but warm family atmosphere. I found myself weaving from laughing out loud to bouts of frustration in reading Bailey's latest novel about the British Callaghan sisters and their marital highs and lows. Lead Emma Callaghan, formerly Emma Chadwick, is a paediatric heart surgeon with a louse of an ex-husband and two darling daughters. Still cut up about her horror of a marriage with a philandering liar, her sisters are helping her negotiate her new singledom, dating, and the constant stream of new revelations about the extent of ex Simon's perfidy.

Emma's adventure would not be anywhere near as amusing without her sister Lucy's antics and gains lots of heart through the sadder subplots about her widowed sister Grace and kind, new mother, sister Beth. There's plenty of meat here, with shifting relationships, heart-tugging patients, one-of-a-kind dates, drama with pushy moms at her daughters' posh school and some riotous partying, plus an Elsa competition that will be hard to forget! I found the construction of the story unusual, with the big moment of the marriage imploding fully described at the end rather than the beginning, though snippets are hinted at through chapter headings throughout the book.

I really disliked Emma's ex and the manner in which he constantly seem to come out unscathed and this coloured my enjoyment of the story, but overall it was a pleasurable and thought-provoking read about families and relationships. I've now read two of Bailey's novels and would be happy to read more of her works.

Thanks to publisher Bookouture and NetGalley for providing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review and the opinions expressed are my own.

This is the second book I’ve read by Kristen Bailey and it won’t be the last! Her books are the perfect mixture of humor, romance and supportive vibes.
I loved how Kristin writes of hard family circumstances in such an uplifting, funny and supportive way.
When I saw Kristen had a new book out, I was excited to pick it up and read!

This is the very first book I have read from Kristin Bailey and I had no idea it was part of a series. However, you can easily read this book as a stand alone.

This book at me laughing out loud at parts, especially Emma’s sister Lucy. The Elsa scene was one of my favorites. What I enjoyed the most was being able to see the healing and growth in Emma from her divorce. I couldn’t tell you how much I related to Emma especially with her love of hummus.

The only negative about this book was I wish it focused more on Emma’s relationship with Jag. At times it felt like an afterthought and was just added in at random times.

Overall I loved this book and it is a great summer read that I would recommend to anyone.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review

Emma is a pediatric heart surgeon. She repairs hearts, but cannot repair her own post-divorce. Also, she has 4 sisters and they all have colorful descriptions for Emma’s ex-husband Simon. Emma Uses her hilarious internal monologue to navigate new relationships, child custody, and co-existing with the circumstances.

I felt like the characters were well-developed. Emma’s relationship with her sister Lucy is fun. Family dynamics star in this story.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Emma is a heart surgeon, but it seems she can fix all hearts but hers. She divorced Simon (also known as Satan) and is slowly recovering her previous life. Thankfully, she has the help of her sisters and her two daughters, as well as her colleagues.

I read a couple of weeks ago "Has anyone seen my sex life?" by the same author, which is the story of Emma's older sister Meg. I love how the stories are intertwined and some anecdotes I read in the first book are developed in more detail in this book. As there are three more sisters, I hope we can read a new book for each of them! I'm looking forward for the next one.

This is perfect for fans of Marian Keyes, as it reminds me a little of the Walsh sisters.

** Thanks a lot to bookouture and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion **

Just by reading the title, what would you think the plot was about? I thought the plot was going to be about a struggling marriage. I mean, what married couple hasn't gone through some weak moments? Honestly, there have been times where I have asked this same question, "Can I Give My Husband Back?" I was surprised to read the book summary and find out that the main character, Emma, is already divorced! I instantly became intrigued. Here is my honest review:

Before we dive into the plot, I would like to point out that this novel is set in and around London. This makes sense considering the author, Kristen Bailey lives there. As a person who has only left the United States once in her life thus far, it is refreshing to read a novel riddled with places and slang not usually heard. I would also like to point out that this novel is HILARIOUS! Do not read if you do not like to laugh. You have been forewarned.

Now, when we meet our main lady, Emma, she is preparing for a date with Phil. This is her first date since her divorce and she is nervous. The date does not go as planned and Emma does not date for awhile after that. She is a pediatric heart surgeon and a single mother of two girls. She has enough on her plate without adding a dating life to it.

This whole novel takes place a couple years after the divorce, so at this point you are probably wondering why Emma is divorced. Well, it could be because her husband, Simon, was a serial cheater. I mean, he cheated a lot. Emma tried to stay with him for the girls, but that was a no-go after he was caught once again by his sister-in-law on Christmas. Emma is finally getting the hang of being a single mother and everyone is pushing for her to find someone. She agrees to go on a date with, Jag, and I actually really like him. There was another male in the novel, Leo, that I thought was going to be the love interest, but was glad it did not go that way. Read the novel to see how it goes.

Some things I found interesting in the structure of the novel were the chapter titles and the flashback at the very end. In the prologue we find out that Emma is already divorced and the date with Phil is taking place 250 days after she decided she was leaving Simon. The reader knows this because the chapter begins with it. Many of the chapters are labeled with "____ Days Since ______" It helps keep track of how much time has passed and also gives insight into what happened when Simon got caught that last time. The Epilogue is "The day I gave my husband back" and is the flashback to the fateful Christmas when Simon was caught by Lucy and his marriage was finally over. It is a great way to end the story and tie the plot line to the title of the book.

Bailey has written a novel that highlights circumstances that many divorced women go through. I personally do not have experience with divorce as I have been married once and have been for 4 years now, but I saw a lot of this with my mother's divorce. My dad cheated on my mom and she tried to stay with him because of me. She couldn't do it any more and finally left. Then I got to experience my mother's single life, dating life, and then finally remarriage. I like how Bailey has taken all of those stages of divorce and has created a relatable character. Then she prescribes the right dosage of humor that really makes the situation more palatable. I mean, there is even some "baby mama" drama! (And I'm not talking about Emma!)

I do not want to give too much away because you are better off experiencing Emma's story for yourself. Heck, you might see yourself in Emma. I feel like Emma handles everything in a realistic way and that can be truly inspirational for women all over the world. Women are resilient and strong. Bailey does a fantastic job of portraying that in her novel. I highly recommend this novel to all women who need some humor and/or inspiration.

I really enjoyed Has Anyone Seen My Sex Life? the first in what looks like a series from a very talented and astute author. And I liked this one even more. Ms. Bailey has upped her game, and the result is a winner of a book.
In this second book, we follow Emma. She is the second oldest of the Callaghan sisters, so I am sensing a pattern; please let it be so! A compassionate heart surgeon, she is divorced from her cheating bastard of a husband (and that’s treating him nicely). This is her story.
I love how this author builds layers. Characters who seemingly have a small part in the plot sometimes end up sharing a nugget of wisdom that has great impact. A perfect example is little Lewis, one of her patients, who wisely states that Dr. C “fixes hearts.” He has no idea how accurate he is. Oh, and he has quite the adventure as well (great scene, that).
Anybody who has been involved in a divorce will be able to find a character in this book to relate to. Emma moves between anger, self-doubt, and “screw him” seamlessly. The emotional roller coaster is real and accurately portrayed. Maddie, her secretary, is loyal and always looks out for Emma’s best interests.
And then there are the sisters. We already met Meg in the first book. I liked how part of this one overlapped so that there was a common timeline. It tied the books together neatly, instead of them being in a vacuum. Meg doesn’t figure much in this book. Neither does Grace, who makes a cameo with big news that I assume will be part of her story.
We do get healthy doses of Beth and Lucy, the two youngest Callaghans, and boy I cannot WAIT for their stories. Lucy particularly had me laughing out loud several times. While some might see her as mere comic relief (and there is plenty of that, especially when she is Elsa), she is also fiercely loyal to her sisters. She made me think of the yappy little dog who will protect its owner.
One thing I noticed in Meg’s story, and it’s even more pronounced here, is that the author doesn’t hit you over the head with lessons or plot points. She tells a person’s story, and it’s up to the reader to get what they want out of it. I appreciate the craft that goes into that.
Ms. Bailey knows how to set and describe a scene so that it feels like the reader is actually there. From the aforementioned Elsa moments, to Beth’s birthday, to a raucous and thoroughly enjoyable trivia competition that left tears rolling down my face, the humanity and the humor is captured perfectly.
I also liked how she didn’t wrap everything up neatly with a bow. While that’s fine for some books, the overlapping timelines from the first and second books illuminate that life is an ongoing story. I assume that we will be able to follow Emma’s progression through the other sisters’ stories.
I hope I’m right about this, because it means that I’ll get three more chances to visit the Callaghan sisters. I look forward to Grace’s because I think I will be able to relate to her. And I really can’t wait for Lucy’s!
Seriously, do yourself a favor and pick up Has Anyone Seen My Sex Life? and then move on to this one so you’re all caught up.

This book was a hilarious, light hearted and fun read! This is my first Kristen Bailey book and it will not be my last. I’m definitely going to keep reading this series.

Emma Callaghan is a mother of two, and a paediatric cardiologist. Recently divorced from her cheating dirtbag of an ex-husband, Simon, she can not seem to escape the drama he has caused and still causes in her life. Since their divorce she continues to learn more about his horrible sordid ways. She just wants to give him back and for the whole ordeal to be over. She absolutely deserves a refund for everything she’s been put through. Unfortunately, it just doesn’t work that way. The thing is that it’s never over with Simon. But in her corner is her family, especially her four sisters. Her biggest champion is her youngest sister, Lucy. Lucy currently lives with Emma and the girls, and dislikes Simon with such vehemence. Her passionate dislike of Simon is absolutely hysterical! And top of all that craziness, Emma’s attempting to start dating again is quite possibly going to leave her broken and scarred for life. What could possibly go wrong?

Having already read 'Has Anyone Seen My Sex Life', I knew this book would be just as great, and it was. I laughed out loud as much, if not more.
The characters are brilliant, especially Lucy and I loved how, as a reader, we get to know more of the family (you meet Meg, Emma's sister in 'Has Anyone seen my sex life').
It is funny, relatable and covers everything from family life, divorce and first dates to Lucy pruning her sisters bush!
An absolute must read. I am already looking forward to Kristens next book.

4.5 rounded up
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It’s a light read that definitely has some laughs. I wouldn’t categorize this as a quick read it did take me longer than normal to finish, but it is a good one none the less. I enjoyed Emma’s character, but I enjoyed Lucy’s more, all the characters are well written and relatable. There is a nice pace to the book, it keeps you laughing and wanting to know more about what’s going to happen next. I would recommend.

This book was cute. It was a little slow to develop, but had witty, fun characters. I truly rooted for the main character and wanted to know what happened to her. Also, I loved the title. I haven't previously read anything by this author, but will be checking out any previous books and watching for further books. I think this author has great potential.

This was a good read for me. I didn't find it extremely humorous, but thanks to the main character's sister, Lucy, it kept me interested in the story.

This was Emma's life post divorce with children and career and 4 sisters. The author's writing showed the various subplots as life happened to Emma. I didn't like the cheater husband at all.
The rest of them were fun.

Hilarious!
I laughed out loud many times while reading this book. Even though it is a story about divorce, it was entertaining. Some parts are sad, some parts tender, but the characters are strong and equally funny. This will cheer you up when you’re in a funk.

Two years after finally ending her marriage to cheating Simon, Dr Emma Callaghan has got her life just about back on track, but is she ready to move on? Between caring for her two daughters, dating, dealing with her four sisters and coping with Simon’s continuing affairs, she still has to maintain her career as a paediatric heart surgeon. Can she keep everything going?

I loved this book. Emma and her family had a touch of the Bennett’s about them - whether this was deliberate or not I don’t know, but it worked well, and I’m sure Jane Austen would be flattered. The five sisters all had different opinions and personalities but came together to support each other when needed. My favourite is probably Lucy, who spreads her mind and has the carefree attitude of the youngest sibling. The continual interplay between family members kept the story, and the laughter, flowing throughout.

A delightful story that made you laugh, but also with a more serious side - how to deal with a cheating husband or partner. Some of their methods were slightly drastic, but the sentiments were spot on.

I can’t wait to find out more about the other sisters’ lives.

This was okay. If it wasn't for Lucy, this book would not have been somewhat funny. I'm not sure how a woman deals with the things that Emma did and still stayed in a marriage and had children with a man who constantly cheated on her. This was a part of the book that I just couldn't believe. And all along she still tried to help him out. Not for me, but for some. I am on team Lucy. All of her sisters should listen to her more often.

Can I Give My Husband Back By Kristen Bailey
I really enjoyed this book! I laughed a lot, Kristen seems to have a great sense of humour, even the acknowledgments had me laughing.
I read Had Anyone Seen My Sex Life a few months ago, so was delighted to be able to read this book.
I loved Emma, I am not divorced, but after a long marriage I can only imagine what dating is like these days, and reading this book I am not sure I would be able for it 😂
I found myself picking this book up at every opportunity, and read until late at night to finish it. I already know I will want to read Kristens next book without even reading the blurb.
A fun read, with family life thrown into the mix.

Well firstly, the title is fantastic. You know from reading that, that you are in for a treat of a book and this certainly didn't let me down. It had me belly laughing and chuckling all the way through. The sisters are all fabulous and Lucy the youngest will have you cringing, giggling and silently egging her on! From the very first page this book had me hooked. I've not heard of the author before but already have her next book now ready to jump into next.
I found this story funny, believable, happy and sad and poignant. Pulls at your heart string but is 100% definitely worth the read.
Thank you to the author Kristen Bailey, the publishers Bookouture and netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC for my honest opinion