I read this book three months ago, and I don't know what happened to my review, but the best compliment I can give it, is that 88 books later, I can still remember all the details, and still smile when I think about it.

It is a singular story, which I worried would be a bit silly, but actually it was highly compelling and gave me lots to think about how we approach our relationships, what we are willing to overlook for the sake of maintaining the status quo, and how we decide when the line has been crossed.

Apologies for the late review.

"The Husbands" by Holly Gramazio is a quirky, imaginative novel that promises a lot of charm and delivers on most fronts. The book takes readers on a whimsical journey through the lives of its eccentric characters, each husband more peculiar than the last. Gramazio's writing is witty and often laugh-out-loud funny, making for an entertaining read.

The premise is intriguing, and Gramazio's creativity shines through in the unique plot twists and colourful descriptions. However, while the book is undeniably fun, it occasionally feels like it's trying too hard to be clever. Some parts of the story drag a bit, and the pacing can be uneven, leaving the reader wishing for a bit more cohesion.

The characters, though memorable, sometimes come across as caricatures rather than fully fleshed-out individuals. While this adds to the book's whimsical charm, it can also make it hard to fully invest in their journeys. Despite these shortcomings, the book's humour and originality make it a worthwhile read.

In summary, "The Husbands" is a delightful, offbeat novel that's perfect for readers looking for something different. It may not be a perfect marriage of all its elements, but it's still a charming, witty escape. If you enjoy quirky stories with a touch of absurdity, this one is worth a read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Many thanks to Netgalley, Random House UK, Vintage and the author for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

When I read the blurb of this book, It gave me midnight library vibes. But reading it this was much more on the humerus side that book.

What will you do if you come home from your best friend's bachelorette party to find that you suddenly have a husband and you have been married for quite a while. You would think I am too drunk; I'll sleep and wake up and realise this was all just a nightmare, only the next day morning your 'husband' is making you breakfast and even though you can swear on everything holy and unholy that you were single when you went out to have fun, your reality doesn't match it anymore. This is Lauren's life now. Not only that apparently her attic has a continuous exchange and recycle policy for these husbands.

Initially shocked (like obviously!!) Lauren decides to try a few husbands until she find one that would be a suitable date for the wedding where her ex will be preset with his now girlfriend. But how long does she keep doing this before she find the one? When she does, will he disappear, and it will all go back to her simple normal? Why her? Will her Attic run out of husbands? Is there a right answer?

This book was fun, entertaining and hilarious with some nuanced thought provoking points. We live in a world where dating is just swiping on the screen and even when people meet there is always backups to swipe through. There needs to be a lot of emotional work done, in order to meet 'the one' if that even really exists. Which one of us haven't ever wondered why can't there be a ready-made person for me? Lol!! Also, this seems like a way to make fun of us introverts who expects our one true love to appear at our front door or in this case the attic.

With loads of Euphemisms about modern day dating and the kind of people we meet along with nuanced representation of want and need and companionship, this was a fun journey. But here are my issues with it, Lauren doesn't even have that much of a character growth even though the story takes place across a couple of years. There was so much build up which led nowhere. We get an ending and a conclusion, but we never got the why's!! Why Lauren? Why her apartment? Why that particular night? Like something? I don't want a full lore, but I would have appreciated something considering the last one third of the book just dragged and the ending just came out of nowhere!

TW: Domestic violence reference, cheating, betrayal, swingers

This was a fun, easy going story. The main character was lovable and so were some of the husbands. The ending was great for this kind of novel. I would highly recommend.
4.25*

I loved the premise of this book, I cant think of anything I can compare it too which feels really exciting for a debut. It took me a while to get into the pace and characters but overall, very enjoyable. I wasnt ready for it to end, give us moroe husbands!!

This one was so smart and original. It’s rare to read a book that is built around such a clever concept: in this case, an attic with ever-revolving husbands, which our protagonist rejects as easily as an ill-fitting pair of undies.

To be fair, I wasn’t sure this one was gonna be for me but I did enjoy it a lot. The middle part went on a bit too long for my liking, but other than that it was a fun and easy read. And for originality this author deserves a big fat medal.

This was really good fun. A unique storyline. Very different to anything else. Really good summer read - highly recommended.

This was such a fun read! I loved the concept and although it did get at times repetitive in the middle, I loved finding out more about the new husbands and how Lauren got more and more tense as she went.

Lauren stumbles back to her flat after a night of partying for her best friend's hen do and is greeted by her husband cheerfully offering her tea and toast. The only problem is that Lauren isn't married... and she's never seen this man before in her life. Lauren is still trying to figure out how she can have no memory of her husband when her camera roll is full of photos of them together when he pops into the loft to change a lightbulb - and a completely different husband emerges in his place. Realising that her loft has somehow become a mystical portal which supplies a never-ending supply of husbands - and that her own life changes to fit each one - Lauren is left wondering: if changing your life is as easy as pulling down a loft ladder, how do you know when you've chosen the right one?

The Husbands, the debut novel by game designer Holly Gramazio, is a delightful, funny escapist romp of a story - a perfect beach read or palate cleanser between heavier books. I don't read much rom-com fiction, but I really enjoyed this one. Lauren is a relatable, likeable character, and it was fun seeing how she dealt with each new incarnation of her life - including jobs that she has no idea how to do, friends that she doesn't remember meeting and the quirks and annoying habits (and special spaghetti bolognese recipe) attached to each husband. The premise is a clever metaphor for the culture of online dating which allows us to reject someone with a swipe based on a first impression - I loved how Gramazio draws on her game design background to comment on the 'gamification' of modern dating - and it also poses some big, universal questions: Should you hold out for the vague idea of 'the one', or is love about accepting an imperfect partner and working together to create a lasting connection?

The book does not attempt to explain the issue of the magical loft; it's just there one day and, after a bit of experimenting to see its effect on her electronics, Lauren just has to deal with it. This surprisingly works well, as it allows the story to focus solely on her journey to discovering what she wants from her life and from a relationship. While she starts off hoping to settle on a husband who will be suitable plus one for her best friend's upcoming wedding, Lauren soon starts to examine what her choice of husband (for they are all men whom she could have conceivably ended up with) says about her and what she's looking for.

Likewise, the author could have chosen to reduce the number of husbands Lauren rattles through (well into triple digits), allowing the readers to feel more invested in a few more fleshed-out relationships, but the decision not to do this is an interesting one. One could certainly argue that the husbands are beside the point: it is the story of one woman's quest to define herself on her own terms as much as it is a love story. Having lived iterations of her life in which she is more ambitious, more creative, fitter and a more engaged auntie, which version of herself does she want to stick with forever?

Thank you to to NetGalley and Random House UK for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of this book.

When I first started this book, I really enjoyed it. The premise was just on the right side of silly and I enjoyed the wait to discover the quirks and peculiarities of each new husband. However, the more I read, the less interested I became. I was hoping for some more back story on Lauren or more discovery but instead it felt like it dragged out the character of Bohai and, as a result, I found the ending rather anti-climactic. Lauren didn't feel like a fully rounded character and even though I spent early parts of the story wishing for a reconciliation or a "here is the lesson - I knew it deep down all along" moment, I was left disappointed. I was fascinated and invested until about 50% of the way through the book but was left wanting.

I would be interested to read more by this author as the premise of this book was fun.

An enjoyable book funny in parts. Lauren arrives home from a party to be greeted at the door by Michael her husband but the only thing is she doesn't remember being married to him.

Incredible hook, I've loved recommending this one! Really pacy and hard to put down, would've loved it to be longer actually!

The Husbands is high concept women's fiction which I thoroughly enjoyed and I'd definitely read Holly Gramazio again. I thought the authorial voice was warm, smart and witty, and the idea of an attic generating different husbands to be very original. The ever changing homes and jobs that came with the different husbands made sure that it didn't become boring or repetitive. The only reason I didn't give this five stars was because I wasn't personally a fan of how it ended. Like any reader, this is a subjective opinion, and other people may have loved the ending.

With thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this quite a bit though it could definitely have done with some editing. That said, there were also quite a few husbands that I felt should’ve had more time spent with them as the dynamics were interesting. The messaging also felt a touch heavy handed at times, similar to The Midnight Library. I can see this veering too sentimental for many readers, and its repetitiveness will wear many readers down, but it worked for me. I really liked the ending, though I wish it had felt more earned.

A unique storyline … Lauren one day starts receiving husbands from the loft hatch in her flat …. The new husband appears and Lauren soon finds if not quite to her taste she can send him back and get a new one by sending him back into the loft. Life is on reset her family relationships, work and friends all exist in each new marriage . I really enjoyed this book good characters and a really unique concept of be careful what you wish for

Funny, interesting and brilliant!
We follow the story of Lauren, who has to figure out how to navigate life when her attic starts to generate husbands! An original concept for a story, one I haven't come across before but I thoroughly enjoyed it. A few twists along the way and a cracking ending, I will definitely be recommending to fellow readers!
Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC

A really fun concept, this worked super well for probably the first 100 pages or so. It very much hinges on concept over details and I think it ended up being a little too drawn out. More suited to a novella than this length. The relvoving door of husbands is a great idea. Its weakness is that we don't actually get to know any of them, so it gets a little rinse and repeat after a while. Nevertheless an entertaining read.

Wow, what an imagination Holly Gramazio has! The Husbands contains the raw material of (at the very least) 20 different novels, all packed into one very funny, highly engrossing story!

Lauren is a single woman, or she thought she was, until she comes home one night to find a strange man in her flat who claims to be her husband. He is, but she has never met him before. What follows is a really hilarious and wild ride as Lauren meets one 'husband' after the other. They're coming from the attic.

The Husbands is quite simply one of the most entertaining novels I've read in a long time. Is it silly? Of course! Does that matter? Not a whit. It's original, imaginative, funny, philosophical, wise and altogether wonderful. The trope (every time a husband goes up to the attic, a new one comes down) never gets boring, never predictable. Each husband is wholly different from the previous one.... I would have happily kept reading double the book and stayed fully engaged and entertained.

I do hope Gramazio has more stories up her sleeve and look forward to whatever comes next!

My thanks to the publisher, author and Netgalley for providing an ARC. All my reviews are 100% honest and unbiased, regardless of how I acquire the book.

All the wit and humour of Katy Brent. I couldn't wait to keep coming back to this book and its unique plotline. Loved loved loved!

The idea of this book is definitely unique and I quite enjoyed the premise but it got a little tiring with the amount of husbands she goes through it left little time to fully get to know them and to breath a bit more life into the story and to really round off the characters.
A few less husbands and it would be more enjoyable as I felt this took away from our main character and she was slightly lost and enveloped in the amount rather than the men themselves