Like most people (I think!), I really enjoy a good comedy now and then. In fact, I love laughing, so I like doing it most of the time. I think this book was sold to me as a literary comedy of some kind, so it sounded like something I would enjoy. I didn’t not enjoy it but sadly, I don’t think it’s one that will stay with me for long.

Ethan and Gabe are a successful married couple with a young daughter and a lot of love between them. However, over the years, they seem to have migrated to opposite ends of the political spectrum. One night, Ethan announces that he wants to run for Congress as a Republican but only if his liberal husband is OK with it. Meanwhile, Ethan’s sister Kate has a high-flying career as a political reporter when she receives a message from her ex Nicole, who is now a lonely mother-of-two with a much older husband. Nicole’s reappearance in Kate’s life reignites a fire within Kate and sets her on a path to potentially ruin everything she’s built.

Much of the book deals with Gabe struggling to come to terms with Ethan’s political leanings and what it means for the way that he’s perceived as a result. I’ll admit that it’s not a view that I’d ever considered before. It’s true that we do assume the partners, friends and family members of political figures must share their views but I guess that’s not always the case. So, I appreciated Gabe’s voice for helping me realise that. However, I’m not convinced that I would ever be in Gabe’s position because I don’t think I could be married to someone who shared such an opposing view to my own that they actively want to bring about change that I didn’t agree with. I’m not sure whether that sounds petty or not but I just don’t think I could willingly live with or love someone who had such vastly differing views to my own. I wouldn’t know where or how to find the things that make up the love, if that makes sense.

Nicole’s storyline explored some of the double standards between genders when it comes to parenting and careers. I did sympathise with her when she transpired to be a smart, thoughtful woman who had chosen motherhood and was now struggling to find fulfillment. I wouldn’t say I necessarily warmed to her as a character though. She didn’t seem to have much love or respect for her husband and although he wasn’t my favourite either, I’m not sure he deserved to be treated in the way that she treated him.

There was a brief but lovely scene where Nicole and Kate were in a bookstore and Nicole is revealed to be a prolific reader. She writes herself a list of 12 books to read over the year but she reads other things too. Kate clearly finds this incredibly attractive and there’s something about the way that she is truly captivated by the sight of a book lover in a bookstore that had a certain glow to it. It really made me think these women were actually soulmates.

How To Sleep At Night is quite a strange book to review really. I appreciated having my eyes opened to some new perspectives and thinking about how I would deal with the situations that these characters found themselves in. However, I didn’t find it funny at all. It’s by no means a serious novel but it’s a long way from what I would consider a comedy. i also found all four of the main characters to be quite superficial and it all felt very ‘first world problemy’. There isn’t anything wrong with that if I like the characters, especially in a funny, quirky narrative but in this case, I simply didn’t care enough.

I’m rating How to Sleep at Night a 3. I liked the storyline and how it split chapters with different characters but the ending was disappointingly rushed.

My favourite characters were Kate and Nicole, I wasn’t much of a fan of Ethan.

Overall a good read just the ending made me mark it down.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC

A mid-life crisis novel with the added intrigue of a political storyline that cleverly plays with how holding different political views can show up inside of romantic relationships.

A really interesting deep dive into how couples can hold differing political opinions and still love each other. Topical for the current political situation - it just wasn't for me. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I absolutely loved How to Sleep at Night and found it to be an original and well written novel that I raced through. It focuses on two couples; Ethan and Gabe who live in the suburbs with their 5 year old daughter. Gabe is a Democrat and so when Ethan announces he’s running for Congress as a Republican this has a huge impact on their relationship and Gabe’s life. Ethan’s sister Kate is a political reporter who rekindles her on/off relationship with Nicole who she knew 20 years ago in college. I loved the two plot lines and thought the characterisation was excellent. Of course the political storyline is very current, I loved the character of Gabe but was not completely convinced by his initial acceptance of Ethan’s candidacy and find it hard to believe that a Democrat could tolerate a Republican and their views. However, it made for an excellent plot. . Kate is a great character too and I loved the exploration of her relationship with Nicole.
This is unlike anything I’ve read for a long time, it’s fresh, witty and insightful and I can’t wait to read what the author writes next.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.
4.5 stars

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I thought it was well paced, entertaining and I couldn't put it down!

I loved the authors writing style.

Thank you to the publisher for this advanced reader copy.

A great book that tells a story very relatable in this political climate. Was recommended this by a friend so was thrilled when given the opportunity to read it. Was a joy to read.

Ethan & Gabe are married with a young daughter. Gabe is a Democrat and Ethan suddenly announces he‘s going to run for Congress as a Republican. Ethan‘s sister Kate is a political reporter who can‘t report on the campaign due to her brother running, and whose messy fling Nicole from 20 years ago (now married to a man) reappears.

I was really engrossed by this, and it became very tense as the vote grew nearer and everyone‘s lives started to unravel. My only quibble is that, in the story, there is no Trump, or Trumpish character, which just doesn‘t work in this day and age and made it slightly unrealistic. But maybe someone who is more au fait with US politics than I am would have a better view on this.

'How To Sleep At Night' is a book where very little and very much happens all at once. As I was hurtling towards the final chapters, I kept thinking to myself 'this cannot possibly be close to finishing, there is so much yet to be wrapped up and we spent SO LONG meandering around in the middle'. And yet, there it was. The end. For me, this novel was a solid 3.5 book - it wasn't bad, it wasn't fantastic, it just slotted itself somewhere neatly in the middle.

To be honest, I think this book is going to sink a little purely because of the context in which it was published. There are multiple long speeches given by the Republican candidate character Ethan that just made me feel exhausted and slightly sick reading them - which, credit to the author, because they are word for word what we hear on the hour now from American politicians who can't possibly believe half the crap they come out with. I actually skipped most of those because I just didn't want to read it. I found the secondary storyline between Nicole and Kate to be an odd addition - really, I'd have just read a whole novel about Gabe and Ethan and been done with it. It didn't intertwine well with the primary narrative and I honestly felt a bit disappointed whenever we jumped to their perspective because I was far more invested in the other storyline.

I enjoyed the writing and despite the speed of the ending and how everything wrapped up, I found the closing moments to be interesting - if slightly underwhelming. I don't know. With a concept like this, I just wonder if there was a narrative that was better suited to the idea, which isn't the thing we got. I'm not even underwhelmed. I'm not even whelmed at this point. Apathy isn't necessarily the best reaction you want to a book you've just read.

I really enjoyed this book and read it in just over a day! It was easy to follow and a unique plot, and different to anything I’ve read before. The book was reviewed by Dolly Alderton as shown on the front cover and I will literally read anything Dolly recommends. It was witty, fast-paced and full of family drama. It explores politics, loyalty and when the two collide.

I found myself putting my head in my hands on several occasions and getting second hand embarrassment from some of the very bad decisions from several of the characters. It questions the lengths we are willing (and not willing) to take to support our partners and families. My only critique would be I wish it was longer!

I wasn't really sure what the point of How To Sleep At Night, NYT journalist Elizabeth Harris's debut novel, was. It sells itself as being about a progressive gay New York couple, Ethan and Gabe, who find themselves at odds when Ethan decides to run for Congress as a Republican, but even this plotline is stunningly politics-lite. Then at least half the book is taken up with another plot altogether, as Ethan's sister Kate stupidly rekindles her relationship with old flame Nicole, even though Nicole is not only married with children, but has bad news written all over her. So it's character-led, maybe, but I found it difficult to warm to any of the characters. Ethan and Nicole, for different reasons, are obvious jerks. I started off liking Kate and Gabe but they are both such pushovers and make such dumb decisions (especially Gabe) that I eventually went off them. Despite the central conflict being about Ethan's party affiliation, nobody ever seems to think about the consequences of his campaign other than a few half-hearted moans. I then wondered if this is meant to be more of a social satire along the lines of of Laura Blackett and Eve Gleichman's Trust & Safety - but it's not remotely funny or sharp. I wanted a fun fictional take on US politics, but How To Sleep At Night is just blandly underwritten.

I absolutely ✨thrive✨ on these multiple POV stories where the characters are linked or know of each other and then how each story unfolds throughout the book. So when I spotted this on NetGalley I was hoping I’d be able to read this before it’s published. A huge thank you to HarperCollins UK, The Borough Press and NetGalley for granting my wish!

No spoilers but I was gutted when I finished How To Sleep at Night, because I’d had so much fun reading it. I feel like it could have gone a bit further into the characters future or jumped in an epilogue to see what they were up to months or years after the book ended. I want to listen to this on audiobook when it’s out because I think it would be even better professionally narrated.

I can see why this book will be talked about a lot this year and not just because of that cover 🩷💙 I’m so grateful to HarperCollins UK and The Borough Press for letting me read an advanced copy and I can’t wait to reread this when the book + audio are out on 16th January 2025!

This was easy to read but unfortunately did not hit for me. It focused much more on romance than I expected and the very minimal political commentary was nothing new. Every character in this book got on my last nerve - I can get behind flawed (and even unlikable) characters but these ones kept making reckless, if not downright stupid, decisions and I found myself not caring when things went wrong.

How To Sleep at Night by Elizabeth Harris is a sharp, witty exploration of love, politics, and personal evolution that centres on a devoted couple, Ethan and Gabe. Together since their early twenties, they have built a life in the New Jersey suburbs with a successful marriage, a young daughter, and stable careers. Yet, their bond is tested when Ethan announces his intention to run for Congress as a Republican—something he will only pursue if he has Gabe’s blessing. Gabe, a progressive, is torn between supporting his husband's dream and staying true to his own left-leaning ideals. As Ethan’s political ambitions grow, Gabe finds himself gradually pulled into the whirlwind of his spouse’s campaign, even as he becomes publicly labelled as the conservative partner.

Meanwhile, in a nearby town, Nicole, a suburban mother, is grappling with a sense of stagnation. Her vibrant past in New York City, where she freely explored her identity and a career in the arts, feels like a distant memory. Bored and frustrated, Nicole longs for something of her own, and she unexpectedly reconnects with Ethan’s sister, Kate—an old flame who now works as a political reporter. Kate, at the pinnacle of her career, is captivated by the reappearance of Nicole, just as Ethan’s controversial campaign begins to disrupt her world. Kate’s carefully constructed life is suddenly thrown into chaos, forcing her to confront not only her professional ambitions but also her past relationships.

Harris’s debut is a beautifully layered book about the complexities of love, ambition, and self-discovery. The characters are multifaceted and engaging, each grappling with their own evolving identities, be it through politics, career, or relationships. With its exploration of how we change over time and how those changes shape our connections to others, How To Sleep at Night is a captivating read that offers much to reflect on. The book is filled with nuanced characters whose struggles and growth resonate deeply, making it an excellent choice for anyone looking for a witty, intelligent, and thought-provoking story. For those in search of a book that balances humour with emotional depth, Harris’s work is a delightful treat that can easily draw readers out of a slump.

Read more at The Secet Book Review.

What if your conservative brother runs for Congress, his husband hates it and your toxic fling from 20 years ago shows up again? The narrators cycle through reporter Kate, brother in law Gabe and her ex Nicole as they all watch their lives combust around a NJ campaign for Congress. It's a timely and well written commentary on politics and when you wake up in your 40s and wonder 'Is this my life?'

I really tried to get into this. The characters are indistinguishable from each other. I had to keep asking myself "Who's this again?"

The politics is the main character in this story. And I'm not American so it fell soundlessly flat for me. The author is felt heavy handed in every word and her lessons or morals are clearer than any of the characters' motivations.

Dnf

I enjoyed this debut novel. As it got further into the story and the election was getting closer you could really feel the tension and atmosphere between the characters. It felt very real and I really felt for Gabe.

A must read! I usually know within the first couple of chapters how much I’m going to enjoy a book but I knew within the first 2 pages that this was one I was going to struggle to put down. There are not enough words for how much I enjoyed this book. It was entertaining, clever and the narrative was stunningly intelligent. I couldn’t put it down I was captivated.

This was a nice book to read, I read it quite quickly and it was an easy one to pick up and put down when I had a spare half hour. The story was interesting, it made me really think about what I’d do in the characters’ positions as someone who is quite set in her own politics. It was a fun read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for my ARC.

A funny and lighthearted read, one for a rainy day. I enjoyed how easy this was to read but would have liked more character development and overall, just a stronger story. The book is ok, but not one that will stick with me.