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

Easily one of the funniest books I've read this year, but at the same time so witty and so clever! I can't stop thinking about this concept! And I also can't believe it is a debut, because it's so good. Every woman should read this!

This was a great premise and I really enjoyed this book, however I felt like it became repetitive after about reading half. I really liked the parallels with the current dating culture.

I was instantly drawn to this story because of the sheer amazing concept of it - I loved both the idea and the execution. The characters were flawed and believable, and perhaps because of that, the book was very engaging. Who doesn't wonder if the grass isn't greener somewhere else? Altogether, a great book!
"The Husbands" by Holly Gramazio was an entertaining read. Lauren is happily single, that is until she returns home one night to find her husband Michael waiting for her. All evidence points to the fact that she's always been married to him, in fact, from the lock screen on her phone to her friends' memories of them. Lauren thinks she's going crazy, or maybe someone is playing a prank on her, until Michael goes into the attic and after a flash of light, another husband appears in his place. Every time a husband goes into the attic, a new one appears, and the world rewrites itself around the fact of their marriage.
But with the ability to change husbands and rewrite her life as easily as changing a lightbulb, Lauren must decide which life - and which husband - is the one she wants. I adored this book. Fast-paced and funny with heart. Each new situation Lauren finds herself faced with is intriguing, and I couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen next. At times tense, sad, and thought-provoking, this is so much more than the light-hearted romance I took it for at first.
I would recommend this to anyone looking for a compelling and engaging read that explores the idea of lives not taken, and the different ways we can fall in love.

"The Husbands" by Holly Gramazio offers readers a delightfully quirky and thought-provoking exploration of love, identity, and the search for happiness. When Lauren discovers a strange man in her flat who claims to be her husband, she is thrust into a surreal and fascinating predicament. As she navigates the bewildering array of husbands produced by her attic, each with their own unique quirks and charms, Lauren grapples with questions of choice, commitment, and fulfillment.

Gramazio's writing is witty, inventive, and full of whimsical charm, drawing readers into Lauren's strange and fantastical world. The novel's premise is both absurd and strangely relatable, inviting readers to consider the nature of love and partnership in a refreshingly unconventional way. As Lauren navigates the ups and downs of her ever-changing roster of husbands, she confronts her own desires and insecurities, ultimately coming to a deeper understanding of herself and what she truly wants from life.

However, while "The Husbands" offers an engaging and imaginative premise, some readers may find the novel's exploration of its central themes lacking in depth or nuance. The rapid succession of husbands and their quirky characteristics may feel somewhat superficial at times, and certain aspects of Lauren's journey towards self-discovery may feel rushed or underdeveloped. Additionally, the novel's resolution may leave some readers wanting more closure or exploration of its themes.

Despite these minor drawbacks, "The Husbands" is a charming and entertaining read that will appeal to fans of offbeat romance and speculative fiction. With its whimsical premise, witty prose, and endearing protagonist, Holly Gramazio's novel offers a delightful escape into a world where love comes in many unexpected forms, and happiness may be found in the most unlikely of places.