I received an advanced reading copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is the most fun book that I've read in a long time: great characterization, sharp social commentary, interesting and unpredictable plot, and even local color! Highly recommended.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Chandler Baker has crafted a clever thriller, virtually a gender reversal of The Stepford Wives. When Nora, a harried wife and mother trying to make partner at her law firm, finds her dream home at Dynasty Ranch just outside Austin, she has no idea what a nightmare lies in store for her.

Like many women, Nora finds the division of household labor and childcare with her husband far from satisfactory. She loves her husband Hayden and her four-year-old daughter Liv, but she is exhausted from the demands of work and motherhood, not to mention her second pregnancy. Why is it when she asks Hayden to perform a household chore or parenting task, he sees it as helping her, not just fully participating in their marriage? Ah, the eternal lament of women everywhere.

But the women of Dynasty Ranch seem to have oddly helpful husbands, allowing them to truly have it all - marriage, motherhood, and career. The only visible imperfection at Dynasty Ranch is the burnt shell of a house where a man burned to death. Why did Richard die in a house fire, leaving his wife Penny, Nora's favorite advice columnist, bereft and in need of a lawyer for a possible wrongful death suit? Nora takes the case only to find that secrets and lies abound in the seemingly perfect Dynasty Ranch, endangering her marriage and her life.

Baker has written a real page-turner that will resonate with women who wish for true equality in marriage, parenting, and careers. Many women will find the temptation to succumb to the allure of Dynasty Ranch irresistible; if only such an option were available in real life, that is. Readers will enjoy the world of The Husbands where women can truly have it all – for a price some might willingly pay.

#TheHusbands #NetGalley

This is a compulsively readable and thought-provoking mystery. Nora Spangler and her husband, Hayden, are both successful professionals. Both are also involved parents to their young daughter, though Nora shoulders far more of the work at home, leading to increasing tension with her husband. When, while house-hunting for a larger house to accommodate their growing family, Nora meets a group of women in a single neighborhood who are wildly successfully professionally and have husbands who shoulder much of the family responsibilities at home. Nora is drawn to these women and the rebalancing they have achieved. But as she is drawn deeper into their world, she uncovers the truth behind their seeming perfect marriages -- and the tradeoffs they require.

This inverse take on the Stepford Wives is intriguing. Highly recommended!

I liked, but did not love, The Husbands. The plot is fairly predictable, although pretty entertaining. I had a little bit of a hard time connecting with Nora. I've been in her shoes - as a lawyer and mom. But the author tells more than she shows and this means there's a certain distance in the narration that prevents the reader from being fully immersed. Nora and Hayden's introduction to the neighborhood felt forced and many of the neighborhood characters lacked depth. I didn't find the social media inserts to add much and found myself skipping them. I did enjoy the portions about Nora's job and pregnancy. The mystery about the fire is suspenseful and kept me turning the pages. Overall, a fun read.

I demolished this book in a couple of days. Very easy to read and super interesting. In this book, Nora’s husband does not help around the house with chores or their 4 year old. Enter in Dynasty Ranch, a housing development, where the husbands are seeming perfect and do everything that their wives need. This book also has a mystery that kept me guessing until just about the end. Quick and enjoyable read.

Loved this book. The story was full and mysterious. It made you want to keep reading to see how it ended for everyone. Great book that I will definitely recommend to everyone.

Even though her husband Hayden helps out, successful lawyer Nora Spangler feels likes she carries an unfair share of the domestic burden. When they consider moving into an exclusive suburban neighborhood, Nora finds a group of high-powered women with extremely supportive husbands. While helping with a resident's wrongful death case, she learns how far these women are willing to go to get some help at home.

Chandler Baker's "Stepford Husbands" thriller just missed the mark for me. Although the premise is spectacular, the execution is lacking. The slow burn mystery developed too slowly, without much action and too much predictability. Moreover, Nora's husband Hayden was underdeveloped, which fails to give you a strong counterpoint to Nora's side of the story. Despite the poor delivery, Baker's message of gender inequality comes through strongly, making you stop and think about the dynamics of modern marriages.

The Husbands is the story of Nora Spangler whose on track to become a partner in the law firm where she works. She’s behind after taking some time off for parental leave when their child was born. She’s pregnant with their second and worried that may stall her career. Meanwhile, she has the infamous “Second Shift.” She is the one who keeps track of events, organizes meals, repairs, and caring for their child. Hayden believes he is a supportive husband because he “helps.” She loves her husband, but inside she seethes with resentment.

They are looking for a new, larger home since they have a second child on the way. Nora is drawn to a house in an exurban community called Dynasty Ranch. It’s very exclusive but in a unique way. All the women work. And the men seem extraordinarily helpful. In fact, Nora is blown away by the high-powered jobs women have. When she is asked to represent one of the women in a wrongful death suit after the woman’s husband burned to death, she jumps at the chance, hoping that would persuade someone to sponsor them so they can move in.



The Husbands is another great book by Chandler Baker that explores the struggles of working women in modern society with humor and a dose of malice. There are breaks featuring social media discussions that sound like a day on Twitter. Baker effectively poses the question of what someone might do to get a helpful husband. Too many men think when they take care of their kids, they are babysitting, subbing in for the real parent. Baker explores one way to change that.

The Husbands will be released on August 3rd. I received an e-galley from the publisher through NetGalley

The Husbands at Flatiron Books | Macmillan
Chandler Baker author site
My review of The Whisper Network.

3.5 stars.
Rooted in the daily, nonstop frustrations of the gendered roles we engage in at home, this domestic drama focuses on one woman coming apart at the seams. She working towards qualifying as partner at the personal injury law firm she works at, her desk is a mess of folders and papers, she’s pregnant with her second child, she’s got a good-natured husband, her home is an utter mess, and she is absolutely brimming with rage. She has no real help at home, with her husband Hayden congratulating himself for doing practically nothing, child-rearing or chore-wise, to keep the household going though it’s more than his dad did when he was a kid.
When Nora is pulled into investigating the death of a man in the community, Dynasty Ranch, she and Hayden viewed for possible purchase, she becomes entwined in the lives of the successful, professional women living in the neighbourhood. And finds the husbands of these women to be unusually supportive of their wives, and actually running their households, unlike any other man Nora has ever met.

This book drew me in, and I could greatly empathize with Nora’s exhaustion, inability to cope with the mountain of things both her lawyer and mother jobs required of her. Her husband is too self-congratulatory with the little he does to support Nora at home; there’s a learned helplessness and unwillingness to figure things out or keep track of things at home, leaving Nora seriously burned out, frazzled and understandably raging, though quietly.
There’s plenty of North American research available showing that despite a few gains professionally since the 1970s, women remain stuck with running a household, even with younger adults, despite younger generations being more open to wider opportunities for all genders. Apparently, we still feel, whether unconsciously or otherwise, that housework is a woman’s lot in life, even though more often than not, both partners in a relationship work full-time. It’s a frustrating, infuriating situation, though I’m pretty sure I would not recommend dealing with the inequality as the professional women in this story do, no matter how both horrifying and occasionally satisfying it feels.
As Nora gets closer and closer to the truth, I found the story read more like a melodrama, or B-movie, with the inequalities drawn fairly obviously, and occasionally a little heavy-handedly. That said, I kept wondering how much further women would be, professionally, physically and mental health-wise if they had much more daily support. The author raises a number of questions with this narrative, and makes one think hard about what women have to give up and what they have to bear to "have it all".

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for this ARC in exchange for a review.

I loved The Whisper Network so knew I had to read this one! And it was just as good (maybe better) as it deals with issues close to my heart! As a wife/ working mother/grandmother, I was happy to see these ideas expressed in a novel where The Stepford Wives meets the 21st century. Nora is a hard-working attorney who gets sucked into a group of seemingly wonderful women and families in a community that is (on-the-surface) ideal. But she has no idea what she is getting into when she takes on Penny's case after her husband dies in a house fire. I didn't see where this was going even though I suspected something sinister. Gave me chills (in a very good way). Baker speaks to themes of motherhood, work environments, male/female relationships, female friendships, community, and the lengths we may go to in protecting our loved ones!

Another solid novel from Chandler Baker - I loved it! This was a creepy, twisty domestic thriller where you never know what’s going to happen next. I liked that Baker continued to use her knowledge of law and made that a big focus. Since she draws from real life experience it gives the book a very grounded feel - you can tell she knows what she’s talking about. The mystery behind the “accident” fell a little flat since it was so hyped up in the beginning, but otherwise most of the other reveals caught me by complete surprise. I can’t wait to see what she does next!

I received a digital advance copy of The Husbands by Chandler Baker through NetGalley. The Husbands is scheduled for release on August 3, 2021.

The Husbands is the story of a woman (Nora) attempting to have it all. She is married to a man she loves, has a beautiful young daughter, is pregnant with their second child, and is up for partner at her law firm. While she loves every aspect of her life, she is struggling to balance it all, and honestly wouldn’t mind if her husband pitched in a bit more.

Nora is contacted to represent a resident of the community Nora and her husband are considering moving into. Nora is asked to do her best to get large financial settlement to support a woman whose husband burned to death in a house fire. As she is both investigating the events in the house and getting to know the community around the house, Nora realizes the idyllic neighborhood may hold more secrets than she initially expected.

Chandler Baker is a writer who has very clear statements in each of her novels. In The Husbands, Baker is addressing the division of labor in households when both adults work outside the home. In the world Baker has imagined here, we have a sort of inverted Stepford Wives situation, with husbands who willingly go out of their way to make life easier for the wives they know work so hard. While books that are out to make a statement can struggle to balance statement and story, Baker nailed it with this one. The mystery surrounding the house fire and dead man is both related to Baker’s central statement and makes the story more than just the statement.

The only piece that felt heavy-handed to me in terms of statement were the media bits inserted between some chapters. These were mainly imagined responses to online blog posts or online articles. These inserts were not directly related to the story (though they were all about the topic of balance between the contributions of husbands and wives) and did not bring any new perspectives or information to the story. In my opinion, these could have been cut from the novel.

I also found the ending of the book to be a bit clunky. Baker has followed the structure that seems to be more and more popular in thrillers to have the book end immediately after the climax. With no true denouement, authors are forced to tuck all the information a reader needs to resolve the story into the climax itself. In The Husbands, this resulted in an ending that felt rushed. Some elements of the climax were unclear to me, while other elements seemed predictable or a little too pat. Baker did add an epilogue, but this epilogue was not part of the resolution of the story, but a true look ahead. (This epilogue also contained what I considered to be the best twist of the book, as well.)

Overall, The Husbands is a thriller that does more than solve a suspenseful mystery. This is one that gives readers a point of reference as we contemplate how to make progress as a society. Baker does not give us an answer to the questions she raises, only gives us a solution that most would consider to have gone too far.

The comparison to The Stepford Wives is the obvious one, and I kept thinking as I read on, how would this be different. Well, it is. At times sharp, darkly humorous and downright chilling, The Husbands is perfect for those readers who enjoy a domestic thriller with substance.

Very modern Stepford Wives.

I identify too much with the women of this book. It is incredibly frustrating to be expected to do two full time jobs because "men don't see the mess". I hate that they had to be villains to get help.

I enjoyed the surprise twist at the end.

Would make a great bookclub selection!

This book was one wild reading ride! In all transparency, I didn't totally love Chandler Baker's last novel, The Whisper Network, but decided to give this one a go because the summary was just so intriguing. And I am so glad I did!

I would classify The Husbands as a feminist suspense/"motherhood noir" that left me turning the pages while also nodding my head in agreement. Baker's writing kept me guessing while also affirming so many things that run through my head every single (sometimes very monotonous) day as a working mother and wife.

I enjoy a slow-burn domestic suspense novel that results in a satisfying ending, and The Husbands was just that. While the characters and plotlines were a bit over the top, they stood for something very, very real. I let myself escape into this world of powerful women and found myself rooting for Nora, the main character while needing to know more!

This cautionary tale is witty and also perfectly exposes the struggles many women face when "wanting to do it all" when we only having so much time and space in our days (and heads!). In this instance, the men and women have swapped gender roles, thus allowing these female characters the bandwidth to accomplish their goals...but at what cost??

This is the perfect balance of (so very relevant) social commentary, mixed with a murder mystery. I would have loved for Nora's husband Hayden to be a bit more fleshed out, but all in all, this is a great summer read that also left me with much to think about. This would also make a fantastic summer 2021 book club pick! 4.5/5 stars.

Thank you to Flatiron Books for my gifted copy.

First there was Girls With Sharp Sticks, then there was the Hierarchies and now... The Husbands.

EXCEPT. In The Husbands, it is the women in control.... I can't finish that sentence without spoilers but if you've read the above you will have an idea of where I'm going. BUT that still won't spoil the spin with which Baker this take, but with the women in charge, with the Husbands.

Additionally, it is brilliant, insightful and brave in taking on the hard truths that women would get killed for speaking allowed re: women's rights... for one noting that it merely included additional or multiplication because when women went to work, men didn't pitch in.

They just assumed women would do everything they did before AND Now work, too. But as the author noted women, women can do anything, women can't do everything.

*note* it has been a long time since I've read a any book with a 3rd person POV. 1) It is written brilliantly- witty, dark and on point. Two, the narrator NAILS IT.

I couldn't put The Husbands by Chandler Baker down. I love that it's set in Austin. Nora Spangler is a successful attorney, striving to make partner, who is also a mom with another baby on the way. She is struggling with what it means to be a mom and have a career and how these two important parts of her life can exist together and she can be successful at both. She loves her husband, but he doesn't give her as much help as she'd like. Nora visits an open house in the Dynasty Ranch neighborhood and meets a group of women who will change her life in ways she can't begin to imagine. These women seem to have it all - Nora finds out just exactly it takes to be that way.

While I really did appreciate the feminist spirit behind The Husbands and some of the excellent and fair points the book makes about how working moms have to do it ALL, I could see where the plot was going (an pretty out-there place) from the very first pages and I was not all that into it. Though given some of the Get Out inspired books I've read recently, I was expecting something even wackier!

Loved the social commentary, could have done with more developed characters and a few more surprises plot-wise.

Chandler Baker’s follow up to Whisper Network is the dark, intelligently witty thriller all women who’ve yearned for five minutes alone in the bathroom will devour.

No wife or mother (or even caregiver) has ever not at some point felt crushed under the pressure of demands life expects from them. If you know someone who says otherwise, they’re lying! And this book is a delicious, fantastical exploration of what could be. It’s about the often unequal responsibilities and expectations that fall on mothers—especially working mothers. It’s about a group of women in a suburban neighborhood that have somehow challenged the norm.

BUT, while the idea of fathers handling more of the domestic duties at home is tantalizingly appealing—and would be so easy to accept after centuries of women being the dominant caregiver in a family—Nora can’t help noticing that something isn’t right in Dynasty Ranch. While she longs for the friendship the women provide, her job is to seek answers. And seeking answers only leads to questions she can’t ignore.

While I was reading, I kept thinking surely this book has already been optioned to be adapted. Well, it has! And starring Kristen Wiig, which I think is perfect. There’s definitely a vein of dark comedy running throughout the book, and I’ll be excited to see it come to life.

The Husbands was pretty close to perfect for me. Well-written, well-paced, interesting characters, and enough mystery to keep me turning pages. Baker has only improved and this one gets five very entertaining stars from me!