Nora Spangler has it all - she's a successful attorney, married to the love of her life Hayden, mother to 4-year-old Liv and pregnant with their second child. But she's struggling. The bulk of the work at home falls on her, including knowing where everyone should be when, what's coming up, and what she's missed. Nora and Hayden go house hunting in Dynasty Ranch, where the wives are all high-powered successful women, who have husbands who are seemingly doing their share of the family work. Agreeing to help a resident with a wrongful death suit, Nora soon finds herself pulled into the allure of Dynasty Ranch. When she starts to uncover the secrets to their success however, things may change.

I hesitate to say this was a "fun" read, because it's actually quite dark, but I really enjoyed this. I think most working moms can relate to Nora and the husbands of Dynasty Ranch seem like a dream come true. I found this to be a very well-written and (for the most part) believable look at modern marriage. I had to force myself to slow down at times because I just wanted to know what was going to happen. Don't miss this!

Available August 3, 2021.

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I didn't know this book was going to be a suspense/thriller and I was pleasantly surprised. The concept was interesting and kept me engaged throughout. I read Baker's previous book "The Whisper Network" and while I liked that one better "The Husbands" was still enjoyable. Would make for a great book club read! I was waiting for a huge plot twist, while really the end was a little predictable. I will say there were a few moments when the conversations between women/moms seemed whiney (especially on the comments with the articles), but I am not a mother myself so I can't really compare/judge.

Super-fast read, super intriguing, and a premise that made me stop and think numerous times. Nora and her husband have a decent albeit extremely busy life. Both have jobs that take up most of their time, but they also have a toddler and another baby on the way, and Nora has begun to realize that on top of doing her job as a lawyer, she also is stuck with all of the household and childcare duties. Why isn't her husband pulling his weight? They are in the process of trying to buy a bigger house when Nora finds the perfect house in a subdivision called Dynasty Ranch. After viewing the house, she is contacted by one of the women in the subdivision to see if she would be willing to work the case of a friend of hers whose husband died. What stems from that call is a crazy ride through subdivisions, feminism, and just how far someone would go just to get a little help around the house. I absolutely loved this book!

Chandler Baker does it again. Terrific read, perfect summer beach book that hits all the notes from funny to creepy.

This was a page-turner, mostly in the second half and the final quarter was amped up even higher. I enjoyed it as a bit of domestic noir. It was at times, creepy, witty, poignant and hilarious. My feelings were all over the place as I read which is unusual for me.

I loved the setting and the initial stressful setup. Parity and division of labour are very important when building a life with another and also trying to pursue professional fulfillment and success. It's a lot and I was sympathetic to Nora's plight initially. As I read on, I had an undercurrent of dread what with the murder mystery thread and Nora's willingness to even go along with the cabal's plan and held me back from investing in her fully.

What made me hold back a bit is that I just didn't buy the idea that the only way to balance the scales is to take away the agency of the man you've married. I'm very much a woman who isn't interested in changing my husband. I control myself and I don't acknowledge any responsibility of controlling him. So if there's anything I don't like or don't want to do, I don't and I say so. I demand the same thing of him that he demands of me, to be a participating adult. I realized early on that I became to social keeper of the marriage. Invitations, Thank You notes, Christmas, birthday, christening, condolence correspondences etc (and appropriate gifts and/or flowers) and all current addresses are my provinces. Somehow, we successfully co-manage the calendar. During the pandemic, I renamed my desk and work area The Office of Procurement and handled "All The Things". I didn't mind doing any of it and it was chaotic at times wrangling everything into my system of order. I also haven't washed a dish, taken out trash or recycling or dusted the entire time as my husband does all of that (even pre-pandemic).

I recognize everyone is different and has different expectations and thresholds so I felt for so many of the perspectives in the book (from "I'm tired" to "I can't just NOT do All The Things because they won't be done and then CALAMITY!!"). My advice, speak up, be honest, expect and demand more. I do think this speaks to a broad section of married and partnered women and is just perfect for beach and book club.

But back to Nora and the story. I couldn't fully root for Nora for much of this and then when she finally turned a corner, half of me didn't want her to succeed against her foes (I really wanted her to pay!). I was completely fed up with Nora's boss to the point that I didn't even commit his name to memory but laughed in satisfaction when near the end, his demise is mentioned. He was completely ridiculous and I recognized the sort. I only wished Nora had found a solution to deal with him effectively beforehand. I SO wanted to know what was in that letter and there was so much tension spooled up that the way that thread tied off just drove me up the wall. I was very invested in the story so I have to give points for that. When all was said and done, I was satisfied with the ending. Apparently, I had a lot of thoughts and feelings about this story since this review is so long. Take it as a positive for the book.

I also appreciated the author's note at the end. Very good points were made. This is the second book of Chandler Baker's that I've read and I would happily read another.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an Advance Reader's Copy.

This book is great! Would definitely recommend. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

when an overworked, underappreciated, pregnant mom and lawyer sees a hoe in a desirable neighborhood, she quickly becomes entangled in a mysterious turn of events, while juggle various responsibilities as well as a less than helpful spouse. Why are the husbands in this neighborhood so helpful and in tune with their wives? Keeping up with the Joneses take a dark and twisty turn.

After the Whisper Network, I enjoy the witty insights of Chandler Baker of women’s lives. The Husbands continued this insightful and enjoyable writing style. I liked the suspense of the story involving this dynamic neighborhood of successful women and Nora investigating a murder case there. I’d recommend this book to friends, mothers, working women... the ending was a little predictable but still worth reading.

This book tells the story of Nora Spangler, lawyer, mother and woman who does it all even with a husband who tries his best to be helpful. They decide they need to move into a larger home and find one in a community called Dynasty Ranch where all the wives seem to have high-powered jobs and the husbands enjoy watching the children and performing the domestic duties. Soon Nora befriends the women of the community and ends up uncovering the mystery of the community. The theme of this book is what made this book amazing! They are deeming it "gender-swapped Stepford Wives."

A good read with a mystery thrown in and tales of domestic dramas as well.

This was a genre-bending delight. Part thriller, part fantasy (ha), part social commentary on what it means to be a working mother and wife - especially a lawyer with billable hours requirements that have only crept up despite the increasing impossibility of meeting them due to technological advances in the practice of law... ok, too specific?

But that's exactly why this was a 5 star read for me. I felt SO SEEN. Having spent the past year mostly at home, The Husbands gave me some of the connection I've been craving. You might be able to relate...
-if you are married and find yourself constantly battling internally about whether to nag your partner to do that one chore, or just do it yourself to keep the peace (and save the energy you'll otherwise have to expend on the inevitable argument)... in other words, are you too exhausted to ask for help? READ THIS BOOK.
-if your fantasies include things like "no one asking me to do anything for them for a solid 3 hours" READ THIS BOOK. If you can find the requisite hours to do so ;)
-if you love your kid(s) so much you could explode, yet constantly wonder if you're really cut out for motherhood because you can't seem to juggle the schedule, the activities, the toddler tantrums, and your day job with the same style and grace as all the pinterest moms out there... READ THIS BOOK.

In all my excitement, I have failed to tell you what the book is about. Does it even matter? It's a testament to Chandler Baker's writing that the actual plot here is almost an afterthought. BUT THE STORY IS SO GREAT, TOO! I don't want to give too much of it away, because discovering it page-by-page made reading this book such an enjoyable experience. So I'll say this... imagine living in a neighborhood of badass career women who are out there HAVING. IT. ALL... with husbands who are supporting their dreams, making their lunches, perfecting the art of tricky stain removal (seriously, there's some dialogue in the book where the husbands are discussing their favorite stain removal strategies and I was giggling because it seemed so unrealistic, and then I was immediately mad that men having that type of convo was so hilariously unrealistic - *shakes fist at patriarchy*).

In sum, this was a perfect pandemic escape for me. I haven't read Whisper Network yet, but it just moved to the top of my list. If it's anything like The Husbands, I know I'm in for some late nights of "just one more chapter..."

QUICK TAKE: while I didn't love THE WHISPER NETWORK, the author's previous book, I found myself quickly turning the pages of her latest, THE HUSBANDS. Definitely a cutesy Stepford Wives premise (woman stumbles upon elite neighborhood where the traditional gender roles have been swapped and the men have strangely taken on all of the family duties to allow for their wives to excel in their own careers)...CLEARLY THIS IS SCIENCE FICTION!!!! But I actually liked a lot about this one. Maybe it's because I'm about to start my own family, and there's been a lot of discussion in our house about responsibilities in raising a kid while also working a full-time job, but I ultimately really enjoyed this one. It's not reinventing the wheel, and it definitely leans heavily into stereotypes and tropes (where's the gay couple??), however it's a solid beach read and I think a lot of people will enjoy it.

It’s a Woman’s World.

Or so many of the characters in this book would like it to be.

Nora is probably the most educated and accomplished hot mess narrators I’ve come across. However, she’s not categorized per the usual description - she just has too much on her plate and the juggling act is falling short. As a mom and a practicing attorney, there is so much to do!

Her affable husband disappears at the most inopportune times when she really needs a helping hand. He’s not a bad guy, but he’s not in tune with the demands of their family life and she’s becoming frustrated.

Enter Cornelia and crew. Nora meets her potential neighbors at an open house and is impressed. How they manage their careers and households plus have time for themselves is a revelation. What are their secrets?

Should she move into this neighborhood? You and I know the answer to that but the fun is watching Nora work it out for herself.

Chandler Baker offers us another wonderful novel with strong female leads which I appreciate. I love reading about smart interesting women who make things happen, whatever that may be.

So much thanks to the author, publisher Flatiron, and Kelsey with their marketing team for the opportunity to read this. Also Netgalley for facilitating.

Review will be posted on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble closer to publishing 8/3/21

Welcome to Dynasty Ranch!

A neighborhood where the women are in charge. They have influence, powerful jobs, and husbands that keep the household running like clockwork. Because you know, women can do anything, but they can't do everything.

Nora is an attorney and stretched pretty thin with all her family/work responsiblities. When she meets the husbands at Dynasty Ranch she wonders if "there is something in the water".

In the second half, some overly detailed scenarios and back story slowed the pace and felt a little unnecessary. Its also fairly predictable, but does have some surprises. The last sentence really caught me off guard!

A domestic mystery with a humorous vibe to it!! And some sassiness to these ladies that entertained me. If you are looking for a dark, twisty thriller, this is not it, but if you want a witty, entertaining change of pace, this may be your cup of tea!!

I found myself just going with the campy, devious and over the top plot and it was a fun and quick read!

This book is fire all the way through. I loved The Whisper Network and this is akin to that but at home instead of work. No second book slump here. These are conversations I have had with every woman I know. Highly recommend.

Having read Chandler Baker's other book, The Whisper Network, for a book club, I was so excited to read her latest book. The Husbands would be another great title for a book club and would inspire many conversations. It was intriguing, and throughout the book, I knew something was up but couldn't quite figure out what the twist would be. The ending was intense, although I would've loved reading more of the aftermath. I can't wait to read whatever else Chandler Baker writes!

Really funny, just intricate enough, you could see the ending coming from 100 miles away, but not the coda to the ending which was a clever, cute grace note.
Chandler really has found a niche here and if there's justice in the world, will become our "popular lawyer commercial fiction writer" to take over the mantle from John Grisham.

I was quite intrigued at first, but grew bored with the number of pages it took to establish the main character's dissatisfaction with her husband and not enough on the final scenes. I did, however, find the very ending (no spoilers!) clever and satisfying. If half stars were allowed, I would rate it 2 1/2 stars.

I am a library paraprofessional and received a free advance copy from NetGalley.

What a wickedly, disturbing twist! I loved it! I have a group of readers who adore these types of titles and I cannot wait until it's available for them to read. Masterful!

Chandler Baker’s new novel The Husbands is a compulsively readable slow burn mystery.

Your narrator here is a female personal injury lawyer, Nora, who is seeking a new home with her husband and they meet a real estate agent who introduces her to a friend, Penny, whose husband has recently died in a house fire in the neighborhood, and needs representation in finding out what happened to him. Thus, Nora is slowly getting to know the neighbors and finding out what actually happened to Penny’s husband. All the while she is harboring a tragic accident that occurred in her own recent past that is haunting her.

I kept wanting more to happen, and I was craving a plot twist to occur much earlier on in the novel. It picked up around the 60% mark and then lost some steam again.

I really liked the overarching mystery aspect of the book and I didn’t want to put it down, I was aching to know what happened and kept hoping that it wasn’t the obvious, but there was just so much filler and details that the reader didn’t need and gossip happening between the neighbors and there husbands, kids, babysitter, school business, etc., the mystery plot got boggled down.

And then the ending just disappointed me, because it was very clear all along what was happening with the husbands......

Chandler Baker is a great writer and I will still read whatever she publishes in the future....but this one just needed some work to the storyline in my opinion. I did really appreciate her powerful message of family dynamics and the fact that women so often have to do it all. Her author’s note was 10/10.

3.5 ⭐️ Thank you NetGalley and FlatIron.

Absolutely love the book. The characters are realistic and like-able. The plot riveting. I highly recommend this novel that makes one community seem claustrophobic with intrigue. Highly recommend.