This is my second Chandler Baker book that I just couldn’t finishing I am so bummed to say this. I am so intrigued by the premise (as I was with Whisper Network), but simply could not get into it. Baker’s writing, while filled with talent, always feels a bit slow to me and I don’t find myself attached with the characters. For those who love Baker, they are sure to love The Husbands. It just didn’t do it for me.

The Husbands IS The Stepford Wives for the next generation. Baker was able to write a novel where you were getting just scared enough by the plot, but at the same time wondering why you were nodding your head and agreeing with the "villains" of the series. The more I read, the more I couldn't figure out if it was something wrong with me, or if Baker had managed to write a thriller so brilliant that I needed to know what would happen next and convince myself I wasn't crazy.

3.5 stars
This was an understated literary thriller that delved into female versus male roles when raising children and balancing work responsibilities. It is told from a feminist perspective using a twist on the Stepford wives theme.

Nora, a lawyer, and her husband get entwined with a group of suburbia couples when looking for their new home. Nora is asked to represent one of the neighborhood residents, Penny, to help settle an insurance claim after her husband died in a recent fire at their home. It soon becomes apparent that the neighborhood dynamic is not typical. All of the women are high flying professionals, working full time, while their obedient husbands take care of the domestic duties. As Nora starts to dig deeper into the mystery of Penny’s husband, she becomes more drawn to this seemingly idealistic community but also more suspicious as puzzle pieces start to come together..

I enjoyed this book more than the author’s last one. I thought it was conceived and executed much better. From the start, the reader is drawn in to this intriguing mystery. It was also easy to relate to as a women with two children trying to balance a career. I loved the Stepford husband analogy.

It lost stars only because I found the pacing slow, and, at times, even stalled for a bit. I also got confused by the many characters as they weren’t all carved out so some blended into the background and I couldn’t recall who they were as the story progressed. The audio performance was solid with the narrator using a range of character voices that were pleasing.

Thank you to Netgalley and MacMillan Audio for an advanced audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

I am so glad I got to experience this book in audio. The narration is excellent, the different characters are voice perfectly: you can distinguish their personalities just from the voice acting and it makes for a completely immersive read. As a woman, I felt seen throughout the book, it's full of moments that just click. As social commentary, the twist of setting in a neighborhood of Stepford men makes the issues salient, and easier to dissect. As a thriller, it's also great. A page turner that is also thought provoking, this book would make a fantastic movie or series.

I received an audioARC in exchange for an honest review.

I would imagine that most modern women, whether they work in or outside of the home, would immediately relate to this satire on gender roles...and the laughable concept that women should be able to have it all. As many a review points out, this could have been called The Stepford Husbands.

I receive a copy of this book from Netgalley. Thank you to the author, the Publisher and to Netgalley....I give this book 4 stars. I really enjoyed the story of this psychological thriller, it kept me interested until the end. A few good twists and turns. This is the first book that I have read by Chandler Baker, and I will definitely check out some of the other ones.

The concept of this book was fantastic. Who wouldn’t want to move into a neighborhood filled will doating husbands and career minded women. It did get a little creepy at times but overall would recommend it to others, as well as one of their “pens” Thank you for an advanced readers copy of this book.

💡REVIEW: So much of this book cut straight through me. I’ve never felt so seen and validated reading a book before. @chandlerbakerbooks somehow manages to perfectly articulate so many things I think and feel on a daily basis but can never quite express.

The premise is fantastic, and I was hooked, waiting to find out the what-the-heck of it all. It did get a little too “out there” for my personal taste, but I think this book works well as a biting social commentary more than it does as a “thriller”.
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📚 SYNOPSIS: Nora Spangler is a successful attorney but when it comes to domestic life, she packs the lunches, schedules the doctor appointments, knows where the extra paper towel rolls are, and designs and orders the holiday cards. Her husband works hard, too… but why does it seem like she is always working so much harder?

When the Spanglers go house hunting in Dynasty Ranch, an exclusive suburban neighborhood, Nora meets a group of high-powered women—a tech CEO, a neurosurgeon, an award-winning therapist, a bestselling author—with enviably supportive husbands. When she agrees to help with a resident’s wrongful death case, she is pulled into the lives of the women there. She finds the air is different in Dynasty Ranch. The women aren’t hanging on by a thread.

But as the case unravels, Nora uncovers a plot that may explain the secret to having-it-all. One that’s worth killing for. Calling to mind a Stepford Wives gender-swap, The Husbands imagines a world where the burden of the “second shift” is equally shared—and what it may take to get there.

Thanks to NetGalley and @macmillan.audio for the advanced copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Chandler Baker creates a beautiful story that explores the role of the "mother" and "wife" in the household. What if the husbands did all of the tasks traditionally done by women? The grocery shopping, hacks for getting stains out, and scheduling playdates or doctors appointments. In turn, the wives are free to pursue their careers, focus their attentions on their job, and make important strides in their field. The Husbands brings into question gender roles and explores a twisted world where the roles of husband and wife are reversed in the home.

Baker creates mystery and suspense with her signature viewpoint through the eyes of a female lawyer. A feminist novel that asks the questions of "what if" but also takes it to the extreme.

I might never be able to hear the clicking of a pen again without the hair on the back of my neck coming up.

Chandler Baker's The Husbands is so totally entertaining for any woman who has ever wondered what it would be like to have more help from her husband. I've seen other reviews saying that the The Husbands is all about husband bashing and comes off as whiny, but I have to disagree. If you've ever been up at 11:00 folding a load of laundry while your significant other is snoring in bed, this book is for you. After all, you work so hard....

Like most women in modern day society, Nora Spangler is exhausted. Trying to put her best foot forward at the office and dealing with the all-consuming guilt that working women everywhere can relate to.
“Whisper Network,” Chandler Baker’s novel, focuses on the failures of a sexist, unjust office in the wake of a sexual harassment lawsuit. After completing it I was so excited to start “The Husbands”. This novel acknowledges the problems women face in the workplace but revolves primarily on the inadequacies of the nuclear family, where women are expected not only to have it all, but to do it all, too. However, “Whisper Network,” was much more relatable. “The Husbands” takes a turn toward the fantastical, with what feels like a science fiction-ish feel. While Chandler Baker’s writing is insightful, witty, and delivers a brutally honest perspective, her latest novel left me wishing she hadn’t gone as far away from reality and instead continued along a more related route.

Just like with THE WHISPER NETWORK, Chandler Baker's previous novel, the author combines delicious humor with sharp commentary on contemporary life. The ending was especially chilling. The comparisons to STEPFORD WIVES are definitely apt! (Disclaimer: I read/listened to this novel in advance of serving as the interlocutor for her launch event for The Husbands.)

I should preference this by saying I'm not huge audio book person. I find myself getting lost and distracted easily as I drive or walk my dog. However, this book had me hooked and I was able to enjoy it on Audio. The narrator was great and I found myself instantly transported to the world of dynasty ranch.

As a working mother, I found a lot that I identified with in this book and lots of moments when i said "HA! that's happened to me". However, while I knew there would be a dark side, I did not expect it to get as dark as it did!

Needless to say, I enjoyed the book-- down to the very last click.

A terrific narrator made this book an even better treat! It made me think of Stepford Wives, only the robotic ones in this story were the husbands! The story was actually frightening at times, with the wives being the oppressors!

You may want to think twice, everything is not what it seems. A mantra that I've heard multiple times during my 28 years of life.... and one that Nora needs to take to heart. A worn out mother of one, soon to be two, Nora can't catch a break: she's up for partner at her work BUT needs to take care of her daughter. She loves her husband BUT he randomly disappears for minutes. When a stellar house opens up in Dynasty Ridge and a case that could be a breakthrough for Nora, everything seems to tumult at once. With lies, betrayl and death by 🔥 beating down, everything is NOT what it seems with Nora. But will she be able to save herself from her own disaster?
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@chandlerbakerbooks is on point with her second published book, The Husbands. Baker's truth telling social commentary and development shine. At the end of the tale, Dynasty Ridge seems like a realistic place that one could visit...and maybe run forever from. The last third was a page turner that left me saying WTF. Killer ending!
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The Husbands landed on bookshelves this past August. Anyone wanting a domestic thriller or Stepford story, this is for you!

Oh wow! This book was fascinating and I loved trying to figure this one out. I especially enjoy how the author writes such strong female characters and I found it so interesting that they controlled the community. The male characters were also interesting and the whole story was a big puzzle and I loved how she wrapped it up. This is a book you don't want to miss!

The Husbands by Chandler Baker was a great read. I just kept wanting to say why do you put up with him but that did not keep me from enjoying this book.

I thought this was a really fun and entertaining read. The author did a good job setting up the plot and the characters, and I really enjoyed the digs on marriage problems - they felt relatable but also humorous and dramatized! Some of the parts focused on the lawsuit seemed to drag on a bit to me, but overall this book captured my attention and drew me in from the very beginning.

This was a tough one for me. While I enjoyed some of the aspects, particularly the commentary of the mental loads that are placed on mothers, I struggled with the slowness. The book also did one of those things I hate where the reader knows far more about what is going on than the characters. That totally annoyed me. Overall this just did not work for me. The narrator was great but it wasn't enough to save the story for me.

Whoa.

How do super-women deal with balancing feeding and caring for children, doing the laundry, all the to-dos that go along with life, having a successful career, and a loving marriage? Well…this is one way. Baker writes a domestic suspense that occurs amongst a neighborhood full of successful women and their doting husbands. While the story is somewhat predictable, there are aspects that you never see coming!

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Allyson Ryan. The audio production is not necessarily extraordinary, but lends itself to being pulled into and following the story. I totally enjoyed listening to this book.

3.5 stars