Daphne and Dominic meet cute in university and immediately become a couple, marrying after they both graduate in The Freedom Clause by Hannah Sloane. After a few years, though, their marriage seems a little stale, so Dominic suggests the Freedom Clause, basically a hall pass that allows them both one night per year to have a dalliance with someone else. They'll conduct this experiment for five years and then revisit the clause at that time.

This book surprised me. The vibrant cover hides the intelligence and substance of this book. I thought that this novel from a new author would be your typical romantic comedy, but I felt that there was so much more to the book. It's engaging, humorous, sad, sexy, and entertaining. You really get into the backgrounds and motivations of the two main characters and see them grow and change throughout this book.

I wasn't a fan of the recipes that accompany most of the chapters. After the couple moves forward with their new arrangement, Daphne starts a private, anonymous blog that details her dalliances and Dominic's, and she incorporates a recipe that goes along with whatever currently may be happening with her marriage. They're real cutesy and not just recipes with comments about life thrown in. It just didn't work for me. That's partly why this book isn't five stars for me despite me loving this book.

I also liked how this book examines marriage and the compromises both parties make in keeping a marriage together. It really was eye-opening in many ways. Some truly feminist views come through; some more hard-hitting than others. Sometimes, it intimated that marriage isn't a great institution, but I think that's very subjective. It's ripe for some good conversations for a book club or just between friends. Even if you don't agree with the arrangement or don't approve of it, it's entertaining, and I found it hard to put down the book because you're racing to see what comes next.

As for the ending, I think it will appeal to some readers while others may not like it at all. I wasn't a fan but thought it was the best way to end the book although it felt a little flat. You'll see why, and I feel like it could be an opening for a sequel. In that case, or even if the author doesn't write a sequel, I will be there for the author's next book. I really enjoyed her writing and see a bright future here.

I thought the premise of The Freedom Clause sounded really interesting - a couple taking one day a year to each be with someone else. They agree to it for five years and then reassess. Unfortunately the execution didn’t work for me and I decided to DNF. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the free book to review.

3.5 stars
I started out seriously disliking this book. A young couple, married for a few years, feels their marriage lacks oomph, so they decide on a one night per year break from fidelity. Riiight. However, the book actually improved for me as it went on and we saw how this night of freedom affected each of them and how they changed over time. I must say I enjoyed Daphne's story arc more than Dominic's--seems like the author neglected him a bit. Some aspects were still annoying, but not too bad overall.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a free e-ARC of this book.

The Freedom Clause by Hannah Sloane is a contemporary romance with a twist. I probably should have paid more attention to the blurb before picking this up, and I almost quit when I realized the plot was about adultery. I am generally not a fan of books where people are cheating on their spouses, since I’ve already lived through that, and I don’t need fictional reminders.

However, this seemed to blur the lines a bit with our main characters, Daphne and Dominic agreeing to “The Freedom Clause.” Each year, for the next five years, they each get one night off and can have sex with a stranger.

So. I hated this idea. And I hated Dominic from the beginning, and more and more as the novel went on. What I did enjoy was seeing Daphne grow, mature, and evolve into a better version of herself. It’s ironic that the freedom clause was Dominic’s idea, and while Daphne blossomed into this amazing version of herself, he grew more and more unlikeable.

The novel explores many themes that I did enjoy, once I got over the fact that Daphne’s husband basically forced her into agreeing to the freedom clause because they weren’t having enough sex. Ugh. Some of the themes are sexual (women knowing and asking for what they want in bed), some of them are not (following your heart over money, self-care).

Overall, I felt the author really made the story very one-sided with Daphne growing and evolving, and Dominic in an ever-downward spiral. That’s not to say he didn’t deserve it, but it seems somewhat unbalanced.

I wish we could have had Daphne’s story without the baggage of adultery and Dominic’s character.

Also, I loved the whole writing / cookbook aspect, even if the recipes are not for anything I’d ever cook.

⭐⭐
Rating: 2 out of 5.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for an advance copy in exchange for sharing my opinions. All opinions in this review are my own.

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What in the realistic relationship is this? i wanted so much more because it was so good. you don't get many mature thinking adults in marriages and this author did it well because the characters communicated

What drew me in most about this book was the cover. I loved the title, the cover had these beautiful colors on it, and I was hooked!

I was somewhat let down by the content of the novel. The story follows Dominic and Daphne, a married couple who have been together since they were 18. They find themselves in a rut, and create The Freedom Clause, allowing them to sleep with one person every five years, with no consequence. Of course, there are rules to this clause: you can't tell anyone about it, it can't be the same person, etc.

I didn't feel connected to either character, really, which is part of what I struggled with when reading the story. Dominic seemed like a villain from the start, being the one to introduce the clause in the first place. Daphne seemed to really figure out who she is and come into her own, which is empowering, but it fell flat for me. I would have loved more dimension to both characters. I struggled getting through this one. Worth it if you have the time on your hands.

I did not finish this. I liked the description but the story itself was boring and I had a lot of trouble getting into it

The premise of this novel is that young married couple Daphne and Dominic have lost the spark in their marriage, and decide to agree to the “freedom clause” - that one time a year only, each of them can sleep with one person outside of their marriage. The book then follows both of them over the course of the next 5 years as we see how this plays out.

I have read a few other books with similar premises, but the difference in those books was that they were about couples in their 30s or 40s with kids. Daphne and Dominic, on the other hand are maybe 25 and have no kids. So at the beginning of the book, all I could think was that these two shouldn’t be experimenting with an open marriage, they should get divorced! But once I accepted the premise, it was definitely an entertaining read, and I really enjoyed seeing Daphne’s journey to find her self-esteem. With its high concept premise and UK setting, combined with a plus size character learning to love herself, it sort of felt a little like a cross between Sophie Kinsella and Jennifer Weiner.

I loved the Freedom Clause by Hannah Sloane - this book shared a powerful message about listening to yourself and taking up space in your life. We meet Dominic and Daphne just as they decided to open up their marriage with the freedom clause - they can have one night or experience a year with another person in an effort to give them room to explore their marriage. What follows is a lot of exploration indeed! I just loved Hannah and found myself rooting for her all throughout. A lovely, quick read that remains on my heart months later. Don’t miss this one!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC. The Freedom Clause is out now!

Daphne and Dominic were married right after graduating from university. Their love is pure and simple, but sometimes they wonder if they would do things differently if given another chance. So one New Year’s Day, they decide upon a Freedom Clause, one night each year where they can sleep with another person, no questions asked. Daphne is hesitant, and after her first night of freedom, decides to write about it on a Substack, breaking the rule of not telling anyone. And so goes the spiral that both Daphne and Dominic find themselves in, trying to navigate their freedom while staying true to themselves. But was the freedom clause meant to be broken? And will it save the marriage like it’s intended to?

Hannah Sloane has presented an interesting premise with her debut novel. Can a semi-open marriage bring a couple closer together, or will it push them apart?
Daphne and Dominic are 25 and met and fell in love while in University together a few years earlier. Now, having been married for four years they find themselves in a pickle with their love life. Dominic poses the idea that for the next five years they each get a pass day, where they can sleep with whomever they please (with a few exceptions) no questions asked. While Daphne is skeptical, they come up with rules for their Freedom Clause and so it begins. As each year passes, we see changes in each of Daphne and Dominic, and of course changes in their relationship.
My favorite thing about this book is the development of both characters. Each chapter is another year and with each year they change a little more. Written in third person and present tense, each paragraph (or so) alternates between Daphne and Dominic. Sometimes they are happening simultaneously and others months have passed. Because there was no breaks between months it sometimes made it hard to follow along, as the new month wasn’t always mentioned.
Overall, though, this book gave a very interesting look into marriage, sex, and learning to love yourself. It must be noted that the sex scenes are not terribly spicy or graphic, as they aren’t the main focus.
I truly enjoyed this and hope Ms. Sloane has more for us in the future.

I loved this book. The story of Dominic and Daphne and how they realize what life, love, and marriage really means felt like one of the most realistic takes on a relationship I have ever read.

This book had an intriguing premise about something that I've been hearing from a few young couples nowadays: the idea of an open marriage. Not sure if that was the author's intention but this was a bit more awkward of what was expecting. It mainly showed the negatives of that side and not necessarily touched on the positives (even if they lasted for a shorter amount of time).

What a way to debut! A great glimpse into the what-ifs post marriage. I loved the character of Daphne as she grew more self assured but didn’t love Dominic as he was a bit of a villain breaking all the rules of the freedom clause! I absolutely loved the ending to this because as much as we always want a HEA this one ended the way that it absolutely should have!

I didnt expect to enjoy this becuase I dont like the thought of an open marriage but I loved the women's fiction territory this veered into. I didn't really like dominic though.

The Freedom Clause by Hannah Sloane was just an okay read for me. I felt like I was eavesdropping on highly personal and cringe-inducing situations that were super uncomfortable. I even found the supporting cast of characters to be disappointing and not people I would enjoy being friends with. But, with all of that said, I didn't stop reading it, I had to read to the end to find out how things turned out for Dominic and Daphne. The premise of their Freedom Clause seemed like a disaster from the beginning, how could things not go awry and I wanted to be along for what I thought was a train wreck from the start.

The Freedom Clause by Hannah Sloane was an interesting read about a married couple who loves each other but are not quite happy. When the husband suggests the freedom clause, one night a year to sleep with anyone they want with rules in place, what can go wrong? But even one night a year can change everything. After five years, have they found what they wanted?
Through the years, so many things change between them. While Daphne seems to grow and find her way, Dom seems to lose his and sometimes love is not enough.

Pleasantly surprised by this one! Don't judge a book by its cover! Not my favourite read of the year but a solid 3 stars.

I wasn't sure if I was going to enjoy The Freedom Clause but it dug its claws into me so deep I read it in two days. I really liked Daphne a lot and liked how she grew as a person. She kept getting stronger and more confident. Dominic had issues and was a weak man. He was a little shit and Daphne stayed with him way too long. Hannah Sloane knows how to weave a story with interesting characters. I look forward to seeing what else she writes.

3.5 stars! THE FREEDOM CLAUSE features a married couple named Daphne and Dominic who met in college.

While it wasn’t my favorite read of the year, there were plenty of enjoyable parts to the story and I lived that it included recipes too.

*many thanks to PRH and Netgalley for the gifted copy for review