The first chapter of this book was slow and didn’t draw me into the characters, to the point where I considered making it a DNF… but WOW, I am so glad I kept reading – I ended up loving this book so much! Dominic and Daphne met at 18 and were each other’s first loves; when they got married after college, they were happy together, but sad feeling like they missed out on the thrill of dating and spending their 20s free. So at 25, Dominic suggests they enact the “Freedom Clause”: they can sleep with one other person one night each year, no repeats and no talking about it to their friends or each other; they’ll do this for five years, then reevaluate. The book has a different chapter for each of the five years, and the chapters are LONG, but by year 2, I was thoroughly invested in their relationship, how they would navigate the Freedom Clause, and what would come next. While at first I found Daphne a little odd and unlikable, I soon started rooting for her to succeed. I loved the character arcs and the messiness, and I LOVED Daphne’s cooking blog entries where she weaves her personal life into the recipes. (I normally hate cooking blogs where there’s lots of backstory to the recipe, but if this was a real blog, I would totally read it!) I absolutely adored this book, keep thinking about it, and highly recommend it.

Honestly, a disappointing book. I was very intrigued by the plot, and the idea of the driving action, but the writing was amateurish and the character's actions made me uncomfortable. It ended up being a strange premise that didn't make much sense at the end of the day.

Thank you to netgalley and random house for a copy of this book. One person in a marriage throws out the idea of sleeping with someone else once yearly with essentially no guilt. His wife is unsure of it. After all of this is settled, jealousy, insecurity and anxiety take over the book.

The Freedom Clause revolves around Dominic and Daphne, a couple that have been together since they were 18. They were each other's first everything. Now, at 25, things are boring. Their sex life is dead and they need a way to spice up their relationship. Here inlies the Freedom Clause. One night a year, they can choose another person. It must be a different person each year and cannot be a friend or family member. The other rule, they cannot ask each other about their one night.

This book was a pleasant surprise! I expected to see their marriage decinegrate after they decided to have an open marriage, however, that was not the case. Daphne shows tons of growth throughout the novel and is my favorite character. This book would make a fabulous book club pick as it centers around controversial topics! 5 stars!

Dominic and Daphne married straight out of college about a decade ago and are living and working in London. Their marriage and sex life seems to have hit a plateau. To provide some fizz, Dominic comes up with an innovative idea called The Freedom Clause. In effect, this means that each of them will be permitted to sleep with another person one day in a year each year for the next five years. Initially appalled and distressed by this concept, Daphne eventually finds her life has actually taken a turn for the better - and not just where sex is concerned. The same can't be said for Dominic however. I loved this refreshing story with a pretty unique plotline. The lucid yet pertinent writing style of the author also served to fully enhance the narrative and make it a captivating read. This is a debut novel from the author. I really enjoyed reading it and I'm definitely looking for more from her in future.

Thank you Netgalley, Random House Publishing and Hannah Sloane for the free e-copy.

I loved this soooo much more than I actually thought it would. I loved seeing her discover herself and take up space. It was really so so good.

I actually really liked this book and the concept which is probably very taboo. Imagine if your husband came to you and expressed he wanted a threesome, or for the two of you to start dating other people outside your marriage? Um most of us would probably act in a punch to the face kind of way, but what if your needs aren't being met? What if your missing the intimacy you crave, the spontaneity? Maybe your spouse isn't capable of meeting your needs and you want to find someone who does and can do it without leaving the comfort of your marriage. Hmmmmm
In a careful what you wish for story Dominic and Daphne have a conversation about having an open marriage. Dominic is the one who starts the conversation and Daphne is obviously hurt but the more she thinks about it the more she realizes it might be a good idea. The two agree that they will have a "hall pass" one day a year with many rules set in place to make sure they both feel good about the arrangement. It's scary and exciting but the couple sets off to find that one experience they've been looking for. Of course it doesn't go as expected, in a good and bad way, and the two will need to reevaluate the agreement. But what happens when one person wants to end the agreement and the other doesn't? What happens when the rules are broken and the trust is gone? Can these two get past the arrangement and get back to where they were, or is there no going back?

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC! This premise/synopsis was incredibly intriguing. I was fascinated by the thought of exploring the relationship between two people when the idea of a “freedom clause” is introduced. This book didn’t quite deliver on the premise in the way I hoped. It was interesting though!

A combination of gossip, coming of age, and feminism, this was a good read. The characters were interesting and well developed and the storyline flowed well. Highly recommend!

I did not finish this one, it was not for me, I couldn't relate to the characters, and just did not care for the story.

What in the realistic relationship is this?? I binged in less than a day. The story flows smoothly so it’s easy to start and not want to stop. The major plus -recipes are included and I must say I’m dying to try the oh so famous salad.
At the age of 18, Daphne had her life figured out. Date all through her 20s get married in her 30s. That all changes the first week of college when she meets Dominic. Now married in their 20s, they are learning how different they are. The two are struggling and are looking for a way to keep their marriage alive by giving themselves a single night 1 day a year for five years. What could go wrong?
Throughout the story it amazes me how we see Daphne change. In the beginning she lacks confidence and picks herself apart and we watch her blossom into her own skin. She finds her own sexuality and in it she finds a new career path.
Dominic on the other hand … well… read the story to find out- trust me I have a lot to say about him.
Sloane did an incredible job showing how much growth the two went through during this experiment and just how much a relationship changes over time. I rate this 4.5

Thank you to NetGalley, Hannah Sloane and Random House Publishing Group for a copy of The Freedom Clause in exchange for an honest review.

In an attempt at rescuing a stagnant marriage, Dominic and Daphne agree to The Freedom Clause: one night a year, they can have sex with someone else. After five years of this, what could possibly go wrong?

Where things go wrong for one of them, things go terribly right for the other one. (Can you guess which one??) The Freedom Clause opens up new opportunities and life changes that cause Dominic and Daphne to reassess what it is they really want in their marriage and in life.

If you don't mind reading a few sex scenes, then you'll enjoy reading this novel. It's fairly fast-paced, and takes you through the five years that Dominic and Daphne spend doing the Freedom Clause.

This is a very empowering novel. I think it would be a really good book club read, sparking a lot of discussion! (Like, is this something you'd ever enter into with your spouse?)

The Freedom Clause is published by The Dial Press and is available to purchase now. I received a free e-ARC.

I wasn't sure I would like this book but I ended up loving it.
I appreciate the character build of the main character.
The story was funny at times and it was a fast read.
It would be a great book club book because of the theme of the book.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Dial Press for providing me with an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. It’s available now in your local and online bookstores and libraries.

Daphne and Dominic have been together since their first year of college. They are now 25 and have been married for 3 years. After a conversation with a friend, they realize that they have become complacent regarding intimacy in their marriage. With the idea of revitalizing their sex life, they devise the Freedom Clause. With the Freedom Clause, they can have one night a year to experiment with another sexual partner, no questions asked.

Okay, so this isn’t a trope that I normally enjoy. Taylor Jenkins Reid has a similar book called After I Do. I love TJR, but it’s my least favorite of hers. The only reason I read this book is because I received an email from the author’s publicist asking me to review it. I have a hard time saying no when that happens. I also vehemently dislike this cover.

With all of that being said, I really liked this book. Color me surprised! Although I liked Lessons in Chemisty by Bonnie Garmus more, I thought these books were quite similar in some ways. This novel is more about the growth of the characters than it is about their sexual escapades. I’d give it three out of five on the spicy scale. I recommend this book if you like character growth and strong female protagonists. Oh, and really try to get past the first 10%-ish of this book. It’s a little cringy.

I found this book to be super interesting. The idea of a “freedom clause” seems like a recipe for disaster. I truly enjoyed this one though, and loved Daphne!

I'll be thinking of this book for a while yet. Dom and Daphne are like many couples who have been together awhile, and who have settled into the monotony of marriage; they wonder if there's more out there for them. The way they explore the "more" is by agreeing on one night per year for five years of freedom. Freedom to explore one other person sexually, and in order for it to not become an affair, they agree to only sleep with that person one time. The Freedom Clause allows Daphne to finally learn what she wants sexually. It helps her to mature in other ways too, to explore her writing, to really challenge herself and her fears. The Freedom Clause makes Dom insecure. He lies significantly to Daphne, and breaks the rules of their agreement. I like the premise of this book, and I like Daphne. Dom is weak to me, but maybe that's the point? That freedom allows women to really see their potential outside of the institution of marriage, outside of a relationship with a man...that's my biggest takeaway from the book, and it's what makes it very readable.

I went into this book with a very open mind. I am not a fan of cheating. Even though this was agreed upon by both parties, it still set my moral compass way off balance. Although the premise was not my cup of tea, I was very pleasantly surprised by the story and the writing.
After finishing and looking back on the book, I can't help but think this might have been a cautionary tale to those looking to marry young. It was a proponent for living your life before you decide to settle down so you can figure out who you are as a person before you figure out who you are as a couple. This was not your ordinary coming of age story.

I thought this was such an odd book - a semi open relationship and recipes all in one book. The bottom line is that I did not like the characters. I found myself skimming it and just gave up.

***Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for providing this book for review***


This book was somewhat predictable, more than hilarious, and full of heart. I really enjoyed it!

Dominic and Daphne married young. Both are inexperienced sexually and after a few years their otherwise happy marriage settles into a roommate situation. Dominic suggests an open marriage may be the solution to their quandary and Daphne counters with a parameter of one person, one night, once a year. No one will ever discuss what happens. What could possibly go wrong?! Dominic thinks this is the cure for their marriage, but what he doesn't know is that everything will soon change.
Hannah Sloane's first novel, The Freedom Clause develops the characters, especially Daphne, throughout a multi person narrative and reveals the angst of discovering one's self within a marriage. I look forward to seeing what Sloane does next.