3.5 Stars

This story revolves around Lauren, and the seemingly endless parade of men who, one at a time, descend from her attic and appear as if conjured by magic. Fortunately, at least for her, she is able to ‘return’ them by sending them back up to the attic on some mission to find something. But once one has been ‘returned’ another follows shortly after, and with each new husband, it seems her home is magically redecorated, as well, and not always in a way that pleases her.

Her friends and family seem to not react as each new husband descends from the attic, as though they are always her first and only husband, the former one having magically been forgotten.

Each new husband stays until she requests they go up to the attic for something that she creates a reason for, but only so they will disappear once they are there, at least from her life, as well as apparently from her family and friends memories.

There are so many husbands, over 200, in this novel, and none of them stay for very long, but since they aren’t really there for long, they are never memorable, and thus the story felt very repetitive after a while, even though each man was different, in some ways, from another.

While I felt that this was very different from any other novel that I’ve read, the repetitive nature of the story took away from some of my enjoyment of this story, but I’d be interested in what she writes next, as I did appreciate how different this story was from anything else I’ve read.



Pub Date: 02 Apr 2024


Many thanks for the ARC provided by Doubleday Books, Doubleday

wow what an interesting book and a different guy comes out of the attic. this book was okay and I really didn't like of of the husband's per say. they felt very cardboard.

Lauren goes out with her best friend for her "hen do" and comes home to her husband. But she didn't HAVE a husband before she left. And here he is, coming down the attic stairs, acting like he's always been there. When he goes back up, and comes down a different person entirely, Lauren's home and life change around her in a blink. In a matter of minutes, she trades one husband after another until she finds one that might work for her. But there's always something that makes her want to trade in for a new husband. One chews too loudly. One is an evil millionaire. One is a cocaine addict. But where do you stop when you have easy access to change your life in an instant?

I could not put this book down. The crazy antics that happen as she's switching are fun and funny. Once she was into a marriage for more than a few sentences' worth of her time, I couldn't wait to see what she would find wrong with the new guy. Near the end, when this burden of constant new husbands was weighing on her, she clearly started losing it, and her lives with the husband turned worse and worse, and I couldn't help feeling for her, though some of the lengths she went to... Geez. The ending was so good, and I loved the way she resolved the whole situation.

I'm leaving out a major spoiler, because I don't want to spoil, but suffice to say, I appreciate Bohai and his purpose. A lot.

This book was so much fun. I look forward to recommending it to the patrons at my library. What a ride.

I received an Advanced Reader Copy via NetGalley in return for sharing my thoughts on this book. Thanks to the author and publisher for this opportunity!

The Husbands by Holly Garamazio was witty and heartfelt look at life and all the choices and possibilities we are faced with daily. I thought it was a great debut novel. The Husbands was funny, and thought provoking. It had me captivated and chuckling the whole way through. Lauren’s dilemma made me contemplate my marriage and life in all its phases. If my younger self was just plunked here out of nowhere, would I be happy? I chose this book because it was featured on Anne Bogel’s list of 2024 spring releases.
Thank you Net Galley for an ARC of this book..

I was so intrigued by the premise of this story. It is unique and charming.

The book is paced perfectly. It pulls you straight in and keeps you turning pages throughout.

I loved the humor and crazy differences between characters in each “world”.

I very much enjoyed the majority of this book. The premise was interesting, and I kept coming back to see what would happen. Unfortunately, I didn’t love the ending, and the jumping between husbands got a little tedious. Some good life lessons in the book, but was a little let down at the end.

Entertaining romantic comedy set in current times. A single woman returns home from a freind's hen party to find a man in her hom e- and her life altered to include this husband. She soon discovers that sending him to the attic turns him into a different man. . . again and again. As she works through the husbands, she questions her choices and what she really wants in her life and in relationships.

Lauren arrives home one night to a husband everyone seems to remember she married but her. Even her phone and picture frames agree with such. We quickly realize that the stranger/husband climbed down from her (recently magical) attic and said attic produces a new husband every time the current husband goes in. Comedy and hard decisions ensue!

I thought this was a lot of fun and scratched that Midnight Library itch. I love what-ifs scenarios especially when done well and do not involve time travel. I found Lauren to be pragmatic and relatable - especially how she handles being given a magic attic. The the side characters and husbands were equally interesting and overall the book was solid.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book has such an interesting premise. However, I felt that many of the questions about how the attic worked were never answered and I would have liked to see that. The story sees the main character grow and learn what is important and what is trivial. There is a lot of self-discovery and thought provoking going on in this read. However, for me, it was just an OK read. It moved too slowly for my liking and some parts felt repetitive. The premise had promise, but I hoped for more.

Holly Gramazio takes the idea of alternate realities and runs with it in a fun but thoughtful way. Lauren is a likable character. Through her husbands, she goes through the stages of what ifs that we all would given the same situation. What if I don't like this guy? What if I don't like this life? What if this is all there is?

The Husbands would be great for a weekend snuggle read.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

“The Husbands” is a fantasy tale about an attic that produces an infinite number of husbands for our protagonist, Laure, who, before the attic, was a single person who had just broken up with her boyfriend of several years. All she needs to do is decide which attic husband is the one she wants to commit to, if she wants to commit to any of them!

I found this story to be rather unique. It started out as funny, as she banishes husband after husband for little things, such as the fact that one of them chews too loudly, with his mouth open. For the first couple of husbands, she consults her family as to how they like him, how the marriage is, etc. She quickly abandons that as quickly as she lets each husband go. Also with each husband comes other sets of challenges for Lauren, such as a different job or differences within her family or friends. This makes the story a little intriguing, but the reader doesn’t get a chance to adjust either because as soon as the changes are introduced into the story, Lauren sends the husband back, like a reset of sorts with her life and those around her. The story takes another turn when one of Lauren’s husbands voluntarily tries to go to the attic to get away from her. What’s going on here? You’ll have to finish the novel to find out.

As I mentioned earlier, I found the story to be unique and at times funny. However, it also got a bit annoying with the constant banishing of husbands. At one point in the novel, it’s mentioned that Lauren has gone through over 200 husbands in the span of the year the novel appears to take place. That is a lot of husbands! And it also says a lot about Lauren. Does she have a commitment phobia? Is there something down deep in her subconscious that says she unhappy with her life? Is she trying to find that perfect life, with that perfect person? She seems to find fault with every husband that comes along, not willing to accept the person for who he is, and not willing to make changes to herself to make any of them last longer than a few hours or days. Considering that she was single at the beginning of the novel, returning from a bachelorette (or hen) party for her best friend, perhaps there was some underlying resentment with her friend getting married and she still being single, and Lauren somehow willed a way to dip her feet into marriage without the messiness of an actual real commitment? Unfortunately, the novel doesn’t really delve into any of these thoughts and certainly doesn’t address how an ordinary attic one day suddenly starts spitting out husbands the next, seemingly without end. There were a lot of questions that I wished the author had at least tried to give resolutions to, but it never happened.

So I’m giving this debut novel three stars and suggesting it as a beach read, recommending a lot of suspension of belief. Don’t try to read too much into it; just go along for the ride.

Not quite like anything else as this novel creates a unique situation. How unexpected to suddenly have a husband descend the stairs from the attic. And then every time he goes into the attic, a different husband appears. What to do? Where are they coming from? Is one of them actually Mr. Right?

We've all heard the song "It's Raining Men" and thought how much fun that would be to have unlimited choices for our life partner. Well, as it happens, its not so much fun in this mind bending novel. Lauren comes home from a hen do and finds a stranger in her flat who says he's her husband. When he goes up in the attic to change a light bulb, a new husband comes down. After the initial shock wears off, Lauren samples them all. With the new husbands comes new jobs, new lifestyles and changes in her friends and families lives. It finally gets to be too much and Lauren figures out a drastic way to settle on just one man.

Love, love, loved!! A never ending supply of husbands sounds so perfect, but life and people rarely are perfect! This is a great book club pick, where only one question needs to be asked-“What would you do?”

In this captivating read, the author masterfully weaves a narrative that is both engaging and thought-provoking. Through a blend of richly developed characters and a meticulously crafted plot, the book offers a unique exploration of its central themes, inviting readers to immerse themselves in the story's depth and complexity. The narrative is paced perfectly, balancing moments of intense action with thoughtful reflection, ensuring that readers are hooked from the first page to the last. The author's ability to evoke emotion and create a vivid, immersive world is truly remarkable, making this book a must-read for anyone looking for an exceptional literary experience.

Beyond its compelling storyline, the book stands out for its insightful commentary on the human condition, weaving philosophical questions into the fabric of its narrative. The author's skillful use of language not only enriches the text but also elevates the reader's experience, offering new perspectives on familiar themes. Whether it's the intricate dynamics of relationships, the exploration of identity, or the confrontation with ethical dilemmas, this book tackles complex issues with sensitivity and intelligence. It's a testament to the power of storytelling to illuminate the nuances of life, making it a valuable addition to any book lover's collection. Regardless of genre, this is a work that resonates on multiple levels, affirming the enduring impact of well-crafted literature.

When Lauren gets home from a night out with her friends, she finds she is married to a man she does not remember. She realizes she is able to switch him for a different husband by sending him into the attic. While I do think it was a fun read, I felt it was a little long. I would still recommend this book. I think it would make a cute movie!

Not my usual rom-com... When Lauren returns to her flat after a night of drinking, she finds a man in her apartment who says he is her husband. She can't possibly be so drunk that she doesn't remember him?! In the morning, he is still there. She tries to piece together their relationship by scrolling through text messages, photos and google. Her friends all seem to know him but she just can't remember him. He goes up to the attic to change a lightbulb and comes down a different man - another man who is another husband and with that comes a new life. Same friends, same apartment, lol, but with different decor. It is then that Lauren realizes that she can change her husbands and life just by sending the men up to the attic.
The book centers around a revolving door of husbands, It gets a little weird after a while, but then when Bohai comes down and they start talking, Lauren realizes he has had more husbands/ wives then her and they instantly bond and become best of friends, as they can both share the craziness. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I wasnt sure what to expect when i received this book.....It turned out to be a total surprise! A magic attic.... a book about friendship..... self reflection..... suspense..... all in one! It was funny and quirky, and i quite liked the ending! I will watch out for more books by this author

This book is definitely for an adult audience, so I can’t necessarily purchase it for students to check out from my library, but it would be a fascinating choice for our teacher book club. We could have discussions for days about the rightness/wrongness of her choices, how this relates to the real world, our responses to certain husbands or episodes, etc. The book was a bit slow-paced, so it took me some time to get into the story, but the time spent turned out to be worthwhile. I would recommend it to readers who are willing to wade slowly through a literary fiction title before reaching a firm conclusion to wrap up a “What if…?” story.

I pushed through reading this book, trying so hard to like the idea of a woman who could trade the husband in her life for a new one, with just a trip for him up to the attic. I couldn’t do it. It went on too long, though the ending was a good one. I didn’t and I couldn’t feel as though the main character deserved better. I tried to like the book, but I really can’t see my way to recommending it to any of our readers.