Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

The Husbands by Holly Gramazio

14 reviews

cadyly's review

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hopeful lighthearted reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

I love the idea behind this book - that exploration of 'what if my life had gone another way'? I like that the author really explored this idea and various ways that not only the husbands and flat/apartment could be different, but how Lauren herself could be different and the ways in which the mechanism of the husbands' arrivals could be problematic. This is a very well considered dynamic, which I appreciate.

I read this book in just two days, and it was very entertaining. There were a couple of husbands where I felt that it just dragged on and I was eager for them to go, so I could see what the next one was going to be like - so, I guess, a bit like Lauren herself felt at times.

I would recommend this book as a light romance with a bit of magical realism and speculation to keep you engaged.

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ssolov's review

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emotional funny reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.0


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torturedreadersdept's review

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funny hopeful lighthearted reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0


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spaghettireads's review

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emotional funny lighthearted reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5


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biteychan's review

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dark emotional sad slow-paced

2.0


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clichemarker's review

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slow-paced
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

Kind of boring
You'd think
Lauren breaking into a house, stalking a man, drugging her husband, and almost killing her neighbor
would have made it more exciting, but it just annoyed me and made me not like her as a character.
 It started with her trying to justify staying with her shitty rich husband, and escalated from there
 It wasn't all bad, but you know. 

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caroisreading's review

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adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

I love this premise -- what happens when you're supplied a seemingly endless number of husbands via your magic attic? Holly Gramazio plays with a thought we've all fantasized about, the idea of getting do-overs in life. It makes us explore regrets we've had in past relationships, and wonder if things would be better if we chose the right person, avoided the wrong ones, or found peace alone. 

I really enjoyed the creativity behind this story. It was funny and entertaining, and satisfyingly wrapped up in a sweet way. I do think this could have been a much shorter book; I think the repetition was purposeful to help us feel the monotony of the protagonist's strange new life, but I found myself just wanting to get through to the end as the point was made clear enough. 

You'll enjoy this if you want something funny and light, with some magical realism, and a creative take on modern relationships and finding your person. 

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lovelymisanthrope's review

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funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I first heard about this book through Book of the Month.
"The Husbands" is a debut novel that follows Lauren. After an incredible night out, Lauren returns home to be greeted by her adoring husband, Michael. The only problem with this scene is that she is not married. Lauren does not understand what is going on, but she does not have long to get used to Michael, because when he goes into the attic to change a lightbulb, he disappears and a new husband is in his place.
This was such an interesting idea for a novel, and I really enjoyed reading it. Lauren is single, but she is enjoying her life, at least she thought so. What I appreciated most about this story is how as Lauren meets more husbands, she learns more about herself. She meets some great guys, and she meets some scary men that she has to trick to get back in the attic, but through it all, she learns what she actually wants from life, and I thought that was absolutely beautiful.
This idea that there are infinite possibilities about paths we can take with our life is beautiful. Something as seemingly infinitesimal as pick from one great guy or another really could have crazy ramifications on a person's life. I also really appreciated how this was represented in the novel. Picking one husband over another had obvious implications on Lauren's life, but it also impacted the people around her. When she is with one husband, her beloved nephew is never born. A different husband means her friendships are not as close as she thought.
This was a cozy, fun book that I highly recommend. 

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aileensbookshelf's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5


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hellarachel's review against another edition

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mysterious reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5


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