The Husbands - Chandler Baker

Genre: Mystery | Thriller | Domestic Drama | Womens Literature

Release Date: Expected 3rd August 2021

Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group UK

Nora has a perfect husband, a beautiful daughter with another on the way, a sucessful career as a lawyer - she really does 'Have It All'. But you know how it goes - a woman can't really have it all without sacrifice, and she's beginning to notice her partner Hayden doesn't seem to have to work half as hard as her to get anywhere, and nobody assumes anything of him.

But when they discover an unassuming suburban neighbourhood Nora doesn't just set her eyes on a beautiful new house, but a whole new world. Here, the husbands of the neighbourhood are seemingly stripped of male privileges - they look after the children, they clean the house, and most of all, their wives aren't expected to sacrifice their lives for the sake of family alone. It seems perfect, but when she's asked to consult in a wrongful death case of one of the former residents, it seems there might be something sinister lurking in her new perfect world.

The Husbands was a deeply gripping story that reached into my darkest fantasies and brought them to life in a quiet neighbourhood brimming with secrets. Calling out to the angry woman in all of us, this made us think about just what we'd be willing to do for men to finally listen before they snap. In this world, women no longer face the pressure of weighing up their careers, their passions and their families while their male counterparts get praised just for taking their kid to the park for an hour. Where they're not the default carer for everyone, where they are listened to and appreciated it. And I wanted to move in right away.

This was a tense, slow-burner of a book that while it definitely had mystery elements, it felt more like a drama in places and while most of the mysteries Nora encounters are quite easy to solve and there isn't a giant shock reveal waiting round every corner - but that doesn't take away from the journey. Even though I thought I knew where we were going, watching Nora as she figures it out was an experience that was over far too soon.

The characters were perfect - so expertly written that they're going to be stuck in my mind for some time and the world building at Dynasty Ranch was so vivid it felt like I'd really visited for a dinner party myself. I would have loved to spend a little more time with the other residents - so I'm definitely hoping we get to visit Dynasty Ranch again one day ... and we might not want to leave.

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you to Chandler Baker, Little Brown Book Group UK & Netgalley for this ARC in return for an honest review.

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