The Husbands by Holly Gramazio Summary

The Husbands is a debut novel about Lauren, a single woman in her early thirties who returns to her London flat one night to find a husband she's never met before. When he goes to the attic and disappears, a new husband appears in his place, creating an infinite supply of potential partners. The book explores how Lauren navigates this magical phenomenon while questioning what makes the "right" partner and when to stop searching for something better.

Holly Gramazio is a writer, game designer, and curator from Adelaide, Australia, currently based in London. She founded the experimental games festival Now Play This at Somerset House and wrote the script for the award-winning indie videogame Dicey Dungeons, which sold 850,000 copies. The Husbands, published in April 2024, is her first novel. She earned her PhD in Creative Writing at the University of Adelaide.

The Husbands is perfect for readers who enjoy contemporary fiction with magical realism elements, humor, and thoughtful explorations of relationships. It appeals to anyone grappling with questions about commitment, life choices, and modern dating culture—The Times described it as "a brilliant satire on the Tinder generation's commitment issues". Fans of books with clever premises, engaging characters, and both laugh-out-loud moments and emotional depth will find this debut particularly satisfying.

The Husbands is highly recommended for its unique premise, engaging storytelling, and thought-provoking themes. Critics praise Holly Gramazio's debut as funny, heartfelt, and memorable, with one reviewer noting it's "incredibly engaging" with twists, hilarious moments, and suspenseful scenes. The book successfully balances entertainment with deeper questions about relationships, self-discovery, and what we truly want from life. It's refreshing, layered, and stays with readers long after finishing.

The magical attic in The Husbands serves as a portal that swaps husbands whenever someone goes up to change a lightbulb. Each time a husband enters the attic, he disappears and a new man emerges, creating a slightly altered reality where Lauren has always been married to this new person. Her friends remember the new husband, her photos change, and even her home decor shifts to reflect this alternate life. This mechanism allows Lauren to experience infinite versions of married life.

The Husbands explores commitment, choice paralysis, and the search for "the one" in a world of endless options. Holly Gramazio examines whether true love exists or if successful relationships are about choosing someone and making it work. The novel also delves into self-discovery, personal ambitions versus romantic love, and how we define what makes a partner "right". It questions whether constantly seeking something better prevents us from actually living and appreciating what we have.

Lauren begins The Husbands able to swap husbands at the smallest inconvenience, never giving relationships a real chance to develop. Through her journey with countless husbands, she realizes she lacks confidence in navigating relationship ups and downs because she never builds a foundation with any partner. She discovers that many of her memories—both good and bad—belong only to her, as her loved ones don't remember alternate versions of her life. This journey ultimately teaches her about commitment, patience, and what truly matters in relationships.

The Husbands serves as a sharp commentary on modern dating culture and commitment issues in the age of endless options. The novel explores how dating apps and contemporary culture create a paradox of choice—when you can always find someone "better," how do you know when to commit? Holly Gramazio illustrates that constantly seeking perfection prevents genuine connection and growth. The book suggests that successful relationships require working through difficulties rather than immediately seeking alternatives when challenges arise.

Carter represents a turning point in The Husbands when Lauren realizes she's found someone she genuinely likes and can envision a future with. He checks all the boxes for what she thinks she wants in a partner. However, when Carter accidentally goes to the attic before Lauren can stop him, he disappears forever, teaching her a painful lesson about the permanence of her choices. This loss becomes a catalyst for Lauren to reconsider her approach to the magical attic and what she's truly seeking.

Some readers felt The Husbands went on too long despite its compelling premise, with the concept becoming repetitive as Lauren cycles through numerous husbands. Critics noted that while the setup is clever and fun, the middle section drags as the pattern of swapping husbands continues without sufficient variation. However, most reviewers still praised Holly Gramazio's debut for its humor, heart, and thought-provoking exploration of relationships. The novel's length allows for deeper thematic exploration but may test some readers' patience.