Book Review: "The Husbands" by Chandler Baker
“The Husbands” by Chandler Baker
Synopsis: Nora Spangler is a successful attorney but when it comes to domestic life, she packs the lunches, schedules the doctor appointments, knows where the extra paper towel rolls are, and designs and orders the holiday cards. Her husband works hard, too... but why does it seem like she is always working so much harder?
When the Spanglers go house hunting in Dynasty Ranch, an exclusive suburban neighborhood, Nora meets a group of high-powered women--a tech CEO, a neurosurgeon, an award-winning therapist, a bestselling author--with enviably supportive husbands. When she agrees to help with a resident's wrongful death case, she is pulled into the lives of the women there. She finds the air is different in Dynasty Ranch. The women aren't hanging on by a thread.
But as the case unravels, Nora uncovers a plot that may explain the secret to having-it-all. One that's worth killing for. Calling to mind a Stepford Wives gender-swap, The Husbands imagines a world where the burden of the "second shift" is equally shared--and what it may take to get there.
Rating (out of 5): 4
Note: I received an ARC of The Husbands from Flatiron Books.
Review: I was hooked on this from the jump. Nora, a young and promising attorney, is overwhelmed with her toddler and is pregnant again. Her husband, charming and loving but somewhat hapless Hayden, wants to be helpful but does less household labor than he should, and far less emotional labor than would be equitable.
To accommodate their growing family, Nora and Hayden look in the suburbs of Austin and end up considering a home in a somewhat mystical community called Dynasty Ranch, filled with powerful, intelligent women, who most importantly seem to somehow not be run ragged by their demanding careers. And their husbands are shockingly, suspiciously helpful.
Nora is soon roped into representing a woman in the community in a wrongful death suit, after her husband dies in a mysterious house fire. This case could be a make or break for Nora’s career as she strives to attain partner in her firm, but red flags keep piling up in Dynasty Ranch that make her question whether all is truly as good as it seems.
The book is light enough to be charming and quick, but the bone-aching fatigue of a full-time job and too many family responsibilities is painfully palpable in Nora’s narrative. I think a lot of women will relate to Nora, and as a side note, Chandler captures the hilarity and rage-inducing stress of working with tech-unsavvy Boomers brilliantly.
TL;DR: A refreshing spin on “The Stepford Wives” for the modern age. Highly recommend.
If you liked this; try:
“Whisper Network” by Chandler Baker (Bookshop | Kindle)
“The Other Black Girl” by Zakiya Delila Harris (Bookshop | Kindle)
“Sea Wife” by Amity Gaige (Bookshop | Kindle)
If you click on one of the links in this article and make a purchase, She’s Full of Lit may receive a small commission. It doesn’t add anything to your price — we promise! Thanks so much for your support.
