A zombie apocalypse is one thing. This book will leave you with an elaborate knot of emotions to untie regardless of your gender identity. She hates herself a little for it. Layla spends months recovering in a hospital, and it seems the girl Leeds fell for might be forever changed. FAMILY LIFE & FRIENDSHIP | The Husbands is a poignant exploration of what it would take for women to have it all and its as sobering as you might imagine. MORE: 'The Husbands' by Chandler Baker is the 'GMA' August 2021 Book Club pick: Read an excerpt When she and her husband 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 enviable supportive . 4/5. Just as Nora has convinced her husband to buy a home in Dynasty Ranch, she begins connecting the dots on several clues in the March case. However, there is one flaw Id be remiss not to mention. In a last-ditch effort to save their relationship, he brings Layla back to the bed-and-breakfast where they first met. (This epilogue also contained what I considered to be the best twist of the book, as well. Sure, some people have died and others are being controlled against their will, but the reality that women today are drowning under the weight of housework is significant enough to be horrifying. "The Husbands" by Chandler Baker ( Bookshop | Kindle ) 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. She is the author of several young adult novels and her adult debut. Blog. It begins with Nora Spangler, pregnant with her second child, working at a law firm and trying to make partner. This is a deeply compelling and suspenseful novel about motherhood, gender roles and what it takes to truly have it all. Nora wants a larger house to accommodate their growing family so they look at a house in an affluent suburban neighborhood. A lonely Nora latches onto the women of Dynasty Ranch, who persuade her to represent a local resident in a wrongful-death lawsuit. But what Baker makes evident is that even the height of upper-middle-class white privilege cant save women from falling victim to their selfish, bumbling husbands and overbearing bosses. However, the more he changes, the more unnerved Nora feels. Or has he learned clever avoidance techniques which allow him to hold on to the label of modern husband who is always there to help when the reality is that hes just as hands-off childcare/housework as a 50s spouse? Full content visible, double tap to read brief content. "Chandler Baker, queen of the feminist thriller, has delivered once again! Nora immediately falls in love with the house, but Hayden remains reluctant. During a party, theres a horrible scene between Hayden and Nora. The Hamelin Plague (1963) (126) (3.25)f . Reviewed in the United States on August 12, 2022. . As the Spangler family discusses buying a home in Dynasty Ranch and as Nora investigates Richards death, Nora begins ingratiating herself with Dynasty Ranchs residents. Audio CD. When they get there, though, Leeds meets Willow, another guest, and finds himself drawn to her in spite of himself. RELEASE DATE: June 16, 2020. Categories: One thats worth killing for. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. If you like Ms. Baker's men-bashing this is another one for you!!! We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Somebody please hand her the knife and Nora will be happy to stab that saucy bitch right in the back. Including Hayden. influencers in the know since 1933. The Husbands is an entertaining read. When Nora tries to find Penny she is missing. After viewing product detail pages, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in. Still, I found myself holding my breath, both hoping and not hoping that Nora would choose differently. : RELEASE DATE: Dec. 8, 2020. ROMANCE | The commentary Baker makes through Nora's experience of her world was wildly spot-on. The main character, Nora, is so likeable and relatable. SUSPENSE | Its like he thinks their house, their toddler, their lives are kept on track by magic, she thinks, trying to quell her constant rage and mostly failing. Just because a husband is doing more than his father doesnt mean that its equal to his wife. THRILLER | The Husbands may, at first glance, appear to start with an old trope but Baker takes it to a new level. Baker portrays the despair of overwhelmed women like Nora yet barely acknowledges the plight of other mothers who take on the work Nora herself cant handle women who receive no help of their own. In addition to her full-time job as a personal injury attorney at Greenberg Schwall, she is the packer of lunches and the keeper of schedules and the taker-out of trash. Nora asks the women of Dynasty Ranch about this, but they brush her off saying, Sylvias claims are ludicrous., Cover of The Husbands by Chandler Baker (Photo Credit: Courtesy of MacMillan Publishers). The book is overall a warning to men, onlymen arent the likeliest readers of it. under-performing husband and reluctant father (so, a redittor then . 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 . The novel follows a linear progression through time. They venture off to a house showing in the elite Dynasty Ranch community. I read a lot of reviews that the book is man bashing. Addissyn House is a college senior studying English and Women, Gender, and Sexuality at Kalamazoo College (MI) but is from Los Angeles. Wesley King, by Penny left Nora the "smoking gun" that would have destroyed the entire neighborhood. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. Some elements of the climax were unclear to me, while other elements seemed predictable or a little too pat. Along the way though, the author does a great job of covering the ins and outs of the household division of labor, and how most of it settles on womens shoulders without seeming to have been placed there. Baker did add an epilogue, but this epilogue was not part of the resolution of the story, but a true look ahead. Reviewed in the United States on October 1, 2021. The Husbands is a poignant exploration of what it would take for women to have it all." Sally Hepworth, bestselling author of The Good Sister. 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. Nora is asked to do her best to get large financial settlement to support a woman whose husband burned to death in a house fire. The narrator had a nice voice, but she sounded so down and dumpy, like the grown-up version of Bella Swan. My head is still spinning. Its full of successful, powerful women who are completely and utterly supported by their husbands. 'Taker looked at me, he goes, 'Yeah, I got some advice. The Dynasty Ranch women killed her before she could publicize the truth of their nefarious activities. She is the author of several young adult novels and her adult debut, Whisper Network,. lives in Austin with her husband and toddler, where she also works as a corporate attorney. Flatiron, $26.99 (352p) ISBN 978-1-250-31951-7. . I loved this as it's so accurate about male / female relationships and how we 'share' the load. The List Price is the suggested retail price of a new product as provided by a manufacturer, supplier, or seller. Its a testament to Bakers talents as a writer that the final scenes of this familiar story are a gut punch nonetheless. Chandler Baker, the New York Times bestselling author of the WHISPER NETWORK, talks to Carol Fitzgerald about her newest novel, THE HUSBANDS.THE HUSBANDS fol. The Husbands is a poignant exploration of what it would take for women to have it all . RELEASE DATE: Aug. 3, 2021. This week, I'm talking to Chandler Baker, New York Times . Unfortunately, this speaks to an even larger societal reliance on single-earner homes because as more queer families are included in studies, we find that they too divide chores and work up based on who earns more. Because Nora is up for partner at her legal firm, she tries to remain focused, though she is eager to speak with Isla. Book Synopsis . Her . Chandler Baker, the New York Times bestselling author of Whisper Network, talks about her latest feminist thriller, The Husbands. $54.50 2 Used from $31.39 9 New from $30.90. To what lengths will a woman go for a little more help from her husband? Learned uselessness. She has one child, 4 year-old Liv, and is pregnant with a second. - : The Husbands : Baker, Chandler: .sa I liked everything but the last page. The demands of Noras life seem all too realwe may ask why they dont hire a nannyalthough theres mention of difficulties getting childcare. More: Chandler Massey and Y&R fave in Hallmark premiere. She finds the air is different in Dynasty Ranch. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we dont use a simple average. Or get faster shipping on this item starting at $5.99 When friends from high school reunite after one of them sends an ominous text, you quickly realize that what bonds them is way more than friendship. Hay-den! She leans deep into the two syllables. She is the author of several young adult novels and her adult debut, Whisper Network, was a New York Times bestseller and Reese's Book Club x Hello Sunshine pick. "The Husbands" by Chandler Baker is a fun feminist thriller that every mother, especially working moms, will enjoy. A part of Nora loves being taken care of her and wants to murder feminism herself in lieu of being rescued by her prince, so she lets Hayden take care of things. Not something Id normally read but overall not that bad. Nora is horrified. Calling to mind a Stepford Wives gender-swap, New York Times bestselling author of Whisper Network Chandler Baker's The Husbands imagines a world where the burden of the "second shift" is equally sharedand what it may take to get there. Cornelia suggests that she and Hayden begin couples therapy with her. Baker, instead, urges readers to foster more equitable homes, especially when both partners work. Something we hope you'll especially enjoy: FBA items qualify for FREE Shipping and Amazon Prime. While The Husbands never confronts same sex or queer marriages, the commentary is universal: we rely on one person to earn money and one person to take care of the home. Hayden makes Rice Krispies for a bake sale, makes sure Liv is dressed for Picture Day, and starts cooking dinner without being asked. When you purchase an independently reviewed book through our site, we earn an affiliate commission. I had my headphones in. Reviewed in the United States on August 3, 2022. Category: social issues, suspense, I paddled I played with Daisy I chased the ball I chased other dogs chasing the ball I did zoomies up and down the beach. They killed Richard and eventually Penny because they were pushing back against the "Stepford Wife" approach to the neighborhood. She'll be working with Chandler Massey, who plays Will Horton in Days of Our Lives. I lost count of the number of nods and wry smiles I did when reading The Husbands by Chandler Baker. As she did with the timely topic of sexual harassment in the workplace in WHISPER NETWORK, Chandler addresses the issue of where working women are today, and "the cost" of the second shift, in THE HUSBANDS. He even starts to read some of the organization and cleaning blogs that the husbands of Dynasty Ranch suggested to him. Audiobook ISBN: 9780733642739 The popular novel, which was a Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick, was a page-turning thriller that turned the #MeToo movement into a story about empowerment. Shes a mother of one small child, with another on the way, and a plaintiffs attorney for a firm. She has one child, 4 year-old Liv, and is pregnant with a second. A perpetually timely page-turner that is anything but subtle. How do so many women inspire such supportive husbands? One day while working, Nora receives a call from Penny saying she needs her help to flee town. Wives/moms will especially appreciate it. In my opinion, these could have been cut from the novel.I also found the ending of the book to be a bit clunky. Unfortunately, it took pregnancy-induced high blood pressure dand smashing a cake to help him realize their family isnt as happy as he believes it to be. Categories: Baker has followed the structure that seems to be more and more popular in thrillers to have the book end immediately after the climax. Once the story gets going, it unfolds nicely. SPOILERS for Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six by Lisa Unger, SPOILERS for The Housemaid by Frieda McFadden, SPOILERS for Just Like Home by Sarah Gailey, SPOILERS for All the Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham. Rating: 4 out of 5 stars. SPOILERS for The Girls Are All So Nice Here by Lau SPOILERS for Who is Maud Dixon by Alexandra Andrews, SPOILERS for The Family Plot by Megan Collins, SPOILERS for The Collective by Alison Gaylin, SPOILERS for Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult, SPOILERS for The Husbands by Chandler Baker. Through the interview, readers learn that Leeds was wasting both his time and his musical talent playing backup for a small-town wedding troupe called Garretts Band when he spied Layla dancing her heart out to their mediocre music at a wedding. Peppered with elements of mystery, psychological thriller, and contemporary romance, the novel explores questions about how quickly true love can develop, as well as the conflicts that can imperil even the strongest connections. Every home is Sixty-three feet apart. This is a good read. Calling to mind a Stepford Wives gender-swap, New York Times bestselling author of Whisper Network Chandler Baker's The Husbands imagines a world where the burden of the second shift is equally sharedand what it may take to get there.Utterly engrossing and thoroughly timely, The Husbands is both a gripping, well-crafted mystery and an insightful critique of motherhood and marriage in the modern age--working mothers everywhere will feel seen in the best possible way. Kimberly McCreight, New York Times bestselling author of A Good Marriage, A gender-swapped version of The Stepford Wives and to add further enticement, it's set to become a film starring Kristen Wiig.Entertainment WeeklyChandler Baker, queen of the feminist thriller, has delivered once again! Sorry, there was a problem loading this page. The question is how much you blame them when they snap. 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