When Lauren returns home to her flat in London late one night, she is greeted at the door by her husband, Michael. There’s only one problem—she’s not married. She’s never seen this man before in her life. But according to her friends, her much-improved decor, and the photos on her phone, they’ve been together for years.
As Lauren tries to puzzle out how she could be married to someone she can’t remember meeting, Michael goes to the attic to change a lightbulb and abruptly disappears. In his place, a new man emerges, and a new, slightly altered life re-forms around her. Realizing that her attic is creating an infinite supply of husbands, Lauren confronts the question: If swapping lives is as easy as changing a lightbulb, how do you know you’ve taken the right path? When do you stop trying to do better and start actually living?
When Lauren returns home to her flat in London late one night, she is greeted at the door by her husband, Michael. There’s only one problem—she’s not married. She’s never seen this man before in her life. But according to her friends, her much-improved decor, and the photos on her phone, they’ve been together for years.
As Lauren tries to puzzle out how she could be married to someone she can’t remember meeting, Michael goes to the attic to change a lightbulb and abruptly disappears. In his place, a new man emerges, and a new, slightly altered life re-forms around her. Realizing that her attic is creating an infinite supply of husbands, Lauren confronts the question: If swapping lives is as easy as changing a lightbulb, how do you know you’ve taken the right path? When do you stop trying to do better and start actually living?
Reviews-
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March 18, 2024
Video game designer Gramazio debuts with a charming speculative novel about a woman’s difficulty settling on a mate. When Lauren, in her early 30s and decidedly single, returns one night to her London flat from a boozy evening out, she’s greeted by a total stranger who says he’s her husband, a claim mysteriously borne out by her photographs and texting history. This is alarming enough, but things get weirder still after Lauren’s supposed husband climbs up the attic ladder to change a light bulb and a different man descends, one who also claims to be her husband. This revolving door of spouses persists for months, and Lauren discovers that various circumstances of her life—her circle of friends, her fashion sense, her career choices, even her apartment decor—alter with each change of partner. Gramazio’s inventiveness and humor save the Groundhog Day–esque plot from tedious repetition (Lauren rejects one man immediately for wearing shoes with individual toes, another for filling a room with Funko Pops). Though Lauren’s drastic action near the novel’s conclusion feels a bit out of sync with the rest of the story, there’s plenty of intelligence and candor in the author’s creative spin on the conundrum of commitment. Gramazio is worth keeping tabs on. -
Narrator Miranda Raison immerses listeners in this intriguing speculative audiobook. Lauren, a single 31-year-old British woman, comes home from a party to discover she has a husband waiting for her in her apartment. When he goes off to change a light bulb in the attic, he is replaced by another man. This cycle continues for months as Lauren tries out short and long-term relationships, discarding the men who feel wrong for her. Raison wonderfully depicts Lauren's every step in her unexpected quest for her best relationship, keeping listeners fully engaged with a plot that could feel repetitive. Raison is particularly adept at creating a distinct voice for each of the many men who show up. This unique look at the search for the perfect partner is a fun and poignant listen. M.J. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
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May 31, 2024
Lauren returns home from a friend's hen-do to suddenly find that she is married to a man named Michael. Confused as to how she has unwittingly become married, she questions her friends, who all insist she has been married for years. Lauren is even more confused when Michael goes up to the attic and disappears, and a different man returns in his place. The story gets wilder as each time her husband goes to the attic, a new husband emerges. As Lauren gets used to each new husband, small annoyances quickly become unbearable, and she opts to replace the man with a new one. This bizarre pattern continues, until Lauren begins to explore possible paths and starts embracing the life she's living. Miranda Raison's narration is engaging and well paced, perfectly capturing Lauren's confusion, frustration, and dawning understanding as she struggles to find the ideal life and mate. Though the novel's premise is intriguing, listeners may find the pattern repetitive, especially as Gramazio doesn't flesh the husbands out as full-fledged individuals. Even so, funny moments abound, and Gramazio's insight into modern dating and relationships resonates. VERDICT Game designer Gramazio's fantasy-laced debut provides an intriguing take on love, destiny, and relationships. For fans of Ashley Poston and Sarah Lotz.--Elyssa Everling
Copyright 2024 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
