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The House of Now and Then
Not yet published
Expected 19 May 26""The kind of book that feels like home. A brand-new all-time favorite.” — Becky Albertalli, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda and Amelia, If Only
From the author of The In-Between Bookstore , the sweet, unforgettable story of a trans man in his thirties who books a Cape Cod cottage for one lonely summer—only to have its magic bring him visitors from the past and romance where he least expects it, perfect for fans of TJ Klune and Ashley Poston.
Harlowe could use a break. With his academic future over, just like his relationship with his long-term boyfriend Jackson, a suspiciously cheap summer rental on the Cape feels like just the escape he needs.
But when he arrives at the picturesque seaside cottage, he’s alarmed to find his discouraging old professor in the living room. His father making coffee in the kitchen. And a handsome young repairman fixing things in the bedroom. Worst of all, Jackson is in the bathroom. None of them will leave. No one else can see them. And they won’t leave him alone.
The house isn’t magic only for Harlowe, and as the summer grows hot and thick with tourists, old wounds and fresh secrets—both in and outside its walls—begin to transform him. It’s clear the house is trying to tell him something, and he’s sure it has to do with the mysterious repairman who suddenly seems to be everywhere he looks… But can Harlowe let go of the past long enough to listen?
Evoking all the windswept dunes and Fourth of July fireworks of a perfect Cape Cod day, The House of Now and Then asks who you would find, if all your unfinished business was just behind one door.
From the author of The In-Between Bookstore , the sweet, unforgettable story of a trans man in his thirties who books a Cape Cod cottage for one lonely summer—only to have its magic bring him visitors from the past and romance where he least expects it, perfect for fans of TJ Klune and Ashley Poston.
Harlowe could use a break. With his academic future over, just like his relationship with his long-term boyfriend Jackson, a suspiciously cheap summer rental on the Cape feels like just the escape he needs.
But when he arrives at the picturesque seaside cottage, he’s alarmed to find his discouraging old professor in the living room. His father making coffee in the kitchen. And a handsome young repairman fixing things in the bedroom. Worst of all, Jackson is in the bathroom. None of them will leave. No one else can see them. And they won’t leave him alone.
The house isn’t magic only for Harlowe, and as the summer grows hot and thick with tourists, old wounds and fresh secrets—both in and outside its walls—begin to transform him. It’s clear the house is trying to tell him something, and he’s sure it has to do with the mysterious repairman who suddenly seems to be everywhere he looks… But can Harlowe let go of the past long enough to listen?
Evoking all the windswept dunes and Fourth of July fireworks of a perfect Cape Cod day, The House of Now and Then asks who you would find, if all your unfinished business was just behind one door.
288 pages, Paperback
Expected publication May 19, 2026
About the author
Edward Underhill
5 books464 followersEdward Underhill grew up in the suburbs of Wisconsin, where he could not walk to anything, so he had to make up his own adventures. He studied music in college, spent several years living in very small apartments in New York, and currently resides in California with his partner and a talkative black cat. He is the author of two books for adults, The In-Between Bookstore and the forthcoming The House of Now and Then, as well the YA novels Always the Almost, This Day Changes Everything, and In Case You Read This. His books have earned starred reviews, been named Indie Next selections and LibraryReads Top 10 picks, and been included on numerous “best of the year” lists, including from YALSA, School Library Journal, and Booklist.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
February 21, 2026
Actual rating 4.5 stars, rounded up to five because I felt the tears burning behind my eyes in that last part.
I wasn’t a huge fan of Edward Underhill’s The In-Between Bookstore. I loved his lively writing, but I liked the growth of the main character less. I even said I wished he’d stick to YA stories, because that’s what he’s good at. But I need to take those words back. The House of Now and Then is his best story so far.
“I don’t know.”
Jackson lets his breath out, an annoyed grunt. “There it is.”
I stick my face in the water, pushing my hair back. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You never know, Har. It’s your answer for everything.”
Thirty-one-year-old Harlowe has broken up with his boyfriend. He barely sees his dad. He tossed his thesis into the bin after a conversation with his advisor. Now he’s spending the summer on Cape Cod, working an okay remote IT job. Until he starts seeing people in the cottage he rented for the summer: Jackson, his ex. His dad. His thesis advisor. And a guy named Nathan.
Edward Underhill’s vivid, sparkling writing highlights the magical elements beautifully, while the story still feels incredibly real. Because who hasn’t put things off, feelings included, until the inevitable?
Harlowe is a relatable main character, and I loved being in his head, but he’s not the only one who makes this story shine. There are so many fantastic side characters: Dina, her group of diverse friends, the cat Sir Duke (I adore the name), and of course sweet, broken Nathan. I had such a soft spot for him, even though I also wanted to yell at him at times.
So, I was a little sad when I finished reading, mostly because I wanted to spend more time with all of these characters.Edward, please keep writing stories like these. I will gobble them all up, frantically!
Thank you, Avon and NetGalley, for this amazing ARC!
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I wasn’t a huge fan of Edward Underhill’s The In-Between Bookstore. I loved his lively writing, but I liked the growth of the main character less. I even said I wished he’d stick to YA stories, because that’s what he’s good at. But I need to take those words back. The House of Now and Then is his best story so far.
“I don’t know.”
Jackson lets his breath out, an annoyed grunt. “There it is.”
I stick my face in the water, pushing my hair back. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You never know, Har. It’s your answer for everything.”
Thirty-one-year-old Harlowe has broken up with his boyfriend. He barely sees his dad. He tossed his thesis into the bin after a conversation with his advisor. Now he’s spending the summer on Cape Cod, working an okay remote IT job. Until he starts seeing people in the cottage he rented for the summer: Jackson, his ex. His dad. His thesis advisor. And a guy named Nathan.
Edward Underhill’s vivid, sparkling writing highlights the magical elements beautifully, while the story still feels incredibly real. Because who hasn’t put things off, feelings included, until the inevitable?
Harlowe is a relatable main character, and I loved being in his head, but he’s not the only one who makes this story shine. There are so many fantastic side characters: Dina, her group of diverse friends, the cat Sir Duke (I adore the name), and of course sweet, broken Nathan. I had such a soft spot for him, even though I also wanted to yell at him at times.
So, I was a little sad when I finished reading, mostly because I wanted to spend more time with all of these characters.Edward, please keep writing stories like these. I will gobble them all up, frantically!
Thank you, Avon and NetGalley, for this amazing ARC!
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Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
4.25/5⭐️ I received The House of Now and Then by Edward Underhill through a Goodreads giveaway, and I’m so grateful to the author and publisher for the opportunity to read it!
I’ll be honest—this was unlike anything I’ve read before. It was my first experience with both magical realism and LGBTQ+ themes, and I wasn’t sure what to expect going in.
As a New Englander myself, I was immediately drawn into the magic of the vale. It brought back a sense of nostalgia from my childhood and teenage years. Underhill’s writing is incredibly vivid and descriptive—I felt like I was right there alongside the characters. Speaking of which, I absolutely loved them. Each one had their own quirks and backstories that made them feel real and memorable.
The magical realism was beautifully done, especially in how it highlighted the importance of confronting your past in order to fully embrace the future. That theme really stood out to me. I also loved the sweet romantic storyline woven throughout the book. It added warmth without overpowering the main plot, which I thought was very well balanced.
I’m really glad I got the chance to discover a new author. I enjoyed Underhill’s writing style and storytelling so much that I’m definitely interested in checking out more of his work in the future.
I’ll be honest—this was unlike anything I’ve read before. It was my first experience with both magical realism and LGBTQ+ themes, and I wasn’t sure what to expect going in.
As a New Englander myself, I was immediately drawn into the magic of the vale. It brought back a sense of nostalgia from my childhood and teenage years. Underhill’s writing is incredibly vivid and descriptive—I felt like I was right there alongside the characters. Speaking of which, I absolutely loved them. Each one had their own quirks and backstories that made them feel real and memorable.
The magical realism was beautifully done, especially in how it highlighted the importance of confronting your past in order to fully embrace the future. That theme really stood out to me. I also loved the sweet romantic storyline woven throughout the book. It added warmth without overpowering the main plot, which I thought was very well balanced.
I’m really glad I got the chance to discover a new author. I enjoyed Underhill’s writing style and storytelling so much that I’m definitely interested in checking out more of his work in the future.
February 22, 2026
My heart 🥹
Every once In a while I read a book that resonates so deeply, in ways I didn’t think it would. There’s something to be said about starting over. Finding yourself after life has beaten you down and worn you out.
This was written so beautifully, and introduced a magical type of element that reminded me of The Seven Year Slip in some aspects…I wasn’t expecting that going in, but I really enjoyed this take on confronting your past and how we can live in the dread of our choices without even knowing it or facing it. Combining that with the setting of Cape Cod and the cute little cottage, and the wonky group of friends? Love.
Every once In a while I read a book that resonates so deeply, in ways I didn’t think it would. There’s something to be said about starting over. Finding yourself after life has beaten you down and worn you out.
This was written so beautifully, and introduced a magical type of element that reminded me of The Seven Year Slip in some aspects…I wasn’t expecting that going in, but I really enjoyed this take on confronting your past and how we can live in the dread of our choices without even knowing it or facing it. Combining that with the setting of Cape Cod and the cute little cottage, and the wonky group of friends? Love.
May 11, 2026
Thank you to Avon & NetGalley for this eARC!
Oh myy I loved this so much! 🥹 In a rental house “haunted” with his negligent Father, his ex, and the Professor that stripped his confidence of his future, Harlowe was forced to confront things he’d rather leave in the past. Each person in their own pivotal moment of time share a space in a costal New England town rental. I’m not sure who healed harder, me or him 😭🖤
Oh myy I loved this so much! 🥹 In a rental house “haunted” with his negligent Father, his ex, and the Professor that stripped his confidence of his future, Harlowe was forced to confront things he’d rather leave in the past. Each person in their own pivotal moment of time share a space in a costal New England town rental. I’m not sure who healed harder, me or him 😭🖤
March 18, 2026
I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley.
Hm.
Mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, I really loved the writing. Harlowe is a really compelling main character going through very relatable things even with all the magic involved. I devoured this book, it was so easy to get through. As someone who very briefly lived in Boston and also escaped to Cape Cod, I was transported back to that area with the way Underhill writes this book. Picking it up each day felt a lot like cuddling into a favorite, familiar blanket.
But even with the relatively small page count, this book drags hard. Harlowe has very little introspection about the very weird circumstances he finds himself in, doesn't really try many things to get out of it, and frankly seems naive at best or dumb at worst most of the time. It takes him way longer than the reader to catch on to things, including basic relationships between the characters he's meeting. I found myself scoffing when he comes to realizations I'd figured out a hundred pages beforehand. Rather than feeling like a carefully constructed character arc, it felt like the author was purposefully punting Harlowe's growth for pages and pages in order to make this book longer. And for such a short book, it should NOT feel that way.
I liked the found family aspect of it all, I'm a sucker for that. But there are also too many characters and too many names to keep track of. Nobody except Harlowe really gets their due because they're sharing page time with a dozen other people. I was often left wondering why we were given two characters in some circumstances when one would have been fine.
I didn't have a BAD time reading this, as I said. But it feels like Underhill had an idea that would have, frankly, made a better novella with half the characters. Its length felt artificially bloated by making Harlowe obtuse, blocked from growth by the author. When you're given a mystery like what's going on in this novel, you expect a steady release of information. But the story remains stagnant for pages and pages before wolloping you with exposition and explanation at the very end.
I might still read from Underhill in the future, because again the writing on a craft level was great. But he's gotta work on his structure & pacing, because they were awful here.
Hm.
Mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, I really loved the writing. Harlowe is a really compelling main character going through very relatable things even with all the magic involved. I devoured this book, it was so easy to get through. As someone who very briefly lived in Boston and also escaped to Cape Cod, I was transported back to that area with the way Underhill writes this book. Picking it up each day felt a lot like cuddling into a favorite, familiar blanket.
But even with the relatively small page count, this book drags hard. Harlowe has very little introspection about the very weird circumstances he finds himself in, doesn't really try many things to get out of it, and frankly seems naive at best or dumb at worst most of the time. It takes him way longer than the reader to catch on to things, including basic relationships between the characters he's meeting. I found myself scoffing when he comes to realizations I'd figured out a hundred pages beforehand. Rather than feeling like a carefully constructed character arc, it felt like the author was purposefully punting Harlowe's growth for pages and pages in order to make this book longer. And for such a short book, it should NOT feel that way.
I liked the found family aspect of it all, I'm a sucker for that. But there are also too many characters and too many names to keep track of. Nobody except Harlowe really gets their due because they're sharing page time with a dozen other people. I was often left wondering why we were given two characters in some circumstances when one would have been fine.
I didn't have a BAD time reading this, as I said. But it feels like Underhill had an idea that would have, frankly, made a better novella with half the characters. Its length felt artificially bloated by making Harlowe obtuse, blocked from growth by the author. When you're given a mystery like what's going on in this novel, you expect a steady release of information. But the story remains stagnant for pages and pages before wolloping you with exposition and explanation at the very end.
I might still read from Underhill in the future, because again the writing on a craft level was great. But he's gotta work on his structure & pacing, because they were awful here.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
Underhill always delivers! This time, we get a sweet story about a trans man who just broke up with his boyfriend and decides to move to the Cape for the summer to get a little distance. But he's surprised when the cottage he's renting has a few visitors that only he can see, namely his father, his ex, and his thesis advisor. What do they want and how can he make them go away? The House of Now and Then is another hit by Edward Underhill and I, for one, hope he keeps on writing!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I think I would rate this somewhere around 3.5⭐️.. maybe 4⭐️ IF you knew what you were getting (or not getting).
This book felt like hopeful melancholy. It felt like looking at your past and only being able to see the decisions or accidents that brought you to your current life and wondering if you did it on purpose. It felt like reflecting on what you thought your life would be.. or what you hope it can still be.
I think most people have had summers like this one, maybe without the unwanted guests, but with the need to decide what you want your life to be. And probably you’ll have these moments over and over in life. Little check ins with yourself to make sure you’re living life the way you mean to. This book was a really interesting way of putting a physical body to the things we often think about internally. Forcing those conversations you ruminate on with different people from your past out into the open. I sometimes wished for a little more in these conversations or explanations but I think the goal was to show how we constantly avoid what can be obvious and even simple conversations.. and how the avoidance is what actually keeps us trapped. As a ruminator with anxiety, this piece of the story really resonated with me.
Now, as a romance reader, I have to say the romance was very… high level. I don’t really think I would categorize this as a romance actually. There is romance in the book, but it didn’t deliver on the deep connection and long conversations I’ve come to really invest in with my preferences. I think we’re expected to just understand that they like each other and be okay with having very little detail as to why. I don’t know what they liked about each other. I don’t know really why the connection was important.. I really missed finding the little romantic pieces along the way. I didn’t feel like there was anything really to find? This is fade quickly to black.. so the intimacy is lost in that way. They both work through hard things but I feel that happens parallel to one another, not something they work through together. With single POV we don’t get much from the other romantic character and again.. no actual romance. No declarations. No breakthrough conversations, and we don’t see what I felt would have been an important conversation between the two MCs on page. I felt… a little bit like Harlowe was falling into the exact same pattern he was supposed to be learning a lesson about. That someone was there and showing interest so he just went with it. I would have loved more detail on why these two actually liked one another. And even a little bit worse.. Harlowe constantly talked about his ex and Nathan was super hot and cold, never truly opening up. I just didn’t really buy the romance.
So, my takeaway for this one is, if you’re looking for one of those books that will make you ache a little and also make you feel like reflecting on your life and your hopes for the future, this is a great choice. I recommend. If you’re looking for a summer romance that will make you feel butterflies… I would try something else. Still a really interesting and fun concept and a quick read. I zoomed through it.
Thank you so much to Edward Underhill and Harper Collins for the eARC of this one! So creative, so hopeful!
This book felt like hopeful melancholy. It felt like looking at your past and only being able to see the decisions or accidents that brought you to your current life and wondering if you did it on purpose. It felt like reflecting on what you thought your life would be.. or what you hope it can still be.
I think most people have had summers like this one, maybe without the unwanted guests, but with the need to decide what you want your life to be. And probably you’ll have these moments over and over in life. Little check ins with yourself to make sure you’re living life the way you mean to. This book was a really interesting way of putting a physical body to the things we often think about internally. Forcing those conversations you ruminate on with different people from your past out into the open. I sometimes wished for a little more in these conversations or explanations but I think the goal was to show how we constantly avoid what can be obvious and even simple conversations.. and how the avoidance is what actually keeps us trapped. As a ruminator with anxiety, this piece of the story really resonated with me.
Now, as a romance reader, I have to say the romance was very… high level. I don’t really think I would categorize this as a romance actually. There is romance in the book, but it didn’t deliver on the deep connection and long conversations I’ve come to really invest in with my preferences. I think we’re expected to just understand that they like each other and be okay with having very little detail as to why. I don’t know what they liked about each other. I don’t know really why the connection was important.. I really missed finding the little romantic pieces along the way. I didn’t feel like there was anything really to find? This is fade quickly to black.. so the intimacy is lost in that way. They both work through hard things but I feel that happens parallel to one another, not something they work through together. With single POV we don’t get much from the other romantic character and again.. no actual romance. No declarations. No breakthrough conversations, and we don’t see what I felt would have been an important conversation between the two MCs on page. I felt… a little bit like Harlowe was falling into the exact same pattern he was supposed to be learning a lesson about. That someone was there and showing interest so he just went with it. I would have loved more detail on why these two actually liked one another. And even a little bit worse.. Harlowe constantly talked about his ex and Nathan was super hot and cold, never truly opening up. I just didn’t really buy the romance.
So, my takeaway for this one is, if you’re looking for one of those books that will make you ache a little and also make you feel like reflecting on your life and your hopes for the future, this is a great choice. I recommend. If you’re looking for a summer romance that will make you feel butterflies… I would try something else. Still a really interesting and fun concept and a quick read. I zoomed through it.
Thank you so much to Edward Underhill and Harper Collins for the eARC of this one! So creative, so hopeful!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
All I knew going into this was that it was queer, with a trans main character, and that there was a magical summer cottage... And frankly that's all I needed to know! 🥰 So other than that I went in fairly blind, and I ended up starting and finishing this all in one day. At a little under 300 pages, with writing that really transported me to the coast of Cape Cod, it was a breeze to get through. The magical elements of the house added quite the mystery element and I just couldn't put this down until I reached the end. Never did I think this little book was going to have me balling my little eye balls out, but good on Edward for pulling that out of me 😭
🏖️ Magical Cape Cod Cottage
🩵 Slow-Burn Queer Romance
🏖️ Trans MC
🩵 Unexpected Reunions
🏖️ A House That Knows What You're Avoiding
This story is set on the coast of Cape Cop, in a beach cottage that is filled with ghosts of Harlowe (our MC's) past including his dad, his old professor, and his ex-boyfriend that he just broke up with... talk about awkward 😬.
I didn't know how I felt about this one until I got to the last bit and everything started coming together. Frankly, Harlowe's storyline with his dad, boyfriend, and professor did not tug at my heart strings nearly as much as the side characters connection to the house. It was like one little revelation after another at the end that turned me into a weepy little mess and then the book ended and I desperately wanted more time. Which for a story like this dealing with moving on, it was a rather fitting way to leave the reader feeling at the end. We always wish we could have more time, say more things, change how things went in the past but sometimes you need to just move on.
I do think the story would have been slightly more compelling if one of the people Harlowe was seeing was someone who had actually died. Not saying I wish his dad was dead! 🫣... but at the same time it would have upped the stakes. Since all three of the people Harlowe was seeing he could in one way or another reach out to still in the real world, it didn't have the emotional tug for me like other parts of the story did in the end.
The romance subplot was obviously a bonus for me in this story. The love interest (who I won't name because I feel like it may be a spoiler), was such an intriguing and shining star in this. How their back story ended up weaving with Harlowe's in the end was where the story really shined for me. I would have loved though a little more of the romance, especially towards the end. I feel like we didn't get enough time with Harlowe and the love interest, but again that may just me being greedy!
Overall though this story was a lovely change of pace for me. It tugged at my heart, and left me desperately wanted to go to the coast of Cape Cod to find myself much like Harlowe did. My first book by Edward Underhill, and I look forward to diving into some of his previous works in the future 🤍
P.S. if you want to cry your eyes out even further, right after you finish this book go listen to Noah Kahan's song End of August (and the whole album honestly). It is so coded to this book I was actually losing my mind!! 😭
**Thank you to Avon and NetGalley for the ARC of this in exchange for my honest review 🫶🏼
🏖️ Magical Cape Cod Cottage
🩵 Slow-Burn Queer Romance
🏖️ Trans MC
🩵 Unexpected Reunions
🏖️ A House That Knows What You're Avoiding
This story is set on the coast of Cape Cop, in a beach cottage that is filled with ghosts of Harlowe (our MC's) past including his dad, his old professor, and his ex-boyfriend that he just broke up with... talk about awkward 😬.
I didn't know how I felt about this one until I got to the last bit and everything started coming together. Frankly, Harlowe's storyline with his dad, boyfriend, and professor did not tug at my heart strings nearly as much as the side characters connection to the house. It was like one little revelation after another at the end that turned me into a weepy little mess and then the book ended and I desperately wanted more time. Which for a story like this dealing with moving on, it was a rather fitting way to leave the reader feeling at the end. We always wish we could have more time, say more things, change how things went in the past but sometimes you need to just move on.
I do think the story would have been slightly more compelling if one of the people Harlowe was seeing was someone who had actually died. Not saying I wish his dad was dead! 🫣... but at the same time it would have upped the stakes. Since all three of the people Harlowe was seeing he could in one way or another reach out to still in the real world, it didn't have the emotional tug for me like other parts of the story did in the end.
The romance subplot was obviously a bonus for me in this story. The love interest (who I won't name because I feel like it may be a spoiler), was such an intriguing and shining star in this. How their back story ended up weaving with Harlowe's in the end was where the story really shined for me. I would have loved though a little more of the romance, especially towards the end. I feel like we didn't get enough time with Harlowe and the love interest, but again that may just me being greedy!
Overall though this story was a lovely change of pace for me. It tugged at my heart, and left me desperately wanted to go to the coast of Cape Cod to find myself much like Harlowe did. My first book by Edward Underhill, and I look forward to diving into some of his previous works in the future 🤍
P.S. if you want to cry your eyes out even further, right after you finish this book go listen to Noah Kahan's song End of August (and the whole album honestly). It is so coded to this book I was actually losing my mind!! 😭
**Thank you to Avon and NetGalley for the ARC of this in exchange for my honest review 🫶🏼
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I was able to read this book ahead of its release date thanks to Netgalley.
I would recommend this book to someone looking for small beach town summer vibes and lots of emotion.
I really enjoyed this story. I really connected with Harlowe’s journey with his past and self reflection. If only we all had the opportunity to stay at a magical beach cottage and really work on being honest with ourselves. Harlowe was given the chance to confront the conversations in his life that impacted his future and have a chance to be honest this time around.
I loved that Harlowe and all the other main characters were in their 30s or older. There is a level of maturity and life experience that I enjoy reading.
The author was able to write this little beach town in such a way that I could see it and smell it. From the summer vibes in P-Town to the calmer ones seen in the cottage and lake. One of my favorites was probably the drive in. Had me googling nearby drive-ins.
I really liked all the side characters and representation. My favorite kind of book is when being queer or trans isn't the plot. The characters just are.
There were a couple times during this story that I got teary eyed. Harlowe’s confrontations. Nathan’s family past. Even Dana’s last dance hit me in the feels.
There is a romance story line in this book but it is not the main plot. I still very much enjoyed watching Harlowe and Nathan go from new friends to lovers.They aren't perfect people but they are good together. I liked that Harlowe is able to identify the difference between the connection he felt with Nathan and the connection he believed he had with his ex and go for it. Even though he was still recovering from that ended relationship he didn't let it haunt his present relationship. Harlowe’s and Nathan’s ending just felt right.
There are so many questions around the magic of the cottage and I liked that they don't get answered because you know what, sometimes magic is just magic.
The way the story ends has me wishing there were more books to this series because I wasn't 100% ready to leave Provincetown or Harlowe and Nathan. If there were standalone books that came from this one, I would definitely give them a read.
Overall, I knew it was going to be emotional going in and it was. I was not expecting to meet so many characters that I wanted to get to know better. I look forward to reading more from this author.
I would recommend this book to someone looking for small beach town summer vibes and lots of emotion.
I really enjoyed this story. I really connected with Harlowe’s journey with his past and self reflection. If only we all had the opportunity to stay at a magical beach cottage and really work on being honest with ourselves. Harlowe was given the chance to confront the conversations in his life that impacted his future and have a chance to be honest this time around.
I loved that Harlowe and all the other main characters were in their 30s or older. There is a level of maturity and life experience that I enjoy reading.
The author was able to write this little beach town in such a way that I could see it and smell it. From the summer vibes in P-Town to the calmer ones seen in the cottage and lake. One of my favorites was probably the drive in. Had me googling nearby drive-ins.
I really liked all the side characters and representation. My favorite kind of book is when being queer or trans isn't the plot. The characters just are.
There were a couple times during this story that I got teary eyed. Harlowe’s confrontations. Nathan’s family past. Even Dana’s last dance hit me in the feels.
There is a romance story line in this book but it is not the main plot. I still very much enjoyed watching Harlowe and Nathan go from new friends to lovers.They aren't perfect people but they are good together. I liked that Harlowe is able to identify the difference between the connection he felt with Nathan and the connection he believed he had with his ex and go for it. Even though he was still recovering from that ended relationship he didn't let it haunt his present relationship. Harlowe’s and Nathan’s ending just felt right.
There are so many questions around the magic of the cottage and I liked that they don't get answered because you know what, sometimes magic is just magic.
The way the story ends has me wishing there were more books to this series because I wasn't 100% ready to leave Provincetown or Harlowe and Nathan. If there were standalone books that came from this one, I would definitely give them a read.
Overall, I knew it was going to be emotional going in and it was. I was not expecting to meet so many characters that I wanted to get to know better. I look forward to reading more from this author.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This book had a wonderful melancholy to it. Harlowe was adrift in a way I found relatable. He was dissatisfied in a way that came down not just to the relationships that didn’t fulfill him or the haphazard career path he’d been on since getting his PhD, but a deeper sense of being lost and disconnected from his life path. Life for him often seemed to be something that happened to him, rather than something he was building. His break-up with his long-term boyfriend started him down the road of realizing that he needed a change and something of his own in his life. Then the cottage forced him to confront moments of indecision and times he let things lie to his detriment, and let go of the things he was dwelling on from his past. It was easy to feel for Harlowe, even when I wished he would take action. The setting and characters of P-town were also charming. They weren’t fleshed out significantly, but they were fun and enjoyable.
My one issue was that, in some ways, Harlowe’s relationship with Nathan and felt like a continuation of his tendency to go along with whatever was laid in front of him instead of making his own choices. He went along with the half-hearted way his father tried to maintain their relationship, instead of telling him that it wasn’t enough. He moved in with his ex and kept up their relationship even as it became increasingly distant because that’s what his ex wanted. He aspired to academia because that’s what he was supposed to want, then gave up on it for an IT job because it was right in front of him. Then Nathan fell for him, and he took the relationship even when neither of them was really being open or able to support each other in the way Harlowe seemed to want.
My one issue was that, in some ways, Harlowe’s relationship with Nathan and felt like a continuation of his tendency to go along with whatever was laid in front of him instead of making his own choices. He went along with the half-hearted way his father tried to maintain their relationship, instead of telling him that it wasn’t enough. He moved in with his ex and kept up their relationship even as it became increasingly distant because that’s what his ex wanted. He aspired to academia because that’s what he was supposed to want, then gave up on it for an IT job because it was right in front of him. Then Nathan fell for him, and he took the relationship even when neither of them was really being open or able to support each other in the way Harlowe seemed to want.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4 / 5 Stars
This was a really lovely read. It is set in a small town (in Cape Cod, which I love as a Massachusetts resident) and has a touch of magical realism, romance, and rediscovering yourself. Harlowe just went through a breakup with his boyfriend of seven years, has been in a job he doesn’t love after not being able to find a career in academia, and doesn’t have the best relationship with his father who keeps calling him about a visit. So he decides to move to the Cape for the summer (and work remotely) to try to figure things out. He is alarmed to find his thesis advisor in the living room, his father in the kitchen, and his ex in the bathroom. And they won’t go away. The house is telling him something but it is up to Harlowe to figure out what. Add in an unexpected connection with his landlord’s nephew and you get a really great read.
You will probably like this book if you like:
💛 Small town romance
🧡 Magical realism with a magical house
💛 Queer romance with a trans man MMC
🧡 Found family
💛 Healing and rediscovering yourself
The prose was really easy to read and charming. It really felt like it flowed over you like water which was a lovely feeling considering it is set in a beach town. It is also not a very long read so I easily read it in a day. It did take a second for me to get fully invested, but once I was, I was hard to put the book down.
I love magical realism and this one did it super well. Harlowe rightly freaks out for a little bit and then you get to see him interact with his unwelcomed guests in different ways: ignoring them, trying logic with them, arguing, having a discussion, etc. And the rules of the house were both mysterious and made sense which I loved.
The romance was a nice addition though, full disclosure, it feels like a happy for now instead of a happily ever after relationship. Nathan and Harlowe and a fun slow burn and this is a fade to black/not explicit spice book. I also really enjoyed the found family and even though there were a lot of characters, it was easy to follow which is honestly no small feat.
Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for providing this eARC! All opinions are my own.
Publication Date: May 19, 2026
ೀ ⋆ Follow me on Instagram @book.recs.by.lina for book recommendations and general fun times ⋆ ೀ ⋆
This was a really lovely read. It is set in a small town (in Cape Cod, which I love as a Massachusetts resident) and has a touch of magical realism, romance, and rediscovering yourself. Harlowe just went through a breakup with his boyfriend of seven years, has been in a job he doesn’t love after not being able to find a career in academia, and doesn’t have the best relationship with his father who keeps calling him about a visit. So he decides to move to the Cape for the summer (and work remotely) to try to figure things out. He is alarmed to find his thesis advisor in the living room, his father in the kitchen, and his ex in the bathroom. And they won’t go away. The house is telling him something but it is up to Harlowe to figure out what. Add in an unexpected connection with his landlord’s nephew and you get a really great read.
You will probably like this book if you like:
💛 Small town romance
🧡 Magical realism with a magical house
💛 Queer romance with a trans man MMC
🧡 Found family
💛 Healing and rediscovering yourself
The prose was really easy to read and charming. It really felt like it flowed over you like water which was a lovely feeling considering it is set in a beach town. It is also not a very long read so I easily read it in a day. It did take a second for me to get fully invested, but once I was, I was hard to put the book down.
I love magical realism and this one did it super well. Harlowe rightly freaks out for a little bit and then you get to see him interact with his unwelcomed guests in different ways: ignoring them, trying logic with them, arguing, having a discussion, etc. And the rules of the house were both mysterious and made sense which I loved.
The romance was a nice addition though, full disclosure, it feels like a happy for now instead of a happily ever after relationship. Nathan and Harlowe and a fun slow burn and this is a fade to black/not explicit spice book. I also really enjoyed the found family and even though there were a lot of characters, it was easy to follow which is honestly no small feat.
Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for providing this eARC! All opinions are my own.
Publication Date: May 19, 2026
ೀ ⋆ Follow me on Instagram @book.recs.by.lina for book recommendations and general fun times ⋆ ೀ ⋆
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
For the magical realism genre lovers (Before the Coffee Gets Cold; Remarkably Bright Creatures), The House of Now and Then makes for a cozy, super positively queer read that will hold you by the hand and explore grief beyond only death and how to move forward to closure.
After breaking up with his long-term boyfriend and ending up in a different place in life from where he thought he would be, Harlowe could use a break. So he leaves everything behind for a seaside cottage in Cape Cod and very quickly learns that the universe will find a way, magic or not, to teach you that you can't outrun a past you didn't have closure on.
The writing here was beautiful, you just walked side by side with it. The prose made it flow naturally, like when a great storyteller is presenting to you all the facts that make up a good story and this was one exactly that. A small seaside town romance, found family and a little bit of bittersweet healing to top it off made this book the perfect summer, weekend read.
I was delighted to find out we have a trans main character in this book! Regularly we already need more of our trans siblings under the spotlight telling us all kinds of stories but now we need them even more as we unfortunately live through these violent and uncertain times.
As queer woman myself, while I find important stories that tell our own tales of struggle and resistance against homophobia and prejudice in general, I particularly love books where queerness is simply another side of our identity. I am all for queernormative and The House of Now and Then, chooses and executes that choice with delicate flair when presenting Harlowe as trans to the reader.
There's always that risk when we find a shorter book; sometimes something is missing, and we feel its absence immediately but not here. Edward Underhill did a great job finishing all the loose ends that needed finishing. For now, Harlowe and Nathan are happy, we don't know about tomorrow and we don't have to. Let us do as they did and live in the present, doing what we want and being who we are.
Pain and grief are part of the human existence, but so are love and healing and even if we found ourselves a little lost like Harlowe, let his story remind you that there's always a way.
Thank you to NetGalley, and the publisher for providing me with an eARC.
After breaking up with his long-term boyfriend and ending up in a different place in life from where he thought he would be, Harlowe could use a break. So he leaves everything behind for a seaside cottage in Cape Cod and very quickly learns that the universe will find a way, magic or not, to teach you that you can't outrun a past you didn't have closure on.
The writing here was beautiful, you just walked side by side with it. The prose made it flow naturally, like when a great storyteller is presenting to you all the facts that make up a good story and this was one exactly that. A small seaside town romance, found family and a little bit of bittersweet healing to top it off made this book the perfect summer, weekend read.
I was delighted to find out we have a trans main character in this book! Regularly we already need more of our trans siblings under the spotlight telling us all kinds of stories but now we need them even more as we unfortunately live through these violent and uncertain times.
As queer woman myself, while I find important stories that tell our own tales of struggle and resistance against homophobia and prejudice in general, I particularly love books where queerness is simply another side of our identity. I am all for queernormative and The House of Now and Then, chooses and executes that choice with delicate flair when presenting Harlowe as trans to the reader.
There's always that risk when we find a shorter book; sometimes something is missing, and we feel its absence immediately but not here. Edward Underhill did a great job finishing all the loose ends that needed finishing. For now, Harlowe and Nathan are happy, we don't know about tomorrow and we don't have to. Let us do as they did and live in the present, doing what we want and being who we are.
Pain and grief are part of the human existence, but so are love and healing and even if we found ourselves a little lost like Harlowe, let his story remind you that there's always a way.
Thank you to NetGalley, and the publisher for providing me with an eARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
5 ⭐️
Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC! All opinions are my own.
Harlowe is looking for an escape. His career in academia didn’t turn out like he’d hope, and now he’s reeling after a breakup with his long-term boyfriend, Jackson. A summer on Cape Cod in a cozy little cabin feels like the perfect chance to get away. But once he’s alone in the cabin, he realizes he’s actually not: his dad, his professor, Jackson, and a repairman named Nathan - all strangely stuck in the past - have made a home there, too. As Harlowe grows antsy and annoyed with these uninvited guests, can he face what the cottage is trying to show him - and maybe help others face their past along the way?
Y’all. Y’ALL. You know when you find that perfect book that settles into your chest and makes a home there? This is that book for me. There is honestly nothing I love more than magical realism, and this story had the perfect blend of vulnerable, real characters and the little touches of enchantment that made me yearn for a chance to revisit my past. I so desperately want to be in an east coast beach town in the summer, finding love and family and myself!!!
I felt so deeply connected to Harlowe, and I loved the little glimpses we saw into his past in the cottage. I think it’s so easy to try to let go of the past and to ruminate on what we might have done differently. If I was given the chance to revisit these moments like Harlowe did and be surrounded my painful memories against my will, I don’t know how I’d react. But it was wonderful (and heartbreaking) to see him come face to face with his past and be able to settle into a new life post-breakup and beyond his failed dreams in academics.
And the found family! I loved the little queer crew he found on the Cape, how they honored those that went before them, and how welcoming they were to Harlowe. He touched on how it feels coming out as trans to new people, but Dina and her friends welcomed him so warmly with open arms. To be loved is to be seen, and it felt like he was finally being seen as a person beyond his relationship with Jackson. I loved Harlowe’s relationship with Nathan, and I don’t want to spoil anything, but Nathan’s story had me a blubbering mess by the end.
Please please PLEASE read this wonderful book when it comes out May 19!
Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC! All opinions are my own.
Harlowe is looking for an escape. His career in academia didn’t turn out like he’d hope, and now he’s reeling after a breakup with his long-term boyfriend, Jackson. A summer on Cape Cod in a cozy little cabin feels like the perfect chance to get away. But once he’s alone in the cabin, he realizes he’s actually not: his dad, his professor, Jackson, and a repairman named Nathan - all strangely stuck in the past - have made a home there, too. As Harlowe grows antsy and annoyed with these uninvited guests, can he face what the cottage is trying to show him - and maybe help others face their past along the way?
Y’all. Y’ALL. You know when you find that perfect book that settles into your chest and makes a home there? This is that book for me. There is honestly nothing I love more than magical realism, and this story had the perfect blend of vulnerable, real characters and the little touches of enchantment that made me yearn for a chance to revisit my past. I so desperately want to be in an east coast beach town in the summer, finding love and family and myself!!!
I felt so deeply connected to Harlowe, and I loved the little glimpses we saw into his past in the cottage. I think it’s so easy to try to let go of the past and to ruminate on what we might have done differently. If I was given the chance to revisit these moments like Harlowe did and be surrounded my painful memories against my will, I don’t know how I’d react. But it was wonderful (and heartbreaking) to see him come face to face with his past and be able to settle into a new life post-breakup and beyond his failed dreams in academics.
And the found family! I loved the little queer crew he found on the Cape, how they honored those that went before them, and how welcoming they were to Harlowe. He touched on how it feels coming out as trans to new people, but Dina and her friends welcomed him so warmly with open arms. To be loved is to be seen, and it felt like he was finally being seen as a person beyond his relationship with Jackson. I loved Harlowe’s relationship with Nathan, and I don’t want to spoil anything, but Nathan’s story had me a blubbering mess by the end.
Please please PLEASE read this wonderful book when it comes out May 19!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Rating 3.5/5 (rounded up to 4)
It took me a while to warm up to Harlowe. For much of the book I felt that he was avoiding people in his life because he just wanted to move on with his life without thinking too much about whether or not the events leading up to him leaving Boston were his fault. The way that every day seemed to repeat for him when it came to his father, Jackson, and his professor were a bit too repetitive and it took a little way too long for him to realize why those three people were at the house with him. Every time he said "I don't know" or "I don't want to talk about it", I wanted to just yell at him and be like, "Yes you do!!! You just don't want to be honest with yourself!" While I did appreciate him finally coming to terms with the house and facing the reasons why those people were there in the first place, I just felt that it was too little too late for me to be happy for him.
When it comes to Nathan, I felt that there was so much more to his character than what was on page. I just felt that the way he seemed to avoid things was similar to what Harlowe was doing. Despite this, when it was Nathan and Harlowe together, they seemed so normal despite their internal struggles. I do think that in some ways Harlowe brought some sense of normalcy to Nathan after having lost his family, but there was still so much that I felt he was missing in his life.
While the pacing of this book was a bit slow for me and some scenes were repetitive, I did like how everything came together in the end. The romance is very slow burn between Nathan and Harlowe and I would consider the romance to be a subplot to the greater story, which is Harlowe finally being honest with the people in his life instead of avoiding them. I also appreciated that the characters in this book were in their early 30s.
Overall, the book took a bit of getting used to, but I was happy with the end result. I do appreciate the trans representation in this book and I do recommend this book to readers who are looking for more trans and LGBTIA+ representation in what they read.
Thank you Avon and Harper's Voyager for the review copy. All opinions are my own.
It took me a while to warm up to Harlowe. For much of the book I felt that he was avoiding people in his life because he just wanted to move on with his life without thinking too much about whether or not the events leading up to him leaving Boston were his fault. The way that every day seemed to repeat for him when it came to his father, Jackson, and his professor were a bit too repetitive and it took a little way too long for him to realize why those three people were at the house with him. Every time he said "I don't know" or "I don't want to talk about it", I wanted to just yell at him and be like, "Yes you do!!! You just don't want to be honest with yourself!" While I did appreciate him finally coming to terms with the house and facing the reasons why those people were there in the first place, I just felt that it was too little too late for me to be happy for him.
When it comes to Nathan, I felt that there was so much more to his character than what was on page. I just felt that the way he seemed to avoid things was similar to what Harlowe was doing. Despite this, when it was Nathan and Harlowe together, they seemed so normal despite their internal struggles. I do think that in some ways Harlowe brought some sense of normalcy to Nathan after having lost his family, but there was still so much that I felt he was missing in his life.
While the pacing of this book was a bit slow for me and some scenes were repetitive, I did like how everything came together in the end. The romance is very slow burn between Nathan and Harlowe and I would consider the romance to be a subplot to the greater story, which is Harlowe finally being honest with the people in his life instead of avoiding them. I also appreciated that the characters in this book were in their early 30s.
Overall, the book took a bit of getting used to, but I was happy with the end result. I do appreciate the trans representation in this book and I do recommend this book to readers who are looking for more trans and LGBTIA+ representation in what they read.
Thank you Avon and Harper's Voyager for the review copy. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
"The House of Now and Then asks who you would find, if all your unfinished business was just behind one door."
I don't want to describe a story that takes place in summer as cozy, but this one hits all the same feelings as a "curl up by the fireplace in the dead of winter" book. It's nostalgic, wistful, and dreamy, just like your best summer memories. I could feel all the sensations, relate to that elusive "Summer" feeling. Spending days swimming and laying around a pond. Lounging in the bed of a truck at the drive in, nearly sitting in your crush's lap. Meeting interesting neighbors, random summer rain showers, cold brew coffee, wanting it to never end but feeling the impending autumn. Like an seasonal Sunday Scaries.
Harlowe, our protag, is the kind of guy that would be annoying if he weren't so sweet. I found myself mentally shouting "use your words!" many times, particularly during scenes where he could have spoken his truth and chose not to. But we've all been there, dropping an argument with someone simply because you don't have the energy. This makes him violently relatable, resonating with anyone who's been involved in a romantic relationship in your 30s.
Speaking of romance, it's there but isn't the focus and leaves most intimate conversations feeling unfinished. Am I looking for sex scenes so spicy they make me blush when I'm reading in the Pilates studio waiting for class to start? No, that would be exceptionally out of place. But I did find myself thinking of Harlowe's romantic escapade as juvenile and more like a crush. It's lacking the closeness I would expect from two thirty-somethings on the brink of crashing out. This is another instance of me mentally screaming at Harlowe. "Just stay there! Just tell him you love him!" I understand it starts as a summer fling; however, it quickly becomes obvious it's much more than that. Which makes the way the summer winds down frustrating to read.
Overall, an atmospheric read that left me wanting more. I'll be checking out Edward's catalogue to find it.
I don't want to describe a story that takes place in summer as cozy, but this one hits all the same feelings as a "curl up by the fireplace in the dead of winter" book. It's nostalgic, wistful, and dreamy, just like your best summer memories. I could feel all the sensations, relate to that elusive "Summer" feeling. Spending days swimming and laying around a pond. Lounging in the bed of a truck at the drive in, nearly sitting in your crush's lap. Meeting interesting neighbors, random summer rain showers, cold brew coffee, wanting it to never end but feeling the impending autumn. Like an seasonal Sunday Scaries.
Harlowe, our protag, is the kind of guy that would be annoying if he weren't so sweet. I found myself mentally shouting "use your words!" many times, particularly during scenes where he could have spoken his truth and chose not to. But we've all been there, dropping an argument with someone simply because you don't have the energy. This makes him violently relatable, resonating with anyone who's been involved in a romantic relationship in your 30s.
Speaking of romance, it's there but isn't the focus and leaves most intimate conversations feeling unfinished. Am I looking for sex scenes so spicy they make me blush when I'm reading in the Pilates studio waiting for class to start? No, that would be exceptionally out of place. But I did find myself thinking of Harlowe's romantic escapade as juvenile and more like a crush. It's lacking the closeness I would expect from two thirty-somethings on the brink of crashing out. This is another instance of me mentally screaming at Harlowe. "Just stay there! Just tell him you love him!" I understand it starts as a summer fling; however, it quickly becomes obvious it's much more than that. Which makes the way the summer winds down frustrating to read.
Overall, an atmospheric read that left me wanting more. I'll be checking out Edward's catalogue to find it.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Thank you so much to Avon for the gifted ARC!
Main Content Warning: Parent death in the past but important part of the story.
💛Cozy beach cottage
💛Trans & Queer Rep
💛Time slip
💛Magical Realism
💛Queer found family
💛Cape Cod Summer/Provincetown
💛Slow Burn
"A Trans man rents a cottage on Cape Cod for the summer after a painful breakup, only to discover the cottage holds an extraordinary secret: someone from his past is behind each door, reliving a moment from their shared history together on loop..."
✨️That's the most basic synopsis I think, without giving away anything else. I loved this book SO much! It has all the small beach town vibes and would be a perfect summer read, just be prepared to cry. You'll feel like you've had a therapy session when you are finished with the book. Maybe it will even help you out. The MC, Harlowe, I think many will find him super relatable and also maybe want to yell at him a few times!
The time slip element was so interesting and I enjoyed the mystery and seeing Harlowe (finally) figure everything out. I found it really refreshing.
I loved every single character in this book, the elder queers and their kickball teams & their parties, Harlowe's friends! What a delightful group!
The setting of the Cape & Provincetown was so great. Vibrant descriptions of the town and shops and sounds like a place i'd love to visit! My heart ached a bit when the story was coming to an end. I could've read even more about the town and Harlowe's new friend group.
Not going to spoil who the love interest is but damn did I want to give that sweet man a hug. I loved seeing Harlowe & him spending time together over the summer and watching their relationship grow. They needed each other.
This is a short book and a very easy read. I enjoyed the sort of happy for now ending. I think it worked better for Harlowe.
The House Of Now And Then is about figuring out what you really want & not just settling or giving up. About confronting your past, healing and moving on. It's beautiful and super queer and I genuinely adored it. ✨️
Main Content Warning: Parent death in the past but important part of the story.
💛Cozy beach cottage
💛Trans & Queer Rep
💛Time slip
💛Magical Realism
💛Queer found family
💛Cape Cod Summer/Provincetown
💛Slow Burn
"A Trans man rents a cottage on Cape Cod for the summer after a painful breakup, only to discover the cottage holds an extraordinary secret: someone from his past is behind each door, reliving a moment from their shared history together on loop..."
✨️That's the most basic synopsis I think, without giving away anything else. I loved this book SO much! It has all the small beach town vibes and would be a perfect summer read, just be prepared to cry. You'll feel like you've had a therapy session when you are finished with the book. Maybe it will even help you out. The MC, Harlowe, I think many will find him super relatable and also maybe want to yell at him a few times!
The time slip element was so interesting and I enjoyed the mystery and seeing Harlowe (finally) figure everything out. I found it really refreshing.
I loved every single character in this book, the elder queers and their kickball teams & their parties, Harlowe's friends! What a delightful group!
The setting of the Cape & Provincetown was so great. Vibrant descriptions of the town and shops and sounds like a place i'd love to visit! My heart ached a bit when the story was coming to an end. I could've read even more about the town and Harlowe's new friend group.
Not going to spoil who the love interest is but damn did I want to give that sweet man a hug. I loved seeing Harlowe & him spending time together over the summer and watching their relationship grow. They needed each other.
This is a short book and a very easy read. I enjoyed the sort of happy for now ending. I think it worked better for Harlowe.
The House Of Now And Then is about figuring out what you really want & not just settling or giving up. About confronting your past, healing and moving on. It's beautiful and super queer and I genuinely adored it. ✨️
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you Avon for the #gifted copy in exchange for an honest review! #EpicTastemaker
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
Harlowe and his boyfriend just broke up, so to escape the summer and relationship heat in Boston, he rents out a small cottage on Cape Cod. It’s suspiciously cheap, and Harlowe finds out why: his discouraging old academic advisor is in the kitchen, his dad is making coffee in the kitchen, and his ex is hogging the bathroom. None of them will leave, but worse than that: no one else can see them. He thinks he should bring it up with the landlady, but doesn’t want to seem out of his mind. Harlowe begins to fall for the landlady’s nephew, Nathan, who carries his own secrets from the past. Will Harlowe listen to his past, or or keep running toward a new future?
This book is everything I want in a summer read: the vibes of Fourth of July on Cape Cod, centering queer narratives, and a touch of magical realism. This book centers a trans character and several other queer voices; even though a major theme is unpacking the past, never once does Harlowe’s past (or anyone else’s, for that matter) include an exploitative explanatory comma on the trans experience, nor is it trauma p*rn for a cis audience. The pain from Harlowe’s past includes all other aspects of life: career, family, and romantic relationships. It’s a story about confronting the loose ends and loss from the past and embracing the attempt at moving forward. Ptown is the perfect setting for this metaphorical queer escape, and I can’t recommend this book enough for those looking for a literary escape. I can't wait to dive into Edward Underhill's other books!
Reviewed as part of an #ARC from #NetGalley.
Read this book if you:
🪄 loved the magical realism of The Seven Year Slip and want a more queer, equally beautiful, story
☕️ swear by cold brew coffee and clink the ice cubes as you twirl it
🌎 have ever had to explain where your Midwestern home state is
Follow me on Instagram for more book reviews!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
Harlowe and his boyfriend just broke up, so to escape the summer and relationship heat in Boston, he rents out a small cottage on Cape Cod. It’s suspiciously cheap, and Harlowe finds out why: his discouraging old academic advisor is in the kitchen, his dad is making coffee in the kitchen, and his ex is hogging the bathroom. None of them will leave, but worse than that: no one else can see them. He thinks he should bring it up with the landlady, but doesn’t want to seem out of his mind. Harlowe begins to fall for the landlady’s nephew, Nathan, who carries his own secrets from the past. Will Harlowe listen to his past, or or keep running toward a new future?
This book is everything I want in a summer read: the vibes of Fourth of July on Cape Cod, centering queer narratives, and a touch of magical realism. This book centers a trans character and several other queer voices; even though a major theme is unpacking the past, never once does Harlowe’s past (or anyone else’s, for that matter) include an exploitative explanatory comma on the trans experience, nor is it trauma p*rn for a cis audience. The pain from Harlowe’s past includes all other aspects of life: career, family, and romantic relationships. It’s a story about confronting the loose ends and loss from the past and embracing the attempt at moving forward. Ptown is the perfect setting for this metaphorical queer escape, and I can’t recommend this book enough for those looking for a literary escape. I can't wait to dive into Edward Underhill's other books!
Reviewed as part of an #ARC from #NetGalley.
Read this book if you:
🪄 loved the magical realism of The Seven Year Slip and want a more queer, equally beautiful, story
☕️ swear by cold brew coffee and clink the ice cubes as you twirl it
🌎 have ever had to explain where your Midwestern home state is
Follow me on Instagram for more book reviews!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
He just wanted a quiet summer away from everything. The house had other plans.
Would you rent a haunted cottage if the price was right? 🏡
📖 First Line (Can I convince you to read it?) I have never seen Jaws. Not because I have anything against the movie. I just don’t care about sharks. Or boats. Or sharks trying to get on boats .
🧠 Micro Synopsis: Harlowe is running from a failed academic future and a fresh breakup when he rents a suspiciously cheap cottage on the Cape for the summer. The moment he arrives the house starts showing him people who should not be there, including his ex Jackson and his discouraging old professor, and none of them will leave. The house is trying to tell him something and figuring out what it means might be the only way he actually heals.
🔥 Reasons to Read This If You Love…
Magical Realism ✨
Healing Journeys 🌊
Cozy Romance 🏡
As far as magical realism goes this one is genuinely beautiful and I mean that in the quietest most intentional way.
When Harlowe steps into that house he starts seeing things that absolutely should not be there, and you spend most of the book wondering why.
But the real story is not actually about the magic, it is about how Harlowe moves through this huge messy life transition.
He is reeling from a breakup and an academic implosion and just trying to exist somewhere new for a while.
And the house keeps making that harder in the most interesting way.
This story is really about healing, for Harlowe, for his friend Nathan, and even for his landlord Dina in her own quiet way.
I loved every single one of these characters and the way they fit together felt so natural and real.
The handsome repairman who keeps showing up is exactly the kind of slow burn I am always a sucker for.
There is something about the pacing of this book that just feels like a warm summer, unhurried and full.
I genuinely did not want to leave this story when it ended and that says everything.
Do you need the magic explained or are you okay just feeling it? 👀
Would you rent a haunted cottage if the price was right? 🏡
📖 First Line (Can I convince you to read it?) I have never seen Jaws. Not because I have anything against the movie. I just don’t care about sharks. Or boats. Or sharks trying to get on boats .
🧠 Micro Synopsis: Harlowe is running from a failed academic future and a fresh breakup when he rents a suspiciously cheap cottage on the Cape for the summer. The moment he arrives the house starts showing him people who should not be there, including his ex Jackson and his discouraging old professor, and none of them will leave. The house is trying to tell him something and figuring out what it means might be the only way he actually heals.
🔥 Reasons to Read This If You Love…
Magical Realism ✨
Healing Journeys 🌊
Cozy Romance 🏡
As far as magical realism goes this one is genuinely beautiful and I mean that in the quietest most intentional way.
When Harlowe steps into that house he starts seeing things that absolutely should not be there, and you spend most of the book wondering why.
But the real story is not actually about the magic, it is about how Harlowe moves through this huge messy life transition.
He is reeling from a breakup and an academic implosion and just trying to exist somewhere new for a while.
And the house keeps making that harder in the most interesting way.
This story is really about healing, for Harlowe, for his friend Nathan, and even for his landlord Dina in her own quiet way.
I loved every single one of these characters and the way they fit together felt so natural and real.
The handsome repairman who keeps showing up is exactly the kind of slow burn I am always a sucker for.
There is something about the pacing of this book that just feels like a warm summer, unhurried and full.
I genuinely did not want to leave this story when it ended and that says everything.
Do you need the magic explained or are you okay just feeling it? 👀
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
As a big fan of The In-Between Bookstore, I preordered this book as soon as it was announced and am thrilled to get the chance to read it early via NetGalley.
Harlow is spending some time in Cape Cod, although he’s never seen Jaws. A trans man who has just been through a big break up, he needs to get out of Boston and make a great summer. Despite having a phd in history, he has an IT job that pays the bills. There is a vibrant queer community in Provincetown and lots of summer tourism. He pays for a small cottage and doesn’t expect to see several people in his cottage that don’t belong. His professor from 2 years ago, his father, and even his ex. Except, they don’t think they are in the cottage. Harlow’s professor thinks she is in her office, years ago. Harlow’s dad thinks he is in his house and his Ex in their apartment. They keep having the same conversation with Harlow that they had at one point in time.
If you are thinking, “well, Harlow has to change that conversation, and then they’ll go away,” you are on the right track. It’s hard to do a time slip or time loop magical realism story in a new creative way, and this one has an element of being in a magical cottage. It’s interesting as Harlow learns the lessons he needs to learn, it’s about his character arc and not theirs.
Just like in “Bookstore,” there is a compelling love interest, Nathan, and some fun queer besties that act as both comic relief and as a way to build Harlow’s character. What makes this one special is the setting, the cat named Sir Duke, and the magical ending we get for the minor characters as well.
I love Edward Underhill’s writing, but I do think he excels at YA, and the adult books do read like YA only with characters that happen to be in their 30’s. It doesn’t bother me one bit. I think it’s why I love his writing so much. The stories are pretty wholesome.
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC. Book to be published May 18, 2026
Harlow is spending some time in Cape Cod, although he’s never seen Jaws. A trans man who has just been through a big break up, he needs to get out of Boston and make a great summer. Despite having a phd in history, he has an IT job that pays the bills. There is a vibrant queer community in Provincetown and lots of summer tourism. He pays for a small cottage and doesn’t expect to see several people in his cottage that don’t belong. His professor from 2 years ago, his father, and even his ex. Except, they don’t think they are in the cottage. Harlow’s professor thinks she is in her office, years ago. Harlow’s dad thinks he is in his house and his Ex in their apartment. They keep having the same conversation with Harlow that they had at one point in time.
If you are thinking, “well, Harlow has to change that conversation, and then they’ll go away,” you are on the right track. It’s hard to do a time slip or time loop magical realism story in a new creative way, and this one has an element of being in a magical cottage. It’s interesting as Harlow learns the lessons he needs to learn, it’s about his character arc and not theirs.
Just like in “Bookstore,” there is a compelling love interest, Nathan, and some fun queer besties that act as both comic relief and as a way to build Harlow’s character. What makes this one special is the setting, the cat named Sir Duke, and the magical ending we get for the minor characters as well.
I love Edward Underhill’s writing, but I do think he excels at YA, and the adult books do read like YA only with characters that happen to be in their 30’s. It doesn’t bother me one bit. I think it’s why I love his writing so much. The stories are pretty wholesome.
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC. Book to be published May 18, 2026
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was such a cozy novel and I think it'd make a great vacation read! Edward Underhill tackles the need to face up to your past and confront your demons in order to embrace the life you want in the warmest way possible through Harlowe's idyllic rental from hell, haunted by his ex, the father who left him as a teenager, and the academic advisor who torpedoed his confidence in grad school.
This is the first time I read a book by Underhill and I really enjoyed his eye for setting – I have got to stop reading New England coastal novels when I don't have the time or money to take a New England coast holiday because it's torture! – and for the cast of supporting characters that see Harlowe through this journey. Special props have to go to him for Dina and her gang of queer elders on the island, and to Rika and Yasmin, Harlowe's friends back in Boston; they were such a joy every time they were on the page.
My qualm with this one is that I was left a bit underwhelmed by Harlowe's journey and growth arc: I felt like, as a reader, the answers were laid out quite clearly for him to put together and there was no clear reason why he couldn't. It felt like the pace of the book was unfairly weighed down by this, especially regarding his relationship with his dad (the resolution to that in the present timeline felt like a whimper more than a bang, which would have been okay except that this was the relationship Harlowe was struggling with the most for the entire novel). I would have also loved for Harlowe to display a little more agency, especially towards the end of the novel, particularly as this is the main area of growth that the cottage is supposed to be pushing him to.
Still, this was a heartwarming story, Underhill's writing in Harlowe's more introspective moments was both wise and comforting, and I'm always up for a bit of magical realism, so I'm glad to have read it! Thank you to Avon for the eARC.
This is the first time I read a book by Underhill and I really enjoyed his eye for setting – I have got to stop reading New England coastal novels when I don't have the time or money to take a New England coast holiday because it's torture! – and for the cast of supporting characters that see Harlowe through this journey. Special props have to go to him for Dina and her gang of queer elders on the island, and to Rika and Yasmin, Harlowe's friends back in Boston; they were such a joy every time they were on the page.
My qualm with this one is that I was left a bit underwhelmed by Harlowe's journey and growth arc: I felt like, as a reader, the answers were laid out quite clearly for him to put together and there was no clear reason why he couldn't. It felt like the pace of the book was unfairly weighed down by this, especially regarding his relationship with his dad (the resolution to that in the present timeline felt like a whimper more than a bang, which would have been okay except that this was the relationship Harlowe was struggling with the most for the entire novel). I would have also loved for Harlowe to display a little more agency, especially towards the end of the novel, particularly as this is the main area of growth that the cottage is supposed to be pushing him to.
Still, this was a heartwarming story, Underhill's writing in Harlowe's more introspective moments was both wise and comforting, and I'm always up for a bit of magical realism, so I'm glad to have read it! Thank you to Avon for the eARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
'The House of Now and Then' is a sweet, cozy story about figuring out what you want and discovering the strength to move on but lacked some depth/substance.
First, I appreciate any story with queer elders in it, and they were some of the best parts and I wanted more of them interacting with Harlowe.
Harlowe's character was my main problem with the novel because I am more conflict avoidant than most, but Harlowe made me look like a pugilist. And at least I know why I'm conflict avoidant; we do not get the same motivation/background for Harlowe. Without this character motivation, Harlowe just comes across as... well... absolutely clueless and his pondering about why these people are in his house gets repetitive. I found Nathan's character to have more depth and development and that's not what you want from a supporting character.
There were also some references that I found strange (like why wouldn't Dina want Nathan opening a bike shop? I thought it had something to do with Nathan's accident or his parents' passing, but no. This was never explained) or questions that seemed like they were for the benefit of straight readers like Harlowe wondering who/why they were toasting on the Fourth of July (almost all queer elders have lost someone(s) they love, especially during the AIDS epidemic) and you'd think a 30 something trans guy would know his history. Finally Dina's caginess around the house/being directly confronted was not satisfactory--it would have made more sense if she immediately changed the subject/avoided it rather than being like "I can't tell you." I know these things seem small, but they took me out of the narrative.
I also listened to the ALC at 1.25x and enjoyed the narrator who I thought was an especially good fit for Harlowe.
Anyway, this was a quick sweet read, but it didn't do much for me. 3 stars. Many thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC and HarperAudio Adult for the ALC both via NetGalley
First, I appreciate any story with queer elders in it, and they were some of the best parts and I wanted more of them interacting with Harlowe.
Harlowe's character was my main problem with the novel because I am more conflict avoidant than most, but Harlowe made me look like a pugilist. And at least I know why I'm conflict avoidant; we do not get the same motivation/background for Harlowe. Without this character motivation, Harlowe just comes across as... well... absolutely clueless and his pondering about why these people are in his house gets repetitive. I found Nathan's character to have more depth and development and that's not what you want from a supporting character.
There were also some references that I found strange (like why wouldn't Dina want Nathan opening a bike shop? I thought it had something to do with Nathan's accident or his parents' passing, but no. This was never explained) or questions that seemed like they were for the benefit of straight readers like Harlowe wondering who/why they were toasting on the Fourth of July (almost all queer elders have lost someone(s) they love, especially during the AIDS epidemic) and you'd think a 30 something trans guy would know his history. Finally Dina's caginess around the house/being directly confronted was not satisfactory--it would have made more sense if she immediately changed the subject/avoided it rather than being like "I can't tell you." I know these things seem small, but they took me out of the narrative.
I also listened to the ALC at 1.25x and enjoyed the narrator who I thought was an especially good fit for Harlowe.
Anyway, this was a quick sweet read, but it didn't do much for me. 3 stars. Many thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC and HarperAudio Adult for the ALC both via NetGalley
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the eARC in exchange for an honest review! This comes out on May 19th.
Harlowe could use a break. With his academic future and his relationship with his long-term boyfriend Jackson over, a suspiciously cheap summer rental on the Cape feels like just the escape he needs. But when he arrives at the seaside cottage, he’s alarmed to find his discouraging former professor in the living room. His estranged father making coffee in the kitchen. And a handsome young repairman fixing things in the bedroom. Worst of all, Jackson is in the bathroom. None of them will leave. No one else can see them. And they won’t leave him alone.
As the summer progresses, old wounds and fresh secrets—both in and outside the house’s wall walls—begin to transform Harlowe. It’s clear the house is trying to tell him something. But can he let go of the past long enough to listen?
This book was so, so very lovely. I loved Harlowe and the entire cast of queer characters, including his troubled love interest Nathan. Everyone feels like a real person and I loved that all the relationships in Harlowe’s life are as important as his romantic ones. I especially loved Harlowe’s interactions with his long-time friend Rika and the difficulties that come with her being both his friend and his ex-boyfriend’s friend. It was also so wonderful to read about queer elders.
This book is tender and moving without ever being overly sentimental. The message at its heart is to nurture not only your relationships but yourself, to let go of relationships that are no longer serving you and to embrace ones that are.
Not everything in this book is explained, leaving an air of mystery that I really liked. There is a touch of magic, a touch of romance, but at the end of the day this is about learning how to live your life in a way that best serves you. I highly recommend it and I’ll definitely pick up more from Edward Underhill in the future.
Harlowe could use a break. With his academic future and his relationship with his long-term boyfriend Jackson over, a suspiciously cheap summer rental on the Cape feels like just the escape he needs. But when he arrives at the seaside cottage, he’s alarmed to find his discouraging former professor in the living room. His estranged father making coffee in the kitchen. And a handsome young repairman fixing things in the bedroom. Worst of all, Jackson is in the bathroom. None of them will leave. No one else can see them. And they won’t leave him alone.
As the summer progresses, old wounds and fresh secrets—both in and outside the house’s wall walls—begin to transform Harlowe. It’s clear the house is trying to tell him something. But can he let go of the past long enough to listen?
This book was so, so very lovely. I loved Harlowe and the entire cast of queer characters, including his troubled love interest Nathan. Everyone feels like a real person and I loved that all the relationships in Harlowe’s life are as important as his romantic ones. I especially loved Harlowe’s interactions with his long-time friend Rika and the difficulties that come with her being both his friend and his ex-boyfriend’s friend. It was also so wonderful to read about queer elders.
This book is tender and moving without ever being overly sentimental. The message at its heart is to nurture not only your relationships but yourself, to let go of relationships that are no longer serving you and to embrace ones that are.
Not everything in this book is explained, leaving an air of mystery that I really liked. There is a touch of magic, a touch of romance, but at the end of the day this is about learning how to live your life in a way that best serves you. I highly recommend it and I’ll definitely pick up more from Edward Underhill in the future.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
I received an ARC of this book via Goodreads giveaway, which has no bearing on my review.
This was a queer, cozy, found-family tale with magical realism elements.
Harlowe is a trans man who is escaping Boston for the summer following a break-up with his boyfriend of a decade. He's renting a cottage on Cape Cod from a trans woman who runs a shop that focuses on LGBTQ+ clientele.
It doesn't take long for Harlowe to discover he's not alone in the cottage. His thesis advisor is in the dining room, wanting to discuss his future—a discussion they had a decade ago. And his father's in the kitchen, asking Harlowe if he'd like coffee. And Jackson, the boyfriend with whom he just called it quits, is in the bathroom, brushing his teeth, and trying to get Harlowe to pick out a couch.
Harlowe isn't sure whether he's hallucinating or seeing ghosts; all he knows is he doesn't want to share space with any of these people he knows. However, the bedroom houses someone he doesn't know: the handsome nephew of the woman who owns the cottage, and who seems to perpetually be doing some sort of home improvement project.
It would be difficult to say a lot more without venturing into spoiler territory, but the basic premise is that Harlowe needs to figure out why he's seeing these apparitions, what they mean, and whether they need something from him, or he needs something from them.
Honestly, I was feeling that this book was just kind of mid—it's not bad, don't get me wrong, but you have to be in the mood for some introspective character work to enjoy this book—until the conversation Harlowe has with his father near the end of the book. The honesty and emotional weight of that scene elevated what could have been a common cozy story into something more.
4 out of 5 stars.
This was a queer, cozy, found-family tale with magical realism elements.
Harlowe is a trans man who is escaping Boston for the summer following a break-up with his boyfriend of a decade. He's renting a cottage on Cape Cod from a trans woman who runs a shop that focuses on LGBTQ+ clientele.
It doesn't take long for Harlowe to discover he's not alone in the cottage. His thesis advisor is in the dining room, wanting to discuss his future—a discussion they had a decade ago. And his father's in the kitchen, asking Harlowe if he'd like coffee. And Jackson, the boyfriend with whom he just called it quits, is in the bathroom, brushing his teeth, and trying to get Harlowe to pick out a couch.
Harlowe isn't sure whether he's hallucinating or seeing ghosts; all he knows is he doesn't want to share space with any of these people he knows. However, the bedroom houses someone he doesn't know: the handsome nephew of the woman who owns the cottage, and who seems to perpetually be doing some sort of home improvement project.
It would be difficult to say a lot more without venturing into spoiler territory, but the basic premise is that Harlowe needs to figure out why he's seeing these apparitions, what they mean, and whether they need something from him, or he needs something from them.
Honestly, I was feeling that this book was just kind of mid—it's not bad, don't get me wrong, but you have to be in the mood for some introspective character work to enjoy this book—until the conversation Harlowe has with his father near the end of the book. The honesty and emotional weight of that scene elevated what could have been a common cozy story into something more.
4 out of 5 stars.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Okay so this book?? Was NOT what I expected but also exactly what I needed 😭
Like you think it’s just gonna be “sad breakup → beach house → healing era ✨” but NO. This man goes to Cape Cod for peace and instead gets emotionally JUMPED by his past 💀 his ex?? there. his dad?? there. his professor?? THERE. and nobody else can see them??? I would’ve packed my bags immediately like be so serious 😭
But the way it’s written… it’s not even chaotic for no reason. Everything actually MEANS something. The house is basically forcing him to confront all the stuff he’s been avoiding and I was like… oh. so we’re doing emotional growth against our will. cool cool cool 🫠
The vibe is very soft beach summer aesthetic 🌊 but underneath it is lowkey heavy as hell. Like you’re just sitting there reading and suddenly you’re thinking about your own life choices??? rude.
Harlowe is actually really easy to connect to. He feels REAL. Messy, confused, trying his best but also kinda avoiding everything (same tbh). And I liked that him being trans wasn’t like shoved in your face every 2 seconds—it just is, which made it feel natural.
Now let me be honest 😒🫵🏽
the pacing?? slow. like… we are STROLLING through emotions.
and yeah some parts were predictable but I didn’t even care because the feeling carried it.
Also Nathan… I’m still like 🤨 but okay I see the vision I guess.
Overall this is one of those quiet books that sneaks up on you and suddenly you’re sitting there like “wow I need to fix my life” at 2am. It’s soft, a little eerie, emotional, and lowkey therapeutic.
Would I read it again? yeah.
Would I recommend it? also yeah.
Would I survive being in that house? absolutely not 😭
Like you think it’s just gonna be “sad breakup → beach house → healing era ✨” but NO. This man goes to Cape Cod for peace and instead gets emotionally JUMPED by his past 💀 his ex?? there. his dad?? there. his professor?? THERE. and nobody else can see them??? I would’ve packed my bags immediately like be so serious 😭
But the way it’s written… it’s not even chaotic for no reason. Everything actually MEANS something. The house is basically forcing him to confront all the stuff he’s been avoiding and I was like… oh. so we’re doing emotional growth against our will. cool cool cool 🫠
The vibe is very soft beach summer aesthetic 🌊 but underneath it is lowkey heavy as hell. Like you’re just sitting there reading and suddenly you’re thinking about your own life choices??? rude.
Harlowe is actually really easy to connect to. He feels REAL. Messy, confused, trying his best but also kinda avoiding everything (same tbh). And I liked that him being trans wasn’t like shoved in your face every 2 seconds—it just is, which made it feel natural.
Now let me be honest 😒🫵🏽
the pacing?? slow. like… we are STROLLING through emotions.
and yeah some parts were predictable but I didn’t even care because the feeling carried it.
Also Nathan… I’m still like 🤨 but okay I see the vision I guess.
Overall this is one of those quiet books that sneaks up on you and suddenly you’re sitting there like “wow I need to fix my life” at 2am. It’s soft, a little eerie, emotional, and lowkey therapeutic.
Would I read it again? yeah.
Would I recommend it? also yeah.
Would I survive being in that house? absolutely not 😭
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts about this book are my own.
I rated The House of Now and Then by Edward Underhill 3.75 stars.
What really sets this book apart is how unique and creative the premise feels. It’s not often that a story manages to feel fresh while still being emotionally grounded, and I was immediately pulled in by a new and unique concept. The first half, especially, has a strong, engaging pace that made it hard to put down.
At its core, the story follows a main character navigating identity, relationships, and personal growth all wrapped into a plot that has a slightly unconventional edge. Without giving anything away, there’s a compelling blend of introspection and forward momentum that makes the story stand out from others in the genre.
I also really appreciated reading a story by a trans author featuring a trans main character. That perspective added an important and refreshing layer to the narrative, and I think this would be a great recommendation for readers looking to expand their reading to include more diverse voices and lived experiences.
For me, the pacing did slow down a bit in the middle section (around the 50–75% mark), which made it feel less compelling than the first half. I also found myself wishing the book had explored the main character’s experience as a trans man a bit more deeply. There was room to go further there, though I respect that the author made intentional choices about how much to focus on that aspect of the story.
Overall, this is a creative and thoughtful read with a standout premise, a strong start, and a perspective that makes it well worth picking up.
I rated The House of Now and Then by Edward Underhill 3.75 stars.
What really sets this book apart is how unique and creative the premise feels. It’s not often that a story manages to feel fresh while still being emotionally grounded, and I was immediately pulled in by a new and unique concept. The first half, especially, has a strong, engaging pace that made it hard to put down.
At its core, the story follows a main character navigating identity, relationships, and personal growth all wrapped into a plot that has a slightly unconventional edge. Without giving anything away, there’s a compelling blend of introspection and forward momentum that makes the story stand out from others in the genre.
I also really appreciated reading a story by a trans author featuring a trans main character. That perspective added an important and refreshing layer to the narrative, and I think this would be a great recommendation for readers looking to expand their reading to include more diverse voices and lived experiences.
For me, the pacing did slow down a bit in the middle section (around the 50–75% mark), which made it feel less compelling than the first half. I also found myself wishing the book had explored the main character’s experience as a trans man a bit more deeply. There was room to go further there, though I respect that the author made intentional choices about how much to focus on that aspect of the story.
Overall, this is a creative and thoughtful read with a standout premise, a strong start, and a perspective that makes it well worth picking up.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The House of Now and Then is such a tender and emotionally reflective story about grief, identity, regret, and learning how to move forward when parts of your past still feel unfinished. The magical realism elements are woven beautifully into the narrative, creating this quiet surreal atmosphere that perfectly matches Harlowe’s emotional state throughout the book.
What stood out most to me was how human Harlowe felt as a protagonist. He’s grieving multiple versions of his life all at once: the future he thought he’d have, the relationship he lost, and the person he’s still trying to become. The house becomes this emotional space where all of those unresolved feelings are literally impossible to avoid, forcing him to confront people and memories he would rather outrun.
The Cape Cod setting added so much charm and atmosphere to the story. Everything feels warm, nostalgic, and slightly dreamlike, which balances the heavier emotional themes really well. The romance develops softly in the background, but it adds an important sense of hope and connection without overtaking the emotional core of the story.
The pacing is definitely more introspective and character-driven than plot-heavy, so readers looking for fast-moving magical realism may find it slower in places. But for me, that quieter emotional focus was exactly what made the story resonate.
Overall, this was heartfelt, bittersweet, and deeply comforting in the way it explores healing, identity, and the complicated process of letting go.
What stood out most to me was how human Harlowe felt as a protagonist. He’s grieving multiple versions of his life all at once: the future he thought he’d have, the relationship he lost, and the person he’s still trying to become. The house becomes this emotional space where all of those unresolved feelings are literally impossible to avoid, forcing him to confront people and memories he would rather outrun.
The Cape Cod setting added so much charm and atmosphere to the story. Everything feels warm, nostalgic, and slightly dreamlike, which balances the heavier emotional themes really well. The romance develops softly in the background, but it adds an important sense of hope and connection without overtaking the emotional core of the story.
The pacing is definitely more introspective and character-driven than plot-heavy, so readers looking for fast-moving magical realism may find it slower in places. But for me, that quieter emotional focus was exactly what made the story resonate.
Overall, this was heartfelt, bittersweet, and deeply comforting in the way it explores healing, identity, and the complicated process of letting go.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4 stars
I really love Edward Underhill's work - YA and beyond - and this is no exception. This newest effort? It'll tug at your heartstrings, and you'll be better for it.
Harlowe is on the way to Cape Cod post-break up, but it's not just the break up that's been disappointing. There are missed connections, challenged relationships, and lost dreams in his wake. That's why when he lands in his summer rental and finds that some of his regrets and pivotal moments are returning to him in a form that feels very real, he knows he must face his past to move forward with happiness in his future.
I love how the magical realism elements flow so seamlessly throughout this text. Readers feel they are in a state of reality most of the time, despite these surprises. Underhill blurs the lines stylistically, not only putting us in Harlowe's experience but also further emphasizing that the past and present really are inextricably connected.
These characters are wonderful. Underhill always comes through with solid rep and also just generally well developed individuals I feel like I know (and want to know - this cast is something). This is an emotional book in a very fulfilling way. I continue to appreciate this author very much and look forward to what comes next!
*Special thanks to NetGalley and Avon for this arc, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
I really love Edward Underhill's work - YA and beyond - and this is no exception. This newest effort? It'll tug at your heartstrings, and you'll be better for it.
Harlowe is on the way to Cape Cod post-break up, but it's not just the break up that's been disappointing. There are missed connections, challenged relationships, and lost dreams in his wake. That's why when he lands in his summer rental and finds that some of his regrets and pivotal moments are returning to him in a form that feels very real, he knows he must face his past to move forward with happiness in his future.
I love how the magical realism elements flow so seamlessly throughout this text. Readers feel they are in a state of reality most of the time, despite these surprises. Underhill blurs the lines stylistically, not only putting us in Harlowe's experience but also further emphasizing that the past and present really are inextricably connected.
These characters are wonderful. Underhill always comes through with solid rep and also just generally well developed individuals I feel like I know (and want to know - this cast is something). This is an emotional book in a very fulfilling way. I continue to appreciate this author very much and look forward to what comes next!
*Special thanks to NetGalley and Avon for this arc, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Time loops and temporal weirdness are some of my favorite tropes, so of course I was going to read this book! This one uses these tropes in such a thoughtful, emotionally grounded way. This is a story about second chances; about revisiting the moments that quietly shape us, even when we don’t recognize their importance at the time. Harlowe, our main character, is a trans man reeling from a difficult breakup who retreats to a house on Cape Cod in search of some kind of reset. Instead, he finds something far stranger.
The house itself, owned by the enigmatic Dina, feels almost sentient. Like it knows exactly what Harlowe needs before he does. Within its walls, he encounters people from his past: his father, his ex, his former PhD advisor. Each seemingly frozen in a specific moment, looping through memories that still hold weight for him. Watching Harlowe navigate these encounters while trying to move forward with his life creates a compelling emotional push and pull.
What I appreciated most was how gently the story handles its bigger ideas. It’s not just about time bending in strange ways, but about growth, forgiveness, and understanding the versions of ourselves we’ve left behind. It’s sweet, introspective, and quietly powerful. A thoughtful, character driven take on a familiar trope.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Edward Underhill, and Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
The house itself, owned by the enigmatic Dina, feels almost sentient. Like it knows exactly what Harlowe needs before he does. Within its walls, he encounters people from his past: his father, his ex, his former PhD advisor. Each seemingly frozen in a specific moment, looping through memories that still hold weight for him. Watching Harlowe navigate these encounters while trying to move forward with his life creates a compelling emotional push and pull.
What I appreciated most was how gently the story handles its bigger ideas. It’s not just about time bending in strange ways, but about growth, forgiveness, and understanding the versions of ourselves we’ve left behind. It’s sweet, introspective, and quietly powerful. A thoughtful, character driven take on a familiar trope.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Edward Underhill, and Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I was charmed by this book but there are some caveats. I feel like the character arc for Harlowe was a very strong central theme in the book and the author did a great job connecting his different moments of unresolved business together. That being said, I was a bit surprised/disappointed that the end of his story didn't link more to what he learned in the cabin. Namely, some of his issues came from not wanting to choose things for himself but letting himself be lead along and so I expected that when he was reluctant to leave cape cod he would do something proactive about it. Instead, the opportunity to stay is offered to him and he takes it. It's not something that totally undermines the story; I just think it could've been neater. I also really appreciate that the author took the time to at least nod to a reasonable explanation for how someone who wasn't incredibly wealthy could manage to rent a cottage on the cape for a summer. As someone who's spent time there, the details included in the place were done very well in my opinion!
My major caveat is that while I appreciated the character of Nathan and the relationship between him and Harlowe, I felt like his development and resolution was a bit rushed at the end. Ditto for Dina, though she's a much more minor character. I felt like the author was tying up loose ends too quickly.
All that being said, definitely recommend it and look forward to more magical realism adventures from this author :D
My major caveat is that while I appreciated the character of Nathan and the relationship between him and Harlowe, I felt like his development and resolution was a bit rushed at the end. Ditto for Dina, though she's a much more minor character. I felt like the author was tying up loose ends too quickly.
All that being said, definitely recommend it and look forward to more magical realism adventures from this author :D
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Harper Audio Adult | Avon and author Edward Underhill, for providing me with the eARC and ALC of “The House of Now and Then”.
If you are looking for a Trans story with a summer setting this one is for you. The representation throughout the characters was well written and I enjoyed getting elder Trans in the book.
The concept of the house "bringing" people back into Harlowe's life to help him process what happened was interesting. Since all three people that appeared were still alive it really threw off our MMC, until he could confirm no one could see them. The younger Nate through me off in the beginning but trust the house.
Dina was cagey about the house, which I didn't truly understand why she was so edgy about it. Especially with Harlowe... but its again a "trust the house" process. She did not metal or try to rush the process the house goes to.
This book helps you question your own internal issues and gives you the realization that you don't know what others are going through at that moment.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice Level: 🌶️
Length: 288 Pages
Publisher: Avon
Single 1st POV
Cape Cod Setting
Magical Realism
Magic House
LGBTQ+ Friendly
MMC Trans
🎧 Single Narration 6h 38m at 2x
🎙️ Logan Rozos
Narration Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Publisher: Harper Audio
Logon did a wonderful job narrating this story, I did an immersive read and it was perfection! He pitched the tone perfectly for all the twists the house brought in.
If you are looking for a Trans story with a summer setting this one is for you. The representation throughout the characters was well written and I enjoyed getting elder Trans in the book.
The concept of the house "bringing" people back into Harlowe's life to help him process what happened was interesting. Since all three people that appeared were still alive it really threw off our MMC, until he could confirm no one could see them. The younger Nate through me off in the beginning but trust the house.
Dina was cagey about the house, which I didn't truly understand why she was so edgy about it. Especially with Harlowe... but its again a "trust the house" process. She did not metal or try to rush the process the house goes to.
This book helps you question your own internal issues and gives you the realization that you don't know what others are going through at that moment.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice Level: 🌶️
Length: 288 Pages
Publisher: Avon
Single 1st POV
Cape Cod Setting
Magical Realism
Magic House
LGBTQ+ Friendly
MMC Trans
🎧 Single Narration 6h 38m at 2x
🎙️ Logan Rozos
Narration Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Publisher: Harper Audio
Logon did a wonderful job narrating this story, I did an immersive read and it was perfection! He pitched the tone perfectly for all the twists the house brought in.
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