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The House of Now and Then
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""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
2 people are currently reading
4099 people want to read
About the author
Edward Underhill
5 books451 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 - 7 of 7 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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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.
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
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
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.
February 17, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of The House of Now and Then in exchange for my honest review.
The House of Now and Then is a beautiful journey of self discovery, forgiveness, and letting go.
Harlowe finds himself single and decides to leave Boston and his ex behind for the summer trading the concrete jungle for the lush salty air of Cape Cod. I really enjoyed the backdrop of Cape Cod for this story, as it felt cozy, familial, and warm. A tiny slice of heaven that hold possibilities but still reminds you that your problems don’t disappear. Instead, they reappear in the ghostly form of Harlowe’s ex, his thesis advisor, and his dad.
I felt that I took this journey with Harlowe, rather than simply read about it. The descriptions were masterful without being verbose, and nobody was really one dimensional. I found I was just as curious as Harlowe was to learn about this magical cottage, Dina the owner, and Dina’s nephew Nathan.
Overall, I was very happy with this book. The characters were fleshed out, flawed, and imperfect in the best ways. The setting was perfect, and the relationships complicated but strong and it all melded together to create a wonderfully compelling story that I will definitely be recommending to others.
The House of Now and Then is a beautiful journey of self discovery, forgiveness, and letting go.
Harlowe finds himself single and decides to leave Boston and his ex behind for the summer trading the concrete jungle for the lush salty air of Cape Cod. I really enjoyed the backdrop of Cape Cod for this story, as it felt cozy, familial, and warm. A tiny slice of heaven that hold possibilities but still reminds you that your problems don’t disappear. Instead, they reappear in the ghostly form of Harlowe’s ex, his thesis advisor, and his dad.
I felt that I took this journey with Harlowe, rather than simply read about it. The descriptions were masterful without being verbose, and nobody was really one dimensional. I found I was just as curious as Harlowe was to learn about this magical cottage, Dina the owner, and Dina’s nephew Nathan.
Overall, I was very happy with this book. The characters were fleshed out, flawed, and imperfect in the best ways. The setting was perfect, and the relationships complicated but strong and it all melded together to create a wonderfully compelling story that I will definitely be recommending to others.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews