The House of Now and Then: A Novel

by Edward Underhill

"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.

Genres: Romance, LGBT, Magical Realism, Adult, Queer, Fiction, Fantasy

276 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 19, 2026

About the author

Edward 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.

Reviews

[Marieke (mariekes_mesmerizing_books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

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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[Samantha✨ [reads everythinggggg] · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Louis Muñoz · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. A good, solid read, with interesting characters for whom I rooted and some intriguing elements of mystery. Regarding that latter part, Harlowe, our MC, has come to Cape Cod for the summer and the house he's renting comes with some unexpected housemates, whom only he can see - his ex, every time he goes into the bathroom, his former PhD supervisor, in the dining room, and his father, in the kitchen. All of these are people he knows, but he also sees Nathan, the nephew of his landlady, in his bedroom,... before he's actually met Nathan! All very mysterious, indeed.

The summer passes, characters must face their inner demons and and we end up caring about how they resolve their personal issues. Oh, and they eat a lot of Cape Cod potato chips! (There were at least 3-4 mentions of the brand?!)

Recommend. Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publishers for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.

[Alex Z (azeebooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up

Edward Underhill really does heartfelt stories right. There's so much emotion and growth for their characters and I loved following their stories.

This is exactly what you would expect, a simple story with a bit of magic realism - but it was a nice read and an enjoyable one. I did find the book to have a bit of a pacing issue for such a small book, but once Harlowe got back on track the book followed. Overall, a good book for fans of queer lit and those needing a little more magic in their lives.

[Sam Reads Books *Just the Highlights* · Rating 4 out of 5]

2026: 4.0

[Kayda Noelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Courtney Autumn · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ☆

After facing an academic setback and recent breakup, Harlowe, a trans man in his 30s, decides to flee Boston and rent a cottage in Cape Cod for the summer. He soon discovers there’s more to the cottage when visitors from his past are mysteriously residing within certain rooms, seemingly stuck within a time loop of a moment in his life.

The magical realism aspect of the cottage is tucked within a story that otherwise feels incredibly real. These “ghosts” of the past force Harlowe to confront the things that he’s long kept buried and avoided. In doing so, he’s finally able to move forward in life, and who can’t relate to that sentiment in some way?

A few minor things detracted me from the story. While it’s easy for the reader to see what’s happening, it takes quite a while for it to click in Harlowe’s head, which started to feel a tad tedious. Harlowe and his friends also felt much younger than 30s to me which is a pet peeve of mine.

But there's also much to adore. The Cape Cod setting is vivid and beautiful, and the side characters add more vibrancy. Harlowe and his struggles are authentic. The burgeoning romance between him and Nathan is nestled in without overpowering the main plot.

Ultimately 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗢𝗳 𝗡𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗻 strikes a nice balance of melancholy and hope. The magical realism and themes explored feel similar in vein to the likes of TJ Klune, and I think plenty of readers will find enjoyment here.

🎙 Logan Rozos does a great job narrating as Harlowe. I enjoyed being able to tandem read this one!

✨ Thank you to Avon, Harper Audio & Net Galley for the ARC & ALC!
[𝘗𝘶𝘣 𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘦: 5•19•2026]

[iam · Rating 5 out of 5]

The House of Now and Then follows Harlowe, who moves to a small cottage by the sea after a breakup, needing a change of scenery. In said cottage he finds unexpected visitors - his dad, his ex, his professor - only he can see, who repeat conversations he had with them in the past, and won't leave no matter what he does. But there is one visitor he doesn't know, the owner's nephew, who he then also meets in the village.

This book was a lovely exploration of grief, moving on, and falling in love. It really felt special to read. I liked the slow plot progression, even if sometimes the lack of progress between individual conversations felt frustrating - it also felt very realistic.

I really enjoyed the character dynamics, and the casual queerness of the entire cast. This is not a book about being gay, trans, or queer, but it implicitly deals with queer joy and queer grief, even if it also tacles joy and grief in general.

Super lovely read, I really enjoyed following Harlowe's journey, and encourage you to read it too!

I received an ARC and reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

[Jun · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.75/5 ⭐

The entirety of this book had me yelling at the main characters to communicate better.

Nearly every conflict could have been resolved with a single honest conversation, and after a while it became more frustrating than compelling. I spent most of the book waiting for Harlowe and Nathan to say what they actually felt instead of dancing around it and making assumptions.

By the end, I was honestly glad they ended up together because that’s two fewer people in their 30s out on the dating market who still don’t know how to communicate.

The constant miscommunication and lack of emotional maturity made it difficult for me to stay invested. It also lacked originality, and I found the theme redundant. There was nothing particularly special or memorable about it

[Kirk · Rating 3 out of 5]

The House of Now and Then by Edward Underhill is about a trans man, Harlowe, who is met by some familiar foes in a summer cottage near P-town. The uninvited roommates include his thesis professor, his father, his ex-boyfriend and his current crush and the magical realism part is only he can see them. Unfortunately this story didn’t vibe with me and I felt frustrated by it. “This is you avoiding something because you don’t want to commit.” Exactly, that. The narrator, Logan Rozos, did a fine job and the audiobook is short. ALC was provided by HarperAudio Adult. I received an audiobook listening copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Cara Harp · Rating 4 out of 5]

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 😭🖤

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one wasn't for me ultimately. I did enjoy the paranormal house element that had dead people intreracting with the living but the romance aspect of the story didn't do much for me. It was okay as an audiobook and I would recommend it for fans of authors like Steven Roweley but for the most part this one was a miss and I wouldn't go out of my way to share it with other readers. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio and digital copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

[miss rae · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this beautiful and magical book

I would rate it 4.5 but I rounded up (I’m an academia girly so the ending was cute but I wanted more for Harlowe and Nathan).

Dina is my hero and my icon btw. That’s it, that’s all I have to say about that

[Hannah Rae · Rating 5 out of 5]

a queer book making me cry? real original, underhill, real original.

harlowe was a far too relatable character. his whole mental journey felt so incredibly tangible to me. i also hope im half the woman dina is when i grow up.

underhill: 1
hannah: 0

[Hannah MacLeod · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

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!

[Heather Close · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a unique, interesting story. Harlowe rents a cottage on Cape Cod for the summer after breaking up with his long-term boyfriend. Shortly after arriving, he starts to see people from his past, and perhaps future, appearing at the cottage. Each one is stuck in a loop asking the same questions day after day. As Harlowe settles into the community at Cape Cod and makes some new friends, he slowly starts to understand why these people are here and what he needs to do.

I was hooked right from the beginning. Harlowe felt like a real person and his struggles were relatable. I enjoyed getting to know the community of Cape Cod alongside him. Each one unique in their own way. There are some very genuine tear jerker moments, especially toward the end, and I just couldn't put it own. Overall, a great read and definitely recommended.

Thank you for NetGalley, Avon Harper Voyager, Harper Audio Adult for the advance review copy. All opinions are my own.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

The House of Now and Then was a thoughtful emotional read with a touch of magical realism.

I found a lot of the characters in this story very relatable. In the beginning Harlowe is starting over from a long term relationship. He finds himself in a seaside cottage but doesn't expect to see people from his past there. Throughout this story you come to realize that these memories in time our important moments to Harlowe. Through out the story you see him come to terms and finally let go of the past to move forward.

The side characters are all memorable and have their own griefs to combat too. There's humor, a little magic, and a lot of representation here. I wonderful summer read I'd def recommend! Thank you Avon for the gifted physical book!

[Catie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a perfect read to start the summer for me. It’s so hard to start over regardless of how you get to point 0. Harlowe was just trying to find his way after a huge break up but it really was building for a while. When he found a perfect place to go start over for the summer, he was in for a treat.

Nathan, oh god Nathan my baby. I just wanted to give him a hug and let him cry it out.

This book gave you so many feelings. It’s so hard to voice your thoughts especially to your family and I felt very seen.

[Dana K · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to Avon for the gifted copy. All opinions below are my own.

Harlowe it’s just been through a break up and it makes him realize that nothing in his life is going the way he wants it to. He rents a little cottage on Cape Cod for the summer and meets a quirky cast of characters who help bring him out of his shell. Also, he has encounters in his cottage with ghostly versions of people in his life with whom he needs to resolve something.

This is one of those ‘finding yourself’ kind of novels. The problem with those for me sometimes is the person is too messy. Harlowe wasn’t too messy, but was in complete avoidance about most of the issues he had on the roots of them. It’s also billed as a queer novel, which is true, Harlowe is trans and there are several queer relationships throughout, but none of the heavy issues to deal with related to that. Which seemed odd to me, although I am not in that community, so maybe it’s good to have representation of someone who has a million regular problems, but gender identity is not one of them? The romance center is cute and the atmosphere is on point if you know Cape Cod, but the story itself just lacked some punch.

[Karissa Dykstra · Rating 4 out of 5]

The House of Now and Then uses magical realism to confront your deepest secrets. Although there is an element of magical realism, it feels real and raw. It’s a beautiful story about confronting your past and finding what it is you didn’t even know you needed.

It reminds me a little of The Seven Year Slip (for the magical house aspect) with a different layer of mystery and depth added in. I highly recommend this book if you’re looking for something that is atmospheric, wholesome, layered, and has a sprinkle of found family mixed in. The ending feels like a gentle, warm hug.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grief doesn’t knock politely in this book—it breaks in through the screen door, tracks sand across the floor, and sits at the kitchen table like it’s been waiting for you all along.

Edward Underhill’s The House of Now and Then is a quietly devastating, achingly hopeful story that lingers long after the last page. Published by Avon and Harper Voyager, thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the gifted ARC.

What starts as a “fresh start” summer escape quickly turns into something far stranger—and far more personal. Harlowe heads to Cape Cod after his life implodes in that very adult, very unglamorous way: a long-term relationship ends, his academic dreams quietly collapse, and suddenly he’s left holding a version of his life he doesn’t recognize. So naturally, he rents a suspiciously cheap cottage and tells himself this is his reset era. Except… the house has other plans.

Because instead of peace and ocean breezes, Harlowe is greeted by the people he’s been avoiding—his ex Jackson lingering like unfinished business, his father stirring up old wounds, his professor replaying the moment everything unraveled. They exist in the house like echoes stuck on a loop, and no one else can see them. And honestly? I would’ve packed my bags immediately. But Harlowe stays, and that choice—quiet, stubborn, a little chaotic—becomes the heartbeat of the story.

This isn’t a plot-heavy, twisty kind of book. It’s deeply internal, almost meditative, like sitting with your own thoughts a little longer than you’re comfortable with. The magic isn’t there to dazzle—it’s there to force confrontation. Every interaction feels like peeling back a layer, exposing something raw and unfinished. And watching Harlowe slowly, reluctantly face those truths? It felt intimate. Uncomfortably so, in the best way.

Harlowe as a character is beautifully real—messy, avoidant, thoughtful, and stuck in that very human space between “I know I need to change” and “I absolutely do not want to deal with this today.” His identity as a trans man is seamlessly woven into the story—not spotlighted for explanation, not reduced to trauma, just a part of who he is, which made the narrative feel grounded and authentic in a way that’s still far too rare.

And then there’s Nathan. Quiet, a little guarded, carrying his own weight in a way that mirrors Harlowe without overshadowing him. Their connection is soft, hesitant, and imperfect—less about grand declarations and more about small moments that feel like possibility. It’s not a sweeping, all-consuming romance. It’s something gentler. Something that asks, “what if we tried anyway?”

“The past doesn’t disappear just because you’ve decided to stop looking at it.”

Yeah. That line didn’t just hit—it lingered.

The setting is its own kind of magic. Cape Cod feels alive in this story—the salt air, the warmth of summer, the quiet hum of a town that holds space for reinvention. There’s a found family woven through it too—queer elders, unexpected friendships, a community that feels both vibrant and grounding. It’s the kind of place that makes you believe maybe starting over isn’t failure… maybe it’s just part of the process.

Now, let’s be real for a second—the pacing? Slow. Like… we are meandering through emotional landscapes at a very leisurely stroll. There are moments where you’ll want to gently (or aggressively) nudge Harlowe and say, “hey… maybe we address the very obvious situation happening in your living room??” But that slowness also mirrors the way people actually process things. Growth isn’t efficient. It’s awkward and delayed and full of avoidance until suddenly—it isn’t.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is one of those books that doesn’t scream for your attention—it quietly settles in beside you, then leaves you staring at the ceiling at 2am rethinking your entire life. It’s soft, a little eerie, deeply emotional, and unexpectedly healing.

So I need to know—if every unresolved moment from your past showed up in one place, ready for a conversation… would you finally say what needed to be said, or would you keep pretending you’re fine?

[Jenica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let's set expectations for this book because I think that's really important. This book is a contemporary fiction novel with a large dose of romance and you can stretch it to call it a romance, but I think for a lot of romance readers, knowing that this is more of a contemporary fiction novel might help them with their expectations. I think you would really like this one if you have enjoyed Ashley Poston's books, probably especially The Seven Year Slip but I actually DNF'd that one so I can't really speak to that specifically. The reason I say that though is that this cottage that Harlowe rented for the summer has a bit of a magical twist to it that essentially means that Harlowe has unwanted roommates he doesn't know how to get rid of, but at least each one is confined to an individual space in the house. Harlowe is pretty fresh off of a break up and wanted to get away from Boston for the summer, which is how he winds up in this cottage near Providence, Rhode Island. He meets his landlady, a trans woman named Dina, and many of her friends, but most importantly, her nephew, Nathan. Throughout the course of the summer, theoretically Harlowe will take this time to figure out what he wants because he has sort of been floating through life it seems, in the wake of his academic advisor informing him that he has no future in academia and subsequent attempts to find his place in academia appear to have proven her right.

This book is very melancholic in tone, something that usually works for me so well. And I think, actually, that is the part of the book that I did like the best. I also loved the big cast of secondary characters. But, honestly, I don't think this book was quite long enough for everything that Underhill was trying to accomplish. This novel has an element of grief to it, in a couple of different ways, actually, and it's like we see Harlowe come to the realization that he's really just been floating through life and doesn't know what he wants, but we don't see the work or the aftermath of that. It felt like a moment in time. Actually, there's a line in this book that references how quickly August is slipping away and I think the main song for this book's playlist should be "August" by Taylor Swift because truly this book is a moment in time. So maybe it's okay that there's no big magic moment where Harlowe becomes this wholly realized person who has transformed from someone floating through life to someone who knows exactly what they want because he's put the work in for it, but I can't help but have wanted to see that.

Nathan and Harlowe's relationship though is really cute. I think it could have used a little more page time as well, but only by expanding the amount of pages in the book. I think, ultimately, that really is what I wish this book had: more pages. I just think that it was a bit too short to accomplish all of the things that Underhill did a fantastic job setting up. If this book had a direct sequel, I would be thrilled.

Anyway, I listened to this book on audio, thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for both the e and audio review copies. I thought the audiobook was really well done, although I do think the tone of the audiobook narrator contributed to why I feel like this book has an overall melancholic tone. I would be interested to know if someone who read it purely with their eyeballs would feel the same way. Anyway, a good book, but I wanted more from it!

[The Polished Diamond · Rating 4 out of 5]

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!

[Cdoc's Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

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 🫶🏼

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Happy book birthday to The House of Now and Then by Edward Underhill! This is my first time reading this author, and what an impactful book to start with. Harlowe is a 31-year-old trans man who has just ended a long relationship with his boyfriend. To regroup, he rents a (shockingly cheap) cottage in Cape Cod for the summer, but he isn’t prepared for the uninvited house guests that seem to come with the place. His ex-boyfriend, semi-estranged dad, and former PhD advisor are all there, apparently stuck in time and insisting on talking to Harlowe about something. Is he hallucinating? Meanwhile, Harlowe is also maybe falling for a local barista, Nathan, who is working through his own inner demons.

What I Liked:
- Magical realism done right. I normally don’t enjoy magical realism all that much, but I loved this! Is this all a strange hallucination? Some kind of time loop? Harlowe navigates this in a logical way: Googling what on earth is going on. Eventually he comes to the conclusion that these versions of the people he sees are stuck in a moment from their past. But what to actually do about that proves to be trickier.
- Finding direction. Harlowe is indecisive to the point of being annoying. How can he be so ambivalent about everything? Why is it so hard to commit to his choices, if he even manages to make any? Harlowe’s major arc here is in figuring out who he is and what he wants, and learning to communicate that. The only way to move forward is to come to peace with his past. This means finally speaking up and deciding what comes next. He can’t keep falling through life.
- Queer community. Basically all of the characters here are LGBTQIA+: Harlowe is a gay trans man, his friends are all queer, and this community in Cape Cod is made up of mostly queer people. I love how this is normalized here; it’s not a source of conflict for Harlowe. There’s a place for all types of queer narratives, but it’s nice to read a story like this where it’s simply accepted. Over his summer at the cottage, Harlowe makes a wonderful new group of friends in addition to those left behind in Boston.

Audiobook:
Logan Rozos narrates The House of Now and Then, told from Harlowe’s perspective. The voice acting comes across as somewhat flat and numb at first, which is actually perfect, given Harlowe’s state of mind at the beginning of the book. As his emotional state improves, the narration captures that subtle evolution.

Final Thoughts
The House of Now and Then is a short and sweet story about overcoming traumas, finding a path forward, and forming new connections. The themes and portrayal really resonated with me, and I enjoyed seeing Harlowe finally come into himself. I look forward to reading more from Edward Underhill, starting with his previous adult novel, The In-Between Bookstore.

Special thanks to Avon, HarperAudio Adult, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book!

* Please read my full review on my blog, Amanda's Book Corner! *

[Bethany J · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Thank you to the publisher for an e-arc via Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own!*

The one thing that stands out the most to me about this novel is that the writing is very visual, in a wonderful way. The author did an excellent job of building up the setting, such that I felt like I was right there alongside Harlowe. There were some excellent visual descriptors and I liked the tone of the novel a lot. It's a very summery book (not just because that it literally takes place during the summer) but because of the languid pacing and almost nostalgic feeling (though that could just be me; I've always found summer carries that feeling the most).

Harlowe, the narrator, is a character that feels both relatable and frustrating (but not in a totally bad way). He's someone who's very lost and unmoored from what he truly wants and needs. For the most part, I enjoyed his interactions with the various characters in the super queer Cape Cod town. But I think the strongest parts for his character were in his confrontation with his "ghosts". The conversations felt realistic and there were some really good emotional and cathartic moments.

However, on a whole, I kind of felt like something was missing to give this book the oomph it needed. It took me a bit of thinking before I figured it out. Besides Harlowe's emotional journey, a big part of the novel is him building a relationship with the nephew of the woman renting the beach house to him. The relationship between Nathan and Harlowe plays a huge role in Harlowe's growth and character development, but there was something that didn't full hit. Nathan is a very closed-off and guarded character, which makes sense, but it never felt like they fully communicated or bonded in a way that made their relationship work. Most of what Harlowe learns about Nathan comes from third-party sources, not Nathan himself, which made the relationship development ring a little hollow. I never felt like they fully connected in a natural way. There was a big emotional moment near the end that should have been gutting and a perfect way to round out both their characters, but the impact wasn't nearly as big as it could have been. Nathan was just TOO closed-off and often disappeared off-page, so I never really felt like I got to know him the way I wanted to.

Plus, the whole of Harlowe's character growth was about him learning to communicate his wants and desires, his feelings, except that it sort of felt that Harlowe didn't end up actually communicating with Nathan, which was part of why his last relationship ended. It made it difficult both to buy into their relationship, but also make Harlowe's growth feel genuine.

Overall, I think this was an okay read. I just don't think this is one I'm going to be re-reading.

[Mayras mini book reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Evie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel like I knew this was going to be wholesome reading experience diving in to this book, but I think I underestimated quite how tender and heartfelt it would be but it ended up being a lovely little escape. Underhill has been able to craft a lush and immersive world in this little package and as this is my first experience with Underhill’s writing I was so pleasantly surprised by the skill on display.

Following the breakdown of his long term relationship, Harlowe decides that he has to get out of Boston and all the reminders of his shared life with his ex-partner, and rents a small sea side cottage in Cape Cod for the summer. When Harlowe arrives at the quaint little cottage however, things take a turn for the strange as he finds himself haunted by the apparitions of his PhD advisor, who crushed his confidence, his father, who Harlowe shares a strained relationship with, and his ex-partner, who makes Harlowe question what it means to be in love.

The following 288 pages take you on a journey of Harlowe’s healing through learning how to accept the hurts he carries. A part of this healing journey includes the summertime romance with Nathan, the sweet and handsome nephew of the woman who is renting Harlowe the cottage for the summer, and seems to be carrying a heavy emotional weight himself.

The relationship between Harlowe and Nathan was very sweet and I enjoyed reading about both of them greatly; their affection and connection felt genuine and the role of their relationship in their healing journeys made a lovely kind of sense. As is so often the case with books on the cozier side, this was closed door and the intimacy between Harlowe and Nathan on page comes from the cultivation of their emotional intimacy and building trust rather than on page spice.

I think one of my favourite parts of this story was the loving and casual trans representation. Harlowe is a trans man but that is almost entirely beside the point; his being trans isn’t a plot point, it isn’t a source of contention or angst, it is just a facet of who Harlowe is.

This one was a 4.5 star read, rounded down cause cozy books always have to work harder to get that final *wow* factor. Thank you Marieke for putting this on my radar (you always point me in the direction of the most heart warming reads ❤️.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC and the opportunity to read and review this lovely little story.

✨Expected publication date 19th May✨




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[Renn · Rating 4 out of 5]

**Rounded up from a 3.75**

Harlowe is a 30 something trans man who wants a change of scenery. Or so he puts it when prompted on why he wants to rent a small beach house on the cape. In reality Harlowe just broken up with Jackson, his boyfriend of 6 years and given up on landing a job based on their thesis. However, when he unpacks the few things he’s brought with him from his car and dropped the friends that accompanied him off on a ferry back to Boston, he returns to the rental
to find his PhD advisor in the dining room, their dad in the kitchen, their ex in the bathroom, and the owners nephew in the bedroom. When he runs into the owners nephew Nathan at a coffeeshop, a little older than the version he saw, Harlowe realizes that there’s something happening at his cottage by the cape.
This book was both frustrating and heartwrenching all at once. Edward Underhill is able to craft and explore these character so well that I was fully immersed into their thinking so even though all their choices hurt me to my core, I was able to understand why they were making them.
There were still a few things that didn’t sit right with me by the end of the book. For example, Harlowe spends a total of full 3 months with these people but they are talking to them and inserting himself into things he knows nothing about and do not concern him. The way he treats these people like he knows what’s best for them when like a month ago he didn’t know what’s best for himself was mind boggling to me. It really did catch me off guard but it’s really not the biggest of deals and I still enjoyed the book.
I was also pretty easily able to guess the backstory the author was building up to and what was happening with the house but I don’t think it was supposed to be a big mystery or all that surprising. It’s not a complain, it didn’t ruin the story for me but it was kinda annoying when I knew what was going by the 30% mark and Harlowe didn’t even start actually taking the house seriously until 70% in.
It’s probably not a book that I’ll look back on and get more out of it or have the themes impact me in a more meaningful way but I enjoyed it a lot and will be trying out some of Underhills other books.
This book was also narrated by a trans man and I really love that the author and publishers gave a person who has lived the experience the opportunity to depict the character!

Huge to Netgalley and Avon for the Advanced Listener Copy in exchange for my honest review!