Handsome

by Ezra Palmer

Evvie Kurtz remembers everything.

Evvie has Alzheimer’s disease.

Handsome is Evvie’s story, told in her own voice: How she grew up on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, a scholarship girl at one of the city’s fanciest day schools. How she made a name for herself as a journalist. How she met and married her husband. How she loved him for all his faults. And how she came to the decision to leave him.

Evvie will forget her story.

You will not.

Genres: Audiobook, Fiction, Literary Fiction, Contemporary

240 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 13, 2026

About the author

Ezra Palmer grew up in Brooklyn and now lives in Los Angeles with his family. Originally a newspaper writer and editor, he went on to launch and run internet properties for The Wall Street Journal and other companies. He is the author of the novels Catbirds and Handsome.

Reviews

[Caz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Evvie Kurtz is a woman who has spent her life fighting for herself — building a successful career, surviving a complicated marriage, and now facing one of life’s biggest challenges: Alzheimer’s disease.

Handsome is an emotional work of fiction that explores memory, love, betrayal, identity, and the challenges of holding on to yourself when the things you once relied on begin to change.

The story follows Evvie, a successful and intelligent woman who was the breadwinner in her marriage while her husband, Jack, stayed at home. As she looks back over her life, she reflects on their relationship and the many affairs that left her hurt and betrayed. After finding the courage to leave, life takes another unexpected turn when she receives her Alzheimer’s diagnosis, and she eventually finds herself reaching out to Jack and asking him back into her life.

What stood out to me most was how deeply we are drawn into Evvie’s world. The story takes us through her memories as they come and go, showing the frustration, anger, sadness, and confusion she experiences. At times she remembers the pain Jack caused and feels that hurt all over again, while at other times she seeks the comfort of someone familiar. It was a powerful reminder that emotions and experiences can stay with us, even when memories start to fade.

Evvie is a fascinating and unforgettable character. She is strong, independent, and courageous, and I admired the way she fought to hold on to her identity. She is so much more than her diagnosis — she is a woman with a lifetime of achievements, dreams, heartbreak, and love.

Ezra Palmer’s writing really stood out to me. He approaches such a sensitive subject with compassion and honesty, giving readers a personal insight into Evvie’s thoughts while keeping her dignity and personality at the heart of the story. The writing captures the complexities of Alzheimer’s in a way that feels both thoughtful and deeply human.

This was a touching and thought-provoking read about memory, relationships, forgiveness, and resilience. Evvie’s story stayed with me, and I found myself reflecting on how much our memories shape who we are.

Thank you NetGalley, The Independent Book Publishers Association, and author Ezra Palmer for the opportunity to read this advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Publishing date: July 13th 2026

[Liana Gold · Rating 5 out of 5]

We remember their love when they can no longer remember.

Time is precious and should not be wasted.

Evvie Kurtz has Alzheimers disease.
Written as one long inner monologue of a woman's rambling thoughts. But those thoughts are not just thoughts, they are memories, they are glimpses of the past, joyous moments of life.

'I remember it all'

So much emotional depth in this little novella.
FULL REVIEW TO FOLLOW




Many thanks to NetGalley and Ezra Palmer for an early copy!

Publication: July 13, 2026

Narrator: Marilyn Downey
Duration: 6 hours
Speed 1.5x

[Isadora · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful cover and beautiful contents 🥲

A story about Alzheimer’s disease. About growing up, friendship, love, and forgiveness. I enjoyed learning about Evvie so so much and highly recommend this to my contemporary lit fic people out there 🫶

One line from this book that will absolutely stick with me is the comparison between a lost small child is a shopping mall and a confused elder suffering with Alzheimer’s. The fear and anxiety over being lost is one I never thought about connecting and I’m grateful I was able to learn more about this illness through the story.

[Salty Swift · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast-paced story of NYC-based couple, Evvie and Jack. While Evvie is the family breadwinner, holding a good job, Jack mostly stays home with their kids and has infrequent consulting assignments. One day Evvie starts talking about a trip and continually whines about her husband's numerous affairs and his laughable salary. As her internal dialogue runs in infinite circles, the reader suddenly realizes there's something off. In relatively brief chapters, full of run-on sentences and lapse punctuation, the truth comes out - Evvie has Alzheimers. Very intense story that immediately grabs you and keeps your interest until the very end.

[Susan J. Barrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is mesmerising and utterly charming. Evie is such a wonderful, gentle, beguiling raconteur and Marilyn Downey’s narration was sublime.
Evie has dementia and we join her as she and her husband are packing for a holiday to Greece. However, Evie’s mind keeps wandering back through other memories, and each time she returns to the present moment it takes a little longer for her to figure out what’s going on.
If you’ve ever experienced someone close slowly slipping from you, this book will bring you comfort. Evie has lived a fascinating life and she remembers all of it.
Five stars from me for a beautiful story that releases on 13 July.
With grateful thanks to NetGalley, Ezra Palmer and the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) for a chance to read an advance copy.

[K.C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Handsome is Ezra Palmer's poignant look into the mind and life story of a New York woman living with Alzheimer’s. Told primarily through a stream-of-consciousness narrative, at times edging into meandering, the book remains deeply engaging. Palmer anchors the story in simple moments, such as the protagonist folding a sweater, allowing her drifting exposition to fill in some context of how she arrived at points in the story, and how she feels about her broader life journey at any given point in time.

For such an arguably potentially heavy premise, the storytelling is understated and subtle. The pacing takes some license; subtle shifts emerge around the one-third mark. This felt like an intentional and incredibly impactful choice. It reads like the literary equivalent of J.M.W. Turner’s artistic progression: beginning with a clearly strong technical grasp, but gradually shifting into something hazier and impressionistic, all while remaining artistically impressive.

Even the moments that feel frustrating feel deliberate and well-crafted. The narrative perspective is ruminating yet open-minded and it raises striking questions about the contradictions between the stories we want to believe define us versus the ones that actually do. There feels like a lot of potential insight to be gleaned from Evie’s framing of her own narrative.

Listening to the audiobook, I was deeply impressed by the self-possessed, wry, and reflective qualities that narrator Marilyn Downey brought to the performance.

Overall, readers looking for a merely entertaining or passive read might be better served elsewhere, but those who appreciate a patient character study that leaves room for ambiguity could find this a rewarding read.

Thank you to NetGalley, the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members’ Audiobooks, and the author for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Genny · Rating 5 out of 5]

First and foremost, the casting of Marilyn Downey for this audiobook was perfection. She breathed life into her narrative role.

This novel is on the shorter side and yet it is one of those books that sticks with you, long after you finish and you find yourself thinking about Evvie. It is not one of those books you can fly through and feel like you’ve gained something from it. There is a story between the lines to be learned from Evvie, and that is what stays with you long after the book is over.

“Handsome” is not driven by misadventure and chaos, but instead asks you to hold Evvie’s hand and step back in time with her in a stream of consciousness as she recalls her life story. You stay with her and see the pathways in her mind that still exist and how it effects her current reality. Anyone who has any firsthand experience with Alzheimer’s disease will resonate with this story because you can see that loved one in Evvie— specifically the repetition, the disorientation, and the eventual mental decline that leads to admitting independence is a thing of the past.

Evvie is not a one-dimensional character who is easily be defined by her disease. She is still a very much nuanced person who is not to be swept under the rug. Although maybe not the most reliable of narrators because she remembers her past vividly and has trouble staying in the present, she still is able to give you emotional depth and examination of pivotal and formative moments in her life.

This is one book I truly would recommend and hope everyone picks up when it’s released on July 13, 2026!

Thank you to Ezra Palmer and Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) for providing this audiobook ARC for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Jeni—Bookish.Bestie.909 · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️ This story is unique and heartbreaking. It felt so real and that made it hard to read. As someone who has had loved one’s with Alzheimer’s, Evvie’s story felt very important. The depiction of this disease was heartbreaking and heartwarming simultaneously. At first I wasn’t quite sure where Evvie was taking us, but slowly I realized we were joining her on her daily struggle with her memory loss and confusion. Evvie grapples with her past and present in a way that kept me engaged the whole time.
This was an emotional and impactful short read that will stick with me for a long time.

I received this early copy in Audio book format. I really enjoyed the narrator herself. However, I did find that the audio sometimes had volume issues (going louder and quieter unexpectedly).

Thank you NetGalley, Ezra Palmer and Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) for early access.

[Ari · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not going to lie, I was initially skeptical when I started the book. It took me some time to get into it as I found it slow moving and couldn't understand the significance of the memories the narrator was reminiscing about. By the end of the book, my heart was aching and I wanted to hug her and her family so badly. A bit disconnected at first, but very emotionally invested by the end. Great book.

[Joel Duncan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can you read a whole book based on the strength of its cover?

I guess you can because that's how I came across Handsome. It is a type of story I have never read before and probably never will again. You can see by the star rating that the reason for this isn't because I didn't like it, it's because it's so different in a way that I'm not sure it would work for me if I read another story in this style. Evvie's story feels authentic.

I don't think the rating would be as high if I'd not listened to the audiobook though, as the narrator does a fantastic job of making this fictional biography feel like a friend of the family sitting you down with a cup of tea and telling you about their complicated relationship with their husband.

You could imagine it this way - you've just sat down with Evvie (Evelyn) and she's sad because she desperately wants to leave her husband Jack. And you ask her "Why don't you just leave him then?" She smiles and proceeds to tell you the moving and heartbreaking story of why it's not as simple as 'just leaving him.'

It's like ASMR for the soul. Nothing happens in the way of plot (a plot plot... That'll make sense when you read it). But a regular person's life isn't dramatic, even with tragedy and heartbreak, love and loss, and other trivialities of life, are huge to the person that is experiencing them. This feels like that, you are witnessing a person's memory of their life before Alzheimer's takes it all away from them. If you know someone with Alzheimer's or dementia, I have both worked with people with the diseases and have family members with it, and I can vouch for Handsome's authenticity.

If you like stories that make you feel like you are making a friend or one which helps you feel like you are living a different life from your own, then this is for you. But don't expect dramatic things to happen in the story, if you are 20 - 30% through and you are thinking 'I wish this would just get going,' you probably won't enjoy this story.

*Huge thanks to Ezra, Taag & Rohg Press and netgalley for allowing me the opportunity to read Handsome*

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️’s

This one held my attention…I was invested.
And the narration by Marilyn Downey was an added bonus. She was excellent and made it engaging.

The story is told in the fragmented memories of a woman, Evie, who has Alzheimer’s disease as she reflects on her life and specifically her relationship with Jack.
Palmer does not reduce Evie to her Alzheimers, which I loved.
Memory becomes the method of looking at things instead of being the thing looked at.

The book then raises a lovely question; when the lifetime we have lived has started to disappear, what parts of our self remain?
The memories left behind are those that had the greatest impact on her…her lifelong friends, her children & her marriage.
She remembers what she cared about.

While facts may be lost; love, longing, regret, and affection leave larger impacts than just memory.
Palmer did a good job letting us feel those feelings thru Evie.

If you like books based on consciousness, you’ll likely enjoy this.
Thank you to NetGalley for the Audio ARC of this.

[Sohana Nasrin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance reader’s copy of Handsome by Ezra Palmer.

Journalists, Alzheimer’s disease, an intelligent woman narrator, and a scholarship girl navigating class, ambition, memory, and identity? You had my attention from the very first pages.

Handsome is one of those novels that quietly settles into your mind and stays there. Ezra Palmer writes with magnetic, deeply human prose, drawing readers into the fragmented world of Evvie Kurtz, a woman attempting to tell her own story even as memory itself becomes increasingly unreliable.

In fact, my one regret is that I went into the novel already knowing from the book description that Alzheimer’s would play a central role. Palmer unfolds Evvie’s condition so skillfully and so gradually that I couldn’t help wishing I had discovered it alongside her, piece by piece. There is something deeply intriguing about experiencing those gaps, uncertainties, and moments of confusion without knowing exactly where they are leading. I suspect the revelation would have been even more powerful had I entered the story completely blind.

At its heart, this novel asks difficult and fascinating questions: What happens when memory begins to disappear? Which moments remain when there isn’t room to keep them all? Who do we remember, who do we forget, and how much of our identity is tied to the stories we tell ourselves about our past? Palmer explores these questions with remarkable tenderness, never reducing his characters to simple answers.

There is something wonderfully ironic—and profoundly moving—about Evvie narrating her own life while struggling to remember it. She tells her story even when parts of that story have become inaccessible to her. The novel becomes a meditation on loss, betrayal, family, love, and the fragile nature of memory itself. What is your happiest memory when memory is in short supply? Which people remain with us when details begin to fade? And what does identity look like when the past can no longer be reliably retrieved?

I also appreciated Palmer’s willingness to inhabit and explore a woman’s perspective with such care and empathy. Too often female characters are flattened into archetypes; Evvie feels fully alive, intelligent, complicated, and real. Her voice carries the novel, and Palmer treats it with remarkable respect.

I listened to the audiobook and the narration deserves special praise. The reader brings genuine emotion to the performance without overdoing it. The voice is warm, expressive, and nuanced, capturing Evvie’s vulnerability, wit, confusion, and determination. It is one of those audiobook performances that quietly elevates an already strong novel.

There are books that tell a story, and there are books that invite readers to reflect on their own lives. Handsome does both. It made me think about memory not simply as a record of events, but as the fragile foundation upon which we build identity, relationships, and meaning.

This was a moving, thoughtful, and emotionally resonant read that I would happily recommend to a wide range of readers. It has certainly made me eager to seek out Palmer’s other novel, Catbirds.

A novel about memory, identity, and the stories we cling to when everything else begins to fade. Highly recommended.

[Ashley Gordon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Evvie’s husband is finally taking her to Greece, a trip she’d always wanted to take. But Evvie has Alzheimer’s, and in the process of packing her suitcase, she revisits some of her most vivid memories in a stream of consciousness style recollection.

There are a number of books on the market where dementia is central to the plot. This one feels so unique with the account coming from the person suffering from memory loss.

It’s interesting to interpret what we learn through Evvie in light of her diagnosis. To what degree is she a reliable narrator? Should we give more weight and importance to recurring details?

This book is a beautiful study of what remains when the mind starts to falter. The narration was excellent and really brought Evvie’s personality to life.

Love to all the caregivers…❤️

Thanks to NetGalley for the ALC!

[Gina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mesmerizing. At first, you are reading/listening to a woman tell a story about her cheating husband and her life with him and all his faults... then everything changes. She's not just telling her story, she's reliving it, over and over again. Evvie is sick and once you realize this, the whole dynamic of your experience changes. Your perception changes. Emotions become deeper and you are instantly drawn into her life stories.

The author did an absolutely amazing job of writing her story and the narrator did an amazing job reading it. Evvie Kurtz has Alzheimer's disease. This IS her story.

[Bookaholic__Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was quite unique, I can't say I have ever really read anything written like this. Let me just say, Alzheimers is awful. It slowly robs someone not just of their memories but in many ways their very identity. The frustration, the helplessness, the unpredictability.... It's just a lot.

Handsome is written as fragmented parts coming from a woman who has Alzheimer's in relation to her life, her memories and her marriage. The timeline is splintered and not at all linear. I truly felt like I was sitting here listening to a grandmother recount the highs and lows of her life.

The story is equally as beautiful as it is painful.

I received a copy in exchange for my honest review

[Ella · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️ (4⭐️ Book, 5⭐️ Audio)

Evvie Kurtz remembers everything. Evvie has Alzheimer’s. She’s going to share her story, and it’s going to break your heart.

This story is absolutely heartbreaking. Written almost like a stream of consciousness with journal entires/memories, we spend a day, and a lifetime, with Evvie as she and her husband pack for the trip to Greece she’s wanted to take her whole life, only it may be too late. She shares stories of her childhood, meeting her handsome husband Jack, her successful career, and her oldest friendship, her family. She remembers every detail of these memories, but not why she is packing, or unpacking? her suitcase. While remembering both falling in love with Jack, and his many affairs, is she packing to finally leave him? And which twin keeps popping in the room to help her? She has always been the only one to never confuse the boys… She believes she has lived a good life, but the undertones are full of sadness. Something not quite of regret, but not quite the fulfillment this sweet woman deserves.

I was lucky enough to get both the eARC and an ALC of Handsome and was able to do an immersive read - which I did in one sitting thanks to the incredible narration of Marilyn Downey. She is fantastic! She really brings Evvie to life, like she’s telling her own story. You can’t help but FEEL every emotion Evvie does in each of her recalled memories, and in each of her present day moments. If you’ve ever spent time with someone with memory issues, this will bring you back to those moments. It was like listening to my grandmother recall her life for me, and then seeing her struggle with deciding if I was my mother or myself, and where or when she even was… It was raw, emotional, and heartbreakingly beautiful. After relating too much to both Evvie’s struggles to fit in or be enough her whole life, and also to those who love and care for her in her toughest days, I was left so nervous for a possibly future for myself and those I love most. Like Evvie, my memories are so vivid. I remember every detail like I am there again, but then not why I came into the Kitchen. So, that’s fun🙃😂 I think part of the take away here is supposed to be about questioning the accuracy of her memories, and the love and support Evvie has on her toughest days - in sickness and in health, and all that - but I struggled with both. Between the writing and the narration, I couldn’t help but fall in love with Evvie and believe every word of her memories. I’ve seen it first hand. I wished so much better for her, and felt like Jack is one of the most unlikable characters I have ever read (Natalie wasn’t a whole lot better for me). I think him being there for her is the absolute least he could’ve done after a lifetime of selfishness. I wish I could take her to Greece!

I highly recommend this quick and powerful read, especially on audio! Get comfortable, give yourself a few hours, and be prepared to have your heart ripped out!

Thank You to NetGalley, Taag & Roth, and author Ezra Palmer, for the eARC of Handsome. I also want to thank NetGalley, Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), author Ezra Palmer, and narrator Marilyn Downey, for the opportunity to listen to the ALC of Handsome.

[Juliet · Rating 5 out of 5]

First, thank you to NetGalley and Ezra Palmer for the opportunity to read Handsome. This isn’t a book I would normally pick up, which made it an even bigger surprise. I loved it so much that now I need a physical copy for my shelves, and I’ll be recommending it to everyone.

I finished Handsome in less than 24 hours because I simply couldn’t put it down. The way Ezra Palmer wrote Evvie’s perspective gave me a completely different understanding of Alzheimer’s disease. Her thoughts moved from one memory to another so naturally that I often found myself surprised by where we ended up, but it always felt authentic. It gave me a glimpse into a mind that is constantly shifting between the present and the past.

Reading this made me think about my own grandmother and what she may have experienced. I can’t imagine how confusing it must be to be fully present one moment and then suddenly reliving memories from years ago, with all of the emotions that come rushing back with them.

When I worked with Alzheimer’s patients, we were always taught not to correct them but to meet them where they were. We were told to let them stay in the memories they were living because, to them, those moments were real. After reading Handsome, I finally understand why. It helped me see that those emotions aren’t random. They’re real reactions to memories that feel just as present as the room they’re standing in.

This book gave me a deeper understanding of Alzheimer’s than I expected, and I’m so grateful I had the chance to read it. It’s one of those stories that stays with you long after you’ve finished the last page.

[Avery Richards · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unfortunately, this will have to be a dnf for me.

Handsome was a beautiful novel, nothing like i’d ever read/listened to before. It’s not only about a romance, but about a whole life, told in the rambling thoughts of Evie, a woman with Alzheimer’s. There was an underlying melancholy throughout the whole story (at least the part that i’d read up to). And even the narrator had such a calming and emotional voice that i thought fit perfectly with the book and the character.

So this is one of those instances where the book isn’t the problem, i am. Because despite the book having all the qualities i usually go for in books, i was so bored and i barely ever put it on purely because the book is a literary fiction, with no plot (and let me remind you, some of my all time favourite books are literary fiction). But i’d like to think if i’d physically read this instead of listened to it, i would’ve absolutely adored it. I think with audiobooks, for me, it really has to grip me and make me want to listen, or else i’ll just go on listening to music and it will sit unread for almost a month. So again, i’m the problem, not the book. From now on, i think i’ll stick to mystery thrillers and romances when it comes to audiobooks to insure a good book doesn’t get the wrong impression from me again.

Thank you to NetGalley and Taag & Rohg for providing me the audio ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Bianca Hanga · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did not expect to like this book, yet here I am, giving it 5 stars.

When I started the book, I completely forgot about the blurb, what it was about, and was surprised by the disjointed writing, the repetitions, and my first instinct was to DNF, but decided to give it a chance and keep going, and I am very glad I did.

Evvie Kurtz remembers everything, her childhood, teenage years, and most of all, she remembers the first time she saw Jack, the way he smiled. She remembers her life, her father, her best friend, marrying, having children, but she cannot remember why she was packing, how many cookies she ate in the last few minutes, that she has Alzheimers.

This was an incredible story, and I cannot stress enough how wonderful the narrator was, her ability to convey each emotion perfectly, the joy, the anger, sadness, confusion, the love, the resentment. It felt like I was on the phone with Evvie and she was telling me her life story, and what a story it was.

I really recommend this book to everyone, even though the narration is an almost uninterrupted stream of consciousness, with many repetitions, almost no breaks, we are in Evvie's mind, her memories, her past, her present, and it's as if we are her, feeling all her feelings. I don't know if it would have had the same impact on me if i read the book instead of listening to it, so if disjointed storytelling is not your thing, get the audiobook first. I finished it in one sitting, uninterrupted.

Thank you to NetGalley, the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members’ Audiobooks, and the author for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Ink · Rating 5 out of 5]

Handsome by Ezra Palmer with Marilyn Downey (Narrator) is as beautiful as it is devastating and both poles are essential in understanding the level of empathy from not only the author, but the narrator in respect of living with alzheimers.

Handsome is told from a single POV, that of Evie Kurtz. Evie grew up in Manhattan, became a successful journalist, had a blissful marriage and yet, decides to leave her husband. Evie also has Alzheimers

So many of us have seen our loved ones fade away before our eyes, still physically present, but their cognition remains in the past, key symbols marking the cornerstones of daily life, confusion its bedrock. Our understanding is often found in objective accounts, experiencing it from the outside, but here, we experience it from within

Special recognition to the narrator Marilyn Downey for a stunning performance from deep within. If this wasn't true empathy for the subject and/or a direct experience of the same, I would be very, very surprised

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and Ezra Palmer | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Audiobooks for this ALC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

[enya 🍄 · Rating 3 out of 5]

thank you netgalley and the publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review 💫
im conflicted about what i thought of this book. i thought the premise and the way it was written was original and the first 40% had me hooked. it felt raw and real, and the disorienting way of writing really worked! but i’ve got to be honest, the rest of the book just felt repetitive and boring to me. and maybe thats the way it was supposed to land, since you’re basically just reading Evelyn’s ongoing thoughts, but idk i think it wasn’t for me. im probably in the minority though so i think its definitely worth a read!!

[Andrea Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listening to this audiobook felt like sitting on a park bench while an older woman shared her life story with me; the narrator made the experience incredibly personal. It is easily one of the absolute best audiobooks I have ever heard. Imagine being forced to relive the worst part of your life every single day with no way to stop it. What I expected to be a simple story about an awful husband turned out to be so much more. The author packed an incredible amount of depth into just six hours. While entirely heartbreaking, this book offers a gut-wrenching, front row seat into the mind of someone living with Alzheimer's, and it was executed brilliantly.

[Karen Richardson · Rating 5 out of 5]

When this book ended I said “oh”, and I wanted to take Evie by the hand.

In a first-person narrative, we hear Evie‘s rambling honest colourful reminiscences of her past. She remembers everything; her friends, her school, her first sexual encounters, her work... But we also soon begin to realize that she’s losing her hold on the present. Why does she have a sweater in her hand?Is she packing or unpacking the suitcase? Is she going on vacation or leaving her husband? She just doesn’t know. However, Evie has particularly vivid memories of her husband’s affairs which upset her and make her angry. Jack was always a good father but a bad husband, that much she knows.

At first Evie’s Alzheimer’s is only hinted at through interactions with her husband Jack and son Quinn (or is it Brian?) but slowly it becomes more obvious. We hear repetitions with variations and the possible bending of memories. This is a retelling of Evie’s and Jack’s love story
through a jumble of vivid memories and thoughts.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC copy of this book.
I listened to the audiobook which is excellently narrated by Marilyn Downey.

[Amie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the audiobook.

This book’s intensity sneaks up on you. Evvie, the main character, has Alzheimer’s disease. This book is her internal dialogue as she recounts her past but also begins experiencing symptoms.

I think the audiobook is great for this story since it is Evvie’s thoughts and memories.

[Hailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

★★★★★
Handsome (Ezra Palmer - released 07.13.2026)
audioARC Review

✧ Read with me ✧ Instagram ✧ | @haileydianereads

A massive thank you to NetGalley, Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Audiobooks & author Ezra Palmer for the audioARC in exchange for my honest book review! 🥰🙌

“It is embarrassing to say, but it has to be said, that in most of the pictures of us, for years and years, I was looking at him and not at the camera.” 📷 👫

“...because I needed to remind him that I do remember. I remember everything. I remember the details. I remember all the smells and colors.” 🥛 🍪

This book is perfect for readers who enjoy…
- New York settings and the passing of time
- Emotionally tragic, yet beautiful stories
- Complicated relationships
- Fictional narrative memoirs
- 1st Person POV

I read this book and immediately searched for Ezra Palmer’s other book! I am excited to read Catbrids soon, because this novel was absolutely breathtaking. It crushed me over and over, but in the most beautiful ways. Palmer will be an auto-read author for me moving forward based on this novel alone. Not only was this novel well written and gripping, but the audiobook narration was such a gift. Marilyn Downey provides so much emotional depth to this story. My typical Bonus portion of the review will focus on the audiobook and narration itself.

RATING SYSTEM: I rate my books by 5 literary element groupings: plot and pacing, characters and development, setting and world building, dialogue and writing style. See below for a full review:

📖Plot and Pacing
What is a plot? Really? This book doesn’t focus on a plot but on a person - Evvie. Evvie has lived a life deserving of a novel. She has fallen in love. She has had her heart broken - repeatedly. She has climbed the career ladder. She has narrowly missed tragedy. She has been a daughter, a wife, a friend, and a mother. She has cared for a parent with a disability. She has sacrificed. She has lived a captivating life, and currently, she has Alzheimer’s.

🧞‍♀️Characters and Development
Evvie has endured so much during her life and managed to build a successful career amid loss and grief. Evvie and Jack are flawed, but damn it if they aren’t two of the most well-written characters I’ve ever met. Character development is not the purpose or point of this novel. Typically, that would be disappointing for me, but in this novel, readers are witnessing a life lived. It is a life that is not perfect or tidy, and that may be frustrating for some. However, it was a life filled with love, loss, and regret. While character development isn’t at the forefront of this story, forgiveness, time, memories, complicated love, resilience, pain, grief, and identity are all foundational aspects of this novel.

🌇Setting and World Building
Palmer has set this novel in NYC. The characters move in and out of time from the 1970s and 80s to the 2010s and 20s. From her younger years in Manhattan’s Upper East Side to the apartment on West 84th St and to the home in Brooklyn, Evvie is a New Yorker who grows and changes as she transforms from a teen to a young adult and again in her midlife. She attended Bard College and worked near the Twin Towers before their fall in 2001. It is evident that Palmer knows the ins and outs of the city and brings NYC to life throughout the telling of Evvie’s story.

🗣️Dialogue
I truly believe the dialogue is one of the biggest aspects of this book being so compelling. Palmer has managed to use the dialogue as one of the foundational ways that the reader experiences the frustrations and physicalities of Alzheimer’s. The tension builds as small conversations are had, but the impact of the dialogue can be found in Evvie’s inner monologues. She takes readers on small asides as she unfolds her life. The way Palmer wrote the repeating statements, the pauses, and Evvie’s starting and stopping of stories is tragic but mimics real life in that way. The brief and sporadic returns to the current conversations and events will shatter readers.

📝Writing Style
Palmer has such a unique talent for writing in a way that invites the reader to step into empathy and to sit with someone as they tell you all the beautiful and ugly parts of their lives. The loves and regrets, the pride in one’s career and the cost of being human are all explored. Not only is his craft impeccable, but he manages to present these honest moments in a nuanced way that comes across as conversational. I literally found myself nodding along as Downey portrayed Evvie.

❉BONUS❉: Narration of Audiobook
There are times when I will enjoy both print and audiobook formats of a book. I will think to myself that the audiobook was good, but it didn’t add to the story itself. At times, I choose an audiobook just because I can get through a book during my work commute. This is not that kind of audiobook. This is mesmerizing to listen to. Marilyn Downey draws the reader into the story, and her emotional portrayal of the story will break the reader’s heart. Downey’s voice also has a calming aspect that makes the reader feel as if they are listening to a family friend recount their life. Readers will be hurt when the repetition shows itself, but they will also laugh when Evvie rants. All in all, readers will be transformed by this novel.

😤The Flaws
It is a rarity for me, but absolutely no notes! Perfection!

Ezra Palmer delivered a masterpiece that will hit too close to home for some and broaden everyone’s capacity to love, forgive and live despite the pain.

Gratitude, always.
- H.

[Aster Carlyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Handsome is a novel where, technically, almost nothing happens, but it’s one of the more quietly powerful reading experiences I’ve had in a while. (Content Disclosure: This book and the review will heavily discuss Alzheimer’s Disease) Final Score: 4.5

What This Book Does Well
This is solid quiet literary fiction that unfolds over the course of a couple of hours at most. The story is a stream of consciousness from Evvie’s perspective as she reflects on different parts of her life. She is a likable protagonist, but not without the contradictions and imperfections that come with a fully lived life. While normally, this would go under the next section, in this book the prose being very repetitive is intentional and very well done. The blurb of this book lets the reader know from the beginning that Evvie has Alzheimer’s disease. Since the narrative is told as her stream of consciousness, phrases and memories circle back, loop around, and resurface slightly altered. For me, this read as clever rather than frustrating as this form is part of the narrative story line.

I should disclose that I don’t have much experience with Alzheimer’s disease myself. So for me the tone of the book felt more reflective with some sadness, but I think if I had loved one with Alzheimer’s disease, I could see this book being a lot more devastating. There is a raw vulnerability to it that I think could be heartbreaking for readers who have real life experiences with loved ones with Alzheimer’s disease. While I can’t speak with any authority about the lived experience with Alzheimer’s disease, my gut says that Ezra Palmer handled the subject with genuine care - whether through personal experience or thorough research, Evvie’s portrayal feels trustworthy not exploitative.

I listened to this as an audiobook narrated by Marilyn Downey and I think that was the right call for this particular book. Downey’s voice has a warmth that suits the material perfectly and I suspect the repetitiveness that is so integral to the book’s effect could have felt a bit laborious to me if I read a physical copy.

Where It May Fall Short
I’m not kidding when I say almost nothing “happens” in this book which I could see being very frustrating for some readers. Between almost nothing happening and the repetitiveness of the prose, I think this book does ask a lot of the reader’s patience, so I think that is worth knowing going in.

Final Thoughts & Opinions
If you enjoy quiet, character-driven literary fiction, this book may be a great fit. This is the kind that trusts its reader to find meaning in the stillness. If you have loved ones who have experienced Alzheimer’s disease, be aware that Alzheimer’s disease is reflected in every single aspect of this story in one way or another. I think my emotional distance with this book (not in a bad way!) was a function of my limited experience with this disease, I can definitely see how devastating this book would be if I had closer experience myself.

If you need plot momentum, don’t like to sit with a character's complicated feelings, or get frustrated with repetitive prose, this one may not be the best fit. I really enjoy quiet literary fiction so I think that context is worth factoring in when weighing my take.

My thanks to NetGalley and IBPA for the complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

TL;DR
Would I recommend it: Yes, but only for people who enjoy quiet literary fiction and only if they are in a place to read about the stream of consciousness from someone with Alzheimer’s disease.
Would I continue reading books by this author: 100%

Star Score Breakdown
Personal Enjoyment: 4
Overall Execution: 4.5
Writing & Craft Quality: 4.75
Characters: 4.5
Plot: 4.75
Final Score: 4.5

[Louisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Handsome feels less like reading a memoir and more like sitting down for coffee with someone who slowly, beautifully unpacks their life in front of you.

Told through the simple act of packing a bag, the story moves between past and present as the narrator (Evvie) vividly recalls her childhood, friendships, marriage, and the many small joys and heartbreaks that shape a life. The moments when her recollections are interrupted by her husband, she’s suddenly faced with the unsettling reality that she can no longer remember why she’s packing at all. Although does Evvie feel this confusion, or is it just the reader?

What could feel heavy is instead deeply warm, human, and surprisingly comforting. The narrator inserts small laughs into moments she finds funny and her calm and soft intonation really do make the listener feel like they're huddled up over or a coffee (or a wine) getting to know one another.
At moments the two of you are hugging, deep in conversation and the next you're face to face, staring intently as Evvie shares all her memories, frustrations and life triumphs.

The shifting timelines are handled so effortlessly that the story feels pacy and immersive, with each memory offering something familiar, relatable, and emotionally true. Evvie is incredibly likeable and her life feels ordinary in the most extraordinary way, full of recognisable moments that quietly mirror our own.

What makes this novel so original is its tender portrayal of memory loss. Rather than focusing purely on sadness, heightened drama or chaos, it humanises the confusion of Alzheimer’s, showing how the past can remain vivid even as the present slips away. It’s not devastating in the way one might expect. It’s reflective, compassionate, and quietly profound.

This is ultimately a story about identity, memory, and the unaware loss of control, but it’s told with such warmth that it never feels bleak. Instead, it feels like a gentle reminder of how a life is built - in memories, in relationships, and in the small details we carry with us. The author respects the protagonist and never did I feel anything but a connection to Evvie. Evvie is all of us. This is a woman who may have Alzheimers but she is still relevant. human and above all she is 'someone'. I'm glad I listened to the this book because reading it, I fear I may have heightened emotions in my head whereas Marilyn Downey's portrayal gave her greater respect perhaps than I would have.

The title - I have to admit I didn't think about why the book is called "Handsome" until a few days later. So many titles overly long or explanatory but this title almost disappeared from my thoughts- in fact I've added this paragraph as an edit. Now I think I've worked out how clever it is - but I won't spol anything.

A deeply moving, beautifully structured novel that lingers like our memories - if we are lucky to still have them.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars:
Trigger Warning: A vivid portrait of Alzheimer’s disease. Some plot spoilers ahead.

Author Ezra Palmer brilliantly explores the inner workings of a once-sharp mind as Alzheimer’s disease slowly ravages the brain. This is the story of Evvie Kurtz, a successful journalist who remembers everything -- and that is precisely the problem, because Evvie has Alzheimer’s.

What stands out most is the structure of the narrative itself. Evvie tells the story through her internal monologue, and Palmer allows readers to fully inhabit her thoughts. To Evvie, everything makes sense. Through her memories, we learn about her life: how she earned her place at university, met her husband, balanced career and motherhood, and built a successful professional life.

Like many highly driven people, Evvie seems to possess an “edge” that fueled her success. While she carried the burden of being the primary breadwinner and managing the demands of career and family, her husband appears to have enjoyed philandering -- or at least that is how Evvie remembers it. Her narration is filled with resentment, wit, anger, and sharp observations. She is snarky, wounded, and edgy, yet Palmer makes her thoughts concise, compelling, and surprisingly easy to follow.

What makes the novel so effective is the contrast between Evvie’s internal narrative and the interruptions of present-day reality. Those moments allow the audience to see just how detached from reality Evvie has become, even while her memories remain vivid and emotionally charged. Palmer beautifully illustrates that behind the seemingly irrational ramblings of Alzheimer’s patients may exist coherent thoughts, deeply rooted memories, and unresolved emotional truths.

The novel also raises unsettling questions: Are we ultimately shaped by the memories and resentments we cling to? Do our lifelong ruminations become amplified when cognitive filters disappear?

For me, Palmer made me reflect on my own inner dialogue. Evvie was enormously successful professionally and had a full family life, yet she never truly released the pain of her husband’s affair. That lingering hurt becomes central to her “sundowning” episodes and emotional outbursts. In many ways, the novel felt like a cautionary tale about what we allow to live rent-free in our minds.

At the same time, Palmer offers something deeply compassionate. What may appear to outsiders as an “addled” mind is, in truth, often a richly layered one, filled with memories, emotions, and fragments of identity struggling to remain intact. It’s all in the memories.

Thank you to NetGalley, the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members’ Audiobooks, and the author for the advance copy. I also found Marilyn Downey’s narration superb; her performance added tremendous emotional depth to Evvie’s voice and elevated the listening experience beautifully. Expected publication is July 13, 2026.

[Kayla · Rating 3 out of 5]

**★★★☆☆**

This is one of those books that's much more about the experience than the plot.

*Handsome* follows Evvie Kurtz, an elderly woman living with Alzheimer's, as her memories drift between the distant past and the confusing present. At first, I honestly wasn't sure what was happening. The story felt meandering, and I couldn't figure out why certain memories were important. Once it clicked that I was essentially experiencing the world through Evvie's deteriorating mind, I appreciated what the author was doing much more.

The writing is vivid, especially when Evvie recalls her earlier life. Those long-term memories are incredibly detailed, while her present-day thoughts become increasingly fractured. It creates an authentic feeling of being inside the mind of someone losing pieces of themselves.

That said, I struggled with the characters. Evvie wasn't particularly likable to me. She could be judgmental and gossipy, and although I understood that people are complicated, I never felt especially connected to her. Jack frustrated me even more. Watching red flag after red flag get ignored—including his affairs and his inability to be a true partner—was maddening. I spent a good portion of the book wanting Evvie to walk away from him much sooner.

Ironically, my favorite part was learning that she eventually did leave him, even though he later returned to help care for her as her dementia progressed. It was bittersweet. I was glad she eventually found the courage to leave, but sad that the disease ultimately overshadowed that independence.

The Alzheimer's representation was probably the strongest aspect of the novel. My own mother has dementia, and I saw a lot of familiar behaviors in Evvie, especially toward the end when the sundowning became more obvious. Those scenes felt painfully realistic. The family's realization that they waited too long to give Evvie the things she'd always wanted—like her dream trip to Greece—hit the hardest.

I listened to the audiobook. Marilyn Downey was a good choice for Evvie's voice, but I did have one issue with the production. The recording sounds very muddy, with too much emphasis on the lower frequencies. In my car, I could barely make out the dialogue, even at higher volumes. Listening with earbuds or on my phone was much clearer.

Overall, I think this will appeal most to readers who enjoy literary fiction that's reflective and character-focused rather than plot-driven. It wasn't a favorite for me, largely because I never connected with the characters, but I did appreciate its honest portrayal of Alzheimer's and the realities of memory loss.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an advance listening copy in exchange for an honest review.

[C.R. Comacchio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many thanks to NetGalley and the Independent Book Publishers Association for an advance copy of this audiobook.

Despite narrator Marilyn Downey’s sensitive reading, and the author’s tender writing, I found this a difficult story to hear. That in itself testifies to Ezra Palmer’s ability to tell a story from inside the perspective of a woman gradually losing her memory. Palmer can only have observed a loved one’s process of decline into Alzheimer’s personally and closely in order to bring the reader ‘into her head’ in such a realistic manner, even while Evvie, speaking in first person, tells her story. But how close is her story to what she has lived? Anyone who has regularly cared for a family member or close friend understands when their story resembles their life in some aspects, while also including scraps of personal history that can’t have happened as they tell it. Perhaps the setting, or the participants. or the timing, are off. How much of this is due to memory slippage, including that of the listener? It is acknowledged that two people might remember an incident or event with seeming clarity but in different ways. Which is the ‘truer’ version?

This question underlies the story. It is not one that can have a final resolution. Evvie is remembering her relationship with her husband Jack, the ‘handsome’ of the title. She is/was deeply in love with him. Jack’s physical appeal, however, presented her as much pain as it did pleasure, epitomized in his infidelity and what she interprets as his longing to be done with her. He is, in fact, to resettle her in a care facility. Typically, at the relatively early stage where she is, the person feels their power being diminished, but can’t grasp any rationale for it other than cruelty on the part of those closest to them. Evvie sees that she is slipping, but, like many, she also denies it, actually forgetting that she is forgetting and imagining a terrible conspiracy. Forgotten are all the love and sacrifice on the part of others involved, not to mention how Alzheimer’s is a shared affliction with consequences for all involved.

This is, as I said, not an easy book to read. For me, having seen through to the end my parents and a number of relatives and friends. It returned moments of anxiety and exhaustion juxtaposed with moments of loving acceptance and compassion for a dread disease that can’t be ‘blamed’ on bad health choices. That doesn’t make it easier for the afflicted or those who watch. Those who have experienced this should be warned that Evvie’s story can’t help but bring back troubled memories. That, too, is the outcome of Palmer’s effective characterization and writing.