A Second-Hand Husband

by Claire Calman

Natalie and Carl are newlyweds, but the honeymoon period is over already.
Carl has just announced he has bought their first home at auction without telling Natalie where it is, never mind showing her a picture of it.

Natalie is horrified to discover that the dream home is in Little Wyford, mere minutes away from Carl’s ex-wife Antonia. And to make matters worse, Antonia’s palatial country mansion has a fully-functioning roof (and a heated swimming pool!), unlike the ramshackle cottage Carl has bought for them…

Antonia is Little Wyford’s Queen Bee, mistress of the book club, organiser of the Christmas Fair and leader of the ladies-who-lunch. No matter how hard she tries, Natalie just doesn’t fit in, and when Antonia insists on referring to Carl as ‘Our Husband’, Natalie’s dreams of happily-ever-after take another nose dive.

Second-hand furniture has much to recommend it, especially when doing up a country cottage, second-hand clothes can be ever-so chic, but second-hand husbands are proving to be a very bad idea indeed… Can Natalie ever escape the label of Wife Number Two or is she destined to share her husband forever?

Hilariously funny, wickedly witty, but with a heart of gold and a warmth and wisdom that are all its own, A Second-Hand Husband is Claire Calman’s tour de force.

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Chick Lit, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Womens Fiction, Rom Com

383 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 16, 2021

About the author

Claire Calman was born 1969, the daughter of Pat McNeill, a magazine designer, and Mel Calman, a cartoonist. Before writing fiction, Claire spent several years working in women's magazines, then in book publishing, editing gardening books. She is also a poet and broadcaster and has performed her pithy verse at live readings and on radio many times, including for BBC Radio Four's Woman's Hour, Loose Ends, the comedy series Five Squeezy Pieces and for LBC. Her short stories have appeared in numerous magazines as well as in various anthologies, including Cheatin' Heart, the best-selling Girls' Night In, Summer Magic and A Day in the Life.

Claire lives in London with her husband, baby son, and an unbelievable amount of unfiled paperwork.

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this is the first time I have read a book hoping that a meteor would strike down, killing off all the characters instantly. (Spoiler alert: this does not happen.) In fact, there’s no natural tragedy that would ensure the characters would be wiped off the face of the novel so that the story could restart.

As you may have guessed, I did not like the characters. They frustrated me and I felt aggressively angry towards Carl. He is a horrible man who bullies, patronises and belittles Natalie to the point that, if it was me, that man would not be able to stand upright! My skin would crawl as I read scenes where he puts Natalie down so much – a woman who’s self-esteem is next to nothing already. Carl was not a tragic hero whom you could sympathise with, even when the writer provides more background to Carl’s upbringing and family dynamics. No way could I feel sorry for him.

Natalie was achingly self-conscious and someone who desperately wants to fade in the background. I grew irritated with her desire to constantly please others around her – even if it was a contradiction to her own beliefs or behaviours. She allows Carl to walk all over her and justifies his behaviour throughout. In my opinion, this made a very toxic relationship and one that could easily be interpreted as rather sinister.

So, if I read the book hoping to see a slaughtering in a quaint Kent village, why did I carry on reading? Well, it was the village of Little Wyford that helped redeem the story. I loved the setting and did smile at the whole ‘Stepford Wives’ theme that Natalie notices of the women of the village. Although Carl’s ex-wife, Antonia, also belonged in the ‘character bin’, I thought Calman plays on the housewife stereotype really well. It demonstrated a stark contrast between Natalie’s independence versus a group of woman who appear spoiled, kept and selfish. It was this that I hoped would spark a change in Natalie’s accepting behaviour.

In addition, I was really interested to see Natalie’s renovations of the run-down cottage that she and Carl have bought. Natalie is making decisions independent of Carl and I loved reading the changes happening. Furthermore, the grounds it is in are described really vividly and I thought the duckpond-come-swimming pool was a great touch! I could really picture Natalie pottering around and creating a rather beautiful home for her and her horrid husband.

This helps provoke a change in Natalie as she evolves to become a stronger woman, mindful of her behaviour and determined to stick to her beliefs. I liked watching this change happen over the story and this was the other significant reason why I carried on reading. Whilst I did not get the ending I was hoping for, it was satisfying to see Natalie more of a dominant character and comfortable with her identity. So, I guess a happy ending… ish.

Overall, I was not very impressed with this story. It’s a shame I grew to dislike the characters so much because this naturally lessened my enjoyment of the novel. Throughout, I wanted Natalie to grow a backbone, get a grip and see the reality of being married to Carl. And, whilst no meteors fell from the sky, it was quite nice to see a book with such a lovely setting.

With thanks to Boldwood books, NetGalley and Rachel’s Random Resources for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[DJ Sakata · Rating 5 out of 5]

Favorite Quotes:

‘That’s so old!’ Her face looks completely horrified, as if I have borrowed a frock from Miss Havisham and it’s covered in cobwebs.

There aren’t any family heirlooms because our family never owned anything significant to hand down to the next generation, other than a predisposition to bowel cancer and bad colds.

And – by the way, it is not OK for you to talk to me like that. You’re not my boss, and if you were my boss and spoke to me like that, I’d be taking you to an industrial tribunal. Be angry if you want to be, but there’s no excuse to talk to me as if I’m a bit of dogshit on your shoe. Do it again and I will be out the door in two seconds and heading for the M20 in my van – and you know I mean it. Do you hear me?


My Review:

My first Claire Calman experience and I am enamored with her delightfully clever wit, which was often the delivery system for keenly observant insights as well as a day of pleasant entertainment. Her character development and wordcraft were stellar and kept me invested and engaged as I alternated between smirking, giggle-snorting, and chewing my cuticles. The spiky secondary characters were as actively involved and germane to the various story threads and more amusingly drawn than the featured couple.

I was ever hopeful the main character of Natalie would eventually locate her spine while I gleefully enjoyed her inner dialog along her route to tracking it down. I wasn’t sure I could get on board with her hasty choice of second-hand husband as Carl showed sparks of promise but he was often a thoughtless asshat who deserved a few swift applications of my crocs to his posterior to dislodge his lost cranium. I had faith the author would get them there and my trust was not ill-placed.

I have a new author to add to my Favorites list and Ms. Calman has a new fangirl as I added her entire Goodreads listing to my TBR shortly after finishing this one.

[♥Milica♥ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Carl and Natalie are newlyweds. She owns her own antique store, he works in PR at a company and they're as happy as can be. Or are they?

Twenty seven days into married bliss, Carl surprises Natalie by calling to tell her he's found their dream home. But the catch is, he's already at the auction and determined to buy it.

Natalie goes along with this and ends up with the shock of her life, Carl's ex wife lives just a few minutes away. But it couldn't be that bad could it? After all, Carl can hang out with his kids more, that's reasonable. Except, the ex is everything Natalie's not, and to make matters worse, the dream house isn't as picture perfect as it was supposed to be.

Will Carl and Natalie manage to keep their marriage going? Or will the ex get in the way of their happiness?

I was in the mood for something light today and this book delivered. I didn't have to think much and a lot of the lines were truly funny. Now the problem is, I don't really get the point?

So, Natalie. I like her and all her insecurities. They make her seem real and I'm sure anyone who's ever been in a relationship can relate to what's bugging her. But Natalie, poor poor Natalie, has very bad taste in men.

I hated Carl. And when I say hated, I mean I wished he'd fall into the duck pond and never emerge from it again. Except that would leave the kids fatherless so maybe something less extreme. But you get my point.

He was so awful. Genuinely awful, childish (not in a cute way), dismissive, I-know-better-than-you etc. They weren't a good match by any means.

It's hard for me to imagine that his behaviour only made an appearance recently. Or rather that it became problematic recently. What about the past 6 months?

I really wonder how the man managed to get married twice. How did he trick these women? What did they see in him? I'll never know.

I was expecting a soft rom com, but what this really is, is Natalie suffering over and over because Carl is a jerk. And yet somehow still a light read, go figure. I think it's the writing style. It's nice and moves at a good pace. There aren't any useless details.

Antonia I couldn't hate, even though she was written as if we're supposed to in the beginning. It was clear there's more to her under all the glamour.

I liked the kids, and that they didn't hate Natalie (Saskia's teenage dislike is forgiven).

And I wish we saw more of Dom. We saw him twice? I think twice. He was interesting.

There was a really nice part in the book where everyone seemed to be getting along and then of course, it had to be ruined. And it's not that it was ruined, it's what happened after that.

The ending really left me feeling like a deflated balloon. It had me asking what the whole point was if it was going to end like that. Did Carl or Natalie learn anything? Like really, REALLY learn anything? Natalie maybe, but Carl? It's not just my dislike of him, I think he's too set in his ways and will be back into his old habits soon.

Let's not end this on a sad note. I enjoyed the setting. I love ducks and barns and ponds and villages and all that. The family relationships were also written well and the siblings we saw on both sides were cool.

The name choices were interesting. For example Saskia. Makes me think Antonia doing what she did in relation to a certain erm...Amsterdam visitor, isn't so coincidental.

*Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*

[Wendy W. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three Stars and a half

Don’t put this book down, it’s worth it to read it to the end. This book was a difficult read during the beginning because some of the characters were shallow, selfish, and not likable. The main character, Natalie, was funny and cute, but her insecurities were tough for me to take. However, I do feel like it was worth it, in the end, to see how these characters developed and eventually became worthy of the time I spent reading the book.

Natalie is newly married to Carl after a whirlwind romance of only six months. He calls her up one day and tells her he bought them a cottage in Kent for their forever home. Although Natalie suggested they move to the country so Carl can live closer to his two children, she didn’t expect him to buy a home, without her ever seeing it, and less than a mile from his ex-wife!

The writing is witty and humorous, but the main characters were not very likable in the beginning. It seemed to take a long time before I felt a connection with Natalie, and I never really liked Carl, however by the end, I found him bearable. I thought Natalie’s sister, Celeste, and Carl’s brother, Stephan, were the best characters in the book, and they both played a small part.

Carl's ex-wife (wife number one) was very obnoxious and was portrayed as the cliched catty ex-wife. The two kids were cute, but nothing more than the typical children of divorce.

The author tries to get us to like Carl by talking about his upbringing, but it doesn’t work for me, and it was very difficult during the first half of the book to understand why Natalie could love someone so self-absorbed as Carl.

The book did a good job of demonstrating the difficulties of newly married life, especially with two people who didn’t know each other very well when they got married. And the difficulties of being a stepmother and the insecurities of dealing with an ex-wife.

By the end of the book, I loved Natalie, and could almost feel something for Carl, and even Antonia. I did enjoy the author's humor, and her depiction of the village of Little Wyeford, and especially Rose Cottage and the gorgeous pond.

I recommend this book with the caveat to persevere and make it to the end, as it’s worth it.

About the Author: Claire Calman decided to write a book when she discovered that it mainly involved making cups of tea and gazing out of the window. It was some time before a real writer friend pointed out that if she were to select an assortment of words and arrange them in some kind of order, this would speed up the process no end. Spurred on by this invaluable hint, she wrote Love is a Four-Letter Word, a funny yet poignant story of love and loss which became a bestseller. ​After this, she went on to write Lessons for a Sunday Father, I Like it Like That, Cross my Heart and Hope to Die, and Growing Up for Beginners. She has also written numerous short stories for magazines and anthologies. Claire Calman has a teenage son and lives in London.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

[Sherrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprisingly, better than expected, especially after reading previous reviews. Light romance, with some pretty unlikable characters, Carl is horrendous, as is Antonia, and Natalie is a bit pathetic, but all comes good by the end.

[Michelle Fairchild · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book could be better. The characters lack depth. Carl's for his age sure acts like a teenager. For a man who has been married before should have known better. The storyline great needed some humor or something to break up the monologues. The over descriptions also got to me. It just seems to be words filling the pages instead of adding onto the story. Natalie and Carl's relationship is a mismatch in a way that doesn't work. There's a certain chemistry that's missing.

Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for letting me read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Olivia · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.25⭐️

🥱🥱we love a plotless book😍

[Vicki · Rating 3 out of 5]

We meet Natalie, newly married to Carl. She agrees to move from London to Kent to enable him to be closer to his two children. Just as they are about to begin house hunting Carl buys a run down cottage which comes as a complete shock to Natalie!

As they adjust to their new life Natalie realises that maybe everything isn’t exactly as she thought it would be. There’s also the added issue of Carl’s seemingly perfect ex wife Antonia now lives just a stones throw away. Can Natalie establish herself in a brand new village with Carl’s old life constantly over her shoulder?

Bittersweet and emotional but with a good dose of hope thrown in. This book surprised me. I thought I was going the way of a feel good romcom style story. It wasn’t but it certainly was different.. I do enjoy a story surprising me.

Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review

[Natalie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Claire Calman’s ‘A Second-Hand Husband’ had promise - a comedic look at blended families - but was let down by one of the characters and the pace.

After a whirlwind six months dating, antique clock dealer Natalie marries PR hotshot Carl. After encouraging Carl to move closer to his teenage kids, he decides on spur of the moment without Natalie’s input, to buy a rundown house close to his ex-wife Antonia in the same village.

Cue the rivalry with Antonia trying to out-do Natalie and make her feel unwelcome. Of course we all know where this is going to lead. However what could’ve been a fantastic book about female friendships was wasted by the man in their lives -Carl.

While there’s a backstory into his poor behaviour, there were so many red flags with his lying, controlling and gaslighting that they were excuses that shouldn’t be easily forgiven. Frankly he deserved neither women (and he and Natalie were incompatible). At one point I cheered he was called out on his terrible behaviour, but by the end I was baffled as he showed no evidence of change.

Additionally I found myself skimming quickly the text as there was too much ‘telling’ vs showing. A sub plot involving Natalie’s family also held not much interest.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC.

[Molin · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book ruined my day. That ex-wife.. GEEZ.

[Trisha (semi-hiatus) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free e-ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a rollercoaster. Not in a good way.

I don't even know what to rate this, really, I was just left so unfulfilled by this book.

The beginning was putting me off, a lot. I didn't like the way Carl was making Natalie miserable, and every time they talked about it, or at least Natalie tried to get Carl to talk about it, he would make excuses and whatnot, and that would make me very angry.

Carl was making Natalie's life miserable, and I was hating him for it.

And then, after repeated instances of this same thing done over and over again, she finally leaves him to sit with his faults. Which was the part I loved in this. I loved how Natalie took charge of her life, made a decision, and stuck to it. For a while, at least.

Because even though Natalie did this, I thought Carl was forgiven way too fast. Honestly, I think the only way I could have liked this book would have been if a) Carl had to grovel and slowly earn back his way into Natalie's good graces, or b) we had a second love interest set up, and this horrible marriage resulted in a divorce.

Honestly, I just hated Carl a lot. I did not want this condescending guy as the love interest. At all.

In some places, I would start liking Carl, like in the places after that godforsaken party, and I would start rooting for these two to get back together, but then the condescending behaviour would make a comeback and I would hate Carl again. Honestly, this book was just a repeat performance of the last sentence times 3, or times 5.

I didn't like how much Natalie would easily forgive Carl, and how she would let many of his awful behaviour go. I get that the ending was starting to fix that, and I tell you I did love that part, but those last few chapter just more or less ruined it.

I will say this, the author knows their angst. The slow buildup of angst which reached a tipping point and then just bathed the pages was amazing, but I wish we could have had a slow ending, and not the one chapter forgiveness.

In terms of other characters, I was liking it till they just more or less disappeared. I despised Saskia in the beginning, and also Antonia, and her magic role reversal in the end definitely did not work for me. And that role reversal might have worked for me had we nit just forgotten the whole other family by the ending. I would have liked more of a 'Antonia and crew coming to ask Natalie to come back' or maybe an 'Antonia and crew say to stay away from Carl' ending.

On the whole, perhaps just not for me. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys light but slightly terrifying romances (in the sense you would start feeling scared and angry for Natalie), happy endings (the ones that just fix everything magically), would not mind incomplete character arcs, and second chance romances.

[Karen Barber · Rating 3 out of 5]

Marriage can be tough at times...but when one of the pair has been married before there’s more baggage being brought to the table.
Natalie has been married to Carl for weeks, and everything is wonderful. Then he announces he’s bought their dream cottage in Kent, just down the road from his ex, without Natalie seeing it. When they go to see it, it’s a dump...but it has potential.
As the house takes shape, their marriage flounders. They have to reassess their expectations of each other...and all while being undermined by the ‘number one’.
From the outset I found Natalie hard to sympathise with. Insecure and in awe of those she sees as her betters, it’s an unequal setting. The first wife is deeply unpleasant, and Carl seems doomed to repeat previous mistakes.
While none of the characters are likeable, we get to understand them a little. Things go pretty much as you might expect, and it ends relatively happily.
Thanks NetGalley for providing me with the chance to read this early...a comfortable escape.

[Dianne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Whether reviews give the stamp of approval or not, you can't beat this frustrating but light summer read for the price of:

On Kindle
$1.37
This title will be released on June 16, 2021.

This was a character growth novel that took forever for the characters to grow. Most of the characters were detestable until the very last few chapters, but of course, everything was just a big misunderstanding right? Nope-hubby keeps things from wife, like buying a house without her ever seeing it. The wife won't grow a spine - doesn't speak up about how he went behind her back but she learns to love the house, naturally. A bitchy ex-wife just down the road, a bitchy stepdaughter, brother not speaking to brother. The list of annoying people and situations goes on.

I did finish this book so that says something. but like I said, for a $1.37 you can't beat that with a stick!

*ARC supplied by the publisher.

[Caroline Kerdouci · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two’s company and three’s a crowd in this marriage.

Life is full of tricky relationships and Claire Calman’s new novel embraces many of them. In this modern day world where blended families are far from unusual, newlywed Natalie is about to discover that her marriage to Carl is definitely overcrowded. With a glamorous ex wife still hogging the limelight, awkward step children to negotiate and sibling fall outs to contend with, their honeymoon period comes to an abrupt halt. Packing up her antique clock business in favour of moving from London to rural Kent so husband Carl can spend quality time with his children, Natalie is left dumbfounded when Carl buys dilapidated Rose Cottage at auction without consulting her first. Putting on a brave face in light of this surprising decision is just half of the forthcoming battle. What awaits in Little Wyford in terms of Natalie’s dream home and the welcome she receives from certain quarters is going to test her wedding vows to the extreme.


Obviously this is a character driven novel and once again Claire Calman has chosen to draw on some of the more negative aspects of human nature when penning her main players. She’s provided her readers with plenty of grounds for character assassination! Where shall I begin? Carl, for me is the most disagreeable and he comes with an awful lot of baggage. If buying their dream home without consulting his new wife isn’t automatic grounds for divorce then having Carl’s glamorous ex wife and two spoilt children living a stone’s throw away immediately suggests he’s insensitive, selfish, presumptuous and not the right man for the uncomplaining, forgiving, down to earth Natalie. You wonder what kind of life poor Natalie has signed up for living with someone who is either absent thanks to his workload and family obligations or who is never mindfully present when he does make an appearance, forever glued to his phone. With wife number one, kids Saskia and Max, and a stressful job all demanding his attention Natalie resigns herself to sharing her husband even if that means she constantly finds herself at the bottom of the pile. As the romantic ‘hero’ of the novel, Carl is by no means up to scratch leaving you exasperated and annoyed at his shortcomings. Ditch the phone Carl and actually TALK to your wife otherwise there’ll be more than a few tiles missing from the roof of Rose Cottage;your far too patient wife will have scarpered!!

Antonia, Carl’s first wife and Queen Bee of the village is one of those characters cast as the villain but I absolutely adored her even though everything about her screams first class b***h. You can imagine her as the leader of the cool, mean girls at school, a role she happily carries through into her adult life surrounding herself with equally glamorous shallow acolytes and it’s for this reason she is so unapproachable, at least for the likes of Natalie. From referring to Carl as ‘our husband’ to swanning around the village pushing her way to the front of every queue, buying up all the sourdough, calling Natalie Natty (which only one person has ever been allowed to do) and looking down her nose at wife number two at every opportunity, Antonia injects some oomph and humour into this storyline. Love or hate her ,it’s her interactions with her ‘replacement’ Natalie that amused me the most. She may have the mansion house complete with swimming pool as opposed to Natalie’s crumbling cottage, full of second hand furniture but underneath her air of grandeur is Antonia really that different from her counterpart?

What can I say about Natalie other than that she has a heart of gold and deserves a medal for putting up with both Carl and Antonia’s atrocious behaviour? She’s your typical wholesome girl next door character who struggles to fit into village life thanks to Antonia’s best efforts to belittle her. Hiding her light under a bushel, Natalie is rather insipid to begin with; all you want is for Natalie to wake up and smell the roses and realise she’s worth far more than Carl and Antonia combined. She’s simply too nice. I’m glad that as the storyline progresses she finds her feet and her voice but is it enough to shrug off that unflattering title of wife number two?

With background details of both Carl and Natalie’s upbringings offering up excuses/reasons for their individual personality traits, Claire Calman creates a small cast of imperfect characters to reflect exactly how messy and complicated life in general can be. However it’s a shame a couple of these don’t have more of a substantial role in this family oriented novel. I’d have liked to have seen more of Carl’s brother, the sexy Stefan and Natalie’s cool sister Celeste to offset the drama surrounding Carl, Natalie and Antonia.

One of my favourite parts of this novel is the setting itself. As a born and bred Kentish girl all the places the author mentions are familiar to me and I spent the whole time wondering where exactly in the county the village of Little Wyford is based upon. Thank you to the author for revealing her sources of inspiration for this fictional setting which is far more idyllic than the surroundings I grew up in! I loved the picturesque descriptions of the village and of Rose Cottage with it’s very own pond and the way it contrasts with Antonia and Dom’s more palatial residence.

So what, if anything can you learn from Claire Calman’s characters? What words of wisdom filter down through the pages? Well, it’s the usual standard fare with all these characters undergoing a certain amount of personal growth and development, having realised the errors of their ways. One of the biggest lessons to learn is the importance of valuing your true worth rather than measuring yourself up against the next person and finding yourself wanting. It’s frustrating that so many women are guilty of this, even subconsciously, telling themselves they are not thin enough, pretty enough, smart enough, rich enough, cool enough; basically they are not enough to be anything other than second best which is so unhealthy and dare I say slightly tedious? This competitiveness is so unnecessary as we’re all aware outward appearances never tell the whole story. Natalie and Antonia take note! Communication is key in any relationship and that’s something these characters definitely struggle with!

My major criticisms are that whilst this is funny (in places) I didn’t always find it laugh out loud funny but it is at times sweet and charming. The characterisation is good although in my opinion none of them display that extra special magical ingredient to make them stand out from the crowd. Overall I think this is a novel that is enjoyable for the short time it takes to read but is one that will be easily and quickly forgotten, especially if you’re a voracious reader like myself. However often nothing more is required of a book than to allow you to switch off and inhabit others ‘reality’ instead of your own and so if, like I was, you’re in the mood for some light entertainment, A Second Hand Husband fits that bill perfectly. Undemanding (in a good way!) this novel makes ideal lazy weekend/summer holiday reading.

My thanks as always to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read in exchange for an honest review.

[Pooja Banga · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange of a honest review


I requested this book as soon as I saw its cover and title but to my utmost disappointment I couldn't keep myself invested with it .


I could hardly read some 50 pages to be accurate and found it pretty lame at times .Nate seemed to be a confusing personality who is madly in love and her partner is a jerk .


What disappointed me the most was the way Nate is being portrayed as .A weak personality who is dependent on others for making her decisions .She hardly acknowledges the fact that her choices don't even matter to her partner.I keep on referring to her partner as "partner " as I don't want to be in the same loop where I hated him

[Megan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Carl is 100% the worst main character I’ve ever read in a rom com. He’s quite literally horrible. Not once did I ever root for him he’s narcissistic and manipulative, gaslights Natalie at every opportunity, is extremely dismissive and condescending when he is around which isn’t often. He’s also just so childish and uncommunicative. He gets so angry all the time and she’s just like oh it’s okay I love you mannnnn go to therapy I beg. I hope he gets shipped off alone to a desert island to pay for his sins, mostly against me. If I was his wife he would’ve been smacked in the face before the book even began. How did this guy get married twice.

And Natalie GIRL GET UP she also needs therapy if I had a penny for every time she mentioned her height I’d be rich now we get it you’re short she talks as if she’s 2 foot tall lots of people are short give it up. She has absolutely no backbone and the small moments she does she gives in two seconds late. I don’t think she’s in the position to be married she’s incredulity insecure and projects those insecurities onto everyone else she was being so damn nasty about a child. Grow up girl at your big age pushing 40 damn it’s time to stop with the I’m not like other girls syndrome. Oh and stop talking like 2014 Zoella.

This picturesque quaint Kent village would’ve witnessed an absolute riot if I had my way

[Lisa Strevens · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book made me angry! The main character was weak, her husband a nasty bully, his ex wife awful, his daughter a spoilt brat! It wound me up so much. Not even sure why I read it through, if I'm honest!

[Roz · Rating 3 out of 5]

A second hand husband is a light and enjoyable read about Natalie, definitely not known as Natty, who is married divorced dad of two, Carl. Natalie and Carl are seemingly incompatible . He is arrogant and makes decisions without telling her, most importantly buying a house she has never seen for them and Natalie is a antique clock dealer (great pun there in the title) who is lovely but feels in awe of her predecessor and mother of Carl’s children.

When the two move to the country from London Natalie gives up her home, her business and throws herself into life there while Carl is busy elsewhere with work and his sick father. Natalie meets Antonia, ex wife of Carl who seems to be making it her business to make poor Natalie feel very much second best as well as second wife.

There is some humour in this book as we discover the characters more and mean girl Antonia and her children thaw to become likeable and equally unsure of their place in Carl’s life. Carl himself is an unlikeable man. I have no idea how he managed to get anyone to marry him as he is so rude and insular. Clearly looks are more important as he and Natalie married within 6 months it appears she didn’t know him at all! Natalie and Antonia were well written foils, who at first seemed to have nothing in common and then more than they originally thought.

I particularly liked the setting of this book and the renovation of Rose Cottage was well described. The village setting sounded idyllic and the pond would be just the perfect place to spend time relaxing.

The other characters were incidental to the plot but played a part in making this an enjoyable read. I did, however, find the idea of Natalie’s sister and her husband’s brother getting together a bit uncomfortable!

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many years ago I read and enjoyed some of Claire Calman’s earlier books, so when A Second-Hand Husband turned up on NetGalley I thought I’d give it a try. After a whirlwind romance, Natalie and Carl have married and are looking to move out of London in order to be closer to Carl’s children from his first marriage. When Carl announces he is buying a house at auction, without even giving Natalie a chance to view it, that also turns out to be extremely close to where his first wife now lives, this sets the tone for the rest of the story.
The characters are well drawn and believable, and Claire Calman treats sensitive subjects with understanding and empathy. There is a lot of humour, but also some really cringeworthy moments. The setting in the Kent countryside is described as idyllic, and seems very peaceful when compared with London, but is also a bit claustrophobic with everyone knowing each other’s business.
At the beginning of the book, despite Natalie successfully running her own business, she is portrayed as being a bit indecisive and dithery. The story is told from Natalie’s point of view so the reader can see firsthand how her character develops as she learns to stand up for herself and have more faith in her own abilities. Carl, on the other hand, does not really change much; I’m not sure he even thinks he’s done anything wrong. His complete disregard for what Natalie might want or think seems at odds with how much he claims to love her. His high-handed and thoughtless behaviour would be enough to send most women running for the hills; Natalie is very forgiving, but even she has her limits. Will they overcome the obstacles in their path to live happily ever after? – You’ll have to read it for yourself to find out. Thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for a digital copy to review.

[Wendy(Wendyreadsbooks) Robey · Rating 3 out of 5]

An amusing, easy to read story about the imperfections in all of us and our relationships.
To begin with I found the characters hard to like - Natalie is too keen to please everyone else and Carl acts like a spoilt child. With a little background explanation however, I began to understand appreciate some of their actions and towards the end I was hoping that things would work out for them both.

[Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprisingly enjoyed it more than I expected due to the humor of Natalie. Accidentally borrowed this title so I figured I might as well read it since the library was paying for the download 🤣

[Janet Fiorentino · Rating 3 out of 5]

I requested to read and review “Second-Hand Husband” as I was so intrigued with its premise. Unfortunately, while the book had its pluses, it was not quite the story I was expecting.

Natalie has recently married Carl when she discovers that he is at an auction, purchasing their dream house. Unfortunately, the new home (located in a small village) is super close to the home of Carl’s ex-wife, Antonia, and his kids. The house falls within the category of a fixer-upper and Natalie feels like she is living in Antonia’s shadow. This is not how Natalie expected her happily ever after to go.

This book is a quick but mostly enjoyable read and peppered with plenty of humor. I did not find Carl likable at all so I spent a lot of time rooting for Natalie to figure out that her husband wasn’t worth fighting for. It was hard to understand what brought the two together. Part of the plot were pretty transparent, and I wish the characters had more depth, but if you are looking for a nice escape, you might enjoy this book.

Thank you to Claire Calman, Boldwood Books and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Jennifer (Jaye) · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Friend or Frenemy*

This book is predominantly about one man Carl and his current wife Natalie who he married after a whirlwind romance and his ex-wife Antonia

The current wife Natalie owns an antiques shop and is quiet,soft natured, a bit quirky and basically a people pleaser who would help anyone. Carl travels a lot for work and commutes to see his children. Natalie suggest they move nearer to his children. That’s the type of woman she is.

Carl takes it upon himself to buy a house at auction and tells Natalie at the last minute. She is not happy but at least he won’t have to travel as far to see his children…..

Antonia is glamorous and spends her time, hosting parties at her luxurious home and everything about her speaks money. She is overbearing and a bit snobby. Her current husband has money and it shows.

Natalie goes to see the new house and it’s a wreck with half a roof with spiders etc to match. The shock is the house is only a stones throw away to Antonia’s

What we see is Carl thinking only his opinions count and Natalie virtually disappearing in a sea of insecurities and when she finally meets Antonia there is a silent competition going on. Each woman thinking they have the measure of each other and Carl is at the centre of it, hardly being around to support Natalie.

How will Natalie and Antonia get on? How will the children react to her. Things start to come to a head as Natalie finds out about the things Carl is keeping from her….. Does Natalie possess some inner strength……

At times I wanted to shout at Natalie and her constant doubts about herself, I had no time for Antonia until something happens and the side she seems to keep hidden is revealed…..
Natalie ‘s sister is a hoot…

[Barry Lillie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Don't you hate it when a book's strapline is misleading, or in this case downright dishonest? This one states, 'Such a lovely, funny read. Smart, witty and full of heart'. Sadly it is neither of these things. You'd have more luck looking for a penny on a mountain than finding any witticisms within the pages of this book. Regarding 'funny' it has no humour what-so-ever, it's about as funny as reading a phlebotomists journal.

The characters have no endearing qualities. Natalie is so woefully self-indulgent - I'm too short, my hair's too frizzy, I'm indecisive etc in fact she ends up being a carbon copy of the woman she dislikes the most (Antonia) as all she does is moan about herself. She's such a wet blanket you can see why she's a doormat. She has a deep seated fear of spiders but sleeps on a mattress in an old barn - how does that work, surely an old outbuilding would be full of the eight legged fiends.

Carl is a bully with no redeeming features, in fact he needs to be taken outside and beaten about the head with a turbot until he wakes up to the fact that he's as pleasant to be around as eczema. The supporting cast are all lazy and badly constructed caricatures, including the staff all of whom are Eastern European stereotypes, giving the impression that passive racism is alive and well.

The narrative is boring and flat and just plain to be frank. The premise is a good one, sadly it needs a better author to rewrite this and make it interesting and entertaining.

I have to admit to giving up on this book two thirds of the way through. Life is too short to plough a stony field.

[Anne Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I read Growing Up for Beginners, I was incredibly impressed by the way the author wove together three apparently disconnected stories, tangling the threads but not leaving a single loose end dangling. This book was entirely different, and did come as something of a surprise – a smaller cast of characters, a simpler story, a more conventional timeline, but still with that rather special touch with characterisation that I so enjoyed in the earlier book.

The book’s main character is Natalie – newly married to Carl, and can’t believe her luck. She has severe self-esteem issues, struggles with decision-making, feels awkward and out of place in social situations. But she really loves Carl, and feels for him that they live so far away from the two children of his previous marriage, and they’re thinking about moving closer. It’s something of a surprise though when he calls to tell her that he’s bought a house in an auction – one she’s never even seen – much closer to his former family. In fact, she finds it’s not only closer, it’s in the same village, only walking distance away: the house itself (to put it mildly) is something of a disappointment too, lacking a roof, needing an enormous amount of work to make it their new home, but it does have the pond in the garden that she’d always had on her “must have” list.

Living in such close proximity to Carl’s first wife proves to be an even bigger issue than she thought it might be – Antonia, now remarried, is always groomed to perfection, has a wonderful house complete with manicured garden and swimming pool, is the perfect hostess when inviting round her equally stunning friends and acolytes, and Natalie suspects there may be more between her and Carl that just their shared parenting. Everywhere Natalie goes, Antonia is there – popping up from behind the fruit and veg carrying her designer wicker basket, snaffling the last loaves of sourdough at the bakery, jumping queues with impunity while making loud proclamations about her frantically busy life. And, particularly loudly, she insists on calling her “Natty”, forbidden to anyone other than her closest family – and that’s when she’s not (equally loudly) referring to her as “Wife Number Two”, or to Carl as “our husband”. And then there are her children – particularly teenage Saskia, who shares her mother’s propensity for the put-down line, making Natalie feel even more unwelcome and out of place than she already does.

There are a couple of other storylines that emerge – the surprising reappearance of Natalie’s father, and the fractured relationship Carl has with his brother – but the story’s main thrust is around the relationship with Antonia and the family, as Natalie sets about making her home at Rose Cottage with Carl largely absent, while trying to decide whether her marriage really is what she wanted it to be and whether she can ever hope to be good enough.

It’s largely about the character progression – Natalie is so very downtrodden and lacking in confidence, her awkwardness really painful to witness, and you yearn for her to stamp her foot and assert herself, to stop being the total doormat she sometimes seems to be. But she certainly does have her moments of joy – supervising the work on the cottage while adding her own special touches (even picking up a sledgehammer – which must have been so satisfying – when life becomes particularly fraught), bravely swimming in Antonia’s swimming pool in her unfashionable costume, goggles and cap, or stripping off to swim in the garden pond.

It’s a difficult thing to build sympathy for a character who’s so desperately downtrodden but takes so long to do anything about it – and I must admit that I did sometimes find it a bit much, wanting to step in on her behalf (as her sister does, quite magnificently on one occasion), make Carl realise the misery he’s inflicted, tell Antonia what I thought of her and put her in her place. So does Natalie find the bravery to make a stand? That’s for you to find out when you read the book – and really the essence of the story.

The humour throughout is excellent, witty and perfectly judged – although sometimes touched with a sense of acute embarrassment for some of Natalie’s experiences. The sheer joy of the book is in the characterisation, particularly the magnificent Antonia, whose increasing acts of thinly-veiled hostility – whatever may inspire them – make you gasp in horror. There’s a particularly strong sense of place too – the whole village of Little Wyford is perfectly drawn, with Rose Cottage becoming a home surrounded by the beauty of nature in contrast to Antonia’s stark designer house.

I will admit though that I just couldn’t love Natalie as much as I really wanted to: although I really felt for her, and wanted her to realise how much she had to offer, there were times when I just wanted to shake her. And I never entirely understood Carl’s behaviour – his self-centredness and lack of engagement often seemed rather at odds with his professions of love for his new wife.

It was a read I really enjoyed, but I do think I might have preferred just a little more complexity – the subsidiary storylines did peter out a little, and I’m not sure that Natalie’s progression was quite enough to make me entirely love it, although I did very happily read it from cover to cover in a single sitting. But I’m only one reader, and we all look for different things in the books we love – I very much like Claire Calman’s writing, and many might just prefer this rather more linear storytelling. So perhaps not one of my personal books of the year this time round, but I’ll still be very much looking forward to seeing what she does next.

[Etta (Chonky Books Review) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Second-Hand Husband was an enjoyable read with a great smaller cast of characters. Firstly, the title was a nice clever touch as the story follows the main character who is a second wife as she navigates her new role. As she is a second-hand antique clock dealer, it was a fun touch to set the tone for the overall story. Natalie’s new life is very relatable as it is a common occurrence in the world and it was lovely to read about her experience, especially as she suffers from many self-esteem issues. Even those who are very confident in themselves cannot help but compare themselves to others, so it was nice to see how Natalie navigated her new life as a second wife.

Natalie is a 36-year-old owner of her own antique clock shop in London. She found the love of her life after he was a customer in her shop and the two of them wed after less than 6 months together. Now the two of them are navigating married life with some complications as her husband, Carl, a man in his early 40s and is a PR manager, has been married before and his two children live with his ex-wife. Before I, as the reader, even met Carl, I had to wonder about his children that still make me wonder, as it is never explicitly discussed in the book. It could also be different in the UK, but I automatically wondered why the two children lived full time with their mother. Carl is close with his children, so it made me wonder if it was a decision by either parent, a joint decision, a legal decision when they divorced, or if it was a decision by the children (they are younger, but some places do let kids have a say). 27 days into married life, Carl surprises Natalie with a new house that happens to be located in the same village as his ex-wife, Antonia. Even though it was Natalie’s idea for them to move closer to his children, she now has to wonder if it all would work out. The story follows Natalie’s adventure trying to navigate the new house, which happens to need a lot of work, the new family dynamics, and her marriage.

While the story was filled with a lot of humor, some of the characters were just not likable to me, no matter how much of a potential redemption arc they could have. Antonia did many “mean girl” behaviors where she would call the main character Natty instead of Natalie, even though Natalie repeatedly told her not to. Her character is written as the “Queen Bee” of the town and she comes across as perfect, although there is more lying underneath. Every reader will interpret her character differently, but I just did not interpret the “cattiness” as humorous and I commend Natalie for putting up with it, as I would not in the same situation. Now onto Carl, he makes many bothersome comments throughout the entire novel, so he was a very difficult character to like. He drove me crazy throughout the entire novel and I have absolutely how he ended up with either wife. Despite me not connecting with either of these characters, they were both written well and it did not take away from my enjoyment of the story.

Natalie was a delightful character. She has low self-esteem and does not think she is as great as “perfect” Antonia or the perfect girl for Carl, who she considers to be out of her league. She goes through a lot of character growth in becoming comfortable with her new role and with her esteem. It was nice to see her come into her own, even if Carl was not always around. I felt a lot of sympathy for Natalie as I just wanted her to discover how much she has to offer the world. She is not perfect, but she tries to learn from her mistakes and to grow as a person, which was relatable and interesting to read about throughout her story.

Overall, this novel was a nice and enjoyable read. There were some subplots, such as Natalie’s father and Carl’s brother, that I would have loved to learn more about, but I liked the general story. The setting was lovely and I would absolutely jump at the chance to live at Rose Cottage, even with all the work that is needed. It was a very sweet story about a woman finding out more about navigating life around her and learning more about herself along the way.

**I give a special thank you to Rachel @rararesources, the publisher, Boldwood Books, and the author Claire Calman, for the opportunity to participate in this enjoyable novel via Netgalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.**

[Courtney Stuart · Rating 4 out of 5]

After a whirlwind courtship Natalie and Carl are now newlyweds, and as all newlywed couples are want to discover, you only really get to know your partner after the pretty dress and party. Sure, Natalie knew that Carl had two children from a previous relationship, but what she didn’t know was that her off-hand commitment to living ‘closer’ to the ex that would turn out to be down the street from her and her apparently perfect life when Carl buys a house on the spur of the moment without even consulting with Natalie. To top this off, Natalie discovers Carl’s ex Antonia is the Queen Bee of the new village she is to call home who appears to miss nothing and is involved in everything. The cherry on the top is that Carl’s kids don’t appear to take to Natalie with their adolescent anger at parent’s new relationships despite her best efforts to not be the nightmare stepmother. And just like that, Natalie’s dreams of what life would be like float off into the ether and she is left navigating not just a new marriage but finding out how to stand on her own two feet despite the curveballs that life has thrown at her.

A Second-Hand Husband is an engaging look at the efforts required to make a civilized divorce, remarriage and a look at what it takes for a relative stranger to put the needs of someone else’s children ahead of her own. It looks at the baggage a person brings into and what a modern-day relationship is and what makes a blended family. It looks at love, loyalty and honesty so vital to a relationships long term survival.

It also takes an unnerving look at the competitiveness that women seemingly bring into every relationship. Antonia has the annoying habit of calling Carl “Our Husband”, always making Natalie feel unsure of her place in the world and her role in her husband’s life. It’s disturbing to see played out on the written page how women tend to feel so out of control of their own lives that the only manner in which they can wield power and feel better about themselves is to put other women around them down. That acceptance can apparently only come after an emotional blow up and finally honesty and openness slide into the relationship.

This is a feel-good book in which the happily ever after that a reader comes to expect in this genre is only really a steppingstone to the next stage of awkwardness and selflessness necessary for the growth of the ongoing relationship. It is relatable in that Natalie goes on a journey of self-awareness and personal growth, despite handling some situations really badly, which is very much what people in the real world are known to do. The characters in this story are far from perfect; a mixture of good and bad that are shown in clear detail. Insecurity, paranoia, resistance to humbleness and honesty are just some of the threads in this finely woven story that will keep the reader engaged right from the start.

[Chelle W (teaandplottwists) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Natalie and Carl are still in their honeymoon period - literally.  After a whirlwind romance they're happy and looking for their dream home.  But when Carl phones to tell Nat he's found THE house and bought it at auction....then hangs up, Nat is beside herself.  She has no idea where it is or what it looks like - and what about all the plans they had of finding it together?!

Little does she know that the house is literally down the road from Carl's ex-wife Antonia, and his kids.  She knows she'll have to deal with it - living by the kids WAS her idea after all, but with Antonia being queen of the village, glamorous and adored by all, Nat wonders if she'll ever fit in.  And the more time she spends in the village and at their cottage, the more she doubts things.....but will her marriage to Carl survive? And will she ever find her place in the village?

I thoroughly enjoyed this.  Nat is such a warm and wonderful character with a heart of gold but crippling self-consciousness.  She doesn't believe in herself at all and despite the fact that runs her own business and is successful, has a really low opinion of herself.   And her Husband Carl really doesn't help the situation!  He, on the other hand, is not loving and warm and doesn't really have a particular excuse for it.  Despite the fact that Nat has been through some stuff when she was younger, she's still truly lovely.  All the way through I just wanted her to see how fantastic she really was, and it's lovely to watch her grow.  Carl...well I just wanted to give him a proper boot up the bum sometimes!  And his ex-wife Antonia.....well she's not particularly likeable to start with.  I'm not sure I could put up with her, especially with the things she comes out with! However, we do get to learn a bit more about her later on, and I'll let you make up your own minds on whether your feelings change!

I love the setting. The author does a brilliant job of bringing everything to life.  The little ramshackle cottage and the refurbishments as they take place, the duck pond in the garden, Antonia's amazingly wonderful and modern house, and the lovely little village.  I also loved that it was set in Kent and was delighted to learn that the little village is loosely based upon a village 10 minutes up the road from my house!

I really enjoyed the storyline and can actually see something like this happening in real life (although I'd like to think any real life Nat would stamp the behaviour out before it got going!).  Parts of this had me laughing, others I just felt for Nat so much, and then at other times I was fuming!

So if you're looking for a brilliant, heart warming story that will get your emotions going, make you chuckle, give you a loveable protagonist and a gorgeous setting, then this is for you.  Highly recommended by me.  I'm looking forward to reading more from Claire in the future.

[Holly · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Second Hand Husband is a fun and easy read all about Natalie who recently married Carl after a whirlwind romance of only a few months and the not so easy growing pains for being the “second wife”.

Marriage is hard, and I think anyone who has been married for 30 seconds will agree with that. It takes patience, communication, compromise and a desire and commitment to make it work. Naturally, there could be additional challenges if your new husband buys a house without your knowledge that is walking distance from his ex-wife. Walking distance from his children, yes, but as a woman I could only imagine that could be difficult living so closely to someone that has so much history.

Natalie is a very relatable character. While reading, I could see myself reacting the same way in some of the situations and having the same feelings about the ex-wife, Antonia, as she did at certain points. As the book is written in first person, you really do only get to see Natalie’s point of view, so I appreciated the conversations and interactions near the end of the book that allowed insight into how the other characters felt.

There is a lot of self-doubt, confusion and muddiness that Natalie has to overcome and a new husband who does not know how to communicate. There were points that I found myself frustrated and not really liking Carl. As a husband, he sucks. I didn’t care for him at all.

Natalie’s character development was fluid. I did think she was slightly naive and annoying at the beginning, but by the end I liked her character. Even though I felt this way, I still found her reaction to the situation relatable even if she was a little dramatic. That reaction, however, evolved with her understanding of herself, Antonia and her marriage.

No one is perfect, and everyone has self doubts and expectations about life. No one wants to be hurt or feel threatened… even by an enormous spider! And this really is what the plot centers around.

I did enjoy the book. There were several side plotlines that I didn’t feel got wrapped up as nicely as they could have, especially with her dad, and there were some moments where I thought it became a little repetitive. But overall, it was a good book with a good story. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys an easy, fun, semi-romance book. It’s a PG with the romance. This will be a perfect beach read for this summer!

Check it out when it is released on June 16, 2021.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[B.S. Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genre: Fiction | Womens Fiction | Romance

Release Date: 16th June 2021


Natalie is a wife, a newlywed. She's finally found someone she can actually stand to spend all her time with and she is very much in love with Carl. He's full of surprises, but not always good ones. Like buying their new house at an auction without even showing her a photograph first ... that just so happens to be in walking distance from his beautiful ex-wife Antonia and their perfect children.

But it's the dream house she was promised - it's falling apart, and she's living in second hand clothes, painting her second hand furniture, and now feeling like she's got a second-hand husband. Antonia is perfect in every way, the Queen of the village, and has a rage-inducing habit of calling Carl 'Our Husband'. While Natalie tries to relocate her career, adjust to a new way of life and stop the rain from flooding her bedroom, she also has to figure out if she's really Carls Partner or if she's always going to be just 'Wife Number Two'.

A Second-Hand Husband felt somewhat obvious - but in warm and familiar way. I could kind of guess a lot of what was about to happen but it was comforting and made me want to go along for the journey. Natalie and Carls relationship was not a dream marriage - the charm wore off almost instantly and he was almost entirely led by a fragile male ego that took him from a sweet husband to a petty jerk in just moments. The constant bickering and passive-agression from the beginning made me hate him - and I wasn't sure if I was desperate for him to realise the error of his ways or just get left behind in the dirt.

Their entire marriage was rushed, and it felt very much like a high-school relationship at times - they were very different people but while some might say this isn't realistic at all, I've seen plenty of relationships that look exactly like this one. Most of the characters were exaggerated and dramatic, but still had a very authentic streak that I couldn't help but love.

This was a really easy read, although there was quite a lot of chunks of descriptions that felt a little forced and could've been left out - but it still only took me one sitting to get through the whole book.

I expected a straight-up rom-com going into this but instead I found a charming story about family, friendship and forgiveness.


RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you to Claire Calman, Boldwood Books and NetGalley for an ARC in return for an honest review.