Part Time Husband

On a Wednesday afternoon, I ask Trevor Bentley to marry me. He might be the most arrogant, obnoxious man I know, but I need him to be my husband for a year. There are reasons. He's not going to be a real husband. Just part-time. Yes, I have to live with him. And, okay, I also have to share his bed. And, sure, he's the sexiest and most exciting thing to ever happen to my controlled, organized life. But still... It's only a part-time marriage. I'm not going to give him my heart. I know what I'm doing, and I'm too smart to fall for my husband. I hope.

In high school, I was in love with Hunter Ness, but he friend-zoned me. Time passed. I grew up. He went to prison. And now he's going to be my husband for a year. There are reasons. He's not going to be a real husband. Just a practice husband so he can have a job and a place to live and I can finally experience parts of life I've only read about before. We're just friends, and I'm helping him out. But still... He's way too sexy, and he knows me far too well. It's hard to remember he's not the real thing. But I'm going to stay smart. I'm not going to fall for my ex-con husband who only sees me as a friend. I hope.

On a Wednesday afternoon, I ask Trevor Bentley to marry me. He might be the most arrogant, obnoxious man I know, but I need him to be my husband for a year. There are reasons. He's not going to be a real husband. Just part-time. Yes, I have to live with him. And, okay, I also have to share his bed. And, sure, he's the sexiest and most exciting thing to ever happen to my controlled, organized life. But still ... It's only a part-time marriage. I'm not going to give him my heart. I know what I'm doing, and I'm too smart to fall for my husband. I hope.

On a Wednesday afternoon, Owen Masterson asks me to marry him. I've never met the man before. All I wanted was a job repackaging his image. He needs to ramp up his cool-factor to attract partnerships with better designers for his family's department store. But he wants me to be his temporary trophy wife instead. I need to get out from under my grandfather's control and don't really care how I do it. Honestly, I'll rock the hell out of being a temporary trophy wife. So maybe I'll marry him for a year, even though he has no social skills and he's a lot older than me. But I'm not going to fall for him. I hope.

On a Wednesday afternoon, I ask Damian Winters to marry me. To be clear, it's not a proposal. It's a business transaction. I have a sticky family situation, and the simplest way to deal with it is to pay him to be my husband for six months. Damian used to work as an escort so he knows how to keep things professional. We don't have to be friends. We don't even have to get along. I need someone fill a husband role, and he'll do just fine. It doesn't matter if he's the hottest man I've ever met. Work takes up all my time and energy, so I don't have room in my life for complications. I'm not going to fall into bed with him. And I'm definitely not going to fall in love. I hope.

This poignant novel by New York Times bestselling author Nancy Thayer tells the engrossing story of two women, two families, and a shocking revelation that changes everything. When Lucy West and Kate Cunningham meet, the two spirited young women recognize kindred spirits in each other. Both Lucy and Kate married early and lack complete confidence in the brave new world of mothering. As their friendship deepens, their lives become fully intertwined. With husbands and children in tow, they spend glorious summers together in a large house on Nantucket island, sailing and feasting on lobster—and when their husbands are back on the mainland, the two women even get a chance to kick up their heels. The closest of allies, Lucy and Kate share their highs and lows, their joys and darkest secrets. Or so Kate thought. One summer, in the midst of a devastating family crisis, Lucy reveals a truth she has long kept hidden from her best friend. And in the aftermath of this astonishing revelation, the lives of the Wests and the Cunninghams will never be the same. Includes a captivating excerpt of Nancy Thayer’s novel Nantucket Sisters! Praise for the novels of Nancy Thayer “The queen of beach books.”—The Star-Ledger “Thayer has a deep and masterly understanding of love and friendship, of where the two complement and where they collide.”—Elin Hilderbrand “Thayer’s gift for reaching the emotional core of her characters [is] captivating.”—Houston Chronicle “One of my favorite writers.”—Susan Wiggs “Thayer portrays beautifully the small moments, inside stories and shared histories that build families.”—The Miami Herald “Thayer’s sense of place is powerful, and her words are hung together the way my grandmother used to tat lace.”—Dorothea Benton Frank

While observing trainers of exotic animals, journalist Amy Sutherland had an epiphany: What if she used their techniques with the human animals in her own life–specifically her dear husband, Scott? As Sutherland put training principles into action, she noticed that not only did her twelve-year-old marriage improve, but she herself became more optimistic and less judgmental. What started as a goofy experiment had such good results that Sutherland began using the training techniques with all the people in her life, including her mother, her friends, her students, even the clerk at the post office. Full of fun facts, fascinating insights, hilarious anecdotes, and practical tips, What Shamu Taught Me About Life, Love, and Marriage reveals the biggest lesson Sutherland learned: The only animal you can truly change is yourself.

"If you loved Liane Moriarty’s Big Little Lies, put this thriller on the top of your list...you won’t be sure “whodunit” until the very (shocking) end.” —Today *Named one of "50 Best Books for the Beach" by Coastal Living *Named one of "7 Books You Won't Be Able to Put Down This Month" by InStyle *Named one of "6 Books to Cure Your Little Big Lies Withdrawal" by Elle.com *Named one of "20 Must-Read Books for Spring 2017" by Redbook *Named one of "8 Thrillers You Will Devour This Summer" by BuzzFeed Kate, Aubrey, and Jenny first met as college roommates and soon became inseparable, despite being as different as three women can be. Kate was beautiful, wild, wealthy, and damaged. Aubrey, on financial aid, came from a broken home, and wanted more than anything to distance herself from her past. And Jenny was a striver—brilliant, ambitious, and determined to succeed. As an unlikely friendship formed, the three of them swore they would always be there for each other. But twenty years later, one of them is standing at the edge of a bridge, and someone is urging her to jump. How did it come to this? Kate married the gorgeous party boy, Aubrey married up, and Jenny married the boy next door. But how can these three women love and hate each other? Can feelings this strong lead to murder? When one of them dies under mysterious circumstances, will everyone assume, as is often the case, that it’s always the husband? A suspenseful, absorbing novel that examines the complexities of friendship, It’s Always the Husband will keep readers guessing right up to its shocking conclusion. Praise for It's Always the Husband: “A page-turning whodunnit that will speak to anyone who’s ever had a frenemy.” –Ruth Ware, bestselling author of The Woman in Cabin Ten "This book is perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty's Big Little Lies." –Redbook Magazine "Fans of Ruth Ware and Gillian Flynn meet your next obsession." —BuzzFeed "In the tradition of Big Little Lies comes the excellently titled It's Always the Husband, a thriller about three friends–frenemies, really–who met as college roommates." –New York Post