Husband Auditions
by Angela Ruth Strong
So this is one of the super rare times that I’m going to share a contemporary romance review. As many know, this season has been a rough caregiving season, and during the first few very intense days of post-surgery caregiving I found myself needing something different. I’d seen people all over talking about this romantic comedy called Husband Auditions and it just seems like exactly what I needed to get a light-hearted laugh and entertainment.
Husband Auditions delivered. There were scenes I straight up laughed out loud over. Like when Gemma asked Meri to duck tape her to a chair . . . I don’t want to spoil the fun, but it was perfect and hilarious, and something my suspense writer friends and I would totally do. However, the book wasn’t just something you laugh your way through, finish, and then set aside to forget about. This story dealt with Meri who had built marriage up as an idol in her life and Kai who struggled with laziness after so many failures in his life. I don’t believe I’ve ever read a more realistic portrayal of the struggle or a healthier resolution to a love story. It is a story I would really encourage all my unmarried friends especially to read. Not only will you get a laugh, but you’ll also get a really healthy perspective of marriage before you say “I do.”
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Portland, OR
Plot Overview:
How far would you go to find the perfect husband? All the way back to the 1950s?
In a world full of happily-ever-after love, Meri Newberg feels like the last young woman on the planet to be single, at least in her Christian friend group. So when she’s handed a strange present at the latest wedding–a 1950s magazine article of “ways to get a husband”–she decides there’s nothing to lose by trying out its advice. After all, she can’t get any more single, can she?
Her brother’s roommate sees the whole thing as a great opportunity. Not to fall in love–Kai Kamaka has no interest in the effort a serious relationship takes. No, this is a career jump start. He talks Meri into letting him film every silly husband-catching attempt for a new online show. If it goes viral, his career as a cameraman will be made.
When Meri Me debuts, it’s an instant hit. People love watching her lasso men on street corners, drop handkerchiefs for unsuspecting potential beaus, and otherwise embarrass herself in pursuit of true love. But the longer this game goes on, the less sure Kai is that he wants Meri to snag anyone but him. The only problem is that he may not be the kind of husband material she’s looking for . . .
With droll comic timing, unbeatable chemistry, and a zany but relatable cast of characters, Angela Ruth Strong has created a heartfelt look at the reality of modern Christian dating that readers will both resonate with and fall for.
What I loved:Â The healthy, Biblical resolution of their relationship and personal growth at the end. I really hope I get to read a novella or something with them again.
Favorite Character and Why: Gemma was a hoot. I really loved her odd and quirky ways, and the duck tape scene? That was pure hilarity.Â
Who would like this? Anyone looking for a fun, quirky read that also has truth to chew on.Â
Rating and Why: Five stars. While not my usual read, it was funny, quirky, and I was completely blown away by the end. It has stayed with me and left me chewing on what I took away from it since I read it. I’d share what I took away from it, but I don’t want to ruin the end. 😉
PURCHASE LINKS
Amazon   Baker Book House   Barnes and Noble   Books-A-Million   Book Depository   Bookshop.org   Christianbook
Hey, You know I rarely ever read Contemporary Romance but I’ve already bought Husband Auditions! My book club is reading it in February and Angela is joining us via zoom! So glad to hear another HR person give this book a solid “yes.”
Yay! You’ll enjoy reading it! That’s so cool that Angela is joining your book club. That should be a blast. She seems like a really nice and fun person.