The House of Now and Then by Edward Underhill

Underhill, Edward. The House of Now and Then. Avon and Harper Voyager, 2026. 288pp. ISBN 9780063448841 $18.99   ⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2   Desperately needing a change of scenery after he and his long-term boyfriend break up, Harlowe rents a tiny cottage in Wellfleet, MA for the summer, intending to work from home at his IT job, having let go the idea of putting his history Ph.D. to use. Move-in day is a breeze, with his best queer friends from Boston helping move his few belongings–he left all the furniture behind, and finally threw away his thesis and all the drafts. The first time he walks into the cottage alone, Harlowe encounters apparitions of still-living people whom he has unresolved conflict with: his advisor has spread her books and papers over his tiny dining room table–she wants to rehash a meeting to talk about his future. Next, he encounters his ex, brushing his teeth in the tiny bathroom, asking why he didn’t knock, and when can they talk about getting a couch? Finally, his dad is in the kitchen, washing dishes and offering a cup of coffee. The dude in the bedroom, patching up a hole in the wall, is entirely new, and cute. Bewildered, and concerned he is losing his mind–or hallucinating–Harlowe tries to subtly inquire from Dina, the owner, if there is anything odd about the cabin, but she just plays coy and reminds him to not let the cat into his place.   Combining elements from Groundhog Day (conversations on repeat), The Seven Year Slip (two time periods existing at once), and Rules for Ghosting (only Harlowe sees these apparitions), it’s clear to the reader that Harlowe needs to find a way to change the conversation to get these visions to move on. In the meantime, he’s checking out Provincetown, getting roped into playing on a recreational kickball team, making friends with a demon cat, attending parties thrown by Dina and attended by her queer friends, and getting to know Dina’s nephew, a barista with aspirations of owning a bike shop–the same dude who was painting in his bedroom.   There were so many things to love about this book. It begins with an argument about never having seen Jaws, while stuck in traffic on the Sagamore, with making a case that all the characters in the film are coded as gay. The locations and landmarks are palpable, from the ferry dock to the restaurants to the pond to the roads. The characters are distinct and real and unique and flawed. The magical realism works (I mean, the Cape is sort of magical all by itself). I did keep expecting Harlowe to figure out how to shift the conversations a little sooner; while he can’t rewrite history, he needs to be honest with himself and advocate his own needs and goals. He can’t move into the future until he lets go of the past. The slow-burn romance, tinged with grief and guilt, is superb. Queer culture is vivid, and both set in history and whimsical. Harlowe–and Nathan–and Dina!–all grow by leaning into their discomfort zones and facing hard truths with loving support.   Narrator Logan Rozos did an amazing job balancing the many nuanced emotions, and the choice of a trans voice is perfectly fitting. He did an excellent job conveying Harlowe’s fear, frustration, and warmth.   For other trans romances, check out Rules for Ghosting by Shelly Jay Shore, which opens at Passover and takes place over several seasons; A Shore Thing by Joanna Lowell, a summery, clever historical road trip novel about a race between three-wheeled and newfangled two wheeled bicycles; The Build-A-Boyfriend Project by Mason Deaver, about an aspiring trans writer who helps a clueless queer dude with his dating life to write an article and secure a job, falling for his subject in the process; or A Lady for a Duke by Alexis Hall, about a soldier presumed dead at Waterloo who takes this opportunity to emerge as her true self, leaving behind not just a title and wealth, but best friend and companion the Duke of Gracewood;   I received a free advance reader’s review copy of #TheHouseOfNowAndThen via #NetGalley courtesy of #Avon and #HarperVoyager in exchange for a fair and honest review.