Man of the House
by Ad Hudler
Published by Ballantine Books
Click on book
cover to order
at Amazon.com
Reviewed by Leslie Granier
Man of the House, the sequel to Househusband, continues the story of the Menner family. Linc, Jo, and their teenage daughter Violet have recently relocated from New York to Naples, Florida. They purchased a fixer-upper and the living conditions are terrible. The roles in this family are not traditional–Linc is a stay-at-home father while Jo holds a prestigious job at a hospital. This arrangement has worked well since Linc was raised to be somewhat feminine by his mother. However, as his daughter seems to need him less as she gets older, Linc begins to realize he has been living in what he refers to as “girlyland” and starts becoming interested in doing manly things.
Women will love this book because it portrays a man trying to fit into a woman’s world. Men should be required to read this in order to appreciate the amount of responsibilities stay-at-home moms have. Humor resonates throughout the entire book. As someone who lives in hurricane-prone areas, I found the parts in which Linc was making preparations for an imminent hurricane hilarious. I also found the emails Linc sent to the headmaster at Violet’s prestigious school humorous. I’m sure they have never met a parent like Linc before.
The transformation of Linc from a meticulous, nearly perfectionist individual, into someone who started taking shortcuts and cutting corners, was excellently portrayed. Watching Linc recognize that he had given up so much of whom he is for so long and seeing him take the steps to regain his passions was empowering. I was disappointed in Jo’s selfishness and sense of entitlement when it came to possibly having to make changes in her life to satisfy Linc.
Each chapter tells the story from a different character’s point of view, thus allowing the reader to feel a bond with each one and to understand their innermost thoughts. This story is funny and enlightening and will entertain anyone who reads it. I would love to see a sequel to find out what further developments will occur in this family’s life.
Armchair Interviews says: Most enjoyable read.
Author’s Web site: http://www.AdHudler.com