All I Ever Wanted in a Husband follows the journey of two couples as they navigate challenges that test their relationships.

On the first night of her honeymoon, Jillian Patterson discovers she’s expecting. She’s surprised when, instead of celebrating, her husband reveals he has no interest in starting a family so early in their marriage. His reaction triggers a cascade of difficulties, further intensified when Jillian discovers her husband’s infidelity, spurred by his belief that Jillian sought to trap him with an unplanned pregnancy. As Jillian grapples with her husband’s affair, a chance encounter compels her to reconsider whether her marriage is worth fighting for.

Meanwhile, a parallel story concerns Diane Miller. Diane and Jillian’s friend, Kate, clash over Jillian’s relationship with Diane’s friend, Skip; Diane’s envy flares, as she feels Kate is stealing Skip’s attention.

Additionally, Diane studies in the medical school library, hoping to meet a prospective doctor, but she’s unimpressed by med student Mitch Maguire, who shows interest in her. When ideal prospects never surface, however, she agrees to marry Mitch, as she believes his medical career offers financial stability. However, intimacy issues and Mitch’s resistance to losing weight despite Diane’s insistence, increase the tension. Mitch, eager to hold onto Diane, lavishes her with gifts as the couple struggles through numerous travails.

Narrated in the third person, the story alternates between Diane’s and Jillian’s perspectives. Unfortunately, the author relies on surface issues— i.e., Diane’s image-obsessed personality, the shallow rivalry between Diane and Jillian, etc.—but misses the emotional nuances that would add much-needed depth. Diane’s persistent critiques about Mitch’s weight and Kate’s dull personality make it hard to sympathize with them, and Diane’s character shows no growth throughout. As for Jillian, while she finds a sliver of happiness, her marriage troubles are left unresolved.

With the book’s thin plot and a conclusion offering little payoff, readers will struggle to stay invested in these characters and their surface concerns.

Also available in hardcover and ebook.