Dreamwives (Claire Novak, HarperCollins)

Claire Novak’s Dreamwives is a hearty and entertaining contemporary “mum-com” novel that pays tribute to and shines a light on women’s invisible labour. Katrina and Michelle are no strangers to “wife-work” – they’ve been doing it for decades. However, when Katrina’s husband abruptly leaves her and Michelle (who cares for her ageing father) is made redundant at 49 for being “too old”, the friends decide their skills shouldn’t go to waste. They start Dreamwives, a company offering comforting, supportive services designed to turn a house into a home. From preparing meals to debriefing after long days and making empty spaces feel lived in again, their business quickly takes off. But unexpected feelings, public scandals and unwelcome mole checks soon have Katrina and Michelle questioning whether their idea can survive – and whether it’s all worth it. Much of the novel focuses on the varied clients (predominantly men), keeping the pace brisk and lively. The continued thread of humour while tackling real-world problems is engaging, even if some turns within the storyline feel predictable. Writing under the pseudonym Claire Novak, authors Catherine Jinks (Panic) and Alexa Moses (Slave Girl) bring meticulous detail and empathy to every scene, creating authentic, well developed characters. Dreamwives is an honest and heartfelt exploration of modern womanhood, friendship and the underappreciated value of “wife-work”. Perfect for readers of Marian Keyes, Tricia Stringer and Meg Bignell.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Lisa Schuurman is an editor, writer and book reviewer. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

Books+Publishing pre-publication reviews are supported by the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund.

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