The First Husband

​​Annie Adams is days away from her thirty-second birthday and thinks she has finally found some happiness.

She visits the world’s most interesting places for her syndicated travel column and she’s happily cohabiting with her movie director boyfriend Nick in Los Angeles. But when Nick comes home from a meeting with his therapist (aka “futures counselor”) and announces that he’s taking a break from their relationship so he can pursue a woman from his past, the place Annie had come to call home is shattered. Reeling, Annie stumbles into her neighborhood bar and finds Griffin-a grounded, charming chef who seems to be everything Annie didn’t know she was looking for. Within three months, Griffin is Annie’s husband and Annie finds herself trying to restart her life in rural Massachusetts.

The First Husband is packed with humor, empathy, and psychological insight about the power of love and home.

  • “A fresh, funny take on the search for a soulmate.”

    People
  • “A wry, intelligent novel that is playful, unpredictable and emotionally resonant.”

    USA Today
  • “What distinguishes Dave are her keen observations about the difficulty of creating lasting love in a freedom obsessed society. A decadent novel with an ending as satisfying as cream cheese frosting.”

    Marie Claire
  • “Compulsively readable. The story has it all: a heroine I couldn't help but root for, a budding romance I wanted to succeed, and an ending that left me smiling.”

    Woman's World
  • “Positively shines with wisdom and intelligence. What truly sets Dave apart from her peers is her ability to convey the contradictions and imperfections, the inherent impossibility of true love, and yet somehow still make you believe in it.”

    Jonathan Tropper, author of This Is Where I Leave You
  • “You want meet-cute? Young women and wrong men? Burgeoning careers and best friends? Dave's your gal.”

    Washington Post
  • “Fizzy, amusing. ”

    Entertainment Weekly
  • “An inspiring account of a woman who ceases her external travels to become her own compass. I have more insight into my own life after reading this book, and I thank Laura Dave for that gift. ”

    Publishers Weekly
  • “The First Husband is a witty and insightful look at love and the human dilemma of making the right choice about marriage.”

    Psychology Today