Handsome by Ezra Palmer is one of those novels that you have to experience. I was a bit unsure of what to make of Handsome during the first few chapters, however I eventually got in the groove. The writing is like one long stream of thoughts with very little pause. It reminds me of Ducks, Newburyport by Lucy Ellmann.
The story follows Evvie, a former journalist living with Alzheimer's disease, as she prepares for a trip with her husband. We are invited into Evvie's mind as memories ebb and flow, circle back, and become muddled. There are moments that will make you smile, others will broke your heart. Occasionally I found myself thinking about my own memories, aging, the future and what will happen when my own memories start to fade.
Ezra Palmer writes Evvie with so much dignity and humanity, and not as a sufferer of Alzheimer's. She's funny, complicated, loving, frustrated, and frustrating - even as her memories become less reliable. This is also a beautiful story about marriage—not the idealized version we often see, but the messy, imperfect kind that's built over decades. Love, resentment, forgiveness, disappointment, loyalty - it's all here.
Handsome is quiet, thoughtful, and emotionally resonant. It challenged me as a reader in the best possible way, and I'm really glad I stayed with it. It's one of those books that lingers in your mind and has been one of the most memorable books I read this year. I read this Correspondent by Virginia Evans earlier this year and I think Handsome is far superior and deserves it time in the spotlight.
Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Audiobooks for a digital copy (audiobook) of #Handsome in exchange for my honest opinion. #Handsome will be published on July 13, 2026.
