HRT: Husband Replacement Therapy
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  • Published: 13 April 2021
  • ISBN: 9781760890131
  • Imprint: Penguin
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 336
  • RRP: $22.99

HRT: Husband Replacement Therapy

Formats & editions
Paperback
13 Apr 2021
EBook
28 Apr 2020
Audiobook
28 Apr 2020
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What do you do when you’re told you’ve got terminal cancer at 50? Take up crochet, get religion and bow out gracefully? Or upend your life and spend every remaining minute exploring new pleasures? Rollicking fun for women of a certain age.

Ruby has always been the generous mediator among her friends, family and colleagues, which is why they have all turned up to celebrate her 50th birthday. But after a few too many glasses of champers, Ruby’s speech doesn’t exactly go to plan. Instead of delivering the witty and warm words her guests are expecting, Ruby takes her moment in the spotlight to reveal what she really thinks of every one of them. She also accuses her husband, Harry, of having an affair.

Saving the best till last, Ruby lambasts her octogenarian mother for a lifetime of playing her three daughters against each other. It’s blisteringly brutal. As the stunned gathering gawks at Ruby, the birthday girl concludes her bravura monologue with the throwaway comment that she has terminal cancer. She has cashed in her life savings and plans on taking her two sisters cruising into the sunset for a dose of Husband Replacement Therapy. Courageous? Or ruthlessly selfish?

But, do they even want to go with her?

Rollicking fun for women, and men who dare.
  • Published: 13 April 2021
  • ISBN: 9781760890131
  • Imprint: Penguin
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 336
  • RRP: $22.99
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About the author

Kathy Lette

Kathy Lette is a celebrated and outspoken comic writer who has an inimitable take on serious current issues. She is the author of fifteen bestselling novels including Puberty Blues which was made into a major film and a TV miniseries, Mad Cows which was also made into a film, starring Joanna Lumley, and How to Kill Your Husband (and other handy household hints), which was staged by the Victorian Opera. She pioneered smart, funny, feminist fiction and has been published in seventeen languages.

Kathy is an autodidact (clearly it's a word she taught herself) but has honorary doctorates from Southampton and Wollongong universities, and a Senior Honorary Fellowship from Regent's University London.

She is an ambassador for Plan International and the National Autistic Society UK. Kathy lives in Sydney and London, and can often be found at the Savoy Hotel drinking a cocktail named after her. She cites her career highlights as once teaching Stephen Fry a word and Salman Rushdie the limbo, and scripting Julian Assange's cameo in the 500th episode of The Simpsons.

Visit her website at www.kathylette.com to read her blog, follow KathyLetteAuthor on Facebook, @KathyLette on Twitter and @kathy.lette on Instagram.

portrait photo of Kathy Lette

Also by Kathy Lette

Till Death, or a Little Light Maiming, Do Us Part
How to Kill Your Husband (and other handy household hints)
The Boy Who Fell to Earth
After the Blues
Love Is Blind
Puberty Blues
Because I am a Girl
See all

Praise for HRT: Husband Replacement Therapy

Feminist social satire. Lette’s swingeing irreverence still has the juice to make you laugh out loud.

Cameron Woodhead, The Age

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Celebrating Mother’s Day with Kathy Lette

We’re celebrating Mother’s Day with Kathy Lette! To purchase a copy of HRT: Husband Replacement Therapy, please go to this link https://www.penguin.com.au/books/hrt-husband-replacement-therapy-9781760890124 Kathy Lette is a celebrated and outspoken comic writer who has an inimitable take on serious current issues. She is one of the pioneering voices of contemporary feminism, paving the way for Caitlin Moran and Lena Dunham. She first achieved succès de scandale as a teenager with the novel Puberty Blues, which was made into a major film and a TV mini-series. After several years as a newspaper columnist and TV sitcom writer in America and Australia, she’s written 11 international bestsellers in her characteristic witty voice, including Mad Cows, How to Kill Your Husband - and Other Handy Household Hints (staged by the Victorian opera) and The Boy Who Fell to Earth. Kathy Lette lives in London, and can often be found at The Savoy drinking a cocktail named after her.

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Kathy Lette Q&A

We sat down with celebrated comic writer Kathy Lette to talk about throwing her knickers at Tom Jones, the time she met the Queen and more.

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HRT book club notes

Kathy Lette’s Husband Replacement Therapy is a perfect spontaneous reading group choice.