The Freedom Clause

A Novel

By: Hannah Sloane

Narrated by: Jayne Entwistle

Could one night off a year save a marriage—or destroy it? In this bold and sexy debut, a young couple agrees to open their marriage, but they soon discover that a little freedom has surprising consequences.

Dominic and Daphne met in their first week of college, and they’ve been happily married for three years. They love each other deeply but perhaps have become too comfortable, and their sex life isn’t what anyone would call thrilling. So, on New Year’s Day, Dominic blurts out a suggestion before it’s fully worked out in his mind: what if they open up their marriage?

Daphne agrees—with conditions. They can sleep with one other person, one night a year, and the agreement has a five-year expiration date. It’s not a total free-for-all on their vows, but an amendment. They call it the Freedom Clause.

It isn’t long before Daphne and Dominic find themselves—and their marriage—altered in unexpected ways. Embracing the spirit of the Clause, Daphne pushes herself to be more assertive in asking for what she wants. She begins chronicling her journey of self-discovery in an anonymous newsletter, sharing recipes inspired by her conquests, and soon realizes that one night off a year isn’t a small change . . . it’s a seismic one.

Eventually, Daphne and Dominic are reconsidering everything—each other, their relationship, and themselves. Can they survive the Freedom Clause? Do they even want to?

* This audiobook edition includes a downloadable PDF that contains recipes from the book.

©2023 Hannah Sloane (P)2023 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“The Freedom Clause is a delicious novel featuring rich, complex characters exploring deep questions: How can we love fully and remain true to ourselves? What happens when lovers bound by marriage try one night of freedom per year? I couldn’t put the book down and cheered at the perfect conclusion. Nora Ephron fans will delight in this debut.” (Amanda Eyre Ward, New York Times bestselling author of The Jetsetters)

“You’ll want second helpings of this delectable, sexy debut about a woman learning how to prioritize her pleasure. I ate it right up.” (Courtney Maum, author of The Year of the Horses)

“An honest, empowering, and sexy tale of a young woman finding her voice, finding her strength, and finding great orgasms along the way.” (Taylor Hahn, author of The Lifestyle)

Heartfelt and unexpected

The premise of this threw me a bit as I expected something in the vein of “After I Do”, whereas this clause comes about when there are no real marriage issues, besides a bit of boredom. The story covers 5 years of the agreement, where Daphne begins to write the recipes you see in the story (read the PDF last to avoid spoilers).

The performance was ok but those 2+ hour chapters documenting the whole year were very daunting (and difficult to find a spot to pause).

Ultimately, this is Daphne’s tale of self-discovery, personal growth and finding out/saying outright what she wants (in a relationship, at work, in life). And it’s also a tale of maturity, and weirdly, a second coming-of-age.

Interesting Concept, Dragged Out Too Long

The first two thirds of the novel are engaging and fun. The final third takes forever to wind down the story, with the inevitable ending. It became very predictable and boring.

Can't Wait for the Movie!

I rarely read novels and was in the mood for a fun summer read. Not only was this one highly entertaining, but it was a brilliant commentary on the roles, expectations, and societal pressures young women must feel today. As a 51-year-old who has been married for 25 years, I found myself thinking, "All women should read this book!" In fact, copies of it will make perfect holiday gifts! The weaving of the recipes is done in such a clever way that the reader/listener is left wishing she had the very tarts and cocktails as accompaniments. This novel screams book clubs, girls' nights, and cooking parties... Now, off to get me some salad!

Engaging, layered and fun journey!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was a fun read with heart wrenching and eye opening moments of discovery! Strong story, characters and writing! Highly recommend!