Reuben loses his job as an NPR radio host after accidentally performing a compromising act on a Zoom conference call.
His wife Cecilie, a reporter for The New York Times, has family in Denmark and they decide to spend her maternity leave in Copenhagen.
There, Cecilie is contacted by her ex-boyfriend Jonas, who has a life-threatening neurological condition.
Reuben's feeling of emasculation and inefficacy are explored throughout the novel, exemplified by the loss of his job and his becoming a stay-at-home dad, and the linguistic and cultural barriers he finds in Denmark.
[1][2] Critics praised the novel's premise, plot twists and exploration of ethical quandaries.