This is the story of Afi, a young woman from Ghana who desperately fights tooth and nail for her husband Eli’s affection and recognition as being his #1 and, ultimately, his only wife.

My favorite part of this book was the last quarter. I loved Efi’s strong personality and will to do everything in her power in order to be valued. It’s good to see a non-subservient African woman.

Thank you Net Galley an de the publisher for this audio ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book is basically a Lifetime movie set in Ghana. Not my style at all. Aki and Eli are virtual strangers with an arranged marriage because Eli’s mother and siblings want to pry him away from his Liberian girlfriend Muna and their young daughter Ivy. Eli is wealthy and accomplished yet he obeys his mother’s demand to marry, although he won’t extricate himself from Muna and continues to live with her. Aki is set up in a luxurious apartment, which Eli visits from time to time. He’s rich, handsome, kind, attentive and generous. He cooks and does the dishes. But Aki will settle for nothing less than evicting Muna and Ivy from Eli’s house and living with Eli full time. She must be the only wife, no matter what happens to the woman who was there first and her sick child. Eli is forced to comply and eventually Aki has a son and is set up in a dress design business. It’s a fairy tale life. We never meet Muna, but the family’s objections to her seem to be based on the facts that she is dark skinned and isn’t interested in impressing the family.

I hated Aki (naive, selfish, petulant) and felt sorry for Muna. The blurb for this book claims that the author is “a fierce advocate for women’s rights”. If anything in this book has to do with women’s rights, I missed it. All of the controlling came from the interfering mothers of Aki and Eli. Muna is the character who needs feminist intervention and Eli needs a backbone. I thought this was going to be a book about a woman overcoming obstacles and taking control of her destiny. Instead I got soap opera. This book and I were not a good match. 2.5 stars

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

Interesting book, very focused on the drama between the families and I liked that at first but then I got a little bored. Not much happens but I guess that's where lit fic can be a hit or miss. The characters are strong characters though.Thanks for the copy of an audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All of the opinions are my own and this did not affect my review in any way.

This book took me by surprised, the premise doesn’t sound like anything I had ever read and I had no idea what to expect. I was excited to branch out of my typical genres but I was not expecting to find one of my new favorite books.

In His Only Wife we follow Afi Tekple, a young seamstress whose life is turned upside down when she marries Elikem Ganyo a man she truly doesn’t know.

The writing style is vivid and easy to read, I could picture myself alongside Afi, smelling the food, feeling her frustrations and watching her grow. This book was excellent, the characters were alive, realistic and unforgettable. Afi is one of the strongest characters I have ever read about and I was so happy and proud of seeing her grow.

Even though this isn’t a very action pact book there is so much stuff going on that you can’t help but be engaged in the story and want to continue reading. There is a rich cast of characters, who even though are extremely unlikeable (most of them at least), you can appreciate how well written they are.

The ending took me by surprise, I was expecting a whole different thing, however, I was very pleased with how the book ended. It was realistic and empowering. Even though, I am not sure I would have made the same decisions as Afi, I can still appreciate how her decisions made sense for her and seeing her grow and become an independent woman made reading this book a treat.

This book is about growing up, about doing what you want and following your dreams no matter what other people want for you. This was a fascinating read and I highly recommend that everyone should read it.

I just loved this story! Afi is such a main character to love and cheer for. This story is so rich with characters, culture, family drama, wit, heart and love. What more could you ask for? The audiobook narrator enhances the cultural aspect with accents that immerse you in Ghana. One of my faves this year!

Fantastic piece of womens fiction with a unique feminist perspective. The story of a woman from Ghana who finds herself in an arranged marriage with a man struggling to let go of another woman. One of my favorite picks from Reese's Book Club. Well written with empathetic and engaging characters. Highly recommend

His Only Wife is the story of Afi and Eli. Afi who lives in a small town in Ghana is picked to marry Elikem Ganyo by his powerful family. Eli does not come to his own wedding and sends his brother as his stand in. The Ganyo's have done this because Eli is in love with a women they do not approve of. Afi's job is to win over Eli and get him to leave the other woman. What Afi learns is to find what she really wants in life and stand up for herself.

I think this was a first book I read set in Ghana and while some of the cultural elements were completely new to me the main themes were universal. I think anyone can relate to the desire to please family and those who have helped you as well as learning what you want and going for it. I would definitely recommend this one to any reader.

This year I have been making a point to reach for books that are out of my comfort zone, especially ones written by own voice authors, and exploring other cultures from my own. Thanks to NetGalley & Alonquin books, I was able to listen to this title on audiobook, and was able to get a physical copy to read along with it. As I sometimes struggle with audiobook listening but REALLY love the convenience it gives me for getting things done as I read, this was key for me to fall into the book even more!

While this title has often been compared to a Cinderella story, Afi’s journey was so much more than a woman marrying a wealthy man & having a happily ever after. Medie transformed the story into one of carefully detailed, well written story from the culture to the setting to the struggles of the relationship of the main character.

"Marriage shouldn’t be a never-ending competition where you spend your life fighting to be seen and chosen."

With rich characters that will grab your attention, and a great depiction of family and duty, this book is one to read!

Thank you to Algonquin Books and Workman Publishing for the complimentary copy.

I really liked this book. No, I loved it. It is important to read a book in the context of its social setting, and keep in mind that there culture variations from country to country. The Ghanaian customs and traditions described in this book make it a delightful reading. This is a witty, smart, fast moving novel. Through the main character Afi, we get engrossed about her life in modern Ghana. One of the best books I have read this year.

I was able to listen to this audbiobook by permission of the publisher. I kept waiting for this book to be like Crazy Rich Asians-it isn't. I wish that publishers wouldn't use such popular titles to describe other books because it sets an expectation that is unfair for the reader. I enjoyed this book very much-I learned about another country through an Own Voices author, and I found the marriage customs fascinating. That said-it's nothing like CRA-it lacks the over-the-top sense of fun that book had.

Afi Tekple, a young seamstress living in a small town in Ghana, is offered a life-changing opportunity to move away and marry a man she doesn’t know. She agrees, but her wealthy and well-established new husband, Elikem Ganyo, sends a stand in for their own wedding. Afi spends the remainder of the novel trying to figure out why Elikem keeps her at arms length.

Overall, I really liked listening to this one. It gave me a glimpse into a world that is seldom written about, while still making it feel very relevant and relatable as a woman in the world today. There were definitely parts that Afi made me angry with how passive and doormat-like she was being, but I think that’s the point of the feminist tone this book is setting. Sometimes that topic in some contemporary literature can be over done and turn to man-hating (which I find cheap) but this one is done so well with getting the message across. The writing was engaging yet easy and is overall a quick read, but there was a part of me that wished it to be a little more hard hitting. The narrator was great, so I definitely recommend the audiobook!

Thank you so much @algonquinbooks @workmanaudio and NetGalley for the audio copy!

I really enjoyed this book. I learned about Ghana and I loved seeing Afi grow into her own person. She marries Eli in a ceremony that he does not attend. His family disapproves of his current girlfriend and wants him to marry her, a woman from his village. On one hand, she now has her standard of living increase for her and her family. On the other hand, she has to share him with the other woman. Great dialogue and family drama. Afi has to decide whether she will keep her family happy or herself. Would highly recommend.

<i>His Only Wife</i> grabbed my attention right at the beginning and did not let go until the novel's conclusion. The main character is very relatable, and the other characters are vividly drawn by Peace Adzo Medie. Ghanaian customs are featured in the story and are fully explained in context. The book features a lot of dialogue, and a lot of the plot focuses on hearsay (conversations to which the heroine, and the reader, are not privy). This novel is a story of families and the dynamics within (and without) them. I would definitely recommend this work because it is such an engaging read!

His only wife by Peace Adzo Medie looks at issues that can occur as a country gradually becomes less traditional. Afi receives a proposal of marriage from a wealthy family. Their son is seeing a women they do not approve of, and want Afi to win him over and persuade him to stop seeing the woman. Moving to Accra as a married woman, Afi gets substantial material benefits, but does she get the man? Peace writes about series subjects but in a fun and contemporary way. I would definitely recommend this book.

Unexpectedly wonderful! I thoroughly enjoyed the adventure of Afi and her life in Ghana married to Eikem. I wondered how this could go when the man never showed up for his own wedding and yet married in absentia. The growth of Afi and the amazing women who show up in her life and provide a
glimpse into what life could be, should she choose to pursue it. Beautifully told as the story unfolds I found myself routing for her and her decisions. She matured, as each of us do making choices for herself when her soul speaks up. Fantastic story!

I decided to read His Only Wife because I really loved Stay With Me by Ayobami Adebayo and thought that it would be interesting to read some more about African culture, especially concerning marriages and relationships in general.

His Only Wife does not start with the presentation of our protagonists and the description of their love story. Afi Tekple marries Elikem Ganyo in absentia, meaning that he does not show up at their cerimony. With this shocking image we are thrown into Afi's mind and we live every step of her new life along with her. It is probably the best thing about this book the fact that we are given the chance to see marriage and african culture and costumes through Afi's eyes, since she represents the point of view of the humble and more traditional class. It is interesting to see how many differences there will be between her world and that of Elikem , who certainly represents the wealth. Starting from the apartments in which he lives, to the furniture and the styles he chose for his house, to the different social lives they lead, we have through all the book a beautiful portait of a Ghana split between modernity and tradition. We are given the chance to experience Afi's struggles to adjust to her new reality and to become a different kind of woman: one who does not rely solely on her husband and one who certainly takes matters into her own hands. I have to say that I was surprised to discover that Afi is not at all the protagonist that I was expecting at the beginning. I thought we would have a submissive girl, a young woman too afraid to betray her parents' wishes... but she was not! As soon as she gets some time to adjust, Afi's personality immediately comes out and I really loved how she turned to be such a strong woman.

I believe all the characters in this book have speacial meaning all they all become examples of a certain social and economical position. Remarkable personalities are that of Auntie, Elikem's mother, who represents the alphawoman who has managed to make a fortune all by herself and believes to be entitled to control every aspect of the lives of those around her. She's the matriarch par excellence, she is feared by all her children and she's certainly not used to receive no as an answer. She decided to marry Elikem to Afi because she didn't like Elikem's Liberian woman, whose personality was stronger than hers and couldn't be bent by her will. I was really sad that we didn't get a chance to know Muna, because I believe she might have been my favorite character. It was interesting to see how she was depicted by others and how Afi is lead to believe by everyone that her husband's woman was pure evil. Evil in Ghana, apparently rhymes with independent.
Another really interesting character that we see a little bit more of was Evelyn, that I know now represents what Afi will become. Evelyne is a woman who has learnt how to be in this world. She has sacrificed romantic love for another type of affection: self-love. Strong and self-sufficient, witty and intelligent, she must suffer the same faith as Muna: become the other woman.

The only negative point of this book for me, was how unbalanced the narration had been. The plot proceeded really slowly, centering mainly on Afi's thoughts and inner struggles but then the ending totally came a little out of the blue. I would have loved the closure to be a little more thoughtful and for the author to explore better Afi's last decision and how it affected not only her but all those involved in the story.

Full of portraits of beautiful women and strong personalities, I found this book really fascinating and I know now that listening to it did not affect my liking it in any way. The narrator was fantastic and the emotion in her voice just amplified Afi's sometimes heart wrenching thoughts. Will I buy myself a physical copy of this book? Yes I will!

Absolutely amazing I loved this story so much. I am so glad that Reece picked this for her book club. I would have never picked up this book if not for her pick. I enjoy hearing PIBOC voices. Thank you for this opportunity to listen to this amazing audio book.

Highly engaging story, excellent narrator. My only point of contention is the comparison to Crazy, Rich Asians; both are beautiful, exciting stories, but I felt that was where the similarities ended. I have already recommended His Only Wife to several friends and I will certainly be on the look out for more titles from the author.

Afi and her mother have had a difficult time since her father died. Unhappy to be forced to rely on her greedy uncle for support, Afi’s mother jumps at the chance to betroth Afi to Elikem Ganyo, an extraordinarily rich and respected Ghanaian businessman whose mother is a local benefactress.
When Eli is unable to attend their wedding ceremony in person, Afi finds herself thrown into a confusing and tumultuous marriage, where the rules are unclear, and her expectations are continually shifted. Family politics and cultural expectations wage war in His Only Wife, and there will be casualties.

This book is an emotionally intense cultural and social drama, which is both highly enjoyable and mentally draining. The toxic family culture that Afi is living with is exhausting, and at times I wished she would just jump ship and run away. However, her deep strength of character makes this debut novel a beautiful story of self-understanding and of becoming.
Afi from the start of this story is submissive, timid and terrified of displeasing those around her. As the story goes on however, we get to see Afi enraged at the way she has been treated, incensed at the expectations being put on her and ready to make a stand on her own two feet.

In terms of the audiobook, I have to say that initially I was very put off by the narrator. I found it very odd hearing this Ghanaian story in an American accent, let alone a strong one which tended towards the valley girl. The extended and whined R’s at the end of words like mother and father made me grit my teeth. I got used to it and didn’t mind it so much after a few hours of listening, but I still found it an odd choice considering the setting of the story.

Overall, I enjoyed getting to know the characters in this book and seeing them go through various phases of family and life. As emotionally searing and painful parts of this story are, there so many equally exciting and wonderful bits to counter them.
I would recommend this book to readers of Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie, and fans of African literature, family dramas and coming of age stories.

A story of an arranged marriage that Afi makes in Ghana to please the groom's mother, the most powerful, rich woman in the village. But Afi must decide if she is willing to live with this arranged marriage, where she may not ever have Elikem's whole heart or will she be able to find the strength to make a life of her own.

The narrator drew you in to the story.