His Only Wife

by Peace Adzo Medie

Narrated by Soneela Nankani

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Pub Date Sep 01 2020 | Archive Date Nov 01 2020

General Fiction (Adult)

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Description

“A Crazy Rich Asians for West Africa.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“Elikem married me in absentia; he did not come to our wedding.”

Afi Tekple is a young seamstress in Ghana. She is smart; she is pretty; and she has been convinced by her mother to marry a man she does not know. Afi knows who he is, of course—Elikem is a wealthy businessman whose mother has chosen Afi in the hopes that she will distract him from his relationship with a woman his family claims is inappropriate. But Afi is not prepared for the shift her life takes when she is moved from her small hometown of Ho to live in Accra, Ghana’s gleaming capital, a place of wealth and sophistication where she has days of nothing to do but cook meals for a man who may or may not show up to eat them. She has agreed to this marriage in order to give her mother the financial security she desperately needs, and so she must see it through. Or maybe not?

His Only Wife is a witty, smart, and moving debut novel about a brave young woman traversing the minefield of modern life with its taboos and injustices, living in a world of men who want their wives to be beautiful, to be good cooks and mothers, to be women who respect their husbands and grant them forbearance. And in Afi, Peace Medie has created a delightfully spunky and relatable heroine who just may break all the rules.

“A Crazy Rich Asians for West Africa.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“Elikem married me in absentia; he did not come to our wedding.”

Afi Tekple is a young seamstress in Ghana. She is smart; she is...

Advance Praise

Mesmerising... This is not a book to read with one eye on a beach volleyball tournament; it’s a story to soak up in silence, on a long, cloudy afternoon when you have time to think.' (New York Times)

'A hilarious, page-turning, sharply realized portrait of modern womanhood in the most infuriating of circumstances. A gem of a debut.' (Wayetu Moore, author of She Would Be King)

'A Cinderella story set in Ghana... A Crazy Rich Asians for West Africa, with a healthy splash of feminism.' (Kirkus (starred review))

'In her debut novel, Medie writes with a precise rhythm that builds the reader’s anticipation. Themes like deception, ambition, love, and values drench the pages with conflict that evolves into an emotional rollercoaster.' (Booklist)

'This stirring tale sings when Afi learns to flex her limited power.' (Publishers Weekly)

'Afi's charm makes her an empowering example of modern womanhood... Its message bold and its viewpoint appealing, His Only Wife is an inspiring novel.' (Foreword Reviews)

'Medie gives Afi a voice that winningly combines insecurity, wisdom and dignity... The dramas of Afi's marriage and various family conflicts offer an entertaining plot rich with humour, but it is the story of the strong woman in a challenging and changing world that will capture readers' hearts. His Only Wife is a memorable novel of personal growth and choosing one's own destiny... [A] winning debut.' (Shelf Awareness)