His Only Wife

A REESE WITHERSPOON x HELLO SUNSHINE BOOK CLUB PICK
A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK OF THE YEAR
A Time Magazine Must-Read Book of 2020
One of BuzzFeed’s “29 Books We Couldn’t Put Down This Year”

A Must-Read Novel: The New York Times Book Review * BuzzFeed *  Marie Claire * Parade * Travel + Leisure * Ms. Magazine * Bustle * The Millions * Book Riot * Christian Science Monitor * HelloGiggles

“[A] mesmerizing debut novel.”
—The New York Times Book Review

“A story that kept me tied to the page, told in masterful, seamless prose.”
—BuzzFeed

“I love this book so much I turned the pages so fast . . . It’s all about the search for independence and being true to yourself and who you really are.”
—Reese Witherspoon

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 Library Journal Best Fiction Book of 2020
  A SheReads Best of 2020: Women’s Fiction Best African Diaspora Book of 2020
  
  “Peace Adzo Medie’s mesmerizing debut novel lives up to both the power of its first sentence and the promise of its author’s first name . . .  At a time when adventure is scarce, Medie gives you a lot to look forward to, think about and be grateful for.”
  B>The New York Times Book Review
  
  “A fierce and funny first novel . . . [that] cleverly upends a Cinderella story into a tale of feminism.”
  —People
  
  “A story that kept me tied to the page, told in masterful, seamless prose . . . Medie depicts a vivid and dazzling Accra, and it’s impossible not to root for Afi as she finds her footing within it.”
  —BuzzFeed
  
  "With spot-on characterizations of deeply involved extended families and realistic depictions of how money can change everything, Peace Adzo Medie conjures a Cinderella story just right for 2020.”
  /I>Time
  
  “A fierce and funny debut novel . . . A deeply engrossing chronicle of contemporary Ghanaian womanhood.”
  I>Minneapolis Star Tribune
  
  “A hilarious, page-turning, sharply realized portrait of modern womanhood in the most infuriating of circumstances. A gem of a debut.”
  B>Wayétu Moore, author of The Dragons, the Giant, the Women
  
  “[A] poignant, timely debut novel.”
  B>GMA.com
   
  “A witty Cinderella portrait of modern life and love.”
  B>Parade
  
  “In her sparkling debut novel, Ghanaian writer and academic Peace Adzo Medie uses humor, candor and feminism to examine womanhood, marriage and agency in modern Ghana.”
  —Ms. Magazine
  
  “A Cinderella story set in Ghana . . . A Crazy Rich Asians for West Africa, with a healthy splash of feminism.”
  B>Kirkus Reviews, 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."
  B>Booklist
  
  “This stirring tale sings when Afi learns to flex her limited power.”
  B>Publishers Weekly
  
  “A unique and unapologetic marriage story that shines with honesty, humanity, power and grace: once you pick this book up, you won't be able to put it down. Medie's urgent, intimate voice is exactly what the world needs right now.”
  —Mathangi Subramanian, author of A People’s History of Heaven
  
  "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.”
  B>Foreword Reviews
  
  "Peace Adzo Medie puts a wonderfully contemporary spin on a fairytale trope."
  B>Christian Science Monitor
  
  “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 humor, 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, starred review  
• “With its rich cultural backdrop, this book offers a unique perspective on love and independence.”
  Biography.com