Stay With Me

Stay With Me is one of the most phenomenal books of 2017.  Written by Ayobami Adebayo, this debut novel takes us to Nigeria where we are introduced to Yejide and Akin.  Yejide and Akin are happily married, but are missing one thing…a baby.  Akin’s mother begins to pester the couple about an heir before bringing members of the community to their door to suggest Akin take on another wife to produce an heir.  Yejide is infuriated.  She does not want to live in a polygamous household.  She is so desperate to have a baby, she seeks the help of shaman.  When she leaves the mountain she believes she is pregnant.  Her belief is so strong that her body starts to fake her pregnancy.  Akin becomes worried about her and her sanity.  He begins to accuse her of betraying her until nine months later, there is no baby.  A year goes by and still there is no baby.  Akin goes to great lengths to give Yejide what she wants, even if that means destroying their marriage in the end.  This book is a powerful novel about love and marriage.  It shows how other forces can interfere and ruin marriages all for the sake of an heir.  They blame the wife as if all infertility is her problem, not realizing that the issue may lie with the husband.  A very sad, but incredible story.  A must read for 2017.

[Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a review.  This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I may receive a commission.]