Description

"In this funny and engaging novel, Amy Stolls shows us that real–life romance is rarely as clear–cut as it seems. The Ninth Wife is a vibrant, nuanced novel about marriage, identity and the moment when we realize that the shimmer of fantasy pales next to the tumultuous reality of ordinary, everyday happiness.” — Carolyn Parkhurst, author of The Dogs of Babel

A smart, funny, eye-opening tale of love, marriage, and the power of stories to unlock the true meaning of home and family.

What sane woman would consider becoming any man's ninth wife?

Bess Gray is a thirty-five-year-old folklorist and amateur martial artist living in Washington, DC. Just as she's about to give up all hope of marriage, she meets Rory, a charming Irish musician, and they fall in love. But Rory is a man with a secret, which he confesses to Bess when he asks for her hand: He's been married eight times before. Shocked, Bess embarks on a quest she feels she must undertake before she can give him an answer. 

With her long-married, bickering grandparents, her neighbor (himself a mystery), a shar-pei named Stella, and a mannequin named Peace, Bess sets out on a cross-country journey—unbeknownst to Rory—to seek out and question the wives who came before. What she discovers about herself and her own past is far more than she bargained for.

About the Author

Amy Stolls's young adult novel Palms to the Ground was published in 2005 to critical acclaim and was a Parents' Choice Gold Award winner. A former environmental journalist who covered the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska, she is currently a literature program officer for the National Endowment for the Arts. She lived in Washington, DC, with her husband and son.

Praise For…

“THE NINTH WIFE is a witty, satisfying novel with a clever structure. . . . There’s something so sweetly endearing about both Bess and Rory that readers will pull for them, knowing the odds may be against them — even against marriage itself — but hoping that this time, true love will triumph.” — Sarah Pekkanen, The Washington Post

“A witty, satisfying novel with a clever structure. . . . There’s something so sweetly endearing about both Bess and Rory that readers will pull for them, knowing the odds may be against them. . . but hoping that this time, true love will triumph.” — Sarah Pekkanen, The Washington Post

“A nuanced take on relationships.” — Publishers Weekly

“I love this book’s deft, fresh take on male-female relationships: a wary woman finds herself falling for a decidedly un-commitment-phobic man. As Amy Stolls takes us into the minds, hearts, and histories of Bess and Rory, we grapple with the thorny, thrilling truth that love is always complicated, always—every time, every day—a risk.” — Marisa de los Santos, New York Times bestselling author of Love Walked In

“Should Bess Gray marry a guy who’s been married eight times before? No, of course not—it’s obvious, right? But in this funny and engaging novel, Amy Stolls shows us that real–life romance is rarely as clear–cut as it seems. THE NINTH WIFE is a vibrant, nuanced novel about marriage, identity and the moment when we realize that the shimmer of fantasy pales next to the tumultuous reality of ordinary, everyday happiness.” — Carolyn Parkhurst, author of The Dogs of Babel

“I love this book’s deft, fresh take on male-female relationships. As Amy Stolls takes us into the minds, hearts, and histories of Bess and Rory, we grapple with the thorny, thrilling truth that love is always complicated, always—every time, every day—a risk.” — Marisa de los Santos, New York Times betselling author of Loved Walked In

“A vibrant, nuanced novel about marriage, identity and the moment when we realize that the shimmer of fantasy pales next to the tumultuous reality of ordinary, everyday happiness.” — Carolyn Parkhurst, bestselling author of The Dogs of Babel