Waiting on Wednesday: The Leftover Woman

 

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature I highlight a soon to be released title I can't wait to read.

This week's pick: The Leftover Woman by Jean Kwok    

Due out: October 10, 2023

Synopsis taken from Amazon:

“A magnetic meditation on secret histories, motherhood, love, and how we show up for each other in the most surprising of ways. A beautiful, propulsive story!” — Laura Dave, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Last Thing He Told Me

At once a hugely atmospheric and suspenseful mystery and a compelling exploration of motherhood and belonging that packs a profound emotional punch. I couldn’t stop thinking about this book." — Lucy Foley, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Apartment

An evocative family drama and a riveting mystery about the ferocious pull of motherhood for two very different women—from the New York Times bestselling author of Searching for Sylvie Lee and Girl in Translation.

I was in the Beautiful Country. I needed to let go of my past if I were to have any hope of walking into the future I longed for, a future with my daughter in it.

Jasmine Yang arrives in New York City from her rural Chinese village without money or family support, fleeing a controlling husband, on a desperate search for the daughter who was taken from her at birth—another female casualty of China’s controversial One Child Policy.

Meanwhile, publishing executive Rebecca Whitney seems to have it all: a prestigious family name and the wealth that comes with it, a high-powered career, a beautiful home, a handsome husband, and an adopted Chinese daughter she adores. She’s even hired a Chinese nanny to help her balance the demands of being a working wife and mother. But when an industry scandal threatens to jeopardize not only Rebecca’s job but her marriage, this perfect world begins to crumble.

Jean Kwok’s new novel finds these two women on a shocking collision course. Twisting and suspenseful and surprisingly poignant, The Leftover Woman is a profound exploration of identity and belonging, motherhood and family. It is a story of two women in a divided city—separated by severe economic and cultural differences yet bound by a deep emotional connection to a child. 

"An unforgettable, beautifully written page-turner . . . Jean Kwok uses an intricately layered plot to ensnare and mesmerize us with fierce, complex characters. I absolutely adored this novel." — Angie Kim, bestselling author of Miracle Creek 

"A heart-tugging exploration of love, belonging, and the meaning of family." — Ruth Ware, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The It Girl