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The Ninth Wife

3.28 of 5 stars 3.28 · rating details · 1,365 ratings · 342 reviews

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 bee...more

Paperback, 476 pages

Published May 10th 2011 by Harper Paperbacks (first published May 1st 2011)

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Aug 27, 2012 Kim marked it as to-read

Shelves: first-reads

I am so excited to win this book through a First Reads giveaway! The cover is interesting and the synopsis of the book is interesting. I can't imagine.....can't wait to read it!

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May 30, 2011 Heaven is a bookstore rated it 3 of 5 stars

Review coming to my blog (heavenisabookstore.blogspot.com) when this book publishes, May 5, 2011.

Up until halfway through the book, I found myself a little bored, a little distracted and trying to figure out where this book was going and if there would be any kind of climax.

Contrary to the title's thought process, it isn't about a plural marriage. It's actually about a man who has been married eight times and comes across his ninth wife who is wondering how and why anyone would be married that m...more Review coming to my blog (heavenisabookstore.blogspot.com) when this book publishes, May 5, 2011.

Up until halfway through the book, I found myself a little bored, a little distracted and trying to figure out where this book was going and if there would be any kind of climax.

Contrary to the title's thought process, it isn't about a plural marriage. It's actually about a man who has been married eight times and comes across his ninth wife who is wondering how and why anyone would be married that many times. On top of that, she wants to know why they would want to be married again.

I followed Rory's story and many times I would think, Dude (yes, that word) is this guy dense or what? And then I would find the author actually wrote that in the next paragraph - which made me fond of the book and of Rory's character. I liked that he knew he was making a mistake. He knew that he was fallible. It was probably his fourth wife that I started to realize what a true romantic Rory really is (even though this was stated a few times already, in the book, I didn't believe it). He really wanted to love someone for life and be loved for life. He just never found the person who would do that with/for him. I found this sad and yet, the fact that he kept trying, kept believing, made me like Rory that much more. His mistakes then turned into hope.

Bess, is his proposed to (possible) ninth wife. She has had an interesting life. She was raised by her grandparents who fight all the time and it drives her nuts. Her grandmother constantly tells her grandfather what to do and her grandfather has a secret in the basement that is too good to reveal here. (sorry, you have to read it) I simply love the part (and maybe this is why and when I became entranced with this book) when Bess decides to go and meet these previous wives and ask them why. Why did they marry Rory, why did they break up. I love her guts to even embark on this journey, let alone her continuing and following up with it and not chickening out. I could see many women thinking this is a great idea, but then thinking it's crazy, yet if you want to marry someone wouldn't you go to the ends of the earth to find out if it's good?

These are some of my favorite excerpts -

"I don't want to go home," she says, quietly, not meeting his eyes. She crosses the room and sits on the bed. He closes the door and sits by her. He waits for her to speak. She lies down on the bed in a fetal position, slides a pillow under her head and holds her stomach. "You are a story teller. Tell me the story of your married life."
"Are you sure you want to hear it?" He touches her leg. She doesn't recoil.

People say I don't have to rush into marriage. But the way I see it, why prolong? Dao and I waited more than three years and she still left me. And it's true. Gloria left me after a short marriage, but there were reasons I'm aware of then, even from the first moment. I still imagine myself with a woman I can grow old with. i want to be able to look back on my life and see how much we shared. It's what my parents had and I think I've always been searching for that. But already more than half my life is over. That's a sobering thought.

At first I kept thinking that Bess should run as fast as she could away from this man, Rory. He was a mess and didn't seem to be able to communicate outside of his music. He was very much a child, but as his story unfolds I see the vulnerability he only offers up if you stay and listen to his life. I realize the need and want of love. It was a beautiful thing and before I knew it, I was hoping for them to get married.

Though this book got off to a slow start, I really took this book to heart. It has quite a few things one can learn and instill in a relationship, even if a few are about what not to do. I felt for each of these characters for so many different reasons, but above all I wanted them all to be in love and happy in the end. The Ninth Wife is a prime example of how do I rate a book on a scale when it meets so many other criterion that is unmeasurable?
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Oct 11, 2012 Sara rated it 3 of 5 stars

A wonderful "braided" story of the past life of Rory and his wives, are interwinding with Bess's insecurities to find why his relationships dissolved. As you flip back and forth between his history and her quest to find her own answers about marriage. This is an interesting perspective to see how relationships form, dissolve,crumble and even disintegrate.
She herself has issues with what makes a good marriage and what she should strive for. As a 35 yo woman, never married, no children in any way...more A wonderful "braided" story of the past life of Rory and his wives, are interwinding with Bess's insecurities to find why his relationships dissolved. As you flip back and forth between his history and her quest to find her own answers about marriage. This is an interesting perspective to see how relationships form, dissolve,crumble and even disintegrate.
She herself has issues with what makes a good marriage and what she should strive for. As a 35 yo woman, never married, no children in any way, and people making assumptions - judgements, all around her, she too struggles with why she isn't married. I found it no surprise for her issues as she has lost her best role models - her parents. Bess's grandparents offer little insight with their non-answers to their past as well as her parents lives.
Little dark secrets about the family wift in the air, and eventually like all good secrets wishing to be hid, they surface!
Rory is the kind of fella who claims he lives for the moment, wherever he is standing right there and then. He feels life is racing by and he must catch it in that instant. I don't feel he is really looking at the here and now as most probably do (as Rory states he does too), but rather chasing it down instead of realizing it's HERE.
Bess is yearning for answers, not sure how to go about getting them, it makes me wonder how her other research projects turn out... I think with the loss of her parents, the secrets of her grandparents, and a suitor with plenty of quick relationships it just ups her "wired" feeling of abandonment.
How do you define perfect? How do you find or know you've found the perfect suitor for you? What about perfect relationships in general? The life long day in and day out friendships? Do you really ever know until they are over? until you are deep into senior years? Maybe Rory has a glimpse as to how this should be, but maybe, just maybe Bess has the final answers to show him - and us, how to keep it going for a very long time.

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Jul 24, 2012 Sara Strand rated it 4 of 5 stars

So, I was kind of leery. I mean, I was secretly worried this would be some kind of Jodi-Picoult-make-me-want-to-kill-myself-with-sadness type of story but no. It wasn't that at all. It was a really honest story about being a 35 year old woman, with people making assumptions as to why she isn't married with kids, and then her struggle with it. She envies the long marriage of her grandparents, even though they fight constantly, because she feels like they must obviously still love each other. And...more So, I was kind of leery. I mean, I was secretly worried this would be some kind of Jodi-Picoult-make-me-want-to-kill-myself-with-sadness type of story but no. It wasn't that at all. It was a really honest story about being a 35 year old woman, with people making assumptions as to why she isn't married with kids, and then her struggle with it. She envies the long marriage of her grandparents, even though they fight constantly, because she feels like they must obviously still love each other. And in the middle of her questioning her life as it is, she meets Rory who she falls for quickly. He's a bit of a mystery and he obviously has an extensive history with women.

What makes this book interesting is that the chapters alternate between Bess's story and Rory recounting each wife and the reason why he got married/divorced. And it's pretty evident that he literally, had good reasons and intentions behind every marriage and that the divorces didn't happen for conventional reasons. They are all very logical explanations and it makes you question the importance of previous marriages/divorces with potential mates.

I really loved Rory's character. If he were a real person and I was a single lady he'd be the type that I would automatically be attracted to and he seems like a person you'd like. Bess was a little hard to like for me. Not just her, but women like her who have to question and over analyze every thing. Sometimes things shouldn't be analyzed, I think, because they may not even be related but they only look like it.

The beautiful thing about this story is that it really makes you think about marriage as a whole and why they don't work. I have another post for another day, but I think that people have too high of expectations for marriages. I believe people expect their spouse to be their world, their rock, the one to make them happy, etc and if any one of these doesn't quite click- they throw the towel in and move on. And no person can be THAT responsible for someone else. Matt is just a small snippet in my world. My world will still revolve, albeit differently, if he weren't here for whatever reason. It took me a few years to realize he can't make me happy, I have to be happy first and then he just enhances it. People rely too much on other people to bring importance and meaning to their lives and I don't know if that is necessarily healthy.

So. I can't tell you what happens in the end because it would ruin the journey for you through the book, but I do encourage you to read it. Especially if you are dating because I think it would encourage you to look at divorce in a (potential) partner a bit differently. And for people who are married (happy or not) it's interesting because I know I looked at things in my own marriage a little differently.. maybe you will too.
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Dec 21, 2011 Sam rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-fiction, fiction, kindle, owned, review-copies

Bess Gray is a thirty-five year old folklorist who wants to settle down but can't find the right man. At a singles party she meets Irish expatriate Rory and is swept off her feet. However, when Rory proposes and Bess finds out that he has had not one, not two, but eight ex-wives, she must decide if she can cope with becoming wife number nine.

I really enjoyed the first half of this book. The narrative switched between chapters from Bess' point of view about her developing relationship with Rory a...more Bess Gray is a thirty-five year old folklorist who wants to settle down but can't find the right man. At a singles party she meets Irish expatriate Rory and is swept off her feet. However, when Rory proposes and Bess finds out that he has had not one, not two, but eight ex-wives, she must decide if she can cope with becoming wife number nine.

I really enjoyed the first half of this book. The narrative switched between chapters from Bess' point of view about her developing relationship with Rory and chapters where Rory described each of his ex-wives. Considering she had eight ex-wives to introduce, Stolls did a great job of keeping each story distinct and entertaining, and I loved reading these parts. Stolls' writing was very good in general; the characters were vivid and the book hard to put down.

I also enjoyed some of the minor characters, especially Bess' grandparents Millie and Irv. They had been married for sixty-five years and Stolls wrote their relationship honestly, showing the rough side of marriage as well as the smooth. I was rooting for Millie and Irv to sort things out more than I was rooting for Bess and Rory. I also really liked the character of Gaia, a hippy pregnant woman.

In the second half of the book, Bess goes off on a bit of a quest to find Rory's ex-wives to find out if he has told the truth about them and to see if she can come to terms with his past. For me personally, this section dragged a little bit in comparison to the first and it could have been shorter. I enjoyed the part where Rory came face to face with his stalker ex-wife, Lorraine, but felt as though the other wives were all kind of telling Bess the same thing and the road trip seemed endless.

I also couldn't really understand Bess' attachment to Rory. I'm not a swept off your feet kind of girl (I was in a relationship for seven years before getting engaged!), and all through the first section I was thinking: are you crazy for getting engaged? You hardly know him at all! This meant that for me, I was indifferent as to whether they ended up together in the end or not. I was just along for the journey and the ex-wives.(less)

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Sep 04, 2011 Casey rated it 3 of 5 stars

It was ok. I found Rory to be far more interesting then Bess, until too many "coincidences" kicked in. I thought Bess was a little on the whinny side, so over thinking absolutely everything. But then again, I guess some people are like this, I try not to be so having to read about it just made me want to yell, "get on with it".
I really wanted to give it 2 1/2 stars, but 3 will be okay. I found it to be a good read if you want a book you don't have to invest too much in. You do have to keep char...more

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Aug 04, 2011 Jolee rated it 2 of 5 stars

well....if you want a light, quick (even tho it's 400+ pages), easy, summer read, you could do worse. Didn't knock my socks off. Brief synopsis: 35 year old single woman (who happens to be both a little desperate and a professor) falls for a 8x married Irish musician (surprise! She finds this out from him after dating awhile). Motives unbeknownst to him, she sets out on a journey to find out about her family AND to get the women's perspective before taking the walk down the aisle herself with sa...more

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Jul 10, 2011 Darcy Odden rated it 4 of 5 stars

Would you marry a man who has been married eight times before? I wouldn't. Unless that man were Irish musician Rory and I were Bess Gray, a mid-30s folklorist.

Bess meets Rory at a party she throws for singles. Well, actually it's her birthday party, but she doesn't tell the invitees about that.

Bess and Rory fall in love, and then he tells her he's been married eight times before. Rory explains all the marriages - from his first love, Maggie, with whom he emigrates from Ireland to the United Stat...more

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Jun 18, 2011 Jenny O. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Bess is a 35 year old woman who has been recently dumped by her commitment-phobe boyfriend. You can practically hear her biological clock ticking through the pages.

But that isn’t what The Ninth Wife is about.

After running into her ex and his pregnant girlfriend, Bess is harangued by her assistant into throwing a singles party. The rules are simple: bring someone of the opposite gender with whom you have no romantic past.

On the night of her party, Bess is introduced to Rory, an Irish fiddle-play...more

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Jun 24, 2011 Sara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-reads, june-11

Bess is a folklorist, interested in the historical nature of various cultures. She seems to strongly believe a person is defined by their history, such as their cultural heritage and their past experiences. When the man she loves proposes, it comes with the confession that he has had eight wives. Giving no immediate response, she goes on a journey to find said ex-wives to try and understand Rory better and why the relationships always failed. She's looking for an easy answer about whether or not...more

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Apr 17, 2011 Michelle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, goodreads-giveaways

Utterly charming novel about, as the title might indicate, someone’s ninth potential wife. This is not a Big Love/Sister Wives/FLDS tome but instead about a thirty-something, single DC woman who falls in love with a dashing, interesting man she later discovers has been married a whopping 8 previous times.

Interspersed with Bess’s story are chapters devoted to Rory’s take on his life and marriages. These were perfectly executed. Before I started the book my thought was: why would a normal woman ev...more Utterly charming novel about, as the title might indicate, someone’s ninth potential wife. This is not a Big Love/Sister Wives/FLDS tome but instead about a thirty-something, single DC woman who falls in love with a dashing, interesting man she later discovers has been married a whopping 8 previous times.

Interspersed with Bess’s story are chapters devoted to Rory’s take on his life and marriages. These were perfectly executed. Before I started the book my thought was: why would a normal woman even consider dating a guy who’d been married eight times, much less marrying him? The author did an amazing job of making him completely sympathetic (a romantic hero, even) while still highlighting his mistakes and faults. Rory never considered himself blameless in his prior marriages. It was clear to me why Bess fell so hard, clear to me why she considered continuing on in their relationship once she learned the truth. This is not an easy feat and the author pulled it off beautifully.

I also loved the direction the novel took in the second half and found myself, in a word, “delighted” (not a word I use, like, ever) with many of the plot turns. There were also several complex side stories and relationships, which made the overall tale all the richer.

I will admit it took a bit to get into Bess’s character, perhaps because I just cannot relate to a folklorist/martial arts hobbyist. Also, I didn’t totally get what her job consisted of on a daily basis, which, while not particularly important, might’ve fleshed out the character more quickly. I did love the DC setting, a city I lived in for many years and which I consider my second home (I didn’t know they still had the “Social Safeway”!) Eventually Bess did click for me as a character, but I’ll admit it took several days to read the first 100 pages and then I read the last 400 in one afternoon.

Also, my only other minor quibble with the book was that a fairly major scene about 10 pages from the end is told after it happened. That bugged me, I felt a little bit cheated. But, otherwise, this was a wonderful, filling, delicious kind of book, perfect if you just want to sit down for a good long while and read. I highly recommend this and predict it will be a big book when it debuts later this year!(less)

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Sep 23, 2012 Mira rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-reads, 12-2-book-challenge

Would you marry someone who has been married 8 times before and all by the age of 45? I don't know, but I sure would love to hear the whys. That is what this book is about. Rory has been married 8 times and has asked Bess to be #9. Bess has never been married before and yearns for it. While contemplating Rory's proposal, she sets on a cross country trip to drive her grandparents, who have been married 65 years, to their retirement home in Arizona. Accompanying her is her gay neighbor and friend....more

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Jul 29, 2012 Ashley rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: library-book

full review will be on my blog in the nearish future: http://ashleysgotbookcitement.blogspo...

My Thoughts: I thought this book was going to be happier and more light-hearted than it actually was. Overall, it was a bleak, bitter look into the aspects of marriage. Bess, as a character, was lonely and unhappy. She was a bit of a Debbie Downer throughout the story. I was just expecting something lighter and funnier than I actually got. I definitely wasn't in a happy mood while reading it.
I did like...more

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Mar 07, 2012 Doreen Fritz rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: rb-book-club

Some poignant and thought-provoking insights about love and marriage mixed in with generous amounts of schmaltz and gimmickry. Bess, entering the second half of her thirties, is convinced to give a singles party, with instructions to invitees to bring a person of the opposite sex with whom they have no dating history. Rory is somebody's guest, and he and Bess immediately hit it off. They date regularly, fall in love, and within a couple of months are talking about marriage. But then Rory reveals...more

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May 09, 2011 Michelle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, netgalley

Posted on Book Chelle.

Reality is that there is no perfect love story. It's not as simple as boy meets girl, they fall in love, and happily ever after. Sometimes, relationships and families aren't like what you see on tv, in the movies, or what you read in books. Amy Stoll told a great story of love, forgiveness, and finding out what it means to open your heart.

Bess is 35 and single. She takes karate classes to strengthen her inner self, her physical self, and hopes to obtain confidence that her...more Posted on Book Chelle.

Reality is that there is no perfect love story. It's not as simple as boy meets girl, they fall in love, and happily ever after. Sometimes, relationships and families aren't like what you see on tv, in the movies, or what you read in books. Amy Stoll told a great story of love, forgiveness, and finding out what it means to open your heart.

Bess is 35 and single. She takes karate classes to strengthen her inner self, her physical self, and hopes to obtain confidence that her instructor talks about. She is a folklorist, in love with the history and past that she longs to have. She was raised by her grandparents, lives in front of a man named Cricket and a dog named Stella, and is best friends with a very outspoken individual. She has lived her life convinced that she is not worthy of the great love that everyone seems to have experience. Stolls has written in her a way that you cannot help but feel for her.

Rory is 45 and also single. But in Rory's case, he came from Ireland and has lived all over the United States. He has had almost every job from data entry to strumming keys as a musician. He has vices, addictions, and a heart so big, you cannot help but love him. Unlike Bess, he has felt love in his life. He has felt it at least 8 times, with his 8 wives. He is compassionate, but with a great fault. He acts on what his heart feels, and whether the outcome is positive or negative, he owns up to it. And when Rory meets Bess, he wants to make her the ninth wife.

To me, this book just wasn't just about the tale of the wives, or even just about Bess and Rory. To me, this story was about the love and relationships between husband and wife, lovers, friends, family. Stolls encompasses the different levels of love between two people. She tells the stories of Rory's wives and the positives and negatives about each type of love. She tells the story of Bess, her lack of love and how she witnesses the downside of what love can do, whether it be her parents, her grandparents, or her dear friends. Stolls writes about love and these relationships in such a way that you can't help but picture yourself in one of those scenarios.

At first, I couldn't stand behind the principle of nine wives. I couldn't understand how I could grow to like a character that has gone through so much and has done so much to different women. But I am a victim of judging too early. Stolls, through Bess and Rory, has made me realize how powerful love can be. It can break you down into the depths of darkness, and it can also bring you alive in such a way that you feel you are unstoppable.

The Ninth Wife is a fantastic read. The writing style of Amy Stolls makes this story easy to relate and the characters lovable. I would suggest this to anyone who has ever felt or wanted to feel love.(less)

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Oct 20, 2011 Abria Mattina rated it 2 of 5 stars

This book and I never really got along. We learned to co-exist, but that’s about it.

Initially, I had a hard time with the prose style. Bess’s chapters are particularly wordy and meandering. Introducing new characters takes pages of flashbacks to accomplish. It would have been easier to bear if Bess was a likeable character, since she forms the lens through which other characters and events are portrayed.

At the beginning of the book I had a hard time connecting to Bess or feeling moved by her de...more This book and I never really got along. We learned to co-exist, but that’s about it.

Initially, I had a hard time with the prose style. Bess’s chapters are particularly wordy and meandering. Introducing new characters takes pages of flashbacks to accomplish. It would have been easier to bear if Bess was a likeable character, since she forms the lens through which other characters and events are portrayed.

At the beginning of the book I had a hard time connecting to Bess or feeling moved by her depression. She has a good life, but can’t seem to see it and appreciate it. Instead she’s a pathetic, self-pitying, rootless worrywart.

At thirty-five, Bess still craves validation from external sources. She seeks her roots through her job as a folklorist, and she only seems to feel good about herself when others give her positive feedback (flirting, compliments, etc.). I felt like she gained a bit of confidence and self-respect by the end of the novel, but I still wouldn’t want to hang out with her in real life.

The introduction of Rory, Bess’s significant other, was a breath of fresh air. He’s fun, interesting, able to part with the past, and willing to take risks—basically, the total opposite of Bess. That said, he’s also very flawed. Much like Bess needs others for validation, Rory feels the need to propose marriage to every woman he experiences an emotional response to (and one he doesn’t). He feels validated by being in a relationship and in his mid-forties, can’t seem to form his own identity without adding ‘husband’ to his list of roles.

He explains to Bess, “I like the version of me as someone’s husband better than the version of me alone and single. Plain and simple.”

The ‘someone’ in that sentence is very telling. Rory likes the role of husband more than he likes his wives, which explains why he feels the need to put a significant label on every passing attachment or attraction. The woman means less than the label.

Rory and Bess’s relationship is fairly predictable. The ending is inevitable within the first hundred pages. Maybe because of this, in places it felt like Stolls was trying to write their romance to be as ridiculous and bumbling as possible just to spice it up. One of the most significant scenes involves an uncomfortable marriage proposal during an episode of diarrhea, seemingly crafted to be as outrageous as possible.

Toward the end of the novel, the plot breaks down into a series of happy coincidences. It means that the book wraps up nicely, but these conclusions are not always believable, particularly the one belonging to Bess’s friend and neighbour, Cricket.

I wouldn’t reread The Ninth Wife, and I probably wouldn’t recommend it to a friend. I came away from the book frustrated and feeling like I had learned nothing, which isn’t a good feeling after 400+ pages.
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May 10, 2011 Charlotte rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: nook, advanced-readers-copy

http://charlotteswebofbooks.blogspot....

I really, really enjoyed The Ninth Wife. As a single woman who got her first proposal at the age of 34, I can somewhat relate to Bess's feelings and desires to find "the one". I can also understand her trepidation at finding out her beloved has been married eight times? Wouldn't you freak out a bit, too?

The Ninth Wife was told in alternating voices. One chapter was Bess, the next chapter was Rory, as he was explaining his history to Bess. It was a unique w...more

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Jun 05, 2011 Sarah rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

A little frightened--I find it way too tempting to identify with the protagonist.
Now I really find it tempting to identify with the protagonist. Stomach issues when she’s nervous, no one has said “I love you” to her in a long time...the only thing missing is all of the married men.
I probably would be one of those rare women who wouldn’t react like this when he says he’s been married 8 times. I would probably be nice and polite and beat the crap out of him by myself later.
And she did exactly that...more

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May 06, 2012 Katie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012books

A novel written in first-person as Rory, explaining his past wives, and in third person as Bess, a 35-year-old woman exploring karate to raise her self-confidence. Upon meeting Rory, Bess must decide whether she still wants to marry Rory discovering his eight ex-wives; will Rory provide a stable marriage?

I felt that the novel was smartly written switching between the characters. I like the consistency in the first half of the book how often the story flipped between the two, but found it difficu...more

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Apr 22, 2012 Throughthetrees rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction

Bess Grey is lonely. She longs for her life to have the stability of marriage. To have a life partner to love, children to rear and that comfort of 'forever' that matrimony can bring. When her friend suggests throwing a singles party, she is at first resistant. But with prodding and at the threat of being called "boring", she does and meets Rory, who sweeps her off her feet. But Rory has a past which Bess finds out a bit late. After a few months of dating, Rory proposes and it is revealed that R...more Bess Grey is lonely. She longs for her life to have the stability of marriage. To have a life partner to love, children to rear and that comfort of 'forever' that matrimony can bring. When her friend suggests throwing a singles party, she is at first resistant. But with prodding and at the threat of being called "boring", she does and meets Rory, who sweeps her off her feet. But Rory has a past which Bess finds out a bit late. After a few months of dating, Rory proposes and it is revealed that Rory has been married before. Several times in fact. Rory has been married eight times before, which would make Bess the ninth, if she says yes. She embarks on a quest to seek out these other wives, to discover why Rory's marriages failed, and on the way, tries to understand if marriage is the 'forever' promise it's all cracked up to be.

It is sort of ironic that I would go on a rant about the fantasy of marriage and children in my review for "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins, and the immediately read a book that is about the desire for those very things. I wanted a change from genre fantasy and in this book, I got it. Realistically "normal", this is a book about a regular woman who finds herself in love with a strange situation wrapped around her. Should she marry Rory when all his previous marriages have failed? Is it him in particular that is the problem or has he found himself in a bout of bad decisions? This novel winds around the reasons why people get married and if marriage itself is brokered by love or duty. Through stories told by Rory about his eight failed companionships, Bess' grandparent's rocky marriage and her neighbour Cricket losing the love of his life, the reader is taken through the questions and left to form their own opinions.

One thing that really bothered me about this novel was the style in which it was written. It jumped around with the intention of having several different voices explaining their situational history. From first person, past tense to third person present tense, it skipped back and forth erratically. I realize that I am a bit picky about books following one direction, but this book was annoying. I nearly had a fit reading Anne Rice's "Queen of the Damned" and that followed only two perspectives. This one has many voices, and it drove me nuts. I suppose that Stolls wanted to avoid having characters giving long speeches and instead had them describe their stories in chapters. This vague style is just not my cup of tea, I suppose, and it really hampered my enjoyment of this novel.

The characters themselves are likeable. Bess is a normal 30-something woman with typical urges to start a family. She has an interesting job as a "Folklorist" which is just vague enough that you don't know exactly what she does. Rory is charming, funny and romantic, which is good because he is sort of the "bad guy" in this story. Bess attempts to dig up dirt on Rory's past to see if he is worthy of marrying, since none of his previous marriages have stuck. Bess' grandparents, Millie and Irv, are good examples of "old people" and Bess' neighbour Cricket, a gay widow whose neurosis is worn on his sleeve, is funny without crossing the border of annoying.

I suppose I read too many romance novels of the Nora Roberts variety because the sex, though fairly frequent in this novel, just didn't do it for me. It was rather boring and came off as about as exciting as dishwater, which was in keeping with the rest of this book. It just wasn't exciting at all. Maybe it was too domestic for me, maybe I'm used to reading a different "style" of book, but this one was just sort of vanilla. I didn't mind it, but I'm glad I'm finished it, so I can move on to other things. There were some good issues raised, such as the discussion on marriage, commitment and elder abuse, but ultimately I was sort of bored. There were a few things that made me laugh, a few that felt totally relatable (when admitting to a grandparent that you admire something of theirs and they immediately offer it to you), and some things that just weirded me out (view spoiler). It did make me think about my own personal reasons about getting married, though I can't say it changed my mind about any of them. This novel might make a good gift for someone who is engaged or is longing to be engaged, or if you just need to leave it on the table to give your boyfriend a hint that you want to be engaged.(less)

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Feb 06, 2012 Arlene Allen rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book just blew me away. I wish I could give it more than 5 stars. What if you met the perfect man, only he was far from perfect? In fact, he is a serial spouse, married 8 times previously. But then, how do you define the perfect mate? The perfect relationship? This novel challenges our perceptions of what is real, what is right, and what is right now. Stolls examines relationships from the eyes of a couple married 65 years - with the wife abusing her husband for decades; she can't forgive a...more

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May 17, 2011 Michelle added it

A sad fact about today's society is that a majority of all people who marry at least once will also get divorced. One or two divorces is considered normal. Three or four is slightly amusing. Anything over that, and you head into the Hollywood marriage rate, which is only acceptable if you are fabulously wealthy or notorious. So, what is a girl to do when she finds out that her boyfriend has been married eight times? While the answer is seemingly simple, Amy Stolls' The Ninth Wife explores the co...more A sad fact about today's society is that a majority of all people who marry at least once will also get divorced. One or two divorces is considered normal. Three or four is slightly amusing. Anything over that, and you head into the Hollywood marriage rate, which is only acceptable if you are fabulously wealthy or notorious. So, what is a girl to do when she finds out that her boyfriend has been married eight times? While the answer is seemingly simple, Amy Stolls' The Ninth Wife explores the complications behind this question and the vagaries of love.

The story switches back and forth between Rory and Bess. From Rory, the reader gets a first-hand understanding of why he chose to marry eight different women while getting a hint at how Bess just might be different. Bess' point of view mirrors the reader's own, as she struggles to fathom how someone could ever get married that often and still want to attempt another marriage and reconciling the feeling of disbelief with her growing feelings of love and commitment to someone who obviously is not commitment-phobic. This duality, while often adding a comedic bent to the story, presents a very clear picture of the different types of love that exist, how each one is legitimate and fills a need in people. While a delightfully light-hearted story on its own, the reasons for all eight wives are all serious and reasonable, which themselves insert a more studious tone to the novel. This seriousness in no way detracts from the novel but rather instills a measure of realism to the proceedings.

In Bess, Ms. Stolls has created a character with whom many a reader will be able to identify. Suffering from self-esteem issues, loneliness, societal expectations, and an aging family, her experiences will be all too familiar for readers of a certain age. Yet, readers of any age can relate to her feelings of inadequacy and desire for a meaningful relationship. The fact that Bess is so adorably likable is a testament to Ms. Stolls' ability to create a character that is sympathetic, not too depressing, and engaging. Conversely, Rory is just plain charming. Between the two, the tension and laughs, romantic and otherwise, flow freely.

For those who like this sort of thing, there is a lesson to be learned about relationships; however, those readers who just prefer to sink into a great novel without bothering with any life lessons, The Ninth Wife definitely fits the bill. Ms. Stolls has created a cast of characters that is as humorous, fun, and realistic as one would want while adding an element of poignancy and sensitivity to the overall story. Life is not all fun and games, and Ms. Stolls maintains a balance between the whimsical and the realistic. The Ninth Wife is simply a delightful story about the power of relationships and love.

Thank you to NetGalley for my e-galley!(less)

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Sep 07, 2012 Sheila rated it 1 of 5 stars

With her biological clock madly ticking away, folklorist Bess Grey finds herself single and childless on her 35th birthday. Then she meets Rory McSomethingorother, who is gorgeous and Irish and plays the banjo. They fall in love. He proposes. Here's the thing: he's been married 8 times before. Bess sets out on a cross-country journey to help her grandparents relocate and does some soul-searching (and ex-wife searching) along the way.

Top Ten Reasons I Did Not Like This Book:

1. Bess and Rory exch...more

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Apr 04, 2011 Danelle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, first-reads, arc-or-uc-proofs, mine

We learn much about people by the people in their lives and how they interact with them. This is what I loved about this book. I learned alot about Bess, the main character, by the people she spent her time with and it's appropriate I came away with this because it is exactly what Bess hopes to do as she seeks out the 8 (yes, 8!) ex-wives of the man she loves and tries to come to terms with becomming wife #9.

And come to terms she does on a cross-country road trip with her elderly Jewish grandpar...more

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Apr 12, 2011 Emily rated it 5 of 5 stars

Rory has had 8 previous marriages by the time he asks Bess for her hand. How did this happen? Is Bess willing to take a chance at happiness and become his 9th? In alternating chapters, their stories are told, including Bess' road trip, along which she meets up with some of those who went before.
Stolls turns a delightful phrase so often I was literally laughing aloud on several occasions. The writing is crisp and evocative as well. Bess is a very genuine character, her faults elucidated almost a...more

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Jul 20, 2011 Jennifer Jensen (Literally Jen) rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: amazon-vine

On the night 35-year-old Bess Gray throws a singles party, she meets Rory, a handsome musician with whom she begins to form a relationship. As their conversations turn to more serious matters like marriage, Rory informs Bess that he has been married 8 times. Stunned by the news, Bess questions everything about her relationship with Rory. In an effort to better understand him, she begins seeking out his ex-wives, making plans to meet them while she drives her elderly grandparents across the count...more On the night 35-year-old Bess Gray throws a singles party, she meets Rory, a handsome musician with whom she begins to form a relationship. As their conversations turn to more serious matters like marriage, Rory informs Bess that he has been married 8 times. Stunned by the news, Bess questions everything about her relationship with Rory. In an effort to better understand him, she begins seeking out his ex-wives, making plans to meet them while she drives her elderly grandparents across the country to their new home. Rory is unaware of the plans that Bess is making. When he finds out, it could mean the end of their relationship.

"The Ninth Wife" caught my eye based on the title of the book alone; once I read the description, I simply had to read the book. When it was finally in my hands and I started the first chapter, I knew I was in trouble. Immediately I did not care for Amy Stolls’ writing style: third person present tense, with alternating chapters in first person present tense. Early on in the book, Stolls seems to forget she meant to write in present tense, and slips into past tense. I found this very irritating, though it only lasted for the first few chapters.

I truly loved the concept of the book, a woman setting out to discover just who the man she loves really is. I had hoped for a dollop of comedy within these pages; I had anticipated this would be a light, funny read that would end up with everything working out happily in the end. Instead, Bess is annoyingly insecure, Rory is immature even though he has been through so much in his life, and Bess’s poor grandfather seems to be the victim of spousal abuse. The only characters I remotely cared for were Bess’s grandfather (he reminded me of my own grandfather) and Bess’s gay friend, Cricket.

As much as I didn’t care for this book, I can appreciate that it will have its admirers. For anyone who is teetering back and forth on whether to read it or not, I’d strongly advise you to read the first few pages to see if the writing style is to your liking, and if you like what you learn about Bess in the first few pages. If you do, then perhaps you’ll have better luck with this book than I did. (less)

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May 05, 2011 Christa (More Than Just Magic) rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anyone looking for an easy and happy read

Shelves: 2011, arc, netgalley

Full review can be found at Christa's Hooked on Books -> http://christashookedonbooks.blogspot...

Bess Gray never thought she'd meet the man of her dreams. She had a great job, good friends, a nice apartment, but still thought it would be nice to round it all out with marriage and maybe a family. She had almost given up hope by the time of her thirty fifth birthday when she met Rory. An Irish immigrant, fiddle player and computer specialist. Sweet, funny, sexy, everything she had been looking...more

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Jun 03, 2012 Angela Risner rated it 4 of 5 stars

Bess has always been a bit adrift, as she doesn't know much about her background (her mother was adopted). She is a folklorist and loves learning about different cultures.

She hasn't been as lucky in love, but thinks that has changed once she meets Rory. Both of them see marriage in their future. Of course everyone has some skeletons in their closet once they get past 30. But Bess wasn't expecting that Rory's past included 8 other wives.

There were some great moments in this story. It deals with s...more

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Apr 04, 2012 Jennifer rated it 1 of 5 stars

As mentioned in my updates this is not my type of book. I got an ARC sent to me after Book Expo and was very much intrigued by the premise. The execution is what I had problems with. Now, this may be classified as 'women's fiction' or borders chick lit and those are labels I have issues with in and of themselves. This is a romance and a kind of discovery novel but the thing is the main character, for me, was lacking in many ways. I didn't learn much about her and the relationship that formed bet...more As mentioned in my updates this is not my type of book. I got an ARC sent to me after Book Expo and was very much intrigued by the premise. The execution is what I had problems with. Now, this may be classified as 'women's fiction' or borders chick lit and those are labels I have issues with in and of themselves. This is a romance and a kind of discovery novel but the thing is the main character, for me, was lacking in many ways. I didn't learn much about her and the relationship that formed between her and her fiance to be, Rory, was not well built but skipped over. And the bits of them we did see were not spectacular or extraordinary in any way. It was not too different from any romance montage I may see on Lifetime television (sorry, Lifetime).

There are WAY too many characters and I am not a fan of the stock Black or gay characters thrown in. The most interesting subplot was that between the grandparents and that was given less time and was thrust into a story as much of the information is divulged. In all honesty I wouldn't have minded the first person narration alone but it was the unnecessary elements in the third person narration and the ultimate wild goose chase of the ex-wives that bothered me and didn't tell me more about the main character of Bess besides that she's really insecure and even Rory touches upon this when they converse near the end that she won't find anything about him from his past because he's changed and grown and knows what he wants. But what does Bess want? Not to fit the stereotype of a nearing middle aged woman unmarried and single and having a gay best friend and Black friend who is now no longer single either?

And the length was also a big issue for me. There was no need for a road trip starting at page 280 and there was no need for us to get so much of everything else except the Bess/Rory relationship in which they didn't even go out until after 100+ pages. I liked Rory's sections when he was narrating about each wife to Bess and thought that was a nice device but then everyone gets in the act of telling their own stories. This book should've been tighter, more focused on the main characters development and relationships, and 200 pages shorter at least. I can see why some may enjoy it because you do get the romance and this ideal perfect man that Rory has become. But there's just so many flaws in the main character and it does not delve enough into the heart for me so unfortunately I had to skim the remaining 180 or so pages because I couldn't devote much more time to characters and a plot that I cared little for. (less)

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Feb 23, 2012 Cindy rated it 4 of 5 stars

I'm on chapter 21 and enjoying the book, but I'm also starting to realize that the accurate use of individual dialects in dialogue is not this author's strength. Too many of the characters seem to have similar conversational quirks in spite of widely varied linguistic backgrounds. For example, an eighty-something Jewish man, a thirty-something black woman, and a forty-something Irish immigrant all make frequent use the tag question "no?"

Now finished, I can say that I enjoyed the book to the end...more

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About Amy Stolls

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 lives in Washington, DC, with her husband and son.

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Quotes from The Ninth Wife

“But then over the years I spent time with her because of her, because in junior high school she drowned the dolls in chocolate pudding and called it 'Little People in Deep Shit: a Retrospective.” — 2 people liked it

“Do I think a marriage with him would last? I have my doubts. There, I said it. But marraige is always a risk. And so what if it doesn't work? Would that make you absolutely unhappy for the rest of your life? I would hope not.” — 2 people liked it

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