I loved this book! It's a little different in that there are only four characters: the husband, the wife, the therapist, and, yes, the marriage. And the whole book takes place in the marriage counselor's office.

The husband and the wife were, to me, immediately likable. I wanted to hear their stories and I cared about how their problems were resolved.

Sandy, the counselor, was also likable and interesting. Hers is the only voice we hear aside from what was said out loud in the office.

Short chapters and lots of dialog make this a quick, snappy read. Good for people interested in character development. There is no plot other than the resolution of the marriage problems. But that's enough. You really do come to care for this couple and want to know if they can make it together.

Based on the initial comments I read, I had high hopes for this book. I'm sorry to say I was disappointed.

Stay with Me starts off well. I liked the setting! So fun to read a book from a completely different culture. I loved the culinary references and the two African Folktales. I also liked the writing style of hearing from the two main characters in first person.

The plot begins with an intriguing premise, especially after the introduction of the second wife. But the struggle to get pregnant grew wearisome. It also brought out the greatest flaw of the book --- the shallowness of the characters. With the one exception of how they met at university, we see the two main characters only in relation to this fertility problem. They lack chemistry as a couple and they are completely incapable of communicating on important issues.

Worst of all, the two main characters are not at all likable. They both commit unconscionable acts with little remorse. I could not care about what happened to them.

Unfortunately, I cannot recommend this book.