When in Vanuatu

A Novel

This title was previously available on NetGalley and is now archived.
Buy on Amazon Buy on BN.com Buy on Bookshop.org
*This page contains affiliate links, so we may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through links on our site at no additional cost to you.
Send NetGalley books directly to your Kindle or Kindle app

1
To read on a Kindle or Kindle app, please add kindle@netgalley.com as an approved email address to receive files in your Amazon account. Click here for step-by-step instructions.
2
Also find your Kindle email address within your Amazon account, and enter it here.
Pub Date 27 Apr 2021 | Archive Date 20 Apr 2021

Talking about this book? Use #WheninVanuatu #NetGalley. More hashtag tips!


Description

When Diana quit her job and followed her husband to Manila, she believed the move would work for both of them: Jay would finally have his dream job, and she would take time off from her accounting career to start a family.

Four years later, however, she’s still not pregnant. Her fertility doctor advises her to relax—an undertaking that is easier said than done in one of the noisiest, most crowded cities in the world. Nevertheless, Diana tries. She takes up yoga and meditation. She buys goldfish. Then one day, while Jay is away on business, a violent coup d’etat erupts. The rebels bomb the presidential palace and occupy parts of the city.

Clearly, Diana decides, something needs to change. Determined to have a baby while she’s still young enough, she convinces Jay to transfer to the small South Pacific nation of Vanuatu, said to be “the most relaxing place on earth.” It isn’t long before she realizes that the island’s tropical beauty hides dangers and disappointments that will test her courage, her marriage, and her ability to open herself up to new possibilities.

When Diana quit her job and followed her husband to Manila, she believed the move would work for both of them: Jay would finally have his dream job, and she would take time off from her accounting...


A Note From the Publisher

NICKI CHEN earned her MFA from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. She is the author of two novels, Tiger Tail Soup and When in Vanuatu, the latter of which grew out of her experiences during the twenty years she lived with her husband and their three daughters in the Philippines and the South Pacific. She currently lives in Edmonds, WA, a sometimes rainy, always beautiful little city overlooking Puget Sound.

NICKI CHEN earned her MFA from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. She is the author of two novels, Tiger Tail Soup and When in Vanuatu, the latter of which grew out of her experiences during the...


Advance Praise

"In "When in Vanuatu," Nicki Chen explores exotic locales and universal struggles. In this moving, fast-flowing novel, Diana's experiences in the Philippines and Vanuatu illuminate challenges of friendship, marriage, identity, and family that so many women, at home and abroad, face. It's ideal for book clubs or anyone who would want to read a modern, feminist Graham Greene."—Tegan Tigani, Queene Anne Book Company, Seattle, WA

"When in Vanuatu is a compassionate and moving portrayal of a trailing spouse that challenges the notion of an idyllic and carefree married life abroad, and proves that paradise lies in the healing ties that bind us together."—Jocelyn Eikenburg, editor with China Daily, writer, and popular expat blogger

"Chen's novel is set in the Philippines and in beautiful Vanuatu, the tropical island where James Michener wrote his classic Tales of the South Pacific. Think swaying palms, pristine beaches and the turquoise waters of the Pacific. I highly recommend When in Vanuatu for those who love to travel, and for those who enjoy reading stories that fascinate."—Bo Kearns, author of Ashes in a Coconut

"A piercing insider's view into the expat life in far-flung locations. This quiet novel exposes the pain of infertility, following Diana on a turbulent journey of personal transformation."—Jennifer J. Chow, award-winning author of The 228 Legacy

"Deftly created. . . . In When in Vanuatu, you will meet a fascinating international community of men and women intent on contributing to global development despite significant obstacles, both at work and in the homes they endeavor to create in a distant land. Enlightening and captivating."—Sally Stiles, author of Plunge! and Like a Mask Dancing

"It's never easy to be a trailing spouse, as Nicki Chen so lovingly shows in When in Vanuatu. Whether in the Philippines or the South Pacific island of Vanuatu, both in times of political upheaval, Chen tells of the often unspoken hardships and heartbreaks of finding home and family in a new land."—Susan Blumberg-Kason, author of Good Chinese Wife

"Once again, author Nicki Chen demonstrates her mastery of writing place and characterization. Having been an expat living in foreign countries as a young wife, I resonated with many of the opportunities and challenges Chen portrays. Give yourself the gift of peeking into not only the life of the protagonist, Diana, but also her community of friends, and the unique cultures of the Philippines and Vanuatu!"—Kizzie Jones, co-project manager and contributor to Writing In Place: Prose & Poetry from the Pacific Northwest



"In "When in Vanuatu," Nicki Chen explores exotic locales and universal struggles. In this moving, fast-flowing novel, Diana's experiences in the Philippines and Vanuatu illuminate challenges of...


Available Editions

EDITION Other Format
ISBN 9781647420345
PRICE $16.95 (USD)
PAGES 336

Available on NetGalley

NetGalley Shelf App (PDF)
Send to Kindle (PDF)

Average rating from 6 members


Featured Reviews

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I remember the anticipation of waiting to get pregnant. It is so hard not to be stressed and nervous. My heart broke for Dianne as her anxiety built up to get pregnant. How does one relax when you want something soo badly? I liked the character development.. I really became attached to Diane and Jay. The world was their oyster with so many opportunities! I am going to recommend to my book club. I would love to discuss all my thoughts and feeling about the book with my friends.

Was this review helpful?

Wow, I was really impressed with this book. At first I wasn’t so sure about it but I kept on reading and truly enjoyed it. The character was very interesting.

Was this review helpful?

Readers who liked this book also liked: