Contemporary fiction
Yinka, Where Is Your Huzband?
Debut
We love supporting debut authors. Congrats, Lizzie Damilola Blackburn, on your first book!
Quick take
This vibrant, winning novel follows the (mis)adventures of a woman in pursuit of a date for her cousin’s wedding.
Good to know
Inspirational
Light read
LOL
Love triangle
Synopsis
Meet Yinka: a thirty-something, Oxford-educated, British Nigerian woman with a well-paid job, good friends, and a mother whose constant refrain is “Yinka, where is your huzband?”
Yinka’s Nigerian aunties frequently pray for her delivery from singledom, her work friends think she's too traditional (she’s saving herself for marriage!), her girlfriends think she needs to get over her ex already, and the men in her life...well, that’s a whole other story. But Yinka herself has always believed that true love will find her when the time is right.
Still, when her cousin gets engaged, Yinka commences Operation Find-A-Date for Rachel’s Wedding. Aided by a spreadsheet and her best friend, Yinka is determined to succeed. Will Yinka find herself a huzband? And what if the thing she really needs to find is herself?
Yinka, Where is Your Huzband? brilliantly subverts the traditional romantic comedy with an unconventional heroine who bravely asks the questions we all have about love. Wry, acerbic, moving, this is a love story that makes you smile but also makes you think—and explores what it means to find your way between two cultures, both of which are yours.
Free sample
Get an early look from the first pages of Yinka, Where is Your Huzband?.
Why I love it
Josie Silver
Author, The Two Lives of Lydia Bird
If I had to choose one word to sum up Yinka, Where is Your Huzband? it would be charming—quickly followed by fresh, modern, joyful, and great fun. On the one hand it’s a classic “single girl seeks date for wedding rom-com”, but Lizzie’s witty, joyful voice breathes an absolute blast of fresh air across the genre.
Yinka is an instantly likeable, big-hearted girl in need of a date for her cousin’s upcoming wedding, so she draws up a foolproof plan to hook herself a guy before the big day. So far, so good. Enter her family—her meddling mum and her humorous, interfering aunties, all of whom pray daily for Yinka’s release from singledom, plus her friends who think her “no sex before marriage rule” is too traditional, and we have a girl trying to walk the tightrope between her Nigerian roots and her London life, with often hilarious results. The warm ensemble cast will make you laugh out loud, and you’ll find yourself willing Yinka on in her search for a date. The story bubbles like fine champagne with love and loyalty, and sees Yinka digging deep towards the ultimate realization that the most important person she needs to find is herself.
This is a proper curl-up-and-escape kind of book, warm and super relatable. I loved it, and I’m sure you will too.
Member ratings (1,705)
Emily A.
Everett, WA
Funny, whitty, easy read. Although I found the “growth” of the main character a little too sped up. She was annoying until she suddenly wasn’t. I would’ve liked to see more detail in that development
Japinique H.
Greenville, NC
the fact that it shows the every day struggles of black women trying to navigate their way through career,family and love. But also come to the conclusion that it’s OK Love yourself And be single❤️it
Naomie W.
Washington, DC
I was so anxious for Yinka to find herself and her happiness. YES, dark skin deserves a seat at the table! And when it comes to being pressured to marry/date due to “aging” this is spot on, loved it!
Leslie B.
Charlotte, NC
I loved this book. It gave insight to another culture & insecurities that we as Black women face. It removes the misnomer that it’s taboo to be single in your thirties. It’s okay to be driven & more!
Brittany G.
Toledo, OH
Unique, lovable characters. I enjoyed the way the author used romance to discuss topics like colorism, racism, singleness, celibacy, etc. I didn’t always agree with Yinka, but I always rooted for her!