The Leftover Woman: A Novel

Written by Jean Kwok

Narrated by Sura Siu and Caroline Hewitt

Recommended by The New York Times • Elle • Good Morning America • TIME • People • New York Post • Real Simple • Goodreads • LibraryReads • and many more! 

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. 

""Intriguing. . . Kwok is a skilled writer of suspenseful family drama. . . . We root for Jasmine and Rebecca as they face impossible choices and emerge stronger for all the battles they’ve fought, always resisting becoming the ‘leftover’ women.” —Leigh Haber, New York Times Book Review 

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. But with her husband on her trail, the clock is ticking, and she’s forced to make increasingly risky decisions if she ever hopes to be reunited with her daughter.

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 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 and her role in her own family is called into question.

The Leftover Woman finds these two unforgettable women on a shocking collision course. Twisting and suspenseful and surprisingly poignant, it's 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.

“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

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

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperAudio
• Release date: Oct 10, 2023
• ISBN: 9780063031494

Jean Kwok

Jean Kwok is the New York Times and internationally bestselling author of Searching for Sylvie Lee, Girl in Translation, and Mambo in Chinatown. Her work has been published in twenty countries and is taught in universities, colleges, and high schools across the world. She has been selected for numerous honors, including the American Library Association Alex Award, the Chinese American Librarians Association Best Book Award, and the Sunday Times EFG Short Story Award international shortlist. She received her bachelor’s degree from Harvard University and earned an MFA from Columbia University. She is fluent in Chinese, Dutch, and English, and divides her time between the Netherlands and New York City.

Reviews for The Leftover Woman

[gcmcjc · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Kept me going until the end I really thought the husband was going to be more sinister but it had even bigger surprises waiting.

[Becki Basley · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book is about lives that intersect and how this affect changes their lives.

[Hessah · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A messy arrangement that I didn’t suspect will lead to a happy ending. Rebecca is probably my favorite character as she tries her best to carve a name of her self while Jasmine/ Lucy was frustrating.