When in Vanuatu

by Nicki Chen

When Diana quit her job and followed her husband to Manila, she believed the move would work for both of 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.

Genres: Fiction

336 pages, Paperback

Published April 27, 2021

About the author

Nicki Chen is a freelance writer and blogger. Born and raised in Washington State, she married a man who fascinated her with his stories about an exotic childhood in China. Three daughters later, they moved to the Philippines, where they stayed for the next fifteen years. While there, she immersed herself in Asian cultures, studying Chinese brush painting and batik, volunteering at the International School, traveling, reading, and making friends with other Asian expatriates. She enrolled in an MFA program through the Vermont College of Fine Arts, earning her MFA after moving to the South Pacific. Her twice-yearly residencies took her on a 17,000-mile round-trip journey from Port Vila, Vanuatu, to Montpelier, Vermont, and back. Ms. Chen is a graduate of Seattle University and a member of the Ladies Writing Club of Perrinville.

Her love of stories began the day her dad returned from the Second World War. Every night he invented a new bedtime story to tell the three-year-old daughter who was born while he was fighting in Italy. His tales were full of giants and flying carpets and shipwrecks.

Years later, Ms. Chen’s passion for stories about China was sparked by her husband, who always brought a gallon of Christian Brothers sauterne and a bag full of stories to their dates, delighting both Ms. Chen and her roommates. He was a Scorpio, born in the Year of the Tiger, and though she was merely a Taurus born in the Year of the Sheep, she dared to marry him.

For a long time Ms. Chen believed she was a teacher. She had a degree in education. She’d taught kindergarten and ninth-grade Spanish. When they moved to the Philippines, where foreign teachers were seldom allowed work permits, she still thought she’d go back to teaching. Eventually.

Then she began to write, and she found her home. Through writing, she found she could dig deeper. She could grab onto those small, beautiful moments that slip away so easily. She could bear witness to the courage and suffering of others.

Reviews

[♥ Sandi ❣ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Read for a group seeking travel to Vanuatu, I found this fiction book to have a good story in addition to information about the South Pacific Island of Vanuatu. The author knows her story well, with exceptional detail, from a 1989 coup in Manila to the food, flora and fauna of the island, having lived there herself.

This book deals with fertility, travel to exotic places, being a 'traveling spouse', being an ex-pat, and deciding what exactly it is you want out of life.

[Nursebookie · Rating 4 out of 5]

When In Vanuatu is a story set in the bustling and over crowded city of Manila circa 1989 when thirty-five yo Diana follows her husband expat Jay to land his dream job in the Philippines. While there in Manila, she gets caught up in the coup d’état against Cory Aquino by Marcos’ loyalists.

The story follows Diana And her obsession with getting pregnant and starting a family, and following her doctor’s advice of decreasing stress, she encourages Jay to move to the island nation of Vanuatu.

I found the writing completely immersive and rich in detail of the life in Manila (the jeepneys, street vendors, and the city life in Makati), the expat culture, and the political climate of the late 80’s to early 90’s to be well written.

The food descriptions had me salivating and craving for Filipino food, especially the decadent desserts from Dulcinea such as churros con chocolate, sans rival, and the leche flan. Oh was it heavenly - brings me back to the good ‘ole days of Manila and the flying cockroaches.

Enjoyed this read!

[Bookoholiccafe · Rating 4 out of 5]

set in the congested, busy, and lively city of Manila circa 1989, when in Vanuatu is about Diana, Thirty- five years old who leaves Seattle and follows her husband to Manilla, Philippines. Diana is hoping that with this move Jay, Her Husband can land his dream job and she can take a break from her accounting career and start a family.
After almost five years, she is still not pregnant, and her fertility doctor wants her to relax to help with the fertility process. Diana tries to make some changes to her life, so she suggests that they move to the South Pacific Island of Vanuatu, where their close friends described as paradise.
Will this change in their life help Diana to get what she wants?

When in Vanuatu is a well-written story with interesting characters. I was able to connect with Diana, however, there were times that I did not agree with her decisions. The story focuses on Jay and Diana struggling with infertility for years.

I really enjoyed the detailed description of Manilla and Vanuatu. The scenery, food, and culture were vividly portrayed. I also enjoyed the storyline and writing style very much.

Many Thanks to @suzyapprovedbooktours and @shewritespress for having me on this tour.

[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this novel of an American "trailing spouse" dealing with infertility and ennui in a tropical paradise. The international mix of characters reminded me of my own expat friends in Japan, and I was delighted to "visit" places that I have never been to in real life.

I saw this labeled as "divorce fiction" somewhere, so I was bracing myself for an unhappy ending, but it wasn't that.

[Lolly K Dandeneau · Rating 3 out of 5]

via my blog: https://bookstalkerblog.wordpress.com/

𝐒𝐧𝐚𝐩 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐢𝐭. 𝐋𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲, 𝐬𝐡𝐞’𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐮𝐢.

Diana is living in Manilla with her husband Jay, after being swayed by the freedom to finally start a family and take time off. This move was Jay’s chance at his dream job, everything would line up for them both, even if it meant giving up American luxuries. It has been 4 years and Diana is still yearning to get pregnant and nearing the age of 35, she knows time is of the essence. Both are perfectly healthy, so why is she unable to conceive? Is it the stress of the Philippines? Truly when they were newly arrived, they were happy to join their friends on trips to vacation spots on the beach or in the mountains, but that was before the dangerous coup attempts after the People Power Revolution. Is it the mounting tensions they have no control over or is that just an excuse to explain away the fading charm of the island? With Diana’s fertility doctor assuring her there isn’t anything wrong, that she just needs to relax considering stress has a negative impact on conception, Diana is resolved to be the most relaxed person her friends know. She starts with her own little aquarium of fish. Anything to keep her mind off of anti-American demonstrations, the strain between she and Jay, and her longings for a child. Maybe the prescription of yoga and meditation will be the cure, but how is one meant to truly “relax” when they are consumed with the need to relax or when Diana can’t stop thinking about getting pregnant? Too, there is Jay’s constant worry and caring watchful eyes, deeply rooted in the tragic loss of his first wife. How is a woman meant to let things happen naturally when nature isn’t taking it’s course in a timely manner? How is a wife to enjoy herself when she has to sneak around just to get out of her own head?

When Diana’s best friend Abby learns of her own husband’s job opportunity it means a move to Vanuatu, an island country located in the South Pacific. Diana is sad to be losing her companion and Abby is adamant she won’t go, sick of conceding her own desires In the end, she and the children follow her husband. Diana is surprised when Abby’s angry letters change to happier missives, reminding Diana about how she once felt about discovering all the new delights of Manilla. It gets her thinking that after four years of living Jay’s dream, it’s time for her own. She wants to move to Vanuatu, even if it means putting her foot down with her husband.

Vanuatu might just be the place where she can feel joy again, soothed by the beauty of their surroundings and an escape from the dangers of Manilla, but nothing ever goes to plan. She finds herself thinking about Jay’s first wife, wondering if she is competing with her memory. Then she is threatened in an unusual incident. Just when it seems like things are finally happening for she and Jay, hard times hit. Will they be able to move past their sorrows together here in paradise? Is happiness about one’s location? Will she ever escape her own worries and losses?

The novel is about the things we want in life and the things life wants from us. When In Vanuatu is quiet story about the expat life, what we take with us despite the places we leave behind and how it changes a marriage. It is about the pressures of a woman’s body, her own power over it when the clock is ticking and the conflict between going with the flow and fighting the tide through our desires.

Publication Date: April 27, 2021

SheWritesPress

[Kristen (she_who_reads_the_world) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The cure to my two month long reading slump was When in Vanuatu by Nicki Chen! During this time when international travel is something to only be daydreamed about, the best some of us can do is let the books we read transport us to faraway places. This book was everything that I needed, in order to escape.

Diana and her husband Jay are expats living in the Philippines. After a four-year struggle with infertility, the doctor’s only advice is that Diana needs to relax. When yoga and goldfish don’t help, Diana encourages her husband to take a position offered to him in Vanuatu. She hopes the change of scenery and relaxing atmosphere will help her fall pregnant.

I absolutely fell in love with the detailed descriptions of the cities in this book! The scenery of Manila and Vanuatu were so vivid. Even the brief comments about Bali, Korea and Pakistan; their gorgeous fabrics, foods and the idyllic way in which they were described made me eager to see all of these countries for myself. And oh, the food! I wanted to taste everything that was eaten, their descriptions were absolutely mouth-watering.

I loved how immersive and wonderful the travel element of this book was, which contrasted drastically with the serious issue of Diana’s difficulty falling pregnant, which led to some incredibly emotional scenes. Her struggles with her identity, and what it means to be the wife of an expat was another theme that was heavily explored, along with many other gender issues. This book does a great job fleshing out these important topics, as well as telling a great story.

[Heather Diamond · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel is a revealing window into the lives of "trailing spouses," the ex-pat women who follow their husbands to foreign countries. While their husband's high-powered jobs elevate them to having servants and creature comforts beyond the reach of most locals, that doesn't mean they are all happy. Many of them have given up careers and independence at home to live abroad as dependents. Dislocated, they do their best to create settled lives in unfamiliar and uncertain environments. When in Vanuatu, set in the Philippines and in the South Pacific island nation of Vanuatu, centers around an American woman who is nearing age thirty-five and obsessed with getting pregnant. Both are radical departures from her American sensibilities, but while one foreign environment shuts her down, the other helps her unfold. Chen's story of a marriage under the stresses of infertility and ex-pat living contains believable characters and lovely descriptions of the Philippines and Vanuatu. It also offers sheds light on the pressures and privileges of trailing spouses in those locations. [I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.]

[Shelley]

Author's guest post at my blog:
https://bookfare.blogspot.com/2021/04...

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

When in Vanuatu is the second book by Nikki Chen, a native of my adopted hometown, but the first I’ve read.

Writing from her own experiences living in the Philippines and the tiny South Pacific island of Vanuatu, this author enriches her story with exquisite detail, from a 1989 coup to the food, flora and fauna of the islands.

The story focuses mainly on Diana, the wife of an important operative in an organization that helps developing countries solve all manner of problems. It’s Jay’s dream job and the reason he and Diana moved to Manila. She, after three years, is becoming restless, feeling a lack of identity as an individual. It seems fairly common among ex-pat wives who follow their husbands’ work, only to be relegated to the position of hostess and volunteer. This book could have gone all women’s lib, focusing on the plight of women who take a secondary role to their husbands, but it goes much farther and gives the men some credit as well.

To add to Diana’s distress, she and Jay are dealing with infertility. This theme is an important one and is covered with detail and compassion but also some distance, as Diana has become obsessed with getting pregnant. It puts a strain on her marriage. Although Jay definitely wants children, he finds the process of following rules to be off-putting, and would prefer to let nature take its course.

When another couple — friends of theirs — are transferred to Vanuatu, and Diana’s best friend Abby begins writing rhapsodic letters about how beautiful, peaceful, etc., the island is, Diana begins to think this might be where she can finally relax, as her doctor has recommended. It takes some doing but eventually Jay is transferred to Vanuatu and they make the move. It does turn out to be the perfect place for Diana to relax, and she re-discovers her enjoyment of art — mainly sketching. Life is infinitely better on Vanuatu but still not perfect. I don’t want to spoil things by revealing too much of the plot, but I will say there is plenty of suspense and excitement and, finally, a satisfying ending.

An added bonus to the fiction is the travelog detail that will make you want to book a trip to Vanuatu..

Chen is a gifted writer and has done a masterful job with this novel. My only criticism is her use of the word "sprinkler" for the aquifer used in the house blessing. I found it jarring. Sounds like the priest used a hose end in the house!

[Story Circle Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imagine sipping coffee from the comfort of your home when your husband suddenly notices a job posting at the back of The Economist that sounds absolutely perfect for him. "This is the kind of job I worked for all the way through graduate school, the kind of work I wrote about in my doctoral thesis!" Heart dropping, you remind him that you both already have jobs—he as a teacher at the University of Washington, and you as a city accountant. He convinces you that it wouldn't hurt to apply, chances being slim that he'd be selected.

Diana and Jay leave home to build a life in the Philippines. "She couldn't remember now what he'd said to convince her or whether she'd convinced herself. One way or the other, though, as the days passed, she came to believe it wouldn't be so bad after all to give up her job and their house. She started questioning whether she'd always played it too safe, wondering whether she actually did want a settled life with one day very much like the one before it." (p. 115) But Diana's happiness depends upon one thing: getting pregnant, that elusive propagation that comes so easily to others. Stress, her doctor has told her, is the culprit. Nothing physiologically is preventing it for the couple.

Chen's visual descriptions exhibit an adeptness that escort a reader into every scene with precision and perception. "A small group of school-age children was just entering the pool area, the boys whooping and running ahead...The lifeguard raised his megaphone and shouted at the boys, who switched to speed walking until they were close enough to the edge of the pool for a quick run and a leaping cannonball." A moving picture in words!

Upon relocating to Vanuatu, Diana begins to think more about Jay's first wife, who died while pregnant. She can't shake doubts creeping in: "He doesn't belong to you. You're the renter, the interloper. The wife who came too late to bear fruit." The island paradise with its tempting tropical backdrop doesn't yield so quickly to Diana's plan to bring a child into the world. Every island has its leeward side, after all, and Vanuatu is no exception.

When in Vanuatu's allure lies in the no-nonsense third person narration of a very gifted story teller. Chen manages to engage readers as Diana and Jay's companions in their travelogue, including circumstances with which many women can identify: fertility challenges, becoming the "spouse follower," and perhaps finally yielding to the reality that some things in life are out of one's control. However, "...it wasn't in Diana's nature to walk in circles...Her life had been all about getting somewhere—to college, grad school, a good job, a promotion, a marriage....right now she was directed toward one and only one destination: getting pregnant."

I recommend this book to any woman, especially one struggling with fertility. A person who enjoys travel, the Expat life, or learning about exotic destinations will also enjoy it.

Story Circle Book Reviews thanks Shawn LaTorre for this review.

[Pamela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful women's fiction that includes a lush setting, strong characters, and ex-pat challenges.
I enjoyed reading this book so much that I settled into the Philippines and then Vanuatu quite comfortable and all in three days. Chen writes her characters so well that I felt I really knew them, particularly Diana, the main character. Diana is so true-to-life as a woman with her own career and talents who gives them up to support her husband's career choices, which leads them to the Philippines. I got a wonderful sense of what it's like to live as an ex-pat in a part of the world I know so little about. I felt the heat and sticky humidity with the descriptive setting, and I understood Diana's challenge of living in a world where she doesn't have her own identity, and also struggles with infertility. I adored Diana's trove of friends and the different "characters" she meets. This women's fiction includes some suspense - emotional and physical. All in all, a vibrant and intelligent page-turner.

[Jocelyn Eikenburg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read full review and interview on my blog.

Globetrotting through the pages of books has long been a favorite pastime for many. And with post-pandemic restrictions, more of us have turned to vicarious travel, often via novels, to satisfy our wanderlust and curiosity about the world.

So you might say I made my first “trip” to a certain South Pacific destination, thanks to reading Nicki Chen’s latest novel When in Vanuatu.

Inspired by the time she and her husband lived in the Philippines and Vanuatu, the story follows Diana, a trailing spouse troubled by infertility after years of living abroad. When in Vanuatu dispels the notion that moving to a warmer, tropical climate promises an idyllic existence. But it also stands as a reminder of the redemptive and healing power of friendships, wherever we are in the world.

Armchair sojourners will delight in the details, from delicious specialties at the dinner table to divine beaches, and find much to ponder in its narrative as well.

[Reeca Elliott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Diana has quit her job and followed her husband, Jay, to the Philippines. Jay has landed his dream job. These two build a unique life in this island paradise. However, Diana is obsessed with having a baby, so much so, it creates stress and anxiety for everyone. Will their marriage survive?

I loved the setting of this read! The author did an amazing job! I felt like I was right there seeing the views and smelling all the different aromas. The Philippines are now on my bucket list.

I did find Diana’s obsession and attitude a bit high-handed and overbearing. But, the story just keeps changing and the reader just can’t help but be captivated.

Need a good escape read….this is it! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the author for a honest review.

[Marilyn Goncalves · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found the writing and detail very captivating. Especially the description of Manila and Vanuatu and goodness the cuisine.

It’s a tender an emotional story of sacrifice, support, belonging yet not belonging and not giving up.

Diana’s journey in this book I found relatable in the fact that in 1990 I put aside my career, left the United States and followed my husband to his country where we concentrated on starting a family while he started his business and the country was in the middle of political unrest and coup d’etat attempts.

[Susan • BryantParkBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

When in Vanuatu is a great book to feel like you are in another country! Diana moved to Manila in the Philippines for her husband’s job. She wants to start a family since she’s in her 30s and after years of trying, she still haven’t been able to conceive. They decide to move to abroad and hopefully Diana could relax and focus on herself and her art.

After her husband, Jay, goes away on a business trip, there’s a coup in Manila and Diana doesn’t feel comfortable living and possibly raising her family there. Jay is offered an opportunity for a new job on a small Oceania island called Vanuatu. They decide to try it out.

This book was very interesting for a few reasons. It’s definitely an area of the world I haven’t read much about and I’m so jealous for their adventure! The author really nailed the Expat experience as Americans living overseas. I also feel for Diana as tries so hard to expand their family. It must be incredibly frustrating to want something so bad and not able to make it happen.

[M. K. French · Rating 3 out of 5]

Diana had followed her husband Jay to Manila, hoping to start a family together. Four years later, after a violent coup d'etat, Diana convinces Jay to get a transfer to the peaceful island of Vanuatu so they can have the family she dreamed of. Vanuatu is beautiful, but there are still dangers and disappointments.

Diana is overwhelmed at the beginning of the book, intent on getting pregnant, then feeling abandoned when her husband and a coworker arrange for transfers without consulting anyone else so that she'd lose her best friend. Some of the tension is the ghost of Jay's first wife hanging between them, as well as Diana's driven nature that wouldn't allow her to actually relax. With the book taking place in 1989, it's just assumed that women would follow their husbands wherever they chose to go, and that included Diana. She was deemed helpless, just as other wives were, and it probably doesn't help that she has little to occupy herself other than trying to get pregnant.

With this backdrop, When in Vanuatu is more of a character study for Diana and the relationships around her, past and present. The move to Vanuatu doesn't even happen until after the halfway mark, but it's a choice that Diana made and campaigned for. She starts coming into herself then, though her insistence on having a baby continued. This probably spoils an aspect of the ending, but this could be a very emotionally-laden topic for readers. Diana does get pregnant but eventually miscarries. She and Jay grieve together, but this doesn't devastate her or drive her so far into her grief that she can't get out of it. Life is outside of her control, and this is a lesson that finally takes by the end of the novel. I felt terrible for her and Jay, for the losses and defeats they had along the way, and satisfied by the conclusion. While they can't control life, they can support each other through everything.

[Bookish Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is so atmospheric. So much culture involved in this book. It describes a beautiful country with its own set of issues to add to Diana's own issues.

Her husband, Jay, decided to put in a transfer to Manila without talking to her. She's already overwhelmed because she's been unable to get pregnant and start the family she's always dreamed of. Back in 1989, women were expected to follow their husbands, so she had to put aside her issues and go with him. 4 years in Manila and she finally talked Jay into transferring to the more peaceful country of Vanuatu so they can try starting a family again. After a rollercoaster of emotions, she finally realizes that this isn't something she can control. It's heartbreaking and could possibly trigger readers with infertility problems. But it was pretty beautiful watching Diana and Jay support each other through everything.

[Linda Zagon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nicki Chen, the author of “When in Vanuatu” writes an intriguing and captivating story. The genre for this story is fiction. I love the author’s vivid descriptions of the beautiful landscape. The story takes place in the Philippines and Vanuatu. The reader will get to understand an expat’s life with more compassion. The author describes her characters as complex and complicated.

Diana gives up her career when her husband Jay gets an impressive job in the Philippines. Diana meets other women who are ex-pats, and also seem to have given up their dreams or jobs to follow their husbands. She finds there is both beauty and ugliness, in the landscape, weather, and political unrest. Diana’s dream is to get pregnant, and after failed attempts, Diana needs change. She wants her husband to take a job in Vanuatu, which she views as more of a paradise. She is very artistic and has her heart set on making some changes, and she is still obsessed with getting pregnant.

Diana can see in Vanuatu that there is beauty and ugliness again. For example, there are unique and spectacular fish in the water but some are deadly. It is hard to find a house to rent that feels like a home. She realizes many other women feel the same.

I would recommend this book to other readers.

[Susan Ballard (subakkabookstuff) · Rating 4 out of 5]

After Jay was offered what he calls his “dream job,” Diana and Jay move to the Philippines. Diana quit her job and left her mother, but she followed Jay with dreams of starting a family.

After four years of living as an expat, Diana has met some wonderful friends, but she is still not pregnant, and she is becoming worried it won’t happen. Her doctor and friends tell her to relax, but living in Manila in 1989, with its political unrest, rebel coups, and brownouts, it's hard to just relax. When an opportunity arises for Jay to transfer to Vanuatu, Diana pushes him hard, hoping new tropical scenery will be exactly what they need.

It was easy to empathize with Diana. Her struggle with infertility, sacrificing her career, and the quiet competition with Jay’s first wife made her relatable.

I’ll be honest, I had to look up where Vanuatu was on a map. This story allowed me to experience these beautiful countries; the sights, the sounds, and even the flying cockroaches. Chen’s narrative is also saturated with the cuisine of these countries, so you feel a part of the culture.

When in Vanuatu is an immersive yet tender journey of a marriage and a woman’s hope for motherhood.

TW: infertility, miscarriage

[Kristyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book shows both the beauty and struggles of being an expat and following the one you love across the world. You’re not technically a tourist or a local, and you think of “home” as where you were before yet this place is also your new home. The author really captures you with the beautiful descriptions of the Philippines and Vanuatu. The food, the people, the beaches. Every travelers dream! I loved Diana’s character. She was very supportive of her husband and his career but wasn’t afraid to reach for her own dreams as well. Through her struggles of starting a family and the stress of political tension in the Philippines at the time, Vanuatu feels like a safe haven, a place to decompress and start fresh. However, it isn’t without its ups and downs.
If you love to travel, enjoy tantalizing food descriptions, and have a sense of adventure then this ones for you 🌊

Thank you for my gifted copy in return for an honest review

[Debbie Rozier · Rating 4 out of 5]

About the Book

Jay and Diana left Seattle to move to Manila for Jay to pursue his dream job at the Development Trust for Asia and the Pacific (D-TAP).

Diana doesn’t mind giving up her career as an accountant since she plans on having children.

Unfortunately, 4 years pass in Manila and the couple still can’t conceive.

Jay and Diana have friends that have moved to the South Pacific Island of Vanuatu and describe it as paradise.

Diana feels that a change could help in the couple’s quest to have a child and so Jay takes a job in Vanuatu.

Vanuatu may be described as paradise, but will the change of scenery make a difference?

My Thoughts

The timeframe of this book is 1989-1996. For me during that time, I got married, got a Masters Degree, began teaching and had my first child.

When I think about the book’s main character, Diana, during the same time, my heart aches for her. She is well educated but has given up a career to support her husband and is desperate for a child.

This is a vivid portrait of a couple struggling with infertility.

It is about a woman who feels like she has given up part of her identity and is unable to create the one identity she wants, to be a mom.

It is also a description of both Manila during this time where brownouts and rebel coups were a standard way of life as well as a vibrant picture of the charming island of Vanuatu.

Finally, it’s a fascinating book about expat life.

[erin (readingwithremy) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Diana and her husband are expats living in Manila, Philippines in the late 1980- early 1990s. Her husband got his dream job and they decided to move and it would be the perfect time to start a family. Unfortunately, it's been four years and she's frustrated, especially when her doctor tells her to relax. After a violent coup and a few other things she convinces her husband to transfer to Vanuatu, a smaller South Pacific island nation, which is the most relaxing place on Earth.

This book had wonderful descriptions of Manilla and Vanuatu. It made me want to travel to the South Pacific! This book heavily focused on the identity of being an expat and giving up your career for your spouse and wanting to be a mother and infertility.

I liked that this book was based on some of the author's experiences living in the Philippines and Vanuatu and that she used some of her diaries for descriptions on the locations.

[Clare O'Dea · Rating 4 out of 5]

The main issues of this book - infertility and the perils of being a trailing spouse - are handled in a sensitive and intelligent way by Nicki Chen. The two settings - Manila and Vanuata - were completely unfamiliar to me but they are so vividly and richly portrayed that I now feel as if I have visited. The shallowness, tensions and frustrations of expat life make excellent fodder for fiction.
Despite being pretty self-absorbed (a hazard of her lifestyle), Diana remains a sympathetic protagonist and it's very interesting to see how a strong, capable woman can be set adrift by these living circumstances. Her overwhelming desire to find meaning in her life through motherhood is understandable and very well captured. Insightful and thought-provoking.

[Dori Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

When was the last time you traveled at all, let alone to an exotic, tropical place? When In Vanuatu is the perfect armchair travel book, the fictional story of an American woman living in the turbulent Philippines and later in the almost-paradise South Pacific island nation of Vanuatu.

Written in a vivid style with luscious details of foods, drinks, scenery, and emotions, this book transports the reader inside the mind of the amiable yet troubled main character, Diana, who followed her husband overseas for his job. Her central dilemma is her inability to conceive a child and her urgent need to relax.

Bit by bit, she learns to speak up for her own interests and convinces her husband to take a job in Vanuatu, where she hopes she can let go of her worries and reclaim her life. Of course, no place is truly paradise. The ending is unexpected and surprising – and ultimately satisfying.

I got a pre-publication copy from NetGalley and am so glad I did!

[Sophia Kouidou-Giles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nicki Chen's skilled paintbrush takes us to exotic places I have not been to, Manila and Vanuatu, with rich descriptions of settings, daily routines, friendships, lifestyles, pastimes and distinct challenges. I have thoroughly enjoyed travelling to meet strong characters and follow the protagonist's hopes and aspirations. Yearning for a child, Diane lives the highs and lows of an expat wife that accompanies her husband abroad. Through the challenges she faces, the heroine develops her self-esteem and a strong voice. It is an engaging story with unexpected twists and turns that ultimately takes the reader to a satisfying resolution. The author's detailed descriptions of the inner and the outer lives of her characters kept this reader intrigued. Highly recommended!

[BreeAnn (She Just Loves Books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of those stories that gave me such an expanded view of a location I didn’t know a lot about. I loved the setting in the Philippines.

When in Vanuatu is a story that follows Diana and her husband to Manila. We follow her focus on having a baby, and the struggles she has. At her doctor’s encouragement to destress, she moves to Vanuatu.

This was a story that was so deeply moving, I felt so emotional reading this. The writing really brings you into the characters’ lives. I felt truly connected to Diana. Her struggles throughout this book were really well written, and I found myself unable to put the book down so I could find out what happens!

The setting drew me in further as I became immersed in the culture of the location. The food…THE FOOD…oh my goodness, I need to eat this food now! On top of the food, the overall descriptions were so lovely. I felt like I was there with the characters hearing the sounds and seeing the sights. It was great.

I was provided a gifted copy of this book for free. I am leaving my review voluntarily.

[lara phillips · Rating 2 out of 5]

this is a tough one to review. the descriptions of Port Vila/Vanuatu are robust and accurate to how I remember it. The trailing spouse dilemma is also portrayed well. However, the story didn't grab me (the infertility problems of the main character feel like 90% of her inner monolog and I was bored of hearing it before I got to the halfway point) and the expats are super privileged with little regard for the poverty of their maids, nannies, etc., which makes them unlikeable characters. also, for a book with Vanuatu in the title, about 2/3 of it takes place in Manila. If you've worked abroad, especially in the Pacific it might be worth your time, but as a novel in general, I didn't love it.

[Debs Carey · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable tale of expatriate living. Despite not having lived in the area, there was much to be recognised about the atmosphere, the roles the supporting wives are expected to play, how their social lives revolve around the people their husbands work with.

Especially good was the depiction of living daily with political and civil unrest, and how it can & does erupt into something more serious & dangerous.

[Laura · Rating 1 out of 5]

Couldn't finish. got about 20% in and realized I was daydreaming almost nonstop about other things. The book didn't grip me from the start. It's possible that it gets better but it's pretty boring to begin with. Maybe I juts didn't empathize with the characters. I don't know but couldn't invest more time.

[Erin B SC · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was just extremely slow. Very little actually happened and I would have liked to have seen much more character development in any of the characters besides Diana. Even Diana didn’t seem to grow or change much - circumstances just changed.