The y in yOUR Man is Silent: Book One

by Yvonne Maphosa

“He may be the love of your life but he’s my soulmate”

Genres: Romance, Love

389 pages, Paperback

Published July 23, 2020

Reviews

[Busisekile Khumalo]

At times I wanted to slap Fierce to get her head in the right space then I wanted to hug her and make it better. A definite page turner and emotional whirlwind. Worth reading.

"Komla is the personification of the truth most of us women bury our heads in the sand against. Nothing can keep a person who doesn't want to be kept, not how good a person you are, not how beautiful you are, not how much of a fight you put up to keep them, not how much you pray, not how much their family adores you, definitely not marriage, not even how many years of your life you've dedicated to that person, not how many kids you share and the hardest truth; no amount of love and sacrifice can keep a person who doesn't want to be kept." Busisekile Khumalo on The Y in your man is silent

[Zinhle Ngidi]

He might be the love of your life but he is my soulmate

About the book
When his wife said “I was home mourning my father and you were in my house, sleeping in my bed, in my Egyptian cotton, with My husband! Why?” I decided to be honest with her and said “because I love him”
She laughed at me! “You love my husband? He is My man so leave him alone, little bitch” I was kind enough to correct her “ No that’s where you go wrong, he is OUR man”- the Y is silent

To be honest I am glad this was my last book in this challenge. I truly enjoyed it. It somehow dealt with me personally. He might be married to you but his soulmate might be out there. Sometimes our divorces are hard to explain, you cannot even tell people what really happened, you will not even have energy to fight but be left with no choice but to let go. Even if you can wish for their downfall it never happens and you understand that he might have taken you to the alter but the soulmate is out there waiting for what you have labelled “Yours”

This is a story of a young Zimbabwean girl (Fierce) pursuing her Phd in Chemical engineering in Capetown that one day met a Professor (Elik) born in Ghana that fell in love with her. The guy was unmarried but few months down the line married a girl from home but his heart was with Fierce

Even after learning of the wedding Fierce and Elik’s love stood the test of time. Read and judge until you understand. You will hate them if you are married (like Komla-the wife) you will also hate them if you have certain principles about marriage in general. You will love them if you are a side chic hiding somewhere. But know this once your status is elevated from side to main- you leave the side post vacant- so be ready to accept the Mbalis (side chick of Eklip) to try their luck with yOur husband.

In the story you will not miss themes of abuse, patriarchal system, family issues, polygamy. You will learn a lot about other African states cultural issues - Ghana and Zim in particular. You will hate Fierce because of the decisions she takes and the pain she is taking in this rollercoaster of a relationship. You will put aside xenophobic tendencies and just enjoy the brothers of Africa without drugs and all, the way they love and take care of their own. “My first trip ngiya eGhana”.

I so wish men can also read this book not just to boost their egos that women can share them but to know and understand what type of men can afford isithembu “polygamy”. Manje everyone wants isithembu but they hardly afford the 1st wife.

I found these 2 points to be very powerful to those ladies who do not mind to be in polygamist relationships

1. “As long as he gives me my portion, I’m good”.

2. If he want’s to take a second wife how would you feel? The therapist asked- “I would not mind, as long as nothing changes between me and him and as long as miss new thingy knows her place and respects me, we shouldn’t have a problem. Maybe we can even have a 3 some you know” Fierce.

But for you to arrive here, you would have worked very hard to deal with the matters of the heart ask Dr. Lastborn Fierce Nkomo- Nkrumah

This book deserves a discussion nje over a glass or a mug of something, overnight, theres a lot to be dealt with or to be debated. One that comes to mind is” if you meet him, you love him, he loves you, he is loaded financially and otherwise, why is society so judgmental? If he wants to spoil her why do we call her a gold-digger? Should he let her suffer even if he has means to shower her with good things?

About the author
Yvonne, I have just met her once but reading this I could not believe it is all coming from her. She is an author and the half. Whatever goes through that head of Fierce that kept me giggling all the time said to me you are a very creative young lady. Fierce character even in tight situations will just have those weird thoughts nje- well done sisi. This book I can give it a 5 star without thinking twice. But ke you know the ending- there’s no way I will accept that ending shem- need noma i summary nje

What I also liked the most about this book, nothing was predictable. It is just a shock after another. So it is difficult to lose interest

[Hloni Dlamini]

653 pages later i am finally done reading. This book was unnecessarily long, i was going to give it a 4 star but there are certain issues i have which as much as i know its fiction its just too unreal. Besides how rich is this Elik dude... and who calls their brother in law boo? Mhhhh.

Other than that great effort by the author. i wonder what happened in Pretoria?

[Nicolette Chibukwa]

I love this book,the first time when I read it I couldn’t stop .I love their love story,the struggles and everything.I think we need book 3 please

[Nonku Xulu]

I so enjoyed reading this book i couldnt put it down it is that amazing, thnx Yvonne Maphosa i love all your books im a huge fan of urs.

[Nonzwakazi]

The size make me a bit skeptical but I thought to just read and see. Im glad I read it. I couldnt put it down. Well done to the author of this masterpiece. I would like to see more of her work.

So Fierce I loved her as stupid as she is sometimes
Elipklim He is far from perfect but he is the kind of man that can make any girl weak
Komla as a married woman I found myself feeling sorry for her to some extent
Ndivhu we all know a Ndivhu

The relationship between Fierce and her labmates is crazy and beautiful. Her family structure represents most black families.

The book touches on many things us as women go through. I cant wait for the Book 3. I give it 5 stars

[Tshidi Lefifi]

the lady fierce discribe by yhe book and the name also describe her character.I enjoyed the challenges that she went thru from her mom ,brother and her love life ...The affair with the proffessor its dark and deep its shows the perseverence she went thru the miscarrages ,the time she went to church going thru the transformation ..I hated the ending as it doesnt tell who really got shot or who died at the matrimonial ceremony...can't wait for the second season to see what really happen with the deal at pretoria and wheth

[Melissa]

Yvonne is an exceptional story-teller. She keeps the reader intrigued and entertained. Loved that the stories shared in her book give a true picture of what it means growing up in rural Zimbabwe and moving to the city , the challenges and triumphs of young adult life. Great book I would give it a great 4.5/5 , the only thing I would change is the font size..made it a little difficult to read at first. But once my eyes adjusted I was just cruising through.

[Mar Marx]

This story isn't a page turner or a story that pulls you in the minute you open the book.
The writer got so long winded in the beginning of this story such that it took me a while to actually go back and read this story. Honestly the book was literally used as a door jammer for a while.

I eventually grabbed it and skip the whole beginning of the story and that was when I got drawn in. You must have a huge amount of patience to read this book.

[Angel]

Hi YV or any other fans. Do you guys have the continuation of the book? Please share

[Mathabana Kotelo]

Great, captivating story but a badly written book that's all over the place and ridden with lots of spelling and grammatical errors

[Voice Lace]

One of the best books I have ever held, Yvonne Maphosa breaks the rules and does so impressively.

[Hlulanie Ndlovu]

I couldn't put the book down!I love love love.

[Mel Tnotenda]

I couldn't put it down the moment I started reading it.. So captivating I felt like I was a part of Fierce's life and wanted to know what happened next.. I'll read it over and over again that's how good it is ❤️

[Gcobisa]

This is a very good read

[Nonti Nonhle]

this is the best book ever ..like i related so much with the characters after reading it... written by the best author of all tim e Yvonne Maphosa.. love u
lots

[Thato Mokgoka]

Amazing

[Noluthando Madlala]

Absolutely one of the best reads, I couldn't put the book down, even when I read it for the second time ....and I don't mind the thickness of the book, all the better for me.

[Tendai Mugabee]

Couldn’t put this book down and oh my life Fierce and Elik had me spinning around!!! Such a great book!

[Khosi]

It is a great read. You fall in love with Fierce as much as you find her foolish and want to slap her for her bad decisions. Actually it's just one bad decision over and over by the name of Elik. Yet you cannot stop buying tickets to her rollercoaster ride of a life.

[Thandolwethu2]

Totally enjoyed this read. Inspiring and very funny. I love Fierce

[Emily]

"I love her not just for the way she dances with my angels but for the way the sound of her voice saying my name can silence my demons ."
There's was the greatests love story,I love the way they could rise above anything
I had grown so fond of the characters they had become part of my everyday life and I began to speak of them like they are people I go through everyday life with
One think I specifically loved about the author is that she considered every character besides the main character made sure she told there storyline too a satisfactory stage and not leaving the reader wondering or in suspense about what happened to the characters after.
I Loved that it's super detailed🤩🤩 the Victor screats lace and that scare on elick's eye,I was not just reading but living it felt every single word from the happy moment, steamy sex sessions 😘 to the heart breaking moments
Not so over joyed with the ending but somehow am satisfied with it
I loved the book cant wait to read more of your work

[Claire Hondo]

Elik and fierce🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾
Such a rollercoster tjo
Its well written and storyline so catchy

[Sandisiwe Gxaba]

I just finished reading The Y In Your Man Is Silent Book 1.

I need to SCREAM at the top of my lungs because WTAF??? 😤😫😭🤬

I don’t do reviews, I vent so lets start from the very beginning of the book. Fierce stressed me from the very start of the book, so many times I was so confused at how smart she is but also how very dumb she becomes around Elik. I don’t know how many times I had to put the book down refusing to continue because how can anyone be this stupid? But also along the way I kind of understood why she was the way she was. Prof Elik had a way with words that had me even convinced that “Maybe he’s really sorry this time and he means it”.

EVERY chapter had some kind of drama one way or the other and I kept wondering how can one’s life have this much drama but then again I also kind of understood the drama that came with the situation. I hated Komla and I feel like she deserved everything that happened to her. I never understand why the wife goes after the side chick when her husband is the real problem in their marriage?! If Komla had stayed away from Fierce then I would have gladly fell sorry for her but instead she wanted to be like those desperate wives who can’t deal with the husband and always go after the side chick. I think the funniest moments for me in the book was Fierce thinking that she was the only side chick… Fun times. And then there was that moment when Elik was at the bus station begging Fierce not to leave and promising he would leave his wife. When I tell you that man has the softest tongue ever, I really felt his pain sometimes and I genuinely believed he was a victim of circumstances - See why english is important in a relationship? Manipulation slaps differently in English and you can’t tell me otherwise. And then there was that time when Fierce’s mom walked in on them fxcking while standing because that old woman only knows her husband’s sex and thats the kind with the lights off and her laying on her back waiting for him to finish. I would have died if my mom walked in on such but also i was puzzled by how gullible the mother is because your daughter thats busy with her PHD sends you money everytime you need it and you don’t think to wonder isuka phi or uyifumana kanjani? How ma’am? Oh hay kodwa naye.

One chapter that did break my heart was the Lobola negotiation chapter towards the end of the book. Lowkey I knew that things wouldn’t stay hidden for that long but I was hoping marn that they would get away with it. Komla showing up and causing drama, Fierce’s mom believing Komla over her own daughter? Fierce’s mom beating them up with a sjambok? Haibo, a whole 26 year old bethuna? And cursing your one and only daughter because of the man she loves? That was so extreme even for her. I was very sad and hurt for Fierce because despite everything she really loves Elik and Elik truly loves his Last Born (Fierce).

This book really took me on an emotional rollercoaster. I’ve finished the first book and now i’m mad at myself for leaving my second book at home. I cannot wait to read the second one and if it’s anything like this first one then Yvonne and I are fighting because Fierce deserves a peaceful love life after all they have been through yoh?!

Kofi seems sweet and fun. I want to see more of him in the second book. I know i’m toxic but where can I find my very own Elik? Something about the love between Fierce and Elik had me feeling like I was reading Scandal. A smart girl with this rich and powerful man, kind of like Olivia and Fitz. I don’t know marn but I was rooting for that affair to work out and become a success story and I’m glad things worked out in the end but I also don’t want to be too happy because I have not read book two yet… I need a drink actually!

Yvonne you have no business getting me all worked up like this on a week where I was supposed to be on vacation and technically resting. When I catch you?!😤😤😤

[Nomcebo Myeni]

The heart has an unsettling way of overriding logic, morals, and self-preservation. “Second wife? Me? Never. Hell would freeze over before that ever happened.” Those were Fierce’s words when she still believed logic had any authority over matters of the heart, unaware that mjolo is often a carefully disguised humiliation ritual.

The Y in Your Man Is Silent is a story that fully commits to drama. It is the kind of book that leaves you frustrated enough to pause mid-page just to breathe. The novel explores family politics, patriarchy, black tax, and friendship, and Fierce is placed right at the centre of it all. She carries the weight of everyone’s expectations, disappointments, and demands, and somehow continues to stand. How she survives everything thrown at her remains one of the most remarkable parts of the story.
Fierce is written as a woman with immense potential, which makes her relationship with Elik difficult to support. Although Elik is presented as supportive and invested in her growth, the comfort he offers slowly becomes a cage. Fierce changes from an ambitious, independent woman into someone whose world begins and ends with him. She becomes a bird held so gently that she forgets she was ever meant to fly. As the story progresses, she moves from being the innocent, nerdy woman to the centre of scandal, and the transformation is both compelling and uncomfortable to witness.

In order for Fierce and Elik’s relationship to exist, Komla, Elik’s first wife, has to be broken. Not confronted, not challenged, but stripped down completely. Her dignity, self-respect, sense of power, and femininity are dismantled piece by piece to make space for a new love story. Komla lives for Elik, measures her worth through his approval, and clings to a man who has already shown that he does not want to be kept. This dynamic is painful to read and, at times, deeply frustrating.
What weakens the story is how far some of these moments are pushed. Certain situations are exaggerated to such an extent that they stop feeling emotionally true. Instead of deepening the impact, the excess occasionally pulls you out of the story and makes the suffering feel performative rather than grounded. This is especially noticeable in the earlier parts of the book, which linger longer than necessary before the story finally gains momentum.

My reading of the book is admittedly influenced by how strongly I feel about Fierce’s choices. Her version of success, in my eyes, would have been choosing herself and returning to the life she once envisioned. Elik often feels less like a partner and more like a distraction, if not a source of her pain. Many of her struggles are tied directly to him, which makes her devotion difficult to understand, let alone justify.

Despite these reservations, the book is well written and undeniably engaging. It provokes discomfort, anger, and reflection. This is not a soft or easy love story, but one that forces the reader to confront how love, power, and sacrifice can become dangerously entangled.
I would rate The Y in Your Man Is Silent 3 out of 5 stars. With tighter pacing and more restraint, it could have been far stronger. Still, it is a book I would recommend to readers who enjoy intense, emotionally charged drama and are willing to sit with uncomfortable truths.

[Nicole Kazembe]

The novel follows the life of a Zimbabwean student, Fierce pursuing a PhD in a university in Cape Town, South Africa. The book follows her journey of life through university life, love and family. She has different views than the average woman when it comes to marriage and relationships. This is a part one of a series and book two is also out, you can check it out. I believe a book three is on the works.

My favourite character was the antagonist, Fierce. Just like her name, she lived fiercely and l liked her because she is the opposite of me. I loved experiencing life through her eyes, l can say now I live vicariously through her. The book taught me to accept and forgive others and also that life has no rules, we make up rules but really it has no rules and shouldn't have rules. Because of the complexity of the character l couldn't guess what she would really do when a situation arose, that's one of the reasons why it's a page turner. My personal favourite was witnessing her relationship with her mother. I loved that part, it resonated to so much with what l have seen happen in real life.

The main things l hated about the book is that l couldn't help but love the antagonist. Most times l wanted to be knock some sense into her head but l loved her and empathised with her. She represented what many of us can actually be but it's just that we repress ourselves. And of course the ending is a cliffhanger 🤦🏽‍♀️ which made me immediately, impulsively buy book two.

I would recommend this book mostly to young adults but even older people can dig into it too. It's a great read and you wouldn't put it down. It had me taking multiple bathroom breaks at work because I just couldn't put it down. And to the literature police, I advice you to read this too just to take a break from your mathematical English, l promise you won't regret it. I would compare this book to the Crossfire series by Sylvia Day. Different setting, different continent, different races and different writing styles but same feeling to me.

@YvonneMaphosa kudos to You...

[Fezokuhle Jiyose]

This book was the beginning of my love for Fiction and I keep on re-reading it.

From the face of it it's very easy to get mad and judge a girl who is seeing another man's wife regardless of how the relationship started. Society forbidders it and shames the woman for such actions but somehow when the wife cannot give birth to an heir they are able to claim that son born out of wedlock as the heir to the family but I am not there.

Fierce and Elik’s relationship encompasses a lot of things. It has love, pain and it carries joy, excitement, traveling and can be very toxic.

Dig deep into her life and maybe like me you will realise that no one has ever loved her the way Elik does. All what they know is to take from her even when she has nothing to give.

I will never understand her mother for disowning her (after she has been living of her for years) all in the time of purifying her name in the community. Her father disgust me even more for being a hypocrite because he is a polygamous man.

She has lived her like trying to impress her parents and provide for them but not once have their ever truly appreciated her but instead were the first people to turn their backs on her when she needed them the most.

Her relationship can be judged but Elik has always been there, he is the one person who she could rely upon more than any other else.
I felt like slapping sense back to her life at times but I admire her and I love her more for everything she went through.

I enjoyed the book yet again. The humor was perfect.

"He maybe the love of your life but he is my soulmate."
Thank You Yvonne.

[Nozipho Sikosana]

For starters l like the page first l got to see that the inserts were far and l wouldn't catch up then with luck l saw the marketing of the book and l was like l will buy the book.The cover was eye catching and l bought the bought the book all the way from Hwange Zim😂😜 and boy did I make a good choice.Without reading snippets or anything l just decided nje

This book was the greatest read l loved how the character Fierce was portrayed but l swear to you l had a love hate relationship with her because of Elik and some of the things she did.Then there was Komla that woman l just didn't like her,then aunty kaFierce the woman was goals l would do anything to have an aunt like her she was more of a mother to her than her mother.Your portrayal of family and death was spot on l commend you on that Yvonne,the emotions when Fierce's sister died and when Elik first betrayed her on the Komla issue l felt it.

Then the hilarious part of all Fierce's mother girl you did a good job potraying her character,a true African mother sibili like proper African mother l laughed through out whenever she featured nje.I wish she could have been more motherly though instead of wanting to live off her daughter not caring about what she does in order to get the money...

Definitely a good read the unputtable down kinda book..alot to learn from hope l sold it as good as the book cover caught my eye

Good work can't wait for book 3...

[Nqobile Msiza]

In my opinion, a more fitting description of this book would be getting an insight into the head of a woman who goes through the journey of being a side chick to replacing the wife. Fierce is a smart, young and ambitious woman from Zimbabwe, studying in South Africa, who finds herself unable to let go of a partner (EliK) who seems to offer her everything but loyalty.

I really enjoyed the book. It is written in first person which means I got to walk in Fierces shoes and feel the emotions she went through. I found her very funny and at times found myself smiling or laughing at her comments. She goes through a lot of heartache because of love so I did experience a roller-coaster of emotions as well. Although she does try to look at a different path of finding love, she ends up back in Eliks arms. I do ask myself though that if Elik did not have all the money, would she have gone back to him as much as she did?

Towards the end of the book, I feel like Fierce loses her good heart because of all the pain and becomes vicious. It makes me wonder if Komla (Eliks wife) could have been in Fierces shoes at some point; being love bombed and lied to, and if Fierce is not headed down Komlas route too. Would she behave as crazy as Komla did, or would she understand the position of the other woman like she wanted to be understood?

[Sandra Kona]

Fierce Fierce Fierce...I love Fierce from the onset although at times she just tested my patience and oh the tall dark exotic man that left me breathless and gave me things to dream about. I love how as accomplished and educated Fierce was with her 'many' degrees she believes in something I consider as 'strange' (for lack of a better word) as polygamy...and to stay with a serial cheater like Elik proves just how much she loves him and that is the reality of most of the relationships today....the kind where staying hurts and leaving hurts even more...

Its a story of love, of family and marriage dynamics, of girl power and of forgiveness that left me with an Akon and diet coke obsession. The aspects of family dynamics in there that are very relatable...that pressure to 'carry' the burden of providing for people back home yet you are struggling as well and the sibling love hate relationships. I was so angry with Elik's wife when she rallied her crew to beat up Fierce but at the same time I could feel her pain and her need to hurt Fierce.

I totally recommend this read it's amazing it's the kind of book that keeps you up all night cause you just can't bring yourself to put it down... looking forward to reading book 2