A gorgeous globe-spanning 1960s Afrobeat love story.

'Extraordinary' – The New York Times
'A mouth-watering delight . . . subtle yet striking' – Sarah Jessica Parker
'A glorious debut . . . a richly layered account of artistic endeavour and resilience' – The Guardian

Bonnie, a lost American girl with a troubled past.

Mansour, a gifted jazz musician about to be discovered by the world.

When they meet at a jazz club in New York City, 1968, it is clear they are meant to be together. As they tour the globe, from Paris to Rio and Switzerland, stardom seems only a heartbeat away. But now Mansour is missing, and Bonnie, pregnant with their baby, must find him.

In They Dream in Gold, Mai Sennaar takes us across oceans and continents as we chart their once-in-a-lifetime love.

'One of the most beautiful debuts I’ve ever read' – Dawnie Walton, author of The Final Revival of Opal & Nev
'A sweeping, fascinating book about identity and families' – The Times

A mouthwatering delight. A reader traverses half the globe through this story, becomes a singer and a dancer and a chef; and is welcomed into a formidable community of women where love is the unshakeable glue. Subtle yet striking, They Dream in Gold is a remarkable comment on motherhood, diaspora, and ambition -- Sarah Jessica Parker
A glorious debut . . . a richly layered account of artistic endeavour and resilience * The Guardian *
Exquisitely written, They Dream in Gold is an epic and hauntingly beautiful story, each page shimmering like gold, woven by Mai Sennaar’s astounding talent as a debut author whose work I look forward to reading during the years to come -- Nguyen Phan Que Mai, internationally bestselling author of The Mountains Sing
One of the most beautiful debuts I’ve ever read – musical, magical, and full of tenderness for the unique histories and identities entwined in love -- Dawnie Walton, author of The Final Revival of Opal & Nev
They Dream in Gold sends us on a journey around the world with a remarkable cast of women in search of belonging and the realization of their dreams. Sennaar tells their story with a musician’s ear for rhythm and subtlety, and indeed, music and love beat strong in the heart of this powerful debut. I would follow these characters anywhere -- Laura Warrell, author of Sweet, Soft, Plenty Rhythm
I adored this Afrobeat love story . . . a remarkable tapestry of lives buffeted by fate, this lyrical, tender epic explores migration, diaspora, motherhood and ambition -- The Bookseller 'Book of the Month'
They Dream in Gold is a revelation of a novel that readers won't soon forget . . . this wholly original, whirlwind story deftly illuminates the tensions of art and humanity . . . Mai Sennaar is a rare, daring talent -- Thao Thai, author of Banyan Moon
Extraordinary . . . a powerful and poignant exploration of the African diaspora and global Black identity * The New York Times *
A sweeping, fascinating book about identity and families * The Times *
Wow. What a book . . . a gorgeous symphony of voices and cities and art, tied together by a stunning love story and a mysterious disappearance. In luminous language, with characters who sweat, bleed and sing . . . a debut that soars and kept me turning pages long after my bedtime. -- Tara Conklin, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Romantics

Mai Sennaar is a writer, playwright and filmmaker. She lives between Baltimore and Dakar, and she speaks French and Wolof. They Dream in Gold is her debut novel.