4.5 Stars

Jane Igharo’s debut novel blew me out of the water! This is a beautiful, engaging romance that touches on so much more than your average girl-meets-boy story.

Ties That Tether examines how two different people from two different backgrounds are able to integrate into & respect each others’ cultures while also staying true to themselves & their families. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the expectations & traditions of Nigerian women, particularly through the lens of a Canadian-Nigerian woman who vocalizes the struggles of balancing two opposing cultures. I'm happy we got POVs from both Azere & Rafael, it really added a necessary layer of depth to understanding where they were both coming from - Rafael's could've been slightly more fleshed out, but I'm still glad we got to see his side of things. Igharo's writing was really strong, especially for a debut, & this truly has it all - it's funny, sexy, swoon-worthy, & deals with real & authentic issues.

I can’t recommend this enough, I’m beyond excited to see what Igharo has to offer in the future!