This book was outstanding! I love that it was so well written and handled the topics of race so well! I found this to be one that I wanted to pick up again right after I finished.

Read in two days. Man this was such a cute book. I’m glad the world was given a glimpse into some of the struggles an interracial relationship can come with. I live for a story I can learn from. I love how the main character was such a romantic at heart and her man appreciated her love of romcoms.

3.5 stars (rounding up)
Not me actually enjoying an accidental pregnancy romance.

Thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for my copy to review.

I'm cleaning up my netgalley and finally got around to reading Ties that Tether. Overall, this was a pretty fun read. That being said, it used a trope (accidental pregnancy) that I really dislike...and it was a huge plot point of the book. Kind of wish it had been done differently, but I'm sure there were reasons. Fun, light read overall with some big trigger warnings.

This story details the many conflicts of Azere, as she falls in love with a man outside her race and culture. The challenges, dating outside her culture, the familial conflict as a result of dating outside her culture, being caught between two men, a pregnancy and traumatic pregnancy/birth story.

This book often felt like multiple stories at so many different turns. I was really invested in the conflict between Azere and her mother. Then the ex case turned up, then a pregnancy, a break up, etc. It felt like the writer was threw in all these difficulties because they thought it would make the story more compelling, but it did the opposite.

Ties That Tether was a solid debut novel. I loved the family drama, learning about Nigerian culture, as well as having a Black quirky lead who loves rom-coms, however I feel as if all that was done at the cost to the actual romance between Azere and Rafael. I prefer to be shown the characters falling in love, not just told that they are falling in love. Still Ties That Tether was a very entertaining book. 3.25 stars

Ties that tether is a heartbreaking real romance novel. It's focusing on interracial relationships, Rafael facing his past, and Azere finding her voice. It's about not letting anyone control your love life. Azere moved to Canada from Nigeria at the age of 12. Before her father died, Azere promised him that she would marry a Nigerian man to preserve her culture

This book had so much hype! With the main character Azere promising her dying father she would marry a Nigerian man and preserve her culture, even after immigrating to Canada. What a situation!

I will say I wasn’t a fan of the trope primarily used, but everyone has different opinions. Very unique storyline.

Didn't capture my attention and engagement. I'll hopefully try again in the future. Didn't capture my attention and engagement. I'll hopefully try again in the future.

All in all, I think this is a good story, a very recognizable story to many people who struggle to find a balance and hold on to their culture and heritage in the middle of that space between the inevitability of cultural assimilation and the fear of loss and separation from heritage that breeds cultural fundamentalism. I appreciate the author trying to bring it into mainstream romance. I appreciate her for showing that love can win and culture doesn’t have to be sacrificed. The execution wasn’t my favorite but this was a debut and the author wrote a book that was interesting enough that I didn’t put it down till I finished once I started.

First off, this cover is STUNNING, and is what drew me to this one in the first place. Second, this was a fabulous romance that had depth, taught me a lot about culture, and had a strong protagonist that came into her own very nicely throughout the book. I loved the character of Azere, all of her ups and downs, was not ready to let her go at the end of the book. This was so well written, so well done overall, and the resolution was absolutely perfect. I have said before I don't read many romance books but when they are as good as this one, I will definitely pick up more.

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for the digital copy to review.

Flashing back to a December read that I didn’t have a chance to review!

Ties that Tether looks at the deep roots of Nigerian culture and how moving to a new country can often affect those cultural ties. Azere promised her father on his deathbed that she would marry a Nigerian man, but immigrating to Canada with her mother made it more challenging to keep that promise. Especially when she meets Rafael…

I liked the plot, I thought the romance was sweet, and I enjoyed the infusion of Nigerian culture into the storyline. Did this one blow me away? No. But it was pretty good and it was definitely a quick read!

Thank you to Berkley Publishers for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review!

Azere promised her dying father she would marry a Nigerian man, and her mother has been helping her keep that promise by setting her up with man. After a set-up goes south, Azere has a one-night stand with a white man named Rafael. However, when Azere and Rafael’s one-night stand turns into something more serious, Azere has to decide if loving Rafael is worth losing her family.

I’m kicking myself that I didn’t read Ties That Tether earlier. Do you ever read a book and think “why didn’t I read this sooner?” - that is this book. This is a romance with “meat.” Azere and Rafael’s love story would have been a great read by itself, but the layer of family obligation made it some much stronger. Ties That Tether takes you on a love journey, and I highly recommend you read it!

Thanks to @NetGalley and Berkely for my ARC!

Obsessed doesn't even begin to describe how much I loved this book, I love a good accidental pregnant and a forbidden romance. This book displayed the struggles of interracial dating and the pressure immigrant children face when trying to stick to their culture. Igharo was able to display both of that on the pages and make it a worth while read.

DNF
I was expecting this to be more romance, but it was a women's fiction story with a romance element. While I appreciated the insight into Nigerian culture, life growing up as children of an immigrant, and family pressure, it wasn't exactly the book I was hoping to read. The writing here felt awkward and stilted at times, making it difficult to navigate. DNF at 30%.

This was such an emotional and insightful romance! Usually with illustrated covers I go in expecting a lighthearted rom-com, but Igharo's release is so much more than that. I can't wait to read this author's upcoming release!

I loved this book and look forward to more of Igharo's work. I really appreciate books like this that work through what it means to move through the world as an in-between, negotiating cultures and the duties that come along with it. I loved the romance and can easily see this on screen.

This was a great romance - steamy, diverse, and compulsively readable. It did contain a trope many readers really don't like, and it was unexpected given the summary of the book. I didn't have an issue with the trope, but it is a turnoff for many readers.

Engaging, suspenseful, and heartwarming. Azere struggles to respect her Nigerian heritage and embrace her Canadian home. As a child, she makes a promise to her parents to marry a Nigerian man. But after a one night stand with Rafael, a Spanish-Canadian, Azere finds out she is pregnant. Does she continue her romance with Rafael and possibly lose her family forever, or does she honor her parents’ wish and date someone her mother approves of? I found this romance to be interesting and unpredictable, which I feel that is hard to come by in HEAs. I loved the closeness of the family, even though that closeness causes strife.

this was a cute and fun romance read, heavy on Nigerian culture, and centered around the tension between following your heart or living up to familial expectations. it was 100% predictable but enjoyable all the same!

one random thing that bugged me is the main characters used each other’s names in like every line of dialogue??? and that’s just not how people talk???