At the age of twelve Azere promised her dying father that she would make him proud, grow up and marry a Nigerian man to preserve her culture. Azere is now no longer living in Nigeria and has migrated with her family to Canada.

Azere's mother loves to interfere with Azere's life and sets her up on dates with men who she thinks would be a good fit for her daughter. But the men that Azere has in mind do not usually line up with Azere is looking for in a man.

Until one evening when a date gone wrong leads Azere to Rafael. Rafael is nothing like the men that Azere's mother has been setting her up on. He's sweet, funny and most importantly not Nigerian. Azere believes that her night with Rafael was just that - one night together. When Rafael ends up working at the same firm Azere works at, Azere has to decide if she wants to try to make a relationship work with Rafael or obey her fathers wishes and marry a Nigerian man.

I'm going to preface this review by stating that I am a second generation Indian-American. My mom migrated to America when she was in high school and my dad migrated in his early twenties. I completely understand what Azere is going through and how she is being pulled into two directions. On one hand she wants to obey her parents wishes and do as they say, and yet she's had to assimilate and now has her Canadian culture mixed in as well.

There were parts of this book where I had to stop and share passages with my husband because we related so much to what Azere was going through. Azere did make a promise to her father, but at what cost? Will she ever be able to make her own choices - even if her choices may possibly have her lose part of her culture and alienate her from her family?

Jane Igharo is such a talented writer. I loved the way she wove the story from Azere's past and present. And the way she incorporated rom-coms into the books was a delight!

Read Ties That Tether if you're looking to learn more about a culture that may be different than your own. I loved learning about Azere's Nigerian heritage and her struggles with assimilating to her new Canadian culture.

Ties That Tether was a great debut by Jane Igharo! I look forward to reading more of her work!

“He’s my everything. He’s my lifeline,” the heroine of Ties that Tether says to the hero. “You’re the light of my world,” Jane Igharo’s hero says to the heroine. What can be more heartfelt declarations of love than these?

While Rafael understands the experience of being the child of immigrants and the necessity of blending cultures, his family is very accepting of whoever he dates. At one point, Azere specifically asks if he’s dated black women before and if they were fine with it. And he says, yes, assuring her of her welcome. On the other hand, Azere’s mother brings in the external tension to the story.

This pressure is the defining factor in Azere’s life and in Azere and Rafael’s relationship. They rise up to the challenge, rather than being bowed by it. They learn to cleave to each other and know that together they’re stronger than individually. Just as Rafael is Azere’s rock in this, she is his succor in his recovery from his past trauma. Igharo is a wonderful storyteller and shows the romantic arc of her story well. While Rafael is open with his I Love You, it takes Azere a while to grasp at the courage to say Ru Emwen Rue, as you would say in Edo Nigerian.

The best part of this book for me was Azere and her mother’s relationship. It is so fraught with the immigration experience.

My full review: https://frolic.media/book-of-the-week-ties-that-tether-by-jane-igharo/

I'm so sad I did not enjoy this one, but honestly I only liked the Nigerian representation and the familial plot. My favorite moment of this entire book is a conversation between Azere and Christiana's (her BFF) parents who are in an interracial relationship and seeing them discuss the joy and challenges of their 30 year relationship. I loved seeing this moment and this made me glad I did not DNF this one bc it was like 75% into the book.

But, I did not like anything else. I did not care for the romance at all and thought Rafael was a bit possessive and just meh. He lowkey gaslights Azere when they are fighting and the conflict was not handled or resolved well.

The timeline is also a mess, with half the book being like a week and the rest being NINE MONTHS? I struggle when timelines jump around and it was just hard to follow at times.

Overall, I think I struggled with this author's writing style which led me to disliking almost everything about this book.

But, how gorgeous is this cover???! Sad, the story didn't match.

TW: Pregnancy, miscarriage (prior to novel starting)

Azere, a Nigerian Canadian woman has always known the path that her life is supposed to go. She promised her father at age 12 that she would marry an Edo man and continue her heritage even in Canada. Now she is 25 and has become involved very quickly with a man not of her culture and her family is not going to approve of.

Through this story of culture, family, and love, Azere has to figure out what matters most to her, and how to reconcile her father's dying with where her life is taking her now.

This was such a lovely book that I absolutely devoured. I was very invested in the story of Azere and Rafael and wanted to know what was going to happen to them. I didn't like the existence of the love triangle as that isn't my favourite thing, but overall this was a really interesting book.

This was addictive, rich and well written read with incredible characters and an amazing romance that left me engaged from the very first chapter. I am so glad to have read it and I could not recommend it enough to everyone who is looking for a unique romance with amazing characters. I enjoyed it from start to finish!

My only small problem was the miscommunication. I felt like a lot of things could’ve been fixed if the two characters just talked!
But aside from that, it was such an awesome book!

Ties that Tether was a beautiful, five-star novel from Jane Igharo that tells the story of Azere, a Nigerian woman who falls in love with someone outside of her Edo culture, and threatens to tear apart her family as a result. I've been reading a lot of romance books lately, and this one started off very similar to ones I've read recently (Party of Two by Jasmine Guillory and The Boyfriend Project by Farrah Rochon), but quickly turned into a new type of romance for me - one that I want to continue to read more and more of. Azere was a character who struggled with acceptance by her family after falling in love with someone outside of her culture - and what I loved about this book was that it really showed how much her and Rafael loved each other. Of course, as would be expected in real life and in this novel, it threats to break them a time or two, but because of their own normal relationship issues. I liked that her thinking about leaving him came closer to the end of the book and wasn't the whole crux of the plot. I also liked the realization at the end of the book that her mother loved her conditionally and what she had for her baby and Rafael was unconditional, because that felt really relatable and we've all felt those different types of love before. Loved this one! Can't wait to read more of her work.

what a lovely and frustrating read!!! the amount of times i wanted to yell at azere and rafael to communicate, to speak to one another, to stop shutting each other out!!!!

i loved the Edo language and culture incorporated into Ties That Tether. It is so common for people to find themselves torn between their two selves, their two cultures, the different identities that make them one.

while there were more than plenty of times where i could not deal with the way things were working out for azere, the justice was sweet.

3.5 stars. I enjoyed this sweet culture clash romance debut and echo all those raving about the book’s beautiful cover. Ties That Tether takes an unexpected turn very early on that informs the whole book and the relationship between the two main characters and Azere’s relationship with her family. I loved the chemistry between Azere and Rafael and that they had real struggles to overcome, though I was frustrated by how long it took for Rafael to share his big secret.... only to be left feeling underwhelmed by it. I also think the conflict between them takes a bit too long to get resolved, but understand that Azere needed to work on herself and her family first. I found the dynamic between Azere and her mother the most interesting part of the story and can relate to feeling obligated to your family and culture. Some of their final head to heads are searing and raw in the best way possible. There were a few too many references to other rom coms for my taste but Ties That Tether is still very enjoyable.

Not a single word was wasted telling this stunning love story. I can't get over how incredible, insightful and beautiful this book was.

I love a good black romance novel, and this is debut from Jane Igharo is exactly that!

When a Nigerian woman falls for a man she knows will break her mother’s heart, she must choose between love and her family. At twelve years old, Azere promised her dying father she would marry a Nigerian man and preserve her culture even after emigrating to Canada. Her mother has been vigilant about helping--forcing--her to stay well within the Nigerian dating pool ever since. So, when her one-night stand unexpectedly evolves into something serious, Azere is caught between her growing feelings for Rafael and the compulsive need to please her mother who will never accept a relationship that threatens to dilute Azere's Nigerian heritage. she must choose between love and her family. Azere must choose between love and her family.


When I first heard about this book I knew it was a must read for me. It had 2 things I loved
1. romance
2. 2. Black main character
3. 3. Discussed a sensitive topic
and Jane Igharo did not disappoint. I loved reading about the different cultures, traditions and all the different perspectives this book discussed.

Jane Igharo's Ties That Tether is a super enjoyable romcom with a powerful message, I loved both Rafael and Azere and their story and chemistry, but what I loved most about this book was the discussion Igharo had surrounding Black people dating outside their race and the issues some people have with it. The discussion surrounding the struggle that many immigrants face when r families force them to choose between their native culture and the present dominating culture was so powerful and the way Igharo approached that was incredible. I loved the way she discussed different cultures and how you can date outside your race without lose your own culture. It doesn’t mean sacrificing one culture for another.


Ties That Tether offers something different and something romance has long need. This book stands for what we want to see more of in romance. We can have that fun, hot, loving novel while still discussing important topics by diverse voices. I can’t wait to see what Jane Igharo writes next, definitely one to watch.

This book was so much more than I was expecting! I loved Azere and was rooting for her the whole way! I loved seeing her find strength within herself and choosing to live her life her way. All of the movie references were so fun and I adored the family and cultural dynamics! It was sweet, spicy, and a little nerve-wracking there at the end!

What a beautiful, rich story! I am in awe. I loved it so much! It will not leave me for a long, long time. This is a story about grief and loss, hope and love, family and heritage, all rolled up into one amazing happily ever after. WOW. We follow Azere, a Nigerian woman, as she falls in love with a man who her mother disapproves of and navigates through pleasing her family, honoring her culture, and finding her voice. My favorite aspects: the strong women & female friendships, the fierce family ties, the underlying theme of fate and destiny tethering, tying, and pulling people together (and just how much the title plays a role throughout the story), the Nigerian culture and way of life infused and woven throughout, all the movie references! Jane Igharo beautifully and effortlessly evokes in words common human interactions and experiences that come with so much depth of feeling and individual intuition that I've only ever felt. To see them written in words had me momentarily stunned multiple times! I felt reflected in the pages just by the way she matches words to real-life experiences. This story is beyond what I was expecting; heartwarming yet gut-wrenching, tragic yet filled with so much hope. I feel so whole and complete after reading it! Potential content warnings: surprised/unplanned pregnancy, temporary mother/daughter estrangement, death of a spouse and unborn child, traumatic birth.

*Review will be posted on Sept 29, on my blog, goodreads, and instagram accounts*

Hello Fellow Readers,

I really loved this book and fell in love with the characters. Azere was just so realistic and amazing, I knew from the very first chapter that I would just love her and I was right. While she was such a strong character, she had her insecurities and vulnerabilities. Rafael was great too, and it was nice to read his point of view and meet his family, but I was just more more invested in Azere's chapters.

Igharo has a way of writing so well that you can really feel the emotions and tension leap from the page. My emotions, when reading this, were all over the place but in a good way. I gotta admit that when I was nearing the end, I really didn't want it to be over. I wanted to continue Azere and Rafael's story, but I was really grateful for the epilogue that ended and wrapped up the story beautifully.

I gotta say that being a biracial child, the tension of two different cultures trying to come together was captured so well and you could really feel the way Azere was being torn in two separate directions. This story really had me on the edge of my seat and I could do nothing but continue reading because I had to see how it ends.

Overall, this was such a great book and I wish it didn't have to end.

Thank you to netgalley and Berkeley Pub for an advanced eArc of Ties That Tether by Jane Igharo.

The story is about our heroine, Azere, who made her father a promise before he died, that she would marry a Nigerian man and keep her culture alive. She has no problem with that, until she meets Rafael - a one night stand, turned co-worker. Choosing Rafael would not only break her promise to her father, but break her mother’s heart. Will Azere choose to marry for love or for honor?

If there’s was ever a main female character to love and root for, it’s Azere. She’s smart, headstrong, and has a heart of gold. Plus, she’s a huge Rom-Com lover like many of us! I loved learning about a culture and traditions outside of my own and loved how fantastic the supporting cast of characters were. I’ll be purchasing a hard copy for my collection because this is a book that everyone should own and read.

This book comes out September 29th and needs to be on everyone’s radar.

Azere and her family emigrated from Nigeria to Toronto after her father’s death. From the age of 12, she was constantly reminded of her Edo heritage to the point assimilating to Canadian culture was not what her mother approved of. But, now as a successful woman, a director at a marketing agency, still with close ties to her African ethnicity, could her real chance at love be her ticket to the life she deserves?

I want to make this spoiler-free as possible, so I’m going to preface my review with: YOU NEED TO READ THIS (with a heavy emphasis on need). Igharo educated me on Edo culture through Azere’s family and ethnic bonds, made me smile and laugh, but most importantly made me ugly cry so hard in more chapters than one! Mainly told in Azere’s POV (with some in Rafael’s), I was taken through all the ups, downs, and drama that our dear heroine had to endure in order to find peace with her own happiness. What a well-executed story of love, fate, culture shock and fusion, a hybrid of old tradition and new hope.

This cover is gorgeous and I really enjoyed the setting and context for this story. It was a quick read and I look forward to what the author writes in the future.

Thank you to @berkleypub for a copy of this to read and review! I loved this book. When Azere was young she promised her dying father she would only marry a Nigerian man and preserve her culture even after she moved to Canada. Now the Azere is in her mid 20s, her mother has been setting her up with every Nigerian man available. One night Azere meets Rafael, who is tall, handsome and white. Their one-night stand evolves into something more serious. Azere is torn between Rafael and her mother who would never accept the relationships. Two of the things I loved about this were learning more about Nigerian culture and seeing how the characters responded to family pressures/different cultures. I haven’t come across a book in awhile that immediately drew me in right away. I couldn’t put this one down! I spent all of Labor Day enjoying it! As a final bonus the epilogue was spot on! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[thank you to @netgalley and @berkleypub for this #giftedbook. This novel will be released on September 29th].

“Ties That Tether” is the story of 25-year-old Azere who is caught between a rock and a hard place in a number of areas in her life. She is caught between assimilating into Canadian society while staying true to her Nigerian identity. She is caught between fulfilling a promise to her dying father about marrying a Nigerian man and make her mother happy but falling for (and getting pregnant by!) a Spanish man. Between family and personal fulfillment.

The novel was great. I loved Azere and her family. The way that the author tackled family versus personal happiness and fulfillment when you come from an immigrant family hit all too close to him. I think a lot of people could relate. The discussion about culture and the struggle to maintain one's identity after immigration to a new different country. I really enjoyed the dynamic between the main characters, though I found Rafael’s backstory a little much. That may be because I’ve read a few “husband loses wife and unborn child in a tragic accident; how will he ever love again?” these past few weeks. The other reason I knocked the book down a star was because of something that happened with the mother. It just felt hypocritical to me, and talk about the pot calling the kettle black. I won’t go further because of spoilers. I also thought that one of Azere’s friendship with Christina, I mean, the woman had a hard time understanding the word no. Some friend. All in all, though, an enjoyable rom-com you should keep an eye out for!

Ties That Tether is a debut novel by @jane_igharo but it reads like it’s her twentieth book. Her writing drew me in from the first chapter and she wove the story together perfectly. The contemporary romance genre has another new gold standard for me – and this one is it.

Azere is a Nigerian woman who has spent most of her adult life in Canada and is consistently struggling with how to both fit in and embrace her culture and heritage in her daily life. Her mother is constantly setting her up with Nigerian men who she deems fit for her and Azere is tired of it. One night, a date goes poorly and she leaves mid date to go drink at a hotel bar, where she meets Rafael – the kind of man her mother would not approve of (well, because he’s not Nigerian but a Spaniard). Their relationship takes an unexpected serious turn and Azere has to decide what she wants from life – to make her family happy or to make herself happy.

The book does an amazing job at highlighting interracial relationships and the hardships that often go into them. I also loved how by the end of the story, Azere was able to find her voice and figure out what was most important to her without compromising who she is. I find that trait to be so important in a female lead. I enjoyed learning about Nigerian culture and the idea of having to live in two worlds at once, which is not a concept I am familiar with myself.

4.5/5 ☆ = 5+

Trigger Warnings// traumatic childbirth, mentions of deaths

All her life, Azere has known she must marry a Nigerian man. After moving away from Nigeria at the age of twelve to Canada, the fear of losing herself and her culture in a new world has haunted her ever since. Or more specifically, her father who passed away, where his last wish was for Azere to marry an Edo man. This leads to countless of arranged dates with Edo men, where after one miserable and sexist date, Azere stumbles upon Rafael, a white man. The exact kind of man Azere promised to never fall for, to honor her father's last wish. What seemed to be a one-night stand turns into something more when Rafael appears on her workplace as a newly appointed hire. And also is the baby daddy of Azere's unborn child.

Ties That Tether was a quick but wonderful read. It was as if reading a rom-com, with all the feels and drama and of course - a swoon-worthy romance. And it definitely toyed with my feelings.

The mix between a contemporary story and romance was something I really liked. As a daughter of immigrants, I've also faced the issues and difficulties of finding where I belong. I found myself relating to many of the complications of culture clashes. The themes of family values are engraved deeply in my heart and soul, and I definitely loved the importance of it in this book.

At some times the writing could seem a little silly or cliché, yet I did get a whole lot of rom-com vibes from this book. And I'm definitely a sucker for rom-coms, so the silliness felt almost right to me. Yet I wish Igharo could dig deeper into the pain and confusion. There was a potential for this story to become even more...raw and heartbreaking.

I found myself relating to Azere at many points. The confusion, finding my own voice, as well as going for what my heart really wants. And I wonder if anyone else feels like this. In a way, I felt represented, as I also found bits of myself in Azere. Now I feel empowered and certain that I will find my way in this world.

I could definitely feel that this story was a mix of thoughts and an important message Igharo wanted to convey. I do wish there hadn't been so many time skips, so I could really feel understand the emotions and pain Azere was going through in her story.

In conclusion, I found this book absolutely enjoyable. I had fun, as well as learned a little bit more about Nigerian culture. Even though Azere and I are different, I also found many similarities as our shared experience of living in two different worlds at the same time. This book made me miss watching rom-coms, so I will definitely watch one soon!

Over and out. -Nora<3