Although second-chance romances are not always my favorite, I really loved this book. Dunni and Obinna were high school sweethearts—she the daughter of a wealthy Lagos businessman and he a scholarship student who worked with his mother as a street food vendor. Despite their intense connection, Obinna felt insecure about his social position. Meanwhile, Dunni’s mother decreed Obinna stay away from her daughter. They vowed not to let these things come between them, even when Dunni left to attend college in the United States. But, they never reconnected and now Dunni works as a geneticist in Seattle, engaged to Christopher, a kind and reliable man who her mother approves of but Dunni doesn’t love.

For the first time in twelve years, Dunni returns to Nigeria for a friend’s wedding. She’s shocked to see Obinna, now a successful businessman himself. Obinna persuades Dunni to spend time with him before returning home. While their connection is undeniable, resentment, regrets, and secrets impinge upon Dunni’s ability to trust Obinna, and though she can’t deny she loves him, she doubts that they can have a future together.

To me, Dunni and Obinna were interesting, lively, and sympathetic characters, and as much as I ached for Obinna, I liked that the conflict between them came from social, economic, and cultural forces rather than miscommunication or mind-reading. The Nigerian setting, realistically portrayed by Jane Igharo who lived there until she was twelve, provides a beautiful landscape, a tantalizing palate, and an interesting backdrop to the romance. The final act took me complete by surprise but was a satisfying ending for both Dunni and Obinna as well as secondary characters.

A dramatic, intense love story -- this is the story of Dunni and Obinna, high school sweethearts with an intense bond who were cruelly separated by their families, as they reunite at a friends’ wedding in Nigeria twelve years later. With alternating timelines showing their present reconnection and the traumatic events of their past, the book gives us a deep understanding of how these two characters ended up where they are. I loved the exploration of the class differences in their society and how their families’ histories influenced how they were treated, as well as the insights into their individual decision-making and struggles. There are some truly painful revelations, as well as lovely moments of connection and understanding. This is a beautiful, sad, complicated story, well worth checking out.

I’ve been a big Jane Igharo fan, but unfortunately this one wasn’t for me. I loved learning about Nigeria and Dunni and Obinna’s past, but I struggled to see their connection. I know there were a lot of things both in their past and present but it just seemed like way too much was going on. The ghosting and then lying about their child even after they reconnected was too much miscommunication for me (and I usually don’t mind.) I will definitely still check our books by Igharo in the future.

Fans of Sonali Dev and Helen Hoang will find this just their style.

Nigerian-born Dunni has fulfilled all her parents’ expectations: She’s an accomplished geneticist in Seattle, engaged to a safe and respectable man. But a return to Nigeria for a friend’s wedding brings her face to face with Obinna, the man she left behind years ago. Their love burned fast and hot once upon a time, and smoldering embers are quick to reignite — but old secrets and resentments threaten to extinguish any hope of a future.

Romance is marked by the certainty of the happy ending. Igharo’s novel plays fast and loose with this as the plot weaves backward and forward in time. Other stories impinge: Austen novels, Nollywood films, cultural myths, Afropop lyrics. Dunni and Obinna make and unmake choices a thousand times, their union waxing and waning as they fight with and for each other.

That promised happy ending flickers in and out of view as the two timelines careen forward: one toward catastrophe, and one away from it. The catastrophe itself remains a secret for most of the novel, even from the reader — a classic soap-opera move but rather unusual in romance, which prefers to give the reader full context to better twist the emotional knife. The effect is a shock, and one I am loath to spoil.

Short Synopsis: Dunni is reunited with her high school sweetheart Obinna at a wedding after 12 years. Can years of change and hidden pasts get in the way of their obvious connection?

My thoughts: What a great second chance romance. Growing up from vastly different situations, destined to be together.

What I liked: I enjoyed the instant connection both when they first met and when they reconnected years later. I liked both main characters and loved Dunni’s grandmother, she was such a gem of a person with wit and a huge reliance on god and fate. I also liked how we got to see them fall in love both now, and in the past as I read through the “Then” chapters.

What I didn’t like: Dunni’s mom was terrible, and even though we get a glimpse into her past I don’t feel that can justify her actions. I am bothered that Obinna ignored Dunni for so long, yet he was desperately in love with her. I can see why he needed to put her in the past, but doesn’t justify his actions.

Read if you love:
* Second chance romance
* Learning of different cultures and customs
* Relying on fate
* High school sweethearts
* Instant connection

Who doesn’t love a second chance at love? I loved the setting of a Nigerian wedding. I love learning about other cultures as I read. It opens a new world. And I switched back and forth between the audio and print versions and the narrator was fabulous and loved that she is Nigerian.

The things I loved about this book. The second chance story between Dunni and Obinna. We go back and forth from their childhood as they fell in love to the present where they meet again. I loved that there were a few twists or surprises in this mainly romance novel. I read a lot of thrillers so this was a plus for me.

The only real downside is the book seemed a little slow in places and I’m not a huge fan of a slow burn. But that was really my only downside.

So if you’re a fan of second chance romances and don’t mind a slower pace, you should give this one a try.

Happy pub week to @jane.igharo 's WHERE WE END & BEGIN, a beautiful story of young love, life-changing secrets, second chances, and forces that defy explanation.

With beautiful, evocative, and atmospheric writing, I felt I was not only experiencing Dunni and Obi's story, but also all of their emotions - fear, anger, uncertainty, abandonment, betrayal, confusion, but most of all, a transcendent, unexplainable, undying love. From the outset, Dunni and Obi's relationship felt fated. Though Dunni shied away from the supernatural and unexplainable, ignoring and tossing aside her Iya's beliefs and premonitions, there was an unbreakable tie between herself and Obi that only served to strengthen and amplify the love they fostered and nurtured as teenagers.

Like Romeo and Juliet, or Allie and Noah in The Notebook, Dunni and Obi simply seemed meant to be, and that sense permeated their entire story and echoed throughout their lives, whether together or apart.

Alternating between reading the galley and listening to the audiobook, this story captured my heart, but at times, the pacing felt too slow and drawn-out, and that is my only negative feedback on this one. I understood why the story needed to span from their teenage years into adulthood, but I wished a little more had been edited out and the truth had been revealed earlier. I think the story would have hooked me a little faster that way, but reading is so subjective, so my opinions are simply that - my own.

Regardless of pacing, this was a beautiful love story, and I'm excited to read more from Igharo in the future! Thank you so much to @berkleyromance @letstalkbookspromo @prhaudio and @netgalley for the opportunity to both read and listen to this story, and to @berittalksbooks @thephdivabooks and @dg_reads for leading a great buddy read! This book hit shelves Tuesday, so if you're looking for a love story that stands the test of time and gives you some star-crossed lovers vibes, definitely give WHERE WE END & BEGIN a try!

This second chance romance has depth and so many secrets that I did not see coming. Dunni was in love with shy Obinna but it wasn’t meant to be when her parents forced her to leave Nigeria to attend college in America. She builds a life for herself in Seattle but she never forgets her first love. They were “star crossed lovers” with her mom in control.
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When she returns to Nigeria for a friend’s wedding she knows it’s only a matter of time before she sees Obinna and when she does it’s clear they have never lost their connection. I don’t want to say too much because I was surprised as I read this but I rooted for the two of them and I love reading about places I have never visited.
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This book is out now!
Huge thank you to @berkleypub @berittalksbooks @thephdivabooks @dg_reads and @netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I will always read a Jane Igharo book- she always has the perfect amount of steam, drama, and heart to make me come back for more.

The thing that I enjoyed about this book is the cameos from the sweetest Remedy.

Dunni is back in Nigeria to celebrate her friend's wedding she has no intentions of rehashing old wounds. she wants to get in and get out. she runs into her long-lost love Obinna. I wouldn't call this a second chance romance but more of a long-lost love romance.

I loved the instant-love feeling back in the day and present. Although I don't love a back-and-forth timeline I could appreciate the intention.

I did feel like the storyline had way too many hints. I knew based on things that were said exactly what was going to happen so there was no shock

But all in all, this was a cute romance

Jane Igharo said, "I will give you a love story, but it's going to HURT!" (And it did).

In some ways, this reminded me of Love & Other Words: a teen romance torn apart by some seriously traumatizing events that are slowly unveiled in alternating timelines between the past and the present. However, the Nigerian setting made this story something entirely its own. Jane Igharo's descriptions of the Nigerian culture and landscape were so vivid and detailed. I absolutely loved that aspect of the book.

My main issue was with Dunni who held the plot up by circling around her issues with Obinna for way too long. There was so much build-up to the truth being revealed that the book dragged a bit in the middle. However, I did think that she and Obinna had great chemistry and I was rooting for them the whole way through.

🥰: Huge thank you to @berkleyromance @berkleypub for the free book 🧡

🗓Release Date: OUT NOW !

👩🏾‍💻: As the weather switches to Fall, I know that we could all use a change in pace with what we are reading and this is it! If your looking for a good book to read while you cozy up under a warm blanket then I definitely think this is the author/book for you. This book follows a couple as they go through a second chance at love. This follows them in the present where they reconnect and navigate through years of feelings and then also flashes back to the very beginning where they fell in love. This alternating third person perspective romance is just what you need to get you all in the feels!

💛Recommended if you enjoy:
•Angsty reads
•Complex parent/child relationships
•Second chance romances
•Characters that evolve

⚠️TW: Domestic violence (side character)

Jane Igharo has done it again, she has captured my heart with the most angsty and deliciously tormenting second chance romance book.
There is an alternating timeline in this book of how Dunni and Obinna meet in high school and the now. Now is 12 years later, Dunni is a doctor that has returned to Nigeria for a wedding.
She was not prepared to see her first love again, nor prepared to see who the man he has become.
Dunni is also engaged, so there is the bit of a forbidden flair as the twin flames reunite and it is MARVELOUS.
This book is perfection, yet another Igharo book for my heart to hold onto forever more.

Dunni hasn’t seen her high school boyfriend since she left for college and he ghosted her. When she returns to Nigeria for a friend’s wedding, she is surprised to see him there. Seeing Obinna and reconnecting with him has the potential to completely derail her perfectly planned out life. Yet, she still finds herself feeling the strong connection between them.

Jane Igharo writes the most stunning books with complex characters that have so many layers. Her writing style blows me away every single time I read one of her books, and this was no different. This book made me FEEL everything. I was heartbroken, I was angry, I was rooting for Dunni and Obinna, but I was also frustrated with them. Dunni in particular made some choices that made me incredibly uncomfortable, yet I felt for her and understood why she was making choices that felt a little wrong. Despite there being tropes that usually really bother me (miscommunication, love triangle, surprise baby) this book made it work. It fit in this morally ambiguous story that really made me question what was actually right vs. wrong and made me wonder what I would do in the same situations. Be aware going in, this book deals with some pretty heavy topics. That being said, Jane Igharo writes beautiful stories, so if you are in the right mindset for a heavier book, check this one out.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing for the advance copy and to @berittalksbooks and @dg_reads for another fantastic buddy read!
Well, That Was Unexpected

I’m a big fan of Jane Igharo’s books. Some may call me a super fan since I’ve read all her books either pre-publication or shortly after the published date.

Every book highlights complex family relationships and a swoony romance woven with Nigerian culture. Never light and fluffy, the characters' emotional complexity causes you to cheer their resiliencies and, other times, yell at their stupidity. But in the end, her characters remind us of humanity and all of our flaws. That is how simply good Jane Igharo’s writing is!

Here’s what I loved about Where We Begin & End:
✨Second Chance Romance - the electricity of Obinna and Dunni’s chemistry 🔥
✨Heartbreakingly romantic - a love story to end all love stories! 😍
✨History and layered secrets between the characters - slowly but cautiously expose the tragic results of their complicated history, adding to the character depth.
✨Complex parent/child relationships - I loved that both Obinna and Dunni’s relationships with their parents affected them as adults.

3.5, rounded up. This is my favorite of Jane Igharo's books that I've read; unlike her previous novels, this one balances angst and sweetness well. The romance between Obinna and Dunni is described poignantly; the tactic of switching between Obinna's POV twelve years in the past and Dunni's POV in the present is effective and enhances the drama in a meaningful way. There are a few twists that I had not predicted, which added to my enjoyment of the story, and I felt genuinely emotional during the pivotal arguments and tragic moments.

The ending is abrupt, as are a few of the plot points, but overall this is a heartfelt story that incorporates multicultural aspects and will delight fans of second-chance romances.

Highlights: star-crossed lovers, second chance, high school sweethearts.

After finishing high school, Dunni left Nigeria to study in the USA. Her high school boyfriend Obinna was supposed to join her in America later, but he never did, and they lost touch. Twelve years later, Danni returns to Nigeria for her friend's wedding, where she runs into her first and only love, Obinna. They still have the blazing chemistry and passion between them, but there are too many hurts and secrets they will have to address if they want to have any chance of rekindling their relationship.

Second chance romance is my favorite trope, so I was very excited to read Where We End and Begin. I haven't read many books set in Nigeria, so I really enjoyed the setting. I liked both Dunni and Obinna for the most part, but I found myself getting frustrated with them because even after they got another chance to be together, they continued to make wrong decisions and keep secrets from each other. Overall, I enjoyed Where We End and Begin, and I am looking forward to reading more books from Jane Igharo.

*ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley

Traveling back to Lagos, Nigeria, having stayed away for 12 years, for her best friend’s wedding, Dunni runs into the man who broke her heart all those years ago—Obinna. Now engaged with a separate life in Seattle, Dunni couldn’t help but reconnect with the man she loved with all her heart. The irresistible pull leads her down a path she is unsure of following, but there’s no turning back. What is in store for these two former high school sweethearts? What drove them apart years before? Will their undying love for each other be their saving grace?

Wow, Igharo pulled all the stops with this one. WHERE WE END & BEGIN was a powerful journey of love, hope, finding true self, home, and happily ever after. Every chapter, whether it was past or present, really looked into Dunni’s and Obinna’s characters, their fire and chemistry. The strained family dynamics were an added dimension, and everything just flowed seamlessly. I highly recommend to fans of EVERY SUMMER AFTER and SAY YOU STILL LOVE ME.

Wow. WHERE WE END AND BEGIN will undoubtedly go down as one of my favorite novels of the year.

It follows Dunni, who has returned to Nigeria for a wedding, as she navigates adulthood and life in America. Unexpectedly, she runs into her high school (and one true love) sweetheart, Obinna. As the two of them navigate their history, the things left unsaid, and the current lives they lead, we as readers follow along through the heartache of two young adults in love and what they do when life doesn’t work out the way your youthful mind expected it to.

As Dunni grew up in a wealthy household, her mother had set goals and expectations for her life, even without consulting Dunni as she fell madly in love with Obinna, a young, headstrong, smart local boy.

I figured out a couple of the secrets in the novel early on, but enjoyed how they played out, as well as a couple that TOTALLY surprised me! So well done, weaving the story of their history in the midst of their present reconnection.

Only thing I wish was that Dunni didn’t have a fiance in America. She was so independent it wasn’t necessary, she wasn’t in love with him, and it cast a bit of a shadow over her time with Obinna.

This is my first Igharo novel and it certainly won’t be my last- I loved it! If you enjoy diverse characters, the African setting, second chance love, multiple doses of familial secrets, and surprise twists, then you will enjoy this one!

Thank you @berkleypub and @prhaudio for my copy of this new release that is out Sept 27.

Dunni returns to Nigeria for a wedding, where she’s reunited with her high school boyfriend.

This is a beautifully written multicultural second-chance romance. The tone is on the serious side.

CW: cheating.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

I received a complimentary advanced copy of WHERE WE END & BEGIN by Jane Igharo. Thank you to Berkley Publishing and PRH Audio for the chance to provide an honest review.

WHERE WE END & BEGIN is a second chance romance set in Nigeria. Dunni and Obinna were high school sweethearts. Dunni came from a wealthy family with distinct ideas about her future. Obinna is a scholarship student and not what her family wants for her. Though they’ve made a blood oath to stay together, when Dunni leaves for college in America, the two separate.

It is now twelve years later and Dunni returns to Nigeria to attend a friend’s wedding, never expecting to see Obinna again for the first time in all these years. She’s an engaged woman, set to marry a man her parents have approved, but she cannot deny the feelings for Obinna are still there.

I enjoyed this story and the Nigerian setting for the majority of the novel. There is a touch of magical realism at play as well with the pull of the blood oath the two teens took. It does rely quite a bit on miscommunication and false assumptions about each other which is not my favorite trope in romances, but given their youth in the past portions of the book, I did find this to be fairly understandable.

There are a few twists and turns to the story that had me wishing things had gone a bit differently, but I can’t say a whole lot while avoiding spoilers. Overall I really enjoyed the writing and definitely was pulling for Dunni and Obinna to work things out.

WHERE WE END & BEGIN is out today!