Ties That Tether

July 27, 2020
Igharo debuts with a snappy look at the pressures of romantic and familial obligation among immigrant communities in modern-day Toronto. When Nigerian-born Azere Izoduwa was 12, she promised her dying father she would marry an Edo Nigerian man to keep their culture alive after the family immigrated to Canada. In the 13 years since, her mother has matched her with a series of unsuitable men. Following another failed date, Azere meets Rafael Castellano, a handsome, caring Canadian man to whom she is instantly attracted, and they share a single passionate night. The pair are reunited a month later when Rafael gets a job at the advertising agency where Azere is creative director. Though both agree to remain professional, the spark between them won’t die down. But Rafael is white, born of Spanish immigrants, and Azere has a promise to keep—a promise that grows harder to keep to when she learns their one-night stand resulted in an unplanned pregnancy. Though Azere’s passivity may frustrate some readers, Igharo brings a great deal of heart to Azere’s internal conflict as she navigates two cultures. This emotional debut marks Igharo as a writer to watch. Agent: Kevan Lyon, Marsal Lyon Literary.

Starred review from August 1, 2020

DEBUT Azere has been caught between two worlds since promising her dying father at age 12 that she would marry a Nigerian Edo man even after her family moved to Toronto, Canada. She wants to honor her culture and her family's wishes, even if it means reluctantly agreeing to go on a string of terrible dates with men her mother has carefully selected for her. After an awful evening with one of her mother's picks, Azere finds consolation in the form of a handsome stranger at the bar. Azere knows that anything other than a one-night stand with Rafael is impossible since he isn't the man her family dreams of. When an unexpected circumstance intertwines Rafael and Azere together forever, Azere faces the decision of continuing to honor her parents' wishes even if it means sacrificing her own happiness. VERDICT Igharo's debut beautifully depicts the tension between self-determination and the desire to live up to family expectations. Favorite tropes such as a secret baby and a love triangle are reimagined through clever and heart-warming storytelling. Readers will be rooting for Azere from the very first page. [See "A Full Fall," p. 16 ff.]--Shanel Slater, Marion P.L., IA

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August 1, 2020
Two Canadian immigrants struggling with the past have a one-night stand with long-term consequences. Azere has been a good Nigerian Canadian girl all her life and can't let a steamy encounter with a stranger derail her commitment to preserving her birth culture. But when Spanish Canadian Rafael Castellano reenters her life, she weakens in her resolve to marry a fellow Nigerian, one selected by her obnoxious, widowed mom. Yet the habit of family obedience is hard to break, and Rafael's secrets make her wonder if choosing heart over heritage is a mistake. Igharo's debut has some evocative passages on the heroine's memories of Nigeria and on Edo culture. The sections on Azere's experiences as an immigrant tween and the novel's depiction of the strains on biracial relationships are also valuable for representing a reality that many never know. But the story of an immigrant who is expected to marry within her community is narrated with more melodrama than fresh perspective. The demonization and eventual repentance of Azere's conservative mom is wince-inducing, and Rafael's secret, which is easy to guess, is a needless complication of an overwrought plot. Azere's character could also have used some revision: She lacks emotional intelligence and conceals her inner life from everyone, which could be attributed to being 25 but can't be squared with her job as a high-powered creative director leading a large team in a major ad agency. Igharo's writing is still in a developmental stage, with more telling than showing and characters repeatedly asking Azere if she's OK, presumably because she's staring into space during an inner monologue. This is symptomatic of a wider weakness with the dialogue, which is frequently brief and stilted. The first sex scene is off-page, which is unusual in a contemporary romance, and the plot's excessive reliance on romantic movie references plus tropes from category romance suggests a lack of confidence rather than metatextual deftness. With insights on the immigrant experience but not on love, this is hardly a romance to remember.

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September 1, 2020
Back when she was only 12, Azere made a promise to her father on his deathbed to marry an Edo Nigerian man and preserve her culture after moving to Canada. Despite her mother's best efforts and Azere's loyalty to her vow into adulthood, none of the men she meets within these confines stir her heart in any way resembling love. Enter Rafael Castellano, a Spanish American man who ignites the passion she has been searching for, but who is anything but Nigerian. When their one-night stand develops into something serious, Azere is caught between compromising on her culture or her heart. Debuting novelist Igharo presents a great romantic comedy for fans of the Bridget Jones books or movies like My Big Fat Greek WeddingAzere made a promise to her father on his deathbed to marry an Edo Nigerian man and preserve her culture after moving to Canada. Despite her mother's best efforts and Azere's loyalty to her vow into adulthood, none of the men she meets within these confines stir her heart in any way resembling love. Enter Rafael Castellano, a Spanish American man who ignites the passion she has been searching for, but who is anything but Nigerian. When their one-night stand develops into something serious, Azere is caught between compromising on her culture or her heart. Debuting novelist Igharo presents a great romantic comedy for fans of the Bridget Jones books or movies like . The reader is swept along with the tides of Azere and Rafael's relationship and equally caught off guard by the twists and turns that shape their romance. With writing that marries genuine and infectious emotion with witty humor, Igharo has created an endearing love story about family, culture, and identity.Azere and Rafael's relationship and equally caught off guard by the twists and turns that shape their romance. With writing that marries genuine and infectious emotion with witty humor, Igharo has created an endearing love story about family, culture, and identity.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)