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Aisha and John
There is only a very thin line between romance and religion...Aisha is a favored daughter of the Emir of Kano and Father John is a young Catholic Priest in the Lagos Archdiocese, but they share a history; one that is beckoning to be revisited. Aisha never knew what love was until she met John, back when she was a teenager, however, things have changed now. John fell deeply in love with Aisha, back when he was still in University, however, things have changed now. Life drove them apart but what can one coincidental meeting cause?From the Author of OBSESSION, comes this awesome, modern story, about two lovers who have become separated by a valley of religion and time.Can they bridge this gap? Should they?
321 pages, Paperback
Published March 15, 2019
34 people are currently reading
250 people want to read
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September 19, 2020This writer did not do proper research before embarking on this project, this book tend to confuse people that has no knowledge of Islam as the writer deviates totally from islamic practices as applicable in life. How will the writer translate Arabic language he has no knowledge of and gave it a total absurd meaning far from it meaning.
" Back when her father was still residing in Lagos, she would sometimes sit with him at the front of the congregation, along with her mother, because of his position in the Muslim community and his selfless giving"
"To end her prayer, she turns to her head to the right and says in Arabic; “the Angel who records your good deeds is to this side”. She then turns her head to left and says in Arabic; “the Angel who records your bad deeds is on this side.”
What was he thinking writhing all that.
" Back when her father was still residing in Lagos, she would sometimes sit with him at the front of the congregation, along with her mother, because of his position in the Muslim community and his selfless giving"
"To end her prayer, she turns to her head to the right and says in Arabic; “the Angel who records your good deeds is to this side”. She then turns her head to left and says in Arabic; “the Angel who records your bad deeds is on this side.”
What was he thinking writhing all that.
May 24, 2020
In Olu Balogun’s Aisha and John, the stakes are high. A newly ordained Catholic Priest and a young pious daughter of the Emir of Kano. And the secret? Both of them are in love. Meanwhile, Aisha is betrothed to Major Hassan, a soldier with bloodlust and violent streak who swears to make them pay when he finds out. Aisha and John are ready to risk it all on love. What more can go wrong?
John Amaechi meets Aisha Mustapha for the first time in an examination hall at the University of Lagos where both are students. After the exam, they meet again and their friendship blossoms. From friendship, a love without boundary grows.
But there is a problem; Aisha was betrothed at the age of 16 to Hassan, a young man whose father is a close friend of Aisha’s father. Again, her father, Alhaji Aliu Mustapha, is a respectable member of the Muslim Community of Nigeria. He is from a royal family and at this time, he is getting ready to clinch the revered position of the Emir of Kano. His fifth wife, Karida, who is Aisha’s mother, was born in Saudi Arabia and as the distant Niece of the King of Saudi Arabia, she shares family ties with the King.
The family does not want any scandals. They do not want to give their father’s opponents any opportunity. And so, when Aisha’s brother, Kabiru, discovers she is in a secret relationship with John, a young man from a Catholic family, he becomes furious with her.
When Aisha faces pressure from her family, she has no option but to end her relationship with John. Aisha sacrifices her love and happiness for the sake of her family and begins to learn to love Hassan.
But four years later, so many things have changed. Her father has become the Emir of Kano. She has forced herself to come closer to Hassan but discovers she cannot love him no matter how hard she tries. For her, Hassan, who is now a Major in the Nigerian military, has a hot temperament and is violent.
However, by coincidence, she meets John in Lagos after so many years apart. Both are shocked to see each other again.
Unfortunately, now, everything has changed. Aisha is now the daughter of the Emir of Kano and John is a Catholic Priest.
I love the scene where Aisha enters Father John’s office as he is working on the schedule for the Feed-Lagos Charity Project. The young priest is in charge of the project. The beautiful, gentle-looking Aisha enters his office wearing a white long dress with long sleeves, wrapped with a purple cape and held around the waist with a red ribbon. She is also wearing a lovely purple Hijab.
Both former lovers - whose lives have changed so much - greets each other and then the gentle Aisha becomes bold and lets the cat out of the bag. “Is it…too late?”
“Too late…for what?” John asks, struggling to understand.
“For our love story,” Aisha replied.
Like a gentle love song, the plot blossoms and kept me at the edge of my seat as I turned to each new page to find out what happened next.
As the plot blows wide, events move fast and quickly spirals out of control and become violent. And before I figure out what is happening, Aisha and John are both fighting for their lives.
Aisha and John is a thought-provoking romantic suspense that pulls the reader into a world of two lovers separated by the valley of religion and time. To bridge that gap is dangerous. And they may lose everything including their lives if they embark on their ambitious journey of love.
What didn’t work for me:
The author started the book with the present tense but constantly switched back and forth from present tense to past tense throughout the duration of the story. I also had trouble finding out when he has switched to flashback scenes. However, despite these imperfections, I still enjoyed this story.
When you look beyond the religious elements in this story, you will appreciate the beauty of what Olu Balogun did here and his central message in this book, which is—despite our differences; languages, race, religion, ethnicity, and background—humanity and its most powerful force, love, unites us all. We are one. Olu delivered this profound message effortlessly in this lovely book.
John Amaechi meets Aisha Mustapha for the first time in an examination hall at the University of Lagos where both are students. After the exam, they meet again and their friendship blossoms. From friendship, a love without boundary grows.
But there is a problem; Aisha was betrothed at the age of 16 to Hassan, a young man whose father is a close friend of Aisha’s father. Again, her father, Alhaji Aliu Mustapha, is a respectable member of the Muslim Community of Nigeria. He is from a royal family and at this time, he is getting ready to clinch the revered position of the Emir of Kano. His fifth wife, Karida, who is Aisha’s mother, was born in Saudi Arabia and as the distant Niece of the King of Saudi Arabia, she shares family ties with the King.
The family does not want any scandals. They do not want to give their father’s opponents any opportunity. And so, when Aisha’s brother, Kabiru, discovers she is in a secret relationship with John, a young man from a Catholic family, he becomes furious with her.
When Aisha faces pressure from her family, she has no option but to end her relationship with John. Aisha sacrifices her love and happiness for the sake of her family and begins to learn to love Hassan.
But four years later, so many things have changed. Her father has become the Emir of Kano. She has forced herself to come closer to Hassan but discovers she cannot love him no matter how hard she tries. For her, Hassan, who is now a Major in the Nigerian military, has a hot temperament and is violent.
However, by coincidence, she meets John in Lagos after so many years apart. Both are shocked to see each other again.
Unfortunately, now, everything has changed. Aisha is now the daughter of the Emir of Kano and John is a Catholic Priest.
I love the scene where Aisha enters Father John’s office as he is working on the schedule for the Feed-Lagos Charity Project. The young priest is in charge of the project. The beautiful, gentle-looking Aisha enters his office wearing a white long dress with long sleeves, wrapped with a purple cape and held around the waist with a red ribbon. She is also wearing a lovely purple Hijab.
Both former lovers - whose lives have changed so much - greets each other and then the gentle Aisha becomes bold and lets the cat out of the bag. “Is it…too late?”
“Too late…for what?” John asks, struggling to understand.
“For our love story,” Aisha replied.
Like a gentle love song, the plot blossoms and kept me at the edge of my seat as I turned to each new page to find out what happened next.
As the plot blows wide, events move fast and quickly spirals out of control and become violent. And before I figure out what is happening, Aisha and John are both fighting for their lives.
Aisha and John is a thought-provoking romantic suspense that pulls the reader into a world of two lovers separated by the valley of religion and time. To bridge that gap is dangerous. And they may lose everything including their lives if they embark on their ambitious journey of love.
What didn’t work for me:
The author started the book with the present tense but constantly switched back and forth from present tense to past tense throughout the duration of the story. I also had trouble finding out when he has switched to flashback scenes. However, despite these imperfections, I still enjoyed this story.
When you look beyond the religious elements in this story, you will appreciate the beauty of what Olu Balogun did here and his central message in this book, which is—despite our differences; languages, race, religion, ethnicity, and background—humanity and its most powerful force, love, unites us all. We are one. Olu delivered this profound message effortlessly in this lovely book.
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August 10, 2019Seems interesting
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews