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The Sweetest Remedy
When a woman travels to Nigeria to attend the funeral of the father she never knew, she meets her extravagant family for the first time, a new and inspiring love interest, and discovers parts of herself she didn't know were missing, from Jane Igharo, the acclaimed author of Ties That Tether.
Hannah Bailey has never known her father, the Nigerian entrepreneur who had a brief relationship with her white mother. Because of this, Hannah has always felt uncertain about part of her identity. When her father dies, she's invited to Nigeria for the funeral. Though she wants to hate the man who abandoned her, she's curious about who he was and where he was from. Searching for answers, Hannah boards a plane to Lagos, Nigeria.
In Banana Island, one of Nigeria's most affluent areas, Hannah meets the Jolades, her late father's prestigious family--some who accept her and some who think she doesn't belong. The days leading up to the funeral are chaotic, but Hannah is soon shaped by secrets that unfold, a culture she never thought she would understand or appreciate, and a man who steals her heart and helps her to see herself in a new light.
Hannah Bailey has never known her father, the Nigerian entrepreneur who had a brief relationship with her white mother. Because of this, Hannah has always felt uncertain about part of her identity. When her father dies, she's invited to Nigeria for the funeral. Though she wants to hate the man who abandoned her, she's curious about who he was and where he was from. Searching for answers, Hannah boards a plane to Lagos, Nigeria.
In Banana Island, one of Nigeria's most affluent areas, Hannah meets the Jolades, her late father's prestigious family--some who accept her and some who think she doesn't belong. The days leading up to the funeral are chaotic, but Hannah is soon shaped by secrets that unfold, a culture she never thought she would understand or appreciate, and a man who steals her heart and helps her to see herself in a new light.
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First published September 28, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 963 reviews
April 2, 2022
I honestly loved Jane Igharo’s Ties That Tether a lot! But this book exceeded my expectations! It was so much better! ( by the way I don’t know with whom the publishers work for the covers of author’s books! But I have to admit those covers are mind blowing art pieces!)
A woman’s reconnection with her roots and her biological father’s crowded and wealthy family in Nigeria: it’s semisweet, heartfelt, enjoyable, compelling, adventurous, self discovery journey!
This book is not only about main character. It is also narrated by each member of Jolades family! Hannah’s sisters Tiwa, Shola, Dami, her brother Segun and Hannah’s love interest Lawrence who is surprisingly a big part of family are the other narrators. So it’s unique experience to read their side of the story.
Main character/ our ferocious, hot blooded, tough, smart heroine Hannah, 29, article writer, volunteer for fundraising to give young girls better life opportunities. She’s raised by white, single, middle school children mother who gave her full attention, love and care. But now she finds out her Nigerian father she met when she was eight who is out of her life just died. And she is invited to the funeral. Her father’s lawyer already contacted with her mom.
She doesn’t want to fly to Nigeria and connect with her father’s own family. But when her mother insists, she finds herself on the plane, still having second thoughts, restless, worrying bout how the family of her father will react to meet with her!
Three things she didn’t consider when she is gonna confront with entire family:
1. Her entrepreneur father is member of Jolades clan and the family is truly rich and everything happens in the family is watched by paparazzis, gossip blogs.
2. Her father’s lawyer Dayo didn’t warn the family before she takes her first step to their mansion.
3. The hot guy, Lawrence she recently met at the event and had a quick but memorable conversation she’s made is standing alongside the crowd. Could he be also her step brother? Oh, hell no!
She has to look at the bright side! Yes, Lawrence is not her step brother! Thank God! Lawrence’s mother was working as cook of the family, raising her son alone and after she’s died when Lawrence was ten, Hannah’s father got him under his wings. Now he’s part of family business, working at the company alongside Hannah’s big sister Tiwa.
Hannah feels like she’s opened her eyes at brand new planet. She is still trying to absorb how to act around Jolade family.
Thankfully she finds Dami ( one of her sister who is famous D.J.) Lawrence and their grandma Iya Agba on her side, welcoming her with open arms. Her younger and only brother Segun acts neutral ( at least he doesn’t show any hospitality unlike the other members of the family), Shola-twin of Dami acts reserved, but her big sister Tiwa , her father’s wife Sade are definitely frustrated because of her sudden involvement in their family.
There’s only a week to the funeral. Hannah thinks she can handle to spend time with entire family. Maybe she can have a chance to connect with her roots, learning more about her Nigerian identity. Maybe she can learn the real reason why her father changed his mind and decided to welcome her to be a part of entire family?
And her undeniable attraction at Lawrence makes things a little soother but also more complicated!
Could she survive to deal with entire Jolades family or would she run back to San Francisco and reject to connect with them?
This is bittersweet, sentimental, heartfelt, tear jerking journey you shouldn’t miss it!
I’m rounding up my 4.5 stars to 5 family bounding, heart warming, Nigerian, sisterhood, lies, secrets, self discovery, self respect stars!
I’m looking forward to read next work of the author!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sharing this amazing review copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.
A woman’s reconnection with her roots and her biological father’s crowded and wealthy family in Nigeria: it’s semisweet, heartfelt, enjoyable, compelling, adventurous, self discovery journey!
This book is not only about main character. It is also narrated by each member of Jolades family! Hannah’s sisters Tiwa, Shola, Dami, her brother Segun and Hannah’s love interest Lawrence who is surprisingly a big part of family are the other narrators. So it’s unique experience to read their side of the story.
Main character/ our ferocious, hot blooded, tough, smart heroine Hannah, 29, article writer, volunteer for fundraising to give young girls better life opportunities. She’s raised by white, single, middle school children mother who gave her full attention, love and care. But now she finds out her Nigerian father she met when she was eight who is out of her life just died. And she is invited to the funeral. Her father’s lawyer already contacted with her mom.
She doesn’t want to fly to Nigeria and connect with her father’s own family. But when her mother insists, she finds herself on the plane, still having second thoughts, restless, worrying bout how the family of her father will react to meet with her!
Three things she didn’t consider when she is gonna confront with entire family:
1. Her entrepreneur father is member of Jolades clan and the family is truly rich and everything happens in the family is watched by paparazzis, gossip blogs.
2. Her father’s lawyer Dayo didn’t warn the family before she takes her first step to their mansion.
3. The hot guy, Lawrence she recently met at the event and had a quick but memorable conversation she’s made is standing alongside the crowd. Could he be also her step brother? Oh, hell no!
She has to look at the bright side! Yes, Lawrence is not her step brother! Thank God! Lawrence’s mother was working as cook of the family, raising her son alone and after she’s died when Lawrence was ten, Hannah’s father got him under his wings. Now he’s part of family business, working at the company alongside Hannah’s big sister Tiwa.
Hannah feels like she’s opened her eyes at brand new planet. She is still trying to absorb how to act around Jolade family.
Thankfully she finds Dami ( one of her sister who is famous D.J.) Lawrence and their grandma Iya Agba on her side, welcoming her with open arms. Her younger and only brother Segun acts neutral ( at least he doesn’t show any hospitality unlike the other members of the family), Shola-twin of Dami acts reserved, but her big sister Tiwa , her father’s wife Sade are definitely frustrated because of her sudden involvement in their family.
There’s only a week to the funeral. Hannah thinks she can handle to spend time with entire family. Maybe she can have a chance to connect with her roots, learning more about her Nigerian identity. Maybe she can learn the real reason why her father changed his mind and decided to welcome her to be a part of entire family?
And her undeniable attraction at Lawrence makes things a little soother but also more complicated!
Could she survive to deal with entire Jolades family or would she run back to San Francisco and reject to connect with them?
This is bittersweet, sentimental, heartfelt, tear jerking journey you shouldn’t miss it!
I’m rounding up my 4.5 stars to 5 family bounding, heart warming, Nigerian, sisterhood, lies, secrets, self discovery, self respect stars!
I’m looking forward to read next work of the author!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sharing this amazing review copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.
February 27, 2022
Some quick thoughts:
-I didn’t enjoy this one as much as Ties That Tether
-I liked Hannah as the protagonist, I feel like this story ended up feeling like more of a coming-of-age story for her, while the romance was in the background
-The romance was okay, I wasn’t obsessed
-It was kind of hard to follow on audio at first because I didn’t realize we were getting multiple POV’s I thought it was just Hannah’s and it’s all the same narrator, but once I was reading along with the physical copy it was easier to follow, but I don’t think we needed all the POV’s
-The fact that is has so many POV’s just goes to show that this is more of a story about siblings as opposed to a romance
-I liked learning more about Nigeria and the culture there, I always learn so much, like when they have funerals they don’t often wear black unless the person died young
-Maybe I did a disservice to this book by reading it when I felt a reading slump coming on but I also don’t feel like it would’ve changed my opinion on the story
I included this book in a romance reading vlog I did here: https://youtu.be/eQNXgEKbdWY
-I didn’t enjoy this one as much as Ties That Tether
-I liked Hannah as the protagonist, I feel like this story ended up feeling like more of a coming-of-age story for her, while the romance was in the background
-The romance was okay, I wasn’t obsessed
-It was kind of hard to follow on audio at first because I didn’t realize we were getting multiple POV’s I thought it was just Hannah’s and it’s all the same narrator, but once I was reading along with the physical copy it was easier to follow, but I don’t think we needed all the POV’s
-The fact that is has so many POV’s just goes to show that this is more of a story about siblings as opposed to a romance
-I liked learning more about Nigeria and the culture there, I always learn so much, like when they have funerals they don’t often wear black unless the person died young
-Maybe I did a disservice to this book by reading it when I felt a reading slump coming on but I also don’t feel like it would’ve changed my opinion on the story
I included this book in a romance reading vlog I did here: https://youtu.be/eQNXgEKbdWY
September 12, 2021
Because I got this through Book of the Month and it was labeled “contemporary literature,” I assumed it would be a book of more depth—a meaningful family drama. It is, instead, written like a YA romance with some Family Issues thrown in. There is no real lasting conflict and all the characters are flat. If you are looking for a light, easy to read romance, this is your book!
October 13, 2021
my five star book
I LOVED THIS BOOK!!
Everything about this book was amazing so many emotions, swoon romance, and realistic family drama.
The audiobook was excellent too!! Love the narrator!!
TW: death of a parent, grief
I LOVED THIS BOOK!!
Everything about this book was amazing so many emotions, swoon romance, and realistic family drama.
The audiobook was excellent too!! Love the narrator!!
TW: death of a parent, grief
November 28, 2024
This was a pleasant surprise, and definitely the feel-good romance I needed for the holiday season. Don't get me wrong, there is still plenty of racism and generational trauma, but that's just my cup of tea. Or is it a pot?
Hannah is biracial. While the mother that raised her is white, her long lost father is Nigerian. Growing up, she met him once. She doesn't hear about him again until he passes, when she is invited to Nigeria to meet her half-siblings.
As always when there is cheating involved, things get a little awkward. Some of Hannah's siblings are very welcoming. Tiwa is not. And that's fine, because once we learn more about her, we realize there are some underlying things there.
I know romance is romance, especially written from the eyes of a woman, but I loved how comfortable Lawrence was with himself. He saw Hannah, was into it, fell fast, fell hard, and told her.
A romance wouldn't be a romance without a third-act breakup, and while I hate the trope, it wasn't terribly overdone here. To be fair, part of Hannah's inheritance is a shock. I wouldn't have taken it well, either, whether I were her, or her newly discovered family.
📖 Thank you to Goodreads and Berkley
Hannah is biracial. While the mother that raised her is white, her long lost father is Nigerian. Growing up, she met him once. She doesn't hear about him again until he passes, when she is invited to Nigeria to meet her half-siblings.
As always when there is cheating involved, things get a little awkward. Some of Hannah's siblings are very welcoming. Tiwa is not. And that's fine, because once we learn more about her, we realize there are some underlying things there.
I know romance is romance, especially written from the eyes of a woman, but I loved how comfortable Lawrence was with himself. He saw Hannah, was into it, fell fast, fell hard, and told her.
A romance wouldn't be a romance without a third-act breakup, and while I hate the trope, it wasn't terribly overdone here. To be fair, part of Hannah's inheritance is a shock. I wouldn't have taken it well, either, whether I were her, or her newly discovered family.
📖 Thank you to Goodreads and Berkley
June 12, 2022
I really enjoyed this read. I loved learning more about the Nigerian culture through Hannah's eyes. I also loved the family aspect and the blended family at that. Very heartwarming and engaging read.
November 6, 2021
I'm not going to lie. I took a huge risk by deciding to read The Sweetest Remedy because I wasn't a huge fan of Igharo's first book, but she did something completely different with this book that I really enjoyed. 3.5 Stars
The Sweetest Remedy is Igharo's second book and takes on a completely different tone and style than her first book. This novel focuses Hannah, who is White and Nigerian, as she attempts to reconnect with her Nigerian family after her father passes away. When she arrives in Nigeria for the funeral, she has the opportunity meet her four other siblings for the first time. Unfortunately, Dami, Shola, Tiwa, and Segun had no idea that she existed prior to the death of their father. What follows is an interesting look at family dynamics and expectations.
Probably one of the most intriguing aspects of this book is the writing style. Igharo writes this book from the perspective of all of the siblings, Hannah, as well as Hannah's love interest Lawrence. At first, I didn't think the narrative style worked that well; however, I found that it allowed for better character development and better insight to how the death of their father impacted each of them. It also provides better insight to how they view Hannah and the fact that she was kept a secret from them their entire lives. Igharo also does an excellent incorporating conversations related to identity and culture. It was something that I enjoyed about her first book and it definitely carried over to this book.
While I’ve seen quite a few people classify or categorize this book as a romance, it felt less like a romance to me and more like an exploration of family dynamics with a romantic element. The way that Hannah developed a relationship with her siblings, came to terms with being both White and Nigerian, and recognized the racial implications of how her mother is treated is more important than the romance that exists between her and Lawrence. Readers to get to see quite a bit of them on page; however, I wasn't invested in their relationship. It wasn't that they weren't a good match, but the family dynamics were more interesting. Learning how grief, disappointment, shock, and anger shaped their relationships with each other really made me connect with the novel in a different way. Honestly, I could have enjoyed this book without the romantic element.
Overall, I'm glad that I enjoyed this book much better. It's given me some encouragement to pick up Igharo's third book which releases next year.
The Sweetest Remedy is Igharo's second book and takes on a completely different tone and style than her first book. This novel focuses Hannah, who is White and Nigerian, as she attempts to reconnect with her Nigerian family after her father passes away. When she arrives in Nigeria for the funeral, she has the opportunity meet her four other siblings for the first time. Unfortunately, Dami, Shola, Tiwa, and Segun had no idea that she existed prior to the death of their father. What follows is an interesting look at family dynamics and expectations.
Probably one of the most intriguing aspects of this book is the writing style. Igharo writes this book from the perspective of all of the siblings, Hannah, as well as Hannah's love interest Lawrence. At first, I didn't think the narrative style worked that well; however, I found that it allowed for better character development and better insight to how the death of their father impacted each of them. It also provides better insight to how they view Hannah and the fact that she was kept a secret from them their entire lives. Igharo also does an excellent incorporating conversations related to identity and culture. It was something that I enjoyed about her first book and it definitely carried over to this book.
While I’ve seen quite a few people classify or categorize this book as a romance, it felt less like a romance to me and more like an exploration of family dynamics with a romantic element. The way that Hannah developed a relationship with her siblings, came to terms with being both White and Nigerian, and recognized the racial implications of how her mother is treated is more important than the romance that exists between her and Lawrence. Readers to get to see quite a bit of them on page; however, I wasn't invested in their relationship. It wasn't that they weren't a good match, but the family dynamics were more interesting. Learning how grief, disappointment, shock, and anger shaped their relationships with each other really made me connect with the novel in a different way. Honestly, I could have enjoyed this book without the romantic element.
Overall, I'm glad that I enjoyed this book much better. It's given me some encouragement to pick up Igharo's third book which releases next year.
November 27, 2021
3.8⭐️
This was a great story! I was actually invested. Trying to get accepted into a family and a culture at the same time sounds like a lot, and it was illustrated perfectly in this book. I liked the forbidden/secret romance going on in the book, and this was actually also funny at times. Lawrence and Hannah were also cute. I liked that Hannah stood up for herself when it was time to do so. I think the reason why I didn’t give this even 4 stars because…I’m sorry but the writing was corny. I just, I cringed sometimes okay. But again it was still a great story, and I would definitely give it a read.
‼️SPOILERS‼️
I hated how they some of them *cough* Tiwa *cough* treated Hannah. Come on now? Did she create herself? And then when they “bonded” I— Sorry Igharo, I wasn’t convinced. You know when Hannah discovers Tiwa and Dayo, I was like yes, now tell everyone. Yes, I stooped that low guys.
This was a great story! I was actually invested. Trying to get accepted into a family and a culture at the same time sounds like a lot, and it was illustrated perfectly in this book. I liked the forbidden/secret romance going on in the book, and this was actually also funny at times. Lawrence and Hannah were also cute. I liked that Hannah stood up for herself when it was time to do so. I think the reason why I didn’t give this even 4 stars because…I’m sorry but the writing was corny. I just, I cringed sometimes okay. But again it was still a great story, and I would definitely give it a read.
‼️SPOILERS‼️
I hated how they some of them *cough* Tiwa *cough* treated Hannah. Come on now? Did she create herself? And then when they “bonded” I— Sorry Igharo, I wasn’t convinced. You know when Hannah discovers Tiwa and Dayo, I was like yes, now tell everyone. Yes, I stooped that low guys.
January 23, 2022
While I would recommend this book to someone looking for a lighthearted easy romance it wasn’t quite what I was looking for. I wanted way more family drama and less romance, honestly. It seemed like every conflict got resolved way too quickly and it all stayed pretty surface level, when the concept gave a lot of room for it to dig a little deeper. The main character also seemed like she had way too much therapy or something with how fast she was able to forgive family for lying to her and treating her horribly. It was unrealistic in my opinion how fast she forgave her mom and aunt. Overall i think I would be way more excited about the Netflix romcom that should be made from this book than the book itself.
Read
February 6, 2022DNF @ 75%
I...couldn't do it anymore, y'all. I didn't care about anything happening. This is labeled a romance but it has the POV of people who habe nothing to do with the main relationship, the actual romance is only like 30% of it and even then I struggled to buy into it and feel the chemistry, and I think them not having enough on page time played a big role in that. I also did not care about the petty quabbeling between hannah and tiwa and feel like it was too drawn out and childish. At the end of the day, I feel like the author was trying to achieve too many things with this story and fell short on most.
I...couldn't do it anymore, y'all. I didn't care about anything happening. This is labeled a romance but it has the POV of people who habe nothing to do with the main relationship, the actual romance is only like 30% of it and even then I struggled to buy into it and feel the chemistry, and I think them not having enough on page time played a big role in that. I also did not care about the petty quabbeling between hannah and tiwa and feel like it was too drawn out and childish. At the end of the day, I feel like the author was trying to achieve too many things with this story and fell short on most.
August 6, 2023
The Sweetest Remedy is cute. I was not expecting how good the writing is. Both Hannah and Lawrence are sweet characters.
My first read by Miss Igharo.
The main story is about family and Nigeria culture. I wish Miss Igharo can combine these 2 aspects more profoundly into her story. Lawrence and Hannah relationship needs to be more center point. I like the other supporting characters too.
4 stars
My first read by Miss Igharo.
The main story is about family and Nigeria culture. I wish Miss Igharo can combine these 2 aspects more profoundly into her story. Lawrence and Hannah relationship needs to be more center point. I like the other supporting characters too.
4 stars
Read
April 24, 2023Somewhere between romance and women's fiction / coming of age (Hannah is 28, but acts younger honestly). Hannah's absent father was a rich Nigerian businessman; his death takes her to Lagos to meet her half-siblings and also gorgeous friend of the family Lawrence. It's as much about the family relationships as the romantic one, with lots of high octane behaviour and soap-style confrontations, and much emotion sloshing round. Vivid description, lively plotting, highly readable fun.
October 22, 2021
Despite my rather low rating, I'm grateful to the publisher for sending this my way as I don't think I would've picked it up on my own. In fact, I don't think I had even stumbled across it before, despite that absolutely eye-catching and stunning cover (seriously, so pretty).
Low rating notwithstanding, I do think this story will mean a lot to people who connect with the story about discovering one's identity -- how it can be shaped by culture and family but how, ultimately, it's up to the individual to decide who they will be -- and (or!) those longing not only for a romance set in Nigeria but also featuring Nigerian culture.
Where I think this failed, for me, was that there wasn't a whole lot of depth. We got teased with some, glimpses of it, when discussion around Hannah's search for a community, for her people, for how she fit within a culture she was never exposed to, came up. But so much of the focus of the story was on a romance I never bought into, that had little to no chemistry, as well as the drama surrounding Hannah's introduction to a group of siblings, and some extended family, that were unaware of her existence until their father had died. These interactions, too, lacked depth. They were either antagonistic or immediately friendly.
While at first I thought the addition of POVs for the siblings, and the love interest, would be helpful to round out these characters, and this family, ultimately it didn't add much at all. And I'm left wondering why we even had them to begin with.
All of this, however, I think could've been helped by different writing. I found Igharo's voice to be very.. formal, almost stilted or distant, and so there wasn't any emotional resonance to this situation that should've been incredibly emotional. Hannah, especially, felt like a filler character in the sense that she just felt.. bland? Other than when she stormed out of emotional reveals or betrayals, she just blankly seemed to go with the flow and have no real personality. Which, in hindsight, is also kind of true for the rest. The only thing that made them standout were they all had very distinct archetypes.. which doesn't necessarily mean they had personality. Hm. That's a bummer of a realization.
Having said that, the one exception, the one piece that really worked for me, was Hannah's relationship with her mother. Somehow, despite my struggle with Hannah as a character, I felt that bond, and I appreciated the strength in writing them that way considering Hannah's search for the other half of herself was something her white mother couldn't relate to. But she supported Hannah nonetheless. I thought that was lovely.
While this read wasn't a win for me, I do want to try the author again, as I'm not quite ready to write her off as a bad fit -- here's hoping, despite my struggle with her writing, I have better luck with a different premise.
** I received an unsolicited finished copy from the publisher (thank you!) and this in no way influenced my review. **
---
This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
Low rating notwithstanding, I do think this story will mean a lot to people who connect with the story about discovering one's identity -- how it can be shaped by culture and family but how, ultimately, it's up to the individual to decide who they will be -- and (or!) those longing not only for a romance set in Nigeria but also featuring Nigerian culture.
Where I think this failed, for me, was that there wasn't a whole lot of depth. We got teased with some, glimpses of it, when discussion around Hannah's search for a community, for her people, for how she fit within a culture she was never exposed to, came up. But so much of the focus of the story was on a romance I never bought into, that had little to no chemistry, as well as the drama surrounding Hannah's introduction to a group of siblings, and some extended family, that were unaware of her existence until their father had died. These interactions, too, lacked depth. They were either antagonistic or immediately friendly.
While at first I thought the addition of POVs for the siblings, and the love interest, would be helpful to round out these characters, and this family, ultimately it didn't add much at all. And I'm left wondering why we even had them to begin with.
All of this, however, I think could've been helped by different writing. I found Igharo's voice to be very.. formal, almost stilted or distant, and so there wasn't any emotional resonance to this situation that should've been incredibly emotional. Hannah, especially, felt like a filler character in the sense that she just felt.. bland? Other than when she stormed out of emotional reveals or betrayals, she just blankly seemed to go with the flow and have no real personality. Which, in hindsight, is also kind of true for the rest. The only thing that made them standout were they all had very distinct archetypes.. which doesn't necessarily mean they had personality. Hm. That's a bummer of a realization.
Having said that, the one exception, the one piece that really worked for me, was Hannah's relationship with her mother. Somehow, despite my struggle with Hannah as a character, I felt that bond, and I appreciated the strength in writing them that way considering Hannah's search for the other half of herself was something her white mother couldn't relate to. But she supported Hannah nonetheless. I thought that was lovely.
While this read wasn't a win for me, I do want to try the author again, as I'm not quite ready to write her off as a bad fit -- here's hoping, despite my struggle with her writing, I have better luck with a different premise.
** I received an unsolicited finished copy from the publisher (thank you!) and this in no way influenced my review. **
---
This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
December 27, 2021
2.5 stars
The thing is….this wasn’t enough of a romance for me. And listen, it was a pretty good NA fiction novel, but if you’re looking for something that has a little more flavor this isn’t it. It wanted to be a romance while also having ten povs + going heavy on the family drama and I couldn’t find any of these characters believable. The conflict was plain, boring and characters behaved childishly and changed their minds way too quickly without any buildup. Even when they argued the dialogue felt very forced and staged.
The romance was basically instalove, from the moment they meet they already think about each other in a romantic way. I thought they were cute but I also couldn’t really feel the chemistry between them. Except from being part of the same family I don’t think they have anything else in common, so I couldn’t root for them.
One thing I liked is the writing style, this author has a very quick and stylish way of writing that helps with building the right atmosphere. The Nigerian setting was incredibly interesting, I love that this book shows the divide between rich and poor while still remaining a light fiction novel.
In conclusion, this story was super forgettable and apart from the culture I didn’t really enjoy anything else. It bored me instead of giving me the feels I was looking for.
I still recommend this book to people that have read and loved Honey Girl. Both of them gave me the same vibes even if they center around completely different struggles.
The thing is….this wasn’t enough of a romance for me. And listen, it was a pretty good NA fiction novel, but if you’re looking for something that has a little more flavor this isn’t it. It wanted to be a romance while also having ten povs + going heavy on the family drama and I couldn’t find any of these characters believable. The conflict was plain, boring and characters behaved childishly and changed their minds way too quickly without any buildup. Even when they argued the dialogue felt very forced and staged.
The romance was basically instalove, from the moment they meet they already think about each other in a romantic way. I thought they were cute but I also couldn’t really feel the chemistry between them. Except from being part of the same family I don’t think they have anything else in common, so I couldn’t root for them.
One thing I liked is the writing style, this author has a very quick and stylish way of writing that helps with building the right atmosphere. The Nigerian setting was incredibly interesting, I love that this book shows the divide between rich and poor while still remaining a light fiction novel.
In conclusion, this story was super forgettable and apart from the culture I didn’t really enjoy anything else. It bored me instead of giving me the feels I was looking for.
I still recommend this book to people that have read and loved Honey Girl. Both of them gave me the same vibes even if they center around completely different struggles.
September 25, 2021
I wanted to love this book so bad but I truly hated it. I think the worst thing for me was the author’s lack of trust in the reader in a way. Like…anytime something happened, instead of trusting that we’d understand, the author would explain why it did. So if someone makes a look after a particular moment, it would be explained in detail by the narrator. Instead of letting me read the book, see the movie in my head, and put the pieces together myself. It’s like it was written for children but then not? I don’t know. It was so frustratingly annoying. Probably the biggest flaw of the novel. The second major flaw was the character arcs. They were very weak. And random. Tension for no real apparent reason. Forgiveness out of nowhere. Dramatic introspective reflection from certain characters just for the sake of it. Yikes.
I wouldn’t recommend this book tbh im sorry :/
I wouldn’t recommend this book tbh im sorry :/
January 4, 2026
2023 reads: 243/350
2023 tbr: 49/100
hannah never knew her father, but, with the insistence of her mother, decides to travel to his home in nigeria to meet his family and attend his funeral. though she doesn’t want to grant the wishes of the man who abandoned her and her mother, she’s eager to learn more about this part of her identity. she learns so much about nigeria and her family there, and even finds love.
i’ve been so excited for this book ever since seeing this beautiful cover. then, last month, i read (and loved!) ties that tether by this same author, so i was even more excited for this book. needless to say, the sweetest remedy did not disappoint. i loved the family dynamics in this so much. some of hannah’s relatives are quick to accept her, whereas others need more time. i loved how we got to see side characters’ growth in addition to hannah’s and lawrence’s.
i would recommend this to any adult romance fan.
2023 tbr: 49/100
hannah never knew her father, but, with the insistence of her mother, decides to travel to his home in nigeria to meet his family and attend his funeral. though she doesn’t want to grant the wishes of the man who abandoned her and her mother, she’s eager to learn more about this part of her identity. she learns so much about nigeria and her family there, and even finds love.
i’ve been so excited for this book ever since seeing this beautiful cover. then, last month, i read (and loved!) ties that tether by this same author, so i was even more excited for this book. needless to say, the sweetest remedy did not disappoint. i loved the family dynamics in this so much. some of hannah’s relatives are quick to accept her, whereas others need more time. i loved how we got to see side characters’ growth in addition to hannah’s and lawrence’s.
i would recommend this to any adult romance fan.
May 17, 2022
There’s a sweet romance blossoming behind the scenes of sticky family drama between Hannah and her siblings, fact is, they were never told about Hannah’s existence.
You see, Hannah has only just met her half-sibs for the first time at their fathers funeral in Nigeria.
A little background; Hannah lives in the US where she was raised by her single white mother, who had an affair with her Nigerian father. He left town when she became pregnant with Hannah. He was also very married (unbeknownst to Hannah’s mom).. with a family, and although he was an absent father, he did pay to support Hannah.
This story delves into Hannah finding her identity, discovering found family, and opening herself up fully to a possible love connection. Jane Igharo also gave us an insiders view of Nigerian culture and traditions. I found it all so fascinating. I read and also enjoyed Ties That Tether, highly recommending both!!
You see, Hannah has only just met her half-sibs for the first time at their fathers funeral in Nigeria.
A little background; Hannah lives in the US where she was raised by her single white mother, who had an affair with her Nigerian father. He left town when she became pregnant with Hannah. He was also very married (unbeknownst to Hannah’s mom).. with a family, and although he was an absent father, he did pay to support Hannah.
This story delves into Hannah finding her identity, discovering found family, and opening herself up fully to a possible love connection. Jane Igharo also gave us an insiders view of Nigerian culture and traditions. I found it all so fascinating. I read and also enjoyed Ties That Tether, highly recommending both!!
September 27, 2021
2.5 stars
It started out sweet but soon became flat.
It started out sweet but soon became flat.
September 30, 2021
4 1/2 "I am enough." Stars!
This is a fantastic story of finding yourself and having the bonus of finding a family. I loved the multiple points of view. Very good. Happy reading!
This is a fantastic story of finding yourself and having the bonus of finding a family. I loved the multiple points of view. Very good. Happy reading!
October 1, 2021
I went into The Sweetest Remedy apparently thinking it was a romantic comedy. This book is totally not that. It is a romance-ish book but the stronger themes to me were family and forgiveness. These characters were so well developed and they had realistic faults that I could totally wrap my head around. I finished this book in a day I was that enamored with it. I cried and smiled and overall just loved it.
November 10, 2021
3.5 stars! I enjoyed it but this book was more family focused and filled with a lot of heavy drama involving a dad who showed up but ultimately wasn't welcome etc. And her dealing with an extended family she knew nothing about.
October 8, 2021
The Sweetest Remedy
By Jane Igharo
Hannah Bailey's estranged father with whom had a brief relationship with her white mother passes away. Curious as to the nature of the other side of her family, she travels to Lagos, Nigeria to see for herself and learn more about the father who left them. What she gets is an eye opening scenario about the wealthy Jolades family, and we are treated to a wonderful story from all sides of the family.
This is a story with as much complex family dynamics as you can get and the drama just keeps piling up, which means a book that is very hard to put down. In a bittersweet, heart wrenching and heartfelt story, Igharo delivered a winning story about love and family.
The Sweetest Remedy is a gripping story that was a quick read for me and hard to put down.
By Jane Igharo
Hannah Bailey's estranged father with whom had a brief relationship with her white mother passes away. Curious as to the nature of the other side of her family, she travels to Lagos, Nigeria to see for herself and learn more about the father who left them. What she gets is an eye opening scenario about the wealthy Jolades family, and we are treated to a wonderful story from all sides of the family.
This is a story with as much complex family dynamics as you can get and the drama just keeps piling up, which means a book that is very hard to put down. In a bittersweet, heart wrenching and heartfelt story, Igharo delivered a winning story about love and family.
The Sweetest Remedy is a gripping story that was a quick read for me and hard to put down.
October 15, 2021
Five fabulous stars! Thank you Penguin Canada for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Ok, this book is NOT as spicy as Jane’s first book was, but I honestly love this sophomore novel! It does not disappoint at all. I loved everything, and it made me cry!
The root of the novel is self-esteem, self-love, self-discovery, and family. Hannah achieves all this and more throughout her trip to Nigeria.
I literally have nothing negative to say about this book. It definitely had a lot of comedy, a good amount of romance, and the right amount of heartache. Such a beautiful story that everyone needs to read!
Ok, this book is NOT as spicy as Jane’s first book was, but I honestly love this sophomore novel! It does not disappoint at all. I loved everything, and it made me cry!
The root of the novel is self-esteem, self-love, self-discovery, and family. Hannah achieves all this and more throughout her trip to Nigeria.
I literally have nothing negative to say about this book. It definitely had a lot of comedy, a good amount of romance, and the right amount of heartache. Such a beautiful story that everyone needs to read!
Want to read
August 4, 2021I loved Ties That Tether, so I am ready for this one!
October 27, 2021
Just like Igharo’s debut, The Sweetest Remedy was so much more than a romance.
This was such a heartfelt story that explores identity, family, and love.
Our biracial (half white, half Nigerian) MC Hannah was raised by her white mother and never grew up knowing her father or her Nigerian heritage. Her mother tried to teach her, but it just wasn’t the same thing.
The sudden death of her father brings her to Nigeria where she begins to learn about both the culture and family she never knew.
From start to finish, I fell in love with this story. As someone who is biracial, I immediately gravitated towards Hannah’s character and the struggles that she faces as someone who is an outsider to two different cultures.
I loved everything Hannah’s time in Nigeria and the breakdown of American ignorance when it comes to the lush and rich heritage of Nigeria. Also, I wanted to eat everything described.
I know there are some gripes that the love story was Instalove, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. The family drama was top notch as well.
Thank you Berkley for a review copy. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.
This was such a heartfelt story that explores identity, family, and love.
Our biracial (half white, half Nigerian) MC Hannah was raised by her white mother and never grew up knowing her father or her Nigerian heritage. Her mother tried to teach her, but it just wasn’t the same thing.
The sudden death of her father brings her to Nigeria where she begins to learn about both the culture and family she never knew.
From start to finish, I fell in love with this story. As someone who is biracial, I immediately gravitated towards Hannah’s character and the struggles that she faces as someone who is an outsider to two different cultures.
I loved everything Hannah’s time in Nigeria and the breakdown of American ignorance when it comes to the lush and rich heritage of Nigeria. Also, I wanted to eat everything described.
I know there are some gripes that the love story was Instalove, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. The family drama was top notch as well.
Thank you Berkley for a review copy. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.
September 29, 2021
Jane Igharo writes an excellent sophomore novel about how Hannah Bailey meets her Nigerian family after her father's death. Hannah grew up knowing of her father, but did not know very much about his life in Africa. One of the things she was unware of is that she has siblings. If she already hadn't felt abandoned by him all of her life, discovering her half siblings - two sisters and a brother - certainly cemented those feelings.
Hannah has seven days to spend in Nigeria and in that time she will be forced to rush getting to know the Jolades, her father's family there. The family is wealthy - literally, but also rich with regard to tradition and culture. Not sure she will be accepted, Hannah is forced to spend time with them in order to meet the requirements of the will.
Her trip is made a bit easier by the presence of Lawrence. Hannah originally met Lawrence at a cocktail party in San Francisco. While at the party they both received important phone calls. Surprisingly, those phone calls took both them to Banana Island in Nigeria, albeit separately, which was Hannah's father's homeland. She soon discovers Lawrence's connection to her extended family. But, Hannah also realizes something else. His presence means quite a lot to her. Not only does he do an excellent job of helping her connect with her family, but there is an open door of warmth and affection between them.
This entertaining read shares a mix of two cultures, as Hannah's mother is white. All of her life she knew she was mixed, but now she has the opportunity to explore the other side of her family, although she does experience some conflicts. One thing Hannah definitely has going for her is her very close relationship with her mother. No doubt she would rather enjoy developing a close relationship with her half-siblings. The ride might be bumpy, but Hannah is definitely up for the challenge.
While Hannah is getting to know her family, she clearly sees that wealth does not always equal happiness and that she is not the only one going through changes. I loved the connection Hannah made with her family and that it wasn't all easy and simple acceptance. To sum it all up, The Sweetest Remedy was a heartwarming and engaging read rich with wonderful characters.
Many thanks to Berkley and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Hannah has seven days to spend in Nigeria and in that time she will be forced to rush getting to know the Jolades, her father's family there. The family is wealthy - literally, but also rich with regard to tradition and culture. Not sure she will be accepted, Hannah is forced to spend time with them in order to meet the requirements of the will.
Her trip is made a bit easier by the presence of Lawrence. Hannah originally met Lawrence at a cocktail party in San Francisco. While at the party they both received important phone calls. Surprisingly, those phone calls took both them to Banana Island in Nigeria, albeit separately, which was Hannah's father's homeland. She soon discovers Lawrence's connection to her extended family. But, Hannah also realizes something else. His presence means quite a lot to her. Not only does he do an excellent job of helping her connect with her family, but there is an open door of warmth and affection between them.
This entertaining read shares a mix of two cultures, as Hannah's mother is white. All of her life she knew she was mixed, but now she has the opportunity to explore the other side of her family, although she does experience some conflicts. One thing Hannah definitely has going for her is her very close relationship with her mother. No doubt she would rather enjoy developing a close relationship with her half-siblings. The ride might be bumpy, but Hannah is definitely up for the challenge.
While Hannah is getting to know her family, she clearly sees that wealth does not always equal happiness and that she is not the only one going through changes. I loved the connection Hannah made with her family and that it wasn't all easy and simple acceptance. To sum it all up, The Sweetest Remedy was a heartwarming and engaging read rich with wonderful characters.
Many thanks to Berkley and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
September 22, 2021
THIS IS SO WELL DONE.
It's a beautiful story that's ultimately about self-love, but also finding love romantically and within a family our main character never thought she'd have a connection with. Hannah's estranged father passes away, but she is invited to his funeral in Nigeria because all he wanted was for all his children to eventually meet and take care of each other. This family works together to welcome Hannah, and some members are more accepting than others. Nevertheless, they are all grieving the death of their father in different ways, and Hannah's time in Nigeria teaches her several things about herself and the meanings of various forms of love. The familial drama is so well-written, there's a forbidden romance, there's a budding romance, there are secrets, and there's a lot of self-discovery. I absolutely adored this story, and I will read anything Jane Igharo writes.
It's a beautiful story that's ultimately about self-love, but also finding love romantically and within a family our main character never thought she'd have a connection with. Hannah's estranged father passes away, but she is invited to his funeral in Nigeria because all he wanted was for all his children to eventually meet and take care of each other. This family works together to welcome Hannah, and some members are more accepting than others. Nevertheless, they are all grieving the death of their father in different ways, and Hannah's time in Nigeria teaches her several things about herself and the meanings of various forms of love. The familial drama is so well-written, there's a forbidden romance, there's a budding romance, there are secrets, and there's a lot of self-discovery. I absolutely adored this story, and I will read anything Jane Igharo writes.
October 5, 2021
Una historia agradable de nuevos comienzos y encontrar una familia donde menos te lo esperas, me gusta los temas de las culturas que trata esta autora, y la portada es bellisima.
October 13, 2021
Much like Ties That Tether, I was captivated almost immediately. I’d say this is a story surrounding family foremost, but the romance is really sweet, too.
After finding out that her estranged father has passed, Hannah is requested to attend his funeral in Nigeria. Navigating where she belongs as a biracial sibling in the Jolades family, Hannah is continually pulled in different directions of those that accept her and those that don’t.
There she meets Lawrence—I really loved exploring two different upbringings in Nigeria through his experiences in life. In a way, the romance acts more like a support for Hannah within the story than a conflict, which I found refreshing.
And let me say, secrets are revealed and tension is high! Throughout all the pressure placed on her, I loved the way Hannah stood up for herself. This story is told through each sibling, making it such a well-rounded family drama. I will officially read anything Jane Igharo writes.
After finding out that her estranged father has passed, Hannah is requested to attend his funeral in Nigeria. Navigating where she belongs as a biracial sibling in the Jolades family, Hannah is continually pulled in different directions of those that accept her and those that don’t.
There she meets Lawrence—I really loved exploring two different upbringings in Nigeria through his experiences in life. In a way, the romance acts more like a support for Hannah within the story than a conflict, which I found refreshing.
And let me say, secrets are revealed and tension is high! Throughout all the pressure placed on her, I loved the way Hannah stood up for herself. This story is told through each sibling, making it such a well-rounded family drama. I will officially read anything Jane Igharo writes.
December 1, 2021
3.5 stars
I liked The Sweetest Remedy, but it just wasn't my favorite. I really enjoyed Jane Igharo's other book Ties that Tether and while I thought The Sweetest Remedy was good, I wish there was more of it to read. I think one of the issues was that it went by really fast. I guess it was because the whole funeral and prep and whatnot would take a week or two but, the whole development and the way it was written just wasn't the strongest. So while I like this, it isn't something that was remarkable. It also felt more of a contemporary fiction with a hint of romance because the romance between Hannah and Lawrence, while cute and there was chemistry, it wasn't the top priority as it sounded in the synopsis. But still a pretty good read.
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I liked The Sweetest Remedy, but it just wasn't my favorite. I really enjoyed Jane Igharo's other book Ties that Tether and while I thought The Sweetest Remedy was good, I wish there was more of it to read. I think one of the issues was that it went by really fast. I guess it was because the whole funeral and prep and whatnot would take a week or two but, the whole development and the way it was written just wasn't the strongest. So while I like this, it isn't something that was remarkable. It also felt more of a contemporary fiction with a hint of romance because the romance between Hannah and Lawrence, while cute and there was chemistry, it wasn't the top priority as it sounded in the synopsis. But still a pretty good read.
Find me on:
My Blog | My BookTube | My Book Club | Instagram | Twitter
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