Really enjoyed this book about Yinka and her quest for true & everlasting love. Her mum wants that too for Yinka and is a bit too full on about it; reminding Yinka at every opportunity that she is still single and when is she going to find a husband???

Her cousin gets engaged and so begins Yinka's quest/mission to find the One! Her Plus One!

Mission being the operative word as she attacks the problem with precision and uses her operational managerial skills to solve this. Post its are used to set Objectives, KPI's etc. Is she approaching this too clinically?

The mission causes family arguments, fallings out and upset, yet Yinka continues with her strategic plan. - you will love the characters in the book and how successful Yinka is in her search for her true love..

Of course there are reasons why her mum and aunties are so keen for her to find a husband and all is revealed but at the end it's the realisation and strength of Yinka's character that wins the day.

I recommend you read this book, you'll just love Yinka and her family.

I loved learning more about the British Nigerian culture through reading this book. It was well-written and entertaining. I understand the comparisons to Bridget Jones; and as someone perpetually single I can relate. I did find the plot somewhat predictable although it’s good to be right sometimes! A solid 3.5 and would be happy to recommend it.

hank you to Lou at Viking Books for the invitation to the tour and for my copy of the proof in return for a fair and honest review.

This book was just the therapy I needed. Funny, quick witted and desperate to fit the model that her family want her to, we meet Yinka. Yinka is a thirtysomething who has a good job at a bank but to her mother and Nigerian aunties dismay she is still single.

At her sister’s baby shower she is prayed for by an auntie so that she finds her a husband and after the total humiliation of this, she decides that she is going to get herself a date before Rachel’s wedding. Her Aunt Debbie introduces her to Alex who has recently moved to London and she thinks he may be the one. So she embraces her Nigerian heritage to impress him.

This is such a funny, engaging and heartwarming book. I loved Yinka, but I wanted to shout at her, ‘you are lovely as you are’ as she tries to make herself what she thinks a husband will want. I loved the characters in the book, the strong female friendships and I enjoyed reading about her culture, family and the bonds they have.

It is an absolute joy of a read, and I have already been recommending Yinka who is like a Bridget Jones figure, as she navigates the world with difficulty and her own self worth. I totally, totally loved it !

5 stars *****

Loved this! Yinka is such a likable and relatable character. What I thought was going to be a light-hearted romcom turned out to be a much deeper exploration of the pressures on a single woman in her 30s to get married. Tired of the constant questioning from her various aunties of "where is your husband?" Yinka sets out on a mission to find herself a date for her cousin's upcoming wedding. Full of big characters, funny moments, and a whole lot of heart, Yinka realises she actually needs to find herself first.

Okay this book was absolutely amazing! I couldn’t put it down, it was laugh out loud funny but also held such a big messege. I really reasonated with Yinka on many levels and this is definitely a book I’m glad I read.

I felt like this was about me!. I cannot recommend this book enough.

Yinka is a truly relatable character! A career that isn’t going well? struggling to find the one? toxic relationships? insecurities? There is something that Yinka is going through that everyone can relate too.

Yinka isn’t your classic badass heroine, instead she is a modern day warrior who remains resilient and willing to look in the mirror and challenge herself, with some help, of course.

This was a truly wonderful book that I will be recommending to friends.

Thank you Ellie Hudson at
Penguin Random House UK for the opportunity to read this enlightening novel.

Yinka is a single, career girl from London and is surrounded by smug marrieds and is regularly prayed for by her mum & aunties to find a huzband.
She has many obstacles to overcome and find self love, whilst facing dilemmas facing her career and friends.
I loved following her antics and wished to give her a talking to at times followed by a hug.
The book is brutally honest about Yinka’s lack of confidence and trying to “fit in” and complying to society but her courage and integrity shines through.
A great read!

Although along the lines of a popular plot theme at the moment, this book goes well beyond a twenty-something ‘finding herself’ storyline with avenues of friendship, family, colourism and insecurity. Blackburn’s portrayal of many different tricky subjects shows great research and I found myself hooked throughout Yinka’s journey.

I appreciated the level of detail of the characters and in such a short space of time, Blackburn was able each individual member was given a backstory enough to make them real and relatable, which can often be difficult to do. I particularly enjoyed the exploration of sibling and friend rivalry and how this lends itself to Yinka’s struggles and ultimately, resolve. It is funny, deep and well worth the accolades.

I initially heard of Yinka, Where is Your Huzband? at an online Penguin Showcase where the author Lizzie Damilola Blackburn talked about the concept behind the book and I instantly knew that it was a story that I wanted to read. And having just finished reading it, I can honestly say that it lived up to all of my expectations and so much more, it's a funny and thought-provoking read that I'm sure so many of us can relate to regardless of what culture, nationality or religion we belong to.

From the outset you can't help but feel for Yinka who is under impress pressure from her family, especially her Nigerian mother, when at her younger sister's baby shower she finds herself at the centre of attention when the elders pray for her to find a huzband! And then her cousin announces that she is getting married which sets in motion a plan for her to find herself a date for the wedding and not have her elders matchmake for her.

Yinka is a character that I'm sure a lot of us women can relate to in one way or another. I too found myself in a similar situation to the one that she did at the baby shower, but for me it was at a family wedding when I was a few years older than Yinka is when as one of the only singletons I was seated at the table with the oldies and was quizzed about why I wasn't married.

I really felt for Yinka but have to admit I did a fair bit of cringing too at some of her actions and the white lies she told along the way because she didn't want to disappoint anyone. To me it felt like she wasn't comfortable in her own skin and that she didn't like herself and the life she was living. I wanted to shake her and say 'You are good enough in who you are, what you look like and don't need to change yourself to find love or self-worth'.

There are so many secondary characters that deserve a mention as they all played their part brilliantly; her friends Nana, Jo and Brian who are by her side through the good times and the bad, her sister Kemi, cousins Ola and Rachel, but my favourite character has to be Aunt Blessing who was the voice of reason for Yinka when she feels like no-one understands her.

Yinka, Where is Your Huzband? is not a love story in the traditional sense, it's a heart-warming exploration of family, friendships but most of all it's a story about self-growth. A fantastic debut from Lizzie Damilola Blackburn and I can't wait to see what she has in store for us next.

Yinka, Where is Your Huzband? is a fun light hearted read that will be perfect to enjoy sitting by the beach or in your garden with a glass of wine. There are a multitude of reviews which compare the book to a Nigerian Bridget Jones's Diary and I can totally see the similarity. The characters are vibrant and it was great to see the snippets of traditional Nigerian culture mixed with everyday London life. For me it felt a little bit like read a YA novel rather than a book about someone in their thirties, so while I did enjoy it I didn't love it as much as I was expecting to.

Nevertheless I'd definitely recommend it for someone looking for an enjoyable easy summer read.

As usual in my reviews I will not rehash the plot (plenty of reviews like that out there!)

I absolutely loved this book! There are some great characters, banter, humour and genuinely sad moments too, It was interesting to get some insight into Nigerian culture - and to realise that families (particularly Mums and Aunties) are the same the world over in their attempts at matchmaking when one has reached a certain age without being married with children! I could relate to Yinka's feelings about herself, and cheered her on at every step.

Without giving away the plot, I was delighted at the ending and happy with the way things worked out for Yinka. It would be great to read more about these characters - they have more to say I'm sure.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC. All opinions my own.

So my three star review is partly because I was expecting a different book. This wasn't so much a rom com as it was a journey of self-discovery for our main character, Yinka. But... She really annoyed me. I feel like we were told a lot of the reasons that she acted the way she did and felt the way she did, but there were so many scenes I wish we experienced firsthand. Not because I want to revel in her misery, or expect the trauma or racism to be centred in black narratives, but because not seeing these scenes lessened my connection to Yinka. She came off as selfish at times (leaving your sister who has just given birth at the hospital, who you actually like, with a message saying you really have to wash your hair because your mum and aunty are mean to you? So insensitive.) This is just one example, there are so many times she lets the people in her life down. And there were reasons, but these didn't feel enough. She also tells so many lies and seems to have a hard time empathising with others eg her cousin whose mother constantly compares them, she can't see that this is the exact same issue she has with her mum comparing her to her sister.

She also seemed woefully naive about the world and this didn't make sense - she's worked in a bank, and studied at Oxford both places that I think you'd learn things pretty quickly.

She does learn and grow but I just wasn't quite in her corner enough to celebrate her wins. I do not think you have to like a character to like a book, but I do think that in the kind of story being told here it would definitely help.

I did enjoy a lot of the side characters in this book. I particularly enjoyed reading about Nana. I also liked that there was an attempt to broaden the representation from hetero romances only and this worked well (as sometimes this type of thing can be clunky or seem like an afterthought).

My thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. I would try another book from the author, this one just wasn't quite right for me. I'm sure a lot of readers will find themselves or people they know reflected in the story and I'm glad books like this are being published.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC.

I absolutely adored this book. Yinka felt so real and even though I am white and Irish, I still felt that I could somewhat relate to her. I loved learning about bits of Nigerian culture.

I will definitely read Lizzie's next book.

Yinka, Where is Your Husband? is the story of Yinka, a Black Woman of Nigerian heritage in her early 30s. Despite being a highly educated, motivated woman, she is patronised by her family as she is not yet married. Initially happy to focus on her career, Yinka begins to bow to the pressures on her to keep her family happy and starts to change who she is in order to become who she thinks she should be.
Supported by a cast of strong women - my absolute favourite character is Nana who is completely and unashamedly herself throughout - Yinka works through her crisis of self to discover who she really is.

On the surface a very funny and easy to read comedic romance, this novel contains very serious messages around racial perceptions (especially around beauty ideals) and societal expectations. The majority of the characters are going through some issues, and it is only when they stop comparing themselves with others (social media playing a large part) that they begin to work towards happiness.

A very enjoyable read with a positive message.

It's ok to be a mess and not have your life sorted. An updated Bridget Jones. You can always rely on your family to point out your failings. When life carries on around you and you get left behind. Hilarious.

Yinka is a British-Nigerian, in her 30's who does not believe in sex before marriage. Her family are eager for her to find a husband and settle, but Yinka is not as excited about this prospect. This story is not so much of a rom-com, but more of a tale of self-discovery. Yinka's independence is refreshing, however, her attitude does appear to be younger than her years, and I actually forgot she was is in her 30s due to her immaturity.

Admittingly this is not the greatest book I have read, but I still enjoyed it. Although I couldn't relate to these characters, it didn't put me off reading. This is written well, making it flow easily, with a great conclusion. If you like to read books about character development, this is definitely the book for you.

‘Yinka where’s your husband?’ is a colourful and vibrant Bridget Jones style novel, with all the realness and mishaps that come along with it!

This novel was a lot of fun, and all though not the romance I was expecting it turned out to be great girl power book, that really dug deep at some mental health problems women can face from societal pressures. The book also offered some amazing diversity, and I loved how large of a part her culture and beliefs played in Yinka’s life throughout no matter what was going on.

A great feel good novel!

I’d like to thank NetGalley and Penguin for approving me for an ARC of this book.

Yinka is a single 31 year old Nigerian woman who is feeling the pressure. Her mother and countless aunties are all wondering when she will finally settle down and find herself a lovely husband, especially as her younger sister is not only married but expecting a baby! This causes Yinka to set herself a challenge to bag herself a man!

When Yinka started this journey I was so saddened to see how much she disliked herself and how much she tried to change about her appearance and personality. It was very hard for her, given the pressure she felt from her family but she was heading down and dark and dangerous path. I almost find myself getting annoyed at her for not believing in herself more.

This book is littered with vibrant and fun characters that only added to the story. From opinionated Ola to the wise Aunt Blessing and Nana these characters will having you laughing one minute and crying the next.

This was a very enjoyable read that certainly had its funny moments but was also about feeling comfortable in your own skin and loving who you are. It explored the family relationships, friendships and relationships as well as giving us a brilliant insight into Nigerian culture. The food in particular sounded gorgeous! I’d say it’s a modern day version of Bridget Jones’ Diary and it was a pleasure to follow Yinka on this journey.

It’s a bold claim to start a review with, but Lizzie Damilola Blackburn’s brilliant debut romcom, Yinka, Where Is Your Huzband?, is my favourite book of the year so far.

Perfect for getting out of a reading slump, I read this over the course of one weekend and didn’t want to put it down. Yinka is a 31-year-old South Londoner and her mother, aunties and cousins all want to know “Yinka, where is your huzband?” We follow Yinka as she navigates single life, becomes determined to find a plus one to a family wedding, questions whether the job she fell into is the job she really wants, deals with pressures from family, encounters colourism and struggles with her self-esteem and body image.

I loved the positive presentation of counselling and the power of open communication. I loved the believable relationships (with no love-at-first-sight situations). And I loved all the descriptions of Nigerian food.

I laughed out loud at points, but I also felt genuinely horrified for Yinka when she was spiralling and facing challenges with both friends and family. A lot of books get compared to (my beloved) Bridget Jones’ Diary (which I reread last year), but here I think it is completely justified. It similarly shows our main character’s journey over a year and how her relationship with herself and others is impacted by inequalities and other people’s expectations. And it similarly has a fantastic cast of memorable side characters.

Full of humour and heart, this book deserves a place on your shelves.

Yinka is 31 and, at the moment, she has a job in the operations department of an investment bank. She split up with her last boyfriend a good while ago but no one has come along in the meantime. When her cousin announces her engagement and her mum and aunties keep praying - out loud, in public - for her to find a husband (or, even more importantly, a "huzband", one approved of by said mum and aunties and preferably put forward by one of them), she formulates a plan. Soon she's busy eschewing chicken shops and pretending she can cook Nigerian food, casually "borrowing" her best friend's clothes and, in short, pretending to be who she isn't. When things start to go wrong, she's still bluffing, this time to her friends as well as her family. What's left to divert from her usual ways - oh, drinking and messing around on men's sofas - because Yinka's a Christian and she doesn't believe in getting drunk and sex before marriage. Is it time for her friends - with her White workmates and her Black best friend joining up against her - to stage an intervention? Can she pull herself back from the brink?

I loved that Yinka's Christianity was shown as a strong point and a good thing, not something to be chipped away at. A good lot of the characters volunteered at an outreach centre for the homeless and, while that was a plot device to have them interact, too, it felt authentic - and men took on caring roles there, too. I loved her friends and her sister, and the way they showed different ways to be and to be successful in career and family terms. I really loved that there was an aromantic character - and that they explained the difference from asexuality and were left space to be their own self. There was LGBTQI representation in the gay workmate and his stable relationship, too, just there, being happy, no trauma and drama. I loved how Yinka's colleagues modelled how to be friends with her, listening to what she said and buying her gifts that carefully reflected her culture. I loved that it's more than a rom-com, that her friends and friendships and cousins are more important than any man.

My full review on my blog today: https://librofulltime.wordpress.com/2022/03/31/book-review-lizzie-damilola-blackburn-yinka-where-is-your-huzband/