I absolutely loved this book. I came to it without reading Jane Igharo's previous one, but I am extra motivated to pick up "Ties That Tether."

This novel was both fun and thoughtful, with a brilliant exploration of what it truly means to be a family. Following Hannah as she learned about and explored her culture, the one she was largely deprived of, was an incredible experience in learning about Nigerian culture through her eyes. Igharo explores topics like racist microaggressions, the complexities of mourning, colourism, and family. It's wonderful to get to know Hannah's dad through the memories and love of her other family members as she builds relationships with them. It's truly a celebration of life and family. The only thing that I found difficult about this book was Hannah's unyielding optimism and unending forgiveness of people. I found that to be a step too far over the line of what's realistic, as there was a lot she just quickly forgave with little explanation, at least from my perspective, in a way that I found didn't make sense. This was a fairly minor point for me, though - I still loved the book overall.

I think if you liked Ties that Tether you might enjoy The Sweetest Remedy, similar themes of family expectations but also figuring out who you are vs who your family who you should be

I really loved this book!! It had so many twists and turns. It kept me on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen next!! This was my first book by this Author, and it won’t be the last!! Quick read!! Highly recommended!! You won’t be disappointed!!

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.

This book had a good balance of romance and emotional family drama. The characters were likeable and the plot was well-paced.

I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

A solid second effort by Jane Igharo. Admittedly, I liked this one better than her first one. I loved the connection to Nigeria, the family drama, the tug of a new love in a foreign land. I kind of wished this had come out first than her previous effort.

A woman who never knew her father gets a stunning request to go to Nigeria for his funeral and to get to know his family- her family- for the first time and, in going, she might be able to fill in the missing pieces of her life. I was drawn to the central story, but it doesn't hurt that much of it is set in Lagos, Nigeria and was filled with Nigerian culture and society of all stratas in this standalone by a new to me author.

The Sweetest Remedy introduces Hannah Bailey, a bi-racial woman, who writes for a woman's publication and volunteers at a youth shelter. She loves her mom dearly as mother and friend, but has always felt off-kilter with having only one contact with her Nigerian father and, at times, struggling with her racial identity especially when people make remarks or ask probing questions.

It is with mixed feelings that she accepts the Nigerian lawyer's invitation to journey to Lagos to meet her half-siblings and see her father's home plus stay for his funeral. Why had her father chosen to have her there after he was gone, but never try to know her when alive or let her know her siblings? Siblings who are stunned to learn of her existence and only one sister, their grandmother, and a man, Lawrence, who was adopted in like a son welcome her. The rest all regard her with disdain or hostility. Her father was fabulously wealthy and this family grew up with wealth. Hannah has so many adjustments and feels raw with all the emotions including attraction and more with Lawrence who supports and guides her through family and cultural differences. Can she open herself up to love of family and to Lawrence? Can she forgive and reconcile with the past especially after learning further secrets?

The Sweetest Remedy is a contemporary romance though not just that since there is a lot of soul-searching and family dynamics going on. It is told from multiple point of views with Hannah getting the most page time with Lawrence, her three new sisters, and her brother. In fact, Hannah and Lawrence aren't the only romance though theirs is prominent. I enjoyed seeing each step she and the others made tentatively toward being family and learning about her father through their eyes and seeing them get a new aspect of their father. There is of course some drama, but nothing like one would expect from the circumstances. Perhaps it could have dug a little deeper into some of the elements raised in the story, but it was just the right depth for my taste so I was satisfied with what I got.

Hannah does tend to have one foot out the door and struggles to open up to her emotions and give love a chance because she is busy trying to wall herself off from getting hurt. Understandable since she grew up thinking she was unwanted by her dad and she had to go it alone with just her mom. But, I loved how patient and giving Lawrence was. He let her push him out a few times and forgave this.

The author wove in Nigerian culture and social ways without dumping it on the plot. It was part of the developing story and the reader learns as Hannah does.

All in all, I enjoyed this journey to family and love and would definitely pick up more of the author's books. Those who enjoy contemporary romance with diversity and family themes should definitely give this a go.

I rec'd an eARC through NetGalley to read in exchange for an honest review.

Hello Fellow Readers,

I was really excited to see that Igharo had another book coming out, since I really liked the Ties that Tether. So I pretty much jumped at the chance to read this. This book, like Igharo's previous one, not only gives you a spicy romance but has a lot of other themes including family. The main character Hannah just recently lost her absentee father, a product of an affair she makes the decision to fly to Nigeria and meet her half siblings. She also meets the very sexy Lawrence who is single.

This book is much more than a romance, Igharo gives you a peak into the Jolades family. While Hannah is a main character each of her half siblings do have a POV as well as Lawrence. Despite the multiple POVs I was never lost on who was talking, each character had their own distinct voice and characteristics, admittedly some more than others.

I did have a small problem with the romance as it seemed like instalove which did bother me a little. Also, some conflicts seemed a little cliche and I was able to guess a lot of the plot, which took away from it a little bit. I really loved Hannah though, she was very real and honest which endeared her to me.

Overall, a solid book about finding family with a good romance thrown in.

A moving #ownvoices story about Hannah, a young biracial woman who discovers her Nigerian roots and connects with the four siblings she never knew she had when her wealthy father dies and his will forces all his offspring to spend time together in the family home on Banana Island, a very affluent part of Nigeria.

I loved the author's first book, The ties that tether, and this one was less romance and more a story about personal growth, identity and family connections. At times a little slow-moving for my tastes but overall I loved how Hannah was able to embrace a part of her heritage she missed growing up with her white mother in America.

Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my advance review copy. This story was also great on audio narrated by Sandra Okuboyejo.

Hannah is about to embark a new journey in life when she learns her father has died. This is a man she has never really knew and always wondered about. In order to get some answers about herself and her father’s life, she heads to Nigeria for his funeral. She just didn’t expect her father to come from such a rich family with many personalities. The funeral is in a week but she wonders can she survive her new family?

Ms. Igharo produces another solid read. We are back with another strong female lead who is on the path of self-discovery. Hannah has never felt sure of her identity and being around her family she is bound to learn a lot about herself. To add more to the mix, she strikes up a relationship with Lawrence who is close to her family. She didn’t come to Nigeria to fall for any man.

I love the importance of cultural acceptance in this romance. Hannah gets cultural awareness in big doses throughout the book from her siblings. Some of siblings take an instant dislike to her. They want to know why she is there? Does she want a role in the family business? She learns how to fit in despite her own misgivings.

Her interaction with Lawrence starts in the states and she is shocked to see him in Nigeria when she arrives at her family’s estate. She can’t help but to think she was attracted to a sibling or cousin. Then she discovers they are not related but that his family has worked for hers. Lawrence is a constant comfort to her as she tries to figure everything out.

My main complaint is that sometimes the romance gets lost in translation. The main focus of the book is family dynamics and self-identity. I want just a hint more romance to balance out all the other themes. There is also the fact that Hannah and her family smoothed everything over a bit too quickly. I blame it on the fast pacing of the storyline more than anything.

Overall, a really quick and warm family story. I am still a fan of Ms. Igharo and can’t wait to see what she has next for us readers.

~ Samantha

When I say this book exceeded my expectations, I truly truly mean it!

The multiple narrators throughout the book (not just the MC) was *chefs kiss* and added depth to the story that made it that much more engaging. There's just the right about of depth and emotional components to be of substance, with the process of committing your entire soul (if that makes sense).

I really appreciated the light hearted overtone of the book, while also navigating complicated family dynamics.

- While this book is advertised as a romance book, it is mainly a family drama. This usually is not my thing but Igharo did a wonderful job. There were multiple POV’s but most of the chapters were in Hannah’s POV.
- I loved getting to know the siblings. I instantly fell in love with the twins and Segun. I hate Tiwa just like Hannah did.
- I love getting to read about different cultures in books and this one was no different. It was so fun to have a book set in Nigeria. The part where Lawrence took Hannah to where he grew up was just wonderful.
- I loved Lawrence but wanted more from him.
- This was low on steam. When they went to the hotel, it could have gotten really steamy.

This one was so beautiful. I love reading about cultures that are different than mine (although I'm white so I'm not sure I even have culture). Super sweet and entertaining.

The Sweetest Remedy follows Hannah, who is invited to her father’s funeral in Nigeria. She has had no relationship with her father because he had a family back in Nigeria that he neglected to mention to Hannah’s mother before she became pregnant. Therefore, Hannah doesn’t know her siblings either. Hannah decides to go to the funeral and try to get to know the family and culture she has always wished to know. While there she runs into the man she had a connection with a few weeks back, who may just be everything she’s been looking for.

This book had many elements that should have worked so well for me. A complex family dynamic, a developing sense of identity, an introduction to a new culture, and of course, a romance. However, as much as I enjoyed these aspects in the beginning of the story, by the end of the book I had lost all interest.

My main, and possibly only issue with this book was the writing. There was a lot of showing and not telling, which meant that I could not get emotionally invested in this story whatsoever. It wasn’t just that I felt no chemistry for the romance, it was that I never felt any character’s grief, happiness, anger, or excitement. In addition to that, there was no dimension to any characters or the plot. Characters switched emotions in the span of a sentence. They went from being upset (and rightfully so in many cases) to having a complete change of heart, without needing any time to process. If that had happened only once, or only with one character, I could have forgiven it, but since every character reacted this way every time there was a heart to heart, I lost what little investment I had remaining in the story. There were no stakes anymore. As soon as someone apologized, they’d be forgiven. As soon as someone was given an explanation, they’d have no more disappointment. Not only was it unrealistic, but it was frustrating to see this lack of emotional depth.

I really wanted to like this book, but sadly I didn’t. I know that there are many people that have enjoyed this book, so it’s possible that my preferences just didn’t align with the writing, but I don’t think I’ll be reading anything from this author in the future, regardless of how gorgeous the covers of her books are.

"Our culture and our family and the people in our lives can help shape who we are, but ultimately, I think it's up to us to decide who we want to be -- to rely on ourselves and no one else."

Last year I read Jane Igharo's TIES THAT TETHER and just fell in LOVE with her writing style. Her debut blew me away with incredible characters and well done insight into a culture different than my own, that gave such a vivid and relatable vision of what life would be like with the familial expectation and pressure put on by a community like that of her MC. Being able to listen to Jane talk during a Girly Book Club event had me ready to fangirl forever, so I was unbelievably excited to get access to an advance reader's copy of this title.

THE SWEETEST REMEDY was an INCREDIBLE follow up title. I didn't know it was going to get even better, but somehow everything I loved about the first book was amplified in this one and I am just in awe.

Complicated families are just the reality, and reading this book was like finding a friend you care about, ready to cheer her on as she finds herself, her place in a family she didn't realize she could have and in love. As Hannah learns from mistakes of the past that have impacted her, Igharo gives us a complex family drama with all the feels that will be hard to put down for any reader, highly recommend picking it up ASAP.

I LOVED that in this book we see the story from so many points of view, each adding something to the story, rich in culture with a side of steamy romance that pulls it all together! Lawrence and who he was as a match for her, the siblings and their distinct personalities, the bestie back home, her boss — I loved each and every character and what the brought to the plot line.

Thank you Berkley Books for the advanced reader copy, I of course just HAD to have the BOTM hardback to match Ties That Tether for my shelves, such gorgeous cover designs!

This was a solid, entertaining story about a mix of two cultures and the shock of a family discovering a sister they didn’t know existed. I appreciated the journey that Hannah was on, trying to discover how she fits in with her father’s family and culture. The multiple POV seemed a bit disjointed; for example some characters only had 1-2 chapters from their perspective and it left me wanting more. Overall, I would recommend this book for someone looking for a contemporary read rich with culture.

🥰liked || 💋some steam
🤟family, love at first sight, heartwarming
📚Crazy Rich Asians
🎶Sweetness by Jimmy Eat World

What a wonderful book focusing on family, discovering one's identity and finding romantic love in the process.

Hannah grew up with no connection to her father's Nigerian culture. Raised by her white mother in the U.S., she is seen by many as exotic because of her biracial features. Her father's death promts her visit to Nigeria where she connects with her siblings. She discovers that Nigeria is so different from what she imagined. The media always highlights the rampant poverty in the country so she is quite surprised by the life of opulence her family lives.

From the get go, Hannah feels like an outcast. There is a lot of family drama as her half siblings had no idea their father had another child out of wedlock. In the midst of this Hannah also meets Lawrence, a friend of the family who is more family than friend. They immediately have attraction and their relationship grows as Hannah tries to navigate her place in this new family and new country.

I wish there was more romance but the family dynamics are fantastic in this one. The path to acceptance and self discovery was done so well with wonderful heartfelt and emotional moments.

The Sweetest Remedy by Jane Igharo is more than just a romance story; it’s about family, forgiveness, and self-love. Hannah Bailey was raised by her white mother in San Francisco, only having met her Nigerian father once. When Hannah's father passes away, she is invited to his funeral in Nigeria because he wanted all of his children to eventually meet and take care of each other. In Lagos, she meets her four siblings and the rest of her relatives and is exposed to a culture and affluence she's never known. Hannah's time in Nigeria teaches her several things about herself and the meanings of various types of love; along with an unexpected romantic love.

Ms. Igharo wrote an interesting story about a woman coming to terms with who she is racial identity, family, forgiveness, and love; romantic love, and family love. Through her words, Ms. Igharo creates a colorful visual of Nigeria, transporting the reader there. I recommend The Sweetest Remedy to other readers.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

I featured this book as a Book of the Day spotlight and included it in my weekly roundup and monthly post of new releases on my Black Fiction Addiction platforms. I also interviewed the author.

The Sweetest Remedy by Jane Igharo is a fast-paced story primarily set in San Francisco and Nigeria but also features New York City and London. Hannah is bi-racial—her dad is Nigerian, and her mom, white. She grew up in San Francisco with her single mom and only met her dad once when she was eight. When she’s summoned to Nigeria by her father’s lawyer after her father’s death, we get into the meat of the story.

Hannah doesn’t realize how much not knowing her dad has colored her life growing up and still does today. When she meets his family for the first time, she feels a mix of emotions, as does her family. She meets her three sisters and a brother, her father’s wife and stepmother’s mother, her father’s sister, and her family.

Lawrence is a family friend of theirs, and Hannah and he had just crossed paths briefly at a party in San Francisco. She latches on to him as a lifeline, but is that all it is?

I enjoyed getting to know the characters. They each had a depth to them and a past that has shaped them. Some in the family are accepting of Hannah, and others aren’t. It was interesting to watch their relationships or understandings evolve. Will they manage to become a family as their father hoped?

Ms. Igharo wove together many storylines quite nicely, and she introduced us to quite a bit about Nigerian culture. The descriptions were colorful, with a lot of details regarding clothing and native foods. The descriptions of their family home and locations in Nigeria were vivid and transported me there. There are romances, secrets, anger, lies, tears, acceptance and ultimately love. There is nice closure, but I wish the book would have had an epilogue and gone just a little further to round out the story.

Ms. Igharo is a new-to-me author, and I look forward to reading more of her books if this is her caliber of writing.