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maurareads13's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Really enjoyed this romance novel. Set in Nigeria and Seattle, we follow the 12 year love story of Obinna and Dunni. Meeting in secondary school with an intense and irreplaceable love, Dunni’s family sends her to university in America, separating she and Obinna. Despite promises to stay in touch and make it work, Dunni doesn’t hear from Obinna for 12 years until they run into each other at a friend’s wedding. Faced with each other and their past & present decisions, Dunni and Obinna decide to see if they can make it work, despite the obstacles & secrets thrown at each other along the way.
My only thing that made me cringe slightly is the sex scenes between them as teenagers. As a mom of teens and an adult woman, it’s just not my favorite thing to read.
My only thing that made me cringe slightly is the sex scenes between them as teenagers. As a mom of teens and an adult woman, it’s just not my favorite thing to read.
Content Warnings
Minor: Pregnancy and Sexual content
liamliayaum's review
emotional
lighthearted
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content warnings: aporophobia (negative feelings against poor people), assault, depression, pregnancy
Dunni and Obinna are high school teenagers who come from entirely different paths of life. Set in Nigeria, Dunni's family is rich and her every need can be covered whereas Obinna lives in a one room house with his mother as they scrape by selling soup at the market. Dunni's father awards a scholarship to a bright young student every year and this year, Obinna was selected. From the moment that Dunni and Obinna meet, sparks fly. Told in a parallel timeline between their teenage and current selves (plus 12 years), can Dunni and Obinna still not only find their passion but each other again?
I have some mixed feelings about this novel. The romance between Dunni and Obinna seemed unrealistic in the height and depth in the instant chemistry and attraction. If their connection was as strong as it was hinted at, it seemed odd that their love was easily parted. If they had actually communicated and not focused on their infatuation (or lack thereof), the 12 years apart could have been mostly avoided. The supernatural element seemed to be more of a plot device that Igharo was trying out that eventually fizzled and it either needed to be amped up or removed entirely.
This was a quick and lighthearted read that didn't have a lot of depth. However, I was a bit bored for the first half of the book. The pace seemed to be slow. Some people could dislike the time jumps between past and present, but I liked the perspectives of the characters and finding where they had grown or not. All in all, this wasn't a bad book, but it wasn't my favorite. It missed the mark for me and didn't have as much spark as Igharo's prior two titles.
Dunni and Obinna are high school teenagers who come from entirely different paths of life. Set in Nigeria, Dunni's family is rich and her every need can be covered whereas Obinna lives in a one room house with his mother as they scrape by selling soup at the market. Dunni's father awards a scholarship to a bright young student every year and this year, Obinna was selected. From the moment that Dunni and Obinna meet, sparks fly. Told in a parallel timeline between their teenage and current selves (plus 12 years), can Dunni and Obinna still not only find their passion but each other again?
I have some mixed feelings about this novel. The romance between Dunni and Obinna seemed unrealistic in the height and depth in the instant chemistry and attraction. If their connection was as strong as it was hinted at, it seemed odd that their love was easily parted. If they had actually communicated and not focused on their infatuation (or lack thereof), the 12 years apart could have been mostly avoided. The supernatural element seemed to be more of a plot device that Igharo was trying out that eventually fizzled and it either needed to be amped up or removed entirely.
This was a quick and lighthearted read that didn't have a lot of depth. However, I was a bit bored for the first half of the book. The pace seemed to be slow. Some people could dislike the time jumps between past and present, but I liked the perspectives of the characters and finding where they had grown or not. All in all, this wasn't a bad book, but it wasn't my favorite. It missed the mark for me and didn't have as much spark as Igharo's prior two titles.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Pregnancy
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