ARC Review: The Sweetest Remedy by Jane Igharo

“THE SWEETEST REMEDY felt like Crazy Rich Asians meets Once Upon a Sunset.”
~ Under the Covers

I was incredibly excited to read this book because I really enjoyed this author’s debut novel, TIES THAT TETHER last year. And while this book was also an enjoyable read, there were several differences from the previous that kept me from feeling that same connection.

For one, this felt more bordering on women’s fiction than just a romance. While there is a central romance in this book, it’s definitely more about our heroine’s journey. Hannah was raised by her mother because her father decided not to be in the picture. She always felt that connection to his heritage was missing. She’s bi-racial and her father was a successful entrepreneur back in Nigeria. When he dies, she gets a call from his lawyer to come to Lagos for the funeral and to meet her half-siblings. The journey she embarks on is one of self-discovery. And along the way she finds love in a young man that was like a son for her father.

Another thing I wanted was more depth. I think this book explores some interesting and complex social, personal and family dynamics. For me, the exploration of these topics was a bit superficial and left me wanting more.

Now for the characters and the romance. I really loved our heroine. Hannah was amazing and the chemistry between her and Lawrence was great. The side characters were fun and I loved seeing the interactions with the half-siblings. The romance wrapped up too quickly in the end and felt rushed though.

THE SWEETEST REMEDY felt like Crazy Rich Asians meets Once Upon a Sunset. There were some great moments and it kept me entertained. But ultimately I would’ve rather this focus on one genre. Either fully on the romance or fully on the journey. Nevertheless, I do enjoy this author’s writing style and I’ll be on the lookout for the next one.