I really loved the insight to a different culture within the UK and the general plot really did draw me in. However, I found the flow to be quite stilted and I really didn't get any depth from the MC at all. It was also incredibly frustrating how she just allowed herself to be treated that way, but that may just be the cultural difference and a 'me' issue. I'm not sure why I was expecting romcom type plot, but this definitely wasn't it. That's not a bad thing either, I do feel the overall plot was a lot deeper than a romcom. However, I do not feel I was the correct audience unfortunately! 10/10 cover though and I am definitely open to reading other books in different cultures POV now!!

A well written story that kept me hooked from the very beginning.
The characters draw you in and keeps you flipping the pages.
The characters were all realistic and very well developed.
I really enjoyed the writing style. I found myself hooked, turning the pages.

Sade is unmarried and childless at age fifty. It is a lot to deal with. Then she meets Jimmy. There is an instant attraction but she tries not to get her hopes up. She has to deal with her Nigerian family and their expectations. All the meddling Aunties in her life asking her when she is going to get married. Then she has a medical issue that solidifies that she may never have children.

Things with Jimmy go slow. They are attracted to each other but are working together on a project. He is trying for something more but she is hesitant because he does not have the same deep faith in God that she has. She has been saving herself for marriage and he isn’t sure he wants to be married again.

I enjoyed that this was about an older woman. He was only slightly younger at 45 and it wasn’t really an issue in the book. I liked seeing how she dealt with the remarks coming from her family and how she navigated the difficult relationship with her mother. This was a really good book.

The cover really drew me in. I thought I was in for a quirky, fun romcom, which reminded me of some Sophie Kinsella-style chaos. But this story took a much more serious tone than I expected.

Sade’s journey is shaped by a difficult upbringing and a culture full of pressure and control. Her path back to self-love is one filled with good intentions and watching eyes, and I appreciated the honesty in how that was written from such a cultural background. You really do get to see why she is the way she is. But at times, it was frustrating to watch her stay passive, especially when the aunties were just plain cruel at times.

Religion plays a major role in the story, and while it was central to the plot, it also became the main conflict point in Sade’s romance. There were a few light-hearted and funny moments scattered throughout, but overall, the tone stayed pretty heavy. And that ending? Honestly, a bit of a letdown.

This book had potential, and I admire what it was trying to do—but it wasn’t quite what I signed up for.

What a wonderful book and storyline. Sade is an unmarried 50yr old Nigerian woman who according to all the older ladies “Aunties” isn’t a full woman until she marries or has children. However she is a successful business woman which according to aunties men don’t want. Jimi is a businessman who meets Sade and invites her to plan a business event for him. They meet in and off at various events and start dating although it’s a will they won’t they period. Read to find out their journey plus her first book is a must read. A Nurses Tale
Thanks to Ola and her publisher Thanks also to NetGalley

The cover and title of this book pulled me in right away, it’s beautiful and attention-grabbing.

This is a book worth reading, especially because its main character is a fifty-year-old unmarried woman without children. Even though Sade is doing well for herself, in the eyes of her mother and Nigerian aunties, she’s still seen as incomplete.

When she meets Jimi, there’s a tug of war between her heart and her faith. Despite her age and singleness, Sade chooses not to go deeper with him because of her beliefs and I loved that.

The conversations between Sade and Jimi were one of the highlights of the book for me. They felt mature, honest, and showed how much they truly wanted to be together.

The author does a good job exploring the complexities of being an unmarried woman in a Nigerian home, navigating not just the snide remarks disguised as jokes but also the looming fear of menopause.

Sade’s mother brought the typical “Nigerian mother” drama. She clearly loves her daughter and worries about her age and singleness but she’s also the only one allowed to speak how she likes on it.

That said, the book didn’t bring the level of humor I was expecting. From the title, I thought the aunties would be loud, dramatic, and hilarious but they didn’t really take center stage. Some parts dragged a bit for me, giving the story an unbalanced pace.

Overall, I’d still recommend this book if you enjoy stories with older characters navigating life, love, and faith one step at a time.

The book description and cover made me think this would be a romantic comedy centering on a 50 year old women's journey to find love with some support/comedy from from Aunties. However, the tone is quite different, reading more like women's fiction with a heavy focus on the challenges society lay on single women, particularly of a certain age, as well as significant discussions around Sade's faith and involvement in the church. Someone looking for a book more that style may enjoy the read better but for me it felt flat/disappointing. Sade and Jimi had very little chemistry and their courtship was really short. I feel like a lot of what kept them apart was manufactured and the happy ending was rushed. Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins for the ARC.

thanks to NetGalley for the eARC

⭐️=3 | 😘=2.5 | 🤬=2

summary: a middle aged Nigerian-English woman navigates being single and Christian and also it’s a romance I guess

thoughts: huh. okay. so like, of course she gets the guy, that’s how plots work, but it literally ends with her saying yes to marrying him—like, “yes, I’ll marry you” is the last line of the novel—and then there’s nothing else to tie things up. if their faith differences were the primary conflict I don’t think that can be resolved in a single conversation on her doorstep?? and I wasn’t totally on board with the guy in the first place?? idk basically I just don’t think their conflict was resolved in a satisfying way. this was funny sometimes, though, and I liked that it was shining light on a demographic that usually gets ignored.

Thank you to One More Chapter/Harper Collins for this ARC!

This book wasn’t quite as good as I had hoped, the romance between the two main characters didn’t have as much chemistry as I would like, and it felt really slow.

But the relationship between the FMC and her aunties was fun to read and very relatable.

Overall, I would recommend it if you’re looking for a light easy to read book!

Imagine a group of aunties watching your every move, grading your life choices like it’s a full-time job…that would literally stress me out lol Sometimes it really do be your own people stressing you out, but it’s always rooted in love (and just a lil bit of drama 😅).

So this book gave me a great insight into the cultural expectations from the Nigerian community. I definitely need to text some of my Naija homegirls and see if they feel that same pressure… because if so? That sucks LOL. But if we’re being real, American culture isn’t too far off either. The idea that you need to be married with kids by a certain age? Yeah, it’s still a thing…and honestly, not always realistic for everyone’s path.

This book literally has me howling! It was so funny and one of the most entertaining reads I’ve had this year. Do yourself a favor and read this book!!!

The title of the book - The Marriage Monitoring Aunties’ Association - immediately caught my attention and I wasn't disappointed. The questions and complaints about marriage from Nigerian aunties is a familiar story to every Nigerian lady. Much more in this case - Sade is 50. This book really brought to light many of the struggles of Nigerian ladies, especially Christians who want to be true to their faith, in a fun manner. I loved the character development, especially between the FL and ML. I especially loved how Sade stuck with her values to the end. I loved the ending but it was a little abrupt for me. An enjoyable read overall
I received the ARC from HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter via Netgalley. This is my honest review

A very realistic read especially in Nigeria context. Ironically, the issue of late marriage and the pressure of society upon singles as they advance in age is something that is prevalent in society today irrespective of cultural background. The author paints a very vivid picture of the turmoil and inner battle singled have to go through especially in a culture where marriage is seen as the ultimate goal.
Sade is a beautiful intelligent woman with a clear cut career path, a good heart but with family members and friends putting her under pressure because of her unmarried status. To them, she was lacking and never hesitated to point that out at anytime. With her own private struggle, she is forced to put a strong front anytime she is in the midst of others. Her meeting with Jimi starts a journey of reflection as well as wagging tongues and hawk eyes movement among her aunties.
The author weaves a fantastic story of Sade and Jimi's journey, as Sade learns to accept her own journey to marriage and Jimi finds his way back to God as he allows himself to move beyond his past.
I enjoyed the gradual process and the way Jimi and Sade learnt to stand up for themselves as well as grow in understanding and find true love. A wonderful witty read that captivates.
I received an advanced copy from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

DNF after chapter 7. This book isn't what I expected and I'm annoyed with the MC.

It's mainly stylistic stuff. I'm not into first person POV, and this POV just makes me even more annoyed when Sade is complaining about her singleness.

I'm probably just the wrong reader. I'm 32 and have never been engaged and I'm fine with singleness. I can't relate to a career woman who's obsessed with marriage, but someone else can. The parts that annoyed me were the same things that annoyed me about Hallmark/Joanne Fluke's Hannah Swenson, so I think that fan might like this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins/One More Chapter for the ARC.

This one’s for the grown Black women who are tired of dodging aunties at weddings and side-eyes at family dinners.

Ola Awonubi gifts us a tender, faith-filled, and refreshingly mature love story in The Marriage Monitoring Aunties’ Association. At the center is Sade Sodipo, a 50-year-old British-Nigerian woman with a full life, a strong sense of self, and a heart still healing. She’s navigated fibroids, infertility, and heartbreak, and now she’s being watched (and judged) by a secret society of church aunties who think marriage is the cure for everything. Sound familiar?

But Sade isn’t here to settle. Her journey back into the world of love, rooted in faith, friendship, and deep inner work, feels honest and earned. And while the romance with Jimi may be gentle rather than fiery, it’s rich with intention and spiritual connection.

Awonubi brings cultural nuance, family dynamics, and the beauty of late-in-life love to the page in a way we rarely see. This novel is less rom-com, and more grown-woman healing, and it beautifully reminds us that love, real love, comes only with divine timing.

The Marriage Monitoring Aunties’ Association is such a vibrant, heartwarming read. Ola Awonubi blends humor, tradition, and family dynamics in a way that feels both entertaining and deeply relatable. The aunties are a force—nosy, hilarious, and unexpectedly wise—and the story has a lot of heart underneath all the meddling. Some moments were a little over the top, but honestly, that just added to the fun. A charming, feel-good book with a lot to say about love, community, and finding your own path.

The Marriage Monitoring Aunties’ Association by Ola Awonubi is a sweet story about a fifty year old woman overcoming gossip and cultural expectations a finding love. Sade is always getting grief from her mother for being focused on her career and unmarried while also being judged by all of the Aunties at her church. While she would like to find love, she hasn’t had much luck with the men she meets. But when she runs into a handsome stranger, her luck may turn.

This was a really good book; however, I went into it with different expectations for the plot based off the description. I thought it would be a lighthearted comedy about a group of meddling but lovable aunties who helped Sade find love when it focused on her dealing with cultural expectations and finding her happiness in life. While it was good, it took me a bit to reframe my mind when reading as I needed a more lighthearted book in the moment. Once I adjusted, I was sucked into Sade’s story and loved her growth.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for access to an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

The story flowed well and the characters were well developed. I recommend this book and look forward to more from this author.


****Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review****

oh give me more of these Aunties please. can i shrink them and carry them in my pocket at all time to just bring out and make me cackle.
i new from just looking at this cover and title that i would adore this book and i was right. it was fun, adorable and hilarious. it caused those smiles that only the best of books can do...the hurty smiles. its a soul serving and soul delight. you wont want to miss this book. it makes your life better and richer just for being part of it, if only for a little while. the power of books and stunning plots is never something im in awe of.
i rooted for our main character so much. and could see her interactions with the family like a colourful canvas. it was a brilliant look into the culture to and one that was both touching and relatable for all.
dont get me wrong there was some almost "aww" moments for how a woman of our characters age must feel amongst the culture. and how similar it is to just woman of that age in any culture wasn't lost on me! her story and where she was in life was such an emotional one, i wanted to scoop her up and make her feel worthy of it all. and yes family dont always help. infact it can be crushing under some expectations.
the romance side was lovely and took its time but in a good way.
this book is a great lesson in how to look more into what you want(in nearly alllll aspects of life) not to what you've been shown to and forced to believe you want.
you go on this mission with our main character but also within your self too. and i appreciate the age of our main character as it felt really soul enriching and relatable. its so important to have these mixed ages and cultures.
this book touched all the good places in my soul. and i loved it so much.

This book was not for me. I was not a fan of the writing style. I think the idea of the book was great and I really wanted to like it but I just couldn’t complete.