Perfect. Perfect. Perfect. This story was sooooo well written and Sade was definitely a character that was fully fleshed out. The writing of Sade's inner battle between maintaining her faith and values versus what she wanted and needed from a partner was a written with such nuance and care. There aren't a ton of black, female, 50 year old romance leads being written so reading about her issues with fibroids, fertility, and menopause shed light on a few things. Sade and the other characters felt truly authentic and I think that's truly where the story really shines by having these honest conversations around dating, the church, the way women are labeled if they aren't mothers or wives. I could go on and on but this was most certainly a five star read.

As soon as I saw the title, I knew it was going to be a good read and it didn't disappoint! The book setting felt familiar and I enjoyed reading it. The story blends humor, family dynamics, societal pressure, marriage expectations, Christianity and identity.

The aunties were giving! They were hilarious and frustrating. The author did a good job highlighting the struggles women face concerning marriage and health challenges.

If you enjoy books on marriage, family dynamics, feminism and romance, I recommend this.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and I loved how Nigerian it made me feel😁😁. It was all so relatable and the characters were both comical and annoying in a good way.💯

Ola Awonubi’s The Marriage Monitoring Aunties’ Association was a refreshing change of pace for me - an enjoyable, heartfelt read that offered insight into Nigerian culture, a charmingly exasperating cast, and a main character I genuinely rooted for.

While it wasn't a perfect read, it was certainly a meaningful one.

Sade Sodipo, is a 50-year-old protagonist who is smart, successful, and deeply rooted in her Christian faith.

Her journey through love, pressure from family, and personal convictions is both relatable and inspiring. I loved how the book tackled topics rarely seen in romantic fiction - infertility, menopause, myomectomy recovery - honestly and respectfully, while keeping the tone warm and often humorous.

The cultural richness of the novel is one of its strongest features.

From the overbearing but well-meaning aunties (who’ve practically formed an unofficial marriage monitoring agency), to the expectations around marriage and motherhood, Awonubi paints a vivid picture of the Nigerian community - blunt, loving, chaotic, and deeply traditional.

The tension between modern values and cultural norms is felt throughout, and while it can be overwhelming at times, it also adds depth and realism.

The faith element is also beautifully handled. Sade’s spiritual life is integral to her choices and the narrative. Her firm stance on waiting until marriage, her reliance on prayer, and her unwavering sense of morality are refreshingly portrayed with sincerity rather than sanctimony.

And then there’s the romance. Jimi Taylor had all the ingredients of a great romantic lead—charming, kind, persistent, and genuinely interested in Sade. But I found myself frustrated with the imbalance in effort. Jimi consistently pursued Sade, made time for her, and opened up, while she often brushed him off or pulled away, despite saying she wanted more time with him.

I absolutely respected her decision to prioritise her faith and morals - that was one of the most powerful parts of the book - but I found myself wishing she’d been more emotionally reciprocal along the way.

Their chemistry didn’t quite leap off the page for me, and at one point I even thought she might be better off without him. Thankfully, the ending offered a satisfying resolution that redeemed some of that unevenness.

Despite these minor flaws, this is a beautifully layered novel. It’s about more than romance - it's about self-worth, societal pressures, spiritual identity, and the importance of not settling.

It made me laugh, reflect, and cheer for a protagonist who chose herself and her values, even when it was hard.

If you’re looking for a closed-door, later-in-life love story that’s culturally rich, faith-forward, and full of Nigerian aunties with plenty of opinions (and drama), this one’s well worth picking up. A soulful, engaging read with just the right amount of wahala.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Marriage Monitoring Aunties’ Association by Ola Awonubi is a heart-warming and funny story with a wonderfully in-depth and fleshed out protoganist, that I think is hugely relatable in her struggle with love, family and her career. Sabe's slow-burn romance is attention grabbing and very sweet without ever becoming boring and helps to drive the narrative. Keeping the reader interested, as we expect the next 'intervention' from her brilliant extended family.
I know so little about Nigerian culture and loved learning new words and about the food and clothing and will be keeping an eye out for more books by Ola Awonubi.

Thank you to NetGalley for this Arc, I appreciate,
I loved the title from the moment I saw and requested for this book and was so excited when it was approved. I love this book so much and for some reason, I felt very comfortable and at peace knowing it was so Nigerian even though it’s in London. The characters were very lovely and I loved the reminiscing of good old days while blending with the present. I enjoyed the fact that she was very secure with all her beautiful and impressive achievements, did not waver in her faith and still had standards. This is the first I’m reading a romance book where the main character is in her fifties so it was so new to me and a reminder that life always continues and it is what you make of it. I loved that it was clear that she still wanted her person and most especially children. I also loved how the heavy topics about childbirth, reality of marriages especially in Nigeria, Fibroids and the daunting and bullying because of status was discussed and talked about. I love how firm she stood with her faith and still understood Jimi and the love was so sweet and well developed. I really did enjoy this and it will make a good movie too.

The Marriage Monitoring Aunties’ Association is a warm, witty and refreshingly grown-up story about love, family and the pressures of cultural expectations. Sade Sodipo is a brilliant lead, navigating her fifties with grace, humour and an unwavering sense of self, despite the constant interference of her well-meaning but overbearing circle.

Ola Awonubi captures the voices of the aunties perfectly, blending comedy with sharp social insight. I really enjoyed how the book explored what it means to be single later in life, especially within a culture that often sees marriage as the ultimate goal. Sade’s reluctance to settle and her quiet confidence in her own timing felt authentic and empowering.

The romance is gentle and slow-burning, which I appreciated. It felt earned and believable. I especially liked that Sade did not compromise her standards, even under pressure from those around her. Her journey is not just about finding love, but about honouring her own worth.

This is a heartfelt and engaging read, full of charm and relatable moments. It is lovely to see a story that centres an older female character with such honesty and warmth. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

I absolutely loved this book. I’m a 36 yr old Christian, 1st gen Nigerian in the USA, single woman and I don’t think I’ve ever related to a story more. I love that Sade got her happy ending annndddd I also love the realistic and biblical truth that not all who desire marriage will have it. We need more of that in our faith. We need more singles ministries like the one Sade turned around. We need to not feel shame around not being married and childless from fellow Christians because we do it to ourselves enough. I love that Sade could recognize that she had idolized marriage and put it down to set her eyes on Jesus and being content and living life. Waiting until marriage was covered realistically and gracefully. Everyone always outwardly admires it, but for some of us there is a bit of shame and sometimes embarrassment in a culture that is overly sexualized. Don’t even get me started on the naija aunties! I laughed and cried while reading this book. But I also prayed?! I don’t think I’ve ever read a fictional book that inspired me to sit a the feet of Jesus and be real with Him. This was just a really great read!

I loved this book, I loved the themes surrounding family, marriage, age etc. As a Nigerian who s entrenched in our culture this hit hard. I found myself really feeling for the fmc because i know that an unmarried 50 year old will face a lot because of the culture. Seeing the fmc be 50 and want to be a mother and a wife despite fibroids and people talking was emotional. This book also had fun moments especially with the aunties and the fmcs mom. It was portrayed very realistic and I just got it. The romance was cute and a slow burn and I like that the fmc didn’t force herself on the mmc even when people say that she’s too old to be picky. Overall this is a good read and I appreciated the older fmc and watching her navigate middle life. Thanks to the publisher for this arc.

My rating is 4.5/5.

If you loved Yinka, Where Is Your Huzband? by Lizzie Damilola Blackburn, then The Marriage Monitoring Aunties’ Association by Ola Awonubi will absolutely charm you.
We follow Sade Sodipo — a 50-year-old, successful Nigerian woman who's never been married, still a virgin and has a village of aunties and one very dramatic mother constantly reminding her of it. You’d think being accomplished and self-sufficient would be enough, but not in a society that sees a woman’s worth as tied to her marital status and ability to have children.

Sade’s romantic life is… whew. One of her recent exes didn’t dump her — his mother did, claiming she was too old to give him children. Can you imagine? And just when she's convinced all men are bottom-barrel material, along comes Jimi Taylor — five years younger, fine, reformed bad boy energy, and absolutely smitten with her. You’d think she’d dive in, right? But Sade? She’s cautious. She’s seen too much. Plus, the pressure from her mother doesn’t stop just because someone new shows up — in fact, Jimi’s past makes Mama say hard pass.

This book isn’t just about love; it’s about the love we deny ourselves, the standards we cling to even when they’re hard, and what it means to age in a society that equates womanhood with marriage and motherhood. It shines a necessary light on issues like fibroids, pre-menopause, and faith, all with humor, heart, and a good dose of Nigerian-style bluntness.

Sade’s story made me laugh, made me ache, and made me proud. Proud of how she refused to settle. Proud of how she prioritized spiritual alignment even when her heart was on the line. If nothing else, she reminds us that it’s never too late for love — but it’s okay to wait for the right kind.

This was such an enjoyable read — entertaining, insightful, and so deeply Nigerian just the right touch of 'Britico' flair. Pick it up if you’re in the mood for a feel-good, soul-touching story with Nigerian aunties, romance, and plenty of wahala.