Book Review // No One But You, Oreva By Enewerome

Title: No One But You, Oreva

Author: Enewerome

Series: Soul Sisters Book 1

Genre: Contemporary Christian Romance

Age Category: Adult

Blurb:

IS AN UNFORGIVABLE BETRAYAL—AN AGE-LONG FAMILY SECRET—POTENT ENOUGH TO KEEP TWO HEARTS APART?

Nothing had prepared eighteen-year-old Orevaoghene ‘Revie’ Igbide for her first heartbreak with her best friend, Zik. The worst part? It was payment for a crime neither of them were guilty of. A decade later, she’s set to marry Linus, her knight in shining armor and a charismatic pastor, who isn’t perfect but can give her what she desires most in life—marriage.

After years of going on forced blind dates set up by his mom, Isaac ‘Zik’ Nwachukwu still hasn’t found the one. The reason is simple. His heart belonged to someone else. When the cracks in Revie’s relationship with Linus begin to widen, Zik’s steadfast love forces her to confront feelings she thought were long gone for him. Still, she is reminded of why they can’t be together but left with the difficult choice of sticking with Linus or throwing caution to the wind to be with the love of her life.

A final tragedy ending Revie’s engagement to Linus might just be Zik’s perfect second chance to fight for his one true love. But can they overcome the hurdles of their family’s secret or will they let it tear them apart a second time?

My Review:

This is my second read by the author. I read and reviewed her debut novel--Ready To Be Loved By You a few months ago and you can find the review here. I was excited for this book and the author did not disappoint. The cover is absolutely gorgeous and it is a cute story that tackles important themes that need to be talked about more in Christian fiction.

Set in Nigeria, the story follows best friends Oreva and Isaac, who also have feelings for each other but couldn't be together when they were eighteen because Isaac's mum didn't and still doesn't approve of Oreva. Ten years after their initial attempt at a relationship, they are still in each others' lives with Isaac still very much in love with Oreva and even though Oreva is still in love with Isaac, she is engaged to a pastor called Linus and they're due to be married soon.

Now the character Linus (and I can speak for every one who has read this book) is one of those characters that will make you want to jump into the story and give him a real whacking. He doesn't treat Oreva with love and respect, he is unfaithful to her, talks down on her and constantly gaslights her when she tries to challenge him. You would wonder why Oreva stays in such a relationship, right? I wondered the same thing too, but apart from the fact that Oreva was desperate to get married, I think she probably was too traumatised from the humiliation Isaac's mum caused her that she was willing to stick with Linus because his mum loved her. It was just too obvious that Linus didn't love her but she chose to ignore the red flags and of course, she suffered the consequences.

I liked the fact that the author wrote a character like Oreva because as annoying as the whole situation sounds, there are men and women who are in this same position where they choose to settle for mediocrity when it comes to relationships maybe due to unresolved past traumas, fear or shame. I also appreciated the fact that the author tackled the topic of sexual temptation in Christian relationships especially when a couple has been together for so long. It's important for us to talk about these things so we can keep each other accountable as ignoring them can lead to irreparable mistakes being made.

Now let's talk about my favourite character in this story--Isaac. Gosh, he was just such a sweet sweet man. I loved the way he talked about and treated Oreva. I loved the fact that he was a man who was willing to follow God's instructions no matter the cost. Even though Oreva hurt him by choosing to stay with Linus, Isaac waited for the right time for God's promise to come to pass. I loved how he stood up to his mum in the end and protected Oreva when the time came. It warms my heart so much when I see kind Christian men of God portrayed in books. It was so nice to see how God weaved their love story and it was impossible for me not to root for Isaac and Oreva in the end.

If you are looking for quick, cute Christian romance story which still tackles important themes like forgiveness and obedience to God, then check out No One But You, Oreva. It is available on Amazon and kindle unlimited.

If you're looking for more Christian romance recommendations with multicultural characters whose hope-filled stories point to the love and goodness of God, then check out my books here.

Thank you so much for reading.

Lots of love

Joanny💕