This book will destroy you. Sometimes when you read a book, it buries into your soul, makes a small space in your heart, and you know you’ll never forget it. Rootless is without a doubt, one of those books.

Efe and Sam meet in their teens and slowly make their way closer and closer to each other, until they are married with a daughter and their lives are wrapped up in one another. As a teenager Efe is sent by her parents from Ghana to get a British education. In the first pages of the novel we see the difficulties that Efe faces, how unbalanced and alone she feels, away from her family and adjusting to a new life.
She meets Sam through a mutual friend and there is something between them almost instantly. For years, that something stays between them but they are simply friends. Efe struggles again when she goes to university, finding her Economics course impossible but wanting to keep up with it to please her parents. We see her inner turmoil, she wants to make her family proud but she’s cracking under the pressure, a theme which continues throughout the novel. They are both dating other people but begin a love affair. When they both separate from their previous partners, their relationship develops and later they get married. Efe is insistent that she does not want children, making it clear to Sam. He holds out hope that she will change her mind, and even though she is filled with uncertainty and trepidation, when she discovers she is pregnant, Sam manages to convince her to have their baby girl, Olivia. The challenges that Efe has faced throughout her life with her mental health come to forefront again as she battles postpartum depression and remains unsupported at home by Sam, who is working tirelessly for his family. What follows shows how a relationship between two people who love each other deeply can fracture, fall apart, and yet still hold hope for a future.

I loved the description of Ghanian culture and of Ghana and the impact of family and friendships on Sam and Efe’s life, mostly a force for good but smothering at other times.

Rootless dragged me into a vortex and would not let me out until I finished it. It is incredibly written, flipping from one time to the next, always counting down with the ‘five years before’ or ‘three months before’ leaving the reader wondering ‘before what?’ This question is only answered at the end and it left me reeling.

I will recommend this book to anyone who will listen to me and I will be thinking about it forever. Krystle Zara Appiah is incredibly talented, I have never read a debut that deeply impacted me in the way that Rootless did and I will read anything she writes. If I could give it ten stars I would.

Thank you HarperCollins UK and NetGalley for this eARC.


My review will also be on my GoodReads account https://www.goodreads.com/ev_books closer to publication.

I don't actually have the words for how good this book is or how much I keep thinking about it. It is an incredible read and I don't want to give anything away so all I will say is please read this book, you owe it to yourself.

Thank you for my copy of this book to read and review.

One of the best books I’ve read in a long time. I enjoyed the countdown to ‘before’…it kept me guessing right til the end. I liked the parts of the story set in Ghana with the descriptions of the surroundings, food and family life.

A real deep, emotional story. I have already recommended this to anyone that will listen.

I feel like it’s hard to reconcile the fact that love and regret can exist in the same space. This book makes that so easy to digest in the best way possible.
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Rootless, Krystle Zara Appiah’s debut (coming March 2023!!) is an epic story following Efe and Sam, as they navigate what starts out as a wonderful will they- won’t they romance and evolves into a crumbling marriage. It’s a story that spans decades from when the pair first encounter each other up until when they’re struggling to keep their home together.
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First of all, ugh. Second of all, this was so excellent. As a Ghanaian-Brit (?), this book is the representation I’ve been on my knees begging for for years. Moving from Ghana to the UK at 16 and dealing with all sorts of expectations, Efe is as complicated as she is real. She deals with everything; from parental pressure to wondering whether motherhood is meant for her. And a lot of what she goes through prompts the reader to confront the age old question of whether in life we really do have choices and if we do, can we face the consequences of them? At its heart, this is a story about family, motherhood, choices and the self. Can you and do you really put yourself first? And if you do, what does that mean for you and those around you?
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It is brilliantly written, relatable and smart. I finished it under a day. I was greatly reminded of His Only Wife, which we’ve spoken about on here so if you liked that, man, you’ll love this. It’s different from that still, in that it flits between the UK and Ghana which is where the representation for me comes in.
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This is a triumph. Like, seriously. Get it.

"Marriage is like a groundnut. You have to crack them to see what is inside." - Ghanaian proverb

First I would like to say thank you to HarperCollins UK for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Have you ever wondered about that moment in a relationship where one person resents the other because of the sacrifices they had to make? What does it look like? What does it feel like? What does it lead you to do? Rootless answers these questions.

This book blew me away. I literally read it with one hand over my mouth the entire time. I was speeding through it, rushing to find out what happened next after every line. This is the kind of book that leaves you in a daze thinking about it long after you're done reading.

It is hard to write complicated and complex main characters, but Krystle does it in the best possible way. The book tackles depression, motherhood, young love, parental pressure, tradition, gender roles and so much more but it doesn't feel overwhelming. The writing was sharp and beautifully crafted. Descriptions that are so gorgeous you want to highlight each line to hold on to them a little longer.

As a reader, it felt easy to empathize with both Sam and Efe's experiences because Appiah wrote them so tangibly. She reminds you that there really are two sides to every story. We spend a lot of time trying to interpret people’s actions and I think it is a beautiful lesson on the importance of finding your voice.

When Efe and Sam meet in 1990s London, Efe is burdened by the expectations of her parents, who sent her to London from Ghana in hopes of a better future, while Sam is consumed by his studies in pursuit of a career in law. They come and go from each other, in ebbs and flows, but the spark of friendship eventually blossoms into love, and love leads to marriage. Sam and Efe’s love is a classic case of opposites attract; Sam is a planner, striving with a quiet confidence to achieve the stable, structured life he has envisioned. Efe, uprooted as a young girl, is more instinctive, more tentative, striving to find her place and path, but throwing herself passionately into something once she knows it’s for her. Yet they do fall into a deep and strong love until Efe becomes pregnant, which is when their differences are finally put to the test. Sam is so blinded by his vision of the life he wants that he can’t see the woman struggling in front of him.

Appiah’s characters are so well developed; from our main couple to their family and friends, in particular the vibrant and bustling community life in Ghana. In Sam and Efe she has breathed such life into two great, very different characters that we come to know, and empathise with, so deeply; each carrying forward their own troubles and traumas from childhood into adulthood.

Set between London and Ghana, Rootless is a compulsive and heart wrenching read, exploring themes of self-discovery, identity and belonging; of being true to ourselves or meeting the expectations of others, and the compromises we make in relationships that we can or can’t survive; of the struggles and sacrifices of motherhood; of what happens when someone is pushed down a path they haven’t chosen; of broken families, and the effect our learned experience of family can have on how we parent; and of how others, be it partners, family or cultural community, can seek to influence and decide our lives for us. There are a lot of darker topics and some triggering themes explored, but they only serve to support what is ultimately such a beautifully written deep dive into some of the most essential and deeply human struggles of what it is to love and what it is to be a parent, a mother in particular.

The novel is formatted in such a way as to create tension and momentum, opening with a pivotal moment before going back in time to explore how things came to this point. The chapters are titled in a countdown fashion - six months before, four months before etc. - leading us dynamically towards some climatic event; what that event will be remains a mystery until the very last moment, with so many potential outcomes based on how the story is unfolding. There is a simplicity and authenticity to the writing style that allows the passion, vulnerability, frustration and heartache of its characters to emanate from the pages, coupled with a plot pace that keeps us gripped and invested until the end.

I absolutely loved this book. This is a story, filled with vibrant characters, that will capture and squeeze your heart at every page, and a stunning debut no less.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my eARC.

This book lingered with me for days and days after I turned the last page.
From the wonderful descriptions of Ghanian life and culture to the sensitively described postnatal depression suffered by Efe and the beautiful relationship between her and Sam, every single character is a joy to get to know and every single page pulls you further into their lives.

Wonderful writing and characters that resonate. This book will stay with me for a long time. Can’t say much without spoilers but didn’t quite go how I thought it would. Highly recommend!

an unbelievable debut. A layered and intricate story of love, loss, family, parenting, mistakes and growing up. I didn't know what to expect when I started reading but I was completely blown away. The author took a lot of time, attention and patience to craft the characters and their stories and as a reader, I am grateful for it and can't wait for this to end up on ever single best of 2023 list!

Gifted an ARC through NetGalley.

What an amazing read. Wow. The entire story, how it's told, the characters you invest in? Krystle did an outstanding job giving us this masterpiece as her debut.

Told between multiple characters POV it never really gets tiring or too hard to follow at any point. I really understood Efe and love how Krystle brought a genuine, human character to life.

All in all? Absolutely read it. If you're looking for a story that stays with you, this is the one.

An incredibly powerful début novel, with an unexpected turn of what the book was leading to. The author is up there as highly rated and look forward to reading more of her work.

Rootless by Krystle Zara Appiah is a powerful and poignant debut that will grab hold of the reader's heartstrings and keep on pulling to the very last page.
Efe and Sam meet as teenagers in London in the 1990's. Sam has grown up there while Efe and her sister have recently moved from Ghana. As the years pass the friends become lovers and despite some ups and downs eventually marry. Despite knowing that Efe does not want children Sam still dreams of becoming a dad, so when Efe accidentally falls pregnant deciding what to do is something that could tear them apart.
This is such a powerful piece of storytelling, easily one of the best and most memorable books I have read in a very long time. I found myself thinking about it long after I finished, and I already know it will be on my best of 2023 list at the end of the year.
The structure of the book is interesting, each chapter is titled using a time - " five months before" "nineteen years before" etc , driving the reader to want to know what is coming while allowing the author to really show the longevity of the relationship between the characters. While we do have chapters from both Sam and Efe's perspectives , I was most drawn to Efe's , I found the chapter's describing her life in Ghana, her family and their expectations etc fascinating, a real glimpse into another culture and way of life . I also found that many aspects of her character resonated with me, like wanting to live up to her parent's hopes and expectations for her and even her thoughts and decisions about having children. That being said, I think the author did an exceptional job of showing that there are two sides to every story and that it is impossible for those outside a relationship to know the truth about what is happening within it, in fact sometimes even those within it can be oblivious to what is going on. I found myself really rooting for these characters , I was completely emotionally involved in their journey and that is what made the book so special for me.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this book. The relationships were complex and deep and evolved really well. I think it addressed women not wanting children really well, and how many are still pushed into it because it’s what society expects. It was so well written and moving.

Krystle Zara Appiah, what have you done to me?!

Poignant and heart-thumpingly wonderful. I have so much love for this. What a tender debut.
#StillRecovering

This book completely blew me away and was one of my favourite reads of 2022. Efe and Sam meet at a young age and seem destined to be together. We catch up with them every few years and see the evolution of their friendship into a relationship and eventually marriage. Once married, we get an exploration of just how differently people view and interpret scenarios and situations. We see both Sam and Efe's perspectives from the same situations and Krystle Zara Appiah does a wonderful job of showing how a lack of communication and being unwilling to see a situation for what it is can lead to a marriage in crisis.

The book deals with many themes, including parenthood, generational trauma, and the expectations of motherhood on women in modern society. I'd definitely recommend this book and I was left still thinking about the book and the ending weeks later.

I sat in my bed after finishing this book with tears falling down my cheeks and a sense of profound loss.
Rootless is like watching a car crash in slow motion. We know what Efe wants and needs and so does she but Sam seems convinced that she will change her mind and become someone she’s not.
The book begins with Efe having abandoned Sam and Liv but then moves to 20 years ‘before’ when she and Sam are teenagers and she has recently been sent to live in England from Ghana with her sister. One of the things I loved most about this novel was that England was never seen as an upgrade from Ghana. There is no white saviour ‘rescued by the developed world’ narrative here and you can feel Eve’s relief when she finally goes home to visit and feels the stress melting away as she relaxes into the familiar. When Efe starts dating Sam and takes him home with her to family events he also seems to slot right in and view the country as a second home. London is also presented fairly. The weather isn’t great, lifts in blocks of flats never work but you can get a good free education and the arts and cultural opportunities in the city abound.
I hope Krystle Appiah isn’t writing from experience when she captures Efe’s seemingly lifelong battle with depression but I fear she may be. Written so honestly, so brutally, so accurately but also so acceptingly. At times the novel actually made me feel incredibly down and hopeless as the author pulls no punches with descriptions of self harm in which she completely, utterly ‘nails’ it when Efe describes the wonderful calm that comes over a frantically screaming brain when blade hits skin. More than once I had to put my Kindle down and take some deep breaths before continuing.
Having identified with Efe so much over the years of the narrative, what happens after Liv is born was very challenging for me. I have suffered with postnatal depression and struggled to bond with my child in the early months but I have no idea and just cannot put myself in the shoes of someone who doesn’t want children and can do what Efe does when Liv is 4 years old. Despite feeling repelled from her choices in this part of the novel I still love Efe so much and so want her and Sam to be the perfect relationship that Sam thinks is possible.
I struggled quite a bit with Sam’s character as his lack of awareness of how badly a pregnancy will mess with Efe’s mental health and his lack of understanding at what life is like taking care of a baby and an elderly relative made me want to shake him.
The book gathered pace as it reached its climax and when I realised that the countdown to ‘before’ may not be counting down to Efe leaving the house after all, my blood ran cold.
I’m loving all the fabulous books coming out of Africa or written by African-British people and this story stands up effortlessly with other similar books. A definite must read!

When Efe and Sam meet as teenagers, it seems like destiny. Sam was stable, reliable, strong - and perfect for Efe who needed someone to help her hold up the weight being forced upon her by her parents since she moved from Ghana to the UK to live with her aunt. They were a team - them against the world.

But when an unplanned pregnancy occurs, they find themselves on opposing sides for the first time.

Now years later, even more pressure starts to crack at the foundations they've been building together. Efe disappears, leaving her husband and daughter in London while she boards a plane. Sam doesn't know if she's running away from their life or towards something else. But now, they need to figure out if the roots they've laid down are holding them up, or holding them back before it's too late.

"I can love her and still want something more for my life. Love and regret aren't mutually exclusive. I just - I couldn't go back to the beginning. I couldn't let myself get stuck again."

A striking story about a family in crisis, Rootless is a love story that dares to continue after the Happily Ever After. It makes authentic observations about identity - how it changes, how it is lost and found throughout our lives and the many different aspects that make us who we are.

Take Efe, who is grieving for the life she imagined for herself and feels like she has no identity outside of Wife and Mother, leaving no room for her. I felt her sadness and her loss deeply, and even when she made devastating choices, she was so very human. Sam was the other side of a coin, someone who cared and loved deeply, but couldn't or wouldn't see the cracks appearing in his picture-perfect life until it was too late.

I adored that Efe was written in such an honest, unapologetic way. She spoke candidly about the unwritten expectations and pressures that come with motherhood and womanhood and fought for herself. I also loved the way she never for a moment watered down her heritage; the story contained Ghanaian words and dialect, traditions and locations that even if you don't speak the language, you'll be able to understand contextually due to the superb writing.

The lives of our couple is carefully woven together across the pages - showing us their formative years, the good and bad, allowing us to see their relationship grow and change with them as the years go by. We learn about them as people, and as a couple - and see where the lines blur. The time flows seamlessly from one moment to another, each short chapter giving us just enough time before moving on in a way that's easy to follow and slowly leads us back to the fateful moment that will decide the course of the rest of their lives. The final chapter left me crying bittersweet tears, and while I can't say I particularly liked the ending, the journey there was extraordinary.

This prise is quiet, but bold - instead of dramatic reveals and revelations, it pulls out all the pain and confusion that is so very real to life to create an emotive and refreshingly genuine story that feels like it could've happened to someone to love. This personal tone made the highs and lows even more impactful so be ready for some tears.

We explore parenthood, heritage, relationships, careers, passions, belonging - all the things that affect our sense of identity. Anybody who has even felt like they don't really know themselves will find catharsis and connection with the central themes of this emotive novel.

Rootless is a poetic, powerful debut full of heart that needs to be on your reading list for 2023.

"People - even the ones who love you - can be a weight around your neck. You just have to choose which weights you want to carry."

This book is a standout retelling of a love story that would etch itself into your heart and brain for many many years to come. This love story will have you melting and rooting for love in all ways. I care about this book because of how these fantastic characters interacted with what made them who they were. They felt so real in a way I haven’t felt about characters in a long time (if ever). You can’t help but sympathise with their struggles, and even in their deepest mishaps, you yearn to soothe them. As a reader, I found myself battling the same mixed feelings the characters faced because of how invested I got.

Efe and Sam are childhood friends who grow up together to eventually find love. With this love comes growing, adjusting, and redefining what it means to love and to be loved. It is a powerful retelling of how love can conquer all but also how we use love to conquer one another. Efe is well written in that she captures many concerns of daughters of the diaspora living in the west trying to find themselves in a not-so-clear-cut world while adjusting to her potential needs as opposed to the needs of others and what’s expected of her. The author's voice is clear in her telling of Sam and Efe’s story, giving us an immersive plot that has an appealing pace. Efe’s concerns felt honest and tangible, should she give herself time to figure things out or should she do what’s expected of her but may not inspire her? How will marriage look like for her? Will love be enough? Where will their collective take them? And most importantly, will they find love in one another?

I am thoroughly impressed with how much this book captivated me from the start, I couldn’t put it down and I found myself rushing back to it every time I did. I thought the chapter transitions would throw me off at first, but it works really well with this story, maybe it was the platform I was reading on. The pacing is on point and distinctively written to take you out of time without you realising how fast you’re going through the contents. Personally, I got goosebumps from seeing Twi being incorporated seamlessly into the dialogue in the most elegant and realistic way I’ve read in a book (granted I’ve read a few books with Twi blended into the dialogue). It made me want to go and have many rereads, and so proud to see elements of Ghanaian culture and language. I have so many feelings and thoughts to still process for this book, and that’s a powerful thing. You are left thinking about your humanity.
It is an exceptional and painfully beautiful story. I’ll be thinking of this for years to come and I see this becoming a classic real soon.


Dear Krystle Zara Appiah, you've got yourself a big fan!

Rootless is a story of friendship, family, societal obligation and motherhood. But above all, it’s a story of love. Such a well crafted novel, compelling enough to pull you through and very quick read. I enjoyed it so much from the first page till the end. A good story like this needs a quiet afternoon, a sofa and a warm blanket. Moving and heartfelt! Enjoy!

Oh, this book broke my heart. Sam and Efe's story was compelling, sweeping, exploring themes of regret, obligation, mental health, parental pressure, all while feeling propulsive at the same time. This is one so many are going to love and discuss.

Hold on a minute and let me catch my breath. Gasp. Gasp. Gasp.

This excellent novel tells the story of Efe and Sam, best friends turned will-they-won't-they lovers turned husband and wife turned parents. It is a simple love story, except that it isn't. Efe didn't want any of it: not a steady relationship, not marriage, certainly not children.

The ending is shocking, yet appropriate. I read it three times just to be sure.

If you're someone who finds it hard to live by societal norms and standards, this book is for you. If you're someone who enjoys a good book, you won't go wrong with this one.

For a novel, Rootless is very good. For a debut, it is astonishing. Krystle Zara Appiah should be on everyone's watchlist.

Five stars for outstanding storytelling.

Amazing - I felt everything all these characters were feeling. I could relate to their hopes and dreams and fears as well as dealing with the heaviness of life. Proof that love isn't every thing but it helps keep it together.

The story follows Efe and Sam as they find their way in this crazy world. Highly recommended.

Rootless is a compelling debut novel that had me drawn into the story from the first page, and left me reeling with its denouement. Krystle Zara Appiah is a talented, exciting new author and, if Rootless is anything to go by, has a bright future ahead of her.

The novel opens 'Five Months Before' with our protagonist, Efe Owosu-Mensah, having left her husband, Sam, and young daughter, Olivia, without explanation. From there we are taken back in time to Efe and Sam's first meeting in September 1997, with Efe newly-arrived from Ghana to complete her education.

And so begins a delicately-crafted, utterly believable love story, which we see develop over the course of almost two decades in the first part of the story. We also witness Efe and Sam growing up and figuring out who they are and what they want to do, as well as getting to know their families - Sam's in London and Efe's in Accra, Ghana - and realising how the weight of their families' expectations influences the course of their lives. Told through a series of carefully-chosen vignettes at roughly yearly intervals, some in Britain and some in Ghana, the first part of the story made me invested in Efe as a character and the relationship with Sam, so the second half of the book had far more emotional resonance.

With a structure reminiscent of David Nicholls' One Day, Rootless instantly intrigued me; the chapters are labelled 'Nineteen Years Before' and so on, yet Appiah keeps the reader speculating as to 'before what' the whole way through. I changed my mind several times as to what the story was counting down to, and was still completely stunned by the ending.

In many ways, Rootless reminded me of Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Just as Adichie did with her native Nigeria, Appiah does a beautiful job of bringing Ghana to life - with authentic details such as the role of the Elders, the hierarchical family relationships, the food and even the Supermalt - and of highlighting the struggles of young people torn between the culture and social norms of their West African homeland and those of the Western country they have made a home in. The story will resonate with anyone who can relate to the experience of having a dual heritage.

Both Sam and Efe bear scars from their upbringing, whether visible or not, and, both are unconsciously trying to use the other to help heal their past trauma, which ultimately pushes them away from each other. As the story unfolds, we learn how being raised in a culture of just getting on with it, not dwelling on or even really talking about emotions, and one of rigid expectations for men and women, can damage an individual - or a relationship - in different ways.

Rootless is, at its heart, a deeply moving love story, but it is also a commentary on the perils of trying to change, or expecting someone else to change, for love, and on how family and culture shapes us, for better or worse.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

First of all, sorry for the delay, I've been waiting to savour this one. Krystle is an old friend of mine and I am so happy and proud to see her write such a stellar, and beautifully packaged book. I rushed out on day one to buy in hardback and it sits proudly on my shelves. Would highly recommend for those that love more literary, but engaging, character-focused stories.

This was such an interesting read! I found myself so engrossed in the story, the characters had such incredible arcs, and I can't wait to follow this author's journey!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

This book was unexpectedly powerful. As someone recently married and grappling with the pros and cons of motherhood at the moment, it hit a particularly personal note for me. I definitely identified with Efe's struggles, and appreciated that Appiah placed those in a full context and didn't minimise them in any way. But it's also a book about relationships and how both partners need the opportunity to grow and change within a safe space. I'd definitely recommend this to my friends.

"Love and regret aren't mutually exclusive".

I have had many anticipated reads for 2023, but "Rootless" is undoubtedly one of my favourite reads of 2023 so far, it may even be a contender for my favourite BLBC picks!

Efe has lived a life that has been chosen for her. Leaving her home  & life in Ghana was never a choice she would have made for herself. Efe's parents, have high hopes for her & her sister, Serwaa. in the hopes of their daughter's gaining academic success in the UK, the sisters are ejected from their life in Ghana. Efe struggles in ways that no one seems to understand. Efe's lack of automony over her life did not stop at her education, it transcends through her relationships, her marriage, ans it is not until Efe reaches breaking point when she is begrudingly forced into motherhood, that she begins to claim back her life, much at the displeasure of those around her.

Appiah takes readers on a painful journey, spanning two decades, that demonstrates that love is not always enough during the course of a marriage. It is not often that we hear the stories of women who do not want children, but as the tides continue to shift, and gendered roles & expectations continually transforming, "Rootless" is a perfect demonstration of a womans right to not want to have children. Not only was this perfectly executed, but it was also complimented greatly alongside the exploration of post natal depression.

I found myself constantly conflicted by who warranted my sympathies throughout, but somehow I was left feeling that they both did. In their own ways, they both were battling demons that require the reader to take a step back and understand the characters. Although, I did wish that Sam's perspective had more room for development, doing so would have taken away from the exploration of post natal depression.

I know that there has been a lot of controversy surrounding the ending, but I loved it, it was so fitting for their journey.

This is not a book that centres solely on romance, it is one that centres on the difficulties of a marriage, it poses many questions about marriage and relationships, ones in which need to be thought through with compassion & an open mind.

Please do your Googles of the TW ⚠️ but I think to research would spoil the basis of the story - but the choice is yours!

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Just thinking about writing a review for this is making me feel emotional.

From the jump I noticed the timelines and thought I knew what it was alluding to, and even towards the end when I had a better idea of what it would be, I still found myself having a very surprisingly emotional reaction to the climax.

The crux of this book is about motherhood and how not everyone wants to be or is cut out to be a mother. The author very deftly and vividly shows us Efe’s experience of motherhood. Even those perfect mothers whose lives revolve around their kids would be hard pressed to not empathise with her and everything she goes through.

The book is also touches on familial relationships and the pressure children face in defining themselves and who they are beneath the pressure of parent’s expectations (particularly prevalent in migrant families).

I loved this story, I loved Eve and the other characters even when i didn’t particularly like them (author did a fantastic job with character development). This isn’t an easy book but it is really engaging and so well written. It’s going to haunt me for days I just know it. 4.5 stars

This book blew me away. All time favourites list blew me away.

It opens with Sam returning home to find his wife Efe has fled London and the cost of a flight to Ghana is missing from their bank account. Immediately we understand this marriage is in trouble but we have no idea how it got there.

The structure of this book is really clever - following the opening, we step back nearly twenty years and then move forward again, seeing Efe and Sam’s lives unfold - learning everything that brought us to the point she left. I was so heavily invested in Efe’s character and was particularly moved by her battle with postpartum depression. Seeing her struggle with her mental health whilst trying to balance everything and meet the expectations placed on her by both herself and everyone around her was incredibly powerful.

The chapters are carrying you to a certain point in time and you have know idea what is going to happen. All I will say is that I didn’t see it coming, and it elevated the whole book to something extraordinary. I cannot wait to see what Krystle Zara Appiah writes in the future ❤️