Remember the Mills & Boons series of romance books? If like me, you voraciously read every single copy that you could lay your hands on as a teen, then you’re going to LOVE the Ankara Press romance novels.
When this trio of books landed on my desk for review, I was intrigued by the Mills & Boon type titles, A Tailor-Made Romance, The Elevator Kiss, Love’s Persuasion, the colourful imagery and sassy looking heroines on the front covers.
Now a woman on the wrong side of 40, I found myself, much like the teen version of me, looking forward to reading the Ankara Press romance novels. It was strangely satisfying escaping into the worlds of these authors. Let’s face it, life can get a bit mundane sometimes and a little escapism never hurt anyone. It probably says a lot about me, and my current state of mind that I read the first one, The Elevator Kiss in one go, staying up until 2am to finish it!
Ankara Press says:
“Our stories feature young, self-assured and independent women who work, play and, of course, fall madly in love in vibrant African cities from Lagos to Cape Town. Ankara men are confident, emotionally expressive and not afraid of independent and sexually assertive women. Our sensuous books will challenge romance stereotypes and empower women to love themselves in their search for love, romance and wholesome sex.”
I concur. All three novels were extremely well written and I am looking forward to reading other titles in the Ankara Press collection.
The Elevator Kiss – Amina Thula
Set in the beautiful city of Cape Town, this book will have you hooked from the first page. The romance between Sindi, an ambitious young entrepreneur and Edward, a suave and confident businessman goes through the usual ups and down, but it was expertly written, and it ticked all of the boxes, initial resistance to get involved, great sex, the other woman etc.
A Tailor-Made Romance – Oyindamola Affinnih
The premise of this story got my attention from the start. Mainly for the role reversal with the male protagonist, Adnan, being a ‘lowly’ tailor from Mushin (an undesirable area in Lagos). It was intriguing because Tishe was fighting her obvious attraction to him because of this. “Adnan is unwavering in his commitment to Tishe, planning romantic getaways and introducing her to his family. But can love cut across social class?”
Love’s Persuasion – Ola Awonubi
For me, this book stuck most closely to the tried and tested Mills & Boon format. The rich, attractive boss, the struggling, but beautiful employee trying to make something of herself. For me, Ada and Tony’s romance was a little demure and predictable. What was most exciting for me was the real world references to Nollywood actors and Lagos landmarks, which would perhaps be extra appealing to Nigerian readers.
To buy these and other books, visit: www.ankarapress.com.
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