This Kind of Trouble by Tochi Eze: Review
Welcome to my review of This Kind of Trouble by Tochi Eze! Literary fiction isn’t my go-to genre, but I love it, so when Tiny Reparations asked if I wanted a copy, I had to jump on it.
Title: This Kind of Trouble
Author: Tochi Eze
Genre: Literary Fiction
Publisher: Tiny Reparations Books
Pub Date: 08/05/25
Description
A riveting tale of forbidden love centered on an estranged couple brought together to reckon with the mysterious events that splintered their family.
In 1960s Lagos, a city enlivened with its newfound independence, headstrong Margaret meets British-born Benjamin, a man seeking his roots after the death of his half-Nigerian father. Despite Margaret’s reluctance, their connection is immediate. They fall in love in the dense, humid city, examining what appears to be their racial and cultural differences. However, as they exchange childhood stories during lazy work lunches, they uncover a past more entangled than they could have ever imagined. Margaret’s deteriorating mental health combined with the shadow of events that transpired decades ago in a small village sets their gradual fracture in motion.
By 2005, Margaret has retired to an upscale gated community in Lagos, and seemingly happy Benjamin lives alone in Atlanta, managing his heart problems with no options when asked to name his next of kin. But their attempt at a settled life is shattered when their grandson begins to show ominous signs echoing the struggles Margaret once faced. The former lovers are forced to reunite to confront the buried secrets they had dismissed in the passion of their youth—secrets that continue to ripple through their family.
A startling and propulsive tale of forbidden love, This Kind of Trouble traces the intertwined legacies of one family’s history, exploring the complex relationship between tradition, modernity, and the ways we seek healing in a changing world. With this debut novel, Tochi Eze announces herself as a dazzling new voice in world literature.
Review
I love literary fiction and alternating timelines and perspectives, so this book quickly pulled me in. I think it’s best read in a short amount of time because my memory could not hold onto who in the present timeline was related to who in the past timeline, but I thoroughly enjoyed how those connections further deepened the storyline and characterization. The past timeline might have been my favorite because there was so much going on between the mysterious virgin pregnancies, colonization, and the limits of community.
Benjamin had an air of cynicism to him, and he definitely was never winning husband or father of the year, but his flaws really enhanced the story and are partially what got him and Margaret into the position they were in in the first place. A lot of Margaret’s actions and thoughts were clouded by her paranoia, but she was also dismissed by family a lot even when she was speaking lucidly, so I had way more empathy for her than Benjamin. Seeing their relationship in the past also helped explain how they got to where they were.
This book really highlighted the way generational secrets and curses can have an impact, whether you believe in them or not. There was also great conversation around belief itself, through religion and spirituality and culture and customs, especially depending on what you believe the origins of Margaret’s mental illness were. Overall, this debut really worked for me and lends itself to some really interesting conversations.
*Thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.*
Author
Tochi Eze is a writer and lawyer from Nigeria., Longreads named her short story “The Americanization of Kambili,” published by Catapult, as one of “Ten Outstanding Stories to Read in 2023.” She has an MFA from Florida Atlantic University and is currently a PhD student in English Literature at the University of Virginia.
Where to Buy
Bookshop | Barnes & Noble | Amazon
