I really enjoyed this story once I'd read far enough for each character to become clear distinct entities. The story is written in alternating character chapters so we get to see each woman's point of view of her world and their relationships. These childhood friends are enjoying their mutual support until Isobel enters the scene. Upon her introduction you see each woman focusing on what's she's not satisfied with in life and the friendship ties start to fray. I enjoyed the journey and thank Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Simi, Boo, and Ronke are best friends who love and trust each other wholeheartedly. Things for them and between them are going well. That is until Simi’s old friend, Isobel, comes back into her life, bringing with her drama and chaos. Will the three friends be able to hold on to their separate and collective relationships as their worlds start tumbling down, or will they lose everything and everyone that matters most?

Wahala is the story of family, friendship, and betrayal, and I was not sure what to expect from it, but I absolutely loved it. It took until the second or third chapter to get into it, but once I did, I was not disappointed. I found myself rooting for all of the ladies, and I quickly started taking sides. I laughed, yelled, and rolled my eyes as the book went on.

It is well written with incredibly dynamic characters. The world, characters, and overall story were exciting and had me clamoring to get to the end to see how it all unraveled. The ending did leave a few questions unanswered; however, it does not take away from the overall story. I am glad that I found the author early on and cannot wait to see what comes next.

I really enjoyed reading about these 4 women and all their baggage. It was interesting to see how they all interacted differently with each other when not in their full group and what some chose to share with some and not others. This book was compared to Sex and the City but it seemed a little catty like Housewives as well.
On many levels they were typical women carrying on about life’s woe’s but then there was some smack talk behind another’s back causing some real problems for others. This book was a great read into another culture learning about customs & food from Nigeria. I would definitely recommend this book to fans of drama and chick-lit!

This was a really fun read--it follows three Nigerian-British friends as they deal with the arrival of an old acquaintance who disrupts their social circle. Most of the characters are not especially likeable, but they are entertaining. The end took a twist that was a bit unbelievable and felt rushed, but I would still recommend. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC

This was so good! It started a little slow but please stick with it. I knew from the beginning something was going to pop off but whew! The way the author interconnected stories between this group of friends will leave you stunned. I didnt expect the way this turned out. You will be in for a ride as this story explores friendships and relationships. I was on the edge of my seat!!

This book starts a little slow but once you get to know the characters it becomes so engaging and hard to put down! I love that this book feels in the same genre as SATC but a much more progressive and diverse version. You will adore Wahala!

Secrets, lies, and revenge all figure in this slow burn of a novel about four women of Nigerian heritage living in London. Simi, Boo, and Ronke are all in different places in their lives and then Isobel, a childhood friend of Simi arrives and turns everything upside down. Simi and her husband Martin seem to have everything but the baby he wants and she doesn't. Boo does have little Sofia with her husband Didier but she's restless and missing full time work. Then there's Ronke, a dentist who is in love with Kayode. And what about Isobel? Yes, she's rich but she's all pushy and she's meddling in the relationship between the women and in their lives. This starts off one way and slowly builds to where you realize not all is as it seems. I liked the vivid descriptions of Nigerian food (and the recipes) as well as of the community. If I found Simi, Boo, or Ronke irritating at times, all the better because that meant they conveyed as real conflicted women. Gotta say though, I felt for Didier in particular and Sofia is kind of annoying. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. It's a layered read with good storytelling that I very much enjoyed.

A wonderful debut book by an author who's one to watch. As much as I loved Sex In The City I absolutely loved the three very different women and the fourth who wants into their group. This will be an excellent book club read because you gather your friends to discuss together this not be missed book. Happy reading!

I thought I’d enjoy “Wahala” much more than I did. It’s a solid book, but it seemed like nothing happened for the first 70% of the book. There was so much character development and insignificant interaction between those characters for the majority of the book, that all of the drama in the last 50 pages seemed so jarring. Until that part of the novel, it was a rather uneventful read. There is a bit of an Anti-Nigerian tone that came through at times that I believe could have been handled with a bit more nuance with respect to the story. The ending left me with little satisfaction. Others seemed to enjoy it more, but this was just an okay read for me. 3 stars ⭐️. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy for review.

Fast-paced drama about a close-knit group of Anglo-Nigerian friends that gets disrupted when a new personality is added to the group. TW: some language alluding to colorism is used while racial themes are not fully explored. For the purpose of the cultures represented in this novel it just, is what it is? SO just want to add that in there for some readers to consider before going into this book - while the ethnicities and races of the main characters are central to their identities it's not a reconciliatory read.

I wasn’t fully sure what to expect when I first picked up Wahala. The description and marketing pitched it as a thriller, but the first portion of the book truly felt like literary or women’s fiction. Throughout it all, though, there is this creeping feeling of something more sinister happening and then BAM! The story takes a quick turn into 100% thriller territory. I LOVED it. The twists and turns in this book had me hooked until the very last page.

I also loved the complex relationships of the characters and the friend group dynamic we explore throughout the story. Most of our main characters are deeply flawed and struggle with making good decisions. They are not nice to each other and take out their insecurities on the people closest to them. I know these people—we all know these people. We've been in this group of friends. Seeing the world from each woman’s perspective, though, allows us to understand those bad decisions and we’re able to dissect their struggles with their wants and needs in life. Additionally, we’re able to see how each of them processes their shared heritage and experience an Anglo-Nigerian woman differently based on their unique circumstances and perspectives. At the core, this is a great character-driven story with a slow-build plot.

My only issue with the book was in the writing style—there is a lot of telling in this book, rather than showing. We regularly come into a new chapter with much of the anticipated action (a secret being revealed, a confrontation with a spouse, etc.) having already happened and we’re brought in to see the consequences. It’s a clear stylistic choice and is effective in telling the story, though it’s just not always my cup of tea.

So incredibly impressed with this debut novel! I’m excited to see what Nikki May has in store next.

I thought this book SHOOK me. I would recommend to friends and family. If you like compelling fiction, you will like this book.

This book follows a friend group made up of 3 British/Nigerian girls who met in grade school and bonded over their shared heritage. I love learning about other backgrounds so this book was an instant hit for me!

Wahala (Trouble) is the perfect title for this self described Anglo-Nigerian Sex and the City, with a thriller-y twist of an ending. I really enjoyed getting immersed in the culture of these three friends lives….the food!!!! I’m so glad the book included recipes! This book was a slow burn to begin but I devoured the last 100 pages and sped through them to see how the three friends and newcomer Isobel’s relationships panned out. Whew, it’s a doozy! An awesome debut from Nikki May!

When I read some of the early reviews in the description, they mentioned it being a modern spin on sex and the city. I didn't necessarily get that vibe but it was what drew me in to reading this novel. I expected this to be somewhat of a light story but I was wrong. We meet three Anglo-Nigerian best friends, Simi, Boo, and Ronke dealing with different things in their lives like children, friendships, and careers. In comes Isobel, an old friend of Simi and she desperately tries to get in with the trio. It was all down hill from there! Initially, the story wasn't doing anything for me, partially because nothing was really happening but as I kept going I realized that it was all for a reason. Once I hit halfway through the book I couldn't put it down. A story of master manipulation, May did a wonderful job creating a story about the test of true friendship. An added bonus were the Nigerian recipes at the end.

Thanks to William Morrow and Custom House and netgalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

A fantastic novel of female friendship, drama, and the bonds that really bind us.

I originally read this on submission from the agent before acquisition to the current publisher, and fell in love with it then. Happy to see the editor kept so much that makes it and Nikki great.

A fast-paced messy friend drama that takes a shocking turn. This was an enjoyable read filled with
recognizable, problematic characters that bring the drama.

This book follows the friendship of originally three Anglo-Nigerian best friends who tackle the complicatedness of being a woman and what she really wants. A fourth woman attaches herself to the group and chaos ricochets.

It examines how hard it is to be female, to not say what you want because you don't know what you want, and the challenges of female friendships

First off, let me start by saying this book is AMAZING!!! It was one of the best books I read in the past year! This book tells the story of three best friends, Ronke, Boo and Simi. They're all Anglo-Nigerians, living in London, and all have one parent that is Nigerian, and one that is of a "white" ethnicity (English, etc.) They bond over this as children, and that bond sticks. They are now in their mid 30s, and still the best of friends. When Simi's childhood friend, Isobel, comes into the picture, the friendship is put to the test, with the three just hoping to come out unscathed.

This book, for me, was just incredible. I loved the writing style-- each chapter alternated between the points of view of Ronke, Simi and Boo-- and being able to see what was going on in each of their minds really made the story really enjoyable. I felt like they were all relatable, and really likable. You rooted for each of them, and for their friendship as a whole. I wanted them to succeed and get the lives that they wanted.

I also loved learning about the Nigerian culture through the three ladies. African culture varies so much from country to country, so I had little idea of what the Nigerian culture is like. Learning about the different foods that Ronke loved and embraced really made me want to experience that for myself.

Overall, this book is one of the best that I have read in the past year. I really can't find a flaw with it. Amazing debut novel for Nikki May! I have been (and will continue to!) recommend to all my friends/readers!

Thank you to the author, publisher and Net Galley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Part #ownvoices women's fiction, part suspense/psychological thriller. This story about three close biracial Nigerian friends is full of secrets and lies as well as amazing Nigerian culture and close friendship bonds. When someone from their past re-enters their lives unexpectedly these three friends have to question everything they thought to be true and slowly discover the best of friends can sometimes be the worst of enemies. This book is perfect for fans of Jane Igharo's The sweetest remedy. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my advance review copy. And can I just say what a STUNNING cover!!