Three Anglo-Nigerian women, Ronke, Boo, and Simi, have always been there for each
other despite their differences. When newcomer Isobel wiggles her way into the group, their friendship breaks down.

In Nigeria Wahala means trouble and it embodies this book perfectly. It takes some time for the trouble to show, but it brews slowly the entire plot. I enjoyed all three of the main women and learning about their lives and problems. I really felt for them and wanted them to make it out okay in the end. It was a lengthy read, but it went by pretty fast. I was also so happy there were recipes at the end!

“Go on, be brave. If you don’t want to be bored, you need to stop being boring.”

Wahala comes out 1/11.

Good lord, this book was phenomenal. Easily the best thriller I read in 2021 - biting, cunning, devious, insidious, all the trouble packed into one book.

Ronke, Simi, and Boo are the best of friends - three half-Nigerian women who met in college and are all living happy lives in London. There’s tension under the surface - Ronke is with sometimes-flaky Kayode and wishes for nothing more than a happy marriage and kids. Boo has a happy marriage and kids, yet feels trapped by motherhood, her boring monogamous relationship, and lack of freedom. Simi is happily married to a wealthy man and has all the freedom she wants, but he wants kids and she desperately doesn’t. But the three are a Sex and the City like trio, supporting each other and cheering each other on despite their differences.

Enter Isobel: Simi’s childhood friend and daughter of a filthy rich, corrupt Nigerian bureaucrat. She reenters Simi’s life and needles her way into Ronke and Boo’s lives too. She sees these pain points in the relationships and exploits them like no other, all for her own benefit and for the joy of seeing these women crumble. She’s wahala: the Igbo word for trouble.

Nikki May did an absolutely terrific job of developing these four characters - especially the evil, insidious Isobel - seeing what their lives were like before and after this influence entered the picture. At times, the book is incredibly infuriating, and you simply don’t understand why the characters do what they do. But Lord, does it make for an electric, fiery plot.

All I can say is that you need to read this. It is SO GOOD. I can’t wait for the BBC adaptation! Thank you to William Morrow for the ARC via Netgalley!

Wahala means trouble in Nigerian and boy is this novel aptly named! The story follows three lifelong mixed-race Nigerian girls who bonded over their shared cultural heritage. Now living in London, each of the three is trying to find their happiness in their relationships, careers and friendships. Each has a issues with their upbringing that impact their present lives. Ronke is a truly lovable dentist who hasn't yet nailed down her new Nigerian boyfriend. Her friends Boo and Simi are both married to white men and think she should be as well. Boo is in a rut with her husband and a bit stuck in motherhood she's looking for some action in her life. Simi is married to a man who is very successful but pressing her to get pregnant. The friends have the perfect balance and trust between them until the day Isobel arrives. Isobel seems like the perfect posh friend to reinvigorate them all but just what's her motivation to ingratiate herself with these three? You will be surprised how this one turns!

I'd say this one is a bit hard to characterize. It is a strong character story in the vein of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie until about 3/4 of the way through and then I see where the "thriller" title comes in. I'm not sure it's a thriller in a traditional sense but when the action kicks in, you are really cringing and hoping for the best for our girls. They are on a collision course with disaster and you're really hoping they figure out what's going on before it's too late.

There are beautiful notes of love to Nigerian culture, scathing moments of rebuke of the darker aspects of their culture and poignant moments of balancing being mixed-race and mixed-culture. I enjoyed the friendship of the three and learning more about how hard it is to balance two starkly different cultures. My only criticism is that I found Boo really unlikable, I wish she had some redeeming qualities. I disliked her more than I did Isobel and I don't think that was the author's goal. Otherwise, this was a refreshing take on a traditional thriller.

Thanks to Netgalley for early access to this novel. All opinions above are my own.

In Wahala, Nikki May tells the story of three Anglo-Nigerian friends with little in common other than the mixed-race heritage that brought them together. The story alternates between the three friends—Ronke, Boo, and Simi, two of whom are meeting for lunch at Buka, a Nigerian restaurant that is like stepping “out of suburban London and into downtown Lagos.” Although lunch is supposed to be just Ronke and Simi, Simi has brought along an outsider to the group—her friend Isobel with whom she had grown up in Nigeria. While Simi and Isobel had come from affluent families, used to swimming pools, beach clubs, and servants, Ronke’s memories include power cuts, spicy street food, and outdoor games with cousins in a dirty courtyard. Angry at her French husband for preventing her from joining the luncheon, Boo has asked Ronke to come over later with carryout from Buka.

Readers gradually get to know each of the friends, including their professional and personal lives, their differences and their problems, their dreams and their fears, sometimes learning details even their long-term friends do not know.

Nikki May opens the novel with an African proverb: “The axe forgets, but the tree remembers.” She also titles the book with a Yoruban word meaning “trouble.” Anyone wanting to learn how this story of friends turns into trouble must read Wahala to find out.

Anglo-Nigerian like her characters, author Nikki May was born in England, grew up in Nigeria, and has returned to England. Acknowledging that a lunch with her own friends inspired the novel and sometimes making readers crave a taste of the food on her pages, May adds a bit of culinary fun by including three recipes at the back of the book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Custom House for an advance reader copy of this worthwhile new ‘Own Voices” novel.

Wahala
by Nikki May
Pub Date: January 11, 2022
Custom House
Nikki May's debut novel WAHALA was inspired by a long (and loud) lunch with friends. It will be published around the world in January 2022 and is being turned into a major BBC TV drama.
I did not enjoy this book as much I had hoped. This was an entertaining read but not the domestic suspense thriller I had hoped for. I did enjoy the author's sense of humor and it was an enjoyable book, I just didn't like the characters Boo and Simi. They were awful, to their partners and Ronke.
Thanks to Custom House and NetGalley for the ARC.
3 stars

This was a very enjoyable and believable thriller about adult female friendships and how the dynamic changes with the introduction of a new friend.

Nikki May was incredibly smart to tell this story in alternating perspectives, it really helps shape the individual women and how they navigate their friend group (and how they view themselves in comparison to their friends!). All of them are all dynamic and engaging in their own right, and as a fan of SATC I slightly resent the comparison because we see so much more of each character's WHY than we ever with SATC.

Thank you netgalley for the arc!

Wahala spills the tea on three longtime friends and the secrets they keep. None of them are quite satisfied with their thirty-something lives, but while Simi is loathe to admit it, Boo cannot seem to get enough commiseration, and the two have nothing but negativity for Ronke. So when an old friend of Simi’s arrives in London, all ears and bottles of Cristal and f*ck everyone else advice, they seem mostly appreciative of the way she starts to shake things up. Little do they know, Isobel’s endgame involves turning drama into destruction.

I would agree that Wahala has a bit of Sex and the City charm in that it’s fiercely transparent and largely entertaining—personally, I found Boo’s catty little daughter most hilarious—but it’s better than the ‘white women in their all-white circle’ premise, for sure. Coming from more than one background myself, I was intrigued by the way these women identify and connect with their heritage. Although my ancestry is different, I found I could relate to certain experiences, especially where issues of identity and family are concerned. I learned a lot about Nigerian culture, too, and can’t wait to try Ronke’s Jollof Rice & Aunty K’s Moin-Moin recipe because damn, this book had me craving.

Alternating between Simi, Boo, and Ronke’s point of view, I found each section (narrated in third person limited, if you’d like to know) interesting but easy enough to digest. Still, I took my time with it. It wasn’t a book where I felt a dire need to know what happens next, but when I did have free time I’d often find myself thinking about Ronke, specifically, and feeling compelled to pick the story back up.

However, the biggest draw for me was that I didn’t actually love what lies beneath Simi, Boo, and Ronke’s friendship. It’s clear that the three women are closer to each other than any other friends they may have, but they seem judgmental and guarded from the start. And of course, all the talking smack and breaking trust gets worse as things progress. Makes sense for the story, and probably mirrors a common real life dynamic, but it’s not the type of friendship I like to read about. The best thing about friends is knowing they have your back and you don’t have to go through the messy stuff alone, no?

Also, while I felt for Boo & Simi in the beginning, I ended up caring less by the end because of all the ugly things they say and the narcissistic way they tend to act. I like to see characters track growth over the course of a story. But it seemed to me like neither of them feel a real need to change until about 80% in and they barely have their heads on straight by the end. Although, that may be realistic. And it may be foolish to pick up a book called Wahala and expect it to be idyllic, anyway.

But speaking of trouble… even though I knew Isobel was no good and plenty of instances triggered that awareness, there’s so much every day frustration in this book that I completely forgot how the beginning foretells such a gruesome end. I would’ve liked more content from Isobel’s perspective on that front because the person she is around the girls isn’t real, and while the snippets we hear from Kayode and Yetty likely are, we only get a vague idea of what sorts of things go on in her mind… Simi would hate me for calling them girls, lol.

Ultimately, even though this wasn’t my absolute favorite read, I’m still really glad I picked it up and would recommend others do the same!

Thank you Nikki May & NetGalley for providing me an eArc in exchange for my honest review.

This book is hard to categorize . It is the story of three Anglo/Nigerian friends whose friendship is challenged by a fourth Nigerian woman bent on wreaking havoc and causing wahala or trouble. Each woman has a secret which threatens her happiness. Female relationships, biracial issues and cultural issues plus murder and mayhem also figure into the meandering story line. I wish I could have liked the book more. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this debut.

Three women, Boo, Ronke, and Simi, are in their mid-30’s and have been best friends for many years. They are Anglo-Nigerian and growing up racially mixed in England had some challenges that bonded them. While all three are successful in their own rights they each have some pretty major personal issues. Enter Isobel. She’s a grade school friend of Simi’s. They lost touch and many years later Isobel happens to see a social media post with Simi. They reconnect and Simi introduces her to the other two. If there’s some tinder in each of the three friends lives, Isobel is gasoline and a flamethrower. That might be an understatement.

I liked the book! It’s a page-turner. Definitely beach read material. Also, the food is practically a character in itself and sounds amazing. A few of the recipes are featured at the end. Maybe I’ll get adventurous and try them.

My only complaint is that I got annoyed at the three women for not sussing out Isobel a little faster. Although, that might have been a less exciting book! 😂😂

Thanks to @netgalley and @harpercollins for an advanced copy of this book! It will be released on 1/11/22.

Boo, Simi, and Ronke have been friends since their days at university. These successful Nigerian-British women live in London. They have remained close friends despite differences in their personal lives. Then, Simi introduces Isobel, a childhood acquaintance, to the group. Will this interloper bring wahala, the Yoruba word for trouble, to the trio?

Wahala provides an in-depth view of Boo, Simi, and Ronke's professional and personal lives from each woman's perspective. Characters are well-developed, and you can't help but relate to them and their challenges, including relationship problems, racism, and colorism. The Nigerian culture and food also play an integral role in this story. Overall, this dark tale is a compelling and chilling look at the dynamics of female relationships.

The pacing of the first half of this book was a bit slow for me. But, Wahala moves methodically, with escalating tension, to a dramatic conclusion that leaves you wondering what just happened.

The complexities of female relationships will captivate readers of Wahala. Fans of thrillers will appreciate how Nikki May leverages the fragility of friendship to add an enthralling domestic thriller element to this story.

Thank you to NetGalley, William Morrow, and Custom House for a digital copy of this book.

This book blew my mind. From the start I was interested in it, but things kept interrupting me while reading. Once I got halfway through, I stayed up late so I could roll all the way through to the end, and it was WORTH it.

Wahala starts off with three friends getting together for a meal. One of the friends had been contacted by a friend from childhood, and she invites her into their lunch date. From here, it is a rollercoaster. This new friend seems super supportive and helpful, but not everyone trusts her.

I'd call this somewhere between fiction/friend drama/sorta mystery/thriller (at least by the end it's a thriller!) The beginning leads with a lot more exposition, but I didn't find it slow. The last fourth of the book made me gasp multiple times. Overall, I really enjoyed it! Recommended for you if: you want to read a soap opera, you love drama, (or you love to see drama play out far, far, away from you!), or you just want to read a book that talks about Nigerian food enough that you get super hungry (there are even recipes at the end!)

4.5 stars out of 5! Thank you to Netgalley and William Morrow and Custom House for the e-ARC!

A remarkable contemporary fiction novel with a psychological thriller twist!

I enjoyed the very real relationship woes of the women and the inclusion of Nigerian culture: food, clothing, language, and societal hierarchies of colorism and classism.

Each woman had a compelling story line and Isobel’s character and her connection with the others was haunting and well written.

The addition of the recipes at the end was also a very nice touch!

An excellent exploration of race, gender and relationships in a razor-sharp package. “Sex and the City” crossed with My Sister the Serial Killer.

Thank you #NetGalley, Custom House , and Nikki May for providing me with an ARC of #Wahala to review!

"Wahala" means stress and trouble, and once you get sucked into this book (and you WILL get sucked in) you will realize why that is the perfect title. When Isobel infiltrates the friend group of British/Nigerian friends Ronke, Simi, and Boo, trouble is exactly what she brings with her.

At its core, this book is very much about navigating different relationships - friends, partners, family, and more. There are some thriller plot aspects to the book, but the pacing and tone are much more suited for literary or women's fiction. So if you're reading this book because it was marketed to you as a thriller, be prepared for more of a slow burn.

That being said, I was still glued to the page. These characters were compelling and dynamic and I was interested in all of their stories (usually in books with multiple perspectives, I find myself drawn to one more than the others). There were heavy plot elements surrounding gossip, backstabbing, cheating, lying, revenge, and miscommunication - so there were always twists and turns to keep propelling things forward. I was never bored, and I probably finished the book in two days. I highly recommend it.

The recipes at the end were an added bonus that I loved as well, since food tied heavily into the novel. The author's descriptions of some of the dishes had my mouth watering, so it was only right that she help a girl out with a recipe or two.

Can't wait to read more from Nikki May!!

Genre: women's fiction, ownvoices
Pub date: Jan 11, 2022
In one sentence: Wahala means trouble, and that's exactly what friends Ronke, Boo, and Simi get when newcomer Isobel comes to town.

Blurbs are comparing this one to Sex and the City, and I definitely got those vibes from this foursome. These women have strong ties to each other, and we follow them through all kinds of love and life-related issues, from Ronke trying to get her BF to commit, Boo balancing a kid with a demanding job, and Simi delaying motherhood without her husband's knowledge. I liked getting a look into their complicated lives, and it was clear from the start that Isobel would cause problems.

May did a great job creating layered characters to keep the reader interested, and I found myself excited to read more. I did have a bit of an issue with the pacing - the middle was a little slow and then the ending felt rushed and not 100% complete. However, I'd still recommend this book to readers who enjoy books about friends. 3,5 stars rounded to 4.

Thank you to Custom House for providing an ARC on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

An incredibly compelling read; the characters are all so complex, I found myself extremely captivated by them! However, the big reveal left me feeling slightly unsatisfied and I hoped there could've been more of an explanation, if not a better one altogether.

Wahala by Nikki May was an empowering journey of the struggle of friendship when faced with betrayals and inner awakenings. Three friends come together in a moving story to find what's important in their lives, two battle for their marriages, one for her lover. It started off too slowly for me, but when the story came together it ended nicely.

I really enjoyed this book about three friends who have known each other since school and bonded over their Nigerian heritage.

Boo, Simi, and Ronke go through everything together but one day, a friend of Simi's - Isobel - appears. She tries to become close with each of the girls. It quickly becomes clear that she has ulterior motives that nearly break the friends apart.

Great story. Couldn't put it down. Two thumbs up!

My Synopsis
Ronke, Simi and Boo are British/Nigerian and have known each other for years. When Isobel, a childhood friend of Simi's, joins the group, at first she appears to bring out the best in each of the women. But as time goes on cracks begin to form with the original three's friendships and maybe Isobel isn't who she seems.

My Thoughts: Can we take a minute to acknowledge that this book cover is STUNNING?! Wahala is a very character driven story with characters that the reader loves one minute and hates the next. It's a story full of secrets, lies, friendship, love, and betrayal. It's told from multiple points of view which really allows the reader to get to know each of the three main friends on a deeper level and how Isobel interacts with each one individually. It's clear from the beginning (and also in the synopsis) that Isobel is bad news. It makes the story exciting as the readers try to figure out what Isobel is up to and why. I also loved the cultural Nigerian references that were scattered throughout the book as well as all the talk about food. It made my mouth water. I really enjoyed this one and highly recommend it.

***I have seen some shade thrown at the author for some of these characters being racist and while I do see where those reviewers are coming from, I can't help but think the author is drawing from personal experience in things she has seen or experienced herself. I feel like types of interactions made the story more real and raw. I do acknowledge that I am a white woman so I may be viewing this from a different lens than others. I look forward to seeing more opinions regarding this as more reviews come out***

𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒌 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝑵𝒆𝒕𝑮𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑾𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒂𝒎 𝑴𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒐𝒘/𝑪𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒎 𝑯𝒐𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒆-𝒂𝒓𝒄 𝒊𝒏 𝒆𝒙𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒎𝒚 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘. 𝑾𝒂𝒉𝒂𝒍𝒂 𝒊𝒔 𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝑱𝒂𝒏 11𝒕𝒉.

Anyone from Africa knows that Wahala means trouble. That trouble comes to disrupt the world of three best friends, who were in a good place with each other until trouble came around.
Ronke, Boo and Simi met at university and have been best friends ever since. They were drawn to one another because of their mixed-race heritage of English and Nigerian, and they supported each other through many ups and downs.

Ronke, is an accomplished dentist, but she wants to be married and have a family. She is hoping to turn her current relationship with her boyfriend into something more serious and long-lasting.
Boo, a stay at home mom part-time, with a dutiful husband and daughter, has been feeling the strain of dissatisfaction with her mundane life.
Simi, has a glamourous job in the fashion industry but suffers from impostor syndrome. She has an adoring husband, who is mostly absent due to the work assignment that has him in the US for months. He thinks they’re trying for a baby, but she isn’t.

In spite of their differing opinions on relationships, race, class and culture, the three friends have a solid bond until Isobel, a childhood friend of Simi’s, enters the picture, and seems to be helpful and fun as the women welcome her into their circle, but her real agenda exposes their vulnerabilities and the cracks in their friendships and relationships.

Wahala is a wildly entertaining book that will spark many animated discussions. Wahala addresses the themes of female friendships, race, class and colorism. It is a true page-turner to the very suspenseful end.