This was such a great read. Ronke, Simi, and Boo are friends; a happy trio living different lives. Along comes Isobel and the three friends become four. Or do they? Isobel has links to all three women, although not all of them realise this. These links become the driving force of Isobel's desire to invigilate herself into each of their lives and with this, the trio's original friendships are challenged and rocked. This book reminded me very much of Single White Female, except in full and vivid colour. While it beautifully embraces aspects of Nigerian culture and racial issues, it is above all about the fragility of friendship when trust is broken. I highly recommend this debut novel and am delighted and honoured to have been granted an early read. Beautifully written, Nikki May, I look forward to your next book!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for letting me read an e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely devoured this book. The three main characters of Ronke, Simi and Boo are feel so incredibly real and well-developed, which makes the cracks in their friendship once Isobel is introduced even more heartbreaking. All three women are flawed and make mistakes, which makes it all the more interesting to read from each of their perspective’s.

I wasn’t able to predict where the plot was going which is a gripe I often have with thrillers, and the book touches on dark topics without making me want to put it down. On the contrary, I was enthralled the entire time, and I can totally see why it’s going to be made into a TV serial.

I adored the way that this book dealt with dual nationality, race, class, and identity. It felt like especially through the character of Ronke, May was writing a love-letter to British-Nigerian culture, which was incredible for me to read as a total outsider to that culture.

I loved Wahala. I loved the three main characters and finding out about their lives, past and present. I loved learning more about Nigerian traditions and food. An entertaining and absorbing read that makes you laugh, cry and shout out loud. I’m really hoping that we will hear more about Simi, Ronke and Boo!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House for a free Advanced Review Copy of this book.

Wahala is certainly a great title for this story, as is the book cover with eyes covered. Wahala ... Trouble ... is here.

'The woman is huddled in the corner of her bedroom. Her dress is ruined--the button missing, the belt ripped. One seam has come apart, exposing her bare shoulder.' From this intriguing opening line, we then visit three friends in a Nigerian themed cafe, and all seems calm and normal. We know something is coming, but not when or what.

The plot and tension built slowly, but the characterisation and world building had me hooked right from the off. I knew a certain person was trouble, and waiting for it all to unfold and fall apart made the read enjoyable (not sure what that says about this reader, lols). Also, the explanation in the denouement was well worth the wait. 

Here a some lines that stood out for me ...

'... you can't legislate your thoughts, they have a mind of their own.'

And ...

' 'Should a dentist be pushing rock-hard, deep-fried pastry?' | 'It's good for business,' said Ronke. 'My mortgage relies on broken teeth.' '

And ...

'Dad disapproved of alcohol except when he was drinking it.'




Excellently written, the characters come alive, and in a few scenes, we get to see realistic racism against the British from Nigerians who've lived in England for years but retained their own culture. The author shows us the many tensions and misunderstandings that real life brings, especially in a multi-cultural society that doesn't always make room for 'different', however that may manifest. 

Wahala gets a resounding 5 stars from me, and I would highly recommend both this read and this author.

***

NOTE ON RATINGS: I consider a 3-star rating a positive review. Picky about which books I give 5 stars to, I reserve this highest rating for the stories I find stunning and which moved me.

5 STARS: IT WAS AMAZING! I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! — Highly Recommended.
4 STARS: I WOULD PULL AN ALL-NIGHTER — Go read this book.
3 STARS: IT WAS GOOD! — An okay read. Didn’t love it. Didn’t hate it.
2 STARS: I MAY HAVE LIKED A FEW THINGS —Lacking in some areas: writing, characterisation, and/or problematic plot lines.
1 STAR: NOT MY CUP OF TEA —Lots of issues with this book.

Entertaining and fast paced read: a light hearted insight into the Nigerian diaspora in England through the story of a group of girlfriends. This book is an enjoyable “chick lit” novel but gets spoiled by a ludicrous ending which looks like it belongs to a bad soap opera. I would nevertheless recommend it as a great beach read.

Nikki May is a Nigerian-British author born in Bristol, England and raised in Lagos, Nigeria. Wahala is her debut novel which was inspired by a long lunch with friends.

Wahala follows the lives of three lifelong friends, Simi, Ronke and Boo as they navigate their way through relationships, friendships and memories of the past. When their close-knit friendship changes with the arrival of rich, glamourous Isobel, Simi, Ronke and Boo find themselves in unchartered waters.

I absolutely loved this book. I loved it so much that I pretty much read it through the night and well into the early hours of the morning. The characters were all so different in their personalities, life stages, hopes and dreams, yet they gelled so well. By far, my favourite character was Ronke, who embraced her culture like a giant hug and never let go. She, through Nikki May's wonderfully rich, evocative writing, brought Nigeria alive for me, even in the heart of London. Every dish, the characters ate and made left me salivating and wishing I could pull up a chair and join them.

So, let's talk about each of the characters, who they are, how they came across and their likeability. Because I feel like even the worst characters can be likeable in their own unique way. It's why so many people love a villain as opposed to a hero.

I've touched a little on Ronke but, I want to dive in a bit deeper. Ronke to me felt like home. She was warm, funny, honest and comforting. I loved her zest for life, her love for her boyfriend Kayode, her friendship with Simi and Boo, and ultimately her love of food. As a plus-sized woman who loves to cook, this resonated with me. Food is so much more than nutrition. It's memory and emotion. Love, grief, sadness all tied together. It's what we give to someone who's grieving, or to a celebration or just because they look like they could do with a good feed.

Watching her story unfold was beautifully bittersweet. One moment, Ronke had me in stitches, and the second, I was reaching for the tissues. Her life was so relatable and I just wanted to wrap her up in a big hug and make the pain disappear.

Simi or Simisola as she's known to her father is almost the opposite of Ronke. Where Ronke wants a husband and a family, Simi is happy with her extravagant yet comfortable life with her husband Martin. She too grew up in Lagos, Nigeria before moving to England for university. Where Ronke's life is full of comfort, Simi's is full of polish and pizazz. She gets the best of both worlds; living in London but getting to travel to New York regularly. A lifestyle, not many of us get to dream about, let alone live. Simi's story is different. Instead of trying to fill the shoes of a deceased father, Simi is trying to navigate her way through the world of fashion as a mixed-raced woman where she is automatically pushed onto projects that are considered "urban", as well as appease her husband's dream of having a family.

Boo otherwise know as Bukola is simply lost. It's the only way I know how to describe her. Her personality is jarring and her attitude is frustrating but that is because, to me, Boo has forgotten how to be herself. She's stuck in a rut of routine and expectation with absolutely zero way out. Imagine a washing machine constantly stuck on a spin, and that is how Boo sees her life. Her husband Didier and daughter Sofia are precious yet cliquey. They don't mean to be, and yet you can see how their strong bond, makes Boo feel sidelined and alone in her own home. So, when Isobel arrives on the scene, it's understandable that Boo clings to her like a lifeline.

Isobel is the wildcard. The catalyst. The ticking timebomb. She's a young woman who like Simi, Ronke and Boo is also mixed-race and understands how frustrating that can sometimes be. However, we discover that she's Nigerian-Russian, rather than Nigerian-British. We first meet Isobel quite early on in the book, and instantly it's shown that there's something not quite right. Isobel is too flashy, too quick to insert herself, and too quick to pass blame. Before long, we discover that Isobel has her own tragic story and a mentality that definitely left me reeling. Do I like Isobel? No. But, I do feel that Isobel's story isn't finished. That like a bad smell you can't quite get rid of, she'll be back to wreak havoc once more.

I was initially drawn to Wahala because of its beautiful vibrant cover. It's a flaw of mine when it comes to books. Give me a pretty cover and I'll be automatically interested. However, the storyline whilst slow in the beginning really dug its claws in as boats were rocked, friendships were tested and truth prevailed. I had read a couple of reviews going into this book and knew ultimately that like most good fiction novels, Isobel was the villain of the piece. However, I was shocked as to just how tarnished she was. Isobel was ultimately a giant catfish masquerading as an angelfish.

Ultimately, this book is gritty, honest, brutal in places and just wonderful especially with the hidden gem at the end. I cannot fault it. I highly recommend you check out Wahala when it's published on the 6th January 2022.

Such a colourful, descriptive book ! I loved the Nigerian theme and the characters are so well drawn that you feel you are in the room ! A fabulous first book and will make a tremendous film.

"Wahala" is perfectly titled. That's number one.

This is a book that presents well-drawn, memorable characters embroiled in a saga that has left me wondering: do you know what your friends would do if they became desperate enough?

Simi, Boo, and Ronke live a good life. They have seen each other through university, weddings, children and careers. They love each other. They have so much to be grateful for. So much hope for the future. Their lives are not perfect but they are full.
And then they meet Isobel.*

The new element shakes the group up and what falls out is... astounding.
The little secrets we keep, the grudges we hold, the judgements we make -- in the wrong hands, these are dangerous.

Add a twisted, transcontinental family history, childhood trauma and a penchant for revenge and you've got one helluva story.

Ronke, Simi and Boo are best friends, and nothing can come between them... until the glamorous Isobel inserts herself into their lives like a knife.

Smart, compulsive, and utterly readable, I raced through this book. Each woman's viewpoint is brilliantly painted, and the gradual unravelling of their lives and their secrets is darkly compelling. Nikki May has created a set of fantastic characters who pulled me in different directions, no matter what they were hiding. I really enjoyed this read and highly recommend it!

The cover and premise for Wahala made me think that this novel would be a beach thriller, something in the realms of Liane Moriarty. While the unfolding drama between a trio of ‘friends’ was fairly amusing to read of, Wahala wasn’t quite the suspenseful domestic thriller I’d hoped it to be. Still, this was, for the most part, an entertaining read and Ronke alone kept me turning pages.

Set in London, Wahala is centred around three mixed-race friends, Ronke, Simi, Boo. They met in Bristol and their shared experiences drew them together. Over the years they have all embarked on different paths but they remain close friends, eating out together or meeting up to vent about their partners or lives. Ronke, a dentist, doesn’t have the greatest dating history but she hopes that her current boyfriend, Kayode, is ‘the one’. Simi, married to Martin who lives and works in New York, is tired of putting up with her boss’ microaggressions. Boo is growingly dissatisfied with her life as a stay-at-home mum. She begins to resent her husband, Didier, and even her four-year-old daughter.
And then Isobel arrives. She’s hideously wealthy and an old acquaintance of Simi. Soon enough she inserts herself in the group, spoiling them with expensive gifts and seems more than willing to let them vent about their lives. While Boo falls completely under Isobel's wing, and Simi too, finds herself confiding her secrets to her, Ronke remains suspicious of her motivations.

Each chapter switches between Ronke, Simi, Boo, so that we get to see their perspectives equally. We also begin to sense that Isobel is up to no good as she seems intent on stirring trouble, and soon enough cracks begin to form in the bond between Ronke, Simi, and Boo.

I liked the author’s sense of humor as well as her commentary on race, marriage, motherhood as well as her insights into Nigerian culture (her descriptions of Nigerian food are *chief’s kiss*).
Ronke, Simi, and Boo have very different personalities and, while they do share many similar experiences, backstories. Boo, for example, grew up not knowing her Nigerian father and because of this seems to distrust Black men like Kayode (her friends do call her out on this). Ronke, on the other hand, loved her father, who passed away when she was young and does not see herself dating a man who isn’t Black. Simi doesn’t want children, Ronke wants to start a family, and Boo has a child she seems to hate.

There were things that prevented me from truly loving this book. For one, the story could have benefited from an extra dose of suspense as the ‘thriller’ aspect comes into play at the very end. The narrative seems mostly driven by the miscommunication between the various characters (couples & friends alike) and after a while it became repetitive.
I also hated, and I mean it, Boo and Simi. They were awful, to their partners and Ronke. Ronke, who was honest, kind, funny, I loved. But seeing her remain friends with these two horrible people…? Why would she do this to herself?
Boo’s chapters were a chore to get through. She complains constantly about her husband and daughter, both of whom are actually far more likeable than she is. She’s also really stupid in that she jumps to idiotic conclusions without using any common sense.
Simi was more of a cypher and I did not feel particularly sympathetic towards her.
Isobel was very hard to believe in. Those ‘twists’ towards the end managed to be both predictable and totally OTT. Isobel seemed just to exist as the bad guy and maybe I would have found her more credible had she had her own chapters.
All in all, while Wahala is not exactly a riveting read, it was for the most part an amusing read that doesn’t take itself too seriously (the author pokes fun at her characters’ histrionics). I do think that Ronke deserved better and that Simi and Boo had it too easy...

This book was right down my alley! The beginning started off a bit slow for me! But like many others it quickly picked up the pace and before I knew it I was done with this great Novel ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Three friends at varying stages of family life are muddling along nicely when a blast from the past comes onto the scene. The women all have links to Nigeria through birth, missing fathers and family. The newcomer is not the wonderful asset to the group that they all believe - and things start to fall apart.

A most enjoyable read - the friendship group was beautifully described, along with the paranoia often found in female groups. The plotting was skillfully handled and I felt for the three women as they were manipulated by the scheming Isobel.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

The story starts off slowly and gradually gains momentum for an inspirational ending. There were times when I found it a bit tedious and long-winded, but perseverance won through. The novel gives an insight into what true friendship is between three British-Nigerians living in London and how their lives are torn apart by the interloper seeking revenge for the sins of her mother. The storyline is well planned, easily read with the odd touch of humour. For a debut novel,, it will be interesting to read Nikki May’s next book. Appending recipes for the Nigerian dishes was a nice touch!

I was eagerly anticipating this novel as I was totally sold on the "sex and the city x my sister the serial killer" and it didn't let me down.

I was gripped from the first page by this tale of toxic friendships, betrayal and past family secrets. Expertly weaving in 1990s Lagos and current London, May builds up the tension and pace between Iso and Ronke, Simi and Boo.

I can't wait to see this on tv too!

Ronke, Simi and Boo. Three friends who share the same dual English - Nigerian heritage.

And then there's Isobel. Isobel is trouble. And from the minute she arrives, the lives of the girls start unravelling...

Is the past repeating itself?

Absolutely wonderful characters

Before I begin, I'd just like to thank NetGalley, Random House UK, and Nikki May for sending me this ARC, and giving me the chance to read and review this joy of a book.

Set in London, Wahala follows three mixed raced friends in their thirties- Ronke, Simi, and Boo. They're all facing different issues in life, mostly relationship type things, but also at work

When lethally glamorous Isobel arrives on the scene, she seems determined to fix all their problems for them.

But soon Ronke, Simi, and Boo's friendship begins to crack, and they realise that Isobel isn't fixing, she's breaking. When she is driven to a terrible crime, the women are forced to look into their pasts and face the truth.

I really, really loved this book. It was gloriously dark, and the characters weren't perfect, but they were so real. It was so dark that at times it kind of shocked me to remember that it was based in modern day London- which was amazing. It was so real.

The best part was the way that Nikki May actually managed to use Isobel's influence on the reader. Isobel says 'you hate x' and you find yourself hating x. Like, wow.

And at the end, there's access to Ronke's recipes, which I loved. I love books with recipes as bonuses. Like, it's not like I'm going to make them (because your girl is lazy as hell) but it's just cool, you know?

Wahala is also OwnVoices Anglo-Nigerian rep.

My favourite character was Ronke. I think it was just her personality/vibe that I really liked.

The author notes reveal May has a background in advertising and that's apparent in this slickly executed tale of aspiration and revenge, which is so on point in terms of timing and references (that S&TC-meets-MSTS it's billed as, for example) the plot does, to some degree, feel brainstormed. Which is not to say it isn't also a big, warm-hearted read as well as a pacy one, with characters to root for aplenty, Very easy to see why the TV rights have been snapped up.

Wahala is a tense and biting novel about what happens to three friends when a glamorous newcomer joins their group. Ronke, Simi, and Boo have been friends since university, three mixed race women now in their thirties and dealing with life and love. When Simi's childhood friend Isobel appears, at first the others are unsure, but soon it seems like her whirlwind of money and style might improve all their lives. However, cracks start appearing in their friendships and relationships with their partners, and secrets from the past are coming back.

The book focuses on all three of the protagonists, with each chapter following a different one of them as they are drawn deeper into Isobel's world. The concept of the outsider who starts tearing apart a friendship group is a classic one, and this is a great example of the trope, with plot points all coming together and the reader knowing early on that Isobel is trouble, but being powerless to do anything but watch it happen. Sometimes stories with that kind of reader powerlessness frustrate me, but this one was carefully done so you trust that the plot is going somewhere.

The main characters are interesting, all at quite different points in their lives and dealing with their different relationships to their British and Nigerian heritage. Ronke was the most suspicious of Isobel, which made her engaging, and her hope throughout the novel was powerful. Boo's story was frustrating in a cleverly written way, as a part-time stay-at-home mum deals with having someone encourage her to spice up her life, but this makes her feelings of resentment for her husband and child harder to deal with. Simi's narrative was perhaps less thrilling, but gave a chance for exploration of the conflicts she faced at work and with her family, and also about a woman who does not want to have children.

There's a lot of issues explored in the novel in different ways, from dark comedy to more serious consideration of race and class (especially in the treatment of Ronke's boyfriend Kayode), and the book cleverly combines the plot with these elements. Wahala is a chance to plunge into the lives of three friends (like Isobel), and root for them to make it through without ruining their lives (unlike Isobel).

I don’t believe there has ever been a better time for such a dynamic novel. May has crafted a host of fearless, bold characters who leap off the page from the get go, and it was a pleasure to be so immediately immersed in Nigerian culture, which only exemplifies the author’s raw talent (I was also thrilled to find recipes at the end - what a treat!). The plot twist is fantastic, and I would absolutely recommend this work to anyone who loves suspenseful, contemporary narratives.

Thank you to NetGalley and Randomhouse UK/Transworld for the privilege!

I’m a sucker for a book which is described as “x thing I like meets y other thing I like” even though I’m nearly always disappointed. This one was described as “sex and the city meets my sister the serial killer”. And come on, how can I resist that?

I will say as a starting point, is it definitely much more of the former than that latter but I just had such a good time reading it. I genuinely could not put it down. All the characters as so well defined which I loved as a person who regularly gets characters mixed up! It’s also much more nuanced than I expected and comes together in a way which was much more sophisticated than I expected.

I ended up giving this 5 stars because I just had such a good time reading it. It’s a perfect summer read because it’s juicy and exciting and unputdownable without being thin or boring or over the top. I really loved this one and it was a great surprise!