Wahala by Nikki May
Pub Date 6th Jan 2022
Sex in the City with a Killer Edge
Ronke, Simi, Boo are three mixed-race friends living in London. They have the gift of two cultures, Nigerian and English.
Not all of them choose to see it that way.
Everyday racism has never held them back, but now in their thirties, they question their future. Ronke wants a husband (he must be Nigerian); Boo enjoys (correction: endures) stay-at-home motherhood; while Simi, full of fashion career dreams, rolls her eyes as her boss refers to her urban vibe yet again.
When Isobel, a lethally glamorous friend from their past, arrives in town, she is determined to fix their futures for them.
Cracks in their friendship begin to appear, and it is soon obvious Isobel is not sorting but wrecking. When she is driven to a terrible act, the women are forced to reckon with a crime in their past that may just have repeated itself.

Nikki May was born in Bristol, raised in Lagos; she is Anglo-Nigerian, and I cannot believe this is her debut novel.
Nikki May has certainly brought her A-Game to the fore in this well-written, funny, witty, vibrant, unique story. It also offers an intriguing educational insight into British-Nigerian culture.
It is a tale of love, betrayal, revenge, jealousy, race, class, friendship, family, and oh did I mention food. The plot was terrific, and the food sounded amazing; who could ask for more?
Included in the book are some scrummy sounding recipes, aunty k's moin-moin, ronke's chicken stew and ronke's jollof rice, which I am definitely going to try.
I understand that Wahala is being turned into a major BBC TV drama. I will certainly be looking out for it.
I want to thank NetGalley, Random House UK, Transworld Publishers and author Nikki May for a pre-publication copy to review.

I really loved this book. The three central characters were distinct, well drawn and very likeable - even when they were making really bad choices I was rooting for them to figure things out. I loved the exploration of British Nigerian culture and how it influenced their lives to different extents. The family relationships were explored intricately and showed how their experiences had shaped each of the women and their friendships. Even if the story had just been about this simple friendship it would have been enjoyable but bringing in Isobel with her flair and drama took this book to the next level. Her subtle scheming was so carefully constructed that I was questioning her motives the whole time and couldn't work out if she was for against the three friends for most of the book.
It was a lovely touch that some of Ronke's favourite recipes were included at the end of the book.
I'm not surprised that this has already been optioned for TV and I look forward to watching the adaptation.
This book was really excellent and I highly recommend it.

I was delighted to receive this ARC from DoubleDay & NetGalley.
Ronke, Simi & Boo are three mixed-race friends living in London. Now in their 30s they question their future; Ronke wants to settle down, preferably with a Nigerian husband; Boo is unhappy with her role as a mostly stay-at-home mother; Simi’s husband wants to try for a baby - Simi is not so sure she wants kids at all. When Isobel, a friend from Simi’s past arrives, she is determined to fix their futures for them. Cracks begin to appear, & it is soon obvious Isobel is not sorting but wrecking. When she is driven to a terrible act, the women are forced to reckon with a crime in their past that may just have repeated itself.
I loved how May delved into Nigerian culture and how she even included recipes in the book. The way she explored dual heritage within the three characters with different perspectives was really thought-provoking and executed brilliantly.
This was also much more gripping than I had anticipated it to be. While the premise made me request this book, I still wasn’t sure what I was expecting. However, as the book progresses, the drama certainly increases with it. I thought the plot was clever, how Isobel slowly but surely makes herself the centre of the friend-group. It really highlights the idea of a toxic friendships very well (even before throwing the twist in the plot). This book had me hooked from start to finish. I read 75% of this in a day, so that’s a marker of a compulsive read. It’s being described as Sex And The City meets My Sister The Serial Killer, so that’s kind of telling in itself. One to keep an eye out for in the coming days.
Thank you to NetGalley & publisher for letting me read this ARC for an honest review.

I read this in one sitting I was so gripped by it! I don't know why, it was full of characters making bad decisions, not communicating and being manipulated. But in some ways I empathised with them. Ronke, Simi and Boo are three mixed race women in their thirties, all in different circumstances. Simi works in fashion and is married to Martin who is on secondment in Manhattan, he wants babies but she isn't ready yet. Ronke is an unmarried dentist, dating Kayode, wants to settle down and have a family but keeps picking the wrong guys. Boo is married to Didier and has a four year old daughter, but seems dissatisfied with her life even if her friends think it's perfect. She works in science communication, and is flirting with her boss.

Then Simi is re-united with an old friend, Isobel, who she was friends with as a small child. Isobel is from a rich family and inserts herself into the friendship group, collecting their secrets and using them to push the women apart. Isobel brings drama to a group that have been best friends since they attended Bristol university together.

I liked that this book tells a story about mixed race women all of whom have a different relationship with their Nigerian roots. I was really drawn to the characters as they were so well-rounded, though flawed (so many secrets and lies). The plot becomes more and more tense as it progresses, and I was so intrigued to see how all the reveals would play out.

Overall, a great book that really appealed to my love of stories about real, flawed people and their ordinary lives. It takes skill to make that unputdownable!

I found Wahala very readable, and while reading, different aspects reminded me of books I read in 2021: Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid, Greenwich Park by Katherine Faulkner, Magpie by Elizabeth Day.

I loved learning about Nigerian culture, and there is so much detail included by the author around food and traditional clothing that I really enjoyed (see the quote above as an example).

I also thought that through the female friendships, May interestingly explored the pressures of fitting in, knowing what you want, and how we can tend to compare ourselves to others – what do you see as “being successful”? Wealth? Beauty? Happiness?

But where this book fell down for me is the way in which the thriller element is stitched into the story. The book opens with a flash forward to a crime taking place and so you know that at some stage the story is going to come back to that. The problem is that for a while, the dread and the little clues as to what you think is going to happen is fun, but when it finally all kicks off it happens so quickly and then, suddenly, it’s over. It just felt so out of place when compared to the detail and care with which the author wrote the rest of the book that it left it sort of lacking for me. I think the story overall would have been better served if it was either tightened up or the “twist” was introduced a little earlier.

Overall, an interesting premise but the execution just wasn’t right for me.

This was a good book. It was a slow burner to start with but well worth sticking with. I loved the three best friends but the tension really started rising when it became obvious that manipulation going on behind the scenes was seriously affecting their lives and friendship.
The pace starting increasing and by the end this turned into a gripping explosive story. A stunning and original debut I would happily recommend this and rated it 4 stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Easy to read thriller but the ‘clues’ to the twists were incredibly obvious. The characters were well developed and I finished it. I just don’t think it’s clever enough though.

This book is a real gem and so well written that it's hard to believe this is a debut novel. I would describe it as a cross between Sex and the City and Big, Little Lies. I loved both those shows.

Each chapter is told from the POV of Ronke, Simi or Boo. I loved all these three women. They are so strong and vivid that I felt like they were old friends. I enjoyed how the dynamic changes when Isobel comes on the scene.

The pace of the book was perfect. It didn't drag at any point and I just wanted to read and read to find out what was going to happen. The ending didn't disappoint and felt satisfying. I'm glad it wasn't rushed as can happen in some thrillers.

One of the other things I enjoyed was learning a little about Nigerian culture, especially the food.

Brilliant read about 3 friends whose lives are all derailed by the arrival of Isobel. Fast paced, funny and dynamic- I read this in three days and absolutely loved it.

I found this book quite hard to get into only because the name dropping of places, items, outfits got rather tedious and quite boring. I felt this was written in a way to impress an audience who don't live in the UK.
The general story was quite engaging even though I really didn't like all of the characters, but this was the aim of the story.
Three friends welcome a fourth member to their group. Ronke takes time to warm up to isobel where as Simi and Boo become fast friends with her. Is isobel trying to buy her way into their hearts. Is she good for them? Or just trouble?

Such a fun read. Great following the friends through the chapters with insights into their lives. Loved the build up of intrigue as Isobel came onto the scene

The book starts in a Nigerian restaurant in London – and from the start I felt like the book was an education in Nigerian culture. The three main characters all have dual heritage, with Nigerian fathers – some present, some not. Each of the characters is very different – and I can totally see where comparisons with ‘Sex and The City’ have come from.

Simi’s friend from her youth in Lagos, Nigeria – Isobel – arrives on the scene, and is a whirlwind throwing her cash about and trying to spice up the lives of the three friends in different ways.

However, cracks soon start to appear in the friendship between the three friends – and also their home lives. The book’s title ‘ Wahala’ means ‘trouble’ in Nigerian Pidgin – and that is definitely what Isobel brings, even if it’s not immediately evident.

Boo’s life as a part time stay at home Mum – who has had to take more menial work to fit around her home life – is very well observed. I did feel sorry for her French husband – or ‘tubby hubby’ as Isobel christened him.

Simi has completely upset her father by not being a doctor and pursuing a career in fashion instead – and their interactions were very well written. The visit from her father and step mother was a comedy in itself.

Ronke’s quest to replace her permanently absent father with a Nigerian boyfriend have not historically gone well – and so the others have doubts over whether the flaky Kayode really is ‘ the one’. I really liked Ronke’s relationship with her dental assistant – he was a very good friend to her.

My one tiny niggle is there are some MASSIVE coincidences as the book concludes – and in a country of 206 million inhabitants, with almost 15 million in Lagos alone – it does feel a bit unlikely. But hey – sometimes you have to suspend disbelief about coincidences when it comes to literature!

The book twists and turns, and the build up to the end is not what I expected at all – which was great.

The writing is excellent, and the book really evokes the feeling of Lagos – and also the shared culture that the girls have in the UK. I can see why it’s already been snapped up to be a TV series.

What I particularly loved is the final chapter – which is set a few months after the traumatic events towards the end of the book – but is back in the restaurant where the story commenced – I do love little touches like that.

Overall a really good, interesting, educational and captivating read. Thank you to the published and NetGalley for my ARC. It’s out at the beginning of January 2022 – so not long to wait if you fancy it!

I loved every page of this book. I sacrificed sleep so I could finish this in one day. Absolutely brilliant and what a way to enter the book world with this fantastic and smart debut.
I wish great things for Nikki May in the future.

The characters in Wahala were well-written and the relationship described between Ronke, Simi, and Boo seems like the friendship we all dream about. Close friends who tell each other everything and support each other through everything.

We then start to see cracks appear in their relationships, all seemingly caused by the appearance of Simi’s school friend, Isobel.

The friendship is tested and there are some emotional moments and revelations.

I loved learning about the Nigerian culture, food, and phrases - it really added to my enjoyment of this story.

This book has been incredibly hyped up. This is on a lot of peoples most anticipated books of 2022, so I jumped at the chance to read an early review copy.

I really enjoyed Nikki May's writing style, but unfortunately I didn't enjoy this book overall.
I always struggle with books that have multiple characters, and this book had an abundance of characters that i really struggled to keep track of, and felt a bit lost at times.
I enjoyed the themes and ideas the book threw up, but there just wasn't enough plot for me - not enough going on. It focussed more on character and relationships than plot.

As I previously said, I enjoyed May's writing, so I look forward to seeing what she writes next - I just hope it has a slightly more dynamic plot.

Wahala by Nikki May

Knowing nothing about Wahala before staring it I expected it to be a fun read about 3 mixed race-friends living in London. And it is, but it is so much more!
Ronke, Boo and Simi are English -Nigerian and best friends. They are all at crossroads in their lives and relationships; Ronke wants to settle down with her unreliable boyfriend and have kids, Boo is working part time and also a stay at home mum who feels invisible, and Simi has a glamorous life and rich husband but is avoiding having a baby.
Isobel, a friend from Simis past, enters their lives and brings chaos and drama with her.
This started off a fun read but quickly became dark and disturbing, I loved it!
This is a fantastic debut novel and one to watch for 2022.

What a great story. Three friends, Simi, Boo and Ronke have been together forever and each see each other through thick and thin, good times and not so good. They met at University in Bristol doing different courses but were inseparable. They are all mixed race and their shared life enhanced their friendship. The girls are different, Ronke is a dentist, single but wants so desperately to marry and have children. Simi is married to Martin the blot on their landscape is that he wants children and she does not but she is not honest enough about that. Boo is also married to Didier and they have a daughter. Boo is unhappy with her lot and does not know really how to explain this to her husband as she is not really sure of the issues herself. They are all carrying on with their insecurities, Simi’s is due to Martin working in New York and she is by herself a lot of the time. Then an old friend of Simi’s arrives on the scene called Isobel. Isobel is wealthy, beautiful, full of life and she manages to change the dynamics of the group with hideous repercussions which take their time to manifest. As Boo is so fed up with her life she clutches onto Isobel’s every word and she begins to totally ruin her life but unfortunately she cannot see the damage she is causing to her husband, child and friends. Simi is also taken in by Isobel and I guess so is Ronke but not so alarmingly. The book is easy to read, each chapter following one of the girls and Isobel is always in the centre of the stories. Eventually you get a sense that all is not well with Isobel and she is way to manipulative and dishonourable. She tested the girls and their allegiance to one another and the invisible chord that joined them for so long was eventually broken but was it broken forever. You will have to wait and see how the story progresses. I don’t usually read in the day but this book had to be read until the end as quickly as possible to find out the outcome. A great book which I really enjoyed. There is a lot of Nigerian “Slang” in the book which I did not know or understand but made the book more authentic. The food sounds fab

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. I really enjoyed this. Good characters and writing and the development of the storyline was great. Highly recommended!

Loved every moment reading this. Sped through it. From the first page you can feel the tension and anticipate the falling apart of friendship due to master manipulation and 'jealousy' as Isobel gets into their heads. The pacing is excellent. There's so much more to this book too, the narrative about their dual nationalities, on racial bias in the UK, on feeling foreign and out of place, life split between Lagos and London, the delicious sounding food, (plus always love a recipe in a book!), A great look at friendships, relationships, marriage and children. Only negative would be I wish we could leave character fat shaming behind (too many comments on Ronke's weight movements ).

Honestly I had no idea what to expact when I startet this bookl. Basically it follows three friends who met in grade school and became friends due to their shared nigerian roots. Ronke, Simi and Boo have grown up like sisters - sharing everyrhing. Until Isobel turns up. Things starts to get well let's say dufficult.
I particularly enjoyed the story of these strong women as well as the setting!
Thanks a lot #NetGalley #Random House UK, Transworld Publishers, Doubleday for the ARC of this book