Wahala (trouble in Nigerian) is a fantastic debut by Nikki May. Set in London, Anglo-Nigerian friends Simi, Boo and Ronke muddle along through the various challenges life throws at them until Isobel makes their trio a group of 4. Lies, deceit and betrayal follow overlaid with details of Nigerian culture and cooking. I found it a quick, engrossing read that deals with some quite dark themes in a sensitive way.
With thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

See me, see trouble.

A fantastic debut novel- thoroughly enjoyed reading this story and all the talk of food (and inclusion of some of the recipes at the end) has made me want to go and learn how to make delicious Nigerian food!

Wahala is a story of friendship, trust, loyalty and how relationships can turn sour with backstabbing, gossiping and misunderstanding, leading to fractures in what had been solid friendships. How can such close friends reconcile after truly hurtful secrets are exposed?

Loved each of the characters in this book- very authentic, realistic figures and the way their relationships are brought to life on the pages is intriguing. Ronke, Simi ans Boo all have moments where you want to tear your hair out when you see what they are doing/thinking but their experiences are so relatable to the female audience in some capacity or another. And wait until you meet Isobel- she’s something else altogether! Trouble with a capital “T”!! The old expression of how you never know what’s going on behind closed doors is so fitting here! An unhappy mother, secrets within marriages, cheating, is he the “one”-you name it; this novel has it all.

Lots of twists and turns throughout to keep the reader glued to the pages. Wahala explores racism from different angles as well as stereotypical ideas of what Nigerian people should look like, act like- it was truly fascinating. Other big topics tackled here was the idea of motherhood and those who struggle to fit within the expected role of women. I love how the author isn’t afraid to delve into some dark moments with her characters which adds to the realistic aspect of the story.

A true page-turner and so much better than the Sex and the City comparison- I’m really looking forward to seeing how the author translates her characters and story to the screen- it’s a programme we all need to watch!

Thank you to NetGalley and publishers for the ARC. Wahala will be available to purchase from January 6th 2022- get it for your friends (and a copy for yourself!)- you won’t be disappointed!

Wahala opens with what appears to be the scene of a crime, before jumping back in time to get us acquainted with the all-important characters in this novel. This mystery hangs over the story until the very end and definitely had me speculating throughout as to what had happened.

Ronke, Simi, and Boo each have their own feelings about and experiences of Nigeria. They met at University in Bristol and remain the closest of friends now that they all live in London .Out of the blue a girl from Simi's past turns up in London. She's been going through a bad divorce and needs some friends to help her build her new life. Suddenly, the whole dynamic of the trio's friendships change.

I really enjoyed Wahala. Each of the characters felt so well formed and real - which isn't always the case with so many characters involved! I particularly liked the way May explored the differing opinions the friends have of Nigerian. From the girl with the AWOL Nigerian father who's never been to the country, to those who grew up there. I found that quite interesting.

This is a novel that kept me guessing, throwing surprises the reader's way until the very end. I can absolutely see why it's being adapted for a BBC series, but I urge you to read the book first,

With great writing, interesting characters and relationships, and an overarching mystery, Wahala is sure to be a hit for 2022.

I flew through this book - completely deserving of the hype!. Sex in the City comparison doesn't do it justice. Nikki has created much more authentic, relatable and diverse characters that you can't help but find yourself routing for. I can't wait to see the TV adaptation.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

This was a thoroughly engaging read - I almost couldn't put it down! The friendship between Simi,. Boo and Ronke was realistic and, though I could see where the plot was heading from quite early on, I still really enjoyed the narrative. I also loved the touch of having Ronke's recipes at the back - I can't wait to try them!

An absolutely cracking book, builds the tension so subtly to begin with but then it grabs you by the throat and makes you stay up passed bedtime to finish it.

#NoSpoilers but the depiction of female and family relationships is absolutely on point and the characters resonate throughout.

An incredible debut.

Highly recommend.

What a way to start 2022, what a fabulous book!
Wahala is Nigerian for trouble and that’s what Ronke, Boo and Simi are walking right into.
They are 30 something university friends, united by their Anglo-Nigerian heritage, utterly comfortable in their London life style yet nothing is quite perfect….
Into this tight-knit group crashes Isobel, an old friend of one of one of them. She is extremely wealthy and seems to know a little too much about them all. Is she friend or foe?
I literally devoured this novel. It’s so well written, original and drags you in. None of the characters are completely likeable but they are believable even as their lives spiral out of control I loved the authenticity of the Nigerian food, restaurants and parties, down to the recipes at the back of the book. . I’m so excited that it will be a TV series, it will be amazing! Thank you to #netgalley and #random house for allowing me to review this ARC

This is a bitingly fun read infused with sharp observations about female friendship, emotional competition and group dynamics. I was completely addicted to the story of lifelong friends, Ronke, Boo and Simi and the impact glamorous and rich Isobel has on their relationships as she sweeps into their lives.

The characters are so well developed and their individual personalities shine through. The narrative is witty and full of insights into culture and lifestyles. It is told from the viewpoints for Ronke, Boo and Simi and they have unique voices. This has the added bonus for the reader of being in the position to see the whole picture and how each character develops their own perceptions and misunderstandings of what is taking place. I really enjoyed the way the drama unfolded and the plot developed.

In summary, this was a terrific book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is everything. I started it 24 hours ago and genuinely could not put it down! It’s thrilling, fast-paced! Everything you want in a book about the fragility of female friendship.

Wahala is a page turner, each chapter is centred around one main character, we enter their thoughts and feelings about each other. Ronke is such a loveable character, naive and pure, fiercely loyal to her father's memory but unlucky in love. Simi is rich, successful but lonely since her husband has been working away. Boo, desperate to ignore her Nigerian heritage but bored of her life... feeling stuck in the mundane world she has created for herself.

Three best friends who met at university and now in their thirties their friendship is as strong as ever, even if their lives are very different from one another.
Until Isobel returns into Simi's life. Glamorous and beautiful Isobel wants to rekindle their friendship, and connect with Ronke and Boo but is that what she really wants? Or does she have other ideas.
Cracks start to show, the girls aren't talking to each other, except Isobel. What is her deal?

Sex and the City meets Killing Eve but set in London with Anglo-Nigerian leads.
I found this book so wonderfully written and exciting. I was gripped from start to finish. The perfect amount of mystery and intrigue. Constant twists to keep you wanting more! A must read for everyone.

Publication date 06/01/2022

Wahala is already receiving rave reviews a month before publication date, so of course I bumped this one up my TBR pile to see what all the fuss was about. On one hand, I loved this book but unfortunately there were a couple of things that stopped this book being a 5 star read, more about that in a while!

The book is about the lives and friendships of three mixed-race friends, Boo, Simi and Ronke who in London, she paints a vivid and vibrant picture of their lives. Lunch dates, shared evenings over a bottle of wine, they laugh, they cry and share each other’s highs and lows, these women share everything! until Isobel a glamorous friend from the past turns up, and their lives take a turn for the worse! Secrets are revealed, and friendships and relationships are tested to the limit.

Nicki May has created a dialogue between the friends that’s sublime. Like a fly on a wall, you are listening to their conversations; you learn the gossip, their hopes and fears. It’s the part of the book I enjoyed the most. The paranoia that inventively comes with having a close-knit group of friends was captured perfectly. I liked Ronke, and I felt a great deal of empathy for her. The relationship with her friends felt one sided. I really disliked Boo and Simi. Their air of ‘self importance’ grated and the way they treated the People they loved the most was awful.

I really enjoyed gaining insight into the British-Nigerian culture and the focus on Nigerian cooking, including some recipes, made my mouth water. I thought that the ‘thriller’ aspect came a little too late, and it felt like the author added it as an afterthought, so the ending felt rushed and underwhelming. Despite a couple of niggles, I enjoyed the exploration of the three women’s friendship and the changing dynamics when Isobel joined the group.

What a great book about 3 friends of mixed race and how their friendship is tested to the limit when Isobel turns up and totally upsets the close relationships they have.
Thoroughly enjoyed this book and kept me guessing right to the end how it would work out.

Compulsive stuff! A searing look at friendship and betrayal, at the end of the day trust is one of the most important things we can have. We love our friends and families, ev though we may not always like them. We all have secrets and what we need are friends that we can trust to keep them and keep us safe.
I loved the characters, especially Ronke, and I was especially pleased to see her recipes in the back of the book. In fact I loved all three of the friends, they all had their strengths and weakness, and I can't wait to see the TV series when it's released.
I'm choosing not to talk about Isobel, you'll meet her for yourself soon enough!

An enjoyable read and interesting look into three women's relationships be it frendships or with their partners. I enjoyed the snapshot into Nigerian culture and the nice touch of including recipes of some of the food mentioned in the book. Somehow I felt that the actual driving storyline of the friend from the past resurfacing to disrupt the three friends lives was a bit forces at times and not totally necessary. There was enough material in the three separate characters' lives and how they relate to each other to make the story interesting. The plot twist reveal so close to the end with little else after it that it just felt a bit forced. But I still throroughly enjoyed reading it.

This is a pacy debut, which draws the reader in with a clever mix of gossipy and topical dialogue. Nikki May writes strong female characters with great humour. Perhaps two or three central characters' journeys may have been slightly easier to follow in third person prose form.

Really enjoyed this book which is the story of 3 Anglo Nigerian women, Ronke, Simi and Boo, who met at school and bonded through their shared heritage and have stayed friends since. But along comes Isobel a friend of Simi's and tries to be part of their friendship group but her behaviour threatens their loyalty to each other.

"Im not jealous of her, I'm sick of her. There's been nothing but wahala since she arrived"

I really loved reading this book! Three Anglo-Nigerian girls, friends from University are now in the their 30’s and living in London. Ronke, the dentist and foodie, maintaining Nigerian customs and searching for a man who will live up to her idolised father. Simi, the fashionista, married to Martin, together they make the Golden couple, but she’s hiding her contraceptive pills from her husband, reluctant to start the family he is yearning for. Boo, married to the doting Frenchman Didier and with young daughter Sophia at school, feels suffocated at home and attracted to her hot boss. When the super wealthy Isobel attempts to ingratiate herself with the trio, the close knit friendship starts to derail. This is a hugely entertaining book with characters you really develop a close affection for. I can’t wait to see the BBC mini series!

Thank you NetGalley and Random House for the chance to read this book in return for an honest review.

Wahala by Nikki May tells the story of friendship amongst three Anglo-Nigerian friends drawn together by a shared heritage. Everything seems to be swimming smoothly, regular lunch dates, shared secrets and burdens until the arrival of a fourth "friend". Boo (Bukola), Simi and Ronke are three thirty-something-year-olds successful and mostly happy ladies. They were all put through the wringer with the arrival of Isobel. Isobel is a childhood friend of Simi who forced herself on the other two. The word Wahala means trouble in Yoruba (a Nigerian language). It will be an understatement to say Isobel is wahala personified. Nikki May's heritage is evident in this very relatable book. The characterisation is three dimensional. The plot is engaging. What a debut!!

‘Three’s company. Four’s a crowd’ - USA cover tag line.

My thanks to Random House U.K. Transworld Publishers for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Wahala’
by Nikki May in exchange for an honest review.

Wahala is a Yoruba word meaning trouble and in this lively comedy-drama wahala walks into the lives of Ronke, Simi, and Boo, three Nigerian-British friends living in London. They have all experienced racism in their day-to-day lives though haven’t allowed it to hold them back.

Now in their thirties, they each face new questions about their futures. Ronke is keen to settle down though insists any potential husband be Nigerian; Boo is finding marriage and motherhood a strain; while Simi, working in high fashion, is frustrated by her boss constantly referring to her 'urban vibe'.

Then Isobel, a glamorous friend from Simi’s past, arrives in town and quickly inserts herself into the women’s lives. It’s not long until she’s creating waves and even if the friends are unaware, it’s clear to the reader that she’s trouble with a capital W. Still, no further details to avoid spoilers.

‘Wahala’ celebrates the fusion of British and Nigerian cultures in relation to its protagonists’ lives. I found this a highly engaging novel that is a brilliant exploration of friendship. Of the women, Ronke was my favourite though someone needed to sit her down and talk to her about body image. Being Size 12 is not ‘huge’!

I felt that ‘Wahala’ was wonderful. It is funny and heartwarming in places, poignant in others, and also delivers on plenty of tension, mostly through witnessing Isobel’s machinations, and some twists.

In its opening chapter, titled ‘Aftermath’, Nikki May is very clever in planting a number of clues before moving back in time four months to chart the journey to those events. Each subsequent chapter cycles through the viewpoints of Ronke, Boo, and Simi. May finishes with a few recipes that had featured in the novel.

There has been a great deal of prepublication buzz about this debut novel and I felt that it was definitely warranted. As a result, I have preordered my own copy and plan on recommending it for inclusion in our County Libraries’ Reading Group Collection as I feel that it is likely to prove popular with such groups as it is well written, readable, and provides plenty of opportunities for discussion on its themes.

Very highly recommended.

An absolute triumph! I loved it from cover to cover. The last book I read was terrible and seemed to drain me, this has restored my faith in a decent, gripping plot.