08/29/2022
Nwabineli debuts with a powerful tale of a London widow whose photographer husband died by suicide. After Eve finds her husband, Quentin, dead on New Year’s Eve, she struggles to find her equilibrium in the aftermath, turning to her close-knit Nigerian family’s support, her best friend Bee, and benzos and barbiturates to survive. Having been with Quentin since their college years, Eve feels lost, and her behavior—which leads to publishing an online article suggesting the perfect cocktail of pharmaceuticals to address grief—results in her getting sacked from her magazine job. Matters are made worse by Eve’s mother-in-law, Aspen, who blames Eve for the suicide of her only child, which complicates Eve’s already-overwhelming grief. Just when it looks like Eve will never recover, a series of unexpected events and people show her a way to climb out of the depths of despair. Nwabineli credibly portrays Eve’s gut-deep grief and her reckoning with the fact that she’ll never know what darkness lay within her partner’s thoughts. The author also skillfully sets up a series of surprising turns. The genuine displays of emotion and sharp narrative will keep readers turning the pages. Agent: Amy St Johnston, Aitken Alexander Assoc. (Oct.)
A masterfully woven exposition on love and loss, of the undoing of us, of what it takes to heal. Nwabineli is magic with words, and manages to be at turns bitingly funny and heart-breakingly gutting. A book that acknowledges despair whilst encouraging hope.”—Bolu Babalola, internationally bestselling author of Honey and Spice "If you are someone who gravitates toward emotional gut punch reads, allow me to introduce you to this spectacular debut…"—BuzzFeed , 35 New Books You Won’t Be Able To Put Down “Eve would probably sympathise with Meghan Markle when it comes to meeting frosty English in-laws. Following in the footsteps of novelists such as Candice Carty-Williams and Natasha Brown, Nwabineli exposes everyday racism while never feeling preachy. I was reeled in by her chatty voice and stayed for the tender, touching depiction of grief and family.”—The Sunday Times “Incisive and witty, this deeply moving debut about the many faces of grief took me on an oscillating journey of emotions. I couldn’t put it down. Each richly developed character leaps off the page with vivid dimension through Onyi’s razor-sharp voice. Fresh and original contemporary fiction from the Diaspora I’ve long yearned for.”—Lolá Ákínmádé Åkerström, internationally bestselling author of In Every Mirror She's Black “One of the most powerful novels about grief I’ve read. It is simultaneously moving, witty and restorative.”—Daily Mail “A heartbreaking exploration of grief that illustrates the power of relationships with those we love.”—ESSENCE “Someday, Maybe is an earnest study on grief that forces you to examine it and not look away.”—Associated Press "Nwabineli’s exceptional debut is a heartfelt and moving portrayal of grief and recovery in all its messiness…This is an excellent choice for book clubs and for readers who enjoy thought-provoking, deeply emotional fiction."— *Starred Review* Booklist “Reflective and heartrending, Someday, Maybe is also surprisingly witty and compellingly relatable. A powerfully realized debut.”—Ms. Magazine “A blistering debut that packs a punch. Phenomenal.”—Melissa Cummings-Quarry, Black Girls Book Club "A book about suicide may not sound heartwarming, but this one about a woman struggling to go on after losing her husband strikes the perfect balance between gut-wrenchingly sad and surprisingly funny. It’s a great rainy-day read about the love that rallies around us in tragic times—and a reminder that light can come from the most unexpected sources."—Good Housekeeping “A beautiful and heartbreaking meditation on the layers of grief and love, the complicated expressions of human suffering and the courage it takes to let go the past. There is hope in these pages, and the promise of rebirth after losing so much.”—Derek Owusu, award-winning author of That Reminds Me “It’s hard to believe that this outstanding novel is a debut. Poignant and heartfelt… A beautifully drawn story that shows us how to help those who are grieving.”—Prima , Book of the Month “A powerful tale of a London widow whose photographer husband died by suicide… The genuine displays of emotion and sharp narrative will keep readers turning the pages.”—Publishers Weekly “Touching, funny, insightful and, well, beautiful.”—Dorothy Koomson, bestselling author of My Other Husband “An exploration of one young woman’s grief, Someday, Maybe is equal parts sorrow and joy, and debut writer Nwabineli one to watch.”—Red Magazine , Book of the Month “Expect Nwabineli to emerge as a fresh new voice in contemporary fiction.”—Reader's Digest , Most Anticipated Books of 2022 "This tender novel about grief triumphs in its reflections on how we are buoyed by the families we are born into, and the ones we make along the way."—Ayobami Adebayo , acclaimed author of Stay with Me "Readers will find grief portrayed realistically as a complex, long-lived creature that embeds itself deeply, shifting but always present... Nwabineli's first novel is a clear-eyed, compassionate take on grief."—Shelf Awareness "A satisfying read and testimony to our human ability to heal."—San Francisco Chronicle “A powerful debut novel about young love, profound loss, and the possibility of hope. Onyi Nwabineli is an author to watch.”—Brenda Jackson, New York Times bestselling author of The House on Blueberry Lane “A devastating and powerful story about loss, love, and healing… An emotional journey packed with heartbreak, grief, and beautiful memories.”—She Reads , Best Fiction Books Coming in 2022 “An honest and profoundly stirring portrait of loss. Onyi Nwabineli peels back the veneer of sympathy and expectation to reveal the effects a young widow’s grief can have on her family, on her circle of friends, and even on the strangers she encounters. ...At its heart, Someday, Maybe is a beautifully written love letter to the resiliency of the human spirit.”—Xio Axelrod, USA Today bestselling author of The Girl with Stars in Her Eyes “Most touching is the way Eve grows to emotional maturity as the story goes on, swapping rage for grace and hurt for healing."—Financial Times “One of the most notable debuts of the year. [T]his exploration of love and loss is surprisingly warm and deeply thought-provoking.”—E! online “A love story in retrospect, heartbreaking in its inevitability but also shot through with moments of joy and humor as Eve searches for answers.”—Stylist “Fueled by inventive use of language and driven by sharp wit, the book conjures up a raw, living reality of sorrow, loss, and love… A funny, realistic elegy to love.”—Irish Examiner “A poignant story… For readers of You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty .”—LibraryReads Pick, November 2022 “Onyi Nwabineli’s graceful prose carries you through this moving meditation on grief, memory and community. Someday, Maybe is an astonishing debut, rich in both heartbreak and humour.”—Jendella Benson, author of Hope and Glory “At turns deeply poignant and darkly comedic, Someday, Maybe is a beautiful rendering of an Igbo-British family’s ways of loving and caring for each other in the midst of great personal tragedy. This book will stay with me for a long time.”—Jade Bentil, author of Rebel Citizen “Someday, Maybe is a dazzling novel that provides an intimate exploration of the messiness of grief as well as the power of love.”—Voice magazine *Five Stars* “An emotional story of a woman moving through grief with the help of a tremendous support system. The author doesn’t shy away from difficult realities. Readers looking for a window into the grieving process will gravitate toward her story.”—Library Journal , Top Fall Debuts “If Someday, Maybe were alive, you would be compelled to pick it up, hold it to your shoulder, and pat it until it hiccupped raggedy breaths. You’d murmur comforting things. This book hurts in a way that’s familiar to anyone who’s tragically lost someone close.”—The Bookworm Sez
10/01/2022
DEBUT Nwabineli's first novel opens with Eve, who has recently lost her husband to suicide. With no note or obvious warning signs leading up to Quentin's death, Eve's grief is compounded by an unsuccessful search for the meaning behind her husband's motives. Complicating the situation is her mother-in-law, who unequivocally blames her for Quentin's suicide. Yet throughout this difficult journey Eve has the unwavering support of her family, who accept her actions with patience and understanding. This novel explores many challenging topics, from suicide to mental health to interracial marriage. The author spends much of the narrative describing the all-consuming grief after losing a loved one. While the descriptions of emotions ring true, most of the characters aside from Eve feel flat. Flashbacks of the couple's courtship and marriage provide background on their relationship, but the author doesn't offer deeper insight into Quentin's reasons for killing himself. VERDICT This is an emotional story of a woman moving through grief with the help of a tremendous support system. The author doesn't shy away from difficult realities. Readers looking for a window into the grieving process will gravitate toward her story.—Sarah Stimson
2022-08-31 A young widow comes to terms with her husband’s sudden death.
College sweethearts Eve and Quentin, affectionately called Q, have been happily married for 10 years, living in London. When Eve discovers her husband’s body on New Year’s Eve, her life’s trajectory—and their life together—is cleaved down the center into Before and After. Quentin, born to the White, “semi-royal” Morrow family, has died by suicide—and Eve had no idea he was even suffering. Eve’s world shrinks down to nearly nothing as she navigates her pain, sadness, and guilt. Her close Nigerian family and best friend, Bee, hover close while she refuses to do anything or eat anything other than pain-numbing pills. Without a suicide note, Eve and those closest to Q, including his mother, Aspen—who has always been horrible to Eve and who becomes even worse in the wake of her son’s death—struggle to understand how this could happen. As months pass, Eve knows that her family hopes and prays she will soon feel like herself again, and she begins to resent them despite herself: “To grieve is to frighten the people you love.” An accidental discovery made halfway through the novel changes the course of Eve’s life once again. The novel’s second half offers a slow, hard-earned journey toward healing, which is aided by a well-wrought cast of characters who offer Eve opportunities to figure out who she is now, without Q. Though some readers may find the book unrelenting, Nwabineli’s stunning insight and prose offer a true and honest portrayal of grief as vast, unending, and ever changing; she also meditates on themes of forgiveness, hope, and the endless love of family and friends.
Nwabineli’s debut is deeply moving, tender, and, against all odds, funny.
Adjoa Andoh is an energetic and passionate presenter in this brutally honest, extremely personal yet completely fictional look at the ravages of suicide on those left behind. Eve is the one to find her seemingly happy husband's body. Andoh tugs on all the emotions in her heartfelt performance. Eve's confusion, grief, and anger are believably conveyed. For those who have firsthand experience with a similar traumatic event, this audiobook might be best avoided. Andoh is to be admired for so capably delivering such sensitive content. Listeners will feel Eve's mourning keenly, as well as her confusion. This unique listening experience pays tribute to the importance of today’s mental health movement. M.R. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine
FEBRUARY 2023 - AudioFile
Adjoa Andoh is an energetic and passionate presenter in this brutally honest, extremely personal yet completely fictional look at the ravages of suicide on those left behind. Eve is the one to find her seemingly happy husband's body. Andoh tugs on all the emotions in her heartfelt performance. Eve's confusion, grief, and anger are believably conveyed. For those who have firsthand experience with a similar traumatic event, this audiobook might be best avoided. Andoh is to be admired for so capably delivering such sensitive content. Listeners will feel Eve's mourning keenly, as well as her confusion. This unique listening experience pays tribute to the importance of today’s mental health movement. M.R. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine
FEBRUARY 2023 - AudioFile