Flooding the River: A Coming-of-Age New Adult Fiction Novel

by Kehinde Winful

In this captivating coming-of-age new adult fiction novel, family drama and romance are woven together into a rich tapestry of secrets, love, and unexpected twists.



“A beautiful novel of love, loss, and discovery with characters whose complexity and originality linger long in the memory. A brilliant debut.” –Ore Agbaje-Williams, author of The Three of Us



From her unconventional birth concealed by her mother, to a temporal shift transporting them to Nigeria’s distant past, Lolah navigates relationships, heartbreak, and the bonds of family.



As Lolah’s story unfolds, the impact of three individuals —Chi, Eni, and Nnamdi—shape her journey, sparking a love triangle that spans years and continents.

Lolah grapples with the joys and challenges of shared lives and the complexities of her relationships as they unravel, rekindle, and are renewed.

Amidst heartbreak and loss, Lolah finds solace and support from unexpected sources, ultimately discovering her own strength and self-discovery.

Set against the backdrop of romance with family drama, readers will be immersed in,

a world of intrigue and emotion,a tale of love and resilienceenduring ties that bind everyone together,a healing journey that transcends time and continents, andmultigenerational love that outweighs the trauma.With love, resilience, and the bonds of family at its core, Flooding the River is a deeply moving tale of redemption, forgiveness, and ultimately finding one's place in the world.

Perfect for fans of multigenerational fiction and romance with a touch of drama, this novel promises to captivate readers until the very end, where Lolah finally finds her happy ending.

“A delicate rendering of life’s ups and downs, cast against striking and memorable characters.” –The BookLife Prize

“Poignant and tender, Flooding the River captured both my heart and my mind. It is a story rich with love and written with love.” –Lizzie Damilola Blackburn, author of Yinka, Where Is Your Huzband?

216 pages, Paperback

Published January 28, 2025

Reviews

[Mtab Habib · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t want the 3 stars to come off as me not liking
this book because I did. Some of the writing was really beautiful and the metaphors did something for me. My only critique, which isn’t really a critique of the author but rather of this genre (which I’m calling first Gen american of african immigrant parent fiction, don’t quote me), is that this felt like a lot of other books I’ve read by authors with this background. Like I could see a Sudani girl writing this and it sounding similar. Maybe that means I just need to expand my breadth and read more and more African authors (I have zero time), but I just found myself slightly bored with the story because I knew what the ending would be. Everything played out exactly the way I thought it would.

[readwithkapz · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

[Kossia · Rating 3 out of 5]

It would be a reach to say I hated this book, but I definitely cannot say that I liked it. I don't think I am neutral about it either. Let me explain. The writing is beautiful and this is the only reason it is rated 3 stars. It is a very well-written book, very lyrical with the use of many metaphors to convey the mood, imagery... But, this is also where I believe the downside is: the focus on crafting beautiful and lyrical prose, came at the expense of the plot, which was entirely lackluster. Honestly, nothing really happened in the book. It was just very flat and uneventful. By the end of the book, I could not tell what the book was about overall. It was not a story of growth or self-discovery as advertised, nor was it a captivating story on family relationships, forgiveness or redemption. Where is the plot ? What was the point of Lolah's birth story at the beginning of the book ? Who is Lolah and why should we care about what she does ? Where is her growth ? A story of redemption ? Where ? Lolah is such a bland character, and her being the main character makes the entire story so bland. We have no idea what is the impact of her birth story on her, her relationship with her mother, or her life. Why did we even have this story at the beginning ?? We skip to when she is an adult and she travels to Nigeria and suddenly, we have a "love story" (I cannot think of this as a love story no matter how many times I spin it in my head). So, the rest of the book is just Lolah going back and forth between Nigeria and the US and pondering if one guy loves her, or if she should be with the other guy who also seems to like her, across many years. That is it. I love stories about the experience of the diaspora, stories about identity, growth, if mixed with love, then added bonus; and that's why I was led to this book (very misleading summary by the way). Unfortunately, it was not it. In the end, the absence of plot made it a highly frustrating reading experience for me, although I really, I mean really wanted to like it.

[Dreasbooknook · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️
WOW This one actually broke me guys💔 I just kept thinking about the duality of loving someone even when you have lost them. It is not the losing them that breaks a person but the depth to which you love and the fact that you wont be able to see that love of your life everyday bruh it hurts. I loved this book because it really put that to perspective for me.

First of all, i have been loving reading about mother-daughter dynamics in books lately. I have reached that stage in my life where i would love to have much deeper conversations with my own mother about our relationship and how we're going to navigate being adults at the same time, and this book showcases that well, both from the mom's perspective, Yvonne and the daughter, Lolah.

There are so many quotes that got me in this book too! At first the poem-like writing style threw me off and made it a bit difficult to follow in the first few pages but once I locked in, I found so many gems!💕 My favorite is this one below:

"She felt that missing Nigeria felt like missing a long-lost lover who did not deserve your love. Like sadness for the past version of a person who knew better and stayed longer than they should have for the sake of companionship, even if the companionship was lonely and hurt more than it helped."

It just sums up the experience of leaving home to find home elsewhere, its like you're from both worlds but don't truly belong fr. Lolah's experience being Nigeria-born but America-raised is a story that will resonate with many and leave you with so much hope for brighter days ahead! I am not commenting on the romance cause I need a few more days to process it🤣🤣🤣 love triangles are not my fave, so it may take me a minute to get there loll🤣🤣

Overall, such a beautiful book, showcasing mother-daughter relationships, young love, nationalism, quest to find oneself, found family & striving for you passions!

[Elle]

The story follows Lola, from conception through adulthood, as she navigates friendships, relationships, family dynamics, and identity. It’s multi-POV, so you occasionally get glimpses into what other characters are thinking. At first this caught me off guard, but it worked once I got used to it.

The writing style is simple and straightforward—very fast to get through, which suits the coming-of-age arc. That said, because the story spans years, the pacing sometimes felt rushed, and I found myself wishing for more: more about Lola’s inner world, her life in America before Nigeria, and especially her relationship with her mother. The mother-daughter dynamic was one of the most touching aspects, but I wanted it fleshed out further. I'd b curious to see these expanded on.

Lola herself was frustrating at times—slow to learn certain lessons, caught in a love triangle that became borderline obsessive—but that frustration actually made me feel invested. And isn’t that what art is supposed to do? Evoke emotions, even when they’re uncomfortable.

What really stood out were some of the quotes and reflections on love. Lines like “you continue to be the sum of my favorite little details about life” genuinely made me pause. For someone who isn’t a big romantic, that was a nice surprise.

The book also touches on immigrant identity, particularly the sense of belonging that comes when you’re no longer “othered.” I found that perspective meaningful, even if not fully explored.

Overall, this is a fast-paced, easy-to-read, second-chance romance with themes of identity and family woven in. If you like second chances, love triangles and found family then give this book a read

[Elle Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

#BookReview Flooding the River by Kehinde Winful 📚🩷

A coming of age story with multiple points of view. When Lolah’s mother leaves her home of Nigeria for America, she carries with her many secrets with her. The story follows the life of Lolah from birth to womanhood. A multigenerational story centered around a dynamic mother - daughter relationship as well as young love and friendships. 💕

The story speaks on self identity especially for immigrant families in America. A beautifully written book that reads like a melodic poem as the authors illustrates the power of young love and the quest for self identity.

This story navigates love, friendship, loss, chosen family and self discovery. A family drama spanning continents and love, the ties that bind us and the determination to define one’s own place in this world. 🌍

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/ 5

Favorite Quotes:
🌊 “…he walked with the ease of someone who didn’t worry about where they were going because they were certain they would arrive.”
🌊 “Time was coming just as fast as it was going.”
🌊 “…souls remained unchanged even as bodies transitioned.”
🌊 “Compromise was the language of the agreeable.”

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[Kai · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written story about friendship, love, grief, and finding oneself. At some parts, I resonated with Lolah. At others I rooted for her. Sometimes I was frustrated with her as you would be with a friend. Always, I felt love for her.

I hope Kehinde writes a sequel. I’d love to follow the story of Lo & Chi and to see how Lolah’s relationship with her mom grows over time.

[Caitlin Jung · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautifully written book that tells a sweet love story. I was captivated the entire book. The writing style really allowed me to picture the entire story as I read. Recommend if you’re looking for a quick, easy read capturing the highs and lows of love.