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Every Story Is a Love Story: A Novel
Not yet published
Expected 6 Oct 26From the New York Times bestselling author of Behold the Dreamers, a captivating novel about sorrow, forgiveness, and the astonishing ways that love can bloom among the ruins
What if I’d never gotten into that car? What if I’d pulled out of the driveway five minutes earlier, or ten minutes later?
Three years ago, Wolo’s pregnant wife was killed in a tragic car accident. In an instant, the great love of his life was gone, and so was their beautiful the twins they were expecting, the PhD she was on the cusp of finishing, and the house they’d just bought in New Jersey. In the face of a loss that seemed insurmountable, Wolo has slowly rebuilt a semblance of a he goes to work, hangs out with a small circle of friends, and fends off the matchmaking efforts of the older women in his family. The grief that dogged him has, with time, become a little gentler.
Until a letter arrives one day, unbidden, threatening to upend his life once again. It is from Victoria, the woman who was behind the wheel that terrible day. Wolo’s pastor tells him the letter is the work of the devil; his mother expressly forbids him from making further mention of it; his father’s second wife calls, from Cameroon, to tell him to destroy it. But Wolo ponders it for days, and ultimately agrees to meet with the woman who killed his wife. When he does, the compassion and deep remorse of the woman affects him in ways he had never imagined, and he begins to wonder if the long road to healing can be shared.
What do we owe to those who have hurt us? Are we defined by our worst moments and our deepest regrets? And, more than anything, can forgiveness ease our suffering? Moving and full of life, Every Story is a Love Story charts the uneven path from heartbreak to hope; from love lost to love found.
What if I’d never gotten into that car? What if I’d pulled out of the driveway five minutes earlier, or ten minutes later?
Three years ago, Wolo’s pregnant wife was killed in a tragic car accident. In an instant, the great love of his life was gone, and so was their beautiful the twins they were expecting, the PhD she was on the cusp of finishing, and the house they’d just bought in New Jersey. In the face of a loss that seemed insurmountable, Wolo has slowly rebuilt a semblance of a he goes to work, hangs out with a small circle of friends, and fends off the matchmaking efforts of the older women in his family. The grief that dogged him has, with time, become a little gentler.
Until a letter arrives one day, unbidden, threatening to upend his life once again. It is from Victoria, the woman who was behind the wheel that terrible day. Wolo’s pastor tells him the letter is the work of the devil; his mother expressly forbids him from making further mention of it; his father’s second wife calls, from Cameroon, to tell him to destroy it. But Wolo ponders it for days, and ultimately agrees to meet with the woman who killed his wife. When he does, the compassion and deep remorse of the woman affects him in ways he had never imagined, and he begins to wonder if the long road to healing can be shared.
What do we owe to those who have hurt us? Are we defined by our worst moments and our deepest regrets? And, more than anything, can forgiveness ease our suffering? Moving and full of life, Every Story is a Love Story charts the uneven path from heartbreak to hope; from love lost to love found.
Kindle Edition
Expected publication October 6, 2026
About the author
Imbolo Mbue
11 books2,511 followersImbolo Mbue is a native of Limbe, Cameroon. She holds a B.S. from Rutgers University and an M.A. from Columbia University. A resident of the United States for over a decade, she lives in New York City. BEHOLD THE DREAMERS is her first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
April 15, 2026
A very hesitant four stars.
I absolutely loved Imbolo Mbue’s Behold the Dreamers, which masterfully navigated the immigrant experience, a journey that oscillates between a dream and a nightmare. Her latest, Every Story Is a Love Story, follows a similar vein of immigrants finding their way in America, though through a much more tragic lens.
Wolo and his wife, Yolo, are successful, intelligent, and originally from Cameroon. They've made their way to the East Coast and are on the cusp of a new chapter, expecting twins, when tragedy strikes: an American woman named Victoria accidentally hits Yolo with her car, killing her and the unborn babies.
Three years later, Wolo remains rightfully paralyzed by grief, convinced he will never find love or happiness again. While his family refuses to forgive Victoria, Wolo receives an apologetic letter from her and decides to meet her. He realizes there is no single way to handle grief or a correct path toward forgiveness; he simply wants to move on. To do that, he feels he must understand Victoria’s perspective, eventually acknowledging that she, too, is a victim of the horrific freak accident.
The core moral question is, how does one recover from unimaginable tragedy? and it is is profound. However, I found the execution a bit uneven. The narrative frequently shifts back to Wolo’s past when he first meets Yolo. I found that the past scenes overshadowed the important relationship between Wolo and Victoria. There are deep dives into his family dynamics involving his father, stepmother, and his gay brother.
While these sections added depth, the pacing felt off at times. I found myself skimming certain subplots that felt disconnected from the central arc. I truly wished there had been more focus on the interaction between Wolo and Victoria, as that is where the tension and the plot really hits their stride.
Despite my issues with the pacing, Mbue’s writing remains powerful. This book is incredibly sad, yet it serves as a powerful lesson in moving forward and finding forgiveness for the seemingly unforgivable.
Thank you to Random House for the advanced copy!
I absolutely loved Imbolo Mbue’s Behold the Dreamers, which masterfully navigated the immigrant experience, a journey that oscillates between a dream and a nightmare. Her latest, Every Story Is a Love Story, follows a similar vein of immigrants finding their way in America, though through a much more tragic lens.
Wolo and his wife, Yolo, are successful, intelligent, and originally from Cameroon. They've made their way to the East Coast and are on the cusp of a new chapter, expecting twins, when tragedy strikes: an American woman named Victoria accidentally hits Yolo with her car, killing her and the unborn babies.
Three years later, Wolo remains rightfully paralyzed by grief, convinced he will never find love or happiness again. While his family refuses to forgive Victoria, Wolo receives an apologetic letter from her and decides to meet her. He realizes there is no single way to handle grief or a correct path toward forgiveness; he simply wants to move on. To do that, he feels he must understand Victoria’s perspective, eventually acknowledging that she, too, is a victim of the horrific freak accident.
The core moral question is, how does one recover from unimaginable tragedy? and it is is profound. However, I found the execution a bit uneven. The narrative frequently shifts back to Wolo’s past when he first meets Yolo. I found that the past scenes overshadowed the important relationship between Wolo and Victoria. There are deep dives into his family dynamics involving his father, stepmother, and his gay brother.
While these sections added depth, the pacing felt off at times. I found myself skimming certain subplots that felt disconnected from the central arc. I truly wished there had been more focus on the interaction between Wolo and Victoria, as that is where the tension and the plot really hits their stride.
Despite my issues with the pacing, Mbue’s writing remains powerful. This book is incredibly sad, yet it serves as a powerful lesson in moving forward and finding forgiveness for the seemingly unforgivable.
Thank you to Random House for the advanced copy!
July 22, 2026
Amazing! Sometimes the Publisher blurb does a disservice to the book. Unfortunately this is one of those cases.
The blurb tells us about the tragic accident and Wolo’s willingness to meet with the perpetrator of said accident, Victoria, and as if that isn’t enough then adds, “when he does, the compassion and deep remorse of the woman affects him in ways he had never imagined, and he begins to wonder if the long road to healing can be shared.”
WTF! Do you want me to read the book or not? It’s the ‘be shared’ part that did it. That part of the sentence signaled to me, that Victoria and Wolo would eventually share a bed! And lo and behold Aha!
It is truly truly a testament to Imbolo Mbue’s supreme ability to craft a story with enchanting prose that will make you tsk tsk that blurb and dive into this sad but inspiring story of complicated families and love between members, who all love in different ways, and sometimes that makes love difficult to recognize.
Wolo is a man from Cameroon, who has studied in the US and has come to settle in NJ. He is asked to check on a young student a Rutgers, new to America and a fellow Cameroonian. One things lead to another and Wolo and Yoma’s love story begins. In African cultures, marriage is never just two individuals connecting, it’s two families coming together to be one bigger family.
Ms. Mbue does a great job of unveiling cultural norms and mores of Cameroonians home and abroad. Well, after the accident (thanks Random House) Wolo spirals because not only did he lose the love of his life but also the twins that Yoma was carrying. The woman who caused the accident wishes to meet with Wolo to express her sorrow and seek forgiveness.
Now, this is where the talent of Ms Mbue begins shining ever so bright, because we know from the blurb (thanks Random House) that Wolo cottoned to the idea of shared healing. But, Imbolo Mbue makes you forgive and forget the publisher’s oversharing because she takes Wolo through all the emotions, at one point she had me believing that he would go in the opposite direction and not want to share anything with Victoria, but slowly she begins to unfold a man to the reader, who is broken by grief and absent of love, a combination that leaves one vulnerable to an emotional upheaval that can be easing or dis-easing.
Ms.Mbue has created finely fleshed characters, so that their positions on Wolo and Victoria are very relatable. So despite the blurb, the book doesn’t lose any steam and remains engaging throughout. A 5⭐️ effort that will arrive in stores 10.06.26
The blurb tells us about the tragic accident and Wolo’s willingness to meet with the perpetrator of said accident, Victoria, and as if that isn’t enough then adds, “when he does, the compassion and deep remorse of the woman affects him in ways he had never imagined, and he begins to wonder if the long road to healing can be shared.”
WTF! Do you want me to read the book or not? It’s the ‘be shared’ part that did it. That part of the sentence signaled to me, that Victoria and Wolo would eventually share a bed! And lo and behold Aha!
It is truly truly a testament to Imbolo Mbue’s supreme ability to craft a story with enchanting prose that will make you tsk tsk that blurb and dive into this sad but inspiring story of complicated families and love between members, who all love in different ways, and sometimes that makes love difficult to recognize.
Wolo is a man from Cameroon, who has studied in the US and has come to settle in NJ. He is asked to check on a young student a Rutgers, new to America and a fellow Cameroonian. One things lead to another and Wolo and Yoma’s love story begins. In African cultures, marriage is never just two individuals connecting, it’s two families coming together to be one bigger family.
Ms. Mbue does a great job of unveiling cultural norms and mores of Cameroonians home and abroad. Well, after the accident (thanks Random House) Wolo spirals because not only did he lose the love of his life but also the twins that Yoma was carrying. The woman who caused the accident wishes to meet with Wolo to express her sorrow and seek forgiveness.
Now, this is where the talent of Ms Mbue begins shining ever so bright, because we know from the blurb (thanks Random House) that Wolo cottoned to the idea of shared healing. But, Imbolo Mbue makes you forgive and forget the publisher’s oversharing because she takes Wolo through all the emotions, at one point she had me believing that he would go in the opposite direction and not want to share anything with Victoria, but slowly she begins to unfold a man to the reader, who is broken by grief and absent of love, a combination that leaves one vulnerable to an emotional upheaval that can be easing or dis-easing.
Ms.Mbue has created finely fleshed characters, so that their positions on Wolo and Victoria are very relatable. So despite the blurb, the book doesn’t lose any steam and remains engaging throughout. A 5⭐️ effort that will arrive in stores 10.06.26
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 18, 2026
How many times have I marveled, while driving, that this supremely dangerous act of piloting a several ton machine at high speeds is so often relegated to the semi-conscious? And it works! But what if it didn’t? What if, just one time, my reaction time was a little bit off, my peripheral vision a little too narrow, a distraction at the wrong moment or a miscalculation by my brain of speed or distance?
There are culpable traffic accidents and there are just unfortunate ones. Both can be tragic and forever change lives. How do people ever move on from causing a death, even if by random accident? Who can actually understand their suffering or that of the victim’s loved ones? Is there ever forgiveness?
This book beautifully explores these questions through characters who are good and grieving and relatable.
Four stars because the first half is very slow and stagnant. In one way, it’s effective. The main character is stuck in his grief so the reader is too. Four stars also because some of how the protagonist and his family hold onto their anger and fail to center his well-being and don’t allow for an understanding that perhaps this connection isn’t in spite of the shared history but because of it? This is clearly cultural to some degree.
All in all, I highly recommend this book. Thanks to NetGalley for an opportunity to read this advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
There are culpable traffic accidents and there are just unfortunate ones. Both can be tragic and forever change lives. How do people ever move on from causing a death, even if by random accident? Who can actually understand their suffering or that of the victim’s loved ones? Is there ever forgiveness?
This book beautifully explores these questions through characters who are good and grieving and relatable.
Four stars because the first half is very slow and stagnant. In one way, it’s effective. The main character is stuck in his grief so the reader is too. Four stars also because some of how the protagonist and his family hold onto their anger and fail to center his well-being and don’t allow for an understanding that perhaps this connection isn’t in spite of the shared history but because of it? This is clearly cultural to some degree.
All in all, I highly recommend this book. Thanks to NetGalley for an opportunity to read this advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
April 17, 2026
I will be haunted by this book! Wow— so much to say! Not only does it go into depth and breadth of secrets, trauma, and anger, but also the hypocrisy of our judgments of others while ignoring our own transgressions. The suffering of every character is profound, and it shows how one tragedy affects a village, a community, and a lifetime. I loved the concept of traveling to find peace and forgiveness within ourselves and that suffering can bring us together. I wanted more resolution from the ending, but honestly, for the themes and character arcs, it is a perfect ending showing how our heart can split into two. And that tradition, family obligations, and generational trauma can’t be stopped unless we create our own boundaries.
August 19, 2026
Review to come!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
It’s difficult to talk too much about Imbolo Mbue’s Every Story is a Love Story without giving too much of the story itself away, but it revolves around Wolo, who is several years into grieving the loss of his wife Yoma and their unborn children, when he receives a letter from Victoria Snow, the woman behind the wheel of the car that hit and killed his family.
The arrival of the letter causes a variety of reactions among Wolo and his family, both in the United States and in Cameroon. Most of the family, including Wolo initially, are vehemently opposed to him meeting Victoria, convinced that she is an entitled white woman who has been allowed to get away with murder. But meeting her and getting answers continues to dwell in Wolo’s mind, and surprisingly, the little support for doing so comes from an unexpected person, his father-in-law.
Wolo does decide to meet Victoria, and it does give him the push he needs to really start living again. As he begins this process, the reader is also taken back in time to when he first met Yoma, up until the accident, and learns that Wolo himself has made several decisions in his own life that he seeks his own forgiveness for, reminding the reader that people are complicated human beings who sin just as they are sinned against, making judgment and blame a fine line to walk.
Sometimes I don’t think Wolo (or his family for that matter) consider their choices in a matter involving one of his younger siblings to be as grievous as Victoria’s involvement in Yoma’s death, something that takes up a large part of the earlier timeline in the story. This is an interesting exploration of not just the act of doing harm to another, but also the intent behind it and the consequences that are a result of it.
I am not African, so several of the things that I struggle with when I read books written by African writers is the cultural difference between the relationships parents and children have, and the open belief that women should be obedient to men, because these are views so different from the ones I was raised with.
Mbue shows Wolo as a transitional character who still has the ways of his Cameroonian family engrained in him, but after being raised primarily in America, has viewpoints that start to diverge, especially as he falls in love with the very independent and spirited Yoma. This is obvious in his pride at her intelligence and ambition, his anger when he finds out she has no intention of taking his last name when they marry, his generosity in doing things that are special for her, his overprotectiveness, and his inability to understand that she isn’t willing to drop everything that matters to her the second he wants her undivided attention as the man of the house.
I enjoyed reading as Wolo learns how to process his grief. But even though the book couldn’t exist without Yoma dying, Mbue does such a great job of giving the reader insight into the type of person she was that I couldn’t help but feel sad throughout the book that I was only getting to see who she was instead of who she is and would become. Her telling Wolo she had no intention of taking his last name and handling his utter inability to understand why she shouldn’t have to was absolutely priceless for me.
This book will probably make you sad. You will probably have mixed feelings about his decision to meet Victoria. I lost my mother to cancer, so I didn’t have another person to blame for losing her at a relatively young age, and I don’t know what decision I would have made if I had been in Wolo’s position. I for one (unlike his mother) feel like his choice is the impetus he needs to start living again, which can be the most difficult step to make in losing a loved one, because you fear it means leaving that person behind for good.
A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The arrival of the letter causes a variety of reactions among Wolo and his family, both in the United States and in Cameroon. Most of the family, including Wolo initially, are vehemently opposed to him meeting Victoria, convinced that she is an entitled white woman who has been allowed to get away with murder. But meeting her and getting answers continues to dwell in Wolo’s mind, and surprisingly, the little support for doing so comes from an unexpected person, his father-in-law.
Wolo does decide to meet Victoria, and it does give him the push he needs to really start living again. As he begins this process, the reader is also taken back in time to when he first met Yoma, up until the accident, and learns that Wolo himself has made several decisions in his own life that he seeks his own forgiveness for, reminding the reader that people are complicated human beings who sin just as they are sinned against, making judgment and blame a fine line to walk.
Sometimes I don’t think Wolo (or his family for that matter) consider their choices in a matter involving one of his younger siblings to be as grievous as Victoria’s involvement in Yoma’s death, something that takes up a large part of the earlier timeline in the story. This is an interesting exploration of not just the act of doing harm to another, but also the intent behind it and the consequences that are a result of it.
I am not African, so several of the things that I struggle with when I read books written by African writers is the cultural difference between the relationships parents and children have, and the open belief that women should be obedient to men, because these are views so different from the ones I was raised with.
Mbue shows Wolo as a transitional character who still has the ways of his Cameroonian family engrained in him, but after being raised primarily in America, has viewpoints that start to diverge, especially as he falls in love with the very independent and spirited Yoma. This is obvious in his pride at her intelligence and ambition, his anger when he finds out she has no intention of taking his last name when they marry, his generosity in doing things that are special for her, his overprotectiveness, and his inability to understand that she isn’t willing to drop everything that matters to her the second he wants her undivided attention as the man of the house.
I enjoyed reading as Wolo learns how to process his grief. But even though the book couldn’t exist without Yoma dying, Mbue does such a great job of giving the reader insight into the type of person she was that I couldn’t help but feel sad throughout the book that I was only getting to see who she was instead of who she is and would become. Her telling Wolo she had no intention of taking his last name and handling his utter inability to understand why she shouldn’t have to was absolutely priceless for me.
This book will probably make you sad. You will probably have mixed feelings about his decision to meet Victoria. I lost my mother to cancer, so I didn’t have another person to blame for losing her at a relatively young age, and I don’t know what decision I would have made if I had been in Wolo’s position. I for one (unlike his mother) feel like his choice is the impetus he needs to start living again, which can be the most difficult step to make in losing a loved one, because you fear it means leaving that person behind for good.
A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Every Story is a Love Story is a unique, deeply sad, and moving story. Wolo is a Cameroonian American, spending his youngest years in Cameroon before moving to the US to study with his mother, Keka. Wolo’s father remains in Africa with his second wife, Jokeh.
We learn early in the book that Wolo’s wife, Yoma, pregnant with twins at the time, was killed in a tragic car accident. Wolo, understandably, is distraught, still living in “darkness” three years after the accident. When he is finally starting to feel more stability and that he could consider enjoying pieces of life again, Wolo receives a letter from the woman, Victoria Snow, who killed Yoma. In that letter, Victoria begs Wolo’s forgiveness. To say this letter upsets Wolo’s equilibrium is an understatement. His entire world is set off kilter as he debates whether to meet Victoria or not, if meeting her could offer some resolution to his biggest questions about Yoma’s death, if he can ever forgive Victoria for this greatest harm.
The story travels back and forth between current day and Wolo’s grief, his family’s grief, and how that intertwines with Victoria’s own grief and guilt and the early days of Wolo and Yoma’s relationship.
While Wolo is the story’s protagonist, Yoma and Keka are vibrant, incredible women who steal the show. I loved both of their characters so much! Family and forgiveness play equally important roles in this story. It’s hard to imagine how terrible anyone might feel in a circumstance like Wolo’s, but Mbue does a beautiful job writing those very emotions. I loved this book and couldn’t put it down.
This is my third book by Imbolo Imbue and I will continue to read everything Imbue puts out. I love Imbue’s writing style and cadence and the deeply flawed humanness she is able to capture on the page.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Favorite quotes:
“he knew people-pleasing had always been Shiraz’s vice and virtue;“
“Whoever sent you to annoy me this evening, go right back and tell them that you couldn’t find me.”
“There’s no such thing as breaking up in the nicest way possible,” Dikaki said. “A heart makes a loud, ugly sound when it’s broken, don’t matter shit how sweetly it’s done.”
“Someday I’m going to be a mother,” she said. “If I go about acting the way I feel, what do you think will happen to me and my children? We’ll suffer. No matter how I feel, I have to act the way I need to act in every moment. I don’t have the luxury of being weak.”
“Later, he promises himself, he’ll tell her about the advice his mother gave him vis-à-vis posing questions of a personal nature to feed his curiosity—make the question closed-ended; never ask at the beginning of a conversation, wait for an appropriate opening. His mother, and being an immigrant, are the reasons why he never asks people where they’re from; he has yet to meet an immigrant who loves that question. He asks, instead, Are you from here? Here being whatever town or city or neighborhood they’re having the conversation in. He never asks couples how they met. He asks if they’re in the same line of work, if they went to the same college. They tell him yes, they tell him no, they tell him more if they so choose, and he follows their lead. He never asks if anyone is married or has children. He is grateful for those who don’t ask him. He is grateful for all who tell him their stories without asking for his in return.“
“Except you don’t know what is best for all of us, Wol’ami. You’re the child, we are the mothers. You do not get to come up with the solutions, it does not work like that, my dear. The way it works is that you tell us your problem, we advise you on how to fix it. You don’t then go behind our backs and not only ignore our advice but also find new ways to complicate our lives.”
We learn early in the book that Wolo’s wife, Yoma, pregnant with twins at the time, was killed in a tragic car accident. Wolo, understandably, is distraught, still living in “darkness” three years after the accident. When he is finally starting to feel more stability and that he could consider enjoying pieces of life again, Wolo receives a letter from the woman, Victoria Snow, who killed Yoma. In that letter, Victoria begs Wolo’s forgiveness. To say this letter upsets Wolo’s equilibrium is an understatement. His entire world is set off kilter as he debates whether to meet Victoria or not, if meeting her could offer some resolution to his biggest questions about Yoma’s death, if he can ever forgive Victoria for this greatest harm.
The story travels back and forth between current day and Wolo’s grief, his family’s grief, and how that intertwines with Victoria’s own grief and guilt and the early days of Wolo and Yoma’s relationship.
While Wolo is the story’s protagonist, Yoma and Keka are vibrant, incredible women who steal the show. I loved both of their characters so much! Family and forgiveness play equally important roles in this story. It’s hard to imagine how terrible anyone might feel in a circumstance like Wolo’s, but Mbue does a beautiful job writing those very emotions. I loved this book and couldn’t put it down.
This is my third book by Imbolo Imbue and I will continue to read everything Imbue puts out. I love Imbue’s writing style and cadence and the deeply flawed humanness she is able to capture on the page.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Favorite quotes:
“he knew people-pleasing had always been Shiraz’s vice and virtue;“
“Whoever sent you to annoy me this evening, go right back and tell them that you couldn’t find me.”
“There’s no such thing as breaking up in the nicest way possible,” Dikaki said. “A heart makes a loud, ugly sound when it’s broken, don’t matter shit how sweetly it’s done.”
“Someday I’m going to be a mother,” she said. “If I go about acting the way I feel, what do you think will happen to me and my children? We’ll suffer. No matter how I feel, I have to act the way I need to act in every moment. I don’t have the luxury of being weak.”
“Later, he promises himself, he’ll tell her about the advice his mother gave him vis-à-vis posing questions of a personal nature to feed his curiosity—make the question closed-ended; never ask at the beginning of a conversation, wait for an appropriate opening. His mother, and being an immigrant, are the reasons why he never asks people where they’re from; he has yet to meet an immigrant who loves that question. He asks, instead, Are you from here? Here being whatever town or city or neighborhood they’re having the conversation in. He never asks couples how they met. He asks if they’re in the same line of work, if they went to the same college. They tell him yes, they tell him no, they tell him more if they so choose, and he follows their lead. He never asks if anyone is married or has children. He is grateful for those who don’t ask him. He is grateful for all who tell him their stories without asking for his in return.“
“Except you don’t know what is best for all of us, Wol’ami. You’re the child, we are the mothers. You do not get to come up with the solutions, it does not work like that, my dear. The way it works is that you tell us your problem, we advise you on how to fix it. You don’t then go behind our backs and not only ignore our advice but also find new ways to complicate our lives.”
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I just finished "Every Story Is a Love Story" and wow.
Beautifully written. Seriously compelling. Just…so sad.
I had never even heard of Cameroon before this, and I feel like I learned so much about the culture.
Wolo and Yoma are a young couple, living in America, expecting twins. Their story is so sweet. And then it just completely breaks you. Yoma goes out for a run and is hit by a car. She dies, the babies too, it’s devastating.
Years later, Victoria, the driver, sends Wolo a letter asking if he’d want to meet and talk. That’s really where things start to unfold.
The story goes back and forth between past and present. You see Wolo and Yoma fall in love. You meet their families. You see everything that comes after. And it just keeps adding layers.
Wolo is navigating his grief. Victoria is too. It’s messy and human and not simple at all.
I just love this book.
Every time I thought I had a handle on it, it gave me more. More depth, more emotion.
And the writing… I can’t get over how good it is. Imbolo Mbue is an extremely talented writer. I've read a few books this month that came highly praised, but I could not get over the bad writing. Good writing is something I really appreciate, and this book is one of those that has you highlighting great paragraphs.
"You know how Yoma loved to say that the universe is orderly? Yeah, she was wrong. Maybe the universe is orderly in the physical sense, but when it comes to the human heart, there's no order; our hearts are disordered messes, which is why life is so often a disordered mess. We like to pretend that the people we love are good and the people we hate are bad, but the truth is that you open up any heart and you'll see black and white and red and yellow and brown. I wish Victoria's heart was all black, it would make my hatred easier, but it has as many colors as mine."
Fans of Yaa Gyasi's "Homegoing" will love this book, that same focus on African families, immigration to the U.S., and staying connected to home. This one is more modern, but the Cameroon heritage is such a big part of it.
If I had one small complaint, it’s that the ending could have been fleshed out a little more.
But overall? Such a great reading experience. I loved it. And I’ll definitely be looking for more from this author.
Thank you to Netgalley and Random House for providing me with an advanced e-copy of this wonderful book.
Beautifully written. Seriously compelling. Just…so sad.
I had never even heard of Cameroon before this, and I feel like I learned so much about the culture.
Wolo and Yoma are a young couple, living in America, expecting twins. Their story is so sweet. And then it just completely breaks you. Yoma goes out for a run and is hit by a car. She dies, the babies too, it’s devastating.
Years later, Victoria, the driver, sends Wolo a letter asking if he’d want to meet and talk. That’s really where things start to unfold.
The story goes back and forth between past and present. You see Wolo and Yoma fall in love. You meet their families. You see everything that comes after. And it just keeps adding layers.
Wolo is navigating his grief. Victoria is too. It’s messy and human and not simple at all.
I just love this book.
Every time I thought I had a handle on it, it gave me more. More depth, more emotion.
And the writing… I can’t get over how good it is. Imbolo Mbue is an extremely talented writer. I've read a few books this month that came highly praised, but I could not get over the bad writing. Good writing is something I really appreciate, and this book is one of those that has you highlighting great paragraphs.
"You know how Yoma loved to say that the universe is orderly? Yeah, she was wrong. Maybe the universe is orderly in the physical sense, but when it comes to the human heart, there's no order; our hearts are disordered messes, which is why life is so often a disordered mess. We like to pretend that the people we love are good and the people we hate are bad, but the truth is that you open up any heart and you'll see black and white and red and yellow and brown. I wish Victoria's heart was all black, it would make my hatred easier, but it has as many colors as mine."
Fans of Yaa Gyasi's "Homegoing" will love this book, that same focus on African families, immigration to the U.S., and staying connected to home. This one is more modern, but the Cameroon heritage is such a big part of it.
If I had one small complaint, it’s that the ending could have been fleshed out a little more.
But overall? Such a great reading experience. I loved it. And I’ll definitely be looking for more from this author.
Thank you to Netgalley and Random House for providing me with an advanced e-copy of this wonderful book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Review of advance copy received by NetGalley
Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Every Story Is a Love Story has a publication date of October 6, 2026.
This novel follows Wolo's journey through grief after he tragically loses his wife and unborn twins. He struggles to cope with his immense pain and desire for revenge. Wolo agonizes over all of the small choices he could have made to prevent the tragedy and is unable to find forgiveness for others or himself. The novel alternates between his early courtship with his wife to his present-day suffering, from looking forward to a life of love and joy to trying to make sense of his future among the wreckage caused by her loss.
I thought the novel had a strong opening with a letter to Wolo from the person responsible. She, too, cannot forgive herself, and I was immediately invested in what happened. Although the vibes throughout are quite heavy and intense, I appreciated the conversations about how one moves forward from a tragic accident, including the different advice Wolo would get from friends and family trying to soothe his pain and their own. His best friend urged him to find peace rather than happiness. His mother cannot forgive, abandoning her steadfast religion in her own grief. I was most fond of the wise father-in-law, Tata Munyenge, who would calmly remind Wolo that despite his spinning out with what if, it has already happened.
As Wolo tries to find respite from his suffering, he recalls times he and his family have caused pain and sought forgiveness. The book skillfully examines not only whether we can forgive those who have wronged us, but how and under what circumstances we might also be forgiven for the harm we have inflicted. The ultimate message is that you can be both flawed and deserving of love. I found this really beautiful, and Wolo's ability to open his heart despite tragedy made the heaviness worthwhile.
Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Every Story Is a Love Story has a publication date of October 6, 2026.
This novel follows Wolo's journey through grief after he tragically loses his wife and unborn twins. He struggles to cope with his immense pain and desire for revenge. Wolo agonizes over all of the small choices he could have made to prevent the tragedy and is unable to find forgiveness for others or himself. The novel alternates between his early courtship with his wife to his present-day suffering, from looking forward to a life of love and joy to trying to make sense of his future among the wreckage caused by her loss.
I thought the novel had a strong opening with a letter to Wolo from the person responsible. She, too, cannot forgive herself, and I was immediately invested in what happened. Although the vibes throughout are quite heavy and intense, I appreciated the conversations about how one moves forward from a tragic accident, including the different advice Wolo would get from friends and family trying to soothe his pain and their own. His best friend urged him to find peace rather than happiness. His mother cannot forgive, abandoning her steadfast religion in her own grief. I was most fond of the wise father-in-law, Tata Munyenge, who would calmly remind Wolo that despite his spinning out with what if, it has already happened.
As Wolo tries to find respite from his suffering, he recalls times he and his family have caused pain and sought forgiveness. The book skillfully examines not only whether we can forgive those who have wronged us, but how and under what circumstances we might also be forgiven for the harm we have inflicted. The ultimate message is that you can be both flawed and deserving of love. I found this really beautiful, and Wolo's ability to open his heart despite tragedy made the heaviness worthwhile.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
"Every Story is a Love Story" by Imbolo Mbue begins with a fascinating premise. A tragic car accident kills a man’s beloved wife who is pregnant with twins. What does this man do when the woman who was driving the car reaches out and asks to meet so she can apologize in person? The bereaved husband and his family see this woman as a murderer and an enemy. Still, the man wants to know that really happened. He is sure there is more to it than the police report, sure that something evil was swept beneath the debris of the accident that ruined his life. He wants to know the truth. He wants this woman to tell him. It just isn’t possible that his wife was dead just because two women who were in exactly the wrong place at exactly the wrong time.
This is a story of two people whose lives have been devastated and upended. It is also a story of two cultures – Cameroon and the United States. It is a story of love in all its many shapes and sizes. It is a story about family, forgiveness, and the possibility of redemption, as well as a story about the results of trauma and the impact of our beliefs and actions.
The characters are well drawn and Mbue creates situations where they are forced to face their inconsistencies and fears. There is always the possibility of redemption when we see ourselves fully and allow others the space to be who they are – perhaps neither good nor bad, just human and living their lives as best they can, and perhaps, in the process, learning to love themselves.
Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for access to this ARC. This is my personal and honest review.
This is a story of two people whose lives have been devastated and upended. It is also a story of two cultures – Cameroon and the United States. It is a story of love in all its many shapes and sizes. It is a story about family, forgiveness, and the possibility of redemption, as well as a story about the results of trauma and the impact of our beliefs and actions.
The characters are well drawn and Mbue creates situations where they are forced to face their inconsistencies and fears. There is always the possibility of redemption when we see ourselves fully and allow others the space to be who they are – perhaps neither good nor bad, just human and living their lives as best they can, and perhaps, in the process, learning to love themselves.
Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for access to this ARC. This is my personal and honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy!!
This book follows our main character, Wolo, years after his pregnant wife was killed by a car while being out for a run. Years later, the woman who was driving that car wants to meet and our story picks up from there. I really love the premise and the discussions regarding forgiveness. Books that tackle difficult discussions and ideas are typically some of my favorites and I love reading about both perspectives in these scenarios. This one.... didn't really deliver what I was hoping it would. There were some interesting discussions about forgiveness which I enjoyed, but ultimately I'm left unsatisfied. The pacing felt off and it was kind of a slog to get through. Then, Even though this felt like a miss for me, I did appreciate the message regarding forgiveness (especially struggling to forgive someone while begging someone else for forgiveness). 3 stars.
This book follows our main character, Wolo, years after his pregnant wife was killed by a car while being out for a run. Years later, the woman who was driving that car wants to meet and our story picks up from there. I really love the premise and the discussions regarding forgiveness. Books that tackle difficult discussions and ideas are typically some of my favorites and I love reading about both perspectives in these scenarios. This one.... didn't really deliver what I was hoping it would. There were some interesting discussions about forgiveness which I enjoyed, but ultimately I'm left unsatisfied. The pacing felt off and it was kind of a slog to get through. Then, Even though this felt like a miss for me, I did appreciate the message regarding forgiveness (especially struggling to forgive someone while begging someone else for forgiveness). 3 stars.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Behold the Dreamers is one of my favorite books ever and I always get excited whenever Mbue has a new book out. I didn't love her sophomore book as much as BTD but I was still excited to get this one.
Spoiler Alert!
I think the writing was great and compelling and I liked the pacing where we got to be in the present day and go back in time with Wolo to see how everything connected and while I saw this coming I just could not suspend disbelief and buy into Wolo and Victoria's love story. Was it a story about forgiveness? Yes but I think forgiveness could have been achieved without a romantic relationship. It didn't help that we were introduced to Yolo, his wife, knew her backstory and were invested vs. Victoria who we didn't know much about so it was hard to root for. Was this true love or was this penance for her?
I appreciated how descriptive Mbue was about the Cameroonian culture - how families work, going home every christmas. His mother is a familiar character in any African household. This is why I completely understood why his parents wouldn't give their blessing. That was a tall order and even Wolo knew it which is why he kept waffling. While there were some subplots, I think the right call was made to go deep on just the story with Wolo's brother because it gave perspective on being on the other side and being the one who needed forgiveness. Although it was a shame that Dakiki and Shiraz story led nowhere.
Overall, it was written very well and I enjoyed the writing but I just couldn't get past the love story that was shoved in towards the end.
Spoiler Alert!
I think the writing was great and compelling and I liked the pacing where we got to be in the present day and go back in time with Wolo to see how everything connected and while I saw this coming I just could not suspend disbelief and buy into Wolo and Victoria's love story. Was it a story about forgiveness? Yes but I think forgiveness could have been achieved without a romantic relationship. It didn't help that we were introduced to Yolo, his wife, knew her backstory and were invested vs. Victoria who we didn't know much about so it was hard to root for. Was this true love or was this penance for her?
I appreciated how descriptive Mbue was about the Cameroonian culture - how families work, going home every christmas. His mother is a familiar character in any African household. This is why I completely understood why his parents wouldn't give their blessing. That was a tall order and even Wolo knew it which is why he kept waffling. While there were some subplots, I think the right call was made to go deep on just the story with Wolo's brother because it gave perspective on being on the other side and being the one who needed forgiveness. Although it was a shame that Dakiki and Shiraz story led nowhere.
Overall, it was written very well and I enjoyed the writing but I just couldn't get past the love story that was shoved in towards the end.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Every Story Is a Love Story
By Imbolo Mbue
This is a heartbreaking story which begins with a terrible accident that ends the lives of a beloved wife and her unborn twins. The husband, Wolo Lifafa, is so grief-stricken that, even three years later, he is still mired in his loss.
Wolo and his dead wife Yoma are Camaroonians now living in America. But their ties to the land of their birth are strong. Both of their families share the old culture and the family values of the old country. So when Yoma dies as the result of being hit while out running, Wolo is surrounded with a strong support group. Still Wolo cannot come to grips with his loss or his hatred of Victoria Snow, the driver of the car the destroyed his life.
One day Wolo's brother's friend Shiraz tells Wolo he has met Victoria at a gathering and gives Wolo a letter written by her expressing her guilt and grief – and asking if he would ever agree to meet with her. Thus the family drama begins.
Wolo's parents are adamantly opposed. The family's hatred of Victoria is palpable. They advise Wolo not to engage. But against his better judgment he agrees to meet her to get to the truth of what happened that day. The family unit disintegrates as sides are taken between those who believe in the old ways and those more accepting of a new way toward forgiveness. Ultimately we find that Wolo and Victoria are not the only ones trying to resolve these conflicts.
This is a book that will make the reader examine the choices that life throws at all of us.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC.
By Imbolo Mbue
This is a heartbreaking story which begins with a terrible accident that ends the lives of a beloved wife and her unborn twins. The husband, Wolo Lifafa, is so grief-stricken that, even three years later, he is still mired in his loss.
Wolo and his dead wife Yoma are Camaroonians now living in America. But their ties to the land of their birth are strong. Both of their families share the old culture and the family values of the old country. So when Yoma dies as the result of being hit while out running, Wolo is surrounded with a strong support group. Still Wolo cannot come to grips with his loss or his hatred of Victoria Snow, the driver of the car the destroyed his life.
One day Wolo's brother's friend Shiraz tells Wolo he has met Victoria at a gathering and gives Wolo a letter written by her expressing her guilt and grief – and asking if he would ever agree to meet with her. Thus the family drama begins.
Wolo's parents are adamantly opposed. The family's hatred of Victoria is palpable. They advise Wolo not to engage. But against his better judgment he agrees to meet her to get to the truth of what happened that day. The family unit disintegrates as sides are taken between those who believe in the old ways and those more accepting of a new way toward forgiveness. Ultimately we find that Wolo and Victoria are not the only ones trying to resolve these conflicts.
This is a book that will make the reader examine the choices that life throws at all of us.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I loved “Behold the Dreamers” for its nuance, specificity and timely resonance. And I recall and appreciated the relevance and pointed commentary in “How Beautiful We Were”.
This book is multi-layered and touches on love and death, grief and guilt and there are myriad Cameroonian, American and Cuban cultural references…and the resulting implications on how one lives one’s life. I found Wolo and his brother and mother to be somewhat fully developed characters. And Yoma, too, is seemingly fully developed although kind of a “plot twist” very late in the book with a different view but that doesn’t really go anywhere.
The sub-story that takes up part of the middle of the book was well written and likely was included to show a different view the same person could have when a fetus does not survive…but that too didn’t seem to go anywhere or have a longer term impact on Wolo.
Ultimately the downfall for me is both the Victoria character and the relationship that develops which the reader has to assume is coming right from the start. It just doesn’t feel at all credible although written in a very slow build way that clearly makes it seem like it should be credible.
All that said, I find the authors writing and language choices to be evocative and I will likely be eager to pick up the next book still hoping for another one that hits like “Behold the Dreamers”.
Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book
This book is multi-layered and touches on love and death, grief and guilt and there are myriad Cameroonian, American and Cuban cultural references…and the resulting implications on how one lives one’s life. I found Wolo and his brother and mother to be somewhat fully developed characters. And Yoma, too, is seemingly fully developed although kind of a “plot twist” very late in the book with a different view but that doesn’t really go anywhere.
The sub-story that takes up part of the middle of the book was well written and likely was included to show a different view the same person could have when a fetus does not survive…but that too didn’t seem to go anywhere or have a longer term impact on Wolo.
Ultimately the downfall for me is both the Victoria character and the relationship that develops which the reader has to assume is coming right from the start. It just doesn’t feel at all credible although written in a very slow build way that clearly makes it seem like it should be credible.
All that said, I find the authors writing and language choices to be evocative and I will likely be eager to pick up the next book still hoping for another one that hits like “Behold the Dreamers”.
Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I must admit I spent a lot of time reading this book as I had to translate a lot of words and foods and explanations that I did not understand but by doing so I really enjoyed the book more. It is a story of grief, forgiveness, love and the difference in family life here in our county of USA and other nationalities such as Camaroon.
The story begin with the untimely death of Wolos’ beloved wife, Yoma, and her unborn twins who were killed in a car accident caused by Victoria Snow. In the years following the accident Victoria reaches out to Wolo wanting to apologize and explain what happened to her. He is not interested in any communication with Victoria. Much of this part of the book deals with national customs and the closeness of each of his family members to him. His mother is trying to fix him up to marry again but he wants no part of it. He fights it time after time. Finally he agrees to meet her. There are a lot of characters in this book and sometimes it is hard to keep up with them. The story is full of travels all over the globe and meals in many localities. It skipped around way too much for me so I rated it a 4 and not a five. I enjoyed a lot of the book and will read future ones by this author.
I wish to thank Net Galley and Random House for allowing me to read an advance copy of this book. I have voluntarily read and reviewed this advanced copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The story begin with the untimely death of Wolos’ beloved wife, Yoma, and her unborn twins who were killed in a car accident caused by Victoria Snow. In the years following the accident Victoria reaches out to Wolo wanting to apologize and explain what happened to her. He is not interested in any communication with Victoria. Much of this part of the book deals with national customs and the closeness of each of his family members to him. His mother is trying to fix him up to marry again but he wants no part of it. He fights it time after time. Finally he agrees to meet her. There are a lot of characters in this book and sometimes it is hard to keep up with them. The story is full of travels all over the globe and meals in many localities. It skipped around way too much for me so I rated it a 4 and not a five. I enjoyed a lot of the book and will read future ones by this author.
I wish to thank Net Galley and Random House for allowing me to read an advance copy of this book. I have voluntarily read and reviewed this advanced copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
2.5 ⭐️
The opening chapter hooked me and got my hopes up so much that the rest of the book was a let down. The alternating timelines jumped around too much to random points in time that it was hard to stay on track with the central plot. The subplot midway through, while well written and interesting, was totally out of left field again had no impact on the main characters or larger plot. I didn’t love the pacing - the beginning felt slow and the ending was so abrupt. There were some moments of connection and depth with the characters, especially between Wolo and Yoma and between Wolo and his family, but otherwise the connections felt so disingenuous with zero depth. For a book that claims to be about grief and forgiveness, there’s no real exploration of those feelings.
The nail in the coffin for me was that Wolo was quite misogynistic and it was gross to read. I almost feel like the midway subplot was there to prove he wasn’t a misogynist and I hated that ploy. He didn’t grow as a character, he just magically moved on.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy.
The opening chapter hooked me and got my hopes up so much that the rest of the book was a let down. The alternating timelines jumped around too much to random points in time that it was hard to stay on track with the central plot. The subplot midway through, while well written and interesting, was totally out of left field again had no impact on the main characters or larger plot. I didn’t love the pacing - the beginning felt slow and the ending was so abrupt. There were some moments of connection and depth with the characters, especially between Wolo and Yoma and between Wolo and his family, but otherwise the connections felt so disingenuous with zero depth. For a book that claims to be about grief and forgiveness, there’s no real exploration of those feelings.
The nail in the coffin for me was that Wolo was quite misogynistic and it was gross to read. I almost feel like the midway subplot was there to prove he wasn’t a misogynist and I hated that ploy. He didn’t grow as a character, he just magically moved on.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I really enjoyed reading Imbolo Mbue’s novel, Behold the Dreamers, a few years back. Her writing was beautiful and the her ability to craft an emotional story really resonated with me.
In her upcoming novel, Every Story Is a Love Story, you’ll immediately be engrossed in this captivating story of grief. The main character, Wolo, is an African immigrant living in New York and is grieving the loss of his pregnant wife, who was tragically hit by a car while running. The story opens a few years after his wife’s death when he receives a letter from the woman who killed her, asking for forgiveness.
Mbue then spins a tale that for the first 60% I couldn’t put down. Unfortunately, without giving away too much any spoilers, that’s the point where the book that could have been an easy 5 stars got downgraded to three. I was really disappointed in the direction this book went, and it really cheapened what could have been a really compelling story.
Luckily, it’s a pretty quick read, so I didn’t feel like I’d spent too much time on it. Otherwise, I would have DNF’ed.
Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book that releases on October 6, 2026.
In her upcoming novel, Every Story Is a Love Story, you’ll immediately be engrossed in this captivating story of grief. The main character, Wolo, is an African immigrant living in New York and is grieving the loss of his pregnant wife, who was tragically hit by a car while running. The story opens a few years after his wife’s death when he receives a letter from the woman who killed her, asking for forgiveness.
Mbue then spins a tale that for the first 60% I couldn’t put down. Unfortunately, without giving away too much any spoilers, that’s the point where the book that could have been an easy 5 stars got downgraded to three. I was really disappointed in the direction this book went, and it really cheapened what could have been a really compelling story.
Luckily, it’s a pretty quick read, so I didn’t feel like I’d spent too much time on it. Otherwise, I would have DNF’ed.
Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book that releases on October 6, 2026.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Every Story Is a Love Story truly lives up to its title. The novel follows a widower struggling to heal after the devastating loss of his pregnant wife and their unborn twins in a tragic accident. When he agrees to meet the woman responsible for the crash, the story explores their complicated journey toward forgiveness, healing, and ultimately love.
Intertwined with this present-day narrative is the beautiful love story between Wolo and his late wife, as well as insights into his background and Cameroonian heritage. These elements add depth and richness to the novel, making it much more than a traditional romance.
This is a heavy and emotional book that tackles grief, guilt, and redemption. At times, the constant shifts between timelines and perspectives felt a bit tedious, and I found myself taking breaks because it was difficult to follow. However, the story's emotional impact and thoughtful exploration of loss made the effort worthwhile.
Overall, this is a powerful and moving novel that challenged me as a reader. While not always an easy read, it is ultimately a rewarding one.
3.5 stars
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for an advanced copy of this title.
Intertwined with this present-day narrative is the beautiful love story between Wolo and his late wife, as well as insights into his background and Cameroonian heritage. These elements add depth and richness to the novel, making it much more than a traditional romance.
This is a heavy and emotional book that tackles grief, guilt, and redemption. At times, the constant shifts between timelines and perspectives felt a bit tedious, and I found myself taking breaks because it was difficult to follow. However, the story's emotional impact and thoughtful exploration of loss made the effort worthwhile.
Overall, this is a powerful and moving novel that challenged me as a reader. While not always an easy read, it is ultimately a rewarding one.
3.5 stars
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for an advanced copy of this title.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Gifted via Netgalley
A story about grief, loss, and love. The book is told in two storylines that follow the MC Wolo - one where he is grieving the loss of his wife after a horrible accident and one in the past following their love story. The book shows how complicated and messy grief can be. So many emotions are tied up in it. The story also discusses the juxtaposition of Cameroonian and American culture and the ways they can clash in family dynamics and gender roles. I appreciated the characters and their family relationships as well. There wasn't as much of an emotional punch as I wanted to have by the end. I think due to a storyline that developed later in the book that I didn't agree with or think was necessary. But in some ways I understand, because they are clinging to each other in their grief. Otherwise, I thought it was interesting and it's a story that will stick with me for years to come.
A story about grief, loss, and love. The book is told in two storylines that follow the MC Wolo - one where he is grieving the loss of his wife after a horrible accident and one in the past following their love story. The book shows how complicated and messy grief can be. So many emotions are tied up in it. The story also discusses the juxtaposition of Cameroonian and American culture and the ways they can clash in family dynamics and gender roles. I appreciated the characters and their family relationships as well. There wasn't as much of an emotional punch as I wanted to have by the end. I think due to a storyline that developed later in the book that I didn't agree with or think was necessary. But in some ways I understand, because they are clinging to each other in their grief. Otherwise, I thought it was interesting and it's a story that will stick with me for years to come.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was a beautiful story of grief, forgiveness, and community. It showed how we're all just trying our best, even under difficult circumstances. The first third moved a bit slowly, but the last two-thirds picked up, leaving me itching to return to the story.
The main tension of Wolo and Victoria's relationship had me reflecting on how I would feel in that situation, which is impossible, but left a lot of ground for self-reflection. I could understand where every character was coming from, even Keka. I admired Dikaki's and Tata Munyenge's approach the most, but I think the characters and their reactions highlight that there's no right approach to grief or forgiveness.
Wolo's general sentiment, "Haven't I suffered enough?" was a simple yet moving reflection. Life is already hard enough, why should we hold on to anger and bitterness when love and light can enter our lives?
Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC.
The main tension of Wolo and Victoria's relationship had me reflecting on how I would feel in that situation, which is impossible, but left a lot of ground for self-reflection. I could understand where every character was coming from, even Keka. I admired Dikaki's and Tata Munyenge's approach the most, but I think the characters and their reactions highlight that there's no right approach to grief or forgiveness.
Wolo's general sentiment, "Haven't I suffered enough?" was a simple yet moving reflection. Life is already hard enough, why should we hold on to anger and bitterness when love and light can enter our lives?
Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC.
July 22, 2026
I actually finished the book a while back and somehow forgot to review it so hopefully I can remember my impressions of it! I do know I struggled to get into it, but around the halfway mark, I was invested and began to really enjoy it.
I found the writing to be beautiful and even haunting at times. I always appreciate an author taking care in a tragedy to paint a realistic image of people's struggles and the depth of emotion that comes with such great loss. I've recently read some really flat portrayals of some very sad situations and it's so frustrating. This author did a great job of putting us right in the middle of the despair.
I haven't Imbolo Mbue before but I likely would again. Every Story is a Love Story was very human and raw for me. 3.5 starts rounded up? Just for the slow start.
Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced digital copy of this title in exchange for my honest review.
I found the writing to be beautiful and even haunting at times. I always appreciate an author taking care in a tragedy to paint a realistic image of people's struggles and the depth of emotion that comes with such great loss. I've recently read some really flat portrayals of some very sad situations and it's so frustrating. This author did a great job of putting us right in the middle of the despair.
I haven't Imbolo Mbue before but I likely would again. Every Story is a Love Story was very human and raw for me. 3.5 starts rounded up? Just for the slow start.
Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced digital copy of this title in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Every Story is a Love Story, Imbolo Mbue's latest book, is a story about love, tragedy, anger, regret and forgiveness. It’s filled with complex characters dealing with challenging situations and takes place in Cameroon and the US. The reader learns much about the Cameroonian culture and family life. The story continually shifts between the present and the past. The central character, Wolo, has lost his wife and unborn children in a car accident and struggles with his grief and anger toward the person who caused the accident and ruined his life. Ultimately, he comes to forgive her in a somewhat improbable way. While I really enjoyed the book, I struggled somewhat to believe that he was capable of moving past his anger to forgive her so completely. This would make a good book club book as there are many themes to explore. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of Every Story is a Love Story in exchange for an honest review.
August 11, 2026
I’m not totally sure how to feel about this book. The story is unique, so there’s credit to give for that. An unfathomable situation, and the story begins as emotional and raw and believable. And the writing is good. But in the end, I felt that it was too far fetched. It’s fiction, so sure, all fiction is made up… but it just didn’t feel believable. Life is complex, relationships and feelings too, but this felt like too much of a stretch. And then it just ended, without really concluding, which was the most frustrating part of it all.
I assume part of it was a story about forgiveness, and questions why forgiveness can sometimes be readily given in families, but not at other times… and I guess this is why what Osi did needed to be included?! Because otherwise, that storyline didn’t quite tie into the rest of the book for me. Also, really went back and forth between liking the mother for her feminism and independence to really disliking her overbearing nature.
I assume part of it was a story about forgiveness, and questions why forgiveness can sometimes be readily given in families, but not at other times… and I guess this is why what Osi did needed to be included?! Because otherwise, that storyline didn’t quite tie into the rest of the book for me. Also, really went back and forth between liking the mother for her feminism and independence to really disliking her overbearing nature.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was my first time reading Imbolo Mbue but likely won't be the last. The writing is quite good and the story is layered and personal. As for the book itself, the premise has quite the hook - Wolo's wife and unborn twins die in a tragic accident and the woman responsible for the accident reaches out to make amends.
Overall it feels like an expose on grief, forgiveness and how we navigate familial responsibilities. It bounces back and forth between past and present and although I didn't love the scenes set in the past, I do think they provide good context for what Wolo is going through in the present.
It did end up feeling a bit repetitive, going through the same cycle a few times and the pacing wasn't as crisp as it could have been but it was a good story and a nice find on Netgalley.
Thank you to Netgalley and Random House for the opportunity to read and review in advance of this October release.
Overall it feels like an expose on grief, forgiveness and how we navigate familial responsibilities. It bounces back and forth between past and present and although I didn't love the scenes set in the past, I do think they provide good context for what Wolo is going through in the present.
It did end up feeling a bit repetitive, going through the same cycle a few times and the pacing wasn't as crisp as it could have been but it was a good story and a nice find on Netgalley.
Thank you to Netgalley and Random House for the opportunity to read and review in advance of this October release.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Just yesterday, I learned of a horrific accident in which a 20 year old friend of my family was tragically killed by a drunk driver. How does one ever begin to try to forgive the person who ruined everything they ever dreamed of and hoped for in their life? Also, how can the person who caused the accident ever move on from the guilt? In Every Story is a Love Story, Imbolo Mbue, gives us a certain perspective on that.
The pacing was a bit off and the time changes slipped me up a bit. The story doesn’t provide any easy answers, simply because there aren’t any. The novel explores whether love can endure after unimaginable tragedy and how forgiveness in the midst of grief can possibly free the wounded person and maybe the remorseful one who caused such pain. The ending is a bit ambiguous, but overall I enjoyed the book.
✨Thank you Random House via NetGalley for the advance copy.
The pacing was a bit off and the time changes slipped me up a bit. The story doesn’t provide any easy answers, simply because there aren’t any. The novel explores whether love can endure after unimaginable tragedy and how forgiveness in the midst of grief can possibly free the wounded person and maybe the remorseful one who caused such pain. The ending is a bit ambiguous, but overall I enjoyed the book.
✨Thank you Random House via NetGalley for the advance copy.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Every Story Is a Love Story was a tough but rewarding read. The novel follows an immigrant man whose pregnant wife is struck and killed by a driver while out for a run. Three years later, the woman responsible reaches out, seeking forgiveness and perhaps a measure of healing for herself as well.
Told through two timelines, the story moves between the years before his wife’s death and the aftermath, as he struggles with grief and wrestles with the idea of forgiving someone he once vowed never to forgive. The novel explores loss, love, guilt, and redemption with great emotional depth.
This is a story that will stay with me for a long time. It gave me a lot to think about, especially regarding family, forgiveness, and the ways our relationships shape our lives. 4 stars
Told through two timelines, the story moves between the years before his wife’s death and the aftermath, as he struggles with grief and wrestles with the idea of forgiving someone he once vowed never to forgive. The novel explores loss, love, guilt, and redemption with great emotional depth.
This is a story that will stay with me for a long time. It gave me a lot to think about, especially regarding family, forgiveness, and the ways our relationships shape our lives. 4 stars
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is a haunting story of how one recovers from a tragic event. Wolo is grieving the loss of his wife, Yolo and their unborn twins in a car accident three years ago. He is also grieving the life he expected to have and resisting the attempts of his extended family to help him build another relationship. When he receives a letter from Victoria, the woman who killed his wife, his family advises him not to meet with her. Wolo decided to speak with Victoria which launches both of them on a path to forgiveness. The story alternates between Wolo's present life and the story of his romance with Yolo which served to illustrate how much he had lost. This book will make readers think about what it means to forgive and question how they might build a new life after a great loss.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I really enjoyed this multi layered story. I learned a lot about Cameroonian culture as well as the effects of a tragic accident not only on the lives of the deceased’s family but also on the one who caused the accident. Both suffered and needed healing – each in his or her own way. Although it was a bit confusing at times because of switching back and forth in time, the family dynamics, the grieving, need for forgiveness on multiple levels and the process of healing kept me engaged. Then suddenly the story just ended. I needed more since neither timeline seemed to be fully resolved. 3.5 stars rounded to 4. Thanks to Penguin/Random House for giving me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Every Story is a Love Story is Imbolo Mbue's latest book. I loved Behold the Dreamers and looked forward to this new release. Mbue does a wonderful job of writing complex characters and helping American readers understand different cultures. I love the way she writes and thoroughly enjoyed getting to know these characters. I did struggle with the central relationship of Victoria and Wolo--it just seems so improbable and I resisted it but eventually got on board. The longer I read this book the more I liked it. It would be a good book club book as there are many rich topics to consider.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of Every Story is a Love Story in exchange for an honest review. 4 stars
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of Every Story is a Love Story in exchange for an honest review. 4 stars
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Every Story Is a Love Story is a devastating read that explores grief, guilt, and forgiveness with so much emotion. After losing his wife and unborn twins in a tragic accident, Wolo’s journey toward healing becomes tangled with the woman responsible for their death. Their connection was easily the interesting part of the novel for me as it was messy and painful. Some of the family subplots felt a bit slow and confusing for me, but overall the story was emotional and honest. I would have loved to see more of the ending and what happens next. This is an interesting book about how love and loss can exist side by side.
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