What do you think?
Rate this book
Someday, Maybe
A stunning and witty debut novel about a young woman’s emotional journey through unimaginable loss, pulled along by her tight-knit Nigerian family, a posse of new friends, and the love and laughter she shared with her husband. Onyi Nwabineli is a fresh new voice for fans of Yaa Gyasi, Queenie and I May Destroy You.
Here are three things you should know about my husband:
He was the great love of my life despite his penchant for going incommunicado.
He was, as far as I and everyone else could tell, perfectly happy. Which is significant because…
On New Year’s Eve, he committed suicide.
And here is one thing you should know about me: I found him.
Bonus fact: No. I am not okay.
Here are three things you should know about my husband:
He was the great love of my life despite his penchant for going incommunicado.
He was, as far as I and everyone else could tell, perfectly happy. Which is significant because…
On New Year’s Eve, he committed suicide.
And here is one thing you should know about me: I found him.
Bonus fact: No. I am not okay.
367 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 1, 2022
905 people are currently reading
28662 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,547 reviews
June 16, 2023
5 Stars
I'm just going to lay something down here because I don't want to forget my thoughts and I just haven't felt compelled to write the review I really wanted. So I'll do my best with what I have in the moment.
This book was ROUGH.
It's grief and pain stacked upon grief and pain.
And yet, this was also one of the easiest and most digestible reads of the year for me, which is a huge credit to the author's skill.
The writing was awesome and I enjoyed it immensely.
The author did a great job of showing and not telling and flawlessly captured the volatile world of grief without making the reader feel buried by it. Anyone who has experienced true grief can tell you that it's fucking messy and completely without rationality. And Eve exemplified this magnificently.
The star of this book for me, however, was Eve's family. I want to be born into that family in my next life. They were magnificent. Supportive and loving and everything a person could dream of without it feeling false and trite.
Anyway, I can't recommend this book highly enough.
Although a word of CAUTION ⚠️ : if you are currently wading through a period of grief yourself or find grief triggering, you might want to reconsider this choice. And if you suffer from ANY form of suicidal ideation: NO NOT READ THIS BOOK. Period.
I'm just going to lay something down here because I don't want to forget my thoughts and I just haven't felt compelled to write the review I really wanted. So I'll do my best with what I have in the moment.
This book was ROUGH.
It's grief and pain stacked upon grief and pain.
And yet, this was also one of the easiest and most digestible reads of the year for me, which is a huge credit to the author's skill.
The writing was awesome and I enjoyed it immensely.
The author did a great job of showing and not telling and flawlessly captured the volatile world of grief without making the reader feel buried by it. Anyone who has experienced true grief can tell you that it's fucking messy and completely without rationality. And Eve exemplified this magnificently.
The star of this book for me, however, was Eve's family. I want to be born into that family in my next life. They were magnificent. Supportive and loving and everything a person could dream of without it feeling false and trite.
Anyway, I can't recommend this book highly enough.
Although a word of CAUTION ⚠️ : if you are currently wading through a period of grief yourself or find grief triggering, you might want to reconsider this choice. And if you suffer from ANY form of suicidal ideation: NO NOT READ THIS BOOK. Period.
November 29, 2022
I did not necessarily find anything wrong with this book, I just think these kinds of books just depress me overall.
I can’t even imagine how one would recover from something like this. I can tell that Nwabineli wanted us to wonder what happened since it seemed like Quentin and Eve were happy. I like that Nwabineli exposes the reality of how we can’t even tell when the closest people to us are hurting.
This book was mainly focused on her healing process. This is in first person so we have extreme access to every single emotion she’s feeling, making us connect with her as she goes through this. To help us understand how she was hurting, we also get a look at the past! Illustration of the kind of people you encounter during a time like this was also done well from the highly supportive family members to the i-want-to-kill-this-person-with-my-bare-hands characters.
I would still recommend this but be prepared to be sad throughout
I can’t even imagine how one would recover from something like this. I can tell that Nwabineli wanted us to wonder what happened since it seemed like Quentin and Eve were happy. I like that Nwabineli exposes the reality of how we can’t even tell when the closest people to us are hurting.
This book was mainly focused on her healing process. This is in first person so we have extreme access to every single emotion she’s feeling, making us connect with her as she goes through this. To help us understand how she was hurting, we also get a look at the past! Illustration of the kind of people you encounter during a time like this was also done well from the highly supportive family members to the i-want-to-kill-this-person-with-my-bare-hands characters.
I would still recommend this but be prepared to be sad throughout
August 25, 2022
Overwhelming. To say this is a grief filled novel is the ultimate understatement. The ability of this author to immerse the reader in grief over 350 pages is astonishing. I mean, whew. It just never stopped. It was unrelenting, to the point that you feel like you are experiencing grief along with the character. As a trigger warning, anyone who has dealt with the suicide of a loved one may want to steer clear. The four stars are for the beautiful paragraphs that offer temporary respite from the trauma that inherits page after page after page. At some point, I was begging for the end, the only relief coming when I knew I was near the finish line. A tough read.
May 10, 2024
That was a hard read. If you have any trigger warnings for grief or suicide, I would steer clear. I have a few Nigerian American friends, so I imagine the Nigerian British upbringing is rather similar. If you have the chance to listen to this on audio, I would highly recommend that route.
We often put people that die on pedestals. It seems ingrained in the human condition. But to put your son on a pedestal in life seems to be indicative of nearly every immigrant woman I come across.
Why is that? Why do we not value daughters? Daughters are the ones that care for you when you grow old. And again, why is that? Why is that burden placed on them? I'm sure studies have been done on this, but that's my main takeaway here.
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Graydon House
We often put people that die on pedestals. It seems ingrained in the human condition. But to put your son on a pedestal in life seems to be indicative of nearly every immigrant woman I come across.
Why is that? Why do we not value daughters? Daughters are the ones that care for you when you grow old. And again, why is that? Why is that burden placed on them? I'm sure studies have been done on this, but that's my main takeaway here.
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Graydon House
November 13, 2022
[3.5] Even though this is a sad novel about a young woman grieving her husband and his suicide, it was easy to read. It flowed well and drew me right in. I especially liked the portrayal of her friendships and close Nigerian family who pulled her through the darkest days. My only complaint is that by the halfway point or so, it started getting repetitious. I know it takes a long time to heal, but as a reader I don't need to go through every moment of the process.
November 22, 2022
This book was nothing that I expected. The main character is suddenly thrust into the role of grieving widow, one that no one would ever be prepared for no matter what. However, this book was the same story page after page after page. It was written from a place of privilege, in that the main character had no responsibility in her like to ensure bills were paid, a home to live in, people who would endlessly take care of her no matter how horrible she treated them or no matter how long. 342 pages of a person doing nothing to work through their grief, but doing everything to get in their own way to make things harder for themselves and those that care about them. I have experienced and walk through unimaginable grief in the loss of someone. However, I had children I needed to shepherd through that grief, bills to pay so therefore a job I needed to go to, a home to take care of, and the reality of life. I did not have the privilege of curling up and forgetting about life and treating those who love and care about me with no care or concern for their well being or thanklessness. This book was much too long, where the character spent the entirety of the novel feeling the same feelings day after day and doing nothing to better their situation. I am not saying that my experience is the only experience, but this book felt so out of touch with reality and what the average reader would have had. Because of that, it was frustrating and maddening. I kept reading, hoping that the character would suddenly have the desire to work through the grief. Very disappointed and a waste of money.
November 25, 2022
Yes yes yes!
A 5 ⭐️ debut!!!!
Wow! This book was incredibly powerful and beautiful as we go with Eve through her grief process after losing her husband to suicide. Her relationships and her village kept her going. What a lesson when we have people in our lives going through a difficult time. I was so moved by this story and the beautiful writing. I can’t wait to see what this author comes out with next.
Also- the audio is phenomenal.
A 5 ⭐️ debut!!!!
Wow! This book was incredibly powerful and beautiful as we go with Eve through her grief process after losing her husband to suicide. Her relationships and her village kept her going. What a lesson when we have people in our lives going through a difficult time. I was so moved by this story and the beautiful writing. I can’t wait to see what this author comes out with next.
Also- the audio is phenomenal.
January 26, 2023
❀ blog ❀ thestorygraph ❀ letterboxd ❀ tumblr ❀ ko-fi ❀
Someday, Maybe is a book that interrogates the many faces and stages of grief. Yet, despite the heavy subject matter, the prose retains this lightness that kept me turning pages. The first quarter of the book brought to mind a favorite author of mine, Mhairi McFarlane, minus the comedy. That is not to say that Someday, Maybe lacks wit, Eve happens to be a very engrossing narrator who is more than capable of making amusing remarks. Some of the interactions that she has with her family members could also be rooted in humor. The novel however retains a somber and eventually bittersweet tone that will definitely appeal to readers who are looking for a read that will pull at their heartstrings.
The novel revolves around the aftermath of Eve’s husband's sucide. Eve and Quentin, who goes by Q, met at uni where, in spite of their different backgrounds (she is British-Nigerian, he is as from a very white and exceedingly wealthy British family), they were able to form a very strong bond. Eve struggles to reconcile herself with Q's suicide, and spirals into depression. Her grief manifests itself in many different ways so that she finds herself unable to think of anything or anyone outside of Q. She blames herself for not being able to prevent his death, for not having realized that he was struggling.
Eve's family and her best friend attempt to be there for her but she often finds herself pushing them away in what becomes a withdrawal from life. Her mother-in-law, who due to racist and/or classist motives was opposed to their match, seems after her, making cruel accusations and seeming intent on making Eve’s life even more difficult than it already is. The narrative renders Eve’s sadness, confusion, anger, and despair with empathy and insight. While we do get glimpses into Eve’s relationship with Q, how they met, their years together, and the tension caused by his mother, the focus remains on Eve ‘now’ and the overwhelming grief she feels in the days, weeks, and months after Q's sucide.
I liked Eve's interactions with her family members. Her moments with her father were particularly touching. Her best friend serves more of a clichèed role, that of the spunky no-nonsense best friend who is there to cheer you up and encourages you to get your shit together. Alas, as much as I liked the author’s writing and the dynamics in her book, several plot points did not agree with me. What happens with Eve’s workplace struck me as very rushed and not particularly credible given her circumstances and her role within her company. There is a ‘revelation’ that is truly eye-roll worthy in that it is the kind of plot device I expect from Netflix originals. Additionally, I swear this ‘twist’ is often used in books/media that focus on widowed women and the like. Come on. There is something very sentimental and slightly manipulative about this type of plotline ('here is a reason to go on' type of thing). I would go as far as to call it one of my least favorite tropes, period. The evil mother-in-law was ridiculous and I wished she had been portrayed as more believable. I did not want her to be nice or likable but I do believe that having her be a caricature of the disapproving snobby mother-in-law did the story no favors. Lastly, the latter half of the book strayed too closely to Eat, Pray, Love territory. I am just not the right reader for this type of soapy/schmalzy reveals and healing ‘journeys’.
I just wished that the story had remained focused on Eve and her family dynamics, rather than the later plot-line...still, I did like the way the author articulates Eve's grief and the writing was fairly engaging.
But by no means do not let me dictate whether you should read this or not. If you are a fan of emotional and heartfelt stories about loss, love, and healing, definitely add this to your tbr list.
“Grief is not neat. Pain is not dignified. Both are ugly, visceral things. They rip holes through you and burst forth when they see fit. They are constant, controlling companions, and if they don’t destroy you or your relationship with others, they certainly go a long way to damaging you […] There is nothing eloquent about my grief.”
Someday, Maybe is a book that interrogates the many faces and stages of grief. Yet, despite the heavy subject matter, the prose retains this lightness that kept me turning pages. The first quarter of the book brought to mind a favorite author of mine, Mhairi McFarlane, minus the comedy. That is not to say that Someday, Maybe lacks wit, Eve happens to be a very engrossing narrator who is more than capable of making amusing remarks. Some of the interactions that she has with her family members could also be rooted in humor. The novel however retains a somber and eventually bittersweet tone that will definitely appeal to readers who are looking for a read that will pull at their heartstrings.
The novel revolves around the aftermath of Eve’s husband's sucide. Eve and Quentin, who goes by Q, met at uni where, in spite of their different backgrounds (she is British-Nigerian, he is as from a very white and exceedingly wealthy British family), they were able to form a very strong bond. Eve struggles to reconcile herself with Q's suicide, and spirals into depression. Her grief manifests itself in many different ways so that she finds herself unable to think of anything or anyone outside of Q. She blames herself for not being able to prevent his death, for not having realized that he was struggling.
Eve's family and her best friend attempt to be there for her but she often finds herself pushing them away in what becomes a withdrawal from life. Her mother-in-law, who due to racist and/or classist motives was opposed to their match, seems after her, making cruel accusations and seeming intent on making Eve’s life even more difficult than it already is. The narrative renders Eve’s sadness, confusion, anger, and despair with empathy and insight. While we do get glimpses into Eve’s relationship with Q, how they met, their years together, and the tension caused by his mother, the focus remains on Eve ‘now’ and the overwhelming grief she feels in the days, weeks, and months after Q's sucide.
I liked Eve's interactions with her family members. Her moments with her father were particularly touching. Her best friend serves more of a clichèed role, that of the spunky no-nonsense best friend who is there to cheer you up and encourages you to get your shit together. Alas, as much as I liked the author’s writing and the dynamics in her book, several plot points did not agree with me. What happens with Eve’s workplace struck me as very rushed and not particularly credible given her circumstances and her role within her company. There is a ‘revelation’ that is truly eye-roll worthy in that it is the kind of plot device I expect from Netflix originals. Additionally, I swear this ‘twist’ is often used in books/media that focus on widowed women and the like. Come on. There is something very sentimental and slightly manipulative about this type of plotline ('here is a reason to go on' type of thing). I would go as far as to call it one of my least favorite tropes, period. The evil mother-in-law was ridiculous and I wished she had been portrayed as more believable. I did not want her to be nice or likable but I do believe that having her be a caricature of the disapproving snobby mother-in-law did the story no favors. Lastly, the latter half of the book strayed too closely to Eat, Pray, Love territory. I am just not the right reader for this type of soapy/schmalzy reveals and healing ‘journeys’.
I just wished that the story had remained focused on Eve and her family dynamics, rather than the later plot-line...still, I did like the way the author articulates Eve's grief and the writing was fairly engaging.
But by no means do not let me dictate whether you should read this or not. If you are a fan of emotional and heartfelt stories about loss, love, and healing, definitely add this to your tbr list.
December 2, 2022
You ever cry so deeply and emotionally that your throat starts to hurt? This book made that happen for me. I've dealt with alot of loss in my life and it truly hit home. The main character is such a stunning soul. The family of hers and her friends are top notch. The writing style and authors beautiful way of weaving this story made me feel like I was right there experiencing it with the main character. My absolute favorite yet most heartbreaking book I've purchased from Book Of The Month this year, but it's an absolute must read. I was worried reading this would trigger me due to the subject matter and me having PTSD/Depression due to losses in my life. However, it did the opposite... it actually helped me let go of some of the weight I've been carrying and learn to start living again.
March 31, 2023
Someday, Maybe blew me away. It's a story about grief and it was so incredibly well-written, it was like I was in the mourning process right along with the main character. I read this book just a few chapters at a time because it is an emotionally draining reading experience. I consider that a good thing and a testament to the writing.
Eve's husband, Quentin, has tragically taken his own life. While Eve has a strong support system with her family and friends, her mother-in-law is a different story. She blames Eve for her son's death.
As one can imagine, it's an emotional journey for Eve as she struggles to process everything. It is a raw and brutal look at someone overcome with grief. Given the content, it can be a lot for a reader to digest so you might want to consider if you are in the right headspace for a book of this nature. I found it to be a book of great value and one of the best works of fiction I've read dealing with the subject.
Such a talented writer! I hope Onyi Nwabineli has another novel in the works. If so, I'll be first in line to read it.
Eve's husband, Quentin, has tragically taken his own life. While Eve has a strong support system with her family and friends, her mother-in-law is a different story. She blames Eve for her son's death.
As one can imagine, it's an emotional journey for Eve as she struggles to process everything. It is a raw and brutal look at someone overcome with grief. Given the content, it can be a lot for a reader to digest so you might want to consider if you are in the right headspace for a book of this nature. I found it to be a book of great value and one of the best works of fiction I've read dealing with the subject.
Such a talented writer! I hope Onyi Nwabineli has another novel in the works. If so, I'll be first in line to read it.
October 5, 2022
So at the point of writing this review, it has been about 3 weeks since I finished this book. I was actually sobbing once I finished it and I needed to think about the immerse loss I felt after completing it. While reading it, it felt like having a conversation with someone who understood, who listened, who was not just uttering meaningless 'you are gonna be fine' but telling me 'it's okay to hurt, it's okay to be in pain, live in it for a bit... when you are ready'. The brutal honesty of this book is one that I would never forget and absolutely appreciate.
Some of the TWs include Suicide, grief, death and depression.
"There lives within all humans an inherent arrogance. An oftentimes misplaced confidence and assuredness that we are in control of every occurrence in our lives"
Told in 3 parts, this book follows Eve who has just found her husband's (Quentin) body after he took his own life. This book chronicles their life from university up to the point she says goodbye to his ashes. There is a stench of guilt, grief and apologetic-but-frustrated silence and reverence that coat the pages of this book. Eve cannot understand why her husband who was deeply in love with her, who seemed perfectly happy and whose photography career was making new leaps, would kill himself. I think Onyi (the author), did an amazing job by not answering or providing relief for Eve and we the readers, we don't know why he did it and the stark absence of that answer, presses upon us the reality, brevity and abruptness of suicide.
With no suicide note left, guilt begins to creep in and Quentin's mother is not helping. She is constantly calling, sending messages and antagonising Eve. I honestly could understand, she had just lost her child and she never really liked Eve in the first place. But her constant interference, just continued to drive Eve further into her grief. She can't help but ask how she missed it, how could he have loved her so much but be capable of taking himself away from her in the cruellest way possible. She wonders "How far could his love truly have stretched if it did not extend to opening the door to his pain and letting me wade into it with him" .
In her grieving, she is beginning to realise that all people want from her is to get better. It is to be happier, to stop crying but the type of pain she feels is not just the one of loss but one burdened by self-hate, self-blame and fear. The reminders was constant, no matter the amount of delicious Nigerian food her worried mother made, no matter the amount of cuddles she got from her amazing nieces and nephews, no matter the amount of time she spent with her stable brother (who by the way I have a crush on), "There is no reminder of pain as poignant as the physical manifestation of it over the place your heart resides".
She loses her job, doses up on drugs, escapes from London, finds out that she might be pregnant, she wonders if Quentin knew about it, if he would have stayed. But as always, "Part of the cruelty of suicide, the reason it is still such a taboo, is the unanswered questions it leaves behind: What would it have taken to keep him here? What possibly could I have done better? What is so wrong with me that I wasn't worth living for?".
I can understand this, as someone who has had a close friend kill herself, I can tell you that the guilt, What did I do? Why didn't I see it? But she was happy, wasn't she?, could I have done something? was it my fault? was my presence in her life not enough for her to wish to see me again? was I truly despicable that she chose death over me? Should I have never met her? Should I have dated her when she asked me? - These are some of the questions I continue to ask myself. My friend who was in so much pain must have forgotten that "... your life is never completely your own when you have people who love you".
She watches herself burn her relationships, push her family and friends away because "Grief torches your capacity for both sympathy and empathy". I really appreciated this book. I loved the way Onyi explored family relationships and closeness, from Eve's grandmother back in Nigeria, calling and even sending cooking ingredients to lift her spirits, to her siblings constant support, to the friends she made at drawing class. This book illustrated the power of relationships and their ability to provide a place of solace.
I highly recommend this book.
Thanks to Oneworld Publication (Magpie Books) for making an ARC of this book available to me.
Some of the TWs include Suicide, grief, death and depression.
"There lives within all humans an inherent arrogance. An oftentimes misplaced confidence and assuredness that we are in control of every occurrence in our lives"
Told in 3 parts, this book follows Eve who has just found her husband's (Quentin) body after he took his own life. This book chronicles their life from university up to the point she says goodbye to his ashes. There is a stench of guilt, grief and apologetic-but-frustrated silence and reverence that coat the pages of this book. Eve cannot understand why her husband who was deeply in love with her, who seemed perfectly happy and whose photography career was making new leaps, would kill himself. I think Onyi (the author), did an amazing job by not answering or providing relief for Eve and we the readers, we don't know why he did it and the stark absence of that answer, presses upon us the reality, brevity and abruptness of suicide.
With no suicide note left, guilt begins to creep in and Quentin's mother is not helping. She is constantly calling, sending messages and antagonising Eve. I honestly could understand, she had just lost her child and she never really liked Eve in the first place. But her constant interference, just continued to drive Eve further into her grief. She can't help but ask how she missed it, how could he have loved her so much but be capable of taking himself away from her in the cruellest way possible. She wonders "How far could his love truly have stretched if it did not extend to opening the door to his pain and letting me wade into it with him" .
In her grieving, she is beginning to realise that all people want from her is to get better. It is to be happier, to stop crying but the type of pain she feels is not just the one of loss but one burdened by self-hate, self-blame and fear. The reminders was constant, no matter the amount of delicious Nigerian food her worried mother made, no matter the amount of cuddles she got from her amazing nieces and nephews, no matter the amount of time she spent with her stable brother (who by the way I have a crush on), "There is no reminder of pain as poignant as the physical manifestation of it over the place your heart resides".
She loses her job, doses up on drugs, escapes from London, finds out that she might be pregnant, she wonders if Quentin knew about it, if he would have stayed. But as always, "Part of the cruelty of suicide, the reason it is still such a taboo, is the unanswered questions it leaves behind: What would it have taken to keep him here? What possibly could I have done better? What is so wrong with me that I wasn't worth living for?".
I can understand this, as someone who has had a close friend kill herself, I can tell you that the guilt, What did I do? Why didn't I see it? But she was happy, wasn't she?, could I have done something? was it my fault? was my presence in her life not enough for her to wish to see me again? was I truly despicable that she chose death over me? Should I have never met her? Should I have dated her when she asked me? - These are some of the questions I continue to ask myself. My friend who was in so much pain must have forgotten that "... your life is never completely your own when you have people who love you".
She watches herself burn her relationships, push her family and friends away because "Grief torches your capacity for both sympathy and empathy". I really appreciated this book. I loved the way Onyi explored family relationships and closeness, from Eve's grandmother back in Nigeria, calling and even sending cooking ingredients to lift her spirits, to her siblings constant support, to the friends she made at drawing class. This book illustrated the power of relationships and their ability to provide a place of solace.
I highly recommend this book.
Thanks to Oneworld Publication (Magpie Books) for making an ARC of this book available to me.
April 6, 2025
This Good Morning America November 2022 Book Club Pick touches on love, loss, grief and starting over in a way that can touch all of us. Especially when there is no answer for the loss of that loved one, and the reality to say, “No, I am not okay.” But knowing this, how does one move on?
And, with the love of family, and community, despite the harshness of another family member, Eve finds a way to build her life through her grief.
As readers we feel all her emotions and then some. And, that is what makes this book so compelling and readable.
I really don’t want to say more, because I don’t want to give away the premise of the story – the prologue leads in and sets the stage, and then our feelings take over. They can feel raw and exposed.
And, with the love of family, and community, despite the harshness of another family member, Eve finds a way to build her life through her grief.
As readers we feel all her emotions and then some. And, that is what makes this book so compelling and readable.
I really don’t want to say more, because I don’t want to give away the premise of the story – the prologue leads in and sets the stage, and then our feelings take over. They can feel raw and exposed.
January 2, 2023
“It was one of the things I could never wrap my head around. He was never content with “okay”. He was in search of a luminescent joy. I thought he had found it. I was wrong.”
@onyiwrites ‘ SOMEDAY MAYBE profoundly and deeply affected me. It’s a novel I will think about for years to come - and that’s the mark of a 5 star read.
Nwabineli’s exploration of grief is absolutely eviscerating and breathaking. I understand and see loss and grief in a new way.
Don’t avoid this book or discount it because it “seems too sad”. I think it should be required reading for all humans.
Why? It will make you more thoughtful and empathetic. It will give you scaffolding for profound grief and loss and it will make you more understanding of the unfathomable, complicated emotions that humans experience when their loved ones leave this world by their own hand.
This novel is also immeasurably beautiful.
It’s so much more than a book about loss. It’s an exploration of the pure love of family, the bonds of friendship, the power of letting others into your circle, and the pain and stress of fractured relationships within extended family.
I also LOVED learning about Nigerian culture and the Igbo language.
I could rave about this novel forever - but I’ll wrap this up by saying …. You need to read this book.
⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
#fiction #books #bookstagram #bookworm #somedaymaybe #onyinwabineli #graydonhousebooks #readthis #read #reading #bookreview #bookrecommendations
@onyiwrites ‘ SOMEDAY MAYBE profoundly and deeply affected me. It’s a novel I will think about for years to come - and that’s the mark of a 5 star read.
Nwabineli’s exploration of grief is absolutely eviscerating and breathaking. I understand and see loss and grief in a new way.
Don’t avoid this book or discount it because it “seems too sad”. I think it should be required reading for all humans.
Why? It will make you more thoughtful and empathetic. It will give you scaffolding for profound grief and loss and it will make you more understanding of the unfathomable, complicated emotions that humans experience when their loved ones leave this world by their own hand.
This novel is also immeasurably beautiful.
It’s so much more than a book about loss. It’s an exploration of the pure love of family, the bonds of friendship, the power of letting others into your circle, and the pain and stress of fractured relationships within extended family.
I also LOVED learning about Nigerian culture and the Igbo language.
I could rave about this novel forever - but I’ll wrap this up by saying …. You need to read this book.
⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
#fiction #books #bookstagram #bookworm #somedaymaybe #onyinwabineli #graydonhousebooks #readthis #read #reading #bookreview #bookrecommendations
May 4, 2025
If I could summarize, I'd say this book is about the things you suffer in silence, the unspoken that lives beneath the surface, between conversation breaks, in the spaces between words. It is about the silence of grieving, the silence of depression, those things we can't talk about properly, so we dress them with a smile. But the narrative perspective unflinchingly gives us a peek into the unspoken, lets us live in the main character's thoughts.
I'm not sure how I would have felt about this book if I'd read it in print. The audio narration is excellent. It's a performance. Adjoa Andoh is a great performer and artist, so it's no surprise that she brought Nwabineli's graceful and witty prose to life. I listened to this audiobook slowly, an hour or two every other day, fascinated by how the story unravels. Selfishly, it feels great to be back with diasporic writing, one that traverses British and Nigerian cultures.
I'm not sure how I would have felt about this book if I'd read it in print. The audio narration is excellent. It's a performance. Adjoa Andoh is a great performer and artist, so it's no surprise that she brought Nwabineli's graceful and witty prose to life. I listened to this audiobook slowly, an hour or two every other day, fascinated by how the story unravels. Selfishly, it feels great to be back with diasporic writing, one that traverses British and Nigerian cultures.
September 24, 2024
This was a hard one, but it was handled in a way that didn't make it too traumatic to read about.
There was a lot of beautiful culture and friendships, even if Eve was enabled for most of the book. It was great for her to have so much family and get the severance package to check out of life.
The cast was interesting, but I wish some of the characters had a bit more depth. I could never fully grasp Q in life, and that could have made this a lot stronger.
Eve was grieving, but I could still understand and like her as a character for much of the book.
3.5 Stars rounded up to 4
There was a lot of beautiful culture and friendships, even if Eve was enabled for most of the book. It was great for her to have so much family and get the severance package to check out of life.
The cast was interesting, but I wish some of the characters had a bit more depth. I could never fully grasp Q in life, and that could have made this a lot stronger.
Eve was grieving, but I could still understand and like her as a character for much of the book.
3.5 Stars rounded up to 4
June 1, 2023
Someday, Maybe is an emotional journey through the eyes of a widow (Eve) trying to cope with the death of her husband.
This was well written and at first I was I digging it but then I felt it was redundant. It was real and powerful and painful to read through but this wasn’t for me. I wanted more. If you want an in depth view on one’s emotional stages of grief this is for you. I will definitely be reading another book Nwabineli writes.
2.5 ⭐️ ⭐️
This was well written and at first I was I digging it but then I felt it was redundant. It was real and powerful and painful to read through but this wasn’t for me. I wanted more. If you want an in depth view on one’s emotional stages of grief this is for you. I will definitely be reading another book Nwabineli writes.
2.5 ⭐️ ⭐️
December 3, 2022
2.5 stars. I am still gathering my thoughts on this… Overall, I found Someday, Maybe to be very, very repetitive. I felt like this novel remained immersed in grief and lacked expansion in terms of healing/coping with loss.
June 10, 2023
A raw, gut-wrenching novel about grief.
I wasn't sure what to expect but I got a heaping serving of gorgeous writing, ripped heartstrings, and all seven stages of grief. Eve finds her husband's body and I don't think I've ever read anything so poignant. I struggled to fully invest into all of her pain. I felt her depression, her denial, her questioning and ultimately her acceptance to something that just feels so unfair, the constant sense of "Why" running throughout the novel really hit me in my core.
The way this author was able to effortlessly capture something so dark, so brutal, so completely tragic and put it on the pages for readers to submerge themselves in was a true sign of a gifted author. While this is one that didn't quite evict the emotions I was hoping to move it into a full 5 star read, I do think this is one I may look back on to bump up the more I think about it.
I wasn't sure what to expect but I got a heaping serving of gorgeous writing, ripped heartstrings, and all seven stages of grief. Eve finds her husband's body and I don't think I've ever read anything so poignant. I struggled to fully invest into all of her pain. I felt her depression, her denial, her questioning and ultimately her acceptance to something that just feels so unfair, the constant sense of "Why" running throughout the novel really hit me in my core.
The way this author was able to effortlessly capture something so dark, so brutal, so completely tragic and put it on the pages for readers to submerge themselves in was a true sign of a gifted author. While this is one that didn't quite evict the emotions I was hoping to move it into a full 5 star read, I do think this is one I may look back on to bump up the more I think about it.
May 24, 2023
2.5 stars
This was such an exhausting read for me *sigh*
This was such an exhausting read for me *sigh*
December 2, 2023
I enjoyed this, but I thought I was going to feel more emotions than I did.
January 7, 2023
Fatigue set in reading Eve's slow-burning journey. The writing was excellent, but the plot was like being stuck in an episode of the twilight zone (repetitive). I struggled to finish and was disappointed questions were left unanswered.
Every reader is not the right reader for every story, and this just wasn't a story for me.
Every reader is not the right reader for every story, and this just wasn't a story for me.
November 7, 2022
Thanks to @graydonhousebooks for an electronic ARC of #SomedayMaybe.
I’m giving nothing away when I tell you that 𝗦𝗢𝗠𝗘𝗗𝗔𝗬, 𝗠𝗔𝗬𝗕𝗘 is a sad, sad book. It opens with Eve telling us that her husband, the great love of her life, committed suicide. He also left no note. What follows is her ragged, raw journey through the first year of grief. She’s surrounded by her very loving, very supportive Nigerian family, a best friend who truly earns that title, and a mother-in-law who has never been welcoming to Eve and now is positively haunting her life.
I feel like debut author Onyi Nwabineli did an amazing job of taking us through this incredibly horrible grieving process with Eve. It’s hard enough to lose someone you love, especially at a young age, but for it to happen suddenly, with no explanation is almost unimaginable, yet she achieved just that. This was Eve’s story, told in first-person, but Nwabineli wisely surrounded her with a cast of characters who played well off her grief and enriched the story.
If suicide has touched your life, this surely will be a tough read. I have a friend who lost her son to suicide, also leaving no note. I thought of her often as I read 𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘢𝘺, 𝘔𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦 and I think that actually made me appreciate the book more. I want to leave you with the assurance that this book isn’t all sadness. The relationships between its characters are stellar and bring a lot of warmth to a dark story. I liked it…a lot. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
I’m giving nothing away when I tell you that 𝗦𝗢𝗠𝗘𝗗𝗔𝗬, 𝗠𝗔𝗬𝗕𝗘 is a sad, sad book. It opens with Eve telling us that her husband, the great love of her life, committed suicide. He also left no note. What follows is her ragged, raw journey through the first year of grief. She’s surrounded by her very loving, very supportive Nigerian family, a best friend who truly earns that title, and a mother-in-law who has never been welcoming to Eve and now is positively haunting her life.
I feel like debut author Onyi Nwabineli did an amazing job of taking us through this incredibly horrible grieving process with Eve. It’s hard enough to lose someone you love, especially at a young age, but for it to happen suddenly, with no explanation is almost unimaginable, yet she achieved just that. This was Eve’s story, told in first-person, but Nwabineli wisely surrounded her with a cast of characters who played well off her grief and enriched the story.
If suicide has touched your life, this surely will be a tough read. I have a friend who lost her son to suicide, also leaving no note. I thought of her often as I read 𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘢𝘺, 𝘔𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦 and I think that actually made me appreciate the book more. I want to leave you with the assurance that this book isn’t all sadness. The relationships between its characters are stellar and bring a lot of warmth to a dark story. I liked it…a lot. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
August 1, 2022
I really do not know where to begin with this review.
This is a story about Eve, who discovers that her husband Quentin has just committed suicide. On New Year's Eve, of all days.
The story continues with Eve trying to deal with this huge loss, all the while trying to figure out what she did wrong.
Could she have been a better wife? Was this her fault? Then on top, her trying to heal and recover from the suicide.
The beautiful part of this book is Eve’s family and friends. What a wonderful and pivotal point they played in her healing, instead of her total self-destruction.
Flashbacks of Quentin’s and Eve’s life when they first met, to when they got married added nice touches to the book. It made the book more realistic, since reminiscing of the past would be something someone would be doing after such a tragedy.
The fact that we never found out why Quentin committed suicide, was a letdown. Especially since his death was the surrounding factor of the story and the reason for Eve’s pain.
Overall, the author is extremely talented, and she gives us a very heartbreaking novel.
You have no problem feeling Eve’s pain through the pages in this book, which means the author has successfully gotten her point across.
Looking forward to her next book!
Excellent job!
This is a story about Eve, who discovers that her husband Quentin has just committed suicide. On New Year's Eve, of all days.
The story continues with Eve trying to deal with this huge loss, all the while trying to figure out what she did wrong.
Could she have been a better wife? Was this her fault? Then on top, her trying to heal and recover from the suicide.
The beautiful part of this book is Eve’s family and friends. What a wonderful and pivotal point they played in her healing, instead of her total self-destruction.
Flashbacks of Quentin’s and Eve’s life when they first met, to when they got married added nice touches to the book. It made the book more realistic, since reminiscing of the past would be something someone would be doing after such a tragedy.
The fact that we never found out why Quentin committed suicide, was a letdown. Especially since his death was the surrounding factor of the story and the reason for Eve’s pain.
Overall, the author is extremely talented, and she gives us a very heartbreaking novel.
You have no problem feeling Eve’s pain through the pages in this book, which means the author has successfully gotten her point across.
Looking forward to her next book!
Excellent job!
November 15, 2022
Grief piled upon staggering grief. It almost hurt to read this book at times, and every time I pushed through the discomfort I was rewarded with more gorgeous writing and the love poured forth by Eve’s Nigerian family. Suicide and death itself aren’t the happiest of reading topics, but I have found myself drawn to them this year ~ perhaps as I age I find myself more curious about mortality and how others deal with crushing losses because I’m more and more aware that one is potentially just around the corner for every one of us? I loved reading about Eve’s collapse and the cushion her family provided because I believe that’s what we all deserve ~ a soft place to land when the world falls apart. Her grief felt raw and real and she let herself feel despite social conventions. I’ll be thinking about Someday, Maybe for a long, long time. NOTE: This book will certainly not be for everyone, and please take care or avoid if suicide or the death of a spouse is too tough to read about.
Source: library print copy
Source: library print copy
November 17, 2022
[4.5 stars]
This debut novel about a young woman who lost her beloved husband to suicide and her extraordinary grief is loosely based on true events. Unsurprisingly, it's an emotional story about intense grief, but Nwabineli's tone is sort of dryly funny (similar to Annie Hartnett) and there is healing with the support of family, which takes some of the heaviness out of the reading experience. She talks about grief A LOT, but never in the same way twice. Her writing is out of this world. This is also a bit of a love story, but not a romance (there is a difference), as Eve (the widow) reflects back on her marriage. One of the best debuts of 2022!
This debut novel about a young woman who lost her beloved husband to suicide and her extraordinary grief is loosely based on true events. Unsurprisingly, it's an emotional story about intense grief, but Nwabineli's tone is sort of dryly funny (similar to Annie Hartnett) and there is healing with the support of family, which takes some of the heaviness out of the reading experience. She talks about grief A LOT, but never in the same way twice. Her writing is out of this world. This is also a bit of a love story, but not a romance (there is a difference), as Eve (the widow) reflects back on her marriage. One of the best debuts of 2022!
June 19, 2023
3.5/5 ⭐️
- This book was such a real and raw look at grief. I found myself feeling every bit of the emotion she was feeling and even getting emotional myself. The way she struggled to find the joy in life after her husband was gone felt so real and you could really feel everything she was feeling through the writing.
- I wish we had gotten more of their relationship during the dual timeline and I wish there had been more dialogue throughout the story. I loved really navigating through her thoughts, but I would have loved to see more conversations too.
- It was so beautiful to see how her family really pulled together for her. This was such an incredible representation of how friends and family should be there for you during grief. It was so so beautiful to read.
- This book was such a real and raw look at grief. I found myself feeling every bit of the emotion she was feeling and even getting emotional myself. The way she struggled to find the joy in life after her husband was gone felt so real and you could really feel everything she was feeling through the writing.
- I wish we had gotten more of their relationship during the dual timeline and I wish there had been more dialogue throughout the story. I loved really navigating through her thoughts, but I would have loved to see more conversations too.
- It was so beautiful to see how her family really pulled together for her. This was such an incredible representation of how friends and family should be there for you during grief. It was so so beautiful to read.
June 27, 2023
2023 reads: 131/350
this book follows the emotional journey of a woman whose husband committed suicide. the grief that was shown felt so real. this was perhaps the most brutal, yet realistic, depiction of grief i’ve read. additionally, this was so wonderfully crafted, especially for a debut, and i’m excited to read what nwabineli releases next.
this book follows the emotional journey of a woman whose husband committed suicide. the grief that was shown felt so real. this was perhaps the most brutal, yet realistic, depiction of grief i’ve read. additionally, this was so wonderfully crafted, especially for a debut, and i’m excited to read what nwabineli releases next.
April 18, 2025
thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for the eARC and the chance to review it!
when eve's husband suddenly passes away, her only thoughts appear in unanswerable questions. why hadn't she been a better wife? how could she not have seen it? was he in pain? could there have been a way to convince him to stay? why did she have to lose him, better yet to suicide?
this book was intensely grief-stricken (please look up TWs before starting if needed as there are extremely sensitive subjects covered). as readers, we absorb the complicated thoughts and feelings eve goes through in the aftermath of losing her partner. it was also very realistic in its portrayal of life - as much as we want to understand, we have to learn to live with the fact that these are questions we ask that we might never know the answers to.
"I want the strength to explain that it is okay that I don't know"
overall I really enjoyed the book and learned a lot from eve's character. one thing I will say is that there is a trope in here that many people I know don't like. personally I didn't think it took away from the story but rather added to it to show the extremities of the pain she was undergoing. this new information we learn doesn't seem to magically make everything better, which I feel is true to life in a time of grief when things seem uncertain and you feel consumed in your own type of tragedy.
when eve's husband suddenly passes away, her only thoughts appear in unanswerable questions. why hadn't she been a better wife? how could she not have seen it? was he in pain? could there have been a way to convince him to stay? why did she have to lose him, better yet to suicide?
this book was intensely grief-stricken (please look up TWs before starting if needed as there are extremely sensitive subjects covered). as readers, we absorb the complicated thoughts and feelings eve goes through in the aftermath of losing her partner. it was also very realistic in its portrayal of life - as much as we want to understand, we have to learn to live with the fact that these are questions we ask that we might never know the answers to.
"I want the strength to explain that it is okay that I don't know"
overall I really enjoyed the book and learned a lot from eve's character. one thing I will say is that there is a trope in here that many people I know don't like. personally I didn't think it took away from the story but rather added to it to show the extremities of the pain she was undergoing. this new information we learn doesn't seem to magically make everything better, which I feel is true to life in a time of grief when things seem uncertain and you feel consumed in your own type of tragedy.
January 9, 2023
The vibrant cover is deceptive. This is a depressing ass book that took me far too long to get through. There were bright moments but overall, meh.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,547 reviews