Someday, Maybe

by Onyi Nwabineli

Overview

Notes From Your Bookseller

If you’re a fan of Queenie and I May Destroy You, get ready for this stunning debut that takes readers on a woman’s emotional journey after the death of her husband by suicide. This story of a tight knit Nigerian family, new friends, and the memories of a loved one will resonate with readers and keep them captivated throughout the entire story. Someday, maybe we’ll stop talking about this book, but we seriously doubt it!

“If you are someone who gravitates toward emotional gut punch reads, allow me to introduce you to this spectacular debut…”—BuzzFeed
“A masterfully woven exposition on love and loss. Nwabineli is magic with words.”—Bolu Babalola, internationally bestselling author of Honey and Spice
“An excellent choice for book clubs and for readers who enjoy thought-provoking, deeply emotional fiction.”—Booklist *starred review*

Someday, Maybe is a stunning, witty debut novel about a young woman’s emotional journey through unimaginable loss, pulled along by her tight-knit Nigerian family, a posse of friends, and the love and laughter she shared with her husband.
 
Here are three things you should know about my husband:

1. He was the great love of my life despite his penchant for going incommunicado.
2. He was, as far as I and everyone else could tell, perfectly happy. Which is significant because…
3. On New Year’s Eve, he killed himself.

And here is one thing you should know about me:  I found him.
Bonus fact: No. I am not okay.

“Incisive and witty. I couldn’t put it down.”—Lolá Ákínmádé Åkerström, internationally bestselling author of In Every Mirror She's Black
“Onyi Nwabineli is an author to watch.”—Brenda Jackson, New York Times bestselling author of The House on Blueberry Lane
“A blistering debut that packs a punch. Phenomenal.”—Melissa Cummings-Quarry, Black Girls Book Club

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780369719201
Publisher:	Graydon House Books
Publication date:	11/01/2022
Sold by:	HARLEQUIN
Format:	eBook
Sales rank:	91,678
File size:	621 KB

About the Author

Onyi Nwabineli is a Nigerian British head-wrap aficionado. Born in Benin, Nigeria, she grew up in Glasgow, the Isle of Man and Newcastle, and now lives in London. Onyi is the cofounder of Surviving Out Loud, a fund that provides fiscal support for survivors of sexual assault, and the founder of Black Pens (black-pens.com), a writing retreat for Black womxn. Someday, Maybe is her debut novel. www.Onyi-Nwabineli.com

Editorial Reviews

A masterfully woven exposition on love and loss, of the undoing of us, of what it takes to heal. Nwabineli is magic with words, and manages to be at turns bitingly funny and heart-breakingly gutting. A book that acknowledges despair whilst encouraging hope.”—Bolu Babalola, internationally bestselling author of Honey and Spice

"If you are someone who gravitates toward emotional gut punch reads, allow me to introduce you to this spectacular debut…"—BuzzFeed, 35 New Books You Won’t Be Able To Put Down

“Eve would probably sympathise with Meghan Markle when it comes to meeting frosty English in-laws. Following in the footsteps of novelists such as Candice Carty-Williams and Natasha Brown, Nwabineli exposes everyday racism while never feeling preachy. I was reeled in by her chatty voice and stayed for the tender, touching depiction of grief and family.”—The Sunday Times

“Incisive and witty, this deeply moving debut about the many faces of grief took me on an oscillating journey of emotions. I couldn’t put it down. Each richly developed character leaps off the page with vivid dimension through Onyi’s razor-sharp voice. Fresh and original contemporary fiction from the Diaspora I’ve long yearned for.”—Lolá Ákínmádé Åkerström, internationally bestselling author of In Every Mirror She's Black

“One of the most powerful novels about grief I’ve read. It is simultaneously moving, witty and restorative.”—Daily Mail

“A heartbreaking exploration of grief that illustrates the power of relationships with those we love.”—ESSENCE

“Someday, Maybe is an earnest study on grief that forces you to examine it and not look away.”—Associated Press

"Nwabineli’s exceptional debut is a heartfelt and moving portrayal of grief and recovery in all its messiness…This is an excellent choice for book clubs and for readers who enjoy thought-provoking, deeply emotional fiction."— *Starred Review* Booklist

“Reflective and heartrending, Someday, Maybe is also surprisingly witty and compellingly relatable. A powerfully realized debut.”—Ms. Magazine

“A blistering debut that packs a punch. Phenomenal.”—Melissa Cummings-Quarry, Black Girls Book Club

"A book about suicide may not sound heartwarming, but this one about a woman struggling to go on after losing her husband strikes the perfect balance between gut-wrenchingly sad and surprisingly funny. It’s a great rainy-day read about the love that rallies around us in tragic times—and a reminder that light can come from the most unexpected sources."—Good Housekeeping

“A beautiful and heartbreaking meditation on the layers of grief and love, the complicated expressions of human suffering and the courage it takes to let go the past. There is hope in these pages, and the promise of rebirth after losing so much.”—Derek Owusu, award-winning author of That Reminds Me

“It’s hard to believe that this outstanding novel is a debut. Poignant and heartfelt… A beautifully drawn story that shows us how to help those who are grieving.”—Prima, Book of the Month

“A powerful tale of a London widow whose photographer husband died by suicide… The genuine displays of emotion and sharp narrative will keep readers turning the pages.”—Publishers Weekly

“Touching, funny, insightful and, well, beautiful.”—Dorothy Koomson, bestselling author of My Other Husband

“An exploration of one young woman’s grief, Someday, Maybe is equal parts sorrow and joy, and debut writer Nwabineli one to watch.”—Red Magazine, Book of the Month

“Expect Nwabineli to emerge as a fresh new voice in contemporary fiction.”—Reader's Digest, Most Anticipated Books of 2022

"This tender novel about grief triumphs in its reflections on how we are buoyed by the families we are born into, and the ones we make along the way."—Ayobami Adebayo, acclaimed author of Stay with Me

"Readers will find grief portrayed realistically as a complex, long-lived creature that embeds itself deeply, shifting but always present... Nwabineli's first novel is a clear-eyed, compassionate take on grief."—Shelf Awareness

"A satisfying read and testimony to our human ability to heal."—San Francisco Chronicle

“A powerful debut novel about young love, profound loss, and the possibility of hope. Onyi Nwabineli is an author to watch.”—Brenda Jackson, New York Times bestselling author of The House on Blueberry Lane

“A devastating and powerful story about loss, love, and healing… An emotional journey packed with heartbreak, grief, and beautiful memories.”—She Reads, Best Fiction Books Coming in 2022

“An honest and profoundly stirring portrait of loss. Onyi Nwabineli peels back the veneer of sympathy and expectation to reveal the effects a young widow’s grief can have on her family, on her circle of friends, and even on the strangers she encounters. ...At its heart, Someday, Maybe is a beautifully written love letter to the resiliency of the human spirit.”—Xio Axelrod, USA Today bestselling author of The Girl with Stars in Her Eyes

“Most touching is the way Eve grows to emotional maturity as the story goes on, swapping rage for grace and hurt for healing."—Financial Times

“One of the most notable debuts of the year. [T]his exploration of love and loss is surprisingly warm and deeply thought-provoking.”—E! online

“A love story in retrospect, heartbreaking in its inevitability but also shot through with moments of joy and humor as Eve searches for answers.”—Stylist

“Fueled by inventive use of language and driven by sharp wit, the book conjures up a raw, living reality of sorrow, loss, and love… A funny, realistic elegy to love.”—Irish Examiner

“A poignant story… For readers of You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty.”—LibraryReads Pick, November 2022

“Onyi Nwabineli’s graceful prose carries you through this moving meditation on grief, memory and community. Someday, Maybe is an astonishing debut, rich in both heartbreak and humour.”—Jendella Benson, author of Hope and Glory

“At turns deeply poignant and darkly comedic, Someday, Maybe is a beautiful rendering of an Igbo-British family’s ways of loving and caring for each other in the midst of great personal tragedy. This book will stay with me for a long time.”—Jade Bentil, author of Rebel Citizen

“Someday, Maybe is a dazzling novel that provides an intimate exploration of the messiness of grief as well as the power of love.”—Voice magazine *Five Stars*

“An emotional story of a woman moving through grief with the help of a tremendous support system. The author doesn’t shy away from difficult realities. Readers looking for a window into the grieving process will gravitate toward her story.”—Library Journal, Top Fall Debuts

“If Someday, Maybe were alive, you would be compelled to pick it up, hold it to your shoulder, and pat it until it hiccupped raggedy breaths. You’d murmur comforting things. This book hurts in a way that’s familiar to anyone who’s tragically lost someone close.”—The Bookworm Sez

From the Publisher

Adjoa Andoh is an energetic and passionate presenter in this brutally honest, extremely personal yet completely fictional look at the ravages of suicide on those left behind. Eve is the one to find her seemingly happy husband's body. Andoh tugs on all the emotions in her heartfelt performance. Eve's confusion, grief, and anger are believably conveyed. For those who have firsthand experience with a similar traumatic event, this audiobook might be best avoided. Andoh is to be admired for so capably delivering such sensitive content. Listeners will feel Eve's mourning keenly, as well as her confusion. This unique listening experience pays tribute to the importance of today’s mental health movement. M.R. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine

FEBRUARY 2023 - AudioFile

Adjoa Andoh is an energetic and passionate presenter in this brutally honest, extremely personal yet completely fictional look at the ravages of suicide on those left behind. Eve is the one to find her seemingly happy husband's body. Andoh tugs on all the emotions in her heartfelt performance. Eve's confusion, grief, and anger are believably conveyed. For those who have firsthand experience with a similar traumatic event, this audiobook might be best avoided. Andoh is to be admired for so capably delivering such sensitive content. Listeners will feel Eve's mourning keenly, as well as her confusion. This unique listening experience pays tribute to the importance of today’s mental health movement. M.R. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine

FEBRUARY 2023 - AudioFile