Table of Contents
Adesuwa O’man Nwokedi’s A Complicated Kind of Love is a sprawling romantic narrative that traverses the emotional landscapes of two deeply wounded individuals, Bioye Laguda and Abolore Desalu, as they navigate a year of intense connection, devastating misunderstanding, and eventual redemption. Set primarily between April 2019 and May 2020, the novel explores the nuances of “rebound” love, the weight of historical trauma, and the transformative power of finding a “thriving environment”.
Part I: The Reunion and the Toju Era (April – June 2019)
The story begins in April 2019 with Bioye Laguda, a thirty-seven-year-old former BBC content coordinator, returning to Nigeria after a period of professional disenchantment in London. Her primary motivation for organizing the Malomo High Class of 1999 20-year reunion is the hope of reconnecting with her first love, Toju Ereuwa. Bioye has spent decades using Toju as the “standard” by which she measured every other man, none of whom ever measured up.
The reunion takes place at a luxury hotel in Epe, bankrolled by their billionaire classmate Nonso Aguta, whose own motivation is a lingering obsession with Ogonna Maduka. At the Friday night mixer, the nostalgia is palpable as Bioye reunites with her “one and only”. Their connection is immediate and visceral, seemingly erasing a twenty-year gap. By the end of the weekend, despite a shocking revelation that Toju has two children, Misan and Tofe, with a woman named Stella, Bioye accepts his proposal of marriage.
However, the “fairytale” quickly unravels when Bioye moves into Toju’s apartment in Gbagada. In June 2019, she is blindsided by the arrival of Stella, who reveals she is newly pregnant with Toju’s third child. The betrayal deepens when Bioye realizes that the “Ride or Die” engagement ring Toju gave her was actually a “sloppy second” originally intended for Stella. Furthermore, she discovers that Toju has been financially parasitic, borrowing large sums of money from her while failing to defend her against his neighbors’ caustic insults. The relationship ends in an explosive confrontation where Toju stands by as Stella and their neighbors vilify Bioye as a “husband-snatcher”.
Part II: Solace in Epe and the Summer Camp (July – August 2019)
Broken and seeking an escape from her father’s disappointment and Toju’s stalking, Bioye accepts an offer from Nonso to volunteer at a summer camp for underprivileged kids held at Malomo High’s new Epe campus. The camp is organized by Abolore Desalu, her former mathematics teacher. Abolore, now a highly respected academic and consultant, is a “confirmed bachelor” who has sworn off love after being brutally dumped ten years prior by Fadeke, who left him for a “more suitable” man.
Initially, Bioye is a “wallflower,” plagued by memories of Toju. However, a pivotal moment occurs at the camp’s lake when Bioye, distracted by grief, wanders too deep and begins to drown. Abolore rescues her, an act that shifts their dynamic from teacher-student to something more intimate.
As the camp progresses, their bond strengthens through shared passions. They discover a mutual love for ’90s New Jack Swing music, which Abolore uses as a soundtrack for his office and Bioye adopts as the theme for the kids’ Prom. Abolore encourages Bioye’s writing, critiquing her unfinished Detroit crime thriller and urging her to write from a place of “experience” and “heart”. Under his tutelage, Bioye begins to believe in herself again, realizing that her “thriving environment” is one where she can work with creative talent.
The romance blooms during a bonfire night where they share their first kiss under the stars. This is followed by a night of intense passion after the kids’ Prom, where both realize their connection is deeper than a “summer fling”. By the end of the camp in August, they are a couple, with Bioye moving into Abolore’s Victoria Island apartment.
Part III: The Great Deception and the Atmosphere Split (September – December 2019)
The relationship reaches a crisis point in September 2019 due to the interference of Abolore’s childhood friend, Emem Bassey. Emem, a powerful lobbyist, has harbored a secret love for Abolore since university and is determined to sabotage his new relationship. She orchestrates a confrontation at Atmosphere restaurant, introducing herself to Bioye as “Mrs. Desalu” and implying that Abolore is using Bioye to gain access to her father, Professor Toriola Laguda, who is the Director General of the bureau of statistics.
Bioye, triggered by her recent trauma with Toju’s lies, reacts explosively. She accuses Abolore of being a “user” and an “opportunist,” hurling insults that cut to the core of his insecurities about his humble beginnings in Iwaya. Abolore, in turn, lashes out, calling her a “spoilt, clueless daddy’s girl” with “no life’s direction”. The breakup is devastating for both.
Abolore eventually discovers Emem’s deceit that she knew she had already lost the bid before the dinner and acted purely out of jealousy. He severs ties with Emem, but remains too wounded to reach out to Bioye. Bioye likewise discovers the truth about the bid through her father but is too ashamed of her behavior to apologize.
In December 2019, they have a “closure” encounter during Tomi and Ikenna’s wedding reception in Ibadan. They spend a night together at the Majestic Hotel, but Abolore, still bleeding from her previous insults, leaves her at dawn, stating it was merely a chance to “say goodbye properly”.
Part IV: The Scandal and the Truth Unmasked (February – March 2020)
In February 2020, Bioye’s life is further complicated by a massive cyberbullying scandal. Stella and her friend Susan (posing as a cousin) launch a viral campaign under the hashtag #BioyeHomeWrecker, accusing Bioye of hypnotizing Toju and causing him to abandon his “wife” and newborn baby. The harassment is relentless, featuring Instagram live sessions with thousands of viewers. Bioye, out of compassion for Stella’s status as a new mother, refuses to take legal action.
The turning point occurs in March 2020 when Bioye accidentally meets Uche Maduka, Ogonna’s cousin, during a pitch meeting for her new job at FlixYard. Uche reveals the shocking truth about an event from their youth in 1997: Toju had not been “seduced” by Ogonna; rather, Toju had raped Ogonna and then conspired with Uche to frame Ogonna for the act to protect his relationship with Bioye.
This revelation leads to a heartfelt reconciliation between Bioye and Ogonna, as Bioye realizes she spent twenty years vilifying her best friend for a crime she didn’t commit. Bioye finally confronts Toju, threatening him with jail if he doesn’t call off the online slander.
Part V: Redemption and Forever (April – May 2020)
In April 2020, Abolore, after learning of the scandal from Nonso, decides to intervene secretly. Using his political influence as Senior Special Assistant to the President, he has Stella and Susan “invited” for questioning at the Panti police station. He forces them to record retraction videos and sign affidavits to cease their harassment, effectively clearing Bioye’s name.
Bioye discovers Abolore’s intervention when she runs into a haggard Stella at a supermarket. Realizing that Abolore still cares for her, she decides to attend Mrs. Avery’s 60th birthday party in Epe to thank him.
The novel concludes with a final confrontation on the bridge overlooking the lake in Epe. Abolore presents Bioye with a list of twenty items she left behind at his apartment ranging from a leopard-print bonnet to her manuscript for Adura’s Mask. He explains his own “rule”: leaving ten things makes someone a girlfriend, but leaving twenty means they are “stuck with me forever”. They declare their love for each other, finally finding the “forever love” they have both sought.
Themes and Character Arcs
- The Search for a Thriving Environment: Both protagonists find their true selves when they step outside societal expectations. Bioye moves from the “noise” of banking to the fulfillment of creative coordination and authorship. Abolore realizes his true passion is teaching and mentorship, rather than the “liars and sycophants” of partisan politics.
- The Performance of Loyalty vs. Reality: Toju represents a “toxic” version of loyalty, where the performance of the “Ride or Die” mantra masks a history of sexual violence and manipulation. In contrast, Abolore’s loyalty is expressed through silent, protective action.
- Healing Historical Wounds: The novel emphasizes that time alone does not heal betrayal; truth does. The reconciliation between Bioye and Ogonna serves as the emotional anchor for the book’s conclusion.
- New Jack Swing and ’90s Nostalgia: Music serves as a bridge between the characters’ past and present, a sensory reminder of a time when life felt “simple, happy, and carefree”.
A Complicated Kind of Love ends with the two lovers unified, their “dream count” finally complete as they look forward to a future built on mutual respect, professional passion, and an enduring, honest love.