Desperate Love (2025, Favourite Books) is written by Priscilla Adebayo, a 14-year-old child prodigy. She is a student of Bodija International School, Ibadan, Oyo State. The novella discusses the consequence of hasty decisions and pains of rejection and unrequited love. It is also a story of triumph.
Favour Adebowale is the product of a premature relationship between Julia and Femi. Julia is a girl born into a poor family who struggles through life.
While in the university, she and Femi got entangled and made a choice that changed Julia’s life forever. Favour is the product of that life-changing choice. But is she about to make the same mistake her own mother made many years ago?
In this novella, Favour is sent to a boarding school. It seems an easy decision for Julia who seems to be unsure about her own life after many years of taking a consequential detour at the university.
Favour meets Emmanuel, a charming young man who shows her the way around the school. They seem to connect from her first day in school, including being classmates. Even their classmates can sense that something, a sort of unspoken bond between them. Yes, they have some things in common, especially music.
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The novella, Desperate Love discusses the pain of a mother’s rejection. It shows that this is a carryover from costly past unwise decisions, and a failure to heal from previous pains. This rejection becomes intense, especially when the parent blames the child for her own personal woes. Julia tells her daughter: “You’re the reason I lost everything. My family. My dreams. Your father ran away and left me with you,” Julia says to Favour (p22) as she turns to leave while Favour asks to go home with her for the mid-term break.
Written in the first person point of view, the reader is drawn into understanding how it feels to be unloved and unwanted by a mother. Of course, this comes with consequences. When a parent makes it obvious that a child is unwanted, the child becomes vulnerable. We are able to glimpse this from the lens of Favour as she navigates life on a lonely path.
In this eight-chapter novella, Priscilla gives the reader a serving of sweet storytelling with dramatic suspense at every turn. Julia turns her back on her own daughter. But Mr. Andrews makes a promise to take care of her. Mr. Michael Andrews is the owner of the school. He pledges to adopt Favour as his child. He takes her to his home. But Rachael is also living in Mr. Andrews’ house. Rachael is described as a rude girl. But a ruder shock awaits Favour: Elizabeth, the wife of Mr. Andrews.
This book also digs into the issue of aggressive behaviour, which stems from unrequited love. It turns out that Rachael also has experienced rejection from her own mother. Her way of making up for the void in her life is to transfer the trauma to others. Since Rachael and Favour have a similar experience, they now seem to be closer as friends.
In the book, Rachael and Favour travel to the United States of America to continue their study at a school owned by the Andrews. There, Favour’s music talent announces her to the world. But again, she meets another young man, Jake, a classmate. Along with Jake and his friend, James, she practices music after school hours. And she begins to have a small crush on Jake. Soon they start dating, after he proposed to her to be his girlfriend. It is her 22nd birthday.
The novella is also a love story. Favour is now confused about both Emmanuel, her first love, and Jake, her boyfriend. Rachael advises her to open up to both of them and have peace. But will Favour be courageous enough to take a decision?
In the end, Favour’s music career is flying and she finally gets married to the man of her choice. She finally forgives her biological father, Femi, and all ends well.
This 62-page work is a well written piece suitable for the enjoyment of all classes of readers, but especially written for young minds. The writer has succeeded in telling a beautiful story of rejection, restoration and triumph over trials. Priscilla is a good storyteller indeed.
. Olatunbosun is a broadcast journalist, fact-checker and book reviewer at Splash FM 105.5, Ibadan. He can be reached via 08023517565 (SMS and WhatsApp only) and email miketunbosun74@gmail.com.
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