Title: Guilty but Forgiven
Author: Somi Omowo
Publisher: XlibrisAU
ISBN: 9781524522018
Pages: 190
Genre: Family & Relationships / Marriage
Reviewed by: Barbara Bamberger Scott
Pacific Book Review Star
Awarded to Books of Excellent Merit
Author Somi Omowo has created a heart-wrenching, heart-warming story of sin, sorrow, frustrated hopes and love that overcomes all obstacles. Set in Nigeria, Guilty but Forgiven follows the paths of star-crossed lovers—Gbemi, a young woman who has made a tragic mistake but must move on with her life, and Leke, a physician just embarking on his new career. The two meet in a hospital when Gbemi was suffering the aftermath of an abortion. They had a short talk, enough so that his face was set in her memory. Later when she was working in Lagos as a financial advisor, she met Leke’s father and learned that Leke had moved to the city also. But she was involved with another man, and Leke was immersed in his work and dealing with a devious woman who framed him for rape to cover the fact that she got pregnant by another man. Though trying to remain chaste after the trauma of her earlier experience, Gbemi has sex with her fiancé who then abandons her because of tribal differences. Two years later, she strikes up a new relationship with Leke, who, against the wishes of his parents, will forgive her. The couple agree to be married…if God wills it.
Revealing much about the culture and mores of the Nigerian people and about the high value which some hold in virtues of sexual purity, this novel also shows the medical expertise of the author, a doctor living in Australia. Many vignettes of hospital procedures are part and parcel of this romantic tale. Omowo writes with impeccable use of English, throwing in some African phrases from time to time and depicting the fast life of Lagos in jangling detail. His religious dedication is obvious throughout. Through this novel, he quietly expounds his premise that sin, such as that committed by Gbemi, is forgivable in the best circumstances among the kindest and most spiritually guided people, like his hero Leke. The theme on which this couple’s story rests is a universal one, articulated by one of the novel’s central characters: “Even imperfection deserves love.”
With an unusual setting, engaging plot and strong, vibrant characters, Guilty but Forgiven gives voice to a new African writer with multiple messages to impart. A fine story with worldly views not at all common, this is a refreshing twist on a popular genre for those who like romantic challenges and how they can overcome obstacles.
