A Small World Series: Your Quick Guide to a Masterpiece Nigerian Christian Romance Sensation

*Spotlight comes on...

*That fake smoke effect thingy also gets activated...

*Aaannnddd, to top it all, the shimmering fireworks explode in all their glory as your one and only (a.k.a. me!) sashays in with style...

Ladies and gentlemen, bookish enthusiasts from all walks of life, welcome, welcome to the arena where you are sure to be wowed by wholesome book recommendations! 

Oldies on this show, thanks for always coming. Newbies, you're highly welcome to this family. 

Today, I, your amazing host, PeculiarPraise, am here once again to unveil a delightful masterpiece.

But before I proceed, *coughs*, allow me to convey my deepest apologies for going AWOL for a bit. 

Trust me, I'm back with a bang!!!

Without further ado, let's dive straight into the highlight of today's show, shall we?

As usual, we're doing something special today. I'm going to be your tour guide on this all-expense-paid trip into A SMALL WORLD!

Everyone, put on your VR/AR goggles! We're going in. 

Don't fret. It's not Jumanji; it just a harmless book series— 

Wait, why did I even say that? Nah... It's not JUST a book series. It's THE ULTIMATE novel series.

 

What is the Big Deal about A Small World (ASW)?

Have you ever read a book series that made you fall in love (literally)? I have, and this one ranks high on the list!

My fellow Naija peeps who love stories, trust me, you'll eat this one up, lick your fingers and beg for more, beating Oliver Twist's record. 

A Small World Series is a Nigeria Christian romance fiction series authored by Ufuomaee. 

It is a never-ending novel series consisting of eight interwoven books (soon to be nine, to be forever continued).

Here are some of the series’ sizzling hot themes and tropes: faith, love, resilience, redemption, second chances, rekindled love, love triangle. temptation, forgiveness, happy ending, forbidden love, reconciliation, repentance.

There's a little caveat though. Some of the themes handled in the series are quite heavy. Thankfully, the author always includes a disclaimer/trigger warning at the start of each novel. 

So, if some of these subjects are triggering or sensitive for you or if you're underage, you might want to proceed with caution. 

But, as I like to say, we cannot ignore the reality of the dark fallen world in which we exist, and for Christian fiction to be authentic and relatable, it must be true, but it must all point back to Christ. And that is just what Ufuomaee seeks to achieve in the A Small World Series.

The Story So Far: 8 Books in a Nutshell

I'm sure you're already wondering, drooling with curiosity about the books that comprise ASW. Here is a quick breakdown of the book details. Let's go on this rollercoaster ride together. Wheeeeeeee!!!

1. BROKEN 

Publication Year: 2016, written; 2017, published as a book.

Number of Chapters: 14 including Prologue and Epilogue

At a young age, Promise is molested by her uncle, and her life is never the same again. She grows up to be promiscuous, using sex to meet basic necessities and luxuries of life. She's intrigued to meet Ope, a Christian man who practices celibacy, and in her attempts to make him fall, she falls in love...

But married life is not all she dreamed it would be. Their chemistry in bed leaves much to be desired, and Promise soon loses the fight against her sexual urges. Convinced that they can never work, she wants to leave, but Ope doesn't believe in divorce. In her struggle for freedom, she discovers the depths of her own wickedness, as she seeks to break the man she once loved fervently.

Broken is a story about broken people who break others, and the divine power of love that conquers all.

Check out the book trailer I made for Broken here. 

And as if that's not emotionally twisting enough, we get...

2. AN EMOTIONAL AFFAIR 

Publication Year: 2016, written; 2017, published as a book

Number of Chapters: 26 including prologue and epilogue

Lola is a neglected wife, who constantly wonders if her husband loves her. She wishes he was much more romantic and did what he did at the beginning. Bolu is a busy Lawyer, who is trying his best to provide for his home. After losing a chance at a promotion, he works even harder to prove that he has what it takes to make senior partner at his firm. Danny is a rich man, with nothing but time and money to spend on Lola. He is not faded by the fact that she is married and takes advantage of the crack in her home. An Emotional Affair is a riveting romantic story that will grip you from start to finish. Will Lola fall for Danny's advances? Will Bolu wake up in time to deliver his wife from Danny's trap? Will their lives ever be the same again?

Eweeee! Who knew married people still develop crushes? Certainly not me before I read An Emotional Affair. 

You can check out the book trailer I made for An Emotional Affair here.

Guys, put on your holy mode, because we're gliding straight to...

3. THE CHURCH GIRL 

Publication Year: 2016, written; 2017, published as a book

Number of Chapters: 52 including Prologue and Epilogue

As a child, Mary Uwanna believed in the power of faith and love and loved to tell stories of princes. Everything changes when she loses her parents in one night and is left to care for her three brothers. In a climate of corruption and immorality, even the Church was not a safe refuge for sixteen-year-old Mary. She makes a decision that threatens to steal her destiny until she meets her prince. Ifeanyi Chukwueke is not the prince Mary had envisioned. He is a bad boy with a reputation for breaking hearts. But his heart is set on Mary. Faced with her haunting past, he makes a decision to love her regardless...until his own past comes to threaten their happily ever after – time and again! The Church Girl is a story about a love that was destined but tried in every way. Mary and Ifeanyi must learn that in order to live, they must first die to self, as their love and faith is tested through many trials and temptations. Follow this roller-coaster ride, about a love that overcomes all, that will grow your faith or lead you to the One who holds the keys of Life.

Oh, Chim! Let me not talk, because if I begin, we will be here till eternity. Just a hint: The Church Girl is my favourite book in the entire series BECAUSE... You can check out my full review for this book here. 

Anyways, it's really not all rainbow and sunshine for Mary and Ifeanyi because then we get...

4. HE CHEATED 

Publication Year: 2016, written; 2017, published as a book

Number of Chapters: 6 including prologue

She never saw it coming... Yes, he was a player when they met, but he became saved and she knew he was a changed man. And besides, he loved her so much! They had gone through a lot to be together...and they were happy...with three beautiful children. How did her Prince Charming fall? What did it all mean? Did he ever love her? And how will they move on from this betrayal? Mary tells her heartbreaking story from a first person perspective, with many lessons that could help your marriage.

*Hands over Kleenex to dab your face with. 

Yeah, it was pretty intense. 

It is well. But don't be sad. As legend tells us, there's a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Let's hop over to the next book...

5. A SMALL WORLD SEASON ONE: VALENTINE'S DAY 

Publication Year: 2017

Number of Chapters: 15

The lives of the characters of 'An Emotional Affair', 'Broken,' and 'The Church Girl' continue in this Seasonal Series. It's A Small World after all, in this dramatic, romantic, and inspiring story about ordinary people living complicated lives. Season One's theme is Valentine's Day. As the friends and lovers prepare to celebrate this romantic day, secrets are exposed, hearts are broken, and calamity strikes. But not all are losers in love. Some enjoy a sweet blissful romance in the midst of it all.

Somebody scream, I go love oooo!

Thank you. But don't chill o, 'cause the stakes get higher in...

6. A SMALL WORLD SEASON TWO- THREE WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL 

Publication Year: 2017

Number of Chapters: 33

The story continues from Valentine's Day, as Danny and Tolu prepare for their wedding. However, Tolu's ex-boyfriend, Femi, is unwilling to yield his hold on her. Dami and Sola have finally confirmed their wedding date, but Dami doesn't know that Sola's is having financial problems... and cold feet. Jason is sure God told him that Fiona is his wife, and he has proposed, much to her delight. The only problem now is getting the approval of her obstinate, Catholic parents to proceed.

Adania went into a coma on Valentine's Day, after a traumatic experience that resulted in a very dangerous fall down the stairs. Her sister, Amaka is still picking up the pieces of her failed marriage, and learning about her new Faith. However, she hasn't yet learnt to discern the sheep from the wolves in sheep's clothing...

In this jam-packed, explosive season of A Small World, we see how blurry the line is between Saints and Sinners, and the need to have a sincere faith and purified love to navigate the many complexities of life.

Eweeee… African magic drama pro max. 

7. A SMALL WORLD SEASON THREE- A FEW GOOD MEN 

Year of Publication: 2019

Number of Chapters: 38

In this jam-packed third season of A Small World, The Church Girl and her family are thrown into another scandal when Samson is arrested for a felony. Jamie and Adania are locked in a custody battle, after she wakes up from her coma. Amaka has had enough of men treating her like a piece of meat and decides to take a film producer to court when he makes a pass at her. Meanwhile, Promise, Ope and Cindy find favour and a new beginning awaits after being Broken. Temi makes the hard decision of serving Oyinda divorce papers, but he compels her to go on a couples' retreat with Danny and Tolu. But what will happen when he finally learns the secret she's been hiding? It's An Emotional Affair all over again, when Amaka shows up at Bolu's office, requesting his services as a solicitor. Lola must now face the truth about her husband. Will he pass the test that only A Few Good Men will?

Think you've seen enough, that you can't take any more…? Abeg, calm down and brace yourself. The tension becomes wesser in...

8. A SMALL WORLD SEASON FOUR - THE ACCUSED 

Year of Publication: 2023

Number of Chapters: 31 including an Epilogue

Jamie languishes in jail, arrested for the one crime he didn't commit. He realises that a guilty conscience is a heavy burden to bear, but where is God when you need Him? It seems it will take divine intervention to deliver him from his physical and mental chains.

Despite their weekend retreat and Oyinda's new professed faith, Temi seems determined to make him pay for all the hurt he has caused her. Oyinda soon falls back into his old ways, hurt by his wife's infidelity. It takes a disaster to make them both realise their true feelings, but it seems that time is not on their side...

News of a plane crash from Abuja to Lagos shocks and devastates the country. In the aftermath, old friends are reacquainted, and Danny and Tolu open their hearts to welcome an orphan boy.

Antonia wrestles with her conscience and her family as Samson's court date looms closer. Mary and her family are presented with an offer to end their troubles. In a country riddled with corruption, it seems as though the truth cannot save the one who holds to it.

Whew! Well, wasn't that a rollercoaster ride. My heart is still drumming fast. 

Forget cliche or boredom! It's not in Ufuomaee's dictionary. Each and every book in ASW will keep you on the edge of your seat. 

If your curiosity is as piqued as mine, and you're interested in meeting the characters in ASW, go check out their full catalogue here: https://asmallworlduniverse.com

You can also get the full combo package for all eight prelude books here. 

Meet the Author: The Vision Behind the Series

Ufuoma Emerhor-Ashogbon, popularly known as Ufuomaee, is an author of faith-based books, ranging from Christian fiction, non-fiction inspirational writings, and poetry. Her passion for telling stories began as a little girl, and she started writing high school romances and poetry as a teenager, though her works were unpublished.

Ufuomaee discovered her calling for Christian ministry in 2012, when she started her blog, Grace and Truth, writing articles that addressed common issues believers face, with particular attention given to romance and relationships. In 2016, she started writing story series on her blog, and this began her journey to becoming a self-published author of over two dozen works. Her aim in all her writing is that God may be glorified and all may be edified.

When she's not writing, Ufuomaee helps other authors edit and publish their own works through Ufuomaee Business Solutions, an online technological, creative, and administrative service provider, aiding SMEs and creatives. Through this platform, she also offers website design and management services. Ufuoma is also a humanitarian, supporting those less privileged through her charitable works at Fair Life Africa Foundation, a not-for-profit organization she co-founded in January 2011.

 

Connect with the author via any of her social media handles:

Website 

X (Formerly Twitter)

Facebook 

Instagram  

Newsletter 

Her fans have crowned her the Queen of Giveaways, which is just the absolute truth because, in all my days of being an avid reader, I have never met an author so generous, easily accessible and eager to connect with her readers like Ufuomaee. God bless her for us. 

Why You Will Definitely Love ASW: Faith, Fun, and Feels

This series is packed full of relatable characters, cultural richness, uplifting Christian values.

Don't just take my word for it. There are countless testimonials and reviews from other readers scattered all over the internet, including me.

Jump In Now: What’s Next in A Small World?

Guess what? The latest book in the series, the Ogapatapata of them all, is about to be released, and very soon at that!

Check this out!

A SMALL WORLD SEASON FIVE - NEW YEAR'S EVE 

Publication Date: 21st December, 2024

Number of Chapters: 30 including an Epilogue

It's the Happiest Season of All! In this fifth season of A Small World, we see the lovers and their friends and families as they enjoy the delightful end-of-year season with the usual festivities associated with Christmas and preparations for the new year. We are going to at least one Nigerian wedding, a 30th birthday party, Christmas parties and get-togethers, and of course, a New Year’s Eve party to close out the season and usher in 2017.

The drama continues as Ijeoma is confronted with her growing feelings for a widower. Will she or won't she take a bite of the forbidden fruit? Amaka and Bolu finally get a chance to talk, and emotions are laid bare. Will Lola be left heart-broken after all? It's been weeks since Temi fell into a coma, and Oyinda now realizes that his life is bound to hers. But there's another waiting for the news that will change their lives forever.

To fully appreciate this season, it's best to read the previous seasons first, including the prelude books, The Church Girl, An Emotional Affair, He Cheated! and Broken. Season Five is the last of its kind, featuring a large ensemble cast based in Lagos, Nigeria... But the story will surely continue, as we follow up with specific characters of interest in new environments and situationships, looking at their lives in a post-COVID era.

You can make your pre-order today on Amazon or on Ufuomaee's website (available both as eBook and paperback!)

Wrap-Up: A Small World, A Big Blessing

Thank you very much for staying till the end of this show, guys! I believe you enjoyed every bit of it. 

Have you read any of Ufuomaee's books? Kindly let me know in the comment section. Who knows, someone might ignore my entire epistle I poured up here, and it just might be your heartfelt comment that convinces them to grab their copies of the books in this series. You'll be the real Odogwu then. 

Do you have questions about any of the books, or a question for the author, or a question or request for me? 

Fire away in the comments too. Let's have them. 

WAIT! Before you hurry off, I have big news! A juicy secret you don't want to miss. 

*Chuckles knowingly and rubs palms together 

I'm excited to announce to you that you've just been taken through the second stop in the ASW 5 Book Tour & Scavenger Hunt for A Small World Season Five! 

*Confetti shimmers down

Yup, we're in a whole week (December 8-14) of fun discussions about A Small World Season 5 as we anticipate and celebrate this exciting release! 

Here are the activities to look out for:

Book Tour Stops: Meet incredible bloggers, podcasters, radio presenters, authors and readers sharing their love for A Small World Season 5. 

Scavenger Hunt: Collect all the clues from each stop on the tour to stand a chance to win merchandise and a grand prize.

The grand prize of Microsoft Surface Go 2 Tablet is up for grabs!

*Screams in sheer joy and bounces like a water balloon

You can also win books and ASW5 merchandise by taking part in the book tour.

I told you Ufuomaee is the Queen of Giveaways and you didn't believe me? Dey play!

You see the reward of reading till the end? Clap for yourself. 

Maybe you want to consider reading through this blog a second time to scout for the hidden clue? Just an EXPO. 

He he he...

For more updates on the scavenger hunt rules, follow Ufuomaee on Instagram and sign up for the scavenger hunt via the link in her bio. 

Good luck.

Toodles!

*Takes a bow; curtain drops.

Quick Endnote

I realise might have used one or two lingo here and there that got you scratching your head. Don't worry. I gat you. 

AR/VR goggles:

AR (Augmented Reality) and VR (Virtual Reality) goggles are special devices that change the way you see and interact with the world.

Jumanji:

Jumanji is a fictional magical board game. When you play, the jungle inside the game comes to life in the real world, causing chaos. To stop it, you must finish the game.

Odogwu: Igbo slang that means hero

Ogapatapata: Yoruba slang that means top boss

Abeg: Please

EXPO: slang for leaked exam answers