Alice, My Alice

Alice Oguntaye and Abbas Matthew fall in love only to face strong parental opposition, not because of their tribal differences but an old family feud. Young, passionate, they are determined not to allow the bitter history between their families to dictate whom they should love.

Twenty-seven years earlier, Abbas’s uncle was sentenced to life imprisonment for the ritual murders of two teenage girls, one of whom belonged to Alice’s family. Abbas’s father, Mr. Matthew, had spent millions attempting to obstruct justice and had never forgiven the Oguntayes for their role in ensuring the killer was convicted. To Alice’s parents, allowing their daughter to marry into the Matthew family would be sending her willingly into a house overshadowed by violence and spiritual darkness.

Alice refuses to believe that Abbas should be made a scapegoat for the sins of his family.

Repeated warnings begin to emerge. Alice’s brother dreams of Abbas leading her into a long, dark tunnel from which she never returns. Her mother sees Alice’s corpse being delivered from a mysterious ship. Their pastor warns her against a strange visitor and an unexpected journey.

Still, love holds her heart. Then Abbas makes a devastating choice.

While Alice is away completing her National Youth Service Corps assignment in Jos, Abbas becomes involved with Suzan, a young Canadian woman visiting Nigeria. One reckless night of criminal acts changes everything. Abbas is arrested, convicted of sexual assault, and sentenced to prison. Rather than confess the truth to Alice, he hides his imprisonment and continues manipulating her from behind bars.

His desperation soon turns into obsession. Abbas escapes lawful custody and visits Alice in Jos. With the aid of corrupt prison officers, criminals, and his wealthy father, he becomes entangled with Davou, a dangerous ex-convict operating an underground trafficking network.

What began as forbidden romance transforms into kidnapping, deception, international flight, and a desperate voyage across the sea. Alice is abducted and forced aboard a cargo vessel bound for Europe.

On the long journey toward Belgium, the illusion of romance finally collapses. Alice begins to understand that love without truth, wisdom, freedom, and moral restraint is captivity. She begins to realise that the past conceals a darkness far more dangerous than death.

Abbas, meanwhile, deteriorates physically and emotionally as his obsession leads him into a pit of self-destruction. By the time the vessel reaches Antwerp, both of them are standing at the edge of irreversible consequences.

Alice, My Alice is a dramatic Christian romantic suspense novel about forbidden love, obsession, family conflict, spiritual warnings, crime, redemption, and the devastating consequences of ignoring truth. Moving from Lagos and Jos to the open sea and Belgium, the novel explores the dangerous line between love and possession while asking a haunting question:

How far should anyone go for love and when does love cease to be love at all?