Everything Is Not Enough

A Novel

By: Lolá Ákínmádé Åkerström

Narrated by: Palmira Koukkari Mbenga, Mela Lee, Délé Ogundiran

From Lolá Ákínmádé Åkerström, international bestselling author of In Every Mirror She’s Black,comes the highly anticipated second novel,focusing on the lives of three Black women as they fight their own personal struggles in one of the most egalitarian societies, Sweden.

Can a career woman truly have it all?

Powerful marketing executive Kemi Adeyemi has finally found the man she needs, but Tobias Wikström thinks she’s the most selfish woman he has ever met for asking him to give up his life in Sweden and move to the US for her own comfort. Will Kemi be forced to stay if she wants to keep him while chipping away at her hard-earned career? As things begin to sour and challenge her relationship with Tobias, someone else moves back into the picture.

Can having it all be a gilded cage?

Looking into divorce in Sweden isn’t what former model-turned-flight attendant Brittany-Rae von Lundin anticipated. Only jointly owned assets are split evenly between couples. Brittany gave up her career and came with nothing into Jonny’s kingdom. Having had a child with him, her greatest fear for Maya includes being cut off from the resources she’s become accustomed to. With a man obsessed with a ghost, trying to get away isn’t going to be easy. And the deeper she digs into his past, the darker the secrets she unravels.

Can you run from your past to have it all?

After fleeing her home through a client to seek a new life in Sweden, Yasmiin finds love in the arms of Yagiz Çelik while carving out her own small corner. But as someone from her past forces Yasmiin to become a caretaker before she’s ready, she now must confront and move beyond her teenage history, while following her dreams of becoming a makeup artist.

Everything Is Not Enough follows the loosely intertwined and messy lives of Kemi, Brittany, and Yasmiin as they interrogate themes of place, prejudice, and patriarchy in Europe, proving—yet again—that Lola Akinmade Åkerströmis the next great voice of nuanced contemporary women’s fiction.

Content was revealing

Loved both books! Wonderful character development, strong women, over-comers! Deep dive into discrimination, refugees…

Kimi, Kimi, Kimi!

I really enjoyed reading the continuation of In Every Mirror She's Black. The book's title is fitting, and the character that really caught my attention is Kimi. The way she responded to unforgivable actions made me pause and reflect upon how, when she is asked why, her response can sometimes be an unfortunate truth.

Great sequel. Room for a third.

I enjoyed how Lola pulled info from real life into the story. I wonder how much was experienced or shared from others and put into the story.

Kemi and Brittanie made my blood boil.

Great narration and wrap up to their stories. I listened to 75% of the book pissed off at Kemi and Brittanie. Sweden is also on the list for being one of the best and happiest places to live in the world, the caveat of course, this only applies to blonde haired, blue eyed Swedes. This book did a great job of highlighted the experiences of non-white Swedes and immigrants.

Well written and deep.

Real human behavior and emotions. Suspense, love, trauma and hope all entwined in one. Well done!