Sweet Heat - by Bolu Babalola

Book Synopsis

The bestselling author of the Reese's Book Club pick Honey and Spice returns with a sexy, hilarious, and heartfelt standalone novel starring Kiki Banjo, a young woman who hosts a podcast about modern love, even though her own love life is a hot mess. When her ex comes back into the picture, Kiki must decide whether she's ready to risk it all--or let her heart burn again.

Twenty-eight-year-old Kiki Banjo hosts the popular podcast The HeartBeat, solving romantic conundrums and dishing out life advice. Behind the scenes, though, career setbacks and a devastating breakup have left her hanging on by a thread. As she's preparing to be the Maid of Honor in her best friend's wedding, everything starts to unravel, and Kiki is left wondering if she ever had the answers.

Then Kiki finds herself face-to-face with the Best Man, her ex-boyfriend, Malakai--the smooth-talking, absurdly handsome, annoyingly perceptive man who stole her heart and then shattered it. While Kiki's approaching rock bottom, Malakai's been on the rise as a filmmaker, and now they have no choice but to play nice until the wedding is over. Both are hell-bent on ignoring the smoldering chemistry between them, but as they navigate the chaos of wedding plans, career ambitions, and Kiki's growing fears about the future, they can't ignore the spark that's only getting hotter.

They just have to get through the summer. So why does it feel like playing with fire?

Review Quotes

"[A] smart, sexy summer read, which hits your brain and your romance buttons in one shot." -- Los Angeles Times, 10 books to add to your reading list in July, on Honey and Spice

"The true stars of Honey and Spice are characterization, banter and sharp social observation, all of which Babalola renders spectacularly. She soars in her rich depictions of intimacy and relationships, in all their grandeur. And Babalola blends the vernacular and rhythms of Black American music with Black British culture, and its fusion of Pan-African influences, making the text even richer. . . . Expectations for her first full-length novel are high. Sexy, messy and wry, Honey and Spice more than delivers." -- New York Times Book Review on Honey and Spice

"A vibrant debut novel . . . Babalola is incisively funny, capturing the kick and sweetness of her title with her words." -- Entertainment Weekly, Sizzling Summer Reads to Heat Up Your Beach Days, on Honey and Spice

"Bolu Babalola's rom-com drizzles honey and spice into modern love. . . . The holidays are the perfect time to sink into this sweet and savvy mashup. Like a Gen Z meeting of Nora Ephron and Bernadine Evaristo, in her first romance novel, the author of the myth-inspired story collection Love in Color infuses the joy, pain, and laughter of young love with cultural insight and drama. . . . This swoony coming-of-age tale cements Babalola's superlative status as a queen of romantic comedy and master chronicler of Black British life." -- Oprah Daily, Best Books of 2022

"This buzzy, breezy book has all the makings of the perfect summer read: an enemies-to-lovers story line, a fake relationship plot point, a British university setting, and a clever, captivating heroine who finds herself at the center of it all. Is it messy? Yes. Is it sexy? Bigger yes." -- theSkimm on Honey and Spice

"A deliciously modern love story . . . Honey and Spice begins with a meet-cute in a dorm hallway and doesn't skimp on steamy, swoon-worthy moments. . . . The author's sharp sense of humor, slick pop culture references, and keen sense of the zeitgeist . . . offers a refreshing portrait of what modern love really looks and feels like." -- Time magazine

"A tooth-achingly sweet rom-com set on a college campus." -- Harper's Bazaar, The Best Beach Reads of 2022

"Kiki has become known at her university for doling out romantic advice to her classmates, helping members of the school's Afro-Caribbean Society avoid heartache. But her judgment is questioned after she kisses a man she called unsuitable; to save face, she and the man manufacture a fake relationship that becomes very real." -- New York Times, Summer Reading Suggestions

"Looking for some rom-com action? Look no further than Bolu Babalola's Honey and Spice . . . It's messy, it's sexy, and it's a must-read." -- Cosmopolitan, Best Summer Reads of 2022

"Inventive, intimate, witty and wise, Babalola's irresistible explorations uplift you from the start. Here is love as freedom, love as deep joy. Romance will never be dead, as long as she's writing it." -- Jessie Burton, New York Times bestselling author of The Muse

"Perfection in short story form, I am in love with every single word Bolu Babalola has written. So rarely is love expressed this richly, this vividly, or this artfully." -- Candice Carty-Williams, international bestselling author of Queenie

"Oh but Bolu Babalola is clever...she finds the perfect new twist for every story that you think you know. Her collection of reimagined fairytales and classic stories is a true delight." -- Dorothy Koomson, international bestselling author

"Beautifully written and full of joy. Bolu Babalola is a star." -- Meg Cabot, #1 New York Times bestselling author

"Bolu Babalola [is] this really great romance writer." -- Quinta Brunson, Harper's Bazaar

"If you are in the mood for something a little messy and funny, then you want to get lost in Honey and Spice by Bolu Babalola. Meet Kiki Banjo, the story's protagonist. She's a smart, funny, young Black British woman who isn't interested in finding love. As the host of Brown Sugar, the college's student radio show, Kiki warns the women on campus about falling for players. Except, she forgets to take her own advice when gets caught up in a fake relationship which she soon loses control of, forcing her to reexamine her views on love." -- BET.com, Summer Reading List

"The ultimate summer romance . . . It's got all the juiciest, most satisfying romance tropes, but in Babalola's capable hands, the story feels fresh and unique." -- The Cut, New York magazine

"Weruche Opia's confident narration sings with a heady mix of feminine power and vulnerability. Opia builds an elegant, charismatic persona for Kiki Banjo, who doles out feminist relationship advice on her radio show. Add a fake relationship and a magical connection for a spellbinding story." -- AudioFile, Best Audiobooks of 2022

"Following the enormous success of her 2020 collection of reimagined stories, Love in Color, we are now gifted with Babalola's smashing debut novel, Honey and Spice. . . . Honey and Spice is what a love story should be--two people who both challenge and enjoy each other and at the same time keep the readers engaged in their romance." -- Wadzanai Mhute, Yahoo!life

"This enemies-to-lovers romance set on a British university campus hums with Bolu Babalola's energetic, intelligent voice." -- Bookpage, Best Romance of 2022

"Bolu Babalola splashes onto the scene with her fantastic debut collection... Magnificent... These stories are short, they're perfect for the beach." -- Isaac Fitzgerald, Today Show

"Absolutely intoxicating." -- Casey McQuiston, New York Times bestselling author of Red, White, and Royal Blue and One Last Stop

"Good love stories are irresistible: They appear in almost every genre and culture, and are the subject of centuries of lore. Love in Color, the British Nigerian writer Bolu Babalola's collection retelling myths from around the world, demonstrated just this last year. These stories persist because they carry healing and hope. Everyone can use the vicarious drama and swooping emotion a truly great romance brings, especially in these dark days." -- The Atlantic

"Anyone who's read Bolu Babalola's tweets knows she's got a crackling sense of humor. As a debut novelist, she blends that signature wit with the warmth of romance in Honey & Spice, about an independent young Black woman at the British Whitewell University who discovers that--when it comes to love--"fake relationships" more often than not turn true." -- Elle, Best Books of Summer 2022

"Babalola's hilarious romance debut will have you laughing out loud and reconsidering first impressions." -- Buzzfeed, 15 Books You'll Want To Read If You Loved HBO's "Insecure"

"Honey and Spice is gorgeously written and heart-meltingly romantic. Kiki and Malakai have a rare, extraordinary, sizzling chemistry which has you rooting for their love story from the very first moment they cross paths. A triumph of a novel."
-- Beth O'Leary, internationally bestselling author of The Flatshare

"Divine summer reading. Hilarious, hot, and heartfelt." -- Meg Cabot, #1 New York Times bestselling author

"Honey and Spice is funny, sexy and smart--everything that you'd want from a lover. Bolu Babalola has created a sensuous and joyful world that you just want to dive into. It is a blissful celebration of first loves, second chances and sisterhood, and confirms what we already know, Bolu is an expert at her craft."
-- Jendella Benson, author of Hope and Glory

"This fun and funny campus novel is set at Whitewell University, where Kiki Banjo, the host of the student radio show Brown Sugar, is determined to help other students find their way through the mess of university dating. Much to her dismay, she soon finds herself in just the kind of romantic situation she opposes." -- Southern Living, Beach Reads Perfect for Summer 2022

"Babalola's debut novel is lyrical and sincere, her prose rhythmic . . . Kiki is the epitome of cool; her dialogue oozes with confidence, and her biting wit rolls off her tongue with ease--leaving readers wishing they could play her clever disses on repeat like their favorite song. Smooth, sophisticated, and sexy." -- Kirkus (starred review)

"A vivacious and romantic debut novel... emotionally intimate and hilarious in turn. Babalola's expert handling of the messy vulnerability and joyful exuberance of young love makes this a winner."
-- Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Succulent, addictive romance. Simply wonderful." -- Lizzie Damilola Blackburn, author of Yinka, Where Is Your Huzband?

"Smart, sexy and energetic. I'm excited for everyone to read this book." -- Emma Gannon, internationally bestselling author of Olive

"[Babalola] understands the pure magic of a perfect love story. Her first novel is the wonderfully indulgent long-form romance her readers have been waiting for. . . . Babalola identifies what it truly means to be seen, tapping into the big and small things that can cement or destroy relationships. While many love stories either pit women against one another or ignore women outside the relationship entirely, this story has a strong undercurrent of sisterhood, demonstrating that love comes from all kinds of places, if you're open to it." -- Booklist

"A beautiful and witty novel that's a celebration of love, friendship and Black joy that will wend it's way into readers' hearts. Brimming with Afro-Caribbean culture, British banter, pop culture references, and plenty of steam, this book will appeal to fans of the fake dating trope, novels with a well-developed cast of characters, and feminist romances with strong themes of friendship." -- Library Journal (starred review)

"Clever, confident Kiki is a romantic heroine for the ages, while the witty repartée and pop culture passion between these young lovers make for a vivacious romp." -- Esquire, Best Books of Summer 2022

"Just in time to quench the thirst for a much-needed swoony summer read, Bablola's debut novel Honey & Spice is here. . . . Terrific rom-com." -- Thrillist, 27 Books We Can't Wait to Read This Summer

"Filled with the perfect amount of romantic tension and one admirable protagonist. . . . Honey and Spice will make readers smile wide in delight and do as Bolu Babalola always does best--keep the hope for true love alive and enjoyable." -- Shondaland, The Best Books for July 2022

"These vibrant stories navigate the most complex human emotion and try to understand why it holds us hostage, while decolonizing tropes by forming new stories that already exist in so many cultures and communities around the world." -- Refinery 29

"British cultural critic Bolu Babalola's delightful fiction debut is a work of power and pleasure. Drawing largely from African and Asian folklore -- featuring Thisbe, Scheherazade, Ọ?un, Nefertiti, and more -- Babalola crafts entirely modern love stories without any of the mistreatment of women that pervades so much mythology. The collection also includes three original stories from Babalola, all of which are more than deserving of their place next to the classics. As Babalola herself describes it, the book is 'a step towards decolonizing tropes of love.' It's also a lot of fun." -- Buzzfeed