Review: Honey & Spice

Synopsis:

Introducing internationally bestselling author Bolu Babalola’s dazzling debut novel, full of passion, humor, and heart, that centers on a young Black British woman who has no interest in love and unexpectedly finds herself caught up in a fake relationship with the man she warned her girls about.

Sweet like plantain, hot like pepper. They taste the best when together…

Sharp-tongued (and secretly soft-hearted) Kiki Banjo has just made a huge mistake. As an expert in relationship-evasion and the host of the popular student radio show Brown Sugar, she’s made it her mission to make sure the women of the African-Caribbean Society at Whitewell University do not fall into the mess of “situationships”, players, and heartbreak. But when the Queen of the Unbothered kisses Malakai Korede, the guy she just publicly denounced as “The Wastemen of Whitewell,” in front of every Blackwellian on campus, she finds her show on the brink.

They’re soon embroiled in a fake relationship to try and salvage their reputations and save their futures. Kiki has never surrendered her heart before, and a player like Malakai won’t be the one to change that, no matter how charming he is or how electric their connection feels. But surprisingly entertaining study sessions and intimate, late-night talks at old-fashioned diners force Kiki to look beyond her own presumptions. Is she ready to open herself up to something deeper?

A gloriously funny and sparkling debut novel, Honey & Spice is full of delicious tension and romantic intrigue that will make you weak at the knees.

Rating: 4.5-stars

Review:

Honey & Spice by Bolu Babalola is an engaging romantic comedy. I love how the strong yet soft-hearted woman, Kiki Banjo, finds herself in the worst of the worst predicaments. She is stubborn to a fault. But as she is forced into spending more time with a player, she learns more about him as a human being. There is more to the eye phrase pops up a lot here. Bolu Babalola reminds me of one of my favorite contemporary romance writers, Tessa Bailey. Bolu writes with heart and humor. She also creates characters that anyone can relate to and like. Then, there’s Malakai who is the kind of hero every woman would love to have in her life. I absolutely loved the pair that Bolu Babalola creates in this read. They were amazing! You can feel the culture and the people pop off the pages. Overall, I do recommend this read to all.