Sweet Heat

“The British Nigerian version of Emily Henry… Plenty of super-smart banter.” — Boston Globe

“Kiki Banjo hosts an advice podcast, but her own life is falling apart. As maid of honor at her friend’s wedding, she realizes her ex is the best man in this fine enemies-to-lovers tale.” — People

“Sweet Heat is a reminder that Bolu Babalola understands the minutiae of not only romantic relationships, but also the complexities of human behaviour in every beautiful, strange and sometimes painful circumstance. With both a lightness of touch and a depth of feeling, Sweet Heat is about the love that keeps looking for you no matter the cost, and with Babalola’s signature humour, a story you’ll want to read over and over again.” — Ore Agbaje-Williams

“I savoured every word of this searingly sexy second-chance romance. Bolu Babalola is in a league of her own – she has an Austen-like ability to capture the essence of a person, a feeling, in just a line. I didn’t think she could top Honey & Spice, but she absolutely has.” — Beth O’Leary

“Epic! A classic in the making. Bolu delivered—and with extra spice! Fans of Honey & Spice will Eat. This. Up.” — Lizzie Damilola Blackburn

“[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

“Hilarious, strikingly written and poignant, Sweet Heat is a wonderful sequel to Bolu Babalola’s acclaimed debut, Honey and Spice.” — BookPage

“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 se