Honey and Spice
A Novel
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4.5 • 335 Ratings
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
INSTANT NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A REESE'S BOOK CLUB PICK • A TIKTOK BOOK CLUB PICK
"Sexy, messy and wry, Honey and Spice more than delivers." — New York Times Book Review
"A vibrant debut novel . . . Babalola is incisively funny, capturing the kick and sweetness of her title with her words." — Entertainment Weekly
Named a Best Book of the Year by Time • Esquire • Vanity Fair • Oprah Daily • Cosmopolitan • Elle • Harper's Bazaar • Southern Living • Buzzfeed • Women's Health Magazine • AudioFile • Popsugar • and more!
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 and Spice is full of delicious tension and romantic intrigue that will make you weak at the knees.
"A smart, sexy summer read, which hits your brain and your romance buttons in one shot." — Los Angeles Times
"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
“Divine summer reading. Hilarious, hot, and heartfelt. ” — Meg Cabot, #1 New York Times bestselling author
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
In Bolu Babalola’s heartfelt debut novel, a Black student at a predominantly white British university tries to protect her heart. Kiki Banjo is the host of a college radio show on which she often discusses her strategy of staying emotionally uninvolved. But when she’s forced to collaborate with sexy new film student Malakai Korede, Kiki considers dropping her guard. Babalola delivers all the classic rom-com banter we could want, delighting us with Kiki’s scathing wit and penchant for sarcasm. She also weaves in tons of raw, sensitive emotions that are bubbling just under the surface, along with some smart commentary about race and gender. Honey and Spice will have you laughing so hard, you might not notice it capturing your heart.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Screenwriter Babalola follows up the collection Love in Color with a vivacious and romantic debut novel about a young Black British woman. Kiki Banjo is a second-year student at Whitewell College, and though Kiki zealously guards her own affections, she isn't afraid to dish out relationship advice to members of Whitewell's African-Caribbean Society (jokingly dubbed "Blackwell"). Her campus radio show, Brown Sugar, meanwhile, blends Kiki's brand of spicy, sharp-tongued wisdom with the perfect R&B song for any amorous dilemma. But the ambitious Kiki may have met her match when her favorite professor suggests she pair up on a collaboration with transfer student Malakai Korede. Malakai is an aspiring filmmaker whose undeniable talents (and stunning good looks) hardly make up for being cocky and annoying, but she eventually proposes the two of them pretend to pair up romantically as well, their fake relationship serving as fodder for both of their professional projects. Suffused with music and pop culture references (thanks in large part to Kiki's vast musical knowledge and her talent for puns), their repartee is quick and clever, with the verbal sparring heightening their physical attraction and making the sexy and effervescent story emotionally intimate and hilarious in turn. Babalola's expert handling of the messy vulnerability and joyful exuberance of young love makes this a winner.
Customer Reviews
i’ve never swooned like this
So enthralled, haven't blushed from a book like this in a minute. definitely with the read.
Obsessed
Bolu Babalola creates such an engrossing world with Kiki, Malakai, Aminah, Kofi and all their friends, frenemies, lovers and nemeses. You’re so invested in their stories, their success, their healing and happiness. You are rooting for these phenomenal young Black students who are taking up space, creating their own space, living life to the fullest and refusing to shrink or be quiet in a world that wants them to do that. You fall in love as they do; you root for them to win, to be happy, to thrive. This is an incredible story, and the sequel, Sweet Heat, is a very worthy follow up that makes you fall in love with these characters all over again.
A mouthful of senses
SAVORY is the word that best encapsulates my experience with Honey & Spice. From the very first page, Babalola's storytelling prowess drew me in, weaving a rich tapestry of emotions that kept me thoroughly engaged. The characters are intricately developed, each with their own distinct voice and charm, making it impossible not to become invested in their journeys. Babalola's ability to capture the essence of relationships and personal growth is truly remarkable, leaving a lasting impression long after the final chapter. This book is a feast for the senses, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone looking for a story that is as flavorful as it is heartfelt.