Kiki doesn't believe in love, she doesn't see the point in getting hurt, but when she must work with the newcomer on campus, Malakai, soon her barriers are down and feelings are flowing.

While the ambitious two must work towards their goals and find out about relationships, what better way than to pretend to be in a relationship. Rules are made and soon broken, but it just maybe, that the two people who do not want to show their true feelings are the perfect couple all along.

This is a witty and engaging novel right from the first page and one I couldn't put down. Babalola writes a narrative about love, finding your voice, friendship, relationships, and also politics.
You will love every character and be invested in every word.

I loved this novel, I will 100% miss these characters' now the novel is over and I 100% want more. I will be looking out for this author on the shelves and I suggest you do too.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

I requested this book because of the amount of great reviews it has and I'm so glad I did. This book completely surpassed my expectations in so many ways and I wish I already had the physical copy of it to put on my shelf!

Honey & Spice is a fantastic read.

I adore this series and I have a thread of tweets here. https://twitter.com/flotrenza/status/1528079925282066433?s=21&t=JJBocskWtq-4ZxyZ2HbKWg

It was fantastic, I have pre-ordered 4x this book as it was hot, funny and simply fantastic.

I love reading alt black girls!!

The sweet and spicy summer-read you’ve been waiting for.

If there’s one thing Kiki Banjo is good at, it’s standing up to wastemen. With her university radio show, Brown Sugar, she has made it her mission to not only give out dating advice to fellow black students at a predominantly white and middle-class university, but also to protect them from getting involved with men that don’t treat them with the respect they deserve.

When a new guy, Malakai Korade, transfers to Whitewell University and immediately turns a number of girls’ heads, Kiki is sceptical and wants nothing to do with him. However, avoiding Malakai proves to be more difficult than anticipated when they are forced to work together on their respective university projects. In an attempt to increase her radio show’s audience and secure a place for a prestigious internship, Kiki finds herself entering a fake-relationship with Malakai despite the fact that she still cannot stand him. At least Kiki doesn’t have to worry about catching feelings for real: She might be Blackwell’s number one relationship guru, but she knows better than to get involved in romance herself. Kiki simply doesn’t think love is worth the risk of getting hurt, and even though Malakai can admittedly be quite charming, he certainly won’t change that - or will he?

Kiki’s story is full of wit, charm and heart-wrenching romance. Bolu Babalola manages to not only skilfully combine the ‘enemies to lovers’ and ‘fake relationship’ tropes, but also turn these admittedly overused devices on their heads and make them feel fresh and new. One of the many reasons *Honey & Spice* feels so refreshing despite its fairly conventional plot is its incredibly well-rounded and alluring lead characters.

Kiki is a character any reader her age is likely to look up to: she’s ambitious, opinionated, caring, beautiful, and knows exactly what she wants. Despite being rather introverted and spending her time almost exclusively with her best friend Amina, she has a sharp tongue and is able to dominate any conversation if necessary. Her brilliant and amusing comebacks add a lightness to the narrative, besides making you wish you were even half as quick-witted as her. Nonetheless, Kiki is also a flawed character, who has repressed past experiences and let herself be held back by them. The complexity of her character becomes evident as the novel progresses and her backstory is revealed bit by bit. The reader is introduced to the events that shaped Kiki to become who she is as she recalls and processes them herself. Throughout the book, Kiki works through many of the issues she previously hasn’t felt ready to face, and her character development is truly a joy to witness.

A lot of Kiki’s struggles are mirrored in Malakai, too. Their dynamic works so well because they share a lot of similarities, but also balance each other out in many ways. Just like Kiki, Malakai is someone who might easily be misjudged at first glance, which only adds to his allure. Their relationship is characterised by out-of-this world banter, undeniable chemistry and genuine care for each other, which is truly all you can ask for in a rom-com novel.

*Honey & Spice* does not stop at offering the romance plot of dreams, however. It is also a book about self-development, friendship and black female solidarity as much as it is about love. Kiki’s friendship with Amina is portrayed particularly beautifully, but there are also plenty of new friendships that develop throughout the novel and highlight the importance of black girls sticking together and standing up for each other.

Due to the mix of dialogue, gripping prose and excerpts from Kiki’s radio show, the novel lends itself particularly well to being recorded as an audio book. Weruche Opia does a brilliant job of truly bringing each character to life and giving them their unique voice.

*Honey & Spice* is just the novel you need if you are looking for a feel-good beach read with a difference. You won’t be able to help but smile at this charming and witty tale, which truly couldn’t have been given a more fitting title. It’s a honey-sweet romance with a fiery twist that certainly doesn’t lack flavour.

This is a really lovely, warm and heartfelt romance. The chemistry and banter between the leads is fantastic - you can tell they really care deeply about each other - and I loved the character growth over the course of the book. There are going to be a lot of readers swooning over the love interest. Also, the ending. THE ENDING.
The audiobook is really well performed, I particularly liked the way the “interviews” bits have background noise and are spoken further away from the mic, and the narrator is wonderful.
So - not a full five stars from me because I personally found it a bit long, but I think/hope this will be a big summer hit and I’m sure a lot of people are going to LOVE it.

What a stunner!
I think fans of 20something fiction are going to love following Kiki's story. While I can see how what might appeal most to the vastest audience is the swoony romance (and SWOONY IT IS!), I was mostly drawn in by Kiki's character even outside of that from the very beginning - she is so self assured, she knows who she is, she is confident and capable and generally an all around icon. Her voice was so lifelike and from the very start this felt like a girl you'd come across in real life, a girl that you somehow either knew or wanted to know. And yet there is so much she's yet to learn, in that way of any person at her stage in life. There is just something about a character with a god complex that's so prone to self sabotage that's very special. I also loved the love interest, who was such a good mirror image of Kiki while also complementing her at the same time. The banter and tension between the two? Unmatched.

This is a brilliant, delicious, messy, joyful story about university romance, friendship, and navigating new adult relationships. As a mixed race Londoner who works at a university, I recognised so much of mine and my friends’ experiences. I’m so grateful that we are finally getting books including romantic fantasies about our stuff. I loved the audiobook. It gave real distinctiveness between the sections of dialogue, the radio show, and bits on film. I felt that we really got the characters richly and I laughed out loud many times.

*I have also reviewed the e-ARC as I enjoyed both.

Honey and Spice is a chef's kiss of a book. Romance, college and fun never tasted this good together. Bolu Babalola astonished everyone with her beautiful Love in Colour in 202o and Honey and Spice has been on my 'highly anticipated list' since.

I am so very delighted to say that it has not disappointed one iota. I loved getting to know Kiki and Malakai's beautiful, messy relationship that sprawls across the page in Babalola's incredible prose like spoken word.

Kiki is a successful university Radio host whose show specialises in dispensing romantic advice to her fellow students. Through situation and circumstance, she kisses new kid Malakai at a college party and the two embark on a beautiful false relationship in a bid to increase her listeners.

Kiki and Malakai are incredibly drawn, vivid and visceral characters. Their voices are authentic and refreshingly flawed. But also relentlessly charming.

They take the 'fake relationship' trope and make it feel new - which is a feat in and of itself. Their romance, is breezy and natural and belongs on the silver screen alongside all of your romcom favourites.

Their world is one that you will love living in - I didn't want to leave, instead looking up the songs they mention and desperately wanting the book series they fall in love over to be real - give this to me now!

I will be reading it again and again. Once more I am left bereft of the great Bolu Babalola and literally cannot wait to see what she does next.

I absolutely loved this one. Even though it was ostensibly the fake dating trope it felt fresh. The characters felt authentic, there was more to the story than just the romance plot and Kiki learned to treat herself with kindness, which is how she reacted to others, but wasn't a grace she extended to herself.

In Honey & Spice, Kiki Banjo and Malakai Korede are both too slick to catch feelings when they enter into a fake relationship that they will both use to promote their creative projects. Or are they?

I found Kiki and Malakai compelling, the side characters were also well defined and added a lot of warmth and emotion to the story. Kiki is a character that many girls will want to be - telling truth about men and saving her fellow students from heartbreak, and Malakai is the kind of sweet, genuine and confident guy that will set swoon meters to stun.

The narration from Weruche Opia is absolutely brilliant, and she almost seems to be delighting in the book herself as she reads it. The dialogue in her hands is brilliant, the characters' have a rhythm to their speech that differentiates one from another and she plays with tone to heighten emotion.

While I wasn't super into the part of the story that these books always have towards the end, I still delighted in the actual ending and felt that it was earned.

I really enjoyed this...even if it did feature the almost unforgivable line, 'I released a breath I didn't know I was holding'. Honestly, that line needs to be banished from literature.

My thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

This book had me HOOKED from the very beginning and kept a tight hold on me right through until the conclusion. Truly living up to it's title, this is a story that is both sweet and spicy as it weaves this beautiful fake dating story between our two main characters as they use their relationship to work towards academic achievements whilst slowly falling for one another.

This was one of my most anticipated releases of 2022 and it truly did not disappoint as Babalola masterfully tells this story where the romantic moments feel like pure poetry and the snappy banter had me chuckling throughout.

The only thing wrong with this book? Well, I am gonna need Babalola to write the amazing book that Kiki and Kai are obsessed with...

I adored this book! Weruche Opia As a narrator killed it! Her voice is just gorgeous and completely engaging. She managed to give all the characters distinct voices and personalities.
I loved all the strong independent women vibes from our main characters and the romance was well paced and fun. This is going to be a big hit this summer!

Absolutely adored this book.
Kiki and Mala relationship was so pure and authentic, it was a joy to experience the highs and lows.

Such an array of strong female characters who are so well written

It is hands down the funniest thing I've read all year (maybe my whole life?). This is a true rom-com that had a smile permanently glued to my face the whole time. It was so cute and melted all the ice around my heart. The narrator did the most amazing of jobs and captured the character's essence, their personalities were so distinct and the voice she chose for every single one was perfect.

The prose is strongly reliant on the cadence they speak in and the narration was perfect at capturing that. I thoroughly enjoyed this and can't wait to read the author's other works.

Kiki is the definition of a bad boss b*tch. She is awesome and will do anything to help the girls at Blackwell have successful relationships so that they don't fall for "wasteman. Malakai is a sweet boy who has a smoothness that had me swooning for him. Their relationship was the loveliest, cutest and most adorable thing I've had the pleasure of reading.

The women in this are phenomenal and I wouldn't mind reading a rom-com from any of their perspectives.

I had the best time reading this and I'm so glad I have something new to reach for whenever I need a warm hug.

This was not the book I was expecting; to be honest, I'm not entirely sure what I was expecting but I feel that it should be clear that this book is for older teens / YA audience. It features a group of students in their late teens / early 20s and their relationship-based angst. It was well written and well narrated but as an adult in her 40s who did not grow up with social media it was not very relatable for me.
With thanks to NetGalley and Headline Audio for my copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

A funny and sparkling debut, Honey & Spice is full of delicious tension and romantic intrigue that will make you weak at the knees. Could not put it down. Housework was not done, kids were not fed… Fantastic writing, kept me gripped all the way through! Wow! This book was SO. DAMN. FABULOUS!…

I may be new to the romance genre but this is a five star favourite without question. With a mix of feisty, independent women, college romance and 'spicy' sexual connections its a genuine picture of real life relationships.

With her radio show Kiki used female to call out *wastemen' to protect her friends and other students from their lies. Then when she needs to get a college scholarship she starts a fake relationship with Malakai to prove they never work with a dating experiment. What will she actually find?

Well done Babu Babalola the book totally lives up to its name, its as sweet as Honey and has the spice of Siratcha(corny but true) we need a sequel for more Kiki and Malakai adventures.

Kiki banjo 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 Kiki is sharp tongued but secretly soft hearted but Kiki has just made a huge mistake 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 the women of the Afro 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 whitehall in front of every blackwellian on campus and she finds her show and her reputation on the brink and they’re soon embroiled in a fake relationship to try and salvage their reputations and save their futures
I really enjoyed totally recommend
Thank You NetGalley and Headline Audio
I just reviewed Honey & Spice by Bolu Babalola. #HoneyAndSpice #NetGalley

I couldn't read this - but that's on me for thinking I could read a romance novel when I NEVER do! I wanted to give it a shot because I love Bolu's presence online and think she's so smart and witty, but the way this book starts is very uhhh... spicy.. and listening to it on audiobook was simply too awkward for me to handle. Sorry!