July 5, 2022

The Complexities of Romance

Bolu Babalola on celebrating love that centers on women

The Complexities of Romance

Bolu Babalola on celebrating love that centers on women

As a writer, I’m all about celebrating love that centers on women: our desires, and being desired, and being empowered by love… and Honey & Spice, my debut novel, is no different in that respect!

Honey and Spice is a campus rom com set in England that centers on Kiki Banjo, a girl with a sharp tongue and a soft heart (even though she tries to hide it). On her radio show, she gives relationship advice to the women of Whitewell University. There is one particular guy she has warned her girls about: Malakai Korede. And of course—because this is a rom com—through a series of events, she ends up in a fake relationship with him to salvage her reputation with her listeners, the demographic she loves and treasures so much. Malakai’s also hoping to save his reputation through the arrangement. But obviously things aren’t as simple as they seem…

My book explores the complexities of romance—how appearances can be deceiving, learning to let people in, learning to trust someone, and building a community (not just for the main couple, but for the whole girl gang at Whitewell). It’s a sexy romance that also celebrates the importance of friendship.

I really loved getting to know Kiki and Malakai and their whole crew, and I learned so much from them—I didn’t want to leave! Kiki and Malakai were a delight to create. It was like I was just a vessel for them as I wrote.

I can’t wait for you to meet the gang at Whitewell University! I can’t wait for you to get to know Kiki! I can’t wait for you to have a crush on Malakai! I really hope you love Honey and Spice.

Time to turn on the Do Not Disturb and curl up with our September pick, To the Moon and Back 📖 🫖
Our bags for Shine Away 2025? Already packed with all the essentials. And the authors you’re seeing here? Just a glimpse of the lineup, along with our September Pick! ✨

#ShineAway, THE weekend for book lovers, is taking place on October 11 & 12 in Los Angeles! Grab your tickets at the link in bio.
This one's for our fantasy fans out there! ✨

This week on Bookmarked, the Reese's Book Club podcast, the iconic @LBardugo joins @DanielleRobay to talk about the pressures of being a prodigy, world-building in her acclaimed series, and the discomfort needed for success.

Start listening at @iHeartPodcast app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you love to listen. 🎧
We asked “what’s a thriller you can’t stop recommending” and Bookstagram did not disappoint. 💙 Which of these page-turners have you read? Let us know in the comments 👇
We’re thrilled to congratulate @clarelesliehall, author of Broken Country, on 1 million copies sold! We’re still not over this masterpiece 💙
Meet Tanis Parenteau, proud member of the Métis Nation of Alberta, and one of the captivating voices behind the To the Moon and Back audiobook. Dedicated to uplifting Native voices, Tanis’ work centers on telling contemporary and futuristic Native stories, like To the Moon and Back, a novel that explores Indigenous identity, alienation & belonging, and the importance of community.

Immerse yourself in the captivating world of our September pick at our link in bio. 🎧
Stories are more than words on page — they’re memory, tradition, and love carried across generations. 

This Hispanic Heritage Month, we’re honoring the voices that keep culture alive. In A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow by Laura Taylor Namey, a Cuban-American teen finds herself far from Miami, but never far from the heart of home:

“Our story, our people live on in these words. They grow between pages that are sized to fit between a reader’s hands. Small, yes, but somehow they hold us all.” 

Here’s to honoring the voices that remind us where we come from– and where we’re going.  Drop a 🇨🇺 if you've read A Cuban Girl's Guide to Tea and Tomorrow (or if it's on your TBR!)
Ali Kriegsman has a gift for making the art of reinvention feel accessible and empowering. ✨

On this week's episode of Bookmarked, the Reese's Book Club podcast, @AliKriegs chats with @DanielleRobay about her new psychological thriller 'The Raise', reinvention, and her bold, fun approach to self-publishing. 

Listen now at the @iHeartPodcast app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you love to listen. 🎧