Review by Booklist Review
Babalola, best-selling author of Honey and Spice (2022), returns with another tale featuring Kiki Banjo, a burning romance colliding at the intersections of love and culture. Here Kiki turned heartbreak into a hit podcast and has a fiancé on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list. But the podcast is in flux, and her "good on paper" boyfriend is failing to excite her off the page. When the very ex Kiki created a whole podcast to get over comes home, Kiki knows she must do what she can to survive the summer. But the embers of an all-consuming past love might just prove impossible to extinguish. Babalola's writing feels like reconnecting with an old friend, full of comfortable banter and sharp wit. She writes directly for the diaspora, embracing a familiar style while inviting all readers in. Sweet Heat is a satisfying slow burn, rising to a gratifying climax and laced with enough drama to keep even the most dedicated Bravo fan satisfied. It's the perfect kickoff for a hot romance season.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Sweet and spicy second-chance romance animates this delightfully layered contemporary from Babalola (Honey and Spice). Kiki Banjo was heartbroken after her first love, filmmaker Malakai Korede, left London for what was supposed to be a six-month job in Los Angeles only to never return. Fast-forward three years, and Kiki has a wealthy new man (though she's not sure how she feels about him) and doles out romantic advice as the host of popular podcast The Heartbeat. When her employer insists on bringing an out-of-touch white woman in as Kiki's cohost, Kiki quits. In the midst of this personal upheaval, she has to put on a smile to play maid of honor at her best friend's wedding, a task made harder by the knowledge that Malakai is the best man. After the pair's reunion at the engagement party, they struggle to navigate the still-powerful attraction between them. When a musician they both love asks Malakai to direct and Kiki to produce a documentary, working together brings even more old feelings to the surface. Babalola has a talent for convincingly depicting the extremes of human emotion, from devastating heartbreak to intense passion, and her characters feel wonderfully real and well rounded. Readers won't be able to resist. (Sept.)
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
College sweethearts turned exes reunite in Babalola's scorching sequel toHoney & Spice (2022). When readers first met London-based university student Kikiola "Kiki" Banjo inHoney & Spice, she was the smart-talking radio personality behind the showBrown Sugar. Almost a decade later, Kiki is reeling from having been pushed out of her own podcast and is looking for her next big career move. Meanwhile, her boyfriend, Bakari, a tech mogul more focused on sales than on remembering Kiki's favorite flowers, just popped the big question. Not the marriage question--which Kiki finds herself alarmingly thankful about--but instead a work proposal: come work with him and forget about her impractical music-industry dreams. Kiki is unwilling to compromise her happiness, vocationallyand romantically, so she and Bakari decide to take a break. Just as well, because Kiki's best friend, Aminah, is newly engaged, and the semi-bridezilla needs Kiki's full attention for her maid of honor duties. First step: Learn how to speak to the best man again. It's been three years since Kiki experienced the worst heartbreak of her life from Malakai Korede, and suddenly the Hollywood-bound director is back in her orbit. When Kiki and Kai first got together at Whitewell College, they were inseparable; now, she can barely say his name. But she's Kiki Banjo, and no man is going to ruin her fun, especially if he's going to stick around for the wedding in six months. She can handle the occasional run-in and fake smile--that is, until a popular musician enlists Kiki as producer and Kai as director for her latest documentary. Can Kiki and Kai keep the past hidden as they work together, or will old feelings resurface? And when that old spark inevitably returns, will Kiki be able to recover if it ends in heartache? Babalola is an artful and lyrical writer, and her prose is a feast for readers. Kiki is a strong, sexy heroine who's full of heart, and Malakai is a worthy contender for both her temper and affection. Fans won't want to miss their second-chance love story. A sweet and spicy treat for fans of Babalola's characters. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
