Honey & Spice by Bolu Babalola Summary

Honey & Spice follows Kiki Banjo, a sharp-tongued university student who hosts the popular radio show Brown Sugar, where she warns women about players and heartbreak. After publicly denouncing Malakai Korede as "The Wastemen of Whitewell," she accidentally kisses him in front of the entire campus, putting her show's reputation at risk. They enter a fake relationship to salvage their futures, but unexpected chemistry and intimate late-night conversations force Kiki to reconsider her walls against love.

Bolu Babalola is a British-Nigerian author, screenwriter, and journalist born in 1991 in Southwark to Nigerian Yoruba parents. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Law from the University of Reading and a Master's degree in American Politics and History from University College London. Her debut anthology Love in Colour became a Sunday Times Bestseller in 2020, and she appeared on the Forbes 30 under 30 list for Media and Marketing in Europe.

Honey & Spice is perfect for readers who enjoy contemporary romance with humor, witty dialogue, and authentic Black British representation. Fans of fake dating tropes, enemies-to-lovers dynamics, and campus romances will find this novel irresistible. Readers seeking stories about healing from past trauma, vulnerability in relationships, and dynamic women with distinct voices will appreciate Babalola's nuanced approach to romance and personal growth.

Honey & Spice is absolutely worth reading, having won the inaugural TikTok Book of the Year and earned selection as a Reese's Book Club pick. The novel features captivating writing, palpable chemistry between characters, and "delicious tension and romantic intrigue". Reviewers praise Babalola's witty, engaging style and her refreshing approach to handling trauma without exploiting tragedy, creating a genuinely lovely romantic arc with both sharp words and a soft center.

In Honey & Spice, Kiki Banjo and Malakai Korede enter a fake relationship after their public kiss threatens both their reputations at Whitewell University. Kiki needs to maintain credibility for her radio show Brown Sugar, while Malakai wants to clear his name after being publicly denounced as a player. Their fabricated romance involves "surprisingly entertaining study sessions and intimate, late-night talks at old-fashioned diners," gradually forcing Kiki to confront her presumptions and consider opening herself to genuine love.

Kiki Banjo, also known as Kikiola, is the sharp-tongued yet secretly soft-hearted protagonist who hosts the student radio show Brown Sugar at Whitewell University. As an expert in "relationship-evasion," she protects women in the African-Caribbean Society from heartbreak. Malakai Korede is the charming guy Kiki publicly labels as "The Wastemen of Whitewell". Despite his player reputation, their electric connection and his genuine character challenge Kiki's defensive walls.

Brown Sugar is Kiki Banjo's popular student radio show at Whitewell University, where she advises women of the African-Caribbean Society about avoiding "situationships," players, and heartbreak. As host, Kiki has built her reputation as the "Queen of the Unbothered," making it her mission to protect Black women from romantic disappointment. The show becomes central to the plot when Kiki's public kiss with Malakai threatens her credibility and puts the program "on the brink".

Honey & Spice explores vulnerability, healing from past trauma, and learning to open your heart despite previous pain. The novel examines how childhood experiences—including Kiki's mother's cancer battle and betrayal by a friend's boyfriend—shape defensive mechanisms and self-protection instincts. Babalola addresses the nuances of trauma without exploiting tragedy, showing how people can be "undeniably affected" by past hurt while remaining whole, complex individuals who grow daily through genuine connection.

The title Honey & Spice represents the complementary nature of Kiki and Malakai's personalities and their relationship dynamic. The book's tagline—"Sweet like plantain, hot like pepper. They taste the best when together"—captures this duality. Kiki embodies the "spice" with her sharp tongue and fierce protectiveness, while possessing secret sweetness underneath. Their romantic arc features "sharp words, with a soft centre," perfectly mirroring how honey and spice create the best flavor when combined.

Honey & Spice approaches trauma with refreshing nuance, avoiding binary outcomes and extreme scenarios. Kiki's mother survives cancer after harrowing treatments, and Kiki experiences sexual harassment that stops before escalating, yet both deeply impact her self-worth and relationships. Babalola "makes real space for the nuances of damage without feeling a need to exploit tragedy," acknowledging that hurtful experiences "count" even without extreme outcomes. Kiki's healing journey through her developing relationship with Malakai shows growth as a whole, complex person.

Honey & Spice won the inaugural TikTok Book of the Year award, demonstrating its massive popularity on social media. The novel was selected as a Reese's Book Club pick, one of the most prestigious endorsements in contemporary fiction. The New York Times praised the debut novel, while it became an international bestseller following Babalola's earlier success with Love in Colour. The book has been celebrated for its humor, passion, and heart-centered storytelling.

Bolu Babalola's writing style in Honey & Spice is witty, engaging, and told from Kiki's perspective, creating an absorbing reading experience. Her dialogue is particularly strong, with funny and sharp exchanges that showcase palpable chemistry between characters. As a self-coined "romcomoisseur," Babalola writes stories of "dynamic women with distinct voices who love and are loved audaciously". Reviewers note her captivating prose creates real, relatable characters while maintaining humor and romantic tension throughout the narrative.