Includes some spoilers plus discussion of parent with cancer (parent survives), and sexual assault/rape (hypothetical only). This was such a fun read!!!! I love Kiki so much!! Yes, she is annoying sometimes but honestly, she is still someone I would want to hang out with. She has a grim perspective of men and the dating world in general, and she makes many good points. After a while though, you do notice that she has taken a lot of these facts to an extreme and as we understand her more, we understand what the initiations of this are. I loved being on the journey with her as she grew and found a healthy balance between her values and opening up more. I also really liked her friends. Kiki's instant attraction to the mysterious and attractive Malakai develops into something substantial as they get to know and support each other. It soon became hard not to root for them, especially as their actions clearly showed their feelings for each other. On top of this, their natural, playful banter constantly made me laugh and made their connection adorable.

Kiki and Malakai, though, steal the show. Malakai is a wonderful hero: sexy, funny, a touch arrogant, not perfect yet willing to answer for his mistakes, but also deeply and nerdishly earnest in a lot of ways, which provides such a welcome contrast to Kiki’s brittle cynicism. Kiki herself is my favourite kind of romance heroine: damaged, flawed, strong, complicated. She’s also kind of a slowburn heroine because we meet her sleeping with a man she doesn’t like precisely because she doesn’t like him and it takes about half the book to really know who she is and understand the forces and experiences that have shaped her. It is, however, an incredibly satisfying journey, especially because it parallels Kiki’s own journey not just to a romantic relationship with Malakai but to a better relationship with herself and the world in general. The hero is purely delightful in every way, considerate, caring, listening, emotionally intelligent, but still not implausibly perfect. (The fact that this list of characteristics is close to implausible suggests how incredibly low we set the bar for men, and if you nodded at that you need to buy this book immediately.) The heroine is hurt and contradictory sometimes, but shaping herself to be a spectacular person. The relationship itself is very slow burn with delightful UST, but in parallel we see the heroine starting to make female friendships and the importance of that is absolutely equal to the relationship. So when she meets a handsome new student Malakai she is puzzled why he has such an affect on her. She digs deep and ignores it. I love the warm, vibrant colour scheme, as it not only complements the beautiful illustration of Kiki but also makes the design eye-catching.

BONUS ENTRY

If you’re into feisty heroines and charming anti-heroes with alpha-male vibes, we’re sure you’ll enjoy this one 😉 Initially I could not get into this story, I would put it in the YA category and contemporary romance. There are predictable parts it but lots of funny parts. I enjoyed Bolu Babalola’s writing think this is a wonderful debut novel So yes, of course I highly recommend reading this book it was spectacularly written and gave me every ounce of serotonin that I needed, truly! I love this book!

Like all good romance novels, there are sparks aplenty and challenging obstacles for Kiki and Malakai to overcome. Self-acceptance and self-forgiveness must be attained before they can move forward, either individually or together. This is the book I plan on making my future mans read because if he doesn’t treat me like how Malakai treats Kiki…I don’t want it! Also every single character was phenomenally written and the connection of sisterhood and overall friendship was such a key point and an amazing part of the story. This is easily one of the best books I’ve ever read…and I’m not being dramatic!! lol I will be thinking about this book for a long time!Now see, many people think ‘player’ as a gender-exclusive term. It’s a guy smooth with his tongue … in a couple of different ways. Don’t act shy, you know what I mean. This is a safe space, girls. Let your savagery unleash. We are red-blooded women and we have needs, okay? […] But allow me to ask a question, my sisters. If he is a player, are we games? Or are we consoles to be used to help a guy navigate his way to being a man? Our buttons being pressed, being turned this way and that for his progression? […] Aren’t you tired of mandem using your heart for sport?” Having had her heart broken which resulted in the loss of a friendship that hurt the most, Kiki decides that relationship are not for her and she will put her head down In College and keep herself to herself. She runs a radio show called ‘Brown Sugar’ and decides to use it to warn her listeners and protect them from the guys she calls ‘Wasteman’ the ones who have all the lines but are players in disguise. Malakai is a sweet lead who effortlessly matches Kiki's energy and is given some depth through his experiences and family issues. Besides Malakai, Kiki's best friend Amina is the only other character who stands out due to her substantial role. Although the remaining characters have little depth, they are given defined roles that help bring the story together. 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? Sparrow is a fantastic blend of steam, action, and suspense sprinkled with just the right touch of drama 😌

It took me a lot longer to listen to this than I thought, and that's not necessarily because I wasn't enjoying it. I definitely was... which is why I'm okay over looking some issues I had here. And I’m not. I’m SO not a college student. I’m 20+ years away from those days, which is why I had some trouble connecting to Bolu Babalola’s debut.Looking for more bookish content to devour? We’ve got you covered! Whether you’re trying to get out of a reading slump or looking to up your reading game, don’t forget about Bloo, your own personal reading assistant, who will help you out. So, keep exploring, and happy reading! I initially struggled to connect with Kiki's character as she is haughty, effortlessly cool and obliviously beautiful. However, as she gradually opens up and faces her past, a delightfully witty and nerdy personality is revealed. This character development adds depth and complexity to Kiki's character as well as relatability.

Well, there you have it! Five spicy books that will add some serious heat to your book collection. These reads are sure to keep you on the edge of your seat and your heart racing. Go ahead and treat yourself to a little indulgence— you deserve it! Don’t forget to let us know which spicy book was your favorite in the comments 💭 Please note: This review may not be reproduced or quoted, in whole or in part, without explicit consent from the author. Despite the slow start, I was soon invested in the delightful romance and college drama that emerged. Also, the radio show was a fun and clever element that reminded me of the show Dear White People. While I was irritated by the unnecessary romantic drama towards the end, this allowed for a satisfying ending with heart-warming confessions, so I found myself loving the story and characters more. And even though I struggled in the beginning to engage with Kiki and her story, Babalola’s excellent writing, the incredible audio narration of Weruche Opia, and the depth of emotion underlying it all won me over. I found myself pulling for Kiki and Malakai all the way. The book unfolds with the ease of a Netflix algorithm-generated miniseries. The usual romcom impediments arrive in the form of gossip, scheming, deception, bad timing and misunderstandings. But Bolu Babalola also teases out the traces of vulnerability and wariness beneath Kiki’s bravado, the mistrust and fear that underscore the female characters’ interactions with the young men in their lives. As Kiki confesses to Malakai: “You’re the only guy who’s ever held my hand without the intention of getting something from me. You just hold my hand to hold it. To hold me. Like you like doing it or something.”The best part of this book was hands down the characters. Bolu Babalola crafts characters that feel like real people, characters that you can't help but root for and empathize with. This goes for Kiki and Malakai, but also the side characters too.