Ok, so with a day job, a toddler, and writing, I don't have nearly as much time as I would like to read. I mean, don't get me wrong, I read a lot--mostly on my Kindle and phone since they're portable and I can read on them when I have bits of time--but my bread and butter for reading are audiobooks. I know some purists out there don't believe listening to audiobooks is the same as reading but I'm not one of those people. I fully believe in consuming books using any media I can, and since in my car alone and walking my dogs are two uninterrupted me times, I often listen to my books then. But anyway, this post isn't about audiobooks.
It's about what I'm currently listening to and oh my goodness am I in love.
Honey and Spice by Bolu Babalola is everything. It's been a little while since I've truly fallen in love with a book and this one has me HOOKED. It's funny and sweet and swoon-worthy plus the writing is literary perfection. I haven't finished the book and there's a scene so sharp I had to listen to it again to make sure I didn't miss anything. As a surprise to no one, my husband isn't really a romance-reading kind of guy. He loves to read but his idea of a steamy novel is one involving the history of the French Revolution so reading about the love story of two college students isn't really his jam, but I really wanted him to hear this particular scene that had me obsessed and he laughed the entire time. Then ordered the book. It is that good.
But more than being a swoon-worthy romance, it's beautifully Black and deals with some heavy issues without sugarcoating them, particularly around race and being one of few at a PWI. Even with the heavier issues, Kiki and Malakai are chemistry gold. I don't typically love a fake dating trope because I tend to like my romances a little more on the realistic side but this one got it right. Now, of course, I could change my mind once I finish the book which will hopefully be soon, toddler and time pending, but even if that's the case I suspect I will still love it. Babalola's writing is so crisp and witty, I imagine she could write about something incredibly banal and still make it engaging.
Anyway, I just wanted to fan girl a little here because if you can't fangirl on your own blog, where else can you?