Sweet like plantain, hot like pepper. They taste the best when together…

Sharp-tongued (and secretly soft-hearted) Kiki Banjo has just made a huge mistake. As an expert in relationship-evasion and the host of the popular student radio show Brown Sugar, she’s made it her mission to make sure the women of the African-Caribbean Society at Whitewell University do not fall into the mess of “situationships”, players, and heartbreak. But when the Queen of the Unbothered kisses Malakai Korede, the guy she just publicly denounced as “The Wastemen of Whitewell,” in front of every Blackwellian on campus, she finds her show on the brink.

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?

I didn’t realize this was a New Adult book (college-aged characters), so Kiki annoyed me at the beginning — a 19/20-year-old know-it-all who judged everyone and whined about being judged. Gah. But … I wanted to see if that would play into her character development so I kept reading.

And I’m glad I did.

These characters were relatable and dynamic, and it was so much fun to see how they matured throughout the story. It was also so fun to read about such different-from-me characters. I’ve never read a book about African-Caribbean students in England — the age, race, and nationality differences were a treat to experience.

My one gripe with this book is that it was a bit wordy, though I can understand why it was hard to cut — Babalola’s voice is engaging and Kiki’s internal monologue is spectacular! There’s just a lot of it, especially the metaphors and similes. It felt like ordering the extra-large sundae and overindulging when a medium sundae would have been as satisfying (and yes, I’m aware of my use of simile here). It took 11 chapters to do what could have been done in 5-6 chapters. After I got past the first dozen chapters, the pace picked up.

Worth noting: I listened to this on audio, and it’s simply spectacular. The accent is ridiculously fun and the narrator does an amazing job with all the characters.

A fun book! I don’t know if I’ll read more new adult by this author, but if she ventures into adult fiction I’ll definitely pick up more.

R-rated for some sex, drinking, and swearing. Get your copy here!

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