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strawb3rrysugar's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
I decided to borrow the audiobook for Honey and Spice from a library app after seeing a booktuber praise this book for being a cute, fun romance with a healthy dose of spice. Man, I really like this book. Some of this is because I think the narrator of this book does an absolutely fantastic job - probably one of my favorite audiobook narrators I've ever heard. She really captures the humor and emotion of this story so well.
I really, really liked this book. I'd read another romance book on a whim earlier this year and thought that would be the most I'd enjoy a romance novel for the rest of the year (I like the genre, but I'm very picky about what kind of romance I want to read). The characters are well-developed, the banter is witty and smart, the spicy scenes are genuinely spicy without coming across as cringeworthy, and Malakai is a very sweet, funny love interest who takes genuine interest in Kiki and her goals/interests.
If that alone doesn't convince you to read this book, I will also add that Babalola portrays Kiki's relationship anxiety and struggles with avoiding difficult memories and emotions extremely well. It feels very real and accurate to what it's like to experience that kind of anxiety in real life. And this story can get intensely emotional at some points - I had this audiobook on while doing some at-home work, and I found myself getting teary-eyed all of a sudden over a tense scene in the second act.
In short, if you want a fun and well-written romance, I highly, highly recommend Honey and Spice.
I really, really liked this book. I'd read another romance book on a whim earlier this year and thought that would be the most I'd enjoy a romance novel for the rest of the year (I like the genre, but I'm very picky about what kind of romance I want to read). The characters are well-developed, the banter is witty and smart, the spicy scenes are genuinely spicy without coming across as cringeworthy, and Malakai is a very sweet, funny love interest who takes genuine interest in Kiki and her goals/interests.
If that alone doesn't convince you to read this book, I will also add that Babalola portrays Kiki's relationship anxiety and struggles with avoiding difficult memories and emotions extremely well. It feels very real and accurate to what it's like to experience that kind of anxiety in real life. And this story can get intensely emotional at some points - I had this audiobook on while doing some at-home work, and I found myself getting teary-eyed all of a sudden over a tense scene in the second act.
In short, if you want a fun and well-written romance, I highly, highly recommend Honey and Spice.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Racial slurs, Classism, Police brutality, Misogyny, Racism, and Grief
Minor: Misogyny and Hate crime
Sexual content for this book is moderate - descriptive, but not graphic. Plenty of conversations about sex and many innuendos, most of them pretty lighthearted. There are many conversations about classism, racism, and sexism concerning Whitewell University. Some mentions of non-black people using the N-word (or trying to substitute it). Malakai recalls a past police confrontation that gets intense, but an older man intervenes to help him. In a flashback, Kiki is almost taken advantage of by her ex-friend's boyfriend while she's drunk. It isn't greatly detailed, but could still be upsetting. Kiki mentions that her mother was sick while she was in high school and how it affected her life. Her mom is still alive in the story, though not a major character.jess_b94's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
surreyrose's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
leyareads123's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
4.0
ted_umeh's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
evieheart's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
raylovie's review against another edition
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
empressapplewhite's review against another edition
5.0
Hooked from page six! I fell head over heels for this book. I tried to prioritize black authors with Black History Month and this was easily my top pick (so far). The culture represented here was flavorful and insightful in what felt like a very authentic way. But it's not only a book about race. The story focuses on themes of relationships and feminism. The fake dating romance is the perfect blend of sweet and spicy. This may be one of my favorite romance books of all time. FIVE STARS
singingsfun's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Favorite quotes:
“The love thing demands that you're brave/ Seeing people for what they are can be scary that's like full investment. Responsibility. You have to care and be committed to care. And you gotta care even while preparing for the fact that they're not going to fit into your idea of perfection.”
“It’s not arrogant to know what you’re good at. It’s arrogant to think you don’t need to grow.”
“The love thing demands that you're brave/ Seeing people for what they are can be scary that's like full investment. Responsibility. You have to care and be committed to care. And you gotta care even while preparing for the fact that they're not going to fit into your idea of perfection.”
“It’s not arrogant to know what you’re good at. It’s arrogant to think you don’t need to grow.”