Unfortunately, I didn't love this book. I found the characters to be very one-dimensional and not super relatable. I wish I had loved this book but, sadly, it wasn't for me.

I really enjoyed how this was not jut an insta meet cute go from there but Ofosua has obligations to her family so it appears Cole was a memory to hold onto. Unfortunately but fortunately Ofosua meets Cole again and is single, alas now she finds out who he is and it becomes a slow burn. There were times Cole irked me but also Ofosua with their attitudes, but everyone has flaws!
Over all I really enjoyed this read and enjoyed the ups and downs through out.

4.5 stars
"Everyone knew, there was no way in h*ll that Ofosua Addo was going to obey anyone. I had a mouth, and sometimes it said things."
"Mum if you keep doing this, I'm going to use the full breathe of my English language vocabulary that you paid handsomely for."
"I knew her pissed off face too. That one I liked to think was reserved for me."

Thanks to Valentine PR & Literary Management & the author for an E-ARC. I am a bit late posting my review, I did immersive reading with this story and it definitely enhanced the story as well! I really enjoyed this so much, this story is very entertaining, it has all the drama, vibrant cultural moments (food, dialects, mannerisms, familial expectations, and more), relatable moments in and out of the work space as a Black woman, and more. I think this story incorporated so many important themes and exposed the ugly truths of what Black women are faced with day to day and having to suck it up and keep on living. I like that Ofosua is an editorial director and her job journey on trying to expose and bring more representation within her job field. The small intricacies that she had to go through felt like all too real experience, that I'm sure many can relate to.

I will not hear or take any slander about Ofosua! My panic attack relatable queen! I absolutely adored her character so much, she is one of my fav FMC ever! Her whit, charm, lovable personality, intelligence, and extremely a well rounded person navigating life, and just trying to be herself and fit in. Her experience as a Black woman, specifically a Ghanian American woman spoke volumes, her experiences throughout the story felt so relatable and extremely on the nose as well. I liked that she learned how to navigate her panic attacks and learned to put herself first in every aspect of her life, that journey was so important for her personal development and it was a journey that I enjoyed reading about!! Ofosua and Cole relationship was not perfect and I think that is why I liked them together so much because it was not perfect. I like that their relationship and development brought up different expectations, assumptions, and projections that were explored on both sides of their families.

Overall, I really enjoyed this story and I will definitely be reading more by this author!

I was for the best book and I love the spiciness of it as well. I would definitely recommend this one to all of my girls in my book club. Please keep writing more books like this.

This was an amazing contemporary romance! The FMC works in the publishing industry and gets assigned to her first imprint and she’s determined to find and highlight authors who write about BIPOC love and romance. More importantly, she wants to find stories that exude joyful, happy lives.

One thing I love about reading is how deeply authors are able to make me think and feel. Nana Malone made me reflect on my own biases in a way I hadn’t before. She also made me learn about new things like “microaggressions,” which I didn’t know were a thing, but I’ve most certainly been subjected to most of my life.

The way Nana Malone beautifully crafted this narrative about a woman searching for authors who write about BIPOC love, romance, joy and happiness, but also showcasing those qualities through her own writing…*chef’s kiss.* Bravo. Well done Ms. Malone! I LOVED this book!

If you love romance stories, please read this book. I COULDN’T PUT IT DOWN.

Malone brings the flavor. Spicy meets sweet and becomes an addictive temptation. Gold Coast Dilemma is heartache in living color. From laugh out loud to a stirring of the soul, Ofosua and Cole have a lot to say. A celebration of life, love and the unexpected that never loses it's vibrancy.

Gold Coast Dilemma by Nana Malone follows Ofosua, a Ghanaian heiress engaged to a man her mother approves of—until she meets Cole Drake, a man who is everything her mother would disapprove of, especially because he’s not Ghanaian, or even Black. The story weaves themes of love, identity, and cultural expectations with a dose of family drama and personal growth.

As a Nigerian reader, I found a lot of relatable moments in this book. The cultural references were one of my favorite aspects—Malone did a great job capturing the complexities of African family expectations. For example, the pressure to get married right after graduating, despite being told not to date in school, resonated deeply with me. I also appreciated how the story tackled racism and microaggressions, both in and out of the workplace, and I admired the strength of the female main character. Ofosua was smart, educated, beautiful, and knew how to advocate for herself—even when it meant standing up to her mother. It was refreshing to see a woman who was ambitious, hardworking, and not defined solely by romantic relationships.

That said, there were a few things that didn’t work for me. The banter between Ofosua and Cole felt immature at times. For two 25-year-olds, their interactions often came off as too jokey and childish, which made it hard for me to believe in their chemistry. I also felt the romance took way too long to develop—they didn’t act on their feelings until around 67% into the book, making it a very slow burn. The plot could have benefited from tighter pacing, as it felt like too many elements were crammed into the last 40% of the story. It became overwhelming, and some plot twists, like the reveal about Yofi’s infidelity, felt too delayed to have any real impact.

Additionally, I wasn’t a fan of the quotes at the beginning of each chapter—I stopped reading them after a while. The repeated use of the word obroni also felt excessive and unrealistic. While I understand and appreciate the use of the term in African contexts, its casual use toward a white character unfamiliar with the term didn’t feel authentic at all. It’s like a Nigerian speaking to a white and addressing them as an “Oyinbo” or a “white person”. That doesn’t happen here in the states. I also wish there had been a clearer explanation of how Ofosua was an heiress, as that part of her identity wasn’t fully fleshed out based on her parents’ professions.

Despite these critiques, I’ve already recommended Gold Coast Dilemma to several friends—especially my Ghanaian friends—because it’s still a compelling read. I liked that it wasn’t just a romance; it touched on real-life themes like racism, career challenges, and familial expectations. Nana Malone is clearly a talented writer, and while this wasn’t a perfect book for me, it was still a solid 3.5/5 read overall.

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Real rating 3.5

I was SO excited for this one. I really couldn’t wait to get my hands on this one. And then I ran out of credits for my Simon & Schuster audio app lol So of course I was depressed. HOWEVER, I remembered I had some left over credits that I haven’t used from Audible, so I went ahead and just used it for this. Totes worth it. This book was good!

Ok so the only thing I didn’t really like was the pacing. I’m not a huge fan of enemies to lovers. Y’all know this. But I’m even less of a fan when it moves with a glacial pace. I think if there had been more of them flirting together or more of them just not fighting I would have been ok. But when they decided to come together it didn’t feel natural. The rest of the book seemed like it was spent stretching their relationship out since it took them so long to get there.

There’s also a bunch of focus on weddings in this one. There’s a failed one in the very beginning, another one that they get invited to, and another one at the end. I loved comparing the Ghanaian weddings to those of the Western weddings. This one unfortunately doesn’t go too much into depth about their differences, but I still thought it was cool to look up.

The characters were what carried this for me, but they were also what annoyed me in some places. Because why in the world would you entertain your mama when she acts like that Cole? And why tf would you ever listen to someone who berates you and your significant other doesn’t even like them? Like bffr. It annoyed me because why did both of these instances have to do with Cole?! He pissed me off for real. I remember asking him out loud (as one does) do you even like her? Why do that? Like ugh But I WAS glad that he knew what microaggressions were and who to trust in the end. Because I had half a mind to tell her to leave him lol

Their romance was cute. I wish it wasn’t as slow of a burn as it was. But I did love that there were books involved and there were plenty of lessons in this one. I don’t think I’d have liked it as much if I weren’t reading it via audio, but it got the job done and the narrators were entertaining. If you pick this up, let me know what you think!

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley, Valentine PR, Gallery Books, and Nana Malone for this free copy. All quotes in this review are taken from the Advanced Reader Copy and may change in final publication.

Oh boy, I have not written a full length review in a long time, and I’m so glad that I get to write one for this book! I got through this one so quickly and I absolutely loved it! Let’s see where to start.

One of the things that I really liked about this book is that even though Cole made sure to call people out on their bullshit. Seriously, whenever someone made some microaggressive comment towards Ofosua that had no merit at all, no matter if it was a friend, coworker, or family member, he made sure to call them out. I think there was maybe one instance where he didn’t call out his uncle, who was the head of Drake Publishing, since his aunt was more in the background, and he really should have… but Ofos made sure to tell him so. It made me really appreciate that Cole was not taking his privilege for granted and not just sitting back and saying “well, what am I supposed to do?!” or have some sort of weaponized incompetence coupled with his ignorance.

I also appreciated that Ofos was clear in that she already deals with that kind of behavior from so many people every single day at any given time, that she’s tired of having to deal with the emotional labor of teaching people how to behave correctly. It shouldn’t fall to her, and I agree. As a Black woman myself, who knows what she’s going through and has had to deal with that, and has also been told that I should stand up for myself and educate people on how they should behave, I’m over it! So I appreciate Ofos for standing her ground on that once she felt comfortable enough to do so with Cole – because she really didn’t need to until she trusted him – and for Cole seeing that and accepting it without fighting her on it.

Something that Ofos had to deal with that hit close to home for me was when her wedding was cut short because her groom was caught cheating with someone else. Well, she heard him getting sexual with someone else but didn’t see who it was with, and even though he was at fault, the rest of the Ghanaian community seemed to make it her problem because she “wasn’t satisfying her husband” or whatever. I was so angry for Ofos with all she had to go through, and was so glad that she was able to get her divorce even though it took eight whole months – which we didn’t get to really see, but we know it took that long. I was proud of her for standing her ground on that, and even though it was embarrassing for her family and they felt “shame”, she didn’t allow that to dictate her being in a bad marriage where she and her would-be husband wouldn’t be happy.

It’s also been a few days since I last read this book and I’ve since been reading some other books but for the most part, this has to be one of my favorite books of the year. I loved both Ofosua and Cole, even though I think I love Ofosua more. I loved Ofosua’s cousin and her roommates, I feel like they were a really great support network for her and helped her get through things even though she was at odds with her mom on some things. I also really liked that once Ofos and Cole actually became a working team, they worked really well together and he supported her as the Editor of her own imprint. I kind of wish that he fought his uncle to keep the name of her imprint, but overall, how this book ended was actually really great. Loved this story and I loved Malone’s voice in this book.

I really loved the quotes at the start of each chapter they set the tone so well! Ofosua and Cole definitely gave enemies to lovers vibes, and the workplace romance dynamic added a whole extra layer of drama that I was totally here for. The cultural differences between Ofosua and Cole added a whole new layer to their dynamic, especially with her being Ghanaian and him being white. Even though they were both wealthy, their backgrounds shaped how they viewed the world and each other. It’s interesting how the book explored that cultural gap and the way it impacted their relationship. This was definitely a slow burn, but it made the chemistry between them feel even more real.

Both of them had a lot to deal with Ofosua being one of the few POC at Drake Publishing, and Cole being the nephew of the CEO. Things were already complicated, but the fact that they’d shared a kiss a year and a half ago only added fuel to the fire. The tension was real! I liked how the author built up the characters and made sure we understood who they were at their core. You could really see them evolve throughout the book.

I also appreciated how the book touched on mental health, particularly Ofosua’s anxiety. Her journey with that felt so relatable and real. And then her mom… chile, every time she popped up, I felt the anxiety too! She wore me out haha. But the way the author described the settings and the characters’ outfits made everything feel like I was right there with them. It was like watching a movie unfold in my mind!

The dual POV was on point, especially when we got to dive deep into their thoughts and emotions. I also really liked that the book addressed microaggressions, especially the scene in the office when Ofosua was being labeled an “Angry Black Woman.” That hit hard because it’s something a lot of people don’t even realize is a form of racism, but it really is.

The pacing was a little slow in the beginning, but once it picked up, I was hooked. I did feel like the ending was a bit rushed, though. And honestly the plot twist at the end I called it at the beginning lol. Overall, I enjoyed the book!

Thank you to NetGalley for e-ARC!

I loved Ofosua's character. I love how she carried herself stood out throughout this story as she dealt with awful people, microagressions, and racism.

The toxic dynamics were very real at times, so of course I love to see when a villian gets what's coming to them. However, the miscommunication and pacing made this a little rough at times. Cole was frustrating as he crossed boundaries and was blind to his privilege.

Ofusua thought she had her future planned out as she embarks on her career in publishing and is engaged to marry. When she realizes that her fiancé is not the man she thought he was she finds herself trying to balance her mother’s determined matchmaking attempts while denying her attraction for Cole, the son of her boss, and then there is the complication of working together.

Cole and Ofusua met a few years earlier and left quite an impression on each other but due to the paths there lives where following that was where it ended. He has feelings for her, but their different lifestyles and cultures doesn’t always allow him to truly understand the situations that Ofusua finds herself in, but it isn’t for lack of trying.

This story gives us greater insight into what Ofusua faces regularly and how important love and support is in all aspects of life.

Thank you to NetGalley and Valentine PR for the eARC of this book.

I had never read a book by Nana Malone before but I thoroughly enjoyed her writing style. The characters banter definitely made me laugh and kept me intrigued. I especially enjoyed Ofosua’s character and she was so sure of herself and intelligent but also struggled with insecurities which was very relatable. I loved how the Ghanaian culture was a main focus of the story, I learned so much about the food, language, customs, dress, etc because it was woven into the story without feeling like an info dump.

I thought Cole was a solid love interest, the dynamic of their two different backgrounds was an interesting conflict and definitely relevant to our society. I loved learning more about the publishing industry and their push for diversity that is not always brought about with good intentions by the heads of the companies. As a reader I felt like I was learning along with Cole about microaggressions and daily struggles faced by people of color.

Something I did not love was how Cole handled the third act conflict. The way that he yelled at Ofos and refused to communicate was a red flag and I was surprised that she took him back so quickly. I was glad that Ofos enforced her boundaries with her mother and made her apologize even though her mom was resistant.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and I would love if there were more books planned in the future. Maybe Kukua and Cosmos?!?!

Thoughtful, critical, but also fun and full “ha! Take that!” and “hell yeah!” moments, particularly when Ofosua, our gorgeous and brilliant FMC, stands up for herself and tells off people who disrespect her and her wishes. Thank you Valentine PR and Literary Management and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book as an ARC! Ofosua works at a publishing house as an up and coming editor and has a bit of a rivalry with Cole Drake, the novel’s MMC. Ofosua is Ghanaian and at the beginning of the novel she finds her new husband cheating on her during their traditional wedding ceremony. She calls off the rest of the wedding ceremony, and we see her navigate the tenuous line between her own desires and her mother’s expectations. As an editor, she doesn’t quite live up to her mother’s standards of employment, and after the failed wedding, a lot of the novel centers on Ofosua’s mother meddling in her daughter’s life. The dynamic with Ofosua and her mother was one of the things that I enjoyed most about this book, for it was so well done. Don’t get me wrong—her mother is frustrating, but I also understand the love from which Dr. Addo is coming from. She wants what’s best for her daughter, and the intention comes from a place of love, but she has a hard time reconciling that perhaps Ofosua knows best for herself. It’s layered and nuanced, like any mother-daughter relationship, and I think it was masterfully done in this novel. 

Ofosua’s main love interest is Cole Drake, her boss’s nephew and future CEO of the publishing house she is working at. They have a sort of enemies to lovers thing going, but before they fully become a thing, they’re friends. I really liked the build up in their relationship. Cole in particular needs to learn to support Ofosua in meetings, and when he messes up, he tries to fix it—something I really loved about him. There is a third act break up, but his apology is one of my favorite ways I’ve read a couple reconcile. 

I appreciated too the discussions on race and culture. Cole’s growing recognition of the everyday microaggressions that Ofosua deals with and realizing that he has blind spots he needs to work on is another strength of the book. There’s a conversation they have where Ofosua talks about calling out microaggressions and hoping folks will change and amend their behavior—it’s a conversation that has stuck with me. There’s something about how Malone wrote that scene that I just think is so well done. Overall, I enjoyed the banter, the thoughtful and critical discussions on the types of racism Ofosua deals with, and the characters—just a really good read. Strongly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

This book was truly so well done; the representation in all areas was absolutely incredible. The characters were extremely well done and developed, and really the only "downside" of this one? Is that you'll be incredibly hungry while reading this one! Every single one of the Ghanaian dishes made my stomach grumble and want to rush out and eat some delicious food.

The strong women in this book are beautiful; and the core friendships are truly an inspiration. The women are fierce and the plot is character-driven which is truly a favorite. The romance was filled with hurdles and the fact that the characters truly had to fight with it, while also battling their own struggles.

I loved the passion that was shown for both books and the publishing industry as a whole!

If you are looking for a beautiful romance with characters that you will be inspired by as you fall in love with them; well this book is the book for you.

Thank you to Netgalley, the Publisher and Valentine PR for the complimentary eARC of this book!

This is my first Nana Malone book. I love that she incorporates her culture and heritage into the writing. The storyline is realistic and modern.
This is an interracial and intercultural romance. The main character is Ghanaian American, with strong cultural ties and identity, and a Ghanaian Mom who wants to ensure her daughter gets married!

The FMC, Ofosua , meets the heir to a publishing company, MMC, Cole (or Hot Cole), once, and later they cross paths again.
But by that time, she is supposed to get married, but when the fairy tale wedding collapses, she must recover from heartbreak. She must make her way in the Drake company despite workplace challenges that are even more complicated due to her attraction to the Drake company heir. Plus, she has the added pressure of her Mom, who is hilarious but very overbearing!

The storyline beyond the romance made this book a page-turner! So many modern themes, Black women in the workplace dealing with microaggressions and false stereotypes, family, culture, friendship and the need to set boundaries. I love that the FMC never loses sight of her culture and identity, despite the pressures from the world and family, and stays true to the love she wants in her life. The banter is top-notch notch and the romance has just the right amount of spice.
The author did a great job of immersing the reader into the Ghanaian culture, through the sayings at the beginning of the chapter, descriptions of the places in Ghana, the clothing/fashion, and my favorite the food! I appreciate this look into the Ghahanian culture.

I love the writing! This would make an excellent TV adaptation. There is so much to work with! I would read more from this author.
Themes included:
- second chance romance
- close proximity
- interracial
- intercultural
- interfering family
- spicy level 3/5

Gold Coast Dilemma was an absolute page-turner! I am a fan of Nana Malone's work, and I think this story is her best yet!

This story is an interracial and intercultural romance, where he falls first, but they have many hurdles to overcome to make their relationship work. Along the way, meet the fabulously strong women who are friends and family to the MFC Ofosua. Also, enjoy the glimpses of Ghanaian culture, traditions and food.

Cole's family owns Drake Publishing, an imprint that needs to revamp to compete on the same level as others in the publishing world. Ofosua has enjoyed working at Drake Publishing, but wishes they would take on black stories. When she is given the opportunity to advance in her career, she needs to determine whether the CEO is genuinely interested or merely playing a game.

Cole has had his eye on Ofosua for a while, but he has never had the chance to really talk to her. Now they need to work together; they finally have the opportunity to talk and learn about each other. This leads to amazing chemistry and many obstacles.

Gold Cost Dilemma is a terrific read

I absolutely enjoyed this book so much. Nana Malone took a deep dive into some very important and some may say controversial issues in Gold Coast Dilemma, and she did it so well. I honestly could not put the book down once I started reading it. I absolutely love a book that captures my attention so much that I cannot focus on anything else...and Gold Coast Dilemma did it for me.

Gold Coast Dilemma is a fun, romance set in the literary world of New York. When we meet Ofosua "Ofos", she is an intern at Drake Publishing, a publishing house owned by Cole Drake's family, Unbeknownst to us, readers. we meet Cole Drake, on the balcony of his uncle and aunt's penthouse during a publishing party that they are throwing, The same place Ofos meets him, too, and like us, does not know it is him until their reintroduction at Drake Publishing. Cole's treatment of her during the meeting leads to tensions rising and shall we say the development of deep seated "hatred." These two were sheer perfection together. From the start the chemistry between Cole and Ofos jumps off the page, and once they finally come to terms with the fact that they don't hate each other oh...this book takes off. Loved every minute of their journey to their happily ever after.

Gold Coast Dilemma takes us on a journey of not only Cole and Ofos coming together but a journey of Ghanaian culture, the experiences of black women, and the immigrant experience in America. I loved how each chapter started with a Ghanaian quote as well as a "truthism" from her mother or father. I loved the secondary characters almost as much as I loved the main characters, but I have to admit that I was not and still don't know if I am fond of her mother....she was a lot to deal with for me; and the situation between Ofos and her mother and the way it was "resolved" left me a bit disappointed. There also were times when I felt like Cole was giving and expected to do and give way more than Ofos was doing in dealing with the differences in their familial relationships and experiences. Overall, this book is a solid 4.75 rounded up to a 5! Read the book, people, because it is so good! Bravo, Nana Malone! Bravo!

I am not an OMGer, but... OMG! Nana Malone now lives rent-free in my brain, just like Kennedy Ryan. I laughed, I cried, and even ducked and hid every time Mama Addo popped up. Gold Coast Dilemma was an absolute joy to read—one that I ran to every chance I got, yet didn’t want to finish.

Ofosua Addo is ready to blaze trails in the publishing industry and has the work ethic to back it up. But as much as the industry claims to want equity and progress, we know the powers that be often say one thing and mean another. Ofosua isn’t afraid to take on the challenge—even if it means facing the overly handsome Cole Drake, with whom she once shared the perfect kiss, and who just so happens to be her future boss.

Mix in an ex-fiancé who left her embarrassed, a culturally overbearing mother (Latina moms do this too!), and a childhood racist crossing her path, and you’ve got all the drama the title’s dilemmas promise.

Part romance, part empowerment, Nana Malone masterfully navigates complex themes while showing what love, joy, and self-truth can look like.

Thank you, NetGalley, for this ARC. I can’t wait to get my hands on physical copies for myself and some friends!

I was hooked from the beginning!!
It was amazing and engaging.
I was instantly sucked in by the atmosphere and writing style.
The characters were all very well developed .
The writing is exceptional and I was hooked after the first sentence.