This was such a fun and heartfelt second chance romance! Kiki Banjo is the kind of main character you root for flawed, funny, and trying her best to hold it all together while her life feels like it’s falling apart. Between her hit podcast, a looming wedding, and her ex showing up as the Best Man (of course he is), the drama practically writes itself.

Malakai was the perfect frustrating ex charming, hot, and just enough of a menace to make you understand exactly why Kiki fell for him in the first place and why she’s still mad about it. Their chemistry was undeniable, and even when they were trying to avoid it, you could feel it bubbling under the surface.

There were some heavier moments about burnout, fear of failure, and what it means to let go of your past in order to move forward. The mix of humor, romance, and emotional depth really worked for me. It dragged slightly in a few places, but overall, I really enjoyed the ride.

Definitely recommend if you’re into exes with unfinished business, wedding chaos, and a lot of tension-filled banter.

tried this one out but it was not for me. some may find the story compelling. will give it another try and another point

I absolutely loved Kiki and Kai, and seeing them as adults made me fall for them even more. It brought back all the emotions of being in my mid-20's and that uncertain phase where you're still figuring yourself out. Both Kiki and Kai are in career limbo, and of course, they’ve broken up. After time apart, they’re suddenly thrown back together because their best friends are getting married and they have to collaborate on a top-secret project. Now, they’re forced to navigate both personal history and professional tension. You can just feel as you read that they belong together.

The angst, grief, tension, heartbreak, and longing in this book were intense, but I loved every second. Bolu did such a beautiful job showing how they’ve grown while still holding onto who they truly are. The character development? Incredible. I might even love them more now than I did in Honey & Spice. I cannot wait to get a copy of this for my collection.

Thank you to NetGalley, William Morrow and the author for granting my request to read this e-ARC and provide my honest thoughts.

Okay… wow. This book absolutely blew my mind — in the best way! When I read Honey and Spice, I honestly didn’t love it as much as I wanted to because the fake dating between Kai and Kiki felt a little underdeveloped, like their love story left me hanging, wanting more.

And guess what? Sweet Heat gave me everything I wanted — and then some. Kai and Kiki brought the fire 🔥🔥🔥. The slow burn, the yearning, the growth — it all felt so right. This second-chance romance felt like they went back in time not to erase the past, but to lay a stronger foundation; one where they could actually be honest about the heavy and light things between them.

And every single time Kai called Kiki "Scotch" or "Keeks"… chills. Literal chills. Can I also scream about Kofi & Aminah for a second? I need a book about them too, I’m begging! 🫣🤭 The side characters were just as good — they made the story even richer.

Honestly? This book was perfect. I wouldn’t change a single thing.

I loved Honey & Spice when I read it years ago but Sweet Heat is definitely a step up.
This book is everything I could ask for in a romance, it is happy, but also a little sad at times, wholesome and god is it hot. I don't think I've ever read a book where I felt the tension like in this one. Just superb.
The characters are not caricatures, they are flawed, they disagree, they fight, they make mistakes and atone for them. It's so rare to see romance books where everyone isn't cookie cutter, but here main and side characters feel so real, imperfect.
Now for the actual content of the book: this is a continuation of Honey & Spice, and when we pick up Kiki and Malakai have been broken up for a while. Kiki tried to move on, but it all comes back when their best friends announce they are getting married.
I love the second chance romance trope, probably because I love a little angst, and this definitely delivered.
Please give this book a chance, it is wonderful. And if you haven't read Honey & Spice yet, what are you doing with your life?

Thank you Netgalley and William Morrow for the ARC!

A.R.C. Review: Thank you NetGalley for the ARC copy. Let me start by saying I struggled with the first half of this book. It started slow and Kiki’s inner monologues were a struggle to read because they were long winded. I honestly put the book aside a few times because it wasn’t keeping my interest.

However, when Malakai finally enters the picture and he and Kiki see each other at the engagement party, the story gets good. The dialogue and tense interactions between these two made the book enjoyable. I loved the chemistry between Malakai and Kiki, it was believable, cute and romantic. The tension of still being in love but denying it because of the baggage from their breakup kept me enthralled with where this was going. The best part of this book is when Kiki and Malakai finally talk through their past and are honest with their current feelings. The author’s choice of words in this dialogue were vivid, heart wrenching and beautiful. It’s like Kiki and Malakai cut each other open with their honesty while also providing ointment needed to heal the wounds.

Overall, I enjoyed the book but it could have been condensed (the first half of the book wasn’t needed). This book is perfect for anyone who enjoys a second chance romance.

First read from this author, excited for what they do next. You've got yourself a fan Bolu Babalola. Pleasantly surprised myself with liking this one.

This is my first read by this author, and I enjoyed it. I loved KiKi, but sis worked my nerves a little bit. She was more concerned with others' feelings that she hid hers to make everyone happy. I didn't understand her relationship with Bakari at all. That whole relationship was bland. Kai was difficult for me to connect with at first. He was so cold and disconnected until he started opening up little by little. When him and KiKi finally had their long, overdue conversation, I was like finally we can move on. Overall, I liked the story. It became a little wordy and took a while to get to where we needed it to go. Some portions had me confused with the flashbacks that I didn't see coming.

I have been waiting for this oneeee! I has been so excited for this book since the release of Honey & Spice when Bolu Babalola said this book would be coming. We've waited almost three years!

This book did start out slightly slow for me, however, once Kai finally came onto the scene, the book really picked up! From the moment these two laid eyes on each other again, there was instant chemistry. Impossible to ignore! I just am obsessed with their relationship, from the banter, to the way they understand and know each other, and just them generally being very HOT!

I loved the few past chapters we got that showed us how/why they initially broke up. The whole thing very felt realistic and so did their reconciliation. I'm very happy with this conclusion to Kiki and Malakai's story!

An amazing follow up on the previous book I loved seeing the ways the characters grew and how they interact with each other now that their adults and can express themselves better.

Very electric, potent, tender, and so rich! I was captivated from the very first chapter, and could not put it down until I finished the whole book. Babalola has done it again and has written such a beautiful and tender romance. This is a writer who very clearly puts their all into their craft, and I am now a forever Babalola stan!

this one starts out way slower than the first one but i still enjoyed it. i have been waiting for this title. so glad i got the chance to read it

First off, huge thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow Books for the ARC.
I’ve been waiting for Sweet Heat, and I had high hopes for this one. The anticipation was real, and I couldn’t wait to dive back into Kiki and Malakai’s world.

𝙒𝙝𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙖𝙣 𝙖𝙗𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚, 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙖 𝙗𝙪𝙧𝙙𝙚𝙣. 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙢𝙮 𝙖𝙗𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚.”

Honestly, this book had me going through it. It started slow for me, especially with Kiki adjusting to her new life And the lack of Malakai but also he wasn’t the Malakai I knew from Honey and Spice. In fact, I was actually pissed at him at times! But as the book progressed, I started to understand him more, and when we finally get the full picture of why things went south for them, I found myself giving both of them more grace.

I’ll admit, there were moments where I felt frustrated with how they were being towards each other. I wasn’t used to seeing them like that. But then, there were also those moments of intense chemistry between them that reminded me why I fell for them in the first place. Their banter, as always, is gold. Bolu has mastered the art of banter, and Kiki and Malakai’s back-and-forth will always be one of my favorite things in any romance.

Kiki’s growth in this book was my favorite part, hands down. She really went through it, especially with her job and her own journey of self-discovery. Seeing her finally come into who she is made me emotional, she was actually more emotional and open this time around which was different for me but i connected to her so well . And let me just say, Malakai—despite the tension and the struggles—was unwavering in his support for Kiki. His love for her, his adoration, never faltered.

Now, Malakai’s journey… When I found out what he was going through it hit me hard. That’s when I understood why he was acting the way he was, and that’s when I found myself giving him grace, too. His path wasn’t easy, but he worked through it, and seeing him finally come into his own and healing was so rewarding

The side plot with the wedding and Aminah was a bit of a rollercoaster. I adore Aminah but I’ll admit she got under my skin at times. Still, I get it—she was just looking out for Kiki, it was great to see them work through that and get back to being the dynamic duo, cause they are also one of the love stories of this book.

The romance in this book was definitely a backburner to the personal growth, but that didn’t make it any less intense. It was SPICY—like, jaw-dropping moments that had me gagged. And then I realized, why am I gagged? This is just the energy Kiki and Malakai always give.

In the end, this book put me through all the feels, I love Kiki, Malakai, and all the characters we got to revisit. At the end of the day, it’s always going to be Kiki and Malakai. Their love is that type of deep, unwavering connection that can’t be shaken by anything. It took some time, trust me, but they found each other again, and I couldn’t be happier for them.

This was devastating. Like, tummy hurts, anxiety-ridden, physical reaction type of devastating. But it was also joy, and love, and hope.

Second chance is always a hard feat to pull off, I feel, & I was honestly gobsmacked when I heard that this book was coming (WHAT DO YOU MEAN they broke up?!). Bolu really put me through it but the result was one of the most beautiful stories I’ve had the pleasure of reading. Her writing is such a unique voice and has a rhythm that makes it feel like I’m reading poetry. There’s truly nothing like it.

If you haven’t read Honey & Spice, stop now and do that because it is brilliant. If you love it, come back and read Sweet Heat because the raw, emotional ride is absolutely worth it. Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review.

ARC Review

Sweet Heat was the perfect sequel to Honey & Spice. Sweet Heat is about 10 years later after Honey and Spice. We found out that Kiki and Kai have been split for almost 3 years. I loved how the story kept us on our toes on what happened between them, by giving us flashbacks of when they were together. Kiki and Malachi had so much tension throughout the whole book, and honestly, I didn’t know if they were going to lean into that tension or be drawn further apart. We also get to see how the friend gang from college Kofi, Aminah, and the others from the crew are doing and have changed since then.

Sweet Heat was a great second chance but also a great read on friendships, personal growth, finding new career paths, and family.

I thoroughly enjoyed the story and was happy with the ending.

Thank you Netgalley and William Morrow Books for the advance reader copy for my honest review.

When we first met Kiki and Malakai, they were in college. A lot has changed since then - mainly their careers and, well, the fact that they haven’t spoken in years. Their relationship? Basically nonexistent. But with Kiki’s best friend Amina getting married, they suddenly find themselves back in each other’s orbit.
I love a good second-chance romance, and when you throw in forced proximity? I’m all in. That said, the beginning was a little slow for me. There was a lot of backstory dropped into conversations, and it pulled me out of the flow a bit. But once Kai came back into the picture, things started picking up.
Kiki had me cracking up this time around. She was so quick-witted and sharp with her comebacks. I also really enjoyed her dynamic with Amina-you could tell they were true best friends, even when they had their moments (as real friendships do).
Overall, I think the author did a great job with Kiki and Malakai’s story. Their chemistry felt real, and I actually liked this book more than the first one.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc!

SWEET HEAT by Bolu Babalola was absolutely phenomenal and everything I wanted the sequel to Honey & Spice to be.

It has been a while since I’ve read Honey & Spice and I forgot how captivating and beautiful Bolu’s writing is. Each scene she wrote was emotional and raw, they truly cut you deeply it was hard to put the book down at times.

There were so many beautiful moments in this read.

I missed these characters, they are so complex and real. Seeing their journeys in this read was incredible. I found myself connected with them even more on a deeper level with this book.

Kiki had me from the beginning, I related with her so much with having to be the perfect daughter, repressing her emotions to prevent feel the pain of it all., and the self doubts she had.

Kiki and Mal showed a honest depiction of what a relationship is as it goes through heartbreak, challenges, trails and tribulations. So much give and take; one step forward and a million steps back. Despite the pain they experienced in their relationship you could not deny the love and emotions they still had for each other, that can’t seem to go away. Their interactions were so intense and honest. I loved how their relationship was paced in this book rebuilding is a realistic matter

Mal’s vulnerability in this book was something special, so many moments had me teary and balling my eyes out. The pressures he had and his ability to address what he went through broke me.

I loved seeing the college’s friendships from Honey & Spice grown in Sweet Heat, seeing stronger and reflective of the age they are now and their growth.

Overall, this book was phenomenal. It was a beautiful ending to their characters story.

Bolu is one of my favourite authors, I’m excited to see what she has in story next.

Thank you again Netgalley and the Publishing Company for this e-arc copy.

I fell in love with Bolu Babalola’s writing style after reading Honey & Spice, so I’m super honored to have received an eARC for Sweet Heat!

I find Babalola’s writing style to be a little deeper than your average romance book, but not in an unapproachable way. I really appreciate how much depth she gives her characters, and how she focuses not only on the romance, but also on the friendships between characters. Kiki and Aminah’s friendship felt very real to me, and I found myself relating to the struggles they faced while in the trenches of wedding planning.

As far as tropes go, “second chance romance” really takes the cake for me. This felt like a super slow burn, but also not. I almost feel like this was intentional to show how much the Kiki and Malakai needed to grow and communicate before they were ready to recommit to one another.

Overall, I thought this book was extremely well done. I enjoyed how the characters played off of one another, and how our two leading MCs were finally able to find their way back to each other. My only critique is that it felt kind of similar to Honey and Spice because we were following the same characters, but I loved them all so much that it didn’t really matter.

Kiki and Kai are back!! They’re no longer the young college students we all grew to love. THEY ARE GROWN!! They are adulting and trying to navigate life, love, friendships, family dynamics, careers, and getting to know themselves. I’m so glad to experience their next level of their growth, and the ups and downs that come with it.

While this is the sequel to Honey & Spice, it can definitely stand alone. I loved reading about their journey, who they became after college, their breakup (and what led to it). Moreover, I loved their second chance love. This story had me laughing, holding back tears and loving Bolu Babalola! I’ve come to love her writing style. The dual timelines were perfect and helped fill in the gaps of Kiki and Kai’s love story it was done with such expert writing that it flowed perfectly. I just love them and I loved this book even more!! Just when I thought a book couldn’t be topped, Bola Babalola did it! Without a doubt, she did justice to Kiki and Kai’s ending (beginning). Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow Books for the e-ARC. One of my favorite reads of the year! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

i absolutely loved this book! I did not do my due diligence so I didn't realize it was book 2 until i was a quarter of the way through but it really didn't change anything for me. It felt good to be in a black love story and watching these two find their way back to each other.