Sweet Heat cover art

Sweet Heat

The heart-melting new romcom from the bestselling author of Honey & Spice

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Sweet Heat

By: Bolu Babalola
Narrated by: Weruche Opia
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About this listen

'Hilarious, hot and heartfelt' MEG CABOT
'Romantic, sexy, fun, delicious and important' MARIAN KEYES
'A triumph' BETH O'LEARY

🔥🔥🔥

The most hotly-anticipated romcom of 2025, from the author of Reese's Book Club Pick and TikTok Book Awards winner Honey & Spice...

Not every relationship makes it out of university.
But Kiki and Malakai were supposed to be forever.
Everything was perfect, until it all went up in flames.

Three years after their epic break-up, Kiki's worked hard to forget her first love. But just as she thinks she's got her life under control - jumping into the distractions of her romance-by-calendar-invite boyfriend, and plans for her best friend, Aminah's, wedding - Kiki's career implodes, the family business teeters on collapse, and Malakai returns . . .

As Malakai takes up his role as Best Man opposite her Maid of Honour, suddenly Kiki can think of nothing else: their simmering chemistry, what went wrong, and why it is now impossible to act normal around each other.

Juggling a new job, the prospect of her parents' restaurant being sold, and keeping her best friend from going full bridezilla, dealing with The Ex is the last thing she needs. But somehow the spark between them is only getting hotter - and threatening to ruin everything.

They just have to get through the wedding, so why does it feel like playing with fire?

Heart-melting, hilarious and completely addictive, Kiki and Malakai return in this standalone second novel from Sunday Times bestselling author Bolu Babalola.

💖 LOVE FOR BOLU BABALOLA'S WRITING 💖

'Rarely is love expressed this richly, this vividly, or this artfully' CANDICE CARTY-WILLIAMS

'Bolu understands desire better than anyone else' ANNIE LORD

'Incisively funny' ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

'Absolutely intoxicating' CASEY MCQUISTON

'Everything you could ever want from a romance and more - the vibes are simply immaculate' ZOELLA

'Babalola's writing shines' NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW

'Breathes new life into the genre with its vibrant characters and sexy, authentic voice' RED

'Romance will never be dead, as long as Bolu is writing it' JESSIE BURTON©2025 Bolu Babalola
Best of 2025 Contemporary Romantic Comedy Women's Fiction Romance Heartfelt Funny Witty

Critic reviews

I savoured every word of this searingly sexy second-chance romance. Bolu Babalola is in a league of her own - she has an Austen-like ability to capture the essence of a person, a feeling, in just a line. I didn't think she could top Honey & Spice, but she absolutely has.
Epic! A classic in the making. Bolu delivered-and with extra spice! Fans of Honey & Spice will Eat. This. Up.
Sweet Heat is a reminder that Bolu Babalola understands the minutiae of not only romantic relationships, but also the complexities of human behaviour in every beautiful, strange and sometimes painful circumstance. With both a lightness of touch and a depth of feeling, Sweet Heat is about the love that keeps looking for you no matter the cost, and with Babalola's signature humour, a story you'll want to read over and over again.
Whip-smart, super sexy and brimming with Babalola's characteristic wit, Sweet Heat is an intoxicating read that will make you consider sending a risky text to your favourite ex
Bolu Babalola has become one of the foremost romcom writers . . . Babalola expertly captures the frustration and tension that emerges when we encounter old flames, and asks us to consider how love can be equally transformative and disruptive. It's exactly the kind of book you need this summer
I savoured every word of this searingly sexy second-chance romance. Bolu Babalola is in a league of her own - she has an Austen-like ability to capture the essence of a person, a feeling, in just a line. I didn't think she could top Honey & Spice, but she absolutely has. (Beth O'Leary)
Epic! A classic in the making. Bolu delivered-and with extra spice! Fans of Honey & Spice will Eat. This. Up. (Lizzie Damilola Blackburn)
Sweet Heat is a reminder that Bolu Babalola understands the minutiae of not only romantic relationships, but also the complexities of human behaviour in every beautiful, strange and sometimes painful circumstance. With both a lightness of touch and a depth of feeling, Sweet Heat is about the love that keeps looking for you no matter the cost, and with Babalola's signature humour, a story you'll want to read over and over again. (Ore Agbaje-Williams)
Whip-smart, super sexy and brimming with Babalola's characteristic wit, Sweet Heat is an intoxicating read that will make you consider sending a risky text to your favourite ex (Yomi Adegoke)
Babalola expertly captures the frustration and tension that emerges when we encounter old flames, and asks us to consider how love can be equally transformative and disruptive. It's exactly the kind of book you need this summer.
All stars
Most relevant
Amazing writing and performance! Felt so real as though I was living in every moment with them. This is so realistic

Amazing writing and performance

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I absolutely loved the plot, the narrator, the entire story. if you haven't listened to this, you are sitting on a long thing. honestly, the sex scenes had me panting...

explosive

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Weruche Opia brings to life these characters in the most amazing way. As a narrator, Weruche does justice to each plot and character, emphasising the poetic nuances present in Bolu Babalola's writing. Bolu's writing and Weruche's narration - 10/10. Match made in Heaven

Bolu's writing and Weruche's narration - 10/10. Match made in Heaven

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The book was read with the native dialects appropriate for the language. Loved the book and the way the narrator spoke. Clear and pleasant to listen to. Can’t wait to read the next Bolu Babalola’s book.

The narrator and the story as a whole

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I loved every second—finished it in under a week! Didn’t think anything could top Honey & Spice, but this did.

Amazing!!

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