&;Perfection in short story form, I am in love with every single word Bolu Babalola has written. So rarely is love expressed this richly, this vividly, or this artfully.&;
&; Candice Carty-Williams, international bestselling author of Queenie
A high-born Nigerian goddess, who has been beaten down and unappreciated by her gregarious lover, longs to be truly seen.
A young businesswoman attempts a great leap in her company, and an even greater one in her love life.
A powerful Ghanaian spokeswoman is forced to decide whether she should uphold her family&;s politics or be true to her heart.
In her debut collection, internationally acclaimed writer Bolu Babalola retells the most beautiful love stories from history and mythology with incredible new detail and vivacity. Focusing on the magical folktales of West Africa, Babalola also reimagines Greek myths, ancient legends from the Middle East, and stories from long-erased places.
With an eye towards decolonizing tropes inherent in our favorite tales of love, Babalola has created captivating stories that traverse across perspectives, continents, and genres.
Love in Color is a celebration of romance in all its many splendid forms.
Industry Reviews
Good love stories are irresistible: They appear in almost every genre and culture, and are the subject of centuries of lore. Love in Color, the British Nigerian writer Bolu Babalola's collection retelling myths from around the world, demonstrated just this last year. These stories persist because they carry healing and hope. Everyone can use the vicarious drama and swooping emotion a truly great romance brings, especially in these dark days.--The Atlantic
"Bolu Babalola splashes onto the scene with her fantastic debut collection... Magnificent... These stories are short, they're perfect for the beach."--Isaac Fitzgerald, Today Show
"In telling these stories, Babalola herself becomes the seer and the seen, subversively providing a corrective to both the Western idea of who gets to indulge in love for love's sake and whose myths are worthy of retelling... Babalola's writing shines whether she's writing parry-riposte banter or fresh, evocative interiority; each story will likely find readers who choose it as their personal favorite in the book. Love in Color, as a whole, is a strong and necessary reset of who is the seer, who is the seen, and who gets to do both."--New York Times Book Review
Folklore enthusiasts and romcom fans alike will fall hard for Love in Color...Beautifully realized by Babalola, each retelling breathes contemporary imagination into cherished stories, making for luscious tales of loneliness, longing, and love.--Esquire
Beautifully written and full of joy. Bolu Babalola is a star.--Meg Cabot, #1 New York Times bestselling author
Perfection in short story form, I am in love with every single word Bolu Babalola has written. So rarely is love expressed this richly, this vividly, or this artfully. --Candice Carty-Williams, international bestselling author of Queenie
"Inventive, intimate, witty and wise, Babalola's irresistible explorations uplift you from the start. Here is love as freedom, love as deep joy. Romance will never be dead, as long as she's writing it."--Jessie Burton, New York Times bestselling author of The Muse