Bolu Babalola’s Love in Colour is a vibrant, tender, and empowering collection of short stories that reimagines myths, folktales, and legends from around the world through the lens of modern romance. With each story, Bolu breathes new life into familiar narratives, centering women of colour and their nuanced experiences of love, desire, and self-discovery.

The collection begins with the author’s reimaginings of ancient love stories, from the Greek myth of Psyche and Eros to African and Middle Eastern folklore. Bolu doesn’t just retell these tales; she transforms them, grounding the characters in contemporary contexts and giving them depth and agency. Her prose is lush and evocative, drawing readers into the worlds she creates, where love is not only a connection to another but also a journey toward self-acceptance and resilience.

One of the collection’s strengths is its inclusivity. She celebrates a tapestry of cultures and voices, ensuring each story feels distinct while sharing a common theme: the universality of love. Her characters are intelligent, witty, and layered, defying clichés often seen in traditional romance narratives.

Standout stories include “Osun,” which reimagines the Yoruba deity of love and fertility as a vibrant, self-assured woman in search of her own happiness, and “Scheherazade,” where the iconic storyteller reclaims her voice and autonomy in a sharp twist on the original tale. These narratives emphasise themes of empowerment, agency, and the redefinition of traditional roles.

For fans of romance literature, Love in Colour offers something truly unique. It’s a celebration of love in all its forms, steeped in cultural richness and modern sensibility. Bolu Babalola’s voice is fresh, witty, and heartfelt, marking her as a standout talent in contemporary literature. This is a must-read for anyone seeking love stories that not only entertain but also inspire.