Ooof. This was my first read by Emezi and based on the reviews of their other work, I made the wrong choice.

While the writing itself was beautiful and I loved the location and vivid scenery description, I absolutely hated the plot and dialogue in this story. It made me physically cringe almost the entire time I was reading. It was just not for me. I honestly probably should have DNF it.

*spoiler alert/trigger warning for domestic violence*

I thought this was an interesting book. I thought some of it was difficult to digest because some of the relationships are super intense and one of the characters is almost abusive but then everything is fine at the end with Faye and him like he didn't verbally and almost physically abusive her. I liked elements of this novel because life is messy and things don't always go smoothly or in away that makes everything happy, but that one scene was triggering for me. I still enjoyed the book, but I wish his abusive behavior would have been addressed a little more than it was.

You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi is a beautifully written love story about Feyi Adekola. Feyi lost her husband in a car accident five years ago, and she wants to start dating again. She has an amazingly supportive best friend, Joy, and she's an artist with her own studio. Soon she ends up on a tropical island in the beautiful home of a celebrity chef, and she realizes she has feelings for him. There's one problem: she's actually there with the chef's son. How does she navigate this difficult situation? This book was so raw, honest, emotional, grief-filled, and amazingly written--I truly loved it. The way the author spoke on grief and emotions was so real and powerful. Thanks to NetGalley for the free digital review copy. All opinions are my own.

3.75 stars

I’ve been meaning to try one of Awaeke Emezi's books for years, ever since I read Ana Grilo’s review of Pet for Kirkus. The book sounded really good and really different, but somehow, I never got around to reading it. However, when that Emezi heard that you’d written a romance, I knew I had to jump on the ARC. Also, there was the gorgeous title.

It’s been five years since the death of Feyi Adekola’s beloved husband in a car accident in front of Feyi’s eyes, and Feyi still sometimes wishes that she, too, had died. She and Jonah married young and only had one year together, but he was the love of her life.

Feyi is an artist and much of her work is painted in blood (pig blood, not human, of course). She relives the accident that shattered her life over and over in dreams. She knows she will grieve forever but also that she needs to live again. Recently Feyi moved to New York with her best friend and one-time lover, Joy, in the hope that maybe she can figure out how to do that.

The book opens with Feyi having hot sex in a restroom with an attractive stranger, Milan. At a rooftop party, Feyi’s gaze connected with Milan’s and she was very direct when she drew him away from the party. It’s the first time since in years that Feyi has had sex with anyone, but she came to the party to make a conscious attempt to do that.

Feyi and Milan begin a casual friends-with-benefits relationship. They don’t really get close, and the heat they felt the first time they had sex settles into something that is more comfortable than sizzling. Soon into this, a friend of Milan’s, Nasir, comes on to Feyi despite her and Milan’s relationship. Feyi thinks Nasir is a player and puts him in his place, but he then apologizes and says things that suggested to me, though not quite as strongly to Feyi, that he fell for her on the spot and now can’t forget her. The intensity of his want lingers in Feyi’s mind and she breaks up with Milan (he doesn’t mind that much) to get together with Nasir.

Feyi doesn’t fall into bed with Nasir. This thing with him feels like something that could develop into a real relationship and after the loss of her beloved Jonah, that’s scary as well as (in her mind) possibly disloyal. She wants to take it slow and just be friends at first. She tells Nasir as much and he agrees—his longing for her is such that he’ll agree to anything.

When Feyi tells Nasir about the accident and about Jonah’s death, he tells her of his mother’s death when he was very young, but his understanding of her grief doesn’t seem that deep. Eventually she trusts him enough to show him her art.

Nasir tells Feyi that his father is an art collector and a friend of the curator in the National Museum on the tropical island where Nasir’s father lives (I don’t think which island is specified). One of the participating artists in an exhibit on Black Diaspora artists has pulled out and now there is an open slot. Nasir’s father got Rebecca Owo, the curator, to consider Feyi and Rebecca chose her. Nasir is going home for a few weeks anyhow, and he offers to bring Feyi to vacation with him so that she can also participate. He brings friends there all the time, he says; his dad is loaded, has a huge house with lots of rooms, and loves hosting artists. Feyi can visit not only as an artist but also as Nasir’s friend; his dad will host her and fly them out.

Feyi is skeptical about the “just friends” aspect. It’s a big thing to do for someone who has only been a friend for a month or so even if they both hope that it will eventually develop into more. Nasir however says that his friends have come out there with him multiple times. Feyi says she needs to sleep on it, but she kisses him. It is an emotional, vulnerable moment for Feyi but Nasir is gentle. Then she asks for less restraint and her heart starts beating fast. What Nasir represents—the possibility of life after Jonah—is scary, but the kiss is also good. Feyi later decides to go, but begins to feel a little pressured by Nasir’s big gesture and the strength of his need.

This only gets more confusing for Feyi when Alim, Nasir’s father, picks them up at the airport. Alim is a famous chef who was on a reality show, and is not only wealthy but highly attractive. Before she meets him, Nasir attempts to reassure Feyi (it reads more like a desperate need to reassure himself) that his father isn’t gay. Feyi notices a little bronzer on Alim’s face and later on, painted toenails. Eventually we learn more about his sexuality. Regardless, Alim is widowed, polite and generous to Feyi, but no more than that. She is nevertheless wildly attracted to him, more than she has ever been to Milan, Nasir, or any man other than Jonah.

Feyi finds herself torn between the son and the father, her head and her heart, and her emotional struggle with this is the theme of the rest of the book, in addition to the primary one about her grief and her reawakening to life. To say much more would be to spoil.

This book was unusual and after Feyi reached the island and the triangle began, engaging. My main problem in reading it was that I went in taking into account the statement that the book was a romance, and while there’s a big romantic subplot and a HEA, it reads more like Women’s Fiction. Women’s Fiction isn’t a genre I read often because I am not really that interested in it most of the time.

One reason You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty didn’t read like a romance to me is that it is, more than anything, a book about Feyi finding herself in the wake of her husband’s death. That comes ahead of the romance.

BIG SPOILER

Also, Feyi ends up with Alim at the end, but Alim doesn’t show up on the page until the 33% mark, and this is another reason why I don’t consider this book a romance in the romance-genre sense.

This is a partial review. The entire review can be found on Dear Author, here: https://dearauthor.com/book-reviews/overall-b-reviews/b-minus-reviews/review-you-made-a-fool-of-death-with-your-beauty-by-awaeke-emezi/

I thought this would be a fluffy romance but it was SO MUCH MORE. The story and characters were fantastic. I look furwsrd to her next one.

This book just was not for me- I had to DNF at about 30% - it was difficult to get past the language, vulgarity and having sex with random strangers. Apparently I'm not the target audience for this book.

Thank you to Atria Books for the gifted copy of You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty!

Grief has a funny way of making us believe the choices we’ve made were right. Hindsight is 20/20 and I believe Feyi will see just how wrong she was.

Alim is even worse IMO, because Nasir was his son. This wasn’t love, this was trauma and grief grabbing hold of two people. They bond was formed through their grief and it led them to make some pretty shitty decisions. My heart goes out to Nasir but overall complex characters, entertaining storyline and a train wreck bound to happen!

I’d recommend!

Come for the lush, beautiful writing, stay for a unique take on romance. Feyi is just beginning to come out of the grief that has entrapped her, even since the loss of her husband five years ago. With the help of her best friend Joy, she cautiously tip-toes into dating again, only to meet a kind, understanding man and his family and begin another type of journey. A short, entrancing tale of learning to forgive yourself for past mistakes and embracing your future, this is not your typical love story, but one with deeper resonance and beauty that will stun you with its insights and its lyrical language.
My thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced reader copy of this book prior to publication.

Trigger warning: Death of a spouse, car accident, drowning. If you don't care for cursing language, be warned there is quite a bit of it. Personally it doesn't bother me a bit.

Five years after her spouse was killed in a car accident, which she was also in, Feyi is ready to meet men again. Not to date, but rather for sexual pleasure. When she meets Nasir she has an instant connection with him and agrees to take their relationship slow including no sex and don't even kiss right away. Feyi is a gifted artist and Nasir has connections, which leads to showing her art on the tropical island he's from. Nasir offer's to bring her to the island all expenses paid and host her, as friends, which she accepts after talking it over with her best friend, Joy. When she gets to the island she meets and is overcome with emotions for the one persons she can't have any feelings for. This connection could cost Feyi everything.

This is my second book by Akwaeke Emezi after reading their debut novel, Freshwater. Just as with Freshwater I love their writing. Although You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty is being marked as a romance it's unlike any other romance I've read and I've read a lot of them, especially since 2020. This novel feels more like a tale about overcoming grief and finding one's self after losing the love of their life. The romance almost feels like a secondary story and only started to really pick up with the last few chapters. I did enjoy that the love story was between two bi-sexual characters adding even more nuance to the characters on top of the characterization they already had. Although the romance wasn't as prominent as in other romance novels, you could feel the heat that was radiating between Feyi and the other character.

I will read anything Akwaeke Emezi writes! Their stories always amaze me.. Every book is so different and takes us down a complicated but heartfelt road. Beautiful story about loss and never settling for less than you deserve no matter how heartbreaking it may be. LOVED this!

Akwaeke Emezi is a genius and finds it impossible to miss, it seems. You Made a Fool is an absolutely brilliant piece of contemporary literature that will endure far beyond its publication date.

Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Don’t be fooled by the beachy vibe of this novel’s cover. Emezi has astounded once again with a searing novel about grief and the messy business of moving on after the death of a spouse. #partner @atriabooks

Set against the lush backdrop of the Caribbean island, this story finds Feyi traveling to stay with Nasir, whom she is sort-of dating while exhibiting her artwork. But when she meets his father, famed chef Alim, her interests are torn.

As she tries to heal away from her life in Brooklyn, her life becomes messier than she could have imagined. I loved Emezi’s raw prose about grief and was thoroughly entertained by the story they wove.

This book has forever changed my expectations of the romance genre. Beautiful, thought-provoking, juicy, messy. Compulsively readable. Akwaeke Emezi is unstoppable, and their ability to knock it out of the park for every genre they write in is incredible. This book has made me fall in love with Emezi, and I can't wait to read their backlist.

This is hands down, one of the best books I have read this year. Emezi is outstanding in their first romance novel, is there anything they cannot do?

The writing as usual was perfection, lyrical and lovely and woven with sharp contemporary dialogue. The descriptions of the island in all it's lush beauty, the Black culture, the FOOD, the sex, the heart-wrenching conversations about grief. IT WAS EVERYTHING. If you buy one book this summer make it this one.

Incredible. I could not stop reading this book and definitely sobbed. I love Emezi's writing and their ability to write complex characters and emotions.

It’s been five years since the death of Feyi’s husband. Long lonely years of grieving. Now she’s dived into a hot meaningless romance. You know, the kind that burns hot and fast. But those type of relationship seldomly last.

Then Nasir comes along and he is handsome & wonderful. Fully considerate of everything she’s been through, and supportive of her life as an artist. In fact, Nasir even played a part in getting her artwork featured in an exclusive art show on a beautiful tropical island.

Meeting a beau’s family is always nerve-wracking, but Nasir’s family is wonderful and his father incredibly handsome. Developing an uncontrollable attraction to Nasir’s father feels wrong, but she can't step away. It seems they find themselves together alone and she can no longer deny her feelings.
There's no doubt that trusting her instincts will cause heartbreak and turmoil.

This book is one women’s journey from grief to passionate steamy sex; from city centers to lush tropical island.
An intense book that will have you turning the pages all night long.

I received a digital arc of this book, and to be honest, I wasn't excited about it. I borrowed it from the library, and I'm so glad I did! I really enjoyed the story, which had a little bit of forbidden love to it.

Feyi lost her husband in a horrific car accident five years ago and is just getting back into the dating scene when she hooks up with Milan. Then she meets Nasir who offers her the opportunity of a lifetime -- to have her art displayed in upcoming show on an unnamed island where Nasir's father, Alim, lives. At first sight, there are sparks between Feyi and Alim, which is where the forbidden love comes in. Though after exchanging their stories of loss, it seems more like maybe they were meant to be together. You'll have to read the story to find out more, but I promise you you'll be glad you did!

This one was tough for me. Language, vulgarity, open door sex and a somewhat unbelievable storyline. Although Feyi's life has been full of challenges she has a support system, a best friend, and lots of sex with strangers. This one was just way out there for me.

I'm sitting somewhere between a 4 and a 5 star rating for this one, but I'm rounding up because this was truly just *so* good. I've been meaning to read something from Akwaeke Emezi for a long time because I've heard nothing but the best things about their writing, but I've always been a little hesitant because I'm not usually the biggest fan of literary fiction. When I found out that they were writing a romance (yes, this is a true adult romance!!) I immediately knew that this was the perfect place to start, and y'all, I was not disappointed. This novel follows our main character Feyi, who has decided to try to start dating again after the death of her husband, and a series of events that lead to her falling for a man that has also lost his wife. Going into this I knew it was going to be a heavier read, but I truly feel like this book struck a damn near perfect balance of heavy, heartfelt scenes and steamy, sexy moments. My only real issue is that I do feel like the main romance between Feyi and Alim felt a little bit rushed, but the beautiful writing and the eventual chemistry we see between them really made up for that for me and I absolutely recommend checking this one out. I really hope that Emezi has plans to write more romances in the future because I absolutely ate this up and I cannot wait to dive into their backlist now. This was so, SO good.

CW: death of a loved one, car accidents

I loved the real life as a single girl start to this romance - it’s missing in so many romance books these days. The hookups and mixed feelings about them. Really loved the dialog throughout!