3.5 ⭐️ rounded up

This was a cute story just not what I was looking for. I appreciated how the author broke stereotypes and highlighted familial issues, particularly the pressure parents put on their children. The way Ofosua navigated the workplace was like looking in the mirror. Very relatable. Also, learning about the book publishing world was definitely interesting

Unfortunately, the lack of romance left me wanting more swoon worthy moments. At times Cole went from being supportive of Ofosua to being passive which made me confused.

While I recognize the authors intention to bring awareness to racism and microaggressions, at times it felt too much like educational text. I do try to avoid these types of books. I live it everyday and don’t have much interest in reading about it.

Also, the twist at the end felt completely unnecessary and was just thrown in there for shock value. Maybe if we had spent more time getting to know the character

If you’re looking for a cute story with a message about social issues this book is for you

I pains me to say that I didn’t like this book at all. I have never not liked a Nana Malone book. I didn’t like any of the characters especially the mfc. In my opinion she allowed her mother to much control over her entire life and never earnestly stood up for herself. She talked a good game but it was mostly hollow and her mother knew it. I’m a black American so I understand respect for your parents but I didn’t understand the lack of respect her mother showed her. Maybe it was a cultural thing I don’t understand. I was not impressed with any of the characters. They were either racist or weak. To each his own so read it for yourself and form your own opinion. Until next time happy reading ya’ll.

This book was very and fun!

The romance was a slow burn which I liked but the characters did spend a lot of time apart… more than they did together.

There were lots of great secondary plot/ story lines but they all did feel a it rushed towards the end.

I almost feel like they should have been more of the focus through out the book and this would have been a better read.

Thank you for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Shout out to Netgalley for the ARC!!

Gold Coast Dilemma by Nana Malone is giving rich girl realness meets cultural crossroads. It follows Ofosua Addo, a fierce Ghanaian American heiress who’s got it all—except clarity when it comes to matters of the heart. One glittering night at a publishing party, she collides with Cole Drake—hello, swoon—and the sparks are instant. But with an arranged marriage looming over her like a cloud of kente and expectations, Ofosua’s got some big decisions to make. Love or legacy? Tradition or her truth?

This book snapped! From laugh-out-loud moments that felt way too real, to scenes that tugged every heartstring I’ve got, Gold Coast Dilemma brings the drama, the culture, and the feels. Ofosua’s journey is all about love, identity, and breaking free in the boldest way.

Best believe I’ll be snatching up a physical copy when it drops in April 2025. This one’s a cultural gem, period.

Ofosua is such a strong character and I love how she stood up for herself and knew her worth. She wanted Cole so badly but she wasn't going to make him earn her, as he should. The thing is that I don't know how much I like him. It felt like she had to do a lot of teaching to him and it didn't seem like he was dropping his friend that was horrible so. But I do still like the two of them together.

I received an arc from valentine pr.

This review contains spoilers.

Liked:
-Ofosua. What an MC. I hoped for her, felt for her, and cheered for her. Full stop.
-The portrayal of Ghanaian culture, both elements specific to wealth and not. It was detailed and immersive and gave such depth to Ofosua’s character. I can’t overstate this enough - this really made this book stand out to me and made me want to keep reading. I really liked how a specific term would be used and then seamlessly it would be explained without feeling forced. It was lovely how Cole enjoyed so much of it, how Ofosua could feel seen in this way.
-The experience, shared through Ofosua, of being Black in America, even protected by wealth. Notable things include being hyperconscious of being seen as Angry, the *constant* microaggressions, and the often misunderstood difference between Black and African-American and African identities.
-The plot around the imprint and the opportunity Ofosua had to make a difference, and how it was so wound up in internal politics of performative vs transformative action - plus hearing about all the different writers made me want to read those books too!
-How awful and overbearing and yet relatable and nuanced her mom was - it really gave a face to the pressure that Ofosua labored under her whole life. I found myself SO stressed every time Ofos tried to speak up for herself and just got absolutely steamrolled. The early scene in the hospital after the wedding oh my GOD. So impactful. I really rooted for Ofosua every time they interacted. Pretty much every scene with Helen was just brilliant.
-Aunt Ruby saving the day and Uncle Steven getting his much-deserved comeuppance!!
-Perfect epilogue is perfect.

Disliked:
-That this book was all over the place pacing wise. Scenes that took way too long, too many short scenes all bundled together that reduced the emotional impact, not enough description at certain moments and too much at others. Another round of edits would take care of this probably.
-Obviously this was an ARC, but there were some basic errors that hopefully will be edited out. Missing words, extra words, repeated phrases, timelines for events that didn’t match up, etc. It’s not egregious but a noticeable enough handful to comment on.
-The descriptions of sexual desire. Oh mylanta I cringed SO HARD. I can’t believe I had to read the word “dickmatized” (dick-hypnotized) with my own two eyes. Also “whiskey-colored eyes” please nooooo. “Cole was carrying around a cannon in his tuxedo trousers.” NOOOOOOO. Refering to his of course massive dick as “he” NOOOOOOOOOOOO. “His familiar voice burning me deep in my womb” I can’t keep saying it ok.
- We got little hints of Cole’s personality - his pride in his sense of fashion, his indignance at the microaggressions he begins to actually see, his desire to make real change - but very little about that wove together into something with emotional impact - especially his backstory fell totally flat for me. We don’t really understand how he’s feeling except total lust and how amazing he thinks Ofos is. The scenes with Ofos’ mother are the closest it got with him for me.

Wanted more:
-I wish that the romance could have been given more room to breathe. Small moments turned tense with potential - important in any romance, but every one in this story felt so forced and hypersexualized (and I like spicy content generally). Like them accidentally falling together and “almost kissing” during the crowded bar happy hour? No no no. So awkward. More moments to savor and squeal over that felt authentic and like it really mattered that these two wanted each other.
-More emotional depth to certain scenes and more humor or lightness in others. Most of it felt sort of same-toned, with a few notable exceptions, which again could be helped with some good editing and more emotive writing.
-More on good mental healthcare and not just having magic dick fix everything lol, I wouldn’t have minded it except Ofosua’s panic attacks were set up so strongly as an important thing early on and then that all sort of petered off into nowhere.

While the romance fell flat for me, and I wanted it to be a better paced and edited story, the other elements of this were very good and I kept being drawn into the plot. I could see myself giving subsequent books by this author a chance at least and I would probably still recommend this one for a fun read.

This book is an emotional rollercoaster that beautifully explores the complexities of love across cultural divides. What stood out most was how well Malone portrayed the cultural differences and family biases that kept Ofosua and Cole’s worlds from effortlessly blending. It’s not just a romance, it's a bold and thoughtful exploration of love’s power to push through the walls built by family expectations, cultural identity, and past wounds. I love how their different backgrounds weren’t glossed over and that you can feel the tension from navigating their two worlds, oozing off the pages. Their journey through their families' judgments and assumptions felt real, messy, and raw. It made their journey to understanding each other that much more meaningful.

What will really win you over is Ofosua’s courage to love. She had every reason to protect herself, especially with someone like Cole, who a relationship with could easily break her. Her decision to open herself up to love again was nothing short of brave. She was vulnerable but not weak. Her strength and willingness to believe in something bigger than her fears are inspiring.

This book has characters that you'll be thinking of well after the final page and will leave you with that warm, tingly feeling!

Overall feelings: One of my first thoughts in the first few pages was "why is this FMC wearing La Perla? She's an intern! Oh wait... I just read the word trust fund. There it is." We've got a rich FMC who is working her way up the ladder? Yes. Please.

I really, really liked this book. It was a "I'm having trouble putting this down so I can do adult responsibilities" book. I adored that not only was this book a fun, yearning-filled romance set in the literary world but it also highlighted and taught about the hardships black women to-this-freakin-day have to deal with on a daily basis at work. I really hope that people read this and be filled with learning not just lust. But I imagine they will do both. I really enjoyed the author's humor, symbolism, and pacing.

I loved the mix of traditional quotes and quotes of the main character's mother and father at the start of each chapter. There were just enough to give a hint about what was going to happen in the chapter without giving away the whole plot. I despise chapter titles that essentially give away everything that's about to happen. I liked the pacing, loved the banter, and how those two combined meant that by the time we got to the spice my kindle note was "Jesus...". The build up to the spice and the spice itself was top shelf. As someone who lives in a neighborhood mentioned in the book I even got a few good NYC chuckles out of the book. The mention of a sad Trader Joe's hummus platter at a work event really hit home.

This was almost a 5 star book for me. I'd say it's a 4.75. The only notes I had were that I kind of wish the final chapter didn't happen. It seemed unnecessary and the pretty big "revelation" in the end didn't add enough to the story for it to be there in my opinion. I think if it had been put in a few chapters before the end and had been given a bit more time and reflection it could have been a good addition. However, as it is instead of leaving the book thinking about the banter and the lessons the book focuses on, I was left thinking about characters that aren't even main characters and wondering why that was necessary. I wanted to be left with how great this book was, not wondering why that last bit was necessary and how it could have been handled differently.

In the end I adored this book and will recommend. Here are some of my favorite non-spoilery quotes to give an idea of why I loved it.

You can do this. Don't be a ballsack.
I'm not hard, Mum. I have self-respect.
"News flash, you more than like me," I said with a wink.
You're seeing things now. Be better. Fix them. Don't wait for me to tell you. Now that you see, do something about it.
Adinkra Saying (Odo Nnyew Fie Kwan) Love does not lose its way home.


What made my weirdo heart happy: Book nerd banter.

Will I read more books by this author?: Yes. Absolutely.

Would I recommend this book to a friend?: Yes!

Light and fun enemies to lovers, set in the publishing industry. Also features family drama and Ghanaian- American culture, though to a lesser degree than I was expecting based on the blurb. This would be a great read for spring evenings on the porch or a beach vacation. 4⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

I like that this author's work is usually a smooth, easy read that keeps me fully engaged—a one-sitting, start-to-finish read. This particular book had my emotions all over the place.

I enjoyed the view into the publishing world. It was more in-depth than the same theme I have encountered in other books. I liked the banter between Ofosua and Cole. I thought their back-and-forth emails were witty and humorous. I liked the relationship Ofosua had with her cousin Kukua. I enjoyed all of the information about the Ghanaian culture. I respected that there seemed to be some similarities between the Ghanaian culture and Black American culture, which can often feel rootless.

On the other hand, although I appreciated the acknowledgment of the microaggressions Ofosua endured, reading about them gave me no joy as they are something I live with daily. Ofosua's overbearing mother was too much. I have seen it. Her attitude and treatment of people took some of the pleasure away from reading, even while understanding the need for her to be an integral part of the story. Overbearing, controlling characters don't work for me in any book unless they and their behavior are firmly shut down at some point in the book. Cole's uncle was another unbearable yet familiar character.

The prologue had me fully engaged. Then, Chapter 1 had me feeling off-kilter. Did I miss something? I went back to re-read, feeling like I overlooked chapters or that they were missing from the book. I felt the flow of the book was choppy and dragged at many points. I thought this was supposed to be a romance, but felt that the romance between Ofosua and Cole was not allowed to flow. Maybe there was just too much going on in this book.

Despite having mixed feelings, the book had its moments. While it proved challenging for me to complete, I believe it was definitely worth the read. I would recommend it to read and the reader form a personal opinion.

3⭐

LIKED:
- The representation of Ghanaian culture, especially in a contemporary romance was so great to see. It’s not a culture that gets enough time in the spotlight in the genre especially.
- I liked Ofosua and Cole (albeit separately) as MCs. They each had their goals and they made sense and I didn’t feel frustrated when it swapped from one POV to the other.
- The first few chapters of this book are fun. They really suck you in and make you want to keep reading. The prologue of the two meeting and then the wedding were by far the most engaging parts of the book to me.
- I like the cover. The cheekiness of the cocked brow, the skyline of NYC in the background, the colors, they’re all really eye catching.

LAMENTED:
- This book’s pacing is a mess. I kept shocking myself whenever I’d check the percentage at the bottom of my kindle that I wasn’t progressing faster because it felt like both so much was happening and also nothing had happened. It was odd. Like the dates that Ofosua had to go on also just ended up filling like filler in many ways because they were just padding out around the already main storylines of the romance and the imprint. There was also both not enough and too much time spent on the imprint storyline and it detracted from more time spent on the romance.
- The romance was very lacking to me. We get so little time on the page of the two characters talking together and understanding what they liked about each other besides mutual lust. Especially Ofosua liking Cole, I never really understood that side. It was disappointing because I could understand how they could come to like each other, but we just never got to actually witness that growth.
- I did not like that there were 2-3 separate quotes at the start of every chapter. It was too much. It felt like a “pick a line” moment. Just pick one.
- The side characters in this story are pretty obnoxious and feel ungrounded in many ways, apart from maybe Ofosua’s mom who was overbearing, yes, but her intentions and decisions felt understandable. The roommates were all kind of caricature-y and the coworkers just all blended together.
- There are a lot of microaggressions in this book that are, yes, part of the story. But then there are a few that…aren’t? Like a few times Ofosua had microaggressive thoughts about characters that were still POC but she viewed as beneath her. I did not enjoy that. Especially since it was never viewed later on or at any point as a bad thing.

LONGED FOR:
- More time spent on the romance or at least more time spent with the characters actually spending time with each other.
- Better pacing that made it a smoother reading experience.
- More grounded side characters.

Will I read the next one? : Maybe? This one was a bit clunky for me.

Ofosua and Cole meet one night at a party but she never hears from him again. Ofosua loves everything about her Ghanian culture and is poised to have a big beautiful wedding to someone she has been dating for a few years. Things do not go to plan and Ofosua and her family are left dealing with the embarrassment. When Cole re-enters her life, she has to figure out how he fits into her story.

This is a cute romance with very complicated family relationships and embracing differences in culture. I love the chemistry between Ofosua and Cole, it is so palpable. Ofosua also has fantastic friends and the characters really make this book for me. I feel like the end dragged on a little bit which is why I give it 4 stars instead of 5.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book is about a Ghanaian heiress and her stressful and complicated love life. At a publishing party, she meets the charming and handsome Cole Drake. They share a connection and a kiss that she can't stop thinking about . Two years later at her tradition wedding , she discover he is her boss nephew ! Forced to work together for a project, Ofosua and Cole learned more about themselves outside the family and the societal pressures they both had to endure. I enjoy learning more about Ghanaian culture especially the food, fashion, etc. from the author. And I enjoyed the banter between ofosua and Cole, it was very entertaining to read.

I saw another of my favorite authors promoting this book and I had to request it.T
his romance is about Ofosua Addo, a Ghanaian American heiress torn between tradition and love.  We get to learn about Ghanaian culture and traditions. Ofosua navigates how to balance between love, tradition, and self-discovery.
Things I enjoyed: dialogue, banter, chemistry, self-discovery, FMC choosing herself and love over what her mother wanted. 
Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. It kept me engaged and it only took a few days to read. I think this is going to be a good book club option for several clubs. I plan recommending to my book friends and I look forward to reading more by this author.

If you can expertly dodge the millions of microaggressions thrown into this story, there really is a good love story between the two love interests. The side characters were downright insufferable but I liked the fact that this took place inside of the publishing industry. Both characters were really well developed but their love story took a backseat to all the other corporate shenanigans mixed with a typical overbearing stubborn mother. Loved reading about Ghanian culture tho.

Ofosua is a heroine who immediately resonates: a dedicated professional, fiercely proud yet refreshingly vulnerable. I was captivated by her journey through the publishing industry and her unwavering passion for books. Even as she navigates her mother's disapproval, Ofosua remains determined to forge her own path. Following a disastrous wedding and serendipitous reunion with a mysterious stranger, she must summon all her inner strength to redefine her future. 'Gold Coast Dilemma' is a celebration of powerful female friendships and resilience, anchored by a romance that triumphantly overcomes numerous obstacles. The author's exceptional writing and character-driven plot made this story truly immersive. And, as a delightful bonus, the vivid descriptions of Ghanaian cuisine left me craving every dish. If you seek a beautifully crafted romance with characters who will steal your heart, 'Gold Coast Dilemma' is an absolute must-read.

Thankful to have been given the ARC to read. This was so cute! 😍 I love that it highlighted some serious subjects that people still face today such as microaggressions. But at the same time she made this book fun and vibrant especially with the love story. Oh and honey, the spice was perfect 👌🏾

I really, really enjoyed this book! Ofosua & Cole’s banter is highly entertaining. This story is very different than most Nana Malone books. It’s much lighter (probably because it’s not romantic suspense). It also wasn’t as spicy as her other books until you get to about 70% through and then POW! Ghost pepper level spicy! I liked both styles very much but maybe this style a little better! I definitely recommend adding this to your TBR list!

This is one of those romance novels that is about the characters and I just love that! Yes, make me care for these people that I am reading about. Make them interesting and fascinating and complicated.

I really like the quotes at the beginning of the chapter, I thought that was a quick and simple way to add some humor and personality to the style of storytelling.

Overall, I had a good time reading this book about a Ghanaian heiress and her stressful and complicated love life. I did find the pacing a bit off at times though. I felt like the characters were really focused on, but it was more so about who they are separately and not so much who they are together. (They were apart more than they are together is a simpler way of saying that.)

And this is a drama-filled book, this girl is complicated! She's got a lot going on!

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review! My Goodreads review is up and my TikTok (Zoe_Lipman) review will be up at the end of the month with my monthly reading wrap-up.