Shirlene Obuobi

A spectacular novel of family, friendship, and finding your way in life...and in love. Meet Ghanaian-American Angie Appiah. She's spent her life being the Perfect Immigrant Daughter, with her medical school credentials, handsome lawyer boyfriend, and ride or die friends. But what happens when it all starts falling apart at the seams? Her boyfriend dumps her, she bombs the test that will determine her future, and her closest confidante and roommate pulls away, telling Angie she's more wrapped up in herself than in her friends. Angie is crushed. She's always faced her problems by working "twice as hard to get half as far and until now, that's done well for her. When did it all get so complicated? Suddenly, she begins to question everything. Her career choice, her friendships, even why she's attracted to men who don't love her as much as she loves them. And just when things couldn't get more confusing, enter Ricky, brilliant, handsome, thoughtful, sexy, but who has wasteman practically tattooed across his forehead. For someone whose always been in control of everything, Angie realizes that there's one thing she can't plan on: matters of her heart.

On Rotation

"Between Friends & Lovers was an absolute joy to read, with messy, realistic, and deeply lovable characters... Obuobi’s perfect balance of humor and wisdom made this one a true standout.” — Emily Henry, #1 New York Times bestselling author

An influencer, an actor, and a writer navigate the messy ins and outs of friendship and romance in a world where social media demands perfection—or at least the appearance of it—in this swoon-worthy love story for readers of Kennedy Ryan and Carley Fortune.

To her thousands of Instagram followers, Josephine Boateng is the brilliant, dazzling self-love expert, Dr. Jojo. But off-camera, Jo’s grappling with the intense pressures of her career and her love life is nonexistent thanks to an unrequited crush on her best friend, rom-com heartthrob Ezra Adelman.

Then Ezra shows up to his thirtieth birthday party with her childhood bully on his arm—and Jo realizes it’s finally time to take her own advice. Enter Malcom Waters, the world’s newest literary darling. An introvert by nature, he would rather be home than trying to impress execs and celebs at a swanky Hollywood party. Until he bumps into Jo, and the two of them quickly realize their chemistry is too good to ignore.         

But for all three, the line between private and public is as blurred as the one between friendship and love—especially when Ezra decides he might want something more with Jo. The question is, can any of them risk defining those lines to create something real?

A Novel

Between Friends and Lovers

ONE OF TEEN VOGUE'S "25 BOOKS BY BLACK AUTHORS THEY CAN'T WAIT TO READ THIS YEAR" ONE OF BETCHES' "22 BOOKS YOU NEED TO READ THIS YEAR" "As a fan of Grey’s Anatomy (and Chicago Med!), I couldn’t put down On Rotation, and you won’t be able to, either. Shirlene Obuobi makes you feel as if you’re actually right there with the lovable Angie, and I personally couldn’t get enough." —Meg Cabot, New York Times bestselling author For fans of Grey’s Anatomy and Seven Days in June, this dazzling debut novel by Shirlene Obuobi explores that time in your life when you must decide what you want, how to get it, & who you are, all while navigating love, friendship, and the realization that the path you’re traveling is going to be a bumpy ride. Ghanaian-American Angela Appiah has checked off all the boxes for the “Perfect Immigrant Daughter.” Enroll in an elite medical school Snag a suitable lawyer/doctor/engineer boyfriend Surround self with a gaggle of successful and/or loyal friends But then it quickly all falls apart: her boyfriend dumps her, she bombs the most important exam of her medical career, and her best friend pulls away. And her parents, whose approval seems to hinge on how closely she follows the path they chose, are a lot less proud of their daughter. It’s a quarter life crisis of epic proportions. Angie, who has always faced her problems by working “twice as hard to get half as far,” is at a loss. Suddenly, she begins to question everything: her career choice, her friendships, even why she's attracted to men who don't love her as much as she loves them. And just when things couldn’t get more complicated, enter Ricky Gutierrez— brilliant, thoughtful, sexy, and most importantly, seems to see Angie for who she is instead of what she can represent. Unfortunately, he’s also got “wasteman” practically tattooed across his forehead, and Angie’s done chasing mirages of men. Or so she thinks. For someone who’s always been in control, Angie realizes that there’s one thing she can’t plan on: matters of her heart.

"Between Friends & Lovers was an absolute joy to read, with messy, realistic, and deeply lovable characters... Obuobi’s perfect balance of humor and wisdom made this one a true standout.” — Emily Henry, #1 New York Times bestselling author An influencer, an actor, and a writer navigate the messy ins and outs of friendship and romance in a world where social media demands perfection—or at least the appearance of it—in this swoon-worthy love story for readers of Kennedy Ryan and Carley Fortune. To her thousands of Instagram followers, Josephine Boateng is the brilliant, dazzling self-love expert, Dr. Jojo. But off-camera, Jo’s grappling with the intense pressures of her career and her love life is nonexistent thanks to an unrequited crush on her best friend, rom-com heartthrob Ezra Adelman. Then Ezra shows up to his thirtieth birthday party with her childhood bully on his arm—and Jo realizes it’s finally time to take her own advice. Enter Malcom Waters, the world’s newest literary darling. An introvert by nature, he would rather be home than trying to impress execs and celebs at a swanky Hollywood party. Until he bumps into Jo, and the two of them quickly realize their chemistry is too good to ignore. But for all three, the line between private and public is as blurred as the one between friendship and love—especially when Ezra decides he might want something more with Jo. The question is, can any of them risk defining those lines to create something real?

Between Friends & Lovers

'As a fan of Grey's Anatomy (and Chicago Med!), I couldn't put down On Rotation, and you won't be able to, either... I personally couldn't get enough' MEG CABOT 'A smart, fun rom-com. What I loved most about the book was the fact that the love interest was just as delightfully flawed and three-dimensional as the heroine, and that made me root for their happy ending all the more' BETH O'LEARY Ghanaian-American Angela Appiah has checked off all the boxes for the 'Perfect Immigrant Daughter': enroll in an elite medical school; snag a suitable lawyer/doctor/engineer boyfriend, and surround herself with a gaggle of successful and/or loyal friends... But when her boyfriend dumps her, her best friend pulls away, and she bombs the most important exam of her medical career, Angie finds herself in the middle of a quarter life crisis of epic proportions. To make matters worse, her parents are suddenly a lot less proud of their daughter, now that she's not following through with the path they chose for her. Just when things couldn't get any more complicated, enter Ricky Gutierrez - brilliant, thoughtful, sexy, and most importantly, seems to see Angie for who she is instead of what she can represent. Unfortunately, he's also got 'wasteman' practically tattooed across his forehead, and Angie's done chasing mirages of men. Or so she thinks... For someone who's always been in control, Angie realizes that there's one thing she can't plan on: matters of her heart. For fans of Grey's Anatomy and Seven Days in June, this dazzling debut novel by Shirlene Obuobi explores that time in your life when you must decide what you want, how to get it, and who you are, all while navigating love, friendship, and the realization that the path you're traveling is going to be a bumpy ride. 'Narrated by a strong lead with an unforgettable voice, On Rotation is an original romance novel bursting with charm, humor and the most loveable characters. I'm besotted with Angie and her posse!' LIZZIE DAMILOLA BLACKBURN, author of Yinka, Where is Your Huzband?

After waking from a frightful nightmare, Abigail Lingston is alarmed to find that she is no longer herself. Her body is no longer under her control, and her mind is now inhabited by another entity, something terrifying and spiteful and heartless. After a tragic accident that leaves her roommate in critical condition and Abigail questioning her own sanity, Abigail finds herself in a new world, Fosha. At first glance, Fosha seems flawless a perfect haven. However, shadowy manifestations of emotion, nicknamed Reefers, haunt its corners and alleyways, terrorizing citizens with feelings that should have died long ago. Only an elite few, guarded with resistance and armed with artificial purifiers called Facultas', can hope to destroy them. Yet the holder of the true, pure Facultas is Fosha's only stranger, and with the burden of an entire world on her shoulders, Abigail is unsure of how to handle the pressure

Shirlene Obuobi

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