This Seat is Taken

by Semiloore Dare-Atunse

Edidiong Kamla-Akpio is ambitious, sharp, and unapologetic. As one of the fiercest female politicians in the House of Parliament, she knows the odds are already stacked against her. But Edidie is her own best bet, and her ambition will take her exactly where she wants to the Parliament's Chair seat.

There's just one Tejumade Alde-Thomas. Respected, quick, sharp, and Prince Charming, he's the one man who stands in her way. His influence is undeniable, and his presence in the House has made their rivalry legendary, but neither of them is willing to back down.

As the battle for power grows more intense, sacrifice and unexpected moments of passion will shake their beliefs and challenge everything they thought they knew about ambition and love.

The real question Can they both win without losing themselves?

566 pages, Paperback

Published October 21, 2025

Reviews

[Yaralynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been trying to gather my thoughts after reading this hope and I’m still wowed and bedazzled by the sheer talent of Semi. This was an ARC I should have read as far back as September last year but the ‘political’ themes in the book already discouraged me; coupled with school stress, I just abandoned it.

Tell me how I fell in love with this book the moment I started. Even the political themes that discouraged me from reading the book in the first instance were exactly the same things that made the book amazing.

Senator Edidiong! I have never said 'clock it' the insane number of times I said it while reading this book in my life. She is by far one of the strongest FMCs I have read in my life. She didn’t come to play at all. She was fire and ice at the same time. Her character was a character I rooted for, body, soul and mind. The way she didn’t think before putting everyone in their place and the way she stood up for her friends was sincerely heartwarming, even though Eden wasn’t worth it. I still can’t believe that she said those words to Edidie. I was so infuriated. The times she was vulnerable made me realise how much I loved her; I cried when she cried and was moody when things didn’t go her way.

And my man Jumade – not my man, obviously, because the tendencies of Edidie coming out of this book and strangling me are very high so I’m just going to admire him from afar. When I think of Jumade, I think of happiness and confidence altogether. His heart was so good, just too much, and the way he loved Edidie was even more beautiful. Watching the two go from being at each other’s throats to comforting each other with hugs to slow dancing and grinding, gosh, I loved this part. To giving up precious things for each other, the romance was very much romancing, okayyy!

Every character in this book didn’t fill up space; they just did it for me, especially Malachiiiiii. I want a story of Malachiiiiii. Luke, Eden, Adesewa, and Somto, I really don’t hope those two get together.

And the feminism in this book made me think hard and deep. And I’m really proud that Semi wrote this, about how people believe women shouldn’t be in political systems and spaces and how if they try to make headway, they are shut down. I loved the face slapping scenes in this book way too much, Senator Ibrahim getting his ass handed to him, e gbewa! I was seriously inspired to join student politics in my university, but alas, that’s impossible.

Edidie not giving up even when the world seemed against her was one hard lesson I took from this book. I’ve told myself to never give up and chase my dreams, howbeit hard it might seem, no matter how impossible it might seem. This book is a great book, and I loved how everything played out, and this book was a solid 5 stars from me.

I honestly can’t wait to read the other books in this series.

Kudos to you Semi, I strongly believe that the whole world needs to read this book and I believe that soonest they will.

Once again, my apologies for my late review.

[Ihsan M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

RATING:

4.7 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨. (You can round it up if you want to😂😂)

REVIEW:

Now, I have no idea where exactly to start from. I’ve been stalling from writing this because I genuinely have no words to use and describe everything this book is. But here we are at the end of the day.

First of all, kudos to the author, Dare-Atunse Semiloore, for writing a book as beautiful and daring as this! THIS SEAT IS TAKEN is one of a kind really, the first of its kind that I’ve ever seen. Never have I ever read a book with a perfect and real-feeling setting such as this — the university, the IKU parliament, the politics, restaurant, gossip blogs — where a woman takes up so much space UNAPOLOGETICALLY, and I love what I’m seeing! Brooo, I did feel a little bit intimidated by the words used, but it was in a good way, and I found myself on edge, looking forward to the parliament meetings where drama always happens! I mean, who isn’t here for drama?

Next, I’d love to talk about the author’s writing style. It’s so clear and engaging, I promise you wouldn’t be confused on how to go with it. She lays down every single thing simply, and that made the book very easy to flow with.

Now, EDIDIE!!!! Literally everyone’s girl! Just like the blurb describes her, Edidie is that and more — smart and intelligent, even! I was so proud and happy, smiling all through with the way her aura alone commanded respect everywhere she went! Even during the parliament meetings and outside of it, I couldn’t stop myself from crackling IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT whenever she opened her sarcastic, sassy mouth to put those men in their place! She never let ANYONE talk down on her no matter what, and I’d call her the perfect definition of “standing on business.” I also loved the way she refused to bend for anyone — not even her mother — and fought with her dignity and self-respect for her dreams!!!

At first, I’d thought she was like that just for the sake of it. Yk, being a meanie for no good reason, but the more I read and connected with her, the more I actually did understand her motivations and everything that pushed her. And with the way she was so interesting to read, she could be taking the award for being a whole icon. May the audience please clap for our madam speaker?🌝

JUMADE ALDE-THOMAS!!! The man that you are — the charming man that you are! Jeeeez. Now, I’ve always thought I had a thing for “Dominant” men and shii. But the moment I met Jumade, this charming cook and romantic, I just knew he was my type fr!!! The perfect definition of a sweet boy. A supportive boyfriend, and a man who knows how to love his woman well. Eiiiii, did I talk about how much of a perfect slow burn this book was??? This is the most weirdest shii to talk about in the middle of fangirling, but I have to let you all know that I loved the pacing of this book sooo much. I loved the chemistry between the characters, I was literally desperate for their first kiss. Anyways, I love Edidie, but can I have her man?😪

Uh-uh, let’s move to something I actually did enjoy in the book more than real-life romance — FRIENDSHIP!! Especially the one between Edidie and Eden. Typical girl friendships! These girls know how to be girl’s girls, and I love how the book wasn’t mainly centered on romance! It spread light onto other things that ground us in life, and every journey Edidie and Eden’s friendship went through, I certainly loved it. I think it’s best to say I love everything about the book! What I did love more about their friendship, was the knowledge and understanding that even the most of bestest of friends can have issues. What matters more is how it is resolved, and guess who did that even better than I expected😍???

I shall be going back to Edidie because yes, I am obsessed with that woman. Now, I believe we’ve all established the fact that Edidie was an icon for being so humbling and strong-headed towards every single person, including her sweet boy! But what made me relate to her and love her even more was the fact that she showed vulnerability!!! Where she teared up? I FELT HER PAIN. I also loved how she softened up, even the slightest bit, and even admitted to being tired of taking responsibilities! Those moments made her even more human, RELATABLE — again — and not “angry bird.” I love the nickname btw🤏🏽✨. And then despite those moments of sadness, she still rose up! Still excelled, and that alone showed how STRONG she was!

More of a personal preference, but I believe that there should have been more scenes of Jumade, Luke, and Somto talking about other things that didn’t revolve around Edidie. I get it’s a romance book, and ofc the book girlies all want the MMC’s life — or at least most of it — should revolve around the FMC, but scenes where they spoke about life goals — like Edidie and Eden — played games and shii would’ve made them all feel even more grounded. But yeah, they are grounded as they are🫶🏾. (Low-key hoping for Luke aka King of Logic’s book😍!)

All in all, This Seat is Taken is a book that explores the way misogyny has been normalized when it shouldn’t, hence bringing an end to it. It also explores the struggles women go through to achieve their dreams in a male-dominated world, especially where they’re labeled as “too emotional” and “gullible”. And the fact that Edidiong Kamla-Akpio broke through all those, became the first madam speaker, ensured the cycle repeated itself, and didn’t lose herself despite the hurdles that came her way shows that any woman — every woman who has set her heart to — can do the same, and be better. And if Edidie, or anyone even better than her, isn’t an inspiration for women who have been taught so be silent all their lives, then I don’t know anyone who would be.

So yeah, cheers to the female gender standing up for themselves. We will ALWAYS, without a doubt, root for each other. Forever and ever.

I’d love to say thank you to the author once again for writing something as beautiful as this, and yes more ink to your pen. Just like I said in my beta review, I‘ll be saying it again — This Seat is Taken has so much potential to be a best selling book, and I can’t wait to see it get the spotlight it deserves🥹🫶🏾🖤.

For my fellow readers out there, if you’re a proud girl’s person and unapologetic women supporter, this book is for you. If you love seeing the female gender grow, win, and take up space without letting anyone oppress them, then This Seat is Taken is for you. I highly recommend you read it — you’re definitely going to eat it up!

Lastly, I can’t wait to see more of whatever Semi has set out to put up in the world.

[Heph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, so first things first, Semi's writing style is SO clear. Like it's not overwhelmingly polished where you feel like you're reading a textbook, but it's also not too simple either. She just lays everything out so well that it's incredibly easy to understand and flow with the scenes. You're never confused about what's happening or who's speaking, and that made the whole reading experience smooth. I loved that.
IKU as a setting is perfection. Semi describes this elite university, where politics is basically a blood sport, where everyone is rich and ambitious and scheming. The Roundtable restaurant, the Parliament sessions, the different factions and committees, even The Quill (my favourite gossip blog 😂💗). I loved everything! Everything felt lived-in and authentic.
The political stuff never felt boring either, which is impressive because I've read books where parliamentary procedures put me to sleep. But here, every House sitting had DRAMA and stakes.
Now let me talk about EDIDIE. My girlllll!! The number of times I said "CLOCK IT" while reading this book was way too many to count! She made those men feel stupid every single chance she got, and that honestly did it for me. From the very first page I had a grin on my face because she just had everyone in CHECK. She walked into rooms and commanded respect, and she didn't back down from anyone, not Tofunmi or those sexist senators from other universities, not even Jumade when they were beefing. That was peak Icon behavior.
What I loved about Edidie is that she wasn't just fierce for the sake of being fierce. She actually knew her stuff. The girl was terribly intelligent. She was ready to humble everyone, and she also humbled herself; the balance was there! She talked about accountability and she practiced it too, even when it meant humbling herself in front of everyone .I need to read more so I can be as intelligent and articulate as Edidie is.
Jumade was just... chef's kiss. He did a lot of things just because he believed in Edidie; he defended her to those boys at his party, and the way he SPOON-FED her in front of everyone during Parliament Week because she wasn't eating, and then their kiss scenes, argh! I loved that it was a slow burn because when that kiss finally happened, I almost bit my lower lip off. I had to put the book down and take a breath. The man is a romantic, and I need someone to love me the way Jumade loves Edidie.(Semi, help a sister in need 😔)
I refuse to forget Luke, the fortune teller. He was right about everything 😂, and I have my fingers crossed in hopes that he will get his own book!! 💗💗
The humor in this book had me laughing way too much. Semi knows how to balance the serious political drama with genuinely funny moments. You cannot read this book without laughing. You’ll definitely enjoy it.
Also, Eden, that friendship between her and Edidie is EVERYTHING. The chapter where they're lying in bed together talking about their fears and dreams, and Eden's grief made me cry. The way Edidie reassured her that she didn't need to be like anyone else to make an impact was beautiful, that's the kind of friendship everyone needs. They lifted each other up without competition, just pure love and support.
I feel there’s a bigger message underneath everything, though. This book is about a woman fighting to take up space in a place that wasn't designed for her. Every single day Edidie had to prove herself, that she deserved that seat, prove she could handle the pressure, and prove she wasn't "too emotional" or "too aggressive." And she did it. She not only became Speaker, she EXCELLED. She passed more bills than previous sessions; she brought reform, she inspired over 100 girls to apply for Senate positions the next year, and she ensured the next Speaker was also a woman. She rebuilt the whole structure. I am so proud of her.
"This seat is taken, still taken by a woman, and will remain taken by competence." Another Clock, but I was in tears lol. She really changed the game.
If you love character-driven stories with good dialogue, strong heroines who don't apologize for their ambition, and romance that makes your heart do somersaults, please read this book. If you love stories about friendship that feel real, read this book. If you love seeing women WIN and take up space unapologetically, READ THIS BOOK.
This book is a VIBE. Edidie is that girl, Jumade is that man, and Semi is THAT author. Go read it.

[Beloved Dorcas · Rating 5 out of 5]

When a story lingers long after you’ve turned the last page and you find yourself sighing, laughing, and reliving its moments days later ; that’s a sign that you’ve just read a great book.
And that is what Semiloore Dare-Atunse did with This Seat Is Taken, she pulled me right into the world of student politics and made every chapter a ride worth taking.
She weaves ambition, rivalry, and romance with such precision that I couldn’t just get over it — and honestly, at this point, I’m ready to contest for a presidential seat myself. Let nobody stop me abeg😌

As an ARC reader, I went in with high expectations;and still, I was blown away.

Edidiong Kamla-Akpio and Tejumade Ade-Thomas are the very definition of fire and composure.
He’s sharp-edged but charming; fire with polish, a smile that could end debates.
She’s calm, intelligent, and deliberate. Composure💯 Steeze💯

When they share a room, the air shifts. Sarcasm becomes a love language, silence turns into tension dressed in fine clothes, and every argument on point, when they argue everyone keeps quiet,They do it like it’s an Olympic sport and somehow still manage to look good doing it. Calling them a power couple is an understatement.

Another thing that really stood out to me was their friendships.
Despite being leaders and respected voices in the prestigious IKU, Edidie, Jumade, and their friends always show up for one another. Their bond feels genuine full of care and loyalty. It’s the kind of friendship that warms your heart and reminds you that even ambitious people need their tribe.

And just when I thought the story was wrapping up boom! Semiloore said, “No, take more.”
I was fully prepared for the election results to be the end, but she gave us more layers and closure.

I’ve caught myself smiling every time I talk about this book — that’s how much I enjoyed it.

Honestly, can I just wipe my memory clean so I can read it again like it’s the first time?

This Seat Is Taken is an unforgettable rivals-to-lovers, politics-meets-emotion, clean romance masterpiece.

Semiloore Dare-Atunse, you’ve outdone yourself again👏 Well-done.

[Mimi · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’ve ever been tagged an angry feminist, this book recommendation is for you.

This is one of the most creative and unique pieces of Nigerian young adult literature I’ve read in my entire reading experience. The story follows Eddie, an audacious university girl who refuses to accept society’s belief that “politics is for men.” Through her, the author explores gender equality, student politics, and the everyday realities of being a young woman daring to challenge the norms in a patriarchal society.

I love how the author tackles the concept of feminism with such honesty. Many people still think feminism is about hating men. You can’t even use the word feminism without being tagged as one of those “angry women.” But in truth, it’s about demanding respect, equality, and acknowledgment that women are just as capable as men.

I also love how Eddie’s mother, Mrs. Kamala, is used as a character to explore how deeply patriarchy is ingrained in our society, from insisting that “politics is not for women” to asking Eddie to stand up for a boy simply because he’s male. These are the generational beliefs many women still battle against today.

The infusion of romance between Eddie and Jumade is the perfect icing on the cake. Gosh! This is how a proper YA enemies-to-lovers story should be written. The slow-burn buildup between these two gives room for tension, yearning, and real chemistry. Everyone around them could sense how much they liked each other, yet these two stubborn characters kept denying it, and it made me giggle and squeal so badlyyyy.

Even the secondary characters had depth, which made the story world feel rich and complete.

Overall, the plot, character development, pacing, and language were beautifully executed.

If you love stories that explore feminism, student politics, strong heroines, enemies-to-lovers tropes, and slow-burn romance, this book is a perfect recommendation.

An absolute 5⭐️ read for me.

[Precious Pages · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do I have your attention?
I've never read a rival to lovers book like this one before. this book literally had me standing, pacing, and sitting at the same time while reading.
You know the way we have seen that women are always not given the chance to pursue certain goals or take certain positions.. this book is the complete opposite of that
we see the way Edidiong strives to make a name for herself in Ishola Kamara University.
we are taken through her journey, how fearless, bold, and resilient she is.
Now the way they say behind every successful man There's a woman? switch it to behind every successful woman there's a man... The man, Jumade contributed to who and what made Edidiong a force ( I didn't say he made her, I said contributed) how? you might ask... you'll have to read the book to find out.

I love the pace of this book, I love how relatable it is mehn! too relatable in fact! the author's writing style is flawless!

This book shows me that:
when a woman sets her mind to a goal, she achieves it no matter the opposition that comes her way.
It's okay to dream, but you have to be ready to pursue that dream against all odds
Stand for what you believe in and what is right
Lend your voice and be bold about it
Women have been seen as weak for a very long time. It's time to take a stand!
Women can be whoever and whatever they want to be
Women can compete for whatever position or post they want! We'll no longer be shrinked!

Edidiong stood for not just herself but for every woman in that school.
This book touched on a lot of things; ambition, goal, rivalry, power, etc
A Must Read!

[Anuoluwapo Ogunmoroti · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished reading

𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐈𝐬 𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐧
𝘣𝘺
𝐒𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐫e-𝐀𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐞

And my God that book kept me off my seat! Literally and figuratively.
😭😭😭😩😫😩😫😭😭😭

Y’all that book is fire!🔥
No for real, it made me want to combust so many times from the sweet banter between Edidie and Eden to the political war fare between Edidie and jumade. The drama was up to no end in IKU

My favorite part had to be the troupe, rivals to lovers and you can just guess which rivals became lovers. Ahhh!🫠😆😍

The senators, the student body of Ishola-Kamara university and the political they play oh the politics it didn’t have part two. the face that A woman eventually stood as speaker amongt the bias and derogatory remarks of the house. That’s part of the reason why you should get this book, read it, and make noise about it.

You know Ariana Grande song, thank you, next! That song will be playing like a loop in your head once you are doing reading.

This books didn’t come to play and neither did the author.

Oh and by the way this book is a 5star ✨✨✨✨✨
You’ll know why when you read the book too

[Lena · Rating 4 out of 5]

‎I loved the writing style; simple, funny, yet deeply meaningful. The story carries an important lesson about fighting stereotypes and reclaiming your power, even when people underestimate you. The rivals-to-lovers arc was so well done, and don’t get me started on Jumade 😭. That man was gone for her before he even realized it. Always standing by his woman’s side, supporting her voice, loving her strength. Bro didn’t just fall , he dove headfirst until she became the air he breathed 🥹❤️
‎Another thing that stood out to me was how the author explored family expectations. The way people assume you must behave a certain way because of your parents’ status or name. That pressure? So real. I also loved how she showed that even the happiest people sometimes carry the heaviest burdens behind their smiles.

[Victoria Akintayo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omgggggggggggg. This book? All the feels sincerely.
Edidiong is that girl and if unwavering were to be a person, it should be her. And Jumade is just the perfect person to complement her.
Enemies/Rivals will forever be a favourite trope and adding woman in politics was very much needed icing. This book gave me a front row to student politics and what would have been if students had a "student body" making laws them.
In never scene I saw Edidiong, I kept on shouting "that's my girl".
I liked that this book touched on friendship and sisterhood, that there times when our friends support us not because they want to, but because they are expected to.
I super recommend this book to every lover of good books.

[Ala · Rating 3 out of 5]

The storyline itself is really strong, and I enjoyed the female main character’s strong personality and she made the book interesting for me. She really carried the story. My main issue was with the point-of-view execution: the writing switched between 1st person and 2nd person POV, which got confusing. It also is clearly meant to be a dual-POV story between the main characters, but there was no clear structure to the switches. A paragraph could start in one character’s POV and end in the other’s, with no clean break between them. That was frustrating because I wanted to enjoy the story, but the inconsistent POV kept pulling me out of it. I finished the book, but I can’t say I fully enjoyed reading it.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

[Temitope Adeniran · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Seat Is Taken explores themes that border around school politics and the drama that follows such, female in politics and the setbacks and enemies to lovers trope. I liked and enjoyed the drama and a strong FMC, I would love it anytime.
50 chapters and I was entertained all through and didn't lose grip of the story. the plot held me all through.
thank you to the author for the ARC.
this is my honest review.

[Praise Abraham · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel was an exhilarating ride, to say the least. TSIT, book one of the Love and Legislation series, is a one-of-a-kind novel that'll leave you begging for me.

At first I was sceptical if I was going to like a Nigerian story about students politics, especially since the ones I am used to in the real world is all shades of messy. Boy, was I wrong. Who knew political rivals/enemies to lovers trope would become the new favourite trope of the year?
Edidie is a diva! Love that girl and her no-nonsense spirit. Even though she was rock hard on the exterior, she had raw emotions that she wasn't afraid to express.
Jumade... Swoons and sighs.🥹🫠 That boy is the epitome of near perfection, sacrificial love and complete understanding for his peculiar love interest. Gosh, I want my own Jumade. Like, yesterday. That boy did things to my heart. Too bad he is already smitten with Edidie. I'd have claimed him for myself but I don't want to have Edidie murder me. So, no, I'll pass. 😂
The side characters were absolute gems. I want a story for Malachi, and Luke. They too deserve to find their loves. Let's not forget Adesewa and Eden, Edidie's roommate and bestie respectively.

This book made me believe that gender-based discrimination in certain sectors can be overcome. As a lady in a male-dominated field, Architecture, I could soooooo relate with all that Edidie went through.
I was a bawling mess when despite all the odds against her, in the end Edidie came out triumphant.

PS: There was a fair bit of foul language used by characters in the book (it got personally jarring a few times), but I get why it’s there. The story’s set in a world of rich, reckless college kids, and the realism works.

Go grab your e-copy or paperback copy of this amazing book today on Selar and Amazon! Thank me later.😁

[Hassan Ifeoluwa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love love love love this book, if you’ve not read it then you’re missing out a lot.
From the plot to the characters arcs and development everything was superb.
It’s giving girl boss vibes.
I really enjoyed the read.
Girls shouldn’t be afraid to stand up for themselves
And the romance too🤭