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Sugar, Spite & Everything Nice: A Valentine's Day Novella
148 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 7, 2026
9 people are currently reading
10 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
February 16, 2026
I’ve read every single Rowdy Rooksy book, and Sugar, Spite, and Everything Nice is easily one of my new favorites, and honestly, one of the best things she’s written so far.
This novella has everything: drama, spice, layered characters, and emotional depth that sneaks up on you. You’ll meet characters you love to hate, characters you hate to love, and some who will have you questioning yourself because you get them even when they’re wrong.
Nyla is such a beautifully real FMC. She’s grounded, intelligent, capable, and successful AND still manages to choose the wrong person. As women, we know how real that is. This story doesn’t shame her for it either. Instead, it shows how even when 70% of the green flags are there, the red ones still matter. And sometimes? Our reactions aren’t perfect, and that’s human.
Then there’s Messiah… whew. He is what I’d call an intentional lover, emotionally and physically. Everything he does feels deliberate, thoughtful, and deeply felt. What makes this even better is the history: Messiah and Zae (Nyla’s brother) are best friends who grew up together. Because of that bond, Messiah has always kept his distance from Nyla and that slow-burn tension adds so much weight to every interaction between them.
The supporting cast is just as strong. Zae is unintentionally hilarious and had me laughing out loud more than once. The things that come out of his mouth are wild and the dialogue overall is sharp, natural, and fantastic.
For a little background: Nyla is the owner of a Dallas bakery called Sweet Remedy, and the bakery itself feels like a character. All of the characters are Black, and not in a surface-level way, they feel authentic, grounded, and culturally real. Nyla dropped out of college to pursue culinary school (against her family’s wishes), and now that her business is thriving, she’s gearing up for the busy Valentine’s season. Life is good. Love feels right.
And then… one phone call changes everything.
Per my review title, this is novella is emotional, sexy, funny, and honest. It’s proof that Rowdy Rooksy continues to grow as a storyteller and if you already love her work, this one will absolutely hit. If you’re new? This is a great place to start.
Highly recommend!
This novella has everything: drama, spice, layered characters, and emotional depth that sneaks up on you. You’ll meet characters you love to hate, characters you hate to love, and some who will have you questioning yourself because you get them even when they’re wrong.
Nyla is such a beautifully real FMC. She’s grounded, intelligent, capable, and successful AND still manages to choose the wrong person. As women, we know how real that is. This story doesn’t shame her for it either. Instead, it shows how even when 70% of the green flags are there, the red ones still matter. And sometimes? Our reactions aren’t perfect, and that’s human.
Then there’s Messiah… whew. He is what I’d call an intentional lover, emotionally and physically. Everything he does feels deliberate, thoughtful, and deeply felt. What makes this even better is the history: Messiah and Zae (Nyla’s brother) are best friends who grew up together. Because of that bond, Messiah has always kept his distance from Nyla and that slow-burn tension adds so much weight to every interaction between them.
The supporting cast is just as strong. Zae is unintentionally hilarious and had me laughing out loud more than once. The things that come out of his mouth are wild and the dialogue overall is sharp, natural, and fantastic.
For a little background: Nyla is the owner of a Dallas bakery called Sweet Remedy, and the bakery itself feels like a character. All of the characters are Black, and not in a surface-level way, they feel authentic, grounded, and culturally real. Nyla dropped out of college to pursue culinary school (against her family’s wishes), and now that her business is thriving, she’s gearing up for the busy Valentine’s season. Life is good. Love feels right.
And then… one phone call changes everything.
Per my review title, this is novella is emotional, sexy, funny, and honest. It’s proof that Rowdy Rooksy continues to grow as a storyteller and if you already love her work, this one will absolutely hit. If you’re new? This is a great place to start.
Highly recommend!
February 28, 2026
Loved it
I saw a similar story on TikTok so I knew I would love this book. Nylah is a baker with a seemingly perfect boyfriend. She finds out he is not perfect and is devastated. Through some dramatic events, she finds herself with her brother’s best friend. But he was so sweet to her and had her back every time. Really enjoyed reading!
I saw a similar story on TikTok so I knew I would love this book. Nylah is a baker with a seemingly perfect boyfriend. She finds out he is not perfect and is devastated. Through some dramatic events, she finds herself with her brother’s best friend. But he was so sweet to her and had her back every time. Really enjoyed reading!
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews