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The Finest Things
When Adunni Ojo arrives at a poolside bar one Saturday evening for a date, her life is in order. Final year of uni? Check. A food business gaining traction? Check. A steady boyfriend of six years? Check. Her world is small, stable, and safe, until Tife, her boyfriend shows up late. And a seductive stranger shows up first.
Rotimi Badmus is the kind of man mothers warn their daughters about; wealthy, aloof, burdened by a last name that opens doors but locks him into a life he never chose. When he meets Adunni, he sees something he didn’t know he was looking for. She sees someone she’s sure she doesn’t need. But their connection is disruptive, and impossible to ignore.
As Adunni begins to confront the cracks in her picture-perfect life and Rotimi unearths long-buried family secrets, both must face the painful legacies they’ve inherited and the choices that could set them free.
The Finest Things is a sharp, stirring novel about love that upends expectations, and family ties that refuse to loosen.
Rotimi Badmus is the kind of man mothers warn their daughters about; wealthy, aloof, burdened by a last name that opens doors but locks him into a life he never chose. When he meets Adunni, he sees something he didn’t know he was looking for. She sees someone she’s sure she doesn’t need. But their connection is disruptive, and impossible to ignore.
As Adunni begins to confront the cracks in her picture-perfect life and Rotimi unearths long-buried family secrets, both must face the painful legacies they’ve inherited and the choices that could set them free.
The Finest Things is a sharp, stirring novel about love that upends expectations, and family ties that refuse to loosen.
386 pages, Paperback
Published May 7, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
May 24, 2026
BOOK REVIEW✨📚
Book- The Finest Things by Deborah Kira
This book honestly had me feeling EVERYTHING!!!
I started reading this expecting romance and relationship drama, but somewhere along the way it became a story about insecurity, family wounds, emotional healing, friendship, betrayal, and learning what it actually means to be loved properly.
At the center of it all is Adunni, a final year student trying to build a life for herself while carrying insecurities, unresolved family wounds, and a relationship that honestly should have stressed her less than it did. There were moments where she frustrated me badly but at the same time but I understood her,sometimes when people don’t fully believe they deserve better, they hold onto situations that hurt them longer than they should.
Now Tife… I genuinely have no words for that man because every single time I thought he had reached the peak of nonsense, he somehow unlocked a NEW level. I kept hoping he would redeem himself somehow, but instead I was just sitting there asking myself, “is this boy actually okay??”
There’s Rotimi (My Sweet boy)🥹🤍
Honestly, Rotimi felt like peace after chaos. Soft-spoken, intentional, patient, not perfect but emotionally mature, willing to love loudly without making it feel performative and so reassuring without trying too hard. I loved how he made Adunni feel seen and wanted in ways she wasn’t used to. Their moments together honestly gave me butterflies🥹.
And his family??? Absolutely terrifying!!!
The manipulation, pressure, emotional control stressed me out!! Some scenes had me so emotional because it showed how toxic family expectations can completely shape people’s lives and relationships. Adunni’s relationship with her mother carried so much silence, tension, and unresolved pain, and it added another emotional layer to the story beyond just romance.
I really appreciated the friendships in this book.The girlhood, support, conversations, and loyalty between Adunni and her friends added warmth to the story and balanced out all the emotional tension happening everywhere else.
Another thing that made this book feel special to me was the Yoruba conversations and the Abeokuta setting(yes I’m an Abeokuta girlie🤭). It made everything feel more intimate, familiar, and immersive. Honestly, the atmosphere of the story felt so alive that at some point.
And that ending👀.I wanted more😩.I wasn’t ready to let these characters go yet because I genuinely wanted extra chapters of softness, peace, romance, honeymoon moments.
Deborah books are now auto read for me cos I absolutely enjoyed The Finest Things can’t wait to read every other book she’ll write.
Book- The Finest Things by Deborah Kira
This book honestly had me feeling EVERYTHING!!!
I started reading this expecting romance and relationship drama, but somewhere along the way it became a story about insecurity, family wounds, emotional healing, friendship, betrayal, and learning what it actually means to be loved properly.
At the center of it all is Adunni, a final year student trying to build a life for herself while carrying insecurities, unresolved family wounds, and a relationship that honestly should have stressed her less than it did. There were moments where she frustrated me badly but at the same time but I understood her,sometimes when people don’t fully believe they deserve better, they hold onto situations that hurt them longer than they should.
Now Tife… I genuinely have no words for that man because every single time I thought he had reached the peak of nonsense, he somehow unlocked a NEW level. I kept hoping he would redeem himself somehow, but instead I was just sitting there asking myself, “is this boy actually okay??”
There’s Rotimi (My Sweet boy)🥹🤍
Honestly, Rotimi felt like peace after chaos. Soft-spoken, intentional, patient, not perfect but emotionally mature, willing to love loudly without making it feel performative and so reassuring without trying too hard. I loved how he made Adunni feel seen and wanted in ways she wasn’t used to. Their moments together honestly gave me butterflies🥹.
And his family??? Absolutely terrifying!!!
The manipulation, pressure, emotional control stressed me out!! Some scenes had me so emotional because it showed how toxic family expectations can completely shape people’s lives and relationships. Adunni’s relationship with her mother carried so much silence, tension, and unresolved pain, and it added another emotional layer to the story beyond just romance.
I really appreciated the friendships in this book.The girlhood, support, conversations, and loyalty between Adunni and her friends added warmth to the story and balanced out all the emotional tension happening everywhere else.
Another thing that made this book feel special to me was the Yoruba conversations and the Abeokuta setting(yes I’m an Abeokuta girlie🤭). It made everything feel more intimate, familiar, and immersive. Honestly, the atmosphere of the story felt so alive that at some point.
And that ending👀.I wanted more😩.I wasn’t ready to let these characters go yet because I genuinely wanted extra chapters of softness, peace, romance, honeymoon moments.
Deborah books are now auto read for me cos I absolutely enjoyed The Finest Things can’t wait to read every other book she’ll write.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 25, 2026
This was a fun, cute, entertaining and angsty read.
It starts like this, Rotimi meets Adunni sitting alone at the bar, finds out she has a boyfriend and decides he wants her.
The boyfriend was so useless and terrible to her so I was in full support of her leaving him for Rotimi.
Adunni was dealing with a lot of trauma, insecurities, and it affected her sense of self. I really liked her character, she was relatable at times and I understood her a lot. It was so rewarding to see her later realize she deserves to be loved better.
I love how Rotimi treated, affirmed and worshipped her. He truly adored her and it was easy to tell from him actions. He was patient, loving, kind. Though he wasn’t perfect, he was still the better man for her. He was also carrying a lot of trauma and I actually wanted more depth in it.
This book is a slow burn so when they got together, it was so good and warm and fuzzy. The spice was pretty hot and also sweet and tender.☺️
I do wish they didn’t spend so much time apart during their conflict(s) though and we got more depth in terms of healing.
It did got a little soapy towards the third act but it was still an interesting read.
I totally recommend.👌🏾
It starts like this, Rotimi meets Adunni sitting alone at the bar, finds out she has a boyfriend and decides he wants her.
The boyfriend was so useless and terrible to her so I was in full support of her leaving him for Rotimi.
Adunni was dealing with a lot of trauma, insecurities, and it affected her sense of self. I really liked her character, she was relatable at times and I understood her a lot. It was so rewarding to see her later realize she deserves to be loved better.
I love how Rotimi treated, affirmed and worshipped her. He truly adored her and it was easy to tell from him actions. He was patient, loving, kind. Though he wasn’t perfect, he was still the better man for her. He was also carrying a lot of trauma and I actually wanted more depth in it.
This book is a slow burn so when they got together, it was so good and warm and fuzzy. The spice was pretty hot and also sweet and tender.☺️
I do wish they didn’t spend so much time apart during their conflict(s) though and we got more depth in terms of healing.
It did got a little soapy towards the third act but it was still an interesting read.
I totally recommend.👌🏾
May 25, 2026
This is the first time in a long while that I’ve reread the same book just a few days apart.
The Finest Things by Deborah Kira is an emotionally layered slow burn romance novel that surprised me in the best way. Let’s get into it.
The first time Adunni meets Rotimi, she thinks he’s arrogant and rude and she is right to think that because what kind of man still asks you to spend the night with him after you’ve made it clear that you’re waiting for your man.
At first, I thought this would be a typical ‘two men fighting over one woman’ story but I was wrong.
On the surface Adunni’s life seems stable: a final year student who owns a small catering business and a boyfriend who has finally gotten his breakthrough. But, beneath all of that is a woman craving love, battling insecurities thanks to the idiot she calls a boyfriend and settling for less.
There were moments when she frustrated me with her decisions but there were also times I felt for her because she deserved so much better.
Rotimi’s behaviour at the beginning was questionable but as the story unfolded, he became my favourite character.
My heart broke for him once I got insight into his backstory and I rooted for him. My baby was surrounded by sharks disguised as family.
And when it came to Adunni, I loved how he showed up for her in ways the madman she was dating didn’t, even when falling for her was never part of the plan.
What I Loved
- The chemistry between Rotimi and Adunni was top tier. The tension wasn’t just physical, it was in the way Rotimi noticed Adunni in ways her boyfriend never did.
- Adunni’s friendship circle. Rita was my favourite.
- Even without the spice, the plot still stands strong.
- How the story highlighted that years invested in a relationship mean nothing if the person is trash.
- The exploration of toxic family dynamics and generational trauma.
- The pacing and the structure. I loved that the story focused heavily on Adunni first before gradually revealing the deeper layers of Rotimi’s story which I believe is brilliant because it made everything flow seamlessly.
Side note:
😡 The B in Bastard and Bloody Fool is for Tife. The amount of times that guy moved mad, I wanted to knock his lights out.
😒 The D in Diabolical is for Seyi.
🫠 Award for waste of space goes to Rotimi’s dad.
🌚 Best in wickedness goes to the entire Badmus family and their leader was Rotimi’s step mum. The devil lives in that woman.
Asides from a few minor editing mistakes, I had no issues.
Overall, this is one of the best romance novels I have read this year and I already know this won’t be my last reread. I like what I like 🤭. Definitely worth checking out and I look forward to reading more of Deborah’s work.
Also if this ever gets turned into an audiobook, for the love of good please cast the right narrators to do it.
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
📚Themes
Toxic family dynamics
Generational Trauma
Emotional neglect
Love and Healing
Insecurity and self-worth
Identity and self-discovery
Family expectations
Body shaming
Wealth and power imbalance
The Finest Things by Deborah Kira is an emotionally layered slow burn romance novel that surprised me in the best way. Let’s get into it.
The first time Adunni meets Rotimi, she thinks he’s arrogant and rude and she is right to think that because what kind of man still asks you to spend the night with him after you’ve made it clear that you’re waiting for your man.
At first, I thought this would be a typical ‘two men fighting over one woman’ story but I was wrong.
On the surface Adunni’s life seems stable: a final year student who owns a small catering business and a boyfriend who has finally gotten his breakthrough. But, beneath all of that is a woman craving love, battling insecurities thanks to the idiot she calls a boyfriend and settling for less.
There were moments when she frustrated me with her decisions but there were also times I felt for her because she deserved so much better.
Rotimi’s behaviour at the beginning was questionable but as the story unfolded, he became my favourite character.
My heart broke for him once I got insight into his backstory and I rooted for him. My baby was surrounded by sharks disguised as family.
And when it came to Adunni, I loved how he showed up for her in ways the madman she was dating didn’t, even when falling for her was never part of the plan.
What I Loved
- The chemistry between Rotimi and Adunni was top tier. The tension wasn’t just physical, it was in the way Rotimi noticed Adunni in ways her boyfriend never did.
- Adunni’s friendship circle. Rita was my favourite.
- Even without the spice, the plot still stands strong.
- How the story highlighted that years invested in a relationship mean nothing if the person is trash.
- The exploration of toxic family dynamics and generational trauma.
- The pacing and the structure. I loved that the story focused heavily on Adunni first before gradually revealing the deeper layers of Rotimi’s story which I believe is brilliant because it made everything flow seamlessly.
Side note:
😡 The B in Bastard and Bloody Fool is for Tife. The amount of times that guy moved mad, I wanted to knock his lights out.
😒 The D in Diabolical is for Seyi.
🫠 Award for waste of space goes to Rotimi’s dad.
🌚 Best in wickedness goes to the entire Badmus family and their leader was Rotimi’s step mum. The devil lives in that woman.
Asides from a few minor editing mistakes, I had no issues.
Overall, this is one of the best romance novels I have read this year and I already know this won’t be my last reread. I like what I like 🤭. Definitely worth checking out and I look forward to reading more of Deborah’s work.
Also if this ever gets turned into an audiobook, for the love of good please cast the right narrators to do it.
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
📚Themes
Toxic family dynamics
Generational Trauma
Emotional neglect
Love and Healing
Insecurity and self-worth
Identity and self-discovery
Family expectations
Body shaming
Wealth and power imbalance
May 22, 2026
It was pretty enjoyable. I did enjoy the story and all the plot twists at the end. It felt like I was watching a nollywood YouTube movie and honestly the men in this book were insufferable. A nice read.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews