Ankara Press Debuts 6 African Romance Novels That are Better Than Mills & Boon

Step aside Mills and Boon. Ankara Press is here! The new and hip romance story imprint that’s had African literary Twitter buzzing for weeks is worth every beam of spotlight it’s enjoying at the moment.

All six debut titles are high-quality, absorbing, and easy-to-read African love stories set in cities as diverse as Lagos, Cape Town, and Jos.

I’ve read three out of the six titles rolled out on December 15th and can say, with the authority and the know-how of a literary blogger, that these purse-size novellas will be a literary obsession in 2015.

These are the kinds of novels I like to call literary small-chops. They’re short and accessible on mobiles or tablets, so they’ll go anywhere your purse goes. But they are also such fun to read and can—word of warning—be addicting.

Best part is, you won’t break your bank trying to read them all since the publisher is still running a promo that gets you any of the six titles for less than 500 Naira (3 dollars).

Honestly, it’s fun, refreshing, and such a relief to see men and women play at the game of love the African way—the setting is familiar, the dialogues are familiar, the “toasting” style is familiar, and, most of all, the drama is legit. Even the sex scenes make sense. *wink*

Enjoy my sizzling synopsis of all six novels: and head on to Ankarapress.com to make your pick.

1. In Chioma Iwunze-Ibiam’s Finding Love Again, jilted bride and radio broadcaster, Kambi, has literally fled to the poetic solitude of Obudu Ranch, where she hopes to finish writing her poetry collection. But love comes looking for her in the form of a handsome, olive-skinned secret from her past.

2. Oyindamola Affinih’s Lagos story titled A Tailor-Made Romance is an urban fairy tale starring Tishe, a beautiful advertising executive, and Adnan, a Mushin tailor.

3. Sifa Gowon’s A Taste of Love is a love story built around the erotic power of food. Let’s just say the love affair between Adoo, a Jos-based cake maker and Toby, a successful club manager, happens somewhere between a delicious pizza and a suspicious cheese cake.

4. Amara Okolo’s Black Sparkle Romance pits Mira, a magazine editor, and Dominic, a high-profile fashion photographer, in an elusive and beautiful tussle of love.

5. Ola Awonubi ‘s Love’s Persuasion proofs that accountants don’t just bleed numbers and ledgers. They can fall in love!—as Ada Okafor proves only too well when she finds herself entangled in an office romance with a dashing British-trained assistant manager at the Lagos firm, City Finance.

6. Amina Thula’s Cape Town romance titled Elevator Kiss, features a hero and heroine who break all the rules of romance when, as perfect strangers, they kiss on their first encounter. This sets off a roller coaster ride of the most passionate love affair.

Learn more: ankarapress.com