If I Ruled the World: A Novel [Hardcover]

A MOST ANTICIPATED Book (Oprah Daily, Essence, Bustle, Stylist, Missing Perspectives, and more!)

The first CAN'T MISS page-turner of 2026. Oprah Daily EXCEPTIONAL. Forbes CAPTIVATING. Essence Sizzling...A SEXY, FAST-PACED ride! Tia Williams,NEW YORK TIMESbestselling author

In development as a MAJOR TV SERIES with Hulu!

A juicy debut novel that peeks behind the curtain at the cutthroat world of hip-hop music and the glamorous magazine scene in the late 1990s, written by the ultimate insider

It's 1999, and Nikki Rose is the only Black editor on the staff of a prestigious fashion magazine she once thought would be her ticket to becoming a respected editor in chief. But after being told one too many times by her boss that Black girls dont sell magazines, she quits to take overSugar, a struggling hip hop music and lifestyle magazine with untapped potential.

Thrown into an entirely new world of wealth, decadence, and debauchery, Nikki has just six months to saveSugarand her own dreams. As she pulls all-nighters at the office and parties with New York Citys most influential bad boys, Nikki must prove she has what it takes to lead. But her most dangerous challenge is evading Alonzo Griffin, her very married, very powerful ex-lover and former boss, who is determined to destroy both her andSugar. Along the way, Nikki leans on a circle of loyal friends and navigates unexpected romances that force her to reckon with whatand whoshe truly wants.

If I Ruled the Worldis a smart, utterly immersive journey through one of the most dynamic eras in pop culture historya story of ambition, friendship, love, and finding your own voice.