By Mariette Williams· Updated December 27, 2022
In January, we published a list of 56 new titles we couldn’t wait to read in 2022 and we’re happy to report this year was a great one for books. Several debut authors delivered standout novels throughout the seasons while more seasoned writers reminded us of their immense talent with their latest releases. There was also no shortage of enthralling celebrity memoirs and even children’s books based on the upbringings of the rich and famous.
If you didn’t get a chance to curl up with every new read we highlighted throughout the year, you’ve still got time. Plus we’re making it easy before the new year by pointing out the seven books that stood out to us the most. From vineyard romances to compelling family dramas, see below for ESSENCE’s picks for the best novels of 2022.
01You Made a Fool of Death With Your BeautyYou Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty is one of those books that sits with you long after you finish it. In the novel, Feyi Adekola is still grieving her husband’s death, not quite ready to navigate the dating scene. With the encouragement of her best friend, Joy, Feyi begins to open herself up to Nasir, who seems perfect on paper. But on a whirlwind trip to the Caribbean, she feels herself being drawn to, and falling hard for someone in Nasir’s family, who is totally off-limits. From the opening pages, Akwaekae Emezi’s vibrant, deeply complex characters will challenge your ideas of what it means to find love and draw you into their messy pursuit of happiness. 
02Hope and GloryIn Jendella Benson’s Hope and Glory, Glory Akindele flies home to London from Los Angeles after the news of her father’s sudden death. She’s tired of pretending that her life in L.A. is glamorous, but things aren’t so great at home either. Glory’s brother is in jail and won’t speak to her because she missed his trial, her sister is trying to uphold the facade of a perfect Nigerian housewife, and after the loss of her husband, her mother is on the verge of another nervous breakdown. Glory decides to stay and try to mend her family’s problems, but discovers a family secret that threatens to drive her family further apart. 
03Drunk on LoveJasmine Guillory consistently delivers entertaining romance novels and in Drunk on Love, her latest title, she does it again. The book features Margot Noble who runs her family’s Napa Valley winery with her brother. One night Margot meets Luke, an out-of-towner with a sweet smile, and needing some relief from her stressful job, the two spend the night together. The book takes a turn when, the next morning, Luke walks in and introduces himself as Margot’s new hire. Needing the additional help, Margot tries to keep things professional, but she feels like she’s fighting a losing battle. Filled with Guillory’s signature steamy scenes and witty dialogue, Drunk on Love is an entertaining love story about ditching plans and taking a chance on love. 
04The Banned Bookshop of Maggie BanksIf you’re a bookworm, you’ll love this charming novel by Shauna Robinson. Set in the small town of Bell River, The Banned Books of Maggie Banks introduces readers to Maggie Banks who has been given one job: take over the Bell River bookstore while her best friend is on maternity leave. But Maggie has other ideas when she sees that the only books offered in the struggling bookstore are classics or books penned by the town’s literary claim to fame, Edward Bell. Wanting to introduce more diverse literature, Maggie gets creative, starting an underground book club and selling books to residents under the table. She also discovers a secret about Edward Bell that could threaten his legacy and the town’s history. In the end, Maggie has to decide which secrets are worth keeping and whose stories matter. 
05The Selfless Act of BreathingIn The Selfless Act of Breathing, Michael Kabango seems to have it all. He works as a school teacher in London and according to his mother, who immigrated from the Congo, is a great success. But not everything is as great it seems. After a painful loss, Michael is left reeling and unsure of how to move forward. Wanting to escape from his problems, he decides to drain his bank account and book a one-way ticket to the U.S. where he plans to spend his last days. In the following chapters, Michael crisscrossed the country from New York to San Francisco in search of someone or someplace that will give him peace. Written in tender, poetic prose, JJ Bola’s novel tackles the importance of conversations of mental health among Black men. 
06wahalaIf you love drama, Wahala is going to be your cup of tea. Nikki May’s debut novel is a cross between Real Housewives and Sex and the City and stars three best friends Ronke, Boo, and Simi –all 30-something-year-old biracial British-Nigerian women. The girls each have their own issues: a stagnant marriage, a boyfriend who doesn’t want to settle down, and a husband who wants kids sooner rather than later. Things get more complicated when Isobel, Simi’s childhood shows up, befriending the girls and sowing seeds of discord. Full of twists and turns, Wahala deals with themes of friendship, family, and knowing who to trust. 
07Black Girls Must Be MagicThe follow-up to Jayne Allen’s Black Girls Must Die Exhausted brings back Tabitha Walker, superstar news anchor, who is now pregnant. Tabitha is feeling the pressure from all sides – the pressure to wear her hair a certain way on air, the pressure to settle down with her on-again off-again boyfriend Marc, and the pressures of being a full time mom with a career. With her two best friends, Laila and Alexis by her side, Tabitha has to figure out what she really wants and not just what other people want for her. Filled with love and humor, Black Girls Must Be Magic explores the issues that modern Black women face trying to balance love, family, and career aspirations. 
TOPICS: Books
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