If I Ruled the World

Earlier this year, Amy DuBois Barnett released her debut novel, If I Ruled the World. Set mainly between 1999 and 2001, it follows Nikki Rose in her career in magazines. Despite just getting a promotion at a prominent fashion magazine, Nikki wants to work somewhere that uplifts Black people, so she makes the risky move to become the editor in chief at a new, urban-focused magazine called Sugar. But she only has a six-month trial to turn the publication around, and with Nikki’s past haunting her, she has an uphill battle trying to make this a success. Between romantic entanglements, career stress, and an aim for her own empowerment, Nikki will learn if she has what it takes in the cutthroat world of print media.

What I Liked:

• A deep dive into journalism. When I was a teenager in the 2000s, I loved magazines and envisioned having a career much like Nikki’s here. It didn’t work out for me, but I loved getting insights into the media world in this novel. Nikki starts off at a music publication, but after her affair with her boss Alonzo ends, she’s shuffled to a fashion magazine before moving to the new hip-hop magazine, Sugar, as editor in chief. From picking who to feature on the cover each month, to getting the team to work together harmoniously, to writing her personal editor’s notes, it was thrilling to see how much goes into each month’s issue.
• Dealing with racism in the workplace. One of the most important themes here is racism in the media world. The fashion magazine says, in no uncertain terms, that a Black person cannot appear on their cover. The team doesn’t value Nikki’s contributions or perspective. But when she moves to Sugar, assuming she’ll fit in better, Nikki is faced with another form of othering due to her biracial identity and toned-down style. Nikki is frequently caught between trying to prove she’s Black enough and trying shine a light on the people and music she loves.
• Overcoming sexual coercion and assault. Content warnings for anyone who needs it! Because If I Ruled the World spends a good amount of time dealing with men who expect sex from women, who don’t accept the word “no,” and who are willing to enact revenge on their victims. One piece Nikki writes changes her whole perspective on her own past, and it’s a powerful moment for her own character growth.
• What’s right vs. what’s right for your career. Nikki is asked to go against her own values, but will she stick to her principles or do what keeps her job? Between the three bosses she works for, I have little love for any of them and little respect for how they expect Nikki to work. Nikki seems naive at times, but she knows her own mind, and her stubbornness will either make or break her time at Sugar.
• Late 1990s and early 2000s culture. I loved getting transported back in time to the turn of the century. This book is full of the kind of pop culture, and especially music culture, that felt so vivid 25+ years ago. Nikki particularly loves music, from rap and R&B to alternative rock and singer-songwriter.

Audiobook:

Kristolyn Lloyd lends excellent narration to If I Ruled the World. Her voice is engaging, and I enjoy the subtle accents she gives the characters; it makes them feel more real. This was a well produced audiobook.

Final Thoughts

If I Ruled the World is a perfect book for anyone who loves late ’90s/early 2000s pop culture, an inside look at the magazine world, Black representation in media, and a feminist lens. I enjoyed this book, and am excited to learn it’s in development as a TV series. I’ll certainly be watching that once it’s out, and I look forward to more books from Amy DuBois Barnett.

Special thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book!

Get the Book

You can buy If I Ruled the World here – it’s available as a hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audiobook.

If I Ruled the World by Amy DuBois Barnett
Audiobook Narrator	Kristolyn Lloyd
Audience	Adult
Genre	Historical Fiction; Music Fiction
Setting	New York City
Number of Pages	352
Format I Read	Audiobook (NetGalley ARC)
Original Publication Date	January 27, 2026
Publisher	Flatiron Books

Official Summary

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 TIMES bestselling 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 don’t sell magazines,” she quits to take over Sugar, 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 save Sugar—and her own dreams. As she pulls all-nighters at the office and parties with New York City’s 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 and Sugar. Along the way, Nikki leans on a circle of loyal friends and navigates unexpected romances that force her to reckon with what—and who—she truly wants.

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