If I Ruled the World, Amy DuBois Barnett
If I Ruled the World, Amy DuBois Barnett
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If I Ruled the World
A Novel

Author: Amy DuBois Barnett

Narrator: Kristolyn Lloyd

Unabridged: 11 hr 49 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 01/27/2026

Synopsis

“Narrator Kristolyn Lloyd expertly uses accents, emotional cues, and vocal effects in this vivid audiobook set in 1999.” — Kirkus (Earphones Award Winner)

A fast-paced, 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.

A Macmillan Audio production from Flatiron Books

About Amy DuBois Barnett

An award-winning media executive and author, Amy DuBois Barnett made history as the first Black woman to helm a major mainstream magazine in the US, as editor in chief of Teen People. She also served as editor in chief of Ebony and Honey, and was the deputy editor in chief of Harper’s Bazaar. She has held senior leadership roles at Paramount, Hearst, Disney, Time Inc., and several independently owned media brands. Barnett has a BA from Brown University and an MFA in creative writing from Columbia University. She resides in Los Angeles. If I Ruled the World is her debut novel.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Joyce on November 04, 2025

Barnett creates an inclusive world in this debut novel. The music and magazine scenes are not my world, but I felt like a part of them when reading this book. Nikki, the heorine, grows during the span of this book. One also gets a bit nostalgic for the days of the glossy. Great read.......more

Goodreads review by Karissa on December 12, 2025

Thank you to Flatiron Books for the e-ARC! If you love messy characters who are sometimes unlikable, this book is for you! If I Ruled the World follows Nicole Rose's rise from an anonymous editor at a predominantly white fashion magazine to becoming EIC at Sugar, a lifestyle and music magazine targe......more

Goodreads review by LaCricia on November 28, 2025

This was an interesting story that gave great insight to entertainment media. I love the courage the author displayed through the main character making decisions that weren’t always popular. This is a book that I would read over again. I’m giving four stars because there were times the story lagged......more

Goodreads review by Kristi on December 07, 2025

Loved it! It takes place in the 90’s and the author did an excellent job of taking you back there. The music, the clothes, etc. The book is about a young woman navigating through a tough world full of misogyny, disrespect, harassment and power grabs. She sometimes felt alone when she went along with......more

Goodreads review by M. on December 13, 2025

This was a fun read. It was incredibly nostalgic for me, due to the world of music and magazines, which played a huge role in my life growing up. I could definitely see this being turned into a movie, in fact, as I was reading it, I could see it playing out in my head like a 90s TV show or movie. Tha......more

Quotes

"A young editor navigates the sleek, sexy, and competitive world of late-’90s magazines in Amy DuBois Barnett’s irresistible debut. After reading about fictional Nikki Rose, you’ll want to learn more about Barnett—herself a major voice in media who’s helmed magazines such as Ebony, Honey, and Teen People."
—Bustle

“The novel has serious things to say about Black women’s empowerment while also dishing up plenty of sex, fashion, and friendship. Style, love, and hip hop converge in this lively, likable novel.”
—Kirkus

"Funny, sexy, witty, and full of grit, If I Ruled The World is for anyone who’s spent a lifetime climbing a ladder that keeps adding rungs. This fierce, unputdownable, guilty pleasure of a novel steps back into the uniquely fabulous and ruthless New York hustle at the turn of the century, through the eyes of a real Working Girl and industry insider, when the biggest players moving the needle of culture were grinding for recognition in a society that would rather look away. An utterly intoxicating debut."
—Xochitl Gonzalez, New York Times bestselling author of Olga Dies Dreaming

“I’m always here for 90’s nostalgia, especially of the NYC variety—and Amy Dubois Barnett’s If I Ruled the World scratches the itch. As a major player in the fashion and music scenes of the era, who better than Barnett to weave a world sizzling with such delicious romance, swagger, and intrigue? A sexy, fast-paced ride!”
—Tia Williams, New York Times bestselling author of A Love Song for Ricki Wilde

“If I Ruled the World had me hooked from the very first page. This fascinating story from inside magazine publishing—and the music world—really hits all the right notes: it's meaningful, nostalgic, heartfelt, and resonant.”
—Kate Fagan, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Three Lives of Cate Kay

“With a keen eye and an accomplished voice, Amy DuBois Barnett takes us on a thrilling ride through the high-stakes world of magazine publishing in 1990s New York. At the intersection of fashion and hip-hop, If I Ruled the World captures the glamour, danger, and magic of a defining moment in American culture. An utterly dazzling debut!”
—Robinne Lee, international bestselling author of The Idea of You

"Amy DuBois Barnett’s debut sparkles with drama, scandal, and ’90s New York energy. She powerfully captures a pressure-cooker moment of transition—the messy work of growing past bad choices, squaring ambition with integrity, and holding on to your ride-or-dies. It’s a pitch-perfect depiction of a world I didn’t want to leave."
—Essie Chambers, national bestselling author of Swift River

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