If I Ruled the World

A Novel

By: Amy DuBois Barnett

Narrated by: Kristolyn Lloyd

“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

Critic reviews

"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

The nostalgia

This book brought back so many memories of my freshman year at Howard and the woman empowerment anthems of that era!

I loved it.

I don’t know what else to say. It was such a great story and the narration was amazing as well.

Fantastic!

Loved this book and the narrator so much. I was sad it was ending. Will definitely be on the lookout for this author in the future.

I loved this story, it was an adventurous, delightful and insightful look into a world most of us dream of.

I liked the fashion and historical references to the nineties. And the unwavering love of women and our stories as daughters, friends and lovers. Congratulations on a winner!

Fun insider ride

Great story, def made me miss the nineties of my young adult years! I for sure recommend it🫶🏾