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If I Ruled the World: A Novel Audiobook
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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
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“A sharp, glossy throwback to 1999 New York…Barnett’s insider industry perspective gives every office power play and party scene a lived-in charge…This is set to be the first can’t-miss page-turner of 2026."?Oprah Daily"A captivating page turner about the New York City golden era of print magazines and hip-hop from an author who lived it."?Essence
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“Narrator Kristolyn Lloyd expertly uses accents, emotional cues, and vocal effects in this vivid audiobook…Lloyd especially shines in standout scenes including a lively call-and-response between a DJ and audience, and a drunken fight in which characters have slurred speech…Winner of the Earphones Award.”
— Kirkus Audiobook Reviews -
“A sharp, glossy throwback to 1999 New York…Barnett’s insider industry perspective gives every office power play and party scene a lived-in charge.”
— Oprah Daily -
“A sharp, glossy throwback to 1999 New York…Barnett’s insider industry perspective gives every office power play and party scene a lived-in charge…This is set to be the first can’t-miss page-turner of 2026."―Oprah Daily"A captivating page turner about the New York City golden era of print magazines and hip-hop from an author who lived it."―Essence
Awards
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Winner of the Earphones Award for Narration
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About Amy DuBois Barnett
Amy DuBois Barnett is an award-winning media executive and author who earned national acclaim as as deputy editor-in-chief of Harper’s Bazaar and particularly editor-in-chief of Honey, Ebony, and Teen People where she made history as the first Black woman to helm a major mainstream US magazine. She has held senior leadership roles at Paramount, Hearst, Disney, Time Inc., and several independently owned media brands. She has a BA degree from Brown University and an MFA in creative writing from Columbia University. If I Ruled the World is her debut novel. Follow her on Instagram, X, and TikTok @amyduboisbarnett.