So many books, so little time. Check out these black fiction books released in August 2021.
Kaia Alderson
Grace Steele and Eliza Jones may be from completely different backgrounds, but when it comes to the army, specifically the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC), they are both starting from the same level. Not only will they be among the first class of female officers the army has even seen, they are also the first Black women allowed to serve.
As these courageous women help to form the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, they are dealing with more than just army bureaucracy—everyone is determined to see this experiment fail. For two northern women, learning to navigate their way through the segregated army may be tougher than boot camp. Grace and Eliza know that there is no room for error; they must be more perfect than everyone else.
When they finally make it overseas, to England and then France, Grace and Eliza will at last be able to do their parts for the country they love, whatever the risk to themselves.
Based on the true story of the 6888th Postal Battalion (the Six Triple Eight), Sisters in Arms explores the untold story of what life was like for the only all-Black, female U.S. battalion to be deployed overseas during World War II.
Broken Clocks (audiobook)
Danielle Allen
According to my grandma, a broken clock being right twice a day meant that in any given situation, perfect timing only happens twice.
I fell for William Grayson in a matter of minutes. The connection between us was undeniable, but our timing was off. I was dating someone, and by the time I was single again, he was taken. And a year later, when we finally got together, it was clear that we were soul mates. But circumstances out of our control cut our time short.
We were a little older, a little wiser, when our paths crossed again. I was entering a new phase of independence in both my career and my life. He was growing professionally and moving to a new city. And even though our timing was off, it was still clear that we were soul mates. But for the second time, circumstances out of our control cut our time short. My grandma was a wise woman, but my love life taught me that there’s no such thing as perfect timing.
There’s just timing…. Because nothing is perfect. There’s just right now…. Because tomorrow isn’t promised. For as long as we’d known each other, William and I just wanted to be together. It was as simple and as complicated as that.
Ashley Antoinette
A new baby is on the way for Ethic and Alani, but the stress of her high-risk pregnancy is weighing on the couple heavily. When the routine of their love changes, Alani’s hormones send them on an emotional roller coaster filled with suspicion and miscommunication. With challenges from the children they have already on the horizon and Ethic’s involvement with Nyair’s city council run, things in the Okafor household are in disarray. Glimpse into the everyday life of Ashley Antoinette’s favorite literary family while you wait on the highly anticipated sequel to her hit novel Butterfly.
They’re inviting Ash Army to their baby shower, but expect some bumps along the way. Be sure to RSVP by one-clicking your copy today.
Ayesha Attah
Zainab Sekyi is on a quest to find herself. . .
She’s moving to New York City to pursue her lifelong dream to become an illustrator, but she doesn’t just want to get a job. She’s also on a mission to make enough money to go on a night out, buy a whole bottle of wine (not just a glass) and, most importantly of all, to fall in love.
But as she grows accustomed to the hustle and bustle of city life – with the help of her new roommate Mary Grace, and life-long friend, Densua – she begins to hear the voices of her ancestors in her mind. . .
Could understanding her family’s past hold the key to Zainab’s future?
Nafiza Azad
We are the Wild Ones, and we will not be silenced.
We are girls who have tasted the worst this world can offer. Our story begins with Paheli, who was once betrayed by her mother, sold to a man in exchange for a favor. When Paheli escaped, she ran headlong into Taraana—a boy with stars in his eyes, a boy as battered as she was. He tossed Paheli a box of stars before disappearing. With the stars, Paheli gained access to the Between, a place of pure magic and mystery. Now, Paheli collects girls like us, and we use our magic to travel the world, helping to save other girls from our pain, our scars.
When Taraana reappears, he asks for our help. Dangerous magical forces are chasing him, and they will destroy him to get his powers. We will do everything to save him—if we can. For if Taraana is no longer safe and free, neither are the Wild Ones. And that…is a fate that we refuse to accept. Ever again.
Kema B.
Receptionist Isis Bennett isn’t looking to be boo’d up. Opting out of the complications of love and relationships completely. She’s single, carefree and loving it, and that will never change. Until Freedom Owens steps into her job, challenging the love ‘em and leave ‘em attitude that had always worked for her.
Newly retired, superstar rapper Freedom, is looking for a change of scenery. After dealing with his ex, love is the last thing on his mind. That is, until he walks into A Kiss of Ink and encounters a certain dreadlocked beauty. After their brief interaction he wants to make her his, but there’s just one small hitch to his plans. She doesn’t do rappers.
Isis plans to stay far away from the handsome entertainer. To her he’s a player like all the rest and refuses to let him or anyone play her. When a dare shifts things between them she’s prepared to do what she does best. Leave him right where he’s at.
However, Freedom is determined to prove that he has more to offer than the late night pleasures of their arrangement. He plans to teach her a thing or two about love. Will Isis ever be ready and willing to receive Free Game?
Marcella Bell
At thirty-six, undefeated rodeo champion AJ Garza is supposed to be retiring, not chasing after an all-new closed-circuit rodeo tour with a million-dollar prize. But with the Houston rodeo program that saved him as a wayward teen on the brink of bankruptcy, he’ll compete. And he’ll win.
Enter Lilian Sorrow Island. Raised by her grandparents on the family ranch in Muskogee, Oklahoma, Lil is more a cowboy than city boy AJ will ever be. It shows. She’s not about to let him steal the prize that’ll save her ranch, even if he is breathtakingly magnificent, in pretty much every way going…
This summer, in this bold, uplifting novel, Marcella Bell reminds us that even when it comes to rodeo, romance is the wildest ride of all!
Sheila Bell
“Thicker Than Water” is book #11 in the dynamic, page flipping continuation of the “My Son’s Wife” series. The church drama surrounding the Grahams and the McCoys continues to thicken. Khalil and Xavier are dealing with the turmoil surrounding their individual life choices. Khalil, a newly married pastor moves farther away from his bride when he learns some unsettling news about his First Lady. Xavier is torn between two lovers; well torn between his lover Ian and his mentally ill wife, Pepper. Pepper is fighting to get on the mend so she can reclaim her family. But this can be harder than she thinks.
Pastor Hezekiah McCoy has plenty of new tricks up his sleeve and he uses Minister of Music, Sista Rianna Jamison, to help him settle scores. Will his sneaky tactics work for him or will he start reaping some of the mess he’s sown along the way. Can his brother the ‘unlucky in love’ Pastor Stiles Graham be of help or does he need help to find a love of his own?
Kimberly Brown
“All that glitters, isn’t gold.”
Amina Coltrain always felt like she was born into the wrong family. The lifestyle of the rich and wealthy isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, at least not for Amina. She would gladly trade in her ball gowns, fancy dinners, and arranged marriage for a pair of sweats, movie nights with her best friend, and a man that she can love at her own free will. But having a mother as controlling as Winnie Coltrain proves that even the simplest of dreams don’t come true without a fight. Will she conform to what is expected of her, or does she fight for her right to live a life she chooses?
Gray Porter is a hometown barber whose main concern in life is taking care of his mother and siblings. After his father dies tragically when he is sixteen, he takes it upon himself to fill his shoes. Years later, his mother is dating, and his siblings are almost grown, leaving Gray to finally live life for himself. When he falls for Amina, his world is turned upside down in more ways than one. Will the woman who became the love of his life be the reason he loses everything?
J. Shanee Byers
Uneque Jones has to face the reality that she made a rash decision to let go of Charles, the man she loves. She manages to cope by surrounding herself with friends, work and even a fling. But Charles has a lover, too. He just doesn’t know it yet. Will they be able to withstand the challenges that arise, or will they fail at their second chance?
Pamela Campbell
After receiving the devastating news that changes her life, Brittney rushes to her hometown Atlanta. Once she arrived, she’s filled with grief and fear to face her new reality of life without her sister.
Patrick has lost his close friend and has been lost, searching for hope to get through each day. Patrick and Brittney began to lean on each other in hopes of filling the void they’re feeling. With emotions running haywire, the two develop an unspoken connection that continues to strengthen with each passing day.
Blindsided by unexpected news, Brittney begins to question everything. Undecided between love and loyalty, Patrick has to choose between what his heart wants, or being a good friend.
With love and loyalty on the line, the two have to make a life-altering decision. Los Angeles is home for Brittney, but can Patrick convince her to trust him with her heart and stay in Atlanta?
Shay Davis
After accepting the adulterous ways of her cheating husband for years, Melanie Long is ready to slam the door on that chapter of her life and find what brings her joy-with her soon-to-be-ex’s wallet. Wanting to experience all the things she missed out on in her twenty’s, Melanie’s intentions were to have a space of her own, reconnect with family, and find someone to fulfill her physical needs that have gone neglected for so long. However, getting involved with Warrick Jones may have been more than what she bargained for. Warrick Jones lived a very meticulous life. He had to have control over everything. It was the only way to keep his demons at bay. When it came to Warrick’s physical needs, maintaining control was not up for debate. However, Melanie knocked him off his square with her beauty and smart mouth. Warrick was intrigued by her, and thought he was up for the challenge of making Melanie submit. WARNING: Love After contains mature themes surrounding BDSM.
Stay a Little Longer (audiobook)
Shay Davis
Serena Howard and Blake Russell are two driven individuals with tunnel vision when it comes to their goals. The two meet in Philadelphia, and there’s instant chemistry between them. They date, have fun, and eventually fall for one another.
Will the desire to achieve their goals interfere with their feelings for one another? Will they sever ties, or will their connection be too strong to break?
Hunger
Nicole Falls
Tyson Brooks is hungry.
And all he wants is Troian Taylor on his plate
Kimmie Ferrell
Can Elijah show Melissa he is exactly what the doctor ordered?
Dr. Elijah Grayson isn’t looking forward to presenting at a medical conference. Until a chance meeting provides this cardiothoracic surgeon with the adventure he’s looking for. Spending the week exploring a picturesque French Caribbean island with a beautiful, smart, and intriguing woman reintroduces Elijah to emotions he hasn’t felt in a long time—if ever. Still, navigating a new long-distance relationship and a demanding career is challenging, but he will do anything for the woman who captured his heart.
Melissa Gaines hasn’t stopped thinking about the sexy doctor who helped her check off items on her island bucket list. However, when a job opportunity in a new city brings her face-to-face with Elijah again, Melissa must decide if her deep-rooted fears—thanks to a devastating breakup—outweigh her growing feelings for the handsome surgeon. And maybe he’s the prescription she needs to liven up her life.
K.L. Gilchrist
Chablis Shields, a purple-haired Jesus chick with a line dance addiction, is engaged to marry her church’s most eligible young bachelor, John Gerald. After dodging a drone in an unbelievable proposal, she figures she’ll breeze through six months of planning and celebrations and arrive at the altar Instagram-ready and shining like a black diamond. But the road to marital bliss grows rocky when she discovers her fiancé is far from being a muscular yet picture-perfect Christian. His financial situation isn’t quite what she counted on, but his solution becomes even more difficult to handle. And that future mother-in-love? Well, she isn’t exactly on her side. Meanwhile, trauma from her past complicates her decision-making, and lingering issues from John’s dating history trouble their relationship. With a tight timeline and a village of loved ones waiting for the big day, Chablis must decide: is she ready for a lifetime of sacrifice and commitment?
Sherelle Green
Ever meet a beautiful soul & know that your life has been changed from that encounter?
A rose amongst the thorns. That’s what Creed always referred to me as. We were never supposed to be together. Him and me. Us. My life was cut too short. I wasn’t finished leaving my mark. You think you know my story, but everyone has secrets.
This short story interlude is a pause from the main narrative to insert a piece of information that thematically connects to the Crowne Legacy series.
Sherelle Green
Ever get reacquainted with someone who made you become the hardened person you are?
HIM
She walked into the room like she owned it, demanding that I pay attention before she even voiced a word. When faced with the brown beauty, I almost forgot my number one rule: Trust No One. It’s something I remind myself daily. We all have an addiction and if I’m not careful, she’ll become mine. I can’t afford any distractions right now, especially when my latest obsession has secrets that can do more harm than good.
HER
He has every reason to be uncertain about me and yet, I can’t help but be drawn to him in every way. How he speaks. The way he walks. The fact that all eyes are on him when he’s in their presence. I can’t recall a time in my life when I wasn’t running from something, and not always by choice. I don’t want to crave him like plenty of women already do. He’s a Crowne. We’d never work. So why can’t I seem to remember that fact whenever I’m near him?
Please Note: Throne of a Pharaoh contains sex, violence, and profanity. Before reading this story, it is recommended that you check out the first books in the Crowne Legacy series.
L’Ve Hall
MALCOLM is a successful music mogul worth millions of dollars. Known in the industry for his serious demeanor and multiple women. Living in New York, he encounters Lexi Bell. Her laugh alone made his heart smile. He really likes how she makes him feel. He soon finds himself torn between the world he has known, with all its perks and Lexi, a different world that he has never had. Being that beautiful women are a dime a dozen, how far is he willing to go with Lexi? LEXI is a natural beauty with a successful career in the casino business. With her lucrative career, high rise Las Vegas penthouse, and substantial savings account, she battles with being alone on a daily basis. Meeting the music industry’s most eligible bachelor, Malcolm Styles, known in the industry as “X”, is one that ignites her from the beginning. Will she let loneliness drive her into something she is not ready for or accept a role in his life that still leaves her lonely? Malcolm and Lexi have undeniable chemistry from the start. Can their worlds intertwine and be good for either of them? Who is willing to sacrifice the most and how much will it cost them? The life-threatening blows, past secrets and industry enemies may be the life that is just too much for the both of them.
Linda Leigh Hargrove
Sweet with a little heat. Like the best North Carolina barbeque from back in the day.
He’s all set to pop the question but an old flame and a bossy aunt stand in the way. Is this one rejection too many or can she show him that there is hope at the end of this test of their love?
In this last installment in the 1970s throwback romance series set in small town Carolina, the last Lawrence sister finally says yes.
If you like your sweet Southern romance novels mixed with a little heat then you need to try this story.
The Night Before (audiobook)
Jacinta Howard
Ava couldn’t believe she’d let her best friend talk her into coming to a mind numbing holiday party on the night before Christmas. As Ava counts the minutes before she can leave, all she can think about is how much she wants to snuggle up on the sofa with a crappy holiday movie and drink too much eggnog (with rum). That is, until an old classmate, Elias Young, sits next to her at the party. Elias is way too charming to be any good for her, but fate forces Ava to put that tired theory to the ultimate test. Is it happenstance? Serendipity? Or, is the night before Christmas also the night before everything Ava thinks she knows about love changes for good?
Jordan Ifueko
For the first time, an Empress Redemptor sits on Aritsar’s throne. To appease the sinister spirits of the dead, Tarisai must now anoint a council of her own, coming into her full power as a Raybearer. She must then descend into the Underworld, a sacrifice to end all future atrocities.
Tarisai is determined to survive. Or at least, that’s what she tells her increasingly distant circle of friends. Months into her shaky reign as empress, child spirits haunt her, demanding that she pay for past sins of the empire.
With the lives of her loved ones on the line, assassination attempts from unknown quarters, and a handsome new stranger she can’t quite trust, Tarisai fears the pressure may consume her. But in this finale to the Raybearer duology, Tarisai must learn whether to die for justice…or to live for it.
LeBron James
Jayden Carr has been training all summer to be ready for Hoop Group—the free afterschool basketball program where his hero, NBA superstar Kendrick King, got his start. But when his beloved coach tells him there’s not going to be a Hoop Group this year, Jayden is heartbroken.
And he’s not the only one. Coach Beck’s daughter, Tamika, was planning to be the first girl ever to start for the squad. Chris King, Kendrick’s only nephew, spent the summer bragging that his uncle was coming home just to watch him play. For Anthony Pierson, Hoop Group was supposed to be his way out of trouble. And for Dexter Donyel, all 4’6” of him, Hoop Group was his chance to finally be part of a team, instead of just watching from the stands.
For each kid, Hoop Group was more than just a chance to ball; it was an escape, a dream, a family. Now their prospects seem all but impossible—but then the world hasn’t met Jayden, Tamika, Chris, Anthony, and Dex before. Determined to have their shot, the five new friends scrap, hustle, fight, and play hard to save their season to prove that sometimes a chance is all it takes.
It’s an inspiring, original middle grade story from NBA superstar LeBron James and acclaimed author Andrea Williams that channels the many relatable challenges so many young kids face.
The first step to winning is getting out on the court.
The Love Songs of W.E.B. DuBois
Honoree Fanonne Jeffers
The great scholar, W. E. B. Du Bois, once wrote about the Problem of race in America, and what he called “Double Consciousness,” a sensitivity that every African American possesses in order to survive. Since childhood, Ailey Pearl Garfield has understood Du Bois’s words all too well. Bearing the names of two formidable Black Americans—the revered choreographer Alvin Ailey and her great grandmother Pearl, the descendant of enslaved Georgians and tenant farmers—Ailey carries Du Bois’s Problem on her shoulders.
Ailey is reared in the north in the City but spends summers in the small Georgia town of Chicasetta, where her mother’s family has lived since their ancestors arrived from Africa in bondage. From an early age, Ailey fights a battle for belonging that’s made all the more difficult by a hovering trauma, as well as the whispers of women—her mother, Belle, her sister, Lydia, and a maternal line reaching back two centuries—that urge Ailey to succeed in their stead.
To come to terms with her own identity, Ailey embarks on a journey through her family’s past, uncovering the shocking tales of generations of ancestors—Indigenous, Black, and white—in the deep South. In doing so Ailey must learn to embrace her full heritage, a legacy of oppression and resistance, bondage and independence, cruelty and resilience that is the story—and the song—of America itself.
Relationship Goals (audiobook)
Christina C. Jones
Everyone is a stranger at some point, right? Pulled by an explicable, undeniable thread of… something… Nick and Noah find themselves keen on becoming more. Hashtags and flights and late-night text sessions lead to a connection neither has experienced, or expected. Beyond the shiny veneer of social media, further than the shallow depths of a good selfie, down to the real, for real stuff that relationships are made of… can Nick and Noah actually reach their prematurely awarded goal?
Christina C. Jones
Hailey Freeman goes to Blackwood with a specific mission – at least on the surface. When a sudden tragedy thrusts her into chaos, she expects to find herself mired in confusion, bereft, while she figures out how to pick up the pieces.
Instead, she finds comfort, clarity, and –baffling— familiarity in the arms of Ellis Boyd.
A stranger.
A stranger who can’t help wondering if he knows Hailey somehow, met her somewhere, another time they just can’t remember — the only explanation for their swift, consuming connection.
At least… the only one that makes sense.
Right?
T. Key
Torn in between the two…that is how Katrina Lane is feeling when Malik Warren makes his presence felt in her world.. Her heart is torn right down the middle. Will she stay with the man that she’s loved for three years? Or move on and leave the what ifs behind?
Karmen Lee
Julie Kim’s life was supposed to be simple. Falling for the gorgeous barista with the enigmatic smile was not part of the plan.
Cameran Davis loves love and her coffee shop, Love & Lattes, reflects that. But, she’s starting to wonder if maybe happily ever after isn’t in the cards.
A surprise run-in culminates in a ruse leading to acknowledging feelings and steamy nights. When things get real, will they fight for a chance at happiness or go their separate ways?
Jessica Lewis
Katrell can talk to the dead. And she wishes it made more money. She’s been able to support her unemployed mother—and Mom’s deadbeat-boyfriend-of-the-week—so far, but it isn’t enough. Money’s still tight, and to complicate things, Katrell has started to draw attention. Not from this world—from beyond. And it comes with a warning: STOP or there will be consequences.
Katrell is willing to call the ghosts on their bluff; she has no choice. What do ghosts know of having sleep for dinner? But when her next summoning accidentally raises someone from the dead, Katrell realizes that a live body is worth a lot more than a dead apparition. And, warning or not, she has no intention of letting this lucrative new business go.
Only magic isn’t free, and dark forces are coming to collect. Now Katrell faces a choice: resign herself to poverty, or confront the darkness before it’s too late.
B. Love
As the Princess of the Black Mayhem Mafia, Dijon has been able to get every heart’s desire… except Rakim Mayhem. Not only is Rakim forbidden by her brothers but her mother too. After seeing the effect loving the wrong man had on her mother, Dijon is determined to not have the same fate. She’s forced to choose between what she thinks is a want and what her heart really needs.
Rakim Mayhem lives by a code of honor, loyalty, and respect. Nothing has ever been worth breaking that code… except Dijon Black. Not only is she his best friend’s sister, but she’s a part of the mafia he swore an oath to. No one wants to see them together, but they find it almost impossible to stay apart.
In the midst of their chaos, Naeem arrives—seemingly the answer to the mafia’s current problem and the solution for Dijon’s aching heart. However, Karma and Fate are at play and at war. Will Dijon get the happily ever after she deserves, or will she find herself rejected by both men and the option of love no longer being served?
Tina Martin
A Friends-to-Lovers and Firefighter Romance
Zander St. Claire, a firefighter, is settled and content with his South Carolina life. He has his family and his sweet best friend, Alyssa Scott. She’s his ace. His everything. Since twelve, they’ve always been there for each other – through the good times and bad ones. Now, at twenty-eight, nothing’s changed – well at least in those respects.
Alyssa fell in love with Zander a long time ago, hoping Zander would see it somehow, but he never did. Zander only wants friendship, she realizes. Anything more could ruin their friendship. Finally accepting this, Alyssa decides to move on and start dating to take her mind off of him. That doesn’t sit well with Zander.
When another man moves in on his best friend, stealing her time and attention away from him, it forces Zander to take a long, hard look at their relationship. His interference in her dating life almost ruins their friendship. But it was the fire that changed everything.
Edited by Kwame Mbalia
Black boy joy is…
Picking out a fresh first-day-of-school outfit.
Saving the universe in an epic intergalactic race.
Finding your voice—and your rhymes—during tough times.
Flying on your skateboard like nobody’s watching.
And more! From seventeen acclaimed Black male and non-binary authors comes a vibrant collection of stories, comics, and poems about the power of joy and the wonders of Black boyhood.
Contributors include: B. B. Alston, Dean Atta, P. Djèlí Clark, Jay Coles, Jerry Craft, Lamar Giles, Don P. Hooper, George M. Johnson, Varian Johnson, Kwame Mbalia, Suyi Davies Okungbowa, Tochi Onyebuchi, Julian Randall, Jason Reynolds, Justin Reynolds, DaVaun Sanders, and Julian Winters
Amber McBride
Moth has lost her family in an accident. Though she lives with her aunt, she feels alone and uprooted.
Until she meets Sani, a boy who is also searching for his roots. If he knows more about where he comes from, maybe he’ll be able to understand his ongoing depression. And if Moth can help him feel grounded, then perhaps she too will discover the history she carries in her bones.
Moth and Sani take a road trip that has them chasing ghosts and searching for ancestors. The way each moves forward is surprising, powerful, and unforgettable.
Here is an exquisite and uplifting novel about identity, first love, and the ways that our memories and our roots steer us through the universe.
LaTanya McQueen
More than a decade ago, Mira fled her small, segregated hometown in the south to forget. With every mile she traveled, she distanced herself from her past: from her best friend Celine, mocked by their town as the only white girl with black friends; from her old neighborhood; from the eerie Woodsman plantation rumored to be haunted by the spirits of slaves; from the terrifying memory of a ghost she saw that terrible day when a dare-gone-wrong almost got Jesse—the boy she secretly loved—arrested for murder.
But now Mira is back in Kipsen to attend Celine’s wedding at the plantation, which has been transformed into a lush vacation resort. Mira hopes to reconnect with her friends, and especially, Jesse, to finally tell him the truth about her feelings and the events of that devastating long-ago day.
But for all its fancy renovations, the Woodsman remains a monument to its oppressive racist history. The bar serves antebellum drinks, entertainments include horrifying reenactments, and the service staff is nearly all black. Yet the darkest elements of the plantation’s past have been carefully erased—rumors that slaves were tortured mercilessly and that ghosts roam the lands, seeking vengeance on the descendants of those who tormented them, which includes most of the wedding guests.
As the weekend unfolds, Mira, Jesse, and Celine are forced to acknowledge their history together, and to save themselves from what is to come.
Angelia Vernon Menchan
Center City it seems is in a season of Temptation. There is a new mayor, Stefano Bridges who brings fresh and innovative ideas but it seems that is the least of the changes going on. Relationships and friendships are changing—not all for the better and instant decisions wreak havoc on lives. But Center City and it’s inhabitants always manage to right their wrongs— but has the tides turned? Will they grab what they want in politics and life— simply because they are tempted?
K.C. Mills
She wanted a temporary fix…
He wanted to play by the rules…
An insta-love novella.
Cerece Rennie Murphy
The best-selling author of the Order of the Seers trilogy, To Find You, and The Wolf Queen series brings you four new stories that delve deeply into the beautiful and terrifying contradictions that dwell within all of us.
This genre-bending collection explores the catalysts and consequences of transformation through the tales of a murderous fairy, a wayward explorer, a young girl carving a new fate from the ugliness of her world, and a father and son who hold the power of life and death in their hands.
The truth is often terrible, but within it is the power to grow – the power to change – if we are willing to swim the distance
between who we are
and
who we can become.
Christine Pauls
Twelve years of marriage to her college sweetheart ends the day Miranda Norwood comes face to face with her husband’s other family. Time passes, but the scars from that life-changing day have hardened her heart and love becomes a distant memory. When her friend sets her up on a blind date with a handsome, HR manager, Roy Grander, sparks fly and Miranda’s wall comes down just enough for her to peer over the top. The handsome man is a fascinating puzzle she longs to solve. Grappling with devastating guilt from the past has kept Roy stuck, but Miranda strikes a chord of longing in his heart. As much as he tries to fight it, his will to resist the insatiable desire for her is slipping through his hands. Can two people, dealing with issues that keep them from moving forward, find a love that will save them?
Sometimes I Trip On How Happy We Could Be
Nichole Perkins
Pop culture is the Pandora’s Box of our lives. Racism, wealth, poverty, beauty, inclusion, exclusion, and hope — all of these intractable and unavoidable features course through the media we consume. Examining pop culture’s impact on her life, Nichole Perkins takes readers on a rollicking trip through the last twenty years of music, media and the internet from the perspective of one southern Black woman. She explores her experience with mental illness and how the TV series Frasier served as a crutch, how her role as mistress led her to certain internet message boards that prepared her for current day social media, and what it means to figure out desire and sexuality and Prince in a world where marriage is the only acceptable goal for women.
Combining her sharp wit, stellar pop culture sensibility, and trademark spirited storytelling, Nichole boldly tackles the damage done to women, especially Black women, by society’s failure to confront the myths and misogyny at its heart, and her efforts to stop the various cycles that limit confidence within herself. By using her own life and loves as a unique vantage point, Nichole humorously and powerfully illuminates how to take the best pop culture has to offer and discard the harmful bits, offering a mirror into our own lives.
K.D. Richards
To bring her sister home for the holidays
They’ll put everything on the line.
Private investigator Shawn West is stunned when the attack victim he rescues is Addy Williams—the one woman he never forgot. She’s turning a quiet upstate New York town inside out to bring her missing sister home by Christmas. Shawn offers to help if she’ll provide a cover for his own investigation into a suspicious company in town, but can they work together to find Addy’s sister…or are they already too late?
Vanessa Riley
Fans of Bridgerton will love these two Regency romances for the price of one, featuring two best friends, each determined to advertise for love.
The Bittersweet Bride: Widow Theodosia Cecil needs a husband and needs one fast to protect her land, so she places an anonymous ad in the paper. She’s delighted she spends her remaining weeks exchanging flirtatious letters with the perfect man… Until she meets him and realizes he’s the son of the man trying to steal her land.
The Bashful Bride: When sparks fly between timid heiress Ester Croome and a handsome actor, they’re quick to elope. But when she discovers there is so much more to him than meets the eye, in order to save the marriage the shiest woman alive must publicly woo the most desirable man in England…her husband.
Farrah Rochon
When it comes to personal training, Taylor Powell kicks serious butt. Unfortunately, her bills are piling up, rent is due, and the money situation is dire. Taylor needs more than the support of her new best friends, Samiah and London. She needs a miracle.
And Jamar Dixon might just be it. The oh-so-fine former footballer wants back into the NFL, and he wants Taylor to train him. There’s just one catch—no one can know what they’re doing. But when they’re accidentally outed as a couple, Taylor’s game plan is turned completely upside down. Is Jamar just playing to win . . . or is he playing for keeps?
D. Rose
Sometimes all you need is a second chance because time wasn’t ready for the first one…
Back from Italy, Gwendolyn ‘Gwen’ Pearson returns home and is greeted with more than she expected. So far, she’s done great with focusing on herself and her career… until she unexpectedly bumps into the one whom she may have let slip away.
Lorenzo ‘Puma’ Morris is a man who knows exactly what he wants and despises wasting his time. Despite him being in control of everything happening in his personal life and career, he can’t stop himself from craving the one thing he’s always wanted; a fair shot with Gwen.
From the moment they met, they sparked an instant attraction. Will that spark be enough to rekindle their flame? Or has their time passed?
On Love’s Time is book 3 in the For Keeps series. To best enjoy the story, it is best to read Because of Love and The Sweetest Love first.
Naima Simone
She told herself it was one night. Nothing more.
But her heart knew the truth…
Finding out her previous one-night fling is her new boss is the shock of Mycah Hill’s lifetime. She can’t say no to being VP for software CEO Achilles Farrell—she’s finally made her career dream come true. But knowing he’s so close… It’s only a matter of time before she’s back in his arms. It can’t end well. Achilles’s tortured family history means he’s not up for sticking around long-term. But Mycah’s surprise pregnancy is about to change everything…
Danyelle Scroggins
Maddox Fox, a/k/a Mr. Competitive has come face to face with his past, right when he was getting ready to explore his future, with the highly competitive, Dr. Gazelle Shaw. When Gazelle makes a suggestion that Maddox eventually succumbs to, he finds himself face to face with the woman he left behind. Now, he’s having to give up what he desired to take care of what God decides.
Dr. Gazelle Necole Shaw is no youngster, but there are some unfinished emotions from some things in her past that has brought her front and center with her past. She’ll never be able to move on until she deals with feelings of abandonment. First, from a father she never knew that causes her to fight for children without dads. Then, from a man who broke her heart and killed her child. Will she be able to get her wholeness, or will one more twist send her spiraling down the wrong road.
We all decide what we want out of life and who we want to spend our lives with, but what happens when God changes the course? Do you take into account that you cannot compete with the Creator and just travel the course? Or do you fight to do things your way, eventually destroying everything?
…but remember while you are going through, a meanwhile is being worked out that ends with love!
Yahrah St. John
She wants the truth.
He wants her!
PR agent Elyse Harper finally has a way into Atlanta’s powerful Lockett family. Julian Lockett, the second son, is being pressured to settle down—with his mother playing matchmaker! Dating Julian is Elyse’s chance to prove the Locketts swindled her father out of his share of their football dynasty. The easy part of her plan? Playing lovers with the playboy. There’s no need to pretend because Julian’s the sexiest man Elyse has ever met. The hard part? Keeping her mind on her goal once she’s in Julian’s bed…
Nic Stone
Shenice Lockwood, captain of the Fulton Firebirds, is hyper-focused when she steps up to the plate. Nothing can stop her from leading her team to the U12 fast-pitch softball regional championship. But life has thrown some curveballs her way.
Strike one: As the sole team of all-brown faces, Shenice and the Firebirds have to work twice as hard to prove that Black girls belong at bat.
Strike two: Shenice’s focus gets shaken when her great-uncle Jack reveals that a career-ending—and family-name-ruining—crime may have been a setup.
Strike three: Broken focus means mistakes on the field. And Shenice’s teammates are beginning to wonder if she’s captain-qualified.
It’s up to Shenice to discover the truth about her family’s past—and fast—before secrets take the Firebirds out of the game forever.
A Family for the Firefighter (audiobook)
Jacquelin Thomas
He’s a courageous man…. But can he rescue himself?
Firefighter Leon Rothchild had endured his share of grief. Still, honor compelled him to look after his late friend’s ex-wife and daughter. Though it was obvious the lovely Misty Brightwater could take care of herself, she welcomed Leon into her three-year-old’s life. Their family was a marvelous glimpse into the warmth of the one he’d lost and desperately missed. And perhaps it was the push he needed to risk everything again….
Morrisa Tuck
Faith-centered and goal focused, perpetually single, thirty-something Reese Joseph appears to have it all: loving (and divorced) parents, well-meaning (and meddling) friends, a promising (and thankless) career as a TV news journalist, and a handsome (and toxic) ex. Her secret blog is more than a creative outlet; it’s also a lifeline from the storms and tribulations she is trying to navigate through. The last thing she needs is Mr. Right appearing at the wrong time. Forget love-drunk, a steady stream of blind dates and non-starter romances has left Reese feeling love-punked. So when Davis Richards walks into her life, and Reese faces the greatest tests of her relationships, her career, and her faith, she can’t help but wonder if her answered prayers are more than she bargained for. On the journey to happy, sometimes the road we travel is long and winding.
Untamed
As Pooch works tirelessly to realign the Dope Boy Clique from prison, Trinity and Terrence seem to be falling apart at the seams. Trinity wonders if Terrence is truly the man she thought he was, and Terrence begins to question Trinity’s actions around those closest to him. Although they love each other, are they right for each other? Unknowingly, they must brace themselves for the wrath of Pooch.
Life has moved on for LaMeka. She has the career and the new man she’s always wanted. Gavin is playing for keeps, but Tony is alive and well. With a new lease on life, he wants his family back and will do whatever it takes to remove Gavin from the picture.
Lucinda struggles to adapt to the new normal of her stepdaughter, Jessica, and Aldris’ ex-fiancée, Jennifer. Admittedly, Aldris doesn’t make the transition easy, and as Jennifer and Aldris get close again, it causes a rift between Lucinda and Aldris. When Lucinda finds solace in an unexpected friend, Aldris is left struggling to keep his blended family together.
After Lincoln shows up and wreaks havoc for Charice and Ryan, it’s Ryan who’s left having to correct his errors to make his wife happy again. However, the secret they are withholding about the paternity of their baby may be the one thing that rips this perfect union to shreds.
Monica Walters
Wesley Henderson, Jr. has had a hard life. He seems to be the outcast within the Henderson clan, and he’s tired of that position. Despite his efforts to be everything his father wants, nothing he does seems to be good enough. While trying to solve those issues on his own, he reaches a breaking point. Despite his efforts, he finds himself at rock bottom with nowhere to look but up or to just close his eyes altogether. With all the trauma he faced in the past and now still trying to deal with those demons, he finds that his journey to peace, healing, and self-love will be even harder than he anticipated… Until he meets Olivia.
Olivia August is in a great place in her life. Divorced with a grown son and happy with who she is, she’s living her best life, traveling the world. Being a nurse for twenty-nine years has afforded her a good life and she is making the best of it. When she crosses paths with one of her patients, things change. Wesley Henderson steals her good sense with his amazingly good looks and his spirit. She can’t figure out why the pull toward him is so great, especially with him being a patient of hers, but she’s willing to find out.
Wesley has a long journey to mental healing ahead of him, but he can’t stop thinking about the beautiful nurse who grabbed his attention. Olivia has her reservations at first but decides to let whatever is going to happen… happen. However, will Wesley be able to overcome his issues to prove he’s ready to move forward with her or will he allow his demons to swallow him whole?
The Education of Nevada Duncan
Carl Weber with C.N. Phillips
Ride along with Carl Weber and C. N. Phillips for this fresh, enthralling spin-off to the Family Business series as the heir to a crime family finds himself targeted by an enemy and he’ll need more than his family by blood to save him…
Nevada Duncan is the heir to the Duncan and Zuniga crime family fortunes, but before he can take the mantle of power, he has to be educated about the family business. So, with the encouragement of his father and grandfather, he enrolls in his father’s alma mater, Chi’s Finishing School. Chi’s is the world’s most elite school for the children of underworld figures.
On Nevada’s first day of school, he hooks up with a group of misfit freshmen from around the world who quickly become his new best friends. However, Nevada is unaware of the deadly adventure that awaits him with a sinister new enemy lurking in the shadows. Montez wants what Nevada has, and he will do anything to get it.
Accustomed to relying on his family and his superior intelligence, Nevada Duncan will soon learn the importance of friendship when the threats are aimed directly at him and he’s the only Duncan around.
Synithia Williams
It’s been three years since Ashiya Waters walked away from Russell—and made the biggest mistake of her life. She knows she shouldn’t dwell on the past. Love isn’t meant to last…and nobody taught her that better than her own family. But when her grandmother unexpectedly dies, leaving Ashiya in charge of a multimillion-dollar company, Russell is the only one who can help her…and things get complicated fast.
Russell Gilchrist would do anything to be named COO of Robidoux Holdings—with all of the power and money that comes along with it. He’s been desperate to solve the disappearance of his brother, Roderick, for years, and the Robidoux influence could finally turn this cold case hot—and give his family some much-needed closure. The job is his…if he helps Ashiya manage her new business. He’ll just do his work and get out—that’s the plan. But being so close to the woman who broke his heart is dangerous. Seeing her smile and feeling her touch makes him want to forget the past. But will this second chance at love burn them both?
Elle Wright
How one night turned into fifteen and counting is beyond me. I never imagined ending up here. I’m a Marriage Broker, not a matchmaker… Especially for myself! It was always a ruse. Perception, not reality. For a purpose, not for always. Business, not romance.
Want to know my plan? A simple assist, a favor.
Want to know my potential downfall? Him. His sincere eyes, his intoxicating smile, his scintillating personality. Oh, and our out-of-control chemistry.
Formal galas, public dinner dates… that’s what this was supposed to be. Lazy mornings, Netflix and chill, impromptu road trips… that wasn’t our thing. Until it was.
Spoiler alert: I can’t resist him, so I won’t. Everything is bad but he’s so good. Ironic, huh? I thought so, too. Just like I thought this arrangement was only temporary. Except… what if it’s everlasting love?
IT’S NOT LOVE, IT’S BUSINESS is book two in the Young In Love Series, featuring the very large, very fun Young Family. If you love romance with layered characters and laugh out loud moments, snag your copy. This novel contains sex, profanity, and sensitive subjects that some may find triggering.
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