Lots of great books came out in September. Check out Black Fiction Addiction’s roundup of new releases.
The Wedding Secret by Kianna Alexander
A chance encounter with a handsome groomsman turns into so much more for a newly single wedding florist in this romantic reader-favorite story from Kianna Alexander!
After discovering her fiancé’s public and utterly embarrassing infidelity, florist Renata McPherson is left dateless to her beloved client’s nuptials. But meaningful eye contact with one devastatingly handsome groomsman leaves Renata unexpectedly breathless…
As a contractor, Amir Robertson has quite the knack for design. Though he has no plans for rebuilding the gorgeous shop owner’s heart…at first. Their no-strings-attached arrangement could soon fail when a secret that joins them forever is revealed.
Previously published.
Grown by Tiffany D Jackson
When legendary R&B artist Korey Fields spots Enchanted Jones at an audition, her dreams of being a famous singer take flight. Until Enchanted wakes up with blood on her hands and zero memory of the previous night. Who killed Korey Fields?
Before there was a dead body, Enchanted’s dreams had turned into a nightmare. Because behind Korey’s charm and star power was a controlling dark side. Now he’s dead, the police are at the door, and all signs point to Enchanted.
When No One Is Watching by Alyssa Cole
Rear Window meets Get Out in this gripping thriller from a critically acclaimed and New York Times Notable author, in which the gentrification of a Brooklyn neighborhood takes on a sinister new meaning…
Sydney Green is Brooklyn born and raised, but her beloved neighborhood seems to change every time she blinks. Condos are sprouting like weeds, FOR SALE signs are popping up overnight, and the neighbors she’s known all her life are disappearing. To hold onto her community’s past and present, Sydney channels her frustration into a walking tour and finds an unlikely and unwanted assistant in one of the new arrivals to the block—her neighbor Theo.
But Sydney and Theo’s deep dive into history quickly becomes a dizzying descent into paranoia and fear. Their neighbors may not have moved to the suburbs after all, and the push to revitalize the community may be more deadly than advertised.
When does coincidence become conspiracy? Where do people go when gentrification pushes them out? Can Sydney and Theo trust each other—or themselves—long enough to find out before they too disappear?
Legendborn by Tracy Deonn
After her mother dies in an accident, sixteen-year-old Bree Matthews wants nothing to do with her family memories or childhood home. A residential program for bright high schoolers at UNC–Chapel Hill seems like the perfect escape—until Bree witnesses a magical attack her very first night on campus.
A flying demon feeding on human energies.
A secret society of so called “Legendborn” students that hunt the creatures down.
And a mysterious teenage mage who calls himself a “Merlin” and who attempts—and fails—to wipe Bree’s memory of everything she saw.
The mage’s failure unlocks Bree’s own unique magic and a buried memory with a hidden connection: the night her mother died, another Merlin was at the hospital. Now that Bree knows there’s more to her mother’s death than what’s on the police report, she’ll do whatever it takes to find out the truth, even if that means infiltrating the Legendborn as one of their initiates.
She recruits Nick, a self-exiled Legendborn with his own grudge against the group, and their reluctant partnership pulls them deeper into the society’s secrets—and closer to each other. But when the Legendborn reveal themselves as the descendants of King Arthur’s knights and explain that a magical war is coming, Bree has to decide how far she’ll go for the truth and whether she should use her magic to take the society down—or join the fight.
The Real Housewives of the Bible by Theresa V. Wilson
Episode 1: How explosive was a relationship when one sister snares a fiancée and marries him based on a major deception? And to add further drama, it all takes place in a way that the groom in question doesn’t have a clue until their wedding night. Imagine having to live in the same house after such a ruse had been pulled off, only to end up in a battle of the baby mamas.
Playing for Keeps by A.C. Arthur
Delano “Del” Greer plays by the rules at all times. Especially after a scandal ruined his career at the police department and threatened to destroy his family’s reputation in his hometown of Providence. Now, he’s focused on establishing Game Changers as a reputable sports bar. Once a staunch adversary of social media, Del puts the success of the bar first and gives it a try, using a fake name of course. When his trial run quickly lands him in a steamy online affair he’s happy to play along, until he learns that the woman on the other end of those hot text messages is his sister’s best friend.
Working alongside her father at his auto body shop since she was six years old, Rylan Kent is the polar opposite of her beauty pageant winning sister. She’s been best friends With Camy Greer for about the same amount of time. So imagine Rylan’s surprise when she inadvertently learns the identity of the guy who responded to her drunken chat and continued to share explicit ways he could bring her pleasure. Now, Rylan has no idea how the temperamental and all-about-keeping-up-appearances Del is going to react when he finds out the woman he’s been talking sex with is actually the one he called “greasy-peasy” all through high school.
Behind the Scenes by Christina C. Jones
Perfect.
Privileged.
Strong.
Spoiled.
Uptight.
Useless.
If there’s any one thing Pierre and Logan have in common, it’s their ability to invite snap judgements based on shallow views of who they are.
Logan is the privileged only daughter of a respected family whose legacy runs long and deep.
Pierre is the moody, orphaned son of big screen royalty who couldn’t possibly live up to the prestige of his pedigree.
Or maybe not.
Perhaps they’re just two people trying to navigate the pressures of a world hellbent on telling them what they should be, and eschewing the limits of other people’s expectations.
Maybe what they need most is somebody who can see beyond the shallow first impressions – just one person they can allow to see behind the scenes of who they are.
Maybe they have more in common than it seems.
Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi
Gifty is a sixth-year PhD candidate in neuroscience at the Stanford University School of Medicine studying reward-seeking behavior in mice and the neural circuits of depression and addiction. Her brother, Nana, was a gifted high school athlete who died of a heroin overdose after an ankle injury left him hooked on OxyContin. Her suicidal mother is living in her bed. Gifty is determined to discover the scientific basis for the suffering she sees all around her. But even as she turns to the hard sciences to unlock the mystery of her family’s loss, she finds herself hungering for her childhood faith and grappling with the evangelical church in which she was raised, whose promise of salvation remains as tantalizing as it is elusive. Transcendent Kingdom is a deeply moving portrait of a family of Ghanaian immigrants ravaged by depression and addiction and grief–a novel about faith, science, religion, love
The Summer of Everything by Julian Winters
Adulting is hard. Just ask Wes Hudson. An avid comic book geek, Wes excels at two things: slacking off and pining after his best friend, Nico. Advice from his friends, ‘90s alt-rock songs, and online dating articles aren’t helping much with his secret crush. And his dream job at Once Upon a Page, the local indie bookstore, is threatened when a coffee shop franchise wants to buy the property. To top it off, his family won’t stop pestering him about picking a college major. When all three problems converge, Wes must face the one thing he’s been avoiding—adulthood.
Lady of Jeffrey Manor by J.S. Cole and Naleighna Kai
He’s the kingdom’s most eligible bachelor. She’s a practical woman on temporary assignment.
When surgical nurse, Blair Swanson, departed the American Midwest for an assignment in the Kingdom of Durabia she had no intention of finding love.
As a member of the royal family, Crown Prince Hassan has a responsibility to the throne. A loveless, arranged marriage is his duty, but the courageous American nurse is his desire.
When a dark secret threatens everything Hassan holds dear, how will he fulfill his royal duty and save the lady who holds his heart?This is a tale of duty, desire, and danger.
Play to Win by A.C. Arthur
Ethan Henley traded in his suit, tie and Secret Service badge to mix drinks at the Game Changers Sports Bar he now co-owns with his childhood friends. Returning to their hometown where they’d been branded the “bad boys” wasn’t part of their plan, but now that they’re back, they’re determined to prove everyone in town wrong. For Ethan, that means making amends with the girl who’s heart he’d unintentionally broken during high school.
Portia Merin left Providence and the awkward life she’d led there behind long ago. After a messy breakup and her retaliation leads to her unintended stardom as a sex instructor on YouTube, she decided to roll with it—despite her lack of actual experience on the subject—and is now on tour to promote her first instructional book. Life’s looking pretty good for Portia right now, until the weather and the sale of her godmother’s house leave her stranded in Providence and her old high school crush shows up with a copy of her book.
Stay Forever by Shay Davis
Choosing his career over a relationship, Blake Russell left Serena Howard in Philadelphia to pursue opportunities in San Francisco. After being away for almost a year and a half, Blake is back in the city of Brotherly Love, and still holding onto feelings for Serena. Even with the time that passed, he’s never quite gotten over her or how their situation ended. Being back in his hometown, with memories of their time spent, Blake makes it his mission to check on Serena.
Serena’s life went from zero to one hundred real quick. Graduating from law school, opening her own practice, and other life altering events, left Serena with little to no time to be stuck in her head daydreaming about the past, or wondering “what if”. Her sole focus was on the things that were, and the demands of her life.
With time, distance, and secrets between them, what will happen when Blake and Serena come face to face? What feelings will they invoke in one another? Love? Hate? Resentment? Will they be able to reignite their flame? So many things left unanswered. They both thought their paths were leading them in different directions, but there they were, back in one another lives, with so much energy swirling between them.
NOTE: This is a two-part series and Stay Forever is the second book. It is encouraged to read Stay A Little Longer before reading Stay Forever.
Show Me by Sharon C. Cooper
Just when he thought finding a wife was out of his reach…
Colton “Cole” Eubanks is laser-focused on building wealth and settling down with a special woman before he turns forty. Accomplishing one out of two isn’t bad. Unfortunately, there’s no ‘love of his life’ on the horizon, unless he counts the one woman who’s been starring in his nightly dreams—Malaya Radcliff.
After being dependent on other people for years, Malaya has finally learned to stand on her own. There’s only one thing she hasn’t been able to accomplish—gain full custody of her daughter. Her ex-husband never fights fair. His wealth always wins. This time Malaya’s determined to come out on top.
So when Cole, the man she’s been secretly in lust with for over a year, makes her an offer she’d be crazy to refuse, Malaya wants to say yes. But that means sacrificing her newfound independence. Yet, his enticing proposal has her thinking—why not?
Do Me by Sheryl Lister
Staring forty in the face, Braxton Harper is accustomed to having everything in his life fall into its precise place. Only he hasn’t found that special one and he refuses to settle for anything less than a woman who is his perfect match. The moment Londyn Grant dances into his life, Braxton is convinced he’s found her. Kiss by sizzling kiss, the sexy doctor slowly lets her guard down. Now, if she’d only let him into her heart…
Londyn knows heartbreak. By day, the psychologist counsels others, but she has yet to find a way to heal her own heart. The last thing she wants is another relationship. However, sensual and sensitive Braxton tempts her to open up and, for the first time in her life, she’s letting passion rule. But it’s going to take a little therapeutic intervention—in and out of the bedroom—to get Londyn to see that this time she’s found the real thing.
Love by Delaney Diamond
Hard-working corporate attorney Axel Becker has tried settling down in the past, but when the relationship didn’t work out, he focused on his career to the exclusion of everything else. Enter, Naphressa St. James. The sexy project manager is a former lover and reminds him of what his life could be—fun, exciting. She’s just the woman he might need to shake him out of a rut, but convincing her they belong together will be a lot harder than he expected.
Naphressa admits she and Axel have chemistry, but she’s not interested in getting married again. Been there, done that. Except the more time she spends with Axel, the more she finds the idea of settling down with him to be downright…irresistible.
Second Chance at Love by Suzette Riddick
Love is the last thing on Karen Johnston’s mind. For years she’s been consumed with raising two young children after the untimely death of her husband. Unexpectedly, ruggedly handsome Dominic “Dom” Peretti Jr. blows into her life with the force of a hurricane. Before she can blink, Karen is caught up and finding herself wanting more than a casual relationship. She wants another chance at love.Dom isn’t looking for a serious commitment. His intention is to have nothing more than a fling with the sexy single mom. As he gets a taste of family life, he has a decision to make. Will he give love a try? Or will he walk away, leaving Karen and her children in harm’s way?
DISCLAIMER: This title was released under a different pen name and includes new content.
Set Up for Love by B. Love
Zara and Cayden’s marriage is spiraling out of control. All the money in the world isn’t enough to buy his way out of the problems Cayden has created. When Zara confesses to no longer feeling safe and secure in their relationship, a friend gives him an idea on how he can make her feel protected. Cayden agrees to pay his friend, Ashton, and his brother, Mayven, to pretend to rob them. He thinks when Zara sees him as her hero, she will be open and vulnerable… ready to reconcile. There’s just one problem… when Mayven sets eyes on Zara… Cayden’s valuables aren’t the only thing he plans to take. Will Zara and Cayden be able to withstand his latest stunt, or will Cayden end up setting his wife up for true love?
And On the Eighth Day She Rested: Special 20th Anniversary Edition by J. D. Mason
Twenty years after its initial release, J. D. Mason unleashing a special edition of her bestselling novel.
Ruth Johnson has finally left her abusive husband of fourteen years and jumped feet first into “What the hell do I do now?” oblivion. Then, into her life come three unforgettable women who turn her world upside down.
Feisty, outspoken Bernice, aka “Bernie” has been there and done that when it comes to love and marriage. Her ex-husband is married to a much younger wife and Bernie’s kids are grown. Bernie is looking to enjoy her “fellow Man” no strings attached–or so she thinks.
Sweet Southern belle, May has it all; a beautiful home, wonderful children and a husband who worships the ground she walks on. Yet, a shadow hangs over what should be her perfect life, threatening to shake the foundation of her happy home.
The older, wiser Clara is their guiding force and when disaster strikes, all three women rally around her, determined to see her through it.
Life is just getting interesting for Ruth, throw in the man of her dreams, and the nightmare from her past, and Ruth finds herself fighting, once again, to survive heartache and horror no woman should ever have to contend with.
Maya and The Rising Dark by Rena Barron
In this highly anticipated contemporary fantasy, 12-year-old Maya’s search for her missing father puts her at the center of a battle between our world, the Orishas, and the mysterious and sinister Dark world. Perfect for fans of Aru Shah and the End of Time and The Serpent’s Secret.
Twelve-year-old Maya is the only one in her South Side Chicago neighborhood who witnesses weird occurrences like were-hyenas stalking the streets at night and a scary man made of shadows plaguing her dreams. Her friends try to find an explanation – perhaps a ghost uprising or a lunchroom experiment gone awry. But to Maya, it sounds like something from one of Papa’s stories or her favorite comics.
When Papa goes missing, Maya is thrust into a world both strange and familiar as she uncovers the truth. Her father is the guardian of the veil between our world and the Dark – where an army led by the Lord of Shadows, the man from Maya’s nightmares, awaits. Maya herself is a godling, half orisha and half human, and her neighborhood is a safe haven. But now that the veil is failing, the Lord of Shadows is determined to destroy the human world, and it’s up to Maya to stop him. She just hopes she can do it in time to attend Comic-Con before summer’s over.
And Now She’s Gone by Rachel Howzell Hall
Isabel Lincoln is gone.
But is she missing?
It’s up to Grayson Sykes to find her. Although she is reluctant to track down a woman who may not want to be found, Gray’s search for Isabel Lincoln becomes more complicated and dangerous with every new revelation about the woman’s secrets and the truth she’s hidden from her friends and family.
Featuring two complicated women in a dangerous cat-and-mouse game, Rachel Howzell Hall’s And Now She’s Gone explores the nature of secrets – and how violence and fear can lead you to abandon everything in order to survive.
Smash It by Francina Simone
Olivia “Liv” James is done with letting her insecurities get the best of her. So she does what any self-respecting hot mess of a girl who wants to SMASH junior year does….
After Liv shows up to a Halloween party in khaki shorts – why, God, why? – she decides to set aside her wack AF ways. She makes a list – a F*ck-It list.
- Be bold – do the thing that scares me.
- Learn to take a compliment.
- Stand outinstead of back.
She kicks it off by trying out for the school musical, saying yes to a date, and making new friends. Life is great when you stop punking yourself! However, with change comes a lot of missteps, and being bold means following her heart. So what happens when Liv’s heart is interested in three different guys – and two of them are her best friends? What is she supposed to do when she gets dumped by a guy she’s not even dating? How does one Smash It! after the humiliation of being friend-zoned?
In Liv’s own words, “F*ck it. What’s the worst that can happen?”
A lot, apparently.
Knight of Grand Crossing by Hiram Harris, Naleighna Kai and Anita L. Roseboro
Rahm did time for a crime he didn’t commit. Now that he’s free, taking care of the three women who supported him on a hellish journey is his priority, but old enemies are waiting in the shadows.
Rahm Fosten’s dream life as a Knight of the Castle includes Marilyn Spears, who quiets the injustice of his rough past, but in his absence a new foe has infiltrated his family.
Marilyn Spears waited for many years to have someone like Rahm in her life. Now that he’s home, an unexpected twist threatens to rip him away again. As much as she loves him, she’s not willing to go where this new drama may lead.
Meanwhile, Rahm’s gift to his Aunt Alyssa brings her to Durabia, where she catches the attention of wealthy surgeon, Ahmad Maharaj. Her attendance at a private Bliss event puts her under his watchful eye, but also in the crosshairs of the worst kind of enemy. Definitely the wrong timing for the rest of the challenges Rahm is facing.
While Rahm and Marilyn navigate their romance, a deadly threat has him and the Kings of the Castle primed to keep Marilyn, Alyssa, and his family from falling prey to an adversary out for bloody revenge.
Charmed by You by Pamela Yaye
Two million viewers watched thirty-year-old, audio engineer, Darius Matthews, get rejected on the hit reality TV show, The Groom. But spending Memorial Day weekend with Sloane Wesley at a swank, five-star resort pulls him out of his funk—and arouses his desire.
One passionate night with Darius Matthews was everything Sloane Wesley thought it would be. After dealing with her unreasonable boss, a heavy work load, and dumping her philandering boyfriend, Darius was just what her heart ordered.
Yet, Darius is keeping his distance and if Sloane were a betting woman, she’d guess her father being his boss has something to do with it. With feelings too strong to ignore, Darius must decide whether to bare his soul and risk everything for the woman of his dreams, or guard his heart and lose her forever.
Last First Kiss by Monica Walters
Jarius Hutcherson is very well-acquainted with the inner pleasures of a woman. He isn’t too concerned with her mind or what her personal life is like. His focus is simply on how to elevate his career as a barber. But there comes a point where he thinks about settling down and having a family, especially at the persistence of his mother and sister. Seeing his best friend, Haji, achieve those things only makes him long for it more. When he meets Haji’s sister-in-law, he knows he has to have her. Because things accelerate so easily physically, he thought it would only be a matter of time before they did the same in other aspects of their lives. Despite their mere physical attraction, Jarius knows there’s more to what they felt for one another.
Daraja Nwachuku had a hard life. As a child, she lived in poverty with her parents but there was still a sense of family and security. However, when her sister leaves Lagos, Nigeria to go to school in America and her mother’s health takes a nose-dive, things become extremely difficult. The weight of taking care of her parents lands directly on her shoulders. Not being able to enjoy life as her peers did, Daraja leans on one thing to relieve her of her everyday stresses… sex. Love isn’t on the menu and hasn’t been for years thanks to a devastating heartbreak during her high school years. Once her sister gets them to America, Daraja meets Jarius. Although she insists that their relationship is strictly sexual, she can’t help but feel like there’s more.
Facing fears of failure and possibilities of losing herself plague Daraja and forces her to keep her heart guarded. Jarius wants to somehow penetrate the tough armor that surrounds her heart, getting her to trust him enough to give him a chance. Will Daraja be able to overcome her fears and trust Jarius to protect her heart? Will Jarius have the patience to accept and love the parts of Daraja that aren’t so loveable?
The Never List by DL White
Esme Whitaker has held out on an important rite for just the right person at just the right time. She’s had a recent glow-up full of accomplishments to be proud of, but there’s still a list of adventures to cross off before her 40th birthday.
Take a flight. Swim in the ocean. Eat exotic food. Have sex.
On the cusp of her 40th birthday, the time is now. All she needs the right man. When a date with a potential love interest goes very, very wrong, she’s rescued by a tall, bearded, stylish gentleman. What could have been wonderful fizzles instantly; the vibe between them crackles with animosity.
Sometimes, though, you get a second chance to make a first impression.
Trey Pettigrew is a man with a dream, and one job: keep his father, CEO of Pettigrew Construction, happy during recovery from a heart attack. What should have been a simple acquisition turns sideways when Trey is forced to leave the negotiation table to thwart an attack on a sharp-tongued but intriguing woman.
In a twist of fate, the specialist hired to put his acquisition back on track is the woman that Trey rescued. Esme is bright, tenacious, and unrelenting at the contracts table. With her dangerous curves etched into his memory, Trey hopes to make up for his behavior the first time they met, but her no-nonsense attitude about after-hours pursuits puts that idea to bed.
Until Trey happens upon her Never List.
Can two people, each determined to accomplish what they’ve set out to do, find a way to meet in the middle? You know what they say – life is what happens when you make plans.
Content warnings: attempted robbery/assault and references to the attempt, references to mental illness.
Now or Never by Nyora Rene
Crystal Harris has been in love with her best friend, Brendon Marks, since they were in high school. He was the perfect gentleman, always supportive and encouraging her, and she’s spent the last ten years loving him in secret, too scared to tell him how she feels.
Brendon has a secret himself…he’s in love with his best friend and doesn’t know how to tell her. He doesn’t want to ruin their friendship, but as the days go by, his feelings for Crystal continue to grow stronger and stronger.
What do you do when you feel like your feelings are about to bubble over? When is the perfect time to tell your best friend you’re in love with them? What makes you say, “It’s now or never?”
The Perfect Chance by Danyelle Scroggins
Kane and Veronica’s wedding became the perfect backdrop for the next Faith Temple Cathedral wedding, as Damon proposed to Selena. Although it felt right from the beginning, things are progressing, and Selena is starting to feel something pricking about her response.
Newly married Veronica Booth and her sister-in-love, Jasmine Kimbrel, have decided to throw an exclusive couples event for all the couples of Faith Temple Cathedral who were instrumental in their life and wedding. And although there are a few singles in attendance, most of them are engaged or have someone they’ve labeled as a close friend or potential love interest.
As soon as it seems that everything is going how they envisioned, The Perfect Chance to do what is right, instead of what appears pressured, brings two people to a space that neither of them saw coming.
Austin Davenport has been in love with Selena since she walked into Vance’s room at Louisiana Day Hospital. And although she pulled away from him and into another man’s arms, Austin’s committed to standing in faith. Will his faith pay off by presenting The Perfect Chance for Austin to win back her heart, or will he have to pick up the pieces of his broken heart?
Now You Wanna Come Back 2 by Anna Black
Leila, Rayshon, and Devon have been in a warped love triangle ever since Devon’s cold heart and neglect left Leila seeking comfort in Rayshon’s arms.
It was a battle for her heart, but Rayshon won, and now he and Leila are happily expecting their second child. The marriage is a little shaky because now that Leila is losing her business, the strain is almost too much for the relationship to bear. Feeling alone again, Leila turns to Devon, who is more than happy to be a shoulder for her to cry on. Who will ultimately win Leila’s heart?
Role Play by TuShonda L. Whitaker
High-level corruption, high-priced addiction, high-voltage infidelity. The American Dream . . .
Loving husband, doting father, respected politician. On the surface, California Governor Montgomery ‘Monty’ Fields appears to have it all—and he intends to keep it that way. But even a powerful man like Monty can’t control everything or everyone . . .
First Lady Ellaina ‘Elle’ Lockhart-Fields has a juicy secret. One that she’s succeeded in keeping under wraps. Until her longtime lover shows up as her husband’s top security officer and threatens to ruin everything. Desperate, Elle concocts a clever plan. But it’s far more dangerous than she realizes.
Thanks to her scandalous affair with the governor, single mother Brooklyn Pryce is living in luxury. But empty nights and lonely holidays are starting to break her spirit. A passionate encounter with a mystery man inspires her to leave Monty. But that’s not as easy as she thinks…
Behind it all is a reporter who’s been tracking Monty’s every move, determined to bring him down, no matter who he has to seduce to get the job done. And as pressure from the women in Monty’s life, the press, and his partners in white-collar crime starts to boil over, Monty begins to unravel in ways no one sees coming . . .
The Queen’s Diamond by Niyah Moore
Desirae Fernandez is kicked out of her parents’ home in Little Havana on her eighteenth birthday. She has only one plan, and that is to be grown.
When her best friend gives her the opportunity to make fast money at Miami’s Queen of Diamonds gentlemen’s club, Desirae dives head first into the business and meets a handsome, hoodrich, up and coming rap label CEO by the name of Luxury. Their attraction to one another is undeniable, but he plays her cool until she turns 21.
Messing around in the booth at his brother’s studio, she freestyles as a joke. Everything changes once he discovers she can actually rap. With the Monnahan Boyz’s ghostwriting abilities and vision, Luxury transforms her into a superstar.
Rising to the top of the charts, Desirae becomes famous seemingly overnight. Cars, jewelry, clothes, money–she lives for it all, but a new face in town stirs things up. Her best friend is brutally murdered, and everything Luxury pours into Desirae points her straight down a dark path.
Ties that Tether by Jane Igharo
When a Nigerian woman falls for a man she knows will break her mother’s heart, she must choose between love and her family.
At twelve years old, Azere promised her dying father she would marry a Nigerian man and preserve her culture, even after immigrating to Canada. Her mother has been vigilant about helping—well forcing—her to stay within the Nigerian dating pool ever since. But when another match-made-by-mom goes wrong, Azere ends up at a bar, enjoying the company and later sharing the bed of Rafael Castellano, a man who is tall, handsome, and…white.
When their one-night stand unexpectedly evolves into something serious, Azere is caught between her feelings for Rafael and the compulsive need to please her mother. Soon, Azere can’t help wondering if loving Rafael makes her any less of a Nigerian. Can she be with him without compromising her identity? The answer will either cause Azere to be audacious and fight for her happiness or continue as the compliant daughter.
Dear Justyce by Nic Stone
The stunning sequel to the #1 New York Times bestseller Dear Martin. Incarcerated teen Quan writes letters to Justyce about his experiences in the American juvenile justice system. Perfect for fans of Jason Reynolds and Angie Thomas.
In the highly anticipated sequel to her New York Times bestseller, Nic Stone delivers an unflinching look into the flawed practices and silenced voices in the American juvenile justice system.
Vernell LaQuan Banks and Justyce McAllister grew up a block apart in the Southwest Atlanta neighborhood of Wynwood Heights. Years later, though, Justyce walks the illustrious halls of Yale University . . . and Quan sits behind bars at the Fulton Regional Youth Detention Center.
Through a series of flashbacks, vignettes, and letters to Justyce–the protagonist of Dear Martin–Quan’s story takes form. Troubles at home and misunderstandings at school give rise to police encounters and tough decisions. But then there’s a dead cop and a weapon with Quan’s prints on it. What leads a bright kid down a road to a murder charge? Not even Quan is sure.
A Little Bit of Karma by ReShonda Tate Billingsley
Meet Shannon and Jay Lovejoy—the rich and successful power couple who, to the fans of their call-in radio show, seem like they’ve got it all. But after three years, their once passionate and loving romance has fizzled and the couple’s divorce becomes embroiled in not only a mess of infidelity and deceit, but the untimely and shocking death of Jay’s mistress, as well.
This fast-paced and emotionally powerful page-turner boldly goes where ReShonda Tate Billingsley has never gone before with her fiction, delivering the perfect combination of romance and suspense in one thrilling novel.
The Gift of Family by Mary Monroe
Successful, secure, and still very much in love, middle-aged couple Eugene and Rosemary Johnson have never given up on one special wish—to be parents. And while Christmas always brings happiness and a whirlwind of holiday fun, their hopes for children of their own seem further away than ever. Especially this year, when Rosemary must have emergency surgery and home help to recuperate. Wanting to lift his wife’s spirits, Eugene suddenly has an inspiration from back in the
day . . .
Faithful and sensible, Ethel Perkins raised Eugene and his brother. Unforeseen tragedy has left the sixty-something widow struggling with little money and two jobs to keep her great-grandchildren off the streets. She’s glad to help Rosemary back on her feet. But she can only stay until Rosemary is well enough to resume her normal routine. For Ethel, survival means keeping to her grueling schedule, being there for everyone but herself, and, as always, handling her troubles all on her own . . .
As Ethel’s problems go from bad to much worse, Rosemary and Eugene find themselves helping her more and more—and growing close to her lively youngsters. Soon, there’s only one way both families can salvage the season: by celebrating it together. But will their temporary family work into the
future . . . and possibly make a lifetime of happiness?
Lay Your Head on My Pillow by Tanzania Glover
To avoid being let down Toni Riley doesn’t ever make birthday plans, but a once in a lifetime private lesson with famed artist Arlan Parks just might be worth breaking the rules for.
Pretty Brown Eyes by Tia Love
Popular sex columnist and IG Influencer Mescia Simpson is on the hunt for the man she can take serious and experience the kind of love her parents have shared for 40 years, but her dating life is nowhere near as glamorous as her supporters think it is. She’s ready to resign herself to a life of living vicariously through her readers when she meets Alex McKinney. Alex is everything Mescia claims she wants, so why is she running from her happily ever after?
Let’s Chill by Elle Jaye
Carrera McIntyre agreed to participate in an insta-marriage reality show only to walk down the aisle and come face to face with the man she left at the altar five years prior. Contractual obligations force the two to embark on a journey that once eluded them.
If I Ever Fall in Love by Sam Strahan
She wants a divorce. He wants to stay married. For Ivy and Keaghan, one last date will decide whether or not their marriage is worth one last try…
Freak Me by Black Cherrie
After passing every one of his girlfriend Salem’s tests, Majesty is delighted when he receives a series of freaky texts telling him to pull up.
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