Contemporary African American Fiction

Eight years after moving away from her hometown of Miami, Cherokee is back home to take care of her sickly grandmother. While trying to stay low and off the scene, she puts all her focus into her job and her family. That is, until the man who broke her heart many years ago unexpectedly walks into her life once again.

When Miami gangster Dante flies out to New Jersey to tie up some “loose ends”, the job is quickly sidetracked by a stop in upstate New York - Syracuse to be precise. While there, he reconnects with his blood mother and other relatives. Like her son, Dante’s mother is an underworld figure of her own as the leader of the ruthless Blackwell family, which is currently embroiled in a bloody war for total control of every last bit of NY and NJ drug territory. With Dante now in the fold, albeit temporarily...the Blackwells see an opportunity to crush their enemies once and for all.

Chanel Martinez, a five-foot-nine bombshell with a devastating secret, will trick the average player on the spot. Between credit-card scams, wild nights on the town, and her over-the-top lifestyle, no ordinary man can handle a real relationship with her. In comes Samuel, a Jamaican baller destined to sweep Chanel off her feet. Their short-term romance turns into a love affair that Chanel all of a sudden cannot resist. Unfortunately for her, Samuel has something to hide of his own. Imagine - two lovers, two mysterious secrets, and the law...all wrapped up into one novel.

Just when Carlie decides she’s done with dangerous men, she’s thrown right back into the fire by Kirk, her manipulative and deceitful new lover. Not even the diamonds and extravagant gifts can keep the tension from rising when Carlie realizes that Kirk’s sleazy sidekick will do any and everything to steal her man - even if it means extortion.

Chase Hidalgo has a good life. He works as a paralegal in his buddy Jacobi’s successful law firm and has a loving wife, Dawn. Yet he feels unsettled. Like he still has dreams left unfulfilled. When he meets Ava in a bar, she seems to know him, but he has no idea who she is. A spark ignites between them, but intrigued as he is, Chase stays true to his marital vows. But when Ava pursues him, the attraction is too powerful to resist, and a fiery romance ensues.

Keep your friends at a distance because it’s not always your enemies you need to be keeping close. The block is a microscope, and you’re always under it.

Leila is crushed when Dev, her boyfriend of four years, breaks up with her right before graduation. Just when she’s thinking she wasted her entire high school experience on a dead-end relationship, her best friend Bree reminds her that Last Chance Dance is just around the corner. A high school tradition, the Last Chance Dance gives all the students one last opportunity to find love before they graduate. All Leila has to do is submit three unrequited crushes to the dance committee and if any of her crushes list her too, they’ll get matched. Presto: new relationship, just like that.

Teagan Williams knows how to take a loss—especially a big one. After the spectacular collapse of her tennis career and her romantic relationship (note to self: betrayal does not go with tennis whites), she put down her racket, picked herself up and started her life over. But now Teagan’s been asked to compete in her country club’s tournament. And she’s considering it. Because what’s the worst that could happen? Her ex. The spotlight-stealing almost love of her life. That’s what could happen.

Even the saved struggle when navigating their way through love. This much could definitely be said for the Fold family's middle child, Jadalynn. Having met when they were just 12 years old, Jadalynn and Andrew experienced some of their best and worst moments together. Falling in love was inevitable as they grew older and remained close. And falling out of love was just as certain when the two finally bumped heads.

The old saying about how a leopard never changes its spots was true in Robin Delli Richardson’s case when it came to loving her son’s philandering father. It didn’t matter how good Robin looked, or that she was an educated woman with a great job with benefits, designer labels in her closet, Louboutin red bottoms on her feet, or how well endowed she was in the bedroom, Saxon Anderson had it made it clear that he was incapable of being monogamous.

Chaotic peace was the only way Synovi Black could explain his life to those who had questions. He never understood why they asked because an answer was never given; it was none of their business. For her, he'd break it down, however. Weave through the complexities of his upbringing, urging her to get comfortable and reside in chaos by his side.

Sophomore Kalvin Shmelton has finally perfected his underground candy-selling hustle at school. He keeps his prices reasonable, his inventory fresh, and himself out of the drama. But when a heartbroken Sterling Glistern—Kal’s longtime crush—barges into the storage closet where he keeps his candy supply, a new source of income unexpectedly presents itself: relationship therapist. He only meant to help Sterling realize she’s dating a jerk—and maybe win her over—but news spreads fast that Kalvin’s not just the master of sweets…but hearts, too!

Isaiah ""Ice"" Abernathy has always worshiped his older brother, Seth. For years they’ve been not just brothers but best friends—and as Seth starts his senior year, Ice is eager to spend as much time with his brother as he can, making memories before Seth goes to college.

De'nia is a budding young model with baggage. She spent her young adult life running from her family's past and love. Even though she's trying hard to run away from the past, it keeps finding her. Avery is a fast-rising clothing designer who was just left by his high school sweetheart. Devastated by the lost, he made sure that his company was the best it could be. He found himself buried in work, until he started working on a project with De'nia. Together, Avery and De'nia embark on a journey that exposes them to danger, faith, trust, friendship, and patience.

The Kennedy Kings have resurfaced only to learn that the women they married are not the same. Scarlett and Camp Kennedy continue to have marital problems. Although their troubles stem from past physical abuse on Scarletts part, their issues are magnified now that she has Ngozi, her mysterious new love interest. With all of her troubles and her new baby, Scarletts emotional stability plummets.

Dawn Gibbons is shocked when her long-lost father reappears in her life. Seriously ill, his dying wish is to reconnect with her. But for Dawn, it's complicated - her wealthy father comes complete with jealous relatives - and a handsome young lawyer Dawn finds dangerously sexy. Dangerous because he's engaged - to her newfound half-sister. One thing a Gibbons woman doesn't do is steal her sister's man. Yet, for the first time, Dawn may care about love more than money.

Dareese "Dollar Bill" Blake is one of those bad guys that women love to hate. In an effort to escape the hood life and dabble in the good life, Dollar quickly grows from a small pup to a big dawg. After carefully critiquing the game, he chooses a concrete type of hustle that he's sure will offer him an early retirement from the workforce. If you ask his home girl, Thomasena, she'd say it's been nothing but love for Dollar since day one. In Dollar's eyes, however, Thomasena is just one of the boys.

Thalia, a 25-year-old wild girl gone good, moves back to her old neighborhood after a failed engagement and manages to catch the eye of the town's most wanted man - the incredibly sexy, single, devoted, and charismatic Reverend Isaac. Not only is there a large age difference between Thalia and the middle-aged pastor, but he also happens to be the father of Madison, her best friend since junior high school. Madison isn't trying to deal with her father dating anyone after her mother's death.

The third in a series starring the heartbreaking Strong brothers, Give Me Fever takes the game to another level. A quiet accountant, Kaeden Strong is blown away when he meets Jade Prince—a tomboy nature guide with the body of a goddess. Despite his allergies, Kaeden agrees to go on a camping trip, which Jade is hired to lead. And while stranded one night, the two share a rowdy tumble in a sleeping bag.

The coauthor of Desperate Hoodwives, Meesha Mink set out on her own with the street-fiction hit Real Wifeys: On the Grind. The series’ second installment, Get Money, finds Harriet “Luscious” Jordan in serious need of scratch after her hubby Make$ is put behind bars. A natural-born hustler, Luscious jumps into the party-promotion biz and begins pulling in big-time cash. But she can’t let go of a grudge against her old rival Goldie, and it may be her undoing.