Contemporary African American Fiction

His eyes would always follow her signature strut with her tall heels and fitted dresses. He always had something witty to say to her because he just had to say something. But the small talk was no longer cutting it. He wanted to know the real Felicity James.

Life Through the Eyes of a Woman is a compilation of stories about women walking through the storms of life. These women deal with the abuse, neglect, and loss that come with poor relationships, but also the love, security, and passion that should accompany healthy relationships. Yet, no matter what these women are put through, they always find it within themselves to come out on the other side stronger than before.

It's been 17 years since Jade laid eyes on Liam, and that spark is still there—the love is still there. Liam wants another chance to prove that he could love Jade forever, but an enemy gets in the way, putting Jade's life in danger. Jade goes on the run again, and Liam will stop at nothing to find her.

As a plant scientist, Shana thought she had all the skills she needed to run her grandmother’s plant shop. But when she received the foreclosure notice for the store, she realized it would take more than a love of plants to bring in the cash. When her cousin suggested a plan for her to revive the failing business, she’s on board—until she realizes it involves a major social media campaign. The problem is that she’s anti-social in real life, and on the internet.

Romulus St. Claire operates under the guise that he’ll never marry. In the back of his mind, he knows it’s a lie. He would marry if the woman was special enough—someone like his best friend, Siderra Monroe. He’s in no hurry to make her his. He’s still in limbo with his feelings, and he doesn’t believe he’s ready for a woman like her, even though he has a feeling she’s in love with him.

August Drake, the family’s black sheep, is the last person his father wants as a CEO of the company he’s built with his bare hands. However, when his older brother, the golden child, falls ill, he’s left with no other choice. In order to maintain his position, the most eligible bachelor must complete two tasks: marry and produce a few heirs to the throne.

Monique Starr’s music career is at an all-time low: she’s in danger of losing her label contract and an embarrassing event has her front and center in all the gossip blogs—for all the wrong reasons! She decides to head back to D.C. and the MacLaine Academy of the Performing Arts to revamp her image, give her career a badly needed boost, and get her groove back. But she comes home to find her old Academy ailing financially, her mentor battling cancer, and her ex—whom she left behind to seek fame and fortune—very angry and unwilling to give her a second chance.

With Yves carrying not one but two blessings, she wants to be the mother that she couldn’t be for her late daughter. Coming home from rehab, there are a lot of feelings that Yves can’t shake. Roddy is the love of her life, but why does everything in their relationship seem so hard? With their past, she wonders if they’ll be able to restore what they used to have. Or is it best to call it quits and focus on their kids?

Driven by the need to avenge the rape of her nine-year-old sister at the hands of drug lords, Monica Deitrich has spent a decade training for a career in law enforcement. When she is hired by the DEA, she receives her first assignment: Infiltrate and bring down King Kochese, a ruthless killer who controls the Texas drug trade. She soon finds her job is not so simple. Never mind the danger of working undercover—the simple fact is that King Kochese is a virile, complicated man whose attractiveness distracts her from the job at hand.

A Boss Needs a Boss Lady is the tale of twin sisters Taylor and Alexa. After leaving the comfort of their home in Miami and returning to New York City, the girls set out on a path designed by their father, Sebastian, a.k.a. Bash. Bash will stop at nothing until his daughters are sitting in their rightful spots: financially secure and at the top of his organization!

Being the daughter of a pastor, Erica Collins never got a chance to live a normal life. When she lost her mother at a very young age, she questioned her faith in the Lord. Pastor Collins tried to rescue her faith by tying her everyday life even more closely to the church. Now 21 years old, Erica’s only escape from her father and his Bible is when she hooks up with her best friend, Nicole. She finds a little freedom through Nicole’s wild stories, with most of them being about her boyfriend, Mekco. Erica is all in, craving the attention and the lifestyle that Nicole has.

Albie has had his fair share of disappointment. It's become clear that the word loyalty has lost all meaning. In fact, it's become nothing more than a word etched in his flesh, lost in the sea of tattoos decorating his body. Were it not for the hate seething from his soul, he'd all but given up. His thirst for revenge brings us to his own saga. A tale of a real savage with nothing to lose and everything to get back. Follow Albie on his journey to right the wrongs he feels have been cast upon him and witness the creation of the next Kingpin.

The streets pump blood through Rocko’s heart, but his women are the electricity that spreads and causes it to contract. Though he’s madly in love with his fiancée, Troi, he can’t keep his past mistakes with other women from catching up with him. Troi is tired of Rocko’s constant lies and cheating ways, while Heather and Mai find being Rocko’s baby mamas comes with more than they bargained for. Troi discovers she’s pregnant just as she’s wishing she could shake Rocko for the last time. Then it’s revealed that Rocko has yet another baby mama.

Darnell Carter’s heart stopped working the moment he awoke from his coma. But he had been dead on the inside for quite some time. He hopes to resuscitate it, but that depends on his wife, Latavia. The Carters have been on an unimaginable journey of lies, secrets, betrayal, and infidelity. What happened to marital bliss? Does it exist? After the death of their friends and their marriage, is it possible to pick up the pieces and move on?

Fresh out of high school and ready to focus on her true passion, teen rapper Monroe Westbrook is eager to step out of her famous siblings’ shadows and prove that she’s a star in her own right. Her lyrics are dope, her name is hot, and she’ll do whatever it takes to ride that wave. All she needs now is the support of Tailyn, the big sister who doesn’t think Monroe is ready for the gritty details of fame. Tailyn’s longtime rival sees Monroe’s boundless potential, though, and is ready to capitalize on it, forcing Monroe to face the biggest decision of her young life.

Indigo Ace had a rough life growing up. Her mother is a prostitute and her father is a pimp who despises her. Solace Mack is the only pimp in Atlanta, but when Indigo’s mother dies and Solace kicks his only daughter out on the streets, Indigo is forced to boss up. She follows in her father’s footsteps and becomes a female pimp, infringing on her father’s territory.

Daquan loves his wife, Aviana, more than words can explain. Their life isn’t perfect, but it’s theirs, and he wouldn’t change any of it. That is until Aviana doesn’t return home from work one night. Daquan seeks out to find the love of his life, only to find out his wife has a secret life he knew nothing about. Is their love enough to save their marriage? Will it stop Daquan from taking their son and moving on with his life? Only time will tell.

Hustle, Virginia, is a small town full of dirt roads, fast-talking men, and people going nowhere fast. It is also home to the Fortune family - a connected band of boys and girls that grew up fluent in having less but craving more. Nestled comfortably between their reality and unspoken dreams, the Fortunes spend their days tending to the farm, keeping trouble at bay, and hoping for a brighter tomorrow.

Jess Roberts thought she had a good life with Esias. Despite all the chaos of their kids and her taking classes, they still seemed to keep it together, even if she does feel neglected and a little trapped in her life. Then fellow student Jayson Winston comes into the picture...and rocks her world. Jess finds herself tangled up in an innocent game of email truth or dare with the alluring Jason, which heightens with every exchange and finally explodes in a massive affair. Jess soon realizes she needs to save her good marriage and tries to cut all ties with Jayson.

When his father, one of Houston’s most notorious kingpins, is arrested and the money stops coming in, Chris King, not used to fending for himself, must learn how to rule the streets of Houston if he wants to survive another day.