Contemporary African American Fiction

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?

In relationships, Calisa Harper has clear rules: no expectations, no commitments, no one gets hurt. She doesn’t need a diamond ring to bring her happiness. She just needs Jared. Fine, fit, and ferocious in bed, Jared is Calisa’s ideal combination of friend and lover. But the no-strings status they’ve shared for years is about to get very tangled.

Reagan is a dedicated nurse who's seen it all, but nothing prepared her for a suffocating co-parenting relationship with a man who symbolizes everything she despises. She finds herself haunted by the consequences of her choices and burdened by the struggles of maintaining a facade of happiness while concealing her inner turmoil. However, a chance encounter with a gunshot victim during her shift opens Reagan's eyes to the possibility of liberation from her oppressive reality.

Teagan Montgomery, an independent acquisitions curator, enjoyed negotiating for her clients and returning those prized possessions to the people those treasures belonged to. With a fulfilling balance between her business and her family, Teagan’s life feels complete. She firmly believes in leaving the past behind, convinced that it should remain where it belongs. But when Simeon Banks' involvement challenges the status quo, the past is suddenly the present, stirring long-dormant emotions within and challenging her resolve to keep history at bay.

When love leaves 19-year-old Loyalty Wallace with nothing but a pair of bruised ribs, she finds herself with $500,000 in stolen cash from her boyfriend, Whip, and a target on her back. She plans to use that money to escape her toxic relationship, but what she doesn’t know is the money she stole wasn’t his to keep. It was a loan from the Belmonte family, one of the most dangerous families in the heart of the Big Apple.

In the world of creativity, Lore Reed shines as a beacon of boundless imagination, her sculptures and paintings capturing the essence of emotion and beauty. Raised in a household where freedom and exploration reigned supreme, Lore’s carefree spirit knows no bounds. Yet beneath her artistic façade lies a longing for stability and family. With a daughter to nurture and a heart ready to embrace love’s allure, Lore sets out on a journey of discovery that promises to redefine her life forever.

Quentin Robinson is in his second year in the NFL, and he has records to break and points to make. With his relationship on the rocks, Quentin starts to think that, during such a pivotal point in his career, he should remain single. Doing a good deed puts him in the path of Melody Lane, a grieving single mother who only wants the best for her son. Quentin sees so much of his mother in Melody that he can't help but offer to help her in any way he knows how.

Twelve years in America and Eziafa Okereke has nothing to show for it. Desperate to rewrite his story, Eziafa returns to Nigeria to find a woman he can mold to his taste. Eighteen-year-old Zina has big dreams. An arranged marriage to a much older man isn't one of them. Trapped by family expectations, Zina marries Eziafa, moves to Houston, and trains as a nurse. Buffeted by a series of disillusions, the couple stagger through a turbulent marriage until Zina decides to change the rules of engagement.

Peace. That's what Synovi now had and cherished more than anything. Free from all the disturbances his chaotic life once ensued, he wanted nothing more than to keep it that way. With a thriving business and relationship, almost nothing could take him back to that dark place of no love. His Love didn't reside there. His world is still hers, and she is still his. Without warning, Torin inserted herself into Synovi's life and remained. She's the person he can run to when everything begins to fade, but there's a price to pay when you have a good heart.

Loving hard doesn’t do anyone any good when the love isn’t reciprocated. If Rondo Simpson could have a do-over in his love life, he would jump at the opportunity. The woman he’s loved for over ten years has committed the ultimate betrayal and has convinced him that love just isn’t in the cards for him. Even attempts at love before her seemed to be one-sided and left him heartbroken. However, unexpectedly, the type of woman he’s been longing for walks into his life when everything is in disarray, stealing his attention from the word go.

Cartel Jareau has always been the protector of his siblings. The handsome chef has a bit of a roughness to him. Aside from his family, very few people get to witness his sensitivity. When he met Adina Harold a year ago, he had no idea that intervening in an embarrassing exchange would lead to falling in love with a woman he could never truly have. She was spoken for. Forbidden, yet during turmoil brewing within her home, they somehow fell in love.

For seventeen-year-old Delaney Ragein McGuff, life hasn't been easy. Both of her parents are strung out on drugs, so Delaney, the oldest of five siblings, skips straight over her childhood and focuses on being there for her sisters and brothers. At work one day, she meets Onijae Love, and she’s instantly attracted to the older man. Onijae, a well-known businessman, is twenty-four and one of the handsomest men living in the state of Texas.

The Witch Sphere is in turmoil. In the years since a stunning betrayal sent shockwaves through society, the Sphere was hit with another crisis: witches are giving birth to more typics (non-witches) and their numbers are diminishing. Nadia is determined to help but finds hers efforts at the Witch Health Organization entangled with the political machinations of her powerful mother.

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.

Law and Zuri met in the most unconventional way, but their connection was straight out of a storybook. It was genuine, poetic, and undeniable. However, haters will always ruin it. Learning what truly sent Law her way, Zuri cut off all ties with the man who had finally reminded her of what truly being unconditionally loved felt like.

As an emerging star with her girl group Genesis Rising, lead singer Tina Braddon’s career elevates at every turn. She has the best of friends and her close family she cherishes more than anything. Beautiful, healthy, and a lover at heart, Tina absorbs all the goodness life has to offer—including her healthy competitiveness to win. But the man of her dreams is the one person who remains out of her reach. He’s here today and gone tomorrow, and Tina can’t help but wonder if it’s for the best.

Raising four very different daughters on her own in rural Arkansas wasn't easy for Miss Pearly Bell. And she's always regretted that the sisters went their separate ways for good - and never wanted to see each other again. But when Pearly is stricken with a terminal illness, she summons them all home - determined to somehow help them get right with each other and forgive.... But that means dealing with past secrets and lies first.

Baby Girl McCoy was given her name when her mother couldn’t even be bothered to give her another one in the hospital after she gave birth. Baby Girl was the product of rape, and she spends her life in a quest for a father figure. Never in a million years did she imagine that she’d find it in the man that she does.

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.

When the men in their lives prove less than reliable, Savannah, Bernadine, Gloria, and Robin find new strength through a rare and enlightening friendship as they struggle to regain stability and an identity they don’t have to share with anyone. Because for the first time in a long time, their dreams are finally OFF hold....