Magnolia Baker could be considered the matriarch of her four younger sisters. They’ve endured tragedy and heartbreak together, with Magnolia protecting them no matter the cost. Her heart was made of solid gold and under lock and key. Shielding the part of her that had been broken by the one man who should have guarded it with his life is a top priority for Magnolia. No one has ever been able to penetrate the barrier until a smooth-talking, college English professor by the name of Lennox Clarke steps in to take a shot.

I always knew marriage for me would never be to a man of my choosing. As a young girl, I was all too aware of the power I wielded in a world where men were supposed to be the superior gender. To the underworld, I was just a mafia princess. To my family, I was an equal. To my soon-to-be husband? Well, that was yet to be determined. But I prayed Enzo Bianchi was ready for me because I was damn sure prepared for him.

All Zarinah wanted was to fall in love. Growing up, she had kissed her fair share of frogs. When an unconventional situation leads her to Lawson, her wishes might become reality. Lawson is the new CEO of his family's hotel casino chain. He's tired of aimless dating and women just wanting his money. When he meets Zarinah, he instantly feels like she's the one.

She yearned for him. Nyla Mullaney couldn't shake her want for a man she knew could never be hers. He desired her. Asan Chamberlain sought peace and found it in a woman who he should've been avoiding at all costs. They formed a bond that had them treading in forbidden waters with no desire to escape. Nyla and Asan were never meant to be, history said so, but fate had other plans.

The job offer she expected after taking an unpaid internship at a major shoe company didn’t come through. The friend who’d offered her a place to stay suddenly gave her 48 hours to vacate after a misunderstanding. And when she’s forced to move back to her hometown to live with her father and his mistress-turned-wife, it almost seems impossible for things to get any worse...until she runs into her former best friend, who’s only gotten fine with time.

You met them in the Valentine and Rose series. In this prelude, I will formally introduce you to Malik Anthony Clark, Tristian Neil Clark, and Langston Jamal Clark.

Ashira, a belle from the suburbs, is the wealthy acting CEO of her father’s booming building firm. That's when she’s not the dancer on the Gram and TikTok, dating the latest Black Hollywood shooting star. To her, Jas, a construction laborer, is a walking conundrum. He’s fruitlessly ambitious yet steadfast in his spiritual convictions. He’s enigmatic, well-read, regimented, and poor. Oh, and a felon. An incredibly disarming parolee who wants no connection to her. Until he does.

Zahi was young and living life to the fullest. Then, he was thrust into fatherhood and forced to change his outlook on life, love, and happiness. The self-proclaimed bachelor did not expect to be swept up in emotions he'd never felt. However, caring for his daughter, Zuri, charged a part of his heart that he thought was dead. The spark awakened a need for more out of life. From the moment he laid eyes on India, he was drawn to her. The pull was so intense, and no matter how many times he told himself to stay away from her, he just couldn't follow his own command.

All Jerzey wanted was a family of her own. After things don't work out with her ex-husband, she takes matters into her own hands. Being a foster mom isn't easy, but having her best friend by her side to help makes it a little easier. That is, until the two blur lines and suddenly a friendship isn't enough.

She’s an angel. And she doesn’t mind dancing with a demon. That’s why I’d move mountains, dry seas, and hydrate the desert if it made her happy. She brought goodness to the world. It was only right that I made it hers, along with the two tiny beauties that shared her hazel eyes and perfect smile. For them, I’d do whatever. For them, I’d become whoever.

At twenty-one, Ason ‘Ace’ Williams Jr. knows all about inevitable endings. He’s formerly famous, a popular rapper’s muse, the son of a three-time NBA champ, and a little… complicated. After a disturbing scandal and loss rocks his world, he’s left to deal with both in a city that doesn’t quite feel like home. It’s a place filled with old family friends he’s never met, reminders of all the endings he’s had to endure, and even worse—he’s stuck there after his dad takes a job no one ever imagined him taking.

Sometimes, you just need someone to help you see things in a different light. A shift in the angle.

Known playboy and award-winning R&B singer Wesley Johnson Jr. puts his dating rules to the side when he has a second chance encounter with the woman he can’t stop thinking about. Finding himself in unchartered territory, he realizes he can’t rely on his fame to earn the affection of this one special woman. Will his new ways be enough for her to let her guard down, or will someone from his past ruin their chances together?

Jaxon Daniels was supposed to be my forever. I've loved him since I was thirteen years old, and like a foolish little girl, I believed that our love would carry us through everything. Every challenge. Every obstacle. Every heartbreak. But that was before I knew anything about pain and the challenge of overcoming crushing disappointment. Before I knew that loving someone doesn't always mean you get to have them, sometimes it means you have to let them go. Now, thanks to my sister marrying his brother at a romantic resort in Mexico, he's back in my orbit.

Skylar Addison is one of the best sports attorneys in the city, so when the firm she worked for “reallocated” her out of a job, she felt as if the rug had been snatched from up under her. Finding out that her ex had her terminated after she decided that she no longer wanted to be in a relationship, only made matters worse. After a pity party at a local bar and grill, Skylar found herself falling for the type of man she swore she would never think twice about.

Advice columnist Amelia Reinhardt had been told her entire life that she was destined for greatness. After gracing the cover of a popular magazine that highlights Black professionals, Amelia knew she’d finally made it. Now that her career was taking off, she no longer had an excuse to ignore the storm brewing between her and the man she’s known her entire life.

Escape to Chateau Hills, California, home of the prestigious King Dynasty Resorts & Vineyard. CEO Zeno King faces pressure to maintain his late father's vision while also modernizing the family business. When alluring new sommelier Ayasha Black challenges Zeno's traditions, simmering attraction clashes with his lingering resistance to change.

Dior moves to a new city for a fresh start. After losing her mom at a young age and dealing with the scars left behind, she struggles with more than skin-deep insecurities. Enzo is rebuilding his life after being released from prison. As a successful business owner, he's ready to settle down and start something real. When he and Dior collide, the two instantly feel a spark, but Enzo doesn't realize that Dior is more damaged than meets the eye. Will he be able to help her out of her shell and show her what real love looks like?

Arrow Nez is all about that pack life. If it's not about the pack or his business, it's not about him. He's put in a lot of work to prove himself to his pack and his adopted father after an indiscretion that was punishable by death. Childhood trauma has broken him to the point of feeling incapable of loving and being loved. When a beautiful stranger stumbles onto tribal land there are more questions than answers. Who is she? Where has she come from? The most important question is, will she be the iron needed to mend a broken Arrow?

What started as a night out, letting her hair down, turned into a night Gianna would never forget. The moment she saved his life, she felt a connection with him. But when bad news hits her family, she might push away her future before it begins. Take a ride with the baby of the Parker sisters and see how one night changed her whole life.

Normandee Tribune dedicates her life to saving the lives of children. While she loves her job, it doesn't fill the void of not being able to have the one thing she desires more than anything—a family of her own. Amid her fertility struggles, she's forced to come to terms with the reality that she may have put her heart in the hands of the wrong person. Things begin to shift after she's reunited with the knight in shining armor who once helped her during a devastating loss. Now, Normandee is left with hard decisions only she can make.

Imagine this… You've planned everything perfectly for your sixth anniversary, hoping to make it a special day. But then your beloved stands you up, leaving you heartbroken and alone at home. Later, your best friend calls with some shocking news—she saw your boyfriend with another woman in his car while she was stopped at a traffic light. In a fit of anger, you grab your trusty bat and arrive at the scene to take out your anger on his car—only to realize later that it wasn't your boyfriend's vehicle after all. The owner happens to be a gorgeous gangsta, and he is pissed.

What starts as a friendly exchange quickly turns into a beautiful, unexpected love. Trauma bonded them, but is their bond strong enough to withstand the tests of a jealous ex and the return of Xander’s baby mama? Will Somya and Xander thrive under pressure or fold under the weight of the world on their shoulders?

Willow Lourie, daughter of Kyle and Eyota, is the definition of against the grain. She lives her life unapologetically to the desires of her heart. She's always known what was right according to pack law and her parents' guidance, but when right doesn't work with what her heart wants, she does the next best thing... her. What happens when someone comes along making her second guess her true heart's desire?

You ever felt like someone was made for you? Crafted in your image the same way Eve was for Adam? Javen Cooper knew Luna Moony was made for him. First, in the form of a best friend—the female version of the boy he loved like a brother. But as time moved forward, something else bloomed—something that blurred the lines of love and lover. It was so magnetic, that nothing could keep them apart. Except life. And Luna's need to protect Javen.

Kyce Jefferson understood change. His life had been a continuous reminder that nothing lasts forever. However, his one constant had always been football. Women come and go but the Chicago Bears was his team, his home, and his life. Being traded was the last thing he expected or wanted.

Iesha Chic moved to New York to follow her dreams and her long-distance boyfriend at the time. She had dreams of becoming a fashion designer and starting her clothing line. However, after four years and multiple broken promises, she finds herself back in Brookwood with her tail tucked between her legs. She doesn't have the career she thought she would have or the boyfriend. Moving back home to Brookwood was the last place she thought she would ever be. Instead of sitting around licking her wounds, she applies for a junior designer position for Fashion Don.

These are the tenets that rule the De Santis family—until an arranged marriage potentially threatens all three. Born into the most ruthless crime family in the South, Azreal De Santis is bred to lead, dominate, and rule. When a strategic marriage forces him to take Natoi Kingston as his wife, Azreal learns power is not always defined by strength, blood is not the strongest bond, and loyalty isn’t always black and white. Sometimes there are shades of gray.

Alana Powers is a triple threat. Brains, beauty, and intelligence. As a smart and savvy businesswoman, Alana's drive and passion for ensuring the success of Powers Construction is unparalleled. Nothing and no one can get in her way—except marriage. Noah Tate is caring, compassionate, and driven by his need to succeed. Fresh out of jail, past mistakes are now behind him, and Noah is determined to prove that he has learned valuable lessons about life. This time, he refuses to allow anything to stand in his way. Unfortunately, his record is proving to be more of a hindrance than he expects.

Andru is fresh out of prison, standing in the middle of a blessing and a curse. Just when he thinks all he’ll have to show for his life is the barbecue shop and street life, a beautiful, alluring woman walks in and steals his heart.