Meet Trent Bailey, who is fighting for the right to continue his stellar professional football career after enduring striking legal woes in the recent past. Trent cannot and will not blow his second chance for anyone; after all, this is the blessing he's been praying for. After receiving confirmation that staying focused is all he needs, it's what he aims to do. No distractions. That's until he bumps into two unexpected overnight guests.

I had my chance at love and I threw it away. I don't deserve another. I've dedicated my entire life to my community. There's no time for anything else. But then I met her. Ciara Jeffries is everything I told myself I didn't want but she might be everything I need. If I can just hold on to her.

Kora Caselli is the second oldest of the Caselli siblings. Right along with her brother, she’s had to grow up quicker than she wanted to. Sacrificing the life, she thought she would have to be there for her youngest siblings and step into a role that was always chosen for her. As a federal judge, Kora Caselli, or Judge Case, has built her career on being fair—sometimes, tough—and about business within her courtroom. At 34, she’s one of the youngest and most feared judges in the system, known mostly for the high-profile cases she has tried.

Sadik Ellis blew into my rather insipid world at breakneck speed and with gripping force. He held all the features: striking feline eyes, golden russet skin, incredible sex appeal, wealth exuding like the enticing scent of cologne, and mind-blowing determination. He was also trouble from the other side of the tracks, something I'd sensed. Sadik was an Ellis man with a solid education, his own thriving businesses, and self-obtained wealth. However, the Ellis family was known for their long underbelly ruling of the state of New Jersey.

Being a BBW has never been easy for Reagan while growing up, but that never stopped her confidence either. Reagan knew she was fine, from the thickness of her thighs to her caramel complexion baby doll face. Because of that, she never had a problem getting a man and she knew how to finesse them and leave them, until she met her match.

Sports reporter Tanika “Nikki” Ryan is at the top of her game until she isn’t. Squinting at the teleprompter and flubbing lines, she loses her coveted Thursday Night football spot to a younger, less qualified woman—and that’s only the start of her troubles. After her impaired sight leads to an accident nearly costing her life, Tanika finds herself in the office of handsome widowed optometrist Gideon Miles. There, mysterious circumstances lead Tanika to an enchanted pair of glasses, changing her world—and Gideon’s—forever.

Jamison Jareau has suffered a terrible loss. His wife of eighteen years passed away the day she gave birth to their son. Consumed with grief and guilt over her death, Jamison has thrown himself into work and raising his four children without her. Two and a half years have passed since he lost his soulmate. The kids are growing up and Jamison realized he needs a little more help with them than he wants to admit. At the urging of his mother-in-law, he seeks a live-in nanny to alleviate some of the stress of being a single parent.

August Hanson was the silent type, the kind who spoke through his actions and not his words. He possessed enough power to make me feel safe and secure. I was ready to open up and share the parts of myself I’d never shared with another, and then I got hit with a truth that changed everything. There was a slight chance he’d still want me, only he had to accept our baby, too.

Retired hitwoman Celine Briggs loved few people in this world; Her husband Caleb, and her ex-handler, Brian Devereaux. When Celine took her marital vows, she exchanged the life of guns, drugs, and violence for the peaceful life as Caleb's wife. However, not all things buried stay hidden.

In this collection are updated stories from some of your favorite Valentines.

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.

I knew I wanted her since the first time I saw her at that kitchen counter sobbing. I could see the pain in her eyes, and I knew she had never been loved right. She probably never had someone console or love her the way that I knew I would. I couldn't love her then. My heart wouldn't allow me to, knowing that everything or everyone that loves me ends up leaving this earth.

In this collection are updated stories from some of your favorite Valentines.

In this urban love story filled with betrayal, jealousy, shocking revelations, and forbidden obsessions, will the good girl and extra rude bad boy be able to develop a true love? Or will Camarih's negative outlook on life and love, continue to be true? But how easy is it for her to walk away when she gave him her all, and when there wasn't much left to begin with?

Controversial relationship podcaster at night and psychology professor by day, Chicago Benton has never been afraid to follow his own rules. Raised by an emotionally unstable mother and dealing with women who played too many games taught him only to depend on himself. Love was only optional. Striving playwright Indigo Lyriq moved to New York on a wing and a prayer that her work would be seen on a Broadway stage one day. Raised by an aunt because her parents didn't want her, and dealing with an abusive relationship taught her to never rely on a man. Love was a luxury she couldn't afford.

Nicolas Brown is the epitome of speak-when-spoken-to. He doesn't volunteer information or even his time. He's one who observes from the shadows more than one who craves the spotlight. His attention has fallen to a certain woman, and she is one who enjoys the game that's being played. However, he's not the only chaser. Ross McIntyre is the woman you see often but never recognize. In her line of profession, she blends right in with the crowd but stands out to one. She's as sweet as they come but has violent tendencies when pushed. With a mind like hers, unpredictable is an understatement.

As teenagers, Summer Knight and Echo Abara spent one unforgettable summer as camp counselors. Beneath sun-soaked days and starry nights, their bond deepened from easy friendship into something more—an unspoken love neither dared confess. Life pulled them in different directions, yet their souls remained tethered by time, distance, and a shared secret.

She was the pretty girl from the South whose life had been planned out for her since the age of fourteen, when she had her first boyfriend. She never anticipated that one decision would turn her world upside down. He was a smart kid from the slums who was known for his handsome looks, tantalizing eyes, and smile. He grew up in a dangerous environment, to most, and instead of turning away from danger, he embraced it, using it to his advantage to get where he wanted in life, which was out of the hood.

All work and later for play has always been Nikki Wade's motto. Until the enticingly hot yet complicated Bakari Youngblood convinces her otherwise while at a conference in Jamaica. After a tough emotional two years of pain and loneliness and one night of unexpected passion with Bakari, Nikki gives in to his request to be uninhibited. And soon, she rediscovers herself and realizes that love is possible again. But is that love possible with Bakari who seems to be holding something back?

Rising ballerina Erica's life is shattered when her ruthless stepfather rips her from the spotlight and forces her into a marriage with the city's most feared mob boss—Gianni, the Devil of Shadows. Eight years older and infinitely more dangerous, Gianni is not just her captor but also her protector, ensnaring her in a twisted web of dark devotion. With each passing day, his grip tightens, pulling her deeper into his shadowed world.

Amari Moody, the daughter of a powerful mafia boss, is navigating her life with a mental health disorder and a troubled past. Just as she is finding her footing, her world is turned upside down when her father arranges a marriage between her and Domonick Rivera, the son of a rival cartel leader. Amari is hesitant, but as she gets to know Domonick, she finds herself drawn to him in ways she can't explain. Meanwhile, finding out her best friend Britt is pregnant with Amari's brother Channing's child causes a rift in their lifelong friendship.

Calliope "Callie" Palmer is one year fresh out of a relationship with a heartbreaking end. Since deciding to focus on herself and her bakery, the last thing Callie is looking for again is love. When her best friend recruits her for a photoshoot with her fiancé, Callie has a feeling she's being set up. Her initial apprehension is replaced with immediate attraction when she lays eyes on the handsome Thane St. Thomas.

Salima Navarro, a driven young woman with dreams larger than her current circumstances, takes a job at the upscale Aura nightclub to support herself and her recovering mother. This decision unexpectedly propels her into an unfamiliar world. Deuce Dillinger, the commanding heir to a powerful family empire, is accustomed to control in all aspects of his life. Upon seeing Salima, he resolves to make her his, despite her initial resistance to his domineering personality and lifestyle.

Quamir "Soul" Kelly comes through like a thief in the night, wiping out those who cause friction in the organization. His profession stems from the mistreatment as a child, and now, he's the one soulless person you don't want to encounter. He is thorough and accurate each and every time, even when it comes to things that are unexpected.

Xander Brown is a skilled surgeon who lives a carefree life. With him being the Chief of Surgery at GHM, his plate is always full. However, he made room for the one woman he couldn't see himself without. Zara Lyles is the hood Barbie; that's all about her family. She does what needs to be done for them to survive, all while keeping a certain elegance. As usual, she has it all together without the help of a man.

Michelle and Kelsie have never had it easy, but the one thing that has remained consistent in each of their lives are each other. Both in their early twenties and with the stress of the world on their shoulders, they both manage to still be there for each other through it all. Michelle's dream is to be a top stylist, well her dream was a reality until she was fired from Naomi's shop because of her boyfriend. Tasheem is all Michelle knows, and that's being physically and mentally abused by the man she has loved since she was younger.

Halani Henley experienced a shocking and devastating loss. At six months pregnant, she loses the child she is carrying, and it turns her entire world upside down. To make matters worse, she feels she is the only one taking her miscarriage as seriously as it is. Her boyfriend of three years, Onyx Sawyer, is moving through life as though he hasn't just lost a child as well. When a secret comes out, Halani is faced with the fact that she may not have known her man as well as she thought she did.

After being in a relationship for three years, Noelle Frost is faced with the reality that she was definitely the better half. Her friends, ecstatic she's dropped the dead weight of a cheating boyfriend, urge her to get away for the holiday and take some time for herself. Not sure if that'll fix anything, but willing to try, she books a last-minute trip to the world-renowned Mistletoe Mountain Resort. Noelle boards the plane with the promise of peace and relaxation on the horizon.

In this urban love story filled with betrayal, jealousy, shocking revelations, and forbidden obsessions, will the good girl and extra rude bad boy be able to develop a true love? Or will Camarih's negative outlook on life and love, continue to be true? But how easy is it for her to walk away when she gave him her all, and when there wasn't much left to begin with?

Being a BBW has never been easy for Reagan while growing up, but that never stopped her confidence either. Reagan knew she was fine, from the thickness of her thighs to her caramel complexion baby doll face. Because of that, she never had a problem getting a man and she knew how to finesse them and leave them, until she met her match.