African American English

In 1958 Georgia, the shade of a 13-year-old black girl's skin can make the difference in her fate. Tangy Mae is the smartest of her mother's 10 children, but she is also the darkest complected. The Quinns - all different skin shades, all with unknown fathers - live with their charismatic, beautiful, and tyrannical mother, Rozelle, in poverty on the fringes of a Georgia town where Jim Crow rules. Rozelle's children live in fear of her mood swings and her violence, but they are devoted to her. Rozelle pulls her children out of school when they are 12 years old so that they can help support her by going to work.

Picking up where Essence best-selling author La Jill Hunt's Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda left off, Too Close for Comfort follows Paige Michaels and her no-nonsense friends as they search for love. Paige has finally broken loose from her no-good man, and she's loving the single life - until Quincy Westbrooke shows up.

Jasmine and Eric have an almost perfect relationship, but there's one thing missing—a child. Eric has been begging Jasmine to have his baby for quite some time, but she's hesitant. She enjoys their life as it is and fears that a baby might change their dynamic. Eventually, after much pleading, Jasmine gives in. When their baby arrives, Eric initially helps out, but soon he starts to slack off and eventually walks out, leaving Jasmine to care for the baby alone. Despite his promises to stay involved, Eric becomes distant, forcing Jasmine to constantly reach out for financial support and ...

One night at the club changes everything when Truth and I.E. meet the breathtakingly beautiful Tina, and her equally as beautiful godsister, Ka’mirah. It’s in that meeting that everything in their world begins to change in the blink of an eye.

Lady, a young woman with dreams bigger than the Polo Grounds Towers projects in Harlem, New York she calls home, finds herself drawn to the charismatic Drac. Their connection is undeniable, but their love story unfolds against the backdrop of a brutal criminal underworld. When Drac takes over the notorious DuPont crime family, Lady is thrust into a world of violence, power struggles, and dangerous loyalties. Drac’s leadership is challenged by his ambitious cousin, igniting a bitter rivalry that threatens to tear the family apart. When Drac is incarcerated, Lady steps out of the shadows ...

Meet Kateevah Knight! A beautiful BBW who is living life on her terms. Her life path will change drastically when she agrees to a one-night stand with a perfect stranger by the name of Draylon Prince. After their encounter she never thinks she will see the man who took her virginity and left a piece of his love with her. Latasia is Kateevah’s best friend. She’s every man’s BBW sexual fantasy come true. Never the one to be insecure or care what anyone thinks. She’ll find herself sexually seduced and caught up with Dayvion “Horse” Prince! His toxic nature will have them clashing ...

In the final installment of this series Blaze and Lavish struggle to build a future together. With all of the mishaps brought upon them, they are lucky if they can even survive in such a cold hard city. When Murder is faced with his own new challenges he is backed against the wall and does what Blaze could never do, which was tell the truth. However, how will Murder react to Blaze coming clean about him and Lavish and will he accept the true paternity of baby Naila? Will he and Blaze's bond be broken forever and will the bloodshed spilled between the two be fatal? This cold love story is ...

At first, med student Misty Heiress just wants to help. With her cousin Jillian in constant pain, and the doctor refusing to prescribe, Misty steals opioids from the Virginia Beach pharmacy where she works. But when Jillian starts reselling them to local dealers and gets big money, Misty grabs an unbelievable opportunity to get out of crushing debt. Soon Misty's boss, Sanjay, learns the truth and wants in. In no time, their illegal business dominates the street - and racks up a fortune. But when demand quickly outstrips supply, Sanjay way overplays his hand - and the Feds come calling.

Michael has been the lead pastor over HSCMBC for the past five years. Before he became a servant of the Lord, Michael’s first love was women. Women have always been a downfall for him. However, when Te’nae strolls inside the church doors by herself with her kids on multiple occasions, Michael is smitten with her. When he sees Te’nae in a dream, he believes it’s a sign from God. God has answered his prayers. He begins pursuing her and develops an obsession. Will the vision he prayed for come to pass? Te’nae joined HSCMBC for the singing and not the drama. As she communes with ...

The Flame, The Yearn Harlem, 1948: A forbidden romance between Kathy Freeman, the daring daughter of a Harlem kingpin, and Carmelo Ricci, heir to a rival mob dynasty, sparks a war that could destroy both their families. Their love is a match struck in gasoline—passionate, reckless, and destined to burn everything in its path. But when betrayal forces them into hiding, their dream of escape shatters in a storm of blood and snow. New York, 1978: Sandra Brown returns home to bury her mother, Kathy, only to find her death was no accident. A missing corpse, a vanished diary, and whispers of ...

Can the Broken Ever Truly be Redeemed? As a child, Lana Harrington loved the Lord. But then life happened, and Lana didn’t want anything to do with religion or Christ. As the owner of a successful cookie shop, one would think that things are perfect for the beautiful Lana. But outside appearances are often deceptive — just a mask for the turmoil that is really going on inside a person’s heart, soul, and mind. When Lana decides to take a hard look at her sense of spirituality, she starts to feel as if something is wrong, something is missing. Sometimes, when a sista seems broken beyond...

Kiara Simmons is a beautiful girl from the streets of Harlem. When she starts moving drugs across state lines for her boyfriend Pierre, she becomes his ride-or-die chick. Money is coming in fast, and getting spent even faster, but when Pierre gets busted, and ends up in jail things go bad, and their relationship ends in disaster. With no money to her name Kiara hits rock bottom. After reevaluating her life she vows to never date a drug dealer again, but when a charming, 26 year old Kingpin, by the name of Qualil enters her world, he sweeps her off of her feet, and loves her in a way she's ...

Meet the Banks sisters - Simone, Bunny, Tallhya, and Ginger. They feel like they are finally in the clear in connection with the recent bank robberies - until their mother shows up demanding her share at gunpoint. She threatens to snitch them out if they don't come correct. The situation becomes a bloody mess, and now two sisters must band together to cover up the unthinkable actions of one of their own. As if that isn't enough, Pastor Cassius Street hits them with another major blow.

Serenity Miller thinks nothing of her living arrangement with her baby’s father, Hakeem. Hakeem knows her struggles in life and wants her and his daughter, Naomi, under one roof. Although they are not a couple, they decided to stay together for their daughter’s sake. One night, Hakeem asks Serenity about her true feelings for him. When she answers, they ended up in bed together. Serenity is sold on the possibility of them being a family until one day, the female on the other side of Hakeem’s room door comes walking out. Serenity knows she can’t let jealousy get in the way or deny ...

Cam is a young man with a bright future in the music business who seemed to be on his way to the top after signing one of the hottest R&B singers in the world -a singer who goes by the name Honey. Cam and Honey hit it off hot and heavy as they mix business with pleasure. The sky is the limit for the young powerhouse couple. The only problem is Cam's fiancée, Yolanda. She and Cam have been together for seven long years, and she hates the fact that her man has to work with Honey.

Bam Mosley, keyboardist for the alt-soul band The Prototype, knows who he is. He just wants to make good music and see the people he cares about win. Then he meets her. Sure, Cassandra is gorgeous and smart, with hypnotic eyes, but his bandmate's sister wasn't supposed to be this...disruptive and break down all his defenses. She sees what he hides from everyone else. He allows her to take off her mask. But is their connection powerful enough to survive life's low notes? Or maybe the true test of love is knowing when to let go....

Desperate times, call for desperate measures and everyone around the city was living by that. Paris and Blaze are reunited in the worse way and her plot for revenge backfires. Blaze's back is against the wall, and he doesn't know if he will be walking down the isle soon, or to a cell block because of his actions. Murder and Lavish are new parents trying to find happiness, but can't seem to escape the Karma they have both brought on themselves. After their trip to Husk and Diamonds trip to jail, Chicago becomes a morgue and makes the city that much colder. Who survives and who crumbles in ...

Raised on the deadly streets of New Orleans, James Johnson is displeased and disheartened by the drug game and the sickness it's inflicting on his race. Unexpectedly, James has befriended America's most wanted and deadliest fugitive, Osama Bin Laden. Now he and Osama have joined forces in an effort to eliminate the nation's drug trade.

Chicago’s winters were infamous for being cold but not many people talked about just how cold It got in the hood. Lavish Sanchez knew all to well and learned at a very young age that the city of Chicago didn’t love anyone After her King pen mother and father were killed at her 6th birthday party , she was sent to Texas to live with her grandparents. Lavish grew up unhappy and promiscuous trying to fill the void of losing her parents and being uprooted from where she knew was home. Hungry for the luxurious life she lived as a child, Lavish now 23, sets off to Chicago to strip her way to ...

New York Times best-selling author Mary Monroe continues the adventures of lifelong friends Annette Goode Davis and Rhoda O'Toole in this riveting novel.

Sensing her husband drifting away, Annette gets a full makeover to recapture his attention. But instead, she catches the eye of another man. Soon Annette is in a full-blown affair - and even Rhoda may not be able to fix things this time.