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.

Alicia Powell Torres is sick of her joyless career in a town full of painful memories. She wants to seize life again, and she won't get that by staying still. It's time for a big change, and Brooklyn seems like the right place for a fresh start. But before she can pack everything up, her childhood friend and neighbor Gabo returns to town with sexy smiles, his dinner invites, his collection of steamy romance books, and his big...goals. He also brings memories best left in the past. She struggles to keep him at a distance, but he lights her up like no one else ever could.

Putting herself first is what Jordana Evans knows how to do best. She’s at the top of her game in her career and no longer haunted by memories of her past threatening to steal her joy. In her mind, being in love is a want, not a need, and she’s convinced that she’ll be just fine without it. Having intimate relations with the opposite sex is something she’s willing to do for one night only. But then came along…him.

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.

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.

For Maleek Jones, hockey is his wife. Everything and everyone else is his mistress, an aside. When unexpected responsibilities land in his lap, the balance of his world is disrupted, changing the way he sees everything.

Sloane: Dominic Alexander is my late husband's best friend and the last man that I should want. For the last ten years, he's taken a sick pleasure in making me feel paper thin, like my existence is of no consequence to him at all. But now, things are different. After a drunken night, and a surprisingly sexy act of heroism, he's started to be . . . nice. Treating me like something other than the embodiment of his annoyance, which would be nice if it didn't make me feel things I swore to never feel for another man after my husband died.

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

This contract is entered into by and between Allegra Malone and Damon Dawson. The term of this agreement shall begin immediately and continue through its termination date of never. The terms are as follows: Find the bright side when your best friend (the woman you’ve secretly been in love with for 10+ years) finds an engagement ring in her live-in boyfriend’s gym bag.

When souls are tied, it's never goodbye. A boy I was that summer evening I met you, pulling your belongings out of the truck and into your new home. I knew it was love then. A whole man I was the day that you met me at the altar and agreed to love me until death do us part. A shell of a man I've become since it did, unable to move on, move forward, or progress in any way until I discovered that not even death was permanent enough to keep us apart. A better man I'm destined to be, knowing that, at some capacity, you're still with me. Our love is one that never dies.

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.

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.

Best friends? With a celebrity? Impossible. That's how Sesali feels after a chance encounter with super producer Dash Dean. His offer of friendship has to be a smoke screen for an ulterior motive. Besides, she already has best friends, and one of them has staked a claim on Dash.

From the moment his eyes met hers, there was something. Time stood still, the world around them vanished, and electricity... instant electricity. Immediately, she owned him in an inexplicable way he couldn’t quite understand. He couldn't escape her. Not in his dreams. And soon, not even in his reality. He was the man that made her soar. There was nothing in the world she wanted more than him. Absolutely nothing. His touch made her levitate. When she was with him, she was limitless. He felt like home.

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.

He was my uncle's friend, and I was too young for him. But in the heat of the moment, against the wall in a darkened hallway of an illicit club, none of those things mattered. It was just one night of giving in to what we both wanted. I never expected to see him two years later, sitting across me during a family dinner, encouraging me to do my internship for his business.

The first time I saw him, he entranced me and offered to help me forget my broken engagement. The second time was on a blind date with no last names and undeniable passion. The third time, I was eight months pregnant with his baby that he knew nothing about. This time, he's not letting me walk away so easily.

Simone is a woman on a mission: Stop being boring, and fall in love. That's easier said than done with no prospects on the table...or under the table...or near the table. Her luck changes when fellow neighborhood business-owner Roman Taylor walks through the door of her flower shop. Roman is single, successful, and sexy - everything Simone is looking for to embark on a whirlwind summer romance with the potential to spark an everlasting love. But things are never as "perfect" as they seem.

Sebastian Shark is on the verge of realizing his dream. The Edge - the most luxurious Los Angeles skyscraper ever conceived - will be his legacy, an icon to dominate LA’s skyline just as Shark dominates its boardrooms. Self-made businesswoman Abbigail Gibson is on a trajectory toward massive success, but to get there, she must navigate the egos of her demanding clients - particularly the driven and obstinate Shark, who possesses the special talent of aggravating and arousing her within the same breath.

Fresh off a divorce from a Hollywood hotshot, Madison Atwood needs an escape. With the paparazzi fresh on her heels and her love life splashed on every tabloid, she runs away to a swanky retreat in Northern California. Avalon Springs is the mountainside haven she needs to find herself again. Luke Dawson lives off the grid, preferring solitude to society. When he finds a beautiful woman soaking in the hot springs on his property, he can't stop himself from watching her. She captures his attention, but she's just a city girl - a beautiful distraction disturbing the peace.

To Collin Galloway, direction is a four-letter word. Sure, he hates his job, he hates living with his parents, and he really hates watching everyone move on without him. But he doesn’t know what he wants to do, long-term, and he won’t figure it out by thirsting over Jeremiah, the superhot, super-intense paramedic who is suddenly everywhere Collin looks.

When it comes to life's fun and games, always know: The rules. What's at stake. When to quit. Wise words from...well...my fortune cookie. But wise words, nonetheless.

Liza B.—the only DJ who gives a jam—wants to take her neighborhood back from the soulless property developer dropping unaffordable condos on every street corner in DC. But her planned protest at a corporate event takes a turn after she mistakes the smoldering-hot CEO for the waitstaff. When they go toe-to-toe, the sparks fly—but her impossible-to-ignore family thwarts her every move. Liza wants Dorsey Fitzgerald out of her hood, but she’ll settle for getting him out of her head.

After an unfortunate incident and a forced leave of absence from the Secret Service, Arden Ryan is moving back to Chicago where she can get over her failures in the comfort of her childhood home.

It was supposed to be a simple weekend away to forget the heartache caused by my cheating husband. But the man sitting next to me in 1B has different plans. Cash’s whiskey-colored eyes and easy smile beg me to dance beneath the stars, kiss in the moonlight, and walk hand in hand down the streets of Boston. Unfortunately, life has other plans because I’m still married, and Cash James is the billionaire playboy standing between me and my dream promotion.

Alicia Powell Torres is sick of her joyless career in a town full of painful memories. She wants to seize life again, and she won't get that by staying still. It's time for a big change, and Brooklyn seems like the right place for a fresh start. But before she can pack everything up, her childhood friend and neighbor Gabo returns to town with sexy smiles, his dinner invites, his collection of steamy romance books, and his big...goals. He also brings memories best left in the past. She struggles to keep him at a distance, but he lights her up like no one else ever could.

Genevieve Raymond was born an overachiever. After opening a hot new hotel chain location in Panama, she’s on track for a major promotion. But first, she desperately needs a break, even if her overbearing mother doesn’t approve. For two glorious weeks, Gen’s giving herself permission to explore the beautiful beaches of Colón—and the stimulating attraction she shares with her sexy-as-hell driver, Adrián Nicolas.

Dealing with her boyfriend's infidelities leads Nicolette into the arms of an ex. Soon, she learns that all actions have consequences. Now, she's stuck between two men with a belly in the mix.

Jardel has a structured life, a successful career, and a fine woman beside him. Solange Rivera is everything he wished for, but he's no Prince Charming. Betting it all on her seems to be the answer to all his troubles, but Solange has other plans. When Solange refuses Jardel’s vision for the future, there is nothing left but to prove to her that they are meant to be together. By any means necessary. Even if it takes a little help from his friends.

For better or worse… That was the promise Denver and Kensa made, but it’s a sentiment they’ve somehow lost along the way. What started as a passionate wildfire has diminished to a flicker, all but snuffed out by unspoken fears, perceived betrayal, and a complete breakdown in communication. Can either of them tuck their ego away long enough to rekindle their flame?

All Sevyn wanted was to finish law school and make her late grandmother proud. She was never the one to color outside the lines or go against the rules. When Sevyn is suddenly faced with past due bills and eviction, she becomes overwhelmed trying to stay above water. Nasir is content in his relationship with his long-term girlfriend. The two of them have an understanding. Inviting another partner in the bedroom has never been an issue—until now. When Sevyn joins the couple for one night of pleasure, Nasir instantly becomes attracted to the innocence surrounding her.

Xiomara's bad and she knows it. She's not only a cute face; she's working on her degree as well. Left with scars from her past, she's only focused on her money and building her brand. After encountering Jrue in the club, she's offered a job that unknowingly changes things for her, causing her to look at her choices differently.

Three friends experiencing life’s uncertain changes decide they need relaxation beyond the usual girls’ night out. A friend tells them about The Den, an upscale male strip club. They find out the club is a shell of what really lies beneath - and soon, the ladies are venturing into their mind and body’s wildest desires.

Trauma left her captivating, sweet soul flawed, distressed, disconnected, and shattered. Savvy and effortlessly beautiful, Syncere James concealed her heartache, finding security and refuge in her career as a successful real estate agent. Refusing to lose control, Syncere dictates and schedules every aspect of her life, including her relationships with men. The pretty princess never desired the love of a prince - until she met a King.

Rule #1: No fraternizing. That was the main rule you had to follow if you wanted to stay employed at Danger Inc. For four years, Dymon Danger never worried about breaking that rule until the day his new assistant, Quinci Everly, walked in his office. Withstanding Dymon’s tactics to make her quit, he realizes that neither Quinci nor his intrusive thoughts were going anywhere anytime soon.

Brandon Sims has it all. The brain that produces million-dollar ideas, the charming personality to get what he wants, and the looks to seduce any willing bachelorette. According to his mother, the only thing that’s missing is a wife and kids, and the more time he spends with his personal assistant, Calliope, the more he agrees with her. Calliope represents everything he wants in a woman—educated, ambitious, and so damn sexy. The easiest thing for him to do would be to marry the woman of his dreams, but the hard part is convincing Calliope.

Harlow Shaw feels naïve for believing in happily ever afters, but she craves a love that lights her up. She thinks she has it all with her boyfriend—Until his promising baseball career overshadows their relationship, and he asks her a life-changing question. It causes her to wonder if what they have is all she ever truly wanted. Harlow is yearning for more than the curated life she is living. A trip to Bali, a move to Seattle, and an alleged burned cup of coffee lead her to a friendship she didn't know she needed and a love so deep she can feel it in her bones.

Playboy, wild, rapper Kazier is always in the blogs for some kind of scandal. Never been the one to play by the rules, he loves to test his limits. What happens when one weekend in Vegas he pushes past those limits and wakes up next to a beautiful stranger? Ny'asia has had a rough past. Getting caught up with the wrong guy, her life was going downhill fast. All she wanted was to start over and leave the troubles from her ex in the past. What was supposed to be a weekend of fun in Vegas turned into something life-changing.

Cassidy Evans is the blueprint. As a criminal psychologist, Cassidy is a savant. She spent years solving groundbreaking cases by shifting through the minds and behaviors of those driven by the darkness that controls them. After years of dedicated field work, Cassidy decides to retire and share her expertise of killers’ mentalities as a novelist.

The day Lisara Compton caught her husband in a rather compromising position changed her life in a way neither she nor her sons ever saw coming. Realizing too late that divorcing him would cause a domino effect of turmoil, she is now forced into an uncomfortable life that she can't seem to stay afloat in. With her eldest son acting out and a nonexistent ex-husband, Lisara feels things can't get any worse. That's until her ex betrays her and their son in a way that leaves her in need like never before. It seems she just can't catch a break, until she meets him.