American Contemporary

Veronica Cruz has been through hell and back. After disconnecting with the world two years ago to be at the side of her dying mother, she's left alone, unemployed, overweight, and feeling a decade older than her 28 years. When her best friend coaxes her into joining the local gym to ditch her depression and rejuvenate her life, she meets Noah. What she least expected was for him to fall for her, but he has. There's just one problem: Noah is eight years younger.

Celebrated author Cheris Hodges pens romantic tales that hit all the right notes. In Recipe for Desire, Marie Charles’ party-girl days come to a screeching halt with a DWI arrest and a totaled Jaguar. Sentenced to 500 hours of community service at a local women’s shelter, her only bright spot is a fellow volunteer, TV star Devon Harris. But Devon wants nothing to do with Marie and her selfish ways - until her work at the shelter has her turning over a new leaf.

With the skills of Michael Vick and the looks of Tyreese, Andrew "Amir" Davis, a.k.a. Amir, is destined to be a star. But in the streets of Raleigh, North Carolina, NFL dreams can quickly vanish, and a Black man can either go with the flow or become another name added to the local obituaries. Amir has the whole hood behind him. He's a beacon of hope for young men who feel they've been discarded by society. North Carolina is breeding him to be their star, but he has other plans in mind.

You’re Not a Girl in a Movie is a new collection of powerful poems by Hala Alyan, winner of the Arab American Book Award in Poetry and the Dayton Literary Peace Prize. In these nine extraordinary poems, Alyan wrestles with the intimate themes that have driven her acclaimed body of work to date: the aching loss of homeland, the image and worth of women, and the violence of love. In Beirut, Brooklyn, and roads in the American West, she unravels the effects of decades of war and displacement on love and human worth and identity.

2024 Global Book Award Silver Medalist Ghosted. It wasn't the first time—and probably wouldn't be the last. But I'll be damned if I let the same man do it twice. Except...it's him. The one with the dreamy eyes and that deep, rumbling baritone. The man I met ten years ago on a balcony, where one electric conversation felt like the start of everything. I thought he was it. He said he'd call. He didn't. Now he's the CEO of the company launching my fashion line—and I'm the woman who can make or break his brand. We're older. Sharper. But the heat between us? Still dangerous. His eyes still ...

With ten years into a successful marriage and a thriving business, Destiny Harris was living the life most only dreamed of. There was only one addition that would bring everything full circle, but a harsh reality turned her world upside down. Betrayal and lies replaced the truth she believed to be the foundation of her happy life. MyKyng Masters was a man of substance and structure. Even at a very young age, he had a firm grasp on everyone and everything around him. With an already complicated life, the last thing he needed was a reminder that no one can maintain complete control.

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.

Kyrell Knight believes life is a game to be played and thoroughly enjoyed. He rarely takes anything seriously, lives in the moment, and indulges in as much pleasure with women as possible. But the sarcasm, money, and women are an attempt to erase the memories of his past as he tries to forget what he came from. It works until his past wants to be a part of his present. Kyrell reconnects with Quinn Halifax at their mutual best friend's engagement party. They spark up a friendship that quickly turns to flames when it becomes a superficial, no-strings-attached relationship.

The past is a tricky place. For some, it's a place to be held on to desperately, for others, a place never to be revisited. For Micah Oramah, the pain of a profound loss has caused his faith to be shaken. Blinded by grief, he questions if serving God is actually worth it. Former gay makeup artist, Zainab Baruwa-Phillips is head over heels in love with God. The only cloud is her past which she is desperate to erase. However, she'll learn that her past is a strength God is looking to use for his glory. Almost everything in Shola's life seems to be falling apart. With a rain of emotions ...

MASK ON… The problem with being fake is that eventually your mask starts to fall and when it does, people around you won’t recognize the person before them. This is what happens to Ember. Ember has had to wear a mask most of her life to not only keep people from getting in but to also keep herself from having her heart crushed into a million pieces. Her first heartbreak didn’t come from a man…it came from her mother Neecee. When Neecee leaves Ember to be raised by her father she builds an ice box around her heart. Eventually she meets her knight and shining armor Iro. Iro is a man ...

"What is that old proverb--a journey of 1000 miles begins with a single step? No. It begins with a phone call from a stranger in the middle of the night." ONE OF OUR OWN, an Award-winning contemporary romance novel by Cheryl Reavis, a 4-time winner of the Romance Writers of America's coveted RITA for best romantic fiction.

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.

Concrete Roses – A Powerful Story of Love, Redemption, and Second Chances 💎 He’s fighting for a new life. She’s sworn off love. But some battles are worth the risk. 💎 After spending years behind bars, Tyrell Johnson is determined to turn his life around. He’s staying clean, keeping his head down, and trying to rebuild the relationships he lost—including the one with his children. But the streets of Dallas aren’t quick to forget, and neither are the people from his past. Enter Evelyn Serrano, a sharp-minded, no-nonsense retired detective who’s seen too many men like Ty ...

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.

They said I was a bad idea. Poor. Violent. Criminal. They said I'd amount to nothing, and I believed them, too. Until I met her. Layla Barros saved me from my worst, but to do that, she lost the best herself. Now it's my turn to bring her back to life. If only I can figure out how to do it. I'll do anything to protect the chance we finally have together. I'll follow her to the other side of the word: Brazil. Cuba. You name it. But how can I be her true north when I'm still finding my direction, too?

If nothing else Rahlo is loyal. The five-letter word runs through his veins like blood and expels from his body like his next breath. With a new contract on the table, the rap star learns that fame and fortune don't necessarily change you. It changes the people around you. Taylor is living her best life! The plus-size beauty unapologetically challenges society's rules for big girls. With a slick mouth and dangerous curves, Taylor captures the eye of a rapper who has her questioning her current relationship.

Alexis Griggs has worked hard to get where she is in life. She owns several clinics that service people in need and is a pillar of her community, but looks can be deceiving. Alexis and her brother, Jace, are both leading double lives, which are both illegal and deadly. It leaves little time for Alexis to have a personal life; that is until she has a chance encounter with single father Kevell Farrell.

Angie is taking a serious break from dating. At least, she thought she was until she comes across the finest man she’s ever seen — the new handyman in her building. Angie knows what she wants in a man, and Law doesn't seem to be it. But that doesn’t mean she can’t get to know him, right? Law is focused on rebuilding his life as a free man. That rebuild doesn’t include getting involved with anyone, especially not the bougie girl at his job who always needs something fixed.

At thirty, eldest brother Byron hasn't dated seriously in a while--not since he became a single dad to his beloved baby girl. Besides, he's found that most women can't see past his job as a bus driver, and he's not interested in that type of superficial foolishness. When he meets Cynthia Hall, her disinterest is obvious. Still, there's something about her. . .

Audriana Escobar, a.k.a. Audi, is the 18-year-old leader of the Gucci Girlz - a crew made up of her closest friends. Growing up in poverty, their only current goal is to find a way out of the poor town of Aetna and achieve a life of happiness, love, and luxury. When they cross paths with another crew named the Tru Aetna Boyz, all of their wants and desires seem to be coming true.