American Contemporary

I have it bad for my grumpy boss. Mr. Mavis is thirty-five. He shouldn’t be grumpier than an old man complaining about the summer heat. I witness his tender side when his daughter’s around. I’ve watched the grump from afar for years. I’m the reason he’s the way he is. As much as I want a second chance with him, I know that can’t happen. Secrets, lies, and tragedy keep us apart.

Grocery store bag boy Andrew hates his job. No career growth, rude customers, and the forced customer appreciation greeting have taken a toll on his mental stability. Though his job gives him the flexibility to attend community college, he can find no other enjoyment there. That is until he met the woman that would change his life. During Andrew’s mundane day of grabbing and bagging, Victoria, a customer with an infectious smile and playful personality, gives him the attention that he’s been missing.

It's the early 1980s—the country is in a deep recession, and life after college is harder than ever. In the cafés on College Hill, the wised-up kids are inhaling Derrida and listening to Talking Heads. But Madeleine Hanna, dutiful English major, is writing her senior thesis on Jane Austen and George Eliot, purveyors of the marriage plot that lies at the heart of the greatest English novels.

What Happens When a Person Compromises when it Comes to Faith? Nikki Walton has had a true love for Christ for as long as she can remember — since childhood really. But sometimes, she can’t help but think that her narrow walk with the Lord has prevented her from attaining some of the things she wants in life — mainly a soulmate. Things backfire in a major way for Nikki when she puts her faith on the back burner for a few minutes, thinking that doing so will help her snag a husband, the man of her dreams. The man she ends up with turns out to be a true devil in disguise. Realizing that...

Alexis Marshall never meant to cause the accident that left Jon-Jon Robinson paralyzed—but though guilt plagues her, her husband hopes to put the past behind them. After all, he’s in the middle of selling a tech business—and if Alexis admits to texting while driving, the deal could collapse and cost them millions. Meanwhile, Alexis’s life is not as shiny and perfect as it may seem from the outside. She has secrets of her own. As she becomes consumed with thoughts of the young man she hit, can she reconcile her mistake with her husband’s expectations?

It's been years since their parents were murdered. Twin sisters Shia and Leigh are trying to readjust to life while caring for their baby sister, Remi. With the exception of Leigh's angry, dramatic mood swings every now and then, everything seems to be going great. That is until Demetri, a mysterious stranger, enters their midst and falls right in the path of the newly single Shia. After dating Trent for so long, she is looking for a man to treat her like a queen, and Demetri is heaven sent...until inexplicable things begin to happen.

As the CEO of Building Bridges LLC, Bri is driven by determination for success. However, while planning the wedding of one of Chicago's hottest couples, Bri's focus is shifted when the strum of a nocturnal voice captures her attention. Being an empath has empowered her sense of compassion for others, so she's not only drawn to him because of his broken heart but also from a fierce attraction that sparks her interest and tap dances on a groove on her heart. Getting involved with someone who's not open to love may prove to be the most difficult road Bri has ever journeyed.

Ayesha Shetty lost her brother seven years ago, the same time she lost everything else important to her: her dreams, her fierce independence, and the man she loved. Not wanting to see her mother hurt anymore, she put her wild self away and became the dutiful daughter her mother needed and took on her brother’s role in the family business. Now her best friend’s big, fat Indian wedding is a chance to get away from her endless duties at the restaurant and maybe even have some fun (if she remembers how).

With accomplished precision and gentle eloquence, Jhumpa Lahiri traces the crosscurrents set in motion when immigrants, expatriates, and their children arrive, quite literally, at a cultural divide. The nine stories in this stunning debut collection unerringly chart the emotional journeys of characters seeking love beyond the barriers of nations and generations.

It’s the summer of 2019, and Professor Pi Suleman is a Black man from Memphis with a lot to endure - not only as a Black man in Trump’s America but in his hard-earned career as an adjunct professor. Pi is constantly forced to bite his tongue in the face of one of his tenured colleague’s prejudices and microaggressions. At the same time, he’s being blackmailed by a powerful professor who threatens to claim he has assaulted her, when in fact the truth is just the opposite, trapping him in a he-said-she-said with a white woman that, in this society, Pi knows he will never win.

As Valentino pursues Sade, his lethal instincts war with something far more dangerous—his growing obsession. She is not just a target; she is a force of nature, an intoxicating enigma that refuses to be controlled. Every encounter between them is a deadly waltz.

Unless it's under reconstruction...never close your heart. Essence best-selling author Monica F. Anderson aka Dr. mOe Anderson delivers a delightful, stand-alone sequel to her acclaimed novel “When a Sistah’s Fed Up” in this humorous and heartfelt story about love, family, and the power of forgiveness… Ambitious and beautiful, Faith Henry is a savvy woman. By all measures—her career, friendships, and financial accounts—she is certifiably successful. Right? Not so fast. She’s hopelessly entangled in the ties that bind: Her millennial daughter, Sloane, has returned to the nest ...

This hilarious novel describes one year spent on a small university campus in the United States by an Indian student. His English is comically Indian, and his initial notions of America are absurdly inadequate and stereotyped. The theme of the novel is his comic discovery of America and his own growth and maturing through the diverse adventures he encounters.

DaVinci is a fighter, fighting for more than just a title, but to stay out of the shadows of a family he didn't choose. Fighting was all he had until he encountered a woman just as driven and unfulfilled. Aria has never believed in happily ever afters or that mushy love that turned people into whole different folks. Instead, she was grounded, photographing by day and cuddling up with her bulldog by night. Surely that isn't a life, but it and her on and off again fling with an ex seem to be enough. That is until the fighter finds himself jabbing into her life.

Cartel Jareau has always been the protector of his siblings. The handsome chef has a bit of a roughness to him. Aside from his family, very few people get to witness his sensitivity. When he met Adina Harold a year ago, he had no idea that intervening in an embarrassing exchange would lead to falling in love with a woman he could never truly have. She was spoken for. Forbidden, yet during turmoil brewing within her home, they somehow fell in love.

Glory Boughton, aged 38, has returned to Gilead to care for her dying father. Soon her brother, Jack - the prodigal son of the family, gone for 20 years - comes home too, looking for refuge and trying to make peace with a past littered with tormenting trouble and pain.

A New Leader. A Missing Child. A Battle for Justice. The Road Beasts MC has never followed the rules, but under new leadership, they’re rewriting them entirely. With Carl Watson stepping down, the club makes history by electing Bailey "Cougar" Parks as their first female president. Strong, fearless, and relentless, Cougar is ready to lead the Beasts into a new era—one where they fight for those who can’t fight for themselves. Their first mission? A case that shocks them to the core. 💥 A Pregnant Woman Vanishes… And the Truth is Even More Chilling. When Jackie Wilson, a heavily ...

Business and pleasure are two things that shouldn’t be mixed. Detective Gavyn Garrett doesn’t believe this rule applies to him. He is determined to live life on his terms, even if that means having a thing for his boss. Sharae Chapman is a sergeant with the Ribax Police Department who lives to uphold her squeaky clean and blemish-free image. Sharae never imagined how an instantaneous yes to hiring a new detective would rock her steady foundation. What happens when two people with an oath to uphold the law find themselves teetering the line between conflict of interest and what feels right?

A Match Made in Heaven 2 – A Heartfelt Sequel About Love, Family, and Second Chances 💘 She thought she’d never love again. Now, she’s saying yes to forever. But can she trust that this happiness is here to stay? 💘 Nina Carter never imagined she’d find love after loss, but Scott Jamison changed everything. With his unwavering love, patience, and devotion—not just to her, but to her sons—he’s shown her that second chances aren’t just possible, they’re meant to be. Now, as Scott prepares to take the next step and propose, he knows this isn’t just about him and Nina—...

Dena Meadows is a professional woman, wife, and student working on her Ph.D. Her world is shattered when she finds that her husband has been cheating on her with a younger woman. Coming from a family of failed relationships and secrets, Dena is the first in her family to ever get a formal education. With all her knowledge however, she still seems paralyzed by her husband’s betrayal. Eric Allen is wounded beyond words when his wife Elise cheats on him. Eric was faithful, hardworking, and strived to be the best man he could be. Both are on a journey as they find their lives falling apart. ...