Contemporary African American Fiction

Nicole Whittaker finds herself battling deep insecurities and her struggles with self-love while being haunted by a terrifying past. Ensnared in the web of her cheating boyfriend’s dark secrets, Whitney’s caught up in the midst of fighting for her life. Beautiful and successful, Tyra appears to have it all. However, beneath the façade there’s someone weighing her down. Someone that should be uplifting her the most. Can these three make it through the storms that are brewing? Or will they end up losing both their hope and lives along the way?

Fall in love with these four stories of Christmas in Crescent Falls.

Carin Douglas is a fearless young girl, thrust into the role of a stickup kid alongside Brooklyn's most notorious thugs. She learns to fight, to survive, and to shine through a series of events that take her from a young girl on the verge to a designer-clad diva with a hot car, an even hotter man, and a million skeletons in her closet. When Carin meets Monty, aka "Money Monty", he sweeps her off her feet with one romantic gesture after another. Their urban fairytale soon erupts into passionate sex, bold power moves, and, eventually, devastating physical violence between them.

Darnell is in hot water. All his past crimes have surfaced, causing him to lose it. He has kidnapped his sister and kids to hide his past from his wife. He's facing financial ruin, his reputation is tarnished, and he’s at risk to lose it all. He's got nothing left to lose, and he’ll drag his family down with him if he must. Cherish is about to face her most difficult struggle yet. After a failed suicide attempt, she must face the fact that she has been married to a sexual predator for years. Her entire life has been a lie, and it’s all she can do to not lose it for real. When another ...

Two-time Hurston/Wright Legacy Award finalist Bernice L. McFadden has also been twice honored by the Black Caucus of the American Library Association. One of Library Journal's 25 Key Indie Fiction Titles, this heartbreaking tale follows two damaged but hopeful souls as they struggle to find love despite the ravages of their pasts.

Gaza was born and raised in McGregor Gully, one of Jamaica's grittiest housing projects in the slums of East Kingston. Growing up in poverty, he was exposed to robbery and murder at a tender age. In order to stay alive, he quickly adapted to a life of crime. Now he is one of the coldest killers and richest kingpins to ever walk the streets of Kingston. Whoever comes into contact with him and his crew either loves them, fears them, or wants to see them dead. The entrance of Catherine into his life just might change everything.

When Yankee gal Kadijah visits the beautiful island of Jamaica with her friends Nicole and Tamia, she does not expect the events that follow. After a nasty breakup with her two-timing ex and her graduation from culinary arts school, all she wants to do is unwind and maybe have a one-night stand. However, when she meets Omari, the sexy rude boy turned DJ, things heat up quickly. Once Omari locks eyes with Kadijah, his life will never be the same, and he knows it. He is feeling the feisty American beauty, but his wife, the beautiful but fiery Angela, is having no parts of it.

Walker Jareau prided himself on being a player. Women came a dime a dozen, and he was like a revolving door... until he met the one woman who threatened to swipe his player card—Jorja Sandifer. The beautiful dancer captivated him from the moment he laid eyes on her. It didn’t take long for the friends with benefits to migrate into an unconventional relationship, laced with a bit of toxicity. Feelings developed, and neither wants to come clean until Jorja has had enough.

From Joya Goffney of Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry comes a stirring YA coming-of-age, best-friends-to-lovers romance about a girl named Nikki who plans to run away from small-town Texas but ultimately finds that her oldest friend, Mal, just might be the one who’s been there for her all along. Filled with heart and humor, this novel captures complex family drama, friendship, and love. For fans of I Wanna Be Where You Are by Kristina Forest and Counting Down with You by Tashie Bhuiyan.

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.

The narrator of Assembly is a Black British woman. She is preparing to attend a lavish garden party at her boyfriend’s family estate, set deep in the English countryside. At the same time, she is considering the carefully assembled pieces of herself. As the minutes tick down and the future beckons, she can’t escape the question: Is it time to take it all apart?

You are cordially invited to the wedding of Amerie Cross and Arnold Hightower.

Unlike their younger brother, André, whose star as a comedian is rising, neither Dwayne nor Brick Duquesne is having luck with his career - and they're unluckier still in love. Former child star Dwayne has just been fired from his latest acting role and barely has enough money to get by after paying child support to his spiteful former lover, while Brick struggles to return to his uninspiring white-collar job after suffering the dual blows of a health emergency and a nasty breakup with the woman he still loves.

At the celebration of her best friend's wedding, Claudia Stevens is trying to sort out her tumultuous emotions, regarding the groom's best man and brother, Jaden Alexander Rose. What started as a platonic relationship, has turned into a battle of wills whenever they find themselves together. Their heated exchanges have risen to the surface, and desire spills over on contact. However, Claudia fears she is not enough to be on the arm of a prestigious benefactor like Jaden. And Claudia is sure that's why he's friend-zoned her.

Ava couldn’t believe she’d let her best friend talk her into coming to a mind numbing holiday party on the night before Christmas. As Ava counts the minutes before she can leave, all she can think about is how much she wants to snuggle up on the sofa with a crappy holiday movie and drink too much eggnog (with rum). That is, until an old classmate, Elias Young, sits next to her at the party. Elias is way too charming to be any good for her, but fate forces Ava to put that tired theory to the ultimate test. Is it happenstance? Serendipity?

Fall in line or get replaced. That's how my businesses operate. Being named the Dallas representative for the Mr. Black Organization was an honor, not a job. However, it's not easy to change the way someone maneuvers. I was determined to make this year's Juneteenth celebration unlike anything this city had seen before, starting with a road trip focused on Black culture. I had a plan, my purpose was clear, and my team was set. Until a wild-card photographer got thrown in the mix.

Ever had a man to put you first? Prioritize your presence. Emphasize your existence. Maintain his focus... on you? Over everything? As if it was nothing? I hadn’t either, not until him. Not until Harlem Knight.

Tia, Ton'ya, and Tammi are not only making moves in the game, but they're doing it in the bedroom too - and anywhere they need to get what they want. Tia is quick with her razor-sharp mouth, and she carries an equally sharp razor to slice a throat if need be. Ton'ya is loyal to a fault but will fight back if threatened. Tammi is the brains of the operation. They have collected more bodies than a Manhattan hooker working the lower East Side. What happens when the heart gets in the way of making money?

"Robbie, I need you to take over the company." Hearing those unexpected words from his grandfather, Robert Rutherford decides to leave his military life and take over the family business that was literally started with Rutherford blood, sweat and tears. Regenerating the business to make Rutherford Tech Elements the best in the U.S., Robert turns into a determined and stern tycoon for the sake of his family legacy. Joy Prescott, a dedicated Rutherford Tech Elements employee, invents a device that is sure to bring more notoriety and money to the company. When she presents it to Robert, ...

No one knows better than Kennedi Westbrook, that no amount of money, material possession, or success can protect one from the torment of a broken heart. She has always been haunted by the grief, disappointment, and pain forced upon her by those who should have loved her most. Sadly, the two people closest to her have been added to her list of adversaries. Now, with her heart exposed and mental stability tested, is love enough to save her sanity and relationships? Life is not playing out the way Sydney imagined.