Book picks similar to
The Knife in My Back by Stacey Covington-Lee


african-american
african-american-fiction
african-american-romance
urban-books

Gangsta Luv 2: 'Til Death Do Us Part


Jazmyne - 2013
    Even if that means killing anyone and anything standing in her way.Once again these two couples try weathering the storm they call Gangsta Luv.

A Thug's Love 3


Jessica N. Watkins - 2016
    Who knew that he had been keeping such a secret from me? Just my luck, as I hid from him to gather my thoughts and deal with the pain, yet another crushing blow to my happiness was revealed. I then realized that I could no longer live for King; it was time to live for Kennedy. Little did I know, Jada was suffering the same heartbreak that I was. Dolla had torn her heart into two. My girl was miserable, but she didn’t run as I did; she was trying her best to inflict the same pain on Dolla as he had on her. Meanwhile, King, Meech and Dolla were constructing a plan to permanently get rid of the squad’s enemies. But will it work? Will the squad make it through this storm of deception and lies to continue ruling the streets of Chi? Some secrets should never be kept and some secrets should never be told because, either way, we were all about to suffer the consequences of secrets both revealed and untold.

Money Over Errythang


Jai Ellis - 2012
    After all, she'd been groomed for this moment from the day she was born.The money and power are hers by default, but Money will have to earn the respect of the streets, especially the men that feel they should be in her place. Her father made it look easy, yet it's anything but. Power struggles and betrayal are par for the course as Imani transforms into one of the most impulsive and ruthless queen pens the streets have ever seen. Determined to stay on top, nothing and no one will stand in her way, not even the man that steals her heart. Join Imani on her dangerous journey and you'll discover that sometimes it's not the people who change, it's the mask that falls off.

Coffee with a side of You (Entertainment District Book 1)


B. Love - 2017
     Rocco Tate was in the business of giving and taking. As a real estate developer, he gave to potential business owners that he believed he could profit from, and took the businesses of those that he believed he couldn’t. When Rocco decided to invest in a few blocks and turn the space into an entertainment district he didn’t expect Nyx to stubbornly hold up his plan. Her business was clearly suffering because of the competition of a major coffee chain on the same street, and Rocco was sure Nyx would immediately jump on the opportunity to work with him. She didn’t. Her persistence to keep her business matched his persistence to buy it from her. And as he pursued her business… Rocco also found himself pursuing Nyx’s heart. Tired of men withdrawing more than they deposited into her, Nyx refused to allow Rocco access to either… but will that consistently be the case? Or will she end up like the other hundreds of business owners that fell for Rocco’s devastating charm and hand over the keys to both her business and her heart?

The Arrangement


Shay Gray - 2013
    Being granted only a few months to live, he constructs an idea on how to care for his four children in the event of his death. He comes up with an idea he calls, "The Arrangement". The only problem is convincing his wife and the two mothers’ of his children of his idea. "The Arrangement", is all three women must agree to move into one house for six months with their kids in order to receive any money from his will. When Terrance’s wife, Tanya learns the details of "The Arrangement" she is disgusted. She has basically put her life on hold after becoming pregnant to take care of her husband. She finds herself emotionally drawn to her husband’s best friend for comfort, as her husband’s illness takes a toll on her. Eventually,she finds herself facing her own demise and loses everything she has come to love Portia Jackson is the mother of two of Terrance’s children. She owns her own hair salon, drinks like a fish, and stays in brand name clothing. She is a rude, no nonsense, type of woman who makes it her business to let everyone know what she feels, or thinks, no matter whose feelings get hurt in the process. After a secret she has held on to for years threatens her inclusion in "The Arrangement", her world begins to crumble around her. Afraid of losing the glamorous life she is accustomed to having, she will stop at nothing to keep it.Amber Sykowski is the mother of Terrance’s oldest son. She comes from a long line of money and has always been ridiculed by her racist mother for having a bi-racial child. She feels the only way to escape her mother's disapproval is to go against everything she was taught, and make her own rules. When it almost costs her life, Amber has to make a hard decision that could turn her entire world upside down.In several unexpected events all three women eventually come to depend on each other forming a unique and unexpected bond. Will "The Arrangement' help them all to learn the value of forgiveness, love, and friendship?

I'm the Queen


Tirzah Lee - 2014
    She was no ordinary hood chick. She wanted to get out of the hood and never become a statistic. But growing up in Avondale, a neighborhood in Cincinnati, Ohio wasn’t the kind of area people “made it” out of. Once Queen falls in love with a local drug dealer she thinks she has it all. She thought she finally found happiness, but once he commits a crime that lands him in prison she loses everything. Queen is forced to move outside her city in order to forget about the one place she calls home. Besides her family and friends something is keeping her from forgetting her past, so she returns to Cincinnati. To her surprise the city didn’t forget how and why she left. With her enemies trying to knock her out the game it seems she can’t win for losing. Friends betrayed her, men hurt her, and the one person she hates the most ends up saving her in the end. Does Queen finally find happiness? In the end will Queen finally get her King, or will she be the only one left on the chess board? Will she finally get her fairytale and end the game with a CHECK MATE or will she be out the game forever?

Started From the Top Now I'm Here(An Urban Tale from Riches to Rags)


Lady Onyxx - 2013
    She was also the ultimate backstabbing bitch and didn’t apologize for it. She will do whatever it takes to come up in the game, even if it means hurting those closest to her. Despite having the gold digging game on lock, Sonnet’s selfish ways soon get the best of her. Find out what happens when this ghetto princess goes from hood rich to a lowly street urchin fighting to survive on Skid Row. The question is does she deserve a come up? You decide.

Church Chick


Michelle Carey - 2012
    In a shallow attempt to move forward, she marries the older Deacon of the church, but is liberated when he dies on their wedding night. Now free to find love and happiness, Sabrina discovers the dark side of love and lust when she is confronted by her new best friend Blair; when Blair thinks Sabrina has stolen the man she loves.

Hood Misfits (Volume 3)


Brick - 2013
    Dame is dead, so they’re safe right? What’s going to happen when Trigga and Diamond find out that Every Nigga Gotta Agenda, even those closest to you? Ride with them through the streets of Hackney, one of the most dangerous boroughs in London, as the ENGA crew try to stay alive long enough to make it out.

Meesh, Myself, and I


Shelli Marie - 2013
    She is raised by her mother in an urban neighborhood of Portland, Oregon. Although it is known as the City of Roses, Me'Shellay manages to get stuck by many thorns of tragedy. Once she becomes of age and is able to get a grip on life, she begins her quest to seek out what she has been hungering for her whole life... love.This is when she meets the handsome and talented Kerron Suarez. What begins as a fairytale romance, turns out to be less than what Me'Shellay expects. When his close friend Sanders Torres is added into the equation, she finds herself in the middle of a crazy love triangle that lands her with an unexpected surprise.In this first book of the Repercussions of Love series, Me'Shellay exposes herself to the fullest. If it's from hustling in the streets to bustling in the sheets, she is in it. If it's from dangerous love making to cold blooded life taking, she is with it.Come along and share a portion of Me'Shellay's world, one that will leave you wanting more...

Insatiable


Allison Hobbs - 2004
    She desperately needs something or someone to believe in. She plans her future around Marquise, the father of her toddler daughter. Devastatingly sexy, Marquise is currently in jail on drug charges. Terelle, however, is living for his imminent return and dreaming of the day they can start building a life together as a real family.A cunning seductress, Kai Montgomery is the bi-racial adopted daughter of a wealthy Caucasian couple. Rich, beautiful, and well-bred, Kai is Terelle's polar opposite. After being dumped by an affluent and very married physician, Kai is without a sex partner. When one of numerous trysts results in the best sex of her life, she becomes obsessed and is quickly set on a collision course destined to destroy many lives.

California Connection 3


Chunichi Knott - 2011
    From "Essence"]-bestselling author Chunichi comes the pulse-pounding, powerful tale of a street-savvy woman from the hood who is determined to create a better life for her unborn child.

If I Ruled the World


Joylynn M. Jossel - 2005
    In this unforgettable novel, her name is Harlem.Harlem Jones is a twenty-six-year-old bad-ass female who owns her own home, her own car, and her own business. And no, some drug dealer didn't front her the money for any of it. Nor did she have to sell herself to get what she's got. Harlem came up the hard way. She had the perfect family until her mother fell prey to an addiction and Harlem's whole world fell apart. After several life-changing encounters, Harlem seems to have lost everything. But then, under circumstance she wishes never existed, she inherits a modest fortune and opens up her own business. Then into her life comes an unexpected and unlikely love, a street-bred charmer named York. Not your typical hood, York is out for Harlem's heart. But when tragedy strikes, Harlem knows that, as a survivor, she must be the one to decide her own destiny.

St. Pierre Boyz 2


Mz. Lady P. - 2016
    Pierre, the women are all on a rampage, but for different reasons. With past secrets revealed Leilani finds herself caught up in her emotions, desperately trying to decipher whether Luxe’s feelings for her were genuine or were they all a lie to get at her ex, June. Dynasty, feeling betrayed by Sebastian isn't playing with him by any means. To be with her he has to prove himself as worthy or get from around her. Diamond’s sick of Judah and his childish attitude, and the sweet woman he once knew has left the building. Soon, Judah will learn the hard way that she's not to be messed with. He's brought out a side in Diamond that not even she knew existed, and he doesn't know how to handle it. When it comes to street affairs, getting their hands dirty is something the St. Pierre brothers are no strangers to. With Ava being out of the picture the heat is turned up a few notches and it’s time to prove that they’re not the ones to be played with. In the streets, anyone who dares to cross enemy lines can get it with no holds barred. However, when it comes matters of their heart and the love’s of their lives, that's when the real war begins.

I Choose You: Hood Love at Its Finest


Diamond D. Johnson - 2014
    They have been married now for two years but that’s been her man since she was in the 6th grade. Lani has already gone through her share of fighting sideline chicks over her man. After all these years of being together, things for them are fine because Ka’lani has made it clear that she will not play about Tyrone!Now meet Tisha Monroe. Tisha was a woman who has been scorned for years due to her previous relationship with her ex Mike. That all changed when she finally gave Otis Jackson a chance. She worships the ground that man walks on. She loves her man and he loves her back. Along with loving him comes a price to pay. There are a few chicks lurking, determined to do anything to take Tisha’s spot, but there just happens to be one in particular that is willing to do anything to have Otis on her side. What happens when other females try to get in the middle of what you and your man are building? Do you let them take him? Do you give up? Or do you still choose him? In this book relationships are tested and you end up asking yourself “Am I making the right choice?” Take a ride with the hood's hottest couples Ka'lani and Tyrone and Tisha and Otis, and their two best fiends Tamika and Kyla for a tale filled with drama, thug love, sex, and a little bit more drama.