Dead Above Ground


Jervey Tervalon - 2000
    Ever loyal to her mother, and adoring of her beautiful, restless, married sister Adele, Lita works hard to keep the family together as she attempts to establish her own life. But when Adele falls in love with Lucien Faure -- a smooth operator with "the devil's good looks" and a decades-old score to settle with Helen -- Lita unveils her mother's mysterious past to confront the Du Champs' long-buried secrets. Now, Lita finds she has one last and desperate chance to save the future of those she loves. Award-winning author Jervey Tervalon draws from his own heritage -- and the twisting family story that has lived and breathed inside him his whole life -- to create a spellbindingly luminous novel of passion, murder, and vengeance.

Good Peoples


Marcus Major - 2000
    A first novel. Reprint.

Pipe Dream (Strivers Row)


Solomon Jones - 2001
    Black drew hard, squinting as the smoke rushed into his lungs."Where do you want to start?"the lawyer said, lighting a cigarette of his own."I guess there’s only one place to start; at Broad and Erie."Johnny Podres, a politician whose record against corruption had been propelling him straight to the mayor’s office, is found murdered in a North Philly crack house.Enter Samuel Jackson, a.k.a. Black, a drug addict who knows better, a man embittered by the fact that he can’t seem to escape from his addiction to crack cocaine or, for that matter, from himself. Though he was once a family man with a wife and son, Black’s only concern these days is getting his next high, that is, until he stumbles across a friend and fellow addict, Leroy, and both become prime suspects in the Podres murder. Black and Leroy hook up with two female pipers: Clarisse, a registered nurse who is slowly losing to crack any semblance of a respectable life, and Pookie, who already has lost it. Soon the hunt is on for all four as they try to stay one step ahead of a police department under tremendous pressure to solve the case—because if a killer isn’t found soon, this could blow up into one of the biggest scandals in Philadelphia history. Solomon Jones weaves a suspenseful story against the backdrop of corruption in the Philadelphia police department and centers it on a group of drug addicts who, in the process of fleeing the law, come to terms with their own addiction, leading to some devastating consequences.

Snapped


Tracy Brown - 2009
    After all Frankie and their life together are her whole world. So Camille tries not to be bothered by his closeness with his coworker and dear friend Gillian. But it soon becomes clear that Camille's suspicions are correct. When his indiscretions become a public matter for the world Camille is pushed to a dangerous breaking point that spells disaster for them all.Camille's sister Misa is newly divorced and clueless about men. She smothers men with phone calls, emails and pops up unannounced at their homes. She hacks into their voicemail and email and causes drama. So when she sets her sights on Baron, he has no idea what hit him. Will her quest to win his heart cost her everything?Dominique Storms appears to have it all - a great career, a beautiful NYC condo and a gifted teenaged daughter. Her only problem is that the man she loves is incarcerated. While trying to juggle the demands of motherhood, work, and friendships, she manages to make her man Jamel a priority in her life. But is he doing the same? And is she too distracted to notice what is going on with her daughter?Latoya Blake seems to be the one who has life all figured out, that is, until some skeletons are discovered in her closet. When her well-put-together façade crumbles, will she crumble as well?

Tastes Like Chicken


Lolita Files - 2004
     What's a girl to do when she finds out her man's been feeding her lies? When readers last saw the girlfriends, Misty had just married her dream man, Rick Hodges, and was off on a fabulous honeymoon. A pregnant and newly engaged Reesy was riding off into the sunset with her fiancé -- reformed ladies' man Dandre Hilliard. But it isn't long before everyone starts misbehaving, and in Tastes Like Chicken, they get what's coming to them. With steamy thrills and disastrous infidelities, Tastes Like Chicken is a tale of two women who find themselves poised at life's crossroads with everything to lose but their friendship. Filled with the humor and personal drama that made her first books national bestsellers, Lolita Files's latest takes the sistahs -- and readers -- on their wildest ride yet.

Groove


Geneva Holliday - 2005
    This funny, sexy book has something for everyone!

Rhythms


Donna Hill - 2001
    She has nothing left except her burning desire to become a singer. But her dream will never come true in Rudell, especially if she marries the man she adores, Dr. David Mackey. So when she sets out for Chicago, everyone in the close knit community, including David believes that the next time they see Cora, her name will be in lights. However, it's not long before Cora finds herself back in Rudell and back in David's arms harboring a secret she dare not reveal. . .A secret that will cause her daughter, Emma to flee Rudell with no intention of ever looking back. And even when Emma finds the perfect man and happiness at last, she is determined to do whatever it takes to keep her family's shameful past at bay. Then the dream that began with Cora comes full circle with her beloved granddaughter Parris whose melodic voice fills the dimly lit nightclubs of New York City. Yet, when tragedy strikes, opening a door to the past, Parris discovers the hidden truths that have ripped the family apart---but which may ultimately bind them together at last.From the dusty roads of the Delta to the pulsing metropolis of New York City, Rhythms is a rich, unforgettable tale about loss and healing, redemption and love.

The Liar's Club


Layla Jordan - 2010
    What no one knows is that Sinclair used to be Detroit hustler Ms. Tracy Franklin, wife of Kwame Franklin, who is now in jail. When Kwame is released from prison, he tries blackmail. Then the tabloids get involved.

Congratulations


Darrin Lowery - 2007
    That's why no one is more surprised than her when she starts dating Thomas Anthony Young, the fit and handsome office heartthrob. After eight months together, Tiffany is sure that he's about to propose at any minute.Instead, she's taken off guard when they have a senseless argument. Thomas abruptly departs for a business trip, leaving Tiffany hurt and confused. In an effort to cheer herself up, she calls her friend Alicia for some company. Alicia already has plans to attend the wedding of a cousin she's not too fond of. She suggests that Tiffany go with her. They'll make a brief appearance and then spend the rest of the day together, shopping and catching up. Neither one of them is prepared for the pandemonium that breaks loose when they get to the wedding and Tiffany discovers that Thomas is the groom!

With This Ring


Allison Hobbs - 2013
    But now, they are coming the realization that happily ever after might not be attainable, or even a reality. Harlow’s dreams of walking down the aisle are shattered when a muffled gunshot forces her to question her new husband’s character. Is Drake Morgan the determined entrepreneur she thought he was or a gangster and ruthless killer? After a bout with alcoholism and an emotional breakdown, Nivea is trying to rebuild her life, but the explosive result of her child’s paternity test threatens to destroy her fragile family ties. Desperate for her new man to put a ring on it, Vangie sacrifices her morals and puts a lifelong friendship to the test. From the bestselling author of Big Juicy Lips and Double Dippin’, this edgy new novel is sure to please both Allison Hobbs fans and newcomers looking for a spicy read.

Secrets of A Housewife


J. Tremble - 2006
     A successful career. A beautiful wife and children...and his pick of the sexiest women in town. It seems Tarron has the best of both worlds as he manages to indulge in wild nights out with his lover and quiet nights at home with his family. But the party is about to end...When Tarron's cheating ways are revealed, his cool-headed wife, Secret, handles it like a pro. That's partly because, true to her name, Secret is hiding some bad behavior of her own. And now, as Secret starts to really live out her own fantasies, neither she nor Tarron may be ready for the explosive consequences... "A fascinating debut novel... There are so many exciting twists and turns to this story that you'll be begging for more once you read the very last page." --Urban-Reviews.com

God's Gift to Women


Michael Baisden - 2002
    An even better listener. And handsome as heaven on earth. He is God's Gift to Women. Julian Payne gets into bed with millions of women every night. As an after-hours radio talk-show host, Julian captivates his female audience with his deep voice and sensitive spirit. Women can't get enough: They call in, begging for his advice about love, lust, commitment, and betrayal. Julian provides his listeners with the blunt male perspective, and he always has the right thing to say. But when it comes to his own romantic life, or lack thereof, he's at a loss for words. A widower and father to ten-year-old Samantha, Julian wants nothing more than to settle down again with the right woman. Just when he thinks he's found her in Dr. Terri Ross -- smart, stunning, and with her own counseling practice -- Julian is confronted by a ghost from the past: Olivia Brown, a woman with whom he had a one-night stand. Suddenly Julian finds himself in a situation with a woman who's determined to win him over...or make his life a living hell. Michael Baisden's hottest offering yet, God's Gift to Women is a compelling tale about the consequences of sex with a stranger.

Erotic City


Pynk - 2008
    It is a grand, three-story sexual mecca where the uninhibited freaks come out four nights a week to get their ultimate groove on without fear of reprisal or judgment, yet judgment from the outside world threatens all that the club's owner, Milan Kennedy, has worked so hard to achieve. Pynk brings us a fast-paced, sexy ride through a world of having sex in public, bribery, judgments, and suspense that sheds light on family, churchgoers, relationships, revenge, and the amazing sex-filled world of those who swing.

The Flip Side of Sin


Rosalyn McMillan - 2000
    "The Flip Side of Sin" takes readers on a journey through the lives of a group of unforgettable characters who must overcome life's toughest challenges to find true happiness. It is a book in which worlds collide and people are forever transformed by the tumultuous changes that occur in one man's life. The story begins with Isaac Coleman, a man whose tragic mistakes cost him years away from everyone and everything that mattered to him -- especially his wife and son. Alone, confused, and bitter, Isaac can only become whole by learning to love again. But when he re-enters the world he left and attempts to get reacquainted with his now teenage son, Peyton, he finds heartbreaking rejection.As Isaac struggles to understand and change his plight, his only form of self-expression is found in the keys of his saxophone. When he later meets up with Miracall Lake, a woman with whom he shares a painful past, she surprisingly helps him to face his fears and reach for his dreams. In this case, love indeed conquers all -- or so it tries to in this tale of good versus evil and love versus hate. "The Flip Side of Sin" is a poignant and memorable work from a writer of immense talent.

The Ex Factor


Tu-Shonda L. Whitaker - 2006
    Yet lately she’s got a hunch that her sexy husband, Sharief, a New York City policeman, is patrolling more than just the streets. Celeste is sure he’s cheating on her. When she finds out that the home-wrecker is none other than her own sister Monica, all hell breaks loose.Monica never intended to fall in love with her sister’s husband. But who knew that Sharief would make every inch of her body tingle with a single touch? Monica knows she should have righted her wrong before Celeste found out, but she’s in too deep–in more ways than one.Imani is not pleased that her low-life boyfriend, Walik, just got out of the slammer and wants her back. Sure enough trouble comes knocking. But when a fine Puerto Rican DJ named Kree seduces her and showers her son, Jamal, with attention, Imani finally gets a shot at happiness and ghetto-free love.Fielding the curve balls tossed their way, Celeste, Monica, and Imani learn that it takes more than sisterhood to cope with love, life, and men–the ones they’ve got, and that elusive ex factor.