Book picks similar to
Savage Instinct by Leila Jefferson


urban
goodreads-challenge
life
urban-stories

The Counsellor


Gillian Jackson - 2012
    Struggling to make sense of her grief, it becomes evident that a complete change and a positive focus is the only thing which will help her to carry on with life. Training as a therapeutic counsellor provides this focus, bringing her into contact with people who desperately need her help. Julie and her children are living in fear of an abusive husband, Janet is crumbling under the weight of a secret she has kept for over forty years, and Karen has never recovered from her mother’s violent death. Maggie is drawn into her client’s problems as she seeks to empower them to move on with their lives. And then she is faced with her own ethical dilemma when she meets Peter...

The Web of Karma


Anurag Shrivastava - 2019
    Control over law and order has long since passed from the hands of the administration to caste-based gangs and organized crime syndicates enjoying political patronage. Kidnapping has become one of the flourishing businesses of the state, while every other industry has dwindled down and the development plank has gone on a pause mode, on account of Rangdari, which is yet another booming business apart from contract killing, smuggling, illegal tree cutting, and vehicle snatching. Migration to other states is at peak: not only of big businessmen, but also of lowly laborers. And those who can’t leave the state are either sucked into the crime world or are forced to live under fear. Albeit the local newspapers everyday sketch the sordid saga of the state, the execrable condition is not likely to improve by any means in the near future. Digambar Babu, a middle-aged man of a small town Motihari (the place of Mahatma Gandhi's Champaran Satyagrah), is dejected and dismayed for his family falling apart, and so sets himself on a mission to make amends for the mistakes he has done in the past. Shakuntala Devi, his wife, infuriated at herself for having devoted her whole life selflessly and arduously for her ungrateful family, wants to make up for the injustice she has done to herself, by living the rest of her life selfishly. Sarvesh, their asthmatic son, whose first marriage perished about a decade ago, is still struggling with both his career and his married life, and Nisha, their daughter, is married to someone whom she thinks she will never be able to love. The biggest threat to the already troubled family is Nisha’s ex-lover Kanhaiya Tiwari, who is the youngest corporator of the town, and has sworn to ruin the family. Shyam, Nisha’s husband, who is ‘the absorber of the emotions’, in keeping with his fluidity, writhes in pain but transforms time and again, in order to win his wife’s heart, while Savita, Sarvesh’s current wife, colludes with Kanhaiya Tiwari in his evil intent, in order to have all the strings of the family in her hands. Benighted in Sodom, they weave their web of Karma, and fabricate their fates, but the biggest sufferer in the ruthless game of dominance and survival are the innocent children of the family.The story tries to draw parallels between Digambar Babu’s disarrayed family and the disordered town. The novel is inspired from the real events happened in the town during 90’s era of jungle-raaj.

Walking on Broken Glass


Christa Allan - 2009
    But a paralyzing encounter with a can of frozen apple juice in the supermarket shatters the faCade, forcing her to admit that all is not as it appears. When her best friend gets in Leah's face about her refusal to deal with her life, Leah is forced to make an agonizing decision. Can she sacrifice what she wants to get what she needs? Joy, sadness, and pain converge, testing Leah's commitment to her marriage, her motherhood, and her faith.

Bedroom Bully


Trista Russell - 2009
    Shaken with fright when he nudges a gun to her body and demands protection, Audra has no clue how deeply the murderer's rough, tender touches will penetrate the hardened layers of her heart.Dean Casey can't believe he's on the run after shooting two cops. But he never dreamed that his young daughter would be molested, either, a crushing reality that pushed the hardworking father to the brink of insanity. With the entire city of Miami on the hunt for him, Dean must figure out a way to save his daughter before vanishing from her life forever. To complicate matters, his hostage is a sexy, thick beauty whose attraction to him is impossible to ignore.Overcome with the thrill of their forbidden lust and imprisoned in the walls of her home, Audra and Dean lose themselves in an addictive, erotic haze - until sudden tragedies and shocking twists force them to escape Miami. As the fugitives set sail on the tranquil Caribbean Sea, their treacherous journey will, once and for all, test the limitless bounds of their passion.

Pretty Young Things


Chase Moore - 2013
    Young, pretty, and wild, both females will do whatever it takes all for the mere love of convenient cash. However, will things become more than either woman can handle after some reckless decision-making? Hood, gritty, and raw, "Pretty Young Things" will take you on a wild ride unlike you have ever experienced.

Pregnant by A Rich Thug


Nikqua - 2018
    Alone in the world, Ro seeks out the man who got her pregnant during a one-night stand at a frat party. Tyree is a Rich Thug who is well known in the streets of Harlem. Many people know him by the respect they had for his father who got killed when Ree was sixteen. Ree took his father’s drug business and flipped it into something more legal while handling the drug business on the side. After finding out he was a father, Tyree stepped up and handled his business for not only for himself but for his baby mother. Forming a relationship with the woman who was carrying his child, Tyree found problems hitting him in every direction. As a businessman and the man in the streets, Tyree did what any man would have done, he sought revenge and handled his problems. When a problem came knocking at Tyree’s door that caused Ro to almost lose her life, what would Tyree do? Would Ro lose her life due to jealously from a known source? Could Ro handle the pressure and problems that come along with being pregnant by a Rich Thug?

Haunted Falls


Ken Farmer - 2013
    Marshal Bass Reeves in their first book, entitled "The Nations". The story continues in "Haunted Falls", the story of Bass Reeves as he joins other U.S. Marshals in pursuit of the infamous Dalton gang. It is full of adventure, romance, some history, excitement and a unique paranormal twist. You will not want to miss this sequel.

A Glimpse of the Mersey


Anne Baker - 2001
    Daisy yearns for the love and security that a family of her own would give her, but she finds comfort in her relationship with Brenda, her older 'sister'. One day in 1919 Brenda arrives home flushed with excitement. She has agreed to marry local businessman Gil Fox. Daisy is dismayed at the news, for she doesn't trust the handsome Gil. Not long after their wedding, Brenda begins to realise that Gil isn't the man she thought he was. But Daisy's dreams are about to come true. Ellis - Gil's upright, kind and dependable brother - falls in love with Daisy. A family of her own is finally within her reach. But will it be enough to get her through some stormy times?

Domestic Terrorism: A story from the collection Property


Lionel Shriver - 2018
     Lionel Shriver is…‘A brilliant writer’ Sunday Times‘Brilliant, funny and incisive’ Woman and Home‘Breezy, mordantly comic’ Daily Mail‘Eloquent’ ObserverIn ‘Domestic Terrorism’ Shriver examines the decline of the empty nest, in a hilarious and barbed story about an all-too-recognisable modern family.

Trap Secrets


Gabrielle - 2012
    Find out what happens when Iman secrets catch up with her & she realizes some times its best not to play games & keep secrets from dudes in the trap…! Love, Deceit, drama, and treachery at its finest!

Tales From Da Hood


Nikki Turner - 2006
    They are severe chronicles of gangstas, written by men and women who have starved and bled and survived by the code of the streets.Essence magazine’s #1 bestselling author Nikki Turner has earned her rep as “the Princess of Hip-Hop” with gritty urban novels like A Hustler’s Wife and The Glamorous Life. Now she lends her considerable street cred to this anthology, the first of its kind–an explosive collection featuring edgy new writers Turner handpicked for their ability to evoke the street, and the people who live by its rules, in hot, hyperrealistic stories. Turner scoured the ghetto, the prisons, and every crack and crevice around the country to bring you these impressive new fresh-from-the-street voices. Never one to disappoint her fans, Turner even throws in a raw gangsta tale of her own. From a buppie who risks her entire well-groomed world when she’s suddenly turned on by a thug (“Gotta Have a Ruffneck”), to a lesbian pimp who gets what she deserves from the women she’s turning out (“Big Daddy”), these stories will shock, entertain, and make you fly through the pages.

A Forever Kind of Love


A'zayler - 2015
    Just the thought of being in love is enough to immerse a person in happiness. The genuineness and feelings involved in a loving relationship has the tendency to take over your whole body, but there’s one thing. Is it forever? Like most people Layah never planned to fall in love, but when she did, she couldn’t stop it. Falling head first into this passionate relationship with Nassir Jordan, is anything but promising. Being from two totally different worlds brings about more complications than either of them are prepared for. Nassir is everything Layah could have ever dreamed of plus more. Being with him is the highlight of her young life, and she plans to do everything in her power to make it last. Unlike Layah, Nassir is no stranger to uncertainty and hardships. Those two things are a part of his everyday life. That is until he gives in to the feelings he’s grown for this upper-class beauty from the suburbs. Having grown up in the hood, Nassir believes in anything but happy endings. He’s learned the hard way that you must work for the things you want. This is a lesson well learned when the raw emotions he feels for Layah begins to emerge. Trying the best friend thing worked for a while until his budding fascination got the best of him. Finally welcoming contentment into his life Nassir refuses to let it go. Together, they’re determined to make their undying love last forever.

Three Brides on a Journey to the West: A Western Historical Romance Book Collection


Ava Winters - 2021
    

Young Love in Memphis: Heart on Reserve


B. Love - 2016
    In part one of Young Love in Memphis: Heart on Reserve – Grace, Braille, and Jessica begin their journey into womanhood. Grace’s life had never been normal. She grew up with a father who showed his love only through providing and protecting, and a mother who was so submissive that she allowed her husband to keep her from giving Grace the love and nurture every young girl needs. When Grace was sixteen she left Memphis to be with her boyfriend, Andy. Almost two years later, Grace finds herself sneaking back into Memphis, praying her parents and Andy never find out. But Andy does. And he refuses to let her go easily. Braille grew up with a single mother. Her entire life has centered around loving her Mother, getting good grades in school, and becoming a Nurse. A flat tire on one of the hottest days in Spring causes her to meet Lorenzo, a young dope boy whose life is going down a completely different path, and her life is changed forever because of it. After watching her sister love, lose, and die because of it, Jessica vowed to never fully commit herself to love or a man. Then she met Cameron. And his love and gentle pursuit of her changed her mind. When Cameron left for college she thought she could get back to her normal routine of enjoying life and messing around with whoever she wanted to, but Cameron didn’t want to let her go so easily. As she tries to enjoy her last year of high school and maintain a long distance relationship she meets Vega, Lorenzo’s best friend. Their encounter leaves her in a love triangle she’s not sure she wants to get out of. In this captivating series, these girls are all left with two options – live and love while they’re young, or place their hearts on reserve to live wild and free. Which will they choose? Join them in part one to find out!

Khaleel: Tall, Dark & Deadly (Revamped Version)


Lady Lissa - 2018
    Khaleel is a respectful attorney whose family is very prominent in the community. He has everything going for him; he’s smart, successful and handsome yet still single. How can someone with so much to offer be single? When Khaleel meets the beautiful Erica, he is immediately smitten. After exchanging numbers, the two begin a whirlwind courtship that soon turns into a full- blown relationship. The only problem is the fact that Khaleel has been keeping a sinister secret from Erica. Erica is an FBI agent who recently relocated to the area and gets put on the case to track down a vicious serial killer. What will happen when she finds out the truth about her new love? Will Khaleel be able to keep Erica from finding out his secret? Will Erica’s partner Sullivan realize that he needs to move on and forget about Erica? Find out in this installment of Khaleel: Tall, Dark & Deadly…