Book picks similar to
Dirty Game by Shannon Holmes


fiction
urban-fiction
street-lit
urban-street-fiction

We'll Never Tell


Kayla Perrin - 2007
    Tailored just for her. The kind that will teach her a lesson not to mess with me."--from We'll Never TellShandra James is a man stealer. It's a sport to her, a game that she always wins. As a pledge of the exclusive Alpha Sigma Pi sorority, she should know her place, and know not to throw herself at a sister's boyfriend. But she's marked a new target: Henry Reid.Henry's fiancée, Phoebe, and her sorority sisters, Miranda and Camille, decide to teach Shandra a lesson one night. A lesson that involves humiliation but nothing more. But unexpectedly the lesson turns deadly and the three women find themselves facing three new rules: Never mention what happened that night, protect each other, and tell no one. Yet when a murderer comes calling, they each discover that rules are meant to be broken. We'll Never Tell is Kayla Perrin's most provocative, suspenseful novel yet.

Let That Be the Reason


Vickie M. Stringer - 2001
    Stringer's wildly successful career- Let That Be the Reason. This is the remix. Based on Stringer's real-life experiences, this epic tale has changed the face of contemporary literature and continues to resonate and provide voice to thousands of urban readers as a cautionary tale of will and redemption. Pamela Xavier is a young woman left for dead by her drug-dealing boyfriend, Chino. With stacks of bills, no food in the fridge, and a baby on the way, Pammy turns to the streets for survival. Her back against the wall, Pammy relies on her alter ego, Carmen, to guide her through the male-dominated game and to achieve what she thinks will buy back her life and her happiness: money. In no time, Carmen graduates from call-girl service to leader of a major drug cartel- all to raise her son so he may never know her same pain and struggle. But with money on her mind, Carmen soon realizes that the perilous choices and consequences of the game come at a much higher cost than she could ever have imagined. Let That Be the Reason in this collector's edition, including additional chapters and dialogue, is a true-to-life saga of a woman's love, ambition to survive, forgiveness, and salvation.

Scarlett


Tiece - 2013
    Her existence consists of being mentally and physically abused by her unfit mother and unknowingly spending most days with a no good, trifling best friend.Her life seems to be on a repeated cycle of crazy misfortunes and sad uncertainties when it comes down to finding genuine love. However, good deeds from an older lady gives Scarlett a new lease on life and finally romance is on the rise, until her scarred past comes back to haunt her. Now, with skeletons creeping out of the closet left and right, can a new improved Scarlett stand the storm or will she be on the verge of losing it?

The Maintenance Man


Michael Baisden - 1999
    Do you know where your woman is?Every Woman’s Dream: Malcolm Tremell is handsome, charismatic and a great lover; but in his world sex is not a game…it's serious business. Every week his schedule is booked with secret rendezvous, extravagant dinners and sessions of passionate love making, all for the right price. But Malcolm begins to reflect on his gigolo lifestyle when he meets Toni, a talented dancer and choreographer. But can her love transform him into the man he wants to be and the man she needs to make both their lives complete?

Stolen by A Billionaire 2


Miss J. - 2021
    

The Devil is a Lie


ReShonda Tate Billingsley - 2009
     Most people think that money is the key to happiness, but when an ecstatic Nina Lawson wins millions in the Powerball lottery, her world is turned upside down. At first, she and her fiancé, Rick, are delighted with the unexpected windfall and immediately begin planning their future. Soon, family members and friends begin coming out of the woodwork to claim a piece of Nina’s winnings. But the most unexpected request comes from Todd, Nina’s ex-husband. He and his fiancée, Pam (with whom he had the affair that ended their marriage) reveal that the paperwork making Todd and Nina’s divorce official was never filed...and she may be compelled to share half the money with her husband. As the situation begins to spiral out of control, Nina risks losing her heart and her newfound winnings to find out what really matters. With just the right blend of joy, drama, and humor, Billingsley entertains and inspires readers with every turn of the page—it’s no surprise that her readership grows with each new book.

True Lies


Margaret Johnson-Hodge - 2002
    Reprint.

The Interruption of Everything


Terry McMillan - 2003
    A chef. An interior decorator. A landscape architect, as well as a gardener. I’ve been a painter. A furniture restorer. A personal shopper. A veterinarian’s assistant and sometimes the veterinarian.... An accountant, a banker, and on occasion, a broker. I’ve been a beautician. A map. A psychic. Santa Claus. The Tooth Fairy. The T.V. Guide. A movie reviewer. An angel. God....For a long time I have felt like I inadvertently got my master’s in How to Take Care of Everybody Except Yourself and then a Ph.D. in How to Pretend Like You Don’t Mind. But I do mind." Since Terry McMillan’s breakout novel Waiting to Exhale surged onto the bestseller lists, critics and readers alike have been captivated by her irreverent, hilarious, pitch-perfect tales of women’s lives and contemporary issues. With The Interruption of Everything, her sixth novel, McMillan takes on the fault lines of midlife and family life, reminds us once again of the redeeming power of friendship, and turns her eye toward the dilemma of how a woman starts to put her own needs higher on the to-do list while not shortchanging everyone else.Marilyn Grimes, wife and mother of three, has made a career of deferring her dreams to build a suburban California home and lifestyle with her husband, Leon. She troubleshoots for her grown kids, cares for her live-in mother-in-law, Arthurine (and elderly poodle, Snuffy); keeps tabs on her girlfriends Paulette and Bunny and her own aging mother and foster sister—all the while holding down a part-time job. But at forty-four, Marilyn’s got too much on her plate and nothing to feed her passion. She feels like she’s about ready to jump. She’s just not sure where.Highly entertaining, deeply human, a page-turner full of heart and soul, The Interruption of Everything is vintage Terry McMillan—and a triumphant testament to the fact that the detour is the path, and living life "by the numbers" never quite adds up.

Karma's a Bitch


J. Gail - 2006
    Labeled the "asshole of West Philly," Tony holds no shame in having other women in his girlfriend Quanisha's bed. There is little remorse after he knocks off a convenience store and beats the cashier down with a gun. He'll rob from his girl, his friends, people he doesn't know and ya mama. He doesn't care who he hurts. The question is when will Tony figure out that Karma's a Bitch? Maybe when he starts getting his Karma instantly and mercilessly he'll get the hint.Will a heavy dose of 'Instant Karma' show him that not contributing to society in any positive way is guaranteed to get him a one way ticket to no where? Or will he just keep digging himself deeper in a hole that could end up being his final resting place...This book will give you a chuckle, a laugh -- or at the very least a smile. But hey, don't laugh too hard... Karma is one persistent bitch that doesn't rest.Want more J.Gail books? Check out Thugs Are for Fun on Amazon (a 3-part series).

Friends and Lovers


Eric Jerome Dickey - 1997
    In contemporary mores and humanity, they investigate and celebrate the gender gap.

The Union


Tremayne Johnson - 2012
    He values trust, integrity, and he lives by the code of honor. As a child, he witnessed the horrific murders of both of his parents and it scarred him for life. From that day forward, he vowed that no matter what obstacles came his way, he would find the mysterious killer and seek the ultimate revenge. When he meets the lovely, street savvy Priscilla Davis, a powerful bond is instantly formed, and life as he knew it, took a drastic change.With the help of his cousin Cleo, the two men form The Union. Money is power and power is control, and by any means necessary Mox and his crew were out to get it. Family isn't always family and all money isn't always good money... problems occur when secrets surface and the truth eventually unfolds. When deceit spreads like a plague will Mox maintain his position... or will he fall victim?Show More Show Less

Whore


Tanika Lynch - 2002
    Forced to get on the grind non-stop by her madam, Cookie, after being abandoned by her dopefiend, HIV infected mother, there's nothing Kamone won't do to get that paper - drugs, murder, sex, lies and videotapes! That is, until she is scandalously set up to be raped, drugged and left for dead. Just when Kamone thinks it's the end, she finds what every bad girl longs for ' a bad boy with a heart, who literally picks her up out of the gutter. But will Lucci's thug passion be enough to satisfy Kamone's lustful habits? Or will she run back to the only life she knows?

The Dopeman's Wife


JaQuavis Coleman - 2009
    The allure of the fast like pulled her into a world of scandal, schemes, and hustling. After Nautica comes up on a big scam and her biggest payday ever, she decided to move to the East Coast in search of a new beginning. What she thinks will be a new start turns out to be a nightmare. She meets Manny, a well known millionaire druglord who is planning his exit from the streets. Manny is ready to settle down and marry the woman of his dreams. He sweeps Nautica off her feet and introduces her to the good life, promoting her from an ex-hood chick to the queen of the streets. But when the past comes back to surface, it causes their whole world to fall to pieces. Nautica and Manny have skeletons in their closest that intertwine and cause a dilemma that turns them against each other.This story takes you through the life of a dopeman's wife and her fall from grace. Look through her eyes and prepare for a sexy, page turning classic that has an ending so unpredictable, not even Nautica can see it coming.

Upstate


Kalisha Buckhanon - 2004
    Antonio and Natasha's world is turned upside down, and their young love is put to the test, when Antonio finds himself in jail, accused of a shocking crime. Antonio fights to stay alive on the inside, while on the outside, Natasha faces choices that will change her life. Over the course of a decade, they share a desperate correspondence. Often, they have only each other to turn to as life takes them down separate paths and leaves them wondering if they will ever find their way back together.Startling, real, and filled with raw emotion, Upstate is an unforgettable coming-of-age story with a message of undeniable hope. Brilliant and profoundly felt, it is destined to speak to a new generation of readers.

Bi-Curious


Natalie Weber - 2011
    Serenity is a young girl who had always been curious about lesbian experiences. Denying her urges, she never acted on any of her impulses . . . not until she goes off to college. When she meets Sadie Smith, her world is changed forever as she gets sucked into an underground world of sex, seduction, and secrets. When Serenity starts a down-low relationship with Sadie, she comes to discover that being possessive is not solely a man's trait. Sadie takes over Serenity's life and pulls her into a web of deceit and lies.