Book picks similar to
Luving a Thug by Lola Bandz


african-american
street-lit
urban
5-star-reads

SECRETS OF A KEPT BITCH


Ambria Davis - 2014
    She had to fend for herself at a young age; life was hard from the get-go, and she must figure out a way to get herself out of the poverty stricken environment. Unlike other girls her age, young Mimi wants more out of life; she wants a way out of the ghetto. Fate intervenes on her behalf when she meets one of New Orleans’ biggest dope boys. She instantly falls in love with this mysterious stranger; everything in her life changes for the better and her future seems brighter. She will soon learn however, that being a hustler’s wife comes with serious consequences. Years later, Mimi decides to move to Atlanta, where she has it all; a beautiful family, fast cars, the finest clothes and everything that she’s ever dreamt about. How can a woman that has so much going for herself be so unhappy? With a man that’s constantly cheating and her past rapidly catching up to her, she must figure out a way to get all these secrets out in the open—without taking a loss. Take a ride on this roller coaster with Amina Washington and uncover the SECRETS OF A KEPT BITCH.

The Beast of the Cartel


Sunny Giovanni - 2014
    With only a snap of his fingers he is able to command thousands of men, and have his every desire fall at his feet. The only thing that this master is missing is true love in his life. At the brink of a drug war and rebellion from potential business partners, Zeus finds it impossible to trust anyone he brings close, let alone finding someone he would be able to love and give his all too, or share his very own empire with. When a broken Rumor Sandavo waltzes into his life on business, he finds himself balancing everything on his plate and schedule accordingly, as well as trying to get closer to the young woman. After longing for love for quite some time, Zeus failed to realize that love can weaken you or make you more vulnerable. Will Rumor accept Zeus as the man of her life once she finds out what he's capable of? Or will she be the one and only reason he is stripped of his title as "Beast Of The Cartel" and loses the war that the rebellion has brought upon him?

Caesar's Charm (Caeser's Charm)


Cassie - 2014
    That is until he met Charm Johnson. Charm had been single for two years due to an abusive ex and was scared to give Caesar together a shot. When these two decide to give each other a chance someone will stop at nothing to break them apart. Tragedy strikes causing grief and harm. when it's all said and done will they stay together or do they go their separate ways? Cassie gives you a tale of love, lies and deceit.

Every Girl Needs a Thug


Shantay - 2014
    Shanice is just a young vibrate teenage girl that is trying to focus on graduating college and making something out of herself. When she meets Money, a young rapper that captures her heart and changes the course that she is directed in, instead of only doing her she does him, but will loving him get her burned in the end? JaeCia is going through the motions being that her dad is locked up and her mother doesn’t care about her. She finds solace from her crazy world in TJ, someone who has always been there for her but will she allow her heart to open and be loved? Amora is living her days in hell, hiding secrets left and right but trying to keep a cool exterior. She just wants to be loved and focus on school but when she meets Bangga she finds herself doing things she would have never done and telling him things she never would tell even her two bffs. Will Bangga he be her diary? Or will their pages be burned?Authors Shantay, Yanni and Lola Bandz weave together a story of young love, heartbreak, truth and lies and will have you asking yourself is it worth it to really love a thug in this 1 part of a 2 book explosive love series. Come find out why Every Girl Needs a Thug.

Wife of A Legend (Wife of a Legend Book 1)


Choe Je'Nore - 2014
    He has women falling at his feet daily, but he takes none of them seriously until he meets a young woman by the name Treasure, but there’s only one problem Treasure is a witness to a homicide he committed. He knows he should kill her and get it over with but there’s something about her that makes it hard for him to go through with it… Julianny’s mother Pam never thinks any woman is good enough for her son, especially not Treasure but when the two quickly fall in love all hell breaks loose ands lines are crossed… permanently.

Bitchery 3: Secrets


Karmel Divine - 2014
    I can hear Zoe on the other side yelling and crying out loud. My screaming must have caught a few people’s attention as those two Spanish girls come running up behind me, watching. I fall down onto the floor; I’m tired, but I don’t care. I continue kicking on the door while screaming. My tears land to the floor beneath me. I peek over my shoulder and see Siles leaning against a wall, watching me from a distance with a smirk on his face. He has his arms folded across his chest as he smiles, satisfied with what is going on. I knew right at that moment that he did this. He wanted Rim to take Zoe away from me and take advantage of her. He needed that upper hand again. “Siles please, please stop Rim from hurting Zoe,” I cry out at him. He just stands there; looking at me oddly as my crying words goes unnoticed to him. Zoe’s cries can be heard through the closed door. I sit on my knees in front of the door. My hands are raw from me hitting the door so much. Siles moves towards me slowly and I ball up my hand into a fist again and raise it in mid-air. I look at him, ready to do what I have to do. He kneels down and whispers with a tight lip and a scowl on his face, “Hit my baby one more damn time bitch, and not only will I kill Zoe, I will cut my baby out of your fucking stomach and let you bleed to death.” He grins, satisfied with the shocked expression that is on my face. He stands back up and walks away, leaving me to watch his back as he disappears into the living room. I cry right along with Zoe until I can’t cry anymore.

Heaven Sent :The Reunion


Tynessa - 2015
    Secrets are revealed, friendships are crossed, and relationships are being tested. Ali has been holding on to a secret that might just cost him his wife and right hand man, Zylen. Will all be forgiving? Or will Ali find himself alone with no one to turn to? Zylen and Heaven might seem to have the perfect relationship from the outside looking in, but once again their relationship is being put to the test. When it’s all said and done will love conquer it all and Heaven continue to be Zylen’s Heaven Sent or will it be the end of a love that was supposedly meant to be?

I Jus' Wanna Leave This Nigga


Mesha Mesh - 2015
    She was brought up to believe that no matter what you stick by him, even if it means that he cheats, or beats you to a bloody pulp. Lyric falls in love with a man who she thought was her Prince Charming. Ty helped her get through one of the most traumatic events in her life and she feels that she owes him. At the time when he met her she was on the verge of going crazy, lost all hope, and had given up on life. He stepped in when she had no one else in the world and helped build her up, only to tear her back down.He fulfilled all of her heart’s desires with every materialistic thing she could think of. From romantic dinners, to shopping sprees, to the big fancy home that she always knew she would have. All was good in their relationship up until the night they got married. On that night, she was faced with an ugly truth about her husband that she didn’t see coming. Lyric realized then that God answered her prayers and she got everything that she wanted except the one thing that mattered the most… A loving husband!Ty is the guy every woman wants to have. He’s handsome, successful, and most of all, a ladies man. What the women don’t know about him though, is that Ty is a womanizer, a woman beater, and a spoiled brat. He feels that everything should go his way and if it doesn’t he has no problem taking things out on his gorgeous wife with his fists.Blessing, her best friend’s brother, has loved Lyric since they were kids, and he wants nothing more than to have her as his. His thuggish demeanor and handsome looks draw women to him, but he only wants Lyric. Will Lyric leave before it’s too late?Will Blessing be the man she always wanted?orWill Ty seek help to save his marriage and keep his wife?

Friends & Lovers


Shanny - 2015
    Seventeen year old, Khloe, meets and falls in love with Omarion, a young thug who spends his time running the streets. Things take a turn for the worse when Khloe finds another lover and she discovers that a hot ass makes for deadly consequences. Khloe’s best friend, Amiria, falls for Omarion’s brother, Deonte. Although he claims to love her, she feels like he’s just running game. When Amiria finally finds out that the rumors about Deonte just may be true, she decides to confront him, but it’s too late. Lies and betrayal arise and threaten to tear apart friendships, ruin relationships and destroy lives.

Crack Money With Cocaine Dreams


Jahquel J. - 2014
    And so are the drug dealers that flood them. When your pockets are empty but your needs are full, you do the unthinkable. After her mother walks out on her at seven years old, Messiah Garibaldi was groomed to be a boss. Being the daughter to a mob boss and maid, she learned early to never mix business with pleasure. Messiah and her best friend, Jaylah, cook some of the best dope to man, which is how the ruthless drug lord, Tech, enters her world. Never being the one to be in love, Rasheed enters Messiah’s life and opens her to the possibility to love. Will Messiah mix business with pleasure? There’s only one thing in his way: Eli, Messiah’s companion. Eli is money hungry and broke. When giving the opportunity, Eli pulls off a stunt that might end his life. LB is a low-level nickel and dime drug dealer for Tech. Tech has been promising to put him on for years. Tired of being broke and watching Tech reaps the benefits of his labor, LB decides to step out and link up with Rasheed. Staten Island is small, everyone knows everyone…but do they really? When you have crack money but cocaine dreams, envy becomes your best friend.

Finessing The Plug


Treasure Malian - 2015
    The one that sets a goal and does everything in her power to accomplish it? That’s Journee. Journee is focused on graduating college and attending Medical school. But, a level headed girl always has a turn-up girl as a best friend, and that's Zoie. Journee's life was planned and moving along accordingly until she and Zoie met Jonas and Lex. Jonas, who is coming into his own, as the plug, after the death of his father, is focused on the money. He wasn’t looking for a relationship. However, when Journee walked into his life doing all of the right things, one night in Vegas quickly turned into a whirlwind love affair. What starts as two people passing time, turns into true feelings and love. Journee starts falling for Jonas and vice versa. Jonas has been burnt before by "love" so he tries to be cautious but falls hard for Journee. Will he end up getting burnt by love again? Stephan is Journee's older brother, known as the fuck-up of the family. With a get it how you live mentality Stephan sets out to do what is natural for him. However, this stick up is different; it involves his sister. Will his plan ultimately get both him and his sister killed? Love and loyalty is tested when outside sources begin to work against the young couple. While Finessing the plug, Journee falls deep in love with Jonas, and he ends up finessing her heart. Will the allure of a dangerous game be the demise of their relationship and one of their lives?

Flexin' On My Ex with A Boss


Jenica Johnson - 2018
    While she’s holdin’ it down, is her man really grindin’ or cheatin’? Yahria aka Yah-Yah was a hood chick that didn’t mind fighting for what she loved. Growing up without both of her parents, she was a product her environment. She was raised by her grandmother and was the girlfriend to the newest up and coming dopeboy. Putting her life on hold, Yahria made sure her man’s needs came first while she lagged behind with his promises to make sure she was straight. After one drunken night, she discovers her intuition was right all along. Subashtian aka Bash isn’t your average dude. He dresses different, he acts different, and he spends his money different. To the human eye, he’s not a boss but the people close to him know what and who he is. Bash took a big loss, and it made him hide in a shell. He promised to never open up to anyone else besides his family. He thought he had everything planned out until destiny linked him with his opposite. Bash likes his women calm and lady-like until he meets Yah-Yah. Can opposites attract or will they clash because they are from two different worlds?

Jump Off Bitches 2


M.J. Sparks - 2013
    Deidre is bringing her side of the story rounding out the circle of this troublesome trio. And hers is a steamy one as she finds herself engulfed in a hot interoffice romance with a man she can't quite claim as her own. He's yet to be married, but that doesn't mean that he does not belong to someone else because he is engaged to be married. After a lust filled ride with Deidre seemingly takes a turn towards love, will he make to the alter? Bird left part one dizzy and she remains dizzy as ever as she continues to ping pong herself between two men. Will she ever settle and decide on who it is that she wants, or will her back and forth between the two of them cost her everything and leave her with nothing? Kenya's life is turned up side down after a suprise visitor shows up at her home. Is her rendezvous a thing of the past or will it come back and bite her in the ass?

Promiscuous Girl


Nicole Jackson - 2014
    Taraj was introduced into the game of life at the ripe age of eleven. Against her will, she’s thrust into some of the seediest acts known to man. She soon finds out that this world is cruel, and she must fight against the grain to truly live. One tumultuous situation after another, Taraj attempts to weather the storms. Steve is the man that is forcibly in her life. He seemingly offers his helping hand to a troubled Taraj, but his help comes at a heavy price. Eventually, things seem grimier than ever before…until Taz enters the picture. Coming fully equipped with his own demons, he’s the unlikeliest person to ever reach back and rescue the next. But there’s something about Taraj that compels him to save her, even if she’s unaware of needing saving. In Taraj’s world, being pretty had never done a thing for her besides bringing heartache and pain to her doorstep. Surely Taz is just like all the others; waiting to take advantage. Life has hardened her, and she’s become a promiscuous girl. Therefore, she can’t see the forest for all the trees. Ultimately, she needs to be saved from herself; but who’s willing to take on that task? Will Taz be her knight in shiny armor, or will he lead her down a fast road of self-destruction?

The Plug Next Door 2


Sol - 2017
     God has a lot to lose after keeping his wife a secret from Reese all this time. He's in love with the beautiful, charismatic, highly educated doctor but once his skeletons jump out of the closet, he might just lose her forever. However, he's not willing to let her go so easily. But with someone out to destroy him and his empire, he might have no other choice but to surrender his love. Unbeknownst to Nas, he's in the middle of it all. The key to figuring out who's on a mission to take out the Taliban Gang is with him. From the moment he stepped foot onto New York soil, a domino effect of murders, lies, and deceit began. He finds out who his brothers are, but things only get worse from there. He also manages to get Vasii, the girl of his dreams, but what happens when he finds out she's the sister of an old fling? Will he be able to keep her? In the middle of the hailstorm, Young is determined to steal Alexa's heart. He's successful in making her fall in love, but there's just one issue... he isn't like most men. When he loves, he loves hard. Young honestly can't help his possessive ways, given the circumstances, but Alexa may not be ready for it. Then again, she's just as crazy about him as he is her. They're both keeping secrets in the meantime... secrets that could get somebody hurt. Who are the DeLeneau Brothers, really? And are the women they're in love with who they claim to be? Everyone will be shocked to realize they've been dating so close to home. But more importantly, love can blind you from snakes. Who's going to mow the grass and reveal all? Find out in The Plug Next Door II...