Eight of them all together, all different races and ethnicities, but she loves them as her own. One woman has taught them how to love, trust, and respect one another. Claudette is their light at the end of a long, troublesome tunnel, and she shines so bright.Then, one dreadful day, it all comes to a crashing halt. Claudette is walking to the bus stop from the juvenile correction center where she volunteers her time, and she is gunned down in a seemingly random drive-by shooting. In the blink of an eye, Claudette’s kids are without a parent once again, and their lives will never be the same.They now own a house, and a 500,000 insurance policy is to be split between eight kids. However, they soon discover that they have also inherited enemies no one knew existed in Claudette’s world.Uncle Snap was well aware of those enemies, and after one of the children happens upon a lockbox with keys, codes, and monetary figures, Uncle Snap presents them with a video Mama has left, revealing the truth about her nefarious activities. A secret bunker underneath the house opens their eyes. It is filled with money, drugs, and specific directions from Claudette, who built an empire from the ground up. “The Syndicate” is what Uncle Snap calls it, and since Claudette is dead, it is up to the kids to keep it going.The Syndicate is a criminal enterprise that traffics millions of dollars of drugs throughout the United States. From the Port of Miami to the border of Canada, The Syndicate is a force to be reckoned with. Unbeknownst to them, Claudette has been training every one of them for this moment. She honed in on each of their skills to develop them to the fullest. Now one of them must step up to become the leader, so they can take over the Syndicate and run this city.

    As they embark on their search to find their soul mates, they navigate the full-contact sport known as being a SSBFLA (successful, single, black, female in L.A.) and negotiate the shark-infested waters of making a name for themselves professionally in Hollywood.Can Trista, the hyper-driven celebrity agent, find the time to schedule a meaningful romance? Will Amaya, the sexy starlet, convince the married hip hop-label exec she has been seeing to leave his wife, or will the NBA star steal her heart in the final seconds? After undergoing a complete makeover, will Vivian, the jaded gossip columnist, win back the father of her child?As seductive as it is empowering, The Vow is a page-turner that will keep you cheering for these women as they discover that their desire to find a husband isn't as important as finding themselves.

    . . and Passion. Rochelle Alers' Sweet SurrenderManicurist Maria Parker can't help but notice when a hunky financial planner brings his niece into Della's for a manicure. And when he starts to frequent the salon himself for manicures from Maria, she's pretty sure he has more than cuticles on his mind...Donna Hill's It Could Happen to YouWhen Della turned Rosie's Curl and Weave into Della's House of Style, a few things managed to slip through the cracks-and now she's is under fire by the IRS. When a by-the-book IRS agent comes to investigate, Della is infuriated by his presence in the salon-and reluctant to admit that she's growing more than a little used to it...Felicia Mason's Truly, HonestlyHigh-maintenance investment banker Sheila [last name] needs some serious pampering. On a whim, she decides to get a shoulder-length weave at Della's House of Style, and afterwards, visits and salon's lounge, where a sexy D.J. has a song in mind for her...Francis Ray's A Matter of TrustSingle mother Hope Lassiter, once a critically acclaimed actress, is now a cosmetologist at Della's House of Style. When a handsome director tries to woo her back to the stage, Hope has to wonder if his intentions are more than professional. . .

    A first novel. Reprint.

    This funny, sexy book has something for everyone!

    The author of the national bestseller The Shirt off His Back offers a laugh-out-loud look at how a family tries to reconcile their memories with their father's secret life in this novel about love, family, and honoring loved ones.

    When they were teens their dreams led them down separate paths and away from each other. But they reunited as adults, drawn back together by a bond of friendship that stood the test of time.Now Pat and Gayle co-own the Ell & Me Company, a business they founded based on a character Gayle created years ago for her daughter. Things are going well, but real-life dramas ensue as each must face issues from the past in order to protect the future.Pat and Marcus look like the perfect twenty-first-century couple-smart, talented, each at the helm of a high-profile enterprise and at the top of their game. but will their professional pursuits leave them time for each other and a family, or carry them into the arms of others? Will a paternity claim prover to be too much of an obstacle to overcome?Gayle faces her own family drama and struggles to maintain control of her life. Despite dating other men, has she ever really gotten over her ex-husband, Ramsey the gambler who left her and their daughter, Vanessa, in financial ruin? Gayle bends over backward to provide a stable, comfortable home for Vanessa, who seems just as devoted to making Gayle pay for every mistake she has ever made. And what ever happened to Ramsey?

    In her bestselling novel, The Coldest Winter Ever, Sister Souljah introduced the world to Midnight, a brave but humble lieutenant to a prominent underworld businessman. Now, in a highly anticipated follow-up to her million-selling masterpiece, she brings readers into the life and dangerously close to the heart of this silent, fearless young man. Raised in a wealthy, influential, Islamic African family, Midnight enjoys a life of comfort, confidence, and protection. Midnight's father provides him with a veil of privilege and deep, devoted love, but he never hides the truth about the fierce challenges of the world outside of his estate. So when Midnight's father's empire is attacked, he sends Midnight with his mother to the United States. In the streets of Brooklyn, a young Midnight uses his Islamic mind-set and African intelligence to protect the ones he loves, build a business, reclaim his wealth and status, and remain true to his beliefs. Midnight, a handsome and passionate young man, attracts many women. How he interacts and deals with them is a unique adventure. This is a highly sensual and tremendous love story about what a man is willing to risk and give to the women he loves most. Midnight will remain in your mind and beat in your heart for a lifetime. Her "raw and true voice" (Publishers Weekly) will both soothe and arouse you. In a beautifully written and masterfully woven story, Sister Souljah has given us Midnight, and solidified her presence as the mother of all contemporary urban literature.

    He has just made too many mistakes over the course of their decades of marriage. Deep down, she still loves her husband, but stubborn pride eats away at the short time they have left to make amends.

    I made you a girl. But that ain’t what you was supposed to be. So, from now on, you gon’ be a boy. It’ll be a little strange at first, but you’ll get used to it, and this’ll be over after while.”      From this point forward, his life becomes a bizarre kaleidoscope of events. Meanwhile, the Peace family is forced to question everything they thought they knew about gender, sexuality, unconditional love, and fulfillment.

     Faith Alexandria Morrell, the oldest of a mysterious trio of sisters, lives a troubled life and guards a horrifying secret. Yet few, least of all her new church family, would believe this always-impeccably-dressed woman is so utterly lost. But what lies beneath the surface of Faith's carefully constructed veneer could completely destroy her. Needing help, Faith and her sisters, Hope and Charity, join Followers of Jesus Faith Worship Center. This new mega church, led by the dreadlock-wearing, Holy Ghost-filled Pastor George Landris, just may offer the solace she needs. But Faith soon discovers that all is not well in her new church home: Pastor Landris's marriage may not be as solid as everyone thinks and he's struggling to finance the church building; Thomas, the pastor's deadbeat brother, is diagnosed as bipolar; and Johnnie Mae, the pastor's wife, is facing some tough choices regarding her ailing mother's care. How can Faith and her sisters find comfort here when so many are wrestling with their own issues? And when one sister suffers a crushing collapse, prayer may be the only way to unravel the mystery shadowing Faith and her sisters--the blessed trinity.

    And now she plies her talents in a new direction in an insightful, poignant story of family ties unraveling and lost loves regained.Eva is alone with an empty heart in a big, empty house. Hutch fears he is falling in love with the neglected wife of his wealthy, philandering best friend. Charley, Eva's law school-bound daughter, forgets her plans for school to become a stand-up comedian. Steven, Hutch's son, harbors a secret that will rock his father's world. And into the mix strolls Isaiah Lonesome, Charley's ex-boyfriend, a handsome hunk of a twenty-eight-year-old jazz musician who will teach Eva to play some lusty new riffs on love's oldest song. And in the end, everyone learns that when it comes to living life to the fullest, and in the quest for true love, it ain't nobody's business how one goes about it.Valerie Wilson Wesley's Ain't Nobody's Business If I Do is a delightful story of an African-American family in transition that is, at once, touching, sad, and funny, and that celebrates love, personal freedom, and the pursuit of happiness with charm, humor, and wisdom.

    Claire Bennet has lost her job for the second time in as many years due to downsizing. She doesn't know what she's going to do since her checking account has almost been stripped bare and her older brother is always a day late and a dollar short. With no man in her life, her parents' home is all she has and she's going to lose that unless she can think of something quick.THE GOOD LOVER. Fashionable and trendy Brooke Dunlap has also been downsized, but she's not worried because she expects her wealthy boyfriend to propose any day now. Unfortunately, Randaolph Peterson III has other plans and dumps her. Now Brooke is left devastated with no engagement ring, a pile of bills and a Jag that's in the shop.THE GOOD WIFE. Lorraine Averhart lost one of her dearest friends to cancer only months before and with that friendship, their dream of opening their own florist shop. But when Lorraine sees the wonderful candles, soaps and bath gels Claire has created, she pushes them to go into business together. With Brooke's savvy about what women want, Claire's products and Lorraine's money, they're sure to be a hit. They've got nothing to lose, so why not?But Lorraine's marriage comes under terrible strain as the business takes off and a new a temptation appears on the horizon; Claire becomes involved with one of the most powerful men in town; and Brooke is forced to reevaluate what matters most: a fat bank account or love and belonging somewhere she can call home?

    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.

    They were a continuation of the visions I had experienced in Dorchester, only here, they were much more violent."Set in a wealthy community in northern Michigan, Rising tells the story of nine-year-old Symone, who is adopted by the Hustons—"a shameless family with a house at the top of the hill"--after her mother dies of a drug overdose. And though Symone is all too happy to leave the Dorchester projects behind, she can't help but wonder why this rich white couple has come to the ghetto to adopt "a black girl who looked white." Soon Symone discovers that the Hustons aren't saviors but instead demons who have delivered her into another kind of hell. She escapes only to return again years later, realizing that she must face the demons of her past if she has any hope of surviving the future.Rising is an evocative, undeniably potent, and completely unforgettable novel.