To deal with the pain, she becomes her alter ego the rapper and lyricist, Shy-Ray. Rapping and her friendship with Raymond got her through the tough times during her younger years. After years of friendship, something else started to brew between the two, they ended up falling in love. As the years go by, the love grows stronger and Shia is forced to make a decision that will cause a dispute within the family. Raymond Vance, has a few secrets of his own. At a young age, his sister’s husband took him under his wing to train him to become a “Hit-man”. He is in love with Shia, but he hides it from everyone else in fear of destroying "The Fam" until one day him and Shia both act on their feelings. Raymond puts his trust with O’shea on the line, but Shia is harboring a secret, she has someone else in her life, rapper Milli. Milli is in love with Shia and will do anything to keep her in his life even if it means putting his rap career on the line. With Shia’s life in the spotlight a lot of events take place that will cause a strain on her rapping career and her new relationship with Raymond? In this fourth installment, a lot of secrets are revealed and relationships are tested in this gritty tale of young love. A lot of choices are made and Shia and Raymond are both left with decisions that could hurt each other and their families. They will both learn the term “Don’t Come Looking for Love”.

    Original.

    This Essence bestseller from an author to watch takes an unforgettable look at love, lust, and secrets that can break hearts--and destroy homes.

    Abandoned by her mother, she yearns for love and attention. Her uncle shelters her, but life is impossible to bear with his abusive wife. To make things worse, she gets involved with Malik, who shatters her hope and trust by leaving her pregnant and infected with HIV. So hardened, she decides to do the unspeakable, purposely infecting people with her disease. Of course, no one knows of her intent, not even her best friend, Jennifer, who unwittingly helps Desire find her victims. Will Desire realize the error of her ways before it's too late?Tia Hines delivers a powerful message in this cautionary tale full of action and drama.

    Busy Bodies is filled with erotic escapes and sexy scenarios—from the student in a faraway place who encounters a mysterious man with a supernatural attraction, to a boyfriend who gives his girlfriend a birthday surprise she never saw coming, this diverse collection of stories is an express train to all points of passion and pleasure. Get on board and get busy.

    Urban favorite Anthony returns with a gripping tale of a young woman who is forced to confront the dangerous lies she told as a teenager, and come face to face with some ugly demons.

    She is married to a successful, loving husband but somehow she requires more attention than this fine upstanding man can offer. She plays hard; in fact she is a playa in her own right. But Grace forgets that Game recognizes Game when she runs into Sonia, her husband’s best friend. This is the tale of Grace’s extra-marital love affair, love and support of good friends, and lessons learned along the way.

    There isn't much else she could possibly want . . . except the man who got away while she was climbing the ladder of success.Satisfy Me by Delilah DawsonShauna Williams finds out that Max Jackson, her childhood crush, is back in town for their friends' wedding. Shauna's all grown up now, and she has no intention of letting him slip through her fingers again.Ice Princess by Joy KingBeautiful, successful, and deadly in the boardroom, Madison always gets any man she wants. As a matter of fact, she seems to have more than she can handle. But when she moves into her fabulous new loft and meets the building's owner, Marcus, she realizes that she has finally met her match.The Morning After by Maryann ReidAlexis is tired of the pampered well-to-do men of her social set and wants to take a walk on the wilder side. So when she steps out of her Park Avenue comfort zone and meets Rasheen, straight out of Bed-Stuy, she gets everything she could ever want…and more.

    With a new hit single out, featuring a sexy rapper by the name of Yung Gunner, she’s certainly making waves of her own. She’s in a good place, and just wants to live drama free while enjoying her life. However, with Brooke using she and Chase’s unborn baby as a ticket back in his life, things can get real ugly at any given time. Chase is feeling good about the decision he’s made. Being with Rayne makes him happy and it keeps him focused. Now all he wants to do is be the hottest producer around, while taking Rayne’s career to the top. And with the signing of Yung Gunner to his record label the only way from here should be up. But dark secrets began to surface that threatens to end his relationship with Rayne and bring his entire empire down. Brooke is quickly learning that she can’t play with fire without getting burned. Skeletons in her closet start falling out all over the place leaving Brooke feeling vulnerable. With her ex-lover, Q popping up in Atlanta things quickly spiral out of control as she attempts to run from her past. There is only one problem with that. Q is not letting her out of his eyesight until he gets what she owes him and some. Will Chase and Rayne hold it together? Or, will Brooke find a way back into his life? Find out what happens when two women are both in a race for one man’s heart in, It’s Either Me Or Her 2.

    Lady Sondra and her family. Shortly after Lady Sondra is released from doing a ten year stint in Bellevue Mental Institution, tragedy strikes close to home testing her bad side and putting her on a vengeful mission for blood. Things go horribly wrong when she attempts to recruit her twin sons Rahmel and Jahmel to embark on a mission to build an untouchable drug empire all the while trying to keep her daughter Mahogany on the straight and narrow path. Lady Sondra is just one incident away from being sent back to the place she’s vowed never to visit again. Drama and betrayal send her spiraling down a dark bumpy road of no return. Get to know the Bells and learn all of the family secrets as you and those who betray Lady Sondra experience “A Bitch’s Bad Side”

    With an abusive mother and a heroin monkey on her back, Eva experiences a series of traumatizing events, forcing her to flee her Brooklyn tenement and seek refuge with her beloved cousin Fiyah in Harlem.But fate is not done wreaking havoc in Eva’s life yet. Poised on the brink of progress, Eva meets King Brody, a vicious Harlem drug lord who runs Bricks, the hottest rap club in town. Unbeknownst to Eva, her cousin Fiyah’s thirst for glory leads him to cut a killer deal with Brody. A trade-off is arranged: Fiyah gets a recording contract–and Brody gets Eva. The problem is, Eva already has a man: Ice Mello Williams, a hot Harlem rapper who has a bitter feud going with Fiyah and is determined to seize his recording contract. Torn between the man she loves and a violent kingpin, Eva becomes an unwilling pawn in a deadly game of cat and mouse. Can Fiyah and Mello help her elude the sadistic jaws of Brody, or will she end up losing her life in his brutal trap?

    Choir girl Elise thinks she's found a good man in Jay, a truck driver who came blowing into her life one sultry night. Irresistible and sensual, he's caught up in romancing Elise. However, when she's ready for happily ever after, he realizes that he can't just walk away from his wife and two children. And Elise just can't seem to let him go. Everyone knows that singles ministry leader Renee is full of herself. When she starts her latest interior decorating project, she thinks her client's husband is hot, and together, they're on fire. Meanwhile his wife wants to be friends, and it's not long before a twisted game starts to unravel. For twenty-five years Tess's life revolved around her unfaithful husband (who sits on the deacon's board) and their two wonderful sons. But now the kids have left the nest and Tess wants to spread her wings. While busy seeking her first job and creating a new social life outside the church, Tess meets a new man--a most forbidden man--who rides into the picture to rock her world off its steady axis. All the while, First Lady of the church and counselor, Faye is keeping a secret of her own that is much deeper than any one of them could ever imagine.

    At a young age, being adopted by people the complete opposite of her complexion, she had a hard time growing up. Milani didn’t want for anything, yet, she felt empty inside, she was searching for answers, because nothing made sense to her. Until something changes her life drastically, causing her to be uprooted once again, and placed in the home of an unfamiliar face. Kaiszer Karter was the son of the infamous Kason Karter. He had been through a lot, and seen a lot at a young age, which made him numb to life. Being groomed for the family business since age thirteen, he never got to live a normal life. Growing up, he was always the relax, quiet, chill brother, who no one really paid attention too. After stepping up and providing for his family the only way he knew how, he starts to really get to know himself, and his aura completely changes. This is no ordinary love story, this is a story that can only be understood through taking a moment to walk in each character’s shoes. This is a story of two couples from completely different backgrounds falling for each other. You’ll get to know Milani, her best friend Toriyah but also the Karter Brothers, Kaizon and Kaiszer. How can two people, with completely different upbringings, have so much in common? The only answer to that question is that they were destined to be together, despite the wrath they encounter. But when it goes and gets tough, who’s willing to keep their feet planted and fight for the relationship? Will they be standing alone after the dust settles, or will they walk away from all the drama together?

    Everything the legendary duo has built is on the line due to the jealously of past loves, friends and even family. Obtaining money, power, and respect is never easy, but The Alton’s prove it that holding on to it is even harder.

    He has his woman, his position as head of his family lucrative drug business and he still has rapping. Life is going good until it isn’t. Secrets that his mother kept hidden from him while she was alive comes out while a family enemy hell bent on revenge surfaces to take Kasam and his brothers down. Erin is in college pursing her dreams while being with the man that she loves. Life is almost fairytale like until things come out to show her that Kasam is no Prince Charming. Erin has to decide if she can deal with groupies and infidelity while trying to manage her own life’s issues. A storm is brewing. Danger is headed Kasam and Erin’s way as people are out to tear them apart. For two people who are so much better together than they are apart will they crumble under pressure or will they prove to the world that they are indeed meant to be together? Erin and Kasam first appeared in Hold You Down