Instead of going away to college or turning up every weekend, she spent her days behind the counter at McDonalds. With a mother fighting Lupus and bills that had to be paid, Azuri put her life on hold to be whatever her mother needed her to be. A night working the late shift changed her life. It was the day she met Kashmir “Gotti” Banks. Gotti is an arrogant, smart mouthed boss from Harlem and used to getting everything he wanted, that is until he met Azuri. Love ‘em and leave ‘em had been his way of life for the past twenty five years. Chasing women was never his style and being caught, had never been Azuri’s style. The chemistry between the two was far more than either of them could ever imagine. Not sure if Gotti is good for her, Azuri built a wall up that he was determined to tear down. A day at the Rucker started a whirlwind romance between the two, but will they have a happily ever after? Lies, drama, murder, sex and deceit threaten to destroy the union the two have built. Will their love stand the test of time? Or will too many lines being crossed, tear the two apart? Find out in this juicy tale, unlike anything you’ve ever read...

    Having barely escaped his traumatizing past, he’s on the track to success. He has everything that a man in his position could ask for except someone to share it with. Back when he was in the streets and not taking any of the women he encountered seriously, they flocked to him relentlessly. Now that he’s finally ready to commit, he can’t find anybody worth his time. Fed up with being disappointed, Dakota ends his search. Just when he’s no longer looking, love finds him. Prominent careers, bright futures, and people to enjoy it with, life is good for Rain, Summer, and Alex. Rain and Summer are two successful sisters that spend majority of their free time partying and living life with their best friend Alex. The three of them are inseparable until Rain meets a sexy young firefighter. Swept off her feet in love, Rain’s life takes on a totally new set of turns. With Summer and Alex involved in their personal love affairs as well, things gets even better for the trio. Although things are looking up and going exceptional for them, they all must take the time out to realize that the sunshine also comes with rain. Find out what happens when secrets are exposed, lovers are caught cheating, and everybody’s not who they claim to be.

    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.

    But now she realizes that it was her connections and street smarts that helped her man, Calico, rise to the top, and Jewel wants to be the one in control. She's tired of taking orders from men. She's willing to do anything to be queen of the streets, but when a deal she makes with the enemy comes back to haunt her, her dream is turned into a nightmare. Hopeless and struggling to keep her head above water, Jewel meets Misty, who seems to be her savior. They quickly form a bond, but when that bond is broken and the mist turns to rain, Jewel finds herself in the middle of a storm that she might not make it out of.

    But despite an unsavory upbringing, Mercy vows to make something of herself–at all costs.Working as a concierge at a hotel notorious for its shady clientele, Mercy meets and falls hard for a notorious dealer who keeps her living large in Gucci clothes and off-the-hook apartments. Then she lands a real lucrative deal: running drugs up Interstate 95 from Miami to New York.But Mercy doesn’t want to live the gangsta life forever. She’s got bigger dreams. She turns legit and makes her mark, yet despite a new, cleaned-up career, she can’t get the streets completely out of her blood. A sexy hustler named C-Note steals her heart. And as their relationship heats up, Mercy discovers that their pasts are hopelessly–and tragically–entwined.

    Although she has a very light complexion, she is proud of her blackness, even as she takes a beating from the very sistahs she tries so hard to emulate. Her only friend, Scooter Morrison, is an upwardly mobile brother who also happens to be young, gifted, and gay. Then a chance encounter with two fine Puerto Rican men changes Juanita’s and Scooter’s lives in ways they could never have imagined. There is Conan, a hardworking man who wrestles with both his love for Juanita and his guilt over his brother’s death; and Jorge, an unscrupulous bad-boy thug who has no problem using what he’s got to get what he wants, until he comes dangerously close to getting scorched by his own flames.Fast-paced, suspenseful, and unpredictable, Chocolate Sangria explores the hearts of two lovers who get caught in the great cultural divide—and the devastating consequences of keeping secrets, telling lies, and betraying those you love.

    Growing up, always desperate for a dollar made him cold and calculating. Being rich was his only objective in life until he met Dior. Dior is shallow and superficial. She only craves one thing; fame. That means walking red carpets and flashing lights. If you can't make that her reality then you serve no purpose. But can Lorenzo convince Dior that his money can buy her all the desires of her heart or will her thirst for fame destroy them both? One thing is for certain, when Lorenzo and Dior's paths cross, the course of their destiny will forever be changed.

    From #1 Essence bestseller, ReShonda Tate Billiingsley, a touching and funny story of faith, love, and tenacious friendship.

    In 'Heartbreaker', three of the hottest names in street lit team up for an anthology on women who are dead-set on getting everything they want.

    Mega’s tired of playing games and there’s a new chick in his life, but there’s something about Taysia that he just can’t seem to shake. Will they finally let go and throw in the towel? Or is their love for one another strong enough for a happily ever after?

    Grief stricken, her mother turns to heroin to ease her pain. She doesn't notice that her son has no food or that her daughters' clothes are torn and dirty. Worst of all, she doesn't see what her boyfriend does to Angel behind closed doors. Desperate to support her younger brother and sister, Angel hits the streets looking for anything or anyone to help. But she's fifteen years old, so options for legal work are few. As a last resort, she turns to her brother's best friend, Antoine, who arranges for a job for her at a strip club. It's only supposed to be for a while, until she can get her working papers. Angel is convinced she won't fall victim to the streets like her mother. But the fast life has its temptations and a magical ability to make you forget.

    Queenie finds out what type she is when she can't cover her tuition and her life that she worked so hard for begins to crumble around her. She is then thrown into a world that is only made for boss bitches. Falling in love with a thug, yayo, and scheming friends, her life gets better by the second. Read Luving A Thug the first installment in the amazon e-book series.

    Due to their ambition, they unintensionally make the mistake of outshining their mentor.

    It’s not their fault I turned out to be a hoodlum.” – Giovanni “Grim” Re For Grim, even his name spoke of the constant battle that warred within him on a daily basis. His government name, Giovanni Re, was chosen specifically by his father. He wanted Grim’s first name to remind him that he was favored by God while his last name meant King. His nickname, Grim, stemmed from his past of being somewhat of a grim reaper towards his enemies. For a great deal of his life, Grim struggled with his good heart and evil mind, unsure of if he’d ever have a peaceful relief… until Havana. Havana Brooks has always been soft spoken and quiet natured. In her relationships that led to her being taken advantage of. In her career that led to her music being shelved while she watched her label mates gain the stardom she dreamed of having. There was a good thing about being so nice and sweet, though. It allowed her to be peace for Grim. As friends, Havana settles Grim and he builds her up. She nurtures him while he gives her a voice. He strengthens her while she weakens him. For those around them, Grim and Havana are a match made in heaven, but these two will have to go through hell to be with each other. *I’ll Give You Mine is the spinoff for If You Give Me Yours. Although both stories can be read as standalones, it is recommended that you read If You Give Me Yours First. This book does contain explicit language and an urban setting. If either of these things go against your personal preference, please skip this book on your journey for literary entertainment.*

    What she doesn't know is that the messenger is harboring another shocking secret that they aren't quite willing to let her in on just yet. Feeling confused and overwhelmed, she turns to the only person who has had her back since her first love was murdered, even though unsure if he'd be willing to involve himself due to the circumstances. In addition to such a heavy weight, suspicious leeches resurface, ready to suck Camarih and her beau dry unless she complies with their wishes. Little does Camarih know, their seemingly harmless attempt at extorting her is much deeper than she may think. With a flourishing career that's only growing, Tony doesn't have as much time to zone in on what could soon be a very detrimental and possibly deadly train wreck that is his personal life. The saying more money more problems has definitely began to ring true for the handsome thug, who although has a bigger bank account, is still that same street boy at heart. By saying that, a couple extra zeros on his paycheck hasn't stopped the gangsta from laying out a few when it comes to his respect. Will the deeply in love yet completely opposite couple be able to stick together and trust one another, or will outside forces finally weave their way into a union that has seemed unlikely from the get-go? As Make A Killing becomes more and more successful, it's only right that that success be accompanied by jealousy, unrequited loves, and envy. With new people entering the building, tension arises, relationships are broken, and betrayal becomes a part of day-to-day life.