Book picks similar to
Hold You Down 2 by Dominique Thomas


favorites
cliffhanger
african-american
dominant-male

Ridin' with the Realest


K.C. Mills - 2017
    For the past five years, she had been in love with the man of her dreams. A man who had given her the world. Because of that love, Charlie had a free ride to college, nice cars, an expensive home, and she owned her own business. In her eyes, life was as good as it could possibly be. She had the love of her life, and success. Now if she could just survive the next four years while he finished a bid for yet another parole violation. As hard as it made life, and as lonely as she was, Charlie loved her man, and was going to get through it. Calvin “Hawk” Cason Hawk was in the streets, but he wasn’t like your typical hustler. Hawk was about his money and loved his woman. So much so that everything he gave Charlie was hers. He never wanted her to feel like the things that he did were because he was buying Charlie’s affection or because he wanted to control her. Charlie owned the title to everything Hawk purchased for her, so with or without him, her life would always be financially stable. Hawk knew that Charlie loved him and not the things that he did, so he had no problem helping to secure her future. The perfect union, right? Sometimes things aren’t always what they seem. Hawk paid his way out of a five-year bid after only doing one year, and was coming home. The problem being, who is he coming home to? His secret life has caught up with him, and it’s time to make a decision. A decision that will possibly rock Charlie to the core. Yazmine Carter Yaz is your typical hood certified chick. She refused to work for anything, but feels like she’s owed everything. That attitude created a love hate relationship between Yaz and Charlie. Yaz claims Charlie as her best friend but secretly hates everything about her. With friends like that, who needs enemies? Yaz doesn’t understand how Charlie is always winning, while she has to struggle for every dime. Even when it comes to Charlie’s relationship with Hawk. Yaz feels like it should have been her. When Yaz finds out that the one person that she really wants has eyes for Charlie instead, Yaz is fed up. She makes some decisions that could cancel years of friendship, and after a one night stand with a man who Yaz doesn’t know but quickly finds out is a powerful ally, Yaz decides that sometimes you have to just go for yours. Will that one decision cost her not only her friendship with Charlie but also her life? Delvin “Fray” Simmons Fray is all about his money. Fray puts nothing before it, which is why he has a reputation of being a savage. It’s nothing for him to take the life of those who are disloyal or try to get in his way. Being the top solider on Hawk’s team, it just made sense that he would be the one to take charge when Hawk got sentenced to a five year bid. Fray was the type to just do what was necessary, and made no apologies for it. For that reason, while Hawk placed him in charge, Fray decided to make sure that when Hawk came home, Fray could walk and still be in charge. Not only did he build Hawk’s business, but he began building his own. Fray understood that money changed everything, and there was no way that he was going to go from running it all to being second in command when Hawk returned. It wasn’t a respect thing, it was simply code of the streets. Things eventually get even more complicated when Hawk asks Fray for a favor that would put him right in the middle of a tug of war between Charlie and Hawk. Not only was Fray preparing to be Hawk’s biggest competitor in the streets, he would now find himself being Hawk’s biggest competitor for Charlie’s heart.

The Story of DeLano Trevino


BriAnn Danae - 2018
    Deliberate. Menace. Executioner. Those were just a few words to describe the DeLano Trevino. For the majority of his life, he had been deemed the quiet one. Light on his toes, but swift with his trigger finger; no target was ever left untouched. No enemy ever left breathing. That was until he made the mistake of letting his best friend’s killer roam freely. Six years have gone by since he left the grimy streets of California. After the brutal killing of his best friend, Lano uprooted to the Midwest. Over the years, his rank in the streets solidified him as one of the most ruthless men to grace Kansas City. To most, especially the women, his entire persona yelled dangerous, but not to all. Attracted to what she knew wasn’t good for her, Anika was smitten with Lano from day one. His hood charm turned her own in ways no other man had ever done. Their friendship blossomed into a full-blown relationship with ease and was rocky at first, but there was no turning back now. She was invested, respected as his woman, and held as much weight in the streets as he did. That was until Samia, Lano’s ex and his best friend’s sister, pops back into their life. When a trip to his hometown ends with bullets flying leaving Lano shot, all bets are off. The notion of making peace with his past was terminated immediately. With a thirst so strong for revenge, treachery overshadowed any rational thoughts Lano has when it comes to protecting the ones he loves. If it was a war his enemies were seeking, they had better come prepared with guns blazing. DeLano wasn’t laying down for a soul. He was snatching the lives of whoever during his deadly ambush and sending them straight to their maker.

Love In The Ghetto (Lil Mama In The Projects #1)


Mz. Toni - 2015
    Her mother is a sick and abusive woman that always saw Cherish as the mistake that ruined her life. An unexpected incident nearly costs Cherish everything. However, the unfortunate tragedy of a loved one leads her right into the arms of a new man that could end up being good for the soul. Mega is young, handsome and seems to have it all. He has moved across the hall from Cherish, the beautiful yet quiet and battered young woman. Mega witnesses the abuse she has suffered at the hands of her mother and wants to save her, but growing up in the hood has taught him to mind his business, and to turn a blind eye to things that don't concern him. Will Mega save Cherish? Or, will his hood nature cause him to turn a blind eye to her obvious cry for help? If so, can he save her in time? Or, will the abuse and neglect cost Cherish her life?

A Staten Island Love Letter 5: The forgotten Borough


Jahquel J. - 2019
    Messiah may have done something that could end her relationship with her daughter and husband. Has she gone too far, or like usual Messiah, did she know what she was doing? Staten is stuck on trying to handle loving Liberty, even after she ended things, be a father to he and Chanel’s daughter, and be there for a pregnant Maliah as well. Can he juggle it all, while trying to be there for his big brother too?Justice felt like her life was over. What was supposed to be the happiest day of her life, ended up being one of the worst days. She thought her past with shitty men was over when it came to Priest. Can Priest redeem himself? Or is this the straw that broke the camel’s back, and Justice decides to call it quits?Liberty is fighting for her life. Will Staten come running to her rescue like the past? Or will he finally give Liberty what she has been wanting; space? If that’s not enough, Ty is falling for Liberty – hard. Is he willing to compete for Liberty’s heart, knowing it belongs to her ex, Staten?With Ghost’s condition and Samoor’s condition, Free is stretched thin trying to be brave and hold down the home front. Will it all be too much to handle, or will Free pull up her big girl pants and hold it down for her son and man? Find out in the finale of this series!

She Fell In Love With A Hitta 2


Antoinette Sherell - 2018
    Will someone come to her rescue, or will she be left to fend for herself? Meanwhile, Adonis is left enraged at his girlfriend, Teagan, after she admits a truth that had already plagued his thoughts. Will his reaction cost them both their unborn child? Along with their newfound problems, there was still the issue of whether Gi’Dore will continue her blossoming love with Rico—putting the nail in the coffin of her and Achilles’ chaotic yet addictive love. Adonis cut his and Criss’ secret relationship loose, but will she manage to weasel her way back in? Then, there is Achilles... and he was determined to win Gi’Dore back at all cost. Find out what great lengths he’s willing to go to and if it will be enough for him to secure the love of his life.

From the Pole to the Palace 2: A Love Nobody Expected


Diamond D. Johnson - 2016
    As the days go by, Jameeka realizes that Levi isn’t the man she thought him be, but it’s too late because she’d already done the unthinkable, and Seth would never get back with her in a million years. Now that Seth and Dreka finally are in a committed relationship, is it enough for her to leave the pole alone and finally settle down in the palace where she belongs? Dreka promised herself that once she let those three words, I love you come out of her mouth, that she would hang up her dancing shoes, but is that true? In addition to everyday relationship problems, she is now faced with deep, dark secrets that she thought she had left behind in her past, but she now has to bring those secrets to light. This second installment is filled with drama, laughter, and secrets. Some will make it out in the end, but others won’t.

Love From a One Night Stand


Trinity - 2015
    Until one night she meets Ghost a bad boy rapper with a play boy image. A one night stand with him changes her life forever. Kevin (Ghost) Jackson is a bad boy rapper who loves the party lifestyle and dealing with different women. He never thought he would settle down, until he gets Angel pregnant and is forced to slow down. Everyone disapproves of his relationship with Angel including his mother who makes him choose. Embark on the journey with Angel and Ghost as all the odds are against them to find true love. Will they become a family? Or will they allow people to get in the way of their true happiness?

Gunplay & LeTavia : Shawty Want a Thug


Leo Sullivan - 2017
     Raised in the heart of the hoods of Brooklyn, 18-year-old LeTavia was the oldest of two children looked after by their grandmother after their mother ran out on them. Built with a strong sense of responsibility, it was this trait that pushed her to protect Deshaun Banks, aka Gunplay, the very first time she laid eyes on him. Gunplay, a born hustler, ducked into a local food spot, hoping to dodge the police that were searching for him but what he found inside ended up being more than he expected. When LeTavia immediately assisted him by attempting to hide him from the cops, he not only avoided being placed in prison for the rest of his life but he found the one woman who he would learn is loyal to him from Day 1. Or is she really? Five years later, Gunplay is released from prison and runs into the person whom he owes his freedom to. Now 23 years old, LeTavia is a full grown woman and just as desirable to him as she was the day they'd first met. Immediately, Gunplay sets his mind on making her his but Quisha, the chick who held him down for five years of lock up, isn't having that. Cutta was the king of the Harlem streets before Gunplay was locked up and, after his release, he's even more powerful. When he hears that Gunplay has been released, he has one goal in mind and that's to end Gunplay's life for a betrayal he blamed Gunplay for years ago. But when fate brings him into contact with LeTavia, his plans take a turn that even he didn't expect and the result threatens to tear down everything that LeTavia and Gunplay have built. Is real love always loyal love? When the rules of the streets are mired by the desires of the heart, the results can be treacherous and, oftentimes, deadly.

To Boston, With Love


Chenell Parker - 2020
    To Boston, it meant nothing at all. Family wasn’t always defined by blood and he learned that lesson early. After being abandoned by the one person who was supposed to love him the most, Boston’s life became one heartbreak after another. Meeting his best friend, Indigo, at ten years old, turned out to be the biggest blessing ever. Indigo was an only child who was afforded the best life. Her first encounter with Boston pulled at her little heart strings and prompted her to take action. Indigo became his crutch but she didn’t mind holding him up. It didn’t take long for her to realize that Boston was fighting demons that were even stronger than she was. What happens when you put your heartache aside to mend the heart of another? When everything that you’re running from is in your head, will you ever be fast enough to escape it?

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?

You Could Do Damage


C. Monet - 2018
    Big sister and guardian of her family, she is thrown to the world without a harness, no guidance, and no help. Dahlia is not afraid to get her hands dirty or do the unthinkable to make sure her and her sister aren't separated. Love is foreign and get it by any means reigns supreme for her. Raising her sister was her only concern, but as her sister Deja prepares to set sail on her own journey, Dahlia is forced to focus on picking up the pieces and finding her own way. What was supposed to be a favor for his little brother turns into so much more as Ty'Key spends time peeling back the layers of Dahlia Starks. Ty' Key Patterson is handsome, strong, and willing to suffer the catastrophe of any damage Dahlia brings his way as long as she is. Both alike in so many ways, they run into different situations that could not only damage them personally but damage a long-standing friendship. Will they be able to clean up the damage or crumble like ashes scattered amongst the rubbish?

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?

Wishing He Was My Savage


Trenae' - 2017
    Ashleigh is madly in love with the potential she once saw in her boyfriend, Dre. It's no secret that everyone doesn't live up to their potential and he proves that true. Amanda was shown love in its purest form only for life to shuffle the deck and deal her a losing hand. They say time heals all things but the lost of her first love still haunts her years later. When life proves to be too much the duo decides to skip town for a change of scenery. Twin brothers, Harlem and Houston have quickly made a name for themselves in the streets of New York. Running the streets leave little time for love so running into Amanda and Ashleigh was something neither men expected but was surely welcomed. An unplanned 7 day vacation and a chance encounter changes the way these women think when it comes to men. Is less than a week enough for Houston and Harlem to sweep these feisty women off of their feet? Will Amanda finally try love for a second go round? Will Ashleigh finally accept the love that she deserves?

A Brooklyn Love Affair: Vixen & Gino's Story


Tya Marie - 2015
    The fiercely devoted one she uses for her best friend, the one of a lover and confidant to her fiancé, and the real one she keeps reserved for looking in the mirror and battling her inner demons. Life is fairly normal for Vixen until her verbally abusive mother reenters her life, dredging up traumatic childhood memories, and bringing a handsome stranger into the mix with her devious antics causing Vixen to reprise her role as caregiver and bread winner.Gino Romano is infamous for many reasons: his notoriety for being one of the youngest king pins in New York City, the cold manner in which he handles business, and the notable political ties he's managed to create along the way through "profit sharing." However, the most prominent thing he's known for is the ice fortress he's built around his heart. Because of his past, Gino keeps women at an arms length, believing it hard to find one who could accept the scarred past he comes with. Until he lays eyes on Vixen.Brought together for all the wrong reasons, Vixen and Gino find a common ground that not only develops into a budding friendship, but sparks a love affair. From the moment they become one they must fight to protect their love from those who plan to destroy it by any means necessary, one of which being the very reason Vixen ran away from home ten years ago in the dead of night.Will the forces determined to see Gino and Vixen destroyed win? Or will their love prevail? Set in a spicy Brooklyn backdrop, A Brooklyn Love Affair brings to life pain, forgiveness, and the never ending possibility of finding love.

Saved by A Billionaire


Miss J. - 2021