Fate brings Jazmine and X-Man together as promising young stars for the same record company. They thrive on the excitement of their new careers and passionate love, until a power-hungry executive pits them against each other, jeopardizing both their musical careers and romantic future. Follow Jazmine and X-man as they discover that with the right mix of love and determination, it doesn't matter where you're from, it's where you're at.

    Yet, it was an honor Zane had not wished for.On Laney’s nineteenth birthday, Zane fell with the mission to keep her safe, but he was never given that opportunity...In this Brookehaven Vampires novella, you will step into the mind of Laney’s guardian angel, get a glimpse of his life before the fall, and see what our world looks like from his point of view.

    She thought she was better than everybody, or rather you thought it. But remember the day you found out that she lived in the projects/ghetto/hood just like everybody else? You were shocked, and now less envious of her, knowing she came from exactly where you did. Well, Trouble is that chick! Spoiled rotten by her brother, who has a complex occupation, and her boyfriend, the star B-ball player at their high school being sought after by colleges across the map who don't mind lacing him with SUVs and putting money in his pocket to sway him towards attending their university to play ball--Trouble seems to have it all. And what she doesn't have, she manages to get. But unlike some of the chicks in these other street lit tales; she doesn't have to use her body to get things. She uses the ghetto diva attitude that makes people believe she deserves the best and therefore they do back flips trying to provide. This urban novel has a completely different twist than any other written thus far. In Trouble's journey, she loses her brother, who she is closer to than bark on a tree, and feels as though it's the end of the world. But when she finds out that the person who murdered him had once tried to get with her, a huge scheme comes to mind in order for her to seek revenge. She pretends to like her brother's killer in order to get him right where she wants him, but her plan backfires when something happens that she never saw coming. She falls in love with her brother's killer.

    Years later, Faith is a successful literary agent. Her twin, addled by drugs and prostitution, struggles through life on the Harlem streets. When Hope seems to have set her sights on Faith's man, the tender bonds of sisterhood are cruelly tested. Will the truth about their darkest hour finally be revealed? I'm Telling "deftly shares the pain and desperation of a family shaken to the core" (Booklist). For anyone who has ever chosen between speaking up and backing down, this impassioned novel lights the way toward love and redemption.

    Treasure has caught a lot of bad breaks in life, but the one thing that keeps her level headed is her crime family, "The Lipstick Clique."

    Shawn Fletcher, a former college football phenom turned successful entrepreneur, is in need of the very thing he's never proven to be ready for; love. To finally get to the heart of the issue, his therapist goes digging into a closet full of skeletons that neither of them were ready for. Shawn opens up about going to college and meeting Jazmin, the bodacious vixen from Atlanta with a slick tongue and vicious curves. They tame their sexual rendezvous into a genuine friendship shortly before Danielle comes and stakes claim on Shawn's heart. Everything seems perfect until his commitment to Danielle nearly costs Jazmin her life. Shawn wants to fix things but knows he can't be in two places at once; but can he make his heart play by the same rules?

    Louis. Wayne. Eric. Marissa had been warned: One of these days you're gonna mess with the wrong woman's husband. But she doesn't care. Aside from an occasional bout of guilt, she feels no shame, because after all, if their wives were doing what they were supposed to, then their husbands would not be seeking her company. Marissa dates married men - four of them concurrently because it's easier. She gets all of the trappings of a relationship - love, wining and dining, physical pleasure - without any of the pain - cooking, laundry, and the day-to-day maintenance of a relationship. But when it appears that one of the wives of the men she is dating is out to get her - wants her dead, in fact - Marissa begins to reexamine the choices she's made. Her selfishness gives way to vulnerability and fear, and she comes to the conclusion that she deserves a man all her own. But will she survive long enough to find Mr. Right?From the Trade Paperback edition.

    But the child of Delia and Justice from "Justice’s Rose", Liam knows exactly what love is supposed to look like; he won’t accept anything less. Since he assumes the only people interested in him are groupies looking for the next come up, Liam chooses not to date any particular woman; he just dips his feet in the pool never committing to the waves. All that changes when he meets Kree. But is his hidden baggage going to be the end of their love? Or even worse... will it cost them their lives?Kree is a young single mother who's just trying to raise her daughter; the last thing Kree is interested in is another meaningless relationship. Praying for a new beginning, she picks up her daughter and moves from Georgia to North Carolina. Because of her past, Kree’s perception on love is tainted. Will Liam be able to work past all of Kree’s insecurities to show her how he really feels?Find out what happens on the playing field of love.

    That was the reason I studied so hard in school, didn’t hang out with the popular kids, and didn’t rebel against my parents. When I turned 17 years old and became the Valedictorian of my class, I knew I was on the right track. I was ready to go to college and embark on my journey towards becoming a corporate lawyer. Never in a million years did I think that by the time I was eighteen years old, I would be pushing out a baby. Never did I think my life could change so drastically. I had no degree, no career, no house, and no husband; but I had a daughter. I still remember the night everything changed between us. Or maybe things had already changed, and it was the first time I noticed it. I know for sure that it was the first time I had ever accepted the fact that I was truly just a “baby mama” and Flip had no real plans of making me his wife. I remember feeling so many emotions that night. I was hurt, angry, confused, disappointed, and betrayed. But I was still very much in love. I loved him too much to hate him so quickly, so I resented him and I hated myself for being so naiive. It didn’t take long for that resentment to magnify because once the truth is out, you begin to connect the dots to every lie you’ve ever been fed and it makes you wonder if any of it was ever real. The moment you lose respect for someone, everything changes. The love is still there, but it’s not the same. You become guarded, you become defensive, and sometimes you just want to hurt them the way they hurt you. That’s when they start to call you bitter. I never pictured myself becoming a bitter baby mama, but you know what? Maybe they’re right. Maybe I am bitter but I feel like I have every damn right to be. This is my story.

    An orphan who grew up in the gritty streets of Philadelphia, his life changed when he found his soulmate Shaleea. Noah has it all: a thriving string of businesses, a smart and beautiful woman, and a bank account full of illegal cash he managed to obtain during his years of crime. However, like the typical man, he foolishly lets a moment of pleasure cloud his judgement. A lustful encounter with Eve seemingly unravels his picture-perfect life overnight. Noah soon learns that an emotional side-chick that doesn’t know her place, is a woman that can dismantle the strongest foundations and destroy even the strongest men."Eve, who also happens to be an escort, knows the rules of the game when she steps in to play, but she quickly decides she no longer wants to play fair when her heart determines she wants rich and handsome Noah, all to herself. The problem is: the feelings aren’t mutual. To Eve that is something that can be changed through strategy, with her going deep into her bag of tricks to ensure she gets what she wants.Beautiful and educated, Shaleea is every man’s dream come true. Unfortunately, those qualities aren’t enough to keep Noah’s eyes from wandering. Struggling to come to grips with his infidelity, Shaleea soon falls into the arms of an unsuspecting suitor who is willing to go to great and dangerous lengths to have her all to himself. Lust rules in this street tale, creating a messy playing field for all involved. When love and lust intertwine, will love conquer, or will jealousy and envy destroy everyone in its path?

    Mekhi knew from the first moment he saw Rylee that she would be his wife. He doted on her and placed her on the pedestal that she deserved to be on. He cherished her. Or so Rylee thought. Rylee’s picture perfect life became a cracked glass frame when Mekhi’s true intentions were revealed.  As fate would have it, Zyra’s brother Zyrian is standing in the wings preparing to put the glass pieces back together again.  Will Rylee be willing to walk away from all that she has ever known with her husband Mekhi? Will she be willing to swim in new uncharted waters with Zyrian? Will Mekhi fight for who he believes rightfully belongs to him and only him? Will Zyrian’s persistent interests complicate Rylee’s thoughts? With a host of supporting characters and Mekhi’s extreme disdain for Zyrian, the situation gets more complicated at every turn. Will Mekhi be able to stop Rylee from committing what he considers the ultimate sin with Zyrian or will his secrets run her right into the arms of the man that he despises the most?

    Before you try to judge or condemn me like you walked in my shoes or experienced half the pain I had to endure, First read my story! My life was far from a fairy tale. I've been victimized, falsely imprisoned, and crossed by everyone I knew. My journey to finding love and having everything go wrong in the process has changed me. I had no choice but to fight... Fight for a love I so desperately wanted but was never worthy enough to find. A love that ultimately altered my mental for the worst!My prayers went unanswered!My cries weren't noticed!My plea for salvation was denied!After the numerous trial and tribulations I had to endure... And being the product of such an horrific environment... There's only one question I want to know. "Am I wrong for turning into the person I've become?"

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

    Her ex-boyfriend thinks she's a booty call. Her fianc� was cheating on her--and his wife... And now he's dead.Twenty-eight-year-old Vanessa Cain had no idea that Eli, her husband-to-be, was already a married man. Or that he had a girlfriend on the side! Then, when Eli is killed by his mistress's husband, Vanessa's crazy world gets even more complicated. Now Eli's hostile widow, who happens to own the hip South Beach condo Vanessa and her young daughter shared with Eli, wants her out. Vanessa loves her home--it's the one stable thing in her life. But to keep it, she has to come up with money. Lots of it.Which means bringing in big business for her boss's motivational speaking agency. And Chaz Andersen is big, the biggest name in life coaching and the hottest man alive. So with a business plan and a bikini, Vanessa heads down to the Bahamas to convince Chaz to sign with her--unaware that this single mama is about to get herself into a whole lot more drama.

    A big, strapping "steak-colored" man who is as strong as he is sensitive, Isaac is the man of Bebe's dreams. But he's also a father dealing with the challenges of raising a thirteen-year-old daughter on his own.Much to Bebe's surprise, Isaac's whip-smart daughter, Dashay, turns out to be the "other woman" who threatens to keep them apart. Meanwhile Sandy, Bebe's best friend, who is struggling in the workplace as she clashes with the new owners of the radio station, continues on her adventure in search of true love, refusing to give up. Set in Chicago and told in alternating voices, Bebe's By Golly Wow sparkles with Yolanda Joe's deft storytelling, in-your-face dialogue, and marvelous insight as she paints a sensitive and funny tale of modern romance, family transitions, and heartfelt friendships.