Book picks similar to
Love Lessons by Leslie Esdaile


romance
african-american
black-expressions
diversity-challenge

Summary -- Whiskey Beach -- Nora Roberts


Save Time Summaries - 2013
    

How Deep Is Your Love


Johnazia Gray - 2015
    Losing her parents taught her that she should never get too comfortable with any situation. So, falling head over heels in love with Calvin and playing the fool for many years, has her questioning if she was ever worthy of genuinely being loved. Amira is not a big fan of being a one man’s girl. She’s hell bent on believing that men only wants one thing until she runs into a guy name Larry. A seriously disturbing past consisting of abuse and molestation has made her heart ice cold, but Larry shows her that all men are not the same. Will Amira change for her new man or will her past interfere with the new her?Jazmine has always loved her husband, Tevin. She has done everything in her power to prove to him that she’s the picture perfect wife. However, Jazmine isn’t the trophy wife of the year. Her sneaky ways has always made people question her loyalty and her love. With drama between the two unfolding, will it be too late to save her marriage?Lines will be crossed, hearts will be shattered and the darkest of secrets will come to the light leaving everyone with one question. How Deep Is Your Love?

Healing a gangsta's Heart


M. Monique - 2021
    She knew that Red would always be there for her and would do anything to make sure she wanted for nothing. His love was unconditional. Red promised Gabrielle the world but couldn’t promise that he’d be in it forever.They say it’s better to have loved than not loved at all but Gabrielle looked at life differently. Instead of dealing and then healing from what happened to Red, Gabrielle ran away from everything and everyone that reminded her of her first love.One treacherous event lands Gabrielle crossing paths with the infamous Chance “Pressure” Davis. Even though Pressure reminded Gabrielle of everything she lost, for the life of her, she couldn’t run from him. Did she really want to? In the streets, Pressure is the man and he’s quickly trying to be the man in Gabrielle’s life too.The only thing standing in the way is the undying love Gabrielle has for Red. Pressure has never felt for anybody the way he does for Gabrielle but he’s not willing to live in the shadows of or compete with a dead man.Sometimes people come into your life for a reason or a season and soon, Pressure will realize that it’s either go big or go home. After dealing with a headstrong and stubborn woman like Gabrielle, he just might choose to go home. On the other hand, Gabrielle will too soon find out that sometimes a gangsta's heart ain’t worth healing

Yours Forever


Sherelle Green - 2017
    Strong, dark, and flavorful. However, while most women were trying to drink the entire coffee pot, Mac was more of a Keurig kind of girl, opting to have frivolous casual flings as opposed to meaningful relationships. While attending one of her best friends’ weddings—in a moment influenced by too many mojitos—the Feng-Shui consultant foolishly agrees to a pact; to marry within the next year. Her friends don’t think she’s going to go through with it. Honestly, Mac is uneasy about the entire idea. But she doesn’t mind cuddling up with the most mouth-watering cup of coffee she sees in the meantime… the best man, Alexander Carter. Alex is successful, talented, devastatingly handsome, and surprisingly celibate. At least, he was, until a beautiful bombshell rocked his world before leaving him with nothing more than a piece of paper with a kiss on it in her wake. It’s not that the CEO of an environmental engineer firm minds being used, but typically, if a woman wants him for only sex, he at least takes her to dinner first. Imagine his surprise when that same feisty vixen is placed into his life again, and as expected, she seems to be wearing her running shoes. Yet, this time, Alex is ready for the temptress. A little fun and games never hurt anyone, right? Unless fun and games starts looking a whole lot like promises and forever.

Saint's Heaven: An Urban Romance


Shameka Jones - 2016
    Her kids’ father, Flex, loves playing the field and throwing his women in Heaven’s face while expecting her to remain single. Heaven still carries feelings for Flex, but still wishes to have a man that does not have her looking stupid in the streets.Saint is a reformed street king who is trying to live life on the straight and narrow. He owns a landscaping company in the Dallas area and spends his day breaking his back to provide for his gold digging girlfriend, Lailani. With his relationship crumbling, a chance sighting of Heaven at a restaurant intrigues Saint and he tries to pursue her, but encounters several challenges along the way.Saint and Heaven face many people in their way as they try to be together. They may not be able to withstand the pressure. Will they fall in love against all odds or crumble under outside pressure?

The One He Needs


A. Marie Johnson - 2018
    Her trust issues have made her vow to swear off relationships completely, but deep down she knows her heart is in need of a good man. 
 The once perfect relationship Keyon Jones shared with his ex-girlfriend changed dramatically overnight and left him with a broken heart and a promise to be a player for the rest of his days, but whether he wants to admit it or not, deep down he knows he is in need of a woman who will love him and never leave. 
 Sounds like they’re the perfect match, doesn’t it? 
Too bad getting together won’t be an easy task for the two. 
Bria and Keyon’s broken hearts and trust issues limit their wills to love again and leave them with the choice to love or to lose each other. Which one will they choose?

What She Won't Do I Will


Briana Crosby - 2016
    Coming from a family who has always been wealthy, she's never had to go without. Her parents wanting the best for her sheltered her from the gritty and grimy streets. She didn't know what living on the other side felt like until she met him... Dre aka Gunna. Dre, the bad boy that every woman lusts after, spots Serenity and has to have her. The attraction brewing between the two creates a chemistry so strong that they can't hide their feelings any longer. Sparks ignite between them leaving Ashley, Serenity's best friend, in shambles. Ashley, on the other hand, has a big secret that she doesn't want anyone to know... or does she? In this urban tale of Grit and Grime you'll find out that everyone has a little secret of their own... but which secret will cause the most turmoil in the end?

Saved by A Billionaire


Miss J. - 2021
    

In Love with a Dope Boy 3


Treasure Bee - 2015
    Let's see if they can finally get it together or if they will call it quits once and for all. Skye had to learn the hard way that revenge ain't always sweet! Her secret relationship with Rell has left her pregnant with a child and she has no idea who the father is. Zyir wants nothing to do with her and she's feeling more alone than ever. Will her and Zy work on their relationship or will Rell come back in the picture to claim what he feels is rightfully his? Murder, Lies, Secrets and Love! You don't want to miss the emotional roller coaster part 3 is sure to have you on.

Expecting The Prince's Heir


Alecia Johnson - 2021
    

Feign For Me


Ivy Laika - 2019
     When circumstances force her to reevaluate her personal life, her younger sister, Dada, suggests that she goes to Boston to have a weekend to herself. It’s Christela’s first chance to be selfish and put herself first. What she was not expecting was to meet Mac. Mac Pierre vows to love her for a weekend. To be selfless so that for once in her life she can be selfish. As a result, they form a bond that seems unbreakable. After a weekend full of lust and love will the two stay together or leave the other feigning for what they shared?

Redd & Izzy: An Unexpected Love


Lady Lissa - 2018
    When she meets Bryce, she thinks that she has found the man of her dreams. It doesn’t take long for her to realize that the man of her dreams was really a devil in disguise. Bryce, a charming, equally hard-working man with some deep emotional problems stemming from his childhood. Bryce has grown up in an abusive childhood with a father who not only abused his mother, but him also. His childhood scars run deep. Not seeking help to deal with his issues only makes matters worse, especially when he starts to take his frustrations out on Izzy. Redd, Izzy’s best friend’s brother, is one of the biggest drug lords in the Baltimore area. His money runs long but he travels a lot and doesn’t have time to chill on the regular with women. As it turns out, the one he has his eyes on is Izzy. When the two of them finally decide to take their friendship to another level, they realize what’s been missing in their lives all along. They’ve been looking for a love that was right under their noses the whole time. LaLa is Redd’s ghetto fabulous baby mama who is all about the money and will get it by any means necessary. LaLa isn’t scared to call the child support office or get into other stuff to get what she wants. She decides that a prison pen pal she meets on Facebook is what will make her happy. She definitely wasn’t ready for the trouble that ends up on her doorstep. What happens when trouble comes knocking on LaLa’s door? What happens when a tragedy hits to close to home for Bryce? Will Redd and Izzy get their happily ever after or will her past come back to haunt her?

Fallin' For A Black Billionaire (Black Billionaires Book 1)


Bianca Xaviera - 2022
    

THE PATTELS: HAWK & RAVEN II: Absolute loyalty, Unbreakable trust


S.K Hardy - 2019
    However, she didn’t count on falling for the youngest of the clan, Hawk Pattel. Hawk is wealthy, handsome, intelligent and charming. Raven tries to resist him, but when a Pattel wants something, nothing will stand in his way. Just when Hawk is on the verge of convincing Raven that the two of them could have something special, something real, all of his skeletons start falling out of the closet, one ugly bone at a time. Self-preservation takes over for Raven, and the only thing she can do is run. But Hawk is determined not to give up. He’ll break down the walls she’s had time to rebuild one brick at a time if he has to. However, old hurts and secrets are revealed that will test Hawk and Raven beyond anything they’ve come up against. Will they be strong enough to withstand a storm a second time? The Pattels: Hawk and Raven II is the continuation of the first book in the hot new series by National Best Selling author S.K. Hardy. It’s sexy, thrilling, and intriguing, all of the elements that S.K. is known for. This exciting saga is a story that will engage every one of your emotions: anger, happiness, laughter, and fear. The Pattels is a spin off of S.K.’s previous bestseller, The Sin City Heat Series. However, it is not necessary to have read Sin City Heat in order to start this new series. **Warning: This book is an erotic romance novel. It contains strong sexual language and themes that is not appropriate for anyone under the age of 18.