Book picks similar to
Whoa. by Alexandra Warren


romance
black-romance
black-love
contemporary

Rafe: A Buff Male Nanny


Rebekah Weatherspoon - 2018
    Sloan Copeland needed was someone to watch her kids. What she found was the man of her dreams…After a nasty divorce and a thousand mile move, Dr. Sloan Copeland and her twin daughters are finally getting the hang of their new life in Los Angeles. When their live-in nanny bails with no warning, Sloan is left scrambling to find a competent caretaker to wrangle her smart, sensitive girls. Nothing less will do.Enter Rafe Whitcomb. He's all of those things, not to mention good-natured and one heck of a whiz in the kitchen. He's also tall, and handsome, and bearded, and ripped, and tatted, wrist to neck. It doesn't take long for the Copelands to invite Rafe into their home. Just as quickly, both Sloan and Rafe find themselves succumbing to a heady mutual attraction, neither of them wants to deny. With every minute they spend under the same roof, this working mom can't help but wonder if Rafe can handle all her needs...

Love On The Luminous


Chencia C. Higgins - 2020
    Fresh out of a decade long union, she’d rather just pick up the pieces of her life and try to create something she could be proud of again. Random glimpses and a few mind-scrambling encounters with a man who makes her heart beat wildly have her questioning her stance, but she manages to keep her hands to herself and her legs firmly closed until the last day of the trip.When the return to shore is delayed because of health concerns on land, Morgan takes it as a sign to throw her caution into the wind and let that man have what he wants. Spoiler alert: he wants her.Love On The Luminous is part of a short story series dubbed The Luminous Cruise Chronicles. This series is written by a group of authors who found themselves inspired during an otherwise stressful situation.The Luminous Cruise Chronicles:Love On The Luminous - Chencia C. HigginsLove On Deck - AshleyNicoleLove Under Quarantine - Nicole FallsLove Overboard - D. RoseLove On Cruise Control - T. KeyLove Unexpected - TurtleberryLove's False Start - Diana W.Love Lessons - Honesty Price

Now That I've Found You


Kristina Forest - 2020
    That is until a close friend’s betrayal leads to her being blacklisted . . .Fortunately, Evie knows just the thing to save her floundering career: a public appearance with America’s most beloved actress—her grandma Gigi, aka the Evelyn Conaway. The only problem? Gigi is a recluse who’s been out of the limelight for almost twenty years. Days before Evie plans to present her grandma with an honorary award in front of Hollywood’s elite, Gigi does the unthinkable: she disappears.With time running out and her comeback on the line, Evie reluctantly enlists the help of the last person to see Gigi before she vanished: Milo Williams, a cute musician Evie isn’t sure she can trust. As Evie and Milo conduct a wild manhunt across New York City, romance and adventure abound while Evie makes some surprising discoveries about her grandma—and herself.

His Weekend Special


Endiya Carter - 2019
     What was supposed to be a one-time fling between Heavenly and Fabian transpired into a full-blown, secret relationship. Certain her son, Maverick, would not approve of them, Heavenly swore to keep their relationship discreet. Fabian’s feelings were growing for ‘Miss J’ by the day. He wanted Heavenly and would do anything to keep her happy. Harboring their secret was the plan he agreed to, until Maverick’s dad, Mason, came into town trying to get back what Fabian had deemed his. Fabian loved his best friend, Maverick, but he loved his mother more. He wasn’t willing to let her go that easily. Will Fabian and Heavenly get the happily ever after they deserve? Or will their love for Maverick stand in the way?

She's Got Soul


Aja - 2019
     Zola Lewis is many things to many people. She’s a marketing extraordinaire by day, and a podcast host by night. She’s also a devoted daughter, a funny and caregiving auntie to her sister’s daughter. But, the one thing she is not, is a wife to a loving husband and she’s beginning to think that could never happen because she’s entirely too opinionated for most men. One night on her live podcast, she experienced a challenging caller who seemed to aggravate her more than a little, and Zola wondered who was more opinionated. Zola or the caller? Khalil Berry was a bit of a nerd growing up, and as a result, also a bit of a late bloomer. Time not spent with girls allowed him to stick with books. His big brain landed him many opportunities and by his mid-twenties, he’d amassed a fortune from his software apps. The latest app he’s developing requires more hands on research and he decides to do the research himself. First stop, listening to a podcast by a woman talking about women; a topic he was beginning to learn more about since his money seems attracts them all the time. The task was simple, listen and take notes. But, her voice is too melodic and her words, well, let’s just say she didn’t know what she was talking about as far as he was concerned. So he calls in to correct her. They’re both great at giving a piece of their mind, but can they hand over their well-guarded hearts?

The Left of Love


Love Belvin - 2017
    But that's not enough. Kennedi wants to experience the full benefits of her femininity at the tender age of twenty-one, a task she takes on at college, and one she’s more than determined to fulfill. He's an aspiring entertainer from the dark side of the inner city. Survival for Isaak is very much an option he plans to conquer. He has to make it out of his impossible circumstances, and sacrifice is definitely the name of the game, even if it means running the risk of sacrificing one of the most delicate and positively influential bonds he’s ever made. A social experiment has never been so revealing and frightening for either one of these unassuming individuals. How could two people from the starkest contrast of rearing build an impenetrable bond in just three months? How long will it take for them to dig through their differences to understand those forces that connect them? At what cost will they find harmony to coexist? Note: This is the first installment of a three book series. It contains expletive language, sexual content, and ends on a cliffhanger. If you do not wish to have these elements in your reads, this is not the venture for you.

Just Say Yes


Brix McQueen - 2018
    We had finally called it quits, and I was ready to move on. Quickly.I was ready for something fun — something to take the edge off of being newly single. My friends suggested dating, but I declined and took their generous offer of receiving a spa day instead.What was supposed to be a relaxing experience, turned into a spine-tingling, soul floating, toes curling, body trembling orgasm. And it was from my high school crush, Garlen.The thing was, he wasn’t my only crush back then. I had one on him and his fine friend, Jerik. After the way he made my body come alive, forbidden, nasty thoughts of sampling them both invaded my mind. Not just alone, but together.I wanted them both.At the same time.And, have them do things to me I only fantasized about.But, I didn't know how to tell them.Do you ask for something like this or just submit and just say yes?

Reel


Kennedy Ryan - 2021
    Nor do they cheat on anyone else.*Award-Winning Wall Street Journal Bestselling author Kennedy Ryan launches a brand new series with a Hollywood tale of wild ambition, artistic obsession, and unrelenting love.One moment in the spotlight.For months I stood by, an understudy waiting in the wings, preparing for my time to shine. I never imagined he would watch in the audience that night.Canon Holt.Famous film director.Fascinating. Talented. Fine.Before I could catch my breath, everything changed. I went from backstage Broadway to center stage Hollywood.From being unknown, to my name, Neevah Saint, on everyone’s lips.Canon casts me in a star-studded Harlem Renaissance biopic, catapulting me into another stratosphere. But stars shine brightest in the dead of night.Forbidden attraction, scandal and circumstances beyond my control jeopardize my dream.Could this one shot—the role of a lifetime, the love of a lifetime—cost me everything?

Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry


Joya Goffney - 2021
    It’s a heartfelt, tortured, contemporary YA high school romance with epistolary elements. Fans of Jenny Han’s To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and Kristina Forest’s debut I Wanna Be Where You Are will love the juicy secrets, leap-off-the-page sexual tension and the enemy-to-lover romantic arc.Quinn keeps lists of everything—from the days she’s ugly cried, to “Things That I Would Never Admit Out Loud,” to all the boys she’d like to kiss. Her lists keep her sane. By writing her fears on paper, she never has to face them in real life. That is, until her journal goes missing…An anonymous account posts one of her lists on Instagram for the whole school to see and blackmails her into facing seven of her greatest fears, or else her entire journal will go public. Quinn doesn’t know who to trust. Desperate, she teams up with Carter Bennett—the last known person to have her journal—in a race against time to track down the blackmailer.Together, they journey through everything Quinn’s been too afraid to face, and along the way, Quinn finds the courage to be honest, to live in the moment, and to fall in love.

Home for Christmas: A Short Holiday Love Story


Brookelyn Mosley - 2019
     As a former college phenom turned Bronx Ballers’ shooting guard, Jaleel Gordon hasn’t reached his level of success doing the bare minimum for his struggling team. He’s been grinding and grinding hard, but success doesn’t come easily or without its share of sacrifices. For Jaleel, his biggest sacrifice was his relationship with his soon-to-be ex-wife Eva. Business owner, Eva Gordon is so through with her soon-to-be ex-husband, Jaleel. She’s no stranger to hard work but even she knows when to work hard and to play harder. After patiently waiting for her husband to tap into that philosophy she’s given up on him altogether. Which is why six months ago, after yet another explosive argument with Jaleel, Eva demanded a divorce... even though her heart is taking a bit longer to catch up to her demand. This Christmas, Eva and Jaleel’s son isn’t asking Santa for a new bike or video game. On the contrary, what baby boy wants won’t be able to fit underneath the tree at all. His one and only wish this Christmas is to spend the holiday with his separated parents... under one roof. So, Jaleel is coming home for Christmas... but can Eva and Jaleel put aside their differences to make it through the holiday intact and in one piece? *This is a holiday short story.

Savvy Sheldon Feels Good as Hell


Taj McCoy - 2022
    But when Savvy’s world starts to crash down around her, she knows it’s time for some renovations.Starting from the outside in, Savvy tackles her crumbling kitchen, her relationship with her body, her work–life balance (or lack thereof) and, last but not least, her love life. The only thing that doesn’t seem to require effort is her ride-or-die squad of friends. But as any home-reno-show junkie can tell you, something always falls apart during renovations. First, Savvy passes out during hot yoga. Then it turns out that the contractor she hires is the same sexy stranger she unintentionally offended by judging based on appearances. Worst of all, Savvy can’t seem to go anywhere without tripping over her ex and his latest "upgrade." Savvy begins to realize that maybe she should’ve started her renovations the other way around: beginning with how she sees herself before building a love that lasts.

Just One More


Jodie Slaughter - 2020
    The bright colors, giant hearts, and sugary sweet coating that seems to cover the world on February 14th make her feel all kinds of warm and fuzzy inside. She may be more festive than the average person, but her plans for her long weekend off are pretty tame. As long as she gets to stay in her bed, marathon a ton of romantic movies, and eat at least three of her favorite pink heart cupcakes, she’ll count it as a win. The very last thing she expects is for a handsome stranger to get in the way of that. The only thing Victor Grant enjoys more than being a barber is Valentine’s Day. For him, it’s all about the experience of romance and the possibility of forever. The man loves love and he’s determined to be apart of his own great love story someday. Even if that means taking a few losses along the way when things don’t work out. Just when he thinks his Valentine’s Day has turned into a total bust, a beautiful stranger crashes into his life and suddenly makes his long weekend a lot more interesting.A near-disastrous first meeting brings them together, but with both chemistry and desire running high, one sexy night together doesn’t feel nearly enough like true satisfaction.

Beautiful & Dirty


Katrina Jackson - 2020
    Ditch him in Rome. 2. Take the train to Naples for pizza. 3. Let the attractive older man you’ve just met buy you a drink. 4. Flirt a little (or a lot) while ignoring his wedding ring.5. Let him bend you over a table. 6. Break up with your boyfriend. --SalThere are a lot of ways to respond to the news that your wife is trying to kill you. I have sex with the young American who stumbles into my restaurant. And then I get revenge.Content warnings: assassination attempt (gunshot)maimingtorturediscussion of murder

Happily Ever Afters


Elise Bryant - 2021
    She’s rarely seen herself reflected in the pages of the romance novels she loves. The only place she’s a true leading lady is in her own writing—in the swoony love stories she shares only with Caroline, her best friend and #1 devoted reader.When Tessa is accepted into the creative writing program of a prestigious art school, she’s excited to finally let her stories shine. But when she goes to her first workshop, the words are just...gone. Fortunately, Caroline has a solution: Tessa just needs to find some inspiration in a real-life love story of her own. And she’s ready with a list of romance novel-inspired steps to a happily ever after. Nico, the brooding artist who looks like he walked out of one of Tessa’s stories, is cast as the perfect Prince Charming.But as Tessa checks each item off Caroline’s list, she gets further and further away from herself. She risks losing everything she cares about—including the surprising bond she develops with sweet Sam, who lives across the street. She’s well on her way to having her own real-life love story, but is it the one she wants, after all?

The Never List


D.L. White - 2020
    She's had a recent glow-up full of accomplishments to be proud of, but there's still a list of adventures to cross off before her 40th birthday. Take a flight. Swim in the ocean. Eat exotic food. Have sex. On the cusp of her 40th birthday, the time is now. All she needs the right man. When a date with a potential love interest goes very, very wrong, she’s rescued by a tall, bearded, stylish gentleman. What could have been wonderful fizzles instantly; the vibe between them crackles with animosity. Sometimes, though, you get a second chance to make a first impression. Trey Pettigrew is a man with a dream, and one job: keep his father, CEO of Pettigrew Construction, happy during recovery from a heart attack. What should have been a simple acquisition turns sideways when Trey is forced to leave the negotiation table to thwart an attack on a sharp-tongued and intriguing woman.In a twist of fate, the specialist hired to put his acquisition back on track is the woman that Trey rescued. Esme is bright, tenacious, and unrelenting at the contracts table. With her dangerous curves etched into his memory, Trey hopes to make up for his behavior the first time they met, but her no-nonsense attitude about after-hours pursuits puts that idea to bed. Until Trey happens upon her Never List. Can two people, each determined to accomplish what they’ve set out to do, find a way to meet in the middle? You know what they say - life is what happens when you make plans. _______________Content warnings: attempted robbery/assault and references to the attempt, references to mental illness.