Book picks similar to
Full Circle by Ayana Ellis
abuse
urban-fiction
drama
african-american
Can't Trust these Bitches
Nicole Jackson - 2014
She and her, best friend and roommate, Aaron have always been friendly rivalries. It was all fun and games, until a wickedly handsome Keyon enters the equation. He’s smooth, suave, and debonair, just Randi’s speed. The problem is that Keyon’s a natural chick magnet, and Randi soon realizes that she’s far from the apple of Keyon’s eye. Still, she’s up for the challenge of making Keyon her man. He’s fly and flashy, and that’s exactly what Randi loves about him. Aaron, on the other hand, feels that a guy like Keyon can only offer two things; money and pipe. She feels that her girl is an absolute fool for pursuing a man such as Keyon, but for the life of her she can’t understand how he manages to get her panties wet. Curiosity gets the best of her, and she finds herself tangled in Keyon’s alluring web of sex and scandal. Situations gets sticky and there’s only one thing perfectly clear: you just Can’t Trust these Bitches. And for anyone who enjoyed Hold It Down: Like Sister and Brother there’s an eight chapter sneak peek of another book titled: The Other Side of the Sheets: Tyra’s Story.
The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat
Edward Kelsey Moore - 2013
Proud, talented Clarice is struggling to keep up appearances as she deals with her husband’s humiliating infidelities; beautiful Barbara Jean is rocked by the tragic reverberations of a youthful love affair; and fearless Odette is about to embark on the most terrifying battle of her life. With wit, style and sublime talent, Edward Kelsey Moore brings together three devoted allies in a warmhearted novel that celebrates female friendship and second chances.
Gangsta Girl
George Sherman Hudson - 2011
She was given the news that her mother had killed her father in a domestic dispute. Taking to the streets, she met her boyfriend Sherm, who soon received a life sentence for robbery.Silk, tired of dancing in the strip clubs turned to Sherm for guidance. He ran down the game to her but enforced LEAVE NO WITNESSES. Following his rules, she pulled off licks, killed the men and got the money to make her life comfortable. But her actions have confused things in the streets—the wrong people are being accused for what she's done. Women and children are being subjected to brutal treatment and these people will stop nowhere to get revenge.Now ready to retire her pistol, Sherm tells Silk he needs a large sum of money to get out of prison. She has to pull of one more lick to get what he needs.Will she make it through this final lick?Part 2Silk was determined to get the money she needed to free Sherm. After going on the big lick that she felt would set her straight, she was hit with a surprise. Her deadly secret would be uncovered, would cause her to lose a loved one and she’d be on the run. Almost out of time, Silk gets desperate and goes against the rules of the game. When Sherm finds out about her indiscretion, she’s all alone, making one bad decision after another. Now, what she thought may be her way out, may be her demise!!Part 3Silk’s situation can’t get much worse. She no longer has the man she loves who introduced her to the game, she’s being hunted by one of the deadliest cliques and her hit list keeps growing. Can she take down everyone who stands in her way? Will she ever find her way out of this lifestyle? Or, will her past come back and challenge her face-to-face for the last time?
In Five Years
Rebecca Serle - 2020
Later, after nailing her interview and accepting her boyfriend's marriage proposal, Dannie goes to sleep knowing she is right on track to achieve her five-year plan. But when she wakes up, she’s suddenly in a different apartment, with a different ring on her finger, and beside a very different man. The television news is on in the background, and she can just make out the scrolling date. It’s the same night—December 15—but 2025, five years in the future. After a very intense, shocking hour, Dannie wakes again, at the brink of midnight, back in 2020. She can’t shake what has happened. It certainly felt much more than merely a dream, but she isn’t the kind of person who believes in visions. That nonsense is only charming coming from free-spirited types, like her lifelong best friend, Bella. Determined to ignore the odd experience, she files it away in the back of her mind. That is, until four-and-a-half years later, when by chance Dannie meets the very same man from her long-ago vision. Brimming with joy and heartbreak, In Five Years is an unforgettable love story that reminds us of the power of loyalty, friendship, and the unpredictable nature of destiny.
Camilla's Roses
Bernice L. McFadden - 2004
McFadden now turns her storytelling talents to an unforgettable and deeply troubled woman named Camilla. Unfolding in a progression of stirring and powerful chapters, Camilla’s Roses presents a life haunted by the past. Camilla’s childhood was immersed in chaos and love, and steeped in the myth of perfection. As an adult, she never looked back, refusing to acknowledge the people and places that had scarred her so many years ago. But a legacy of cancer proves inescapable, forcing Camilla to embrace the past—no matter how painful it may be—and to salvage what is left of her love in order to save her daughter. As Camilla discovers the bittersweet limitations of motherhood and reconciliation, she also awakens an inspiring message about the mortality issues we all must face. The author of four bestselling novels, Bernice L. McFadden receives consistent accolades from reviewers coast to coast, and has captured the hearts of thousands of readers. With Camilla’s Roses, she is poised to win over her widest audience yet.
The Vow
Denene Millner - 2005
As they embark on their search to find their soul mates, they navigate the full-contact sport known as being a SSBFLA (successful, single, black, female in L.A.) and negotiate the shark-infested waters of making a name for themselves professionally in Hollywood.Can Trista, the hyper-driven celebrity agent, find the time to schedule a meaningful romance? Will Amaya, the sexy starlet, convince the married hip hop-label exec she has been seeing to leave his wife, or will the NBA star steal her heart in the final seconds? After undergoing a complete makeover, will Vivian, the jaded gossip columnist, win back the father of her child?As seductive as it is empowering, The Vow is a page-turner that will keep you cheering for these women as they discover that their desire to find a husband isn't as important as finding themselves.
Behind Closed Doors
B.A. Paris - 2016
He has looks and wealth; she has charm and elegance. He’s a dedicated attorney who has never lost a case; she is a flawless homemaker, a masterful gardener and cook, and dotes on her disabled younger sister. Though they are still newlyweds, they seem to have it all. You might not want to like them, but you do. You’re hopelessly charmed by the ease and comfort of their home, by the graciousness of the dinner parties they throw. You’d like to get to know Grace better.But it’s difficult, because you realize Jack and Grace are inseparable.Some might call this true love. Others might wonder why Grace never answers the phone. Or why she can never meet for coffee, even though she doesn’t work. How she can cook such elaborate meals but remain so slim. Or why she never seems to take anything with her when she leaves the house, not even a pen. Or why there are such high-security metal shutters on all the downstairs windows.Some might wonder what’s really going on once the dinner party is over, and the front door has closed.From bestselling author B. A. Paris comes the gripping thriller and international phenomenon Behind Closed Doors.
Unbreakable
Tynessa - 2014
Ronny is every woman dream. He’s charming, his money is long and he has the prettiest set of green eyes that the ladies just love. Shaniqua is not only his stripper girlfriend of 4 years but she is also the mother of his only child and the love of his life. The only thing wrong is the fact that Ronny has a problem with being faithful to her and his cheating ways pushes her right into the arms of the next man. But is her new man as innocent as she thinks he is? With a new man in her life and a new baby on the way Shaniqua seems to have it all. There’s only one problem, Ronny still holds the key to her heart. So she chooses to keep the pregnancy a secret. Will her secret cause her to lose Ronny forever? Or do they really have that UNBREAKABLE relationship that they claim to have?? Sit back and take a ride on this emotional rollercoaster relationship between Shaniqua and Ronny!
Life Is Short But Wide
J. California Cooper - 2009
California Cooper has won a legion of loyal fans and much critical acclaim for her powerful storytelling gifts. In language both spare and direct yet wondrously lyrical, LIFE IS SHORT BUT WIDE is an irresistible story of family that proves no matter who you are or what you do, you are never too old to chase your dreams.Like the small towns J. California Cooper has so vividly portrayed in her previous novels and story collections, Wideland, Oklahoma, is home to ordinary Americans struggling to raise families, eke out a living, and fulfill their dreams. In the early twentieth century, Irene and Val fall in love in Wideland. While carving out a home for themselves, they also allow neighbors Bertha and Joseph to build a house and live on their land. The next generation brings two girls for Irene and Val, and a daughter for Bertha and Joseph. As the families cope with the hardships that come with changing times and fortunes, and people are born and pass away, the characters learn the importance of living one’s life boldly and squeezing out every possible moment of joy. Cooper brilliantly captures the cadences of the South and draws a picture of American life at once down-to-earth and heartwarming in this-as her wise narrator will tell you-“strange, sad, kind’a beautiful, life story.” It is a story about love that leads to the ultimate realization that whoever you are, and whatever you do, life is short, but it is also wide.
Turned Out By His Hood Mentality
Diamond D. Johnson - 2020
A beautiful, 26-year-old independent black woman has been holding it down for herself for quite some time. Born into a family of overachievers, along with being a pastors kid, Normani had high expectations placed upon her at an early age. Most of the pressure came from her father, who accepted nothing but the best from his children.Normani lives a great life. Not only is she a pediatrician, but she’s also a bestselling author, specializing in Christian books for children. She’s committed to AKA, the sorority that she followed in her mother’s footsteps and joined. Although Normani has so many amazing things going on in her life, the fact remains that she is a single woman, who isn’t even opposed to love, but it’s just been so challenging to find her soulmate. Who would have ever thought that something so simple as having a boyfriend would be so hard for Normani?On the opposite side of the tracks, there’s Billionaire, better known as Billion. A handsome, money-making, black king, who rejoins society after serving a five-year prison bid. Billion comes with his fair share of baggage, but the most significant load is the two kids that he has with two different women. Normani and Billion have absolutely nothing in common and are as different as two people could possibly be, but don’t they say that opposites attract?In the beginning, neither is into the other because it’s a scary thing to give love a chance, especially when there aren’t a lot of similarities that rest on the table. Besides, what’s a church-going, good girl like Normani doing dating a well-known thug like Billionaire? Well, there’s only one way to find out.
Faith
Michelle Larks - 2010
Both are gainfully employed, Marcus as a detective for Chicago's Finest, and Monet as a nurse in the neonatal unit of an inner city hospital. They are faithful members of Reverend Ruth Wilcox's church, The Temple. The only thing missing from their life is a child. Doctors have been unable to explain the reason for Monet's inability to conceive, which she calls the Sarah Syndrome. Then the unthinkable occurs. Monet is brutally assaulted. Months later, she learns the news she has been longing to hear her entire married life: she's having a baby. Monet is thrilled, but Marcus is appalled by the news, and orders his wife to terminate the pregnancy. Monet refuses, and a cold war of monumental proportions breaks out in the Caldwell household. In the face of great adversity, will Monet's faith persevere?
The Available Wife
Carla Pennington - 2011
Everything is perfect except for one thing...her husband Germaine. She has run her course with him and he needs to be replaced. When the handsome and seductive Kingston enters her life, he becomes the perfect substitute. Clueless to his wife's plan, Germaine continues to be a loving naive husband while Niquole's full blown affair quickly becomes her sick obsession. Desperate to start a new life with her new man, Niquole does everything in her power to push Germaine out of the picture. Little does she know Kingston plans are different from hers. Sit back and see what happens when a wife learns that the price of betrayal can have a shattering toll.
The Arrangement
Shay Gray - 2013
Being granted only a few months to live, he constructs an idea on how to care for his four children in the event of his death. He comes up with an idea he calls, "The Arrangement". The only problem is convincing his wife and the two mothers’ of his children of his idea. "The Arrangement", is all three women must agree to move into one house for six months with their kids in order to receive any money from his will. When Terrance’s wife, Tanya learns the details of "The Arrangement" she is disgusted. She has basically put her life on hold after becoming pregnant to take care of her husband. She finds herself emotionally drawn to her husband’s best friend for comfort, as her husband’s illness takes a toll on her. Eventually,she finds herself facing her own demise and loses everything she has come to love Portia Jackson is the mother of two of Terrance’s children. She owns her own hair salon, drinks like a fish, and stays in brand name clothing. She is a rude, no nonsense, type of woman who makes it her business to let everyone know what she feels, or thinks, no matter whose feelings get hurt in the process. After a secret she has held on to for years threatens her inclusion in "The Arrangement", her world begins to crumble around her. Afraid of losing the glamorous life she is accustomed to having, she will stop at nothing to keep it.Amber Sykowski is the mother of Terrance’s oldest son. She comes from a long line of money and has always been ridiculed by her racist mother for having a bi-racial child. She feels the only way to escape her mother's disapproval is to go against everything she was taught, and make her own rules. When it almost costs her life, Amber has to make a hard decision that could turn her entire world upside down.In several unexpected events all three women eventually come to depend on each other forming a unique and unexpected bond. Will "The Arrangement' help them all to learn the value of forgiveness, love, and friendship?
Eat, Pray, #FML
Gabrielle Stone - 2019
I filed for divorce and left. Two weeks later I met a man, and we fell madly in love. It was a fairy-tale romance for a month and a half, and he convinced me to join him on a romantic month-long vacation in Italy. Forty-eight hours before we were supposed to get on a plane, he told me he needed to go by himself. I was devastated. So, I had a decision to make. Either stay home and be heartbroken, or go travel Europe for a month by myself. And staying at home heartbroken? F%*k. That. What does a woman do when her life has fallen apart and her heart has been ripped out and stepped on twice in two months? She goes on a wild adventure, makes some bad decisions, and does a sh*t load of soul searching. But most importantly? She finds out how to love…herself. This is so not Eat, Pray, Love. This is Eat, Pray, #FML. *Due to mature content and language this book is recommended to readers 18+* "Reading this book has absolutely inspired me. These are words of pure truth. To say I needed to read this is an understatement. I'm so thankful for this book and how it opened my eyes about myself and my relationships. I'm ready to see it on the big screen!" -SCOUT TAYLOR COMPTON (Actress) "Eat, Pray, #FML is a riveting journey of what happens when your life is thrown to the wolves and you come out leading the pack. This isn't a soul-searching book, it's a soul defining book, and Gabrielle shows us how to elegantly do so...without giving a single f%*k." -K.L. RANDIS (Bestselling author of Spilled Milk: Based On A True Story)
The Stuff That Never Happened
Maddie Dawson - 2010
She’s been in a stable marriage that’s lasted almost three decades and has provided her with two wonderful children, thousands of family dinners around a sturdy oak table, and a husband so devoted that he schedules lovemaking into his calendar every Wednesday morning. Other wives envy the fact that Grant is not the type of man who would ever cheat on her or leave her for a younger woman. The trouble is Annabelle isn’t sure she wants to be married to Grant anymore. The trouble is she’s still in love with someone else. In the early tumultuous years of her marriage, Annabelle carried on a clandestine affair with the one person whose betrayal would hurt her husband the most. When it ended, she and Grant found their way back together and made a pact that they would never speak of that time again. But now years later, with her children grown and gone, and an ominous distance opening between them, she can’t help but remember those glorious, passionate days and wonder if she chose the right man. Then, when called to New York City to help care for her pregnant daughter, Annabelle bumps into her old lover. Offered a second chance at an unforgettable love, she must decide between the man who possesses her heart and the husband who has stood squarely by her side. A journey into the what-ifs that haunt us all, The Stuff That Never Happened is an intricate, heartfelt examination of modern marriage that brims with truths about the nature of romantic love.