Book picks similar to
Imani in Never Say Goodbye by Jackie Hardrick


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The Real Dopeboyz of Miami


Jenica Johnson - 2018
    There’s nothing like those fresh labels and enough women to start a cheerleading team. Being the highlight of the city can be a good thing or a bad thing. It causes a lot of enemies and a lot of problems. Memphis is a single dope boy that doesn’t mind switching women and stuntin’. He has the money and the hate that comes with but what he wants takes times. Memphis is not a patient man and is used to having his way throughout life but when he encounters the woman he’s been trying to have; she has stipulations that he can barely stick to. Miami, the wild baby boy that makes things happen for his family. He’s young but he’s wise and is always ten steps ahead of his enemy. Miami has one weakness and his enemy tries to use it against him. He drives himself crazy trying to put the pieces to the puzzle together, even pushing his family away. Nobody wants to see Miami lose his cool because when he does, somebody dies. See what’s the big deal about a dope boy. Are they really worth the hype or they just another dude full of drama and empty promises?

Give her Love. Give her Power. (Hussle & Heart Book 1)


Grey Huffington - 2019
     The Hussle and Heart series, dedicated to the late Nipsey Hussle, travels to the slums of Channing City and places a magnifying glass on the lives of the biggest hustlers with the biggest hearts.

Tears On My Pillow


Elle Welch - 2015
    This is a code that Jakari Roberson lives by. He definitely applies this philosophy to his relationship with Qia. He loves her with all of his heart and treats her like a queen. There isn't anything he won't do for her. However, Jakari has a big secret that he has managed to keep hidden from Qia for the past 14 years. He has finally made the decision to change, but is it a little too late? In Qia's eyes she has the most loving, attentive, romantic, and faithful husband in the world. But, will the picture of her fairytale life shatter when she finds out what Jakari has really been up to? Will the love for her husband be enough to make her stay? Or, will his betrayal be enough to push her over the edge and into the arms of someone more deserving? Take a journey with these high school sweethearts. It is certainly a long difficult one, but it will be well worth it if they can figure out what constitutes a marriage and if their marriage is really worth saving?

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?

Fallin For A New York Boss


Princess Diamond - 2018
    She dreams of moving away from Castle Hill Projects and her drug addict mother. Growing up in the Bronx has its challenges with high crime rates and hood dreams. For this reason, Korrae works at a bodega after school and then goes straight home to study. She doesn’t socialize much nor does she hang out around the way, refusing to become a product of her environment. Each time she takes one step forward, something knocks her ten feet back. Instead of being defeated, she continues to strive for greatness. While her father Raemond is in jail, Korrae’s mother Kora makes a living being a coke head stripper, valuing her relationships with random men over her children’s well-being. She prefers spending all of her money on drugs instead of paying bills or buying groceries. Kora’s latest boyfriend Scrub is as shady as they come. He only cares about himself and has his eyes on Korrae. Scrub wants to take over the streets, in addition to making Korrae his future wifey instead of her mother. After continuously bumping heads with her mother, Korrae finds herself kicked out and aimlessly wandering the streets of New York with nowhere to go. Surviving is made a little bit easier after meeting her savior Cadillac. A bonifide boss with swag, street cred, and long money. He can be ruthless, but he can be gentle as well. He’s open to falling in love, especially with someone as beautiful as Korrae. Instantly, they hit it off, quickly becoming an item. However, their happiness is short lived because of the haters who are jealous of them. Will they survive the manipulation? Or will their love crumble under pressure? Will Korrae be able to escape from generational poverty? Or will the streets hold her back just like her mother? Will Cadillac overcome the takeover plan? Or will he step up and prove why he’s a New York Boss? Find out all of these answers in this new enthralling novella by Princess Diamond.

A Kingpin's Dream 2: Forever Ain't Enough


Briana Crosby - 2015
    The love is stronger and the bonds they have for one another are tighter, yet drama still follows them. Kenya is back to get her revenge on Briana and she'll do whatever it takes to make Adonis want her. Loyalty is tested and lines are crossed– will the couples fight till the end or will their bonds be broken forever? A Kingpins Dream 2: Forever ain't enough

I Will Always Love You


Goddess Love - 2014
    When Wise is locked up and sentenced to fifteen years, he tells Emery to go on with her life if it’s meant to be they would get back together. Now years later Emery is happy with a career and family of her own, when Wise is released earlier than expected he sets off to do what he said he was going to do, find Emery. Emery’s heart belongs to Wise but it also belongs to her husband. Now she is forced with the hard decision to choose between the man who was there with her from the start through everything and the man who picked her up when she didn’t have anything or anybody. Who will Emery choose? Filled with sex, betrayal and drama

The Plug Next Door 2


Sol - 2017
     God has a lot to lose after keeping his wife a secret from Reese all this time. He's in love with the beautiful, charismatic, highly educated doctor but once his skeletons jump out of the closet, he might just lose her forever. However, he's not willing to let her go so easily. But with someone out to destroy him and his empire, he might have no other choice but to surrender his love. Unbeknownst to Nas, he's in the middle of it all. The key to figuring out who's on a mission to take out the Taliban Gang is with him. From the moment he stepped foot onto New York soil, a domino effect of murders, lies, and deceit began. He finds out who his brothers are, but things only get worse from there. He also manages to get Vasii, the girl of his dreams, but what happens when he finds out she's the sister of an old fling? Will he be able to keep her? In the middle of the hailstorm, Young is determined to steal Alexa's heart. He's successful in making her fall in love, but there's just one issue... he isn't like most men. When he loves, he loves hard. Young honestly can't help his possessive ways, given the circumstances, but Alexa may not be ready for it. Then again, she's just as crazy about him as he is her. They're both keeping secrets in the meantime... secrets that could get somebody hurt. Who are the DeLeneau Brothers, really? And are the women they're in love with who they claim to be? Everyone will be shocked to realize they've been dating so close to home. But more importantly, love can blind you from snakes. Who's going to mow the grass and reveal all? Find out in The Plug Next Door II...

Finessers 3


Lucinda John - 2015
    Chad finds himself battling with his heart and ego when he is under the impression that his wife has set him up . In this twisted finale, the snakes are sneakier than ever as they try to finesse anyone to get to the top. New motives are in play, secrets are revealed and lives will be at stake. Who can you really trust, when everyone around you has only one purpose for you? You can't finesse no finesser, or can you?

Damages


Natavia Stewart - 2009
    She is out living the life she always dreamed with her childhood boyfriend, Woo. Woo is a hustler on the come up who wants the hood rich life. Fancy cars, shopping sprees, and multiple women; Woo wants it all. Asayi has a small circle of friends, friends whom been down since the sandbox but one of them is harboring a secret. A secret that will break the circle of friends and put stress on the relationship between Woo and Asayi. Trayon Prince, is back in Maryland to claim his spot on the streets. The spot that was destined for him to have. Trayon the son of a notorious kingpin and the prince of the biggest drug organization in the U.S. Trayon has an agenda of his own and that is flooding his new product on the streets of, Maryland. When Trayon meets Asayi, they immediately bump heads but with Woo out of the picture, can the two of them build something together or will their hate for one another grow? Trayon’s father made an agreement with another crime family. The agreement is that Trayon will marry the daughter of the other crime family so that she can become a legal immigrant in order to move their product into the U.S. The only problem is, Trayon has fell in love with someone else. This is action-packed, novel of young adult love that turns into something so dangerous that it will cause a war between two crime families. Love is being tested, friendships are falling apart and secrets are revealed. Will Asayi and Trayon have their happily ever after, after all, the damages is done? Or we will they fall apart and become enemies? Get ready to find out in this gritty, street tale of raw urban life.

They Don't Know Me


Nicole Jackson - 2015
    When reality is faced not everyone will have that happy ending with a picture perfect life. Tyra’s story is the prime example of this. Sometimes women get so caught up on what they want things to be that they lose sight of what it really is. Not every man is for every woman. Jahrein is several girls’ dream, but is Raven’s reality. Tyra desperately wants Raven’s reality to somehow become hers, but soon discovers that in life you can’t always get what you want. Take a ride with a sassy, sexy, persistent Tyra. Love seems to be the element in her life that proves ever eluding. Still, she pursues love at all cost, and is willing to wager it all just to feel a fleeting moment of its embraces. Loving the wrong man can have detrimental effects on a girl with an already internally damaged heart. They Don’t Know Me gives you a new perspective on the novel Hold It Down Like Sister and Brother. Told in first person, this tale will give you a front row seat to all the juicy details you’ve wondered about with Jahrein and Raven’s infamous relationship. Sometimes you may think you know, but you truly have no clue.

You Were the Love of My Life: A Hood Love Story


Dominique Thomas - 2015
    He has his woman, his position as head of his family lucrative drug business and he still has rapping. Life is going good until it isn’t. Secrets that his mother kept hidden from him while she was alive comes out while a family enemy hell bent on revenge surfaces to take Kasam and his brothers down. Erin is in college pursing her dreams while being with the man that she loves. Life is almost fairytale like until things come out to show her that Kasam is no Prince Charming. Erin has to decide if she can deal with groupies and infidelity while trying to manage her own life’s issues. A storm is brewing. Danger is headed Kasam and Erin’s way as people are out to tear them apart. For two people who are so much better together than they are apart will they crumble under pressure or will they prove to the world that they are indeed meant to be together? Erin and Kasam first appeared in Hold You Down

A Ruthless Kind of Love


Latoya Nicole - 2018
    The Ruth family has taken Chicago by storm and has no will to ever look back. Using the phrase, 'If I ain’t got it, I’m gon' get it' as their slogan, this family stops at nothing to get what they want. Ruger is a cop by day and a hustla by night. Being in law enforcement always helped the family come out on top. At some point, being a double agent will put him in the crossfire, and his loyalty will be tested. Taker is the brother who always did what he wanted and didn’t care about the consequences, even when it came down to women. He has always gotten what he wanted and moved around until he allowed a woman to get in his head. His newfound love comes with a price, and it may be too much for Taker to pay. Litty is the baby sister of the crew. Turning up is all that matters to her, and her drinking is causing her to be a liability. With a new love interest and the family turning away from her, Litty makes a decision that may bring the entire family to its knees. Everyone has secrets, but what happens when things you keep inside come to light and destroy everything that you have built? Love, lies, and betrayal are told in many ways, but you have never seen it told the ruthless way. Find out how one crime family is shaken to the core and see who comes out on top.

A Very Keatyn Christmas (The Keatyn Chronicles Book 13)


Jillian Dodd - 2021
    And at fifteen, Aubrey Lane Arrington is optimistically hoping that her first kiss will not only happen over the holidays, but that it will also be with her best friend and crush, Branson Johnson. They’ve been friends since they were kids and next fall, she’ll be joining him at Eastbrooke Academy. He’s hinted at their friendship turning into more, but as the holiday season progresses, she’s still stuck in the friend zone. His cousin Beckham Johnson, on the other hand, doesn’t believe in the friend zone. His cocky personality and charisma make him the ultimate flirt, so she’s never taken him seriously. But when he changes his plans to spend New Year’s Eve with her, Lane will have to make a decision. Will her first kiss be with her longtime crush, or will someone new sweep her off her feet?Find out when the clock strikes midnight!

Cuffed


Taisha S. Ryan - 2014
    After serving a 3 year bid, Marquez swore to himself that he would never step foot in another prison. Determined to turn his life around, Marquez occupies his days working at a local car shop. Despite the low pay and endless hours, Marquez does not let that deter him. His world is then shaken up the moment he meets Breanna, a cute, around the way girl, whose main focus in life is attaining her degree and escaping the gritty projects of Brownsville, Brooklyn, for good. Both from troubled pasts, they find themselves drawn to each other in ways they would’ve never fathomed. Breanna becomes the light to Marquez’s life as she opens his heart to something foreign to him. Love. Marquez then begins to realize the possibilities of obtaining a better life outside of the hood. It is until he is faced with an unexpected tragedy that shatters his world for the worst. His dark past now becomes a reality as the grim streets claw at every ounce of his sanity. Now, Marquez must decide whether to continue on the right path he vowed to take or succumb to the dangerous lifestyle he has always known. The streets.