Book picks similar to
Recipe for Desire by Cheris Hodges


romance
african-american-romance
contemporary
black-authors

Count On This


Niobia Bryant - 2006
    Caught up in a whirlwind romance, the two lovebirds get hitched. But when Lex, who is the CEO of a prestigious family-owned firm, wakes up the next morning and realizes what he's done, he gets cold feet and pressures April for an annulment. In a fit of rage, April decides to fly to New York and announce their nuptials. But is she really strong enough to withstand Lex's demands to end the marriage? Or will he stand up to his family and finally follow his heart?

Sweet Little Lies


Michele Grant - 2011
    Witnessing Christina and her fiance arguing, Steven Williams comes to her defence. But it is not the last encounter they will have."

In Her Neighbor's Bed


Angie Daniels - 2011
    Then to her dismay, her parents call and insist she bring her fiancé home to Virginia for the holidays. With Christmas only three weeks away, Zanaa better find a fiancé quick, fast and in a hurry, otherwise, her family’s going to have every eligible bachelor in town lined up at the door. In a state of panic, Zanaa ask Scott Simmons to marry her. Only it isn’t a real proposal—it’s just to get her family off her back. Except the man she just propositioned, her sexy next-door neighbor, is all too irresistibly real. And now that Zanaa has made the first move, the videogame entrepreneur has every intention of taking the relationship all the way.

Model Attraction


Sharon C. Cooper - 2016
    The past nine years have brought her fame, fortune and supermodel status, but they haven't lessened her regret at leaving her high school sweetheart behind. A chance encounter proves that Austin Reynolds definitely hasn't forgiven her. But it also becomes clear that some flames just grow hotter with time… The handsome real estate mogul has one broken engagement on his résumé, but Janna was the only one to ever steal his heart. Their incredible connection reignites an undeniable passion in them both, and workaholic Austin rediscovers his lighter side. But soon another can't-refuse offer beckons Janna overseas. Will it be déjà vu…or is their love finally ready for the spotlight?

A Legal Affair


Maureen Smith - 2006
    And yet the hot young law professor had never crossed the line with a student until he met Daniela. There was something different about her--with her fierce attitude, ambition and to-die-for body. Something he was determined to uncover, layer by silky layer....Private investigator Daniela Roarke knew she was in over her head the minute she saw her mark. Caleb Thorne wasn't just fine, he was gorgeous. And although getting close to Caleb could finally mean busting his no-good father, Daniela knew she was just an amateur at the game of seduction. And now both her cover and her heart were in jeopardy.

Driving Heat


Zuri Day - 2015
    --RT Book ReviewsThe Blue-Collar Lover SeriesMeet the Carter brothers, five hard-working men with a lot to offer. They may not be wealthy but they're rich in integrity and loyalty--not to mention sex appeal. They just need the right women to share their world. . .At thirty, eldest brother Byron hasn't dated seriously in a while--not since he became a single dad to his beloved baby girl. Besides, he's found that most women can't see past his job as a bus driver, and he's not interested in that type of superficial foolishness. When he meets Cynthia Hall, her disinterest is obvious. Still, there's something about her. . .Cynthia has been successful in her career and unlucky in love. But those two worlds collide when Byron ends up in her office on business. It's a coincidence that casts him in a very different light than she's previously seen. Too bad he's not the upscale professional Cynthia had in mind. Yet given the chance, she might discover that while money can't buy happiness--a loving and passionate man can. . .

Mind Your Own Business


Lutishia Lovely - 2011
    . .Life is good for the Livingstons. Business is booming, Taste of Soul is launching a West Coast division, and Bianca Livingston and her brother, Jefferson, are vying to head it up--which means their long simmering rivalry is about to boil over. . . Having completed a culinary course in Paris--along with a hot love affair--Bianca feels more than ready to take the reins in L.A. Her parents' insistence that she marry a man of their choosing only fuels her ambition. Jefferson is hoping the position will free him to be with the secret L.A. love his family would never approve of. But the two soon realize that between their meddling cousin, Toussaint, and the return of an enemy bent on crushing the Livingston empire, they aren't the only ones in this competition. And when company money mysteriously starts disappearing, they'll find it's hard to run a business when no one can mind their own. . . "Lovely once again expertly illuminates the wacky world of the devout and devoutly devilish." --Publishers Weekly on Reverend Feelgood"Vibrant characters, artful storytelling, and an original voice make Lutishia Lovely worth every moment." --Donna Hill"A great new taste in the literary world." --Carl Weber

What He's Been Missing


Grace Octavia - 2012
    . .Atlanta celebrity wedding planner Rachel Winslow has it all--except what she wants most: true love. Her friends are convinced that her college ex-turned-best friend, Ian, is her Mr. Right--even though he's in a relationship. And when Ian confides to Rachel that he plans to propose, she suddenly wonders if she's letting her best chance at happiness slip through her fingers. In a panic, Rachel becomes determined to win Ian back. But her plan backfires in ways she couldn't have imagined. . .Heartbroken, Rachel finds herself making a series of disastrous decisions--including an affair that leaves everything she values most hanging in the balance. To get her life back on track, Rachel will have to let go of the illusions of the past--and her fears about the future.Octavia pens a great tale. --The RAWSISTAZ ReviewersOctavia's writing style is in a category all of its own. --APOOO Book ClubHolds your attention to the end. This is truly an amazing read. --Romantic Times on Should Have Known BetterOctavia gives Sex and the City a smart Afrocentric update. --Publishers Weekly on Playing Hard to Get

Beyond Desire


Gwynne Forster - 1999
    Beyond Desire by Gwynne Forster released on Apr 24, 2000 is available now for purchase.

Let Me Be Your Motivation


Tay Mo'Nae - 2019
    What Jordyn wasn’t expecting was running into her high school crush. Newly single, NFL running back Amir Hamilton is the man most women would dream to have. When he takes a vacation to Cabo to let loose before the upcoming season, he didn’t expect to meet the shy beauty in a drunken state. What was supposed to be one night of pleasure for both quickly turns deeper and the two of them quickly learn it’s not easy to forget about the other. In this standalone join Amir and Jordyn and learn if the bond they form in Cabo is strong enough to ignore their ex’s from their past.

To Love A Stallion


Deborah Fletcher Mello - 2008
    Instead, she's blindsided by a man as infuriating as he is irresistible--a man who makes it clear he plays to win, especially where a beautiful woman is concerned.Marah is feisty and furious, but all John can think about is the feel of her soft skin and full, sensual lips. The line between business and pleasure is crossed the moment she storms into his office wearing skinny jeans and sultry perfume. Determined to get closer to this passionate woman who has invaded his life, he begins their negotiations with a kiss....

Just My Type


Synithia Williams - 2014
    Granted, she’s enjoying her post-college life of little-to-no responsibility, but when her dad announces at a family meeting that she can’t handle working a “real job,” there’s only one thing to do: land a desk job and prove him wrong. When her brother’s best friend, Fredrick Jenkins, needs a new assistant, she knows she’s the perfect candidate. So what if she’s had a crush on the conservative accountant since she was nine? She’s the last woman Freddy would fall for. But Fredrick is far from impervious to Janiyah’s charms. Though he can’t help but be attracted to her, he knows Janiyah is more interested in eating his cereal and teasing him than viewing him as more than the good guy next door. When he offers her the job, he can’t imagine her giving up her late mornings and colorful outfits for 8:00 a.m. meetings and pantyhose for too long. But as Janiyah excels as his employee, he fears he’s in danger of falling hard for a woman he shouldn’t care for. Pretty soon the attraction they’ve tried to ignore boils to the surface. And after Fredrick shows Janiyah the man behind the numbers, she’s ready to show him that she’s just the type of woman he needs.

Face Down Fridays: Prelude


Sherelle Green - 2020
    Heated glance. I knew I was hooked from the first moment our eyes connected. But I’m not the type of woman to give in easily. Especially when his offer is dripping in rule breaking notions threatening to consume me.HIMI wanted her willing and ready for anything before she’d even spoken a single word. I’m a patient man, but even patience has a timeframe when it comes to following her rules. But as she’ll soon learn, I don’t follow rules. I make them.Please Note: Face Down Fridays is a fast-burn, sexy prelude to the Crowne Legacy series. Although this story can be read as a stand-alone, it’s an intro into the series.

One Mistletoe Wish


A.C. Arthur - 2016
    Everything schoolteacher Morgan Hill loves is in her hometown of Temptation, Virginia--her twins, her students and the charming community center where she's staging their holiday play. But now the building's new owner, Grayson Taylor, is putting sexy visions into Morgan's head, making the young widow long for a future even Santa couldn't deliver.As the oldest of sextuplets, Gray grew up in the media spotlight. His family's fame once helped Temptation thrive, but drove his parents apart. Coming back is just a bittersweet necessity until he meets petite firecracker Morgan. Somehow she gets the handsome tech guru to forget about big business in favor of small-town delights...and steamy winter nights. It's a life he never knew he wanted, but can he put his past aside to turn a festive fling into the sweetest forever?

Before I Knew


Jamie Beck - 2017
    In this first Cabot novel, a legacy of secrets tests old friends seeking a second chance at life and love. On the second anniversary of her husband’s suicide, Colby Cabot-Baxter is ready to let go of her grief and the mistakes made during her turbulent marriage. Her fresh start comes in the form of A CertainTea, the restaurant she’s set to open along Lake Sandy, Oregon, with help from her family. But when her executive chef quits just weeks before the grand opening, Colby is pressured to hire old family friend Alec Morgan. His award-winning reputation could generate buzz, but their friendship has withered since her husband’s reckless dare cost Alec’s brother his life.Distracted by guilty secrets concerning the tragedy that changed his and Colby’s lives, Alec self-destructed and lost his famed restaurant. With his career in tatters, he’s determined to use this opportunity to redeem his reputation and to help the woman he’s loved from afar find happiness again.But secrets have a way of coming out. When Alec’s do, they might destroy the new life he and Colby have rebuilt together.