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A Blessing & A Curse by ReShonda Tate Billingsley


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Suspicions


Sasha Campbell - 2011
    . ." --OOSA BookclubThese women are about to learn more than they ever wanted to know about secrets--and the men who keep them. . .As the owner of Situations, the hottest beauty salon on the south side of Chicago, Noelle Gordon has a direct line to the private lives of her clients. But when an abandoned baby girl appears on her doorstep, Noelle finds herself at the center of a personal drama. Meanwhile, Noelle's employees are discovering that their own romantic relationships harbor a secret or two. The truth isn't always pretty. But can they find the strength to live with it--and with the men they love? "A drama-filled story." --Urban Reviews "Juggles each 'suspicious' intimacy issue in serious soul sistah style." --Publishers Weekly

If We Lived Here


Lindsey J. Palmer - 2015
    Palmer's incisive new novel both celebrates and skewers modern relationships and their milestones, offering a witty and wise look at what it takes to commit--to love, to a home, and to the life that's right for you.After three years of dating and trading nights at their respective New York City apartments, Emma Feit and Nick O'Hare are moving in together. Or they will be, as soon as they find the right place. For two happily-in-love professionals--Nick's a teacher, Emma tutors college-bound teens--with good credit and stellar references, how hard can it be? As it turns out, very--in ways that are completely unexpected. Suddenly Emma is filled with questions about cohabiting, about giving up her freedom--not to mention about who's going to clean the toilet. And while her best friend plans a dream wedding to her wealthy fiancé, and her older brother settles into suburban bliss, Emma must figure out what home means to her--and how on earth to get there.

Ain't No River


Sharon Ewell Foster - 2001
    Meemaw has been a doting mother, grandmother, and church mother to her community. Suddenly she's become a slimmed-down, silver-haired, seventy-something fox with a new attitude. And all fingers are pointing at a much younger ex-pro football player, GoGo Walker. When D.C. lawyer Garvin Daniels -- Meemaw's granddaughter -- gets wind of what's happening, she heads back to her hometown determined to help her Meemaw get it together before she goes too far.

Diamond Life


Aliya S. King - 2012
    . . Set in the highest ranks of the music industry’s fame machine, Diamond Life is an intoxicating story of love, sex, ambition, money, betrayal, and the surprising realities of making it big. Alex Maxwell’s career as a journalist and celebrity ghost writer is taking off, despite the slightly embarrassing authorship of hip-hop super-groupie Cleo Wright’s memoir. And while Alex’s star is on the rise, it pales in comparison to her husband Birdie’s multiplatinum debut and world tour. Slowly but surely, everything they swore would never happen begins to come true, like leaving Brooklyn for a mansion in suburban Jersey and letting a reality TV crew into their home. Birdie is confronted time and again by the sexy groupies who pursue famous rappers like heat-seeking missiles and he’s forced to make some life-changing choices. Meanwhile, aging rapper Z, in recovery from drug addiction, is too busy trying to repair his marriage to leave much time for his son Zander, newly signed to Z’s label and struggling to maintain his appeal in the wake of a domestic violence scandal with his diva girlfriend Bunny. Record label president Jake is trying to deal with the death of his wife, multiplatinum R&B artist Kipenzi Hill, by drowning his sorrows in alcohol and women. When he meets Lily, a beautiful, quiet waitress, he can’t get her out of his head. But Lily has her own problems to handle and she wants nothing to do with the fame, drama, and baggage that Jake carries with him. This juicy follow-up to Aliya S. King’s Platinum is a scintillating roman à clef that takes readers behind the curtain once again for the real scoop on the biggest players in the hip-hop game—and the first ladies who hold them together.

Three Is a Crowd


Chenell Parker - 2019
    For Jersi Bradford, there was no definition for payback. After having her heart broken by the man who she’d planned to spend the rest of her life with, Jersi decided to stop getting mad and get even. Blake was a man who was used to getting what he wanted. It just so happened that what he wanted was his first love back in his life. After hurting Jersi in a horrific way, he was ecstatic when she decided to give him another chance. The only thing standing in their way was Mariah, his wife and mother of his kids. Memphis Young knew all too well how it felt to have your happiness snatched away in the blink of an eye. After suffering through a tragedy of his own, he decided that love and happiness were obviously not meant for him. He dated casually without commitment and he was okay with living a carefree life. One chance encounter at the grocery store changed his mind and his perspective. Love fell into his arms and he wasn’t willing to let it go. Old habits die hard and some never die at all. When old flames get reignited and new ones start to flicker, lives are changed and some are completely destroyed. Join these complex characters to see why one is lonely, two is company and three is a crowd.

Mitford Years 6-9 / Home to Holly Springs (Mitford Years, #6-9)


Jan Karon - 2011
    From the #1 New York Times bestselling author Jan Karon, this is the new ecollection of novels six through nine in the beloved Mitford Years series, plus Home to Holly Springs, the first novel in the Father Tim series. Readers have come to feel at home in Mitford, the little town with the big heart. As this charming mountain village works its magic, you’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you’ll quickly make friends who feel like family—for the residents of Mitford are the most ordinary people who live the most extraordinary lives. And in Home to Holly Springs, you will travel back with Father Tim to his childhood Mississippi home, where he discovers the awesome power of love and forgiveness.

A Sister's Secret


Cydney Rax - 2018
    But secrets they never saw coming will challenge them and everything they counted on . . .   Savvy and decisive, Burgundy Reeves feels blessed with a good husband and a successful career. She is the sister everyone envies. Since her beloved mother's death, she's given troubled youngest sister, Elyse, a stable home when she needs it most. And she's taken it on herself to keep her contentious siblings together. Under her guidance, they all meet bi-monthly on “Sister Day,” a time when they get together to bond, to receive a challenging “assignment”, and to cope with a range of things—including their many differences . . .    Among the sisters’ most challenging assignments: tell the truth. But truthfulness leads to an unveiling of secrets that may destroy lives. Burgundy is struggling to show Coco the real deal about her unreliable baby daddy. If she and level-headed Drucilla can also convince hard-headed eldest sister Alita to give Coco more love than tough talk, that might heal a longtime rift. But it’s teenage Elyse’s truth that will shatter Burgundy’s perfect world beyond repair. And putting the pieces back together could make the sisters stronger together than ever—or pull them apart for good.   Praise for If Your Wife Only Knew   “A dramatic tale of betrayal.” —Booklist   “Secrets, scandal, betrayal and revenge—there are no clean hands in the first book of this saga.” —RT Book Reviews

A Lily in the Light


Kristin Fields - 2019
    People Esme has known her whole life suddenly become suspects, each new one hitting closer to home than the last.Unable to cope, Esme escapes the nightmare that is her new reality when she receives an invitation to join an elite ballet academy in San Francisco. Desperate to leave behind her chaotic, broken family and the mystery surrounding Lily’s disappearance, Esme accepts.Eight years later, Esme is up for her big break: her first principal role in Paris. But a call from her older sister shatters the protective world she has built for herself, forcing her to revisit the tragedy she’s run from for so long. Will her family finally have the answers they’ve been waiting for? And can Esme confront the pain that shaped her childhood, or will the darkness follow her into the spotlight?

The Promise


Ruth Saberton - 2019
    Drawn to Cornwall in search of answers, a neglected garden and crumbling Second World War fortifications offer some explanation, but does anyone remain who might remember the truth? And whose promise was broken with devastating consequences?As her world turns upside down, Nell must face her own past and confront secrets deeper and darker than she could ever imagine. From the bestselling Winston Graham Historical Prize for Fiction shortlisted author, comes a haunting and beautiful new novel.What Amazon readers and reviewers are saying about The Promise: "One of my books of the year," "If you like Kate Morton, this is the book for you!" "I loved every word and had to ration myself" "A truly captivating and well told story" "My favourite book of the year" "Compelling and enchanting." "A heartwrenching story that will live long in the memory"

Every Woman's Dream


Mary Monroe - 2016
    It all started when they got in the habit of corresponding with lonely, unsuspecting—and generous—older men. In return for their “love letters,” the teens were rewarded with checks. The fun only ended when their swindle nearly got them killed. Now they’re grown, but they’re still longing for every woman’s dream of love and excitement…   Joan is unhappily married, while Lola is done with putting her life on hold for her selfish relatives’ demands. As girls they were looking for money, but as women they have other needs they want satisfied. And thanks to online dating and a parade of lovers, they’re getting all the sexy fun they missed out on. It’s a downright addictive game. But games can’t last forever—and someone has to lose…

Influence: Death on the Beach: An Influence Novel


Carl Weber - 2020
    

Love at the Italian Lake


Darcie Boleyn - 2017
    But is it only for summer? Don’t miss this gorgeous, heart-warming novel from Darcie Boleyn, bestselling author of 2017 smash-hit Summer at Conwenna Cove. Sophia Bertoni discovers her boyfriend in bed with another woman, and realizes her life is going nowhere. Leaving her high-pressure job, she travels to Italy to stay with her grandmother while she figures out her next move.When Sophia – quite literally – bumps into devastatingly handsome Joe Lancaster her plans are turned upside down. As the two realize they’re both spending the summer in the same town, a love affair seems on the cards.But Sophia and Joe are both burdened by family secrets. Despite their attraction, will the sun set on Sophia and Joe’s romance – or will they find love at the Italian lake? Praise for Darcie Boleyn ‘There were tears and smiles and out-loud giggles all the way through. A wonderful holiday read!’ Jenny Hale‘I just loved this book, every single page of it!’ My Chestnut Reading Tree‘A truly spectacular read and I loved every minute of it.’ Whispering Stories ‘Another enchanting book from the talented Darcie Boleyn.’ Rachel’s Random Reads ‘It's always a treat to read a book written by Darcie Boleyn… Utterly brilliant.’ The Quiet Knitter ‘Filled my heart with joy… Darcie Boleyn has a wonderful way with words.’ With Love For Books

The Girls with No Names


Serena Burdick - 2020
    Not far from Luella and Effie Tildon’s large family mansion in Inwood looms the House of Mercy, a work house for wayward girls. The sisters grow up under its shadow with the understanding that even as wealthy young women, their freedoms come with limits. But when the sisters accidentally discover a shocking secret about their father, Luella, the brazen older sister, becomes emboldened to do as she pleases.But her rebellion comes with consequences, and one morning Luella is mysteriously gone. Effie suspects her father has made good on his threat to send Luella to the House of Mercy and hatches a plan to get herself committed to save her sister. But she made a miscalculation, and with no one to believe her story, Effie’s escape from the House of Mercy seems impossible—unless she can trust an enigmatic girl named Mable. As their fates entwine, Mable and Effie must rely on each other and their tenuous friendship to survive.The Home for Unwanted Girls meets The Dollhouse in this atmospheric, heartwarming story that explores not only the historical House of Mercy, but the lives—and secrets—of the girls who stayed there.

A Perfect Husband


Hilary Boyd - 2017
    Freddy taught her to love again after the death of her father. But then Freddy becomes tense, snappy and distracted. Is he having an affair? The truth turns out to be much worse...Freddy is addicted to gambling. He owes hundreds of thousands of pounds to loan companies; he's been helping himself to money from his own company, which has now gone bust; and worst of all, his wife's money - given to him to invest - is gone. Devastated, Lily leaves him, and moves to stay with her sister in Oxford. There, among the dreaming spires, she will clear her head of Freddy and try to figure out how to move on.But being away from Freddy is far harder than she'd thought. He promises to get help, but can he really ever be cured of his addiction? How can Lily trust him again - surely, after the heartache he's caused her, she would be far better off walking away and starting again? The truth is, she is as addicted to Freddy as he is to gambling - and she's not sure she even wants to be free.

Just My Luck


Adele Parks - 2020
    Over dinner parties, fish & chip suppers and summer barbecues, they’ve discussed the important stuff – the kids, marriages, jobs and houses – and they’ve laughed off their disappointment when they failed to win anything more than a tenner.But then, one Saturday night, the unthinkable happens. There’s a rift in the group. Someone doesn’t tell the truth. And soon after, six numbers come up which change everything forever.Lexi and Jake have a ticket worth £18 million. And their friends are determined to claim a share of it. Adele Parks returns with a riveting look at the dark side of wealth in this gripping take on friendship, money and betrayal, and good luck gone bad…