Book picks similar to
What Hurts the Most by Tynessa


urban
african-american
tynessa
thug-life

City Lights


George Sherman Hudson - 2011
    Real and his lady, Constance, were living in the lap of luxury, with fancy cars, expensive clothes and a million dollar home until someone close to them alerted the feds to their illegal activity.At the blink of an eye their perfect life was turned upside down. Just as Real was sorting things out on the home front, the head of Miami's most powerful Cartel gave him an ultimatum that would eventually force him back into the life he had swore off forever. Knowing this lifestyle would surely put Constance in danger, he made plans to send her away until the score was settled but things spiraled out of control. Now Real and Constance are in a fight for survival where friends become enemies and murder is essential. Atlanta's underworld to Miami's most affluent community—no stone was left unturned as Real fought to keep Constance safe while attempting to regain control of the lifestyle he once would kill for.From the city of Atlanta to the cell block of Georgia's most dangerous prison, life under the City Lights would never be the same.

XYZ


Kimille - 2019
    Mastering life’s principal and hellacious course of Hard Knock Life 101 was nothing to eXavier and eZekiel Yarbrough at an early age. Their wisdom and fearless innocence allocated them guardian angels over baby cousin, iYanna. Drug addictions, immorality, abuse, and evil are all cycles that these three have a vivid familiarity with, yet out of the wicked mentalities that assaulted them grew love, loyalty, hope, tenacity and nobility. Despite the licks they gave, as well as took, they found a safe haven in an old head called Diego. A man that knew the streets and the streets respected him. This family has an abundance of dysfunction, but their devotion to each other is unrestricted and immovable! Friends for life. Life has not been particularly kind to Najia Kennedy. She's had to sacrifice more than she's wanted and taken more L's than wins. But somehow, she's managed to stay on her feet with her head held high, all the while searching for where broken hearts go. Love remains elusive as her son's father pops in and out of their lives with empty promises and leftover lies. Najia's friendship with iYanna has withstood the test of time and her shenanigans, as she factors into the equation that is XYZ. Love forever. The streets don't owe him anything. He's taken everything he's wanted by omission or commission. Kreed is a new breed of boss, college educated and street smart. He's the boogeyman in a suit, encompassed in a mystical aura of strength and power that leaves many starstruck. He's so immune to the world around him that he's stunned at the foreign emotions caused by the feather-like thundering of a miniature storm called iYanna. He envisions her as his future, but her family views him as a catastrophic danger to all that they've invested in her. Love and hurt, joy and pain, good times and bad, take all as prisoners. When you have everything you want, is there room for more? When you have nothing, will you accept anything? XYZ is a spicy urban romance with charismatic characters, life altering situations and breathtaking moments that will fascinate you from beginning to end.

Love and War 3


Jackie Chanel - 2014
    When it comes to her family, her wrath knows no bounds. As she scratches and claws her way to the top, she feels like a woman on a mission. She's proven that she's about the life she leads. From murder to extortion, Caprice has done it all. The only question remains, is she ready to have it all?

The Purest Love For The Coldest Thug


Miss Jenesequa - 2018
    However, deep down Solána knew her stubbornness had sent her mother to an early grave. After tragedy strikes, she gets back on the right path and focuses solely on herself… until she stumbles upon a bewitching addiction like no other, with not a single cure in sight. 
Kisan, known to many as Mace, on the surface appears to be a collected, handsome, and prestigious young man. And he is… among many other things. Those that know more, know him to be bold, calculated, and extremely cold-hearted. They know how crazy he truly is; how he can lay one finger on a trigger and aim perfectly without fail; a gentle giant to not one single soul but the only woman who has his heart—his three-year-old.
 Kisan and Solána are immediately drawn to each other, sparking an uncontrollable fire between them that neither party are able to put out. However, when the attractive heavy hitter and stubborn beauty’s worlds collide, it sets off a cascade of life-changing events. Events that not only change their lives but the lives of everyone around them. Loving a man like Kisan could potentially be the most intense and intimidating thing of Solána’s life, but is she willing to risk it all for a man she should be running far away from? And is Kisan willing to let a woman access the deepest, darkest parts of him?
They say the purest love is hard to find… but now that Kisan has found it, can he make it last? Or will his inner demons get the best of him?

That One Missing Piece


Alida Alana - 2017
    Of course he wasn’t an established author back then, just the only man that has ever truly owned Jade’s heart. During the height of their passionate engagement, Jade made a decision that changed their lives forever. A decision she has regretted ever since. Unfinished business and a past seared with regret is what leads Jade to pay an unexpected visit to Ellis’s Brooklyn book signing event with a glimmer of hope that all isn’t lost. For Ellis, Jade was undoubtedly the love of his life. Seeing her again not only brings back memories of the love they used to share, it reminds him of the painful way things ended. Although it was so long ago, Ellis can’t help but wonder if he could allow himself to fall again. They’ve lived a life a part, both becoming successful in their own rights. And yet there’s always been that one missing piece to each of their happiness. Jade and Ellis, along with their charming and funny cast of friends travel through a roller coaster romance that proves love will always find its way back home.

Dope Girl's Ambition


Monique Love - 2014
    From her early childhood years her life was anything but normal. Her extensive knowledge of the drug game followed her from a young age right into adulthood. It wasn't until the sexy son of a Columbian drug lord was stunned by Rain's striking beauty that she realized she can also rule. You'll witness how a man and a woman torn by the love of money and power, past losses, present fears, and the paradox of their growing ambition for the game withstood their love for one another. Rain becomes the woman everyone loves to hate. Will she know when to stop, or will her greed for money cause her to self destruct!

Crushin' On A Boss: The Streets or Love


Tysha Jordyn - 2016
    She loved Je’Marcus Watford past his flaws and stayed loyal, even when he failed to put her first. She dove head first into their young love, allowing Je’Marcus to be her lifeline when her mother abandoned her to chase the street life, but when the smoke clears and those blinders come off, Aniqa finds herself living a heart-breaking nightmare. Hoping to give her baby girl, Essence, the world, Aniqa is faced with a tough decision: move on from Je’Marcus’ abusive love drought, or stay blindly committed to a disloyal dude. There’s just one problem, though: the only way Je’Marcus plans to let her go is through death. Linc Carmichael is a low key boss that wants no parts of the L word. Determined to take the family business to the next level, he plays it close to the chest when dealing with chicks. He sticks to chicks that don’t expect a commitment and has one main rule: no chicks with kids. That all goes out the window when he meets Aniqa; her natural beauty and heart of gold bring Linc to his knees, and he knows he has to have her—no matter who has to die in the process. Crushed is what you feel when love don’t love you back, but Linc just might be the one to renew Aniqa’s faith in love when she finds herself Crushin’ on a Boss....

My Love Is Under Arrest


Charae Lewis - 2017
    She was wishing that she could become his remedy. What happens when love is present, but it’s only one-sided? Diar Capers had to learn that love is never easy, especially when it comes to Case DeMao. He possesses all of the characteristics that she yearns for in a man but finds it difficult attaining his attention. She desperately wants to throw in the towel and move forward, but the hold that’s on her heart permits her from doing so. Will Diar's efforts towards her love affair with Case pay off, or will she be left distraught when she finds out that she is not the missing piece to his heart?

Jholee & Kiandre: A Gangsta And His Good Girl


Bianca - 2019
    At twenty-two years old, Jholee had given up everything, including her full-time hours at school, her apartment, her expensive bags, and her car after her drug dealing dad's indiscretions put their family in a bind that blindsided them all. With everything that Jholee had given up, that still wasn't enough for her family to get back to normal, and after her dad shut down the thought of her taking her clothes off for money, she only had one thing left to sell: her virginity. Kiandre 'TK' Kincaid has had the Jacksonville streets secured when it came to moving weight, but after years of watching his father make money off women lying on their backs, he decided to try his hand at building his own legacy without stepping on them to get there. In order to make his dreams of owning a strip club a reality, TK finds himself moonlighting at his father's sex shop from time to time. When circumstance leads him to working the front desk, it's there that he meets the very impressionable Jholee. After realizing that Jholee isn't cut out for being a sex worker, he trashes her application and literally takes matters into his own hands. Jholee and TK's worlds collide faster than they both would like to admit, but just as there are things keeping them together, there are just as many pulling them apart, including but not limited to Jholee's best friends, Riley and Octavia, her parents, TK's parents, and TK's girlfriend Cheyenne. But there is something about fate: You can't stop it.

Money Is King


Nicety - 2013
    Cesar is not only sexy but he's a rare and hot commodity who's every woman's dream. But he's taken by Mink, a selfish trick who doesn't deserve him and loves money more than her own snatch. When his back's against the wall, Cesar struggles to keep his hands clean. His pride won't allow him not to take care of his son, the one thing tying he and Mink together. Will Mink suck him dry before its all said and done or does Cesar have other tricks up his sleeve?

Started From the Top Now I'm Here(An Urban Tale from Riches to Rags)


Lady Onyxx - 2013
    She was also the ultimate backstabbing bitch and didn’t apologize for it. She will do whatever it takes to come up in the game, even if it means hurting those closest to her. Despite having the gold digging game on lock, Sonnet’s selfish ways soon get the best of her. Find out what happens when this ghetto princess goes from hood rich to a lowly street urchin fighting to survive on Skid Row. The question is does she deserve a come up? You decide.

Meesh, Myself, and I


Shelli Marie - 2013
    She is raised by her mother in an urban neighborhood of Portland, Oregon. Although it is known as the City of Roses, Me'Shellay manages to get stuck by many thorns of tragedy. Once she becomes of age and is able to get a grip on life, she begins her quest to seek out what she has been hungering for her whole life... love.This is when she meets the handsome and talented Kerron Suarez. What begins as a fairytale romance, turns out to be less than what Me'Shellay expects. When his close friend Sanders Torres is added into the equation, she finds herself in the middle of a crazy love triangle that lands her with an unexpected surprise.In this first book of the Repercussions of Love series, Me'Shellay exposes herself to the fullest. If it's from hustling in the streets to bustling in the sheets, she is in it. If it's from dangerous love making to cold blooded life taking, she is with it.Come along and share a portion of Me'Shellay's world, one that will leave you wanting more...

From Mistress to Wife


Angie Hayes - 2014
    Fed up with Troy and his games, Alicia calls it quits. She soon runs into Shawn, an old friend, and in no time begins to believe that she actually has a chance at happiness. With wedding bells in her near future, will Alicia go from mistress to wife, or will everything crumble when she finds out that Troy isn’t the only one with secrets? Keisha, Alicia’s cousin, has raised her daughter on her own since her ex walked out on her years ago. She meets Keith, they hit it off, and before long they are engaged; preparing to spend the rest of their lives together. That is until something shocking is revealed. Candy is Alicia’s close friend, and one of the people that she trusts the most. The problem is Candy isn’t who she seems, and is also holding in a deep dark secret, that is so bad, it will destroy their friendship forever. Cassandra, Troy’s wife, isn’t as naïve as he believes she is. She knows that her husband is cheating; always has. It could be because every time she turns around, another woman pops up pregnant with Troy’s child. Tired of trying to save her family Cassandra comes up with a plan of her own. In From Mistress to Wife, you’ll find out that everyone has a secret. The question is which ones are forgivable, and which ones are deadly?

The Connect's Wife 4


Nako - 2015
    How in the world is Christian Knight controlling Farren’s mind and heart from a prison cell? He’s in her dreams, her nightmares and even with her in the shower. Farren attempts to stay strong and move on with the “love” of her life, Jonte. But somehow, someway, Christian Knight is lurking in the shadows. Farren seems to never be able to see through the bull, because of course love causes a person to turn a blind eye to foolishness. Will Farren become The Connect and Jonte the keeper of the house? Farren seriously needs to make up her mind. Will she allow resentment and redemption to swallow her whole, or will she let the thought of her and Christian Knight being married forever keep her from experiencing true love? Farren Knight or Farren Rivers, which last name will it be….

Silent Cries


Sonovia Alexander - 2013
    It’s not the life that she would choose for herself, but she knows that she cannot put her family to shame. China and her girls Ryder, Q, and Jewels are four of the most notorious chics in Queens. Growing up in the same part of town they were known for cutting and shooting chics and dudes when pushed to the limit. They had looks to kill and could draw in any man. Unbeknownst to her, when China hooks up with a pimp, the reputation that she has tried so hard to upkeep is tested. When thinking with your heart and not using your head, you fall victim to things that are clearly a task that you can’t handle. China is put in a situation where her friendships, family and relationship is at risk ending with her losing some of her loved ones. Find out what Silent Cries is really about as you go inside China’s twisted world of betrayal