Book picks similar to
This Heart Still Holds You Down by Tay Mo'Nae


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alpha-males
exes-drama
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An Unexpected Love: Jay's Story


Nicole Black - 2015
    She knows what she wants and won’t settle for anything less than that. After receiving mind blowing news from a past lover Jay decides it’s time for a change. Little does he know someone from his past isn’t ready to let him go. Kamari feels as if his love life is missing something. After meeting a woman he believes can fill the void, he thinks he has it all. Kamari’s world quickly comes crumbling down after a secret is revealed and he makes a mistake that may cost him his life. Lies are told, secrets are revealed, worlds collide, and love blooms in An Unexpected Love: Jay’s Story.

Treat Me Like Somebody 3


Nikki Simms - 2016
    After finding out that once again the love of her life had taken advantage of her heart, Jaz packed her things along with her daughter and left town. Sick and tired of his games, she was ready to move on and with the help of a certain someone, whom was making it more and more easier by the day. That is until Jaz found out about Jordan’s kidnapping. Rushing back to town, she runs into the arms of a very depressed and saddened Justice. Battling between the love she still has for Justice and the growing feelings she has for her new flame, she finds herself in one tight situation. With dealing with the fact that Jordan is actually missing, Justice does whatever he has to, to get his son back. From killing to ripping the city to shreds, he still come up empty. It seemed like everything he did, he was doing for nothing. His son was missing and his girl left him. After fighting hard to try to win Jaz over, nothing seemed to work. He did everything in his power to get her back but when he finds out he has a long lost brother; he starts to question her loyalty. Not only did Jaz know about it, but he finds out that she was in between his sheets. Mya and Harlem had been through a lot. After finally getting rid of the problem at hand, they were finally happy and living together stress free… or so they thought. While battling with demons, Mya finds out she is pregnant with the devil’s seed. She was torn between honesty and burden; she doesn’t know what to do. It was either tell Harlem the devastating news or go against what he believes in and have an abortion. Which should she choose? Harlem is fighting hard to protect his family and to keep them as safe as possible but when the past and old love ones comes back from the dead, things take a turn for the worst. Join these two couples and few others in a jaw dropping roller coaster ride as they battle never ending secrets, lies, deceit, and treachery! Will they be able to battle whats being thrown or let it destroy everything they’re trying to build? Find out in part 3 of Treat Me Like Somebody!!

I Fell In Love With A Real Street Thug 3: The Finale


Pebbles Starr - 2016
    It sort of just happened, but the two cannot deny they were meant to be. Unfortunately, the enemies that they share think otherwise and will do just about anything to separate their union. Will this unlikely couple make it out unscathed despite all the odds stacked against them? Or will they crash and burn before their relationship fully takes off? Kylie thought she was safe in the arms of her new man, until she found out that he was just like all the rest. A criminal and a liar. If things aren't complicated enough in her life, they really begin to get interesting after Tino's best friend takes an interest in her.

A Kingpin's Dream 4


Briana Crosby - 2016
     Turk and Miracle can’t wait to get married, but when things go left, their marriage is put on hold and old wounds are opened once again, causing havoc between the two and their relationship. Ramses and Persia love each other unconditionally, but when Ramses starts acting sneaky, she suspects infidelity. Little does she know, Ramses has his own little secret he's keeping from her. Adonis and Briana still have the love everyone craves, but when things are put on the table, and Briana opens her eyes to the problems their relationship is facing, she does the unthinkable to fix them, but will it work in the end? Follow all three couples as they take a trip to paradise to fix their marriages... Will it work, or will they be forced to move on without each other?

Hakeem & Serenity: Convenient Love of a Boss


Tnesha Sims - 2018
    Hakeem knows the struggles she has faced in life and wants her and his daughter, Naomi, under one roof. Although they are not a couple, they feel it is best for them to stay together for their daughter’s sake. One night, Hakeem asks if she still loves him. When she answers yes, they end up in bed together. Serenity is sold on the possibility of them being a family until one day, the female on the other side of Hakeem’s room door comes walking out. She starts viewing him in a completely different way and fells it is time to move on. She can’t let jealousy get in the way or deny that she still has feelings for him. She thinks that maybe they can possibly work things out, but someone has already claimed Hakeem as their man and makes it known that they’ll kill anything and anyone who gets in the way of her being with Keem. Can Serenity prove that she’s the only woman for him, without dealing with all of the drama, or will she end up dealing with more than she bargains for? Hakeem does what he has to do to provide for his family at a young age, when he finally makes it. After seeing Serenity all over another guy, Hakeem is blinded by his rage although he knows she isn't his. But when the empire he built in the streets comes under attack, baby mama drama is the least of his worries. Someone is threatening Hakeem's territory and will stop at nothing to take over everything he's worked so hard for. Can Hakeem fight for Serenity's love in the midst of dealing with the madness of the streets, or will his entire life get turned upside down?

The Beauty & The Boss: Truth & Zoweh's Love Story


Krystle Yvette - 2018
    She hid her scars from the world while she tried daily to be the best woman and mother she could be. Although her life had been nothing but complex being in an abusive relationship with her child's father, Darius, the abuse began taking a toll on her life daily. Zoweh didn't feel she would ever be able to escape the wrath of her worst nightmare. She had no attachments in Chicago to anything besides her daughter, and at this point, Promise was the only thing in the world keeping her sane. Zoweh never knew she wanted, no, need a boss; that is until she met the alluring Truth D'Stefano. With a flourishing drug empire that he shared with his brothers, Chosen and Legend, Truth was the man to see in Chicago. Nothing moved in Chicago without Truth's say so. He never had a shortage of money or women, and never planned on slowing down on getting to the paper. Truth was living proof that life wasn't always hardcore and that money makes the world go around. That all changed with one unexpected encounter with the unforgettable Zoweh. Chosen, the middle and most deranged of the brothers, made sure his name held weight in the streets. He was a 'fuck love, get money' type of nigga, and he made sure any woman he came across knew that. There was just one woman he couldn't seem to shake for the life of him. Legend, the youngest brother with the most to prove, had tangled a web for himself and his brothers that he wasn't quite sure he would make it out of alive. With his marriage and relationship with his brother's on the line, will Legend make the right decision? It has been a roller coaster ride for Truth and Zoweh since the fateful night they met. Will they be able to withstand and hold down that spot of being The Beauty and the Boss of Chicago?

A Cold Winter With A Hot Boy


S. Yvonne - 2020
    

Keeping the Secret 2


R.M. Johnson - 2011
    What is there left for him to do to prove his worth, but try to enter the drug-selling game full-time? He’ll need help and convinces himself it should come from no one other than Kimmi, the girl who told the secret that got him busted in the first place.Practically at gunpoint, he forces Kimmi to ride along while he makes drug stops and hand sales.But Kimmi doesn’t go easily, considering she has problems to solve of her own. She tries everything in her power to keep her mother’s new, live-in boyfriend, Jerome, from creeping into her bedroom at night and having his way with her. He feels entitled since he gives money to help pay the household bills. To earn the cash Jerome donates, in hopes that her mother will kick him out once she realizes they can make it on their own, sexy, curvaceous, 17 year-old Kimmi, places an escort ad online and risks rape and losing her life more than once. In between trying to fight off the sexual advances of her mother’s boyfriend, and riding the hot blocks of Chicago’s South Side with an aspiring, big-time drug dealer, Kimmi discovers the most dangerous thing she’s ever done, is try to stay alive.

Fallin' for a Beast 2: Charisma and Ethic


Cherice Harris - 2018
    Snakes aren’t known to run in packs, but when Ethic finds out there’s more than one in his camp, things get shaky. The only way to rid his camp of the serpents is to chop the head off every dude moving funny, and that’s something Ethic, nor his right hand has an issue doing. They say to be a man’s peace, and he’ll give you the world, but what is a woman to do when she needs peace of her own? Unfortunately for Charisma, just when things start to fall into place, the inevitable hits. With tear stained cheeks, she looks to Ethic to be that peace. Can Ethic be her peace while dealing with a storm of his own? Divorce is never a happy ending, but Gunna is fighting to see the silver lining. With all the street mess he’s dealing with, he’s adamant about finding someone he can call his own. Not letting a good thing go bad, he puts his faith in love, hoping it wouldn’t let him down for the second time.

Shawty Fell in Love With A Rude Boy 2


P. Dotson - 2017
    Erica learns that falling in love with a Rude Boy isn’t easy. The boundaries of her relationship are tested when outsiders seek to destroy the love she’s found. Will love withstand the test, or will she fold under the pressure? Erica isn’t the only one who falls for a Rude Boy. Jade finds herself slowly falling in love with the handsome, yet mysterious Detective Keenan Elba. The loving and doting father of three managed to sneak past the wall she built around her heart. There’s just one problem standing in the way of their chemistry… his wife! Will these ladies truly find happiness or will Falling in Love with a Rude Boy prove to be more complicated than they ever imagined????

Put Me Back Together Again 2


Karma Monae - 2017
    At what point, do you walk away and realize that you want better for yourself, and if and when you do leave, how do you deal with the loss of that person who was supposed to be your best friend? Ashleigh and Matt are at a crossroads in their relationship; At witts end Ash stakes claim on her life refusing to allow Matt to continue his doggish ways, not with her at least. And even though Matt is content on making her life a living hell for leaving him, Ashleigh doesn’t let that stand in the way of her and the sexy Dr. Ryan from taking things to the next level. Janay and Insane just can’t seem to get it right. While dealing with the loss of her ex, Janay suffers a series of emotions in which Insane can’t seem to handle. With his pride in the way of his true feelings Insane puts his feelings in a bag, focusing on his money completely abandoning Nay, or so she felt. Nay finds herself, fighting against herself, and the one person who happens save her is the least she expected. In this much-anticipated sequel love and pride seems to constantly be battle, resulting in shattered promises. Do let the pieces lay, or are they able to ‘Put them back together again?

The Black Effect 2


Charae Lewis - 2020
    Nadir and Amai are sworn enemies now that he has caught her in a compromising position. They both declare war and are willing to give up on what was once a captivating union. Things become even more complicated once bonds are severed and new people enter the picture. Amai is aggrieved and Nadir is incensed. Put those two together and you’ll get a beautiful catastrophe.

Charmed by a Prince 2: A Hood Fairytale


Mz. Lady P. - 2018
    This time around it’s more emotional than ever Charm met Prince when she needed him the most. He came in like a thief in the night and stole her heart. She wasn’t expecting his love because in her mind nobody wanted someone with a past like hers. However, Prince showed her that she was worthy of his love and so much more. Life for the couple was great until Majestic revealed that Prince had a hand in Shiloh’s death. Still reeling from that Charm can’t deal and goes into hiding. While away she gives birth and keeps it from Prince. He’s definitely not happy at all and going crazy not being able to find her. In this installment both Charm and Prince have a lot of soul searching to do in regards to their relationship. The couple realize that It’s hard being in love when you’re in a battle with your mind and your heart. That added with unforeseen forces that don’t want them to be happy. It’s going to take more than the Love they have for each other to overcome the issues that’s hindering them. Follow the Hood Prince and his Good Luck Charm as they embark on a Hood Fairytale like no one has ever seen.

Lovin' A Rich Savage : A Hood Love Standalone


Glitz - 2021
    

Giving My Heart To The King Of Atlanta


Mo Howard - 2018
    They have a million followers who check out their channel for pranks and couple travel videos. Chloe thinks life is perfect until she finds out that her prince charming is cheating. Humiliated and disrespected, Chloe gives up her YouTube channel and is back at square one, living on her best friend Layla’s sofa. Without Eric she feels like she can’t go on; that is until she runs into a handsome stranger, Cole Lewis, that reignites her need to create. What she doesn’t know is that her new boo is one of the most feared men in Atlanta. He runs the city with an iron fist and likes to be low-key, which doesn’t fit into Chloe’s public lifestyle. Somehow they learn to manage their relationship, but not without a few hiccups (like Eric trying to coming back in the picture and online haters who don’t want Chloe to be happy). 
 Layla has always been there for her best friend and that doesn’t stop when Chloe is at her lowest. Layla encourages Chloe to move on and forget about Eric. She wants her friend to be happy and she knows that Cole would be perfect for her. While trying to play match maker she goes through changes of her own with her high-school-sweet-heart-turned-fiancé, Ken. He is not the man that she thought he was. While dealing with a broken heart, she meets a man that takes her breath away, causing her to face a difficult question. Will she leave the love she’s known for years and try something new, or continue to hold her man down even though he hurt her? 
 Giving My Heart to the King of Atlanta is filled with love and drama. Chloe and Layla must go through their fair share of trials to get their happy endings.