Book picks similar to
BITTER by Shakela James


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Baller Dreams


Tasha Macklin - 2012
    He is forced to make a number of decisions that will change his life. Choosing school over the mean Detroit's Eastside streets, the sudden reality of his poor circumstances make him painfully aware of the fortunes that can be made if he embarks on the career path of a hustler. Deciding that he wants to be a baller, Dre meets and forms an alliance with an older, very beautiful female named Destiny. Unbeknownst to him, she had a secret and motive that draws her to him, which causes her to assist him in making all of his plans reality. Dre and his closest friends will create a clique called the Eastside Syndicate and set a hustle in motion like Detroit has never seen. No one else in the city will be able to compete with the murder and muscle game that they release upon the streets. However, when he falls in love with another and finds himself at odds with Destiny, the beautiful temptress who helped to make his dreams come true will stop at nothing to bring Dre and the organization that he created to its knees. Dre has everything that a hustler could ever want. Only when the tide turns, he will quickly realize that the dream life he once lived was no more than a nightmare in disguise.

I Fell In Love With A Real Street Thug 2


Pebbles Starr - 2016
    It sort of just happened. With an unmistakable chemistry lingering between them, their attraction towards one another seems inevitable. But there's only one problem. Cue is hiding a deep, dark secret that could potentially destroy everything they worked so hard to build. Kylie thought her troubles were over after leaving her no good ex, Jamaal. Finding solace in the arms of another bad boy, she soon discovers that the grass isn't always greener. Will her new love interest give her the storybook ending she envisioned? Or will he ultimately be her downfall?

Workhouse Girl and The Veiled Lady: Victorian Romance


Dolly Price - 2020
    It also swallows her voice.Who could ever love a mute and broken girl like Olivia? Franklin Slater wants nothing more, but society slays his advances and Olivia is forced to flee once again.It seems that even the prayers of the voiceless fall on deaf ears.Is there no voice to speak up for this hidden heroine of the dark, Victorian streets?Can Franklin muster courage to find the woman he once desired and forsake his fears and family? And does the mysterious veiled lady he meets hold secrets that will lead him back to the heart of his one true love?If you love historical Victorian sagas that celebrate the resilience of the human heart in the face of insurmountable challenges you will love the deep and moving story of the Workhouse Girl and The Veiled Lady.

Loving a Cold Hearted Savage: Phire and Ice's Story


Elle Kayson - 2017
    What could be more elemental than Phire and Ice? Sapphire Henson and Isaiah Harrison had been riding together since childhood. She held him down through his days in the game and his thot-filled nights. But Phire had grown tired of Ice’s arrogance and when he crosses one bridge too many, is there a way for this couple to bounce back… especially when a sexy arms dealer known as Bleu is waiting in the wings to make her his own “Sapphire Bleu?” Elijah Harrison, II, can’t understand the back and forth nature of his brother Ice’s relationship with Phire. He’s convinced that Ice should be more like him and avoid drama by dodging relationships altogether… that is, till a wounded angel crosses his path one night. Ariana Alexander makes Jah throw away all his no-attachment rules. But will she allow her past to destroy any chance of their future? Joshua (Jace) Taylor was supposed to get his family out the hood the legitimate way—with his phenomenal basketball talent. His best friends, Ice and Jah, work hard to keep him out of the game and Jace works just as hard to keep up his college kid façade. Meeting the beautiful Laila MacNamara stirs his darkest desires, bringing out the side of him he wants to keep under wraps. Her heated responses to his dominance make it unlikely that the bad boy in him will stay hidden. Just as they begin to explore the limits of their passion, the intoxicating world of professional basketball, with its endless excesses, pulls at him. At twenty-one, can Jace stay strong enough to be true to Laila? Join these childhood friends from the East Side of San Antonio as they struggle to figure out where life—and love—will take them.

A Secret Hood Love Affair


Patrice Balark - 2018
    My father, Quincy, alongside his twin brother Quintin is known to the world as the leaders of the Taylor Cartel. Expensive cars, designer bags, shoes, and clothes, don’t excite me. That’s probably why I haven’t met a man yet who could hold my attention. Most think because I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth that I’m one of those prissy broads. But I’m far from it! I just so happen to run two of the most lucrative businesses, Daddy’s Girl, a Gentleman’s Club, and Taylor Made Constructions. Life is good, but it hasn’t always been sweet for me. I’m no different from the rest of the women in the world when it comes to these men and their games. Pierre was my first everything, he was my first love, and my first heartbreak. Even though I lost at the game of love, I still won a prize, and her name is Harmony Taylor. That’s right, the first time I had sex at the tender age of fourteen, I got pregnant. I know it sounds bad, but it is what is. I made a vow to myself to never fall in love again until I met a man that could live up to my father’s standards… JA I got the typical hood story. Grew up with a single mom. My pops died in a shootout when I was young. Word is, he was the toughest man alive and the right-hand man to the Taylor Twins. After my pops were long and gone, the twins looked out for us, they practically raised me and they are the reason I’m a young, ruthless, and rich now. Growing up protecting my OG and little sister Skylar, you’d think I’d be better with women, but the truth is told, it’s the opposite. I’m emotionless and simply unlovable, or so I thought… In this Urban Fiction Romance, you’ll take a ride with Princess and JA through the world of love, heartbreak, and broken promises.

Dope Boys Need Love Too


A.J. Davidson - 2018
    With the life style her father lives, she made it her business to branch off. Even though her beauty was evident, men wanted her more because of her last name. The Banks name carried weight in the streets and for once Air wanted her own life. She moved out of the city and focused on herself. One encounter at a restaurant led her into the arms of a man that was just as heavy in the dope game as her father. Not knowing of his way of life, she started falling for his charm. Ghoul has always been a cool, calm, and collective guy. He’s very calculated and knows how to keep it together even in the toughest situations. But sometimes, that’s easier said than done. Ghoul has been a Dope Boy for years and one thing he knew how to do was keep the street life and home life separated. Besides making sure his money was stacking up, his only other concern is taking care of his dying mother. Who knew by him doing something so drastic one night, would have him shift his energy to Air. Air was sassy, sexy and had a spark to her that made him want her even more. Ghoul laid all of his cards on the table for her in the beginning. There was nothing she didn’t know but Air had one secret she kept away from him, for a reason. With secrets being kept and enemies plotting, once the two collide, lives may be destroyed. Will these two have a chance of survival once Air finally reveal her secret? Will Ghoul have to constantly fight for Air’s attention to get her to see that even, Dope Boys Need Love too? Secrets will be told, love will be lost and only the strong will survive.

Meet Jon, the Billionaire: From Enemies to Lovers


Laura Olsen - 2021
    HEA guaranteed!

Master's Toy: Dark Mafia Romance


Faye Pierce - 2021
    

An Unexpected Find (Silver Falls #1)


Hayleigh Sol - 2020
    They might be perfect for each other...but they haven’t actually met.Will they continue to play it safe or will they risk another heartbreak for a chance at love?Best-selling author Jax Rowland is writing the first book of his next spy thriller series and it's not going well. If he can't create a deeper connection between his characters, he faces more negative reviews from readers fed up with his one-dimensional Bond-girls.Dr. Sophie Grimaldi is successful, single and content to remain that way. Disappointed (or worse) by romantic relationships all her life, the only interest she has in men these days are her delicious book boyfriends. When Sophie discovers a set of handwritten notes between the pages of a library book, curiosity quickly turns to exasperation over the author’s cringe-worthy attempt at a steamy sex scene. Automatically, she scribbles her own version, forgetting all about the page when she returns the book. She never imagines the author will find her revision.Embarrassed to view his work through a mystery critic’s eyes, Jax offers Sophie a job writing the love scenes of his next novel. As sexy emails and flirty texts turn into a friendship teeming with chemistry, Sophie and Jax agree to finally meet in person. But, a series of missed connections and unexpected twists make it clear that fate has other plans for them.Will they heed the warning signs or choose to write their own destiny?**Note: An Unexpected Find was originally published with the title Book Review. This revised version (12/2020) can be read as a standalone or the first in the Silver Falls series. Due to mature content, this book is recommended for readers 18+.

Dakota Peace


Megan Kinney - 2020
    Her peace is short lived when a flat tire strands her on the other side of South Dakota with nothing but her high heels and a speeding ticket. State Trooper Travis Wilkins offers to keep her company while she waits for a new tire, but the quick fix turns into an overnight stay which turns into an extended stay. She soon finds herself in the middle of a foster child’s kidnapping case helping the handsome law man. His presence doesn’t quite settle her anxious heart. With the support of her new friends and her blossoming relationship, Natalia starts to believe she could finally experience a peaceful life … until an armed madman threatens it all.

The Prince & His Cinderella


Mindy Neff - 1998
    A memory glitch. And a positive pregnancy test.Briana Duvaulle couldn’t be pregnant! She hadn’t done the deed…had she? And to make matters worse—now that it’s too late—the most exciting man Brianna has ever met has launched a no-holds-barred romantic pursuit of her!Although Joseph Castillo showers her with gifts and affections, it’s the lure of his passion and devotion that Brianna can’t resist. But just when she starts believing in fairy tales and happily ever after, she learns he’s a Prince!She’s a small town girl from Ohio and he’s next in line to rule an entire country. She can’t expect him to compromise his impeccable lineage for her and her mystery baby—especially when his family has arranged for him to marry someone else.Is it time for this Cinderella to escape?

Holding on to Hurt


Charlotte Roth - 2017
    the day she gets the call every mother dreads: Your son has been shot and is in a coma.In the blink of an eye, Irene’s life is shattered into a million pieces.What follows is a story about a mother and her struggle to keep, not only her son but eventually also her marriage and herself alive. On Irene's journey through grief, denial, and anger, she discovers more about the events of that tragic day, the boy who shot her son and then took his own life, and the husband she thought she knew and could trust. An emotional and heart-gripping story, Holding on to Hurt, is a novel about family, trust, grief, and a mother’s unconditional love. “If you love emotional reads and if you dare to open up your heart, you’ve come to the right place.

The Enigmatic Lady in the Ivory Tower


Hazel Linwood - 2020
    Sent to live with a tyrannical Marchioness, she feels her life is ruined. But her confinement to the country turns out to be more than just lessons for proper manners.A life of toil as a stable hand is everything Gabriel Rowan has ever known. Though well aware of his place, Diana’s visits to the stables awaken in him feelings he is forbidden to express.With the appearance of Diana’s suitor, Gabriel’s heart is shattered and reminded of what he can never have. But a single truth is enough to make a castle of lies crumble. And that truth, hidden and concealed for decades, falls in Diana’s hands in the form of a letter. A letter from the late Marquess addressed to his second son...

Fyast Life


Lola Bandz - 2014
    Meet Imani a college girl with ambitions that reach the sky and a yearning for love. Living in a world where her dreams are unattainable she hustles by day when shes done with the books. One night at the club she meets a smooth, loving gangsta by the name of Jake. Jake is surviving in this world of snakes and rats, trying to stay out of the dope game is his objective In life but it seems as though he will get roped back in with the help of his little brother . Once he lays eyes on Imani he sees his future clearer. Wanting to build an life with this beauty is consuming his mind. Come join this couple on their journey in the Fyast Life. A 2 part series.

Trophy Life


Elli Lewis - 2016
     Meet Amy, the world's most improbable trophy wife. She has a degree, ambitions and something resembling a mind of her own. The trouble is, she just doesn't use it anymore. Married to handsome aristocrat, Harry Green, Amy’s world is a whirlwind of luxury, labels and lunches. But amidst the peerages and polo of the privileged few lie wolves in minks' clothing. Before she knows it, Amy's perfect existence is plunged into chaos by the poshest of plots. Ominous heiresses, simpering starlets and a terrifying mother-in-law abound as Amy faces up to some harsh realities. Can Amy survive life in the upper crust? Or is high society an all new low?