Book picks similar to
Keeping You Close by Celya Bowers


african-american-romance
paperback
african-american-fiction
interracial-romance

First Comes Love Then Comes Murder


Reign - 2013
    Whether or not she killed him is not the question, because she was found soaked in his blood. What her high profile defense team must prove is that she acted in self defense. But as the case unravels and her raunchy, violent and greedy lifestyle is exposed, Jewels doubts if she'll ever see the light of day again. To make matters worse, she desperately tries to prevent her dirtiest marriage secrets from being exposed. First Comes Love, Then Comes Murder has all the raw, explicit and jaw dropping gore that fans have come to expect from Reign. Read at your own risk.

The House That Hustle Built


Nisa Santiago - 2015
    Pearla is a born hustler, and Cash was born to steal. Pearla sets her sights on Cash and motivates him to take his petty crimes to the next level.Together, the two get money throughout the tri-state, while friends and family want to be upgraded without putting in work. At first, the couple makes it rain in the hood, taking care of those they love, but a hustler always knows when to draw the line.Suddenly, Pearla proclaims the ATM closed, and a quiet storm begins to brew. When the beggars can't beg anymore and the borrowers can't borrow anymore, friends become enemies. Words and bullets are exchanged, leaving The House that Hustle Built under attack and at risk of collapse.

Nasty


Dr. XyZ - 2009
    Angry and bitter with the world over her life's failures, she goes on a sexual rampage and destroys everything in her path. She begins to slowly move in on one unsuspecting family with her sexual charms. She starts up a hot-and-heavy relationship with Carlos, a young music executive with big dreams and an even larger sexual appetite. Then she deflowers Carlos's wholesome brother, Jonathan, an up-and-coming basketball star. She's definitely on fire, but the summer is already hot for so many other reasons.Things get even more complicated when Carlos's mother is reunited with the love of her life. Eli is a recovering substance abuser and the father of her eldest child, Tarik, a talented neo-soul artist on the cusp of greatness. Thanks to Carlos's expert music management, Tarik was only seconds away from signing a major record deal - but Eli's unexpected arrival disrupts everything. Now that the family's core strength is completely weakened, Nicola can finally be her truly ruthless self.The summer continues to sizzle for this family as Nicola's grip tightens around the men who would sacrifice everything for her.

Never Kiss and Tell


Tracie Howard - 2004
    Successful Manhattan psychotherapist Brooke Parrish falls for Taylor Hudson, a handsome, ambitious ivestment banker with a prestigious New York firm who is trapped in a loveless marriage, but the situation is complicated when Taylor's wife, Kiernan Malloy, enlists Brooke's aid as her therapist to he

Your Husband, My Man 2


K.C. Blaze - 2014
    Tori is now fighting for a marriage he no longer thought he wanted while Lauren uncovers some deep secrets about her past. Marriage is a delicate thing and now that all secrets are bared will any of them get through it? Follow part two of this compelling story. It will have you thirsty for more!

Fatal Mistake (A Brooks' Family Values Series Book 2)


Iris Bolling - 2015
    It was rare, but he placed his heart and trust in the hands of a woman who not only deceived him, but wiped out his client’s bank account. It was a sting operation gone bad. There was no other way Ericka Kennedy could explain what happened. Oh…she got what she wanted, she always did. But this time she made a fatal mistake…she fell in love with the target. She was getting over it, until her brother needed help. Now she has to face the man she betrayed. Will Nick help, or handcuff her on sight?

The Knife in My Back


Stacey Covington-Lee - 2012
    She had a family that loved her and all of the advantages that came from being rich, smart and beautiful. She also had friends, one of which was Tameka Williams. Tameka was a desperate woman looking to gain fortune, fame and love at any cost. It didn't matter who she hurt or used as long as she got what she wanted in the end. Despite the warnings from others, Brook took Tameka in and tried to love her as a sister. However, after taking the one thing that meant the most to Brook, it was time for the tables to turn. Tameka had used and betrayed her for the last time.

Bruised - PT 1


Azárel - 2005
    She is a nice girl with an attraction to the wrong types of men. No one seems to understand why she would get involved with a notorious criminal. After settling into a dangerous relationship with Devon, her life takes a drastic change for the worse. Caught between his material gifts and controlling behavior she searches for a way out. The battle to save Carlie from Devon's grip puts the lives of many people in jeopardy. By the time she realizes that force is needed when going up against Devon, it is too late. Carlie's fight to stay alive will keep you on edge. Will she give in? Or die trying?

Sellout


James W. Lewis - 2010
    Self-haters. Sellouts. Loan Officer Tammy McDonald has just come out of another failed relationship with a wannabe thug. To break this destructive pattern, she leaves her home city of Dallas for San Diego. As she settles in rainbow California, fantasies of meeting an ebony prince fade, so she eyes Dale Bristol as a potential ivory replacement. Terrell Jackson is San Diego's only black optometrist. Women regularly drop in for more than just eye exams, but he stays true to his girl Tasha until a wet dream unleashes a ridiculous outburst. Fed up with her jealous fits, he denounces the common "dedramanators" in his life-black women. Even though Penelope Miller was raised in the South by a racist father once affiliated with the KKK, she can't ignore her attraction to black men. But she never expected to fall in love with one...nor did she expect her "interracial felony" to threaten their lives. SELLOUT follows these three individuals and the consequences of dating outside their race. In the quest to find what they think is missing in their lives, they encounter guilt, fear and mess they never anticipated...including murder.

This Is Life


Shakara Cannon - 2012
    Sequel to This Can't Be Life

A Taste of Honey


Darren Coleman - 2007
    Forced by events that leave her to fend for herself as a teenager, she evolves into a money-hungry vixen as an adult. Using her physical attributes to lead a suspect lifestyle, Honey treats men like toys—good for a while, but always disposable.That is until she meets handsome and charismatic Khalil Graves, an up-and-coming filmmaker who's desperately trying to escape the demons of his painful childhood. Already engaged, Khalil can't seem to shake his attraction to Honey. What he doesn't realize is that he's a pawn in Honey's plan for revenge.Honey's attempt at vengeance quickly unravels, complicated by her possible involvement in a murder and a devious plot to score a payday lucrative enough to free her from her unsavory lifestyle.In A Taste of Honey, Essence bestselling author Darren Coleman delivers another sizzling, drama-filled tale that is sure to take his reputation for delivering page-turners to another level.

Something to Talk About (The Cochran/Deveraux Series)


Melanie Woods Schuster - 2012
    Adam Cochran has a lot on his mind because he's recently admitted to himself that he's in love with his best friend and business partner, Alicia Fuentes. She's always been hands-off to him because they made a promise to stay friends and only friends. He'd finding it harder and harder to keep that promise because he wants her like he's never wanted anything or anyone in his life. Alicia is going through the same thing because she's been in love with Adam for years and the same promise has kept her from admitting her feelings for him. But true love will always find a way and they finally break down the barriers that have kept them in the BFF category and find their way into each other's arms. Being in love is wonderful and their passion exceeds all their expectations. Adam proposes and she accepts, but when Big Benny announces to the family that he fathered a son while he was married to his late wife, Lillian, everything changes,Adam is furious and refuses to have anything to do with his new half-brother, even though the rest of the family is willing to accept him. Benita tries to convince Adam that John is a good man, reminding him that John Flores is the man her saved her sanity and helped her reconcile with Clay after the tragic car accident that made her miscarry their first child, Even after finding how how Big Benny came to have a one-night-affair with John's mother, Adam isn't convinced that he can forgive his father and accept his brother. His angst drives a wedge between him and Alicia and causes her great distress.But when it's revealed that John is dying of the same condition that caused his mother's death and that Adam is the only one who can save him through a living transplant, Adam has no choice but to do the right thing and volunteer to help his newest sibling. Now it's Alicia who has the [roblem because she's afraid that something will happen to Adam during the surgery.Adam's tender love and infinite passion show Alicia that she has nothing to fear, that he and John will both come through the procedure with flying colors so that he and Alicia can live a life filled with love. And he's right; everything works out perfectly and they begin their new life together.Of course, there's the small matter of what becomes of John Flores-Cochran and his acerbic assistant "Miss Parker", and that's what book seven, A Fool for You is all about. Happy reading!

Persistent Heart: (Novella)


K. Charelle - 2020
    Two strangers... Instant attraction... Nicolette and Lem!

Hood Supreme 2


Mz. Lady P. - 2020
    With their fate resting in the hands of the government the ladies in their life have to run things. Miyani, Gavin, and Dream have stepped up in a major way for the men that they love. While her grandsons have been behind the wall Ms. Gladys has groomed the girls to be the Boss Bitches that Team Supreme needs. Givenchy, Prada, and Fendi still reign over all things Supreme. However, the enemies are coming out the wood works and trying to wreak havoc. The streets is watching and the government is lurking. The imminent threats have them on high alert and ready for whatever. Besides dealing with the beef in the streets they have to deal with past loves and family betrayal that threaten the women that they love. It’s one thing to protect the family you come from but, a totally different thing when you have to protect the family you’ve created. All bets are off in this installment of the highly anticipated best selling series. The Alexander Brothers will not play when It comes down to Miyani, Gavin, and Dream. It’s about to be bloodshed in the Chi courtesy of Team Supreme❗️

Chosen by a Chicago Savage 3: The Finale


Jade Jones - 2021