Book picks similar to
When's the Last Time? by Monica Walters


contemporary-fiction
favorite-couple
jaded-dark-inside
music

Keeping Secrets & Telling Lies


Trice Hickman - 2009
    She's a beautiful, business savvy sister who owns one of Atlanta's most sought after event planning companies. He's a powerful, blue-eyed CEO who knows how to take care of business in and out of the boardroom. But their seemingly happy life begins to unravel in the blink of an eye when long held desires and decades old secrets come back to haunt them. Victoria's road to deceit begins when Parker Brightwood re-enters her life. She thought she'd gotten over the brazenly handsome surgeon who once stole her heart, but an unusual set of circumstances ushers the ebony prince back on the scene, and this time he's determined to win her back at any cost. Ted's undoing begins with his mother's sudden death, and a mysterious secret that leads to unexpected places. When the truth is finally revealed, it's a realization so shocking, it threatens the life and marriage he holds so dear. As Victoria and Ted journey down a road filled with uncertainty, they're forced to take a hard, honest look at themselves and confront their hidden fears. Can they repair the damage before it's too late, or will they follow a path headed toward destruction?

À la Carte: The Complete ‘Coffee Date’ Novellas


Nia Forrester - 2018
    On the anniversary of the most tragic event of his life, Randall “The Rocket” Reese must face down paparazzi outside his house, a big sister who won’t stay out of his personal life, and a coffee date with an “old classmate” from high school whom he barely remembers. His plan is to wallow in solitude, but Fate has plans of its own. 'Just Lunch' Randall “The Rocket” Reese is beginning to reclaim his life both professionally and personally, with a new outlook, and a new woman, Dani Erlinger, by his side. Rand and Dani are in a comfortable groove that suits them both, but an unexpected invitation ‘just for lunch’ and a calamitous weekend excursion have them questioning whether they’ve become much too comfortable, much too soon. 'Table for Two' After taking a high-profile position, Rand Reese’s visibility is once again on the rise; but returning to the public eye also means revisiting some of the uglier parts of his past. That past has Dani questioning whether anyone can make a relationship work under the glare of fame and notoriety. Even two people committed to making it work. 'À la Carte' A ‘Coffee Date’ BONUS Drop-In An unexpected visitor up-ends the rhythm of the new life Rand and Dani are building together, reminding them of the consequences of Rand’s difficult past, and raising even tougher questions about their future.

In Her Neighbor's Bed


Angie Daniels - 2011
    Then to her dismay, her parents call and insist she bring her fiancé home to Virginia for the holidays. With Christmas only three weeks away, Zanaa better find a fiancé quick, fast and in a hurry, otherwise, her family’s going to have every eligible bachelor in town lined up at the door. In a state of panic, Zanaa ask Scott Simmons to marry her. Only it isn’t a real proposal—it’s just to get her family off her back. Except the man she just propositioned, her sexy next-door neighbor, is all too irresistibly real. And now that Zanaa has made the first move, the videogame entrepreneur has every intention of taking the relationship all the way.

The Sweetest Revenge (The Sweetest Love Book 1)


Grey Huffington - 2018
    She's the only one to blame and takes full responsibility for the lack of commitment he's shown throughout their time together. As another year rolls around, and their fifth anniversary approaches, Earth decides that she can no longer withstand his ill-treatment and the neglecting of her deepest desires. She conjures a plan and, strategically, dismantles Premise from his core with a simple tap of her finger and flick of her wrist. For Premise, the term, "What you won't do, another will," doesn't quite hold relevance in his life until he's on the receiving end of indescribable pain caused by the woman he thought would continue to wait in vain until he noticed her.

Pretty Lives Ugly Truths


K. Elle Collier - 2014
    it also has its downfalls. Langston Monroe redefined the R&B genre but his children paid the price. Growing up, Malcolm, Lance and Lacey appeared to have the picture-perfect life. But their reality was nothing anyone could have ever suspected. Now, twenty years after their father’s death, his children are still struggling with their tumultuous past and fighting to keep it from ruining their current lives and most intimate relationships.  Malcolm Monroe, his own worst enemy, is a filmmaker whose struggling career threatens his marriage. Lance Monroe, the highly successful ex-NFL player turned commentator can't seem to get his life together, standing accused of countless charges from a night gone wrong, he struggles to put his self-made demons behind him.  Lacey Monroe, the R&B diva and wild-child who desperately seeks the stability and love she never got as a child, clings to a man she hopes will save her from a secret revealed. Together, these three siblings fight to break free of their father's painful legacy, years of hurt and deceit, and forge their own path once and for all.

A Tale of Two Cities: A Thanksgiving Novella


Alexandra Warren - 2018
    But who's to say that's the only one? For actress Aspen Watson, all it takes is a trip back to her hometown for Thanksgiving for her to realize that sometimes home can be where the heart is in more ways than one. ;) A Tale of Two Cities Collection: Cute & Sweet Millennial Meets Over a Holiday, All With One Thing In Common; Cities. Note: This is a short novella with a happy-for-now ending. If you prefer your stories longer, I'd recommend checking out another Alexandra Warren project. :)

Sugar Rush


A. Jones - 2018
    For years she’s given up on her dreams to keep peace within her family, but now she’s ready to pursue the life she wants. With one small window of opportunity she’s given room to do just that, however, not everyone is happy for her. Facing the repercussions of her decision from her family and a surprising diagnosis that’s threatening everything she’s been working for leaves Melanie wondering if her dreams were ever supposed to be anything more than a dream. Then enters Kamali James – a natural born nurturer and a man who has been a giver and lover all of his life… until he crosses paths with the beautiful Melanie Moore. Melanie doesn’t have time for a relationship, let alone the emotional strength to deal with everything she’s going through. Will she let Kamali in to be the rock that she needs and continue pursuing her dreams, or will she give up on everything... including him?

I'll Be Home for Christmas


Beverly Jenkins - 2019
    Now America’s onetime favorite couple are about to be reunited in Morgan’s Detroit hometown for the holidays. Is this the season for forgiving and forgetting? With sizzling kisses under the mistletoe, Morgan vows to make this a Christmas Dina will never forget!Originally published in 2011

To Love A Stranger


Adrianne Byrd - 2007
    Then, six years after being lost at sea, her prodigal husband returned. And to Madeline's amazement the newfound Russell Stone was nothing like the old, womanizing rascal she'd married. Her new man was loving and considerate, kind, romantic and...very sexy. Madeline found herself doing something she thought she would never do--falling in love with her husband.Now Madeline faces a dilemma: Should she accept her happily-ever-after ending, or should she expose the troubled, yet loving stranger who now shares her bed?

Elevate Me


AshleyNicole - 2016
    Raised with a silver spoon in her mouth, she’s not used to not getting what she wants, and she for sure isn’t used to people speaking to her the way this rude furniture designer just did. Shai Jacobs is both proud and prejudice, against everything that Nyah stands for. But then again, she’s cute and she intrigues him. She’s also willing to admit her faults and take a step in the right direction. Is love enough to elevate them to common ground?

A New York Kind of Love


Synithia Williams - 2015
    This small-town nurse has too many responsibilities, including caring for her aging parents, to be interested in fame or status. But as the sensual celebrity escorts her to exclusive Manhattan nightclubs and glitzy movie premieres, Faith is falling fast for the genuine, charismatic man behind the slick media image. More used to fanatics and groupies, Irvin Freeman is surprised and intrigued by Faith's down-to-earth personality. One impulsive kiss turns their private flirtation into public news. But paparazzi and crazed admirers are making her doubt their potential as a couple. Will the pressures of fame cause their love to fade before he can convince her they've found their own real-life happy ending?

Claiming His Valentine


Lulu Pratt - 2019
    Then some expensive lingerie comes wrapped with a big pink bow. Finally a card arrives which simply says ‘you’re mine, be ready at seven.' I don’t know what makes me do it but I’m ready and waiting at 6:55. There’s a knock at my door, three short raps that send tingles down my spine. My hand trembling, I open the door and my jaw drops. It's my filthy rich boss and he means business. ***Pure alpha novella, no cliffhangers, no cheating, and a guaranteed happily-ever-after***

Count On This


Niobia Bryant - 2006
    Caught up in a whirlwind romance, the two lovebirds get hitched. But when Lex, who is the CEO of a prestigious family-owned firm, wakes up the next morning and realizes what he's done, he gets cold feet and pressures April for an annulment. In a fit of rage, April decides to fly to New York and announce their nuptials. But is she really strong enough to withstand Lex's demands to end the marriage? Or will he stand up to his family and finally follow his heart?

Lula Mae


Bianca Cuie - 2013
    She was born and raised in a Creole community that is still mending from a past which caused rifts between loved ones, who are forced to redefine their identities as a consequence of their collective history. A rare and educated young woman of promise with a heart of gold, oppressed by untold dysfunction within her own family, Lula Mae rebels and courageously carves out a life on her own with the help of her faith and with the one whom she trusts the most. Lula Mae seeks to find her purpose and embarks on a new life for herself in pursuit of her dreams to be a blessing to her children and family. However, Lula Mae is unknowingly being undermined every step of the way by the one closest to her heart. When confronted with the truth, Lula Mae must decide a way forward for her life, and must decide whether or not she should let go of the one nearest to her heart - and at what cost.

Loving Man


Bailey West - 2020
    Fresh out of a long-term relationship, he cemented his newly single status by accepting Piper Andrews’s invitation back to her room that first night. It was all fun and games until a few months later, when he received a phone call from the woman he barely knew.She was pregnant—with his child.Heralded as a culinary savant, Angel Saint Rose studied alongside the world’s best Chocolatiers. It wasn’t just a job for her. When honing her skills with chocolate confections, she was in her element—until she received a phone call that changed her life.And killed her passion.When Xander and Angel’s roads converge, can they call on each other to help find their way back?