Duffle Bag Bitches


Alicia Howard - 2012
    Louis ducking the FEDS on dope charges. When he relocated, he stepped his game up even another notch. He turned up on all the major hustles. He was getting money in every way- from moving work, robbery, and even pimping. He was getting it on all cylinders.Initially he ran a clique called the Duffle Bag Crew- the men on the team were beasts, and were comprised of Zane, Mack, and Dizzy. They hit every go-getter that liked to floss that paper. And they went hard all the time whether they needed the money or not.But sometimes you can’t send a man to do a woman’s job. Dallas set out to find a different breed of bitch. Not the kind that lie down and spread them wide to eat, but the kind that blew your fucking head off and took what the fuck she needed to survive. He had to train them well though so they would know he was the master. If he didn’t one of them bitches might bite him and takeover his whole operation.Shannon, Jasmine, Nisha, and Jay Baby are his thorough-breds. These women are headed to a world much bigger than what they were use to. Will money change them? Are they in over their heads dealing with Dallas? Can Dallas be trusted? Find out what happens when love, money, and trust gets tangled up in this gripping street masterpiece.

Hunger


Erica Simone Turnipseed - 2006
    His former identity as a successful investment banker and eligible bachelor has disappeared. A beleaguered graduate student, she's got no money, no man, and no Ph.D., yet. A year of predoctoral research in Haiti leaves Noire drained. And a trip home to Côte d'Ivoire offers Innocent little more than intermittent sexual gratification. In the aftermath of 9/11, Innocent and Noire are back in New York City and find solace in each other's bed. But even that arrangement collapses under the weight of Innocent's revelation that he has unfinished business in Africa. For Innocent and Noire, patching together their unraveling lives becomes an exercise in hope and humility. With Hunger, Turnipseed lives up to the promise of A Love Noire and has matured into a writer who fearlessly explores the intersection of sex, love, identity, and loss in a cross-cultural context.

My Bestfriend's Man


P. Dotson - 2015
    She’s a beautiful independent woman with a great career and a good man by her side. Brian, the new man in her life, is every woman’s dream. He’s fine, established, and paid. There is just one problem . . . Savannah isn’t over her ex. She still struggles with the wounds left by her first love, Brandon. Even though love has knocked her down once she is willing to give it another try if only her heart and her best friend Roxie will let her. Roxie holds no bars back when it comes to Savannah. Her love goes deeper than friendship, but the feelings aren’t reciprocated. Roxie isn’t thrilled about her best friend’s new man. She’s played this game before and she’s playing for keeps. While Savannah is convinced that Brian is a good guy, Roxie isn’t buying into Brian’s good boy persona. The more Roxie presses the issue the more she pushes Savannah away. Will Roxie’s over protective nature push Savannah away for good? Or, will Savannah find out some unsavory things about her new man? Find out as friendships are tested, and sanity is questioned. How will Roxie handle her best friend’s man?

The Dublin Girls: A powerfully heartrending family saga


Cathy Mansell - 2020
    To save them from the workhouse, Nell returns to the family home - a mere two rooms at the top of a condemned tenement.Nell finds work at a biscuit factory and, at first, they scrape through each week. But then eight-year-old Róisín, a delicate from birth, is admitted to hospital with rheumatic fever and fifteen-year-old Kate, rebellious, headstrong and resentful of Nell taking her mother's place, runs away.When Liam finds work in London, Nell stays to struggle on alone - her unwavering devotion to her sisters stronger even than her love for him. She's determined that one day the Dublin girls will be reunited and only then will she be free to follow her heart. Look for more gripping, heartwrenching page-turners from Cathy Mansell - don't miss A Place to Belong, out now.

Secrets and Lies


Rhonda McKnight Nain - 2009
    In her debut novel, McKnight delivers unforgettable characters and page-turning drama, when a couple whose troubled marriage is pushed to its limits sets out for revenge amidst secrets, lies, and a common enemy.

Stolen by A Billionaire 2


Miss J. - 2021
    

Blue Collar Blues


Rosalyn McMillan - 1998
    Champion Motors is shutting down plants and laying off their workers. Tensions are mounting and violence is erupting.

Can't Say No


Bette Ford - 2007
    He's also a notorious, no-good player—the wrong kind of man for a woman with big responsibilities. But at a mutual friend's lavish wedding, passion and curiosity get the best of maid of honor Vanessa, and Ralph reveals himself to be the best man in more ways than one.Ralph has had more than his share of women, but none has captivated him like Vanessa. To convince her that his player days are behind him, he'll have to show her what kind of man he truly is. He'll have to fight every inch of the way to break through her defenses and claim the blazing ecstasy they both want . . . and show her why she can't—and shouldn't—say no.

Like Dust, I Rise


Ginny Rorby - 2021
    When he quits his job in the Chicago stockyards to join other homesteaders settling the Great Plains, Nona finds herself torn between supporting her father's vision for their future and her mother's struggle to adjust to life on a desolate prairie.Initially, things look up for the family as they settle into life in Dalhart, Texas. The wheat boom is in full swing, and it appears her father's dream of providing his family with a home of their own is coming true. Too soon the effects of the depression impact her family. Then the rains stop. Before long, Dalhart is the epicenter of the Dust Bowl.Like Dust, I Rise transforms poverty into pride and reflects the heroism of endurance.

In Too Deep


Dwayne S. Joseph - 2007
    'In Too Deep' is a gripping novel about three brothers who choose very different life paths.

Pretenses


Keith Lee Johnson - 2004
    They next day, another high-ranking member of Washington's elite circle is killed - and soon government officials are being picked off one by one. The FBI is clueless. Who is doing the killing? And, more importantly, why? Enter Phoenix Perry: a tough, smart, and savvy FBI Agent known to hold her own against even the most lethal of criminals. Phoenix is supposed to be working on a serial rapist case, but is hand-picked by the President to find the identity of the assassin. Soon Phoenix finds that the two cases may be related - and that the culprit knows her every move.

All That Glitters


Alisa Valdes - 2011
    As their friendship grows, each woman ends up mentoring the other as they each seek to balance love, life and career. Satisfying romances for both women, with men you come to love. Poignant tale of friendship and family.

Hell Razor Honeys


Eyone Williams - 2008
    Vida is young, sexy and naive. That is until she grows tired of Samara, the leader of The Come Back Honeys using her body to entertain local hustlers. When Vida refuses to play the whore, Samara reacts and kicks her out of the crew. Alone, Vida stands firm and decides she will not be pushed around even if it means taking a few beat downs. On the sidelines, Tia, also a loaner decides she ll help Vida stand up against Samara even though it s not her battle. Their unity starts the beginning of a new gang they call, The Hell Razor Honeys. Only two girls strong, eventually they meet up with Ice, nicknamed because of her white skin and innocent nature. Her innocence quickly disintegrates once she becomes a member of the infamous crew. Despite a few fights, the Hell Razor Honeys were only known for tucking razors in their mouths and slashing a few faces. That is until they meet Tec. Under his watch, he teaches the girls a new hustle which includes murder, mayhem and larceny. Even though they go harder than most men, one look under their skirts would prove they re all women. But when Vida s grandmother begs her to get out of the streets, she complies vowing to change her life. But how can she when the friends she calls family maintain their hold? Take a journey with Vida, Tia and Ice as the rip through the streets of D.C., cruise through the city of New York and land on the L.A. Hollywood scene on a mission. Hell Razor Honeys reads like a fast paced car chase! This novel is one to die for, one bloody slice at a time!

Yonnondio: From the Thirties


Tillie Olsen - 1974
    Mazie, the oldest daughter in the growing family of Jim and Anna Holbrook, tells the story of the family's desire for a better life – Anna's dream that her children be educated and Jim's wish for a life lived out in the open, away from the darkness and danger of the mines. At every turn in their journey, however, their dreams are frustrated, and the family is jeopardized by cruel and indifferent systems.

Chocolate Star


Sheila Copeland - 1997
    Then the way to fame was leading him toward a mistake that could send him straight to hell...She never looked back.Lies, drugs, too many men-- golden skinned singer Topaz Black would do anything to get a hit to the top of the charts, even walk away from her friends and family. But surrounded by greed and lust, the love the longed for seemed to be slipping away forever.He broke all the rules.Brought up in South Central L.A., movie producer Gunther Lawrence learned early how to get the wealth and women he wanted-- and to turn his back on his roots. Now, blinded by Hollywood's glitter, his illusions may shatter when he discovers who really controls his career.As their lives touch, ignite, and explode, three talented African-Americans pursue fame at any cost...and the price may be their happiness...or their lives..An alternate selection of the Literary Guild and Doubleday Book Club