February 7, 2010
Congratulations (Urban Renaissance)
by Darrin Lowery
Urban Books
Available 02/01/10 in Paperback
Congratulations is the story of Tiffany Garner and Thomas Anthony Young. After eight months of dating, Tiffany thinks that any day now, Thomas will propose to her. That is until they get into a senseless argument before Thomas leaves on a business trip. Tiffany is hurt by the words that are exchanged. To get her mind off her troubles, she decides to go a wedding with her best friend, Alicia. While there, Tiffany’s world is turned upside down when she sees Thomas not out of town, but at the wedding.
January 31, 2010
Kensington
Available 02/01/10 in Hardcover
New York Times bestselling author Carl Weber cranks up the heat in this explosive follow-up to Something on the Side–a novel of friendship, family ties, and the bonds–and betrayals–of love. . .
Isis and her sister, Egypt–two of the original curvaceous members of the Big Girls Book Club–have hightailed it out of New York and settled in Richmond, Virginia, where they’ve started a new chapter of the BGBC. The same rules apply here: You must be at least a bodacious size 14 to join. Living in the plush suburbs, Isis has it all–almost. The thirty-seven-year-old plus-size beauty is happily married to Rashid, and they’re living in the lap of luxury. There’s just one thing missing. They want to start a family. Enter Egypt, who’s moved into her sister’s McMansion with dreams of starting over. There’s just one hitch: before her sister married Rashid, he was Egypt’s man for ten years. Egypt thought she was over him, but the close quarters are giving both her and her sister doubts. She’s ready to pack her bags until Isis and Rashid ask her for a serious favor. Egypt knows she shouldn’t get involved, but she can’t say no to her sister–even if the price might be way too high for them all. Egypt isn’t the only one with drama. Rumor has it that Loraine–Isis’s brilliant boss and one of BGBC’s newest members–is in the running to be her sorority’s next national president. But Loraine has more than one secret that will ruin her if they ever see the light of day. Thank goodness only one other person knows them–BGBC’s first male member, Jerome–and what he knows just might destroy him. As friendships and family and past and present collide, these book lovers are about to learn that drama can follow you wherever you go–and that big girls do cry…
January 31, 2010
Dafina
Available 02/01/10 in Paperback
In Lutishia Lovely’s wickedly sexy new novel, an energetic young pastor works overtime to keep the ladies in his congregation deliciously satisfied. . .
Nathaniel “Nate” Thicke is a preaching prodigy. At only twenty-eight years old, he’s the senior pastor of The Gospel Truth Church. In addition to carrying on the preaching tradition begun by his great-grandfather, Nate is also just plain carrying on, wherever the spirit–and the flesh–lead him. And when it leads him to three women from the same family, bickering and backstabbing follow…
Content with having his pick of the flock, Nate is surprised to discover he’s fallen head-over-heels in love, and decides to become a one-woman man. But the other ladies aren’t about to give him up so easily. They’re prepared to do whatever it takes to get their man back–even if it means adding a few more shocking sins to their list…
January 11, 2010
Deep Deception (Urban Renaissance)
by Tina Brooks McKinney
Urban Books
Available 11/01/09 in Paperback
Death has a way of exposing secrets better left untold, and no one knows this better than sisters Elena and Adora Perez. They are about to find out that things aren’t always as they seem.
Elena takes a bite of forbidden fruit when she becomes romantically involved with her boss. The one-night fling leaves her pregnant with another man’s child and headed straight to divorce court.
Adora can identify with her sister as she, too, harbors a secret love that goes against their strict upbringing. After the sudden death of their mother, Adora enlists the help of her lover to unravel a decade’s worth of deceit.
Armed with letters written by their father, the sisters soon find out that deception runs deep, and their time here in America has been based on a lie. The man they once respected has become a symbol of fear with a hidden agenda, and he has no intentions of releasing them from a contract they didn’t sign.
Deep Deception demonstrates how greed and the love of money can twist perception. As the mystery unfolds, readers will be shocked by the consequences of these vices.
January 10, 2010
The bestselling romances, featuring African American characters or written by African Americans, published in 2009 (as of 1/10/2010).
- The Conversation: How Black Men and Women Can Build Loving, Trusting Relationships by Hill Harper
(Gotham, 09/08/09, Hardcover)
| In his first book for adults, New York Times bestselling author Hill Harper invites you to join the Conversation: an honest dialogue about the breakdown of African — American relationships. For generations African Americans have turned to their families in times of need — but now, this proud and strong legacy is in peril. Black men and women have stopped communicating effectively and it threatens the very relationships and marriages necessary to sustain the Black family. Today, less than a third of Black children are being raised in two — parent households, a sharp decline from past generations. So, why is it so difficult for Black men and women to build long — term, loving and mutually beneficial relationships? What is happening in the community that makes it so hard for women and men to find their way to each other? And why are there so few people who manage to hold a marriage together, even after finding a person to love? In his moving yet practical book, Hill Harper undertakes a journey both universal and deeply personal in search of answers to these questions. He has conversations with friends and strangers — married, single and divorced — and learns about their private struggles, emotional vulnerabilities, and real concerns, and begins to see common themes emerge. As his journey picks up momentum, Hill begins to recognize his own struggles in other people’s stories, and is encouraged to more deeply examine his own relationship issues. Why does so much misinformation and mistrust exist between the sexes? Hill addresses the stereotypes that have developed in the Black community, in the hope that by addressing the challenges, Black men and women can find their way to common ground. The Conversation aims to open up the lines of communication, and offers inspiration to those who want to take control of this crisis and start building successful, sustainable relationships. |
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- Wrapped in Pleasure: Delaney’s Desert Sheikh\Seduced by a Stranger (Arabesque) by Brenda Jackson
(Kimani Press, 01/01/10, Mass Market Paperback)
Two Westmoreland novels — one classic and one new — from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Brenda Jackson
Delaney’s Desert Sheikh
A mix-up in Delaney Westmoreland’s vacation plans forces her to share a cabin with a tall, dark and oh-so-handsome sheikh who is bent on her seduction. Jamal Ari Yasir intends to school Delaney in sensuality for his own pleasure. But instead of loving and leaving her, he becomes enraptured by an irresistible and unforgettable passion for his sexy-as-sin roommate. Can the arrogant sheikh convince his secret lover that they are fated for more than just a summer fling?
Seduced by a Stranger
Johari Yasir has no interest in returning to her homeland to marry a man she’s never met — at least, not without sowing some wild oats first. And when a handsome charmer offers to whisk her away in his private plane, she impulsively accepts. Rasheed Valdemon is shocked that his bride-to-be would fly off with someone she barely knows — even though he’s the one doing the asking. More surprising is his hunger for this lovely, rebellious woman. Yet what will happen when she realizes she’s been seduced by the man who’s destined to be her husband? |
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- Total Eclipse of the Heart by Zane
(Atria, 12/01/09, Hardcover)
| Brooke Alexander, a waitress who has self-esteem issues regarding her lackluster existence and her fluctuating weight, is in love with Patrick Sterling, one of the most prominent attorneys in Washington, D.C. On his good days, Patrick is the man in every woman’s dream. On his bad days, Patrick’s behavior is demeaning and he is angry at the world.Damon Johnson, who’s been married to Carleigh for four years, is one of “the last good men” — compassionate and honest, he worships the ground his wife walks on. But Carleigh treats Damon like a trophy husband, allowing her friends to salivate over him and disrespect their happy home. Damon has dreams beyond his six-figure corporate job, and Carleigh views his life aspirations as a joke. Her selfish nature makes Damon wonder if he made the right decision when he asked for her hand in marriage.When a tragic event causes Brooke’s and Damon’s lives to intersect, truths unfold as they begin to reflect on their own relationships.In this provocative tale of love and heartbreak, Zane explores what happens when you cater to your emotional well-being and discover the meaning of unconditional love…or, rather, experience a total eclipse of the heart. |
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- Mama Dearest by E. Lynn Harris
(Karen Hunter, 09/22/09, Hardcover)
| One of E. Lynn Harris’s incomparable heroines, Yancey Harrington Braxton, is working her way back to Broadway and beyond. And this diva supreme always stirs up drama in and out of the spotlight….New York City, you’ve been warned: Yancey Harrington Braxton is back. The ambitious singer and actress is fired up to move past her recent professional and personal setbacks — including an explosive romance with NFL tight end John Basil Henderson — and prove her talents are stronger than ever. After being out on tour, Yancey realizes what she really wants is to star in her own reality TV series, and she’s even found a rich and well-connected lover to make it happen. There are, however, two women fierce enough to derail Yancey’s plans with ambitions of their own: Madison B., a hot new bombshell taking the music industry by storm, and Ava Middlebrooks, who happens to be Yancey’s own mama dearest.Ava is out, about, and ready to reclaim her throne. Not even a stint in prison for attempted murder has curbed Ava’s competitive nature, and it doesn’t faze her in the least that her #1 rival is her own daughter. Ava is willing to do whatever it takes to make Yancey pay, including using Madison B. to turn Yancey’s world upside-down by forcing her to confront the past…and making her comeback dreams more exciting and dangerous than she ever imagined.Taking readers on a wild, passion-filled tour of the entertainment world, E. Lynn Harris’s Mama Dearest delivers sensual thrills and electric plot twists — with one unforgettable woman of radiant star power, sexual magnetism, and unapologetic ambition at the heart of the action. |
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- Head Bangers: An APF Sexcapade (Strebor Quickiez) by Zane
(Strebor Books, 05/26/09, Paperback)
| Hope and Faith: two things that everyone needs to survive. But the words take on a different meaning in the form of a set of twins who attend Crockett University in Washington, D.C. As seniors, they are looking forward to a bright future in corporate America. Meanwhile, they have decided to relieve some of the stress involved in getting a higher education by being members of APF.Soror Ride ‘em High and Soror Lick ‘em Low, originally hail from Atlanta and, like most twins, they share a connection. In fact, their physical bond is so strong, that one can often feel a pounding in her vagina while the other is engaged in sexual activity. But everything is not perfect when it comes to being a twin. Sometimes animosity and jealousy can creep in; especially when Hope and Faith find themselves both attracted to the same man on campus. Is blood really thicker than water? Or, in this case, thicker than basic carnal desires?In this long-anticipated second volume in the APF series, a follow-up to The Sisters of APF: The Indoctrination of Soror Ride Dick, New York Times Bestselling Author Zane, once again proves why she is “The Queen of Erotic Fiction.” Over the years many have tried to emulate her but Zane’s imagination is not to be replicated any time in the near future. The freak nights of APF are some of the most artistic, exhilarating, erotic experiences that have ever graced the pages of a book; evidenced by the thousands of emails Zane has received over the years from women yearning to join the sorority.The sexual revolution continues…within the pages of Head Bangers: An APF Sexcapade. |
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- Resurrecting Midnight by Eric Jerome Dickey
(Dutton Adult, 08/25/09, Hardcover)
| International assassin Gideon spilled blood for the first time when he was seven years old, with a single shot to the head of a man who was attempting to kill the woman Gideon had known as his mother. The victim was none other than his own father, a man of unspeakable evil. This pivotal event shaped Gideon throughout his life, made him who he is, one of the fiercest, most feared hired guns in the world. And one of the most hunted. After nearly losing his life in Antigua during a mission that went terribly wrong, Gideon trusts no one. But when a former lover and grifter, Arizona, resurfaces in need of his skills, she reminds him he was indebted to a man who had once saved his life: the son of the legendary con-man Scamz. Gideon is forced to take on an assignment which will lead him to Argentina in pursuit of a briefcase containing one part of a larger puzzle. The “package” contains material that another group of assassins – the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse – will kill to obtain and protect. One of the leaders of the Four Horsemen has a connection to Gideon that neither man is aware of — a connection that will be exposed when they meet face-to-face and gun-to-gun. Each member of The Four Horsemen is a world-class killer, each with a dark and dangerous past, and nothing will stop that team of renegades from completing their mission. As Gideon struggles to keep promises and uncover information about his past, he finds himself at the center of the ultimate double-cross and he is forced to do what he must to protect himself and those closest to him. Set amidst the exotic and vibrant streets of Miami and Buenos Aires, Resurrecting Midnight is an action-filled, pulse- pounding thriller from bestselling author Eric Jerome Dickey. |
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- Ride Wit’ Me by Deja King
(A King Production/Young Diamond Book, 09/29/09, Paperback)
| Check out Mercedes and Dalvin, two beautiful young lovers in a modern day story that is destined to be a classic. Mercedes is truly a daddy s girl. She is his crown jewel and nothing in the world is more precious to him. Mercedes does everything to please her father until she falls in love the very first time.Dalvin is a rising Kingpin. His family runs the streets of Chicago and he is destined to take over the helm one day. Falling in love is the last thing on his mind until he meets Mercedes Clinton. He s instantly mesmerized by her beauty. She is the girl of his dreams and someone he immediately feels he s destined to spend the rest of his life with.But sometimes in love, things are not meant to be. Parents can sometimes seem to be your enemy and the streets will always have their way of trying to destroy anything good. Will Mercedes and Dalvin fall victim to the obstacles standing in their way, or will they fight against the odds and ride it out. |
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- Supreme Clientele by Ashley & JaQuavis
(Urban Books, 05/01/09, Paperback)
| “Every Hustler’s reign ends in one of two ways…prison or death.” Refusing to let the prediction become a reality, Julius “Jules” Carter creates new rules to an old game. Strategically, he forms one of the most notorious drug operations Harlem has ever seen. Jules thought the game was his biggest challenge that is until he meets Tish. Young and Ambitious she is determined to escape from Harlem’s allure, but her love for Jules has her rooted. She gets tangled in his web of lies and deceit. When she finds out about his past demons and connects them with her own, she soon finds out that there’s a thin line between love and hate. You can’t turn a bad girl good, but once a good girl turns bad she’s gone forever. Julius finds out the hard way that everything done in the dark eventually comes to light. Ashley and JaQuavis narrate a fast paced, suspenseful tale of one of Harlem’s biggest drug lords, his rise to power, and the woman behind him. |
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- The Ideal Wife by Jacquelin Thomas
(Pocket, 10/06/09, Paperback)
| Marrying a handsome, wealthy lawyer and living in a Hollywood Hills mansion…it’s a dream come true for twenty-four-year-old Jana, from the moment Lawrence Collins swept her off her feet and into his luxurious world. True, she put her studies at a local Bible college on hold in order to wed after a six-month whirlwind romance. Beautiful and vivacious, with a stunning body, Jana knows men like Lawrence don’t come along every day, and she vows to be a perfect companion — the ideal wife — to this sexy, powerful man. But at what price? From her wardrobe and hairstyle to her friends and her choice of church, Lawrence seems to want to change Jana into someone she’s not…and soon, the man Jana thought she knew will test her values and her faith with a shocking revelation that goes against everything she believes. How far will Jana be willing to go to keep the man she loves? With her “ideal” marriage falling apart, Jana — the real, modest, smart, and strong girl who knows what she stands for — must put her trust in God, and follow His guiding light out of the darkness of a broken relationship. |
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- One Night with the Wealthy Rancher (Silhouette Desire) by Brenda Jackson
(Silhouette, 08/11/09, Mass Market Paperback)
| Texas Cattleman’s Club member Darius Foster is tired of women chasing after his millions. But his jaded heart is about to get a jump-start.The wealthy rancher never expected to see Summer Martindale in his part of Texas. Darius was still trying to forget that incredible night they’d spent together…a night that never should have happened. Certain she had relocated just to get close to him–and his money–the ex-lawman vowed to keep his distance. But when danger came calling, Darius knew he was the only one who could protect Summer. And that meant getting closer to her…in every way! |
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- One Night With You (Grayson Friends) by Francis Ray
(St. Martin’s Paperbacks, 11/03/09, Mass Market Paperback)
| Cougars, brush fires, snow storms — rancher Duncan McBride tackles it all without a flinch. But the archeologist who’s come to authenticate cave drawings found on his property is the kind of trouble he’d sworn to avoid. Far from the aging academic he was expecting, Raven La Blanc is a stunning woman…and definitely not sticking around this small Montana town once her job is done.The primitive drawings at Duncan’s ranch are Raven’s ticket to the tenured position she’s worked so hard for back in Santa Fe. But there’s no denying the attraction between her and Duncan. Maybe, just this once, she can put her work aside and explore the depths of her own heart and soul? One night may be all it takes for Raven to really find what she’s looking for… |
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- Unconditionally Single by Mary B. Morrison
(Dafina, 08/01/09, Hardcover)
| New York Times bestselling author Mary B. Morrison thrills readers with another riveting tale featuring beloved heroine Honey Thomas. This time, Honey goes into hiding to save her life–and fights to keep past enemies from destroying the future she so desperately wants. . .Honey Thomas once made her living as a tough-talking prostitute and madam, but those days are long gone. Now, Honey runs a counseling center she founded in Atlanta that helps women like her get off the streets. The best part is Honey’s new life is being bankrolled by money stolen from her ex-pimp, Valentino James. But no matter how fast Honey runs, she never seems to break free from her demons. Valentino knows Honey has his money–fifty million dollars to be exact–and he’s willing to kill her to get it back. Honey escapes from Valentino by the skin of her teeth, but she knows the time has come to disappear for a while and figure out where her life is headed. In her heart, Honey still aches for Grant Hill, the love she lost when he learned about her dark past. How much more must she lose before she finally finds some peace? Like a cat, Honey Thomas seems to have nine lives, and she’s used up just about every last one of them. But life still has a few surprises left for Honey–and if she’s willing to risk everything, she may just get that happy ending her heart and soul desire. . . |
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- Bachelor Untamed (Kimani Romance) by Brenda Jackson
(Kimani, 10/01/09, Mass Market Paperback)
| One mind-blowing kiss. That was all Ellie Weston shared with her neighbor and crush one summer, before he angrily discovered she’d approached him on a dare. Ten years later, Ellie is back at her great-aunt’s lake house, and so is Uriel Lassiter still wildly sexy, single and happy to stay that way. When Ellie finds her great-aunt’s never-completed romance novel, she decides to finish the manuscript but first she needs some real-life inspiration: a sultry summer fling.Uriel hasn’t forgotten Ellie, and their sizzling chemistry is starting to make him reconsider his tried-and-true bachelor status. But when the truth about her motive emerges, can Ellie convince him that make-believe has turned into sweet reality? |
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- The Doctor’s Private Visit (Kimani Romance) by Altonya Washington
(Kimani, 01/01/10, Mass Market Paperback)
| When Capri Timmons trades her chaotic Miami life for suburbia, the reserved photographer doesn’t realize her fantastic new house comes with a gorgeous doctor next door! Sexy, way-too-easy-on-the-eyes Tiberius Evans is just the kind of man Capri has vowed to steer clear of at all costs. Except the more she resists, the more Tiberius wants her. With Tiberius, women usually check their inhibitions at the door. But his luscious, one-step-at-a-time neighbor isn’t like anyone the devout bachelor has ever known. And his protective instinct isn’t the only thing aroused. A dose of seduction is just what the doctor ordered. But Capri is making Tiberius rethink his just-for-one-night past — and his unclaimed future. Tiberius is happy to act the perfect gentleman if it lands him the woman he loves in the end! |
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- If You Were My Man by Francis Ray
(St. Martin’s Griffin, 03/02/10, Paperback)
| Natalya Fontaine has been the sole proprietor of the restaurant Fontaine since her husband died four years ago. She hasn’t dated anyone in all those years, choosing not to open her heart again, or risk revealing her dark past. That is, until she meets Rafael Dunlap. Rafael is a hostage negotiator with his own set of problems. Though he loves women, he vows he’ll never marry because his job is just too unpredictable. He can’t imagine leaving a widow and children behind. But his thinking and game plan of loving and leaving changes when he meets Natalya. Though she tries to resist him, Rafael sweeps her into a whirlwind romance. When the unexpected happens, and Natalya is forced to keep it a secret, she ends things with Rafael before he can break her heart. But when Rafael is in harms way, will Natalya resolve to tell him the truth before it’s too late? Or will past demons keep them apart forever? |
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- Sweet Deception (Kimani Romance) by Rochelle Alers
(Kimani, 12/01/09, Mass Market Paperback)
| Law professor Myles Eaton knows a lot can happen in ten years. A decade ago, Philadelphia’s finest bachelor was a hotshot attorney engaged to a woman he swore he’d love forever — until she left him to marry a powerful politician. The only thing more difficult than forgiving her has been forgetting the searing heat they shared. And just when Myles is sure he’s over her, Zabrina Cooper arrives back in his life.Nothing could stop Zabrina from loving Myles, not even when she was blackmailed into becoming wife — in name only — to another man. And as her secrets are revealed, Zabrina has one summer to convince Myles that beyond their incredible chemistry is a soul-deep bond that never faded. |
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- The Perfect Seduction (Kimani Romance) by Carmen Green
(Kimani, 01/01/10, Mass Market Paperback)
| Loren Smith’s new career as a pastry chef is finally bringing the former model out of her shell. But when a fire forces her to move in with her best friend, she doesn’t expect to be living under the same roof as sinfully seductive Robinson Hood! And soon the sexy undercover investigator makes her his personal mission. Rob finds Loren as fragile and irresistible as the airy confections she whips up–and he isn’t about to let her go back into retreat mode. The widowed P.I. wants her to know only his sensual touch. But first Rob has to earn her trust. Which means taking it slow and hot until he has the wary beauty right where he wants her–in his arms, in his bed… and in his heart. |
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- Lady Jasmine: A Novel by Victoria Christopher Murray
(Touchstone, 06/02/09, Paperback)
| Juicy Jasmine Larson Bush is at it again — battling her past in order to save her future.With her own lies, she nearly destroyed her marriage to Pastor Hosea Bush. Why, Jasmine was forced to reveal every secret she’d ever kept from her husband, right down to her real age, weight, and shoe size! She thought she had told Hosea everything.But when Jasmine is blackmailed with a terrible truth from her past that she “forgot” to tell Hosea, more than just her marriage is in jeopardy.Surprisingly, her first instinct is to tell the truth. Jasmine knows, however, that this is one part of her life that can never be exposed. Determined to keep the life she fought so hard to save, Jasmine is willing to commit any sin — even murder — to leave her past behind her. No one can know the truth about the First Lady of City of Lights at Riverside Church. No one can know that beneath the veneer of a redeemed Christian wife, there lies a sinner — especially not her trusting husband. |
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- Captured by Beverly Jenkins
(Avon, 10/01/09, Mass Market Paperback)
| She was the most irresistible treasure of all . . . Dominic LeVeq, the most notorious privateer ever to command the high seas, has just captured a coveted prize: a British frigate. On a dangerous mission against the Crown, Dominic should be thinking only of his ship’s safety. But the rebel captain is utterly entranced by Clare Sullivan, the stunning slave on board. Consumed by desire, desperate to have her, Dominic offers Clare her freedom in exchange for a forbidden night in his bed — a night he assures her will be most pleasureable indeed. Clare believes that Dominic is nothing more than a seductive rogue used to getting what he wants. But she too feels a tantalizing passion between them, and so she submits to just one night of bliss. She’ll soon realize that Dominic has captured more than her body. He’s captured her heart . . . and she doesn’t want him to ever let go. |
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- Promises of Forever (Indigo) by Celya Bowers
(Genesis Press, 01/01/10, Paperback)
December 27, 2009
Wrapped in Pleasure: Delaney’s Desert Sheikh\Seduced by a Stranger (Arabesque)
by Brenda Jackson
Kimani Press
Available 01/01/10, Mass Market Paperback
Two Westmoreland novels — one classic and one new — from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Brenda Jackson.
Delaney’s Desert Sheikh
A mix-up in Delaney Westmoreland’s vacation plans forces her to share a cabin with a tall, dark and oh-so-handsome sheikh who is bent on her seduction. Jamal Ari Yasir intends to school Delaney in sensuality for his own pleasure. But instead of loving and leaving her, he becomes enraptured by an irresistible and unforgettable passion for his sexy-as-sin roommate. Can the arrogant sheikh convince his secret lover that they are fated for more than just a summer fling?
Seduced by a Stranger
Johari Yasir has no interest in returning to her homeland to marry a man she’s never met — at least, not without sowing some wild oats first. And when a handsome charmer offers to whisk her away in his private plane, she impulsively accepts. Rasheed Valdemon is shocked that his bride-to-be would fly off with someone she barely knows — even though he’s the one doing the asking. More surprising is his hunger for this lovely, rebellious woman. Yet what will happen when she realizes she’s been seduced by the man who’s destined to be her husband?
December 27, 2009
Atria
Available 12/01/09
Brooke Alexander, a waitress who has self-esteem issues regarding her lackluster existence and her fluctuating weight, is in love with Patrick Sterling, one of the most prominent attorneys in Washington, D.C. On his good days, Patrick is the man in every woman’s dream. On his bad days, Patrick’s behavior is demeaning and he is angry at the world.
Damon Johnson, who’s been married to Carleigh for four years, is one of “the last good men” — compassionate and honest, he worships the ground his wife walks on. But Carleigh treats Damon like a trophy husband, allowing her friends to salivate over him and disrespect their happy home. Damon has dreams beyond his six-figure corporate job, and Carleigh views his life aspirations as a joke. Her selfish nature makes Damon wonder if he made the right decision when he asked for her hand in marriage.
When a tragic event causes Brooke’s and Damon’s lives to intersect, truths unfold as they begin to reflect on their own relationships. In this provocative tale of love and heartbreak, Zane explores what happens when you cater to your emotional well-being and discover the meaning of unconditional love…or, rather, experience a total eclipse of the heart.
December 19, 2009
Something Old, New, Borrowed & True
by Pamela R. Jeffers
Harvest Time Innerations Available 11/2/09
Tvoya Harrington is a woman caught between two loves and too many lies. She’s about to marry the man of her hopes and dreams when a childhood sweetheart returns home to bury his father. Perfectly-laid wedding plans start to crumble as long-buried secrets are unearthed and Tvoya begins to wonder if the man she thinks is the answer to her prayers is really God-sent.
Something Old, New, Borrowed & True, by debut Christian Fiction author Pamela R. Jeffers, is an engrossing and inspirational tale about matters of the heart and trusting God – even through the unexpected twists that test your faith, friendships and family.
November 1, 2009
The bestselling romances featuring African American characters or by African Americans for 2009 (as of 11/1/2009).
- The Conversation: How Black Men and Women Can Build Loving, Trusting Relationships by Hill Harper
(Gotham, 09/08/09, Hardcover)
| In his first book for adults, New York Times bestselling author Hill Harper invites you to join the Conversation: an honest dialogue about the breakdown of African — American relationships. For generations African Americans have turned to their families in times of need — but now, this proud and strong legacy is in peril. Black men and women have stopped communicating effectively and it threatens the very relationships and marriages necessary to sustain the Black family. Today, less than a third of Black children are being raised in two — parent households, a sharp decline from past generations. So, why is it so difficult for Black men and women to build long — term, loving and mutually beneficial relationships? What is happening in the community that makes it so hard for women and men to find their way to each other? And why are there so few people who manage to hold a marriage together, even after finding a person to love? In his moving yet practical book, Hill Harper undertakes a journey both universal and deeply personal in search of answers to these questions. He has conversations with friends and strangers — married, single and divorced — and learns about their private struggles, emotional vulnerabilities, and real concerns, and begins to see common themes emerge. As his journey picks up momentum, Hill begins to recognize his own struggles in other people’s stories, and is encouraged to more deeply examine his own relationship issues. Why does so much misinformation and mistrust exist between the sexes? Hill addresses the stereotypes that have developed in the Black community, in the hope that by addressing the challenges, Black men and women can find their way to common ground. The Conversation aims to open up the lines of communication, and offers inspiration to those who want to take control of this crisis and start building successful, sustainable relationships. |
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- Mama Dearest by E. Lynn Harris
(Karen Hunter, 09/22/09, Hardcover)
| One of E. Lynn Harris’s incomparable heroines, Yancey Harrington Braxton, is working her way back to Broadway and beyond. And this diva supreme always stirs up drama in and out of the spotlight….New York City, you’ve been warned: Yancey Harrington Braxton is back. The ambitious singer and actress is fired up to move past her recent professional and personal setbacks — including an explosive romance with NFL tight end John Basil Henderson — and prove her talents are stronger than ever. After being out on tour, Yancey realizes what she really wants is to star in her own reality TV series, and she’s even found a rich and well-connected lover to make it happen. There are, however, two women fierce enough to derail Yancey’s plans with ambitions of their own: Madison B., a hot new bombshell taking the music industry by storm, and Ava Middlebrooks, who happens to be Yancey’s own mama dearest.Ava is out, about, and ready to reclaim her throne. Not even a stint in prison for attempted murder has curbed Ava’s competitive nature, and it doesn’t faze her in the least that her #1 rival is her own daughter. Ava is willing to do whatever it takes to make Yancey pay, including using Madison B. to turn Yancey’s world upside-down by forcing her to confront the past…and making her comeback dreams more exciting and dangerous than she ever imagined.Taking readers on a wild, passion-filled tour of the entertainment world, E. Lynn Harris’s Mama Dearest delivers sensual thrills and electric plot twists — with one unforgettable woman of radiant star power, sexual magnetism, and unapologetic ambition at the heart of the action. |
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- Captured by Beverly Jenkins
(Avon, 10/01/09, Mass Market Paperback)
| She was the most irresistible treasure of all . . . Dominic LeVeq, the most notorious privateer ever to command the high seas, has just captured a coveted prize: a British frigate. On a dangerous mission against the Crown, Dominic should be thinking only of his ship’s safety. But the rebel captain is utterly entranced by Clare Sullivan, the stunning slave on board. Consumed by desire, desperate to have her, Dominic offers Clare her freedom in exchange for a forbidden night in his bed — a night he assures her will be most pleasureable indeed. Clare believes that Dominic is nothing more than a seductive rogue used to getting what he wants. But she too feels a tantalizing passion between them, and so she submits to just one night of bliss. She’ll soon realize that Dominic has captured more than her body. He’s captured her heart . . . and she doesn’t want him to ever let go. |
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- Resurrecting Midnight by Eric Jerome Dickey
(Dutton Adult, 08/25/09, Hardcover)
| International assassin Gideon spilled blood for the first time when he was seven years old, with a single shot to the head of a man who was attempting to kill the woman Gideon had known as his mother. The victim was none other than his own father, a man of unspeakable evil. This pivotal event shaped Gideon throughout his life, made him who he is, one of the fiercest, most feared hired guns in the world. And one of the most hunted. After nearly losing his life in Antigua during a mission that went terribly wrong, Gideon trusts no one. But when a former lover and grifter, Arizona, resurfaces in need of his skills, she reminds him he was indebted to a man who had once saved his life: the son of the legendary con-man Scamz. Gideon is forced to take on an assignment which will lead him to Argentina in pursuit of a briefcase containing one part of a larger puzzle. The “package” contains material that another group of assassins – the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse – will kill to obtain and protect. One of the leaders of the Four Horsemen has a connection to Gideon that neither man is aware of — a connection that will be exposed when they meet face-to-face and gun-to-gun. Each member of The Four Horsemen is a world-class killer, each with a dark and dangerous past, and nothing will stop that team of renegades from completing their mission. As Gideon struggles to keep promises and uncover information about his past, he finds himself at the center of the ultimate double-cross and he is forced to do what he must to protect himself and those closest to him. Set amidst the exotic and vibrant streets of Miami and Buenos Aires, Resurrecting Midnight is an action-filled, pulse- pounding thriller from bestselling author Eric Jerome Dickey. |
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- Bachelor Untamed (Kimani Romance) by Brenda Jackson
(Kimani, 10/01/09, Mass Market Paperback)
| One mind-blowing kiss. That was all Ellie Weston shared with her neighbor and crush one summer, before he angrily discovered she’d approached him on a dare. Ten years later, Ellie is back at her great-aunt’s lake house, and so is Uriel Lassiter still wildly sexy, single and happy to stay that way. When Ellie finds her great-aunt’s never-completed romance novel, she decides to finish the manuscript but first she needs some real-life inspiration: a sultry summer fling.Uriel hasn’t forgotten Ellie, and their sizzling chemistry is starting to make him reconsider his tried-and-true bachelor status. But when the truth about her motive emerges, can Ellie convince him that make-believe has turned into sweet reality? |
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- One Night With You (Grayson Friends) by Francis Ray
(St. Martin’s Paperbacks, 11/03/09, Mass Market Paperback)
| Cougars, brush fires, snow storms — rancher Duncan McBride tackles it all without a flinch. But the archeologist who’s come to authenticate cave drawings found on his property is the kind of trouble he’d sworn to avoid. Far from the aging academic he was expecting, Raven La Blanc is a stunning woman, and definitely not sticking around this small Montana town once her job is done.The primitive drawings at Duncan’s ranch are Raven’s ticket to the tenured position she’s worked so hard for back in Santa Fe. But there’s no denying the attraction between her and Duncan. Maybe, just this once, she can put her work aside and explore the depths of her own heart and soul? One night may be all it takes for Raven to really find what she’s looking for. |
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- Head Bangers: An APF Sexcapade (Strebor Quickiez) by Zane
(Strebor Books, 05/26/09, Paperback)
| Hope and Faith: two things that everyone needs to survive. But the words take on a different meaning in the form of a set of twins who attend Crockett University in Washington, D.C. As seniors, they are looking forward to a bright future in corporate America. Meanwhile, they have decided to relieve some of the stress involved in getting a higher education by being members of APF.Soror Ride ‘em High and Soror Lick ‘em Low, originally hail from Atlanta and, like most twins, they share a connection. In fact, their physical bond is so strong, that one can often feel a pounding in her vagina while the other is engaged in sexual activity. But everything is not perfect when it comes to being a twin. Sometimes animosity and jealousy can creep in; especially when Hope and Faith find themselves both attracted to the same man on campus. Is blood really thicker than water? Or, in this case, thicker than basic carnal desires?In this long-anticipated second volume in the APF series, a follow-up to The Sisters of APF: The Indoctrination of Soror Ride Dick, New York Times Bestselling Author Zane, once again proves why she is “The Queen of Erotic Fiction.” Over the years many have tried to emulate her but Zane’s imagination is not to be replicated any time in the near future. The freak nights of APF are some of the most artistic, exhilarating, erotic experiences that have ever graced the pages of a book; evidenced by the thousands of emails Zane has received over the years from women yearning to join the sorority.The sexual revolution continues…within the pages of Head Bangers: An APF Sexcapade. |
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- One Night with the Wealthy Rancher (Silhouette Desire) by Brenda Jackson
(Silhouette, 08/11/09, Mass Market Paperback)
| Texas Cattleman’s Club member Darius Foster is tired of women chasing after his millions. But his jaded heart is about to get a jump-start.The wealthy rancher never expected to see Summer Martindale in his part of Texas. Darius was still trying to forget that incredible night they’d spent together…a night that never should have happened. Certain she had relocated just to get close to him — and his money — the ex-lawman vowed to keep his distance. But when danger came calling, Darius knew he was the only one who could protect Summer. And that meant getting closer to her…in every way! |
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- The Ideal Wife by Jacquelin Thomas
(Pocket, 10/06/09, Paperback)
| Marrying a handsome, wealthy lawyer and living in a Hollywood Hills mansion…it’s a dream come true for twenty-four-year-old Jana, from the moment Lawrence Collins swept her off her feet and into his luxurious world. True, she put her studies at a local Bible college on hold in order to wed after a six-month whirlwind romance. Beautiful and vivacious, with a stunning body, Jana knows men like Lawrence don’t come along every day, and she vows to be a perfect companion — the ideal wife — to this sexy, powerful man. But at what price?From her wardrobe and hairstyle to her friends and her choice of church, Lawrence seems to want to change Jana into someone she’s not…and soon, the man Jana thought she knew will test her values and her faith with a shocking revelation that goes against everything she believes. How far will Jana be willing to go to keep the man she loves? With her “ideal” marriage falling apart, Jana — the real, modest, smart, and strong girl who knows what she stands for — must put her trust in God, and follow His guiding light out of the darkness of a broken relationship. |
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- Supreme Clientele by Ashley JaQuavis
(Urban Books, 05/01/09, Paperback)
- Unconditionally Single by Mary B. Morrison
(Dafina, 08/01/09, Hardcover)
| New York Times bestselling author Mary B. Morrison thrills readers with another riveting tale featuring beloved heroine Honey Thomas. This time, Honey goes into hiding to save her life–and fights to keep past enemies from destroying the future she so desperately wants. . .Honey Thomas once made her living as a tough-talking prostitute and madam, but those days are long gone. Now, Honey runs a counseling center she founded in Atlanta that helps women like her get off the streets. The best part is Honey’s new life is being bankrolled by money stolen from her ex-pimp, Valentino James. But no matter how fast Honey runs, she never seems to break free from her demons. Valentino knows Honey has his money–fifty million dollars to be exact–and he’s willing to kill her to get it back. Honey escapes from Valentino by the skin of her teeth, but she knows the time has come to disappear for a while and figure out where her life is headed. In her heart, Honey still aches for Grant Hill, the love she lost when he learned about her dark past. How much more must she lose before she finally finds some peace?Like a cat, Honey Thomas seems to have nine lives, and she’s used up just about every last one of them. But life still has a few surprises left for Honey–and if she’s willing to risk everything, she may just get that happy ending her heart and soul desire. . . |
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- The Reason Why: A Novel by Vickie M. Stringer
(Atria, 08/11/09, Paperback)
| Let That Be the Reason was the breakthrough debut novel that became an urban-lit classic and launched Vickie Stringer’s career as bestselling author and publisher. Imagine This was the bestselling sequel and now comes the prequel The Reason Why, the long-awaited revelation of how Pamela and Chino became an urban contemporary Bonnie and Clyde.Pamela was a naive coed from Detroit, going to classes by day and clubs by night. The hottest spot was Jazzy Jay’s, and that’s where one of the guys slipped his gun into her pocketbook, knowing that the police who had just descended on the club wouldn’t check the girls for weapons. She didn’t know his name or anything other than he was cute and charming. But when she tracked him down to return his property, she found out his name was Chino; his game was hustling; and his plan was to make her his woman, his wifey, and give her more than she ever bargained for out of life, love, and the pursuit of money. |
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- Single Husbands by HoneyB
(Grand Central Publishing, 03/16/09, Hardcover)
| Herschel Henderson said, “I do,” to gain access to his wife’s money, Lexington Lewis vowed for his better and her worse, and Brian Flaw meant until death do we part, yet none of them are dedicated to their wives. Herschel has a mistress that he sexes more than his wife, Lexington is making love to as many women as he can, and Brian is sexing women of every ethnicity because he’s become bored with his wife. The one thing these men do share, is the fact that neither of them will give up the sexual freedom they enjoyed as single men. |
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- Love Me Now (Arabesque) by Celeste O. Norfleet
(Kimani Press, 11/01/09, Mass Market Paperback)
| Trey Evans has zero interest in becoming Mamma Lou’s next matchmaking “victim.” The single life suits him just fine, at least until he meets fashion designer Kenya Whitaker. She’s talented, smart, savvy — everything he wants in a woman in one irresistibly sexy package.All Kenya wants from Trey is payback for stealing her father’s company. The charming, ambitious businessman is known for getting his way. But Kenya has some tricks of her own, and she intends to use them to capture Trey’s heart — and then break it. Yet when her scheme starts to work a little too well, will winning this battle of wits be worth losing something far more precious? |
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- Intimate Seduction (Kimani Romance) by Brenda Jackson
(Kimani, 07/01/09, Mass Market Paperback)
| When a man finds a beautiful woman asleep in his bed, he has only one choice. To seduce her with a night of lovemaking she’ll never forget. Trouble is, Donovan Steele’s sultry new housekeeper is just as determined not to become the legendary playboy’s latest conquest.Trading the Ivy League for down South, Natalie Ford is helping out with her ailing aunt’s housecleaning service. But she finds that this powerful, potent man of Steele ignites a different kind of chemistry — one that defies every law of attraction the science professor ever learned.Natalie knows she has to come clean to Donovan about who she really is…especially when he starts believing she’s out to sabotage his family business. Will she lose her chance to love the real man behind the seductive legend? |
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- Sizzling Seduction (Kimani Romance) by Gwyneth Bolton
(Kimani, 10/01/09, Mass Market Paperback)
| Firefighter Patrick Hightower will take any risk in the line of duty. But risking his heart again? That’s something he’s vowed never to do. He prefers scorching affairs — the briefer, the better — though he might make a temporary exception for smart, sexy teacher Aisha Miller. Only Aisha isn’t interested in exploring their instant, searing connection — no matter how much she feels the heat.Aisha has had enough of dominant men trying to control her life, and the gorgeous firefighter who visits her kindergarten class is alpha male through and through. Yet the gentler side Patrick shows, especially around her young son, gradually melts her reserve. As shadows from Aisha’s past resurface, she’ll discover just how far Patrick will go to prove she’s found her real-life hero. |
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- Ride Wit’ Me by Deja King
(Young Diamond Book, 09/29/09, Paperback)
- The Hood Life: A Bentley Manor Tale (Bentley Manor Tales) by Meesha Mink
(Touchstone, 01/06/09, Paperback)
| A pimp, a killer, a playa, and a drug dealer struggle to get their game right in a sizzling novel where leaving the life and trying to go straight is a deadly option.Tavon, better known as “Sweet,” would pimp his own mother — and he does. Convinced that the prostitution game chose him, Sweet loves his high-rolling life. But when he unexpectedly becomes a father, will Sweet be able to choose between the family trade and his grown, not-so-innocent daughter?After ten years in prison, the drive-by Demarcus committed still haunts him. Determined to stay above the law, he’s found Allah, promised to change his ways forever, and finally do right by his girl, Zoey. But when an opportunity arises that will set him and Zoey right for life, Demarcus may have more faith in his killah reputation than the Koran….Kaseem runs every single drug going in and out of Bentley Manor. His empire provides clothes, cash, and his satisfaction of his wifey, Quilla — along with the company of other ladies, of course. But when Kaseem’s crew becomes more violent, will he be able to escape the life — and the gangsters — he created?The best playa on the block, Rhakmon can get a woman to do anything he wants. His latest girlfriend, Shaterica, lets him steal, lie, and cheat — smitten to be under his spell. But when Rhakmon’s devious deeds are finally brought to light, the revenge Shaterica plans may ultimately be more horrible than anything he could have imagined….From the ladies who brought you Desperate Hoodwives and Shameless Hoodwives, the streets of Atlanta are hotter than ever with drama, sex, and danger — profilin’ four men desperate for anything but their hood life. |
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- Picture Perfect Christmas (Kimani Romance) by Melanie Schuster
(Kimani, 11/01/09, Mass Market Paperback)
| Chastain Thibodaux is no longer the awkward, naive girl who had her heart smashed to pieces by Philippe Devereaux. Now the successful artist has included three oil paintings of Philippe in her prestigious gallery show — sensuous nudes painted entirely from her memory of their smoldering affair. But then her subject turns up at her opening night, in the flesh — every hard-muscled, smooth-skinned, delicious inch of him — demanding to know why she’s put him on display.Philippe hasn’t been in love with Chastain since she dumped him to study art in Paris. Or so he’s been telling himself. But his anger over her erotic portraits is mixed with the kind of desire that heats even the coldest New York night. And he vows that by New Year’s Eve he’ll have the answers to all his questions and have Chastain back where she belongs — in his arms. |
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- Wrapped in Pleasure: Delaney’s Desert Sheikh\Seduced by a Stranger (Arabesque) by Brenda Jackson
(Kimani Press, 01/01/10, Mass Market Paperback)
October 3, 2009
What Looks LIke Crazy On an Ordinary Day
by Pearl Cleage
Avon A
Available 02/01/09
After a decade of elegant pleasures and luxe living with the Atlanta brothers and sisters with the best clothes and biggest dreams, Ava Johnson has temporarily returned home to Idlewild — her fabulous career and power plans smashed to bits by cold reality. But what she imagines to be the end is, instead, a beginning. Because, in the ten-plus years since Ava left, all the problems of the big city have come to roost in the sleepy North Michigan community whose ordinariness once drove her away; and she cannot turn her back on friends and family who sorely need her in the face of impending trouble and tragedy. Besides which, that one unthinkable, unmistakable thing is now happening to her: Ava Johnson is falling in love.
Acclaimed playwright, essayist, New York Times bestselling author, and columnist Pearl Cleage has created a world rich in character, human drama, and deep, compassionate understanding, in a remarkable novel that sizzles with sensuality, hums with gritty truth, and sings and crackles with life-affirming energy.
