Donna Hill

The feisty women who sell Tender Loving Care body products are hiding a secret: they're undercover operatives in The Ladies Cartel--the flip-side organization of TLC Cosmetics. They're sworn to an oath to never reveal their clandestine activities, and not even their families know about their alternate lives.Danielle Holloway is the newest member of the group. Her first assignment: infiltrate a ring of identity-theft criminals. With cool wit and seductive charm, Danielle uses her skills to piece together the clues, and she's shocked to discover a cloud of guilt hovers over her beau, the very sexy and charismatic Nick Mateo.

As CEO of an event-planning company, sultry siren Nia Turner deftly navigates the corporate boardroom. No one would ever guess she's also an undercover agent for The Ladies Cartel. TLC is a clandestine organization that operates under the guise of selling Tender Loving Care body products—but their true mission is crime-fighting.Living a double life can be stressful, especially when Nia is dating sexy architect Steven Long. As she vigilantly attempts to identify the players in what could be the biggest sex scandal the city has seen in decades, Steven begins to suspect that she is stepping out on him. Nia gets caught in a web of lies and scandal that threatens to tear her relationship apart.

Rayne Holland is a woman who appears to have it all: a handsome, successful husband, a beautiful five-year-old daughter, and a rapidly rising film career. What everyone doesn't realize is that behind closed doors, the picture is not so perfect. And in the recesses of Rayne's mind she harbors a dark past that even she is unaware of. Then tragedy strikes and Rayne slowly discovers that the story of her life is just beginning and nothing and no one are as they seem ...

TO: ALCRANE@CSSENTINEL.ORGFROM: COLLEENMONTGOMERY@CSSENTINEL.ORG Boss,I'm finishing my article about the Vance Memorial Hospital fire. No fatalities, although several people, including firefighter Lucia Vance and visiting wildfire expert Raphael Wright, were treated for smoke inhalation. I'm trying to stay unbiased—Lucia's a friend—but she's under investigation for disobeying orders, and I think Chief O'Brien is casting suspicion on her to cover himself. Word is he has some hefty debts. Raphael is only too willing to help clear Lucia's name—romance is brewing. It seems as if the Vances are being targeted...but by whom, and why?

Tough and sexy New York police detective Nikki Heat leads the investigation into the death of a New York real estate tycoon who plunged to his death on a Manhattan sidewalk. She's hit with an unexpected challenge when the commissioner assigns superstar magazine journalist Jameson Rook to ride along with her to research an article on New York's Finest.

Roy's father explains to him how he grew up to become a successful doctor while his brother ended up going to jail, even though both were raised in poverty, surrounded by gangs and drugs.

With her sensual looks and free-spirited ways, Ashley Temple is the perfect agent for The Ladies Cartel, a secret crime-fighting organization. But her latest assignment—breaking up an illegal baby trafficking ring—is more than a job. It's personal. The stakes go sky-high when she teams up with FBI operative Elliot Morgan, a man so deep under cover he's off the radar. Life in the field is nothing compared to the adrenaline rush of passion and pleasure Elliot feels with Ashley. And when they pose as a happily married couple to stake out a suspicious adoption center, he knows he's in deeper than he's ever been. He can't risk falling for her—the danger's too great. But how can Elliot let Ashley go, when this sweet, sultry lady takes him beyond the point of no return?

When her engagement falls apart, Layla Brooks heads for the one place she's always felt at home - Sag Harbor. Far from the hectic pace of New York City, she can concentrate on her massage therapy business. And business is all she's interested in, despite her friend Melanie Harte's offer of her matchmaking service. Then Maurice Benson checks into the local B & B, and one glance tells Layla that the dark-eyed, intense veteran needs healing, inside and out.

In this powerful collection, three acclaimed writers put their talents together to tell the unforgettable story of three sisters separated as infants--and how their paths finally cross in adulthood. Leticia, Jamilla, and Clarissa Holmes each know that they're one in a set of triplets--but that's about all they know. Now they're adults, thirty-three-year old women who are as different as can be. But they have one thing in common: they have never given up on the idea of one day finding each other. . . In "More Than This," by Donna Hill, we meet Leticia, whose time in group homes sharpened her street smarts and taught her to use her good looks to her advantage. Now she's on top of the world, ensconced in a lush apartment in the heart of New Orleans. Leticia knows what men want--she runs the most elite call girl operation in the Parrish. But when she learns that the new sheriff in town is planning a raid, she decides to close up shop, have some adventures, and find her family. She soon discovers that one of her sisters is a jazz singer slated to appear at Lincoln Center. Leticia buys a ticket--and gets much more than she bargained for. . . Parry "EbonySatin" Brown's [title tk] follows Jamilla, adopted by an upstanding family who loved her like their own. But despite a life of privilege, Jamilla was always haunted by a sense of foreboding. As a way to escape her demons, she turned to writing. Now she's landed a six-figure book deal. But Jamilla's joy is clouded by a series of disturbing dreams triggered by a woman she saw on television--a jazz singer with her face. . . In Gwynne Forster's "The Journey," Clarissa Holmes Medford has finally decided to kick out her cheating husband--and pick up her guitar. Maybe she can sing her way out of the unhappiness and poverty that have plagued most of her life. When she records a well-received demo, it's just the beginning of a fascinating journey that will take her far from home, and expose her to a captivating new world--and an audience that may include the family her heart has always longed for. . .

Has fate led her to a real-life hero? Actress and model Dominique Laws has been living the Hollywood dream -- fame, fortune, a handsome and powerful husband, and adoring fans. Although her talent hasn't faded, lately good roles have been getting scarce. When Dominique learns that her business manager husband has been cheating on her -- personally and financially -- she finds herself down-and-out in Beverly Hills. With all that's happened, now is the time for Dominique to regroup and reconnect with what really matters. But a chance meeting with a Denzel-fine filmmaker may just be the opportunity to play the role of a lifetime...

"Raised in the Delta by her grandmother, Parris McKay has the voice of an angel and the promise of a bright, loving future with the man she adores. But everything Parris believes about her life is rocked to the core when she discovers that Emma, the mother she believed dead, is very much alive. Compelled to discover the roots of this decades-long deception, Parris goes in search of her mother in France, but the meeting only opens old wounds for them both. Hurt and disillusioned, Parris finds solace in two new friends, Leslie and Celeste. Both have difficult relationships with their own mothers, and both, like Parris, are coming to terms with a legacy of long-buried secrets. And as Emma returns to the States, spurring unexpected revelations, the bond that Parris, Leslie and Celeste forge will sustain them on a journey from heartbreak to healing"--Page 4 of cover.

A reluctant member of the first wives' club--her husband left her for a woman half her age--Elizabeth Lewis had sworn off men. Then sexy contractor Ron Powers charmed his way into her life--and into her bed. With Ron, Elizabeth finally learned what it felt like to be really loved. But just when she embarked on her journey of sensual self-discovery with Ron, misfortune rocked their relationship. Her ex wanted her back. And Ron's radical past as a former Black Panther threatened their future.Elizabeth was torn between her past and present. She had to choose between two men who loved and needed her. But what about her needs?As always, Elizabeth will depend on her girlz--Stephanie, Barbara, Ann Marie and newbie Terri--to help her make the right choice!