Thorndike Press large print African-American

For August, running into a long-ago friend sets in motion resonant memories and transports her to a time and a place she thought she had mislaid: 1970s Brooklyn, where friendship was everything. August, Sylvia, Angela, and Gigi shared confidences as they ambled their neighborhood streets, a place where the girls believed that they were amazingly beautiful, brilliantly talented, with a future that belonged to them. But beneath the hopeful promise there was another Brooklyn, a dangerous place where grown men reached for innocent girls in dark hallways, where mothers disappeared, where fathers found religion, and where madness was a mere sunset away. Woodson heartbreakingly illuminates the formative period when a child meets adulthood -- when precious innocence meets the all-too-real perils of growing up. --

Harris serves up a treat that will capture and enchant audiences everywhere--a big, bold, and irresistible novel about football, family, and secrets.Brady Bledsoe and his mother, Carmyn, have a strong relationship. A single mother, faithful churchgoer, and the owner of several successful Atlanta beauty salons, Carmyn has devoted herself to her son and his dream of becoming a professional football player. Brady has always followed her lead, including becoming a member of the church's "Celibacy Circle." Now in his senior year at college, the smart, and very handsome, Brady is a lead contender for the Heisman Trophy and a spot in the NFL. As sports agents hover around Brady, Barrett, a beautiful and charming cheerleader, sets her mind on tempting the celibate Brady and getting a piece of his multimillion-dollar future--but is that all she wants from him, and is she acting alone? Carmyn is determined to protect her son. She's also determined to protect the secret she's kept from Brady his whole life. As things heat up on campus and Carmyn and Brady's idyllic relationship starts to crumble, mother and son begin to wonder about the other--are you just too good to be true? A sweeping novel about mothers and sons, football and beauty shops, secrets and lies, JUST TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE has all the ingredients that have made E. Lynn Harris a bestselling author: family, friendship, faith, and love.

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?

Tasha and Trae try to overcome their troubles and make their marriage work, while Jaz is facing drama of her own.

For Josephine Evans, home was on the stages of the world where she spent thirty years establishing herself as one of the finest actresses of her generation. Josephine was the toast of Europe, and her fabulous apartment in Amsterdam's theater district was a popular gathering place for an international community of artists, actors, and expatriates who considered themselves true citizens of the world. Josephine lived above and beyond the reach of conventional definitions of who and what an African American diva could be, and her legions of loyal fans loved her for it. She had a perfect life and enough sense to live it to the hilt, but then a war she didn't fully understand turned everything upside down, thrusting her into a role she never wanted and was not prepared to play. Suddenly the target of angry protests aimed at the country she had never really felt was her own, Josephine is forced to return to America to see if she can create a new definition of home.Camping out with her granddaughter, Zora, who is housesitting in Atlanta's West End; and trying to avoid the unwanted attentions of Dig It!, the city's brand-new gossip magazine, Josephine struggles to reclaim her old life even as she scrambles to shape her new one. Hoping her friend Howard Denmond is as good as his word when he promises to engineer her triumphant return to the European stage, Josephine sets out to increase her nest egg by selling the house her mother willed her, only to find the long-neglected property has become home to squatters who have no intention of leaving.But an unexpected reunion with an old friend offers Josephine a chance to set things right. Spurning an offer from unscrupulous land developer Greer Woodruff, Josephine gathers new friends around her, including Victor Causey, a lawyer whose addictions left him homeless but still determined to protect his mother; Louie Baptiste, a displaced New Orleans chef hoping to return to the city he loves; and Aretha Hargrove, recovering from her role in the same scandal that sent Zora running for cover. As Greer gets serious about her plan to tear the community apart, Josephine finds herself playing the most important role of her life, showing her neighbors what courage really is and learning the true meaning of coming home.From the Hardcover edition.

Debbie Dare has to come to terms with her sordid life in the adult-entertainment industry. Millions of men (and, no doubt, many women) have watched the famed black porn queen-- she of the blond wig and blue contact lenses-- 'do it' on television and computer screens every which way and with every combination of partners the mind can imagine. When she discovers her "film producer" husband dead in a hot tub electrocution with a starlet he was "auditioning," Debbie decides she's done with porn. Dealing with estrangement from her family and the child she had to give up, her options for what might come next include the possibility of suicide ...

Sydney Isaacs has two priorities: her family, and Decadent, the gourmet pastry business they founded almost three generations ago. But both are in jeopardy when her brother, Dean, announces his sudden engagement to the conniving Sheree Vern. Much to Sydney's dismay, Dean inherits ownership of Decadent, despite his lack of interest. Now he and Sheree are selling the chain to finance his dreams of becoming a music producer--or so Dean believes. Thanks to Sheree, Dean's plans, the business, and his marriage, soon implode in ways he never expected--leaving Sydney determined to salvage whatever she can, and fix the mess left behind. Her only solace is her romance with Hayden Windsor. But Hayden is Sheree's half brother, and it doesn't take long for Sydney to wonder if Hayden knew about Sheree's scheming all along? Soon Sydney creates a deception of her own to find out the truth. Her strategy is working, until the consequences threaten to destroy everything she values most--including her faith. Overcome with guilt, can she make things right with her brother, with Hayden, and with God?--Publisher's description.

In five years, Jesmyn Ward lost five young men in her life to drugs, accidents, suicide, and the bad luck that can follow people who live in poverty, particularly black men. But why? As she began to write about living through all the dying, Jesmyn realized the truth -- and it took her breath away. Her brother and her friends all died because of who they were and where they were from, because they lived with a history of racism and economic struggle.

WMM Advertising is one of the biggest and hardest-to-penetrate fraudulent telemarketing firms in Georgia. After a recording of a man's death surfaces that may involve WMM, Atlanta homicide detective Danny Houser realizes that he may have the smoking gun needed to go after the firm.

Tasha and Trae, the hood's favorite couple, are still together following the events of Thug Matrimony. Even with their relocation to sunny Los Angeles, the drama of New York cannot be escaped. From running a nightclub to dealing with models, shady lawyers, big money, new kinds of temptations, seductions, and drugs-not to mention new love interests-can this infamous couple weather all the storms and keep it together?

In her mind's eyes, she could see Wes, tall and elegant in his tailored tuxedo with a patterned vest, black tie, and snow white pocket square. Her red Valentino slip gown highlighted her honeyed complexion and chocolate brown eyes. The gown also picked up the red in Wes's vest and the red in the rose in his lapel. They were the perfect couple and it was show time. And she wanted to scream. Madison Reed, popular talk show host and America's darling and her husband, well-known TV correspondent Wes Reed is everyone's idea of the perfect couple. Bute knows that after the loss of their child, they became no more than polite strangers, maintaining the façade, revealing only picture perfect happiness. But Madison's world is turned upside down when Wes is critically injured in a car accident and a woman is killed. Before he dies, Wes confesses that the woman who was killed was his mistress---and that he is the father of her nine-month-old daughter, Manda. He begs Madison to raise the child. Unsure if she can, Madison struggles to take charge of her fate and put her life back together. Overwhelmed, she accepts the help of Zachary Holman, her husband's best friend, only to discover that his life is also shrouded by lies. Can she forgive and forget---not just once, but twice?

A gift of love: A drama professor works on her playwriting at a cafe where an attractive male barista works. Holiday spice: A Christmas-time tragedy has crushed the holiday spirit of photographer Miranda Lawson. She travels to Istanbul and meets a man who's also looking for escape. From here to serenity: A real-estate developer takes a cruise to Miami on his yacht, and is attracted to his new personal chef.

New York Times bestselling author Carl Weber has won over readers and critics alike with his smart, sexy, page-turning tales of family drama. Now he delivers his most powerful novel yet—an explosive story about an esteemed church family with a whole lot of repenting to do. . . Bishop T.K. Wilson, popular pastor of the largest African American church in Queens, New York, has decided to run for borough president. But his family values platform is on shaky ground. In public, his wife and two children are a shining example of respectability. Yet privately, the Wilson kids are giving in to the same temptations as any other young adults. And their parents have no idea what’s going on behind closed doors—including the closed doors of the church offices. As the bishop’s son, Dante Wilson is treated like royalty, and his good looks cause the congregation’s young women to think—and act on—some very impure thoughts. Personable and smart, he’s expected to assume his father’s position one day. The problem is, Dante wants to be a lawyer, and that’s not the only secret he’s keeping. He’s also met the woman of his dreams—who happens to be his parents’ worst nightmare. But Dante isn’t the only one who’s about to test his parents’ faith… Dante’s younger sister, Donna, is as sweet as they come, yet she isn’t exactly the virginal princess her beloved daddy thinks she is. And thanks to her suspicious, ambitious, not to mention meddling, mother, he’s about to find that out—and more. To add insult to injury, Donna’s transgressions involve another man of God. And that’s only the beginning. Just as the Pandora’s box of unwelcome surprises seems empty, it turns out that even Bishop Wilson has some skeletons in his closet—the kind that could cost him everything. Now all the Wilsons will have to face their demons…and discover what family values are really about.

Best friends Milena and Lydia are playing their own game of "Hot box" with Jacour, Yosef, Glenn, and Phil. The only problem: the men do not realize that they are playing.

A seasonal tale follows themes of humor, romance, and holiday spice.

Author Harris writes the memoir of his life--from his childhood in Arkansas as a closeted gay boy through his struggling days as a self-published author to the bestseller lists. In this book, he shares an extraordinary life touched by loneliness and depression, but more important, he reveals the triumphant life of a small-town dreamer who was able through writing to make his dreams--and more--come true.--From publisher description.

Angel has started her own law practice and a new life with Kaylin, a drug dealer who's stepped out of the game to run a recycling business and hot new record label. When an unwanted guest crashes their wedding, all the rage and bloodlust from the hood comes bustin' out-- and Angel's gonna need every prayer in heaven to make it to the altar alive ...

After seven years in prison, multimillionaire drug mogul Kane Garrett is back. But instead of diving back into the drug game he's teaching a college class, infusing business principles with the ruthless edge he developed on the streets. When a student -- and heavy heroin dealer -- named Basil catches his eye, Kane takes him on as a protégé. Together, they build the biggest, smartest drug trafficking business the state has ever seen. But when Basil meets Kane's only daughter, lines get crossed and their business union becomes a deadly rivalry.

MK Asante was born in Zimbabwe to talented and accomplished American parents. But things fell apart, and a decade later MK was in America, a teenager lost in a fog of drugs, sex, and violence on the streets of North Philadelphia. Now he was alone and forced to find his own way to survive physically, mentally, and spiritually, by any means necessary. This is the riveting story of a generation told through one dazzlingly poetic voice.

When Zya's boyfriend, Jules, is sentenced to a five-year-bid, he temporarily hands his operation over to her. With little street knowledge, Zya turns his small operation into an untouchable empire. She becomes connected to a Cuban drug lord, and the sky is the limit. Zya begins an underground network called Supreme Clientele with an elite roundtable. Released from prison, Jules wants back what is rightfully his -- but Zya isn't ready to hang it up and play wifey.

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.

"Make a Joyful Noise" by Jacquelin ThomasBradley Rhodes knows that the Peaceful Rest Church choir is his ticket back to the big time, but he arrives at the church to find the current standout voice in the choir stands out for all the wrong reasons. Yet as he helps Desiree Coleman, her music starts to work on his soul...and his heart."Then Sings My Soul" by Francis RayTempers flare and sparks fly when Summerset Junior College's hip band leader and Peaceful Rest Church's prim choir director are teamed to organize a musical for a college celebration. It seems opposites do attract. Soon Grace Thompson and Caleb Jackson are blending more than just their music."Heart Songs" by Felicia Mason Reverend TC Holloway, Peaceful Rest Church's most famous alum and a renowned television evangelist, finds a second chance at love at his reunion with Carys Shaw. Can TC and Carys's musical talents combine to create a love song that will last forever?

The New York Times bestselling author returns with the moving story of a family who learns to overcome betrayal and secrets with courage and love On the outside, twelve-year-old Jillian Maxwell is the perfect child. She's helpful with chores around the house, gets straight As in school, has plans for college, and stays out of trouble. She seems to have everything a girl could want: a big, beautiful new home, an adoring little sister, a mother who cares about her, and an attentive stepfather. But inside, Jillian harbors a terrible secret. Too frightened to tell, convinced that her friends and loved ones, especially her mother, won't understand-and worse, will blame her-Jillian endures her pain in silence, believing that things will get better. However, as time passes and her dilemma intensifies, the bright, hardworking girl becomes sullen and disinterested in her studies. Then, just when it seems she's on the verge of losing everything, Jillian discovers she has more strength than she ever imagined...and the power to change her fate. With sensitivity and grace, Kimberla Lawson Roby addresses a very real and serious issue, while delivering the inspiring tale of one family's mission to shed light into the darkest corner of their lives.

Married to some of Washington, D.C.'s most influential men, Bethany, Deanna and Marisol are on the guest list at every high-profile political and social event. And when they meet at a fundraiser, they forge a deep, unexpected friendship. Beneath the glamour, all three are struggling to hide the void in their marriages. Bethany's teenage stepdaughter is wreaking chaos at home, and to escape Bethany begins writing an anonymous, dirt-dishing gossip column. Deanna is a successful event planner, longing for a baby and unaware of her husband's double life. Marisol, too, is desperate to start a family, and starting to question her husband's commitment, and her own. As their friendship deepens, Bethany, Marisol and Deanna help each other decide how far they'll go to fulfill their desires. Because in passion—as in politics—one mistake can change everything….

When her own business and personal relationship begins to unravel, advice columnist Dr. Hope Sutton seeks seclusion at her childhood vacation home in South Carolina.

The Hate U Give is a 2017 young adult novel by Angie Thomas. It is Thomas's debut novel, expanded from a short story she wrote in college in reaction to the police shooting of Oscar Grant. The book is narrated by Starr Carter, a 16-year-old black girl from a poor neighborhood who attends an elite private school in a predominantly white, affluent part of the city. Starr becomes entangled in a national news story after she witnesses a white police officer shoot and kill her childhood friend, Khalil. She speaks up about the shooting in increasingly public ways, and social tensions culminate in a riot after a grand jury decides not to indict the police officer for the shooting. The Hate U Give was published on February 28, 2017, by HarperCollins imprint Balzer + Bray, which had won a bidding war for the rights to the novel. The book was a commercial success, debuting at number one on The New York Times young adult best-seller list, where it remained for 50 weeks. It won several awards and received critical praise for Thomas's writing and timely subject matter. In writing the novel, Thomas attempted to expand readers' understanding of the Black Lives Matter movement as well as difficulties faced by black Americans who employ code switching. These themes, as well as the vulgar language, attracted some controversy and caused the book to be one of the most challenged books of 2017 and 2018 according to the American Library Association.

Follows the adventures of Tennyson Hardwick, a handsome, sexy actor and former gigolo, living on the fringes of the good life in Hollywood. This story chronicles the redemption of a prodigal son, combining the glamour of Hollywood with the seedy hopelessness of the inner city. Tennyson struggles to hang on to his acting career and redeem his sex-for-pay history, which estranged him from his family--especially his father, a decorated LAPD captain who raised Tennyson to call him "sir." Now, in the wake of his father's sudden stroke, Tennyson has to save himself from taking the fall for the first murder of a female rapper. In the process he discovers his hidden talents--the hard way.--From publisher description.

E. Lynn Harris has wowed and seduced more than three million readers with the wicked drama and undeniable heart in his novels. Now he's back with another winner sure to top the bestseller lists--a rip-roaring tale of sex, secrets, betrayal . . . and blackmail.Aldridge James "AJ" Richardson is living the good life. He has a gorgeous town house in always-flavorful New Orleans, plenty of frequent-flier miles from jet-setting around the country on a whim, and an MBA--but he's never had to work a regular job. He owes it all to his longtime lover, Dray Jones. Dray Jones the rich and famous NBA star. They fell in love in college when AJ was hired to tutor Dray, a freshman on the basketball team. But Dray knew if he wanted to make it to the big time, he must juggle his public image and his private desires. Built on a deep, abiding love, their hidden relationship sustains them both, but when Dray's teammates begin to ask insinuating questions about AJ, Dray puts their doubts to rest by marrying Judi, a beautiful and ambitious woman. Judi knows nothing about Dray's "other life." Or does she?In Basketball Jones, E. Lynn Harris explores the consequences of loving someone who is forced to conform to the rules society demands its public heroes follow. Filled with nonstop twists and turns, it will keep readers riveted from the first page to the last.

Kimberla Lawson Roby returns with another moving and triumphant novel about a woman who, against all odds, battles the most blatant kind of workplace discrimination while dealing with a crumbling marriage and a trusted friend's betrayal.

Urban lit's favorite ride or die couple, Trae and Tasha, are back as they fight to hold onto their volatile relationship which gets closer to exploding every day. Their friends Angel and Kaylin are caught up in their own drama, and Faheem and his wife Jaz face their worst nightmare. Meanwhile Kyron, who brought Trae to the brink of murder and Tasha to the edge of insanity, is back and hell bent on revenge. Then Trae makes a deadly decision. (Bestseller)

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...

Valerie Wilson Wesley's Tamara Hayle mystery series featuring Newark, New Jersey's number one private investigator are loved for their smart, sexy protagonist who "has a way with a wisecrack that is positively lethal" (Washington Post). Now in Dying in the Dark, Hayle is entrenched in a sinister investigation that will demand her best detective work yet.Tamara Hayle's past has come back to haunt her--literally. She's been plagued by terrifying dreams about Celia Jones, an old friend whose walk on the wild side led her to a horrible death. Celia's teenage son, Cecil, begs Tamara to find his mother's killer . . . only to end up dead himself, stabbed through the heart.The search for Celia and her son's killer pulls Tamara deep into her friend's troubled love life, where everyone adored her but somebody held a murderous grudge. There's her bullying thug of an ex-husband; a handsome ex-lover who woos Tamara with charm and lies; and an angry, jealous woman who claims that Celia broke her heart. And those were just the obvious people with axes to grind.Despite her better judgment and the admonitions of the police department, Tamara refuses to back away from the mystery surrounding her old friend's death and the tragedy that met her son. All clues lead to the past Tamara shared with Celia Jones, and Tamara fears that that past will threaten her own son. But she uncovers more than she bargained for--and unearths secrets someone would kill to keep in the shadows.From the Hardcover edition.

"She is a woman of a thousand faces, an assassin who could be anyone, anywhere. The Trinidad contract was supposed to be simple: to make a living man become a dead man. When the job goes bad under the watchful eye of a bank security camera, there is nowhere for agent MX-401, known as Reaper, to hide from the fearsome local warlords, the Laventille Killers. Her employers, the Barbarians, send her to Barbados, the next island over, barely two hundred miles away, with the LK's in hot pursuit of the woman who took many of their own. With the scant protection of a dank safe house, no passport, and no access to funds, an island paradise becomes her prison. While she trawls for low-profile assignments to keep her skills sharp and a few dollars in her pocket, Reaper discovers that family ties run deep, on both sides of the fight. Will the woman everyone wants, who has lived countless lives in the service of others, finally discover who she really is?" --

After a bestselling doubleheader in 2007 with Sleeping with Strangers and Waking with Enemies (both reaching #9 on the New York Times bestseller list), Eric Jerome Dickey is back with the final installment in his thrilling trilogy—Dying for Revenge.This fast-paced story about a steamy, seamy underworld of crime that spans the globe features the hit man Gideon, a character who captivated fans in the first two books, squaring off against his most intriguing adversary yet.

Meet Tammy, Egypt, Isis, Nikki, Coco, and Tiny—the bodacious women of the Big Girls Book Club. There’s only one rule to being a member. You must be at least a size 14…BGBC president Tammy loves everything about her life—her two kids, her fierce friends, her BMW. She especially loves taking care of business for her husband, Tim, for whom she’d do anything. This year, she intends to top all his past birthdays by having a threesome with her best friend, Egypt. Now, if only Egypt will agree to grant them this very special favor…Isis’s boyfriend, Tony, romances her every chance he gets—and he knows how to turn up the heat, which makes Isis willing to lay down and die for him. That is until a man from her past steps back into her life—with only one goal in mind: win back the woman he’s never been able to forget. But not every BGBC member is lucky with men. Once upon a time, single mom Nikki would have made love to her man in the middle of Times Square for the entire country to see. Now that he’s her ex, it takes everything she has not to kill him (or let her roommate, Tiny, do it for her), especially since he has a way of disappointing their son every chance he gets—and then making her look like the bad guy.And then there’s hot-to-trot Coco Brown, who has a habit of messing around with married men. It doesn’t bother her, as long as they don’t try to deny it. But now that she’s hooked up with a man who makes his living being every woman’s fantasy, all she cares about is making sure he doesn’t stray. As insatiable about books as they are about love—or lust—these friends are about to discover how tough it is to keep it real when they all have Something on the Side.

Carl Weber, the New York Times bestselling author of Something on the Side, introduces a deliciously dysfunctional family. . .There is always a man around the corner. Church trustee James Black should know—he's usually that man, carrying on affairs with married women and sleeping with one conquest after another. But when he suddenly finds himself truly in love, his relationship quickly generates a ripple effect of shocking proportions....The other women in James's church have a thing or two to say about his newfound love—including his daughter, Jamie. Only six months younger and a former friend of his new flame, Jamie has every intention of dismantling the relationship. But her plate becomes full when she discovers a mystery woman has been secretly calling her lover, Louis.James's son, Darnel, always swore he wouldn't be a player like his father. His life is the picture of monogamy—until he catches his fiancee cheating with his best friend. From that point on he spirals out of control.James knows he's largely to blame for the turmoil that surrounds him and his loved ones. Now he'll have to find a way to bring peace to their lives. But he can only do it by facing some hard truths about himself and changing his scandalous ways.

Drawn into an affair with his sister-in-law in spite of his love for his wife, a man finds his choices further complicated by the mysterious and tragic past shared by both women.

One mindblowing 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 greataunt's lake house, and so is Uriel Lassiterstill wildly sexy, single and happy to stay that way. When Ellie finds her greataunt's nevercompleted romance novel, she decides to finish the manuscriptbut first she needs some reallife inspiration: a sultry summer fling.Uriel hasn't forgotten Ellie, and their sizzling chemistry is starting to make him reconsider his triedandtrue bachelor status. But when the truth about her motive emerges, can Ellie convince him that makebelieve has turned into sweet reality?

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?

Two women who've been through just about everything together are about to find out if there are some things forever friends can't fix. . .Annette Goode Davis is a survivor. Life's obstacles have often knocked her down, but she's never stayed there for long. To Annette, it's all about family and old friends like Rhoda O'Toole. And right now, Annette needs all the friends she can get. . .because her marriage is in big trouble, and she has no idea why. . .Lately, Annette's husband Pee Wee barely has the time of day for her. Desperate to regain his affections, Annette goes on a crash diet, gets a makeover, and looks hotter than she has in a long, long time. Everyone notices except Pee Wee. So when handsome Louis Baines showers her with attention, Annette finds herself embroiled in a fullblown affair and spending money on Louis like there's no tomorrow. But when she learns a terrible secret about her new lover, she realizes she's in way over her head. Soon Annette must face the fact that she may have destroyed the life she loved and this time, not even Rhoda can help her make things right...Praise for God Ain't Blind"Monroe's latest is a fast-paced, sexy, tense story that will make readers think twice before getting tangled up in an affair." Booklist"Monroe's never better than when she's writing about Annette and Rhoda. . .who are always getting in trouble." Publishers Weekly

All she has to do is be his lover for a week?And when the man is gorgeous Galen Steele, what woman could possibly say no? Brittany Thrasher has her own hidden motives for accepting Galen's proposal. Only the savvy businesswoman draws the line at actually falling for the sexy playboy. Even if he is the incredible lover of her most taboo fantasies?.The moment their paths crossed again at an auction, Galen knew Brittany was special. If she wants the house he just won so badly, how far is she willing to go to get it? That's when the Phoenix entrepreneur makes her an offer he fully expects her to refuse. But once their passion heats up, the bidding really begins. And Galen will uncover Brittany's secret. Because this determined man of Steele isn't about to let the woman of his dreams get away?.

Beloved author Sheila Williams beautifully captures the bittersweet humor and vivid adventures of women who survive the worst life can toss at them--and fight back to claim their right to be free, to be themselves, and to live in . . . The courage to change doesn't come easy. When Opal Sullivan walks out on an abusive husband after fifteen years, she has only her dreams in her pocket. Her new beginning starts in Appalachian River country, where she sees a bit of herself in a graceful but dilapidated house. Like Opal, the house is worn-out and somewhat beaten up, but it still stands proudly and deserves a second chance.So Opal opens her doors--and her heart--to a parade of unforgettable characters. There's sassy Bette Smith with her cantaloupe-colored hair and four-inch heels; short-tempered Gloria and her devilish son, Troy; the mysterious Dana, who dresses in black and keeps exclusively nocturnal hours; a dog named "Bear" who is afraid of his own shadow; and Jack, who doesn't mind hanging out with an OBBWA (old black broad with an attitude). It is Jack who helps Opal understand a funny thing about life: You can't move forward if you keep looking back. . . .From the Trade Paperback edition.

Police detective Joy Ingram's connection to elite security expert Stonewall Courson is instant. But her commitment to protect and serve comes first, especially when she uncovers an underground surrogate baby-making ring. Joy can't risk a distraction during the most important case of her career, not even one as sexy as Stonewall. There are few things he values more than a strong woman. But when Joy is drawn into a deadly conspiracy that goes deeper than she ever imagined, Stonewall must convince her that he's the best man to protect her.

The choices we make in one rash moment can change everything…Dolores Reese spent her childhood in foster care, like Floyd Watson, a local boy who intrigues her from the moment they meet. When one bad decision sends an innocent Floyd to prison for life, Dolores promises to stick by him. But while Floyd’s world stands still, Dolores’s horizons open up in exciting new ways. Paul Dunne is an accomplished businessman who promises her the kind of future she’s always wanted—the kind she once imagined having with Floyd. But when Floyd is suddenly freed on new evidence, Dolores is torn and must make a fateful decision. And if she isn’t careful, Dolores just might find out what happens when love, dishonesty, and dangerous jealousy collide… Praise for Mary Monroe “Monroe delivers what could be her wildest and most entertaining novel yet.” —Publishers Weekly on Deliver Me From Evil “Monroe’s richly drawn characters will stay with readers long after the book is finished.” —Booklist on Gonna Lay Down My Burdens “Monroe’s literary canvas is painted with broad strokes, with verve and humor and passion.” —Christian Science Monitor

For Erica Sanders, finding a soul mate was the easy part. Brian Lawson is the man she wants, and everyone agrees they're the ideal couple. Almost everyone. The exception is Erica's mother, Karen, who prefers her daughter marry another man. Karen even hires a private detective to investigate Brian, but what he uncovers is the last thing she expected - a devastating betrayal that rips both families apart. As secrets old and new are revealed, Erica and Brian find themselves caught between the bonds of the past and an uncertain future.

From Mary Monroe, the New York Times bestselling author of God Don’t Like Ugly, comes the sizzling story of a woman who is ready to pay any price to have everything she wants... Once a girl from the wrong side of the tracks, Christine Thurman thought she found the picture-perfect marriage. She and her husband Jesse Ray built a business worth millions, and were once deeply in love. But lately J.R. has become obsessed with his video store empire, and is taking Christine for granted. Wade Eddie Fisher, a bad boy with good looks from Christine’s past, left their hometown long ago to follow his Hollywood dreams. But now he’s back...and is as tempting as ever. Even though Wade is penniless and undependable, he reignites something deep within Christine—something she can’t deny. Before long she’s immersed in a sultry affair, and has devised an incredibly risky plan that promises to deliver all she could possibly want—or will shatter the lives of everyone close to her...

After Othella--the daughter of the town tramp in Shreveport, Louisiana--convinces her to give her baby away, fifteen-year-old Ruby Jean Upshaw runs away to New Orleans, where nothing can quell her simmering rage at Othella for persuading her to let her baby go

At forty-one, Juanita Lewis is running away from home, courtesy of a one-way ticket to Montana, a place that seems about as far away from the violence and poverty of the Columbus, Ohio, projects as the moon. She wants adventure and excitement--if such things exist for a pre-menopausal African American woman with three grown, deadbeat children.Juanita's new life in Paper Moon, Montana, begins at a local diner where a culinary face-off with chef and owner Jess Gardiner finds Juanita in front of Jess's stove serving up home cookin' that lures the townsfolk like a magic spell. And suddenly Juanita, who was just passin' through, now has a job by popular demand.Out here in this wide-open space, Juanita's heart can no longer hide, especially when she sees herself through the eyes of the wonderful and eccentric people of this down-to-earth town. She's happy in Paper Moon; she's found a home, but can she stay? And then there's Jess. She has always dreamed of romance, but she never planned on falling in love.From the Trade Paperback edition.