A woman searching for her true passion discovers a strong connection with a man who can never be hers in this steamy tale of forbidden romance.

Sienna and Amiri have been together for four years, but ever since he put a three-carat engagement ring on her finger, she’s been having second thoughts. Like, maybe she wants more out of her relationship than an internet-famous boyfriend who’s more concerned with keeping his followers happy than making her happy.

So when Sienna receives the coveted golden envelope―an invitation to Pandora’s annual New Year’s Eve masquerade ball―she decides to attend, hoping to unlock her secret desires. What she discovers there is the kind of intense connection no woman in her right mind would walk away from . . .

Jahad knows exactly what’s missing from his life the moment he lays eyes on Sienna. The woman is fire, and he walks willingly into the flames. Once her sexy curves are under him, he knows they belong together.

Thing is, Jahad already has a woman: a very pregnant wife who wants nothing to do with him. Hopped up on hormones, Leighton sent him out on a hall pass to find someone else to satisfy his needs. And now he’s aching for a woman he can never have again.

Then Sienna turns up on Jahad’s doorstep. She’s the new doula his wife hired to help get her through the rest of a difficult pregnancy. How’s Jahad supposed to do the right thing when everything in his heart and mind tells him his soul is tied to Sienna’s?

This edition features two bonus stories describing how alternate versions of Sienna and Jahad come together in parallel universes.

Invasive. Possessive. Assertive. Truce Wright is an ambitious man on a mission. Nothing in life is off limits to him. Whatever he wants, he gets….even if it’s someone else’s.

Displeased. Submissive. Captivating. Sanai Lee is a risk taker. Her boldness creates an exit for fear. What she didn’t know she needed comes in the form of a Truce.

What happens when you follow your heart and let him come over when your man is not there?

Welcome to Indigo Falls…

Deja’s got a plan. The first in her large family to go to college, she wants to study chemistry and sell natural skin care products, like the ones she already creates from plants grown on her family’s North Carolina farm. It all starts with the Onward Bound summer program at the University of Maryland, the summer before school officially starts.

Raja’s got a dream. His traditional Nepali parents want him to study engineering and settle down in an arranged marriage, but his passion is art, and he wants to open his own tattoo parlor one day. In the meantime, he’s apprenticing at a tattoo shop in College Park, Maryland.

When Deja walks into the shop where Raja’s working, they both start crushing hard—over the course of the summer, they fall more and more deeply for one another. But the closer they get and the more their lives entwine, the more they find that dating someone who doesn’t match your parents’ expectations is harder than they ever imagined.

Can they bridge the divide between the vision their families have for their futures and the lives—and love—that are starting to feel like destiny?

Who needs a job when you just signed a new mortgage?

When Whitney Harris loses her dream job as an art broker, she drowns her sorrows in a few too many cocktails. But her night takes a turn for the bizarre when she accidentally hooks up with Domino, a drop-dead gorgeous vampire with a flair for the dramatic and a taste for trouble.

Now, instead of just worrying about her next paycheck, Whitney finds herself in a world where Domino's vampire affiliates have their sights set on her-because she's special. Duh!

As she navigates this unexpected romance, she discovers her friends have their own supernatural secrets: spells and daggers anyone?

With danger lurking in every shadow, Whitney must figure out how to survive this new chaotic reality. Can she embrace her wild side, save her heart (and neck), and turn the tables on fate before she becomes a vampire's main course?

Get ready for a laugh-out-loud adventure filled with love, friendship, and a whole lot of supernatural shenanigans!

What if a mysterious pair of glasses helped you to see life—and love—clearly?

Sports reporter Tanika “Nikki” Ryan is at the top of her game until she isn’t. Squinting at the teleprompter and flubbing lines, she loses her coveted Thursday Night football spot to a younger, less qualified woman—and that’s only the start of her troubles. After her impaired sight leads to an accident nearly costing her life, Tanika finds herself in the office of handsome widowed optometrist Gideon Miles. There, mysterious circumstances lead Tanika to an enchanted pair of glasses, changing her world—and Gideon’s—forever. With help from her “boss chick village” and a bit of magic, Tanika finally learns to see the love that’s right in front of her eyes.

In this high-heat and hilarious rom-com that harkens to the golden age of Black romance, celebrated novelist Tati Richardson proves life is sweeter after age forty, and gives readers of all ages a reason to believe in second chances.

A dangerous dance of passion and power unfolds when two wounded souls collide in this sizzling unconventional romance by national bestselling author K.C. Mills.

Nari Collette finds herself on the brink of homelessness after a crushing betrayal. Desperate for stability, she reluctantly agrees to an unconventional proposal from the attractive and enigmatic Kincaid Akel.

Determined to reclaim his seat as heir of a dangerous criminal enterprise, Kincaid needs a wife to solidify his position, but he never expected his carefully selected bride to ignite such fierce desire. As Nari awakens feelings he long thought dead, Kincaid struggles to maintain control.

Their entangled marriage of convenience quickly becomes a battleground of wills as Nari fights to protect her heart, even as she's irresistibly drawn to her dangerous new husband.

As enemies close in from all sides, and with both their hearts and lives on the line, Nari and Kincaid must decide if they can trust each other with their deepest secrets . . . or if the very passion that binds them will ultimately be their downfall.

In this sweeping second chance romance from debut author Myah Ariel, the unexpected spark of two former flames may force them to choose between their dreams and each other. Kaliya Wilson has paid her dues. But all the years behind the reception desk at a flashy film studio have only pushed her movie-making dreams further out of reach. That is, until a surprise reunion presents an opportunity that could make her career, or break her heart…a second time. It’s been seven years since Kaliya’s whirlwind college romance with Danny Prescott went up in flames. While her passions have stalled, his career is taking off. So when the hot shot director reappears to offer her a job on his next production, it’s a shock to the system. Working with Danny may recapture the intensity of their film school days, but trusting him again won’t come as easily. As the pair allows themselves the openness and vulnerability to entrust their deepest truths to each other, the possibility of a true connection draws ever closer. But when Hollywood politics and scandal threaten to sink the production and her career, Kaliya may have to risk everything to do what’s right—even if it means letting go of the second chance love of a lifetime.

There’s more than one way to love and more than one place to call home in this rousing small-town romantic comedy that’s sure to charm fans of Hannah Bonam-Young’s Next to You and Ashley Herring Blake’s Iris Kelly Doesn’t Date

There’s no fix for a lonely heart like a little TLC…

Jessica Jae-un Miller came to Peach Blossom, Georgia, for a visit, not a breakdown. But when her rental car dies on the outskirts of town, mechanic Lavenia “Vini” Williams provides a tow—and a very welcome jump start to Jessica’s heart. It’s been a minute since Jessica’s last fling—her relationship specialty—and Vini checks all the right boxes. If only the sexy car whisperer seemed interested…

Vini knows herself and what she wants. She loves her job, her family, her hometown—but she’d love to fall in love. Jessica stirs up all the right feelings, but the city girl has no intention of staying in Peach Blossom. Why sign up for a broken heart?

But the temptation is real as Vini goes out of her way to drive a carless Jessica around town. The pair can’t seem to keep their distance—or their hands to themselves. With only six weeks to figure out where their red-hot chemistry might lead, Vini and Jessica will have to decide if home can be where the heart is when the heart only knows how to run.

From showing up to glowing up, the characters in Afterglow Books are on the path to leading their best lives and finding sizzling romance along the way. Don’t miss any of these other fun titles…

Peach Blossom

Book 1: The 7-10 Split
Book 2: The Relationship Mechanic
Book 3: The Secret Crush Book Club

Celebrate Brenda Jackson's 150th book, Spilling the Tea! 

EVENT DEETS

When: Tuesday, May 15 @ 7PM

Where: Kindred Stories Reading Garden (2304 Stuart Street, HTX, 77004)

How: RSVP WITH BOOK

ABOUT THE BOOK

Ninety-something Mama Laverne is determined to find all of her great-grandchildren their perfect match before going home to glory. So far, her success rate is 100 percent—and she intends to keep it that way.

Ninety-something-year-old Felicia Laverne Madaris, known in the family as Mama Laverne, is determined to find all of her great-grandchildren the perfect match before she goes home to glory. So far, her success rate is 100 percent, and she intends to keep it that way.

After sustaining injuries in Iraq, US Army Ranger Chancellor (Chance) Madaris was told he’d never walk again. Chance credits his great-grandmother, Mama Laverne, with giving him the will and fortitude to heal and prove the doctors wrong. He has a healthy respect for her meddling ways and knows he’ll eventually end up next on her matchmaker’s list.

When Zoey Pritchard was eight, she survived a car accident that left both her parents dead. She was sent to live with her great-aunt who refused to speak about her parents. Zoey has no memory from before the crash, but she’s been having the same dream over and over…

Guided by nothing but a hunch and images from her dream, Zoey travels to Houston. Searching for answers, Zoey uncovers a scandal involving her parents and the wealthy and powerful Madaris family. Her trail leads her straight to Chance’s door. The dislike and intense attraction are instant and simultaneous. Was it chance or Mama Laverne’s plan to throw this pair together?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

BRENDA JACKSON is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than one hundred contemporary multicultural romance novels, including the Madaris Family series, the Westmorelands series, and The Playas series. She was the first African-American author to have a book published under the Harlequin/Silhouette Desire line and the first African-American romance author to hit both the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists in the series romance genre. Many of her books have been adapted into movies. Brenda lives in Jacksonville, Florida, and divides her time between family, writing and traveling. brendajackson.net.

Celebrate the release of Madly Driven with Tiye!

EVENT DEETS

When: Thursday, August 6 @ 7 PM CST

Where: Kindred Stories (2310 Elgin St, Houston, TX 77004)

How: RSVP ONLY to reserve your seat or RSVP WITH BOOK to grab your copy of the book, support the author and our store programming.

*Please note outside copies of the book will not be allowed in the bookstore and you will not be eligible for the signing/photo line. You must buy a book from Kindred Stories.

ABOUT THE BOOK

An addictive, enemies-to-lovers romance about fame, power, and two people fighting to stay in control, even as they fall madly, recklessly in love.

Kensie Garrett turned her worst heartbreak into a bestselling brand. As a social-media influencer and author of a hit self-help book teaching women how to find love without losing themselves, she’s built a career on staying in command. But one reckless night threatens everything she’s created when she gives in to the magnetic pull of Canaan Jackson, the infuriating race car driver she’s despised since college.

When a private video from that night leaks, Kensie’s credibility and Canaan’s shot at racing glory are suddenly on the line. To save them both, he does the unthinkable: announces their engagement during a live press conference. What begins as damage control quickly spirals into a dangerous chemistry neither can contain.

Thrown together under the scorching Miami sun in the months leading up to his first Formula One race, Kensie and Canaan must outmaneuver paparazzi, past betrayals, and a passion that refuses to stay off camera. But as lies blur into truth and old wounds resurface, Kensie has to decide whether protecting her image is worth losing her heart to the one man who may know her better than she knows herself.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tiye is a USA Today Bestselling author known for her emotional and captivating novels. She has enchanted readers with stories that offer an escape into richly imagined worlds. Professionally, Tiye works in the mental health field, providing services through her private practice and teaching. A Southern girl currently residing in Houston finds inspiration from her travels and enjoys spending time with family and friends.

ABOUT THE CONVERSATION PARTNER

Charity Shane’ is a USA Today Best-selling author. She holds a Bachelor degree and a Juris Doctor degree. She’s an Author, Higher Education Leader, Legal Expert., and Creative. 

Writing stories that create feelings through her words is her true passion. 
To date, she has published many books, traditional and indie, including a USA Today Best Seller and a number of Amazon best sellers. She has been featured in Entertainment Weekly and Woman’s World Magazine for her traditionally published book, A Novel Christmas. 

Her soul sings Black romance and Black Women’s fiction. 

One mistake was innocent until it wasn’t.

After almost a ten-year relationship, Jersei Lane is forced into a journey of self-discovery. Her codependency made her put her own life on the back burner, but with one spark to her soul, everything shifted.

Vayce Denver is the school counselor at Sweet Pea Academy. His life is built on saving others until it is time to address his own. Love became a distant memory and peace became his priority.

How sweet can a guarded heart’s lesson be? Is love possible if we keep it Off the Charts?

There’s a lot that can happen in two minutes or less…

Kendall “Snoop” Dogwood has something to prove.

After a devastating ending to his first year with the Houston Skyhawks, getting redemption is the only thing on the veteran quarterback’s mind coming into the new season. But when a picture of him and a woman he barely knows, but wants to get to know, goes viral on social media, it doesn’t take long before Kendall finds himself on a different kind of mission going into year two.

A mission to pursue her.

As a social media influencer and the daughter of a well-known sports bettor, Shakira “Kiki” Knight is used to seeing her face tied to all sorts of internet gossip. What she’s not used to is having an actual crush on whoever she’s rumored to be involved with. But when it comes to Kendall Dogwood, Shakira just can’t seem to contain her attraction, especially once she learns the Skyhawks quarterback is equally interested in her.

Considering the messy way in which her last relationship with an NFL player ended, Kendall is probably the last man Shakira should be checking for. And after Shakira’s sports gambling ties are unveiled, the conflict of interest makes her the woman Kendall should probably be avoiding at all costs. But the instant chemistry between the two of them makes both of those things worth looking past for the sake of being together… until the stakes get higher and there’s more than just a game on the line.

Two elven sisters become imprisoned in the intoxicating world of the fae, where danger and love lie in wait. Faebound is the first book in an enchanting new trilogy from the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Final Strife.

“A romantic fantasy of epic proportions, crackling with magic and passion.”—Samantha Shannon, bestselling author of The Priory of the Orange Tree

Yeeran was born on the battlefield, has lived on the battlefield, and one day, she knows, she’ll die on the battlefield.

As a warrior in the elven army, Yeeran has known nothing but violence her whole life. Her sister, Lettle, is trying to make a living as a diviner, seeking prophecies of a better future.

When a fatal mistake leads to Yeeran’s exile from the Elven Lands, both sisters are forced into the terrifying wilderness beyond their borders. 

There they encounter the impossible: the fae court. The fae haven’t been seen for a millennium. But now Yeeran and Lettle are thrust into their seductive world, torn among their loyalties to each other, their elven homeland, and their hearts.

*Ships/ready for pick-up in 7-10 business days*

“There is so much to relate to and throughout the novel, there is a sharp feminist edge. Loved this one, and you will too.”—New York Times bestselling author Roxane Gay

The New York Times bestselling author of The Wedding Date serves up a novel about what happens when a public proposal doesn't turn into a happy ending, thanks to a woman who knows exactly how to make one on her own...

When someone asks you to spend your life with him, it shouldn't come as a surprise—or happen in front of 45,000 people.

When freelance writer Nikole Paterson goes to a Dodgers game with her actor boyfriend, his man bun, and his bros, the last thing she expects is a scoreboard proposal. Saying no isn't the hard part—they've only been dating for five months, and he can’t even spell her name correctly. The hard part is having to face a stadium full of disappointed fans...

At the game with his sister, Carlos Ibarra comes to Nik’s rescue and rushes her away from a camera crew. He’s even there for her when the video goes viral and Nik’s social media blows up—in a bad way. Nik knows that in the wilds of LA, a handsome doctor like Carlos can't be looking for anything serious, so she embarks on an epic rebound with him, filled with food, fun, and fantastic sex. But when their glorified hookups start breaking the rules, one of them has to be smart enough to put on the brakes...

“In these kaleidoscopic stories of Jamaica and its diaspora we hear many voices at once: some cultivated, some simple, some wickedly funny, some deeply melancholic. All of them shine.”—Zadie Smith

Tenderness and cruelty, loyalty and betrayal, ambition and regret—Alexia Arthurs navigates these tensions to extraordinary effect in her debut collection about Jamaican immigrants and their families back home. Sweeping from close-knit island communities to the streets of New York City and midwestern university towns, these eleven stories form a portrait of a nation, a people, and a way of life.

The next book in the New Haven series, interconnected standalones featuring second chances, fiery passion, and Black heroines who get their happily ever afters. This is part three of a trilogy.

*The limited deluxe edition will include sprayed edges*

The next book in the New Haven series, interconnected standalones featuring second chances, fiery passion, and Black heroines who get their happily ever afters. This is part three of a trilogy.

Mallory
Hope is a dangerous thing. It holds you close like a lover, whispering promises it never intends to keep, and just as soon as you relax into its arms, it lets you go. Sending you spinning into an abyss of nothingness. When I sent him away four years ago, he promised he would come back to me, and even as I asked him not to, I hoped that he would.

Hope. I tucked it deep inside of me, underneath the scars of our before, beside the dreams of our after. Hidden like contraband. Guarded like a treasure. Broken like every promise that ever fell from his lips and hit my ears. Eventually, I got tired of hoping, of waiting for him, and I plunged my hands inside my own heart, ripping past scar tissue and muscle, veins and arteries to root it out.

Hope. He conspired with it to make a fool of me, and when I freed myself from it, exorcised that pointless dream, I promised myself that no one would get the chance to do that to me again. Then, and only then, did he appear.

My promise, a spell that conjured him. My determination, a challenge. My heart, the only prize he hopes to win.

Christopher
Life without Mallory Kent has taught me that time doesn't heal wounds. It turns them into scars. Jagged tissue that grows around your pain, covering it with raised skin that will never again be smooth to the touch. My first scar formed when I was just a child. Too young to fully understand what my mother's loss would mean for my life but old enough to remember the echo of the pain inside my empty chest. It was a unique agony. One I never expected to feel again.

But that was before I loved her. Before I let things that had nothing to do with us cost me everything.

It's been four years since I decided to honor her request to stay away. To move on with my life and give her a chance to move on with hers. And she might not agree, but it was more than enough time for us to try and do the impossible. The only thing our time apart has done is remind me that wherever she is, is where I'm supposed to be.

Now I just have to make her believe it.

The next book in the New Haven series, interconnected standalones featuring second chances, fiery passion, and Black heroines who get their happily ever afters. This is part two of the Revive Me trilogy.

Mallory

The day Christopher Johnson decided to kill me, I already knew what it was like to die. I had already experienced it once. Having the life leeched from my body, blood stolen from my veins, oxygen pulled from my lungs.

When he decided to walk back into my life, I was in the middle of my third resurrection, healing from the loss of my brother when I was still raw from losing him.

It wasn't going well.

I guess the human heart can only stop so many times, can only take so much damage before it questions whether it's worth it to be revived. My heart is on its last leg, but even that can't stop me from seizing the chance to have him again.

Even if it's just for a little while.

Chris

Walking away from Mallory Kent is one of the hardest things I've ever done.

The devastation that marred her features that night still haunts me. Refusing to let me forget that the knife I plunged into her heart to protect her had pierced mine as well. Dogging my steps as I walked through my miserable life without her.

Coming back had always been a part of the plan. Even as I gave in to the forces hellbent on tearing us apart, I knew we weren't done. I just didn't know we'd come back together like this: under a cloud of unexpected grief with the pain of our stolen future lingering just beneath the surface.

This time together was never supposed to happen. I hadn't accounted for it when I started working to clear a path back to her, but I'm thankful for it. For the opportunity to comfort her in a way no one else can. For the chance to hold her until the demons in my life force me to walk away again.

“I’m in awe. This Side of Beautiful is a beautifully raw work of art. So much passion—for music and for love—drips from the pages for Janae and Landon. Tiye delivered a masterpiece.” - Shanora Williams, New York Times & USA Today Bestselling Author
“Tiye tugs at your heartstrings with two deeply flawed characters in an unforgettable love that is raw and messy, but ultimately... beautiful.”- Delaney Diamond, USA Today Bestselling Author

Janae Warner had it all — platinum records, sold-out arenas, and a life in the spotlight. But the same fire that fueled her rise burned everything down. Branded as unstable and unredeemable, she disappeared from the world she once ruled. Now, after years away, Janae is stepping back into the industry she left behind, determined to reclaim her voice and prove she’s more than the headlines.

Returning to Houston, the city that built her and broke her, Janae faces more than the pressures of a comeback. The emotional storms she’s battled for years still churn within, and while her drive to succeed is unwavering, the world is watching, waiting to see if she will rise again or fall harder than before.

Landon Hayes, a quiet, brilliant guitarist, moves through life with a rhythm and focus that sets him apart. His calm, structured world feels like a contradiction to Janae’s relentless highs and lows, yet their connection feels unexpectedly natural. He is a steady presence that both unsettles and intrigues her in ways she never imagined.

As their bond deepens, Landon’s unwavering presence forces Janae to confront the vulnerability she’s worked so hard to bury. Trusting someone who sees through the walls she’s built may be her greatest risk, but it could also be her path to a second chance she thought she’d never deserve.

Selah Bailey, an anxious, risk-averse, homebody determined to finally become the main character in her own story, created a "F*ck It List" filled with goals and experiences to force her out of her comfort zone and introduce her to a life outside of her front door.

Realizing she'll need a partner to help complete her more adventurous goals by the deadline, she goes on a few dates in hopes of breaking her dry spell with no luck.

After what may be the worst date ever, she meets Greyson in the elevator of her building.

She soon finds herself running out of time to complete the list and seeks an arrangement with anyone tolerable-though a certain neighbor comes to mind.

Greyson is everything she wasn't prepared for and could be the perfect hero for her story. Except falling in love is against the rules and she should probably leave the house to find it.

Greyson Park is a business oriented extrovert, who's fully content with the life he's built for himself amid his divorce. For the past 7 years, he's prioritized making the best out of everyday and keeping things casual in his love life.

As the creator of a wildly successful dating app, he's become quite the modern day matchmaker. While he loves seeing others in love, he doesn't forgive himself for the past and believes romance isn't in the cards for a second time.

After what may be the most awkward night ever, he meets Selah in the elevator of his building.

He soon finds himself needing a believable date for his ex's wedding to silence the noise about him not moving on and works out an arrangement with his neighbor.

Selah is everything he didn't know he needed and could be the one who introduces him to a life outside of work. Except falling in love is against the rules, and he should probably use his app to find it.

ONE FATEFUL NIGHT. TWO PRINCE CHARMINGS.

Alisa hasn’t had the best of luck. Her dream of expanding her salon into a franchise has stalled. Her dating life is non-existent. She spends her nights with wine, takeout, and thriller marathons. Looking to spice up her life, she heads back to the one place she knows will satisfy her desires. Little does she know that one night of passion (and a leaked photograph) will upend her life in more ways than one.

Christophe and Kadeem have been together for years, living and loving under the radar. Their relationship is solid but they’ve always felt that someone was missing from their lives. When they think they’ve met “the one” at a private sex club, they are intent on making her theirs. Permanently. The problem: Convincing her that one night will never be enough.

Could this be the beginning of happily ever after? Or will their relationship ultimately crash and burn?

Latrice Richardson is a thirty eight year old divorced, single mother who has an amazing career and a wonderful eight year old son named Quincy. What she doesn't have is any semblance of a love life and sex is non-existent. After a scorching one night stand with a handsome stranger, Nathan Woodson, Latrice never expects to see him again, and definitely not at the front of her son's classroom!
Nathan Woodson is a former foster kid who loves teaching and has just landed his dream job. The last thing he expected was the sexy enchantress he spent the night with, to be the mother of one of his students.
Despite the two of them both trying to keep things professional, Latrice and Nathan find themselves being drawn closer together. But with nosey school moms on the prowl and his job on the line, they find that love may be too hot for this parent and teacher to handle.
Hot for Teacher is a sexy rom-com that features an older woman/younger man, (somewhat) secret lovers and plenty of high heat.

Fueled by her impulsive desire to create a memorable night, Sovanna approaches the finest man in the club. Boldly, she introduces herself to Zahir, confident he won't reject her... and he doesn't. Instead, he exceeds her expectations, making it clear that a mere one-night stand was just the beginning for them and the least she could've asked for. With Zahir, Sovanna realizes that she means much more to him than a fleeting, passionate encounter.

Please note: Heat Of The Moment is book 1 in the Evermore series and does not include a cliffhanger.

In this spicy new rom-com, an ambitious entrepreneur working to get her speakeasy supper club off the ground is pushed off balance when her childhood crush turns up, hotter than ever––then tells her she's off-limits.

Now that Kendra’s returned home, she can’t help feeling like a kid again—back in her big brother’s shadow, trying to get her restaurant off the ground while his new venture is flying high right out the gate. It doesn’t help that everyone refuses to stop calling her Keke, the childhood nickname she loathes.

The only bright spot is her longtime crush BJ. He’s been her big brother’s best friend for most of her life, and he’s always been that cool, chill guy who was easy to talk to and made her laugh. Now he’s looking at her like she’s all grown up, and there’s nothing childish about the chemistry brewing between them. Even better, he takes her dreams seriously, and he’s ready to help her make her supper club a reality.

But then BJ extinguishes the sparks flying between them, insisting nothing romantic can ever happen because she’s “off limits.” As her investors fall through and her best chance at fulfilling her professional dreams points toward leaving home again for a fresh start, will BJ be ready for love before Kendra moves on? Or will he sweep her off her feet when she least expects it?

What’s done in the dark…Murderer is a title she never expected to wear. Friend? Sure. Boss? Hell yes. But murderer? Never. If only she hadn’t threatened exactly that, just before someone winds up dead, and her fingerprints are all over the murder weapon.Always comes to light…All he wanted was to live a quiet life, without all the danger and darkness of his past. Those plans are blown when he’s accused of a crime he has nothing to do with, leaving him with a hard decision… remain in the shadows, or do what he can to help a friend?When other crimes start stacking up – the handiwork of an anonymous suspect with an unknown vendetta, they’ll discover something that flips their worlds upside down…A murder accusation may be the least of their worries.

On the verge of summer before his senior year, Jay is a soft soul in a world of concrete. While his older brother is everything people expect a man to be—tough, athletic, and in charge—Jay simply blends into the background to everyone, except when it comes to Leroy.

Unsure of what he could have possibly done to catch the eye of the boy who could easily have anyone he wants, Jay isn’t about to ignore the surprising but welcome attention. But as everything in his world begins to heat up, especially with Leroy, whispered rumors over the murder of a young Black journalist and long-brewing territory tensions hang like a dark cloud over his neighborhood. And when Jay and Leroy find themselves caught in the crossfire, Leroy isn’t willing to be the reason Jay’s life is at risk.

Dragged into the world of the Black Diamonds—whose work to protect the Black neighborhoods of Savannah began with his father and now falls to his older brother—Leroy knows that finding out who attacked his brother is not only the key to protecting everyone he loves but also the only way he can ever be with Jay. Wading through a murky history of family mistakes, Leroy soon discovers that there’s no keeping Jay safe when Jay’s own family is in just as deep and fighting the undertow of danger just as hard.

Now Jay and Leroy must puzzle through secrets hiding in plain sight and scramble to uncover who is determined to eliminate the Black Diamonds before someone else gets hurt—even if the cost might be their own electric connection.

A sweet and fast-paced contemporary teen romance from USA Today bestselling author Kristina Forest.

High school senior Margot Whitman is an intern at Healing Hearts Inc., the company that created the innovative pill that can erase a person’s heartbreak overnight. Every weekend, Margot witnesses patients get cured of their broken hearts. Meanwhile, she’s nursing a heartbreak of her own. With college on the horizon and their futures taking them in different directions, she and her ex Isaac recently called it quits. Margot has thought about taking a pill, but erasing her love for Isaac doesn’t feel right. However, her heart breaks all over again when Isaac shows up to the Healing Hearts center, presumably seeking a pill to stop loving her.

As soon as Isaac Fisher walked through the Healing Hearts center doors, he knew he’d made a mistake. Even though he’s struggling with heartbreak, he realizes that he doesn’t want to fall out of love with Margot. He’s surprised to see her working at the front desk, and of course she assumes he's there to get over her. It doesn’t seem like things can get much worse, but then Margot and Isaac accidentally overhear a terrible and harmful secret about the pill. When they’re caught eavesdropping and almost attacked by shady Healing Hearts executives and their guards, they have no choice but to flee. Now they have to work together to reveal the truth about the pill . . . and maybe, just maybe, repair each other’s hearts in the process.

Okay, so maybe I shouldn’t have broken into their house.

Maybe I shouldn’t have made myself at home and eaten through enough food for two people in twenty minutes.

But after being lost for half the day, I was hungry. And I needed their electricity to charge my phone so I could use the GPS to make it back to my car.

So, I did what I had to do. Besides, it didn’t look like anyone was home. I’d be gone in thirty minutes, tops. And I’d leave a note apologizing about the broken window.

Except, that food knocked me out. And when I woke up it was with a gun to my forehead and three unnecessarily attractive men staring down at me.

Naturally, I expect them to want answers and kick me out. But instead I end up with a proposition I can't refuse

After the devastating loss of her child's father, Leerah struggles to piece her life back together. Despite her best efforts to keep her distance, she finds herself entangled in a complicated situation. Trying to resist her growing feelings for her baby father's godbrother, Cree, Leerah grows overwhelmingly confused with mixed emotions.

He was against the rules-strictly forbidden.

But sometimes... rules were meant to be ignored. They both knew the risks and the boundaries they were crossing, yet their connection was undeniable. Cree didn't pursue her to save her but to remind her of what she meant to him... of who she'd always been. Maybe, just maybe, Cree was the person Leerah needed all along.

Please note: Here With You Forever is book 2 in the Evermore Series and does not include a cliffhanger.

A passionate vice principal and a guarded science teacher compete for a grand prize, only to realize their budding relationship might be the real jackpot.

Brianna Rogers has been told a time (or six) she needs to stop jumping into things head first. But when the principal rescinds his approval for a library upgrade, deciding to spend the money on a football field instead, she sees red. Literally. Brianna throws her hat in the ring and joins a team of teachers who will spend their summer in a Mars simulation. As the sister of an astronaut, this should be easy, right? What she didn’t count on was the last-minute addition to the team—Roman Major: science teacher, son of the principal, and too handsome for his own good.

Roman and Brianna have been hot and cold all year, and living in close quarters intensifies their animosity and attraction. Brianna is sure he’s been sent by his father to sabotage them, foiling their chance at prize money that will cover all of the school’s actual needs. But each day, Roman proves himself to be a dedicated teammate—and Brianna finds herself falling harder and harder. While it’s clear the feeling is mutual, she can’t shake the sense that he’s hiding something. As the simulation nears its end, Brianna realizes she may have to make an impossible choice, between the school she’s dedicated herself to, and the man who has won his way into her heart.

"If you haven't read Taj McCoy's books, you are missing out on some seriously stunning love stories!" —Jesse Sutanto, author of Dial A for Aunties

When Maggie's best friend admits he's in love with her, she'll have to decide whether it's worth giving up something good for something that could be amazing in this laugh-out-loud friends-to-lovers rom-com.

After a bad breakup, Maggie wants to find her Prince Charming, but all she’s finding are frogs. When her best friends, Savvy and Joan, apply pressure and demand she find a date worthy of attending their respective weddings, she agrees to take her own advice and try online dating. Since she's the maid of honor for both weddings, her bridal party duties are massive, but both brides insist that Maggie prioritize finding a date. After an onslaught of maybes, noes and hell noes, she’s close to giving up, when she meets a handsome doctor at the gym who just might be the one.

Meanwhile, her college bestie, Garrett, throws salt in everyone’s game. At every turn, he points out the red flags and tells Maggie to keep looking. Things come to a head when Maggie demands that Garrett be happy for her, and he finally admits that he can’t. Not when he’s not with her. When he blurts out his feelings, Maggie’s world is turned upside down. Now she must choose between the perfect guy and a friendship that is the foundation for everything she’s ever wanted.

The next book in the New Haven series, interconnected standalones featuring second chances, fiery passion, and Black heroines who get their happily ever afters. This is part one of a trilogy.

Mallory

The first time I kissed Christopher Johnson, I knew he would be my biggest mistake. It didn't stop me from wanting him though, and when the ghosts from my past came barging into the present, it didn't stop me from agreeing to let him help.

It was supposed to be a simple business arrangement, a few months of playing a role that came far too easily to the both of us, but it wasn't long before it became more.

Love. Devotion. Heartbreak in its truest form.

Some people say life is for the living, but I say life is for the prepared. For the planners who know that controlling every piece on the board is the only way to get the result you want.

To avoid unfortunate complications like having your heart broken by a man past experiences taught you, you never should have trusted in the first place.

Christopher

There's nothing in this world I wouldn't do for Mallory Kent.

I think I knew it the first time I laid eyes on her, and it's remained one of my unspoken truths for the two years that I've known her. But I never thought I'd get the opportunity to do anything about it because Mallory is one of those people who doesn't need anyone.

She's strong, serious, and always in control of every situation around her, which is why the second I see her looking panicked and uncertain in the arms of a figure from her past, I don't think. I just act.

I had no idea that one small decision would lead to this. A fake relationship―designed to solve her problems and mine―turned real. An earth shattering love torn apart by the very forces that led to its conception. Forces that turned me into the source of our destruction.

There's nothing in this world I wouldn't do for Mallory Kent, including break her heart to save her soul.