In the four years since her husband’s death, Melanie LaSalle’s life has been consumed with managing the family design firm and caring for her five-year-old daughter, Jerica. The possibility of a new relationship is the last thing on her mind. But when Melanie meets Joel Ellington, a new staff member at her church, she is instantly attracted to his warm spirit. As their friendship deepens, however, Melanie is troubled by something she can’t quite understand or explain.

Rising from a life of poverty, Hunter Green is a staunch businessman, a workaholic with three jobs to keep his life busy and fulfilled. As the owner of the Atlanta Weekly Chronicles, he heads the most successful weekly newspaper in the state of Georgia. As a single parent, he takes pride in his son, and devoted his time to being the best father he can be. And as the owner of Greene Pastures, he breeds champion horses that sell at top dollar.

Kenda Tyson has lived a pretty wonderful life. Her parents are lawyers who own their own firm, and they provide their 17-year-old daughter with only the finest. Kenda has come to expect that the men in her life will continue to offer her that same level of luxury, and when she meets the good-looking, smooth-talking Jerome Smith, she’s sure she’s hit the jackpot. Her perspective quickly changes, however, when she finds herself caught up in a whirlwind of love, lies, and abuse.

Years of trying unsuccessfully to conceive a child have broken more than Angie DeSaria’s heart. Following a painful divorce, she moves back to her small Pacific Northwest hometown and takes over management of her family’s restaurant. In West End, where life rises and falls like the tides, Angie’s fortunes will drastically change yet again when she meets and befriends a troubled young woman.

Listen to our stories about men and women living their life, experiencing joy, drama, sadness, and happiness. They are everyday stories, windows to different lives, that can lull us into the arms of night, shifting from a dream to another.

Scars and Stilettos: At 13, after being abandoned by her mother one summer and left to take care of her younger brother, Harmony becomes susceptible to a relationship that turns out to be toxic, abusive, and ultimately exploitative. She eventually finds herself working in a strip club at the age of 19, and her boyfriend becomes her pimp, controlling her every move and taking all of her money. Ultimately, she discovers a path to freedom and a whole new life.

In her fine new Virginia school, Dawn Longchamp feels happy and safe. But nothing is what it seems... Now Dawn and her older brother Jimmy have a chance for a decent, respectable life, and Dawn’s secret, precious hope to study singing can come true. Philip Cutler, the handsomest boy in school, sets Dawn’s heart on fire. She is deeply devoted to her brooding brother; but with Philip, she imagines a lovely dream of romance...

Mrs. Ford leads a privileged life. From her Blenheim spaniels to her cottage on the coast of Watch Hill, Rhode Island, she carefully curates her world. Hair in place, house in place, life in place, Susan Ford keeps it under control. Early one morning in the summer of 2014, the past pays a call to collect. The FBI arrives to question her about a man from Iraq - a Chaldean Christian from Mosul - where ISIS has just seized control. Sammy Fakhouri, they say, is his name, and they have taken him into custody, picked him up on his way to her house.

Amaryllis Price, once a relationship destroyer and professional husband stealer, has turned her life around. She's made a vow to live right and walk the straight and narrow, but Amaryllis finds herself at a crossroads when her past catches up with her. She could never resist Charles Walker, and when he reappears in her life, he's even sexier than she remembered. Will she remain celibate and resist the wiles of the devil?

The last thing Lacy Green needs is trouble - and handsome Mayor Drake Randolph has "danger" written all over him...especially when "His Fineness" accidentally runs her off the road. Despite Drake's sensuous charm, irresistible magnetism, and unwavering determination to make amends, she's thinking it might be smart to play it safe and keep her distance...if only his lips weren't so inviting.

Everything that looks good isn't good for you. From the outside, Kevin Davis' world leaves nothing to be desired. It is a life of luxury, comfort, and money, but never judge a book by its cover. His pretend world hides the verbal, physical, and sexual abuse he endures at the hands of his perfect man. Passion Marks finds Kevin entangled in a dark web of love, violence, depravity, and torment at the hands of his lover, James Lancaster, the ambitious CEO of a rising Houston software firm. In order to free himself from the cycle of violence, Kevin must overcome his personal demons.

It's 1947. War's over, cherry-print dresses, parking above the city lights, swing dancing. Beautiful, 17-year-old Violet lives in a perfect world. Everybody loves her. In 2012, she's still beautiful, charming, and surrounded by admirers. Veronica "Ronni" Johnson, licensed practical nurse and aspiring writer, meets the captivating Violet in the assisted living facility where Violet requires no assistance, just lots of male attention. When she dies, she leaves Ronni a very generous bequest - only if Ronni completes a book about her life within one year.

Essence® best-selling author Michelle Stimpson delivers a stirring tale about learning to appreciate life by slowing down. Tori Henderson’s marketing career in Houston is on the fast track. But when her aunt falls ill, Tori returns to her tiny hometown to provide care - and ends up reconnecting with an old crush.

Sarai Emery lost her job as a radio disc jockey when a heated breakup with her wealthy drug dealer boyfriend was accidentally broadcast live. With thoughts of dodging the repo-man, past due bills, an impending eviction, and a bill from the nursing home that cares for her Alzheimer’s-afflicted father fresh on her mind, Sarai feels she has no choice but to plunge into a world where the line that separates sex and money is blurred beyond recognition. When she meets the man of her dreams, will she come clean about how she’s been paying her bills?

On the outside, clinical psychologist Dr. Olivia C. Maxwell appears to live a life others only dream about. She has a sexy husband, a big house, luxury cars, and two gorgeous children, and she attends all the see-and-be-seen events. To add to the mix, she is beautiful, tall, fit, and intelligent. But what people can't see is that inside, Olivia is living a nightmare. As the only dark-skinned member of her family, Olivia grew up hating the skin she's in and is desperately searching for acceptance. It's not long before those deep insecurities sabotage everything she loves.