Advice columnist Amelia Reinhardt had been told her entire life that she was destined for greatness. After gracing the cover of a popular magazine that highlights Black professionals, Amelia knew she’d finally made it. Now that her career was taking off, she no longer had an excuse to ignore the storm brewing between her and the man she’s known her entire life.

I always knew marriage for me would never be to a man of my choosing. As a young girl, I was all too aware of the power I wielded in a world where men were supposed to be the superior gender. To the underworld, I was just a mafia princess. To my family, I was an equal. To my soon-to-be husband? Well, that was yet to be determined. But I prayed Enzo Bianchi was ready for me because I was damn sure prepared for him.

She yearned for him. Nyla Mullaney couldn't shake her want for a man she knew could never be hers. He desired her. Asan Chamberlain sought peace and found it in a woman who he should've been avoiding at all costs. They formed a bond that had them treading in forbidden waters with no desire to escape. Nyla and Asan were never meant to be, history said so, but fate had other plans.

All Zarinah wanted was to fall in love. Growing up, she had kissed her fair share of frogs. When an unconventional situation leads her to Lawson, her wishes might become reality. Lawson is the new CEO of his family's hotel casino chain. He's tired of aimless dating and women just wanting his money. When he meets Zarinah, he instantly feels like she's the one.

The job offer she expected after taking an unpaid internship at a major shoe company didn’t come through. The friend who’d offered her a place to stay suddenly gave her 48 hours to vacate after a misunderstanding. And when she’s forced to move back to her hometown to live with her father and his mistress-turned-wife, it almost seems impossible for things to get any worse...until she runs into her former best friend, who’s only gotten fine with time.

She’s an angel. And she doesn’t mind dancing with a demon. That’s why I’d move mountains, dry seas, and hydrate the desert if it made her happy. She brought goodness to the world. It was only right that I made it hers, along with the two tiny beauties that shared her hazel eyes and perfect smile. For them, I’d do whatever. For them, I’d become whoever.

Zahi was young and living life to the fullest. Then, he was thrust into fatherhood and forced to change his outlook on life, love, and happiness. The self-proclaimed bachelor did not expect to be swept up in emotions he'd never felt. However, caring for his daughter, Zuri, charged a part of his heart that he thought was dead. The spark awakened a need for more out of life. From the moment he laid eyes on India, he was drawn to her. The pull was so intense, and no matter how many times he told himself to stay away from her, he just couldn't follow his own command.

When souls are tied, it's never goodbye. A boy I was that summer evening I met you, pulling your belongings out of the truck and into your new home. I knew it was love then. A whole man I was the day that you met me at the altar and agreed to love me until death do us part. A shell of a man I've become since it did, unable to move on, move forward, or progress in any way until I discovered that not even death was permanent enough to keep us apart. A better man I'm destined to be, knowing that, at some capacity, you're still with me. Our love is one that never dies.

Magnolia Baker could be considered the matriarch of her four younger sisters. They’ve endured tragedy and heartbreak together, with Magnolia protecting them no matter the cost. Her heart was made of solid gold and under lock and key. Shielding the part of her that had been broken by the one man who should have guarded it with his life is a top priority for Magnolia. No one has ever been able to penetrate the barrier until a smooth-talking, college English professor by the name of Lennox Clarke steps in to take a shot.

All Jerzey wanted was a family of her own. After things don't work out with her ex-husband, she takes matters into her own hands. Being a foster mom isn't easy, but having her best friend by her side to help makes it a little easier. That is, until the two blur lines and suddenly a friendship isn't enough.

At twenty-one, Ason ‘Ace’ Williams Jr. knows all about inevitable endings. He’s formerly famous, a popular rapper’s muse, the son of a three-time NBA champ, and a little… complicated. After a disturbing scandal and loss rocks his world, he’s left to deal with both in a city that doesn’t quite feel like home. It’s a place filled with old family friends he’s never met, reminders of all the endings he’s had to endure, and even worse—he’s stuck there after his dad takes a job no one ever imagined him taking.

For Maleek Jones, hockey is his wife. Everything and everyone else is his mistress, an aside. When unexpected responsibilities land in his lap, the balance of his world is disrupted, changing the way he sees everything.

Receptionist Isis Bennett isn’t looking to be boo’d up. Opting out of the complications of love and relationships completely. She’s single, carefree and loving it, and that will never change. Until Freedom Owens steps into her job, challenging the love ‘em and leave ‘em attitude that had always worked for her.

You met them in the Valentine and Rose series. In this prelude, I will formally introduce you to Malik Anthony Clark, Tristian Neil Clark, and Langston Jamal Clark.

Sometimes, you just need someone to help you see things in a different light. A shift in the angle.

Advice columnist Amelia Reinhardt had been told her entire life that she was destined for greatness. After gracing the cover of a popular magazine that highlights Black professionals, Amelia knew she’d finally made it. Now that her career was taking off, she no longer had an excuse to ignore the storm brewing between her and the man she’s known her entire life.

Normandee Tribune dedicates her life to saving the lives of children. While she loves her job, it doesn't fill the void of not being able to have the one thing she desires more than anything—a family of her own. Amid her fertility struggles, she's forced to come to terms with the reality that she may have put her heart in the hands of the wrong person. Things begin to shift after she's reunited with the knight in shining armor who once helped her during a devastating loss. Now, Normandee is left with hard decisions only she can make.

I always knew marriage for me would never be to a man of my choosing. As a young girl, I was all too aware of the power I wielded in a world where men were supposed to be the superior gender. To the underworld, I was just a mafia princess. To my family, I was an equal. To my soon-to-be husband? Well, that was yet to be determined. But I prayed Enzo Bianchi was ready for me because I was damn sure prepared for him.

Past relationships have left Nova scarred. Finishing up school and opening her boutique were her main focus until she ran into Grayson. Grayson was worried about being a great father and his photography career when Nova ran into him, in the most literal sense. While Nova tries to run from Grayson, afraid he'll turn out like the rest of the men who broke her heart, Grayson is determined to show her different. Not one to let go without a fight, he's determined to show her the beauty he sees behind the lens.

Putting herself first is what Jordana Evans knows how to do best. She’s at the top of her game in her career and no longer haunted by memories of her past threatening to steal her joy. In her mind, being in love is a want, not a need, and she’s convinced that she’ll be just fine without it. Having intimate relations with the opposite sex is something she’s willing to do for one night only. But then came along…him.

For brothers Krypt, Khrome, and Kavalli, their opportunity to learn was cut short. The death of their father, Duke, left them with more duties than they expected. Equipped with hustle, an education, and a rowdy group of young go-getters behind them, they feel they can take on whatever problems arise. The streets and the women who hold them down think otherwise. With budding relationships in the air, coparenting becoming non-existent, and raw betrayal by the ones they love, can the brothers keep the Priest name alive, or will their father's death be in vain?

Alana Powers is a triple threat. Brains, beauty, and intelligence. As a smart and savvy businesswoman, Alana's drive and passion for ensuring the success of Powers Construction is unparalleled. Nothing and no one can get in her way—except marriage. Noah Tate is caring, compassionate, and driven by his need to succeed. Fresh out of jail, past mistakes are now behind him, and Noah is determined to prove that he has learned valuable lessons about life. This time, he refuses to allow anything to stand in his way. Unfortunately, his record is proving to be more of a hindrance than he expects.

Kyce Jefferson understood change. His life had been a continuous reminder that nothing lasts forever. However, his one constant had always been football. Women come and go but the Chicago Bears was his team, his home, and his life. Being traded was the last thing he expected or wanted.

After a horrific incident, Nite and his twin Dai are left to fend for themselves. Living recklessly in the fast lane, the twins flirt with danger, not caring about the aftermath of their actions. Partying, popping pills, and getting money are just a few ways they cope with their untreated childhood trauma. Without the guidance of a strong male figure and the love of a nurturing mother, they can come off as rude and callous.

Sloane: Dominic Alexander is my late husband's best friend and the last man that I should want. For the last ten years, he's taken a sick pleasure in making me feel paper thin, like my existence is of no consequence to him at all. But now, things are different. After a drunken night, and a surprisingly sexy act of heroism, he's started to be . . . nice. Treating me like something other than the embodiment of his annoyance, which would be nice if it didn't make me feel things I swore to never feel for another man after my husband died.

Iesha Chic moved to New York to follow her dreams and her long-distance boyfriend at the time. She had dreams of becoming a fashion designer and starting her clothing line. However, after four years and multiple broken promises, she finds herself back in Brookwood with her tail tucked between her legs. She doesn't have the career she thought she would have or the boyfriend. Moving back home to Brookwood was the last place she thought she would ever be. Instead of sitting around licking her wounds, she applies for a junior designer position for Fashion Don.

Sevyn Stephens spent her entire childhood on the outside looking in, watching her father and his family bask in wealth and privilege while she and her mother struggled to make ends meet. But when tragedy strikes, Sevyn is thrust into the opulent world of her father, forced to move into his mansion with her younger sister Ciara and her cold, calculating stepmother. In order to survive, Sevyn tries her best to remember and utilize every piece of advice her mom instilled in her, but will it be enough?

In Kanai’s eyes, love was supposed to be simple. Quay mirrored the same sentiments, and once they revealed their true feelings for each other, they began to embark on a journey together. Suddenly, something they can’t quite comprehend happens leaving them lost, confused, and most of all saddened by their new reality. Words aren’t spoken, vacancies began to settle in, and resentment occurs, which causes the couple to live with unanswered concerns for years to come. Can Kanai and Quay push through the events that rocked their world...or will their love be lost forever?

Meet Trent Bailey, who is fighting for the right to continue his stellar professional football career after enduring striking legal woes in the recent past. Trent cannot and will not blow his second chance for anyone; after all, this is the blessing he's been praying for. After receiving confirmation that staying focused is all he needs, it's what he aims to do. No distractions. That's until he bumps into two unexpected overnight guests.

What happens when gang loyalty is tried by a generation of children who are loyal to a fault? Savion Saint and Gianna Lewis fall into a situation and quickly realize that everything they’ve been taught can be defied with one act of love. With Savion Saint naturally filling into the shoes of his late father and Gianna Lewis being the gateway to all the answers he has, they learn that everything isn’t black and white. Can the love that Savion and Gianna found blossom while being on opposite sides of the tracks? Take the ride with them and find out.