Contains books one, two, and three of the Luke Brothers series: Unexpected Expectations, Unexpected Second Chances, and Unexpected Challenges.

Yonas “Nas” Kadir is a man of few words. He has learned the art of never showing his hand, which is a valued asset for a man who balances his life between dark and light. There’s not much he desires that isn’t as good as promised to him, which is why Dae Richardson can fight the attraction but will ultimately fall for his good looks and undeniable charm, or so he hopes.

Cassius Avery’s life is anything but simple. Music is his escape from reality and has earned him the name “Billion Dollar Cash”. The void that exist in Cash’s life is one that money can’t fill and has been present for the majority of his life. Tru Bisset has experienced heartbreak and betrayal on unimaginable levels. Torn between the comfort of her past relationship and the need to be secure in her future, she struggles daily to remember her worth. Both Tru and Cash are aware that they need to leave the past in the past, but it’s easier said than done.

If you’re going to give your heart to someone, make sure they’re a rider.

Skylar Addison is one of the best sports attorneys in the city, so when the firm she worked for “reallocated” her out of a job, she felt as if the rug had been snatched from up under her. Finding out that her ex had her terminated after she decided that she no longer wanted to be in a relationship, only made matters worse. After a pity party at a local bar and grill, Skylar found herself falling for the type of man she swore she would never think twice about.

In part one of A Ruthle$$ Love Story, Lourde’s only focus was proving to his father that he was worthy of the throne. Now that he knows Belmonte blood doesn’t run through his veins, he’s left with questions about who he really is. In the midst of all his family’s dirty laundry, he finds himself in love for the first time. When he loses himself, will he turn to Loyalty to remind him who he really is or feed into the ruthlessness he’s been immersed in all along?

Donovan Barron, aka Young, is Southside to the heart, and nothing can change that, not even an NBA career. Refusing to conform has led to Young being dubbed as "Atlanta's Bad Boy". Living lowkey and making money are his only priorities until he is forced to switch it up. Stony Dorrian refuses to let anyone tell her how to live her life any longer! For too long, she has allowed her parents to control everything in her life. Officially fed up, a chance meeting allows Stony to live a carefree for once, and it just might change her life forever.

Cadence was forced to run to protect the one person she would give her life for. Sol was forced to run to protect the one person who he feels that he failed. You can’t hide from your indiscretions and you definitely can’t hide from your heart. When two creative souls are drawn to each other with an undeniable connection, the riffs and harmonies are a beautiful complicated mess.

Ever since Draylah Omari was 16 years old, it seemed like life had only dealt her a bad hand. Tragedies and betrayal have taken the people she loved most, including her best friend of more than a decade, Glory. After finding out her boyfriend, Lue, who was once her savior, is nothing but a wolf in sheep's clothing, Draylah decides to lock her heart up and focus only on her half-finished brow bar. But little does Draylah know, a whirlwind is headed her way, it's named Ricky AK, and she's about to get caught up in it.

Sometimes, people are so damaged, they can’t find their way out of the storm to embrace love. Rachel and Porter must decide if what they have is worth fighting for and if they are willing to trust in love - and each other. When you can’t completely trust your heart, sometimes it’s just as simple as letting go enough to just say you will.

Elias Omari exists in the darkness that clouds his mind. Cress Devereaux exists in the light that inspires her soul. Together, they create beautiful shades of gray. An arranged marriage forces two families to smooth the edges of their jagged past with the hopes of a new beginning. But can a union tainted with secrets and uncertainty promise an unbreakable alliance? The one thing that Elias and Cress share in common is family over everything, but should they continue to fight for family when that same family has never truly fought for them?

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.

Born and raised in Atlanta, Lucinda, LaMeka, Charice, and Trinity are best friends who all have suffered the perils of teen pregnancy. With their dreams and ambitions on hold, they struggle to find themselves and survive this game called life. Despite their efforts, the decisions they make create more trouble, and the consequences prove to be costlier than they ever could have imagined.

A tragic beginning to life led Jah and Shauka Disciple to homelessness and poverty at such a young age that they grew into men before their time. Yet, they turned their hunger, abandonment, and suffering into diamonds, mansions, and power. The natural hustler instinct they’d inherited from their father was their driving force. Yet, this story starts when Messiah turns 18 and is finally freed from his adoptive parents. Reluctantly, he leaves his twin sister behind as he, Jah, and Shauka run the streets and break yearning hearts along the way.

All Sevyn wanted was to finish law school and make her late grandmother proud. She was never the one to color outside the lines or go against the rules. When Sevyn is suddenly faced with past due bills and eviction, she becomes overwhelmed trying to stay above water. Nasir is content in his relationship with his long-term girlfriend. The two of them have an understanding. Inviting another partner in the bedroom has never been an issue—until now. When Sevyn joins the couple for one night of pleasure, Nasir instantly becomes attracted to the innocence surrounding her.

My name is Kennedy Desiree Carter. I met the love of my life, Damion "King" Carter, five years ago. Back then, you would not have been able to convince me of the way that he would change my life, in good ways and bad. I was a good girl; on my way to college with a high GPA and big dreams of becoming a child psychologist. Yet, as soon as I met King, I also dreamed of being the best rider that any street nigga had ever seen. I was a good girl with a bad boy fetish, and King was the ultimate bad boy that came to love me in ways that I had never felt before.

All Sevyn wanted was to finish law school and make her late grandmother proud. She was never the one to color outside the lines or go against the rules. When Sevyn is suddenly faced with past due bills and eviction, she becomes overwhelmed trying to stay above water. Nasir is content in his relationship with his long-term girlfriend. The two of them have an understanding. Inviting another partner in the bedroom has never been an issue—until now. When Sevyn joins the couple for one night of pleasure, Nasir instantly becomes attracted to the innocence surrounding her.

Delta Operative Heath “Woof” Davis has spent years living on the edge. Protecting a State Department official is just another assignment, until he discovers that Eleanor Bonham is Nori Duncan, the one that got away. He can protect her from enemy forces in the Republic of Kazarus, but can he defend his heart from the woman who used to be his everything.

Simone is a woman on a mission: Stop being boring, and fall in love. That's easier said than done with no prospects on the table...or under the table...or near the table. Her luck changes when fellow neighborhood business-owner Roman Taylor walks through the door of her flower shop. Roman is single, successful, and sexy - everything Simone is looking for to embark on a whirlwind summer romance with the potential to spark an everlasting love. But things are never as "perfect" as they seem.

Milan Brooks, a fashion buyer with a chip on her shoulder, has been through her share of cheating, disrespectful men. In most people’s books, she’d be rated a true dime, but she still hasn’t been lucky enough to find a loyal man. When a chance encounter with a childhood friend turns into a promising relationship, Milan thinks things might be different this time. Unfortunately, her younger sister steps in with plans of her own.

Leaving his home of Freetown, Sierra Leone, to further his education, Haji Abimbola travels to Texas to study chemical engineering. It seemed he could never please his father, but in a quest to prove that he is capable of great things, Haji excels in his field of study. After several major accomplishments and still not having the approval he longs for, he chooses to live life on his terms.

To Collin Galloway, direction is a four-letter word. Sure, he hates his job, he hates living with his parents, and he really hates watching everyone move on without him. But he doesn’t know what he wants to do, long-term, and he won’t figure it out by thirsting over Jeremiah, the superhot, super-intense paramedic who is suddenly everywhere Collin looks.

Hendrix Caldwell wants nothing more than to revitalize the family bar and tear down every last reminder of his no-good father. But business isn't the only thing on his mind. An explosive encounter with a stranger at a charity masquerade is just the distraction he craves, with no names and no strings attached. For Hendrix, sex is casual, and love is a four-letter word. His commitment is to his brothers, his bar, and his bike. So why can't he stop thinking about the naughty Cinderella who rocked his world then left him - and her panties - behind?

We come from two different worlds. I’m from the streets. She might as well live in an ivory tower. I made my living with my fists. I doubt she could even throw a punch. Our paths never should have crossed. We never should have met. That doesn’t change the facts. I would sell my soul to taste those red lips. Fight the devil himself to hear her laugh. Burn in hell to have a single night. Scarlett Priest shouldn’t even know men like me exist, but sometimes temptation is stronger than will. If this is how I go down, it’ll be worth every second of the fall.

I've always been a good girl. The perfect daughter. The perfect sister. And, in two weeks, I'm supposed to become the perfect wife. I don't know or like the man my father chose to marry me off to but I have no say in the matter.

The men of Rescue Four are known for two things: for being the best the Williamsport Fire Department has to offer and for their rugged sex appeal. Rescue Four's reputation is carried like a badge of honor among all the men, including Eric "Harvard" Kim. Eric is the unofficial leader of the Rescue Four squad, and with his quiet yet appealing demeanor, he definitely lives up to his squad's playboy ways with the women. That is, until a certain bar owner catches his eye. Eric is hit with a desire so intense and overwhelming he can do little about it except submit.

I had it all planned out. I'd find a girl, marry her, get the white picket fence and make a family. But then a baby is dropped off at my doorstep. My baby. Turns out I'm more than an NFL quarterback - I'm a father. And my daughter's mother is missing. Or she ran away. No one knows, not even her sister Aria Ryan. Aria carries a gentle grace that doesn't match her story. She has every reason to run - her sister has made her life a living hell. But Aria is different. And I want her to stay.

Keith is an 18-year-old high school student living in Harlem. He has a life plan that includes being the class valedictorian and going to Columbia University. His mother is a recovering drug addict and his family is broken in most meanings of the word, but he has remained unfazed by his surroundings. He meets two cousins, Jesse and Derrick, and his senior year is turned on its head as he finds himself in a love triangle that leads to the discovery of details from his past that his mother wanted to keep hidden forever.

The night Jennifer Monroe meets Vance Etienne, the father of a young woman in her life, she knows he's her one. But somehow, she finds herself thinking of the past with her ex-husband more often than she should. There's no doubt about what Vance and Jennifer feel for one another. Can they let the hurt of the past go to focus on their future? Will their pasts be willing to release them from its grasps to pursue an intentional and all-consuming love?

The night we met in the dimly lit bar, she looked like a brunette bombshell, and I wanted to learn her deepest secrets. With sun-kissed skin and soulful bedroom eyes, she was pure temptation, and I was mesmerized. As one drink led to two, I craved more of her playful banter and taunting lips. Resisting her wasn't an option, and we quickly became a desperate mess of tangled limbs and hot kisses. She tasted like the sweetest sin, but I was no saint.

Asim Nour is the type of man who appreciates life and all that it has to offer. He’s been in the streets for years and is now realizing the benefit of building his legal status as well. Both worlds keep him busy and his pockets full. As much as he appreciates his status, the women appreciate it more. Kyori Spencer is the type of woman who takes full advantage of all life has to offer. Even if it’s not by way of her own bank account. It just so happens that the man she committed herself to, has loosely committed himself to several other women. When is enough, enough?

Redmon Stokes is a man about his money. Raised by the streets, he’s a natural born hustler who plans to secure every dollar that he can get his hands on. That doesn’t leave room for much else, except the streets. Peyson Cross is the epitome of a strong, successful Black woman. She has worked hard to make a name for herself with a career that allows her the finer things in life, excluding the love and affection of a man who truly knows her worth.

Sometimes, people are so damaged, they can’t find their way out of the storm to embrace love. Rachel and Porter must decide if what they have is worth fighting for and if they are willing to trust in love - and each other. When you can’t completely trust your heart, sometimes it’s just as simple as letting go enough to just say you will.

Donovan Barron, aka Young, is Southside to the heart, and nothing can change that, not even an NBA career. Refusing to conform has led to Young being dubbed as "Atlanta's Bad Boy". Living lowkey and making money are his only priorities until he is forced to switch it up. Stony Dorrian refuses to let anyone tell her how to live her life any longer! For too long, she has allowed her parents to control everything in her life. Officially fed up, a chance meeting allows Stony to live a carefree for once, and it just might change her life forever.

Hakeem was an all-American ball player who had offers for a full ride to just about every Division 1 school across the country. Everything changed when his parents died in a fatal car accident, leaving him to care for himself and his twelve-year-old sister. Seven years later, Hakeem is a senior at a local college, doing the best he can to ensure his sister Kaliyah graduates from high school while he balances hustling and college to ensure better days are on the horizon.

Taye “City” Savage and Akira White’s love story started in the projects. Ten years ago, they met when Akira was only a young girl and City was a grown man getting his hustle started. City and Akira’s bond was strong, and their fate was inevitable, so they thought. However, before their bound could be sealed, life happened.

Decisions made in the heat of the moment have connected Shai and Heavy for life. It will be up to them to decide how smooth that connection will be. Many other factors come into play, but in the end, Heavy may just have to accept that where Shai is concerned, his only reality is quite simply summed up in one sentence - "I’m Too Hood for You".

Embria Taylor is an expert on fixing the lives of others but can’t seem to make sense of her own. When a handsome stranger forces his way into her world, she quickly learns that being open to new possibilities just might be the missing ingredient to securing her happily ever after. Rahshon Allen is a man that speaks his mind and makes no apologies for who he is or how he feels. Those characteristics are what land him right in the middle of the chaos that seems to be just what he needs to escape his dark past.

Owen Santiago hasn't been dealt the greatest hand in life, with one tragic event in particular changing her for seemingly forever. Not willing to let the hardships drag her down, she presses forward, making herself happy the best way she knows how and by any means necessary. Owen is perfectly happy, or so she thinks, and believes the last thing she needs is a man, especially one as masculine, handsome, bold, yet undeniably sweet as Conquer. But what she soon realizes is there is a vast difference between men and little boys.

Growing up as a classically trained ballerina with dreams of being a professional dancer, balance was my life. Everything about me depended on it; my diet, my temper, my sleep and waking schedule. I even dedicated myself to rigorous yoga and martial arts training to learn how to maintain focus by balancing my breath. Balance was literally my everything.