Zola is a rebellious soul filled to the brim with sheer determination to make it. After she defies the path that her father wants her to take, she ends up at Paradise, a strip club in the heart of New York City. Rich is a ruthless ruler running New York and has no plans of stopping. After what appears to be an accidental moment between Zola and Rich, she becomes a marked woman. With Rich reacting on impulse, Zola is trying to navigate through life and keep Rich at bay. But can budding feelings and an offer of a lifetime finally put them exactly where they’re fated to be?

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.

Dr. Ezekiel Green is ready to make a fresh start in a new city after the divorce from his high school sweetheart. What was supposed to be a professional business dinner with a future colleague quickly transformed into a love at first sight encounter, or so he thought. Dr. Jemma Holiday was spirited, brilliant, beautiful, and another man’s wife.

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.

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.

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.

Ashira, a belle from the suburbs, is the wealthy acting CEO of her father’s booming building firm. That's when she’s not the dancer on the Gram and TikTok, dating the latest Black Hollywood shooting star. To her, Jas, a construction laborer, is a walking conundrum. He’s fruitlessly ambitious yet steadfast in his spiritual convictions. He’s enigmatic, well-read, regimented, and poor. Oh, and a felon. An incredibly disarming parolee who wants no connection to her. Until he does.

Train. Fight. Repeat. That's been Princeton "The Prince" Lattimore's life for as long as he can remember. But when an interruption to his heavyweight champion world comes in the form of an alluring journalist who sees well beyond his undefeated stature, he quickly learns there’s a lot more to life outside of the boxing ring.

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.

Keris Bradford is a woman on the brink. Of what? She doesn’t quite know. Her life is shifting, rapidly, and the sudden, captivating intrusion of Laken Kimble isn’t exactly...reassuring. For Keris, Laken is comfort and risk wrapped in one very appealing package. For Laken, Keris is barrier and providence all at once. For both, there arises a need to navigate those contrasts to a conclusion neither was looking for...a need to answer a simple question. If you want this...what are you willing to offer in exchange?

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.

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.

Rule #1: No fraternizing. That was the main rule you had to follow if you wanted to stay employed at Danger Inc. For four years, Dymon Danger never worried about breaking that rule until the day his new assistant, Quinci Everly, walked in his office. Withstanding Dymon’s tactics to make her quit, he realizes that neither Quinci nor his intrusive thoughts were going anywhere anytime soon.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Pain is a survival mechanism of fundamental importance. It plays a crucial role in our lives, and eventually molds us into whoever it is that we become. At least it did for Zuri. After her world is brutally destroyed, she feels she has nothing left to hold on to but the fading dream of escaping the ghetto. Young, beautiful, and naïve, she is drawn into the world of sex and money, working at a hole in the wall strip club in South Philly.

Handsome and mysterious, he swoops in to offer me a new life, but this is no knight in shining armor. He’s cold, hardened by his past. But there’s an inferno underneath the ice. I can feel the heat each time he looks at me - each time he gives in to the desire between us. No matter how much I push to unleash the fire in his eyes, he shoves back harder each time. He’s merciless with his cruel words, telling me how naive I am, how little I know of the world.

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 can feel it. I wake up in the middle of the night freaked out of my mind, paranoid a stranger is there. My skin prickles every time I leave my house, because I know someone is following me. I’m afraid. Alone. And there’s only one person left to turn to. The stepbrother I never met. He’s the president of a notorious motorcycle club and exactly the kind of person I need to protect me - cutthroat, cocky, dangerous. Little did I know, hot as all holy hell Ky Parish, downright loathes me. You know what they say - there's a fine line between love and hate. And I'm walking it.

Liza B.—the only DJ who gives a jam—wants to take her neighborhood back from the soulless property developer dropping unaffordable condos on every street corner in DC. But her planned protest at a corporate event takes a turn after she mistakes the smoldering-hot CEO for the waitstaff. When they go toe-to-toe, the sparks fly—but her impossible-to-ignore family thwarts her every move. Liza wants Dorsey Fitzgerald out of her hood, but she’ll settle for getting him out of her head.

The first time I saw him, he entranced me and offered to help me forget my broken engagement. The second time was on a blind date with no last names and undeniable passion. The third time, I was eight months pregnant with his baby that he knew nothing about. This time, he's not letting me walk away so easily.

Kyle, one of the alpha men of Walker Security, is hot, bothered, and intense, and when Myla lands in his line of fire, she'll soon learn her secrets - and her passion - belong to him. From New York Times best-selling author Lisa Renee Jones. Myla is beautiful, a dove with clipped wings, captive of the wolf, a vicious drug lord. One look into her eyes and Kyle could see the pain, the fear...the desperation. Or so it seems. He's been fooled before by a woman, and it cost him everything and everyone he loved. He won't be fooled again.

Sebastian Shark is on the verge of realizing his dream. The Edge - the most luxurious Los Angeles skyscraper ever conceived - will be his legacy, an icon to dominate LA’s skyline just as Shark dominates its boardrooms. Self-made businesswoman Abbigail Gibson is on a trajectory toward massive success, but to get there, she must navigate the egos of her demanding clients - particularly the driven and obstinate Shark, who possesses the special talent of aggravating and arousing her within the same breath.

Joey Diamonds is on the verge of being a “made” man, with ice-cold blue eyes that pierce through the hearts of women...and men. After being disowned by his Mafia family, losing the love of his life, and realizing the world at large is his enemy, Joey throws extreme caution to the wind on his journey of self-debauchery in the name of fame and fortune. The Purple Don is the story of how self-destruction is never simply an internal state, and everyone around can be destroyed in the process.

As the VP of Kings of Retribution MC, I live and breathe club life. After suffering the loss of two women in my life, I grew cold and indifferent to the idea of love. I don't need to let anyone in. I've seen the aftermath it can leave in its quake. The last thing I'm looking for is someone to fill the void, until Bella Jameson.

Jean-Pierre’s greatest gift was a lack of feelings. His past had ripped them away. But then he saw Eden. Onstage, she played her violin, spinning his head with songs he’d tried to forget. Unable to stop himself, he makes Eden his obsession. And unlike any normal man, he takes what he wants. But there’s someone in the shadows blocking his path. His plans for Eden won’t be so simple. This mystery person sends Russians his way, igniting a war with the Bratva. It’s too bad that there’s no limit to his obsession for her - no force that can stop him, no bullet to get in his way.

Kit Carlyle isn’t just some woman. Beautiful? Yep. Seductive? Damn straight. She’s also my best friend and my coworker. But when her cousin dies and leaves her with a long-as-hell and sexy bucket list, Kit turns to me for a helping hand. What can I say? I’m a sucker for a woman in need. Besides, I’m not about to let another man steal away my girl, occupy her bed, or fill my shoes. But as the stakes get higher and the items become hotter, I’ll have to face the toughest challenge of all: admitting I want more than Kit’s friendship. I want to make her mine.

This urban romance story was created to pull the emotions from deep within and make you fall in love with the content. Use your wildest imagination while listening, and build a relationship with the characters who both are in desperate need of love.

With ten years into a successful marriage and a thriving business, Destiny Harris was living the life most only dreamed of. There was only one addition that would bring everything full circle, but a harsh reality turned her world upside down. Betrayal and lies replaced the truth she believed to be the foundation of her happy life. MyKyng Masters was a man of substance and structure. Even at a very young age, he had a firm grasp on everyone and everything around him. With an already complicated life, the last thing he needed was a reminder that no one can maintain complete control.

After her central air malfunctions, romance novelist Stacia Baker finds herself in the middle of a deadline and a series of problems she needs fixed ASAP. As the owner of his own maintenance company, Drew Fields has all the tools to fix everything that’s wrong in Stacia’s life in more ways than one. But after an embarrassing encounter between them and her less than desirable attitude, will he leave her stranded in the middle of a scorching heat wave that sets South Florida ablaze instead? Or will she get her act together so they can create one of their own?

Train. Fight. Repeat. That's been Princeton "The Prince" Lattimore's life for as long as he can remember. But when an interruption to his heavyweight champion world comes in the form of an alluring journalist who sees well beyond his undefeated stature, he quickly learns there’s a lot more to life outside of the boxing ring.

Zola is a rebellious soul filled to the brim with sheer determination to make it. After she defies the path that her father wants her to take, she ends up at Paradise, a strip club in the heart of New York City. Rich is a ruthless ruler running New York and has no plans of stopping. After what appears to be an accidental moment between Zola and Rich, she becomes a marked woman. With Rich reacting on impulse, Zola is trying to navigate through life and keep Rich at bay. But can budding feelings and an offer of a lifetime finally put them exactly where they’re fated to be?

Pregnant by a man she learned wasn't who she thought he was and starting a new career, she's forced to step up and show everyone around her she's more than the hothead, feisty, girl they believe her to be.

From the moment his eyes met hers, there was something. Time stood still, the world around them vanished, and electricity... instant electricity. Immediately, she owned him in an inexplicable way he couldn’t quite understand. He couldn't escape her. Not in his dreams. And soon, not even in his reality. He was the man that made her soar. There was nothing in the world she wanted more than him. Absolutely nothing. His touch made her levitate. When she was with him, she was limitless. He felt like home.

Gabi isn't looking for love. At all. She's much more interested in starting a new life, in a new city, away from the overbearing demands of her parents. Terrence...is even less into the idea of a relationship than Gabi. He's in a good place in his career, focused on receiving a coveted promotion. Follow along with Gabi and Terrence as they navigate the stages of a relationship that was never meant to go further than a single night. Will they be able to overcome the challenges of family and career to build something that could last?

Kojack has been running the Meurtre (Murder) Mafia since its original founders Adair and Orlando stepped down to become husbands and fathers. Leaving the game for a woman is the furthest thing from Kojack's mind. He's having his way making money and entertaining some of the baddest women in the world. Kojack doesn't have plans to change for anyone or anything—until he meets Rae. Being forced to step up and look after the feisty beauty in the most intimate way forces Kojack to realize he can't keep running from love forever.

Tricey, Vic, and Lyric are three friends from the Southside of Chicago fighting in the tumultuous war to find the one amongst the chaotic sea of Mr. Wrongs. After breaking up with her baby's father, Memphis, Vic is in the arms of one new beau after the next, turning her heartbreak into a life filled with bald-headed h*e shenanigans. Vic's new approach to love terribly clashes with Asa's uncontrollable need to be more than her next sneaky link.