"Winter Jacobs . . . daughter of the infamous Wise. She entered the world with a silver spoon in her mouth and has only ever known privilege and the finer things. Winter is wise beyond her years and seems to attract popularity and success with every move that she makes. To outsiders, her life is perfect, but Winter has problems like everyone else. Problems that she keeps hidden because she'll never let anyone see her sweat. Appearances. That's what it's all about. That's the reason when Winter meets someone that makes her soul smile, she's hesitant to give in to her feelings because how would dating someone with less than her make her look?
Jaiseem Lowe has been home from prison for three months. He's on probation and walking a straight line. The job he has at a warehouse isn't his dream career, but it will do for the moment. Jaiseem is focused on getting his life back and never again seeing the inside of a jail cell. In an effort to remain free he has to accept the fact that slow money is better than no money. No matter how tempting the fast money is, he owes it to himself to make it the legal way. He has to live humbly and modest in order to achieve his goals. When he keeps crossing paths with the beautiful Winter he knows he can look but never touch because she's way out of his league.
Contains mature themes."
"Ballad Logan feels cursed. At a young age a freak accident disfigures one side of her face causing her to become isolated and withdrawn. Ballad is insecure about her looks and bitter. Her withdrawn demeanor and brash attitude contribute to her not having many friends. Ballad doesn't care about friends or love. In an effort to protect her heart, she doesn't let people in. Life had never been too kind to her but rather than crying about it, she accepted the hand that she was dealt. A job that is offered to Ballad starts the chain of events that will change the trajectory of her life forever. When she has no choice but to let a stranger in, she finally discovers what having real emotions and genuine relationships is about. She also stumbles upon the answers to questions she's had ever since her accident, and the opportunity to seek revenge lands at her doorstep.
Ryker Kofi's life has been upside down since his mother died when he was fifteen. To make matters worse, he had barely begun to process his grief when his father remarried. Ryker hates his stepmother and wishes daily that she would drop dead. That doesn't happen, however, and when his father dies, Ryker finds out just how evil his stepmother really is. Ryker is almost out of options when a chance encounter with a scarred stranger changes everything.
Contains mature themes."
"Ireland Wright is done with love. She's emotionally unavailable and not interested in being attached. Men love that about her until she proves that they can't break her. Ireland crushes egos with her passive demeanor and thinks nothing of it. She's not jaded or bitter, she simply doesn't want to deal with loss. Because everything ends. She learned that fact when her parents died two years apart. Fear of the unknown grips her like a vice and takes her thoughts hostage. Between the stress of what could possibly be in store for her down the road, and a heartbreaking realization, Ireland refuses to bend or waiver.
Paris and her antics ruined it for everyone. Chicago couldn't care less that everyone around him is in love. He wants no parts of it. So when he meets Ireland, and she's on what he's on, Chicago is in heaven. Until he starts to realize, he just might like her more than she likes him.
Contains mature themes."
"Aubree Royal is an adventurous, care free spirit that loves fast cars and adrenaline rushes. Her life is filled with creating social media content, being a part of a car club, playing football on a girls' team, and trying to forgive herself for a mistake she made years ago. Trying to let go of the past was easier when her first love, Brasi was serving time in prison. But Brasi is home, and his second chance at freedom might mean a second heartbreak for the young beauty.
Brasi promised himself that his last day in prison would be the last time he ever saw the inside of a prison. Though he comes home with a plan and determination, old habits are hard to break, and being broke in his eyes is almost the same as being locked up. Brasi just wants to stack his paper and get on his feet, but old acquaintances and an ex lover shake his world up whether he's prepared for the drama or not.
Contains mature themes."
"Since he was a child, Kadafi blamed the infamous Wise Jacobs for the fact that he didn't have either one of his parents. When the time finally comes for Kadafi to get his revenge, he doesn't plan on everything going wrong. Unfortunately, he missed, and that's not good for him. Wise isn't the man to go up against without an army behind you. In addition to Kadafi having beef with the king of the city, he has to deal with the consequences of doing the unthinkable and losing the love of his life. Kadafi is trying to get money in his pocket, stay alive, be a good father to his kids, and nurse a broken heart. With all the odds stacked against him, he has to wonder if it's even possible for him to come out on top.
Yaminah was so in love with Kadafi that she didn't know what a red flag was. Until it showed up at her front door. Even after suffering the ultimate betrayal, she doesn't give up on love, and that proves to be a mistake. Yaminah is broken hearted and conflicted but if she doesn't know anything else, she knows that it's better to be alone than taken for granted.
Contains mature themes."
"Karma Merlot has never been chased. She's never been desired by anyone worth bragging about, and she knew early on that she wasn't cute. From her bad skin to her messed up teeth, the insecurities that she possessed made her an introvert. To everyone around her, Karma was missing out on life. She was too young to act like an old maid, but Karma didn't desire to put herself out there only to be ignored. A visit to Miami to see her cousin changes everything and once the new and improved Karma makes it back to Diamond Cove, she begins to see that the very things she desired may not be all that she thought they were, including her handsome client Amiri.
Amiri Daniels is a young Muslim with the urge to do right, but the devil on his shoulder has more influence over his life than he cares to admit. Amiri is running from demons while chasing his dreams and some days, he doesn't know if he's coming or going. One thing he knows for sure is that if something doesn't change, he might crash out and risk everything he's working towards. Love is one thing he doesn't have time for but when it comes, will he be able to resist it?
Contains mature themes."
"Loyal is having fun and doing what works for him. He doesn't want to be with one woman, and he doesn't lie to the women in his life about it. It was an ideal situation in the beginning but as time passes, the handsome, charming Loyal has the women who were once content sharing him fighting to be his only one. That was never on the agenda, so Loyal feels it might be time to start over with a new roster. Cue Avani. She's new in town, and she has Loyal's interest piqued. Just as he starts to realize how different she really is, secrets come to the forefront that make Loyal question his own judgement.
When Avani finds out her boyfriend Dino isn't who she thinks she is, she only has one option. To leave town and start over in a new place. When she decided to get a tattoo she never once thought that would be the beginning of a love connection. Avani also never expects for the demons that she's running from to find her in Diamond Cove.
Contains mature themes."
"Twins Loyal and Justice had a normal life until the woman that adopted them died. Choosing to fend for themselves rather than going into the system made for some tough times, but as long as they had each other everything was okay. At twenty-four years old, Justice is still trying to find his way when one chance encounter at a bar changes his life forever.
Lauren's mother was physically and verbally abusive causing her to leave home at sixteen years old. When she ran into the Infamous Wise Jacobs, he seemed like her savior until she got to know the real him and realized that he was nothing more than a predator. Join Lauren and Justice as their first meeting pushes them both into a whirlwind of events that they weren't prepared for.
Contains mature themes."
"Lucciano Culver was wild and reckless in his teens and early twenties.
As he matured, he realized a few things. The first revelation was that he'd prefer loyalty over love any day. His second epiphany taught him that a trifling woman could be a man's downfall. He could have remained single, or he could have moved smart. Lucci chose the latter. When he picked his partner, he chose a solid woman that he could trust and not one that he was madly in love with. After all, that fairytale romance BS was for women. He was a realist. Lucci is fine being in a relationship with a woman that he looks at as more of a best friend than a soulmate until temptation saunters into his life in the form of a bad ass female that likes fast cars and good times. Lucci has never been faced with the task of following his head or his heart."
"Azra A.Z. Matthews is a business major at Blake University and part of Phi Rho fraternity.
A.Z. was raised in the suburbs by a successful father and doting mother. His sister also attends Blake University and is premed. Once A.Z. ventures off to college, he discovers a world vastly different from the one he was raised in. A.Z. discovers a sense of freedom and the ability to do him without being under the scrutinizing eye of his parents. Even though he enjoys his freedom, A.Z. doesn't do too much with the partying and living his best life because he still has his eyes on the prize. His parents never hesitate to tell him exactly what is expected of him and what they won't tolerate.
Brynleigh Howard is the definition of a true spirit. The inked-up beauty has unconventional ways of making money to reach her goals, and she refuses to explain herself or apologize to anyone. Love is the last thing on her mind, but even if she were interested in dating, it would never be with an uptight square. Or so she thinks... Brynleigh and A.Z. come from two different worlds, but that doesn't stop them from being drawn to one another like moths to a flame."
"After eight years with her husband, Shalaine Brunson has reached her breaking point. Without a job, she knows her exit has to be strategic. However, before she can leave on her own, the decision is made for her. One traumatic event is all it takes for Shalaine to realize that the person she was married to wasn't who she thought he was. Becoming a single mother overnight is far from easy, but that's not the worst of the curveballs that are thrown at Shalaine. One of the changes in her life consists of moving to a less than desirable neighborhood. At first glance, her neighbors are far from her first choice, but are they as bad as she thinks?
When Simone Trent became pregnant at fifteen, she wanted nothing to do with being a mother. From the moment Truce was born, his grandparents were his parental figures. With an absent father and a deadbeat mother, Truce can't help but to have abandonment issues. For that very reason, he doesn't like to get close to people. Despite his trauma, Truce was raised right, and when he sees that his grandfather's new neighbor needs help, he doesn't hesitate. Trent soon finds out that Shalaine has him rethinking his hesitancy to become attached to people. They are both hesitant to act on their growing attraction to one another but soon, fighting it might not be possible.
Contains mature themes."
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