Black Romance Book Festival

Bloomington High School Lions' star goalie, Sebastian Hughes, should be excited about his senior year: His teammates are amazing and he's got a coach who doesn't ask anyone to hide their sexuality. But when his estranged childhood best friend Emir Shah shows up to summer training camp, Sebastian realizes the team's success may end up in the hands of the one guy who hates him. Determined to reconnect with Emir for the sake of the Lions, he sets out to regain Emir's trust. But to Sebastian's surprise, sweaty days on the pitch, wandering the town's streets, and bonding on the weekends sparks more than just friendship between them.

Margot Noble needs some relief from the stress of running the family winery with her brother. Enter a sexy, charming stranger in the too-small world of Napa. The chemistry between them is undeniable, and Margot is delighted that she lucked into the perfect one-night stand she’ll never have to see again. That is, until the winery’s newest hire, Luke, walks in the next morning. Margot is determined to keep things purely professional, but when their every interaction reminds her of the attraction still bubbling between them, it proves much more challenging than she expects.Luke Williams had it all, but when he quits his high-salary tech job in Silicon Valley in a blaze of burnout and moves back to Napa to help a friend, he realizes he doesn’t want to tell the world—or his mom—why he’s now working at a winery. His mom loves bragging about her successful son—how can he admit that the job she’s so proud of broke him? Luke has no idea what is next for him, but one thing is certain: he wants more from the incredibly smart and sexy woman he hooked up with—even after he learns she’s his new boss. But even if they can find a way to be together that wouldn’t be an ethical nightmare, would such a successful woman really want a tech-world dropout?Set against a lush backdrop of Napa Valley wine country, nothing goes to your head as fast as a taste of love—even if it means changing all your plans.EndorsementsAn intoxicating and sparkling new romance by New York Times bestselling author Jasmine Guillory.

Alice had her whole summer planned. Non-stop all-you-can-eat buffets while marathoning her favorite TV shows (best friends totally included) with the smallest dash of adulting—working at the library to pay her share of the rent. The only thing missing from her perfect plan? Her girlfriend (who ended things when Alice confessed she's asexual). Alice is done with dating—no thank you, do not pass go, stick a fork in her, done.But then Alice meets Takumi, and she can’t stop thinking about him or the rom-com–grade romance feels she did not ask for (uncertainty, butterflies, and swoons, oh my!).When her blissful summer takes an unexpected turn and Takumi becomes her knight with a shiny library employee badge (close enough), Alice has to decide if she’s willing to risk their friendship for a love that might not be reciprocated—or understood.

“Jemma had me at hello… but she was somebody’s wife.”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.“Doesn’t he know I’m somebody’s wife? Does he care? Shit… do I care?”Dr. Jemma Holiday had the perfect life, love, marriage, and family in the public’s eye. But behind closed doors, betrayal and mundane monotony were suffocating. A marriage of situational necessity. What was supposed to be a pleasurable evening out with her sorority sisters abruptly transitioned to the one-night stand of her dreams… or so she thought.What’s the worst that could happen?

The end of my marriage was the beginning of my happily ever after.What happens when you hear your husband putting dents in your mattress with another woman?Leave and never look back!Easier said than done when you're a stay-at-home mom, share two kids with a no-good cheater, and have a savings account that laughs in your face on the daily.I want out and agree to an outrageous separation agreement to avoid a showdown in court with a man standing on his wallet, waiting for me to fall. The mission is next to impossible, but I would rather attempt a full split on a hibachi grill after a Brazilian wax than stay in a marriage I should've ended years ago.Morgan, my best friend, offers a gorgeous townhouse her family owns to get me back on my feet. Eight months rent-free equals one step closer to Divorced AF.I didn't expect moms gone wild at my divorce party, but one fruity cocktail led to me staying out past my bedtime and the steamiest dream with a man straight from my fantasies.Every kiss, every caress made me feel worshipped. Adored.When Morgan offered this Georgetown home, she failed to mention it belongs to her younger brother, one of D.C.'s most eligible bachelors. He's very fine — not a dream — and back early from time away in London.Now we're staring at each other, dumbfounded and turned on.Ella Gets the D is a standalone divorce romantic comedy perfect for lovers of cinnamon roll heroes, a tired mom getting her groove back, tacos, and lots of spice (we kick the door wide open). This isn't your fluffy rom-com. Somebody might catch a case.

Soledad Barnes has her life all planned out. Because, of course, she does. She plans everything. She designs everything. She fixes everything. She’s a domestic goddess who's never met a party she couldn't host or a charge she couldn't lead. The one with all the answers and the perfect vinaigrette for that summer salad. But none of her varied talents can save her when catastrophe strikes, and the life she built with the man who was supposed to be her forever, goes poof in a cloud of betrayal and disillusion.But there is no time to pout or sulk, or even grieve the life she lost. She's too busy keeping a roof over her daughters' heads and food on the table. And in the process of saving them all, Soledad rediscovers herself. From the ashes of a life burned to the ground, something bold and new can rise.But then an unlikely man enters the picture—the forbidden one, the one she shouldn't want but can't seem to resist. She's lost it all before and refuses to repeat her mistakes. Can she trust him? Can she trust herself?After all she's lost...and found...can she be brave enough to make room for what could be?

Chelle Tucker learns about heartbreak early when she finds out her high school boyfriend, Remy, has betrayed her. She decides to focus on her goal of becoming a lawyer and moves on without ever looking back.That is, until they wind up at the same college and are thrust into the same friend group. Chelle's broken heart won't allow her to let Remy close, and he stays away, certain that she hates him. Fast forward to two years after graduation: their mutual friends are getting married on a beautiful tropical island. When they see each other, their unbreakable bond springs to life, and Remy resolves to get Chelle back. They soon learn that the awkward tension between them is really a mask for deeper feelings. She's in no hurry to give the man who hurt her another chance, but figures a little fun in the sun can't hurt.Will her fear of rejection keep them from exploring what could be a good thing, or will Remy's romantic nature be too hot to resist?

In this heart-fluttering romance by Kristina Forest, a shy bookworm enlists her charming neighbor to help her score a date, not knowing he's the obscure author she's been corresponding with.Shy, bookish, and admittedly awkward, Lily Greene has always felt inadequate compared to the rest of her accomplished family, who strive for Black excellence. She dreams of becoming an editor of children's books but has been frustratingly stuck in the nonfiction division for years without a promotion in sight. Lily finds escapism in her correspondence with her favorite fantasy author, and what begins as two lonely people connecting over email turns into a tentative friendship and possibly something else Lily won't let herself entertain—until he ghosts her.Months later, still crushed but determined to take charge of her life, Lily seeks a date to her sister's wedding. And the perfect person to help her is Nick Brown, her charming, attractive new neighbor, whom she feels drawn to for unexplainable reasons. Little does she know that Nick is an author—her favorite fantasy author.Nick, who has his reasons for using a pen name and for pushing people away, soon realizes that the beautiful, quiet woman from down the hall is the same Lily he fell in love with over email months ago. Unwilling to complicate things even more between them, he agrees to set her up with someone else, though this simple favor between two neighbors is anything but—not when he can't get her off his mind.

Love is the trickiest spell of all.Lucinda Caraway loves living in Freya Grove, the mystic seaside town where charms, hexes, and magical beings of all kinds are the norm. She spends her days teaching high school history and her nights reading tea leaves and tending to her conjure garden. It’s a good life . . . but she can’t stop wishing for more.Until one night, that wish turns into a spell, and suddenly Lucy can’t say no. Not to a public karaoke performance. Not to running a 10K. And, most alarmingly, not to her high school crush, Alexander Dwyer, who needs her help unjinxing his new house—which just happens to be right across the street from hers.Alex has spent the last ten years traveling the world on adventures Lucy has only ever dreamed of, and he’s planning to leave again as soon as his house is safe to sell. But until Lucy can unhex herself, she and Alex are stuck together. And with so much magic in the air, maybe the next spell Lucy casts will be the one that convinces him to stay.

Leap years are a strange, enchanted time. And for some, even a single February can be life-changing.Ricki Wilde has many talents, but being a Wilde isn’t one of them. As the impulsive, artistic daughter of a powerful Atlanta dynasty, she’s the opposite of her famous socialite sisters. Where they’re long-stemmed roses, she’s a dandelion: an adorable bloom that’s actually a weed, born to float wherever the wind blows. In her bones, Ricki knows that somewhere, a different, more exciting life awaits her.When regal nonagenarian, Ms. Della, invites her to rent the bottom floor of her Harlem brownstone, Ricki jumps at the chance for a fresh beginning. She leaves behind her family, wealth, and chaotic romantic decisions to realize her dream of opening a flower shop. And just beneath the surface of her new neighborhood, the music, stories and dazzling drama of the Harlem Renaissance still simmers.One evening in February as the heady, curiously off-season scent of night-blooming jasmine fills the air, Ricki encounters a handsome, deeply mysterious stranger who knocks her world off balance in the most unexpected way.Set against the backdrop of modern Harlem and Renaissance glamour, A Love Song for Ricki Wilde is a swoon-worthy love story of two passionate artists drawn to the magic, romance, and opportunity of New York, and whose lives are uniquely and irreversibly linked.An epic love story one hundred years in the making…

When they’re stuck under one roof, the house may not be big enough for their hate…or their love.When Tyson Trice finds himself tossed into the affluent coastal community of Pacific Hills, he’s ready for the questions, the stares and the feeling of not belonging in the posh suburb. Not that he cares. After recovering from being shot and surviving the mean streets of Lindenwood, he doesn’t care about anyone or anything. He doesn’t even care how the rest of his life will play out.In Pacific Hills, image is everything—something Nandy Smith, the resident golden girl, knows all too well. She’s spent most of her life building the pristine image it takes to fit in. After learning that her parents are taking in a teen boy, Nandy fears her summer plans, as well as her reputation, will go up in flames. It’s the start of summer vacation, and the last thing Nandy needs is some juvenile delinquent from the ’Wood crashing into her world.Stuck together in close quarters, Trice and Nandy are in for some long summer nights. Only, with the ever-present pull back to the Lindenwood streets, it’ll be a wonder if Trice makes it through this summer at all.

In 1869 a kingdom rose in the South. And Louella was its queen. Over the twenty-four years she's been enslaved on the Montgomery Plantation, Louella learned to feel one hate. Hate for the man who sold her mother. Hate for the overseer who left her daddy to hang from a noose. Hate so powerful there's no room in her heart for love, not even for the honorable Reverend William, whom she likes and respects enough to marry. But when William finally listens to Louella's pleas and leads the formerly enslaved people out of their plantation, Louella begins to replace her hate with hope. Hope that they will find a place where they can live free from fear. Hope that despite her many unanswered prayers, she can learn to trust for new miracles. Soon, William and Louella become the appointed king and queen of their self-proclaimed Kingdom of the Happy Land. And though they are still surrounded by opposition, they continue to share a message of joy and goodness—and fight for the freedom and dignity of all.Transformative and breathtakingly honest, The American Queen shares the unsung true history of a kingdom built as a refuge for the courageous people who dared to dream of a different way of life.

DeAndre may be the king of the court but after one class debate Cree becomes the queen of his heart.If there’s one thing Cree Jacobs can’t stand about Moorehead High, it’s definitely the Ballers Club—an exclusive clique of boys who dominate the school’s sports teams. The boys are arrogant, flashy, and just way too overrated for Cree’s taste.Don’t tell that to DeAndre Parker, the unofficial leader of the group. Laid-back, good-looking, a prodigy on the court, and the son of a retired NBA champion, DeAndre knows his potential and that almost everyone at Moorehead would do anything to get close to him—except for Cree Jacobs.Typically these two would never cross paths or acknowledge each other, but one heated debate with Cree in class sets DeAndre off, igniting a desire no one in the Club can resist.Determined to win Cree over, DeAndre starts trying to change her opinion of him, and the two forge a friendship that sparks into something more.Readers of YA contemporary romance, sports romance, enemies-to-lovers stories, and those looking for Black love will be drawn to this title. It’s perfect for fans of Talia Hibbert’s Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute.Endorsements"10 Things I Hate About You meets Love & Basketball for Gen Z." — SLJ

The rules of war are stay alive and win. In a world of essence and runes, anything is fair game.After leading the charge to reclaim Promithia’s northern border, Raya Ontaria — a fearsome warrior and a powerful wielder of a magic called essence — is captured and held prisoner at the court of Corath. Rather than auction her off to the highest bidder, the malicious king seems to have other sinister plans in mind.Just as all hope seems lost, an unforeseen rescue comes from none other than the cunning Prince of Corath himself, Orion Valor. As Raya slowly begins to trust Orion, they join forces. In their pursuit to end the 300-year war that has terrorized both their kingdoms, an unexpected spark ignites between them, yearning to be set ablaze.There’s just one problem: Raya is already entangled with the queen of Promithia. Spurning her powerful lover could extinguish any chance of peace talks while also risking Raya's claim as heir to the wealthiest region in the realm.Can Raya resist the force driving her and Orion together? Or does fate have other plans?Mortal enemies turn into unexpected allies. An arcane power arises. The adventure of a lifetime begins. For lovers of Throne of Glass, A Broken Blade, and From Blood and Ash, Essence and Runes is the gripping start of an epic romantic fantasy. Set in the future of a reimagined Earth reshaped by a magic called essence, this saga tackles love, loss, and the power of finding oneself amid others’ expectations.Content This book contains mature language, themes, sexually explicit scenes, and content that may not be suitable for all readers. Trigger warnings include, but may not be limited Grief, Loss of parents (off and on the page), Death/War/Gore, Anxiety/PTSD, Imprisonment/Torture, Sexism, Mention of difficult pregnancies. Reader discretion is advised.

Masterminded by the ton's most clever countess, the secret society The Widow's Grace helps ill-treated widows regain their reputations, their families, and even find true love again—or perhaps for the very first time...Surviving a shipwreck en route to London from Jamaica was just the start of personal maid Jemina St. Maur's nightmare. Suffering from amnesia, she was separated from anyone who might know her and imprisoned in Bedlam. She was freed only because barrister Daniel Thackery, Lord Ashbrook, was convinced to betray the one thing he holds dear: the law. Desperate to unearth her true identity, Jemina's only option is to work outside the law—which means staying steps ahead of the formidable Daniel, no matter how strongly she is drawn to him...Married only by proxy, now widowed by shipwreck, Daniel is determined to protect his little stepdaughter, Charlotte, from his family's scandalous reputation. That's why he has dedicated himself not just to the law, but to remaining as proper and upstanding—and boring—as can be. But the closer he becomes to the mysterious, alluring Jemina, the more Daniel is tempted to break the very rules to which he's dedicated his life. As ruthless adversaries close in, will the truth require him and Jemina to sacrifice their one chance at happiness?

Tijjani Kyautu is my best friend’s brother and a grinder for the Puck Kings Hockey Team.In the blink of an eye, his career turns upside down.With no one else to turn to, he asks for my help.What happens when he offers me a proposal… to be my fake boyfriend at my sister’s wedding in exchange for my help with his career?Should I accept, or is this more trouble than it's worth?We both face the scary reality of fighting back against all we’ve ever been taught, for what we love.Will I be able to help salvage his career?Will he be my stand-in?Most importantly, can we do it all together, or is this just a recipe for disaster?Dating Hockey Romance Best Friend’s Brother Public Play Player/Agent He Falls First Dirty Talking MMC Forced Proximity Caribbean FMC/Nigerian MMC

After a bad breakup, Maggie wants to find her Prince Charming, but all she's finding are frogs. When her best friends, Savvy and Joan, apply pressure and demand she find a date worthy of attending their respective weddings, she agrees to take her own advice and try online dating. Since she's the maid of honor for both weddings, her bridal party duties are massive, but both brides insist that Maggie prioritize finding a date. After an onslaught of maybes, noes, and hell noes, she’s close to giving up, when she meets a handsome doctor at the gym who just might be the one.Meanwhile, her college bestie, Garrett, throws salt in everyone’s game. At every turn, he points out the red flags and tells Maggie to keep looking. Things come to a head when Maggie demands that Garrett be happy for her, and he finally admits that he can’t. Not when he’s not with her. When he blurts out his feelings, Maggie’s world is turned upside down. Now she must choose between the perfect guy and a friendship that is the foundation for everything she’s ever wanted.When Maggie's best friend admits he's in love with her, she'll have to decide whether it's worth giving up something good for something that could be amazing in this laugh-out-loud friends-to-lovers rom-com.

Joy, Diane, Rochelle, and Yvette have been friends their entire lives, but adulthood isn’t what they imagined. Joy has long dreamed of opening a spa and retreat, but she put it on hold for her husband's ambitions; now she's tired of waiting, whether he agrees or not. Diane hasn't let go of her dream of becoming a mother despite years of infertility struggles, but her husband doesn’t share that desire. Rochelle has struggled with self-esteem after an abusive marriage left her a single mother; when a new man walks into her life, he threatens to overturn everything she's thought about herself and her convictions. Yvette has terminal cancer and passes away, leaving one final wish for the others: take the girls' trip to Jamaica they had been putting off for years. As marriages crumble, businesses are upended, and new love blooms, Joy, Diane, and Rochelle must lean on each other more than ever and try to honor what Yvette left them — a chance to live without reservation.Four friends, three struggling relationships, and one final wish: find your happiness. Both heartwarming and heart-wrenching, Sheryl Lister invites readers to take a trip of a lifetime with her women’s fiction novel that reminds us all to live without regrets.

Blending fantasy and science fiction, N. E. Davenport's fast-paced, action-packed debut kicks off a duology of loyalty and rebellion, in which a young Black woman must survive deadly trials in a racist and misogynistic society to become an elite warrior.It's all about blood.The blood spilled between the Republic of Mareen and the armies of the Blood Emperor long ago. The blood gifts of Mareen's deadliest enemies. The blood that runs through the elite War Houses of Mareen, the rulers of the Tribunal dedicated to keeping the republic alive.The blood of the former Legatus, Verne Amari, murdered.For his granddaughter, Ikenna, the only thing steady in her life was the man who had saved Mareen. The man who had trained her in secret, not just in martial skills, but in harnessing the blood gift that coursed through her.Who trained her to keep that a secret.But now there are too many secrets, and with her grandfather assassinated, Ikenna knows two things: that only someone on the Tribunal could have ordered his death, and that only a Praetorian Guard could have carried out that order.Bent on revenge as much as discovering the truth, Ikenna pledges herself to the Praetorian Trials—a brutal initiation that only a quarter of the aspirants survive. She subjects herself to the racism directed against her half-Khanaian heritage and the misogyny of a society that cherishes progeny over prodigy, all while hiding a power that—if found out—would subject her to execution... or worse. Ikenna is willing to risk it all because she needs to find out who murdered her grandfather... and then she needs to kill them.Mareen has been at peace for a long time...Ikenna joining the Praetorians is about to change all that.Magic and technology converge in the first part of this stunning debut duology, where loyalty to oneself—and one's blood—is more important than anything.

Day-to-day life has grown stale for Raven Coleman, who prefers to fly by the seat of her pants than follow any set plan. So when she unexpectedly inherits an outdoor recreation and tour business in a charming small town, it’s exactly the kind of shakeup she has been asking the universe for.Instead of selling Mountaintop Adventures right away, Raven decides to step in as the boss for the summer to determine if it’s a position she’d like to hold long-term. Unfortunately, her presence is not well received by the staff, particularly Silas Reynolds, the hardheaded archery instructor.Silas once had big dreams, but life got in the way. Now he’s making the most of his situation. That is, until the bubbly Raven thwarts his plan to buy Mountaintop Adventures. She has no industry experience or interest in the great outdoors, but insists she can run the business.The two butt heads immediately, but attraction and rapport soon soften their exchanges. Can Silas and Raven keep professional lines and their opposing goals intact? Or is love a force too strong to ignore?Falling in love is an uphill battle.This novel can be read as a standalone.

High school is supposed to be about studying, socializing, and marching-band practice. Not fighting vampires. Then one night flipped my world inside out — now my life sucks. But it isn’t all bad. I’m at a slayer academy, learning things like the real origin of vamps and how to make serious weapons out of thin air.Every last one of them will pay for what they did. I’m doing great.Until I come face-to-face with the actual vampire prince…and I’m not sure of anything anymore. Vampires are supposed to be soul-sucking demons. But Khamari is…something else. He’s intelligent and reasonable — and he seems to know things about me that could change everything.He’s also hiding something big, even from his own kind. And when a threat from an ancient evil is so extreme that a vampire will team up with a slayer to take it down, it isn’t just my need for revenge that’s at stake anymore.It’s the whole damn world.Full Metal Alchemist meets Vampire Diaries in this fun and clever dark academia series…

Gemini Collins enjoys her Friday bar-reading sessions after her stressful day at Helping Human Helpers Inc. She even gets to the bar early just to avoid the crowds. She has sworn off men and enjoys her book boyfriends.Calvin Grant is a bookworm who works his dream job, owning his neighborhood library. He prefers to read dialogue rather than engage in real-life conversations. After being persuaded to a solo night out, he sees someone who knocks him off his axis.Will these book lovers fall in love or will their story end in tragedy?

For teacher Ava Williams, some subjects are not up for debate. Like history—specifically, the one she has with Grace Jones, bowling pro and local celeb, who is now, for no identifiable reason, teaching at the same small-town Georgia high school as Ava. Once upon a time, they were thick as thieves, best friends, rivals who pushed each other, and total bowling nerds. Then they shared a kiss, sweet and confusing… and after that, they split and nothing was ever the same.Ava is pretty sure she has every reason to hate Grace, especially when the school’s soggy potato of a principal announces—finally—that the students can have the bowling team Ava has been pushing for years… only to hand it to Grace.Now they’re expected to be partners and lead their new bowling team to victory in six months. And with that, their rivalry is back. Fierce, ultracompetitive… and with an undeniable attraction that pushes, pulls and crashes together. It’s history. It’s chemistry. And it’s just a matter of time before it explodes… one way or the other.This is how love rolls…