30 Books Published by Kimani Press on AALBC — Book Cover Collage

“A Gift from the Heart” by Celeste O. Norfleet

The ex who broke Janelle Truman’s heart is back to save her father’s company. Janelle can’t believe that workaholic Tyson Croft has transformed into a caring family man. But Tyson knows what really matters now—and it all starts with one unforgettable Christmas…

“Mine by Christmas” by Janice Sims

All of tech mogul Adam Benson’s success can’t make up for the mistake he made by breaking up with Sage Andrews. Could a holiday weekend in breathtaking Vienna be the chance he needs to prove to the beautiful attorney that his flame for her burns hotter than ever?

“A Family for Christmas” by Felicia Mason

Upscale retailer Renee Armstrong moved to the suburbs to give her daughter a fresh start. She never expected to cross paths with someone like Trey Calloway, the sexy single dad living next door. With the Yuletide in full swing, will they discover the exquisite gift of a new beginning…together?

Felicia Mason is a motivational speaker and award-winning author. She has received awards from Romantic Times, Affaire de

Coeur and Midwest Fiction Writers. Glamour magazine readers named her first novel, For the Love of You, one of their all-time favorite love stories, and her novel Rhapsody was made into a television film.

For Erica Sanders, finding a soul mate was the easy part. Brian Lawson is the man she wants, and everyone agrees they’re the ideal couple. Almost everyone. The one exception is Erica’s mother, Karen, who prefers her daughter marry another man. Karen even hires a private detective to investigate Brian, but the truth he uncovers is the last thing she expected—a devastating betrayal that rips both families apart.

Convinced that her relationship can’t be salvaged, Erica ends her engagement. Yet she has lingering doubts over her decision, especially once Brian’s attractive single neighbor starts pursuing him. A chance meeting proves that the passion between Brian and Erica hasn’t dimmed—but neither has the determination of others to keep them apart, or the shocking lengths Karen will go to in order to undermine her daughter’s relationship.

As secrets old and new are revealed, Erica and Brian find themselves caught between the bonds of the past and an uncertain future, each making painful discoveries about who to believe and trust. Masterfully told and laced with the sensuality and drama that Brenda Jackson does best, this is an unforgettable story of relationships at their most complex, and how hard it can be to choose between living separate lives—or holding fast when love hangs by a silken thread….

Raised in the Delta by her grandmother, Parris McKay has the voice of an angel and the promise of a bright, loving future with the man she adores. But everything Parris believes about her life is rocked to the core when she discovers that Emma, the mother she believed dead, is very much alive.

Compelled to discover the roots of this decades-long deception, Parris goes in search of her mother in France, but the meeting only opens old wounds for them both. Hurt and disillusioned, Parris finds solace in two new friends, Leslie and Celeste. Both have difficult relationships with their own mothers, and both, like Parris, are coming to terms with a legacy of long-buried secrets. And as Emma returns to the States, spurring unexpected revelations, the bond that Parris, Leslie and Celeste forge will sustain them on a journey from heartbreak to healing.

Compelling, candid and wise, What Mother Never Told Me is an unforgettable story about the power of our pasts to define us—and sometimes to hold us back. It is a novel about abiding love and hidden truths, about family bonds that may be tested but never truly broken, about the lies that tear us apart—and the friendships that can make us whole again.

LaShun Tillman’s many blessings haven’t eased her pain at being abandoned as a baby. Fate has given her an opportunity to reveal to the world that her birth mother, former supermodel Sariah Langston, has an ugly past. But revenge is never simple?and neither is the truth.Aspiring actress Jessica Drake lands a bit part in Broadway diva Diana Edmonds’s latest show, only to find that her idol has feet of clay—plus a monumental ego. But their strained relationship is changed utterly when a reporter discovers that Jessica is really the daughter Diana thought had died long ago.Beautiful Sienna St. James has spent her life being pushed into beauty pageants by her domineering, controlling mother, Sable. Now her blossoming relationship with a thoughtful young doctor has inspired her to live her life as she sees fit, even if it means losing everything she’s known.

Gillam Hale was born to free parents, and his life was untouched by slavery until his preacher father took him on a trip to minister to the Virginia slaves. Gillam wants beautiful Queen Esther from the moment he sees her, but the only way to purchase her is by distilling illicit whiskey—against his family’s advice.Though Gillam achieves his aim, his talent for making fine whiskey earns the wrath of jealous white neighbors, who kidnap Gillam’s family and scatter them to plantations throughout the South. Gillam escapes from his new owners, yet he can never be truly free until he finds his lost loved ones, and faces the legacy of his own rash decisions.The Knees of Gullah Island follows Gillam, Queen Esther and their son, Joseph, in the years surrounding the Civil War and Reconstruction, when the destiny of a nation hung in the balance. Filled with richly drawn characters and details that bring the past to vibrant life, this is a timeless story of love, loss, hope and rebirth.

Kansas City detective Joe Johnson is a passionate family man, and a loving husband and father. But on the streets, he can go toe-to-toe with the toughest gangsters. Joe is also fiercely loyal to his fellow officers; so when FBI agent Cheryl Chase makes a distressed late-night call, he’s ready to respond without hesitation. Cheryl’s working undercover, trying to bring down a ring of dirty cops who’ve found murder a great way to handle business. But Joe’s partner and wife are strongly against him getting involved—especially with a woman who nearly cost him his marriage before. Now Joe’s got to face his most dangerous case yet, and it will take every skill he has to infiltrate, outwit and bring down the psychopathic ringleader if he and Cheryl are to stay alive and make it back home.

Three fascinating women discover that life, love and everything else gets better with age!Maxine Davis’s life is careening out of control—her marriage is dull, her teenage daughters are driving her insane and she is days away from a big birthday. New York Times bestselling author Connie Briscoe spins a compelling story of betrayal, forgiveness and redemption in The Perfect Life.A nasty divorce and the tragic events of 9/11 help an empty nester see beyond the narrow confines of her material world.In Three for the Road, Essence and Blackboard bestselling author Lolita Files takes readers on a breathtaking road trip to self-discovery with Lillibelle Goldman, as she meets an unlikely kindred spirit…In This Time Around, by bestselling author Anita Bunkley, a successful career woman proves that life doesn’t end at forty. At forty-nine, Anika Redmond has just received an extreme makeover. But even with her new, hot body and a power job, Anita is still searching for the one thing in life that eludes her—a happy ending….

Courtney B. Vance met Angela Bassett…. They ran for years as friends in the same small circles. They had some hits, but mostly misses with other partners, and they shared one spectacularly dreadful first date together. And then, Courtney and Angela connected. Experience the up-close-and-personal, real-life love story of this inspirational African-American celebrity couple. Learn how they navigate the fickle tides of fame, while keeping their relationship fresh and true. See how they’ve carved a meaningful life together in spite of humble beginnings, family tragedy and the ups and downs of stardom with love, faith and determination.

Vernetta Henderson once again tackles life’s most challenging battles — in and out of the courtroom. The top-notch L.A. attorney juggles marriage, love, career and ambition — only to become enmeshed in an explosive case that puts everything she cherishes most at risk … After winning a multimillion-dollar verdict in a race-discrimination case, Vernetta Henderson’s legal career is definitely on the upswing. Just weeks away from a coveted partnership at her prominent law firm, the African-American attorney takes on the defense of a major corporation in what appears to be an open-and-shut case of sexual harassment. But Vernetta soon discovers that the case is not what it seems. After passing up a chance to settle the lawsuit for a minimal amount of money, a string of unforeseen events places the entire case — and her own promising future — in jeopardy. It’s bad enough having to work with a pretentious second-year associate who has her own agenda. Now Vernetta finds herself going up against the smooth-talking litigator she once beat at trial. And just when she needs her husband, Jefferson, most, he finds himself in a compromising position that could destroy their marriage. As more troubling revelations about the case emerge, Vernetta uncovers a far-reaching conspiracy of corporate greed, deceit and violence that will touch many lives, including that of her closest friend. With both her private and professional lives spiraling dangerously out of control, Vernetta is about to discover what really matters — and how far she’ll go to protect the people she loves …

Bestselling author Patricia Haley is back with an evocative and powerful novel that features a family hiding dormant, long-forgotten secrets, and a daughter who is compelled to address those painful issues regardless of the consequences. Angela has reunited with Reese after a recent separation and is struggling with the adjustments necessary to restore the marriage. Letting the dust settle isn’t easy, but she’s taking the right step given her faith. Choosing to ignore the drama swirling around her immediate household, she also sits in a place of denial regarding the rest of the Reynolds family, whom she holds in high regard. That is until shocking rumors involving her father surface, and her world comes crashing down. The unity blanket and bliss once covering the family are in jeopardy and the ugliness is threatening to erupt. Gossip and accusations of guilt spiral out of control when an issue of paternity arises. Perhaps the weight of pretending could be bearable, but the new rumors about Sylvia crossing the line drives a wedge in their already not-so-sisterly bond, stretching Angela’s faith to the breaking point. Sylvia is nursing her own wounds and refuses to suffer in silence any longer. The day of reckoning has arrived and Sylvia is wielding the ax of judgment. In the past she has masked her hurt and anger, determined to go along with the farce. Convinced that Angela is blind to the truth, Sylvia is bent on giving her sister a view of the real world, even if it requires extreme measures. She plans to expose a slew of devastating truths at the upcoming family event and punish those responsible for her torment. Sylvia is determined to set the record straight, regardless of the lives that are sure to be impacted, including her own. Relationships appear permanently destroyed, but Aunt Ida Mae, the voice of reason rooted in faith and trust in God, facilitated reconciliation in a family that seems unfixable. Let Sleeping Dogs Lie tugs at the heart of human frailty and family dysfunction, begging the question, Can faith in God’s promises and a pinch of unconditional love enable the unforgiveable to be forgiven and the painful sting forgotten?

THE FUTURE seems to hold limited possibilities for Son Erby. The African-American child of a farm laborer in 1930s Depression-era Tennessee, his fate seems as certain as the sunset at day’s end. But when his father takes him to work at the Coleman Farm and hands down the secret to making the corn liquor, everything changes. MOVING FROM from the shaded parlors of the wealthy Sawyer clan to the illegal activities in the woods along the Mississippi river, this perceptive novel explores the roots of racism, and the dangerous power of secrets that will shatter every taboo in a sleepy little town caught between the past and the future. Beginning with Son’s simple plan to make his fortune with the most common drug of his era, white lightning whiskey, and speeding toward an explosive climax that will expose the twisted roots of his family tree, The Legend of Quito Road is a look at a bygone time, the sobering echoes of which can be heard today.

When her life is threatened, clinician Dr. Veronica Howell hires a security expert and bodyguard to keep her patients and coworkers safe. While Malik Cutler watches over Veronica, will she allow him to capture her heart? Original.

Romance Novel.

When attorneys Vernetta Henderson and Neddy McClain are tapped to take on the biggest case of their careers, they are less than thrilled about working together. Their strained relationship, however, is the least of their problems. Their socialite client—charged with the brutal murder of her husband—is demanding an immediate dismissal of the case. But a ruthless prosecutor is determined to make sure that doesn’t happen. Forced to fight a common enemy, the two women close ranks and, in the process, develop a bond that sees them through the uncertainties of trial, the pain of betrayal and pressures neither could have imagined.

Celebrating the magic of Valentine’s day, this special collection follows three couples as they get a second chance at love and includes Sandra Kitt’s “Love Changes Everything,” in which a lonely widow gets a romantic surprise from her late husband’s best friend.

Also includes “Love Lessons” and “A Taste Of Romance.”

This interesting anthology: Whisper between the Sheets; A Player Paradise, At Your Service and A Man And A Half, is a good read. is a good read. In this scintillating anthology, three irresistible playas learn some crucial lessons about love, lust, and everything in between.

Public relations whiz Kendra Harrell is hopelessly in love with love. But her latest crush presents a real conflict of interest. Yusef Huntley is the sexy chief of staff for Atlanta’s high-profile congressman, who happens to be Kendra’s client. Does she dare mix business with pleasure? Her friends are divided on this one, but they’ve got problems of their own—. Meghan Bennett is the Black-American Princess of Protocol— and Atlanta’s leading VIP event planner. To top things off, her Mr. Right has finally popped the question. But Meghan can’t accept until she figures out what to do about his One Big Flaw—in the bedroom. Stephanie Ivey is a slick corporate tigress who juggles the city’s most eligible men with ease. But despite her skills at seduction, she can’t crack her own personal pleasure code— much to her dissatisfaction. Torn between romance and ambition, Kendra lands an assignment that could combine both—the chance to create a campaign for a lush new Caribbean resort. Soon she and her friends are packing their bags and leaving Atlanta for what becomes a sexy, scandalous comedy of errors that will call for Kendra’s unique spin—.

Dr. Richard Vincent had a five year plan that was picture perfect. Then, in the blink of an eye everything was altered. Treacherous relatives invaded his comfortable existence armed with greed, deceit and a plot designed to destroy him. Nina Epps is a successful accountant who has survived under the umbrella of domination and dictatorship all of her life. Now, after years of submissiveness, she’s arrived at a defining moment and must battle to escape a life that’s threatening to steal what little bit of sanity she has left. Through an unusual twist of events, Nina and Richard find themselves trapped in the eye of a hurricane with nowhere to hide.

In his powerful debut novel, Phillip Thomas Duck reaches into the hearts of two brothers struggling to understand the boys they once were and become the men they were meant to be. As brothers, Colin and Courtney Sheffield know their lives will always be connected, but their mistakes, and those of their absent father before them, have tangled them in a web of bitterness and regret neither of them can shake. More than siblings, less than friends, neither of them is willing to place their blood bond over the painful secrets that threaten to shatter their futures. A writer constantly struggling to live up to the hype surrounding his first book, Colin is haunted by an event in his past that still darkens his dreams and casts a shadow over his marriage to Liza, a former model with ghosts of her own to vanquish. Even the birth of their beautiful daughter, Lyric, can’t hold them together when Colin begins to measure every word he writes against that of another bestselling author who has suddenly taken an interest in him—and his brother. Basketball is Courtney’s lifeblood. With only one year of college left, he’s willing to leave school when rumors of a valuable NBA contract promise to make him everything his brother is not—a true success, and a winner his mother will finally be proud of. But with all he’s ever dreamed of within reach, he begins to wonder if he wants something else more—a true relationship with Chante, the only woman he’s ever loved, and the mother of a child who may or may not be his. Examining the emotional complexities of family and the nature of fatherhood, Phillip Thomas Duck has written a book that shines a light into the souls of two young men with everything to lose in their battle with each other—and true brotherhood to gain.

"Have you ever loved someone that you never had?" No doubt, this is possible—loving someone you’ve never had. If not you, then maybe someone you know. In PROMISES BEYOND JORDAN, George Landris speaks these words to Theresa Jordan, his wife-to-be, just as he rushes off to search for Johnnie Mae Taylor (a woman he once loved) after learning she and her family were in a serious car accident. Being that it’s nine days before he and Theresa are set to wed, a natural sense of uneasiness starts to loom. But then, Theresa has a few problems of her own brewing. One of which stems from a promise her father—Richard, now Bishop Jordan—made thirty years ago to Lena Patterson: a twenty-year-old woman critically burned in a fire. As secrets begin to surface, they may prove to be Theresa’s (as well as some others’) undoing. Add to this mix, a scandal threatening to split—if not destroy—Wings of Grace Faith Ministry Church (along with its unconventional, dreadlocks-wearing, Word-teaching pastor), and you have all the necessary ingredients for a spirited, drama-filled, smorgasbord of a story. Help yourself to the buffet!

Like Boogie on Tuesday is the story of 2 sisters, Nina Madison and Troi Singleton who struggle to leave behind their oppressive upbringing and their dissatisfaction with life that includes an alcoholic mother and sometimes absent father. Nina and Troi are left wondering who they can trust. Nina finds herself in one compromising relationship after another and vows to never love again until she meets womanizing pretty-boy Tim Richardson. Troi believes that her marriage of 3 years to her husband Vaughn will last forever until his devastating secret is uncovered. Tim Richardson is a catch for sure, but while balancing his goals and his craving for companionship, he allows Nina to touch places in him once forbidden. Is Tim enough to renew Nina’s faith in men? And will the revelation that Vaughn shares with Troi waver her faith in love?

While trying to start her own business, thirty-four-year-old Imani Evans, a dynamic and energetic woman, meets her match in guidance counselor Braxton Wade, a self-proclaimed bachelor who has sworn off marriage, when her teenage daughter gets into trouble at school. Original.

While trying to start her own business, thirty-four-year-old Imani Evans, a dynamic and energetic woman, meets her match in guidance counselor Braxton Wade, a self-proclaimed bachelor who has sworn off marriage.

Book by Patricia Haley

On the heels of her bestselling and highly acclaimed sophomore novel LIKE BOOGIE ON TUESDAY, Grosvenor reintroduces readers to the characters they met and loved in her earlier novel…Nina, her sister Troi, her husband Tim and now Carla and Sam Singleton who bring new meaning to "for better or for worse." In this highly charged novel Troi finds her loyalty to her best friend Carla on the line when an inappropriate attraction to her friend’s husband spins their world out of control. Nina is married to the man she loves but will ghosts from his past come and uproot their sensitive future? Carla doesn’t know why she’s withdrawn but her husband Sam is losing patience. When he shares his troubles with his sister-in-law, he discovers they have much in common—including feelings for one another that have been hidden all along.

An Essence(r) Bestseller For eighteen years, Karen and Johnny Clark were blessed with a "perfect" marriage and three bright children. But their idyllic relationship has begun to unravel, and the distance widens when Karen experiences a serious illness. The passion they once shared seems like just a memory, while Johnny’s weakness for other women is pushing them to the brink of divorce. Karen turns to the church for answers, and finds her beliefs tested.

Editorial Review

Reese Delaware is an investigative reporter with a burning drive to seek out the truth. But one story eludes her — her own. Fifteen years before, she survived a tragic accident that robbed her of her family and left her with missing pieces of her life. Now, she accepts an assignment to profile Maxwell Knight, the millionaire computer wizard also in flight from a shadowy past of his own. The attraction between them is instant, but it isn’t until they have stepped over the boundaries of professional etiquette that Maxwell and Reese move to the shattering secret that links their lives. With danger closer than they can ever imagine, Reese desperately fights to reclaim her lost memory — only to stumble upon the truth — a truth that could destroy Maxwell…and the love that binds their body, heart, and soul.

Tragedy brought Maxine Sherman and Quinten Parker together years ago, until another woman stole Quinn away from her. For as long as Maxine could remember, her nights were filled with dreams of his return. That was then. Now Quinn is back as tragedy strikes his life, and he wants things to be the way they were, but Maxine has a new life, a new man…and a secret that binds her and Quinn together.

Good sense tells Maxine that she shouldn’t put her heart into the hands of a man who once left it broken in pieces — and risk losing the love and devotion of Taylor Collins, who brings her not only joy, but the kind of love she’d always longed for. But is Taylor her reality or a substitute for what she lost? As Maxine struggles against Quinn’s passionate pleas, and the old desires blaze between them, she must decide if, this time, what they have together is strong enough to last forever.