Jahaira Maddox is a quiet librarian who prefers a life free of drama, but her world is turned upside down when she learns that her father took out a shark loan from the infamous mafia family, the Sinclairs. Landon Sinclair is dangerous, and the only way she can get him off her back is to... accept his invitation to dinner?

"𝐒𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐓 𝐋𝐀𝐃𝐘, 𝐖𝐎𝐔𝐋𝐃 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐁𝐄 𝐌𝐘 𝐒𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐓 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐀 𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐄𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄? 𝐈'𝐋𝐋 𝐁𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄 𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐍𝐄𝐄𝐃 𝐌𝐄 𝐉𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐄𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐌𝐄." Dejah Champagne has always believed sweetness solves everything-until the Santiago name walks through the doors of her bakery. Tony Santiago isn't just any customer. He's a mechanic with oil on his hands, a kingpin with weight on his shoulders, and the last man she should ever let close. Their families' blood runs thick with betrayal, and everyone in their world knows the two names don't mix. But Tony keeps coming back. For cupcakes, for chai... for her. His quiet persistence chips away at Dejah's resolve until one yes changes everything. What begins as a dangerous flirtation soon unravels into something deeper, something Dejah never thought she could feel. Yet love is never simple when loyalty is a battlefield. When Dejah's family discovers the truth and Tony's fear of commitment collides with the weight of his empire, they'll both have to decide: is their bond strong enough to survive the sins of their families, or will history tear them apart for good? Sweet meets street, sugar meets steel-and nothing will ever taste the same.

Is everything really soft ? @𝟰𝟰𝟰𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀𝗹𝘃𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 ©

"Solè, why'd you stay?" "Because, Zaire... you the first thing that ever felt worth staying for." ❀ 🝳 ❀ Harlem held the noise. Solè gave Zaire the quiet. Zaire Knox, Harlem's quiet storm, known for his ties to the streets and a gaze that read people faster than they could lie to him. Respected. Feared. Loved. With scars buried deeper than his tattoos, he never planned to love soft. Until a Harlem vinyl shop left behind by his late grandfather forces him to slow down, to breathe, to find his real purpose in the world beyond the streets. Solè Sinclair, soft but unbreakable, raised by her father after loss. By day, she serves warmth behind the counter of a café. By night, she disappears into her art, trying to paint the parts of herself no one ever sees. When their worlds cross, the city shifts. What starts off tense and unexpected turns tender. Together, they learn love can hold you just as fierce as the streets ever did, and softer, too. But love in Harlem always asks one question: what are you willing to risk when the heart wants more than the streets ever offered? A Harlem story. A hood love. A soft place to land. ❀ 🝳 ❀

Cover made by @-laysdiary Ajani Santos, a disciplined security expert, moves to the bustling city of Atlanta to become head of security for the influential Mayor Caldwell. Focused on his duty, Ajani is determined to keep the mayor safe and never lets emotions interfere with his work. But his plans take an unexpected turn when he meets Ever, the mayor's spirited and independent daughter. At first, their worlds clash-her free-spirited nature challenging his strict professionalism. Yet, as danger and duty bring them closer, they begin to see each other in a new light. What starts as a reluctant acquaintance turns into a surprising connection. Ajani must navigate the delicate balance between his role and his feelings, risking everything to protect not just the city, but the woman who's stolen his heart.

"I knew I was in love from the first time we met"

"The whole 'right person wrong time type deal. Nothing was perfect about Dess & Ja's relationship but somewhere deep down inside, despite them being young.. they both knew they were each others person."

And I hate that you don't think I belong to you.