In Due Time. B. Love. 2018.  B. Love Publications. 147 pages. [Source: Kindle Unlimited.] In Due Time is an interesting story that intrigued me and kept me reading. But at the same time, I was frustrated the entire time because of its protagonist.   Mackenzie and her best friend, Rahim, have a weird non-love triangle thing going on, despite being best friends. Mackenzie dated — and was repeatedly hurt by — Rahim’s cousin Tony. Despite a decade passing, she’s still not over it, to the point where it cripples her ability to be involved with others in what most would consider healthy ways.   It doesn’t stop her from sleeping with Rahim, though.  Instead, she becomes his best friend and while acknowledging her strong feelings for Rahim, she also clings to a sense of loyalty to Tony that won’t allow her to make a go with Rahim. At times, it was hard to get a sense of whether she actually wanted to get back with Tony or if she just couldn’t let go of the idea of him as her first love.   I generally found Mackenzie insufferable. Despite being almost thirty, her maturity and actions are more reflective of a…

Feud. Phyllis Bourne. 2018. Red Lipstick Press. 150 pages. [Source: Kindle Unlimited.] Sometimes you have terrible neighbors you love to hate. The Lawsons and Bridges have been those neighbors for each other for over 100 years. Their feud is so intense that the families established clauses in wills to reward the descendant with the fortitude (or luck) to outlast the opposiing family. That is how Tate Bridges and Justice Lawson cross each others’ paths. Justice thinks he’s finally got his family’s trust in his grasp since he managed to outlive old man Tate.  Much to his chagrin, a distant neice, Tate Alexandra, shows up in the nick of time to nip his plans in the bud.  What results is a hilarious story about the lengths to which the two will go to ensure their family comes out on top. Of course, there is a major wrench in their plans — a mutual, if not begruding, attraction to one another.  This tension is what makes the book most enjoyable.  It’s entertaining to see just how far they can push each other in the name of winning a feud caused by a dead mule of all things. The two characters are relatable,…

Something Special. Tiffany Patterson. 2018. 329 pages. [Source: Kindle Unlimited.] As far as enemies to lovers stories go, Something Special was pretty enjoyable.  It features esthetician Gabriella and her best friend’s cousin Jamal. They hate each other. Can’t spare a kind word or smile for each other. Can barely stand to breath the same air as each other. They probably want each other. However, when a night out winds up with too many drinks in Gabby’s system, Jamal — ever the gentleman — takes her back to his place so she’s safe for the night. And so begins the shift in ow they view each other.  Gabby becomes less flighty in Jamal’s eyes. And Gabby seems Jamal as more than just a judgmental yuppie.  It’s not all sunshine and roses, though. Jamal, a preacher’s kid, has some deeply ingrained views about the virtues of the woman to whom he would commit. And Gabby has a pretty significant secret from her past that’s very much a part of her present. Nonetheless, it’s interesting to see how they get to know each other, especially without sacrificing any of their authenticity. Part of what sticks out for Gabby and Jamal is that they both…

The Games We Play. Alexandra Warren. 2018. 247 pages. [Source: Kindle Unlimited.] Chance is only back in his hometown for a brief stint to help his mom remodel what everyone calls her trap house.  The best laid plans often go awry, though, and things get complicated almost immediately.  Londyn is the younger sister of Eric, Chance’s best friend. What they both thought would be a one-time, discreet hook-up, turns into something they both struggle to ignore.   Chance and Londyn have chemistry. They definitely have physical compatibility that sparks flames. But their personalities hit it off, sometimes to a fault. The Games We Play found a good balance of telling the story from both perspectives.  Too often, romance tells a story from just the woman’s perspective, leaving gaps in the plot as well as preventing the reader from connecting fully with the characters. Here, however, you’re able to better understand both Chance and Londyn, including their motivations and hesitations in dealing with each other.  To be fair, there’s enough at play to keep them from dealing with each other seriously.

Dear Martin. Nic Stone. 2017. Random House. 212 pages. [Source: Public library.] If nothing in the world ever changes, what type of man are you gonna be? I picked up Dear Martin on the recommendation of someone because I’d enjoyed The Hate You Give. This book is in a similar vein as THUG in that it follows the aftermath of an officer-involved shooting that results in a young, black teen’s death.  More than that, however, it explores the complexities of racial and social class in nuanced ways. Told from the perspective of 17-year-old Justyce, Dear Martin gives a young, black males insight, which I found especially interesting. Justyce is an honor student who attends a prestigious private school on a full scholarship.  He is, however, from the other side of the proverbial tracks, the child of a single mother and lives in what he describes as a bad area of Atlanta.  His bright future is a foregone conclusion – Ivy league education, law school, public policy career. However, he receives a rude awakening that his accomplishments mean little in the face of biased community members.