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.

Haunted. Christina C. Jones. 2015. Warm Hues Creative. 175 pages.  [Source: Kindle Unlimited.] Don’t tell CCJ this, but I danced around Haunted for over a year because I could not wrap my head around how she could possibly write a paranormal romance that I would enjoy.  I devoured everything else she wrote with no question, but just couldn’t motivate myself to touch this one.  It wasn’t until she had a holiday special that I decided to give it a go … Now, I’m mad at myself. I could have enjoyed Haunted so long ago!  This is both a credit to the author for being versatile and to the story itself.  I literally could not put this down – I’m talking standing in the checkout line at the grocery store to figure out what happened next! Khalida is content with her career managing a nightclub inside a trendy hotel.  She’s successful in her role and has the enduring love of her younger sister.  But something’s been off around her, and what started as the odd reflection of a man’s eyes in her windows at night are instead the start of her journey in unveiling of the truth about her identity.  The mysterious man whose presence she…

One Night. Eric Jerome Dickey. 2015. 370 pages. Dutton. [Source: public library.] I consider myself an Eric Jerome Dickey fan that’s fallen off the wagon.  I began reading his novels in my early 20s, and after I read Chasing Destiny, Genevieve, and Pleasure, he could do no wrong in my eyes. I’ve since expanded what I read, so it’s been a few years since I checked for him.  I was surfing my public library’s audiobooks when I came across One Night and was completely intrigued by the description. Two strangers, one night, murder, lies, etc? I was sucked in immediately.  Unfortunately, the book failed to live up to my lofty expectations of EJD. One Night is a few hours short of a day in the life of former actress Jackie and The Man from Orange County.  Seriously, that’s how he is referred to throughout the book.  The book chronicles their introduction and parting in painstaking detail, giving minute-by-minute accounts.  It starts with Jackie trying to scam the wealthy, attractive man at the gas station into purchasing a iPad. It ends with a body in the trunk of a luxury car with sirens approaching.