For a woman with her future all mapped out, life's about to go in a whole new direction...Tuscaloosa, Alabama, may not be glamorous, but for Journey Cash, the small Southern town has always been enough. She has a loving husband, a great family, and she brings the house down at church with her beautiful, thunderous singing voice. But Journey wonders if her years as an obedient preacher's daughter have kept her from living the life she is meant to live...When Dame, one of her former students, comes to visit after striking it big as a rap star, Journey gets a taste of the fast-lane life that has passed her by. Dame is exciting, unpredictable, and sexy, and Journey is ready to trade in her seemingly perfect existence to simply feel one thing that's real. Soon, she finds herself running from everything in her world into the arms of Dame--and the ride of her life..."This wonderful book holds your attention from beginning to end. There are...

Reunion in paradise Exotic Bali is the perfect place to stage a wedding. If ambitious attorney Zena Shaw has her way, it'll also be the perfect place to prevent one. Zena loves her younger sister too much to watch her rush into a marriage she'll later regret. But Zena's mission hits an obstacle in the form of gorgeous Adan Peters, the groom-to-be's brother—and the man who once broke Zena's heart. Adan was just a college kid when he chose career ambition over love, but years later he regrets it. Now he's hoping to persuade the beautiful workaholic to join him at their siblings' union...and think about rekindling their own. From stunning beaches to magnificent temples, he'll show her everything this lush island has to offer—and hope these magical nights are only the beginning of forever...

"Octavia's storytelling is so impressive and addicting." —RT Book ReviewsIn Essence® bestselling author Grace Octavia's exciting, volatile novel, a charismatic bad boy mayor finally takes a spectacular fall. But that doesn't mean he's going down alone... Since the night Atlanta mayor, self-made millionaire, and womanizer Jamison Jackson plummeted from the top floor of a downtown hotel, everyone seems to have profited, from vicious criminals to corrupt politicians. Everyone except his jilted first wife, Kerry. Once a socialite, she's now the prime suspect in Jamison's alleged murder. But she swears she's no killer—and surprisingly, Jamison's widow, Val, agrees. For all they know, it was Coreen, the mother of Jamison's secret love child. After years of extortion, Coreen's cash flow has come to an end. The reality is, Jamison had a murky past and a legion of enemies old and new who will do whatever it takes...

Kerry Jackson knows exactly where the other woman lives—the one her husband, Jamison, denies exists. He tried to convince Kerry that pregnancy is making her paranoid. But out at 5 A.M., she's determined to catch him in the act. Instead she ends up arrested, wondering how she went from wealthy Atlanta debutante to jilted wife. But the stakes are too high for regrets, even if it means igniting a chain of events that will have shocking consequences for everyone. Because Kerry is Jamison's first wife, and she plans to be his last, even if it means taking her biggest gamble ever."Octavia creates a wonderful story of love, betrayal and life." —APOOO Book ClubIncludes bonus material!

New York City "It Girl" Troy Smith thought she'd have her ring by spring. But there's been a change in plans. . .Troy is a beautiful, successful black woman who's convinced her boyfriend, Dr. Julian James, is the man of her dreams--until he says he wants a break. Brokenhearted and confused, Troy knows there's only one thing to do: get her girls to throw her an official 3T Break Up Party! Established during their days at Hampton University, the break up party was how Troy, Tamia, and Tasha--"The 3Ts"--survived the drama of relationship bust-ups. Now it's Troy's turn to step out and party again. There's just one problem: Julian's stepping out too. . .with a new sister on his arm. So it's time to get down and dirty and put the 3T Take-Her-Man plan into action. No matter how long it takes, she is going to win back her man. A devilishly entertaining novel, Take Her Man also includes rules, regulations, and recipes for becoming a real life "It Girl". . ....

The road to romance can be filled with second thoughts and second guesses, and in Essence® bestselling author Grace Octavia's captivating new novel, one woman can't quite make peace with her choices. . .Atlanta celebrity wedding planner Rachel Winslo

"Octavia has a unique way of approaching love and heartache." —APOOO Book ClubIn her award-winning novel His First Wife, Essence® bestselling author Grace Octavia introduced Jamison Jackson, a man on his way up. But in this explosive follow-up, he discovers the top isn't the safest place for a man with a past...A secret dark past and a string of messy affairs haven't stopped self-made millionaire Jamison Jackson from becoming mayor of Atlanta. But while he may have a gorgeous new wife and new alliances, he can't quite escape his past and those who want to see him fail. There's his jilted first wife, a lover he'd rather forget, and a ruthless faction of old guard politicians and power lords who have no problem getting blood on their hands. And the fact that Jamison's ambitious current wife, Val, schemed and blackmailed her way into his arms—despite his mother's not-so-subtle warnings—is far from the least of his problems. Because everyone's got...