Home Before Midnight Chapter 6: “Why Don’t You Call Your New Friend? Mr. Greene?”

Reconnecting with the Gordons had been on my mind from the moment I typed “The End” on their Christmas short story, Home for Christmas. I fell in love with this young couple even before I started writing, just from the outline. The way their love unfolded felt so organic, making it a joy to bring them back for their second chance romance. So when the idea of writing a New Year’s Eve story came to mind, Eva and Jaleel were the first couple I thought of. Their love is intentional—expressed through both words and actions—and Home Before Midnight showcases that beautifully, especially in chapter six.

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Home for Christmas Chapter 2: “Hug, you guys!”

Home for Christmas holds a special place in my heart as one of my favorite Christmas stories in my catalog, right alongside Rekindled. This story came to me completely out of the blue. As the holidays were approaching, I wanted to write something that captured all the Christmas vibes while being undeniably heartwarming. The premise? A separated couple brought together by their son, who asks for just one thing for Christmas: to celebrate the holiday with his parents under one roof. From that setup, you already know you’re in for a good time.

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Rekindled Chapter 6: “What are you doing here?”

Rekindled was honestly a dream come true for me to write, especially as a close proximity romance. In fact, it’s because of Rekindled that I ended up working on another close proximity story—a friends-to-lovers tale that I can’t wait to share with you soon. But back to Rekindled: this story was part of a collaboration I did with a group of amazing women during Christmas 2020. It has one chapter in particular that I absolutely love and looked forward to writing because it’s exactly where the story takes off. It’s the moment when two exes discover they’ll be spending the Christmas holiday together… under the same roof.

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Chapter 7 Unsilent Knight: “I bet you never had a man make you sweat like this with your clothes still on.”

Unsilent Knight was my very first Christmas-themed short story. But let me tell you, this wasn’t your typical holiday read. It was more of a story that just happened to take place around Christmas rather than being drenched in the hallmark-style, Christmas-y vibes you might expect. And honestly, that’s why I wrote it. Unsilent Knight was meant to be a holiday side treat—a way to promote Girl Code, which was released shortly before Christmas. I even included a sneak peek of the first few chapters from Girl Code in Unsilent Knight. 

So, please know, this story wasn’t supposed to become “the moment.” But somehow, Cadence and Meki stole hearts. Readers fell in love with them, demanding more—and I delivered with A Love Deferred. But before ALD, there was Unsilent Knight and this pivotal chapter that turned what was supposed to be a side story into one readers couldn’t stop talking about.  

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Ready or Not Chapter 5: “Uh… What Are You Doing?

Ready or Not is the first book in a new series that spins off from a story that nearly took me out. Last Comes Love, the story Ready or Not branches from, was such a difficult but necessary story for me to write. It captured a friendship and showed how time can often be taken for granted. It was a story that made us all experience a loss we likely will always remember. So, when it came time to start Rylee’s journey without Lennox, I knew I had my work cut out for me. I was fully prepared for readers to refuse to believe Rylee could find love after Lennox. Much like time played a major role in Last Comes Love, it continues to be a central theme in Ready or Not—something that becomes evident the moment Rylee meets Xander.

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Love, Hate & Revenge Chapter 8: “Mickey, what the f**k?!”

The amount of fun I had writing the Love, Hate & Revenge series cannot be explained. These sisters were a pleasure to spend time with, and I made sure to find every way to check back in with them. To do so again might be too much, but thankfully, we get these chapter-by-chapter commentaries to relive some of the craziest moments… one of which is chapter 8 in LHR, pt. 3. This final installment in the series had a lot of conclusions and beginnings, and chapter 8 serves as one of those beginnings—despite how insane it happened. But what did we expect when it involves the infamous Mikayla and Philip?

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They Call Me Mello Chapter 3: “… I’ll buy my drink and your next drink too”

Readers loved Romello “Mello” St. Claire so much in the No Fraternizing series that I had no choice but to give him a spinoff. The number of readers telling me that Lila better end up with Mello in part three was overwhelming. Suffice it to say, I was a little worried because that was not the plan at all, lol. Manny and Lila had history, and the love between them left no room for Mello, no matter how lovable and amazing he was. But I knew Mello had a love story out there waiting for him. And not just any woman would do—she had to be special enough to catch Mello’s attention and make him ready to commit. Chapter 3 introduces us to that woman at the exact moment Mello meets her, and it’s a scene to remember.

The Setting

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Loveless Chapter 2: “You’re Not Dressed Like A Cop”

I love a good meet cute. If the meet cute isn’t memorable, I’m not doing it! I want these moments to be unforgettable, the kind where, if the characters were real and aging like fine wine, they’d be telling this story to friends who lean in every time, ready to hear it for the fifty-leven time. Joi and Jeremiah’s meet cute in Loveless is one of my personal favorites. Getting pulled over by your future husband for speeding just has that little something special. And in their case, it really sets the tone.

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Last Comes Love Chapter 10: “I’m Pregnant!”

Chapter ten in Last Comes Love is a pivotal moment, one that shifts the story from “just friends” to something much deeper. Rylee and Lennox have done the one thing they thought they’d never do together—sleep together to make a baby. While they both felt something that night, they’re still in denial, wasting time they don’t realize is in short supply. This chapter, the third in Part Two: Next Comes, is a key transition. To move forward, Rylee and Lennox have to break the news to their families that they’re having a baby, and the reveal is everything you’d expect when two lifelong friends share this kind of news with their parents.

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No Fraternizing, Pt. 3 Chapter 8: “… A Mutual Interest In A Business.”

The No Fraternizing series was my first completed series, and Part 1 was my very first self-published story. When I first published No Fraternizing, Pt. 1, I didn’t know what I was doing. It started as a short story with no plans to make it a series. But after readers loved it and wanted more, it grew into a full series, giving us one of my favorite chapters. By the final book, things had changed a lot since the start. Feelings and emotions are at a boiling point, especially in Chapter 8, where we find ourselves caught in the heat of a love triangle.

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Gluttony Chapter 14: “Get your disrespectful ass back in here and on this f**king mat!”

Gluttony was one of the stories in the series that made me a little nervous before I started writing. The title isn’t exactly sexy, and Gluttony as a sin is often viewed in a very one-dimensional way. But once I got into it, the characters made the story a lot of fun. Everett and Apryl, the MMC and FMC of Gluttony, were attracted to each other the moment they saw one another. But when they were finally thrown together in Chapter 14, things got heated, and the clash of two alpha personalities gave us a chapter to remember.

The Setting

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In Love, I Trust Chapter 11: “So… You Don’t Trust Me?”

In Love, I Trust stands as one of my very few small-town romances—my first and only, if I’m not mistaken. And honestly, I wouldn’t have wanted any other characters to be my first. It was also a first for me in terms of writing about a couple who met online, specifically in the comments section on Instagram. There are several chapters in In Love, I Trust that I truly love and that move the story forward. But this chapter? This chapter is where everything is laid out on the table regarding Trey and Serenity’s relationship. Most importantly, it’s the moment where the wall Serenity has been holding up is addressed—the wall Trey has been consciously working to break down. Of all places, it’s a pre-wedding dinner that forces them to confront their issues, holding up a mirror to their relationship and pushing them to get real about its future.

The Setting

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Envy Chapter 1: “You Can’t Buy Me”

Mykal, the main character in Envy—book four in the Love is Cure, Vol. 1 – Vices & Virtues series—is probably the most hated character in the series and maybe even in all of my book world. But I personally loved her growth in Envy! Yes, she was a jealous person who made some questionable decisions, but one thing you can’t deny about Mykal is that she was a go-getter. Her motivations may have been toxic, but when Mykal set her sights on something, she often got it. One of the core premises of Envy was her intense desire for the editor-in-chief position at the magazine she worked for, For The Culture. This chapter serves as a prelude to her ambition to rise to the top, and it’s also where we get Envy’s meet cute!

The Setting

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Greed Chapter 2: “You do know I hit you… right?”

Greed is book three in the Love is Cure, Vol. 1 – Vices & Virtues series, and it was one of the reasons I decided to keep creating books for the series. Books 1 (Pride) and 2 (Lust) went so well that I felt inspired to dive into Greed. I had never written a fake-dating romance before, but as soon as I started drafting the chapter summaries, I knew I was going to love it. This chapter has one of my favorite meet-cutes in the series—actually, in all my stories, if I’m being honest. It’s like we’re flies on the wall… or better yet, pigeons perched on a street sign.

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Meant to Be Chapter 12: “Why The F**k Won’t You Let Him Go, Huh?!

Another friends-to-lovers story where the FMC is so wrapped up in her past that she won’t allow her future to overshadow it. Meant to Be is a story I think of often, and one of the reasons is because of this chapter. Throughout the entire book, we watch as Genesis and August navigate the tricky transition from friendship to situationship. They’re both grieving the loss of their cheating spouses in their own ways and falling in love with each other at the same time. But in this chapter, it’s clear that Genesis is so tied to her past that she’s referring to her future by the wrong name.

The Setting

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So This is Love Chapter 19: “Because I Love You, Ayanna, And Not As A Friend”

This chapter pissed off a lot of readers but also made them fall even more in love with the MMC, Dallas Roque. He left his heart on the table in this chapter, and we couldn’t help but feel frustrated with the FMC, Ayanna. It was a pivotal scene that challenged the characters’ resolves and put their wills on full display. Chapter Nineteen became one of the most highlighted chapters in So This is Love—and for very good reason.

The Setting

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Mr & Mrs Jones Chapter 8: “What’s The Most Expensive Bottle Of Champagne?”

To know me is to know that one of my favorite stories, if not the favorite, is Girl Code. Right behind it is the sequel, Mr. & Mrs. Jones. I knew I’d be writing this sequel the moment I typed “The End” on Girl Code. I just really loved Melodee and Amir—both as individual characters and as a couple. There were so many moments I couldn’t wait to write in Mr. & Mrs. Jones, and this scene in Chapter Eight was at the top of the list.

In Girl Code, one of the major turning points was Melodee’s divorce. It was a deeply painful experience that left her confused. The aftermath—like her ex-husband expecting a baby before the ink on their divorce papers dried—was enough to send anyone into a depressive spiral. But, fate brought her and Amir back together just when she needed an escape the most, distracting her from her new reality as a divorcee. In this sequel, payback comes in the classiest way possible, making this chapter one you won’t forget.

The Setting

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A Love Deferred Chapter Six: “Stay And Eat With Me… Please”

A Love Deferred was written entirely for the readers. Initially, I hadn’t planned on continuing the story from Unsilent Knight—it was just a Christmas story I wanted to tell. Plus, Girl Code was due for release that month, and I wanted to include a sneak peek at the end of Unsilent Knight. But readers loved Cadence and Meki, and honestly, I did too. So, working on A Love Deferred to extend their story was a joy.

Their story explores what happens when enemies become lovers, with one falling slower than the other. In chapter six, a pivotal moment for Cadence and Meki unfolds—and it all begins with the smell of bacon in the air.

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When Life Gives You Sunsets Chapter 7: “I Just Saw Your D**k”

When it was time to work on the summer romance idea that had been on my mind since the year before When Life Gives You Sunsets was released, I knew I wanted the elements to be unmistakably summery. Sun, sand, fruity cocktails, and a group trip were where my mind went first. Hawaii, a destination I love writing about, was a no-brainer for a summer romance that feels like summer the moment the plane lands. A waterfall was always part of the plan, but the scene couldn’t just be about the waterfall. And in Chapter 7, it wasn’t.

The Setting

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Lust Chapter 7: “What is Pryce Doing Here?”

Lust is the second book in the Love is Cure series and introduces us to Pryce Williams. If you’ve read my Forbidden series, then you might remember Pryce from Meant to Be, where he was a friend of the main character, August. In his first appearance in Meant to Be, Pryce is escorting his one-night stand down the stairs and can barely remember her name until she reminds him. Suffice it to say, Pryce is a player—and not just on the basketball court.

Lust presents a different side of Pryce. Although in chapter one, he’s still up to his old ways, by the time he lands back in New York City from Oakland, he’s a man on a mission. He wants his ex-girlfriend Leelah back, and he’s willing to do anything to achieve that goal.

Setting

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Pride Chapter 18: “Why Would You Bring Me Here?”

There were many chapters I wanted to do commentary on, but this one stood out to me. Although it appears later in the book, it’s significant because Jayce brings Summer to his home to meet his family and, most importantly, to show her the place that shaped the man she was falling for.

Jayce had a deeper reason for bringing the pampered princess to his neighborhood. It was a move that truly demonstrated how Summer’s love for Jayce was blossoming, despite the fact that falling for him went completely against all her plans.

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When Luke Met Juliette Chapter Two: “There’s Only One Bed And Two Of Us”

When Luke Met Juliette was one of the stories in 2023 that wasn’t planned. The plan was to conclude my Love is Cure series; however, this story and the characters just wouldn’t let me be. The plan was to release it on Valentine’s Day. However, I was working on Gluttony’s release and didn’t want anything to get in the way of that story. So, I took a brief pause with WLMJ, and when I returned, I returned with this chapter, a chapter that does all the showing and very little telling. It shapes the foundation for characters Juliette Hart and Luke Lockett to never forget each other. It was the second chance that got fumbled.

The Setting

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Ebb & Flow Chapter 5: “It Just Happened”

Whew 🥺. This chapter was hard to write. I think of it often, especially because of Naazir’s reason, which has been heard all around the world by infidels of all shapes and sizes. “It just happened” gets a new meaning in Chapter 5 of Ebb & Flow. It comes with a lot to unpack and the age-old realization that forgiveness is easier said than done.

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My First, My Last Chapter 29: “I Slept With Marcus”

My First, My Last is one of my favorite stories. For one, it’s friends-to-lovers, and to know me is to know that friends-to-lovers is my favorite trope to read and write. And two, it’s about childhood friends, which brings a sense of comfort on the page whenever childhood friends interact. My First, My Last differs from my other friends-to-lovers stories in that both characters, Ayla and Hassani, were drawn to each other romantically at first sight. It’s not like they kept things platonic because they never saw each other that way. They did initially, but the people around them, their opinions, paired with unforeseen events, kept Ayla and Hassani apart for longer than they should have been.

In this chapter, Ayla and Hassani have reunited at, of all places, his pre-wedding dinner. There are still some unresolved feelings that stem from the weeks leading up to their college graduation. There was actually a specific moment after their graduation that pivots the story to here (which I would love to discuss if you want to in another chapter-by-chapter commentary). So this scene serves as another pivot. One you may have seen coming, but when it actually hits, boy does it hit on time!

Setting

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Wrath Chapter 11: “Let her go”

Let me start by saying that I love that we all agree on one thing – Asher is that guy. It usually is a toss-up when it comes to my book baes. I personally love them all, from the picture of perfection heroes to the flaws-and-all guys, but sometimes what I find to be redeeming qualities aren’t what some readers agree with, and I can respect that.

When I first developed Asher Truesdale’s character on the page, I fell in love with him. As his story in Wrath unfolded and he showed, more than told, just how incredible he was, he skyrocketed to the top of my book bae list, a spot that was kept warm for many, many years by my absolute fave, Amir Jones.

This scene in Wrath that appears in Chapter 11 is a testament to why I love this guy so much, and for two reasons. He’s not who you think he is at first sight and, as they say, he stands on business.

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Girl Code Chapter 8: “I don’t want to be your friend anymore, Mel”

On the heels of writing their anniversary short, I have to say, Melodee and Amir are still my favorites 🥰. I love them deeply. Their love is one that seems wrong on paper, but once you peel back the layers, you really can’t help but get all warm and cozy in what they are. Literally friends to lovers, in its purest form. And this chapter exuded that. 

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