Note: The
Decades:
A Journey of African American Romance series consists of 12 books, each
set in one of 12 decades between 1900 and 2010. Each story focuses on the
romance between African American protagonists, but also embraces the African
American experience within that decade. Join the journey on our Facebook page,
http://bit.ly/2z9sMrd.
It’s been quite a year for the Decades: A Journey of African American
Romance series authors. Thank you to award-winning author Wayne Adrian Jordan
for conceiving of the series and to the Genre-istas
for helping us spread the word about this celebration of history and
love. Most of all, thank you to the readers who have supported and encouraged
this project.
It’s with great pleasure and pride that I provide this wrap-up of this
exciting project and the great stories in this series.
He’s great with a guitar, and even better with a knife…
Golden Worth is a simple man. Good music, a peaceful life, and maybe the
occasional night with a pretty woman will do him just fine. The violent past he
left behind is nothing he ever wants to go back to. But he never counted on
catching the eye of gorgeous society girl, Leonie Harper, who has never done
anything simple in her life.
Between roping him into knife fights in dark alleys and secret evenings making
love on her silk sheets, Leonie challenges him to be better and worse than he’s
ever been. The things they do together are pulse-pounding. Wicked. Hot. And he
can’t get enough. Although this glittering society creature only wants Golden
for a few nights, can he convince her that they can be for keeps?
A headstrong widow finds herself in the arms of the one man she
shouldn’t want in a 1912 all-Black beach resort.
With funds running low, widow Halle Duncan’s only means for survival is to
revive her late husband’s abandoned dream: a summer getaway where their people
can relax and enjoy themselves, free from the weight of prejudice. An arranged
union had forced her to marry young. Now once again, society dictates that she
have a man by her side to succeed. But, Halle is in no rush to remarry, or even
take a lover -- until an old family friend appears to tempt her with forbidden
fruit.
Nick Green has been in love with Halle Duncan since he first glimpsed her years
ago. Back then, he had no intention of disrespecting his mentor, and she had
been his wife. Even after the old man’s death, Nick vowed to keep his distance.
But when an unscrupulous land investor threatens to snatch away Halle’s resort,
Nick is forced to get closer than even he could have imagined.
Escaping an arranged marriage, Leigh Jones flees her southern hometown
for Harlem's vibrant jazz scene to pursue her dream of becoming a singer. She
finds more than she expected, namely Miles Cooper. The smooth-talking musician
walked out on her three years ago, taking her music and her heart with him.
Leigh has no intentions of falling for Miles or his charms again, until he
tempts her with the one thing she can’t resist: a recording contract. But when
her past comes calling, she realizes Miles is the one person who can save her
from a man who won’t take no for an answer.
Miles isn’t one for putting down roots or staying in one place for longer than
a season. Yet, memories of Leigh's sultry voice, beauty and sass make him long
for the life and love he forfeited. Having walked away once, but never again,
Miles sets out to prove he's a changed man willing to go to any lengths to
protect his woman. He's determined to show Leigh, one passionate note at a time
that the music they make together will last a lifetime.
Ava Lydell is chasing her dream. A gifted artist, she's fled the
violence of the Deep South for the seduction of sunny California. As luck would
have it, the economic crisis of The Great Depression interferes with her hopes
and plans. Without patronage and reliable sales, her fledgling art studio
fails. Now, she faces poverty, eviction...and the distraction of a mysterious,
young stranger engaged in a questionable trade that delivers danger to Ava's
front door.
In an age of Prohibition and poverty, Chase Jenkins has more than most Colored
men. He's savvy, successful, and hazardously employed. A bootlegger living on
the wrong side of the law, he's determined to discover who murdered his baby
brother. He has no time for diversions. Especially one packaged in the form of
a "midnight beauty" with sultry lips and curvaceous hips. Unable to
deny her allure, he involves himself in her affairs despite better judgment.
What begins as a crisis quickly becomes a risky romance. Join Chase and Ava on
their journey to outlive danger and indulge in the art of love.
Autumn, 1946
Warner Hughes returns home from war with the lingering effects of battle.
Abandoned by his sweetheart and ostracized by his community, he feels he has no
real home.
Elizabeth “Betty” Daniels has one love: music. Betty’s family wants to see her
married, busy with affairs of the home, leaving no time to pursue her
art.
Warner’s only solace is in the sweet melody of Betty’s music. To Betty’s mind,
marriage means giving up the freedom to pursue her art. Can Warner let love in,
and can Betty make room for love?
Behind the soft smile, perfect manners, and helpful air, Constance Ray
is a woman struggling to make it through the day. After her husband is killed
in the Korean war, his death leaves her lost, knowing she can never be the
woman she was before. Although, when a handsome navy officer shows up with a
final word from the grave, Constance can’t ignore the message. She also can’t
continue to be indifferent to the man who brought it, or his involvement in the
war – the one for everyone’s right to be treated equally.
Nathaniel Kelly never means for it to happen, especially not with Constance. He
is supposed to fulfill the final wish of the man he owed his life to, but he
can’t help it when he instantly falls for the soften-spoken, bereaved preacher’s
daughter. But as much as he wishes to court her, to love her, his loyalty to
his friend and his obligation to make up for sins of the father, stand in the
way. Remaining true to his friendship, and his mission, is hard when pride for
the movement unites Nathaniel with Constance and his passion for her finally
sets her free.
Despite legal efforts to integrate schools, black students continue to
struggle with separate and unequal environments in 1970. Leo Sullivan, an
ambitious mayoral candidate, seeks to close a dark chapter in Overbrook
Meadows’ history, but the opposition is fierce. Falling for his campaign
manager was never part of the plan. Leo and Carla must fight for their love,
their safety, and the future of their beloved city.
Layla Johnson had a picture perfect life: a career as an educator, a
beautiful daughter, a son on the way, and a loving husband. Only Layla didn’t
count on the effect the burgeoning war on drugs would have on her family and
her world. And on one rainy night, everything that she worked to attain is
destroyed. Now, she’s on her own, with two young children, a mounting pile of
debt…and the past knocking at her door.
Lincoln Wilson broke the one thing he treasured most. Instead of spending the
rest of his life doting on his beautiful wife and children, he’s alone, haunted
by his many mistakes. Determined to make amends, Lincoln works to put the
pieces of his life back together again. And although it’s an uphill battle, he
is up for the challenge. The last step in Lincoln’s program is to prove to his
wife that he can be the man she needs. When he shows up on her doorstep ready
to reclaim his life, will Layla let him in?
As the new editor-in-chief for LA Chronicle, Traci Johnson is
determined to change the California paper’s narrative. She’s tired of stories
about police brutality, gang violence and drugs, and wants to focus on positive
African-American stories. But when rapper Tupac Shakur gets shot it’s breaking
news that must be covered, even though the incident epitomizes the type of
topic she’s trying to avoid, and the type of man she despises.
Marcus Moore is a product of South Central Los Angeles. He could have easily
been one of its statistics but he stays out of trouble and becomes an
undercover agent for the LAPD. When Tupac gets shot he knows it’s not random.
In fact he believes the trail of blood will lead back to a group of men he’s
investigating, the reason he’s in Vegas. Meeting sexy journalist Traci Johnson
is a tempting distraction, but her assumptions based on his appearance and the
culture he embraces are a huge turn-off.
Tupac dies, and Marcus surprisingly finds comfort in Traci’s arms. Will what
happens in Vegas stay in Vegas, or can the two get past stark societal
differences and turn one night’s passion into a lifetime of love?
True love calls for bipartisan commitment ... Gwendolyn Taylor has
campaigned for President Barack Obama and is committed to working for his
reelection. After that, the librarian and activist plans on taking an early
retirement – or so she thinks. One of Gwen’s volunteer organizations wants her
to help unseat the incumbent state senator – by running for his office. Gwen
has her doubts until she meets the senator’s distractingly sexy – and socially unconscious
– campaign manager.
Noah Barrow sees his candidate as the best choice for their community.
He believes in the senator’s integrity, commitment and platform. Gwen is a very
attractive woman – distractingly so – but she is also a policy novice with
dreams of political grandeur – or so he thinks. Gwen’s ideas are fresh and
different enough that they just might work, but it takes more than promising
proposals to run a successful campaign. With such conflicting ideologies, could
Noah and Gwen find a way to merge their platforms for the sake of their
community – and their hearts?
Coming soon ...
1960s – Promise Me a Dream: Decades Book 7 by Wayne Jordan
2000s – Inconsequential Consequences: Decades Book 11 by Denise
Jeffries
Patricia Sargeant is a national best-selling, award-winning
author of mysteries and romance. Her work has been featured in national
publications such as Publishers Weekly, USA Today, Kirkus
Reviews, Suspense Magazine, Mystery Scene Magazine, Library
Journal and RT Book Reviews. She’s also been interviewed
on podcasts including Destination Mystery with Laura Brennan, Conversations
LIVE! with Cyrus Webb, Read You Later with Lasheera Lee and Katara’s Café with
Katara Johnson.
Facebook: @AuthorPatriciaSargeant
