Grieving for What Could Have Been

Continuing to celebrate Black love, Black joy, Black triumphs over adversity, Black friendship, family, community is one of my coping strategies for processing anxiety. Here are three satisfying reads for encouragement and pleasure.

[front cover art of a trade paperback book: profile view of two adults embracing; only the bottom half of a woman's face is visible]

Courage to Love Again by Kimberly Brown
contemporary romance with Christian elements
Black Odyssey Media, April 2024

After a series of devastating losses, Pasha Sinclaire is grieving, anxious, and depressed. Enter Callum Ellis, successful entrepreneur and seeming guardian angel. Years of emotional abuse and the undercutting of her sense of self-worth make it hard for Pasha to believe Callum is as decent as he appears to be. She’ll need to continue working on healing herself before she can trust again. Forever friends, family by blood and by choice help her navigate this bumpy path back to her true self.

Light-hearted moments weave throughout heavy themes on loss and trauma along with occasional profanity and numerous references to spiritual beliefs, creating a familiar real-life vibe.

From chapter ten:

Sometimes, heartbreak is a setup for a hell of a breakthrough.

Content advisory: fertility struggles, death of a child, grief, anxiety, depression, suicide ideation

[two books: Pardon My Frenchie by Farrah Rochon standing spine-up next to Between Friends & Lovers by Shirlene Obuobi]

Between Friends & Lovers by Shirlene Obuobi

contemporary romance

Harper Collins, July 2024

This clever spin on a love triangle explores the tension between emotional risk, reward, and the consequences of speaking one’s truth versus staying safe and quiet. It’s also funny, sexy, and seamlessly integrates many of the most demanding elements of modern life while providing sharp commentary on the impacts of social media.

Pardon My Frenchie by Farrah Rochon

contemporary romance

Forever, June 2024

Location. Location. Location.

Themes of place and time weave throughout this love story that’s both whimsical and substantial. Sibling dynamics, assorted expressions of grief, and feeling stretched too thin between one’s obligations and desires make Pardon My Frenchie unapologetically delightful, insightful reading.

Note: The first review was written before Tuesday, November 5, 2025 and the other two were written after that.

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