New Beginnings & Second Chances

These books deal with trauma, its aftermath, healing, and renewal.

[front cover art for BAD SEED: The Midnight Cries of an Island Girl, A Novel by Cherry Dawn Fagbemi; a night scene with a starry sky above a home with its exterior and interior lights shining on the first floor]

BAD SEED: The Midnight Cries of an Island Girl by Cherry Dawn Fagbemi

contemporary fiction

November 2024

"Montego Bay was where I should have died in the summer of 1985."

And with that first sentence, Vivienne Pearson's harrowing saga of being haunted by the resurgence of disturbing memories of past events relevant to her present life and choices starts a compelling tale of heavy themes and dangerous circumstances. It's a potent blend of mystery, thriller, family conflict, social commentary, and romance.

Vivienne confronts her confusion, devastating heartache, alienation and more as she navigates a series of traumas in order to heal and to reclaim herself and her life.

content note: includes detailed flashback of the assault of a child and on-page details of the assault of an adult

[front cover of Just Playing House by Farah Heron; a woman lying on her back on a sofa while a man sits on the sofa and lets her use his thigh a pillow as they look into each other's face; they're surrounded by house plants]

Just Playing House by Farah Heron

contemporary romance

Forever, July 2024

What happens when the prom date who ghosted you years ago ends up being a big shot actor who can make or break your path to achieving your professional goals?

Marley Kamal finds out when Nik Sharma crashes back into her life. Their love story has so many relatable layers that spin this celebrity romance into a heartfelt tale of enduring friendship, hindsight, and actions that reveal fundamental truths about real love whether offered by family by blood or by choice. It's also funny and poignant. Don't miss the insightful remarks included in the author's acknowledgements.

What had happened was... I went to the library to borrow the two books that were on hold for me and the other three books made me borrow them too (by tempting me from their perch on the new arrivals shelf placed right in front of the entryway).

["Let it snow" gift bag arranged under 5 trade paperback books: You Belong With Me, How to Help a Hungry Werewolf, Puck & Prejudice, Like Cats & Dogs, The Finders Keepers Library]

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Hot Love in the Kitchen & Travelling Through Time

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Author Cherry Dawn Fagbemi Chats with TBQ + More Books

Hearing author Cherry Dawn Fagbemi read a cliffhanger of an excerpt from Bad Seed at a Prince George's Memorial Library System event last year led us to stay in touch. Here's our recent conversation about her life, her work, this book and a future project on this episode of The Bitchy Quill podcast with founder Heather Brooks, who's also the founder of The Write Women Book Fest scheduled for Saturday, July 19 & Sunday, July 20 at the Bowie Comfort Inn & Conference Center in Bowie, Maryland, where this author and 100+ more will engage with readers, give away swag, sell and sign their books on day one; an assortment of panel chats on day two: https://youtu.be/a73_k4DQZKI [ front cover of a trade paperback book, "BAD SEED, The Midnight Cries of an Island Girl, A Novel by Cherry Dawn Fagbemi"] This week's BAC (Book Acquisition Compulsion) bookstack includes a hockey romance because the Washington Capitals' first-round playoffs win happened during...

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