Why am I passionate about this?

I have enjoyed writing and creating stories based on fictional characters since my writing assignments in elementary school. I can remember my teachers telling my mother that my stories were very captivating and that I would take my simple assignments to a level that they hadn’t expected. This love for writing led to a love for reading fiction books and a deeper love for urban fiction, women’s fiction, and erotic fiction. I enjoyed books so much that I became a bookseller at a local bookstore and moved up to a specialist who introduced customers to their next favorite book. 


I wrote...

His Lies, Her Secrets

By Christine EM Cooper,

Book cover of His Lies, Her Secrets

What is my book about?

My book is a story about betrayal and broken vows between a couple who seemed to have it all. Bryson…

Shepherd is reader supported. When you buy books, we may earn an affiliate commission.

The books I picked & why

Book cover of The Million Dollar Divorce

Christine EM Cooper Why did I love this book?

This book grabbed my attention from the beginning and had me locked in. It was written with so much detail that I felt there was no way the characters were made up. The main characters, Nate and Monica Kenny go through the toughest times after they marry. They quickly face challenges centered around miscarriages and premature menopause that make Nate’s long-time dream of becoming a father impossible.

I love how the story takes many twists and turns and introduces new characters like bad boy, low-income earning barber, Lewis, and adds him into the world of the rich and happy Nate and Monica. 

By RM Johnson,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Million Dollar Divorce as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Scheming to obtain a divorce without losing half of his millions by exploiting an infidelity clause in his prenuptial agreement, business entrepreneur Nate Kenny blackmails a down-on-his-luck man into seducing his wife, a plan that backfires in unexpected ways. 30,000 first printing.


Book cover of Dr. Feelgood

Christine EM Cooper Why did I love this book?

This book will remain on my list of favorite books of all time. I love how the author begins the story of the promiscuous doctor by jumping straight into the drama. Immediately, you are made aware of the well-respected cardiac surgeon’s character and how he loves women and plenty of them! Dr. Makkai Worthy is referred to by his many sex partners as Dr. Feelgood.

I became wrapped in the four women’s stories as they were introduced throughout this book. I found each character interesting, and there was never a dull moment as their disdain grew for the once-beloved doctor. I also found it interesting how the story takes you back to the place where it all began to explain the doctor’s love for sex and his inability to commit to just one woman. This page-turner is one that I plan to read again and again.

By Marissa Monteilh,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Dr. Feelgood as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

From the author of MAKE ME HOT comes a steamy tale of a popular heart surgeon and his four women, told in their own voices. They call him Dr. Feelgood . . . One woman would never be enough to satisfy noted cardiologist Dr. Makkai Worthy, better known by his sex partners as Dr. Feelgood. Womanizer extraordinaire, he's a chip off the old block of his rolling-stone papa and commitment isn't an option. At 37 and single, he's happier than he's ever been, living the lifestyle of the rich and fine. A gifted surgeon, Dr. Feelgood knows how to operate…


Book cover of If I Could

Christine EM Cooper Why did I love this book?

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Regina Everette has never been a risk taker. She has always gone with the flow and done what everyone else wanted her to do. I admired the author’s work, especially how she described in great detail how this need-to-please mentality took over Regina’s life.

One day, she decided to risk it all and step out on faith, leaving her comfort zone behind. During this turning point, I couldn’t get enough of the new Regina and how she went from a people-pleaser to an independent woman, no longer depending on her husband, mother, and friends.

It was inspiring to read about a woman getting out of her own way and living out her dreams. She left her husband, stood up to her mother and friends, quit her job, and opened up her own bookstore. She even met a new man along the way. This book inspired me to step out of my own comfort zone and live out my own dreams.

By Donna Hill,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked If I Could as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Tired of her old life, Regina Everette divorces her husband and the father of her two children, quits her unfulfilling job, scandalizes her family and friends, and sets out to rebuild her life by finding a new career and entering into a dynamic new relationship. Original.


Book cover of Wives And Girlfriends

Christine EM Cooper Why did I love this book?

I grew more and more anxious to read this book each day. The drama in this page-turner was a great escape from the stresses of a long day at the office. I couldn’t get enough of Dominic Jones, a married man who spends his free time in the arms of his mistress, Tera Larou.

He’s consumed by greed and more concerned with his next fix than tending to the needs of his wife, Donna Jones. No amount of money is enough, and neither is the traditional life of having one woman. I enjoyed getting to know Donna and witnessing how she dealt with discovering her husband’s cheating ways, insecurities about her weight, and accepting that her dreams of becoming a famous choreographer may never come true. 

By Nishawnda Ellis,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Wives And Girlfriends as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Rich playboy Dominic Jones, splitting his time between his wife and his many girlfriends, finds his extracurricular activities taking a deadly turn when his latest fling demands something more and will stop at nothing to get what she wants. Original.


Book cover of Behind Closed Doors

Christine EM Cooper Why did I love this book?

This is one of those books that you never want to end. I was hooked from the very beginning when I was introduced to Regina and Larry. They had what outsiders would call the perfect marriage until Larry started getting his needs satisfied elsewhere.

I loved how Regina ultimately pulled herself together, took control of her life, and accepted her new normal. I thought the author’s way of describing Regina’s best friend Karen’s character and her husband John was one that left no room for confusion regarding their struggles of dealing with addiction and the demands of a spouse who just wasn't having it.

I finished this book in record-breaking time because it left me wanting more each time I closed it. My bookmark never stayed tucked in the creases of this book for too long! 

By Kimberla Lawson Roby,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Behind Closed Doors as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Regina Moore and Karen Jackson, lifelong best friends, are living the kind of life most women only fantasize about. With beautiful homes, fulfilling careers, and two adoring husbands, their joy could not be greater, their worlds could not be richer. But suddenly, shattering truths about the loving men they thought they knew turn happiness into anguish and rage. For Karen and Regina, nothing they believed in or cherished can ever be the same as it was.

Yet, in the painful process of starting over, new doors will open, and two women who once had it all will rediscover the power…


Explore my book 😀

His Lies, Her Secrets

By Christine EM Cooper,

Book cover of His Lies, Her Secrets

What is my book about?

My book is a story about betrayal and broken vows between a couple who seemed to have it all. Bryson Hainesworth has a successful career as an attorney, while his wife, Peyton, is a well-respected detective. Their perfect family is complete with two children, Bryson Jr. and Jessica, and things couldn't be better, at least until everything changed.

After Bryson replaces his secretary with the beautiful Angelica Martin, he quickly realizes that she is what’s missing from his life. Angelica was at his service to assist with preparing legal briefs by day and to satisfy his sexual needs at night. Meanwhile, Peyton receives a surprise visit from the one person from her past that she prefers to keep hidden away forever. 

You might also like...

My Year of Casual Acquaintances

By Ruth F. Stevens,

Book cover of My Year of Casual Acquaintances

Ruth F. Stevens Author Of My Year of Casual Acquaintances

New book alert!

Why am I passionate about this?

From the time I was a girl, I’ve loved stories that put a lump in my throat even as I’m laughing. As a fiction writer, that funny-sad tone is the one I go for in my own work. I gravitate toward female protagonists of all ages who break the mold—women who are intelligent and strong but who also have unconventional, quirky personalities. Women who can be hilarious, infuriating, and heartbreaking—sometimes all at once. Because they are complex and unique, these women tend to struggle with life’s challenges more than their contemporaries. That’s what makes their stories so interesting, and why I have chosen the books on this list. 

Ruth's book list on smart, quirky women facing personal struggles

What is my book about?

When Mar’s husband divorces her, she reacts by abandoning everything in her past: her home, her friends, even her name. Though it's not easy starting over, she’s ready for new adventures—as long as she can keep things casual. Each month, Mar goes from one acquaintance to the next: a fellow gym member down on her luck, a flirty hip-hop instructor, a bossy but comical consultant. . . and a handsome novelist who wants more than she can give. Mar learns from each encounter. But can she open herself up to true connection?

Surrounded by quirky, endearing characters, Mar navigates her…

My Year of Casual Acquaintances

By Ruth F. Stevens,

What is this book about?

"A fun, entertaining novel! I can't imagine anyone who wouldn't enjoy this book as much as I did." -Leslie A. Rasmussen, award-winning author

When Mar Meyer's husband divorces her for another woman, she reacts by abandoning everything in her past: her home, her friends, even her name. Though it's not easy to start over, Mar is young-looking, fit, and ready for new adventures-as long as she can keep things casual.

With each passing month, Mar goes from one acquaintance to the next. Among them: a fellow gym member down on her luck, a flirty hip-hop instructor, a bossy but comical…


5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in African-American men, murder, and murder mystery?

Murder 1,031 books
Murder Mystery 542 books