Friends and Lovers Series by Lisa G. Riley

Caroline Singleton is a talented, successful African-American artist who was raised in the lap of luxury in her affluent Chicago neighborhood. On her way to a promising second interview with an integrated marketing firm, she bumps into a man who takes her breath away, both literally and figuratively. Brian Keenan is an Irish-American former cop from a middle-class background who is shocked by the immediate strong feelings Caroline invokes in him when they first meet... moreCaroline Singleton is a talented, successful African-American artist who was raised in the lap of luxury in her affluent Chicago neighborhood. On her way to a promising second interview with an integrated marketing firm, she bumps into a man who takes her breath away, both literally and figuratively. Brian Keenan is an Irish-American former cop from a middle-class background who is shocked by the immediate strong feelings Caroline invokes in him when they first meet. Unbeknownst to either of them, she is interviewing with his firm, a firm in which he is a senior partner. Caroline is confused and terrified of the immediate strong connection she feels to this total stranger. It is not until after she accepts the job with his firm that she learns who Brian is. Because of impropriety, she refuses to have a relationship with him. She is also unsure because she has never dated anyone who wasn't African-American. Brian, on the other hand, doesn't agree with her and wants to move full speed ahead with a relationship. He feels the same connection Caroline does and doesn't want to give up so easily on something so rare and beautiful. Caroline soon encounters a bigger problem than her confusing and terrifying feelings for Brian, however. She is suddenly being stalked and she doesn't know by whom, nor does she know why. Being an ex-cop, Brian wants to help and protect the woman he already views as his soulmate and partner. Can Caroline let go of her misgivings long enough to trust him to help her and perhaps save her life? less

Tracy Adamson, the best friend from "At Last" is back in this novel by Lisa G. Riley. We meet the outspoken African-American again as she�s sneaking out of a Parisian apartment after indulging in a one-night stand with Jacques, a white Frenchman whom she believes she'll never see again. Mortified by her behavior, she flies home to Chicago... moreTracy Adamson, the best friend from "At Last" is back in this novel by Lisa G. Riley. We meet the outspoken African-American again as she�s sneaking out of a Parisian apartment after indulging in a one-night stand with Jacques, a white Frenchman whom she believes she'll never see again. Mortified by her behavior, she flies home to Chicago. Jaques Winthrop, also a character from "At Last," is a French-American federal agent and is only in Paris to track down an American fugitive, but finds himself irresistibly drawn to Tracy. A ladies� man who enjoys having no ties to women, Jaques decides to seduce her and let her believe that he lives in France. No one is more surprised than he that he can�t stop thinking about her. And when he wakes up to find her gone after their one explosive night together, the amount of disappointment he feels stuns him. Dealing with personal issues of race and color from her past, fair-skinned Tracy is determined not to get involved with a white man. Gorgeous Jacques who for the first time in his life is interested in more than just sex with a woman, is determined to change her mind. In the meantime, Jacques has lost the trail of Alexander Brickman, the criminal mastermind who created havoc for his best friend in "At Last." less

Caroline and Brian have been in love with one another almost from the second they met two years ago. Their life together is wonderful: they know without a doubt that they belong together; her career as an artist has taken off dramatically; his as the Chief Technology Officer and founder of an integrated marketing firm can only get better, and together they are ready to build a family. Their life would be as close to perfect as one can get if not for Alexander Brickman... moreCaroline and Brian have been in love with one another almost from the second they met two years ago. Their life together is wonderful: they know without a doubt that they belong together; her career as an artist has taken off dramatically; his as the Chief Technology Officer and founder of an integrated marketing firm can only get better, and together they are ready to build a family. Their life would be as close to perfect as one can get if not for Alexander Brickman. Drug lord, arms merchant, and international fugitive, Brickman has been in their lives so long that he’d practically gone on their first date with them. He wants Caroline, and has from the first moment he saw her. Accustomed to getting what he wants, he will stop at nothing to have her. He believes he’s finally come up with the perfect solution to accomplish his goal and is ready to put that plan into action. Caroline and Brian are not so willing to go down that easy, however, and they’ve got plans of their own to not only finally catch the madman who has striven to make their lives hell, but also to make sure he never bothers them, or anyone else, again. Who will win this high stakes battle -- one that touches the tranquil and tropical shores of Procida Island, Italy and the hot beaches of Sonora, Mexico, only to be decided in the trenches on the beautiful American Mackinac Island? Will Brickman meet his Waterloo, or will Caroline and Brian get the nearly perfect life they so desperately crave? less

Tracy Adamson loves Jack Winthrop. There’s no doubt about that. The words should be carved into a tree, or written in wet cement. She hadn’t loved him from the moment she’d met him, no, but she’d felt an undeniable attraction that had her sleeping with him only three days after meeting him in a Paris cafe. Now, here they are two years later and they’re engaged to be married. She’s proposed to him, moved in with him, and spends almost every waking moment thinking about him... moreTracy Adamson loves Jack Winthrop. There’s no doubt about that. The words should be carved into a tree, or written in wet cement. She hadn’t loved him from the moment she’d met him, no, but she’d felt an undeniable attraction that had her sleeping with him only three days after meeting him in a Paris cafe. Now, here they are two years later and they’re engaged to be married. She’s proposed to him, moved in with him, and spends almost every waking moment thinking about him. YET, she cannot set a date to marry the man. The man that everyone in her life knows is a good man, heck, a great man. It’s the usual problem: issues. Tracy has issues, and she fears that these issues will make the one man she’s sure she’s supposed to spend the rest of her life with walk right out the door. Damn. Life would be so good if she could just get out of her own way. Jack is engaged to a competitive, neurotic woman and he knows it. He’d known what he was getting into when she’d proposed, but he’d said yes because of his love for her. He hadn’t been able to imagine his future without her. But he’s afraid of losing her, and is starting to wonder if love is enough, if he is enough to help Tracy fight off the demons from her childhood that prevent her from moving forward. He certainly wants to be, but realizes that this is something Tracy has to figure out and want to figure out alone. He hopes she does, because something Has. Got. To. Give. Or else both of their worst fears could be realized. less