If you love to read and are looking to expand your reading list with some great Black romance novels, there are a few authors that you have to check out. Yes, there are tons of love stories out there featuring Black characters, but that doesn’t mean they are the best out there.
Here, we discuss Black romance authors who have mastered writing love stories and offer inspiring and compelling characters you will love. Take a look at these 7 Black romance authors that haven’t always gotten the attention they deserve. Our picks (in no particular order) are:
1. Deborah Fletcher Mello
Deborah Fletcher Mello has had a long career in writing. She began with standalone stories before moving into series’. She continues to receive praise for her love stories, though her books haven’t gotten the attention they deserve. Looking for a new series to read? Check out Mello’s series:
2. Alyssa Cole
Alyssa Cole writes historical, sci-fi, and contemporary romances. If you love a good historical saga or the intrigue of science fiction, this is a great author to check out. Cole’s The Loyal League series is popular with historic fiction lovers, with the first book, An Extraordinary Union, featuring Civil War spies and lots of intrigues. Cole’s other series include:
3. Mary Monroe
Mary Monroe is the only member of her family to finish high school. She is a self-taught writer who is widely celebrated. If you haven’t heard of her, it is worth checking out her most popular book, God Don’t Like Ugly, a coming-of-age story about friendship, hope, and love.
4. Shelly Ellis
Shelly Ellis began her writing journey at just 19 years old. She was a finalist in the BET Books First-Time Writers Contest and went on to earn nominations for the African-American Literary Award and the RT Reviewers Choice Multicultural Romance Award. Her most acclaimed series is Gibbons Gold Diggers, a series full of rollercoaster romances, drama, and the search for true love. Start with the first book, Can’t Stand the Heat, to fall in love with Ellis’s writing.
5. Zuri Day
Zuri Day may not be an author you immediately recognize, but she has plenty of experience writing compelling love stories. She has written twenty-seven novellas and novels, including several series that you are bound to love. Her series featuring steamy romance and plenty of compelling storytelling include:
6. Beverly Jenkins
If you are in the mood for something particularly steamy, then check out author Beverly Jenkins. Jenkins rose to fame in the 1980s and 1990s with titles like Destiny’s Embrace and Night Song. The 48 novels that followed Night Song established her place among excellent Black romance writers. She is a recipient of the RWA Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award and was nominated for the NAACP Image Award.
7. Jasmine Guillory
Jasmine Guillory was a graduate of Stanford Law School before she became a romance writer. She hit her stride after entering the romance genre, with New York Times bestseller The Proposal and equally as lovable The Wedding Date. Her writing has been featured in Oprah, Time, and Cosmopolitan magazine.
Some of these authors haven’t gotten the attention they deserve, and others have found their way to bestseller lists. All of them have one thing in common – they have mastered romance writing and crafting a compelling and enjoyable love story.
