Pick of the Month

Diamond, De’nesha & others. Heartbreaker. Dafina: Kensington. Feb. 2010. 320p. ISBN 978-0-7582-4663-9. pap. $15. F
Each of these three novellas showcases a sassy character who knows how the game is played: sex is better if done more than once a day, and naked romps become nuclear hot. Authentic street slang accent these tales of love gone wrong. In Slippin’, Diamond’s protagonist, Delvon, is dragged into a precinct “lookin’ busted and disgusted.” Nichelle Walker’s Kandy Girlz shows her main girl get slapped down with the insult, “snakes only slither for so long before they get stomped on.” Cha, in Erick S. Gray’s Put ‘em in Their Place, knows her hot body will pull in at least $1500 on a slow night at the strip club. All these ladies are true heartbreakers who also have a knack for breaking a man’s wallet.
Verdict The shorter format is perfect for the brisk pace of these stories and their Twilight Zone–like twist endings. Sex is sweaty, relationships are intense, everyone is insatiable, and the characters know sex can lead to money, power, and respect. Sure to be in demand by the authors’ fans.