February is Black History Month in the U.S. and that makes it a perfect time to read Black authors and center Black stories!
One of my favorite things about the romance genre is that people from all walks of life are represented. We see smart, sexy nerds and courageous artists, caregivers and egomaniacs, class clowns and valedictorians, all facing their greatest weaknesses to become better people and better partners. The possibilities for diversity are endless: diversity of thought and feeling, yes, but also ethnic diversity, religious diversity, geographic diversity, you name it!
With that in mind, I spent February actively seeking out books by Black authors that have been on my radar for a while. Some of these books were on my TBR for literal months, but they were all worth the wait!
Kristina Forest’s Green Sisters trilogy was such a loving, fun series. From quiet, bookish Lily to exuberant Violet and competent queen Iris, they each had unique struggles to face on their path to finding love.
Tia Williams’s books absolutely shattered me in the best possible way. So swoony and romantic, each character truly put in the work to be the best partner they could be. I am so excited to read her YA book this summer, Audre and Bash are Just Friends.
Jamie Wesley’s Sugar Blitz series features three NFL players who open a cupcake bakery together and find love along the way. I absolutely adored seeing these beefy dudes go all sugar-sweet for their ladies! I am desperately waiting for the third book now.
Nikki Payne’s Austen retellings have been on my TBR for ages. I adore a solid retelling — it’s such a fun way to breathe life back into a favorite story! — and her stories deal with heavy topics like gentrification, racism, and misogyny with humor and sparkle.
Black girls belong in fantasy, too. Kimberly Lemming’s “Mead Mishaps” trilogy was so fun and funny; reading it was such an excellent break from the boring. If you’re into a cozy fantasy read but also looking for something slightly unhinged, this is perfect!
There were so many other beautiful books by Black authors I managed to read this month — Kosoko Jackson, Yaa Gyasi, Farrah Rochon, Karmen Lee, Julian Winters, and Adriana Herrera all made it off my TBR with their stories of queer love and historical love and even dog-loving love. Let me know if you’ve read any of these books in the comments, or if there are other authors I should check out next!
Aimee Moineaux 
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