After serving his six-month sentence, Shariq is back home and determined to stay out of trouble. Now a proud father to a newborn with Janelle, the two have built a blended family of five. However, Shariq is dealing with the sting of betrayal after discovering that his first baby mama, Mariah, and his former best friend, Cruz, were secretly involved. Cutting Mariah off financially—but still supporting his daughter—Shariq sets boundaries, but Mariah isn’t having it.
Mariah is the epitome of bitter, and her jealousy over Shariq’s newfound happiness drives her to extremes. She weaponizes their 13-year-old daughter, Shariah, against him, involves the police, and does everything possible to sabotage his relationship with Janelle. But despite the challenges, Shariq stands tall as a strong Black man, committed to doing right by his family. Janelle proves herself a true ride-or-die, holding him down and refusing to let Mariah’s drama disrupt their love.
From beginning to end, this book had me hooked. Mariah and Cruz got exactly what they deserved, and I was all for their downfall. I also appreciated how Ramone, Janelle’s first baby daddy, stepped in to help Shariq when the family faced danger. Shariq’s journey showed that staying on the right path pays off in the end.
I rate this a solid 5/5! The drama, the love, and the sense of family made it a great read. I hope Ms. Tacarra blesses us with one more book about Shariq and Janelle!