Circumstances

by Nicole Jackson

Growing up too fast is almost the unwritten creed of the ghetto. Little girls want to do big girl things much too early in life. A girl becomes a mother, before she ever discovers what being a woman is all about. This is LaShay’s circumstances. She’s the product of a child having a child, and is forced to find her own way through life.
Josh is Shay’s cute next door neighbor, and although his dilemmas aren’t as grim as Shay’s, he deals with his own struggles. Together the two deicide that fighting against the odds with one another increased their chances of survival. But in life nothing goes as planned.
Recognizing the potential Shay possesses, a local ghetto super star sets his sights on Shay. Shyne is handsome, fly, and holding. He’s every little ghetto girl’s wet dream, but he wants one girl. Josh’s Shay. Knowing that Josh is young and dumb, Shyne knows that it’s just a matter of time before Shay is his. And if time isn’t on his side, he’s willing to create the perfect circumstances for Shay to see things his way.

Genres: African American

329 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 7, 2014

Reviews

[💖📚BOOKZAMILLION📖💘 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a good story. I didn’t like how Shyne tried to keep her locked away like a prisoner and beat on her but then expected her to love him. Well Shyne wanted what he couldn’t have and he’d learned a valuable lesson: wanting what you can’t have will always be a no-win game.


Read 6 times!

Total Book Experience 10/10

Plot/Storyline (structure)10/10
Writing (Errors) 10/10
Characters 10/10
Again-able 10/10
Emotion 10/10
Book Cover 10/10
Visual/ Illustratable 10/10
Addictiveness 10/10
Threshold quality 10/10
Unique 10/10







If you’re wondering whether or not you should read… THE ANSWER IS YES‼️‼️

Nicole Jackson Books In Order by Publication
- [ ] She Got It - January 1, 2014
- [ ] Hold It Down Like Brother and Sister- February 18 2014
- [ ] The Way It Is February 19,2014
- [ ] Connected April 26,2014
- [ ] Can’t Trust These Bitches 05/28/2014
- [ ] Circumstances June 7 2014
- [ ] The Game Never Changes- July 2 2014
- [ ] She Got It 2 - October 15, 2014
- [ ] Can’t Leave It Alone 03/18/2015
- [ ] Shooting Blindly In The Dark 05/13/2015
- [ ] They Don’t Know Me 08/22/2015
- [ ] Can’t Trust These Bitches 2 October 29, 2015
- [ ] Can’t Trust These Bitches Amir and Zyrie 10/29/2015
- [ ] Promiscuous Girl 1 and 2 April 25, 2016
- [ ] Freeze June 23, 2016
- [ ] Promiscuous Girl Keyasia and Wale 10/15/2016
- [ ] Even When It’s Wrong June 27, 2017
- [ ] 21 Questions December 27, 2017
- [ ] Promiscuous Girl Craven and Jazel March 29, 2018
- [ ] He’s For Everybody July 30, 2018
- [ ] You Ain’t My Type October 24, 2018
- [ ] The Wild Child January 31, 2019
- [ ] So Many Tears June 29, 2019
- [ ] So Many Tears 2 September 16, 2019
- [ ] No Matter What December 24, 2019
- [ ] Can’t Trust These Bitches 3 April 30, 2020
- [ ] Promiscuous Girl 3 August 26, 2020
- [ ] Fat Ma October 6, 2020
- [ ] Resentment January 30, 2021
- [ ] Borrowed Love April 5, 2021
- [ ] Borrowed Love 2 June 29, 2021
- [ ] We Outside October 23, 2021
- [ ] We Outside 2 December 30, 2021
- [ ] Take It Down March 15, 2022
- [ ] Take It Down 2 March 15, 2022
- [ ] Foolish May 25, 2022
- [ ] Foolish 2 July 25, 2022
- [ ] His Boy Can Get It August 29, 2022
- [ ] His Boy Can Get It 2 September 30, 2022
- [ ] Deeper Than Love October 27, 2022
- [ ] Deeper Than Love 2 December 3, 2022
- [ ] Freaky Tales December 22, 2022
- [ ] Checkmate- Snowed In With You January 9, 2023
- [ ] Three’s The Clique January 27, 2023
- [ ] The Interlude February 14, 2023
- [ ] The Interlude 2 May 30, 2023
- [ ]     The Interlude 3 June 28, 2023
- [ ]   Trouble July 28, 2023
- [ ]    Trouble 2 August 31, 2023
- [ ]    Trouble 3 October 28, 2023
- [ ] More Than a Crush November 21, 2023
- [ ]    More Than a Crush 2 December 23, 2023
- [ ] Never Saw Her Coming January 22, 2024
- [ ] A Time Was Had March 17, 2024

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Read

Once again Nicole Jackson has pulled me into one of her books. I was so in love with Shay and Josh. You don't see to many young couples who go through their drama and still wind up on top and together. Boy do they go through drama. I would highly recommend this book.

[OhhSlimmm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved Shay and Josh story!!!

[Bookzamillionpt2cuzilost · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

It’s 2026 and Circumstances is STILL one of those books that gets me every single time I reread it. 😭❤️ At this point I’ve read it way more than the 6 times I counted before, and somehow it still hits just as hard.

Josh and Lashay’s story started with young love. They grew up together, had baby Joshaira while they were still kids themselves, and were just trying to survive the hand life dealt them. They were broke, young, in love, and doing the best they could in circumstances that were stacked against them from the start.

Then Josh went to prison and everything changed.

Lashay was left trying to hold everything together while raising Joshaira alone. She was struggling, surviving, visiting Josh, putting money on his books when she barely had money herself, and carrying more weight than one person should have to carry. Life was wearing her down little by little.

Then came Shyne.

And whew… Shyne wanted Lashay BAD. 😭😂 At first I almost understood him, but then the man started doing shady stuff to get her and even shadier stuff to keep her. Sir, that is NOT how this works. Some of the things he did had me mad all over again on this reread.

What makes this story so good is that nobody’s life is simple. Everybody is making decisions based on love, pain, survival, jealousy, loyalty, and desperation. The characters feel real because they’re flawed, and even when they make terrible decisions, you understand how they got there.

The title really says it all. Josh, Lashay, Joshaira, and even Shyne were all products of their circumstances, trying to survive the best way they knew how. Some choices were good, some were terrible, but every decision had consequences.

And that’s what made this story unforgettable for me. ❤️

📚 Total Book Experience: 100/100

✨ Plot/Storyline: 10/10
✨ Writing (Errors): 10/10
✨ Characters: 10/10
✨ Again-able/Re-read Value: 10/10
✨ Emotion: 10/10
✨ Book Cover: 10/10
✨ Visual/Illustratable Quality: 10/10
✨ Addictiveness: 10/10
✨ Threshold Quality: 10/10
✨ Uniqueness: 10/10




She Got It
   1. She Got It (2014)
   2. She Got It 2 (2014)
 
Hold It Down
   The Game Never Changes (2014)
   They Don't Know Me (2015)
   Freeze (2016)
   The Wild Child (2019)
   Just Listen (2026)
 
Can't Trust These Bitches
   1. Can't Trust these Bitches (2014)
   Can't Trust These Bitches: Amir and Zyrie (2015)
   2. Can't Trust These Bitches 2 (2015)
   3. Can't Trust These Bitches 3 (2020)
 
Promiscuous Girl
   1. Promiscuous Girl: Keyasia and Wale (2016)
   2. Promiscuous Girl: Craven and Jazel (2018)
   3. Promiscuous Girl 3 (2020)
 
So Many Tears
   1. So Many Tears (2019)
   2. So Many Tears 2 (2019)
 
Borrowed Love
   1. Borrowed Love (2021)
   2. Borrowed Love 2 (2021)
   We Outside (2021)
   We Outside 2 (2021)
   Foolish (2022)
   Foolish 2 (2022)
 
Take It Down
   1. Take It Down (2022)
   2. Take It Down 2 (2022)
 
Take It Down Spin-Off
   1. His Boy Can Get It (2022)
   2. His Boy Can Get It 2 (2022)
 
No Matter What
   1. Deeper Than Love (2022)
   2. Deeper Than Love 2 (2022)
 
Checkmate (with Jazz Moore)
   Snowed in With You (2023)
 
Interlude
   1. The Interlude (2023)
   2. The Interlude 2 (2023)
   3. The Interlude 3 (2023)
 
Trouble
   1. Trouble (2023)
   2. Trouble 2 (2023)
   3. Trouble 3 (2023)
 
More Than a Crush
   1. More Than a Crush (2023)
   2. More Than a Crush 2 (2023)
 
Three's The Clique
   1. Three's The Clique (2023)
   2. Extreme Toxicity (2025)
 
Doing The Unthinkable
   0. The Disloyal 2 (2024)
   1. Doing The Unthinkable (2024)
   2. Doing The Unthinkable 2 (2024)
   The Disloyal (2024)
 
Novels
   Hold It Down (2014)
   The Way It Is (2014)
   Connected (2014)
   Circumstances (2014)
   Can't Leave It Alone (2015)
   Shooting Blindly in the Dark (2015)
   Even When It's Wrong (2017)
   21 Questions (2017)
   He's for Everybody (2018)
   You Ain't My Type (2018)
   No Matter What (2019)
   Fat Ma (2020)
   Resentment (2021)
   Never Saw Her Coming (2024)
   A Time Was Had (2024)
   The Villain Era (2025)
   When It's Real (2025)
   Before I Let Go (2025) (with Jazz Moore)
   She Owes Him One (2025)
   Stepped (2026)
 
Novellas and Short Stories
   Freaky Tales (2022)
   A Season Called Us (2025)

[Akeisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Raven and jahrein love story was epic they stook together through it all . I didn't like the fact that jahrein blamed Tyra for becoming pregnant even if u used protection he had to put the blame on him because he is the one that is in a committed relationship . I really didn't give Raven wrong to want to just get away from it all at times but true love perceived .

[L · Rating 5 out of 5]

Babies making babies

Gritty, entertaining and perversely romantic. Shay was a hood chick but she had standards. Josh was a thug but a strong provider and awesome dad. The crux of the story is there is somebody for you as long as you are taking care business, caring for and being of service to the vulnerable, trying to help yourself and remain authentic.

[Angelia Rhodes · Rating 4 out of 5]

😶🤦🏾‍♀️

I'm not sure how I feel. These characters have more junk with them than the trash landfill. I don't think self love was exhibit in a lot of them. With mammies like theirs you might as well have been an orphan.

[Carla Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

This was a good read. I’m glad Josh & Shay found they’re way back to each other. Shyne really hid his crazy! Talk about a wolf in sheep’s clothing. None on Shay’s friends wasn’t real, except Nell. Besides Josh, Nell was Shay’s ride or die for real.

[Mylecia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it

I admire the resilience of LaShay. Although she as young, she definitely did her best in taking care of her people. This story reminds me of the saying the grass is not always greener.

[Luvnsumbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read

This was a very good book and I loved how Josh stepped up even though he and Shay were very young. The life they had and to all overcome it..

[tanessia ford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Josh

Josh didn’t play about Shay! Shane was crazy and about someone who didn’t want to be with him!!Josh and Shay mommas was something else.

[Erica David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gutta

Now this is some cut throat gutta hard core love. Shay was a straight goon herself. I loved their love story

[Stacey-Ann Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a good story. I didn’t like Shyne.

[Jennae Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

How about a pt2

This was really good. I haven't read a book like this in a while and was very sad for it to end. I just knew it was a pt2 coming. Oh well, maybe next time.

[Lia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was like a 3.5. Who knew shyne would be a piece of work. What a turn of events!

[Kris Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Circumstances

This was a good book. Teka was a horrible mother and Shay was determined not to end up like her. Shay stepped up to the plate when her own mother let her kids go. Shay and Josh's relationship was cute. I liked Shyne at first but he started rubbing me the wrong way. Jennifer was bitter af. Few errors.

[Gloria Lewis Griffin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Circumstances

This was pretty good. I hated the time wasted between Josh and Shay, it was too long. I liked the interactions of the characters. The parents in this book were the sorriest for no reason. Shay was no joke and I loved how she represented. She was a straight beast. Ms Jackson you are a monster with a pen. I like how you develop your stories and make the books absolutely a must to read. I especially love how your stories end in one book. That is all except Can't Trust These B-----es. I am anxiously awaiting Part Two. I can't believe you did that .Jah and Raven are my favorite couple with Keyon and Aaron a very close second. I want to know what happened. Circumstances is highly recommended.

[Renessa D Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Circumstances makes you think hard about all the young girls in the world that have had to give up their childhood and grow up too fast trying to raise their mothers children. Shay made choices to survive and take care of her family. She was always down for her man even when he was gone. Josh just would not see reason. If he would have been more reasonable Shay would have still been his time he came home. This book touched me because this situation is a common occurrence in most urban cities today. I am a product of such a circumstance. Reading this book will help other youngsters know that staying in school and not worrying about fashion is more important in survival than being popular. Great read.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good read. Lots of drama! Teka was something else.....thank God those kids had Shay to look out for them. I loved her loyalty and maturity despite all that she was going through and I loved the bond she and Josh shared that was pretty much unbreakable. I also really liked how the author was very descriptive when it came to explaining a characters life or reason for being how they were.loved the ending too!

[Jodi Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

WHEW!!!!!!!!

I rated this book a 5 because Ms Jackson came with that FIRE this time, I loved the character development, and the point of views I loved her book She Got It but this one topped it by far. The only thing I am mad about is the second story ending, I must say this, if any of you rate this less than a 5, yall are hatin

[Shoulanda August · Rating 3 out of 5]

Horrible circumstances

Strong child that grew into an even stronger woman. This book was a great look into how living in the projects and being on public assistance can be devastating for the children that endure. How kids end up selling drugs. boosting clothes, and children having children is all apart of the way of life. I w a s touched by Shay and her fight to not be broken

[BookishhTori · Rating 4 out of 5]

No lie at first when I started reading this book its automatically caught my attention because the characters are so realistic. I was very impressed by Shays character. I was a little upset at first because the character's were extremely young. I enjoyed the book and look forward to reading more. just know Josh is that dude in this book.lol
#PageTurner

[Litisha Jenkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read

Author did a great job with this book. I really enjoyed the fact that this book was a one book read and I didn't have to wait for part 2. Poor Shag really had a hard life but in the end love concurs all. Good job Nicole Jackson you have become one of my favorite authors.

[Kimberly Varner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Page turner

Nicole Jackson did it again. I haven't read one of her books yet that didn't blow my mind and make me want the next one.

[sheara valoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Book

Great Book

Really enjoyed book will look for other books from author. she really made feel Shay's life and all the battles she had to go through

[Kristie Kilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good read!

Great read! I read it non-stop til I finished it! Great read and very drama filled! I love Nicole's books!

[Tamela · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved everything about this book.

[Delonya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Final Rating 4 Stars