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A Project Chick & A Compton Hitta
Yadira Birdsong always believed walking across that graduation stage would be her way out, a one-way ticket to something bigger than the Compton projects. But instead of college dorms and fresh starts, she’s still in the same cramped apartment, playing mama to her little brother while their own mother stays ghost. Every day, she’s fighting—fighting to hold onto the dream of something better, fighting to break a cycle that’s kept her family struggling for generations. But when life keeps handing her the same heartbreak in different forms, she starts to wonder if dreams are just fairy tales meant for somebody else.
Vaughn Richie Jr. was raised to protect and provide, a man who stood on loyalty and did what needed to be done. But one tragic night flips his whole world upside down, forcing him and his family into the cold grip of the Muckers Compton Projects. Life as he knew it is gone. He’s trying to do the right thing, but when doing right don’t put food on the table, survival starts looking a whole lot like sin. The world don’t care about a man with no options, and Vaughn is running out of them fast.
Then he meets Yadira. She ain't just another girl from the block—she’s light in a place that’s been nothing but shadows. Their connection is instant, undeniable, like a match striking in the dark. But is it real love, or just two lost souls clinging to each other in the storm? As Vaughn sinks deeper into the streets, Yadira is the only thing keeping him from slipping all the way under. In a world where loyalty can turn deadly and love don’t always last, they’ll have to decide—are they willing to fight for each other, or will the streets take them down before they ever get a real shot at forever?
If you’re a fan of African American romance, hood love stories, and street-lit page-turners filled with passion, loyalty, and the fight for something real, this one’s for you. Readers who loved "Mason Neiman" by Jatoria C, and "Come Get Your Clothes Out My House" by Bonnie Blanco will fall hard for this unputdownable Compton, California, hood love story.
Vaughn Richie Jr. was raised to protect and provide, a man who stood on loyalty and did what needed to be done. But one tragic night flips his whole world upside down, forcing him and his family into the cold grip of the Muckers Compton Projects. Life as he knew it is gone. He’s trying to do the right thing, but when doing right don’t put food on the table, survival starts looking a whole lot like sin. The world don’t care about a man with no options, and Vaughn is running out of them fast.
Then he meets Yadira. She ain't just another girl from the block—she’s light in a place that’s been nothing but shadows. Their connection is instant, undeniable, like a match striking in the dark. But is it real love, or just two lost souls clinging to each other in the storm? As Vaughn sinks deeper into the streets, Yadira is the only thing keeping him from slipping all the way under. In a world where loyalty can turn deadly and love don’t always last, they’ll have to decide—are they willing to fight for each other, or will the streets take them down before they ever get a real shot at forever?
If you’re a fan of African American romance, hood love stories, and street-lit page-turners filled with passion, loyalty, and the fight for something real, this one’s for you. Readers who loved "Mason Neiman" by Jatoria C, and "Come Get Your Clothes Out My House" by Bonnie Blanco will fall hard for this unputdownable Compton, California, hood love story.
253 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 4, 2025
125 people are currently reading
31 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
June 12, 2025
Life comes at you fast
Jai Love crafts a raw, emotionally charged hood romance in A Project Chick and a Compton Hitta, dropping readers into the gritty streets of Compton where survival is a daily battle and love is both a refuge and a risk.
The story centers around Yadira Birdsong, a young woman burdened with adult responsibilities before she’s even had the chance to breathe. Her dreams of escaping the projects through education are derailed by a life she didn’t choose—playing mother to her little brother while her own mother is a ghost in the streets. Yadira is strong, resilient, and layered with the kind of quiet vulnerability that makes her character believable and relatable.
Then there’s Vaughn Richie Jr., a man forced to navigate a life he didn’t ask for. Vaughn's character is the definition of loyal—protective to a fault and caught between doing what's right and doing what’s necessary. His tragic past and quiet strength immediately pull you in, and his tenderness towards Yadira and her brother Easton is heart-melting. It’s that protective side of Vaughn that makes their bond so compelling—even if the streets threaten to swallow him whole.
Their connection is electric, their love equal parts healing and chaotic. It’s not all roses though—midway through, the story loses some of its momentum. The plot begins to feel a bit disjointed, and some of the tension that was built so strongly at the start starts to fizzle. Still, the characters hold it together.
Ice, Vaughn’s sister, deserves a whole paragraph of her own—mainly because she was that frustrating. Her attitude and reckless behavior scream for a reality check (and maybe a belt). She added conflict, sure, but also irritation—there were moments where she felt more like a distraction than a fully fleshed-out antagonist.
The portrayal of the mothers in this story is another standout point—not because they were admirable (they weren’t), but because their flaws added a level of realism. Their actions, while frustrating, highlight the cycles of neglect and brokenness that often plague inner-city communities, particularly for young Black women like Yadira. It’s painful, but honest.
Overall, A Project Chick and a Compton Hitta is a solid read for fans of urban romance and street-lit. It doesn't shy away from the hard stuff—poverty, broken families, loyalty tested by survival—and in doing so, gives us a love story rooted in pain, perseverance, and possibility. The writing is heartfelt, the characters memorable, even if the pacing falters in parts.
Final Verdict: 3.5 stars. A compelling start, a slightly shaky middle, but ultimately a story worth reading for its rawness, its heart, and its powerful portrayal of love in the trenches.
Jai Love crafts a raw, emotionally charged hood romance in A Project Chick and a Compton Hitta, dropping readers into the gritty streets of Compton where survival is a daily battle and love is both a refuge and a risk.
The story centers around Yadira Birdsong, a young woman burdened with adult responsibilities before she’s even had the chance to breathe. Her dreams of escaping the projects through education are derailed by a life she didn’t choose—playing mother to her little brother while her own mother is a ghost in the streets. Yadira is strong, resilient, and layered with the kind of quiet vulnerability that makes her character believable and relatable.
Then there’s Vaughn Richie Jr., a man forced to navigate a life he didn’t ask for. Vaughn's character is the definition of loyal—protective to a fault and caught between doing what's right and doing what’s necessary. His tragic past and quiet strength immediately pull you in, and his tenderness towards Yadira and her brother Easton is heart-melting. It’s that protective side of Vaughn that makes their bond so compelling—even if the streets threaten to swallow him whole.
Their connection is electric, their love equal parts healing and chaotic. It’s not all roses though—midway through, the story loses some of its momentum. The plot begins to feel a bit disjointed, and some of the tension that was built so strongly at the start starts to fizzle. Still, the characters hold it together.
Ice, Vaughn’s sister, deserves a whole paragraph of her own—mainly because she was that frustrating. Her attitude and reckless behavior scream for a reality check (and maybe a belt). She added conflict, sure, but also irritation—there were moments where she felt more like a distraction than a fully fleshed-out antagonist.
The portrayal of the mothers in this story is another standout point—not because they were admirable (they weren’t), but because their flaws added a level of realism. Their actions, while frustrating, highlight the cycles of neglect and brokenness that often plague inner-city communities, particularly for young Black women like Yadira. It’s painful, but honest.
Overall, A Project Chick and a Compton Hitta is a solid read for fans of urban romance and street-lit. It doesn't shy away from the hard stuff—poverty, broken families, loyalty tested by survival—and in doing so, gives us a love story rooted in pain, perseverance, and possibility. The writing is heartfelt, the characters memorable, even if the pacing falters in parts.
Final Verdict: 3.5 stars. A compelling start, a slightly shaky middle, but ultimately a story worth reading for its rawness, its heart, and its powerful portrayal of love in the trenches.
February 9, 2025
Just Tew Merch!
Jai you not only had one disrespectful, trifling mother but two. Felicia is the worst and dumb as rocks. Stacie’s piece of crap mother as well can’t in the slightest know what parenting means. It’s no excuse for how your parents were but you should break that cycle with much more determination. Stacie and Ice are two bird brains meant for one another. I know Baughn and the Tyler brothers will make it out cause Baughn is bout that. Hendricks is going to have to check his girl cause she definitely set them up. Alaine has got to get her problem solved. Mrs. Richie gonna have to get her priorities together as well. Sorry, but I do question if she real loved Richie, Sr. or if it was the money that won out over Raymond…smh. I didn’t forget and I’m trying to figure out who ratted Sr. out. Pt 2 please and thank you. Them PJs got entirely tew merch going on and it be the same people every time.
Jai you not only had one disrespectful, trifling mother but two. Felicia is the worst and dumb as rocks. Stacie’s piece of crap mother as well can’t in the slightest know what parenting means. It’s no excuse for how your parents were but you should break that cycle with much more determination. Stacie and Ice are two bird brains meant for one another. I know Baughn and the Tyler brothers will make it out cause Baughn is bout that. Hendricks is going to have to check his girl cause she definitely set them up. Alaine has got to get her problem solved. Mrs. Richie gonna have to get her priorities together as well. Sorry, but I do question if she real loved Richie, Sr. or if it was the money that won out over Raymond…smh. I didn’t forget and I’m trying to figure out who ratted Sr. out. Pt 2 please and thank you. Them PJs got entirely tew merch going on and it be the same people every time.
February 9, 2025
Dysfunctional
Dysfunctional family, people adapt to survive. You may carry some survival tactics into parts of your life where they are no longer needed. Be open to shifting who you are to fit your present conditions. You are more than what you experienced in the past. Pretending that everything is normal, including minimizing the problems and deflecting from them, is a coping skill. Families remain dysfunctional when everyone pretends that things are okay.
Jai provided the evidence of the main character wanting more than her mother and those around her even when they ridiculed her for wanting more.
Dysfunctional family, people adapt to survive. You may carry some survival tactics into parts of your life where they are no longer needed. Be open to shifting who you are to fit your present conditions. You are more than what you experienced in the past. Pretending that everything is normal, including minimizing the problems and deflecting from them, is a coping skill. Families remain dysfunctional when everyone pretends that things are okay.
Jai provided the evidence of the main character wanting more than her mother and those around her even when they ridiculed her for wanting more.
February 7, 2025
Love Vaughn & Yadira Ready For Part Two 🔥🔥🔥🍿
Author Jai Love ….Yesssss! I absolutely loved this story. The time you took to develop each character could be shown in the story. I loved the storyline & the gradual changes the MMC is taking to become a hitta. Yadira & Vaughn can’t catch a break when it comes to their family. As chaos continues to build around them the two is displaying an unbreakable bond! Don’t play with Vaughn because that man pray, provide and protect but he is getting tired of ppl playing games. 10/10
Author Jai Love ….Yesssss! I absolutely loved this story. The time you took to develop each character could be shown in the story. I loved the storyline & the gradual changes the MMC is taking to become a hitta. Yadira & Vaughn can’t catch a break when it comes to their family. As chaos continues to build around them the two is displaying an unbreakable bond! Don’t play with Vaughn because that man pray, provide and protect but he is getting tired of ppl playing games. 10/10
May 6, 2025
I'm shocked there's a part 2? I don't think that's necessary 😩😩...It started off so good and I was intrigued and pulled in. I was rooting for Yadira. Hoping she'd be a survivor in this story. But I was wrong about all the characters. I wasn't quite sure of what the point of the story was? All the characters were unaccomplished...so it got boring and repetitive. And then it got ridiculous when Ellis popped back on the scene...That was so irrelevant lol This was a very confusing plot. I lost interest like 75% in hoping it would improve. But it never did. What a shame.
February 14, 2025
Good Read
I knew that heist was to good to be true. I really hoped Vaughn made it back to save the brothers in time. I'm so sick of Icee, Felicia, Stacee and her mammy. Karma gonna do them real dirty. I love the thought of Yadira and Vaughn together. She is such a pure hearted person that doesn't deserve to be treat how her mama and suppose to be best friend treats her. Long as Vaughn by her side he ain't playing about her or her lil brother.💟💟
I knew that heist was to good to be true. I really hoped Vaughn made it back to save the brothers in time. I'm so sick of Icee, Felicia, Stacee and her mammy. Karma gonna do them real dirty. I love the thought of Yadira and Vaughn together. She is such a pure hearted person that doesn't deserve to be treat how her mama and suppose to be best friend treats her. Long as Vaughn by her side he ain't playing about her or her lil brother.💟💟
February 8, 2025
jaii!!
This series is about to be the true definition of started from the bottom now we here !!! Part 2 wya my sis said bump all that lovey dovey quick hea . Ima give yall something real and raw !! This is a story you have to see it through ! All I am say is read and be prepared to want to fight errbody ! The main characters deserve the world !!
This series is about to be the true definition of started from the bottom now we here !!! Part 2 wya my sis said bump all that lovey dovey quick hea . Ima give yall something real and raw !! This is a story you have to see it through ! All I am say is read and be prepared to want to fight errbody ! The main characters deserve the world !!
February 9, 2025
Couldn't put it down
They had to deal with a lifetime of hurt and obstacles in such a short time. Yadira and Vaughn have both been dealt a bad hand. They will be the ones to better themselves and grow. This book has more to tell, and I am ready. Easton will go on to do great things. Karma is definitely going to spin th block on everyone that has hurt them.
They had to deal with a lifetime of hurt and obstacles in such a short time. Yadira and Vaughn have both been dealt a bad hand. They will be the ones to better themselves and grow. This book has more to tell, and I am ready. Easton will go on to do great things. Karma is definitely going to spin th block on everyone that has hurt them.
February 18, 2025
😱😱😱😱
This story was crazy. I hate hating hoes and niggas. I love Yaya and Vaughn’s relationship and how he treats East. I hope he gets out of that set up and sets him and family up. Life of living in poverty is crazy work and the crab and the barrel mentality will keep people stagnant in life.
This story was crazy. I hate hating hoes and niggas. I love Yaya and Vaughn’s relationship and how he treats East. I hope he gets out of that set up and sets him and family up. Life of living in poverty is crazy work and the crab and the barrel mentality will keep people stagnant in life.
February 19, 2025
Jai Love this was a good read off to read another book by you.
This book was good. Her mother was a piece of work. I hope she gets what is coming to her. Her ex-best friend has always been hating on her. She would always say slick stuff. I loved Vaughn, and I'm glad he didn't get stuck with the older woman. I can't wait for part 2. I'm mad that the ending was just getting good.
This book was good. Her mother was a piece of work. I hope she gets what is coming to her. Her ex-best friend has always been hating on her. She would always say slick stuff. I loved Vaughn, and I'm glad he didn't get stuck with the older woman. I can't wait for part 2. I'm mad that the ending was just getting good.
March 7, 2025
FIRE
Omg I’m so mad right now!!! This book was super crazy good! I need part two like 10 minutes ago I’m so on the edge. What happened to the brothers did they or did my bae save them? Did the girl set them up? What happens to Ya Ya and East? Like give me more give me more
Omg I’m so mad right now!!! This book was super crazy good! I need part two like 10 minutes ago I’m so on the edge. What happened to the brothers did they or did my bae save them? Did the girl set them up? What happens to Ya Ya and East? Like give me more give me more
March 11, 2025
GOOD BOOK!!!
This was my first read by this author but not my last. I enjoyed reading this book. I hated more characters than I liked. Vaughn and Yadira were my favorite. I cant wait to read part 2....
This was my first read by this author but not my last. I enjoyed reading this book. I hated more characters than I liked. Vaughn and Yadira were my favorite. I cant wait to read part 2....
August 25, 2025
Banger
Im really rooting for Vaughn, Easton and Yadira forget everyone else. Oh and the brothers. I hope the cliffy not what I think it was. I hope the brothers alive. It seems the gf could not be trusted.
Im really rooting for Vaughn, Easton and Yadira forget everyone else. Oh and the brothers. I hope the cliffy not what I think it was. I hope the brothers alive. It seems the gf could not be trusted.
February 8, 2025
This book is the truth
I can’t wait for part two to see who was the last one standing. Will Ya have a fairy tail ending with her Compton Hitta.
I can’t wait for part two to see who was the last one standing. Will Ya have a fairy tail ending with her Compton Hitta.
February 21, 2025
Yadira was absolutely overlooking Stacee's behavior...she always showed signs of jealousy...Yadira's mom needs to be needs to be lynched...I love how Vaughn loves on Yadira
March 12, 2025
This got me out of a book slump! It was so good!
March 21, 2025
this was good
Thank you for this is the cool story. Can’t wait for part two so I can check it out. Thank you.
Thank you for this is the cool story. Can’t wait for part two so I can check it out. Thank you.
May 4, 2025
Dun Dun Dun
It’s the drama for me. Now there’s no spicy scenes yet between the two, but the way it ended on a cliffhanger!!! I need part two. As of now please.
It’s the drama for me. Now there’s no spicy scenes yet between the two, but the way it ended on a cliffhanger!!! I need part two. As of now please.
June 25, 2025
mouth dropped
Mannnnn dam* is all I can say. Man the ending had me ready to throw my phone. Love this book. Ready for part 2
Mannnnn dam* is all I can say. Man the ending had me ready to throw my phone. Love this book. Ready for part 2
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews