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No Smoke Without Fire
VOLUME I of The Smoke Series
Fire burns the brightest when it’s the darkest hour of the night.
Marquis Bailey aka “Murder” has a fire burning inside of him that no one can tame. After burying his twin sister, his mission has been to find her killer and make them suffer the same, painful fate. His sister was a light in a dark world where he’d felt he walked alone for many days, so the turmoil inside of him from many unanswered questions is hard for him to control. But the night he meets Mia Davis, his world turns on its head because her soul connects with his in a way he has never experienced before, challenging his darkest demons.
Mia Davis has survived tragedy but she hides her pain behind a mask of smiles. Her relationship with her mother and brother is tumultuous and exhausting. Her only real, meaningful connection lies with her stoic, cautious father. When her world collides with Murder’s in an unexpected way, she finds herself in the center of a rollercoaster love story that she cannot control. Questioning her judgment, her feelings and her sanity, is Murder what she needs to let go of her past and fall in love?
But despite his feelings for this woman, Murder must come to grips with the fact that he has secrets himself that he must keep away from her or risk losing her forever.
Will their love be the light that guides them through the darkness, or will the shadows of their pasts extinguish the flame?
Fire burns the brightest when it’s the darkest hour of the night.
Marquis Bailey aka “Murder” has a fire burning inside of him that no one can tame. After burying his twin sister, his mission has been to find her killer and make them suffer the same, painful fate. His sister was a light in a dark world where he’d felt he walked alone for many days, so the turmoil inside of him from many unanswered questions is hard for him to control. But the night he meets Mia Davis, his world turns on its head because her soul connects with his in a way he has never experienced before, challenging his darkest demons.
Mia Davis has survived tragedy but she hides her pain behind a mask of smiles. Her relationship with her mother and brother is tumultuous and exhausting. Her only real, meaningful connection lies with her stoic, cautious father. When her world collides with Murder’s in an unexpected way, she finds herself in the center of a rollercoaster love story that she cannot control. Questioning her judgment, her feelings and her sanity, is Murder what she needs to let go of her past and fall in love?
But despite his feelings for this woman, Murder must come to grips with the fact that he has secrets himself that he must keep away from her or risk losing her forever.
Will their love be the light that guides them through the darkness, or will the shadows of their pasts extinguish the flame?
222 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 11, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
April 28, 2025
Girl!!!!
The way I'm over here hollering at this book. Y'all need to start numbering these series book cause I'm sick of the cliffhangers 😵💫. Y'all just read the damn book.
The way I'm over here hollering at this book. Y'all need to start numbering these series book cause I'm sick of the cliffhangers 😵💫. Y'all just read the damn book.
April 18, 2025
Part 2 Me NOW🤣
This was so good. Please don’t take too long for the next book😫 Loved Murder and Mia real bad. Aliyah was tripping. Steez is a hater. Shaneice and Mac are the only stable ones frfr🤣 Trav is clueless, and his baby momma is delulu.
Mathew is going to regret his choices when Mystiqu pops back out. And Mia’s family is trash (Except Dad)…..Well done‼️
This was so good. Please don’t take too long for the next book😫 Loved Murder and Mia real bad. Aliyah was tripping. Steez is a hater. Shaneice and Mac are the only stable ones frfr🤣 Trav is clueless, and his baby momma is delulu.
Mathew is going to regret his choices when Mystiqu pops back out. And Mia’s family is trash (Except Dad)…..Well done‼️
February 26, 2026
First of all… this book is pure chaos in the best and worst way possible.
From the beginning, the tension never really settles. Every time you think things might calm down, SepHiri J. reminds you exactly what kind of world these characters are living in one where loyalty is tested, emotions run high, and danger is always lurking in the background.
Let’s start here: the baby shower turning into a drive-by?
Absolutely insane. What should have been a celebration of new life turned into trauma and violence in seconds. That scene alone shifts the emotional temperature of the whole book. It wasn’t just dramatic it felt heavy. Real consequences. Real fear.
I genuinely felt sick thinking about Marquis. I’m not okay. I will not be okay if something happens to him. There’s something about his character that makes you root for him, even when the situation around him is messy. And Trav? My heart hurts for him too but for completely different reasons. You can see how circumstances and choices weigh differently on them both, and that contrast is powerful.
Mia… I’m happy for her growth, but it’s heartbreaking that she walked into Miami and got swallowed by the chaos so quickly. She didn’t even have time to breathe before being exposed to that level of violence. It makes her storyline feel unfair, but in a way that reflects the reality of the environment.
Now let’s talk about Steez, Aaliyah, Matthew, and Laytoya.
Yeah. No.
The frustration is REAL. The drama, the selfish decisions, the tension they added fuel to an already explosive situation. You can’t help but feel angry at certain choices because they ripple outward and affect everyone. That’s what makes this story so gripping nobody exists in isolation. Every move matters.
What I appreciate most about this book is how messy it is emotionally. It doesn’t romanticise the lifestyle. It shows how quickly happiness can turn into survival mode. The title fits perfectly there is always a reason behind the chaos. Every spark leads to flames.
Overall, this story is dramatic, stressful, emotional, and addictive. It pulls you in and refuses to let you breathe. You’re constantly anxious about who’s safe, who’s not, and what’s coming next.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
Because emotionally? I was INVESTED.
From the beginning, the tension never really settles. Every time you think things might calm down, SepHiri J. reminds you exactly what kind of world these characters are living in one where loyalty is tested, emotions run high, and danger is always lurking in the background.
Let’s start here: the baby shower turning into a drive-by?
Absolutely insane. What should have been a celebration of new life turned into trauma and violence in seconds. That scene alone shifts the emotional temperature of the whole book. It wasn’t just dramatic it felt heavy. Real consequences. Real fear.
I genuinely felt sick thinking about Marquis. I’m not okay. I will not be okay if something happens to him. There’s something about his character that makes you root for him, even when the situation around him is messy. And Trav? My heart hurts for him too but for completely different reasons. You can see how circumstances and choices weigh differently on them both, and that contrast is powerful.
Mia… I’m happy for her growth, but it’s heartbreaking that she walked into Miami and got swallowed by the chaos so quickly. She didn’t even have time to breathe before being exposed to that level of violence. It makes her storyline feel unfair, but in a way that reflects the reality of the environment.
Now let’s talk about Steez, Aaliyah, Matthew, and Laytoya.
Yeah. No.
The frustration is REAL. The drama, the selfish decisions, the tension they added fuel to an already explosive situation. You can’t help but feel angry at certain choices because they ripple outward and affect everyone. That’s what makes this story so gripping nobody exists in isolation. Every move matters.
What I appreciate most about this book is how messy it is emotionally. It doesn’t romanticise the lifestyle. It shows how quickly happiness can turn into survival mode. The title fits perfectly there is always a reason behind the chaos. Every spark leads to flames.
Overall, this story is dramatic, stressful, emotional, and addictive. It pulls you in and refuses to let you breathe. You’re constantly anxious about who’s safe, who’s not, and what’s coming next.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
Because emotionally? I was INVESTED.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 13, 2026
This was like 2.5/3. It was a good read but so much could be improved...🫠
Firstly, his twin sister Mystique is in a coma?? Not even sure. But he had a fake funeral for her...why? that should be established somewhere in the storyline if not we have no idea why we're reading.
Authors forget that we need to be hooked- by the first few chapters we should have a clear idea. I think all of her friends and his friends will be disappointed when they find out she's not really dead. That was extremely selfish of Marquis. I wanted to DNF at so many points in this book but I fought to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Marquis and Mia's relationship formed way TOO quickly. That killed the momentum. Again, it gave us nothing to look forward to. The spicy scenes were like 🌶️🌶️🌶️ out of 5. But outside of that, I wished their relationship developed more.
I was over Mia's family dynamic. It was extremely boring and unnecessary. That wasn't a gripping storyline at all. Unless it's riddled with secrets and lies. If not we have no idea why she doesn't get along with her mum. Is it her birth mum? And we have no clue why she doesn't get along with her brother and her dad is none the wiser. This successful mogul who is clueless about his household...🤔🤦🏾♀️🤦🏾♀️ make it make sense lol
I liked the LaToya and Matthew and Trav storyline. I like how Trav neglected Toya until went into the arms of another man. I liked the web that Matthew is tangled in. I also liked Marquis reaction to the news.
Aliyah and Steez had an okay storyline. I liked that Marquis is a ladies man. Hopefully the author puts emphasis on the drama. Because with a character like his it should get interesting.
We didn't get to see him scam the casino so that storyline was developed for no reason? 🤣 He apparently captures the person who set his sisters house on fire and didn't think it was a little too easy? because when he received the "you're next" note. It's clearly someone in his inner circle.
Overall, Sephiri should work on plotting her stories, having a clear idea of where it's going and then let the characters add depth. If not, it feels like pointless information thrown at us and excess description of the characters clothes and setting etc 🤦🏾♀️ for the sake of reaching a certain word count.
Firstly, his twin sister Mystique is in a coma?? Not even sure. But he had a fake funeral for her...why? that should be established somewhere in the storyline if not we have no idea why we're reading.
Authors forget that we need to be hooked- by the first few chapters we should have a clear idea. I think all of her friends and his friends will be disappointed when they find out she's not really dead. That was extremely selfish of Marquis. I wanted to DNF at so many points in this book but I fought to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Marquis and Mia's relationship formed way TOO quickly. That killed the momentum. Again, it gave us nothing to look forward to. The spicy scenes were like 🌶️🌶️🌶️ out of 5. But outside of that, I wished their relationship developed more.
I was over Mia's family dynamic. It was extremely boring and unnecessary. That wasn't a gripping storyline at all. Unless it's riddled with secrets and lies. If not we have no idea why she doesn't get along with her mum. Is it her birth mum? And we have no clue why she doesn't get along with her brother and her dad is none the wiser. This successful mogul who is clueless about his household...🤔🤦🏾♀️🤦🏾♀️ make it make sense lol
I liked the LaToya and Matthew and Trav storyline. I like how Trav neglected Toya until went into the arms of another man. I liked the web that Matthew is tangled in. I also liked Marquis reaction to the news.
Aliyah and Steez had an okay storyline. I liked that Marquis is a ladies man. Hopefully the author puts emphasis on the drama. Because with a character like his it should get interesting.
We didn't get to see him scam the casino so that storyline was developed for no reason? 🤣 He apparently captures the person who set his sisters house on fire and didn't think it was a little too easy? because when he received the "you're next" note. It's clearly someone in his inner circle.
Overall, Sephiri should work on plotting her stories, having a clear idea of where it's going and then let the characters add depth. If not, it feels like pointless information thrown at us and excess description of the characters clothes and setting etc 🤦🏾♀️ for the sake of reaching a certain word count.
April 21, 2025
Okayyyyyy
I’m kind of speechless right now because bishhh what?!??
Okay. Now going into the story I didn’t know if I would like it to be honest but as the story went on……yesssss is all I can say because what?
Anyways I loved Murder and Mia I loved that they had an instant connection.
Now I don’t know how long it’s going to last especially with what Murder plans to do. Because let’s be clear his plan is going to come back on him if he follows through. And honestly I don’t know how they’ll come back from that which makes me sad.
Latoya! I knew she was up to no good from the moment I met her…real talk.
And Mathew I know he was on some other stuff when he started off with his sob story.
Man this cliffhanger. I need BOOK 2 expeditiously!
I do have one a small complaint there were quite a few grammatical errors that needs to be cleaned up. Other than that I enjoyed the start to this story can’t wait to dive deeper.
Also Aliyah is a creep and she doing a lot for a man who not even looking at her. Girl she going out bad.
I’m kind of speechless right now because bishhh what?!??
Okay. Now going into the story I didn’t know if I would like it to be honest but as the story went on……yesssss is all I can say because what?
Anyways I loved Murder and Mia I loved that they had an instant connection.
Now I don’t know how long it’s going to last especially with what Murder plans to do. Because let’s be clear his plan is going to come back on him if he follows through. And honestly I don’t know how they’ll come back from that which makes me sad.
Latoya! I knew she was up to no good from the moment I met her…real talk.
And Mathew I know he was on some other stuff when he started off with his sob story.
Man this cliffhanger. I need BOOK 2 expeditiously!
I do have one a small complaint there were quite a few grammatical errors that needs to be cleaned up. Other than that I enjoyed the start to this story can’t wait to dive deeper.
Also Aliyah is a creep and she doing a lot for a man who not even looking at her. Girl she going out bad.
April 24, 2025
All the smoke..
Its nothing but smoke at the end of this book. So many snakes in the grass in this book. You have a grieving brother, a fiance who was cheating with his friends girl. A family that is strained with a daughter who only wanted a mother's raw love. Jealousy and envy is all up and through this..surely there is no smoke with out fire...patiently waiting on part 2. 🔥📚❤
Its nothing but smoke at the end of this book. So many snakes in the grass in this book. You have a grieving brother, a fiance who was cheating with his friends girl. A family that is strained with a daughter who only wanted a mother's raw love. Jealousy and envy is all up and through this..surely there is no smoke with out fire...patiently waiting on part 2. 🔥📚❤
January 31, 2026
Child, boo. This was a great start to a series.
Latoya being mad because Trav wasn’t buying her things she couldn’t afford herself was wild. Reading Matthew’s thoughts about their relationship while she thought they were riding off into the sunset had me cracking up. Those two were a nasty piece of work.
Oh baby, Marquis, that’s a man right there. He does not play about his Mia and will check anybody about her, including her own family. I loved that energy.
Everything is definitely going to backfire on Latoya, and I cannot wait to see it happen.
Latoya being mad because Trav wasn’t buying her things she couldn’t afford herself was wild. Reading Matthew’s thoughts about their relationship while she thought they were riding off into the sunset had me cracking up. Those two were a nasty piece of work.
Oh baby, Marquis, that’s a man right there. He does not play about his Mia and will check anybody about her, including her own family. I loved that energy.
Everything is definitely going to backfire on Latoya, and I cannot wait to see it happen.
October 11, 2025
No Smoke
Umm this definitely had some unexpected turns but honey I am here for it!!! Murder ain't playing about the women in his life or the money. He going after both for sure. Mia is along for the ride but did she bite off more than she can chew with her temporary trip to Miami. I do like them together and Mia might me just what he needs to get everything together.
Umm this definitely had some unexpected turns but honey I am here for it!!! Murder ain't playing about the women in his life or the money. He going after both for sure. Mia is along for the ride but did she bite off more than she can chew with her temporary trip to Miami. I do like them together and Mia might me just what he needs to get everything together.
April 20, 2026
Very messy good time
Baby this was my first book by this author and it won't be my last. When I tell you this book was sad and very messy at the same time. It seems like everyone got secrets. But murder was not to be played with, and especially his twin. He was gonna get to the bottom of it. I felt Latoya was sneaky from the beginning. Now I'm on to part two. It's a must read
Baby this was my first book by this author and it won't be my last. When I tell you this book was sad and very messy at the same time. It seems like everyone got secrets. But murder was not to be played with, and especially his twin. He was gonna get to the bottom of it. I felt Latoya was sneaky from the beginning. Now I'm on to part two. It's a must read
April 15, 2025
OMG !!!! 😲 book 2 me nowwwwww !
Did Not Finish
April 25, 2025DNF @ 60%. This book needs editing. I’m tired of reading “he said”, “she said”. It doesn’t flow naturally. And the storyline is dragging
May 3, 2025
OH MY!
It’s a lot going in here. The sister is not dead, her bf was cheating with a “friend”, the brother is up to something. Whew child!
It’s a lot going in here. The sister is not dead, her bf was cheating with a “friend”, the brother is up to something. Whew child!
October 8, 2025
Good Read
This is the first book I have read by this author and I loved it! It was good from the beginning to the end. I can't wait to see what happens next!
This is the first book I have read by this author and I loved it! It was good from the beginning to the end. I can't wait to see what happens next!
October 23, 2025
Slow burn
January 11, 2026
This was a good time. I’m enjoying Murda and Mia. Full of drama. I’m locked in and invested. Ends on a cliffhanger. I would recommend.
April 26, 2026
Okayyyy that’s something, so far my interest has slightly piqued. Slightly jogging to part 2
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews