Coffee in the Noon

by Harleigh Rae, Ranisha Mcbride (Editor)

He was the Folgers in her cup. She was his dew in the morning. Together they found refuge in one another's gaze. The rest was love.

Genres: Novella, Romance

45 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 25, 2020

About the author

Harleigh Rae resides in Baltimore, MD, a hidden oasis of art and culture. She has been writing since she was old enough to firmly grasp a pencil between her thumb and pointer finger. A millennial influenced by the 90’s era that brought us some of the greatest love stories like Kinfolks, Blues Dancing, and, Rooms of the Heart she considers herself a culture-fed romantic.

On her ninth birthday, she sat alone in her bedroom, furnished with only 2 bunk beds and 2 four-draw dressers, reading a gifted copy of Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye, her pages only illuminated by the tiny stream of light from the streetlamp outside her window. She was amazed at how full of life the words on the page were. How they danced around in her mind, stirring up emotions of insecurity, complacency, and self-contempt that lay dormant even in her tiny nine-year-old capsule of repressed memory. At that moment, she realized the healing power of literature. She vowed to one day usher black women, much like herself with no prominent place in the world, into a place of loving, wholly.

That mission stuck with her throughout her educational pursuits. It’s what landed her at Coppin State University where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts in English with a concentration in creative writing and a minor in African American Studies. Since graduating her time has been divided between teaching Pre-K literacy, writing black romance novels, and hand-making candles and teas that center the black romance reader’s experience.

As a black romance author of over 15 books and an avid reader of the genre, she has cultivated a deep commitment to breaking literary boundaries and obliterating genre norms by telling stories that fuse romance and reality to demystify the stereotypes surrounding black love. An early oeuvre of love stories written as an ode to love within you, her work speaks your deepest thoughts, fulfills your wildest fantasies, and echoes your quietest vibrations.


Follow on Instagram! for all the audio and visual feels surrounding her books!

Reviews

[WhittyReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun and quick read! I enjoyed this story and Harleigh Rae is a gorgeous writer. I really loved how our heroine was so connected to nature and how determined she was to protect her family’s history and legacy.


⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Annette Williams · Rating 1 out of 5]

I did NOT like this book. It was so boring and very PG-13. No, scratch that. It was more like G rated with a few cuss words thrown in to pretend it was an R rated book. And, if I'm being honest, this book read like a white romance novel. It may have been written by a black author but, other than a few product references, there was nothing black about this book. I thought Forge and Onyx were meh at best. Their love at first sight just didn't seem genuine to me. I didn't feel the chemistry the author was trying to portray so, I couldn't really connect with them. The one sex scene in this book was horrible! It was so boring. Alexandria House and Grey Huffington are referenced in the book as authors Forge likes to reads. Well, the author may want to reach out to Alexandria House and Grey Huffington and ask them for a lesson on how to write a proper sex scene because, what she wrote ain't it. This was my first book by Harleigh Rae and I'd like to say it was my last but, I jumped the gun a bought one of her series before I read this book. I really hope those books are better than Coffee in the Noon.

[Bree Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘It’s your world. If that’s what you want, then I’m down, but I want to know you. All of you.’

Forge and Onyx’s romance. Novella. So. Damn. Good.

[Chantel_once_upon_a_bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review

I loved every minute of this book. This was a short story but worth reading. I love that their love was the way it was. The characters I love there names too.

[JazzReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

So cute

I enjoyed this book. So cute and quick. My first book by this author and I like her writing style

[Tamekia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forge x Onyx

This was the cutest story ever! Like I was so in awe of this story! The development and the ending. I wasn’t sure how it was going to flow but I’m glad it ended the way it did. This was short and very sweet.

[Chefgirlardee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Forge and Onyx's story was alright. I liked that they were runners and practically ran into each other for their first encounter. I was so ready to leave a review stating that this story was a snore fest but it picked up when Onyx's reason for being in town was revealed. I liked that Forge was mature enough to apologize for her reaction to the shocking news. The book cover is beautiful!

[ReadnliftwithShar · Rating 4 out of 5]

☕️

Super cute novella. This was my first read by Harleigh Rae and I enjoyed it. I like her style of writing. I loved Onyx, his character just screamed that he a genuine and passionate lover. Forge was kind of stuck in her ways and I understood what her family’s legacy meant to her but she almost missed out on something good. Good work. I love an instant love story. ❤️

[DeWanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute Story

In the era of gentrification of cities and small towns, this is all too common. Fate would have it that two opposing parties were naturally drawn to each other. The author beautifully illustrated the contact we still have to our loved one and ancestors.
Beautiful style of graceful use of words.

[Louise · Rating 2 out of 5]

2*

I was drawn to the cover and the synopsis made this look like a nice and fun read. I was looking for something short. I could barely finish and found I skimmed through it. Multiple errors made me come out of the story repeatedly and I just... yeah. Not a good choice. Not a good way to start the year, let me tell you this.

[nakia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another swoon worthy story

Yay!!! Enjoyed every minute of this short story. Knowing these two backgrounds and then the way they met and fell so fast, was not expected. I didn't want this story to end.

[Toya Davis-Stokley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! This short story was emotionally packed! It was full of beautiful imagery, and the words were so heartfelt. Forge and Onxy were kindred spirits, whose hearts called out to each other from the moment their eyes connected. Swoon worthy! Amazing read! 👍👍👍

[Synthia Littleton · Rating 3 out of 5]

So tender and sensual.

I use the word tender to describe Forge and Onyx. Love at first sight, I don't know how it worked but it did. The intimate encounters were so beautiful and tender. This is a super quick read, with a HEA.

[Author L.Dodson · Rating 4 out of 5]

With this book, I really couldn't connect with the characters as I wanted to. Forge and Onyx seemed to make a great couple. Also with certain acts, it made me think of an amination movie that I loved growing up. So I suggest you get the book and give it a try you might just love it.

[booksntea_bre · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel like this could have been an amazing book. For some reason when I read books in 3rd person it’s harder to relate to the characters. It throws me off. I understand this may be a personal issue and you may love it. It just made it very hard to get through.

[Erika Coleman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ll take a cup

Well she did it again never leaving me disappointed in her writing I always learn and love and sweet spicy short was no different.

[Stacey Roberts · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet love story...

I was still left a little confused, even after the ending, but it was a short and sweet love story of what Onyx and Forge shared.

[Cailie · Rating 4 out of 5]

i like the writing style. i will still more from this author.

[Tigger · Rating 2 out of 5]

Short, quick and ok
almost three stars
It was ok, I like it also

[Turtleberry Turtleberry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was cute

This was cute. Nice short little love story. Love at first sight for Forge and Onyx. Happy for now ending. Enjoyed it.

[Marietere T · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a cute book. Like it was a quick cute read. I will read more books by this author.

[Kianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

My 1st read

A beautiful well written short story. This is my 1st read by this author, and I can not wait to see what her other books have in store. I really enjoyed this book.