Inspirational African-American Novels

Updated 6/08

Awakening Mercy by Angela Benson
Contemporary story about a successful career woman who is summoned to court & sentenced to community service. She falls in love with the earnest young director, a man who runs a social services agency in inner-city Atlanta.

Church Folk by Michele Andrea Bowen
In the midst of 1960s rural Mississippi, Essie Mae, a faithful church member, meets the man of her dreams in an unlikely encounter.

Ain't No River by Sharon Ewell Foster
When a doting grandmother transforms into a silver fox with a new attitude, it's up to her granddaughter to help her "Meemaw" get it together before she goes too far!

Passing by Samaria by Sharon Ewell Foster
When the discovery of a schoolmate's lynched body puts her own life in jeopardy, Angela is sent from her beloved Mississippi home north to the Promised Land of turn-of-the-century Chicago. On the way she meets two men who will dramatically impact her life.

Riding Through Shadows by Sharon Ewell Foster
Living in one of the most tumultuous decades of America's history, an eight-year-old African-American girl experiences the anguish of real-life heartache: she loses her beloved father in the Vietnam War, endures the dissolution of her family and faces the challenge of integration. Yet, through a wise and eccentric old woman, she also discovers the tenacity of joy. A powerful, eye-opening read!

Red On A Rose by Patricia Jones
In this sequel to Passing, Lila & Dr. Jack Calloway's marriage blooms. Her near-perfect life crumbles, however, when, in an ugly racial incident, Jack refuses to help a bigoted white man, which results in the man's death.

Passing by Nella Larsen
Clare Kendry leads a dangerous life. Fair, elegant and ambitious, she is married to a white man unaware of her African-American heritage and has severed all ties to her past. Clare's childhood friend, Irene Redfield, just as light-skinned, has chosen to remain within the African-American community, but refuses to acknowledge the racism that continues to constrict her family's happiness. A chance encounter forces both women to confront the lies they have told others – and the secret fears they have buried within themselves.

Joy by Victoria Christopher Murray
Anya Mitchell has it all: a successful L.A. financial services company, a loving fiance and an unshakable trust in God – until she is attacked in her office by a stalker. Her fiance helps her deal with the horror, but when a painful truth is revealed, Anya is faced with a serious dilemma: either she chooses a future with her fiance clear of this tragedy, or she follows the path on which she believes God has placed her – even if it means losing the man she loves.

Temptation by Victoria Christopher Murray
An intriguing romance that will feed the souls of those who believe God is an important part of any relationship. Temptation is the story of one couple's struggle to survive a potential deathblow to their marriage. She and her physician husband, Jefferson, have a close and loving relationship, until Kyla comes home early from a trip and catches Jefferson in bed with another woman.

Between Brothers by C. Kelly Robinson
A quartet of African-American college students come together to save the community center. A suspenseful coming-of-age story that moves from the halls of a historically black university to the streets of Washington, D.C.

The Prodigal Husband by Jacquelin Thomas
Jake is holding onto the pain of the death of his daughter. When he leaves his wife to mourn the loss of their daughter alone, Jake finds comfort in the arms of his business partner. When Jake finally returns, he finds a much different Tori than the one he left.

Singsation by Jacquelin Thomas
Deborah Anne Peterson sings hymns at her small hometown church but envisions herself performing in much glitzier venues. A fortuitous encounter with rap star Triage Blue gives her a chance to break into the big time. As she climbs the ladder of success and wrestles with the temptations that go with it, she wonders, is this really what God wants her to do with her talent?