Category Archives: BIPOC Lit

The Suffragette Scandal by Courtney Milan

Miss Frederica “Free” Marshall has put her heart and soul into her newspaper, known for its outspoken support of women’s rights. Naturally, her enemies are intent on destroying her business and silencing her for good. Free refuses to be at the end of her rope… but she needs more rope, and she needs it now. Edward Clark’s aristocratic family abandoned him to die in a war-torn land, so he survived the only way he could: by becoming a rogue and a first-class forger. When the same family that left him for dead vows to ruin Miss Marshall, he offers his help. So what if he… Read more.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Nightmares
  • Torture recounted, including the involuntary amputation of fingers
  • Fire
  • Blackmail
  • Whipping recounted

Hold Me by Courtney Milan

Jay na Thalang is a demanding, driven genius. He doesn’t know how to stop or even slow down. The instant he lays eyes on Maria Lopez, he knows that she is a sexy distraction he can’t afford. He’s done his best to keep her at arm’s length, and he’s succeeded beyond his wildest dreams. Maria has always been cautious. Now that her once-tiny, apocalypse-centered blog is hitting the mainstream, she’s even more careful about preserving her online anonymity. She hasn’t sent so much as a picture to the commenter she’s interacted with for eighteen months—not even… Read more.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Transphobia
  • Parental abandonment
  • Anxiety & panic attacks
  • Suicide
  • Death of a sibling

The Heiress Effect by Courtney Milan

Miss Jane Fairfield can’t do anything right. When she’s in company, she always says the wrong thing—and rather too much of it. No matter how costly they are, her gowns fall on the unfortunate side of fashion. Even her immense dowry can’t save her from being an object of derision. And that’s precisely what she wants. She’ll do anything, even risk humiliation, if it means she can stay unmarried and keep her sister safe. Mr. Oliver Marshall has to do everything right. He’s the bastard son of a duke, raised in humble circumst… Read more.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Period-typical ableism, misogyny & racism
  • Inifdelity recounted
  • Seizures mentioned
  • Scars
  • Medical experimentation
  • Attempted kidnapping
  • Gun violence
  • Blackmail

The Governess Affair by Courtney Milan

Three months ago, governess Serena Barton was let go from her position. Unable to find new work, she’s demanding compensation from the man who got her sacked: a petty, selfish, swinish duke. But it’s not the duke she fears. It’s his merciless man of business—the man known as the Wolf of Clermont. The formidable former pugilist has a black reputation for handling all the duke’s dirty business, and when the duke turns her case over to him, she doesn’t stand a chance. But she can’t stop trying—not with her entire future at stake. Hugo Marshall is a man of ruthless ambiti… Read more.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Child abuse recounted
  • Pregnancy from rape (protagonist, on-page)
  • Nightmares
  • Death of a parent recounted

The Duke Who Didn’t by Courtney Milan

Miss Chloe Fong has plans for her life, lists for her days, and absolutely no time for nonsense. Three years ago, she told her childhood sweetheart that he could talk to her once he planned to be serious. He disappeared that very night. Except now he’s back. Jeremy Wentworth, the Duke of Lansing, has returned to the tiny village he once visited with the hope of wooing Chloe. In his defense, it took him years of attempting to be serious to realize that the endeavor was incompatible with his personality. All he has to do is convince… Read more.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Period-typical racism & ableism
  • Parent with rheumatoid arthritis
  • Alcohol consumption
  • Grief & loss depiction
  • Death of a mother recounted
  • Death of a father from typhus recounted
  • Death of relatives from cholera, pneumonia, & heart attack mentioned
  • Minor horseback incident, resulting in minor injury to the horse

Jeremiah by Jayce Ellis

Jeremiah Stewart’s sexuality is no one’s business. Not that he’s hiding it. When—if—he finds the right one, he’ll absolutely introduce him to Mom. But a late-night brush with a sexy stranger in too much lip gloss has him rethinking nearly everything… To Collin Galloway, direction is a four-letter word. Sure, he hates his job, he hates living with his parents and he really hates watching everyone move on without him. But he doesn’t know what he wants to do, long-term, and he won’t figure it out by thirsting over Jeremiah, the superhot, superintense paramedic who is suddenly everywhere Collin looks. When Jeremiah’s… Read more.

Goodreads

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Homophobia & coming out themes
  • Parental infidelity mentioned
  • Alcohol consumption
  • Pregnancy mentioned (secondary character)
  • Emesis (off-page)
  • Allergic reaction
  • Physical assault (protagonist’s brother fights him when he comes out as gay)

If You Love Something by Jayce Ellis

As executive chef at one of the hottest restaurants in DC, DeShawn Franklin has almost everything he’s ever wanted. He’s well-known, his restaurant is Michelin starred and he can write his own ticket anywhere he wants. Until his grandmother calls him home and drops two 1) She has cancer and she’s not seeking treatment. 2) She’s willing half her estate to DeShawn’s ex-husband, Malik. Make that three bombshells. 3) That whole divorce thing? It didn’t quite go through. DeShawn and Malik are still married. And when DeShawn’s shady uncle contests Grandma… Read more.

Goodreads

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Divorce discussed
  • Gambling addiction & gambling mentioned
  • Alcohol consumption
  • Grief & loss depiction
  • Death of a grandmother from terminal cancer (off-page)

Learned Reactions by Jayce Ellis

Carlton Monroe is finally getting his groove back. After a year playing dad to his nephew and sending him safely off to college, it’s back to his bachelor ways. But when his teenaged niece shows up on his doorstep looking for a permanent home, his plan comes to a screeching halt. Family is everything, and in the eyes of social services, a couple makes a better adoptive family than an overworked bachelor father. A fake relationship with his closest friend is the best way to keep his family together. If things between him and Deion are complicated, well, it only needs to last… Read more.

Goodreads

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Homophobia
  • Fatal car accident recounted (secondary character)

Learned Behaviors by Jayce Ellis

Sending his daughter off to college is the proudest day of single dad JaQuan Reynolds’ life. Everything took a back seat to raising her—including his career. He has no idea what comes next, but his newfound freedom is quickly curtailed by a crash deadline at work and the uptight, hovering presence of consultant Matthew Donaldson. He’s surly and insufferably sexy, and Jaq’s ready to check him out and write him off—right up until a work assignment forces them together. Every day. From now until Thanksgiving. Work and fatherhood have been Matt’s whole world for years now… Read more.

Goodreads

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Racism & homophobia

The Swan’s Daughter by Roshani Chokshi

Prince Arris knows that marriage means murder. Thanks to a poorly worded wish to a sea witch, all one needs to rule the Isle of Malys is the heart and hand of the kingdom’s heir. Historically, this has been construed quite literally. Thus, Arris expects that the day after his marriage and murder he will wake up as a sentient tree alongside the rest of his predecessors. His only chance at a long life is finding true and lasting love. When Arris’s parents announce a tournament of brides to compete for his hand and heart, a slew of eligible, lovely and (possibly murderous) bachelorettes… Read more.

Goodreads • The Story Graph

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Alcohol consumption mentioned
  • Attempted murder by poisoning
  • Kidnapping & captivity
  • Loss of autonomy discussed (magical shapeshifting curse)