by Scarlet Ibis James (Author), D. James Joseph (Editor)

Love is the Work that Happens After the Spark.

Twelve stories. Three cities. One ultimate truth: First impressions are only the beginning.

In the bustling high-rises of New York, the corporate offices of Toronto, and the vibrant neighborhoods of Chicago, the characters of Beyond First Glance are at a breaking point. From a long-standing friendship tested by a sudden, haunting silence to a marriage precariously built on the secrets of a spy's cover, these interconnected tales navigate the messy, complex, and beautiful aftermath of the "initial spark".

This isn't a collection of fairytale romances; it is a profound exploration of love as a reckoning. Within these pages, among others, you will meet:

• Ari Parker, a formidable professional "fixer" who discovers that her own heart cannot be managed with ruthless efficiency.
• Amara Brooks, a brilliant surgeon forced to lower her defensive walls when a transformative relationship challenges her guarded nature.
• Nadine, who receives a rare second chance to reclaim a lost love twenty years after she was persuaded to walk away.

Spanning the Black diaspora from Ghana and Trinidad to the heart of North America, Beyond First Glance captures a diverse, multicultural world where the past is never just a footnote-it is an active participant in the present.

For readers of Tayari Jones, Brit Bennett, and Yaa Gyasi, this collection offers a mature, character-driven journey through the psychological nuances of modern connection. It is a book for anyone who knows that staying is a choice, honesty is a practice, and the truest love is found when we finally dare to look again.

Are you ready to look deeper?

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