All is fair in love and lust in New York Times bestselling author Eric Jerome Dickey’s tale of two brothers, four women, and the business of desire.
Unlike their younger brother, André, whose star as a comedian is rising, neither Dwayne nor Brick Duquesne is having luck with his career—and they’re unluckier still in love. Former child star Dwayne has just been fired from his latest acting role and barely has enough money to get by after paying child support to his spiteful former lover, while Brick struggles to return to his uninspiring white-collar job after suffering the dual blows of a health emergency and a nasty breakup with the woman he still loves.
Neither brother is looking to get entangled with a woman anytime soon, but love—and lust—has a way of twisting the best-laid plans. When Dwayne tries to reconnect with his teenage son, he finds himself fighting to separate his animosity from his attraction for his son’s mother, Frenchie. And Brick’s latest source of income—chauffeur and bodyguard to three smart, independent women temporarily working as escorts in order to get back on their feet—opens a world of possibility in both love and money. Penny, Christiana, and Mocha Latte know plenty of female johns who would pay top dollar for a few hours with a man like Brick . . . if he can let go of his past, embrace his unconventional new family, and allow strangers to become lovers.
Eric Jerome Dickey paints a powerful portrait of the family we have, the families we create, and every sexy moment in between.
Praise for Eric Jerome Dickey
“[O]ne of the most successful Black authors of the last quarter-century.”—The New York Times
“Eric Jerome Dickey’s work is a master class in Black joy....[his] characters—bold, smart women oozing sexuality and vulnerability—navigate interpersonal conflicts using dialogue that crackles with authenticity.”—The Atlantic
“Dickey has the knack for creating characters who elicit both rage and sympathy.”—Entertainment Weekly
"[A] heartfelt erotic drama...The setting is artfully crafted, the characters’ struggles are real and moving, and the sex those characters have is flaming hot."—Publishers Weekly on The Business of Lovers
“Bestselling author of street-wise romance Dickey’s latest is a contemporary erotic tale of ambitions delayed.”—Booklist on The Business of Lovers
“In this sensual road trip across LA there are deep conversations, adult situations, and a sweet love story at every turn.”—Kirkus Reviews on The Business of Lovers
“From wanton to wicked, the love-hate relationship between Dickey's characters burn with rapid-fire dialogue and plenty of steam.”—Kirkus Reviews on Before We Were Wicked
"The love story Dickey tells . . . is potent. Readers will want to read Bad Men and Wicked Women again after being immersed in this edgy, emotional adventure.”—Booklist on Before We Were Wicked
"A passion-filled prequel that puts a new spin on the familiar conflicts that have made him a household name."—Essence on Before We Were Wicked
"Nobody currently publishing today writes sex better than Eric Jerome Dickey."—Electric Review on Before We Were Wicked
Eric Jerome Dickey (1961-2021) was the award-winning and New York Times bestselling author of 29 novels, as well as a six-issue miniseries of graphic novels featuring Storm (X-Men) and the Black Panther. His novel Sister, Sister was honored as one of Essence’s “50 Most Impactful Black Books Of The Last 50 Years”, and A Wanted Woman won the NAACP Image Award in the category of Outstanding Literary Work in 2014. His most recentnovels include The Blackbirds, Finding Gideon, Bad Men and Wicked Women, Before We Were Wicked, The Business of Lovers, and The Son of Mr. Suleman. View titles by Eric Jerome Dickey
All is fair in love and lust in New York Times bestselling author Eric Jerome Dickey’s tale of two brothers, four women, and the business of desire.
Unlike their younger brother, André, whose star as a comedian is rising, neither Dwayne nor Brick Duquesne is having luck with his career—and they’re unluckier still in love. Former child star Dwayne has just been fired from his latest acting role and barely has enough money to get by after paying child support to his spiteful former lover, while Brick struggles to return to his uninspiring white-collar job after suffering the dual blows of a health emergency and a nasty breakup with the woman he still loves.
Neither brother is looking to get entangled with a woman anytime soon, but love—and lust—has a way of twisting the best-laid plans. When Dwayne tries to reconnect with his teenage son, he finds himself fighting to separate his animosity from his attraction for his son’s mother, Frenchie. And Brick’s latest source of income—chauffeur and bodyguard to three smart, independent women temporarily working as escorts in order to get back on their feet—opens a world of possibility in both love and money. Penny, Christiana, and Mocha Latte know plenty of female johns who would pay top dollar for a few hours with a man like Brick . . . if he can let go of his past, embrace his unconventional new family, and allow strangers to become lovers.
Eric Jerome Dickey paints a powerful portrait of the family we have, the families we create, and every sexy moment in between.
Praise
Praise for Eric Jerome Dickey
“[O]ne of the most successful Black authors of the last quarter-century.”—The New York Times
“Eric Jerome Dickey’s work is a master class in Black joy....[his] characters—bold, smart women oozing sexuality and vulnerability—navigate interpersonal conflicts using dialogue that crackles with authenticity.”—The Atlantic
“Dickey has the knack for creating characters who elicit both rage and sympathy.”—Entertainment Weekly
"[A] heartfelt erotic drama...The setting is artfully crafted, the characters’ struggles are real and moving, and the sex those characters have is flaming hot."—Publishers Weekly on The Business of Lovers
“Bestselling author of street-wise romance Dickey’s latest is a contemporary erotic tale of ambitions delayed.”—Booklist on The Business of Lovers
“In this sensual road trip across LA there are deep conversations, adult situations, and a sweet love story at every turn.”—Kirkus Reviews on The Business of Lovers
“From wanton to wicked, the love-hate relationship between Dickey's characters burn with rapid-fire dialogue and plenty of steam.”—Kirkus Reviews on Before We Were Wicked
"The love story Dickey tells . . . is potent. Readers will want to read Bad Men and Wicked Women again after being immersed in this edgy, emotional adventure.”—Booklist on Before We Were Wicked
"A passion-filled prequel that puts a new spin on the familiar conflicts that have made him a household name."—Essence on Before We Were Wicked
"Nobody currently publishing today writes sex better than Eric Jerome Dickey."—Electric Review on Before We Were Wicked
Eric Jerome Dickey (1961-2021) was the award-winning and New York Times bestselling author of 29 novels, as well as a six-issue miniseries of graphic novels featuring Storm (X-Men) and the Black Panther. His novel Sister, Sister was honored as one of Essence’s “50 Most Impactful Black Books Of The Last 50 Years”, and A Wanted Woman won the NAACP Image Award in the category of Outstanding Literary Work in 2014. His most recentnovels include The Blackbirds, Finding Gideon, Bad Men and Wicked Women, Before We Were Wicked, The Business of Lovers, and The Son of Mr. Suleman. View titles by Eric Jerome Dickey
