In These Streets

November 1, 2018
Ellis (Lust & Loyalty, 2017) makes a promising start in her new Branch Avenue Boys series, which expertly melds elements of gritty urban fiction with contemporary multicultural romance and tells a captivating tale from three different perspectives. Best friends Jamal, Derrick, and Ricky met when they were only 12 years old at the Branch Avenue Boys Institute, a place that rehabilitates delinquent boys from the streets of Washington, D.C., but after almost two decades, their brotherhood seems to be disbanding. As deputy mayor, Jamal needs to protect his image for a potential run for office. Derrick is struggling to balance his personal life with work demands as the new head of the institute, and Ricky's dirty dealings with a local kingpin might get them all into hot water. Each man must confront something that defines who he really is, a challenge that will ultimately doom him or redeem him. Corruption, greed, lust, and betrayal set the stage for this edgy, romantic, diverse series, which is sure to please fans of De'Nesha Diamond and Victoria Christopher Murray.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)