Open Call for Author Tables: 18th Annual Great Midwest Book Fest:Now Open!

Open Call for author tables for the 18th Annual Great Midwest Book Fest is now open!  Tables are $150. If interested, please contact me at radiah@urban-reviews.com and I will send you an invoice. No tables can be held without payment.

www.greatmidwestbookfest.com

On the Line with Radiah Hubbert:Shelia Goss

 

Shelia Goss is a national bestselling and award-winning author known for her captivating romance novels and dynamic, emotionally rich storytelling. With bold narratives, high-glam energy, and heroine-centered plots, Shelia brings heart, heat, and sophistication to every page. She is the author of more than twenty-one books, including the Essence bestselling My Invisible Husband and the critically acclaimed The Joneses and Delilah. USA Today praised her, saying, "Goss has an easy, flowing style with her prose." An AAMBC Romance Author of the Year and Library Journal Best Books honoree, Shelia continues to make her mark in both the literary and screenwriting worlds. Her work spans multiple genres, but romance remains her heart and passion.

Radiah Hubbert: Tell us about Worth the Risk.

Shelia Goss:Worth the Risk is a glamorous, emotionally layered romance set in the high-stakes world of Hollywood. The story follows an ambitious woman who has built her career under the spotlight and a man whose fame brings both opportunity and temptation. As their attraction grows, secrets and public pressure threaten everything they are trying to build. At its core, the novel explores love, trust, ambition, and what it really means to risk your heart when the whole world is watching.

RH:What made you come up with this storyline?

SG:People often view celebrities as characters rather than real people, but I wanted to explore the reality behind the image. Celebrities experience the same emotions and challenges as everyone else. They fall in love, get hurt, make mistakes, and try to navigate relationships while living under constant scrutiny. Setting the story in Hollywood allowed me to examine fame and vulnerability side by side and highlight the human side that exists beyond the spotlight.

RH:Can you give us a sneak peek at book two?

SG:No One Has to Know is a seductive, emotionally charged romance set behind the scenes of Hollywood power. The story follows a driven woman navigating the early stages of her career and a high-profile man searching for connection beyond his fame. When an anonymous online relationship blurs into real life, desire collides with secrecy, ambition, and professional risk. As truths threaten to surface, both must decide what they are willing to sacrifice to protect their hearts and their futures. At its core, the novel explores identity, vulnerability, and the cost of honesty in a world built on image.

RH:If you could give aspiring and new authors one piece of advice, what would that be?

SG:Write consistently, even when it feels uncomfortable. Growth doesn’t come from waiting for inspiration, it comes from showing up to the page and doing the work. The more you write, the more confident and skilled you become.

RH:As an author that has been in this industry for a long time, what is the biggest lesson that you've learned?

SG:The industry changes, and not every book will get the same attention, but staying consistent and true to your voice is what keeps you going. Every project adds to your growth, and patience matters just as much as talent.

RH:Where can readers find you?

SG:Email: sheliagoss@aol.com

Website: www.sheliagoss.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shelia.goss

Instagram: @sheliamgoss

Click here to see the review for Worth the Risk

New Review: Worth the Risk: Shelia Goss

4 out of 5 books

Charlotte Richards has built her own brand from the bottom up. She has become the woman in Hollywood that everyone wants as far as management. Charlotte has a lot of high profile celebrity clients and does not mix business with pleasure. Sean is a sexy R&B star that is on the top of the world. But he’s in search of a new manager. Charlotte fits the bill perfectly. But Sean doesn’t want Charlotte just for professional reasons, he wants her to be his woman. Will Charlotte keep her rule about not mixing business with pleasure?

Romance, sex, and mystery is what you’ll find in Worth the Risk by Shelia Goss. Goss takes readers into the exciting and sometimes problematic world of Hollywood. This book has a good storyline with all of the glitz, glamor, and drama that Hollywood is known for. There is even a shocking mystery that is thrown in for good measure.Worth the Risk is a good fast-paced, spicy romance that is a great start to the Women in Hollywood series.

Reviewed by Radiah Hubbert 

Get your copy of Worth the Risk today!

On the Line with Radiah Hubbert:Kaylynn Hunt

 

RH:Tell us about us about Splitting Souls.

Kaylynn Hunt:Splitting Souls is a look through the eyes of a Black Detective in a town in Oklahoma as he navigates his way through a case that keeps growing. As he unravels the clues, so do you. And you’ll never see what’s coming next.

RH:Why did you pick Oklahoma as the backdrop for this story?

KH:I actually have family in Oklahoma. It seemed like the perfect place to have this story unravel. Lending to the character’s angst in the town.

RH:Do you know when will we see these characters again?

KH:All I’ll say is that you may see SOME of the characters within the next year.

RH:What are some of your upcoming projects?

KH:As far as books:

2026 Almanac Anthology: Just Read Crew

 (A 12 story anthology) 

Releases Dec 31, 2025

https://amzn.to/4rcDg0D

I’m also planning to bring page to screen Summer 2026 with a movie adaptation of HWY 725 Called The Killing Path

RH:Where can readers find you?

KH:Connect via my linktree https://linktr.ee/KaylynnHunt

Click here to see the review of Splitting Souls

New Review:Splitting Souls:Kaylynn Hunt

 

5 out of 5 books

Gideon is an African American detective in Lawton, Oklahoma. He is involved in the most disturbing case of his career.With a potential serial killer on the loose, Gideon is in a race against time before another body drops. When FBI Profiler Shania Brindle arrives, she begins to discover some missing pieces in the case. But is this case more than Gideon and Shania bargained for?

Murder and mayhem is what you’re going to find in Splitting Souls by Kaylynn Hunt. Hunt wastes no time in getting to the action from the very first page. This story is very fast-paced and makes you want to finish it in one sitting. From every dark detail of these cases to heart-stopping action, Hunt does an excellent job of keeping the reader engaged until the end. Splitting Souls is a perfect crime thriller by Kaylynn Hunt.

Reviewed by Radiah Hubbert 

Click here for the Q&A with Kaylynn Hunt

Pre-order your copy of Splitting Souls today!

New Review:Surprise…Swipe Right: A Big Easy Holiday Comedy:Rhonda M. Lawson

 

5 out of 5 books

Miss Loretta is a jazzy widow who is out here enjoying her life. The last thing she’s thinking about is jumping back into the dating scene. Loretta’s daughter Liza sees things differently. Her mother always has this fabulous New Year’s Eve party but Liza wants her mother to have a date for her party. Liza secretly signs Loretta up for a dating app to get things moving. Now, Loretta is finding herself on dates and looking through app messages. But is Loretta ready for the dating life?

Surprise…Swipe Right: A Big Easy Holiday Comedy is a feel-good read by Rhonda M. Lawson. Lawson does an excellent job of bringing us a heart warming and hilarious comedy about modern senior dating adventures. What’s funny about this story is that everyone can experience the murky waters of the dating scene no matter what age you are. Surprise…Swipe Right: A Big Easy Holiday Comedy is a perfect holiday story by Rhonda M. Lawson.

Reviewed by Radiah Hubbert

Get your copy of Surprise…Swipe Right: A Big Easy Holiday Comedy

New Review:The Black Family Who Built America: The McKissacks, Two Centuries of Daring Pioneers:Cheryl McKissack Daniel with Nick Chiles

5 out of 5 books

The Black Family Who Built America is an inspiring piece of history about the rise of McKissack & McKissack. McKissack & McKissack is the oldest minority and woman-owned professional design and construction company in the nation. Cheryl McKissack Daniel brings us the miraculous story of how her company was started and how it is thriving even today. She is the fifth generation of the McKissack family that runs this 200-year-old business.

 This book also gives readers the McKissack family history from slavery to the present and how the construction business was born. The McKissack family is responsible for many buildings on Fisk University campus as well churches, and other projects in New York. The Black Family Who Built America shows that the McKissack family should be included in the same breath as the Ford’s, Rockefeller’s, and others of being one of the pioneers that built America.

Reviewed by Radiah Hubbert 

Get your copy of The Black Family Who Built America today!

New Review:Between Pleasure & Friends : A Steamy BOK Slice-of-Life Novelette (The Brothers of Kemet):Kai Leakes

 

4 out of 5 books

Asia Grant is enjoying her life as a stylist in Accra, Ghana. She’s a consultant on a video shoot and is fully in her element. But someone’s surprise appearance may knock her off her square. Malik Hughes decides to surprise his best friend/crush Asia in Accra. But are Asia and Malik just friends or is it something more?

Brothers of Kemet : Between Pleasure & Friends is a steamy, quick read from Kai Leakes. Leakes gives you a sneak peak into the world of the Brothers of Kemet and Asia and Malik’s relationship. This story is a standalone novellette but it does make you want to go back and read the Brothers of Kemet books. Brothers of Kemet : Between Pleasure & Friends is sexy, read that will heat up those fall and winter nights.

Reviewed by Radiah Hubbert

Pre-order your copy of Between Pleasure & Friends : A Steamy BOK Slice-of-Life Novelette (The Brothers of Kemet)

The Forthcoming:The Mysterious Death of Junetta Plum (A Harriet Stone Mystery):Valerie Wilson Wesley:Release date:December 16, 2025

 

1926: Harriet Stone, a liberated, educated Black woman, and Lovey, the orphaned, biracial 12-year-old she is bound to protect, are Harlem-bound, embarking on a new, hopefully less traumatic chapter in their lives. They have been invited to move from Connecticut by Harriet’s cousin, Junetta Plum, who runs a boardinghouse for independent-minded single women.

It’s a bold move, since Harriet has never met Junetta, but the fatalities of the Spanish flu and other tragedies have already forced her and Lovey to face their worst fears. Alone but for each other, they have little left to lose—or so it seems as they arrive at sophisticated Junetta’s impressive brownstone.

Her cousin has a sharp edge, which makes Harriet slightly uncomfortable. Still, after retiring to her room for the night, she finally falls asleep—only to awaken to Junetta arguing with someone downstairs. In the morning, she makes a shocking discovery at the foot of the stairs.

What ensues will lead Harriet to question Junetta’s very identity—and to wonder if she and Lovey are in danger, as well. It will also tie Harriet to five strangers. Among them, Harriet is sure someone knows something. What she doesn’t yet know is that one will play a crucial role in helping her investigate her cousin’s murder . . . that she will be tied to the others in ways she could never imagine . . . and that her life will take off in a startling new direction.

Pre-order your copy of The Mysterious Death of Junetta Plum today!

The Forthcoming:The Ex Dilemma (Batchelor Life Book 1):Elle Wright:January 27, 2026

 

Wesley Batchelor is desperate for an image reboot—stat. A mysterious social media influencer keeps revealing his many reckless romantic liaisons, putting everything Wesley has worked so hard for at stake. Worse, he’s in deep trouble with his grandmother and Batchelor Enterprises boss, Joyce, his one and only true cheerleader. So he’s stunned and relieved when his gorgeous ex, private detective Albany Keyes, is recruited to track down the leaker . . .

All Wes has to do is keep a cool-headed professional distance. Easy, right? Until the incendiary passion between him and Albany suddenly reignites. And he realizes he wants more from her—just like always . . .

For Joyce's sake, Albany reluctantly accepts the assignment to aid Wes. After all, she needs the money to regroup after a disastrous divorce. But this time, she's going to call the shots. She doesn’t need her heart re-broken by the only man she's ever loved. Yet she soon finds their differences are drawing them together again. And again. And again. Now, with both their careers and their hearts on the line, can they risk another chance on each other—this time, for keeps?

Pre-order your copy The Ex Dilemma today!

New Review : Sageborn : Shakir Rashaan

 

5 out of 5 books

Yasir Salah is the new kid at his high school. He’s trying his best to fit in without drawing too much attention to himself. There is a storm brewing inside Yasir that he doesn’t understand. Why does his eyes change colors and where is this extreme heat coming from on his skin? His family always warned him to be careful. But no one ever told him about his past and exactly what he is. To further confuse things, Yasir notices a quiet beauty named Zahra that peaks his interest. What is a young man to do?

Shakir Rashaan brings us into an entertaining paranormal world with Sageborn. Rashaan does a good job with bringing Yasir’s story to life. It was refreshing to see an African American male teen as the lead character in this kind of story. Rashaan did an excellent job with keeping the same elements of the prior release of this book while adding more exciting elements. You get more insight into Yasir’s surprising background as well as Zahra and other characters. Yes, this is a teen & young adult book but adults will enjoy this too! Sageborn is full of magic, secrets, heart-stopping action that will get you ready for book two.

Reviewed by Radiah Hubbert

Get your copy of Sageborn today!