This HaBO comes from Chioma, who wants to find this romance:
I read this African-American romance novel as a kid, and I am trying to find the title and author. It was likely published between 1995 and 2005. It is a standalone book set in the USA, and the cover was definitely an illustrated style—not a real photo. I vaguely remember it having a rose on it, but I could be wrong about that part.
The story opens with the biracial female lead bathing and grooming herself for a date. The book describes her braids and the yellow jumpsuit she was planning to wear. They hit it off immediately on that first date—they don’t work together, and they were never enemies. Even though she normally doesn’t do things like this, they end up having sex on his carpet that same night. Both main characters are Black, in their 30s, and have strong careers. The female lead (whose mom is black and dad is white) is a successful black woman. The male lead—whose name might be Richard or something similar—is a successful black man (he is definitely not a billionaire). I also remember the male lead has a white best friend, or his best friend married a white woman.
The female lead has a very specific family backstory. Her parents were activists during the “afros and fists pumping” era; her mother was a Black activist advocating Black rights, and her father was a white activist who joined her. Because of this, she didn’t grow up with them. Actually, they died. She was raised by her grandmother in her hometown. She has a gay uncle, a female best friend, and a family full of nosy aunts and cousins. At some point in the story, her grandmother passes away.
The major plot revolves around the male lead building a house completely from the ground up. Knowing her professional expertise, he asks her to decorate the house under the guise that it is for a secret “client.” She even visits the house while it is being built, completely unaware that it is actually for her. In the end, they get married and move into the home he built and she designed.
These are the details I remember, because I read it as a young girl (I snuck, but I am an adult now lol). Please help me. I have searched for years and I want to read it again. Thank you.
I know we can find this one!