About

I'm L.B. Gaines, an author of emotionally messy love stories. Romance that hits like 90s R&B. I am dedicated to telling emotionally honest, character-driven love stories rooted in real life where passion meets pain, and healing is hard-won. My work is deeply influenced by Black literature, urban culture, and the enduring power of love. I write with one goal in mind: to remind readers that love, even when scarred, is never beyond saving.


L.B Gaines

Books

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Christmas With The Mensahs

Book 1.5 in Stamped: A Love Story Collection

Five years after their whirlwind love story in Accra, Kofi and Aliza Mensah are building the life they dreamed of—careers thriving, a marriage full of passion, and hopes for a family that sometimes feel just out of reach. When Aliza’s best friend Tasha joins them for the holidays and Kofi’s business partner Sean crashes Christmas too, the couple...

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Beneath the Harvest Moon: A Small Town Romance

Sade Morgan’s world is built on soil, sacrifice, and the unwavering love she has for her son, Eli. As the owner of a beloved pumpkin farm in Statesville, North Carolina, she’s long since traded in dreams of romance for harvest seasons and hayrides. But when Lorenzo Tate, her childhood best friend and first love, returns to town after a failed...

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Room 214, San Juan

(Stamped: A Love Story Collection Book 2)

She was chasing funding. He was chasing freedom. Neither expected the storm to reroute everything.

Sanaa Jordan is one pitch away from saving her wellness tech start-up. After a whirlwind weekend in Antigua for her best friend’s wedding, she boards a flight back to Philadelphia, ready to return to structure, strategy, and her ever-growing to-do...

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Blog

✨ Becoming Sefi Update Hey Love Letter Collectors 💌So here is the

Hey Love Letter Collectors

So here is the truth.

Becoming Sefi is already getting on my nerves in the best way. These characters are waking me up in the middle of the night like I owe them rent. Sefi is pacing, trying to hide her feelings, and Nelson is pretending he is not obsessed. Tasha is side-eyeing everybody. The whole cast is loud, and I love it.

And now that the playlist is finished, this story finally has a soul, a vibe, and a whole personality.

Here is the link so you can jam with me:

...

Why Mental Health Representation in Books Matters One of the most powerful

One of the most powerful things about the gift of literacy is the ability to be transported by words.

There’s something magical about reading or listening to a story and building the images in your own mind. That process makes me feel ten times more connected to characters, and it builds a deep empathy that stays with me long after the last page.

Through books, I’ve learned so much about mental health representation, about experiences far from my own, but also ones that echo my reality.

As...

The House Party That Filled My Cup If you know me, you know it’s no secret:

If you know me, you know it’s no secret: I am an Alexandria House STAN!

Like, no shame, all caps, full chest stan.

When I launched Beauty, Brains, and Books Book Club, her book Goal was one of the first books I chose. And whenever someone asks me where to start with contemporary romance, whether they’re new to the genre or finding their way back, I always say, “Start with Alexandria House.”

Why?

Because in her books, Black women are being loved loudly and unapologetically.

The representation is...

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Events

Friday, Jan 16, 2026 to Sunday, Jan 18, 2026

150 Westpark Dr, Florence, SC 29501, USA

https://loveinthecarolinas.ticketspice.com/tickets

Love in the Carolinas is going down January 16-18, 2026, in Florence, SC. It is hosted by Author Juri Hines and aims to bring together authors and readers for a book filled weekend of activities, including author signings and meet-and-greets. I will be one of 40+ featured authors and I can't wait to see you!

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Get ready, Dayton! The very first REP YO CITY Book Expo is taking over the city June 26–28, 2026. Pull up for three powerful days of books, culture, creativity, and community vibes.

Author L.B. Gaines will be in the building representing Pittsburgh, PA, sharing her hit novel Room 214, San Juan and connecting with readers who crave Black love, passion, and healing. Whether you're a reader, a writer, or just love good energy—this is THE event you don’t want to miss.

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