Adrianne Byrd

{{infobox writer

|name=Adrianne Byrd

|birth_name=Adrianne Janette Byrd

|birth_date={{birth date|1970|11|23}}

|birth_place=Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.

|death_date={{death date and age|2020|10|30|1970|11|23}}

|pseudonym=De'nesha Diamond
Layla Jordan
A.J. Byrd

|occupation=Author

}}

Adrianne Janette Byrd (November 23, 1970 – October 30, 2020) was a best-selling African-American author of more than 50 romance novels. Her most widely held book, The Beautiful Ones, is in more than 400 WorldCat libraries.[http://www.worldcat.org/wcidentities/lccn-no97061543 WorldCat author listing]

Biography

Byrd was born in Memphis, Tennessee, into a military family. She traveled throughout Europe as a child. Byrd's older brother introduced her to romance novels when she was thirteen years of age, and she developed an interest in fiction writing.

Career

In 1994, a co-worker introduced Byrd to an article on the Romance Writers of America. By 1996, she sold her first novel, Defenseless, to Kensington Publishing. In 2006, she co-wrote the Hoodwives trilogy under the name De'nesha Diamond. Subsequently, she has written the bestselling (Hood) Divas series.{{citation needed|date=May 2016}}

National publications, including Today's Black Woman, Upscale, and Heart and Soul have featured her work. She has won local awards for screenwriting as well. {{citation needed|date=May 2016}}

In 2014, Byrd lived in Georgia, USA. She writes as De'nesha Diamond[http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-1-4165-3752-6 "Fiction Book Review: Desperate Hoodwives"] by Meesha Mink, Author, De'nesha Diamond, Author . Touchstone $14 (312p) {{ISBN|978-1-4165-3752-6}}. PublishersWeekly.com. for the Hoodwives and Divas series. She has also written as Layla Jordan and A.J. Byrd.

Novels

Measure of Man is a romantic comedy about a woman, Peyton Garner, who believes that her gay brother, Flex Adams, has found a new lover, Trey "Lincoln" Carver, after ending a ten-year relationship. Lincoln, however, is neither gay nor aware of who Flex is. When Peyton and Lincoln meet in New York, a relationship between the two develops. As Peyton's family gathers for a wedding, these misunderstandings begin to unfold.Ramsdell, K. (2005). Measure of a man. Library Journal, 130(1), 91. {{ProQuest|196745500}}

My Destiny is romance novel about a woman named Destiny who has a distaste for her new neighbor, an attorney named Miles Stafford, who moved into the apartment across the hall. While Destiny observes his cocky behavior and his liking for women, she ultimately turns down his interest in her. However, when a power outage disrupts both of their lives, they are soon brought together and Destiny quickly realizes that she may have judged Miles too quickly. After becoming friends, they open their own law practice together. As they grow older, both Destiny and Miles seek out other romantic interests, but both can't seem to find the right person. Ten years past and Destiny finds Miles while she is intoxicated and shows a renewed interest in her previous lover.Kalan, M. (2003). My destiny. The Booklist, 99(9), 857. {{ProQuest|235558463}}

Awards

=RT Awards=

RT Awards are awarded by Romantic Times Magazine

2003 Comfort of A Man- Best Multicultural
2010 Heart's Secret-Best Multicultural
2011-A Christmas Affair- Best Kimani Romance[http://www.rtbookreviews.com/book-review/christmas-affair "A Christmas Affair - Adrianne Byrd"]. rtbookreviews.com.

Emma Awards, awarded by Romance Slam Jam organization

2003- Comfort of a Man- Favorite Traditional Romance
2012- King's Passion- Best Romance Sequel[http://www.romanceslamjam.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/2012EmmaFinalists.pdf "2012 Emma Awards finalists"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120915150146/http://www.romanceslamjam.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/2012EmmaFinalists.pdf |date=September 15, 2012 }}. Romance Slam Jam

Romance in Color Reader's Choice Awards

2003- Comfort of a Man- Favorite Book
2003- Comfort of a Man- Favorite Hero
2003- Comfort of a Man- Favorite Heroine.

Shade's of Romance

2003- Comfort of a Man-Best Arabesque romance.

Bibliography:

Defenseless (1997) Kensington/ Pinnacle.
Man of the House-One in a Million (1998) Kensington/Pinnacle.
Forget Me Not (1998) Kensington/ Pinnacle.
I Promise (1999) Kensington/ Pinnacle
Say You Love Me (2000) BET/ Arabesque.
Love's Deception (2000) BET/ Arabesque.
All I've Ever Wanted (2001) BET/ Arabesque.
Surrender to Love (2002) BET/Arabesque.
My Destiny (2003) BET/Arabesque
Comfort of a Man (2003) BET/Arabesque
Unforgettable (2004) BET/Arabesque
If You Dare (2004)-Avon HarperCollins[http://www.likesbooks.com/cgi-bin/bookReview.pl?BookReviewId=2211 "If You Dare"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304001951/http://www.likesbooks.com/cgi-bin/bookReview.pl?BookReviewId=2211 |date=March 4, 2016 }}. All About Romance.[http://www.booksnbytes.com/reviews/byrd_ifyoudare.html "Book Review: If You Dare"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130616204303/http://www.booksnbytes.com/reviews/byrd_ifyoudare.html |date=2013-06-16 }}. Books & Bytes, Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner
Measure of a Man (2005) BET/Arabesque
The Beautiful Ones (2005) BET/ Arabesque
Deadly Double (2005) BET/Arabesque[http://freshfiction.com/review.php?id=1503 "Review: Deadly Double by Adrianne Byrd | Old lovers, murder and amnesia make a this a page turner"]. freshfiction.com.{{cite web |url=http://www.bookreview.com/$spindb.query.listreview2.booknew.12502 |title=BookReview.com - Deadly Double |website=www.bookreview.com |access-date=6 June 2022 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140831221314/http://www.bookreview.com/$spindb.query.listreview2.booknew.12502 |archive-date=31 August 2014 |url-status=dead}}[http://www.midwestbookreview.com/mbw/jul_05.htm "Deadly Double"]. Midwest Book Review.
Season of Miracle (2005) BET/Arabesque
When You Were Mine (2006) BET/Arabesque
She's My Baby (2006) Harlequin/ Kimani
Takin' Chances for the Holidays-Finding the Right Key (2006)
Harlequin/ Arabesque
When Valentine's Collide-(2007) Harlequin/ Kimani
Blue Skies (2007) Harlequin/ Arabesque
Feel the Fire (2007) Harlequin/ Arabesque
To Love A Stranger (2007) Harlequin/ Arabesque[http://allthebuzzreviews.com/book-reviews/review-to-love-a-stranger-by-adrianne-byrd "Review – To Love a Stranger by Adrianne Byrd"] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20140831221231/http://allthebuzzreviews.com/book-reviews/review-to-love-a-stranger-by-adrianne-byrd |date=2014-08-31 }}. allthebuzzreviews.com.
Two Grooms and a Wedding ( 2008) Harlequin/ Kimani
Controversy (2008) Harlequin/ Arabesque
Her Lover's Legacy (2008) Harlequin/ Kimani[http://www.rtbookreviews.com/book-review/her-lovers-legacy "HER LOVER'S LEGACY"]. RT Book Reviews.
Sinful Chocolate (2009) Harlequin/ Kimani
Love Takes Time (2009) Harlequin/ Arabesque
Queen of Hearts (2009) Harlequin/ Arabesque
Tender to his Touch (2009) Harlequin/ Arabesque
Body Heat (2010) Harlequin/ Kimani[http://www.rtbookreviews.com/book-review/body-heat-2 "BODY HEAT"]. RT Reviews,
Lover's Premiere (2010) Harlequin/ Kimani
Once Upon a Holiday-Candy Christmas ( 2010) Harlequin/
Arabesque
My Only Desire (2011) Harlequin/ Kimani
King's Passion (2011)-Harlequin/ Arabesque
King's Promise (2011)- Harlequin/ Arabesque
King's Pleasure (2011) Harlequin/ Arabesque
A Christmas Affair (2011) Harlequin/ Kimani