Heartbreak U: Freshman Year

Four diverse young women, each at a crossroads in their lives, meet at a very popular HBCU.

Born and raised in the heart of Brooklyn, Franki doesn’t take crap from anyone. Continuously hurt by the men in her life, she finds herself using them for the only thing she believes they’re good for: sex. When she’s labeled for her promiscuity and a new tragedy strikes, how will she recover?

Paris, on the other hand, has led a life of privilege out in Beverly Hills--one that didn’t include very many minorities in her circle. When her mother sends her off to an HBCU in hopes that she’ll reconnect with her people, she finds herself culture-shocked.

Asha, the local girl, is a complete slacker when it comes to school and anything else that doesn’t align with her future plans of becoming a basketball wife. She is a user and a mastermind manipulator who will ultimately have to pay a price.

Lastly, there’s Hope, the good girl. Raised by her father and brought up in the church, she’s been sheltered most of her life. When she falls hard for the big man on campus and gets her heart crushed to pieces, will she persist?

Told from each character’s distinct point of view, this narrative is about young women navigating the dynamics of sex, love, and heartbreak in college. Being outcasts in their own right, these four young women ultimately forge a very unique bond.

Born in Baltimore, Maryland, where she grew up on the outskirts of the city, Johnni Sherri has always been a true lover of the arts. As a natural-born introvert, reading, writing, and drawing quickly became her favorite pastimes. After graduating from East Carolina University with her bachelor’s degree, she remained in North Carolina, where she currently resides with her husband and three beautiful children. Although today she works in corporate America, she still continues to make time for one of her greatest passions: writing.

After secretly writing many short stories over the years, in 2016, Johnni Sherri began penning her first novel just for amusement. On a whim, she entered a short story contest in 2017 and won her first publishing contract. With this opportunity, she was able to release her very first five-star series, Protect My Sister’s Heart. With her writing, she strives to detail the complex realities of young urban love in a way her readers can relate to. Her goal is always to paint a picture with every page, leaving book lovers yearning for more. She feels that if she can touch just one heart or mind with her work, the late-night typing is well worth it.