'Platinum,' a new novel by music journalist Aliya S. King is a summer hot pick full of fabulosity that will keep you reading from front to back in one sitting. So, grab some lemonade, a visor, sunscreen and head for the beach or a nice shady seat on the porch.

The sizzling tale gives a behind-the-scenes look at what happens when the social exigencies of the hip-hop lifestyle surpass the importance of love and commitment.

While interviewing several wives of hip-hop artists for an article for Vibe magazine four years ago, King said she witnessed the trials and tribulations of marriage and relationships. She saw that the worlds of wives and girlfriends were not all made up of Jimmy Choos, red carpets and private jets, which inspired the novel. While 'Platinum' is fictional, the stories are based on what she learned about the women for the article, she said.

'Platinum' revolves around Alex Maxwell, who is about to marry Birdie, a rising star in the hip-hop industry. Meanwhile, she is ghostwriting a scurrilous tell-all by video vixen Cleo Wright, who claims to have bedded all of the famous hip-hop stars, executives and producers. And she's got videos of some sexcapades!

In the following except, Maxwell questions whether she should take on the project during a meeting with Wright.

Wright takes Maxwell on a head-spinning journey that leaves her wondering why hip-hop wives stay with their husbands under such challenging circumstances. One wife is married to a drug-addled aging rap star. Another is dating a record label president in an open secret. And then there is Cleo, who has that certain je ne sais quoi that no man or woman can turn down. Cleo also always gets what she wants.

As she delves deeper into the project, Maxwell learns she may have more in common with the hip-hop wives than she realized. She begins to question what would happen if Birdie finally signs with a major label. Would her life become a reflection of theirs?

Soon, Maxwell finds herself caught in the crosshairs of love and her newly formed relationship with Wright in this thought-provoking tale about relationships, work and success.