Do hustlers need love too? This is the question in the fictional jaunt of Love and the Game. Jersey City author, Daniel Ali explores the socio-economic causes of criminality in the inner cities of America, and how those who get caught up in the ‘Game’ reconcile their lives, relationships, and emotions. Ali unpacks the ‘Game’ through protagonist Adriano de Souza, a young, first-generation Afro-Brazilian street hustler torn between a lucrative but violent world and the woman he’s loved his entire life. He intentionally and methodically unmasks their pain and secret coping mechanisms as they struggle to balance life with betrayal and deception. He skillfully breathes life into relatable characters by focusing on the real-world human themes evident in the tragic but all too common reality of the street. While Love and the Game exposes the truths of the fast-life allure and the American lust for material gain, it also offers a unique perspective of the conflicted, inner humanity of many of those who get caught up and whose voices are often muted.