Showing results by author "A.K. Evans" in All Categories

Women are often told by their communities that being a mother will complete or define them. But many women find themselves depleted and spiritually stagnant amid the everyday demands of being a mom. They long to experience a rich inner life but feel there is rarely enough time, energy, or stillness to connect with God in a meaningful way.

When carefree musician Elizabeth "Elle" Blackman discovers someone has been in her apartment just days before she's set to go on tour, she makes the only sensible choice there is. She runs right to the front door of Cunningham Security, where the owner is not only the man capable of keeping her safe, but also the guy she's crushed on for months.

As the lead singer of a wildly popular industrial rock band, Cash Morris has never had to work too hard when it comes to women. So when he walks into a small-town New Hampshire hotel and spots the manager, he expects her to do the same. Demi Stokes has seen enough deception to last a lifetime and has written off the possibility of ever getting serious with someone for good. Cash, the rock star with killer good looks, an incredible voice, and playboy ways is the very definition of what she intends to steer clear of. But Cash is used to getting what he wants.

Is there a Christian spirituality that embraces the entire reality of womanhood? The answer, Shannon K. Evans suggests, is an emphatic yes. There is a spirituality that meets us in every part of our lives, developed by the women who came before us. Six mystics—Teresa of Ávila, Margery Kempe, Hildegard of Bingen, Julian of Norwich, Catherine of Siena, and Thérèse of Lisieux—revealed a faith big enough to hold the female experiences of sex and desire, the yearning for bodily autonomy, the challenges of motherhood and identity, as well as life with male authority and—sometimes—violence.

Sawyer McKinney didn’t want to come back. It wasn’t like anyone wanted to see her ever again anyway. But this was about life or death, and that meant there was only one place she could go. If Jesse Hale never saw Sawyer again, it would be too soon. After all the devastation she left behind years ago, he can’t imagine why she’d ever show her face again.

Flos Ventrine, princess of Solijax, is to be wed to the vile king Jonan of Nelktern. On the eve of the wedding, Flos escapes, running into the forest, only to be met with things she has only read in books. Will the mysterious beings help her escape, or will Jonan get her back?

Royce Blackstone has one rule: Never get personally involved with his clients. As the owner of Harper Security Ops, Royce is well aware of everything and everyone inside his building. When he’s about to go in after the biggest lead on latest case that’s landed on his desk, Royce didn’t expect he’d have to abort the mission early. It might have seemed like Tarryn Hendrix was simply looking to learn some new skills, but dedicating two years of her life to training her mind and body is all part of Tarryn’s plan.

Pierce Reynolds loves the community he’s lived in all his life. So when multiple businesses in town are set ablaze faster than the police department can investigate, Pierce volunteers to be the lead investigator on the case. Pierce’s investigation lands him at Zara’s front door, and he’s immediately taken with her. While Zara can’t deny that he’s an attractive and well-respected man, she refuses to get involved.

Alana Wolf has never been one to mind her own business. As a reporter, she’s always searching for the truth. But she didn’t anticipate it would lead to people wanting her dead. He was in the wrong place at the right time. Ty Weaver didn’t think his day could get any worse. But he knew something bad was going to happen when he saw the car racing down the street. Unable to get the woman from the crash out of his head, Ty visits Alana in the hospital the next day. That’s when he learns that she hadn’t simply lost control of her car.

Walker Rhodes has never been the typical rock star—one who is happy with meaningless hookups. That’s because he’s been hiding a secret from his bandmates for years. Sadie Emerson knew it was risky to open her heart to Walker, but the man was too hard to resist. And now that she’s fallen in love with Walker, all Sadie wants is to be closer to him. But there’s one small problem. Beck. The pair refuse to give one another up, but they’re both worried that when Beck finds out, Walker will have to choose between the woman he loves and the band he calls his family.

Cierra Wallace always tried to do the right thing. Helping others has been high up on her list of priorities. That’s probably because she realized years ago that one person could make a difference. Only now she’s wondering if the help she provided years ago was her best idea. Greyson West senses a bit of fear when Cierra shows up at Harper Security Ops looking for self-defense and tactical training skills. It’s not uncommon in his line of work, but something about seeing the worry in Cierra’s eyes hits him a little differently.

Beck Emerson never intended to get involved in someone else’s drama. But when he sees a new mom on the verge of a breakdown after catching her husband cheating, Beck doesn’t hesitate to step in.

Brixton Steele isn’t sure he’s the right man for the job. His memories from his time in the military have haunted his dreams for years. He lives every day wishing it was him who had died in combat. When his dead best friend’s little sister comes to him for help, his nightmares become reality. Knowing she’s in trouble, Brixton can’t turn Liv away. Especially when he sees the hopeful look in her eyes. Brixton fell down once on the job. He won’t do it a second time.

Protected. That’s how Kaia Banks spent the better part of her childhood. Raised by an abusive father, Kaia relied on her older sister to keep her safe. But Kaia’s all grown up now. And when her relationship places her in the line of fire, Kaia takes matters into her own hands. Remi Archer is no stranger to surprise. As part-owner of Archer Tactical, it’s his job to prepare himself and others for unpredictable situations. Unfortunately, no amount of training will prepare him for Kaia. When the gorgeous woman requests he train her, Remi can’t say no.

Lamise Kelly walks into Harper Security Ops desperately hoping for a job. Working in a place filled with men who could see she remains unharmed is the perfect solution to all of her problems. Only, they’re not hiring. For the first time in months, something stirs in Banks’ chest at the sight of Lamise. He wants to deny it, but he can’t. Refusing to let her walk away, Banks offers her a different kind of job. Becoming a nanny wasn’t what she’d had in mind, but Lamise accepts the opportunity.

When Damon Knight’s younger sister is kidnapped, Avalon is determined to help him in any way she can. When she winds up kidnapped herself, Avalon doesn’t use what she knows to save herself. Instead, she promises to rescue Damon’s sister. She knew it was stupid, but she blamed it on love.

Liliana Mack has spent the last seven years living in the spotlight. Needing time away from the all the glitz and the glam of Hollywood, Liliana returns to her hometown. She just never expected her homecoming would put her in harm’s way. Jagger Lowe is Harper Security Ops’ lead bodyguard. He’s accustomed to working with high-profile clients and always keeps it professional. When Liliana hires the firm to deal with a pesky problem, Jagger gets a bit more than he bargained for.

Mallory Grant and Nixon Scott met purely by chance. With an instant attraction between them, the pair was easily tempted to give in to their desires. Despite the fact that Mallory wants more with Nixon, she’s willing to settle for what he is prepared to offer: a physical relationship with no strings. But when Mallory gets robbed at gunpoint, Nixon starts paying more attention. She assumed the robber was a man looking for some quick cash. Nixon wondered if that was all there was to it. And when Mallory gets kidnapped, Nixon realizes his instincts were right all along.

When Skye Callahan’s boyfriend tells her he’s been cheating with her best friend, one thing becomes clear. She’s nearly lost it all. No family, no friends, and now, no boyfriend. Fortunately, Skye’s got her bookshop, and she’s beginning to think that’s the only thing worth holding onto. Unfortunately, something comes flying through the front door of her store, leaving her wondering how things could possibly get any worse.

Being a Westwood isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Sure, Ivy loves her family, their business, and knowing she’s got a secure future. But there’s a downside, too. Love. Ivy’s convinced she’ll never have the happy ending her three older brothers have found. But she’s determined to put herself out there anyway. Marco Kingston doesn’t have a care in the world. He loves his life, his job, and his family. He even loves his best friend’s family, the family he works for. Despite his closeness to the Westwood family, Marco’s never considered the possibility of something more meaningful with Ivy.