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

Reagan Stuart is happy being alone. It’s hard to be disappointed if there aren’t any attachments. Hart Anderson knows that love hurts. He learned it as a kid, he learned it again as a teenager, and he learned it from his time in the military. Two broken souls, Reagan and Hart are on the same wavelength when it comes to relationships. It’s best to keep what they’ve got between them strictly physical. But things change. When Hart heads to Reagan’s for a night of fun, she’s gone. Vanished. Hart knows that Reagan would never just disappear, and he fears she’s in real trouble.

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.

This book offers a unique, interdisciplinary, and thoughtful look at the challenges and potency of Black women's struggle for inner peace and mental stability. It brings together contributors from psychology, sociology, law, and medicine, as well as the humanities, to discuss issues ranging from stress, sexual assault, healing, self-care, and contemplative practice to health-policy considerations and parenting.

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.

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.

Like every hardworking member of Harper Security Ops, Forrest Hickman takes time away from work to relax and recharge. And he often does that while riding his snowboard on the slopes of his favorite ski resort. He wasn’t sure anything would be better than some time alone to clear his head. That is, until he meets someone to spend his break with. Daisy Clark is searching for a place to put down roots. And she’s doing that while she tries to get back to some semblance of a normal life.

When Maren Casey’s best friend was kidnapped and held for ransom, one name came to mind. She just wasn’t sure her high school sweetheart would want to see her again, not after the way things ended between them.

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.

What happens when your home turns toxic? The place she should have felt safest was a nightmare turned reality for Josie Day. Each day that passes gets worse and worse. And it’s been that way her entire life. But she refuses to be a statistic, so she comes up with a plan to get out. Huck Davidson immediately recognizes the signs when a chance encounter puts him face-to-face with Josie for the first time in years. He pleads with her to let him help, and she agrees.

Ellery Cross did what she had to do to save her family from ruin. She married a man she wasn’t in love with. Worse, she married a man she knew nothing about. But Ellery eventually learns all she needs to know about her husband. And sticking around is not an option.

Brynn Allen has always been ambitious. If there’s something she wants, she goes after it. That attitude has driven her to build a successful career. As more and more people begin to notice her when she’s out, Brynn believes it’s time to be proactive in another aspect of her life. Her safety.

Hanna Briggs was just as riveted to the news as the rest of the town when a seemingly innocent man was murdered. The difference was that while they all prayed for justice, Hanna felt relief. But then someone else Hanna knows is murdered. And another. And another.

Aria Todd is the new girl in town. She doesn’t mind the title. In fact, she’s thrilled that she’ll have the chance to start over in a place where nobody knows her. Where nobody can get to her. And where her new neighbor has her peeking out her window regularly. Paxton Fields is Steel Ridge’s resident nice guy. He’s kind to everyone, even the injured and abandoned animals he rescues on occasion. That’s why he catches Aria’s eye, and the pair explore the chemistry between them.

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.

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.

Lorenzo De Luca’s troubled past has left him a shell of a man. Determined to not let history repeat itself, Lorenzo vows to protect others from the violence that lives inside him. But when Jolie Moore literally stumbles into his arms and his life, Lorenzo finds himself captivated by her larger-than-life personality.

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.

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.

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.