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

Layla Snow knows she screwed up. It’s been years since she made the biggest mistake of her life and walked away from the only man she’s ever loved. Liam Westwood has lived a shell of a man for years after the love of his life walked away from him. He knows he should move on, but he can’t. Liam’s haunted by the memory of her. Unfortunate circumstances force Layla to return to Landing, and the last thing she needs is to run into Liam. But it’s a small town, and word travels fast. When Liam learns Layla is back, he seeks her out. And Layla learns just how much damage she’s done.

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.

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.

He was only looking for a night of fun. What he got was something that would last a lifetime.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Good things don’t happen to a woman like Evelyn Fisher. In a few short years, she’s experienced a lifetime of disappointment. But her latest setback has proven to be a bigger debacle than she ever imagined. Malcolm Westwood wouldn’t know hardship if it smacked him in the face. The heir to his family’s business and massive fortune, he’s lived a good life. Maybe a little too good. And that’s why it’s all on the line.

Great journeys often start with a single question. For D. K. Evans, a newly married professional in the Christian-dominated South, that question was, “Why Do I Believe in God?” That simple query led him on a years-long search to better understand the nature of religion and faith, particularly as it applies to the Black community. Evans took inspiration from John Henrik Clarke, Yosef-Ben Jochannan, Hubert Harrison, and John G. Jackson, champions of a rich Black tradition of challenging religious orthodoxy, and also from many others in his own community who had similarly come to question their core religious beliefs.

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.

Sophie Belmonte has dealt with her fair share of judgment. People take one look at her and think they’ve got her all figured out. Nice cars, fancy clothes, impeccable manners. She’s got more money than she knows what to do with.

Ekko Rose is no stranger to struggle. Born to a single, addicted mother, she’s experienced more than her fair share of hardship. Ekko has dreams she’s desperate to fulfill, but when another stroke of bad luck leaves her homeless, her only option is to focus on survival.