by Pat Simmons
Chocolate bunnies, colorful stuffed baskets and flashy fashion shows are their competition. Despite the enticements, Christian refuses to succumb without a fight. And it becomes a tug of war when his recently adopted ten year-old daughter, Bethani, wants to participate in her friend’s Easter tradition.
Christian hopes he has instilled Proverbs 22:6, into the children’s heart in the short time of being their dad.
A CHRISTIAN FATHER’S DAY, Book III Three fathers, one Father’s Day and four children. Will the real dad, please stand up. It’s never too late to be a father—or is it? Christian Andersen was looking forward to spending his first Father’s day with his adopted children---all four of them. But Father’s day becomes more complicated than Christian or Joy ever imagined. Christian finds himself faced with living up to his name when things don’t go his way to enjoy an idyllic once a year celebration. But he depends on God to guide him through the journey.
David Andersen doesn’t have a problem indulging in Valentine’s Day, per se, but not on a first date. Considering it was the love fest of the year, he didn’t want a woman to get any ideas that a wedding ring was forthcoming before he got a chance to know her. So he has no choice but to wait until the whole Valentine’s Day hoopla was over, then he would make his move on a sister in his church he can’t take his eyes off of.
For the past two years and counting, Valerie Hart hasn’t been the recipient of a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner invitation. To fill the void, Valerie keeps herself busy with God’s business, hoping the Lord will send her perfect mate soon. Unfortunately, with no prospects in sight, it looks like that won’t happen again this year. A WOMAN AFTER DAVID’S HEART is a Valentine romance novella that can be enjoyed with or without a box of chocolates.
CHRISTMAS GREETINGS. For Saige Carter, Christmas wouldn’t be complete without family and friends to share in the traditions they’ve created together. Plus, Saige is extra excited about her line of Christmas greeting cards hitting store shelves, but when she gets devastating news around the holidays, she wonders if she’ll ever look at Christmas the same again.
Daniel Washington is no Scrooge, but he’d rather skip the holidays altogether than spend them with his estranged family. After one too many arguments around the dinner table one year, Daniel had enough and walked away from the drama. When Daniel reads one of Saige’s greeting cards, he’s unsure if the words inside are enough to erase the pain and bring about forgiveness.
HER DRESS. Sometimes a woman just wants to splurge on something new, especially when she’s about to attend an event with movers and shakers. Find out what happens when Pepper Trudeau is all dressed up and goes to the ball, but another woman is modeling the same attire.
At first, Pepper is embarrassed, then the night gets interesting when she meets Drake Logan. Her Dress is a romantic novella about the all too common occurrence—two women shopping at the same place. Maybe having the same taste isn’t all bad. Sometimes a good dress is all you need to meet the man of your dreams.
TESTIMONY: IF I SHOULD DIE BEFORE I WAKE.
It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning, great is Thy faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23, God’s mercies are sure; His promises are fulfilled; but a dawn of a new morning is God’ grace. If you need a testimony about God’s grace, then If I Should Die Before I Wake will encourage your soul. Nothing happens in our lives by chance. If you need a miracle, God’s got that too. Trust Him. Has it been a while since you’ve had a testimony? Increase your prayer life, build your faith and walk in victory because without a test, there is no testimony.
MAKING LOVE WORK ANTHOLOGY
A MOTHER’S LOVE. To Jillian Carter, it’s bad when her own daughter beats her to the altar. She became a teenage mother when she confused love for lust one summer. Despite the sins of her past, Jesus forgave her and blessed her to be the best Christian example for Shana. Jillian is not looking forward to becoming an empty-nester at thirty-nine. The old adage, she’s not losing a daughter, but gaining a son-in-law is not comforting as she braces for a lonely life ahead. What she doesn’t expect is for two men to vie for her affections: Shana’s biological father who breezes back into their lives as a redeemed man and practicing Christian. Not only is Alex still goof looking, but he’s willing to right the wrong he’s done in the past. Not if Dr. Dexter Harris has anything to say about it. The widower father of the groom has set his sights on Jillian and he’s willing to pull out all the stops to woo her. Now the choice is hers. Who will be the next mother’s love”?
LOVE AT WORK. How do two people go undercover to hide an office romance in a busy television newsroom? In plain sight, of course. Desiree King is an assignment editor at KDPX-TV in St. Louis, MO. She dispatches a team to wherever breaking news happens. Her focus is to stay ahead of the competition. Overall, she's easy-going, respectable, and compassionate. But when it comes to dating a fellow coworker, she refuses to cross that professional line. Award-winning investigative reporter Bryan Mitchell makes life challenging for Desiree with his thoughtful gestures, sweet notes, and support. He tries to convince Desiree that as Christians, they could show coworkers how to blend their personal and private lives without compromising their morals.
WORDS OF LOVE. Call it old fashion, but Simone French was smitten with a love letter. Not a text, email, or Facebook post, but a love letter sent through snail mail. The prose wasn’t the corny roses-are-red-and-violets-are-blue stuff. The first letter contained short accolades for a job well done. Soon after, the missives were filled with passionate words from a man who confessed the hidden secrets of his soul. He revealed his unspoken weaknesses, listed his uncompromising desires, and unapologetically noted his subtle strengths.
Yes, Rice Taylor was ready to surrender to love. Whew. Closing her eyes, Simone inhaled the faint lingering smell of roses on the beige plain stationery. She had a testimony. If anyone would listen, she would proclaim that love was truly blind.
THE CARMEN SISTERS SERIES
No Easy Catch. Shae Carmen hasn’t lost her faith in God, only the men she’s come across. Shae and Rahn’s chance meeting sets in motion a relationship where Rahn not only surrenders to Christ, but pursues Shae with a purpose to prove that good men are still out there. After letting her guard down, Shae is faced with another scandal that rocks her world. This time the stakes are higher. Not only is her heart on the line, so is her professional credibility. She and Rahn are at odds as how to handle it and friction erupts between them. Will she strike out at love again? The Lord shows Rahn that nothing happens by chance, and everything is done for Him to get the glory.
In Defense of Love. Lately, nothing in Garrett Nash’s life has made sense. When two people close to the U.S. Marshal wrong him deeply, Garrett expects God to remove them from his life. Instead, the Lord relocates Garrett to another city to start over, as if he were the offender instead of the victim.
Criminal attorney Shari Carmen is comfortable in her own skin—most of the time. Being a “dark and lovely” African-American sister has its challenges, especially when it comes to relationships. Although she’s a fireball in the courtroom, she knows how to fade into the background and keep the proverbial spotlight off her personal life. But literal spotlights are a different matter altogether.
While playing tenor saxophone at an anniversary party, she grabs the attention of Garrett Nash. And as God draws them closer together, He makes another request of Garrett, one to which it will prove far more difficult to say “Yes, Lord.”
Landon Thomas brings a new definition to the word “prodigal,” as in prodigal son, brother or anything else imaginable. It’s a good thing that God’s love covers a multitude of sins, but He isn’t letting Landon off easy. His journey from riches to rags proves to be humbling and a lesson well learned. Real Estate Agent Octavia Winston is a woman on a mission, whether it’s God’s or hers professionally. One thing is for certain, she’s not about to compromise when it comes t
o a Christian mate, so why did God send a homeless man to steal her heart? Minister Rossi Tolliver (Crowning Glory) knows how to minister to God’s lost sheep and through God’s redemption, the game changes for Landon and Octavia.
Driven to Be Loved. On the surface, Brecee Carmen has nothing in common with Adrian Cole. She is a pediatrician certified in trauma care; he is a transportation problem solver for a luxury car dealership (a.k.a., a car salesman). Despite their slow but steady attraction to each other, neither one of them are sure that they’re compatible. To complicate matters, Brecee is the sole unattached Carmen when it seems as though everyone else around her—family and friends—are finding love, except her.
Through a series of discoveries, Adrian and Brecee learn that things don't happen by coincidence. Generational forces are at work, keeping promises, protecting family members, and perhaps even drawing Adrian back to the church. For Brecee and Adrian, God has been hard at work, playing matchmaker all along the way for their paths cross at the right time and the right place.
SINGLE TITLES:
Cinderella had a prince; Karyn Wallace has a King.
While Karyn served four years in prison for an unthinkable crime, she embraced salvation through Crowns for Christ outreach ministry. After her release, Karyn stays strong and confident, despite the stigma society places on ex-offenders. Since Christ strengthens the underdog, Karyn refuses to sway away from the scripture, “He who the Son has set free is free indeed.”
Levi Tolliver is steadfast there is a price to pay for every sin committed, especially after the untimely death of his wife during a robbery. Then Karyn enters Levi’s life. He is enthralled not only with her beauty, but her sweet spirit until he learns about her incarceration. If Levi can accept that Christ paid Karyn’s debt in full, then a treasure awaits him.
Despite being deaf as a result of a fireworks explosion, CEO of a St. Louis non-profit company, Noel Richardson, expertly navigates the hearing world. What some view as a disability, Noel views as a challenge—his lack of hearing has never held him back.
It also helps that he has great looks, numerous university degrees, and full bank accounts. But those assets don’t define him as a man who longs for the right woman in his life.
Deciding to visit a church service, Noel is blind-sided by the most beautiful and graceful Deaf interpreter he’s ever seen. Mackenzie Norton challenges him on every level through words and signing, but as their love grows, their faith is tested.
When their church holds a yearly revival, they witness the healing power of God in others. Mackenzie has faith to believe that Noel can also get in on the blessing. Since faith comes by hearing, whose voice does Noel hear in his heart, Mackenzie or God's?