Parker Davies, former rodeo star turned U.S. Marshal, wants something he can’t have—Tilly Bradford. He had met the equestrian, fell for her, and then saw her name on a case that came across his desk. Suddenly he had to step back from the one woman he had wanted. Instead, he threw himself into the work of the task force he’d been assigned to—the one tasked with taking down the person responsible for financing the criminal underworld. Tilly Bradford wasn’t like the rest of her family. She didn’t care about the generations of old money, the glamorous galas, or being the center of attention. She cared about show jumping and investing in small businesses. And Tilly certainly didn’t ever care to see Parker Davies, the man who had completely shut her down, again. But then Parker went and kicked down her door. Handcuffs were used (and not in a fun way), bullets were flying, and criminals came out of the woodwork to take her out. Now it wasn’t just Tilly’s heart, but her life in Parker’s hands. The question was: what would he do with it, and would she even be alive to find out?

The central focus of the Old Testament is God's love. Written in an easy-to-read and well-documented style, Dr. Thomas Olbricht has provided us with an inspiring look at the steadfast, unmeasurable love God has for His children. As Dr. OlBricht write, the story line of the Old Testament is easier to follow if one is familiar with the basic contours. This book is designed to identify certain foundational affirmations in the Old Testament and to trace the threads, which bind the whole together. We are concerned with the central message of the Old Testament -- that the God of the Old Testament is an icessant lover.

Guardian of Light - Protection and Healing with Archangel Michael There exists a realm where the invisible becomes presence, and Archangel Michael rises as a silent guardian of light and strength. Guardian of Light is an invitation to cross that threshold, where the sacred touches everyday life and awakens an ancient power within us, both protective and transformative. Here, the reader is guided to access hidden practices and profound meditations that invoke Michael as both shield and flame, dissolving shadows and revealing a dormant potential awaiting its awakening. Michael is not merely a defender against influences that drain our essence; he is the bearer of the sword that cuts through the veils of fear, illuminating the path to rare inner clarity. Through sacred symbols and ancestral rituals, one discovers a direct bond with the divine, a link that transcends time and space. Each gesture, each invocation, each summoned blue flame opens doors to a reality where the spirit finds refuge, courage, and peace. For those seeking not only protection but a fusion with their own divine essence, this book is both key and map. Guardian of Light reveals an awakening that echoes in the soul, a reflection of serene truth and an invisible strength dwelling within each of us. With Michael’s presence, life becomes a sanctuary where purpose and serenity walk side by side, illuminated by a light that never fades.

Large marine protected areas (MPAs) have emerged since the mid-2000s as a popular state response to the overfishing, land run-off, and climate change causing the decline of the world's oceans. As of 2020, there were more than 14,000 MPAs in the world, most of them small, poorly managed, and often amounting to little more than "paper parks" that contribute little to ocean conservation or resource management. However, that is beginning to change. In recent years, governments, including the United States and United Kingdom, have turned their attention to protecting large swaths of ocean through MPAs hundreds of thousands of square kilometers in size. In this book, Justin Alger documents the efforts of activists and states to increase the pace and scale of global ocean protections, leading to a paradigm shift in how states conserve marine biodiversity. Through an analysis of domestic political economies, and based on three original MPA case studies located in the United States, Australia, and Palau, this book explains how states have protected millions of square kilometers of ocean space while remaining highly responsive to the interests of businesses. From the commercial fishing to ecotourism sectors, business heavily influences conservation policy, occasionally leading to robust protections but more often than not to business-as-usual activity on the water. Conserving the Oceans examines the reach and the limits of business influence, examining how the domestic political economy of a given ocean space can reshape a global norm to better suit local economic realities. While recognizing important global progress and growing ambition to conserve ocean ecosystems, Alger provides a critical analysis of the processes by which global environmental norms become domestic policy. Ultimately, the book questions if we are still doing too little to prevent the worst impacts of the global environmental crisis despite the paradigm shift in global ocean conservation.

Years ago, on the darkest night of Poppy and Zinnia’s lives, they got a letter. It was from three elderly sisters in the small town of Keeneston, inviting them to visit and if interested, take a job. The Rose Sisters had wanted to retire, but they’d wanted family to take over their small café. Poppy and Zinnia Meadows, orphaned, alone, and in danger, left in the dead of night and raced toward the hope of a future they knew may come crashing down at any moment. That moment is now. Talon Bainbridge and Lucas Sharpe are teammates in the FBI’s Hostage Rescue Team based near Keeneston. The two friends have both fallen hard for the Meadows sisters, but suddenly the girls end what never had the chance to begin. Something was going on, but neither Poppy nor Zinnia would tell them what it was when all they wanted to do was to help the women they loved from afar. Poppy had been hiding a secret from her older sister and everyone in Keeneston. Someone knew what happed that graduation night back in Alabama when their lives changed forever. They’d been taunting Poppy for almost a year. As they approached the anniversary of the night their lives changed, the threats had escalated. With no other option, Poppy comes clean to Zinnia. They turn to Talon and Lucas, the two men they trust most, to protect them from the past knowing they may have to sacrifice their future to do so.

Florida Historical Society Stetson Kennedy Award The activists and victories that made Florida a leader in land preservation Despite Florida’s important place at the beginning of the American conservation movement and its notable successes in the fight against environmental damage, the full story of land conservation in the state has not yet been told. In this comprehensive history, Clay Henderson celebrates the individuals and organizations who made the Sunshine State a leader in state-funded conservation and land preservation.  Starting with early naturalists like William Bartram and John Muir who inspired the movement to create national parks and protect the country’s wilderness, Forces of Nature describes the efforts of familiar heroes like Marjory Stoneman Douglas and May Mann Jennings and introduces lesser-known champions like Frank Chapman, who helped convince Theodore Roosevelt to establish Pelican Island as the first national wildlife refuge in the United States. Henderson details how many of Florida’s activists, artists, philanthropists, and politicians have worked to designate threatened land for use as parks, preserves, and other conservation areas.  Drawing on historical sources, interviews, and his own long career in environmental law, Henderson recounts the many small victories over time that helped Florida create several units of the national park system, nearly thirty national wildlife refuges, and one of the best state park systems in the country. Forces of Nature will motivate readers to join in defending Florida’s natural wonders.