Giveaway - Cheaters: A Dark Romance Anthology @XpressoReads

Cheaters: A Dark Romance Anthology

Publication Date: April 5th 2022
Genres: Adult, Dark Romance, Romance

The game: dishonesty.
The goal: to gain advantage.

Morals don’t exist with these people. They do what they want, no matter the consequences.

Rules are thrown out.
Honor is void.
Right and wrong are abandoned.

Find out what happens when truth and loyalty are discarded in a world where what you want, is exactly what you get.

Cheaters is a limited edition collection of addictive stories from your favorite USA Today and bestselling authors.

Authors include:
Cole Denton
S. Firecox
Stephanie Renee
Cassandra Cripps
Anise Storm
Rae B. Lake
Kay Elle Parker
Danielle Jacks
Zoey Zane
Saffron Blu
Mary B. Moore
Stacy McWilliams
Tinley Blake
A R Thomas
Jason Hes
Kirsty-Anne Still
Persephone Autumn
Lindsay Becs
Sienna Grant
Hart De Lune
Jade Royal

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HAWK (Cross Security, #2) by Nancy Brown #BlogTour #Romance @XpressoReads

HAWK
(Cross Security, #2)
By Nancy Brown

Publication date: May 6 2022
Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense

As a member of Cross Security, Mason Hawk is a tormented man on a mission…some might say he has a death wish. No case is too difficult. Nothing if off limits. He delivers his own brand of justice. Solitude is his only reward. For fifteen years he has hidden the secrets he ran from at age seventeen. He shut everyone out when he became a Navy SEAL and he honed his skills to become the monster he believes he is. He’s a man with demons that run deep and dark. No one gets in. That is until she walks into his life and brings him to his knees. She’s beautiful, smart, and perfect. Like beauty and the beast, he believes she could never love a man like him.

Kai Wailani has lived the perfect life. She has a loving family, has surfed all over the world and is on top of her game at the U.S. Airforce, but she wants more. When she joins Cross Security, the only man stopping her from achieving her goal is a gorgeous wall of muscle who goes simply by Hawk. He’s dark, dangerous, and yet, he can make her smile with a single glance. He’s a force when he walks into a room and he wants nothing to do with her.

Like fire and ice, the dance begins. They are enemies. They are lovers. There are so many secrets. Can Hawk and Kai trust each other enough to find their happy ending or will their passion end them both?

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Nancy Carolyn Brown is an author of contemporary romance, fond of writing love stories about hunky badass men endowed with massive hearts, and strong heroines with just the right mix of sweet and sass… flaming hot chemistry and thrilling nail biting suspense is always guaranteed!

She loves cosmos and chocolate and a swoony good book with a strong storyline.

She lives in sunny southern Alberta, Canada with her high school sweetheart husband and naughty Bengal cat. When she isn't writing, she enjoys the simple things in life like spending time with family and friends, reading and running with her favorite playlist blasting in her ears.

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GIVEAWAY! King of Spades by Alta Hensley @AltaHensley @XpressoReads

King of Spades
Alta Hensley

(Dangerous Press)
Publication date: April 5th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Suspense

Nick Hudson has a dangerous reputation.

That’s what I need if I’m going to survive.

Desperation makes me seek out a ruthlessly powerful billionaire.

I need protection.

He demands my virtue as payment.

I’m falling into a world of luxury and sin.

With every twist and turn, I need more.

Except this is not a man to love.

This is a man to fear.

His obsession grows. So does the threat, until I’m trapped in a world of depravity. I’ll need more than Nick’s strength to survive. I’m going to need his heart.

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EXCERPT

There is a fine line between obsession and addiction.

If you ask me which one I suffer from, I can’t give you a clear answer.

I’ve been obsessing over a man. The constant thoughts of him are addicting and I don’t try to fight them off. Obsession or addiction or both?

There has never been a man with this power over me before. But this man… he’s different.

Nick Hudson.

And not just thoughts of him, but also his private playground known as Wonderland.

I’ve always wanted to go, and after that night, four months ago, I am starving to see what lurks beneath the man even more. It was only one night, and yet, it had been the most all-consuming night of my life.

It had been a whirlwind of emotions, and as quickly as everything had happened, it ended. We had kissed. We had touched. He had dominated my body, and then left me wanting more. It was a wicked taste of him and his world, and I’d do anything to experience it again. I will experience it again.

Tonight.

“You look amazing,” Sasha Morelli says with a flick of her dark hair, and one last glance at her own appearance before she closes her compact mirror, placing and places it into her purse. “You’ll fit in perfectly at Wonderland.”

I somehow control my huff that struggles for an escape at her words. I’m good at hiding my feelings, my emotions, and I’ve become a master at the ‘fake it until you make it’ school of thought. But the harsh reality—my reality—is I’ll never truly fit in anywhere. Regardless of what I wear, how I do my hair, or where I go, fitting in is elusive and always will be.

Especially tonight—going to Wonderland. There is no way in hell I’ll ever belong in a place like that. But I sure as hell can act like I do.

Alta Hensley is a USA TODAY bestselling author of hot, dark and dirty romance. She is also an Amazon Top 100 bestselling author. Being a multi-published author in the romance genre, Alta is known for her dark, gritty alpha heroes, sometimes sweet love stories, hot eroticism, and engaging tales of the constant struggle between dominance and submission.

She lives in a log cabin in the woods with her husband, two daughters, and an Australian Shepherd. When she isn't battling the bats, and watching the deer, she is writing about villains who always get their love story and happily ever after.

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GIVEAWAY! - Even Better Than the Real Thing by Melanie Summers #Romance @MJSummersBooks @XpressoReads

Even Better Than the Real Thing
By Melanie Summers

Publication Date: April 7th 2022
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

A swoon-worthy, buttery, uber-fun romance about a fake marriage between two people who couldn’t be more wrong for each other…

You know what’s great about applying for an art history PhD program at one of the world’s most prestigious universities? I get to study what I love and land my dream job at the end of it. You know what’s not so great? Being told I’ll only get accepted to the program if I gain access to my aloof, uppity, super grumpy boss’s private art collection.

As it turns out, said boss—a one Lord Hayden Stuart—needs to get married to inherit his late father’s estate and earldom. And if there’s one thing Hayden Stuart is never going to want for real—it’s a wife.

So, we strike up a deal: I marry him and go live at his castle, where I’ll have unlimited access to his collection, he gets his earldom, and when the estate is settled, we part ways forever.

Win-win, right?

Wrong.

I may have fooled myself into believing I wasn’t risking my heart, but there’s one huge problem: I’m definitely falling for him. He’s not just another man. He’s THE man—an irresistibly good-looking, in-control, expensive-suit-wearing man who makes all the other men look like little boys. And the more time I spend with him pretending to be his wife, the more desperate I become to believe the lie.

But he’s never going to fall for some lowly PhD student. So what if at the wedding he looked at me as if I’m the only woman in the world, and kissed me like he’s shipping off to war in the morning? It doesn’t mean anything.

Or does it?

Because the more we’re together, the more I realize that, even though we’re from totally different worlds, we have a lot more in common than I ever could have imagined.

Now all I have to do is convince him he really does want a wife…

*** Even Better Than the Real Thing is a standalone romance with a little extra spice than a regular Melanie Summers book. ***

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EXCERPT

Finally, Hayden opens his mouth. “I’m not sad he’s dead, you know.”

“I know,” I tell him, squeezing his hand.

“I hated him. He was a complete bastard.”

“I know.”

He looks down at me with tears in his eyes. “Then can you please tell me why the hell I’m so sad right now?”

A lump forms in my throat. “I think you’re grieving the father you should have had.”

Nodding, he sniffs, clears his throat, and says, “How stupid is that? I’m a grown man, for God’s sake.”

“But you used to be a little kid and he needed a dad.”

His shoulders crumple and he lets out a couple of sobs. Letting go of his hand, I wrap my arm around him and pull him close, resting his head on my shoulder and dropping a kiss on his head. I have no idea how long we stay like this, but by the time he’s done, my shoulder aches from the weight of him, and I’m absolutely terrified that I’ve fallen completely in love with him.

Melanie Summers also writes steamy romance as MJ Summers.

Melanie made a name for herself with her debut novel, Break in Two, a contemporary romance that cracked the Top 10 Paid on Amazon in both the UK and Canada, and the top 50 Paid in the USA. Her highly acclaimed Full Hearts Series was picked up by both Piatkus Entice (a division of Hachette UK) and HarperCollins Canada. Her first three books have been translated into Czech and Slovak by EuroMedia. Since 2013, she has written and published three novellas, and eight novels (of which seven have been published). She has sold over a quarter of a million books around the globe.

In her previous life (i.e. before having children), Melanie got her Bachelor of Science from the University of Alberta, then went on to work in the soul-sucking customer service industry for a large cellular network provider that shall remain nameless (unless you write her personally - then she'll dish). On her days off, she took courses and studied to become a Chartered Mediator. That designation landed her a job at the R.C.M.P. as the Alternative Dispute Resolution Coordinator for 'K' Division. Having had enough of mediating arguments between gun-toting police officers, she decided it was much safer to have children so she could continue her study of conflict in a weapon-free environment (and one which doesn't require makeup and/or nylons).

Melanie resides in Edmonton with her husband, three young children, and their adorable but neurotic one-eyed dog. When she's not writing novels, Melanie loves reading (obviously), snuggling up on the couch with her family for movie night (which would not be complete without lots of popcorn and milkshakes), and long walks in the woods near her house. She also spends a lot more time thinking about doing yoga than actually doing yoga, which is why most of her photos are taken 'from above'. She also loves shutting down restaurants with her girlfriends. Well, not literally shutting them down, like calling the health inspector or something--more like just staying until they turn the lights off.

She is represented by Suzanne Brandreth of The Cooke Agency International.

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GIVEAWAY! The Best Friend’s Guide to Taking Risks by Kadie Scott & Nicole Flockton #Romance @NicoleFlockton @AOwenBooks @XpressoReads

The Best Friend’s Guide to Taking Risks
Kadie Scott & Nicole Flockton

Publication Date: April 4th 2022
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

All it takes is one weekend…

Everyone knows that the biggest risk you can take with your best friend is to cross a certain line.

When it comes to relationships, Hunter Lancing is not a risk taker. Between his parents’ terrible divorce and his own bad decisions, he’s been burned. Computers make more sense to him. Everything has a rule. Everything is defined. Like his computers, his best friend is defined, constant, and comes with rules he won’t break.

Part-time children’s party princess Natalie Morgan dances to the beat of a drum no one else can hear. The only person who truly gets her and is never scared off by her sometimes zany ideas is Hunter. But she has a big problem. Natalie keeps having all these…feelings…for her bestie.

But on a weekend getaway, a game of risky dares and one-upmanship that was supposed to just be for laughs may end up with both of them crossing the friend zone line.

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EXCERPT

“Please be home,” she half-pleaded, half-muttered.

She glanced behind her. Checking the shadows. Not that she needed to. Her best friend since forever lived in the posh part of Sacramento thanks to his innovative tech company and savvy business mind. The man always had been a geek to his core, and it had paid off. In millions.

She brushed at a stray tear rolling down her cheek with an impatient hand. Holding them in during the party had been an act of sheer valor, not wanting the kids to get a water-logged princess. Besides crying generally wasn’t her thing. But her business was everything to her. She loved what she did, and that woman…

“Come on Hunter.” She knocked again, a little more frantically.

Slipping her phone from her purse, she scrolled to the contact labeled “Lancelot”—a play on his last name—and the phone started ringing as she knocked again. If he didn’t answer, she’d leave.

“’Lo?” A sleepy voice came over the line with a grumble.

She blew out a breath in sharp relief. “Let me in.”

“Nat? Call me at a human hour.”

“I’m at your door.”

Pause. No doubt his mind taking a second to catch up to her words. “Of course you are.”

“It’s only eight o’clock,” she pointed out dryly. “On a Saturday night.”

And he should be surprised dammit. Natalie wasn’t a party girl by any stretch of the imagination—or at least not the adult kind. Her sister Lexie, on the other hand, could give Studio 54 in the seventies lessons on how to party. All in the name of research for her podcast on dating, she claimed. But 8pm was hardly party time anyway.

“I pulled an all nighter working on code a friend asked me to review. I only just fell asleep. Hunter grumbled as the sound of echoing footsteps on his wooden stairs filtered through the phone. Then a series of beeps—no doubt the alarm—followed by several clicks of locks. She hung up as he cracked the massive metal door open, paused, then swung it wider, his dark brown gaze taking in every inch of her.

“Let me in. Don’t you recognize a damsel in distress when you see one?”

“Sorry.” He hurriedly stepped back, closing and locking the door behind her. After an owlish blink, he tipped his head. “Your tiara’s crooked.”

She started to lift a hand to right it only to stop herself with a scowl. “Yours would be too, if you went through what I did tonight.”

Tonight definitely deserved a title. Party-gate? Abandoned-princess-gate? Never-trust-a-knight-to-show-up-when-he’s-needed-gate?

Thick eyebrows winged high, and was that a twitch to his lips? It disappeared as his gaze slid down her body again, then back up to land on her probably tear-and-mascara-streaked face, and a frown formed between his brows.

Natalie crossed her arms, trying to hold in body warmth, but that only served to plump her breasts over the top of her corset. They were practically to her chin, so she dropped her arms again.

“You didn’t bring a jacket?” he asked.

“I accidentally left the matching fur stole at the party I just finished,” she tossed over her shoulder. She might just never get it back. Facing that mom again was not high on her To Do list about now.

“You seriously have a matching fur stole?”

Hunter flipped on the hall light and Natalie blinked rapidly, but not at the harsher lighting. No, what was setting her retinas on fire was the sight of Hunter in a pair of low-slung black pajama pants and no shirt.

Holy hell, her BFF had muscles.

Her gaze was glued to the eight pack – yes eight – of muscles ridging his stomach. When the hell did he get those?

How long as it been since I’ve seen him without a shirt?

Award-winning contemporary romance author Kadie Scott grew up consuming books and exploring the world through her writing. She attempted to find a practical career by earning a degree in English Rhetoric (Technical Writing) and an MBA. However, she swiftly discovered that writing without imagination is not nearly as fun as writing with it. Kadie also writes sweet contemporary romance as Kristen McKanagh, and award-winning paranormal and YA/NA fantasy romance as Abigail Owen. No matter the genre, she loves to write happily-ever-afters that shine with home, heart, and humor. Kadie currently resides in Austin, Texas, with her own swoon-worthy hero husband and their two children, who are growing up way too fast.

Author links:
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USA Today Bestselling author Nicole Flockton writes sexy contemporary romances, seducing you one kiss at a time as you turn the pages. Nicole likes nothing better than taking characters and creating unique situations where they fight to find their true love.

On her first school report her teacher noted “Nicole likes to tell her own stories”. It wasn’t until after the birth of her first child and after having fun on a romance community forum that she finally decided to take the plunge and write a book.

Apart from writing Nicole is busy looking after her very own hero – her wonderfully supportive husband, and two fabulous kids. She also enjoys watching sports and, of course, reading.

Author links:
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Hollywood Games by Evie Alexander #BlogTour #Romance @evie_author @XpressoReads

Hollywood Games
Evie Alexander

(Kinloch Series, #2)
Publication date: April 4th 2022
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

Brace yourself Scotland, Hollywood’s coming…

Rory’s found the love of his life but can he be sure Zoe feels the same? What can he offer her when his job’s on the line, and his mother’s out to destroy her? When Hollywood superstar, Brad Bauer, shows up wanting to film Braveheart 2 at Kinloch castle, it seems like the answer to all his prayers. However, there’s a catch.

Zoe’s had a crush on Brad since she was a teen. Now he’s here, hotter than ever, and convinced he was married to her in a past life. As Hollywood descends on the tiny village of Kinloch, it’s not just the castle that’s under siege.

A mystical holy man, a sexy starlet, an intense megastar and a couple pushed to the edge. Can Rory navigate the glitter storm and keep his eye on the prize, or by saving the estate, is he about to lose the best thing that’s ever happened to him?

Hollywood Games is a steamy, love conquers all, laugh-out-loud romantic comedy, with no cheating, no cliff-hanger, and a guaranteed happy ever after (HEA). It can be read as a standalone but is most enjoyed after reading Highland Games.

When Hollywood meets the Highlands, things will never be the same again…

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Evie Alexander

Evie Alexander is the author of sexy romantic comedies with a very British sense of humour. She takes a method approach to her work, believing her capacity to repeatedly fail at life and love is what has given her such a rich supply of material for her writing.

Her interests include reading, eating, saving the world, and fantasising about people who only exist between the pages of her books. She lives in the West country with her family.

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Blog Tour - Under the Weeping Willow (Sheltering Trees: Book Two) by Jenny Knipfer #HistoricalFiction #shelteringtreesseries #christianhistoricalfiction @JennyKnipfer @maryanneyarde

Under the Weeping Willow 

(Sheltering Trees: Book Two)

By Jenny Knipfer

Publication Date: 21st October 2021

Publisher: Jenny Knipfer—Author

Page Length: 346 Pages

Genre: Historical Fiction, Women’s Fiction, Christian Historical Fiction, Split Timeline Fiction

A HISTORICAL NOVEL ABOUT A MOTHER AND DAUGHTER AND THE SECRET SHAPING THEIR ROCKY RELATIONSHIP

1918:

Just as Robin Holcomb settles into married life with her husband, Willis, on his aunt and uncle’s farm in Wisconsin, WWI calls Willis away. With an unknown future and a child on the way, Robin makes the best of life among people she barely knows.

After the birth of her child, Robin struggles with depression and battles to overcome her inner demons before despair and hopelessness drive her to attempt to take her own life. Will Robin survive her dive into postpartum depression, let alone see Willis again?

1983:

Enid Fenton clears out her Mother’s house and puts the family farm up for sale, trying to not be consumed by guilt for installing her mother into the county nursing home.

Reading through some of her mother’s diary entries, Enid uncovers a secret that helps her make sense of the unnamed point of division that has always soured their relationship.

Can Enid reconcile with her mother before the ravages of Alzheimer’s claim her?

Readers of historical fiction, Christian historical fiction, literary fiction, and women’s fiction will be moved as this novel takes them from the depths of a person’s psyche and grief to the pinnacle of long-hoped-for peace.

Trigger Warnings:

Postpartum depression, attempted suicide, Alzheimer's

Praise

“Knipfer has created a story that crosses many genres and will appeal to those who love poignant epics about complex characters, engrossing plots, relatable situations, and a satisfying ending.” Tammy Ruggles for Readers’ Favorite, five-star review

“A sensitive and well-crafted drama unpacking issues of mental health, layers of grief, societal expectations, and the instability of memory, this novel is touching on the surface, but subtly and profoundly layered with meaning.” Self-Publishing Review ★★★★★

"A heart-rending, emotionally packed love story between a mother and daughter, Under the Weeping Willow is a journey of loss and brokenness coupled with forgiveness and healing. This time-split novel captured my heart and didn't release it until the final page. Beautiful and haunting, Robin and Enid's story swept me to another era. These characters lived, and I loved watching them find their way to each other. Keep the tissues handy. You don't want to miss this story!" ~Candace West, Selah award finalist and author of the Valley Creek Redemption series

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Jenny lives in Wisconsin with her husband, Ken, and their pet Yorkie, Ruby. She is also a mom and loves being a grandma. She enjoys many creative pursuits but finds writing the most fulfilling.

Spending many years as a librarian in a local public library, Jenny recently switched to using her skills as a floral designer in a retail flower shop. She is now retired from work due to disability. Her education background stems from psychology, music, and cultural missions.

All of Jenny’s books have earned five-star reviews from Readers’ Favorite, a book review and award contest company. She holds membership in the: Midwest Independent Booksellers Association, Wisconsin Writers Association, Christian Indie Publishing Association, and Independent Book Publishers Association.

Jenny’s favorite place to relax is by the western shore of Lake Superior, where her novel series, By The Light of the Moon, is set.

She deems a cup of tea and a good book an essential part of every day. When not writing, Jenny can be found reading, tending to her many houseplants, or piecing quilt blocks at her sewing machine.

Her new historical fiction, four-part series entitled, Sheltering Trees, is set in the area Jenny grew up in, where she currently lives, and places along Minnesota’s Northern Shore, where she loves to visit. She is currently writing a four-part novella series entitled: Botanical Seasons.

Keep current with Jenny by visiting her website at https://jennyknipfer.com. Ways to connect with Jenny via social media, newsletter, and various book sites can be found on her website. 

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