Category Archives: Giveaway

Giveaway – All This time by Annabelle McCormack @XpressoTours

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All This Time
Annabelle McCormack
(Brandywood, #1)
Publication date: October 25th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Almost ten years ago, Samantha Redding swore off her hometown of Brandywood, Maryland. Sure, she misses her family, but she’s over the gossip and drama that came with small-town living. Besides, she has the photography career she always dreamed of now.

Then her mom gets sick. Faced with a long stay at home, Sam is forced to relocate a holiday photoshoot to Brandywood to meet a tight work deadline. Only problem is, she needs help from the townspeople she’s spent years distancing herself from. Strangely, Sam finds an ally in someone who kept her at arm’s length all his life: brooding and sarcastic Garrett Doyle—the guy that dumped her best friend at the altar years before.

But Sam never knew Garrett tried to keep his distance because he was really in love with her. And he’s just come back to town after trying to get his life together. Garrett knows he ought to stay away—but the sight of her brings back all those old feelings. Anyway, she’s leaving Brandywood soon enough, and then he can go back to trying to forget her.

. . . except, Sam’s about to discover that everything she thought she knew about home—and Garrett—was wrong.

A contemporary romance with steamy, open door romance and tear-jerking moments about facing the past and finding forgiveness, All This Time is the first book in the Brandywood Small Town Romance Series. CW: alcoholism, abuse, cancer, language

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EXCERPT

Sam/Garrett (Sam’s POV)

Garrett nodded toward Yardley’s. “You should go back. Mr. December might show up eventually, and from what I’ve heard from the women at Bunny’s, you don’t want to miss a date with him.”

Fresh embarrassment prickled Sam’s cheeks. He must know about the firefighter calendar Katie had been going on about. “I’m actually glad he didn’t show up.”

Garrett gave her an odd look then understanding dawned on him. He started walking again. “Because you’re not ready to move on from Eli. I get it.”

Eli? Huh. No, that had been the furthest thought from her mind. She practically had to trot to keep up with him. “Please slow down. It’s pretty much impossible for me to keep up with you and I don’t want to walk you to your place in a broken heel.”

Garrett laughed. “You don’t have to walk me to my place.”

“Well, maybe I could use some company tonight.” Her breath crystalized and fogged in front of her. “It’s been a really shitty night.”

“Because of Mr. December?” Garrett looked over his shoulder at her, then seeming to notice the pace he was setting for her, he stopped again.

She caught up to him, her heart racing from exertion. “Why don’t you let me call you a car?”

“It’s a ten-minute walk, Redding. I’d already be halfway there if it wasn’t for you. I’m not from New York, like you.”

From New York. She lifted her brows. “How am I from New York?”

“You’re impractically dressed for a night at the end of November in the mountains.” Garrett smiled tightly. “And encouraging me to do rideshare. Go home. And I don’t mean to your mom’s. You don’t want to be here anyway.”

“Why are you acting like this? I thought we were—” She stopped, her shoulders falling. That feeling of closeness with Garrett over the last week . . . had it all been one-sided?

His face darkened. “You thought we were what?”

“Nothing.” Sam turned and looked back up the street, half-tempted to just walk away and call a car. Garrett awaited an answer. “I don’t know. Friends? You’ve been nice to me, Garrett, even when most everyone else has been making me feel like I’m this awful human being.”

Whatever anger Garrett seemed to hold toward her seemed to thaw and his mouth pursed. Unzipping his coat, he took it off and handed it to her. “I know. You don’t need my help, but if you’re going to walk me back to my house, you should probably have it. I’d offer you my shoes, but I don’t think they’ll fit.”

She laughed lightly and put the coat over her shoulders.

Garrett’s warmth radiated from the coat. And his scent. Raw and masculine, with a hint of something smoky and sweet. Almost the way the pipe tobacco from the old cigar shop in town used to smell. She’d stopped in there occasionally as a kid, just to fill her lungs with it.

Addictive.

Something in the scent and the warmth of his body made her legs tingle, her nerves lurch.

“Thank you.” She willed her feet into motion and continued at his side. “Now are you going to tell me what’s wrong?”

“Nope.” Garrett put his hands in his pockets. He gave her a sidelong glance. “So are you going to patch things up with Eli then?”

“No. If being back has taught me anything, it’s that Eli is part of my past. We keep trying to make it work, but I think it’s mostly because we were always good friends and neither of us wanted to hurt the other by letting go.” Her gaze moved to the picture windows of the shops lining Main Street. Overnight, Christmas decorations and lights had gone up. “And in the end, we probably hurt each other more than we would have if we’d just had the courage to let go.”

“Then why were you glad Mr. December didn’t show up?”

She pulled his coat tighter around her. Why had she? Because she had only agreed to do this for Katie’s sake. And because . . . she blinked. “I don’t know. It was just a dumb blind date. I would rather spend time with someone I care about. Like you. So it all worked out.”

Garrett froze, swiveling on one foot to face her. He caught her by the wrist and opened his mouth, but no words came out.

Then his thumb brushed across the soft skin right near her palm.

Gentle, but deliberate. A caress so thoughtless she shouldn’t have noticed. But she did. She noticed.

And goose bumps rose under his grip, her fingertips buzzing into their own strange life, aching to reach his fingers and brush against them.

Her breath caught and her eyes flew to him, her breath slowing as he scanned her gaze. Then his gaze closed off and he let go of her wrist. “Well, I’m glad it worked out too.”

What the hell was that?

The sensual tug wasn’t unfamiliar, but it had never been so strong, never so intense. Garrett had touched her before. But something just then had been different.


Author Bio:

Annabelle McCormack spins you tales of epic historical adventure, heartfelt romance, and complex family dynamics with strong female protagonists to make things interesting. She graduated from the Johns Hopkins University’s M.A. in Writing Program. She’s a sucker for pizza (cheese, bread, and tomatoes are the perfect foods) and mangoes, loves baking and photography, and never wants to do laundry again. She lives in Maryland with her hilarious husband, where she serves as a snack bitch for her (lucky-they’re-cute) five children and three boxers.

She’s half-Costa Rican and speaks fluent Spanish, so you can always drop her a line in either English or Spanish. Pura vida!

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram / Bookbub / Twitter


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Giveaway – In Possession Of A Good Fortune by Shanae Johnson #XpressoTours

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In Possession of a Good Fortune
Shanae Johnson
(Pemberley Ranch, #3)
Publication date: October 25th 2022Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Women’s Fiction

When Lydia Bennett runs off and gets engaged to Mr. Wrong, she’ll have no idea it’ll be for all the right reasons.

Chatterbox Lydia Bennett has always felt like the stepchild in her redheaded family. To get out from the shadows of her successful older sisters, she starts a gossip blog fueled by info from her best friend, and heiress Emma. When Lydia gets the chance to write a story for the city paper, she’ll need to expose one of the bull riders in town for the annual Pemberley Rodeo. And one rodeo star in particular is all too eager to give her a wild ride.

Bull rider George Wickham is in over his head—in debt that is. After repeated injuries, Wick’s bull riding days are nearly up. With his career at an end, he’ll have no way to pay off the money he owes to the rodeo organizers. But when Wick learns about a young heiress in attendance at the rodeo, a plan forms to sweep her off her feet to get access to her wallet.

Unfortunately, Wick mistakes Lydia for her bestie and the two hit it off, falling hard and fast and getting engaged in record time. But when this case of mistaken identity is revealed, they both will be faced with impossible choices. Lydia will have to decide between the career she’s always wanted and the secrets of the man she’s in love with. Wick will have to choose whether or not to ride in an event that might cost his livelihood and possibly his life to prove his love for the right woman?

Get swept off your feet by this clean and wholesome, laugh out loud romantic comedy filled with sweet and swoony situations and a heartwarming happily-ever-after. In Possession of a Good Fortune is the third in a series of modern day Jane Austen retellings—set on a ranch!

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

—

SNEAK PEEK:

His smile was slow. It didn’t spread across his face. He looked amused and slightly terrified. It was the same way her father had always looked at her mother. It was the way Carlos looked at Jane. It was the way Darcy looked at Eliza—that is, when he didn’t think anyone was watching.

Wick had said he didn’t believe in love. But his gaze was telling Lydia something different. It was telling her that she might be different. Isn’t that what every girl wanted? For a guy to think she was different. That she was special. That’s how he was looking at her.

This was it. Lydia hadn’t believed it would happen to her. But she was standing in the moment where the reality of it was going down. A guy was totally falling for her.

“Are you going to kiss me, Mr. Wickham?” Lydia spoke softly in the dark. Not that anyone was around to hear her. But the moment felt sacred, holy even.

“Yes,” he whispered back. “Yes, I am.”

His thumb rubbed back and forth across her low back in a windshield-wiping motion. His chest pressed against hers, so much so that she could feel his heart beating in time with hers. His gaze was on her mouth, but he didn’t descend to capture her lips.

“Well?” she asked.

“Well, what?”

“Are you going to kiss me or not?”

“I said I would.”

And then he stepped away from her. If he hadn’t kept hold of her hand, Lydia would’ve stumbled. Wick tucked her into his side and walked with her away from the pen.

Lydia was so rattled from having been in a haze of desire and then yanked back down to earth that she was silent for a time.

“You know what I think?” she said after a time. “I think you’re a player.”

They were walking away from the light posts along the drive, so she couldn’t see his features, but she sensed a change in him. A stiffening.

“But I don’t think that’s the full story,” she continued.

Wick turned to her. She saw the whites of his eyes, but she still couldn’t read his expression. Some of the stiffness left his body as he walked on in silence.

“One thing I’ve learned is that there’s always a kernel of truth to gossip. But there’s almost always more to the story.” She leaned into him. “Tell me.”

“You want me to tell you all my secrets?”

“I do.”

“Well, I won’t. I’m still trying to impress you.”

She laughed. When she did, the corners of Wick’s eyes widened as he watched her. His smile was back in place. He pulled her more firmly to his side as they walked on.

Author Bio:

Shanae Johnson was raised by Saturday Morning cartoons and After School Specials. She still doesn’t understand why there isn’t a life lesson that ties the issues of the day together just before bedtime. While she’s still waiting for the meaning of it all, she writes stories to try and figure it all out. Her books are wholesome and sweet, but her heroes are hot and her heroines are full of sass!

And by the way, the E elongates the A. So it’s pronounced Shan-aaaaaaaa. Perfect for a hero to call out across the moors, or up to a balcony, or to blare outside her window on a boombox. If you hear him calling her name, please send him her way!

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Giveaway – Maybe In Monaco by Kaya Quinsey Holt @XpressoTours

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Maybe in Monaco
Kaya Quinsey Holt
Publication date: October 25th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Women’s Fiction

Immerse yourself in the dazzling world of best-selling author Kaya Quinsey Holt’s in this evocative romance full of “unrest, deceit, and heartbreak in one of Europe’s most spectacular places” (Readers Favorite).

Charlotte Levant left Monaco ten years ago in order to allow the man she loved to pursue his dream but she left with more than a broken heart. Only a select few knew that she gave up her baby. Facing a personal crisis, Charlotte returns to Monaco, thinking she can quietly sneak back without a fuss. But it’s hard to keep a secret in Monaco.

For recently retired Formula One driver Freddie Ridgeport, losing Charlotte was more painful than a car crash, but he quickly found company among his fans. Now back in Monaco, the responsibility of caring for nine-year-old Nicholas has been thrust upon him after he is unexpectedly named as the legal guardian in a will.

Will fate finally reunite these star-crossed lovers? And if so, can the truth make up for a ten-year-long secret that runs deeper than the adjacent Mediterranean sea?

Goodreads / Amazon

—

SNEAK PEEK:

“So, where are you visiting from?” the taxi driver asked, turning briefly to look at her.

Charlotte smiled. “Manhattan.” The driver returned his attention to the road. New York City was another world, Charlotte mused as the car performed a hot lap past the Monte Carlo Casino. A throng of tourists with cameras crossed in front of the taxi, slowing all of the traffic behind it. Perhaps the two cities had some similarities, Charlotte thought.

Today, the body of water and anonymity that protected Charlotte was 4,000 miles away.

Charlotte was a French teacher at a private school on the Upper East Side, where she put her New York University education to use. Ample time, money, and effort were spent on rebuilding her life—an accomplishment she previously thought unimaginable. What Charlotte accomplished in those ten years astonished her and her grandmother.

In Manhattan, Charlotte cultivated a refined and private image. She socialized vigilantly, and her acquaintances consisted mainly of private school colleagues. Though she scarcely noticed, Charlotte was admired and desired by many. Charlotte enticed people with her softness, attentiveness in conversations (aided by her social media avoidance), adoration for anything vintage, and passion for French impressionist art. However, Charlotte’s romantic affairs were often cut short, and she developed a reputation for fleeing when relationships threatened to become too serious or prodding.

The men who courted Charlotte inevitably crashed into the walls that guarded her. Privacy was Charlotte’s priority, and the less that people knew about her, the better. She feared the discovery of her imperfections, which lurked beneath every layer.

Charlotte preferred blending in to standing out. As usual, she was dressed in simple, high-quality items, which she—or her relatives—had owned for years. Her haphazardly-piled, classic travel bags were passed down from Charlotte’s late mother, and her antique camera and matching leather bag belonged to her late father.

Contrary to her intention, Charlotte’s subtleties spawned second glances. Strangers couldn’t help noticing the authentic glamour of her well-worn Hermes handbag, slightly upturned nose, chestnut blunt cut grazing her freckled collarbones, and sparkling eyes that never gave anything away.

Slowly, Charlotte’s destination crept into sight. Le Soleil was a luxury condominium with coastal views of the Côte d’Azur. Charlotte dreaded stepping out of the car, and wondered if returning was a dire mistake. “Monaco is my home,” she silently repeated, as she promised herself she would.

The driver slowed to a stop, and carefully unloaded the aged Keepalls onto the unblemished cobblestone.

Charlotte remained still for a few more moments, summoning enough willpower to open the door. Once she touched her feet to the ground, the truth would land. She was in Monaco.

The trunk of the cab shut with a thud that rocked the whole vehicle. Taking a few deep breaths, Charlotte opened the door and set one ballet flat onto the pavement. She was home.

The suitcases appeared smaller and fewer to Charlotte when she left Manhattan. The driver gawked at the mountain of luggage that now blocked the sidewalk.

“That’s everything,” Charlotte lied, for the driver knew not of her heaviest baggage, smuggled into Monaco upon her freckle-dusted shoulders.

Charlotte paid the driver and watched as the car faded into a sea of traffic. She glanced helplessly at the unattended concierge desk and sighed. Keeping a watchful eye on her remaining belongings, Charlotte hauled her luggage into the air-conditioned lobby. She was no stranger to strenuous labor, but her arms ached and her breath grew heavier with each bag.

Ten years since she stepped foot on that cobblestone sidewalk. Ten years since she left the country—and the person—she loved. Ten years since she fled with two hearts beating inside of her. Ten years, and she was still wondering if she made the right decision. Ten years, she kept a secret.

But it was very hard to keep a secret in Monaco.


Author Bio:

Kaya Quinsey Holt is a bestselling author of romance and women’s fiction. Her books have sold worldwide, have been translated into multiple languages, and adapted for audiobooks. From house hunting in the South of France to weddings in Positano, Kaya’s books offer a romantic escape from day to day life. Grab your favorite Kaya Quinsey Holt book an enjoy the journey!

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Giveaway – The Ghosts Of Thorwald Place by Helen Power @iReadBookTours @helenpowerbooks

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Book Details:

Book Title:  The Ghosts of Thorwald Place by Helen Power
Category: Adult Fiction, 416 pages
Genre: Paranormal Mystery
Publisher: Camcat Books
Publication Date: October, 2022
Content Rating: PG +M: There isn’t any particularly graphic content, but the story does revolve around a woman who is murdered, and there are some more mature topics touched on, primarily domestic abuse.
Book Description:

Trust No One. Especially Your Neighbors.

Rachel Drake is on the run from the man who killed her husband. She never leaves her safe haven in an anonymous doorman building, until one night a phone call sends her running. On her way to the garage, she is murdered in the elevator. But her story doesn’t end there.

She finds herself in the afterlife, tethered to her death spot, her reach tied to the adjacent apartments. As she rides the elevator up and down, the lives of the residents intertwine. Every one of them has a dark secret. An aging trophy wife whose husband strays. A surgeon guarding a locked room. A TV medium who may be a fraud. An ordinary man with a mysterious hobby.

Compelled to spend eternity observing her neighbors, she realizes that any one of them could be her killer.
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Giveaway – Embracing Love by Sara Ohlin @XpressoTours @SaraOhlin222

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Embracing Love
Sara Ohlin
Publication date: October 25th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

When a broken woman risks her heart for the neighborhood hottie, heat rises from the ashes…

Once broken and abused, Sasha Kincaid is slowly rebuilding her life in the quiet town of Corvallis near her brother, his new wife and their group of friends. She’s content to work quietly at the bakery she secretly owns while learning to rebuild her trust in people. But when she starts to have steamy feelings for Connor Duggan, Sasha doesn’t know how to handle her emotions.

Neighborhood hottie and town favorite, general contractor Connor Duggan has only had eyes for Sasha Kincaid ever since she stepped foot in Corvallis a year ago. When she gives him an opening, he jumps at the chance to make her his, no matter how long it takes her to feel comfortable.

Connor’s warmth and patience allow Sasha to fall into a friendship, then an amazing sexual relationship with him—but believing it will be temporary and that’s all she’s worth. As they grow closer, Connor realizes he must win over her heart, not just her body, meaning he must push past his own insecurities of being rejected to battle Sasha’s fears and ghosts.

But the biggest obstacle is Sasha herself. Can she learn to trust again, and believe that she deserves a beautiful life with Connor?

Reader advisory: This book contains references to an abusive relationship, physical cruelty and violence, as well as mentions of non-nurturing parenting.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

—

SNEAK PEEK:

Connor grabbed the pastry out of the bag, took an enormous sniff, and this time when he looked at her, his eyes were darker, piercing, like she’d offered him her body as the warm tasty treat. I mean could it get any hotter out? Sasha tugged at the front of her T-shirt, sweat dripping down her back, from the sun, from nerves, she didn’t know.

“I…uhm…added caramel and nuts and dark brown sugar, so it kind of gets all sticky and gooey.” Her words felt thick coming out. Someone had stuffed her mouth with cotton and she didn’t know how to move her lips or her tongue.

“Sticky and gooey,” he said reverently. “My favorite.” Without taking his eyes off her, Connor devoured the caramel pecan pinwheel in three enormous bites. Savoring each taste, she imagined, as it burst on his tongue. When he finished that last swallow, she was unprepared for it, for the show to be over. But it wasn’t. He licked his lips, peered into the empty bag as if he might dare to find all the secrets of the universe. Then, then he took a step closer.

She should have stepped back, but she couldn’t, frozen in place by his sparking brown eyes, by the force of him. She was tall, but not Connor-Duggan tall, so she was forced to either stare at the baby attached to his chest or look up. She knew what the safer choice would be. But somehow her body didn’t care right this minute as a warm breeze swirled around them, as if they were the only two people in the park, no neighbors, no babies, no dogs, no responsibilities, no pasts.

“Damn.” His voice was hot and hushed, pure disbelief in his words. “That was the best thing I’ve ever tasted. In. My. Life.”

He had a dusting of brown sugar at the edge of his lip, where his tongue hadn’t reached. He didn’t speak, didn’t say anything else after his last words whispered around her, but still his body spoke to hers. She reached up without a thought and brushed the sugar off his mouth. “Sugar,” she whispered.

Neither one of them moved, and when she started to pull her hand away, he caught it in his large, warm one. Sasha sucked in her breath and watched as he carefully ran his thumb over her fingers, studied them with his intense focus.

“There’s something special here, in these fingers, that can create something purely outstanding.” He met her gaze again. “Something that tastes so good it makes a man swear.”

Sasha huffed out a laugh, not feeling one bit humorous. “Damn is hardly a swear.”

“Trust me.” He rocked her world again with those hooded eyes. “It takes something pretty serious to get a damn out of me.”


Author Bio:

Puget Sound based writer, Sara Ohlin is a mom, wannabe photographer, obsessive reader, ridiculous foodie, and the author of the contemporary romance novels, Handling the Rancher, Salvaging Love, Seducing the Dragonfly and Igniting Love.

She has over fifteen years of creative non-fiction and memoir writing experience, and you can find her essays at Anderbo.com, Feminine Collective, Mothers Always Write, Her View from Home, and in anthologies such as Are We Feeling Better Yet? Women Speak about Healthcare in America, Take Care: Tales, Tips, & Love from Women Caregivers, and Chicken Soup for the Soul.

Although she’s the author of many essays about life, grief, motherhood and the connections we make through delicious food and shared meals, Sara loves creating imaginary worlds with tight-knit communities in her romance novels. She credits her mother, Mary, Nora Roberts and Rosamunde Pilcher for her love of romance.

If she’s not reading or writing, you will most likely find her in the kitchen creating scrumptious meals with her two kids and amazing husband, or perhaps cooking up her next love story.

She once met a person who both “didn’t read books” and wasn’t “that into food” and it nearly broke her heart.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram / Pinterest / Twitter


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  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
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Giveaway – A Spying Eye by Michelle Cox @iReadBookTours @michellecox33

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Book Details:

Book Title:  A Spying Eye: A Henrietta and Inspector Howard Novel by Michelle Cox
Category:  Adult Fiction (18+), 256 pages
Genre:  Historical Mystery
Publisher:  She Writes Press
Release dates:   Oct 25, 2022
Content Rating: R: There are some swear words peppered throughout (not many) and 2 explicit sex scenes (tasteful, but more than a PG-13 scene)


Book Description:

In A Spying Eye, Clive and Henrietta return to Europe in an attempt to resurrect their failed honeymoon. While in London, they are approached by their old friend, Inspector John Hartle, who convinces them to search for the missing panel of the Ghent Altarpiece, a famous Renaissance painting, of which Hitler’s top men are also in pursuit.

Meanwhile, back in Chicago, Oldrich Exley threatens to cut off financial support for the entire Von Harmon brood if Elsie continues with her plan to marry Gunther―a situation made worse by the sudden appearance of one Heinrich Meyer, who claims to be little Anna’s father and threatens to take her away. Desperate, Elsie seeks the help of Clive’s sister, Julia, who is herself the victim of domestic abuse and who has fallen under the spell of a handsome Texas millionaire bent on acquiring a rare painting from the Howard collection.

Clive and Henrietta’s search takes them to Chateau du Freudeneck in Strasbourg, France―the ancient seat of the Von Harmons and home to three eccentric distant relatives. What begins as a wild goose chase turns decidedly more deadly when several Nazi officers also arrive at the chateau in search of a “valuable item.” When Henrietta and Clive attempt to flee after Henrietta uncovers a shocking truth, they are forced to trust themselves to a suspicious French servant who seems all-too willing to help . . .

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Meet the Author:

Michelle Cox is the author of the Henrietta and Inspector Howard series as well as “Novel Notes of Local Lore,” a weekly blog dedicated to Chicago’s forgotten residents. Her books have won over 50 international awards and have been praised by Kirkus, Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, Booklist, Foreword, Elle, Redbook, Brit&Co., POPSUGAR, Buzzfeed, and many others.

Unbeknownst to most, Michelle hoards board games she doesn’t have time to play and is, not surprisingly, addicted to period dramas and big band music. Also marmalade. She lives in Chicago with her husband, three children, and one naughty Goldendoodle and is hard at work on her latest novel. 

Connect with the Author:  website ~ facebook ~ twitter ~ instagram ~ tiktok ~ goodreads ~ bookbub


Enter the Giveaway:

A Spying Eye Book Tour Giveaway

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    • Giveaway – Alpha Receptor by Karenna Colcroft @RoxanneRhoads

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    A Werewolf’s Thoughts on Werewolf Costumes

    Every year for Halloween, people don costumes to present themselves as various monsters. Because my brain tends to wander to odd places, I’ve sometimes wondered what those “monsters” would think of those costumes. Since I write werewolves, I decided to ask one of my characters what they thought. The following is a take from Kyle Slidell, the world’s only(?) gay vegan werewolf; although Kyle is not a major character in Alpha Receptor, he’s a main character in other books, and his story has a big impact on the main characters and plot of Alpha Receptor.

    Hmm. What do I, Kyle Slidell, think about humans dressing up as werewolves for Halloween?

    Honestly, I think it’s weird as heck. The costumes don’t even look like us, for crying out loud! They’re the movie-land version of werewolves, not the reality. We look like wolves.

    Since I live full-time as a werewolf, I don’t really get why anyone would want to pretend to be one. Shifting is about the least fun I’ve ever had. Not having a choice about shifting at least once every month also really sucks. The reality of being a werewolf isn’t something I would wish on my worst enemy. (Even though my worst enemy is a werewolf.)

    On the other hand, I completely get spending a night pretending to be something you aren’t. There have been plenty of times in my life when I’ve either done or wanted to do exactly that.

    Of course the costumes aren’t accurate depictions of werewolves, but I suppose for some humans, that’s part of the fun. They aren’t trying to actually be wolves. They’re just playing dress-up for a night, and for a lot of humans, that’s exactly what Halloween is for.

    So while I personally think humans dressing up like us—or like the film versions of us—is weird, I also fully support the whole “play pretend for a night” as long as everyone’s having fun with it. Just remember that the way most humans see werewolves isn’t our reality.



    Alpha Receptor
    Real Werewolves True Mates 
    Book One
    Karenna Colcroft

    Genre: Paranormal Romance
    Publisher: Vegan Wolf Productions 
    Date of Publication: July 14, 2022
    ISBN: 978-1958346006
    ASIN: B0B4T6FMPR
    Number of pages: 263
    Word Count: 72,300 
    Cover Artist: Winterheart Design

    Tagline: Can a “curmudgeonly” Alpha who has closed his heart to love open up when he finds his true mate?

    Book Description: 

    When Lara Jameson’s employer transferred her from Orlando, Florida, to Boston, Massachusetts, moving wasn’t as simple as just finding an apartment. As a werewolf, Lara also had to transfer to a new pack. And when she met Chal Torres, the Alpha of City Pack in Boston, she knew she had found not only a new pack but her mate.

    Chal Torres has resisted love since a dominance fight shortly after he was changed resulted in the death of the woman he believed he loved. Now, as Alpha of the largest pack in the United States, he allows no one close to him out of fear they might be used against him. But when Chal meets Lara and recognizes her as his mate, his resistance is no match for the call of the mate bond and of his heart.

    As Chal and Lara begin to build their relationship, Chal lets down his guard. But an attack on Lara during the pack’s hunt night and the reveal of a plot within the pack to take down Chal as Alpha lead Chal to begin putting up those walls again. Will he let Lara in, or will his fear end their relationship before it truly starts?


    When he was confident none of his pack remained among the trees, he went to the house and found Art already in human form near the back door. Art possessed the distinct ability to shift instantaneously with no pain or effects; for him, it was as fluid as breathing. Meaning Chal needed to shift rapidly and give no sign of the effects.

    Once back in human form, he straightened, towering over Art, who flinched. The reaction pleased Chal. The man deserved to be afraid.

    “You attacked a pack member,” he said.

    “Can…” Sweat beaded Art’s forehead as he frantically searched around for an escape. “Can we discuss this privately, Alpha?”

    “We cannot.” He spoke more loudly than he intended, not caring that he’d drawn the attention of the other wolves. “Lara is lower ranked than you. She wasn’t interfering with you. You had neither cause nor right to attack her. Go home, Art. You are confined to your apartment until I speak with you.”

    Art bowed his head. “I have no way to get home, Alpha. I rode here with others.”

    “Dave.”

    A small, wiry man hurried over to him. One of the trackers, second in command to Connor.

    “Yes, Alpha?”

    “Are you able to leave at this time?” Chal asked, continuing to pin Art beneath his gaze. “Art is going home.”

    “Yes, Alpha. I’ll tell Hillary to find another ride.” Dave grasped Art’s elbow. “Let’s go.”

    Art followed the other man without protest. But when he peered back over his shoulder at Chal, his eyes were filled with the same darkness weighing on Chal.
    It would be crucial to resolve the situation more permanently. For the moment, Art was dealt with. It was time for Chal to check on his mate.

    He found her a short distance from the house, lying on her side in wolf form, panting heavily.

    Tobias, in human form, sat cross-legged beside her. “Follow my voice, Lara,” he said in a low, almost hypnotic cadence. “It’s time to shift back. I’m here. Your Alpha is here. We’re both with you. Come back.”

    Painstakingly, so much so Chal trembled with sympathetic agony, Tobias guided Lara back into human form. When she finished the shift, she lay gasping on the ground.

    “I can’t do anything more for her,” Tobias said.

    “I can. Thank you, old friend.”

    Chal crouched and gathered Lara into his arms. She stirred and murmured something unintelligible. Ignoring the others around them, Chal carried her into the house and up to the second floor, to the bedroom where he and Tobias had spoken earlier. 

    Tenderly, he lay her on the bed. He wished he could kiss her, stay with her, but he still had a duty to his pack. He maneuvered the sheet from under her and covered her.

    “Sleep,” he said. “We’ll speak in the morning.” Quickly, he left the room.




    About the Author:

    Karenna Colcroft lives just north of Boston, Massachusetts, and has been in love with the city since childhood, though she has yet to encounter any werewolves, vampires, or other paranormal beings in her travels. At least none that she knows of. Though since in her non-writing life, under another name, she offers services as a channel and energy healing practitioner, it could be said that she herself is a paranormal being. The jury’s still out on that.

    Karenna is a polyamorous, nonbinary human who splits time between the home she shares with her husband and the one she shares with her committed partner. She also has two adult children and a bonus son, three grandchildren, and two and a half cats. (Half in terms of time the cat lives with her, not in terms of the cat itself…)












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    Giveaway – Chaos and Cranberries by Joann Keder @XpressoTours

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    Chaos and Cranberries
    Joann Keder
    Publication date: November 1st 2022
    Genres: Adult, Cozy Mystery

    Paranormal investigator, Feather Jones and her boyfriend, Tug have arrived in picturesque Piney Falls for their Christmas getaway. To their dismay, they learn that their suite isn’t available because the last guest, author Dash Vixen, never checked out.

    Dash was murdered when a copy of his own horror Christmas anthology was used to beat him to death.

    Coming to their rescue is local sleuth, Lanie Anders, who invites them to spend the holiday with her and her husband. Unbeknownst to all of them, the murderer has bigger plans. Soon Lanie, Feather and their respective other halves are embroiled in a mystery that will stretch them both to their crime-solving limits!

    This is a crossover book: Feather is a sleuth from the Charming Mysteries series and Lanie is a sleuth in the Piney Falls Mysteries.

    Add to Goodreads / Pre-order

    —

    SNEAK PEEK:

    Vem stood uncomfortably close and read aloud:

    Ivy Merrilee Globe was a prolific author, completing seventy-nine books in her twenty-six years of life. Her most recent, Snowily Severed, was a short story featured in the massively popular Christmas horror anthology, Strung by the Fire.

    She recently signed a contract with Brain Gravy Pictures to turn her short story into a movie.

    Driving home from physical therapy, she stopped for children crossing three blocks from her home, when her neighbor’s sleigh ornament slid off the roof of their home and through her car windshield, impaling her. Ivy herself couldn’t have written such a dramatic end.

    Ivy leaves behind three brothers and a cat named Ice.

    “She didn’t die on the twenty-second like the other two. Find the date of the Frosty attack, Lanie,” Vem urged.

    I typed in the information and when the page came up, our mood was somber. “Ivy was attacked on the twenty-second by the Frosty wannabe. They intended to kill her that day, and when it didn’t work, they came back to finish the job.”

    “Poor Ivy,” Vem lamented.

    My phone rang and I jumped up to answer. Even though we’d been together for several years, I was always expecting his call.

    “Babe?”

    “Mrs. Hill? This is the Tucson police department.”

    Author Bio:

    USA TODAY bestselling author, Joann Keder spent most of her years in the Midwest, growing up and raising a family on the Great Plains of Nebraska. She worked for sixteen years as a piano teacher before returning to school to receive a master’s degree in creative writing. A mid-life move to the Pacific Northwest led her to re-examine her priorities. She now creates stories about life and relationships in small towns while her ever-patient husband encourages her on.

    Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram


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    Giveaway – Letting Go by Jacquie Biggar @XpressoTours @JacqBiggar

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    Letting Go
    Jacquie Biggar
    (The Defiant Sisters, #1)
    Publication date: October 21st 2022
    Genres: Coming of Age, Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

    A coming-of-age novel about the pain of misconceptions and learning from them.

    When life gives you lemons…

    Izzy

    Mom is barely in the grave and the prodigal child is here to pick the bones clean.

    I don’t want her here. My sister’s defection is a wound that won’t heal, and her return simply rubs at the scabs covering my heart.

    I’ve managed just fine without her. She can go back to her fancy college and forget about us- that’s what she does best anyway.

    If only I didn’t need her help. Or miss her so much.

    Renee

    The day my dad committed suicide I ran. I’ve been running ever since.

    Going home is supposed to be the answer. Instead, it makes me question every thoughtless decision I’ve made.

    My sister hates me. My little brother barely knows me. And Simon… is engaged.

    None of it matters- or so I tell myself. I’m here to make amends and face a past haunted by regret.

    As long as I can convince myself to stay.

    Letting Go is a young adult romance dealing with tragedy, restitution, and love in all its aspects. The story relates to sensitive topics that may be triggering for some readers.

    Goodreads / Amazon

    —

    SNEAK PEEK:

    Izzy

    The shock of finding Renée on the doorstep is fading, taken over by the sheer hypocrisy of her arrival. Why now? It’s a little late if she wants to make amends. Not a word for two stinking years and she shows up thinking I’m going to be grateful she’s here?

    Not in this lifetime.

    The warm sincerity of her embrace, though… it tries to weaken the resentment I’ve fostered since she walked out on her family, leaving me to pick up the pieces.

    “I don’t want you here,” I snarl, unable to hide my bitterness. I’d rather act as though I don’t care.

    Renée eyes me warily, rubbing a reddened palm. I feel a childish delight to have caused her even a minuscule amount of the pain she’s caused me.

    “I’m aware,” she says calmly, bending to pick up a bulging overnight bag. “But I’m here now, so let’s make the best of it—for Mom.”

    Red hot rage rises from the pit of my stomach to spit and steam from my ears. “Do. Not. Use Mom against me. You lost that right a long time ago.”

    Months of caregiving flicker behind my eyes. My father’s suicide did something to Mom. She shouldered the blame and wore it like a hairshirt, ripping the blinders away from their relationship to show the fractures in the foundation. She shut down. Stopped eating, washing, and caring. It was left to me to get Benjamin off to school, clothes washed, and a semblance of normalcy when everything was insane.

    “You should have called.” Renée’s empathetic gaze gets on my last nerve.

    I whirl away before I plant my fist in her face. “Your room is the way you left it. You can stay the weekend, then I want you to leave. Ben doesn’t need to get his hopes up.” And neither do I.

    Author Bio:

    Jacquie Biggar is a USA Today bestselling author of romance who loves to write about tough, alpha males and strong, contemporary women willing to show their men that true power comes from love. She lives on Vancouver Island with her husband and loves to hear from readers all over the world!

    In her own words:

    “My name is Jacquie Biggar. When I’m not acting like a total klutz, I am a wife, mother of one, grandmother, and a butler to my calico cat.

    My guilty pleasures are reality tv shows like Amazing Race and The Voice. Every Monday night, I can be in my armchair plastered to the television laughing at Blake’s shenanigans.

    I love to hang out at the beach with DH (darling hubby) taking pictures or reading romance novels (what else?).

    I have a slight Tim Hortons obsession, enjoy gardening, everything pink, and talking to my friends.”

    She has been blessed with a long, happy marriage and enjoys writing romance novels that end with happily-ever-afters.

    Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Bookbub / Amazon / Pinterest / Newsletter


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    Giveaway – Deadly Paradise by Quinn Avery @XpressoTours @naumannbooks

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    Deadly Paradise
    Quinn Avery
    Publication date: October 18th 2022
    Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense

    As a child, Nova witnessed the murder of her parents. She is whisked away in the middle of the night to start a new life, however Nova can’t stop questioning the circumstances surrounding her parents’ deaths.

    As a teenager, Nova lives a lonely and sheltered existence until fate delivers a handsome Greek boy into her world. Although forbidden to speak to him, the teens navigate through first love until she discovers he’s guarding a secret that unravels everything between them.

    As a woman, Nova finally goes after the answers that have plagued her entire life. Answers that involve her first love, throwing them both in danger when he returns to save her life. Can she risk the dark secrets of their tangled past to collide with what could become a deadly present?

    Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

    Get it for only 99c – this week only!

    —

    SNEAK PEEK:

    Nova was sixteen when Katerina Makris and her son, Nikos, came to work at the winery. The moment Nova first laid eyes on the mysterious boy with fierce eyebrows and a sharp jaw, her first crush manifested. From her secret perch behind the kitchen door, her knees literally shook as if the world was moving beneath her.

    She watched intently as Katerina and Nova’s uncle carried on a conversation in Greek. Nova remembered very little of the language since her father’s death, but her uncle was able to converse with Katerina at a comfortable level. Nova hadn’t known he was fluent in her father’s native language. She was even more surprised the way her uncle treated Katerina like an old friend.

    Both mother and son were striking, with eyes so dark they swallowed their pupils, olive-toned skin, stick-straight noses, and luxurious raven hair. Katerina’s loose waves bounced around her shoulders when she walked. Nikos wore his hair neatly trimmed around the sides, and longer on top. He was attractive in a way that made her belly swell. She held her breath, waiting for Nikos to speak. She was very interested in anything and everything the tall, handsome young man had to say.

    Later that afternoon, while Katerina was trained in the kitchen and Nikos cleaned tables, Nova perched on the walnut bar top where soon customers would occupy stools across from the small oak and steel barrels containing the award-winning varieties of wine. She studied Nikos from afar as he worked, appreciating his Led Zeppelin t-shirt and dark classic jeans paired with old-school skater sneakers. Although lanky, he moved with the confident swagger of a grown man, and the muscles in his arms flexed impressively as he scrubbed each table. She’d only seen him smile once, but the flash of his bright white teeth as straight as piano keys revealed behind his generously rosy lips was enough to make her heart swell and her stomach tingle with excitement.

    She was grateful she’d finally have someone around who was close to her age. Even better, she had a chance to talk to him without anyone else listening in. Her aunt was tending to the grapes that were nearing harvest, and her uncle was helping London perfect the pattern required for her next belt in Tae Kwon Do. The chef and other wait staff weren’t scheduled to come in for another hour, and the only other employee on the clock was in the kitchen with Katerina.

    When she thought about approaching Nikos, nerves bubbled through her like a sparkling wine. Most of what she knew about flirting came from years of watching her aunt and uncle’s disgustingly affectionate relationship, and the sappy romance movies she sometimes watched with her aunt. She wanted to believe in love, but she was also cynical that anything could end with a happily ever after. Her parents had been madly in love, and their ending was nothing short of a Shakespearian tragedy.

    “So, new guy,” she finally called out, hoping he couldn’t detect the tightness of her breath, “where you from?”

    Turning away from the table, his eyes nervously swept past the kitchen before meeting hers. Their alluring darkness caused her heart to flutter against her ribs with the force of a bird’s wings. She suddenly understood the longing she sometimes heard in musician’s voices when they sang about love.

    “Mykonos—ehhh…an island…in Greece.” His voice was as deep as her uncle’s, and his accent was rich. Every word he uttered sounded romantic. As they echoed through her head, she became motionless—all except for the widening of her eyes.

    “Wait, did you say Mykonos?” A flicker of excitement passed through her. “That’s where my dad was from.”

    Nikos’s dark, thick eyebrows rose. “Yes. Your father…he knew my mother. They were…ehhh…friendly. Since they were very young.”

    Nova’s pulse sped. What else did he know about her father?

    “Really?” Crossing her arms, she mirrored his high-browed expression. It seemed her uncle’s list of secrets was never-ending. “How did you and your mother end up here?”

    “Your uncle…very kind. When we leave Mykonos, he tells my mother…ehhh…he can help.”

    Interesting, Nova thought to herself. How did her uncle know her father’s childhood friend well enough to offer his help? For the first time since she had been torn from her family’s home in California, she believed she may actually have found an avenue leading to the truth about her parents.


    Author Bio:

    Quinn Avery is an award-winning author who has written over 38 novels, both romantic suspense and mystery/thriller. An avid fan of the beach, a good book, and Dave Grohl, she enjoys spending her free time with her favorite people and biggest fans–her husband and children.

    Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Bookbub



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