Today’s stop is for Stephanie Queen’s Margo & George Forever?. We will have info about the book and author, and a great excerpt from the book, plus a great giveaway. Make sure to check everything out and enter the giveaway.

Happy Reading :) 

There was no question in Margo's heart of hearts that she loved George. She really did want to marry him--scratch that--she really did want to be married to him. There was a difference. She hoped to heaven that the teeny-tiny distinction wouldn't be their undoing...

The stage is set for the wedding of the year in New York City featuring poor sweet beautiful Margo marrying the most eligible (read that: handsome and wealthy) bachelor, Regal Stores heir and CEO, George Regal, III. The Regal family has long presided over the social and fashion scene in Manhattan and they have embraced the marriage with enough enthusiasm to create a circus.

That could be why Margo feels like she's in the center ring and about to be swallowed by a lion.

But the best things about George, the strong powerful CEO, are the ones he's not known for, like his small thoughtful gifts, the crystal angel Christmas tree ornament he'd given her, the way he holds her hand at odd moments, the way he bear-hugs his grandma whenever he sees her and the way he speaks with misty eyes about his late mother.

Of course Margo wants to spend the rest of her life with him... if she could just get past the family’s ‘enthusiasm’ and THE WEDDING.

Warning: Once you open this book you'll get heart-warming romance, smiles, laughs & fun, but also an adult-sized portion of steamy love scenes. And of course, most important of all, a very satisfying Happily-Ever-After.

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Margo didn’t mind waiting until she’d had a swig of her drink before trying to explain herself. She wasn’t sure what to say—or what she thought, if truth be told. But it was time she unbottled whatever mess was inside her. “I’m scared witless about this wedding circus." She paused. Her friends stared. "I tremble at the thought of the outrageous pageantry as if I’m the queen of a minor Nordic country. I’m horrified that there will be a thousand freaking guests and I don’t know any of them—none but a handful. I have no idea what I’m supposed to say or do.”

Stephanie Queen is the USA Today bestselling author of the romantic detective series, Beachcomber Investigations. She lives in the stunning state of New Hampshire with her family, her cat, Kitty and her fun-loving friends. Besides going to the gym sporadically, Stephanie cooks and crochets and loves chocolate covered potato chips (yes, she should go to the gym more often).

She used to be a 9 to fiver working in downtown Boston, but has thrown her stylish suits and fancy heels in a closet and now hangs out in UConn t-shirts, jeans and sneakers. “If I could come back in another life as anything I wanted, I’d be a regency era heroine.” (Not surprisingly) Regency romances are her favorite secret reads.

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I really enjoyed this clean romance. This is also book 11 of Christmas on Main Street Set. The heroine of the story had a hard time deciding what to do to help save the Inn, it works out in the end. It's set in a small town struggling to stay active and viable. I'll be reading more of this author's work. I've given it a 5*

What a little fog, a great coat, a mystery, Londontown?

These romances involve the Scotland Yard which by the way isn't in Scotland. Go figure.

My lists are never in any particluar order. Enjoy!

1. The Untamed Mackenzie by Jennifer Ashley

To redeem her family's disgraced name, Lady Louisa Scranton has decided to acquire a proper husband. He needs to be a man of fortune and highly respectable in order to restore both her family's lost wealth and reputation. She enters the Marriage Mart with all flags flying, determined to find the right bachelor.

But Louisa's hopes are dashed when the Bishop of Hargate drops dead at her feet--and she is shockingly accused of murder! Soon, Louisa's so-called friends begin shunning her, because the company of a suspected killer is never desirable in polite society.

The problem comes to the ears of Detective Inspector Lloyd Fellows, by-blow of the decadent Scottish Mackenzie family and an inspector for Scotland Yard. He has shared two passionate kisses with Lady Louisa-and vows to clear her name. For not only does he know she's innocent, he recognizes he's falling for the lovely lady.

Fellows is Louisa's only hope of restoring her family's honor--and it is he alone who intrigues Louisa in a way that may be even more scandalous than murder...

2. Scandalous Wager by Christy Carlyle

Set against the backdrop of London's dangerous East End in 1888, Victorian propriety and passions collide when a spinster strikes a scandalous bargain with a detective caught up in the investigation of the Ripper mystery. 

Elizabeth Ainsworth has decided she will never marry. Years spent on the shelf have taught her plain looks and a distinct lack of ladylike talents won't win a proposal from any of the eligible young constables or inspectors her Detective Chief Inspector father invites to their home. Most of them are too busy staring at her younger, prettier sister anyway. And Lizzy is content to be a spinster, especially if it means she can continue with her charity work in Whitechapel. But she has one lingering regret. She wants to experience passion at least once in her life and, most of all, she wants to experience it with Ian Reed. 

Detective Inspector Ian Reed has aspirations to ascend the ranks of the Metropolitan Police, and he hopes proving himself to his superior, Detective Chief Inspector Ainsworth, will help him get there. A series of brutal murders plaguing Whitechapel have him working long hours, so when Ainsworth's daughter shows up on his doorstep and offers herself to him, he fears he might be dreaming. Fascinated with Lizzy from the moment he meets her, Ian is determined to spend more than one night in her arms, despite what it might cost both of them. 

3. A Private Duel with Agent Gunn by Jillian Stone

Cunning, reclusive Yard man Phineas Gunn is as skilled at capturing surly criminals as he is at charming beautiful women. But the dashing agent’s latest assignment is really testing his mettle. Officially, he’s investigating beguiling prima ballerina Catriona de Dovia Willoughby, a suspected anarchist. Unofficially, his attraction to his devilish former flame is hotter than ever. 

Unsure whether to trust the enigmatic lover who betrayed her once, Cate nevertheless enlists Finn’s help to recover some priceless family jewels. Their pursuit erupts into a cross-continental adventure that begins with a double cross and crackles with secrets, lies, and sexual tension. The crime is clear—breaking and entering each other’s hearts—but as the clock ticks down, who will be the first to surrender?

4. The Throwbacks by Stephanie Queen

She’s a vivacious, light-hearted young beauty from Beacon Hill 
He’s a world-weary not-so-young exile from Scotland Yard. 
She’s an orphaned decorator who longs for a family of her own. 
He’s a rogue detective with a superhero complex. 
She’s smitten with this superhero who is the last man she sees in the picket-fence picture of her future. 
He’s smitten with this fluffy young romantic who he sees as kryptonite to his career and well being. 
But if you saw Grace and David in a room full of people, and you had to pick one man and one woman who belonged together, you would pick them. They would be The Throwbacks.

Vivacious young decorator Grace Rogers sets her sights for that picket-fence life she longs for with the unlikely world-weary British exile, the not-so-young David Young. The ex-Scotland Yard detective joins the Boston Police Department to salvage his career. He hires Grace to decorate his Beacon Hill townhouse to salvage his life. 
But this rogue detective’s plans for a new beginning are threatened when he can’t resist the seemingly unseemly romance with his too-young bombshell decorator. Grace turns out to be a key witness in his high-stakes kidnapping case--and like Kryptonite to his career and his well-being with her romantic notions of family life. 

David put his life on the line to save her from the kidnappers, but now is Grace willing to put her dreams on the line to save her real-life superhero from himself?

5. A Talent for Trickery by Alissa Johnson

Years ago, Owen Renderwell earned acclaim-and a title-for the dashing rescue of a kidnapped duchess. But only a select few knew that Scotland Yard's most famous detective was working alongside London's most infamous thief...and his criminally brilliant daughter, Charlotte Walker. 

Lottie was like no other woman in Victorian England. She challenged him. She dazzled him. She questioned everything he believed and everything he was, and he has never wanted anyone more. And then he lost her.

Now a private detective on the trail of a murderer, Owen has stormed back into Lottie's life. She knows that no matter what they may pretend, he will always be a man of the law and she a criminal. Yet whenever he's near, Owen has a way of making things complicated...and long for a future that can never be theirs.

6. Rabbit Heart by Colleen Hitchcock

Rabbit Heart is a wildly original and sexy debut novel set in Victorian England, Rabbit Heart tells the story of a French temptress who literally loves men–to death.

Nicollette Caron is every man’s ideal mistress. Pity, then, that all of her lovers die trying to satisfy her insatiable appetite. Forced to flee town after town so that no one will discover her terrible secret, Nicollette is haunted by the ghosts of her dead lovers as England’s top crime inspector circles ever closer.

Renowned for his tenacity, handsome detective Jackson Lang will stop at nothing to prove that Nicollette is a murderess. Powerful Lord Baston is equally determined . . . to make Nicollette his mistress despite her breathless warnings. Only one man is strong enough to save Nicollette. But how will she know which man to trust–until it is too late?

7. Tempted at Every Turn by Robyn DeHart

Proper, sensible Willow Mabson will do anything to protect her family. So when she finds out that James Sterling—a dashing, arrogant aristocrat working for Scotland Yard—suspects her mother in a recent murder, Willow will do whatever's necessary . . . even solve the case herself! Of course, this will bring her into a most uncomfortable proximity with the very tantalizing Mister Sterling. And try as she might, she finds resisting him her most difficult challenge.

James has always preferred gritty crime scenes to elegant balls. And he can immediately deduce that straight-laced, whip-smart—and exceedingly delectable—Willow isn't your average vapid, shallow socialite. He longs to release her carefully restrained sensuality and tempt her into losing control. But James doesn't count on risking his own heart in the process.

8. A Bride by Moonlight by Liz Carlyle

Faced with murder charges, Lisette Colburne never imagined aligning herself with Scotland Yard—not with the scandalous life she’s led. But when Commissioner Royden Napier proposes—that in exchange for her freedom—she pretend to be his wife so he can unravel a brutal mystery, she agrees. What neither counts on is their sizzling, undeniable attraction.

9. Improper English by Katie MacAlister

American versus Englishman—will it be a war of wits, or a battle to find their hearts? Alix hasn’t had much luck in her life, but a trip to London, a matchmaking landlady, and the handsome Scotland Yard detective living above her indicate her luck is about to change. Has she truly found her perfect man, or will the disasters that dog her steps destroy everything she’s hoped for? 

Alexandra Freemar should be in heaven—she’s just been handed everything she’s ever wanted on a silver plate: a three month stay in London, the time to write the book of her heart, and the chance to finally prove to her mother that she’s not the miserable failure her past indicates. Free-spirited, unconventional, and able to find the absurd in almost any situation, Alix finds that heaven isn’t what it’s cracked up to be when fate, in the form of a matchmaking landlady who promises to fix her up with her perfect soul mate, hands her the devilishly handsome man who lives upstairs. Her perfect man? Hardly! Her perfect man is not a workaholic, straight-laced detective inspector from Scotland Yard who wouldn’t recognize fun if it bit him on his (extremely attractive) behind. 

Alexander Black is a man with a mission, and no one is going to distract him from that, not even the uninhibited, carefree American who personifies everything he dislikes in a woman: she belittles his devotion to work, insists on dragging him into the most unlikely of situations, exudes sexuality that makes his mouth go dry whenever he’s near her, and teases him with a brashness that’s utterly foreign to him. But underneath that sassy mouth and devil-may-care exterior, he senses a wounded woman who’s calling out to him, and try as he might, he just can’t refuse answering.

10. Where the Heart Leads by Stephanie Laurens

Penelope Ashford, Portia Cynster's younger sister, has grown up with every advantage—wealth, position, and beauty. Yet Penelope is anything but a pretty face in a satin gown—forceful, willful, and blunt to a fault, she has for years devoted her considerable energy and intelligence to caring for the forgotten orphans of London's sooty and seamier streets.

But now her charges are mysteriously disappearing. Desperate, Penelope turns to the one man she knows who might help her—Barnaby Adair.

Handsome scion of a noble house, Adair has made a name for himself in certain circles where his powers of observation and deduction have seen him solve several serious and unsavory crimes within the ton. His pedigree, relentless intelligence, and discretion make him a deadly avenger in an elegant guise. Despite his skills—or perhaps because of them—he makes Penelope distinctly uncomfortable, but the stakes are too grave. Throwing caution to the wind, defying every rule for unmarried ladies, she appears on his doorstep late one night determined to recruit his talents.

Barnaby is intrigued—both by her problem and her. Her bold beauty and undeniable brains make a striking contrast to the usual insipid ton misses. And as he's in dire need of an excuse to avoid said insipid misses, he accepts her challenge, never dreaming she and it will consume his every waking hour. 

Enlisting the aid of Inspector Basil Stokes of the fledgling Scotland Yard, they infiltrate the streets of London's notorious East End. But as they unravel the mystery of the missing orphans, they uncover a trail leading to the upper echelons of society and a ruthless and clever criminal adept at pulling strings who, becoming aware of them and their efforts, is only too ready to destroy all they hold dear, including their newfound understanding of the intrigues of the human heart.

Got more? Gimme! Vote for the best of the best on my Goodreads list: Scotland Yard in Romance Novels. 

I believe March Madness is about the place.

Enjoy these Basketball Romances with some snacks! These romances are hard to find but they are out there!

My lists are never in any particular order. 

1. Smooth Play  by Regina Hart

A passion for the game is what it takes to win. But off the court, it takes a different kind of savvy to heat things up. . .

He's part problem-solver and dream-maker. There's not a crisis he can't avert. And handling the NBA's most explosive team has put PR ace Troy Marshall at the top of his game. It also gives him a chance to give back to the community. But one determined reporter is messing with his flow. And he'll need way more than skill and charm to win this tempting one-on-one. . .

Andrea Benson's instincts tell her that something major is going on behind-the-scenes with this franchise. And a headline story is the only way she can regain the career and good name she let slip away. But Troy's sincerity is throwing her for an unexpected--and very seductive--loop. Can they trust each other enough to uncover the truth. . .or will too many secrets be their breaking point?

2. BB and the 'Baller by L. Langdon

Sara Mosby was a brilliant young history professor at a university near Seattle and loved teaching and her research. Lately, however, her life had turned sour. Several irresponsible students--particularly some athletes--sought to get easy grades by making trouble for her. They complained to her new department chair, who seemed willing to do anything to deny Sara tenure. She was intrigued when a tall handsome man watched one of her classes from the hallway, then asked for direction in a self-study program. Now if she could just keep her mind on History when he smiled at her... Joshua Weathers was a pro basketball player, and the toast of Seattle--constantly in the public eye. Seeking to continue his education, which he had cut short for a basketball career, he chanced upon a dynamic class given by a small, black woman. He was fascinated by her lecture as well as by the woman herself. Could she serve as his mentor? Could she become more?

3. How to Reprimand Your Rock Star by Mina Vaughn

Thea is a star basketball player at UConn on track to be Rookie of the Year. That is, if she can stay focused on the game. Lately that hasn’t been going so well, as her knee has been bothering her. But that’s not the only thing on her mind…

Ever since rock star Keaton Lowe surprised her in the girl’s locker room, Thea can’t stop thinking about him. On top of his status and enticing ways, he seems to know everything about her. But some of his actions cross the line, and Keaton needs to be punished. Will Thea keep her head in the game, or get distracted by her other favorite pastime—reprimanding her rock star?

4. What the Heart Knows by Kathleen Eagle

Thirteen years ago, alone and secretly pregnant, Helen Ketterling left her job as a school teacher on the Bad River Sioux Reservation in South Dakota. Her summer love affair with Reese Blue Sky had ended abruptly when he left the reservation to pursue his chance at a NBA career.

Now her new position, a dangerous assignment for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and Reese's father's sudden death bring them both back to Bad River for a reunion at once fiery and bittersweet. Not only does Helen fear a custody battle if Reese learns that they share a son, but she can't reveal that she's working undercover at the reservation's casino.

And Reese has his own secret--one that ended his basketball career and could endanger his son. While much has changed in the years since he left home, he finds that his roots and his heritage still matter as he reaches for reconciliation with his past. Family ties are the basis of Lakota tradition, and all are threatened by political intrigue and corruption. Was Reese's father murdered because he planned to blow the whistle on the casino's outside management company?

As their investigation into his death leads them down a treacherous path, Reese and Helen struggle to bridge the memories and heartaches of a time when she was an idealistic young teacher and he was a lonely man on the verge of reaching for the stars. They'll have to search deep inside themselves to challenge the doubts that have kept them apart.

5. Playing the Game by Stephanie Queen

Superstar athlete Barry Dennis, needs to get knocked down a peg or two and Roxanne Monet thinks she is the woman to do it–
If she can keep herself out of jail after being accused of murdering her wealthy husband...

Since her disastrous marriage ended, Roxanne has sworn off serious relationships with men. Right now she has more important things to worry about, like being flat broke with no job and accusations of murder hanging over her head.
But when she meets the elite athlete Barry Dennis and he challenges her to a game of seduction, she decides to play ball. But the game turns serious and she unintentionally exposes the legend to be a flawed man.

Barry Dennis realizes too late that he picked the wrong woman to play games with when he decided to flirt with the enigmatic Roxanne. Being the best takes all he has. He can’t afford to let anything or anyone interfere with his first and only priority--Basketball. But as the attraction between him and Roxy heats up, he finds himself losing sight of his life’s game plan.

While the sports world’s microscope is trained on Barry’s game and the media hounds Roxanne about her husband’s mysterious death, the stakes are ratcheted up even higher when Barry’s young daughter, Lindy is injured. Roxanne gives Lindy the attention she needs while Barry struggles to cope with the demands of his new priorities.

Can Roxanne rely on Barry to do more than play ball? She takes the risk and gives him the last thing she owns--her heart.

6. Full Court Press by Mike Lupica

This is what happens when the desperate golden-boy owner of the worst pro basketball team in the world and his equally desperate golden-boy coach do the unthinkable: sign the first woman ever to play in the NBA. Her name is Dee Gerard, the daughter of a New York playground legend and the product of God having an exceptionally good day. A star in Europe, but weary of bad arenas, she retires-until the day a scout for the hapless New York Knights calls his boss: "I found you a point guard who is perfect, except for one thing." What, no heart? "It's not a heart, exactly. But you're close."

The league doesn't want the circus. The other players don't want her. The owner wants fannies in the seats. The sportswriters just want their column inches. What she wants . . . is to play in the best game there is. How she gets there, the hilarious and sobering things that happen to her, the personal and professional entanglements that spring up everywhere, the pitfalls of remaining old-school when all about her are tattooed, self-indulgent, young millionaires-this is the smart, funny, outrageous, wonderful story of Full Court Press.

7. Can't Get Enough of You by Bette Ford

Jenna Gaines has her Ph.D., a great teaching job at her alma mater, everything she ever wanted in life . . . almost. Once upon a time she wanted Scott Hendricks, but the NBA called and he left her to become a hoops star. Now hiscareer is over, and the only man Jenna ever loved is back at her school and in her life—too many years too late, as far as she's concerned.

Jenna would have given up her dreams to follow Scott, which was the last thing he wanted. All Scott can think about now is the taste of her lips and how it feels to caress her silky ebony skin, but Jenna won't give him a second chance to break her heart. She will, however, let him be her backup and support when she reconnects with her long-lost brother.

But anything could happen on their fateful trip—because Scott still has the moves . . . and the magic.

8. Rush to the Altar by Jamie Carie

Madeline Goode is devastated when her husband dies in a car accident. After moving back in with her parents with her two year old son, Max, she attempts to put the pieces of her life back together. But she didn’t plan on meeting Jake Hart, the star NBA player that she keeps bumping into at her new job as a charity coordinator for the Racers. And she certainly didn’t plan on learning that her husband’s accident may have been no accident at all.

Will Jake stick around while her life gets complicated? And if she gives in to her heart, will she just be making another mistake? Rushing to the Altar may be the most daring and risky move of her life.

9. Love Becomes Her by Donna Hill

Fate has one last zinger in store for Barbara Allen. His name is Michael Stevens, he is a basketball millionaire, he's little more than half her age and he wants to spend the night!

Does Barbara dare throw convention to the wind and enjoy her very own boy toy?

It's a decision she'll need the help of her three best friends to make. But as the trio weighs in on whether Barbara should or shouldn't, they come up with an outrageous plan that will mean a life change for them all.

10. In the Paint by Philana Marie Boles

Detroit art gallery assistant Danni Blair is frustrated. Her NBA Detroit Piston boyfriend has been acting shady, she and her best friend end up arguing more than laughing, and her job has been filled with endless drudgery and incompetent co-workers.

When her world suddenly shifts in every way imaginable--her cheating boyfriend breaks up with her and she's fired from her job--Danni goes on an emotional journey that she hopes will reunite her with a love of her life, bring peace to her tumultuous childhood, and reconnect her with her passion for painting.

Want more? I have more! Go to my Goodreads list: Hoops: Basketball Romance. 

This book was quite well written with just the right amount of both crime-fighting and romance. Not by any means a traditional romance story, this will they-won't they tale is one of Grace and David and their twenty-something age gap. The story is really fast paced, lots of exciting crime fighting happening along the way, murders and the small matter of the two main characters trying to fight and deny their feelings for each other. I found it hard to put down, especially once the crime elements went up a notch and the romance started on it's on/off journey. Good stuff, I'll be looking out for more stuff by Stephanie Queen