Second excerpt from He Has Pluck

Aug 21, 2022 9:31 pm

EXCLUSIVE Excerpt #2 for

He Has Pluck - a bad boy hockey rom-com

Hi everyone!

I'm having a ball writing the juicy conflict between Jason and Juliette in He Has Pluck. Of course their differences don't seem to matter when it comes to bedroom fun. This is going to turn out to be one of my steamier stories in a while!

Check out the excerpt below! 🧡

Also, PLAYING THE GAME - a bad boy sports romance is on SALE for $.99 for a LIMITED TIME

Check out the fabulous new cover and featured review below...

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At SQ's House

I went to a concert at Fenway Park last night with a good friend who lives right in Boston. ➜➜

We saw Imagine Dragons and when I tell you it was a fantastic experience from beginning to end, you will still have no idea!!

The night made me want to jump from sports romance to writing a big fat angsty rock star 🎸 romance!

(But then I came to my senses when I realized I know nothing about rock stars and their lifestyle.) 🎸🎼

I don't go to a lot of concerts and never went to one at Fenway Park, which, for those of you who don't know, is normally the ball field for the Boston Red Sox and it's located right in the heart of the city. It's one of those iconic places and now the oldest ballpark in the country.

Enough about Fenway--the concert was a blow-your-socks-off performance with fabulous songs like Believer, Thunder, Enemy, Demons and Whatever It Takes.

And don't get me started about Dan Reynolds--the lead singer's star power is Hot! 🔥🔥🔥

Now back to writing...

Hope you're all enjoying some fun reading and real-life experiences. 💜

➜➜Join the SQ Team on Facebook Here

I'd love a chance to get to know you better and ask your opinion on cover ideas, share exclusive contests and thoughts on romance books.

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✍️My Writing Progress

2022 so far: 322,911 words, 4.4 Novels

2022 Goal: 425,000 words, 5 Novels, 1 Novella

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What Am I Reading? This week I finished listening to The Nantucket Inn by Pamela Kelley.

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➜➜For Audiobook Addicts (like me)

Check out the Audiobook for the Complete Beachcomber Investigations series auto narrated and available at Google Plus.

Only $2.99 for the month of August Only!

That's 69+ hours of listening time including every one of the 12 books in the series plus two bonus novellas!

Get the Audiobook Deal Here!

➜➜If you'd like a chance for a REVIEW COPY of a Boston Brawlers audiobook, let me know at stephanie@stephaniequeen.com.

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Featured Review

Playing the Game

"5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely loved this book

I have over 1300 books on my kindle and this has to be one of my top 10 favourites.

I keep looking at the progress bar, hoping the book will never end."

--Tina Ng, Amazon Reviewer

Thank you for the review, Tina!

Buy Now - Only $.99

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New Covers for the Playing Series!

CHECK THEM OUT HERE!

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EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT #2: He Has Pluck

Juliette

Looking away from hockey boy, I nod at my boss. Of course we need to talk. Did I think I’d walk into this job, such as it is, without some sort of reprimand or word of caution of some kind? Not after the way things ended in Columbia.

Walking with Dan down the corridor in silence, I feel Jason’s eyes burning a hole in my back with his misplaced concern. I saw it, unmistakable and disconcerting.

But what does he know? He’s a green young buck who’s clueless enough to be excited about playing hockey for the NHL. Like that’s something.

Sure, he's a panty-melter with that body and that square jaw and a freaking dimple in his chin. Too bad for my panties because I'm so not into professional athletes. It’s hard for me to imagine that playing hockey is some kind of accomplishment, though it certainly pays the bills, I’ll give him that. But all that energy and enthusiasm wasted on a game—

“Let’s talk over lunch at The Harp across Causeway Street," Dan cuts into my useless obsessing over hockey boy. "They have fish and chips to rival those of The Alfred in London.”

“Do tell,” I say. He chuckles as he pushes the door open to the lobby and we leave the building. The spring day isn’t warm, but it’s sunny and optimistic and I try to soak some of that in. To no avail.

“Still have your edge,” he says. “At least that’s something.”

“Why? Did you think I had turned into a simpering needy puddle?”

“No. You’re a chip off the old block. I think your father would be proud of you.”

His words slice into me before I freeze them out.

“Let’s leave him out of this,” I say. “What do you think Mom would say?”

He laughs. “About the Brawlers documentary? She’d be on a plane here in a second to cheer you on.”

“That’s what I was afraid of. Do me a favor—don’t tell her.”

“She won’t hear it from me.”

I know she has other sources, a network of spies that keep her filled in on my whereabouts and doings. I suppose I’m glad about that. Saves me the trouble of sending postcards.

“You realize that when you told me you had a plum assignment for me, the last thing I expected was a sports documentary—and hockey of all things.”

“What do you have against hockey? You don’t believe all those stereotypes do you?”

“Suppose I do. Then you get the picture.” I wave a hand, realizing I’m being ridiculous. “Okay, thank you for finding me work when no one else seemed to have a goddamn thing suddenly. At least according to my agent.”

“You’re welcome,” he says, pauses to let it sink in that I ought to be more grateful. “You left a mess in Columbia. Did you expect you’d be able to jump back into a Vice TV production after that—”

“Let’s not talk about it. It’s done and I can’t undo it.”

“No, but you need to deal with the repercussions.”

“And here I am in Boston doing a hockey documentary—I’d say that’s dealing with the repercussions. Unless you have something else?”

“No. You have a lot to prove.”

“Does everyone know about Columbia?”

He nods. “Not everything.”

My eyes snap to his and every muscle in my body tenses.

“What do you mean by that?” I take a deep breath to ask what I’ve been afraid to know. “What exactly is my reputation on the street?”

“I don’t know about the street, but in the business, everyone knows that you killed a man. Some call it brave. Most think you were stupid for having a fling with a local when you obviously didn’t know who he was. You used poor judgment. That’s the consensus.”

Ghosts of my Mom’s reputation fly in to haunt me. Shit.

“Brave, huh? It was damn gutsy. I’d like to see what another woman, or even a man would have done in my situation.”

“That’s the point, Juliette. You shouldn’t have gotten yourself into that situation.”

“It was a fluke. I need to get back on the saddle, right away, and prove myself. Don’t you have even a second camera job somewhere out of country?” Anything but this.

A burst of lust for hockey boy pops into my head and I can’t stand myself. Well, if I were stupid enough to jump into bed with him, at least there’d be no danger that I’d have to shoot him in the morning because he’s about to kill me so he can steal the film and production files...

Pre-Order He Has Pluck Now

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Stephanie Queen's Featured Author

Two Hearts in Retreat - Tamara Ferguson

Sparks fly when Mel and Steve meet...

But Mel is not even close to being ready for a new relationship, even one year after Hawk’s death, so she keeps Steve at arm’s length, even when they’re working together. Will they ever be healed enough to stop their sparring and finally admit that the attraction they’re fighting just might be love?