From real age gap hockey romance flirtation to imagination running wild!

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Hello !

First, let me apologize for skipping my otherwise weekly newsletter last Sunday. I was visiting my son in D.C.--which I'll tell you about below--and decided to take the week off. I hope you didn't mind.

I'll try to make up for it by giving you EXTRA content today, including one of my real-life-romance-trope experiences.

Check out my real life inspiration for for the age gap trope below! ⬇️⬇️⬇️

In the meantime, I also want to give you a FREE audiobook-, Hot Shot Running Back, a college football romance. You may have read this story before, or you may have listened to it before, but if you haven't, you can enjoy the free bonus now! 

Check out the details below! ⬇️⬇️⬇️

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At SQ's House

We drove down to D.C. for a whirlwind weekend last week to visit with my younger son. The highlight was his Porchfest Concert!➜➜➜➜➜➜➜➜

He plays guitar with a rock band (with no name yet). He's the one on the right and according to his bandmates, he's the star (sorry/not sorry for bragging).

We met all his bandmates and his many friends, and we watched with his girlfriend (who is wicked nice and smart and fun, a real sweetheart!)

The highlight of the performance was when he called us out, thanking us for being there, and dedicated a song to us.

Don't even ask--of course I cried.

Whatever else we did on our short trip was also fun, but whatever compared to feeling all that love and gratitude from our son, and most of all for seeing him so happy and in his element. ❤️

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Join the SQ Team! 

If you enjoy talking books with like-minded romance lovers, and especially if you enjoy sports or my books, I would love to have you join my group. I share exclusive looks at covers-in-progress and you can join my ARC team there.

Me with two local reader friends ➜➜➜

I especially enjoy getting to know the members of my group personally. 💜

➜➜Join the SQ Team on Facebook Here

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Some of may favorite reviews from the past!

IDA Award Winning Contemporary Romance

Playing the Game

"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

"I enjoyed every page from the start to the end. I will keep this story in my heart and pray that Stephanie Queen writes more of these HOT SIZZLING SCORCHING novels. The plot was exciting and characters were absolutely delicious. I read it in on setting as I was unable to put it down. I will absolutely read more of hers."

blacktulip--Amazon reviewer

"I was very pleasantly surprised by this book. It was much longer than expected (always a good thing in my mind) and the characters were very well developed. The story line was a fairly original one and kept me entertained the whole way through. I laughed, I cried, I sympathized, I raged......I loved it!!"

Nana--Amazon Reviewer

I truly appreciate everyone who takes the time to leave reviews.💜

READ PLAYING THE GAME FREE IN KU

for a limited time

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The Real Life Age Gap Trope Experience

In real life, the age gap problem isn't only about how many years the gap is, but also it's about which years they are.

Sometimes a girl can be too young and inexperienced to know the difference between a flirtation and romance.

I discovered this truth in high school when I had a crush on an older man. He was 20, four years older than me. Gasp!

In my defense, he was cute and a professional hockey player and I found that so exciting. What 16 year old girl wouldn't? Especially if she's a big hockey fan.

He was a neighbor, temporarily during the hockey season. I had a ball flirting with him all winter, walks, having snow ball fights, getting free tickets to games...

You can see where this is going. In my inexperienced teenage world, I imagined a whole lot more might come of our flirtation. I imagined we had... a romance.

But we didn't.

My first clue was when I found out he had a girlfriend back home in Canada--the cad.

So I was heartbroken--in the teenager sense of the word.

He got traded away to Los Angeles. I moped for a while, but It's a truth that young crushes disappear as fast as they come on--until the next cute boy comes along to be exact.

That's how I knew the age gap problem was about more than the number of years. Those few years were crucial ones, they were the coming of age years and I hadn't come of age yet. I was too young.

The next and last line of the story should be... and I never saw him again though I have fond memories.

But, that's not what happened.

This is where the real proof comes in about those crucial age gap years.

I did see him again, years later--not romantically. He returned to the neighborhood to visit when I was in college. It turns out that I saw him few times over the years, neighborhood visits and after hockey games.

But then I was old enough to have perspective, having a few actual romances under my belt. I made it through my coming of age years.

And crucially, when I saw him again, I was old enough not to be embarrassed about my one-sided crush.

Maybe he wasn't a cad after all--he was just older.

BTW, for the record, the real life inspiration for my hockey romance tropes is my husband! He plays hockey for fun.🏒💜

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Your Free AudioBook!

Hot Shot Running Back - a college football romance

GET THE FREE AUDIOBOOK HERE!

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Coming May 25th!

TRICKY PUCK

a fake relationship hockey rom-com

Link

The only thing working properly are my eyes as I take her in—and my dick.

Shit. This isn’t how I react to women. Never. Ever.

Not since my second grade teacher Miss Annie Borelli. I was in love with her for the entire school year, and for the entire school year I was tongue-tied. I couldn’t speak in her presence. 

Kind of like now. Fucking hell. This is so not good—and so not happening.

There’s a beat of silence and the matchmaker turns to go. Panic seizes me, making me reach out to stop the old woman. She turns to look at me and I don’t know what to say. I gulp down a puck-sized lump of fear.

The old woman smiles then, the first crack in her game face, and it’s a smile of triumph. Shit. She pats my hand and winks at me, reminding me of Grandma. Maybe they’re related? But that makes no sense because I know all our relatives. Maybe there’s a league of cagey old women out there who mysteriously know everything about life and occasionally they use their powers to interfere—

The wise old matchmaker, in league with Granny or not, walks away and I force myself to turn back to the woman—who’s name I still don’t know—fuck. I hope she doesn’t turn me to stone—although my dick is well on the way to granite hard.

Fuck this.

I can handle a beautiful woman. I’ve been handling them all my life. I force myself to look her in the eyes and smile.

She’s not smiling.

I cough, swallow down a lump of whatever and talk. Or rather, motion with my hand for her to have a seat. Then I sit across from her.

“Man of few words, I see,” she says, her not-smile changing to a let’s get this over with expression and move on patronizing look.

That attitude doesn’t detract from her beauty or my dick’s attraction, but it does loosen my tongue. For better or worse.

“Why are you here? You don’t look like matchmaker material.”

Her expression doesn’t change. “I could say the same about you. But I’m not rude.”

My mouth curves up but I tamp down on the prick of pleasure at her spunk. I don’t mind a good sparring partner. It could be fun for one night.

“You don’t like straight talk?”

“You say that like you’re accusing me of being a lightweight, but I’m no wimp, big boy.” She leans forward and I keep my eyes on hers though my peripheral vision—which is damn good—is good enough to see the dip of creamy cleavage she’s showing. 

“Give me your best shot. Tell me what you think.” She asks for it with way too much confidence.

“She’s capable of multi-layered sparring.” I lean forward, my blood heating up with interest because this is my kind of conversation—gloves off. 

“I’ll tell you what I think.” I keep my voice low for emphasis.. “You’re smart and hot and you don’t need a matchmaker to find a date. Which means you don’t want to date and some well-meaning family member set you up—for your own good—because you’re damaged and lonely and you don’t think you need a man to make you happy.”

She opens her mouth, doesn’t say a word for a beat, and doesn’t move her eyes from mine, not even a blink. I stare back at her bright blue eyes, concentrating hard not to be distracted, to keep sharp for the sparring. The last thing I want is to be blind sided by an uppercut. Without even a flicker in my attention, I wait for her return shot.

“Very revealing. I was wondering why you were here.”

“I notice you didn’t tell me I was wrong.” I hold back my smile, but it’s damned difficult to keep my expression blank when it should be automatic.

“Now that we have that cleared up, let’s order a drink.” She’s looking over my shoulder at the server as the young woman approaches.

“I’ll have—” she starts, but I cut her off, with good intentions of course.

“We’ll both have Pappy van Winkel, straight up.” A glance tells me she’s more impressed than shocked. “And leave the bottle.”

Now she’s shocked.

PRE-ORDER NOW!

Pre-orders are very helpful, so I'd appreciate it if you would pre-order Tricky Puck today. ❤️

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ROMANTICONN 2024

Coming July 26 - 27

Trumbull Marriott Shelton, Trumbull, CT

Of course I'll be there!

REGISTER NOW!

The Signing Authors

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More books for your reading pleasure

SQ's Featured Authors

Pucking Around with My Grumpy Ex - Haley Storm

A sizzling second chance romance

My brother’s best friend, the hotshot goalie who broke my heart, is back. Now, I’m the only puck caught in his net…

Seeing Finn swagger back to Chandler sparks memories of our secret, steamy nights.

Now this brooding bad boy wants another taste of my forbidden fruit.

I’d be lying if I said his 6’ 3 frame isn’t tempting AF, especially watching the way those biceps maneuver in his tightly fitted T.

But this good girl grew thorns while he chased the spotlight.

Trusting this heartbreaker isn't in my playbook, even if our chemistry sizzles.

My plans leave no room to reveal my secret baby daddy drama.

But now that I know Finn’s side of the story, I can’t help but want more of him.

Like a perfect slapshot, our blazing past ignites the present.

My heart's on thin ice.

Now I have to decide if our love will score or miss the goal.

Buy for $.99 or Read Free on KU!

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Zero Pucks Given – Jessa York

They're both driven to succeed--at all costs. But neither of them expects that to include wedding vows...

Beau

Being captain of my team has always been a dream of mine since I first stepped out on the ice.

When Gigi slams into my life, everything I’ve known is shaken.

I’ve never been in a fake relationship before—especially with someone who hates me.

But if it means finally reaching my goal, I’ll do just about anything. That is, if I can keep my eyes—and my hands—off her.

Gigi

I’ve dreamed of marrying Beau Moreau—superstar hockey forward—for as long as I can remember.

Now I dream about punching him right in the junk.

After he ticks me off and breaks my heart—all while ogling my chest—my girlhood crush on this older man is officially over.

I think.

READ FOR FREE NOW!

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ROMANCE FANS: CLICK HERE to Follow Me anywhere on social media and keep in touch!

Are you feeling romance in the air this spring? If you are, then I hope you find a romantic book here to indulge your mood and enjoy during this refreshing season.

Please find time to read or do whatever your favorite pastime is.

Drop me a note--I'd love to hear from you any time. 💜

Warmest Regards,