Guest Author: Patricia Sargeant & Giveaway!

I’m SO thrilled to have Patricia Sargeant guest-blogging with us today.  Patricia writes both sports romances and romantic suspense, which I also do with my hubby under the pen name of VK Sykes.  Patricia is also a fellow Kensington author, and I’m always happy to host one of my compatriots.

I’m going to turn the blog over to Patricia now, so she can tell us all about her wonderful books.

Good morning, everyone!

Vanessa, thank you so much for inviting me over to meet and mingle with your online community. I’m excited to be here and looking forward to chatting with everyone.

First, in the interest of full disclosure, I’d like to explain that I write romantic suspense as Patricia Sargeant. But I use the pseudonym Regina Hart for my contemporary romances. Now that we know each other better, in honor of the NBA Finals, the upcoming 2012 Olympics and my July release, Keeping Score (blushing), let’s talk about sports.

Keeping Score is the final release in my Brooklyn Monarchs trilogy, which I’m writing as Regina Hart. The contemporary romance trilogy features the franchise members and friends of a fictional National Basketball Association team set in Brooklyn, New York. Fast Break, the first book in the trilogy, opens the team’s Cinderella Season with the franchise’s owner, Jaclyn Jones, and the team’s rookie head coach, DeMarcus Guinn. The second book, Smooth Play, centers on the team’s vice president of media and marketing, Troy Marshall, and sports reporter Andrea Benson. We end the Monarchs’ Magical Season with veteran baller Warrick Evans and his wife, Dr. Marilyn Devry-Evans.

Here’s the back cover blurb for Keeping Score:

To be a pro b-ball champion takes endless drive and passion. But being a winner on the court can often mean losing off the court…

He’s an NBA legend, considered the best of the best. Now veteran player Warrick Evans is determined to lead his team all the way to the championship. It’s his last shot before he retires, but the media can’t get enough of his story — and all the attention is turning his teammates against him, not to mention his wife.

Dr. Marilyn Devry-Evans has always stood by her man, even when it meant standing in his shadow. Now she wants to focus on her own career and on scoring her own dream job. But with the spotlight bearing down on them, Marilyn is reaching her breaking point. Especially when a secret comes to light — one that could destroy not only her career, but her marriage.

That’s Warrick and Marilyn’s story.

I love basketball. I love the fast pace, the athleticism and the tension that often lasts until the last seconds drain from the game clock. I also love the muscles clearly visible with the basketball jersey. But I digress.

My question to you, my new friends, are what are some of your favorite sports romances – books, movies or both. I’ll start us off. I love Farrah Rochon’s New York Sabers contemporary romance football series. One of my favorite sports romance movies is “Just Wright,” starring Queen Latifah and Common. Have you seen it? It’s funny and heartbreaking – with a thoroughly great ending.

Your turn! And, just for giving up your secrets, you could be one of two commenters who each get one copy of Smooth Play, the second book in my Brooklyn Monarchs trilogy.

Vanessa, here.  Doesn’t Keeping Score sound great?  If you like sports romances, I know you’ll love Patricia’s books.  So, let’s get to it.  What is your favorite sports romance – book or movie?  Two people who comment will win copies of Smooth Play.