A Perflect Blend Of Elegance And Drama

Time travel romance (Regency to 21^st century

Scandalous Matter (Magic of Love Book 3)
A Regency-to-present time travel romance in which a scandal-scarred Regency lady leaps forward to modern-day Virginia in search of the education and independence she’s always wanted, only to entangle herself with a career-consumed computer science professor.

“This is the perfect marriage between a contemporary romance and a Regency. The miscommunications that result from the clashing worldviews, so well captured in the prose, are by turn humorous and tear-jerking. While time-travel romances are not uncommon, this combination of elements–a magical manuscript that creates the spark of true love, a passionate woman so devastated by the scandals of her past that she’ll run away to the future for a chance at independence and happiness, and a workaholic whose kind heart only needs to open up to find true happiness–works together in a unique and satisfying way…A satisfying mash-up of contemporary romance and Regency with a determinedly independent heroine and a workaholic-with-a-heart-of-gold sure to please fans of both subgenres.” – Publisher’s Weekly BookLife Prize

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What if your soul mate doesn’t want Happily Ever After?

Independent, spirited Amara Mattersley may live under scandal’s shadow, but at least the nineteenth-century Regency society judging her is familiar. That’s all about to change when she finds herself in twenty-first-century Charlottesville, Virginia–and locking horns with one very befuddling, very male, UVA professor.

Computer science professor Matthew Goodson has no time for love–no time for anything, actually, but his quest for tenure and his obsession with the screen. The last thing he expects is to get sideswiped by this adorably odd British miss. Yet something in her calls to him, pulls at him, in a way unknown–and uncomfortable.

Can past and present blend together into a mutual future? Or will old wounds and new complications sabotage any chance at a twenty-first century happily ever after?

Excerpt

Matt had just opened the box of rice when a large thud disrupted the room. “What the?” He leapt out of his seat.

Ben stood, as well, exchanging a look with Cat. “I’ll go investigate,” she said.

Ben merely nodded.

Were they insane? Why would Ben want his wife looking into this, instead of him? What if someone had broken in?

“No, wait, I’ll go,” Matt said.

“Bu—”

He held up a hand to quiet her as he strode toward the left side of the room, the side from which the noise had come. As he neared the Romance section, he could swear he heard scuffling, then a low moan. A low, female-sounding moan.

Rounding the corner, he stopped short at the sight of a young woman sitting on the floor, cradling her head. She wore a long white dress, a maxi dress, his sister Taylor would call it, with some sort of short red jacket over it, and she had a bonnet—a bonnet, of all things—on her head.

He frowned. What was going on? Some sort of cosplay gone bad? His brow furrowed as he studied the woman. A second moan knocked him out of his reverie, and he rushed to her side.

“Are you okay?” He’d figure out why and how she’d gotten here later; for now, he needed to ensure she was all right. His EMT training never fully left him, though he hadn’t gone on runs in years. He crouched down next to her and reached for her hand to pull it away from her head. At his touch, the woman yelped and yanked her hand back. She looked up, affording him his first full view of her face.

My God, she’s stunning. A pair of hazel-green eyes peered out of a face that was both delicate and strong at the same time. Her curvaceous lips flattened into a line as her eyes widened. But there was no doubt about it, this was one gorgeous woman.

She shook her head, then glanced wildly about the room, her eyes darting to and fro before settling on him again. The panic in them made him want to reach for her, but at that moment, Cat approached from behind him.

“What’s going—” She broke off as Matt stood and moved to the side so she could see the newcomer. Cat’s hand flew to her mouth before she dropped it and pasted an unnatural-looking smile on her face. “Amara?” she said, taking a step closer to the woman.

The bonnet wielder’s eyes flew open even wider, a feat he wouldn’t have thought possible. She gave a nod. “Miss Schreiber?”

Huh. A British accent. He hadn’t expected that. Maybe it was part of the role.

Cat nodded enthusiastically, crouching down by the woman. “Yes! It’s Mrs. Cooper now, but please call me Cat. I’m so glad you’re here. I know you must be—” She broke off and glanced up at Matt. “I know you must be overwhelmed, Cousin Amara. We have much to talk about. But first,” she gestured toward him, “you must meet Matthew Goodson. This is he.”

About the Author

A lover of romance novels since the age of ten (don’t tell her mom!), Margaret Locke declared as a teen she’d write romances when she was older. Once an adult, however, she figured she ought to be doing grownup things, not penning love stories. Thank goodness turning forty cured her of that silly notion. Margaret is now happily ensconced back in the clutches of her first crush, this time as an author as well as a reader. Because love matters.

Margaret lives in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley in Virginia with her fantastic husband, two fabulous kids, and three fat cats. You can usually find her in front of some sort of screen (electronic or window); she’s come to terms with the fact she’s not an outdoors person.

Books by Margaret Locke:

The Magic of Love series:

A Man of Character

A Matter of Time

A Scandalous Matter

The Put Up Your Dukes series:

The Demon Duke

How to connect with Margaret Locke:

Website: http://margaretlocke.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorMargaretLocke

GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com/MargaretLocke

Google Plus: http://plus.google.com/+MargaretLockeAuthor