New Release in Scarred Hearts Series

I want to thank Kim for hosting me today. A Reckless Heart is the first book in a four book contemporary romance series, and I’m so excited for this series to come to fruition. It’s funny, because as a writer, I’m always asking myself “what if” questions. Sometimes, those questions lead nowhere. Other times, they’ll lead to a character or a scene. If I’m very lucky, they lead me to an entire book. In this case, my “what if” led me to my Scarred Hearts series.

I’ve always loved the beauty and the beast theme for romances. Not because I want my heroes beastly, but because that theme gives me fodder to delve deeply into why the hero does what he does or acts how he acts. Basically, I like looking into the psychological reasons. I like finding the vulnerability that turns him into someone we can root for and fall in love with.

My Scarred Hearts series started with the idea of four wealthy men who used their money for good. I noodled around for a while with different character traits, professions, and backgrounds, until I came up with the general premise: Four college buddies have found financial success and risen to the top of their fields in media, architecture, landscape architecture and computer security. All of the men are damaged in some way—physically, psychologically, emotionally—and all of them have resigned themselves to a life focused solely on their careers. Yet something is missing, and they seek fulfillment their careers can’t give them. They pool their extra money and form CAST, an investment group to help the less fortunate. They support coding for kids, therapy gardens, senior living facilities, and shelters for abused kids. And then they meet the women who draw them out of their shells, challenge them and turn their worlds upside down.

Once I had the series idea, it was time to get to work on the first book, A Reckless Heart. As a pantser, I don’t outline. Simon, the hero, jumped out at me and begged me to tell his story. While my daughter and I were visiting colleges in Boston, and she was sitting in the hotel room doing homework, I sat down to write. Five thousand words later, I had this story and knew it had potential.

It’s been a wonderful book to write—emotional, funny, flirty, and satisfying. I learned about landscape architecture, therapy gardens, and even high society high jinx. Fun fact: Meg’s backstory is based on an event that appeared in a newspaper about a publicist to the stars. Of course, names and details have been altered significantly.

A Reckless Heart releases from The Wild Rose Press on March 29. I hope you’ll join me and get to know Simon and Meg. They make guest appearances in the rest of the books in the series, and I think you’re going to fall in love with them!

Bio

Jennifer started telling herself stories as a little girl when she couldn’t fall asleep at night. Pretty soon, her head was filled with these stories and the characters that populated them. Even as an adult, she thinks about the characters and stories at night before she falls asleep or while walking the dog. Eventually, she started writing them down. Her favorite stories to write are those with smart, sassy, independent heroines; handsome, strong and slightly vulnerable heroes; and her stories always end with happily ever after.

In the real world, she’s the mother of two amazing daughters and wife of one of the smartest men she knows. When she’s not writing, she loves to laugh with her family and friends, is a pro at finding whatever her kids lost in plain sight, and spends way too much time closing doors that should never have been left open in the first place. She believes humor is the only way to get through the day and does not believe in sharing her chocolate.

She writes contemporary romance, some of which are mainstream and some of which involve Jewish characters. She’s published with The Wild Rose Press and all her books are available through Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Author Links:

Website: https://www.jenniferwilck.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Jennifer-Wilck-201342863240160/

Newsletter: https://www.jenniferwilck.com/contact.html#newsletter

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JWilck

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorjenniferwilck/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/jennifer-wilck

Blurb: Meg Thurgood, former society girl, took the blame for her friend and paid a steep price. Now all she wants is solitude and a chance to rebuild her life. She thinks she's found that in an isolated house she rents from a mysterious stranger.

Simon McAlter has hidden in his house on the coast of Maine since a fire left him scarred. A successful landscape architect who conducts his business and teaches his classes remotely, he's lost his inspiration and is trying to pretend he's not lonely. 

Simon's new neighbor is more than he bargained for. When he learns Meg's secret, will he retreat into the shadows or will he learn to see past the surface and trust in Meg's love? 

Buy Links

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08X429BMX/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=jennifer+wilck&qid=1614027536&sr=8-5

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-reckless-heart-jennifer-wilck/1138858163?ean=2940162335382

Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/a-reckless-heart/id1554790505

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57176551-a-reckless-heart

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/a-reckless-heart-scarred-hearts-book-1-by-jennifer-wilck

 

Excerpt

Meg walked with Simon on the rocky beach, waves on her right, cliffs on her left, and seagulls overhead. This time, her lungs expanded, her respiration slowed, and she became hyper aware of him. He took longer strides than she did, but after they’d gone a few feet, he shortened his.

She appreciated the consideration. It only made her more aware of his muscular thighs. Their arms brushed as they walked, and tingles shot up her neck. It was an accident, wasn’t it? He stepped away, but a few strides later the uneven ground pushed them together, and their bodies brushed against each other. She listened to his breath hitch at the contact, and he didn’t move away.

Nervous laughter bubbled in her chest. They’d been close before and held hands. Granted, he’d covered hers on the ladder, but still. It wasn’t the first time they touched. Why was this different? She remembered the sensations when he’d covered her hand on the roof— warmth and roughness and safety. And she wanted it. She bumped her hand against his, on purpose, to feel his skin. It wasn’t smooth like hers. Its texture, unique to him, fascinated her. A moment later, he rubbed his arm against her.