A RECKLESS HEART by Author Jennifer Wilck

Happy Monday everyone! Today, it’s my pleasure to welcome author, Jennifer Wilck, to the blog. Notes From a Romantic’s Heart is pleased to feature her book, A Reckless Heart, from The Wild Rose Press.

Inquiring Minds Want to Know

Is your book based on real-life experience or a figment of your imagination?

While I might incorporate a tiny piece of reality into my books—such as the discussion in A Reckless Heart about how Meg’s grandmother came to the United States and used Scrabble to learn English—99% of all of my books are complete figments of my imagination. I much prefer that, since it enables me to create worlds I want to live in, and offer responses and comments that I wish I could make in real life.

If you could trade places with one of the characters from your book, who would it be and why?

Well, I don’t think I’d like either Meg’s or Simon’s backstory. However, if I could trade places with one of them, I’d choose Meg. She is brave and loyal, and she creates a new life for herself with good friends.

Is the setting for your book real? If so, have you been there? If it’s fictitious, is there somewhere real that you’ve used as a model?

No, the setting is fictitious. A Reckless Heart takes place somewhere in Maine, and while I visited the state a long time ago, nothing about what I’ve described is real. Again, like my characters, this setting is a stylized, fantasy version of where I’d like Meg and Simon to live. However, therapy gardens ARE real and provide essential assistance to those who need them.

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About the Book

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?

Get it here: Amazon ~ B&N (Nook) ~ Apple ~ Kobo

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Read an Excerpt

“Let’s watch a horror movie.” Meg flopped on the couch and wiggled into the soft cushions.


There was a beat of silence before Simon turned away from her and poked at the logs in the fireplace, sending sparks up the chimney. “I’m not a big fan of horror movies.”

She liked horror movies because the monsters were obviously fake. You didn’t have to dig deep, to wonder about anything. It was black and white. Meg’s heart constricted. She hadn’t thought about it from Simon’s perspective. Did he consider himself a monster?

Could this amazing man see himself in those movies? Her throat thickened. She wanted to run away and cry. But he’d think she ran from him. With a deep breath, she sorted through the list of her favorites in her mind and threw away several until she thought of the perfect one.

“How about Dracula?” Her voice rasped past the emotion, but she forged ahead. “The old one. It’s totally cheesy, which makes it funny. ‘I vant to suck your blood!’ ” she said with a fake accent.

“Do you?” he asked. Returning the poker to the rack, he walked toward her, and held out his arm, wrist up.

She took it in her hand. His skin was warm beneath her fingers, his pulse steady, and the hair on the other side of his arm was wiry. She stroked her thumb along the inside of his wrist. His breath stuttered. She wondered what he’d do if she kissed him. Desire flooded through her. Never mind him, what would she do?

“Next time,” she said. She was brave, but maybe not that brave, at least not yet.

Slowly, he lowered his arm to his side, but remained close enough his knees brushed hers. His skin was flushed, his eyes ablaze. Heat pulsed between them. After a moment, he stepped away, as if he wasn’t brave enough either. “Do you want popcorn?”

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Meet the Author

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 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.

Jennifer's Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Instagram

BookBub ~ Newletter Signup

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As always, thank you so much for stopping by for a visit. We’ll be busy all week with more author, more books, and more fun!

Nancy