Friday Feast Welcomes Jennifer Wilck to the Tavern
I'm delighted to host a special guest on Friday Feast today. Please make welcome Jennifer Wilck, a sister Rose from The Wild Rose Press! Not only is she sharing her new release, A Reckless Heart, but also, a delicious recipe! Grab a glass of apple cider or champagne and let's hear what Jennifer has to say...
A Message from Jennifer Wilck
Thank you so much, Mary, for hosting me today!
My latest release, A Reckless Heart, is a contemporary romance with a beauty and the beast theme to it. Simon and Meg are both wounded souls, who have to learn to trust each other and the world around them.
Simon is hiding out at his family’s compound on the coast of Maine. He rents out his guesthouse, but makes the realtor agree to only rent to middle-aged peopled. Unbeknownst to him, the realtor instead rents it out to Meg, a beautiful young woman trying to rebuild her life after a lie spiraled out of control and ruined her life.
When Meg arrives at the guesthouse, she finds a note from Simon, welcoming her to the house. The handwriting is shaky, and she assumes her landlord is an old man. To thank him for renting to her, she makes him zucchini bread.
Below is the recipe I use when making zucchini bread, and it’s delicious. My dad’s cousin, Susan, gave it to me, so I have to give her all the credit. And I don’t mind doing so—she’s a lovely, loving woman with a great sense of humor, and I always have a wonderful time visiting her. I hope you enjoy the bread as much as I, and Simon, do!
Zucchini Bread
3 eggs
1 Cup of oil
2 ½ Cups sugar
2 Cups grated zucchini (no seeds)
3 tsp vanilla
3 Cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
3 tsp cinnamon
Combine first five ingredients. Sift and add next four. Mix well. Pour into greased loaf pans (divide evenly between 2). Bake at 350 for one hour. Cool and enjoy!
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?
Available from these online retailers
AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | APPLE IBOOKS | GOODREADS | BOOKBUB
Sneak preview from A Reckless Heart
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.
Was it accidental, too? She snuck a glance at his profile. Although his hair blocked most of his face, she’d swear when the wind blew it, a ghost of a smile hovered, like they shared a private joke. Her belly warmed, and the air between their knuckles, where they almost touched, crackled with electricity.
The next time their bodies touched, she slipped her hand through his elbow. His body jolted before he pressed her arm against his side, and they walked to the curve of the shore connected.
When they stopped, they watched the waves lap over the rocks, their froth sputtering into the cracks.
“This is the only place I’ve ever not felt alone,” he whispered.
“How long have you been alone?”
“Too long,” he replied. “This is the only place I’ve ever felt seen."
“I can’t imagine you invisible,” he said.
“When “It Girls” and camera bulbs surround you, it’s easy to fade into the background.”
The sky and water darkened as the light faded, and she shivered in the chill air. Her hand grew icy as he pulled away from her. As she was about to complain, a weight landed on her shoulders. His arm drew her close. He remained still, as if he waited to see if she’d object. Instead, she leaned against his side. Heat emanated from him, and tingles ran through her body. A desire to turn into him, to press her body against his, to kiss him, overwhelmed her. He positioned her in front of him and rested his chin on the top of her head. His heart beat against her back. A soft moan escaped her lips, and they both froze. All of a sudden, she was aware of how close she was. His jacket was warm from his body and smelled like him.
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.
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