Guest Post: A HEART RESTRAINED by Jennifer Wilck

     My guest today is Jennifer Wilck. She is an award-winning contemporary romance author for readers who are passionate about love, laughter, and happily ever after. Known for writing both Jewish and non-Jewish romances, her books feature damaged heroes, sassy and independent heroines, witty banter and hot chemistry. Jennifer’s ability to transport the reader into the scene, create characters the reader will fall in love with, and evoke a roller coaster of emotions, will hook you from the first page. You can find her books at all major online retailers in a variety of formats. 

     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. She believes humor is the only way to get through the day and does not believe in sharing her chocolate. 

     Where can you find Jennifer? Check out these links: 

Website: https://www.jenniferwilck.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/879114386079365
Newsletter: https://www.jenniferwilck.com/contact.html#newsletter
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorjenniferwilck/
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/jennifer-wilck
Linktr.ee: https://linktr.ee/JenniferWilck
 

Jennifer's lastest release is A HEART RESTRAINED. 

This is the story of Caleb Zeno, a wealthy and successful media mogul. He refuses to allow emotions into any aspect of his life, especially his entertainment corporation. When his company’s lifestyle website runs into competition from a small boutique company, the most logical solution is to buy out his rival.     

Fiona Hamilton’s lifestyle website succeeds due to her loving and caring treatment of her clients, who have become like family to her. She has no desire to sell to anyone, much less a tattooed, muscled, automaton. At odds professionally, Caleb and Fiona come together as a favor for Caleb’s sister. Sparks fly and sexual chemistry abounds. But Caleb can't let go of his abusive past and be the man Fiona needs, and she is unwilling to risk independence and financial security for anything less than a perfect happily ever after. Can they put their differences aside to find a viral kind of love?

Here's an excerpt!

      “Wouldn’t you enjoy this more if it were in English?” 
      She paused and shifted so she faced him, one leg bent under her, the other dangling off the edge. “Absolutely not! Telenovelas are so much more emotional than American TV.” 
     “Why don’t you at least research online to find a plot summary?” 
     “I’m happy with the way things are,” she said. “I don’t need to hear the words to feel the story.” 
     “But...you’re crying.” 
     She smiled through her tears and wiped her cheeks. “I know.” 
     Staring at her, his heart rate increased, and he tamped the panic her tears caused. At first, he thought pain caused her tears, but her rapt attention to the screen made him realize otherwise. 
Why would she want to do this to herself? And how could she enjoy a show she couldn’t understand? 
      He should leave, before she recognized his complete lack of comprehension. But her rapt attention to the screen fascinated him. She was smart—his business dealings with her had proven it. Yet she focused as if she understood her show. 
     She stared at the TV screen, but he couldn’t take his gaze off her. Her skin, despite its bruising, was luminous. Her lips were parted, and she gripped the edges of the sofa cushions until her knuckles turned white. This close to her, heat radiated from her body. He could hear a faint sigh. 
     If she were this passionate about a television show, how passionate would she be if he kissed her? 

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BS56R4LH
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-heart-restrained-jennifer-wilck/1142971831?ean=9781509248186
iBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/a-heart-restrained/id6445422670
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/a-heart-restrained
 
Universal Link: https://books2read.com/u/3k2G5n

I Need a Good Title

   

      I finished a book in February, but I need a good title for it. Sometimes I don't have a problem with the title and sometimes I do. I knew from the moment I started writing Heaven's Blue that would be the title of the book. The same thing happened with Sea of Hope. But for other books, I wound up writing lists of ideas as to what I would name them. The publisher at Pelican Book Group came up with the title for Angel of the L Train. I originally named it Home Somewhere, which is a very boring title.

     This latest book is set in 1903 in a Jersey shore town. I have a Pinterest board with a gazillion photos of the Jersey shore in the early 1900s. It was a popular place. (And still is. New Jersey has very nice beaches.) The protagonist's name Amaranth Beach since she was found at a beach wrapped in a tattered shawl with a sprig of seabeach amaranth on it. Raised in a Catholic orphanage, she was taught to be a secretary. She is given a job with with a woman who is very involved with the suffragist cause. 

     Chinese people in the United States at that time were not citizens. The first significant law restricting immigration into the United States was the Chinese Exclusion Act, passed by Congress in 1882. It banned Chinese laborers. In 1902, the Chinese were required to obtain a certificate of residence, without it they faced deportation. 

     So, the protagonist of this story fears being sent back to a place she doesn't know and where she cannot speak the language. 

     Of course, there is a love interest. The woman who hired the young protagonist has a son. 

     I've looked online and there are many books with the word orphan in the title. Secretary is a popular in titles as well. Beach Orphan? Hide Tide Orphan? Or maybe simply Miss Beach? 

     I'll be searching for more ideas. But in the meantime, you can check out my board on Pinterest with all the photos I've been saving to help me with this book: https://www.pinterest.com/penelopemarzec/amaranth/

Sidhe in the Catskills

There are two more days to enter the Pot o' Gold Bookish Event at https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/pot-o-gold-bookish-event. You could win a $15 Amazon giftcard. 

You could also buy PRINCE OF THE MIST for only #99cents.  I saved a bunch of reviews Prince of the Mist received when it was released the first time. For the second edition, it is the same great book. The only difference is the cover. 😁

Now is the time for you to download Prince of the Mist because it's almost St. Patrick's Day and this is a story about one of the large, human-sized Irish fairies known as the Sidhe--except the hero of this book lives in the Catskill Mountains of New York. Sidhe in the Catskills you might ask? Of course! While the legends about the Sidhe come from Ireland, there are fairies in other countries. You can find a wealth of information about mythical creatures at http://www.kelleyheckart.com/FaeryLore.html

This book was fun to write and many reviewers enjoyed it as well. Read below to see what some reviewers said about the first edition.

Candy, reviewing for Coffee Time Romance, gave PRINCE OF THE MIST 5 Coffee Cups and said, “The conflicts between Tia and Wildon are full of humor and pathos. Their lovemaking is explosive. There is action and suspense as Tia fights her mother’s enemies. I enjoyed this book and I hope this is the beginning of a new series by Penelope Marzec. I look forward to reading more of her books.”

Julie Bonello at ECataRomance Reviews gave PRINCE OF THE MIST 4 Stars and said, “Penelope Marzec’s novella Prince of the Mist is an enchanting paranormal romance which will keep you enthralled from the first page to the last sentence!.....Prince of the Mist is a page-turning story which you will find very hard to put down. Penelope Marzec is a very talented author who keeps her readers hooked with this fabulous story which is full of fun, passion and intrigue.”

For PRINCE OF THE MIST, Valerie at Love Romances said, “Penelope Marzec has written a good book with a good plot. This reviewer was drawn in with the first page. There is lots of action and the opening is quite exciting. When Tia is running away from the car jacker, the reader feels her panic and fear. Tia is a heroine who the reader can relate to.”

The book received Four Angels from Brandy at Fallen Angel Reviews who said, “Ms. Marzec has created a sweet story that covers the full range of emotions. The plot is simple, but effective; the characters are likable and easy to relate to….. All in all, this is an excellent story and well worth reading.”

Brenda Thatcher, Reviewer at Mystique Books gave it Four and One Half Moons. She said, “PRINCE OF THE MIST is a wonderful book, a tender tale of love set against a politically hot topic….PRINCE OF THE MIST is highly recommended. It is a beautiful story of love that shows how two people from vastly different cultures can find unity.”

Wendi at Road to Romance said, “PRINCE OF THE MIST is so well written and spellbinding, my attention was grabbed from the beginning. I read the story all at once.”

Romance Junkies Reviewer Billie Jo awarded PRINCE OF THE MIST a Blue Ribbon Rating of 4.5 and said, “PRINCE OF THE MIST is a charming, sexy, and fun read. Penelope Marzec outdoes herself again with another magical love story that kept me enthralled from the beginning to the end. …I chuckled throughout this delightful tale. I look forward to reading more of Ms. Marzec’s books."

Susan from Enchanted In Romance gave PRINCE OF THE MIST 4 Unicorns and said, “Prince of The Mist is a 64-page story that will transport the reader to a magical realm. The author has written a fast paced and highly sensual story that will capture the readers’ imagination. The lead couple’s story and their struggles will draw you in and not let go until the very end.”

So there you have it. Lots of happy reviewers enjoyed Prince of the Mist. Give it a try. You don't have much to lose. It's less than the price of a cup of coffee. :^)

You can download it at https://www.amazon.com/Prince-Mist-Penelope-Marzec/dp/1467901288

Pot 'O Gold Bookish Event!

 Are you feeling lucky? You could win a $15 Amazon gift card @NNP_W_Light’s Pot ‘O Gold Bookish Event. Check out all the featured books and enter the giveaway to win a $15 Amazon gift card: https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/pot-o-gold-bookish-event 

Open Internationally. You must have a valid Amazon US or Amazon Canada account to win.

Runs March 9 – March 19, 2023.

Winner will be drawn on March 20, 2023.

Two of my books will be featured for this event, Prince of the Mist and Kiss of Blarney. Both are only $0.99! A real bargain! 

You can find the link with all the information about PRINCE OF THE MIST at https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/post/prince-of-the-mist-pog

One fan of the book said, "Ms Marzec does a wonderful job giving us a very grown up fairy tale. The descriptive writing and modern day issues make this story real. I highly recommended it."

I Am A Winner!

 I revised and added words to my current WIP. I actually finished the book and wrote The End. It really helped to have cheerleaders urging me on to victory.  😊  I LOVE this February challenge. 

Of course, I'm not really done with the book because I have to go through the manuscript again to double check everything as well as do a thorough spelling and grammar check. I also have to write a blurb AND a synopsis. I am not fond of those tasks, but I will muddle through them. 

Then I have to hope someone will thinks it's good enough. Writing is a gamble. But I do enjoy the drama with my characters. They always entertain me. 💖