A Heart Restrained by Jennifer Wilck (Scarred Hearts Book 3) | Book Review ~ Excerpt ~ Gift Card
A book blog tour from Goddess Fish Promotions.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and Marianne & Judy at Goddess Fish for providing me with the information for this tour.
Book Details
A Heart Restrained by Jennifer Wilck Series: Scarred Hearts #3
Published by The Wild Rose Press on March 27, 2023
Genres: Contempoary Romance
Format: eBook, Paperback
Pages: 299
Source: Goddess Fish Promotions, Received from the author or publisher for review.Caleb Zeno, a wealthy and successful media mogul, 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?
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Excerpt from A Heart Restrained
He rubbed sweaty palms against his jean-clad thighs before ringing Fiona’s doorbell. Of all the favors his sister asked of him this was, by far, the most ridiculous. And he would have said no if he could. But he never could, and here he was. When Fiona opened the door, he reminded himself he never let others see his emotions.
“I told you casual.”
She frowned. “I see we’re starting off on the right foot again.”
His heart rate increased, and he cursed to himself. “Hello,” he said.
“A little better. Hello to you, too. And this is casual. We’re going for Thai food.”
“No, we’re not. You should change.”
She scanned his body, and he suppressed the urge to fidget. When she folded her arms, he resisted staring at her breasts. Well, maybe a glance or two…
“I’m not doing anything or going anywhere until you tell me what the plan is. This ‘do this, wear that’ might work for others, but not me.”
Why was he such a beast around her? He stuffed his hands in his pockets. “You’re right, sor—” Noise from inside her apartment distracted him. “Am I interrupting something?”
She paused and then understanding dawned. “No, the racket is my TV. You might as well come inside. Seems like we’re going to be a while.”
She led him into her living room. Two walls were painted red, the other two a warm cream. Colorful modern art hung on the walls, multi-colored blankets draped a sofa, chair, and ottoman, and plants covered most surfaces. Some Spanish language program played on the television.
“You speak Spanish?” he asked.
He pointed to the TV, and she shrugged. “I love telenovelas. They’re so dramatic and filled with emotion. Even without the subtitles turned on, I can understand what they mean.”
She might not need to understand Spanish to understand the program, but he needed a Fiona translator to understand her.
“Now, tell me where we’re going so I can decide what to wear, since you seem to have a problem with this,” she said.
“We’re going clamming. And you need to wear…clothes for clamming.”
Her beauty captivated him. Shaking his head, he refocused on his task. This was a favor for his sister. Her beauty was irrelevant.
“We’re going clamming?”
Why did she repeat everything he said and was this alarming trait a habit? And did she expect him to answer her every single time?
She said, “You said seafood.”
This he could handle. “Clams come from the sea. Seafood.”
“What am I supposed to wear clamming?”
Why did women everywhere ask men this question? He’d said casual clothes. He wore jeans and a shirt. How difficult was this? He looked at himself and spread his arms.
Excerpt provided by the author/publisher for use in this post.
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Purchase Links for A Heart Restrained
Amazon – OneLink for every country
A Heart Restrained (Scarred...Shop on Amazon
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My thoughts on A Heart Restrained
“A Heart Restrained” is a book in the Scarred Hearts series by Jennifer Wilck. While each book can be read as a standalone, it’s enjoyable to catch up with characters from the earlier books.
This contemporary romance tells the story of Fiona and Caleb, who are complete opposites. Fiona is caring, loving, vibrant, and outgoing, while Caleb has spent his entire life protecting his loved ones, but has closed himself off emotionally. When they come together, sparks fly and the sexual tension is intense.
When Caleb, an entertainment mogul, decides to buy Fiona’s boutique website, they are on a collision course. Adding to this, Fiona becomes Caleb’s sister’s neighbor, and they are frequently thrown together in social situations, making their lives even more interesting.
It took a while for me to warm up to Caleb as he comes across as cold and bit manipulative. As the story progressed, I began to see chinks in his self-protective armor. You just know there is a damaged sound inside all that tattooed gruffness.
Fiona is an absolute joy from page one. I can relate to her love of color and helping people. She also has a great sense of worth, as she has built her business from the ground up against the predictions of failure.
The side characters in this story are endearing. If you have read the earlier books in the series, go find them now. You won’t be sorry.
I highly recommend this story to fans of contemporary romance, opposites attract, and well-written stories about relatable people.
I received a copy of the book for the tour. This review is my honest, unbiased opinion.
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I love my Amazon Kindle Unlimited Subscription. So many books, so little time!
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About Jennifer Wilck
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 walks 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.
Jennifer Wilck 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.
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Easy Amazon Info Link
Amazon – OneLink for every country
If the above link does not take you to your country, here are a few more:
Please send me a note if your country isn’t listed and you would like to purchase using my links. Using my link does not change the price you pay. Amazon pays me a minimal amount out of their share.
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Giveaway!
Jennifer Wick will award a randomly drawn winner a $15 Amazon/BN GC.
Visit more stops on this Goddess Fish tour for extra chances to win!
Official Tour Page for A Heart Restrained
Full Tour Schedule:
March 27: Maggie Blackbird
April 3: Beverley A Baird
April 3: Haney Hayes PR
April 10: Gina Rae Mitchell
April 10: Enchanting Reviews
April 17: Sandra’s Book Club
April 17: Moonlight Compass Books
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Goddess Fish Virtual Book Tour Host
This sounds like a great book! Thanks for sharing!
It is a great series.
I liked the excerpt.
I love Jennifer Wilck’s book series “Serendipity “.
Thanks for the recommendation, Audrey.
I like book details.
The book sounds wonderful. Love the cover.
It is really good. I bet you would love it.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on A Heart Restrained, this sounds like a book and series that I will enjoy reading and I am looking forward to meeting Caleb and Fiona
Thanks for stopping by Bea!
I think the excerpt sounds really good. Thanks for sharing.
Glad you enjoyed it.
Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for stopping by!
Thank you for the review.
Thanks for stopping by!
In book posts, I always enjoy learning a little about the author, in this case Jennifer Wilck!
Hi Nancy, lovely to meet you!
Thank you so much for taking the time to read and review! I’m glad I was able to redeem Caleb for you. 🙂
Thanks for hosting!