Reckless Need by Scarlett Scott

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Scarlett Scott will be awarding a Kindle or paperback copy of Books 1 & 2 in this series to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Thanks for dropping by It's Raining Books to answer a few questions. What is your writing environment?

I write everywhere and anywhere I can—I’m a laptop kind of girl because I hate being stuck in the same spot all the time. But one of my favorite places to write is at my kitchen island either before my kids are awake for the day or after they’re in bed. My kitchen is my happy place, so why not write in it too?

What is your writing process?

The most important part of my writing process is not being disturbed. I’m sort of like a bear in a cave when I’m writing—interruptions of any sort produce a lot of angry growling. Aside from being a grumpy hermit, I think I’m fairly relaxed when it comes to writing process. While I always begin a book with a loose outline, I like to let the words flow, let the characters take on a life of their own.

What authors have caught your interest lately and why?

Cindy Nord just popped onto my radar recently. I was going on a Civil War historical romance binge and happened upon her The Cutteridge series. I devoured the first two books and the third is on my TBR pile. She’s a talented writer with a keen sense of historical detail. Definitely worth reading if you haven’t already!

What was your inspiration for this particular novel?

The work of English artist Edward Burne-Jones and other pre-Raphaelites inspired me to write a hero who identifies as an artist. I knew when I began writing Heath’s story that a great deal simmered beneath his surface, and my research led me to Burne-Jones and his sumptuous paintings.

What is your favorite scene in Reckless Need?

My absolute favorite scene in this book is when the hero discovers that the heroine has done something (I won’t spoil it by revealing what) behind his back. She has good intentions, of course, but he’s angry. When he storms into her chamber while she’s dressing for dinner, he dismisses her lady’s maid and things get quite naughty.

What are you working on now and when can we expect it to be available?

I just released Book Four in this series, Sweet Scandal, and I’m working on Book Five now. If my current writing progress holds, Book Five will be available in fall. I regularly post work-in-progress status updates to my blog (www.scarsco.com/blog).

What do you like to do when you are not writing?

When I’m not writing, I like to spend time with my twin toddlers and husband, and to cook, garden, and read of course.

What is one interesting fact about you that readers don’t know?

I collect rare and antique books. The older, the better!

Top 3 things on your bucket list?

I want to travel Europe—there’s so much rich history there that I can’t wait to see. I also want to sit (or stand) in the first row at a Foo Fighters concert. And one day, I want to drive around in my very own 1932 Ford Model A (with a rumble seat, of course).

A staid duke

Heath, the Duke of Devonshire, has been living a passionless life of penance after losing the woman he loved. Determined to do his duty, he’s in search of an innocent bride with a sterling reputation. A bride who’s nothing at all like Tia, Lady Stokey.

A bold lady

The Duke of Devonshire may be handsome, but he’s as boring as a bowl of porridge. Or so Tia thinks until he carries her to her chamber and undoes half her buttons while kissing her senseless.

A decadent desire

The moment he scoops the delectable Tia into his arms, Heath wants her in his bed, and he’ll stop at nothing to have her there. When they unleash the scandal of the century, they must face consequences that are deeper and far more dangerous to their hearts than either of them imagined. Will they find love, or was the reckless need between them doomed from the start?

Read an Excerpt:

He opened the door and froze on the threshold.

She was within, all right. And she was bloody well half-naked, standing before a crackling fire in nothing but her corset and chemise. Her lovely hair was unbound, hanging to her waist, her delicious curves on full display from nipped waist to lush hips and bosom.

Her gaze caught his. “Heath,” she said softly. “I should have expected it would be you.”

He wasn’t certain if she meant that in a good sense or in a bad sense. Belatedly becoming aware of the wind and rain at his back, he stepped all the way into the cabin and closed the door behind him.

“Are you injured?” he demanded, closing the distance between them easily.

Relief coursed through him, banishing the very real fear that had taken up residence within him ever since learning of her disappearance. He wanted to take her in his arms, but after their last discussion, he hardly knew where they stood.

She caught her lower lip between her teeth in that way she had that he already found mesmerizing. “Once again, I landed with an appalling lack of grace. I’m afraid my bad ankle rather bore the brunt of it.”

She convulsed with a violent shiver then, her teeth chattering. To hell with the walls she wanted to build between them. “You’re cold.” He shucked his wet coat and wrapped his arms around her, drawing her into the warmth of his body. She didn’t protest, snuggling against him like a little kitten. He tucked her head beneath his chin, the sweet perfume of violets wafting up to tease him. “Better?”

“I suppose it depends upon one’s definition of the word,” she quipped.

He was grateful that she didn’t seem at all rattled. She was herself, with a rapier-sharp tongue always at the ready. He’d never met a woman quite like her, and he was increasingly drawn to her despite his every good intention. “Are you warmer?” he clarified.

“A bit.” Her teeth chattered again. “How did you find me?”

“Luck.”Or perhaps a lack thereof, because surely the fates were laughing at him now.

About the Author: Award-winning author Scarlett Scott writes historical and contemporary romance with heat, heart, and happily ever afters. Since publishing her first book in 2010, she has become a wife, mother to adorable identical twins and one TV-loving dog, and a killer karaoke singer. Well, maybe not the last part, but that’s what she’d like to think.

A self-professed literary junkie and nerd, she loves reading anything but especially romance novels, poetry, and Middle English verse. When she’s not reading, writing, wrangling toddlers, or camping, you can catch up with her on her website www.scarsco.com. Hearing from readers never fails to make her day.

Scarlett’s complete book list and information about upcoming releases can be found on her website, www.scarsco.com.

Twitter: www.twitter.com/scarscoromance
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/scarlettscott
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