Scarlett Undone
Author: Tasha Gold
Publisher: CD Books (print and digital); Blackstone Publishing (audio)
Release Date: May 12, 2026
Genre: Contemporary Women’s Fiction with romance
Excerpt:
The second I stepped out of the van and onto Arthur’s drive, a loud pop had me ducking. It must be 4:45 p.m. Rifle shooting time! At least some things never changed, my uncle’s meddling notwithstanding. I tensed, bracing myself for the next blasts. I flinched each time.
“You get used to it,” Winston called from the kennel.
“No. You really don’t.” I wiped the sweat from my forehead and squinted through the sun. “How are the dogs today?”
“Stubborn as ever. Got us a class of puppies in the barn tonight. You’re more than welcome to join us.”
Arthur marched from the field before I could reply. “Scarlett,” he said in greeting, like he wasn’t a traitor. Like he hadn’t manipulated me into working for his Pups in Prison program.
I gnashed my teeth together. “Arthur.”
He didn’t ask how the prison went. I didn’t scold him for his deceit. It was tough when I also wanted to tell him how beautiful his program was and that Winston and Jesse and Emery, and so many others, were changed men because of him.
“You shouldn’t be shooting,” I said.
He adjusted the rifle on his shoulder. “I’m fine.”
“You had a heart attack.”
“Thanks for the reminder.”
I tried to match his stony stance. “If you need me, I’ll be inside making dinner.”
But he was already walking with Winston, gesturing with his gun toward the barn. I stared up at the massive black gum tree and sighed. “How have you lived here this long?”
The barren branches groaned in the wind.
Dinner was a subdued affair. Neither of us mentioned Brackson, but my thoughts never strayed far from that place or those men, even that creep Randal. I kept replaying the moment I’d seen him as a criminal, not a human. The switch had been jarring—one second talking, the next judging. I hadn’t done that with the others, but curiosity nipped at me now.
“What did Winston do?” I asked. “To land in prison.”
Arthur didn’t glance up from the cabbage rolls I’d reheated. “No clue.”
“What do you mean, no clue?”
“I don’t know and don’t care.”
Every day, this man confused me more. “But he works for you.”
Exasperation sank into the wrinkles by his eyes. “I never ask the men what they did in their past lives. It’s none of my business. What concerns me is the men they are now and if they treat the dogs right. You can’t give a man a second chance if you’re always worrying about how he ruined his first.”
It was a profound statement, but I couldn’t stop thinking about…everything—what crimes the prisoners had committed, the sweetness of the dogs, Jesse’s misty eyes. Emery’s Thank you for trusting me. I wasn’t sure if he’d meant trusting him with Twinkie or for not recoiling from him like I had with Randal. Not that it mattered, with the depths of his sincerity.
I wondered how Twinkie was settling in for the night, if his snarls had dented Emery’s stoic facade. I wondered what it was like to live in that place, day in and day out, no choice in how you dressed or what you ate or where you went or who you saw. Without the dogs, those men would have no company but their morose thoughts. Like my dad, when he lived behind bars.
My fork clattered to my plate.
Arthur stared at me. “Something wrong?”
That would be a resounding yes. I had never sympathized with my father’s suffering, his pain during that awful time in my life. I’d only focused on how his actions had affected me.
I choked down the rice in my mouth. “Nothing. I’m fine.”
Arthur and me, the King and Queen of Fine.
About the Book:
A riveting book club novel of secrets, redemption, and unexpected connection. Perfect for fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid, Kristin Hannah, and Jojo Moyes.
Her father died in prison. She’s hidden her identity for most of her life. Until now.
Scarlett vowed she’d never step foot in Brackson prison again. Yet here she is, back in her hometown, dragging disgruntled dogs into the hell her father once called home.
The Pups in Prison rehabilitation program is her uncle’s passion, but his recent heart attack means he’s laid up and she’s filling in. She’s surrounded by inked necks and barbed wire…and awful memories she can’t shake. She knows she’s the reason her marriage is falling apart. She’s been running from that knowledge like she runs from the surname that links her to her father’s crimes.
She didn’t expect to find solace in an unexpected prisoner.
Emery is intense yet kind. Strangely intuitive. She shouldn’t look forward to their dog-training sessions, even if this alluring inmate shines a light on parts of herself she thought she hated.
But when she discovers why he was incarcerated and violence hits too close to home, Scarlett’s forced to face that forgiveness is more than spoken words and that coming undone is the first step to stitching yourself back together.
Purchase links:
https://books2read.com/scarlettundone
About the Author:
Tasha Gold writes contemporary fiction that grips people by the heart and inspires in-depth conversation. She lives with her husband in the Canadian Rockies, where she skis, hikes, mountain bikes, and reads on her deck with a view of the majestic mountains.
When not writing and adventuring, she works as a freelance editor. Scarlett Undone is her debut book club novel. She also writes contemporary romance and romantic comedies under an alternate pen name.
Visit Tasha’s website for more information: www.authortashagold.com
Author contact links:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tashagoldwrites