Right Where We Belong by Brenda Novak
Silver Springs #4
Release Date: October 31, 2017
Genre: Adult, Contemporary Romance
Source: I received a complimentary copy from the author. This did not affect my rating and my review is provided voluntarily.
Rating: 4 Bookworms
Challenges: #2017NewRelease
Goodreads
Synopsis
New York Times bestselling author Brenda Novak returns to Silver Springs with a moving story about rebuilding your life when you've got nothing left to lose.
Savanna Gray needs a do-over. Her "perfect" life unraveled when, to her absolute shock, her husband was arrested for attacking three women. With her divorce settled, she takes her two children home to Silver Springs to seek refuge between the walls of the farmhouse where she was born. It needs a little TLC, but she's eager to take control of something.
Gavin Turner understands the struggle of starting over. Abandoned at a gas station when he was five, it wasn't until he landed at New Horizons Boys Ranch as a teen that he finally found some peace. He steps up when Savanna needs help fixing things--even when those things go beyond the farmhouse.
Despite an escalating attraction to Gavin, Savanna resolves to keep her distance. She trusted her ex, who had a similarly tragic background, and is unwilling to repeat her past mistakes. But it's hard to resist a man whose heart is as capable as his hands.
It was so nice to sit down with my friends in Silver Springs. Not only did I get better acquainted with Gavin, I was introduced to a new neighbor in Savanna as well as getting to spend a little time with Eli and Aiyana. A treat all around.
Gavin came to New Horizons via a wretched childhood where his father allowed his stepmother to abandon and beat him. His foster family wasn't much of an improvement. But Aiyana Turner gave him the love he needed to overcome all that and find some peace. So it was disheartening that someone he was somewhat involved with would take advantage of his past to affect his future. Especially when he'd only just met Savanna.
Savanna came to Silver Springs to escape a very ugly and public set of circumstances. She's closed the door on that part of her life but meeting Gavin wasn't part of her plan.
Both Gavin and Savanna have every reason to be commitment-phobic, particularly Savanna. Imagine finding out the person you've shared your life with, had children with, was capable of such violence. But there was something between them that immediately clicked. They tried to talk themselves out of starting anything but it seemed fated. All they had going on individually though would have made most mortals run in the opposite direction so it was testament to their strong connection that they "stuck".
I loved watching Gavin and Savanna together. They had some great moments of fun banter as well as some serious romance. Gavin's honesty was refreshing as was Savanna's actually. Neither seemed averse to telling the other how they felt even if they did, on occasion, leave out a few details for the other's protection. The villainous supporting cast was very well done. I honestly couldn't stand any of them and that Novak developed them well enough to evoke such strong negative emotion says a lot. On the flip side, watching Eli and Aiyana conspire together in matchmaking efforts was fun and seeing Savanna and Gavin with Savanna's kids was heartwarming.
The only drawbacks were due to a few places where my suspension of disbelief was stretched a bit. Otherwise, Novak delivered a well-crafted story with characters so well drawn I both loved some and hated some. I'll be looking forward to my next visit in Silver Springs.
Until You Loved Me by Brenda Novak
Silver Springs #3
Release Date: July 25, 2017
Genre: Adult, Contemporary Romance
Source: I received a complimentary copy from the author. This did not affect my rating and my review is provided voluntarily.
Rating: 4.5 Bookworms
Challenges: #2017NewRelease
Goodreads
Synopsis
Sometimes starting over means finding everything you've been missing...
After catching her fiance cheating - with another man - usually straight-laced, workaholic scientist Ellie Fisher liberates her wild side just long enough to indulge in a passionate one-night-stand with a tall, dark stranger she meets at a trendy Miami bar. Embarrassed by her recklessness, she ducks out the following morning without learning the guy's full name, something that shouldn't have been a problem...until a pregnancy test turns positive.
Being a professional football player, Hudson King has always been cautious around women. But this one had been different - so disinterested in his celebrity, so convincingly into him. When Ellie tracks him down, claiming she's carrying his baby, he's stunned. And more than a little betrayed.
But after growing up as an orphan, he'll do anything to stay involved in his child's life, so he urges Ellie to move to Silver Springs where they can co-parent. Hudson has a lot of love to give - certainly enough for his child, and when their initial spark reignites, perhaps for Ellie too...
This third installment in the Silver Springs series had a little different feel in that it didn't all take place in Silver Springs, and we didn't spend much time in town or with the locals. But I certainly didn't love it any less!
Hudson King is a graduate of New Horizons, the school for troubled boys located in Silver Springs. Being a starting quarterback for a professional football team, he's a success story for the school and he spends a lot of time and money mentoring the boys there. But Hudson's life prior to New Horizons wasn't smooth. He was abandoned and passed in and out of foster homes so much he has a difficult time trusting anyone...especially women.
Ellie Fisher is doing post-doctoral work in immunology - specifically diabetes. She's always been more likely to spend time with a book or in the lab than out with people. Recently, she's been dealing with a broken engagement having found her fiance with another man...both of whom she works with.
Hudson and Ellie meeting seems serendipitous. He appreciates the fact she doesn't seem to know who he is and he can, therefore, relax and be himself. She appreciates that he doesn't seem to mind discussing philosophy, science, politics, and religion over making small talk. When they both throw caution to the wind and spend the night together, things seem perfect. But Ellie runs the next morning, mortified over her reckless behavior. Unfortunately, 7 weeks later she's dealing with the consequences of that night...alone.
The circumstances of Ellie and Hudson reuniting were entertaining, and then kinda scary. Watching as they move past feelings of betrayal and recriminations was endearing. Seeing them learn to trust one another and make an attempt at building a life together, for the sake of their child, was as well. Novak once again delivered a riveting story with such well developed characters. Hudson's issues and actions and reactions were all so true to who he was and the man, and father, he wanted to be. Ellie was the most genuine person you could ever meet. I couldn't imagine not liking her. Being witness to them building on their chemistry, turning it into so much more while dealing with difficult life changes...well, it's something I've come to expect from Novak, something she does well. And she didn't let me down.
Once again, I'm clamoring for my next visit to Silver Springs.
No On But You by Brenda Novak
Silver Springs #2
Release Date: June 1, 2017
Genre: Adult, Contemporary Romance
Source: I received a complimentary copy from the author. This did not affect my rating and my review is provided voluntarily.
Rating: 4.5 Bookworms
Challenges: #2017NewRelease
Goodreads
Synopsis
Struggling to make ends meet after a messy divorce, Sadie Harris is at the end of her tether. Her waitressing gig isn't enough to pay the bills let alone secure primary custody of her son, Jayden, a battle she refuses to lose. Desperate, she accepts a position assisting Dawson Reed the same Dawson Reed who recently stood trial for the murder of his adoptive parents. Joining him at his isolated farm seems risky, but Sadie is out of options.
Dawson has given small town Silver Springs plenty of reasons to be wary, but he's innocent of the charges against him. He wants to leave his painful past behind and fix up the family farm so he can finally bring his dependent sister home where she belongs.
As Sadie and Dawson's professional relationship grows into something undeniably personal, Sadie realizes there's more to Dawson than the bad boy everyone else sees he has a good heart, on that might even be worth fighting for.
My second visit to Silver Springs was utterly satisfying. No One But You delivered a compelling story with fully-realized characters. I was tense, worrying over how things would work out, but I also was "melty" over Dawson, Sadie, and Jayden. *sigh*
Sadie Harris is doing her darnedest to gain her independence, her freedom, from her soon-to-be ex-husband and create a life for herself and her 5 year old son, Jayden. It's not easy since she's been unable to find a decent paying job and her ex is having problems letting go. When she applies for a position with Dawson Reed, she's apprehensive. After all, Dawson was accused of murdering his parents. But he was acquitted. And this job would really benefit Sadie's future.
There was something - a pull? - between Sadie and Dawson from the get-go. But neither of them were in a good spot to start up a relationship. And Sadie's issues soon became Dawson's, since her ex is a cop. These two had already endured so much but as they got closer, it was clear they had something special. Maybe because they both believed in the other? I admired them both - Sadie for using her wits in dealing with her ex and Dawson for being so determined to find justice. They were both hard working and together they were stronger. I liked what they brought out in the other - they were equals in the relationship, professional and personal - and that was especially good for Sadie.
The suspense over trying to figure out whether Dawson would clear his name and over an incident with Sadie kept me glued to the pages. On top of that, the worry over what Sadie's ex was going to do next and if he'd get away with it had me tied in knots. Especially since it seemed Sadie and Dawson were on their own where law enforcement was concerned.
I really like how Novak inserted commentary on how people are "tried and convicted" by the media these days as well as demonstrating that not all law enforcement are good, nor are they all bad. It was relevant and added that much more depth to Sadie and Dawson's story.
I'm very eager for my next visit to Silver Springs, a town and community I'm coming to really like.
Right Where We Belong by Brenda Novak
