Come Home to Me - Brenda Novak (Mira - Mar 2014)

Series: Whiskey Creek (Book 6)

Home is where her heart is

When Presley Christensen returns to Whiskey Creek with her little boy after two years away, she has completely changed her life. She's made peace with her past and overcome the negative behavior that resulted from her difficult childhood. Now she's back in the small town that was the closest thing to "home" she ever knew--the town where she can be with the sister who's her only family.

There's just one catch. Aaron Amos still lives in Whiskey Creek, at least until he moves to Placerville to open a branch of the Amos brothers' auto body shop. And no matter how hard she's tried, Presley hasn't been able to get over him. Seeing him again makes the longing so much worse. But she hopes she can get through the next few months, because she can't fall back into his arms...or his bed. She's come too far to backslide now. And there's a secret she's been guarding--a secret she'll do anything to protect.

My least favorite of the series so far, which is too bad because I was really looking forward to it. Presley had been a hot mess when she left town two years ago. She had been into parties, drugs and sex, and Aaron had been her cohort of choice. She had been crazy in love with him, even though he didn't feel the same way about her, and made a real pest of herself at times. When he turned her away at a time she really needed him, she fled in despair.

Two years later she has come back to Whiskey Creek. She has gotten her act together and has made a good life for herself and her little boy. She has a healthy lifestyle and has started a yoga and massage studio. She's thrilled to have repaired her relationship with her sister. The only drawback is that Aaron is still living in Whiskey Creek, at least for awhile longer. As much as she has tried, she has never stopped loving him.

Aaron never forgot her either. He had tried to find her when she first left, but gave up after awhile. Now that she's back, he'd really like to pick up where they left off, but she's resisting. He can see that she has changed, but he likes the new Presley. He can also see the desire in her eyes, and can feel it when he kisses her, but she won't give him the time of day. He starts to realize that she is serious when she tells him that she's looking for a man who is willing to love her and commit to her and her son, and that's something he's never been able to do.

I wasn't all that upset with her decision not to tell Aaron that Wyatt was his when she first discovered she was pregnant. She was in a bad place emotionally and he had never made a secret of his feelings about love and marriage. She thought she was doing the right thing for herself and the baby. It got a little trickier once she came back to town. Her sister knew the truth, but didn't tell her husband, who was also Aaron's brother. I got very frustrated with her when she would make a big show of telling him that there was nothing between them anymore, but then give in and sleep with him. It was even worse when she started dating another man, a really nice guy, and still couldn't resist Aaron. I also didn't like the way that she was so proud of the way she had changed, but refused to consider that Aaron may have changed too. Even after she came clean about Wyatt she kept telling Aaron that she didn't expect anything of him, even though he made it clear that he wanted to be part of Wyatt's life. She just kept pushing him away.

While Aaron frustrated me at first because he seemed more interested in sleeping with her than anything else, there were still plenty of signs that he had gone through some changes in the last two years. He's not the hard partier that he had been, he's shown a lot of responsibility with the business, and he doesn't seem quite as hotheaded as he had been. It's obvious that he cares a lot more than he wants to admit, especially when she goes out with the other guy. What really made me like him was when he found out about Wyatt. He was angry, but he was also hurt that she had had so little faith in him. I loved seeing him jump into being a father with his whole heart. It was really sweet to see him and his brothers that first day that they had Wyatt all to themselves. He also cared enough about Presley to try to do what she wanted, but also to let her know that he wanted a chance to try to build something with her. His move away was hard on both of them, but it did serve to open up their eyes to what they really felt. I really liked his go big moment at the end.

The part I absolutely hated about the book, that took it from a four to a three (and almost lower) was the storyline involving Cheyenne and Dylan. I understood the stress that their inability to conceive was putting on their marriage, but the actions that Cheyenne took were so far beyond wrong. How she could justify that kind of deception against the man she says she loves is inconceivable, and to involve his brother is even worse. I kept waiting for something bad to happen, but it was left completely hanging. I really hate the idea that they could get away with it.

Take Me Home for Christmas - Brenda Novak (Mira - Nov 2013)

Series: Whiskey Creek (Book 5)

Christmas is a time for remembering…

Too bad not all memories are pleasant! Everyone in Whiskey Creek remembers Sophia DeBussi as the town's Mean Girl. Especially Ted Dixon, whose love she once scorned.

But Sophia has paid the price for her youthful transgressions. The man she did marry was rich and powerful but abusive. So when he goes missing, she secretly hopes he'll never come back -- until she learns that he died running from an FBI probe of his investment firm. Not only has he left Sophia penniless, he's left her to face all the townspeople he cheated.…

Sophia is reduced to looking for any kind of work to pay the bills and support her daughter. With no other options, she becomes housekeeper for none other than Ted, now a successful suspense writer. He can't bring himself to turn his back on her, not at Christmas, but he refuses to get emotionally involved. He learned his lesson the last time.

Or will the season of love and forgiveness give them both another chance at happiness?

This was a very emotional story.  Sophia has been a secondary character throughout the series.  Everyone remembers her as the spoiled snob who broke their friend Ted's heart.  Then she married the richest man in town and seemed to delight in rubbing it in.  There have been hints that all is not right with the marriage but no one has pursued it.  When her husband dies while running from the law, having stolen money from his investment firm, most people think she got what was coming to her.  She's not coping well with everything that happens until her daughter and Eve snap her out it.  Sophia has no training of any kind and desperately needs a job to support herself and her daughter.  Though he still feels a lot of resentment over their past he can't stand to see her suffer so he hires her to be his housekeeper.  He doesn't expect her to be any good at it, but he'll give it a shot.  One thing he won't do is allow himself to get involved with her.

I really liked Sophia.  I've always felt like there was more to her than people gave her credit for.  She was terribly abused by her husband but hid it very well.  Her daughter was everything to her and she would put up with anything to keep Alexa safe.  She ended up with a drinking problem that she was just starting to beat when everything happened.  Once she got past the initial depression, thanks to help from Eve, she started showing an amazing amount of strength of character.  I loved the fact that she didn't whine and complain.  When Ted offered her the job as his housekeeper she was determined to do it well.  She had always regretted the way she treated him and this gave her a chance to make it up to him.  She had never forgotten her feelings for him and his kindness to her has brought those feelings back to the surface.  I also really liked how good she was as a mother.  Alexa is her whole world and she will do anything and put up with anything to keep her safe.  The slow buildup of the rekindled romance between Sophia and Ted was perfect for them.  I really enjoyed seeing what they did with her wedding ring at the end of the book.

Ted has never really gotten over his feelings for Sophia.  His attitude toward her has been borderline cruel but he's been doing it to protect himself.  When her life falls apart he tries to stay out of it, but he just can't keep from helping her.  He keeps fighting his feelings but he can't win.  He doesn't expect much from her when she starts working for him and is pleasantly surprised to see how well she does.  His attitude toward her undergoes a gradual change as he sees how different she is than what he expected.  One of the things I really liked about him was the way he supported her when Alexa had problems at school.  I lost some of my respect for him when he started a relationship with Eve because he knew he was doing it for all the wrong reasons.  I loved seeing him try to protect Sophia at various points in the story.  It was great seeing him finally admit to his feelings and do something about it.

This is another book where Eve irritated me.  I had high hopes for her when she stood up for Sophia among her friends and helped her get the job with Ted.  She was the one among all of them who actually got truly involved in trying to help Sophia.  I loved the "intervention" that she and Alexa did.  Then she turned around and put the moves on Ted.  Her desperation to find a man really made her look pathetic and her subsequent bitchiness about Sophia was beneath her.  

I was really disappointed in the attitudes and actions of the people of Whiskey Creek.  I understood their anger at Sophia's husband.  But the way they treated Sophia and Alexa was really not what I expected from them.  The scene at her house was simply heartbreaking.  I have had a real problem with the police chief in earlier books and this one was even worse.  I loved seeing what Ted did at the end.

Home to Whiskey Creek - Brenda Novak (Mira - Aug 2013)

Series: Whiskey Creek (Book 4)

Sometimes home is the refuge you need -- and sometimes it isn't

Adelaide Davies, who's been living in Sacramento, returns to Whiskey Creek, the place she once called home. She's there to take care of her aging grandmother and to help with Gran's restaurant, Just Like Mom's. But Adelaide isn't happy to be back. There are too many people here she'd rather avoid, people who were involved in that terrible June night fifteen years ago.

Ever since the graduation party that changed her life, she's wanted to go to the police and make sure the boys responsible -- men now -- are punished. But she can't, not without revealing an even darker secret. So it's better to pretend….

Noah Rackham, popular, attractive, successful, is shocked when Adelaide won't have anything to do with him. He has no idea that his very presence reminds her of something she'd rather forget. He only knows that he's finally met a woman he could love.

This is a wonderful romance that deals with some really tough issues.  When she was a sophomore in high school Addy attended a graduation party that ended horrifically for her.  Addy left Whiskey Creek after graduation, never intending to come back.  But her grandmother needs her help, so here she is, wanting nothing so much as to avoid the boys who raped her.  Two days after arriving in town she is kidnapped and dumped into the very mine where the attack occurred.  She's rescued by Noah, her high school crush, and brother to one of her attackers.  Noah would like to get to know her better, but she wants nothing to do with him.

I really liked Addy.  She had the courage to come back to Whiskey Creek to help her grandmother in spite of the horrible memories.  She admits to herself that she would have loved to have gone to the police at the time, but because she feels responsible for the death of one of the boys she let it go.  Being kidnapped and having her life and that of her grandmother threatened just reinforces that decision.  She doesn't expect to be rescued by Noah, her high school crush and brother to the dead attacker.  The last thing she wants is to get involved with him, but she discovers that her crush is still alive and kicking.  She tries very hard to keep him at a distance, but he isn't cooperating.  She feels that getting close to him is impossible with her secrets between them.  And she can't tell him the truth without destroying his memories of his twin and tearing his family apart.  I really wasn't sure how their relationship was going to work out.  Addy was so conflicted because she really came to love Noah.  She started out not expecting anything from him because of his reputation as a player, that he'd give up on her quickly.  His kindness and care for her starts to break down her barriers, but she still can't tell him the truth.  She feels she has to deny the love she feels for him in order to protect him and others.  When the truth finally comes out I loved the courage she showed in facing everyone with what really happened.

Noah is a man with a reputation as a womanizer.  He certainly has enjoyed the ladies, but lately he's started to feel like there should be more to his life.  Seeing some of his friends find love and settle down makes him wonder if there could be someone out there for him.  When he rescues Addy he discovers that there is something about her that really draws him.  He has vague memories of her from high school, and he would really like to get to know her better.  He is surprised when she doesn't want anything to do with him and wonders if he unknowingly hurt her all those years ago.  He isn't going to give up on her though, and keeps trying.  I really did like his perseverance.  He's never been able to commit to anyone before and he finally realizes that it was because he'd never found someone who reached his heart.  I also liked the way that he listened to his feeling that there was more going on with her abduction than she was admitting to anyone and was determined to protect her.  When the truth came out he was stunned by what he learned and had to decide just who he was going to believe.  

There was also a continuation of the story involving Noah's best friend Baxter.  This too was dealt with in a very realistic manner.  This is something that has been building for awhile and when it all came to a head both of them were left reeling.  I really liked the way that Noah stood up for his friend.  I look forward to seeing more of Baxter in the future.

I have to say that once again Police Chief Stacy has really pissed me off.  His narrow focus on one person as a suspect in Addy's kidnapping was so wrong, especially with Addy's insistence that he had the wrong man.  His actions later in the book are even worse.  I really hope that one of these days soon he gets what is coming to him.  I loved the way it was Dylan Amos, one of the people the chief hates the most, who finds a crucial piece of evidence. 

When Summer Comes - Brenda Novak (Mira - Feb 2013)

Series: Whiskey Creek (Book 3)

One day, Callie Vanetta receives devastating news…

She needs a liver transplant. But her doctors warn that, in her case, the chances of finding a compatible donor aren't good.

Determined to spend whatever time she has left on her own terms, she keeps the diagnosis to herself and moves out to her late grandparents' farm. She's always wanted to live there. But the farm hasn't been worked in years and she begins to fear she can't manage it, that she'll have to return to town.

One night, a stranger comes knocking at her door…

He's an attractive and mysterious drifter by the name of Levi McCloud, and he offers to trade work for a few nights' shelter. Callie figures she doesn't have anything to lose. He needs a place to stay until he can fix his motorcycle; she needs an extra pair of hands. The arrangement seems ideal until what was supposed to be temporary starts to look more and more permanent. Then she realizes she does have something to lose -- her heart. And, although he doesn't yet know it, Levi stands to lose even more.

An emotional book that is also very satisfying.  Both Callie and Levi are characters that seem very real.  Callie is coping with the diagnosis of liver disease and the fact that unless she gets a transplant she will likely die by the end of the summer.  She doesn't tell her family or her friends about any of this because she doesn't want to deal with the emotional fallout.  Having turned most of her photography business over to her assistant she moves to her grandparents' farm where she is supposedly getting it ready to sell.  One night she's awakened by someone pounding on her door.  Levi has been drifting since his return from Afghanistan and was attacked by a couple dogs near Callie's house.  She takes him in and offers him a place to stay in exchange for his help.  She doesn't expect him to be there for long, but is determined to enjoy his company while he's there.

I really understood Callie's decision not to tell anyone about her illness.  She knew that people would treat her differently and she didn't want that.  But in her efforts to keep her secret she also pushed away the very people who could provide her with the emotional support she needs.  She's wary of Levi when she first meets him but soon recognizes a fellow wounded soul.  Levi's attentions to her make her feel normal, but he's determined to keep his distance.  She doesn't really pester him for details but she's there to listen when he wants to talk.  She's pretty much resigned herself to her fate, but as she and Levi get closer she'd love to have a chance at a future with him.  She still refuses to tell him about her secret because she expects he'll be leaving soon.  She wants him to have good memories of her and not feel like he has to stay until the end. I liked the realistic portrayal of the challenges she is facing with her disease, but also that she was able to laugh and love.  There were some wonderfully tender moments between her and Levi that made me ache for what might not happen. I loved the fact that despite her own troubles Callie is always interested in her friends' lives and wants to help them with their problems.  

Levi has plenty of demons of his own.  Trained as a fighter by his father, he escaped that life by joining the army.  During his last deployment he fell in love with an Afghani woman who was killed by her family when they discovered she was pregnant with his child.  Levi is consumed by his guilt over her death.  He has been traveling around the country doing odd jobs to survive.  He is also using an assumed name because he got into trouble with a couple cops and is trying to avoid arrest.  When he's attacked by a couple dogs near Callie's home he ends up there looking for help.  Despite how scary he can be, Levi is at heart a kind and honorable man.  He accepts Callie's offer of help because he sees that she needs him too.  He's also attracted to her, but his guilty feelings won't let him pursue the attraction.  It becomes a real battle for him and one that he soon loses.  His growing closeness to her starts to heal his heart but he also senses that there is something very wrong that she is hiding.  When he discovers what it is he is devastated and runs, but soon has to decide whether to pursue what he really wants.  He also has to face his past before he can look at a future.

I love the small town feeling and the closeness among Callie and her friends.  It's not a perfect relationship among them as there are various issues between characters that are very realistic.  I liked the fact that they noticed something was up with Callie, but I have to say that there were some things that bugged me.  Once again the group of friends gets rather judgmental.  Some of them make comments about Levi without ever having met him.  I also got irritated with Eve's determination to bust in on Callie and demand to know what's going on.  I kind of hope that when it comes time for her book she gets a taste of her own medicine.  I did like the support they gave Callie once they knew the truth of what was going on.  Another character that irritated me was the police chief.  I really didn't like his attitude toward Levi and thought that he was going too far in threatening him.  

I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the Whiskey Creek books.

When Snow Falls - Brenda Novak (Mira - Oct 2012)

Series: Whiskey Creek (Book 2)

After growing up in cheap motels, moving from town to town with her sister and mother, Cheyenne Christensen is grateful to be on her own. She's grateful, too, for the friends she found once her family settled in California. But she's troubled by the mystery of her earliest memories, most of which feature a smiling blonde woman. A woman who isn't her mother.

Although Cheyenne has repeatedly asked for explanations, the people who could help aren't talking. Cheyenne is set on finding answers, but without so much as a birth certificate, it won't be easy.

Things get even more complicated when her closest friend is attracted to the man Cheyenne has secretly loved for years. For Eve's sake, she decides to step aside -- which lands her right in the arms of Dylan Amos, oldest and baddest of the hell-raising Amos brothers. He's the kind of guy she's sworn to avoid. She can't afford to make a mistake, not when she finally has a chance to learn who she really is and change her life for the better. But…maybe there's more to Dylan than she thought. Maybe letting him go would be a bigger mistake.

Excellent book.  Cheyenne and her sister had a miserable childhood being dragged all around by their mother who was an alcoholic, sometimes prostitute, sometimes con artist.  They finally settled in Whiskey Creek when her mom got cancer.  Chey took to small town life easily, made some good friends and has created a good life for herself.  She's had a crush on her friend Gail's brother Joe for years, but when her friend Eve shows an interest in Joe she steps back.  Meanwhile, bad boy Dylan Amos has been interested in Chey for a long time.  When he sees an opportunity to snag her interest, he goes for it.  Now he has to convince her that he's what she wanted all along.

I really liked Cheyenne.  Throughout her life she has tried to do the right thing.  She wants a far different life than the one her mother and sister are living.  I liked the way that she kept her eye on her goal.  She has also felt out of place in her family.  She doesn't look like them, plus she has memories of a different life that make her wonder if she is who they say she is.  Chey has been waiting for the guy she's had a crush on for years to notice her, but when her friend Eve states her intention to go after him Chey steps aside.  Chey does go on one date with him while Eve is away after Eve tells her to, but discovers that there just isn't any zing.  Meanwhile, she has met Dylan Amos, the oldest of the Amos brothers.  He has a reputation as a bad boy and she doesn't want to screw up her life taking a chance on trouble.  But the heat that was missing with Joe is there with Dylan and Chey can't stay away from him. As she gets to know him, Chey discovers that Dylan is different than she thought.  I liked the way that Cheyenne follows the girlfriend rule of not poaching on another's man, even though she had liked Joe for a lot longer.  Her one date with him showed her that there was nothing really there, even though she wanted there to be.  When Dylan approaches her and makes his proposition she is offended at first, but she can't get him off her mind.  I thought it a little odd that after holding on to her virginity for all those years she gives in to Dylan so quickly, but the heat is definitely there.  I didn't really like the way that she was so judgmental at the beginning, looking only at his reputation.  It was good to see her realize that in spite of his reputation he was really a good man.  I loved the way that she came to depend on him when she needed support.   I also thought it was great how she stood up for him to her friends.  She finally grew confident enough in herself to be able to please herself without worrying about what other people think.

I also liked the way that Chey takes care of her mother and sister in spite of the way that they treat her.  She has been trying to get answers from her mother for years about her missing birth certificate and the memories that are so vivid.  Mom is a real piece of work that I never did develop any sympathy for.  I really hoped that she'd come clean before she died. I liked the resolution of Chey's identity, though it seemed almost anti-climactic after all the attention the questions got during the book.  Chey's sister Presley seems to be going down the same road as their mother.  She is an alcoholic and drug addict and is very selfish.  I developed some sympathy for her as the book went on and I saw that it was her way of coping with her life.  I liked the way Presley took control of her life at the end and I look forward to reading her story.

I loved Dylan.  His childhood hadn't been all that easy either.  His mom committed suicide when he was young, then his father became an abusive drunk who ended up in prison.  Dylan dropped out of school to take over the family business and raise his four brothers.  He developed a reputation as a hell raiser when he was younger as he was coming to terms with his new life.  For the past several years he has turned it around and no longer gets in trouble, except when he is rescuing his brothers. I really liked the way that his family was so important to him. He has long been interested in Cheyenne, but knows that a good girl like her isn't going to want anything to do with him.  I loved seeing him get up the courage to go after her, even though he was kind of crude about it.  He really didn't expect her to take him up on it, but when she did he was wonderful.  I loved the way that he was so gentle and loving.  He really didn't deserve her attitude over the next days that he wasn't really what she wanted.  In spite of it, he was there for her when she needed him. There was a vulnerability about Dylan that made him even more appealing.  I really loved seeing the softer side of him when he gave Chey her Christmas present.  I loved seeing him open up to her about his own past as they got to know each other.  He gave her a lot of emotional support in her search for the truth about her past, and also in finding her sister when Presley disappeared after their mother's death.  I loved the ending on the porch of the B & B.

One thing I had trouble with during this book and the previous one When Lightning Strikes was the attitudes of the group of friends.  They are basically good people, but they tend to be very judgmental. In both books the women are told by their friends that they are making terrible mistakes by getting involved with their chosen men.  It doesn't seem to matter that none of them actually know the men in question, they base their opinions solely off reputations and gossip.  Even on the cruise we see them making comments about other people that aren't very nice.  I hope that they learn a little compassion soon.