Book Review – Right Where We Belong

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Book Review, Brenda Novak, Right Where We Belong, Silver Springs series

Right Where We Belong

Silver Springs #4

by Brenda Novak

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.

Savannah’s life is horrible in the aftermath of her husband’s arrest.  She doesn’t feel like she can even leave her house because of the way she’s viewed by her neighbors – even though she didn’t even know that her husband was doing horrible things she’s been painted by his actions anyway.  So she decides to move … but she can’t leave her life completely behind.  She has to deal with contact from both her husband and his mother trying to get her to help him.  And the cops are convinced that she can help them.  It’s stressful and intense and gets even more so when new information comes to light.  Throw in an undeniable attraction to her neighbor and there’s a lot on her plate.

Gavin has complications of his own (which I won’t get into because it’s kind of a spoiler) but it is made even more difficult by the growing attraction to his neighbor.  He does what he can to help support her as she deals with her own troubles, not just with her family but with the falling down farmhouse she’s inherited.  Time spent together might not make things easier but it definitely shows both of them that their feelings aren’t going to go away.

I saw in another review where someone mentioned that it seemed like the main romance suffered a bit with the complications of other relationships for the two main characters and I kinda have to agree.  While the story is very well written (I wouldn’t expect less from Novak) and the suspense element with Savanna’s husband is definitely gripping, there wasn’t as much time spent with the two main characters together as I expected.   There is a HEA (as you’d expect), detailed characters, and a page-turner of a story … I just have a little trouble categorizing it as a true romance (it’s more of a woman’s fiction piece) so keep that in mind when you make your reading choices 🙂

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Book Review – Until You Loved Me

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Book Review, Brenda Novak, Silver Springs series, Until You Loved Me

Until You Loved Me

Silver Springs series

by Brenda Novak

New York Times bestselling author Brenda Novak returns to Silver Springs

Sometimes starting over means finding everything you’ve been missing…

After catching her fiancé cheating—with another man—usually straitlaced, 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…

In an interesting twist for a romance, a good portion of the early part of the story has the two on their own.  But in a weird way it kinda works because as a reader we get a better understanding of our lead characters.  For the romance though it kinda was bad because that meant that the two leads didn’t get to know each other during that time.  It’s realistic for how the story flows but does make the love story part a little harder to get to.  Being as skilled as she is, though, Novak does make it work.  Once they start spending time together, Ellie and Hudson somehow manage to get past their insecurities and learn to be brave enough to go after what they want.  It just takes a while … but what else do you expect in a romance 🙂

I really enjoyed Ellie – she’s super smart but her confidence has taken a bit of a hit because of her cheating, no-good ex.  A night with Hudson definitely goes a long way in getting her mojo back … until she finds herself pregnant and no way to contact the father.  I’m sure finding out that he’s a famous NFL player wasn’t easy but she handles it well (and I have to say she’s a lot more forgiving and understanding than I would have been.)

Hudson’s past definitely makes finding out he has a baby on the way a shock.  He’s always done what he could to limit the chance of an accidental pregnancy because no baby of his would ever feel unwanted.  So he does everything he can to make sure that he will be there now … after he pulls a few bonehead moves, of course!  While there may have been a few moments when I wanted to smack him, I always understood where he was coming from and the idea of what he’s gone through, and is currently experiencing, after being abandoned as a baby is heartbreaking.

Full of all the feels, realism, and interesting characters that you’d expect from a Novak book, Until You Loved Me is another great addition to the Silver Springs series.

Book Review – No One But You

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Book Review, Brenda Novak, No One But You, Silver Springs series

No One but You

A Silver Springs Novel

by Brenda Novak

New York Times bestselling author Brenda Novak welcomes you to Silver Springs, a picturesque small town in Southern California where even the hardest hearts can learn to love again…

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, one that might even be worth fighting for.

(While this technically picks up after Finding Our Forever, it really is more of a stand alone story.  Dawson’s story was vaguely brought up in the first book and a few of the characters make another appearance, but No One But You really is self-contained.)

I really enjoyed the bit of mystery and danger that Novak brings into play here.  She’s also a writer of suspense books so you get that darker feel but it is an underplay to the emotions which are so very important.

Sadie’s got problems with her ex and is trying very hard to find a way to support herself and her son … even if it means working for a man accused of killing his adoptive parents.  But once she meets Dawson she starts to think that things may not be as everyone believes.  His big heart and strength of character calls to her.

Dawson knows he;s innocent and now that he’s been acquitted by the court he just wants to make a home so he can get his sister back.  He needs help and that help turns out to be Sadie.  She may look like life has gotten the best of her but she’s got so much heart and determination that he has to admire her for it.

As these two begin to get to know each other, they slowly become friends and each other’s champions.  But with her wily ex and the townsfolk who aren’t so quick to forget what he supposedly did, it won’t be easy.  As their feelings grow into something more they take on more and more for each other, working to find a way to have a future together.

While there were parts in No One But You that had me holding my breath to find out what happened next, it is the layers of emotion and the people that Novak skillfully develops that keep me coming back for more of her stories.

Book Review – Finding Our Forever

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Book Review, Brenda Novak, Finding Our Forever, Silver Springs series

I’m always so giddy when I see a new book by Brenda Novak …  🙂

*****

Finding Our Forever

Silver Springs, Book 1

by Brenda Novak

Blurb:

New York Times bestselling author Brenda Novak welcomes readers to the town of Silver Springs, where surprises wait around every corner!

The search for her birth mother brought Cora Kelly to the New Horizons Boys Ranch. Getting a job there was easy enough, but confiding in Aiyana, the ranch’s owner, that she’s really her daughter? Cora’s not sure she can do that, not unless she’s confident the news will be welcomed. And once she gets to know Elijah Turner—Aiyana’s adopted son and ranch manager—that decision becomes even more difficult.

Although Elijah can’t deny his deep attraction to Cora, he’s always struggled with trust. Anyone with his past would, and there’s something about the ranch’s newest employee that isn’t exactly as it seems. But if the feelings she awakes in his guarded heart are any indication, she might be just what he’s long been waiting for.

Goodreads | Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

*****

Review:

Not having been adopted (or even been close to anyone that I knew was adopted) it is hard to imagine what kind of questions Cora has about herself.  To finally be able to put that restlessness behind her is a temptation she can’t pass up.  Eli comes from kinda the opposite point – he knows where he came from, it just isn’t a happy place.  Their pasts have left both of them with some baggage that they have to figure out how to handle.  Baggage that is only complicated when they start to fall for each other, thanks to their ties to Aiyana.

This is not the first of Novak’s books I’ve read … and it DEFINITELY won’t be the last!  I love how she somehow makes Finding Our Forever real and pretty drama-free, but still engrossing.  There is so much growth and discovery for both Cora and Elijah and yet when everything comes to a head they don’t let things overwhelm them.  It would have been so easy for Novak to have them weighted down with hurt feelings and damaged pride, but instead they handle things with grace and sensitivity.  There are so many possible options for where to go with future books and, as a fan of damaged heroes, I’m looking forward to all the possibilities!

*****

Author Info:

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Brenda Novak has penned over 45 novels. A two-time Rita nominee, she’s won The National Reader’s Choice, The Bookseller’s Best, The Bookbuyer’s Best and many other awards. She runs an annual online auction for diabetes research every May at http://www.brendanovak.com. To date, she’s raised over $2 million. Brenda considers herself lucky to be a mother of five and married to the love of her life.

Connect with Brenda – Website | Facebook | Twitter

*****

Giveaway:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/82ae250c58/

*****

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Book Review – Discovering You

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Book Review, Brenda Novak, Discovering You, Whiskey Creek series

Discovering You

A Whiskey Creek Novel

by Brenda Novak

Can she ever trust another “bad boy”?

India Sommers once had the perfect family—until an ex-boyfriend broke in and shot her husband. Not only did that cost her the man she loved, a respected heart surgeon and the father of her child, but she also feels responsible. Charlie died because of the people she hung out with before she had the strength to change her life.

Just after moving to Whiskey Creek with her little girl, Cassia, to start over, she’s learned that her ex-boyfriend’s trial ended in a hung jury. He’s getting out of jail; he could try to find her again. And that’s not all that scares her. She’s extremely attracted to her next-door neighbor, but Rod Amos is the handsome “bad boy” type that’s given her so much trouble in the past. If she got involved with him, her in-laws would sue for custody of Cassia.

India has to keep her distance from Rod—but the more she gets to know him, the more difficult that becomes.

I’m going to state up front that I love this series.  Unfortunately I don’t remember enough about the remaining (single) Amos brothers to have a preconceived impression of Rod.  But here he’s just about perfect – maybe a little too perfect 🙂  We know that the Amos family hasn’t had the easiest time but they’ve stuck together and created a good life for themselves.  They’re a little rough but they are truly good men.  Rod’s honest, hard-working and not willing to settle for anything less than honest with India.

I don’t know that anyone can really imagine what India has gone through, and is still going thru, but it definitely complicates things for her.  And meeting someone as sexy and good as Rod seems to be only adds to that.  She knows that she shouldn’t get involved but he’s awfully hard to resist.

I do think that the whole thing happens a little fast.  Not only the time from their meeting to them getting together but how long it has been since India’s husband died.  I know it’s the only way it works with the timeline of her troubles with her ex, but it just seems a little soon.  I know their somewhat concerned with that as well butt over all as an issue I think it is a minor one.

The rest of the story – from the deepening of their relationship to the troubles with her ex – is addictive and so well written that I had trouble putting it down.  We also get a little look at the next story in the series and I have to say I’m a little concerned where it is going but I trust Novak to handle it with care, just like all of the others 🙂

Book Review – A Winter Wedding

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A Winter Wedding, Book Review, Brenda Novak, Whiskey Creek series

A Winter Wedding

Whiskey Creek series

by Brenda Novak

One Christmas can change your life…

Kyle Houseman believes he’ll never find anyone he could love as much as Olivia Arnold, who’s now married to his stepbrother. Not only did he lose her, he’s been through one divorce and has no desire to go through another. He’s determined to be extra careful about the next woman he gets involved with—which is why he fights his attraction to the beautiful stranger who rents his farmhouse for the Christmas holiday.

Lourdes Bennett is a country music artist. She’s only planning to stay in Whiskey Creek long enough to write the songs for her next album—the album that’s going to put her back on top. Her dreams don’t include settling in a town even smaller than the one she escaped. But as she comes to know Kyle, she begins to wonder if she’d be making a terrible mistake to leave him behind…

I have been looking for Kyle to finally get his happy ending.  When we met him in When We Touch I didn’t like him much, although I guess we weren’t really supposed to.  At that point, he’d slept with that heroine’s sister and gotten her pregnant, which ruined not only his relationship with the heroine but cemented a big rift between the sisters.  So he wasn’t exactly the good guy in that story 🙂  But as we got to know this group of friends over the next few books, we also got a better understanding of Kyle and how much that mistake impacted his life.  Now it is finally his chance for a HEA.

I love how fluid this story is – nothing about it is big or dramatic or that surprising.  He meets Lourdes and the two spend time together, realize they are attracted to one another but that their lives don’t exactly mesh.  We get to know them as they get to know each other and we’re right there with them as they fall in love.  It’s sweet and true to life (as much as it can be with a country music star 🙂 ).  We do get some trouble with Kyle’s ex, which spices things up but also helps to wrap up that relationship and leave him clear for a future with someone else.

Kyle and Lourdes just have to figure out if their’s is that future and if so how to make it work for both of them.

 

(Buy on Amazon)

Book Review – This Heart of Mine

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Book Review, Brenda Novak, This Heart of Mine, Whiskey Creek series

First love. Second chance?

As the daughter of a hoarder, Phoenix Fuller had a tough childhood. So when the handsome, popular Riley Stinson became her boyfriend in high school, she finally felt as though she had something to be proud of. Phoenix was desperate not to lose him—especially once she found out she was pregnant. Yes, she might have acted a bit obsessive when he broke up with her. But she did not run down the girl he started dating next.

Unfortunately, there was no way to prove her innocence. Now, after serving her time in prison, Phoenix has been released. All she wants to do is return to Whiskey Creek and get to know her son. But Jacob’s father isn’t exactly welcoming.

Riley doesn’t trust Phoenix, doesn’t want her in Jacob’s life. He is, however, ready to find someone to love. And he wants a good mother for his son. He has no idea that he’s about to find both!

I have not been afraid to share how much I love Novak’s Whisky Creek series – When Lightning Strikes, When Snow Falls, When Summer Comes, Home to Whiskey Creek, Take Me Home for Christmas, and Come Home to Me.  And This Heart of Mine is no different. Every single book I’m drawn to her characters, connecting with them emotionally and taking them in like old friends. And the plots are absolute page-turners – I find myself glued to my e-reader and tuning out the rest of the world for hours on end.

Understandably, Phoenix is afraid of getting on Riley’s bad side. He controls access to her son and years ago he crushed her heart. Coming out of prison, she’s strong but hesitant to do anything that would impact her chances to finally be a mother to Jake. I’ve got to think that being in jail, and all of the things that happened to her, would have made her a harder person, but she’s absolutely amazing.

And that is what causes Riley to be conflicted – I will say that I’m a little surprised at how quickly Novak had Riley change his mind about Phoenix. He’s spent almost two decades thinking that she was an awful person, who killed another girl. I think I would have liked just a little more conflict on his side but I do like that he was willing to look beyond her history to the person beneath. He’s a good man, a good father, and a good friend. Hard-working, intelligent and caring, he’s great hero material.

Unlike most of the stories, we spend most of the  time focusing on the Stinson group, but we do get a little bit of the rest of the friends and quite a decent amount of Kyle. The closeness of this group has been one of my favorite things about this series and although I missed the others a little, I did love the extra bit of Kyle. I can’t wait to see what Novak has in store for him – I really hope he finally gets his girl in the next story!

I think the mark of a fantastic writer is making readers feel deeply for the characters – and I absolutely ached for Phoenix. She lost so many years, not only in jail but in getting to know Jake. This Heart of Mine is definitely emotion-packed and my own heart broke a time or two. Full of tears and laughter, friends and family, the little town of Whiskey Creek provides a fantastic read every single time.

Book Review – Come Home to Me

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Book Review, Brenda Novak, Come Home to Me, Whiskey Creek series

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 Reno 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.

I’m going to say this and it breaks my heart, but I finally found a Whiskey Creek novel that I didn’t like more than the ones that came before it.  I love the idea of this book – that these two could turn their lives around and get their acts together.  And I totally understand why Presley didn’t tell Aaron that he was the father of her son.  And I even understand why Aaron is so confused by the way that Presley is treating him.  And in theory it all should make a really intriguing story … I just didn’t feel it this time.  Maybe I just need to go back and read Dylan and Cheyenne’s story, When Snow Falls, so that I can see how Presley and Aaron’s relationship was then to get a better feel for the way thing play out here.

Unfortunately we spent more time seeing Presley try to push Aaron away that they don’t actually spend quality time together to develop a good, solid relationship.  With just a couple of chapters to go she finally gives them a chance to date as a real couple but that time isn’t described because there are so few pages left.  I wish we’d had a chance to see them have a grown up relationship, I wanted to see Aaron actually develop feelings for Presley instead of being jealous or territorial.  I love the idea of his character so much, I wanted him to have a fantastic romance.

And I’m not sure where this plotline is going, but the side story with Cheyenne is so weird.  I cannot see this ending well for anyone and I’m not sure I understand why it is necessary.  I don’t want to spoil it for anyone that is going to read the story, but if you have to know go check out some of the Goodreads reviews because you’ll find out all about it in 2 seconds.  I’ll reserve judgment until I see what Novak has planned but I really was stunned when it came up.

I will give Novak credit – she is an amazing writer.  I may not have cared for this one but it is very smooth and has good flow.  I’ll definitely be looking for the next one because I know the series itself is fantastic.  And maybe that is the problem, I’m comparing a good story to the great ones that came before it.

Book Review – Take Me Home for Christmas

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Book Review, Brenda Novak, Take Me Home for Christmas, Whiskey Creek

Time for a holiday book review!

*****

I have not been shy about sharing my love for Brenda Novak’s“Whiskey Creek” novels – When Lightning Strikes , When Snow Falls , When Summer Comes – and Take Me Home for Christmas doesn’t disappoint.  We’ve gotten to know Ted and Sophia through the rest of the series (although if you haven’t read any of the others, don’t worry) and now we finally get their story.

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?

I will say up front that my only complaint is that we don’t get a better explanation of their past. We were given the bits and pieces but I would have liked to have had a full on discussion about exactly what happened and why. We got the idea, so while I wanted Sophia to own up to her reasons, we got enough and really the details don’t impact their current relationship.

Ted was great and I was drawn in by his confusion, hurt and uncertainty, but it was Sophia that I felt for most.  I ached for Sophia as she tries to figure out what she’s going to do now that her life has imploded so dramatically.  She’s had a very awful life but she managed to grow into an amazing woman and I cheered for her every step of the way.

We’re also given a look at their friend Eve’s story as she looks for her own love.  I know that Novak will give her a HEA, but it looks like there might be some heartbreak before she gets there.  I felt for her so during Take Me Home for Christmas but based on the tidbits that we were given, I think that her path might get more rocky before she’s done.

As always, Novak gives readers engaging characters, full of heart and humor and sadness, but always so real they could live next door.  Take Me Home for Christmas is a fantastically sweet read, perfect for the holiday season, reminding us about love, forgiveness, and second-chances.

**And for those new readers – Novak does a fantastic job of giving the highlights of what has come before, especially as they impact this story, so if this is your first book you’ll be fine.**

Home to Whiskey Creek

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Book Review, Brenda Novak, Home to Whiskey Creek, Whiskey Creek

New review is now up.

*****

Adelaide Davies has come back to Whiskey Creek to take care of her ailing grandmother and help run the family restaurant, but home is the last place that Addy wants to be.  Fifteen years ago a terrible thing happened and she wants nothing more than to be able to leave the past, the town and everyone involved with that night behind.  But until she can decide what her future holds, she’s going to do her best to avoid the men responsible for the event that changed everything all those years ago.  After all, they all have something to hide, including her.  Noah Rackham is stunned when Addy rebuffs his overtures of friendship, but he doesn’t know that for Addy he’s a living, breathing reminder of what she’s trying to escape.  Noah isn’t easily deterred, though, especially once he realizes that he may have finally found a woman he wants to commit to.

The story in Home to Whiskey Creek is so heartbreaking.  The secrets that Addy has kept all of these years, the load she’s had to carry, could easily have broken her.  But she’s survived – maybe not thrived exactly, but she definitely showed how strong she is.  You feel for her every step of the way as she tries to go about her day to day life in Whiskey Creek without making waves and disrupting the lives of those around her.  But she just can’t resist Noah …. and honestly I’m not sure anyone could.  He’s smart, sexy, charming and caring.  He’s also very self-assured and never met anyone that didn’t like him, so Addy’s avoidance is a challenge to him.  Then she turns into something more.  I don’t know how he finds it in himself to handle everything that is thrown at him before the book is over but his strength is just one more thing that makes him so appealing.

I honestly don’t know how Brenda Novak continues to give readers books that just keep getting better and better.  I’ve said it before with When Lightning Strikes, When Snow Falls and When Summer Comes, and I’m going to say it again here:  every time I read one of her “Whiskey Creek” books I think that she can’t top it …. and she proves me wrong with the next one.  Highlighting a close-knit small town and an even closer group of friends, Novak’s latest deals with some potentially life-alterring secrets that could shatter a community.  How will they deal if the truth comes out?

Home to Whiskey Creek is the fourth book in the “Whiskey Creek” series (not counting her When We Touch novella) and returning readers will get a little more in the Baxter/Noah drama plus a few updates abut the couples that have appeared in the previous books.  But unfortunately we don’t really get too much about what is coming next, just some broad hints.  With this group of friends though, and Novak’s incredible skill as a writer, it is sure to be another emotional powder keg.  If you haven’t read any of Novak’s other books, go out right now and pick them up.  You will not be disappointed.