This book was both romantic and suspenseful! I really enjoyed the build up of the romance between the hero and heroine, and the son was a fun addition as well.

4 stars.

*I received a review copy from the publisher/author via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.*

When I grabbed this book, I didn't realize it was part of a series, so I started from the beginning and fell in love with Silver Springs and the characters.

Even though this is a series, it is very loosely connected, so it could be read out of order.

I loved the premise of this book. A small town waitress looking for a better job and life for her son, trying to get away from a crappy husband. And she lands on the doorstep of a man who recently stood trial for murdering his adoptive parents.

I love Brenda Novak's love stories. She shows real themes. This one includes domestic abuse, abuse of power in a job, the fallout of being accused of a crime and clearing your name.

I give No One But You 4/5 stars.

I got this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

No One But You by Brenda Novak

No One But You is the second book in the Silver Springs series, but it stands completely on its own. I'm kind of a stickler for reading series in publication order, but I didn't have access to the first one and I really like Brenda Novak, so I dove in on book 2 and didn't feel lost at all. I loved the little additions of mystery and suspense. Romantic suspense is one of my favorite genres, but I sometimes have a hard time finding good books in the genre. While I don't think this could be coined as romantic suspense, it did give me some of the action I crave. I really liked that. I loved watching Sadie and Simon put their lives back together... together. Both have been though a lot and are trying to live normal lives in spite of it. Watching them come together and help one another was really sweet. They both deserve it. I couldn't put this down once I really got into it, and read long into the night to see what happened. Brenda writes great characters and always gives them a little baggage to sort through, which makes them incredibly relatable and easy to root for. I'm excited to read the rest of the series!

The story was good, but the stakes were WAY too high for romance/lust to bloom as quickly as it did between the two main characters.

She's trying to escape her abusive husband, to save both herself and her son from the abuse he dishes out on a daily basis. Yet she's noticing how sexy another man is on their first meeting, especially when everyone believes the man is a murderer?

Yeah, the romance happening as early as it did in the book took me out of it and I had to skip it since it felt out of place and dare I say it, the book would have been better without it.

But the writing was solid and my anxiety was on high alert since I've never read a book with a would-be-murderer before, or where the woman is still in the vicinity of her abuser. I enjoyed the story, disliked the romance.

Thanks NetGalley for access to this one! I love that I was able to find both a new series and a new author.
This is a great book, and it made me fall in love with new characters and a new town. I love the story of Sadie and Dawson, and how they learn to both trust again. They both have been overcoming harsh life experiences, and both are pretty wary. Watching them overcome these horrible things, and then learn to love again in the end.

I highly recommend this one!

Engaging story of obtaining freedom at what cost.
Darson Reed has been released from jail for a crime - killing his parents - he denies committing. Sadie is desperate to be self sufficient to care for her young son while she is in the process of a divorce.

So much love for this book and this author. The characters in this book, like all her others, are well thought out and the same goes for the plot. I enjoyed the plot for this book, actually more than the first book in this series. I can't wait to read the next one.

Unfortunately I picked this book based on the cover and it didn't turn out to be near as cheerful as the cover made it appear. As I started to read I realized it wasn't the right book for me because it was too dark. Normally I don't leave two star reviews but I didn't want someone else to see the happy cover and have the same thing happen to them!

Great characters. Great plot. Full developed storyline. Brenda Novak at her best, as usual!

I enjoyed most of this book. It started out really good and then in the middle it kinda slowed down, but then it finished with a bang. I am really glad that i read this book. I look forward to more from this series.

Sadie has left her police officer husband who is very controlling, Dawson was accused of killing his parents, But he claims he did not.

Read this book you will be glad you did.

Thank you netgalley and Harlequin for allowing me to read this title for an honest review.

It's been a while since I have read anything from Brenda Novak. I have no idea why though because I always love her books and this was exception.

Sadie is a single mum struggling to make ends meet. Her ex is making things as hard as possible and dragging out the divorce. In order to make more money she takes a new job with suspected but cleared murderer Dawson. Early on she realises he really is innocent but things take a turn for the worst with a stalker on her tail etc.

I found it took a little while to warm up to Sadie. She was very judgy about Dawson in the beginning of this and I kept wondering why she bothered taking the job if she was going to be so jumpy. Thankfully this aspect of her didn't last long and she became very likeable and in the end feisty. I loved when she told Sly exactly what had happened the night before, it actually made me laugh out loud.
Dawson was also very likeable. There was something vulnerable and kind about him from the start. He ended up the perfect love match for Sadie and it was really great reading with their friendship and then their love. I was definitely rooting for them the whole of the book.

I ended up loving the small town aspect of this too. It felt obvious that the police department would protect their own BUT I did internally cheer when Chief Thomas grew a pair.

My only real complaint (and why this isn't marked as 5 stars) is that the ending happened so quickly. The tension and the build up did not let up and it was edge of your seat type writing. However when the final confrontation happened it was a bit of a let down as it ended so quickly and I felt after Chief Thomas' previous behaviour, a little unbelievable. I honestly wanted it to be a little more traumatic for the main characters (that probably makes me sound mean lol).

Overall I really enjoyed this. It was a great story with great writing and characters.

I didn't actually realise this was a second in the series, I thought it was the first. Definitely can be read as a stand-alone though so don't worry if you haven't read the first.

I have already started the second and cannot wait to get stuck into it.
If you are a Brenda Novak fan then you will love this.

I’m slowly falling in love with the small town of Silver Springs. If you love to root for the underdogs then this one is for you. Dawson is trying to rebuild his life after being acquitted of murder charges. Sadie is trying to build a life for herself and her son away from her soon-to-be ex-husband. Together they face one battle after the next. My only criticism would be that the ending left me a bit unfulfilled. I know their story ended where it needed to but I still craved a tiny bit more. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

Dawson Reed was accused of murdering his parents and after a year of imprisonment, was acquitted and released. His mentally handicapped adult sister was cared for during that time by a state institute and he wants to bring her home. Sadie Harris answers his ad to be a caregiver and housekeeper, even though she's fearful of him as the whole town believes he's guilty of the murders. But Sadie's desperate as she needs the extra money to finalize her divorce from her abusive husband who happens to be a Silver Springs police officer.

This was a chilling story with some very strong themes. Dawson and Sadie are both tragic, he because he's not been able to mourn his brutally murdered parents who he loved and suffers the scorn and judgment of a town who passed a sentence that a jury didn't. She is the mother of a sensitive 5-year old son and both are being stalked and menaced by her estranged husband, Sly (aptly named). While these two came together under tough circumstances, they really were well suited for each other. Her support came at a time when it was sorely needed and he gave her the protection, enough that it gave her much needed confidence to stand up to her husband and force his hand.

I loved this story and both characters. It was interesting how the police angle tied into current events, showing how one unsuitable officer could taint an entire department and how their failure to address his issues complicate the matter. It was deftly handled without indicting law enforcement. While Dawson and Sadie's relationship developed very quickly, I liked how it's still open ended with both recognizing they have a lot to learn about each other. This definitely has a strong suspense angle, which suited me perfectly. I'm enjoying this rather unconventional series.

(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.

I think I may have liked No One But You even more than Finding Our Forever. If I had to put my finger on the reason, I'd have to say it was Dawson. He lost everything when he was accused of his adoptive parents' murder - including his home town.

All Dawson really wants is to be left alone to bring his family's farm back to life so he can provide a home for his sister. All Sadie wants is to keep her son safe, happy and away from his emotionally abusive father. Alone, the didn't stand a chance, but together...

I really liked the connection between Sadie and Dawson. Having the town outcast, who most everyone in town believed still belonged behind bars, fall for the ex of an overly possessive small town policeman who was not only an arrogant bully, but in total denial about the end of his marriage wasn't the easy way to go, but it definitely kept the pages turning.

Even though this is the second book in Brenda Novak's Silver Springs series, you won't be lost if you haven't read Finding Our Forever. Now that I've started though, I won't be able to stop. Until You Loved me is next and it's already on my TBR list. ;)

Brenda Novak does it again with the second book of this series. Silver Springs is becoming my favorite series of hers.

FINAL DECISION: Really enjoyable small town mixed with mystery and crime romance. These are two wounded people who have no reason to open up and trust one another -- and yet they do. They have a sweet romance combined with an exciting storyline for each of them.

THE STORY: Sadie Harris is struggling. She is separated from her husband who doesn't want to let her go and is trying to sabotage her efforts to be self-sufficient in order to driver her back to him. When a job opens up with helping Dawson Reed at his farm preparing for the possibility of his sister being returned to his custody. Everything seems perfect about the job except that everyone in town knows that Dawson savagely murdered his parents but managed to be found not guilty. With the whole town against her, Sadie agrees to take the job in order to support her son. As Sadie and Dawson spend time together, they grow closer and find that there is something between them worth fighting against the whole town for.

OPINION: I really enjoyed this book because it acted somewhat as a romantic suspense in ways that I didn't expect when the book began. The merging of the various storylines was done in a skillful manner.

There is a lot going on but the heart of this story remains Sadie and Dawson. They are both people who have been damaged by their pasts and have no reason to trust one another. But as the two spend time together they form a friendship, and alliance, and understanding that it is them against everyone in town.

I thought this book had some beautiful moments between Sadie and Dawson as both are willing to sacrifice for the other. And there is a lot of action and excitement as they story threads play out.

I really enjoyed this book and now want to go back and read the first one in the series.

WORTH MENTIONING: The premise of this series comes from men who were troubled boys at the New Horizons Boys Ranch in Silver Springs.

CONNECTED BOOKS: NO ONE BUT YOU is the second book in the Silver Springs series. This book, however, can be read as a standalone without any problem. (I haven't read the first book yet and didn't feel that I missed it.)

STAR RATING: I give this book 4 stars.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley in order to provide a review. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions contained herein are my own.

UNfortunately, this was a DNF for me. I wasn't a huge fan of the first book in this series, but I was hoping that the second one would be better. I ended up DNFing this one at about 40%. I was just really bored. It was predictable and felt like a story I had read a hundred times already. I don't think I will continue with the series.

These books were just so sweet and amazing to read! And I kinda almost read them out out order! Because for some reason, while I downloaded Finding Our Forever from NetGalley, apparently I didn't open it, so I when I started reading No One But You, I thought that it was the first book! I realized what had happened when I was halfway through, and had to force myself away from it, but Finding Our Forever was both amazing and short, so I got back to it quickly!

The town of Silver Springs is small, and the one big connection besides being set there, is that all of these boys were a part of the New Horizons program. There were character overlap in these books, but mostly, they were specific to one group of characters. And they had different levels of intensity-Cora's mom, Sadie's ex, and Hudson's past, well, Sadie's ex was the worst!

I really enjoyed getting to know all these characters, and their stories! Of them all, I do think No One But You was my favourite, because of the stakes and the characters, but I really enjoyed reading all of these books!

These were contemporary books, so they were hit and miss with the romance-these characters would collide, but then something would pull them apart, again and again as they worked through their issues. But they did work through them, so they got happy endings! So yeah, really enjoyed that!

I just really enjoyed reading these books, and I can't wait for more of this series!

Sadie Harris is a single mom to a young son. She is trying to make ends meet and decides to take a job with Dawson Reed, the acquitted town murderer, as his housekeeper. Though Sadie is scared, she bravely accepts the job. Instead of finding a monster, she finds a considerate man.
Brenda Novak had me deeply invested in this story. Both of our characters had serious drama and challenges in their lives. They weren't the typical characters that you read in romances. There was no rich billionaire but instead both characters had a true wealth and depth to them that drew me into their lives. Sadie and Dawson's resilience shines through that made their journey a heartwarming tale.
Two of my favorite lines, and there were a few good nuggets:
"Even the hope of love is worth the risk, she clarified."
"Love isn't the problem, Sadie," he said, his voice soothing. "Love is the answer. That's what makes life worth living."
Sigh. Yes, Dawson. I completely agree.
Thank you Netgalley for this read.