Hard to believe the Silver Springs series started way back in 2017. Actually that’s really only three years ago but just feels like a long time. RIGHT WHERE WE BELONG is the fourth book of the titles published in 2017. We would have to wait a few more years to get our hands on what might be the last four. In any case each one of these gems is worth the wait. And to help Brenda Novak fans catch up I decided to reread RIGHT WHERE WE BELONG and put out a review. To whet your appetite for what has been a very thoughtful series with references that are so very real and current.
Silver Springs is a contemporary romance series with a hint of suspense and crime all built in. Since many of the main characters have had to reinvent themselves we need to know their history and how they came to this small town. Not to worry Brenda Novak is a master at character development and certainly flexed her muscles in developing the storylines surrounding those that got their second chance at New Horizons Boy Ranch.
RIGHT WHERE WE BELONG centers on Gavin who is one of eight boys adopted by Aiyana who runs the boys ranch. We now learn a lot about how Gavin wound up at the ranch. Savanna has come to Silver Springs to hide from the admonishments being cast her way since her soon to be ex-husband was arrested on rape and assault charges. Savanna was used to her husband being away on business for long periods of time. What she never realized or could have imagined was that Gordon used his trips as cover. Now that his crimes are being uncovered Savanna has to face the truth about her marriage to a truly disturbed man.
Savanna’s aim is to find some measure of peace for herself and her two very young children. Each child is reacting differently to their separation from their father. The house in Silver Springs is in terrible condition but so is this family’s life. Perhaps rebuilding Savanna’s father’s house will help her to restore the health of her little family.
Gavin is good at fixing things. He has a gentle caring nature. He is what some might call an old soul. Gavin’s life was traumatized by his step mother. His savior was Aiyana and New Horizons. Gavin quickly sees that as a neighbor and friend he can help Savanna and her kids.
Both Savanna and Gavin are at a place in their private lives that what they most need is a friend they can rely on and talk to. But neither are ready for any kind of relationship. Their lives are too complicated.
RIGHT WHERE WE BELONG is truly about rebuilding lives that have been somewhat shattered by circumstances way beyond their control. Feeling guilty about being oblivious to events. Brenda Novak is out to prove that kindness is the key to recovery. Her creation Gavin is proof of her masterful talent with characters. He just may be one of her best.

This story was surprisingly fun considering the heavy topic of discovering your husband is guilty of heinous crimes against women, and being forced to start your life over.

Savanna is a great mixture of tough and vulnerable, and Gavin is just the sort of hero she and her kids need. A light, fun read.

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

I couldn't get into this book and ended up not being able to finish it. Savanna was just a little to weak willed and whiny for me. Gavin didn't really have any depth to him and they didn't seem to really have a connection.

You can always count on Brenda Novak to tell a great story! In addition to a compelling romance, she weaves in an intriguing mystery. The characters in this book, especially Savanna, are multi-faceted, and their interactions are realistic. She has created a safe-haven in Silver Springs, and I could almost imagine myself living there. The entire book is well-written and enjoyable.

I have always loved any book by Brenda Novak, but Right Where We Belong has become one of my all-time favorites. I love her writing style and the way she brings her characters to life. Ones that you are rooting for and the ones that you're screaming at your book in the middle of the night about. This book is simply put amazing and brings out all the feels.

I had a few issues with this story. It’s as though the hero cheated but it was ok because they weren’t exclusive. I don’t know. The story was good but then it wasn’t.

I didn't know about this series until I read about it on this site, and I will need to go back and read the rest now! This story was wonderful and heartwarming. Starting over after your husband was accused of attacking women was the bravest thing I have read about in a long time. I love a great overcome all obstacles story and this is exactly what this is. The love that is found between the characters didn't hurt either. Loved it!

Savanna Gray’s life is turned upside down when her husband is arrested and charged with the rapes of three women, one of them in their town. It doesn’t take long for life in Nephi, Utah to become intolerable so she packs up and moves with her two young children to her parents abandoned property in Silver Springs, California. Upon arrival, she meets her only neighbor in the remote street, Gavin Turner. He’s a carpenter, plays in a band and is pretty charming. He was also a resident of New Horizons Ranch as a teen so he’s got his own baggage, too. It’s the beginning of a nice friendship until it started to develop into something more.

There was a certain breeziness to Savanna and Gavin’s relationship, which I liked as neither was ready for a deeper commitment. She was dealing with some rough issues and her husband’s crimes were affecting her children. He was struggling with a past relationship that wouldn’t accept “no.” I also liked that there was a slight suspense element that made this story even more intriguing. There was a nice balance between Savanna’s redemption, her developing relationship with Gavin and the suspense surrounding her husband’s crimes. It all evolved seamlessly and nicely.

Veronica Worthington’s narration was wonderful and I’m enjoying her performances in this series. There aren’t many characters and she distinguishes them nicely while being a good storyteller. I’m loving the audio version and this series.

The latest in the Silver Springs series is trademark Brenda Novak and an enjoyable read. The main characters are sympathetic and both have obstacles in their past to overcome, especially the heroine, Savanna. In addition, it is always good to re-visit recurring characters from the New Horizons Boys Ranch.

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 :)

Loving this series and the town of Silver Springs.
Gavin abandoned as a child had to find his way in life.
Savannah coming from a marriage where things were not as they seemed. She arrives in Silver Springs to start anew.
Intriguing story of learning from the past and making amends. Lessons in finding strengths, feeling from the heart to trust and love.

alright, i am officially done with brenda novak.

sometimes i see a book on netgalley, find out it's part of a series, request the book and then immediately get the other books in the series from the library or amazon. which is ridiculous, i don't even know if i will like the series but i am committing myself to -in this case- 4 books. anyway, sometimes this works out for me, other times by the time i get to the netgalley book, i am dreading reading it. i realise i could just read the netgalley book instead of getting the whole series, but that would mean reading a series out of order and if i did that, i might spontaneously combust.

this particular book was my least favourite in this series, i didn't care for the characters at all. the second book in the series was the best in my opinion, but overall there is just something i don't like about brenda novak's writing. the dialogue is unrealistic, it is too tell-y instead of show-y, and some of the things the author says just make me think wtf.

i am sure, if you are a fan of brenda novak and this series, you will like this one. since i was already not really enjoying the series and had low expectations, this was a chore to get through. i feel like an ass saying that, but there you go. bye brenda novak, thanks netgalley!

This book is another good one in the Silver Springs Series. I really felt for Savannah and all she had been through. Gavin was a wonderful character, and I enjoyed the relationship that developed between these two. The storyline kept my interest and I found it difficult to put down. Another winner by the author! Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a copy of the book in return for an honest review.

More than just a love story, Where You Belong is a story about characters and family and is a quick and compelling read. Savanna and Gavin are both captivating characters and the story of how the two of them are brought together would have made for an enjoyable book but the additional storyline with Savanna’s ex-husband makes it a great novel and easy to recommend to anyone, even people who don’t generally read romance novels.

Right Where We Belong is another amazing read by Brenda Novak. I love the Silver Springs series and this read was filled with suspense to keep me engaged.
Savanna's husband is accused of rape and she cannot remain the small town. So, she packs up her family to start over in Silver Springs. This is where she she meets Gavin, her next door neighbor with a tragic past.
Together they make the journey to happy-ever-after while keeping us captivated. Well done, Brenda Novak. On to the next one!

4 1/2 STARS!

With the next book in her Silver Springs series, Brenda Novak quickly had my attention and kept me riveted throughout with what turned out to be one of my favorites in the series so far! A wife is devastated to discover the man she married isn't who she thought he was, and has two kids to protect as she learns how to move forward in life. When she meets Gavin, she has a kindred spirit. He's had hard times as well, but he's striving to be happy and go after his dreams ... even when hiccups occur along the way!

Savanna Gray never thought she'd be starting over at this point in her life, but after living through the horror of her husband being arrested for attacking three women, she is picking up the pieces of what's left and getting her kids out of town. It's not in the best shape, but the old family farmhouse in Silver Springs, CA will be a great refuge for them as they try to figure out life on their own.

Gavin Turner lives right next door and is a huge help to her and the kids in getting settled and having things up and running while they fix the house up. They each try to keep their distance because of drama in each of their lives, but they can't hide their mutual attraction for long. Will a real relationship be able to come out of their connection to each other, or will she live to regret trusting another troubled man?

Savanna's story was so heart-wrenching as she tries to come to grips with what her husband did and how his actions have affected her life and the lives of her two children. When it just becomes too much, she retreats to an old farmhouse that needs a lot of work. Her nearest neighbor, Gavin Turner, seems too good to be true as he offers help and friendship. But when her past comes back to haunt her, and Gavin's secrets come out, Savanna will have to make a choice, but is she strong enough to fight for the life she's built and the love she's found?

This was an incredibly tense book that I read in one sitting. It had me riveted! The emotional pull of what Savanna's is asked to endure will pull on anyone's heartstrings, but Gavin is such a swoon-worthy hero, you know he's the one that can heal her. But his character is just as complicated as hers, and his past hurts are just as difficult to deal with. I loved how these two wounded souls found each other and was rooting for their happily-ever-after. Another memorable story from Ms. Novak!

This book went all over the place and honestly, I could have done without the 'extra' conflict in that was thrown into the mix. I liked Savanna and Gavin together and I think if the story would have focused only on Gavin and Savanna's complicated backgrounds I would have enjoyed it more. *sigh*

Savanna's husband (he wasn't legally her ex, but there was no going back) was truly despicable. She was caught in a nightmare that there was no escaping from no matter how far away she went. I understood her reluctance to trust Gavin, especially when she found out about his background.

Then there was Gavin. I really liked him and admired him, but I wish he would have listened to his mother and brother when it came to judge of character. Things wouldn't have escalated nearly as far as they did if he had. I'm glad that things worked out, but like I mentioned before, I think the story had enough drama without adding that extra layer.

I've read all the books in this series except for the 3rd, Until You Loved Me. I'm planning on picking it up soon though, so stay tuned. ;)

Brenda Novak has been a regular on my book tbr shelf over the last few years. I fell in love with her small town series Whiskey Creek. She gave me one of my rare 5 star reads  with When Snow Falls. I adored the bad boy persona of Dylan. He spoke to me in all kinds of ways - especially his sexy and confident demeanor made me swoon all over. This book will always be on my keeper shelf and I'll remember Brenda Novak fondly whenever I read it.

Now, maybe my taste changed in recent years, I can't really put a finger on what exactly stopped working for me. Because, Brenda Novak can write, there is really no doubt about that. She is a skilled writer, and her stories are never short of intriguing and heart-warming.

So, it must be me.

Somehow I stopped enjoying her books.

Right Where We Belong did not speak to me at all. I didn't connect with the characters and even though the author kept the story well paced and at the end I was definitely sitting on the edge of my seat, it just wasn't enough. At this point, I don't care what happens next in this series.

So, it's with a heavy heart that as I'm writing this review I'm saying goodbye to Brenda Novak. I hope whoever reads her books will continue enjoying them as much as I once did - but I'm off discovering new authors that hopefully will fill the gap she left behind.


published on November 11th 2017

I'd like to thank Harlequin and NetGalley for the opportunity to read the latest in Brenda Novak's Silver Springs series, Right Where We Belong.

As the book opens we are immediately drawn into the life of a young mother, Savannah Gray, who has just learned that not only has her husband cheated on her, he's a serial rapist.

She packs up her life and takes her two young children home to the farmhouse she'd grown up in, but even that is not the same. It's been left empty for years and is in serious disrepair. Left with no more options, she decides to stay with the help of her neighbor, a handsome musician she likes but is too wary to trust.

Gavin Turner has had his own demons, so he understands the instinct to flee. When he meets Savannah and her children, he wants to help and soon finds himself falling for the beautiful young woman, but has an ex-girlfriend who says she's pregnant and a new boyfriend who is furious. Heather is determined to get Gavin back and is willing to go to extraordinary lengths to make that happen. 

Can two people with so much baggage have a chance at a future together? You'll have to read the book to find out!

I give Right Where We Belong 5 lovely kisses