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

This is the forth book in this series by this author and another fantastic addition. This is a contemporary romance with the added bit of suspense to keep you hooked. The characters are really well developed and had fantastic chemistry which will set the pages alight as you read. The banter between the characters was really funny. I can't wait to read more from this author in the future. 
Highly recommended
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book

(4.25 stars)
This was by far my favorite installment so far. I was immediately immersed in the story and felt immediately connected with both Savanna and Gavin. RWWB deals with some heavier issues than the previous books and really gave it a notch above the rest.

This is book number 4 in the Silver Springs series. I enjoyed this title. It felt very classic Brenda Novak to me. I really love her storytelling and her cast of characters. I would recommend to romance fans that enjoy series set in a small town.

Been Down So Long It Looks Like Up to Me is a novel by Richard Fariña: the title encompasses everything I love about the downtrodden but hopeful heroine trope. Savanna Gray of Brenda Novak's ticks all the boxes when she returns to Silver Springs—she and her two children desperately need 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.

The precipitating event that causes Savanna to pack up and flee is when an acquaintance accuses Savanna of knowing about her husband’s assaults: “How could you have missed that your husband was out stalking women at night?” The woman shouts at her in the supermarket, in front of Savanna’s traumatized children, Branson and Alia. Understandably, “the crimes Gordon committed had shaken the small, insular town of Nephi, Utah, to the core,” but Savanna can’t take another day of raw emotion. Of feeling like she never wants to leave her house again.

Fast forward to a truck, bumping down an unmanicured country lane when a man bangs on Savanna’s truck to get her attention:

“You can’t go down that way,” he explained, gesturing at the road ahead. “The bridge is washed out.”

“What bridge?” she asked.

He blinked in surprise. “The bridge that goes over the creek.”

She scowled. “You mean before you reach the house?”

Who’s the good Samaritan? It’s Savanna’s neighbor, Gavin Turner, an employee and former student at the New Horizons Boys Ranch. He sure doesn’t look like Savanna’s clean-cut ex.

Savanna watched Gavin carefully. He wasn’t overly large or imposing. Maybe five-eleven to six feet tall, he had broad shoulders and big hands but a thin frame and wore his dark hair in a man bun with a closely trimmed beard and mustache. To her, he looked like an artist or a musician—or maybe just a vegetarian . . .

What’s so enjoyable about Right Where We Belong is seeing Savanna sort out what she believes, what she feels, and what she wants for her future. She watches Gavin tease her kids and put them at ease, thinking, “Evil people weren’t funny, were they?” But she still gets off to a bad start with Gavin when she recoils when he tells her he once attended a boy’s ranch. Savanna apologizes the next day, acknowledging that she jumped to conclusions about Gavin because he “ran into a spot of trouble” in his teens.

“Your past has nothing to do with anything.”

 “Then you’re just not into me.”

He said that with a twinkle in his eye, as if he was man enough to take no, if that was her answer. This had to be the most emotionally brave individual she’d ever met. She couldn’t help admiring his self-confidence. Gordon would never have risked his ego that way. “It’s not you specifically. I’m done with men. All men. I wish I’d never gotten involved with the one I married.”

When Gavin points out that, “Never’s a long time. Won’t you get lonely?” she tells him, “Maybe I’ll become a lesbian.” That’s certainly a 360.

“You can’t judge all men by the actions of one,” he said.

He’d made that point before, but she was too traumatized to be so fair.

“No, but I can take precautions.”

“Like changing your sexuality.”

“Yes.”

“That’s a pretty big deal. Please tell me you’re bi at least.”

“Not yet. But I’m hoping I’ll be able to change. I’m willing to try.”

There is an impediment to her brave new plans—in the person of her helpful new neighbor, currently slapping together a rudimentary bridge so she can cross the stream and get to her family’s farmhouse.

As he carried two of the boards to a staging area near the moorings of the old bridge, she tried not to admire him in those jeans. He had one heck of a nice butt. She had to admit that much, despite her plans for a man-less future.

Not sure anyone should risk their money betting on Savanna’s “man-less future.” More like a hands-full of man future if the romancelandia crystal ball is intact. Gavin tells her fantasy solution may have her “missing out.”

“Okay, but if you get tired of pretending, feel free to give me a call. I like it soft and gentle, and I won’t get in the way of your search for a lesbian partner.”

An embittered yet hopeful woman who has no experience with passion and a gentle, hunky neighbor who’s good with his hands—Right Where We Belong has all the feels and a sweet, sexy couple to boot.

This is book 4 in the Silver Springs series and it features Gavin and Savannah. Most stories are full of peaks and valleys but this one was definitely full of peaks. Something was always happening. There was never a dull moment. This author wrote Gavin’s passive, gentle mannered character perfectly!  He’s genuinely a good guy who's always thinking of others before himself.  Savanna had been through so much already. I can’t imagine the humiliation she felt with the scene at the beginning of the book.  Their attraction grew naturally and was easy to see how strongly their feelings were and then...BAM!  It was too late to ignore them.  I was definitely hoping love would win over obligation.  These two certainly have the odds stacked against them with everything happening in their lives.

Another fantastic story in a fantastic series. I’m looking forward to the next one.

Brenda Novak has a writing ability to make you see a book move like a movie. Her writing POV’s bring you right into the dialogue between the characters but allows for plenty of dissection into the why’s behind the actions of the characters. 
Right Where We Belong is the fourth book in the Silver Spring series and it’s all about rebuilding. Savanna Gray desperately needs a do over, her husband was arrest on atrocious, awful charges and the life she was once knew has been completely ruined. Seeking a new life, she moves to Silver Spring for the sake of herself and her two small children. Gavin, her attractive new neighbor, has a past filled with secrets. However, Gavin is the first person to introduce himself and becomes a pillar of support for her. As time moves on they realize their chemistry is more than just a friendship but with outside forces pushing them apart, will they be able to resist?
Savanna is newly single and trying to navigate through some treacherous water with her two small children. Even with all that life was handing her, she never let it get her down. She was always there for her kids and she’s was always willing to do whatever it took to get them to a better tomorrow. Gavin is such a sweet neighbor with some very sexy characteristics. He was the always ready handyman for repairs as well as personal issues. While their romance was fast, their chemistry was felt from the first meeting. Gavin may have been very sweet but he knew exactly how to get dirty with Savanna. 
I loved this story. There was an element of suspense to it and I was on the edge of my seat with that ending. I do think that Novak could have given a bigger punch for the ending but it was a sweet note that everyone needed. Savanna and Gavin’s story of redemption is one that is sweet and everlasting. I knew that they would have a tough road getting to a happy ending but it was one that would be well worth it.

My Review:
After being attacked in front of her kids in the grocery store, Savanna has had it with living where she and the husband she obviously never knew had their home. Fortunately, she has a backup. She and her brother inherited a house in Silver Springs. She's never seen it and knows that it probably needs some work, but she and her kids need a fresh start, so she gets in the moving van and heads into the unknown. 

Gavin owns the bunkhouse nearby the old broken down farmhouse. He can't believe Savanna plans to live there. No one has lived there besides rodents in years and every part of the house needs help. She's adamant. He's intrigued by her courage and gumption and they form an alliance to get her into the house and maybe not settled, but not missing the essentials.

And things develop from there. 

I've loved the last two contemporary series from Brenda Novak. While this book featured a lot of the same characters, something about the setting and premise of the story felt bleaker reading it. I definitely did not enjoy it as much as I've enjoyed the others. Part of that can be attributed to Gavin's relationship with Heather. At moments she seems like a truly awful person. Other times, I felt sorry for her. Honestly, Gavin has a lot to be accountable for in that relationship. He always knew she felt more for him than he did for her. To string her along simply for accessible sex is wrong in every sense. And the back and forth between him and both women drove me nuts in this one. And that really messed with my ability to enjoy the story as much.

It was definitely my least favorite of the series so far, even though the book is very readable. It just wasn't quite the story line for me. 
I received a complimentary copy of this book in return for an honest review.

The saga continues with Silver Springs and the men of New Horizons Boys Ranch, as love seems to spring in the air giving each of these good men a well-deserved partner and a future. 

With her entire life torn apart by her murderous husband, Savannah Gray returns to her hometown of Silver Springs to start fresh and keep her kids away from the shadows of an evil father, renovating her childhood house and making a home, right where she belongs.

Abandoned as a child and with New Horizons giving him a new lease of life, Gavin Turners knows very well the trauma of starting over and finding oneself, to give an identity to self and set some roots with family, and Savannah and her kids kindle in him feelings of desire, family and a future.

Another well crafted story of pain and betrayal, abandonment and loss, love and support, family and friends. Savannah’s character will bring tears to your eyes, and Gavin’s kindness and big heart gives hope that there’s enough good to out weigh the bad. “Right Where We Belong” is a skillful narration of a beautiful story of second chances, happiness, faith and hope.

Received an ARC from Harlequin via NetGalley for an honest review.

I was unable to finish this book. The writing is classic Novak and the characters are all good, I just struggled with the plot line. It doesn't mean this book isn't worth a read - it is. The story just didn't resonate with me.

RIGHT WHERE WE BELONG by Brenda Novak is a wonderful edition to the Silver Springs Series. At this point it is fair to say it is my favorite. We need more heroes like Gavin.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

This is a story of a woman learning to trust again.  Savanna moved to Silver Springs, Ca when her husband is charged with rape of three women.  She and her two small children move into a house her parents had bought with the hope of renovating but died before they could start.  Her neighbor, Gavin becomes a friend and helps the family deal with the house and their past.  This book is part of the Silver Springs series but you don't need to read the previous books.  They are all basically stand alone. Brenda Novak is a prolific author and usually gives a good read.

I usually love Brenda Novak's books especially the ones set in small towns but I had a hard time really liking the characters of Gavin and Savannah.  They seemed incomplete somehow and because of that it was difficult to really understand any of their motivations for their behaviour.  Gavin, instead of making me believe he was doing this very honorable thing just made me feel most of the time that he was just indecisive.  Although he did redeem himself when he acknowledged that he was stringing along both Savanna and Heather and put a stop to it.  Savanna's behaviour on the other hand felt a little bit more real, since she did have to contend with an ex and his mother's criminal behaviour.  I would still recommend this for fans of the series since the love story was still basically great for this two.  But its probably not for readers who prefers having a more in depth character development.

Right Where We Belong  is another book in Brenda Novak's Silver Springs series. However it is perfect as a stand alone.  Like the previous book I read in this series there is some romance, some crime, a little mystery - all in all, a good mix.

Savannah has had the misfortune to find herself married to someone who has been attacking women. He is in prison awaiting trial and she is suffering trial by public opinion so she decides to leave the small town and travel to California where there is a dilapidated home belonging to herself and her brother.  She has two delightful but bewildered children and as well she has a whole lot of gumption.

Gavin is one of the past pupils of New Horizons Boys Ranch, he now works there and is a musician as well. He takes an immediate liking and attraction to Savannah when she arrives, and really helps her out where he can.  

This does not please his prior girlfriend who is hoping to wheedle her way back into his life with a bit of blackmail and putting the screws into him where she knows it will count. Will she succeed?

When it looks like the police might not be able to close the case against Savannah's husband - soon to be divorced, Savannah after weighing up things decides to get a little more involved and takes some big risks. I found it a little scary as she did her own investigation!

A fun read, nice and relaxing on the whole, that mixture of romance and sizzle, a heroine making a stand for herself and a hero there to support her while she does it.

Savanna Gray didn't know her husband was a serial rapist. But once the town found out, she became a pariah. So she packed up her two kids and took them to the house she had inherited from her parents. She's never been there, it's barely livable, but she's going to go anyway. Thank goodness the guy next door is willing to help her out.

Gavin Turner just wants to work on his music and live his life. He'd rather his ex-girlfriend were a little farther away but she seems happy in her new relationship. The new neighbor is hot so he doesn't mind helping her out. 

The two almost immediately start hooking up which then leads into True Love and Happily Ever After.

Novak does a great job of portraying people in hard circumstances. Savanna isn't the only one with emotional scars. I got a good idea of why she and Gavin got together but couldn't really see them working out longer than that. I didn't see the ties. And I really disliked the "crazy ex-girlfriend" storyline.



Three stars

This book comes out October 31Savanna Gray didn't know her husband was a serial rapist. But once the town found out, she became a pariah. So she packed up her two kids and took them to the house she had inherited from her parents. She's never been there, it's barely livable, but she's going to go anyway. Thank goodness the guy next door is willing to help her out.

Gavin Turner just wants to work on his music and live his life. He'd rather his ex-girlfriend were a little farther away but she seems happy in her new relationship. The new neighbor is hot so he doesn't mind helping her out. 

The two almost immediately start hooking up which then leads into True Love and Happily Ever After.

Novak does a great job of portraying people in hard circumstances. Savanna isn't the only one with emotional scars. I got a good idea of why she and Gavin got together but couldn't really see them working out longer than that. I didn't see the ties. And I really disliked the "crazy ex-girlfriend" storyline.



Three stars

This book comes out October 31

When Gordon, Savanna's husband, was arrested as a serial rapist, she stood by him.until the evidence overwhelmingly proved otherwise.  Everyone in their small Utah town blamed her for her husband's actions so she moved with her two young children to a broken down house her father had left her in Silver Springs in rural California.

Gavin is Savanna's neighbour.  In addition to being a musician, he is works at New Horizons Boys Ranch, a place he spent a lot of his childhood after his father and stepmother had abandoned him.  As soon as Savanna and Gavin meet, there is an attraction.  But each is dealing with things going on in their lives so are determined to remain friends.

I liked the writing style and thought it was well-paced.  It is written in third person perspective with the focus alternating between the various characters including Savanna and Gavin.  The story was interesting with lots of twists and turns.  Though this is the fourth in the Silver Springs series, it works as a stand alone as there is enough information provided about the first one (I haven't read the first three).  As a head's up, there is swearing and adult activity.

I look forward to reading the others in this series.

This is the second time I've tried to read a book by this author and I think it's clear that something about the writing style doesn't connect with me.  The story itself seems fascinating - this is exactly the kind of story I can see myself falling into - but the writing style feels like a lot of telling without a lot of showing and I felt like I was on the outside looking in on a romance that I was not connected to at all.  Another DNF and a sad realization that this author is just probably not for me.

Despite the fact that this was a swing and a miss for me, I do sincerely appreciate the opportunity to read and review.

4th in series
I found first one in series and I felt I would like it by the premise--I LOVED IT, 
    LOVED the second, LOVED the third, so I was so excited to read this one and I LOVED IT.

Right from the first line- woman confronted in store with her kids witnessing ... I was hooked!!

The descriptions of Silver Springs - I want to go
    especially that there are no chain stores; only local businesses.  

I truly enjoyed every book in this series!
I highly recommend them all!!