N Is For Novak

Jennifer reviews When Lightning Strikes...

I have discovered a new favorite contemporary romance series—Whiskey Creek by Brenda Novak. I actually discovered it by reading Book 8, This Heart of Mine. It was a freebie, given to me at a romance conference and I brought it with me on a trip for when I have downtime. I think I’m actually the opposite of everyone else. I bring paper books with me, rather than my iPad, so that if I don’t like the book, I can just leave it in the hotel for someone else to read, thereby lightening my suitcase. Since this book wasn’t one I had chosen, I figured I had nothing to lose.

Instead, I gained a new series. After reading book 8 and loving it, I put the series, starting with book 1 like a normal person, on my TBR list, and just finished When Lightning Strikes. I loved it!

Novak creates such well-rounded characters and ones whom I immediately connected with. Although they were briefly featured later in the series, I enjoyed getting to know them well in this first book, as well as seeing how she sets up the others for treatment going forward. The story was redemption of a bad boy with heart, dealt with Hollywood and paparazzi and all took place in the small town they escape to. I can’t recommend this book enough!

Amazon

Here’s a blurb:

Simon O'Neal's causing trouble again. And it's up to Gail DeMarco to stop him.

Gail DeMarco left Whiskey Creek, California, to make a name for herself in Los Angeles. Her PR firm has accumulated a roster of A-list clients, including the biggest box office hit of all—sexy and unpredictable Simon O'Neal. But Simon, who's just been through a turbulent divorce, is so busy self-destructing he won't listen to anything she says. She drops him from her list—and he retaliates by taking the rest of her clients with him.

Desperate to save her company, Gail has to humble herself by making a deal with Simon. The one thing he wants is custody of his son, but that's going to require a whole new image. He needs to marry some squeaky-clean girl who'll drag him off to some small, obscure place like Whiskey Creek….

Gail's the only one he can trust. She agrees to become his wife—reluctantly. But she isn't reluctant because he's too hard to like. It's because he's too hard not to love!

5 Hearts