I really enjoyed this addition to the Whiskey Creek series. Except for that weird editing blip that I mentioned in the comments. I think the brothers ages were meant to be 40 and 42.

So it was fast paced and pretty well plotted. I really enjoyed the hero. It hardly ever happens that a hero is an ex con where he actually did the crime he was sent up for. And it wasn't even to kill his father to save his abused sister as it normally is. No this guy was caught selling drugs. Not a spoiler because you know this from the very first. So the author does a very good job of explaining the circumstances and redeeming her hero.

Characterization of Eve who we've seen throughout the series as a secondary character is also well done. Here is a woman who has tried and tried to find love and sees all her friends fall in love and get married. She's jealous and sad and sorry for herself. She tries not to be but she is wondering what she can do to help herself and change her situation. And she has a legitimate concern, she is 35 and unmarried. That is a natural situation where you start to wonder if it will ever happen for you and your biological clock starts ticking pretty hard. (I married when I was 37 so I know whereof I speak.) So when she meets the hero, she has a drunken one night stand.

Since the hero is still running from some bad guys he met in prison, highjinks ensue.

Really enjoyed it and can't wait for Riley and Pheonix's story. I always suspected those two were going to end up together. [b:This Heart of Mine|23214391|This Heart of Mine (Whiskey Creek, #8)|Brenda Novak|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1410912714s/23214391.jpg|42756705] ( )

This was a cute read about Eve, a bed and breakfast owner who's been down on her luck in love, and Rex, an ex-con and ex-gang member who is on the run from his old life and just needs a second chance. There were lots of things to like about this book. Eve and Rex are characters you want to cheer for, that you want that happily ever after to come around to. You can't help but feel sorry for their lives so far andwant to see them succeed this time. I also liked the way the author built up the town and personalities of all the side characters. It was a richly developed world, particularly with the side stories about Mary theghost and Cheyenne and the father of her baby. .

PLease excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader. ( )

I love the Whiskey Creek Series. Brenda Novak is one of a few authors I totally trust to write an excellent story. She does her research. The stories are interesting and you rarely have to suspend reality while reading them. Ms. Novak has the knack of balancing reality while taking you into fantasy.

In Heart of Christmas we get the story of Eve. Eve has not been my favorite person. I always kind of saw her as the strong, confident, independent type who always gets things right. This book let me inside Eve's head where I learned how unhappy and vulnerable she was. I never thought of Eve as a loser so it was a bit of a surprise to learn she felt like one. Eve is still not my favorite but I no longer see her as kind of a know it all snob. Her love interest, Rex, was also a surprise. He wasn't who I thought Eve would go for. Don't get me wrong. The relationship works. He just wasn't the type I would have set Eve up with. Watching them get together was truly like watching a friend find love. I really enjoyed getting to know Eve.

I am really hoping for Baxter's story to come out. I think Harlequin would do no better than to have Brenda Novak write their entry into the GLBT world. She is strong on research, sensitivity and is not afraid of writing challenges. One writing challenge I am on the edge of my seat with is Chey and the two daddies. I am both excited and nervous about the outcome. I know everyone is expecting a huge blow out, which I also think is coming, but I have faith that it will work out. I am so curious to see how it works out though. At any rate, I can't wait for the next book and to see what surprises Ms Novak has for us.

The series does not need to be read in the order written. I think it is best to read it in order, especially with the drama surrounding Chey unfolding.

Thank you to the author for providing an ecopy of Heart of Christmas for review purposes. The review is my honest opinion and on release day I purchased my own copy of the book.

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Brenda Novak is a new author to me. I loved everything about this novella. It was a quick read. It was a Christmas story. It was about a second chance at your first crush. It was sweet, clean and very well written. Our heroine of the story helps her brothers best friend find his way back to his faith in God. ( )

DNF. I tried to like this novel, I really did. Yet, the characters were to wishy-washy and needed to learn to properly communicate. Plus, I wasn't really a fan of the sub-plots either in this one. I'm hoping I'll like the next one in this series a whole lot more once it comes out.

For those that are huge fans of this series I hope you'll like it more then I did. ( )