From the TBR Pile: Blog Tour: Finding Our Forever by Brenda Novak

Wednesday, April 12, 2017

Blog Tour: Finding Our Forever by Brenda Novak

Author: Brenda Novak
Publisher: Harlequin
Date of publication: March 2017

New York Times bestselling author Brenda Novak welcomes readers to the town of Silver Springs, where surprises wait around every corner!

The search for her birth mother brought Cora Kelly to the New Horizons Boys Ranch. Getting a job there was easy enough, but confiding in Aiyana, the ranch’s owner, that she’s really her daughter? Cora’s not sure she can do that, not unless she’s confident the news will be welcomed. And once she gets to know Elijah Turner—Aiyana’s adopted son and ranch manager—that decision becomes even more difficult.

Although Elijah can’t deny his deep attraction to Cora, he’s always struggled with trust. Anyone with his past would, and there’s something about the ranch’s newest employee that isn’t exactly as it seems. But if the feelings she awakes in his guarded heart are any indication, she might be just what he’s long been waiting for.

I really wanted to love Finding Our Forever. I loved the idea of the ranch and the school for wayward boys. I was also wanted to love the romance. There is always something about 2 broken people finding love that melts my heart. I was interested enough in the romance between Cora and Elijah to finish out the story. But in the end, I was a bit disappointed.I did like Cora and Elijah together. I loved how she helped him open himself up to love again. But I didn't feel like I got enough of Elijah to really understand his closed off personality. His backstory is mentioned, but how it affected him isn't fully explored.

There were a few other threads that seemed to be just dropped and weren't explored enough. The story takes place on a ranch that is also a school for boys and despite it being talked about several times, the reader is never shown any interaction with Cora or Elijah and the students. I would have liked to see that since such a big deal is made about the school setting. Otherwise, this story could have taken place anywhere. Elijah's interactions (of non-interactions) with his birth mother looked like it could have been a like of conflict, but it never went anywhere.

The main reason for my disappointed really stems from the secret that Cora kept hidden from her birth mother. I was not adopted so I don't want to assume how I would feel, but I ended up having a hard time with how long Cora kept it from Aiyanah. I didn't really buy the reveal. It was just accepted too easily and was kind of anticlimactic and rushed. I think I would have expected more conflict or sense of betrayal. The only honest reaction to her finding her birth mother came from her adoptive parents. That is what I would have expected to happen.

Ultimately, the romance is sweet and I did like their HEA. It's not a bad book, it just didn't have everything I was looking for in it. I'm hoping that in future books we get to see Cal and Aiyanah's relationship blossom further. I also do want to see Elijah's brothers find their HEAs.

About Brenda Novak

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Brenda Novak has penned over 45 novels. A two-time Rita nominee, she’s won The National Reader’s Choice, The Bookseller’s Best, The Bookbuyer’s Best and many other awards. She runs an annual online auction for diabetes research every May at www.brendanovak.com. To date, she’s raised over $2 million. Brenda considers herself lucky to be a mother of five and married to the love of her life.

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Brenda Novak’s TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS:

Tuesday, March 21st: Books and Bindings

Wednesday, March 22nd: Reading Reality

Thursday, March 23rd: West Metro Mommy Reads

Friday, March 24th: Read Love Blog

Monday, March 27th: Books a la Mode – guest post

Tuesday, March 28th: Reading is my SuperPower

Wednesday, March 29th: Luxury Reading