Take Me Home for Christmas (Whiskey Creek Book 5)

My Review:This book could be titled "Learning How to Survive the Mistakes I've Made." Wow...Sophia's life is a mess and it makes this book a bit difficult to read. Flat out....she made the wrong choice when she was a teenager and got involved with her husband, Skip, leaving Ted behind and heartbroken. It wasn't long before she realized that, but by that time she was stuck. This book is entirely about unraveling the mess that her life has become in the 14 years since....and it's painful as a reader to watch a character hurt this much. This is definitely NOT your typical romance book. In fact, there isn't much in the way of the romantic story line until the very end...and that makes it hard, too.Okay, so to the story. In Whiskey Creek, there is a group of friends who meet for Friday morning coffees. Through the books, we've seen Ted and his bitterness toward Sophia. We've also seen that Sophia is in a very bad place in her marriage to Skip...he's abusive, but has a lot of money so she can't leave him because he will get their daughter. Sophia is also an alcoholic....14 years of just trying to survive a physically and mentally abusive husband, she turned to alcohol to cope.When they were teenagers, Ted was at college and Sophia was his girlfriend at home. Somehow she hooked up with Skip and got pregnant....but there were reasons for that. You find that out as a reader, BUT....and this is my ONE HUGE COMPLAINT about this book....Ted never knows the real reasons behind that hook-up. *gah* He needed to know that....just so there is some closure for them and what went on with them then and the hurt it caused both of them.But first and foremost, Ted is flat-out a nice guy. He doesn't like Sophia much anymore, but no one is willing to help her and her teenager when their lives completely and totally fall apart. They are on the brink of living in an alley and he just can't stand by and let that happen, no matter how much she hurt him, so he takes them in and gives her a job as his housekeeper. Most of the book is about Sophia trying to take control of her life again. Ted's there too and provides the strength and support she needs, but this book is really about her struggle and transformation.Ted is making his own bad choices, trying to stay away from Sophia and the feelings he still has for her. I had a hard time with the choices he made in this book. I understood why, but it was a mistake on so many levels and I like my heroes to be a little less human/real. So yeah, not your normal romance novel.But with all that being said, this book was completely and totally riveting. I didn't want to put it down. Like watching a train wreck, I couldn't look away. I liked getting to read Ted & Sophia's story, but it wasn't an easy one to read. It definitely affected me emotionally, so huge Bravo to Brenda Novak...once again....amazing story telling here!

I love a story where someone is down on her luck, she changes, works hard and comes out of it in a fulfilling way. I was surprised and admired what Sophia did early in the book when a group of locals confronted her at a meeting. And I loved what she did at the end of the book regarding the locals.One reviewer felt this story was too sad. I didn’t mind because the heroine was on a journey and I felt hope and anticipation for her. She was improving herself.STORY BRIEF:Sophia’s husband Skip was like Bernie Madoff. Everyone who invested with him lost their money. Skip died while fleeing the country. All remaining assets were seized by the FBI: bank accounts, cars, etc. Sophia has no cash other than what’s in her purse. She has no way to support herself or her daughter. At the request of a compassionate friend Ted offers her a job as his housekeeper.DATA:Narrative mode: 3rd person. Swearing language: mild plus the s-word, but rarely used. Sexual language: mild. Number of sex scenes: 1 plus 1 referred to with no details. Setting: current day mostly small town Whiskey Creek, California. Copyright: 2013. Genre: contemporary romance.------------------------------------------------THE SERIES:This is book #5 in the Whiskey Creek series. Each book can be read as a stand alone, but there is a flow of characters through the books which makes it nice if read in order. Here are my ratings for them.My Favorites (4 ½ or more stars):#0.5 When We Touch - 102 page novella#1 When Lightning Strikes#5 Take Me Home For Christmas#8 This Heart of Mine2nd choice (3 ½ stars):#9 A Winter Wedding#2 When Snow Falls - It was hard to feel hope or anticipation. Chey would not allow herself to act on her feelings. She kept her feelings “secret” for most of the book.3rd choice:The main plot was one character keeping a “secret” for most of the book. I did not enjoy the lies. In some stories I did not like the reasons for keeping the secret.2 ½ stars. #3 When Summer Comes2 stars. #4 Home to Whiskey Creek2 ½ stars. #6 Come Home to Me - secret baby3 stars. #7 The Heart of Christmas - Hero is on the run from bad guys. When heroine asked questions he could have answered in generic terms but he was silent. That didn’t feel right to me.

The love story of Sophia and Ted. After her husband, Skip, was killed. Sophia learn he had stolen money from all his investors. He left her and their daughter, Alexa, pennyless. Now she had to find a job. Ted was looking for a housekeeper. One problem, Sophia and Ted were one lover. Can she work for him or will they find love again? Great story.

Alright where shall I start! I adored this story it's a story about starting again, and I'm a sucker for second chance romances, but this story is emotional, gritty, and it pulled at my heart.Sophia is married to Skip they go on a holiday 'so Sophia thought' and she wakes up with her daughter and no husband, the FBI are trying to find him, he's not the man Sophia thought he was, she is clueless as to where he has gone, how he's disappeared and who is the man she has married. Sophia is then left alone to deal with the aftermath and having everyone including Skips family and the whole town hate and despise her wanting there money. <strong>She's left feeling Alone</strong> with no support and no money to live and take care of her daughter.Sophia is used to having everything she wants, money gives her clothes, a mansion and fancy cars. She is not liked.Back when she was in the school days she was in love with Ted but he didn't give her the money she wanted which means Ted is left angry and hurt, Sophia is felling guilty but pregnant so she stays with Skip which is not the best relationship to be in. Appearances are deceiving.Whiskey Creek do not like to be conned and because of Sophia's Ice princess appearance they were Damn right cruel at times. I cringed and cried right along with her. I honestly didn't understand the way people were thinking seriously they had no shame.Ted was and really still is in love with Sophia, he tries to stay away. He is cross, angry and hurt he also is opinionated and really hasn't let anyone else close to him. Saying all that he needs a housekeeper and Sophia needs a job, he can't see her on the street which is where she's heading so he takes her on, but he's her employer and this is only going to work if they stay away from each other. What I loved about this story is it's really about starting again, going back to the beginning and learning to breath, to laugh and to be happy. It captivated me from the beginning but it is gradual. It really comes under the contemporary romance there's some steam but it's really just a love story.All in all this is about new beginnings, family, re-connections and with a hint of Christmas. A definite Christmas read and I'll be reading more of Brenda's books in the future.<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/10247668-katy">View all my reviews</a>

Another great story. Really emotional. Well drawn characters. Some typos and names muddled. Query. We are told California community property state so skips $60million debts are sophias. If she marries won't new husband be liable for those debts and surely she couldn't own a business as a bankrupt?

wonderful story can't wait for follow on book

Great book. Can't wait to read more

great series