I am loving Harlequin's Christmas books this year! This was a great addition to their lineup. I loved the storyline and adored both Emery and Dallas. If you are looking for a feel-good holiday romance, look no further!

Free solo climber Dallas Turner has a messy past. He climbs to escape, to free his mind. Going home to New Horizons ranch for his adoptive mom’s wedding (and Christmas) the last person he expects to see is Emery Bliss, his high school crush. Emery was Little Miss Perfect back then and she’s gone on to a successful career as a TV anchor… until her spurned co-host posted a sex tape and Emery was the one who got fired for it. She’s hiding out at New Horizons, trying to figure out how to pick up the pieces.

There were some really odd things about this book that just made it fall a bit flat for me. Emery not getting to be there at the final confrontation to catch her tormentor, with Dallas teaming up with her ex instead? Some dude called Brian who Dallas talked to only on the phone being the one to give him the Words of Wisdom he needed, rather than his loving mom Aiyana? Then there was a weird Chekov’s Gun which never went off, when Dallas called another free climber he’d been coaching to check on him and the guy didn’t answer his phone and never called back… I really thought that one was going to be either, they guy had suffered a serious fall and Dallas would feel guilt, or the guy would call back and rave about Dallas’s coaching abilities, making him think more seriously about his possible purchase of a gym. Instead, it was raised, dropped and never mentioned again, meaning it breaks one of the cardinal rules of writing… if a scene doesn’t advance the plot, it doesn’t belong in the book.

Dallas as a character reads a bit like the author watched Free Solo and developed a massive crush on Alex Honnold (namechecked several times in this book) and decided to write a hero heavily based on him, but with added Tragic Backstory. I was honestly horrified when Aiyana made the decision not to tell Dallas that his real father, the man who murdered his mother and sister, was out of jail and looking for him because she didn’t want it to ruin HER wedding… and surely, parole boards talk to victims before deciding whether to let violent criminals like that go? Or advise them that they ARE going to be released? It just felt like there was too much going on. Like the revenge porn plot against Emery wasn’t enough for the story, so Dallas just HAD to have major stuff going on too? Oh and Emery’s parents are undergoing a messy divorce and her grandmother has dementia… it got to feel like misery p*rn at one point and it really detracted from the romance, because it’s hard to believe in a happily ever after when all that stuff is going on and not all of it gets resolved at the end.

I’ve enjoyed some of Brenda Novak’s books before but this had too much suspense plot and other stuff going on at the expense of actually developing a romance between the two leads. It’s not terrible, but it really missed the mark as far as I was concerned. Three stars.

Overcoming lost especially when young is challenging. Dallas lost his mother and sister in one day after his father shot them both. Twenty plus years later he is one of the eight boys that Aiyana has raised as one of her own. In this return to Silver Springs we catch up again with Aiyana in this storyline she's finally getting married to Cal(met both characters in previous Silver Spring novels) and all of her boys have or about to return home. Dallas is surprised to see Emery in his mother's kitchen since he had a crush on her when they were teenagers. He finds out her ex-boyfriend did revenge porn on her and now she's out of her job and feeling desolated and is camping out at Aiyana house till after Christmas. At first Dallas and Emery are friendly with each other where he decides to help her get back to what she loves most her anchor job. They eventually become loves both have convince themselves this affair will only be for the holidays but of course during their time together they both realize this is more than seasonal love affair. Love seeing Aiyana finally getting married and enjoyed seeing glimpses of previous characters we have met. Ms. Novak is able to blend realistic tragedy where the hero/heroine overcome to find love with one another. Review on goodreads and amazon.

Good book that takes place at the New Horizons ranch in Silver Springs. Aiyanna started the ranch many years before to help at-risk young men. Some of those boys she adopted, and they have grown into fine adults. Aiyanna is about to marry her long-time love, and her adoptive sons have returned to Silver Springs for the celebration. One of those men is Dallas Turner.

Dallas witnessed his father murder his mother and sister when he was a boy. After years in the foster system, he ended up at New Horizons. Even after all these years, Dallas bears a tremendous amount of guilt, feeling that he should have saved them. He prefers to spend his time on his solo mountain climbing career, where he can hide from his memories, than around people he has to talk to. The last person he expects to encounter when he comes home for his mother's wedding is his high school crush, Emery.

Emery left Silver Springs after college and moved to LA, where she became a television news anchor. Her career was going well until her secret relationship with her co-anchor ended. When she wouldn't get back with him, Ethan posted a revenge-porn video on the internet, causing an end to her career and a hit to her self-esteem. Sinking under the weight of despair and depression, Emery ends up at New Horizons, staying with her mom's friend, Aiyanna. Silver Springs is the perfect place for her to lick her wounds and decide what to do about her future. The last thing she wants is to get involved with another man.

I liked the development of the relationship between Emery and Dallas. His protective instincts are aroused when he hears what happened to Emery. I loved that he immediately believed her story and that he wanted to do something about it. It was sweet to see how Dallas made a point of helping Emery overcome her embarrassment and fear of appearing in public. Though there were sparks between them from the first, they tried to stick to being friends. Neither felt they were in a place for more than that. Emery questions her judgment when it comes to men after being so wrong about Ethan. Dallas is too haunted by his past to believe that he can give Emery the stability she needs. I loved the support Dallas gave Emery as she made decisions about her future. There were some fun scenes where that support was a bit more involved than I expected. The more time they spent together, the stronger their attraction grew until they couldn't help but give in to it. As they grew closer, I liked seeing Emery chip away at Dallas's walls and help him work through his guilt, but there are still obstacles that face them. An unexpected visitor from his past brought back his pain but also helped him confront it. I liked the effect it had on him and his hopes for a future with Emery. I liked his big moment at the end, and the epilogue was terrific.

A heartwarming and highly enjoyable Christmas story that made me smile and root for the characters.
I loved the well thought characters, the tightly knitted plot and how the author deals with issues like revenge porn.
It's highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This series is such a feel-good series, and I mostly enjoyed my trip back to Silver Springs in A California Christmas.

Emery was in hiding at Aiyana's New Horizons after her ex boyfriend and former news anchor colleague leaked a sex tape of her. Not only did she feel incredibly exposed (I mean - who wouldn't?), but she also lost her job, and had a lot to deal with personally with her parents' divorce on top of everything else.

Dallas is one of Aiyana's adopted sons, and he's one that hasn't been present very much in the prior books in the series.

I have to admit, my favorite part of this novel was the fact that Aiyana and Cal were <i>finally</i> getting married! It's been a long time coming, and I sort of wish this story would have been all about them. Aiyana's backstory hasn't really been explored much, and she's the pillar of not only New Horizons, but also of both her community and her family.

Parts of the story felt a little hastily thrown together, Emery got a job with Susan at her bakery - and somehow, Susan is now little Mrs. forgive and forget, after being so filled with hate for most of her life. There was also the fact that Aiyana thought Dallas' biological father had changed, thus she gave him the means to get in touch with Dallas against Dallas' wishes. Not only that, but she paid him off to keep him away until after Christmas, and that didn't seem to be like her at all.

While I overall enjoyed the chemistry between Emery and Dallas, I wish the story would have concentrated fully on one couple.

Initial Thoughts: Is it ever too early to start reading holiday novels?

As someone that's worked retail in my years growing up, I can't stand when stores get decked out for Christmas before Halloween and Thanksgiving have even happened yet. Thank goodness for stores like Nordstrom that believe in celebrating one holiday at a time. However, on a personal reading standpoint, give me a good holiday book any day of the year. There's a reason we're all so obsessed with the Hallmark Channel, right?! Also loved that this book is based in California!

Review Notes:

'A California Christmas' touches on some very serious topics; revenge-porn, murder, betrayal, crime, yet overwhelmingly it's a heart-warming novel filled with lots of family drama and important themes in life that hold people back from accepting the love they deserve.

I thought the topic of someone being aware of a demeaning video but having the decency and respect to not watch it was an interesting view on honor. It reminded me of the occasional times I've heard of nude photos of celebrities being leaked; I would hear about them, but I wouldn’t google to see them. My thought process was it's not meant for me, it's not for my eyes to see, and it’s not my business. What two consenting adults choose to do with one another in love should always be treated with respect and care, never revenge and dishonor.

This book was filled with topics of trust and fear; the fear instilled from past tragedies that prevent one from wanting to open their hearts to love. Finding love is wonderful but for people that have been hurt in the past, it can be difficult to be vulnerable and trusting.

'A California Christmas' is a wonderful women’s fiction/romance novel and I would highly recommend it. It touches on serious topics, but not in a graphic horrific way, more on the emotional side of things. The Christmas level was lower than I expected but it does include a wedding!

In a Nutshell: A heart-warming novel filled with lots of family drama and important themes in life and love.

My Rating: 4.5 / 5 Stars

This book started out as a romance, so I wasn’t expecting much. But I should have known better – after all, it is a Brenda Novak story. When I realized there was a mystery involved in the story, my interest was piqued. I was much more interested in the mystery than the romance.

The story was inspiring as Emery and Dallas both had tragic things happen in their lives, but they navigate their way through it and come out better in the end. I loved Cal, Aiyana, and all the troubled boys Aiyana adopted.

I was not aware that the book was part of a series. But I did not feel I missed anything by not reading the earlier books. Overall, I really enjoyed this story.

Emery Bliss is a TV anchor whose controversial video has been posted online because she broke up with her fellow anchor. The revenge tape has become viral, which led to her losing her job. She goes undercover in Silver Springs to lick her wounds. While she is there, hoping that the scandal will die down, she reconnects with Dallas Turner.

Dallas Turner is home for Christmas and his adoptive mother, Aiyana's wedding. He had a tough childhood and for him. mountain climbing is the release he craves. He loves the solitude but that all changes when he links up with Emery. He finds himself intrigued with his mother's houseguest and finds himself in the role of her knight in shining armor. However, he might be the one who needs rescuing--from his past.

The fire and electricity between Emery and Dallas was one charged with attraction. Each finds peace and a spark with the other that they didn't know was missing from their lives.

I have read some of the other books in the Brenda Novak's Silver Springs series and it was good to read this continuation. The heat between the characters was above a 10 on the scale. I do wonder about some of Emery's encounters with Dallas - would she have been so open when she was in the midst of a scandal but other than that, I enjoyed watching as they conquered their personal demons. Dallas was a strong character who had to realize the real strength comes from opening himself to love and forgiveness.

The supporting characters were well written - providing some great insight that can serve as takeaways. Such as:
"Being nice is wonderful, but allowing someone to push you around isn't. Sometimes when people step over the line, you have to let them know you won't put up with it."
"Sometimes when people take responsibility for the things they've done--no matter how terrible--it can heal old wounds."
"You don't have to be perfect to be perfect for someone." What a great line and truth!

Overall, another good read from Brenda Novak and I look forward to reading more. Thank you #Netgalley for this book.

A California Christmas by Brenda Novak
Silver Springs #7

Coming into this series on book seven was not a problem. I wasn’t sure who everyone was, but it didn’t matter in the telling of the story of Emery and Dallas. I settled in easily and enjoyed it thoroughly!

Emery Bliss has had a horrible situation descend on her…revenge porn on the internet that won’t go away has cost her not only public scrutiny and castigation on the internet but also has seen her fired from the job she loved as a news anchor. Tail tucked between her legs she ran to hide in Silver Springs with a friend of her mother’s. In addition to the chaos in her personal life why not throw in parents in the midst of an acrimonious divorce and a grandmother facing senility and she is a wee bit beyond woebegone.

So, who does she meet in the first few pages of the book? Dallas Turner, home for the holidays to help his mother get ready for her wedding. His mother and brothers, all adopted sons of Aiyana, are intriguing characters I wish I had met in book one and followed through the series BUT…perhaps in the future I will catch up with them. Anyway, the story was delicious and delightful and filled with ups and downs and problems to sort out and solve. Love wasn’t a given but it was definitely hoped for.

What I liked:
* Emery: a professional woman on her way up, battered on the internet, struggling to cope, in need of a good friend and a safe place to stay. I liked her.
* Dallas: a professional mountain climber, carrying a heavy load from childhood, a good friend-brother-son-man, he has a lot to give, needs to learn to open up and to move forward. I liked him.
* Aiyana: a strong woman with a backstory that no doubt was told in the past…intriguing woman and wonderful mother to young men that cold have been lost without her.
* The way the person who posted the intimate tape online was exposed and made accountable
* The way that Emery and Dallas slowly came together
* The brothers
* Cal, Aiyana’s fiancé
* The woman who hired Emery for a short time
* That the perpetrator of the revenge porn post was eventually dealt with

What I did not like:
* The double standard related to tape that went online
* The person that put the video up online
* Knowing that this sort of thing happens in real life

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more by this author/in this series? Definitely

Thank you to Harper Collins - Harlequin-Mira for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

This is an interesting story that takes place around Christmas time (it's actually Christmas for just about 5% of the book). There's some romance, some vengeance, and some family time. Emery's life is changed after her boyfriend and cohost decides to release a sex video after they broke up. She tries to escape to Silver Springs, where she stays with a family friend. There she spends time with their family, and rediscover what is really important in life. I was not a huge fan of the main characters (Dallas is a weird guy, Emery is not relatable), but the story is interesting and has a bit of suspense to it.

Great book! I would give it 4 and a half stars if I could! Emery and Dallas are great characters that have a back story that adds to this novel. This is part of a series that I will add to my to-read list now, but this novel stands on its own.
I received an advance e-copy of this book from the Girl Book Club Blogger program in exchange for an honest review. When that detailed review is posted I will add the link to this review.

4.5 stars

Another lovely holiday tale from Brenda Novak. Silver Springs is such a wonderful place for the holiday. It’s full of acceptance and hope and love, even if it doesn’t always feel that way for the characters.

Nobody judges Dallas’ past more harshly than Dallas himself. He has risen above his upbringing and has become a very confident person when it comes to his adult life and his passion of climbing. Yet, bring him back home to Silver Springs, where he ended up as a child after a traumatic childhood event and hopping from foster home to foster home, and he reverts back to that child who is unsure of his worth. He would never admit those feelings, but those who love him see them clearly.

Emery was also quite a confident person, until a vindictive ex stripped away any sense of security she ever had. Not only has her romantic and professional life started falling apart, so has her personal life. Her dad has unexpectedly left her mom and is being unreasonable, leaving her with a lot of pressure and stress since she’s a loving and concerned daughter.

Put Emery and Dallas together and they are so good for one another. Dallas helps Emery find her confidence and remember who she is on the inside. Emery gives Dallas a place to feel safe to express emotions he never even lets his adopted mom, Aiyana, see. But they’re both so concerned about making sure the other finds their happiness, they forget about finding their own.

This is a very emotional story, especially when it comes to Dallas and his past. His story made me weep while Emery’s story made me furious. Not at her, but at all those around her. Her boss, her ex, her dad, her “fans”.

As much as I adored this story and this couple, I think my favorite parts had to do with Dallas and his brothers. They didn’t let him hide from his own feelings. They are all so supportive, as nobody can quite understand what they’ve all been through the way they can understand each other. I cannot wait for the younger boys to grow up and get their HEAs, and I really hope to see Seth get another HEA.

**I received an ARC of this book courtesy of Net Galley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely**

It was nice being back in Silver Springs. This book is all about second chances for both Dallas and Emery. Aiyana is of course fiercely protective of her family and during this book and time Dallas more than anyone. Emery needs to get over a terrible humiliation so she decides to spend time hiding out at Aiyana's house. The friendship between Dallas and Emery moves into something more but it takes a chance encounter for Dallas to actually embrace what he is feeling. We get a wedding and all the Christmas feels with this book. You can read this book as a stand alone or part of the series both ways will be equally enjoyable. So get in the Christmas spirit and open this book up.

*I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley and am voluntarily giving my honest opinion*

Emery Bliss' life has quickly turned upside down. When her ex, Ethan, posted a sex video of the two of them online, not only does she lose her dignity, she also loses her job as a TV anchor. Upset and humiliated, Emery heads back to her old hometown of Silver Springs, CA to stay with her mom's friend, Aiyana Turner. While Emery is there she runs into Dallas Turner, one of Aiyana's adopted sons who is in town for his mom's wedding. Dallas climbs mountains for a living because it's a way for him to escape his past.

While there is instant attraction between Emery and Dallas, the last thing she needs is another man in her life. But of course, the more time Dallas and Emery spend together, the hotter the flames are getting until they both give in to their attraction. Emery is ready to jump into something serious with Dallas, but because of things from his past he cannot commit.

When Emery's life is threatened, Dallas is even more conflicted than ever for his feeling for her. Dallas is going to have to confront his past before he can ever have something special with Emery and when the past if finally thrown at him, it will take a lot of soul searching for Dallas to figure out that what he really wants the most out of life is Emery.

I really enjoyed this story. I just love this series and all of Aiyana's troubled adopted sons....it is fun watching them find love. I really liked Emery. She was strong willed and sweet. She has so much negative things going on in her life but she never gave up. I also just adored Dallas. You couldn't help but feel for him because of his past. I just wanted to reach out and give him a hug. Overall they made for a wonderful couple and I really enjoyed their love story.

This is one emotional story. Emery's ex-boyfriend/co-anchor has really put her through the wringer, personally and professionally. She's returned to Silver Springs to hide and to heal, not to begin a new relationship. Dallas has returned for his adoptive mother's wedding and isn't interested in a relationship either. Neither his career nor his past are conducive to letting anyone close to him emotionally. Physically, on the other hand...

I really liked these two together. I enjoyed the friendship they formed and the desire between them that threatened to erupt. I could feel Emery's shame and anger over what had been done to her. It was both healing and empowering to watch her regain her strength and dignity with Dallas's help. And Dallas. He's a good guy but so closed off. My heart hurt so much for the pain that little boy inside him had endured. If anybody deserved a happy ending, it was him.

Both Dallas and Emery were wonderfully complex characters that Novak slowly revealed to readers with a skilled hand. There's also a bit of a mystery woven into the story with a few twists I didn't see coming. There are also other relationship threads that I'm guessing are from earlier books in the series. I haven't read those books yet and at times I did feel as though I would have had a better understanding of Dallas's adopted family and their back stories had I already read those books. Which I plan to do now.
*ARC received for fair and unbiased review

Emery Bliss is hiding out on a ranch in Silver Springs after a humiliating experience as a news anchor. She is hoping to have some time to recuperate, rejuvenate and figure out where her life is heading now. In Silver Springs she can hopefully stay anonymous until she is ready to face the world. What she is not counting on is Dallas coming home for his mothers wedding and turning her world upside down.

Dallas is home in Silver Springs. He is on a much-needed break from being an adventure seeking mountain climber and is looking forward to being with his family for the Christmas season. When he arrives home, he finds Emery Bliss, his boyhood crush standing right in his mother’s kitchen. What could she possibly be doing staying in his home?

Dallas vows to protect and defend Emery after hearing her story. What she needs is a champion in her corner. Can Dallas help her and keep his feelings aside?

This was such a fabulous small-town Christmas story. I loved the characters and all the supporting characters and got immersed into the story right from the beginning. Even though this is the seventh book in the series, I had no problem reading it as a stand a lone novel. I do look forward to going back and reading the whole series. Thank you so much to the author Brenda Novak, Harelquin Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced copy of the book to review. It was fabulous! All opinions expressed for this review are unbiased and entirely my own.

Professional rock climber Dallas Turner is heading home for Christmas. Although he is a loner by nature, he wouldn’t miss this family gathering for anything. Aiyana, his adoptive mom, is finally getting married. She basically saved Dallas from himself and his nightmarish past. He still struggles with ghosts, but Aiyana and his adoptive brothers have made life bearable.

Walking through his mom’s door, Dallas didn’t expect to see Emery Bliss, an L.A. news anchor, wearing next to nothing. Dallas had known of Emery when she was younger. She went to high school in Silver Springs, while Dallas attended the school his mom ran for troubled kids.

Aiyana opened up her home to Emery after a sex tape posted by her ex-boyfriend caused her to lose her job and her self-esteem. Emery needed some time to collect her thoughts, and to figure out her next move. She certainly wasn’t looking for another relationship anytime soon. How could she ever trust anyone again?

When Dallas helps Emery find her confidence again, the flames of desire start to build between the two. But Dallas knows he could never give Emery the stability she needs; there is just too much still haunting him. Emery wonders if it’s better to just walk away before she gets hurt again.


I haven’t read any of the other books in this series, yet I was immediately immersed in the story and attached to the characters. Novak has an ease in her writing that makes the narrative feel natural and comfortable. Silver Springs is a place I’d love to revisit.

Thank you to @harpercollins @netgalley for this advanced copy for review.
A California Christmas is available today!

Whew! I knew I would love this book as there is not a book Brenda Novak writes that I don’t love and anxiously wait for, but I must admit this book had so much emotion that I feel like I have been through the wringer. Back in Silver Springs with Aiyana and the family she has made from those she took in when she started her school, her wedding to come, and one of her adopted sons, Dallas, has come home for the wedding and Christmas. Dallas is a free solo climber, with a horrendous past, and emotionally still closed off. Emery has come to Aiyana’s home to hide out after a shocking video of her is posted. She is still shell shocked by it, the loss of her job and betrayal by her ex boyfriend. Dallas and Emery have sparks.....you could feel them through the pages. As only Ms Novak can do, each scene builds on the one before, until I was turning pages as fast as I could to figure out what would come next. As always, a wonderful story and a perfect Christmas romance.

A California Christmas by Brenda Novak is book seven in her Silver Springs series. All of the books can be read as standalone titles. This is the only book in the series that I’ve read so far, and I had no issues figuring out who was who among the characters, and at no time did I feel like I was missing out on a significant piece of the backstory. I will say that it intrigued me enough to dig into the series from the beginning, but it’s not necessary to do so to enjoy this particular book.

What I Liked Most About the Book: I’m a sucker for Christmas themed books. Period. And I’m a sucker for romantic suspense. So when you put those two elements together, you get a book that absolutely intrigues me. And this one was a bit of a heartbreaker, as well. My heart truly broke for Emery with all of her problems crashing down on her at once. Problems with her professional life and with her personal life in a couple of different ways. But Dallas wouldn’t let her give up or hide, and I loved that about him. I also loved that Emery wasn’t a shrinking violet. Underneath the hurt and humiliation was a tough cookie.

NICUnurse’s Rating: I’ll admit that I do love Brenda Novak’s books. But I can’t say I’ve read them all because there are just so many. That doesn’t stop me from trying, though! This book took me a few chapters to really feel like I connected with the story and with the characters. Despite that, when it hit its stride, I couldn’t put it down. I just had to know two things: 1.Whodunnit? and 2. Would the H&H make it as a couple? The premise of the entire series so far has been second chances for all involved and not just second chances in the romance department. But second chances at making a wonderful future for all the characters. And isn’t that what we all like to see? Those amazing success stories despite being up against the worst of odds? Despite horrible circumstances? If you’re looking for a contemporary, sweet with heat, second-chance, Christmas themed romance, this book is going to be one you don’t want to miss as we head into the holiday season.

I give A California Christmas by Brenda Novak 4 out of 5 stars!