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    The Heart of Christmas
    The Heart of Christmas
    The Heart of Christmas
    Audiobook10 hours

    The Heart of Christmas

    Written by Brenda Novak

    Narrated by Carly Robins

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Eve Harmon has always enjoyed Christmas, but this year it reminds her of everything she doesn't have. Almost all her friends are married now, and that's what Eve wants, too. Love. A husband and kids of her own. But the B and B she manages-and even Whiskey Creek, the small Gold Country town where she was born and raised-suddenly seem . . . confining.

    Eve is worried that her future will simply be a reflection of her past. There's no one in the area she could even imagine as a husband-until a handsome stranger comes to town. Eve is definitely attracted to him, and he seems to have the same reaction to her. But his darkly mysterious past could ruin Eve's happily ever after-just when it finally seems within reach. And just when she's counting on the best Christmas of her life.
    Contains mature themes.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateJan 20, 2015
    ISBN9781494576103
    The Heart of Christmas
    Author

    Brenda Novak

    New York Times bestselling author Brenda Novak has written over 60 novels. An eight-time Rita nominee, she's won The National Reader's Choice, The Bookseller's Best and other awards. She runs Brenda Novak for the Cure, a charity that has raised more than $2.5 million for diabetes research (her youngest son has this disease). She considers herself lucky to be a mother of five and married to the love of her life. www.brendanovak.com

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    Reviews for The Heart of Christmas

    4/5

    52 ratings8 reviews

    What did you think?

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    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 4/5
      It’s the morning after Eve Harmon’s birthday and she wakes up to find a strange man in her bed and so the story begins. WoW! What an opening!! Oh and by the way, skipping ahead for a minute, the reader will also learn that this strange man in Eve’s bed is what some of us imagine as drop-dead handsome! One of the best parts is that Eve wakes up first “the morning after” and Eve will take her leisurely, sweet time to describe this man explicitly to enable each reader to engage all senses in a leisurely, sweet time of imagining the stranger next to Eve. You’ll never put the book down now!

      Eve Harmon runs Little Mary’s, a bed-and-breakfast in a converted Victorian home, owned by her retired parents. Thankfully, since their retirement they travel in a RV and aren’t at home on the morning in question since their house is a mere hundred yards in front of Eve’s small bungalow. Also thankfully, the strange man doesn’t even have to be asked to leave so she can get to work. So although she’s still thinking about last night, she tries her very best to put her focus back “on the job” and deliver the breakfast trays to the guests that had previously requested breakfast in their rooms. Imagine Eve’s surprise when she’s ready to make the usual polite greeting of “Good Morning. I hope you enjoy your breakfast.” and is rendered speechless as the man that woke up in her bed this morning is now in one of her guest rooms and demanding to know “How’d you find me?”

      If you remember anything about Whiskey Creek from reading other titles in the series, you’ll know that there will be many friends alert to Eve’s birthday, Eve’s usual habits, and Eve’s distraction from her usual focus on all things Christmas not only for celebration at the B&B but on behalf of all the town. If this is your first introduction to Whiskey Creek, you’ll begin to meet many of the families and neighbors that live in the small town and be captivated with how they love and care for one another.

      I mentioned this comment in an earlier Brenda Novak book review but it definitely deserves mention again. One of the special delights of the Whiskey Creek Series is that each novel can be enjoyed as a stand-alone title. There are some novels that are tiring to read as in order to move the current story forward, the author seems to provide a comprehensive review of the attributes and histories of all characters to date which interrupts the flow of the current novel and is more of a frustrating and distracting interruption to the reader – regardless if an independent title reader or series reader. I appreciate being able to remember the characters and their storylines independently and to be to totally engross myself in the story of this novel without distraction.

      Whiskey Creek is a small town so I know this series will eventually come to an end but until that time, I will continue to look forward to read each new adventure and excuse to visit with the Whiskey Creek characters. Without a doubt, the families, neighbors and friends of Whiskey Creek are genuine, loving, caring individuals and carry “The Heart of Christmas” in their hearts each day of the year. Reading Eve’s story as with each book in the series reminds me of the song, “If Every Day Was Like Christmas Time” as performed by Elvis Presley and especially the stanza of:

      “Oh why can't every day be like Christmas?
      Why can't that feeling go on endlessly,
      For if every day could be just like Christmas,
      What a wonderful world this would be.”

      I hope you’ll visit with Eve, her friends, and all of the wonderful townspeople in Whiskey Creek. Open the pages of “The Heart of Christmas” and your visit begins. You’ll be ready to celebrate Christmas with joy, laughter, and love and to keep those feelings endlessly.

      I was lucky enough to receive a pre-publication copy of this title from the author to read and review.
    • 5/5
      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.
    • 1/5
      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.
    • 5/5
      Another incredible Whiskey Creek novel from Brenda Novak. This is Eve Harmon's story and what a beautiful one it is. With all the love, weddings and babies going on with her group of friends Eve is feeling a bit lost. She goes out alone to celebrate her 35th birthday and wakes up the next day having done something she thought she would never do. Have a one night stand.

      All the Whiskey Creek books are incredible and this one is no exception. The writing and story are spectacular and it always feels like coming home when you read one of them. While this is part of a series and references are made about other characters from past books, you can read this as standalone without any trouble. I, however, recommend you read the entire series and I definitely recommend this book!
    • 4/5
      Good book. I liked seeing Eve finally get her story. Eve runs Little Mary's B&B. She's at the local bar celebrating her birthday and feeling sorry for herself. She wants what her friends have - a family of her own, but so far she hasn't found the right man. She wakes up the next morning with a handsome stranger in her bed, and only vague memories of the night. What she can remember is pretty impressive, but she's horrified by her uncharacteristic behavior. Rex is in town trying to keep his past from catching up with him. His night with Eve was amazing, but he should move on. Unfortunately for his peace of mind, he can't seem to pull himself away. I liked Eve better in this book than I have in previous ones. In those, she frequently seemed judgmental about the decisions her friends were making, or the people they were falling for. In this book, her attitude becomes a little clearer, as she is one to worry about her friends and wants what is best for them. With her sudden attraction to Rex she begins to understand them a little better. There's something about Rex that has her wanting to get closer to him, but at the same time there is a lot of mystery surrounding him. As she gets to know him, she sees a good man who is trying to get past the mistakes he's made. All she has to do is convince him that he's worth loving.I really liked Rex. He had a family tragedy as a teen that he continues to blame himself for. The guilt he felt then led him to make some poor choices, choices that kept building until he ended up in prison. He's been out for eight years and has made a good life for himself, but the past won't leave him be. The gang that he belonged to as a safety precaution in prison doesn't like that he has left them behind. They are determined to find him and kill him. This has added to Rex's determination to keep an emotional distance from everyone. When he found out that they had tracked him down once again, he hit the road for awhile, ending up in Whiskey Creek. His encounter with Eve filled a need in him he hadn't realized he had. He tries to keep her at a distance, but finds himself unable to resist going back to her time and again. He wants to be able to stay with her, but his fears for her safety have him convinced it's not possible.It was great to see the various people from previous books and see how things are going for them. There's a reference in this book to something that happened in an earlier book that I still don't agree with. I'm waiting for that decision to come back and cause problems. However, I loved the support that Eve had from her friends. They are all protective of her, and while some go a bit far in their actions, they all want what is best for her. In the end, it was wonderful to see how they banded together to make it possible for Eve and Rex to be together. The solution was pretty clever. I liked the epilogue and seeing Rex take the first steps into a new future.
    • 4/5
      *I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*After finishing "Take Me Home for Christmas" I couldn't resist reading Eve’s story next. A year has past since the events of "Take Me Home for Christmas" and another Christmas is approaching. Another Christmas and Eve’s life is still the same, still single, still with no perspectives to marry and constitute a family, while almost all of her friends seem to be moving forward with their lives. So much so that on the night of her 35th birthday no one is available to celebrate with her. And that is how, having decided to go to the town bar and celebrate on her own, Eve finds herself waking up in the next morning, in her bed, with a complete stranger next to her...Rex McCready didn't plan to get involved with anyone when he went to Whiskey Creek. But a lifetime of loneliness and escape is starting to weight in on him and spending the night with Eve was a semblance of normalcy, an escape from reality, a real necessity. The problem is that it wasn't enough, but Eve is not the kind of woman to get involved in one night stands. What she wants and is looking for, he can never give her, so will he be able to convince her to enjoy the time they have without expecting more?Eve has every reason not to trust the mysterious man she spent the night of her birthday with, but the attraction is too strong and, strangely, Eve trusts him, even if her friends try to dissuade her and restore the sense she seems to have lost... She knows she can’t expect anything from him, that he’ll only be in town till Christmas, but will she really be able to enjoy the time they have together without getting involved?This was my favorite book in series so far. I was really pleased with Eve’s happy ending and Rex is a male protagonist worthy of her. Even with his mysterious and dangerous past, and with all his secrets and mysteries, he never lies to Eve about the things that really matter and he’s willing to renounce to his own happiness to protect those he cares the most. And Eve, after what happened with Ted, it was really nice to witness her getting her chance of being happy. Oh, and it was so cute to see how protective Ted was of her, in part due to their friendship, and in part due to his guilty conscience...I’m liking this series and its characters more and more and I’m starting to reconsider my inicial decision to nor read the previous books...
    • 4/5
      It’s the morning after Eve Harmon’s birthday and she wakes up to find a strange man in her bed and so the story begins. WoW! What an opening!! Oh and by the way, skipping ahead for a minute, the reader will also learn that this strange man in Eve’s bed is what some of us imagine as drop-dead handsome! One of the best parts is that Eve wakes up first “the morning after” and Eve will take her leisurely, sweet time to describe this man explicitly to enable each reader to engage all senses in a leisurely, sweet time of imagining the stranger next to Eve. You’ll never put the book down now!

      Eve Harmon runs Little Mary’s, a bed-and-breakfast in a converted Victorian home, owned by her retired parents. Thankfully, since their retirement they travel in a RV and aren’t at home on the morning in question since their house is a mere hundred yards in front of Eve’s small bungalow. Also thankfully, the strange man doesn’t even have to be asked to leave so she can get to work. So although she’s still thinking about last night, she tries her very best to put her focus back “on the job” and deliver the breakfast trays to the guests that had previously requested breakfast in their rooms. Imagine Eve’s surprise when she’s ready to make the usual polite greeting of “Good Morning. I hope you enjoy your breakfast.” and is rendered speechless as the man that woke up in her bed this morning is now in one of her guest rooms and demanding to know “How’d you find me?”

      If you remember anything about Whiskey Creek from reading other titles in the series, you’ll know that there will be many friends alert to Eve’s birthday, Eve’s usual habits, and Eve’s distraction from her usual focus on all things Christmas not only for celebration at the B&B but on behalf of all the town. If this is your first introduction to Whiskey Creek, you’ll begin to meet many of the families and neighbors that live in the small town and be captivated with how they love and care for one another.

      I mentioned this comment in an earlier Brenda Novak book review but it definitely deserves mention again. One of the special delights of the Whiskey Creek Series is that each novel can be enjoyed as a stand-alone title. There are some novels that are tiring to read as in order to move the current story forward, the author seems to provide a comprehensive review of the attributes and histories of all characters to date which interrupts the flow of the current novel and is more of a frustrating and distracting interruption to the reader – regardless if an independent title reader or series reader. I appreciate being able to remember the characters and their storylines independently and to be to totally engross myself in the story of this novel without distraction.

      Whiskey Creek is a small town so I know this series will eventually come to an end but until that time, I will continue to look forward to read each new adventure and excuse to visit with the Whiskey Creek characters. Without a doubt, the families, neighbors and friends of Whiskey Creek are genuine, loving, caring individuals and carry “The Heart of Christmas” in their hearts each day of the year. Reading Eve’s story as with each book in the series reminds me of the song, “If Every Day Was Like Christmas Time” as performed by Elvis Presley and especially the stanza of:

      “Oh why can't every day be like Christmas?
      Why can't that feeling go on endlessly,
      For if every day could be just like Christmas,
      What a wonderful world this would be.”

      I hope you’ll visit with Eve, her friends, and all of the wonderful townspeople in Whiskey Creek. Open the pages of “The Heart of Christmas” and your visit begins. You’ll be ready to celebrate Christmas with joy, laughter, and love and to keep those feelings endlessly.

      I was lucky enough to receive a pre-publication copy of this title from the author to read and review.
    • 5/5
      Title: The Heart of ChristmasAuthor: Brenda NovakPublisher: Harlequin MIRAReviewed By: Arlena DeanSeries: (Whiskey Creek #7) Rating: 5Review:"The Heart of Christmas" by Brenda NovakBook Description:"Just call her Christmas Eve… Eve Harmon has always enjoyed Christmas, but this year it reminds her of everything she doesn't have. Almost all her friends are married now, and that's what Eve wants, too. Love. A husband and kids of her own. But the B and B she manages, and even Whiskey Creek, the small Gold Country town where she was born and raised, suddenly seem…confining.Eve's worried that her future will simply be a reflection of her past. There's no one in the area she could even imagine as a husband until a handsome stranger comes to town. Eve's definitely attracted to him, and he seems to have the same reaction to her. But his darkly mysterious past could ruin Eve's happily ever after just when it finally seems within reach. And just when she's counting on the best Christmas of her life!"What I liked about the novel.....This was the seventh book of Whiskey Creek series by this author and it was a wonderful love story about Eve Harmon. It was definitely one of those read that you will find hard to put down until the end. I loved how this author kept the reader guessing and what a interesting ending. After being dumped now 35, not married with no children, feeling left out and leaves Eve feeling down then she meets a guy while celebrating her birthday. This story will take off after Eve ends up going to Sexy Sadie's getting drunk spending a night with the handsome guy she wasn't really sure who he was. However, what a birthday this was for Eve but just who was he? Now that turned out to be a little funny situation and I did laugh out loud! What will come of this after she finds out his real name and learning of his past. I love Eve's friends who rallied around her when it was needed. Will Eve be able to help him? This is where I say you will have to pick up "The Heart of Christmas" to see how this author will present this read with a little mystery, suspense and what was up with ghost Little Mary? Be ready for some drama with lots of emotions showed in this well written novel. What I especially liked about the novel...I love the character of Eve who was a very giving person along with some amazing supporting characters with strong and interesting friendships in this wonderful town of Whiskey Creek....many who were also in the other series. In the end I liked how this author was able to bring out the celebration through love, joy and laughter of the true meaning of "The Heart of Christmas" to its readers. If you are looking for a holiday read this festive Christmas setting would be the read for you that I would recommend.