Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
Finding Our Forever was a sweet read about Cora who was trying to find her birth mother and answer the questions that had been with her for years. She finds her birth mother and obtains a job at the school her mom runs in the hopes to get to know her and find her answers. Along the way, Cora meets Eli, falls in love and the rest is history. I thought this story was a quick, sweet little romantic read that I would recommend to anyone looking for a heartwarming love story.
I really enjoyed this first book in the Silver Springs series! I personally am not a fun of the descriptive sex scenes so skipped over them. I look forward to following these characters through the rest of the series.
Super easy read. Loved the characters and the concept of the school for at risk boys. The love story progressed a little fast for even a romance novel, but it was sweet. I’m excited to read on in the series to learn more about the other characters.
Without spoiling it for anyone else I have to say Brenda Novak has written another fantastic book the draws you in from the beginning and holds you right until the end. I am glad Brenda is writing more books based in Silver Springs as I can bet they will all be just as fantastic to read.
Good book. Cora was adopted, and though she never doubted that she was loved, she always felt that something was missing. As an adult, she put time and effort into finding out who her birth mother was. Though not yet ready to reveal the truth, Cora took a job as an art teacher at the boys school that Aiyana founded and runs. That gives her the chance to get to know her mother. What she didn't count on was the irresistible Elijah.
Elijah is the oldest of Aiyana's adopted sons. He came to New Horizons after being rescued from a horrific home situation. He now helps Aiyana run New Horizons, and is the one who hired Cora as the art teacher. He was drawn to her from the moment they met.
I enjoyed the development of Cora and Elijah's relationship. Both tried to ignore the attraction at first. For Elijah, there is the employer/employee relationship, but more than that, he doesn't do relationships. He's had too many that have ended because he has his emotions closed off. For Cora, she's only planning to be there for a year, but her biggest obstacle is the secret she's keeping about her relationship to Aiyana. Keeping their distance doesn't last long, and they enter a "physical only" relationship. Yeah, we all know how those work out. Pretty soon, Eli and Cora spend as much time together as they can, and those "physical only" lines begin to blur. I really liked how sensitive they each were to the other's pain. Cora got past Eli's walls very quickly, mostly because she was sensitive enough not to push on those occasions when he would open up. It was fun to see Eli's disbelief at how all his beliefs about relationships fall by the wayside. Meanwhile, Cora falls just as hard for Eli but feels guilty that she hasn't told him about Aiyana's connection to her. I loved Eli's big moment, and his belief in and support of Cora.
A big part of the story is Cora's reason for being at New Horizons to start with. I loved Aiyana and what she does for the boys in her care. I liked how easily the two women became friends and ached for Cora and her doubts over the best course of action. Eli's support of Cora at the end was fantastic, as was the thoughtful way he went about helping Cora with her decision. I liked the confession scene, though it felt slightly anti-climactic after all the buildup. The epilogue was sweet.
I liked Eli's brothers and the close relationships among them all. I enjoyed seeing them jerk Eli's chain about his sudden change in attitude. It was sweet to see how they accepted her into their circle, along with their subtle teasing about the bar scene. I hope that there will be stories for them, too.
Elijah is the oldest of Aiyana's adopted sons. He came to New Horizons after being rescued from a horrific home situation. He now helps Aiyana run New Horizons, and is the one who hired Cora as the art teacher. He was drawn to her from the moment they met.
I enjoyed the development of Cora and Elijah's relationship. Both tried to ignore the attraction at first. For Elijah, there is the employer/employee relationship, but more than that, he doesn't do relationships. He's had too many that have ended because he has his emotions closed off. For Cora, she's only planning to be there for a year, but her biggest obstacle is the secret she's keeping about her relationship to Aiyana. Keeping their distance doesn't last long, and they enter a "physical only" relationship. Yeah, we all know how those work out. Pretty soon, Eli and Cora spend as much time together as they can, and those "physical only" lines begin to blur. I really liked how sensitive they each were to the other's pain. Cora got past Eli's walls very quickly, mostly because she was sensitive enough not to push on those occasions when he would open up. It was fun to see Eli's disbelief at how all his beliefs about relationships fall by the wayside. Meanwhile, Cora falls just as hard for Eli but feels guilty that she hasn't told him about Aiyana's connection to her. I loved Eli's big moment, and his belief in and support of Cora.
A big part of the story is Cora's reason for being at New Horizons to start with. I loved Aiyana and what she does for the boys in her care. I liked how easily the two women became friends and ached for Cora and her doubts over the best course of action. Eli's support of Cora at the end was fantastic, as was the thoughtful way he went about helping Cora with her decision. I liked the confession scene, though it felt slightly anti-climactic after all the buildup. The epilogue was sweet.
I liked Eli's brothers and the close relationships among them all. I enjoyed seeing them jerk Eli's chain about his sudden change in attitude. It was sweet to see how they accepted her into their circle, along with their subtle teasing about the bar scene. I hope that there will be stories for them, too.
This review was originally posted on (un)Conventional Bookviews
Finding Our Forever has some complex relationships, a lot of longing, a lot of love, and a little intrigue. It's all set at a beautiful ranch away from the lights of the big city.
The setting in Finding Our Forever is really nice, it's a school for wayward young men, and because it's kind of enclosed, it's really more like a small town than anything else. Some teachers live on campus, as do all the students. The newest teacher, Cora, has more than one reason to want to be there, though. She has finally, after years of searching, found out who her biological mother is. And because her bio mom is the director of this school, she decided to apply for the position as an art teacher. This way, she could get to know Aiyana before she'd have to decide whether or not to tell her who she was.
Just before moving to Silver Springs, Cora broke up with her boyfriend, and managed to pack all her belongings into her car. Finding Our Forever is about more than meeting her biological mother for the first time, though, as there is a vers strong love story as well. From the start, Cora was attracted to Eli, even if it felt a bit wrong - especially since he was Aiyana's adoptive son. She still decided to keep her hidden identity to herself a little longer.
Learning to get to know both her colleagues and her boss, as well as teaching and getting to know her students kept Cora very busy. She was a character I enjoyed, even if I kind of wish she'd have shared her secret before she did. I can understand why she didn't tell anyone, of course, but the secret brought some added stress to her already turned upside-down life. Plus, when her ex-boyfriend showed up, drunk and belligerent, I got quite scared for her and her newfound happiness.
Both the small-town feel and the multifaceted relationships that Novak do so well were big parts of the story, and it made Finding Our Forever a very good contemporary romance. It also made me curious about what else will happen in Silver Springs in the future. Written in third person point of view, past tense and mostly from Cora's perspective, the dialogues kept the story fresh and nicely paced, while also letting me know more about the inner workings of the other characters.
Would she like her mother? Would they resemble each other more in person that in the one picture she'd seen?
"See? I'm not that far away." Although... it almost seemed as if she'd moved to another planet; Silver Springs was nothing like L.A.
Finding Our Forever has some complex relationships, a lot of longing, a lot of love, and a little intrigue. It's all set at a beautiful ranch away from the lights of the big city.
The setting in Finding Our Forever is really nice, it's a school for wayward young men, and because it's kind of enclosed, it's really more like a small town than anything else. Some teachers live on campus, as do all the students. The newest teacher, Cora, has more than one reason to want to be there, though. She has finally, after years of searching, found out who her biological mother is. And because her bio mom is the director of this school, she decided to apply for the position as an art teacher. This way, she could get to know Aiyana before she'd have to decide whether or not to tell her who she was.
Just before moving to Silver Springs, Cora broke up with her boyfriend, and managed to pack all her belongings into her car. Finding Our Forever is about more than meeting her biological mother for the first time, though, as there is a vers strong love story as well. From the start, Cora was attracted to Eli, even if it felt a bit wrong - especially since he was Aiyana's adoptive son. She still decided to keep her hidden identity to herself a little longer.
Learning to get to know both her colleagues and her boss, as well as teaching and getting to know her students kept Cora very busy. She was a character I enjoyed, even if I kind of wish she'd have shared her secret before she did. I can understand why she didn't tell anyone, of course, but the secret brought some added stress to her already turned upside-down life. Plus, when her ex-boyfriend showed up, drunk and belligerent, I got quite scared for her and her newfound happiness.
Both the small-town feel and the multifaceted relationships that Novak do so well were big parts of the story, and it made Finding Our Forever a very good contemporary romance. It also made me curious about what else will happen in Silver Springs in the future. Written in third person point of view, past tense and mostly from Cora's perspective, the dialogues kept the story fresh and nicely paced, while also letting me know more about the inner workings of the other characters.
Would she like her mother? Would they resemble each other more in person that in the one picture she'd seen?
"See? I'm not that far away." Although... it almost seemed as if she'd moved to another planet; Silver Springs was nothing like L.A.
This was a really lovely story, loved the characters in the book. I love these small town series. I am looking forward to the rest of them
I'll preface by saying a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ is about as good as it gets for me.
Really enjoyed this book from the new Silver Springs series, and looking forward to more.
Really enjoyed this book from the new Silver Springs series, and looking forward to more.
3.5 stars
Finding Our Forever is a romance, yes, but it’s also a story of overcoming the worst of the worst and learning to trust someone else with your heart. It’s a story of letting your past refine you, rather than define you. And it’s a story about the difference we can make in even just one person that feels truly loved.
Eli suffered horrible abuse at the hands of the people who were supposed to love him, so naturally his heart stays pretty closed off to being vulnerable. Cora is on a quest to learn more about her birth mother, and her attraction to Eli complicates matters – especially considering that he’s the birth mother’s adopted son. I have to admit that I had to separate that last fact out and quarantine it while I read their story. Cora and Eli falling in love is sweet and full of emotion as they each learn to trust the other with their heart, but considering that they were technically brother and sister for all intents and purposes? Though not blood related, it still was too icky for me.
Bottom Line: With likable characters and a compelling storyline, Finding Our Forever tugs at the heart. Great for fans of Susan Mallery or RaeAnne Thayne, it’s a sweet and sizzling romance with an inspiring plot. Eli especially works his way in to your heart, and you’ll find yourself rooting for a happily ever after!
Reviewer’s Note: Readers need to be aware that there is some mild language in this book, as well as scenes of an intimate nature that were more graphic than I usually review.
see my full review at Reading Is My SuperPower
Finding Our Forever is a romance, yes, but it’s also a story of overcoming the worst of the worst and learning to trust someone else with your heart. It’s a story of letting your past refine you, rather than define you. And it’s a story about the difference we can make in even just one person that feels truly loved.
Eli suffered horrible abuse at the hands of the people who were supposed to love him, so naturally his heart stays pretty closed off to being vulnerable. Cora is on a quest to learn more about her birth mother, and her attraction to Eli complicates matters – especially considering that he’s the birth mother’s adopted son. I have to admit that I had to separate that last fact out and quarantine it while I read their story. Cora and Eli falling in love is sweet and full of emotion as they each learn to trust the other with their heart, but considering that they were technically brother and sister for all intents and purposes? Though not blood related, it still was too icky for me.
Bottom Line: With likable characters and a compelling storyline, Finding Our Forever tugs at the heart. Great for fans of Susan Mallery or RaeAnne Thayne, it’s a sweet and sizzling romance with an inspiring plot. Eli especially works his way in to your heart, and you’ll find yourself rooting for a happily ever after!
Reviewer’s Note: Readers need to be aware that there is some mild language in this book, as well as scenes of an intimate nature that were more graphic than I usually review.
see my full review at Reading Is My SuperPower
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced