Christmas in Silver Spring by Brenda Novak is the sixth book in the Silver Spring series. I did not read the previous books in the series; however, I had no issues jumping into this installment. However, it featured characters from the previous book. As this was not my first time reading the authorโs work, I expected to have a good time with this story and she did not disappoint.
Tobias Richardson spent thirteen years of his life in prison. It has been five months since his release, and it will be his first Christmas as a free man. His time spent in prison was because of a horrible mistake he made when he was seventeen years old. Due to the seriousness of the incident, they tried him as an adult. Since his release, he has managed to get his life on track with the help of his family and friends. However, the guilt of his past weighs heavily on him, especially when he sees the victim of his actions regularly.
He grappled with loneliness, but avoided relationships, as he believed he was not worthy. Then one night he laid eyes on a beautiful and sad woman. Despite his attraction towards her, he knew he was not the right man for her. However, she appeared in need of a friend, and there was no law against friendship.
Harper Devlin is in the midst of a divorce after her husband of ten years decided that their marriage was no longer working. This was after she dedicated her life to help him achieve his goal of being a famous rock star. Now that he has the fame, money, and women, his wife and daughters have become a liability. As a result,ย Harper came to spend Christmas with her sister in Silver Springs and in the processย tried to come to grips with the changes in her life. Then she meets Tobias, a meeting that will forever change her life.
I found Christmas in Silver Spring to be an emotional read. I felt Tobiasโs guilt and insecurities throughout the story. He kept blaming himself even when others did not. I loved how the author gave readers a glimpse into his struggles while in prison, which made his pain more realistic.
My heart broke for Harper. It could not have been easy for her watching the man whomย she dedicated her life to for ten years push her aside for fame, money and groupies.ย ย A man who did not care one iota about his family.
I was skeptical at first about Harper and Tobias forming a relationship. After all, she was going through a divorce and not in a good place for any relationship. However, their time spent together proved therapeutic for Harper, and as time went, they proved to be good for each other. She came to recognize that she deserved better.ย Harperย knew nothing of Tobiasโs past and he kept it secret out of fear. I was nervous the wholeย time knowing his secret would come to light and the impact it would have on his and Harperโs relationship.
One of the things that made this story so emotional for me was healing and forgiveness Tobias received from persons whom his actions affected directly and indirectly thirteen years ago.
Conclusion/Recommendation.
Christmas in Silver Spring was great read and one I would recommend to persons looking for a Christmas romance with all the feels.
Is it more (or less) challenging to write your book with the holiday element?ย If so, what are those challenges?
Brenda Novak: For me, itโs more challenging. Themes of love conquering all and redemption appear in many of my books, which fit nicely at Christmas, so that partโs easy. Trying to weave in the celebration while the characters work through their individual conflicts is what can be tricky. I compare it to a juggler who adds just one more ball. ๐
Do you lean more toward humorous or poignant when youโre writing a holiday romance?
Brenda Novak: I definitely lean toward poignant. Iโve had a lot of my readers write me to say they teared up while reading CHRISTMAS IN SILVER SPRINGS. I think it might be a new reader favorite!
Whatโs your favorite holiday cookie or dessert?
Brenda Novak: My motherโs homemade cheesecake with sour cream topping is absolutely divine! (You even have to crush graham crackers to make your own crust.) Iโll never forget the first time I tasted it. I was only about ten years old, and itโs been my favorite ever since.
Tell us about your favorite Holiday tradition.
Brenda Novak: I have five children. Each year I enjoy trying to figure out which book I will buy each oneโand whether I can get an autographed copy (I get very excited when I can). They get to open their new book on Christmas Eve, which puts it separate from their other gifts. I hope none of them will see this, but Iโm all set for this year, and they are all signed! I got George R.R. Martinโs A KNIGHT OF THE SEVEN KINGDOMS, Malcolm Gladwellโs TALKING TO STRANGERS, Mitch Albomโs FINDING CHIKA, Lee Childโs BLUE MOON and Louise Pennyโs A BETTER MAN.
What Holiday treat is on your must-make, or must-eat, December to-do list?
Brenda Novak: Iโm huge on hot chocolate, and I love mint hot chocolate best. I also love peppermint ice cream! A friend makes a delicious baked Alaska with hot fudge and peppermint ice cream, and itโs amazing! These are all things on my must-have list!
Whatโs the most memorable Holiday gift youโve ever received or given?
Brenda Novak: I just moved, so while I was sorting through boxes in the attic, I came across a box Iโve kept for most of my life. It contains a โBaby, Alive!โ and some handmade clothes for the doll that my mother had someone sewโa gift I received from Santa when I was only six or seven. The clothes are so well made, and they came in the cutest little suitcase, which I also still have. Thatโs my most memorable Christmas, and I canโt wait until my granddaughter is old enough to inherit my most beloved baby doll, which is still in near perfect shape, despite the many hours I played with her.
What are some of your favorite novels? What do you like the most when writing Christmas/Holiday-themed books?
Brenda Novak: Iโm such an eclectic reader, and yet I donโt read Christmas books. Iโm not sure whyโexcept that writing one seems to fulfill that need. As far as favorite books, I absolutely devoured WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING, THE TATTOOIST OF AUSCHWITZ and THE NIGHTINGALE, so I would name them as a few of my recent favs.
What inspired you to start writing novels? What do you hope are some of the key takeaways from of your latest holiday novel?
Brenda Novak: I caught my daycare provider drugging my children with cough syrup and Tylenol while I was working as a loan officer more than twenty years ago and was so freaked out I quit my job to stay home with them myself. But I needed to figure out a way to make a living. I was searching for something I could do from home when my sister sent me Jude Devereuxโs KNIGHT IN SHINING ARMOR, telling me I would love it. She was right. It also gave me the idea to become a novelist. I remember closing that book and thinking, โI wonder if I could do this.โ I started the next day!
CHRISTMAS IN SILVER SPRINGS is a touching and poignant story about a man whoโs recently been released from prison for a mistake he made just before he turned eighteen, so itโs definitely a redemption story. I would hope that readers take away the fact that love and understanding can change lives.
When did you start writing Christmas/Holiday-themed stories? What was your inspiration for your latest holiday novel?
Brenda Novak: Iโve been doing them for a number of years now. My first was WHEN SNOW FALLS, which I think is still one of my best.
The inspiration for CHRISTMAS IN SILVER SPRINGS came from the book before itโUNFORGETTABLE YOU. In that book, the hero had a brother in prison. I wanted to explore what Tobias might be like after the life heโs lived so far. My fascination with Dan Reynolds and Imagine Dragons (Iโm a huge fan!) supplied the rest of the inspiration, although the rock star in this book wasnโt portrayed in the most positive light, I have nothing but respect for Dan Reynolds, so I had to twist a few things to make a good story.
Friday, December 6
Tobias Richardson couldnโt help noticing the petite blonde sitting at the old-fashioned counter of the dinerโand not just because she was pretty. He was sure heโd never seen her before. With a population of seven thousand, Silver Springs wasnโt small enough that heโd recognize everybody, especially because heโd only been living here for five months. The town seemed to have gotten a lot smaller since the weather turned, though. It didnโt snow in this part of California, but it was the rainy season and the region was experiencing colder than normal temperatures. Tourists werenโt interested in visiting when it was chill and damp, and the same went for the many residents of LA, ninety minutes to the southeast, who had vacation homes here. This month, and probably for the next two or three, he guessed Silver Springs would be limited to the locals.
He blew on his hands, trying to warm them while waiting for the coffee heโd ordered when he first sat down. Heโd managed to squeeze in a hike after work. He didnโt care that it was dark and wet by the time he was on his way back. He had a
headlight to guide him to the trailhead and was willing to put up with the rain. But he was chilled to the bone. After such an arduous hike, he was starving, too, and craving a hot shower.
Again, he glanced toward the counter. He didnโt want the woman to catch him staring, but something about herโbesides her looksโdrew his attention.
She didnโt seem happyโฆ
โHere you go.โ Willow Sanhurst, the barely eighteen-year-old girl who worked evenings at the Eatery, stepped between him and the woman who intrigued him, smiled broadly and put his cup on the table with a flourish. โWarming up yet?โ
โStarting to.โ
โI canโt believe youโve been out hiking. Itโs December!โ
โLittle bit of rain never hurt anybody.โ
Heโd traded out his muddy hiking books for a pair of clean shoes before coming into the restaurant. Other than that, he was only a little damp, so he wasnโt sure why she was making such a big deal of it.
โYou must really like the outdoors.โ
โI do,โ he said.
โSo do I.โ
He got the impression he was supposed to follow that up with an invitation to go hiking with him sometime, but he didnโt.
Even though theyโd already discussed his hike when heโd sat down and sheโd brought him water, and the diner was full of people waiting for a chance to order, she didnโt move away as most waitresses would.
Before bringing the coffee to his lips, he looked up to see if there was something she needed.
As soon as their eyes met, she blushed a deep red, wiped her hands on her ruffled white apron and mumbled some remark about being careful not to burn himselfโthat the coffee was hotโbefore hurrying away.
Damn it. She had a crush on him. Sheโd clearly wanted to say something but hadnโt been able to gather the nerve, and that made him distinctly uncomfortable. After being released from prison in July he was committed to making better choices, to building a productive life. He couldnโt have some high school girl staring at him with the longing he saw shining in her eyes. If she started seriously pursuing him, he was afraid heโd end up in a bad situation just because he was so damn lonely.
With a sigh, he took a tentative sip of his coffee. This was his favorite place to eatโthe comfort food and Norman Rockwell vibe reminded him of the wholesome existence heโd always secretly admired. But heโd have to quit coming here. He wouldnโt allow himself to be tempted. His brother, Maddox, said over and over that his first year out of prison would be the hardest, and although Tobias acted as though he was doing fine, that he had his life under control, his journey was not as sure-footed as he let on. Sometimes, especially late at night, he felt as though heโd been cast adrift on a vast ocean and might never find safe harbor. And that sense of being so small and insignificant made him crave the substances that had gotten him into trouble in the first place.
Willow kept looking over at him, obviously hoping to catch his eye. While he poured a dash of cream into his coffee, he considered canceling his meal. He could eat somewhere elseโgrab something to go and head home to shower. But just as he was about to slide out of the booth, his phone dinged with a text from Maddox, asking if heโd like to come over for dinner.
Already ate. Enjoy your night. See you at work tomorrow, he wrote back.
He knew his brother worried about him, was trying to help him adjust to life outside prison and didnโt want him to backslide and become like their mother. But Maddox had recently married the girl heโd loved since high school. He deserved to be alone with Jada, his new wife, who was now pregnant, and Maya, their daughter. The last thing Tobias wanted to do was get in the way of their relationshipโagain. It was because of him they hadnโt gotten together the first time around, and that had cost Maddox the first twelve years of Mayaโs life.
As he slid his phone in his coat pocket, he saw that it was too late to cancel his food. Willow was once again coming toward him, this time carrying a plate.
โYou texting your girlfriend?โ she asked, flirting with him as she put down his meat loaf and mashed potatoes.
He allowed himself another glance at the blonde sitting at the counter. Her meal had come, too, and yet she held her fork, turning it over and over in one hand, staring at her food without taking a bite.
โDid you hear me?โ Willow asked.
Putting his napkin in his lap, he picked up his fork. โIโm sorry. Whatโd you say?โ
She looked over her shoulder in the direction heโd been looking and lowered her voice. โI see youโve noticed Harper.โ
โHarper?โ he repeated.
โYeah, Harper DevlinโAxel Devlinโs wife. Sheโs been in here before.โ
โWhoโs Axel Devlin?โ
โAre you kidding me? Heโs the lead singer of Pulse. Theyโre, likeโฆthe biggest band on the planet!โ
Heโd heard of Pulse, was familiar with their music and liked it. Heโd also heard the name of the bandโs lead singer many times. Heโd just never dreamed Willow could be referring to that Axel Devlinโalthough there was no good reason why she couldnโt be. A lot of celebrities came to artsy, spiritually focused Silver Springs. Quite a few, especially movie people, retired here. And he often interacted with Hudson King, a professional football player, at New Horizons Boys Ranch, where he worked doing grounds and building maintenance. Hudson did a lot to help the troubled teens who attended the boarding schoolโboth the boysโ side and the recently built girlsโ school on the same property. Heโd donated the money to buy an ice-skating rink both sides could use. โDo they live in the area?โ
โNo. She and her two kids are staying with her sister for the holidays. I overheard her talking to the owner.โ
โShe looks a littleโฆโ When he let his words trail off, Willow jumped in to finish the sentence.
โDepressed?โ
โI was going to say โlost.โโ
โProbably is. I watched an interview with Axel a few months ago. He said they were splitting up. Maybe thatโs why.โ
It was none of his business, but Tobias couldnโt help asking, โDid he give a reason?โ
She seemed to like that theyโd found something to talk about that wasnโt so strained and awkward for her. โBlamed it on the travel. He has to be gone too much. Yada, yada. What else is he going to say? That heโs cheating with a different girl every night?โ she added with a laugh.
Tobias felt bad for Harper. It couldnโt be easy to be married to a rock star. She wasnโt that old, likely hadnโt been prepared for that kind of life. If Tobias remembered correctly, Axel was from a small town in Idaho, and he and his band had become famous almost overnight. Now he was sitting on top of the world.
But where did that leave her?
โYou said they have kids?โ he asked.
โYeah. Two little girls. I donโt remember their agesโmaybe eight and six? Something like that.โ
So Harper had married Axel before heโd become a big success, and theyโd started a family. That indicated sheโd married for love. โWhere are the kids?โ
โWith her sister, I guess.โ Willow lowered her voice. โIt would suck to be her, right? I mean, she has to see his name and his face everywhere, canโt escape the constant reminder.โ
Now that he wasnโt paying as much attention to Willowโs hopeful smiles and nervousness when she was around him, Tobias could see others in the restaurant nudging their companions and pointing to Harper. Apparently a lot of people knew who she wasโor word was spreading fast.
Poor thing. He understood what it was like to be the talk of the town. Heโd been only seventeen when heโd been prosecuted as an adult and jailed for thirteen years. Returning to Silver Springs after his release this past summer had been like being put under a microscope. Suffering privately was one thing. Suffering publicly was something else entirely. That took what she was going through to a whole new level.
โShouldnโt be too hard for her to find someone else.โ He said it as though he wasnโt particularly invested, but Harper had caught his eye, hadnโt she?
โAre you kidding me?โ Willow responded again. โHow will anyone else ever compare?โ
She had a point. It would be tough for a regular guy to match Axel, financially and otherwise. โTrue.โ
โYouโre not interested in her, are you?โ Willow looked slightly crestfallen.
Apparently he hadnโt been as careful to hide his feelings as heโd thought. But he was an ex-con, making a modest wage working for a correctional school. Heโd never known his father, and his mother was a meth addict, constantly in and out of rehab. He knew when he was out of his league. โNo.โ
โGood.โ A relieved smile curved her lips. โBecause Iโve been watching you for a while andโฆwellโฆ I hope thereโs someone else in this restaurant you might be interested in.โ She finished in a rush, couldnโt quite look at him and then hurried awayโonly to return with a slip of paper that had her number on it when she brought the check.
Harper shoved her garlic mashed potatoes from one side of her plate to the other as she listened to the hum of voices in the diner. Although surrounded by people, sheโd never felt so alone.
โIโve got a number five,โ the cook barked out for the waitresses.
Harper checked the menu, which sheโd left open at her elbow so sheโd have something to look at. It was difficult to go out in public right now. After the documentary she did with Axel last year, trying to remove the stigma of depression and using a therapist when necessary, people often recognized her, so she had little privacy.
A number five was a chicken breast with lemon-dill sauce, steamed vegetables and a gluten-free corn muffin. Sheโd ordered a number sevenโpeppercorn steak, garlic mashed potatoes and green beans, which had sounded good at first, but the only thing sheโd been able to make herself eat was part of the dinner roll. She doubted it was gluten-free. Axel had made a big deal about staying away from gluten, but he was allergic to it, not her. And although she thought it was probably wise to avoid it, she didnโt care about her diet right now. She didnโt care about much of anything since her marriage had unraveled. Itโd been all she could do just to hold herself together for the sake of her kids, and now Christmas would be here in only three weeks. It would be her and the girlsโ first Christmas without Axel. He was touring Europe and wouldnโt be back until after the first of the year, since his last big concert was scheduled for New Yearโs Eve.
Now that everything had changed between them, they wouldnโt have spent the holidays as they had in the past, anyway.
He mightโve asked to take the girls, however.
She could only imagine how lonely she would have felt with them gone, and yetโฆshe sort of wished he had taken them. She didnโt feel capable of holding up her end, of putting on a brave face and telling their children that everything was going to be okay when it felt as though the ground had given way beneath her feet. She had no interest in decorating, putting up a tree or buying presents, which was why her sister had insisted she come
for an extended visit, even if it meant having the girls transfer schools for a couple of months. Piper and Everly were at a church Christmas party tonight with their cousinsโtwin girls who were older than Everly by four years. But Harper needed to be ready to face them with a smile when they came home.
Her phone vibrated in her pocket, but she didnโt bother to get it out. No doubt it was her sister. Theyโd had an argument before Harper stormed out of the house. Karoline had grown angry when Harper told her how little she was getting for child support. According to her sister, she was letting Axel off far too easy.
He was making a fortune, but Harper didnโt want to fight. She was still in love with him. As soon as heโd made it clear that he didnโt want to be married to her anymore, that he was no longer willing to try to work through their differences, sheโd settled for the first figure his lawyer had thrown out. Otherwise, she was afraid the media would start to claim they were going through a โbitterโ divorce. As sheโd told Karoline, sheโd make it on her own somehow, even though she hadnโt worked in an official capacity since the first three years of her marriage, when Axel was trying so hard to get a start in show business and heโd needed her to cover their basic living expenses.
Maybe she was a fool to be so accommodating. But she couldnโt imagine Axel would consider keeping the family together if she turned into a bitch. Besides, she didnโt even know who he was anymore, heโd changed so much. She couldnโt decide what she had a right to demand. Had she let Axel down? Or had he let her down? Heโd always suffered from anxiety and depression. Maybe she hadnโt done enough to help himโ
โIs everything okay?โ
She forced herself to look up. The waitress working the counter had paused in front of her, obviously wondering if there was something wrong with the food.
โFine,โ Harper mumbled. She hadnโt really come to eat. She just needed some time alone, couldnโt face going back to her
sisterโs quite yet. As nice as it was of Karoline to provide a refuge during this difficult month, being with her only sibling wasnโt much easier than being alone, because now she had to constantly explain and justify her actions. And with her emotions zinging all over the place, she wasnโt being consistent, couldnโt be consistent. Most of the time, she wasnโt even making a whole lot of sense.
Elvisโs โBlue Christmasโ came on the sound system as the waitress moved on to her other customers.
Harper took a sip of her coffee and braved a quick glance around. Although she liked this restaurant, she didnโt feel she belonged in Silver Springs. Why wasnโt she in Denver, where she and Axel had lived after their college days at Boise State?
Because as much as she and Axel had once believed that theyโd be the exception to the rule, that nothing could come between them, theyโd been wrong. Slowly but surely, Axel had lost all perspective and started caring more about his work than he did his family. Fame had destroyed their relationship like so many celebrities before them.
With a sigh, she took the bill the waitress had put near her plate and paid at the register. She owed her sister more respect than to make her worry. She had to go back and face Karoline whether she wanted to or not.
Harper hadnโt put on makeup for weeks, hadnโt done anything with her hair, either, other than to pile it in a messy bun on her head, so it didnโt bother her that it was raining. She was cold, though; couldnโt seem to get warm. Tightening her oversize coatโa castoff of Axelโs from the good old days when they were first marriedโshe pushed out of the warm cafรฉ into the bad weather.
Putting her head down, she stared at her feet, bracing against the gusts of wind that whipped at her hair and clothes while stepping over two or three puddles to reach the Range Rover
Axel had let her keep when they split. If she got desperate, she supposed she could sell it. It had cost a pretty penny.
She was opening the driverโs door when she noticed a tall, lanky man with longish dark hair crossing the lot toward her.
โDonโt be frightened,โ he said, lifting one hand in a gesture intended to show he wasnโt being aggressive. โI justโฆ I saw you inside andโฆโ
Prepared to rebuff him, she set her jaw. She was not in the mood to be hit on. But when she met his eyes, something about his expression told her that wasnโt what this was about. Taking a long-stemmed white rose from inside his coat, he stepped forward to give it to her.
โHang in there. Itโll get easier,โ he said. Then he walked off before she could even ask for his name.
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I really like the sound of this one. I have had some luck with Brenda Novak’s books and this sounds like one to try.
Looks like a great book to read on a cold weekend.
Glad to see this, I have this one on my list
thanks for the nice inteview!
Wow, on the daycare provider. I stayed home with mine working odd part-time jobs and offering daycare in my home. Great review Nadene.
I loved the interview. I love hot chocolate too. I always have some on hand during the Winter months.
What a wonderful sounding book and lovely interview. I’m with Brenda, I love mint hot chocolate too.