Finding Our Forever (Silver Springs, #1) by Brenda Novak
Series: Silver Springs #1
Published by Harlequin Special Edition on March 21st 2017
Genres: Contemporary
Goodreads

FINAL DECISION:  A book with characters who are really likeable and caring but are dealing with the pain in their lives, I really liked this book because it didn’t go in the direction I would have expected for drama.

THE STORY:  Cora Kelly has come to Silver Springs searching for her birth mother who runs the New Horizons Boys Ranch.  But she decided not to reveal her identity until she determines whether she wants to.  Applying to be a teacher at the school, Cora meets Elijah Turner who is the manager of the ranch and one of the adopted sons of Cora’s birth mother. As Cora begins to build relationships with those at the ranch, the decision whether or not to reveal her secret becomes more difficult as she worries about destroying those relationships — especially the one between her and Eli.

OPINION:  I enjoyed this book because of the characters. There was a sense of reality and decency with these people.  The book didn’t feel like it was trying to tell an over dramatic adventure story.  Rather this story stayed small and focused on the characters.  Cora and Eli are a sweet couple.  They start out as a “scratching an itch” relationship but quickly they find in one another a companion and their attempts to keep things at a distance are not very successful.  I loved how their romance progressed in this manner.  It also served to explain how Cora could keep her secret for so long.  I really liked these characters who are always good people. They struggle with how to be a good person with their limitations (Cora’s deception and Eli’s fear of getting close), but they always act from a good place.

I didn’t enjoy this book quite as much as the other in the series I read, but this book was a good start to the series.

WORTH MENTIONING:  I read the second book in this series first and didn’t miss anything.  These books are very separate from one another even though they occur in the same place.

CONNECTED BOOKS:  FINDING OUR FOREVER is the first book in the Silver Springs series.

STAR RATING:  I give this book 3.5 stars.