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Take Me Home for Christmas (Whiskey Creek), by Brenda Novak
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www.BrendaNovak.com
Christmas is a time for remembering…
Too bad not all memories are pleasant! Everyone in Whiskey Creek remembers Sophia DeBussi as the town's Mean Girl. Especially Ted Dixon, whose love she once scorned.
But Sophia has paid the price for her youthful transgressions. The man she did marry was rich and powerful but abusive. Then he goes missing—and she soon learns that he died running from an FBI probe of his investment firm. Not only has he left Sophia penniless, he's left her to face all the townspeople he cheated….
Sophia is reduced to looking for any kind of work to pay the bills and support her daughter. With no other options, she accepts a job as housekeeper for Ted, now a successful suspense writer. He can't turn his back on her, but he refuses to get emotionally involved.
Will Christmas, the season of love and forgiveness, bring them another chance at happiness?
- Sales Rank: #320705 in Books
- Brand: Harlequin MIRA
- Published on: 2013-10-29
- Released on: 2013-10-29
- Original language: English
- Number of items: 1
- Dimensions: 6.62" h x 1.06" w x 4.21" l, .0 pounds
- Binding: Mass Market Paperback
- 400 pages
- Great product!
Review
"Whenever I see a new Brenda Novak book, I buy it and read it, pronto. I can always count on her for a solid, exciting story, full of adventure and romance." –Linda Lael Miller #1 New York Times bestselling author
"Strongly defined characters, sizzling sexual tension, and a tautly constructed plot... blend brilliantly together in Novak's exceptionally intense, powerfully emotional novel." --Booklist on Every Waking Moment
"Brenda Novak's seamless plotting, emotional intensity and true-to-life characters who jump off the page make her books completely satisfying. Novak is simply a great storyteller." –Allison Brennan, New York Times bestselling author
"A hero in need of redemption, a heroine up to the challenge, and an idyllic California gold country setting brilliantly launch Novak's foray into the thriving 'small-town community' market." --Library Journal on When Lightning Strikes
The characters' "heartwarming romance develops slowly and sweetly. The sex is fantastic, but the best part is how Simon and Gail tease and laugh as they grow closer." –Publishers Weekly on When Lightning Strikes
"Novak delivers a lively, sparkling series debut...romantic gold by a superior novelist." –RT Book Reviews on When Lightning Strikes
"It's steamy, it's poignant, it's perfectly paced - it's When Lightning Stikes and you don't want to miss it!" --USA Today, Happily Ever After Blog
"Sensitive, passionate, and heartbreakingly poignant," –RT Book Reviews on When Snow Falls (2012 Reviewers' Choice Winner and Nominee for Book of the Year)
"A rare treat. Brenda Novak draws you in from the first page."--#1 New York Times Bestselling Author Barbara Freethy
About the Author
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Brenda Novak has penned over 45 novels. A two-time Rita nominee, she's won The National Reader's Choice, The Bookseller's Best, The Bookbuyer's Best and many other awards. She runs an annual online auction for diabetes research every May at www.brendanovak.com. To date, she’s raised over $2 million. Brenda considers herself lucky to be a mother of five and married to the love of her life.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Sophia DeBussi's husband was gone. As in…disappeared. Nowhere to be found. At ninety feet, the Legacy was a sizable yacht—Skip never bought anything except the very best—but not so sizable that a full-grown man could easily be overlooked. The six-member crew had just helped Sophia and her thirteen-year-old daughter scour every inch of the boat.
Other than his cell phone, which he wasn't answering, Skip's things were where they should be, but he was not.
Holding back her long hair, Sophia squinted against the sunshine glinting off the water, trying to see the coast of Brazil a few miles to starboard. Could her husband have gone for an early-morning swim and somehow reached land?
That was a possibility, but it was a remote one. Why would he go off on his own? It was too windy to enjoy the beach today. And although he traveled all over the world for business, she'd never heard of him meeting anyone in Rio de Janeiro.
Besides, he'd planned this trip for their thirteenth anniversary because he wanted to spend quality time as a family. She couldn't imagine he was working, not when this vacation was supposed to be about starting over, about saving their troubled marriage. He'd said he wouldn't take one call. If he'd made that promise just to her, maybe she wouldn't have relied on it. He'd said such things before and hadn't followed through. But he'd also promised their daughter, and he and Alexa were very close. So…where was he?
Sophia gazed down at the water itself. Had he fallen overboard and drowned in the choppy Atlantic?
That thought led to a surge of relief. It was macabre to wish anyone dead, but only if Skip was gone for good would she ever escape him. She'd lived with him long enough to know he'd never willingly let her go. He'd said as much.
The moment Alexa came to the railing to stand beside her, guilt replaced the relief she'd been feeling. Her poor daughter might have lost her father. How could she be happy about that?
"What happened, Mom?" Lexi asked, her big blue eyes filling with tears.
Sophia put an arm around her child's thin shoulders. "I don't know, sweetheart." She kept going over the past twenty-four hours in her mind, but could point to nothing out of the ordinary. Skip had gone to bed with her last night at eleven, as usual. He'd demanded sex, as usual. If he was around, he insisted on some sexual favor at least once a day. She was pretty sure he slept with other women when he was traveling, especially since he was often gone for a week or longer. But she never tried to check up on him. She just did what she had to when he was home to keep the peace, to survive. She knew how he'd act if she refused him. Even if he didn't strike her, he'd sulk for days.
Except for the embarrassment of having to tell everyone, including their daughter, that she'd tripped and fallen into a door or slammed on her brakes and hit the steering wheel, she would've hated the sulking even more. Sometimes it lasted far longer than the bruises.
Alexa wiped her wet cheeks. "You really don't remember when he got up this morning?"
They'd already been over this. Sophia didn't remember. She didn't rise as early as he did. It wasn't as if he'd allow her to have a job. On a school day, she typically went back to bed after Alexa left, staying there until ten or so. Then she'd get up slowly, work on maintaining her beauty, which was all-important to Skip, and drink away the rest of the afternoon. Alcohol was the one thing that seemed capable of dulling the disappointment, not to mention the boredom, she lived with on a constant basis.
But it also gave him a club to use when he needed it. I thought I was getting something special when I married you. You were someone, remember? The mayor's only child. The most popular girl in school. Now look at you. You're nothing but a lazy drunk.
She tried to shove those hateful words into the back of her mind, where they resided. They made her crave a gin and tonic, but it was too early for that. She couldn't have one, anyway, she reminded herself. Not only had she just spent thirty days in rehab, she'd promised Skip, as part of their "starting over," that she'd really quit the booze this time. He'd threatened to have her committed to a mental institution like her mother if she didn't.
She wasn't sure what he'd use to make her seem crazy, but he'd figure it out. Her mother's condition, the fact that there was mental illness in the family, definitely wouldn't work in her favor. "Mom?" Lexi said.
Sophia pulled herself out of the whirlpool of her thoughts. "He didn't wake me, honey. I'm sorry. He didn't tell me he was leaving, either. I would've remembered."
"Are you sure? He says you forget a lot. That you'd live in a bottle if you could."
He often criticized her to Lexi. He was the dazzling father who swooped in bearing outlandish gifts. The parent who'd promised her a Porsche for her sixteenth birthday. He never had to raise his voice to insist she do chores, finish her dinner or improve her grades, because he wasn't around long enough. "I've quit drinking," Sophia said softly. "That's why I went away, remember? Why you had to stay with Grandma and Grandpa."
Alexa didn't pursue the old argument. She was too bewildered by her father's disappearance. "This is just so. weird."
"It is weird." Sophia could tell that the captain and his mates agreed. She'd heard them asking each other if anyone had seen Mr. DeBussi on deck in the wee hours. No one had. No one had heard him, either. But with the engine chugging away and the waves splashing against the sides of the boat, would anyone notice if he fell overboard?
"I keep thinking he has to be here somewhere.." Dressed in cut-offs and a white tank, Alexa leaned on the railing as her troubled eyes ran over the deck, the bar, the stairs going below. "I'm so worried."
Sophia didn't want her to have to accept the worst quite yet. She didn't want her to suffer at all. Alexa was the only reason she'd remained in her loveless marriage. Skip had told her she'd never see her daughter again if she left, and she believed him. He had the support of a rich and powerful family who lived in the same small town they did. With her own mother diagnosed with schizophrenia and her father dead, she had no one. "He might turn up."
A fresh tear rolled down Lexi's cheek. "But you heard the captain. He said there's no way Dad could've reached shore. No one could swim that far."
The captain would've been right had he been talking about anyone else. But he didn't know Skip, not like she did. Skip could do anything he set his mind to. Sophia had never met such a strong-willed individual. Or such a controlling one.
She pulled her daughter into a hug. "We've contacted the U.S. Consulate, and they've called the police. We'll be docking at Rio to wait while they check the city and the beaches. We won't leave without him. Let's not give up hope too soon."
Alexa's head bumped against Sophia's chest as she nodded, but she was obviously struggling to believe those measures would do any good. She couldn't picture her father jumping over the side in the middle of the night and swimming for shore—and neither could Sophia.
The captain approached. "I've secured a slip at Marina de Gloria, Mrs. DeBussi," he said. "We should be in port in less than thirty minutes."
"Thank you, Captain Armstrong."
His nod had the same effect as a salute. He turned away, but then he paused.
"Is there anything else?" she asked.
"I just—" he faced her again "—I wanted to warn you."
A sense of foreboding chilled her despite the ninety-degree weather. "About."
"The police. When I spoke to them on the radio, they…they asked me if…" He cleared his throat as his eyes flicked to Alexa, and she nudged her daughter toward the stairs.
"Lexi, why don't you go below and check our bedroom one more time, okay? Make sure everything of Daddy's is there, even his shaving kit."
"We know it's there," she protested.
Sophia gave her another little push. "Check again, will you?"
Reluctantly, her daughter headed to the stairs, casting a frown over one shoulder before she disappeared from view.
"What is it, Captain Armstrong?" Sophia asked. "They had questions about your marriage, Mrs. De-Bussi. If I've ever seen the two of you fight, that sort of thing."
He hadn't seen them fight. No one had. Skip kept up appearances at all costs. His reputation as the man who had everything meant more to him than something as malleable as the truth. He never grew violent when someone else was around, and that included Lexi. If he got upset, he simply punished Sophia later.
But anyone who was astute could no doubt feel the tension. Sophia was terrified of him. Even when he wasn't overtly abusive, she endured many small but vicious reprisals.
"And you told them…what?" Her heart thumped so loudly she was afraid he could hear it. Skip wouldn't like this intrusion into their personal lives, so why had he left her vulnerable to it?
"That I don't know anything about your private life. But…I want to reassure you that even if I did, I wouldn't speak of it."
She found his loyalty comforting, especially because she would never have taken it for granted. She barely knew him, had hardly ever spoken to him. It didn't matter that he was old enough to be her father, or that he was married himself. Her husband was too jealous. Any interaction would've risked the captain's job. "Thank you, Captain Armstrong."
"You're welcome. I have the utmost respect for you, Mrs. DeBussi. But…"
She pulled the gauzy white scarf she'd paired with her summer sheath dress tighter. "Yes?"
He lowered his voice. "You should be prepared. They will ask you the same thing."
Suddenly she grasped why he was telling her this. "You don't mean… They don't think I might've harmed Mr. DeBussi?" The irony of anyone suspecting her of hurting him almost made her laugh.
"They have to rule out that possibility."
She could understand why, of course. But how would she convince them? Although the U.S. Consulate was acting as a liaison, she'd be dealing with foreign police; she couldn't even speak their language. What if they arrested her?
Her face must've betrayed her panic because the captain took her elbow and led her to a chaise. It was nothing he'd risk doing in her husband's presence, but she was grateful for his kindness.
"They won't be able to prove anything, Mrs. DeBussi," he said. "You just need to remain strong and insistent."
They won't be able to prove anything? What did that mean? That he suspected her—but didn't blame her? She dared not ask him to clarify. Forcing a smile, she said, "Of course."
If only "strong" felt like a possibility. She'd been strong once, even willful and rebellious. She regretted a great many things about those days, had been paying for her sins ever since. She considered living with Skip to be part of her penance. But the one attribute she'd lost that she wished she'd retained was her fighting spirit.
Maybe it was there, somewhere. But having a child had completely disarmed her.
2 Sophia slipped out of Alexa's room. She was finally asleep, and Sophia was grateful. It had been a long, hard day. Although she could scarcely believe it, there'd been no word from Skip. As promised, the police had met them at noon, when they docked at the marina. While a handful of crime-scene techs went through the boat, searching for blood or any other clue, an investigator had spoken to her. In a heavy Portuguese accent, he'd asked all the questions one might expect under the circumstances.
And Sophia had lied in response to almost every one of them.
What made you decide to take a trip to Rio?
Where better to celebrate our anniversary? We've been meaning to get away for months.
Do you consider you and your husband to be a happy couple?
Oh, yes. We've never been more in love. Is there anyone, maybe a member of the crew, who might've been angry with your husband?
Most helpful customer reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful.
Great emotional read!
By G Anderson
I was provided with an ARC in e-book form from the author to read and post a review.
Ms. Novak takes us back to Whiskey Creek with the story of Ted Dixon, a suspense writer and a former girlfriend, Sophia DeBussi. Sophia' husband, Skip, died while trying to fake his death. He is under investigation by the FBI for illegal dealings with money investments involving local townspeople as well as other dealings. He died owing huge amounts of money and leaving Sophia and their daughter Alexa penniless and soon homeless. Ted has held a grudge against Sophia for 15 years when she dropped him for the wealthy Skip while Ted was in college. Sophia has paid for her mistake. Skip was abusive and controlling. Now the townspeople are taking their anger out on Sophia and Alexa because they have lived a life of luxury at their expense. While still unhappy with Sophia, Ted feels sorry for her and Alexa and allows another friend to talk him into hiring Sophia as his housekeeper and assistant, a position he has been trying to fill. Ms. Novak does a great job showing how money can control our lives both in having lots of money or none. It also reminds us that while we have to have money to live and we never seem to have enough, it doesn't buy happiness. One of the ways that Sophia copes with her unhappy marriage is to turn to alcohol. Alcoholism is a terrible state for the alcoholic as well as the family and a temptation that the person has to live with always. It takes a strong desire to overcome that state to succeed in life. Sophia' struggle with alcohol adds frustration to her plot. One test of a good book for me is how much I like the characters and I really wanted things to work out for Sophia and Alexa. Their pains and struggles were vividly painted. This is a great story about life struggles, forgiveness and both goodness and cruelty of humankind. Great book!
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful.
Take Me Home for Christmas
By Hotcha
Take Me Home for Christmas (Whiskey Creek)
Sophia de Bussi made a terrible mistake when her boyfriend left for college; she fooled around a got pregnant with the town's wealthiest family! Her mom, was institutionalized when it appeared she lost her mind, then several months later, her father, the mayor of Whiskey Creek died and she had no choice but to marry Skip. Little did she know she had doomed her life to a living hell as Skip shamed, abused her, and threaten to take their daughter if she left him. Skip had told her they were having a celebration on his ship, and they took their daughter to celebrate their anniversary in Rio. The next morning, Skip went missing and no one could find him anywhere. Then the FBI showed up and told her terrible things and she wished with all of her heart to be free on Skip..............
Fourteen years ago, Ted Dixon had his heart ripped out when he returned home to find Sophia had married another man! Now, he was a successful suspense author, but moving to a home in the town to be close to his singled parent mom, had him running into Sophia quite often when he had coffee with his high school friends. He hated the way Skip showed her off in their parades making her show more of her lovely body, then he discovered Skip was missing and she was losing everything since Skip bailed on her taking most of the town's money!
WOW, hold on to your seats as Ms, Novak spins a tale of deceit,and abuse as Skip swindles his investors including his parents out of billions of dollars leaving his wife to fend for herself! Sophia had never held a job as Skip monitored her every move, so all she could do was drink to relieve her pain of the frequent beatings her jealous husband forced her to endure, and the one time she went to the sheriff, Skip appeared and smoothed over with lies the truth
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful.
Sophia's heartbreak
By Jonetta (Ejaygirl)
I've been waiting for Sophia and Ted's story since these characters were first introduced. My expectation was that it would be emotionally challenging as we know she's a victim of domestic abuse and I was somewhat prepared for this dimension of the story. I was ill prepared for the ugliness that she would suffer from the residents of Whiskey Creek.
The set up
Sophia was involved with Ted when she was in high school. When he left for college, she secretly got involved with the wealthy Skip DeBussi, dumped Ted and married Skip. She was also the leader of the popular cliques and wasn't the nicest of people. It is understandable how Ted would still harbor resentment 14 years later and he's avoided her in his adult life, even when she began showing up for the Friday morning coffee with the rest of the group. Now that her marriage is behind her, he's still uncertain of how to deal with her and knows he has unresolved feelings.
The issues
Sophia's husband dies trying to fake his own death and leave the country because he knew his Ponzi investment scheme was imploding. She's left having to deal with the FBI and a town full of angry investors. Sophia has no money, creditors constantly after her for everything they owned and no real friends. In spite of his hurt feelings, Ted can't stand by and watch her and her 13-year daughter Alexa be left destitute and so mistreated so he gives her a job and safe harbor.
The heart and soul of the story
It's been a long time since I've read a more heartbreaking story. Sophia couldn't seem to catch a break and the Whiskey Creek residents were there to ensure she didn't get one. Money can bring out the worst behaviors in people and the loss of it even more. There were some angels in the midst and without them Sophia might have gone under, emotionally and financially. Ted got a chance to see the best of Sophia under the most trying circumstances, allowing him to forgive her and be honest with himself about his true feelings for her and the passion that kept them stoked for the past 14 years.
The downside
As much as I loved this story, Ted and their friend Eve's relationship derailed me. He may not have been aware of the depths of Sophia's feelings for him but deep down he had to understand how hurtful this would be to both of them. Eve was most definitely aware of Ted's feelings for Sophia (as did most of the group) and went for him anyway (didn't she learn from her experience with Joe DiMarco?). I thought them insensitive at best, her for knowing the truth and him for subconsciously using Eve as a distraction.
I have an advanced review copy so I'm uncertain if this was changed but the ending was pretty abrupt. It would be better served with at least a short epilogue.
The bottom line
I was an emotional mess for most of this story. Sophia's transformation from mean/spoiled girl to an abused trophy wife and ultimately to a woman determined to live a more meaningful life was inspirational. Her journey was hard, often more than I thought she (or I) could bear. I'm hoping eventually Eve's story will help me understand her point of view better than I do now and I think I'm always going to resent Ted. Whiskey Creek is not all sweetness and light and that's what keeps me coming back...the characters are flawed, dealing with relevant issues and not always making the best decisions and behaving badly. I love this series!
(I received an ARC from NetGalley)
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