Thunder Point

by

Book Review: THE HERO by Robyn Carr

TheHero
Series: Thunder Point, #3
Publisher: Harlequin Mira
Released: August 27, 2013
Source: eBook review copy from NetGalley
Rating: ★★★★

With warmth and sensitivity, #1 New York Times bestselling author Robyn Carr shows readers that falling in love can be the bravest act of all.

In a moment of desperation, Devon McAllister takes her daughter and flees a place where they should have been safe and secure. She has no idea what is around the next bend, but she is pretty certain it can’t be worse than what they’ve left behind. Her plan is to escape to somewhere she can be invisible. Instead, an unexpected offer of assistance leads her to Thunder Point, a tiny Oregon town with a willingness to help someone in need.

As the widowed father of a vulnerable young boy, Spencer Lawson knows something about needing friendship. But he’s not looking for anything else. Instead, he’s thrown his energy into his new role as Thunder Point’s high school football coach. Tough and demanding to his team, off the field he’s gentle and kind…just the kind of man who could heal Devon’s wounded heart.

Devon thought she wanted to hide from the world. But in Thunder Point, you find bravery where you least expect it…and sometimes, you find a hero.

I am quickly growing to love the Thunder Point series as much as Virgin River. Really! Thunder Point is a refuge for those who need help, and the new face in town, Devon, has found the right place. I thought her scary situation was a nail-biter. Devon was a strong and smart young woman, and it just goes to show how someone’s life can spiral out of control, placing her in a dangerous position. While in Thunder Point, Devon hooks up with Spencer, a widower/single father, and while I don’t feel like their chemistry was a strong as previous couples, I do think they were good for each other. They’ve both been through A LOT, so it’s not surprising that there was hesitation between them at first. Overall, THE HERO was a suspenseful read and an enjoyable continuation of the Thunder Point series. 4 stars!

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

by

Book Review: THE NEWCOMER by Robyn Carr

Manually Released
Series: Thunder Point, #2
Publisher: Harlequin MIRA
Released: June 25, 2013
Source: Review copy from NetGalley
Rating: ★★★★

With humor and insight, #1 New York Times bestselling author Robyn Carr looks at letting go of the past-and knowing when you’ve found something worth building your future on

Single dad and Thunder Point’s deputy sheriff “Mac” McCain has worked hard to keep everyone safe and happy. Now he’s found his own happiness with Gina James. The longtime friends have always shared the challenges and rewards of raising their adolescent daughters. With an unexpected romance growing between them, they’re feeling like teenagers themselves-suddenly they can’t get enough of one another.

And just when things are really taking off, their lives are suddenly thrown into chaos. When Mac’s long-lost-and not missed-ex-wife shows up in town, drama takes on a whole new meaning. They’re wondering if their new feelings for each other can withstand the pressure…but they are not going down without a fight.

Step into the world of Thunder Point, a little town on the Oregon coast where newcomers are welcomed, hearts are broken and mended, and the dramas of everyday life keep the locals laughing, crying and falling in love.

THE NEWCOMER is the final book I read in 2014, and with just a few hours before the new year starts, it’s my last review posted too! This is the second book in Robyn Carr’s Thunder Point series, set in a small town on the Oregon coast. This book is not a typical romance that only focuses on the main couple, Mac and Gina. Instead, it’s the continuing saga of Thunder Point’s residents that began in book one.

This book was heavy on family drama, particularly with issues facing teenagers today. Talk about a heartrending, emotional roller coaster ride! I enjoy how Robin Carr’s writing style pulls me into the middle of things and makes me care so much about the characters. There was a lot going on in this book, but the story flowed smoothly and kept me hooked until the end. THE NEWCOMER was an enjoyable read for me, but be warned that romance does not take center stage, but it’s not glossed over either. Happy New Year!

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

by

Book Review: THE WANDERER by Robyn Carr

16000980

 

Series: Thunder Point, #1
Publisher: Mira
Released: March 26, 2013
Source: Review copy from NetGalley

Nestled on the Oregon coast is a small town of rocky beaches and rugged charm. Locals love the land’s unspoiled beauty. Developers see it as a potential gold mine. When newcomer Hank Cooper learns he’s been left an old friend’s entire beachfront property, he finds himself with a community’s destiny in his hands.

Cooper has never been a man to settle in one place, and Thunder Point was supposed to be just another quick stop. But Cooper finds himself getting involved with the town. And with Sarah Dupre, a woman as complicated as she is beautiful.

With the whole town watching for his next move, Cooper has to choose between his old life and a place full of new possibilities. A place that just might be home.

———

I’ve recently read the first couple of books from Robyn Carr’s Virgin River series and absolutely loved them, so I was excited to get started with her new series on the ground floor. It did not disappoint! Once again, Ms. Carr delivers strong characters who draw you into the story with their depth and emotion, and an amazing small-town setting that is an engaging character in and of itself.

The story takes place in Thunder Point, a remote community on the rocky coast of Oregon. Hank Cooper comes to town after his friend Ben dies and leaves him an old run-down bar/bait shack and a huge chunk of beachfront property. I enjoyed how the book started out with a mystery – even though there was no evidence found, Cooper suspects there was foul play involved in Ben’s death. He befriends Mac McCain, the town’s deputy sheriff, and together they look for clues as to what really happened to Ben.

Cooper is a loner-type who doesn’t like to stay in one place long, but he owes it to Ben to fix up his place and decide what’s best for the property. Along the way he meets Sarah, a Coast Guard helicopter pilot raising her teenage brother, Landon. There is a strong attraction between Cooper and Sarah, but Sarah’s been burned by men in the past, and doesn’t want to risk she and Landon being abandoned again. How can an emotionally unavailable man and an emotionally scarred woman overcome their hurdles and make it work?

This book seems to have set the foundation for the series, and much like Virgin River, the secondary characters in Thunder Point have their own stories too. There’s Mac, the deputy sheriff, and Gina, a single mom and waitress pursuing a Social Work degree. There’s also Landon and Eve, Mac’s 16-year old daughter. A big part of the story was Landon’s troubles in school, and I loved the bond that formed between Cooper and Landon as a result.

Maybe the only thing I didn’t like was that Sarah and Cooper didn’t actually meet until the book’s half-way point. There was a lot of introducing the town that happened before, which I understand as a first book in the series. But still, I wanted them to get together sooner. :-)

THE WANDERER laid a strong foundation for the Thunder Point series, and I really enjoyed it. Eagerly waiting for more!

Rating: 4 Stars

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.