The Hero - Robyn Carr (Mira - Sept 2013)

Series: Thunder Point (Book 3)

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.

Very good book.  Devon has taken her daughter and escaped from the commune where she was virtually a prisoner.  She is picked up along the road by Rawley, the man of all work at Cooper's beach bar.  Having been in need of help himself in the past, he gives Devon and her daughter a place to stay while she gets back on her feet.  She finds a job and a caring community in Thunder Point and happily settles in, though she is still nervous about being found.  Spencer has moved to Thunder Point with his son and has taken the job as the new football coach at the high school.  He's still adjusting to the loss of his wife, but is drawn to Devon.  They develop a friendship that starts to grow into more but Spencer isn't sure he's ready for it.

I loved Devon's determination to take back her life.  She felt pretty stupid for falling for the leader in the first place.  It is hard at first to accept the help she is offered but she does it. She doesn't have a whole lot of self confidence at the beginning, but it builds as she does well at her new job and begins to make friends.  It isn't long before the people of Thunder Point have made her one of them.  At first she will only accept friendship from Spencer.  She doesn't want to depend on anyone other than herself for awhile.  But it isn't long before that friendship starts to deepen and change.  Devon is still very cautious about risking her heart.  When Spencer pulls a stupid move toward the end I really liked the way that she tells him off and then tries to move on.  I also loved the way that she stood up to the two FBI agents with the bad attitudes when they came to question her about the commune.  I loved the ending when she joined with others to rescue her daughter from the commune leader.

Spencer had moved to Thunder Point for several reasons. He needed to make a new start for himself and his son after his wife's death.  He wanted his son to be closer to Cooper, his "bio-dad".  He was hired as the new football coach at the high school.  I really enjoyed seeing Spencer's adaptation to small town living in Thunder Point.  There are several fun scenes where he deals with the town's obsession with the football team and their interest in his personal life.  That personal life gets more interesting when he meets Devon.  He overhears her story when she tells it to Rawley, but doesn't let on that he knows.  Her beauty and her strength intrigue him and he finds himself pursuing a friendship with her as he tries to help her.  He doesn't think he's ready for a new relationship, but that's what he gets when he just can't stay away from her. It also helps him realize that in spite of all his new friendships he is still rather lonely. I really liked the way that they were friends first.  I got pretty frustrated with him when he panicked over their closeness and pulled away.  I was glad to see that it didn't take long for him to see what an idiot he'd been and that he was there for her when she needed him.  

Besides the romance between Devon and Spencer, I really enjoyed seeing their lives and those of the others in Thunder Point.  Devon develops some good friendships that also help in her growing self confidence.  I really enjoyed seeing Spencer work with his team and try to fend off the advances of some of the single women.  I also liked seeing the friendship he has with Cooper continue to grow.  One of my favorite things in this book is getting to know Rawley better.  His kindness in rescuing Devon is just the beginning of what we get to learn about him.  His motivation is the opportunity to "pay forward" the help he received as a Vietnam vet who had his own issues with homelessness, poverty and depression.  Being around Devon and her daughter brings changes to his life that everyone who knows him notices.  I especially loved the way he took the lead in the rescue of Devon's daughter from the commune leader.

We also get to see the wedding of Cooper and Sarah and find out the decision she made about her career that was left hanging at the end of the previous book.  Mac and Gina are settling in to their marriage and blending their families, as Mac's Aunt Lou makes some decisions about what to do now that she doesn't have to run Mac's life.  There's a little more about the developing relationship between Gina's daughter Ashley and her father and a surprising decision on his part.  I'm really looking forward to his part in the next book.

The Newcomer - Robyn Carr (Mira - June 2013)

Series: Thunder Point (Book 2)

Single dad and Thunder Point's deputy sheriff "Mac" McCain has worked hard to keep his town safe and his daughter 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 ex-wife shows up in town, drama takes on a whole new meaning. Mac and Gina know they're meant to be together, but can their newfound love withstand the pressure?

Very good book. As always there is a depth to the characters and story that is different than most.  They are real people dealing with the same issues the rest of do - tight budgets, teenage drama, finding time for your significant other.

This one picks up a few months after The Wanderer ends.  Mac and Gina are continuing to develop their relationship.  It isn't easy to spend time together with as busy as their lives are.  Just as things are looking up for them Mac's ex-wife comes to town.  Ten years after she deserted the family she's back, claiming to want to make amends.  Mac doesn't trust her and investigates what she's been doing since she left.  Meanwhile, her appearance is creating some emotional problems for Mac's daughter Eve, which Mac deals with very well.  He also makes sure that Gina has no insecurities about CJ's reappearance.  Gina is dealing with some family issues of her own.  Her daughter Ashley is suffering through a bad breakup with her boyfriend.  Gina has to track down Ashley's father who she hasn't seen since before Ashley was born.  Both Gina and Mac need to decide the future of their relationship.

Cooper and Sarah are still enjoying each other's company.  Coop never expected to be so content staying in one place but he's made a home for himself in Thunder Point.  He has made friends and has what looks like it could be a permanent relationship with Sarah.  He's an excellent mentor and role model for her brother Landon and other teens in the area.  Partway through the book he gets thrown an unexpected  curveball that turns into a life changing event.  He has to decide how that change will impact his relationship with Sarah.  At the same time things are changing for Sarah.  She has always been independent and self-reliant, refusing to depend on anyone else for her needs.  She has been her brother's guardian for ten years and is happy with the way he has settled down in Thunder Point.  Her relationship with Cooper is going great even though she has been trying to keep her work and personal lives separate.  When she gets news of a possible transfer she keeps it to herself as she worries and wonders about the effect it could have on all their lives.  She is going to have to open up with both Coop and Landon soon as decisions will have to be made.

There is plenty going on with other members of the town also as they are all connected throughout the book.  Mac's Aunt Lou still has her own relationship going on as well as dealing with worry about her family when CJ returns.  Her closeness with Eve is apparent when Eve goes to her with worries of her own.  Lou also spends some time with an old adversary as they work together with Gina's mother.  We meet Spencer and Austin, through Cooper, and they end up playing a part in Thunder Point's future.

One of the best storylines is Ashley's.  In the first book her romance with Downey is sweet as he gets ready to head off to college.  He's been a big part of her life for the last couple years.  He has watched out for her, protected his younger brother and was a large part of solving a mystery in the first book.  But going off to college has changed him and not for the better.  When he breaks things off with Ashley in a very cruel manner she doesn't take it well.  Add in problems with a jealous new girlfriend, sexting and bullying and Ashley ends up in a very bad place emotionally.  I loved seeing the realism of the way the issues were dealt with.  It was good to see Ashley come out the other side much stronger.  I also loved her developing friendship with Downey's brother Frank.  He goes a long way toward healing her self esteem and opening her eyes to a better future.  I'm looking forward to seeing more of him.

The Wanderer - Robyn Carr (Mira - Apr 2013)

Series: Thunder Point (Book 1)

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.

Very good book and introduction to a brand new cast of characters.  It starts with Cooper's arrival in Thunder Point and progresses through several chapters of getting to know the various people of the town.  It's a close-knit community much like Virgin River with people you like and some you don't. 

Cooper has come to Thunder Point because of the death of his Army buddy Ben.  Once there he finds out that there may be some questions about Ben's death and also that he has inherited Ben's property.  Since getting out of the army he has been a bit of a rolling stone, taking jobs for as long as they appeal and then moving on to another, living out of his trailer.  Now that he is in Thunder Point he needs to make some decisions about the property.  Cooper decides that until he feels like he knows what Ben would have wanted he'll stay around and fix it up.  He is a bit of a loner thanks to his lifestyle but makes friends with the local deputy Mac pretty quickly.  Through Mac he gets to know others and is soon pretty comfortable with his situation.  He makes friends with teenager Landon, who he has rescued from a bully, and through Landon meets his sister Sarah.  He is attracted to Sarah right away but makes it clear that he is not a commitment kind of guy.  As the weeks go on Cooper finds himself getting more involved with the town and its people and doesn't experience the restlessness he usually does.  I loved his final decision on the property and can't wait to see how it all works out.

Sarah moved to Thunder Point a few months ago with her 16 year old brother Landon after an unpleasant divorce.  Because of her ex's cheating she is wary of trusting another man.  She plans to concentrate on her job as a Coast Guard pilot and taking care of her brother.  She is suspicious of Cooper and his friendship with Landon when they first meet but soon comes to trust him.  I really liked Sarah's devotion to caring for her brother and what a good job she has done with him.  Even in her developing relationship with Cooper she is very aware of the effect it could have on Landon.

I also enjoyed all the secondary stories in this book.  Mac is the nice guy deputy who doesn't realize that his long time friendship with Gina has grown into something more until he is forced to look at his feelings.  Sarah's brother Landon is the new kid in town who is making a splash on the football team and running afoul of the kid who thought he should be the star.  Landon also discovers that the good guy can get the girl. I really liked the way that bullying was dealt with and the way it felt so real. I also loved Mac's Aunt Lou who provides her family with a surprise of her own.