The Hero: Thunder Point, Book 3

I am both very happy and very sad at the same time. Happy-- because I finally got my hands on this fantastic addition to the series, and So Sad--- because I finished this book so fast, and then realized that I'll have to wait a few more months for the next one to come out.Robyn Carr has been one of my all time top 5 authors, because I know I can pick up any one of her books and I will never worry about being disappointed, and that's true in the book, too.I can't even begin to tell you how intense this book was. Yes, there were lots laughs, a sweet budding romance, trust issues to solve, acceptance of new people and even acceptance for the ones that fell off the rail in the past. And it was great to see such comradery between Connor, Spenser, and Rawley. But the suspense was out of this world. I lost so much sleep last night, because this book had me so on edge, I couldn't even put it down long enough to go to the bathroom. And even after I was finished, I was still so wound up, it took me hours to try to calm down enough to finally get to sleep.I loved the 'Virgin River Series' and I was so heart broken when Robyn Carr decided to move on into another series. I thought that no other series could ever compete with that one, but I'm happy to say I was so, so wrong! These characters are winning over my heart in leaps and bounds, just like all the beloved characters in 'Virgin River' did.I have fallen in love with all the character in this series so far-- but in this book-- Rawley totally surprised me. It was like a light bulb went on, and he came out of his shell in a way that no one ever expected, not even Connor who has gotten to know him pretty well. The way he took Devon and Mercy in when she had no place to go. Their private little heart felt talks, the way he went out of his way to make things better for her and Mercy, the way he bonded with little Mercy.....it just melted my heart. But the way he jumped into action when thing took a wrong turn, showed me what a strong determined man he really was. Oh and the little house talk between Conner, Spenser, and Rawley was so hysterical.I love the way Robyn Carr always manages to weave the people we've all come to know & love in the past, and mix them all in with the new people involved in the new books. That's the biggest reasons I loved 'Virgin River' so much, too. Oh... and I also love the fact that all of her characters are just your average everyday people. They have the same kind of problems we've all had to deal with in our everyday lives. The people seem so real, the small quaint towns they reside in feels so real, and all the situations they incur along the way feels so real, as well.I am so curious as to what happens to all the women and children that got away, and whether or not Laney comes into town and joins the gang at Thunder Point. I also wonder whether or not 'Doc" will ever find his true love match. I'm curious as to what will happen when Eric buys the shop in town. But most of all, I wonder if Connor will make it through the birth of his baby, with his mind still intact.There is so much to look forward too-- in the up coming books, and I can't wait!Would I recommend this book? Yes I would, in a heart beat!

I have never read any of Robyn Carr's novels before. This is the third book in what is, apparently, a new series, the Thunder Point series. I take it that Carr's books are quite popular: this was the number one bestseller in the New York Times bestseller list when I purchased it. It is a fantasy. Oh, you won't find it in any catalogue of fantasy novels. I suppose it is a categorized as `romance'. It is, nevertheless, a fantasy.The Hero tells the story of Devon McAllister and her three-year-old daughter Mercy. Devon, now in her late twenties, has spent the last four years of her life living within a religious commune, The Fellowship, run by the increasingly autocratic and erratic Jacob. Although Jacob probably genuinely regards himself as some kind of messianic figure, the commune is a front for growing a large marijuana crop. Jacob draws vulnerable young women into his circle, generally beds them and fathers children by them. Although he is apparently ready to let the women escape, if they want to, he is very possessive of the children. Devon escapes with her daughter, with the assistance of Laine who is, unbeknownst to her, an undercover FBI agent. Devon escapes to a small town, Thunder Point, on the northwest coast of the USA, where she gradually begins to regain her self-confidence, build a new life for herself and Mercy, and, yes, find love in the arms of Spencer. For a time she lives in fear that Jacob will come searching for his daughter, which eventually he does, leading to a quite interesting, but hardly unexpected climax.The novel is populated with the various characters who inhabit this small coastal town, including Rawley, a rough old Vietnam vet, and various other men and women who tend to blur together. Each has a back story of some kind, variously interesting or not.The story is fairly predictable, but not badly written. That is to say, all the words are in the right place and spelled correctly. The real problem for me is the people who live in this town. Each and every one of them is simply too good to be true. There is scarcely a bad deed to be seen, a nasty word spoken, or a bad thought entertained. In this town, everyone is nice to everyone else, everyone is on their best behaviour, and everyone is just right neighbourly. As I said, this is a fantasy. The bad guys, chiefly Jacob, are, of course, outsiders. There are a couple of nasty-ish FBI agents who come to question Devon. These, too, are, of course, outsiders. The only character who really interested me at all was Laine, the undercover FBI agent. She at least has some gutsy moments. As I was reading, I couldn't help thinking that here was yet another perfect American town, which, were one of its inhabitants to go berserk and start shooting people, would be in shock that such a thing could happen in their perfect, safe, quiet little community. There were times when I wanted to pick up the gun myself.I find it hard to understand why such an unremarkable book would reach the number one bestseller position. Perhaps I find it worrying, too. It seems so difficult for American culture to embrace a realistic view of itself. It would rather entertain and perpetuate this fantasy. The good guys on one side, the bad on the other; nobody with a bit of the bad mixed in with a bit of the good. No society will ever grow up until it begins to perceive and understand itself realistically, warts and all. As a piece of writing this is okay. As a story, it is predictable, but okay. As an exposition of human nature, it is appalling. If you believe in elves, the Good Witch Glinda and the tooth fairy, you will believe in the people of Thunder Point. I give this a begrudging three stars.

Just thought I was following an interesting set of characters who were getting their lives organized and settled in a state I came to find fascinating through annual visits to friends in the coastal area. But the path of the story involving the Fellowship really accelerated my reading commitment. I left everything aside until I finished the book. Moving on to Book 4.

Lots of heroes in this Robyn Carr novel. All of her stories have great character development and this one developed several heroes! The story got to the point and resolved it with the help of HEROES!

In all honesty, the 3rd book in the Thunder Point series by Robyn Carr disappointed me; it felt rather bland, hurried and the plot of a young woman escaping a commune didn’t exactly appeal to me. Nothing personal, I just didn't buy it.The main characters; Devon and Spencer didn’t have that special connection the author tried to infuse. I didn’t believe in their attraction. Their coming together simply wasn’t credible. They both lacked the charisma of the earlier protagonists in this series.Sure, I was happy to be reacquainted with this wonderful coastal Oregon town and their inhabitants Mac, Gina, Cooper and Sarah, Lou, Rae Anne, Carrie, Rawley, and wish they would have been even more present on the pages of this instalment. Especially Mac and Gina – those two I believe in. On a good note, I liked that old Rawley started to come out of his shell, being more communicative, revealing more of his past. I can only imagine he's the HERO the author attributed the title to - I don't really see who else?I’m actually very curious if Robyn Carr will be able to bring back more credibility to her lead characters and her stories for the next Thunder Point books?

Another episode of the on going saga of Thunder Point residents. In this book the tales of Cooper, Sarah, Gina & Mac continue with the addition of a new love for Spencer. All very nice, sweet & vanilla flavoured except for the cult theme that introduces Spencer's new love interest. Just a bit boring & long winded with too much description in some places and not enough in others. May still buy book 4 in the hope it's better than this.

Really enjoyed the story until the F word came a few times towards the end. Why authors have to use this word in romance novel I've no idea. I would have been happy to read more in the series but doubt I will. Such a shame really . Would have given it 4 stars !!!

Really enjoyed this book, the characterisation was good and I liked the storyline. Not to much angst, just a nice easyvreax

Another lovely story. What I love about the Thunder point series is that the story continues from the last book.