A New Hope (Thunder Point Book 8)

A New Hope is book eight in the Thunder Point series by Robyn Carr. It is a good addition to the series but can stand alone as well.Ginger Dysart has come to Thunder Point in an effort to come to grips with the death of her child and to make a new life for herself. She wants nothing to do with the father of her child who was not there for her when the baby died. She has taken a non-stressful job at Grace’s flower shop. She has learned to make arrangements and takes care of the customers. She is giving Grace some relief as Grace is concerned with her ailing mother, building a house, planning a wedding, and being pregnant. At least Ginger is able to give Grace some relief from the flower shop.Ginger is excited about doing the flowers for the Lacoumette wedding. This is a big event and will help to make the flower shop. Ginger enjoys the work and is excited about going to the wedding to set up the flowers and be a part of the wedding as a guest. She meets the family and is so glad to find they are a wonderful caring family. That is, all but Matt. Matt is drunk and makes a pass at Ginger. His family steps in and takes him away but Ginger is still humiliated.Matt has some details in his past that need dealing with. He tries at the wedding to do that by getting drunk. He is divorced and a little ashamed about loving his ex-wife. She was a city girl and wanted nothing to do with the farm Matt and his parents and siblings have. Matt intends to stay on as a farmer, although he agrees to live in the city and travel back and forth. This doesn’t last long. Matt feels he has let his family down by marrying and now divorcing. To top it off, he was drunk at the wedding and hurt the feelings of a really nice girl. He sets out to apologize. When he gets to the flower shop, he apologizes but finds he wants to get to know Ginger and be friends. Can this happen?

I loved this book from start to finish. It was based on a romantic relationship between Matt & Ginger. They were each healing from divorces. Ginger had gone through a very sad ending, & she didn't realize what a jerk her ex had been. She ended up moving to a great town where the locals knew no strangers. She was fortunate to have been hired to a floral store. It was only supposed to be a few hours per week. Grace, the owner, had many serious issues to deal with. Ginger was more than happy to take over for as long as she was needed.Matt"s thinking he's dealing just great with his divorce. He actually wasn't. Ginger & Matt over time had a serious discussion about his dealing with the divorce. Ginger truly wished to marry Matt. She realized he had not dealt with the issues, and she didn't want to marry Matt until he had dealt with the issues that were causing much anger & heartache.I Wil leave the rest to you as there is an even better and romantic story to unfold. You'll never be disappointed.

The Thunder Point series is turning out to be just as good as Virgin River. Book eight tells the story of Ginger Dysart who is a relative of the town's realtor Ray Anne. Ginger feels that Thunder Point, along with a makeover from Ray Anne, saved her life. Stepping out of her shell she attended the wedding reception of her boss Grace Dillion. She wanted to she how a Basque wedding reception looked and felt. She was having a great time until she was accosted by Matt Lacoumette who was plastered. Since he passed out after she pushed him away, there was no problem, but left shortly afterward. When Matt came to the flower shop to apologize she agrees to share a meal and they strike up a friendship.This was a good read two lonely and alone people who are still struggling through a rough passage in their lives, meet and begin to understand that they are not the problem, one bad decision based on what they thought was love, changed the course of their lives and life still goes on, so they have to go with it. I really liked this story and the characters. Matt may have reacted negatively to his divorce but he was still hurt and in pain.Ginger just shut down and continued to grieve. Their resolution was a win, win and they made a lot of new friends along the way. Great read!

While attending her friend Peyton Lacoumette’s wedding, Ginger Dysart is accosted by Matt, one of Peyton’s brothers. When she declines dancing with him or “joining him in the hayloft,” he tries to grope her. Rightfully indignant, she pushes him away. Obviously drunk, he falls and hits his head. Lights out!This almost violent introduction naturally leads toward additional interaction, as Matt – embarrassed by his own behavior – drives from Portland to Thunder Point to apologize in person. Impressed by his making a point and driving several hours to apologize in person, Ginger accepts his invitation to an “apology” dinner. Their dinner and conversation develops into mutual attraction.Both are recovering from betrayal in their first marriages and recent divorces. Ginger’s ex-husband, Mick, was a would-be musician. He was so self-centered that he was “too busy” to attend the funeral of their infant son. Matt discovered early in his marriage that his wife was totally wrong for him – she was a city girl looking for a wealthy partner to enjoy city functions and parties, while Matt was a natural, happy farmer just like his father. Embarrassed and angry over their failed marriages, both Ginger and Matt struggle against their attraction to each other.Author Carr weaves this romance into the well-knit fabric of Thunder Point and its familiar citizens. She delves in depth into her main characters, accurately reflecting the impact a bad experience can have on one’s later relationships. Familiar Thunder Point activities and friends provide a backdrop around Ginger and Matt’s developing relationship.I like this series. I look forward to One Wish, Robyn Carr’s next book in the series.

Robyn Carr writes small town romance but she always has a little edge that many of her contemporaries are lacking. She doesn't go for the clichéd scenes and there is always a lot of witty banter. As with similar books these are predictable but I usually do enjoy her offerings more than her rivals. This was a very satisfying read.Following the previous book there is a wedding which Ginger attends as she is doing the flowers. She was the subject of a sub-plot in the last book when she came to the town to try and recover after the death of her baby and now she is working for Grace in the flower shop and beginning to bloom herself. At the wedding she is propositioned by the bride's brother who is hopelessly drunk. When he pursues her to apologise an attraction develops between them but Ginger is still desolate after her loss and regaining her confidence and Matt has issues after a disastrous divorce. I do have an issue with the approach at the wedding which I never really resolved - it seemed very out of character for the Matt we come to know later in the book but I found it difficult to forget that he had been crude and had almost assaulted Ginger and that it had all been accepted because he was drunk. I would not have been as happy as Ginger to let it lie.The author includes other characters from previous books in the story, finishes off story arcs begun before and starts new sub-plots that will probably be the subject of future volumes. Although each book is stand-alone you get a better feel for what the author is doing if you start at the beginning of the series and work your way through.There are no surprises here but the romance between these two wounded people is told in an amusing and satisfying manner and the way in which this story slots together with others enhances its enjoyment.

So sickly sweet, forgiving babble from too good to be true characters who supposedly had traumatic pasts. None of it rang true, just saccharin sweet rubbish. Give it a miss.

The Thunder Point series is great you do feel as though you know all of the characters obviously that is the aim of a good writer. You don't want it to end .

I love all Robyn Carr’s books. They’re all pure escapism and this one didn’t disappoint.

Great read.