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Thunder Point #2
The Newcomer
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 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?
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.
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?
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.
360 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published June 12, 2013
1381 people are currently reading
4882 people want to read
About the author
Robyn Carr
169 books12.4k followers Robyn Carr is a RITA® Award-winning, eleven-time #1 New York Times bestselling author of over sixty novels, including the critically acclaimed Virgin River series and Sullivan's Crossing series. Robyn's new women's fiction novel, THE FRIENDSHIP CLUB, will be released in January 2024. The new hit Sullivan's Crossing TV series (season 1) inspired by Robyn's book series was released in the USA in the fall of 2023! Plus, season 5 of the worldwide fan-favorite Virgin River TV Series is now streaming on Netflix (July 2023) with two holiday episodes coming November 30, 2023. Both TV series have been renewed for another season!
Robyn is a recipient of the Romance Writers of America Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award 2016, and in 2017, VIRGIN RIVER was named one of the HarperCollins 200 Iconic Books of the past 200 years. Robyn currently resides in Las Vegas, Nevada. You can visit Robyn Carr's website at https://www.robyncarr.com/.
Robyn is a recipient of the Romance Writers of America Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award 2016, and in 2017, VIRGIN RIVER was named one of the HarperCollins 200 Iconic Books of the past 200 years. Robyn currently resides in Las Vegas, Nevada. You can visit Robyn Carr's website at https://www.robyncarr.com/.
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June 14, 2013
The Newcomer is the second book in Robyn Carr’s Thunder Point series. I really enjoyed this installment, but the title is more than a bit deceiving because the “newcomer” doesn't even visit Thunder Point until close to the end of the book. In fact, the decision to become a “newcomer” didn’t happen until the very end.
This story is actually the continuation of two romances, Cooper and Sarah’s, and Mac and Gina’s. The story takes place nine months after The Wanderer and I enjoyed seeing where the couples are – or are going – in their happily for nows and ever afters.
From the Cover:Ms. Carr is such a terrific writer! The stories she tells are tales of real life trials and triumphs, the kinds of things things that bring friends and family closer and make relationships stronger. I love everything she’s ever written and find myself awaiting each ‘next’ book with happy anticipation. One thing’s for certain, I can always count on her to deliver stories that capture my imagination with characters I love, whose happily ever afters leave me with a smile on my face. Robyn Carr is truly one of the greats in Contemporary Romance.
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.
What keeps this from being a 4 star read, in my opinion, goes back to how misleading the title is and how distracting it is to not know who the newcomer was. I know... very odd, and it's probably just me, but I have to be honest and that's how I feel.
3.5 stars
My thanks to Harlequin MIRA for providing me with a copy of this story in exchange for an honest review. As always, it was such a pleasure!
January 6, 2016
To describe The Newcomer as a disappointment is possibly the biggest understatement of 2015 (thus far). The first book in Carr’s Thunder Point series, The Wanderer, was easily my favorite contemporary romance of all time. I was pumped for this sequel, ready for more small-town antics and a down-to-earth homey vibe and some fun, yet understated, romance. That is not at all what happened in this book. Not even close.
Phew, there’s just so much to unpack. I suppose the biggest problem with The Newcomer is that it’s a direct sequel to the first book in the series. And you might be all “well, duh, Renae, of course it’s a sequel—it’s a series!” and yeah, sure. But see, romance series don’t really operate like that. “Sequels” in romance-land are usually self-contained books that share a slight commonality: a small town setting, or maybe all the protagonists are brothers, etc. But the important point is: once a romance author writes a book, she moves on, finds new characters, and does new things. Robyn Carr doesn’t do that with The Newcomer; she sticks with the same characters and just continues their stories, when they really didn’t need any more story. I mean, the “newcomer” of this book’s title is literally the same guy as the “wanderer” from the first book’s title, if that tells you anything.
And it’s not that I don’t like these characters. It’s just that their story was told, and now it’s done. In order to make The Newcomer interesting, Carr had to add a bunch of inane drama to the mix. The entire book is all soap opera and tragedy, with actually zero romance, since all of the romantic couples had already been established and worked through their issues in the previous book and were just in a point of stagnancy.
Let’s just look at the chain of events in The Newcomer, shall we?
1. Sarah finds out she might get transferred, and this puts stress on her relationship with Cooper. She finds this out in the first chapter, but doesn’t tell him until the last. Because reasons.
2. Gina’s daughter, Ashley, is dumped by her boyfriend. Then his new lady-love photoshops Ashley’s face onto a naked picture and sends it to everyone. Ashley has a crisis, makes suicidal statements, and winds up in the hospital.
3. Gina is dating Mac. Mac’s ex-wife shows up and wants to see their kids. But it turns out she’s a gambler and actually just wants money.
4. While still dealing with Sarah’s evasiveness (see point 1), Cooper gets a call from his ex-fiancée. She’s dying of cancer. Oh, and she had a kid and it’s Cooper’s. Oh boy.
5. The “father” of Cooper’s son decides to move to Thunder Point and become the football coach.
6. Ashley’s long-lost dad comes out of the woodwork and wants to reconnect (see point 2 if you don’t remember who Ashley is).
7. Mac’s daughter, Eve, thinks she’s pregnant. She makes her boyfriend drive far away to buy a pregnancy test. As she goes to take the test…she gets her period.
8. Ashley’s ex-boyfriend gets kicked off the baseball team because of steroids.
9. Gina and Mac elope.
10. Sarah and Cooper get engaged.
HOLY COW, are you looking at this mess of a book??? There is so much going on, all at once. I’m pretty sure Robyn Carr stuck some cliché, melodramatic plot elements into a food processor and then put whatever she got into a nice Tupperware container and called it The Newcomer. And the “romance” advertized on the back of the book? Hah, no. Gina and Mac are mostly peripheral figures in this entire mess. If you want to know who’s the real “star” of this book? It’s the teenagers, most notably Ashley, Gina’s daughter.
And I have a huge problem with that.
The biggest reason for this problem is that Carr is absolute crap at writing teenagers. I read a lot of young adult fiction. I know what’s up. And maybe this author should go read YA before she starts writing about breakups and suicide and birth control. Because this? This reads like what people assume YA is when they’ve never read it. It’s overwrought, sentimental, and sloppy. Every chance for some adult to come out of the woodwork and drum some “lesson” into a teenager’s head is taken and milked for all its worth. Ashley even lectures her ex-boyfriend on his steroid use and sounds exactly like the people that came into for school assemblies, i.e. didactic and boring.
Teenagers aren’t like this. They don’t talk like that, they don’t interact like that. Just no. I realize The Newcomer isn’t for a teenage audience—it’s for adult readers. But as an adult reader, I can bullshit on this book. Either this is what Carr wants teenagers to be like, or she’s just really bad at expressing reality.
But then let’s get into other issues. Namely, this is supposedly adult romance! So where are all the adults? Hello? This was not even close to being about falling in love or making relationships work. In fact, this was all stuff and nonsense. Carr introduced these characters in The Wanderer, and that’s where they fell in love. Here, in The Newcomer, it was like she was scrambling for something to write about, and wound up with teenage bullying, gambling ex-wives, and surprise love children. Give. Me. A. Break
And sure, maybe Thunder Point isn’t going to be the sort of romance series that does the “traditional” thing and has one new central romance per book, where characters from previous novels show up but don’t play pivotal roles. Fine. That’s fine. But for the love of Pete, why is Harlequin marketing these books as if that’s what this series is? Because that jacket copy? It’s 100% about Mac and Gina, when Mac and Gina’s relationship was barely present except in the end when they eloped. I’m serious. The publicity team needs to get their act together, because I’m all about cute small-town romances, and I really want to be on board with this series. But I am not about inane teenage telenovelas written by an author whose understanding of realistic teenagers appears to be about nil. So I don’t know what’s up with The Newcomer, but if I read the next book and find more of the same, you can bet that I’m kissing Thunder Point goodbye and never looking back.
Phew, there’s just so much to unpack. I suppose the biggest problem with The Newcomer is that it’s a direct sequel to the first book in the series. And you might be all “well, duh, Renae, of course it’s a sequel—it’s a series!” and yeah, sure. But see, romance series don’t really operate like that. “Sequels” in romance-land are usually self-contained books that share a slight commonality: a small town setting, or maybe all the protagonists are brothers, etc. But the important point is: once a romance author writes a book, she moves on, finds new characters, and does new things. Robyn Carr doesn’t do that with The Newcomer; she sticks with the same characters and just continues their stories, when they really didn’t need any more story. I mean, the “newcomer” of this book’s title is literally the same guy as the “wanderer” from the first book’s title, if that tells you anything.
And it’s not that I don’t like these characters. It’s just that their story was told, and now it’s done. In order to make The Newcomer interesting, Carr had to add a bunch of inane drama to the mix. The entire book is all soap opera and tragedy, with actually zero romance, since all of the romantic couples had already been established and worked through their issues in the previous book and were just in a point of stagnancy.
Let’s just look at the chain of events in The Newcomer, shall we?
1. Sarah finds out she might get transferred, and this puts stress on her relationship with Cooper. She finds this out in the first chapter, but doesn’t tell him until the last. Because reasons.
2. Gina’s daughter, Ashley, is dumped by her boyfriend. Then his new lady-love photoshops Ashley’s face onto a naked picture and sends it to everyone. Ashley has a crisis, makes suicidal statements, and winds up in the hospital.
3. Gina is dating Mac. Mac’s ex-wife shows up and wants to see their kids. But it turns out she’s a gambler and actually just wants money.
4. While still dealing with Sarah’s evasiveness (see point 1), Cooper gets a call from his ex-fiancée. She’s dying of cancer. Oh, and she had a kid and it’s Cooper’s. Oh boy.
5. The “father” of Cooper’s son decides to move to Thunder Point and become the football coach.
6. Ashley’s long-lost dad comes out of the woodwork and wants to reconnect (see point 2 if you don’t remember who Ashley is).
7. Mac’s daughter, Eve, thinks she’s pregnant. She makes her boyfriend drive far away to buy a pregnancy test. As she goes to take the test…she gets her period.
8. Ashley’s ex-boyfriend gets kicked off the baseball team because of steroids.
9. Gina and Mac elope.
10. Sarah and Cooper get engaged.
HOLY COW, are you looking at this mess of a book??? There is so much going on, all at once. I’m pretty sure Robyn Carr stuck some cliché, melodramatic plot elements into a food processor and then put whatever she got into a nice Tupperware container and called it The Newcomer. And the “romance” advertized on the back of the book? Hah, no. Gina and Mac are mostly peripheral figures in this entire mess. If you want to know who’s the real “star” of this book? It’s the teenagers, most notably Ashley, Gina’s daughter.
And I have a huge problem with that.
The biggest reason for this problem is that Carr is absolute crap at writing teenagers. I read a lot of young adult fiction. I know what’s up. And maybe this author should go read YA before she starts writing about breakups and suicide and birth control. Because this? This reads like what people assume YA is when they’ve never read it. It’s overwrought, sentimental, and sloppy. Every chance for some adult to come out of the woodwork and drum some “lesson” into a teenager’s head is taken and milked for all its worth. Ashley even lectures her ex-boyfriend on his steroid use and sounds exactly like the people that came into for school assemblies, i.e. didactic and boring.
Teenagers aren’t like this. They don’t talk like that, they don’t interact like that. Just no. I realize The Newcomer isn’t for a teenage audience—it’s for adult readers. But as an adult reader, I can bullshit on this book. Either this is what Carr wants teenagers to be like, or she’s just really bad at expressing reality.
But then let’s get into other issues. Namely, this is supposedly adult romance! So where are all the adults? Hello? This was not even close to being about falling in love or making relationships work. In fact, this was all stuff and nonsense. Carr introduced these characters in The Wanderer, and that’s where they fell in love. Here, in The Newcomer, it was like she was scrambling for something to write about, and wound up with teenage bullying, gambling ex-wives, and surprise love children. Give. Me. A. Break
And sure, maybe Thunder Point isn’t going to be the sort of romance series that does the “traditional” thing and has one new central romance per book, where characters from previous novels show up but don’t play pivotal roles. Fine. That’s fine. But for the love of Pete, why is Harlequin marketing these books as if that’s what this series is? Because that jacket copy? It’s 100% about Mac and Gina, when Mac and Gina’s relationship was barely present except in the end when they eloped. I’m serious. The publicity team needs to get their act together, because I’m all about cute small-town romances, and I really want to be on board with this series. But I am not about inane teenage telenovelas written by an author whose understanding of realistic teenagers appears to be about nil. So I don’t know what’s up with The Newcomer, but if I read the next book and find more of the same, you can bet that I’m kissing Thunder Point goodbye and never looking back.
May 8, 2013
Full review closer to release date but here are some highlights...
* This book reads not like a new story, but more like a continuation of The Wanderer. A couple of new characters are introduced, and one will be the hero of the next book in the series.
*I'd say a third of the book is YA, which is okay, but I'd rather read about the adult relationships. It touches on lots of teen topics like heartbreak, depression, bullying on social networks, a pregnancy scare, and has lots of teen angst. After all the drama, there's a story arc with a new character that I'm going to enjoy reading about in future books.
*Cooper & Sarah: Her job may put the future of their relationship in jeopardy and also affect her brother Landon's future in football and his budding love life.
* A past relationship of Cooper's has produced a big surprise and heartbreak. (This storyline had me crying)
*Mac & Gina: An unwelcome blast from Mac's past threatens the peace and quiet of his family life.
*Mac & Gina struggle to find time to be together--family drama and teen angst get in their way.
*Gina reaches out to someone from her past to get some answers. (This had me tearing up too)
*Aunt Lou and a foe call a truce--this could get interesting.:)
The character of Cooper seems more and more like Jack from the Virgin River series (and that's a good thing). Both men have similar pasts where they were a bit egocentric and not ready for commitment but now that Coop is in his 30's he's more mature and ready to settle down. I just loved him in this book.
Robyn Carr writes some of the best beta heroes in Contemporary romance, and Coop and Mac are two of the very best. I loved their storylines and their friendship, and while Mac seems to get his life settled in this book, I don't think that Ms. Carr is all done with Coop yet. I think we're going to see a little more of his story in the next book, The Hero. So far this series is off to a good start, but it doesn't quite equal the best books of Virgin River--yet. Maybe "The Hero" will be the one. 4 stars
Thanks to Netgalley for providing an ARC.
* This book reads not like a new story, but more like a continuation of The Wanderer. A couple of new characters are introduced, and one will be the hero of the next book in the series.
*I'd say a third of the book is YA, which is okay, but I'd rather read about the adult relationships. It touches on lots of teen topics like heartbreak, depression, bullying on social networks, a pregnancy scare, and has lots of teen angst. After all the drama, there's a story arc with a new character that I'm going to enjoy reading about in future books.
*Cooper & Sarah: Her job may put the future of their relationship in jeopardy and also affect her brother Landon's future in football and his budding love life.
* A past relationship of Cooper's has produced a big surprise and heartbreak. (This storyline had me crying)
*Mac & Gina: An unwelcome blast from Mac's past threatens the peace and quiet of his family life.
*Mac & Gina struggle to find time to be together--family drama and teen angst get in their way.
*Gina reaches out to someone from her past to get some answers. (This had me tearing up too)
*Aunt Lou and a foe call a truce--this could get interesting.:)
The character of Cooper seems more and more like Jack from the Virgin River series (and that's a good thing). Both men have similar pasts where they were a bit egocentric and not ready for commitment but now that Coop is in his 30's he's more mature and ready to settle down. I just loved him in this book.
Robyn Carr writes some of the best beta heroes in Contemporary romance, and Coop and Mac are two of the very best. I loved their storylines and their friendship, and while Mac seems to get his life settled in this book, I don't think that Ms. Carr is all done with Coop yet. I think we're going to see a little more of his story in the next book, The Hero. So far this series is off to a good start, but it doesn't quite equal the best books of Virgin River--yet. Maybe "The Hero" will be the one. 4 stars
Thanks to Netgalley for providing an ARC.
Read
November 10, 2013DNF. I made it a few chapters in and found myself wondering WTF am I reading? I really enjoyed book 1 (the Wanderer) and I thought this book was going to move on from Coop and Sarah's story to focus on a new romance. But it dove right back into a continuation of Coop and Sarah's relationship and added some new drama for them. Then we got a heavy dose of a teenage angst romance that went bad and her first broken heart. Where was the new romance in this book?
So I decided to read a few reviews by trusted friends who are also Robyn Carr fans. But after reading a few reviews, I realized quickly this book wasn't going to pick up in a way I would enjoy. This isn't a pure romance series after all. I was hoping this series would be closer to her Virgin River series, but this is more of a womans fiction mixed with a lot of family drama and some romance. so I am calling it quits. I love, love, love Virgin River books, but this series is not my cuppa.
So I decided to read a few reviews by trusted friends who are also Robyn Carr fans. But after reading a few reviews, I realized quickly this book wasn't going to pick up in a way I would enjoy. This isn't a pure romance series after all. I was hoping this series would be closer to her Virgin River series, but this is more of a womans fiction mixed with a lot of family drama and some romance. so I am calling it quits. I love, love, love Virgin River books, but this series is not my cuppa.
December 4, 2017
This is second in a series. Or rather, an extension of a story started in another book. Indeed, I'm having a hard time deciding why this book exists as there aren't any new relationships and the established ones don't really progress.
You might note that I haven't tagged this as a romance. Because it's not. Frankly, I'm not sure what this book is trying for. It's another couple months in the life of Thunder Point. Sort of. To get the requisite drama for revisiting the characters, Carr had to reset one major relationship (Coop and Sarah) and throw a bunch of family drama at the other (Gina and Mac). And I have no idea what the title refers to (who was the newcomer? It certainly wasn't Mac's ex, CJ. She's barely there at all and that only to throw emotion-bombs for Mac to clean up).
Add a completely out-of-the-blue teen breakup/bully/social media plotline that dominates story space and I only really stuck with it out of inertia and because I had nothing better on deck. Indeed, Ashley's issues of break-up and heartbreak felt completely false to me because it was so unsupported. It could be that I'm just really close to real-life depression and mental anguish but Ashley's reactions and the degree of depression and hopelessness she shows needed much, much better support than Carr bothered to give. Someone that fragile will show signs of that fragility way before a triggering event throws them into a spiral of despair. Her entire story felt manipulated for a made-for-TV special on teen relationships, bullying, and the dangers of social media. And it doesn't help that her boyfriend was so ideal in the previous book making this one feel especially manipulated.
I was headed for a three-star rating, but I've pretty much talked myself into lower. Not just Ashley, but Sarah .
And then the stupid plotline with CJ happened. I'm still not sure what Carr was doing there or what CJ's possible motivations where. Even after Mac confronts her with "the facts" I can't see any reason for her to stumble into his life only to stumble out again so listlessly. So again, the whole thing felt like an author's manipulation in order to provide something for Gina and Mac to worry about. That this seems to be the motivation for both the title and cover copy seems to indicate that nobody else can figure out why this book exists either (because this is a bare fraction of the story and had little to no impact on any other aspect of it).
To counter all the dismal, at least somewhat, the plot with Gina's ex (and Ashley's father) turned out really well. And Cooper's surprise developments didn't suck, either. So that's two sort-of highlights. In a story otherwise floundering in suck...
So yeah, two stars. And that makes me sad.
A note about Steamy: Honestly, I didn't pay attention to the sex scenes. They are as ludicrous as they were in the first, only with a whole lot less reason to show them given that the couples were firmly established and the sex added nothing story-wise.
You might note that I haven't tagged this as a romance. Because it's not. Frankly, I'm not sure what this book is trying for. It's another couple months in the life of Thunder Point. Sort of. To get the requisite drama for revisiting the characters, Carr had to reset one major relationship (Coop and Sarah) and throw a bunch of family drama at the other (Gina and Mac). And I have no idea what the title refers to (who was the newcomer? It certainly wasn't Mac's ex, CJ. She's barely there at all and that only to throw emotion-bombs for Mac to clean up).
Add a completely out-of-the-blue teen breakup/bully/social media plotline that dominates story space and I only really stuck with it out of inertia and because I had nothing better on deck. Indeed, Ashley's issues of break-up and heartbreak felt completely false to me because it was so unsupported. It could be that I'm just really close to real-life depression and mental anguish but Ashley's reactions and the degree of depression and hopelessness she shows needed much, much better support than Carr bothered to give. Someone that fragile will show signs of that fragility way before a triggering event throws them into a spiral of despair. Her entire story felt manipulated for a made-for-TV special on teen relationships, bullying, and the dangers of social media. And it doesn't help that her boyfriend was so ideal in the previous book making this one feel especially manipulated.
I was headed for a three-star rating, but I've pretty much talked myself into lower. Not just Ashley, but Sarah .
And then the stupid plotline with CJ happened. I'm still not sure what Carr was doing there or what CJ's possible motivations where. Even after Mac confronts her with "the facts" I can't see any reason for her to stumble into his life only to stumble out again so listlessly. So again, the whole thing felt like an author's manipulation in order to provide something for Gina and Mac to worry about. That this seems to be the motivation for both the title and cover copy seems to indicate that nobody else can figure out why this book exists either (because this is a bare fraction of the story and had little to no impact on any other aspect of it).
To counter all the dismal, at least somewhat, the plot with Gina's ex (and Ashley's father) turned out really well. And Cooper's surprise developments didn't suck, either. So that's two sort-of highlights. In a story otherwise floundering in suck...
So yeah, two stars. And that makes me sad.
A note about Steamy: Honestly, I didn't pay attention to the sex scenes. They are as ludicrous as they were in the first, only with a whole lot less reason to show them given that the couples were firmly established and the sex added nothing story-wise.
April 17, 2014
I am starting to really love this town!! Review to come!
September 20, 2015
This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance
The Newcomer is the second in the Thunder Point series, and what we have here is pretty much a continuation of the first book. At the end of the first book, we had all four couples admit their feelings for each other. In The Newcomer its been seven months, and we see them together. Technically the story is surrounding Mac and Gina. But there is also focus on Cooper and Sara and a bit on our Teenage romance with Landon and Evie. This story brings a woman from Mac's past, his ex-wife. We see what this does to his children, most especially Evie. We also have something traumatic happen with Gina's daughter that really tests Mac and Gina. Cooper and Sara have their own setback in their relationship. The story even though there technically isn't one main story, I really am loving how this series has been developing. What I had most fun was seeing the development in these relationships, and seeing them being tested in different ways. I enjoyed the different twists in the story, and each time I read Robyn Carr I fall in love even more with this coastal town. It resembles that small town charm, with plenty of drama and tension. I had a ball with this one mostly because we see a continuation of the previous book, only a bit more focus on Mac and Gina. There is some new characters that come into play and some twists I didn't expect. I love the way each of these characters is so unique from the other, and they are not all the same. A fabulous story of love being tested, seeing certain characters grow because of the conflict and having the good and the bad in human life be shown. The Newcomer wrapped its way around my finger and I am so excited to read the next book.
The Newcomer is the second in the Thunder Point series, and what we have here is pretty much a continuation of the first book. At the end of the first book, we had all four couples admit their feelings for each other. In The Newcomer its been seven months, and we see them together. Technically the story is surrounding Mac and Gina. But there is also focus on Cooper and Sara and a bit on our Teenage romance with Landon and Evie. This story brings a woman from Mac's past, his ex-wife. We see what this does to his children, most especially Evie. We also have something traumatic happen with Gina's daughter that really tests Mac and Gina. Cooper and Sara have their own setback in their relationship. The story even though there technically isn't one main story, I really am loving how this series has been developing. What I had most fun was seeing the development in these relationships, and seeing them being tested in different ways. I enjoyed the different twists in the story, and each time I read Robyn Carr I fall in love even more with this coastal town. It resembles that small town charm, with plenty of drama and tension. I had a ball with this one mostly because we see a continuation of the previous book, only a bit more focus on Mac and Gina. There is some new characters that come into play and some twists I didn't expect. I love the way each of these characters is so unique from the other, and they are not all the same. A fabulous story of love being tested, seeing certain characters grow because of the conflict and having the good and the bad in human life be shown. The Newcomer wrapped its way around my finger and I am so excited to read the next book.
May 30, 2013
To write that his book was disappointing is an understatement. It took me reading about 30% of the story for it to get even remotely interesting, but then the interesting parts were buried and sandwiched in between a whole of excess writing that went nowhere. This book should have been significantly edited and probably combined with the first book in the series. Newcomer lacks a climax, has too many tension points and a bizarre ending. I have only been disapointed by Robyn Carr one other time Redwood Bend but my boredom with that book is not comparable to my experience in reading the Newcomer.
Newcomer has conversations, scenes and situations that simply go nowhere and add nothing to the plot. But worse than going nowhere these scenes are boring! And the book is rarely sweet or sexy but instead is just boring. And as my friend Leea pointed out -- at this point in the story, who is the Newcomer? I believe Carr intends Cooper to be the newcomer as he is referred to as such at one point in the book, but there are so many characters in this novel who could also be a newcomer.
There are a few nuggest and storylines that moved me emotionally but they were so diluted by a failure to edit they could not save the book. I am proud of myself for finishing this book, it was a feat.
I do think Robyn Carr fans will be disappointed by this book. Anyone who is not a fan of Robyn Carr or who has never read her, will definitely not enjoy this book. I think I am going to stick with her backlist for awhile.
Newcomer has conversations, scenes and situations that simply go nowhere and add nothing to the plot. But worse than going nowhere these scenes are boring! And the book is rarely sweet or sexy but instead is just boring. And as my friend Leea pointed out -- at this point in the story, who is the Newcomer? I believe Carr intends Cooper to be the newcomer as he is referred to as such at one point in the book, but there are so many characters in this novel who could also be a newcomer.
There are a few nuggest and storylines that moved me emotionally but they were so diluted by a failure to edit they could not save the book. I am proud of myself for finishing this book, it was a feat.
I do think Robyn Carr fans will be disappointed by this book. Anyone who is not a fan of Robyn Carr or who has never read her, will definitely not enjoy this book. I think I am going to stick with her backlist for awhile.
February 8, 2015
4.5 stars.
This story was even better than book 1. It was a "tying up of loose ends" or dealing with unfinished business kind of book.
Couple 1: Sarah and Cooper were still in the "not fully committed" category thanks to Sarah's trust issues. Pressures at work and a blast from Cooper's past forced the couple to confront their issues and finally define their relationship. It was definitely surprising to see the man in the relationship asking the "is it me? Why won't you commit to me?" kind of questions. But they were a great couple and their chemistry was so believable. I knew their journey wouldntbe seamless but I knew Sarah would come around eventually. I loved what Cooper's ex Bridget brought to this equation. It made this story even better.
Couple 2: Gina and Mac are the real deal, so I wasn't concerned when Mac's ex wife Cee Jay returned to town to reclaim her family after 10 years. I loved how Aunt Lou, Gina, Mac and the kids dealt with this emotional shock. I loved how Gina proactively dealt with Ashley's meltdown and the strength it took girls her to confront her past.
This book further developed the characters we meet in book 1 and demonstrated the authors writing wasn't a fluke. Robyn Carr brought the heat and emotion and humor once again. What a heart warming series. This series is shaping up to be one of my favorites. I've already got audiobook 3 because I'm so stoked about the hero in that book.
This story was even better than book 1. It was a "tying up of loose ends" or dealing with unfinished business kind of book.
Couple 1: Sarah and Cooper were still in the "not fully committed" category thanks to Sarah's trust issues. Pressures at work and a blast from Cooper's past forced the couple to confront their issues and finally define their relationship. It was definitely surprising to see the man in the relationship asking the "is it me? Why won't you commit to me?" kind of questions. But they were a great couple and their chemistry was so believable. I knew their journey wouldntbe seamless but I knew Sarah would come around eventually. I loved what Cooper's ex Bridget brought to this equation. It made this story even better.
Couple 2: Gina and Mac are the real deal, so I wasn't concerned when Mac's ex wife Cee Jay returned to town to reclaim her family after 10 years. I loved how Aunt Lou, Gina, Mac and the kids dealt with this emotional shock. I loved how Gina proactively dealt with Ashley's meltdown and the strength it took girls her to confront her past.
This book further developed the characters we meet in book 1 and demonstrated the authors writing wasn't a fluke. Robyn Carr brought the heat and emotion and humor once again. What a heart warming series. This series is shaping up to be one of my favorites. I've already got audiobook 3 because I'm so stoked about the hero in that book.
July 15, 2017
Both this and the first book start out soooooo slow. In my younger days that would have totally turned me off, but if you push through you start to enjoy the slow pace of Thunder Point and the multiple story lines. The teenage storyline in this one was definitely the best.
June 26, 2013
Reviewed for THC Reviews
The Newcomer was another thoroughly enjoyable read from Robyn Carr's new Thunder Point series. I only have one small complaint which I'll get out of the way right here at the start. I wish that the cover blurber had found a better way to synopsize these first two books in the series. Readers are left with the impression that The Wanderer is Cooper and Sarah's story, while The Newcomer is Mac and Gina's story, but this really wasn't the case at all. Both books are more like serial dramas with ensemble casts, and both sets of couples play about equal roles in each book. Robyn Carr's Virgin River series had plenty of side plots, but for the most part, did have a “main” hero and heroine which each book focused on, so this is kind of different for me as a romance reader. I had felt like The Wanderer ended rather abruptly, with Cooper and Sarah's romance having more of an HFN rather than an HEA feel, and Mac and Gina's romance had already heated up well beyond friendship by the end of that book too. With that being the case, I guess it wasn't too surprising that both these couples shared the stage again in The Newcomer, working to overcome additional difficulties and growing their love. In all honesty, this didn't diminish my overall enjoyment of the novel, as evidenced by my 5-star rating. Still, I can't help having a preference for one couple being the main focus and hope that future books will lean more in that direction, or at the very least, that the blurbs will be clearer about the content.
At the end of The Wanderer, Sarah and Cooper had gotten their “I love yous” out of the way, but there was no clear path for their future. Due to a cheating ex-husband and a bitter divorce, Sarah was a commitment phobic, and basically still is when The Newcomer opens. Their relationship is solid, but when Sarah gets advance warning from her boss that a transfer to a Coast Guard command position somewhere on the east coast is coming down the pipeline in the next few months, she completely keeps it to herself. She spends a lot of time brooding and worrying, while trying to decide whether to accept the promotion or resign her commission for the sake of her brother, Landon, and her growing relationship with Cooper. Cooper and Landon see the change in her mood but are helpless to do anything about it, because she won't open up to them. A part of me understood that she'd been making these types of decisions alone all her adult life, but another part of me couldn't help wishing she would trust Cooper enough to share the burden. As evidenced by how things turned out in the end when she finally did tell him, he could have helped her and made her feel more secure. At the same time, Cooper receives an urgent phone call from the husband of an ex-girlfriend, asking him to come right away to the bedside of his dying wife. When he arrives, the woman makes a shocking confession which turns Cooper's world upside down, but ultimately, he adjusts beautifully to the changes in his life that this unexpected development brings. Again, my only small complaint in all this was Sarah. When Cooper started the same brooding act that she'd been giving him, she eventually insists that he tell her what's going on, which I thought was a little hypocritical on her part. In the end, everything worked out pretty nicely, although the decision about Sarah's transfer was left up in the air. I expect that to be resolved in the next book, and overall was still happy with where things wrapped up for them. It felt like a more solid HEA this time.
As I mentioned earlier, Mac and Gina's relationship had already heated up quite a bit in The Wanderer, so most of what happens with them in this book has to do with family issues. Mac's ex-wife shows up in Thunder Point out of the blue after ten years, claiming to want to reconnect with her children, but Mac's not buying it. He and his kids weather through a torturous family meeting with Cee Jay, who turns out to be quite the piece of work. When the children react badly to her sudden reappearance, she blames Mac for turning them against her, even though he's always been extremely careful not to badmouth her in front of them. When her real reasons for being there finally surface, it didn't surprise me at all. Gina has her own worries and struggles to deal with when her teenage daughter, Ashley, suffers a mental breakdown. In spite of their respective problems, Mac and Gina manage to carve out a little alone time, which was quite romantic, but best of all was how things wrapped up for them. I even got a little teary-eyed right at the end.
Some of the most prominent secondary story lines were for the teen characters. Sarah's brother, Landon, and Mac's daughter, Eve, who've been in a fairly long-term relationship have a little scare, so there's plenty of discussion of teen pregnancy and safe sex. However, there is also lots of angst when Ashley is thrown into a deep depression after her now-college-freshman boyfriend breaks up with her and his new girlfriend does something cruel and spiteful. Ashley has a very difficult time coping with all of the drama, but ends up finding a surprising ally who treats her with the respect she deserves. I'm happy to say that she comes out the other end better for having gone through this trying experience, and she becomes a very mature young lady. She also finally gets to meet her biological dad. The other prominent secondary plot revolves around Spencer, the widower of Cooper's ex-girlfriend. He's a great guy, but I can't say too much more about him without giving away some spoilers. Suffice it to say that he's moving to Thunder Point and becomes the hero of the next book in the series, The Hero, due for release in August 2013.
Robyn Carr has always written emotional stories, but this one seemed a little more so than usual. In fact, the first half or so was almost depressing. Before I even made it to that halfway point, two characters had died. Granted they were both minor characters, so the connection wasn't as great as it would have been with a main character, but it was still a downer. Add to that Ashley's depression and the turmoil Mac's ex caused, and the first part of the story was pretty heavy. I wasn't overly bothered by it though, because oftentimes, going through challenges like this can make the resolution and happy times sweeter. In many ways this was definitely the case, and the second half of the book was still serious and emotional at times, but not in the same way. I'd say that all the characters who suffered trials experienced a measure of happiness in the end, some more so than others. This is what I read these types of stories for, and Robyn Carr certainly didn't disappoint. The Newcomer maybe wasn't exactly what I was expecting based on the blurb alone, but it was still a lovely read full of understated romance, drama, and passion. I challenge any fan of small-town romance not to fall in love with Thunder Point too. This beachfront community has a relaxed atmosphere that has become a character unto itself much like Virgin River did. I can't wait to go back for another visit when The Hero is released.
Note: I received a copy of this book from the author's publicist via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The Newcomer was another thoroughly enjoyable read from Robyn Carr's new Thunder Point series. I only have one small complaint which I'll get out of the way right here at the start. I wish that the cover blurber had found a better way to synopsize these first two books in the series. Readers are left with the impression that The Wanderer is Cooper and Sarah's story, while The Newcomer is Mac and Gina's story, but this really wasn't the case at all. Both books are more like serial dramas with ensemble casts, and both sets of couples play about equal roles in each book. Robyn Carr's Virgin River series had plenty of side plots, but for the most part, did have a “main” hero and heroine which each book focused on, so this is kind of different for me as a romance reader. I had felt like The Wanderer ended rather abruptly, with Cooper and Sarah's romance having more of an HFN rather than an HEA feel, and Mac and Gina's romance had already heated up well beyond friendship by the end of that book too. With that being the case, I guess it wasn't too surprising that both these couples shared the stage again in The Newcomer, working to overcome additional difficulties and growing their love. In all honesty, this didn't diminish my overall enjoyment of the novel, as evidenced by my 5-star rating. Still, I can't help having a preference for one couple being the main focus and hope that future books will lean more in that direction, or at the very least, that the blurbs will be clearer about the content.
At the end of The Wanderer, Sarah and Cooper had gotten their “I love yous” out of the way, but there was no clear path for their future. Due to a cheating ex-husband and a bitter divorce, Sarah was a commitment phobic, and basically still is when The Newcomer opens. Their relationship is solid, but when Sarah gets advance warning from her boss that a transfer to a Coast Guard command position somewhere on the east coast is coming down the pipeline in the next few months, she completely keeps it to herself. She spends a lot of time brooding and worrying, while trying to decide whether to accept the promotion or resign her commission for the sake of her brother, Landon, and her growing relationship with Cooper. Cooper and Landon see the change in her mood but are helpless to do anything about it, because she won't open up to them. A part of me understood that she'd been making these types of decisions alone all her adult life, but another part of me couldn't help wishing she would trust Cooper enough to share the burden. As evidenced by how things turned out in the end when she finally did tell him, he could have helped her and made her feel more secure. At the same time, Cooper receives an urgent phone call from the husband of an ex-girlfriend, asking him to come right away to the bedside of his dying wife. When he arrives, the woman makes a shocking confession which turns Cooper's world upside down, but ultimately, he adjusts beautifully to the changes in his life that this unexpected development brings. Again, my only small complaint in all this was Sarah. When Cooper started the same brooding act that she'd been giving him, she eventually insists that he tell her what's going on, which I thought was a little hypocritical on her part. In the end, everything worked out pretty nicely, although the decision about Sarah's transfer was left up in the air. I expect that to be resolved in the next book, and overall was still happy with where things wrapped up for them. It felt like a more solid HEA this time.
As I mentioned earlier, Mac and Gina's relationship had already heated up quite a bit in The Wanderer, so most of what happens with them in this book has to do with family issues. Mac's ex-wife shows up in Thunder Point out of the blue after ten years, claiming to want to reconnect with her children, but Mac's not buying it. He and his kids weather through a torturous family meeting with Cee Jay, who turns out to be quite the piece of work. When the children react badly to her sudden reappearance, she blames Mac for turning them against her, even though he's always been extremely careful not to badmouth her in front of them. When her real reasons for being there finally surface, it didn't surprise me at all. Gina has her own worries and struggles to deal with when her teenage daughter, Ashley, suffers a mental breakdown. In spite of their respective problems, Mac and Gina manage to carve out a little alone time, which was quite romantic, but best of all was how things wrapped up for them. I even got a little teary-eyed right at the end.
Some of the most prominent secondary story lines were for the teen characters. Sarah's brother, Landon, and Mac's daughter, Eve, who've been in a fairly long-term relationship have a little scare, so there's plenty of discussion of teen pregnancy and safe sex. However, there is also lots of angst when Ashley is thrown into a deep depression after her now-college-freshman boyfriend breaks up with her and his new girlfriend does something cruel and spiteful. Ashley has a very difficult time coping with all of the drama, but ends up finding a surprising ally who treats her with the respect she deserves. I'm happy to say that she comes out the other end better for having gone through this trying experience, and she becomes a very mature young lady. She also finally gets to meet her biological dad. The other prominent secondary plot revolves around Spencer, the widower of Cooper's ex-girlfriend. He's a great guy, but I can't say too much more about him without giving away some spoilers. Suffice it to say that he's moving to Thunder Point and becomes the hero of the next book in the series, The Hero, due for release in August 2013.
Robyn Carr has always written emotional stories, but this one seemed a little more so than usual. In fact, the first half or so was almost depressing. Before I even made it to that halfway point, two characters had died. Granted they were both minor characters, so the connection wasn't as great as it would have been with a main character, but it was still a downer. Add to that Ashley's depression and the turmoil Mac's ex caused, and the first part of the story was pretty heavy. I wasn't overly bothered by it though, because oftentimes, going through challenges like this can make the resolution and happy times sweeter. In many ways this was definitely the case, and the second half of the book was still serious and emotional at times, but not in the same way. I'd say that all the characters who suffered trials experienced a measure of happiness in the end, some more so than others. This is what I read these types of stories for, and Robyn Carr certainly didn't disappoint. The Newcomer maybe wasn't exactly what I was expecting based on the blurb alone, but it was still a lovely read full of understated romance, drama, and passion. I challenge any fan of small-town romance not to fall in love with Thunder Point too. This beachfront community has a relaxed atmosphere that has become a character unto itself much like Virgin River did. I can't wait to go back for another visit when The Hero is released.
Note: I received a copy of this book from the author's publicist via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 6, 2019
I loved this book!! Great story!! Can't wait to read the next book in the series!! Love this author's books!!
August 23, 2018
Good series!
March 26, 2021
I absolutely loved this one! Gina James and Mac McCain are friends, and both shoulder large responsibilities. Gina became a single mother at a very young age and has raised her teenaged daughter. Mac's wife left him and their children behind, and his aunt has helped with his children while he takes care of his duties as a deputy sheriff. The two good friends, Gina and Mac, begin to develop a romantic relationship when Mac's ex waltzes back into town and wants back in Mac's life.
This one has everything - great main and secondary characters, many of which are familiar from the first book of the series, a wonderful small town setting, and an interesting storyline. This one was another hit for me.
This one has everything - great main and secondary characters, many of which are familiar from the first book of the series, a wonderful small town setting, and an interesting storyline. This one was another hit for me.
June 26, 2013
I have to say was a bit disappointed in this one - I really liked The Wanderer (book 1) in the series, and was looking forward to this one, but it was a bit of a let down. the main couple - Mac/Gina - got over-shadowed through-out the entire book with the storyline basically being a continuation of book 1...and who the heck was the Newcomer...I've yet to actually figure that out...but the blurb from the next book intrigued me, so maybe i'll check it out
June 24, 2015
Like Grace Valley, Thunder Point is an ongoing romance saga about the town and its residents. Well written but for me this had a bit too much teenage angst, I appreciate the teenagers are part of this town but felt too much time/pages devoted to it....Not what I expect from an adult romance.
January 30, 2018
3.5 stars
October 18, 2023
The Newcomer #2 Thunder Point
4🌟
4🌟
July 5, 2013
The Newcomer by Robyn Carr is the continuation of the story of the wonderful seaside town of Thunder Point. Essentially this story is that of Mac and Gina, but we get so much more on all the townspeople.
Sherriff Mac McCain has always put his children first. That’s more than he can say for his ex-wife. It turns out having three young children and a husband working so much he’s never home was not as fun as she thought it would be. When the baby was still in diapers she upped and left them all signing away her rights and divorcing Mac while she was at it. The last 10 years have been hard, but he wouldn’t trade them for anything. With the help of his aunt and the town of Thunder Point they’ve held it together and given the kids a good life. Now, he’s finally giving himself a bit of what he needs and wants.
Gina James got pregnant at 16 and has spent the last 16 years working to overcome it. She’s a good mom, a hard worker and a productive, well liked member of the town. However, there are some that will never let her forget her one mistake that changed her life forever. Not that it matters to Gina. She loves her daughter and has worked hard to raise her right. She knows she couldn’t have done it without the help of her mother or even Mac. Mac’s daughter and Gina’s daughter have been best friends forever. This throws the two single parents together more often than not. Gina has always known she loves Mac, but he held out for so long because of the kids. Now, they are making a go of it. Finally, they are getting their chance. Suddenly, Mac’s ex-wife shows up and Gina has visions of her future as she’s dreamed it disappearing before her very eyes.
This book is about so much more than Gina and Mac. Gina’s daughter Ashley becomes a victim of cyber bullying and struggles with some very real teen issues. I loved how Ms. Carr touched on this topic and stressed the importance of taking it seriously.
We get to read a little bit more about the budding teenage relationship of Eve and Landon and how they are dealing with the new and very real feelings that these kids experience. I loved how both kids had their heads on straight and dealt with very adult feelings so maturely.
The story of Sarah and Cooper continues. We actually get a lot of Cooper and Sarah in this book. It’s almost like 2 books in one. Cooper gets a strange call one night from his ex-fiancé’s husband saying that his ex is dieing and wants to talk to him before it’s too late. Sarah finds out that her life in Thunder Point may be ending sooner than she planned. Being transferred is normal in her line of work, but this time it would not only mean pulling Landon from his senior year but leaving behind Cooper and the relationship that she’s finally building for herself.
“When I said I loved you, it wasn’t conditional. And it wasn’t temporary. And it’s not something you have to live up to or down to – it just is. If you think I’m going to quit early, you’re crazy. See, the truth is, I could disappoint you. I might be enough for you to stick it out. But, I’m going to die trying.”
You can’t go wrong with this series. I am so looking forward to finding out what happens next with this quirky town and the wonderful people in it.
I would like to thank NetGalley.com for the loan of this book in exchange for my honest review.
You can find this review and others at http://riverinaromantics.blogspot.com and http://tinar1121.blogspot.com
Sherriff Mac McCain has always put his children first. That’s more than he can say for his ex-wife. It turns out having three young children and a husband working so much he’s never home was not as fun as she thought it would be. When the baby was still in diapers she upped and left them all signing away her rights and divorcing Mac while she was at it. The last 10 years have been hard, but he wouldn’t trade them for anything. With the help of his aunt and the town of Thunder Point they’ve held it together and given the kids a good life. Now, he’s finally giving himself a bit of what he needs and wants.
Gina James got pregnant at 16 and has spent the last 16 years working to overcome it. She’s a good mom, a hard worker and a productive, well liked member of the town. However, there are some that will never let her forget her one mistake that changed her life forever. Not that it matters to Gina. She loves her daughter and has worked hard to raise her right. She knows she couldn’t have done it without the help of her mother or even Mac. Mac’s daughter and Gina’s daughter have been best friends forever. This throws the two single parents together more often than not. Gina has always known she loves Mac, but he held out for so long because of the kids. Now, they are making a go of it. Finally, they are getting their chance. Suddenly, Mac’s ex-wife shows up and Gina has visions of her future as she’s dreamed it disappearing before her very eyes.
This book is about so much more than Gina and Mac. Gina’s daughter Ashley becomes a victim of cyber bullying and struggles with some very real teen issues. I loved how Ms. Carr touched on this topic and stressed the importance of taking it seriously.
We get to read a little bit more about the budding teenage relationship of Eve and Landon and how they are dealing with the new and very real feelings that these kids experience. I loved how both kids had their heads on straight and dealt with very adult feelings so maturely.
The story of Sarah and Cooper continues. We actually get a lot of Cooper and Sarah in this book. It’s almost like 2 books in one. Cooper gets a strange call one night from his ex-fiancé’s husband saying that his ex is dieing and wants to talk to him before it’s too late. Sarah finds out that her life in Thunder Point may be ending sooner than she planned. Being transferred is normal in her line of work, but this time it would not only mean pulling Landon from his senior year but leaving behind Cooper and the relationship that she’s finally building for herself.
“When I said I loved you, it wasn’t conditional. And it wasn’t temporary. And it’s not something you have to live up to or down to – it just is. If you think I’m going to quit early, you’re crazy. See, the truth is, I could disappoint you. I might be enough for you to stick it out. But, I’m going to die trying.”
You can’t go wrong with this series. I am so looking forward to finding out what happens next with this quirky town and the wonderful people in it.
I would like to thank NetGalley.com for the loan of this book in exchange for my honest review.
You can find this review and others at http://riverinaromantics.blogspot.com and http://tinar1121.blogspot.com
May 28, 2013
I hadn't planned to read this for at least another three weeks but I just couldn't wait. My instincts were so right!
The Setup
This isn't a series where each story has one central conflict and one significant romance that wraps neatly at the end of the book. There a quite a few characters whose lives are connected either by familial ties, friendship or through the relationships of their children. Most are single parents or are filling that role and are trying to manage a romance while dealing with adult situations and the challenges faced by their teenaged children.
The Issues
Mac and Gina are trying to find time to be with each other though they still haven't quite clued their children in on the change in their relationship from good friends to lovers, well in love:) Both had their children when they were really young (Gina was 16 and Mac was 20) and are both pretty young. His oldest daughter, Eve, is Gina's daughter, Ashley's best friend. Ashley is going through a major turmoil because of her boyfriend and the issues are scary. Gina hasn't seen or heard from Ashley's father since before she was born and now may need to reach out to him. Mac's ex-wife suddenly shows up following a 10-year absence after having abandoned him with three little children at the time.
More Issues
Cooper, the earlier wanderer, is settling into Thunder Point and has finished renovating the beach bar. He's ready to have a lasting commitment with Sarah, the Coast Guard pilot whose job may create issues not only for them but her 16 year old brother, Landon. He's the high school standout quarterback, getting ready for his senior year and hopefully college scouts with scholarship money. Landon is also deeply involved with his girlfriend, Eve; yes, that's Mac's daughter. Cooper also gets stunning news that may turn his life upside down, as well as Sarah's, who still has commitment issues stemming from her last marriage.
Summary
I think you get the picture. What happens in one relationship has an impact on so many others in large and small ways. There were a lot of young adult issues presented in the story that were portrayed in YA and adult points of view, giving more power to the story. I know these people, care about them and am rooting for a good outcome.
I never found a good stopping point so I kept reading until I fell asleep in the wee hours and resumed when I woke up. As satisfying as the ending was, it was disappointing to have it come to a close. I won't delude myself when the third book is released...I'll plan to read it as soon as I get my hands on it. As much as I love the Virgin River series, the loves and lives of the residents of Thunder Point have captured my heart.
(I received an ARC from NetGalley)
The Setup
This isn't a series where each story has one central conflict and one significant romance that wraps neatly at the end of the book. There a quite a few characters whose lives are connected either by familial ties, friendship or through the relationships of their children. Most are single parents or are filling that role and are trying to manage a romance while dealing with adult situations and the challenges faced by their teenaged children.
The Issues
Mac and Gina are trying to find time to be with each other though they still haven't quite clued their children in on the change in their relationship from good friends to lovers, well in love:) Both had their children when they were really young (Gina was 16 and Mac was 20) and are both pretty young. His oldest daughter, Eve, is Gina's daughter, Ashley's best friend. Ashley is going through a major turmoil because of her boyfriend and the issues are scary. Gina hasn't seen or heard from Ashley's father since before she was born and now may need to reach out to him. Mac's ex-wife suddenly shows up following a 10-year absence after having abandoned him with three little children at the time.
More Issues
Cooper, the earlier wanderer, is settling into Thunder Point and has finished renovating the beach bar. He's ready to have a lasting commitment with Sarah, the Coast Guard pilot whose job may create issues not only for them but her 16 year old brother, Landon. He's the high school standout quarterback, getting ready for his senior year and hopefully college scouts with scholarship money. Landon is also deeply involved with his girlfriend, Eve; yes, that's Mac's daughter. Cooper also gets stunning news that may turn his life upside down, as well as Sarah's, who still has commitment issues stemming from her last marriage.
Summary
I think you get the picture. What happens in one relationship has an impact on so many others in large and small ways. There were a lot of young adult issues presented in the story that were portrayed in YA and adult points of view, giving more power to the story. I know these people, care about them and am rooting for a good outcome.
I never found a good stopping point so I kept reading until I fell asleep in the wee hours and resumed when I woke up. As satisfying as the ending was, it was disappointing to have it come to a close. I won't delude myself when the third book is released...I'll plan to read it as soon as I get my hands on it. As much as I love the Virgin River series, the loves and lives of the residents of Thunder Point have captured my heart.
(I received an ARC from NetGalley)
January 2, 2014
4.5 stars
Oh, I do love Robyn Carr's books. She writes books that simply make me feel good reading them, without resorting to sugary sweetness that can annoys me to no end. As I probably mentioned in my review of The Wanderer, I was a bit hesitant about starting a new series. After all, Virgin River is one of my favorite series, but Ms. Carr managed to pull it off.
Anyway, The Newcomer mostly continues the storyline from the Wanderer. It deals with two couples Gina and Max (the single mother who is a waitress and the deputy sheriff who is raising his children after his wife abandoned them) and Sarah and Cooper (the Coast Guard pilot and the wanderer who settled down in Thunder Point). All of their lives were upturned by a series of events - the return of the evil ex, teenage heartbreak, job opportunities, some pretty unexpected news.
As always the sense of community, along with the characters is one of the best parts of the book. I loved most of the characters. Gina, Max, Cooper, their families. Now, I didn't mention Sarah because in this entire story, she was the one who managed to annoy me the most - mostly because of all the (it turns out) unnecessary drama. But the rest of them are great. :-)
I was especially intrigued by Eric, the father of Gina's daughter. And I was ecstatic when I saw that The Promise (5th book in the series) will be about him.
All in all, another gem by Ms. Carr. I would warmly recommend this new series of hers. :-)
Thunder Point series:
Oh, I do love Robyn Carr's books. She writes books that simply make me feel good reading them, without resorting to sugary sweetness that can annoys me to no end. As I probably mentioned in my review of The Wanderer, I was a bit hesitant about starting a new series. After all, Virgin River is one of my favorite series, but Ms. Carr managed to pull it off.
Anyway, The Newcomer mostly continues the storyline from the Wanderer. It deals with two couples Gina and Max (the single mother who is a waitress and the deputy sheriff who is raising his children after his wife abandoned them) and Sarah and Cooper (the Coast Guard pilot and the wanderer who settled down in Thunder Point). All of their lives were upturned by a series of events - the return of the evil ex, teenage heartbreak, job opportunities, some pretty unexpected news.
As always the sense of community, along with the characters is one of the best parts of the book. I loved most of the characters. Gina, Max, Cooper, their families. Now, I didn't mention Sarah because in this entire story, she was the one who managed to annoy me the most - mostly because of all the (it turns out) unnecessary drama. But the rest of them are great. :-)
I was especially intrigued by Eric, the father of Gina's daughter. And I was ecstatic when I saw that The Promise (5th book in the series) will be about him.
All in all, another gem by Ms. Carr. I would warmly recommend this new series of hers. :-)
Thunder Point series:
June 25, 2013
Piper‘s review posted on Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews
Review copy provided for an honest review
4 STARS
You guys all know that I love Robyn Carr, and I am so enjoying her new Thunder Point series.
In the Newcomer we get the continuation of Mac and Gina’s story. We also get more of Cooper and Sarah from the first book The Wanderer. As I have said before, one of the things I love most about this series are the teenagers and their story lines. In the Newcomer we get more of the blossoming relationship between Landon and Eve. We also get an emotional and heart tugging story line with Gina’s daughter Ashley. You feel Ashley’s pain and suffering jump off the pages as you read them. Have some tissues handy! Ashley’s story line was so wonderfully written with such emotion that I wanted to just hug her. I am looking forward to where Ashley’s story is taken.
Mac and Gina have to not only have to deal with teenage girls and all their drama, but also with the return of Mac’s ex wife CJ. Oh how I wanted to reach through the book and slap CJ! I can say that I hope CJ is gone for good. I do not think I have ever hated a character in a Robyn Carr book, but CJ wins as the first one.
This is another wonderfully written story by Robyn Carr and a perfect addition to the series. I am looking forward to The Hero out in August.
Happy Reading!!
Review copy provided for an honest review
4 STARS
You guys all know that I love Robyn Carr, and I am so enjoying her new Thunder Point series.
In the Newcomer we get the continuation of Mac and Gina’s story. We also get more of Cooper and Sarah from the first book The Wanderer. As I have said before, one of the things I love most about this series are the teenagers and their story lines. In the Newcomer we get more of the blossoming relationship between Landon and Eve. We also get an emotional and heart tugging story line with Gina’s daughter Ashley. You feel Ashley’s pain and suffering jump off the pages as you read them. Have some tissues handy! Ashley’s story line was so wonderfully written with such emotion that I wanted to just hug her. I am looking forward to where Ashley’s story is taken.
Mac and Gina have to not only have to deal with teenage girls and all their drama, but also with the return of Mac’s ex wife CJ. Oh how I wanted to reach through the book and slap CJ! I can say that I hope CJ is gone for good. I do not think I have ever hated a character in a Robyn Carr book, but CJ wins as the first one.
This is another wonderfully written story by Robyn Carr and a perfect addition to the series. I am looking forward to The Hero out in August.
Happy Reading!!
May 30, 2013
2 stars...
Sitting here thinking about Newcomer, i've come to the conclusion that Ms. Carr just wrote a very long novella or filler book for this new series. Lots of things happen but ultimately the story between Gina & Mac and Cooper & Sarah does not progress until the last quarter of the book. We spend 200+ pages focused on the younger kids, Ashley, Eve, Landon and Frank. Not that I minded, I liked their experiences but in the end I was left wondering who the "Newcomer" really was?
I think what bothered me the most was the feeling of nothing changing... I enjoyed The Wanderer and fell in love with Thunder Point, this small Oregon coastal town where everyone knows each other. I also loved Ms. Carr's Virgin River series but Thunder Point is no Virgin River and I had so many hopes for this series.
Ultimatly, Newcomer is filled with fluff and not the good kind, I found myself skimming at times and there should have been some serious editing because the story seemed to wander. In the end i'm a little upset I spent my time reading a book the ended up going no where. Not sure if i'll read The Hero.
ARC courtesy of Harlequin via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Sitting here thinking about Newcomer, i've come to the conclusion that Ms. Carr just wrote a very long novella or filler book for this new series. Lots of things happen but ultimately the story between Gina & Mac and Cooper & Sarah does not progress until the last quarter of the book. We spend 200+ pages focused on the younger kids, Ashley, Eve, Landon and Frank. Not that I minded, I liked their experiences but in the end I was left wondering who the "Newcomer" really was?
I think what bothered me the most was the feeling of nothing changing... I enjoyed The Wanderer and fell in love with Thunder Point, this small Oregon coastal town where everyone knows each other. I also loved Ms. Carr's Virgin River series but Thunder Point is no Virgin River and I had so many hopes for this series.
Ultimatly, Newcomer is filled with fluff and not the good kind, I found myself skimming at times and there should have been some serious editing because the story seemed to wander. In the end i'm a little upset I spent my time reading a book the ended up going no where. Not sure if i'll read The Hero.
ARC courtesy of Harlequin via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
September 15, 2014
4 Stars
The Newcomer picks up from where The Wanderer ends...Mac and Gina have finally admitted their feeling to one another and have become a couple. Their teenage daughters are best friends and are both going through growing pains. Mac's ex has returned to town making Gina insecure, his aunt Lou angry and scared and his daughter, Eve hurt. Gina's daughter, Ashley is dumped by her college freshman boyfriend and his new girlfriend sent a fake naked pic to all those in his cell phone. This causes Ashley to get very depressed and Gina does not know how to deal with it all.
I liked that this novel continues right after The Wanderer and like her other series, Virgin River the same characters are in this book. The main romance in this book is Gina and Mac but as they are single parents their children are prominent in this novel. The novel deals with cyber bullying and depression which we do not see a lot in adult books. I think it was a great storyline that hopefully raises awareness. Carr handled the situation quite well. This novel might not be everyone's cup of tea as it has more of the teens and their problem in this book. I enjoyed it and solidly recommend this novel and series.
The Newcomer picks up from where The Wanderer ends...Mac and Gina have finally admitted their feeling to one another and have become a couple. Their teenage daughters are best friends and are both going through growing pains. Mac's ex has returned to town making Gina insecure, his aunt Lou angry and scared and his daughter, Eve hurt. Gina's daughter, Ashley is dumped by her college freshman boyfriend and his new girlfriend sent a fake naked pic to all those in his cell phone. This causes Ashley to get very depressed and Gina does not know how to deal with it all.
I liked that this novel continues right after The Wanderer and like her other series, Virgin River the same characters are in this book. The main romance in this book is Gina and Mac but as they are single parents their children are prominent in this novel. The novel deals with cyber bullying and depression which we do not see a lot in adult books. I think it was a great storyline that hopefully raises awareness. Carr handled the situation quite well. This novel might not be everyone's cup of tea as it has more of the teens and their problem in this book. I enjoyed it and solidly recommend this novel and series.
June 16, 2018
5 The Newcomer Stars
YES! I loved this book; I was invested in Mac and Gina from book 1 and was elated to get more of their story in this book.
Phew this book has some heavy issues, and it’s hard to listen to from someone how kind of went through depression at a young age. So I connected a lot with Ashely in this book. But what I loved the most was how her mom stood by her, noticed something was wrong and fought tooth and nail to see her through.
These books Robyn writes are for entertainment sure but they also deal with real issues we face or have faced and it is nice to connect to a character like that.
I can’t wait to see what is to come in the books to follow, I can tell you I ready to start the next book.
Again I am going to gush about Therese Plummer this narrator is FANTASTIC, she brings these characters to life. You can hear the emotion in her voice, it’s what make her such a great story teller.
*You don't have to like my review but its 100% my opinion, and I am allowed to have it.*
YES! I loved this book; I was invested in Mac and Gina from book 1 and was elated to get more of their story in this book.
Phew this book has some heavy issues, and it’s hard to listen to from someone how kind of went through depression at a young age. So I connected a lot with Ashely in this book. But what I loved the most was how her mom stood by her, noticed something was wrong and fought tooth and nail to see her through.
These books Robyn writes are for entertainment sure but they also deal with real issues we face or have faced and it is nice to connect to a character like that.
I can’t wait to see what is to come in the books to follow, I can tell you I ready to start the next book.
Again I am going to gush about Therese Plummer this narrator is FANTASTIC, she brings these characters to life. You can hear the emotion in her voice, it’s what make her such a great story teller.
*You don't have to like my review but its 100% my opinion, and I am allowed to have it.*
July 30, 2014
Robyn Carr's one of my all-time favorite authors and her Virgin River series I could read over and over again.
Small-town romance is this author's specialty and in the Thunder Point series she takes us to the coast of Oregon.
In "The Newcomer" we get to revisit, laugh and cry with all of the beloved characters introduced to us in "The Wanderer", the first book in this series (as well as a few new characters too).
Ms. Carr exposes us to a wide array of things her characters experience such as young love, romance, heartbreak, mental health issues and addiction, just to name a few.
The drama of everyday life with the locals laughing, crying and falling in love is written so skillfully that I yearn to be a part of such a wonderful town.
My deepest appreciation to Ms. Carr for including the poem "Final Inspection" by Sgt. Joshua Helterbran in her novel. I was profoundly touched by this very moving poem.
I look forward to "The Hero", the next book in the Thunder Point series.
Small-town romance is this author's specialty and in the Thunder Point series she takes us to the coast of Oregon.
In "The Newcomer" we get to revisit, laugh and cry with all of the beloved characters introduced to us in "The Wanderer", the first book in this series (as well as a few new characters too).
Ms. Carr exposes us to a wide array of things her characters experience such as young love, romance, heartbreak, mental health issues and addiction, just to name a few.
The drama of everyday life with the locals laughing, crying and falling in love is written so skillfully that I yearn to be a part of such a wonderful town.
My deepest appreciation to Ms. Carr for including the poem "Final Inspection" by Sgt. Joshua Helterbran in her novel. I was profoundly touched by this very moving poem.
I look forward to "The Hero", the next book in the Thunder Point series.
December 22, 2014
This book was not quite what I expected but still it was such a pleasure to read. Each couple in the book are having their ups and downs. Sarah is looking at a move within the Coast Guard. Cooper finds out that he has a son called Austin. Cee Jay is back. Gina and Mac get it together. It was well written with a lot of depth to it. I can't wait to hear Spencer's story. Thunder Point is easily becoming one of my favourite series.
November 20, 2014
This book made me really excited to continue with this series. It felt like an episodic TV show, where each character continues into this book where they left off in the last, and there were so many character developments amongst teens and adults alike. I'm looking forward to spending more time with all of these characters!
August 31, 2019
Reviewed by Aubrey
Book provided by NetGalley
I really liked the second book in the series. The title not so much. Mac had been in Thunder Point for four years. To me I didn’t quite understand how he was still considered a newcomer. As well the description on the book was not accurate to me. I did not find the conflict between Mac and his ex-wife to be all that much of a conflict nor it something that would break up Mac and Gina up.
I’m usually not one to complain about a title or book blurb but they both bugged me while I was reading this book. Not enough to not like the book though. Robyn Carr is one of my favorite authors of all time. While I am rather sad that she seems to be done writing Virgin River novels, I am liking getting to know the cast of characters in Thunder Point.
I liked that Carr gave us a secondary story line on how Sarah and Cooper were doing. They had their ups and downs but seem to get through them stronger. I find Cooper to be a lot like Jack from Virgin River. He is now the owner of one of the town’s gathering places and he takes care of everyone that crosses his path.
I felt so sorry for Gina’s daughter Ashley. We all remember our first breakup and how much heartbreak it gave us. Carr did a fantastic job at dealing with Ashley’s storyline. She didn’t let Gina blow it off and had her take the steps to get Ashley healthy again.
It was cute reading about the love story of Gina and Mac. I liked how Mac stopped holding anything back. When he wanted Gina he went all in. He made sure Gina knew how beautiful he thought she was and how much he wanted to marry her.
I cannot wait to see what Carr has in store with The Hero. I really hope this becomes a long series like Virgin River and not just a trilogy.
Book provided by NetGalley
I really liked the second book in the series. The title not so much. Mac had been in Thunder Point for four years. To me I didn’t quite understand how he was still considered a newcomer. As well the description on the book was not accurate to me. I did not find the conflict between Mac and his ex-wife to be all that much of a conflict nor it something that would break up Mac and Gina up.
I’m usually not one to complain about a title or book blurb but they both bugged me while I was reading this book. Not enough to not like the book though. Robyn Carr is one of my favorite authors of all time. While I am rather sad that she seems to be done writing Virgin River novels, I am liking getting to know the cast of characters in Thunder Point.
I liked that Carr gave us a secondary story line on how Sarah and Cooper were doing. They had their ups and downs but seem to get through them stronger. I find Cooper to be a lot like Jack from Virgin River. He is now the owner of one of the town’s gathering places and he takes care of everyone that crosses his path.
I felt so sorry for Gina’s daughter Ashley. We all remember our first breakup and how much heartbreak it gave us. Carr did a fantastic job at dealing with Ashley’s storyline. She didn’t let Gina blow it off and had her take the steps to get Ashley healthy again.
It was cute reading about the love story of Gina and Mac. I liked how Mac stopped holding anything back. When he wanted Gina he went all in. He made sure Gina knew how beautiful he thought she was and how much he wanted to marry her.
I cannot wait to see what Carr has in store with The Hero. I really hope this becomes a long series like Virgin River and not just a trilogy.
June 12, 2021
Sono stata una appassionata lettrice della serie Virgin River così, quando l'autrice ha iniziato questa nuova serie, ho voluto provarla: il primo libro mi era piaciuto e ho comprato diversi dei successivi, ma poi sono finiti sommersi nella mia pila di libri da leggere. Ora ho riesumato questa serie e ho preso in mano questo secondo volume. Che dire? Mi ero dimenticata di quanto siano corali le sue storie. Stando alla trama, ci sarebbe una coppia al centro di questo libro, ma in realtà, oltre a loro, ci sono anche la coppia del volume precedente e vari adolescenti legati alle due coppie. E non tutto viene risolto alla fine del libro. Comunque sia, è stata una piacevole lettura e devo leggere i successivi in tempi più brevi. E, come al solito, adoro le piccole cittadine americane!
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