One of the problems when one chooses to read books in a series back to back some things that really don't work are more easily seen. I posted an I totally love this book review with regards to the first book in this series, The Wanderer (Thunder Point). The book really did remind me of the best of the Virgin River series that I started to read a few years back. I really hoped that Ms. Carr would manage to keep up the momentum and have a second book that would either meet or exceed my expectations. However, that was not the case.

The second book in the series,The Newcomer (Thunder Point) takes place in the town of Thunder Point. It has been a couple of months from the events in the last book. We have Cooper feeling settled running his beach bar with his new girlfriend Sarah by his side. Sarah's brother Landon is feeling more settled in Thunder Point now that he is dating Mac's daughter Eve. Mac and Gina are exploring what it means to go from friends to lovers. Ashley, Gina's daughter, is dealing with the aftermath of being dumped by her high school sweetheart.

I ended up giving this novel 3 stars for a couple of reasons.

Ashley:
As you can see from the above once again this novel has several plot lines going on. However, due to the serious subject matter involved in Ashley's plot line, I found myself focusing on that plot more than the others. I kept wanting to get back to Ashley and check in with her and found myself getting exceedingly irritated by all of the "filler." I think it would have been smarter to just have Ashley's story be the main story and have the other plot lines slowly be unraveled in the next couple of books. I have to say that Robyn Carr hands down writes very smart teenage dialogue and scenes in all of her books. One of the reasons why I was so disheartened with the later Virgin River books was because the teenagers started getting ignored and subsequent books really focused on the adults. I wish that Robyn Carr would consider writing contemporary romance for young adults because she really gets inside's Ashley's head in such a way that either speaks of real life experience or she talked to some professionals. Either way everything dealing with Ashley's storyline I thought was a winner. This storyline really didn't fit the romance genre, but I didn't care since the other two couples in this novel bored me to tears.

Coop and Sarah:
I found myself completely annoyed by Cooper and Sarah doing the whole I have a secret, but won't tell you, therefore I will act extremely weird and aloof from you which will cause you to think that I no longer want you dance. I am sick of seeing this particular characterization play out across romance novels. You can write a couple that actually discuss when something is going on in their lives instead of having them regress to teenagers. I am just going to come out and say that I really ended up despising Coop's entire storyline. I am sorry there is no way outside of a soap opera the events that happened to him would occur. Sarah's storyline was a non-starter and a reappearance of someone from her past was 100 percent not necessary. There was already enough going on with her I have no idea why Robyn Carr threw all of this stuff at her in this book.

Mac and Gina:
One thing I was really glad of was that Mac and Gina really did talk to each other and let one another know what was going on. Robyn Carr could have went another way and made them running around and keeping secrets from each other and I am glad she decided to not do that. What did make me sad was that I was able to call these two characters exact plot lines from what I read in the first book. I had hopes that Ms. Carr would not go there but she did. She should have focused more on them being a couple and learning how to fully integrate their two families.

Romance:
What romance there was was just not good. I honestly don't understand what happened between this book and the last one but I was not feeling any of the sex scenes between the two couples in this novel.

I plan on reading the next book in the series and if there is not a marked improvement I think I am going to be done with any follow-up books.

Please note that I received this book via the Amazon Vine Program. ( )

Deputy Mac has been sharing the trials of raising his kids as a single dad with single Mom Gina. She wants to move the relationship to the next level, but he's skittish, until the new doc in town starts dating her. A lot of other townfolk in the story, and a good read ( )

Reading this series is sort of like watching a soap opera, serial television. The reader steps into Thunder Bay and immediately meets all the people in this small town and becomes connected to their lives.

As much as this isn't my normal reading fare, I have to say I have enjoyed reading these books, with The Newcomer picking right up where the previous on left off. We have a first-hand look into the very real struggles of teenagers, responsible adults, irresponsible adults, town gossip and more. I really enjoyed this book, and look forward to the next in the series ( )

I still struggle a bit with the fact that this new series of Robyn's is not a traditional romance one. There are multiple romances going on throughout each book and all of them tend to receive equal pages so none really are as featured as the back blurbs might indicate. Despite my struggles Carr's new series does tend to work. Readers just have to understand that if you're looking for a romance where one couple is featured to the Happily Ever After completion they will not find it here. What also works is Carr's ability to create compelling characters and a strong community setting making them extremely real to her readers.

The town of Thunder Point is quaint and a place the reader will long to visit to see and her descriptions of the ocean and beach backdrop are intriguing. The characters' lives are often tremulous and filled with drama but nicely balanced with strength and total likability.


Specific to this installment I did feel that some of the drama felt overwhelming, Ashley's life in particular. The girl just couldn't catch a break and went through hell in this book. Despite what she went through she came out just fine in the end. My biggest problem with all of the drama surrounding her life was once she was out of crisis mode it seemed much of her reasoning felt a bit too mature for her age. Perhaps this was Robyn's way of making Ashley just a one of a kind intelligent and mature young adult but it rang just a little unlikely to me.

In addition, the romance between Cooper and Sarah had two major snafus yet one of them was left dangling at the end making it necessary for the readers to read the next installment to see what happens. However, the romance between Mac and Gina blossomed into a lovely relationship and the reader can't help but cheer them on as they got closer and closer.

Despite these things I had issues with this was a really good book with an intensity that will play with the reader's emotions in a good way. A new reader could pick up this book without reading the first one but if read in order the reader will have more of an appreciation of the character developments. ( )

Deputy Matt, devoted single father, falls in love with friend Gina, but all hell breaks loose when his ex-wife returns to Thunder Point. Why? ( )