A New Hope by Robyn Carr (Thunder Point #8)
Contemporary Romance
June 30, 2015
Mira
Ginger Dysart came to Thunder Point at the lowest point in her life. Lost in her grief following the death of her son to SIDS, her parents feared that she’d never break out of the dark void she’d made for herself. Out of ideas, they ask their niece Ray Ann to have Ginger out for a visit. RayAnne’s take charge attitude was exactly what Ginger needed to make some changes. Surrounding Ginger with people who showered her with love and understanding and helping her find something to focus on other than her loss was the first step in helping Ginger come into the light. Now, several months later, she’s a part of the community, working part time at the local floral shop and making some new friends.
When Ginger’s help is needed with the very large Lacoumette wedding, she is hesitant. Her own failed marriage still weighs heavy on her, but she finds herself drawn into the preparations and the contagious excitement of the wedding party. Opting out of the actual ceremony, Ginger attends the reception that is held on the grounds of the Lacoumette Farm. It’s magical and beautiful and she easily falls into the spirit of all the partygoers. She’s having a great time until the bride’s extremely drunk brother tries to make a pass at her.
Matt Lacoumette is having a little too much fun at his sister’s wedding. It wasn’t that long ago that he was here, celebrating his own marriage to Natalie, starting a life that he thought would be forever. It wasn’t and the reasons for the demise of his marriage weigh heavy on his heart and his soul. He’s angry and hurt and being at his sister’s wedding just reminds him of everything he’s lost. He needs a distraction and when he sees the pretty blonde standing alone, he decides that she’s exactly the kind of distraction he needs.
A New Hope is the 8th book in Carr’s Thunder Point series. Centered around the community of a small coastal town, we’ve been through a lot already with the people who live here. In this story, Ginger and Matt are each recovering from personal loss. In Ginger’s case, the tragedy of losing her baby son to SIDS on the heels of a divorce is just too much for her. For Matt who is also recently divorced and carrying around a lot of guilt and anger toward his ex-wife, the life that he envisioned seems an impossibility now. Ginger and Matt have way more in common than they think, but they’ll have to let the other into the carefully constructed walls of their heart in order to truly see what they could be together.
I enjoyed this book. Since Ginger was introduced two books ago, I have loved watching her transformation from the disheveled young woman oozing grief out of every pore to the woman she is at the start of this book. She is stronger, more confident, and while she is not looking for love, she has hope that it could happen for her again. Matt is the opposite. He is still very angry and not at all interested in a relationship. But there is something about Ginger that is different and he finds himself looking forward to any time he can spend with her.
Without giving too much away, Matt’s reasons for divorce are deep rooted in something his ex wife did which in my book was completely unforgivable. It affected him on such a deep level that you could see how his inability to forgive and let it go would hamper any happiness that he might have with Ginger. It causes typical conflicts and misunderstandings and we see how a simple failure to communicate can cause havoc in a relationship. I liked how the author handles the resolution and allowed both Ginger and Matt to not only forgive themselves but their exes, allowing them a fresh start with each other.
Because there is a wedding, we see almost all the previous characters in this edition. As I’ve said before, revisiting previous characters in a series is a plus for me. I enjoy it when an author chooses to bring them back, even in a small capacity.
A feel good contemporary that gives two deserving characters a second chance at love after tragedy and loss.
Rating: B
Previous Robyn Carr reviews
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