REVIEW: A New Hope by Robyn Carr

In A New Hope (Thunder Point #8) by Robyn Carr, Ginger Dysart moved to Thunder Point to stay with a family member after spending months in a deep depression since her baby’s death. Ray Anne’s determination pays off when Ginger begins to open up and even socialize in town. Then a chance encounter at a wedding puts her in an awkward situation when Matt Lacoumette drunkenly makes a pass at her. After his apology a few days later, Ginger starts a new friendship with the hunky farmer, knowing that some day soon it could turn into much more.

‘She would not have believed a few short months ago, when she was mired in depression and hopelessness, that she could have this–laughter and enthusiasm and anticipation.’

Matt still has trouble letting go of his painful divorce, especially when attending a wedding in the same place where he got married. It doesn’t make up for the way he treated Ginger in his drunken stupor, though. So when the sweet and beautiful woman decides to forgive him, he takes the opportunity to forge a connection with her. Matt keeps telling himself he’s not looking for a relationship other than that of being friends, but even his fears of messing up again can’t stop his feelings from growing stronger every day.

‘He was a little panicked. Most definitely conflicted. He was falling in love with Ginger and it was a bad idea for him to be in love. If he recalled, he had two gears–not in love and thinking straight or in love and a complete idiot.’

I fell in love with Thunder Point all over again with this sweet, poignant, super romantic story from uber talented Robyn Carr. How can you not fall for a story where two people who have suffered great losses find comfort and love in each other’s arms?

I think the title of this book pretty much says it all: A New Hope. And that it certainly was, for both of our main characters. I’ve been waiting for more of Ginger’s heartbreaking story and to see her get her fairy tale ending since she was introduced previously. Boy was it well worth the wait. Her romantic pairing with Matt was perfect and it felt like they brought out the best in each other.

This had to be the best balance of humor vs. heaviness that I’ve read in a long time. There was a ton of playful/flirty banter between Matt and Ginger which was really cute and they had such great personalities. But they both had been through very difficult divorces in the past few years, so there was a lot of darkness they were dealing with. This made for some gritty, deeply emotional scenes that had me a bit teary eyed.

That’s one of the things I like most about Ms. Carr’s writing: she’s not afraid to dig in to the dark situations and explore how it affects her characters. Whether it’s the loss of a loved one, a bad break up, an illness, or even abuse, her stories incorporate these into her character’s lives in a realistic manner. And we get to see how friendship, love, and some courage, like in Ginger and Matt’s case, can give way to a whole new meaning to their lives.

A New Hope was an absolutely lovely story that will have romance fans laughing, shedding a few tears, and overjoyed that such a deserving couple found their way to happiness.

Book Info:

Published: June 30th 2015 | Mira | Thunder Point #8

Starting over is never easy, but in Thunder Point, where newcomers are welcome and friends become family, it’s possible to find yourself again. In this brand-new story, #1 New York Times bestselling author Robyn Carr takes us on a moving and rewarding journey as a young woman finds new hope.

After losing her child, Ginger Dysart was lost in grief. But since moving to Thunder Point, a small town on the Oregon coast, and with the help of her cousin Ray Anne, Ginger is finally moving forward. Her job at the flower shop is peaceful and fulfilling, and she’s excited to start her first big assignment, assisting with the Lacoumette wedding.

In spite of her lasting heartache, Ginger finds herself swept up in the pleasure of the occasion. But the beauty of the Lacoumette farm and the joy of the gregarious family are ruined by an unfortunate encounter with the bride’s brother, Matt. Struggling with painful memories of his own recent divorce, Matt makes a drunken spectacle of himself and Ginger when he tries to make a pass at her, forcing Ginger to flee the scene in embarrassment.

But when Matt shows up at the flower shop determined to make amends, what started out as a humiliating first meeting blossoms into something much deeper than either of them expected. Discovering they have a lot in common, they form a solid friendship, though everyone around them worries that Ginger will end up with a broken heart yet again. But if Ginger has the courage to embrace the future, and if Matt can finally learn to let go of the past, there may still be hope for a happy ending.