The Promise (Thunder Point), by Robyn Carr

Description: 

#1 New York Times bestselling author Robyn Carr returns to Thunder Point with an uplifting story about overcoming loss and finding unexpected love

Scott Grant has a bustling family practice in the small Oregon community of Thunder Point. The town and its people have embraced the widowed doctor and father of two, his children are thriving, and Scott knows it's time to move on from his loss. But as the town's only doctor, the dating scene is awkward. That is, until a stunning physician's assistant applies for a job at his clinic.

Peyton Lacoumette considers herself entirely out of the dating scene. She's already been burned by a man with kids, and she's come to Thunder Point determined not to repeat past mistakes. When Scott offers her a job, at a much lower salary than she's used to, Peyton is surprisingly eager to accept…at least for now. She's willing to stay for a three-month trial period while she explores other options.

Scott and Peyton know the arrangement is temporary—it isn't enough time to build a real relationship, never mind anything with lasting commitment. But love can blossom faster than you think when the timing is right, and this short visit just might hold the promise of forever.  (Goodreads)

Review:

I've been waiting for The Promise for several books now -- or rather, for Scott's story.  I knew when he first moved to Thunder Point that it was only a matter of time before this dedicated doctor and wonderful father found the right woman, and I was excited to see who that might be. I thought, when I first started reading The Hero, that it might be Devon, the heroine of that novel, but she found her happily-ever-after with someone else. As it turns out, Scott had to wait for Peyton Lacoumette to arrive in town.

I love Peyton. She's smart, she's an excellent PA, and she's really well-grounded. It's almost unfair that she's also gorgeous. I love her big, boisterous farm family, and her caring heart. The author doles out Peyton's backstory in small doses, which allows Scott (and the reader) to get to know her slowly, the way one does in real life. She and Scott are attracted to each other, but Peyton is dealing with both pain and self-doubt after her last relationship fell apart, and in some ways the situation with Scott, his job, and his children holds uncomfortable similarities to that relationship -- uncomfortable for Peyton, who is determined not to make the same mistakes again.

Scott doesn't have the same issues, but he's got some insecurities of his own, which surface in the last quarter of the book. I was actually surprised by these the first time I read the book, because they seemed to come out of the blue, but when I gave the book a quick second skim-through, I realized that there were subtle hints in the earlier section. This is a romance, so of course things work out, but not before an unexpected crisis toward the end -- one which shows both Peyton's compassion and her strength of will.

The Promise is a warm and satisfying novel, a small-town romance between two thoroughly likable characters with good chemistry and similar values. Readers who are new to the series should enjoy it anyway, since the focus remains firmly on the hero and heroine most of the time, but there are secondary characters from previous books who show up for cameos or (in Devon and Carrie's cases) somewhat larger roles. You won't be lost if you haven't read the previous books, but you may have more fun with the glimpses of Cooper and Sarah, Devon and Spencer, Gina and Mac, and even Al and his foster kids if you've visited Thunder Point before.

One of the things I really appreciate about this series is how realistic both the people and the situations are. The problems that the characters deal with, separately and together, aren't soap opera fare; with a few exceptions, they could and do happen in any ordinary community, to ordinary people. Robyn Carr has a gift for creating wonderful, believable characters: people who are flawed and realistically inconsistent, but fundamentally good. It's that combination that keeps her books on my autobuy list.

*   *   *

Rating: 4 stars

Category: Contemporary romance; small-town romance
Series: Thunder Point #5
Publisher: Harlequin MIRA
Release date: Tuesday, June 24, 2014
Book source: Advance review copy from the publisher

The Thunder Point series in order:   

1. The Wanderer  (review)
2. The Newcomer  (review)
3. The Hero  (review)
4. The Chance  (review)
5. The Promise  (this review)
6. The Homecoming  (forthcoming)

About the author:  Robyn Carr is the RITA award-winning author of over 40 books.  Set in small towns, her Virgin River, Grace Valley and Thunder Point series blend romance and women’s fiction, and often deal sensitively with issues including war-related injuries, PTSD, alcoholism, bullying, rape, and single parenthood.  Visit her website at  http://www.robyncarr.com/biography.html.

Connect with the author:   Website      Facebook      Twitter (@RCarrWriter)     Goodreads