Review: The Hero

The Hero

By Robyn Carr

Published: August 27, 2013

With warmth and sensitivity, #1 New York Times bestselling author Robyn Carr shows readers that falling in love can be the bravest act of all. 

In a moment of desperation, Devon McAllister takes her daughter and flees a place where they should have been safe and secure. She has no idea what is around the next bend, but she is pretty certain it can't be worse than what they've left behind. Her plan is to escape to somewhere she can be invisible. Instead, an unexpected offer of assistance leads her to Thunder Point, a tiny Oregon town with a willingness to help someone in need. 

As the widowed father of a vulnerable young boy, Spencer Lawson knows something about needing friendship. But he's not looking for anything else. Instead, he's thrown his energy into his new role as Thunder Point's high school football coach. Tough and demanding to his team, off the field he's gentle and kind...just the kind of man who could heal Devon's wounded heart. 

Devon thought she wanted to hide from the world. But in Thunder Point, you find bravery where you least expect it...and sometimes, you find a hero.

My review:

This is the third book in the Thunder Point series, a spin off from the Virgin River series by popular novelist Robyn Carr. I had not read the Virgin River series or the first two books in this series when I picked up The Hero but I was able to follow the story without any problem. The author gives readers plenty of backstory about the various characters populating Thunder Point so I didn't feel lost.

Devon and her daughter have escaped from a cult-like commune and the clutches of an evil man. Through her memories as well as scenes involving the current plight of the women left behind, we get to see what life was like in the commune. Devon has trust issues because of the way she was duped by the cult leader and she has emotional trauma to heal from but I admired her spirit and determination. 

Devon finds an unlikely hero in Rawley, a loner who takes her in and becomes a kind if a little gruff father figure. I kind of liked Rawley more than Devon's love interest and thought he should be the "hero" of the title but as this is a romance that wouldn't work. Devon's love interest is Spencer and honestly I kind of found him to be bland. I didn't see much chemistry between them. It felt kind of forced. He was a nice guy but nothing special. I did like how he treated Devon with kindness but their romance (and its obstacles) was one of the weak points of the story.

The people of Thunder Point are an interesting bunch. They were friendly and helpful to Devon though she was an outsider. I liked getting to know the various characters but at times their own stories intruded a little too much on the main story between Devon and Spencer. 

Overall I thought this was a pleasant escape and I liked the protagonist and reading about her escape from the cult and the suspense. The romance could have been stronger and I think Devon didn't really need Spencer to be her hero. While I didn't care for all the details/plot lines about the other secondary characters I think that people who are fans of Robyn Carr would enjoy it and know to expect it. For those who enjoy following characters' lives throughout a series, this might be a good choice for you. I prefer a love story that focuses on the main couple.

Note: I received an e-ARC of this book for review purposes courtesy of Netgalley and the publisher