Thunder and Rain

If you have ever wanted to pick up and book and have it completely capture your attention until you find yourself turning pages faster and faster because the story is that intense you want to know how it will end, then pick up Charles Martin's latest novel, Thunder and Rain. This is the perfect summer read for those of you that love a contemporary suspenseful love story of a Texas Ranger and a single mother and her daughter looking to find a way to start a new life. The only problem is the ex-boyfriend/SWAT officer that will stop at nothing to find them.

The conflict in this story is two-fold, with the first dealing with the pending divorce of Texas Ranger, Tyler Steele and his estranged wife Andie. Caught in the middle is Brodie, their only son, who only wishes for his family to work things out and be happy again. Yet Tyler hasn't been completely honest with the reasons why he can no longer be married to Andie and subsequently looks for a way to tell him that he is divorcing his mother. While trying to find answers of his own, he manages a cattle ranch with Brodie and an ex-con who goes by the name of Dumps. He takes care of Brodie and the ranch when Tyler is called out of town to work on a case.

Tyler is now facing the same challenge his father before him had, which is finally realizing that his job has become the most important thing in his life while his family is slowly eroding away. When he attempts to find retirement as the answer, he runs literally into a single mother, Sam and her ten-year-old daughter Hope in the fog on a highway one night. Seeing her in dire straights with a run-down car that is on it's last leg, Tyler tries to help them get to safety at the local truck stop for gas and some food.

Once they arrive, he finds out more than he ever wanted to know when Sam's abusive ex-boyfriend locates them and attempts to abduct them in his van. But Tyler being a Ranger knows that he can't turn his back when he knows he can help and that is protecting the innocent. Now he attempts to help them as much as he can and put a stop to why this man insists on hunting down Sam and Hope, but now, Tyler is his next intended target. Will Tyler's future end up just like his father's or will he be able to let go of his job and focus on what's really important, raising his son Brodie?

I received Thunder and Rain compliments of Center Street, a division of Hachette Book Groups for my honest review and LOVED it. I was immediately drawn into the hero of the story and the details of Tyler's life and his past. The love his shares for his job and the responsibilities creates a likeable characteristic of what makes a true hero, one who will do whatever it takes to defend the innocent, no matter what the cost. There are memorable supporting characters you meet along the way that help balance Tyler's hard exterior and make you want to meet them in real life. For me, this book hooked me from the beginning and kept me up until I finished the final page. For those of you looking for a great crime mystery with a romantic twist, then you'll definitely want to pick this one up. The action is intense but with so much tenderness woven in between! In my opinion, this one is a 5 out of 5 stars and has found a permanent place on my personal library. Now I want to pick up more novels by this amazing author.

For more information about Thunder and Rain, Charles Martin or where to pick up a copy of this amazing book today, please click on the link below:

Thunder and Rain by Charles Martin