Featured Author & Book Giveaway

February 27, 2014

The Hope Chest Reviews is priviledged to be one of the stops on a blog tour celebrating the release of Robyn Carr's brand new novel, The Chance, the latest in her Thunder Point series. We have a review of the book, as well as an informative interview with the author, plus a chance to win a copy of the book. What fun! So without further ado, let's start the festivities with our Q & A.

 Interview w/Robyn Carr

Q: When you first created Thunder Point and started writing novels based there, did you have upcoming characters-like Laine and Eric from The Chance-in mind, or have they been developed since you created the town? How has the series evolved since the first three books came out last year? A: The really fun part about a long running series like this as that the characters appear as they're needed and they evolve. When I first introduced Eric in The Newcomer, I wasn't sure he'd have more of a story coming. When I started to think he was memorable enough for his own story and romance, I wasn't sure whom he'd meet that he'd fall for. When I introduced Laine in The Hero, I thought she might be just crossing the stage-but then I saw her meeting Eric and it all seemed to come together.

Other characters have been there since the beginning of the series and have been calling out to me for their own story, like Dr. Scott Grant. Bless his heart-he has been ready for a special woman for a long time now.

Q: Do you have a favorite place in Thunder Point? If it was a real town, where would you spend most of your time?

A: If I lived in Thunder Point, I think I'd be at the diner every day. That seems to be where most people run into each other. It's a great place for a coffee break or breakfast-Stu, the owner and cook, doesn't screw up breakfast too badly. And another great place to have a glass of wine or a nice dinner is the nicest restaurant in town, Cliffhanger's in the marina. And finally Cooper's beach bar is the best place to view a sunset-he has tables on the deck and when the sun sets over those big, black haystack rocks, it's amazing.

Q: What is the underlying message you want women to take away from The Chance? Not to be too corny, but what does chance have to do with it? And do you really believe in second chances?

A: Eric and Laine are completely ill-suited for each other. Not only do they come from vastly different backgrounds, they like completely different things, but he's an ex-con and she's an FBI agent! And yet when they're together, the chemistry is overpowering. Even though all good sense says they should not pursue a romantic future, sometimes you have to go with your gut instinct and take a chance on the least likely match. Do I believe in second chances? Oh, yes. And third, fourth, fifth and so on. Things seem to work out just as they should. I love the quote from the movie The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, "Everything will be all right in the end. If it is not yet all right, it is not yet the end."

Q: Can you give us a sneak peak into what you are working on now?

A: The Promise, another Thunder Point novel, is complete and being edited while I write The Homecoming, the third Thunder Point novel for 2014. In The Promise, Dr. Scott Grant finally meets the woman of his dreams. This young widower and father has been hoping to find the right woman for a long time and had nearly accepted the fact that he never would-and then a beautiful and brilliant physician's assistant enters his life. Peyton Lacoumette turns his world upside down and challenges all his assumptions about love and life.

Right after The Chance comes a new women's fiction I dearly love. Like The House On Olive Street and A Summer in Sonoma, Four Friends examines the relationship of four women, all in various angst and crises, coming to terms with where they belong in their relationships and their friendships, all looking for their best possible selves. I lovingly refer to books like this as girlfriend books. The story is driven by the women's narrative but most definitely and intimately involves the significant men in their lives. It's by turns emotional, hilarious, revealing and transforming-and I love it.

 Book Giveaway

Courtesy of Harlequin Mira, The Hope Chest Reviews is giving away one print copy of Robyn Carr's new contemporary romance, The Chance (ARV - $7.99). For your chance to win a copy of this book, all you need to do is fill out the official entry form. Participants must be 18 years of age or older and a resident of the United States. The giveaway will run from 2/27/14 to 3/8/14. On 3/9/14, the winner will be chosen by a random electronic drawing. That person will be contacted via email for their mailing address, and their first name, city and state will be posted here on The Hope Chest Reviews. Please see the entry page for official giveaway rules and our privacy policy. Good luck!

Synopsis: With its breathtaking vistas and down-to-earth people, Thunder Point is the perfect place for FBI agent Laine Carrington to recuperate from a gunshot wound and contemplate her future. The locals embraced Laine as one of their own after she risked her life to save a young girl from a dangerous cult. Knowing her wounds go beyond the physical, Laine hopes she'll fit in for a while and find her true self in a town that feels safe. She may even learn to open her heart to others, something an undercover agent has little time to indulge. Eric Gentry is also new to Thunder Point. Although he's a man with a dark past, he's determined to put down roots and get to know the daughter he only recently discovered. When Laine and Eric meet, their attraction is obvious to everyone. But while the law enforcement agent and the reformed criminal want to make things work, their differences may run too deep...unless they take a chance on each other and find that deep and mysterious bond that belongs to those who choose love over fear.

This contest is now officially closed.

The winner is Karen from Brenton, WV.

Congratulations, Dora from The Hope Chest Reviews!