Midnight Thunder by Vicki Lewis Thompson

Thunder Mountain Ranch was the only place cowboy Cade Gallagher had ever called home. But after he and Lexi Simmons broke each others’ hearts, he left it behind, along with his foster family. Since then, Cade has drifted, looking for something—anything—to call home. Until a call from Lexi changes everything.

 

Cade has been gone too long. His foster mother is hospitalized, and the ranch is in deep financial trouble. Yet even as his world crumbles, Cade’s hunger for Lexi is almost as tangible as the taste  of her lips and the way her body fits deliciously against his. It’s bittersweet surrender. But Lexi isn’t the girl she used to be, and she’s determined to have the hot cowboy in her bed only if she keeps him out of her heart.

Title: Midnight Thunder | Series: Midnight Thunder Brotherhood #1 | Author: Vicki Lewis Thompson | Publisher: Harlequin Blaze | Category: Passion | Release Date: June 2015 | Genre: Contemporary Romance | Source: MLM Media Relations | Rating: 4

I love a good reunion romance. When the hero and heroine have a past it makes the chemistry so much more intense and exciting. And the chemistry in Midnight Thunder was so intense and exciting I couldn’t put the book down.

 

Here’s what’s going on. When Cade Gallagher discovers that his foster mother has been hospitalized nothing will stop him from returning to Thunder Mountain Ranch. Not even the spooked horse he’s rescued, the cat that stowed away, or Lexi Simmons—the girl whose heart he broke when he left five years ago.

 

While Lexi isn’t the same girl he left behind, Cade still finds her every bit as attractive. And Lexi is more than willing to share his bed but she’s not going to risk giving him her heart again.

 

Lexi and Cade were so intense. It was obvious from the start that they were still madly in love with each other. Although five years ago, Cade wasn’t ready for commitment and Lexi wanted to settle down. Now, Cade’s ready to commit and Lexi’s become her own woman.

 

I really liked Cade. He’s a hero that’s utterly swoon-worthy. He’s kind and caring and more than willingly to protect those around him. Cade was foster child, and I have read so many books where those in the foster system become these bitter, angry people who hate the world and everyone in it, so it was a fresh change to see a well-rounded hero who had been a former foster child.

 

Cade made familial bonds with his foster parents as well as Finn and Damon (who along with Cade formed the Thunder Mountain Brotherhood when they were teens). Even though he has a few issues to work out, he really was a solid hero.

 

I’m a bit on the fence about Lexi. I liked her to a point, but she drove me bat crap crazy. I really didn’t care for the way she acted like Cade was pushing her into things when in their past relationship it was Lexi who was doing things she thought would please him.

 

She had this whole ‘I’m not that girl anymore’ thing going on whenever Cade offered her a future with him—and I know there were a few personal issues that Cade had to deal with, but it felt like she was pushing his commitment away because he rejected her offer five years go. If it wasn’t for the fact I knew she was head over heels in love with Cade, I would have wrote her off as a lost cause.

One thing I loved about this book was that it set up the Thunder Mountain Brotherhood series brilliantly and hooked me in. I have to know what’s going on with Damon and Finn and whether or not Thunder Mountain Ranch can be saved.

 

Overall, I liked this book. The pacing was steady, the characters were brilliant—even though I wanted to slap Lexi a few times—, and I loved the way Cade, Finn, and Damon went gaga over the cat that stowed away in Cade’s truck.

Bon Appétit & a Book:

Vicki Lewis Thompson’s Mushroom-Tuna Casserole

Rosie Padgett, foster mom to the guys when they lived on the ranch, cooked hearty but budget-minded food for her boys and they have fond memories of her tuna casserole.  This is a traditional recipe that serves six but could be doubled or tripled as needed.

                                                                                                        –Vicki

 

Ingredients:

2 cans tuna fish

1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup

1 1-pound can of peas

¼ cup chopped onions

1 tablespoon Worchestershire Sauce

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

1 cup crushed potato chips

Directions:

Drain tuna; flake.  In a large bowl combine soup, peas, onion and Worchestershire Sauce.  Blend in tuna fish and cheese.  Pour mixture into a greased casserole and top with potato chips.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes until bubbly.
 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

A romance writing career has brought Vicki Lewis Thompson many wonderful things –New York Times bestseller status, an appearance on LIVE with Regis and Kelly, the Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award from Romance Writers of America, thousands of readers, many dear friends, and the cutest little yellow convertible in the world. Her career has also given her work she loves. Although she’s written more than 100 books, she continues to be fascinated by the many ways that a man and woman fall in love. The age-old story remains a challenging puzzle to be solved anew with each book. That makes her a very lucky person, indeed.

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