Wildest Dreams

July 13, 2015
This sweet (but occasionally sour) contemporary is the ninth novel set in the tiny Oregon hamlet of Thunder Point (after A New Hope). Single mother Lin Su Simmons, a hardworking and somewhat impoverished nurse, is doing her best to keep herself and her young son, Charlie, afloat while caring for Winnie Banks, who is suffering from ALS. Champion triathlete Blake Smiley also understands hard work; he grew up in a tough neighborhood where he learned to run for pure survival, not fun. When he moves in next door to Winnie, sparks fly between Blake and Lin Su, and Blake takes Charlie under his wing. But when Lin Su realizes Blake and Charlie have kept a huge secret from her, it threatens to destroy their budding relationship. While Lin Su sometimes comes off as judgmental, inflexible, and frankly unlikable, in the end she gracefully rises to meet new challenges. Returning fans will be delighted by updates on other couples in the series.

August 1, 2015

Iron Man athlete Blake Smiley has come a long way from his rough Baltimore roots, but he hasn't forgotten how hard he's had to work to get where he is--and he's not afraid to share his story. On the other hand, all private care nurse Lin Su Simmons seems to want is to ignore her complicated past and keep it hidden, especially from her asthmatic teenage son, Charlie. But Charlie is searching on his own, and, with his computer skills, finding what he's looking for is only a matter of time. VERDICT A proud, prickly heroine who needs to come to terms with her past and a perceptive, protective hero struggle to find common ground in a poignant, heartfelt, often funny story that redefines the meaning of family, updates the lives of continuing characters, and adds another memorable chapter to this popular series. Carr (One Wish) lives in Henderson, NV.

Copyright 2015 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from September 15, 2015
Lin Su, a Vietnamese girl adopted by wealthy American parents, has a luxurious childhood with everything she could ever want, except love and affection. When Lin Su gets pregnant in high school, she leaves home and raises Charlie as a single mother. After getting her nursing degree, she specializes in home care, finding work in Thunder Point, Oregon, where she cares for a woman with ALS, whose daughter and friends become Lin Su and Charlie's family. If it weren't for Charlie's serious asthma, life would be almost perfect. Then Iron Man athlete Blake Smiley moves to Thunder Point. Charlie, now 14, immediately bonds with Blake, who challenges the sheltered life Lin Su has created for her asthmatic son, who now begins to search for his roots, which his mother has carefully kept hidden. As Carr (A New Hope, 2015) continues the Thunder Point series, she expertly pulls readers into the story, allowing them to experience a teen's frustration with his bubble-wrapped world, a mother's anxiety over her chronically ill child, and a once athletic woman coming to terms with a debilitating illness, all brightened by the growing love and hope between two cautious, caring individuals.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)