This is the first book in the new Thunder Point romance series. Hank Cooper arrives in Thunder Point, Oregon, a lovely small town on the coast, to settle the estate of his Army buddy, Ben Bailey. Ben's death was a surprise to his friends as he was only middle-aged, but according to the police report Ben fell down the cellar stairs of his bar/bait shop/deli. Odd, since Ben wasn't feeble or irresponsible, yet there's no reason to suspect otherwise.

For readers of the Virgin River series, Hank is a friend to Lucas Riordan, both former Blackhawk pilots in the Army, and Ben was their mechanic. Then Hank is surprised to learn he's Ben's beneficiary of the business and land along the coastline. Should this wanderer stay put and repair the bar or just sell everything to developers then leave? To complicate matters even further, he's also just met Lt Cmdr Sarah Dupre, a Search & Rescue helicopter pilot for the Coast Guard who moved to Thunder Point the previous year with her younger brother, for whom she's guardian.

As the first book in this series, we're introduced to the main characters including Deputy Sheriff Roger 'Mac' McCain. Standard in Carr novels, the town is an ideal community that takes care of its own. You'll become involved in the high school football games each Friday night, and assist in decorating the town for the coming holidays, as well as become involved in everyone's private lives. You get romances for each of the guys, the usual town characters, and plenty of backstory for each of the major players. But don't forget Ben's mysterious death. A nice, easy read that draws you into another book filled with your new friends. ( )

I was of two minds when I started this series by Robyn Carr.

First, that I would end up being disappointed since the Virgin River series that Ms. Carr started ended up going from must read books for me to eventually just going through the motions books. I didn't engage with any characters and I started to get annoyed by all of the pointless and recycled plot lines.

My second thought was that these books could be a return to what drew me to the Virgin River series and I would fall in love all over again with a fictional town.

Thank goodness my second thought bore out and I purchased the first book in this series, "The Wanderer"

For those that started reading the Virgin River series, Robyn Carr always managed to work in romance with very serious topical issues. Somehow she weaved in real issues such as rape, STDs, rape, battery, and managed to make you believe that the main hero and heroine were falling in love with each other.There were no dumb misunderstandings going on where problems could be resolved if two characters would only just talk to each other.

Then around book #14 of her series things started to go downhill (Wild Man Creek). By the time I finished the last book in the series, #25 My Kind of Christmas I was sorely disappointed with all of the characters and wished that they had gotten a better ending than what they did. There was no more tension or real world issues. Just characters sleeping together but running around all angsty with each other (for no reason) it was maddening. These were grown men and women. If I ever act this dumb while in a relationship with a grown up man someone beat me over the head with a shovel. That said, the sex scenes were boring and I never felt any chemistry between any of the hero or heroines. There was no follow-up with certain characters and by the end I started to really hate some of the characters.

"The Wanderer" is a spin-off of The Virgin River series featuring former Army helicopter pilot, Hank Cooper who fans of the previous series will remember him appearing in #19, Sunrise Point. [Sunrise Point (Virgin River) - Robyn Carr]

Cooper goes to Thunder Point in Oregon to investigate how his former Army mechanic Ben died. Once at Thunder Point Cooper trying to organize Ben's affairs finds himself getting embroiled and attached to those who live in the small town.

What I liked was that there were three plots going on that Ms. Carr managed to juggle with ease. We have Cooper who ends up meeting a bullied kid, Landon, and grows to care for him and his sister, Sarah.

Coop meets Mac, a deputy sheriff, who comes with a lot of baggage and three kids. Mac finally starts to wonder if she move forward with his long time best friend Gina. Gina is mom to Mac's eldest daughter's best friend.

We also have the character of Landon trying to deal with being bullied and new in Thunder Point.

Due to certain events in the book we also still keep coming back to Ben's death.

I think this novel did a very good job of setting up the foundation of the series. I didn't feel lost or confused with so many characters running around. This was probably because each character had a very distinct voice.I think that all of the characters had very real issues to deal with and for once we didn't have grown men and women running around acting like idiots with one another. The love scenes in the novel were nicely done and I actually felt the chemistry between all of the romantic pairings. We had realistic dialogue and scenes with teenagers being attracted to each other and yes acknowledgement that 16 year old kids do run around and have sex with each other.

It was nice to see Robyn Carr get back to world building an entire series. I actually find myself quite excited to read the next book in this series to see how everyone is doing. I hope she keeps it up. ( )

Another book in the Virgin River universe, but set further north. I enjoyed it very much. ( )

I read this for a reading challenge, but it is not my cup of tea at all. I just don't care for romance novels. However, given that, the story was pretty good and a couple of the characters were developed nicely. I just really care for books whose sole purpose is to set up a few steamy bedroom scenes. I prefer the sex to be a natural result of the plot and character and not the driving force. ( )

The start of the series in Thunder Point Oregon. Cooper isn't a settling down man. He travels to Thunder Point to find out about his old friend's will…and finds out that he inherited a run down beach front bar, along with a crusty vet with PTSD and oodles of expensive land that Ben preserved for wildlife. Not a man to run away from a challenge, Cooper settles in and along the way meets Coast Guard Search and Rescue Pilot, Sarah - and opposites attract. ( )