Bon Appetite and a Book Review: Midnight Thunder

MIDNIGHT THUNDER

by New York Times Bestselling Author

Vicki Lewis Thompson

MIDNIGHT THUNDER

By Vicki Lewis Thompson

Harlequin Blaze; June 1, 2015

$5.50; 224 pages

ISBN-13: 978-0-373-79851-3

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.

Review:  I am a sucker for a cowboy. I love stories where the heroes are ranchers. Midnight Thunder is one of those books and Vicki Lewis Thompson is an author that seldom disappoints.
The plot reminds me of a book I read not too long ago that had a foster child that returns home after one of his parents has health issues.

I loved that this book really figures heavily on Cade, rather than Lexi. Cade is a character that you simply have to love. He has a good heart and he's good with animals. I loved how he rescued Hematite and I also loved that he was a cat man. His kitty, Ringo is an awesome little guy.

So basically, Cade is the perfect man in my eyes. I also loved his other blood brothers. In fact, midway through this story I was already dying for Finn's book. He is a very intriguing character, and waiting to see if he gets his "happily ever after" with Chelsea is going to make me burst with anticipation.

But there is a romance going on here. Its a romance that started back in his high school days. I love second chance stories, even though I tend to wonder how anyone could pine after someone for several years.

The chemistry between Cade and Lexi is electric. These two are made for each other and they are written in such a way that you really root for them. I was also pleased that there was no huge conflict that separated them, where you have to wait for one of the characters to start behaving better and get on with their relationship.

I totally loved this book and look forward to reading the next 2 books!

Rating:  5 flowers

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.

Website: http://www.vickilewisthompson.com

Twitter: @VickiLThompson          

Facebook: www.facebook.com/vickilewisthompson

Next up is the recipe. Cade loves his step mom's tuna casserole. I make one very similar to this one and I can testify that it is yummy. In my recipe I add a little bit of milk, and omit the Worchestershire Sauce and cheese, but when I made it earlier this week, I tried this version and it was just as yummy. It is fabulous served over toast.

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

I 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.