Customer Reviews

Distant Shores, Silent Thunder

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Dr. KT O'Bannon, is a woman at the top of her game. Her life as a surgeon is a dream come true. Often times confident and sometimes brash, she's living life large and in charge. Then the unthinkable happens and KT is suddenly faced with the possiblity of losing the only way of life she knows.

Dr. Victory "Tory" King, and her partner, Sheriff Reese Conlon, along with Officer Briana "Bri" Parker whose stories began in Safe Harbor then were continued in Beyond The Breakwater once again find themselves smack in the middle of a case fraught with intrigue, danger and suspense. As the three women work to unravel clues, someone one of them never expected to see again suddenly surfaces - in a most unexpected way.

KT, who is reeling from the impact of her situation and desperate to practice medicine of any kind, responds to an ad placed by a doctor needing an assistant. A doctor with whom KT shares a history - namely one Victoria King - a woman KT once loved and left in pursuit of a career. Despite reservations that Victoria's not sure she can put a name to she hires KT to work in her clinic.

Into the fray comes temptation from an unlikely source for Briana. Temptation that could affect her position in the Sheriff's department. Will she allow herself to succumb or will her feelings for Caroline, who was her first, be strong enough to help her resist? When Bri is injured during the course of the case, a major question arises - whom will she turn to for comfort?

Then there is the matter of KT unexpectedly finding herself more than a little attracted to Pia Torres, a physical therapist who works with severely injured patients. Although it seems Pia has been fighting feelings for KT almost from their first meeting, she is still leery of becoming involved with the surgeon. Will Pia allow herself to act on her feelings and take a chance on getting burned? As for KT, what choice will she make if she is able to return to the life she once knew? Will she choose Pia or will she choose career over love once more time?

Radclyffe has written a truly masterful tale of how someone - who is faced with overcoming their greatest challenge - sometimes has life throw them the absolutely perfect pitch. Distant Shores, Silent Thunder joins the long list of this author's works, which include such terrific reads as the "Honor" and "Justice" series as well as stand alone books - Passion's Bright Fury, Fated Love, Love's Tender Warriors, Tomorrow's Promise, Innocent Hearts and Love's Melody Lost. Each book is a perfect example where Radclyffe's skill of weaving a tale of intrigue with romance and drama is very much on display.

I had the pleasure of reading two fantastic books last week. It seemed bizarre that both were the third installment in their respective series. However, considering these were by two of my favorite authors, I should have expected it. (You'll have to see my other reviews to find out what the other book was.)

I am a huge fan of this author and have read (and loved) everything she's published. Both the Honor Series and the Justice Series from Radclyffe are great, but the story lines are getting a little stale. That is not the case with the Provincetown Series (Safe Harbor, Beyond the Breakwater, Distant Shores) at all. The series follows the adventures of deputy sherrif Reese Conlon (picture k.d.lang's face with Lucy Lawless' body; the perfect butch) and her lover Dr. Tori King.

In this third book, Radclyffe introduces a complicated plot with intriguing characters:
-Tori is recovering from a strenuous pregnancy and hires help in the form of her ex-lover KT, a brilliant surgeon who cheated on Tori and is dealing with a recent hand injury.
-Reese has to face jealousy for the first time in her life.
-Seeing Tori and Reese together shows KT what she lost. These thoughts fester as she begins to have feelings for her elusive physical therapist, Pia.
-Pia struggles with the ethics of having romantic feelings for a patient. She is also falling in love for the first time in her life.
-Bri is now a member of the Sherrif's department. She struggles to stay faithful to her girlfriend Caroline in Paris, but fellow officer Allie has other ideas.
-Added to the mix is a mystery surrounding drug-related activity in Provincetown.

WOW doesn't even begin to describe how well written and captivating this book is. It's one series I'm hoping continues.

"No matter how much we plan, life-and people-have a way of surprising us."

With an opening like that, one glance tells you that you're in for an amazing ride. Radclyffe brings us the third book in the Provincetown Tales: Distant Shores, Silent Thunder, which tells the story of local sheriff, Reese Conlon, and her lover, Doctor Tory King. When we last visited Reese and Tory in Beyond the Breakwater, they were emerging from Tory's difficult pregnancy, where Reese had to consider the possibility of losing Tory and the baby, and Tory was faced with the constant fear of losing Reese in the line of duty.

In "Distant Shores, Silent Thunder," these fears are behind them. Reese and Tory are now the proud parents of Regina, their new bundle of joy. Tory has yet to return to her clinic, but is soon contemplating the thought, even though it's earlier than she should. Reese and her protégé, Brianna Parker, are back on the beat, attempting to find out why apparently upstanding kids from good families are showing up dead in their town. It's all in a days work, and all seems well in the world of Provincetown. However, unbeknownst to Reese and Tory, all of that tranquil peace is about to come to a screeching halt when Tory's ex-, Dr. KT O'Bannon makes an unexpected appearance. And not only does KT show up, but she wants a job!

Four weeks prior, KT was viciously attacked in the trauma center by a crackhead wielding a knife, nearly losing her fingers in the process, and losing mobility in her hand. Unable to work trauma with her damaged hand, which is in need of rehabilitative therapy, KT hears through the grapevine that there's an opening at Tory's practice, and makes the journey to P-town. Confronted with her cheating ex-lover, Tory is thrown for a loop, and isn't quite sure she can work with KT. All the anger from being the jilted lover looms at the surface of her emotions, and Tory has to decide if it's worth the risk of taking KT on, and possibly jeopardizing her relationship with Reese, even though she desperately needs the help at the clinic.

After consulting with Reese, Tory decides to hire KT, who settles into the town and engages a lovely occupational therapist, Pia Torres, to perform the necessary therapy she needs in order to make her hand functional again. Pia is a mystery, a Latin beauty with dark eyes and glossy midnight hair with acres of sienna skin. KT is at once taken with her, but Pia holds KT at arms length, determined to fix KT's hand, not her heart.

Throughout the story, we're taken on several journeys, the first of which is Tory reconciling her anger at KT's infidelity. At one point in the dialogue, KT finally apologizes for hurting Tory all those years ago, and Tory finds out that none of it really mattered anymore anyway. Another journey is how Reese handles the appearance of KT and her ensuing relationship with Tory. While Reese is every woman's dream-rock solid and stable-her reaction at seeing KT and Tory in what appeared to be a compromising situation (which it wasn't), was almost a bit unrealistic. While one would hope their partner would have enough trust in them to know nothing was going on, in the real world, most women wouldn't have been quite so understanding if they caught their partner in a clinch with their ex-lover. I think it would have helped Reese's character appear more "human" if she had expressed at least a sliver of jealousy or insecurity or even anger. As it stands, Reese appears impervious to the idea of anyone stealing Tory's affections. But that's why it's fiction, right?

The most engaging plot is the one between KT and her budding relationship with the aforementioned, Pia Torres. Their courtship is quaint, old-fashioned, and quite nicely written. It's nice to see two characters get to know one another instead of professing their love for each other within days of meeting or hopping into the sack on the second date (perhaps real-life lesbians could take a few lessons from their fictional counterparts!). KT constantly makes attempts to get closer to Pia, but time and again, is gently rebuffed. While it's obvious that Pia is indeed attracted to KT, it is a mystery for many pages as to why she won't pursue a romantic relationship with her. Upon the reveal, it is again both quaint and old-fashioned, but fits the character of Pia perfectly, staying true to her values and desires.

As KT and Pia continue to see each other according to Pia's rules, one can feel the heat as it builds between these two. When it finally is released, we're talking a major explosion here! Radclyffe did a fantastic job of creating the character of Pia Torres, and we hope to see her in future editions. A calm, strong, and reassuring character, she's the perfect foil for the brash and impetuous KT O'Bannon.

A minor plot involved Brianna and her new working partner, Allie, was quite enjoyable and a nice inclusion of the younger generation. Brianna's lover, Caroline, is away in Paris studying art, and she is suddenly faced with temptation in the form of the ever-present Allie, with whom she had a minor dalliance with in the past, tempting Bri with her wanton ways. When Bri is almost killed in a bust gone bad, you can't wait to see who will be by her side as she recovers.

In all, "Distant Shores, Silent Thunder" is full of well-rounded, strong characters that fit on the page. Many writers develop characters that just don't ring true, but Radclyffe has a gift for character development in real-life situations. Her dialogue flows well and storylines move at a snappy pace. While some people shy away from love scenes or use flowery prose to describe a moment of passion, Radclyffe dives right in, sharing both the heat and passion her characters feel during the heat of the moment. We feel Distant Shores, Silent Thunder is an excellent addition to the Provincetown Tales, and given Radclyffe's prolific ways, we look forward to the next installment. -OutLook Press

Distant Shores, Silent Thunder is the third book in Radclyffe's Provincetown romance series. Because Radclyffe intertwines the first two books as background into the story, readers do not have to read the first two books, but that would be missing out on some great storytelling.

Radclyffe once again does what she is best at, weaving an engaging story with tight, in depth characterization. This author knows the value of words.

Distant Shores begins where Beyond the Breakwater ends, Tory and Reese are new mothers, and Bri is now a cop, separated from her girlfriend Caroline who is studying in Paris. Allie, who was introduced in the last book, is now a rookie cop and wants to partner with Bri in more ways than one. Radclyffe reintroduces another character that has been a key background player in the past books- KT, Tory's ex-lover. KT now has her own developing story. KT's and Tory's past become front and center in this book.

Radclyffe's strength has always been to develop her characters within their own stories continuing the theme of her series. In her series she introduces new characters with each book and weaves them into the main storyline. She has done that here beautifully. She keeps the reader engaged with the freshness of her stories and gives us a chance to learn in depth about background characters that she brings to the forefront. Each story developed moves the main plot along. We get excited because Radclyffe can give us many love stories within one book.

Of all Radclyffe' romance series, I have considered the Provinctown series the least intense because it is light on suspense and action, but Distant Shores, Silent Thunder builds an intensity unlike any of Rad's other books. After reading every one of her books to date, there is intensity here unlike any of her past books- that intensity of loving that one person in your life forever. With this being her twentieth book published, she seems to have moved into a new chapter, one which readers will enjoy as much, if not more, than her past books.

In this third book in the "Provincetown Series" (after SAFE HARBOR and BEYOND THE BREAKWATER), Reese Conlon and Tory King are back. Their romance, begun early in the series, has settled into a solid day-to-day life with their new baby. Tory, a doctor, is nearly ready to go back to work at the clinic, and Reese has continued to work in town in her capacity as deputy sheriff. But their lives are about to be upset by the return of Tory's ex, KT O'Bannon. Tory has effectively shut out memories of KT, but when her ex shows up, Reese and Tory's lives are shaken up in a big way.

But Reese and Tory are only a part of the novel. This multi-plot story connects and examines the lives of a delightful group of women living in Provincetown including Bri Parker, a rookie deputy and recurring character. Bri is lonely for her girlfriend, Carolyn, who is out of the country studying art for a year in Europe. Bri's continued learning process as well as the relationship she has with cute fellow officer Allie comes into play as the death of a young girl in the dunes is investigated. Also important is Pia Torres, a physical therapist. She's a woman not willing to trifle with others. She's looking for a "forever" soul-mate and would rather live her life without a partner than accept anyone who gives her less than one hundred percent.

At the heart of the story is the journey KT must take toward wholeness and a new way of living her life. Will she be able to make peace with Tory? Will she continue with her Casanova ways? Or does she want something more in her life? Unexpected attractions flare for KT, and she doesn't know how to handle them or the limitations with which she's faced. KT's plotline is compelling and angst-filled, and her emotional journey forms the heart of the book.

Simmering in the background is illegal activity and a drug distributor who may go to desperate lengths to protect himself, which could put both civilians and deputies in danger. All of this, against the backdrop of the beauty of the eastern coast, makes for a compelling and immensely satisfying novel, finely crafted and perfectly integrated. Storylines and questions hinted at in the previous two novels are all sewn up here. Radclyffe can close out the Provincetown series with this third and masterfully written novel-or she can easily go on with any number of sequels about the lives of these fascinating people who live, work, and love in Provincetown. ~Lori L. Lake, Midwest Book Review

Radclyffe gets better with each novel. What an enjoyable reading experience, and so intelligently written too! The characters are growing with each installment, and it's such a pleasure to watch Reese, KT and Tory evolve into the strong women we know and love. Excellent role models, surprising twists to the story, and a writing style that is second to none.

If there were ever a series that created a yearning to visit a particular peninsula in Massachusetts if only to catch of glimpse of Sheriff Reese Conlon, her loving partner, Dr. Tory King, Rookie Officer Bri Parker, and now Dr. KT O'Bannon, and Pia Torres, PT, OT, CMT, then Radclyffe's "Distant Shores, Silent Thunder" will clinch it. After being immersed in the first two novels, "Safe Harbor," and "Beyond the Breakwater," and the fourth in the best-selling Provincetown series "Storms of Change," one can only hope that Radclyffe never tires of writing about these characters because readers will never tire of reading about them. It's not easy to keep a series fresh, but Radclyffe is proficient at bringing in new blood while keeping us abreast of old favorites, to satisfy and yet fuel the insatiable hunger for the ultimate escapism of getting lost in a book.

What endears Radclyffe to her followers goes beyond telling an exciting story in a great setting and tapping into all aspects of human nature. The award-winning author has her fans eating out of her skillful hands by giving them characters who are so real it's either impossible not to search every cruiser or bike for Reese and Bri or to hope if you ever need a doctor in an emergency that Tory or KT will come to the rescue. If you enjoy witnessing the mending of a broken heart and spirit, falling in love, or aspire to having forever with one special person, you will love "Distant Shores, Silent Thunder." Radclyffe eloquently puts into words what it feels like when a woman loves another woman with her body, heart, and soul, and it's riveting.

"Distant Shores, Silent Thunder" takes us on the tumultuous journey of a woman when her career and confidence are shaken for the first time and redeems her in every way possible. It is easy to forgive Tory's ex-lover, Dr. KT O'Bannon, her past transgressions because Radclyffe has us falling in love with her transformation. Fate has landed the surgeon a low blow but in the process has taught her what's important in life. KT meets a therapist who not only helps restore the use of her hand, but who restores faith in matters of the heart. KT and Pia are perfect together and as far as love interests go, it's a match made in heaven, but can heaven really be found on Earth?

Whether the scene is between Reese and Tory, Bri and Allie, or KT and Pia, Radclyffe keeps the pace fluid while doing each couple justice. It's wonderful to follow Reese and Tory's pre-marital bliss with baby Regina. Even when Reese's oft-dangerous job and other threats loom on the horizon, the couple's relationship remains solid. Bri shows great promise as an officer and Reese is very proud of her, while Reese is Bri's hero and mentor. Bri's character is put to the test in more ways than one. Is Bri strong enough to remain faithful to her lover studying art abroad in the face of stiff competition by a persistent, desirable fellow officer Allie? Then there is the pleasure of rooting for KT and Pia and hoping they will have their ever after. Further keeping the interest for continual sequels, new characters are always popping up as well, and Counselor Trey Pelosi shows great promise of future story lines.

Few authors write medical drama better than those who have lived it. Radclyffe's medical expertise enhances the clinical scenes dramatically but her writing is never condescending or over-the-top. There is that perfect balance so that everyone can enjoy and understand what's going on. She also writes police procedurals with the same flourish. It is no surprise that "Distant Shores, Silent Thunder" was awarded a 2005 Lammy and was a Goldy finalist in the Romance category. "Storms of Change" continues the saga and is touted as being Radclyffe's best work to date. This reviewer thinks that every work is her best, only it just keeps getting better.

Romance is a leading seller in fiction and Radclyffe has yearning, love, sex, and satisfaction down to an art. Distant Shores, Silent Thunder earns five plus stars and is one of those books you can read more than once and enjoy it more each time.

All the books in the Provincetown series are entertaining. But I found the the first two to be very average Radclyffe fare which relied too much on her usual formula and stock characters.
Distant Shores, Silent Thunder is much better in every way. The book continues the story of Doctor Tory King and her partner, the butch and brave Sheriff Reese Conlon, who is sometimes too noble to be true. But why shouldn't we have such heroes in our own fiction?
In this compelling book, the author writes about a group women who are very well rounded characters that are easy to identify with and have believable lives. The plot is complex enough that a lesser author would probably have messed up. But not Radclyffe. She pulls it all together and takes the reader to a happy and satisfying conclusion.
I don't like books whose authors try to hide shallow characters and poor plots with emotive cliche. Radclyffe is a very good romance author and doesn't need to do this. But for a long time I've found her writing a bit too overheated and sentimental. This has changed in Distant Shores, Silent Thunder and it seems like she has struck a perfect balance between the emotional content and a feeling of authenticity.
You don't have to read the whole series to enjoy this fine book as a stand alone novel. I highly recommend it.

I'm from Provincetown, and this all seemed foreign to me. Besides the sapphic backdrop, it.. wasn't very realistic. You get a star for the sheer fortitude involved in writing a book.

I read Distant Shores, Silent Thunder first not knowing that there is more. Now I have all but the last one to come out and I can't wait for it to get here. And all I can say is look out Mr. Mailman! I can't wait for it to get here!!!