Heart of Thunder by the late Johanna Lindsey is a Western romance filled with intense passion and complex character dynamics, exemplified by the turbulent relationship between the protagonists.
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MILD SPOILER ALERT
Heart of Thunder by Johanna LindseyRating:
Published: 1983
Illustrator: Robert McGinnis
Imprint or Line: Southern #2
Published by: Avon
Genres: Historical Romance, Bodice Ripper, Forced Seduction, Western Romance
Pages: 359
Format: eBook, Hardcover, Paperback
Buy on: Amazon, AbeBooks
Reviewed by: IntrovertReader
The Book
In Heart of Thunder, Johanna Lindsey weaves a tale of fierce passion and the relentless pursuit of love among the crazies.
Hank Chavez, aka Enrique Antonio de Vega y Chavez, is a charming and handsome Mexican-American bandido. He was previously seen as a side character in Lindsey’s 1982 Southern-set romance, Glorious Angel.
I found that book to be very boring. It lacked passion, and the hero, Bradford, had no charisma. Glorious Angel‘s heroine, Angela, would have been better off with Hank, who made adorable advances at her while he held her up at gunpoint.
Although Angela didn’t fall for him, Lindsay’s fans certainly did. The sheer volume of letters she received, all seeking to know more about Hank, was a testament to the impact the character had.
Consequently, 1983 would see the publication of Heart of Thunder, Lindsey’s first sequel. The author dedicated it to her mother, who, much like her fans, had clamored to read Hank’s own love story.
An Aside: The Stinkiest Kind of Sweet
A brief side story before I begin.
My husband once played a prank on me by giving me a hard candy made of durian. He then watched in shock as I—the super-picky eater who hates beans, lentils, tomatoes, ketchup, artichokes, mayonnaise, eggplant, olives, and toasted bread with cold sandwiches—sucked away at the curious confection without comment.
He couldn’t believe I hadn’t immediately spat it out. The durian is a notoriously smelly, awful-tasting fruit. Even famed foodie Andrew Zimmern couldn’t tolerate its gross stink.
The candy wasn’t that great, but hey, sugar is sugar. Plus, the flavor reminded me of the garlic, onion, vinegar, and honey jarabe mixture my mother made when we were little kids and sick with a cold or flu.
What was the point of that blather? Just a simple reminder that I often view my youthful past through nostalgia’s rose-colored glasses.
And also, I have bad taste.
A Thunderous Love Story
Lindsey was a great storyteller, although not the most sophisticated writer. Her books were somewhat simplistic, and her stubborn characters could frustrate even the most patient readers.
Regardless, Lindsey had a knack for creating some yummy heroes! Ever since I read Heart of Thunder in 1991 at 13, I have adored Hank Chavez.
That’s despite his horrendous Spanish-speaking skills!
I’m not one to talk, though. My broken Dominican-Spanglish would make the members of the Real Academia Española wince at how Iartlessly I butcher the Castilian tongue. Admittedly, I never learned Spanish formally, as I took French in high school.
(Brag time: French was one of my best subjects, with nothing but straight A’s all throughout. In 12th grade, I was president of the French Club/Honor Society. It’s a shame; all I can say today is, “Je parle un petit peu de français. Un petit, petit, petit peu.”
Spanish, on the other hand, was the first language I ever spoke. However, this book’s clumsy grammar made me furrow my brow, thinking doubtfully, “¿Que que?”
The Characters
The Heroine: A Tempest in a Bonnet
Samantha Kingsley is not your typical damsel-in-distress heroine. She’s storm-personified, bold, and audacious. Her fierce (i.e., bitchy) nature might take some getting used to, which I did. But therein lies my tendency for bad taste.
On a stagecoach heading west, the spoiled Eastern-bred heiress battles her feelings for Adrien, a Frenchman traveling with his sister. Adrien, le fey, remains blissfully unaware of her affection as his interests run to more hirsute types.
Samantha is hard-headed and not prone to insecurities. She knows she’s beautiful and doesn’t understand why Adrien is not falling at her feet.
Her destiny soon entwines with that of Hank Chavez, who, unlike Adrien, very much appreciates Samantha’s beauty. Her temper—not so much.
The Hero: An Outlaw’s Love
Hank Chavez is making his way to his home on the Texas-Mexican border, seeking to regain his family’s property, which the United States government seized after a gang massacred his parents.
To add insult to injury, the Feds tossed young Hank in prison, ensuring he’d be powerless to fight back. So Hank was forced to make a living as an outlaw.
Until one day, he met a violet-eyed Southern beauty with reddish brown hair named Angela. Hank had thought himself in love with her, but Angela had not returned his feelings.
Lucky for us, Hank will find love with the tempestuous Samantha Kingsley. She’s a woman with more fire in her belly than a shot of the most potent tequila. And she affects him far more profoundly than Angela ever could.
The Plot
Hank is the final passenger to board the stagecoach. The handsome hombre’s presence irritates Samantha like sand in Anakin Skywalker’s drawers. Hank looks at Samantha’s curvy figure, green eyes, and brownish-red hair and is instantly smitten.
Hank is pleased when Samantha appears to be interested in him and likes him as well.
But remember, our spirited heroine is infatuated with her friend’s brother, who is fond of hiding in clothes. Oblivious to his true interests, she tries to make Adrien jealous when Hank flirts with her, so she flirts back.
During a moment alone, Hank takes his advantage and kisses Samantha. Her passionate response makes him even more crazy for her.
But alas, this is a tale of mishaps and misadventures, with a side of mistaken affection as Samantha pines for a man who’s more interested in the cut of Hank’s muscles than the cut of her jib.
When Hank boldly declares his love for her, Samatha shatters his illusions, revealing her love for Adrien. She admits to using Hank to make Adrien jealous.
So Hank shatters Samantha’s illusions. He informs her that if Adrien were jealous, it would be over his affections, not hers. The Frenchman had made googly eyes at Hank for the entire trip across the country. Had Samantha’s ego made her think Adrien had been ogling her?
This rejection—the second one after opening his heart to a woman—tears at Hank’s soul, wounding him in a primal way. Samantha, for her part, is enraged and humiliated. The two angrily part ways when they reach their destination.
Our fiery protagonists will meet again, as this is just the beginning of a tumultuous love-hate-lust relationship.
Upon arriving in his hometown, Hank learns about the wealthy American who lives in his old house. Determined to do what he must, Hanks assumes the identity of a criminal killer, “El Carnicero” (The Butcher), and plots to kidnap the man’s daughter.
The daughter is Samantha. Who else would it be?
Hank puts his plan into action, abducting Samantha in the night. Hank’s in revenge mode, yet as cocksure and arrogant as ever, he insists she’s as hot for him as he is for her.
When she resists, he ravishes her against her will. But with the fiery Samantha, Hank gradually realizes he is the true captive. It is she who holds him against his will.
My Opinion
Controversy and Nostalgia
Lindsey’s romances often walk a tightrope between passionately problematic and problematically passionate. Heart of Thunder is no exception. The novel takes stark 180-degree turns in character development.
The forced seduction scenes are contentious moments that contemporary readers will likely condemn furiously. Perhaps some might consume this Western bodice-ripper within the privacy of their e-readers, indulging in this as a secret, guilty pleasure.
Not me; I never feel guilty about the fiction I enjoy. That’s because no actual people are harmed in these books.
Although stories are not real, they can help us understand reality in an imaginative manner. They can be beneficial in creating models to learn more about what cannot be taught: instinct. Our minds can rehearse how to deal with threatening or dangerous situations.
By imagining the most outlandish stories, we can better comprehend the primal desires and emotions that often conflict with rational and modern expectations.
Reading fiction can be both entertaining and therapeutic. However, if you come across fiction that doesn’t resonate with you, that’s completely fine.
The scenes our minds form based on the words someone types on paper or screen are only products of the imagination. There are myriad stories to encounter. So, if one doesn’t suit your taste, move on to what looks appealing, and you’ll find your preferred flavor.
The Temptations sang it best:
Besides, I’m not a “modern” reader anyway. Because as a longtime fan whose vision is misty with nostalgia, I can’t help but fall under the spell of “Lindsey Magic.
A Hunk Named Hank and a Shrew Called Samina
With his macho swagger and indomitable arrogance, Hank Chavez embodies the kind of hero that, once imprinted on the heart, refuses to fade away. Even with the nostalgia goggles firmly in place, the chemistry between Hank and Samantha is undeniable, a testament to Lindsey’s ability to create connections that transcend the page.
I loved Hank’s devotion to the nasty Samantha because once that man fell in love, he was in love forever, which is the hallmark of Johanna Lindsey’s heroes and what made her books so good.
Samantha is as mean as they come, but bless her; she never apologizes until the end. She’s the Darth Vader of romance—powerful, misunderstood, and with a soft core somewhere deep down—very deep down!
And Hank? His Spanish might be as broken as a stack of dishes after an earthquake, but his charm? Unbreakable.
Heat Level
Here’s the deal: I know what I am in for when I pick up an Avon historical romance from 1983 that sports a Robert McGinnis “naked man” cover; I don’t read bodice rippers expecting the poetic grandeur of a Shakespearean epic.
I’m here for: “Will they? Won’t they? When are they going to?” and “Finally! They did it!” and “Yes, they’re going to do it again!”
Thankfully, unlike many of her counterparts, Johanna Lindsey was not heavy on the purple prose. She wrote titillating love scenes with just a dash of euphemistic language. Your mileage may vary, but for me, this book’s passionate, intimate moments went beyond hot.
Heart of Thunder was a sensual reading experience: one part captivating and two parts wild, a three-alarm fire.
Final Analysis of Heart of Thunder
I’ve heard readers say Heart of Thunder is among the worst of Johanna Lindsey’s romances because of all the fighting. To that, I ask: did they read its soporific predecessor, the Glorious Angel?
That book was straight-up boring with a flat heartline. This book was spicy!
Heart of Thunder is not to be taken seriously. How can anyone do so? It contains hilariously thrilling elements, like when Samatha shoots Hank, then he bleeds all over the place. But he’s so horny for his Samina that he brushes it off as no big thing! (No, the big thing is the horn in his pants!)
I appreciated this romance for what it was intended to be: an enjoyable escape into a fantasy realm where anything can happen. Lindsey’s world is one where scoundrels can be heroes, and even the nastiest heroine can find love.
It’s chaotic; it’s “problematic.” It’s as over-the-top as Emperor Palpatine’s evil laugh, and yet…
Despite all its flaws, I had a fabulous time revisiting this Lindsey. Heart of Thunder might not be the crown jewel of literature, but like a synthetic ruby or lab-grown diamond, it dazzled me just the same.
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| Overall: | 4.3 |
Synopsis
No man had ever dared to force his attentions on stunning, fiery Samantha Kingsley—until Hank Chavez, the rough-hewn, insolvent outlaw, aroused the spirited hellion’s wrath…and her passion.
Samantha vowed to slaughter the impulsive rogue…if her father didn’t do it first. For there’s only one thing, Chavez wants more than the Kingley’s sprawling Mexican homestead: to ignite in Samantha’s breast…and to take the tempestuous beauty in bold, rapturous conquest…
Heart of Thunder by Johanna Lindsey