One of the many things I continue to admire about Bijou Hunter is her innate desire and sterling ability to champion the underdogs of society in her writing; those strange, oddball, misfit, quirky but utterly likeable characters that have the best one-liner insults or puns, and in Thunderstruck that is what we get in damaged damsel-in-hiding Darla and her protector, the witty but wicked Troy.
'Studying her relaxed expression, I need to make things right for Darla. Kill whoever needs killing. Burn the world down to give her a rebirth. She can't understand why I'd want her while I don't understand why I shouldn't.'
Although there is a fantastic dark, depraved and sadistic storyline running through Thunderstruck, detailing why Darla is in so much emotional upheaval and why she is so confused about her life and future, the main focus is the fragile seed of hope and friendship that Troy offers her, that through their darkly comedic interactions with one another and Troy's bull-headedness cause a fun but complicated, sensual but sweet love story to unfurl. Bijou is a craftswoman at characterisation so although there is a great plot happening in the peripheral your main focus is on the array of players that make up her expressive and diverse family members that aren't necessarily blood related. Troy is often funny and goofy which is ironic in such a bada** ex-assassin turned security detail and what made him an even better hero for me was the fact that he didn't necessarily hog the hero limelight, he guided and offered Darla someone to lean on when needed and cajoled her and pushed her gently when he thought she needed it so in turn we were given a hero and heroine on equal footing-Darla because she was learning to overcome so much and Troy because he was her strength and support.
Darla though is the star of this piece, going through so many different hurdles and life altering experiences; traversing through what was and trying to get to a happy 'what could be' with Troy's persistence and the help of The Ramsey Security team. She may have started out as meek, unsure and alone, trapped in her tragic past but she climbed her way out, she fought and clawed and progressed to become a survivor and a warrior.
'"I know you have a life outside of this apartment and this job. I know, but..."
"You don't know Darla. The minute I leave here, I disappear from your life like when a parent leaves a child at daycare." Frowning Darla tries to pull her hand away. I refuse to let her hand go. "If you knew me, you'd know I spend every damn minute after I walk out that door wanting to get back here to see you. You's know I hate leaving you. So don't apologise for wanting me to stay."'