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Heartthrob Hospital #1

The Thunderbolt

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Like a bolt from the blue... All her life, perky scrub nurse, Lacy Calder has heard fanciful family stories about The Thunderbolt. Legend has it, when the thunderbolt hits, you'll know for certain you've found The One. Dr. Bennet Sheridan believes in one thing--science.Fables of romantic love have no place in this dedicated surgeon's life. But with a little help from a fainting goat, when lightning strikes and he meets the woman of his dreams, Bennet finds himself wondering if there's space in his heart for a little love magic after all...

230 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 14, 2020

386 people are currently reading
183 people want to read

About the author

Lori Wilde

380 books2,266 followers
Lori Wilde can’t remember a time when she didn’t want to write. She even went to nursing school so she could have a schedule flexible enough to allow her to write on the side. She nursed for 20 years, working in a variety of settings from the newborn nursery to the recovery room, to dialysis. But she never lost her desire to write.

She sold her first book in 1994 to Silhouette Romance but later discovered she had a flair for comedy and branched out to Harlequin Duets and now, to Blaze.

Lori is an adventuresome soul who loves to travel. She’s taken flying lessons, completed two marathons, rode in a hot-air balloon, performed with a professional jazz band, traveled Europe as a teenager, hiked volcanoes in Hawaii, trod on glaciers in Alaska, shot white-water rapids, water-skied, snow-skied, raced all-terrain vehicles, bodysurfed in the Gulf of Mexico, and photographed grizzly bears in Yellowstone.

She lives in her native Texas, with her own real-life hero, Bill.

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5 stars
196 (49%)
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101 (25%)
3 stars
71 (17%)
2 stars
22 (5%)
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10 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
Profile Image for Carol [Goodreads Addict].
3,073 reviews25.3k followers
February 8, 2026
The Thunderbolt is book one in the Heartthrob Hospital series by Lori Wilde. I’ve owned this book for awhile now and finally got to it. I loved the idea of “The Thunderbolt!” That first meeting when you experience that jolt, that you just know that this is the person you are destined to be with.



Lacy Calder is twenty seven years old. She was raised hearing about the legendary “thunderbolt.” That one day, she would meet a man and feel the thunderbolt. That she would know that he was destined to be hers and that there was no force that could keep him away from her as well. So she had saved herself for whenever that happened. Lacy was also extremely shy. She was an OR nurse and was fine at work or with her friends but put her in front of an attractive man and she couldn’t put two words together.

This may contain: a male doctor is standing with his arms crossed

Dr. Bennett Sheridan is a third year resident and was awarded a study fellowship from Boston General. He was going to spend six weeks interning under a well known doctor at Saint Madeleine’s University Hospital in Houston, Texas. The same hospital that Lacy worked at. Bennett grew up with divorced parents so his opinions about love and marriage were quite different than Lacy’s.

Lacy and Bennett’s first meeting was pretty adorable. The thunderbolt happened and Lacy was beside herself. But it didn’t seem that Bennett felt the same thing.

This may contain: a red stethoscope with a heart and a medical symbol on it's side

This was a cute, fun little book. I read it fairly quickly. Lacy’s family was quite meddlesome and tried to help things along in their quirky ways. Add in a fainting goat named Frank Sinatra and you’ve got an entertaining romance. The next book in the series is The Jinx and features Lacy’s close friend, CeeCee.

Profile Image for Nicole.
533 reviews12 followers
March 9, 2021
Loved it

A funny and quick love story. Only takes a couple of hours to read. Can't wait to see more from this series
1,509 reviews4 followers
November 29, 2020
Too cute story - just not my style. I do like to read new authors...some click, some don’t.
1,300 reviews9 followers
June 25, 2023
Fun and engaging story that makes you cheer on the shy one!

Lacy is setting up for heart surgery when lightning strikes in the form of Dr. Bennett, resident studying under a heart surgeon in her hospital. She has been raised on a series of stories of waiting for the thunderbolt to strike revealing her one true live. But Lacy is so shy and klutzy she can't even talk to Bennett. Plus, he is only there for 5 weeks. So how can he be her thunderbolt? But these feelings don't go away. How can shy Lacy get and keep Bennett's attention? Read this to find out how this comedy of errors works out!

The pace is engrossing and the tone is uncertain yet hopeful with a character oriented storyline that has some steamy scenes, but not overly racy. The characters are vibrant and engaging. Enjoy this fun contemporary romance set in a busy hospital.
Profile Image for Peni.
4,848 reviews1 follower
Want to read
March 22, 2021
Like a bolt from the blue...

All her life, perky scrub nurse, Lacy Calder has heard fanciful family stories about The Thunderbolt. Legend has it, when the thunderbolt hits, you'll know for certain you've found The One.

Dr. Bennet Sheridan believes in one thing--science. Fables of romantic love have no place in this dedicated surgeon's life.

But with a little help from a fainting goat, when lightning strikes and he meets the woman of his dreams, Bennet finds himself wondering if there's space in his heart for a little love magic after all...
1,671 reviews8 followers
October 12, 2020
Great series so far! I can’t wait to see CeeCee and Janet’s story. In this one nurse Lacy Calder meets Dr Sheridan Bennett and both Lacy is hit by a thunderbolt. Lacy’s family has had a tradition in her family that everyone female has been hit by a thunderbolt when they meet “the one”. Bennett is her one but he doesn’t want to commit . This is a great one to watch the two of them connect.
222 reviews2 followers
April 2, 2021
The Thunderbolt

I struggled thru the book. I kept hoping something would happen or the writing would change. It didn’t. I now know more about the heroine’s thoughts than she knew herself. The writing is bad, there are numerous missing or incorrect words. There is a sexual scene that may offend some readers. Other than that, don’t bother!
22 reviews
September 26, 2025
Medical Love Story

A handsome doctor and beautiful nurse, it's a perfect match. But, it's never quite that easy is it? She's shy, and he's got a whole life plan. Is love st first sight true, or is it just a moment of lust taken too far?
This was a great read, and I throughly enjoyed it!
Profile Image for Barbara.
1,617 reviews22 followers
September 17, 2020
Enjoyable

What happens when a 27-year old virgin decides to act like she’s really a party girl to get the guy she loves? Mishaps, humor, family dynamics and more.

I do have a question, though. How did Bennet’s medical bag suddenly appear?
81 reviews2 followers
September 21, 2020
Treat great to start a new series.

It is really to read an book that isn't loaded with the fbombs, PORNO words from beginning to end. Thanks LPRI. GREAY READ CAN'T WAIT TO GET NEXT BOOK. MARY VANDERHEYDT.
192 reviews1 follower
September 23, 2020
The Thunderbolt ⚡

Oh my! This was such a wonderful story! I am a huge fan of Lori Wilde and I have to say, this series is wonderful. It's full of love, laughter, faith and hope. Oh! I can't forget to mention Frank Sinatra, the Billy goat! He's pretty darn cool too!
Profile Image for Jane.
1,214 reviews4 followers
September 29, 2020
I am a fan of Lori Wilde's books but this one wasn't up to par with her others. Lacy was troubled with thoughts of the "Thunderbolt" and how it might affect her relationship with Bennett. This was a quick, clean romance with a satisfying ending.
1,183 reviews1 follower
October 27, 2020
Very entertaining

This was a very cute, very funny and entertaining story. The characters are perfect and the Thunderbolt is an awesome piece of family lore. I highly recommend this read.
107 reviews
March 24, 2021
Entertaining

It was a fun read but the characters were too educated for the story theme. I would still recommend reading for the relaxing distracting factor. In today's world we need stress relief.
104 reviews
August 13, 2023
thunderbolt

Families have wonderful history of stories of fables from long ago. In this case waiting for 28 years to meet your soulmate and you know it is the right one by the feeling of the lightning bolt.
2 reviews
March 6, 2025
I couldn’t wait to finish this.

I hate starting a book and not finishing so I muddled through this one. It was so long and so boring that I had to skim a good portion of it. Don’t waste your time reading this.
Profile Image for Heather Buechler.
23 reviews
September 16, 2020
This is a fast read! The story is so delightful and funny, you will not want to put it down! I can’t wait to read the next installment. You will love Frank!
62 reviews5 followers
September 24, 2020
This was a very delightful, fun and quick read! The characters were engaging and filled with sweet romance!
Profile Image for Suzanne.
191 reviews8 followers
October 4, 2020
Such a fast and funny read.I read it and Jinx today.Lori Wilde is my favorite author.
327 reviews4 followers
March 21, 2021
Enjoyed reading

Enjoyed reading about Lacy and Bennett. The family belief in Thunderbolt so when Lacy sees Bennett she feels the thunderbolt. Fun and excitement. But
129 reviews
Read
October 28, 2021
DNF. Only made it to chapter 5. I can’t handle shy mousey heroines.
103 reviews2 followers
February 28, 2022
Loved this book. A must read. Loved the characters. Very cute.
Profile Image for mia;.
332 reviews1 follower
January 3, 2023
IT WAS GOOOD BUT THE GUY IS a slow thinker NGL
24 reviews
September 2, 2024
Nice story

Loved the story's message. Happened to us 65 years ago. Always wondered about a name for love at 2st sight. No found it.
2 reviews
July 22, 2025
Best for romantics!

Very cute and romantic book. Keeps you reading non stop! Not too steamy but not boring either. Keeps you engaged!
285 reviews2 followers
June 8, 2025
Short, funny

Was a good read. Love, family, friends, but them all together and you have the makings of thunderbolt. Shy girl gets thrown into a fantasy to live and let live. Comes out on the winning side but not till going through some heartache. Stuck by the Thunderbolt finally...
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews

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