A Distant Thunder

Jayson Wolfe #2

by Anita Stansfield

A DISTANT THUNDER Jayson sighed. "I miss the naivete of youth. I miss making music in the basement and eating your father's cooking...playing my music and being with the people I loved." Elizabeth couldn't hide the fact that she was a little choked up when she said, "I echo that...And I miss the rain." Following long moments of quiet, Jayson said, "Rain is...just rain...and no matter where I go, it's always raining in my heart." After battling personal, professional, and financial setbacks, it looks as though Jayson finally has it all - fame, fortune, and a great family. However, he learns how swiftly a rising star can become extinguished. And just when he reaches an irreversible crisis point in his life, God's arms reach out to protect Jayson from his own worst impulses. But the road to healing can be arduous and elusive. And even with the love and support of his precious Elizabeth, can Jayson be reclaimed?

Genres: Lds Fiction, Romance, Lds, Fiction, Christian Romance, Christian Fiction, Contemporary

294 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2008

About the author

Anita Stansfield, the LDS market's #1 best-selling romance novelist, is an imaginative and prolific writer whose romantic stories have captivated her readers.

"With sales approaching a half million, Anita Stansfield has clearly found a niche in this market," said Nicole Martin, Publicist for Covenant Communications. "Her popularity stems from her ability to empathize with and write about the issues that LDS women deal with on a daily basis."

"I always write for women like me. It's through my interaction with other women that I've found there are some personal and emotional struggles that are typical," said Anita Stansfield. "I hope my writing makes women feel better about themselves and shows them these real problems can be solved through gospel principles."

Reviews

[Apzmarshl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book in a trilogy about Jayson Wolfe and Elizabeth Greer. I think I might rate this a hair short of 4 stars. I really like the first book of the series because I felt like it deviated more from Stansfield's traditional writing. This book is back to what you would expect from Stansfield. Her key words she uses a lot like peruse, perfect, prayer in her heart.............are here in full force. This book takes us through 20 years with Jayson and Elizabeth living their seperate lives but still in communication. His life takes an abrupt rise and then a life altering plunge. Elizabeth gets the life she asked for when she turned down Jayson's proposal of marriage..........normal.
I enjoy Stansfields writing and own most of her books. I can see that many may take her style as cheesy but I enjoy that she is willing to take on almost any current issue with moral and sensitive ease. Even if many find it in the realm of fantasy.........the way the issues are dealt with, I think she gives a good idea of how situations could be handled instead of how many of us handle them. She can get overly wordy and analyzing in some situations. I wouldn't say this book is too over the top in that manner.
I am a sucker for a happy ending and this book left me hanging so I will be excited for the release of book 3.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did read this book in one day. But, for this book that isn't a compliment. I read it that fast because I wanted SO badly to be done with it. I can't wait until I finish this series. It's so depressing. I hate books where the whole time you are thinking (and the characters are thinking) that things should have been different. I also hate books where you're hoping that people will die so that the RIGHT people can be together. And, I'm sorry. But maybe Jayson and Elizabeth didn't physically cheat on their spouses but they were doing some major emotional cheating, which totally bugged me. Of course, Stansfield throws some things in there to try and rationalize everything away.

Talk about putting an emphasis on all the negative in the characters' lives. It was just too much of a downer for me. And all the crying... Argh! Dear Anita Stansfield: Why, oh why must your characters bawl their eyes out over EVERYTHING?! It makes it really annoying to read.

[Margo Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh my heck this book ticked me off, and made me cry my eyes out. I was exhausted after reading it - but could not put it down. I just kept hoping that there would be some GOOD NEWS. I needed something happy to happen. Luckily, I had the next book in the series right at hand and was able to immediately read the third book in the series.

However, after finishing book two (Distant Thunder), I had to ask myself, "Why the heck am I reading these books?" Book three (Winds of Hope)made all of the effort worthwhile. But before you start this series, ask yourself if you have the time and energy to read more than 600 pages before "happy" starts to happen.

I'm thoroughly exhausted from this series, but I could not put it down.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another typical Anita Stansfield book. Those who enjoy LDS romance will likely enjoy this those who don't will think it's cheesy. LDS fiction is a lot like a clean soap opera. So much drama and so many trials and coincidences and everything usually ends up with a nice big bow on the top at the end. Anita Stansfield knows how to write in a way that pulls at my heart strings. I can't believe how many tears I shed while reading this series. She's not afraid to tackle real issues while getting to that nice bow at the end.

[Stephanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had a little too much crying in it for me. It is also part of a 3 book series that covers 20 years. Trying to cover that many years it 3 books, I felt like a lot of things just suddenly happened without being led up too. I did however, finish this series. I felt that the 3rd book was just more of the same.

[Julie Morales · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second in the Jayson Wolfe story, and like the first, I didn't like the cliff-hanger ending, but it was a good book. This story picks up exactly where the first one ended. The years fly by in this one, and before you know it, you've caught up to where the first book opened, in the present. The first book opened with Jayson in the present, then flashed back 20 years.
Elizabeth has decided that she can't marry Jayson, and he's crushed. He's already lost Derek, Elizabeth's brother and his best friend, in a car accident, and now he's lost Elizabeth too. He's decided that it's time for him and Drew to go to Los Angeles, where they hope to make it big in the music industry.
They eventually do make it big, and the band Gray Wolf is formed. Jayson is catapulted to rock star status, but it took years to get to this point. What he doesn't realize is how long it took to get to that point, but how quickly it can all be lost.
In the meantime, Elizabeth realizes she made a mistake in letting Jayson go, but before she can tell him, she finds that he's already married. She realizes she's going to have to live with her decision, wrong though she may now believe it is. She goes to college in Boston, where she meets Robert. She and Robert marry. He's a good man, a good husband, and he proves to be a good father, but their marriage isn't without its problems, too.
Through it all, Jayson and Elizabeth keep in touch, keeping their promise to always stay in touch no matter what, and to always be best friends. They help each other through the highs and lows of life. Eventually, they both seem to have reached the lowest of the low right around the same time. Can their friendship survive? And do they maybe have a second chance at being together?
I'll have to read the next book pretty soon, since they all seem to flow one right into the other, and this one definitely leaves you wondering what's going to happen next.

[Jenna Wilde · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really great book, I liked it even more than the first one in the series. I gained an even deeper love and compassion for the characters as they developed thru the story. I cried many times while reading - happy and sad tears. It's a very emotional plot and well written!

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!!!!

[Danni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book

[Swhe641200 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book. Good series. Linda Bower told me about this series.
2nd in Series

[Ryceejo · Rating 2 out of 5]

Crappy book! Yes I read it in one day, because I was so anxious to get through with it. I can handle some tragedy in a book, even if it's a significant tragedy. The first book had that. Book two was overwhelmingly depressing. Stansfield probably breaks the record of the number of characters (who actually contain legitimate roles in the plot) she kills off within 100 pages. Then when she runs out of people to die, she finds other tragedies!

Also, the entire first book covered a little over a year of life. This second book flew through 20-25 years like nobody's business. Since I had become so fully invested in the characters, thanks to her meticulously detailed descriptions and plot developments in book one, it was hard that such significant events happened so quickly and comparatively detailed-less.

The only reason I didn't give up is that the third book is titled "Winds of Hope." That sounds promising, right? And Stansfield is otherwise a respectable author who just has a sick love for dramatic, and quite frankly unrealistic tragedy in her second volume of the series. People in real life suffer great tragedies and tribulation, but no one suffers that many at once. I can think of only one exception. And he has his own book in the Bible.

[Kiley McCann · Rating 5 out of 5]

This sequel tells about how Jason and his brother had made it to the big league. Their dreams of being musicians had came true, not only did they have a great career ahead of them, they also had people who loved them for who they were. They became popular to the fans in such a short amount of time and had become successful over night. Not all things were good for Jason; he had to go through some rough patches in his life to get to where he was now. In the first book, it talks about how he and his brother were poor, but lived a happy simple life with their mother. But as his brother and him became more popular, life started getting harder.

They haven't made this book into a movie either.

This was a great follow up to the story "The sound of Rain". I absolutely loved this book as well and would recommend this to others as well. The author did and amazing job with writing the characters again and the story is very touching. It is an easy read, it's not too hard to understand what it's talking about and you can follow this story well. I absolutely love the author. You don't have to worry about reading smut.

[Felicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as the first book. It was way too slow most of the time giving way to much detail to long boring conversations and then other times in the book large amounts of time passed really quickly with the bare minimum of details. Jayson also becomes so not himself in this book! Spoiler!!!
Seriously like barely after moving to California he meets and marries another girl, after the whole meltdown about the relationship with Elizabeth ending! He just wasn't like that in the first book. Also Macy running away at age 15 and Jayson basically just accepts it, he doesn't look for her or anything! The when Leslie dies Drew is a total no show basically and just latches onto his new band. It was like the author just wanted to spent all of her time writing ALL of Jayson's thoughts and conversations down no matter how long or boring they were and she just needed to get rid of almost every other character. It ended on a cliffhanger so I guess I need to read #3 but if this would have been the 1st book I would have never read the second.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the continuing story of Jayson Wolfe and his ambitions to become a successful musician and his long time friendship and onetime romance with Elizabeth Greer. Knowing that this is book two in a series of three made it easier to endure the end since its a total cliffhanger. It seemed to move a little fast through some of the story speeding through years in a page or less in places. (The book takes place over 20 years). I was a little annoyed by the was the story whips through some minor aspects, but I also realize that was necessary in order to get to the real core of the story which is the relationship between Jayson and Elizabeth. When they're lives are separate there isn't much to write about. Overall I liked the story and Stansfield kept me glued to the end as she usually does. Delving into this book was a day well spent. I can't wait for book 3.

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

this series is so good. I can't wait for the final book. Jayson moves on with his life after Elizabeth says that she can't marry him. He moves to LA with is brother and mother and tries to get started on a band. Elizabeth goes to boston to start school and realizes she misses jayson more than she thought and knows she has made the wrong choice by making the decision with her head and not her heart too. She tries to call Jayson and explain,but when he finally calls her back it is to say he has married. Through successes and loss the two struggle through the next couple of years with their own spouses, children, religion, and jobs. Then Jayson ends up under the same roof as Elizabeth where she finds that he has a perscription drug problem. They are now on their way to a rehab center. Stay tuned...

[Judie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I still like these book people. I read through the trials, knowing they would be there, and hoping to get some satisfaction in the third book, which I have not read. As amazing as these trials seem, I know people whose lives are just as traumatic and dramatic, so it isn't totally unrealistic. . . just gut-wrenching. Since I knew that's how it would be, I just read as an outside observer and spared myself the agony. I am waiting for the good part. I really did like them because they are good, and trying to get through life with integrity. Life happens, but I will be happy to read book three and hope for some good stuff. It's like rating this a romance, you have to keep the perspective of a story that is unfinished at this point but will turn out in the end. . . I hope.

[Aprils · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am so dissapointed again! I give up on Anita Stansfield! The first book was great and set up a great story and then...I think it fell down very fast. I really want to get on a soap box here, but most of you have already heard me on this. She crosses a moral line, I believe, with her characters and their relationships to each other. I won't say more in case anyone wants to read this book, but I also think she totally overdoes it with the drama in their lives, and skims over very important stuff! I found myself saying, "Hey wait, when did that happen? I'd like to know how!" I didn't even finish this book and I won't be reading the rest of the series or any of her other books. Sorry to all of you fans out there!

[Lisa · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is just straight up ticking me OFF. I do not like it in the least and I don't know why I keep reading it.
In the first book, Jayson and Elizabeth broke up because she felt like their life together wouldn't work. So..he gets married and later she does too. BUT they still are "the best of friends" and call each other all the time, even though they are married to different people AND have kids. I think it is PURE wrong. They should just forget about each other and move on with their lives and stop living in the "what if we HAD got married?" UGH! Married people have no business keeping in touch with prior past relationships. It is not being fully faithful and loyal to your spouse.

I'm very very disapointed in this book. I don't like it at all...

[Katie (hiding in the pages) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow--this was hard for me. I LOVED the first half of this book, going through the different lives of Jayson and Elizabeth, but then towards the second half, I started to feel like I was reading one of Stansfield's other books---good, but not amazing (for me). I like to escape problems and read books that make me feel good or sigh with contentment when I'm finished. It seemed like there was problem after problem in the second half and it didn't leave me with a good feeling, but I'm giving it 4 stars because I loved the first half. Wouldn't it be amazing if there really were rock stars like this out there?

[Jodie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I felt this book drug on too long and perhaps could have been absent from the series. I'm disappointed in Stansfield this time around. I don't want to give the story away, but I do feel that she was just searching out to make the story longer when the characters didn't need added drama. I'm hoping that the next book is better.

Also, the editor did miss a lot of little grammatical/spellcheck errors which bothered me and I had to reread a alot of sentences for them to make sense. That bothered me.

[Tristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was one of those that I had a hard time putting down. Anita stansfield has a way of making you fall in love with her charactors. I think I read this book in about two days! Now I'm trying to pace myself with the others in the series.
Jayson Wolfe has made super star status. His dreams have all come true and the whole world is listening to his music. But then crisis hits, not only does he loose many loved ones, but he seems to have lost his "gift" of music. He gets discouraged and gets into some bad things. I need to finish the series to see what happens too!

[Emilee · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a tough book to get through. I read the first one and loved it. I could see myself as a musician in it so much. This book is where everything falls apart. I felt like she dealt with way too many issues and almost ruined the story because it's "constant crisis mode." I don't know why she always has her characters move to Utah for some reason. I kind of think she should have them lives all over the US to remind us there is more than just Utah mormons. My sister reminds me that it spans 27 years but i still think it's a little over the top.

[R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got started back on this series, only to end up putting it aside again for other books that I was also interested in at the time. Made me wonder why when I got into it last night and could not put it down. Don't know if that made the insomnia better or worse thanks to baby activity last night. At least it gave me something enjoyable during the time. Jayson and Elizabeth seem to have no shortage of heartache in this installment. The two have always seemed to be meant for each other though, so really hoping the next few books put things back to rights for them both.

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

**If you read my reviews just be aware that I am saying what I did or didn't like for my reference and it really isn't a review of the book. So, someone dying doesn't happen until page 100 in this book ... but it doesn't stop there. But everything that happens occurs over a 20 year period in the characters lives so it is more believable that these bad things will happen. In a way I want to find out what happens in their lives but am debating reading the next book in the series. I'll probably take a break for a while from this series. I give it 3 stars ...

[Elizabeth Zundel · Rating 2 out of 5]

I probably would have given this 2.5 stars. It was definately better than book one. It was very predictable but still a good, quick read. Stansfield's books are all the same lately, just a different setting/main character's names. I am interested in how the story will end in book three (actually, I could guess exactly what she will write). Book two was good enough to make me want to read number 3.

[Christina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book better than the first one, probably because the ending was more hopeful. However, I felt that the number of tragic things that go wrong in this poor guy's life is a little unrealistic.

This middle book in the trilogy covers about 20 years, but it does it well. It tackles serious issues, which is typical for Anita Stansfield. It was a little bit predictable, but I enjoyed it.

[Kathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was the second of four books that I've started reading. I loved the first book and even shared it with a few friends. It was a sweet story that I fell in love with. But the second book.... different story! I was so disappointed, or rather confused. It was the most tragic story that simply left me depressed. I am curious what the author intended for her readers. Where exactly is she going with this story? I'm hopeful that the third book will enlighten me.

[Kristine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, here's the deal--and this is a spoiler alert, by the way. I read the first book in this series and liked it. When I got into this one, I was a little disappointed, because I always feel like killing a character off just so that two others can (eventually) get together is cheating somehow. If you can get past that, it is good--however, it does end ABRUPTLY, so it would probably be better to read all three together (and I'm not sure that the third is out yet).

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

She always peeks your interest and then when you think it's obvious what is going to happen, she takes you on anther twist. At times I guess correctly but at other times I am way off and didn't see it happening. I think it's great that they are able to be such good friends even though you want them to be together! My trouble is when I get into a book I want to just keep reading till I'm done! I am looking forward to the next book.

[Lana · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read Rain, the first book and had some issues with reactions I didn't feel were close to accurate. I read the second book to see where the story would go. I finished the 2nd book but I will not read the 3rd, which I had previously purchased with the second. I'm an adult and I don't feel like being preached her version of right and wrong, good or bad. I don't know....I liked her characters but I felt she wasn't very true to them.