Review: Virgin River by Robyn Carr

Posted September 28, 2007 by Rowena in Reviews | 11 Comments

Review: Virgin River by Robyn CarrReviewer: Rowena
Virgin River by Robyn Carr
Series: Virgin River #1
Also in this series: Whispering Rock, Virgin River, A Virgin River Christmas, Second Chance Pass, Second Chance Pass, Second Chance Pass, Temptation Ridge, Paradise Valley, Forbidden Falls, Forbidden Falls, Angel's Peak, Forbidden Falls, Promise Canyon, Wild Man Creek, Promise Canyon, Harvest Moon, Bring Me Home for Christmas, Redwood Bend, Sunrise Point, Shelter Mountain, Moonlight Road, Moonlight Road
Publisher: Harlequin, MIRA
Publication Date: April 1st 2007
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 386
Add It: Goodreads
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five-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

"Wanted: Midwife/nurse practitioner in Virgin River, population six hundred. Make a difference against the backdrop of towering California redwoods and crystal-clear rivers. Rent-free cabin included."

When the recently widowed Melinda Monroe sees this ad she quickly decides that the remote mountain town of Virgin River might be the perfect place to escape her heartache, and to reenergize the nursing career she loves.

But her high hopes are dashed within an hour of arriving: the cabin is a dump, the roads are treacherous and the local doctor wants nothing to do with her. Realizing she's made a huge mistake, Mel decides to leave town the following morning.

But a tiny baby, abandoned on a front porch, changes her plans...and a former marine cements them into place.

Melinda Monroe may have come to Virgin River looking for escape, but instead she finds her home.

For the record, I’d like to announce that I didn’t doubt Holly when she told me that this book was really good, when I picked up the book and read the first chapter…I just wasn’t in the mood to read the book but a few weeks later, I picked the book up again and read and read and read until I finished it and I’ve got to say that Holly has struck again because I absolutely loved this book. So thanks to Casee for sending the book to Holly and making her fall in love with it and then thanks to Holly for sending me home with it so that I can enjoy the book as well because enjoy it, I certainly did.

In this book we have Melinda Monroe who is a nurse practitioner from L.A. who is grieving over her dead husband who was shot and murdered on his way home from work. She loved her husband deeply and his death devastated her and she was tired of her life in L.A. being a constant reminder of Mark and everything they built for themselves so she wants out. She’s tired of everyone feeling sorry for her and asking her twenty million times a day how she is, if she’s okay and all that stuff so she ventures out to Virgin River, answering an ad from the newspaper. She thinks that a fresh start in Virgin River where no one knows her and will pity her is just what she needs.

So off she goes to Virgin River with pictures of cozy little cabins and fresh air in mind. No drive by shooting victims or cracked out hookers in crowded hospital waiting rooms anymore…just small town medicine, easy peasy…

Yeah right.

Small town medicine comes with it’s own adventures and Mel in her journey to move on with her life after her tragic loss finds herself falling in love with the small town of Virgin River, after quite a few downfalls, she finds what she’s looking for in the small town hidden away from the world.

Enter Jack Sheridan.

Jack Sheridan owns the only bar/restaurant in Virgin River. He’s a 40 year old ex Marine who is the Captain Save a Hoe in Virgin River. He is all that and a bag of chips, a great BIG bag of chips. And I lubs him a lot. He was smart, solid and oh so sexy and the way he fell for Mel was just too cute, even if it broke my heart a lot.

What I liked most about this book was that the problems that these two main characters went through were real problems and they felt real. I connected with both Mel and Jack, even though I’ve never personally went through what they went through. I felt Mel’s pain at the loss of her husband and I felt the emotions she went through, especially in the scene where she broke down, in the rain, against the tree. I heard her cries, I felt her pain, it was almost as if I was standing right there when all of it was going down, watching Jack rush to her side and hold her.

And Jack.

Having to compete with a dead ghost for the affections and the love of the only woman you’ve ever loved…oh man, I felt his pain. I felt the hollowness in his heart when he ran back into the house to hold Mel for just a little longer because he was a man in love to come upon her crying to her dead husband, the heartache that must have done to Jack, I totally felt that and I think that Robyn Carr did a fantabulous job of getting the reader to feel apart of this book instead of just reading it. I highly enjoyed the emotions this book evoked in me.

It made me laugh out loud many a times and I just liked the whole small town feel to the book and the country hospitality this small town showed to the newcomer, Mel. I loved how Jack was so protective of her and so understanding…you saw how much he loved her and how much he wanted her anyway that he could get her.

I loved the friendships between Jack and his Marine pals, even with Preacher. I loved how he took care of Rick, how he was there for Rick and how he cared about the people of the town. I loved the relationship between Mel and her sister, Joey. I loved meeting the Sheridan brood and seriously, I just loved this whole book. The secondary characters were great and Doc Mullins was a riot and I absolutely loved his character, he rocked my socks! The whole town of Virgin River did and I cannot wait to start Shelter Mountain, even though I’m not sure how I feel about Preacher (who in my mind looks like Mr. Clean and I do NOT find Mr. Clean sexy, AT ALL) as a hero…

If I had to pick one thing bad about this book, it would only be that the book started out slow but that didn’t deter me this time around, I pushed right through the first few chapters and as soon as I got to know the characters, I fell right in with the rest of the story and I just loved loved loved it.

Read this book because seriously, it’s the bomb!

Virgin River

five-stars


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11 responses to “Review: Virgin River by Robyn Carr

  1. Dev

    I could just slap myself right now. I went to the library tonight specifically to get this book (and to return a different one). Yeah. I left with 4 books, none of them Virgin River. I forgot all about it! So now, I guess it’s a another trek to the library tomorrow.

  2. I love this book and I’m glad you did too!! I really like the small-town feeling of this one, because it’s different. Still noisy, but you can tell that ppl aren’t rich and you know, there’s no one coming to start up a new business or something… anyway, love Mel and Jack, so cute together!!! 😀

  3. Glad you liked it! I love this series! Can’t wait to read more! And am trying to get my hands on her Grace Valley series but that is proving to be quite difficult! 🙂

  4. I read the third one in this series first because I’m a dipstick. I think I’ll add this one to my 20 list as I found it just the other day in the TBR pile.

    CindyS

  5. Okay I hear ya, I’m gonna read it I promise. I need to get VR back from my mom, who is currently reading SM. Will let you know what I think.

  6. Great review! I’m glad you liked it. I thought that it showed small-town life perfectly.

    I still get misty when I think of Mel and the tree. *sniff*

    I can’t wait to hear what you think of the next two books!

  7. Her Grace Valley series include:

    Deep in the Valley
    Over the Mountain
    Down by the River

    I’m trying desperately to get my hand on Down by the River… What’s fun with this trilogy is that it follows June Hudson a bit more… like you really have the feeling that she’s the main character throughout the trilogy.

  8. Rowena

    Dev,

    You need to go back and get this book/series, I’m enjoying it so much! =)

    *****

    Chantal,

    READ IT, it’s great!

    *****

    Nath,

    I totally agree! I loved the small town feel to this book and the characters, the storyline, not too complicated just a straight up romance…it was great! I’m really enjoying Shelter Mountain and should be finished with that soon.

    *****

    Mollie,

    She has a series with the Grace Valley people? Are you serious? I wanna read those too! Let me know what the titles are will ya? Please? THANKS! =)

    *****

    Jane,

    Yes, definitely read these books, they’re great!

    *****

    Cindy,

    You read Mike’s book already? I have a feeling he’s going to be my favorite hero…I’m so wanting to read his book already. haha…did you like it?

    *****

    Daph,

    YES YOU MUST READ THIS, I wanna see if you like this…it’s good, I promise! Oh and let me know how your Mom liked SM.

    *****

    Casee,

    I got so misty eyed when reading the tree scene and then the scene where Jack walks in on Mel crying and his heart breaks, I was like, OH NO JACK, I wanted to comfort him! =)

    I’m so glad that I started this series, it’s a good one, I’m hecka enjoying SM right now so I’m not thinking I’ll be disappointed or anything…=)

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