I read this entire series when it first came out but was happy to reread this book which sent me grabbing the rest of the series to devour again. Carr’s characters become your friends and neighbors and you wonder what they are up to now. I can’t say enough good things about Robyn Carr’s books, they give me an escape even when I don’t know I need one.

It’s been a few years since I read VIRGIN RIVER, so when I received an opportunity to reread and review the book, I jumped at the chance. How could I forget how much I love this series? Sure, I adore the Netflix series, but the book is also wonderful! Reading Jack and Mel’s love story for the second time was an absolute joy.

Robyn Carr has the unique ability to make me want to quit my job and move to wherever her books are set. Her settings and characters pull the reader in and make them feel warm and fuzzy, even when the characters are having a difficult time. Mel’s struggles moving to a new town didn’t deter me from dreaming about life in Virgin River!

Jack is such a dreamboat! When I first read this book, I remember thinking he was hot and kind but SUPER old (lol he’s only 40!). Now that I’m a more mature reader, I appreciate his quiet, steady support and see the romance of his actions in such a different light. The way he takes care of Mel is so endearing. Who can blame the woman for falling head over heels?? He stole the show for me by the end of the book.

Is this book perfect? No. I thought Jack’s insta-love for Mel was a lot, and the way he treated the woman he was with at the beginning of the book rubbed me the wrong way. I also found one particular plot twist to be ridiculous considering the occupation of the character in question. But sometimes you just have to let things go and enjoy the story, and Ms. Carr always makes that pretty easy.

Overall, rediscovering the small, quaint, but not perfect Virgin River town. Re-falling in love with the book was so fun. I have been a Robyn Carr fan for years, and I am glad I reread book one before season two on Netflix and before I start RETURN TO VIRGIN RIVER, which releases next week. The only downfall? Now I want to reread the whole series!! I just downloaded SHELTER MOUNTAIN… Preacher, here I come!

**I received a free copy of this book in order to provide an honest review**

Several years ago, I read Bring Me Home For Christmas and was introduced to the world of Virgin River, a little community in the mountains of Northern California where the rugged terrain and people can be a challenge, but friendship and romance can flourish, too. I had every intention of going back and starting the series at the beginning, but got sidetracked. With the TV series adaption, I was reminded again that I wanted to read the books before seeing the show so I finally picked up book one to enjoy where it all began.
Review

Virgin River opens with Melinda Monroe’s impractical car sliding into a ditch along a lonely mountain road in a rainstorm. She took the job sight unseen to be the midwife/nurse practitioner for a small community in Northern California as far as she can get from the big city emergency room where she once worked and the place where she was a widow and unable to heal from her husband’s death. But, one look at the dirty mountains, the horrific cabin, and the shabby little town has her cursing her impulsiveness and swearing she is out of there as fast as she can get.
But, the kindness of the bar owner, Jack Sheridan, fresh air, a good night’s sleep, the best food she’s had in a while, and a surprise bundle on the clinic’s doorstep followed by an emergency birthing has her softening toward the place and willing to give it a few days.

Jack has come to Virgin River for his own need for renewal after many long years in the Marines. He wants to fish, run his bar, and help his neighbors now and then. What he never thought he’d want is the beautiful and achingly sad, Melinda, to stick around and give him and Virgin River a chance. He wants it badly enough that he is willing to wait as long as it takes for her to get past what has her broken and sad and in the meantime fix up that dilapidated cabin she was given and showing her the best side of Virgin River while watching the city gal discover that this is no bucolic scene with no dangers and no challenges.

I was taken with the story right away. I grew up close enough to the settings in this story that I knew exactly how very different Virgin River was from Mel’s life back in LA. She gets quite the introduction and I had to laugh at it all. I fell in love with Jack long before she did, but I was on her side from the get-go. She was hurting so badly and I loved seeing her slowly heal as the community and the place slowly worked on her.

I was really into the description of Melinda’s midwifing work and her work with old Doc in the clinic and out in the rural areas around the community. They had to make do with what they had away from the conveniences in health care and other community services that a big city could offer. It was neat that since the author introduced her career into the story that Mel’s career got a lot of page time and there were several conflicts and exciting moments with it.

The friendships Melinda made had me feeling like they were my own new and lovely friends. I loved getting to know the people and the setting. I forgot how much the author could pull the reader inside the story that way.

But, best of all, was the gently-paced friendship and romance between Mel and Jack. The chemistry is there early on even when she is absolutely convinced she is dead inside. She is truly a grieving widow to a guy who was pretty special and the author doesn’t cut corners on that nor does she rush Mel’s grief recovery. Jack had to be oh so patient and understanding. It was hard on him and particularly when Mel kept her past to herself at first and he only had her emotional walls to go by. He was selfless and his actions showed his love so she couldn’t help falling in love with him particularly as she got interested in Jack’s past that she learned from meeting his friends and his family down in Sacramento.

Most of the book felt like the first in a series with the careful set up and introductions, but it didn’t lack for conflict and riveting moments throughout. It had a pretty heart-stopping climax in the end after some big relationship moments that were the perfect finish to an already fabulous book.

All in all, I was pulled inside a sensational story and world that I was reluctant to leave. I’m so glad there are plenty more books in the series and oh so many wonderful characters that I can’t wait to get their stories. Those who enjoy heartwarming yet spicy romance, an amazing setting and cast of characters in a small town contemporary romance need look no further.

I rec’d this book from Net Galley to read in exchange for an honest review.

I am very late to the party with this one. I finally read the first book in the Virgin River series and really enjoyed it. Robyn Carr is becoming one of my favourite authors and I am looking forward to the next in this series. In this story we meet Melinda Monroe as she arrives in Virgin River to begin her new life. Recently widowed, she wants to leave the big city and everyone who looks at her with pity in their eyes. What she doesn't expect is that the doctor she is supposed to work with not wanting her there and the local bar owner being someone she is attracted to.

This book is a romance, small town saga with wonderful characters and well-written story. Mel is constantly second guessing her decision to relocate to Virgin River and with good cause. For a small town, there is certainly a lot of action. I really enjoyed watching the romance between Mel and Jack develop. It starts and friendship and gradually changes over time. The other characters in the story all add much to the plot, especially Doc. If you have watched the Netflix series, you will definitely notice a lot of changes from the book. I enjoyed reading Robyn's original story and am ready for Shelter Mountain, book 2 in this series.

Robyn Carr has written many novels that readers of women's fiction have enjoyed; some of her books are standalones while others are parts of series.  Virgin River is the first title in this author's longest series with twenty books in all.  Virgin River was written around 2007 but was released again to coincide with the tv series that recently came out.


The stories take place in a fictitious town where neighbors watch out for one another.  As long term readers of the series know, each book features a couple but old friends are often encountered as one moves forward with the titles.  This first book is mostly about Jack and Mel.  Jack runs the town bar and is a former marine.  Mel, a widow, is a midwife looking for a new start when she accepts a position in the town.  How will it work out?  Will she stay in Virgin River?  Will she become open to a new relationship?


Readers of genre fiction can undoubtedly guess the answers to these questions.  Still, readers may enjoy the fact that things may end well, especially in these times when life feels out of control.


Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.

RATING: 4 STARS
2007 (reissued: 2019); Mira/Harlequin

Have you ever wanted to escape from your life just for awhile? Take some time away from the stress and problems that seem to just pile up? If this sounds even a bit fabulous right now...come with me to the fictional small-town VIRGIN RIVER(California). It's a place that feels like home - where everyone knows you, accepts you and you can be just you. And after several hardcore suspense thrillers Virgin River is just what I need. For this Wooing Wednesday I am going back to a series and author (Robyn Carr) I discovered in 2012.

Melinda (or Mel) Monroe, an ER nurse in LA, has burned out especially since the murder of her doctor husband, Mark. In a quick decision she to sell her house and move to a small town she has never seen to help the local doctor as a midwife. She soon discovers this is a bad idea as the cabin she is given is falling apart, dirty and plain unlivable. The local doctor, Doc does not think he needs help and the town is so small there is not much to do or go. Things start to change when she meets Jack Sheridan - the owner of a bar/diner and when she delivers her first baby. Will this be enough for Mel to stay in Virgin River for good?

If you are a fan of Susan Wiggs or Luanne Rice you will soon add Robyn Carr to the list. These are sweet cozy novels about love and life. They are not fluffy or light but neither are they depressing. From the first few chapters I was drawn into Mel's life and the town of Virgin River. I like the way Carr introduces main and secondary characters. I love the romance between Jack and Mel and the crotchety-ness of Hope and Doc.

Perhaps you might say I’m late to the party but that isn’t really a true statement. More like I just missed the start of a wonderful series. But I’ve atoned for that mistake and now that VIRGIN RIVER by Robyn Carr has been made into a Netflix series I decided to back up and read the first book. VIRGIN RIVER has been a wonderful series by an author whose name is synonymous with romance, love, community, sass and witty conversations by some of the best characters you’ll ever meet. Unforgettable characters. And that’s the core of the VIRGIN RIVER series, a cast of memorable characters starring very touching stories. Each one unique as the characters that appear in it. So reading out of sequence wasn’t as jarring as you might expect.

Now here’s the scoop. Newcomer Melinda arrives in Virgin River as a midwife medical practitioner. Mel left L.A. behind but of course it is almost impossible to leave memories behind. Mel is haunted by the tragic death of her husband Mark. They were the perfect couple, well almost. Mel’s sister is upset that Mel is running away to this small rustic town. But Mel is determined to use this as an opportunity to get her head and heart back to some place approaching normal.

Virgin River is much like any small town. Very self-sufficient almost insulated from the outside world of chaos. But that isn’t realistic. There are problems and issues everywhere. And Virgin River is no exception.

Virgin River is also home to some marvelous people. Some born and raised there and others newcomers like Mel looking for a new start or a just peaceful life. Jack is one of these. His bar and grill are a home away from home for all residents of this town. So when Mel arrives it is naturally where she finds herself spending time. First advantage is meeting new neighbors. Second one is meeting this amazing hunky ex-marine bar owner.

It seems inevitable that they form a warm friendship but, in all honesty, their mutual attraction is hard to miss or trivialize.

The story line in VIRGIN RIVER is pure Robyn Carr. So if you missed it first time around then now is a good time to curl up with a wonderful book. Spoiler alert. Book is far superior to the media version. Characters are better developed and less predictable. My advice is watch show after reading the book. Half the fun is catching the diversion from the original.

Review featured at www.books-n-kisses.com

This is a re-release of Virgin River. I have read a few from this series but didn’t start from the beginning so I was happy to see the release. It is now a series on NetFlix and the show is great which made me want to start reading the books from the series that I have not read so I understand the show a bit better.

I was not disappointed reading this even though I had seen the NetFlix show. As always the book is better but not by much. They did a phenomenal job with the show. But Robyn Carr is a great author and drags you right into her world.

Visiting Virgin River is always a pleasure and the start of the series is no exception.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

This lighthearted romance book is uplifting and fun. It's predictable and entertaining. I chose it mostly because I saw that Netflix was going to make it into a movie, but with or without the film, I wasn't disappointed in the book. While you won't find this book impossible to put down, you will be entertained. The characters and well-developed and realistic. I wouldn't mind being friends with them!

I kept thinking I had read this book before, and I was right. It’s still good, and now it’s a series! This book doesn’t really have any surprises, but it’s an enjoyable read about a city girl who is a midwife, and when she moves to the country she predictably finds an abandoned baby. The story is good enough that you won’t care if you saw that plot device from a mile away. The romance is sweet, the characters have great personality.

Working in a library, I have seen many patrons check out this series by Robyn Carr. I am glad that I had the opportunity to read this book. I really enjoyed it and plan to read more in this series. I loved reading about the people in this town and really felt like the characters became friends of mine. Great book...great author!

Virgin River by Robyn Carr captured my attention from the very beginning. It shows what life is like up the small mountain town of Virgin River which has about six hundred residents. Melinda Monroe is feeling burnout from her position at a 3,000 bed hospital and is looking for a change. The position in Virgin River seems to be what she needs, and it is confirmed after seeing the pictures sent to her by Hope McCrea. The icing on the cake is the charming cabin that comes with position. Mel packs expensive jeans ($100 plus per pair) along with her beautiful leather boots into her BMW and heads into the mountains. Mel soon discovers that Hope’s pictures were not current and her clothing choices not to mention her car are not appropriate for the environment. Mel decides that Virgin River is not for her. Then a newborn is found on the local doctor’s front porch. This has Mel changing her plans which she claims is just temporary. Mel fails to tell the people in her new town that she is a widow and another reason she needed a fresh start. I liked the variety of quirky characters in Virgin River that include Preacher (the cook at Jack’s), Hope McCrea, and Doc Mullins (crotchety local doctor with a heart of gold). Jack Sheridan is an ex-marine who owns Jack’s the local bar and restaurant. He is taken with Mel right away and comes up with a plan to keep her in their little town. I thought the characters as well as the situations were realistic and developed. I enjoyed the rustic setting. While Virgin River is a charming romance novel, there are other storylines going on in the book. There are numerous places to hide in the wood surrounding the town which leads to criminal activity as well as people looking to hide out or escape from the world. I like that the author shows the good and the bad (everything is not puppy dogs and rainbows). I could have done without the foul language and intimate situations (but that is my personal preference). Virgin River is a well-written novel that moved along steadily. Virgin River is the first in A Virgin River Novel and there are currently twenty in total. I am curious to see what happens to the other characters. Virgin River is a pleasing story with a loveable newborn, a handsome ex-marine, a peevish physician, an optimistic Hope, and a woman looking for a new beginning.

This book was incredible! I was so glad to get a chance to review this book and to read about what everyone is talking about! Robyn Carr is an excellent storyteller with charm and wit and her stories make you feel all cozy inside!

Charming story about a city girl trying to escape her life in the country. I adore the authors writing and felt such a deep connection to Mel as a nurse. Cannot wait to watch the Netflix series on this one and read more from the series.

I have only read one other Robyn Carr book before this one and it did not impress me. I decided to give her one more chance. I'm glad I did. Virgin River is a wonderful story about real people. Their problems are compelling and the complex characters are delightful. I will be reading the other books in this series asap, and can't wait for the tv series.

A wonderful, heartfelt story of a young women who found her heart again and her home.

The main characters are amazing, but the support cast, aka the town's residents, just makes you want to move to Virgin River, learn everyone's life story and become a part of the community.

I received this copy of Virgin River from HARLEQUIN – Trade Publishing (U.S. & Canada) - MIRA. This is my honest and voluntary review. Virgin River is set to soon be a NETFLIX original series.

I finished the book just in time to watch the series on Netflix. The series has done a wonderful job adapting the plots and characters from the book, but as always is the case the book is much better.

As soon as I saw that this book was being made into a Netflix series I had to read it! Surprisingly I have read other titles from the Virgin River series but never this one.

Mel is a big city nurse looking for a change after her husband dies. Small town Virgin River is supposed to be a fresh start, where no one knows her widow status, and a chance to re-energize her nursing career. But her high hopes are smashed when the cabin she is supposed to be staying in for the next year is a complete dump. Not to mention the doctor she is going to be working with wants nothing to do with her. Realizing she made a huge mistake coming to Virgin River, she decides to leave the next day, but an abandoned baby on the Doctors steps throws a wrench into her plan. As well as the local bar owner and former marine Jack.

I thought Jack was so sweet to Mel with the grief of her late husband. There were most definitely some plot twists in here that I was not expecting at all! Overall this was a quick and easy read.

Reviewed item original in December 2017
Mel wanted a change of scenery from her old L.A.life as an ER nurse and also leave the pain behind of losing her husband. She moves to a very small town called virgin river . She was promised a job working for the local doctor to be then told by him he didn't need any help. So begins this novel where Mel adjust to living in a small town all the while not sure if she would stay. As time goes by the doctor warm up to her helping him and Jack the local bartender begins to show an interest in her. This book was so moving and touching I like that it was the hero who had to keep trying to fight for the heart of the heroine. You could feel Mel being torn about caring for Jack and still holding on to the memory of her late husband. I like how the author incorporated the different characters and family in the backdrop. The scene in which the drug dealer begs to come back and look at his pregnant girlfriend was scary and comedic at the same time. Though the book was a bit long it was worth reading Jack and Mel closure of leaving her dead husband memory and able to start new memories with Jack and their soon to be born baby.
Updated 12/16/19
12/16/19 Update
I went back to reread this wonderful classic as it is now a netflix show and boy it was great to reread and see things a second time around which it seems I did not remember previously. I will say I felt netflix stay close to the first book with a few artistic interpretation. It was such a feeling to relive these characters who have now come alive in this tv show. I hope Netflix give us a few season of this show so we can see other characters from other book come alive

Virgin River, the story of one woman's journey from grief and despair to purpose and love, is moving but never maudlin. The titular town is populated by a cast of characters who quickly won over the heroine, Mel, and this reader. Carr's prose meanders pleasantly, much like the backroads she describes; the prose is unhurried, but never dull. Unlike Mel, I don't think I'd want to live in Virgin River, but it sure is a nice place to visit.