Virgin River by Robyn Carr is book one in her series of the same name. Netflix has chosen to make an original series based on this series of books, so you’ll want to be acquainted with the written version.

Melinda “Mel” Monroe is a 32-yr-old recently widowed nurse practitioner and midwife longing to get away from the fast pace of the city and the constant reminders of her deceased husband, so she accepts a contract to work with the local doctor and makes the move to the small town of Virgin River. The contract is not as promised. The cute little cottage is a tumbling down mess. The local doctor she would be assisting has no interest in having her in his practice. Only the discovery of an abandoned baby keeps her in the town. That and a handsome bar owner.

Ex-marine, Jack Sheridan is the owner of the only bar in Virgin River. His military career has left him with some bad memories. Jack is a handsome hunk from a large loving family including four sisters and eight nieces. He’s instantly attracted to Mel and becomes her friend and protector hoping to be even more. Jack’s main problem is how to compete with a dead man.

Robyn Carr has penned another bestseller. Virgin River hits all the right notes. The characters are vibrant, believable and completely developed. The scenery is vividly depicted. The plot is engaging and suitably complex. Like Mel, I fell in love with Virgin River: the people, the scenery and the sky, especially the brilliant nighttime sky lit with so many stars. This is a 5 out of 5 star read and I recommend it to all readers of the romance genre. There is some sexual content that may not be suitable to for all readers.

My thanks to HARLEQUIN – Trade Publishing (U.S. & Canada) and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book. However, the opinions expressed in this review are 100% mine and mine alone.

Melanie got a bit more than she bargained for when she answered an ad for a Midwife/nurse practitioner located in Virgin River. She was ready for a change from her life serving as an emergency room nurse for a busy L.A. hospital. She arrives in a small town of 600 and finds a run-down cabin that is falling apart, and a town too small to even offer a hair stylist (but the next town over has one who works out of her garage!). Even her Cole Haan boots feel out of place in this small town. What was she thinking?

She is about to pack her car and flee, when a baby is abandoned at the local doctor's office. Through this delay she starts to find rewarding work and possibly a town that needs her as much as she needs the town. The local heartthrob who runs the local pub/restaurant also helps make the town a bit more attractive.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and had a hard time putting it down. Sure there was one part of the book was a bit predictable, but it was still fun. Thankfully this book is the beginning of a series, and I've already bought the next book (and plan to watch it when it becomes a Netflix series!)

A look back to where it all started for the Virgin River series, apparently to set up the new Netflix series about these books. This book has been reviewed multiple times, so I’ll just relate my personal impressions rather than providing much of a synopsis. Quickly, Melinda is an L.A. physician’s assistant/midwife practicing in a major hospital who loses her husband, the love of her life, in an unexpected murder when he chances upon a convenience store robbery in progress. She moves to a small town seeking solace, anonymity from overly concerned and pitying friends and acquaintances, and a simpler life from the crime and complications of the big city. Jack owns a combination bar, restaurant and overall community gathering place in the rural town of Virgin River. After numerous tours of duty in several wars, he is enjoying his laid-back existence from his status as a war hero.

The characterizations if the leads is a bit sparse, but the overall story is saved with Carr’s great ability to write wonderful a wonderful tale giving our secondary characters and outline small town life in a very captivating way; enough for me to keep going with the next book, as well as take a look at the TV series.

What I loved about this novel was the themes of hardwork, strong family and friendship, love and community ties. It was like seeing a snapshot of the small town life I grew up around. Lovers of all things small town and romance are going to love this novel.