Synopsis....At twenty-five, after five years as her mother's caregiver, it's time for Shelby to experience freedom and adventure. Time for travel, college and romance. But when she visits Virgin River, she runs into Luke Riordan, decidedly not whom she has in mind. A handsome Blackhawk pilot, Luke exited the army after twenty years, four wars and having been shot out of the sky three times. At thirty-eight he's tough and jaded. His major was in one-night stands, with a minor in commitment avoidance. Technically, these two are all wrong for one another. But sometimes what you want and what you need are two different things…two very good things.
My thoughts....I don't think Robyn Carr could write a bad book. This is the second book I have read by her and it is part of her Virgin River series and although I didn't connect with the characters as well in this one as I did in her first book of the series I totally enjoyed this one. Not normally my cuppa this book is a May/December relationship type of book. Luke is 13 years older the Shelby and Carr did an excellent job of acknowledging it. She managed to create a storyline that, granted, had been done in the past with a younger inexperienced woman and an older worldly man, but made it fresh and didn't feel like a 1970's Harlequin Presents. Not that I am dissing those books....I cut my teeth on them, but after so many years my romantic tastes in reading material have grown and matured with me. I didn't think that I would or could like a book where the hero and heroine were so different but I did.
As far as the couple goes....Luke didn't stand a chance against Shelby. She set her sights on him and he tried to resist....tried really hard but in the end gave in (not such a hardship really). Shelby, although inexperienced in relationships she wasn't naive which I appreciated. I liked both Shelby and Luke.
During the course of the book, typical of the series, we experience life in Virgin River, see old friends, meet new friends and witness a major happening that brings that town together. From the books I read, this is a standard theme. I don't mind. It works. But this isn't all that happens. Carr carries the story of Virgin River along where it really doesn't feel formulaic at all. There are plenty of new happenings to keep the series fresh which is good because from what I hear she is continuing the series bringing three new ones out this year and next year....possibly the year after too. Great news for fans.
I cannot recommend this series enough to my fellow romance lovers. I often compare them to Debbie Macomber's Cedar Cove books which I also really like.
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