A Virgin River Christmas by Robyn Carr

Synopsis.....Last Christmas Marcie Sullivan said a final goodbye to her husband, Bobby. This Christmas she's come to Virgin River to find the man who saved his life and gave her three more years to love him. Fellow marine Ian Buchanan dragged Bobby's shattered body onto a medical transport in Fallujah four years ago, then disappeared as soon as their unit arrived stateside. Since then, Marcie's letters to Ian have gone unanswered. Marcie tracks Ian to the tiny mountain town of Virgin River and finds a man as wounded emotionally as Bobby was physically. But she is not easily scared off. As Marcie pushes her way into his rugged and reclusive life, she discovers a sweet but damaged soul beneath a rough exterior. Ian doesn't know what to make of the determined young widow who forces him to look into the painful past and, what's worse, the uncertain future. But it is, after all, a season of miracles and maybe, just maybe, it's time to banish the ghosts and open his heart.

My thoughts.....Having read 2 other books in the Virgin River series by Carr I knew I was in for a good read. Marcie is the young widow of a Marine who's husband was gravely injured during the war and Ian was the man who carried him out alive. Marcie views Ian as a hero who gave her enough time with Bobby to say goodbye. Ian doesn't see it this way and seeks out solitude in a cabin in the middle of nowhere. After Bobby's death Marcie goes out in search of Ian....to thank him and make sure he is ok. Ian wants none of it....he doesn't think he deserves her kindness and doesn't want her there at all....she stirs up memories that he hasn't dealt with and doesn't want to.


A shorter book then other Virgin River books this one comes in at just under 300 pages but the story doesn't lack because the length nor....I might add...does any of the other books that I have read from this series feel too wordy because they are longer. I have not read one of Carr's books that I haven't liked. I did feel that this particular book was not quite as good as the others but maybe because the characters were not really part of Virgin River. Marcie did end up becoming part of the town dragging Ian with her but for the most part both Ian and Marcie spent the majority of the book out at a run down shack that Ian had inherited.

This was a very good book and even if you haven't read any other books in the Virgin River series you could still read this one and enjoy it a lot.

Temptation Ridge by Robyn Carr

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.