Robyn Carr: Shelter Mountain

Virgin River again gives shelter someone in need
Once again I decided to have a break from my normal diet of heavy thrillers and settle down with a light romance. This is #2 in the very popular romantic series by Robyn Carr which explores the dynamics of very small-town USA and the effect the town and its people have on traumatically bruised characters who seek refuge in the town.

This time Paige Lassiter is on the run from her abusive husband. She ends up in Virgin River hoping to find somewhere to stay with her son until she can change her identity to protect herself from her husband. In foul weather she walks into the local bar when John Middleton (Preacher to his friends) is about to close. John doesn't look like a guardian angel, over 6 foot tall and muscular with shaved head and tattoos. Preacher has been on active service with the Marines for years and has settled down in Virgin River because his old Sergeant Jack Sheridan runs the local bar and restaurant.

John has had little contact with women but is immediately drawn to help Paige and her young son Chris. While understandingly being very suspicious of men Page accepts Preacher's offer of somewhere for both of them to stay for the night and plans to leave first thing in the morning. This doesn't happen and Paige soon finds that Preacher, despite his appearance, is a big teddy bear who quickly falls head-over-heels in love with her and begins to love Chris as his own in a way that his father was never able to do.

This is a sentimental and touching story of two apparently different individuals beginning to come together as a couple and as a family. All of the other characters from the first book are there to give a helping hand especially when Paige's husband tries to find her.

Well done Robyn Carr - you have created an environment and a formula for a light romance series that will warm the hearts of many.

Robyn Carr: Virgin River (A Virgin River Novel Book 1)

Delightful emotional and uplifting story
From time to time I need to have a break from my normal diet of thrillers and settle down with a light romance. VIRGIN RIVER was a delightful and satisfying break because it mixed an unusual romance with strong emotional impact set against very small-town USA.

Mel Monroe is a nurse practitioner and midwife, happily married to a brilliant doctor and working together at a top LA hospital. Her life in ER is traumatic, dealing with gunshot wounds, stabbings, druggies and vagrants every day. Her life becomes more traumatic when her husband is shot during an armed holdup of a local 7/11

Mel comes to Virgin River to escape from the trauma, a very small town in the the beautiful forest covered hinterland in northern California. She arrives on a stormy night to find nothing is as she expects, the cabin promised to her is almost falling down, and the grumpy old town doctor doesn't want her help.

Jack Sheridan also escaped to Virgin River after years of trauma in the Army. He runs the local bar/restaurant and is drawn to Mel, despite her continuing grief for her murdered husband. Mel immediately decides to leave but finds she can't leave yet when she discovers a new-born baby on the doorstep.

This is an interesting tale which explores the dynamics of very small-town USA and the relationship between two fascinating traumatically bruised characters. Robyn Carr has written a delightful first book in what has become a very popular series.