Review: The Promise by Robyn Carr

Publish Date: June 24, 2014
Mass Market Paperback {p.363}
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Source: Publist
Peyton Lacoumette, Scott Grant

Scott Grant has a bustling family practice in the small Oregon community of Thunder Point. The town and its people have embraced the widowed doctor and father of two, his children are thriving, and Scott knows it's time to move on from his loss. But as the town's only doctor, the dating scene is awkward. That is, until a stunning physician's assistant applies for a job at his clinic.

Peyton Lacoumette considers herself entirely out of the dating scene. She's already been burned by a man with kids, and she's come to Thunder Point determined not to repeat past mistakes. When Scott offers her a job, at a much lower salary than she's used to, Peyton is surprisingly eager to accept…at least for now. She's willing to stay for a three-month trial period while she explores other options.

Scott and Peyton know the arrangement is temporary—it isn't enough time to build a real relationship, never mind anything with lasting commitment. But love can blossom faster than you think when the timing is right, and this short visit just might hold the promise of forever.

Even though Peyton isn't the usual type Scott goes for (blonde), he's immediately attracted to her, even when he's under the impression that men aren't her thing. With Scott believing this to be true, it gives them the opportunity to become good friends before anything else.

Peyton, having just gotten out of a relationship with a doctor with kids, would never have taken the job with Scott had she known he was a single father. With how all the townspeople love to talk, all they divulged to her was that Scott was a dedicated family man.

When Scott gets called away on an emergency with no babysitter in sight, Peyton wonders if she's finding herself falling back into the pattern of her previous relationship. It turns out not to be the case, because unlike her previous relationship, his kids adore Peyton. Both the kids and Peyton take an immediate like to one another. Not only do Scott's kids like Peyton, but the whole town of Thunder Point. The locals easily welcomed her into the fold, and treated her as a longtime friend.

Her relationship with Scott was not without its bumps. Of course her ex has to show to cause trouble. He wants Peyton back but feels he's justified in his behavior and treatment of her. Of course to the ex, everything he did was Peyton's fault and never his. This then causes the conflict between Peyton and Scott that every romance must have to keep the story interesting. Otherwise their journey would have been a little too perfect.

I enjoyed both characters together as well as on their own. I felt like I got to know Scott a whole lot more in this one than any of the previous installments. I got to see a brand new side of him other than the widower with two small children. Peyton was the perfect match for him; someone who is his equal and adores children. She was a woman of strong moral character; she stepped in and helped out a family when they needed her, even though they were just outright cruel to her for years. I would like to see what becomes of that family in Ms. Carr's future installments.

THE PROMISE is home-run hit from Ms. Carr. Whenever I'm in a reading slump, I know I can pick up a Robyn Carr novel and climb into a town of friends and family that I never tire of visiting.

Review: Four Friends by Robyn Carr

Publish Date: March 25, 2014
Trade Paperback {p.366}
Genre: Women's Fiction
Source: Publicist
Gerri Gilbert, Sonja Johanson, Andy Jamison, BJ Smith

Gerri can't decide what's more devastating: learning her rock-solid marriage has big cracks, or the anger she feels as she tries to repair the damage. Always the anchor for friends and her three angst-ridden teenagers, it's time to look carefully at herself. The journey for Gerri and her family is more than revealing—it's transforming.

Andy doesn't have a great track record with men, and she's come to believe that for her a lasting love is out of reach. When she finds herself attracted to her down-to-earth, ordinary contractor—a man without any of the qualities that usually appeal to her—she questions everything she thought she wanted in life.

Sonja's lifelong pursuit of balance is shattered when her husband declares he's through with her New Age nonsense and walks out. There's no herbal tonic or cleansing ritual that can restore her serenity—or her sanity.

Miraculously, it's BJ, the reserved newcomer to Mill Valley, who steps into their circle and changes everything. The woman with dark secrets opens up to her neighbors, and together they get each other back on track, stronger as individuals and unfaltering as friends.

The characters and their issues draw you in as a reader because they are real and relatable. I was drawn to some characters more than others, but I still wanted to know the outcome for all of them.

Of the four friends, I was most interested in Andy and her budding relationship with her carpenter. I instantly adored Bob, the carpenter. I didn't understand why everyone in their lives was finding it hard to believe that Andy would be involved with Bob, but I however immediately got her attraction to him. They got to know one another as friends before it became something physical. I must admit, Bob may have been my favorite character of the entire book.

Sonja, I was iffy about. But once her marriage blew up, I loved her. The Sonja after her marriages falls apart was stronger, more real than the Sonja before. I didn't like her husband George before nor after. He just seemed so uncaring about what Sonja was going through.

Gerri, I felt for what she was going through, but at times I felt she should be focused on her own issues instead of telling Andy what she needs to do. When she should have been nosing into anyone's business it should have been Sonja's but BJ had to pint out everything going wrong there to Gerri. That proved to me that Sonja was right in her assessment that Gerri and Andy are friends and just includes Sonja.

I truly did enjoy every minute of this book. Great story, great characters, my only issue was the characters excessive use of the word "gd." But it was not enough to deter me from the story.

Review: The Chance by Robyn Carr

Publish Date: February 25, 2014
Mass Market Paperback {p.347}
Genre: Contemporary
Series: Thunder Point #4
Source: Publicist
Laine Carrington, Eric Gentry

With its breathtaking vistas and down-to-earth people, Thunder Point is the perfect place for FBI agent Laine Carrington to recuperate from a gunshot wound and contemplate her future. The locals embraced Laine as one of their own after she risked her life to save a young girl from a dangerous cult. Knowing her wounds go beyond the physical, Laine hopes she'll fit in for a while and find her true self in a town that feels safe. She may even learn to open her heart to others, something an undercover agent has little time to indulge.

Eric Gentry is also new to Thunder Point. Although he's a man with a dark past, he's determined to put down roots and get to know the daughter he only recently discovered. When Laine and Eric meet, their attraction is obvious to everyone. But while the law enforcement agent and the reformed criminal want to make things work, their differences may run too deep… unless they take a chance on each other and find that deep and mysterious bond that belongs to those who choose love over fear.

Eric isn't who I would have thought to but Laine with, from reading the previous book. In my mind I had her with the town doctor, Scott Grant. But from Eric and Laine's first encounter, you could definitely feel the chemistry between them. I just wish there was more interaction between Laine and Eric's daughter Ashley since the two woman are a major part of his life.

Aside from the blossoming relationship between Eric and Laine, I loved seeing the repair of Laine's relationship with her father. It was a very heartbreaking thing to see. At time I felt like crying right along with them. Her father really didn't have an active role in her life other than to express his disapproval of her. But seeing how their relationship turned around when her father opened up to her was enough to make it a five-star read in and of itself.

Of course the town and the people played a large part of the story. I really latched on to the story of Justin and his brothers, and I'm excited to see what becomes of their story. I was a bit iffy about Eric's friend Al, but I'm hoping he'll end up being a great guy. He and Ray Anne could be so great together if the get out of their own way.

As always, I'm packing up and moving into another Robyn Carr book! :)

Review: The Hero by Robyn Carr

Publish Date: August 27, 2013
Mass Market Paperback {p.379}
Genre: Contemporary
Series: Thunder Point #3
Source: Publisher
Devon McAllister, Spencer Lawson

In a moment of desperation, Devon McAllister takes her daughter and flees a place where they should have been safe and secure. She has no idea what is around the next bend, but she is pretty certain it can't be worse than what they've left behind. Her plan is to escape to somewhere she can be invisible. Instead, an unexpected offer of assistance leads her to Thunder Point, a tiny Oregon town with a willingness to help someone in need.

As the widowed father of a vulnerable young boy, Spencer Lawson knows something about needing friendship. But he's not looking for anything else. Instead, he's thrown his energy into his new role as Thunder Point's high school football coach. Tough and demanding to his team, off the field he's gentle and kind...just the kind of man who could heal Devon's wounded heart.

Devon thought she wanted to hide from the world. But in Thunder Point, you find bravery where you least expect it...and sometimes, you find a hero.

The Hero was a bit of a slow starter for me. The beginning was a lot of interaction between Devon and Rawley, which was a bit bland. Once I moved past the relationship building between Rawley and Devon, and got to Devon making connections to the rest of Thunder Point, that's when it started to pick up.

Spencer was slow to make his move toward Devon, but once he did, he made up for lost time. I liked Spencer upon meeting him in the previous book, but for some reason I thought he was older in the previous book. But Spencer in The Hero, had his moments. Even through his moments, he remained likeable, and I understood his hesitance.

On the flip side of that, Devon had been through some things as well, and spoke with him more than once about his unlikeliness of being ready to be in a relationship. He assured her she could trust him and that he was, but then he wasn't.

As for Thunder Point, I fall in love with the town a little more with each installment to the series. I'm looking forward to reading more about Scott, and hopefully him finding his love interest. With Devon and the situation she fled, I'm thinking it may bring a few new faces to Thunder Point. I hope to see more of at least two people from Devon's past, Reese and Laine. Hopefully they'll call Thunder Point home as well.

Review: The Newcomer by Robyn Carr

Publish Date: June 25, 2013
Mass Market Paperback {p. 360}
Genre: Contemporary
Source: Publisher
Mac McCain, Gina James

Single dad and Thunder Point's deputy sheriff "Mac" McCain has worked hard to keep everyone safe and happy. Now he's found his own happiness with Gina James. The longtime friends have always shared the challenges and rewards of raising their adolescent daughters. With an unexpected romance growing between them, they're feeling like teenagers themselves-suddenly they can't get enough of one another.

And just when things are really taking off, their lives are suddenly thrown into chaos. When Mac's long-lost-and not missed-ex-wife shows up in town, drama takes on a whole new meaning. They're wondering if their new feelings for each other can withstand the pressure...but they are not going down without a fight.

First off, I hated Downy. He seemed like such a great guy in the previous novel, with friending Landon when he was being harassed by the football team. Not in this book. Complete and total ass. The more I kept reading about him, the more I wish bad things to happen to him.

I felt so bad for Ashley. How could Downy have claimed to love her and be a party to things his new girlfriend was doing to her?

Cee Jay was a bit odd. She seemed to be able to changes emotions at the drop of a dime. That made me not trust her or her intentions. By the end, I was still left feeling unsure of her and what her plans might be.

Mac and Gina's relationship was pretty uneventful. Sure Mac's ex showed up but it didn't throw a wrench into their relationship like I thought it would. Gina and Mac's biggest issues were blending their families.

Cooper and Sarah also played a large part in this installment, and had some curves come their way. With Sarah, I didn't understand her need to withhold certain information from Cooper. I felt they had a better relationship than that, and she should have felt fine with discussing matters with him sooner. And the curve Cooper was thrown, well he handled it like a champ. He was a real class act. Carr managed to make me love him all the more.

There's only been two books of this series thus far and I've loved both. The characters are so well written that you become invested in their lives and the town. It never fails that when I pick up a Robyn Carr novel, it's like I'm visiting with friends.

Review: The Wanderer by Robyn Carr

Publish Date: March 26, 2013
Mass Market Paperback {p. 384}
Genre: Contemporary
Series: Thunder Point #1
Source: Publisher
Sarah Dupre, Hank Cooper

Nestled on the Oregon coast is a small town of rocky beaches and rugged charm. Locals love the land's unspoiled beauty. Developers see it as a potential gold mine. When newcomer Hank Cooper learns he's been left an old friend's entire beachfront property, he finds himself with a community's destiny in his hands.

Cooper has never been a man to settle in one place, and Thunder Point was supposed to be just another quick stop. But Cooper finds himself getting involved with the town. And with Sarah Dupre, a woman as complicated as she is beautiful.

With the whole town watching for his next move, Cooper has to choose between his old life and a place full of new possibilities. A place that just might be home.

I was so excited and hesitant when I learned of the new series by Robyn. My thinking was, how can it anywhere near as good as Virgin River when it’s already perfect. But Thunder Point is just as perfect. Robyn is one of the few authors I’ve come across who manages to make the town feel like one of the lead characters along with the hero and heroine. I always love and dread reading Virgin River series because I always finish the book wanting to pack my bags and move there. That’s when the disappointment sets in, when I remember it’s not a real place.

Thunder Point, to me, is the younger crowd version of Virgin River. The high school crowd played just as much of an important role as the adult crowd. Thunder Point added the excitement of Friday night lights to the small, close-knit seaside town. I immediately fell in love with the town Robyn created with words that came to life in my imagination.

Cooper and his relationship with Sarah’s brother Landon was a major highlight for me. I’m glad Robyn chose to develop their relationship first before developing Cooper’s relationship with Sarah.

Review: Redwood Bend by Robyn Carr

Redwood Bend
Robyn Carr
Series: Virgin River #18
Publisher: Mira
Publish Date: February 28, 2012
Mass Market Paperback {p.377}
Source: Publisher
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Katie Malone, Dylan Childress
Challenge: 100+
Buy the Book: Amazon

Katie Malone and her twin boys' trip along the beautiful mountain roads to Virgin River is stopped short by a tire as flat as her failed romance. To make matters worse, the rain has set in, the boys are hungry and Katie is having trouble putting on a spare. As she stands at the side of the road pondering her next move, she hears a distinct rumble. The sight of the sexy, leather-clad bikers who pull up beside her puts her imagination into overdrive.

Dylan Childress and his buddies are on the motorcycle trip of a lifetime. But the sight of a woman in distress stops them in their tracks. And while the guys are checking out her car, she and Dylan are checking out one another.

In one brief moment, the world tilts on its axis and any previous plans Katie and Dylan might have had for their futures are left at the side of the road.

Redwood Bend centers on Katie, the sister of Conner from Hidden Summit. I enjoyed the bits and pieces of Katie I glimpsed in the previous book and enjoyed her even more in her own. She meets Dylan within the first couple of chapters upon her arrival in Virgin River. When he helps her with her flat tire, she recognizes him as the teen idol she was in love with during her teenage years, but doesn’t let on that she does.

I truly liked both Dylan and Katie. She’s funny and very capable of taking care of herself, which is always refreshing to see in a female character. She does sometimes seek the assistance of her brother when it comes to her twin boys, because they lack a father figure in their lives. This is understandable since she lost her husband in war. Dylan on the other hand has major issues when it comes to commitment and family. Growing up in a dysfunctional Hollywood family left him with a few emotional scars.

As always, I enjoyed visiting with the residents of Virgin River. I just love this little town and its inhabitants. I just wish more of the Riordan brothers had found their way into Redwood Bend.

And in this installment, Katie and Dylan don’t make their name in Virgin River which is always sad to me when the couples don’t settle there and live happily ever after.

Author Interview: Robyn Carr, author of Hidden Summit

Please join me in welcoming New York Times Bestselling Author Robyn Carr, author of Hidden Summit.

Facebook | Twitter | Website

Do you ever find that it’s emotionally difficult to write some scenes or characters? What about the scene in Hidden Summit when Brie revists her painful past to explain her place in Virgin River to Conner?

Harder than Brie remembering her sexual assault was actually writing it in Whispering Rock, the third book in the series. All such deeply emotional scenes are hard and yes, they make me cry. In A Virgin River Christmas there are a couple of them—the heroine remembering her last hours with her disabled marine husband and saying goodbye to the only man after him she could ever love. In Hidden Summit, Conner’s grief and anger at losing everything that mattered and resolving to be alone forever to avoid the hurt of being abandoned. And in Redwood Bend, Dylan’s feeling that he had bad relationship DNA and was a risk, no matter how much love he felt. But wait—because in Sunrise Point, Nora Crane has had a hard life, but is determined to get back on her feet for the sake of her baby daughters. She tore my heart out—she is so determined, so sincere, and she’s made several deals with God—never to lie, never to trust another man, always to be an excellent mother even though she certainly didn’t get any training from her own mother. She’s a lesson that we can do whatever we have to do, no matter how hard, as long as it’s the right thing to do.

The answer is yes, they make me cry. It’s not always a comfortable feeling, but I welcome it just the same. I shouldn’t be trying to write books that make you feel if they don’t make me feel. I don’t write books that don’t keep me awake at night—not if I hope to keep you up late reading.

How much of your actual life gets written into your fictional stories? Do you ever use real people as inspiration for your characters?

As inspiration—yes. But as actual characters, no. Real people don’t usually come off well in fiction. I take traits and experiences and emotional reactions from people I’ve met or read about and blend them into composite characters. But experiences and bits of dialogue from my life sneak in—happily. In Virgin River Jack’s sisters are remembering when Jack and his best friend hung their dolls by the neck—mean big brother stuff. My son and his best friend did that to my daughter’s cabbage patch dolls. Don’t worry, they’re all fine…. Well, I’m not sure about the dolls, but my son, his best friend and my daughter have persevered.

What’s the most interesting comment you’ve ever gotten from a reader?

Oh, you can’t print it! My readers never get my titles right—they write and ask me if I’m going to write any more of those “Virginia River” books. Or they want to know where Virgin River really is—they plan to move there and get a big, studly marine. But the funniest one ever was probably a typo: “Are you going to write anymore of those ‘Vagina River’ books.” Typo or Freudian slip.

I did get an email from a reader who was furious about my bigotry against Cubans. I was stunned and confused—I’d never written about Cubans. I suggested she had me mixed up with someone else. She wrote back with the direct quote, complete with page numbers—something about Jack being unable to shower off the stench of stinky Cubans. It was cigars! Cuban cigars! I pointed that out to her, but she was absolutely determined I had been bigoted in my remarks.

On a more serious side, a man who lost a leg in the war wrote me that he was changed by Paradise Valley, the story in which Rick Sudder lost a leg in the war and came home a messed up kid. My reader said that he realized from the book that he was an ass, thought it was a miracle his wife stayed with him through it, and finally understood how badly he needed counseling, which he was going to accomplish. I wrote back and asked him how he came across the book and he said his sister gave it to him—and his sainted wife was most grateful! Bless his heart!!

Have you noticed your writer’s voice has changed over the years due to experience? If so, how?

Undoubtedly I’ve both matured and relaxed. I’ve gained experience both in life and writing and I’ve relaxed into telling stories my way, the way that is natural to me. Both things help.

Review: Hidden Summit by Robyn Carr

Hidden Summit
Robyn Carr
Series: Virgin River #17
Publisher: Mira
Publish Date: December 27, 2011
Mass Market Paperback {p.347}
Source: Publicist
Genre: Contemporary
Leslie Petruso, Conner Danson
Challenge: 100+
Buy the Book: Amazon

Sick of running into her cheery ex-husband and his new wife, Leslie Petruso accepts a job at the Virgin River branch of Haggerty Construction and takes the high road right out of town. Now she's got Paul Haggerty's business running like a well-oiled machine. In fact, things are so busy Paul jumps at the chance to hire an extra set of hands.

Just like Leslie, Conner Danson has been burned by love. But if Leslie was disappointed by her relationship going bad, Conner was decimated. He's got no time for women…although he spends an awful lot of time pretending not to notice Leslie. And she's pretty busy "ignoring" the chemistry between them.

According to Conner and Leslie, they have only one thing in common—they're done with love. But everyone in Virgin River can see that things are heating up at Haggerty Construction. And as far as Paul Haggerty can tell, the best thing he can do is hang on to his hard hat and watch the sparks fly!

This installment of the Virgin River series features two new residents of the town. Both of which came to Virgin River to escape past events in their lives. Conner who was an eye witness to a murder and Leslie who is trying to get away from her cheating ex and his new very pregnant wife.

The two of them find love when they were only looking for something casual. Even with them saying that, you could tell as the reader that they both had already started to develop feelings for one another.

As usual, Carr paints a beautiful picture of the town and the supporting cast of characters. We were also introduced to the female lead of the next installment, and re-introduced to the one for installment after that.

Hidden Summit also brought a little suspense along with the romance. Conner and Leslie had a nice, stable romance, which is good considering both of their ex-spouses were cheaters. But on the other hand it was a little too good, almost perfect, which is never the case in reality.

I enjoyed this installment and I loved catching up with the town residents. Although I enjoyed Conner and Leslie’s romance, I didn’t feel all that invested in or connected to them as I did with previous romances such as Colin and Jillian or Kelly and Lief.

Thursday Three {4}: Hidden Summit

What is Thursday 3? It's a new weekly meme, hosted by me, in which we will be discussing our love/hate relationship with our current read.

Here is how Thursday 3 works:

• Take your current read, or book you previously finished, and tell me the following 3 things about it.

1. Character from the book you LOVE (This can be a character you want as your BFF or someone you want to take home to meet the parents)
2. Character from the book you HATE (This character does not have to be the villian, just someone you disliked)
3. Your overall LOVE/HATE of the book. (If you haven't decided your feelings for the book yet, or if you prefer, just provide a snippet from the book containing either the word "LOVE" or "HATE")

Anyone can participate!! Just link your posts in the linky! In your post, please provide a link back to my blog so that other people can find the information and participate.

Loved: Katie ~ I really got drawn into this character. I'm looking forward to her story in the next installment.

Hated: Greg ~ He was so self absorbed ans a total jerk. He was very easy to hate.

Overall: I love this series. This one was a good great, but not my favorite.

Hidden Summit by Robyn Carr
{California}

Teaser Tuesday: Hidden Summit by Robyn Carr

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB @ Should Be Reading. To participate, all you have to do is the following:

• Grab your current/upcoming read
• Open to a random page
• Share 2-3 "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
• Be careful not to include spoilers! (You do not want to ruin the book for others.)

Share the title & author so that others who enjoy your "teaser" may add the book to their TBL pile.

"Wanna tell me what's in the bag?"
"Thai. It's for dessert..."
"And the main course?"
"I'm thinking mustache rides."
"I guess that means you missed me," she said.

page 126; Hidden Summit by Robyn Carr

Book Beginnings & Friday 56: Hidden Summit

The Friday 56 is a weekly meme hosted by Freda's Voice. Check out the rules and join in the fun.

Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
Turn to page 56.
Find the fifth sentence.
Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog. Post a link along with your post back to this blog.

Book Beginnings on Friday is a meme hosted by A Few More Pages. Anyone can participate; just share the opening sentence, or two, of your current read, making sure that you include the title and author so others know what you're reading.

Book Beginnings:

Brie Valenzuela finished her large latte and looked into the empty cup. She'd been waiting in this coffee shop for over an hour, trying to look engrossed in her newspaper, but as th time ticked by, she only grew more concerned.

Friday 56:

He looked into her eyes, caught that delicious smile and thought, Crap. It zinged him. Gave him a little shock of awareness in all his male parts.

Hidden Summit by Robyn Carr

Review: Bring Me Home for Christmas by Robyn Carr

Bring Me Home for Christmas
Robyn Carr
Series: Virgin River #16
Publisher: Mira
Publish Date: October 25, 2011
Kindle {p.331}
Source: Publisher/NetGalley
Genre: Contemporary
Becca Timm, Denny Cutler
Challenge: 100+
Buy the Book: Amazon

This year, Becca Timm knows the number one item on her Christmas wish list—getting over Denny Cutler. Three years ago, Denny broke her heart before heading off to war. It's time she got over her silly high-school relationship and moved on.

So she takes matters into her own hands and heads up to Virgin River, the rugged little mountain town that Denny calls home, as an uninvited guest on her brother's men-only hunting weekend. But when an accident turns her impromptu visit into an extended stay, Becca finds herself stranded in Virgin River. With Denny. In very close quarters.

As the power of Christmas envelops the little town, Becca discovers that the boy she once loved has become a strong and confident man. And the most delicious Christmas present she can imagine.

Becca has a feeling that her boyfriend is about to propse marriage to her, but she can’t seem to stop thinking about her ex. So she hitches a ride with her brother to crash his all guys weekend with her said ex. Needless to say, Denny is surprised to see her.

The two of them seemed cordial enough with one another, although they did seem to be avoiding the issue at first. But when an accident forces them to spend time together, they admit their feelings for one another. Denny and Becca’s romance was sweet and entertaining, but it was the rest of Virgin River that drew me in.

I enjoyed watching the town pull together to help each other during the snowstorm. Almost all the familiar faces were present in this installment. Jack, Mel, Preacher, the Riordans, and more.

A nice read to get you ready for the holidays.

Book Beginnings & Friday 56: Bring Me Home for Christmas

The Friday 56 is a weekly meme hosted by Freda's Voice. Check out the rules and join in the fun.

Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
Turn to page 56.
Find the fifth sentence.
Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog. Post a link along with your post back to this blog.

Book Beginnings on Friday is a meme hosted by A Few More Pages. Anyone can participate; just share the opening sentence, or two, of your current read, making sure that you include the title and author so others know what you're reading.

Book Beginnings:

Rich Timm drove into Virgin River a mere ten hours after leaving San Diego. He'd made excellent time because he tended to ignore little things like speed limits.

Friday 56:

"Operate?" she asked.
"A small plate and screws." He smiled. "You'll be good as new."
"I don't want to stay all night," she said. "I'm miserable!

Bring Me Home for Christmas by Robyn Carr

Review: Harvest Moon by Robyn Carr

Harvest Moon
Robyn Carr {Facebook}
Series: Virgin River #13
Publisher: Mira
Publication Date: February 22, 2011
Mass Market Paperback {p.359}
Source: Personal Library
Genre: Contemporary
Characters: Kelly Matlock, Lief Holbrook
Challenge: 100+, Contemporary
My Rating:

Rising sous-chef Kelly Matlock's sudden collapse at work is a wake-up call. Disillusioned and burned out, she's retreated to her sister Jillian's house in Virgin River to rest and reevaluate.

Puttering in Jill's garden and cooking with her heirloom vegetables is wonderful, but Virgin River is a far cry from San Francisco. Kelly's starting to feel a little too unmotivated…until she meets Lief Holbrook. The handsome widower looks more like a lumberjack than a sophisticated screenwriter—a combination Kelly finds irresistible. But less appealing is Lief's rebellious stepdaughter, Courtney. She's the reason they moved from L.A., but Courtney's finding plenty of trouble even in Virgin River.

Kelly's never fallen for a guy with such serious baggage, but some things are worth fighting for. Besides, a bratty teenager can't be any worse than a histrionic chef…right?

Kelly comes to Virgin River to stay with her sister after quitting her job. She meets the handsome Lief Holbrook upon arriving, and they immediately hit it off. But both Lief and Kelly have baggage that may keep them apart.

The chemistry between these two came alive on the pages. Lief and Kelly were always enjoying each other’s company with laughter and love. But for a time there, it looked like that might not have been enough when Lief’s stepdaughter Courtney didn’t want her around.

Courtney was a troubled teen who lost her mother way too early, and had a father who couldn’t be bothered to care for her. That is unless he needed her to paint the picture of the perfect family man. I truly hated her biological father in this book and the way he treated her. It helped you to understand why she was such a troubled individual.

Carr has an amazing way of making you fall in love with her characters and absolutely hate the ones you’re suppose to dislike.

I always hate to see the end of Carr’s Virgin River novels, and this one was no different. Watching Courtney blossom into a more emotionally mature and stable being was a delight and a laugh a minute. Some of the scenes with Courtney and her counselor were among my favorites.

Kelly and Lief had a tender love affair that grows from a friendship and mutual respect of the other. It was truly believable because it wasn’t some hot and heavy affair that they jumped into five minutes after meeting. They were both real people with real problems.

As always the rest of the Virgin River played a big part. Of course Harvest Moon featured a lot of her sister, Jillian, and Colin but also Jack and Preacher as well. Also appearances from the Promise Canyon main players, which was nice since I didn’t really feel they were a part of the community in their book. But one character who was notably absence was Jack’s wife, Mel. It doesn’t deter from the overall story, in fact I didn’t notice her absence until I finished the book.

Harvest Moon has the right balance of humor and tearjerker moments to keep you enthralled. All the characters are amazing and offer enough spark to keep you coming back for more.

Musical Monday {4}: Come Away With Me

So what's Musical Monday? It's a weekly meme hosted by Tipsy Reader. With this meme, you pick the book you are currently reading, or just finished, and match it with it's musical mate. Think, "if this book had a soundtrack, what would be the theme song?"

The Book:

Harvest Moon by Robyn Carr

The Song:

Come Away With Me by Norah Jones

Come away with me in the night
Come away with me
And I will write you a song

Come away with me on a bus
Come away where they can't tempt us
With their lies

I want to walk with you
On a cloudy day
In fields where the yellow grass grows knee-high
So won't you try to come

Come away with me and we'll kiss
On a mountaintop
Come away with me
And I'll never stop loving you

And I want to wake up with the rain
Falling on a tin roof
While I'm safe there in your arms
So all I ask is for you
To come away with me in the night
Come away with me

+ show lyrics

The Reason:

This song is the what came to mind when Lief and Kelly went on their picnic. It's a nice, sweet ballad that reminds me of their sweet, tender love for one another. My alternate choice would be Tender Love, because they do share a love that comes across on the pages as tender.

Theme Thursday {1}: Love

This meme is being hosted by Kavyen @ Reading Between Pages. Each Thursday she will be posting a new "theme" Anyone can join in; here are the rules:

• A new "theme" will be posted each Thursday
• Select a conversion/snippet/sentence from your current read
• Post your selection, but don't forget to list the title and author of the book
• This event is open for one whole week
• It is important that the theme is conveyed in the sentence (you don’t necessarily need to have the word)
  
  Ex: If the theme is KISS; your sentence can have “They kissed so gently” or “Their lips touched each other” or “The smooch was so passionate”
  

This week's "theme" is: LOVE

"Don't go," she said. "My dad loves you. He told me at Christmas--he loves you. And I didn't really want to, but after Sparky blew his tail off, I knew you were the real deal and I started to love you, too."

Harvest Moon by Robyn Carr