Virgin River (A Virgin River Novel, 1) Mass Market Paperback – October 22, 2019

Melanie (Mel) is a nurse-practitioner/mid-wife. She is also a widow. She does not want the people she will meet in Virgin River to know that about her. She does not want to see pity in anyone’s eyes. The wound is still very raw, but she believes she can overcome it in this new and different place.Mel has answered an ad that would bring her to a small mountain town. It sounds ideal. The pictures she is sent are lovely. Unfortunately, it is nothing like what she has been told and obviously pictures can lie.After finding that the ideal little cabin she has been promised is terrible. There is a bird nest in the oven and dirt everywhere else. And that does not count the fact the porch collapsed and dropped Mel in a giant mud puddle.Mel goes into a bar/cafe to have something to eat.Behind the bar, is Jack. He takes one look at her and falls in lust.Jack is the heart of the small town. He does many things to help his neighbors. He provides free meals to people who serve the town. He makes sure to fill the needs of people. Jack is a Marine vet and he has no doubt that “leave no man behind” is the only way to live your life.This is a story of learning to not make snap judgments. And it is about the practice of learning to love your neighbors. It is also a story of healing which comes from doing good in the world.At first sight, Mel believed that this place was not for her. But, she loves her work and babies keep popping up to fill her heart with joy. The doctor she has been hired to help is not even a little bit welcoming, but he knows his stuff.Everyone else she meets makes her feel welcome in this tiny town.Mel gets to see the people as they are and it is different from her work in L A, and that is not a bad thing. Learning to have an open mind is not hard for Mel. She carries her broken heart inside her, but she got into healing because she loves her fellow man.Jack plans a campaign to capture Mel. As he works his magic, he gets to know her and he finds she is a wonderful woman. They have many qualities in common. They are both brave, intelligent, funny and protective of their hearts. Both of them are powerful people who do good for others.The secondary characters are terrific. They are complete people and each of them are part of the texture of this book. The plot has a few slow spots, but generally things move quickly and the reader is brought along to the next event.There are a few villains in this place. Some of the villains can be charming and some of them are really scary. The book was written a while ago and a few of the situations would be different today.Ms Carr has created an ideal place to visit and maybe even live.This is the first book in a very long series. I have read a couple of the books out of order and I would recommend trying to read things in order. But, the stories are so well done that being out of order did not spoil anything for me.

The Virgin River Series:Virgin RiverShelter MountainWhispering RockA Virgin River Christmas (Nov 2008)So many things were great about this book. It's been a long time since I've read a contemporary romance that occurred in a simple and natural environment. The country setting of Virgin River was utterly romantic on it's own. The people of the town were easy going, friendly, unspoiled, and welcoming. Everyone lended a hand when needed. Doctor appointments were paid for with jars of canned fruit. Births took place without modern medical machines or medicines. No cell phones. No shopping malls, traffic, Starbucks, etc... Virgin River has the feel of Walnut Grove, with modern twists. When a nurse from L.A. finds herself in this town, she thinks moving there was a huge mistake. She can't get away fast enough. After six months, she can't image leaving.The hero was strong and heroic, but not arrogant. The heroine was intelligent and professional, yet she didn't have an attitude when people offered her help or protection. Both leading characters had good hearts. Watching them fall in love was endearing.Melinda (Mel) Monroe is a nurse practitioner/ midwife from Los Angeles. When her husband was killed, she had to leave the city and find peace. Nearly a year after his death, she sells everything, quits her job at a major downtown hospital, and takes a position as a nurse/ midwife in a tiny mountain town called Virgin River. When she arrives, nothing is what she was expecting. After spending one night, she gets in her car to drive away for good. As she is leaving, she is flagged down by a town resident. He has found a newborn girl that was left in a basket on the town doctor's door step. Mel can't leave until she knows the baby has a home and family.The longer Mel stays in Virgin River, the more involved she becomes with the town residents. Many women are grateful she is there to deliver their babies. Jack, the owner of the town bar/ restaurant is grateful she is there because she is smart and beautiful. A sworn bachelor and ex- marine, he finds himself making changes to his lifestyle in hopes of winning her heart. Mel finds she can't resist Jack's giving and unselfish soul. Feelings of guilt for her dead husband keep Mel from giving her heart completely. Jack is willing to spend his life loving her through thick and thin, grateful just to be with her, even if she never gets over the loss of her husband. What he doesn't realize is that her guilt is over knowing that her love for Jack is more powerful than anything she felt for her husband. It will take a miracle to break through Mel's protective barriers. Jack will be the one to make it happen.Drug dealers have been using the mountain forest to grow their "herbs". One of the growers is out of control. He wants drugs from the Virgin River medical clinic. When Mel refuses to provide them, he becomes desperate. Taking Mel hostage in the clinic was a grave mistake. The grower doesn't know that he is threatening the very heart of an ex- marine. Virgin River may not have a sheriff, but Mel has a powerful hero of her own.Want to read more of the Virgin River series? Here are the next two books. (Amazon has them listed as a "trilogy", but there are more books coming in the series.):Shelter Mountain (Virgin River Trilogy, Book 2)Whispering Rock (Virgin River Trilogy, Book 3)If you enjoy romance with a simple country environmant, try these historical westerns:Jodi Thomas's Texan Series:The Texan's WagerWhen a Texan GamblesA Texan's LuckThe Texan's RewardHeather Graham's Civil War Trilogy:One Wore BlueAnd One Wore GrayAnd One Rode West