Virgin River by Robyn Carr

“I’m not even sure I should be here! From the beginning,
I thought it was a mistake, making such a big change. I’m a city girl.”

 

Blurb:

Sometimes all you need is a fresh start
When the recently widowed Melinda Monroe sees an advert for a midwife in the remote town of Virgin River, she decides this is the perfect place to escape her heartache, and to revitalise the nursing career she loves.
However, her hopes are dashed within an hour of arriving: the cabin is uninhabitable, the roads are treacherous and the local doctor wants nothing to do with her. But when a tiny baby is abandoned on a front porch, Mel must decide whether to stay and help or cut her losses and leave.
Helped by local barman, and former marine, Jack Sheridan Mel must face her past, and finds that there may be a future in Virgin River after all.

 

Review:

Hi everyone,

I am delighted and honoured to bring you my review for Virgin River as my final Blog Tour. Virgin River is the first book of an 18 book series (so far), which has recently been made into a Netflix series. I haven’t seen the Netflix series, so I don’t know how true to the book it is. I do know I plan to, and to read the other books in the series!

Mel Monroe is a midwife. She’s recently widowed, and still grieving. She hears about Virgin River, and moves there when her application for a midwife position is accepted. However, her new home, and the town itself, is nothing like she’d believed, and she’s intending to turn right round and go back the way she came. Her leaving date keeps on being pushed back though; first by an abandoned baby, then by her own growing involvement with the people. Especially Jack.

Jack Sheridan, barman and former marine, is Mel’s first real friend in Virgin River. Despite his own baggage, he’s kind, patient, and protective. Especially to Mel.

This is very much a contemporary story, but Ms Carr has skilfully woven modernity with the kind of small town community which everyone is part of. She has created real, relatable characters, and she brings the place and people to life in an utterly wonderful way.

Virgin River has everything you’d want in a book. The emotional conflicts are relatable and believable; there’s romance, passion, and humour; and the external conflicts and problems are as real and universal as the emotional ones.

Be warned: this is a real emotional roller coaster of a book!

 

Buy:

Mills & Boon

Amazon UK

Harlequin.com

Amazon.com

Kobo

 

Author Bio:

Robyn Carr is a RITA® Award-winning, #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than forty novels, including the critically acclaimed Virgin River series. Robyn and her husband live in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Robyn’s Website     Robyn on Twitter     Robyn on Facebook     Robyn on Instagram

I’ll Be Home For Christmas by Abbey Clancy

 

‘That’s why I’m standing here. That’s why I flew five thousand miles to come home, just for a couple of nights – to try and fix things. But it looks like you’re doing just fine without me, doesn’t it?’

 

Blurb:

Even stars have Christmas dreams…
Popstar Jessika Malone can’t believe her luck! Not only has she signed a major record deal and is topping the charts with her latest single, she’s just been offered the chance of a lifetime: a tour with gorgeous megastar Cooper Black…
It’s everything she’s ever dreamed of – except that it means travelling thousands of miles from her boyfriend, Daniel, just when he’s finally got down on one knee and popped the question!
Far from home and followed by the paparazzi, her relationship is tested more than Jessika ever imagined – will she make it home for Christmas before it’s too late?

 

Review:

Hi everyone, I have a contemporary review for you today. I was asked to take part in the blog tour for I’ll Be Home For Christmas, and I am so glad I said ‘yes’! So, welcome to my stop on the blog tour – I hope you enjoy it.

Jessy is a down to earth girl from Liverpool; but as Jessika Malone, she’s a famous singer who’s offered a once in a lifetime opportunity to tour America with sexy Cooper Black. The problem is, Jessy struggles with all the attention, and the lack of privacy that come with being a celebrity. Plus, she’s going to have to leave her soulmate, record producer Daniel who’s also going to be faced with temptations of his own. Can Jessy cope with more fame, and will their relationship survive a month apart from each other?

I really loved this! The interplay of all the different relationships is fabulous. We all behave differently, and wear different masks depending on who we’re with, and Ms Clancy has beautifully understood this. She’s drawn each character, and each relationship with warmth, humour and believability. My sympathies though, lay with Jessy. She’s the main viewpoint character, and this is so well done, so tightly focussed, and her experiences, emotions, and thoughts are so real, she just leaps off the page. I felt as if I was in the position of a best friend, and like any good best friend I found myself laughing, and crying with her, sometimes getting frustrated and mad with her, but always rooting for her and wanting her to find happiness.

Buy this if you want a wonderfully entertaining, fun, and heart-warming read, that’s full of fabulous characters (Neale anyone?), glamour, and romantic conflict. Oh, and stock up on tissues. Preferably Christmas ones.

PS, I’ll be Home For Christmas was chosen to be part of the Tickled Pink Campaign for October 2019, and 45p from each book sold was donated to the campaign.

 

 

Buy:

Mills & Boon

Amazon UK

Amazon.com

Kobo

 

 

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