Wild Man Creek (A Virgin River Novel)

Here is yet another example of the writing skills of Robyn Carr, she has created the mimi series about Virgin River that never ceases to entertain. Wild Man Creek is a "page turner" from beginning to end.

Robyn has mastered the life and loves of the Virgin River Series.
Wild Man Creek is not about a wild man but a man healing from his
injuries, renewing his life, and finding a forever love.
Robyn increases the interest in her characters and keeps going with
the origional characters; again leaves you wanting the next offering.

I should never have purchased this book. I have a note in my list of books purchased prior not to buy her books. She uses God's name in vain. The woman doesn't like a man showing her respect, and I can't stand someone willing to murder and innocent unborn baby by taking the morning after pill just because she can't control her sex drive.

People are either Robyn Carr fans or not. She creates really interesting characters, but strangely for a romance writer, does incredibly bad sex scenes. They are always so clinical that I feel like I am at a "how to" sex education lecture. Unlike authors who can create a sensual mood without mentioning a single body part, Carr destroys the sensual mood with detailed anatomically correct descriptions of every move.

That warning being given, her characters are so well drawn, you really care about what happens to them. My advice, just skim over the sex scenes and enjoy the story.

Colin is recovering in Virgin River after a near-death accident while flying his helicopter for the Army. Colin is now out of the Army after a bumpy recovery that included a short addiction to OxyContin, depression and lots of mental & physical rehab. As expected, big brother Luke is keeping a very close eye on him. Colin still seeks the high of flying, but for right now he is focusing on his second love, painting.

Jillian loses her intense corporate job at a company she helped found by a jerk of a boyfriend who set her up and claimed sexual harassment. She doesn’t know what to do with herself so she goes back to Virgin River after remembering how much she liked it during a vacation the previous year. She ends up renting a huge old Victorian house with 10 acres and starting a garden. With a little help from some of the other Virgin River regulars, she decides to focus on organic heirloom fruits and veggies like those that her Grandmother used to grow.

Jillian sees Colin painting in an open field at the back of her house and is intrigued. They quickly become involved with each promising that it’s not a romance because neither is looking for a romance. Colin constantly reminds Jilly that he is leaving for Africa in a few months for a camera safari and hoping to find a job as a helicopter pilot again. Jilly is understandably reluctant to trust another boyfriend after the jerk that caused he to lose her job.

What I liked was the slow build-up of their relationship. I loved how each supported and encouraged the other’s dreams. Luke’s handling of Colin’s issues is an interesting sub-plot. Aiden and Erin (from Moonlight Road (A Virgin River Novel Book 11)) get married with lots of fun Riordan family interactions.

Be prepared that the initial ending of this book will leave you in tears. But hang on and finish the book, it’s worth it.

Love going back to Virgin River its like an old friend. In this 14th title Colin Riordan the second Riordan and the 4th of 5 Riordan to get his book he is recovering from injuries suffered while he was in the Army and trying to cope with that part of his life being over. He has come to Virgin River to recover for painting, hunting and be close to his brother Luke although begrudgingly. He meets Jillian who has also come to Virgin River recovering from having a high power job in San francisco only to be accuse of sexual harassment by her supposedly boyfriend(who worked with her). So starts this romance where both start their affair but not thinking it will be a serious one only to find out it is. Jillian has to cope with Colin Riordan going off to Africa trip he planned before meeting her and trying to not reveal how much she will miss him. I truly enjoy seeing again that Luke Riordan had a great part in this other brother's book just like Aiden. I have come to see Luke as a second leader after Jack in these wonderful novels.

Rating: 3.5 stars __Contains graphic sexual content
Note: Stands alone read. 12th in the Virgin River Novel series.
WARNING: This multiple-plot, soap-opera style format is confusing unless you read the series in order.

EASY READ. Appealing storyline with a nice small town feel, empathetic characters, diverse supporting cast, a strong family theme with great relationships between siblings in both families, and a strong ending. HOWEVER, the writing is contrived, repetitive, and multiple plots and characters cause the book to just drags in places. While empathetic, neither of the main characters are admirable. The "smart" heroine behaves stupidly, is forced to leave her high-powered life behind to "finds herself" by gardening, seems unrealistic. The hero is a self-focused, arrogant, adrenaline junky, and although he survives a horrific helicopter crash he seems emotionally untouched and ungrateful for his life and talent.

THE STORY revolves around former PR executive, Jillian Matlock, and former army Black Hawk pilot, Colin Riordan. Jilly, ignores common sense and company policy to dates a cunning, deceitful subordinate who then accuses her of sexual harassment. She is forced to takes a leave of absence and winds up in Virgin Creek -- gardening. Colin survives a horrific Black Hawk crash, becomes addicted to pain killers, is arrested, and forced to retire from the army. He revives his childhood interest in painting, but his only goal is to get back into the cockpit any way he can. Jilly and Colin meet and quickly decide to indulge in a sizzling affair until the end of summer. They gradually fall in love, but in Colin's mind, it changes nothing and he leaves as planned. It take him a while, but he finally figures out what's really important in life.

OVERALL, engaging storyline, but the characters just don't quite work. The VIRGIN RIVER series includes more than 20 books starting with Virgin River (2007).

You may also enjoy the complex characters and storytelling of N. Bruhns, A. Stuart, or E. Palfrey. For sweet, funny, heart touching romances with great descriptive, try Susan Fox, Cara Colter, or Dixie Browning.

I have to be honest and say that this is my absolute least favorite of the series. I didn't care at all for the main characters and neither was I pleased about the situation with Jack and Denny in this book. There was so much repetition throughout. Is there not one single military man that was not a man-whore other than Rick and Preacher? That gets old and began to grate on me. Some seem to have a single-minded focus on the male appendage. I think all most of these men throughout the series sure did a lot more thinking with their little noggin that the big one and I thought less of them for the exploits.

The helicopter crash left Colin Riordan severely injured. While his body heals, he paints wildlife scenes to help his mind mend too. Seeking inspiration he wanders onto property rented by public relations expert Jillian Matlock, who is also healing but her pain is from a broken heart and a probable second order effect of a broken career. To heal, she is working a garden.

Jillian and Colin are attracted to each other and agree to a tryst while they heal in Virgin River. Once either returns to their previous world, the affair is over. However, as they spend time together each learns the answer to How To Mend a Broken Heart (Bee Gees) is love that could let them live again if they take a chance.

The latest Virgin River romance focuses on love as a major healer, a theme used in previous series tales like Whispering Rock. The entertaining straight forward story line contains two likable leads needing emotional and mental recovery from recent trauma. The census aside, seemingly the fastest growing area in the country, Wild Man Creek is a fine tale that Robyn Carr's Virgin River readers will enjoy.

Harriet Klausner

wild man creek by robyn carr
She is on leave for several months when her, what she thought boyfriend. files a sexual harassment suit against her. Her boss knows she is not to blame at all and suggests the months off til the company can get rid of him.
Jillian heads to Virgin River and stays at a local place where the building belongs to the town, it was gifted to the town for all to enjoy. She really enjoys playing in the dirt and brings life back to the garden.

Denny helps her with the fencing and bulbs and grading of the ground.
She gets permission to expand and is planning on having greenhouses to start plants during the winter months, and exotic fruit and vegetables that she can then sell to the best restaurants in big cities.
He now has tracked down his real father and they hook up and make a date to get to know one another and to have a paternity test.

She meets Colin in the pastures and he patches her up as he had drawn his gun on her, knowing the local bears are roaming around.
Colin is a painter, mostly rare animals and birds from photos he's taken or by viewing them firsthand.

The book also brings us uptodate with the other locals and how they mingle with Jillian and Dan's lifes.
Colin's life in the military is now a thing of the past, he can no longer fly. He tells Jillian all about his rehab and the drug addiction and all the problems.

I love the down to earthness of this book: someone saved up and gave her egg cartons to use to start her plants in the greenhouses. I use the same thing when I start my garden plants in the house in Feb/March.
She still refuses to tell him why she no longer has a boyfriend.

Luke talks him into watching the baby so he and his wife can have a night out.
Colin brings Jillian with him and Luke doubts what's going on with him. Shelby tries to reassure him.

She opens up to him and explains what happened in her past. They head out to his brothers wedding and the festivities as the house she's been living in is being shown to prospective buyers. The flowers are starting to bloom and she hopes she can buy the house. She wants him to follow his dreams and travel to get the shots he needs.

Seems a few men are leaving, heading off into their own directions to find what is missing in their lives.
Love how this book catches up with everybody in Virgin River, can't wait to read the next one.

For the first time since she graduated college, Jillian Matlock was at a loss about her career. Asked to take a leave of absence by her mentor, the CEO of her company, because of dirty corporate tricks, Jillian ended up in Virgin River to regroup, take some time to think and reassess her career options. She ends up renting Hope McCrea's Victorian home and resumes the gardening that Hope had so diligently maintained.

Colin Riordan, second oldest of the Riordan brothers, is recuperating from his injuries resulting from a helicopter in-flight accident and a stint in rehab because of his addiction to his pain meds. With the Army having retired him and the rehab on his record, his opportunities to continue flying looked bleak. At the urging of his family, he decided to finish his recuperation in Virgin River, renting a cabin deep in the woods but not one of his brother Luke's. Colin spends his time painting, a talent he's had since he was six.

Jillian and Colin are so likable both individually and as a couple. They don't waste time feeling sorry for themselves but are committed to resurrecting their careers, he not ready to be grounded and she still feeling like her time in the corporate arena isn't over. Their romance just sizzles, both reveling in their "uncommitted" relationship that is a wonder to them both but ultimately poses a challenge as their feelings deepen.

Typical with this series, we meet up again with old friends from Virgin River, including Jack Sheridan who has someone from his past show up unexpectedly. Aiden and Erin plan their wedding as well as Clay and Lilly. Life moves on in this town and this is another opportunity to check in and see what's new with the residents. The magic of the series is reflected in this story as yet another of the Riordan clan "bites the dust." This is another gem of an installment in this series.

Jillian Matlock was a PR executive at a software company when she gets the rug pulled out from under her: her "boyfriend", someone who worked for her, accuses her of sexual harassment. To deal with this situation, her boss recommends that she takes a leave of absence. After working 60+ hours every week for years, Jillian isn't sure what to do with herself. She remembers visiting Virgin River and decides to go there. While there, she rents a house and begins to garden - something she enjoyed when she was a child.

Colin Riordan was a Black Hawk helicopter pilot. But after an accident - and problems related to that accident - he's retired from the Army and is at loose ends. He's always loved to fly and is not quite sure what to do with himself. For now, he's at Virgin River for the summer painting, but plans to leave Virgin River in September.

Jillian and Colin meet and decide to have a summer romance. Both aren't looking for anything permanent - they're not sure what's happening in their lives. Both consider what they're doing currently at Virgin River to be temporary. But their romance blossoms even with the threat of September coming.

I've read about half a dozen Virgin River books and this is one of my favorites. It's got great characters, a heroine that you can relate to, and a believable ending - I can see these two living happily ever after - without either one regretting the decisions they've made. This is a pure romance - no killers lurking, no bad guys (well, except for the "boyfriend"). It's just a nice romance.

Jillian Matlock and Colin Riordan, both healing from traumatic, life-changing experiences, agree--we're temporary, we're in transition, we're upfront with each other, we're enjoying each. Thus begins a love story that whets the senses and touches the heart, and makes breathtaking memories.

If you have not been to Virgin River with Robyn Carr, Wild Man Creek is a great book to start with. If you have been there before in her other books, then you will find this book a super addition. Not only does it sweep the reader into the exquisite love story of Jillian and Colin, it also gives the reader a good visit with characters that seem like acquaintances and friends from times past. It's like a special homecoming with lots of humor, love, and strong sense of community. Jack's Bar is still the place to go to find out what's going on and to feel the pulse of Virgin River.

As Jillian gardens, reviving skills learned from her great-grandmother, she cries for a career she loved and lost, hating the idea she was setup and used.

She talks to her sister Kelly, the chef, who has always been her confidant, her "rock" through the years. While Jillian has always been impetuous, Kelly is cautious, and steady. They recognize each other's strengths, and nurture them--even if misgivings creep in at times. Kelly gets a shock when she finds Jillian, who likes to compete, perform, win, and did so in the high tech world of Silicon Valley, is diving into gardening with the same fervor with no guarantee she can succeed. When Kelly comes to check things out, she soon relates to the people in Virgin River and sees that Jillian is healing and reaching out for a new way of life.

Blackhawk helicopter pilot, Colin Riordan, recovering from a near-fatal crash, has no intention of staying in Virgin River but comes there to give his body more time to heal. He paints creating remarkable pictures while he plans his trip to Africa late in the summer. He's going in hopes of getting his old life back. He longs for the wildness, recklessness, and the adrenaline rush. His relationship with his family creates tense sub-scenes from time to time while his relationship with Jillian sends the heart racing.

Robyn Carr's writing style, smooth and non-intrusive, teases the senses, thrills the heart, and engages the mind with actions that bring out the fears, doubts, hopes, and dreams of the lifelike characters. Her vibrant characters make Wild Man Creeks throb with life. She pulls the reader into the unique community of Virgin River with humor, home-truths, down-to-earth attitudes, and most of all with the incredible love story that captivates and lets the reader share a special slice of time with the population of Virgin River.

Originally posted at The Long and Short of It Romance Reviews

Robyn Carr adds another wonderful addition to her Virgin River series! From page one I could tell Jillian was a strong, likable, and relatable lead female for any and every woman.

Jillian takes a leave of absence from her job and heads to Virgin River for some much need relaxation. Colin too has headed to Virgin River to recoup after a stint in rehab. The two seem an unlikely match from the start, but each finds a sort of kinship and attraction with the other. They are both starting over and trying to find their new place within the world.

The chemistry between them came alive. The imaginary of Jillian running down those stairs and across her front lawn to leap into Colin's arms, was almost as if I was standing in that yard watching it all unfold. Not only was those two characters alive, but all the Virgin River residents seemed to leap off the pages. If you're not laughing along with the community, you're crying along with them, or for them.

When Jillian is not encouraging Colin to follow his dreams and live his life to the fullest, even though it's breaking her heart to do so, Carr is keeping you entertained with the goings on of everyone else.

Jack has a pretty substantial side story with a potential long lost addition to his family. Your heart breaks watching that story unfold.

We also see health issues crop up for a long time citizen Lydie, Rick's grandmother. This prompts a brief return for Rick to Virgin River. Pastor Noah Kincaid also makes a very brief appearance, along with the appearance of the entire Riordan clan.

New face arrive on the scene, Lief and his stepdaughter Courtney, who will be the main characters of book thirteen, Harvest Moon. This one also featured a wedding.

This addition to the series offers a little of everything. It sure to be a home run with longtime fans of the series.

Virgin River is a place where people come to escape and to heal. The central characters in this story, Jillian and Colin, are doing both.

We first met Jillian in a previous book when she stopped in town while on a girls' trip. Now, in the aftermath of a major lapse in professional and personal judgment, she needs a place to recover, and she thinks of Virgin River. She is enchanted by a large Victorian house in town, and the ample grounds bring back fond memories of gardening with her Nana.

Colin (brother of Luke Riordan) is an adventure junkie and a wildlife painter. In the course of recovery from a horrific helicopter accident, he became briefly addicted to painkillers and got in trouble for purchasing Oxycontin illegally. Colin is renting a cabin in Virgin River to continue to recuperate, paint and plan a trip to Africa. He already has his ticket. So when Colin and Jillian meet and are attracted to each other, this relationship has a built-in expiration date. They fall in bed quickly and attempt to manage the affair so they will part on September 1 with no regrets.

This genre is so formulaic and a repository of a lot of bad writing, but Robyn Carr consistently makes us care about this place and these characters. I was totally swept up in this book and cried quite a bit, actually. The subplot involving the relationship between Jack Sheridan and Denny Cutler is also quite moving, and we do get a preview of the set-up for the relationship in the next book Harvest Moon.

I always enjoy visiting Virgin River, and this is one of the best installments in the series.

Although the majority of the main characters in the Virgin River series have been over 30 year old, I believe the hero and heroine in this book were the most mature. Not that the others didn't have a maturity, it has something to do with how Jill and Colin dealt with their plans and each others plans. This may sound like it could be a bad thing, but it wasn't. I loved them both.

I loved reading about the land and house that Jill was inhabiting and all of the things she was doing there. There was also the Denny/Jack side story that was so endearing. I saw some of it coming from a mile away but didn't anticipate all of Denny's feelings and I respected the way Jack dealt with the whole situation.

Jill, Colin and their Victorian are a wonderful addition to Virgin River.

What I enjoyed: I'm not an emotional reader but I cried several times while reading this book. It really stood out to me that in the previous book the hero is considered to be `emotional' and it's a very sexual book and this book where the hero is considered to be `outgoing' the book was very emotional. I loved it. I always love it when the characters don't realize where they need to be and screw up horribly. (I do prefer not to see it in person though.) I really enjoyed reading about Jillian's gardening business and how she just toughs up and moves on instead of whining and lamenting.

What I didn't enjoy: Honestly, this was a terrific book but there were some things that irked me a bit. I love that we keep up with past character and that there is a set-up for the next book but there were times in this book that I got a bit confused and I know who everyone is. There was a LOT going on. This is a series that I do not think it's a good idea to just pick up a book and start reading. I've not yet read the first four and know that sometimes that hinders me from understanding certain aspects of the books and the characters. So, yes, I'd suggest reading this book but only if you've read at least a few books already or if it just doesn't bother you to be a bit lost at times.

Public relations expert, Jillian Matlock, travels to Virgin River in Northern California, forced to leave her job because of a sexual harrassment charge. Nothing could be further from the truth, but Jillian decides this is the time to follow a new dream, one that is slowly evolving and with which she is becoming more and more excited. She's smart, sassy, and unafraid to try anything. At least she is until she meets Colin Riordan.

Colin is a wounded warrior, a former pilot blown out of the sky in a Black Hawk helicopter who has been through the mill physically, mentally, and emotionally. But all of a sudden, he's initially intrigued first and then slowly attracted toward this go-getter lady who begins to move him beyond his hobby of painting natural wildlife scenes for his own peace. The story doesn't stay in a stereotypical pattern at all and continues to thrill the reader with subplots that are offbeat, original, and engaging on every page.

Gardening, fine food, new discoveries, traveling abroad, and so much more endear and challenge Jillian, Colin, families and others!!

Love is complicated yet really simple, when all is said and done.

Very nicely done novel, Robyn Carr!

Robyn Carr writes several series where you meet the same cast of characters. Each novel features several of the protagonists at different times of their lives. Even if you read them "out of sequence", she gives you enough background to understand the dynamics of their relationships. Reading her novels is like spending an afternoon with old friends. No matter how much times has passed since you saw them (read the other books) you catch up quickly and enjoy yourself immensely. Here we revisit the Riordans , Jack, Mel,Shelby, Art, Preacher and other familiar characters with a new twist. Colin Riordan returns from war in need of rediscovering himself while Jillian needs to re-gain her confidence and zest for life after a serious work-related issue. They both tread lightly to avoid entanglements, but love wins out. You will laugh as well as weep as you thoroughly enjoy this part of the Virgin River series.

Favorite author. I continue reading the series. Sad to finish a book and eagar to begin the next. Great dialogue and character interaction and development. She reminds you of who is who, but just enough to recall previous books and not to labor the point or retell the who story line. Virgin River sounds like a wonderful community to move into. Not at all graphic sexual content. More about the relationships and issues people face in their relationships with family and dating.

Jillian Matlock is a PR phenomenon. She helped her boss raise his company from the ground up making it one of the most successful businesses around. That's not enough to help her keep her job when sexual harassment allegations are made against her. Now Jillian must start anew. She is a wealthy woman because of her job and decides to take time for herself. She begins her new adventure in Virgin River.

Blackhawk pilot Colin Riordan was severely injured in a horrendous crash and has returned to Virgin River to recuperate. Colin has had a terrible time since the accident. Shortly after leaving the hospital with broken bones and burns to heal from he became addicted to pain medication, which led to a stint in rehab. Virgin River is the perfect place for him to continue healing and figure out how he can get his life back to its previous glory.

Jillian falls for the quaint little town of Virgin River and decides to stay, renting an amazing Victorian house. The house comes with beautiful land that appeals to Jillian. She is considering gardening like her great-grandmother used to. Hoping that it will heal apart of her she lost when she lost her job. When Jillian comes across a painter on the property one day she is stunned at the attraction she feels towards the wild man, Mr. Colin Riordan. Colin is also quite shocked at the feelings Jillian stirs up. They begin a sweet relationship that grows like Jillian's garden but this relationship has an exit date. Colin doesn't plan on sticking around Virgin River and Jillian may not either. As their time together is almost at an end will Colin or Jillian change their minds or will their fling end in Virgin River.

I am utterly overwhelmed with happy emotions upon finishing Wild Man Creek. I did not want this book to end. Colin and Jillian take my breath away! Wild Man Creek is full of life, laughter, love, and family. I have never read a series that makes me so happy. When I began the book I got sucked into the marvelous world. I felt a part of the cozy town of Virgin River where everyone knows everyone and they all are there to lend a hand to their neighbors. Wild Man Creek carries you away on a rainbow and at the end you find the beautiful town of Virgin River.

Colin and Jillian are simply fantastic. They are both coming home to Virgin River, however, they don't realize it at the time. Each is broken in their own way in need of not only recuperation from wounds but also in need of family, a new beginning. Their lives have totally been turned upside down. They both have worked most of their lives with one goal in mind to be successful in their respective careers. It was thrilling to watch them both discover new things about themselves including the fact that perhaps their previous careers do not have to define them.

I am quickly discovering that Robyn Carr has this canny ability to make me cry. Tears of heartbreak or tears of joy it simply wonderful to read something so moving. Wild Man Creek will be added to my best ever list! Wild Man Creek is a remarkable love story that sweeps you away and leaves you aching for more!

Miranda
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

No matter how many books I have on my TBR shelves, once any book from Robyn Carr comes out, everything else gets to wait. Wild Man Creek (Virgin River, Book 12)just rolls along smoothly - once I started reading it, it captured me. The next time I looked up found myself half way through it.

Many of the characters from her previous 14 books appear in this book or are related to the main characters in this book. Each of the books in this series can be read on it's own, but will be better understood if read in order. These books are what I would consider feel-good fiction.

Robyn Carr is a popular author - difficult to go wrong for a comfort or short read.

It almost appears that a theme is being repeated in the latest installment in the Virgin River series--a character with disposable income and time on their hands end up finding themselves in town and falling for someone. But, this book doesn't feel like a "repeat" since the characters are different and their paths to finding themselves (and finding themselves together) don't take the typical turns. Jill's probably one of my favorite female leads in this series because she is so focused and nonjudgmental and follows her instincts. The secondary story involving Jack (which seemed to awkwardly lack Mel, save for a few cameo appearances), will hopefully continue to develop in the next book. Some updates on characters from previous stories are worked in and the next book's featured characters are alluded to as well. I don't typically read looks like these, but this series has hooked me and as long as Robyn Carr continues to write installments like this one, I'll keep reading them.

[read NetGalley proof]

I got interested in the robyn carr Promise Canyon & after that book I saw that there was 2 other books coming out following later which Wild Creek Man and Harvest Moon were the next books in the Virgin River Series which I bought when I bought my Kindle Paperwhite Will continue to finish the Virgin river series but I never know which book is next after Harvest moon the list of the Virgin River series needs to be published at the end of the book or the beginning of the e-books I rely on what I see in one oif the paperbacks in the bookstore & copy the series down There has to be an easier way & what books are coming out from Robyn Carr. Enjoying the Harvest Moon Novel also especially for someone who never reads books a lot but Robynn Carr, Nicholas Sparks, & Nora Roberts have gotten me to read more often thank you to these authors for letting ne to enjoy there books

The Virgin River series are all absorbing stories told by the incomparable Robyn Carr. We love her characters and the Virgin River area..one might even love to visit if this place actually existed. The characters are well drawn and the conflict will hold your interest.
While not a real literary achievement still it is a good read. You may want to start with the first book in series; but if not, the story will hold its own, Enjoy!

First book out of this series that I didn't like. I guess the scenario just never grabbed me and I thought that Colin and Jilly jumped into the sack too soon. Just didn't feel like much of a romance, more like let's hook up. I was more interested in Denny and Jack's relationship than the love interest that the book was written about. Disappointed in this one....

Wild Man Creek is more typical of the Virgin River series than what Promise Canyon was. Like all the Virgin River books, Wild Man Creek is set in the small northern California town of Virgin River, and it is a romance. Typical of the series, the hero, Colin Riorden, is ex-military, in this case a Black Hawk pilot who was injured in the line of duty, and thereafter became addicted to pain medications. He is visiting his brother Luke, staying in one of the vacation cabins, while he continues to recover and tries to decide what to do with his life. The heroine, Jillian is a PR professional for a software company. She works eighty hour weeks and has no social life until she finally succumbs to the advances of the new guy in the department. Unfortunately, he is after her job, and is willing to cry "sexual harassment" in order to get it---even though HE pursued her. She ends up on an extended "leave of absence" and heads for Virgin River, where she, along with her sister and high school girlfriends, had spent time the summer before (also mentioned in Promise Canyon). Once there she settles into a large Victorian house and starts and organic farming business. She and he meet; neither one is looking for anything permanent, and yet....

I liked this story. Besides the romance, there is a major sub-plot about Jack (owner of the local bar, and all-around good guy featured in all the stories). A young man shows up in town, they become friends and then the young man reveals a secret--but there is another secret he doesn't know. While Jack's reaction to the news may have been unrealistically good, I still enjoyed this part of the story.

It's a romance, of course everyone lives happily ever after. Yes, the characters end up in bed together, and no, they don't wait very long to get there. Like the other Virgin River books, we have appearances of characters who serve no purpose in this story and I suspect I know who will be the couple in the next book, but I'll keep that opinion to myself. In short, if you like the Virgin River books, you'll like this one. If you hate them, this one is no different. If you haven't tried them, this is as good a one to start with as any--while part of a series, each of the books stands alone well.

Grade: B

Jillian Matlock is trying to recover from a betrayal at work from a man whom
she thought loved her. Colin Riordan is recovering from wounds suffered in
a helicopter crash. Separately they come down to Virgin River to recooperate
- Colin, who is visiting with his brother Luke's family, and Jillian, who is
relaxing while digging in a garden while renting a Victorian home, which reminds
her of living with her Nana. What happens when these two meet? Must read!

I really wanted to like this book because there aren't enough contemporaries out there. Unfortunately, right from the start I didn't care for the heroine or believe in the "situation she found herself in." We're told over and over how great a judge of character she is and how she just had one lapse, but that doesn't seem to be true. And then we're smacked over the head again and again with how smart she is and how her boss adores her and how she has tons and tons of money because she got a great paycheck and invested so wisely. It's all tell, tell, tell, and very little action that would provoke an emotional reaction from a reader. Or, at least, from a reader like me. It may be very much to some people's tastes, but I have to say I wouldn't recommend it. D

Jillian Matlock lived for her job as Vice President for Corporate Communications for a software manufacturer. So much so that she had no time or energy for a social life beyond the office. That's why she was dating a coworker and subordinate, even though it was against company policy. She had, in fact, been dating him for months, until she walked into the office one Monday morning and found out that her erstwhile boyfriend wasn't interested in her, he had just been setting her up for a sexual harassment suit that would get him loads of cash and her job.

Forced out of the company she loved and helped build, Jill takes off to lick her wounds and get her head on straight and ends up in the small town of Virgin River, where memories of childhood and a determination to work her way through her issues takes her life in a brand new direction.

Wrapped up in his own problems and still slowly recovering from the helicopter crash that almost killed him, Colin Riordan is in Virgin River to paint and get his body back into shape so he can get back up to the sky he so loves. When he had set up his easel and paints in the empty field he found, his thoughts were focused on the natural light, not bears that would be newly out of hibernation. Those thoughts quickly turned to bears, though, when the bushes started rustling. Thankfully, he'd come prepared and he pulled out the gun he had loaded up for just that contingency.

Instead of a bear, it was Jill, pushing her way thorough dense undergrowth to stare up at him. He almost shot her. It's a good thing he restrained himself, as her light laugh and indomitable spirit draw him to her like a moth to a flame. Soon he can't stop thinking about her, nor she him, but their idyllic summer fling has an expiration date, and when that date hits, he'll be gone. No matter how fond of her he grows or how much she comes to mean to him.

This twelfth book in Robyn Carr's Virgin River series is my first experience with Carr's books, and despite the wild popularity of the series, I had some issues with this one in both style and content. While the plot was okay conceptually, the narrative had some problems. There was a lot of repetition and readers are told again and again about things ranging from Jill's experience with gardening as a child, to Colin's plans when he leaves, to Jill's plans with the high-end veggies, and more. And when the narrative isn't bogged down with repetition, it's overburdened by excessive exclamation. None of the characters seemed to say or think things, they say! or think! them, as if everyone was either perpetually cheery or consistently emphatic. Not only did that get old quickly for me as a reader, but it stripped away much of the emotional range that rounds out characters, making them seem rather two dimensional and superficial. And exclamations were especially off-putting in Colin's dialogue. That's probably a personal preference, though. I like my big broody men to be big and broody, and the exclamations just seem too darn chippy.

Beyond that, I had a lot of trouble liking either of the main characters. Within pages I knew I was going to have trouble with Jill, not for getting taken in by the jerkwad boyfriend, but for calling him again and again when she learns of his duplicity. The lack of common sense and appalling disregard for dignity really bothered me. I had higher hopes for a woman of obvious intelligence and competence. Thankfully, she improved, but the improvements lead to other issues I'll mention later.

There was also little to recommend Colin as a romantic lead. I found him arrogant, self involved, and abrasive when he dealt with his brother (not that I liked Luke either for how he treated Colin), and so very shallow in all other areas. His constant assertions about getting back to flying didn't make him seem dedicated to me, they made him seem oblivious and ungrateful for his many gifts. And I'm sorry, but when he was thinking about his sexual past I actually shuddered when I read this:

~*~*~
"He had never had a shortage of female company, that's for sure. One of his favorite things was to wash lipstick off his favorite organ in the morning-after shower..."
~*~*~

Seriously? This is the character that is the romantic lead in this contemporary romance? A guy who plans to leave - and reiterates those plans again and again throughout the book - and who not only thinks with his joystick, but devotes favorite pastimes to it? There just wasn't much that could be done after that to redeem his character for me. Not that much was tried. And that leads me to another bone of contention.

There was no growth in the characters and no conflict in the story to spur that growth - either internal emotional conflict or external plot-based conflict. In fact, beyond the issues that drove them to Virgin Creek to begin with, absolutely everything goes exactly their way. Jill decides to start gardening professionally and everything falls into place beautifully. She's rich, and a hard worker, but come on - the lack of any obstacles was boring. And where was the angst over the past? It seemed like once she got to Virgin River and dug around in the dirt a bit she was completely unaffected by what had happened to her.

Then there's Colin. He was horribly scarred physically and almost died in a helicopter crash, was a drug addict for all of a month (uh...yeah) and did time for buying on the street...but he didn't have so much as a single moment of emotional trauma to get over before he got groiny with a woman who might be put off by the scars or his history...and didn't so much as a flinch before he flew again? Really? And he's such a good artist that the first art gallery he goes to agrees to sell his work and he makes over a thousand dollars right away.

Maybe I'm jaded...no, wait, I know I'm jaded, but still...the absolute lack of conflict for the main characters made them and their relationship hard to believe and impossible to relate to. The only significant conflict between them at all ended up being the inevitable parting at the end of the summer, and that wasn't enough for me to hold my attention through the book.

There was one source of conflict in the book (besides Colin leaving), but as it turns out, it didn't involve the main characters at all. There was a subplot with a couple of secondary characters that added a bit of complexity to the plot, but it also served to highlight a tendency for characters to overreact in sometimes sweeping overemotional ways that weren't very appealing. Denny, the young man involved, became a completely different character than he'd been portrayed to that point and I just found it to be a bit too much to be believed.

Without a doubt, the second half of the book was better for me than the first. There was still a lot of exclamation in the narrative, and the story bounced along on the no-personal-struggle highway, but there were some highlights that were nice. I did come to like how Jill and Colin were together as their relationship progressed, and I enjoyed Jill's relationship with her sister when she came to visit. I appreciated the supportive nature that Jill had when talking to Colin about the future, and thought that she handled it better than I would have in that situation. While I never totally warmed up to Colin, it was quite obvious that he was a better person with Jill in his life, and that was also a nice thing to see.

Unfortunately, the few rays of sunshine didn't do enough to warm my reaction to the book any higher than two stars. Carr is obviously wildly successful as an author and with this series in particular. You can't get to twelve books and not have amassed a loyal following. For me, though, this book didn't have enough to keep me interested in the series and it had some things that turned me off the writing style entirely. I was left with very little to no interest in anything else that occurs in and around Virgin River, or to the characters created to be there.

~*~*~*~
One Good Book Deserves Another

I loved this book and I've never been compelled to write a review before. But it was one that I couldn't put down. Big time corporate gal has to leave her job, decides to go a place that reminds her of her grandmother and her garden. She rents this old Victorian style house. Then she decides to grow vegetables, fruit, and exotic type veggies. Makes friends with all the town and meets a guy who is recuperating from serious injuries while being in the service as a helicopter pilot. He paints wildlife and does a really great job doing it. Of course sparks fly between them even tho neither one wants to admit anything serious will ever happen. Its interesting the way she goes crazy growing and cultivating these veggies. She attacks this project just like she did her job....full force. Ends up not only falling in love but buying this property at a horrendous price just so she can continue working in the garden. He wants to continue his flying so art is only a temporary stopping point for him cause he has plans to go to countries where he can capture pictures of wild animals that he can paint possibly in the future. So leaving her and venturing off was difficult but its something he had to get out of his system. Can't tell you more or I'd give away the whole story. Wonderful read. Recommend it highly.

This book carries a continuation of the towns characters she has chosen to bring to us, yet it takes on a very special meaning into a character that magnifies what life should be about between a man and a woman. It takes away from the everyday typical female and amplifies the true trust and love that a self assuring female should have. It is somewhat old fashioned in that she puts this fella first in fulfilling his life, but I'm old fashioned and felt her desire to have him 150%. This is how life should be. I would recommend this book to anyone who would sit still to read it. Especially a self centered gal giving her fella a hard time. Lots to be learned here. Awesome book

It almost appears that a theme is being repeated in the latest installment in the Virgin River series--a character with disposable income and time on their hands end up finding themselves in town and falling for someone. But, this book doesn't feel like a "repeat" since the characters are different and their paths to finding themselves (and finding themselves together) don't take the typical turns. Jill's probably one of my favorite female leads in this series because she is so focused and nonjudgmental and follows her instincts. The secondary story involving Jack (which seemed to awkwardly lack Mel, save for a few cameo appearances), will hopefully continue to develop in the next book. Some updates on characters from previous stories are worked in and the next book's featured characters are alluded to as well. I don't typically read looks like these, but this series has hooked me and as long as Robyn Carr continues to write installments like this one, I'll keep reading them.

[read NetGalley proof]

I got interested in the robyn carr Promise Canyon & after that book I saw that there was 2 other books coming out following later which Wild Creek Man and Harvest Moon were the next books in the Virgin River Series which I bought when I bought my Kindle Paperwhite Will continue to finish the Virgin river series but I never know which book is next after Harvest moon the list of the Virgin River series needs to be published at the end of the book or the beginning of the e-books I rely on what I see in one oif the paperbacks in the bookstore & copy the series down There has to be an easier way & what books are coming out from Robyn Carr. Enjoying the Harvest Moon Novel also especially for someone who never reads books a lot but Robynn Carr, Nicholas Sparks, & Nora Roberts have gotten me to read more often thank you to these authors for letting ne to enjoy there books

The Virgin River series are all absorbing stories told by the incomparable Robyn Carr. We love her characters and the Virgin River area..one might even love to visit if this place actually existed. The characters are well drawn and the conflict will hold your interest.
While not a real literary achievement still it is a good read. You may want to start with the first book in series; but if not, the story will hold its own, Enjoy!

First book out of this series that I didn't like. I guess the scenario just never grabbed me and I thought that Colin and Jilly jumped into the sack too soon. Just didn't feel like much of a romance, more like let's hook up. I was more interested in Denny and Jack's relationship than the love interest that the book was written about. Disappointed in this one....

Wild Man Creek is more typical of the Virgin River series than what Promise Canyon was. Like all the Virgin River books, Wild Man Creek is set in the small northern California town of Virgin River, and it is a romance. Typical of the series, the hero, Colin Riorden, is ex-military, in this case a Black Hawk pilot who was injured in the line of duty, and thereafter became addicted to pain medications. He is visiting his brother Luke, staying in one of the vacation cabins, while he continues to recover and tries to decide what to do with his life. The heroine, Jillian is a PR professional for a software company. She works eighty hour weeks and has no social life until she finally succumbs to the advances of the new guy in the department. Unfortunately, he is after her job, and is willing to cry "sexual harassment" in order to get it---even though HE pursued her. She ends up on an extended "leave of absence" and heads for Virgin River, where she, along with her sister and high school girlfriends, had spent time the summer before (also mentioned in Promise Canyon). Once there she settles into a large Victorian house and starts and organic farming business. She and he meet; neither one is looking for anything permanent, and yet....

I liked this story. Besides the romance, there is a major sub-plot about Jack (owner of the local bar, and all-around good guy featured in all the stories). A young man shows up in town, they become friends and then the young man reveals a secret--but there is another secret he doesn't know. While Jack's reaction to the news may have been unrealistically good, I still enjoyed this part of the story.

It's a romance, of course everyone lives happily ever after. Yes, the characters end up in bed together, and no, they don't wait very long to get there. Like the other Virgin River books, we have appearances of characters who serve no purpose in this story and I suspect I know who will be the couple in the next book, but I'll keep that opinion to myself. In short, if you like the Virgin River books, you'll like this one. If you hate them, this one is no different. If you haven't tried them, this is as good a one to start with as any--while part of a series, each of the books stands alone well.

Grade: B

Jillian Matlock is trying to recover from a betrayal at work from a man whom
she thought loved her. Colin Riordan is recovering from wounds suffered in
a helicopter crash. Separately they come down to Virgin River to recooperate
- Colin, who is visiting with his brother Luke's family, and Jillian, who is
relaxing while digging in a garden while renting a Victorian home, which reminds
her of living with her Nana. What happens when these two meet? Must read!

I really wanted to like this book because there aren't enough contemporaries out there. Unfortunately, right from the start I didn't care for the heroine or believe in the "situation she found herself in." We're told over and over how great a judge of character she is and how she just had one lapse, but that doesn't seem to be true. And then we're smacked over the head again and again with how smart she is and how her boss adores her and how she has tons and tons of money because she got a great paycheck and invested so wisely. It's all tell, tell, tell, and very little action that would provoke an emotional reaction from a reader. Or, at least, from a reader like me. It may be very much to some people's tastes, but I have to say I wouldn't recommend it. D

Jillian Matlock lived for her job as Vice President for Corporate Communications for a software manufacturer. So much so that she had no time or energy for a social life beyond the office. That's why she was dating a coworker and subordinate, even though it was against company policy. She had, in fact, been dating him for months, until she walked into the office one Monday morning and found out that her erstwhile boyfriend wasn't interested in her, he had just been setting her up for a sexual harassment suit that would get him loads of cash and her job.

Forced out of the company she loved and helped build, Jill takes off to lick her wounds and get her head on straight and ends up in the small town of Virgin River, where memories of childhood and a determination to work her way through her issues takes her life in a brand new direction.

Wrapped up in his own problems and still slowly recovering from the helicopter crash that almost killed him, Colin Riordan is in Virgin River to paint and get his body back into shape so he can get back up to the sky he so loves. When he had set up his easel and paints in the empty field he found, his thoughts were focused on the natural light, not bears that would be newly out of hibernation. Those thoughts quickly turned to bears, though, when the bushes started rustling. Thankfully, he'd come prepared and he pulled out the gun he had loaded up for just that contingency.

Instead of a bear, it was Jill, pushing her way thorough dense undergrowth to stare up at him. He almost shot her. It's a good thing he restrained himself, as her light laugh and indomitable spirit draw him to her like a moth to a flame. Soon he can't stop thinking about her, nor she him, but their idyllic summer fling has an expiration date, and when that date hits, he'll be gone. No matter how fond of her he grows or how much she comes to mean to him.

This twelfth book in Robyn Carr's Virgin River series is my first experience with Carr's books, and despite the wild popularity of the series, I had some issues with this one in both style and content. While the plot was okay conceptually, the narrative had some problems. There was a lot of repetition and readers are told again and again about things ranging from Jill's experience with gardening as a child, to Colin's plans when he leaves, to Jill's plans with the high-end veggies, and more. And when the narrative isn't bogged down with repetition, it's overburdened by excessive exclamation. None of the characters seemed to say or think things, they say! or think! them, as if everyone was either perpetually cheery or consistently emphatic. Not only did that get old quickly for me as a reader, but it stripped away much of the emotional range that rounds out characters, making them seem rather two dimensional and superficial. And exclamations were especially off-putting in Colin's dialogue. That's probably a personal preference, though. I like my big broody men to be big and broody, and the exclamations just seem too darn chippy.

Beyond that, I had a lot of trouble liking either of the main characters. Within pages I knew I was going to have trouble with Jill, not for getting taken in by the jerkwad boyfriend, but for calling him again and again when she learns of his duplicity. The lack of common sense and appalling disregard for dignity really bothered me. I had higher hopes for a woman of obvious intelligence and competence. Thankfully, she improved, but the improvements lead to other issues I'll mention later.

There was also little to recommend Colin as a romantic lead. I found him arrogant, self involved, and abrasive when he dealt with his brother (not that I liked Luke either for how he treated Colin), and so very shallow in all other areas. His constant assertions about getting back to flying didn't make him seem dedicated to me, they made him seem oblivious and ungrateful for his many gifts. And I'm sorry, but when he was thinking about his sexual past I actually shuddered when I read this:

~*~*~
"He had never had a shortage of female company, that's for sure. One of his favorite things was to wash lipstick off his favorite organ in the morning-after shower..."
~*~*~

Seriously? This is the character that is the romantic lead in this contemporary romance? A guy who plans to leave - and reiterates those plans again and again throughout the book - and who not only thinks with his joystick, but devotes favorite pastimes to it? There just wasn't much that could be done after that to redeem his character for me. Not that much was tried. And that leads me to another bone of contention.

There was no growth in the characters and no conflict in the story to spur that growth - either internal emotional conflict or external plot-based conflict. In fact, beyond the issues that drove them to Virgin Creek to begin with, absolutely everything goes exactly their way. Jill decides to start gardening professionally and everything falls into place beautifully. She's rich, and a hard worker, but come on - the lack of any obstacles was boring. And where was the angst over the past? It seemed like once she got to Virgin River and dug around in the dirt a bit she was completely unaffected by what had happened to her.

Then there's Colin. He was horribly scarred physically and almost died in a helicopter crash, was a drug addict for all of a month (uh...yeah) and did time for buying on the street...but he didn't have so much as a single moment of emotional trauma to get over before he got groiny with a woman who might be put off by the scars or his history...and didn't so much as a flinch before he flew again? Really? And he's such a good artist that the first art gallery he goes to agrees to sell his work and he makes over a thousand dollars right away.

Maybe I'm jaded...no, wait, I know I'm jaded, but still...the absolute lack of conflict for the main characters made them and their relationship hard to believe and impossible to relate to. The only significant conflict between them at all ended up being the inevitable parting at the end of the summer, and that wasn't enough for me to hold my attention through the book.

There was one source of conflict in the book (besides Colin leaving), but as it turns out, it didn't involve the main characters at all. There was a subplot with a couple of secondary characters that added a bit of complexity to the plot, but it also served to highlight a tendency for characters to overreact in sometimes sweeping overemotional ways that weren't very appealing. Denny, the young man involved, became a completely different character than he'd been portrayed to that point and I just found it to be a bit too much to be believed.

Without a doubt, the second half of the book was better for me than the first. There was still a lot of exclamation in the narrative, and the story bounced along on the no-personal-struggle highway, but there were some highlights that were nice. I did come to like how Jill and Colin were together as their relationship progressed, and I enjoyed Jill's relationship with her sister when she came to visit. I appreciated the supportive nature that Jill had when talking to Colin about the future, and thought that she handled it better than I would have in that situation. While I never totally warmed up to Colin, it was quite obvious that he was a better person with Jill in his life, and that was also a nice thing to see.

Unfortunately, the few rays of sunshine didn't do enough to warm my reaction to the book any higher than two stars. Carr is obviously wildly successful as an author and with this series in particular. You can't get to twelve books and not have amassed a loyal following. For me, though, this book didn't have enough to keep me interested in the series and it had some things that turned me off the writing style entirely. I was left with very little to no interest in anything else that occurs in and around Virgin River, or to the characters created to be there.

~*~*~*~
One Good Book Deserves Another

I loved this book and I've never been compelled to write a review before. But it was one that I couldn't put down. Big time corporate gal has to leave her job, decides to go a place that reminds her of her grandmother and her garden. She rents this old Victorian style house. Then she decides to grow vegetables, fruit, and exotic type veggies. Makes friends with all the town and meets a guy who is recuperating from serious injuries while being in the service as a helicopter pilot. He paints wildlife and does a really great job doing it. Of course sparks fly between them even tho neither one wants to admit anything serious will ever happen. Its interesting the way she goes crazy growing and cultivating these veggies. She attacks this project just like she did her job....full force. Ends up not only falling in love but buying this property at a horrendous price just so she can continue working in the garden. He wants to continue his flying so art is only a temporary stopping point for him cause he has plans to go to countries where he can capture pictures of wild animals that he can paint possibly in the future. So leaving her and venturing off was difficult but its something he had to get out of his system. Can't tell you more or I'd give away the whole story. Wonderful read. Recommend it highly.

This book carries a continuation of the towns characters she has chosen to bring to us, yet it takes on a very special meaning into a character that magnifies what life should be about between a man and a woman. It takes away from the everyday typical female and amplifies the true trust and love that a self assuring female should have. It is somewhat old fashioned in that she puts this fella first in fulfilling his life, but I'm old fashioned and felt her desire to have him 150%. This is how life should be. I would recommend this book to anyone who would sit still to read it. Especially a self centered gal giving her fella a hard time. Lots to be learned here. Awesome book

Gardening, meadow, flying, painting. A heart breaking, heart warming addition to the Virgin River series. Real feelings expressed.
two quotes that I thought are relevant to the story but also to life: "I don't think any of us really knows what we've got or who we are until we risk it or put it to the test." and "Family isn't what we're stuck with, it's what we make it."

Virgin River still going strong, Wild Man Creek did not disappoint. Virgin River is my favorite series, I recommend it to everyone and now half my neighborhood is reading it. Even though it just rolls along, nothing too crazy, it captures me every time. I found myself just opening Wild Man Creek and in no time I was half way through it, it was that smooth. Colin and Jillian's story was sweet and mature, no major conflicts, but not boring. My only conflicting thought was that Colin in WMC was not the same character as described in the previous books before the accident. I liked this one better, more mellow and lovable. I need to find this hidden commune of Virgin River men!

I totally enjoy this series. My one regret in this book is Rosie wasn't at the wedding!! I really expected her to be the flower girl or do something funny!! Good read, I'm very attached to all the characters in this series. Hope to see many more books in this series, after all, we have to get Paddy and Maureen married!!

I suggest reading these books in order. "Relationships are the connections you make." This author does a fantastic job. Characters from previous books are a part of the story which make it interesting. I just love them. Colin and Jilly are a wonderful couple. I couldn't put this book down.

I've read all of the books in this series but I think the author ran out of steam for this one. The characters are very one-dimensional, and we hear about those one dimensions over and over again. Worse, when you look at the plot, it falls apart.

[SPOILERS]

* Take the lead character's garden: Jillian, a supposedly wildly successful businesswoman, invests thousands of dollars in a professional garden in a house that she supposedly is sure she's only renting for a short period. Her landlord, who holds the house in trust for the town, lets her put in a road, erect greenhouses, and dig up a meadow behind the house, thus reducing its value for any buyers who don't want a giant commercial garden in their backyard and would prefer to see a meadow and wildlife. Neither of these make either practical or economic sense, or fit the characters.

* Denny, a young ex-Marine, tells Jack the bartender that he's in town because his dead mother left him a letter naming his biological father and he wants to meet him but first not let him know. There's virtually no suspense - we know it's going to be Jack he's seeking. For several chapters Jack accepts that he's the dad although he can't recall the mother's name or face from a photo and he doesn't get the blood test his wife urges him to get, despite the fact that Denny is willing, which is unbelievable point #1 in this sub-plot line. Unbelievable point #2 is that a chance remark causes Jack to remember the mom, who it turns out he never had sex with. Denny is crushed that his mom would lie to him. Jack deals with this by some handwaving about his mother probably not expecting him to ever try to find his dad and wanting him to believe he came from better genes than the person he believed to be his father. Really? First, what are the odds you wouldn't try to find your real parent, especially given that the person you thought was your father was an abusive jerk? Second, this lie would have been discovered in about 2 seconds if Jack had a better memory, so why would the mother name an acquaintance knowing how easily this could be both disproved and denied by the putative father immediately, and how much worse her son would feel at that point?

* Troubled ex-Marine Colin goes on and on about how he has to go to Africa to find his mojo despite leaving behind the woman of his dreams, and he indeed leaves, only to make a surprise return when he finds he can't live without her. Except that his return is no surprise to anyone. The whole book, including the title, is supposed to be about how wild he is, and how much of a playboy, but about six chapters in, he starts telling Jilly how much he desires her, and how much he can't stand to be without her. Guys do not talk like that, especially guys who are supposedly macho chopper pilots. The ending of the book encapsulates this absurdity in squicky detail: "I took a chopper up just to see how it felt. Felt pretty good. But not as good as being with you. Not as good as being inside you." Ewww, and may I say EWWW!

This was a very good romance story with a decent storyline and good characters. Colin is a tough character who loses his rough edges while Jillian was a great match for him. The only thing I would have liked was a little more of an ending. A definite great read for any romance lovers.

The romance in this book was top rate. I got bored reading about all the gardening jargon though, thus the 4* rating. More time spent with Colin and Jill and less farming would have been to my liking. Love this series and can't wait to read the next one!

This was a well written love story. Jilly is female executive accused falsely of sexual harassment. She is forced out of her job and starts life over in a small town in northern California where she meets the guy of her dreams

I enjoyed the entire Virgin River series. Each story has a unique and generally believable set of circumstances to introduce a new character (or two) and it is a pleasure to keep up with other characters you have come to know from earlier books in the series.

I really enjoyed the book, except for the times Ms. Carr allowed some of her smart, college grads to say "ME and so and so". This may be viewed as picky on my part, but has the rule changed in school? Are people not taught that the correct thing to say is" So and so and I??" This is one of those things akin to nails on a blackboard to me.
I find too many people, including media on-camera people, authors and some in the public using this, and I don't understand why???!!!
I can see how these kinds of things make it difficult for parents to teach their children basically decent grammer.
I am not an expert, but this one sticks out like the proverbial sore thumb.
How many editors did this slip through??

The Virgin River series was just wonderful. I want to live in this town and have all of these characters as my friends. This story of Jillian and Colin was beautiful. I cried, laughed and thoroughly enjoyed. In fact I want to re-read all of this series especially the stories about Jack, Paul, Luke and Colin.

Loved the Virgin River series! I would read the first book of the series first. All of Robyn Carr books stand alone as really great stories, not like another author (D M) where half of her books repete over and over. I would love to visit this town! Meet Jack, Mel, Preacher and so on. What fun!

Loved the Virgin River series! I would read the first book of the series first. All of Robyn Carr books stand alone as really great stories, not like another author (D M) where half of her books repete over and over. I would love to visit this town! Meet Jack, Mel, Preacher and so on. What fun!