April 2009 New Releases

Finally April!!! I can't tell you how long I've been looking forward to April! LOL :P Just soooo many high anticipated (at least by me) books coming out!! But first, let me share this:


Isn't it gorgeous?!? I love the colors! As you can see, this is the cover for Sea Glass, the second in Ms Snyder's new trilogy... and guess what? The release date is September 2009!!! Woohoo, the wait won't be too long!!

All right, unto the new releases now...


Paradise Valley by Robyn Carr
(Mira - April 01)

Marine corporal Rick Sudder is home early from Iraq—his tour ended abruptly on the battlefield. The carefree boy is gone, replaced by a man who believes his future is as bleak as his mirror image. But can the passion and commitment of a young woman who has never given up on him mend his broken body and shattered heart?

As the people of Virgin River rally around Rick, another recent arrival tests the tightly knit mountain town's famous welcoming spirit. Dan Brady has a questionable past, and he's looking for a place to start over. He'd like it to be Virgin River…if he can find a way in. But he never expects to find it in the arms of a woman who was as much an outcast as himself.

For a favorite son returned from war and an outsider looking for a home, Virgin River offers them a chance to make peace with the men they once were…and to find the dreams they thought they'd lost.

LOL, so this one doesn't need any explaining right? Last in the second successful Virgin River trilogy by Robyn Carr. I bet there will be more in the future, but that's it for now :) To tell the truth, I already got and read this book :P Review to come very soon.


The Warrior by Sharon Sala
(Mira - April 01)

John Nightwalker is a strong, rugged Native American soldier who has seen many battles. While hunting down an old enemy, he crosses paths with Alicia Ponte. On the run from her father—a powerful arms manufacturer—Alicia seeks to expose her father's traitorous crimes of selling weapons to our enemies in Iraq. But Richard Ponte will do anything to stay below the radar…even if it means killing his own daughter.

Drawn to the mystery that surrounds Alicia, John feels compelled to protect her. Together they travel through the beautiful yet brutal Arizona desert to uncover deadly truths and bring her father to justice. But their journey is about to take an unexpected turn…one that goes deep into the past.

Ms Sala is an auto-buy for me :) I love her books. The word that comes to mind is emotional. Although I'm a fan, I have to say that there's a little something putting me off from this book and it's the fact that the hero is a Native American. I have nothing against Native American hero per se; however, I'm afraid this book will be too similar to other books written by Ms Sala featuring a Native Amercian hero. For example, The Healer, released last year, was very similar to Legend written under her other pen name Dinah McCall. Let's hope that I'm wrong and just over-worrying and that Ms Sala will surprise me :)


Rewriting Monday by Jodi Thomas
(Berkley - April 07)

Reporter Pepper Malone moved to Bailey, Texas, after a news story nearly got her killed. Now she wants to be left alone to do her job in relative peace and quiet. But when the newspaper's staff is targeted by a madman with a grudge against the media, Pepper is drawn back into the public eye - and into the arms of the paper's handsome owner.

After reading Twisted Creek, I've become an unconditional fan of Ms Thomas' contemporary romances :) I'm really looking forward this one, although I'm not sure whether or not it is actually connected to Twisted Creek. Either way, I like the blurb and the cover... and I'm currently trying to hunt it down in the bookstore... So far, I haven't been lucky though :(


White Star by Elizabeth Vaughan
(Berkley - April 07)

The Lady High Priestess Evelyn, known as Evie to her friends, is a healer, dedicated to using her magic in the service of the goddess to aid others and give strength where it is needed. Orrin Blackheart couldn't be more different. With his black armour, a black name and a blacker reputation, he's been feared and hated in equal parts. So on his defeat and capture in battle, the Goddesses insistence that Evie saves him from a death sentence astonishes them both - as does the growing attraction between them. But in saving Orrin Evie condemns herself to a prohibition on her magic and a penance posting on the edges of the land, while to retain his salvation Orrin must battle a spreading plague across the land. Fate clearly has plans for them both - but to fulfill them, both must survive the perils ahead.

It's Ms Elizabeth Vaughan. Author of the Warland Chronicles... so of course I want it :) Yes, I was disappointed in Dagger Star, but I still have high hope for this one :) I'm curious about Orrin and Evie's relationship :) I like it when the two characters come from opposing sides :)


Tempted at Midnight by Jacquie D'Alessandro
(Berkley - April 07)

To stir public interest in her vampire romance novel, Lady Emily Stapleford stages nighttime vampire appearances. Overnight, London is abuzz with the sightings. Now she'd be guaranteed success, if it wasn't for mysterious Logan Jennsen, who's onto Emily's duplicity.

Hmmmm, this is the last book in the series. That's why it is still on my list of books to look forward to. However, I'm not expecting too much because of the last book, Seduced at Midnight. Plus, the back blurb sounds so so only ^_^;


Turn Coat by Jim Butcher
(RoC - April 07)

Harry Dresden, professional wizard, has done his best to keep his nose clean where the White Council of Wizards is concerned. Even so, his past misdeeds have cast a constant shadow of suspicion over him in the eyes of the Wardens, those wizards responsible for enforcing the Laws of Magic. Now Dresden finds himself faced with a nightmarish dilemma: Morgan, formerly his chief persecutor among the Warden, has been wrongly accused of treason against the White Council - and has come to Harry for help. Dresden faces a daunting task: clear Morgan's name while simultaneously hiding him from the Wardens and the supernatural bounty hunters sent to find him, discovering the identity of the true turncoat and, of course, avoiding accusations of treachery of his own. A single mistake may mean that heads - quite literally - will roll. And one of them could be his own...

Ooooooohhhhhh!!! Okay, I've become a fan of this series and the back blurb just sounds too good!!! I'm sure this one will be hilarious! Now, I know some of the bookstores have received, but I've already pre-ordered. So I need to restrain myself from rushing to the bookstore to buy it. Shouldn't be too difficult right at that price, 32$ (hardcover).


The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong
(Double Day Canada - April 28)

If you had met me a few weeks ago, you probably would have described me as an average teenage girl - someone normal. Now my life has changed forever and I'm as far away from normal as it gets. A living science experiment - not only can I see ghosts, but I was genetically altered by a group of people who call themselves The Edison Group. What does that mean? For starters, I'm a teenage necromancer whose powers are out of control: I raise the dead without even trying. Trust me, that is not a power you want to have. Ever.

I'm running for my life with three of my supernatural friends - a charming sorcerer, a cynical werewolf, and a disgruntled witch - and we have to find someone who can help us gain our freedom back before The Edison Group finds us first. Or die trying.

LOL, another one of my favorite authors :) Second in the Darkest Powers trilogy, this takes place in the Otherworld world :)It's for YA, but pretty interesting :) I'm actually hoping for a cross-over in the future...


Storm Glass by Maria V. Snyder
(Mira - April 28)

Untrained. Untested. Unleashed. With her unique magical abilities, Opal has always felt unsure of her place at Sitia's magic academy. But when the Stormdancer clan needs help, Opal's knowledge makes her the perfect choice - until the mission goes awry. Pulling her powers in unfamiliar directions, Opal finds herself tapping into a new kind of magic as stunningly potent as it is frightening. Now Opal must deal with plotters out to destroy the Stormdancer clan, as well as a traitor in their midst. With danger and deception rising around her, will Opal's untested abilities destroy her - or save them all?

LOL, what can I say, it's like they all plan to have my favorite authors release in the same month :)Okay, so I'm running out of things to say except that... well it's Maria V Snyder!! LOL :P I read the excerpt a long time ago and I liked it :) I think this is going to be very interesting and we get to visit another region/country :P


Visions in White by Nora Roberts
(Berkley - April 28)

Childhood friends Mackensie, Parker, Laurel and Emmeline have formed a very successful wedding planning business together but, despite helping thousands of happy couples to organise the biggest day of their lives, all four women are unlucky in love. Photographer Mackensie Elliott has suffered a tough childhood and has a bad relationship with her mother, which makes her wary of commitment. But when she meets Carter Macguire, she can't stop herself falling for him, although his ex girlfriend is prepared to play dirty to keep him. Mackensie soon realises she has to put her past demons to rest in order to find lasting love...

All right, so instead of a trilogy, seems like Ms Roberts is now writing quartet :P I'm going to give this a try, sounds like good :) My only caveat is that this is going to be trade-size, sigh. I'll give this one a try and see if it's worth to get the other books or not :P


Summer on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber
(Mira - April 28)

Knitting and life. They're both about beginnings—and endings. That’s why it makes sense for Lydia Goetz, owner of A Good Yarn on Seattle’s Blossom Street, to offer a class called Knit to Quit. It’s for people who want to quit something—or someone!—and start a new phase of their lives.

First to join is Phoebe Rylander. She recently ended her engagement to a man who doesn’t know the meaning of faithful, and she’s trying to get over him. Then there’s Alix Turner. She and her husband, Jordan, want a baby, which means she has to quit smoking. And Bryan Hutchinson joins the class because he needs a way to deal with the stress of running his family’s business—not to mention the lawsuit brought against him by an unscrupulous lawyer.

Life can be as complicated as a knitting pattern. Just ask Anne Marie Roche. She and her adopted daughter, Ellen, finally have the happiness they wished for. And then a stranger comes to her bookstore asking questions.

Or ask Lydia herself. Not only is she coping with her increasingly frail mother, but she and Brad have unexpectedly become foster parents to an angry, defiant twelve-year-old.

But as Lydia already knows, when life gets difficult and your stitches are snarled, your friends can always help!

I'm actually unsure about this release date... some says April 28 and others, May 1st. All right, granted, there's not much of a difference between the dates, right LOL. Especially since this one will probably show up early in bookstore :P Anyway, I really like this series... and I'm soooo glad that we're going to see Alix again and catch up with her life :)

See, April is going to be a great month :) Kind of funny though that the month is divided into two batches of releases :P But here's my reasoning. I'll buy all the books coming out in the beginning of the month and then, will have time to read them before getting the second wave :P Plus, it's going to give me time to save a bit of money, since the late releases are all trade-sizes or hardcovers :(

So Happy April reading!!

Review: Temptation Ridge by Robyn Carr

Did I ever tell you that I love Harlequin's Mira line of books? Well I do! Really! I enjoy most of their authors and the books are relatively cheaper than other publishing houses... and the big bonus? I can usually get my hands on the books early LOL :)

One question before we get onto the review... Do you find it harder to grade books in a series? I had this problem earlier this week when I reviewed Promises in Death and again with this one. I like to grade books in a series in respect with the previous ones, but I'm not sure if the grade would really match the grade I would give it if it wasn't part of the series... Hmmm, dilemma, dilemma.


Temptation Ridge by Robyn Carr
published by Mira in March 2009

At twenty-five, after five years as her mother's caregiver, it's time for Shelby to experience freedom and adventure. Time for travel, college and romance. But when she visits Virgin River, she runs into Luke Riordan, decidedly not whom she has in mind.

A handsome Blackhawk pilot, Luke exited the army after twenty years, four wars and having been shot out of the sky three times. At thirty-eight he's tough and jaded. His major was in one-night stands, with a minor in commitment avoidance.

Technically, these two are all wrong for one another. But sometimes what you want and what you need are two different things…two very good things.

Genre: contemporary romance
Series: Virgin River, Book #6

The Story: After the death of her mother, it's time for 25 y.o. Shelby McIntyre to live her own life. Her plan is to move in with her uncle, General Booth, in Virgin River before traveling a bit and then enrolling into nursing school. At her arrival, she meets Luke Riordan, a newly retired Blackhawk pilot who's come to Virgin River to work on the cabins on the land he owns and make a quick sale. Both are extremely attracted to each other; however, Luke believes that Shelby is too young and should be looking for someone else.

Then, there's Dr Cameron Michaels who is looking for something more in his life. He was halfway in love with Vanessa Booth when she chose Paul in Second Chance Pass... then, he had a one night-stand with a woman he thought might be the one... and she disappeared on him. With a battered heart, Cameron is looking for a change of scenery...

My Opinion: Another winner for Ms Carr. In my opinion, Temptation Ridge was better than Second Chance Pass and in some way, better even than Shelter Mountain and Whispering Rock. Definitively one of my favorite in the series. I think one of the reasons is that Shelby and Luke are both new characters that we haven't met previously.Okay, so Shelby was introduced in Second Chance Pass, but barely mentioned. I have to admit, I prefer it when Ms Carr is not picking up storylines from previous books as a focus.

So the main storyline was between Shelby and Luke and I enjoyed it immensely. One of my concerns going into the book was Shelby and Luke's age difference - 13 years old... I'm not a fan of big age difference between the H/H and although 13 years is not too much, the striking fact here is that Shelby and Luke are at two different stages of their life. On one hand, you have Shelby who is starting her life - going back to school for a career, and on the other hand, Luke who is retiring from the Army. I think that Ms Carr did an incredible job handling this relationship. I could feel Luke's reluctance towards Shelby, not only because he doesn't do commitment, but because Shelby was so young. My heart really went to Shelby though, because she was strong, determined and level-head. She didn't rush into this relationship, taking Luke in a tornado or being taken up by Luke. She was the one in control, but not in a manipulative way. In addition, I really related to Shelby - same age, never really date and so on. I especially like her honesty. It was kind of cute to see her falling for Luke even though he wasn't what she imagined for her first boyfriend.

Although I think Ms Carr handled it really well, I have to admit that Luke did annoy me from time to time. I understand what he was thinking when he thought he wasn't the best for Shelby, that she deserved more. That she could get more... It's not like I wanted him to ask Shelby to put a stop to her dream in order to continue their relationship. However, once she chose him, he should have stopped the chivalrous and made a grab for her... As a result, it would have been nice to see him grovel a lot more at the end. Luckily for him, he has a family that loves him and who is not afraid to meddle in his affairs. Otherwise, I liked Luke. I thought he was a nice guy and really hard-working. I like how he welcomed Art - a 30 y.o. man with Down Syndrome. He had no obligations, but like I said, he's a nice guy.

There were two other 'main' storylines in Temptation Ridge. One was General Booth and his neighbor, Muriel - the actress. I wasn't very interested in it, although I like General Booth. His protectiveness towards his children and niece is very cute :) I also like how all those big bad guys kind of squirmed in front of him LOL :) The other storyline is Dr Cameron Michaels. Cameron was introduced in Second Chance Pass and honestly, I didn't like his character... Oh sure, he was a nice man, but I didn't like him because he came in between Vanessa and Paul. I didn't expect him to have a bigger role in the series... but there it is - great planning Ms Carr. Have to say, I like him much better in this book. In some ways, he reminds me of John Stone - the doctor from Grace Valley. It was kind of sad to see Cameron wonder what went wrong with his life... How come he wasn't married with a family yet. I am looking forward for more of his story in Paradise Valley... but so far, although I like him... not sure I like Abby, the woman he is being paired up with.

As expected also, we continue following the evolution of Virgin River. We get glimpses of Jack, Mel, Preacher, Mike and Brie. This time, they were well incorporated into the story and I didn't feel like they were stealing the show. I have to say, I like that little snippet where we see Mel not being comfortable in her body because it isn't what it used to be. I think it helps making Mel more human and a little less a saint. I mean, I love her character, but she just seems so perfect. I also liked how Ms Carr did the timeline. A few months have passed from the beginning of Temptation Ridge to the end. Ms Carr did a good job, doing it seamlessly and spaced the events well. See, I don't like it when the stories span a few days only; however, it seems hard for authors to write stories covering long periods of time... So kudos for Ms Carr.

One complaint though is that Ms Carr should stop having events that disrupt the everyday life routine and make life more dramatic... for example, the fire at the end of Second Chance Pass... I mean, sure once in a while is all right... but not too much because then, it's not believable anymore.

So, looking forward to Paradise Valley next month. The last book in the second trilogy seems to be very emotional from what I read in the synopsis. Rick is coming home - a changed man... The grower that we've seen who seems to be a DEA agent is also doing a come back. Add in Cameron's storyline... One thing I hope though is that a particular character doesn't get a bigger role. So in this book, Cheryl - the town drunk who was in love with Jack in Virgin River - is back... and with the help of Mel and Doc, she went into rehab and is back sober... I really hope she's not going to be the DEA agent's love interest... I don't know, I don't like her very much... However, why would you bring back a character that has disappeared and transformed her into a better person if it isn't to give her a bigger role?

In conclusion, Temptation Ridge was a great book that I enjoyed immensely. I laughed and I cried while reading this book. Why I cried? Well something happened and it was really sad. However, I did laugh more in this book. There are a lot of LOL moments. One of my favorite scene is when Luke's younger brother comes for a visit and Luke warns him to stay away from Shelby because she is taken. It was so funny... especially when Luke got a bit depressed because his younger brother is younger, and he makes Shelby laugh... Just too cute :) Anyway, lots of good things in this book :)

My Grade: A-

Review: Second Chance Pass by Robyn Carr

Busy, busy week! So little time and so many books to read and review! I'm doing really good on the reading front, but have to admit... once again, I'm behind on my reviews ^_^; I try, I try... but alas... LOL :)

Anyway, here is my review for Second Chance Pass by Robyn Carr :) I don't know how many of you read the excerpt of Second Chance Pass at the end of A Virgin River Christmas, but I have to say, Ms Carr had me worried for a moment... Once again though, I should not have worried...


Second Chance Pass by Robyn Carr
published by Mira in February 2009

In the space of a few months Vanessa buried her husband, Matt, and gave birth to their son--breaking her heart while filling it with a whole new kind of love. But the one man she longs to share this love with now acts as if she doesn't exist.

Paul Haggerty lives by the marine motto: Semper Fi. Ever faithful to his best friend, he's done right by Matt's widow as best he can... considering he's been secretly in love with her for years. Now, just as he's about to make his move, another woman has staked her claim on him--a claim that will be tough to escape.

With courage, humility and not a little meddling from the good folks of Virgin River, Vanni and Paul might just get a second chance to have the love they both desire and deserve.

Genre: contemporary romance
Series: Virgin River, book #5

The Story: Of course, if you've read the first trilogy of Virgin River, you'll know that Second Chance Pass is much more than the synopsis. The first half of the book focuses on Vanni and Paul. Although a recent widow, the reality in Vanni's life is that her husband has been away from her for more than a year since he was on a mission. In addition, Paul has been by her side through the recent emotional events - the death of her husband and the birth of her son - supporting her and basically being a rock. That has allowed Vanni to realize that she has feelings for Paul and is now ready to do something about them. Meanwhile Paul has had feelings for Vanni ever since he first saw her... However, it is his best friend who swept her off her feet and she's been off-limit ever since... Now, Paul is worried that she'll never get over Matt... and he has complications of his own.

The second half of the book is spent catching up with previous characters, the town and setting up for the next books. There are some important events happening, but I don't really want to give it away.

My Opinion: All in all, Second Chance Pass is an enjoyable read and has a feel very similar to Shelter Mountain and Whispering Rocks. Readers that were hoping that the story will focus solely on Paul and Vanni might be disappointed. However, I was okay with it, because after all, Paul and Vanni's storyline really started in Whispering Rocks... so I felt like I knew them well enough :)

I have to say that Ms Carr was quite audacious with this book. While the storyline was well-written and the actions, well-explained... I do think it might stir up some opinions. I mean, I do think that Vanni moved on quite fast... then, there's also Paul's complication:



*** MAJOR SPOILERS: read at your own risk***

Basically, what happens is that Paul got another woman pregnant. While wanting to be part of his child's life, he refuses to marry the woman, because he is in love with Vanni after all. I was actually quite happy about his decision... because one should marry for love and not obligation and the marriage would probably not have lasted and not be a happy one. Thing is, in our society today, people seems to believe strongly about doing the right thing... So anyway, I thought it was great from Ms Carr to have Paul really stand by his feelings.

***END OF SPOILERS***



So kudos to Ms Carr for taking some risks. I think that Vanni and Paul's relationship was very sweet and I'm really happy they got together :)

Apart from Vanni and Paul, we also follow Tom and Brenda's growing relationship. First love, sweet love - very well handled. Then comes Nikki and Joe, Vanni and Paul's best friends respectively. I really hope we're going to read more about them in the future.

Finally, we re-visit Mel and Jack... which I think are the pillars of the Virgin River series. I love how Ms Carr is able to incorporate Mel and Jack in all of the books. I like reading about them, reading what happens to them after their HEA ending... and some big events happen to Mel and Jack in Second Chance Pass... events that will change their future.

I think what is special about this series is that we're not just reading about one relationship between the hero and heroine, but we're reading about a whole community... which keeps growing. Along with Mel and Jack, I think that is the selling point of this series. Some don't enjoy it, but for me it works because I think it is refreshing. I think it is different than most contemporary romances out there. Most of the time when you're reading a book in a series, the story tends to focus only on the H/H. Once they have their HEA ending, they're shelved and only make small appearances, usually to announce that a baby is on the way. The Virgin River series is different... things are happening simultaneously, it's almost like watching TV series. I don't know if I'm explaining my feeling well... but yeah, it sets the Virgin River series apart from the rest. In addition, Ms Carr has a knack at keeping things interesting. Stuff that can be sad and life-changing to happen... there's no status quo for anybody in this series.

While I really enjoyed Second Chance Pass and think this is a good addition to the series, there a few things that are bothering me. For example, the fact that Virgin River is growing quite a lot and all the new residents are part of the marines or army. I mean, Jack, Preacher... then Mike and now Paul. Let's not forget Vanni's father who used to be a general, Tom who is leaving for West Point, Rick who enrolled in the marines... oh and Ian from A Virgin River Christmas and the next hero, Luke who is also a retired army guy. Does it stretch a bit reality? I mean, what are the chances?

The second thing that is bothering me is that problems seem to get resolved a bit too smoothly. I feel that Ms Carr spends a lot of pages on catching up, introducing new characters, basically creating Virgin River... that sometimes, the resolution to big issues of the H/H or between them are just too easy. For example, Paul's complication in Second Chance Pass. I mean, if Paul was committed to take responsibilities, then why make the problem become a non-problem anymore?

My Grade: So despite my issues with the series, Second Chance Pass was a great read and I enjoyed it a lot :) So I'm giving a B+. I'm definitively looking forward to the next book, Temptation Ridge. I'm really curious about that one because both the hero and heroine will be new characters... We'll see how Ms Carr will handle it :)

By the way, I was wondering... Ms Carr has two youngster relationships in the series so far. One is Ricky and Liz and the other is Tom and Brenda... I know that Ricky has a lot of fans... but I can't help but liking Tom better :) What abot you?

Review: A Virgin River Christmas by Robyn Carr

One of my favorite read in 2007 was Virgin River by Robyn Carr, which introduced me to the Virgin River and Grace Valley communities. I love both trilogies and so, I was very, very happy to hear that Ms Carr was going to write more books in the Virgin River series.

Ms Carr's next trilogy is coming out next year, in 2009, and it'll be three back-to-back releases starting in February!! Can't wait for it. In the meantime, Mira - did I tell you I love that branch of Harlequin, has asked Ms Carr to write a Virgin River Christmas story :)

Since I loved the series, I was determined to get this book and so, here is my review of it :)


A Virgin River Christmas by Robyn Carr
published by Mira in November 2008

Last Christmas, Marcie Sullivan said a final goodbye to her husband Bobby. This Christmas she's come to Virgin River to find the man who saved his life and gave her three more years to love him.

Fellow marine Ian Buchanan dragged Bobby's shattered body onto a medical transport in Fallujah four years ago then disappeared as soon as their unit arrived Stateside. Since then, Marcie's letters to Ian have gone unanswered.

Marcie tracks Ian to the tiny mountain town of Virgin River and finds a man as wounded emotionally as Bobby was physically. But she is not easily scared off. As Marcie pushes her way into his rugged and reclusive life, she discovers a sweet but damaged soul beneath a rough exterior.

Ian doesn't know what to make of the determined young widow who forces him to look into the painful past and, what's worse, the uncertain future. But it is, after all, a season of miracles and maybe, just maybe, it's time to banish the ghosts and open his heart.

Genre: contemporary romance
Series: Virgin River series, book #4

The Story: It's almost been a year since Marcie Sullivan lost her beloved husband, Bobby; however, there's one more thing she needs to do in order to move on... and that is, to find her husband's Sergeant, best friend and savior, Ian Buchanan. She needs to know what happened to the man who saved her husband and then disappeared without a word.

Although Ian was able to save Bobby in Iraq, Bobby was severely injured and thus, lived the rest of his life without his mind and completely paralyzed. This greatly impacted Ian who didn't believe he did the right thing and blamed himself for Bobby's new life. As a result, he left the Marines and found refuge in the mountain, shutting himself from the world... and after a few years, the last thing he expected was to see Marcie Sullivan, Bobby's wife on his doorstep.

My Opinion: I think this was a great addition to the series. Ms Carr was able to keep the same spirit and atmosphere as in the previous books. I have to say, what I particularly like about this series is the different feel... because Virgin River is such a small town, it's very minimalistic... I think it puts the emphasis on the relationships and that's great.

Story-wise, A Virgin River Christmas is very interesting and very touching. I really enjoyed Marcie's character. She was a strong person that had gone through a lot, but it didn't make her bitter or overly thankful to still be alive. Yes, her experience has put things into perspective, but otherwise, she's still a normal, regular person... not scarred, not damaged, not traumatized. I enjoyed the normalcy. She was also very determined and stubborn, which could be funny at times ;) As for Ian Buchanan, he was an interesting hero and a typical man. I understood why he reacted that way and I think it says a lot about him. How he valued this friendship with Bobby... and I'm happy that Marcie was able to bring him around.

I enjoyed Marcie and Ian's interactions. How they grew closer to each other and came to understand one another. The book was spanned on maybe one or two weeks; however, the relationship didn't seem rush. I guess one thing I enjoyed most in Ms Carr's books is the pacing. It also

Ms Carr was also able to incorporate many old faces without having them steal the show. As part of the community, I think it's easier for her to do so. It was fun to see everyone and their interaction and how they welcomed Marcie. It is really different in a small town, especially a small town like Virgin River, than in big city.

My Grade: B+. A good addition to the series :) I'm sure fans of the series will enjoy it :)

Review: Whispering Rock by Robyn Carr

Sigh... yeah, I've been neglecting my blog.... not posting as much :( I have been reading, but actually, it's been more like skimming through the books :( I have difficulty focusing on what I'm reading :( so I hadn't really much to say... but now, now I have reviews! So I'll be trying to review books the whole week :D

By the way, in case you're wondering, I did buy more books this week-end. There was another 20% off this week-end, but I don't worry, I didn't buy that much :D Mainly just Demon Moon by Meljean Brooks and Rises the Night by Colleen Gleason. I also bought a big box, a bit like a chest, to store some of the books :P

So now, onto the review:

Whispering Rock by Robyn Carr: 4.0/5 --> B
published by Mira in May/June 2007

Brianna Savannah, a district attorney, has had a difficult year: she lost one of the most important trial of her career and failed to put a serial rapist behind the bars and her husband has left her for her best friend, after cheating on her for at least a year. However, her life is about to get even more difficult when the serial rapist comes back and brutally attacks and rapes her. Now, Brie has to put her life back together.

Luckily for her, MikeValenzuela is there. Mike is a decorated U.S. Marine reservist, LAPD officer who's been recently shot and almost died. Also a victim of a violent crime, he is able to help Brie get back her life.

Genre: contemporary romance, small-town story
Series: Virgin River trilogy, book 3

Review: I was really waiting for this book to come out and I thank Mira for publishing the three books a month apart from each other. I don't think I could have waited a year between the books. I like this book as well and thought it was a nice ending... although Ms Carr has opened the door for another sequel in my opinion. It is a bit an open ending.

The Characters - This book's focus is on Brie and Mike. We have met both characters in the previous books, both being loves one of Jack. Mike is now back on his two feet and healthy and has decided to live a relaxing life in Virgin River. He is then asked to become Virgin River's constable, a position he accepts. He's been interested in Brie for quite a while and when learning of her assault, rush to her side. Mike was described as a huge player in previous books and although he probably was, it doesn't show much in this book. Of course, he's smooth and charming, but I think that his accident really changed him and of course, there's not many available women in Virgin River. One thing that annoyed me was the fact that everyone associated his playboy-ness with his two failed marriages. In my opinions, Mike really wasn't at fault for the failed marriage...

As for Brie, I think she's a tough girl and I never doubt she would be able to get her life back. I have to admit that I liked her strength. What helped in enjoying the book is that I thought her whole ordeal was quite realistic. So yeah, not a kick-ass heroine, nor a TSTL one. Just a normal person with a very level head. That was quite refreshing LOL Of course, Mike and Brie had to share the spotlight with other characters. We do see Jack, Mel, Paige and Preacher again and if you enjoyed them in previous book, you will in this one too.

The Story & Writing - there are many storylines in this one, aside from Mike and Brie. There's Paige and Preacher trying to have a kid, Jack and Mel and their family life. There's also some new characters (Vanessa and Paul) and some intrigue concerning high schoolers. All in all, it was quite interesting :D I really liked the pacing as well and how Ms Carr blend all the storylines together. I wish she would write more :P

The Cover - Nice one and it fit with the rest of the series.

Am I keeping the book? definitively.

Anything else? I'm still looking for Down by the River which is part of Ms Carr other trilogy. I can't order it, it's not on paperswap.com, not on ebay... and if I buy a used copy from Amazon or Indigo/Chapters, it's 40$$$ at least! Can you imagine? I think I'm going to email the author and see if she doesn't own some extra copy she could sell me LOL :)

I'm sorry, the review is not the greatest. It seems to me I'm a bit rusty, probably haven't wrote that many reviews lately. Also, after Dancechica's post about rating (here), I think I'm going to go over my reviewing format :P

Review: Shelter Mountain by Robyn Carr

Do you know what's great about Mira books? Aside the fact that they're good books, it's that they're usually released before their official release date LOL So me, knowing that this book would show up approx. a week before its release date, have not pre-ordered it. Instead, I've been check on Chapters online for, hummm, two weeks to see if they've arrived in the store LOL I won't tell you how obsessive I am or how serious my I-want-it-now/I-must-own-it-as-soon-as-it-is-released syndrome is. Instead, I'll go straight for the review :P

Shelter Mountain by Robyn Carr: 3.75/5 --> B
published by Mira in May 2007

Picking almost where Virgin River left off, Shelter Mountain starts with the arrival of Paige and her little son, Christopher, during a rainy night at the bar that Jack and Preacher co-own. After seeing Paige's bruised cheek and split lip, Preacher figures that the woman is down on her luck and out of goodness, offers her to stay the night. Soon enough, Preacher learns that Paige is not simply out of luck, but she has an abusive spouse and is on the run before he kills her.

Preacher cannot understand what kind of man would pummel a woman such as Paige and decide to help and protect her and the kid... Thus, slowly, Paige and Christopher settle in a routine; however, trust is difficult to give. Meanwhile, Jack is worried for Preacher, as he's never seen his friend getting hooked on a woman. In addition, his newly-wedded wife will soon give birth to their first child... and his protégé, Rick, is in trouble.

Genre: contemporary romance, small-town
Series: Virgin River trilogy, Book 2

Review: Hmmm, I'm a bit torn about this book. I do have some issues with the book, but at the same time, I enjoyed them. Still, one thing I'm sure is that I enjoyed the first one better :P

The Characters - You could say that the main characters of this book are Preacher and Paige... at the same time, the book doesn't solely focus on them and so, Jack and Mel do play a significant part in the book. Anyway, Preacher is this huge man, that is a lot intimidating and and a bit frightening and he knows it... which makes him shy around women and children. And this makes him quite special from most romance heroes. He's not the lady's man, he's not even comfortable around them. He's very quiet, but strong when you need. As for Paige, well she's a bit stereotypical of an abused woman. Worried, scared, paranoid... but luckily, her character is saved by the storyline.

Jack disappointed me a little bit... at first, he didn't seem to be the same man as he was in Virgin River. I understand he's worried for Preacher, but his questioning of Preacher's judgement didn't seem like something he'd do in Virgin River. However, no worries, he does redeem himself.

Two other characters that are re-visisted are Mike and Brie. Mike is a LAPD cop and has served in the military along with Jack and Preacher. He's going to be the main character in the third book and it was interesting to see his build-up story. He's quite different from Jack and Preacher, which is something I appreciate a lot. Anyway, back onto the story, Mike gets shot by a gang member and almost doesn't make it. After surgery, he needs therapy to get back into shape... a bit overwhelmed in Los Angeles, he decides to go to Virgin River for his recovery. As for Brie, she's Jack little sister, a hot shot defense attorney, who's getting a divorce from her husband, who's been cheating on her with her best friend. She's strong, but vulnerable... Definitively, going to be interesting to see their story unfolds in Whispering Rocks.

The Story & Writing - The writing was good and very similar to Virgin River. I liked how time passes by and goes by smoothly. If I was an author, I'd be the kind who'd have to write about every single day of what's happening. However, my trouble with the timeline is that it does seem short.... I would have thought that 6 months have passed instead of 3. So although it was very well written, it seemed unrealistic. I usually like my book to be focus on my main characters, which wasn't the case in this book. At the same time, I didn't want to read a book based solely on an abused woman, re-discovering love and safety, so I guess this book was a great compromise. Finally, I have to admit that I don't usually enjoy the "abused woman" plotline because they're quite stereotypical: woman is abused, fears for her life and her children, runs away, meet hero, start to trust and love, but abusive husband inevitably shows up and mayhem happens. Although Paige's storyline did show some similarities with the plotline I've just described, the great thing is that Ms Carr did try to take a new direction and I've learnt some interesting stuff. So there was some bad stuff that were made good, and some good stuff that were made bad.

The Cover - I liked it, it does give me an image of the inside of the bar :)

Am I keeping this book? Yes, so far I am. Probably will, since I liked Virgin River so much.

Anything else? Yes, for those who usually dislike kids in their book, no worry... Christopher is not annoying. He barely talks, but his presence is known. Ms Carr is definitvely talented with her writing :D

Review: Virgin River by Robyn Carr

Too many books to read and review and so little time! March was an awesome reading month and I hope April will be as good! Although I doubt ^^; but still, let's hope.

Hmmm, lately, I've been looking for a change of pace... I got a bit tired of "sexy," fast-paced books and have been looking for something slower, kind of old-style... I guess I shouldn't say "old-style." However, when I say "old-style" I mean slower-pace and more focused on the characters and relationships than an action or intrigue... the books with time frame of a few weeks, even months instead of a couple of days, a week or maximum two. So I was looking for that kind of book, especially after reading The Winter Lodge by Susan Wiggs, and came across Virgin River by Robyn Carr. I bought it after reading the back blurb...


Virgin River by Robyn Carr: 4.25/5

published by Mira in April 2007

After the death of her husband in a convenient store robbery, Melinda Monroe needs a change of pace before she breaks down and burns out. An ER nurse and midwife in LA, she leaves everything behind to go to Virgin River, a small town near the Trinity and Shasta mountains with a total population of 600 and in need of a nurse and midwife. However, nothing goes as planned once she arrives: the town is not as she imagined (let say the lady glossed the truth a bit), her one-year-rent-free cabin is not liveable, the doctor doesn't want help and so on. Quickly, Mel realizes that her decision was wrong and rash and decides to go back to LA as quickly as possible... until a newborn is abandoned in front of Doc's door. Mel stays on to take care of the baby, help Doc and slowly, integrates the community.

Genre: contemporary romance, small-town
Series: Virgin River trilogy, Book #1

Review: I really enjoyed this book as it was exactly what I was looking for. It was well-written, with a believable story and real characters.

The Characters - Melinda was a good main character: she wasn't a TSTL heroine, nor career-driven person nor an airhead. She's strong and mature with a life experience - tragedies as well as happiness. The main male character is Jack Savannah... The book does focus on Melinda, but Jack plays an important role in it. He's an ex-Marine who've settled in Virgin River after he retired. He bought a cabin and converted it into a bar which he runs with his friend, nicknamed Preacher. From the start, he's attracted to Melinda and hopes that she stays... Jack is the quiet alpha male: strong and dependable, he has your back, is generous and nice and everything. He's quite the perfect man.

Other characters include Doc, an old and grouchy man - my favorite kind of old man in books :P, and a couple of other secondary characters that will probably be more developed in the following two books.

The Story & Writing - Ms. Carr writing style is very good, very smooth and gentle. That's the feeling you get when you read her book - gentleness. As I said, it's also kind of "old-style." In fact, I would say that her writing style reminds me a lot of Susan Wiggs... As for the story, I really enjoyed it. It wasn't about Melinda's growth or evolution, but how she found love again, unexpectedly. I liked how the small town life wasn't too cliche... and the turn of events made the book quite refreshing.

The Cover - I like it :D It fits the story very well.

Am I keeping the book? Yes.

Anything else? Book #2 (Shelter Mountain) and #3 (Whispering Rock) are coming out in May and June 2007 respectively. That's how I lke my trilogies :) Back to back releases instead of waiting a year or two. The main character of book #2 is Preacher and woman on the run from an abusive husband, while book #3's main characters are Jack's sister and one of his old buddies from the Marines. In addition, in this book, you'll find characters from Ms. Carr's other trilogy Grace Valley (Deep in the Valley, Just Over the Mountain and Down by the River)... If any of you have Just Over the Mountain and Down by the River and could lend it to me or sell it to me, it'd be really appreciated :P