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Virgin River #7
Paradise Valley
Marine corporal Rick Sudder is home early from Iraqhis 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.
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First published April 1, 2009
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About the author
Robyn Carr
164 books12.6k followers Robyn Carr is a RITA® Award-winning, eleven-time #1 New York Times bestselling author of over sixty novels, including the critically acclaimed Virgin River series and Sullivan's Crossing series. Robyn's new women's fiction novel, THE FRIENDSHIP CLUB, will be released in January 2024. The new hit Sullivan's Crossing TV series (season 1) inspired by Robyn's book series was released in the USA in the fall of 2023! Plus, season 5 of the worldwide fan-favorite Virgin River TV Series is now streaming on Netflix (July 2023) with two holiday episodes coming November 30, 2023. Both TV series have been renewed for another season!
Robyn is a recipient of the Romance Writers of America Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award 2016, and in 2017, VIRGIN RIVER was named one of the HarperCollins 200 Iconic Books of the past 200 years. Robyn currently resides in Las Vegas, Nevada. You can visit Robyn Carr's website at https://www.robyncarr.com/.
Robyn is a recipient of the Romance Writers of America Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award 2016, and in 2017, VIRGIN RIVER was named one of the HarperCollins 200 Iconic Books of the past 200 years. Robyn currently resides in Las Vegas, Nevada. You can visit Robyn Carr's website at https://www.robyncarr.com/.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 994 reviews
May 25, 2017
It would have been a 4 but I freakin hated abby so so so so sooooooooo much. Gwahhhhh I fuckin hated her!!!!
October 9, 2014
5 stars – Contemporary Romance
Paradise Valley is perhaps the darkest and most depressing book of the series so far and it’s very light on romance.
I really enjoyed the sweet, funny dynamics of Muriel and Walt’s relationship, but I didn’t necessarily want them as the main spotlight couple.
Rick’s traumatic ordeal in Iraq and subsequent downward spiral into anger, depression, and despair is truly heartbreaking. Rick and Liz have already endured so much together, and I’ve been rooting for their HEA. The personal and relationship struggles they face in this one were painful to read.
Cameron and Abby are another couple featured prominently here, and although I LOVE Cameron’s character; I wanted to bitch slap Abby until pretty much the end of the book. He’s an absolute dream and treats her like a queen, and it takes her waaay too long to realize how lucky she is to have him.
The courtship of town outcasts Cheryl and Dan was an unnecessary distraction in my opinion that could have been omitted to allow for more development with the other three couples.
This isn't the best book in the series, but it still has great characters, Carr’s terrific writing, and lots of quality angst and drama. 5 stars
Paradise Valley is perhaps the darkest and most depressing book of the series so far and it’s very light on romance.
I really enjoyed the sweet, funny dynamics of Muriel and Walt’s relationship, but I didn’t necessarily want them as the main spotlight couple.
Rick’s traumatic ordeal in Iraq and subsequent downward spiral into anger, depression, and despair is truly heartbreaking. Rick and Liz have already endured so much together, and I’ve been rooting for their HEA. The personal and relationship struggles they face in this one were painful to read.
Cameron and Abby are another couple featured prominently here, and although I LOVE Cameron’s character; I wanted to bitch slap Abby until pretty much the end of the book. He’s an absolute dream and treats her like a queen, and it takes her waaay too long to realize how lucky she is to have him.
The courtship of town outcasts Cheryl and Dan was an unnecessary distraction in my opinion that could have been omitted to allow for more development with the other three couples.
This isn't the best book in the series, but it still has great characters, Carr’s terrific writing, and lots of quality angst and drama. 5 stars
June 15, 2016
Read this one a few years back!
March 27, 2009
I can't believe these words are coming from my keyboard, but I was actually a little disappointed with this one. Don't get me wrong, Robyn Carr can write the most mundane stuff about Virgin River and I'd still be interested enough to read it, but I was nearly half way through this book before things really started to happen. And yes, I like the older couple, retired Army General Walt and former movie star Muriel, but I don't want them to be the front-burner romance. And sorry to any sixty-somethings out there, but I don't really care to go beyond the bedroom door with them either.:)
I think part of the problem for me with this book is the lack of a new romance. Three of the four couples that this book was focused on--Walt and Muriel, Rick and Liz, and Cameron and Abby--had already established a relationship, so there was no wooing or courtship or getting to know you excitement like there was in the previous book ("Temptation Ridge") between Luke and Shelby. And yes, the beginning of a relationship between marijuana grower/ex-con Dan "Shady" Brady and alcoholic Cheryl Creighton was included, but didn't go much beyond the hand holding stage. We finally get the backstory on "Shady Brady", and while it all made sense with how and why he got involved in growing marijuana, I was just expecting something...more exciting? Turns out he was just an average guy with some unusual circumstances, needing to make a quick buck. Somehow I had the feeling that he was going to be an undercover DEA agent or something more...heroic. And while he turned out to be a good guy while trying to turn his life around and fit into the community of Virgin River, the jury's still out for me about his romance with Cheryl.
Not much unusual was revealed about the reason Cheryl was an alcoholic either. No big tragedy in her life to turn her to the bottle or anything like that, just a woman who started drinking in her teens who had an addictive personality. And just like my feelings for Walt and Muriel, I like Dan and Cheryl as a couple, but I just can't see them carrying a book on their own. I don't know if they will be the main couple in the next book or if their budding romance will be in the background, but I just don't see them as the "A" couple.
As far as Cameron and Abby, whose story actually started way back in "Second Chance Pass", I liked them for the most part. Cameron was a prince of a guy, and I didn't know why Abby had to fight him so long. I wanted to slap her a couple of times and tell her "Wake up, girl, this guy is everything you need!" I didn't care for her b***** attitude towards him, and I was glad when her friend Vanni talked some sense into her. I think she was darn lucky to have a guy like Cameron, and thankfuuly, it wasn't long before she realized it too. And they did end up having some hot, sweet moments together too--as much as an eight month pregnant woman can have, anyway.:)
And finally, young Rick and Liz...these two have had a long, tough road together, and with this book it actually got tougher. After what happened to him in Iraq, I totally understood Rick's self pity. What happened to him was an awfully tough pill to swallow. And while it was often sad and brought a few tears to my eyes, I enjoyed reading about his struggles and his worries about his future, and yes, even his nasty attitude. I felt Robyn Carr did a good job of getting inside the mind of a wounded vet, and I was interested to see how Rick's story played out. I was happy to see that Liz was the strong one in the relationship, and she didn't put up with Rick's crap. I had a few doubts that Rick would get his act together, but a surprising person helped turn him around, and show him all was not lost just because of his disability.
Luckily, Jack played a nice supporting (but meddling) role in this book. I always enjoy reading about Jack and Mel, and all the other characters from Virgin River that we've come to know and love. A big hint was dropped about the characters for a follow up book too. Seems like a preacher may be coming to town to take over an old abandoned church. I'm trying to think if there are any single, available women in town--maybe Vanni has some more friends?
So, not a bad book, but I was hoping for a little more romance, a little more steam. It looks like three of these four stories are all but wrapped up with HEAs, so it's time to bring some new blood to Virgin River. Hopefully a couple of Jack's Marine buddies or Luke's brothers will decide to settle in Virgin River, and one of the ladies in town is bound to have a friend...and we can watch the sparks fly again. Not many sparks flying in this one, but if you enjoy Robyn Carr, you'll still find this a worthwhile read--just not her very best.--4 stars.
I think part of the problem for me with this book is the lack of a new romance. Three of the four couples that this book was focused on--Walt and Muriel, Rick and Liz, and Cameron and Abby--had already established a relationship, so there was no wooing or courtship or getting to know you excitement like there was in the previous book ("Temptation Ridge") between Luke and Shelby. And yes, the beginning of a relationship between marijuana grower/ex-con Dan "Shady" Brady and alcoholic Cheryl Creighton was included, but didn't go much beyond the hand holding stage. We finally get the backstory on "Shady Brady", and while it all made sense with how and why he got involved in growing marijuana, I was just expecting something...more exciting? Turns out he was just an average guy with some unusual circumstances, needing to make a quick buck. Somehow I had the feeling that he was going to be an undercover DEA agent or something more...heroic. And while he turned out to be a good guy while trying to turn his life around and fit into the community of Virgin River, the jury's still out for me about his romance with Cheryl.
Not much unusual was revealed about the reason Cheryl was an alcoholic either. No big tragedy in her life to turn her to the bottle or anything like that, just a woman who started drinking in her teens who had an addictive personality. And just like my feelings for Walt and Muriel, I like Dan and Cheryl as a couple, but I just can't see them carrying a book on their own. I don't know if they will be the main couple in the next book or if their budding romance will be in the background, but I just don't see them as the "A" couple.
As far as Cameron and Abby, whose story actually started way back in "Second Chance Pass", I liked them for the most part. Cameron was a prince of a guy, and I didn't know why Abby had to fight him so long. I wanted to slap her a couple of times and tell her "Wake up, girl, this guy is everything you need!" I didn't care for her b***** attitude towards him, and I was glad when her friend Vanni talked some sense into her. I think she was darn lucky to have a guy like Cameron, and thankfuuly, it wasn't long before she realized it too. And they did end up having some hot, sweet moments together too--as much as an eight month pregnant woman can have, anyway.:)
And finally, young Rick and Liz...these two have had a long, tough road together, and with this book it actually got tougher. After what happened to him in Iraq, I totally understood Rick's self pity. What happened to him was an awfully tough pill to swallow. And while it was often sad and brought a few tears to my eyes, I enjoyed reading about his struggles and his worries about his future, and yes, even his nasty attitude. I felt Robyn Carr did a good job of getting inside the mind of a wounded vet, and I was interested to see how Rick's story played out. I was happy to see that Liz was the strong one in the relationship, and she didn't put up with Rick's crap. I had a few doubts that Rick would get his act together, but a surprising person helped turn him around, and show him all was not lost just because of his disability.
Luckily, Jack played a nice supporting (but meddling) role in this book. I always enjoy reading about Jack and Mel, and all the other characters from Virgin River that we've come to know and love. A big hint was dropped about the characters for a follow up book too. Seems like a preacher may be coming to town to take over an old abandoned church. I'm trying to think if there are any single, available women in town--maybe Vanni has some more friends?
So, not a bad book, but I was hoping for a little more romance, a little more steam. It looks like three of these four stories are all but wrapped up with HEAs, so it's time to bring some new blood to Virgin River. Hopefully a couple of Jack's Marine buddies or Luke's brothers will decide to settle in Virgin River, and one of the ladies in town is bound to have a friend...and we can watch the sparks fly again. Not many sparks flying in this one, but if you enjoy Robyn Carr, you'll still find this a worthwhile read--just not her very best.--4 stars.
July 25, 2022
If you haven't read any of the other books, don't start with this one. This one is all about characters who have already been introduced and who have significant backstories. It was all about moving these stories along.
Muriel and Walt - Muriel is a retired movie actress who get a choice film part and decides to take it. Walt, a retired military commander, has started a relationship with Muriel, but is very insecure about it now that she has returned to her old life.
Liz and Rick - Liz has been in love with Rick since she was 14 years old. They have been through a lot and have been solid, but when Rick loses his leg in combat, well, this they may not survive. Rick is having a tough time and is taking it out on everyone. He is especially tough on those who love him the most, Liz and Jack.
Cheryl and Dan - Cheryl was Virgin River's town drunk until Mel dragged her to a treatment program and she got clean. Her mother dies, her father moves in with his brother and she never wants to see that old house again. The Dan moves in and is fixing up more than the house, he is fixing her up too. Dan is Virgin River's pot grower with a heart of gold. He has served his time and is now working for Paul in construction. He rents Cheryl's old home, is fixing it up and falls for the landlady.
Muriel and Walt - Muriel is a retired movie actress who get a choice film part and decides to take it. Walt, a retired military commander, has started a relationship with Muriel, but is very insecure about it now that she has returned to her old life.
Liz and Rick - Liz has been in love with Rick since she was 14 years old. They have been through a lot and have been solid, but when Rick loses his leg in combat, well, this they may not survive. Rick is having a tough time and is taking it out on everyone. He is especially tough on those who love him the most, Liz and Jack.
Cheryl and Dan - Cheryl was Virgin River's town drunk until Mel dragged her to a treatment program and she got clean. Her mother dies, her father moves in with his brother and she never wants to see that old house again. The Dan moves in and is fixing up more than the house, he is fixing her up too. Dan is Virgin River's pot grower with a heart of gold. He has served his time and is now working for Paul in construction. He rents Cheryl's old home, is fixing it up and falls for the landlady.
March 22, 2010
Okay, I had no business reading this book as relentlessly as I did. I couldn't put it down and now I've accomplished exactly nothing today but finishing this installment in record time.
There are four couples in this one. Rick and Liz seem to be considered the primary, but Abby and Cameron take center stage just as much, IMO. Walt and Murial are a nice side story, being nearly senior citizens and all. While some people might be grossed out by the old person sex, I think there's enough to let us know these are some seriously attractive and in shape oldsters.
I won't talk about the other couple because it unfolds pretty nicely and doesn't need to be spoiled beforehand.
Okay, let's start with Abby/Cameron. Wow. I hated her guts for a long time. She did not handle herself well. Not. At. All. She was very mean to Cameron and he didn't deserve it one bit.
HOWEVERRRRRRR..... her behavior did bring about total Vanni Redemption with her 'you have no right' speech to her good friend. Way to go Vanni-girl, sticking up for Cameron. Woo hoooooo!
Add to that the fact that Cameron was not a doormat like Paul (or most of the other men in Second Chance Pass) and it's more acceptable when Abby comes around. And she does. Believably. I loved the whole birthing sequence from beginning to end. I still don't know what those kids' names are, though. Did I miss it?
Anyway, I thought Abby came around, and since Cameron didn't actually take her crap when she got really nasty, I think we can be optimistic about their future.
Now on to Rick and Liz's story. This was a really great story that actually takes place mostly near the end of the book. Liz does distinguish herself as a great heroine, especially in light of some of the earlier books where she came off as a bit of a weepy, slightly crazy girl. She's a very strong woman now, and smarter than anyone thought. It was wonderful to see that development.
Rick goes through a lot in the story as well, and it doesn't help matters that everyone understands what he's going through, they'd just rather not be the whipping boy. Again, the climax of their story was a really nice sequence of romance. A lot of it wasn't a complete surprise, but it was well written and very effective.
Lots of tears in this here book, but very satisfying storytelling, too.
There are four couples in this one. Rick and Liz seem to be considered the primary, but Abby and Cameron take center stage just as much, IMO. Walt and Murial are a nice side story, being nearly senior citizens and all. While some people might be grossed out by the old person sex, I think there's enough to let us know these are some seriously attractive and in shape oldsters.
I won't talk about the other couple because it unfolds pretty nicely and doesn't need to be spoiled beforehand.
Okay, let's start with Abby/Cameron. Wow. I hated her guts for a long time. She did not handle herself well. Not. At. All. She was very mean to Cameron and he didn't deserve it one bit.
HOWEVERRRRRRR..... her behavior did bring about total Vanni Redemption with her 'you have no right' speech to her good friend. Way to go Vanni-girl, sticking up for Cameron. Woo hoooooo!
Add to that the fact that Cameron was not a doormat like Paul (or most of the other men in Second Chance Pass) and it's more acceptable when Abby comes around. And she does. Believably. I loved the whole birthing sequence from beginning to end. I still don't know what those kids' names are, though. Did I miss it?
Anyway, I thought Abby came around, and since Cameron didn't actually take her crap when she got really nasty, I think we can be optimistic about their future.
Now on to Rick and Liz's story. This was a really great story that actually takes place mostly near the end of the book. Liz does distinguish herself as a great heroine, especially in light of some of the earlier books where she came off as a bit of a weepy, slightly crazy girl. She's a very strong woman now, and smarter than anyone thought. It was wonderful to see that development.
Rick goes through a lot in the story as well, and it doesn't help matters that everyone understands what he's going through, they'd just rather not be the whipping boy. Again, the climax of their story was a really nice sequence of romance. A lot of it wasn't a complete surprise, but it was well written and very effective.
Lots of tears in this here book, but very satisfying storytelling, too.
June 17, 2016
4.5 Stars
Oh, I loved this one even though I wanted to smack Rick more than a few times! Even though I know he had a right, Rick was very much throwing his own pity party. The whole thing was very emotional! Liz showed a lot of strength and, thankfully, spine!
After finishing the last book I thought Abby would've been worse. Don't get me wrong, she had her frustrating moments, but it wasn't as bad as I thought. Love that Vanny gave it to her straight up! Cameron was just all kinds of awesomeness! *sigh*
Walt and Muriel were so cute together even working through some rough bits.
Dan Brady and Cheryl Creighton were an unexpected couple.
I hope the next book gives us more of these couples I've grown to love. I can't get enough of this series!
Therese Plummer is such an amazing narrator! Both her male and female voices are spot on.
Oh, I loved this one even though I wanted to smack Rick more than a few times! Even though I know he had a right, Rick was very much throwing his own pity party. The whole thing was very emotional! Liz showed a lot of strength and, thankfully, spine!
After finishing the last book I thought Abby would've been worse. Don't get me wrong, she had her frustrating moments, but it wasn't as bad as I thought. Love that Vanny gave it to her straight up! Cameron was just all kinds of awesomeness! *sigh*
Walt and Muriel were so cute together even working through some rough bits.
Dan Brady and Cheryl Creighton were an unexpected couple.
I hope the next book gives us more of these couples I've grown to love. I can't get enough of this series!
Therese Plummer is such an amazing narrator! Both her male and female voices are spot on.
October 15, 2016
4.5 Paradise Valley Stars
I loved every book so far, I was looking forward to this book Rick grew on me with each book that went by. Liz and Rick were meant to be you knew it right from the very beginning. I don’t care that they were young when you know you know.
They went through more than most people do in a lifetime and come out the other side maybe not whole but still breathing and that’s really all you can ask for.
They both grew up so young. And if you read the other books you know what I am talking about. Rick was hurt in Afghanistan, and that comes with a whole new set of issues they have to work through.
This book like the others has other characters; Cameron and Abby have to work things out. You root for these 2 if not as much as the other.
I also really liked getting to know Dan; we met him before he was the pot farmer. And getting to know who he is now is pretty interesting. I have to say Jack and his interaction were some of my favorites of the whole series.
Cheryl the town drunk pulled on my heart strings in the book. I have to think this was due to Mel and her relationship or is it gratitude? I don’t’ know but it’s a story I am glad was put in to these books.
This isn’t my regular 5 star book only because I wanted more Rick and Liz…. So yeah.. :p
*You don't have to like my review but its 100% my opinion, and I am allowed to have it.*
I loved every book so far, I was looking forward to this book Rick grew on me with each book that went by. Liz and Rick were meant to be you knew it right from the very beginning. I don’t care that they were young when you know you know.
They went through more than most people do in a lifetime and come out the other side maybe not whole but still breathing and that’s really all you can ask for.
They both grew up so young. And if you read the other books you know what I am talking about. Rick was hurt in Afghanistan, and that comes with a whole new set of issues they have to work through.
This book like the others has other characters; Cameron and Abby have to work things out. You root for these 2 if not as much as the other.
I also really liked getting to know Dan; we met him before he was the pot farmer. And getting to know who he is now is pretty interesting. I have to say Jack and his interaction were some of my favorites of the whole series.
Cheryl the town drunk pulled on my heart strings in the book. I have to think this was due to Mel and her relationship or is it gratitude? I don’t’ know but it’s a story I am glad was put in to these books.
This isn’t my regular 5 star book only because I wanted more Rick and Liz…. So yeah.. :p
*You don't have to like my review but its 100% my opinion, and I am allowed to have it.*
July 30, 2021
3.5 Stars
Very sad about Rick and what happened to him, just wished the story had focused more on his recovery, instead his and Liz's story seem to fade into the background.....I would have possibly rated this 4.5 - 5.0 Stars if there had been more of them, after all the synopsis described this as their story! :((
Very sad about Rick and what happened to him, just wished the story had focused more on his recovery, instead his and Liz's story seem to fade into the background.....I would have possibly rated this 4.5 - 5.0 Stars if there had been more of them, after all the synopsis described this as their story! :((
April 21, 2020
There were a lot of little stories going on in this book. A couple of romances of different characters were playing out. I particularly liked the one involved Walt ("the General") and Muriel St. Claire ("the movie star"). I love later in life romances. If Abby and Cameron had their own book and it was dragged out, I would have wanted to slap the crap out of Abby for being such an idiot because Cameron was a sweetheart and she was an immature fool. So their story worked well in among the others. But, the main story of the book was about Rick and Liz, two characters we have been following for several books. Their story dealt with some difficult realities and results of horrendous circumstances which our brave young men and women have been facing for what seems like forever in these terrible wars. It was heartbreaking and even more difficult to read because all of it is, unfortunately, true. It was handled with care by Robyn Carr. I was not surprised to see this topic come up. Each one of these books handle real life events. We must never forget the cost, besides the loss of life, that wars cause. Lest we forget.
November 18, 2022
This book seemed to be more serious in tone, as it dealt with a favorite son who returned from war with a devasting injury and the aftermath. There is also another storyline involving a character who has a questionable past, but has been involved with helping the usual residents from time to time. As always, the core cast continues to grow as the over-arcing story continues.
March 27, 2009
Depressing. Because this was #7 in a long series where I was already attached to many of the characters I enjoyed this book. The author used a lot of ink explaining previous stories, summing up earlier books and though it might be necessary for those new to this series, it was annoying for me--who read them all--to have to be spoonfed the drama all over again...filler.
As usual, this had several stories running through it:
Cameron and Abby: Their story held my attention the most and wish they had been the primary focus...
Rick and Liz: Their story was the most depressing and irritating for me. All the drama around blaming himself just got old and would like for that to have cleared up earlier than it did. Enjoyed seeing how much Liz's character had grown.
Walt and Muriel: Egads. Way too much time spent on them, imo. While it was sweet, I found it incredibly boring.
Cheryl and Dan Brady: Didn't care for them or their stories. While I sympathize with their pasts, I did not enjoy reading about their history of past problems (and there were many). Also, I thought alcoholics were supposed to avoid relationships for a certain time period--especially one with an ex-con recently out of prison for growing pot.
Also, in an earlier book, thought "it" eluded to Dan being DEA or something. Then in this book, he's recently out of serving a 6-month of 3-year prison sentence, then later that was contradicted again. Hmmm
The writing was great, as usual, and I enjoyed reading about the previous characters. There was way too much detail (again) on remodeling, long, agonizing descriptions of a house in serious disrepair...some things that could have been summed up to firm up the book...more filler.
Mel hauling her kids around trying to tell everyone Rick was injured was nutz. Use the phone! Or allow others to spread the word. My goodness.
As usual, this had several stories running through it:
Cameron and Abby: Their story held my attention the most and wish they had been the primary focus...
Rick and Liz: Their story was the most depressing and irritating for me. All the drama around blaming himself just got old and would like for that to have cleared up earlier than it did. Enjoyed seeing how much Liz's character had grown.
Walt and Muriel: Egads. Way too much time spent on them, imo. While it was sweet, I found it incredibly boring.
Cheryl and Dan Brady: Didn't care for them or their stories. While I sympathize with their pasts, I did not enjoy reading about their history of past problems (and there were many). Also, I thought alcoholics were supposed to avoid relationships for a certain time period--especially one with an ex-con recently out of prison for growing pot.
Also, in an earlier book, thought "it" eluded to Dan being DEA or something. Then in this book, he's recently out of serving a 6-month of 3-year prison sentence, then later that was contradicted again. Hmmm
The writing was great, as usual, and I enjoyed reading about the previous characters. There was way too much detail (again) on remodeling, long, agonizing descriptions of a house in serious disrepair...some things that could have been summed up to firm up the book...more filler.
Mel hauling her kids around trying to tell everyone Rick was injured was nutz. Use the phone! Or allow others to spread the word. My goodness.
December 4, 2022
Virgin River never fails to be like reading a warm hug. I'll confess to having put this one off for a while because of the fatal 'reading the reviews' mistake.
I knew Rick, one of our beloved characters, is injured in the war and doesn't handle it well. I knew we got more of the loathsome Abby who wouldn't know a good thing if it slapped her upside the head. And I knew we got more of Walt and Muriel, the older couple everyone seemed to not want to read about. Oh, and there was Dan (the pot grower) and Cheryl (the town drunk).
Well, I'm regretting I did put it off because it was wonderful. Rick's struggle with his injuries and Liz finding her steel were so realistically done. Cam finally getting his HEA with Abby made me happy (though he deserved better) and I'm sorry for all you older MC-haters out there but get the F*CK over it! Age is a state of mind, not a number.
Robyn Carr did Walt and Muriel's relationship beautifully. There was no mention of things you all might find icky. You know, like a wrinkle 😱. This was just two people who found each other, finding their way through things that yes, might be more relevant to people with some greater life experience . But hey, life experiences don't stop at 30 ya know! They were mid 50s and early 60s FFS. Not in their 80s. And who cares if they were? If you care about looks, Google hot 60 year old men cos there are some fine looking men out there that age.
I also do not understand the hate for Dan and Cheryl. Why did Dan have to be an undercover cop or something more 'interesting' than what he was? I thought Dan was great! His reasons for doing what he did, and Cheryl's, were completely plausible. Whilst Cheryl felt a bit one dimensional, Dan was fleshed out so well. He was always an intriguing character and I felt made no less so by his background.
Rant over, I am now officially back on the Virgin River train 🚅
I knew Rick, one of our beloved characters, is injured in the war and doesn't handle it well. I knew we got more of the loathsome Abby who wouldn't know a good thing if it slapped her upside the head. And I knew we got more of Walt and Muriel, the older couple everyone seemed to not want to read about. Oh, and there was Dan (the pot grower) and Cheryl (the town drunk).
Well, I'm regretting I did put it off because it was wonderful. Rick's struggle with his injuries and Liz finding her steel were so realistically done. Cam finally getting his HEA with Abby made me happy (though he deserved better) and I'm sorry for all you older MC-haters out there but get the F*CK over it! Age is a state of mind, not a number.
Robyn Carr did Walt and Muriel's relationship beautifully. There was no mention of things you all might find icky. You know, like a wrinkle 😱. This was just two people who found each other, finding their way through things that yes, might be more relevant to people with some greater life experience . But hey, life experiences don't stop at 30 ya know! They were mid 50s and early 60s FFS. Not in their 80s. And who cares if they were? If you care about looks, Google hot 60 year old men cos there are some fine looking men out there that age.
I also do not understand the hate for Dan and Cheryl. Why did Dan have to be an undercover cop or something more 'interesting' than what he was? I thought Dan was great! His reasons for doing what he did, and Cheryl's, were completely plausible. Whilst Cheryl felt a bit one dimensional, Dan was fleshed out so well. He was always an intriguing character and I felt made no less so by his background.
Rant over, I am now officially back on the Virgin River train 🚅
March 27, 2009
What to say...what to say...I find myself a bit torn on my feelings for this book. Because I liked it a lot. It was a quick, enjoyable read with characters I love. At the same time, I was disappointed in it and somewhat frustrated because it wasn't what I expected, or what I necessarily wanted.
Paradise Valley is the seventh book in Robyn Carr's Virgin River series, and the third and final book in the most recent trilogy. This book basically picks up threads started in previous books, which makes it NOT a standalone. You really should read the entire series to understand everything.
There are a lot of threads in this story. First there is the continuing romance between Doc Cameron and Abby, Vanessa's friend. The two met in the last book for a one night stand that left Abby pregnant with twins. Now that they've been "reunited" the two must work out what they plan to do. Also there is the continuing story of young lovers Ricky and Liz. Their story started in the original trilogy when Liz got pregnant at 14. The baby was stillborn but the couple stayed together. Ricky went off to be a Marine, though he pledged his love to Liz. Now Ricky has been seriously injured and everyone around him must help him through a terrible time as he tries to push them all, including Liz, away.
There's also more about the romance between retired General Walt Booth and movie star Muriel. Walt has to learn how to deal with the fact that Muriel is making a new movie. And the last storyline involves a mysterious past character, pot grower "Shady Brady" and the one time town drunk, Cheryl Crawford. Dan Brady returns to town after time in prison, hoping to start life over. He meets Cheryl when she visits town and the two strike up a friendship.
Plus there's also focus time in the book on some past characters. Lots of Jack and Mel. And everyone else is around...Brie, Mike, Paul, Vanessa, Paige, Preacher...etc.
And if you just read all that, you might get an idea of one of the pitfalls of this book. There are A LOT of story threads. More so than normal for a Virgin River book. It made it hard to settle into the story because every time you're getting into a couple, the scene changes to a different one and it could be a while before you get back to the other. On top of that, the two couples who seemed to get the most screen time were the two I was least interested in for the book.
Walt and Muriel, for one. There's something kinda sweet about them in a side-story kind of way. But after reading about them so much in the previous two books, I didn't really feel like reading more about them. The sex scenes between them didn't really appeal either. I just wasn't interested in that for them. So I wish they hadn't been so prominent.
Cam and Abby...hmm, I don't know. Something about them didn't quite snag me. Or maybe it's that I felt their storyline in this book was a little blah. Mostly, though, I think it's that I wanted to read about other people more than I wanted to read about them. So when they had all these scenes, all I could think was, when do we get the other people?
Which leads to those other people...Ricky, Liz, Dan and Cheryl.
I was very disappointed in the Ricky/Liz storyline in this book. This story was supposed to be their sort of reunion story, but it seemed like they hardly spent any time together at all. Grant it, Ricky was dealing with a lot and it was necessary to play that out, but I wanted more out of them as a couple. They've been building since very early in the series and I wanted that sweet happy ending for them...which they appear to be getting, but I wasn't really completely feeling the "happy" part. I guess because for almost the entire book they are at odds and it's not until one scene near the end that they work things out. I know some readers were also bothered by Ricky's antagonism and treatment of Liz...and maybe it was a little too much, but for me, it fit his situation. I just wanted to get a little more sweetness out of their story resolution.
And that leaves Dan and Cheryl...boy, what a disappointment that storyline was! Entirely because their romance is NOT in this book. Which was really unexpected. I went into reading this thinking Dan was doing to find love and live happily ever after. Instead, this book just reintroduces Dan and sets up his new life in Virgin River and sows the seeds of a possible romance between him and Cheryl, now a recovering alcoholic. I did enjoy what there was of Dan in the book. I think he's a fascinating character and I was surprised by some of the stuff we found out about him, but I'd been waiting and waiting for this book thinking it was going to be his story (and Ricky and Liz's) and then it wasn't. It just left me disappointed, especially knowing it's going to be a year before the next VC trilogy comes out and the story continues.
I also thought Dan's backstory in this one got a bit confused. Carr led us one way in the previous books, then this one seems to contradict that. Actually, he seemed two different pasts in this book, one he told Jack and one he told Cheryl. Neither of which matched what I thought Carr was telling us in the previous books. So I ended up kinda confused on what his deal was.
And after all that criticizing it might seem weird that I still give this book four stars. But it was still a really good book. I love reading about Virgin River and all the various characters (even if I did think Jack was overused some in this one). It was a quick read that I didn't particularly want to put down. Yet at the same time, it wasn't really the story I wanted for this book. It went directions that I wasn't fully interested in and neglected the ones I was. So that's where it fell short for me. Even so, I think fans of this series will enjoy the book. Some will love it, and some may feel the same way I do, but it's definitely worth reading.
Paradise Valley is the seventh book in Robyn Carr's Virgin River series, and the third and final book in the most recent trilogy. This book basically picks up threads started in previous books, which makes it NOT a standalone. You really should read the entire series to understand everything.
There are a lot of threads in this story. First there is the continuing romance between Doc Cameron and Abby, Vanessa's friend. The two met in the last book for a one night stand that left Abby pregnant with twins. Now that they've been "reunited" the two must work out what they plan to do. Also there is the continuing story of young lovers Ricky and Liz. Their story started in the original trilogy when Liz got pregnant at 14. The baby was stillborn but the couple stayed together. Ricky went off to be a Marine, though he pledged his love to Liz. Now Ricky has been seriously injured and everyone around him must help him through a terrible time as he tries to push them all, including Liz, away.
There's also more about the romance between retired General Walt Booth and movie star Muriel. Walt has to learn how to deal with the fact that Muriel is making a new movie. And the last storyline involves a mysterious past character, pot grower "Shady Brady" and the one time town drunk, Cheryl Crawford. Dan Brady returns to town after time in prison, hoping to start life over. He meets Cheryl when she visits town and the two strike up a friendship.
Plus there's also focus time in the book on some past characters. Lots of Jack and Mel. And everyone else is around...Brie, Mike, Paul, Vanessa, Paige, Preacher...etc.
And if you just read all that, you might get an idea of one of the pitfalls of this book. There are A LOT of story threads. More so than normal for a Virgin River book. It made it hard to settle into the story because every time you're getting into a couple, the scene changes to a different one and it could be a while before you get back to the other. On top of that, the two couples who seemed to get the most screen time were the two I was least interested in for the book.
Walt and Muriel, for one. There's something kinda sweet about them in a side-story kind of way. But after reading about them so much in the previous two books, I didn't really feel like reading more about them. The sex scenes between them didn't really appeal either. I just wasn't interested in that for them. So I wish they hadn't been so prominent.
Cam and Abby...hmm, I don't know. Something about them didn't quite snag me. Or maybe it's that I felt their storyline in this book was a little blah. Mostly, though, I think it's that I wanted to read about other people more than I wanted to read about them. So when they had all these scenes, all I could think was, when do we get the other people?
Which leads to those other people...Ricky, Liz, Dan and Cheryl.
I was very disappointed in the Ricky/Liz storyline in this book. This story was supposed to be their sort of reunion story, but it seemed like they hardly spent any time together at all. Grant it, Ricky was dealing with a lot and it was necessary to play that out, but I wanted more out of them as a couple. They've been building since very early in the series and I wanted that sweet happy ending for them...which they appear to be getting, but I wasn't really completely feeling the "happy" part. I guess because for almost the entire book they are at odds and it's not until one scene near the end that they work things out. I know some readers were also bothered by Ricky's antagonism and treatment of Liz...and maybe it was a little too much, but for me, it fit his situation. I just wanted to get a little more sweetness out of their story resolution.
And that leaves Dan and Cheryl...boy, what a disappointment that storyline was! Entirely because their romance is NOT in this book. Which was really unexpected. I went into reading this thinking Dan was doing to find love and live happily ever after. Instead, this book just reintroduces Dan and sets up his new life in Virgin River and sows the seeds of a possible romance between him and Cheryl, now a recovering alcoholic. I did enjoy what there was of Dan in the book. I think he's a fascinating character and I was surprised by some of the stuff we found out about him, but I'd been waiting and waiting for this book thinking it was going to be his story (and Ricky and Liz's) and then it wasn't. It just left me disappointed, especially knowing it's going to be a year before the next VC trilogy comes out and the story continues.
I also thought Dan's backstory in this one got a bit confused. Carr led us one way in the previous books, then this one seems to contradict that. Actually, he seemed two different pasts in this book, one he told Jack and one he told Cheryl. Neither of which matched what I thought Carr was telling us in the previous books. So I ended up kinda confused on what his deal was.
And after all that criticizing it might seem weird that I still give this book four stars. But it was still a really good book. I love reading about Virgin River and all the various characters (even if I did think Jack was overused some in this one). It was a quick read that I didn't particularly want to put down. Yet at the same time, it wasn't really the story I wanted for this book. It went directions that I wasn't fully interested in and neglected the ones I was. So that's where it fell short for me. Even so, I think fans of this series will enjoy the book. Some will love it, and some may feel the same way I do, but it's definitely worth reading.
January 31, 2023
I LOVED THIS ONE SO MUCH
Okay, look. This whole series has sucked me right in. I adore all of these character. But this one really hit a home run to me. There were a few big moving pieces and I was invested in all of them.
When it ended, I literally said, "It's over?!", checked out the next one and am already listening to it.
Okay, look. This whole series has sucked me right in. I adore all of these character. But this one really hit a home run to me. There were a few big moving pieces and I was invested in all of them.
When it ended, I literally said, "It's over?!", checked out the next one and am already listening to it.
November 28, 2018
This book had me in tears at a few points. It was a build up of character development that began in book one. So many emotions and feelings. I just love this small town with multiple stories developing over all the books. And even when the story ends, the characters' stories continue as the books go on.
March 31, 2021
Paradise Valley
Virgin River
Virgin River
February 12, 2012
I have finally come to the conclusion that this series is no longer about one particular romance with each installment. It has evolved into a love story that is more about a community rather than a couple and it reads more like a soap opera (minus the over-the-top dramatics) than a single tale. That can be a good thing for those who like continuing sagas where one gets to keep up with previous players while enjoying new and interesting characters. It can also be a bad thing if one prefers focus. I, personally have been fighting this transformation, but about half way through the book, I finally capitulated, relaxed and enjoyed the book for what it is - a sweet continuation in the lives of all the inhabitants that make up a small mountain town (Virgin River) in Northern California.
June 9, 2019
Another awesome read in a fantastic series! A lot of angst & turmoil in this one, but a good, solid ending as always. Several couples share the spotlight: Cameron & Abby, Rick & Liz, Walt & Muriel, and even mystery guy Dan & Cheryl get some page time! Loss, grief, tears - this is a heartbreaker and yet through it all, you always feel the love of family in Virgin River. A Must Read! Looking forward to the next one!
August 19, 2020
This Virgin River book in a twist from what I've read in the past, starts out sad and suspenseful. It was good in the end but it felt like the book split between three very different couples and as a result I wasn't super invested in any of them. It is still escapist reading and I enjoyed it but not as much as the first books in the series.
November 22, 2023
After finishing Temptation Ridge, I promptly picked up Paradise Valley. Unfortunately, it was meh.
The blurb hints there will be 2 main couples in this book, but honestly, there were at least 4 that got pretty much equal page count. Only one couple was new - Dan and Cheryl, but they only got as far as agreeing to maybe date and maybe kiss each other by the end of the book. The 3 remaining main couples - Liz and Picky, Cameron and Abby, Walt and Muriel - pick up where they left off in the previous books. And Walt and Muriel's story is nowhere near a resolution, they keep progressing at a snail's pace across like 4 or 5 books at this point. We also got a resolution to Luke and Shelby's story, which I firmly believe belonged in the previous book, not this one. Plus there were cameos from all the couples from the previous installment of the series.
That is to say, there were too many stories in this book for any of them to get properly developed. Not only did they lack any depth, they were almost perfunctory. Robyn Carr has a hundred things going on and the way they get split into books is almost random, or at least arbitrary, there are no beginnings and ends. It made me think it's a good fit for a TV show, as I can see how these could be episodes, each revisiting the many plot lines and characters.
Well, I'll again pause reading this series. Maybe for 3 years again. But I'm sure I'll pick one of these back up sometime when I need a comfort-read distraction.
The blurb hints there will be 2 main couples in this book, but honestly, there were at least 4 that got pretty much equal page count. Only one couple was new - Dan and Cheryl, but they only got as far as agreeing to maybe date and maybe kiss each other by the end of the book. The 3 remaining main couples - Liz and Picky, Cameron and Abby, Walt and Muriel - pick up where they left off in the previous books. And Walt and Muriel's story is nowhere near a resolution, they keep progressing at a snail's pace across like 4 or 5 books at this point. We also got a resolution to Luke and Shelby's story, which I firmly believe belonged in the previous book, not this one. Plus there were cameos from all the couples from the previous installment of the series.
That is to say, there were too many stories in this book for any of them to get properly developed. Not only did they lack any depth, they were almost perfunctory. Robyn Carr has a hundred things going on and the way they get split into books is almost random, or at least arbitrary, there are no beginnings and ends. It made me think it's a good fit for a TV show, as I can see how these could be episodes, each revisiting the many plot lines and characters.
Well, I'll again pause reading this series. Maybe for 3 years again. But I'm sure I'll pick one of these back up sometime when I need a comfort-read distraction.
December 16, 2016
Paradise Valley es el septimo libro de la saga Virgin River de la autora Robyn Carr.
Lei varias reseñas que decian que esta era la historia que mas esperaban poder leer y que no habia sido lo que ellos esperaba, yo en cambio no esperaba este libro con mucho entusiasmo, la relacion de Rick y Liz no me interesaba demasiado, en cambio si tenia mucha curiosidad por conocer a Dan, era un personaje que me llamo la atencion desde su primera aparicion, ademas me moria de ganas de saber quien seria la afortunada de terminar con el.
Creo que el mayor error de este libro fue que la autora intento desarrollar demasiadas historias en un solo libro y con eso consiguio que todas las parejas quedaran a medias, que le costaba escribir otro libro y asi no quedara demasiado condensado, aun asi lo esperaba mas flojo y denso y la verdad es que tampoco me parecio tan lento de leer como me imaginaba.
A mi modo de ver es un libro un poco innecesario, no aporta nada nuevo a la saga ni tampoco sirve para cerrar alguna trama, ya que todo queda en el aire con todas las parejas ( que no son pocas ).
En conclusion, un libro demasiado largo para lo poco que aporta.
2.5 Estrellas!
January 17, 2020
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?
5 Stars!!
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.
Be still my heart! I have followed Ricks story from the beginning. He has been in Virgin River since the series started and I couldn't wait for his book! This one wrecked my heart so much- the author did an amazing job of showing Ricks turmoil and the shifts in his personality due to PTSD and losing something precious. My heart broke for Lizzie but her character growth in this book is AMAZING we see a timid, shy and weak girl become SO STRONG and it kicked ass! I love it :P
February 11, 2015
No me ha gustado. ¿Es un libro necesario para el resto de la serie? quizás pero si queréis que os diga la verdad eso de que tenga tanta pareja y que no profundice en ninguna no va conmigo. Y no estoy exagerando cuando digo que hay muchas historias paralelas, ¡ni mas ni menos que cuatro! Cuando las autoras quieren condensar tantas historias en un solo libro se corre el riesgo de quedarse a medias con todas y eso es lo que, bajo mi punto de vista, sucede aquí.
Con las historia de Rick y Liz me he quedado a medias, a ver, él lo pasa mal, muy bien, pero es que hay casi cinco o seis capítulo por no decir más en los que no sé nada de los supuestos protagonistas del libro. De las demás no voy a hablar porque no quiero spoilear pero vamos, más de lo mismo.
Espero que en los próximos libros de la serie la autora haya recuperado esa forma de escribir que me encantó en los primeros libros.
Con las historia de Rick y Liz me he quedado a medias, a ver, él lo pasa mal, muy bien, pero es que hay casi cinco o seis capítulo por no decir más en los que no sé nada de los supuestos protagonistas del libro. De las demás no voy a hablar porque no quiero spoilear pero vamos, más de lo mismo.
Espero que en los próximos libros de la serie la autora haya recuperado esa forma de escribir que me encantó en los primeros libros.
November 28, 2010
This was not my favorite in this series. First of all, Cameron got on my nerves. Really I could not stomach him. So his whole story with Abby just made me want to throw the book against the wall. There was a wonderful part with Dan and Rick that just had me in tears. I don't even know why I continued with this series. It was OK, but every single book had the same sort of theme and why does everyone HAVE to get pregnant? sheeesh... it seems these stories can't be complete without all the babies. Don't get me wrong, I have 4 of them myself, and I love kids, but I don't think that is all there is to life.
May 29, 2015
The seventh book in the continuing saga of the Virgin River series. A bit disappointing for me but still a solid read. The book was supposed to focus on Rick Sudder and Dan Brady. I didn't feel that either of them got the page time due them nor the women they love. Nevertheless, I will continue on with the series.
March 30, 2015
Two-haiku review:
Ricky's injured bad
Shady Brady's back in town
Doc Cameron, too
Three stories at once
Essential read in order
Ongoing saga
Originally read Nov. 2012
Re-read Dec. 2013
Ricky's injured bad
Shady Brady's back in town
Doc Cameron, too
Three stories at once
Essential read in order
Ongoing saga
Originally read Nov. 2012
Re-read Dec. 2013
November 3, 2012
Reviewed for THC Reviews
"4.5 stars" Every return visit I've made to Virgin River so far has been a pleasant and enjoyable one, and Paradise Valley was no exception. I only had a few small complaints (hence the half star deduction). The first is that the back cover blurb made it sound like this book was going to be Rick and Liz's story, and after all this young couple has been through, I was really looking forward to them having a book that was virtually all their own. However, this wasn't quite the case. I suppose there was a bit more focus given to their romance, but really this book contained an ensemble of couples. In addition to Rick and Liz weathering through another trial, there is also major relationship progression for Cameron and Abby and Walt and Muriel, as well as a brand new romance for two secondary characters who have been a part of Virgin River since the first book of the series. I can't complain too much though, because I really liked all four couples. Another little issue I had is that there was very little romance for the first half of the book, so it takes a while for things to really get going. The three established couples spend most of this time in conflict, but about halfway through the reader is finally treated to some really deep emotion and more of the tender, heart-stopping romance I've come to expect from the Virgin River series. Lastly, I was a tad disappointed that Rick and Liz didn't get a reunion love scene after they finally worked everything out, especially since they were ostensibly the “main” couple. Overall though, all of my little criticisms were far outweighed by the sheer joy of revisiting these characters, so it was still a great story.
Rick has definitely grown up, but it hasn't been an easy road for him in the least. He's now a wounded warrior both in body and spirit and spends a little time indulging in some self-pity. He's been through so much in his short life that now he thinks he's bad luck for everyone and that they're better off without him. He ends up pushing away nearly everyone he's ever cared about, including Liz and Jack, even though all they want to do is love and support him. The back and forth struggle that Rick goes through, one minute longing to have any small connection he can to Liz, like listening to her phone messages over and over, and the next, ruthlessly tamping down his feelings for her, was very realistic and well-done. He never stopped loving her but believed he wasn't good for her and she could do better. Rick ends up treating Jack like dirt too, but eventually he comes to his senses in a dramatic, heart-wrenching moment.
For her part, Liz has been completely committed and faithful to Rick through his Marine training and tour of Iraq. She didn't hesitate to go to Germany the minute she got word of him being wounded and didn't even flinch at the sight of his severe injury. She's a strong young woman who has weathered through all the bad times with Rick and is determined to not give up on him even when he won't answer his phone or speak to her. She never stops trying until he breaks her heart face-to-face, but even then, deep down, she couldn't stop loving him. That kind of loyalty is very rare in one so young, which in my book makes her a great heroine. It was also why it was difficult to handle the way Rick treated her, but in spite of that, I still understood his pain too.
Cameron and Abby are a pair of sweethearts, who I instantly liked when they hooked up in the last book. Their story picks up exactly where it left off, with Abby still running scared. She's afraid of what her cheating, no-good ex might do if he finds out she's pregnant and violated their prenup just a week before their divorce was final. She's also having a little trouble trusting a man whom she barely knows. These issues, combined with pregnancy hormones, make Abby a little prickly in the beginning, but Cameron is nothing if not patient and persistent. At first, there seems to be a lot of distance between this couple, as Cameron works to try to find a way to just be parenting partners. He doesn't want to completely scare Abby off, but he is insistent, and rightfully so, on being a father to his children. Many men wouldn't do nearly that much, especially if the mother was fighting him on it the way Abby sometimes did. I love the way he was so focused on taking care of Abby throughout the remainder of her pregnancy. He's a very selfless man who always tries to put her needs first and was willing to go anywhere or do anything to stay close to her and the babies, and eventually his gentleness and patience paid off, giving him everything he's ever dreamed of.
Walt and Muriel are proof that love and romance isn't just for the young, but also the young at heart. They enjoy as healthy of a sex life as some of their younger counterparts, and surprisingly, they got the first love scene of the book and were the only one of the four couples to get a full love scene that didn't involve dreams, rough, angry sex, or convolutions to get around a pregnancy. Muriel is still off filming her movie that she hopes will finally win her the Oscar, while Walt pines away in loneliness back in Virgin River. He doesn't think that he can fit into her world full of glitz and glamor, but eventually, he decides to take a chance on this headstrong, independent woman who turns out to have a surprisingly vulnerable side. Whenever this couple gets together around Muriel's' work schedule, they act like a couple of teenagers falling in love for the first time.
Last but not least, we have Dan (aka Shady Brady) who has been there since the beginning. At first, I thought maybe he was an undercover cop or something, but apparently not. He returns to Virgin River after a short stint in prison for illegally growing pot. Understandably, Jack and the others are a little wary of him at first, but they haven't forgotten how he saved Paige's life and helped them in other ways too. Paul was a stand-up guy to take a chance on hiring Dan, and Jack comes around pretty fast as well. I thought Robyn Carr did a great job of redeeming this character into an appealing hero. It seems that deep down he's always had a conscience and good reasons for what he did. Now he's trying to turn over a new leaf. He has a lot in common with the other men of Virgin River and feels especially connected to Rick. Dan also connects with another long-time resident of Virgin River who has felt like just as much of an outcast, the former town drunk, Cheryl. Cheryl is doing really well, post-rehab, but is pretty wary of getting involved with any guy. These two are a couple of emotionally wounded souls on the road to recovery. They develop a deep friendship, taking things really slow while simply enjoying each other's company and getting to know one another.
Paradise Valley wouldn't be a Virgin River book without appearances by all the favorite characters readers have come to love. Jack and Mel, Preacher and Paige, Mike and Brie, Paul and Vanni are all here, supporting their friends and families. We get a lot of the story from Jack's POV as he struggles with figuring out how to help Rick and Liz. Luke and Shelby put in an appearance, announcing plans for a wedding and starting a family. Dotty, old Hope McCray buys the abandoned church to resell on eBay, which I'm sure is a set up for the next full-length novel in the series, Forbidden Falls, in which a new minister comes to town as the hero. As always, these characters have become like a second family in my mind, and I can't wait for my next visit with them when I continue the series.
"4.5 stars" Every return visit I've made to Virgin River so far has been a pleasant and enjoyable one, and Paradise Valley was no exception. I only had a few small complaints (hence the half star deduction). The first is that the back cover blurb made it sound like this book was going to be Rick and Liz's story, and after all this young couple has been through, I was really looking forward to them having a book that was virtually all their own. However, this wasn't quite the case. I suppose there was a bit more focus given to their romance, but really this book contained an ensemble of couples. In addition to Rick and Liz weathering through another trial, there is also major relationship progression for Cameron and Abby and Walt and Muriel, as well as a brand new romance for two secondary characters who have been a part of Virgin River since the first book of the series. I can't complain too much though, because I really liked all four couples. Another little issue I had is that there was very little romance for the first half of the book, so it takes a while for things to really get going. The three established couples spend most of this time in conflict, but about halfway through the reader is finally treated to some really deep emotion and more of the tender, heart-stopping romance I've come to expect from the Virgin River series. Lastly, I was a tad disappointed that Rick and Liz didn't get a reunion love scene after they finally worked everything out, especially since they were ostensibly the “main” couple. Overall though, all of my little criticisms were far outweighed by the sheer joy of revisiting these characters, so it was still a great story.
Rick has definitely grown up, but it hasn't been an easy road for him in the least. He's now a wounded warrior both in body and spirit and spends a little time indulging in some self-pity. He's been through so much in his short life that now he thinks he's bad luck for everyone and that they're better off without him. He ends up pushing away nearly everyone he's ever cared about, including Liz and Jack, even though all they want to do is love and support him. The back and forth struggle that Rick goes through, one minute longing to have any small connection he can to Liz, like listening to her phone messages over and over, and the next, ruthlessly tamping down his feelings for her, was very realistic and well-done. He never stopped loving her but believed he wasn't good for her and she could do better. Rick ends up treating Jack like dirt too, but eventually he comes to his senses in a dramatic, heart-wrenching moment.
For her part, Liz has been completely committed and faithful to Rick through his Marine training and tour of Iraq. She didn't hesitate to go to Germany the minute she got word of him being wounded and didn't even flinch at the sight of his severe injury. She's a strong young woman who has weathered through all the bad times with Rick and is determined to not give up on him even when he won't answer his phone or speak to her. She never stops trying until he breaks her heart face-to-face, but even then, deep down, she couldn't stop loving him. That kind of loyalty is very rare in one so young, which in my book makes her a great heroine. It was also why it was difficult to handle the way Rick treated her, but in spite of that, I still understood his pain too.
Cameron and Abby are a pair of sweethearts, who I instantly liked when they hooked up in the last book. Their story picks up exactly where it left off, with Abby still running scared. She's afraid of what her cheating, no-good ex might do if he finds out she's pregnant and violated their prenup just a week before their divorce was final. She's also having a little trouble trusting a man whom she barely knows. These issues, combined with pregnancy hormones, make Abby a little prickly in the beginning, but Cameron is nothing if not patient and persistent. At first, there seems to be a lot of distance between this couple, as Cameron works to try to find a way to just be parenting partners. He doesn't want to completely scare Abby off, but he is insistent, and rightfully so, on being a father to his children. Many men wouldn't do nearly that much, especially if the mother was fighting him on it the way Abby sometimes did. I love the way he was so focused on taking care of Abby throughout the remainder of her pregnancy. He's a very selfless man who always tries to put her needs first and was willing to go anywhere or do anything to stay close to her and the babies, and eventually his gentleness and patience paid off, giving him everything he's ever dreamed of.
Walt and Muriel are proof that love and romance isn't just for the young, but also the young at heart. They enjoy as healthy of a sex life as some of their younger counterparts, and surprisingly, they got the first love scene of the book and were the only one of the four couples to get a full love scene that didn't involve dreams, rough, angry sex, or convolutions to get around a pregnancy. Muriel is still off filming her movie that she hopes will finally win her the Oscar, while Walt pines away in loneliness back in Virgin River. He doesn't think that he can fit into her world full of glitz and glamor, but eventually, he decides to take a chance on this headstrong, independent woman who turns out to have a surprisingly vulnerable side. Whenever this couple gets together around Muriel's' work schedule, they act like a couple of teenagers falling in love for the first time.
Last but not least, we have Dan (aka Shady Brady) who has been there since the beginning. At first, I thought maybe he was an undercover cop or something, but apparently not. He returns to Virgin River after a short stint in prison for illegally growing pot. Understandably, Jack and the others are a little wary of him at first, but they haven't forgotten how he saved Paige's life and helped them in other ways too. Paul was a stand-up guy to take a chance on hiring Dan, and Jack comes around pretty fast as well. I thought Robyn Carr did a great job of redeeming this character into an appealing hero. It seems that deep down he's always had a conscience and good reasons for what he did. Now he's trying to turn over a new leaf. He has a lot in common with the other men of Virgin River and feels especially connected to Rick. Dan also connects with another long-time resident of Virgin River who has felt like just as much of an outcast, the former town drunk, Cheryl. Cheryl is doing really well, post-rehab, but is pretty wary of getting involved with any guy. These two are a couple of emotionally wounded souls on the road to recovery. They develop a deep friendship, taking things really slow while simply enjoying each other's company and getting to know one another.
Paradise Valley wouldn't be a Virgin River book without appearances by all the favorite characters readers have come to love. Jack and Mel, Preacher and Paige, Mike and Brie, Paul and Vanni are all here, supporting their friends and families. We get a lot of the story from Jack's POV as he struggles with figuring out how to help Rick and Liz. Luke and Shelby put in an appearance, announcing plans for a wedding and starting a family. Dotty, old Hope McCray buys the abandoned church to resell on eBay, which I'm sure is a set up for the next full-length novel in the series, Forbidden Falls, in which a new minister comes to town as the hero. As always, these characters have become like a second family in my mind, and I can't wait for my next visit with them when I continue the series.
April 5, 2020
Este es el 7º libro que leo de la serie Virgin River. En este libro por fin sabremos cómo acaba la historia de Rick y Liz, a los que conocemos desde el principio: aquí tenemos el desenlace.
También nos cuenta como continua la historia de Walt, el padre de Vanessa y Muriel.
Conocemos mejor a Dan Brady, que se instala en el pueblo. Ya anteriormente, aunque no de forma muy legal, ayudó a los habitantes de Virgin River, pero ahora, se convierte en uno de ellos.
Volvemos a saber Cheryl, que una vez recuperada gracias a mel, vuelve a formar parte de este Lugar.
un placer seguir conociendo lo que sucede a los habitantes de Virgin River .
También nos cuenta como continua la historia de Walt, el padre de Vanessa y Muriel.
Conocemos mejor a Dan Brady, que se instala en el pueblo. Ya anteriormente, aunque no de forma muy legal, ayudó a los habitantes de Virgin River, pero ahora, se convierte en uno de ellos.
Volvemos a saber Cheryl, que una vez recuperada gracias a mel, vuelve a formar parte de este Lugar.
un placer seguir conociendo lo que sucede a los habitantes de Virgin River .
August 1, 2017
I have come to think of these books like comfort food, only comfort books. Every time I read one it is like you are a part of the community and you are coming home after a long trip away.
With this book something happens, something that I expected when we first heard that Rick was headed to Iraq. With each book I just knew he was going to be hurt and I was holding my breath waiting but really hoping it wouldn't happen. Sadly it finally happened in this book, and like you would expect this event really screwed with Rick's head. He turned into an ass and pushed everyone away. I found when I was reading I kept getting so mad at Rick, I wanted to reach through the pages and yell and scream at Rick, no one in Virgin River was doing it so I could have happily stepped up to the plate. Finally after all sorts of crap that he put her through, Liz ripped him a new one and I was cheering her on. He needed to hear what she said. I also was very glad to see Dan step up and go after him too for the scene with Liz. Dan's display was just the thing that Rick needed to wake him up.
But Rick and Liz weren't the only couple in the book. We had 3 others that had some great scenes and their own issues to work out. The General and the Movie Star (I know they have names, but I like to think if them this way) have been a favorite couple of mine for the last couple of books. Their slow getting to know each other and falling in love has been so much fun to watch. It makes you hope that if you are single when you are in your 50's/60's your love life can be like this.
Cameron and Abby have one great big issue to work around, the twins that Abby is caring from their one night stand. Cameron, very determined, managed to work his magic on Abby so soon you are falling for Cameron right along with Abby.
And the final couple in the book is a very unusual one, but one that I am rooting for the most as they are 2 people that have been through a lot. Our Shady Brady of so many books comes back strong in this book, and like the town you very much reserve judgment about him. But as Dan's story comes out you realize that he is just a man who didn't always make the best choices, but now seems to have his head on straight. And the woman, well she is someone we meet from day one, a big mess of a woman, but one who also is slowly working to get her head on straight. I am hoping that in the future books we get to see more of them.
On a side note, Hope is back meddling with the town by trying to sell the church on e-bay. I am sure that the next book will bring misadventures centered around this and I can't wait to see what happens!!
With this book something happens, something that I expected when we first heard that Rick was headed to Iraq. With each book I just knew he was going to be hurt and I was holding my breath waiting but really hoping it wouldn't happen. Sadly it finally happened in this book, and like you would expect this event really screwed with Rick's head. He turned into an ass and pushed everyone away. I found when I was reading I kept getting so mad at Rick, I wanted to reach through the pages and yell and scream at Rick, no one in Virgin River was doing it so I could have happily stepped up to the plate. Finally after all sorts of crap that he put her through, Liz ripped him a new one and I was cheering her on. He needed to hear what she said. I also was very glad to see Dan step up and go after him too for the scene with Liz. Dan's display was just the thing that Rick needed to wake him up.
But Rick and Liz weren't the only couple in the book. We had 3 others that had some great scenes and their own issues to work out. The General and the Movie Star (I know they have names, but I like to think if them this way) have been a favorite couple of mine for the last couple of books. Their slow getting to know each other and falling in love has been so much fun to watch. It makes you hope that if you are single when you are in your 50's/60's your love life can be like this.
Cameron and Abby have one great big issue to work around, the twins that Abby is caring from their one night stand. Cameron, very determined, managed to work his magic on Abby so soon you are falling for Cameron right along with Abby.
And the final couple in the book is a very unusual one, but one that I am rooting for the most as they are 2 people that have been through a lot. Our Shady Brady of so many books comes back strong in this book, and like the town you very much reserve judgment about him. But as Dan's story comes out you realize that he is just a man who didn't always make the best choices, but now seems to have his head on straight. And the woman, well she is someone we meet from day one, a big mess of a woman, but one who also is slowly working to get her head on straight. I am hoping that in the future books we get to see more of them.
On a side note, Hope is back meddling with the town by trying to sell the church on e-bay. I am sure that the next book will bring misadventures centered around this and I can't wait to see what happens!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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