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Virgin River #11
Promise Canyon
Best-selling author Robyn Carr has earned a devoted following for her inspirational tales of love and redemption set in the near-magical confines of Virgin River. Lilly Yazhi knows all she needs to know about Clay Tahoma.
Sure, he’s got a certain appeal befitting his Navajo roots, but she’s not falling for Clay’s silent, “earthy” attractiveness. She certainly won’t make the same mistake as Clay’s ex-wife. Only trouble is, her heart and mind have committed to different resolves.
Sure, he’s got a certain appeal befitting his Navajo roots, but she’s not falling for Clay’s silent, “earthy” attractiveness. She certainly won’t make the same mistake as Clay’s ex-wife. Only trouble is, her heart and mind have committed to different resolves.
352 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published December 21, 2010
3212 people are currently reading
8877 people want to read
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 811 reviews
January 6, 2011
Oh man, this is going to be hard. Why, you say? Because this series by Robyn Carr is just so darn good, and I've been raving about each and every book, that I think I've run out of fantastic things to say. The best way to describe Robyn Carr's writing? To me she is a master storyteller, one of the best in the business. She can wring the emotions out of you, just by the way she uses words and constructs her sentences (my God, she had me crying for a horse in this one!) And her characters? I've totally fallen for each and every one of her heroes, and just when I think I've settled on a favorite, she goes and conjurs up another one that I'm mad about! I just know that fans of this series are going to fall hard for the handsome, kind, honorable, hard working, patient, and sexy Navajo, Clay Tahoma.
I received an advance copy of "Promise Canyon" from Net Galley, but haven't had a chance to read it until a few days ago (kicking myself for letting it linger so long). Anyway, once I started it and finished the first chapter, I felt like I was coming home. The hero of this book, 34-year-old, much sought-after vet tech, farrier, sometime "horse whisperer" and recent divorcee Clay Tahoma, is on his way to the Virgin River, California area to take a job at friend Nate Jensen's ( "Under The Christmas Tree" from That Holiday Feeling) veterinary clinic and stables. Right away he comes across Jack, Preacher, Paul, and Noah, helping to pull Noah's vehicle out of a ditch and back onto the road. Ah yes, we're back in quaint Virgin River, where neighbors are never too busy to lend a hand...
Anyway, after divorcing his rich socialite, equestrian/horse breeder older-but-gorgeous and troubled wife Isabel( who he still was occasionally 'seeing'), Clay decided it was time to make a permanent physical break from her and LA and move on with his life. What better place to go to start fresh than to old friend Nate's clinic. If things work out at Nate's, Clay hopes to bring his teenage son Gabe to live with him and reestablish the bond they once had before he married Isabel (who never fully accepted Gabe).
Soon after arriving at Nate's, Clay meets Lilly Yazhi, a beautiful, young, blue-eyed Hopi Indian woman delivering feed to Nate's from her grandfather's feed store. Clay and Lilly are attracted to each other, but Lilly tries desperately to resist him. Lilly has major trust issues due to something that happened to her as a young teen, and as much as she's attracted to Clay-the-Adonis, she can't let herself fall for him. He reminds her too much of someone from her painful past.
Well, you can predict what happens. Of course Clay and Lilly fall hard for each other, and at first it's exciting and beautiful and sexy. Clay opens up to Lilly almost totally, they talk about his somewhat troubled youth, Lilly tells Clay some things about her own past, but not the thing that has shaped her life and keeps her from trusting Clay totally with her heart. Lilly simply can not let go of her past. And when someone gets between them and is out to disrupt their happiness, Lilly lets doubts and old fears creep in, and her future happiness with Clay is in doubt. It takes a swift kick from a good friend to get Lilly to realize that her life will forever be at a standstill if she doesn't find the courage to once and for all let go and grow up.
Now as you can expect, Clay and Lilly's romance isn't all that happens in this book. Some other things to look for:
* a well-known character from the town of Virgin River passes away and leaves a mess behind for Jack to take care of.
* four women friends come to VR for a vacation--at least 2 of them will have their own books. One is a San Francisco chef who spends some quality time chatting with Preacher...
* One of the sisters falls in love with a huge vacant house in VR--could VR one day get a B&B?
* One of Luke Riordan's (Temptation Ridge) brothers gets in an accident--will he be coming to Virgin River to recuperate?
* A young stranger (ex-military) comes to town looking for the father he never knew and strikes up a friendship with Jack. Why does he look so familiar to Jack...?
Back to Clay and Lilly and some thoughts:
* I enjoyed the whole "Horse Whisperer" thing going on with Clay, Lilly, and the troubled horse Streak. I also liked learning some of the details about horses--most of it was interesting to me even if it did slow the progression of Clay and Lilly's romance a bit.
* I liked Lilly's best friend Dane. I thought his reaction to when he first met/saw Clay was priceless.
* I loved Lilly's (and everyone else's) reaction to Clay's physical beauty. Loved Lilly's obsession with Clay's waist-length hair.:)
* I enjoyed the way RC developed the characters (something she never skimps on) of Clay and Lilly. Not only did she paint a detailed picture physically ( her description of Clay was just...wow) but she also showed you where they were emotionally.
* I enjoyed how Clay gently led Lilly back to her Indian heritage and the culture she abandoned.
* Naturally I enjoyed seeing the Riordan brothers again (they are favorites of mine) and look forward to seeing the next Riordan man get hooked in VR!
* And finally, I love a good cry. And while this book didn't exactly make me bawl, I did find myself tearing up quite a few times. To me, that's a sign of how invested I am in the characters and the story. And I was totally sold on it.
Once again, Robyn Carr totally blew me away. Clay and Lilly's romance was one of the best ones in this long series, and Clay as a hero...he's probably the closest you'll find to rival Jack Sheridan (as if anyone can supplant him)! I am totally smitten with him.:)
Fans of this series--I don't think you'll be disappointed. You're going to love this book. 5 stars
Although not close to the physical perfection of Clay Tahoma...here's Clay and Lilly:
I received an advance copy of "Promise Canyon" from Net Galley, but haven't had a chance to read it until a few days ago (kicking myself for letting it linger so long). Anyway, once I started it and finished the first chapter, I felt like I was coming home. The hero of this book, 34-year-old, much sought-after vet tech, farrier, sometime "horse whisperer" and recent divorcee Clay Tahoma, is on his way to the Virgin River, California area to take a job at friend Nate Jensen's ( "Under The Christmas Tree" from That Holiday Feeling) veterinary clinic and stables. Right away he comes across Jack, Preacher, Paul, and Noah, helping to pull Noah's vehicle out of a ditch and back onto the road. Ah yes, we're back in quaint Virgin River, where neighbors are never too busy to lend a hand...
Anyway, after divorcing his rich socialite, equestrian/horse breeder older-but-gorgeous and troubled wife Isabel( who he still was occasionally 'seeing'), Clay decided it was time to make a permanent physical break from her and LA and move on with his life. What better place to go to start fresh than to old friend Nate's clinic. If things work out at Nate's, Clay hopes to bring his teenage son Gabe to live with him and reestablish the bond they once had before he married Isabel (who never fully accepted Gabe).
Soon after arriving at Nate's, Clay meets Lilly Yazhi, a beautiful, young, blue-eyed Hopi Indian woman delivering feed to Nate's from her grandfather's feed store. Clay and Lilly are attracted to each other, but Lilly tries desperately to resist him. Lilly has major trust issues due to something that happened to her as a young teen, and as much as she's attracted to Clay-the-Adonis, she can't let herself fall for him. He reminds her too much of someone from her painful past.
Well, you can predict what happens. Of course Clay and Lilly fall hard for each other, and at first it's exciting and beautiful and sexy. Clay opens up to Lilly almost totally, they talk about his somewhat troubled youth, Lilly tells Clay some things about her own past, but not the thing that has shaped her life and keeps her from trusting Clay totally with her heart. Lilly simply can not let go of her past. And when someone gets between them and is out to disrupt their happiness, Lilly lets doubts and old fears creep in, and her future happiness with Clay is in doubt. It takes a swift kick from a good friend to get Lilly to realize that her life will forever be at a standstill if she doesn't find the courage to once and for all let go and grow up.
Now as you can expect, Clay and Lilly's romance isn't all that happens in this book. Some other things to look for:
* a well-known character from the town of Virgin River passes away and leaves a mess behind for Jack to take care of.
* four women friends come to VR for a vacation--at least 2 of them will have their own books. One is a San Francisco chef who spends some quality time chatting with Preacher...
* One of the sisters falls in love with a huge vacant house in VR--could VR one day get a B&B?
* One of Luke Riordan's (Temptation Ridge) brothers gets in an accident--will he be coming to Virgin River to recuperate?
* A young stranger (ex-military) comes to town looking for the father he never knew and strikes up a friendship with Jack. Why does he look so familiar to Jack...?
Back to Clay and Lilly and some thoughts:
* I enjoyed the whole "Horse Whisperer" thing going on with Clay, Lilly, and the troubled horse Streak. I also liked learning some of the details about horses--most of it was interesting to me even if it did slow the progression of Clay and Lilly's romance a bit.
* I liked Lilly's best friend Dane. I thought his reaction to when he first met/saw Clay was priceless.
* I loved Lilly's (and everyone else's) reaction to Clay's physical beauty. Loved Lilly's obsession with Clay's waist-length hair.:)
* I enjoyed the way RC developed the characters (something she never skimps on) of Clay and Lilly. Not only did she paint a detailed picture physically ( her description of Clay was just...wow) but she also showed you where they were emotionally.
* I enjoyed how Clay gently led Lilly back to her Indian heritage and the culture she abandoned.
* Naturally I enjoyed seeing the Riordan brothers again (they are favorites of mine) and look forward to seeing the next Riordan man get hooked in VR!
* And finally, I love a good cry. And while this book didn't exactly make me bawl, I did find myself tearing up quite a few times. To me, that's a sign of how invested I am in the characters and the story. And I was totally sold on it.
Once again, Robyn Carr totally blew me away. Clay and Lilly's romance was one of the best ones in this long series, and Clay as a hero...he's probably the closest you'll find to rival Jack Sheridan (as if anyone can supplant him)! I am totally smitten with him.:)
Fans of this series--I don't think you'll be disappointed. You're going to love this book. 5 stars
Although not close to the physical perfection of Clay Tahoma...here's Clay and Lilly:
October 9, 2014
4 stars – Contemporary Romance
Carr’s Virgin River is one of my favorite contemporary romance series that never fails to deliver intensely emotional, deeply heartfelt, achingly romantic stories. Promise Canyon didn’t quite meet my high expectations and is my least favorite book in the series, but I still enjoyed it. Even though it’s not the finest Virgin River installment, there is no denying that Robyn Carr’s writing is among the very best in the genre.
Clay Tahoma is looking for a fresh start away from his ex-wife and her elitist family’s horse farm in Los Angeles. When his friend Nate needs a veterinary assistant for his practice and horse ranch in a small community in Northern California, it seems the perfect opportunity for a much needed change of pace. It also brings Clay closer to his sister’s family and son living in a nearby town, allows him to use his skills as a “horse whisperer”, and the remoteness, serene beauty, and quaint charm of Virgin River appeal to Clay’s Navajo roots. After being burned by love twice in the past, he never expected to find a woman that would tempt him to take a chance again on a romantic relationship, but Lilly Yazhi, the local feed store owner’s daughter and delivery driver does just that.
Lilly is a fiercely independent, modern woman who often finds herself at odds with her family’s native Hopi roots and traditions. After being deeply hurt in the past, she’s become guarded and has vowed to never let an alpha, Native American man capture her heart again. She feels an immediate, intense attraction to Clay, but she refuses to act on it. If only he wasn’t so darn sexy and tempting with such strong muscles, beautiful bronze skin, and exotic, long, silky hair! How can any woman resist that? When Lilly begins to realize that Clay is thoughtful, respectful, a devoted, caring father, and different from other men she’s known and that they share a love for and unusual gift with horses, it becomes even harder to deny her growing attraction and feelings. Can Clay convince Lilly to open her heart and take a chance on love? And will the reappearance of Clay’s manipulative, emotionally needy ex-wife shatter Lilly’s tentative trust in their relationship?
Clay and Lilly are wonderful characters, and I really liked them together. There just wasn’t quite enough romantic development or emphasis on their relationship. It seemed like things progressed rather erratically and rapidly from mutual attraction and her being resistant to dating Clay (or any man for that matter) to them being involved romantically. But I think their relationship is believable, considering it resulted from strong physical attraction, explosive sexual chemistry, and the friendship and connection they forged while working together to heal a couple of wounded horses. I just wish there had been a bit more of it because their moments together were passionate, beautiful, and tender.
The overall story was somewhat disjointed at times and the deep sense of community that was so prevalent and powerful in previous installments felt a bit lacking, but there were a few side storylines to keep the association with the town happenings in Virgin River. The death of an important local resident and a mysterious newcomer make an impact on bar owner and town leader Jack Sheridan (my favorite Virgin River hero), and a tragic accident involving one of the Riordan brothers provides the background for the next book, Wild Man Creek, which I’m really looking forward to because I love the sexy Riordan men!
Although Promise Canyon isn’t my favorite Virgin River installment, it’s still a great read in a wonderful series that exemplifies the charm and strong sense of community in small town life, and the romance between Clay and Lilly is sweet, touching, and oh so satisfying. It’s worthy of solid 4 stars!
This was an ARC, received courtesy of NetGalley.com.
Carr’s Virgin River is one of my favorite contemporary romance series that never fails to deliver intensely emotional, deeply heartfelt, achingly romantic stories. Promise Canyon didn’t quite meet my high expectations and is my least favorite book in the series, but I still enjoyed it. Even though it’s not the finest Virgin River installment, there is no denying that Robyn Carr’s writing is among the very best in the genre.
Clay Tahoma is looking for a fresh start away from his ex-wife and her elitist family’s horse farm in Los Angeles. When his friend Nate needs a veterinary assistant for his practice and horse ranch in a small community in Northern California, it seems the perfect opportunity for a much needed change of pace. It also brings Clay closer to his sister’s family and son living in a nearby town, allows him to use his skills as a “horse whisperer”, and the remoteness, serene beauty, and quaint charm of Virgin River appeal to Clay’s Navajo roots. After being burned by love twice in the past, he never expected to find a woman that would tempt him to take a chance again on a romantic relationship, but Lilly Yazhi, the local feed store owner’s daughter and delivery driver does just that.
Lilly is a fiercely independent, modern woman who often finds herself at odds with her family’s native Hopi roots and traditions. After being deeply hurt in the past, she’s become guarded and has vowed to never let an alpha, Native American man capture her heart again. She feels an immediate, intense attraction to Clay, but she refuses to act on it. If only he wasn’t so darn sexy and tempting with such strong muscles, beautiful bronze skin, and exotic, long, silky hair! How can any woman resist that? When Lilly begins to realize that Clay is thoughtful, respectful, a devoted, caring father, and different from other men she’s known and that they share a love for and unusual gift with horses, it becomes even harder to deny her growing attraction and feelings. Can Clay convince Lilly to open her heart and take a chance on love? And will the reappearance of Clay’s manipulative, emotionally needy ex-wife shatter Lilly’s tentative trust in their relationship?
Clay and Lilly are wonderful characters, and I really liked them together. There just wasn’t quite enough romantic development or emphasis on their relationship. It seemed like things progressed rather erratically and rapidly from mutual attraction and her being resistant to dating Clay (or any man for that matter) to them being involved romantically. But I think their relationship is believable, considering it resulted from strong physical attraction, explosive sexual chemistry, and the friendship and connection they forged while working together to heal a couple of wounded horses. I just wish there had been a bit more of it because their moments together were passionate, beautiful, and tender.
The overall story was somewhat disjointed at times and the deep sense of community that was so prevalent and powerful in previous installments felt a bit lacking, but there were a few side storylines to keep the association with the town happenings in Virgin River. The death of an important local resident and a mysterious newcomer make an impact on bar owner and town leader Jack Sheridan (my favorite Virgin River hero), and a tragic accident involving one of the Riordan brothers provides the background for the next book, Wild Man Creek, which I’m really looking forward to because I love the sexy Riordan men!
Although Promise Canyon isn’t my favorite Virgin River installment, it’s still a great read in a wonderful series that exemplifies the charm and strong sense of community in small town life, and the romance between Clay and Lilly is sweet, touching, and oh so satisfying. It’s worthy of solid 4 stars!
This was an ARC, received courtesy of NetGalley.com.
October 29, 2010
What a great addition to the Virgin River series, and now one of my favorites in the series. I just loved it. In Promise Canyon, Robyn Carr has really outdone herself by creating one of her most intense and passionate romances yet. (Seriously, it got hot!) She also wove in a fun and touching side story that includes Jack, Hope and the entire town of Virgin River coming to odds with each other’s wishes, (and some really good laugh out loud moments!) And, of course, we briefly meet a few other new characters that will begin the story arcs for the next two books in this series.
Clay and Lilly are both Native Americans new to the Virgin River series. Clay Tahoma, a Navajo originally from the Navajo Nation in Flagstaff Arizona, was living in LA when Nate Jensen asks him to be his new vet assistant. He jumps at the opportunity as it will put him close to his sister Ursula who lives close by in Grace Valley, and it will give him the fresh start he needs from his ex-wife and a chance to build a life with his son. Lilly has lived in Virgin River for many years and helps run the local feed store with her Grandfather. She is of Hopi ancestry, which historically is enemy to the Navajo. (It made for some funny dialog, but these two do not take it seriously.) She meets Clay while delivering bales of hay to the Jensen’s farm, and the intense passion really sparks. They both have an intense passion for horses, which helps draw these two even closer.
I am not kidding when I say this is probably the most passionate romance in this series so far, and a great part of that is because these two are just perfect together. Lilly is cautious and a bit intimidated by Clay as he does come on a bit strong at first (but in such a powerful sexy sort of way. Yum!) He respects her wishes to be friends, but that doesn’t stop their attraction from boiling over. However, personal insecurities and past relationships will need to be dealt with for these two to really make it work. And you know they do. Without giving away any spoilers, let’s just say I shed a few happy tears in the closing scene.
I’ve been a big fan of this series since I first read Virgin River two years ago, and while not every book is as good as others (and some have been a bit frustrating) I always enjoy the trip back to Virgin River every time. With this book, I couldn’t recommend it more to fans of this series. I was lucky enough to get an ARC copy through Netgalley.com, but unfortunately it has a sixty-day expiration to it. So I will be buying this one for my keeper collection when it comes out end of December.
Clay and Lilly are both Native Americans new to the Virgin River series. Clay Tahoma, a Navajo originally from the Navajo Nation in Flagstaff Arizona, was living in LA when Nate Jensen asks him to be his new vet assistant. He jumps at the opportunity as it will put him close to his sister Ursula who lives close by in Grace Valley, and it will give him the fresh start he needs from his ex-wife and a chance to build a life with his son. Lilly has lived in Virgin River for many years and helps run the local feed store with her Grandfather. She is of Hopi ancestry, which historically is enemy to the Navajo. (It made for some funny dialog, but these two do not take it seriously.) She meets Clay while delivering bales of hay to the Jensen’s farm, and the intense passion really sparks. They both have an intense passion for horses, which helps draw these two even closer.
I am not kidding when I say this is probably the most passionate romance in this series so far, and a great part of that is because these two are just perfect together. Lilly is cautious and a bit intimidated by Clay as he does come on a bit strong at first (but in such a powerful sexy sort of way. Yum!) He respects her wishes to be friends, but that doesn’t stop their attraction from boiling over. However, personal insecurities and past relationships will need to be dealt with for these two to really make it work. And you know they do. Without giving away any spoilers, let’s just say I shed a few happy tears in the closing scene.
I’ve been a big fan of this series since I first read Virgin River two years ago, and while not every book is as good as others (and some have been a bit frustrating) I always enjoy the trip back to Virgin River every time. With this book, I couldn’t recommend it more to fans of this series. I was lucky enough to get an ARC copy through Netgalley.com, but unfortunately it has a sixty-day expiration to it. So I will be buying this one for my keeper collection when it comes out end of December.
September 22, 2016
As usual I loved my time in the Virgin River world! Clay and Lilly's romance was wonderful and there was only short lived drama, which I could understand. Isabel was something else, and I was glad she wasn't part of the story for very long. Good riddance!
The town was right shitty to Jack weren't they? He should've listened to Mel and Preacher. They did all pull together in the end, though.
Who is Denny's father?! Hopefully, I'll find out in the next book.
Colin Riordan was a prickly guy! He really treated his family like crap when all they wanted to do was help! Although, I gotta give him a break after going through what he did. I look forward to his story.
The town was right shitty to Jack weren't they? He should've listened to Mel and Preacher. They did all pull together in the end, though.
Who is Denny's father?! Hopefully, I'll find out in the next book.
Colin Riordan was a prickly guy! He really treated his family like crap when all they wanted to do was help! Although, I gotta give him a break after going through what he did. I look forward to his story.
March 4, 2017
this one had a LOT of stereotypes and racism that I just didn't like. many times I considered closing the book, but I stuck through. I was incredibly disappointed though
January 3, 2020
PROMISE CANYON is book 11 in the Virgin River series.
Clay is finally walking away from a divorce that he just can’t quite break off completely and Lilly has a troubled past from when she was just fifteen that has made her very cautious with men. She takes very good care of her grandfather and really only seems to have her best friend Dean in her life. Despite the fact that Clay and Lilly both share a Native background, she doesn’t want anything to do with Native men. Too much hurt in the past that she hasn’t been able to overcome. Hope McCrea also adds a bit of excitement to the story, and bring Jack and Mel back to the front lines- and a few new characters are introduced which I’m sure we’ll learn more about in future installments of the series. Hang on people, it gets crazy!
PROMISE CANYON had me up late reading, worried about what was going to happen to all of these wonderful people. I did not want to put this beautiful and fun story down. I also got to meet a few more new residents from Virgin River as we do with each and every book. I also love how you get to check in with the other couples from the previous books. It was also awesome to watch Lilly grow and trust Clay even though she didn’t want anything from him or so she said. I loved how Lilly and Clay finally started being honest with each other and figured everything out.
Every time I read a story from the Virgin River series I want to kick myself for not reading it sooner. PROMISE CANYON is exactly why I love Robyn Carr. It’s no secret that she has been a favorite author of mine for many years. This story is filled with twists and turns that kept me flipping the pages like a crazy woman. The characters are not perfect, always flawed and you wont be able to help yourself from falling in love with them all. If Virgin River were a real town, I would have packed my bags years ago and moved there. All of its residents feel like old friends to me and it’s always great to catch up with them with each book in the series. The only thing I can’t understand is why it took so long to make these wonderful stories into a television series. It’s going to be perfect. I’m so excited to continue reading The Virgin River series.
Clay is finally walking away from a divorce that he just can’t quite break off completely and Lilly has a troubled past from when she was just fifteen that has made her very cautious with men. She takes very good care of her grandfather and really only seems to have her best friend Dean in her life. Despite the fact that Clay and Lilly both share a Native background, she doesn’t want anything to do with Native men. Too much hurt in the past that she hasn’t been able to overcome. Hope McCrea also adds a bit of excitement to the story, and bring Jack and Mel back to the front lines- and a few new characters are introduced which I’m sure we’ll learn more about in future installments of the series. Hang on people, it gets crazy!
PROMISE CANYON had me up late reading, worried about what was going to happen to all of these wonderful people. I did not want to put this beautiful and fun story down. I also got to meet a few more new residents from Virgin River as we do with each and every book. I also love how you get to check in with the other couples from the previous books. It was also awesome to watch Lilly grow and trust Clay even though she didn’t want anything from him or so she said. I loved how Lilly and Clay finally started being honest with each other and figured everything out.
Every time I read a story from the Virgin River series I want to kick myself for not reading it sooner. PROMISE CANYON is exactly why I love Robyn Carr. It’s no secret that she has been a favorite author of mine for many years. This story is filled with twists and turns that kept me flipping the pages like a crazy woman. The characters are not perfect, always flawed and you wont be able to help yourself from falling in love with them all. If Virgin River were a real town, I would have packed my bags years ago and moved there. All of its residents feel like old friends to me and it’s always great to catch up with them with each book in the series. The only thing I can’t understand is why it took so long to make these wonderful stories into a television series. It’s going to be perfect. I’m so excited to continue reading The Virgin River series.
December 29, 2016
This once again showcases a couple I absolutely adored and wanted to keep reading more about in later books. At least we get to see both of them in subsequent books though. “Promise Canyon” follows Clay Tahoma and Lilly Yazhi. Both of these characters are Native Americans and I loved, loved, loved that we finally got a minority couple in this series. I honestly didn’t even realize til after the fact that besides Mike Valenzuela, there does not seem to be any other minorities running around Virgin River.
Clay relocates from Arizona with his son in order to become a veterinary assistant to Nate Jensen. While meeting Nate at his farm he runs into Lily and is instantly intrigued with her, though Lily wants nothing to do with him. Now here’s the thing, I know nothing about Native American groups at all. But it becomes apparent that Carr took her time and did some research and she includes a lot of details about the differences between the Navajo (which Clay is) and the Hopi (which Lily is). I can honestly say that I was intrigued the whole book because it was great to see why Lily wants nothing to with a strong man like Clay who raised Navajo would be more into traditional ways than Lily is.
The romance between the two of them was hands down a crowd pleaser, and you will love it. There’s a backstory to Lily that explains why she is so cautious around Clay, and I did enjoy that aspect of things, though once again at times I could feel myself getting a bit impatient with Lily. She seemed hell-bent on holding Clay responsible for everything every man/boy had ever done to her and even I was a bit sick of it towards the end of the book.
We also of course get sightings from old favorites (Noah, Jack, Preacher, Paul) and we get some updates, but I honestly was not the least bit interested in anyone else since I just wanted to stay focused on Lily and Clay. And can I say that there was way too much other B plots in this book. I of course read the other books so I definitely know that Carr wanted to set up the characters more so that readers would remember them, but boy oh boy I almost pulled my hair out.
We have off the top of my head, a group of women who come to Virgin River to vacation (two of them, Julian and Kelly Matlock will have their own standalone books). One of the town’s residents passes away and that leaves Jack as the unofficial mayor (I maybe booed that whole thing). And one of the Riordan family members (Colin) ends up being shot down while flying a Blackhawk (I am also tired of reading that word in these books, is everyone a Blackhawk pilot) and of course the whole Riordan family and others react to this.
The ending was great and I loved that Lily decides to fully move on with her life and I am disappointed that we readers don’t get to see their wedding ceremony in later books because I think that would have been awesome to include.
Clay relocates from Arizona with his son in order to become a veterinary assistant to Nate Jensen. While meeting Nate at his farm he runs into Lily and is instantly intrigued with her, though Lily wants nothing to do with him. Now here’s the thing, I know nothing about Native American groups at all. But it becomes apparent that Carr took her time and did some research and she includes a lot of details about the differences between the Navajo (which Clay is) and the Hopi (which Lily is). I can honestly say that I was intrigued the whole book because it was great to see why Lily wants nothing to with a strong man like Clay who raised Navajo would be more into traditional ways than Lily is.
The romance between the two of them was hands down a crowd pleaser, and you will love it. There’s a backstory to Lily that explains why she is so cautious around Clay, and I did enjoy that aspect of things, though once again at times I could feel myself getting a bit impatient with Lily. She seemed hell-bent on holding Clay responsible for everything every man/boy had ever done to her and even I was a bit sick of it towards the end of the book.
We also of course get sightings from old favorites (Noah, Jack, Preacher, Paul) and we get some updates, but I honestly was not the least bit interested in anyone else since I just wanted to stay focused on Lily and Clay. And can I say that there was way too much other B plots in this book. I of course read the other books so I definitely know that Carr wanted to set up the characters more so that readers would remember them, but boy oh boy I almost pulled my hair out.
We have off the top of my head, a group of women who come to Virgin River to vacation (two of them, Julian and Kelly Matlock will have their own standalone books). One of the town’s residents passes away and that leaves Jack as the unofficial mayor (I maybe booed that whole thing). And one of the Riordan family members (Colin) ends up being shot down while flying a Blackhawk (I am also tired of reading that word in these books, is everyone a Blackhawk pilot) and of course the whole Riordan family and others react to this.
The ending was great and I loved that Lily decides to fully move on with her life and I am disappointed that we readers don’t get to see their wedding ceremony in later books because I think that would have been awesome to include.
February 19, 2017
4.5 Promise Canyon Stars
I took a little break from this series, because well I read like 10 books back to back. Now that I started it back up again it feels like an old friend.
I love this small town and all the characters in it. I think what I like best is even though each book is centered around one couple we always gets glimpse in to past couples. So you really never feel like you’re missing some of your favorite past couples.
Lilly and Clay are just to stinking cute together and the chemistry is off the charts awesome! They both have pasts Clay I found really was working hard to get past his but I did think Lilly was holding on a little too tightly to past hurts. But through grit and determination Clay really brings her around.
I love this series did I say that yet? Well I do and I love the narration so very much I can’t imagine anyone else doing it justice!
*You don't have to like my review but its 100% my opinion, and I am allowed to have it.*
I took a little break from this series, because well I read like 10 books back to back. Now that I started it back up again it feels like an old friend.
I love this small town and all the characters in it. I think what I like best is even though each book is centered around one couple we always gets glimpse in to past couples. So you really never feel like you’re missing some of your favorite past couples.
Lilly and Clay are just to stinking cute together and the chemistry is off the charts awesome! They both have pasts Clay I found really was working hard to get past his but I did think Lilly was holding on a little too tightly to past hurts. But through grit and determination Clay really brings her around.
I love this series did I say that yet? Well I do and I love the narration so very much I can’t imagine anyone else doing it justice!
*You don't have to like my review but its 100% my opinion, and I am allowed to have it.*
January 1, 2019
This is the second book I've read in this series with a hero who isn't a white dude and the characterization was just one stereotype after another. I appreciate the effort at diversity, but describing the Native American hero as "exotic" and having both hero and heroine have the ability to silently commune with animals is beyond ridiculous.
December 21, 2016
Promise Canyon es el undecimo libro de los veinte ( por el momento ) que forman la serie Virgin River de Robyn Carr y narra la historia de Clay y Lilly, dos nuevos personajes.
Cuando lei la sinopsis de este libro pense que seria uno de los mas flojos de la saga, principalmente porque los temas que trataba no eran los que mas me interesaban pero la verdad es que no fue tan denso y aburrido como esperaba, aunque si es cierto que el ultimo tercio de la historia decae mucho y se vuelve un poco mas lento.
Obviamente no es la mejor novela de la serie y aunque tiene una protagonista femenina bastante insoportable ( que se victimiza en cada capitulo ) tiene partes interesantes y que te entretienen.
2.5 Estrellas!
February 25, 2020
This is the kind of book that might be better read than heard. Therese does a good job of narrating white characters but she can't do POC well. The accent is just not there.
While I appreciate Robyn Carr being inclusive and diverse in her writing, her characterization of Native Americans and of the queer character is riddled with stereotypes. Also, back-to-back nasty ex-wives are a bit much.
I still like this series but I'm tired of the introduction of several new characters who are not connected with the main couple taking pages away from their story. I will finish the series but my enthusiasm is at an all-time low.
While I appreciate Robyn Carr being inclusive and diverse in her writing, her characterization of Native Americans and of the queer character is riddled with stereotypes. Also, back-to-back nasty ex-wives are a bit much.
I still like this series but I'm tired of the introduction of several new characters who are not connected with the main couple taking pages away from their story. I will finish the series but my enthusiasm is at an all-time low.
June 1, 2016
I hadn't realized that I had read so many of these books...LOL A must read story for small town romance lovers!
July 24, 2021
Promise Canyon
The 11th novell in the Virgin River serie.
The main character is Clay Tahoma. He comes from the Navajo reservat family. Indian Roots. Clay is Virgin River's new veterinary assistant. Working in the office of Nate and Annie with the horses. Clay is looking for a better life for himself, better job perspective.
Lilly our other main character, has also indian roots, from a different family. She is a little stubborn woman with a fire heart. Lilly loves horses. Since she was just a girl, she wished to own one herself. Maybe she will ve able to afford ine some day. A relationship us out of question, let alone a man for pleasure. She sworn not to date anyone ever again.
In Virgin River is so much love arround the corner. Can Lilly resist the strong, eartly wild looking Clay?
The 11th novell in the Virgin River serie.
The main character is Clay Tahoma. He comes from the Navajo reservat family. Indian Roots. Clay is Virgin River's new veterinary assistant. Working in the office of Nate and Annie with the horses. Clay is looking for a better life for himself, better job perspective.
Lilly our other main character, has also indian roots, from a different family. She is a little stubborn woman with a fire heart. Lilly loves horses. Since she was just a girl, she wished to own one herself. Maybe she will ve able to afford ine some day. A relationship us out of question, let alone a man for pleasure. She sworn not to date anyone ever again.
In Virgin River is so much love arround the corner. Can Lilly resist the strong, eartly wild looking Clay?
April 16, 2019
Another great book in the Virgin River series.
April 27, 2020
I just love these stories. They are all so diverse, but with the same little town and characters from previous books that I have come to love, as well as adding new, interesting characters to the town "family" all the time. Just great books. ;)
December 30, 2010
This book was pretty good, but just not as enjoyable to me as the others in the series. Frankly, I am not sure why it was written for this series, as the Native American main characters, Lilly Yahzi and Clay Tahoma, just don't have much to do with Virgin River, but mostly have to do with Grace Valley and the Vet's horse facility. It could have been a nice addition to that small series, 'Grace Valley'.
That being said, there are the 'regulars' from Virgin River, and we lose another old-timer character, see a future female or two for the story (Matlock sisters), see a dilemma for Jack Sheridan, a terrible accident involves his brother, Colin (who has been mentioned but not involved before), and we are reminded that even northern California can be earthquake country at times.
Many of the Virgin River characters are in this book, so we get to see how they are doing, which is what I enjoy the most about the series. This one is not all about babies and breast feeding and childbirth, thank goodness. There is a limit to how much of that anyone wants to read book after book! It's also not dominated by Melinda Sheridan.
Sometimes, I feel like this series could just go along and not even have any more romances, just the lives of the characters that are already there, but I would like to see what happens to Colin and Patrick Sheridan.
That being said, there are the 'regulars' from Virgin River, and we lose another old-timer character, see a future female or two for the story (Matlock sisters), see a dilemma for Jack Sheridan, a terrible accident involves his brother, Colin (who has been mentioned but not involved before), and we are reminded that even northern California can be earthquake country at times.
Many of the Virgin River characters are in this book, so we get to see how they are doing, which is what I enjoy the most about the series. This one is not all about babies and breast feeding and childbirth, thank goodness. There is a limit to how much of that anyone wants to read book after book! It's also not dominated by Melinda Sheridan.
Sometimes, I feel like this series could just go along and not even have any more romances, just the lives of the characters that are already there, but I would like to see what happens to Colin and Patrick Sheridan.
September 6, 2019
I always feel like I've "come home" when I read a book in this series. They just leave you feeling good about life, love, and possibilities. Clay is a member of the Navajo tribe who fully embraces his heritage. He's come to Virgin River to work as a veterinarian assistant with Nate. Clay has a gift with horses - many say he's a horse whisperer. Lily is a Hopi Native American with blue eyes who skirts around her heritage while doing her best to keep everyone, especially men, at a safe distance. When these two cross paths, the earth moves . . . literally. Their tribes were enemies in the past, but they aren't living in the past. Can they build a future together?
Carr features two new characters in Promise Canyon and as always, they have such depth that they feel authentic - real-to-life. I soon found myself pulling for Clay and Lilly almost willing them beyond the barriers that stood in the way of their happiness. I love the way the setting plays into every book of this series as I can almost smell the mountain air. As always, support characters include those we already know and love. Jack is charged with a task in this story that will sorely test him. And a new young man appears who is in search of his biological father - one who doesn't know he has a son. Readers are left wondering which of the Virgin River men is going to get a big surprise!
Promise Canyon is a sweet, small-town romance and a good addition to the Virgin River series. Fans of romance will eat this one up!
Carr features two new characters in Promise Canyon and as always, they have such depth that they feel authentic - real-to-life. I soon found myself pulling for Clay and Lilly almost willing them beyond the barriers that stood in the way of their happiness. I love the way the setting plays into every book of this series as I can almost smell the mountain air. As always, support characters include those we already know and love. Jack is charged with a task in this story that will sorely test him. And a new young man appears who is in search of his biological father - one who doesn't know he has a son. Readers are left wondering which of the Virgin River men is going to get a big surprise!
Promise Canyon is a sweet, small-town romance and a good addition to the Virgin River series. Fans of romance will eat this one up!
January 23, 2020
Audiobook: Narrator - Therese Plummer
What else can I say about this narrator that I haven’t already? She’s pure perfection and never more so when she’s narrating this series!
While I still enjoyed this one, it was not my favorite. I felt that there wasn’t really any chemistry between the main hero/heroine. The story felt stretched some as it covered so many other storylines. This is common for the series - to have two or more storylines going on at one time, and is my main complaint. But there is no denying that I’ve gotten to where I love everything I can get of the secondary characters, but too often at the cost of connecting with the main characters.
Multi POV
Safe
Triggers
What else can I say about this narrator that I haven’t already? She’s pure perfection and never more so when she’s narrating this series!
While I still enjoyed this one, it was not my favorite. I felt that there wasn’t really any chemistry between the main hero/heroine. The story felt stretched some as it covered so many other storylines. This is common for the series - to have two or more storylines going on at one time, and is my main complaint. But there is no denying that I’ve gotten to where I love everything I can get of the secondary characters, but too often at the cost of connecting with the main characters.
Multi POV
Safe
Triggers
January 16, 2011
Another great addition to the Virgin River Series
Robyn Carr is one of my favorite authors. I love her talent of making the places so real that I want to visit or live there. My first thought after reading the synopsis was …horses??? How boring this is going to be to have to read through all the descriptive information pertaining to horses. And how wrong I was! I should have known that RC can tell a tale that draws me in and holds my attention completely.
I loved Clay Tahoma and all his oozing sexiness! And Lilly is perfect for him. One of the things I like about the Virgin River Series is that not only do we get to read about the H/h, but also catch up on the past characters of VR. So while enjoying the hot, budding relationship of Clay and Lilly, we also caught up with the happenings of the town and met newcomers who will possibly have their own story in VR.
Can’t wait to read the next book that tells Colin Riordan’s story. While I love all the books in this series, Virgin River and Temptation Ridge are my favorites. I have a weakness for Jack Sheridan and all those Riordan brothers.
^..^****And I thought a book with horses could be boring****^..^
--He had his hands on her waist as she slid off the horse, but he held her in place. Then he slid her very, very slowly down the length of his body. When her face was even with his, he stopped her descent for a moment, just long enough to look deeply in those blue eyes. Their faces were close and he wanted to kiss her, but he didn't dare.
Robyn Carr is one of my favorite authors. I love her talent of making the places so real that I want to visit or live there. My first thought after reading the synopsis was …horses??? How boring this is going to be to have to read through all the descriptive information pertaining to horses. And how wrong I was! I should have known that RC can tell a tale that draws me in and holds my attention completely.
I loved Clay Tahoma and all his oozing sexiness! And Lilly is perfect for him. One of the things I like about the Virgin River Series is that not only do we get to read about the H/h, but also catch up on the past characters of VR. So while enjoying the hot, budding relationship of Clay and Lilly, we also caught up with the happenings of the town and met newcomers who will possibly have their own story in VR.
Can’t wait to read the next book that tells Colin Riordan’s story. While I love all the books in this series, Virgin River and Temptation Ridge are my favorites. I have a weakness for Jack Sheridan and all those Riordan brothers.
^..^****And I thought a book with horses could be boring****^..^
--He had his hands on her waist as she slid off the horse, but he held her in place. Then he slid her very, very slowly down the length of his body. When her face was even with his, he stopped her descent for a moment, just long enough to look deeply in those blue eyes. Their faces were close and he wanted to kiss her, but he didn't dare.
April 30, 2020
I was enjoying Clay and Lilly's story, until it got lost in all the other random events. I appreciate the author trying to introduce new characters, but so much of the later half of the book was boring and unrelated to the main storyline. Also, the conflict is a huge pet peeve of mine and was redundant of the last book.
I am a big fan of the series and have no plans to stop reading. Hopefully, the next installment is better. I'm sad Clay and Lilly didn't get the full attention they deserved.
I am a big fan of the series and have no plans to stop reading. Hopefully, the next installment is better. I'm sad Clay and Lilly didn't get the full attention they deserved.
January 24, 2020
Trigger warning! No no no no no!!!! Robyn, she said NO! He said “you can trust me” but approached from behind to whatever without asking. WRONG JUST WRONG!! Ruined whole book for me. I don’t care if they fell in love. (My 11th VR book)
March 7, 2019
Hotness Rating 3 out of 5
This may be one of my favorites of the series. Clay was such a strong laid back hero that I couldn't help but fall in love with. Lilly was just as strong but in so many different ways. She wasn't as laid back as she was fierce and stubborn.
Both characters were battling demons of their pasts and had some pretty big hurdles to overcome. This didn't stop them from falling in love, but it did make the path quite rocky for awhile. Whereas Clay took his past in stride and just did his best to keep moving forward, Lilly let her past haunt her and caused her to shield herself. Which in turn caused hurt and pain in the relationship. Thank goodness Clay isn't the giving up kind and stuck in there.
Seriously this series is awesome and just keeps getting better and better.
This may be one of my favorites of the series. Clay was such a strong laid back hero that I couldn't help but fall in love with. Lilly was just as strong but in so many different ways. She wasn't as laid back as she was fierce and stubborn.
Both characters were battling demons of their pasts and had some pretty big hurdles to overcome. This didn't stop them from falling in love, but it did make the path quite rocky for awhile. Whereas Clay took his past in stride and just did his best to keep moving forward, Lilly let her past haunt her and caused her to shield herself. Which in turn caused hurt and pain in the relationship. Thank goodness Clay isn't the giving up kind and stuck in there.
Seriously this series is awesome and just keeps getting better and better.
April 22, 2025
Plutôt 3,5/5
Lu en VF sous le titre Renouveaux, mais maintenant avec les doubles tomes, ça fausse mon challenge lecture.
Une histoire mignonne, où les choses vont à la fois doucement et vite, mais on sait ce qu'on cherche ici.
Les habitants de Virgin River prennent pas mal de place, avec des chapitres entiers sur l'évolution de la ville et ce tome introduit de façon grossière de possibles futurs habitants célibataires (et donc personnages principaux des futurs tomes ?). C'est peut-être un aspect un peu plan-plan de la série maintenant. Elle devient plus des tranches de vie du village qu'une romance à proprement parler sur un couple, qui devient parfois secondaire.
Lu en VF sous le titre Renouveaux, mais maintenant avec les doubles tomes, ça fausse mon challenge lecture.
Une histoire mignonne, où les choses vont à la fois doucement et vite, mais on sait ce qu'on cherche ici.
Les habitants de Virgin River prennent pas mal de place, avec des chapitres entiers sur l'évolution de la ville et ce tome introduit de façon grossière de possibles futurs habitants célibataires (et donc personnages principaux des futurs tomes ?). C'est peut-être un aspect un peu plan-plan de la série maintenant. Elle devient plus des tranches de vie du village qu'une romance à proprement parler sur un couple, qui devient parfois secondaire.
February 15, 2023
This series is just comfort food at this point. Carr is a truly magnificent storyteller with this series. I’m also loving all the little pieces that come together in each book.
Every time I start one of these stories, it’s like coming home.
Every time I start one of these stories, it’s like coming home.
July 5, 2023
Another solid entry in the Virgin River books - and much much better than the TV show! This series is wonderful with great men and strong women. Every time I read one I feel like I am visiting old friends.
This entry has two Native Americans - a Navajo and a Hopi - both with complicated pasts. (Don't they all?) I really enjoyed the story and the couple as well as the new characters dropped into Virgin River to set up future books.
This entry has two Native Americans - a Navajo and a Hopi - both with complicated pasts. (Don't they all?) I really enjoyed the story and the couple as well as the new characters dropped into Virgin River to set up future books.
April 21, 2020
I was just a tad bit bored with this book. It just seemed to move a little slow for me, but it was ok. Needed to read it in order to keep track of the characters in the series.
March 15, 2011
Ah, Virgin River. The best fictional town in the romance book world. I just love reading this series.
Series Note:
Book 11 in the "Virgin River" series.
Summary:
After a fairly amicable divorce with a woman he's having trouble separating himself from completely, horse expert/vet tech Clay Tahoma decides to make a clean break and move to Virgin River. He plans to work for his old friend Nate Jensen (from a previous story) and hopefully once he gets settled in, he'll be able to send for his teenage son and maybe finally have the relationship with him that he's always wanted.
Shortly after arriving, Clay meets fellow Native American, Lilly Yazhi, though Lilly is about as distanced from her heritage as can be. She's got a lot of scars on her heart and finds it very difficult to trust anyone. And though she finds Clay to be incredibly sexy and likable, she refuses to get involved. Or at least that's what she wants, but the chemistry is irresistible. But in order for the two to have a future, Lilly will have to learn to leave the past behind and get over the scars on her heart.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in Virgin River, a longtime resident passes away, leaving quite a mess behind. One of the Riordan brothers is gravely injured, sending his family reeling. Some visitors come to town that we'll be seeing more of. And a young man appears, hiding a big secret.
Review:
I think I say this every time I read a new Virgin River book, but it always holds true. It's like coming home. Virgin River is such a wonderful place (too bad its fictional...), and you've got all the familiar faces surrounding you. It's so comforting.
I liked that this story brought some variation by introducing to Native American characters who are completely new to the series. It mixes things up a bit so that you're not completely stuck on what's already in existence for the series. I really liked the character of Clay, and I mostly liked Lilly. And I loved all the horse stuff. It was another way you get some variation from the typical VR storyline. Plus, the way everything ties in to the past VR books is nicely done and very fitting.
And the other parts of the story work well, too. RC sets up a lot of future storylines that are interesting and having me waiting eagerly for more Virgin River. The whole thing with Colin Riordan is heartbreaking and I can't wait to read his story (which is the next book). My only complaint about these extraneous parts of the book is that they take over too much at times. They aren't quite mixed in in small enough chunks. I would have liked a little more blending of the various story aspects. But it wasn't a big deal.
Normally, I'd have more to say, but I'm way behind on my reviews and I read this like a month ago and can't quite remember all I might have wanted to say about the book.
But for you Virgin River fans, I think you'll probably like this book. It's another great addition to an already wonderful series.
Series Note:
Book 11 in the "Virgin River" series.
Summary:
After a fairly amicable divorce with a woman he's having trouble separating himself from completely, horse expert/vet tech Clay Tahoma decides to make a clean break and move to Virgin River. He plans to work for his old friend Nate Jensen (from a previous story) and hopefully once he gets settled in, he'll be able to send for his teenage son and maybe finally have the relationship with him that he's always wanted.
Shortly after arriving, Clay meets fellow Native American, Lilly Yazhi, though Lilly is about as distanced from her heritage as can be. She's got a lot of scars on her heart and finds it very difficult to trust anyone. And though she finds Clay to be incredibly sexy and likable, she refuses to get involved. Or at least that's what she wants, but the chemistry is irresistible. But in order for the two to have a future, Lilly will have to learn to leave the past behind and get over the scars on her heart.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in Virgin River, a longtime resident passes away, leaving quite a mess behind. One of the Riordan brothers is gravely injured, sending his family reeling. Some visitors come to town that we'll be seeing more of. And a young man appears, hiding a big secret.
Review:
I think I say this every time I read a new Virgin River book, but it always holds true. It's like coming home. Virgin River is such a wonderful place (too bad its fictional...), and you've got all the familiar faces surrounding you. It's so comforting.
I liked that this story brought some variation by introducing to Native American characters who are completely new to the series. It mixes things up a bit so that you're not completely stuck on what's already in existence for the series. I really liked the character of Clay, and I mostly liked Lilly. And I loved all the horse stuff. It was another way you get some variation from the typical VR storyline. Plus, the way everything ties in to the past VR books is nicely done and very fitting.
And the other parts of the story work well, too. RC sets up a lot of future storylines that are interesting and having me waiting eagerly for more Virgin River. The whole thing with Colin Riordan is heartbreaking and I can't wait to read his story (which is the next book). My only complaint about these extraneous parts of the book is that they take over too much at times. They aren't quite mixed in in small enough chunks. I would have liked a little more blending of the various story aspects. But it wasn't a big deal.
Normally, I'd have more to say, but I'm way behind on my reviews and I read this like a month ago and can't quite remember all I might have wanted to say about the book.
But for you Virgin River fans, I think you'll probably like this book. It's another great addition to an already wonderful series.
November 20, 2010
Robyn Carr brings readers back to her town of Virgin Rock with another emotionally gripping love story.
Clay Tahoma arrives in Virgin River to help his good buddy, Nathaniel Jensen (Under the Christmas Tree) at his Veterinarian practice. Clay is an experienced and well known farrier and is excited to help Nate as his new vet tech. Clay seeks the quietness and solitude of his work. Clay is sort of a “horse whisperer” and people in the equine industry want him to work with them to use his talents. However, Clay has had enough of people using him in his life and this opportunity in Virgin River is just what he needs.
Lilly Yazhi, a Hopi Indian, takes one look at the new vet assistant and is immediately drawn to him but he represents everything that she is afraid of. Clay is strong, independent and a Navajo Indian. Years ago, Lilly found herself in love with a Navajo and he burnt her badly. When she sees that Clay is a traditional Native man, she is frightened that her independence would be smothered and she will get hurt again.
I like that there is some diversity coming into Virgin River. The characters all look alike and they feel like carbon copies at times but in this book, Lilly and Clay stood out. Maybe it is because I like Native American romances, that I enjoyed the cultural aspect of the story. I really do love Clay. He is now one of my favorite heroes in the series, besides Preacher (Shelter Mountain). I love that he is traditional and loyal. He really knows what he wants and he doesn’t let anyone stop him, even his ex-wife who returns to get him back.
Lilly starts off strong but she keeps a lot of pain inside and it is very annoying and unrealistic at times. Her reasons for keeping Clay at arms reach is that she was hurt when she was thirteen by a Navajo man (he was 18 yrs old) and at first it is acceptable. Then once she and Clay get together, she holds on to this. She is an adult so why can’t she let go of a childhood love that went wrong. Eventually she pulls it together and realizes she is acting immature but it takes a while. I also wish she would have stood up to Clay’s ex-wife.
Then there is the side story that brings a lot of changes to Virgin River. Hope McCrea, the old woman who I have dubbed the town’s executor, dies really unexpectedly. She names Jack in her final will of testament as the executor of her money and the town’s expenses. Being typical Jack, he believes that everyone should be involved in this process but what he gets is everyone’s hand out, trying to get a piece of Hope’s money. Tension builds and some friendships are lost as Jack struggles with his new role. I personally like the fact that Jack is still strong in this book but he and the other side characters (some will be characters in future books) did not take over the book as Robyn Carr did in the past. She stays focus on Clay and Lilly for the most part.
Overall, I do believe long time fans of the Virgin River series will be pleased with the latest addition.
Clay Tahoma arrives in Virgin River to help his good buddy, Nathaniel Jensen (Under the Christmas Tree) at his Veterinarian practice. Clay is an experienced and well known farrier and is excited to help Nate as his new vet tech. Clay seeks the quietness and solitude of his work. Clay is sort of a “horse whisperer” and people in the equine industry want him to work with them to use his talents. However, Clay has had enough of people using him in his life and this opportunity in Virgin River is just what he needs.
Lilly Yazhi, a Hopi Indian, takes one look at the new vet assistant and is immediately drawn to him but he represents everything that she is afraid of. Clay is strong, independent and a Navajo Indian. Years ago, Lilly found herself in love with a Navajo and he burnt her badly. When she sees that Clay is a traditional Native man, she is frightened that her independence would be smothered and she will get hurt again.
I like that there is some diversity coming into Virgin River. The characters all look alike and they feel like carbon copies at times but in this book, Lilly and Clay stood out. Maybe it is because I like Native American romances, that I enjoyed the cultural aspect of the story. I really do love Clay. He is now one of my favorite heroes in the series, besides Preacher (Shelter Mountain). I love that he is traditional and loyal. He really knows what he wants and he doesn’t let anyone stop him, even his ex-wife who returns to get him back.
Lilly starts off strong but she keeps a lot of pain inside and it is very annoying and unrealistic at times. Her reasons for keeping Clay at arms reach is that she was hurt when she was thirteen by a Navajo man (he was 18 yrs old) and at first it is acceptable. Then once she and Clay get together, she holds on to this. She is an adult so why can’t she let go of a childhood love that went wrong. Eventually she pulls it together and realizes she is acting immature but it takes a while. I also wish she would have stood up to Clay’s ex-wife.
Then there is the side story that brings a lot of changes to Virgin River. Hope McCrea, the old woman who I have dubbed the town’s executor, dies really unexpectedly. She names Jack in her final will of testament as the executor of her money and the town’s expenses. Being typical Jack, he believes that everyone should be involved in this process but what he gets is everyone’s hand out, trying to get a piece of Hope’s money. Tension builds and some friendships are lost as Jack struggles with his new role. I personally like the fact that Jack is still strong in this book but he and the other side characters (some will be characters in future books) did not take over the book as Robyn Carr did in the past. She stays focus on Clay and Lilly for the most part.
Overall, I do believe long time fans of the Virgin River series will be pleased with the latest addition.
December 16, 2010
It is that time of the year again to return to my favorite small town, Virgin River. This entire series is a delight and I am so glad Ms Carr continues to write more books in this series :) This time around we meet a couple of new characters, Clay Tahoma and Lily Yazhi. Clay has come to Virgin River to work with Nate and Annie (That Holiday Feeling) as a vet assistant and he meets the feed delivery woman, Lily. They are instantly attracted to each, and not just because they are both of Native American, though rival tribes, descent but also for their love of horses.
Clay is coming away from a divorce that he just can't quite break off completely and Lily has a troubled past from when she was just fifteen that has made her very cautious with men. She takes very good care of her grandfather and really only seems to have her best gay friend Dean. I hope we get to see a bit more of Dean because he had one of the most laugh out loud moments for me in this book! Lily finds an abandoned horse and calls on Nate and Clay to help her and Lily remembers her deep love she had for riding and slowly starts to visit the stables everyday to see her....and Clay. Clay is patient with her, and thankfully, the enemy tribe situation is just something they laugh at and is not a problem for them, or really anyone in the extended family. They continue to bond over horses and life and when they take it to the next level, whew....pretty steamy and passionate this time around! Of course we have to have a big misunderstanding to work thorough and that comes in the form of Clays ex wife who just can not let go. Oh but the ending is so sweet it brought tears to me eyes! It was a perfect ending to this book!
Some of the side stories this time around involve Jack, Mel, and Hope and how the town reacts to a situation which really disappoints Jack. We also get to see some more of the yummy Riordan brothers after Colin has an accident and who is featured in the next story, Wild Man Creek and I can not wait to read that one! Is it necessary to read the previous books? Well...no...but should you, yes! This entire series is a wonderful story of what we can all hope a small town could be like. But for this story, I give it a solid 4 stars, a great addition to the series!
I recieved this ebook from netgallery.com
Clay is coming away from a divorce that he just can't quite break off completely and Lily has a troubled past from when she was just fifteen that has made her very cautious with men. She takes very good care of her grandfather and really only seems to have her best gay friend Dean. I hope we get to see a bit more of Dean because he had one of the most laugh out loud moments for me in this book! Lily finds an abandoned horse and calls on Nate and Clay to help her and Lily remembers her deep love she had for riding and slowly starts to visit the stables everyday to see her....and Clay. Clay is patient with her, and thankfully, the enemy tribe situation is just something they laugh at and is not a problem for them, or really anyone in the extended family. They continue to bond over horses and life and when they take it to the next level, whew....pretty steamy and passionate this time around! Of course we have to have a big misunderstanding to work thorough and that comes in the form of Clays ex wife who just can not let go. Oh but the ending is so sweet it brought tears to me eyes! It was a perfect ending to this book!
Some of the side stories this time around involve Jack, Mel, and Hope and how the town reacts to a situation which really disappoints Jack. We also get to see some more of the yummy Riordan brothers after Colin has an accident and who is featured in the next story, Wild Man Creek and I can not wait to read that one! Is it necessary to read the previous books? Well...no...but should you, yes! This entire series is a wonderful story of what we can all hope a small town could be like. But for this story, I give it a solid 4 stars, a great addition to the series!
I recieved this ebook from netgallery.com
July 18, 2014
This is the funny thing about me and the Virgin River books: I am attracted to the notion of what the Virgin River community stands for. That little place in Northern California sounds very appealing and over the course of a dozen books I grew attached to all the people who have made Virgin River their home – and I keep going back, because I want to find out what the next story is. I long to find out what is happening to all the people I have come to know and like.
If I am honest, after the very first book, not all the following books in the series were that outstanding. Don’t get me wrong; some of the stories had potential but they didn’t turn out to be that satisfying in the end, as well as finding some of the other lead romance characters seriously lacking in personality. Well let me say again: those characters had potential, but didn’t live up to it, and their stories didn’t turn out to be very original. To sum it up (so far): not bad; but not amazingly great, contrary to Carr's GRACE VALLEY books which were simply superb and superior in characterization and writing, overall.
That being said, I was happy to read quite a lot of pages featuring Jack and the rest of the community in this PROMISE CANYON and I liked that. The Riordan brothers were back too and I look forward to reading more about them. The story of Clay Tahoma and Lilly Yazhi, on the other hand, wasn’t satisfying – especially Lilly was a huge disappointed: she was naive, child-like, and I couldn’t believe that at age 27 she hadn’t managed to put a 14-year old heartache behind her. She’s supposed to be an educated young woman! Nope, she wasn’t an interesting female lead.
I’m looking forward to the day a well-balanced, grown-up thirty- or forty-something, down-to-earth woman (who has a story to tell) will take the romantic lead in one of the VR stories.
If I am honest, after the very first book, not all the following books in the series were that outstanding. Don’t get me wrong; some of the stories had potential but they didn’t turn out to be that satisfying in the end, as well as finding some of the other lead romance characters seriously lacking in personality. Well let me say again: those characters had potential, but didn’t live up to it, and their stories didn’t turn out to be very original. To sum it up (so far): not bad; but not amazingly great, contrary to Carr's GRACE VALLEY books which were simply superb and superior in characterization and writing, overall.
That being said, I was happy to read quite a lot of pages featuring Jack and the rest of the community in this PROMISE CANYON and I liked that. The Riordan brothers were back too and I look forward to reading more about them. The story of Clay Tahoma and Lilly Yazhi, on the other hand, wasn’t satisfying – especially Lilly was a huge disappointed: she was naive, child-like, and I couldn’t believe that at age 27 she hadn’t managed to put a 14-year old heartache behind her. She’s supposed to be an educated young woman! Nope, she wasn’t an interesting female lead.
I’m looking forward to the day a well-balanced, grown-up thirty- or forty-something, down-to-earth woman (who has a story to tell) will take the romantic lead in one of the VR stories.
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