2 Bloggers 1 Series - Virgin River

 

So no, Stormi and I haven't totally given up on The Invisible Library series.  We just both kind of stalled out on book #3 and realized we make our own rules so nothing says we can't have more than one series on the go.  Also, both of us got sucked into the Virgin River series on Netflix (well, I was sucked in and I kind of pushed Stormi in).  We wanted to give the books a try and I'm happy to report I think it was a positive endeavor.  So read on for my thoughts and then hop over for Stormi's thoughts at Books, Movies, Reviews! Oh My! 

TITLE: Virgin River (Virgin River #1)

AUTHOR: Robyn Carr

PUBLISHER: Mira

PUBLISHING DATE: March 27, 2007

PAGES: 430

SOURCE: Library/Hoopla

FROM GOODREADS: 

Welcome back to Virgin River with the book that started it all… 

Wanted: Midwife/nurse practitioner in Virgin River, population six hundred. Make a difference against a backdrop of towering California redwoods and crystal clear rivers. Rent-free cabin included. 

When the recently widowed Melinda Monroe sees this ad, she quickly decides that the remote mountain town of Virgin River might be the perfect place to escape her heartache, and to reenergize the nursing career she loves. But her high hopes are dashed within an hour of arriving—the cabin is a dump, the roads are treacherous and the local doctor wants nothing to do with her. Realizing she’s made a huge mistake, Mel decides to leave town the following morning. 

But a tiny baby abandoned on a front porch changes her plans…and former marine Jack Sheridan cements them into place.

MY THOUGHTS: So I knew going into this that the book would definitely be different than the series.  I mean, aren't they always?  But the main premise is still the same.  Mel was a RN in California when her husband and doctor, Mark, was killed at a local convenience store coming home one night.  She wants to escape everyone knowing what happened and get a fresh start so she answers an add to be a nurse practitioner/midwife in Virgin River.  She knows it will be slower paced but it isn't until she arrives that she realizes how "country" her new life will be.  She is hesitant to stay, especially when she finds she has been lured there over false pretenses, but slowly things happen which might make her change her mind.

So I have to admit that the relationship development between Mel and Jack, the local bar owner, happens much faster in the book and with some angst, but not nearly as much as with the show.  And a lot of the same characters show up but they sometimes have different story lines, or someone else's story line, than in Carr's novel.  That being said, I love both pretty much equally but have just come to accept them as different entities.  

The discord between Mel and Doc is still present and I really enjoyed their banter.  And of course, Jack is a flawed yet wonderful counterpart for Mel's initial stuffiness.  And overall, the slow-paced Virgin River has all the small town charm I've come to love in books.  And given that February is the month for romance, it was the perfect time to give it a go.  My only complaint is that we didn't get much of Preacher's character in the book but I do believe book #2 is highly dedicated to him. So bring it on!

RATING: 4 PAWS