Review: Wild Man Creek by Robyn Carr

Colin Riordan came to Virgin River to recuperate from a horrific helicopter crash, the scars of which he bears inside and out. His family is wonderfully supportive, but it's his art that truly soothes his troubled soul.


Stung personally and professionally by an ill-advised affair, PR guru Jillian Matlock has rented an old Victorian with a promising garden in Virgin River. She's looking forward to cultivating something other than a corporate brand.
Both are looking to simplify, not complicate, their lives, but when Jillian finds Colin at his easel in her yard, there's an instant connection. And in Virgin River, sometimes love is the simplest choice of all…

Wild Man Creek is easily one of my favorite installments of Virgin River series. That's saying a lot, considering there are thirteen books (including novellas)!

We met our heroine, Jillian, in Promise Canyon she, along with her sister Kelly and two of her best friends, happened to stop in Virgin River on their way back from their week long girls vacation. Jillian fell in love with a huge Victorian House that reminded her of her Nana and felt like home. Months later, after Jillian has been betrayed by her boyfriend and forced to take a leave of absence from her high stress job, she finds herself drawn back to Virgin River and the house that felt like home.

There she discovers a passion for gardening the rare fruits and vegetables that her Nana once harvested. Whereas most people garden as a hobby, Jillian's drive and passion turn it into something more. Something that she think may, one day, make a promising business venture.

Enter, Colin Roirdian. The sexy, scruffy ex-pilot, current painter shows up, with easel in hand in the back yard of Jillian's new temporary home. Colin is taking a breather in Virgin River after recovering from a near fatal helicopter crash followed by rehab for his addiction to his prescription pain meds. Unfortunately, his career in the armed forces has been cut short. Colin's accident has given him the time and opportunity to focus on his wildlife painting, however he does not intend to give up flying for good. He plans to, after his stint in Virgin River, to travel to Africa to photograph wildlife to use in his future paintings as well as investigate any flying opportunities abroad.

Jillian and Colin's attraction is immediate and their relationship progresses quickly. Surprisingly, there's little drama where there was potential for it. Jillian was betrayed by her previous boyfriend which could easily have made for trust issues. Jillian doesn't demand Colin forgo Africa for her. It was refreshing to see Jillian encourage Colin's pursuit of his dreams and goals. Both parties know going into their relationship that it has an expiration date. Jillian will eventually have to give up her gardening to return to the corporate world and Colin has his African safari planned. Or can they build a new life, together, in Virgin River?

I love, love, loved Wild Man Creek. I loved Jillian and Colin's relationship, while not perfect, it was loving and supportive with out a lot of drama where drama could easily have complicated their relationship.  As I've said before, and will likely continue to say in all my reviews of Virgin River books they're my warm fuzzy reads. When I need to feel like all is right with the world, I can always visit Virgin River for uplifting stories about friends, family, love, and community.

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Challenge(s) Fulfilled: E-book

Disclosure: I received this as a digital ARC through NetGalley. I did not receive any compensation for this review.

Reveiw: Promise Canyon by Robyn Carr

After years spent on ranches around Los Angeles, Clay Tahoma is delighted to be Virgin River’s new veterinary assistant. The secluded community’s wild beauty tugs at his Navajo roots, and he’s been welcomed with open arms by everyone in town—everyone except Lilly Yazhi.
 
Lilly has encountered her share of strong, silent, traditional men within her own aboriginal community, and she’s not interested in coming back for more. In her eyes, Clay’s earthy, sexy appeal is just an act used to charm wealthy women like his ex-wife. She can’t deny his gift for gentling horses, but she’s not about to let him control her. There’s just one small problem—she can’t control her attraction to Clay.
 
But in Virgin River, faith in new beginnings and the power of love has doors opening everywhere...

Promise Canyon is book 10 (13 counting novellas) in Robyn Carr's Virgin River series, the first in the latest trilogy which is followed by Wild Man Creek and Harvest Moon. Like any series with so many installments there will be books that are better than others and Promise Canyon isn't one of my favorites nor is it my least favorite. It falls somewhere in the middle.

Virgin River reminds me very much of the Black Dagger Brotherhood series, not in content or genre but because of the multiple story arcs, recurring characters, and character development over time. However, Promise Canyon introduces us to a new hero and heroine and I found it harder to get into.

I did enjoy the main relationship but I just didn't feel as connected to the characters as I have in the past. In Promise Canyon both main characters are Native Americans but from different tribes. Clay is Navajo and Lilly is Hopi. Lilly, having been jaded at a very young age by another Navajo is determined to avoid the new Native veterinary assistant, but Clay has other plans.

Clay patiently befriends and eventually worms his way into Lilly's heart. Lilly is resistant to her attraction to Clay and allows her past to cloud her judgement of the man Clay is, unfairly, comparing him to a reckless Navajo boy who once broke her heart. Clay is wonderful hero, sexy, steadfast. Not in the least bit tortured. Just a good guy with some baggage in the form of an ex-wife who eventually shows up to add additional conflict to Clay and Lilly's relationship.

In Promise Canyon, Virgin River says good bye to one of their own and also welcomes new faces who will, no doubt, one day star in their very own Virgin River adventure. While not my favorite in the series, Promise Canyon advances the series and is, overall, a good addition to the series. Every time I review one of these books I use the same description, because it's always true; Robyn Carr's Virgin River series is always heartwarming and uplifting.

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Disclosure: I received this as a digital ARC through NetGalley. I did not receive any compensation for this review.

The series in order:

Challenge: E-book

Moonlight Road by Robyn Carr

With her beloved younger siblings settled and happy, Erin Foley has got empty nest syndrome. At age thirty-five.

So she’s hitting the pause button on her life and holing up in a secluded (but totally upgraded, she’s not into roughing it) cabin near Virgin River. Erin is looking forward to really getting to know herself...not some shaggy-haired mountain man she meets wandering the woods.

In fact, beneath his faded fatigues and bushy beard, Aiden Riordan is a doctor, recharging for a summer after leaving the Navy. He’s intrigued by the pretty, slightly snooty refugee from the rat race — meditating, journaling and definitely keeping him at arm’s length. He’d love to get closer...if his scruffy exterior and crazy ex-wife don’t hold him back.

But maybe it’s something in the water — unlikely romances seem to take root in Virgin River...helped along with some well-intentioned meddling, of course.

I love this series! It is so heartwarming and uplifting. This is like the warm, fuzzy blankets of book series for me. The stories envelope you and you wish Virgin River was a real place. This is the 11th book in the series and, as with many other series, there are reader favorites. Not every book in a series can be your favorite right? Some fall short but I think Moonlight Road delivers.
I still don't think any of the stories can compare with Jack and Mel's original story, however I was really looking forward to Adien's story.

When I started Moonlight Road, I was a little worried because I wasn't sure I was going to like Erin, but for all of her bossiness and uptight persona she was a great heroine. I think of the most recent additions to the VR series: I liked Noah & Ellie's story the best I think the writing in Forbidden Falls was some of the best since the first 3 books.

The story really focused on the H/H. My least favorite was Angel's Peak, I thought that, again there was too much going on and there wasn't enough development of Sean and Francie's story. Although, I wonder if Carr thought their previous history together would suffice. So Moonlight Road was my second favorite of these three stories. I thought Aiden was great. I was a little frustrated at Mel in the Jack/Mel side-story they had going on. You knew she would do the right thing but it was a little frustrating at times. Glad Jack stood strong against all Mels' urging and stubbornness.

All in all, this was a good addition to the series. I wonder if we'll see the last two Riordan brothers, Paddy & Colin, get their own stories?

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I received this as a digital ARC through NetGalley. I did not receive any compensation for this review.