A Summer in Sonoma

Product Details

• Contingency: New
• ISBN13: 9780778328704
• Notes: BUY WITH Trust, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare our books, prices and ceremony to the competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed

Description

They've been best friends since seventh grade. But this summer, teetering on the threshold of thirty, four women are going to need each other more than ever.

Cassie has sworn off romance after yet another bad date. Yet deep down, she's still looking for Mr. Forever. A long-haired biker doesn't figure into her plans, so where's the harm in touring the back roads of Sonoma on a Harley with Walt Arneson?

Julie married her high school sweetheart—who can get her pregnant with a mere glance—too young and now wonders how her life became all about leaky faucets and checkbook balances. Maybe love isn't enough to sustain the hottest couple in town.

Marty's firefighter husband has forgotten all about romance, and an old flame begins to look mighty tempting.

Beth, a busy doctor trapped in a body that's betrayed her yet again, is becoming a difficult patient and a secretive friend.

Life can change in an instant…or a summer. And having old friends to lean on can only up the chances of happily ever after.

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Customer Reviews

good life lessons
I enjoyed this book for many reasons. The characters were likable. Walter was just just plain adorable and real.The story is about real life issues and how important good communication is in relationships.I recomend this book and it reminded me to keep my eye on just what is important in life.I always know how much I like a book when I miss the characters and I have to say this book left me wanting more of them.

2010-08-27 | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

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Sometimes you put walls up not to keep people out, but to see who cares enough to break them down. - Unknown
Four women who have been lifelong friends are all at a crossroads in their lives. They are in different phases and stages in their relationships with men, and one of them is even facing her own mortality, again.

This story focuses on each individual friend and dissects their current state of mind and problems. Cassie has been on a lifelong search for Mr. Right. Julie struggles juggling the finances and her over fertile body. Marty has lost the spark in her marriage and is feeling taken for granted. And then there is Beth, who from the outside seems to have it all, except her health.

This book touched me on so many levels. I think there isn't a female out there who couldn't relate to at least one of these characters, or maybe all of them in different stages of her life. Robyn Carr really has a unique ability to write really relatable characters. This story is heartwarming and touching. It was like reading about so many women I know, myself included.

My one complaint was Cassie's consistent and incorrect stereotyping. She finally meets Mr. Right and spends 90% of the book hung up on his looks. I wanted to punch her. She was such a caring and lovable character and then where Walt was concerned she turned into a snob. I hated that. Had Cassie eased up on her judgmental BS, this totally would have been a 5 star book.

Highly recommended!

Cherise Everhard, August 2010

2010-08-22 (Michigan, USA) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 4

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I LOVED THIS!
This will go down as one of my very favorite Robyn Carr books! It

2010-08-21 | Julie ann (Indiana) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

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reality romance
Too often romance novels tell stories that is just too good to be true. Everyone finds the perfect partner with whom they have super sex happily after ever. Problems float away as if on clouds, if there are any problems at all. Robyn Carr tells this tale of four friends who approach the issues of real life. There are money problems, marital disharmony, disease and mistrust in relationships. Although the discord does get resolved, it is with work and difficulty. It is truly romantic to see that communication and trust, that are intrinsic to all good relationships, pays off. this is an absolutely enjoyable read!

2010-08-17 | techauthor (Hawley, Pa USA) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 4

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Another terrific Carr book
I'm a fan and I admit it. Loved the Virgin and Grace series and couldn't wait to read each new book. Carr has done an outstanding job in this stand-alone book of creating believable characters and having them go through real-life situations. There is nothing saccharine here, only people who speak, think and act the way real people do. Carr has done a great job of portraying the tight friendship of the four women and I'm sure she has done that because so many of have tight freindships with other women so we can identify with the situation. (And if some don't, they wish they had.)

Is this a fabulous, classic book for the ages? No, but it was one I couldn't put down once I started, that had me laughing and crying and that I was sorry to get to the end of (as another reviewer said).

I don't understand Zosia's review at all. While I agree with Tuff Tulip, to me the most surprising thing was how many spoilers she had: why tell every detail of the book? Glad I read reviews AFTER I read the book.

2010-08-14 | voracious reader (Germantown, TN) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 4

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Never Too Late (MIRA)

Product Details

• ISBN13: 9780778322979
• Get: New
• Notes: BUY WITH Reliance, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare our books, prices and repair to the competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed

Description

Three seconds is all it takes to turn a whole life around

And if anybody knows about bouncing back after disaster, it's Clare Wilson. She's had it with being married to a serial cheater, and no way is he getting another chance. Even her own son thinks she should have kicked his dad to the curb ages ago. Now she's done it for good, and Clare is finally feeling the rush of unadulterated freedom.

But when a freak car crash lands Clare in the hospital, her life takes another detour. She might be banged up and bruised, but suddenly men are coming out of the woodwork. Even her ex is pining for her. It seems being an independent single woman is a powerful aphrodisiac. But amidst all the lust, the last thing Clare expects to find is love.

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Customer Reviews

Enjoyable Story
I really like most of Robyn Carr's books and this one was no exception. It had a good story line. Kept my interest. As with most of her books, family played an important role. Some parts were very humorous. The people actually seemed real with one exception. The only reason I didn't give it a 5 star was because one of the male characters planned to marry and didn't tell his daughter about his plans, in fact he didn't even tell her he was dating. That just didn't seem right, especially since he talked of wanting to protect her and not causing her emotional harm. Seems like walking in the door with a new wife might cause a little confusion, but hey that's just me. Having said that, I still felt good after reading it. And I do recommend it.

2010-08-24 (Greensboro, NC United States) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 4

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A pretty good read
I'm definitely a fan of Robyn Carr and will read anything she has written but, having said that, this is not one of her best efforts in my opinion. As always, Ms. Carr is worth reading but don't expect this to equal her Virgin River or Grace River series.

2010-07-08 | freddie (Delaware) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 3

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Action packed!
"WOW! A lot is happening in this book, but none of it is boring, however you can guess what will happen at the end a bit anyway. I knew at least but that didn't mean the story wasn't enjoyable in the least!

There are 3 sisters that we go ba...more WOW! A lot is happening in this book, but none of it is boring, however you can guess what will happen at the end a bit anyway. I knew at least but that didn't mean the story wasn't enjoyable in the least!

There are 3 sisters that we go back and forth with, one is Clare who is separated from her husband Roger of 16 years. He has cheated on her one too many times. She goes to their old house that he is still staying in, to leave a birthday card and get some more items. However, Roger wasn't supposed to be there, but he is, and he has another woman there. Clare is hurt, she knows they are separated but it still hurts.

So leaving there she is speeding and gets pulled over. Pulling away from getting pulled over, she gets hit and so the story goes from there.

One of the other sisters is the younger one, Sarah, and she comes into her own after dealing with the mother's death a few years ago and her depression.

The other sister is older, married and has problems of her own. If you enjoy drama and romance, this book is for you! Robyn Carr never disappoints!!

2010-04-29 | Hoarder of books (Goldendale WA) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

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Complete waste of time...
I was pining for a satisfying romance read, so I selected this book. I was sorely disappointed in my selection. I really don't understand the solely high praises for this book, as it was obviously a simplistic, trite, wholly unsatisying read. The dialogue was eye-rollingly silly and the characters somewhat one-dimensional and unlikable (the Sam character, for instance, is truly a stalker-type personality). The plotline was so predictable - I knew what would happen as each character was introduced. There was absolutely no complex character development, and certainly nothing to compel the reader to read on. Have romance novels really been reduced to this? It was a struggle for me to finish this book, and I only did it because I paid full price for the kindle edition! I rarely feel compelled to offer a review of books I read, but I was so frustrated by the fact that the other reviews for this book (which I use to determine whether or not I will make a purchase) do not adequately reflect what garbage it is. If I can be of any assistance to other potential buyers at all, let me offer the first one-star review so that you will have a realistic alternative to the obvious exaggeration of other readers' opinions. I'm going to go back and reread "Pride & Prejudice" to wash the foul taste of this book away (sigh).

2010-02-15 | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 1

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I love Robyn Carr
I love Robyn Carr! All her books I've bought at Amazon and from re-sellers on Amazon were in perfect condition and delivered on time.

2009-12-23 | Jim (Vale, Oregon) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

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Just Over the Mountain (Grace Valley Trilogy)

Product Details

• Inure: New
• Notes: BUY WITH Poise, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare our books, prices and military talents to the competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed
• ISBN13: 9780778328995

Description

Welcome back to Grace Valley, California, where the best things in life never change…

Here in this peaceful community, folks look out for one another like family, though sometimes a little too well. In a town like this, it's hard to keep a secret—but Dr. June Hudson has managed to keep one heck of a humdinger.…

Though visits from her secret lover, undercover DEA agent Jim Post, are as clandestine as they are passionate, somehow it fits with her demanding schedule as the town's doctor—a calling that requires an innate ability to exist on caffeine, sticky buns and nerves of steel.

But how can a secret lover compete with a flesh-and-blood heartthrob from her past? June's old flame has just returned to town after twenty years—and he's divorced. June is seriously rattled. So when the town's most devoted wife takes buckshot to her husband and some human bones turn up in her aunt Myrna's backyard, she's almost happy for the distraction.

Sooner or later, love will have its way in Grace Valley. It always does.

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Customer Reviews

Love Robyn Carr's stories
I loved all the Grace Valley books. I had met the people while reading the Virgin River books and was thrilled to learn more about them in their own stories. Hope Robyn continues to create more stories of these people. I don't want to leave their friendships.

2010-07-26 | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

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Just Over the Mountain (Grace Valley Trilogy) Robyn Carr
Just accidentally discovered Robyn Carr and the Grace Valley Trilogy was excellent. Looking forward to reading more of her work. It helped that I was able to get all 3 books within a short period of time, so I could move from the first in the series right on through the final one. Great Read!

2010-07-07 | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

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Loved it!
This is the 2nd book in Robyn Carr's Grace Valley trilogy. The characters in these books are also included in her next series in Virgin River. Carr is very good at developing excellent characters. Her women are very strong and the men who love them arevery protective. She pulls you into their stories.

2010-05-09 (South Bend, Indiana) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

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Most Boring Trilogy I Have Ever Read
I loved the Virgin River Trilogy so I bought all of The Grace Valley novels at once. What a mistake!! I read the first in the Series and was sorely disappointed. I had hopes that the other two would be better. But they were not. I skip read through the Second book in the Series and read about three chapters in the last Book of the Series before discarding it. Don't waste your money on this Trilogy.

2010-01-03 (USA) | Helpful Votes: 3 | Rating: 1

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Love Robin Carr
I think the title says it all. I hope she writes more of these stories

2009-09-12 (Buffalo, NY) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

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Paradise Valley (Virgin River, Book 7)

Product Details

• ISBN13: 9780778326649
• Form: New
• Notes: BUY WITH Self-reliance, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare our books, prices and benefit to the competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed

Description

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

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

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

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Customer Reviews

Paradise Valley Review from Amazon.com
The book was received in a timely manner and was in good condition......a great read.

2010-02-24 | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

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Review on Virgin River series
I have read all 8 Virgin River books by Robyn Carr (2 more to be released soon). They are excellent stories but are a bit sexually explicit for my taste. But each book develops new characters, as well as continuing with previous ones. I definitely have enjoyed the story content.

2010-02-17 (Marshfield, VT) | Helpful Votes: 1 | Rating: 5

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Too much going on
Gosh this one had too many plots, and there wasn't enough time dedicated to any of them. Robyn Carr always has a lot of storylines running at the same time in her books, but there's usually one that is the main focus. Here, there wasn't, and I found I didn't care about any of the characters. I never liked Rick and Liz much, but the back of the book said this was their story. It really wasn't. They were hardly in it.

Robyn Carr needs a better editor; someone who will force her to plot her stories better and make her find the heart of her book. There are too many tangents, and this book is a really annoying read.

2010-01-28 | Helpful Votes: 4 | Rating: 1

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The most boring in the series so far
Rick is wounded in Iraq and pushes Liz, Jack and all the others who care about him away. Walt and Muriel yet again bore me to tears. Abby and Cameron proceed with their relationship, but after their exciting beginning in a previous book, leave me disappointed. There are irrelevant tangents that should have been edited out.

This book really drags in a lot of places. With each new addition to the series, Robyn Carr seems to devote more and more time to talking about home renovations. And I'm sorry, but that's just too boring to fill half a novel. She goes into so much detail about every aspect of every house, and what is going to be done to change it, I did a lot of skim reading. Those are pages that would be better off filled with plot of some sort.

I'm not entirely sure why Carr's editor lets her get away with her poor plotting and structure time and time again. The first couple of chapters of this book belonged in the book preceding it. They featured characters who starred in Temptation Ridge - characters who had nothing to do with the main story in Paradise Valley. The fact this is a series does not excuse the way the author so blatantly runs one book into the next. Series or no series, each book should be able to hold up on its own, and this one does not. And, yet again, she finished the story featuring the wrong characters.

I've never been much of a fan of Rick and Liz. Rick is a Gary Stu to Mel's Mary Sue, and I've never been all that interested in reading a book featuring him. Though it is officially Rick and Liz's book, they aren't in it very much, and when they are the scenes are repetitious and uninteresting.

One thing that left me very perplexed was Mel's reaction to Rick's injuries. When she found out, she really didn't seem to care. Her reaction was so cold, unemotional; I couldn't figure out what was going on. Mel has always been a bit of a Mary Sue. Everybody loves her and all the men think she's beautiful and perfect. But in the end she's an extremely forceful, self-righteous character. I really want to like her more, but nobody ever calls her out on her behaviour.

And then Dan went and turned into Doctor Phil, and it occurred to me just how impossible this author finds it to write realistic characters. Everyone is perfect. They're all kind and helpful and the men are so effeminate it is obvious they are written the way a weak woman might fantasise men would act. They speak with a woman's voice - no real men are like Virgin River men.

The Walt/Muriel storyline still bores me, and all the real-life celebrity name-dropping that comes with the fact Muriel is a movie star is still stupid. This couple is just so...blah...by the end I was skimming their parts, and found I didn't miss out on much.

This book was just boring for me. I tried really hard to get into it, but there wasn't anything to hold my interest, and I skimmed over much of it. Carr's strength is definitely NOT plotting - her books never have much of interest going on. What she's good at is characterisation, but even that fell flat in this edition.

There are babies everywhere again. If there's anything you want to know about pregnancy, you're better off reading this series than something from the bookstore's health section! It's very telling that the author thanks her midwife consultant first in the acknowledgement section of every book. Shows her priorities are far more on the baby part rather than the love part. To me, paragraphs about medicine and pregnancy complications just aren't fun. And, the author's prejudices are front and centre yet again. Even though this time a character goes to hospital to deliver, she's too late for an epidural. In Robyn Carr's world, all women want natural homebirths. All breastfeed. All want seven thousand people present when they give birth. Everything is always the same. And this couple's story ended the moment they had babies. In the Virgin River world everyone's stories always end the moment they produce offspring. As if having a baby is their only worth.

What really annoyed me about the baby obsession in this book was when a traumatised Rick returned to Virgin River. Nobody who loved him could get through to him, but then Paige plonked her baby in his arms, and - voila! - Rick was back. Robyn Carr always writes about babies being miracles, but that was utterly stupid.

I also did not appreciate the constant references to how `huge' Abby was with her pregnancy. I was insulted on behalf of a fictional character!

Once again the author makes the mistake of repeating the same information over and over. And over. When something happens we see every conversation between characters where they find out the news. For example, the way Abby and Cameron met is relayed to us about four times in this book - each time with a different character finding out the news. WE - the readers - do not need to experience these conversations. We already know this stuff; the other characters should find out off the page.

I did not appreciate all the `women of a certain age' scenes. Apart from being incredibly boring, it seems anyone over fifty is desperate to have thousands of grandchildren, and they are quite happy to force their plans onto their children. On top of that, they are obsessed with weddings, and don't believe a relationship with children can work without marriage. This series is in many ways so terribly old fashioned I simply cannot believe the author is in my parents' generation. Her writing often reads like something from my great grandmother's generation!

There quite simply was nothing worth reading in this book in the Virgin River series. The `story' was nothing more than mundane details about characters' mundane lives. I could have put this book down and gone and experienced exactly the same thing on my own. When I pick up a book I want something memorable to actually happen.

Of everything I found wrong with book seven in this series, the biggest problem was that I was just plain bored.

2010-01-24 (Australia) | Helpful Votes: 5 | Rating: 1

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A good read
This was actually a pretty good read. Of course we are reunited with the lovely characters from Virgin River and there's always something going on in this small group. I really got into Rick and Liz's story. It was heartwarming and touching to see the two young lovers work it out through the obstacles placed before them. Now I know the second story was suppose to be about Dan and Cheryl but I felt that story was lacking. I believe that if the author would have cut some of Abby and Cameron's story out, she could have helped us get to know them better. There was entirely too much time devoted to Cam and Abby. Overall the story was good and I look forward to reading about who else pops up in Virgin River.

2009-12-26 (Brooklyn, NY United States) | Helpful Votes: 1 | Rating: 4

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Moonlight Road (Virgin River)

Product Details

• ISBN13: 9780778327684
• Brainwash: New
• Notes: BUY WITH Trust, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare our books, prices and advantage to the competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed

Description

With her beloved younger siblings settled and happy, Erin Foley has 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 planning on getting to know herself…not the shaggy-haired mountain man she meets.

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—her meditating and journaling are 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 by some well-intentioned meddling, of course.

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Customer Reviews

Moonlight Road
It was a great book I'd like to know when she'll have new ones out

2010-08-02 | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

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moonlight road
excellent book.i have read all of the virgin river serie's so far, and hope there will be more to come.

2010-07-16 | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

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Great!
I received this book quickly from when I placed my order and it was perfect!

2010-07-12 | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

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Moonlight Road
Robyn Carr expands her Virgin River series by highlighting two secondary characters, Erin Foley and Aiden Riordan, from previous books. The product description and excerpt provide an overview of the title, so I won't rehash the plot. However, since the book is based on characters previously introduced in the series, it is best to have read the series before tackling Moonlight Road. The characters and plot are just as quirky and enjoyable as previous entries in the Virgin River series with big city people moving to outdoor heaven, but the further the series develops, the more you have to have read the earlier books to receive the full enjoyment of this entry in the series.

2010-06-10 | Bookdragon | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 4

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Moonlight Road
What a wonderful book!!! I love the whole Virgin River series. Thank you for your great service.

Patsy Bueche

2010-05-20 (New Braunfels, TX) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

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Angel's Peak (Virgin River)

Product Details

• ISBN13: 9780778327615
• Persuade: New
• Notes: BUY WITH Self-reliance, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare our books, prices and military talents to the competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed

Description

Four years ago, Air Force sweethearts Franci Duncan and Sean Riordan reached an impasse. She wanted marriage and a family. He didn't. But a chance meeting proves that the bitter breakup hasn't cooled their sizzling chemistry.

Sean has settled down in spite of himself—he's not the cocky young fighter pilot he was when Franci left, and he wants them to try again. After all, they have a history…but that's not all they share.

Franci's secret reason for walking away when Sean refused to commit is now three and a half: a redheaded cherub named Rosie who shares her daddy's emerald-green eyes. Sean is stunned—and furious with Franci for the deception.

News travels fast in Virgin River, and soon the whole town is taking sides. Rebuilding their trust could take a small miracle—and the kind of love that can move mountains.

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Customer Reviews

Pleasant, But Not My Fav
This was a pleasure read, so this won't be a full review. I've been jumping around in this series with no difficulty, so you should have no trouble if you don't read them in order, they stand alone. I love the setting for these books, and have grown to love the people. This book was no exception, however I did feel like this book revolved around the town more than the hero and heroine, especially toward the end. Still a pleasant read nonetheless. Writers must always be careful of a secret baby/child plot, but I feel she pulled it off. Recommended.

2010-08-14 | Author and Reviewer (WISCONSIN) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 4

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I felt like I was reading a relationship primer for teens.
I'd never read Robyn Carr's books before and so picked up two at my library: TEMPTATION RIDGE and this one, ANGEL'S PEAK. I read them in chronological order. If I had started with ANGEL'S PEAK I would not have bothered to pick up TEMPTATION RIDGE. In other words, TR was a fairly good read, although all those wonderful, good-looking, wholesome people to be found in one small place with a population under 1000 was fairly amazing to me. And all those hunky ex-military guys finding their one-true-love who manages to be caring, intelligent and hot at the same time. But it was my first taste of a R. Carr book so I enjoyed it for what it was. Then I read this one. OMG, everything that was slightly cloying and annoying about TR became unbearable for me in ANGEL'S PEAK. The writing was quite heavy-handed and pedantic and the story a big bore. I guess at my age I'm not looking for someone to be instructing me on relationships and sex. In addition, I like my characters in books to be more complex and interesting and have more flaws. It seems the only flaw the men have is that they have slept around too much before finding THE ONE and the women apparently have some trauma in their past caused by some non-Virgin-River guy who was no good. And the conception and gestation and birthing of babies got to me after a while. And would somebody please please explain to me how 3-year-old Rosie's ability to pronounce the R sound was so inconsistent? She calls herself Wide Iwish Rose. Shouldn't that be Wide Iwish Wose?

2010-05-31 (USA) | Helpful Votes: 1 | Rating: 2

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Boring
This is the first and LAST Robyn Carr book I have read. Maybe if I had read the series from the beginning it would have been better, but I think not. The main thought I had was "this is just another Debbie Macomber Cedar Cove series - just set in Virgin River. AND Ms. Carr lacks Macomber's writing talent.

2010-05-12 | ReaderWoman (North Carolina) | Helpful Votes: 2 | Rating: 1

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A story with richness and depth
Originally posted at [...]

Angel's Peak, the second volume in Robin Carr's Virgin River series, is a story consisting of multiple characters, interconnected and intersecting paths, and subplots. Although the blurb indicates you are taking the journey of Sean and Franci -- a couple who parted bitterly four-years before, yet are serendipitously reunited -- there are several other romances, conflicts, and stories that take place.

The beginning of Angel's Peak is as promised, and we are introduced to Franci and Sean. Sean is in a bar, desperate to get away from his newlywed brother and sister-in-law, when he sees his former flame stroll through the door with friends. When Franci gave him an ultimatum to start a life together consisting of a marriage, family, and children, Sean all but showed her the door. He was happy with the way things were and didn't need a piece of paper to declare his commitment. After seeing her again, however, he knows he made a huge mistake.

Deciding to try and rectify the situation, Sean waits for Franci outside the bar in an attempt to talk to her. It doesn't go well, but he isn't willing to take no for an answer. As he becomes more insistent, demanding an explanation for her refusal to so much as speak to him, the truth is revealed; Franci was already several months pregnant with their child when she put him on the spot and, upon his admission he never wanted children, fled from him in an effort to give her child love and not the resentment that would arise from married parents bound to one another through obligation.

As Sean struggles to come to terms with what he's lost, yet inadvertently gained, he knows he has to make things right with Franci, ensure she realizes he's changed, and persuade her to give him a chance to prove they can be so very happy together.

From this point forward, the story branches into multiple stories that are connected via the characters with a relation, friendship, or interest in one another. You get snippets from Franci's mother, Vivian, Sean's mother, Maureen, as well as his brothers and their spouses. There are also portions dedicated to the couple from the first book (which admittedly, I have not read), as well as local residents who are prominent in the community. It's a very large roster of characters, yet instead of becoming the supporting cast, they are given (and take up as much, if not more) page time than the hero and heroine.

Unfortunately, while I enjoy a story with richness and depth, I found the multiples points of view distracting. As this was Sean and Franci's story, I wanted to know more about them, their relationship, their feelings, what it was like to try and start all over again. I wanted to experience what they were going through, where they were with things, how they were going to cope with the very real possibility that soon Sean would be deployed overseas. Yes, portions of this are present, but for me there just wasn't enough to invest in these two characters in particular. Instead, the points of view shift from one story to the next, and just when you settle in, you're taking a different journey in someone else's shoes.

There are positive things to be said, however, especially in regard to the writing style, dialogue, and scenes that make your heart clench and your stomach knot. When Ms. Carr decides to bring on the emotion, she goes for the throat. I loved the scenes with Sean, Franci, and Rosie, and couldn't wait for them to come together as a family. I also enjoyed the scenes with Noah and Ellie, as well as those between Sean and his brothers. There is humor, there is pain, and there is hope, which are essential elements in any fantastic story.

Those who love elements of romance, a bit of tension, and a large cast of characters will enjoy Angel's Peak. There is quite a following in this series and I'm certain the fans of the first offering will not be disappointed.

2010-04-02 | The Long and the Short Of It Reviews (USA) | Helpful Votes: 1 | Rating: 4

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Angel's Peak - Warm and Sizzling
Angel's Peak by Robyn Carr
Mira Books
ISBN 978-0-7783-2761-5
373 Pages

Angel's Peak by Robyn Carr gives us another warm and sizzling story from Virgin River. As with each book in this delightful series we re-visit some characters from previous storylines and are introduced to new ones.

From the back cover:

Sean has settled down in spite of himself - he's not the cocky young fighter pilot he was when Franci left, and he wants them to try again. After all, they have a history...but that's not all they share.

Franci's secret reason for walking away when Sean refused to commit is now three and a half; a redheaded cherub named Rosie who shares her daddy's emerald-green eyes. Sean is stunned - and furious with Franci for the deception.

News travels fast in Virgin River, and soon the whole town is taking sides. Rebuilding their trust could take a small miracle - and the kind of love that can move mountains.

In her usual manner Robyn Carr weaves a tale with characters that are believable and lovable. I was at first surprised at the `hidden child' plot that began this novel. What I liked was the way Robyn addressed the issues as seen from both sides of the coin.

There is a theme to this book about trust and faith, not only in the relationship between Sean and Franci but in the budding self-discovery of Sean's mother, a strict Catholic who is certain she is too old to ever find a romantic relationship again.

Robyn brought back one of my favorite characters from Hidden Falls, George Davenport who is immediately attracted to Sean's mother Maureen. George is a charming character and you just know that the future he has planned for them both will be full of adventure.

Without giving away too much of the plot, what I enjoyed most was the way these two families pulled together to help this young couple find their way to becoming a family.

The romantic scenes in this book are certainly....compelling to say the least. They rank right up there in the "is it getting warm in here or am I having a hot flash" category. I would recommend Angel's Peak as a great read and a good adventure.

To read Susan's interview with Robyn Carr follow this link: [..]

2010-02-24 (New Mexico, USA) | Helpful Votes: 2 | Rating: 5

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