Cover Image: A Virgin River Christmas

A Virgin River Christmas

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

This was a lovely story, I loved the characters and the storyline. It will definitely go into my favourites and I will enjoy reading it again

Was this review helpful?

Love this book just as much as I've loved the other Virgin River books.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for the opportunity to read this.

Was this review helpful?

Whilst this book is set in Virgin River and thus you can expect some of the characters from previous novels in this series to appear, it can be read as a stand-alone.
Like the other books in this series it falls firmly into small town romance, with this being a remote small town and the extra opportunities for story twists that this gives us. Especially as it is set at Christmas.
Christmas, in American novels, tends to be portrayed as a fun time of year where families get together and enjoy activities and food.
Of course, it helps give a sense of what Christmas could be like if the story has people who don't have these nuclear or extended families but are alone, or estranged from their families, or have other reasons for not being with them.
Thus you get a novel with angst and emotion and a strong sense of potential for the future. This story follows these rules to a HEA.

Was this review helpful?

This was a brilliant read and is being featured on my blog for my quick star reviews feature, which I have created on my blog so I can catch up with all the books I have read and therefore review.
See www.chellsandbooks.wordpress.com.

Was this review helpful?

A Virgin River Christmas is the fourth book in the Virgin River series and tells the story of Marcie and Ian, both affected by the war.

Marcie has lost her husband and a year later, she decides to find the man who gave her the chance to say good bye to him. Ian has spent the last four years hiding himself away in an attempt to escape his demons, but when Marcie crashes into his life, he has no choice but to face her and gradually those demons he's been hiding from.

I really enjoyed this book; it had me laughing at moments and then holding back tears the next. There were a couple of tough scenes to read but overall it was a great book with brilliant characters and a pretty satisfying ending.

Was this review helpful?

Oh what a sweet book! I
I love the TV series and this book was just a continuation of my enjoyment.
I could picture the settings and the characters, even the new ones.
Definitely a perfect read to be read under a cosy blanket and with a hot chocolate .

Was this review helpful?

I adore the Virgin River series, and this book is undoubtedly a perfect, greatly anticipated addition!
One of the main things I really love about this series is how, with each new book, we get to meet more characters and learn more about them as individuals.
This book introduces us to Marcie, who is a strong, fearless woman, but is also one of the kindest and most loving souls around. I really love Marcie and think she is a truly wonderful addition to the cast of strong women in this series.
We then meet Ian, who is the leading man in this book. His character was truly unique and had me intrigued from the start. I truly enjoyed learning more about these characters as the story progressed, and following the blossoming romance between Marcie and Ian was heart warming.

Another fabulous addition to this wonderful series.

Was this review helpful?

Another enjoyable book in the Virgin River series, and a nice novella to fill the void left after watching the recent Netflix series if you want to further explore the source material. Well written with characters you care about.

Was this review helpful?

BOOK REVIEW:
Virgin River: A Virgin River Christmas by @robyncarrwriter

4 stars

I love the Virgin River series, it never fails to make me feel warm and fuzzy inside and this installment certainly didn't let me down.
It is a beautiful story about love, loss and forgiveness. It was quite obvious where the story would go but I didn't mind as the journey to get there was so lovely to read. It was a nice calming story and I could almost feel the chill of the snow and winter in Virgin River, it was written so well.
What I love in this series is that in each book there is a strong woman. In this book Marcie, the lead female character, is an absolute joy to get to know. She is so kind, caring and understanding but also quite fierce and she says and does what she wants and what she believes is right. The main male character Ian was such an interesting character and I loved reading his journey and seeing the changes Marcie brings to him and his life.
There are also snippets of our old favourites Mel, Jack, Preacher, Paige and Doc which I loved!

I highly recommend the Virgin River series, but make sure you read from the start! It is an emotive storyline with romance, strong women and beautiful scenery.

Please note that I was #gifted this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

4.5 stars
This is the second of the Virgin River books that I have read, having read Return To Virgin River previously. I'm also a fan of the Netflix TV show adaptation.
And again, I was pleasantly surprised with this book.
This is a light, easy to read book that deals with difficult subject matters like loss, grief and PTSD in a sensitive way.
You really do find yourself rooting for and really caring about the characters in these books. And Marcie and Ian are no different.
To see the transformation of Ian, in particular and how scrappy Marcie was in not giving up on finding Ian or on him more generally, was heartwarming and just left you feeling good as you read it.
I also liked that this was set mostly in Ian's cabin, with brief trips to and visits from what we know as the rest of Virgin River, such as Jack's bar and Doc and Mel's practice. That way it felt like a story within a story and one that was quite separate and different to the ones that I'd read/watched before.
It wasn't necessarily as festive/Christmassy as you would imagine, given the title. But I was happy to take some time out and read this over the Christmas period.
I've already downloaded several more in the Virgin River series to read next, as it seems that even though you can read each of the books as a stand alone story, there are a lot of characters who are mentioned in this who have books dedicated to their stories too. And I can't wait to read more.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

A Virgin River Christmas by Robyn Carr

It’s been a year since Marcie Sullivan’s husband died and she wants to find his best friend to thank him for saving his life and giving her extra time with him against her families wishes. She travels to the small mountain town of Virgin River and after a month of searching finds Ian Sullivan living a reclusive life in a small mountain shack.

This is a story about two broken people trying to find closure in different ways and the people who help along the way.

Difficult subjects dealt with beautifully.

Humour and characters make for a wonderful read in some of life’s darker moments. Great read

Was this review helpful?

This story focuses on Marcie a recent widow and Ian, a marine who despite his bravery gives up on his career and life to become a recluse in the mountains near Virgin River. There are appearances from Virgin River regulars, but this is a story of healing and love between the two newcomers.

This is a gently paced, emotional and festive story. Marcie and Ian build a relationship that moves from animosity to understanding in a remote mountain setting. It highlights the effect of war on veterans, a recurrent series theme, and also shows how a caring community helps everyone within it,
This is a heartwarming, romantic story which resonates.

I received a copy of this book from Mills and Boon via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

A bit slow to start, but no less enjoyable, a wonderful addition to the virgin river series, I found this one a lot more emotional to read. Absolutely adored it

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

Was this review helpful?

Loved it. I am g eating seriously addicted to this town! Only got into them after watching the show on Netflix!

Loving the ease of reading these books. Complete distraction and addiction!

Was this review helpful?

Another fantastic story set in Virgin River. Loved the storyline and the main characters, very emotional.

Was this review helpful?

The book starts of with a gentle pace that gradually picks up after the halfway mark. The story is warm and sweet and the characters deep, each with their own compelling backstory. I’ve been enjoying the TV show for a while so was quite excited to read this (my first VR read) and it did give me the warm fuzzy glow that I’d come to expect from the show.

The writing simple and easy to read making it the perfect book to unwind with at this time of year. Whilst it wasn’t as festive as I’d hoped the setting and story still managed to pull off all the feels.

Was this review helpful?

I have a happy sigh over here because I am the worst to please when it comes to Christmas stories; they rarely work for me. I knew this one had a chance because I’ve become a fan of this series, both book and TV.

What was fabulous about this Christmas story was that the Virgin River characters were very in the background and the main characters were two new recruits to the series. This story was very focused around marine (combat) experiences which fit with Jack and Preacher’s legacy well.

Marcie was a widow of a marine searching for the best friend and Sargeant of her late husband. Ian was that man but really he was a wild bear of man, nomading in the wilderness, in a very sparse cabin. Their story was just beautiful and their forced proximity was aided by flu, snow, Doc and Mel. Marcie won me over with her determination and big heart.

There was a scene in the book where Marcie recounted her late husband’s death and I had quiet tears just dripping down. This book truly had all the feels. I really hope that these two characters will feature further in the series because I am such a fan.

Thank you to Mills & Boon for the review copy to fit with the season.

Was this review helpful?

This was another home run hit from Robyn Carr! Fans of the Virgin River series will love revisiting the fictional town, especially as readers learn more about the military brotherhood that exists in the mountain town. I was really pulling for Marcie, and this emotional read did not disappoint.

Was this review helpful?

Another romance set in and around Virgin River. The characters and the settings for this series of books are excellent.Deeper and better than most romance novels.

Was this review helpful?

I recently became a Mills and Boon Insider, so imagine my delight to receive a link to this book when I had inhaled the first series on Netflix!
A Virgin River Christmas sees a supporting cast from all the regulars, but this book focuses on recent widow, Marcie Sullivan and former marine Ian Buchanan. To say that both of their lives are damaged would be an understatement. Marcie is haunted by her memories of her final years with her husband Bobby and Ian can’t forgive himself for only rescuing Bobby’s broken body, leaving Marcie to nurse the shell of her husband.
The reflections of their past pains are heart-wrenching to read; neither believes that they have the right to be happy again, but they each want to ensure that the other isn’t too damaged by their experiences.
Marcie’s determination to track down the elusive Ian Buchanan leads us into the story, despite repeated failures, Marcie won’t give up her search and Ian refuses to be found and certainly doesn’t want to be saved from his basic, survivalist existence.
I found this story to be a gentle removal of deep layers of hurt. As Ian cares for Marcie’s flu-stricken body, it was possible to see glimpses of the man that he once was. Any hopes for a quick, romantic conclusion are scuppered by Ian’s stubborn resolve to punish himself for his past failings. That said, Marcie doesn’t give up easily and a friendship eventually forms.
I always avoid spoilers, and don’t intend to change that now, but the publisher here kind of guarantees a happy ending. How they find that ending is a complex web of gentle encouragement and false starts.
I finished this book in one sitting and can recommend taking the plunge. Read it as part of the Virgin River series or as a standalone story, it just lovely.

Was this review helpful?