Paradise Valley
Robyn Carr
Mira, Apr 2009, $6.99
ISBN: 9780778326649
In Virgin River, Cameron sadly muses how ironic life is. He and his former pediatric partners met at the Davenport Hotel Steak House in Grants Pass while Abby attended a wedding there. Attracted to one another, they had a fling that he thought he outgrew and she never had one before. He sought her out the next day, but she was gone. When Doc Mullins died, he moved to Virgin River to change his lifestyle; Abby arrived soon after carrying his twins. He wants to marry her and raise a family with her, but she rejects his advances.
Marine corporal Rick went to Iraq a boy, but came home early a shattered man who sees a dark future due to the leg. Liz who loves him refuses to accept his rejection as she keeps in her heart what the retired military like Jack and the General (who misses his Muriel while she is in Hollywood) told her; those who love a wounded warrior are wounded too and never leave your loved ones behind. Others like newcomer Dan pray for a fresh start here as people before him have achieved; Cheryl who has a past too gives him hope.
Paraphrasing the early 1960s TV show the naked City, "there are 8 million stories” in the Virgin River community and Robyn Carr nicely balances several of them. The key to this well written multi-faceted contemporary tale is the ensemble cast; for instance the eight players named above are fully developed with different personalities while other returning citizens enhance the current tale. Filled with angst and pathos, fans of Robin Carr’s quiet salute to the veterans will enjoy the latest trip to Virgin Rover.
Harriet Klausner
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