Perhaps you might say I’m late to the party but that isn’t really a true statement. More like I just missed the start of a wonderful series. But I’ve atoned for that mistake and now that VIRGIN RIVER by Robyn Carr has been made into a Netflix series I decided to back up and read the first book. VIRGIN RIVER has been a wonderful series by an author whose name is synonymous with romance, love, community, sass and witty conversations by some of the best characters you’ll ever meet. Unforgettable characters. And that’s the core of the VIRGIN RIVER series, a cast of memorable characters starring very touching stories. Each one unique as the characters that appear in it. So reading out of sequence wasn’t as jarring as you might expect.

Now here’s the scoop. Newcomer Melinda arrives in Virgin River as a midwife medical practitioner. Mel left L.A. behind but of course it is almost impossible to leave memories behind. Mel is haunted by the tragic death of her husband Mark. They were the perfect couple, well almost. Mel’s sister is upset that Mel is running away to this small rustic town. But Mel is determined to use this as an opportunity to get her head and heart back to some place approaching normal.

Virgin River is much like any small town. Very self-sufficient almost insulated from the outside world of chaos. But that isn’t realistic. There are problems and issues everywhere. And Virgin River is no exception.

Virgin River is also home to some marvelous people. Some born and raised there and others newcomers like Mel looking for a new start or a just peaceful life. Jack is one of these. His bar and grill are a home away from home for all residents of this town. So when Mel arrives it is naturally where she finds herself spending time. The first advantage is meeting new neighbors. The second one is meeting this amazing hunky ex-marine bar owner.

It seems inevitable that they form a warm friendship but, in all honesty, their mutual attraction is hard to miss or trivialize.

The story line in VIRGIN RIVER is pure Robyn Carr. So if you missed it first time around then now is a good time to curl up with a wonderful book. Spoiler alert. Book is far superior to the media version. Characters are better developed and less predictable. My advice is watch show after reading the book. Half the fun is catching the diversion from the original.