Customer Reviews

Whispering Rock (Virgin River, Book 3)

5 star:		(35)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This book continues the stories of many of the favorite characters introduced in the previous books "Virgin River" and "Shelter Mountain" and adds a few memorable new ones.

Former Marine and restaurant/bar owner Jack Sheridan and his midwife/
nurse practitioner wife Mel are now building a huge new house for their growing family. Best buddy, former Marine and now chef John "Preacher" Middleton and his new bride Paige are running Jack's restaurant and are desperate to have a baby of their own.
But the main focus of the book is the tender love story between Jack's former Marine buddy Mike Valenzuela and Jack's little sister and Sacramento attorney Brie.

Brie suffers a horrible trauma and with Mike's help comes to Virgin River to heal emotionally. With Mike's patience, devotion, understanding, and love, he helps Brie to trust and love again.

There are some subplots in the book; the most significant ones being a teenage serial rapist that former cop Mike has a hand in investigating, and also a sad turn when another Marine buddy is killed in Iraq, leaving behind a distraught pregnant wife and a best friend from Oregon who both grieve him. (Possibly a set-up for a future book?)

A lot of detailed everyday life is told in this book (births, deaths, celebrations, etc.)--it makes you feel as if you know these characters and the town of Virgin River personally.
I loved all three books equally-it would be hard to pick a favorite. They all brought tears of sadness and joy to my eyes. These were probably the best books I've read so far this year! I do suggest reading them in order for the most enjoyment. (Virgin River, Shelter Mountain, Whispering Rock) Highly recommended--5 stars!

Robyn Carr is a new author for me and I have just finished her Virgin River Trilogy. The three books chronicle the lives and loves of various residents and incomers to the village of Virgin River, their highs, lows, frustrations, achievements and relationships. I live in a small village myself so I appreciate how she draws together these various strands and shows just how interdependent people in small, isolated villages can be. Living this way often means that you are very close to your neighbours but, particularly as in this third instalment, you can't escape the influences that come from outside: the drugs, crimes, national affairs (in this case Iraq) that sometimes cause tragedy in paradise.

The plots in these three books are tightly woven and there are funny, happy, sad and frighening episodes in them all. I don't want to go over the plot for this book because, although it could stand alone, it seemed to me to be a transitional book because it brought to conclusion the issues facing some of the previous characters and introduced new ones to us. It also kept a few off stage, waiting, no doubt, for a reappearance.

It's not often I wish a trilogy was more than that - rather I'd like it to be a series that would carry on a little further and I think that perhaps Robyn Carr has set up the makings of further stories involving some of the characters in this book.

I recommend these books very highly. I found them satisfyingly good reads and read them quickly, one after the other. Excellent portrayals of small town life with likeable, well developed characters.

After a shooting left him disabled and unable to do the job he so loved, Detective Mike Valenzuela came to Virgin River to regroup. Finding sanctuary in small town, Mike was able to start healing. Though married and divorced twice, Mike begins to realize what is missing from his life when he seems his friends with their wives. Seeing their contentment, Mike can only hope that he will one day feel the same. He hopes that he can convince Brie Sheridan, Jack's sister to take a chance on him. His hopes are dashed when Brie is brutally attacked in her home.

Brie Sheridan thought her life was near perfect. With a husband she adored and a job she loved, Brie felt like she could do anything. Then her husband left her for her best friend and she lost the first case of her career. When she is brutally attacked by the man whom she couldn't put away, Brie comes out a different woman. Having panic attacks and nightmares, Brie has no idea how she'll ever get any normalcy back in her life.

WHISPERING HEIGHTS is the third in the Virgin River series. After seeing Brie in the previous two books, it is shocking to see her as a victim. Carr did a spectacular job of depicting Brie as a believable victim. She really showed how a tragedy like that affects not just the victim, but the whole family. Jack struggled with his inability to help Brie cope, which in turn affected his relationship with Mel. There were several more storylines introduced with new characters as well as characters that we've briefly met. I am really looking forward to the next installment in this series. Carr is now on my auto-buy list!

The Virgin River Series:

Virgin River

Shelter Mountain

Whispering Rock

A Virgin River Christmas (Nov 2008)


"Whispering Rock" is the third book in an ongoing series. Although Amazon refers to the series as a "trilogy", there are more sequels on the way.

This, the third book in the series, is the most powerful yet. When characters were lost, I felt as if I'd lost a friend of my own. When babies were born, I was right there feeling the joy in the birthing room.
The first book, "Virgin River", introduces you to a lot of the characters for the rest of the series. There are a couple of important characters who are newly introduced in the sequels, but the majority are already in your heart from the first book.

So... if you haven't read "Virgin River" yet, don't ruin this book by reading it first. Become a part of the Virgin River family with book 1, then continue from there.
Here are the links to the first and second books in the series:
Virgin River (Virgin River Trilogy, Book 1)

Shelter Mountain (Virgin River Trilogy, Book 2)



For those whom have already read the first two books:

The residents of Virgin River are facing a year of great miracles and devastating tragedies. Jack and Mel Sheridan are back to see their friends and family through it all. Their own miracle, David, is growing and becoming a son to the entire town. A surprise is coming for the Sheridan family. It will cause Jack to prove to Mel that his devotion is as strong as ever. There is nothing he won't do to bring a smile to her face.

Preacher is on a mission. He and Paige want a baby. He'll follow any advice Mel can give them to make it happen. To Paige's chagrin, her shy husband is not the least bit bashful about sharing this info with his marine buddies. Before long, the whole town is taking interest in Preacher's quest. To Preacher, "Ovulation Day" is better than Christmas.

Mike Valenzuela has found a home in Virgin River. His body is finally reaching nearly 100% recovery. His heart, however, is nearly 100% lost. Mike's feelings for Brie Sheridan are growing by the day. Their phone conversations are his favorite part of each afternoon. When he learns that Brie has been assaulted and raped, the only thing that matters to him is getting to her side. A victim of violent crime himself, he has the knowledge, patience, and understanding Brie needs to help her heal. Knowing he may never win her heart, he'll still give Brie all of his attention and affection to make her grow strong again.

Brie is afraid. Afraid to leave her father's house, afraid to close her eyes at night, afraid of the dark, of public places, and most afraid that she has died inside. She believes she may never be able to feel love and joy again. Living with her dad, Brie is several hours away from Mike. To her surprise, he shows up on the doorstep one day. With her dad's encouragement, she agrees to leave the house with Mike for an hour or two. Lunch, a short walk, any means Mike can find to get Brie to start living again, he'll be there to provide the support. Slowly, over months of patient devotion, Mike is giving Brie a reason to feel hope for a future of love and passion.


Aside from these stories, a new family moves to the Virgin River area. Without ever knowing them from prior books, this family became as close to my heart as many of the original characters. My heart bled for all they endured and all they achieved. Robyn Carr struck gold here. I finished the book last night, but I still feel the impact. An amazing story that left me haunted. How on earth did Carr do that with a character that we barely met?

We get a little bit more of Rick's story. I'm looking forward to seeing his future unfold. Also, Lilly (baby Chloe's mom), will have you reaching for the Kleenex.

The next edition of this series won't be released until Nov 2008. It's going to be HARD to wait that long. This series has become one of my favorites. Hook, line, and sinker.



Love to read extremely emotional romance novels? Here are some that rocked my soul:

Marsha Canham's two- book Scottish historical series. Holy cow, your heart will cry during the last 100 pages of "Blood of Roses".
The Pride of Lions

Blood of Roses


Another Scottish historical that had a true impact for readers:
Scotsman


First book in Gaelen Foley's long- running series. The whole series is terrific, but the first really grabs your heart:
The Duke
To continue the series from there:
Lord of Fire
Lord of Ice: A Novel
Lady of Desire
Devil Takes a Bride
One Night of Sin: A Novel
His Wicked Kiss: A Novel

Virgin River

Midwife Melinda Monroe has come to Virgin River to try and recover from the senseless murder of her husband. The change from the city certainly comes as a huge surprise and if that isn't enough, she finds herself hopelessly drawn to retired Marine. Jack Sheridan. Although Mel finds that Jack awakens part of her that she thought was gone forever, she's conflicted by the feeling that she's being unfaithful to the husband she adored. When circumstances force Jack and Mel into a marriage, can she overcome her feelings and give her heart to Jack completely?

When I was at RT I returned to my room one night and found Virgin River in a gift bag with a cookie on my bed. I was startled to say the least. With everything going on I ate the cookie and put Virgin River into my carry on luggage with a thought that maybe I'd read it on the plane. While in flight I found myself totally absorbed in Mel and Jack and I couldn't get enough of Virgin River. As soon as I returned home, I immediately put the two next books in this trilogy on pre-order, I had to have them as soon as possible!


Shelter Mountain

John Middleton, also called Preacher by his friends, has worked with his friend, Jack, in Virgin River since he retired from the Marines. He's closing the bar one rainy night when Paige Lassiter and her three year old son come in. It quickly becomes apparent to Preacher by the bruises that Paige is trying to hide, that she is on the run and he and his friends in Virgin River rally around Paige and her son determined to protect her. Paige thought she'd never feel safe again after the hell her husband put her through. Everyone in Virgin River has gone out of their way to make her and her son at home; especially Preacher. She's never met a man like him before and little by little she allows herself to open up and begin a romantic relationship with him. Preacher never really saw himself as a family man, but Paige and her son have him thinking differently than he ever has before. However, when Paige's ex-husband shows up, can Preacher and the residents of Virgin River protect Paige from a madman?

The second book of the Virgin River Trilogy was just as wonderful as the first. Preacher and Paige seized my heart from the first chapter. I practically stayed up the entire night to finishing reading Shelter Mountain because I just couldn't quit until I turned the last page.

Whispering Rock

After being severely injured in the line of duty, LAPD officer and Marine reservist Mike Valenzuela found himself in Virgin River and somehow agreeing to be the town's first police officer. Brie Sheridan's brother, Jack, has made his home in Virgin River along with his wife Mel so it's no surprise that Mike and Brie find themselves spending time together. Brie's husband devastated her when he left her for her best friend; she'd never had any warning that anything was wrong. It's not until Brie is the victim of a savage assault that Mike and Brie truly become close. Brie realizes that Mike is everything she needs. Mike knows that he's struck out at love before but he knows that Brie is the woman he should have waited for. Now they have to get through the assault trial along with the sudden reappearance of Brie's ex-husband.

Whispering Rock could not have been a better ending to the Virgin River Trilogy! Mike and Brie were both characters who intrigued me in earlier books and Whispering Rock couldn't have satisfied my longing for their story more!

In all honestly I could not do a review on just one of these books! It's not often that I find a series where all of the books are equally as good but TheVirgin River Trilogy is a stellar example of what a trilogy should be. In this case I can't recommend highly enough that readers pick up all three books at once. You most certainly will not be disappointed!!

Melissa
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

This is the first time I have ever been interested enough in a book to want to read the reamining novels in the trilogy. I loved them all! I had never read Robyn Carr before this but she is now one of my favs. All three books are great...I can't decide which is my favorite. I hope Robyn decides to keep going with the characters in these books, cause I feel like I know them and can't wait to see what happens next.

Ms Carr presents a wonderful storyline with real characters you want to care about.I hope there are more to come. Want to see what happens with Mike, Brie, Preacher and Paige. A romance for Paul and Vanni?? Please continue.
Deserves 10 stars....Hated to see this trilogy end.

Whispering Rock, book 3 in Robyn Carr's wonderful Virgin River series, is the story of ex-LAPD cop Mike Valenzuela and Jack Sheridan's sister Brie, an Asst. DA. Mike is retired from duty after taking three bullets in a gang-related shooting and Brie has a double whammy of being left by her cop husband for her best friend, then being raped by a man she prosecuted who got off when the case found for the defendant. Of course, in all the Virgin River stories, there is more than just one story going on. Here we meet Tommy Booth, a West Point bound son of retired general Walt Booth, his troubled girlfriend Brenda, Vanni, Gen. Booth's daughter who is married to a soldier fighting in Iraq and Paul Haggarty, one of Jack's Marine buddies who is secretly in love with Vanni. Of course we see the return of Jack's wife Mel, the town's nurse practitioner/midwife and John "Preacher" Middletown and his wife Paige. All are welcome to the reader in this adventure of drama, emotion and commitment, done as only the talented Ms. Carr can do it. To tell more would add spoilers. Suffice it to say, Ms. Carr has done it again in this interesting story about fascinating characters. It makes one wish there was a Virgin River to move to in order to share in their lives.

Brava Ms. Carr, the stories get better and better.

Fabulous portrayal of small town life. The friendships, marriages, and sense of community are striking & moving. The complexities of relationships are strongly portayed with realism!

This is such a great series, I'm already lookig forward to the next book. Great author.