Kaylee experiences a devastating loss and, in an attempt to escape the pain, she flees the crushing loss by traveling to a friend’s place near the comforting town of Virgin River.  She is met immediately with another tragedy there and wonders what to do.  She travels to Jack’s Bar where the townspeople embrace her and try to help her along on her journey.  The reader is brought along on this journey, first empathizing with her sadness and then wanting good things for her.  A chance meeting starts her on a new path, with challenges of its own, but allows her to turn the page and start a new chapter of her life.

Welcome Back to Virgin River in the newest of the series from Robyn Carr.
In this new romance we meet up with Kaylee who is grieving from the loss of her mother while seeking comfort to write her novel.
She finds a lovely rustic cabin that is just splendid and decides to rent it from the landowner Landry.
Oh, did I not mention Landry?....
Well, who wants to spend their first Christmas after a parent passes alone?
I'm saying a nice dinner, a cozy conversation on the front porch, a walk or two alongside some furry friends...
Ok, before we get carried away we need to understand that Landry is a PTSD dog trainer who has a few cards up his sleeve that he's not yet placed down on the pile.
Such as his past relationships that might not have been to far down memory lane.
Thank you to Robyn Carr, the pub, NetGalley, and Amazon Kindle for this ARC in exchange for this honest review.
In addition, Kaylee is experiencing more than just a warm electric blanket being left on...she's battling some wild and hot emotions.
I can't get into too much other than to say you'll want to get a copy of this one stat!

Kaylee, an author, is facing a deadline on her book.  She spent the last months with her mother who died and decides to take a house in Virgin River hoping to finish her novel. She rents a cabin from Landry who lives next door and is quite the neighbor; sharing dinners, cups of coffee or wine on the front porch, and long talks about the loss of his father and her mother.  Christmas is a difficult time since that is when her mother died. Kaylee finds the power of love and friendship as she faces her first Christmas alone.  Great book, wonderful characters, and a great example of the Christmas spirit.

I don’t know about you but I would never pass up the chance to read and review anything by Robyn Carr. My relationship with this very prolific, creative and talented writer began years ago and is still going strong. In 	RETURN TO VIRGIN RIVER we get reacquainted with many characters from past books of this series. It always brings a smile of recognition when someone you almost think of as a friend appears. RETURN TO VIRGIN RIVER is chock full of smiles.
Kaylee is in Virgin River to recover from a year of sadness and loss. Her grief still very raw after losing her mother in a short battle with lung cancer. These kind of deaths take your breath away and Kaylee is hoping to catch hers with a six month stay at an old family friend’s mountain home. Unfortunately that home is made uninhabitable from a fire just as Kaylee arrives. Now her plans are compromised with a lack of housing. But Kaylee couldn’t be in a better place. Virgin River is small in size but large in compassionate people as Kaylee is going to learn.
Did I mention Kaylee is an author of scary books? Well now in Virgin River Kaylee is trying to revitalize her writing skills, seems she hit a dead end – no pun intended - dealing with her grief. Kaylee seems to be at a roadblock with her newest story. Kaylee decides to write a journal type of story about a woman’s fresh start in a small town. Art imitating life kind of story except Kaylee has no intention of actually publishing this. It is cathartic. Kaylee sites the fact that an author friend kills off her ex-husband in each of her books. Robyn Carr humor at its best.
The burning question in RETURN TO VIRGIN RIVER is just what is Kaylee looking for. Certainly Virgin River will turn out to be more than Kaylee ever expected. Fans of Robyn Carr know that very well. But this is a kind of journey for Kaylee. The first of her life without her mother. Virgin River is full of good hearted folk that are honest, kind and giving. And Kaylee just may find a new best friend in the bunch.
Next door neighbor and landlord Landry has a strange mix of jobs. Part time Landry trains dogs to make them better pets and helpers. Kaylee is petrified of dogs. Landry seems intent on getting her to relax around them. When introducing Kaylee to his dog he tells her to try telling him to s-i-t. Of course Otis does just that. Made me totally laugh out loud. Anyone with dogs will absolutely find the humor. After all we all know that our dogs are smarter than we are – they just let us think we are the master. 
Well that’s all I’m going to divulge about RETURN TO VIRGIN RIVER. A taste of the humor and warmth that is the basis of Robyn Carr’s newest Virgin River book. Sure to win over all Robin Carr fans and win many more RETURN TO VIRGIN RIVER is as fresh a story as the very first installment in the Virgin River was so many years and books ago.

It has been a long time since I was in Virgin River and I wondered if I would recognize it. It has not changed that much. Two new characters appear and most of the ones from the series. Jack's is still the center of the town and Mel is right there with him. Like many who come to Virgin River Kaylee Sloan is a little lost and is looking to pull out of her grief after her Mother died on Christmas Day. She find more than she expected. There is a lot of visiting and a slow romance. A cute kitten, puppies and two great dogs to add to the mix. A nice story about overcoming grief and finding some unexpected surprises.

I love Robyn Carr and it was so nice to return to Virgin River and be amongst some of my favorite characters.  Kaylee Sloan is a little lost when she makes her way to Virgin River to spend time in a friend's cabin. Her mother has passed away and she's struggling to finish her book she is contracted to write. Once there, however, she finds the cabin burned down and with no other options, makes her way to Jack's bar and a short term solution of staying in his extra space.  Drawn to the town, she finds another rental from handsome artist, Landry.  What starts off as friendship blossoms in to something more but will it last?  With a lot of heart and good people, Robyn Carr reminds us why we love Virgin River so much!

There is an old saying that states that you can’t go home again. However, the feeling of coming home again is exactly what I felt while I was reading Robyn Carr’s Return to Virgin River.

Kaylee Sloan’s home in Southern California is full of wonderful memories, but the memories are prolonging her grief over her mother’s recent death. Determined to escape distractions and avoid the holiday season, Kaylee borrows a cabin in Virgin River. There she meets Jack, Mel and the rest of the town, who begin to help her heal along with help from a couple of furry friends.

In Return to Virgin River, readers are introduced to Kaylee. I enjoyed her story and thought the romance well done. I enjoy the leisurely getting to know you romances much more than the quickies. Kaylee’s story felt real and genuine and I especially enjoyed the furry friends who have a hand in it. But I wanted more from the ending. It didn’t feel quite closed to me, but hopefully there will more Virgin River books and I’ll eventually get the things I thought were missing here.

It has been a while since I read the previous books in the series, so I have forgotten some of the details. But that did not hinder my joy or my experience reading this book. You do not have to read the entire series to enjoy this latest installment. As members of the town were mentioned, I might not have remembered all the details of their story, but I enjoyed seeing them again and catching up a bit on their lives. The little glimpses at other town members do not take over the new story, so new readers, don’t feel you’ll be lost because you won’t. Carr does a nice job of giving just a bit of the back story without letting the old details take over.

I love this series and the fictional small town. I would move there tomorrow if I could. Are you up for a road trip? If so, travel to Virgin River, it will be worth the trip!

My thanks to HARLEQUIN and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review an advanced copy of this book.

Return To Virgin River
Robyn Carr
October 13, 2020

Robyn Carr’s 21st Virgin River novel brings us another character to arrive in the small, northern California town.  It is host to many who came hoping to bring changes to their lives.  In this episode Kaylee Sloan is hitting the road from Newport, California as she tries to adjust her way of grieving her mother’s loss.  After she moved into her mother’s house to finish writing her book and find peace with her situation, Kaylee discovers that she needs to get away from Newport and seclude herself in order to make the publishing deadline set up after her mother’s death.  At the time it was months away and she had a great start.  She felt she could do this, but now she is headed to a rental cabin near Virgin River. 
As Kaylee takes the last turnoff to the cabin she smells smoke and in the distance sees what looks like flames against the sky.  When she coasts down the lane, she sees the fire department putting out the last of the fire.  The cabin’s roof is falling down, and much of the outside is singed.  Smoke is in the air.  As she opens the car door, the nearest firefighter questions her arrival, perhaps she is the owner.  Kaylee calls the owner.  They suggest she drive into Virgin River to check in at Jack’s Bar and Grill.  She can catch her breath, get refreshments, and perhaps he can help finding a place for her to stay.  
When she arrives she finds people going in and out of the tavern.  Many were aware of the fire and asked if she needed help.  Virgin River comes into play again.  The folks are friendly, helpful and comforting.   Each new book in Carr’s series reminds me that in most cases of problems or trouble people will hold out their hand to help or volunteer.  As Kaylee settles into a cabin on the outskirts of Virgin River, she is overwhelmed with support from townsfolk.  Gifts of food and clothing are given or left on the porch.  
This is truly not one to miss!  Return To Virgin River by Robyn Carr will be published on October 13, 2020 by Harlequin Books.  Their generosity in allowing me to read and review Return To Virgin River is so appreciated.  Readers of all of Carr’s series and stand alone novels have been patiently waiting for #21 to be published.  It is another journey that brought me home to a heartwarming story and a magical little town.

This was just perfect! I so enjoyed returning and seeing my favorite characters from the series. The new one’s Kaylee and Landry were pretty terrific too.  Through a terrible grief and a need to get a way Kaylee found changes she never expected and changed Landry’s life too. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. It was like visiting old friends and I enjoyed myself immensely. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Robyn is one of my all time favorites and she didn't let me down with this one. Immediately pulled me in and made me feel like i was there and part of the story and going through what the characters were. I absolutely can not wait for the next one.

I love Robyn Carr’s books!
As a continuation of The Virgin River series, it was fabulous!
Loved visiting with the Mel, Jack and other characters from the series.
Kaylee and Landry are wonderful together. The ending is a bit contrived but I was wrapped up in the Christmas spirit and just went with it. LOL
If you’ll excuse me. I have to go re-read the complete series again!

Thank you NetGalley and Mira/Harlequin Books for a copy of "Return to Virgin River" in exchange for an honest review. 

This book was a heartwarming return visit with the characters that we were already familiar with in the Virgin River series. Kaylee Sloan has decided to rent a house for 6 months in Humboldt County near the berg of Virgin River to concentrate on writing. She's a fiction and suspense author but has been having difficulty writing since the death of her mother Meredith on Christmas morning from lung cancer. Her mother a life-long non-smoker passed away 6 months after her diagnosis at 11:04 on Christmas morning. With the first anniversary of her death coming up, Kaylee has decided to avoid the holiday. 

When she arrives in Virgin River she gets there just in time to see the firefighters cleaning up after the house she rented from Gerald and Bonnie Templeton has gone up in flames. But this being Virgin River, she was not homeless for long. In Jack's Bar & Grill she started talking to Jack Sheridan and his wife Mel - who is the local midwife. They found her a cabin to stay in on the property of Landry Moore. Landry's wife Laura is an actress but they have been separated for 10 of their 11 years of marriage. 

Kaylee is petrified of dogs since being bitten as a child. However Landry's dog Otis has other ideas. Soon Kaylee is adopted by a cat whom she names Tux. While out walking with Otis, they happen upon a mama dog with 4 puppies. As they have also adopted Kaylee, she names the mama Lady and hopes that they will find good families for the puppies in the new year. 

Kaylee has not had a relationship with her father Howard since he walked out on her and her mother and had several ill-fated marriages. The magic of Virgin River soon brings father and daughter closer than they have ever been. For Thanksgiving he arranges for Meredith and Kaylee's blended friends - Janette, Kory, Michelle, Terri and Maggie (ranging in age from 35 to 65) to arrive in Virgin River as a surprise. 

Kaylee learns from Mel that a 10 year old girl named Mallory has just lost her mother and she opens her heart and home to become her foster parent. Having gone to Virgin River to hide, Kaylee is enveloped with the love and magic that is Virgin River!

I’ve been a big, big fan of Robyn Carr’s Virgin River series and read all of them.  You know what you’re going to get - a small community where newcomers find a refuge from whatever problems besetting them.  Everyone will help out and this town will bring both love and friendship to the newcomer.  It’s all quite predictable.

This novel is no different.  Kaylee has come to Virgin River to recover from the death of her beloved mother.  She also needs to finish the suspense novel she’s committed to writing.  She meets Landry when she rents a place to stay from him.  They bond, become friends, and fall in love.  

I just found the story repetitious and not all that interesting.  We read over and over again about how much she misses her mother and how her grief has been paralyzing her.  And Carr’s writing involves telling us in detail about daily activities of the main characters.  We read about what she is wearing, what food she buys, what they cook, etc.  I could have done without so many details that didn’t really move the story along.  We’re entering into the world of Virgin River in more detail than I needed.  And even though I’ve read the earlier works, I found that I couldn’t remember who all these people were and it just became a bit too much trying to keep the characters in Virgin River and Kaylee’s group of friends from her home straight.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

It felt so good to get back to Virgin River in this new story!  It's like visiting old friends.

Fans of the series will be grateful for this new installment.  I hope that Carr continues bringing us back to Virgin River every now and then.

I love this series on Netflix so was excited to see her latest book come out. I think this was just ok. A little slow in spots which is why I’m giving it 3 stars. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release in exchange for my honest review.

I haven't read a book in the Virgin River series in years, and recently watched the first season of the Netflix series.  It was easy for me to pick up this book and easily feel like I was back in a familiar area and surrounded by familiar pieces.  Carr did a good job of adding little reminders of who some of the main characters are without doing large "catch-up" paragraphs. 

Kaylee heads to Virgin River to work on a book and also work through her grief after her mother's passing.  Her housing plans fall through on the day she arrives, and she finds herself renting a guests house from a nearby bachelor.  The small town warmth and coziness comes through as Kaylee finds herself creating new friendships and feeling the support and love of these new people in her life.

Loved my Return to Virgin River! Wish I could return there in real life! Virgin River sounds like such a wonderful, perfectly charming place where everyone goes to heal, grieve, grow, fall in love, to get over whatever is ailing them and end up staying there and live happily ever after.  We all need to read one of these books every so often. I discovered Virgin River through the Netflix series and have now read a bunch of the books and have thoroughly enjoyed each one of them.I enjoy revisiting the same characters in each of the books and every book introduces new characters to know and love with their background story. 
Fun, light reading while waiting for  Netflix season 2 which is coming this fall! Thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing and Netgalley for the advanced digital review copy!

Ahhhh.  A Return to Virgin River is EXACTLY what we needed right now.  All is right with the world.  Long time fans will happily return to Virgin River anytime.  Kaylee and Landry are perfect additions to the town and their story makes it seem like we never left Virgin River in the first place.  Fans of the Netflix series may probably start with this book, but my advice is to start at the beginning.  Vintage fans may want to both rediscover and return to Virgin River.  Thanks, Robyn for returning!

Personally I thought this book started out slow and was actually going to give up.  But I'm glad I kept reading it.  Such a good story, especially if you are a fan of the Virgin River series.  Once I got past the first few pages I couldn't put it down.

I love the books that Robyn Carr writes, I can't remember the first one I read by her, but I do know I have always enjoyed them.   This one is another addition to the Virgin River series and it's really good.   The surprise part is it has an holiday feel to it.  I love this book and i hope others will too.   

I am grateful that Netgalley and the publishers let me read this in exchange for an honest review.