Two More Virgin River Books

The Virgin River books by Robin Carr are a soap-operaish saga telling about the lives and loves of the people of Virgin River, an imaginary town in Northern California, out in the middle of nowhere, population, 600.  Each of the books I've read so far has focused primarily on one couple, though others have either been introduced or we have been updated on their lives.

Shelter Mountain is the second book in the series.  John (a/k/a Preacher) is one of the partners who owns the local tavern/restaurant.  One nasty rainy night after everyone has left, but before he shut off the sign, a woman shows up with a nasty bruise on her face and a split lip.  She also has a three year old son.  She is obviously on the run and he suspects that she really didn't slam the car door on her face.  He is a big tough-looking ex-Marine with a heart of gold.  She's a battered wife of a rich and manipulative man.  Of course it all works out in the end.

Temptation Ridge (Virgin River) is book 6 (with library books you take what you can get when you can get it).  The main couple is Luke--a retired Army Blackhawk pilot who had invested in some cabins which he planned to rehab and sell and Shelby, a twenty-five year old who has spent the last five years caring for her mom who was dying of ALS.  Now she is in town to live with her uncle, a retired general, while regrouping.  He is one of those guys who isn't looking for marriage.  She's a virgin who doesn't want to be one anymore.  She says she isn't looking for anything long-term either.  Well....

As in the books I read last week, there are a lot of characters who add little to the main plot and who are obviously there as set-ups for future books, or to update us on the lives of those featured in previous books.  I preferred Shelter Mountain to Temptation Ridge because it just seemed to have more depth to it.  John and Shelby's relationship grew slowly and carefully and it took a long time for them to end up in bed; and when they did it was an expression of their relationship.  Luke and Shelby's main initial attraction was physical and the rest flowed from that.  Both books have vivid bedroom scenes but especially with Shelter Mountain, those scenes can be skimmed without really missing the point of the story.