by Robyn Carr
Part of Virgin River, book 1
First published 2007
Melinda Monroe spots a job posting for a nurse practitioner in Virgin River, California, population six hundred. Recently widowed and seeking escape from her grief, Mel packs up and heads to this remote mountain town nestled among towering redwoods. Her dreams crumble within an hour. The promised cabin turns out to be a wreck, the mountain roads prove dangerous, and the local doctor refuses to work with her. Mel plans to flee the next morning, but someone abandons a baby on a doorstep. This tiny life changes everything. Former marine Jack Sheridan runs the local bar and becomes another reason for Mel to reconsider her hasty departure. As Mel weighs her options, she must decide whether Virgin River offers the fresh start she needs or just another disappointment. Her nursing skills draw her toward the abandoned infant, while her growing connection to Jack pulls her toward staying in this small mountain community.
Genres: fiction, romance, family-life, contemporary-romance
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: Virgin River, California
386 pages · Mass Market Paperback · Mira Books