Temptation Ridge

Shelby, retired general Walt's niece, comes to Virgin River for a break after 5 years as her late mother's caregiver. New to town is Black Hawk pilot Luke, who is definitely not the man she should get involved with. But sometimes the wrong man, is really the right one. Back stories of Luke, who finds mentally challenged Art squatting in one of his cabins. Thinking there's more to Art's story, he fixes up the cabin and hires him to help renovate the rest of the cabin string on the river. Back romances with Walt & movie actress Muriel, Cameron's hook up with Abby in a chance meeting in Grant's pass has consequences, and Doc passes away suddenly leaving a doctor vacancy in Virgin River that Cam steps in to fill for a year

Robyn Carr has really been on a roll lately with the Virgin River series. When I first started the series, I enjoyed the stories, but wasn't quite as impressed as other readers seemed to be. However, with each book I've read, they seem to keep getting better and better. In Temptation Ridge, Ms. Carr builds on the character of Shelby MacIntyre who was first introduced in Whispering Rock and pairs her with a brand new hero who has just come to town, tough guy and former Black Hawk pilot, Luke Riordan. There are also a couple of secondary romances brewing, we get to visit with all the residents of Virgin River, including all the past heroes and heroines, and say goodbye to another beloved character who has been there since the beginning. I was very saddened by this character's passing, and have to say that I know the author is doing her job very well when she creates a character who seems so real, I can actually cry over their death. As always, coming back to Virgin River is like coming home to visit family.Luke is the owner of a group of broken down hunting cabins just outside Virgin River. After retiring from the military, he comes to town to fix them up, intending to resell them for a profit, but ends up finding a place where he feels at home. Luke has a reputation as a playboy, but he's a total goner for Shelby from the moment he first sees her on the road into town. Thinking she's too young for him, he tries to keep his distance, but it only takes one look at her for him to prefer her demure innocence over a slutty willing woman he meets in a bar. Almost instantly he begins to loose his taste for casual sex and barely even realizes it. When Luke started getting jealous of his brother, Sean's ability to charm Shelby, it was rather funny, although I think he was only half kidding about murdering Sean for it.:-) Luke may be a little rough around the edges, but he's incredibly gentle with Shelby. He's such a considerate and tender lover, and their love scenes were absolutely perfect. What Luke does for Art, an abused, homeless man with Down's Syndrome is nothing short of wonderful. It all goes to show what a big heart Luke has even though he tries to hide it. I thought it was rather funny that Shelby seemed to be the one who was OK with the casual nature of their relationship, while Luke was the one who was experiencing deeper feelings and beginning to be bothered by her easy-going attitude. In spite of knowing he's falling in love with Shelby, he fights it tooth and nail, in part because of his ex-wife's cruel betrayal. He also thinks Shelby is too young to be tied down to a man who's considerably older than her and that she should experience more of life before making a commitment to any relationship. On the surface this seems like selfless reasoning and I did understand his issues, but Luke was such an incredibly stubborn man, I almost wanted to jump into the story and smack some sense into him. He was ready to give up the only woman who truly loved him for himself and made him happy. Normally, I'm not a fan of a secondary character giving away important information about a main character because it usually takes away valuable relationship development from the couple. However, in this case, without his brother, Aiden's intervention, I'm not sure Luke ever would have come to his senses.I realized when I was quite a ways into the story that the author was writing most of the scenes from Luke's perspective. We don't get a whole lot of input from Shelby's point of view, so a lot of what we learn about her comes from the way that Luke and the other characters view her and her own actions. Shelby is a very sweet girl who spent several years of her youth caring for an ailing mother. She didn't have to do this. It was her choice, and I think this alone shows what a strong, determined young woman she is. Now that her mother has passed away, Shelby is ready to start a new life and wants to go to nursing school, but first she comes to Virgin River to spend some time with her Uncle Walt and cousin, Vanni. Even though Luke is nothing like the man she'd envisioned for herself, Shelby finds that she is very attracted to him almost immediately. For being shy and sheltered in her youth, Shelby certainly comes out of her shell and blossoms very quickly. She seems to really enjoy flirting and teasing with Luke and then watching him squirm. Shelby is very kind and caring, but she's also very headstrong and independent. She definitely goes after what she wants and what she wants is an experienced, attractive man like Luke to be her first lover. She didn't expect to fall in love with him so easily, but when she believes that Luke doesn't return her affection, she decides that maybe it's time to leave town. I really appreciated that Shelby was so mature about their relationship. Right from the start, Luke was honest with Shelby about not being a commitment sort of guy, so after giving him ample time to express his feelings, Shelby doesn't whine or cry or beg for things to be different. She merely tells him how she feels and leaves the ball in his court. I loved the way Shelby went toe-to-toe with Luke in the last few pages. I was beginning to doubt this couple having an HEA, but Ms. Carr really pulled it off through Shelby's determination and assertiveness.As I mentioned earlier, there are a couple of secondary romances in Temptation Ridge. First we have Cameron who briefly dated Vanni in Second Chance Pass. I always liked him and thought he would make a good hero. Although I certainly didn't want him paired with Vanni, I was rather disappointed that such a nice guy got left out in the cold. Still, I thought we'd probably seen the last of him when that all ended, so I was very glad when he turned up again in this book. It looks like he has finally found a good match with Abby, one of Vanni's friends. Cameron is a real sweetheart. He's hot, he's a doctor, he loves kids, and he's kind and caring. I can't believe no one has snapped him up yet. I know I'd do it in a heartbeat. I just love how tender and gentle he is with Abby, trying to reassure her and allay her fears. Hopefully, he'll finally get the HEA he's been craving. It definitely looks like we'll be seeing a lot more of Cameron in Virgin River, and I certainly can't say I'm complaining. I think he's going to make a great addition to the community. The other secondary romance is for Walt and Muriel. Muriel is very down to earth for a famous movie star, and Walt is just head over heels for her. They take things to the next level and experience a deepening of their relationship that began in Second Chance Pass. These two show that love isn't just for the young, but also the young at heart.You can't have a Virgin River book without lots of secondary characters. All the previous heroes and heroines return. Jack and Mel are still the backbone of the town. I just love how Jack reassures Mel that her body is still beautiful to him, although I still think she was being a bit too self-conscious given the circumstances. I was very pleased however, to see that for once Mel was not giving Jack a hard time in this book. She did get a little bossy at one point, except this time it's directed at poor Preacher and his fabulous cooking. She was also a little meddlesome, but this time it was for a good reason and greatly helped a long-time resident of the town. I loved Mel's banter with Doc too. Mike and Brie welcome their first child, and I'm really starting to enjoy the birthing parties the town holds every time a new baby arrives. Preacher and Paige, Paul and Vanni, and Mike and Brie all move into their new homes. I was thrilled to see Joe and Nikki marrying, although I dearly would have loved to see more of this couple. They had really captured my attention with their brief but passionate secondary romance in Second Chance Pass. Tom stopped in for a quick visit before heading to West Point, and I'm really glad to see that he and Brenda are still a couple despite their youth and the long-distance nature of their relationship. We also get a pretty good introduction to Luke's two brothers, Sean and Aiden. Sean is more the carefree jokester, while Aiden is a little more serious and looking to settle down. These two become the heroes of Angel's Peak (#10) and Moonlight Road (#11) respectively.Virgin River is a very symbiotic community. When Mel said it's almost more like a commune than a town, she couldn't have been more right. I just love the way everyone works together to help everyone else out. It's like a modern frontier settlement where people, in some ways, depend on each other for survival. If only this town were real, I'd love to go there for a visit or maybe even to live, but alas, it only exists in the mind of Robyn Carr. I'm so glad that she has chosen to share it with her readers and will be greatly looking forward to my next visit. I've been very excited for Ricky's story for a long time, and he's next up in Paradise Valley.

3.5 stars. An enjoyable installment in the Virgin River series. Temptation Ridge brings some significant changes to Virgin River that set up the little town for more happenings in later books. I really enjoy all the characters in this series. Temptation Ridge brings some good scenes with Mel and Jack. Mel is back to work and struggling with issues as a new mom of two very young children. Brie has her first child. The main storyline was sweet, passionate and sometimes heartbreaking. There are three side stories that were interesting. Fans of the Virgin River series will enjoy this book. Temptation Ridge should be read after the first five in this series and it definitely fits into the larger story arc of the series.

Great book. Loved that Shelby knew exactly what she wanted and that was Luke. Was disappointed that Shelby had to be the one to leave and come back. Loved that after finding Art, Luke helps him out, so sweet and a welcome surprise in the story. Wasn't that interested in Walt/Muriel's relationship. It was nice to see a little more of Abby and Cameron, although I think Abby is a little annoying at first.

Good romantic fiction but I would recommend reading the books in order - this was my first and the author assumes you know these characters from before.....

Now this book was better than the last (Second Chance Pass) but there was still some things lacking. I like Shelby alot but Luke was little cold for me. I think he kept harping on her age a little too much. She was proving to be a whole lot more mature than what every one was making her out to be. I think the author kind of felt bad for Cameron from the previous book and try to throw him in their. Then there was Walt and Muriel. There was the previous people and I felt like there was so much going on.

Another perfect addition to the Virgin River series. This particular couple near did me in. I cried a few times, both tears of joy and those of sadness. The events in this book left me raw at times but there was also excitement and happiness too. There's just something about the authors voice and her stories that grip me and pull me alone the most amazing ride. It's life, but clearly more. Better. Full of commitment and love, with healthy doses of trouble and fear. People die but people grieve and remember, moving on knowing that that person would want you to live happily, to move forward. Excellent, I don't know how else to describe it.

AUTHOR Carr, RobynTITLE: Temptation RidgeDATE READ: 03/10/2016RATING 4/BGENRE/PUB DATE/PUBLISHER/# OF PGS Romance/ 2009 / Mira / 416 pgs SERIES/STAND-ALONE: #6 Virgin River seriesCHARACTERS Shelby McIntyre/niece to General "Walt"'; Luke Riordan/ former Army pilotTIME/PLACE: 2009 / Virgin River in Northern California FIRST LINES Shelby was within 10 miles of her Uncle Walt's ranch when she had to pull over to the side of highway 36, the busiest stretch between Virgin River & Fortuna, behind an old pick-up truck that looked vaguely familiar. COMMENTS: Always nice to visit the folks in Virgin River. Shelby is 25 and has been a caregiver for her mother until her recent passing. Her education and social life have been put on hold. She had sold her mother's home and is ready to start nursing school, do some traveling and start dating. She is temporarily moving in w/ her uncle in Virgin River. Luke is in his late 30's and is a former army pilot. He has some property in Virgin River he plans on renovating until he moves on and gets a flying job somewhere. He was married once and burned badly… never fully recovered and has not had any time of lasting meaningful relationship in over a decade. Luke is taken in by Shelby but considers her too young & he doesn't want to get involved beyond casual and Shelby has plans to move away for nursing school…

This one was a little bit different from the others, just from the fact that we don't actually get the usual timeline the others books followed, but still an amazing story. I really loved how Luke and Shelby built their relationship and how they became so close and intimate with eachother. The thing that I liked the most was how Shelby acted towards getting the things she actually wanted for her life. Such strong-minded characters give us readers something to all look forward to in the next books. Loved to see Cameron again and I hope he gets his story straightened out.

Title: Temptation Ridge (A Virgin River Novel)Author: Robyn CarrPublisher: Mira BooksSeries: Virgin River #6Reviewed By: Arlena DeanRating: 5Reviewed:"Temptation Ridge" by Robyn Carr was a beautiful contemporary novel of the Virgin River #6 that featured three romances. The main storyline was of Shelby McIntyre and Luke Riordan...then it moves on to Walt Booth and Muriel and lastly Abby MacCall and Cameron Michaels. Be prepared for a read of not only romances that are going on in this small California town but where you will find the people will come together in sadness, in rescue times, along with plenty of babies being born, pregnancies, town near disaster, abuse, a homeless man with 'Down's Syndrome,' and a town drunk. The characters were all well developed, believable and colorful bring out a well written read of suspense, humorous, tearful and even some sexy scenes that will keep you interested turning the pages to see what will happen nest. I found "Temptation Ridge"a well written romance novel that I would definitely recommend to you as very good read.

Think this one is a favorite from this author.

There's something about these books that I can't explain. Robyn Carr did an amazing thing while creating Virgin River and for me, reading about love, hope and friendship, gives me hope and joy.

I heart Virgin River. I really wish I could move there.

Some flaws, but great.I am very thankful that Ms Carr remembered the heart of her story in this book. In the last book she abandoned her two leading characters and they did not make an appearance in the final few chapters. Here, at least, she remembered what was supposed to be the main story, and started and finished with the right guys!There are a couple of things I did not like about the main love story here. The first wasn’t so important, but it still irked me; Shelby, the ‘timid virgin’ happily discussed her sex life with anybody and everybody. The second thing I did not like was that it was Shelby who did all the work in this relationship. She let Luke go, and he did not go after her. She had to return to him and just about beg to be with him! That was not romance, and it was not equality. Luke let Shelby go. And instead of realising his mistake, she had to lose all of her pride by crawling back to him. In that respect I felt the ending was not only too short, but also extremely unsatisfying.That said, Robyn Carr has an amazing ability to create memorable characters, and much of this comes through her dialogue. There are so many times in her books when I smile, or even laugh out loud. She has a great sense of humour. Often her stories do not have much in the way of plot, but it is the characters who drive the stories.The structure of this book was a huge improvement on most of the previous in the series. The main storyline wasn’t overshadowed by the others, and things that happened in the beginning had an effect on what happened at the end. In past books the storylines have often meandered from one plot point to the next, not reading as a solid novel from start to finish. This one was far better off as a novel in its own right, rather than a continuation of a series. And that is how any book – series or no series – should be.The side stories – the author likes to have a number of stories running at the same time – were generally far more compelling and relevant than they have been in previous books.First of all, I’m sure there wasn’t a single reader who hadn’t been hurting on behalf of Cameron before this book. I was so happy to see the evolution of a relationship of sorts with him here. However, I had two issues with it. Firstly, how come this became yet another opportunity for the author to preach about birth control? That was extremely unnecessary. Secondly, I do not like how the women (Nikki in the last book, and now Abby) go running from the men and make them feel so bad.I would have liked for Brie and Mike to have had a better story here. I love that couple, and felt as though I was short-changed.Though others have expressed their love of the Walt/Muriel relationship, I found it boring and silly. I especially did not like the way the author made this fictional character friends with real-life movie stars. It ruined the story to hear about George Clooney and Susan Sarandon extending dinner invitations. In fact, it was downright stupid.The thing with the Virgin River heroines is that they all have the author’s beliefs and prejudices. All of them are desperate for children. All of them marry fast and start trying for children immediately. All of them have natural homebirths, with all the men of the town having a party down the hall while it’s happening (there is something really wrong about that). All of them go on and on about how wonderful breastfeeding is. All of them happily talk with all of the other men in the town about having sex and giving birth.In this book Luke does not want children. I thought – hallelujah – there’s a character with a different idea about the perfect life! But no, he just needed the right housewife to ‘cure’ him of his issue.I’d also like to point out that there needs to be a better editor for this series. Through all of the books I have come across so many mistakes. For example, ‘quiet and quite’ and ‘there and their’ mix-ups.But for all the flaws, there’s a reason I stayed up until 5am to finish this book. I don’t know what it is about the way Robyn Carr writes, but she really draws you in. Her previous books have been good but hugely flawed, but this one really has something good going on. I quite simply couldn’t put it down.