Redwood Bend (Virgin River, #18)

Feb 28, 2012 Regina rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult-contemporary, romance, arc-publisher-netgalley, favorite-series

Redwood Bend is a solid entry in the Virgin River series. It is not the best in the series, but it has all the ingredients that make these books comforting, enjoyable and perfect to help you relax. When I started Redwood Bend I had gone through some hard days at work and this story was the perfect escape.

Redwood Bend revisits the story of Katie, Conner’s sister. We first saw Conner and Kate in Hidden Summit. Katie makes the move to Virgin River with her young twin boys and stays at the magical A...more Redwood Bend is a solid entry in the Virgin River series. It is not the best in the series, but it has all the ingredients that make these books comforting, enjoyable and perfect to help you relax. When I started Redwood Bend I had gone through some hard days at work and this story was the perfect escape.

Redwood Bend revisits the story of Katie, Conner’s sister. We first saw Conner and Kate in Hidden Summit. Katie makes the move to Virgin River with her young twin boys and stays at the magical A-Frame cabin in the clearing, the very same cabin that Mel stayed at back in book 1. We get some of Preacher’s cooking, some of Jack’s bartender jokes, lots of Conner and Leslie and a good amount of build-up and angst involving the focus couple - -Dylan and Katie.

Dylan is a former childhood and teenage TV and movie star. But former is they key, he lives a very different lifestyle but his past haunts him (after all he is a hero in a Virgin River book!). Katie is trying to move on in her life, get past losing her husband and raise her sons. Dylan and Katie’s lives collide and the result is some great heat, a cute romance and some very touchy scenes.

So while this is not the best Virgin River book I have read, it is still entertaining, fun and moves the story arc along. Fans will enjoy definitely enjoy it. It can also be read as a standalone, Robyn Carr catches readers up with detailed recaps.

I do have a few complaints. I know the set up for these stories is simple and maybe that is the point for these comfort reads. But sometimes, it does get old: two individuals with difficult pasts, the road into Virgin River is fraught with danger so accidents and flat tires happen, Preacher cooks up good food for strangers, Jack is wise and knows a couple will hook up before they do, there more than likely is an unplanned pregnancy, groups of men enjoy fishing and hunting bonding trips, the wise family friend counsels the heroine on her choices and missteps, and no matter what curve balls are thrown the heroine she always always smiles.

Another complaint, at the beginning of the story I was not sure which male character was going to be the hero of the story and who was doing the talking - -Walt or Dylan. Maybe it was because I had a review copy and this was later fixed.

But the predictability of these books plays into the comfort. We may know the set-up, we may know the resolution, but there is something so realistic about the struggles the couples in this series go through. The setting is perfect, the characters are often close to perfect, but the road to the relationship is not perfect. Of course we know the couple will get there and that is what makes reading these books as comforting as hot chocolate on a cold and stormy night.

I do recommend this book for fans of the series, fans of lite make-over stories, fans of small town romance and fans of contemporary romance. And I look forward to the next Virgin River story which will be out in just a few months!

I was provided a copy of from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review (less)

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Jan 27, 2012 Britainy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, 5-floozies, comtempary, kindle, netgalley, romance, series

Love, love, love Robyn Carr! Love her emotional writing and her character's heart! This book was fantastic and I never wanted it to end.

Katie and her 5 year old twin boys move cross country from Vermont to Virgin River, California to spend more time with Katie's brother, Conner. You might remember him from Hidden Summit (VR #17). Well, things go as well as any romance novel enthusiast can expect. A flat tire and rescue from a hot, Hollywood bad boy. Thanks have a nice life and everyone moves on....more

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Mar 23, 2013 Marleen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Surprisingly more delightful than I anticipated, Redwood Bend takes us again to that wonderful little North Californian town of Virgin River. This is actually the 18th instalment in the series, and while I’ve read about 14 or so books of the series, I honestly feel that Robyn Carr has been making a bigger effort with this one, finally creating more layers and depth to her characters, all the while keeping it sweet and cute, and giving it that "Virgin River" magic.
I’ve said this before but I thi...more

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Mar 03, 2012 Karla rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: she-bitch, continuing-story, scrumptious-hero, second-chance, sweet-romance, uplanned-pregnancy, wonderful-secondary-characters, yummy-men, sybil-like-character, motorcycle-man

While it’s always good to go back to Virgin River, this time I left a little disappointed. I was looking forward to this book, and while it started out well enough, it took an odd turn about halfway through.

Katie is Conner’s younger sister from Hidden Summit. She is a widow, with twin boys, and lost her husband to the war before her children were born. I was anxious to see this brave woman, with such a tragic past find true love once again. As she's making her way to reunite with her brother Co...more While it’s always good to go back to Virgin River, this time I left a little disappointed. I was looking forward to this book, and while it started out well enough, it took an odd turn about halfway through.

Katie is Conner’s younger sister from Hidden Summit. She is a widow, with twin boys, and lost her husband to the war before her children were born. I was anxious to see this brave woman, with such a tragic past find true love once again. As she's making her way to reunite with her brother Conner and his girlfriend Leslie, she has some car trouble and a group of men motoring their way to Virgin River stop to give her a hand. That’s where she first sees Dylan Childress, former childhood star turned pilot and entrepreneur, on a ride with some of his buddies. There connection is instantaneous and they meet up again once their paths cross in Virgin River. He was always up front with her about his life, what he’s looking for, and where life was taking him. Very shortly it seems, he going back to Hollywood, financial issues are forcing him to seek work there. Although it’s not what he wants to do, he feels responsible for the well-being of his employees and their families.

Dylan is a sweetheart and did nothing but cater to Katie and treat her with the utmost respect. Unfortunately the same can’t be said for her. Wow the bitch-o-meter went full tilt to the right when things didn’t go her way, even though Dylan delayed leaving and offered her every opportunity to stay in touch. Nothing she said made any sense from there on out and I felt like she was talking in circles. Katie kept reiterating that she was a “mother first” and no one would get between her and her kids. I think Robyn Carr was trying to use the “bear” situation to mirror Katie’s attitude, but it only made her come off like a…well like…a BITCH! She was supposed to be sassy, but…um…I didn’t see it that way. Dylan stayed true to character, and I adored him. They both end up having a life-changing wakeup call and decide to give it a go.

The book wasn’t all bad and most of it was classic VR! We got to see some of our favorites, Jack being the one that made the biggest appearance and of course there was some suspense that brings the town together. I’ve really missed Mel though, and I wish the RC would bring her into the storyline in the future. She is after all the one that started it when she met Jack. They are the heart of the town. This book was a little steamier than some of the other books in the series, but it worked, because when Katie and Dylan connected on that level you could certainly feel the desire they had for each other. I also felt that the ending didn’t really ring true and Katie had another personality change when once again she was “nice”.

If you’re a fan of the series, and believe me I am, then give it a try. You might feel differently than me, but I would not count this one in as one of the better books in the Virgin River saga.
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Jan 02, 2012 ♡KarLynP♡ rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: genre-contemporary, 2012-02-feb, published-2012, arc-copy, netgalley, read-2011, steam-warm

Not my favorite in this series, but I did enjoy it. In this book we meet two new characters in Virgin River. Katie Malone is sister to Conner, hero of Hidden Summit, and a mother of twin 5-year old boys. Dylan Childress is a struggling pilot/business man from Montana just driving through on his Harley Davidson with several buddies. We do see some of the regulars around town, but not so much beyond Jack and Paul.

After Dylan spots Katie on the side of the road and helps her with a flat tire, they...more Not my favorite in this series, but I did enjoy it. In this book we meet two new characters in Virgin River. Katie Malone is sister to Conner, hero of Hidden Summit, and a mother of twin 5-year old boys. Dylan Childress is a struggling pilot/business man from Montana just driving through on his Harley Davidson with several buddies. We do see some of the regulars around town, but not so much beyond Jack and Paul.

After Dylan spots Katie on the side of the road and helps her with a flat tire, they meet up again later in town. It doesn’t take long for their physical attraction to heat up, and they start up a no-strings-attached relationship. Dylan makes arrangements to stay in town longer, thus allowing him more time with Katie. We soon learn that Dylan was once a child star from a semi-famous family, but who hasn’t acted in over twenty years. So as a means to fund his dying business, he agrees to film a movie for some big bucks.

While I loved seeing the regulars again in Virgin River, and enjoyed a side story about bears, I had some real issues with the storyline between the H/h in this book. Unfortunately, much of it didn’t come off as overly believable for me. Dylan being able to get back into Hollywood after such a long hiatus, and apparently zero acting practice for twenty years was a huge stretch. He made it sound as if he was doing Hollywood a favor too. When a top producer calls him a ‘natural’ I had to laugh, because how would he even know?? And then there was the issue with his business in Montana. Why would anyone want to infuse a business with more capital if the business model itself was failing? He came across as a person with little business sense, and the fact he was gone from his business for several months proved that too me. Yes, we are told that he has a trusted business partner back in Montana running the show, but I saw that as a cop out. If your business is truly dying, you don’t take extended vacations, hand the business over to number-2 in charge, and then hope for the best.

Katie was also an interesting character. She plans to rent Jack’s old cabin in the woods for a few months until she can figure out her life, but besides enrolling her kids in day care (even though she isn’t working) she spends her days either relaxing or hanging with Dylan. No job hunting, career training, volunteer work…etc. She doesn’t seem too worried about money or figuring out her life, but we know she’s not rich by any means. And for a person who claims to be so independent, she relies heavily on her brother to make decisions and help with her kids.

Then there were some issues with the story itself, which were more ‘nit picks’ then actual flaws. Still, they threw me out of the story all the same. For example, in the beginning of the book Katie arranged to have her SUV ‘sent’ to Sacramento California from Florida, where she planned to pick it up again in a few days after a short vacation at Disney World with the kids. Now unless she is super f’n rich and can hire massive air cargo shipment at the last minute, there is no way her SUV will travel the 3,000 miles from Florida to California in only a few days. A truck company will take weeks, if not a few months, and a hired driver would need at least a week as well.

Dylan was my least favorite hero in this entire series so far, and Katie is just average. I didn’t buy their romance, I felt too much of it was a stretch to believe, but I did like the decisions they made in the end. The story did wrap up nicely and believable given their circumstances. I think you will be able to guess the ending pretty easily, and if you’re like me you will agree it makes the most sense for their story.

So am I done with the Virgin River series? Not a chance! Despite not loving this one, I hope this series never ends.
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Mar 27, 2012 Alicia rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle-purchase-freebies, romance, single-parent-focus, disappointing, caused-me-rage, pathetic-and-or-stupid-female-lead, me-and-ranty-mcgee, drank-the-haterade

Single parent romance novels:

I am exactly like J.D. I get all puppy-dog excited when I find one and run to it with optimism and longing and it deftly cuts me down. I am disappointed far more often reading these than I come out liking the story.

So why do I read them time and time again? Because it's my weakness, okay! My name is Alicia and I love single dad/single guy falling in love with a single woman/single mom stories and I can't help it. So, I will continue to read them hoping beyond hope th...more

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Jan 14, 2012 Kimba (Caffeinated Book Reviewer) rated it 4 of 5 stars

In Redwood Bend, we get to know Katie Malone and her twins better. In the last novel, Hidden Summit we met and fell in love with her brother Conner. After the danger has passed, she decides to bring her boys to Virgin River to be closer to their uncle Conner. Katie is an Army widow, and a recent encounter with her boss, has made her step back and reevaluate her non-existent love life. I loved this novel and feel in love with the characters and a new place called Payne, Montana.

On the way up the...more In Redwood Bend, we get to know Katie Malone and her twins better. In the last novel, Hidden Summit we met and fell in love with her brother Conner. After the danger has passed, she decides to bring her boys to Virgin River to be closer to their uncle Conner. Katie is an Army widow, and a recent encounter with her boss, has made her step back and reevaluate her non-existent love life. I loved this novel and feel in love with the characters and a new place called Payne, Montana.

On the way up the winding hills of California to Virgin River, Katie gets a flat tire. She’s more than capable of changing it, but the lug nuts won’t come loose. Her five foot, athletic frame just isn’t power enough to handle the torque tightened lugs. To make matters worse, she is at a dangerous curve and it’s raining. As she struggles with what to do, she hears the roar of engines and turns to see a biker gang heading her way. Their leader, Walt, quickly takes control of the situation and asks Dylan to lighten the load before they jack it up. When Dylan takes off his helmet, Katie loses her breathe. It’s him, Dylan Childress the childhood movie star who she crushed on as a teen and he is gorgeous. Dylan takes a long look at her, and she suddenly becomes aware of the wet view her t-shirt is giving her. He takes off his jacket and covers her up…the story that unfolds is delicious. The heat between Dylan and Katie was incredible and watching them figure things out kept me turning the pages late into the night.

I loved the character of Katie. She is tough, a great Mom and able to handle just about anything. She has great insight and despite her best intentions she falls for Dylan. Dylan, has had a troubled life and had never been in a committed relationship, in fact he is pretty sure his DNA prevents him from long term commitments. He’s come a long way from his Hollywood bad boy days but can he commit? Dylan is a pilot and owns an airport and ranch in Payne, Montana. Due to the economy his business is in trouble. His best friend and father of five needs an income and Dylan would do just about anything to keep his business afloat; even return to Hollywood to do a movie; a place he swore never to return to.

I always enjoy my visits to Virgin River and recommend Redwood Bend to fans of small town contemporary romances. Each of the Virgin River series novels can easily be read as a standalone. I am secretly hoping that Robyn Carr writes a new series about Payne, Montana. Carr has such a gift for bringing characters and plots to her novels that bring you hours of enjoyable reading and draw you back again and again.

I want to thank netGalley and Harlequin publishing for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review. It was such a thrill getting one of my favorite must read series in advance. Thank you!
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Jun 15, 2013 Lita Bouquard rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: chick-lit, romance

So book 18 had a lot of lower stars than many Virgin River books yet I liked this one more than most. Katie, Connor's sister has decided her twin boys need to be near family after all they have gone through. First, losing their dad, then having to move in the dark under witness protection program. She has been lonely and became frustrated when attracted to her boss who seemed to like her but never made a move, turned out to be gay. So she comes to Virgin River, and meets a former child star when...more

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Apr 24, 2013 Ellen (more books, please) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, don-t-know-why-i-keep-reading-these

This is my second Virgin River book and my third Carr book.

I still don't "get it." I know she has a legion of rabid fans. This is book 18 in the VR series. Somebody is buying them (well, I got all my books secondhand, but somebody has to be buying it firsthand before I get it secondhand).

It was a fine book. The writing is excellent. The editing is good. The characters are likeable.

All in all, it is like a grilled cheese sandwich and a cup of tomato soup on a rainy day. It makes you feel good, it...more

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Dec 31, 2012 Julie Barrett rated it 5 of 5 stars

Redwood Bend by Robyn Carr
Katie has packed up her house in VT, under the witness protection plan and headed out with her 2 kids to go live near her brother Conner who had been
a witness in a murder. Things were just not working for her in VT. Her boyfriend she found out was gay.
She treats the boys to Disney then heads up to Virgin River where her brother lives. Just in the northern section of CA she gets a flat and several bikers
stop to help her. Dylan does most of the work and even gives her his...more

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Sep 14, 2012 HarlequinRomanceReviews rated it 5 of 5 stars

Katie is coming down to Virgin River with her two twin boys, five-year-old Andy and Mitch. She gets a little change of scenery to come meet her brother, Conner, and to distract the minds of her boys. But while she's on the way, it starts raining, and her tire goes flat.

She's stopped by a motorcycle gang, a rugged group who fix up her tire and send her on her way to Virgin River. When she gets there, all it takes is one step into the diner to discover that one very handsome biker is going to be...more

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Aug 04, 2012 Riccarla Roman rated it 4 of 5 stars

I want to live in Robyn Carr's Virgin River. it's somewhere near Sacramento and I need to find it. Carr writes the very popular genre of small-town romance. She does it so well, introducing new characters while incorporating characters from previous books.

Our heroine, Katie, is moving to Virgin River to live near her brother. Due to a previous incident that endangered their lives, she had moved to Vermont for a year. Now it's safe to move back so she packs her five-year-old twin boys into her SU...more

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Mar 19, 2012 Donna rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I like this series because of the characters that have developed along the way. They all have had their problems yet each have found their place in the friendships and community that Robin Carr has created.

Former actor Dylan Childress left the L.A. scene behind years ago for a quiet life running an aviation company in Montana. But with business slowing down, Dylan is starting to wonder whether he should take one of the offers Hollywood keeps sending his way. He figures a motorcycle trip to Virg...more

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Mar 08, 2012 Guilty Pleasures rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: guiltypleasures-piper, netgalley

This review posted on Guilty Pleasurest

RECOMMENDED READ

I was SO glad to be back in Virgin River! I did have to stop reading other stories and catch up because I was behind a few books. Being immersed in Virgin River and being with my old friends again was wonderful.

Redwood Bend is the story of Kaite and Dylan. I love Katie and Dylan and of course I want to be BFF's with Katie and all the girls in Virgin River. Katie has 5 year old twin boys and lost her husband Charlie in war. Her brother Conner...more This review posted on Guilty Pleasurest

RECOMMENDED READ

I was SO glad to be back in Virgin River! I did have to stop reading other stories and catch up because I was behind a few books. Being immersed in Virgin River and being with my old friends again was wonderful.

Redwood Bend is the story of Kaite and Dylan. I love Katie and Dylan and of course I want to be BFF's with Katie and all the girls in Virgin River. Katie has 5 year old twin boys and lost her husband Charlie in war. Her brother Conner has always been close, so Katie is heading to Virgin River from Vermont to be closer to Conner and his new love Leslie. Dylan is a former child star who was taken away from Hollywood by his grandmother Adele (LOVE her and Randy!) to live in Montana, even though Adele is a movie star as well.

Katie and Dylan meet when he and his friends who are on a bike ride stop to help with a flat tire, and for Katie seeing Dylan that first time was all it took. I loved watching the relationship between Katie and Dylan grow. Dylan feels like he is not long term material because of his parents many marriages and relationships. He is so wonderful with Katie and her boys but it takes a lot of ups and downs for him realize he is worth the happines he finds with Katie and the boys. I enjoyed the back and forth between these two. Katie makes Dylan work for it! Katie is a strong women, like all of the Virgin River women, even after all she has been through. I love that she always puts her boys first and does things on her own. She can even change the oil in her SUV! I loved the relationship between her and her brother Conner. Even when Conner is a bit over protective she loves him anyway and tells him to butt out.

Another great story from Robyn Carr. I know somewhere out there is a real Virgin River and I want to vist, but until then I will just have to read these wonderful stories. I did miss some of my old friends. This book is really based around Katie and Dylan and I liked that, but did miss the second story we are used to in older Virgin River books, but I was not disappointed in the story. Once again I laughed out loud and cried a little. I am always so amazed how I just fall in love with these stories. Robyn Carr pulls you in and you just do not want it to end! I am looking forward to Nora and Tom's story next(less)

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Mar 06, 2012 Romancing the Book rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, romance

Reviewed By~Aubrey
Review Copy Provided By~Netgalley

Robyn Carr is one of my favourite authors. Reading her books is like going home to your parents house and having your favourite meal. Its warm and cozy. The characters are ones you know and are anxious to hear more about. I would love to live in Virgin River where everyone is your friend and everyone helps you when in need. Its a town that sets the example of how all small towns should be like. Not to mention the landscape appears to be gorgeous...more Reviewed By~Aubrey
Review Copy Provided By~Netgalley

Robyn Carr is one of my favourite authors. Reading her books is like going home to your parents house and having your favourite meal. Its warm and cozy. The characters are ones you know and are anxious to hear more about. I would love to live in Virgin River where everyone is your friend and everyone helps you when in need. Its a town that sets the example of how all small towns should be like. Not to mention the landscape appears to be gorgeous and breathtaking.

Redwood Bend delivers all the things I've grown to love about Virgin. You have the strong female lead who falls for the alpha male that realises he needs to compromise to make the relationship work. I wanted to read Katie's story after reading Hidden Summit which featured her brother Connor as the main character. Katie has had a rough go of things the past few years but it hasn't left her cynical or down on herself. She's a very spunky, sassy and independent mother to two twin boys. She moved to Virgin River to be closer to her brother and his fiance.

On her way to Virgin River she gets a flat tire. Dylan helps her change it in the rain. This chance meeting is what sealed their fate as a couple. They both fight the spark from the beginning both for different reasons. Dylan is a child star that feels like he doesn't have anything to give a single mother and has a family curse of not being able to stay married. He is the last one to realize he has fallen for Katie and the boys too. Dylan is a very kind and generous man that does not know his own potential until Katie shows him. You get to hear about past couples in the series and how they are doing and you get to meet a new set of characters that come with Dylan and Katie. Her twins are firecrackers that are full of spirit and fun.

I really enjoyed Redwood Bend not just as another book in the Virgin River series but as a book on its own. The characters have substance and are real. You really get to know the characters in a way that you don't get from other authors. I know that I could meet Katie on the street that is how real she is betrayed in the novel. Carr once again does not disappoint. I always finish her novels feeling satisfied but longing for the next installment in her long running series. Old fans will love Katie and Dylan and new readers will instantly fall in love with the chemistry they have. The love story of Katie and Dylan is full of bends in the road which makes the book aptly named. I will be very upset when this series ends!
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Mar 06, 2012 Sue Grimshaw rated it 5 of 5 stars

Well, I loved this book *sniffle* - so romantic, I mean, ROMANTIC - emotion, sex, love, values - all the things I love and adore about romance books both new and old . . . the books that I re-read and re-read again contain these elements and Robyn's VIRGIN RIVER books do that, and more. I love Robyn's voice, her character development, the ease of the read -- like Nora Roberts, Robyn's words just 'sing' off the pages - reading her stories is effortless, self-immersing and (as Mel says) boy-howdy,...more

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Mar 05, 2012 LoveRomance rated it 2 of 5 stars

I love Robyn Carr's Virgin River series. It's one of my favorites. However, the last couple of books have not been as engaging as the first books. This one was a little slow, and I found I just didn't care that much what happened to the characters. I usually read her books in a day or two, and this one took a week because I could easily take it or leave it. Always fun to see how past characters get woven into current story, though!

Hard to beat Virgin River and even more so Whispering Rock. Those...more

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Feb 29, 2012 Brie C. rated it 2 of 5 stars

Originally posted at Romance Around the Corner

Warning: the review contains a spoiler, it’s hidden, but I'm making sure you know about it now in case you prefer to skip the review.

One of my favorite books by Robyn Carr is A Summer in Sonoma. It’s one of her standalone books and if you haven’t read it you should because it’s wonderful. When I found out that Walt, the hero of that book, had a cameo in this book (he also makes a cameo in the previous book, Hidden Summit) I was a happy camper.

Katie M...more

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Feb 28, 2012 Tia rated it 5 of 5 stars

By the time Katie was twenty-six, she had lost her parents. Katie married a Green Beret man and got pregnant with twins. After he was shipped off to Afghanistan he died, leaving Katie and her brother alone. Their family business, a hardware store was burned to the ground due to Connor, Katie's brother witnessing a murder and having death threats come to him. The FBI separated Connor from Katie and her twin sons. When the court case was finally over, she was able to look up her brother Connor aga...more

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Feb 25, 2012 Susan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-books-read, romance

I loved this book. When Dylan and his friends stopped to help Katie, she wasn't sure what to make of them. When she saw them again later in Virgin River, she got a chance to get a better look at Dylan. They were attracted to each other, but Katie was the mother of twins and had no intention of getting involved with any man. Dylan came from a very dysfunctional family, and felt that he was a bad bet for a relationship anyway. But Dylan couldn't stay away, and found himself drawn further and furth...more

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Feb 06, 2012 Sharon Redfern rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, ebook

Katie Malone has moved to Virgin River to be near her big brother Connor. Katie and her twin boys were forced to move from their home when Connor became the sole witness to a murder and was threatened by the killer. Katie was widowed when her husband was killed overseas in the Army and she wants to settle down and rebuild her family life. On her way to VR, she gets a flat on her SUV and is rescued by a group of bikers, one of whom she recognizes as a former child star she had a crush on.
Dylan Ch...more

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Jan 25, 2012 Judith rated it 4 of 5 stars

4.5 out of 5. Book 18 in the Virgin River series features Katie Malone, her 5 year old twin boys, and a now grown child star who has left all the pizzazz of Hollywood, the craziness of his dysfunctional family and who is now living in Montana. He is determined that marriage and family are not for him because of his family experiences, but he can't seem to tear himself away from Katie after a couple of weeks of hot loving and involvement with her kids. This book is another one of this great serie...more

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Jan 13, 2012 Judy & Marianne from Long and Short Reviews rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, non-erotic

Originally posted at: http://www.longandshortreviews.blogsp...

Picking up the pieces and moving on again and yet again is not Katie Malone’s favorite thing to do. But she can and will do it for her twin sons and for herself. She will find stability for them. However, on her way to this stability, her life takes a detour into a quagmire of emotions—a quagmire that almost swamps her at times. The remarkable people of Virgin River give a little assistance and she comes out wiser, stronger, and heart...more Originally posted at: http://www.longandshortreviews.blogsp...

Picking up the pieces and moving on again and yet again is not Katie Malone’s favorite thing to do. But she can and will do it for her twin sons and for herself. She will find stability for them. However, on her way to this stability, her life takes a detour into a quagmire of emotions—a quagmire that almost swamps her at times. The remarkable people of Virgin River give a little assistance and she comes out wiser, stronger, and heart whole. Best of all the reader gets to travel this road with her—an awesome trip.

On a cold rainy night on a narrow mountain road near Virgin River, single mother Katie has a flat. When four motorcycle riders stop to help, her heart gives a jump of fear then it gives another kind of jump. One of the rider’s is Dylan Childress, long ago child movie star she's spent much of her teen years idolizing.

He is tempting, but movie stars are not faithful or stable enough to be depended on for rearing a family. Still, he's a “major hottie” with his long, lean, beautiful body, twinkling crystal blue eyes, and sexy swagger. Her much loved Green Beret husband had been dead five years and her last male friend had made her question her judgment, making her decide she’d just be happy raising the twins and living without a man in her life. But Dylan causes her body to hum with longing.

Dylan was snatched away from movie stardom by this grandmother Adele while he was still in his teens. To keep him from being ruined by Hollywood, she took him to the wilds of Montana where he soon learned he was not a “little god” that everyone fawned over. He learned to work and fit in with other kids his age. Now he owns a charter plane service and airport in Payne, Montana but feels his bad genes make him unfit to be a family man, so he avoids commitment. Yet, the confident, feisty, little rain-soaked woman he meets on that narrow mountain road near Virgin River spins his life out of control. Katie Malone makes him feel things that scare the daylights out of him.

Whether by destiny or chance, Katie and Dylan are both in Virgin River, a place that works miracles with lonely, messed-up hearts. There is a special magic there that wiggles its way into the hearts and minds of flawed yet admirable people and gives them hope and courage. It lets love tiptoe in on little cat feet and settle into hearts where it abides for a lifetime.

Katie and her twin boys come to Virgin River to be close to her brother Conner who has been the boys’ dependable male connection all their lives. He is like a big, solid oak that they can lean on. Katie, although independent and confident, knows the twins need their uncle. Yet keeping Conner out of her personal life is a challenge, especially when Dylan becomes more than a passing fancy to Katie.

The humor that threads its way through Redwood Bend makes it sparkle. Ms. Carr’s use of it to augment personalities is a delight as she captivates with sights, sounds, smells, tastes and so much more. She creates a wonderful sense of place. The emotional upheavals and the sputtering starts and stops of Katie and Dylan’s relationship keep the reader turning pages and sometime wanting to give advice.

Redwood Bend is a vicarious experience that lifts the heart and makes one happy that love finds a way even against tremendous odds. If you have read books of the Virgin River series, you’ll feel like you’ve had a special reunion with some characters you’ve met before. If you haven’t read this series then Redwood Bend is a perfect place to start.

(less)

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Feb 29, 2012 Beanbag Love rated it 4 of 5 stars

A solid addition to my favorite literary soap opera.

Dylan and Katie click immediately. They have decent chemistry and sparks do fly. He doesn't want a relationship because his family's emotional commitment history is hellish and he thinks he's pretty much illiterate in that area. Katie doesn't mean to get involved with someone who says they're not interested in more than a fling, but she can't help herself.

It's a pretty good story. Subtle, calm, romantic. My biggest problem came in the middle...more

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Jan 23, 2012 The Sweet Bookshelf rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

I read, Bring Me Home for Christmas over the holiday's and loved it. I wanted more. There are several books in the Virgin River series and I intend to enjoy every one.

I enjoy the predictability of romance novels. I really do. Don't be fooled though, thinking that you'll know the whole story from the beginning. You won't. Redwood Bend promises several surprises to keep you interested. I found the characters well rounded and not as mushy gushy as some of those historical romance novels, and I lik...more

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Mar 10, 2012 Isis FG rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Isis FG by: continuation of a series

Shelves: author-robyn-carr, bought-target, condition-new, format-mmp, series-virgin-river, 2012, info-full, published-2012, reviewed, genre-romance-drama, stars-4-5

Rating: 4.5 / 5

Yet another wonderful addition to a series that is one of my favorite romance series ever.

Series Note:
This is the 18th book in the Virgin River series. I won't say you have to read the series in order to read this book, but it is a wonderful series and I think there are definite benefits of reading it in order. However, this book can stand on it's own pretty well, probably.

Summary:
Katie Malone is traveling across country to stay in Virgin River, where her brother has settled, afte...more Rating: 4.5 / 5

Yet another wonderful addition to a series that is one of my favorite romance series ever.

Series Note:
This is the 18th book in the Virgin River series. I won't say you have to read the series in order to read this book, but it is a wonderful series and I think there are definite benefits of reading it in order. However, this book can stand on it's own pretty well, probably.

Summary:
Katie Malone is traveling across country to stay in Virgin River, where her brother has settled, after a romance didn't work out and realizing her twin 5 year olds need some stability. She's hoping for some down time in Virgin River before deciding what the next step in her life should be. A flat tire just outside down leads to some unexpected consequences in her life when a mysterious biker happens by and helps her out.

A former child-star, Dylan Childress is on a motorcycle tour of the Virgin River area with some friends before he gets back down to work trying to figure out how to save his aviation business. When he meets intriguing Katie Malone on the road, he's mystified by her. She's everything he's ever wanted but told himself he couldn't have. Neither are looking for a relationship, but one finds them. Working it out isn't easy, though, as both are at a crossroads in their lives and trying to find a way to be together won't be easy.

Review:
What is it about this series that is so enchanting and engaging? From the first book I've been hooked and I keep coming back for more. I haven't loved every book in the series, but even the ones that aren't my favorites are a pleasure to read. Maybe it's the continuity of the books...it's the best series I've ever read when it comes to keeping characters, setting, and romances going from book to book. Maybe it's the wonderful setting, or the fantastic characters, or the simplicity and realism of true romance and life issues. Or I guess it's a combination of all that. Whatever it is, Robyn Carr has created such a wonderful set of books with this series.

I really enjoyed this book. I can't say it's one of my top favorites, but it's definitely one of the more enjoyable ones. I loved both the main characters. Katie Malone is a spunky, widowed mother of twin 5 year-olds and Dylan Childress is a former bad boy child star who turned his life around and is now a quite reclusive owner of an aviation business. Both were a pleasure to read about.

The romance is sweetly done. I read a review that felt the romance wasn't developed enough, that the two fell in love too quickly and too simply. I couldn't disagree more. I thought the development of the romance was wonderfully done. Maybe it didn't take very long (a month of so) but I had no issues with the development. I could feel the chemistry between the two. And RC did a great job of portraying their inner conflict over getting involved. Especially with Dylan and his struggle to put his inner demons to rest and to allow himself to fall in love and hope for a future with Katie. I found Dylan to be a rather intriguing guy and I loved his storyline. Would he go back to movies? Would he save his business? Would he move to VR to be with Katie? Would he get eaten by a bear ;) It was great stuff. And I was really rooting for these two and just want to keep reading about them and how it would all work out.

Maybe the storyline isn't wildly original and maybe the tone is similar to a lot of the other VR books, but again, I didn't mind. Robyn Carr is such a wonderful storyteller that every book, no matter how different or similar to other books in the series, is a joy to read. You just get sucked into the story she is telling about Katie and Dylan, the town of Virgin River, and all the other people involved.

Plus, you can't get through a VR book without getting to read about a lot of the past characters. This book didn't involve them quite as much as some past books - the focus in this one was pretty centered around Dylan and Katie - but you get a nice dose of Jack, Connor, Leslie, Luke...some cameos from Preacher, Paige, Paul, Nora, some others, and an introduction the hero of the next book, Tom.

And like I've said in other reviews, every time I read a new Virgin River book it's like coming home because Robyn Carr has created such a heart-warming, vivid, wonderful place in Virgin River, California. I look forward to the next installment.(less)

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Feb 12, 2012 Glenajo rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, fiction

Love is Just Around the Bend

Katie Malone moved across the country to escape the criminals that burned down the hardware store she and her brother inherited from their parents. Now with the resolution of that problem, Katie and her twin five-year-old sons move back across the country to live near her brother. Driving up into the mountains, Katie has a flat, motorcyclists traveling the same road, stop to help. After one of the men catch Katie's eye, she is taken by surprise when they pull into the...more

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Mar 01, 2012 Becky Moe rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley, contemporary

Another return to Virgin River! As always, the town is wonderful...though some of its residents drive me crazy. The central characters of this one are Katie Malone, widowed mother of five year-old twins, and Dylan Childress, a former child star turned rancher and pilot. Katie's moved to Virgin River--temporarily, perhaps she thinks at first--to be closer to her brother Conner, who moved to town (also temporarily, or so he thought) in the previous book in the series, Hidden Summit.

I loved Dylan....more Another return to Virgin River! As always, the town is wonderful...though some of its residents drive me crazy. The central characters of this one are Katie Malone, widowed mother of five year-old twins, and Dylan Childress, a former child star turned rancher and pilot. Katie's moved to Virgin River--temporarily, perhaps she thinks at first--to be closer to her brother Conner, who moved to town (also temporarily, or so he thought) in the previous book in the series, Hidden Summit.

I loved Dylan. He had major issues with commitment, but for the most part it was a mental block with him--he'd experienced such disastrous relationships among his crazy Hollywood relatives for all his life that he's convinced he'd be a bad candidate for any "real" relationships of his own. He pretty much steers clear, figuring he's doomed to failure, and makes sure that every woman he gets involved with understands that a relationship is out of the question. Though his hangups are understandable, the way he's been living his life thus far makes it perfectly close to everyone around him that he's nothing like the rest of his family at all. He's stable, grounded, and more than capable of having lasting and meaningful relationships. Dylan just needs to be convinced of this, and the process by which it all happens made sense to me. Dylan pretty much earned the four-star round up, as far as I was concerned.

Enter Katie. I thoroughly enjoyed the first half of the book. Her relationship with her boys was fantastic, and she seemed well-grounded and clear about what she wanted out of life. Then she got involved with Dylan, who she knew from the start was going to be leaving town. She claimed to be fine with this, telling him over and over again that yes, she understood that it would not be a lasting thing. So...Dylan leaves.

This is where my frustration with the story began. Honestly, if Dylan hadn't continued to be such a strong, stand-up kind of guy I would have given it 2 1/2 instead of 3 1/2 (Dylan earned the half-star round up all on his own.) (Slight spoiler alert--you may want to skip the next part, though I'll try not to give too much away)(view spoiler)

All's well that ends well, and this book does--but there is a certain degree of frustration with the characters before we get to that point. In all it is a decent addition to the series, and I look forward to seeing what else Ms. Carr has in store for the town.(less)

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Dec 16, 2011 SBooks rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-romance

Oh wow, this one was great. The Virgin River books now keep a hint of the past without being buried in it. I’m always wary of a bunch of brand new characters turning up in an established series and taking over, but this one worked perfectly for me. It was funny and touching and so satisfying in the slightly surprising end.

Dylan Childress – our hero here – is a washed up child star, who is very happy to be out of the business, even if his family still surround him, trying to cling to the remnants...more

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Mar 14, 2012 Jael rated it 3 of 5 stars

Driving down a long stretch of road you never know what is around the next corner. Could be just another driver running errands, which I'm more inclined to believe. Someone looking for an escape just like you or it could be the love of your life. In Redwood Bend by Robyn Carr one of her characters found more than she bargained for.

Before I go on a little disclaimer, if you haven't read Hidden Summit STOP reading now. This is an ongoing series and if you haven't read the previous book it might sp...more Driving down a long stretch of road you never know what is around the next corner. Could be just another driver running errands, which I'm more inclined to believe. Someone looking for an escape just like you or it could be the love of your life. In Redwood Bend by Robyn Carr one of her characters found more than she bargained for.

Before I go on a little disclaimer, if you haven't read Hidden Summit STOP reading now. This is an ongoing series and if you haven't read the previous book it might spoil some things for you. But if that doesn't matter you, by all means continue reading.

After a long period of turmoil, Katie Malone and her twin boys, Mitch and Andy, are on their way to Virgin River. Her brother Connor is waiting to spoil his nephews and protect his little sister. Connor has always been a guiding force in Katie's life. After the death of Katie's husband, Connor was there. After months apart from each other, Katie is ready to build a new life in Virgin River. But along the way there Katie was thrown for a loop. After a flat tire Katie crosses paths with former bad boy Dylan Childress. The attraction is instant, but both of them want to deny it. Katie has her hands full trying to raise her boys. She has to get her life together. She has to find a job, a home, and a school for the boys. Romance is very low on the totem pole. When it comes to commitment, Dylan is a little gun shy. As a former child star with absentee parents, Dylan doesn't know what a healthy romantic relationship is. His movie-star grandmother took control of him before Dylan went off the deep end. He's used to a simple life and uncomplicated relationships. A widow with two kids doesn't exactly sound like Dylan's cup of tea. Or does it?

Of course it does, but Katie plays hard to get. Dylan thinks he doesn't want a relationship. He makes sure Katie knows that he's attracted, but he is just passing through Virgin River. Both of them have no illusions about this "relationship." They're both very clear that it's just a fling. A relationship with attachments isn't always easy. You could be perfectly clear about your intentions, but the other person becomes more attached than they should. In this case it's Katie. It sounds very cliche that the woman in the relationship becomes attached and even falls in love. But it does happen a lot. When the time comes for Dylan to leave, Katie puts on a brave front but misses him so much it hurts. Dylan doesn't know why he can't go back to his life. Katie is under his skin. He stayed on in Virgin River to look for ways to grow his failing airline business when Hollywood comes calling again. Getting back into the business could help grow his business, but it could also corrupt his soul again. Katie doesn't want a superstar, she just wants someone to love her and her boys.

I wasn't a fan of the romantic setup. It didn't seem very realistic to have any instant attraction to a man you met on a chance encounter. Also every man in this book is portrayed as the hero. When are the women going to take over as heroes in romance novels? Katie has her moments in this book, but overwhelming the men take charge. Connor is the stubborn, neanderthal who will protect his sister at all costs. He can't be rational when it comes to Katie's love life. He acts first and thinks later. Dylan even gets his chance to be the hero towards the end of the book, but I'm going to stop before I spoil too much on that front. If you're a fan of the Virgin River Series, than this is right up your alley.

Rating: Give it a try

Note: I received a copy of the book from the publisher (Harlequin) at the request of the author's publicist (Little Bird Publicity)(less)

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Redwood Bend (Virgin River #18)

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