Forbidden Falls by Robyn Carr. Another story (or group of stories since they’re always about more than one couple) in the wildly popular Virgin River series. This one’s about Noah Kincaid, a reluctant Presbyterian minister and Ellie Baldwin, a voluptuous, sexy dresser (think Erin Brockovich) who applies for the job of pastoral assistant for tiny Virgin River’s old church, undergoing refurbishment.

Noah was encouraged to go to divinity school by his old friend and mentor. Meanwhile, he’s made a living working on the Seattle docks. But being a minister was the furthest thing from Noah’s mind–his father was a well-known television evangelist in the Midwest where his autocratic, hypocritical ways estranged Noah. However, retired minister George Davenport sees Noah’s potential and encourages the man. Now, Noah takes a mighty leap of faith and bids on Virgin River’s dilapidated old church which has been put up on eBay. The church needs everything, much more than Noah can do on his own, even though an inheritance from his mother will provide the necessities. Noah needs help, and it comes in a nicely rounded package named Ellie Baldwin. Ellie, a former stripper, has lost custody of her two children to her ex-husband and needs a respectable position so she can get them back. Her candor, willingness to do the dirtiest of jobs, and plight have Noah taking a chance on her, even though she’s much too appealing for his comfort.

But Ellie is sharp and a hard worker, and soon has Noah wondering how he managed without her. A growing attraction blossoms, and he wants to help Ellie regain custody of her daughter and son. He wants other things as well, but he must win over the wary young woman who has made poor choices in her life.

This is a delightful story of two engaging characters you want to root for. Secondary characters are re-introduced and the chemistry works so wonderfully you’ll want to pack your bags and move to Virgin River (if only it existed!) A beautiful wedding occurs (I won’t reveal whose) that is so touching. Pick up a copy of Forbidden Falls today.