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A Virgin River Christmas

(Virgin River #4)

Robyn Carr (Goodreads Author)

4.09 · Rating details · 18,004 ratings · 1,124 reviews

Last Christmas Marcie Sullivan said a final goodbye to her husband, Bobby. This Christmas she's come to Virgin River to find the man who saved his life and gave her three more years to love him. Fellow marine Ian Buchanan dragged Bobby's shattered body onto a medical transport in Fallujah four years ago, then disappeared as soon as their unit arrived stateside. Since then, ...more

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Mass Market Paperback, 285 pages

Published October 28th 2008 by Mira Books

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Dec 18, 2011 Kristen rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle-unlimited-or-deals, loved-it, tortured-hero, great-dialogue, fabulous-characterizations, fabulous-characters, made-me-smile, audiobook, favorite-heroine, strong-willed-heroine

4 ½-Feel Good-Stars

My favorite in the series. Unlike the other books, this one focused only on the main couple. The other couples/characters that we've grown to love over the course of the series didn't take up page time like they normally do and I loved that.

These books are the perfect "getting into the holiday spirit" type of read. They have a quaint, almost Hallmark-movie type feel to them that leaves me feeling uplifted. That said, I don't think I'd have the patience to read them, as they'r ...more

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Dec 10, 2016 Carol rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2016, 2016-five-stars, favorites, books-to-re-read, r-holiday-romance

So in the mood for a Holiday romance and I couldn't hold myself back from a reread of one of my favorites from 2016.
**reread 12/07 -12/10/19**
Just as enchanting!!! A sublime read.
So heart touching!! It brings tears to my eyes.
Cannot recommend this one enough.🧡
I really need to get cracking on this full series.

🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄
Probably my favorite Christmas story that I have read this year and I have read several already. I think this is mainly because the story stayed in my thoughts even after I had ...more

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Jun 15, 2008 Auntee rated it really liked it

Recommends it for: Fans of the series

Shelves: contemporary-romance, tortured-hero

This was a really sweet, tender romance, that had me in tears sometimes, but put a smile on my face at the end.

This is the story of Marcie Sullivan, a young widow, and former Marine Ian Buchanan. Marcie recently lost her Marine husband, Bobby, due to injuries he suffered while serving in Iraq. Bobby and Marcie were childhood buddies, then sweethearts, before marrying as teenagers. Bobby enlisted in the military, while Marcie worked in an insurance office. They were in love and had a bright futur This was a really sweet, tender romance, that had me in tears sometimes, but put a smile on my face at the end.

This is the story of Marcie Sullivan, a young widow, and former Marine Ian Buchanan. Marcie recently lost her Marine husband, Bobby, due to injuries he suffered while serving in Iraq. Bobby and Marcie were childhood buddies, then sweethearts, before marrying as teenagers. Bobby enlisted in the military, while Marcie worked in an insurance office. They were in love and had a bright future ahead of them until one day Bobby was severly injured in Iraq from a car bomb explosion. If it wasn't for his Sergeant and best friend, Ian Buchanan, who hauled him to safety amidst enemy fire, he surely would have died on the streets of Fallujah. And even though Bobby never recovered from his injuries, and basically was totally incapacitated, Marcie was grateful for the additional three years she got to spend taking care of Bobby and just being with him. It's been a year since Bobby's death, and Marcie would like to move forward with her life, and get a little closure. But in order to do that, she needs to track down her husband's best friend from the military, Ian Buchanan, and thank him again for saving Bobby and give him a few momentos she thinks Bobby would like him to have. It might be a tall order, because it seems Ian has dropped off the face of the earth.

Since that day in Fallujah 4 years ago, Ian's life hasn't been the same. He had planned to serve 20 years in the Marines, but after he saved Bobby and sentenced him to a life as a total invalid, he suffered such enormous guilt that he let it wreck his life and his career. Once a well-liked and respected man with a bright future, he broke up with his fiancee, got in meaningless fights with other soldiers, and was basically forced out of the Marines. He wishes he had let Bobby die in Fallujah, thinking he has sentenced him and his family to more grief than they would have suffered if he had just died on the battlefield. Ian decides to just drop out of life for a while, living a minimal existence selling firewood on a mountaintop near the small California town of Virgin River.

With a little luck and some dogged persistence, Marcie tracks Ian to the quaint little town of Virgin River. She hears rumors about a mountain man who likes to whistle and sing and lives hermit-like in a small cabin just outside of town. Could this be Ian?

When Marcie meets up with Ian, he is almost unrecognizable from the picture of the handsome man she carries with her. With his dark hair tied back in a long ponytail, a bushy red beard and wearing tattered clothes, and living in a small one room cabin without indoor plumbing, Ian looks and acts like a dropout from life. He tells Marcie he just wants to be left alone, but of course Marcie, being the stubborn girl she is, will not hear of it. She's determined to break through all the walls Ian has placed around himself. She only has a few weeks before she's due home for Christmas--will that be enough time for her to convince Ian to rejoin the world and start living again? And can she help Ian heal his wounded heart? And will Marcie learn something about herself in the process?

While this wasn't my favorite of all the Virgin River books, it certainly was enjoyable. It was fun to revisit that small California town again--after Marcie's first encounter with some of the residents, it was like I never left. Some of the past characters have small roles, including Preacher and Paige, Mike and Brie, Doc, and with larger roles, Mel and Jack. ********possible spoiler******************* I like that a romance between Marcie and Ian didn't happen right away, although now that I think of it, 10 days is pretty fast! But it just seemed that Marcie and Ian got to know a lot about each other in that time, and each also knew a lot about the other through Bobby's letters home and Marcie's letters to Bobby. And once Ian came home with a hair-cut and a closely trimmed beard, I knew the fireworks would start to happen between the two! And they did--they provided a lot of 'heat' for that small, one-room cabin! There were some tear-jerking moments too, when Marcie relates the circumstances of Bobby's death, and when Ian lets Marcie go home for Christmas. I wanted him to beg her to stay!*********************************************************** The ending was heart-warming and beautiful, but I could have used a few pages more, to let me in on what would happen in the future. But that is not a problem--I'm sure Robyn Carr will cover that ground in her next Virgin River novel, titled "Second Chance Pass" due out in February 2009. That's one I can't wait to read! ...more

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Jan 25, 2010 Beanbag Love rated it it was amazing

I'm not sure of the circumstances of this book's release, but it was about a hundred pages shorter than the one previous. It definitely had a 'novella' feel to it, and there weren't really any side stories going on, so I'm thinking it might have appeared first in an anthology.

No matter, it's very good and might even be my favorite of the first four.

A young widow is searching for her late husband's former best friend who has dropped off the map entirely after leaving the Marine Corps.

Ian Buchana I'm not sure of the circumstances of this book's release, but it was about a hundred pages shorter than the one previous. It definitely had a 'novella' feel to it, and there weren't really any side stories going on, so I'm thinking it might have appeared first in an anthology.

No matter, it's very good and might even be my favorite of the first four.

A young widow is searching for her late husband's former best friend who has dropped off the map entirely after leaving the Marine Corps.

Ian Buchanan has become your basic mountain man. He saved his best friend, Bobby's, life in Falluja only to find that Bobby had ended up a quadriplegic in what amounted to a persistent vegetative state. Just the boot to kick Ian into emotional and mental chaos.

Marcie is a little firebrand who needs closure after three years of nursing Bobby until his final, peaceful breath. I was really impressed with this character. She was funny, loving, compassionate, incredibly strong and more stubborn than anything. Definitely my favorite character of the series so far, and probably in the top five female characters I've read this year. It was fascinating to see this person who basically made the world turn for so many being thought of as the one who needed to be handled with fragile care. She, naturally, chafes at it as much as the reader does for her, and it makes for some pretty good moments.

I cried more reading this than any of the others. This was a really excellently written story, I thought, and the joy of the romance against the backdrop of grief and isolation was very satisfying.

It loses half a star for no epilogue (I rounded up). It ends right before something I feel we either needed to see or hear about after the fact. Perhaps these two show up again in the rest of the series -- I certainly hope so, but don't tell me! -- but I want to know what happened next. It felt like the story was unfinished.

But if you make it this far in the series, there's no way you're NOT going to read on, so just enjoy. ...more

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Oct 28, 2010 Penny Watson rated it it was amazing

Shelves: christmas-romance, re-read

Nothing brings me more hope, more excitement, more anticipation for a romance novel than....

....finding out the hero has a beard!!!! Hallelujah!

So, imagine my everlasting surprise and happiness when I discovered that the hero for Robyn Carr's A Virgin River Christmas has a beard. And not just any ol' beard, but a full-on, hard-core, lumber jack-style beard. And....it's red!

(Please take a moment of silence to process this wonderful ditty).

In spite of the fact that I don't love contemporary romanc ...more

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May 13, 2018 Anna's Herding Cats rated it it was amazing

Shelves: known-each-other-forever, california, christmas, military-or-exmilitary-men, contemporary, small-town, 2018-finish, robyn-carr, widower, re-read-with-sophia

One of the best romance books ever. This was my second time reading A Virgin River Christmas and, yall, this book. You need to read this book. It's everything.

The Gist: Marcie's husband died a year ago after being injured while deployed. And she's determined to find his best friend and the man who risked everything to save him years earlier and then disappeared.

Seriously. Marcie and Ian. They're incredible. Marcie is a force to be reckoned with. She's lovely and kind. Sweet, fiery, full of fai One of the best romance books ever. This was my second time reading A Virgin River Christmas and, yall, this book. You need to read this book. It's everything.

The Gist: Marcie's husband died a year ago after being injured while deployed. And she's determined to find his best friend and the man who risked everything to save him years earlier and then disappeared.

Seriously. Marcie and Ian. They're incredible. Marcie is a force to be reckoned with. She's lovely and kind. Sweet, fiery, full of faith and hope. Has a will of steel. She was wonderful.

And Ian. He's such a good man but lost. His life fell apart years earlier and to cope with it he ran and became more or less a recluse. Living tucked away in the mountains in a rustic cabin with no electricity or comforts. He's hard working but keeps to himself. Cut off from anything gentle or easy, from nearly all forms of relationships. He's resourceful, quiet and underneath his wild mountain man exterior he's gentle and caring and lonely.

Their romance was very slow going. They're both dealing with such loss and having trouble moving on. Finding who they are and used to be. Marcie having to get him to even let her in the door and then slowly over the weeks pulling more out of him. Getting him to talk, to leave his mountain, to enjoy things and reconnect with people. It was just incredible and touching. Seeing them form a connection again and finally find a way to heal from the loss of her husband and his best friend. They have a total beauty and the beast vibe going.

My only issue was that Carr cannot get Marine right. Half the time it's not capitalized and it should ALWAYS be capitalized no matter if it's the branch or the individual.

But other than that A Virgin River Christmas is a moving romance that'll bring you to tears and leave you full of hope and wonder. Really you just need to read this one. You need to meet these two. See their journey and their incredible strength and resilience. It's such an experience and a simple review can't do it justice.

Amazon https://amzn.to/2pT0TOi ...more

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Oct 23, 2010 Pamela rated it really liked it

4.5 Stars

This was a thoroughly enjoyable read — my first e-book, actually. I read it on my computer using Kindle for Mac. Because I just don't spend enough time with my computer, you know?

This book tells the story of Ian Buchanan, an emotionally scarred former Marine, and Marcie Sullivan, widow of Ian's best friend, who died from injuries sustained while at war despite Ian's attempt to save him. Set in the snowy mountains above Virgin River, it brings together so many things that make the Virgin 4.5 Stars

This was a thoroughly enjoyable read — my first e-book, actually. I read it on my computer using Kindle for Mac. Because I just don't spend enough time with my computer, you know?

This book tells the story of Ian Buchanan, an emotionally scarred former Marine, and Marcie Sullivan, widow of Ian's best friend, who died from injuries sustained while at war despite Ian's attempt to save him. Set in the snowy mountains above Virgin River, it brings together so many things that make the Virgin River series so enjoyable — the remote mountain setting, the sense of community, and the strong men and women who make up that community.

Marcie has been searching for Ian, feeling that there is unfinished business between them. As her husband's best friend, Ian should have been there during the three years her husband lingered between life and death. Instead, Ian had vanished. Marcie wants to know why — and she wants to give him her husband's baseball card collection. Truth is, she's not sure why she's searching for him. She is driven by needs she doesn't completely understand.

The man she meets is not the man she remembers. With a heavy beard and a nasty temper, Ian has been hiding in a cabin in the mountains, living an unadorned life as a hermit — no ties, no toilet, no contact with the outside world. Ian knows who Marcie is — he met her at one point when he came back from the war while her husband was in a long-term care facility — but he wants nothing to do with her. He does his best to drive her away and acting a bit nuts in the process.

But Marcie becomes ill, and Ian has no choice but to take care of her. The ten days that follow as she regains her health transform both of them. Watching Marcie and Ian face their shared pain together, finding love and healing in each other's arms, was wonderful, even if Marcie at times seemed a little too perfect.

The love story is sweet, as are the love scenes. The emotion feels genuine. I found myself forgiving Marcie's PITA older sister, Erin, as I learned why she was a PITA. It was great to see the other characters again — Mel and Jack; Paige and Preacher; Doc, etc. (I haven't read Brie and Mark Venezuela's story yet...) The sense of community that permeates these stories is so addictive. Who wouldn't want to live in a town where everyone cared about everyone else? Heck, I'd pack my junk tomorrow if I knew of such a place. It's pretty far removed from the world I know, I must say.

I love to read Christmas-themed romances, but most often I read historicals. There's something about the Christmas season that makes historicals particularly enjoyable. This is the first contemporary romance I've read with a Christmas theme, and I enjoyed it. I still prefer Christmas historicals, but then historicals are what I love to read most anyway.

For those who haven't read the Virgin River series or who've read only a few, this book stands alone. I think a person could read it and then go back and pick up at the beginning.

Over all, a very enjoyable and satisfying read. I will admit to sneaking some reading time in while at work. D'oh! ...more

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Dec 06, 2019 Obsidian rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, 2019-library-books

A great installment in the series before it started going a bit downhill for me. This book follows Marcie Sullivan as she tries to find the man (Ian Buchanan) who saved her now dead husband who is holed up in Virgin River. I honestly loved the character of Marcie and I enjoyed how she and Ian get together. Seeing how the small town comes together to celebrate Christmas together was really good too. We have appearances by my nemesis Jack and his wife Mel, and of course Paige and Preacher and othe ...more

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Feb 15, 2010 Buggy rated it it was amazing

Shelves: shelf-10, contemp-rom, tortured-hero, men-in-uniform-af-spc-op, scars-r-sexy, outhouses

Opening Line: "Marcie Sullivan drove into the small town, her sixth small mountian town of the day, and found herself face-to-face with a Christmas tree trimming."

AVRC is my first Robyn Carr book which would make me...you guessed it, a Robyn Carr virgin. Anyways, this isn’t the type of contemporary romance I usually read (I like a bit of action, suspense or the occasional vampire in my mix) However the Virgin River series is so hugely popular and was recommended to me by a ton of people so I jus Opening Line: "Marcie Sullivan drove into the small town, her sixth small mountian town of the day, and found herself face-to-face with a Christmas tree trimming."

AVRC is my first Robyn Carr book which would make me...you guessed it, a Robyn Carr virgin. Anyways, this isn’t the type of contemporary romance I usually read (I like a bit of action, suspense or the occasional vampire in my mix) However the Virgin River series is so hugely popular and was recommended to me by a ton of people so I just had to check it out.

...And I’m happy to say that except for the author’s unusual fixation with an outhouse I got sucked right into this heart tugging romance. Enough so that I didn’t want to read anything else when I finished and have gone back to start the series at the beginning.

Yes this is book #4 in a series of 13 (and counting) however that doesn't seem to have any bearing on this particular story (I think because it’s a special Christmas edition). Sure there were a few characters I might have enjoyed more if I’d know their ‘story’ but this stood just fine on its own and centered pretty much solely on Ian and Marcie’s heartbreaking journey of love and healing.

The best word I could use to describe Robyn Carr’s writing is comfortable. It’s just relaxed and easy and felt like I was reading about friends or I imagine if you’re well into the series like coming home. Carr never once had me shaking my head thinking that’s wrong or ridiculous or the H/h would never do that. The story flows very well too, is funny in parts and heart wrenching in others and except for letting the outhouse become a character of its own, left me wanting more. I feel like Carr could become the sort of author I’d pick up when nothing else is striking my fancy and know that I’d enjoy it.

Marcie Sullivan is looking for closure; she’s come to Virgin River to find her husbands Sergeant and best friend. The man responsible for saving Bobby in Iraq and giving her three years to say goodbye while he slowly died from his battle injuries. As Marcie cared for her husband she forged a friendship (through letters) with his sergeant Ian, pouring out her heart, frustrations and sadness to a man she’d never met. Then suddenly the letters stopped and soon her husband was gone too. Now a year later Marcie still can’t seem to move on with her life, she’s decided she has to find Ian. To talk to him about what happened over there and make sure he‘s okay.

But locating Ian hasn’t been easy, nobody’s seen him for years and his family has all but written him off. After following several leads Marcie at last finds her hero but he doesn’t want to be found and definitely doesn’t want to be reminded of Iraq. Ian’s living far off the grid of society, a recluse in a rundown cabin in the woods with no amenities. Yes that’s right an…outhouse (dun dun dah) Ian Growls at Marcie to leave him alone, sounding much like the bear he now resembles what with all that hair but Marcie refuses to go until she completes her mission. Of course this leads to her almost freezing to death, catching hypothermia and Ian having to save and care for her until she’s better (It is a romance after all)

Marcie’s character is a bit of a goof and I really liked her and her adventures with living in a rustic cabin. I found it odd though that suffering a burn from not knowing how to light propane stove was hilarious while a flu/cold was a matter of life and death? I also didn’t find this quite as romantic as I’m sure others will as I have lived in the bush without power and it loses its appeal mighty fast especially in the winter. So while some might think it quaint that they cook on a woodstove, and read by candlelight, I cringed.

Anyways you don’t need to know much else, all the townsfolk turn up in one way or another and Marcie and Ian forge into a new type of friendship, one with benefits. Oh and it all happens right around Christmas. Sigh. ...more

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Jul 23, 2020 Ula'ndi Hart rated it really liked it

Shelves: soldier-military-cops-ect, mf

Overall book rating: 3.8
Audio Book: N/A
Book Cover: 3.5

So I did the Wendy thing and started this series at book 4. Totally oblivious to the fact that it’s based on a series.

Needless to say I ended up checking out the series because who can resist troubled marines and a small mountain town right?

This, the series as well as the book, has a very Hallmark feeling about it. Just warm and fuzzy and boy did I catch myself running through 5 or 6 episodes after my ‘sample’.

I’m thinking this might not be ...more

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Jul 22, 2008 ♡Karlyn P♡ rated it it was amazing

Shelves: genre-contemporary, read-2008, steam-warm, genre-holiday

Finished it in one sitting. Loved it! I can't wait for the next in this series. I really loved Marcie as a heroine, her humor and take on life was so refreshing. Her willingness to adapt to the rugged lifestyle of the mountains made for several good laughs. The premise of her being in Virigin River to help her dead husbands best friend (Ian) was a bit of a stretch, but it really worked. When they finally came together I melted. This book is a stand alone so you don't need to read the series in o ...more

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Jun 15, 2008 jenjn79 rated it really liked it

Recommended to jenjn79 by: continuation of a series

Shelves: genre-romance-drama, 2008, series-virgin-river, author-robyn-carr, info-full, reviewed, z2008-july-dec, stars-4

I have to admit I had an initial smidge of disappointment when I realized this book didn't feature existing Virgin River characters, but introduced two new ones. But I quickly got over it because the new characters were interesting, and the old ones had big enough supporting roles to make you feel the connection to the previous books.

Like the other books, this one has a slight military theme in the characters. Marcie Sullivan was widowed a year ago when her Marine husband Bobby died three years I have to admit I had an initial smidge of disappointment when I realized this book didn't feature existing Virgin River characters, but introduced two new ones. But I quickly got over it because the new characters were interesting, and the old ones had big enough supporting roles to make you feel the connection to the previous books.

Like the other books, this one has a slight military theme in the characters. Marcie Sullivan was widowed a year ago when her Marine husband Bobby died three years after sustaining devastating injuries in Iraq. Since then, she's felt stuck in a rut, unable to go forward, and obviously unable to go back. And she can't stop thinking that if she could find Bobby's best friend and superior, Ian Buchanan, and settle some things with him, that maybe she'd finally find her way. She'd only ever met him a few times, but she'd come to know him through the letters they'd exchanged and from what Bobby had told her about him. But then Ian had disappeared after he left the Marines not long after Bobby's injury, and Marcie knows he must be hiding from the emotional scars he's suffered. She thinks if she can just find him and talk to him, help him move on, then she would be able to as well. But things don't go quite a planned when she finally does manage to locate him near the quaint mountain town of Virgin River.

True, this is a romance, but honestly, it doesn't come into play until fairly late in the book. A lot of this story is about the characters and their emotional dramas. There were a couple scenes that brought tears to my eyes - especially the one where Marcie flashes back to Bobby's death. I had to go dig up some tissues. That was so sad.

But even though the romance is late in developing, this was an enjoyable book to read (for romance readers). The characters are fantastic. I liked Marcie - though I wished she'd learned to stand up to her sister a little better. And Ian was rather interesting, with his wild, mountain-man look, but gentle and kind heart, and an amazing singing voice. He's such a contradiction. And though they didn't hook up till late, you could feel the connection between Ian and Marcie from the start. They just had to work their way to the right point.

I also really enjoyed how the characters from past Virgin River books had more than just passing roles. Jack and Mel had a fairly active part of the story, and Preacher, Paige, Mike and Bree all had varying smaller roles. It was great to catch up with all those characters.

I had only one or two quibbles with things. I wished the ending had been a little more settled, maybe an epilogue to give us some idea how things went with Ian's reentry into the normal world. Hopefully Carr with update us on them in the upcoming new set of VC books. The only other thing that bothered me was that once Marcie and Ian did hook up, they were together a lot, but there was never once a mention of birth control. It just annoyed me a little bit to have something that important ignored.

Anyway, A Virgin River Christmas is a nice edition to the Virgin River series. It's a great people story with just enough romance to satisfy those of us who like our HEA's. And after read the sneak peak of Second Chance Pass, the upcoming VC novel, I can't wait to read it! ...more

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Jun 01, 2016 Jen rated it really liked it

I enjoyed this Christmas story very much. Got to visit with all of the people of Virgin River...I felt like I have grown to know them all!

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Dec 03, 2016 Gwen (The Gwendolyn Reading Method) rated it liked it · review of another edition

awww good Christmas read! In a very Virgin River way! Ian Buchanan is a wonderful and heart-warming character!

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Dec 16, 2020 Bookphenomena (Micky) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: buddy-read, christmas, grief, 2020-read, death, military, small-town, forced-proximity

I have a happy sigh over here because I am the worst to please when it comes to Christmas stories; they rarely work for me. I knew this one had a chance because I’ve become a fan of this series, both book and TV.

What was fabulous about this Christmas story was that the Virgin River characters were very in the background and the main characters were two new recruits to the series. This story was very focused around marine (combat) experiences which fit with Jack and Preacher’s legacy well.

Marcie ...more

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Feb 25, 2021 Nicole rated it it was amazing

Shelves: read-in-2021, favorites, fiction, romance, winter-mood, christmasmood

A Virgin River Christmas - #4

I have a new favorite! By far the best part yet.

Ian and Marcie's story is one from the heart. ...more

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Nov 29, 2008 Christa rated it really liked it

Shelves: booksfree-com

This was a very sweet, tender love story that seemed entirely appropriate for a Christmas book. I didn't like it quite as well as the three previous books in the series, but it was still a wonderful story. I am anxiously anticipating the next book in the series.

It has been a year since the death of her husband, but Marcie Sullivan is just unable to move forward with her life. She feels that she needs closure that will come from locating her husband's best friend and former superior officer, Ian This was a very sweet, tender love story that seemed entirely appropriate for a Christmas book. I didn't like it quite as well as the three previous books in the series, but it was still a wonderful story. I am anxiously anticipating the next book in the series.

It has been a year since the death of her husband, but Marcie Sullivan is just unable to move forward with her life. She feels that she needs closure that will come from locating her husband's best friend and former superior officer, Ian Buchanan. Four years ago, Ian risked his life to save Bobby in Iraq. Bobby suffered paralysis and extreme brain damage, and after one visit to Bobby four years ago, Ian broke off contact and disappeared. Marcie travels through numerous small California mountain towns in search of Ian after hearing that he is living as a hermit in the woods. Spending an entire month searching exhausts Marcie and her finances, but she finally finds Ian, who is extremely unfriendly and unwilling to talk to her. When he realizes that she is ill, Ian reluctantly takes Marcie in and cares for her. Ian feels that he did Bobby an injustice by saving his life only to sentence him to three years of total impairment, and he is unable to get past this. Ian has other issues that have helped to cause his reclusive behavior. As Marcie and Ian spend the enforced time together while she recovers, they get to know and care for one another. After they become intimately involved, Ian will have to decide if he is willing to risk being part of the world again in order to continue a relationship with Marcie.

This was an emotional, touching book. The reason I did not like this book quite as much as the others in the series is that it did not have enough closure for me. I felt that Ian still had too much doubt about himself and whether he could have a successful relationship with Marcie. I would also have liked to see the story continue enough to give some idea of what Ian planned to do with his future. I hope that the next books will give a little more information about what is happening to Ian and Marcie. It was wonderful to read a bit more about the Virgin River characters from the previous books of this great series. ...more

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Nov 28, 2010 Quinn rated it really liked it

Shelves: series, contemporary-romance

My love affair with this series (and its talented author) is still going strong. I really enjoyed A Virgin River Christmas. The author managed to tell a full and meaningful tale in just 285 pages.

This is one of the very few times where I can say of a novella that nothing was lacking. The characters were fully developed, the story had depth and emotion, and I finished fully satisfied. If I had to nitpick, I could have done with a bit more at the ending, but I have faith that the author will pick ...more

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Jan 27, 2012 Michelle [Helen Geek] rated it liked it

Shelves: ddg, 3-5-stars, nook-tbr, holiday

Another 3.5 Stars for me.

I liked so many things about this book, but am giving it 3.5 stars because I was bored in places and found myself skimming [never good for me].

What did I like:
1 -- the author addressing the real issue of our fighting troops and the people who love and care for them.
2 -- the courage Marcie had in searching for Ian against all odds.
3 -- the Holiday theme [wish I'd read it at Christmas]. Love, love, loved the Christmas tree and all it represented.
4 -- the love of this commu ...more

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Nov 08, 2018 AG Reads rated it did not like it · review of another edition

DNF. I can't do it. I despise this h. I made it to the part where the self-centered woman-child started digging through the H's possessions -- the man who has protected his privacy and independence for several years -- while he was gone because "she just needed to understand some things." Then, the controlling bitch of a sister showed up, and I gave up.

As much as I like other books and heroines in this series, this one is on my last nerve. I don't care what happens to her anymore. When I reach ...more

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Dec 03, 2016 Delta rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: military-paramilitary, contemp-romance, widow

3.5 stars

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Dec 21, 2020 diann bryan rated it it was amazing

Shelves: listening-to

Marcie was looking for Ian and for closure and in the end she got not only that but so much more!

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Oct 12, 2016 Pam Nelson rated it it was amazing

Shelves: audiobook, favorite-books-or-series, _finished-2016, heavy-issues

5 Virgin Christmas Stars

Wow, this book, this series. I can’t say enough good things about it. We get the Virgin River feel but not the same as the other books.

This one is centered around Marcie, and Ian. Its heart wrenching, up lifting, an all-round feel good book.
You root for these two even if you don’t know why your rooting for them. I love the performance in this audiobook as well. I laughed out loud. I cried.. gosh. So much happens.

Like I said it’s got the Virgin River feel, we see a litt ...more

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Oct 30, 2008 Holly rated it it was amazing

Shelves: robyn-carr

Almost four years ago, Ian Buchanan carried his friend and fellow soldier, under fire, to a medical transport helicopter. His heroism earned him the the highest honors from the US government but when he came home and saw Bobby's broken body, he believed he had selfishly sentenced him to a life trapped in a useless cage. He couldn't stand the guilt and left. Ian knew his friend had died that day in Fallujah, but he wouldn't leave his fallen brother behind. In his mind, he has not only sentenced B Almost four years ago, Ian Buchanan carried his friend and fellow soldier, under fire, to a medical transport helicopter. His heroism earned him the the highest honors from the US government but when he came home and saw Bobby's broken body, he believed he had selfishly sentenced him to a life trapped in a useless cage. He couldn't stand the guilt and left. Ian knew his friend had died that day in Fallujah, but he wouldn't leave his fallen brother behind. In his mind, he has not only sentenced Bobby to life as an invalid, he also destroyed the life of Bobby's young and vibrant wife. But Marcie Sullivan is incredibly grateful to Ian. Not only did her husband's best friend save his life, he enabled her to spend three more years with him before he finally passed on. Ian allowed her to have closure so often denied military widows and now, almost a year to the date of Bobby's death, she wants closure with Ian. She wants to know why her husband's best friend disappeared and she's determined to find him and let him know how much he meant to her and Bobby.

Just thinking about this book is making me teary eyed again. Get out your hanky because if you're anything like me, you're going to end up a sobbing wreck.

Marcie was the toughest little girl on the playground and as an adult, she's as tenacious as a bulldog. She fearlessly sets out on her mission to find Ian and she doesn't let things like no food and no gas money stop her. Her meandering search brings her to the town of Virgin River and lo and behold, she finds Ian. Only this mountainman looks nothing like the cleanshaven, handsome marine she remembers. This man is huge and scruffy plus a touch crazy. It appears Ian might have been isolated up in the mountains for too long because when he sees Marcie, he honest to God roars at her.

Make no mistake about it, Ian is a bum. Robyn Carr takes us out of the charmingly rustic, country elegance of Jack's Bar and drops us in hillbilly hell. Ian lives in a shack that doesn't have indoor plumbing and he hasn't had an actual shower in years. If he wants to hit the head during the winter he has to shovel his way through the snow to get to it. But not only does Robyn Carr make me forget all that, she makes me like it. She's woven another warm and cozy story and I loved every second of it. Ian is as trapped in his own pain as Bobby was trapped in his body and when Marcie bursts back into his world, I loved reading about how she slowly charmed him back to life. Most of A Virgin River Christmas is about Ian and Marcie, and the town of Virgin River and all of our favorite characters play only a small part. This begins during the middle of Whispering Rock and since all our favorite characters are busy during their own stories at the time, this leaves Ian and Marcie very much on their own. I actually appreciated that and I liked focusing on just one couple again and since Ian and Marcie were fun to be with, it was certainly not a hardship.

The humor in A Virgin River Christmas is still as fun as any previous book. This one will make you laugh and I suggest you enjoy it because this one will also make you cry like never before. I honestly wanted to grab onto any soldier I could find and just give them a hug and say, "thank you."

This story ends on a beautiful note. The happily ever after between Ian and Marcie still has a few rough roads ahead but I closed this book feeling better and happier than I did before reading it, so I highly recommend this as yet another must have book by Robyn Carr. A Virgin River Christmas will make you cry and and then make you laugh and will leave you with the knowledge and hope that everything will be all right again ...more

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Jan 27, 2013 Booklover, Indianapolis rated it liked it

Shelves: contemporary-romance, read-in-2013, disappointing-in-a-series

(Jan) I have been enjoying my visits to Virgin River, but this particular visit was a bit boring to me. I liked Ian, and seeing other members of the VR community was fun, but I didn't warm up to Marcie, probably because I didn't really get her. I don't understand why she felt she had the right to intrude on a virtual stranger's life to demand answers, to understand his life. Yes, she'd met him a couple of times and yes, he was her husband's best friend. But after years of unanswered letters to h ...more

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Jun 14, 2011 Shabby Girl ~ aka Lady Victoria rated it really liked it

Shelves: favourite-rereads, four-star-books, fave-comfort-rereads

UPDATED: 16/12/2014 I decided to reread this book for my Christmas read, since it has stuck in my mind as such a lovely book I haven't forgotten since I read it about three years ago. I was right to remember it as on rereading it I found that it really is one of the loveliest books I've ever read and it did confirm what I originally thought. I've read so many lovely books in the last few years, but you tend to forget most of them, but some really do stand out and you remember them for it, and th ...more

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Jun 15, 2008 Kathrynn rated it really liked it

Recommends it for: Fans of the Virgin River Series

Shelves: series-virgin_river_carr, own, romance-contemporary, reviewed, 2008, theme-christmas

There wasn't a whole lot to this short book (285 pages) and there was some filler left in the story (explaining something, then explaining it again) or possibly the book needed a good edit.

The main characters were all right. Ian turned himself into a recluse and chose to live--alone--on the mountain in a cabin without any amenities. He was almost barbaric with the roaring... Marcie's character was very likable and I admired her fortitude in sticking with her goal of finding Ian--despite the lac ...more

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Jun 23, 2019 Sarah {The Bookish Knitter} rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: 2019, audio, christmas, contemporary-romance, own-kindle-read

2 Stars

Oh my gosh... I don't even know where to start with this book except to say that I really, really didn't enjoy it.

My main issue with this book was our main character Marine. She was a real piece of work. There was a line in the book, that when I heard it summed up this character perfectly, something like 'when things go my way, its better for everyone'. REALLY!

So the premise is that she is looking for her late husband's best friend from the war to give him baseball cards. So she takes le ...more

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Apr 07, 2011 Jonetta rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary-romance

I liked the story of Marcie and Ian but the book was fairly one dimensional, unlike the other books in the series. Those stories had recurring characters with substantive story lines; they pretty much have cameo roles in this book. It lacks that wonderful sense of community we've come to expect.

I'd recommend the book because Marcie and Ian deserve it but it doesn't have the magic of the other stories. ...more

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Aug 13, 2017 Janja rated it it was ok

Total waste of my time.

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Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
Romance Lovers fo...: A Virgin River Christmas (Virgin River #4) by Robyn Carr (Start date: December 14, 2015)	25	36	Jan 05, 2016 01:09AM
love these books but I'm very confused here...	2	51	Oct 10, 2014 03:24AM
Madison Mega-Mara...: #51 - A Virgin River Christmas	1	2	Mar 28, 2014 06:05AM
Western and Medie...: A Virgin River Christmas (Virgin River #4) by Robyn Carr (Start Date: February, 2014)	12	15	Mar 02, 2014 04:54AM
Romance Lovers fo...: A Virgin River Christmas (Virgin River #4) by Robyn Carr (starting Dec. 1)	142	66	Dec 28, 2012 07:38AM
I Am confused about a reference to Lilly Anderson Caution SPOILER	7	155	Dec 24, 2012 02:06AM

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About Robyn Carr

Robyn Carr

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Robyn Carr is a RITA® Award-winning, eleven-time #1 New York Times bestselling author of almost sixty novels, including the critically acclaimed Virgin River series. The fourth novel, THE BEST OF US, in her fan-favorite Sullivan's Crossing Series was released in Jan. 2019. Robyn's new women's fiction novel THE VIEW FROM ALAMEDA ISLAND, released in April 2019, deputed on four bestseller lists: The ...more

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33 Sweeping Multigenerational Family Dramas

Why not focus on some serious family drama? Not yours, of course, but a fictional family whose story you can follow through the generations of...

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Quotes from A Virgin River Ch...

“As he looked down at her, his eyes were both warm and curious. "You don't look as tough as that."

"I don't know how tough I am--look at me, sick as a pup. But I bet I can match you for stubborn."

A sound came out of him.

"Holy shit, Ian--was that a laugh?"

"A cough," he lied. "You probably got me sick.” — 14 likes

“Well, what am I supposed to do?"

"Well, you can take a nap, read a little of my book, or close your eyes. Or you could stare--get the thrill of your life."

"She put her hands on her hips. "You really wouldn't care, would you?"

"Not really. A bath is a serious business when it's that much trouble. And it's pretty quick in winter." He started to chuckle.

"What's so funny?" she asked, a little irritated.

"I was just thinking. It's cold enough in here, you might not see that much."

Her cheeks went hot, so she pretended not to understand. "But in summer, you can lay in the tub all afternoon?"

"In summer, I wash in the creek." He grinned at her. "Why don't you comb the snarls out of your hair? You look like a wild banshee."

She stared at him a minute, then said, "Don't flirt with me. It won't do you any good."

-Marcie and Ian” — 11 likes

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