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Virgin River by Robyn Carr


I am not much of a TV watcher, but occasionally I will decide to try out a show on Netflix, which is how I came across Virgin River. I certainly didn't love it, but it was something mindless to do for a few days while I wasn't feeling so great. Because I am much more interested in books than TV, I was interested when I learned it was based on a book series and bought the ebook of the first in the series, Virgin River.

Yikes.

First, I am glad I had credits and didn't actually pay for this book. Second, the writing was, to me, a perfect example of why some people refuse to read anything tagged as a "romance" novel. The writing was atrocious. The characters had no depth. The conversations were ridiculous. Who talks like this in the modern world that the novel is supposedly set in? I could not believe how gross some of the lines where, like Rick saying it "wasn't statutory until he was 18," with a shrug. The way Jack spoke to Mel when he wanted more than she was willing to give, as she grieved for her dead husband and prior life made me roll my eyes, and also made me grimace. The way these guys speak at some points bordered on predatory.

I went back to check. This is exactly what Rick says: “Yeah,” he said. Then, “By the way, it’s not statutory unless I’m over eighteen.”

A couple gems from Jack, speaking to Mel, whom he is supposedly head over heels in love with:

“Come on. Haven’t I been perfect? Haven’t I followed all your rules? How can you be so selfish? There’s no one around—they’re busy drinking.”

“Kiss me,” he begged. “Come on. Gimme a little taste.”

I kept thinking, WHAT AM I READING? HOW DOES THIS BOOK HAVE SUCH A HIGH RATING ON GOODREADS? WHO FINDS THIS BELIEVABLE, INTERESTING, ROMANTIC?

I am 100% not a fan of traditional romance novels of the bodice ripper style. This wasn't that trashy in terms of sex scenes, but it was absolutely that trashy in terms of everything else. I would not recommend this book to anyone I actually like.

Final rating: ★☆☆☆☆ 

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