Sunrise Point (Virgin River #19) by Robyn Carr

Tom Cavanaugh may think he wants a traditional woman, but in Virgin River, the greatest tradition is falling in love unexpectedly....

Former marine Tom Cavanaugh’s come home to Virgin River, ready to take over his family’s apple orchard and settle down. He knows just what the perfect woman will be like: sweet, decent, maybe a little naive. The marrying kind.  Nothing like Nora Crane. So why can’t he keep his eyes off the striking single mother?  Nora may not have a formal education, but she graduated with honors from the school of hard knocks. She’s been through tough times and she’ll do whatever it takes to support her family, including helping with harvest time at the Cavanaugh’s orchard. She’s always kept a single-minded focus on staying afloat...but suddenly her thoughts keep drifting back to rugged, opinionated Tom Cavanaugh.  Both Nora and Tom have their own ideas of what family means. But they’re about to prove each other completely wrong...(synopsis from Goodreads)

Sunrise Point by Robin Carr takes us back to the wooded hills of Virgin River. This is the nineteenth book in the Virgin River series. If you follow my reviews you know this is one of my favorite small-town contemporary romance series.  I was delighted that Carr brought us Nora Crane’s story. Carr delivers a heart-felt romance built on friendship and trust.

We first met Nora and her two small children in the novel Bring Me Home for Christmas.  She and her girls had been left in an old abandon home without any means of supporting themselves. That Christmas the people of Virgin Rivers reached out providing food and support.  Slowly with their help Nora has gotten back on her feet.  She is a great mom and determined to be independent and someday give back.  When she spots an ad for apple pickers for the Cavanaugh farm she is eager to apply. When she interviews with handsome, Tom Cavanaugh he takes one look at this petite, pretty mother of two and turns her down for the job.  He doesn’t think she can handle it and he’s fearful of the attraction he immediately feels for her. Maxine, Tom’s beloved grandmother has other plans. She sees herself in Nora and informs them both that Nora is hired. The tale that unfolds is absolutely delightful as Nora and Tom figure out what is important in life.  The romance is slow and bittersweet and grows from friendship.  

Tom Cavanaugh is a likable guy. He is an ex-marine who has returned to the family farm to help run it with his grandmother Maxine.  His war experiences and loss of his fellow soldiers have given him an appreciation of all that Virgin River and his family farm have to offer. The only thing missing is a woman in his life.  He knows exactly what he wants and that’s someone who is smart and respectable like his grandmother.  What he feels for Nora is confusing because she is nothing like his grandmother. Or is she?  When the widow of one of his old units shows up, he thinks he may have found the perfect woman. Oh how I hated Darla. This woman has an agenda and Tom is at the top of her list.  Watching Tom figure it all out hand me rapidly turning the pages. I consumed this novel in one afternoon. 

Carr’s tales of this small town and its people capture me every time.  If Virgin River was a real town, I would want to live there.  She has created characters that feel like family and call you home again and again.  We didn’t see a lot of the townspeople, but we do get a story about Jack and an ex-pilot named Hank Copper. This side-tale wasn’t very exciting, but if I know Carr she is preparing us for his story.  For my delicate readers, this romance offers some hot and heavy kisses and hand-holding. There is one love scene that is mostly implied.  It complements the tale and felt genuine and sweet.

I highly recommend Sunrise Point to fans of contemporary romance and small-town tales. While this is the nineteenth book in the series, you will be delighted to know that each of them can be read as a standalone. Sunrise Point will be published on April 24, 2012. It will be available in paper and eBook formats. Robyn Carr is on my list of must read authors. 

I want to thank netGalley and Mira publishing for providing this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.

I gave this novel 4 coffee cups out of 5. 

Author's website:Robyn Carr

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