My Kind of Christmas by Robyn Carr

My Kind of Christmas
by Robyn Carr
Series: Virgin River #20
Publisher: Harlequin/Mira
Publication date: October 23, 2012
Genre: Contemporary Adult Romance
Purchase*: Barnes and Noble/Amazon/Book Depository

PATRICK RIORDAN ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT NOTHING COULD MATCH THE ADRENALINE RUSH HE GETS FROM HIS JOB. BUT THIS CHRISTMAS, PATRICK’S PULSE IS REALLY RACING...
The Riordan brothers may have a reputation for being rough-and tumble, but Patrick has always been the gentle, sweet-natured one. These days, his easygoing manner is being tested by his high-octane career as a navy pilot. But for the Riordan brothers, when the going gets tough…the tough find the love of a good woman.Except the woman who has caught Patrick’s attention is Jack Sheridan’s very attractive niece. Angie LeCroix comes to Virgin River to spend Christmas relaxing, away from her well-intentioned but hovering mother. Yet instead of freedom, she gets Jack Sheridan. If her uncle had his way, she’d never go out again. And certainly not with rugged, handsome Patrick Riordan. But Angie has her own idea of the kind of Christmas she wants—and the kind of man! Patrick and Angie thought they wanted to be left alone this Christmas—until they meet each other. Then they want to be left alone together. But the Sheridan and Riordan families have different plans for Patrick and Angie—and for Christmas, Virgin River–style!

I absolutely love Robyn Carr’s Virgin River series and each time I open one of her books I get a warm fuzzy feeling. My Kind of Christmas did exactly that and I enjoyed reading Patrick and Angie’s story. For those of you with your jaw still hanging open at the thought of twenty books in a series; relax. While it is wonderful seeing all the different townsfolk and knowing their stories, you can easily read them as standalone. Each introduced a new couple and their story. I began reading this after dinner Tuesday night which was a mistake. I know once I open her books that I cannot put them down. I found myself up till 2:32 am on a work night! I did that whole "just one more chapter" thing till I got my HEA. * facepalm* I will say it was worth it and I do not regret getting only four hours sleep!

The tale takes place between Thanksgiving and a few days before Christmas. Angie LeCroix the niece of Jack Sheridan comes to Virgin River to get a break from her overbearing, concerned mother. Angie was in a horrible auto accident during her first year of medical school, and it has her rethinking her future. She wants quiet time at the cabins to contemplate life, read and have a little fun. That’s when she meets Patrick Riordan at Jack’s tavern and is instantly attracted to the pilot and his dreamy green eyes. Jack warns his niece away from the troubled Riordan but Angie cannot help but be drawn to him. The tale that unfolds is heartwarming, romantic, and kept me enthralled.

I love the Riordan boys and was so excited to get Patrick (Paddy’s) story. Paddy is enlisted in the military as a pilot and is on medical leave. He lost his best friend Jake in combat and is struggling with the loss. He has until after Christmas to decide whether to take his next assignment. Paddy is noble, sweet, incredibly smexy and I just wanted to hold him. Angie is bright, full of optimism and at a loss as to what direction she should take. While she is intellectually brilliant, her people skills are lacking; that is until she meets Paddy. I loved watching their romance and its complication unfold. Of course all of the Riordan’s and Sheridan’s make appearance in the book and meddle with the young couple. It was delightful!

If I could pick the perfect place to live, Virgin River would immediately comes to mind. While it is a small mountain town it's residence have stolen my heart. Carr has a knack for giving me characters with depth that I immediately connect with. Her understanding and tribute to men and women in uniform is wonderful. In this novel she addresses PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) and fully captured aspects of it. Now that the townsfolk have erected the town Christmas tree, I find myself looking forward to the holiday season. For me it wouldn't be the holidays without visiting Virgin River. 

I highly recommend My Kind of Christmas to those looking for a small town romance. The Virgin River series never ceases to delight me and I hope to visit for many years to come. As you can imagine Robyn Carr is on my auto-buy list.

I want to thank Harlequin Mira for providing this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.

I gave this novel 4 pumpkin lattes out of 5.