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This year, Becca Timm knows the number one item on her Christmas wish list—getting over Denny Cutler. Three years ago, Denny broke her heart before heading off to war. It's time she got over her silly college relationship and moved on.
So she takes matters into her own hands and heads up to Virgin River, the rugged little mountain town that Denny calls home, as an uninvited guest on her brother's men-only hunting weekend. But when an accident turns her impromptu visit into an extended stay, Becca finds herself stranded in Virgin River. With Denny. In very close quarters.
As the power of Christmas envelops the little town, Becca discovers that the boy she once loved has become a strong and confident man. And the most delicious Christmas present she can imagine.
Rich Timm drove into Virgin River a mere ten hours after leaving San Diego. He'd made excellent time because he tended to ignore little things like speed limits. AndÂ…he had been trapped in the Ford truck with his twin sister, Becca, all day and had had about enough.
As Becca gazed out the window at the town, she muttered, "Seriously?''
"What?" Rich said.
"This is the place Denny never wants to leave? It isn't exactlyÂ…you knowÂ…quaint."
Rich pulled up to the only bar in town, right next to a truck he knew belonged to one of two other buddies from the Marines who were meeting him here. "Maybe that's not what he was looking for." Rich put the truck in Park. Before he turned off the ignition, he turned in his seat and said to his sister, "Since you wouldn't let me warn Denny you were coming along, promise me you won't make trouble."
"Rich," she said with a laugh. "Why would I make trouble?"
"Oh, I don't know," he said, rolling his eyes. "Because you're his ex-girlfriend? Because this is a guys' hunting trip and you're not a guy and everyone will have to take care of you?"
"No one has to take care of me," she said indignantly. Then she smiled very sweetly. "I'm anxious to meet your other friends. And to hunt—I'm anxious to hunt."
He scowled. "Right," he said. "You expect me to believe you're going to shoot a duck and pluck it?"
If I have to pluck it with my teeth to be convincing, she thought. "Of course! I'm a little more excited about fly-fishing, though. I can't wait to try that." She opened her door. "You about ready?"
He grunted. "Do not be a problem. Do not be a pain in my ass for a week!"
"Do not be a jerk," she countered.
Becca had arrived at Rich's town house at three in the morning, big suitcase and shotgun in hand. When he opened the door, wearing nothing but boxers, she said, "Guess what? I don't have anything to do this week, so I'm coming with you. I've never been duck hunting or fly-fishing."
"You're out of your mind, right?" he said, scratching his hair, which was crazy from bed. "Didn't you tell Mom and Dad you were going home with Doug for Thanksgiving?"
She shook her head. "That isn't going to work out and I don't want Mom and Dad to cancel their trip plans just so I'm not alone on Thanksgiving."
"Why isn't it going to work out?"
"Doug's way too busy—he's going all the way to the East Coast for two days. Come on, this is a great idea. A little last minute, but it'll be fun. Be a sport."
"And what about Denny?" he asked. "Your ex?"
She put a hand on her hip. "It's time we all moved on from that, don't you think? I have no hard feelings and I'm sure he doesn't. He probably has a girlfriend. This is a perfect opportunity to make sure it's all cool between us. I mean, really—since you guys are good friends and all. And it was a long time ago."
"Yeah, but it was brutal," Rich said, looking down at her suspiciously.
"We were young," she said with a shrug.
"And what does Doug think about this?" Rich asked.
"Doug isn't the jealous type. He told me to have a good time. Anyway, Doug is not your problem."
"I know," Rich said. "Apparently, you 're my problem." He let her come into his town house. "You better know what you're doing," he said. "If you screw up my hunting trip, you're going to pay."
Becca's decision really hadn't been as spur of the moment as she had pretended. A lot of planets had converged and she found herself planning, quickly. Rich had been talking about this hunting trip for weeks, with good old Denny—the guy she once thought she was going to marry. The guy who broke up with her three years ago. The guy she still thought about way too much. Then the elementary school where she taught shut down, due to financial issues they just couldn't resolve, and she found herself suddenly unemployed. And Doug, the law student she'd been seeing for the past year, asked her to look at engagement rings.
She would have had nothing to do besides look for work during the Thanksgiving holidays—a dismal prospect—and worry about the fact that Doug was probably leading up to a marriage proposal while the last guy was still on her mind. All the time.
She didn't get it. Why did she still think about Denny, dream about him? Was it just wanting what was out of reach, rather than appreciating what was right in front of her? When Denny broke up with her before going to Afghanistan, she had been devastated. By the time he looked her up two years later and suggested they give it another try, she had been furious and told him he was too late, she wasn't interested. Then she met Doug Carey a year ago, a good-looking, second-year law student, and her mother had been so relieved! Beverly Timm found Doug so much more appropriate for her daughter. Doug had it all. He was a good guy. Becca enjoyed spending time with him. He had a bright future. He came from a successful, financially secure family. He loved her. His family had their own sailboat! It made absolutely no sense to continue to think about Denny.
There was a time when Becca had dreamed of a Christmas proposal and a beautiful ring under the tree. Christmas was her favorite season—the sparkling lights, the carols, the time with her family. Now she feared it. She wanted to want to marry Doug Carey, but she just couldn't commit to him while this ghost haunted her. It would be so wrong. So unfair to both of them.
So she had decided. She was going to force Rich to take her with him to this Virgin River, the place Denny had chosen as his home. She'd hunt and fish and try to figure out why she just couldn't let go of the guy. She would see him again and come to the conclusion that it had been a crush, a first love between a couple of kids, that she had idealized in her mind. Then she'd go home to the perfect man, finally appreciating him as much as he deserved. They would live happily ever after and the image of Denny would disappear.
She looked around the town once more as she went up the steps of the log-cabin bar where they were all meeting. "Seriously?" she said again under her breath. It was kind of a dumpy old town; the houses were small, a lot of them had peeling paint. There weren't even streetlights or sidewalks. Besides a little grocery store and the bar, there didn't appear to be any other businesses. What did these people do for entertainment? For fun? "Hunting and fishing," she reminded herself.
"Whoopee."
Yeah, she was hopeful. Just a look at this backwoods little town was promising—she'd figure out what happened with Denny, where it all went so wrong and why. They'd been so different in the first place. Now she had to find a way to move on, so she could happily marry a man with a law degree and his own sailboat.
Denny Cutler had come to Virgin River in search of roots, and a year after stumbling into Jack's Bar, he was sure he'd found the place where he would live for the rest of his life. He had friends who were as tight as family. He also had a career, one he had never in his craziest dreams envisioned—he was a farmer! An associate in Jilly Farms, an organic farm that promised to grow strong and profitable.
It had been Jack's idea that Denny reach out to a couple of his buddies, maybe from the Marine Corps, where he'd spent four years, and invite them to Virgin River for a little guy stuff—hunting, fishing, poker. Jilly Farms wasn't too busy in late fall and could spare him for a few days. He knew exactly which guys he wanted to invite. Troy, Dirk and Rich had been like brothers to him during his deployment to Iraq. Dirk Curtis and Troy were both reservists and lived near Sacramento. Rich Timm, also known as Big Richie or sometimes just Big, was from San Diego, where Denny grew up, though Denny hadn't met him until the Corps. Rich got out of the Marines after two years, finished college and was now an engineer who worked for the highway department in San Diego, building freeways and bridges. All three of these guys loved camping, hiking, fishing, hunting—anything a little rugged. They would love Virgin River.
There was only one downside to his friendship with Rich—he was Becca's twin brother. That's how Denny had met his old girlfriend, through Rich, while they were on leave together back in San Diego, years ago. After Denny and Becca broke up, the continued friendship put Denny a little too close to all available news about Becca.
Rich only passed along info if he asked, of course, which he couldn't seem to keep himself from doing, even though he wanted to forget her as thoroughly as she'd forgotten him.
When plans fell together for the four guys, it turned out Thanksgiving week was the best time for everyone. "Perfect," Jack said. "We've got Riordan cabins on the river and my guesthouse is available—plenty of room. We have duck hunting, fishing and Preacher always serves a big Thanksgiving dinner at the bar. The day after Thanksgiving, we go out into the woods to chop down a thirty-foot Christmas tree to put outside the bar—that's a circus you don't want to miss."
So the plans were set. Troy, Dirk and Rich were due to arrive on the Sunday before Thanksgiving and depart a week later.
Denny had had a few rough years before settling in Virgin River—his mother had died, he reentered the Corps and was deployed to Afghanistan, he broke up with Becca after they'd been together for over three years—but finally, at the age of twenty-five, things were finally falling into place for him. Life was good. He was happy.
Troy and Dirk arrived by four o'clock on Sunday afternoon. Denny was on hand at the bar to greet them and serve them up a beer, and both Jack and Preacher made a point to be around. Dirk and Troy were going to stay in one of Luke Riordan's cabins, so Luke and Colin Riordan dropped by for a quick beer to be part of the welcoming party. Preacher had a hearty meal planned, but since it was the Sunday night before a big family holiday week like Thanksgiving, there weren't too many out-of-towners in the bar—just four hunters over in the corner at the table by the hearth, enjoying a pitcher of beer.
They practically had the place to themselves.
Finally the door to the bar opened and Big Richie stepped inside. He stood just inside the entrance wearing a look on his face that Denny could describe only as apologetic. Then she stepped inside, right behind him.
Becca!
What the hell? Denny stood behind the bar, next to Jack, his mouth hanging open. She lifted her chin and smiled at the gathering.
Rich gave a lame shrug.
God, she sure hadn't gotten any worse looking, Denny thought. Five-seven, slim, large blue eyes. Her sun-streaked hair was pulled back in a clip that left it flouncing in large, loose curls on the back of her head with little wisps around her face. She was tanned, of course. She was a beach bunny. The memory of how she looked in a very tiny bikini came instantly to Denny's mind, although those long legs and perfect butt sure did justice to a pair of jeans and boots.
He was in a complete daze. Except for the physical response. He was so glad he was standing behind the bar.
Smiling, she walked around her brother and approached the bar. She barely looked at Denny. "Hi," she said, putting out her hand first to Troy. "I'm Becca, Rich's sister. I hope I'm not intruding."
Dirk and Troy knew of Becca, but they'd never actually met her. Troy took her hand and a smile slid slowly across his face. "Not. At. All," he said smoothly.
She grinned at him as he hung on to her hand. "Bet you have a name," she said.
"AhÂ…yeahÂ…I'll think of it in a secondÂ…"
"Troy," Denny said impatiently. "His name is Troy."
"Nice to meet you, Troy." She offered her hand to Dirk.
"Dirk Curtis," he said. "Nice to finally meet you."
"Becca, what are you doing here?" Denny asked.
She lifted one shoulder and tilted her head. "Well, I guess it's going to be either duck hunting or fly-fishing—two things I've been dying to try.
I need to expand my horizons a little bit. Thanks for including me."
"I didn't include you."
"Rich said it would probably be okay, and thanks." She looked between Dirk and Troy. "You guys don't mind, do you?"
"It's a pleasure," Dirk said.
Troy leaned an elbow on the bar, his head on his hand. "I take it you don't hunt or fish?"
"She surfs,'" Denny said sharply, glowering.
"And I sail, among other things," she added pleasantly. "If you guys show me the hunting and fishing ropes, I'll be glad to teach you to surf—I'm much better at it than Rich, although he might be a slightly better sailor. Don't do anything different because I'm along—I'm just one of the guys on this trip. I promise not to get in the way."
"Right," Denny said.
"Seriously," she insisted, narrowing her eyes at him.
bookholiday
Posted October 23, 2011
I Also Recommend:
Robyn Carr is a fantastic writer. love all of her books and can't wait to read more
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Nineteen year old USC student Becca Timm loved Marine Denny Cutler, but he broke her heart three years ago before he left for Iraq. Unemployed, she cajoles her twin brother Rich to let her accompany him when he drives to Virgin River to go hunting with Denny and several other Iraqi brothers in arms. Her goal is to prove during the stag only weekend to herself she is over Denny and ready to move on with her boyfriend Dog.
However, the best laid plans of mice and Becca go astray when she breaks her ankle requiring an operation. Denny wants a second chance with the woman he loves and hurt. His one fumbled attempt to reconcile left him with no hope, but her coming to see him has renewed his need to try and win her. Though it kills his gut to see his Becca hurt, he plans to take advantage of her being laid up by proving they belong together.
Fans of Virgin River (See Harvest Moon) will enjoy spending the holidays with Denny, Becca and the townsfolk in this warm second chance at love romance. The tender story line is character driven by a strong cast. Although several elements seem contrived like Becca's concerns for deserting her "BFF", readers will enjoy her tale of love with her marine.
Harriet Klausner
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted January 4, 2013
Loved this story!! But I love every thing this author writes.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted February 5, 2012
Entertaing read
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Avid_ReaderLL
Posted October 22, 2011
I love the Virgin River series and this one is as good as the rest! I love catching up with all the characters I've grown to love reading this series. This just makes me anticipate the next three books coming out next year even more! I recommend it for everyone, but you really will get more enjoyment out of the book if you read the entire series first. If you've never read the Virgin River books, you should start with the Grace Valley trilogy as those characters carry on to this series.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted March 16, 2013
I READ ALL 20 IN THE SERIES
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted March 1, 2013
Very good
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Posted February 3, 2013
I just can't get enough of the Virgin River series of books. As a retired elementary teacher, I especially can relate to Becca (Rebecca) Timm and her love and concern for children.
by LA-TXN
Anonymous
Posted December 4, 2012
Chtisrmas at Virgin River is the best!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.mamareader11
Posted November 30, 2012
I LOVE all her books but this one takes the cake! I can't wait to re-read it. I loved that this little small town can make everyone feel welcome. I know this to be true! Having this book based around the holiday, just made it even better to read this time of year.
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Posted October 22, 2012
Loved it. Would definitely recommend. Love Robyn Carr's books.
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.RhondaNC
Posted June 22, 2012
Great series!! Recommend Highly!!!
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Bring Me Home for christmas by Robyn Carr
Rich normally comes every year or so to meet up with his other Marine friends to Virgin River to go hunting and flyfishing and to set up the annual Christmas tree in the town square.
Becca was engaged to Denny, one of Rich's friends and they broke up after he had just lost his
mother and signed up for the war.
She's got some time on her hands as she lost her fulltime job teaching and was doing
sub work now but it's a school holiday-the week of Thanksgiving.
It was a total surprise when Becca showed up and Denny flipped out.
A medical mishap and now Becca will be staying for up to 6 weeks time.
While he watches her at night at his place she's at the bar owner's house during the day where the 7yo
and 4yo are around some. Love that she gets to teach them things, especially help to make the Thanksgiving
decorations for the table. The table is so big they move the celebrate to the church hall.
She's also had a chance to talk to Denny to find out what happened with him. We know from previous books
that he left San Diego to go to Virgin River to find his real father, whom his mother said was Jack. They
bonded but it was not Jack at all but the relationship stayed intact as the whole town just helps everybody
out that needs help.
Love again hearing about the locals and what's going on in their lives.
Never know which way things will do with these novels, at times everything seems set in stone then things
crumble to reveal a different ending...
And Mother Nature has to put in her two cents worth!
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted March 5, 2012
Excellent
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Robyn Carr's Virgin River series are comfort reads for me. I was quite excited to see that the newest book was a Christmas story and then to be offered an ARC... well, I was reading the book almost as soon I opened the package containing the book.
During the last couple books, I think I've developed a little bit of a crush on Denny, so I was happy to learned that it was his turn to shine. Denny is surprised by his ex-girlfriend who decides to crash his guy's weekend. Denny had broken up with Becca when he was shipped off to Iraq and she's never quite gotten over him. Now that they've been reunited, perhaps they'll have a second chance at love. And so we follow these two as they get to know each other once again and they reach for their happily ever after.
Robyn Carr once again tugs at the heart strings with a tale of love lost and found. All our favorite Virgin River residents make appearances as the town celebrates Christmas. And we watch another couple fall in love in what has to be one of the luckiest towns. I totally enjoyed this read and highly recommend it for those looking for a good Christmas story and especially to Robyn Carr fans.
Anonymous
Posted January 23, 2012
Love these books
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted January 4, 2012
An amazing story about growing into true love as you grow from being a college kid to a young adult. I wish I lived in Virgin River!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted December 30, 2011
Sure enjoyed This book.Enjoyed the store and the people.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.This book hit home for me and I am sure many women can relate to Becca Timm. As who doesn't have that first real love that one just can't get past, if you are no longer together. Becca a twenty-five year old grade school teacher is still hanging on to the past love of her life Denny, who three years previously had broken her heart. Unknown to her Denny Cutler still harbors resentment toward himself for losing touch with Becca during the most difficult time in his life. So when Becca slyly plans to inconvenience her brother by tagging along on his hunting and fishing trip which includes her former boyfriend Denny. Becca has an agenda and it does not included improving her limited hunting and fishing skills. The trip will place her right in the middle of Virgin River, a little mountain community where Denny now resides and has made a home for himself, even if it is an apartment efficiency over an old garage. Becca's well intensentions of just hanging out as one of the boys on the excursion soon turns into feelings of desire and longing to be in Denny's arms again. Becca later justifies these feelings with wanting to settle things between herself and Denny once and for all. Denny who has no immediate family found this quaint little community of Virgin River has opened it's arms to him and he is quite happy with his new family. In the end Becca learns to trust again while taking a hard look at herself and her past selfishness when it came to her relationship with Denny. Through hard work, friendship, trust and love she opens up her heart to a new life. Bring Me Home for Christmas is a heartwarming tale of love and friendship that any reader can connect with. The characters and scenery are easy to visualize through Robyn Carr's depictions. While her easy on eyes style of writing makes this a great novel to a wide audience of readers. I recommend Robyn Carr to those who like a little bit of romance in a story and who's main characters do not overpower the novel. With the story structured around a heartwarming community in a quaint little town in the mountains, where survival depends on the love and care of each other.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.My Review:
I have been a huge Virgin River fan, but will admit that I fell badly behind on this series this year. I think that there were 3-4 of the latest VR books in my TBR pile. A couple of weeks ago, when I went through my TBR pile to pull all my Christmas books, I pulled this one even though it meant that I would be reading this series out of order. OMG, I had forgotten how much I adore this little town of Virgin River!! And quite honestly, this book is the PERFECT book to rekindle that love because the heroine slowly learns throughout the book why VR is such a perfectly magical place to live.
This book is about Becca & Denny. I have a feeling that Denny played a big part in one of the books that I missed because his backstory in the town was hinted at in this book, and whoa, it sounds like it was probably a really good one.
Becca is on the verge of getting engaged, but the closer that the moment comes, the more that she thinks about her ex-boyfriend Denny. They broke up three years ago under really AWFUL circumstances and it absolutely shattered her. But because of the circumstances around the breakup, they never truly had any closure. Becca knows that she needs that if she is ever going to be happy with this other guy. She doesn't want to look back at her life someday and find herself asking the "what if" questions.
There is a lot of hurt and anger between Becca and Denny at the beginning of this book and honestly, at the start of the book, I was rolling my eyes about their attitudes... a LOT! But as they settled into being around each other again, I came to truly love both of these characters. Becca is seriously a strong chick. She had no idea what she was going to be confronted with when she came to VR, but knew that she needed to do it. That takes guts. She is also a school teacher with a true passion for the kids and making an impact on their lives. Some of the sweetest scenes in this book are when she is working out the school issues with one of the towns little girls. Then there is Denny. He knows that he screwed up big-time when he broke up with Becca, but there were extenuating circumstances which affected his mental state. Even without watching the transition, you can see his maturity level growth in this novel. I loved him. He adores Becca and will do WHATEVER it takes to keep her in his life. That level of commitment is so attractive in a guy.
Christmas in Virgin River is always a magical time, but this book shows it in such an incredible light. A truly wonderful addition to the VR series. I love these ex-military guys and the little nurturing community that they have built. I need to move those other Virgin River novels closer to the top of my TBR...
Overview
This year, Becca Timm knows the number one item on her Christmas wish list—getting over Denny Cutler. Three years ago, Denny broke her heart before heading off to war. It's time she got over her silly college relationship and moved on.
So she takes matters into her own hands and heads up to Virgin River, the rugged little mountain town that Denny calls home, as an uninvited guest on her brother's men-only hunting weekend. But when an accident turns her impromptu visit into an ...