Second Chance Pass (Virgin River, Book 5)
by Robyn Carr
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Book Summary Information
Author: Robyn CarrEdition: Mass Market Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2009-02-01
ISBN: 0778326462
Number of pages: 416
Publisher: Mira
Book Reviews of Second Chance Pass (Virgin River, Book 5)
Book Review: Did I like this book? I can't really decide. Cut out about half of the 400 pages and it would have been beautiful.
Summary: 3 Stars
THE VIRGIN RIVER SERIES (Contemporary):
Virgin River
Shelter Mountain
Whispering Rock
A Virgin River Christmas
Second Chance Pass
Temptation Ridge (March 2009)
Paradise Valley (April 2009)
Definitely read these in order. You can skip the Christmas book without losing the storyline, but it is a great story on it's own. My review will most benefit people who are familiar with the Virgin River series.
I was really looking forward to reuniting with the characters of the Virgin River series. After reading "Second Chance Pass", I'm having mixed feeling about reading the next book in the series. Half of this book was emotionally touching, fun, and powerful. The other half was painfully boring, repetitive, and pointless.
Here is what I would describe as "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly" of it all:
"The Good":
All of the main characters from the first three books are present in some portion of "Second Chance Pass". After feeling disappointed about not hearing anything about Ricky and Christopher in the Christmas book, I was glad to see them both back even though they each played very small roles. Actually, Ricky and Jack have a short fishing scene, then a farewell as Ricky leaves for Iraq, that turned out to be one of the most emotionally charged points of the whole book. Excellent writing!
The main couple, Vanessa and Paul, had real substance. As the widow and the best friend off Matthew (killed in Iraq) they share a grief that never waivers. Even after admitting to Vanessa that he was in love with her, Paul looks to Matt's grave and towards heaven with a promise to "do right by her". Even after Paul marries her, he weeps at Matt's grave and confesses that, as much as he loves her, he would gladly live forever loving her from a far if it would bring his "brother" back. Again, amazing writing.
"The Bad":
I spent a lot of a pages skimming through repetition. Scenes that happened in past books, and even scenes that occurred right in this very book, were repeated in detail as if we readers have no memory of what happened. An event would take place in one scene, then the characters would tell other characters about it in full detail in another scene. Why not just say "He explained the event to his friends..." Why did we need to reread the whole past scene over again in the dialogue? Poor writing like this made many scenes boring.
Be prepared for a majorly repetitious birth control/health lesson. "Use two forms of birth control..." Again and again it is brought up. The condom, the pill, the IUD... We get it. Breastfeed or die. We get treated to at least 3 breastfeeding scenes per chapter. (Yes, it is a beautiful thing. But it gets tedious when we are waiting for a story to unfold.) Despite all of the b.c. lessons, EVERYONE is either pregnant or lactating.
"The Ugly":
Unfortunately, Robyn Carr seems to have fallen into the common mistake of believing we like to see women treat their men like dissident children. The men walk around with their mouths shut like badly whipped mutts. In one case, when Paul's buddy Joe needed advice, Vanessa says that Paul isn't allowed to help Joe. "He's under orders!" [direct quote] not to speak to Joe because Vanessa is mad at Joe. Paul almost relents because he wants "to be able to have sex again in the future." I just can't find anything appealing about a thoroughly whipped man.
"He's under orders!" ????? Seriously?!?!
I actually have a strong dislike for Mel (lead female from the original "Virgin River" book) after reading "Second Chance Pass". She's a midwife. Often the one giving out the lectures about b.c. But she spends the whole book bitching about how her husband got her pregnant "without her permission". Ummm... I'm pretty sure she was aware that unprotected sex = pregnancy. I know it was meant to be a standing joke, but it wore me out. Mel didn't have a single kind or affectionate word for Jack in this entire 400 page book. Meanwhile, he ran in circles loving and taking care of her. How many times did Mel repeat that she would "shoot him" if he "did this" to her again? Enough is enough.
After all of the ups and downs of being locked to a powerful scene, then wanting to rip out pages that annoyed or bored me, I'm drained.
Summary of Second Chance Pass (Virgin River, Book 5)
In the space of a few months Vanessa buried her husband, Matt, and gave birth to their son--breaking her heart while filling it with a whole new kind of love. But the one man she longs to share this love with now acts as if she doesn't exist.
Paul Haggerty lives by the marine motto: Siper Fi. Ever faithful to his best friend, he's done right by Matt's widow as best he can...considering he's been secretly in love with her for years. Now, just as he's about to make his move, another woman has staked her claim on him--a claim that will be tough to escape.
With courage, humility and not a little meddling from the good folks of Virgin River, Vanni and Paul might just get a second chance to have the love they both desire and deserve.
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