Review: Harvest Moon, Robyn Carr

Title: Harvest Moon

Series: Virgin River
Author: Robyn Carr

Mass Market Paperback: 368 Pages
Publisher: Mira
Release Date: 2/22/11
ISBN: 978-0778329428

*I received a copy from Mira*

Description:

Rising sous-chef Kelly Matlock's sudden collapse at work is a wake-up call. Disillusioned and burned out, she's retreated to her sister Jillian's house in Virgin River to rest and reevaluate.

Puttering in Jill's garden and cooking with her heirloom vegetables is wonderful, but Virgin River is a far cry from San Francisco. Kelly's starting to feel a little too unmotivated…until she meets Lief Holbrook. The handsome widower looks more like a lumberjack than a sophisticated screenwriter—a combination Kelly finds irresistible. But less appealing is Lief's rebellious stepdaughter, Courtney. She's the reason they moved from L.A., but Courtney's finding plenty of trouble even in Virgin River.

Kelly's never fallen for a guy with such serious baggage, but some things are worth fighting for. Besides, a bratty teenager can't be any worse than a histrionic chef…right?

My Review:

In Wild Man Creek we learned that Luca, Kelly Matlock's mentor, was leaving his wife leaving the next step in their relationship open.  However, that all came crashing down when Luca's wife Olivia visited Kelly in the restaurant where she worked.  Olive came in throwing accusations of affairs, sexual messages and how Kelly Matlock was having an affair with her husband all were false accusations.  It only progressed worse from there when in the kitchen a co-worker yelled at Kelly also accusing her of sleeping with Luca. 

When she opened her eyes she found herself staring at an emt, she had fainted at work.  With test showing nothing wrong and new medications to help her with stress she returned to work only to make one of the biggest choices of her life, she walked out. 

Now jobless she once again returns to Virgin River and too her sister.  Once arriving at Virgin River she decided she needed a drink or two.  That is where she met Lief Holbrook.

When Kelly Matlock walked into Jack's bar, he was blown away from her beauty.  Offering his shoulder to lean on he never imagined what was to come.  It didn't take long for Kelly to get drunk although she insisted that she wasn't.  Being the gentleman that he is he drove Kelly to her sister's house. 

Lief has his own problems, his wife died two years ago and his step-daughter is rebellious, even though she is smart she is failing her class, getting into trouble, and make terrible decisions.  He would do anything for her.  Slowly he seen her progress but that wasn't the only thing progressing.

Courtney did not want another mother Kelly did not want a daughter but making Courtney understand that Kelly was not going to be her mother was easier said than down. 

All three grow and learn to open up to new possibilities.  Together they learn new boundaries, new determinations, and more about themselves and others.

I enjoyed reading Harvest Moon it was enjoying to watch all three grow.  Lief, heartbroken after his wife's death and has not been involved with anyone since, Courtney, lost her mother and rejected by her real father and treated horribly by her stepmother and brothers.  Kelly was hurt and looking to restart life without the help of Luca.  All three with different paths and yet all three together make a stronger foundation.

Also I enjoyed the fact that Courtney showed emotions that I myself rarely read about with death of a parent, rejection from another, and the fear of losing the only person who loves her.  It broke my heart seeing her suffer within but I could relate.  Robyn Carr's Harvest Moon had the laughs, the tears, and the growth. 

My Rating: