When life is hard, sometimes all we want to do is escape. And what better place to escape to than a small town filled with lovable characters, juicy secrets, and heartwarming romance? All themes you'll see in Robyn Carr books.
"Virgin River" is that fictional safe haven for the thousands of viewers who have been tuning into the Netflix series since 2019. But before it was a hit TV show starring Alexandra Breckenridge and Martin Henderson, it was a bestselling book series by Robyn Carr.
"I started what I thought would be one or maybe two, at most three, books," she told Parade in September. "But it just grew and grew and grew and grew, and it was never going to end. There is a very logical reason to stop. When you have 21 books in a series, people are reluctant to start it. They're afraid they'll like it, and then they'll have 20 more books to read."
If you're not afraid of a multi-book series and are binging the final two Christmas-themed "Virgin River" episodes that premiered on Nov. 30, we can't recommend the "Virgin River" novels enough. While there are some major differences between the books and the show, they're equally as addictive.
But, of course, that's not the only Carr title you should add to your TBR list. Keep scrolling for our top 13 Robyn Carr books that'll give you all the "Virgin River" vibes.
'Blue Skies'
Amazon
Amazon: 4.5 stars
Goodreads: 4.1 stars
A heartwarming story of second chances and new beginnings, "Blue Skies" follows three best friends who join a new airline in Las Vegas. But will the individual challenges they face keep them from finding their own blue skies together?
'A Summer in Sonoma'
Amazon
Amazon: 4.5 stars
Goodreads: 4.1 stars
Four longtime best friends since seventh grade will need each other now more than ever as they navigate love, loss, and acceptance of where life has taken them so far. Anything can change over the course of a summer—especially when you're in Sonoma.
'The Life She Wants'
Amazon
Amazon: 4.5 stars
Goodreads: 4.0 stars
Two scorned best friends reunite in their hometown of Sonoma after one's husband commits suicide. Reluctant at first, the women quickly learn they need each other more than ever to overcome their pasts and find happiness again.
'Swept Away'
Amazon
Amazon: 4.5 stars
Goodreads: 4.0 stars
On the run from a violent ex-boyfriend whose crimes she accidentally walked in on, Jennifer Chaise is surprised when she starts enjoying her new (fake) small-town identity. But will she be able to keep the past from catching up with her?
'A Family Affair'
Amazon
Amazon: 4.5 stars
Goodreads: 4.0 stars
Anna McNichol has always been a planner. But when her husband suddenly dies, and his secret life comes to light, all her plans are thrown into chaos. Determined to uncover the truth of her old life, she'll do whatever it takes to piece her family back together.
'Sullivan's Crossing: What We Find'
Amazon
Amazon: 4.5 stars
Goodreads: 4.0 stars
Down-on-her-luck Dr. Maggie Sullivan returns home to her father's small mountain town, where she reconnects with old friends and finds family secrets she never knew existed. This series-turned-show has five books that'll make you want to run away to Colorado.
'The View from Almeda Island'
Amazon
Amazon: 4.5 stars
Goodreads: 4.0 stars
When Lauren Delaney divorces her controlling husband and shatters the picture-perfect marriage that made them the envy of the town, she meets a man struggling with a similar decision. But will her now-ex let her go so easily? Or will she have to summon all her courage to live the life she wants?
'The Summer That Made Us'
Amazon
Amazon: 4.5 stars
Goodreads: 4.0 stars
The Hempstead's summer lake house used to be an idyllic escape—until the fateful summer when it became the home to the family's most painful tragedy. One woman is determined to reunite the family, forgive each other for what happened and finally lay old ghosts to rest.
'Woman's Own'
Amazon
Amazon: 4.4 stars
Goodreads: 4.2 stars
Set in 19th-century Philadelphia, this novel tells the story of three generations of strong women who are cursed when it comes to love. The youngest, Lilly, seems more than happy to accept a life independent from men. But a suitor who would do anything to help her realize her dreams may just change her mind.
'Deep in the Valley'
Amazon
Amazon: 4.4 stars
Goodreads: 4.1 stars
Book one in the highly-rated Grace Valley trilogy, this novel follows a doctor who's taken over her father's practice in a small California town she thought she knew like the back of her hand. But when she meets an undercover DEA agent, she learns that everyone in the valley is keeping secrets.
'The Wanderer'
Amazon
Amazon: 4.4 stars
Goodreads: 4.0 stars
Another start to one of Carr's captivating series, this one tells the story of a man who inherits a friend's beach house in Oregon—and with it, the entire fate of a small town. Getting mixed up with a beautiful yet complicated local only adds more layers to the decision he has to make.
'Mind Tryst'
Amazon
Amazon: 4.3 stars
Goodreads: 4.0 stars
While covering up crime is definitely a mark of Carr's books, this one is more thriller than romance. But there's still a small-town escape and a budding romance with a carpenter (who may or may not have a checkered past) that fans of her other books will love.
'Tempted'
Amazon
Amazon: 4.1 stars
Goodreads: 4.1 stars
Originally released back in 1987, this story is a classic tale of two broken hearts who find solace in each other. But can a widowed mother of two who can't help but question the God she once believed in really fall in love with a dedicated preacher?
