I am a re-reader. Whether I’m in a reading funk, or waiting for an author’s new release, I would rather pick up a book I’ve read before than take a chance on something new. I don’t know if it’s the comfort of knowing what’s going to happen or the chance to revisit favorite characters that appeals to me, but this habit tends to get me in trouble when I’m trying to weed my book collection.
I recently read an article on re-reading that suggested listening to the audio version of a book you previously read. I’ve never been a big audio listener, especially in fiction, so I decided to give it a try. I wanted to find a book I liked, but not my absolute favorite. What if the audio ruined the book for me because I’d been mispronouncing a character’s name for years?
Virgin River is the first book in Robyn Carr’s series of the same name. Melinda Monroe has come to the small California mountain town of Virgin River to escape the stress of life in L.A. and the memories of her late husband. Conditions in Virgin River are not quite what she was expecting, but before she can make alternate plans, she finds a place in the community.
Therese Plummer does a good job voicing the many characters. I didn't even mind that I knew the story and that it took me longer to finish listening to it than it would have to read it. In fact, I think I paid more attention than I would have if I was reading because I would have started skimming to get to my favorite parts. So, this is not necessarily a review of Virgin River, although it's a good small-town romance that might appeal to Debbie Macomber and Jill Shalvis fans. This is more of a suggestion to try re-reading your next book in audio.