Seattle billionaire Rex Yanakakis has enough money to buy anything he wants - fast cars, designer clothes, his own island, even the safety of his family. He spent years overseeing the construction of a massive underground compound, the perfect place to shield himself, his wife, and his children from the nuclear attack he knew was coming. If anyone had gotten wind of the secret project, they might have called his stockpiling obsessive, paranoid, but Rex made sure he would have enough supplies on hand to survive for 15 years. And that's exactly what the Yanakakis' are doing - surviving in the hideaway.
Fifteen-year-old Eli, who's lived in the compound since the world exploded six years ago, is grateful for his father's foresight. He's happy to be alive when so many others - including his grandmother and twin brother Eddy - didn't make it. Still, being cooped up under the earth with only his family is getting a little tiresome. Not to mention frightening. Despite Rex's careful calculations, the family's food supply is running low. The billionaire's got a plan, of course, but it's one so desperate it makes Eli physically ill to even consider putting it into action.
Angry and suspicious, Eli begins to question his father's actions, motivations, even his sanity. Rex is keeping secrets - Eli's sure of it. When he accidentally stumbles on a clue one day, Eli's shocked to his core. Could there really be other survivors up top? Should he risk exposing himself to massive radiation to go check it out? It's a moot point, anyway: The compound is sealed tight, locked with a code only Rex knows. And he's not about to give it up, even if it means saving the lives he's so carefully preserved inside his airtight compound. With all their lives on the line, it's up to Eli to find a way to escape. Time, meanwhile, is quickly ticking away ...
The Compound by S.A. Bodeen is another of those books that looks promising, but just doesn't quite deliver. The premise definitely begs for attention. However, I couldn't stand most of the characters, Eli's voice never rang true to me, and so much of the plot relies on contrived situations that the story becomes both far-fetched and predictable. Most irritating for me is Bodine's matter-of-fact, lay-all-your-cards-on-the-table, tell-not-show storytelling. More complex, nuanced prose could have made this book into the kind of deliciously disturbing, subtly sinister thriller that's impossible to put down. As is, the book's a quick read, with enough going on to keep a reader turning pages. It just lacks the oomph it takes to be truly memorable. All that wasted potential gets me down, but it's not the end of the world. Or is it?
(Readalikes: Reminded me a lot of The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau and a little of The Last Survivors series by Susan Beth Pfeffer)

Although Aidan Riordan looks like a mountain man with his scruffy red beard and sweat-stained hiking clothes, he's not the vagrant he appears to be. He is, in fact, a respected OB/GYN, fresh out of the navy. Not quite sure of his next move, Aidan's summering in quiet Virgin River - the ideal spot for hiking, biking, and doing some deep thinking about his future. Living in one of his brother's riverside cabins also means the doctor will be close at hand, just in case his very pregnant sister-in-law has any complications with the birth of her first child.

Aidan's been so burned by past romances that the last thing he's looking for is a woman. Especially not a snooty, citified, lawyerly type. But that's exactly what he finds when he's out exploring the landscape. His sudden appearance frightens Erin Foley - a hardworking tax attorney who's trying hard to enjoy the only vacation she's ever taken - so much that she ends up in the hospital. It's only fair that Aidan pay her back with a little yardwork, a little handyman help, a little adventure. She's not exactly his type and he's only showing up at her cabin (daily) to apologize for the concussion he gave her. At least that's what he's telling himself. The fact that she's beautiful, sexy, and passionate has nothing to do with it. Nothing at all.

Except that maybe it does. The more time Aidan spends with Erin, the more he craves her presence. It's not just her body that attracts him, but her compassion, her surprising vulnerability, and her fierce devotion to her family. Winning her love won't be easy, especially when Aidan's whack job of an ex-wife shows up in town. Can he convince the cautious lawyer to take a chance on him? Or will she march back to the city and bury herself in the one thing she knows will always be there for her - her work. In a place where even the most unlikely romances blossom daily, can this mismatched pair find their way to happily ever after?

Meanwhile, Luke Riordan's got some 'splainin' to do to Art, a young man with Down's Syndrome who's convinced he's found his bride. And Mel's got a secret goal that's going to bring a little turbulence into the Sheridan's rock solid marriage. Of course, we can't forget Maureen Riordan, a sainted mother who's living in sin in a fancy RV and making no apologies about it. For a tiny town in the boondocks, there's an awful lot going down in Virgin River.

Moonlight Road, the latest installment in Robyn Carr's Virgin River series, follows the same path to romance that has been carved out in earlier books. Still, Aidan's a fresh character, who's charming despite some stalkerish tendencies. Erin didn't have nearly the backbone I wanted her to have (c'mon, she could have held out a little bit longer), but she was definitely a sympathetic character who deserved good things to happen to her. Mel's problem gave the novel a lot of depth - I don't want to spoil it, so I'm just going to say that her plight touched me on a very personal level.

Like I always say, there's never really a question about how a Virgin River novel is going to end. The fun is in what happens along the way. And when it comes to a couple like Aidan Riordan and Erin Foley, well, there's never going to be a dull moment. Stepping into Virgin River always feels like coming home - with stories like these, I promise you'll be visiting again and again and again.

(Readalikes: previous titles in the Virgin River series and the Grace Valley series by Robyn Carr)

Grade: B+

If this were a movie, it would be rated: R for language and sexual content

To the FTC, with love: I received a copy of Moonlight Road from the always generous Robyn Carr. Thank you!