Virgin River Season 5 Part 1 dropped on Netflix last week,

delivering more soapy drama from the local residents of the titular small town.

Clearly, its magic formula works, as it’s been less than a week and the latest

installment is already number one on Netflix’s top 10 show chart in the US. According to the synopsis, “Season 5 of Virgin River features surprising new relationships, a shocking break-up, a difficult court trial, a heartbreaking goodbye, and a wildfire that threatens the town, bringing some people of Virgin River together while tearing others apart.”

There are also some major developments for main characters Mel and Jack, played by Alexandra Breckenridge and Martin Henderson. As fans are busy binge-watching the latest episodes, here’s what you need to know about whether the couple have a baby in the books. Warning: Contains spoilers for Virgin River Season 5 Part 1!

Do Mel and Jack have a baby in the Virgin River books?

Yes, Mel and Jack get to start the family they’ve longed for in the Virgin River books, and they don’t just have one but two babies: a son named David and a daughter named Emma. The couple has David first in book two, Shelter Mountain, and then they have Emma in book five, Second Chance Pass.

While they haven’t had a baby in the Netflix iteration of the story, in Season 5 Part 1, they deal with the devastating blow of a miscarriage after Mel notices she’s bleeding while trying to save people from a wildfire.

Having already dealt with a stillbirth and numerous miscarriages, the emotional torment is just too much to bear, and she decides to tell Jack she no longer wants to try to get pregnant.

“Not everybody gets their miracle baby,” she says. “I’ve been trying for years, and all I have to show for it is just a mountain of grief… I can’t put my body through that again. I can’t put my heart through it again. I had so much faith with this pregnancy. I can’t go through any more loss.”

Jack replies by saying, “There’s other ways of having a family,” before suggesting surrogacy, but Mel says, “Clearly I’m meant to be on a different path and I’m finally trying to embrace that.”

But in Episode 10, they decide to buy the land where Lilly’s farm once stood, and discuss the potential to have children in the future. “We could build our home right here on this plot of land. Fill it with kids – our kids – however they come, whenever they come.”

When asked what he thinks of the idea, Jack says, “I think it’s perfect.”