Review: RAINSHADOW ROAD by Lisa Kleypas

Friday Harbor #2
Contemporary w/a hint of magic
St. Martins Press

Being blindsided by a breakup is bad enough, but to find out that your boyfriend left you for your sister is beyond brutal. 

When Lucy Marrin finds herself suddenly homeless so that her sister can move in with her boyfriend, she is at first flummoxed, but then she gets angry. How typical of her sister to take what is Lucy's. This is not the first time Alice has taken something of hers. 

 

Lucy's ex-boyfriend, Kevin, asks confirmed bachelor, Sam Nolan to take her out on a few dates so that her parents will get off of his and Alice's back. Sam is intrigued by the lovely Lucy, but he draws the line at being coerced into dating anyone. 

 

Circumstances throw Lucy and Sam together in an unimaginable position. A situation where they suddenly have the chance to really get to know one another; causing them to question their stands on life, and leaving them with some difficult decisions to make for their futures.

*****

RAINSHADOW ROAD is a wonderfully heartwarming tale that captivated me from the first turn of the page until the very end. This is a story that will touch your spirit, making you want to believe in magic and the tenderness of love. It's the perfect book to read when you have had enough of the realities of life and need a little escapism. 

I found it extremely difficult to put this book down, as Lisa Kleypas wrote such bewitching characters in a town that I wanted to continue to explore as I enjoyed meeting Lucy, Sam and all of their family and friends. She created such full-bodied characters, that I almost forgot that this is a fictional place I was visiting. 

I  loved the range of emotions Ms. Kleypas took me on. There were a few sniffle parts, some angry moments, but what I really enjoyed was the humor that was injected throughout the book, as I found myself smiling and even laughing out loud. This was a very well-rounded book.

Lucy and Sam both had a lot of baggage they were carrying around. It was very difficult for them not to be cynical about life, because of the crappy hands that had dealt to both of them. Despite all of the turmoil thrown their way, they still managed to live good lives, they just needed to learn how to trust someone else with their feelings. 

To say Sam was phobic about commitment was a mild understatement, he avoided any sort of an attachment, and he wasn't about to break any of his unwritten rules for Lucy. Lucy had her own reasons (other than the crap Kevin dealt her) that made her leery of relationships. I loved the journey Ms. Kleypas took us on, watching Lucy and Sam overcome their family and emotional issues as they fell in love with each other. Theirs wasn't a simple jaunt to happily ever after as they had many obstacles to with conquer with all the twists and turns Ms. Kleypas spun into the story. 

I loved the bits of Lucy's stained glass art and Sam's vineyard that were brought into the story, helping to showcase the magic they each possessed, and it helped to define their characters. I was thrilled with the unexpected direction the ending went, it was perfect for Lucy and Sam, but I for a moment of reading I feared that she wasn't going to take that path--fortunately I'm not a good guesser.

I had previously met Sam's niece, Holly, his brothers' Mark and Alex, and Mark's fiancee Maggie in CHRISTMAS EVE AT FRIDAY HARBOR, I was happy to see how Mark and Maggie's relationship had grown, and how Holly was adjusting to life with her uncles. I really liked meeting Lucy's friends Justine and Zoe, I hope they both get their own books. The bikers of Hog Heaven church were an just a few of the other interesting sided-characters introduced in this book. 

I absolutely love the Friday Harbor series and the Nolan brothers, I can't wait to see Alex get his story! He has so much disappointment and I really can't wait to see him feel the magic in his life.

Rating: 5