Monday, July 9, 2018

Book Review: Rainy Day Friends

You guys- this was my FIRST book by Jill Shalvis and I am SOLD.

Rainy Day Friends - Jill Shalvis
Six months after Lanie Jacobs’ husband’s death, it’s hard to imagine anything could deepen her sense of pain and loss. But then Lanie discovers she isn’t the only one grieving his sudden passing. A serial adulterer, he left behind several other women who, like Lanie, each believe she was his legally wedded wife. 

Rocked by the infidelity, Lanie is left to grapple with searing questions. How could she be so wrong about a man she thought she knew better than anyone? Will she ever be able to trust another person?  Can she even trust herself?

Desperate to make a fresh start, Lanie impulsively takes a job at the family-run Capriotti Winery. At first, she feels like an outsider among the boisterous Capriottis. With no real family of her own, she’s bewildered by how quickly they all take her under their wing and make her feel like she belongs. Especially Mark Capriotti, a gruffly handsome Air Force veteran turned deputy sheriff who manages to wind his way into Lanie’s cold, broken heart—along with the rest of the clan.

Everything is finally going well for her, but the arrival of River Brown changes all that. The fresh-faced twenty-one-year old seems as sweet as they come…until her dark secrets come to light—secrets that could destroy the new life Lanie’s only just begun to build.
I am actually going to give this book five stars right out the gate. I wasn't even sure if I would like this one because the cover didn't call to me but almost immediately it reminded me of some of my favorite Nora Roberts books so I was sold. 

The story centers around Lanie, fresh from her husband's death where she learns that she was one of many wives and it's left her feeling ashamed and unworthy. So in an effort to start over but take a break from her regular life, she takes a job with Capriotti Winery doing graphic design work. In the few weeks she's there she basically gains a family and friends, falls in love, second guesses her marriage and what she wants to do in life. 

I loved the characters in this book, I could see all of the spin off's for this and I want them now. I loved Mark especially, he's so alpha male but in all the best ways. I didn't like River so much because she's kind of young and irrational and for someone going to nursing school she's pretty clueless. But aside from that, I flew through this book because the writing is good, the story is great, and there's humor in all the right places. I loved all of the meme quotes at the beginning of each chapter about anxiety, mostly because I can relate to all of them. This is a super fun read to add to your summer lists but don't count it out for your fall reading if you can't fit it in this summer, especially if you are a Jill Shalvis newbie like me. I'm a total fan now. 

You can find this book on Amazon of course but also on the HarperCollins website

   

4 comments:

Yourwordsmyink said...

Thank you for the review!

Shooting Stars Mag said...

Whoo - five stars! I haven't read anything by this author but I HAVE heard great things. Glad this one made you a fan. :)

-Lauren
www.shootingstarsmag.net

Erica Robyn said...

Oh my gosh! This sounds so cute!

Heather J @ TLC Book Tours said...

I'm so glad you loved this one! Thanks for being on the tour!