Holly‘s review of Rainshadow Road (Friday Harbor, Book 2) by Lisa Kleypas
Lucy Marinn is a glass artist living in mystical, beautiful, Friday Harbor, Washington, with a boyfriend, Kevin, who she believes is her soul mate. She has always had a magical side – a gift that finds its way into the breathtaking glasswork she creates – and she struggles to keep it contained. But when Lucy is blindsided by the most bitter kind of betrayal, she questions many of her choices. Her boyfriend leaves her and his new lover is none other than Lucy’s own sister. Lucy’s bitterness over this devastation is multiplied buy the fact that she has constantly made the wrong choices in her romantic life.
Meanwhile, facing the severe disapproval of Lucy’s family, Kevin asks his friend Sam Nolan, a local vineyard owner on the San Juan Island, to “romance” Lucy so that she can more easily move on. But when Sam and Lucy begin to feel real sparks between them, Lucy must ask herself if she can easily risk her heart again.
As Lucy questions her beliefs about love, loyalty, and old patterns, mistakes, and new beginnings, she explores the possibility that some things in life – even after are being broken – can be re-made into something beautiful. And that is the only by discovering who you really are that you can find the one who truly deserves you.
This is a sweet, magical story. It took a small suspension of disbelief to buy into the paranormal element, but in the end I think Kleypas made it work.
Speaking of the paranormal element – which is really more mystical than paranormal – I have to say it took me by surprise at first. I didn’t read the blurb (I rarely do when I’m reading an auto-buy author, which Kleypas is for me) so I didn’t realize there was a magical undercurrent. After thinking about it, however, it shouldn’t have surprised me. The theme of the first book was magic, and that carried over here. By adding a touch of whimsy, Kleypas gave the story some much needed air. Otherwise I think it would have been bogged down by both Lucy and Sam’s past disappointments. To be fair, the blurb does mention the magic, and it’s introduced in the first paragraph. It doesn’t come out of left field or not make sense in the context of the story. For those of you who don’t care for paranormal, I’d recommend you try it. It’s a very small part of the story and incorporated well.
There was something very real about the characters. Though its fun to read about the uber-alpha hero, I enjoyed how *normal* Sam was. Here was a man who wanted sex without complications, but was willing to offer friendship as well. There was no dark brooding if he was denied her bed, no emo-like sulking of she didn’t call or fall in line with what he wanted. There were only two mature adults dealing with life and learning each other. I wouldn’t say Sam was beta necessarily, just a more modern-day man. He worked hard and knew what he liked, but wasn’t afraid to let Lucy have a life of her own.
It was refreshing that they had interests outside each other. Lucy was passionate about her glass making and Sam about his wine making. Sam had his brothers and niece, and Lucy had her friends. Too often in contemporary romance the hero and heroine find themselves wrapped up in each other, or meshing their lives completely. I’m glad that didn’t happen here.
The shadow comes from Lucy’s sister Alice, and her relationship with her parents. While I understood the reason Lucy thought she needed to forgive Alice, I wasn’t at all impressed with the way Kleypas handled that story-arc. Though this is more about Lucy and Sam growing individually as well as together, I wanted to see a progression in the relationship with her family as well. Or at least a more satisfying resolution.
I was also annoyed at the POV hopping as sequel bait. I didn’t need to read things from Alice’s perspective, nor from Alex or Zoe (Sam’s brother and one of Lucy’s best friends, who will be featured in the next book).
Overall this was an enjoyable read. I’m looking forward to the third book in August.
4 out of 5
The series:
This book is available from St. Martin’s Press. You can buy it here or here in e-format.
I’m glad you liked it!
I’m going to hop into it soon. I hoope.
I am number one in the library queue for this one. Can’t wait to read it myself. I have heard mixed reports about the magical stuff though.
I just got this in the mail. I plan to start it as soon as I have read the book I’m on now. I love Lisa Kleypas’ books, historical and contemporary.
I just checked this out of the library. I hope to read it after I finish Sarah Maclean’s latest.