by Gina Holmes
Published 2011 by Tyndale Fiction
***** Five stars
If I keep reading romance novels, people will start to think I like them in general. I don’t. But I liked this one specifically, and I’ll tell you why.
First of all, I gravitate toward stories about marriages being redeemed since I’ve seen too much of the opposite.
Second of all, I like a well written story, and this one was very well written. I’m confident I’m not just subjective about this assessment. Ms. Holmes wrote her main character well enough that I felt like I was walking around with his thoughts for at least an hour after I put the book down. There was an unmistakeably organic feel to all the characters, but particularly to the main character, Eric Yoshida.
The third, and most significant, reason I loved this book is how it exposed my heart. The character flaws I read in both Eric and Kyra mirrored ones I saw in me, and the way Ms. Holmes wrote about these flaws was a gentle prodding to walk a different way.
I loved the settings, from central VA to coastal VA to Milan, Italy. In every scene I felt like I could smell the tires in the car dealership showroom or taste the salt in the air at the party on the yacht.
I also appreciated the believable side characters, and always admire a writer who can do this well.
Quick rundown of the basic plot: During a painful separation, Eric’s busy cheating on Kyra while Kyra’s involved in a car accident that damages her memory. She’s seemed to have forgotten that they were separated or even why she was ever mad at him. Realizing what he’s done, Eric wonders if he’ll ever be able to earn his wife’s love and trust again.
As for the reason it’s called Dry as Rain—I let you find that out for yourself. Coming across that was one of the most pleasant aspects of devouring this page turner. I hope you’ll enjoy it too.
