Rainy Day Friends (Wildstone, #2)

by Jill Shalvis

[Nadz@Totally Addicted to Reading]

Rainy Day Friends by Jill Shalvis is book 2 in the Wildstone series. This installment features a completely new set of Characters. The only thing this book has in common with the previous books are the town in which the stories are set.

Can you imagine discovering you were not the only woman married to the man you considered your husband? Well, this happened to Lanie Jacobs. Six months after his death she discovered there were several other women who believed they were his legal wife. Poor Lanie, no wonder she left Santa Barbara to take up a temporary position with Capriotti Winery. This helped to make her question her ability to trust again.

What Lanie did not know was that her decision to go to Wild stone would set her on a path that led to healing and finding love.

Rainy Day Friends is one of those stories that will stay with you for a long time. Its features a rich and strong cast of characters. The main characters were relatable and easy to like. They each had their demons dealing with and it took a toll on their emotional wellbeing. They had a lot in common especially River and Lanie. I loved the chemistry between Lanie and Mark. I am hard-pressed to find anything I did not like about these two. I especially loved how Lanie bonded with Mark's twin daughters.

The Capriotti family were a riot. They were a caring group, and I admired how they quickly embraced River and Lanie in their fold. Their banter and the way they treated each other was a true reflection of what a family ought to be.

The story had the perfect blend of humor and emotions. The romance developing between Mark and Lanie was not the type that occurred in the blinking of an eye. Instead, it was the type, which experienced obstacles in the form of fear and mistrust. I loved how it developed slowly from a single flame to a blazing inferno.

Aside from the main romance, there was a secondary subtle one, which I found sweet and endearing. This too had its own share of issues.

My heart bled for Lanie. Her pain, shame and insecurities were real and I could not help but to emphatize with her. My happiness increased when Lanie realised her worth and that the actions of her ex was not a mark against her. In doing so, she ably let go of the hurt and resentment giving her the chance to embrace the love and friendship bestowed on her.

Conclusion/Recommendation
Fans of Jill Shalvis will enjoy this heartwarming story of love, friendship, family and healing.