Walking in the Rain

by Julia Ibbotson

[zooloo1983]

Finally, we are back with Jess, recovering from the events at the end of the first book. Again, this will be a struggle to write this review, I do not want to give anything away here plus the writing is just going from strength to strength. There are no magical drumbeats this time, but we learn about Jess and how she is coping after leaving Ghana.

I spent a lot of the time being angry in this book, I mean I really wanted her to drop everything and go back to Ghana, not follow this path she was walking down. The strong woman I described in my last review, was still there but she was being worn down and I missed her sparkle. She was being dutiful and loyal but I wanted to scream at her to open her eyes quicker and see what I could see. Some of the things that came out of one person’s mouth were shocking, I am sorry but no way! I will make one comment, if anyone thought a boat was much more important than a baby or a family, well they would find they would be hurt in a VERY sensitive area for sure! Ahem, anyway!

The story was very current with the time, you forget sometimes this is set in the 1960’s so things were very different. Women were viewed very differently, but the same theme of loyalty, respect and love ran threw, shame one of the characters missed the memo for that!

I loved seeing Jess grow and her family grow. How nothing could tame that adventurous heart of hers. The call of the drums is strong, and my heart wanted to go back to Ghana and find Jim. I do not know why Jess did not do this! Well, I do, but I wish she went back!

There is so much I want to say about the heartbreak we went through. I say we because I went through it with Jess. She put everything aside for someone she loved, and in that, she lost herself and as I said before I missed her sparkle.

The first two books in this series have evoked so much emotion from me, I have been gripped, I have cried, I have shaken the Kindle with anger, sat there catching flies as my jaw dropped a few times and I had to remind myself it is only a story. Sometimes I forget we do not live the stories. I am completely enthralled by this beautiful book series and I really do not want to read the last one because it means that I have to leave Jess and the series, something I am nowhere near ready to do!
As the tagline says “Never give up on your dreams”