Rainy Day Friends by Jill Shalvis

Rainy Day Friends (Wildstone, #2)

by Jill Shalvis

Rainy Day Friends is the second Wildstone novel from New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis, a moving story of heart, loss, betrayal and friendship, for fans of Susan Mallery, Kristan Higgins and Robyn Carr.

It's time to learn to trust again... Six months after her husband's death, it's hard to imagine anything could deepen Lanie Jacobs' sense of pain and loss. But then she discovers she isn't the only one grieving his passing. A serial adulterer, he left behind several other women who also believed they were his legally wedded wife.

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 but slowly comes to feel like she belongs, especially when Mark Capriotti, a gruffly handsome Air Force veteran turned deputy sheriff, manages to wind his way into Lanie's cold, broken heart.

Everything is going well for her, until the arrival of River Brown. 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.

Return to Wildstone in Lost and Found Sisters and The Good Luck Sister and check out Jill's warm, funny Heartbreaker Bay novels, visit gorgeous Cedar Ridge, spellbinding Lucky Harbor or experience some Animal Magnetism in Sunshine, Idaho in Jill's other unforgettable series.

Reviewed by Leigha on

3 of 5 stars

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Lanie discovers love and friendship as she attempts to get over the death of her husband in this disappointing sequel to Lost and Found Sisters.

Once again, like many romance novels I have read recently, this book suffers from poor pacing. How am I to believe this woman met the love of her life as well as a woman she considers a sister in six weeks? Listen, I get infatuation. I get feeling immediately connected to someone (both in a romantic and platonic sense) despite not knowing them for long. However, the issues Lanie and the gang face are complex. These characters coming to terms with their issues in a short time frame is not believable.

Despite the problematic pacing (and sweeping away of complicated issues), I mostly enjoyed reading the novel. The Capriotti family is charmingly endearing. I always love when big families sweep loners off their feet. Lanie’s character arc resonated with me, but I did not connect to River. Considering her story line is an important thread in the narrative, it made for a disjointed read.

tl;dr Problematic pacing and unsatisfying character moments left me not really enjoying this sequel.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 25 March, 2019: Finished reading
  • 25 March, 2019: Reviewed