Hello lovely friends,

Isn’t that a pretty cover? That, and its lyrical title, is what prompted my initial interest in The Beauty of Rain. To be honest, the premise as described in the back-cover write up (below) didn’t really capture my interest. But I was curious just to see if the story might hold up to the potential of its cover. And also, I’ve not read anything by this author and so was intrigued to see what made her a bestseller.

Did The Beauty of Rain hold up to its potential? In some ways, yes. For sure, it’s more than its back cover copy suggests. And from its first pages, I understood what makes Jamie Beck a bestselling author. She’s a keen observer of human nature, and her depictions on the page deliver a richness to the story that I appreciated and resonated with. Here’s a small instance of that, seen in how she paints the older sister from the younger sister’s perspective in just a few masterful strokes:

Kristin’s a natural-born fixer, always more focused on what should happen than on enjoying what does, which doesn’t make her easy to turn to for comfort.

I appreciated how, in good women’s-fiction fashion, the narrative alternated between the two sisters and shined a laser-like spotlight on their complicated relationship. Although I didn’t find either sister completely likeable, I found quite a bit to relate to in the more buttoned-up and driven Kristin, and many of my friends would, I suspect, resonate with the fun-loving and largely uninhibited Amy. I also liked how the author tackled difficult topics—suicide, prescription drug use, loss, grief—with great sensitivity, insight, and empathy.

I do love a good character-driven novel. If this felt just a wee bit slow, perhaps it was because there was much material to process.

Kudos to the author for crafting an ending that I have to admit caught me by surprise. I anticipated something different, and I felt big emotions at its unexpectedness. It was in this very ending, however, where I felt the book was at its weakest.

[Heads up! what follows contains spoilers] At the book’s forefront, Jamie Beck offers an Author’s Note with content warnings about suicidal ideation and prescription drug use. She also offers some backstory as to what prompted her to write a book like this and closes with, “I hope this story serves as a reminder to fill your life with passion and gratitude, and to chase your dreams, whether they be about creating a family, a career, or a life of adventure.”

Yes, The Beauty of Rain is about these things. It is about life. But it is actually even more about death. And ultimately the question of whether there is life after death.

In the answering of this question, the book struggled. Because its evident conclusion—that good people can hope to find a vague but benevolent existence after death with their likewise good loved-ones, is based on nothing but wishful thinking. Without an objective moral standard, it raises more questions than answers.

• Who created this afterlife? How is it sustained?  And what purpose does it serve?
• What criteria determines good behavior and therefore who gets “in” to enjoy this benevolent afterlife?
• What happens to those who don’t qualify?
• And then what?

Because the book did not offer a robust and reasonable answer to these and other questions, The Beauty of Rain ultimately left me unsatisfied.

With thanks to Montlake Publishers for providing me a free copy of The Beauty of Rain to review. All opinions are mine.

About this book

Winning the lottery changed Amy Walsh’s life, but the cost was greater than she could bear. In the aftermath, she struggles to find joy and purpose. Only one thing feels certain now—she will never spend one cent of the prize money on herself.

Worried, her older sister, Kristin DeMarco, invites Amy to live with her family while she heals. Unfortunately, this arrangement leads to trouble for Kristin: Divided focus affects her career. Her daughter prefers Amy to her. And Amy’s unsolicited opinions provoke tension between Kristin and her husband.

Meanwhile, Amy is making drastic plans of her own, which include giving away all her money. But first she must convince Kristin not to squander her most valuable asset—time with her family.

As the sisters help each other reimagine their futures, life’s unpredictability sends them to surprising places that test their love and resilience. Will they learn to live in the now, before it’s too late?

About the author:

Jamie Beck is a Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author of eighteen novels. In addition to writing novels, she enjoys dancing around the kitchen while cooking and hitting the slopes in Vermont and Utah. Above all, she is a grateful wife and mother to a very patient, supportive family. To learn more about the author, visit her at www.jamiebeck.com.

Have you read any of Jamie Beck’s other novels? What did you think?

🌺 Katherine