Category: Contemporary romance
Series: Friday Harbor #2
Book source: Public library; have since bought the e-book
Rainshadow Road, the sequel to Kleypas's Christmas Eve in Friday Harbor (reviewed earlier on this blog), is a comfortable love story with a touch of magic realism and more emotional depth than its predecessor. Glass artist Lucy Marinn is blindsided when her boyfriend of two years announces that he is leaving her for another woman -- Lucy's spoiled sister, Alice, with whom he has been involved for months. Though determined never to fall in love again, Lucy is drawn into a relationship with local winegrower Sam Nolan (the middle brother from Christmas Eve in Friday Harbor.) The example of his parents' highly dysfunctional marriage has left Sam equally unwilling to risk his heart, but when Lucy's bicycle is struck by a car, Sam steps forward to take care of her while she recovers from her injuries. This being a romance, the outcome is never in doubt, and indeed, the lack of suspense is a minor flaw in this otherwise engaging novel. There is plenty of romantic tension, however, as the two fight their attraction and attempt to keep things on the level of friendship.
Some reviewers have complained about the touches of magic in Rainshadow Road. Personally, I rather liked them, with one exception. [Minor spoiler alert] All of the small magical events in the book speak of hope and joy, except the magic which occurs during a confrontation between Lucy and her cheating ex-lover; that incident is almost vindictive (and somewhat reminiscent of Hermione casting small birds at Ron's head in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.) While Lucy's use of the magic here is understandable, it's not consistent with either the spirit of magic elsewhere in the book, nor with the fact that no where else can she control it in any way; it usually just happens. I found the dichotomy jarring, though it didn't significantly diminish my enjoyment of the book.
While I wouldn't rank Rainshadow Road among Kleypas's best works, it's a nice, satisfying summer read. I'm looking forward to the third book in the series, Dream Lake, due out on August 7*, featuring the youngest and most emotionally damaged of the Nolan brothers, the newly-divorced Alex.
* Unfortunately, my public library tends to be a bit slow in getting new
books cataloged and on the shelves. While I'm number two on the hold
request list and they've ordered four copies, I probably won't get it
until late August or September.
The books in the Friday Harbor series, in order (links go to reviews on this blog):
- Christmas Eve in Friday Harbor
- Rainshadow Road
- Dream Lake (this review)
- Crystal Cove (this review)
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