In Falling Home, Karen White introduces the town of Walton, GA and its tightly-knit community with Cassie Madison’s return home to visit her ailing father and estranged sister Harriet.  After the Rain brings newcomer Suzanne Paris to Walton, a place she is drawn to for reasons she can’t quite figure out.  Note that After the Rain is the sequel to Falling Home, and the events are firmly tied to where that book left off, so while I tried to avoid spoilers in the review, there are a few key details that cannot be left out.  If you plan to read Falling Home, consider yourself warned!
After the Rain finds the town of Walton little changed 3 years after Harriet’s death.  The Warner children are still wild, and Joe is doing his best to keep his brood under control, but 6 kids is rough on anyone, let alone a widower still greatly missing his wife and is also now the town’s mayor.  Upon stepping off the bus that was bound for Atlanta, Suzanne is drawn into Joe’s orbit, staying at a house and working at a shop owned by members of Joe’s family.  But Suzanne has a secret, she’s running from her past, and though she’s initially put off by the neighborliness (busybody is a bit strong of a word) of the Walton townspeople, she also feels like for once, she has come home.
The story is solidly Suzanne’s, but we also get the points of view of Joe and his oldest daughter, Maddie, who was also a prominent character in Falling Home. Â Joe is struggling with wanting to move on after his wife’s death, also has to deal with the underhanded tactics of his opponent in the upcoming mayoral race. Â Maddie is still pulling her old practical jokes around town, desperate for attention in a large family and dealing with her own mortality. Â As a freelance photographer, Suzanne takes Maddie, who shows serious talent behind the lens, under her wing, further indoctrinating Suzanne into the Warner family.
While the mystery of who and what Suzanne is running from is not quite as interesting as it could be, the resolution is far from predictable and had me laughing at Maddie’s innovation.  I’d love to see her at the center of her own novel. After the Rain is an enjoyable read by a talented writer.  I would recommend reading Falling Home first to fully embrace Walton and its people, however After the Rain can also stand on its own.
I’m happy to announce one of you can win a copy of After the Rain! Â Just enter your info into the Rafflecopter below.
I always am looking for a good read!
I’d love to win because it sounds like a great book!
I’d like to win because I read at least 2 books a week & a need some new material 🙂
Sounds like a great read!
i’m always looking for new books 🙂
looks like a good read
vmkids3 at msn dot com
I love to read and this sounds really good.
This would be for my neighbor; she enjoys the work of Karen White.
id love to win this because it sounds like a great read 🙂
I would love to read this book!
I would love to win it because it sounds like a really good book.
i love to read
Because I LOVE winning books!
Sounds like a great story and I need a new book to read.
Always ready for a good read!
I want to win so that I can spend what little time I have alone reading a good book.
i like keeping my brain active!
Love to read a good book
http://delightfulideas.com/
xo lala
It looks like a book I would love
Sounds so good, would like to read.
Wouldn’t mind giving this one a shot.
I love to read and this sounds like a good one.
Would enjoy reading this book, thanks
This sounds like an interesting story and I always enjoy trying new authors!
I’ve read a few of Karen White’s books and always enjoyed them. I’d love to read this.
I love to curl up with a good book and this one sounds really good
I need a good book to read. This cold weather is perfect to curl up with a new read.
Always need a good book to read. I love reading!!!
i love to read all types of books
Sounds interesting to me.
I love to read and try stuff from authors I do not know, and it sounds like a great story.
id like to win this for a new book to read thanks!
This sounds like a great read! I love new series too, so I’d definitely check out the prequel.
Your review showed me that it was very interesting.
It sounds like an interesting read with well thought out characters!
I need a new book to read.
Looks interesting, I love reading
I love that it’s set in Georgia!
I love to read and I enjoy sharing books with others in my family.
Reading keeps you entertained.
I think it sounds like a great story, and I really need a good book to get into right now, as I’ve gotten away from reading lately.
Thanks!
h4schaffer at gmail dot com
I’ve heard that her books are very good. I would love to start reading them with this one! It sounds like something I would enjoy!
i love stories set in the south
My wife would like this one.
I’ve read Karen White before but this is a new one for me and I’d like to get to it soon. Thank you for sharing.
i love to read i would love this .i really can’t wait to read both books
sounds like a fun one!
Thank you for this giveaway!
like that it sounds mysterious
nannypanpan@gmail.com
i enjoy karen white’s novels…thanks for the chance to read this one 🙂
Because I love to read.
I love new books!
I would like this because I am always looking for something new and different to read.
It sounds like a good read and there is only so much tv you can watch on snowy winter nights!
sounds like a wonderful story, surrounding life and relationships
Thank you for hosting this giveaway
Louis
pumuckler {at} gmail {dot} com
Sounds like another good book to read.
Sounds like an amazing book
This novel sounds memorable and special. Lovely. thanks.
I love reading books set in the south, and this one sounds really good. I really like the character of Suzanne, and the cover is so pretty. Thanks for having this giveaway.
I’d like to win this book because I’m nearly finished with the book I’ve been reading, and need another book that’s just as good! It sounds like a great read and I’m very intersted!
Thanks!
Marianne
Sandling All Day
I always am looking for a good read!
Sounds like a good read—thanks for the opportunity to win a copy!
I love a good story! Sounds like an interesting one. Love book series.