Rainwater Mass Market Paperback – 23 Nov. 2010

As great lovers of Sandra Brown , especially in audio versions read by Victor Sleazac, we reckoned that this would match up to the others. In fact, we think it's one of her best. Moving away from her usual modern day setting to thedark days of American depression in the 30's puts a completely different slant on her writing approach.A beautiful story, well told. Highly recommended.

Brilliant

Great book

A beautiful and well written story. Clean romance is refreshing to read. I'm a new fan of Sandra Brown.

I started reading Sandra Brown novels as i loved the thriller/action/romance angle, but this novel deviates completely from Brown's usual work.For a start it is set in America just after the Depression, and it is great novel from a historical point of view, the attention to detail really impressed me, and set the whole tone of the novel.There were still some similarties with Brown's usual work, as the lead character was still a strong female lead, but this was more intresting due to the time the novel was set in. Ella, runs a boarding house, in order to provide for her austic son, after her husband left her. The relationships between the lodgers in the boarding house are a good background to see how strangly Ella is viewed in the community - she is a homeowner, from a good background, but yet is alone, serving others to provide for herself, and is raising a 'difficult' child. Ella's world is changed when she accepts a new lodger Mr. Rainwater, and he sets about changing both Ella's world, and the small community in which she resides.I couldn't put this novel down, i became lost in the world of the 1930's American Deep South which was struggling to cope with drought, racial problems, unemployment and small town community tensions, that lead to a dramatic conclusion.

Rain. Life-giving. Life-sustaining. It brings relief to sunbaked earth, parched throats, and withered spirits. Sandra Brown’s Rainwater is set in a small Texas town in 1934 amidst the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl, and the heat of racial tension. One day seems much like another. When dark clouds appear, they bring thunder with very little moisture.Ella Barron toils 24-7 running a boarding house to provide for herself and Solly, her 10-year-old developmentally challenged son. She is a caring, fiercely independent woman who wants the best for her boy. When the local doctor appears at her door with a request that she take in a new boarder, she hesitates, then reluctantly agrees. When she learns that he is dying, how can she refuse? When this soft-spoken, restrained stranger comes into her home, her life begins to change in more ways than she can possibly imagine.This was my first time reading anything written by Sandra Brown, and I am so glad I did. As David Rainwater says when Ella Barron asks him about the ending of A Farewell to Arms, even knowing that it is very sad, he is glad he hadn’t deprived himself of reading the beautiful story. That sums up my feelings about Rainwater as well. It is both gentle and harsh; Mr. Rainwater is kind and respectful, yet he remains firm in his beliefs when he stands with the blacks and whites of shantytown against Conrad Ellis and his gang. He works patiently with young Solomon, but he loses his temper when Mrs. Barron persists in questioning him about how he is feeling. Mrs. Barron, too, goes above and beyond the call to help others. Sometimes she cannot contain her frustrations as she is overwhelmed by the injustices of society plus the struggles of her daily life with a son she cannot reach. Circumstances in Gilead are cruel; people and cattle alike suffer hunger, despair, and death. In the aftermath, friends and strangers come together to offer aid and comfort.I liked Ella Barron. She has high standards for herself and her house. She is fiercely protective of Solomon (“Solly”), her only child. She has a heart of gold; in a time when many whites segregate and discriminate – this book does not shy away from using derogatory terms – Mrs. Barron sees only human beings in need. She guards her own privacy as closely as she does her son’s safely, so when Mr. Rainwater’s calm demeanor and considerate words begin to break down her barriers, she nearly panics.David Rainwater, clearly, is someone special. He brings hope and dignity to those who have little. He gives of himself, despite his pain and imminent death, so that others might have better lives. For Ella Barron and her son Solly, Mr. Rainwater is redemption.I loved Mr. Rainwater and Mrs. Barron. I loved how they are revealed slowly and how their relationship grows, carefully and cautiously. I also liked the kindness they showed to Margaret, Brother Calvin, and Margaret’s son Jimmy, to the farmers, and to all those who lived in shantytown, regardless of race. Although this story takes place in the 1930s, it felt timeless. Our world continues to face some of the same struggles today. I felt that Ms. Brown captured the hardships, tensions, the despair, and the joys that all humans share. On a personal note, I have had years of experience working with autistic adults and have a close family member with autistic twins; I felt that Ms. Brown portrayed Solly realistically and compassionately, taking into consideration the lack of understanding of autism in those times.Rainwater was a fast, easy read. It was hard to put down, but I was sorry to see it end. Everything about it touched my heart. I finished reading it on Easter Sunday, which struck me as quite appropriate. Not surprisingly, few teardrops trickled down my face as I read the final pages.5 stars

Good book , very good author

This is set in Depression- era America, which is a change of time span for Sandra Brown. However, the settings and characters are almost familiar from her other books featuring the Deep South. Whilst there is some "stereotyping", the characters are still believable.It is an old-fashioned romance which builds up the relationship between the two main characters slowly, through what is said ( or not) and long, lingering glances. You could give it to your granny to read safely! However, the other threads of the story mean that, although the story is told simply,there is more than enough to keep the reader hooked.In short, Ella runs a boarding house and aquires a new boarder, Mr Rainwater. His influence on her autistic son, Solly, and on the community she lives in form two major threads of the story. For such an aytpical hero ( no muscle-bound, gun -toting hero here) David Rainwater manages to be quite sexy in an under-stated way. The whole romance is set in a series of notable events for the community and the element of tragedy runs through the book from quite early on. You may need tissues!Different, simple and enjoyable.