Rainshadow Road

Rainshadow Road by Lisa Kleypas

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This is a charming romance that is a delightful story to read. Rainshadow Road is the first book in a trilogy that takes place near the fictional bay of Friday Harbor in the San Juan Islands. A previous novel entitled Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor (October 2010) introduces Mark, Sam and Alex Nolan and tells the story of how Mark and Maggie meet as well as how they become the guardians of their niece Holly. To enjoy this story you do not need to read Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor as Rainshadow Road brings you into the world seamlessly.

Lucy Marinn leads an uneventful life in Friday Harbor as a glass artist. Living with her boyfriend Kevin and believing everything is fine until that one fateful day when Kevin says he needs more than she can give and asks her to move out. At first he claims there is no one else, however eventually he states that there is someone, Lucy’s sister Alice. Lucy and Alice have had a turbulent relationship since they were little when Alice came down with meningitis and she became the child that everyone treated with kid gloves. Lucy grows up with this understanding and consequently protects her heart more than most. With the knowledge that she must move out of Kevin’s house, she asks her friends Zoe and Justine if she can stay at their Bed & Breakfast for awhile.

Sam Nolan grew up in Friday Harbor and has been enjoying his life creating a vineyard and helping his brother Mark raise Holly. Sam and his two brothers were raised in a dysfunctional home where both parents were alcoholics and as such all three have trouble with commitment. However all is not lost as Sam’s brother Mark recently found love with Maggie.

Lucy has a magical affinity with glass which she uses to create beautiful designs that have gained her national attention. At times when she feels stressed or passionate about something the glass has turned into beautiful winged creatures, a colorful hummingbird one time and another time it was fireflies.

Kevin and Alice are feeling the heat from those that care about Lucy so Kevin wants Sam to ask Lucy out on a date to get her mind off the breakup. Sam and Lucy had briefly met so Sam tells Lucy about the arrangement; she in turn is shocked and a little embarrassed. However what really brings Sam and Lucy together is when Lucy is hurt and must be off her feet for several days. Zoe and Justine have a large wedding at their B&B so they ask Sam to take care of Lucy at his place. Since he already feels some attraction toward Lucy, Sam balks at having her that close to him, however with Zoe and Justine’s pleading, he relents. Feeling unwanted and a little embarrassed, Lucy finds herself eventually feeling comfortable with the help of Holly.

With the wedding of Alice and Kevin fast approaching and an artistic grant offer in the works Lucy and Sam have some decisions that must be made about their future. All in all an enjoyable romance full of apprehension, friendship and magic. The characters are believable and I enjoyed catching up with Mark, Maggie and Holly, we even see a troubled Alex who will be the center of the next book.




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