Monday, November 17, 2014

Blog Tour Review: After the Rain by Renee Carlino

I am excited to be a part of the tour for After the Rain because this was such a sweet tragic story about losing love and finding it again when you least expect it.



Release Date: November 11, 2014 (Atria Books)
Author: Renee Carlino
Source: ARC Copy Provided by the Publisher (in exchange for an honest review)
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Book Description:
From the USA TODAY bestselling author of Sweet Thing and Nowhere But Here comes a deeply emotional contemporary romance about the second chances waiting beyond the shattered dreams of youth.

Under the bright arena lights of a rodeo show, young Avelina Belo falls for a handsome cowboy with a larger-than-life personality. After a whirlwind courtship, she happily moves away from her family in northern California and settles into married life with her cowboy on a seven-thousand-acre cattle ranch in Montana. One freak accident later, Avelina’s hopes for the future come to an end.

Nate Myers graduated from UCLA medical school at the top of his class, ready to follow in the footsteps of his father, a superstar cardiothoracic surgeon. Six years later, Nate’s career is being ruined by a malpractice suit. Questioning himself for the first time, he retreats to a Montana cattle ranch to visit his uncle and gain perspective. There, he meets a beautiful young woman named Avelina who teaches him more than he ever knew about matters of the heart. 






About the Author:



Renee’s first friends were the imaginary kind and even though her characters haven’t gone away, thankfully the delusions have. She admits she’s a wildly hopeless romantic and she blames 80’s movies staring Molly Ringwald for that. She lives in Southern California with her husband, two sons, and their sweet dog June. When she’s not at the beach with her boys or working on the next book, she likes to spend her time reading, going to concerts, and eating dark chocolate.




I knew going into this that it was going to be one of those raw, emotional reads that would twist me all in knots one minute and make me sigh with content in the next.

An emotionally driven plot that is sure to pull at your heart strings every bit as much as it will make you seethe with anger and the next chapter smiling with sweetness.

Gritty with tough subject matters of suicide, death, abuse, heartache, loss, love, and so much more, all beautiful done to make up a truly wonderful story about letting go, forgiving, moving on, and growing up.

With ups and downs that make any good relationship one worth having. Hard times and good times and some twists along the way. I didn't know whether to smile one second or cry the next.

So much changing, so much growing happens for both Avelina and Nathan that it really was a beautiful journey to take with them.

This was so well done, laid out, and presented. It really is a read that will break your heart only to slowly piece it all back together again, a little more worn from the wearer but beating all that much stronger from the struggle to a happily ever after in the end.




*All thoughts and opinions are my own and were not influenced by the author or publisher. I was not compensated for this review.*

41 comments:

  1. I think blogger is playing tricks on you this morning, my dear! Either that or the tour organizer neglected to send you the materials for this post; that's been happening to me a lot lately. I'll check back later. :)

    Carmel @ Rabid Reads

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    1. You are right, that is exactly what happened! I have it fixed now. ;)

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  2. I've wanted to try something by this author for a while now mostly because I love the covers. This one especially has intrigued me. I love the sound of the emotional growth that the characters undergo. I think I would really like this, but first I need to be in the mood for a sad book. I've been reading too many of those lately!
    Lovely review, Ali! :)

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    1. I have too I think I need an uplifting book next. ;)

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  3. I love the sound of this one Ali, but I think I'm going to have to wait until I'm in the right mood for a book that's going to rip my heart out and stomp on it a little:) I'm in a light and fluffy mood at the moment, but I LOVE stories like this (as long as they end well, which this one does - yay) :)

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    1. I am sure when you are ready for this type of read you will love it Jenny. ;)

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  4. Kindlemom, what a sweet cover and great review!!!
    Thanks for always filling my shelves with great reads!!

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  5. I hadn't heard of this one before. It sounds pretty emotional, but that's not a bad thing, I just need to be in the right mood. Thanks for sharing!

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    1. Definitely need to be in the right mood for these reads.

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  6. So happy to see you enjoyed this one so much. I've never heard of it or the author before, but I have serious cover love. It does sound like a great read, especially when it covers so many tough subjects. Thanks for sharing :)

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  7. Oh this sounds like a book to read with truffles and tissues. I love when an author can take you on a roller coaster ride of emotions and make you love it. Fantastic review Ali :)

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  8. I haven't read a truly emotionally challenging book in a long time now (although I plan to read I'll Give You the Sun soon), but this sounds like something I might just enjoy at this time. I can't always read books like this, but now I'm in the mood. Beautifully written, Ali!

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    1. Thanks Maja and I really do love these type of reads but I agree that I can only handle them in small doses and only when I am ready for them.

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  9. I had two weeks of contemporary romance and loved it, cleaned the slate. I will keep this author in mind on my next round. I think I have one of her books somewhere...

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  10. Hmm I just did a marathon of NA over the weekend, and I am a bit tired of the baggage books. I think I will pass on this for now.

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  11. I've had two of her books on my tbr for awhile now, and it looks like I'll be adding a third. Next step: read them!

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    1. And yet that last step is somehow always the hardest.

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  12. This is the first time I've heard of this, but I'm definitely intrigued! :D I love any book that can pull at my heartstrings and make me cry, and this one sounds like it will do just that. Thanks for sharing and, as always, fabulous review! <3

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  13. Oh yes it sounds intense but also so good to discover. I dodn't think I knew about this one but I'm intrigued now. thanks for the review!

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  14. Oooh, this sounds like a wonderful, but emotional rollercoaster of a read. I tend to limit myself to only a few of these because I'm a chicken emotionally like that. Lol. Glad you enjoyed it :-D

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  15. Wow, your review sounds awesome! I can tell it's a great and emotional read, I'm going to try it out I think, just not right now, during my Contemporary funk.
    Awesome review, so glad it was such a good read!

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    1. Yay! Glad you are going to give it a shot Liv! :)

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  16. Oh you make me want this one! I'd not seen it before. Yay for the intro. I love ones that put you through all sorts of emotions like that and then have to build you back up. Gah what an experience!

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    1. I really do too! I bet you would like this Anna. :)

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  17. I don't think the abuse and suicide thing is for me. I don't typically like books that make me cry, but I'm glad you enjoyed it.

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    1. I can understand that Molly, they are harder to read than others. :) Thanks for stopping by!

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  18. This sounds like a super emotional read, and while I'm not sure my poor feels can take it, I'm encouraged by how much you enjoyed it! I'm definitely adding this to my (neverending) TBR pile. Thanks for your lovely review!

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  19. I want to read this book so badly, especially after your review. Do I have to read previous books or could it be read as standalone?

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