Review copy was received from Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Rainy Day Friends by Jill Shalvis Narrator: Karen White
Series: Wildstone #2
Published by HarperAudio on June 19, 2018
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Length: 10 hours, 51 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Publisher
Goodreads
Amazon, Audible, Libro.fm, Barnes & Noble
Six months after Lanie Jacobs’ husband’s death, it’s hard to imagine anything could deepen her sense of pain and loss. But then Lanie discovers she isn’t the only one grieving his sudden passing. A serial adulterer, he left behind several other women who, like Lanie, each believe she was his legally wedded wife.
Rocked by the infidelity, Lanie is left to grapple with searing questions. How could she be so wrong about a man she thought she knew better than anyone? Will she ever be able to trust another person? Can she even trust herself?
Desperate to make a fresh start, Lanie impulsively takes a job at the family-run Capriotti Winery. At first, she feels like an outsider among the boisterous Capriottis. With no real family of her own, she’s bewildered by how quickly they all take her under their wing and make her feel like she belongs. Especially Mark Capriotti, a gruffly handsome Air Force veteran turned deputy sheriff who manages to wind his way into Lanie’s cold, broken heart—along with the rest of the clan.
Everything is finally going well for her, but the arrival of River Brown changes all that. The fresh-faced twenty-one-year old seems as sweet as they come…until her dark secrets come to light—secrets that could destroy the new life Lanie’s only just begun to build.
I was so excited to get Rainy Day Friends on audio. I started listening the next day and listened every chance I got. I am prejudiced to love everything Jill Shalvis. There are always friends with the camaraderie and support of them. In this case, although the main female characters do not have any of that, have really never had it; they find each other and that support through their work.
In spite of some grim circumstances, the two females, Lanie and River, end up in amazing jobs in a family business. The Capriotti family are infuriatingly nosy but they care and consistently help others. The only aspect which seemed unrealistic is how quickly the relationships developed, at least with Lanie and Mark.
Every book in this Wildstone series, has some seriously funny parts (which I always love) and some honestly real, personal issues for the characters to assimilate. The growth of the characters is always a good thing. The mess ups and confused emotions and anxiety they have is totally realistic.
I love this series which makes me laugh and cry. I’m not sure how Rainy Day Friends connects to the first two books other than the town. It could be read without first reading the others. But the other two books are closely related, and should be read in order. I can’t wait to see what happens next in Wildstone.
Narration:
I always enjoy Karen White as the narrator for a Jill Shalvis book. It just feels right. I did listen at my usual 1.25 speed. The voices were performed well with the emotions brought out for me.
Listen to a clip:
JIAM Giveaway:
This giveaway is described in detail on the Series on Saturday post. Because of shipping, this will be US only. I have listed the titles which are available for the giveaway. They are all first in the series. I will start with picking one winner. For every five new subscribers to the blog, I will pick another winner. Winners will have some input as to which audiobook they prefer. So tell your friends about the giveaway and the blog! Any I do not give away this month will be given away at a future date.
Blood of the Earth by Faith Hunter, narrated by Kristine Hvam (MP3)
Clean Sweep by Ilona Andrews, narrated by Renee Raudman (CDs)
Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs by Molly Harper, narrated by Amanda Ronconi (CDs)
Red Sister by Mark Lawrence, narrated by Heather O’Neill (CDs)
Skinwalker by Faith Hunter, narrated by Kristine Hvam (Mp3)
About Karen White
Karen White is a classically trained actress who has been recording audio books since 1999 and has well over 150 books to her credit and is a proud member of SAG-AFTRA. Honored to be included inAudiofile’s Best Voices 2010 and 2011, she’s also an Audie Finalist and Best Audiobook of the Year winner for 2009, 2010 and 2011 (The Hemingses of Monticello by Annette Gordon Reed, Too Good to be True by Erin Arvedlund, and Everything That Rises Must Converge by Flannery O’Connor) and she has earned multiple Audiofile Earphones Awards, recently for and You Had Me at Woof by Julie Klam and Inside of a Dog by Alexandra Horowitz. Publishers Weekly says of Nothing to Envy by Barbara Demick, “Karen White delivers a stunning reading, her character interpretations are confident and well-rounded, and she forges a strong bond with the audience.” Speaking of Audiobooks says of her, “Karen is one of my auto-buy narrators – if I think a book may interest me, her narration will sway me to give it a try.”
KAREN GREY is the pen name for award-winning narrator Karen White. A stage, screen and radio drama actor in Boston, New York and Los Angeles in the late 20th century, she started recording books in 1999. Now back in her home state of North Carolina, she shares a home with her family and (probably) too many pets, where she continues to narrate audiobooks as well as make up stories.
About Jill Shalvis
New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis lives in a small town in the Sierras full of quirky characters. Any resemblance to the quirky characters in her books is, um, mostly coincidental. Look for Jill’s bestselling, award-winning books wherever romances are sold and visit her website for a complete book list and daily blog detailing her city-girl-living-in-the-mountains adventures.
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I read all types of books but my favorites are urban fantasy and romantic suspense.I like some romance and some action / adventure / mystery in everything.I like sex in my books but please, only between TWO people.Intimate conversation is equally important to the sex in a book.It lets me see the characters.The other thing I enjoy is humor.
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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 2018 Audiobook Challenge
- 2018 New Release Challenge
- COYER BSBB
Love Jill Shalvis books and audiobooks!
Me too! I love all her series, even some of the older stuff. Jill Shalvis and Karen White are a hit with me. Thanks for stopping by.
One of my favorite series J. D. Robb’s In Death series narrated by Susan Ericksen. Love the characters and the banter.
I love that series but I can’t listen to Susan Erickson because in my head she is VI Warshawski. That’s just how it works sometimes. Thanks for visiting the blog.
I bet this was great on audio but I don’t think that I have listened to Karen White yet. I had such a great time with the story but I have to be honest in that I don’t remember enough about the first book to know how this book is connected to it. Some of my favorite audiobook series are The Themis Files (full cast recordings that are amazingly done), anything Ilona Andrews, The Dresden Files, and so many more.
The first book and novella in this series were about the sisters Tilly and Olivia. The first book was Olivia’s romance and finding out she had a sister Tilly. The novella is 10 years later and is Tilly’s romance. Olivia runs a cafe in town left to the girls by their mother when she died. I think I have that mostly correct.
I do remember Quinn and Tilly’s stories but didn’t really see any connection to this new book besides the fact that they are in the same town. The connection between the first book and novella was obvious with shared characters but I don’t remember any of these characters appearing in the earlier books.
oops yes Quinn not Olivia. yes I was tired last night.
I’m currently reading this one. I love Shalvis!
She’s a go-to for romance and humor for me!