Publishers Weekly
12/20/2021
In the uneven latest Southern inspirational from Hooton (After Everyone Else), a sudden loss forces a young woman to return to her cliquish Alabama hometown, where she must reconsider her idea of “home.” Nina “Little Bit” Barnes Enloe grew up in Erob under the shadow of her outspoken grandmother, her namesake, known as Biggie (“I shared her name, and by God, I was going to be a lady according to her rules.”). By leaning on her brother and their close circle of friends, Nina made it through the hardships of her father’s suicide and her emotionally distant mother before leaving for college and becoming a successful lawyer in New York City. Now, she’s returning to collect her inheritance: Biggie’s home, granted along with Biggie’s wish that Nina live in it, get married, and raise her own family there. While Nina is in no hurry to settle down, she does find herself drawn to her brother’s best friend, Carter. The romance between the two develops slowly; it’s friendships rather than seduction at the heart of the narrative. While the cast feels realistic and engaging, Nina herself doesn’t do much to endear herself to readers and comes across as prickly and quick to find fault in others. Much of the plot, meanwhile, is told through digression, which mutes the emotional through line. There are some big personalities at play here, but as a homecoming story it rings hollow. (Sept.)
From the Publisher
"Equal parts funny and profound, The Secret of Rainy Days will have you laughing and crying both at once. Leslie Hooton's extraordinary second novel firmly establishes her place as a major new voice in Southern literature." –Amy Greene, nationally bestselling author of Bloodroot
"Leslie Hooton, her writing vibrant and alive, so wonderfully harkens back to the grand tradition of southern storytellers. She writes with that potent mixture of humor and grace, and The Secret of Rainy Days has all the makings of a book club darling, a story that you can't help but share with someone else. This is a book suffused with a lifetime supply of "lucky dust", that intangible quality that makes you want to be close to it." –Kevin Wilson, New York Times bestselling author of Nothing to See Here and The Family Fang
"Heartbreaking and heartwarming, The Secret of Rainy Days examines the intricacies of small town livin’ ('OKOP'–Our Kind of People). It is a coming-of-age tale chock full of Southern charm, love, tragedy, and unbreakable family ties. Leslie Hooton’s world brings us colorful, witty characters and intricate friendships–those we choose, and those who choose us. The Secret of Rainy Days is a reminder that you can escape your roots but never really leave. And yet...if you look hard enough–all the answers are right there under the 'Welcome' mat." –Lisa Barr, award-winning author of Fugitive Colors and The Unbreakables
"The Secret of Rainy Days is a coming-of-age novel that is both deeply moving and beautifully crafted . Witty and charming, The Secret of Rainy Days is a gem.“ –Patti Callahan New York Times bestselling author of Becoming of Mrs. Lewis and the upcoming Once Upon A Wardrobe
"Like the best Southern novels, The Secret of Rainy Days reminds us when searching for your place in the world, you may find it where you least expect it. And that sometimes to move forward, you have to go back to where you came from." —Colleen Oakley, USA Today bestselling author
"Hooton utilizes vivid description, a strong sense of place, and unparalleled comparisons to paint an accurate portrait of life in the South, both complex and multilayered." –Shelf Unbound
"[A] sweet meditation on letting ourselves find happiness....if you love Hallmark movies, you’ll love it." –Manhattan Book Review
DECEMBER 2021 - AudioFile
Cassandra Campbell impresses with her narration of this heartfelt look at life in a small Southern town—told from the perspective of the one resident who managed to get out but can't stay out. The cast is large, yet Campbell ensures that no one sounds the same, not even the women who've spent their entire lives living next door to each other. When the Northerners make an appearance, Campbell slips into those accents with ease. She shines brightest when she drops a "Bless your heart" in a different tone in each of various situations so that listeners know exactly how each speaker really feels. Full of bighearted warmth, this audiobook is like a comfy robe. A.R.F. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine
