Review: True brilliance!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 07 19, 2014
I am truly speechless from reading Jane Harvey-Berrick's latest book. Again. Yes that's what her writing does to me. It makes me almost unable to even put into words how her stories affect me. But I will try.Playing In the Rain, a novella, is a true as the rain itself. It never hesitates nor does it sway from what it's meant to do: and that is to make you feel. Whether soaked or simply misted upon, you feel something when you are caught in the rain. And when you read this book, you will feel more than you can bear at times. But your heart will be full.The story of Ava Lawson and Cody Richards took me by storm almost like their first meeting. She was having the absolute worst day possible, she was stuck in traffic in a hard rain, grumbling about life in general; and then she saw him. A stranger, running with his dog, laughing and having a wonderful day despite all that hard rain soaking him to the skin. But he saw her too, and the next thing she knew, he was banging on her window and dropping a note through the small crack she afforded him. It said simply: you’re beautiful. Two words that may have not seemed important at the time, but it was those two words that start an adventure of a lifetime. One special summer that would forever change Ava and provide Cody with the much needed solace he so desperately sought.This book tugged at my heartstrings and gave me pause. It’s a story that makes you think. You realize that’s it not worth it to sweat the small stuff in life. That you should live every day to its fullest and for Ava, in particular, to live the life you want. Not one that was mapped out for you. She and Cody’s fateful meeting one rainy day was the beginning of what was to be a love like no other. Maybe not an all consuming one, but certainly one that wouldn’t ever be forgotten.Playing In The Rain had me feeling every emotion possible and I felt completely fulfilled after that last word was read. I then sat and thought long and hard at how much I fell in love with this story. A story that captured my soul and still hasn’t let go. I am still thinking about it days later and I can’t help but smile at the thought.Very highly recommended. If I could give it more than 5 stars I would. Simply superb.