Review: Waiting for Rain has romance, humor and charm
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 03 1, 2014
Susan Mac Nicol hits one out of the park with a heartwarming, sometimes suspenseful, often laugh-out-loud funny tale of two men falling headfirst into lust, then taking those small, tentative steps toward friendship and finally love.Toby Prentiss has a tortured history that leaves him with a record of poor choices and problems with anger management. Yet, with the help of a man who becomes his mentor, he rises above situations that would have crushed other men.Rain Engel had his heart torn in two. It makes him wary of relationships but not taking those first steps to satisfy his attraction to Toby Prentiss, the general manager of the hotel where he is employed as a contractor. Rain is no shrinking violet. He knows what he wants and he doesn’t mind expressing himself in rather unique ways.Their small village is bucolic, quirky and—on the surface—lacking in choices when it comes to potential gay partners. It also has a bounty of vociferous homophobes, some downright nasty and dangerous.The large cast of supporting characters provides a wonderful backdrop to Toby and Rain’s tentative steps on that path of discovery. From the farmer who solicits help thwarting a sheep rustler to the BFFs of Toby and Rain, and the sometimes bittersweet attraction between Toby and Simon, his boss and mentor … each one adds breadth and depth to the story, along with many humorous moments.And call them what you will—the setting, props, even the weather—all contribute in delightful ways to bring this story to life. There’s a phobia, a shed, a pole, a sauna, a haystack, leather products, a drought, a festival … each and every one an integral part of Toby and Rain’s journey. They provide the kind of feel-good moments that make a story sigh-worthy and memorable.The author made some interesting choices in telling Toby and Rain’s story: using first POV, she alternates chapters with each man given a unique voice. With their radically different upbringing and personalities, that is a difficult task to pull off successfully, particularly since “lust” with a capital “L” drives the bulk of their relationship from the get-go. What we learn about each man is cleverly related via their interactions with minor characters: best friends, working relationships, acquaintances, even their encounters with antagonists … all bring to light the best and the worst that comprise the complex personalities of Toby and Rain.Make no mistake, this is homoerotic romance. The sex is plentiful, it is hot and it works to drive each man’s emotional growth. It is the glue that keeps them together when outside circumstances and their own frailties work to tear them apart.Waiting for Rain is a satisfying story on many levels. Rife with romance, humor, and charm, this is a book you can read and enjoy many times over. The men are real, their inner turmoil believable, the resolution to problems they encounter are often creative and surprising, and the supporting characters will grab your hearts and minds.I give Waiting for Rain an unconditional FIVE STARS.