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Heaven Sent Rain
Dinah Taylor has an orderly life that is just how she likes it. A perfectly furnished luxury apartment, a satisfying career as a scientist and CEO of her own company, and an uncomplicated personal life. But all of that changes when she meets seven-year-old Jonah.
The boy shows up one day, a scruffy dog by his side, in front of her office building. Dinah knows nothing about kids and even less about animals, but after she buys him breakfast, he shows up the next day. . .and the next. She tries to learn more about him, to help him, but he's remarkably skilled at evading her questions. And then, late one night, he calls her in a panic-his dog has been badly injured. Dinah rushes them to a local animal clinic, where she meets Garret, a veterinarian with a thriving practice and a passion for drawing. Though Jonah takes to Garret right away, for some reason neither understands, Dinah and Garret just don't mesh. But for Jonah's sake, their lives continue to collide, and slowly the relationship between these three strangers begins to change.
The boy shows up one day, a scruffy dog by his side, in front of her office building. Dinah knows nothing about kids and even less about animals, but after she buys him breakfast, he shows up the next day. . .and the next. She tries to learn more about him, to help him, but he's remarkably skilled at evading her questions. And then, late one night, he calls her in a panic-his dog has been badly injured. Dinah rushes them to a local animal clinic, where she meets Garret, a veterinarian with a thriving practice and a passion for drawing. Though Jonah takes to Garret right away, for some reason neither understands, Dinah and Garret just don't mesh. But for Jonah's sake, their lives continue to collide, and slowly the relationship between these three strangers begins to change.
383 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2014
87 people are currently reading
1762 people want to read
About the author
Lauraine Snelling
159 books2,030 followersAward-winning and bestselling author Lauraine Snelling has over 80 books published with sales of over 4.5 million. Her original dream was to write horse books for children. Today, she writes adult novels about real issues centered on forgiveness, loss, domestic violence and cancer in her inspirational contemporary women’s fiction titles and historical series, including the favorite, Blessing books about Ingeborg Bjorklund and family.
Lauraine enjoys helping others reach their writing dreams by teaching at writer’s conferences across the county. She and her husband Wayne have two grown sons, and a daughter in Heaven. They live in the Tehachapi Mountains with a Basset named Sir Winston ob de Mountains, Lapcat, and “The Girls” (three golden hens).
Lauraine enjoys helping others reach their writing dreams by teaching at writer’s conferences across the county. She and her husband Wayne have two grown sons, and a daughter in Heaven. They live in the Tehachapi Mountains with a Basset named Sir Winston ob de Mountains, Lapcat, and “The Girls” (three golden hens).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 156 reviews
September 17, 2014
I was LOVING this book. Then, with the last chapter, it's like the author quit. There could have easily been a part 2 to this book, which would help explain how the epilogue happened. And while I could see one of the characters falling in love, the other character's life and perspective were no where near that same stage. I just feel like the last 4-5 chapters were chopped out of the book to avoid making it too long, which explains the abrupt ending.
October 24, 2015
This book has left me thinking "What just happened?". The chopped ending ruined this book for me. Throughout the whole book, there were parts that left me confused about some of the people, like what was Jonah's mom's illness or what happened to his dad? And the story seemed to jump from scene to scene all with the same paragraph that made me wonder where were we now. However I felt connected with the characters and really wanted to know what was going to happen. Just when I liked the growth I was seeing in the characters, the next chapter was the last chapter and it was sometime in the future, guessing a year or so (but don't really know). What happened in-between this time to take them where they were now. This completely ruined it for me. So much was not wrapped up like whatever happened with Dinah's company or how is Garret's mom doing. So much more could have been added between the last two chapters to help answer all the questions.
September 2, 2014
This story was very chopped up. We never knew Jonahs mothers full story about her illness. Her neighbors apparently helped them out. Their part in the story seemed wishy washy. The doctors family was just kinda thrown in & never went anywhere. The ending just left me thinking "what just happened?" What about April? I thought the author just gave up on everybody in the end.
July 2, 2014
When I saw the cover and title of this book, I knew I'd like it. My intuition was correct.
Dinah Taylor is a chemist who owns her own company and is doing very well. But Dinah lives in an all white and sterile world, allowing nothing emotional to touch her. She daily encounters a young 7 year old boy and his dog daily on her way to work. She befriends Jonah, buying his breakfast. He is a very polite little boy and she wonders why he seems so alone. One night Jonah calls her and says he needs help, that the dog is hurt. Dinah goes to get him and takes to dog to an urgent care vet.
Garrett Miller is a very dedicated vet who spends much of his time at the clinic. He is also a believer, something Dinah wants nothing to do with. They get off on the wrong foot, rubbing each other the wrong way.
The situation with Jonah takes a tragic turn and Dinah must look deep within herself and make some difficult, if not impossible decisions. Where in the world will she find the strength to do what needs to be done, especially since things with her job are crashing at the moment?
This was a deeply moving story. I knew from the outset that my heart was going to be torn and torn it was. I shed many tears during this book. Jonah is such an engaging boy and I couldn't help but love him and feel his pain. Dinah, too, has suffered so much and I wanted to just wrap her in my arms and soothe those aches.
Lauraine Snelling tells a compelling story, one that's guaranteed to stay with you after finishing the book. God's wonderful mercies and grace also stay with you as you allow these characters into your life, if but for a time.
Dinah Taylor is a chemist who owns her own company and is doing very well. But Dinah lives in an all white and sterile world, allowing nothing emotional to touch her. She daily encounters a young 7 year old boy and his dog daily on her way to work. She befriends Jonah, buying his breakfast. He is a very polite little boy and she wonders why he seems so alone. One night Jonah calls her and says he needs help, that the dog is hurt. Dinah goes to get him and takes to dog to an urgent care vet.
Garrett Miller is a very dedicated vet who spends much of his time at the clinic. He is also a believer, something Dinah wants nothing to do with. They get off on the wrong foot, rubbing each other the wrong way.
The situation with Jonah takes a tragic turn and Dinah must look deep within herself and make some difficult, if not impossible decisions. Where in the world will she find the strength to do what needs to be done, especially since things with her job are crashing at the moment?
This was a deeply moving story. I knew from the outset that my heart was going to be torn and torn it was. I shed many tears during this book. Jonah is such an engaging boy and I couldn't help but love him and feel his pain. Dinah, too, has suffered so much and I wanted to just wrap her in my arms and soothe those aches.
Lauraine Snelling tells a compelling story, one that's guaranteed to stay with you after finishing the book. God's wonderful mercies and grace also stay with you as you allow these characters into your life, if but for a time.
January 24, 2018
I would give this novel 2.5 stars. Several reviewers have mentioned the flaws with the ending and I couldn't agree more! Relationships throughout the story have been moving gradually toward the climax when the author abruptly brings the story to a close and provides an epilogue that requires the reader to make an enormous leap of faith.
There is much that I enjoyed while reading the story: the characters are well developed and show their human frailties. The thought of a career woman facing the task of caring for an orphan tugs at the heart strings. The description of why people are pet lovers as seen through the eyes of the veterinarian Garret, Jonah and especially the service dog, Valiant's owner, is poignant. All of the key players are struggling with baggage present or past and this keeps the story moving, but we did not see growth in Dinah which was disappointing. Maybe the focus on her career was what the reader was supposed to relate to, but in her handling of some very tricky situations in her role as guardian, we saw her as inadequate and unable to move past challenges. Garret, the vet, brings to the story a more complex character. I was particularly drawn to his artistic work and the descriptions of how they develop as he lives his daily life. Jonah, our young hero, is endearing is a number of ways; one can only imagine how are life would be if we were in his position. As a parent, you hear a voice in your head outlining boundaries that a seven-year-old needs to hear. This does not happen - even after Jonah has lived with Dinah for a period of time.
Dinah's company under fire as they try to distribute their new product is interesting; none of us would like to be subjected to the ire of the media!
The relationship between Dinah and Garret is just starting to reveal itself when the author shocks the reader by bringing us to the end. I feel that the author's editor let her down by not encouraging her to go back to the drawing board with the ending. I would hesitate to read another book by this author.
There is much that I enjoyed while reading the story: the characters are well developed and show their human frailties. The thought of a career woman facing the task of caring for an orphan tugs at the heart strings. The description of why people are pet lovers as seen through the eyes of the veterinarian Garret, Jonah and especially the service dog, Valiant's owner, is poignant. All of the key players are struggling with baggage present or past and this keeps the story moving, but we did not see growth in Dinah which was disappointing. Maybe the focus on her career was what the reader was supposed to relate to, but in her handling of some very tricky situations in her role as guardian, we saw her as inadequate and unable to move past challenges. Garret, the vet, brings to the story a more complex character. I was particularly drawn to his artistic work and the descriptions of how they develop as he lives his daily life. Jonah, our young hero, is endearing is a number of ways; one can only imagine how are life would be if we were in his position. As a parent, you hear a voice in your head outlining boundaries that a seven-year-old needs to hear. This does not happen - even after Jonah has lived with Dinah for a period of time.
Dinah's company under fire as they try to distribute their new product is interesting; none of us would like to be subjected to the ire of the media!
The relationship between Dinah and Garret is just starting to reveal itself when the author shocks the reader by bringing us to the end. I feel that the author's editor let her down by not encouraging her to go back to the drawing board with the ending. I would hesitate to read another book by this author.
May 29, 2018
A very disappointing ending. As so many other readers have noted, the ending was abrupt and left the reader feeling cheated out of a well developed and tied together story plot. During the second half (or more) of the book I kept thinking, "OK, let's move the story line along or wrap this thing up!" Seeing that there was still so much of the book left to read, I knew that tying everything together and wrapping up the story was not going to happen any time soon. Perhaps the best way to summarize my feelings about this book would be that most of the book was stagnant, stalled, and disconnected while the very last chapter of the book was an abrupt jumbled effort to tie together the story line. A very disappointing read!!
July 24, 2014
Well, this is certainly not my usual book…
But I received a free review copy in eBook – from Lauraine Snelling and I decided to give it a try.
And darn it! Now I’m going to have to go buy the paper version too!
BE WARNED! This book will pull you right in and it will NOT let go of your heart strings!
And it’s not just the mysterious little boy who has hold of them either.
Chapter 1 of “Heaven Sent Rain” had me going “Huh… What… Why…”
It dives right into the story and hits the ground running. And it only took a paragraph for me to be hooked.
Chapter 2 had me going “Awwww.” And then, “Huh… again” I will NOT spoil it for you but I will say this is an extraordinary book written about an unexpected journey guided by what some will probably try to deny is The Holy Spirit – even though it clearly is God’s voice that Dinah is hearing in the completely unexpected thoughts that simply will not stop – and it is a book that EVERYONE should read!
WOW!
I am so glad I asked to review this book. I might have missed out on the tremendous blessing otherwise.
The absolutely only complaint I have is that Lauraine is just a bit stingy with details – she drops little hints of detail and then moves on without explaining. And perhaps her usual readers prefer this or they know enough about her writing to read between the lines but it just left me feeling confused.
However, the impact of the story itself far outweighs any petty issues I might have. It is well worth a read!
I would also like to extend my congratulations to the cover designer. It is spectacular. Not only does it bring to mind what we see in the book (minus perhaps the rain coat our mysterious little boy is wearing…), it also looks so realistic, you can almost hear the rain.
BRAVO!
I received this book free in exchange for an honest review.
But I received a free review copy in eBook – from Lauraine Snelling and I decided to give it a try.
And darn it! Now I’m going to have to go buy the paper version too!
BE WARNED! This book will pull you right in and it will NOT let go of your heart strings!
And it’s not just the mysterious little boy who has hold of them either.
Chapter 1 of “Heaven Sent Rain” had me going “Huh… What… Why…”
It dives right into the story and hits the ground running. And it only took a paragraph for me to be hooked.
Chapter 2 had me going “Awwww.” And then, “Huh… again” I will NOT spoil it for you but I will say this is an extraordinary book written about an unexpected journey guided by what some will probably try to deny is The Holy Spirit – even though it clearly is God’s voice that Dinah is hearing in the completely unexpected thoughts that simply will not stop – and it is a book that EVERYONE should read!
WOW!
I am so glad I asked to review this book. I might have missed out on the tremendous blessing otherwise.
The absolutely only complaint I have is that Lauraine is just a bit stingy with details – she drops little hints of detail and then moves on without explaining. And perhaps her usual readers prefer this or they know enough about her writing to read between the lines but it just left me feeling confused.
However, the impact of the story itself far outweighs any petty issues I might have. It is well worth a read!
I would also like to extend my congratulations to the cover designer. It is spectacular. Not only does it bring to mind what we see in the book (minus perhaps the rain coat our mysterious little boy is wearing…), it also looks so realistic, you can almost hear the rain.
BRAVO!
I received this book free in exchange for an honest review.
May 8, 2021
The premise of this book was sweet, and the story did deliver it: Busy career woman becomes surrogate mother to a sensitive, mysterious little boy and his dog. The style, while not omniscient, felt somewhat distant from time to time, like a narrator pausing to clue in the reader. That made it hard to get into the characters' heads, but I enjoyed Garret's interaction with Jonah and could feel for Dinah's panic at seeing her world spin out of control. The hounding by the media was maddening! Unfortunately, my general feeling about the plot was, "If I couldn't tell where this story was going, why am I so disappointed that it didn't go there?" I never had a real sense of what I was rooting for or what was at stake, and the story arcs that seemed promising were never fully resolved. The epilogue jumped ahead quite a ways to answer a few more questions than the last chapter did, but frankly it felt like an attempt to tie a neat little bow so the reader would have a happy ending. I was also a little uncomfortable with Garret's comment that "Jesus is more than happy to meet you on your terms." Jesus does reach us where we are, but we are redeemed on His terms (repentance and faith), not ours. I do love the cover image and wish I could say the same for the whole story. I wouldn't mind trying another title by this author; this one just wasn't for me.
May 3, 2014
This is such a sweet story I hated to see it end, however, I did like the ending! Lauraine didn't disappoint with this one, she gave us the perfect example of how God puts people in together. My heart hurt for Jonah and what he was going through. I was glad Dinah made the decision that she did and that she also let someone else in her life. Things do work out for the best when we follow His direction.
Snelling is a good storyteller, her characters are good people that react to life's situations the same way we all do. Totally loved this book.
I received a copy of this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Snelling is a good storyteller, her characters are good people that react to life's situations the same way we all do. Totally loved this book.
I received a copy of this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
May 13, 2015
From the first line, Lauraine Snelling tugged at my heart strings about a boy and his dog. I was intrigued to see how Dr. Dinah Taylor's journey would intertwine with Jonah (the boy) and how her journey would ultimately end. It was clear from the hints throughout the novel that she had some issues and was furious with God. This was a great story because anyone who has lost a loved one and wondered why would sympathize/empathize with Dinah Taylor's character. Add to the story by throwing a handsome veterinarian and you have the makings of a wonderful story.
May 8, 2015
I was going to give this book three stars, which is what I give what I consider an okay book. Then the end happened. Or rather, didn't happen. There were too many questions left hanging. (There were some things earlier in the book that made me shake my head and say, "That would never happen." as well.)The concept was good. The characters were pretty likeable. But the ending made me slam the book in disgust.
October 30, 2015
A very good book. A professional lady taking time to be sure a little boy has a breakfast before going to school leads to a lasting relationship. The characters meshed together to make for a good story and God was leading all the way.
September 4, 2014
A heartwarming story that shows what real love means.
February 18, 2025
I really liked this book and definitely recommend reading it! It does have an underlying tone of religion that becomes more prevalent as the book goes on, so just calling that out. But, there is so much that goes on in the book even if not religious, it’s still worth the read! It’s really well written, as the chapters range from super sad, to happy moments, and lots in between. Overall, it’s for sure worth reading! (Plus one of the main characters is a really cute dog which was enough for me to like the book from the start lol!)
February 2, 2018
A lovely story of crisis and redemption. Great strong female role models and caring Christian support. Just what I needed to read this week.
October 3, 2020
What a beautiful story! I cried and was blessed for reading it!
December 31, 2014
Reviewed at The Power of Words: http://tinyurl.com/pmtn3s8
Heaven Sent Rain by falls into the category of one of my favorite genres, that of relationship drama - and from Dinah's first sighting of Jonah and his dog in the rain, this poignant story held my attention and captured my emotions. It's a story of three people who need each other. Lauraine's writing flows easily, the storyline is compelling, and her complex characters deal with real-life issues. I really enjoyed the scope and depth of Heaven Sent Rain.
Dinah and Garret were both unusual and fascinating characters to me. Dinah, a biochemist and president of her own dietary supplement company, had always been able to manage things on her own - but suddenly finds everything spinning out of control when Jonah comes into her life. Garret was many things - a veterinarian, celebrity, cartoonist, animal rights activist, artist, strong in his faith - and I loved how he sketched portraits of children with their pets that he treated. There's also humor scattered throughout, like when Garret reflects about his own collection of pets, "No one knew how to get even like a cat." But it was young Jonah, forced to cope with a loss that no child should have to experience, who stole my heart as he brought the worlds of Garret and Dinah together.
Dinah had lost her faith when life got tough, but we see a gradual transformation as she struggles with balancing family and career, and these words of wisdom from her beloved Gramma Grace come back to her:
"You can't outrun God. . . . His shoulders are plenty broad enough to carry your anger and He will always love you no matter what."
I loved the meaning behind the title, Heaven Sent Rain, for while it was raining when Dinah and Jonah met, a deeper spiritual meaning becomes obvious toward the end. One theme of this story is that God is always at work in our lives and that He often uses people. I found myself looking back over the years at the people God has placed in my life . . . How did I receive them? With grateful acceptance or rejection? And did I even recognize that God had sent them to help?
There's romance in this story, but we don't see a lot of interaction between Garret and Dinah until the last half of the book. And much is left to our imagination between the last page and the epilogue - but that's okay, because it added to the realism and seemed to fit the narrative.
Heaven Sent Rain is a moving and heartwarming story, bittersweet yet humorous at times. I enjoyed this story very much and recommend it to all who enjoy character-driven inspirational fiction.
Thank you to Amanda Dykes for providing an electronic copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Heaven Sent Rain by falls into the category of one of my favorite genres, that of relationship drama - and from Dinah's first sighting of Jonah and his dog in the rain, this poignant story held my attention and captured my emotions. It's a story of three people who need each other. Lauraine's writing flows easily, the storyline is compelling, and her complex characters deal with real-life issues. I really enjoyed the scope and depth of Heaven Sent Rain.
Dinah and Garret were both unusual and fascinating characters to me. Dinah, a biochemist and president of her own dietary supplement company, had always been able to manage things on her own - but suddenly finds everything spinning out of control when Jonah comes into her life. Garret was many things - a veterinarian, celebrity, cartoonist, animal rights activist, artist, strong in his faith - and I loved how he sketched portraits of children with their pets that he treated. There's also humor scattered throughout, like when Garret reflects about his own collection of pets, "No one knew how to get even like a cat." But it was young Jonah, forced to cope with a loss that no child should have to experience, who stole my heart as he brought the worlds of Garret and Dinah together.
Dinah had lost her faith when life got tough, but we see a gradual transformation as she struggles with balancing family and career, and these words of wisdom from her beloved Gramma Grace come back to her:
"You can't outrun God. . . . His shoulders are plenty broad enough to carry your anger and He will always love you no matter what."
I loved the meaning behind the title, Heaven Sent Rain, for while it was raining when Dinah and Jonah met, a deeper spiritual meaning becomes obvious toward the end. One theme of this story is that God is always at work in our lives and that He often uses people. I found myself looking back over the years at the people God has placed in my life . . . How did I receive them? With grateful acceptance or rejection? And did I even recognize that God had sent them to help?
There's romance in this story, but we don't see a lot of interaction between Garret and Dinah until the last half of the book. And much is left to our imagination between the last page and the epilogue - but that's okay, because it added to the realism and seemed to fit the narrative.
Heaven Sent Rain is a moving and heartwarming story, bittersweet yet humorous at times. I enjoyed this story very much and recommend it to all who enjoy character-driven inspirational fiction.
Thank you to Amanda Dykes for providing an electronic copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
October 19, 2014
Heaven Sent Rain - Lauraine Snelling
Dinah Taylor's life is perfectly well ordered and controlled - from her wardrobe and apartment to her company. But what is she lacking? One day she reaches out to the little boy sitting on a park bench with his dog, and offers him breakfast. What starts as a fledgling friendship soon turns Dinah's whole life upside down.
Heaven Sent Rain is a charming read, and is equally heart rending and heart warming. I'll admit that the novel started off slow and was a bit disjointed. And yet, I couldn't put it down. The characters were complex, struggling with life and I felt that we never really got to see all of them and who they are. But perhaps that is how it is in real life, we see fragments of people and try to draw a complete picture from these. Despite this slight disconnect with the writing style, I fell in love with this book. Oh, how you feel for the characters and their challenges. The pacing of the novel never really picked up, and yet so much was happening - it is a hard mix to describe. I was expecting more of a romance and we do see traces of it towards the very end, but foremost this is a story of family, learning to love again and reach out to those around you, making mistakes and living with them, God's love, of a boy and his dog, drawing, life-saving medicine, animals and friendship.
The publisher provided a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Dinah Taylor's life is perfectly well ordered and controlled - from her wardrobe and apartment to her company. But what is she lacking? One day she reaches out to the little boy sitting on a park bench with his dog, and offers him breakfast. What starts as a fledgling friendship soon turns Dinah's whole life upside down.
Heaven Sent Rain is a charming read, and is equally heart rending and heart warming. I'll admit that the novel started off slow and was a bit disjointed. And yet, I couldn't put it down. The characters were complex, struggling with life and I felt that we never really got to see all of them and who they are. But perhaps that is how it is in real life, we see fragments of people and try to draw a complete picture from these. Despite this slight disconnect with the writing style, I fell in love with this book. Oh, how you feel for the characters and their challenges. The pacing of the novel never really picked up, and yet so much was happening - it is a hard mix to describe. I was expecting more of a romance and we do see traces of it towards the very end, but foremost this is a story of family, learning to love again and reach out to those around you, making mistakes and living with them, God's love, of a boy and his dog, drawing, life-saving medicine, animals and friendship.
The publisher provided a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 31, 2014
I found this novel to be compelling reading. The character study of Dinah is superb. Unfortunately, there is an abrupt ending that cheats the reader out of a totally rewarding experience. After hundreds of pages of Dinah's life being turned upside down, poof, there is the epilogue. I would have given fewer stars but the character study of Dinah is very well done. I was caught up on her story. I did feel a certain disconnect here and there as the point of view changed from Dinah to Dr. G. At times it seemed like foreign matter had been inserted in the novel. The novel was so well written except for those defects, I did enjoy it.
See my complete review at http://bit.ly/1zzkh05.
I received a complimentary egalley of this novel from the publisher for the purpose of an independent and honest review.
See my complete review at http://bit.ly/1zzkh05.
I received a complimentary egalley of this novel from the publisher for the purpose of an independent and honest review.
September 5, 2015
This book is Christian fiction. This had a simple message and it was a sweet story. Throw in a hurt dog, an orphaned little boy, his new female caregiver, and a single male who is a veterinarian and that is what you get....a sweet story.
I loved Jonah, the little boy and his dog, Mutt. They were endearing and I truly felt for them. I also liked the female MC. She seemed a little too perfect, but I felt I understood her. There were a lot of unnecessary characters in this book that didn't go anywhere or serve any purpose. So it is no surprise that because of the unnecessary character parade, there was also some unnecessary dialog that felt like 'filler'.
The story moved along, but at times it felt a little choppy. I had questions about Jonah's parents. I needed to know the whys and where of that situation, but they were never given.
I loved Jonah, the little boy and his dog, Mutt. They were endearing and I truly felt for them. I also liked the female MC. She seemed a little too perfect, but I felt I understood her. There were a lot of unnecessary characters in this book that didn't go anywhere or serve any purpose. So it is no surprise that because of the unnecessary character parade, there was also some unnecessary dialog that felt like 'filler'.
The story moved along, but at times it felt a little choppy. I had questions about Jonah's parents. I needed to know the whys and where of that situation, but they were never given.
July 12, 2015
Heaven sent rain
A book that was hard to put down from the beginning. Dinah meets a young boy and his dog, helps him when his dog gets hurt which is name downmutt but decides to shorten it to mutt. The vet that they call Dr G gets involved with them more then a lot of his patients. Jonah mother dies and had decided that Jonah should be raised by Dinah. She is surprised by this but makes it work but take a lot of adjustment. I was give a copy of this book by netgalley for review. I enjoyed it a lot.
A book that was hard to put down from the beginning. Dinah meets a young boy and his dog, helps him when his dog gets hurt which is name downmutt but decides to shorten it to mutt. The vet that they call Dr G gets involved with them more then a lot of his patients. Jonah mother dies and had decided that Jonah should be raised by Dinah. She is surprised by this but makes it work but take a lot of adjustment. I was give a copy of this book by netgalley for review. I enjoyed it a lot.
August 25, 2014
This book wasn't as good as the others in my opinion. The story tended to drag, the characters weren't quite as developed as the in the others, and the book needed some good editing. I felt that the story kept going over the same problems again and again with no real hint of any resolution. But all of a sudden, within a few dozen pages of the end, everything is revealed and magically resolved. Really?
August 17, 2017
I was enjoying this book and then suddenly I was reading the epilogue. It was so sudden, and it was disappointing because I felt like the relationships were just building. I guess I needed another ten chapters or so. Also, I have no idea what the cover picture or the title have to do with the story. I like Snelling's writing - I like the characters and she is Christian with out being preachy.
February 27, 2015
I loved this work. I love the cover. Just precious that a woman loves a child who needs a home. She provides for him. And God brings a man into her life to love them both. The only thing I missed was the kiss. I thoroughly enjoyed it and didn't want to put it down. Wonderful job, Lauraine.
December 23, 2018
I guess I'm just not a fan. Can't imagine a dumber heroine who is supposed to be brilliant.
June 4, 2019
It was a sweet story but maybe it took a little too long for the guy and the girl to finally get together.
March 22, 2020
I'd almost swear this book was written by a team: a CEO, chemist, and shareholder of a biomed/biochemisty company. The author did a really good job here making the book and characters feel realistic: Dinah and her company and her research, April as her right-hand in the office, Hal as her adviser, Garret as a vet - even Downmutt, the dog. I started out rather doubtful about this book, especially how Jonah and Dinah meet and the circumstances behind him coming to live with her. But Jonah grew on me (and that's a tough one, of all characters I'm most suspicious of gifted kids, oddly enough) and Dinah really grew on me (I'm also not very open minded about corporate women). I think the clincher was when Dinah nearly gets arrested at Jonah's school as a suspected stalker. I wasn't willing to care for the woman up until that point, I'd been just playing along because it's a Christian book by a good author (I've enjoyed the four or five other books of hers I've read so far). It was also kind of fun to see how Dinah and Garret were initially so cold to each other (I do love a slow burn romance, especially when it starts out icy).
What I love about Snelling's books is her characters always do get in under your skin. Her writing isn't always smooth but it's full of the kind of details that really ground a story, make it "homey" without feeling fake or forced. What I don't like about her books is how they all end way too abruptly, and I kind of want to shake her publisher who is probably the culprit for putting length restrictions on the books.
My favorite quote:
What I love about Snelling's books is her characters always do get in under your skin. Her writing isn't always smooth but it's full of the kind of details that really ground a story, make it "homey" without feeling fake or forced. What I don't like about her books is how they all end way too abruptly, and I kind of want to shake her publisher who is probably the culprit for putting length restrictions on the books.
My favorite quote:
So. Life was not the quiet, simple, controlled environment of the laboratory. It was the big wide, messy world, and if Dinah would hide from life and refuse to engage it, apparently life was going to leap out and engage her whether she wanted it or not....
His voice rumbled along. "You probably don't agree with me, but with your company, you have been doing God's will all along - helping people live better lives. And saving lives if you can. It's the same job I do."
"I don't - "
"Hey, I read your mission statement. I didn't see anything about making money. And I remember that interview on TV. They tried to stick a profit motive on you and you shook it off. You do what you do to help others. That's Jesus... to a bunch of smelly shepherds, God spoke with a whole skyful of angels. To eastern sages, all he had to do was shove a star out of place. He speaks to each person in a way that is unique and to each person“.
August 2, 2021
In the novel Heaven Sent Rain by Lauraine Snelling, Dinah Taylor is a scientist who started her own company of food supplements to improve health. Her job, her life, her all-white condo and wardrobe are perfectly ordered.
One day at her usual breakfast stop, she sees a small boy and his dog sitting out in front. They look shabby, but not dirty. Dinah offers to buy the boy, Jonah, breakfast, and he accepts. Then he’s at the same place the next day, and then every day thereafter. Dinah tries to find out his background, imagining everything from a drug-infested home to neglect. But Jonah evades her questions.
Then in the middle of one night, Dinah receives a frantic phone call. Jonah’s dog is badly injured. Can she help?
Dinah isn’t sure what she’s getting into, but she can’t refuse. Searching for an emergency vet clinic open that time of night, she takes Jonah and his dog in. They are met by veterinarian Garret Miller, who seems warm and kind toward Jonah and the dog, but icy toward Dinah.
As Dinah continues to help Jonah, she gets in over her head. As she, Jonah, and Garret interact, their lives change.
I loved the way Dinah’s story unfolded, with the author revealing just a bit at a time until the whole picture came into view. Garret is an enjoyable character, too, after getting past his initial standoffishness, which is explained later.
Dinah is not a Christian, having rejected her parents’ teaching and beliefs. The details of that situation are gradually revealed, too. Garret and Jonah are both believers, as is Dinah’s receptionist. But the faith element felt very natural and not forced.
I thought the ending wrapped up a bit too quickly, and I had a theological quibble with one sentence. But overall I really enjoyed the book.
One day at her usual breakfast stop, she sees a small boy and his dog sitting out in front. They look shabby, but not dirty. Dinah offers to buy the boy, Jonah, breakfast, and he accepts. Then he’s at the same place the next day, and then every day thereafter. Dinah tries to find out his background, imagining everything from a drug-infested home to neglect. But Jonah evades her questions.
Then in the middle of one night, Dinah receives a frantic phone call. Jonah’s dog is badly injured. Can she help?
Dinah isn’t sure what she’s getting into, but she can’t refuse. Searching for an emergency vet clinic open that time of night, she takes Jonah and his dog in. They are met by veterinarian Garret Miller, who seems warm and kind toward Jonah and the dog, but icy toward Dinah.
As Dinah continues to help Jonah, she gets in over her head. As she, Jonah, and Garret interact, their lives change.
I loved the way Dinah’s story unfolded, with the author revealing just a bit at a time until the whole picture came into view. Garret is an enjoyable character, too, after getting past his initial standoffishness, which is explained later.
Dinah is not a Christian, having rejected her parents’ teaching and beliefs. The details of that situation are gradually revealed, too. Garret and Jonah are both believers, as is Dinah’s receptionist. But the faith element felt very natural and not forced.
I thought the ending wrapped up a bit too quickly, and I had a theological quibble with one sentence. But overall I really enjoyed the book.
July 29, 2018
“Heaven Sent Rain” is the story of Dr. Dinah Taylor, career driven CEO of a natural food pharmaceutical company, whose life is turned upside down when she decides to help Jonah, a seven year old boy and his dog who she believes is homeless. As Dinah interacts with more Jonah and his dog, she discovers that he is a talented artist yet him home life is in shambles.
Throughout the book, issues arise regarding Dinah’s new product as well as problem with Jonah’s dog Mutt. One night, Dinah receives a hysterical phone call from Jonah begging for her help. Once Dinah comes to Jonah’s aid, they take Mutt to a Garrett, a vet who has a love for caring for pets but who is also battling past demons of his own.
A mainstay of this novel is the role that God plays in both Jonah and Garrett’s lives. Dinah had a super restrictive religious upbringing and due to this, she is mad and bitter towards God. Despite her bitterness and angry feelings, through being chosen to become Jonah’s legal guardianship after the death of his mother and Garrett’s growing feelings for her, she becomes open to experience God’s love as well as the love of others.
Throughout the book, issues arise regarding Dinah’s new product as well as problem with Jonah’s dog Mutt. One night, Dinah receives a hysterical phone call from Jonah begging for her help. Once Dinah comes to Jonah’s aid, they take Mutt to a Garrett, a vet who has a love for caring for pets but who is also battling past demons of his own.
A mainstay of this novel is the role that God plays in both Jonah and Garrett’s lives. Dinah had a super restrictive religious upbringing and due to this, she is mad and bitter towards God. Despite her bitterness and angry feelings, through being chosen to become Jonah’s legal guardianship after the death of his mother and Garrett’s growing feelings for her, she becomes open to experience God’s love as well as the love of others.
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