Rain on Your Wedding Day

by Curtis Edmonds

Will Morse lives alone in a remote cabin in the mountains north of Atlanta, grieving over the loss of two of his daughters and the collapse of his marriage and career. Over Christmas, Will receives a visit from his only remaining child, his daughter Alicia, who broke off contact with him five years ago. Alicia informs Will that she's getting married in the spring, and asks him to attend the wedding. Alicia’s wedding is an opportunity for an aging Will to reconnect with his family and regain part of what he has lost. But Will struggles with his still-raw emotions over his role in his daughter Trixie’s suicide, and the resulting loss and grief. Will tries to reach out to the few women in his life to find a date, and makes an unexpected connection with Dorothy Crawford, a writer who shows up at his door, seeking directions. Will develops feelings for Dorothy, but finds that she has secrets of her own. As the wedding nears, Will must find a way to put the pain and guilt he feels Trixie’s death behind him, weigh the pain he feels at Dorothy’s betrayal with his own need for forgiveness, and pull himself together for his daughter’s sake. RAIN ON YOUR WEDDING DAY is a poignant, wrenching story about a father's love, a daughter's compassion, and the universal need for forgiveness and redemption.

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Drama, Contemporary Romance, Ebooks

278 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 17, 2013

About the author

My name is Curtis Edmonds; I am a self-published author living in central New Jersey. My new novel, A CIRCLE OF MOONLIGHT, comes out on December 21, 2021.

Reviews

[Markham Pyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Curtis Edmonds was born lucky.

I say that because not only did the good fairies Eudora Welty, Flannery O'Connor, and Katherine Anne Porter attend his christening, so too did the bad fairy without whom no writer can write anything worth a damn: Mark Twain, smelling of cigar smoke and brimstone. Yes, this is a right funny book; and right moving, as well. More than that, though: it has the necessary sulfur in the sweet iced tea. Curtis Edmonds has captured in cameo the human condition, with particularity and a sense of time and place, that works, as it always does work, to transcend these particulars and become universal. You may not know it - yet - but you don't just want this book: if you read this language and walk on your hind legs, you need it.

[Wise Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

A plain, simplistic cover yet eye-catching. Loneliness and loss were the words that sprang to mind when I saw it, and the title only enforced that thinking. I think it's a love story; a sad and maybe tragic tale of love and loss. Both the title and author name were understated but matched the cover beautifully. I don't think a screaming title or author name would be good in this instance (if I'm correct in my assumption that the novel is a tragic tale).

The blurb was straightforward, although I hadn't a clue as to what 'Southern Gothic' meant.

As I began to read the sample, I was drawn straight into the POV of Will Morse and immediately connected with his longing to be close to his daughter again after a tragic event. I was able, within a few paragraphs, to grasp the mood of the book and know exactly what the main character was feeling--brilliant! I'm buying!

Will Morse has taken himself to an old vacation cabin in the North Georgia mountains and had been there for five years; divorced from his wife and his last remaining child. But his child, an adult daughter called Alicia, calls him to tell him the news that she's getting married and she wants him at the ceremony. This is how the story begins. I thought it was going to be straightforward, but another tragedy and then a startling discovery about one of the main characters keeps me turning the pages.

The back-story was confusing at times as sometimes I found myself thinking I was in the present with Will, when in fact, I had been taken back a few years. That was my only criticism.

The emotion running through the book felt very real, and at times the depressive mood of it had me putting the book down several times, but that's not a criticism just my perspective. It's a gritty book and has excellent dialogue.

There were some great lines to lighten the tone: It was a good thing he was an ethnomusicologist; he would have starved to death as an actor. And: I looked a bit like Denver Pyle on the old Grizzly Adams TV show--the eccentric mountain man, but without the folksy.

Rain on your Wedding Day is a contemporary book, not really a romance, although there is romance in the story. The ending all came together nicely that made you feel pleased that Will was going to be happy at last.

[Krystal Marlein · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 cans of ice cold delicious coca-cola

Hope. Believe. Love.

All great literary masterpieces are laced with tragedy. Rain On Your Wedding Day falls into that category. It is a story compounded by tragedy. Heartbreak. Loneliness. Loss. Love. Family. Life. Death. Forgiveness. Redemption. Fathers & Daughters. And of course coca-cola! I honestly think that this story should go down in history as one of the greats.
It is beautiful and intelligently written. Flawless in it's writing and delivery. The characters are potent. Very well developed with a strong, intellectual dialogue. I honestly didn't know what to expect when I agreed to review this book but I am so very glad I took the chance. This is going to go down as one of my all time greatest most powerful reads. No matter what genre you prefer to read I strongly suggest to give this story a chance.
This story is full of memorable quotes and lines. It is a beautifully haunting tale that will stick with you long after the last word is read.

"I have lived a long life, and I have lost most everything I once cherished, but not everything. Not my daughter Alicia, and not the moment when I walked her down the aisle and handed her over to her husband. I have that now and I always will."

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book through Goodreads First Reads and thoroughly enjoyed it! The author does a great job depicting the solitude and pain a father feels after so much loss in his life. It is very interesting to see how he has adapted to his new life and the conflicts he experiences with the people and events that are pulling him in a different direction. True to the book, I found myself hoping and believing he would find love once again. I enjoyed the writing style, the seriousness of family conflicts, the funnier side to the different personalities, and being from the Atlanta area, I really enjoyed all of the local references. Enjoyed the UGA and Auburn references, both are part of our family! I'll be recommending the book to my book club, hope others enjoy it too.

[Andra Weis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won a copy of Rain On Your Wedding Day from the author, Curtis Edmonds, through a Goodreads giveaway. This story is of father navigating the bumpy road of guilt for the death of his youngest daughter while dealing with the loss of his eldest daughter. I became invested in the story quite quickly, not wanting to put it down. While the life of this hermit is being disrupted by first his last living child Alicia and then by Dot, we are drawn in and feel the many emotions Will is experiencing in coming to terms with finally reclaiming his life and putting the grief and guilt in its rightful place, in the past after 5 long years.

Great writing, good storytelling, all in all….a great and enjoyable read. Thank you Mr. Edmonds for writing such an engaging and well written book.

[Sheryl Sorrentino · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed Rain on Your Wedding Day by Curtis Edmonds, another lawyer-turned-writer, and am glad to have stumbled upon this fellow B.R.A.G.Medallion honoree because I probably never would have noticed it otherwise (as it is the fate of most self-published books to languish in obscurity).

There certainly is no shortage of loss and tragedy in this story, so if you don't like reading about upsetting topics, you probably won’t like this book. I, for one, have no problem with emotional subject matter as long as it is handled well, and this story was, for the most part. I genuinely liked protagonist Will Morse, which says a lot considering he is an aging ex-football player who lives as a recluse to avoid memories of the events leading up to and following the horrific suicide of his daughter, Trixie, most of which stemmed from his own imprudent (to put it mildly) actions in dealing with her mental illness. And that’s just one of three numbing losses Will has suffered (along with the death of his only son as a baby, and the death of his other daughter in a car crash). Add an embittered ex-wife and a conniving "girlfriend" (or is she?) to the mix, and you might think there is nothing to redeem this story, but you’d be wrong.

The overriding victory here is that Rain on Your Wedding Day brings the reader up close to Will in such a way that you feel a sense of looking out for him; I found myself hoping he makes it to his only living daughter’s wedding, survives the day (reasonably) intact, and otherwise winds up okay in the end. You will root for Will to reconcile with daughter Alicia because he wants to so desperately; because he deserves to; and because he is trying to make amends with all his might. Will is clearly a good man striving to do right by the three women precariously in his life (one of them a questionable new love interest), and for that, he deserves to be cut some slack for his less-than-stellar choices. He also needs (and deserves) to take care of himself and nurse his still-bleeding wounds, as they are injuries that will probably never heal completely.

I commend Mr. Edmonds for his (mostly) sensitive treatment of a most ghastly topic—the loss of one's children. We could all stand to look at how we would react if faced with similar tragedy in our own lives, and how we treat others who have suffered this terrible blow.

[Rabid Readers Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Rain on Your Wedding Day” is a ruggedly emotional story. Edmonds acknowledges his character’s pain without trivializing it in any way. This is a man struck low with grief. On the surface the novel sounds like one that might drag a reader down except that Will is written as a man with demons but one who really wants to make the best of what he has for his family. A reader might roll their eyes and say, “Sure he stays away from his daughter because its best for her” but as we get to know Will we know that he truly believes that the least harm he can do his family is through isolation. The bonus of Edmonds work is that we do truly get to know Will as we do the other characters. Danielle may seem cold and controlling but as we get to know her we know that’s the way she keeps her world in check. She’s lost a lot and while Edmonds could have easily written her in a one dimensional way he chooses instead to round her out and show us that whatever else Danielle might be, she cares deeply for her children.

The description gives away that Dot betrays Will. Suspension of disbelief must be employed heavily in the Dot/Will story-line. They are written as sweet, caring and playful and yet given the significance of the event in Will’s life shouldn’t he have recognized Dot? Or maybe Alicia have recognized her when they cross paths at the start of the book? Alicia does, I believe, say she looks familiar but the trial was only 5 years before and it was a huge event in the life of the Morse family. To not have recognized someone who was clearly prominent at the time is perhaps a little strange. Not only that but to have that particular story-line wrap so quickly was a bit of a perplexing moment.

At the end of the day, the main thrust of the novel was Will’s journey. Trixie, the daughter who killed herself and Francie, the daughter who died in an accident, haunt him. He sees them in dreams and nightmares. My favorite chapters are his conversations with the two daughters that show us so intimately Will’s inner-workings.

“Rain on Your Wedding Day” was a fabulous book. Well crafted and a roller coaster of emotion for the reader. I cheered for Will and his family through to the end.

[Penguinlady · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author sent me a copy of his book in exchange for an honest review. Here it is.

Mr. Edmonds is a wonderful writer. Without overwriting, he made it possible for me to understand the main character, even though he and I have not one single thing in common. Economy of words, especially in service of full character/plot development, combined with narrative sufficient to create and sustain a mood without sounding like Hemingway, is a rare gift. That said, there were still a few places where I would have done some pruning, but my overall impression is that this is a writer with a masterful command of the language and the ability to make it dance for him.

The plot includes most of the downer events that could be squeezed into one life. Yes, I found myself wondering what would come next, and something awful usually did. But that's what this book is about - man against both himself and the unrelenting forces that knock him off-balance. The spark of hope at the end developed a little too fast for me, but served the story well.

One character didn't ring true to me, but he wasn't one of the majors so it wasn't a major flaw.

There were two items that were dropped like a grenade into the story but were never followed up. The first came in reference to an inquiry about the son-in-law, which implied that there was a lot more that wasn't being said. The second, less critical to the plot but much more obvious, was the titles of the books in the box, for which the main character could find no common thread. Really??? I hadn't even finished the listwhen it became totally obvious why they were in the box. Granted, the main character wasn't a lit major, but neither am I. And there was no follow-up on this; he never asked anyone what the books meant. Both grenades fizzled.

I also don't understand the relationship between the title and the plot, except the very obvious one of rain on a wedding day.

Aside from those small points, I found this a good read. It took me a while to get into it, but once I did, I read it straight through. I'll be interested in reading future works by Mr. Edmonds.

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! I stayed up late last night just to finish it. When I was asked by the author to review this, I had no idea what to expect. The characters and storyline are so deep and very well-developed.

I love Will. He's is doing the best he can to survive after a series of tragedies strike his life. He is just what I would expect someone to do under the circumstances. No, actually, I think he is surviving better than I'd expect. I do not think I could go through what he goes through and still stay at all sane. I adore Toby, Will's soon to be son-in-law. He's a skinny eating machine and a little on the strange side. He's a musician, so I guess it's his artistic personality. Alicia, Will's daughter, is a great character. She has an artistic personality as well, but is a little more grounded than Toby.

The storyline is so emotional! It is so wonderfully written. You will just have to trust me on this one because it is really hard to review this without giving spoilers :) And I'm just not going to do that to you. It is so touching and moving. If you are a parent, you will feel Will and Danielle's pain. I'm not sure I would have reacted any differently than Danielle, so I cannot judge her. She does what she has to do to survive.

This is one that I highly recommend!

[Melanie Adkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Will Morse is an ex-football player. He's divorce and the father of four. The "normal" part of his life ends there. He's suffered unimaginable tragedy in his life and now simply wants to have a good relationship with is middle daughter. His life as a hermit living in a mountain cabin hasn't been easy but he saw it as necessary. Dot wanders into his life by accident, or so it seems, and Will finds he wants to be part of the world again. He wants to be with Dot and enjoy life. Will has to let go of the tragedy before he can begin to live again.

Curtis Edmonds did a fantastic job with this book. Well written with characters you want to reach out and hug. The story is heartwarming, tragic but full of love and hope too. Viewing this situation from the male perspective is a journey through pain, guilt and self loathing. Thankfully though, it comes out right in the end. I applaud Mr. Edmonds first novel and can't wait until he writes more.

I found it drags in places but overall it's terrific.

I gave this one 5 out of 5 cheers because the book moved me. Copy of book provided by author in exchange for a fair review~

[Casey Schelock · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a subtle novel. While I was reading I couldn't pinpoint what drew me in, but I wanted to keep reading. The writing style was easy to read and the emotions felt real. I could empathize with the characters and you really understood why they acted the way they did.

I enjoyed how the author integrated some flashbacks, or memories I suppose, to tell the story of Trixie's suicide and how it happened. I also liked that what happened to her wasn't a highly dramatic event. How she died was incredibly real and something I think most people could imagine actually happening to someone.

I didn't enjoy the 'conversations' Will had with his daughters. I don't think they added to the story at all and several times I skipped over them.

I think the biggest thing this novel has going for it is that anyone who has suffered any loss can relate to it and understand the characters well. The story and characters feel real. After reading, it makes you consider what you have in your life and how important your relationships are.

I received this book through goodreads First Reads

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Curtis Edmonds has written an absolutely satisfying debut novel here. Will Morse, an ex-NFL player, has retreated to a mountain cabin, to put some physical distance between his memories and as a form of self-penance. When his daughter shows up with her fiancee, as well as a woman named Dot, Will is forced to make some choices about whether he wants to stare down his demons, and what that will mean. In its premise, "Rain on Your Wedding Day" reminded me of Per Petterson's wonderful "Out Stealing Horses," and though the books are quite different, I enjoyed this almost as much as that master work. If I had any complaints, it would be that as a diehard NFL fan, I would have liked a bit more details about that part of Will's background, and maybe a fuller expansion of his relationship with Dot. These are mere requests for 'more' as I absolutely enjoyed this story, the tone, the characters and the size of the story as well. This is Curtis Edmonds' first novel; let's hope there are many more to come.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was chosen to receive this book as a Goodreads first reads winner thanks to the author Curtis Edmonds. Thanks Curtis!

I so much enjoyed reading this book. It was a tale of love and loss, of regret and remorse, of sadness and the possibility of a new beginning.

Will Morse has lived through more sadness and grief than anyone should ever have to suffer. Does all of that make you stronger or does it make you just want to crawl into a corner and punish yourself until the end of time? Consider the idea that you don't deserve to be happy. Will Morse doesn't believe he deserves happiness and that by closing himself off he can protect those he loves from further pain.

What would you do if you lost not just one of your four children, but three of them?

What would you do if when you finally decide to let someone chip away at the wall you have built to protect yourself, you learn that person may not be worthy of your trust?

Curtis Edmonds has hit a home run with his first novel. Thanks for the opportunity to read "Rain on Your Wedding Day" and to share my thoughts.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

This e-novel is a story of sorrow, guilt and forgiveness. Will Morse, retired NFL player, has retreated to a cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains after the deaths of three of his four children and the end of his marriage. He is racked with guilt and anxiety and can’t face the outside world. Too many people think he killed his youngest daughter. How she died and why is slowly revealed as the book progresses. It’s a scene I won’t forget anytime soon. Eventually, with the help of a new woman friend named Dot, he emerges from his solitude, but then Dot betrays him. As in all good novels, the plot unfolds with enough suspense to keep the reader reading. The title doesn’t work for me, I’m not sure I accept all that happened in the end, and my critique group would thrash this book for having such a sad-sack protagonist, but overall, I enjoyed this well-written first novel by Edmonds, who is an attorney by day.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is Mr. Edmonds first novel, and what a sad one it is. The main character, Will Morse, is depressed, living alone, has no contact with his remaining family after being accused of murdering one daughter, and hears two of his dead daughters talk to him almost each day. This story is an emotional roller coaster, with the only highlight in his life of looking forward to his yearly phone call with his remaining daughter.

Things start to turn around finally for Will once he is convinced by his daughter that he just has to be there for her wedding, that she wants him to walk her down the aisle. It takes all of Will's inner strength to do what she asks, but things finally come around for him.

While sad because it deals with so much tragedy in such a short time, it kept me reading to find out how Will learns to handle things in his life.

[Rhiannon Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I rarely find a male author who possesses a writing style I enjoy. I have had male authors request that I review their work and either their work doesn't fit my review criteria or they are trying to write in a female voice and the results are painful. So when I first saw the title/author combo of "Rain on Your Wedding Day" and "Curtis Edmonds" in a review request, I was initially skeptical. Reading further into the query, I found Edmonds writing humorous and likeable, making me less apprehensive. Upon reaching the summary I was sold on the story. I'm pretty sure that "a modern Southern Gothic novel (set in Blue Ridge, Georgia and Atlanta) about the need for forgiveness, redemption, and Coca-Cola" describes a perfect example of the type of book I love.

Read my full review here:
http://www.ivoryowlreviews.blogspot.c...

[Rachel Gilbey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book thanks to Firstreads. I Based on the blurb, I wasnt 100% convinced that it was my sort of book, but once it arrived I figured I may as well give it a read and I'm very glad that I did.

It was a fascinating story about a man, Will, who has suffered a lot of heartache in his life, and his coming to terms with the loss of 3 children.

Alicia his remaining daughter, after a 5 year absence gets back into his life properly and helps him heal.

The book was sad in places, and almost had me in tears at one point and the story gripped me a lot more than I thought it would. I would definitely recommend others to read this, and would be interested in reading any future books written by Curtis Edmonds.

[Nicola Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the heart wrenching story of a man and his battle of grief, loneliness and love. Will Morse turns to drink as he is struggling to cope with the death of his two daughters, with the demise of his marriage adding pressure on top. Will embarks on a true to life journey of overcoming his horrific luck for the sake of his remaining daughter and, her wedding day. In a strange twist of fate an unexpected visitor turns up at his door and will start him on he's painful road to happiness.

This book is written with such heart and true to life feeling that it will reduce you to tears. As a debut novel there is such promise in his writing skills that i really look forward to his next book.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the story of Will Morse, ex-football player and divorced father of four. Having lost three of his four children, his marriage collapsed and he took to living life as a hermit hiding away from life in a secluded cabin after suffering far too much tragedy for any one to take.

This story shows Will rebuilding his relationship with his remaining daughter, and explores him trying to find a way to live life again.

I found this book incredibly moving and could not put it down. I look forward to Mr Edmonds next book.

[WiLoveBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Will is retired and lives alone. He hasn't seen his daughter since his divorce from her mother 5 years earlier until she shows up to invite him to her wedding. This serves to snap him back into the real world and he finds himself dealing with his unresolved issues involving the loss of his three children, especially the daughter who committed suicide. This is a well written and emotional book. A story of loss, grief, guilt, and moving on. Well worth the read.

[Alison · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful book! I was hooked after the first paragraph and found it very hard to do anything else but keep reading.
So much tragedy, loss, guilt, heartbreak and pain and yet there is a profound sense of healing as the story progresses.

When I'd finished the book, I felt a great sense of peace and thankfulness for my relatively trauma-free life.

Curtis Edmonds, thank you for a beautiful literary experience. I am adopting Francie's mantra: hope, believe, love.

[Jeanette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn't put it down and finished it in a day! The characters were well written and believable. The story itself was heartwarming and endearing and definitely pulled on your heart strings. This was the authors debut novel and I look forward for more to come.

[Elizabeth Vahey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A tale of dealing with the loss of your children. It's a sad story embedded with hope. Set outside of Atlanta, GA, the author references key places in Atlanta giving additional enjoyment to this Georgian reader.

[Sara Moebes · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable story. Loved the change of pace with the point of the story being from the father's grief. I like the real start to Dot and Will's relationship. The writing was great and I felt like I was in Blue Ridge.

[Curtis Edmonds · Rating 5 out of 5]

RAIN ON YOUR WEDDING DAY (http://rainonyourweddingday.com/) is my debut novel, published in March 2013. Please feel free to add to your Goodreads shelves!

[Michelle "Champ" · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't often give 5 stars but I think this book was excellent. I stayed up til 1 am reading....dreamed about book and got up at 5 so I could finish it. Great story! Good character development.

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very intriguing story-line. I enjoyed the characters and the story. Would recommend to friends.

[Mary Podesva · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Had me interested right from the begining, give it a try........

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Will has been living in a kind of self-imposed exile for many years, after the death of three of his children and being divorced from his wife. The circumstances surrounding the death of his daughter Trixie have the most bearing on this - eventually ruled as suicide but not before Will was accused of her murder. In his advancing years, Will thinks he will always be alone and that it's the price he must pay for his only living daughter's peace. Until one day, she turns up unexpectedly to tell him she wants him at her upcoming wedding and that she's pregnant with his first grandchild. Alongside this, a mystery woman called Dot comes into his life after stopping by to ask for directions. What follows is a personal journey of dealing with his grief (or not), reconnecting with the outside world (albeit reluctantly) and thoughts around the ability to forgive and be forgiven. A sad and tragic tale with room for love and hope.

[Andrea Fisher · Rating 5 out of 5]

I downloaded a copy of Curtis Edmonds' Rain on Your Wedding Day as a promotional "freebie". I am not sure why, as I don't always enjoy male authors' books. However, clearly I was meant to have it!
I have lost an adult child of my own (not in such traumatic and tragic circumstances), but loss of a child is loss of a child, however it happens. I was able to relate well to the story, and although in some ways it was quite harsh to read, I did thoroughly enjoy it, and did not want to put the book down .... at least until it reached a "happy" ending! Great read indeed. Don't be put off by the male author, or the slightly worrying blurb. It was well worth the read. Thank you.