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Right as Rain
"I was struck by lightning and now there's rain following me around. I was struck by lightning and now there's rain following me around."
Recent high-school graduate Megh Rashid has plans to escape to the other side of the country for college and leave behind the stormy household she’s been trapped in for years. But things are complicated when she gets struck by lightning right before the start of a prestigious summer internship that’s key to her getting accepted to her dream university, and she wakes up to a storm cloud that follows her everywhere, seemingly attuned to her every emotion.
Megh’s struggles with depression, fear of leaving her home and loved ones, and uncertainty about her future cause the cloud to act up, creating rainstorms that dampen her spirits and her hopes of making an impact at her internship. With the help of fellow intern Lev Osman, a boy whose warmth makes her feel less alone, Megh has to find a way to control her feelings and decide what she’s willing to sacrifice in order to secure her desired future.
Recent high-school graduate Megh Rashid has plans to escape to the other side of the country for college and leave behind the stormy household she’s been trapped in for years. But things are complicated when she gets struck by lightning right before the start of a prestigious summer internship that’s key to her getting accepted to her dream university, and she wakes up to a storm cloud that follows her everywhere, seemingly attuned to her every emotion.
Megh’s struggles with depression, fear of leaving her home and loved ones, and uncertainty about her future cause the cloud to act up, creating rainstorms that dampen her spirits and her hopes of making an impact at her internship. With the help of fellow intern Lev Osman, a boy whose warmth makes her feel less alone, Megh has to find a way to control her feelings and decide what she’s willing to sacrifice in order to secure her desired future.
328 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 10, 2026
9 people are currently reading
4474 people want to read
About the author
Tashie Bhuiyan
9 books2,417 followersTashie Bhuiyan is the author of Right as Rain, I'll Pretend You're Mine, and several other novels. She is a New Yorker through and through, and hopes to change the world, one book at a time. She loves writing stories about gaining agency through growth and surviving against all odds. When she's not doing that, she's probably traveling, attending a concert, or bothering her cat, Zuko.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
March 15, 2026
First I have to take a moment to compliment the cover, that has to be the prettiest book cover I've ever seen, I'm obsessed. Now onto the book.
I like when the characters are smart. Megh doesn't know why the cloud happened but she immediately clocks that it is attuned to her emotions and finds a way to deal with it. To me it seems believable, and that's something I love about Tashie's writing, her characters feel real.
I related to the main character from the get go, I somewhat understood her home life and I was rooting for her to get to go far away as she wanted. I really wanted to see her succeed. I got really invested really fast, to the point I felt deeply all her emotions. I love LOVE Lev, he is such a perfect character, he made me laugh in a love confession I didn't even think it was possible.
To be fair Right as Rain made me incredibly emotional throughout the entire book. I lost count of how many times I cried. This was a very painful book, but it was also comforting and hopeful at times. A bit like a hug and a “everything will be okay eventually”, and I appreciate it more than I can say.
The cameos from I'll pretend you're mine characters made me miss that book so much(it's still a favorite of the year btw).
One thing about this author's books is that they always leave me wanting more(I would quite literally read thousands of pages, the characters' entire lives even), and this one is no different. I was absolutely not ready for it to be over, I don't feel ready to leave these characters. When I saw “acknowledgements” I when to the previous page because I couldn't believe it was over already. I don't know if I devoured it or if it is just a short book.
Ps: whatever you do DO NOT listen to Matilda by Harry Styles while reading this book, I did this mistake and I had to take a break for crying.
Thank you so much to Tashie for another perfect book, as long as you're writing I'll be reading. Also thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan for the ARC!
I like when the characters are smart. Megh doesn't know why the cloud happened but she immediately clocks that it is attuned to her emotions and finds a way to deal with it. To me it seems believable, and that's something I love about Tashie's writing, her characters feel real.
I related to the main character from the get go, I somewhat understood her home life and I was rooting for her to get to go far away as she wanted. I really wanted to see her succeed. I got really invested really fast, to the point I felt deeply all her emotions. I love LOVE Lev, he is such a perfect character, he made me laugh in a love confession I didn't even think it was possible.
To be fair Right as Rain made me incredibly emotional throughout the entire book. I lost count of how many times I cried. This was a very painful book, but it was also comforting and hopeful at times. A bit like a hug and a “everything will be okay eventually”, and I appreciate it more than I can say.
The cameos from I'll pretend you're mine characters made me miss that book so much(it's still a favorite of the year btw).
One thing about this author's books is that they always leave me wanting more(I would quite literally read thousands of pages, the characters' entire lives even), and this one is no different. I was absolutely not ready for it to be over, I don't feel ready to leave these characters. When I saw “acknowledgements” I when to the previous page because I couldn't believe it was over already. I don't know if I devoured it or if it is just a short book.
Ps: whatever you do DO NOT listen to Matilda by Harry Styles while reading this book, I did this mistake and I had to take a break for crying.
Thank you so much to Tashie for another perfect book, as long as you're writing I'll be reading. Also thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan for the ARC!
July 16, 2025
I'm soooo excited to share my newest book with all of you! RIGHT AS RAIN is a speculative contemporary novel about a girl living with depression who, after being struck by lightning, must find a way to get rid of the storm cloud attuned to her emotions that's begun to follow her around.
more soon!
more soon!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
➳ 3.75 ☆! ⛈️ spoiler free + mini review
⤷ so emotional and unique, im glad i got the opportunity to try this 🤍
arc! @ netgalley
⋆˚࿔ 6th review of the year
₊‧꒰my thoughts꒱ ‧₊ 🫂
⤷ let me start off by saying i REALLY enjoyed this!! when i applied for it i kind of went in blind but was so intrigued by the B E A U T I F U L cover!! im glad my instincts paid off bc this book was a need 🤍 it follows are fmc, megh, who gets struck by lightning one day and a cloud follows her around nyc, of course no one knows this, but now she also controls the WEATHER. so i found that super interesting! ofc there's a romance too dw
⤷ the main thing abt this book tho is the mental health rep! once you read the story you'll know what im talking about, but im very glad the author touched up on depression. i wanted to give megh the biggest hug ever. shoutout emily, sadia, and lev!
⤷ my main qualms were that i couldnt fully connect with the characters and i wish we got more of the magical realism aspect. i feel like i havent found a book where the magical realism is so prominent/its the perfect amount. i feel like this wouldve been way more whimsical! anyways, thats fine. and then the love story was sweet espc towards the end, i understand how megh was feeling though i cannot relate 💌
🌦️| overall, i do recommend and if this ever comes out in paperback i'd def pick it up!! im excited to see what ms tashie has next up her sleeve, and again, so glad i got to read a story as cool as this 🤍
➳ "for loving me in a thunderstorm. for keeping me alive when it mattered most."
➳ it sounds a lot like "im living" and i think i finally am.
➳ "promise me you wont forget that the sun will always be there waiting for you after the rain."
"i promise."
₊‧꒰info!꒱ ‧₊
⤷ find my book review on goodreads @elliexreads
⤷ recommend for young adult! 14/15+
⤷ contemporary young adult story w mental health rep + magical realism
publishing: march 10, 2026
₊‧ all ratings and opinions are my own ₊‧
⤷ thank you @netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review !🫂
there'll be no sunshine, if i loose you baby
---------------
₊‧꒰1.11.26꒱ ‧₊
⤷ YAY!! thank you sm @netgalley for the arc of this. the cover is GORGEOUS and the prose is very interesting. i can't wait to share my thoughts. ive been wanting to read this authors' work for a bit now! 💌
⤷ so emotional and unique, im glad i got the opportunity to try this 🤍
arc! @ netgalley
⋆˚࿔ 6th review of the year
"the people who love you always find a way to come back to you."
₊‧꒰my thoughts꒱ ‧₊ 🫂
⤷ let me start off by saying i REALLY enjoyed this!! when i applied for it i kind of went in blind but was so intrigued by the B E A U T I F U L cover!! im glad my instincts paid off bc this book was a need 🤍 it follows are fmc, megh, who gets struck by lightning one day and a cloud follows her around nyc, of course no one knows this, but now she also controls the WEATHER. so i found that super interesting! ofc there's a romance too dw
⤷ the main thing abt this book tho is the mental health rep! once you read the story you'll know what im talking about, but im very glad the author touched up on depression. i wanted to give megh the biggest hug ever. shoutout emily, sadia, and lev!
⤷ my main qualms were that i couldnt fully connect with the characters and i wish we got more of the magical realism aspect. i feel like i havent found a book where the magical realism is so prominent/its the perfect amount. i feel like this wouldve been way more whimsical! anyways, thats fine. and then the love story was sweet espc towards the end, i understand how megh was feeling though i cannot relate 💌
"he wants me to leave because he loves me"
"my parents want me to stay because they dont"
🌦️| overall, i do recommend and if this ever comes out in paperback i'd def pick it up!! im excited to see what ms tashie has next up her sleeve, and again, so glad i got to read a story as cool as this 🤍
➳ "for loving me in a thunderstorm. for keeping me alive when it mattered most."
➳ it sounds a lot like "im living" and i think i finally am.
➳ "promise me you wont forget that the sun will always be there waiting for you after the rain."
"i promise."
₊‧꒰info!꒱ ‧₊
⤷ find my book review on goodreads @elliexreads
⤷ recommend for young adult! 14/15+
⤷ contemporary young adult story w mental health rep + magical realism
publishing: march 10, 2026
₊‧ all ratings and opinions are my own ₊‧
⤷ thank you @netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review !🫂
there'll be no sunshine, if i loose you baby
---------------
₊‧꒰preview ᝰ.ᐟ꒱ ‧₊🌧️⛈️
₊‧꒰1.11.26꒱ ‧₊
⤷ YAY!! thank you sm @netgalley for the arc of this. the cover is GORGEOUS and the prose is very interesting. i can't wait to share my thoughts. ive been wanting to read this authors' work for a bit now! 💌
March 14, 2026
7 July 2025
OMG WE’RE ACTUALLY GETTING THE MOVIE FROM I’LL PRETEND YOU’RE MINE?! HELL YESSS
14 March 2026
Three things I need to add:
1. Why was this so short? I wanted more
2. Can I please erase Megh’s parents off the face of the earth please?
3. WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT ENDING HELLO?!
OMG WE’RE ACTUALLY GETTING THE MOVIE FROM I’LL PRETEND YOU’RE MINE?! HELL YESSS
14 March 2026
Three things I need to add:
1. Why was this so short? I wanted more
2. Can I please erase Megh’s parents off the face of the earth please?
3. WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT ENDING HELLO?!
August 19, 2025
4.5 Stars
Right as Rain follows Megh Rashid; after she gets struck by lightning, she must find a way to get rid of the storm cloud attuned to her emotions that’s begun to follow her around or lose her internship, which is her ticket to UCLA and her ticket out of her parents’ emotionally draining house.
Depression representation:
I have always loved the way Tashie has represented mental health in her books, and I was excited to see her representation going one step further in this book. I found tons of lines in Right as Rain that I related way too much to; one such line was "That's the thing. Nothing happened, and I'm still this fucking sad. What the hell am I supposed to do?"Many young readers will find solace in Right as Rain; I’m sure everyone will find something to relate to in this book.
Romance:
Miss Tashie KNOWS how to write a romance; Lev Osman was an amazing love interest. From the first meeting to their last meet, I could see the affection they had for each other. I believe healthy relationship representation is of immense importance, especially in young adult books, so that these teens who are soon going to be adults know what to look for in their partners. The author shows us that a person who loves you will be willing to send you to another state if it means you will feel safe and secure.
Magical Realism:
I liked the concept of a storm cloud following Megh and being attuned to her emotions a lot; it was fun to see her deal with the cloud with Lev. The only reason I reduced my rating was because we never get a proper explanation for how this cloud even came into existence.
If you loved Ann Liang’s If You Could See the Sun, you should pick this book up.
Right as Rain follows Megh Rashid; after she gets struck by lightning, she must find a way to get rid of the storm cloud attuned to her emotions that’s begun to follow her around or lose her internship, which is her ticket to UCLA and her ticket out of her parents’ emotionally draining house.
Depression representation:
I have always loved the way Tashie has represented mental health in her books, and I was excited to see her representation going one step further in this book. I found tons of lines in Right as Rain that I related way too much to; one such line was "That's the thing. Nothing happened, and I'm still this fucking sad. What the hell am I supposed to do?"Many young readers will find solace in Right as Rain; I’m sure everyone will find something to relate to in this book.
Romance:
Miss Tashie KNOWS how to write a romance; Lev Osman was an amazing love interest. From the first meeting to their last meet, I could see the affection they had for each other. I believe healthy relationship representation is of immense importance, especially in young adult books, so that these teens who are soon going to be adults know what to look for in their partners. The author shows us that a person who loves you will be willing to send you to another state if it means you will feel safe and secure.
Magical Realism:
I liked the concept of a storm cloud following Megh and being attuned to her emotions a lot; it was fun to see her deal with the cloud with Lev. The only reason I reduced my rating was because we never get a proper explanation for how this cloud even came into existence.
If you loved Ann Liang’s If You Could See the Sun, you should pick this book up.
August 30, 2025
4.5 ⭐️!!
I absolutely loved this book! This was my very first story by Tashie, and honestly, I regret not picking up her other works sooner because she absolutely nailed this one.
After Megh, our fmc, was struck by lightning, a cloud started to follow her, connected to her emotions. Because of this, Megh tried to keep her feelings at bay, but it wasn’t easy since she struggles with depression, not to mention the constant fighting between her parents that only made things worse. And yet, despite all of this, Megh kept pushing forward toward her dreams. Watching her slowly find strength, learning to live with her depression instead of letting it consume her, was honestly so satisfying.
Behind all the pressure from her parents, Megh is not completely alone. She has people who genuinely support and care for her, like her cousin Sadia and her best friend Emily. I loved both of their relationships with Megh, but if I’m honest, I preferred her dynamic with Sadia more. Sadia was always there for Megh, every second, never failing to take care of her, and always making sure she was okay whenever she was at her lowest.
And then there’s Lev, our mmc, my sweet Lev 🫠💟. He’s such a sweetheart, he's caring, selfless, and willing to do anything to make Megh happy, even if it meant making sacrifices, always putting others before himself absolutely melted me. He’s the very definition of a green flag, truly. I found their romance wasn’t an instant “boom", but rather a slow build of sparks into something tender and sweet. I do think the romance was pushed a little too far back in the book, but when it came, it was so worth it.
Tashie also succeeded in making me furious with Megh’s parents. Every time they spoke even just a word, I wanted to scream and slap them. And while I don’t personally live with depression, this book made me feel Megh’s pain,the heaviness, the exhaustion, the frustration of it all.
As for the ending… I won’t give anything away, but let’s just say I was a mess of tears. If possible, I’d love nothing more than a second book about Megh and Lev 🥹.
---
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for the ARC!!💟💟
I absolutely loved this book! This was my very first story by Tashie, and honestly, I regret not picking up her other works sooner because she absolutely nailed this one.
After Megh, our fmc, was struck by lightning, a cloud started to follow her, connected to her emotions. Because of this, Megh tried to keep her feelings at bay, but it wasn’t easy since she struggles with depression, not to mention the constant fighting between her parents that only made things worse. And yet, despite all of this, Megh kept pushing forward toward her dreams. Watching her slowly find strength, learning to live with her depression instead of letting it consume her, was honestly so satisfying.
Behind all the pressure from her parents, Megh is not completely alone. She has people who genuinely support and care for her, like her cousin Sadia and her best friend Emily. I loved both of their relationships with Megh, but if I’m honest, I preferred her dynamic with Sadia more. Sadia was always there for Megh, every second, never failing to take care of her, and always making sure she was okay whenever she was at her lowest.
And then there’s Lev, our mmc, my sweet Lev 🫠💟. He’s such a sweetheart, he's caring, selfless, and willing to do anything to make Megh happy, even if it meant making sacrifices, always putting others before himself absolutely melted me. He’s the very definition of a green flag, truly. I found their romance wasn’t an instant “boom", but rather a slow build of sparks into something tender and sweet. I do think the romance was pushed a little too far back in the book, but when it came, it was so worth it.
Tashie also succeeded in making me furious with Megh’s parents. Every time they spoke even just a word, I wanted to scream and slap them. And while I don’t personally live with depression, this book made me feel Megh’s pain,the heaviness, the exhaustion, the frustration of it all.
As for the ending… I won’t give anything away, but let’s just say I was a mess of tears. If possible, I’d love nothing more than a second book about Megh and Lev 🥹.
---
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for the ARC!!💟💟
March 13, 2026
genuinely how do I continue with my day. this book is so special - it has pieces of Sara (her winning it as the ARC signed edition) and me (coming out on my birthday) in it. in honor of a new book in the TBCU, I decided to reread EVERYTHING and what a joy. I still love Mira and Ace as they have my heart but Megh has my soul. but more on that in a minute. reading all the books - I feel seen and understand which considering all her characters have ISSUES is not the issue here. I stopped reading fanfiction to read the TBCU and honestly, cried. both would've made me cry but anyway to RIGHT AS RAIN. Megh my darling you are abosuelty going to get out and you did and I will get out one day too. This book made me cry more than Annabeth Chase (but barely to give annabeth credit) and HTTYD fanfiction (and considering its hiccup and his dad) YEAH WTF MEGH/TASHIE. anyway tashie noticed me again on TikTok so you best believe my ass also cried to that. Megh and her parents - while my parents are not that bad they are eerily so similar that the quotes that Megh's parents said are the EXACT SAME THING MINE HAS SAID TO ME. anyway I am still in their house so yeah I CRIED. More on Megh in a MINUTE. we gotta talk about my boy Lev. while his name is still odd to me, I love lev. sunshine reincarnated, Lev loves like I would one day wish to be loved and hope I love. ANWYAY they are so the great divide coded (and considering porch light came out today my ass was shackled to Noah kahan). Megh is so so SO relatable and I love her and yes her sucidial brain is again eerily same as mine she is my everything. I love her stupid little cloud and her depression always keeping her tied down (this book lowkey made me realize a few things regarding that but again ANWYAY). her cousin and her - I love them. I love that Sadia and Lev and Emily all her out. Megh got out and so will I. I am half debating getting whatever quote (tho I ALREADY KNOW SINCE SHE POSTED MY BOOK ON TIKTOK) tashie wrote labeled on my diary (the highest honor considering your girl doesn't do tattoos) LEV BUYING HER TICKET TO CALIFORNIA. evil. made me cry. her whole maybe if I stay in New York I will be happy - yo YO. I stayed in New York and now I am crying at the MERE THOUGHT OF GETTING OUT OF MY TOWN. oh and her not but almost long distance friendship with Emily - as a girl in one too many long distances friendship I SENT PICTURES AND EVEN SENDING MY FRIEND WHO IS GOING TO BOSTON THIS FUCKING BOOK BECASUE. AGAIN. I CRIED. "a mix of understanding and grieving" yeah tashie again WHAT. THE. FUCK. so many instances regarding her parents happened exactly the same to me but we will get into THAT later. her internship was so fun - I loved reading about it. SEEING MINA AND EMMITT AND THIRD EYE (M Y. B O Y S) and HAVING SUMMER'S SONG PINK ALSO KNOWN AS THE PART OF 'I'll pretend your mine' that MADE ME CRY AND WRITE TWO POEMS BASED OFF IT IN THIS BOOK WAS AMAZING AND I GOT SO EXCITED and SEEING EMMITT yeah he was so comforting. literally texted Sara going I NEED to reread aSfT. "can you lock me up the rest of my life" they did to me Megh. "no one deserves to have a daughter like you" TASHIE DO YOU READ MY DIARY CAUSE AGAIN WTF. anyway the scene of the well and the iconic wish and Lev's whole parents wanting to be together (also I wrote before this book that Tashie is gonna write about divorced parents since she hasn't done that - got two dead moms and a dead dad and many neglectful parents but no divorce and I WAS RIGHt) yeah I love Lev and wish to get to know his running - eating healthy - ass. I actually lied it wasn't Megh's depression and sucidal self alongside her parents or her love for her friends (or her tendency to say that she is loved as she counts how many people love her even though I been doing that since I was 12 and now I am 20 and I still think to myself I am loved beyond my own home just like Megh) that I found super duper relatble. it was actually her hatred for running. yeah. that got my ass. ANWYAY I loved her internship and her creating the change for HERSELF. and how relatable it was to absouety breakdown when your idol and your chance to get out sees you (and even tho she messed up and bawled which again so GODDAMN RELATBLE she stuck it out and) ugh. Megh you got out by YOUR OWN MEANS even if you did in secret. you got out.
anyway FOR THE LAST TIME. I love this book and definitely have more to say but I WILL END ON A HAPPY NOTE.
it has pieces of my soul y'all there's more I missed but that's all I got at 2:14 in the morning
listened to while reading:
do I wanna know BBC live: Hozier
Isimo: bleachers (all of Tashie's but especially Mina, Mira and Megh are ISIMO CODED)
porch light: noah kahan (I told y'all it came out today)
my tears richoet: Taylor (made me cry TWICE IN ONE DAY)
its time to go: Taylor (the song I said I will get tattooed on me. "but I got me" Megh's got me as she got out)
Matilda: harry styles (this was just for fun)
you're gonna go far: Noah kahan (again just for fun)
funeral: Phoebe Bridgers (this one was recommended via spotify and so ya know I had to)
the great divide: Noah Kahan
love this book <3
anyway FOR THE LAST TIME. I love this book and definitely have more to say but I WILL END ON A HAPPY NOTE.
it has pieces of my soul y'all there's more I missed but that's all I got at 2:14 in the morning
listened to while reading:
do I wanna know BBC live: Hozier
Isimo: bleachers (all of Tashie's but especially Mina, Mira and Megh are ISIMO CODED)
porch light: noah kahan (I told y'all it came out today)
my tears richoet: Taylor (made me cry TWICE IN ONE DAY)
its time to go: Taylor (the song I said I will get tattooed on me. "but I got me" Megh's got me as she got out)
Matilda: harry styles (this was just for fun)
you're gonna go far: Noah kahan (again just for fun)
funeral: Phoebe Bridgers (this one was recommended via spotify and so ya know I had to)
the great divide: Noah Kahan
love this book <3
March 14, 2026
This was a sad read, the author was able to depict depression so well that I was occasionally moved to tears while reading.
Meg’s parents are such terrible people I wished she was confident and told them off before she left.
Lev was a ray of sunshine in her life, I loved how he didn’t give up on her despite how cold she seemed in the beginning. Emily and her cousin were both very good support systems, it was refreshing to know she had people who had her back.
The magic realism with the rain and cloud was brilliantly written, I loved how it’s different from anything I have read. I also loved how after the rain and storms, she finally had sunshine.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting my ARC
Meg’s parents are such terrible people I wished she was confident and told them off before she left.
Lev was a ray of sunshine in her life, I loved how he didn’t give up on her despite how cold she seemed in the beginning. Emily and her cousin were both very good support systems, it was refreshing to know she had people who had her back.
The magic realism with the rain and cloud was brilliantly written, I loved how it’s different from anything I have read. I also loved how after the rain and storms, she finally had sunshine.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting my ARC
March 25, 2026
*3.75 stars
I usually adore all of Tashie Bhuiyan's books but this one didn't hit quite as hard. The protagonist was great and the conversation about mental health was as poignant as always. But Lev as the love interest was under developed and I never believed they actually fell in love with each other. I almost wish this story didn't have a romance element at all.
I did really enjoy the easter eggs dropped in for her other books, and I'm still very much looking forward to her next one!
I usually adore all of Tashie Bhuiyan's books but this one didn't hit quite as hard. The protagonist was great and the conversation about mental health was as poignant as always. But Lev as the love interest was under developed and I never believed they actually fell in love with each other. I almost wish this story didn't have a romance element at all.
I did really enjoy the easter eggs dropped in for her other books, and I'm still very much looking forward to her next one!
November 21, 2025
I looved this book! I recieved an ARC through NetGalley. I loved Megh and Lev together and I loved them separately. Tashie is always good at writing parental angst and this was no different. I liked how Megh's emotions and depression played into the weather aspect and how that affected their lives. This might be my new favorite book of hers.
July 29, 2025
Rating: 4.2⭐️
Thank you NetGalley for providing this arc. This book follows Megh as she navigates life in a toxic household, while struggling with her mental health. On top of all that she has a rain cloud following her around.
I really enjoyed reading about Megh and Lev’s relationship develop throughout the book. I also found Megh’s connection with her cousin Sadia and her friend Emily really sweet.
Thank you NetGalley for providing this arc. This book follows Megh as she navigates life in a toxic household, while struggling with her mental health. On top of all that she has a rain cloud following her around.
I really enjoyed reading about Megh and Lev’s relationship develop throughout the book. I also found Megh’s connection with her cousin Sadia and her friend Emily really sweet.
June 17, 2025
Tashie never fails to deliver a beautifully tragically written book with an amazing MMC and a funny and heartbreaking fmc. Had me hooked since counting down with you and I’m so excited I can hardly wait till march! ( yes this is five stars, no I don’t even have to read)
March 4, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!!
3 10/10 books in a row proves Tashie is one of my favorite authors. Probably in my top 3 romance writers tbh. I can’t read a book of hers and not cry at the end. Every single emotion I have goes into reading these books and I enjoy them so much.
Megh is one of Tashie’s most relatable characters to me so far. In the sense of her having major depression. The way she felt I feel sometimes. This highlights how important a community and people who love you and understand you is. Friends, family, & everything in between. Megh and Lev were so stinking cute. Some of the best chemistry. I just loved seeing them banter. Megh wishes to leave her abusive parents and follow her dreams of going to California. And people who love you will find a way back to you. While the themes of depression and anxiety made this a heavier read, this was so easy to get through and enjoy. But all of Tashie’s books are for me. Also, this is a fave cover of the year so far. It just highlights the story so well!
3 10/10 books in a row proves Tashie is one of my favorite authors. Probably in my top 3 romance writers tbh. I can’t read a book of hers and not cry at the end. Every single emotion I have goes into reading these books and I enjoy them so much.
Megh is one of Tashie’s most relatable characters to me so far. In the sense of her having major depression. The way she felt I feel sometimes. This highlights how important a community and people who love you and understand you is. Friends, family, & everything in between. Megh and Lev were so stinking cute. Some of the best chemistry. I just loved seeing them banter. Megh wishes to leave her abusive parents and follow her dreams of going to California. And people who love you will find a way back to you. While the themes of depression and anxiety made this a heavier read, this was so easy to get through and enjoy. But all of Tashie’s books are for me. Also, this is a fave cover of the year so far. It just highlights the story so well!
October 22, 2025
Someone please take this girl to the hospital I'm literally begging.
November 1, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review. Review to come.
March 13, 2026
tashie!!!!! i love this story!!!!
☀️🌞🌇🌦️🌤️💕☺️
☀️🌞🌇🌦️🌤️💕☺️
July 19, 2025
I usually LOVE Tashie’s books, but I sort of knew going into this one that it wouldn’t be for me.
Firstly, I’ve never loved a book that’s 90% normal with one random magical plot point that’s never really explained. It’s why One Last Stop was not the book for me either. It always ends up feeling a little ridiculous to me, and this book was unfortunately not the exception.
Secondly, I did not enjoy reading from the MC’s POV. I have sympathy for her and I understand that many people will relate very heavily to her experiences— I am not denying these things. However, she’s such a drag to live in the mind of. The first 40% of the book was just catastrophizing and anxiety over, frankly, stupid decisions. I do not deny the realistic element to it, but it just made the book feel like a chore. Again, I’m not a monster, I have compassion and understanding for Megh and people in her scenario, it just did not make for a good reading experience for me.
Now, all that said, this book is not atrocious by any means. I have a feeling there are many people who will love it very dearly. As usual, Tashie writes in such a fluid and natural way that reading her works is a breeze. I finished this in well under 24 hours. The many cameos and connections to her other works are also very appreciated. The romantic relationship is sweet, if slightly rushed, and I liked how it wasn’t treated as a cure all for mental illness.
All this to say, I did not particularly like this book, but it will definitely not discourage me from picking up Tashie’s next book the moment it’s released. She’s still a wonderful writer with a great talent for depicting romance. This book just didn’t click for me. It felt very personal and that’s not a bad thing. Can’t wait to see what she drops next!
Thank you, Netgalley, for the ARC!
Firstly, I’ve never loved a book that’s 90% normal with one random magical plot point that’s never really explained. It’s why One Last Stop was not the book for me either. It always ends up feeling a little ridiculous to me, and this book was unfortunately not the exception.
Secondly, I did not enjoy reading from the MC’s POV. I have sympathy for her and I understand that many people will relate very heavily to her experiences— I am not denying these things. However, she’s such a drag to live in the mind of. The first 40% of the book was just catastrophizing and anxiety over, frankly, stupid decisions. I do not deny the realistic element to it, but it just made the book feel like a chore. Again, I’m not a monster, I have compassion and understanding for Megh and people in her scenario, it just did not make for a good reading experience for me.
Now, all that said, this book is not atrocious by any means. I have a feeling there are many people who will love it very dearly. As usual, Tashie writes in such a fluid and natural way that reading her works is a breeze. I finished this in well under 24 hours. The many cameos and connections to her other works are also very appreciated. The romantic relationship is sweet, if slightly rushed, and I liked how it wasn’t treated as a cure all for mental illness.
All this to say, I did not particularly like this book, but it will definitely not discourage me from picking up Tashie’s next book the moment it’s released. She’s still a wonderful writer with a great talent for depicting romance. This book just didn’t click for me. It felt very personal and that’s not a bad thing. Can’t wait to see what she drops next!
Thank you, Netgalley, for the ARC!
Want to read
July 24, 2025i love how her name is megh and i'm pretty sure this book is going to leave me all emotional
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
5/5 ★
Date Finished ~ 02.27.2026
Thank you to Macmillan and Netgalley for this eArc!
★ 𝖕𝖑𝖊𝖆𝖘𝖊 𝖓𝖔𝖙𝖊 - 𝖒𝖞 𝖗𝖊𝖛𝖎𝖊𝖜 𝖈𝖔𝖓𝖙𝖆𝖎𝖓𝖘 𝖘𝖕𝖔𝖎𝖑𝖊𝖗𝖘 ★
"𝙷𝚒𝚜 𝚜𝚖𝚒𝚕𝚎 𝚒𝚜 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚝𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚞𝚗 𝚋𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚔."
"𝙰𝚗𝚍 𝙸'𝚖 𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚟𝚎. 𝙳𝚎𝚜𝚙𝚒𝚝𝚎 𝚒𝚝 𝚊𝚕𝚕, 𝙸'𝚖 𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚟𝚎."
""𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚔 𝚢𝚘𝚞," 𝙸 𝚜𝚊𝚢, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚑𝚘𝚙𝚎 𝚑𝚎 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠𝚜 𝙸 𝚖𝚎𝚊𝚗 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐. 𝙵𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚛𝚎 𝚜𝚞𝚖𝚖𝚎𝚛, 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚐𝚕𝚒𝚖𝚙𝚜𝚎𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚒𝚗𝚎𝚜𝚜, 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚋𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚗 𝚖𝚎 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝙸 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍𝚗'𝚝 𝚋𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚎𝚟𝚎 𝚒𝚗 𝚖𝚢𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚏. 𝙵𝚘𝚛 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚖𝚎 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚖𝚒𝚍𝚍𝚕𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚊 𝚝𝚑𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚖. 𝙵𝚘𝚛 𝚔𝚎𝚎𝚙𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚖𝚎 𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚒𝚝 𝚖𝚊𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚍 𝚖𝚘𝚜𝚝."
"𝙿𝚛𝚘𝚖𝚒𝚜𝚎 𝚖𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚠𝚘𝚗'𝚝 𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚐𝚎𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚞𝚗 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚊𝚕𝚠𝚊𝚢𝚜 𝚋𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚊𝚏𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚛𝚊𝚒𝚗."
𝑻𝑹𝑶𝑷𝑬𝑺 + 𝑺𝑷𝑰𝑪𝑬 ~
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ Grumpy x Sunshine
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ Found Family
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ Mental Health rep
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ❌🌶️
↳ Please note this book discusses topics like severe family abuse, depression, and suicidal ideation.
𝑴𝒀 𝑩𝑰𝑮𝑮𝑬𝑺𝑻 𝑻𝑨𝑲𝑬𝑨𝑾𝑨𝒀𝑺 ~
╰┈➤ Tashie paints such an accurate portrait of depression and this book was raw with emotion. I think the fact that she could also paint such a clear comparison of a depression spiral and how it feels like being in the middle of a thunderstorm, all with the magical elements of a real thunderstorm - it was utterly brilliant. She was unafraid to write the truth behind the lows, and especially the scary moments you hit rock bottom. I think a lot of readers who have experienced depression, YA and Adult alike, are going to resonate with Megh immensely.
╰┈➤ Something I surprisingly really enjoyed was the aspect that nobody knew just how bad Megh's parents treated her. I think as a reader, you want the MC to never battle anything difficult alone, and I found myself often thinking "Tell them! Rant, let it out, just let SOMEONE know how bad they are!" but then as I sat there and continued to think about it more, I realised how honest those moments were. When you face situations like that, the last thing you want to do is relive it. Yes I wished someone had witnessed just how abusive her parents were, but I also think it showed just how alone Megh felt. The thought of never wanting to burden anyone, or even worse, hear those same words by those she cares about.
╰┈➤ As a YA book, I think that Megh and Lev's love story is so refreshing to read, and that in the end Megh still chooses to follow her dreams (with Lev's utmost support of course). I think that those who read this and are also going to college soon, are going to take a valuable lesson away from this that relationships can end for good reasons too. That following your dreams are important and that the only person who can give you true, lasting happiness is yourself. Of course I 100% believe that Megh graduates UCLA, moves back to NYC to live with Sadia and work for Ida, and her and Lev get their HEA.
╰┈➤ I said this in my last review too regarding IPYM, but Tashie is an absolutely phenomenal author, and I think has one of the clearest narrations I've ever read time and time again. Her stories are always so detailed, so intentional, and this book was no exception. I CONSUMED this book, and found it so unbelievably hard to put down. I adored that this book brought back Summer and Jules (and Barbie), and it feels full circle in some cathartic way since these two stories essentially invented each other? Idk, it was just *readers kiss* perfection!
𝑰𝑵 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑬𝑵𝑫 ~
This book was so heartbreakingly beautiful, and I cannot begin to even explain how important this story is. Megh is going to help and save so many people, and I can't commend Tashie enough. I will forever be talking about her books, and recommending them to everyone because I genuinely cannot fathom why she is so underrated and why her books are not in every single household. I recently purchased Counting Down with You, and I am really looking forward to reading it.
𝕎𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕔𝕒𝕟 𝕗𝕚𝕟𝕕 𝕞𝕖:
IG: @abitofmagick
TT: @abitofmagick
Date Finished ~ 02.27.2026
Thank you to Macmillan and Netgalley for this eArc!
★ 𝖕𝖑𝖊𝖆𝖘𝖊 𝖓𝖔𝖙𝖊 - 𝖒𝖞 𝖗𝖊𝖛𝖎𝖊𝖜 𝖈𝖔𝖓𝖙𝖆𝖎𝖓𝖘 𝖘𝖕𝖔𝖎𝖑𝖊𝖗𝖘 ★
"𝙷𝚒𝚜 𝚜𝚖𝚒𝚕𝚎 𝚒𝚜 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚝𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚞𝚗 𝚋𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚔."
"𝙰𝚗𝚍 𝙸'𝚖 𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚟𝚎. 𝙳𝚎𝚜𝚙𝚒𝚝𝚎 𝚒𝚝 𝚊𝚕𝚕, 𝙸'𝚖 𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚟𝚎."
""𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚔 𝚢𝚘𝚞," 𝙸 𝚜𝚊𝚢, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚑𝚘𝚙𝚎 𝚑𝚎 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠𝚜 𝙸 𝚖𝚎𝚊𝚗 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐. 𝙵𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚛𝚎 𝚜𝚞𝚖𝚖𝚎𝚛, 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚐𝚕𝚒𝚖𝚙𝚜𝚎𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚒𝚗𝚎𝚜𝚜, 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚋𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚗 𝚖𝚎 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝙸 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍𝚗'𝚝 𝚋𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚎𝚟𝚎 𝚒𝚗 𝚖𝚢𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚏. 𝙵𝚘𝚛 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚖𝚎 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚖𝚒𝚍𝚍𝚕𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚊 𝚝𝚑𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚖. 𝙵𝚘𝚛 𝚔𝚎𝚎𝚙𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚖𝚎 𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚒𝚝 𝚖𝚊𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚍 𝚖𝚘𝚜𝚝."
"𝙿𝚛𝚘𝚖𝚒𝚜𝚎 𝚖𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚠𝚘𝚗'𝚝 𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚐𝚎𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚞𝚗 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚊𝚕𝚠𝚊𝚢𝚜 𝚋𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚊𝚏𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚛𝚊𝚒𝚗."
𝑻𝑹𝑶𝑷𝑬𝑺 + 𝑺𝑷𝑰𝑪𝑬 ~
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ Grumpy x Sunshine
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ Found Family
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ Mental Health rep
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ❌🌶️
↳ Please note this book discusses topics like severe family abuse, depression, and suicidal ideation.
𝑴𝒀 𝑩𝑰𝑮𝑮𝑬𝑺𝑻 𝑻𝑨𝑲𝑬𝑨𝑾𝑨𝒀𝑺 ~
╰┈➤ Tashie paints such an accurate portrait of depression and this book was raw with emotion. I think the fact that she could also paint such a clear comparison of a depression spiral and how it feels like being in the middle of a thunderstorm, all with the magical elements of a real thunderstorm - it was utterly brilliant. She was unafraid to write the truth behind the lows, and especially the scary moments you hit rock bottom. I think a lot of readers who have experienced depression, YA and Adult alike, are going to resonate with Megh immensely.
╰┈➤ Something I surprisingly really enjoyed was the aspect that nobody knew just how bad Megh's parents treated her. I think as a reader, you want the MC to never battle anything difficult alone, and I found myself often thinking "Tell them! Rant, let it out, just let SOMEONE know how bad they are!" but then as I sat there and continued to think about it more, I realised how honest those moments were. When you face situations like that, the last thing you want to do is relive it. Yes I wished someone had witnessed just how abusive her parents were, but I also think it showed just how alone Megh felt. The thought of never wanting to burden anyone, or even worse, hear those same words by those she cares about.
╰┈➤ As a YA book, I think that Megh and Lev's love story is so refreshing to read, and that in the end Megh still chooses to follow her dreams (with Lev's utmost support of course). I think that those who read this and are also going to college soon, are going to take a valuable lesson away from this that relationships can end for good reasons too. That following your dreams are important and that the only person who can give you true, lasting happiness is yourself. Of course I 100% believe that Megh graduates UCLA, moves back to NYC to live with Sadia and work for Ida, and her and Lev get their HEA.
╰┈➤ I said this in my last review too regarding IPYM, but Tashie is an absolutely phenomenal author, and I think has one of the clearest narrations I've ever read time and time again. Her stories are always so detailed, so intentional, and this book was no exception. I CONSUMED this book, and found it so unbelievably hard to put down. I adored that this book brought back Summer and Jules (and Barbie), and it feels full circle in some cathartic way since these two stories essentially invented each other? Idk, it was just *readers kiss* perfection!
𝑰𝑵 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑬𝑵𝑫 ~
This book was so heartbreakingly beautiful, and I cannot begin to even explain how important this story is. Megh is going to help and save so many people, and I can't commend Tashie enough. I will forever be talking about her books, and recommending them to everyone because I genuinely cannot fathom why she is so underrated and why her books are not in every single household. I recently purchased Counting Down with You, and I am really looking forward to reading it.
𝕎𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕔𝕒𝕟 𝕗𝕚𝕟𝕕 𝕞𝕖:
IG: @abitofmagick
TT: @abitofmagick
March 11, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
—
i don’t think words could accurately portray how amazing the depression representation in this book was even if i tried to find them. this book is just full of highlights and annotations and notes about how good it is. i would post a million screenshots if i could.
it’s truly a testament to the fact that we are an amalgam of our circumstances and experiences, and megh illustrates that beautifully. we meet her at a low point in her life and the fact that we get to see her grow and cope and figure things out little by little was so important to see. i can’t say i’ve been exactly where she is, but i’ve definitely felt like the state that i was in was going to be my forever. it’s a terrifying and hopeless feeling that this book encapsulates so well. but much like i eventually learned that all feelings are temporary, so did megh.
the notion that love can fix everything is something that this book also handles really well. it seems like an oversimplification and a tired concept, but it does work to a certain extent. having people that love and support you, like megh had sadia and lev, can truly make a world of difference. speaking of lev, my goodness he is just the epitome of everything that’s sweet and loving and kind. when you’re someone struggling against your own mind, having a partner that’s so patient and understanding is exactly what you need.
i also thought that this book portrayed acceptance really well. when you’re clinically depressed, you’re often like that for the rest of your life. that’s a very sobering thought, and the idea that you can learn to be happy despite it seems almost impossible. maybe even counterintuitive. but that was the whole turning point of the book. and it’s something that’s also incredibly terrifying to face, because what do you mean this is the rest of my life? but once we face this, we begin to learn how to move with and through it. but the panic that you can feel in the beginning stages of accepting that fact is so real and so incredibly displayed here as well.
megh was a little annoying at times, but that’s so incredibly realistic. i get annoyed at my own depression thoughts all the time. i just wish they’d shut up. like, i hardly want to deal with me sometimes. that’s what made her character so good. whether you’re the person with depression or you love someone with depression, it can be exhausting sometimes. you just wish you could get out of your own way, and most likely so does your loved one.
megh’s parents were… something. it seemed almost like they were cartoonishly evil at times, saying things that you should never say to your child. but unfortunately some parents are like that, and that’s something that i think was also done incredibly. i was rooting so hard for megh to finally get away from them. i knew that she would thrive so much if she did.
this book was just point blank incredible. it’s something i will definitely be recommending to others.
—
i don’t think words could accurately portray how amazing the depression representation in this book was even if i tried to find them. this book is just full of highlights and annotations and notes about how good it is. i would post a million screenshots if i could.
it’s truly a testament to the fact that we are an amalgam of our circumstances and experiences, and megh illustrates that beautifully. we meet her at a low point in her life and the fact that we get to see her grow and cope and figure things out little by little was so important to see. i can’t say i’ve been exactly where she is, but i’ve definitely felt like the state that i was in was going to be my forever. it’s a terrifying and hopeless feeling that this book encapsulates so well. but much like i eventually learned that all feelings are temporary, so did megh.
the notion that love can fix everything is something that this book also handles really well. it seems like an oversimplification and a tired concept, but it does work to a certain extent. having people that love and support you, like megh had sadia and lev, can truly make a world of difference. speaking of lev, my goodness he is just the epitome of everything that’s sweet and loving and kind. when you’re someone struggling against your own mind, having a partner that’s so patient and understanding is exactly what you need.
i also thought that this book portrayed acceptance really well. when you’re clinically depressed, you’re often like that for the rest of your life. that’s a very sobering thought, and the idea that you can learn to be happy despite it seems almost impossible. maybe even counterintuitive. but that was the whole turning point of the book. and it’s something that’s also incredibly terrifying to face, because what do you mean this is the rest of my life? but once we face this, we begin to learn how to move with and through it. but the panic that you can feel in the beginning stages of accepting that fact is so real and so incredibly displayed here as well.
megh was a little annoying at times, but that’s so incredibly realistic. i get annoyed at my own depression thoughts all the time. i just wish they’d shut up. like, i hardly want to deal with me sometimes. that’s what made her character so good. whether you’re the person with depression or you love someone with depression, it can be exhausting sometimes. you just wish you could get out of your own way, and most likely so does your loved one.
megh’s parents were… something. it seemed almost like they were cartoonishly evil at times, saying things that you should never say to your child. but unfortunately some parents are like that, and that’s something that i think was also done incredibly. i was rooting so hard for megh to finally get away from them. i knew that she would thrive so much if she did.
this book was just point blank incredible. it’s something i will definitely be recommending to others.
August 24, 2025
Thank you Netgalley and Farrah, Straus and Giroux for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Tashie Bhuiyan’s “Right as Rain” is a heartfelt, emotional, and often heavy young adult novel that focuses on contemporary realism with a touch of magical whimsy to explore depression, resilience, and the search for hope. Before going into this book, you should be aware of content warnings such as depression and suicidal ideation. I would recommend this book to more mature YA readers as the story and Megh’s emotions get pretty dark.
The story follows Megh, a teenager living in a toxic household where her parents’ constant fighting and verbal abuse leave her feeling unloved, unwanted, and blamed for everything, even her own depression. When Megh is literally struck by lightning, a mysterious rain cloud begins to follow her, mirroring her emotions and making visible what she has always felt inside. The premise may sound unusual, but it works as a powerful metaphor: depression isn’t invisible, it hangs over you, changing how you move through the world.
What makes “Right as Rain” so striking is its honest, sometimes unflinching depiction of mental health. Megh’s negative self-talk, spirals of hopelessness, and desperation to escape her home life are painfully real. This book doesn’t shy away from suicidal ideation or the crushing weight of depression, which (as stated earlier) makes it best suited for mature YA readers. But amid the darkness, there are rays of light, such as Megh’s cousin Sadia, her best friend Emily, and most of all Lev, the gentle and supportive new friend who becomes something more. Their banter, care, and slow-burn romance add warmth to the narrative without reducing love to a “cure” for depression.
Bhuiyan’s writing is fluid and engaging, bringing humor, tenderness, and raw honesty together. While I did find Megh’s perspective a bit difficult with her self-deprecation and catastrophizing are heavy to sit with, the emotional depth is what makes the story so resonant. Megh’s journey may feel deeply relatable, even healing, as the book illustrates that depression is not weakness, and that finding support and joy, however fleeting, can keep you moving forward.
There are moments where the magical element feels underexplored, and Megh’s growth at the end may seem a little abrupt, but the themes shine through: sunshine isn’t guaranteed, and happiness isn’t constant, but even small glimpses of light are worth holding onto. Lev’s reminder that Megh’s dreams matter more than any temporary comfort is one of the most powerful takeaways.
With a tender romance and an unflinching portrayal of mental illness, “Right as Rain” is a moving and important read. It’s a story for anyone who has ever felt the weight of their own rain cloud, and a reminder that while storms can last a long time, they don’t define you.
Tashie Bhuiyan’s “Right as Rain” is a heartfelt, emotional, and often heavy young adult novel that focuses on contemporary realism with a touch of magical whimsy to explore depression, resilience, and the search for hope. Before going into this book, you should be aware of content warnings such as depression and suicidal ideation. I would recommend this book to more mature YA readers as the story and Megh’s emotions get pretty dark.
The story follows Megh, a teenager living in a toxic household where her parents’ constant fighting and verbal abuse leave her feeling unloved, unwanted, and blamed for everything, even her own depression. When Megh is literally struck by lightning, a mysterious rain cloud begins to follow her, mirroring her emotions and making visible what she has always felt inside. The premise may sound unusual, but it works as a powerful metaphor: depression isn’t invisible, it hangs over you, changing how you move through the world.
What makes “Right as Rain” so striking is its honest, sometimes unflinching depiction of mental health. Megh’s negative self-talk, spirals of hopelessness, and desperation to escape her home life are painfully real. This book doesn’t shy away from suicidal ideation or the crushing weight of depression, which (as stated earlier) makes it best suited for mature YA readers. But amid the darkness, there are rays of light, such as Megh’s cousin Sadia, her best friend Emily, and most of all Lev, the gentle and supportive new friend who becomes something more. Their banter, care, and slow-burn romance add warmth to the narrative without reducing love to a “cure” for depression.
Bhuiyan’s writing is fluid and engaging, bringing humor, tenderness, and raw honesty together. While I did find Megh’s perspective a bit difficult with her self-deprecation and catastrophizing are heavy to sit with, the emotional depth is what makes the story so resonant. Megh’s journey may feel deeply relatable, even healing, as the book illustrates that depression is not weakness, and that finding support and joy, however fleeting, can keep you moving forward.
There are moments where the magical element feels underexplored, and Megh’s growth at the end may seem a little abrupt, but the themes shine through: sunshine isn’t guaranteed, and happiness isn’t constant, but even small glimpses of light are worth holding onto. Lev’s reminder that Megh’s dreams matter more than any temporary comfort is one of the most powerful takeaways.
With a tender romance and an unflinching portrayal of mental illness, “Right as Rain” is a moving and important read. It’s a story for anyone who has ever felt the weight of their own rain cloud, and a reminder that while storms can last a long time, they don’t define you.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Rating: 3.75⭐️
This book honestly feels like a fresh direction compared to Tashie Bhuiyan’s previous works, and the magical realism element is the real star of the show here.
I loved the rain cloud concept. The way Megh’s little personal rain cloud changes depending on her emotions is such a unique idea. It’s slightly chaotic and surprisingly expressive. It adds this soft magical layer to the story while still keeping the grounded, emotional tone that the author usually writes so well.
And the romance was adorable! Megh and Lev are basically polar opposites at the core, which is exactly what makes their dynamic work. Their personalities bounce off each other so naturally, and their interactions have that sweet, awkward, sometimes chaotic charm that makes me want to keep reading just to see what they’ll say next.
Another thing I enjoyed was the writing style. If you’ve read other books by Tashie Bhuiyan, you’ll probably recognize the vibe immediately. It has that familiar witty tone that makes the story feel approachable and emotionally grounded. The dialogue flows easily, and it helps the plot move along without feeling too heavy.
But I’m starting to notice a pattern in her books. And it’s both a good thing and… not such a great thing.
The good part is that her stories always have this very realistic, relatable emotional core. The family conflicts, the pressure, the feeling of being misunderstood. Those parts hit hard and make it easier to connect with the characters.
However, the downside is that a lot of the conflicts start to feel very similar. At this point, it kind of feels like the same story structure repeating itself with different character names. The conflict often centers around toxic parents who try to stop the FMC from pursuing her dreams because they see it as selfish or ungrateful, and some of the FMCs end up feeling very similar personality-wise.
After a few books, it starts to become a little predictable. Which is why I was especially excited about this one because the magical realism element felt like something new and different. And while I really enjoyed that aspect, the overall execution of the story still followed a pretty familiar formula compared to the author’s other books.
That being said, I’m still very curious to see what Tashie Bhuiyan writes next. I’d genuinely love to see her experiment with more genres, different plot structures, or new types of conflicts, because her writing style is engaging and her stories always carry strong emotional themes.
════════════════════════
Thank you to Macmillan and NetGalley for the ARC!
This book honestly feels like a fresh direction compared to Tashie Bhuiyan’s previous works, and the magical realism element is the real star of the show here.
I loved the rain cloud concept. The way Megh’s little personal rain cloud changes depending on her emotions is such a unique idea. It’s slightly chaotic and surprisingly expressive. It adds this soft magical layer to the story while still keeping the grounded, emotional tone that the author usually writes so well.
And the romance was adorable! Megh and Lev are basically polar opposites at the core, which is exactly what makes their dynamic work. Their personalities bounce off each other so naturally, and their interactions have that sweet, awkward, sometimes chaotic charm that makes me want to keep reading just to see what they’ll say next.
Another thing I enjoyed was the writing style. If you’ve read other books by Tashie Bhuiyan, you’ll probably recognize the vibe immediately. It has that familiar witty tone that makes the story feel approachable and emotionally grounded. The dialogue flows easily, and it helps the plot move along without feeling too heavy.
But I’m starting to notice a pattern in her books. And it’s both a good thing and… not such a great thing.
The good part is that her stories always have this very realistic, relatable emotional core. The family conflicts, the pressure, the feeling of being misunderstood. Those parts hit hard and make it easier to connect with the characters.
However, the downside is that a lot of the conflicts start to feel very similar. At this point, it kind of feels like the same story structure repeating itself with different character names. The conflict often centers around toxic parents who try to stop the FMC from pursuing her dreams because they see it as selfish or ungrateful, and some of the FMCs end up feeling very similar personality-wise.
After a few books, it starts to become a little predictable. Which is why I was especially excited about this one because the magical realism element felt like something new and different. And while I really enjoyed that aspect, the overall execution of the story still followed a pretty familiar formula compared to the author’s other books.
That being said, I’m still very curious to see what Tashie Bhuiyan writes next. I’d genuinely love to see her experiment with more genres, different plot structures, or new types of conflicts, because her writing style is engaging and her stories always carry strong emotional themes.
════════════════════════
Thank you to Macmillan and NetGalley for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Genre 📚: YA Speculative Fiction, Coming-of-age, Romance
Tropes 💁♀️: Empathetic environment, Family drama, Grumpy x Sunshine
Rep ✔️: Bangladeshi American main character, Turkish American love interest, queer side character
CW ⚠️: Depression, suicidal ideation, anxiety, panic attacks, emotional (and some physical) abuse
Rating ⭐️: 4.5/5
Tashie Bhuiyan is quickly becoming one of my favorite YA authors. After Stay With My Heart, I’ll Pretend You’re Mind, and now Right as Rain, I’m convinced that I’ll love whatever the heck she writes. And I’ll love her beautifully complicated characters. This book follows FMC Megh, a recent high school grad who is desperate to leave her emotionally abusive parents behind and start anew in California. Her depression is overwhelming, and it soon manifests into a literal storm… She’s struck by lightning, and she wakes up to find a cloud above her head. A cloud that rains depending on her emotions.
Soooo, that’s inconvenient. It’s actually quite disastrous since her emotions cause a heavy rain over the entire city, affecting everyone else. Luckily for her, she meets a cute, sunshiney boy at her internship -- who just happens to be a meteorology student. They work together to figure out her predicament, to figure out how to ease her sadness, and they end up catching feelings in the process. Megh and Lev have a very sweet connection, and though Megh thought it impossible, they are able to have pockets of joy. Only pockets, though, because… Well, love doesn’t solve everything. As much as we want it to.
Reading this book was tough at times, as Megh’s dark thoughts reignited my own thoughts and experiences with depression. But as tough as it was, it was also very real and raw and, most importantly, validating. I always appreciate Tashie’s themes with mental health and the way they’re a separate being from the romance. That being said, her romantic storylines are also flippin’ fantastic. They’re tender, they’re electric, and they just leave me feeling good. Even throughout the tears, the fights, the dramatic rain scenes, there’s still that feeling of hope.
**Much thanks to NetGalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Right as Rain will be released on March 10, 2026.
Tropes 💁♀️: Empathetic environment, Family drama, Grumpy x Sunshine
Rep ✔️: Bangladeshi American main character, Turkish American love interest, queer side character
CW ⚠️: Depression, suicidal ideation, anxiety, panic attacks, emotional (and some physical) abuse
Rating ⭐️: 4.5/5
Tashie Bhuiyan is quickly becoming one of my favorite YA authors. After Stay With My Heart, I’ll Pretend You’re Mind, and now Right as Rain, I’m convinced that I’ll love whatever the heck she writes. And I’ll love her beautifully complicated characters. This book follows FMC Megh, a recent high school grad who is desperate to leave her emotionally abusive parents behind and start anew in California. Her depression is overwhelming, and it soon manifests into a literal storm… She’s struck by lightning, and she wakes up to find a cloud above her head. A cloud that rains depending on her emotions.
Soooo, that’s inconvenient. It’s actually quite disastrous since her emotions cause a heavy rain over the entire city, affecting everyone else. Luckily for her, she meets a cute, sunshiney boy at her internship -- who just happens to be a meteorology student. They work together to figure out her predicament, to figure out how to ease her sadness, and they end up catching feelings in the process. Megh and Lev have a very sweet connection, and though Megh thought it impossible, they are able to have pockets of joy. Only pockets, though, because… Well, love doesn’t solve everything. As much as we want it to.
Reading this book was tough at times, as Megh’s dark thoughts reignited my own thoughts and experiences with depression. But as tough as it was, it was also very real and raw and, most importantly, validating. I always appreciate Tashie’s themes with mental health and the way they’re a separate being from the romance. That being said, her romantic storylines are also flippin’ fantastic. They’re tender, they’re electric, and they just leave me feeling good. Even throughout the tears, the fights, the dramatic rain scenes, there’s still that feeling of hope.
**Much thanks to NetGalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Right as Rain will be released on March 10, 2026.
July 28, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
i wish this wasn’t an ARC so i could quote this whole book because it quite frankly changed me. not only that but it helped me. Megh has always known there’s been a theoretical rain cloud that follows her. It’s who she is, she’s accepted that. However when that rain cloud actually materializes and is controlled by her emotions, everything gets a little harder. What would you do, and how far would you go, to be happy? If the weather was all on your shoulders? Well Megh has no idea but luckily a new face, Lev, has a couple. i like seriously don’t know how to put into words what this book means to me. I have always enjoyed Tashie’s writing, and each new book comes feeling a little more seen by the stories i use to escape. this story however was a story that hit so close to home it hurt in a beautiful way. i think depression is a word that is scary to a lot of people. i also think people think it’s just a scary word. but this book showed the ins and outs and the difficulties that come with it. you don’t know why your brain won’t let you be happy, you don’t understand why you spiral til you feel so far deep there’s no point in getting out. this book SHOWED THAT. it showed the dark thoughts that come, the way the small things that bring us joy are so important. as a pathological people pleaser i never want my mood to affect others. so if the weather depended on my mood there would be no hiding it beneath a self depreciating joke or forced smile. we get to see that with Megh. we get to see the spirals and the dark thoughts. but the best part? we get to see the sun after the rain. even if it’s just for a moment, it’s enough to keep Megh going. enough for her to continue searching for the light. sunshine is never promised, it’s about what we do in the rain that counts, and i think this book showed that beautifully. i was crying from the authors note and beyond, but i also giggled and kicked my feet. all in all this book has changed me and made my soul a little brighter.
Songs i thought of while reading:
Noah Kahans entire discography
i wish this wasn’t an ARC so i could quote this whole book because it quite frankly changed me. not only that but it helped me. Megh has always known there’s been a theoretical rain cloud that follows her. It’s who she is, she’s accepted that. However when that rain cloud actually materializes and is controlled by her emotions, everything gets a little harder. What would you do, and how far would you go, to be happy? If the weather was all on your shoulders? Well Megh has no idea but luckily a new face, Lev, has a couple. i like seriously don’t know how to put into words what this book means to me. I have always enjoyed Tashie’s writing, and each new book comes feeling a little more seen by the stories i use to escape. this story however was a story that hit so close to home it hurt in a beautiful way. i think depression is a word that is scary to a lot of people. i also think people think it’s just a scary word. but this book showed the ins and outs and the difficulties that come with it. you don’t know why your brain won’t let you be happy, you don’t understand why you spiral til you feel so far deep there’s no point in getting out. this book SHOWED THAT. it showed the dark thoughts that come, the way the small things that bring us joy are so important. as a pathological people pleaser i never want my mood to affect others. so if the weather depended on my mood there would be no hiding it beneath a self depreciating joke or forced smile. we get to see that with Megh. we get to see the spirals and the dark thoughts. but the best part? we get to see the sun after the rain. even if it’s just for a moment, it’s enough to keep Megh going. enough for her to continue searching for the light. sunshine is never promised, it’s about what we do in the rain that counts, and i think this book showed that beautifully. i was crying from the authors note and beyond, but i also giggled and kicked my feet. all in all this book has changed me and made my soul a little brighter.
Songs i thought of while reading:
Noah Kahans entire discography
September 5, 2025
Thank you to Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for the ARC of Right as Rain by Tashie Bhuiyan.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5 Stars
Right as Rain has a slow start, and it took me a while to get through the first fifty pages. After that? I finished the book within a day. This book has romance but it is not a romance book. It is a coming of age story about a girl battling through depression. This is one of the best depictions of depression I’ve seen in a while.
Megh Rashid is real and raw. She’s antisocial, her only friends being her older cousin and her best friend, Emily. Her parents are in a loveless marriage, and in turn have no love for Megh either. Megh has dreams of escaping and with the help of her cousin, she gets an internship that changes her life. Every thought, feeling, and interaction she has feels real.
The magical realism aspect of the novel was one of the things that pulled me in the most. It’s when the story picks up, personifying her emotions as a cloud. It’s simple, often clouds being used to describe our emotions, but it’s well done, pulling in the reader at every turn.
Lev Osman is a highlight of this book. He’s bright and friendly, a nice change from the normally broody male characters in most others books in the YA genre. Megh and Lev are reverse grumpy x sunshine, where Megh is grumpy and Lev is the sunshine (Ironic since Lev often calls Megh Sunshine). He feels real and full, as do all the characters
*Potential spoilers in next paragraph*
I’m really glad that this is as a story that tried to say that romance and love can fix depression. Instead, it actively challenges the idea. Lev truly shows how much he loves Megh as he would rather let her go than have her never achieve her dreams. Something her parents would never do.
*Spoilers rant over*
Overall, Right as Rain is a beautiful coming of age story that explores depression, love, and dreams. It’s a short read that takes a minute to get into, but once you do, it’s a page turner.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5 Stars
Right as Rain has a slow start, and it took me a while to get through the first fifty pages. After that? I finished the book within a day. This book has romance but it is not a romance book. It is a coming of age story about a girl battling through depression. This is one of the best depictions of depression I’ve seen in a while.
Megh Rashid is real and raw. She’s antisocial, her only friends being her older cousin and her best friend, Emily. Her parents are in a loveless marriage, and in turn have no love for Megh either. Megh has dreams of escaping and with the help of her cousin, she gets an internship that changes her life. Every thought, feeling, and interaction she has feels real.
The magical realism aspect of the novel was one of the things that pulled me in the most. It’s when the story picks up, personifying her emotions as a cloud. It’s simple, often clouds being used to describe our emotions, but it’s well done, pulling in the reader at every turn.
Lev Osman is a highlight of this book. He’s bright and friendly, a nice change from the normally broody male characters in most others books in the YA genre. Megh and Lev are reverse grumpy x sunshine, where Megh is grumpy and Lev is the sunshine (Ironic since Lev often calls Megh Sunshine). He feels real and full, as do all the characters
*Potential spoilers in next paragraph*
I’m really glad that this is as a story that tried to say that romance and love can fix depression. Instead, it actively challenges the idea. Lev truly shows how much he loves Megh as he would rather let her go than have her never achieve her dreams. Something her parents would never do.
*Spoilers rant over*
Overall, Right as Rain is a beautiful coming of age story that explores depression, love, and dreams. It’s a short read that takes a minute to get into, but once you do, it’s a page turner.
September 30, 2025
Review: 4.5 stars
Thank you, MacMillan Children for the eARC via Netgalley.
I love Tashie’s recent book and was excited to see her releasing a new book with a gorgeous cover!
Megh Rashid suffers from depression which is constantly triggered by her parents and their unhappy marriage which trickles down to the household and resulting in a toxic household. Megh applies to UCLA in hopes of getting accepted so she could escape from her parents and NY but have been waitlisted. Unexpected circumstances lead to an opportunity to intern at the prestigious company managed by a UCLA alumni. When Meg is struck by lightning, a mysterious cloud attuned to her emotions resulted. What is usually invisible becomes visible and might jeopardize her internship - will she be able to get into the prestigious UCLA she so desperately wants?
This one breaks my heart, what Megh suffers is real and raw - her battle with anxiety and depression daily was realistic and her struggles to constantly just live for herself is so sad. This also results in her antisocial-ness or lack of bother for most things. I love that she has support in the form of Emily, her best friend and Sadia, her cousin. It’s also beautiful to see her let in Lev, who she at first dislikes and trusts due to her nature…
I love that the author wrote how love doesn’t fix everything even though it hurts and while depression will never go away, finding a way to live with it daily through pockets of small happiness does help. I also love the theme of loving someone enough that you want to let them go to chase their dream is also explored here.
The magical realism portrayed here is woven very well throughout the story and is so unique. I just wish a little more of it could be explored! I finished this one in one day and definitely recommend it.
Thank you, MacMillan Children for the eARC via Netgalley.
I love Tashie’s recent book and was excited to see her releasing a new book with a gorgeous cover!
Megh Rashid suffers from depression which is constantly triggered by her parents and their unhappy marriage which trickles down to the household and resulting in a toxic household. Megh applies to UCLA in hopes of getting accepted so she could escape from her parents and NY but have been waitlisted. Unexpected circumstances lead to an opportunity to intern at the prestigious company managed by a UCLA alumni. When Meg is struck by lightning, a mysterious cloud attuned to her emotions resulted. What is usually invisible becomes visible and might jeopardize her internship - will she be able to get into the prestigious UCLA she so desperately wants?
This one breaks my heart, what Megh suffers is real and raw - her battle with anxiety and depression daily was realistic and her struggles to constantly just live for herself is so sad. This also results in her antisocial-ness or lack of bother for most things. I love that she has support in the form of Emily, her best friend and Sadia, her cousin. It’s also beautiful to see her let in Lev, who she at first dislikes and trusts due to her nature…
I love that the author wrote how love doesn’t fix everything even though it hurts and while depression will never go away, finding a way to live with it daily through pockets of small happiness does help. I also love the theme of loving someone enough that you want to let them go to chase their dream is also explored here.
The magical realism portrayed here is woven very well throughout the story and is so unique. I just wish a little more of it could be explored! I finished this one in one day and definitely recommend it.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I really appreciated the depression rep in this book!
I must give Tashie kudos -- I liked the creativity with how she portrayed depression here. I'm a big fan of metaphors as a conveyance of something bigger, and the idea of using a raincloud/the weather as an obstacle Megh has to overcome was very interesting.
Megh's parents were... not pleasant to be around (to say the least), and I would probably be just as depressed and cornered living with them. But she has her cousin, Sadia, and her best friend, Emily, as her support system, and that goes a LONG way. Sadia was the one who got her the internship at the Today's Show, which Megh is hoping to use to get off the waitlist to UCLA. But nothing goes right; the weather becomes constantly stormy and rainy the more stressed she is, and until the weather clears, Ida, her boss, won't give her any attention.
As mentioned before, I really like the idea of Megh needing to work through her mental illness to overcome this. I also appreciated the mentions of her insomnia, which, from my personal experience, is a genuine symptom of depression.
That said, I need to add that I found the romance very unconvincing. I wasn't sure why the male lead, Lev, was interested in her from the start when she was so standoffish and unfriendly to him. I totally understand she is not in the place for a relationship, but I would have liked his interest to build more gradually. He's an absolute sweetheart, and this ended up feeling quite one-sided to me. Things in the romance department do take off later in the book, but as a whole, I wasn't very impressed in this regard.
Nevertheless, this book definitely warrants a read, specifically for the mental illness rep and Megh's journey to recovery. I felt so much sympathy and heartache for Megh, and I'm sure other readers will too. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!
I must give Tashie kudos -- I liked the creativity with how she portrayed depression here. I'm a big fan of metaphors as a conveyance of something bigger, and the idea of using a raincloud/the weather as an obstacle Megh has to overcome was very interesting.
Megh's parents were... not pleasant to be around (to say the least), and I would probably be just as depressed and cornered living with them. But she has her cousin, Sadia, and her best friend, Emily, as her support system, and that goes a LONG way. Sadia was the one who got her the internship at the Today's Show, which Megh is hoping to use to get off the waitlist to UCLA. But nothing goes right; the weather becomes constantly stormy and rainy the more stressed she is, and until the weather clears, Ida, her boss, won't give her any attention.
As mentioned before, I really like the idea of Megh needing to work through her mental illness to overcome this. I also appreciated the mentions of her insomnia, which, from my personal experience, is a genuine symptom of depression.
That said, I need to add that I found the romance very unconvincing. I wasn't sure why the male lead, Lev, was interested in her from the start when she was so standoffish and unfriendly to him. I totally understand she is not in the place for a relationship, but I would have liked his interest to build more gradually. He's an absolute sweetheart, and this ended up feeling quite one-sided to me. Things in the romance department do take off later in the book, but as a whole, I wasn't very impressed in this regard.
Nevertheless, this book definitely warrants a read, specifically for the mental illness rep and Megh's journey to recovery. I felt so much sympathy and heartache for Megh, and I'm sure other readers will too. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!
October 11, 2025
Huh. The writing was surprisingly clunky, which created a jarring reading experience for me. Usually, Bhuiyan's writing is smooth, and it's the characters and/or plot that have a more negative effect on the rating. This was almost the opposite, resulting in a similar rating to Bhuiyan's other works, but for a different reason.
I thought the concept was intriguing and executed well enough; magical realism (or perhaps more accurately, a singular magical element in an otherwise non-magical setting) is usually tricky to pull off, but I think the author managed it. And I thought the lesson at the end was spectacular. The bittersweet ending felt realistic, and I quite liked it.
Strangely, while I was able to suspend my disbelief about a cloud hovering over the MC's head, or a LI that fell for the MC almost instantly, I could not get over the turnaround time for the program implementation at Megh's workplace. Which was unfortunate, because that program's success led to the conclusion we got in this story. And I understand it was only a soft launch, but even a soft launch for a program as involved as that would take longer to implement than the remainder of a week. To arrive to work on a Monday morning to find that a program was implemented after the email detailing the idea was sent sometime the previous week is beyond unrealistic. I wish this author put a little more effort into the subplots of her stories, especially when their outcomes significantly impact the direction of/conclusion to the narrative overall. It's a delicate balance to make a subplot developed enough to surpass "vibes" but not so intricate that it takes over the story, and it often feels like Bhuiyan misses the mark here.
Anyway, despite my mixed feelings, I'd recommend this book if you've enjoyed Bhuiyan's other works!
ARC provided by Macmillan via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I thought the concept was intriguing and executed well enough; magical realism (or perhaps more accurately, a singular magical element in an otherwise non-magical setting) is usually tricky to pull off, but I think the author managed it. And I thought the lesson at the end was spectacular. The bittersweet ending felt realistic, and I quite liked it.
Strangely, while I was able to suspend my disbelief about a cloud hovering over the MC's head, or a LI that fell for the MC almost instantly, I could not get over the turnaround time for the program implementation at Megh's workplace. Which was unfortunate, because that program's success led to the conclusion we got in this story. And I understand it was only a soft launch, but even a soft launch for a program as involved as that would take longer to implement than the remainder of a week. To arrive to work on a Monday morning to find that a program was implemented after the email detailing the idea was sent sometime the previous week is beyond unrealistic. I wish this author put a little more effort into the subplots of her stories, especially when their outcomes significantly impact the direction of/conclusion to the narrative overall. It's a delicate balance to make a subplot developed enough to surpass "vibes" but not so intricate that it takes over the story, and it often feels like Bhuiyan misses the mark here.
Anyway, despite my mixed feelings, I'd recommend this book if you've enjoyed Bhuiyan's other works!
ARC provided by Macmillan via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 25, 2026
Right as Rain was emotionally raw, but extremely rushed. Bhuiyan’s books follow a familiar format of a FMC with overbearing parents chasing her dreams through the support of an adventurous MMC. Historically, the formula works really well for creating relatable characters and a sweet romance intertwined in a story of self-discovery. However, for some reason, Right as Rain felt rushed. I can’t quite tell if I enjoyed the book or if it was just an easy read from one of my favorite authors. The first 40% of the story was Megh catastrophizing about the cloud and a simple mistake at her internship. Then I blinked and suddenly Lev and Megh are in a full fledged relationship? I really loved both characters and I feel like the depression representation was outstanding. Lev’s sunshine and sweetheart nicknames had me swooning and I loved the friendships with Sadia and Emily. That being said, it felt like there were just chapters missing in between major plot points. Every character was given a backstory and yet it felt like there was so much potential for more? I’m really up in arms about this book because I feel like I enjoyed it, but the more I write this review, the more I question my eating. Regardless, I am sat for TB6 and every book in the Tashie Bhuiyan universe to come!!
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan’s Children Publishing Group for the ARC!
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan’s Children Publishing Group for the ARC!
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