Between The Raindrops: A thrilling novella of domestic suspense | A gripping love mystery with a twist

by Ania Woodard

Jennifer must confront the possibility that her picture perfect life is not what it seems to be, and that the love of her life could have committed an awful crime. Will she let her love blind her or will she listen to her inner voice? Maybe, her imagination is playing tricks on her, or maybe, she is finally seeing clearly.
It's a mystery, thriller, love story and a romantic suspense, that you won't be able to put down. It's gripping, surprising and it provides an immersive experience of peeking into Jennifer's life and her internal struggles. It makes you feel hopeful, happy, sad, scared, angry, conflicted etc., as you go on the journey with her.
This book explores motherhood, female friendship, infertility, mental health and marriage. It touches upon a lot of subjects in a short time. It's a great book for a trip to the beach or to cozy up under the blanket with a warm tea. The suspense will have you guessing along the way and you will not be able to put this novella down.

185 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 16, 2025

Reviews

[Maci-Bookishlyeverafter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Between the Raindrops by Ania Woodard was a quick, easy read. The story moves fast, and the suspenseful, moody vibe kept me interested, which made it perfect if you just want something short and straightforward. I liked that it was easy to follow, and it has that dark, domestic thriller feel without being too complicated.

The only downside for me was that some of the characters and a few parts of the story could have been more developed. A little more depth would have made it more engaging, but overall, it was an good read. If you like short thrillers that are easy to get through, it’s worth checking out-but don’t expect anything super deep or mind-blowing.

[Justine · Rating 1 out of 5]

Serious question - do books get edited these days? I feel like at least one other person should have proofread this before being published. The random name changes, grammatical errors, and spelling mistakes were very distracting. I thought I was going to like this one, and was really looking forward to the twist - but then the twist wasn't very exciting, and the rest of the book didn't make up for it. Maybe the FMC is relatable to some, but to me she was just really dumb. The good news is that it was short and only took a couple of hours to read.

[Michelle Exploringwithchapters · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of the best aspects of reading is supporting new authors and getting their work to the right audience. I was asked to read and review Between the Raindrops by Ania Woodard. This was a quick read – 185 pages suspense novella. Now if you know me, you know I think novellas are tricky! You have to do a LOT with the story in a shorter span of pages! However, I do think Ania built the storyline well. The build up, and the main placement of key plot developments were placed well. And when reading I was able to follow the tone the author was trying to set.

I have a soft spot for children, and when the story started to sway towards the children possibly being in danger, I did find myself reading faster to get through the climax and into the resolution. 😃

This was written in third person, and for me that is not a favorite POV. This novel touches on some real issues that many women identify with. Relationships moving too fast, surprise pregnancies, choosing family over career. This book is marketed as a thriller, and I can’t say that I interpreted it the same way. I think the author was trying to portray a woman battling herself- one side accepting the path laid before her and the other choosing the path that best supports her and her children. I think if the author maybe expanded on the page count additional detail could have been built in to add to the suspense element and the emotions the main character(s) are processing.

Overall I appreciate the opportunity to read the story and provide feedback. This is not my typical genre, so if others more familiar read this and have some additional thoughts, I would be interested in hearing them!

[Sarah Hope · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️.75?

EDIT: after a lovely chat with the author I have pointed out the grammatical errors and she is going to fix them. Don’t let this put you off!!

The storyline is a bit all over the place and quite confusing. I think this author would’ve benefited from having someone proofread this. Maybe send it out for beta reading and then arc reading. All could’ve been done easily and for little to no money. It still could be done. There were a few grammatical errors that a proofreader would’ve easily found and sorted for the author.

The idea of the MFC’s husband having some deep dark secret was very intriguing, I wasn’t sure what he had done and I needed to find out. It was gripping! The character developments were great, I HATED Kevin with a passion right from the start. He made me so angry, I had to keep reading to find out whether the bastard got what he deserved. He did. The ending felt rushed though, I’d have liked to have seen some justice in more than just a sentence.

The private detective didn’t sit right with me. He was too touchy feely, too overly involved and I really thought that he was going to turn out to be involved in the crime somehow. I think that would’ve been a much better twist than the desperate man who was trying to get into Jen’s pants while her husband was on the run, but that’s just me.
I wish I could give this more stars, but I don’t want to lie to myself or anyone else. It was a fun read and it only took a couple of hours so it was good as a gap filler, I recommend to anyone who wants a bit of suspense in their life.

[Melissa Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ll admit, I went into this book expecting a fairly standard suspenseful love story. What I got was so much more layered and intense. Jennifer as a character is flawed, emotional, and so real that I felt her doubts in my own gut. The way Ania Woodard plays with the reader’s sense of trust is incredible. You’re constantly wondering: is Jennifer paranoid, or is she finally waking up to the reality of her life? That uncertainty makes the book both thrilling and heartbreaking. There were moments when I felt angry with Jennifer for being blind, and then moments where I just wanted to hug her for being so vulnerable. The emotional rollercoaster is what made this novella stand out for me. It wasn’t just suspense, it was an intimate, haunting portrayal of love, trust, and betrayal. If you like psychological tension mixed with raw emotion, this is the book for you.”

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐.5

Between The Raindrops is a quick, straightforward thriller.
Jen is stuck as a stay at home mom because her husband works random and long hours. She is isolated from the world until one day something happens that brings the outside world in. That something? A simple earring.
There are a few spelling errors, but not so bad that the story isn't enjoyable.
I would recommend this book to anyone looking to get into thrillers or just looking for a quick, one sitting read.
I would have liked to see more character and plot development but, for a book less than 200 pages, the story is enjoyable and I look forward to more from this author.

[Mary Vojt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book in a few hours! Once I got about 40ish pages in, I could not put it down! The only thing that confused me was why did the author referred to the main character as Jennifer, Jen, Jenny? All the names were used interchangeably, even from sentence to sentence, and in the beginning, it really took me out of the book because I was confused on why so many different names. But other than that, I enjoyed the story and wanted to know what was going to happen next. I felt like the ending felt somewhat abrupt but overall, I felt for a book that was less than 150 pages, it did not feel to rushed and would recommend especially if someone needs a quick read!

[Rachel Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my god! When I first started reading this novella I thought it was a nice easy read. A change from my usual reads. However I was gripped into the story. I didn’t expect to enjoy it so much. I couldn’t stop reading. With twists that you wouldn’t see coming and characters evolving it was a ball of emotions. Love, Anger, Fear, Sadness, Worry…. The author has nailed this novella and it’s actually relatable in some scenes.
Would 100% recommend reading this! You will not be disappointed. I certainly wasn’t!

[Sarah Wiltshire · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me a little while to get into this one, but I’m so glad I stuck with it. Once the backstory settled in and the twists started rolling, I genuinely couldn’t put it down—I just had to know what would happen next. My only real frustration was the frequent switching between the character’s names and nicknames; I would’ve preferred the author choose one and stay with it rather than alternating between Jennifer/Jen/Jenny. Still, it was an engaging read that really pulled me in by the end.

[Charlotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the very first page, I was hooked. Jennifer’s emotional journey felt so real that I couldn’t help but put myself in her shoes torn between love and suspicion. The twists had me second guessing everyone, and the ending… wow. I genuinely didn’t see it coming. A perfect mix of romance, mystery, and suspense.

[Rebecca Billman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great novella. Jennifer thinks her life is amazing and nothing could possibly be wrong. One day she knows something is amiss and she has to figure out what it is and whether to address the problem or not.

Between the Raindrops was way more than I originally expected and in a good way. Once I started I could not put it down. I definitely recommend reading Ania’s book!

[Amandamay.reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jennifer and Kevin seem to have the perfect marriage, until things start slowly falling apart. Can Jennifer figure out the truth while also trying to survive her husband?? This was a short enjoyable read. Easily read in one sitting for those needing to get closer to their reading goals for the year.

[MAGDALENA BALCERCZYK · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is absolutely thrilling and will keep you on the edge of your seat. The pacing is sharp, the suspense builds up perfectly and it’s the kind of story that makes you want to keep tapping on the next page. A perfect must read for Kindle!

[leslie mayorga · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5 stars ⭐️

💭My thoughts 💭

This is her first book, that being said I think she did a good job. Despite having some errors, with grammar and repetitive. She’s learning how to go and will improve that I have no doubt. I thought the plot was interesting and enjoyed how it was going. It was a good short thriller. I did like Jennifer I thought her character was good. I read it in a day which you can easily do in one sitting. I am interested in reading future books to see how it goes. I’m a fan of thrillers so I see the potential in her.

Who should read this?
Any thriller fans who want a quick read with suspense. Who want to support indie authors and read her book.

Would I recommend?
Yea I think you should give it a shot. Try it out

[Elyse · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this thriller. It was short and read it in just a few hours. I did not see the mystery before it was revealed.