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Carrying the Rain: A Liberty Falls Novel
A deeply emotional novel about grief, forgiveness, and the fragile hope that love can return after devastating loss.
When tragedy shatters Alex Petry’s family, he’s left drifting through the ruins of a life he no longer recognizes. His daughters are growing distant. His faith in himself—and in love—has all but disappeared.
Then Olivia Bradford, his sister’s childhood best friend, returns to Liberty Falls to care for her dying mother. Seeing her again stirs something long buried in the ache of who he might have been, and the quiet possibility of something more.
As old wounds resurface and long-buried truths begin to unravel, Alex must confront the mistakes he’s carried for too long. Because healing a broken heart begins with facing the truth... and believing that even after deep loss, there can still be something left to hold onto.
Carrying the Rain is a moving novel about the love that shapes us, the choices that define us, and the quiet grace of second chances.
About the Story
Carrying the Rain is a sad yet hopeful novel in the tradition of family life fiction and women’s fiction. At its heart, it’s about grief, resilience, and the ways broken people might find a way to love and live again.
Like the works of Kristin Hannah, Wally Lamb, Celeste Ng, and Barbara Davis, this story explores themes of parent-child relationships, love lost and rediscovered, and the quiet ache of small-town life.
While romance plays a major role, this isn’t just a love story—it’s also about survival, self-discovery, and the fragile hope of healing after tragedy. Readers will find elements of sad romance, single father romance books, and second chance romance books, told with the emotional depth of a drama romance novel.
Set in Liberty Falls, a small town in upstate New York, Carrying the Rain stands alone but connects to future stories in the Liberty Falls series, each filled with familiar faces, hidden Easter eggs, and the comfort of second chances.
When tragedy shatters Alex Petry’s family, he’s left drifting through the ruins of a life he no longer recognizes. His daughters are growing distant. His faith in himself—and in love—has all but disappeared.
Then Olivia Bradford, his sister’s childhood best friend, returns to Liberty Falls to care for her dying mother. Seeing her again stirs something long buried in the ache of who he might have been, and the quiet possibility of something more.
As old wounds resurface and long-buried truths begin to unravel, Alex must confront the mistakes he’s carried for too long. Because healing a broken heart begins with facing the truth... and believing that even after deep loss, there can still be something left to hold onto.
Carrying the Rain is a moving novel about the love that shapes us, the choices that define us, and the quiet grace of second chances.
About the Story
Carrying the Rain is a sad yet hopeful novel in the tradition of family life fiction and women’s fiction. At its heart, it’s about grief, resilience, and the ways broken people might find a way to love and live again.
Like the works of Kristin Hannah, Wally Lamb, Celeste Ng, and Barbara Davis, this story explores themes of parent-child relationships, love lost and rediscovered, and the quiet ache of small-town life.
While romance plays a major role, this isn’t just a love story—it’s also about survival, self-discovery, and the fragile hope of healing after tragedy. Readers will find elements of sad romance, single father romance books, and second chance romance books, told with the emotional depth of a drama romance novel.
Set in Liberty Falls, a small town in upstate New York, Carrying the Rain stands alone but connects to future stories in the Liberty Falls series, each filled with familiar faces, hidden Easter eggs, and the comfort of second chances.
257 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 22, 2025
51 people are currently reading
47 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
September 13, 2025
The book is written in a straightforward intimate manner, focusing more on emotions and atmosphere than on heavy description, good for readers who enjoy character-driven stories.
The novel follows characters in emotionally charged, personal moments. Relationships — both romantic and platonic — are at the heart of the story. There’s a strong sense of lived-in familiarity between the characters, which helps make their conversations and tensions feel natural. Readers will connect through their interpersonal interactions, complicated feelings, and authentic dialogue
Recurring themes include weather (rain and clouds often reflecting mood), uncertainty, and vulnerability in relationships. The book is about connection, change, and how people weather emotional storms together with an undercurrent of sadness, but also hope and intimacy.
Relatable, emotional character dynamics written in a writing style that is easy to read and flows well.
Readers who prefer fast action with plot twists, or high-stakes conflict may find the book too slow moving and introspective for them.
Recommendation:
Carrying the Rain is best suited for readers who enjoy character-driven contemporary fiction, especially those who like stories about relationships and emotional honesty. If you prefer thrillers, fantasy, or heavily plot-driven stories, this may not be the best fit.
The novel follows characters in emotionally charged, personal moments. Relationships — both romantic and platonic — are at the heart of the story. There’s a strong sense of lived-in familiarity between the characters, which helps make their conversations and tensions feel natural. Readers will connect through their interpersonal interactions, complicated feelings, and authentic dialogue
Recurring themes include weather (rain and clouds often reflecting mood), uncertainty, and vulnerability in relationships. The book is about connection, change, and how people weather emotional storms together with an undercurrent of sadness, but also hope and intimacy.
Relatable, emotional character dynamics written in a writing style that is easy to read and flows well.
Readers who prefer fast action with plot twists, or high-stakes conflict may find the book too slow moving and introspective for them.
Recommendation:
Carrying the Rain is best suited for readers who enjoy character-driven contemporary fiction, especially those who like stories about relationships and emotional honesty. If you prefer thrillers, fantasy, or heavily plot-driven stories, this may not be the best fit.
August 30, 2025
I received an advanced reader copy of this book and am reviewing it voluntarily
This book was very emotional and very different
Parts were quite hard to read such turmoil of emotions such sadness
It took a while for me to realise some parts of the story but did click into place
The whole theme was quite sad poor Alex what a life interesting insight to his wife’s alcohol addiction and poor Dana totally lost in grief
Made me feel quite sad
Maybe trigger warning re alcoholic at beginning
This book was very emotional and very different
Parts were quite hard to read such turmoil of emotions such sadness
It took a while for me to realise some parts of the story but did click into place
The whole theme was quite sad poor Alex what a life interesting insight to his wife’s alcohol addiction and poor Dana totally lost in grief
Made me feel quite sad
Maybe trigger warning re alcoholic at beginning
September 23, 2025
This book was a good read and I liked how the author showed the main characters growth gradually. I found that this story was emotional and kept my attention from start to finish . I'd recommend this book to readers who enjoy character-driven stories about rebuilding life after hardship.
*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 28, 2025
Loved it!
The book was well written, it is hard to express grief but the author did it well. I loved the secrets as they were revealed & character development was also done well. I’m going to continue the journey with the author.
The book was well written, it is hard to express grief but the author did it well. I loved the secrets as they were revealed & character development was also done well. I’m going to continue the journey with the author.
December 8, 2025
I couldn’t stay focused. -KM
December 21, 2025
It was different reading this type of story from a male perspective. This is not my favorite genre. It made me tear up and I may have rated it higher if I enjoyed these types of books more.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews