Can't Stand the Rain

Wishing for a Hero #4

by Kait Nolan

Alternate cover edition of ASIN B07FK8V21F, retitled Burn for You.

Delaney Newell knows what it means to be powerless. Against the family who wouldn’t support her. Against the man she loved who betrayed her. Against the gossips who won’t let her forget it. But after years of struggling, she’s finally getting her life together.

Sean Murphy has spent years fighting forest fires. The former hotshot turned forester knows the growth that can sprout from unfathomable destruction. That’s what he sees in Delaney—someone who got leveled by life but didn’t stop growing. He's spent the past several months watching the shy red-head blossom, and he really likes what he sees.

When Delaney is accused of a crime she didn’t commit, everyone is willing to believe the worst of her. Everyone except Sean. The woman he knows couldn’t possibly be behind the rash of fires that are keeping the volunteer fire department hopping. Someone is deliberately framing her. Will Delaney trust him enough to help her find the real culprit?

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Audiobook, Suspense, Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Romantic Suspense

146 pages, ebook

First published July 12, 2018

About the author

Kait Nolan is a RITA® Award-winning Mississippi author who calls everyone sugar, honey, or darlin', and can wield a 'Bless your heart' like a Snuggie or a saber, depending on requirements. She believes in love, laughter, and that tacos are the world's most perfect food. When she's not writing, reading, working the evil day job, or wrangling family (both the two-legged and the four-), you can find her obsessively watching The Great British Bake Off.

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Reviews

[Rellim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Note: Kait Nolan’s Wishful and Wishing For A Hero series intertwine. Nolan has this nifty spreadsheet on her website showing the chronological order if you’re obsessive like me. While I think Nolan does enough explaining that this could stand on its own – there are a mentions of events & characters from the first 3 books as well as other Wishful folks. At a minimum, I’d recommend Can’t Take My Eyes Off You as Delaney is a heavily featured secondary character.

Did I spend all week in Kait Nolan’s Wishing For A Hero series? Yes, I did. And I loved it!

I totally admit that when I’m immersed in a romance/romantic suspense series – it’s usually the men that have me diving into the next story. Not this time. I felt so sorry for Delaney and wished I could wrap her up in a big ol’ hug. Never fear – Nolan sends in firefighter Sean Murphy to remind Delaney how strong she is and to prove that he has her back. It’s a hard fought battle in this friends-to-lovers story as it’s obvious the townsfolk aren’t all willing to forgive past transgressions and a new threat appears to be targeting her.

Again, there’s a nice mix of steamy romance in with a continuous and escalating thriller/suspense element. So steamy – I was pretty sure Sean and Delaney’s dip in the water was going to bring Hope Springs to a boil! Whew!

Sean gets to be the hero more than once and Delaney basks in his unwavering commitment to her. I loved the unique ending that Nolan gave this precious couple. While it wasn’t what I expected, it was definitely perfect for their lives, goals, and relationship.

[NotTheTea · Rating 2 out of 5]

Called it before interval.

[ضحى الحداد · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75 stars
and with that I finished this series .. it's sad to say the the first book was the only redeeming quality for the series the rest of them were just a bunch of rushed relationships with sort of connection
I wished if we get to see more of Delaney and Sean's friendship and how it all came to be but nothing really happened .. so yeah

[Urvashi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sean and Delaney have been fellow students and friends for some time now, and though they both have feelings for each other, haven’t acted on them. Delaney is not sure if Sean is interested in her, and Sean feels she is shy and is trying to win her trust.
Delaney and Sean have just started dating, when accidental fires keep happening around town and all the fingers are pointing at Delaney. Is this new relationship strong enough to not burn with the fires ?
Can’t stand the rain is fast paced read with superb suspense, swoon worthy romance and tear jerking emotions. Sean was truly a hero, he was smart, caring, hot and supportive. The way he supported Delaney when he knew of her past was totally awe inspiring.
Loved reading this book and can’t wait for more.

[E-Reader Addict · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this one! This author frequently has miscommunication or non- communication as the main conflict in her stories and it makes me kinda cranky. But this story didn’t have that! Just a cute story with a strong heroine and a hunky firefighting hero.

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon & on Apple iBooks today (5/1/2021)!🎁

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great way to wrap the series. I enjoyed this series so much. I’m so invested in this small town romance that I’m going to go back to the series before this one.

[R Huiszoon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kait Nolan “Can’t stand the Rain” , a small town romantic suspence from the ‘Wishing for a Hero’ series.

For me English is a foreign language. So - in advance - sorry for the mistakes in the review.

Main characters:
- Delaney Newell, since a few years living in Wishful as an administrative assistant of the town clinic. She just completed her EMT certification class. Del secretly has a crush on
- Sean Murphy, her EMT study buddy. He is a sexy firefighter and new in town.
- Bryce Kelso, Delaney’s ex boy-friend. He cheated on her with another girl and Delaney reacted agressively on him after the break up. She caused - accidentally - a fire on his home.
- Gina Draper, the girl with whom Bryce cheated on Del. She is a notorious town gossip.
- Aunt Val, the sister of Delaney’s mom. She was a great help for Del after her problems in the break up with Bryce, for Del’s parents abandoned en disowned her after her arson.

Kait Nolan produced again a fine book about small town life in Wishful with the corresponding ups (beautiful nature, care for fellow inhabitants like help after the loss of possessions in a fire) and downs (malicious gossip or sometimes little privacy).
The characters are credible, so the reader empathizes easy with them. The descibed persons are not only white or black and that makes them human.
Fine dialogues. The plot has some unexpected turns but keeps realistic. In short: a nice novella.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Becky Claxon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another good book in the Wishful series. Delaney Newell has been friends with Sean Murphy for a few months now. He is fairly new to the town and doesn’t know much about her past. When there is a fire at her ex boyfriends house, his current girlfriend accuses Delaney of starting the fire. Sean goes over to her house after he cleans up from the fire to talk to her. Delaney figures this will be the end of their relationship. She explains what happened in the past, and because of her actions was able to have a doctor diagnose her as bi-polar and get her on medicine to help her. Her parents didn’t want her, so her Aunt Val took her in and she has been living in her aunt’s garage apartment for the last two years. Sean doesn’t care about her past, he thinks she is wonderful now.

I felt bad that Delaney was treated so bad by the small minded people of the town. I loved that the local doctor gave her a job and didn’t pay attention to the gossip. Sean was a great guy and stood by Delaney throughout all the problems that was happening. It is surprising who is causing all the trouble Delaney is getting blamed for. This is a good book, and I strongly encourage you to read the book. I voluntarily read an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book.

[Susanne M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an ARC reader, this is my honest opinion. Wishing For A Hero, "Can't Stand The Rain" is another 5 star hit! Delany and Sean get their Happy Ending and as the excerpt states, they deserve it especially since all the trouble Delany had to go through. I love how Sean stands by her, supports her not only as a friend but as a partner too. It was sad to see them leave Wishful and hope to see them come back in the future. Every trip back to Wishful let's you get to have either a good long or wee visit with the other's we've come to know and love. No town or place on earth is perfect which we come to see in the Wishing For A Hero series, but overall this community sticks together and makes it a wonderful place to visit and re-visit. Each in the series can be read alone, but once you read one, you really want to see everyone's happy ending or happy for now. No cheating or cliff hangers. Some steamy scenes and plenty of places to use your imagination. Enjoy!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kait Nolan]

Available in eBook and print: https://books2read.com/heroburnforyou

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[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This fourth (and last?) book in the Wishing for a Hero series still takes place in Wishful, the lovely Southern small town I've fallen in love with, is placed chronologically by the author directly after Can't Take My Eyes Off You, the third book in the WH series. I swear I've enjoyed each book in the WH series better than its predecessor. Anyway, Can't Stand The Rain is a well written and sweet suspenseful romance novella with great characters. I especially enjoyed this novella because so much of the plot was focused on mental health issues and the importance of proper treatment and support to live successfully with them. Delaney was such a relatable character for me, and her relationship with Sean was just wonderful. Speaking of their relationship, as is the case for most of Kait Nolan's books, there is some sex, but it's more natural and less over-the-top than that of many secular romances. So, after reading the first two books of the WH series, I finally determined that the reason why the author separates the Wishing for a Hero (WH) books from the Wishful Romance books is because the WH books contain a large thread of suspense while the WR books don't, and the theme of suspense not only continued but escalated in this novel. Unsurprisingly, I found this novel to be an amazing book and am happily continuing on reading the WH and WR series until there are no more.

[Kat Ryker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Small town romances usually don't attract me, but I've read Kait Nolan's books before and liked them, so I thought I would give it a shot. And you know, there is absolutely no way I'll ever start a series of books with #1. Just ain't happenin'. So I started with Number 4. And it surprised me.

First, addressing mental health concerns is difficult, especially when talking about someone who has been diagnosed as Bi Polar. Bi Polar disorder isn't just hard on the people closest to the person diagnosed, trust me when I tell you, the person suffers just as much; usually more, since few people know the proper way to address it. The answer is, treat them like they're family. And that's what went on in this book as the story progressed.

Second, I expected a small town romance, without much action. Firefighter? Ok, a house fire or something similar. But this story line made it interesting and now I'm anxious to read about the rest of the heroes this town has been hiding.

Third, and probably the most important. I don't like simple stories, I like stories that I can be IN the story with the characters and get to know them. I will admit that both the hero and heroine needed to be fleshed out just a bit more, but the way they were written was perfect for the length and style of the book.

This is not a long novel, it didn't need to be. It told a story of Delaney and Sean, with a small cast of characters that are there to support the story. I recommend if you are a Kait Nolan fan or someone just checking her writing out for the first time, you should give this one a try. Now, I'm about to go find the rest of this series. Hmmm, maybe I'll start with Book 1. You never know.

[Erica Eblin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kait Nolan has written yet another blockbuster with Can't Stand the Rain. Delaney literally has the weight of the world on her shoulders. Thankfully she has reached a point where that weight has begun to lift and disappear. As long as she keeps her head down and her nose clean, then everything will be fine.

Along comes Sean. All the girls love him. Delaney is no different. She just isn't going to make a fool of herself about it.

When Sean rescues Delaney from her cheating ex though, things begin to change. Along with these fabulous changes of falling in love - come some negative things which put Drlamey right back into the spot light. Exactly where she has no desire to be. Can her love of Sean be enough to help her get through this? Or will Sean become a part of the problem too.

In this book Delaney has grown so much since she was released from the hospital. She is looking to her future. She thinks Sean could be a part of that future. That is until she almost loses everything. Then Sean becomes part of the problem. Or does he?

This book has just enough adventure and whodunit going on to keep things interesting. It's sweet. It's clean. It's the perfect book to curl up with and lose yourself for a few hours. It'll keep you guessing as this amazing love story is revealed. The only problem is not knowing if Delaney and Sean's budding love will overcome everything, or be destroyed because of it.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can’t Stand the Rain is the fourth book in the Wishing for a Hero Series. Delaney knows regret and how quickly people in a small town will judge negatively. What she doesn’t know is someone sticking around and standing up for her, but that’s exactly what Sean is teaching her! When a string of fires start, blame is placed immediately on Delaney, but Sean knows better and is on a mission to clear her name. As the fires escalate, and Delaney is placed in danger, will they be able to catch the fire starter before anyone is hurt?

Oh my, this book tugged at my heart and I loved how much positivity and hope rested within these pages! Delaney has been through so much in her life, but I love how well Sean handled everything, refusing to give up on their relationship and fighting for Delaney with his every breath! I loved that they went from friends to lovers, slowly building their relationship, their trust, and their support! The plot line definitely held my attention, too, with some of the twists and turns and by the end, I wasn’t exactly surprised, but I did love some of the shock and awe. The ending was perfect and I was so happy to see everything work out for Delaney and Sean!! I have fallen in love with this series and loved this book and highly recommend reading this book!

[Brooke Hudson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can't Stand the Rain takes us back to the town of Wishful...but in this one, we see the darker side of Wishful. The people in it that AREN'T so warm and friendly...we don't see the southern hospitality side...we see the gossipy, unforgiving side. I struggled a bit with that, as I do love Wishful so much, and I tend to wear rose colored glasses a bit...BUT the reality is that all small towns (all towns, really) do have negatives, and Nolan paints a realistic picture for us of what our heroine would most likely face, given her past tribulations. Pretty early on, I had the realization that the only practical solution would be for her to leave Wishful, and that made me sad--but this is NOT a sad story. It's actually a pretty hopeful story of redemption, and a phoenix rising from the ashes, both metaphorically and literally. I really liked Delaney, and I liked that her backbone got stronger and straighter as the book went on. I loved our hero, Sean, and loved that he didn't buy into any of the BS going around about Delaney. I loved that he trusted his gut, and was willing to fight for their relationship, and for her. Another great read from Kait Nolan. Highly recommend!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Timothy Hendricks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kait Nolan is a very good author. This author has produced yet another great book. This book stands on its own; but it is even better if you read, "Can't Take My Eyes Off You: A Small Town Romantic Suspense" first. In that book we are introduced to Delaney Newell. This is a woman that can't win for losing. She has made a mistake and she has paid for her mistake; but many of the people in the small town will not forgive nor will they forget nor will they let her forget. I really felt for Delaney. But then along comes Sean Murphy who turns out to be her rock. There are fires being set and Delaney is accused of setting them; because of an incident she was involved in sometime ago. Everyone including Sean and Delaney herself appear to be at risk from whoever is starting the fires and it is a surprise who the culprit is when the culprit is finally caught. This is an exciting read, nothing dull here.

I have enjoyed all of the books that this author has written centered around this town of Wishful and its famous Wishing Fountain. It is only fitting that this story ends at that famous fountain.

[Lcr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can't Stand The Rain is another wonderful visit to Wishful, a small town with a plethora of characters. Some you will fall in love with, some rather unpleasant. Delaney has a past that some residents of Wishful will not let her forget. Sean is a handsome, caring, charming firefighter. Together they are delightful. A series of unexplained fires will either bring them together or drive them apart.
Although Can't Stand The Rain is a stand-alone story it is also part of the Wishing For A Hero series. We first met Delaney in Can't Take My Eyes Off You and we learned some of her history. It is not necessary to read that book first but I recommend you do as it does set Delaney up nicely for her own story. I definitely recommend Can't Stand The Rain and all the other books in this series. Kait Nolan is an incredible author and she has created a town and community and makes you feel part of it. Each story feels as if you are visiting old friends and making new ones.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Yvonne Cruz · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author takes us back to Wishful. Though the books are stand alone, you would enrich your reading experience, if you read the previous ones.
This one belongs to Delaney Newell and Sean Murphy.
Delaney is trying to overcome her past mistakes. Sean, a hotshot firefighter and volunteer firefighter, is now in Wishful to be close his his family . Watching how Sean was determined to help Delaney was very touching.
The story is engaging and the characters complex and imperfect. The romance is sweet as Delaney comes out of her shell and she discovers that Sean is “her person and her rock”.
Kudos to the author for highlighting mental disease through the story, something we tend to hide or deny.
Though it was not my favorite book, it was still a good one. For me it was more of a 3.5, but I have great respect for the dedication authors undertake to entertain the readers.
I voluntarily read this book. The opinions expressed are solely my own.

[Leigh Sonnekus · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved Delaney and Sean's story! Their relationship blossomed slowly at first, with Sean realising that he needs to take it slow with Delaney, but boy does it get hot and steamy. Sean is not only a sexy firefighter, he is also a gentleman and even a little old fashioned - the way he cares for and about Delaney's needs is just swoon worthy. As for Delaney, she is like a beautiful phoenix - rising from the ashes of her past, tainted with bad choices and mental health issues, into a beautiful, strong woman who deserves every moment of happiness she can get.
Kait Nolan did a remarkable job with the mental health angle - accurately portraying how life can and does go on after diagnosis, as long as you receive the proper treatment. It was tastefully done and hats off to her for tackling such a sensitive subject so well.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone who loves a little bit of sizzle with a whole lot of heart melting romance.

[Christy B · Rating 4 out of 5]

We have met both Delaney and Sean before - and I was excited to finally get Delaney's story. My heart broke for her as she really had turned things around yet everyone was always ready to throw her under the bus. I just wanted to wrap her up in big hug! But Sean beat me to it - and what a swoon-worthy hunk of man that was. He never believed that Delaney could have done what she was accused of and quickly became her biggest champion. I loved how he talked about mental illness like he could not wrap his mind around why there was stigma. It was in his nature to see that Delaney had worked hard and gotten help, and he couldn't grasp why anyone would focus on the past. The twist at the end is not what I was expecting and certainly added excitement! Delaney and Sean were a great couple and I loved their journey - I hope we get updates on them in future books!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Lauren B · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG I am in love with this book! I have loved all of Kait Nolan’s books, but I have to say this one and her last one about Miranda really touched me! As someone who works in the medical field, I can relate to both Miranda and Delaney! I’m so thankful to Kait for addressing mental health issues in this book. It is something that I see effect people and their families everyday. It’s something that everyone needs to be aware of and to NEVER judge a book by it’s cover. You never know what is going on in someone’s life and how it can effect them. Try to live by the rule of “if you have nothing nice to say, then say nothing at all!!”

This book will keep you turning the pages and falling in love with the whole Wishful crew! It is a great summer read that really touches on some great issues! Can’t wait for the next book by Kait Nolan!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audible listen narrated by Jason Clarke and Amy McFadden. Part of the Wishing for a Hero series.

Delaney’s story, I have been waiting for this one!

Chapter 4…so far so hot! Even if THAT didn’t happen. She was ready, he seems to be a good boy. I kinda like it. He held off until she took! Yes, please and thank you!

I will say Kait Nolan didn’t write weak women and that is so refreshing! This book addressed mental disorders, that’s pretty cool to be written about. Clarise was one of the most hateful, irritating antagonists ever. I know people full of spite like that.

Camping?!? Camping?!? In August in Mississippi?!? WTF next level of hell is that!!!!! BUGS, creepy crawlies and biting things! There is a creek that leads to a pond. Anyone from Mississippi KNOWS you don’t swim in ponds in the dark. Alligators and snapping turtles!

Ohhhhh the twists and turns of this story! Bless Delaney’s heart…a very southern thing to say 😏

[Melanie Groff · Rating 5 out of 5]

So glad Kait decided to pursue Delaney's story. I'm glad this book touched on mental health. It is a huge issue that people don't want to talk about. I love how Delaney's character is dealing with it in a positive way, but still shows that there are times of struggle. This story was an easy read (I couldn't put it down). It was not quite as dark as Miranda's Wishing for a Hero story, "Can't Take my Eyes off of You," but it has suspense. It had enough foreshadowing that you had a sense of what was coming, but a couple of things totally took me by surprise. I think an entire Hallmark series could be based on Wishful, but movies are never as good as the books! These characters just get better and better as you get to know Wishful more through each book.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Stephanie Corbett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the latest in the Wishful - Wishing for a Hero series, and this novella does not disappoint in any way. Kait’s books are a joy to read, and this is no exception. I love this series with added tension and action, although the original sweet Wishful series and fun and feisty Misfit Inn series are also fantastic. This series provides great romance, intrigue and suspense, whilst still a happy and joyful love story.

This adventure between Delaney, a Wishful local still trying to find redemption and acceptance in this small town, and Sean, new to Wishful and their volunteer fire department, is a powerful story of overcoming history and expectations and finding your ‘person’ to make that journey and any struggles worthwhile.

As ever I highly recommend this book, and all of Kait Nolan’s series.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read almost all of Kait Nolan's books and have loved them all, but I like the Wishing for a Hero series the best. I love a light, funny read, but I LOVE a light, funny read that is a little darker and filled with suspense. Can't Stand the Rain fits that to a tee. Delaney and Sean are a great friends to lovers couple that have to deal with some huge issues. Delaney has had trouble in the past and has been diagnosed with mental illness. Trouble pops up with an ex and she is accused. Sean stood by her when it seemed the whole town of Wishful was against her. The suspenseful moments will keep you on the edge of your seat. The lighter moments will make your heart sigh. And plan to giggle a bit too when the humor creeps out. With a surprise ending and a HEA Ms. Nolan ties the story up with a beautiful bow. I'm looking forward to the next book in this great series.

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can’t Stand the Rain is the latest Wishing For A Hero book by Kait Nolan. As with all of her books, this one doesn’t disappoint the reader. It is full of romance, suspense, and plenty of heartfelt emotions. I read this novella the same day I got it. It’s just the type of story that you can’t put down. I was rooting for Delaney and Sean in Can’t Take My Eyes Off You and I’m absolutely thrilled that they got their own story. Wishful is such a special place and Kait brings her characters to life, so much so that you feel like you’re right there with them! You experience all of their trials in life and cheer them on to a HEA. Another BIG successful hit for Kait Nolan. Definitely a “MUST READ”!!!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[JLS · Rating 5 out of 5]

Welcome back to Wishful, everyone's favorite small southern town. This is Delaney and Sean's story.
Delaney has a crush on Sean and he's finally invited her out for drinks. After months of friendship, romance blooms. But Delaney's past won't stay in the past. She's worked so hard to change but people won't let her history die. Sure that Sean will leave when he finds out what she's done, she's amazed when he supports her and chooses not only to stay but to help her. Can they truly overcome her past and move forward to a brighter future?
This book is fast paced and highly enjoyable. Delaney and Sean are a couple you can root for!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jennie Fortna · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC for honest review with no compensation received from Booksprout.

Can't Stand The Rain is book 4 of the Wishing For A Hero, while this is a standalone but we get to see old friends from the prior books.

Delaney Newell has made some bad mistakes but has been trying to make a new life for herself but it seems someone is determined to keep her down...that is until she meets Sean Murphy while they are taking classes together. Attraction flies between these two but Delaney is afraid Sean will walk away when he finds out about her past mistakes...then the unthinkable happens and the only person who can help her prove her innocence is Sean...

Suspense, romance, building trust and finding that someone who believes in you...

[Tracey Cramer-Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I finished this book more quickly than expected and it took me a while to figure out why I didn’t feel especially invested in the characters, and I think it’s because there’s just too much telling and not enough showing, plus the suspense felt… sparse. Sean came to his conclusions rather quickly and based on very little information. I expected more misunderstandings and a greater separation between the H/H. Also, Sean did not seem like a former hot-shot firefighter; he needed a flaw or at least something a little wild in him; he was so perfect he was unreal. Also, we’re told he moved to Wishful to be near family yet not once during does he even speak to a family member, nor do any appear in any scenes. I did like that he was quick to say he’d follow Delaney to wherever she moved.