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The Secret of Rainy Days
Growing up in Erob, Alabama, Nina "Little Bit" Barnes Enloe lived in the shadow of her imposing and harsh grandmother, Nina "Biggie" Barnes Enloe. If she wasn't being bossed around by Biggie, then the task fell to her best friend Win...who did win. At everything. Bit never seemed to share Win's lifetime supply of “lucky dust.” Perhaps the only thing Bit has ever chosen for herself is her friendship with Avery, the out-of-towner who showed up on the saddest day of her life―unpretentious and decidedly un-Southern―with a funeral casserole in hand.
Bit believes she can escape her grandmother’s controlling grip once and for all by moving somewhere where she is the only Nina Enloe listed: New York. Yet her world is turned upside down when an unexpected loss forces her to leave her new life in the city and return to Erob, where she must face everything―and everyone―she left behind. In the process, Bit discovers her true identity, learns the hard lessons of acceptance and forgiveness, finds herself falling in love in unexpected places, and finds comfort in the secrets of rainy days.
Leslie Hooton, author of Before Anyone Else, brings her signature wit and Southern charm to the page again in this triumphant coming-of-age story.
Bit believes she can escape her grandmother’s controlling grip once and for all by moving somewhere where she is the only Nina Enloe listed: New York. Yet her world is turned upside down when an unexpected loss forces her to leave her new life in the city and return to Erob, where she must face everything―and everyone―she left behind. In the process, Bit discovers her true identity, learns the hard lessons of acceptance and forgiveness, finds herself falling in love in unexpected places, and finds comfort in the secrets of rainy days.
Leslie Hooton, author of Before Anyone Else, brings her signature wit and Southern charm to the page again in this triumphant coming-of-age story.
336 pages, Paperback
Published September 28, 2021
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2555 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews
November 27, 2021
3.5 stars rounded up. The audiobook of The Secret of Rainy Days was a very moving and engaging story that was brilliantly narrated by Cassandra Campbell. It was about life in a small southern town where everyone knew everyone else. As a coming of age story it portrayed the lives of the many colorful, vivid and witty characters in The Secret of Rainy Days. It was about the complicated yet supportive friendships of five good friends that stayed true and loyal to each other no matter what life handed them. They grew up together and saw each other as only friends were able to see each other. The Secret of Rainy Days was about finding one’s self and having the ability to reconcile with the past despite the losses and tragedies that occurred. It was chock full of authentic southern charm and traditions that included family loyalty and casseroles that were lovingly prepared and delivered at times of grief and tragedy. The Secret of Rainy Days was well written and kept me engaged throughout.
“Little Bit”, named after her intimidating grandmother, “Biggie” grew up in the small fictional southern town of Erob, Alabama. Little Bit, whose real name was Nina Barnes Enloe, had always been determined to escape Erob and live her life elsewhere. After college and law school, Little Bit” found her way to New York City where she secured a position that she loved. Little Bit became Nina in New York and she liked it that way. Nina began to dress like she belonged in New York and she even met someone who she began to develop real feelings for. When “Biggie” suddenly died Nina found herself at a cross point in her life. She had loved her grandmother dearly despite of her intimidating ways. Little Bit would have to learn how to accept and deal with her loss and grief that resulted from Biggies death. Little Bit was also mad at her grandmother for the responsibilities she left her with. Even in death, Biggie was still demanding and intimidating. After Biggie’s death, Nina found herself being summoned home more and more often. Nina could not ignore the tragedies that occurred. Little Bit started to feel as if she was being beckoned back home to Erob, Alabama. One can try to escape their roots but one foot usually remained behind and its grip held tightly. It took a death and a near tragedy for “Little Bit” to realize where she truly belonged. Would Little Bit be able to make amends with her past and finally find comfort and happiness in Erob, Alabama, the place she always dreamed of escaping?
Thank you to Dreamscape Media LLC for allowing me to listen to the audiobook of The Secret of Rainy Days by Leslie Hooton through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
“Little Bit”, named after her intimidating grandmother, “Biggie” grew up in the small fictional southern town of Erob, Alabama. Little Bit, whose real name was Nina Barnes Enloe, had always been determined to escape Erob and live her life elsewhere. After college and law school, Little Bit” found her way to New York City where she secured a position that she loved. Little Bit became Nina in New York and she liked it that way. Nina began to dress like she belonged in New York and she even met someone who she began to develop real feelings for. When “Biggie” suddenly died Nina found herself at a cross point in her life. She had loved her grandmother dearly despite of her intimidating ways. Little Bit would have to learn how to accept and deal with her loss and grief that resulted from Biggies death. Little Bit was also mad at her grandmother for the responsibilities she left her with. Even in death, Biggie was still demanding and intimidating. After Biggie’s death, Nina found herself being summoned home more and more often. Nina could not ignore the tragedies that occurred. Little Bit started to feel as if she was being beckoned back home to Erob, Alabama. One can try to escape their roots but one foot usually remained behind and its grip held tightly. It took a death and a near tragedy for “Little Bit” to realize where she truly belonged. Would Little Bit be able to make amends with her past and finally find comfort and happiness in Erob, Alabama, the place she always dreamed of escaping?
Thank you to Dreamscape Media LLC for allowing me to listen to the audiobook of The Secret of Rainy Days by Leslie Hooton through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
November 4, 2021
4.5 ⭐️
This story thats takes place in a small southern town. Friendships are formed with realistic insecurities, growing pains and bonds that will stand the test of time. There was love, loss and many fun times.
I originally shied away from novel because of the cover. But once I figured out Cassandra Campbell was the narrator I quickly jump on board. She’s a favorite and I’ve loved every book she’s done. I knew then that this was going to be special.
The main character had many struggles and it seemed like she was never going to figure her life out. And I think she only accomplished that because of her lasting relationships. Really enjoyed this and it was well written. I highly recommend listening to this. It’s 12 hours and 2 minutes long.
Thanks Dreamscape Media via Netgalley.
#TheSecretofRainyDays #NetGalley
This story thats takes place in a small southern town. Friendships are formed with realistic insecurities, growing pains and bonds that will stand the test of time. There was love, loss and many fun times.
I originally shied away from novel because of the cover. But once I figured out Cassandra Campbell was the narrator I quickly jump on board. She’s a favorite and I’ve loved every book she’s done. I knew then that this was going to be special.
The main character had many struggles and it seemed like she was never going to figure her life out. And I think she only accomplished that because of her lasting relationships. Really enjoyed this and it was well written. I highly recommend listening to this. It’s 12 hours and 2 minutes long.
Thanks Dreamscape Media via Netgalley.
#TheSecretofRainyDays #NetGalley
February 15, 2024
This book was just not for me.
I DNF’d it at 5% gave it a month or so break and then came back and restarted it from the beginning.
The second time I DNF’d it at 36%.
I felt like there was no plot, and instead I was just mindlessly listening to a sea of characters doing random things.
However, this novel was narrated by Cassandra Campbell and I sure did love the life her southern accent brought to the main character.
I DNF’d it at 5% gave it a month or so break and then came back and restarted it from the beginning.
The second time I DNF’d it at 36%.
I felt like there was no plot, and instead I was just mindlessly listening to a sea of characters doing random things.
However, this novel was narrated by Cassandra Campbell and I sure did love the life her southern accent brought to the main character.
August 2, 2021
Potential here. But…
In the prologue we were promised a grandmother who was Wicked Witch mixed with The Scrooge. That was told. It was never quite shown.
So the premise of the book, young woman returns to hometown after her evil grandma dies never sort of went anywhere.
Have you seen Sweet Home Alabama with Reece Witherspoon? Well, then, you are already 90% familiar with this story. The trope of southern girl gone north only to return and discover true happiness wasn’t new with the movie…nor is it new here.
Some of the page progressions were stilted too. A grandmother backstory abruptly switched (not transitioned…switched) to a best friend. Head snapping.
This was a 2-2.5 star read I’m rounding for potential.
In the prologue we were promised a grandmother who was Wicked Witch mixed with The Scrooge. That was told. It was never quite shown.
So the premise of the book, young woman returns to hometown after her evil grandma dies never sort of went anywhere.
Have you seen Sweet Home Alabama with Reece Witherspoon? Well, then, you are already 90% familiar with this story. The trope of southern girl gone north only to return and discover true happiness wasn’t new with the movie…nor is it new here.
Some of the page progressions were stilted too. A grandmother backstory abruptly switched (not transitioned…switched) to a best friend. Head snapping.
This was a 2-2.5 star read I’m rounding for potential.
September 27, 2021
Thank you Edelweiss Above the Treeline for the advanced digital copy of The Secrets of Rainy Days by Leslie Hooton in return for my honest review.
There was much to like about this novel of lasting friendship, but it missed the mark of being memorable. I loved the southern charm of the novel, the many life lessons, as well as the five characters that grew up together. I enjoyed sharing time with them, their joys and sorrows, births and deaths, college bound years through adulthood. Everyone should be blessed with friendships like these.
That being said, I had a real problem with the characterization of Biggie. If a character is said to be mean, and this was said repeatedly throughout the story, then please prove it to the reader. I was not convinced that this was the case. Stern? Yes. Exacting? Perhaps. Cheap, exhausting, infuriating, frustrating? Maybe all of the above. But, a combination of “Ebenezer Scrooge” and the “Wicked Witch of the West” (as expressed in the Prologue), I didn’t buy it, and because I didn’t trust her description of her grandmother, her namesake, from the prologue, it was difficult for me to like or trust the character of Nina, known since childhood as Little Bit. As a reader, and for that matter, a human being, I know what “mean” represents, abuse, both physical and emotional, bullying, violence, cruelty, brutality. The list goes on and on. Biggie, as written, was none of those things. Additionally, toward the end of the novel, an event that angers Little Bit, to the point of causing a rift between the characters did not seem authentic; the big reveal, wasn’t very big.
Further, the story takes us from childhood to adulthood, but at a frantic pace. Significant others are met and married within, what seems like, paragraphs. Births take place, and too quickly the infants are preschoolers. The years are blown through hectically. Covering so much time detracted from the character development. The author told you much of what you needed to know instead of letting the story unfold, gradually, revealing what it needed to at a measured pace. Yet, despite my constructive criticism, I still was drawn to the characters and to the story. Listen, I knew how this story was going to end pretty much from the beginning, with the exception of one surprising event, but there is something so beautiful about true friends who have stood the test of time, that I didn’t mind. Not at all. A solid 3.5 stars.
There was much to like about this novel of lasting friendship, but it missed the mark of being memorable. I loved the southern charm of the novel, the many life lessons, as well as the five characters that grew up together. I enjoyed sharing time with them, their joys and sorrows, births and deaths, college bound years through adulthood. Everyone should be blessed with friendships like these.
That being said, I had a real problem with the characterization of Biggie. If a character is said to be mean, and this was said repeatedly throughout the story, then please prove it to the reader. I was not convinced that this was the case. Stern? Yes. Exacting? Perhaps. Cheap, exhausting, infuriating, frustrating? Maybe all of the above. But, a combination of “Ebenezer Scrooge” and the “Wicked Witch of the West” (as expressed in the Prologue), I didn’t buy it, and because I didn’t trust her description of her grandmother, her namesake, from the prologue, it was difficult for me to like or trust the character of Nina, known since childhood as Little Bit. As a reader, and for that matter, a human being, I know what “mean” represents, abuse, both physical and emotional, bullying, violence, cruelty, brutality. The list goes on and on. Biggie, as written, was none of those things. Additionally, toward the end of the novel, an event that angers Little Bit, to the point of causing a rift between the characters did not seem authentic; the big reveal, wasn’t very big.
Further, the story takes us from childhood to adulthood, but at a frantic pace. Significant others are met and married within, what seems like, paragraphs. Births take place, and too quickly the infants are preschoolers. The years are blown through hectically. Covering so much time detracted from the character development. The author told you much of what you needed to know instead of letting the story unfold, gradually, revealing what it needed to at a measured pace. Yet, despite my constructive criticism, I still was drawn to the characters and to the story. Listen, I knew how this story was going to end pretty much from the beginning, with the exception of one surprising event, but there is something so beautiful about true friends who have stood the test of time, that I didn’t mind. Not at all. A solid 3.5 stars.
September 24, 2021
I love Southern Fiction and I love coming of age stories. I get both with Hooton's books. I really enjoyed this one.
I love small town reads. Hooton makes the small town seems so real. There is no mistake that this is going to be a huge hit.
4 stars and highly recommend.
The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.
I love small town reads. Hooton makes the small town seems so real. There is no mistake that this is going to be a huge hit.
4 stars and highly recommend.
The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.
October 27, 2021
THE SECRET OF RAINY DAYS is a heart-warming southern saga. Leslie Hooton crafts a story with delicately swirled language that creates an atmosphere filled with loving and supportive friends and family. Each character is unique, and multi-dimensional, with his or her own set of challenges and quirks.
Nina Barnes Enloe, or “Bit”, was raised in Erob, Alabama, around involved friends and family. She moved to New York City and started a prominent career in law, and she made some wonderful friends. Her grandmother, Biggie, was a defining figure in her life, and she tries to bring Bit back to Erob as much as possible. Bit tries to outrun her ties to her hometown, but will the place where she grew up with her family and friends always be as comfortable to her as a perfectly executed Sunday dinner?
Cassandra Campbell was a lovely narrator. I was impressed by her different inflections. I could usually tell the character from her tone, and I thought she did an especially good job with Win.
I enjoyed the audiobook. Having the story narrated gave me a chance to feel the language and appreciate the flow of the story. I felt a strong theme of family and friendship, and the trials and accomplishments were received differently by each character.
I recommend the story to readers who enjoy stories with southern appeal and that have elements of unwavering friendship.
Thank you, NetGalley and Dreamscape Media, for the advanced reader audio copy for my honest review.
Nina Barnes Enloe, or “Bit”, was raised in Erob, Alabama, around involved friends and family. She moved to New York City and started a prominent career in law, and she made some wonderful friends. Her grandmother, Biggie, was a defining figure in her life, and she tries to bring Bit back to Erob as much as possible. Bit tries to outrun her ties to her hometown, but will the place where she grew up with her family and friends always be as comfortable to her as a perfectly executed Sunday dinner?
Cassandra Campbell was a lovely narrator. I was impressed by her different inflections. I could usually tell the character from her tone, and I thought she did an especially good job with Win.
I enjoyed the audiobook. Having the story narrated gave me a chance to feel the language and appreciate the flow of the story. I felt a strong theme of family and friendship, and the trials and accomplishments were received differently by each character.
I recommend the story to readers who enjoy stories with southern appeal and that have elements of unwavering friendship.
Thank you, NetGalley and Dreamscape Media, for the advanced reader audio copy for my honest review.
September 27, 2021
I loved Before Anyone Else and was showered with lucky dust when I got to be on tour with this one!
And while it’s no secret I’m not a huge fan of rainy days - I want ten more books about this family of friends… because when it rained, it poured on them - but there’s just something about people who believe a casserole can fix anything.
Nina “Little Bit” Enloe has always wanted to escape her small town, the painful memories it holds, her controlling grandmother Nina “Biggie”, and a bossy best friend … she just wants to be, well, Nina. She finally moves to NYC and starts her new life, but when an unexpected loss drives her back to Erob … she finds that where you are from and who your people are, just may be exactly what you need to start over.
Don’t get me wrong - these people are not your most lovable, huggable characters. And there were times when I wanted to grab, shake, and kick 'em in the pants. But also times when I wanted to hug the every-loving crap out of them. There were joyous times and heartbreaking moments that changed lives in an instant. But they were family.
And isn’t that exactly how family goes? I love you, but I really hate your guts sometimes?
And while it’s no secret I’m not a huge fan of rainy days - I want ten more books about this family of friends… because when it rained, it poured on them - but there’s just something about people who believe a casserole can fix anything.
Nina “Little Bit” Enloe has always wanted to escape her small town, the painful memories it holds, her controlling grandmother Nina “Biggie”, and a bossy best friend … she just wants to be, well, Nina. She finally moves to NYC and starts her new life, but when an unexpected loss drives her back to Erob … she finds that where you are from and who your people are, just may be exactly what you need to start over.
Don’t get me wrong - these people are not your most lovable, huggable characters. And there were times when I wanted to grab, shake, and kick 'em in the pants. But also times when I wanted to hug the every-loving crap out of them. There were joyous times and heartbreaking moments that changed lives in an instant. But they were family.
And isn’t that exactly how family goes? I love you, but I really hate your guts sometimes?
September 25, 2021
Loved this book! This was such a good friendship story and uplifting and heartbreaking. I loved small town Alabama, my family is from a similar town and it felt so real, it was so easy to get caught up in the emotions and the experience.
This was my first book by Leslie Hooton but it won’t be my last, I so enjoyed her writing and the story she told.
This was my first book by Leslie Hooton but it won’t be my last, I so enjoyed her writing and the story she told.
February 8, 2023
Simply put, this book was not well done whatsoever. I feel like I have seen the same fundamental storyline in Hallmark movies a thousand times: a girl goes back to her hometown, uses the same cliché lines, and follows the same plot (which seemed to be more entertaining in the movies than this book). The writing lacked originality and felt underdeveloped and simplistic. The only aspect of it that I found enjoyable was how simple it was to read, but I struggled to find the motivation to finish it because it was so painfully predictable and cliché.
November 26, 2023
Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC of this book.
More than a coming of age story, this is more of that next step...adulting. It's just as hard as coming of age and lasts a lot longer. That's what Nina learned as she tried to take control of her life after college. Sometimes our best, most thought-out plans work out well and sometimes there's plan b.
This is a satisfying read and I recommend this book.
More than a coming of age story, this is more of that next step...adulting. It's just as hard as coming of age and lasts a lot longer. That's what Nina learned as she tried to take control of her life after college. Sometimes our best, most thought-out plans work out well and sometimes there's plan b.
This is a satisfying read and I recommend this book.
September 27, 2021
Nina Enloe “Little Bit” grew up in Erob, Alabama. A town where everyone knows your name and your business. Bit has a tight group of friends with her polar opposite best friends, Win and Avery, and her brother Haines and his best friend, Carter. But Bit feels smothered under the watchful eye of her grandmother, “Biggie.”
After college, as most of her friends were marrying and thinking of families, Bit moved to New York to branch out on her own, to be known as Nina, no longer Bit. With a job as a lawyer, a boyfriend, and a life away from Erob, she feels like she has broken free from her past. But then “Biggie” passes away and leaves her home to Bit, in one final master manipulation.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐑𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐲 𝐃𝐚𝐲𝐬 is consummate Southern Fiction. You’ll find casseroles at funerals, yeast rolls, Alabama football, and wearing pearls, and yes, the phrase “bless her heart,” does come up. But the heart of this story is friendship. Nina or Bit has loyal, faithful friends. And even though she tries to put distance between her childhood home, she is forever returning to it because of these friends. As life moves on, they share moments of joy and utter heartbreak. Through it all, Bit discovers where her heart truly calls home.
𝘛𝘞: 𝘴𝘶𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘥𝘦, 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘺 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘴, 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩.
Thank you to @suzyapprovedbooktours and @lesliehooton for an invite to the tour and a gifted copy.
After college, as most of her friends were marrying and thinking of families, Bit moved to New York to branch out on her own, to be known as Nina, no longer Bit. With a job as a lawyer, a boyfriend, and a life away from Erob, she feels like she has broken free from her past. But then “Biggie” passes away and leaves her home to Bit, in one final master manipulation.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐑𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐲 𝐃𝐚𝐲𝐬 is consummate Southern Fiction. You’ll find casseroles at funerals, yeast rolls, Alabama football, and wearing pearls, and yes, the phrase “bless her heart,” does come up. But the heart of this story is friendship. Nina or Bit has loyal, faithful friends. And even though she tries to put distance between her childhood home, she is forever returning to it because of these friends. As life moves on, they share moments of joy and utter heartbreak. Through it all, Bit discovers where her heart truly calls home.
𝘛𝘞: 𝘴𝘶𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘥𝘦, 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘺 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘴, 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩.
Thank you to @suzyapprovedbooktours and @lesliehooton for an invite to the tour and a gifted copy.
July 3, 2021
“People are not always going to love us in the same way, but that should not diminish their love. In the end, it’s only important that we are loved.”
“I love rainy days. They keep our secrets safe and if we’re sad and want to cry it is like heaven is crying along with us.”
@lesliehooton will forever have my heart. Her writing brings such a huge comfort to me. I always feel like I’m close to home when I’m reading her books.
I fell in love with BAE last year and I did the same this year with The Secret of Rainy Days.
Nina, “Little Bit” is trying to find her way in the world. Away from her small town and her controlling grandma who she is named after. She becomes a successful lawyer in New York, but when her grandma dies, she must find out who she truly is as well as find out where she belongs.
She goes through some hard times as well as trying to figure out how to maneuver her friendship with Win who is one of those friends where everything is handed to her and brutally honest to the point it hurts. Arguments always ensue when the two are together.
She embraces her friendship with Avery who she met on the day of her Dad’s death. Avery accepted Nina for who she is.
This book was so real and honest. At its heart it’s a book about friendship. The friendships we choose and the friendships we have by fate. How people can love us in different ways, but it’s still love. How to accept all the good and the bad. To make our life our own.
@lesliehooton I’m so thankful for our friendship! This book is going to be a hit! Thank you so much for sending me an early copy! Love ya. 💜💗💜
“I love rainy days. They keep our secrets safe and if we’re sad and want to cry it is like heaven is crying along with us.”
@lesliehooton will forever have my heart. Her writing brings such a huge comfort to me. I always feel like I’m close to home when I’m reading her books.
I fell in love with BAE last year and I did the same this year with The Secret of Rainy Days.
Nina, “Little Bit” is trying to find her way in the world. Away from her small town and her controlling grandma who she is named after. She becomes a successful lawyer in New York, but when her grandma dies, she must find out who she truly is as well as find out where she belongs.
She goes through some hard times as well as trying to figure out how to maneuver her friendship with Win who is one of those friends where everything is handed to her and brutally honest to the point it hurts. Arguments always ensue when the two are together.
She embraces her friendship with Avery who she met on the day of her Dad’s death. Avery accepted Nina for who she is.
This book was so real and honest. At its heart it’s a book about friendship. The friendships we choose and the friendships we have by fate. How people can love us in different ways, but it’s still love. How to accept all the good and the bad. To make our life our own.
@lesliehooton I’m so thankful for our friendship! This book is going to be a hit! Thank you so much for sending me an early copy! Love ya. 💜💗💜
September 24, 2021
Forever wanting to escape the small town she grew up in Alabama, always under the thumb of her grandmother who she was named after , and rid herself the nickname “Little Bit” Nina has now made a life for herself in New York including a relationship with a handsome man . So when she gets the news her grandmother has passed away, she’s immediately taken back to the past she so desperately wanted to leave behind. Always comparing her life to the lives of her close friends who seemed to be sprinkled with “lucky dust”. So when she feels the pull to go back to the life she ran from , she finally has to confront her past so she can decide what she wants and deserves in her present life. Each character was so unique and had their own back story. It’s a story of acceptance and forgiveness. Four stars!
January 28, 2023
Southern fiction lovers if you haven't read this one, do yourself a favor and go buy it now. Heartwarming, funny, love, loss, friendships, everybody knows your business yet you still love them anyway and a reminder of what home really is all about.
December 12, 2021
Thank you to the author which I won on Tattered Pages Book Club (FB).
3.5 stars.
As much as I enjoyed this small town Southern fiction and it was fast reading, it was a little too long for my liking. Sad in places, humorous in others, it took place in a small town of Erob, AL, which some people called "Bore" probably because it was a small town where everyone knew your business and it was “Bore” spelled backwards.
Nina (aka Little Bit), couldn't wait to move to NYC to be a big town lawyer. All of that changed when Biggie, her grandmother died and left her house to her. She was closer to Biggie than she was her mother. She was undecided but kept coming back weekend and often for things that were sadly happening to her friends at home.
So much happened with the "Fab" Five -- Avery, who she met when she introduced herself when they were kids at Nina's house when he father died, Carter, the local Judge, who lived next door with his parents, Haines, her doctor brother, and Winifred (Win), not to get mixed up with her eventual daughter Winnie. Win was the dominant one in the group and Nina tolerated her that's the truth. Not sure even if I could deal with her bossiness, domineering ways, and telling Nina what to do and wear. I loved Avery for who she was, easygoing and lovable.
Of course the ending what exactly what I thought it would be.
3.5 stars.
As much as I enjoyed this small town Southern fiction and it was fast reading, it was a little too long for my liking. Sad in places, humorous in others, it took place in a small town of Erob, AL, which some people called "Bore" probably because it was a small town where everyone knew your business and it was “Bore” spelled backwards.
Nina (aka Little Bit), couldn't wait to move to NYC to be a big town lawyer. All of that changed when Biggie, her grandmother died and left her house to her. She was closer to Biggie than she was her mother. She was undecided but kept coming back weekend and often for things that were sadly happening to her friends at home.
So much happened with the "Fab" Five -- Avery, who she met when she introduced herself when they were kids at Nina's house when he father died, Carter, the local Judge, who lived next door with his parents, Haines, her doctor brother, and Winifred (Win), not to get mixed up with her eventual daughter Winnie. Win was the dominant one in the group and Nina tolerated her that's the truth. Not sure even if I could deal with her bossiness, domineering ways, and telling Nina what to do and wear. I loved Avery for who she was, easygoing and lovable.
Of course the ending what exactly what I thought it would be.
March 2, 2022
Southern writer extraordinaire Leslie Hooton's newest book, The Secret of Rainy Days, is an ode to friendships and family. It's about lucky dust and funeral casseroles. It's about leaving the old and celebrating the new. But deep down, it is about the transformative nature of friendship. Bit had her old childhood friend, Win, who was gifted with “lucky dust.” But then a new friend, Avery, showed up with a casserole when Bit was overwhelmed by grief on the saddest day of her life. Bit believes she can escape her grandmother’s controlling grip once and for all by moving somewhere where she is the only Nina Enloe listed: New York. Eventually, she returns and finds love in unexpected places.
This book kept me up reading. From Biggie—the bossy grandmother—to Bit, the main character who lived in her shadow, there is such depth to all the characters. What struck me most about the book was realizing that friendships can have a life-long impact. The book was warm, comforting, and like visiting with an old friend, I didn’t want the company to end.
To listen to my interview with the author, go to my podcast at: https://zibbyowens.com/transcript/les...
This book kept me up reading. From Biggie—the bossy grandmother—to Bit, the main character who lived in her shadow, there is such depth to all the characters. What struck me most about the book was realizing that friendships can have a life-long impact. The book was warm, comforting, and like visiting with an old friend, I didn’t want the company to end.
To listen to my interview with the author, go to my podcast at: https://zibbyowens.com/transcript/les...
October 25, 2021
Oh my goodness! This one had me on an emotional rollercoaster and I could not stop listening! Nina "Little Bit" Enloe was named after her grandmother Nina "Biggie" Enloe and from the small town of Erob, Alabama. She has budding career as a lawyer in New York along with a life until Biggie passes away and she is called home. This is the start of learning the past and present of the lives of Bit, Win, Avery, and Carter. This was a look at Southern living and the friendships and navigating through life. This had me laughing and crying my way through this one. I highly recommend this one whether you grab it in print, ebook, or audio as I did.
**Received this ARC for review in audio from the publisher via NetGalley**
**Received this ARC for review in audio from the publisher via NetGalley**
June 15, 2022
Thoroughly enjoyed Hooton’s story telling gift; she captivated my heart, my grief, my joy, and my love for “home” in this sweet novel. Audiobook was great. I look forward to enjoying her other books. Easy read.
One of my favorite quotes:
“There is no such thing as closure, my dear,” she said. Closure is a big city word coined by Park Avenue therapists to line their pockets. One does not get closure from tragedy, death, or premature abandonment. The best we can do is allow it to sit with us, accept it, and maybe enclose it into the rest of our lives.
One of my favorite quotes:
“There is no such thing as closure, my dear,” she said. Closure is a big city word coined by Park Avenue therapists to line their pockets. One does not get closure from tragedy, death, or premature abandonment. The best we can do is allow it to sit with us, accept it, and maybe enclose it into the rest of our lives.
October 13, 2021
I loved this book so much. I have always loved the southern lifestyle. I could just imagine their accents. I have never been to Alabama but I always imagine it to be a lot like you see in Sweet Home Alabama. This book reminded me of that a little bit. Kinda like you can remove the girl from the south but you can’t remove the south from the girl. There were a lot of smiles and even a few tears while reading this book. I would definitely read more from this author!
November 8, 2021
Loved this southern small town read , full of emotions with life long friendships, family traditions , secrets and regrets.Its a wonderful rollercoaster ride of all the feels!!
March 27, 2022
I loved this book and saw myself in the characters. I can identify with small towns, life long friendships that have their ups and downs, and rebelling against things that my “southern” mother thought was important. What touched me the most was my desire for the book to not end. I loved all the twist and turns in the journey of the main character Bit. I hope here is a sequel one day.
December 31, 2022
A sweet story of family, friendship, grief and love. This reminded me so much of a Lifetime or Hallmark movie but with much deeper relationships and developed characters. If you like a good Southern family/friend drama this one is for you.
July 5, 2021
Leslie Hooton has done it again! From her beautiful covers to down-to-earth Southern charm I simply love her books.
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As a small town girl I know all too well the desire to escape and start a new life, but I also know the hold that "home" has on your heart. After 10 years I moved back to embrace my small town roots, and the little things that used to annoy me are now the things I cherish the most.
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𝚃����𝚎 𝚂𝚎𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚁𝚊𝚒𝚗𝚢 𝙳𝚊𝚢𝚜 filled me with the same cozy vibes I get after drinking a good cup of coffee. It felt familiar and welcoming… even if it did bring me on an emotional rollercoaster!
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A special thank you to Turner Publishing & Leslie Hooton for sending me an ARC of this book!
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As a small town girl I know all too well the desire to escape and start a new life, but I also know the hold that "home" has on your heart. After 10 years I moved back to embrace my small town roots, and the little things that used to annoy me are now the things I cherish the most.
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𝚃����𝚎 𝚂𝚎𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚁𝚊𝚒𝚗𝚢 𝙳𝚊𝚢𝚜 filled me with the same cozy vibes I get after drinking a good cup of coffee. It felt familiar and welcoming… even if it did bring me on an emotional rollercoaster!
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A special thank you to Turner Publishing & Leslie Hooton for sending me an ARC of this book!
October 1, 2021
I really enjoyed this story about Nina “Little Bit” Barnes Enloe. She was named after her mean and controlling grandmother, AKA “Biggie”, who always liked to be the center of attention. Nina couldn’t wait to leave her small town of Erob, Alabama. She moves to New York City and becomes a successful lawyer and no one knows her as “Little Bit.” She has no plans of returning to her hometown until she learns of her grandmother’s death.
That’s when she realizes that small towns and the people there never really leave you.
This book has a wonderful cast of supporting characters—from Win, her best friend by default to a Avery, her best friend by choice. This is my first book by this author and now I want to read her first book!
Thank you to Turner Publishing, the author and Suzy Approved Book Tours for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
That’s when she realizes that small towns and the people there never really leave you.
This book has a wonderful cast of supporting characters—from Win, her best friend by default to a Avery, her best friend by choice. This is my first book by this author and now I want to read her first book!
Thank you to Turner Publishing, the author and Suzy Approved Book Tours for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
July 27, 2021
THE SECRET OF RAINY DAYS by Leslie Hooton
Choppy.
Timeline bounced around a lot so I found it difficult to get into a rhythm. Start Stop, Start Skip Stop Start. The pacing was off. It was hard to get to know the characters and the plotline. Confusion and frustration for me throughout.
Oh, and of Nina's thoughts and descriptions of Biggie - ????? ( Mean, Harsh, Imposing, Cheap, "Underhanded Manipulation, Trained Manipulater ", controlling, a laugh like the Wicked Witch - among other things) .....just didn't check out. There was no evidence of it that I could see. I couldn't understand Nina's malignity, resentment, ingratitude and disrespect . I thought Nina was ungrateful to her Grandmother, who pretty much raised her, and didn't seem affected by Biggie's death -which didn't help in liking the main character. At all.
Although the story kept my interest to the end, and there were some good parts, all in all - I did not enjoy reading this book.
I WON an early copy of the book from a Goodreads Giveaway! Thanks to the author, Goodreads, and Turner Publishing Company for the book.
Choppy.
Timeline bounced around a lot so I found it difficult to get into a rhythm. Start Stop, Start Skip Stop Start. The pacing was off. It was hard to get to know the characters and the plotline. Confusion and frustration for me throughout.
Oh, and of Nina's thoughts and descriptions of Biggie - ????? ( Mean, Harsh, Imposing, Cheap, "Underhanded Manipulation, Trained Manipulater ", controlling, a laugh like the Wicked Witch - among other things) .....just didn't check out. There was no evidence of it that I could see. I couldn't understand Nina's malignity, resentment, ingratitude and disrespect . I thought Nina was ungrateful to her Grandmother, who pretty much raised her, and didn't seem affected by Biggie's death -which didn't help in liking the main character. At all.
Although the story kept my interest to the end, and there were some good parts, all in all - I did not enjoy reading this book.
I WON an early copy of the book from a Goodreads Giveaway! Thanks to the author, Goodreads, and Turner Publishing Company for the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 20, 2021
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Oh, my stars…I love me some Leslie Hooton, who has written another great story based in the South and called The Secret of Rainy Days. This is what I would call a comfort read and a book that is hard to put down. We start out with the passing of Nina’s (also known as Little Bit’s) grandmother, nicknamed “Biggie,” who was larger than life. It is not an understatement for many of us in the South that we have all had one such Grandmother. They are real and they exist. Nina is a successful New York City lawyer who returns to the very small town of her youth located in Erod, Alabama. Once reunited with childhood friends and family, she realizes that her busy life as a powerful attorney in New York isn’t all she bargained for. In Erod, people know each other, come to your home without calling, bake casseroles for EVERY occasion, laugh during good days, and cry during the worst. These five friends go through hell and back, and through it all, they prop each other up and are “present” when needed. Ms. Hooton has created a great cast of characters, and I feel like I know them all personally. I love, love, loved this book. You don’t have to be a southerner to enjoy this warm, funny, heart-warming story…but you will be better for having read it. As for me…I’m as happy as a tick on a fat dog. @lesliehooton #thesecretofrainydays #cozy #charming #southern #casseroles #friendships #life #love #loss #hope
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. #reading #books #bookstagram #book #booksofinstagram #booklovers #bookish #lindaleereads2021 #mmdbookclub #idratherbereading #readinglife #mmdsummerreading @modernmrsdarcy #October 🎃
Oh, my stars…I love me some Leslie Hooton, who has written another great story based in the South and called The Secret of Rainy Days. This is what I would call a comfort read and a book that is hard to put down. We start out with the passing of Nina’s (also known as Little Bit’s) grandmother, nicknamed “Biggie,” who was larger than life. It is not an understatement for many of us in the South that we have all had one such Grandmother. They are real and they exist. Nina is a successful New York City lawyer who returns to the very small town of her youth located in Erod, Alabama. Once reunited with childhood friends and family, she realizes that her busy life as a powerful attorney in New York isn’t all she bargained for. In Erod, people know each other, come to your home without calling, bake casseroles for EVERY occasion, laugh during good days, and cry during the worst. These five friends go through hell and back, and through it all, they prop each other up and are “present” when needed. Ms. Hooton has created a great cast of characters, and I feel like I know them all personally. I love, love, loved this book. You don’t have to be a southerner to enjoy this warm, funny, heart-warming story…but you will be better for having read it. As for me…I’m as happy as a tick on a fat dog. @lesliehooton #thesecretofrainydays #cozy #charming #southern #casseroles #friendships #life #love #loss #hope
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. #reading #books #bookstagram #book #booksofinstagram #booklovers #bookish #lindaleereads2021 #mmdbookclub #idratherbereading #readinglife #mmdsummerreading @modernmrsdarcy #October 🎃
May 5, 2022
Nina--AKA Little Bit--cannot wait to get out of Erob, Alabama. She's been in the shadow of her grandmother, Biggie, all her life. They fight and negotiate and try to outdo one another to see who gets the upper hand. She finally leaves Erob for New York City, but Erob and her grandmother, family, and friends still have a hold on her. Will she ever truly leave? Will she make it in the big city?
I loved this book but make sure you have kleenex nearby. I loved Nina. She may live in the big city but it is she that they keep calling to return to help them deal with the others in their circle. There's Biggie, Haines (Nina's brother), Win and Avery (her friends), and Carter (the boy next door.) Others enter and leave their circle but they are the main characters. They are good characters and we all know people like this. Nina needs to grow up though she has always been independent. They others have never lived outside of Erob (except Avery who moved there as a pre-teen.) The bonds of family and friends is strong. Nina also make strong bonds in New York City and they also have a hand in teaching Nina. It is the acceptance she receives in New York that shows her the acceptance for her back in Erob. The love each has (which ebbs and flows through their lives) is evident in each fight, silence, and conversation. Only good friends can say and do what these ones do.
Sadness comes. Heartbreak comes. Tragedy comes. Through it all they stay together. I could identify with Bit. I could feel her emotions--happiness, hurt, pain, acceptance, love. It is all there.
I was not sure what to expect. I got so much with this book. It is worth reading.
I loved this book but make sure you have kleenex nearby. I loved Nina. She may live in the big city but it is she that they keep calling to return to help them deal with the others in their circle. There's Biggie, Haines (Nina's brother), Win and Avery (her friends), and Carter (the boy next door.) Others enter and leave their circle but they are the main characters. They are good characters and we all know people like this. Nina needs to grow up though she has always been independent. They others have never lived outside of Erob (except Avery who moved there as a pre-teen.) The bonds of family and friends is strong. Nina also make strong bonds in New York City and they also have a hand in teaching Nina. It is the acceptance she receives in New York that shows her the acceptance for her back in Erob. The love each has (which ebbs and flows through their lives) is evident in each fight, silence, and conversation. Only good friends can say and do what these ones do.
Sadness comes. Heartbreak comes. Tragedy comes. Through it all they stay together. I could identify with Bit. I could feel her emotions--happiness, hurt, pain, acceptance, love. It is all there.
I was not sure what to expect. I got so much with this book. It is worth reading.
January 31, 2023
Reading The Secret of Rainy Days was like cuddling up under your favorite blanket. It provided a comforting story of the connections between family and friends in the fictional town of Erob, AL that spans many years. There’s joy throughout this book, but also heartbreak and sadness. Even so, I enjoyed the richness of all the experiences and characters.
For as long as she can remember, Nina (Bit) wants to leave Erob. She dreams of escaping her small southern town, her silly nickname, and the demands and expectations of everyone around her—especially from her namesake grandmother, Biggie. Even after she realizes her dream of being a lawyer in New York City, Nina is continually drawn back to Erob for various reasons—illnesses, weddings, births, and funerals. When Biggie finally passes away, she leaves her home to Nina with the request that Nina live there and raise a family.
Nina is adamant that she won’t live in Erob. She never fully appreciates the closeness of her family and friends, and how these relationships enrich her life. She’s also unbelievably oblivious of the potential of having a relationship with someone she knows and loves. But with the help of her friends and family, Nina begins to open herself up to new possibilities.
The Secret of Rainy Days was both sweet and sad. I wish I had lived in a place like Erob with such close-knit family and friends. I loved the plug for my favorite blogger’s cookbook, Half-Baked Harvest, too.
With all of its underlying themes, The Secret of Rainy Days will make for a great book club discussion!
For as long as she can remember, Nina (Bit) wants to leave Erob. She dreams of escaping her small southern town, her silly nickname, and the demands and expectations of everyone around her—especially from her namesake grandmother, Biggie. Even after she realizes her dream of being a lawyer in New York City, Nina is continually drawn back to Erob for various reasons—illnesses, weddings, births, and funerals. When Biggie finally passes away, she leaves her home to Nina with the request that Nina live there and raise a family.
Nina is adamant that she won’t live in Erob. She never fully appreciates the closeness of her family and friends, and how these relationships enrich her life. She’s also unbelievably oblivious of the potential of having a relationship with someone she knows and loves. But with the help of her friends and family, Nina begins to open herself up to new possibilities.
The Secret of Rainy Days was both sweet and sad. I wish I had lived in a place like Erob with such close-knit family and friends. I loved the plug for my favorite blogger’s cookbook, Half-Baked Harvest, too.
With all of its underlying themes, The Secret of Rainy Days will make for a great book club discussion!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 29, 2021
“The secret of rainy days is that they expect so much less of us. Cozy days “pajama days.” The secret of rainy days is they allow me to blame my tears on them.”
Nina has been desperate to leave Erob Alabama, and her nickname “Little Bit” behind for as long as she can remember. She has finally made it to New York, found a successful job, and a gorgeous man when her Grandmother passes and suddenly she is constantly being pulled back to Erob. Between the loss of her grandmother, and her crew (her brother Haines, his best friend Carter, and her best friends Win and Avery,) Nina just can’t seem to stay away. Will moving back lead to something she never saw happening?
So fun secret: while working on this book Leslie sent me a list of titles that were possibilities. I sent back my favorites and it came down to two titles. I hadn’t read the book yet but I told her I preferred The Secret Of Rainy Days! I feel like I helped birth this book baby! That said, this book was such a small town gem! You have Nina who ran from small town life to the big city, but as many of us know, small towns never truly let you go! I loved their group of friends, even Win though she could be infuriating at times! This book truly explored the value and importance of childhood friendships which I just adored. My best friends are from elementary school and college, so that really warmed my heart! I also loved how Leslie linked rainy days to safe days! I am so proud of you Leslie for your second book! Congrats friend!
Nina has been desperate to leave Erob Alabama, and her nickname “Little Bit” behind for as long as she can remember. She has finally made it to New York, found a successful job, and a gorgeous man when her Grandmother passes and suddenly she is constantly being pulled back to Erob. Between the loss of her grandmother, and her crew (her brother Haines, his best friend Carter, and her best friends Win and Avery,) Nina just can’t seem to stay away. Will moving back lead to something she never saw happening?
So fun secret: while working on this book Leslie sent me a list of titles that were possibilities. I sent back my favorites and it came down to two titles. I hadn’t read the book yet but I told her I preferred The Secret Of Rainy Days! I feel like I helped birth this book baby! That said, this book was such a small town gem! You have Nina who ran from small town life to the big city, but as many of us know, small towns never truly let you go! I loved their group of friends, even Win though she could be infuriating at times! This book truly explored the value and importance of childhood friendships which I just adored. My best friends are from elementary school and college, so that really warmed my heart! I also loved how Leslie linked rainy days to safe days! I am so proud of you Leslie for your second book! Congrats friend!
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