Red Rain

by Lara Bernhardt

A bittersweet story of friendship and overcoming grief from a critically acclaimed author.

Olivia Montag is a professor who doesn’t have all the answers. The devastating loss of a child ended her marriage, and she’s been overlooked for a job promotion one time too many. Not sure what comes next, she leaves it all behind and volunteers to teach English to schoolchildren in India.

Ten thousand miles away, she connects with fellow volunteers and finds purpose in teaching. Until one by one the girls in her classes stop showing up. Then she meets Mukesh, an Indian man with a heart for invention, who may be the only one who can help her students. This is her chance to impact real change, even if that means trusting new friendships and her own instincts.

It turns out, there might be strength in asking for help, and embracing a painful past may clear the way for a brighter future. Sometimes in the darkest storms, you can choose to dance in the rain.

Eat, Pray, Love meets Best Exotic Marigold Hotel in this poignant but uplifting story of finding your purpose.

Genres: Fiction, India

304 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 30, 2022

Reviews

[theliterateleprechaun · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Sometimes in the darkest storms, you can choose to dance in the rain.”

This is the book I never knew I needed.

I’m a teacher on sabbatical missing my students and was looking for a book that captured a teacher’s heart. The beautiful cover caught my attention and the narrative pulled me in… sucked me in… all day! I read all day on the deck.

This book isn’t just for teachers. It’s for anyone who feels in their heart a desperate need to make a difference in this world. It’s for anyone crying out to find their place in this world - to find a purpose. It’s for those who are grieving. And it’s for those who want a fresh start. You’ll discover that your spirit is soothed, your bucket is overflowing, and you are ready to take on whatever life has in store for you. It’s the perfect prescription.

Olivia Montag embarks on a thrill of a lifetime; a six-month, life-empowering trip volunteering to teach English to schoolchildren in the state of Kerala, India. Hoping to free herself of her emotional baggage, she puts her whole heart into offering children halfway around the world in a remote part of India a chance at a better life.

I absolutely loved her tenacity. As much as she put into the world, the world gave back to her. She gained friendship among the other volunteers, learned to love herself, and successfully changed the future for women in a remote part of India. The woman who came to India is not the woman who is returning to America. Her eyes are wide open and her heart is full of thankfulness and acceptance… all thanks to meeting Mukesh, a man with an invention. Olivia Montag will be going home fuelled with passion for a brighter future.

I was curious about the title and loved learning about the incident that prompted its naming. I appreciated being pushed out of my comfort zone by reading about something I don’t often discuss or think about and I am thankful for this catalyst that ignited a passion within - a passion to make a difference.

You’ll be drooling for biryani, dal and chapatis before you’ve finished chapter 2!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Rachel Holt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Red Rain is hands down the best general fiction book I've read this year!

The characters are warm, living, and breathing. You can tell the writing is good when fictional characters are aggravating! My only criticism is that some of the dialogue didn't flow well, but a majority of the writing was wonderful and well paced.

Red Rain spotlights issues which all too many women around the world struggle with:domestic abuse, access to feminine hygiene products, infant loss, inferiority to patriarchy. Even though it's a fictional account, it's full of many truths. I lost count of how many times i teared up while reading this book. Every woman should read it!

[Linda Zagon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lara Bernhardt, the author of “Red Rain” has written an intriguing and inspirational novel. The genres for this story are Women’s Fiction, Women’s Literacy, and Fiction. The author discusses cultural differences, the importance of friendship, sisterhood, learning to deal with grief, moving on, and self-growth. This is a well-written novel that explores how to empower women by giving them the proper education, knowledge, and tools to make a difference. The story mostly takes place in India, which is a cultural shock to Professor Olivia Montag, who is there to teach English to the children. The other volunteers help Olivia realize that girls and women are not considered equal in so many ways in India.

Olivia has decided to volunteer in India while trying to escape a terrible tragedy. Olivia means well and starts to bond with the children. She purchases materials that she feels that the children need, but is politely reprimanded by the administration. When one of the brightest girls leaves the school for a shocking reason, Olivia is determined to do something that will help and make a difference.

While Olivia is in India, there are strange storms with red rain, and these phenomenal occurrences can’t be explained. Olivia starts to trust the other teachers and does reach out for help to deal with her past and present so she can move on to embrace the future. I appreciate that the author stresses the importance of sisterhood and empowering women. I highly recommend this thought-provoking novel.

[Audrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another beautiful book by Lara Bernhardt. Poignant and eye-opening, this story takes you into the rural parts of India where women are taught to be ashamed of their nature and shunned if they dare to fall out of line.

As when I read Shadow of the Taj, I learned a lot and was forced to leave the first-world bubble so many of us don't realize we live in. Though this is a work of fiction, it's based on reality in this part of the world (and many others). It's impossible to read it without wanting to help the cause yourself. Olivia's naivety represents many — myself included. It's easy to acknowledge things are one way in one country and one way in another, but to get down to the raw details of those differences hits deep.

The moral of the story aside, the characters were charming and the plot emotional. By the end, I had tears streaming down my face and had to just sit for a few minutes once I reached the last page. Though Olivia's life and the women she sets out to help don't mirror my own, I felt the pain and wanted nothing more than to hug them. Granted, I felt this way with nearly all of the characters through the good and the bad. Chris was especially a sweetheart as was Mukesh. The other teachers were such a wonderful support system for Olivia which was perhaps my favorite part of the book. They help her through her personal grief, pushing her when needed, and also helping her in the mission field where she eventually finds herself. It isn't easy, but they get through it together.

It's a book about friendship, loss, grief, the unexplained, coming to terms with the past and choices made, and most importantly the sisterhood of women.

Thanks to BookSirens for providing a free copy of the book to read and review. I will also be purchasing a copy for myself once the book is released!

https://oceanwriterreads.com/2022/08/...

[Tahlia Newland · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Red Rain' is an exceptional book. Not only is it extremely well-written, but it also deals with important themes - dealing with grief following the lost of a baby, the crushing effect relationships with a controlling partner have on women, and most of all, the issue of women in rural India (and other third world countries) not having access to affordable menstruation pads.

After a divorce Olivia leaves her home in the US to travel to India to volunteer at an English language school in rural India. Travelling to escape her grief and hopefully to find some direction for her presently empty life. She falls in love with the children in her classes and is shocked to discover the girls leaving and never returning once they get their periods. Though she can't change the cultural attitudes to women, she can do something about the practical issue that means women can't risk leaving home at 'their time of the month' - a lack of quality and affordable personal hygene products.

A chance meeting at a market leads her to meet the inventor of a pad-making machine, an Indian man who faced ridicule for his committment to helping his wife and mother with this problem. After perservering against the odds, he invented a machine that allowed women create a business producing and selling pads. Giving one to the village is a nice idea, but it's not as easy as it might seem. Olivia faces much opposition and struggles to find women to work the machine in a society where women are ashamed of their bodies' natural functions and discussion of anything to do with 'women's business' is taboo.

Set against a vibrant description of life in rural India, the story also follows Olivia's personal healing and development from a woman full of self-doubt to one willing to follow the strength of her convictions. The message is clear: With enough determination, one person can make a difference.

The pad making machine is real and at the end is a link to thepadproject.org where people can contribute to improving the lives of women in similar circumstances. Their slogan is "A period should end a sentence,

not a girl’s education."

'Red Rain by Lara Bernhardt is not only a terrific, moving read with deep characterisation that keeps you turning pages, it also shows us Western women how much of the freedom we take for granted is due to the availability and affordability of modern sanitary products.

A couple of quotes to show the high standard of the writing:

"Ms. Vanya and Navya each placed a hand on her and lowered their heads. They didn’t say anything, and they didn’t need to. What could they say in the face of such horrific grief? There were no words, and their silent sympathy expressed an inherent understanding."

==========

"And if she hadn’t been raised in that toxic environment, would she have married Scott? Would she have been blind to the insidious control he exerted over her, as Tisha had pointed out? She didn’t want to believe she’d married an abuser, as determined as she’d been to find a loving man and enjoy a happy marriage. Over and over, she’d told herself she would not repeat her mother’s mistakes. Scott didn’t hurt her physically, but he’d squashed everything that was her. And she’d let him."

==========

I received an advance review copy from Book Sirens for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[TaniaRina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Got to give credit where credit is due:
‘To the women and men behind the documentary “Period. End of Sentence” and The Pad Project. Thank you for shining a light on this problem and working so hard to improve the lives of our sisters around the world.’
‘And for Arunachalam Muruganantham, the Menstrual Man, who dedicated his life to improving the lives of women and is an inspiration to us all.’

Intentionally or not, the author delves into generational trauma and learned subservience via toxic relationships. Even though Olivia wasn’t raised with her alcoholic and abusive father, she still fell prey to a gaslighter. Girls worldwide need to be taught the signs and be provided tools to avoid such people, regardless of gender.
Some previously abused women believe that living ‘male-free’ is the only way to remain safe. A sad commentary on how societies are raising our boys.

There are so many comforts and rights that First Worlders take for granted. My family and acquaintances thought that my moving from the U.S. to the Mideast less than a decade ago would have been a huge culture shock. In some ways it was since reading books and watching movies can only scrape the surface. Fortunately, I grew up in diverse Southern California and also worked alongside several immigrants and/or foreign contract workers so had been exposed to various ways of thinking. Plus, I’m nosy and I would ask questions…
Olivia was not prepared for what she would witness in her new home, let alone how to handle it.

Also, not everything in the First World is the best or even better than. The author mentioned a Western-style toilet, so I’ll use that as an example. Squat toilets, usually found in Oriental rather than Occidental countries, are far better for the body than sitting toilets. Yet we are loathe to use them, instead preferring to deal with possible nerve damage, digestive disorders, and pelvic organ prolapse, just to name a few.

Some cultural mores are built upon logistical infrastructures. In places where there is no running water in every home, for whatever reason, overall hygiene is lower. Females need even more water during their cycles, so they suffer when it’s not readily available. In poorer areas, sanitary products are a much lower priority than things for basic survivial such as food and shelter. And much more difficult to come by in rural areas.
As a young teen in suburban U.S., we only had thick pads with belts to hold them in place. Fastforward to current-day Israel, sanitary products are extremely expensive, sold in small quantities (less than a week’s worth), and only the less effective type is readily available (actually, the better product is almost non-existent unless we have people outside the country ship them to us).

In addition to the physical aspects, there is a need to manage the hygiene in a timely manner. Females cannot simply stop driving a bus in order to change into a cleaner product. Females could miss important information when leaving a business meeting to step into a restroom. These little breaks call attention to the female cycle and many males (of various cultures) feel uncomfortable knowing such personal information. So the females are sequestered during their cycles – and to maintain that system, the females are sequestered from the age they begin their cycles.
The author educates the readers very well about how this mentality adversely affects females regarding basic education and self-sufficiency.




TRIGGER WARNING:
This book deals with familial relationships and they are also adversely affected when females are uneducated and sequestered merely due to their gender. Widows with no sons to support them are at the mercy of distant family, if they even have any. Widows with no job skills AND no family are…I don’t even want to think about it.
Domestic abuse, while prevalent globally, is much more difficult to leave in cultures where females are considered as less than since they do not have the education or other resources to support themselves as well as any children they may have.
There is gender bias in the form of females being forced by their families to abort unborn females as well as for out-of-wedlock conceptions.

The author touches upon the emotional toll from such institutionalized gender abuses and is to be commended for calling attention to it. The world needs more books like this that point out the need for social justice and ways to achieve it.
Starting with the men and the children…

[Rick Ludwig · Rating 5 out of 5]

With "Red Rain", Lara Bernhardt has written a very important book that people from all genders, backgrounds, religious, and political persuasions will benefit from reading. But she has also told a heartwarming story of real people doing extraordinary things in the face of daunting challenges. The definition of a fantastic novel.

I really appreciate the protagonist and her ability to reassess her first impressions of people as she grows through the course of the story. I like the realistic way she reacts to the male character, Chris, and that the author resisted the temptation to quickly turn the relationship into a romance. I believe the inclusion of Chris’s story about his relationship with his mother shows that men can be impacted by abuse of a female loved one. This is brought home even more strongly with the father of one the protagonists students.

Although the challenges faced by young woman--well all women--in rural India seem extreme compared to what they face here, the challenges all stem from the same tired hold-overs that impeded all historically paternalistic societies, including our own.

The characterization of Mukesh provides an Indian male willing to put himself in the place of women and experience what they must face every day. He comes off as a one-of-a-kind person and the only one who could accomplish what he does. But he could accomplish nothing without the bravery of the women in the story. This is a story of discovered strength and competence that should inspire everyone who reads it.

[Melissa (Nissa_the.bookworm) · Rating 5 out of 5]

𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐔
🇮🇳 have ever wanted to visit India
🌧️ heard about the mysterious red rain in 2001
👩‍🏫 are a teacher
💍 love opals

• 𝐐𝐔𝐈𝐂𝐊 𝐓𝐀𝐊𝐄

A young woman named Olivia decides to take a 6 month volunteer position at a school for children in India after a devastating loss leaves her divorced and unsure of what comes next.

• 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐓’𝐒 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓

Olivia is a recently divorced woman, who, in 2001, decides to take a volunteer position in rural India teaching children English. With little to no experience teaching children or having ever traveled outside of America, Olivia is looking forward to the experience. As she adjusts to her new temporary life and makes friends with her fellow teachers, Olivia ends up wanting more out of her experience. After she meets a man selling a revolutionary machine that will help girls and women, Olivia puts her all into her new project.

• 𝐌𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒

This was such a moving story about strength and resiliency and standing up for women everywhere. Olivia is so kindhearted and I absolutely loved her. I was not expecting this story to turn the way it did (and I don’t want to give out spoilers) but the title is absolutely on point! I really loved learning more about the customs of India as well. It was shocking to discover that things were so cheap (especially compared to America). The descriptions of food had me salivating too!

[Staci · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Red Rain, author Lara Bernhardt has woven themes of grief, friendship, and resilience. The main character, Olivia Montag, suffers a terrible tragedy, and to escape, she accepts a volunteer position teaching English in India. Her grief is palpable, and she has difficulty opening up to her fellow teachers. She hides her grief initially, but over time, she begins to reveal details about herself, and the friendship offered by the others strengthens her. The details provided about poverty and the treatment of women in India (and other countries) was eye opening. The author sheds light on this subject with grace and finesse. As Olivia begins to accept her past, she realizes that she still has plenty of living left to do, and that she can help make others’ lives better along the way. I highly recommend this novel!

[Debbie Rozier · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is heart breaking and heart warming all at the same time. It focuses on grief and spousal abuse while at the same time shares healing and hope. It made me think about how as Americans what we think of as help is seen as intrusive in other countries. It is deep in Indian culture and discusses women’s personal hygiene. It adds elements of a real life unexplained phenomenon that occurred in India in 2001 and shares a real life project that empowers women.

I loved the writing style and appreciate every character that Lara so thoughtfully created in this book.

About the Book

After a devastating loss and subsequent divorce, Olivia has gone to volunteer as a teacher in rural India for 6 months.

There she meets a group of teachers who support her and teach her about the culture of her temporary home.

Olivia is devastated that teenage girls are forced to leave the school once they begin their periods. She uses her money for a project that she thinks will help solve this problem but faces resistance and resentment from the men in town.

As she tries to help these women, she also must come to grips on her own grief and self worth.

[Wendy Daley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am an early reviewer. I loved this book. Lara Bernhardt writes in a way that is easy to read, and draws the reader into the story. The main character Olivia Montag has a strength of character that I admire. The insights into the life in India of young girls/women is thought provoking. It’s a must read😊

[Adele Holmes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Red Rain protagonist Olivia Montag, hardened by a mucked up life, escapes to India to teach primary English, where she finds her heart breaking for the girls who are demoralized and discarded at menarche. As a pediatrician, I cheered the protagonist in her struggles to help normalize a deeply held stigma against females—one that is still yet entrenched.

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Olivia having grown up watching her mother abused wanted so much more for herself. She married and made sure she had a good education. She became pregnant and lost the baby, found her husband blamed her. After her marriage ended she felt a need to get away. Olivia went to S. India to volunteer teaching children.

This is the start of new friendships and realization about her marriage. She also had a mission to help the women in this foreign community.

What an eye opening read for me. It was so heart breaking as well as heartwarming.

Highly recommend this wonderful book.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful heartwarming story of Olivia, whose life hasn’t been easy. A lost child, a divorce, what else could happen. Well written words that take you through the emotions. Don’t miss out once it’s released.

[Emma Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel by Lara Bernhardt is a bittersweet story of friendship and overcoming grief.
Oliva travels to India after the loss of her baby ends her marriage. She leaves it all behind to teach English to children in India.
This novel was brilliantly and beautifully written and shows the strength of friendship and that it is OK to ask for help and embracing her past can lead to a better future. Sometimes in the darkest storms, you can choose to dance in the rain.
I really loved this beautiful novel and truly recommended it. I can't wait to read more by Lara.

[Rebecca Milstead · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing book you didn't know you needed to read! Lara Bernhardt brings awareness to an ever present issue throughout the world in a way that you connect with the story and feel like our main character, Olivia. I also liked the way Olivia's struggle over handling her loss is portrayed. As a parent who knows loss of a child, it really hit home. Olivia's growth throughout is beautiful!!

[Betsey Kulakowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Red Rain is truly a heart-warming story of a woman’s journey after a broken marriage, the loss of a baby, and rediscovering her purpose - learning she can change the world.

[Cynthia Rodrigues · Rating 1 out of 5]

Read Full & Detailed review: https://cynthology.blogspot.com/2022/...

Brace yourself, people, this is going to be a long one.
The book, written in the 3rd person past tense PoV of Olivia, starts out with the right intentions. Olivia has the desire to do good, and the author wants to highlight the ills that prevail Indian society. A lot of the stuff she talks about is real, dowry problems, the desire for a male child, the superstitions associated with menstruation etc, all stem from a patriarchal mindset that pervades social customs. A lot of women do not have much agency when it comes to making decisions for themselves.

The book also gets some cultural bits right, when it talks about the head wobble that means yes, the slight jerk that means no, and the sideways jerk that means, go ahead.

The hero of this book is Mukesh, based on the life of Arunachalam Muruganantham, who actually did everything that is attributed to Mukesh here. If you want to know more about this real-life hero, look him up on YouTube or watch his brilliant Ted Talk.

Olivia is a character whose heart is in the right place. Her self-esteem has taken a beating and we see the development in her character arc. I also liked the fact that the focus remained firmly on her, and the romance wasn’t forced on us.

On the flip side, the other teachers remained flat. When they were gathered together, it was hard to tell who was talking. Of the minor characters, Olivia’s fellow teachers, only Aubra stood out for her jealousy, Chris for his helpfulness towards Olivia, and Watisha for how she counsels Olivia. Melanie and Delilah don’t stand out at all. Delilah quotes from books, but that has no impact whatsoever.

The prose was rather too simple and repetitive, especially when it came to Olivia’s past memories of her ex-husband, Scott.

I forgave the positive intentions that the author started out with, but large parts of this book were cringe-inducing. American audiences might love it, but I resented the blatant poverty porn and the faulty perception of my country through the lens of exotica.

Early on, Olivia watches flocks of green parrots flying overhead in Delhi of all places. People have lived and died in Delhi without seeing the sight that Olivia sees. Clearly the author’s research has been pathetic.

When Olivia first meets Chris, he palms off some coins to a taxi driver who is trying to extort money from Olivia under false pretences. When she protests, Chris mouths crap about “the severe poverty some of the people in this country grapple with, and the number who go hungry every day.” I wanted to reach into the page and slap his sanctimonious spirit right off his face.

The white man saving the brown skinned children from starvation with a few coins. Saviour complex much?

Incidentally, Chris’ heart bleeds for the dishonest taxi driver and his children, but with the vendors in the shops, he haggles, instead of paying the price they ask. Why? Don’t the vendors have kids that might be starving?

Then we have Olivia, who is stupid enough to fly halfway across the world to a country she has, like the author, done zero research on.

She sees “bare-chested women scrubbing clothing against rocks in a putrid gray-brown river.” The same river in which she sees “a dead carcass float by,” lest you assume the carcass is alive.

Incidentally, Kochi, the city in which this book is set, is in Kerala, the state with the highest performance on several indices such as health, education, literacy, law and order, public welfare etc. Again, zero research. The basic premise of the book, girls being pulled out of school once they began menstruating, would not apply to Kerala. It is the height of ridiculousness to suggest that Kochi doesn’t have good sanitary pads.

Zero research on descriptions. Olivia tells us there are “tropical trees surrounding the school on all sides.” Tropical trees in a tropical country. Who would have guessed?

The whole thing about women not driving is another example of lack of research. Not everyone drives in India. That’s because cars are expensive, and not everyone can afford to buy one, but it’s also because the public transportation system is reliable and cost-effective and serves people’s needs well. A vehicle of one’s own isn’t a priority.

One of the characters, a British woman named Aubra, says, “This culture doesn’t accept women drivers. People would shout at us. Other drivers would be aggressive and maybe even try to run us off the road.” What bull crap! This is an example of reputation maligning.

There were around 429 thousand driving licenses issued among females across the Indian state of Kerala in fiscal year 2019, the highest in India. The total newly issued driving licenses in Kerala was over 10.5 million that year, out of which 14.9 percent were for women. Where did the author come up with the stupid information that she forced into Aubra’s mouth?

The teachers talk about taking a tuk-tuk. The right word, used everywhere in India, is autorickshaw. Tuk-tuk is what these vehicles are called in Thailand.

The food suffers in a similar fashion. Ms Vanya’s culinary skills never produced idli, dosa or sambar, the most well-known foods in South Indian cuisine and the staple diet of people there. Instead the narrative only mentions bland cauliflower, peas and potatoes cooked together, along with rice, dal and chapatis. Indian food is known for its diversity; these poor characters have been shortchanged. Again, meat isn’t “less readily available,” in India, least of all in Kerala which loves its beef.

Exposing one’s legs would be frowned on in rural areas, but it wouldn’t be “completely taboo.”

In one scene, where Olivia is trying to put together a first aid kit, we are told that Indians don’t understand the word, bandages. Ms Bernhardt, India has one of the largest populations of non-native English speakers anywhere. This scene is ridiculous.

A minor character, Rahul, we are told, “laced his fingers across the paunch beneath his ample shalwar.” The right word is kameez, which means tunic. Shalwar stands for the loose pants worn as part of an ensemble. Also, men in Kerala wear the lungi at home. The shalwar kameez is worn by North Indians.

I can understand the culture shock but the false information is annoying. The very title, Red Rain, was forced. It had no direct link with the main plot. I suspect it was included to highlight the menstruation angle.

All in all, not a book that deserves to be recommended.

[karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for a candid review. To begin, I’m thinking the promotion of this book should be pitched as Young Womens Contemporary Fiction, emphases on ‘young’ or honestly, it could even realistically be targeted for the YA market. With that caveat in mind, I can give it 2 stars. As a mature retired mid-60ish person, it really struck me as written quite simplistically with much repetition and little complexity. In my opinion, there wasn’t a single character, including Olivia, the protagonist, who was depicted with depth. I really missed the descriptive details that I expect to derive from solid fiction writing in this narrative. There was just too much left unsaid for strong reader engagement. So, apologies up front, but I didn’t care for this book and am definitely not on the same page as other reviewers. Who I am guessing are much younger than I am.

A brief summary of the plot is that Olivia, a young American woman, probably Caucasian but who knows? since we’re never given those details, having survived a traumatic abusive childhood, managed to get herself a decent education, decent job and married an emotionally abusive jerk. Olivia had a strong relationship with her mother that languished after her marriage to said jerk and she apparently has no friends either. The marriage fails after a tragedy drives the couple apart instead of binding them closer together and Olivia attempts to cope by pursuing a position as a volunteer teacher of young children in India. Where she’s never been. Then more stuff happens, mostly improbable. Here are some examples of highly unrealistic situations that run rampant throughout this book.
1) Olivia is so naive, she failed to adequately research the country she’s planning to live and teach in for 6 months. The climate, poverty, cuisine, dress and paternalistic society all come as a complete shock to her.
2) She had no experience or training for teaching young children but is put in the situation regardless. How surprising is it that she makes several predictable blunders? Oops.
3) While navigating her position as an inexperienced, untrained volunteer teacher, she takes it upon herself to challenge traditional Indian power, cultural structure and gender roles, risking her own welfare and that of her students and the reputation of the school. She is a crusader and while I’m sure some readers might be impressed with her crusading, it made me cringe to read about someone acting in such an ignorant and culturally tone-deaf manner. So, not to spoil the book for potential readers, I’ll stop with more plot description now. Except…
4) There is predictably a love interest storyline because why not?

Lastly, while no mention of menstruation- that’s right, menstruation- is mentioned anywhere in the promotional blurb for this book, it plays a large role in the plot. Now, I’m no prude, seriously, I gave birth 3 times and taught middle school for many years. I’m open to reading about all kinds of things, but I’m old. At 20+ years postmenopausal, I just don’t find the topic of menstruation and sanitary products especially fascinating enough to want to read a book with that topic as a focal point. Hence, my recommendation of moving this title to YA fiction. Although the book banning folks would probably yank it from the school libraries if it made it there.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book really spoke to my heart!

After the devastating loss of her child and her marriage, Professor Olivia Montag feels uncertain of her next steps. She resigns her job and travels overseas to teach English to children in India.

She soon bonds with her fellow volunteers and discovers she has a real love for the children. When she comes across a problem that could be potentially life-threatening for local women, Olivia knows she must find a way to help.

The story is told from Olivia’s point of view. At the beginning, Olivia constantly hears the criticisms of her ex-husband in her head. However, she gradually finds the strength within to speak out about a subject that is considered taboo. The story moves at a good pace and I found myself routing for Olivia and the local women. The story also opened my eyes about an issue I had never considered. This is the ultimate feel-good story. Readers of women’s fiction will enjoy this one.

Thank you @larabern10 and @suzyapprovedbooktours for my gifted copy. My thoughts are my own.

[Susan Ballard (subakkabookstuff) · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝘌𝘢𝘵, 𝘗𝘳𝘢𝘺, 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘦𝘵𝘴 𝘉𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘌𝘹𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘤 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘏𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘭 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘶𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘶𝘳𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘦.



Olivia Montag needs a change. After the loss of her child and the end of her marriage, she decides to head to India. There she volunteers to teach English to schoolchildren.

In India, her heart goes out to these young students and the hardships they face. Many we take for granted, like access to feminine hygiene products. Olivia tries to make a difference, to empower these girls, but she gets a lot of pushback. Olivia must also face her own grief and self-doubt. Fortunately, she makes some wonderful friends and an unlikely one, too, that can help her make an impact.

The story is well-written, with an inspiring message of education, sisterhood, and self-worth. And as I mentioned at the start, 𝐑𝐞𝐝 𝐑𝐚𝐢𝐧 took me to India, where I took part in the food, culture, and even the strange storms that caused it to rain red.

Thank you @suzyapprovedbooktours and @larabern10 for a spot on tour and a gifted copy.

[Cari Zuckerman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Red Rain by Lara Bernhardt

Olivia Montag has recently suffered a terrible trauma and the end of her marriage. After months of barely being able to function, she decides to accept a teaching position in a small school in a remote town of Kerala, India. Once there, she begins to make friends with the other foreign teachers at the school, but it heartbroken to learn that most of the girls are pulled from school when they start to menstruate. Olivia, with the help of new friends, sets out to see if she can make life better for the women and girls of this remote town.

I was drawn to the description of the plot, having spent time in India myself and being a proponent of women’s issues around the world. Unfortunately, this book was not for me. I found it to be quite repetitive as Olivia works through her tragedy and looks back on her marriage. I found that the other characters felt one-dimensional, with little personality. While I felt sympathy for Olivia, I didn’t really connect with her as a character.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

[Vivian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lara Bernhardt has written a very important book that deals with quite a few important and hard issues, grief after a child dies, spousal abuse, women treatment in rural India and especially women access to menstruation pads.

This is an eye opening book to a world that most of us have no contact with and no knowledge of but so important to learn about, and shows how the will power of one woman can change a whole community for the better at the same time as it heals herself from her demons.

The title of the book somehow confused me, even though there is an explanation of it in the book, but after some consideration I thought it could be a simile to the color of blood and menstruation and a subtle hidden message to the main subject of the book.

This is the second book I have read from this author and definitely won't be my last one, both books have opened my eyes to a different society and reality and made me appreciate the comfortable life that i live in.

[BreeAnn (She Just Loves Books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a lovely book! It felt like a warm hug, the kind that you get while you are still crying just a bit, and the hug is everything you needed.

I found myself just utterly invested in Olivia's story. When she accepts a 6-month position teaching English in India, she finds more than a job. There's such a real character journey that takes place in this story. We have grief being soothed, friendships being formed, work being created, problems being solved, and it's all just so good.

I definitely recommend this for readers who enjoy stories of journeys, both the physical and the emotional kind!

I was provided a gifted copy of this book for free. I am leaving my review voluntarily.

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a tendency to choose which book I want to read next by reading their first lines and first paragraph. This book instantly sucked me in!!!

But what kept me reading was being part of Olivia’s journey as she left behind her shattered life to teach English in India. I could feel her discomfort with new situations and her triumph with finding her way through it all with the help of new friends. I loved the descriptions of Indian markets and teaching her students. I was absolutely captivated to learn more about Indian culture right along with Olivia.

Overall a story of hope and second chances in finding yourself and a life you love, it reminded me of a more realistic version of Eat Pray Love.

[Jenny LaBranche · Rating 5 out of 5]

Provocative, captivating, and uplifting.

An awe-inspiring page-turner.
If you've ever felt alone in the world this story will help you realize you're not. An emotional journey where one woman can make a difference. Olivia finds healing in teaching others. When her eyes become open to the struggles of women on the other side of the world it also opens her eyes to face her own grief, loss, and more. I felt connected to Olivia and so many other beautiful characters I could spend every day with. I did not want this story to end. Such an emotional awakening. A beautiful story about coming into one's own and sharing the uplifting, intellectual power that comes with it.
This is not only a feel-good must-read but a must-read, again.
We are not alone!

[Mhairi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Admission Press for the advance reader copy.

I'll admit, I wasn't entirely sure at first. Our main character, Olivia, is naive and very culturally tone-deaf at times which, for me at least, made her quite unlikeable to begin with. However, once the story moved and Olivia's character grew, I did find myself really rooting for her. The author did a really good of covering issues like domestic abuse, access to feminine hygiene products, infant loss and misogyny while giving us an ending that was uplifting but realistic. The biggest shame was how one dimensional a lot of the supporting characters felt. It would have done a lot to really expand the plot.

[Penny · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book took me on an amazing journey. Full of vivid descriptions and unique characters, I fell into this book and didn't want to leave. Watching Olivia evolve and grow as a person, despite her trauma was inspiring. Actually, the whole book was inspiring!
Well crafted and wonderfully written, this fact based novel gave me much to think about and wanting to learn more.
Thank you Lara Bernhardt for writing such an emotional and thought provoking story, and allowing me to read it.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a superficial, quick read about a serious subject and it's littered with bizarre errors.

Olivia is a broken soul - a victim of coercive control, she's recently divorced her husband after losing her baby. Running away from all she knows, she takes a volunteer teaching role in a school in Kerala.

The location is a strange choice. I couldn't help thinking that nothing about the writing placed the story in that state at all. It really could have been anywhere in London - but basing a story around girls being taken out of education when they hit puberty is bizarre if you're going to choose a state with one of the highest levels of female education in India (at 94+%). With the worst states educating barely two thirds of their girls, why choose Kerala?

I found the book to be a quick read that lacked any great depth. The writing style was very simplistic and I was surprised to discover that this wasn't a 'first book' or a YA book because the style was so basic.

To give credit where it's due, the idea of a naive foreigner trying to introduce period products to the locals and keep the girls in school is commendable. That said, the ludicrous and mysterious 'red rain' is just a silly metaphor that isn't explained in the course of the book.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was not what I expected but I really enjoyed it. The subject matter covered was tough but done in such a humane and dignified manner. I thought each of the people in the book very real and relatable. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a look at another culture and some of the difficulties women are still suffering.
I received this book from BookSirens and am happy to leave this reveiw.