#WRC2018 Book Spotlight: Things to Do When It’s Raining by Marissa Stapley

Title: Things to Do When It’s Raining

Author: Marissa Stapley

Published: February 2018, Graydon House

Format: Paperback, 384 pages

Summary:

Two families, three generations and a lie that almost destroys them. Is their love strong enough to heal old wounds?

Mae
Summers and Gabe Broadbent grew up together in the idyllic Summers’
Inn, perched at the edge of the St. Lawrence River. Mae was orphaned at
the age of six and Gabe needed protection from his alcoholic father, so
both were raised under one roof by Mae’s grandparents, Lilly and George.
Their childhood friendship quickly developed into a first love–a love
that was suddenly broken by Gabe’s unexpected departure. Mae grew up,
got over her heartbreak and started a life for herself in New York City.
After more than a decade, Mae and Gabe find themselves pulled back to
Alexandria Bay. Hoping to find solace within the Summers’ Inn, Mae
instead finds her grandparents in the midst of decline with their past
unraveling around her. A lifetime of secrets stands in the way of this
unconventional family’s happiness. Will they be able to reclaim the past
and come together, or will they remain separate islands?

From the bestselling author of Mating for Life
comes a powerful story about guilt, forgiveness and the truth about
families: that we can choose them, just as we choose to love. 

What readers are saying: 

“I enjoyed THINGS TO DO WHEN IT’S RAINING enormously. A lovely book full
of emotion and wisdom.” – Marian Keyes, bestselling author of The Break
“A charming tale with an enchanting setting, Stapley’s latest (after
Mating for Life, 2014) is an engaging read about keeping secrets,
starting over, and loving the family you choose.”-Booklist

“Fans
of Nicholas Sparks will adore Things to Do When It’s Raining… Marissa
Stapley’s writing is a gift.” -Pam Jenoff, New York Times bestselling
author of The Orphan’s Tale “Emotionally powerful and finely
wrought.”–Publishers Weekly

“THINGS TO DO WHEN IT’S RAINING has
heart and soul and guts, and it has achingly beautiful prose and
characters so dear and real I couldn’t bear to say goodbye when I
reached its final page. It’s a book about friendship and secrets, grief
and regret, the peculiar shape of families and the redemptive nature of
love. And it is, quite frankly, one of the best books I have read in a
very long time.” -Jennifer Robson, internationally bestselling author of
Somewhere in France and After the War is Over

“Profound and
intimate, raw and real-Things to Do When It’s Raining is hard to put
down. Loved the ending but hated to have it end!” -Nan Rossiter, New
York Times bestselling author of Firefly Summer

“Regrets,
secrets, and hidden longings swirl beneath the surface of this
beautifully atmospheric story of love found, lost, and rediscovered. I
couldn’t stop reading.”–Shelley Noble, New York Times bestselling
author of The Beach at Painter’s Cove

“Written with compassion
and insight, Things to Do When It’s Raining is a truly captivating novel
with exquisite prose and moments of bittersweet tenderness.” -Nicola
Moriarty, author of The Fifth Letter

“Marissa Stapley’s THINGS TO
DO WHEN IT’S RAINING packs a serious punch. It’s a tightly-woven story
that beautifully illustrates how tragedy and human weakness can cause
heartbreaking ripples for years and generations to come.” -K.A. Tucker,
USA TODAY Bestselling Author of He Will Be My Ruin

“Things to Do
When It’s Raining is the complex and moving saga of a non-traditional
family with deep bonds and even deeper secrets. Set against the idyllic
background of a far-flung seaside town, the finely-drawn characters of
this novel test the limits of friendship, love, and forgiveness. A story
that lingers long after the final page is turned.”  –Andrea Dunlop,
author of Losing the Light

“A generous book about imperfect
people, a novel about the family we choose, the mistakes we make, and
how love, flawed and searching and messy, is the only path to
forgiveness.  It’s also a gorgeously written page-turner, and when I
finished it, I flipped right back to page one to savor it just a little
bit more.” –Lauren Fox, author of Days of Awe

“Marissa Stapley’s
THINGS TO DO WHEN IT’S RAINING is evocative, wise and infused with
heart. A deeply moving story about family, love and loss, it shows how
secrets can either haunt us or set us free, depending on who we trust
them with. One of my favorite books this year!” – Karma Brown,
bestselling author of Come Away With Me  

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Things to Do When It’s Raining  by Marissa Stapley is one of  BookSparks “Winter Reads” reading selection picks.  

 Follow the #WRC2018 hashtag on twitter to read reviews on this book as well
as reviews on the other winter books! Also, be sure to check out the BookSparks Facebook page for the #WRC2018  and other fun links.