It’s been 8 months since Debra’s heart got broken by Luke - the man she hoped to spend the rest of her life with, but he chose her friend Sara over her. Since then Debra has moved out of Texas, found a job as a co-host of a morning radio show, made a friend, but she’s still just a shadow of the lively girl she used to be, singing in church every Sunday, hanging out with her pack of friends. She lost her previous life, her faith, her voice. Her heart is filled with anger and bitterness, and definitely isn’t ready to love again. When she meets Ben Price - the lead singer of an indie band slash worship pastor of a local church, Debra tries to keep her distance, but Ben is so persistent in trying to befriend her, she has to give up eventually. Is feeling alive again worth the risk of getting hurt, though? Ahead of Debra lies the rocky road of rediscovery of who she is and where she belongs - what’s waiting for her at the end of it?

“After the Rain” is the sequel to “The Last Summer”, which is the story of Sara - one of Debra’s closest friends, who turns out to be the love of Luke’s life, though she never meant to break her friend’s heart. When Sara was the protagonist I didn’t like Debra very much, I must admit. I felt sorry for her, of course, but I considered her an obstacle on Luke and Sara’s road to happiness. I’m glad Brandy Bruce decided to give Debra her own story, which made me understand her better and changed my attitude towards her.

Writing this review, I want to say a bit about three aspects of the book. First of all: Debra’s character development. At the beginning, even though it’s been months since the break-up, she’s still deeply hurt and can’t help feeling bitter and betrayed - it shows especially when she’s giving relationship advice as Miss Lonely Heart on the radio. When Debra begins therapy and meets Ben she starts to open up for new people, new experiences, and finds her passion for music again, but it’s a slow and painful process, she doesn’t just forget about everything she’s went through. I think the author did a great job showing it’s not entirely true that time heals all wounds, but healing a broken heart requires also a lot of strength, acceptance and a willpower to let go. And even though some events change us forever, it’s okay to be different, as long as we can find happiness again.

The second thing is music, which plays a significant role in this novel. I love books in which the main character sings or plays some instrument, so ‘After the Rain’ was perfect for my taste. While it takes time for Debra to enjoy performing again, there’s also Ben who sings, plays guitar and uses his gifts for God’s glory - what’s not to love? He’s also handsome, sweet, incredibly caring, and ready to fight for love - sounds like an extinct species, I know, but I believe men like that still exist in this world. Back to music, the characters use it to express their emotions and feelings, escape from reality, praise God, and for Debra finding her voice is also a sign of healing. But the author shows the other side too, a danger of diving too deep into showbusiness without a strong foundation.

Speaking of foundation, the last but not least of those 3 main aspects of this story is faith. When her hopes and dreams got shattered, Debra feels like God abandoned her, she’s not interested in atttending any church, and singing in worship band again is out of the question. But Ben shows her that every person’s path looks different, and his own patience for Debra reflects God’s patience and love for His people. I love how Debra’s story conveys the beautiful truth, that even when we’re walking away from God, He never abandons us - His help might look different than what we’re hoping for, but He’s always there and His arms are wide open. There was only one thing I didn’t like regarding the issue of faith in this book: one of the characters makes a choice I personally don’t think a godly man should make, choosing something else over serving God.

‘After the Rain’ is a beautiful story about healing, learning to let go of the past and letting oneself love and be happy again. Brandy Bruce made me laugh and cry again, and I hope to have the privilege of reading more of her books in the future.

It’s been 8 months since Debra’s heart got broken by Luke - the man she hoped to spend the rest of her life with, but he chose her friend Sara over her. Since then Debra has moved out of Texas, found a job as a co-host of a morning radio show, made a friend, but she’s still just a shadow of the lively girl she used to be, singing in church every Sunday, hanging out with her...