After The Rain [Paperback]

Karen White (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2003

When photographer Suzanne Paris lands in Walton, Georgia, she's pretty sure she's never seen a town so small - or quite so disquieting. It's a far cry from the life she left behind - and Joe Warner is nothing like any man she's known in the past. He's the mayor, in the first place, and in the second...he has six children. Hardly a picture-perfect boyfriend for a woman who's on the run and can't stick around. But something about Joe's slow Southern warmth lights up Suzanne in places that have been cold for far too long- and tempts her to look at life through a whole new lens...

Editorial Reviews

Review

"After the Rain is an elegantly enchanting southern novel...Fans will recognize the beauty of White's evocative prose." -- Cindy Penn, Wordweaving

"Character-driven and strongly written, AFTER THE RAIN marks Karen White as a rising star and an author to watch for." -- Gina Bernal, Romantic Times Book Club Magzine

"Karen White is one author you won't forget...This is a masterpiece in the study of relationships. Brava!" -- Suzanne Coleburn, Reader to Reader reviews

"Karen White writes with passion and poignancy." -- Deb Stover, Award-Winning Author

"The fresh voice of Karen White intrigues and delights" -- Sandra Chastain, Editor, Belle Books

"This is not only romance at its best, this is a fully realized view of life at its fullest." -- Lynne Perednia, Readers & Writers Ink Reviews

From the Author

Finishing a favorite book is a lot like saying good-bye to a close friend. This is why I have chosen to revisit the charming small town of Walton, Georgia, first introduced in my book FALLING HOME.

The fictional town of Walton, although based on several actual Southern towns, is quite real to me. It's the kind of town where people congregate at a place called the Dixie Diner and whose inhabitants always pull together in good times and bad. I welcomed the chance to visit with old friends and also find out what happened next to my favorite characters. I'd left a wonderful man without a wife and six children to take care of on the last page of FALLING HOME. Would he ever find love again? And what woman would be strong enough to win his heart?

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Product Details

• Paperback: 378 pages
• Publisher: Zebra (April 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0821773399
• ISBN-13: 978-0821773390
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 4.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #133,857 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I grew up being a voracious reader and it was a natural step to turn my interest to writing. I have published 14 award-winning and bestselling novels including my May 2011 release, THE BEACH TREES, which debuted on the New York Times bestseller list at number 14.

I write what others have termed "grit-lit"--southern women's fiction, as well as a contemporary paranormal mystery series set in Charleston. All of my books are set in the US South, and feature a female protagonist at a crossroads in her life.

I live near Atlanta, Georgia with my husband, two children, and the cutest 5-year-old Havanese dog, Quincy, whom readers may recognize as General Lee in the Tradd Street series.

My next release, THE STRANGERS ON MONTAGU STREET, is the third book in the Tradd Street series and will be released November 1, 2011. Two more books (not in the series) will be released in 2012.

For more about me and my books, please visit my website at www.karen-white.com or follow me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/karenwhiteauthor.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is just a great story..., April 2, 2003

By 

Teri L. Perez "Avid reader" (Rochester, MN USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: After The Rain (Paperback)

Suzanne Paris is on the run, her ex fiancé Anthony deSalvo making her life miserable, when she makes a snap decision to get off her Atlanta bound bus in Walton, Georgia. Trying to find a ride into town, she encounters mayor Joe Warner, his 6 kids along with Aunt Lucinda, who insist she accompany them. Walton is a small town, not even boasting a hotel, so Joe finds a place for Suzanne to stay, and unknowingly ensconces her into his, and his family's life.

Suzanne is unfamiliar with children, but Joe's kids seem to grow on her as she does them. Joe, being the mayor, teacher and single dad, doesn't have much time left for relationships, and really hasn't considered once since his wife passed away. But as the story progresses, he and Suzanne have something going on between them that can't be ignored, and with the help of the kids and huge cast of secondary characters, manage to snag time for themselves.

Suzanne knows the day will come when her past will catch up with her and she will have to move on, but this is made more difficult as Joe and half the population of Walton entwine themselves around her heart. As Joe and Suzanne chip away at the armor surrounding their souls, and the local bully running against Joe for mayor try to make things more difficult for them, the reader can only hope that they get what they deserve in life, that being each other. This is an exceptional book!

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good read, July 22, 2003

By 

Tracy Marsac (Tucson, AZ USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: After The Rain (Paperback)

Suzanne Paris is on the run. She doesn't care where just so long as it's away from her ex-fiance, Anthony. So she hops on a bus. She's looking out the window when it stops in a small Georgia town called Walton. She reaches for her necklace and reads the inscription on the back. R.Michael Jewelers.Walton. The necklace was a gift from her mother before she was placed in foster care at 14 years old. This could be Suzanne's chance to find out more about her. Suzanne has always been able to hold herself apart from others but the townfolk, and a certain mayor, are making it hard for her to guard her heart. And she'll put their generosity to test when her past mistakes catch up with her.
Suzanne doesn't make the greatest first impression with Mayor Joe Warner. But despite that he helps her find a place to stay. Being a widower for three years, Joe is very put-off by his attraction to Walton's new visitor. Joe's instincts tell him there is more to Suzanne than what she is letting him see. With the re-election coming up, Joe can't jeopardize his chances of winning. His opponent, Charles "Stinky" Harden, is not the most moral of character. Joe knows Stinky has ulterior motives for wanting to be mayor and suspects it's not in the town's best interest. Throw in his six children and that alone should keep him too busy to fall in love, right?
After the Rain is a great book about relationships, choices-right or wrong, and new beginnings. The residents of Walton are wonderful, making the town very three-dimensional. I couldn't wait to see whom Suzanne would meet next. And how they were going to make it harder for her to leave. I finished with the hopes that Karen White has already started writing the next book to take place in Walton.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good follow up to "Falling Home", December 28, 2005

By 

Tracy Vest (Northern California) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: After The Rain (Paperback)

Three years after the loss of beloved wife Harriet, Joe Warner meets a feisty out of towner who gets his blood running. He tries to stay true to Harriet, and has suspicions that Suzanne is hiding something from him. He helps get her on her feet, finding lodging at his best friend and brother in law's rental unit.

It turns out that Suzanne is running from her abusive ex-husband, Anthony. She stops in town because the necklace her mother gave her before she went into foster care has an inscription and a label of a jeweler located in Walton, Georgia. She never intended to get involved with the town's sexy and brooding mayor or his offspring and the townspeople. And despite both being reticent about getting involved with each other, they manage to steal a moment or two together and find themselves falling in love.

No small feat considering that Joe is juggling his job as a teacher, town mayor, raising six kids, dealing with his teenage daughter insecurities, and salvaging his re-election campaign to keep a progressive growth candidate out of office.

"After the Rain" is a great follow up to Karen White's excellent tear jerker "Falling Home," and provides follow up to the many colorful characters introduced in the first novel, which you must read first.