Rocked by the infidelity, Lanie is left to grapple with searing questions. How could she be so wrong about a man she thought she knew better than anyone? Will she ever be able to trust another person? Can she even trust herself?

Desperate to make a fresh start, Lanie impulsively takes a job at the family-run Capriotti Winery. At first, she feels like an outsider among the boisterous Capriottis. With no real family of her own, she’s bewildered by how quickly they all take her under their wing and make her feel like she belongs. Especially Mark Capriotti, a gruffly handsome Air Force veteran turned deputy sheriff who manages to wind his way into Lanie’s cold, broken heart—along with the rest of the clan.

Everything is finally going well for her, but the arrival of River Brown changes all that. The fresh-faced twenty-one-year old seems as sweet as they come…until her dark secrets come to light—secrets that could destroy the new life Lanie’s only just begun to build. 

Rainy Day Friends was a heartwarming and affecting book about betrayal of the ultimate trust and learning to not just forgive others but yourself, as well. It is a story about finding companionship, faith, and loyalty when you least expect it. It is a story that focuses on family not always being blood; instead most often times, it is about those who are willing to hold your hand when you most need it. 

With each page I turned, I yearned to be a part of the all-encompassing Capriotti's. There was just so much to appreciate about this immense family who collected lost and damaged souls. Who were the epitome of family and what family stood for. Each and every one of endearing, especially the twins and Uncle Jack. 

I often felt as though I was sitting at their lunch table, right along with them. I wanted more time with them and was sad when I couldn't click to go further. So much so I immediately went to look and see if they were in the other books of the series. Alas, they are not. I feel like the nosy neighbor who had the curtains drawn on them. LOL

To me, all of this shouts GREAT READ!!!

If you're looking for that light and fluffy feel good read, look no further. Rainy Day Friends will deliver that and much more.

I received this book for free from edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Lanie Jacobs is escaping her life for a couple of months to stay on location at the Capriotti Winery while doing graphic design work for them. Her ex husband totally ruined her faith in men. She is guarded, anxious, untrusting, and likes to stay emotionally distant.

Mark Capriotti now lives at the winery with his daughters and extended family, but he is ex Military and now Deputy Sheriff. He also has major trust issues and is not looking for any kind of relationship. He is alpha, cocky, funny, and trying to get used to civilian life.

They both would like to explore the physical attraction, but each have rules about getting too personal. But what happens when secrets are revealed, things get messy, and feelings get involved?  Will Lanie stay or run?

The winery is home to a whole group of quirky, loud, nosy characters. Lanie has no chance to stay distant when they are all worming their way into her personal business and her heart. Mark's twin daughters especially like to spend time with her. And Mark and Lanie find they have great chemistry and similar goals of not getting attached. But they also have a lot of people watching and trying to help move things along. And there is another parallel story with a young woman named River that also comes to the winery who has her own issues and secrets.

Life with the Capriottis is crazy, messy, but also kind of wonderful. It is a big, smooshy, chaotic family love-fest where strays are welcomed into the fray with open arms. I liked Mark especially once he started opening up and figuring things out. I adored his precocious twin girls. and his relationship with them. Lanie was more frustrating. She had up huge walls. Little by little people started chipping away at them, but she was stubborn, resistant, and closed off. I seriously wanted to smack sense into her a few times. I got that she had a lot to deal with, but her head was really messed up, and she did not trust the idea of love at all. But the setting and busy family atmosphere made for an interesting background.

There was some drama, angst, secrets, and surprises. This was a love story between two people previously broken by love and commitment. But it is also their story of personal growth as they figure out what they want and need in their lives and make changes to try to move on from their difficult pasts. Lanie especially needed reinforcement in order to begin to feel worthy, heal, and find hope and faith again. And Mark, who was initially resistant himself and had his own issues, might be the only man strong and stubborn enough to try to convince her that their rules have changed. But can he?

I also liked the bonus addition of River and what she was going through, it just added more depth and drama overall. 

From New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis comes her first women's fiction novel—an unforgettable story of friendship, love, family, and sisterhood—perfect for fans of Colleen Hoover, Susan Mallery, and Kristan Higgins.

They say life can change in an instant…

After losing her sister in a devastating car accident, chef Quinn Weller is finally getting her life back on track. She appears to have it all: a loving family, a dream job in one of L.A.'s hottest eateries, and a gorgeous boyfriend dying to slip an engagement ring on her finger. So why does she feel so empty, like she's looking for a missing piece she can't find?

The answer comes when a lawyer tracks down Quinn and reveals a bombshell secret and a mysterious inheritance that only she can claim. This shocking revelation washes over Quinn like a tidal wave. Her whole life has been a lie.

On impulse, Quinn gives up her job, home, and boyfriend. She heads up the coast to the small hometown of Wildstone, California, which is just a few hours north, but feels worlds apart from Los Angeles. Though she doesn't quite fit in right away, she can't help but be drawn to the town’s simple pleasures…and the handsome, dark-haired stranger who offers friendship with no questions asked.

As Quinn settles into Wildstone, she discovers there's another surprise in store for her. The inheritance isn't a house or money, but rather something earthshattering, something that will make her question everything she thought she knew about herself, about her family. Now with a world of possibilities opening up to Quinn, she must decide if this new life is the one she was always meant to have—and the one that could finally give her the fulfillment she's searched so long for.