Matt Wetherton is just an average-looking tax attorney until he breaks up a gay bashing and unwittingly becomes a hero. He isn’t looking for a date, but when he meets the man he rescued, he finds himself longing for one anyway. Rain Deveraux is a beautiful, effeminate lounge singer—and utterly unwilling to be Matt’s damsel in distress, even if he does wear women’s clothing for his performances. When common courtesy prompts Rain to pay Matt a thank-you call, it’s the beginning of the romance of their lives.
Before long, Matt and Rain fall for each other hard and fast, but both men are stubborn: Rain clings to his right to express himself even though Matt worries for his safety. Despite their occasional clashes, the passion between them is undeniable.
When an accident compromises Rain’s independence as well as his singing voice, it tests the strength of their newfound relationship. It is up to Matt to help Rain find his music again before depression sullies the brightness in Rain’s soul.
Professional Reviews
5 Kisses to Falling for Rain
I loved this book! Susan Laine is one of my favorite authors. I know when I’m in the mood for a well-written story with amazing heroes; I’ll reach for Ms. Laine’s books time and time again. She never disappoints me and not only are her books I’ll read over and over again, I’m always on the lookout for her newest release.
Matt is used to being overlooked. He believes he quite unremarkable most of the time and has a pretty steady routine as working as a tax attorney and then going home. One night he spots a man getting beat up by several thugs. Without a second thought, Matt immediately comes to the man’s aide and rescues him. Matt is surprised how feminine the man, Rain, is and despite his initial shock over Rain and Rain’s appearance, becomes quite fascinated with him. To his surprise, Rain shows up at his work very colorfully dressed and Matt is literally swept off of his feet by Rain’s zest for life and spunky nature. There is something about Rain that really resonates deep within Matt’s heart and he finds himself completely captivated by him.
Rain is used to be looked at and sometimes bullied by his feminine appearance. As a drag queen, he takes pride in using his own voice and fascinating his audience with the shows he puts on. When Matt comes to his rescue, he’s not really sure of what to think of him. Matt is definitely more reserved than the men he usually dates, but there is a sweet, sexiness about him that Rain is very attracted too. As the two men begin to get to know each other, a strong bond forms between them. Each man brings out the best in each other and they find a common ground and a love between them that really resonates off of the written page. When Rain is once again injured, Matt must step up to the plate and help Rain once again find the music he believes he’s lost as well as fight for the relationship he’s grown to need.
Both men are very well-written, likeable heroes. They both bring something very special to the book and I loved watching them fall in love. The love between them was strong and beautiful and I was quickly captivated by both characters and the story they told. Between the fast-paced storyline and the romantic feel to the book, Falling for Rain is one of my favorite books written by Ms. Laine and it definitely has earned a spot of my keeper shelf. I loved these two men and hope to read more about them in the future. Highly Recommended!
5 Stars - Confessions From Romaholics
Delightfully fun, witty, and engaging. A daringly sweet romantic story about a man stuck in the humdrum day to day life cycle and a bright if not overly dramatic southern belle – of the male sort – meeting by chance and having a whirlwind adventure of lust and love.
One evening when Matt is trying to catch a cab home, he hears the dreaded sounds of a gay bashing in progress. Rushing to help, he manages to use his taser (yes a taser!) on one of the goons and is saved when 3 men come out the side door to chase away the other. To say it’s definitely not Rain’s night is a slight understatement; at least until his very own knight in shining armor rushes in to gallantly save him from what could have been a serious beating. But before they can say more than a few words to each other, Rain is rushed into the safety of the gay club.
Rain is a man comfortable in his own skin. He’s flamboyant, feisty, sexy, playful and most of all, true to himself: a queen of his own making. When he shows up at Matt’s work a few days later, Matt becomes enchanted by Rain. Happiness seems to find a comfortable little nook around them. After a few fumbling attempts to get himself to stop flustering, Matt overcomes his nerves and asks Rain for a date. So with Matt picking the day and Rain picking the place, all that’s left is waiting for the night to arrive!
I love the playful sweet-talk that pours out of Rain, it’s creates an allure around him that seems to relax and coax Matt into a playful banter. Even as Matt starts to feel a bit underdressed at The Sultry Sound – a club where Rain sings soulful jazz – Matt becomes entranced as he hears the music emerging from Rain that only heightens the beauty surrounding the man. Of course temptation proves to be too great with their first kiss that is sweet like honey. They have a chemistry that sparks and dances around them and encircles them in a happy bliss-like state. Rain’s playfulness helps bring out a part of Matt he thought he never had and joy emits from him whenever he is around Rain or even thinking of him.
Is some cases mm stories overuse words of endearment like sweet pea; baby cakes; and muffin, and can become too cloying and leave me annoyed. Yet with Rain it worked and added to the matrix of who the man is. Rain lives for music, his very breath is music and when Matt and Rain come together, for Rain their music joins as well, creating a perfect blend of harmony.
A rusty nail shatters their duet. After receiving a gash on his leg, Rain refuses to get it checked out, stating he can take care of it himself. Only the wound gets worse, and on the night of their two month anniversary, Rain is in serious pain and falling off into unconsciousness. He is diagnosed with severe septicemia, which has some nasty side effects, the major one being damage to his vocal cords. It’s as if Rain’s world has just imploded.
Matt decides to take off work to help Rain heal, but the stubbornness of Rain’s temper causes stress levels to rise for both men. It becomes a test of wills for Matt to keep up with Rain’s outbursts. And just when things start to spiral out of control the cavalry arrives! First we get Rain’s Mother Charlotte, their friends Tiny and Norma, and finally Matt’s brother Mitch.
It’s almost like a welcome relief having more people around for support. I loved all the side characters. Charlotte – Rain’s Mom – is something else! You see so much of Rain in her, it’s no wonder they are related, she is as much the southern belle/diva as her son. Matt’s brother is strong and nothing much can really surprise him, so when he meets Rain – at his snippiest, he takes it all in stride; after all, all he really cares about is his brother’s happiness. Tiny and Norma need their own story! So much hidden passion between them is just bubbling to come out!
When Rain overhears that Matt wants to propose to him, yet he’s unsure of Rain’s reciprocal feelings as music always comes before Matt, Rain decides to take matters into his own hands not thinking of the consequences. He leaves rather abruptly with only a voice message to Matt. Matt is sure it’s over, and he’s just been dumped via voice message. To make matters worse, Matt’s employer has told him that the promotion he is up for is mostly because he is gay, not because of his great track record with the company.
Feeling down and lonely, Matt is surprised when Rain returns … only something is different. Can he truly be back for good, or is this a final goodbye?
I give this 5 couples. I adored Rain and his diva self, and with Matt they became such a sweet, cute, playful and definitely humorous couple – they complemented each other well. Definitely Recommended!
4 Stars for Falling for Rain
And once again Susan Laine works her magic with men falling in love… When Matt Wetherton is walking near to a gay nightclub, V-Sin-ity, late at night to catch a taxi, he hears the sounds of a man being beaten. Two against one is really not cricket. Matt runs towards the men, having no illusions in his ability to take them on himself, but he has a trusty Taser in his pocket. Soon one man is down, the other is running away and Matt is helping the fallen and beaten man to his feet. Only this is not just any man. This is Rain Deveraux, show queen and doyen of the nightclub, emerald-eyed siren of the night, and Matt is hopelessly smitten with this flamboyant, feminine individual. Rain makes Matt laugh. He makes Matt smile and for the first time in his life, Matt finds someone he really wants to hold onto. Rain's voice is as perfect as he is--in Matt's words, ‘beautiful, and radiant, and lovely,' and his voice takes Matt's breath away. FALLING FOR RAIN was a beautifully written story, tender, amusing, telling the account of two very different men and their struggle to make a relationship for themselves despite the prejudices and challenges faced by family, outsiders and people in general. There were plenty of characters to make the book memorable and add depth: Tiny, Norma, Matt's supportive brother, Mitchell and even Momsy, Rain's mother. The storyline held my attention, made me feel with the characters and want to turn the next page to find out what happens. And when tragedy sets in and Rain finds himself struggling to decide what he wants and needs, these two men draw together like moths to a flame and face it together. There is conflict, heartbreak and most of all, real love is this truly romantic and sexy tale of a tax attorney clad in shades of gray and a lounge singer whose brilliance would outshine even the most vivid flower. A definitely recommended read and one I think any true romantic will enjoy.
‘I have to go back soon,’ says Adam one afternoon. Yes, I know he has to go back soon. He has to go back to London and to his job and his apprenticeship. He has taken the maximum number of days leave – he has taken his entire Summer holiday in the Sp
