The Beauty of Rain

A Novel

By: Jamie Beck

Narrated by: Teri Schnaubelt, Sarah Mollo-Christensen

Length: 10 hrs and 31 mins

Publisher's summary

Two devoted sisters at a tragic breaking point discover the beautiful and painful truths of being alive in a powerful novel by Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author Jamie Beck.

Winning the lottery changed Amy Walsh’s life, but the cost was greater than she could bear. In the aftermath, she struggles to find joy and purpose. Only one thing feels certain now—she will never spend one cent of the prize money on herself.

Worried, her older sister, Kristin DeMarco, invites Amy to live with her family while she heals. Unfortunately, this arrangement leads to trouble for Kristin: Divided focus affects her career. Her daughter prefers Amy to her. And Amy’s unsolicited opinions provoke tension between Kristin and her husband.

Meanwhile, Amy is making drastic plans of her own, which include giving away all her money. But first she must convince Kristin not to squander her most valuable asset—time with her family.

As the sisters help each other reimagine their futures, life’s unpredictability sends them to surprising places that test their love and resilience. Will they learn to live in the now, before it’s too late?

©2023 Write Ideas, LLC. (P)2023 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

Selected by She Reads as a “Best Book Club Picks of Summer 2023”

“A well crafted and inherently engaging novel of sisterhood and family life, The Beauty of Rain showcases author Jamie Beck's impressive storytelling skills.”—Midwest Book Review

“Heartbreaking, uplifting, and wise beyond measure, The Beauty of the Rain is a masterful tale rendered perfectly by an author truly hitting her stride. I was completely captured by the story of two sisters who each have to learn to really live—before they run out of chances. So powerful!”—Barbara O’Neal, bestselling author of This Place of Wonder

“A thoughtful and clear-headed exploration into life’s most brutal challenges. Jamie Beck insightfully dives into the intricacies of grief, marriage, ambition, and love of family in a way that will make you stop and ponder your life choices. An important and meaningful read about what makes life beautiful.”—Sonali Dev, bestselling author of The Vibrant Years

The Beauty of Rain

Loved this book. It hit on so many of life’s issues and how we deal.

A Jamie Beck book is always a buy!

I usually listen to romances but I love Jamie Beck books. This book was so insightful and provocative. Although not a romance, the characters came alive for me and the story was tender and meaningful. Narration was spot on. I rarely get emotional but this book brought tears. Each book that Jamie writes gets better!!!

Lessons

This story had me reflecting on the loss of loved one since I was teen I was able to see my loved ones when they have transition. Which has given me peace. We continue to miss those we love but learn to continue on knowing they are close or watching over us.

My Musings

This was not what I expected, but it held my attention from start to finish. Very unexpected ending. A surprised reader and listener!

Not my cup of tea

I don’t like stories that are overly anything. Overly tragic, overly perfect or overly … this story did not honestly and openly deal with the topics I feel the author promised
. Just my humble opinion

Great story

The characters in this story are interesting and the story kept me listening throughout. Unfortunately the voice actor for Amy was horrible. She sounded robotic with the same boring cadence through the entire novel. I wondered if it was read by AI.

Emotional, powerful and thought provoking!

Suicidal thoughts from Amy after the loss of her husband and son, and drug abuse from her older sister Kristin were painful reminders of the overwhelming mental health issues that so many people face today. Although I didn’t expect the ending, I have learned to accept it.

The writing was brilliant, so deep and poignant, and the themes of love, family, loss, and such deep seeded grief touched my soul! Kudos to author Jamie Beck for articulating it so well and to the narrators who brought this story to life. This is a book that will stay with me for many years to come!

true to life

Loved all the characters. True to life . Sisters are like that. My daughters are supportive and competitive just like Christn and Amy

heart wrenching

Following two sisters who zig zag through life wrestling with grief, work, and family and everything in between.

Narrator’s Voice Annoying

I found the reader’s voice distracting , she dropped her tone at end of each sentence , turned me off. She sounded so monotonous! I regret buying the audible, couldn’t listen to her for length of book. I’ve read all of Jamie’s books, just will have to wait for it at the library. Very disappointed .