Monday, August 13, 2012

The Scent of Rain by Kristin Billerbeck

The Scent of Rain
by Kristin Billerbeck
Christian Fiction / Contemporary / Romance
Available August 7, 2012
Thomas Nelson
320 pages



About the Book
Could it be that the life Daphne's always wanted is right under her nose?

Daphne Sweeten left Paris—and a job she loved—to marry the man of her dreams in the U.S. But when he stands her up on their wedding day, she's left reeling and senseless. Literally. She's been trained as a perfume creator and now her sense of smell has disappeared along with her fiancĂ©.

She has to figure out why her nose isn't working, fix it, and get back to Paris. Meanwhile, she'll rely on her chemistry skills and just hope her new boss at Gibraltar Products, Jesse, doesn't notice her failing senses. They'll be working together on household fragrances, not posh perfumes. How hard can it be?

As Daphne and Jesse work on a signature scent for their new line, she feels God at work as never before. And the promise of what's possible is as fresh as the scent of rain.

My Thoughts
I'm a huge fan of Kristin Billerbeck. (Can anyone read the Ashley Stockingdale series and not be a fan?!) So, of course, I was excited about The Scent of Rain! Daphne, a professional "nose," leaves the job of a lifetime in Paris so she can marry the man of her dreams. Only things don't turn out as expected when he leaves her at the altar with no explanation, she takes a less-than-ideal job in Ohio, her new house is falling down around her, and her sense of smell deserts her.

The Scent of Rain was a quick, fun read—perfect for a lazy summer day. It was different than most of the other books I've read by Billerbeck . . . not quite as funny and a bit more serious. However, the same elements of quirky characters, fun romances, good friends, and sometimes-bizarre circumstances are present and made for an enjoyable read.

The relationship between Daphne and Jesse seemed a bit off at times. They instantly seemed to have a romantic relationship (despite Jesse struggling with the death of his wife and Daphne having just been jilted), and then the book wrapped up so quickly that it seemed forced. Perhaps stretching the story out more or adding another 20 pages would have helped the flow. I was also a little confused by some of the conversations and actions with her mentor in Paris.

The secondary characters were a real treat. I loved Daphne's best friend and her co-workers added a lot of "character" to the story. I also liked how each of them were used to move Daphne along in her relationship with God and help her grow up a bit. While this wasn't quite the novel I expected, I did thoroughly enjoy it. [4 stars]

I received a free copy of this book from Thomas Nelson's Book Sneeze program in exchange for my fair and honest review.

About the Author
Kristin Billerbeck is the bestselling, award-winning author of several novels, including What a Girl Wants. A Christy Award finalist and two-time winner of the American Christian Fiction Writers Book of the Year award, Billerbeck has appeared on The Today Show and has been featured in the New York Times. She lives with her family in northern California.

Kristin Billerbeck Online
Website  |  Blog  |  Facebook  |  Twitter

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