Send Down the Rain
Written by Charles Martin
Narrated by Adam Verner
4.5/5
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About this audiobook
Can two people brought together by desperate circumstances help one another heal, and maybe even begin a new life? New York Times bestselling author Charles Martin’s Send Down the Rain answers the questions of what it means—and what level of sacrifice it takes—to truly love someone.
Allie is still recovering from the loss of her family’s beloved waterfront restaurant on Florida’s Gulf Coast when she loses her second husband to a terrifying highway accident. Devastated and losing hope, she shudders to contemplate the future—until a cherished person from her past returns.
Joseph has been adrift for many years, wounded in both body and spirit and unable to come to terms with the trauma of his Vietnam War experiences. Just as he resolves to abandon his search for peace and live alone in a remote cabin in the Carolina mountains, he discovers a mother and her two small children lost in the forest. A man of character and strength, he instinctively steps in to help them get back to their home in Florida. There he will return to his own hometown—and witness the accident that launches a bittersweet reunion with his childhood sweetheart, Allie.
When Joseph offers to help Allie rebuild her restaurant, it seems the flame may reignite—until a forty-five-year-old secret begins to emerge, threatening to destroy all hope for their second chance at love.
Send Down the Rain will take you on a journey that spans the sweltering migrant worker routes of south Florida, muddy battlefields of Vietnam, thickets of northwest North Carolina, and the idyllic shores of America’s most beautiful beach (Cape San Blas). At the story’s center lies the question: What does it mean—and what level of sacrifice does it take—to truly love someone?
Praise for Send Down the Rain:
“Charles Martin understands the power of story and he uses it to alter the souls and lives of both his characters and his readers.”—Patti Callahan Henry, New York Times bestselling author
- Full-length, stand-alone novel
- Also by bestselling author Charles Martin: The Mountain Between Us, Chasing Fireflies, When Crickets Cry, and The Letter Keeper
Charles Martin
Charles Martin is a New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author. He and his wife, Christy, live in Jacksonville, Florida. Learn more at charlesmartinbooks.com; Instagram: @storiedcareer; Twitter: @storiedcareer; Facebook: @Author.Charles.Martin.
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Reviews for Send Down the Rain
189 ratings17 reviews
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Another great book by Charles Martin. The depth of his characters is unmatched by any other author I've read. I've yet to be disappointed by any of his books, and my expectations are always high. Don't miss it!
2 people found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5When an author knows how to tell a story the book sucks you in from the first page and never lets go.
That is the case with this story. Even though much of it was predictable, it didn’t matter; the storytelling was amazing. I will definitely look for other books by this author. - Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Heart wrenching. God heals. Our lives are shaped by circumstances and people in our paths.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Wonderful writing. Every one of his books are amazing reads.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Loved this book. Very suspenseful & I like stories that have broken pieces that fit together.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Charles Martin does it again! Storytelling that is so captivating it stays with you all day and brings you back every chance you get. This unpredictable, compelling tale is full of emotion and relatability. I can’t wait to tell others about this great read.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Charles Martin is an amazing author!
I laughed and cried.
Love his books. - Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The story line kept you engaged throughout. Lots of turns and twists. I was not expecting the ending. It was a great book. I listened to it on a long drive. Looked forward to getting in the car each day.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5this is one of my favorite authors. If you like stories about someone doing the right thing even at Great cost to themselves I think you will love this author. But if you like stories about getting revenge then you probably won't like it.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This book begins a little slow but the end message is very good. Overall it was a pretty good read.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5“Tell me something you remember. Something good.”I wasn't sure if Send Down the Rain was my thing, but I decided to give it the benefit of the doubt. This was a good decision. There was plenty of depth to the storyline, the characters, and the ending was solid. I liked how the stories of Joseph, Allie, and Catalina (and her family and friends) intertwine.
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5Predictable, full of stereotypes and cliches, soap opera style story.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This is the 3rd book I’ve read by Charles Martin and they are all good. His characters deal with real problems, are flawed in someway, and are relatable. In this story we meet Joseph, a Vietnam Vet, who has not healed from his time at war, and has been living in a secluded cabin in the Carolina mountains. His quiet cabin life is disrupted when he finds a frightened woman and her children freezing in the woods. As he helps them, he ends up going back to Florida where he grew up. The other part of the story is about Allie who has just lost her husband in a horrible accident, and has lost her family restaurant due to huge un-payable debts. Allie and Joseph knew each other as kids, and there has always been a love for each other, but both are damaged emotionally and when Joseph returns, their unexpected reunion brings up good and bad memories of their pasts. Between the immediate problems they face, and the flash back memories, and the other people in their life Charles Martin’s writing ramps up the intensity and keeps us turning the pages to see if there is hope for any of them. I read it in 2 days so I’m giving Send Down the Rain 5 stars.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Another winner from Charles Martin who skillfully brings together a disparate set of characters and slowly reveals the secrets that connect them together. Forgiveness for past actions is a major theme of this book. Recommended.Review based on copy received from NetGalley.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Thank you to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for an advance e-copy of Send Down the Rain by Charles Martin in exchange for an honest review. I must admit that the first few chapters are quite baffling but the author soon knits them into his storyline and off we go with quite a book. Allie had inherited her Florida restaurant, the Blue Tornado, from her parents and, after two failed marriages, lost her life's work. Joseph, a Vietnam vet with too many tours of duty, has been a loner and drifter for most of his life due to all the emotional baggage that the war has left him with. Allie and Joseph had grown up together and there had always been love between the teenagers, till Joseph left for Vietnam. The book is basically about what happens when Allie and Joseph's paths collide, almost fifty years later. You will laugh and you will cry but, most of all, you will enjoy reading Send Down the Rain.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Title: Send Down the Rain (A Novel)Author: Charles MartinPages: 352Year: 2018Publisher: Thomas NelsonMy rating is 5+ out of 5 stars.While this is a fictious story, there is some truth in how men were treated when they returned home from serving where their country sent them. The last book I read written by Charles Martin was exceptional and this one is above and beyond Long Way Gone. Each story he writes is a stand alone with unexpected twists and turns, characters that seem lifelike and plots that are heart-grabbing from the first page.Send Down the Rain is set in the early 1960s. I was a young toddler when the Vietnam War was happening, and my parents protected us form seeing the news so as not to upset us. However, now I am older and personally want to thank all who have served and are serving and apologize for those who didn’t or don’t give you the thanks you richly deserve.The story is about a family that a father deserts, and a mother who works her tail off to provide for her two young sons. Her sons are each unique and different; they have their strengths and weaknesses, but like any mom she loves them both. Joseph and Bobby grew up in California and were very close, but life tended to tear their hearts out and set their feet on two very different paths.What Charles Martin wrote is a story of the scars of the heart each bore and the pain each carries within their souls. Bobby handled his life one way and Joseph another, but both were destructive in their own way. Each one affected others’ lives, and it took literally decades for the truth to come out and healing to come. On top of that, Joe and Bobby must decide if the path to forgiveness and freedom of the heart and soul is worth the risk, high cost and possible ramifications.Personally, Send Down the Rain will always be a favorite of mine and on my shelf to reread sometime in the future. The novel is mainly from Joseph’s perspective and life, and it is one very gripping tale. It isn’t really a tear jerker, at least for me, as much as a heart jerker. The power of forgiveness, truth and love will always beat evil and its intentions bar none. With all that is going on in the world today, this piece of fiction is well-timed. I ask that you read it and ask others to read it as well. While it is a work of fiction, there are nuggets of truth that will touch your heart, soul and mind for days to come!Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255. “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/53.75I was sent this book through Book Look Bloggers. My ratings and reviews will be my own personal opinions and are in no way influenced by publishers or authors who may have sent me books to review.“Soul-wounds are scars on the inside, etched with permanent ink.”Ok! I am guilty! My close friend has been telling me to read a Charles Martin book forever. She even gave me a few of her favorites to read, and I just never picked them up. I ended up giving them back to her. But, when I saw he had a new release coming out, I thought it would be the perfect time to sit down and give his work a chance. Where this story deals with love, loss, forgiveness, secrets, and the hardships during and after the War, this also deals with so much more. This story is following our main character, Jo Jo. Along the way, you will meet and learn the stories of so many others including Allie, Bobby, and Catalina. When this first started, I was a little confused. However; it will all come together. Each is facing their own journey and you will read about each with twists and turns along the way. This story will break your heart and leaving you wondering what is going to happen next.At times the writing was a little choppy. The last 3/4th of the book was a little disappointing for me. It was very repetitive as you hear about the same story over and over again. Even though a lot still happened, I felt the ending was slow (most stories the beginning or middle will drag a little, but this was the opposite). Overall, this was still really good and I did enjoy it. I look forward to reading more from the author in the future.