Mae Summers lives in New York City with her fiancé, Peter. She appears to have it all --- that is, until she wakes up one morning and discovers that Peter is gone. To make matters worse, it turns out that he is a Ponzi scheme crook. With an investigation underway, Mae’s assets are frozen, and all she is left with is Peter’s dog. Soon, she runs out of cash and is forced to return to her childhood home in Alexandria Bay, New York.

Gabe is Mae’s childhood friend. They haven’t seen each other in more than a decade --- not since Gabe left her and Alexandria Bay one night without saying goodbye. Now, Gabe is a divorced freelance cartoonist and writer. He doesn’t want to go back to Alexandria Bay, but one phone call changes everything.

"What makes this story such a special one and so dear to me are the characters, who are impeccably human.... I do not remember the last time I read a book with such realistic three-dimensional characters."

Upon her return, Mae learns that her grandfather left her grandmother after a fight and lives in a local hotel. Her grandmother is not well and unintentionally reveals a few secrets that shake Mae’s life to the core. On top of everything else, Mae sees Gabe again and must deal with the feelings she still has for him. Over the course of the next few weeks, Gabe and Mae will have to make decisions about their lives and their relationship as more devastating secrets surface.

Meanwhile, Mae’s grandfather must come to terms with the tragedies that have occurred in his life. He also needs to make peace with his wife and decide what to do with the secrets she has been hiding from him for so many years.

THINGS TO DO WHEN IT’S RAINING is packed with secrets and love. Author Marissa Stapley found the inspiration for the novel in her family history. Her biological grandfather died tragically, and her family did not speak about his death openly because it was too painful for them. After becoming a widow, Stapley’s grandmother married her childhood friend, and they developed a deep and profound bond. Stapley decided to write a story based on this relationship.

What makes this story such a special one and so dear to me are the characters, who are impeccably human. They make so many wrong judgments, jump to conclusions, betray and hurt one another, and are full of insecurities. But they also love and care deeply for one another. At the beginning I was so irritated by some of them, but then I realized that they reflect emotions and situations that are part of our daily lives. I do not remember the last time I read a book with such realistic three-dimensional characters.

I highly recommend this bittersweet novel. I fell in love with the people, along with their flaws and not-so-perfect lives. And if that is not reason enough to pick up THINGS TO DO WHEN IT’S RAINING, then read it to find out all the things that can be done when it’s raining.