NEW BOOK REVIEW

        Dancing in the Rain ... By Eileen Rife and Jennifer Slattery

Loni Parker, a music major struggling to find employment, seeks refuge at Camp Hope only to encounter the man who took her sight.

On the verge of college graduation, Loni Parker seeks employment as a music teacher, but no one will hire her since she’s blind. Or so she thinks. To take her mind off her troubles, her roommate invites her to spring retreat at Camp Hope in the gorgeous North Carolina mountains. Unbeknown to Loni, Michael Ackerman, the director, is an ex-con responsible for the accident that caused her blindness. When Loni warms up to camp and wants to return as a summer counselor, Michael opposes the idea, which only makes Loni want to prove herself all the more. Though she doesn’t expect to fall for the guy. Still, her need for independence and dream of teaching win out, taking her far away from her beloved Camp Hope . . . and a certain director.

Camp director Michael Ackerman recognizes Lonie instantly and wants to avoid her at all costs. Yet, despite the guilt pushing him from her, a growing attraction draws him to the determined woman. She sees more with her heart than the average person does with his eyes. But her presence also dredges up a long-buried anger toward his alcoholic father that he’d just as soon keep hidden. When circumstances spin out of control, Michael is forced to face a past that may destroy his present.



OUR REVIEW

"A name he no longer used-one that sickened him to his core." Doesn't this certainly make you want to find out why? Dancing in the Rain by Eileen Rife and Jennifer Slattery was a surprising change of pace from the typical Christian romances I have on my book shelf. An unusual setting mixed together with a blind  girl and a "hunky" but possible dangerous guy sets this story on a brisk pace.

I had to keep reading to see if Loni would finish her commitment to an adventure she signed up for and find her inner faith and strength to deal with the added disadvantages that were thrown at her. No family to help, no guide dog to maneuver her through the woods and plenty of camp activities to push her out of her comfort zone.

I enjoyed this novel not only because it was a clean read, but also it introduced me to the world of blindness. Would Lonie be able to deal with the life God gave her and the man who changed her life, and can Michael really find what he is looking for? Take a chance on this read and you'll be surprised.

                           Amazon Review