Carrying the Rain: a Liberty Falls Novel

When everything falls apart, how do we know what to hold onto… and what to leave behind?Alex Petry’s marriage was broken long before the unthinkable accident. Tina’s drinking turned their home into a nightmare, but Alex stayed for the sake of their daughters, Dana and Charlie.Now Tina is gone. His daughters are slowly slipping away. And Alex is drowning. Seeking comfort in all the wrong places, with all the wrong women.When Olivia Bradford returns to Liberty Falls to care for her dying mother, Alex is drawn to her. Despite her heartbreak and his shattered soul, they can’t help but fall for each other.But the weight of sorrow burrows deep into our spirit. Regret carves itself into our bones. And Alex must finally face everything he’s been running from or risk losing what little he has left. If there is anything left to lose.Suffocating under the weight of grief and loss, can a widowed father find the strength to live—and maybe even love—again?Carrying the Rain is a powerful, emotional story about what we hold onto and what we let go of. Is our spirit always unbreakable… and is there always hope to start anew?6 Questions with ChaiQ: What kind of story is Carrying the Rain?A: It’s a sad yet hopeful novel in the tradition of family life fiction. At its heart, it’s about grief, resilience, and the ways broken people might find a way to love and live again. If I had to classify it further, it would fit within family life women’s fiction, though it really is for anyone.Q: How does it fit with other family life novels?A: Like books by Kristin Hannah, Richard Russo, Wally Lamb, or Celeste Ng, this story dives into the parent-child relationships, love lost and rediscovered, and the good and bad of small town life.Q: Is this a romance?A: Romance plays a major role in the story—one could argue the biggest role. Carrying the Rain is an emotional second chance romance book about love trying to survive after tragedy. But it’s not just a romance. It’s also a deeply personal story about survival, self-discovery, and healing.Q: What themes will readers find?A: You’ll find elements of women’s fiction coming of age, as characters wrestle with the past and figure out who they’re meant to be. There’s also the raw tenderness of a single father romance book, as the main character fights to save himself and his family.Q: How would you describe the tone?A: Emotional and dramatic — a true drama romance book — but also filled with glimmers of hope and redemption. My goal is to make readers feel every emotion. And I think this book accomplishes that.Q: Where is it set?A: In Liberty Falls, a small town in upstate New York. This is a standalone story and will be followed by others in the Liberty Falls series—each one a standalone with crossover characters and Easter eggs. If you’re drawn to small-town romance, this story will feel like home.