I love Dinah Jeffries books. Beautiful descriptions of the landscape and the people wherever it is set. The book is essentially a love story but it is really so much more than that. Lovely. Can't wait for the next one to come out.

Dinah Jefferies has truly mastered the skill of transporting the reader, both in time and place, in this case to Rajputana in India in the years before India gained her independence from Britain. In a few paragraphs the reader experiences the cultural differences between the two societies through the burgeoning relationship of Eliza, a photographer, and Jay, a member of the Indian Royal family.
I enjoyed watching the relationship develop and wondering if they would be able to overcome the barriers. Jay's brother provided an added threat and I found his mother intriguing. The book deals with some controversial topics such as the position of women, the custom of burning a husband's widow (as a punishment for 'allowing' him to die) as well as the political situation of the time. I found Eliza to be a strong and courageous woman in what was essentially a man's world - both the society she escaped from and the one she escaped to. All in all an engaging read that offers pure escapism.

Having seen Dinah Jefferies books everywhere for so long now, I was really dip in and see what her writing is like. Unfortunately, this book was just not for me. I found it difficult to engage with and it didn't hold my interest. This wouldn't stop be reading another of her works, but sadly, this one just didn't work for me.

Since Dinah Jefferies popped onto my reading radar just a few short years ago with her début The Separation I have been a huge fan of everything she has written. She is one of those authors whose books I will buy and read no questions asked as she has such a unique writing ability that takes you far and away to another time and place. At any given opportunity I always take the chance to champion her books as I believe she is an author not only fans of historical fiction will adore but readers in general will love her masterful stories. She is such a talented author writing absorbing stories which take hold of you within the first chapter and don't relinquish their grip until you read the last word having been on a thoroughly exhilarating journey with the characters.

I was thrilled when her book The Tea Planter's Wife was selected as one of the reads in the Richard and Judy Autumn 2015 book club. The selection was richly deserved and brought her phenomenal story telling ability to a much wider audience and therefore even more people can enjoy her books just as much as I do. Now Dinah has returned with another brilliant story thankfully without keeping her loyal readers waiting impatiently for too long with Before the Rains. This new story is set in India and again has the most beautiful cover, deeply evocative of the time and place. Soon within the first few chapters another spell-bounding, rewarding story unfolds and for me wrestles with The Separation as one of my favourite books from this author.

The story opens with a brief introduction, we are in Delhi in India in 1912 as a young girl watches a procession from the balcony of her home alongside her mother. Immediately a real sense of time and place comes across through the vivid imagery. I could easily picture the procession led by the elephants and the excitement as the crowd watches on, interspersed with the sounds and smells typical of an Indian city. But all does not go to plan, a bomb is thrown and the little girl finds herself fatherless. Reaching for her father in his dying moments will be an image that haunts this girl for a long time to come and she wonders will she ever be able to come to terms with it?

Eighteen years later Eliza is now returning to India after living in England for many years. She has been employed by Clifford Salter, a representative of the crown in India, to spend a year in an Indian fortress photographing the inner workings on a day to day basis of Indian royalty. This is a unique opportunity but memories will stir for Eliza and she questions whether she has made the right decision to return to a place which had such an impact on the shaping of her life? Eliza had always felt like she didn't belong in England and this feeling transferred to her marriage. But now she is a widow and free, yet in many ways she is still having to mould herself to the constraints of society, and being a widow in India is not easy. You would be frowned upon and treated as an outsider and some of the descriptions of what happened to Indian women left widows were horrific and unimaginable. But that is what happened at the time and if you are going to write a book set in another country and have undertaken immense research you can not shy away from the truth and in doing so the story is made more realistic and authentic and it helped to create a fascinating picture of everything Eliza experiences.

Through living at the fortress Eliza tentatively at first is witness to what goes on behind closed doors and she must be admired for her bravery as stiff opposition and many obstacles were placed in her path. Through such wonderful writing Dinah Jefferies paints a picture of such beauty tinged with the many rules and regulations for the people that live there especially the women. The descriptions of the castle seem otherworldly and made me realise what changes have occurred in the world in such a relatively short space of time. Gone are the glory days of the British empire in India yet the author brought them alive to perfection within the pages of this book.

Eliza came back to India for many reasons but the reader could see aside from the job she was employed to do her main priority was of rediscovering the part of her that she had lost/deeply buried the day she departed for England. She had had such a connection to India that she knew if she could immerse herself once again the person she longed to be may one day make a reappearance and she could come to some sort of happiness. Eliza views herself as different and that she should be able to roam free throughout the fortress to take as many photos as possible to gain a deeper insight into the mysterious lives of these people. The harem within the fortress seemed exotic and full of mystery, debauchery and many many secrets. But it is the matriarch of the family Laxmi who perhaps becomes a close ally to Eliza when one would think in fact the opposite would occur. I deeply felt Eliza's struggle to adjust to her new living situation and how she battled with wanting to experience everything in as free a way as possible but yet she was confined and stilted. Not even being allowed to roam free outside the castle walls without supervision must have felt so constricting. So when she encounters Jay, the son of Laxmi, a turning point happens. A spark is ignited which in society terms must never establish itself into a proper flame for that is not the done thing.

Jay exposes Eliza to a side of India she has never experienced before and it pained me that these experiences outside the castle walls that they shared together had to be kept secret for fear of bringing shame and disrepute on the family. It made me realise that affection that could with time develop into a deep love is never easy to achieve or let happen but if it is worth fighting for then one must do so. I loved the glorious descriptions of the adventures Jay took Eliza on. They brought to light the other side of India exposing old, banned rituals which have gone underground. It offered an insight into a part of India's history that I had never heard about but it was written in such a way as not to be overpowering yet the message the author was attempting to convey was clear for all to see and comprehend. Eliza understands she can't help the way women are treated but in some small way she can aim to expose the inequalities and try to put them right. Jay was totally as one with Eliza regarding this and I enjoyed how they both battled with what they could clearly see was wrong but bigger powers, history and tradition were at work and how can one go against something so deeply ingrained in the Indian culture?

Before the Rains had so many strands to the story that wove seamlessly together yet at other times they were separate entities but it all worked. I wondered why the author had chosen the specific title but the more I read it became clearer and I felt it was so beautiful yet added that sense of urgency to the situation Eliza found herself in. This book is not all a love story, it blends together history, romance and an element of mystery. The mystery aspect became stronger in the later half of the book as people who at first may have seemed nice and helpful truly began to play their cards. I never knew exactly what was going on and that is the way a book should be. The element of surprise and reveal should be kept secret for as long as possible. The reader should have many ideas in their head as to the final outcome for all elements of the story and that is what happened with me. I was surprised yet delighted with some of the final revelations and I was absorbed in this fantastic story until the very last chapter and was sad to leave such a strong courageous character as that of Eliza behind.

Dinah Jefferies has captured the spirit and sense of India to perfection in Before the Rains. Again it is another utter triumph from her and my only regret is that it couldn't have been longer for I knew once I finished I would have another wait for her next book which I hope she is hard at work on. If you haven't read anything by this author make sure you remedy this as soon as possible. In my opinion she is up there with Lucinda Riley as one of the greatest storytellers in recent years.

The lush, vibrant colours of India are vividly brought to life in this tale of romance, lies and deception amid the opulent castle of the Maharajah of Rajputana.

Eliza loves to takes pictures .... 'she loved the way a photo could tell an entire story and preserve it in a single moment' ..... and she is both pleased and surprised at being asked to take pictures and have the run of the castle ..... but not everyone is happy to have a British lady around, for there are a number of people who hated the British and Eliza needed to be careful she didn't make too many enemies.

British educated Prince Jayant had a sort of wildness about him, and Eliza thinks he's arrogant and spoilt and he's intrigued by her. He loved showing her round the castle and around the beautiful Indian country.

Author Dinah Jefferies paints a wonderful picture of Indian life, of the camel sales, puppeteers, markets, and the many unusual wild birds and animals. I could smell the aromatic herbs, jasmine, honeysuckle and roses growing all around. And of course of the people who Eliza loved to photograph were described in intimate detail.

A very enjoyable story, beautifully told, and so very atmospheric.

The tea planters wife remains one of my favourite books so it was with excitement and slight trepidation that I started to read Before the rains. Theres always the risk that 'this' book will not magic you away as the last did. I needn't have worried, as Before the rains delivered!

For a week i was transported to India. Dinah has a rare skill of using such descriptive language that you can almost see, hear and feel the setting of the story. The characters story becomes your story.

Before the rains tells the story of Eliza who arrives in India comissioned to take photographs of the royal family in their daily lives. The castle has an air of mystery which Eliza is excited to uncover if somewhat apprehensive.

Jay is the handsome prince, reckless, gypsy like and not one to live by the rules.

When their worlds collide under the British rule it's not an easy path of true love for either of them. They are up agaisnt the boundaries of Jay's culture and expectations. For one, Eliza is a widow which is very much frowned upon, she is also British and does not come from a noble background.

There is much deceit within the castle which slowly unfolds, as does an amazing string of coincidences which can only mean that Eliza and Jay's love stroy was meant to be, some may say their destiny.

The ending leaves you on a high but with a heavy heart that the story has come to an end.

I dare you to read this book and not be consumed by it!

When photo-journalist Eliza Fraser arrives back in India ostensibly to photograph life as it happens in an Indian palace, she is unprepared for the effect that returning to the India of her childhood will have on her adult life. Old memories are evoked and new awakenings come to the fore in this heart-warming tale of mystery, intrigue and romance.

The golden days of the British Raj in India are on the decline and there is unrest and distrust, not just amongst the local population, but also from those British officials who seek to cling on to rule regardless of the effect that this has on local people, whose established way of life is challenged at every level. Very soon, Eliza finds that she is at the centre of a conspiracy, which will, not just place her in great danger, but which will also take her life in a whole new direction.

The author's vision of 1930s India, with all of its mystique and colour comes alive in vibrant detail. The inside of the Maharajah's palace glitters and shines. Its opulence and faded glory is in direct contrast to life in rural districts where archaic customs still flourish in dark shadows. Throughout the story, Eliza's love affair with India is sympathetically told, and yet, it is in her burgeoning relationship with the Maharajah’s brother, Jayant Singh Rathore, where Before the Rains really starts to come alive. Beautifully evoking time and place, the story is filled with intriguing people. I loved the strong female characters, particularly Jayant’s mother, Laxmi who epitomised all of the grandeur and elegance of a fading empire, and of the delicate beauty of Indi who had secrets of her own.

Dinah Jefferies is fast becoming one of those authors who I know will never let me down, either by her story telling ability, or of my emotional connection to her beautifully written stories.

Eliza is rootless and returns to the India of her Raj era childhood and experiences the smells and the heat she remembers, but instead of being an officer's little daughter she is now an adult trying to forge an independent career as a photographer, but her independence depends on how favourable her cousin is to furhtering her career,
Eliza is shown to the palace of minor royalty and allowed to photograph the dying way of life - but only as much as she is permitted to see. Predictably she falls in love with the dashing prince and also predictably this is not an easy path to have taken.
Although there are a few coincidences and "surprises" which are not either of these things, I found it enjoyable as a window onto a life now vanished and for such graphic descriptions. The black and white page comes at you in glorious technicolour.

Whilst I didn't find the story as enthralling as Dinah Jeffriess The Tea Planter's Daughter - which was enthralling -it is still a really well written, enjoyable book and one I would recommend to anyone

My Thoughts

‘She had come to India uncertain about herself and nervous of her abilities as a photographer. She had come not really knowing who she was.’

Having seen the inviting covers of Dinah Jeffries books, I was excited to finally delve into one. I was not disappointed. This is historical fiction at its best - rich in detail and oh so interesting, I learnt so much, this book literally being brushed with Indian spices, both real and figurative, as we journey along with Eliza. Tradition is the foundation of this society and Jeffries presents it in a most intriguing and captivating way. Her writing is so very descriptive, as you find yourself walking through the palace, feeling the searing heat, smelling the scents of India.

‘Hidden beneath the rituals and customs of his life lay something important, something that glued it all together.’

Before the Rains is set in India during the 1920s, and thanks to Jeffries skill as a writer, one can easily either marvel at the decadent royal families and British high society, so much in contrast with the abject poverty of so many of the people. This is a tale about Eliza, a photographer commissioned to spend a year photographing the royal family for British archives, reportedly, although spying might also play a part. Eliza is familiar with India, having spent her childhood there until her father's horrific death, so she feels a strong connection, going to great lengths to understand and showcase this through her photography - the real face of the people, their customs and traditions. Add to this a forbidden love story between Eliza and Jay, a younger brother of the Indian prince, and you have a recipe for a winning tale.

‘More and more she’d become aware that the British should get out of India. Her only hope was that the Nationalist movement would gain control without too much bloodshed.’

Aside from a captivating story, Jeffries brings forth so much of the colours of India - customs, traditions, beliefs at the time of British rule - it is as if you were there. With a declining British rule, you are witness to the effect on the people and the consequences that fall out from that. Everything from euphoric ‘Holi’ celebrations to the horrific ‘sati’ (widow burning). Then there are the settings ranging from palatial royal homes to mud huts in remote villages. You will be transported to another place and time and feel for Eliza and all she endeavours to become in recreating herself.

‘Eliza hardly dared admit that she had come to rediscover something within herself.’

Before the Rains is historical fiction at it’s best overflowing with culture, forbidden love, longed for happiness, heartbreaking grief and finally hope – I thoroughly enjoyed this tale and highly recommend it to lovers of historical fiction.

‘She really wanted to capture something of the rains themselves. Everyone spoke of them in such reverent tones that she wanted to see for herself.’



This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release

I have always enjoyed this author’s books and this is no exception. I felt transported back to Rajasthan of the 1930s (Rajputana as it then was) when the British were still very much in charge of the country, but rumblings of revolt and dissent were brewing. It is evocative, colourful with wonderful period detail.

Eliza spent her childhood in India until her father was murdered, whereupon she and her mother returned to England. But once grown up – following a rocky marriage, which ended with her husband’s untimely death – she is drawn back to the country of her early years. She is absolutely determined to become a photographer and indeed finds herself a job recording daily life in and around fictional Juraipur, both at court and charting the brutally poor lives of those outside the palace walls.

Anish is the Maharaja, governing with the support of those around him who have their own agendas. His younger brother Jayant Singh Rathore, with his kind, amber eyes, is the handsome member of the family, a man with a more moral eye than others. He sees the utter poverty beyond his palace and knows that he has to do something to alleviate the situation.

Eliza and he soon find themselves spending quite some time together and discover a growing attraction to each other. She however is not deemed a suitable partner for him because she is divorced. A divorced woman is a shameful thing, bringing ill-luck to those around (and indeed the practice of Suttee, whereby a widow is expected to throw herself on the funeral pyre alongside her dead husband was still being practised; it was technically outlawed by British rule). Of course Eliza is also white, traditionally the ruling princes would find suitable matches amongst their own.

Intrigue at court, tradition and Eliza’s ailing, alcoholic mother back home in England soon put paid to this burgeoning romance. Neither Eliza nor Jay, however, can quite let go. As the heat ramps up, the cooling effect of the monsoon rains are keenly awaited… will their ardour cool? To find out how this romance ends, you will need to buy the book.

This is a touching love story, set against a beautifully rendered backdrop. If you have visited Rajasthan, you will gain from this book a little more understanding about the period and about how the country has become what it is today. Highly recommended.

There is something very atmospheric about this book, as the heat of India becomes intense as they wait for the rains to break the searing heat, to bring water and life to the land it also reflects the tension within the palaces, within the British position and with the main characters of this story.

Photojournalist Eliza returns to India, it is 1930 she is widowed and she is escaping her life with her work. Given the opportunity from a family friend, Clifford Salter and a member of the British Government, Eliza gets the chance to spend a year taking photos, to create an archive of a royal family in one of the states.

The last time she was in India, she watched her father die in tragic circumstances.

Eliza hopes that she may well be able to put some ghosts to rest. Although she cannot guarantee she will not in fact raise some ghosts from the past.

She meets Jay, the second son and not ever destined to become the Prince. There is a spark of something more than the respect that develops for each other.

Jay shows Eliza parts of India, for her project but Eliza shows Jay through her pictures, her eyes exactly what his people are living like, the poverty that they endure day after day. Jay shows how that British Rule is perhaps causing more trouble that it is worth and that the people of India are capable of forming their own destinies without colonial rule.

Eliza and Jay, clash as two very different worlds collide, through that collision that spark begins to develop. But it can never be. Can it?

This rich evocative novel is a love story, a love story that is forbidden in a land where love is not considered the reason for relationships to form. It is all about power, money, alliance and land.

As with all her novels if you have ever read them, the author paints a picture of a place where the colour leaps from the page, the smell wafts past as you immerse yourself in the culture which form the background of the story. But of course it is now always the background it actually is the story as well as the characters.

With intrigue, deception and mistrust within the palace walls and all over India, Eliza is there at a time when perhaps barriers could be broken down.....

A compelling historical fiction novel which will evoke some rather upsetting emotions within the reader as the follow Eliza and Jay's story. Vividly descriptive and beautifully written this is a book you must read.

I loved this book, I felt like I was in India with them. Well written. I was grabbed from the first page.

The prologue in Delhi (1912) of the procession for the Viceroy Lord Hardinge’s entry into the old walled city hooked me in straight away … all my senses awake and my emotions heightened from the trauma I was ready to experience India and find out where Eliza’s future lay.

Now 28 and not feeling like she’s ever belonged anywhere, it’s no different when she enters the castle for her year commission to photograph the Royals and life in Juraipore. Having been told by the British they had to give Eliza access to the castle and an escort to other locations, she’s not exactly welcomed! Conflict and intrigue arise often adding suspense to this historical love story. Dealing with laws, politics, religious beliefs, rituals and customs that are alien to the British, there is so much Eliza must overcome to get her happy ever after.

To my mind it wasn’t just Chatur who was the enemy, there’s another character who is manipulative and very much ‘self.’ I really didn’t like him and felt despair at one point. He doesn’t have any redeeming characteristics (although you might think differently!). There are others in the castle who want Eliza out of the way so you never quite know who is doing what.

The settings are just magical, not only the exuberance of the festivals but also the mud huts in the villages and Eliza’s time back in Gloucester. Dinah Jefferies is so skillful in bringing everything to life, I was transported to another time to another culture. In fact there is one horrendous scene that she doesn’t hold back from and I could feel the trauma Eliza did. Maybe not so magical but you need to be exposed to a culture with it’s shadow side too don’t you!

The romance is soul to soul. Beautiful, poignant and takes your breath away. And despite being in the 1930’s, is a trend that is very current today.

The ending is perfect. Just perfect.

Dinah Jefferies has penned another story that I will be thinking of for a long time to come.

I have seen a lot of Dinah Jefferies books around and often have them come up as recommendations on my Amazon so I really wanted to like this book however I did struggle.
The beginning did grip me and I couldn't wait to tuck in but it soon lost me. The descriptions of india and the culture were beautifully written but there was a lack of drama and not enough to hold my attention. The story takes awhile to get going and by the time it did I just wasn't that interested. I haven't completely given up hope with this book and hope at some point to finish it. I have read such great reviews on Dinah's previous titles that I would like to finish one of her books. Maybe this one was just not for me.

written historical novel by Dinah Jefferies. I really don't know how she does it. Every detail is perfect, you can really immerse yourself into 1930s India and almost believe that you are there.

Eliza Fraser, recently widowed has accepted a British Government assignment to a princely state in India, where she is to photograph the Royal family. Determined to make a name for herself as a photographer, Eliza is nervous as she arrives.

One of the first people she meets, Jay, instantly puts her at ease. But he is a member of the Royal family that she has been sent to capture film, so she realises that she should get close to him. Sadly, this is easier said than done.

Although slow burning, theirs is a mutual attraction, despite their cultural and social differences. As Eliza travels the state photographing both the Royal family and the outside communities she has her eyes opened to a world of colour, and poverty...

Vowing to help improve the conditions for local people, Eliza joins forces with Jay. As they make plans for the future of the local community their attraction to each other becomes undeniable. But Jay's family and Eliza's sponsor in India are against the two becoming close.

Not only would it be unheard of for a member of Indian royalty to court and maybe even marry a Britsh woman, but Eliza is a widow. And in parts of the country they still believe in and practice the illegal custom of widow burning.

Despite every little thing seeming to be against them, Jay and Eliza continue to grow closer. With their attraction to each other intensifying, and the world around them changing, they must decide whether to succumb to tradition or follow their hearts..

Dinah is one of my favourite authors. I eagerly await each new release. Her books transport you into a different era and provides the stunning visual imagery that makes you feel totally immersed in the story. Eliza is a photo journalist which is fascinating to me as a scrapbooker and adds an extra dimension to the imagery.

We have the contrast in opinions on British rule in India and you really feel as though you have travelled with them. There is a romantic element running through the story and the characters are so richly drawn that you really feel a connection with them.

You can feel the heat, smells, spices and colours of India- wrapped within the wonderful pages.

The other thing I love about her books are the delightful covers- they are always so beautiful that you feel you could leave these out on the coffee table for all of your visitors to enjoy their beauty and encourage them to discover one of your favourite authors.

Before The Rains follows Eliza as she moves to India to begin her first assignment as a photographer in 1930. She is stationed at the castle to document a year from the perspective of the Prince and his family. India is also where her father died when she was a child, so the assignment brings back memories and feelings that she hopes to confront.

Eliza is a very strong and determined woman, as we have come to expect from Dinah Jefferies' books. She looks to start a career in a foreign country at a time when women were encouraged to marry and have children as soon as they could. Although India was home to her briefly as a child, the traditions, beliefs and rituals are a whole new experience for her.

There are a few characters I loved to hate in this book, and others I felt I couldn't trust. From the scheming court official Chatur, to the controlling Clifford, and the beautiful Indira, it is difficult to know who is friend and who is foe.

The historical backdrop felt so natural to the story that it allowed a greater focus on the characters themselves. Love, grief, betrayal and regret are central themes, with beautiful cities, colourful celebrations and controversial beliefs immersing the reader in Indian culture.

I loved this book, as I have previous ones by the author. I loved the setting and was easily able to immerse myself in the book. I was a little surprised by the ending but I do love a book which manages to surprise me. (Longer review will be live on my blog from the 21/02).