Lost in the Downpour: Escaping Reality in V.C. Andrews' "Out of the Rain" V.C. Andrews' "Out of the Rain" delves into the familiar gothic territory of damaged families, hidden secrets, and the desperate yearning for escape. While not possessing the iconic staying power of her "Flowers in the Attic" series, "Out of the Rain" offers a compelling narrative about resilience, identity, and the enduring power of art as a sanctuary from a harsh reality. The story centers around Rain Arnold, a young woman burdened by a troubled past and a dysfunctional family. Living in the shadow of her manipulative and enigmatic mother, Rain navigates a world fraught with emotional neglect and unspoken tensions. Seeking refuge from the oppressive atmosphere of her home, she finds solace in her artistic talent, using painting as a means of expressing her inner turmoil and capturing the beauty she perceives in the world around her. Andrews masterfully portrays Rain's internal struggles as she grapples with her identity and yearns for a life free from the constraints of her family's secrets. The reader is drawn into Rain's perspective, experiencing her confusion, fear, and unwavering determination to break free from the cycle of dysfunction. The gothic setting, with its isolated mansion and brooding atmosphere, mirrors Rain's emotional landscape, creating a palpable sense of unease and foreshadowing the dark secrets that lie hidden within the family's history. One of the most compelling aspects of the novel is the exploration of the mother-daughter relationship. The complex dynamic between Rain and her mother is riddled with manipulation, resentment, and a desperate need for connection. Andrews skillfully portrays the insidious ways in which the mother's control shapes Rain's identity and fuels her desire for independence. The reader is left to question the mother's motives and decipher the truth behind her enigmatic facade. Ultimately, "Out of the Rain" is a story about the transformative power of art and the resilience of the human spirit. Rain's artistic talent becomes her lifeline, providing her with an outlet for her emotions and a means of defining herself beyond the confines of her family. Through her art, she discovers her inner strength and ultimately finds the courage to confront her past and forge her own future. While "Out of the Rain" may not be as groundbreaking as some of Andrews' other works, it offers a captivating and emotionally resonant exploration of family secrets, personal identity, and the enduring quest for escape. The novel reminds us that even in the midst of the most turbulent storms, the human spirit can find solace and strength in creativity, ultimately finding its way out of the rain and into the light.

I have always been a fan of VC Andrews even knowing that they use Ghostwriters. I wish I had read the first one in this series becuase I think it would have help place a lot of the characters. Nonetheless, I still enjoyed the book and learning more about Saffron.

This was the second book in the Umbrella Series and it want my favorite book. The first one the Umbrella Lady was a good read and I was looking forward to this book. This book has Saffron Faith Anders, age 13 leaving the umbrella ladies home, after she dies and she goes out into the world to find the father that left her years ago. He is closer than she thought and is married and has another child. Poor Saffron meets him and he has her pretend to be his niece and takes her in. They are wealthy and his wife’s family owns the town. Saffron doesn’t like this arrangement and actually thinks something dangerous is happening. Over all the story seemed slow and not that easy to read. I kept reading to see how it would end and it was just ok. Overall this was a 3 star read for me. It just wasn’t a fit for me. But I want to thank Netgalley and the author V.C. Andrews for my copy, for an honest review. It was my pleasure to read and review

Thank you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

I will admit that when I requested this, I was unaware that it was the second book in a series. A series that I had never heard of and I had no intention of reading the first book in. So, take my opinion with a grain of salt, because had I known that this was a series, and maybe if I had connected with the characters and plot previously instead of going into this blindly, I may have enjoyed this more.

My biggest complaint I think was that this story felt pointless. In just under three hundred pages, absolutely nothing happened. It felt like we just kept repeating the same things over and over until we came to the end and that was it... It was super abrupt. It made absolutely no sense. This just didn't feel like a completed book. And again, I could be wrong here, but I would like to think that this could have been maybe just combined with the first book to maybe have it make more sense or be more meaningful. The characters are also super flat and boring. The conversations never flowed smoothly and they never felt like they had motives or personalities to make them even resemble real humans. All in all, for such a short book, it was super difficult to force myself to power through and finish.

I honestly have nothing else to say about a book that truly felt so dull and pointless. I haven't read a VC Andrews book in years, but this will probably be the last since this truly just didn't work for me at all.

A haunting and chilling tale. This author always paints the tragedy so hauntingly the reader feels what the character is feeling. This author never disappoints.

I got this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.This is book 2 of the 2 book Umbrella Series.I am a V.C. Andrews fan from WAY back when Flowers In The Attic came out when I was in the 5th grade.Even though the books are now being wrote by a ghostwriter they still do not disappoint.This bok had some pretty interesting twists.

A VC Andrews book? Need anyone say anything? I have been reading VC Andrews for years, And this book did not disapoint! I loved it

#Out Of The Rain is by # V. C. Andrews. Following the events of #The Umbrella Lady what a fun story. Family and love is all Saffron wants. She's in for a surprise....
Thank you for the advance copy,
#Netgalley, #V.C. Andrews,and # Gallery Books 💜🐾🐾

I gave this book a sadly, 2 star rating.

While the plot itself felt like the old VC Andrew’s, this one just lacked interesting characters and the thrilling Gothic of the originals. I am sad to say that I won’t pick up new ones under the same pen name.

V.C. Andrew's books are always never what you expect. The secrets and lies are so abnormal that you could never ever think it up before it is revealed to you. This is the 2nd book in the Umbrella series and it was an interesting read.

Out of the Rain is the first book I have read by V.C. Andrews in about 30 years and I quickly remembered why I used to devour her series as a teen. I learned at the end that the books published under the author's name are now written by another author commissioned by the family of V.C. Andrews. Sometimes that just doesn't work, but in this case the same "feel" of the author is still there. Just like I remembered from the author's early books, there is a constant sense of creepy crawlies and sense of dread while the story unfolds. There are plenty of the trademark dysfunctional family situations. I had not read the first book in this series, The Umbrella Lady, but it didn't effect my enjoyment of this book at all. The ending leads one to believe that there will be a third book in the series, which I will definitely want to read!

This book was just okay. I’ve only read the second book in this series and have a feeling the series as a whole would tell a much more complete story.

Would likely be a good series for teens!

2nd in the Umbrella series this is a sinister story of a family filled with lies and deceit. I hope the ending means there will be a 3rd. Very good.
Many thanks to Gallery Books and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

New to me author but definitely won't be last. Thoroughly enjoyed this story. Thanks Netgalley and to the publisher for letting me read this advance copy.

I have been reading V.C. Andrews books since the first one published when I was 13 years old. I have read ALL of them. Some better than others as in this case, the first book in the series was better than this one. Do I wish it was the original author publishing them? Yes, of course but since a ghost writer has taken over for her books his writing style is similar but I do notice differences. I do believe you either read V.C. Andrews books or you don't it's like a following.
After reading this book I have unanswered questions which I am hoping will be answered in the next book, I do not like cliffhangers. This book is about a family trying to survive life with everything filled with lies which just lead to more lies. I think we will see more of the grandfather in the next book, he seems like the only reasonable one in the bunch.

Pub Date 01 Dec 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

This is a Fiction. This took me awhile to get into this story, but I found it interesting once I was pulled in. I did find this book had no closer at the end, and I felt the story went no where. I found that this book had no point. I wanting it to go somewhere and solve some of the suspense that was built up through out this book. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Gallery Books) or author (V. C. Andrews) via NetGalley, so I can give an honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

I enjoyed this book by V.C. Andrews. A story about loss of a family member, finding one who was lost, and deciding if the latter was worth it? I look forward to reading more books by this author!!! Read and enjoy!!!

It has been a long time since I read a VC Andrews book. There were times when I didn't understand what was happening in the story, but then I realized this book is the second in the series and I hadn't read book 1! So, that was no fault of the book! I liked the story and will go back to read book 1.

I really enjoyed this story from the very beginning it peaked my interest. Saffron's family life was lacking in so many ways but she was so young she didn't understand. At least not until her mother died in the fire. When she finds her father things don't go exactly as she hoped but she's with him. When she discovered her mother's watch I didn't expect the story to end story to end after she confronts Ava's father. I hope this isn't the end of the series.

#2 in the Umbrella series and my review is the same as book 1
I read all V. C. Andrews books (even though they are ghost written now) and have to say this is the first one in a long time that completely held my interest. A very quick easy read with a slow build but not to slow to have you lose interest. I look forward to the next in this series.
Thank you to Netgalley, Gallery books and the Author V.C. Andrews for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.