I don't know why I expected this book to be romance, but in general I prefer romances. The world around us sucks and I like at least happy endings in my books. This book was quite a journey and I am not sure I would have put myself through it had I known.

This book was amazingly well written and dealt with some tough subjects in a way that really touched me. However, it is not a romance - it is too real to be one - and the ending is quite unexpected. I don't think I would have put myself through such an emotional wringer had I known what was coming! Having said that if you don't mind reading something a bit darker, this book is well written with a great plot and well developed characters.

So... I loved this. Linguistics, and minority languages, and a woman who chooses to wear a headscarf out of respect, and unexpected lesbian love (well, unexpected to the characters, not unexpected to the readers, obviously). I'm quite sure I've never rated a lesbian romance higher than 3 or 3.5 stars. I read them all the time, but often they are a bit cookie cutter and all that keeps me reading is the promise of the HOA and sometimes, the challenge of actually continuing reading after rolling my eyes over misspellings and misused homophones.

Anyway, this book, though clearly an f/f romance, has a much greater depth. The characters are fleshed out an unique (no "tall dark firefighter" and "petite blonde reporter" here) and interesting. There is more plot than romance, and though I did groan a few times at characters taking unnecessary but sweeping/dramatic risks, overall... I really enjoyed it. 4.5 stars. Rounding up to 5 just for being so good at being a lesbian romance.

I picked this book up immediately finishing MacElvee's first book. MacElvee does an excellent job of making her readers feel the story. Chrys goes through a lot and grows a great deal during this book. Kind of a roller coaster of emotions, and it may be difficult for some to read. Don't let that stop you though. I wasn't sure I would like this one as much as MacElvee's first book, but I was very surprised I liked it just as much. This book is different from her first, sad but kind of beautiful too. I cried huge fat tears more than once during this book. This is a hard book to review because it isn't like most books you will read. It has romance, but isn't a romance. It has heartbreak but really isn't a tragedy. It has so much to read. Just after reading two books by this author I know I will pick up anything she writes. Can't wait for the next. Hope to see the audiobook version of both books soon.

I'm not sure how to review this book. It touched so many places within me I can't even describe my emotions. The ending of the book is inevitable but it still left me asking why? But then again I found it uplifting.

This is an extremely hard hitting powerful book. One that didn't only bring tears to my eyes but actually made me cry. It is very thought provoking. I'm guessing this book will elicit many different reviews. Some good, some bad. But to really appreciate and understand you really need to read it. Yes it does get depressing but there were many reasons for joy.

It doesn't deal with just one tragedy but several.

Some people say heroes are born, others that heroes are created. But the heroes of this book was because who they were and what was important to them. For that alone they are heroes throughout the world. Yes, this is a book and yes, it is fiction. But all fiction has some truth in the writing.

Give it a go. Just be prepared for the odd tear and gentle smile that happens unexpectedly. Enjoy!

*ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley*

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2419504953

https://www.amazon.co.uk/review/RECFIC5L3H6TZ/ref=pe_1572281_66412651_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

I didn’t expect a whole lot when I picked this one up. Some romance, lots of melodrama, and a quick, engrossing read. Well, I got all of those things and so much more. Excuse me as I mop up my face while typing out this review.

I was so invested in these characters. Their struggle. Their anger. Their pain. But mostly, their hope. Their ability to go on in a “shit hole” (MacElvee’s words, but I have used them many time), and their ability to love and spread joy in a world so full of pain and unfairness.

I got to the end and just wanted to keep reading about these people and their lives and the lives they touched. The characters were so real to me, I wanted to spend more time with them. I laughed and cried and laughed while crying. The chemistry between Chrys and Reyha is great. The buildup is such a slow burn but it’s done very well. I was halfway through at bedtime the other night and really wanted to power through about five more hours to finish and was bummed when I put it down.

The banter is awesome, particularly when things get a bit lost in translation. I snapped a photo of this line and sent it to a friend,

“‘Reyha swatted at her. “Now you are wearing big sassy britches.’
Chrys gurgled on her water and laughed. ‘Wearing what? I think you got your idioms mixed up there, lady.’
‘To wear big sassy britches is not a saying?’
Chrys laughed again. ‘It’s wearing sassy pants or being too big for your britches. Both of which have probably described me on occasion.'”

I just finished this book, so I am likely to have more developed and better digested thoughts as I let it sit for a while, but I wanted to ride the fangirl wave while I’m still reeling from finishing up. I don’t give a lot of things 5-stars on Goodreads (though after others have explained not understanding my rating system, I’ve tried to be a little more generous lately), but this one got all the stars. I couldn’t put it down. I couldn’t wait to finish it, and I didn’t want it to end all at once. This one just came out in May, so definitely check it out.

The Smell of Rain was an awesome story. It starts with a struggling veteran, Chyrs, who lost part of her leg in the service and is trying to cope with the end of her military career. She’s pushing everyone away and using her prescription medication and beer to get through the day and the pain. Her fiancé leaves her as she ends up getting and high clearance assignment from the State Department instead of moving to CALIFORNIA with Mary.

She meets Reyha, who is visiting the US as a guest of the State Department and its Chrys that she wants to help her as her Assistant. The become close and the danger from an enemy increases the risk to Reyha.
I really liked both of the protagonists and thought it was great how the two women supported each other through their difficulties. The story was well written and I just felt so much with both Reyha and Chrys. It’s an emotional journey. I highly recommend the story and am planning on checking out MacElvee’s other book since this one was so well written.

At first I did not like Chrys as a character - she was too self absorbed and too feeling bad for herself but as the story developed so did she... The story itself dealt with a lot of topics like PTSD, military losing a limb etc that got put together well in this story.

I’m almost taken aback by this book. In some ways it was educational and in others inspirational. It’s one of the best descriptions of PTSD I’ve read and overall seems very well researched. There are lots of life lessons which we’d all do well to abide by. The love story? Simply beautiful. I see this author has written one other book, I’ll need to find it! Cannot recommend enough.

<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36374922-the-smell-of-rain" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="The Smell of Rain" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1507470158m/36374922.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36374922-the-smell-of-rain">The Smell of Rain</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15081596.Cameron_MacElvee">Cameron MacElvee</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2400877532">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
I got an ARC from NetGalley/Bold Strokes Books for an honest review. <br />This was not an easy read. A storyline that is nakedly gritty, dealing with PTSD, the military and a lead character unable to cope with life as a survivor from war, and the loss of a limb. Ms. MacElvee has written the characters of Chrys and Rehya so cleverly - they grab you and drag you along for the ride in what is ultimately a sad romance. Kudos to the author.<br />Recommended with 4.5 stars
<br/><br/>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/31134832-gail">View all my reviews</a>

Wow, this was one of the most emotional books I've read. Grab the tissue and hang tight. This is not your typical romance book so be advised. The writing is good and the story was captivating but I think it's a bit much for me to recommend to my students. With all the negative they experience in coming out, I want them to focus on happy endings which is why we read romance novels.

I didn't like the main character, Chrys, at first - she was just too immersed in herself. However, as the plot developed, Chrys began to evolve beyond her mental and physical issues.

The friendships and political situation were engaging. I would read more by this author.

Incredibly well written, The Smell of Rain belongs right up there with The NY Times bestsellers. While this book features a broken vet and a romance, it is neither a woman in uniform tale nor a traditional romance. What this story does is dive deeply into the psyche of women at large through the lens of several female characters, and not just Chrys and Reyha. Much of the narrative is told through Chyrs’ rage-filled perception of how the world continues to go on despite the atrocities committed every day. It’s a struggle to like this troubled woman at times as she wallows in alcohol, prescription meds, and a healthy dose of self-recrimination and pity. Through her journey of true healing that is so transformative and the lessons she learns through Reyha and so many other women who have sacrificed that she truly learns how to live for the right reasons. This is a story you won’t soon forget.

Very well written and very dark emotional romance. A deeply troubled female veteran is drawn out of her ptsd by an older, wiser previously damaged women. This story is a strong reminder of the abuse of women throughout the world. Although the story is dark and sad it somehow is uplifting and not depressing. The ending leaves you with a positive outcome. I congratulate the author for somehow managing that with her skillful writing.

Hands down brilliant. I loved this book so much.

Chrys Safi arrives back from Syria broken and battered, missing her leg below the knee. She's living in a dark place that she can't seem to climb out of. She's pushing her partner of 7 years away and falling back on self-destructive behaviour. That is until she receives a special assignment translating and acting as a liaison for Reyha Arslan. Through friendship and tough love Chrys slowly begins to heal. The two women find kindred spirits in one another, and somewhere along the way something like love begins to blossom.

I loved the meeting of minds between Reyha and Chrys - the way they could switch between languages is the most intimate and sensual thing I've ever read with a couple. Sometimes one language just doesn't have the feelings you want to convey so being able to switch though so many languages and to meet someone of your own intellectual abilities is the purest meeting of hearts and minds ever.

This book definitely has it's tough parts - theres some alcohol and prescription drug abuse, PTSD, suicide. But its also a gorgeous story about healing and finding hope and goodness in the dark places when all you can see is darkness. I even loved the ending, I really loved it. There is always hope and happiness to be found even out of heartbreak and pain.

Cameron MacElvee is an extremely talented writer. This story is rich and warm and draws you in with the vivid storytelling. The characters are fantastic, they're intelligent, they're strong, and they're flawed but they're likeable and relatable and I found myself connected and invested with each of them.

This is my first book by the author and I know it won't be the last. I will be buying this in paperback the first change I get. I adored this so much. I will recommend this book to anyone.

I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Air Force veteran Chrys Safis takes an assignment as interpretor/companion for Turkish ex-patriot, Reyha Arslan. She is in The United States to deliver an address to The United Nations General Assembly. Reyha is under protective services from the State Department as she is a controversial figure. Chrys is lucky to have the job. She is still suffering from PTSD from an attack that killed her friends while she was in Syria, fighting with Kurdish forces. She is mired in nightmares, hallucinations, alcohol and drug abuse, and struggling to accept the loss of one of her legs. These two women are as different as any two women could be. Reyha is wealthy, refined and a lover of literature and philosophy. Chrys is a practical woman who sees the world in black and white. Both women are dedicated to helping the thousands of women and children caught in the violence of the wars that consume the Middle East.

Ms. MacElvee did an exquisite job of bringing both Chrys and Reyha to life. Chrys is so wounded. Her body is broken, but her soul has been left shattered by the atrocities she has witnessed. At first all I saw was the typical PTSD veteran stereotype, but through Chrys’s hallucinations, nightmares and memories I began to see a woman who was struggling to find her way back to the hope she once had; to make a difference in the world. Reyha’s character was deliciously layered and with each chapter I grew to love her more.

The book is not an easy read. There are a lot of tough topics raised. PTSD, addiction, rape, war, cultural discourse and global politics aren’t your typical ingredients for a romance, but at the center of this story is the immutable idea that love heals. The love that grows between Chrys and Reyha is bigger than the sum of their personal tragedies. They find their healing in the sharing of their pain.

I was provided with an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Chrys Safis is a broken soldier struggling to carry on while haunted by the ghosts of her comrades on the field of battle. She is her own worst enemy, failing at therapies offered to counteract her PTSD and help her move on. She loses the love of her life and cannot pull herself out of her survivor’s guilt. She is not easy to like. When she is asked to act as an interpreter for a Rehya Arslan, a Turkish national in exile who will be speaking at the United Nations she reluctantly agrees.

This is a hard, powerful read. You can feel Chrys’s despair, feel her hopelessness and feel her guilt and anger. It takes a strong woman like Rehya to show her the fights worth fighting for and to give her a glimmer of hope in the stark reality of modern warfare. This book felt very real and certainly well researched with mentions of Armenian atrocities and Syrian battles with the Daesh. I loved the conversations held while touring Washington landmarks or sitting on the balcony of their suite. I could almost smell the cloves in Rehya’s cigarettes and sense the strength of character both women possess. As wonderful as their attraction and budding feelings for one another are for the reader the author does not hold back with her foreshadowing of things to come.

You know what’s coming but you can’t look away. My kind of read, powerful, emotion-filled and dramatic. Well done.

ARC received with thanks from publisher via NetGalley for review.

There was something about this book that just didn’t ring true for me. I just couldn’t invest myself into the characters enough to care what happened to them.

4.5 Stars. This is a tough book to read. I knew it was going to be depressing, so I kept putting off reading it. I finally felt up to tackling it today. I’m glad I read it, it is extremely well written. This book is going to win a Goldy and probably some other awards. It’s that good, it’s just that it breaks your heart. And while it is depressing at times it is about love and hope. This book is real, and smart and deep. It will absolutely affect you and it’s the kind of book you should read even though it is hard.

I usually write long reviews, but I’m a bit at a loss for words. My suggestion is to get a box of tissues and give this one a read. It’s going to make you feel, but it's worth it.

This book was not what I expected. Not your standard story of veteran returns heals and gets a happy ending. Have a tissue ready for the whole book. This is one of the most heartbreaking lesfic books I've read.
Chrys is broken from her trauma in Syria. Yet she gets hired by the State Department to accompany a diplomat, Reyha. This story revolves around Reyha helping Chrys heal and get a new less violent purpose in life. She teaches Chrys to find some joy in a world full of violence. It also tells a bit about the story of the fight of the Kurdish women against the oppression of women.

This is a very good book but the topics are heavy and sad. All about keeping hope and fighting on.