A Pawtastic five-star read. This is a bittersweet story, the floods, the self-doubt, the family dramas. After the rain, is usually a perfect time to start a fresh, but what happens if the stuff you need to ash away, is too backed up and threatening to come and drowned you. That’s what Tara is facing and what this author manages to portray so beautifully, showing us he truth behind feelings that we sometimes bury a little too deeply. I have always been a huge fan of this author, always one of those that you grab off the shelf and immediately and dive straight into, but this time it is especially poignant for me, as I am about to start the number of weeks of a counselling course of my own, so the struggles that Tara and David face are some that are being drummed into me. All of the characters of the Wellness centre brought something special to the story, even if it was a little purple liquid magic in a bottle. The whole array of characters in this story brings something special, even some who change your perspective and thoughts on them. There was one story that particularly broke me, but it was so nicely done and really made you feel the depth of the story, just adding that extra level of the story, that’s one of the reasons I adore this author so much, they bring pets into the equation on a way that makes them part of the family. Do not miss this story, as I am betting its going to be one of my top picks for 2022.

I've read (and loved) all of Lucy Dillon's precious works so was pleased to receive a copy of this one.

The story focusses on Tara who works as a therapist but her own life is crumbling around her. I particularly enjoyed the setting and the complex relationships within the story. There are many heartwarming moments and I would highly recommend.

I do love a Lucy Dillon book and I’m pleased to say that this one more than lives up to expectations.

This is the story of Tara and her family. Her mother has recently died and Tara finds her mum left the house to her and not jointly with her brother. Tara and brother Toby’s dad has been an absent figure in their lives since he left their mum when they were children.

Tara works as a counsellor and is supporting some local residents in her free time after a terrible flood.

There is a new counsellor at the centre Tara works at and she discovers he has a rather fabulous counselling technique.

The new counsellor, Tara’s quite casual relationship with boyfriend Phil, the return of her absent father and her desire to see her brother again all make up a lovely story of how to mend broken relationships, how to start new ones and the importance of family - human and animal!

Well written, well-rounded characters with settings familiar to Dillon readers, this is a very enjoyable story and I definitely recommend it. Thanks to #Netgalley for an early copy.

This is a story about family, forgiveness and fresh starts.
I really enjoyed this book. The main protagonist Tara is lost after losing her mother, her father coming back into her life, and find g her feet at work. She is trying desperately to keep her head above water, quite literally after heavy rainfall results in flooding. Helping those hit by the floods means Tara has to face up to parts of her life she's avoided and to let go of what she has held into for too long.

I particularly liked seeing Data's character development throughout this novel. I found her to be likable and relatable and was really rooting for her throughout the book. I liked that there were characters in this book who weren't particularly 'he's but human.

A good read all in all

I enjoyed this book and found it easy to read with likeable characters. Tara is a counsellor who is going through a difficult time in her own personal like, while trying to support others in her professional role. Her estranged father comes back into her life after a long absence and it’s clear that their relationship isn’t going to be easy one. I loved the character of David who becomes a good friend to Tara, although I did find his ‘unusual’ special skill a bit far fetched and did spoil my enjoyment of this book a little. On the whole though, it was well written and the author showed compassion and understanding for the communities and people for whom flooding issues have affected their lives.
Thanks to the publishers and to Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to review this book,

I am usually a fan of Lucy Dillon’s books but I didn’t find this one as engaging as others I’ve read. DNF at around 35% as I didn’t feel that much had happened and the characters were not especially likeable. This was disappointing as previous books have been read within a couple of days, but it felt like a chore and took weeks to get to this stage. Not for me unfortunately.

Thank you Net Galley for giving me the opportunity to read this, I really struggled to connect with the characters. Normally I love Lucy Dillon books, but this one was not for me

Tara is determined to get back the community spirit of her village after a dreadful flood. This happens just after her mum has died. Her dad turns up out of the blue after having no contact for over 10 years. Lovely book

I do so love the unique blend of emotions that Lucy Dillon brings to us through her books, and so it was with great excitement that I settled down to read this instalment. It was with great anticipation that I contemplated the opportunity to both meet new great characters, and to perhaps revisit some former favourites. Having been ’bitten’ on more than one occasion in the past, I have made sure not to start reading too late at night, because I don’t want to be up all night reading?
I adored both Tara and Branston, from the moment I inhaled the prologue; I so loved the idea of a golden labrador, dressed up as a lion and I stored an appropriate image in my mind, filed under ’joyous occasions’. I loved the fact that not only was Branston dressed up, but that he was dressed in a wholly appropriate costume for his colouring, if not for his temperament. I did however feel a deluge of emotion, at the end of that first chapter, as much for that which was left unsaid, as for that which passed anyone’s lips. It felt to me like a life changing event, that would live on in Tara’s heart, long after the actual incident.

In the present day, I found myself warming to Tara, yet vaguely amused by the idea of past skeletons almost deliberately jumping out of the closet at the most inopportune moments! I liked the subtle humour rippling through the book, an example being Tara’s support of the ‘Ditch the Drive’ campaign, which basically seemed to involve her parking a street or two further away from work, in the hope of not being spotted in the car, whilst yearning to be spotted on the walk from the car to the office. The humour ramps up when Tara gets spotted parking by a colleague and is trying to look as though she hasn’t just got out of her car, whilst gazing at her handbag, sitting happily on her seat!

I was very taken with the way that Tara and David shared the same kind of views on therapy – the way that their shared opinion of some of the more whacky forms of therapy actually brought them together. This was also another opportunity for some welcome humour, for example when they share the judging of the clinic home brew competition.

On a personal front, Tara’s ever changing relationship with her Father evoked memories for me. I found myself genuinely caring about the outcome of their fledgling liaisons, wanting the best convlusion for them both. This felt especially important for Tara, given her current mourning for her Mother. The introduction of Molly also resonated strongly with me, but from personal experience, I thought that the author dealt with the storyline with the utmost empathy.

This was a marvellous, joyful, empathetic read, about family and about love; about the fragility of these feelings and how vulnerable they can be to misunderstandings. A story about feelings and memories; about the inadvertent way that history can reinvent itself, via the brain’s selective memory – not only selective regarding what is remembered, and what is believed, but how those memories manifest themselves and the use that those beliefs are put to.

A book that is a bit like marmite, some people are going to love all the animal aspects others are not. Little slow but mostly enjoyable read. Thank you netgalley for the advance copy

My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for my copy of After The Rain. This is a beautiful, genuine story with interesting real characters and a number of twists and turns that I'm sure will catch you out. This is a book that becomes a friend and you never want it to end because you know you will miss their company.

It took me a while (possibly a third of the book) to really become involved in After the Rain by Lucy Dillon. Up until then I was always on the point of giving up on it. That I didn't suggests that it was well written and it was. I did find it rather slow, however, And, having finished it, I would say that it could have been shorter - perhaps more tightly edited.

Tara Hunter is a councillor, in the midst of one of the hugest projects of her life. The village where she lives has suffered from the after-effects of life-changing, for some, flooding, and she has put her heart and soul into trying to help everyone affected to get back on their feet.
It's a fact that after flooding, a lot of hidden rubbish comes to the surface of the water, and it appears that the same happens to Tara and her own hidden insecurities and feelings. Things she has managed to compartmentalise, forget about and move on from, from her childhood, come flooding back.
Of course, it doesn't help that the rogue father who disappeared when she and her twin brother Toby were children also reappears, with a couple of his own secrets
Couple that with an intriguing new addition to the staff of the Wellness Centre she works for, David, and throw in some fantastic four-legged characters, and you have a captivating read.
I enjoyed this book, very much, and reading about Tara made me think a lot about my own well being. it is so easy to become the carer for all others, forsaking your own needs, especially if you feel they aren't worthy of being acknowledged, or too painful to analyse.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Uk for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

Tara works as a therapist at a local centre in Longhampton, supporting those who need help. When severe flooding hits the community, she needs all the resources available to help those in need.
When her father turns up after many years of not seeing or hearing from him, and willing to help with costs of the flooding, she is wary of trusting him. After several failed relationships, and her father having let her down badly when she was younger, Tara doesn’t know who she can trust.
The book is well written and easy to read, with clear, crisp dialogue. Characters are well drawn and develop throughout the story. Tara’s brother Toby, seems selfish and self obsessed at first, not being helpful at all, but as the story unfolds you gain a clearer picture. The story explores Tara’s past and the reasons for her lack of trust in her father, and she is astounded at some of the shocks in store.
On the lighter side, there is a developing relationship between Tara and David, a doctor at the centre, which is warm and full of humour. Like Doctor Dolittle, David seems to communicate with animals, which proves helpful later in the story.
I enjoyed reading this book, mainly light-hearted, but with hidden depths about Tara’s past. Recommended.

Tara is a counsellor, supporting the local community following floods and grieving following the death of her mother.
She struggles with the reappearance of her dad and forms a bond with another counsellor from the clinic.
This was an easy read but I didn't feel as engaged with the characters as previous books by the author.

After the Rain, is set in the town of Longhampton where Tara is a therapist who works at a local therapy centre and volunteers to help flood victims in the community. Tara is struggling after the death of her mother, losing her closeness with her brother and her father leaving when she was 10. I love the different characters, the community that comes through the book and the developing relationships.

A beautiful story showing the family dynamics in a different light wiht a light hearted thread. Also a great community spirit was demonstrated.

Really enjoyed this one. The fairytale elements of fantasy, added to found family, contemporary romance etc really just made this book everything! Definitely a much needed book to get me out of a slump. I don’t think i’d remember it but sometimes a light hearted read is what you need.

A quick and easy read that I found myself picking up after a long day to unwind. The characters are beautifully written and I came to love them within the first few pages and was rooting for them all the way to the end. At times I wanted to stop reading because I just wanted the experience to go on for longer.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A gentle slow burn romance full of quirky side characters set against the background of devastation following flooding in the local area. I've enjoyed books by Lucy Dillon before and this was no exception as the story draws the reader in. The main character, Tara, is a little self obsessed with a complicated background but she's obviously struggling to keep her head above water in more ways than one and overthinks life in general but does have a heart of gold.. Wonderful portrayal of the more bizarre therapies out there but an engaging read, light enough to read over a dull wintry weekend with a certain cosiness.