Deborah Smith (not to be confused with author Debra White Smith) is a true “storyteller.” Her novels engage the reader from the first page in her character driven plots usually with a Southern flavor as her native Georgia heritage. Her latest novel A Gentle Rain is set in Florida with some side trips to South America. To quote from her Smith’s website: “A Connecticut heiress. A Florida cowboy. His heart. Her secret. And the very special family she has come home to find.” You can read excerpts on the website. While reading A Gentle Rain, I felt I came to know Karen / Kara, El Diablo / Ben, Lily and Mac, wheelchair bound Joey, Mr. Darcy (a bird), Miriam and her sister (retired mermaids), and others. This wonderful story is told in the alternating voices of Kara and Ben – a style which usually irritates me, but fit this novel perfectly. The first Deborah Smith book I read Stone Flower Garden will no doubt remain my favorite of her writings, but A Gentle Rain is a very close second. Also very enjoyable are A Place to Call Home and Sweet Hush. Charming Grace was a long way from my favorite but I still consider it better than most popular contemporary fiction. - AW
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