Things to Do When It’s Raining

Stapley’s memorable novel (following Mating for Life) is about the strength of enduring relationships. Mae Summers leaves her life in New York City behind when she discovers that her fiancé and business partner is missing, their company doesn’t exist, and the money invested in it is gone, too. Upon returning to the home of her youth in Alexandria Bay, N.Y., where she lived with her grandparents, Mae discovers her grandfather is living away from her grandmother in a nearby hotel. Mae is even more stunned when Gabe Broadbent, her childhood best friend, returns to town. Gabe broke Mae’s heart after their friendship became a teenage romance. As they come to terms with the misunderstandings of their past and the possibility of a future together, Mae and Gabe must decide if they are willing to take a chance to rediscover the love they once felt. The intensity of the lasting love and friendship between Gabe and Mae is emotionally powerful and finely wrought, and Stapley complements this story about the difficult choices family members make for those they love with an evocative setting. (Feb.)