Rules of Rain

by Leah Scheier

Overview

How far would you go to protect the ones you love?

Rain has taken care of Ethan all of their lives. Before she even knew what autism meant, she was her twin brother's connection to the world around him. Each day with Ethan is unvarying and predictable, and Rain takes comfort in being the one who holds their family together. It's nice to be needed—to be the center of someone's world. If only her longtime crush, Liam, would notice her too...

Then one night, her life is upended by a mistake she can't undo. Suddenly Rain's new romance begins to unravel along with her carefully constructed rules. Rain isn't used to asking for help—and certainly not from Ethan. But the brother she's always protected is the only one who can help her. And letting go of the past may be the only way for Rain to hold onto her relationships that matter most.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781492654261
Publisher:	Sourcebooks
Publication date:	12/05/2017
Pages:	384
Sales rank:	800,352
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.10(h) x 0.90(d)
Age Range:	14 - 17 Years

About the Author

Leah Scheier works as a pediatrician and pens stories of romance and adventure. Her latest novel, Your Voice Is All I Hear, received a Starred Review from Booklist. She lives in Maryland. Learn more at leahscheier.com.

Editorial Reviews

"The first-person narration punctuated by Rain's cooking-blog posts and Ethan's journal entries pulses with emotion as Rain tries to adjust to the changes in her life, and it crescendos to a frenetic cadence when her life itself is in danger... Refreshingly thoughtful character development in a familiar package." — Kirkus Reviews

"The characters feel well rounded and nuanced. Give this to teens who enjoy coming-of-age novels with sympathetic characters." — School Library Journal

"Compelling...a page-turning read you won’t want to put down." — RT Book Reviews

"Rain’s first-person narrative is cheerful and thoughtful, and the relationships among the characters are realistic and nicely drawn; no one is too perfect to be believed. The real truth is that sometimes even the best rules must be broken. " — Booklist

From the Publisher

10/01/2017
Gr 9 Up—Aspiring chef Rain schedules her life around her twin brother Ethan who has autism. Every day she prepares gluten-free, dairy-free foods to alleviate his symptoms and goes running with him at exactly 4:00 am. Romance disrupts their strict routines when Rain starts dating her cute lab partner, Liam, and Rain's best friend Hope takes an interest in Ethan. As Ethan spends more time with Hope and pursues his dream of becoming a surgeon, he pulls away from his sister. Rain, who has planned her entire future around her brother, must learn to let go of him as he slowly gains independence. Uncertain about her own aspirations, she considers joining Liam in a community service program after graduation. She is also trying to repair her relationship with her estranged father and cope with her mother's health issues. Meanwhile, Ethan learns to empathize with others and to accept affection from Hope. Although the novel tackles chronic illness, bullying, unwanted pregnancy, divorce, and sexual identity, it includes funny moments that balance out these heavier issues. Nothing in the author's acknowledgements indicates how much research was done or Scheier's personal experience with regards to autism. However, the characters feel well rounded and nuanced. VERDICT Give this to teens who enjoy coming-of-age novels with sympathetic characters. An additional purchase.—Amy Duffy, Chicago Public Library

School Library Journal

2017-09-18
As her controlled world begins fraying apart, the brother that Rain has taken care of most of her life becomes the support she needs most.White, Jewish, 16-year-old Rain Rosenblatt made rules for herself a long time ago. Some of them have to do with her autistic twin brother Ethan's needs, for which she is almost solely responsible, and some of them have to do with herself, her dreams, and the tight lid she keeps on them. Rain knows the important role she plays—reliable anchor for her divorced mother and her brother—a role that doesn't leave room for the unpredictable. So she is not quite prepared when her school crush is requited and a new romance starts, when her usually isolated brother begins a relationship with her best friend, and especially when one night and one mistake throw life into chaos. The first-person narration punctuated by Rain's cooking-blog posts and Ethan's journal entries pulses with emotion as Rain tries to adjust to the changes in her life, and it crescendos to a frenetic cadence when her life itself is in danger. While Scheier's narrative features but doesn't center neurodivergence and is shot through with the barbs of stigma, breaking little new ground, Rain's realization that she has always needed her brother as much as he's needed her prioritizes Ethan's validation alongside Rain's growth. Refreshingly thoughtful character development in a familiar package. (recipes) (Fiction. 14-17)

Kirkus Reviews