Summary
For the last couple of years I’ve been convinced I was being extremely noble dragging around my special load of guilt and sorrow. I mean, I thought I was the only person in the world who hurt so much. After listening to Lanie, I knew that, in fact, I was pretty much full of my own special kind of crap.
What could a troubled sixteen-year-old and an aging, homeless television actress, now living in her decaying Mercedes, possibly have in common? Plenty as it turns out. Tracy Cooper finds her life begins to change in ways she never could have imagined after a chance meeting with Alana “Lanie” Milner, once one of television’s most beloved stars. Tracy soon finds herself caught up in the heartbreaking life on the street. The experience becomes a defining one for her, and she uses her camera to record Lanie’s life and the experiences of the homeless women she meets. In the process, she learns to deal with loss and the value of letting go, and she realizes that being a family is more about love and acceptance than about blood.
My Thoughts
Tell the Rain Goodbye is a really quick read at just over 100 pages. And, while it's a short book, it still packs quite a punch! There were definitely parts of this story that were unexpected and got to my heart.
There were a few things I did find a little problematic. The part where Tracy says for Mr. Lewis to be her guardian would probably not really fly. A single man taking in a teenage girl, while completely innocent, wouldn't really be accepted. And, honestly, when Tracy's dad passed away, she more than likely would have immediately gone into foster care or something since her dad and Carole weren't married.
Even with the few things that I found to be somewhat unrealistic, I still found this book to be enjoyable and I definitely recommend that you read it.
*Note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
