"Equal parts funny and profound, The Secret of Rainy Days will have you laughing and crying both at once. Leslie Hooton's extraordinary second novel firmly establishes her place as a major new voice in Southern literature." –Amy Greene, nationally bestselling author of Bloodroot
"Leslie Hooton, her writing vibrant and alive, so wonderfully harkens back to the grand tradition of southern storytellers. She writes with that potent mixture of humor and grace, and The Secret of Rainy Days has all the makings of a book club darling, a story that you can't help but share with someone else. This is a book suffused with a lifetime supply of "lucky dust", that intangible quality that makes you want to be close to it." –Kevin Wilson, New York Times bestselling author of Nothing to See Here and The Family Fang
"Heartbreaking and heartwarming, The Secret of Rainy Days examines the intricacies of small town livin’ ('OKOP'–Our Kind of People). It is a coming-of-age tale chock full of Southern charm, love, tragedy, and unbreakable family ties. Leslie Hooton’s world brings us colorful, witty characters and intricate friendships–those we choose, and those who choose us. The Secret of Rainy Days is a reminder that you can escape your roots but never really leave. And yet...if you look hard enough–all the answers are right there under the 'Welcome' mat." –Lisa Barr, award-winning author of Fugitive Colors and The Unbreakables
"The Secret of Rainy Days is a coming-of-age novel that is both deeply moving and beautifully crafted . Witty and charming, The Secret of Rainy Days is a gem.“ –Patti Callahan New York Times bestselling author of Becoming of Mrs. Lewis and the upcoming Once Upon A Wardrobe
In distinctly Southern prose, Leslie Hooton captures the complexity of family dynamics and the difficulty of sudden loss in her sweeping sophomore novel. The Secret of Rainy Days explores what it truly means to come home again, especially when we think we have left forever—and how, sometimes, it’s the most difficult days and the lessons they bring that teach us who we truly are. Fans of coming-of-age stories will find themselves immersed in every page. Kristy Woodson Harvey, NYT Bestselling author of Under the Southern Sky
The world that Leslie Hooton creates in The Secret of Rainy Days is both big-hearted and wise; it is a celebration of lasting love and friendship and an exploration of family ties and the many losses and secrets along the way. Hooten's eye for memorable details and her sharp sense of humor is a delight." — Jill McCorkle, New York Times best-selling author of Hieroglyphics and Life after Life
"Like the best Southern novels, The Secret of Rainy Days reminds us when searching for your place in the world, you may find it where you least expect it. And that sometimes to move forward, you have to go back to where you came from." —Colleen Oakley, USA Today bestselling author
"Hooton utilizes vivid description, a strong sense of place, and unparalleled comparisons to paint an accurate portrait of life in the South, both complex and multilayered." –Shelf Unbound
"[A] sweet meditation on letting ourselves find happiness....if you love Hallmark movies, you’ll love it." –Manhattan Book Review
