Midnight Rain: A Those Who Wait Story

To understand the emotional weight of this book, I strongly recommend reading Those Who Wait, Forever and a Day, and The Snowball Effect first. That being said, Midnight Rain is devastating. I’ve read it four times, I’ve cried reading it four times. I’ve needed to take breaks and plan appropriate times to read certain sections (especially chapters 15 and 16) because there have been *moments* that left me completely wrecked. Haley Cass pulled no punches in this ‘what if’, and the happy ending is thoroughly and gratefully earned. It is, of course, spicy, but never obscene, as with any other book in the Cassiverse. Each passionate *moment* serves romance, and the love between Sutton and Charlotte is beautifully written. And as painful as it may be in the midst of the storm, the entire book is, well, perfect. I would have a hard time admitting it’s my favorite book, because it does strike a deeply personal and painful chord inside be, but I also couldn’t put it second. All I can say is thank you, Haley Cass, for writing it.

Having read the Charlotte and Sutton’s original 2 books, I was very ambivalent about this “alternate universe” version. The almost 600 pages of Those Who Wait was not nearly enough for me — I have it in digital, audio, and paperback versions. But reading the pre-publication summary for Midnight Rain, had me hopping mad about an AU version where they never made it as a couple! Charlotte and Sutton were probably my favorite literary sapphic couple since Kallmaker’s Rett and Angie in Unforgettable. I was afraid that this new book would ruin them for me — in a way I was right? Midnight Rain has blown every other story out of the water. This is now the yardstick that all future reads will be compared to. To say that Midnight Rain was very well written, is a gross understatement. Ms. Cass has that rare ability to have the reader bond with the characters and become invested in their lives. They become real in a way that almost feels like you’re reading the biography of a friend. I always look forward to her new works with anticipation, but I was experiencing some trepidation about the release of this one. I didn’t want to mess with the lives and love of such beloved characters. For those who haven’t yet read Those Who Wait, I recommend reading that first, up to the end of Chapter 23, before starting this one. That being said, I liked the concept of Sutton and Charlotte finding each other again in the what-if Charlotte hadn’t come out scenario … and essentially Midnight Rain…

I have read For Those Who Wait more times than is probably healthy. When life slows down I actually think about the characters. I love how in -depth the story is and I feel like I know the characters personally. This alternate ending isn’t one that I will re-read over and over but it was also great. I loved how Charlotte’s grandmother changed her tune with her letter in the end. It tied up her character nicely. One of my favorite things about the first book was how well-edited it was. No mistakes to be found. This one however, could use another read through.