Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Bad Boys Don't Die #1

Praying for Rain

Rate this book
Alternate cover edition of ASIN B07Q58FWZZ

From the author of 44 Chapters About 4 Men (inspiration for the Netflix Original series, Sex/Life) comes an immersive dystopian romance unlike anything you’ve ever read.

“None of this matters, and we’re all going to die.”

With only three days left until the predicted apocalypse, the small town of Franklin Springs, Georgia, has become a wasteland of abandoned cars, abandoned homes, abandoned businesses, and abandoned people. People like Rainbow Williams.

Rain isn’t afraid of dying. In fact, she’s looking forward to it. If she can just outrun her pain until April 23, she’ll never have to feel it at all.

“Supplies. Shelter. Self-defense.”

Wes Parker has survived every horrible thing this life has thrown at him with nothing more than his resourcefulness and disarming good looks. Why should the end of the world be any different? All he needs are some basic supplies, shelter, and a sucker willing to help him out, which is exactly what he finds when he returns to his hometown of Franklin Springs.

As society crumbles, dangers mount, and secrets refuse to stay buried, two lost souls are thrust together in a twist of fate—one who will do anything to survive and one who can’t wait to die.

Perhaps, together, they can learn how to live.

Before their time runs out.

224 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 4, 2019

Loading interface...
Loading interface...

About the author

B.B. Easton

22 books4,689 followers
BB Easton is the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of 44 CHAPTERS ABOUT 4 MEN, the hilarious, steamy, tell-all memoir that inspired the Netflix Original Series, SEX/LIFE. Within the first month, SEX/LIFE was viewed by 67 million households worldwide, making it the 3rd Most-Watched Netflix Original Series of all time.

BB was a stressed-out school psychologist and mother of two when the inspiration to write 44 CHAPTERS ABOUT 4 MEN struck. Through that process, she rediscovered her passion for writing, became dangerously sleep-deprived, and finally mustered enough courage to quit her job and become a full-time author.

BB went on to publish four more wickedly funny, shockingly steamy, and heartwarmingly autobiographical books in the 44 CHAPTERS series: SKIN, SPEED, STAR, and SUIT. Since then, she's been hard at work writing fictional stories that appeal to her love for us-against-the-world romance, including a dystopian trilogy (PRAYING FOR RAIN), a psychologist-client romantic comedy (GROUP THERAPY), and a dark mafia romance (DEVIL OF DUBLIN).

Visit www.artbyeaston.com for book news, events, merch, and more!

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
2,755 (37%)
4 stars
2,463 (33%)
3 stars
1,452 (19%)
2 stars
478 (6%)
1 star
234 (3%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,235 reviews
Profile Image for Nilufer Ozmekik.
2,529 reviews51.5k followers
April 3, 2020
4.25 end of the world’s diminishing stars!
This book is a quite surprise and hidden gem! An apocalyptic dystopian romance is never my first choice as a genre but B B Easton really shook me up and created a real emotional turmoil with full of action and unconventional badass characters.
First book of the trilogy is smartly written, capturing with twists , captivating, a real page-turner.
I loved Rain, she is tormented soul, more vulnerable, fragile heroine with good heart. She only wants to help so let her do it!!!
And Wes is tough but wounded, more withdrawn but his walls slowly collapses as soon as he finds his real mission, instead of surviving, he chooses living by finding his love of his life. He finds his color of his soul. He finds his Rain-bow Song!
PS. 21 Pilots are one of my favorite bands so I put the extra 0.25 points just because of writer’s good taste of music.
Looking forward to read the other two books sooner!
Profile Image for Drey.
167 reviews994 followers
April 4, 2021
4 Stars!

... Pre-apocalyptic days.

What a delight. This book was so good I couldn't put it down. B.B. Easton have crafted characters that were harmonized nicely with the atmosphere of the story. The inner monologue of Wes and Rain, and the way they acted was right on point with the way they should act at those kind of situations. This was my first read this month and my first apocalyptic romance this year.

Note: This is an apocalyptic dystopian romance.


"I want to remember this moment forever. Even if forever is only for tonight."


Praying for Rain is the first book in the Rain trilogy.

Everybody on Earth had constant nightmares about something deadly for almost a year now that was coming on April 23. Unfortunately, no one ever figured it out. Riots had begun, crime rates escalated, and people lost hope.

The story started three days before the apocalypse. Insert Rain. A girl who wasn't afraid of what was to come. She's going to die and there's nothing she could do but to wait. But hope blossomed when she met Wes, her captor. The boy who used her resources for his personal gain. Wes had a mission. Something that he should have found before April 23. As they both embarked on that discovery, feelings had grown. But for Wes, it was only a distraction. Having feelings for Rain couldn't survive him. Until it eventually changed.

“Our job … is to say fuck ’em and survive anyway. That’s it, Rain. That’s our only job."


I had a very enjoyable and great time with this one. I adored Wes and Rain so much. I was hooked by their push and pull relationship. I was attached by these characters denying to create romantic connection between them. It was just too easy to connect with them. I felt the emotions. The vulnerability. I felt the excitement and the terror of what was to come. Such a well-written book. Amazing world building. Straightway diving into the next one!

I recommend this to those who likes: B.B. Easton, apocalyptic dystopian, romantic fantasy, romantic suspense, enemies to lovers, friends to lovers, and a cliffhanger.

"How are you gonna survive something if you don’t even know what it is?”


Trigger Warnings: Vivid depiction of murder and violence.



Profile Image for T.M. Frazier.
Author 40 books12.4k followers
February 20, 2019
I had the HONOR of reading this a couple of days ago. It is easily in the top 5 books I've EVER read. Wes and Rain are everything. For me to remember a book, it really means something. Since reading Praying for Rain I've recalled every word and every single detail. It's unique, sexy, wonderfully written, and the best start to a series I can recall. BB Easton is a masterful storyteller at her very best with Praying for Rain. It's a story I'll remember always and reread often. WES AND RAIN 4 EVA EVA!!!!! -T.M.
Profile Image for Shabby  -BookBistroBlog.
1,597 reviews864 followers
October 5, 2023
Let me start by saying, in all my long life as a reader, I've never touched this particular genre.
I DON'T like Pnr/Dystopian/Fantasy/Shifter books ....EVER !!
I stay far away from them for the simple reason that I can't understand or identify with their setting, plot, dialogues, lingo, etc.
Shit I’m Never Going to Think About Again Because None of This Matters and We’re All Going to Die Anyways
So WHY did I pick this book to read?
Because I blindly trust the author for her narration skills. She can tell a story...and tell it well!
I did not EVEN FOR  A MINUTE realise it was a dystopian or Apocalyptic story (if I'm wrong in genre naming, pardon my ignorance, I've NO IDEA about this genre)
So anyway, I opened the first page and couldn't close till the last!!
It hooked me !
Lined me !
Sinkered me !

description

No other way to describe it. I was heavily invested in Rain's survival and rooted staunchly for Wes's Lifer Luck. More than that, I was so mesmerized by the vivid imagery that BB created with sheer imagination and words and put it all on paper. I was reading it but I was IMAGINING every fiery explosion, every brutal fight, her hunger, his anger, their kisses, sounds of gunshots, revs of the engines, gallops of the horses, sounds of banners unfurling, even the damn grass blade twined around her finger!!!!!.....
I could SEE IT ALL!!

description

That's how picturesque her writing was. It's an oxymoron when you can SEE the WORDS jump up and play out like a hologram.
Her plot was so slick and thrilling & dialogues sassy and sensitive. I've found a new fave author😍😍

Rain & Wes's first interaction is surprisingly violent and they somehow end up together as reluctant travellers on the debris filled road through Crazytown. Lurking in their nightmares are Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, chasing their heels every night. It's just a matter of 3 days when everything would come to an end anyways.

description

"Four monstrous black horses are barreling toward me through the forest— heads down, smoke pouring from their flared nostrils— ripping through the brambles and branches like party streamers. They leave nothing but flames and scorched earth in their wake as their faceless, cloaked riders point their weapons —a sword, a scythe, a mace, and a flaming club—toward the colorless sky."
So why attach yourself or feel anything or fall in love ?
But as they say- Shit Happens !

"Three Rs: rioters, rapists, and rabid dogs. The dogs don’t really have rabies, but so many people have died in the weeks leading up to April 23 that their pets are starting to band together and hunt as a team."
The world has gone mad, arsonists and looters rule the chaotic world. Survivalist instincts make them selfish and dangerous
"Supplies, shelter, self-defense". take priority over decency, humanity and loyalty

description

Amidst all of this chaos are Wes & Rain in their bubble in a crumbling house.
I have to mention something noteworthy here. Pay close attention to the first sex act scene between rainbow and Wes. Passion is at boiling point, mercury rising due to adrenaline rush and the scene starts with Wes stunned by the feelings threatening to burst in his chest. He justifies it with his own insecurity. His abandonment issues threaten to dilute his sensories but he is soon overpowered. He rationalises everything  by going from insecurity to detachment to euphoria.

description

The scene ebbs and flows riding on feverish waves, which is side by side with hot frenzied breaths. All through this, Rainbow remains single mindedly focused on him. Her mind and body are inarguably aligned, but Wes goes through with tumultous emotions and all of that is influenced by what is happening outside their bubble, in the crazytown. It's like that scene was a bridge between hopelessness and hope, bodies joined at the onset end up with souls getting attached and they start feeling hope for the first time that they MAY survive merely by the strength of their joint spirits.
What a wonderful, marvelous execution of the scene.

I just adored Wes & Rain. She's a lamb lost in the butchery, her deadline fast approaching. Her soft hearted, loyal and sunny personality completely enamoured me. Unassuming and tenacious, I'd want her on my side if I'm in that Situation ever

description

Sugar cookies. She laughs like a farm animal . She looks like a discarded porcelain doll that raided a teenage boy’s closet. And she smells like fucking sugar cookies.
Wes is hardcore, strong but so vulnerable, I cried tears for him, wanted him to snuggle in my arms...omg Wesson,  I love you so hard!!!💜
Her embrace on my bare chest makes me feel like I’ve been skinned alive. I’m nothing but raw pink meat in her arms. My scales, my fur, my leathery hide ... it’s all been ripped away. Rain’s touch penetrates through every layer of defense I thought I had, reaching places that have never seen the light of day.

description

I'm embarssingly rambling about a book I had no intention of reading if I hadn't met BB and her personal Ken-Doll in D.C. As much as her books are exceptionally good, her personality had me crushing hard on her. Sweetest and guileless, she just radiates goodness.

That may or may not have influenced my maiden venture into this uncharted genre waters...i ain't telling.
So! GO AND READ THIS BOOK!! If a Dystopian atheist like me can kneel and pray, so can you!!
5 stars for the Fifth Hooded Horseman of the Apocalypse
#BookBistroBlogApproved
Follow me on :
FB - https://www.facebook.com/groups/BookB...
Blog -https://bookbistroblogcom.wordpress.com
Blog -https://bookbistroblogger.blogspot.com
Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/BookBistro
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/BookBistroBlog
Profile Image for Lana ❇✾DG Romance❇✾.
2,131 reviews13.1k followers
Read
April 8, 2019
4 STARS

I’ve finally found what I’ve been missing my whole life, and if I keep it, it will kill me.
No wonder Rain was wearing a black hoodie when I met her.
She’s the fifth fucking horseman of the apocalypse.


Have you ever read a book where the story unravels like a movie reel before your eyes? Because the entire time I was reading Praying For Rain, I could have sworn that I was inside of it. The world building, the mystery, the characters, the totally riveting story line all combined to suck you ride into the story and keep you at the edge of your seat the entire time!

Dystopian is not a genre that I would typically gravitate towards, but when a trusted book friend tells you that a book is a must read, you read the damn book. And if you're sitting there and thinking on wether or not to take the plunge, I'll tell you that you NEED TO READ THIS DAMN BOOK!
Rain presses up onto her toes at the same moment that I dive for her parted lips, and our mouths collide like the train wreck that we are.

What would the world turn into if everyone knew they only have days to live? What if everyone was having extremely vivid nightmares that foreshadows the end of days on April 23rd? Nightmares that shows the world burning to the ground and a mysterious entity that's the cause of it all. Pure chaos and pandemonium would ensue, bringing out the very worst of humanity.

That's the backdrop of the story in Praying For Rain. Sound delicious? Because it really was. The book introduces Rain, a young woman with secrets and some clearly deep seated issues. Rain has made her peace with the fact that she won't survive April 23rd. She's just trying to make the best of the days she has left and numb her pain and memories with anything she can. A chance encounter introduces her to Wes, a man that's determined to survive. What first starts as a mutually selfish partnership, soon begins to turn into something more.

Wes and Rain were incredibly multi-layered characters. Deeply flawed and broken almost beyond repair, they both have some issues. But as the layers begin to unravel, you begin to see the why's of it and become more and more invested in these characters and their survival.

While there's plenty of world building taking place, it's still very much a character driven story. The first half is somewhat slow paced and it picks up in the second half that leaves you with your jaw on the floor at the end.

This was my first BB Easton book and I now know it will certainly not be my last. I can't wait for the continuation of this trilogy and see how it all ends.

ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review

Find me on:
Follow me on facebook Follow Me on Twitter blog
Profile Image for Jessica ❥Chatterbooks Book Blog❥.
825 reviews3,083 followers
April 27, 2019
4.5

Praying for Rain by BB Easton was such a breath of fresh air! It's unlike any adult romance I've read thus far, and for that reason alone, it's a must read. Fresh and original are the two words that most come to mind when I think of this book. We all need something out of the ordinary from time to time. I certainly did, and this really hit the spot! 

h

I adore apocalyptic fiction in book, TV series, and movie format. I've yet to read an adult romance with the subject though, so when I saw the blurb for this one, I knew I had to have it! Set three days before the apocalypse, the first installment in the Praying for Rain trilogy is intriguing and emotional with bursts of action and suspense woven throughout. BB had me on the edge of my seat trying to anticipate what was going to happen next from the very beginning! It ended in a completely different way then I thought it would, but I love the direction she took. I can't wait to see how it all plays out in the end!

mawk

Though I loved trying to figure out how the world was going to end,  my favorite thing about this story were the characters. Rain and Wes are true survivors. No matter what life throws at them, they keep going. That being said, neither of them are perfect people. They're strong but flawed, and I loved that. This isn't a story about two wonder kids. It's about two young people that have been torn apart by their loved ones and life coming together during an uncertain, dark, and chaotic time. 

7mbI

The connection between Rain and Wes was immediate. Neither of them were looking for love, but that's exactly what they found. Normally, I'm not a fan of books where the couple falls for each other in a matter of days, but it made sense here. It's the end of the world. Emotions are running high. They literally don't know if they will survive for more than a few days. Couple that with the crazy, dangerous, and life threatening situations they endure together, it's no wonder they are feeling everything in a more profound manner. I'm looking forward to seeing their relationship continue to flourish over the course of the next two books. 

hu-5

Praying for Rain by BB Easton is everything I wanted it to be and more! Despite the dreary atmosphere, I had a lot of fun reading the story, and after that ending, it looks like the fun is just beginning! Book 2 is officially now one of my most highly anticipated reads, and this author is one I'll be sure to keep an eye on from here on out!


If you're looking for something fantastically written, captivating, and unique with imperfect characters, mystery, and steam, this one's for you! 

ARC generously provided by the author for an honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for ❥ KAT ❥ Kitty Kats Crazy About Books.
2,340 reviews9,360 followers
April 11, 2019
Image and video hosting by TinyPic Wes was my only hope. My only shot at life after April 23. Without him, my hours are numbered. Without him, I don't want the ones I have left. Image and video hosting by TinyPic

'PRAYING FOR RAIN' is the first Dystopian book in new to me author B.B. Easton's 'Praying for Rain ' Trilogy.

MY REVIEW AND OTHERS: can also be found on my blog:
➽ KITTY KATS CRAZY ABOUT BOOKS Image and video hosting by TinyPic The apocalypse is coming April 23th..They only have 3 days left before the world they know ends...Those on the planet for almost a year have all been dreaming about the four horsemen of the apocalypse arriving on the 23rd of April.

Image and video hosting by TinyPic

In this we meet pill popping nineteen year old Rain aka 'Rainbow' and our twenty two year old hero Wes. Both struggling to survive. With only three things on their mind. Supplies..Shelter..Self defense.. Most of Wes's life he's only had himself to rely on, shunted from home to home until he finds himself back in the place he left all those years ago. Franklin Springs, Georgia. The only reason he came back was shelter. He never expected to come across Rain. He saves her from a precarious situation which could've easily taken a turn for the worst.

I see the real Rain. Underneath all those fake smiles and that sassy attitude is a black ocean of sadness crashing against a crumbling lighthouse of hope.

Image and video hosting by TinyPic

Sometimes, he's relaxed and funny and..I don't know..kind of flirty. Then other times, he looks at me like he hates me. Like I'm his annoying little sister, and he's sick of me tagging along.

Dystopian is not a genre I would normally raise my hand to read, I can honestly count on one hand how many I've read. So it was with trepidation coursing through my veins when this landed on my kindle worried that I wouldn't like it. But I was pleasantly surprised, because I did end up really enjoying this.

I don’t even know how to go about writing up this review, nothing that I’ve read to date can even come close to being compared to this book. It was weirdly unique, it pulled me in and grabbed my attention from the get go, I inhaled it, I wanted to see if their world was going to implode, I loved the anticipation that raced through my bloodstream, the jitters when they’d find themselves in precarious situations, giving me a nail biting read.

Image and video hosting by TinyPic Image and video hosting by TinyPic
     
Profile Image for Arini.
857 reviews2,016 followers
March 28, 2020
#1 Praying for Rain — 4.5 Stars
#2 Fighting for Rain — 4 Stars
#3 Dying for Rain — 4.5 Stars

If anyone can make you fall in love in three days, it’s Wes Parker. And it must be under the circumstances that the world is about to end and you’re kind of crazy and impulsive and has a penchant for avoiding reality by gulping down painkillers bcs that’s exactly how Rainbow Williams is.

“The way I see it, if I can survive the fucking apocalypse, then it makes everything I’ve been through mean something, you know? Like, instead of breaking me ... they made me unbreakable.”

I can’t believe that reading a three day pre apocalyptic romance is even more gratifying than some of my other normal contemporary romance books that have months or years of timeline within the stories. I guess being in such precarious situation really helped put things into perspective for these characters.

Kudos to the author for making this book to be such a breath of fresh air. I adored Wes and Rain, and I enjoyed being able to see so many sides of them despite the fast pacing. Granted, I would’ve preferred that their love didn’t just happen in three days, but it’s a small gripe compare to how out of the box, angsty, steamy, and mysterious this book is.
Profile Image for Natalie  ~ The Biblioholic.
2,627 reviews1,359 followers
April 17, 2019
What would you do if you found out the exact date that the world would end? Would you live every day as if it were your last? Would you gather those you loved closer, wringing out every drop of love and happiness you could? Or would you just languish your days, waiting for the inevitable end?

Rainbow, just like everyone else in the world, knew that doomsday was coming. And she couldn't wait! She was tired of living in pain and misery and if she could just make it to that day, then it would all be over and she'd find some peace. What was she running from? Why was she suffering so much heartache?

Wes knew pain. They were closely acquainted. But he wasn't running. He intended to survive, come what may. His only concerns were food, shelter and survival. That is until he saves a young woman from a violent mob and all his plans go up in smoke. It's no longer just about him. He's part of a team and pretty soon, he's concerned with providing Rain with some sort of happiness, even if she believes it's fleeting.

This is my first read from BB Easton and I freaking loved it!! She brought these characters to life so easily. They weren't one dimensional and she gifted us with their good, their bad, and their ugly, allowing us to fall in love with them AND their flaws. The apocalypse is coming and these two, in the midst of chaos and the stench of death, have found each other. But falling in love and being together doesn't solve their woes and I can't wait to see what happens next in their story!


Blog | FB | Twitter | IG | Tumblr | Pinterest | BookBub
Profile Image for Patty ~ Wrapped Up In Reading Book Blog.
1,260 reviews10.1k followers
April 9, 2019
*****FOUR STARS*****
{ARC Generously Provided by Author}



Maybe, one day, being treated like I matter won’t hurt so goddamn much, but I hope not. I hope it guts me every time, forever, as a reminder that this girl is a fucking miracle.





First off, can I just say how much I absolutely love the cover of this book? I was in full on cover-lust when I first saw it. Now, I am truly a big fan of B.B. Easton, but I did wonder if her writing was going to be as phenomenal as it had been with her ”44 Chapter” series. This time she wasn’t writing about her life experiences. Could she pull this off? I’m going to be honest, it took me a while to get into this story. Maybe it’s because I'm not certain that "dystopian" and "apocalyptic" stories are my thing, but as I said, I'm a fan of this author, and so I stuck it out.
I did eventually start to feel a connection to the story. I began to care about the characters.


During a time when the world was falling apart and chaos was running rampant, Wes and Rain find each other and although they started out as strangers they soon become inseparable.




Is the world coming to an end? Or is it all some crazy hoax? Will these two be able to survive the insurmountable odds that lay ahead of them? Can we wait until the Fall to find out what happens next for Wes and Rain? I’m counting down the days!!




Here are my overall ratings:

Hero: 4
Heroine: 4
Plot: 4
Angst: 3.5
Steam: 4
Chemistry Between Hero & Heroine: 4




PRAYING FOR RAIN releases on April 11th!


Amazon: https://amzn.to/2HNtHTo
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/prayingforrain







Profile Image for Chelsea Humphrey.
1,487 reviews81.8k followers
October 15, 2022
description

I can't stop thinking about this book, so I'm bumping it up to a 5! Going to need to dive into Fighting for Rain ASAP.

Trigger Warnings: End of the world, group violence, murder/suicide, substance abuse, gun violence, bullying, death of an infant (this is mentioned on page in descriptive detail multiple times), depictions of experience in foster care, parental neglect and abuse.
Profile Image for Melanie (mells_view).
1,783 reviews370 followers
May 19, 2019
𝕀’𝕧𝕖 𝕗𝕚𝕟𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕪 𝕗𝕠𝕦𝕟𝕕 𝕨𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕀’𝕧𝕖 𝕓𝕖𝕖𝕟 𝕞𝕚𝕤𝕤𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕞𝕪 𝕨𝕙𝕠𝕝𝕖 𝕝𝕚𝕗𝕖, 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕚𝕗 𝕀 𝕜𝕖𝕖𝕡 𝕚𝕥, 𝕚𝕥 𝕨𝕚𝕝𝕝 𝕜𝕚𝕝𝕝 𝕞𝕖.

BB Easton ruined my life with Praying for Rain [COMING April 11th] because now I’m hooked and nothing else even sounds remotely interesting. Rain and Wes are... *sigh*... I mean I knew I would enjoy this book, because BB’s writing is always top notch and I live for (and am terrified by) an apocalypse of any sort, but I didn’t expect to LOVE it quite so much. The mood is dreary, I mean the apocalypse IS looming over the characters heads, but the writing and story still have some quirk and spunk behind them. The romance is reluctant-ish, but somehow inevitable. This story is hot. It’s sad. It’s gore-y. It’s emotional. It’s meaningful. It’s just fucking awesome.

https://instagram.com/p/BvzER28AnwI/
^fan edit on IG!

Available NOW!
ARC COPY*
Profile Image for Syndi.
3,156 reviews921 followers
September 4, 2020
I read many good reviews about this book. So I was very eager to start listening to the audiobook. Upon finishing it, I feel conflicted. I was expecting Hunger Game/ Maze Runner that type of story with a dose of romance.

Praying for Rain has a healthy dose of romance. And the dystopian aspect is fading in the background. Now, I still can like this book more even with the romance only. But the romance is.... off. I do not understand the chemistry between Rain and Wes. There is an insta lust or should I say insta chemistry between them without any real connection. They head over heal with each other without any vulnerable/ trust connection.

The pace of the story is easy to follow. I want to see more depth of the story. More connection between the characters to make sense.

At the end of the book, I am conflicted.
So I end up giving it 3 stars

3 stars
Profile Image for ❤️Emma Book Lover ❤️.
495 reviews286 followers
March 19, 2020
5 Apocalyptic Stars

This can pretty much sum up what this book was about:
" I should be in college right now. I should be working part-time at some shitty diner and getting an apartment with Carter and adopting a cat and naming it Blurryface. But, instead, I’m standing outside of Buck’s Hardware, holding a gun and guarding a stranger’s dirt bike while he sneaks inside to steal a metal detector so that we can find a hidden bomb shelter to live in because the four horsemen of the apocalypse are coming in two days, according to an unexplained dream we’ve all been having."


The question is: what all of us would do if we would know that the end is on April 23? An end that we ve been dreaming about for a year no less? would you go insane, kill yourself, go on a rampage, ignore it?

This book is so good. What I love about it is how realistic all the reactions of our MCs are . Nothing is sugarcoated, Wes has his priorities set: survive , shelter and self defense no matter what. Rain is lost, "surviving" in a bubble self induced with pills. It's very understandable the connection they form in just 3 days, when you know your time is up, I think you feel everything more acute and sudden so I wasn't bothered by this insta-love/chemistry. They found solace in eachother , they found what neither of them had until that point: a reason to live instead of just surviving.

Moving to book two straight away because this isn't over
Profile Image for NMmomof4.
1,592 reviews4,302 followers
February 9, 2020
4 Stars

Overall Opinion: I liked this! I'm drawn to apocalyptic romances for some reason. I think it falls in line with any book where there is survival on the line. This is a new author for me and I am impressed so far! I usually struggle when books go into too much depth about the back story before getting to the good stuff. I appreciated that it wasn't weighed down with back story but that the important information just came out when necessary and by doing this, it kept an air of mystery about the characters. Pretty good so far 🤞🏻 On to the next!

Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Rain and Wes' story. They live in a world where everyone has been having similar nightmares of the apocalypse coming on April 23rd with the appearance of the four horseman. Rain has about given up and is popping pills, like most of the remaining population, to avoid remembering those she has lost. Wes has returned to his childhood home to look for a bomb shelter that he is convinced will be his saving grace when everything goes down. The world is going crazy, but these two damaged people find a little peace in one another and end up working together to try to survive...and we end on a cliffy until the next book.

Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Rain and Wes' POV.

Overall Pace of Story: Good. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well.

Instalove: Yes. This is only covering a few days, but the circumstances fast forward their development of feelings. I didn't find it too unrealistic since there were some intense circumstances going on that made them rely on each other.

H (Hero) rating: 4.5 stars. Wes. I really liked him. He was pretty damaged from his past but he had an innate protective streak that worked well for the h.

h (heroine) rating: 4 stars. Rain. I liked her. I can't imagine going through what she did, so I appreciate her strength.

Sadness level: Low/moderate. I shed a few tears but nothing where I needed any tissues.

Push/Pull: Yes

Heat level: Good. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.

Descriptive sex: Yes

OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: No

Sex scene with OW or OM: No

Cheating: No

Separation: Not relationship wise

Possible Triggers: Yes

Closure: This ends in a cliffhanger but not the worst I've read. But! The next book has been released and is available to jump right into.

Safety: This one should be either Safe or Safe with exception for most safety gang readers depending on personal preferences.
Profile Image for XxTainaxX Curvy and Nerdy.
1,483 reviews473 followers
April 10, 2019
This story was everything I didn’t know I was missing. It has the whole package from action, to grief, to laughter, to love and everything in between. It peaked my interest right away with the compelling blurb and it kept my interest with a plot that was well thought out and different from what I’m used to reading. I’m an avid reader, and as such, I tend to see a lot of the same formulas. This book totally forges it’s own path. I loved it and felt it was refreshing.

”I devour that smile. I chew it up and swallow it. And I feel it burn like fire inside of me, illuminating things I thought we’re gone forever.”

Rain is a complex heroine. She’s suffered a lot of loss and while the world is quite literally falling apart around her, she is in essence trying to find herself and furthermore, her place in a world that is to be no more. Wes is a survivor. A survivor that learned early on to leverage his strengths and do what needs doing without thought to anyone but #1. These two were created for one another. To save them from themselves. It takes them a bit to find their way, in what is actually a span of a few days, but the pace feels right on track.

”I’ve finally found what I’ve been missing my whole life, and if I keep it, it will kill me.”

I loved the emotion and depth to the writing. The message dove beyond the surface to identify factors of human motivations. I’m eager for the next installment already. Yes, friends, we don’t get our HEA at this time 😭 and though it usually bothers me, I found myself thoroughly entertained. That cliffy ends on quite the twist. Another one for the favorites shelf!

”No wonder Rain was wearing a black hoodie when I met her. She’s the fifth fucking horseman of the apocalypse.”

Complimentary copy received and voluntarily reviewed.
Profile Image for Jessica .
2,245 reviews14.8k followers
April 10, 2019
Honestly, the only reason I read this book is because I read my first BB Easton book last month and loved it. When I saw this book, I didn't even look at this synopsis. I went in blind and was BLOWN AWAY.

In three days, the world is going to end. Rain is biding her time at home, trying to get through each day until the end. Until Wes Parker falls into her life. Wes knows he's going to survive the end of the world. But when he runs into Rain, all of his survival plans find themselves changing...

I love how so many authors are branching out from the typical contemporary novel. This book is a pre-apocolyptic survival romance and I WAS LIVING FOR IT. From the beginning, I really loved Rain's character. She was just trying to live day by day until it all changed when she ran into Wes. Their relationship was so fun from the start and I loved their chemistry that they were both trying to avoid. This was definitely a slow burn as the two were trying not to make romantic connections when the world was going to end so soon. And Wes was determined to survive.

Since this is a survival story, there were so many instance where I didn't know what was going to happen next or how Wes and Rain were going to get out of a situation. I ended up flying through this book in one day because I literally couldn't put it down. I was obsessed with Wes and how much he found himself caring for Rain when he really didn't want to. AND THAT ENDING. There were so many twists and turns that I didn't see coming and I just couldn't process the end. What's going to happen next!?!

If you want a fresh, unique romance that will keep you on your toes, you have to pick up Praying for Rain. The romance will make you swoon and you won't see what's coming next!
Profile Image for Phuong ✯.
665 reviews7,554 followers
March 27, 2020
unpopular opinion: wow this was just so dumb, i can't believe i've read that.

the book starts on april 20, three days before the apocalypse. everyone pretty much lost their mind already because they get daily nightmares about the four horsemen coming on april 23 to kill them. so all the people either flee to god knows where, turn into a rapists or just kill their whole family and then themselves. why? cause they are stupid as fuck. the apocalypse hasnt even begun and yet everyone commits suicide bc they are so scared.

come april 23, the day the world supposed to end, and what happens? NOTHING.
it's all a fluke. no horsemen is coming to get them. i'm betting my firstborn that behind all that is the government who planted all these images in people heads to creative chaos, so they can create a new world hierarchy or some other stupid reason. i can't, this is so stupid. give me a break. a lot of people died for nothing.

throw in our dear Hero and heroine, Wes and Rain, who fall faster in love than i can say 'apocalypse' and we get this mess that is praying for rain. Wes knows Rain all of two seconds and is all possessive and jealous about her. dude, sit your ass down and chill. insta-love at it's best or in my case it's worse.

additionally, the nightmares that everyone is getting were annoying. this book made me realize how much i hate 'dreams' as a story telling device. flashbacks make sense cause that something that happened at some point, but these dreams are foreboding that something will happen but 90% of the dream is confusing and doesn't make any sense. and praying for rain was full of dreams/nightmares.

oof i only wanted to write 2-3 sentence about how this book wasn't for me and here we are again ranting about it 😂

i'd like to say that i will not continue with this mess, but i know myself. curiosity is always getting the best of me.
Profile Image for Bex (Beckie Bookworm).
2,169 reviews1,438 followers
Shelved as 'd-n-f'
June 1, 2020
DNF-57%
This one just wasn't for me and I tried to keep pushing through, I did manage to get to just over the halfway mark but then decided to stop as I just wasn't enjoying this at all.
I think this might be more a case of its not you it's me.
It is actually hard to pinpoint where this actually went wrong for me firstly I think it wasn't quite what I was expecting.
I was anticipating something more dystopian than what we were given.
This focused more on the dynamic between Rain and Wes than the fact that the world might be ending at least that's what it felt like to me.
Then I just wasn't a fan of either Rain (Juvenile, whiney and a bit of a flake) or Wes (Mr arrogant I have a massive chip on my shoulder user).
This also moved really slowly like tortoise speed and it didn't seem to know which genre it fell into either.
like it was a New Adult read with Wes and Rains ages being nineteen and twenty -two and all the heat and sex involved but it actually also felt so Young Adult with all the immaturity and inner monologue going on.
I think that maybe where my main disconnect might lie with this one, who nos.
Anyway that’s just me plenty also loved this I'm just not one of them and as such won't be continuing on any further with this series.

I voluntary reviewed a copy of Praying for Rain (The Rain Trilogy, #1).

Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
www.beckiebookworm.com
Profile Image for MELISSA *Mel Reader*.
1,398 reviews1,465 followers
April 11, 2019
4 Stars!
(ARC provided by Social Butterfly PR)

Image and video hosting by TinyPic

Rainbow Williams aka Rain is a 19 yr. old girl who lives in Franklin Springs, Georgia. Lately life is pretty grim for Rain. The town she lives in has become a wasteland filled with abandoned homes, streets, and businesses. Everyone believes they are three days away from the apocalypse, and have accepted the world is going to end on April 23rd. People are either mad, sad, scared, numb, or desperate. They are convinced the end is near, and what’s coming is bad. Rain has fully come to terms with her fate because nothing really matters when your going to die soon anyway. Then she crosses paths with a drop dead gorgeous guy that is scary but exhilarating. She gets a thrill every time he locks those intense eyes on her.

Image and video hosting by TinyPic

Wes Parker went through the foster care system as a kid and hasn’t had an easy life. He returns to his hometown in Georgia to ride out this predicted apocalypse. He thinks he’s unbreakable after surviving all the terrible things that have come his way, and he plans to still be standing after April 23rd. He now needs supplies, shelter, and something to defend himself. The beautiful girl he stumbles upon is just a bonus. Rain is useful and resourceful to him, and he decides to keep her around. Things continue to get more dangerous as everything around them is crumbling. While he wants to live, she’s given up, and they are each other’s distraction. Before long he’s made her feel again, and makes her feel free of the hopelessness and fear that have taken up space in her mind. Will they have a chance to explore this new connection they share or will their time run out?

Image and video hosting by TinyPic

-Knowing he’s just as desperate for me as I am for him, does me in.

-I’m attracted to the boy in him and scared of the man in him, and I’m pretty sure I’d take a bullet for both of them even though I don’t even know their last name.

Image and video hosting by TinyPic

Praying For Rain by BB Easton is an all new romantic story full of humor, and excitement. Wes is that cocky, sexy jerk you just can’t help but fall for. This was my first book by BB Easton, and I really enjoyed it! It was unique and different, and I look forward to the next book in the trilogy!

Image and video hosting by TinyPic

***NOW AVAILABLE***
https://amzn.to/2v0XQGm
Profile Image for Melanie A..
1,150 reviews477 followers
February 27, 2020
4 STARS!
Love and survival are mutually exclusive in my world.
Lots to recommend here, especially if you're into apocalypses.... or is it apocalypti? Just kidding! It was good.

Plot: Rain and Wes meet each other with only three days left until the end of the world. They each have a very different goal in mind; he's looking to survive and she's looking forward to the end. Despite their differences, they stick it out together.

Now you might be asking how they know the exact date . . . but I'll let you find out for yourself. I will say that I liked the overall plot; it was original and interesting.

But the focus of the story was definitely on the romance . . . which is why I enjoyed it.
She's a mess and a mindfuck, but when she smiles, it steals the air from my lungs.
And both main characters were well-done. Wes . . .
My looks and my resourcefulness are the only tools I've been given in this life.
. . . was abrasive and self-involved, yet vulnerable . . .
Her words pierce my heart like daggers, the pain more intense than my bullet wound or my soot-stained lungs.
Rain . . .
I'm an expert at not talking about shit.
. . . was holding herself together by a thread by the time she meets Wes.
Underneath all those fake smiles and that sassy attitude is a black ocean of sadness crashing against a crumbling lighthouse of hope.
They went together like peanut butter and jam, lol. They had great chemistry.
I'm attracted to the boy in him and scared of the man in him, and I'm pretty sure I'd take a bullet for both of them even though I don't even know their last name.
But that last quote is the reason why I can't give this one 5 stars. While I appreciate a fast-paced plot, this reeked of insta-love . . . though, who knows just how charged emotions can become in the face of imminent death?

This ends on a minor cliffhanger . . . and I'll be reading more!
Profile Image for Vaishali • [V.L. Book Reviews] .
292 reviews192 followers
November 12, 2023
RATING: 4 stars to Praying for Rain ★ ★ ★ ★

A raw-nerved, edgy, pained, tender, dystopic end-of-world anarchic frisson by BB Easton. After only thus far lending but an ear to talk of this bestselling writer and her unique set of romantic lit, what an interesting way to start my Easton experience; with a gritty trilogy opener where April 23rd becomes a looming death promise of mythicalised proportions. Since April was the very month I sat down to read this, I tried very hard to not let the paranoia of the paralleled synchronicity spindle its way outside of the fictional borders of this book. The human population plagued with sweat-swilling nightmares of the four horsemen, an intimidated world maddened by its own fear-forwarding end, a deeply vulnerable heroine anaesthetising her way to an unchallenged death and sheltering herself in the hard comforts of her captor, a self-serving biker she raspingly rides to the end with, a cynicalised setting homogenous to the tone of mysterious doom and a fatal attraction that might not matter at all when three days marks an uncontested finality. This book really was quite evocative, curious, well-imagined, vividly visualised, deliberately surreptitious and fast-paced. Something of a punchy, sibylline thrill ride seated on a motorbike well-worn by Wes while fumes rise, existence is soon to fall, smoke warps the truth and angst punishes its protagonists with losses, pain and a doomed but desperate faith found only in each other. Finalised by a perfectly projected cover illustration that lighthouses the couple at the heart of the atmospheric coming and this pre-apocalyptic romance is an uncharted but unique roadrunner in the genre.

A storyline told within a three-day span might influence most readers to lift a cynical brow at the mere thought, but the heightened nature of the doomsday crisis overcast by the current existential disorder, lifted with the graceless mortality of Wes's I-don't-play-nice-with-others conditioned modus operandi and Rain's desperately temperamental anxiety, and it's enough to get swept up by the queer calamity and the picturesque intensity. The relationship chemistry is quite instantaneous but I suppose it has to be given the story's brief timestamp. Ordinarily, had this been your typical romance sans the fantasy-touched, dystopian setting, perhaps I would have found difficulty with the protagonists. I did struggle with the character personalities, but the troubled profiling of West and Rain combined was quick to find alignment with the invented tone, both its fractured hopelessness and its fragmented hopefullness. Both tormented and tortured as Wes and Rain are, her capricious mood and his unfriendly bearing, the wounded intensity of their emotional sittings as they push through the disaster in the only way they know to humanises them. Rainbow with her desperate dependency and her acquiescence to embrace the threadbare remains of the end of the world, and Wes with his cold and selfish me-against-the-world rule of life. It also shapes, probes and sharpens the harshness in how Wes initially relates to Rain, only for him to then succumb to the mutual desperation in keeping her by his side (despite his deeper resistance) because in his tortured way, it's nothing less than his unspoken need for her. After a hugely unsettled childhood where his prime experience of the world was neglect and abandonment, after being used himself, he's become a lifelong user and convinces himself that Rain is little else but the most recent amenity to take from. He's of a survivalist mindset, and Rain goes and makes herself the very threat to that living principle.

With the tone of a doomed worldscape, the interrelationship between Wes and Rain becomes its own torch that beacons in time with the flaming state of the world. The way Wes and Rain relationship together, away, in thought and in the very confines of each other rose and fell with the pitch of the unknown and the tempo of their reluctant - albeit impulsive - attachment. Tormented as it is, conflicted as it is, furious as it is, offhand and angry as it is, there was a palpable delicacy that always toed a frail and coming growth. Wes was incredibly rough around the edges, the coarseness to Rain's much softer soul, but he's also tenderised quite exquisitely by his own unbecoming and his own vulnerability. The first bedroom scene echoes the transition with a well-captured articulacy; Wes's inner conflict, the war, the release and the rhapsody, the shaky partnership, the intensity and the tentative edge that outlines their relationship. The romance almost felt sure footed in its own unsure footedness. A really great intimacy scene to forge a point of growth and invite a transitional turning point. All they have left is the immediacy of the moment, for Rain that's the utter despair of knowing a few days await certain worldwide death and dimming her switch on reality any way she can, and for Wes it's to fly the flag of his own sobered belief over the fear fever of speculation. The romance itself almost felt like it cauterised the speculative bite while also biting back. All the worst and the best surges up between them, channeled by the graceless urgency of life outside every door.

A hoax or a hell, or just the epically unordinary? It really doesn't matter when the final three days of life spell three things for all: lawlessness preceding the running hooves bolstering symbols of tribune and myth, damnation and an end of world etiquette of people turned primal. Everyone has nightmares of the approaching invasion, of the four horsemen of the apocalypse. Gangs have claimed or monopolised public territory, turf has been claimed, fires lit, road routes are inoperable, crime proliferates, many capitalising on the current chaos and fear courting the desperate, and defeat and rage have cultured small town Georgia to its most dangerous. And yet, a popularised food joint bizarrely has its doors open to all. It's a worst case scenario come to life. And an unordinarily strange one. For Rainbow Williams, she's miserably sinking into the catastrophe, welcoming it all with open arms, eager for her pain to end. Just stepping out of her home is a curse and a reminder that the world is not the same. It's a disaster zone. That is, until the fatalised meets the survivalised and a tatted rough-and-tumble captor companion makes her feel like the light may be bigger than the dark. Set in a small town, BB Easton flips the script with a dark, gritty, emotive interpretation of a doomsday storyline. Picturable imagery, tonally entertaining, a speedy pace, angst that challenges, curbs and winds matched only by a pace and temper irritable with its own mystery and this contemporary hybrid has made a curious reader out of me. Ever since my reading life formed its genesis I've been fascinated by dystopic settings. Always drawn to dystopian fantasy just as I am to survivalist scenarios and struggling backdrops. Co-partnered with my deep fondness for a building romance and this clustered assembly of elementals lands a unique mix that really interested me. Definitely different from your quintessential romance! Themes of love, survivorship, grief and catastrophe, the budding impression is one of 'against a crumbling world, live or die, we do it together.'​


Content Warning/Listing: Death, killings. Alcoholic parent. Frequent profanity. Frequent painkiller use. Violence. Shooting. Mentions rape often but no central characters are abused in such a way. Suggested rape of a central character. Mentions dead/mauled/injured/ravaged bodies. violence. References childhood neglect and the starvation a baby. Parents with addictions. Unprotected sex. Gory Descriptions of death and injury. Attempted suicide by Overdose.

____________________________________

Visit my blog: V.L. Book Reviews
T W I T T E R: @TheVicarious1
I N S T A G R A M: @Vicarious.Hearts
____________________________________
Profile Image for warhawke.
1,397 reviews2,120 followers
April 6, 2019
Genre: Dystopian Romance
Type: Book 1 of 3 from Praying for Rain Trilogy
POV: First Person - Dual
Rating:





As the end of it all creeping closer, the world fell into chaos. Some gave up on hope, while some would do anything to survive. Rainbow (Rain) Williams and Wesson (Wes) Parker stood at the opposite end of the spectrums. But with only each other to rely on, they’d have to figure out how to live.



I’m attracted to the boy in him and scared of the man in him, and I’m pretty sure I’d take a bullet for both of them even though I don’t even know their last name.


I love books with dystopian setting due to the fear and the hopelessness of the situation. I did get that in this book but personally I wanted a little more intensity. It wasn’t until after 70% that I started to feel for the characters but once it happened it was on point.

“What could you possibly prioritize over surviving?” Rain asks, becoming eye-level with me as she steps onto the first rung of the tree-house ladder.
“Living.”


I liked seeing how both Wes and Rain coped with the situations they were thrown into. At first, I thought Rain was a bit annoying but she grew on me. I enjoyed the overall storyline and felt the concept of the apocalypse presented in this book was intriguing.

Praying for Rain is tale of hope and survival. I’m looking forward to see where the story will go in the next book.






For more reviews/reveals/giveaways visit:

Profile Image for ♂️Must Have Book Boyfriends ♂️.
517 reviews2,196 followers
April 13, 2019
"I've finally found what I've been missing my whole life, and if I keep it, it will kill me."


HOLY FUCKING SHIT! WES IS MY NEW FAVE BOOK BOYFRIEND and after reading this book I want to be BB's side piece...

THIS!!!! THIS IS THE KIND OF BOOK THAT MAKES ME FALL IN LOVE WITH THE BOOK WORLD.
ALL.
OVER.
AGAIN.
I just finished PRAYING FOR RAIN and now I ask myself, what the fuck did I just read and how the hell am I going to wait until fall for book 2?! 😱😭🙌🏼🔥

BB Easton wtf have you done to me?! YES I'M YELLING! It's 1 am and I'm yelling! I NEED MORE WES AND RAIN!!! Oh my god I loved this story SO MUCH! I've never read anything like it! HOW. FUCKING. REFRESHING! HOW FUCKING ORIGINAL. Even though this book was about a predicted apocalypse (and SO MUCH more), I feel like my soul has been resurrected. What a RIDE! Thank you BB for giving us this freaking AMAZING story! FRIENDS, if you're looking for something DIFFERENT in a romance that will have you on the edge of your seat and swooning and laughing and clutching your heart, then you MUST read this book!




PRAYING FOR RAIN IS LIVE and available in Kindle Unlimited!

AMAZON: http://bit.ly/PFRainKindle
UNIVERSAL: mybook.to/PrayingforRain
Profile Image for shirley ♡.
309 reviews173 followers
December 25, 2019
This is my first book by this author and I made the right decision by choosing this book as my first. I’ve never read an apocalyptic romance before, and I was really excited to read this book.

This book was really entertaining; I enjoyed every minute of it. The characters are really interesting; While Rain couldn’t wait for the world to end, Wes was trying to do anything to survive it. It was really good to see how these characters got together; Even though everything happens in three days, and it makes it all a little bit rushed and their romance kind of ‘insta-love’, in each chapter we get to see how they start to develop feeling for each other.

This was a light and entertaining book. It’s easy to read and the writing is really great. Can’t wait to read book two.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,235 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.