lolasreviews's review
4.0
I really enjoyed Burying Water and ever since I was eager to return to this series. Becoming Rain is just as good as the first book and kept my attention with the awesome combination of a great romance and a slow building suspense plot. Becoming Rain focusses on Luke Boone and Rain/ Clara. Clara is an undercover cop who needs to get close to her target Luke to reveal the illegal car trafficking ring they think he's involved with. Luke slowly get's more involved in the illegal side business of his uncle Rust and slowly falls in love with rain.
I could hardly put this book down as I had to know what would happen next. I knew Rain is lying to Luke about who she is, I knew Luke is doing illegal things, I knew these two are great for each other and things couldn't end well. I couldn't see a way for them to get out of it. It felt like the police are closing in on the car theft ring and the danger get's upped and Luke and rain fall more and more in love. And gah the suspense was really well done, it made for an exciting read. And I was satisfied with how it all got wrapped up in the end, although there was a big time jump and a few scenes that felt like they had potential for more. There's also some conflict I would've liked them see it work through a bit more, as it felt a tad too easy now.
Luke is a good guy who get's involved in some bad things. I didn't like Luke at much in the first book, but now that we get his point of view I quickly changed my opinion. It all made more sense why he did the things he did and how much he looked up to his uncle Rust and how badly he wanted a bigger role in everything where Rust was involved. I liked seeing him change and develop in this book and having him deal with what he got involved with and seeing how it all worked out.
Then we have Rain, who needs to get close to Luke to unveil what he knows. At first it's just a job to her, but then it becomes more and I really believe she does help him and they are in a better place at the end of the book. Lying characters are one of my pet peeves in books, but here it worked and it made sense. Rain couldn't just tell Luke who she was as that would ruin the whole case, but I did like how she tried to do both and see her struggle with her loyalties.
I really liked the romance in this book, it develops slowly, but at a nice pace. They keep a lot of secrets at first, but get more open as the book progresses. I really liked these two together and it was great seeing them fall for each other, especially from Rain her side, she knew this was a job, but she couldn't help but fall in love with Luke. I really liked them together, although the lies Rain was forced to keep made me a bit uncomfortable at times and I felt like I was always waiting for things to come to light and break these two apart and I wasn't sure how they would survive that.
Beside that there are some great side characters. Some of them who I was really wondering about where their motives lie. there was one female side character that really surprised me towards the end and I was great to get that piece of insight in her character. Then there is Rust and Miller, who both seemed unlikeable in the first book, but in this book I realized there is so much more to these characters than I first thought. I liked getting a glimpse from their personalities and why they were involved in this. Then there are the two dogs Licks and Stanley, who were a great addition and I liked these two dogs and their quirky personalities. We also get to see Jesse and Alex in this book and their story also still plays a part and fits into this one. I liked how this got tied in with the first book like that.
To summarize: Becoming Rain was an awesome sequel to Burying Water. Knowing that Rain was undercover to arrest everyone involved in the car thief ring, made for an exciting plot as you knew this couldn't end well and I couldn't wait to see how things would play out. The characters are great and made this book shine. I felt like I changed my mind about quite some characters whom we met in the first book and I had fun getting to know them better in this book. Luke turned out to be a good guy and a likeable character who got messed up in some bad things, but who genuinely cared about his uncle and wanted to follow in his footsteps. Rain was an interesting character and I liked seeing her fall in love with Luke and deal with her conflicted emotions and loyalties. There were a few scenes at the end that felt like there was a bit more potential, but overall I really enjoyed this book!
I could hardly put this book down as I had to know what would happen next. I knew Rain is lying to Luke about who she is, I knew Luke is doing illegal things, I knew these two are great for each other and things couldn't end well. I couldn't see a way for them to get out of it. It felt like the police are closing in on the car theft ring and the danger get's upped and Luke and rain fall more and more in love. And gah the suspense was really well done, it made for an exciting read. And I was satisfied with how it all got wrapped up in the end, although there was a big time jump and a few scenes that felt like they had potential for more. There's also some conflict I would've liked them see it work through a bit more, as it felt a tad too easy now.
Luke is a good guy who get's involved in some bad things. I didn't like Luke at much in the first book, but now that we get his point of view I quickly changed my opinion. It all made more sense why he did the things he did and how much he looked up to his uncle Rust and how badly he wanted a bigger role in everything where Rust was involved. I liked seeing him change and develop in this book and having him deal with what he got involved with and seeing how it all worked out.
Then we have Rain, who needs to get close to Luke to unveil what he knows. At first it's just a job to her, but then it becomes more and I really believe she does help him and they are in a better place at the end of the book. Lying characters are one of my pet peeves in books, but here it worked and it made sense. Rain couldn't just tell Luke who she was as that would ruin the whole case, but I did like how she tried to do both and see her struggle with her loyalties.
I really liked the romance in this book, it develops slowly, but at a nice pace. They keep a lot of secrets at first, but get more open as the book progresses. I really liked these two together and it was great seeing them fall for each other, especially from Rain her side, she knew this was a job, but she couldn't help but fall in love with Luke. I really liked them together, although the lies Rain was forced to keep made me a bit uncomfortable at times and I felt like I was always waiting for things to come to light and break these two apart and I wasn't sure how they would survive that.
Beside that there are some great side characters. Some of them who I was really wondering about where their motives lie. there was one female side character that really surprised me towards the end and I was great to get that piece of insight in her character. Then there is Rust and Miller, who both seemed unlikeable in the first book, but in this book I realized there is so much more to these characters than I first thought. I liked getting a glimpse from their personalities and why they were involved in this. Then there are the two dogs Licks and Stanley, who were a great addition and I liked these two dogs and their quirky personalities. We also get to see Jesse and Alex in this book and their story also still plays a part and fits into this one. I liked how this got tied in with the first book like that.
To summarize: Becoming Rain was an awesome sequel to Burying Water. Knowing that Rain was undercover to arrest everyone involved in the car thief ring, made for an exciting plot as you knew this couldn't end well and I couldn't wait to see how things would play out. The characters are great and made this book shine. I felt like I changed my mind about quite some characters whom we met in the first book and I had fun getting to know them better in this book. Luke turned out to be a good guy and a likeable character who got messed up in some bad things, but who genuinely cared about his uncle and wanted to follow in his footsteps. Rain was an interesting character and I liked seeing her fall in love with Luke and deal with her conflicted emotions and loyalties. There were a few scenes at the end that felt like there was a bit more potential, but overall I really enjoyed this book!
emiliebookworld's review
5.0
***REVIEW ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON EMILIE'S BOOK WORLD***
I am such a huge K.A. Tucker fangirl and I will read and will very likely love just about anything she writes. This was true of her Ten Tiny Breaths series, and it’s been true with her Burying Water series so far. I loved the first book, and the second one, Becoming Rain, completely blew me away.
Luke has always known there was more to his uncle Rust’s business than just an auto-repair shop. Sure, the garage is successful, but there’s no way it could support his uncle’s lifestyle. And Luke wants in on it. He doesn’t care that the dealings may are shady, he wants the women, the cars and the money his uncle’s business seem to bring in. Especially when he meets Rain Martines. What Luke doesn’t know is that Rain isn’t exactly who she says she is. Rain is also Clara, an undercover cop on assignment. And her target? None other than Rust, Luke’s uncle. Clara knows what she has to do in order to take down Rust’s car theft ring. Her assignment is clear: seduce Luke Boone and gain access to the operations. But lines becomes blurred between where Rain ends and Clara begins, especially as she spends more time with Luke. When the time comes, will Clara be able to do what she needs to? And if she does, will Luke ever be able to forgive her?
Oh how I love reading a new K.A. Tucker story. There’s just this feeling when starting a new book by a favourite author that I just won’t ever get tired of. And that feeling was definitely there when I started reading Becoming Rain. When I first received my copy of the book for review, I told myself I would just read a few pages and then go back to what I was supposed to be reading. Yeah, that didn’t happen. I got completely sucked in, and before I knew what was happening, a few pages turned into a few chapters and then that quickly turned into me staying up way too late because I couldn’t put the book down. To say that Becoming Rain was captivating and engrossing would be a serious understatement. With this new series, K.A. Tucker has included an element of mystery to the stories, giving the books an almost thriller feel. And I love it. The whole time I was reading, I was waiting for things to be explained, to see if how I had pieced things together was the way they actually were. And as with any good K.A. Tucker book, the romance was there and it delivered. But of course I can’t talk about the romance without talking about Clara and Luke.
Let me just preface any talk of Clara and Luke by saying that my feelings about them were complicated. I knew what I felt, but there were times when I was conflicted about what I was feeling. But by the end of it, there was no doubt in my mind that I was rooting for Luke and Clara. But rooting for them when for the better part of the book one of them was pretending to be someone else was hard. At first I just felt very conflicted. I was reading and I could see the chemistry between Clara and Luke and I could see that they were attracted to each other. But at the same time, Clara was so against the idea of being attracted to Luke that I started to feel that way. But I still wanted them to be together. Did I mention that my feelings were complicated? Beyond wanting Luke and Clara to be together in spite of everything happening around them, I really loved them as their own people. Sure, there were plenty of moments when I wanted to yell at Luke. When I wanted to tell him that he should turn around now before he got in way over his head. Hell, I’m pretty sure there were times when I was straight up talking at the book as if Luke could actually hear me (I swear, I’m not crazy). But at the same time, I knew that Luke was a good person. He was just stuck in a bad situation. And I could understand Clara’s struggle about the way she felt about Luke because half the time I was right there with her. Through it all Clara was being pulled back and forth between her feelings and her duty as a cop. I really enjoyed seeing her work through all that, and I kept hoping that whatever decision she came to would involve her being with Luke. Because as confused as I was about my feelings about their relationship, I would have been seriously angry if Luke and Clara didn’t find a way to work it out.
K.A. Tucker’s Becoming Rain was absolutely fantastic. If anything, I loved this story even more than I did the first one in this series. It’s a little darker, it’s sexy and it has some of the best characters I’ve read about recently. I”m excited to see whose story K.A. Tucker will be tackling next!
I am such a huge K.A. Tucker fangirl and I will read and will very likely love just about anything she writes. This was true of her Ten Tiny Breaths series, and it’s been true with her Burying Water series so far. I loved the first book, and the second one, Becoming Rain, completely blew me away.
Luke has always known there was more to his uncle Rust’s business than just an auto-repair shop. Sure, the garage is successful, but there’s no way it could support his uncle’s lifestyle. And Luke wants in on it. He doesn’t care that the dealings may are shady, he wants the women, the cars and the money his uncle’s business seem to bring in. Especially when he meets Rain Martines. What Luke doesn’t know is that Rain isn’t exactly who she says she is. Rain is also Clara, an undercover cop on assignment. And her target? None other than Rust, Luke’s uncle. Clara knows what she has to do in order to take down Rust’s car theft ring. Her assignment is clear: seduce Luke Boone and gain access to the operations. But lines becomes blurred between where Rain ends and Clara begins, especially as she spends more time with Luke. When the time comes, will Clara be able to do what she needs to? And if she does, will Luke ever be able to forgive her?
Oh how I love reading a new K.A. Tucker story. There’s just this feeling when starting a new book by a favourite author that I just won’t ever get tired of. And that feeling was definitely there when I started reading Becoming Rain. When I first received my copy of the book for review, I told myself I would just read a few pages and then go back to what I was supposed to be reading. Yeah, that didn’t happen. I got completely sucked in, and before I knew what was happening, a few pages turned into a few chapters and then that quickly turned into me staying up way too late because I couldn’t put the book down. To say that Becoming Rain was captivating and engrossing would be a serious understatement. With this new series, K.A. Tucker has included an element of mystery to the stories, giving the books an almost thriller feel. And I love it. The whole time I was reading, I was waiting for things to be explained, to see if how I had pieced things together was the way they actually were. And as with any good K.A. Tucker book, the romance was there and it delivered. But of course I can’t talk about the romance without talking about Clara and Luke.
Let me just preface any talk of Clara and Luke by saying that my feelings about them were complicated. I knew what I felt, but there were times when I was conflicted about what I was feeling. But by the end of it, there was no doubt in my mind that I was rooting for Luke and Clara. But rooting for them when for the better part of the book one of them was pretending to be someone else was hard. At first I just felt very conflicted. I was reading and I could see the chemistry between Clara and Luke and I could see that they were attracted to each other. But at the same time, Clara was so against the idea of being attracted to Luke that I started to feel that way. But I still wanted them to be together. Did I mention that my feelings were complicated? Beyond wanting Luke and Clara to be together in spite of everything happening around them, I really loved them as their own people. Sure, there were plenty of moments when I wanted to yell at Luke. When I wanted to tell him that he should turn around now before he got in way over his head. Hell, I’m pretty sure there were times when I was straight up talking at the book as if Luke could actually hear me (I swear, I’m not crazy). But at the same time, I knew that Luke was a good person. He was just stuck in a bad situation. And I could understand Clara’s struggle about the way she felt about Luke because half the time I was right there with her. Through it all Clara was being pulled back and forth between her feelings and her duty as a cop. I really enjoyed seeing her work through all that, and I kept hoping that whatever decision she came to would involve her being with Luke. Because as confused as I was about my feelings about their relationship, I would have been seriously angry if Luke and Clara didn’t find a way to work it out.
K.A. Tucker’s Becoming Rain was absolutely fantastic. If anything, I loved this story even more than I did the first one in this series. It’s a little darker, it’s sexy and it has some of the best characters I’ve read about recently. I”m excited to see whose story K.A. Tucker will be tackling next!
star63's review
4.0
This book had good elements, there were elements about it I didn't love. It became a bit predictable at times.
shaunnah511's review
4.0
So, for the first 2/3 of this book, I have to say I was super frustrated with Rain/Clara. She made some really terrible decisions and seemed generally terrible at her job. I did feel a genuine connection between the H & h though.
That last third of the book though - right in the feels. I felt so much more connected to the characters and particularly Clara's decisions made so much more sense. I really enjoyed how this one turned out and I can't say I saw the end coming - although that may be because I was too busy swooning over Luke!
That last third of the book though - right in the feels. I felt so much more connected to the characters and particularly Clara's decisions made so much more sense. I really enjoyed how this one turned out and I can't say I saw the end coming - although that may be because I was too busy swooning over Luke!
kaylakaotik's review
5.0
I really love the way K. A. Tucker writes book series (side note: series is such a strange word being both plural and singular; it really messes with my head). I like that they can all be standalone books, but work best together.
Becoming Rain was a fantastic book. I loved it all the way through. It felt more intense and, in my opinion, had a stronger storyline than the first book did. However, it was similar to Burying Water in one sense… the ending. I wanted just a little bit more! However, unlike the first book, I didn’t feel like it was necessarily needed. I’m just being greedy.
As with anything else K. A. Tucker writes, I’m looking forward to the next book in the series, Chasing River. Though I don’t know any details, I do know it’s sure to be another great read.
* This book was received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. *
Becoming Rain was a fantastic book. I loved it all the way through. It felt more intense and, in my opinion, had a stronger storyline than the first book did. However, it was similar to Burying Water in one sense… the ending. I wanted just a little bit more! However, unlike the first book, I didn’t feel like it was necessarily needed. I’m just being greedy.
As with anything else K. A. Tucker writes, I’m looking forward to the next book in the series, Chasing River. Though I don’t know any details, I do know it’s sure to be another great read.
* This book was received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. *
cupcakegirly's review against another edition
4.0
Story: While this companion to BURYING WATER can be read as a stand alone, it does contain spoilers for book one.
I enjoyed watching Luke and Rain's story unfold not only from two different POVs, but also from two different sides of the law. Catching glimpse's of previous characters was fun too. I'm curious to see whose story we get next and how it will all tie together.
Audio: I'm still not a fan of either of these narrators. Her voice is too pitchy and she doesn't do well with accents, and his tends to be too monotone. But I liked the story enough to continue listening.
I enjoyed watching Luke and Rain's story unfold not only from two different POVs, but also from two different sides of the law. Catching glimpse's of previous characters was fun too. I'm curious to see whose story we get next and how it will all tie together.
Audio: I'm still not a fan of either of these narrators. Her voice is too pitchy and she doesn't do well with accents, and his tends to be too monotone. But I liked the story enough to continue listening.
alexperc_92's review
5.0
Recieved an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
K.A. Tucker did it again! From "Burying Water" comes a new story of decption, love and forgiveness!
Clara is a cop who takes an undercover role in order to stop a wide ring of illegaly selling cars from America to the world. Luke, Jess friend from Book 1, is one of those working for this operation and meets Clara as Rain a sweet, loving woman. But what happens when emotions change and the lines blur?
Told from dual POV, both Clara and Luke get their own stories. Clara is a strong woman with a sense of justice and the need to uncover the villains. Luke on the other hand, while he seemed to me somewhat boyish and naive, he was also a man of secrets which brought him closer to Clara.
As the story progress everything becomes harder for both of them and when the time comes, truths are revealed and secrets become uncovered. I liked the way the book progressed, the smooth plot and the complete characters. I hope Tucker will write more on this series, since she likes to spend time to envolve her characters and save them from their surroundings and sometimes making them better people too!
K.A. Tucker did it again! From "Burying Water" comes a new story of decption, love and forgiveness!
Clara is a cop who takes an undercover role in order to stop a wide ring of illegaly selling cars from America to the world. Luke, Jess friend from Book 1, is one of those working for this operation and meets Clara as Rain a sweet, loving woman. But what happens when emotions change and the lines blur?
Told from dual POV, both Clara and Luke get their own stories. Clara is a strong woman with a sense of justice and the need to uncover the villains. Luke on the other hand, while he seemed to me somewhat boyish and naive, he was also a man of secrets which brought him closer to Clara.
As the story progress everything becomes harder for both of them and when the time comes, truths are revealed and secrets become uncovered. I liked the way the book progressed, the smooth plot and the complete characters. I hope Tucker will write more on this series, since she likes to spend time to envolve her characters and save them from their surroundings and sometimes making them better people too!
babs_reviews's review
5.0
I was super excited to read about Luke.
While in Burying Water he seemed all surface I always felt there was more depth than what we got to see. Sure he made some terrible choices ... but he also made a few good ones.
It had the romance I've been digging and the suspense that kept me turning pages.
I loved seeing the inner workings of a car theft ring and was intrigued by many scenes and blown away by others.
It was well written, well put together and I loved the characters.
I highly recommend!
While in Burying Water he seemed all surface I always felt there was more depth than what we got to see. Sure he made some terrible choices ... but he also made a few good ones.
It had the romance I've been digging and the suspense that kept me turning pages.
I loved seeing the inner workings of a car theft ring and was intrigued by many scenes and blown away by others.
It was well written, well put together and I loved the characters.
I highly recommend!
gvharlamert's review
5.0
I was so excited for this book. I love all of K.A. Tucker’s other books whether it be the “Ten Tiny Breaths Series” or Burying Water. I was simply ecstatic for Becoming Rain. And she did not disappoint! A fast paced book that keeps you on the edge of your seat!
This story follows Clara aka Rain who is metro cop from D.C. who is given the opportunity to go undercover for the FBI. This is her big break if she can bring down the largest illegal car ring she is all but guaranteed a position at the Bureau. A dream come true. Determined to bring any and everyone involved down she must get close to Luke; the nephew of Rust, the man in charge of the ring. Problem is Rain starts to fall for her target thus blurring all the lines. She is perhaps not the best undercover agent for this job. To say that this book has a lot of anxiety is an understatement. Especially considering your reading and thinking “there are not enough pages to resolve this conflict. There is literally not enough pages in this book.” Then is all gets wrapped up nice and neat in the Epilogue which is probably at the max 6 pages.
I love the way K.A. Tucker engages the reader in the story making you want more. I am also very curious about Elmira and I hope that we see a book about her. I have a few theories and there is definitely more than meets the eye with her. I squealed when I found out about a week after this book that there was not only a third book Chasing River coming out but also a fourth book in the series Surviving Ice . I’m hoping the next one is about Elmira but who knows! All I know is I am super pumped for anything else this fantastic author writes!
This story follows Clara aka Rain who is metro cop from D.C. who is given the opportunity to go undercover for the FBI. This is her big break if she can bring down the largest illegal car ring she is all but guaranteed a position at the Bureau. A dream come true. Determined to bring any and everyone involved down she must get close to Luke; the nephew of Rust, the man in charge of the ring. Problem is Rain starts to fall for her target thus blurring all the lines. She is perhaps not the best undercover agent for this job. To say that this book has a lot of anxiety is an understatement. Especially considering your reading and thinking “there are not enough pages to resolve this conflict. There is literally not enough pages in this book.” Then is all gets wrapped up nice and neat in the Epilogue which is probably at the max 6 pages.
I love the way K.A. Tucker engages the reader in the story making you want more. I am also very curious about Elmira and I hope that we see a book about her. I have a few theories and there is definitely more than meets the eye with her. I squealed when I found out about a week after this book that there was not only a third book Chasing River coming out but also a fourth book in the series Surviving Ice . I’m hoping the next one is about Elmira but who knows! All I know is I am super pumped for anything else this fantastic author writes!
meganmreads's review
4.0
Review originally published at Love Literature Art and Reason
Becoming Rain was awesome! I liked it even more than Burying Water, even though I didn’t like Luke much in the first book. I like how the book is a sequel, but can also be read as a stand alone, as it features secondary characters.
The conflict had me on the edge of my seat. As undercover officer Clara ended up falling for her target, Luke, I wondered how on earth it would be resolved. How could they possibly end up together without losing everything? I can normally figure out how conflicts in contemporary romance will resolve themselves, but so far with this series by K.A. Tucker, I’m always at a loss. I love how unpredictable it makes the story as a result. I’m always filled with the good kind of angst when I read them.
I ended up loving Clara and Luke, especially together. I thought they brought out the best in each other. As I said, I didn’t care for Luke very much in the first book. I couldn’t understand why he looked up to his uncle so much and the illegal business he had on the side, especially after all of the things that happened with Alex and Jesse. He was so naïve about the dangers of the illegal business. However, once he became the main character and I got to know him, I realized he wasn’t as lazy and callous and dumb as I originally thought.
I absolutely love K.A. Tucker. Her books have all amazed me, even when they feature the kinds of characters I can’t stand normally. I can’t get enough and I’m actually planning to go back and read the books in the Ten Tiny Breaths series that I skipped over. I highly recommend Becoming Rain and the Burying Water series. It’s a must read if you enjoy any kind of contemporary romance.
Becoming Rain was awesome! I liked it even more than Burying Water, even though I didn’t like Luke much in the first book. I like how the book is a sequel, but can also be read as a stand alone, as it features secondary characters.
The conflict had me on the edge of my seat. As undercover officer Clara ended up falling for her target, Luke, I wondered how on earth it would be resolved. How could they possibly end up together without losing everything? I can normally figure out how conflicts in contemporary romance will resolve themselves, but so far with this series by K.A. Tucker, I’m always at a loss. I love how unpredictable it makes the story as a result. I’m always filled with the good kind of angst when I read them.
I ended up loving Clara and Luke, especially together. I thought they brought out the best in each other. As I said, I didn’t care for Luke very much in the first book. I couldn’t understand why he looked up to his uncle so much and the illegal business he had on the side, especially after all of the things that happened with Alex and Jesse. He was so naïve about the dangers of the illegal business. However, once he became the main character and I got to know him, I realized he wasn’t as lazy and callous and dumb as I originally thought.
I absolutely love K.A. Tucker. Her books have all amazed me, even when they feature the kinds of characters I can’t stand normally. I can’t get enough and I’m actually planning to go back and read the books in the Ten Tiny Breaths series that I skipped over. I highly recommend Becoming Rain and the Burying Water series. It’s a must read if you enjoy any kind of contemporary romance.