Review: The Scent of Rain

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Synopsis:

Rose Madsen will do anything to keep from being married off to one of the men in her Fundamentalist Mormon (FLDS) community, even endure the continued beatings and abuse of her mother. But when her mentally handicapped baby sister is forced to strangle the bird she loves at the behest of the Prophet, Rose frees the bird and runs away.

Adan Reyes will do anything to escape the abusive foster care system in Phoenix, even leaving his good friends and successful high school athletic career behind him. Ill-prepared for surviving the desert, Adan hits the road only to suffer heat stroke. Found by a local handyman, he catches a glimpse of a mysterious girl–Rose–running through town, and follows her into the mountains where they are both tracked and discovered by the men of the FLDS community.

With their fates now intertwined, can Rose and Adan escape the systems locking them into lives of abuse? Will Rose be forced to marry the Prophet, a man her father’s age, and be one of dozens of wives, perpetually pregnant, with no hope for an education? Will Adan be returned to the foster home where bullying and cruelty are common? Is everyone they meet determined to keep them right where they belong or are some adults worthy of their trust?

Rating: 4-stars

Review:

The Scent of Rain by Anne Montgomery is an intriguing novel about Mormons and their cults. Young girls are expected to marry older men with dozens of wives. This is sexual abuse and outrageous. Inside this story is about one young woman with dreams of her own who escapes that life and runs for it. Animal cruelty is also found here, as well. I felt outraged. It was both sad, frustrating and frightening to read. This kind of stuff still happens, today. The writer has done her research into these topics that are covered in her novel. It is both an eye opener and a nightmare. The plot itself was engaging. I was hooked on following Rose, the main protagonist and her new found friend, Adian. Together, they both are running away from their lives. Escaping from things they should not have to worry about but do. Overall, this book was a good read. I recommend it to readers everywhere.