Savannah doesn't know if grief changed her— or if it only stripped away the illusion that she was ever whole.
Since her mother's death, she's been unraveling. Pills blur the ache. Silence hides the truth. To her dad, she's distant. To her friends, she's fine. To Ethan, her boyfriend, she's a ghost of the girl he remembers.
Then there's Cole. All sharp edges and quiet shadows, he doesn't try to drag her back into the light. He meets her in the dark. He sees the pieces she can't hold together—and, for a moment, she feels almost alive again.
But grief doesn't let go easily.
And addiction doesn't steal all at once. It waits in the cracks, takes root in the silence… until it becomes the only thing left to hold.
"Engaging, raw and real - an incredible debut. My 5 star review of Rainfall by Nikki Jimenez. I am stunned in the best way: 'I know what that darkness can feel like.' His voice cracks again. 'So if you ever forget how to hold yourself up, I'll fucking carry you.'...""Engaging, raw and real - an incredible debut. My 5 star review of Rainfall by Nikki Jimenez. I am stunned in the best way: 'I know what that darkness can feel like.' His voice cracks again. 'So if you ever forget how to hold yourself up, I'll fucking carry you.' Rainfall is a powerful and beautiful debut, with a gripping, well-developed plot, beautiful description of the settings and smooth, engaging writing style. This book hollowed out the deepest part of my soul, digging up emotions and pulling them to the surface. Yes, there is romance, and it is so good: hard-hitting spice full of teenage yearning. But what truly hit me was the deep understanding of grief and addiction the author portrays through the characters and their experiences. I felt the black hole of grief and the gritty itch of the drugs pulling at Savannah, the FMC. It was devastating to feel how this affected her and shaped her relationships with Ethan and Cole. This book carved out a little pit deep in my heart, making it swell with the love between Savannah and Cole and then leaving it emptied out as Savannah battled with her demons. This was one of those books that will stick with me for a long time, and I am so thankful the author shared an ARC of this novel with me."
— Booksbubblesbiceps
★★★★★
"Wow, this book was unexpected. It hit deep on a real personal level. I've been where Savannah is. Trying to block out the pain by feeling numb...""Wow, this book was unexpected. It hit deep on a real personal level. I've been where Savannah is. Trying to block out the pain by feeling numb. I've lost parts of myself to trauma that I've yet to understand and overcome. I lost someone close at a young age in a similar fashion to Savannah's loss. I spiraled and rebelled. Took a lot of drugs and even tried to put an end to it all. Life is funny that way. Even when trying to numb the pain and not feel nothing at all, that silence is the loudest thing I've ever experienced in my life. At my darkest times, I thought the only to make it stop was to no longer exist. Grief, trauma, pain, denial, addiction.... They often go hand-in-hand and we are our own worst enemies so we tell ourselves there's no way out. Some say love overcomes everything. I don't know if that's true, but I can say that having at least one person who doesn't judge you, who really sees you and cares... That's all it takes sometimes, to make it out of that dark abyss. What a spectacular book. Thank you, Nikki Jimenez. I feel seen. I feel heard. I feel valued. You should be proud of what you wrote. I know it's going to help a lot of people. And Cole.....I need him to be real. He was perfect. New book boyfriend!!"
— Jen L.
★★★★★
"ARC Review - This book is so so so much more than a romance. This book is about struggling with addiction and how it takes over your life completely...""ARC Review - This book is so so so much more than a romance. This book is about struggling with addiction and how it takes over your life completely. Savannah is trying to cope with the death of her mom and feels alone. Her boyfriend and friends are wanting her to just move on and be who she used to be again. When she meets Cole she finally feels like she has an anchor in her life and someone who understands her grief and who she is. Even with someone finally by her side, she turns to pills and alcohol to numb everything else in her mind. As hard as this was to read, I loved it. Savannah was frustrating at first with her back and forth between Ethan and Cole, but letting go of Ethan in her mind, would be letting go of her past. Once she lets go and starts moving towards the future, she realizes that she's in over her head after watching someone OD at a friend's house. The ending of this story is so heartbreaking, especially since it's raw and sadly how the disease of addiction can turn. Thank you so much Nikki Jimenez for letting me read Savannah's story. I know, it's Cole's story too, but Savannah's is one everyone should know. Also, thanks for the tears. You owe me for my therapy bill."
— Alijo
★★★★☆
"Rainfall by Nikki Jimenez is a raw and emotional journey that grips you from the very first page. It's one of those stories that tugs relentlessly at your heartstrings...""Rainfall by Nikki Jimenez is a raw and emotional journey that grips you from the very first page. It's one of those stories that tugs relentlessly at your heartstrings, pulling you deeper into the FMC's world of grief, loss, and the fragile hope for healing. I love when a book makes you feel so much that you can't help but keep turning the pages, praying that the main character will finally find her happiness and peace. What made this story hit even harder for me was how relatable the FMC's grief and self-destruction felt. Her pain, her coping, her quiet strength—it all resonated in such a personal and gut-wrenching way. Nikki Jimenez captures raw emotion so beautifully that you can't help but feel every ounce of it right alongside the character. Rainfall isn't just a story—it's an experience. Heartbreaking, hopeful, and achingly human. Absolutely loved this book."
— Kate P.
★★★★☆
"3.5 absolute GUT WRENCHING stars. Mrs. Nikki Jimenez, this was SUCH an incredible debut. I was pulled RIGHT in and finished 'Rainfall' in a day...""3.5 absolute GUT WRENCHING stars. Mrs. Nikki Jimenez, this was SUCH an incredible debut. I was pulled RIGHT in and finished 'Rainfall' in a day (like literally in two sittings). The writing was absolutely beautiful and so easy to digest, despite the heavy story being told. I just FELT so many emotions. I laughed, I swooned, I cried (…and sobbed). It was perfect. The story was so addictive (haha… ha) and I loved reading about the journey, both emotionally and physically, our MCs went through. They endured the struggles of addiction and Jimenez truly explores the toll it has on not only the addict but the people around them. This was so much more than your typical romance book &, may I say, very reminiscent of Joey and Aoife's story (in the BEST way possible). Savannah and Cole's love is truly palpable and their story was so complex, emotional, and sometimes frustrating (but like a good way?!). Savannah, our FMC, is such a complicated character & one of those that, although you won't agree with all of the decisions she makes, you can't help but love and adore her completely. And then there's Cole!!! The absolute definition of a perfectly broody MMC who only has a soft spot for the FMC (pls, I love them). They mesh so perfectly and you can tell that they were without a doubt made for each other. Overall, Savannah (and Cole's) story is one that is so raw, so real, and so devastating. A story of grief and addiction but also of love and perseverance. A story that everyone should read, because for some people it's reality. & can I say the ending was absolutely HEARTBREAKING??? I honestly haven't stopped thinking about it since. Crossing my fingers that a sequel will be announced soon… because there will be one… right… right? (I'm just trying to cope). A huge thank you to Nikki Jimenez for the eArc in exchange for my honest review! I'm so eternally grateful for the opportunity to have read and reviewed 'Rainfall' early!"
— Rachel U.
★★★★☆
"This entire book. Savannah's entire world gets flipped over when her mother dies. Her boyfriend expects her to just get over it. One night she happens to stumble into Cole. Cole silences everything for her, makes her feel okay as broken as she is. She also stumbled into pills, her addiction fighting a war inside of her. Can Cole be enough for her? The ending literally had me flipping back and forth on my Kindle double checking if it was really the end."
— Samantha G.
★★★★☆
"Oh. My. God. This book is raw, vulnerable, heartbreaking yet comforting and just UGH. I love when I'm excited about an ARC and it pulls through."
— Em
★★★★☆
"Rainfall by Nikki Jimenez absolutely destroyed me. Savannah's journey and addiction is a hard read but couldn't stop and the love that Cole has for her continuously is so perfect. Left me screaming at my kindle but still so great."
