Wow!!!!!!This book is amazing!!!This book gripped my attention from the very beginning. I love the different twists , and couldn't believe the surprise ending!!! Just amazing!!! I am looking forward to the next book by this author. This is a must read! I will be referring all of my friends and family!!!!

This book will break your heart. If you can't handle intense emotions, stay away from it.

Without trying to give much of the story away and avoiding repeating the blurb, one of the things I liked the most about the story is how Nigel Jay Cooper takes a challenging risk in this novel. He dares to reverse the traditional roles in a marriage and explores the different struggles parenthood can bring to a couple, and to each spouse. He goes deep in character development and introspection under both perspectives. Are we sick people if we can't instantly love our children? Does a man become weak and ordinary by taking a domestic duty? What about our sex drive and needs?Perhaps my biggest challenge was to set my preconceived ideas aside and allow the characters to be without my judgment; to be a silent witness of the hopes and sorrows of these flawed people. Grief and loss are perhaps the main themes of the story. But so is hope, and trust, and acceptance.

The plot is intriguing, and it won't let go. The story is told parts by Louise, parts by Adam. There are also several interludes. Each interlude reveals a bit more of the inevitable end, and I couldn't find the willpower to stop reading. The story comes with unexpected and original twists, and I loved them.

Brilliant!

After reading the synopsis of this book, I thought I knew what to expect. After a chapter or two, I told myself I understood where the author was taking me. Time and again, I settled in for the ride only to fall flat on my face, breathless...

With each page, the question...should I believe? If so, whom? What?

Regarding any advice to the reader of this novel...a mysterious character says it best, "Don't try to beat the rain. Just accept that sometimes you're going to get wet."

Intrigued? Mystified? Ah, then you're in the right mood to pick up this book. And let this debut author redefine the fine art of deception.

Louise is grieving the death of her husband Tom. Tom has a twin brother called Adam letting go off her past is not easy and she thinks that by marring Adam it will make her pain go away.

This is a phycological thriller which is both heartbreaking and funny.

This book is not for people who can't cope with raw emotion as it will pull at your heartstrings.

I would like to thank Net Galley, John Hunt Publishing and the author Nigel Jay Cooper for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I would love to use something better than this worn-out cliché, but I'm tired today because of this book. So here goes, this really was an "emotional rollercoaster". One moment I was thinking things are picking up for the protagonists, perhaps this won't all go down the drain, the next moment it felt like I was being crushed, despairing, at the bleak bottom. And then there would be these really humorous scenes. That dinner party was hilarious.
Beat The Rain is the story of a relationship that is gradually degenerating. Told from Louise's and Adam's perspectives, we learn right at the start that Louise's boyfriend, Tom, has died. Tom was Adam's twin brother. Louise and Adam get married. Not a spoiler, it's in the book's blurb. No further summary from me because the rest you will enjoy much more if you start reading this without knowing too much. 'Enjoy' may actually be the wrong word. This isn't the light reading you want to pick up for leisurely days on a sun lounger. In fact, if you're feeling sad or discontent with life, this may not be the best book to pick up at that moment. Also, if you need likable characters, forget it. Now I'm making this sound as if I wouldn't recommend this book. Not at all. This book is going to stay with me. The amazing thing is when I started this, I was expecting to read something different. To be honest, there were moments in the first half of the book when I thought about throwing in the towel and moving on. But this is a book you need to stick with. By the time Jarvis was introduced, about halfway through the book, I knew I couldn't put it down. Hence, feeling slightly tired today.
This is a wonderfully insightful look at relationships covering themes such as loss and grief, parenthood, mental health and our preconceived ideas about what should and what shouldn't.
I really loved the way how the author showed by means of the male and the female perspectives that two people can experience the same thing in completely different ways, thus creating two different versions of the truth. It was so frustrating. I don't know how many times I shouted at these characters to start bl**dy listening and to talk to each other.
There were several times when I thought I could predict what Louise or Adam were going to do, and each time, Mr. Cooper surprised me. The ending didn't go the way I wanted it to. Usually, I would whine about that. In this case, it was actually the icing on the cake.
Even taking into account my struggle with the first half of this book, which jumped about too much for me, I'm going to have to give this the full stars. This is a debut novel. Nigel Jay Cooper is a writer to keep on your radar. He is extremely perceptive and knows how to create a unique and painfully honest story.
Thanks to John Hunt Publishing for granting me access to an ARC via NetGalley.

After starting off slow and already deciding I wasn’t enjoying this book Cooper managed to captivate me and pull me back into the storyline. Louise and Adam’s lives seem almost predictable at first, after subconsciously filling in the rest of the plotline the shocks and surprises which Cooper writes were a pleasant surprise. The main, and arguably the most shocking part of the book made me put it down for a few minutes just to process what had just happened. Cooper’s writing to lead up to these twists were fantastic and I can’t wait to read another book by him.
The main characters had happily switched their domestic roles, to Adam being the loving stay-at-home parent and Louise being the wage-earner in the household. This dynamic lead to Louise feeling like the odd one out within her family which then leads to meeting Jarvis. Although all 3 of these characters have very likeable qualities, Cooper also ensures enough depth to show their flaws as well, and so the connection to them really enabled me to sympathise for them.
I wouldn’t read this if you enjoy happy endings, although I found the ending to be eerily satisfying in relation to the story. This is a definite must read to anyone who enjoys a book to bring out emotions. If you want to get hold of this book then it’s being published on the 29th July 2016 in the UK. I’d rate this 4 out of 5 stars.
*I received this e-book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to John Hunt Publishing.

Beat The Rain was not what I expected at all. Not from the cover, and not from the synopsis. I've read a few psychological thrillers recently and before too long they all blur into one. Similar story line and similar characters, so I had put off reading this one because I was becoming a bit bored of the genre in general. But I wouldn't class Beat The Rain as a psychological thriller at all. I don't know what I would class it as if I'm being honest. It doesn't really fall into one category but it is a masterpiece in whatever genre you want to place it.
The characters are laid bare for the reader, they are so authentic and honest. I felt a connection with each of them which made the book all the more heart wrenching. After a few chapters it felt like I was reading about friends I knew were headed straight for a train wreck and I couldn't stop it. Nor could I stop reading. I had Jarvis figured out quite early on, well - the part that Adam learned about him, not the bit Louise learned - that was a big shocker! And I figured out the interlude a few chapters before the end. But again, that just made it harder, because I was watching B this slow rumble of an earthquake that I knew was going to tear everyone apart, I was only a spectator. In terms of the writing, how beautiful. Some of the passages in this book are the type of thing you see on a huge canvas on people's walls. Nigel Jay Cooper is such a talented writer and uses his secret power (those amazing, psychological passages) sparingly. Which means that you aren't being overwhelmed with metaphors and "flowery language" for the entire book (which then loses its beauty). Instead you get to read a book in plain English, and every once in a while the beauty of the writing just comes out of the page and wraps itself around you. That was one of the highlights for me.

As for the general story line. What can I say? Read it. It's gripping, and normal, and you can't put it down.

What a fantastic book that reminds you that sometimes you ARE going to get wet. (Read it - you'll understand that last sentence).

There are so many layers to Beat the Rain. When you think you’ve peeled away the last one, there is another section glaring you right in the face. Blame, secrets, lies, rejection, self-identify…it doesn’t stop.

The ending is well thought out and makes a lot of sense. In fact each element of the story is strategically placed.

This debut novel is so compelling and well-written. I hope that Nigel Jay Cooper is working on another novel. He’s one author to keep an eye out for.

The complete review appears on www.underratedreads.com

This debut novel by Nigel Jay Cooper is absolutely lovely and haunting. It’s a rare combination of page-turning psychological suspense and beautiful language.

Beat the Rain opens with the death of Tom, twin brother of Adam and partner of Louise. Tom’s death was unexpected by everyone except Tom himself, so the main characters are both left untethered by loss. They marry, and life proceeds as normal, until it doesn’t.

Narration alternates (mostly) between Louise and Adam, and I found Adam to be the more vividly-realized character. His voice is the more introspective, vulnerable, and thus more sympathetic.

Cooper’s use of language is mesmerizing, piercing and true. Pondering the functional alcoholic: “Functioning. Such a good word. So descriptive of their lives . . . So descriptive of a lot of people’s lives, he imagines. Functioning. All the moving parts doing what they should but nothing going on behind the scenes, no sparks, no real life.”

And this little gem about small talk: “Maybe Adam had been hard on the woman, she’d probably only been making conversation. Except conversation is always laden with meaning and hidden truths and politics.”

Beat the Rain is full of those hidden truths, small jewels that together create the mosaic of human experience, but an experience that is made beautiful by broken things.

Note: Thanks to Netgalley and Roundfire Books for advance review copy in exchange for an honest review.

All the other reviewers have discussed the plot at length, so let me comment on other aspects of the book. I think that it would be a wonderful title to assign in a queer studies class to show gender fluidity in a compelling, visceral way. The characters are complex and very believable; almost anyone who is partnered will identify with the marital fight scenes! It's a beautifully written book, too, with a propulsive can't-put-down narrative, and cinematic-it begs to be made into a film (publisher: pursue these rights!). Highly recommended! Can't wait for Cooper's next book.

For a debut, I thought this was a really solid work of fiction. Occasionally there were some oversights in editing that let the writing down, such as recycled passages or words. In my opinion there were also some story threads that could have been left out entirely to strengthen the flow of the book, but these are small criticisms and it doesn't detract from the imaginative plot from a first time novelist.

I was invested in these characters from the very beginning; the pacing was good and dialogue well written. You are really able to put yourself in the shoes of Louise, Tom, and Adam straight from the opening pages. What follows is an emotional rollercoaster as you follow what seems to be quite ordinary life. About halfway through the book I realised this psychological thriller was not all that it seemed, and by the time certain truths are revealed I knew that this was a book unlike any I've read for quite a long time. I think what makes this story so compelling is how skillfully the author has realised his protagonists. The problems they face are problems that many of us face, every single day. Whilst their responses are sometimes fantastical, for the most part I could feel a terrible lot of empathy for each one. Adam, who has lost someone close to him, struggling with self identity and self medicating substance abuse. Louise, dealing with a tricky childhood and her own loss plus the restlessness that can come from long term established relationships and motherhood. Even the secondary characters here are fun, because who of us doesn't have an awful Imogen hanging around? I would recommend this book highly, and look forward to seeing more of the author's work in future.

What a surprising book.  It was totally different to what I was expecting to read and yet it works.  The story centres around Louise and Adam after the death of Adams brother.  If you are hoping to have likable characters you will be disappointed they are not especially so Louise.  The slow unfolding of her back story really held my attention.  This is not an uplifting book it is actually somewhat depressing which is in fact real life.   While this is a short book it is a hard slog for the first half hang in there it is well worth the read. This is a first novel by Niigel Jay Cooper an author I am sure we will be seeing more of.

First of all, let me say that I would give this book 6 stars if I could! It touched me in ways I can't even explain and it changed me (how, I'm not sure) for the better. When Louise marries her dead husband's twin brother, Adam, we may think we can guess how the story will unfold. But we can't possibly see the outcomes that await! It's told in beautiful prose and explores so many issues: grief, love, guilt, sorrow, desire....all the while examining what it means to be a human with all the flaws with which we are born or maybe acquire. It gives us many insights into the rich tapestry of marriage and how it can ebb and flow. It is at one both breathtaking and heartbreaking. This is a novel that will stay with me for a long time. It is, quite simply a lovely book!

A wonderfully written novel with a captivating end. As soon as you thought you knew where the story was going, your ideas were quickly turned on their head and you were sent off in a different direction, continually finding your preconceptions challenged. A riveting read that was difficult to put down.

I received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

This book. Woah. Maybe it is because I am at the phase in life when everyone I know is getting married, having babies, or even getting divorced... but this book hits you in the feelers.

I'm almost left speechless because the story swirled me up and spit me out. I'm sitting here thinking of alternate endings, but they wouldn't work.

Glad I read this book.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book!

This was a great book - lots of intrigue, great character exploration. The story is written in two viewpoints - Louise and Adam. Louise is a young woman with a sad family history - abandoned by her mom and then her dad died. She meets and falls in love with Tom, who also passes away. Enter Adam, Tom's twin brother. They get together, both trying to fill a need left by so much loss and grief. But those are deep holes and therein lies the story. Are they enough for each other? Can they make it work?

What I really loved about this book was the writing - there were so many beautiful phrases that just made you stop and take notice. And possibly apply them to your own life - be present, listen, don't take things for granted.

An amazing debut - looking forward to more from this author!

This book surprised me. I enjoyed the unexpectedness of the story. Even when I did not like Louise, I did want to find how it ended. I love books that entertain and not how I thought! A great debut novel!

This book is well worth the read. The characters are very easy to identify with and the story flows and gets you totally absorbed. Louise is happily married to Tom and then tragedy strikes. She gets involved with Tom's twin brother Adam and they are fine for a while until someone else enters their lives. Then the story takes a dramatic, unexpected turn and one I was not expecting. It was one of those books that you can't put down, but at the same time you don't want the story to end. It would make an awesome movie. Will definitely look out for more books by this author.

Nigel Jay Cooper is an excellent author, getting so deeply into the heads of his characters that he takes the reader along for the dive. Reading this book has been, for me, a totally immersive experience., and left me completely enveloped in the deepest recesses of the psyches of the two main characters Adam and Louise.

This was at times a breathless ride, through depression, obsession, grief, despair, excitement and anxiety. As a therapist I found the internal portrayal dead on, and it was hard to put the book down. Each plot twist kept me hanging on for more ... now I find myself hanging on for Nigel Jay Cooper's next book, whenever that might be.

Bereavements and relationships

Louise is recently bereaved and struggling to cope after Tom's death. Six months after his death Louise receives a package from Tom. Adam, Tom's twin also receives a communication from Tom. Flashbacks to when Tom and Louise met, and their life together. Life goes on, of course, and we get to see how life changes. Some relationship problems, some unwise decisions. A shock ending.

An interesting read

Beat the Rain was a fabulous story of a marriage in decline and the secrets and lies we put in motion to get through. It's billed as a psychological thriller but I don't think that's accurate. It's more a domestic tale with a few twists. Either way, it's a great debut novel for Mr. Cooper.

Louise's boyfriend, Tom, dies suddenly and leaves a video telling her to move on with her life and how his twin brother, Adam, might help her with that. They can help each other. Adam has been in love with Louise and through their grief over Tom, they get married. Years later, Louise is struggling and she meets a man named Jarvis, who changes their whole world - for good or bad?

Told in a flashback/non-linear fashion that does NOT distract from the overall narrative but adds to it, Beat the Rain is a excellent story well told and fabulously crafted. Go read it!!

I found this book to be a really great read, I took one star off because I felt so let down by the ending, I really wanted this couple to have ,if not a happy ending, at least a future of some kind, even if that future was to separate and find a better future apart. It is a very sad story, but very well written and I would love to read this authors next book.

Onto the story itself ... I had no idea what to expect ... "psychological" to me tends to bring to mind a thriller or something that has you on the edge of the seat. This did not to that. That, however is not a bad thing. What it does look at is the being that is "human psychology" how and why we behave how we do.
The main character, Louise, has seen and done it all ... suffering from abandonment at an early age from her mother and used to being the apple of her father's eye ... adult life has something to live up to. However the security she thought she had always craved becomes boring and dull and unknowingly she seems intent to destroy it all only realising when it is too late what she has done.
In some ways there are elements that will make the reader uncomfortable knowing that they have behaved exactly like that. The characters are skillfully drawn and there are a few twists and turns that are unexpected.
The only thing that really bugged me was the brief encounter with the Jackie O character ... could not see the point in that at all ...
Worth a read!

A real page turner, will definitely look out for future books from this author.

Nigel Jay Cooper delves into the far corners of his characters' minds and brings us there with him to twist and turn in their emotions and thought processes.. We find ourselves making the same decisions as the story progresses because there doesn't seem to be a way out of the inevitable truths. I would have preferred a bit more eroticism, but that's just me. Enjoy the humanity in this novel of raw experiences.