Jessica Thomas has fled the alcoholism of her mother's home in Huntington Beach to begin life anew by studying acting in L.A. But life in her chosen profession soon provesmeager and lean for Jessica and her roommate, and when the offer to take a high payingposition in an escort service comes along Jessica sees this as her opportunity to have the financially secure lifestyle of which she's always dreamt. Just as she's learning the ropes of the business a twist of fate brings back into Jessica's life her best friend, Joe Patterson. Jessica is determined that politcally ambitious but good-hearted Joe is never going to know anything about her new career.

Caught In The Rain is a well conceived storyline, presenting through Jessica, the dangers of the underworld of big cities, those that tempt the naive and inexperienced away from achieving their personal goals. The escort service portrayed here is realistic for our modern day world of prostitution; the madam, Martina, a peddler of lost dreams who cares nothing for Jessica's safety or preservation as long as the girl is bringing in business. Patterson's character also has his temptations in the persona of the sexually provocative Maxie who for her own reasons strives to advance his political career. The personal conflicts and regrets of Jessica and Joe are proficiently analyzed; and I thought the battle with alcoholism as faced by Jessica's mother believable and important to Jessica's story.

L.C. Martin's narratives are quick-paced and the dialog sound and uncluttered. I would have enjoyed a little more detail to scenery, but Ms. Martin has much potential in her crisp writing style and I like her abiding optimism. The characters here are endearing and the storyline memorable; Caught In The Rain was a refreshing read for a hot summer day.

Reviewed by Maria Osborne Perry August 6, 2002