One very brief reference sets After the Rainin the eastern United States, where Rachel and her parents live in a house within walking distance of her grandfather's apartment. Weightier concerns with juvenile delinquency, drugs, or poverty do not burden this contemporary middle-class setting, where understanding and perseverance promise to resolve the internal and interpersonal conflicts.

The significant events described in the novel occur within a crucial ten-week period that alters Rachel's life forever.

Set in the present day, the story handles timeless themes of growth and maturity.

The narrative begins when the Coopers learn that Rachel's maternal grandfather will probably die within three months. As the Coopers cope with the imminent loss, they reexamine themselves and their relationships.