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The Long Winter : A Post- Apocalyptic Love Story
In a world hollowed out by sickness, two survivors learn that the hardest thing to trust is the chance at something real.
Cara O’Keefe has spent her whole life hidden deep in the woods, taught to rely on no one but herself. After the world falls, solitude becomes her armor—until three strangers stumble into her territory and shift the life she’s always known.
Jay Bennett never expected to want anything again. Scarred by loss and the weight of what he couldn’t save, he’s resigned himself to simply surviving. But Cara—fierce, capable, and unexpectedly gentle—awakens a longing he thought he’d buried with the old world.
As winter locks them together in Cara’s remote cabin, the unlikely group forms a fragile new family. And somewhere between shared chores, firelight, and quiet confessions, Jay and Cara find themselves drawn toward a connection neither knows how to navigate.
But survival is never secure.
With danger moving in the frozen woods and winter finally breaking, Jay and Cara must decide if love is worth the risk,
or if trusting each other is the most dangerous choice of all.
Cara O’Keefe has spent her whole life hidden deep in the woods, taught to rely on no one but herself. After the world falls, solitude becomes her armor—until three strangers stumble into her territory and shift the life she’s always known.
Jay Bennett never expected to want anything again. Scarred by loss and the weight of what he couldn’t save, he’s resigned himself to simply surviving. But Cara—fierce, capable, and unexpectedly gentle—awakens a longing he thought he’d buried with the old world.
As winter locks them together in Cara’s remote cabin, the unlikely group forms a fragile new family. And somewhere between shared chores, firelight, and quiet confessions, Jay and Cara find themselves drawn toward a connection neither knows how to navigate.
But survival is never secure.
With danger moving in the frozen woods and winter finally breaking, Jay and Cara must decide if love is worth the risk,
or if trusting each other is the most dangerous choice of all.
416 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 10, 2026
30 people are currently reading
7 people want to read
About the author
Isla R. Quinn
6 books10 followersMom of two, wife, and unapologetic Michigan native—born and raised with the Great Lakes in my veins. I’m proud to call the Upper Peninsula home, where the air is crisp, the people wave from their porches, and every season feels like its own adventure.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
I give this book 5 stars, or should I say 5 sets of stars. For this second installment of the Sickness Series really looks at what happens after the world breaks down. Is surviving enough? What about love? Can it exist? Is it safe to love when you really feel as if you are living day to day? How do you know if you can trust someone? Especially in this post-apocalyptic world. Can you have family? Is it safe to actually start a family? What is the definition of family in this new world? What about the ‘undead’? What about nature and the snow and ice? What about raiders just trying to steal, rob, and hurt in what they feel is their right to survive? What about the ongoing need to forage and find supplies?
Well this book addresses all that and is also all about the LOVE and ROMANCE that keeps us fighting to stay alive. For what is life after all that death without love?
While I feel Book 1 is AMAZING to read first, I feel you can read this as a stand alone book and then go back to book 1 if you want history.
This book continues the story of Addy and Sawyer. They found each other and started their romance in Book 1. Here in Book 2 their relationship continues growing and they face the ongoing questions of safety and survival and more in their quest to forge a life for themselves. I was so happy that they played such a part in this book. Addy being a teacher came in quite handy with one of the new characters. For Addy and Sawyer the main question is – What will their happily ever after look like and can it even exist? Will it always be just the two of them?
However, while I love Addy & Sawyer, this book’s main focus is on Jay who we met midway through Book 1. He is an older man who was living alone in his fortified cabin after the world fell apart. In this book he falls fast and hard for Cara. Cara is significantly younger than him and grew up isolated in the wilderness. Their love is epic and true. Jay goes all out to help Cara feel safe, to trust him, and to ensure that she enjoys more than just the survivalist life she grew up in.
As I said before, Addy really plays a part in this new relationship as she is older than Cara and easily steps into the role of Big Sister or Teacher when Cara has questions about love. This relationship between the women, and the awkwardness of it all, has one laughing out loud in so many places!
Does this book 2 have ‘undead’? Raiders? Survival aspects? A new family member and a dog? Yes! But again, the romance, the sweet ‘ahhhh’ moments, and the interconnected relationship aspects are the main focus of The Long Winter in my point of view. It perfectly continues Book 1 as this band of people, friends, a true family in so many ways learn how to live together and to trust love again.
I received a free copy of this book as an ARC and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Well this book addresses all that and is also all about the LOVE and ROMANCE that keeps us fighting to stay alive. For what is life after all that death without love?
While I feel Book 1 is AMAZING to read first, I feel you can read this as a stand alone book and then go back to book 1 if you want history.
This book continues the story of Addy and Sawyer. They found each other and started their romance in Book 1. Here in Book 2 their relationship continues growing and they face the ongoing questions of safety and survival and more in their quest to forge a life for themselves. I was so happy that they played such a part in this book. Addy being a teacher came in quite handy with one of the new characters. For Addy and Sawyer the main question is – What will their happily ever after look like and can it even exist? Will it always be just the two of them?
However, while I love Addy & Sawyer, this book’s main focus is on Jay who we met midway through Book 1. He is an older man who was living alone in his fortified cabin after the world fell apart. In this book he falls fast and hard for Cara. Cara is significantly younger than him and grew up isolated in the wilderness. Their love is epic and true. Jay goes all out to help Cara feel safe, to trust him, and to ensure that she enjoys more than just the survivalist life she grew up in.
As I said before, Addy really plays a part in this new relationship as she is older than Cara and easily steps into the role of Big Sister or Teacher when Cara has questions about love. This relationship between the women, and the awkwardness of it all, has one laughing out loud in so many places!
Does this book 2 have ‘undead’? Raiders? Survival aspects? A new family member and a dog? Yes! But again, the romance, the sweet ‘ahhhh’ moments, and the interconnected relationship aspects are the main focus of The Long Winter in my point of view. It perfectly continues Book 1 as this band of people, friends, a true family in so many ways learn how to live together and to trust love again.
I received a free copy of this book as an ARC and am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 16, 2026
slow but steady…I’m still invested
he Long Winter continues the post-apocalyptic love story, this time focusing mainly on Jay and Kara. I really liked these characters and enjoyed seeing more of their relationship develop while they’re trying to survive in such a harsh world. However, this book didn’t hold my attention the same way the first one did.
What surprised me is that Book 1 seemed to have lower ratings, but I actually enjoyed it much more than Book 2. This installment felt very slow to me. The pacing dragged in several places, and I found myself skipping a number of pages just to keep the story moving. I still liked the characters, but the story just took too long to get where it was going, and I got bored at times.
One thing that keeps me interested in the series, though, is the mystery behind the sickness that wiped out so much of the population. I’m still wondering how it actually started and why some characters seem unaffected. Are Jay and Kara immune, or have they just been lucky enough not to come into contact with someone infected? The same question goes for the other survivors we’ve met along the way—I’m really curious whether they’re immune too or if they’re just surviving by chance.
Even though this book was slower than I expected, I’m still looking forward to Book 3. I want to see how the story ends and hopefully get some real answers about the sickness and what makes certain characters survive in this world.
he Long Winter continues the post-apocalyptic love story, this time focusing mainly on Jay and Kara. I really liked these characters and enjoyed seeing more of their relationship develop while they’re trying to survive in such a harsh world. However, this book didn’t hold my attention the same way the first one did.
What surprised me is that Book 1 seemed to have lower ratings, but I actually enjoyed it much more than Book 2. This installment felt very slow to me. The pacing dragged in several places, and I found myself skipping a number of pages just to keep the story moving. I still liked the characters, but the story just took too long to get where it was going, and I got bored at times.
One thing that keeps me interested in the series, though, is the mystery behind the sickness that wiped out so much of the population. I’m still wondering how it actually started and why some characters seem unaffected. Are Jay and Kara immune, or have they just been lucky enough not to come into contact with someone infected? The same question goes for the other survivors we’ve met along the way—I’m really curious whether they’re immune too or if they’re just surviving by chance.
Even though this book was slower than I expected, I’m still looking forward to Book 3. I want to see how the story ends and hopefully get some real answers about the sickness and what makes certain characters survive in this world.
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February 4, 2026This is quite an interesting book to me because while it is in the same universe as Sick(Ness), it follows different characters while still mentioning and holding space for Addy and Sawyer. In this novel, we meet Cara and learn more about Jay (a character that is introduce towards the middle of the first book). What makes The Long Winter so interesting to me is that it can be read as a stand alone, right after Sick(Ness), or before Sick(Ness). I think it’s so fun when an author plays with form like that!
Something I really enjoy about Isla Quinn’s writing is the dynamic between her characters. In this story, we see Addy take Cara under her wing as a sort of “big sister” since Cara has never known a relationship like that before. Due to that, she has all sorts of questions and moments that made me giggle and remind me about conversations with my own sister.
This story really dives into what life can be like after the world falls apart AND what happens when love persists in a perilous world.
I always enjoy a post-apocalyptic story and I always enjoy one more if it has humorous moments and beautiful love.
Thank you Isla Quinn for the ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review!
Something I really enjoy about Isla Quinn’s writing is the dynamic between her characters. In this story, we see Addy take Cara under her wing as a sort of “big sister” since Cara has never known a relationship like that before. Due to that, she has all sorts of questions and moments that made me giggle and remind me about conversations with my own sister.
This story really dives into what life can be like after the world falls apart AND what happens when love persists in a perilous world.
I always enjoy a post-apocalyptic story and I always enjoy one more if it has humorous moments and beautiful love.
Thank you Isla Quinn for the ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review!
February 22, 2026
The Long Winter deepens everything I loved about Sick(ness) - the tension, the emotional stakes, the fragile hope threaded through devastation.
Addy and Sawyer’s relationship continues to grow in a way that feels raw and believable. Their bond isn’t just romantic - it’s survival-based, layered with trauma, trust, and shared resilience. Watching them navigate love in the middle of an apocalypse is both heartbreaking and beautiful.
Cara and Jay bring a new dynamic that adds warmth and complexity to the story, and I’m already rooting for them. But Seth? Seth stole scenes the moment he stepped onto the page. I need book three immediately.
The infected are genuinely frightening - not cartoonish, but relentless and brutal. Yet what this book does so well is show that the survivors can be just as dangerous. Fear changes people. Scarcity changes people. Power changes people.
And above all of it looms the Winter. The cold is suffocating. It’s not just a setting - it’s an antagonist. Every decision feels heavier under snow and hunger.
These two books have officially convinced me that post-apocalyptic romance deserves a permanent place on my shelves.
I cannot wait to see where this series goes next.
Addy and Sawyer’s relationship continues to grow in a way that feels raw and believable. Their bond isn’t just romantic - it’s survival-based, layered with trauma, trust, and shared resilience. Watching them navigate love in the middle of an apocalypse is both heartbreaking and beautiful.
Cara and Jay bring a new dynamic that adds warmth and complexity to the story, and I’m already rooting for them. But Seth? Seth stole scenes the moment he stepped onto the page. I need book three immediately.
The infected are genuinely frightening - not cartoonish, but relentless and brutal. Yet what this book does so well is show that the survivors can be just as dangerous. Fear changes people. Scarcity changes people. Power changes people.
And above all of it looms the Winter. The cold is suffocating. It’s not just a setting - it’s an antagonist. Every decision feels heavier under snow and hunger.
These two books have officially convinced me that post-apocalyptic romance deserves a permanent place on my shelves.
I cannot wait to see where this series goes next.
March 1, 2026
I honestly didn't think I could love the second book as much as I did; but wow, this one completely proved me wrong. The Long Winter had everything I wanted; friendship, hope, love, and plenty of challenges to keep things interesting.
The plot felt spot on and kept me turning pages, but what really got me was Jay and Cara's growing relationship. Their connection just works. And honestly, who even needs book boyfriends when we've got Jay and Sawyer? They absolutely stole my heart.
Addy is such a genuinely kind woman, and seeing Seth and Watch move in has it starting to feel like the makings of an almost perfect family. I'm really hoping those two get their separate happy ending; they deserve it.
The scary moments were just the right level of creepy without being overwhelming, and even though this is set in a post-apocalyptic world, the story is full of warmth, strength, and kindness. The love scenes are beautifully written and fit the story so well.
Book 2 in this series definitely has my full approval, and I am crossing my fingers hard for a book 3. Five big stars from me.
I received this as an ARC, and my review is entirely my own and was not influenced in any way.
The plot felt spot on and kept me turning pages, but what really got me was Jay and Cara's growing relationship. Their connection just works. And honestly, who even needs book boyfriends when we've got Jay and Sawyer? They absolutely stole my heart.
Addy is such a genuinely kind woman, and seeing Seth and Watch move in has it starting to feel like the makings of an almost perfect family. I'm really hoping those two get their separate happy ending; they deserve it.
The scary moments were just the right level of creepy without being overwhelming, and even though this is set in a post-apocalyptic world, the story is full of warmth, strength, and kindness. The love scenes are beautifully written and fit the story so well.
Book 2 in this series definitely has my full approval, and I am crossing my fingers hard for a book 3. Five big stars from me.
I received this as an ARC, and my review is entirely my own and was not influenced in any way.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This book immediately follows the end of Sick(ness). I would advise to read that book first.
This story features two loves stories. We get to see the continued evolution of Sawyers and Abby and then Jay and Cara. I loved seeing more from Sawyer and Abby, even though they stole the show a bit. Jay and Cara were a very slow burn. Not only was Cara nervous about Jay, and her feeling for him, but she was nervous about Sawyer and Abby. This story focuses on the building of a found family in this new world. They encounter 'the sick' a few times but that is not the only thing to be worried about. I thought Jay and Cara were a good match for each other. Jay had so much patience and care for Cara. They have a pretty significant age gap, but it worked for these characters.
This story has a lighter/sweeter tone than the first in this series. More so because of Cara's naivete and Abby's enthusiasm for a new home. This story has more of a survival of the elements feel than post-apocalyptic survival.
I am looking forward to the next in this series.
This story features two loves stories. We get to see the continued evolution of Sawyers and Abby and then Jay and Cara. I loved seeing more from Sawyer and Abby, even though they stole the show a bit. Jay and Cara were a very slow burn. Not only was Cara nervous about Jay, and her feeling for him, but she was nervous about Sawyer and Abby. This story focuses on the building of a found family in this new world. They encounter 'the sick' a few times but that is not the only thing to be worried about. I thought Jay and Cara were a good match for each other. Jay had so much patience and care for Cara. They have a pretty significant age gap, but it worked for these characters.
This story has a lighter/sweeter tone than the first in this series. More so because of Cara's naivete and Abby's enthusiasm for a new home. This story has more of a survival of the elements feel than post-apocalyptic survival.
I am looking forward to the next in this series.
March 26, 2026
I love how emotional and raw this series is. Most post ap romance center around fear and finding some way to pass the time but this one is so much more! i really love that! We get found family and a centralized want of something more than just survival. This merry little band if misfits find their way the best they can in a broken world. Theres something so profoundly interesting about how people choose to behave when the world ceases!
February 19, 2026
good!
Good!! A little all over the place but I really enjoyed it! Would love another book about Seth! Maybe more zombie action too!
Good!! A little all over the place but I really enjoyed it! Would love another book about Seth! Maybe more zombie action too!
February 19, 2026
Love this series. I enjoyed getting to know Jay better and I will love Sawyer and Addy forever!!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews