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A Long Dark Rainbow
Alexander James, now retired, pursued a successful career as an art historian and somewhat eccentric academic. He lives in a dowdy and chaotic flat and is single. His choice. Alone, that is, except for the world of art, which can at times replace the real one. He prefers to forget his past but on dark nights it can return to haunt him.
He meets Samantha Regan by chance, at the charity shop where she volunteers. She is sophisticated, divorced and when she admits it - lonely. They had met briefly before, but even forty years on there is definitely still a spark ...
But do they really want to pursue this, now that they are in their seventies, have their own independence and after all that life has thrown at them? And of course, there is the spectre of sex; of Samantha's perception of her descent from flawless beauty to much older woman and for Alex, the issue of masculinity and performance. And if they can conquer all of that, what about the dark secrets churning inside both of them?
He meets Samantha Regan by chance, at the charity shop where she volunteers. She is sophisticated, divorced and when she admits it - lonely. They had met briefly before, but even forty years on there is definitely still a spark ...
But do they really want to pursue this, now that they are in their seventies, have their own independence and after all that life has thrown at them? And of course, there is the spectre of sex; of Samantha's perception of her descent from flawless beauty to much older woman and for Alex, the issue of masculinity and performance. And if they can conquer all of that, what about the dark secrets churning inside both of them?
310 pages, Paperback
Published September 28, 2019
4 people are currently reading
8 people want to read
About the author
Michael Tappenden
2 books21 followersMichael Tappenden attended Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical Grammar School in Kent, England, achieved post graduate qualifications, became a Member of the Chartered Society of Designers and Principal Lecturer at the University for the Creative Arts. In between he also worked within a gang of Irish labourers, dug potatoes and picked hops in the fields of Kent, worked as an assistant grave digger, a gardener, and joined the Parachute Regiment of the British Army (including a tour as part of the United Nations peacekeeping force in a civil war in Cyprus and time in the mystical deserts of the Middle East as well as involvement with the Veterans Charity) He also found time to practise as a graphic designer and to play the tenor sax with more passion than expertise and to drive very fast cars at Thruxton circuit. At the evergreen age of seventy one, he decided the time had come to write his debut novel 'Pegasus to Paradise.' The explanation for this robust CV, probably lay with his father, Ted Tappenden who, soon after midnight on June 6th 1944, landed by glider deep within enemy territory to capture what was to become known as Pegasus Bridge. The first Allied action of D-Day. His critically acclaimed novel looks at that action and at the mental damage caused by war to both the combatants and their families.
His second novel 'A Long Dark Rainbow' again looks at relationships but this time at the issues surrounding new relationships in later life (much later life) that are often seen as embarrassing or inconsequential but which can be enriching despite the possibility of dark secrets, the spectre of sex and determining the rules.
His second novel 'A Long Dark Rainbow' again looks at relationships but this time at the issues surrounding new relationships in later life (much later life) that are often seen as embarrassing or inconsequential but which can be enriching despite the possibility of dark secrets, the spectre of sex and determining the rules.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
September 16, 2021
An absolutely wonderfully delightful story about love between two old people.
Alex has never really fulfilled his potential. He felt inadequate as a young art student and abandoned drawing to become an art historian; he had an academic career but never became head of department. His love life lies far in the past and he now doubts his potential virility. Nevertheless, he talks to a statue of Dionysus and gains sufficient confidence to pursue Samantha, a divorcee, who is herself convinced that her her body can no longer attract men and that her days of romance are over. Can these two old people, emotionally and physically marked and shaped by their experiences, find shared sexual satisfaction and love?
There is a certain amount of plot involving people from Alex's unhappy past who threaten his present and future happiness but the core of this story (perfectly paced with turning points precisely at the quarter, half and three-quarter points) is an intense exploration of the developing relationship between the two protagonists. Towards the end there were even flashes of Lady Chatterley's Lover!
I was captured right from the start by the brilliantly drawn character of Alex who has an inner monologue that is fundamentally self-deprecatory and at the same time can be astute and sometimes very funny, such as: "Fear. Embarrassment. Ignorance. What effective contraception they had been." (Prologue); "Bloody memory. You spend your life filling your brain. Hour after hour after hour, learning and understanding, feeding its voracious appetite, packing tons and tons of knowledge into the bottomless pit of brain cells and then later, when you want something back… nothing. Maybe his brain was now feeding on all that information piled inside it and would only let you have the scraps it doesn’t want, like bacon rind and cherry pips. Maybe it was simply composting." (1. In the Beginning)
and "Do I need to find my higher self? If I’m honest, I’m having enough trouble with this lower one." (2. Samantha and the Wolf)
The author is particularly good at using actions and observations to represent a character's thoughts. For example, when Alex draws, his drawings represent his manhood. For example, he looks at some sketches he made when he was younger and he thinks: "This was a different me. So confident, so strong, so aware. Suddenly he felt a wave of panic wash through him. I can’t do this anymore." (6. Journeys) Later, he decides: "It will come back. Maybe the line, the marks I make will be different, not so confident but maybe I’ll see things differently now, after all this time." (6. Journeys) And Samantha wonders: "Did his pencil, long and hard and penetrating, really represent much more to him?" (6. Journeys)
Even furniture and washing up can be used to trigger thoughts regarding the effort required to start up an new relationship: "Samantha’s chair was quite different. Soft, young, excitable, waiting for the next walk in the park. Welcoming? Yes, or was that devouring? And now I’ll have to learn it all over again." (6. Journeys) "On the large oak table were the remains of their meal. She stood and looked for a while. Those were the clean, bright plates she had proudly carried in, to be enjoyed. All now stained and cold and empty. She moved to the sink, turned on the tap and placed the plates and cutlery in the hot soapy water. Something ticked nervously in her throat. She picked up the plates and slowly washed them clean; washed away every trace, made them new." (5. Secrets and Understanding)
This was an utterly delightful character-driven look at love from a perspective that is all-too-often ignored.
Alex has never really fulfilled his potential. He felt inadequate as a young art student and abandoned drawing to become an art historian; he had an academic career but never became head of department. His love life lies far in the past and he now doubts his potential virility. Nevertheless, he talks to a statue of Dionysus and gains sufficient confidence to pursue Samantha, a divorcee, who is herself convinced that her her body can no longer attract men and that her days of romance are over. Can these two old people, emotionally and physically marked and shaped by their experiences, find shared sexual satisfaction and love?
There is a certain amount of plot involving people from Alex's unhappy past who threaten his present and future happiness but the core of this story (perfectly paced with turning points precisely at the quarter, half and three-quarter points) is an intense exploration of the developing relationship between the two protagonists. Towards the end there were even flashes of Lady Chatterley's Lover!
I was captured right from the start by the brilliantly drawn character of Alex who has an inner monologue that is fundamentally self-deprecatory and at the same time can be astute and sometimes very funny, such as: "Fear. Embarrassment. Ignorance. What effective contraception they had been." (Prologue); "Bloody memory. You spend your life filling your brain. Hour after hour after hour, learning and understanding, feeding its voracious appetite, packing tons and tons of knowledge into the bottomless pit of brain cells and then later, when you want something back… nothing. Maybe his brain was now feeding on all that information piled inside it and would only let you have the scraps it doesn’t want, like bacon rind and cherry pips. Maybe it was simply composting." (1. In the Beginning)
and "Do I need to find my higher self? If I’m honest, I’m having enough trouble with this lower one." (2. Samantha and the Wolf)
The author is particularly good at using actions and observations to represent a character's thoughts. For example, when Alex draws, his drawings represent his manhood. For example, he looks at some sketches he made when he was younger and he thinks: "This was a different me. So confident, so strong, so aware. Suddenly he felt a wave of panic wash through him. I can’t do this anymore." (6. Journeys) Later, he decides: "It will come back. Maybe the line, the marks I make will be different, not so confident but maybe I’ll see things differently now, after all this time." (6. Journeys) And Samantha wonders: "Did his pencil, long and hard and penetrating, really represent much more to him?" (6. Journeys)
Even furniture and washing up can be used to trigger thoughts regarding the effort required to start up an new relationship: "Samantha’s chair was quite different. Soft, young, excitable, waiting for the next walk in the park. Welcoming? Yes, or was that devouring? And now I’ll have to learn it all over again." (6. Journeys) "On the large oak table were the remains of their meal. She stood and looked for a while. Those were the clean, bright plates she had proudly carried in, to be enjoyed. All now stained and cold and empty. She moved to the sink, turned on the tap and placed the plates and cutlery in the hot soapy water. Something ticked nervously in her throat. She picked up the plates and slowly washed them clean; washed away every trace, made them new." (5. Secrets and Understanding)
This was an utterly delightful character-driven look at love from a perspective that is all-too-often ignored.
October 21, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A tender, beautifully written exploration of love, art, and second chances
A Long Dark Rainbow is one of those rare love stories that quietly takes your breath away. Michael Tappenden has crafted a deeply human, emotionally rich novel that proves romance isn’t bound by youth, it evolves, deepens, and in some ways, becomes even more meaningful with age.
The story of Alexander James, a retired art historian haunted by his past, and Samantha Reagan, a sophisticated yet lonely woman rediscovering connection, feels so authentic and tender that you can’t help but root for them. Their chemistry is understated but powerful, and Tappenden writes with an artist’s eye every scene feels alive with texture, emotion, and atmosphere.
What I loved most is how honestly the book explores aging, vulnerability, and self-perception, subjects often brushed aside in love stories. There’s humor, melancholy, and an undercurrent of hope that lingers long after the last page.
If you enjoyed The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society or Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand, this will be right up your alley. It’s a story about rediscovery, acceptance, and the courage to love again proof that it’s never too late to find beauty in connection.
A tender, beautifully written exploration of love, art, and second chances
A Long Dark Rainbow is one of those rare love stories that quietly takes your breath away. Michael Tappenden has crafted a deeply human, emotionally rich novel that proves romance isn’t bound by youth, it evolves, deepens, and in some ways, becomes even more meaningful with age.
The story of Alexander James, a retired art historian haunted by his past, and Samantha Reagan, a sophisticated yet lonely woman rediscovering connection, feels so authentic and tender that you can’t help but root for them. Their chemistry is understated but powerful, and Tappenden writes with an artist’s eye every scene feels alive with texture, emotion, and atmosphere.
What I loved most is how honestly the book explores aging, vulnerability, and self-perception, subjects often brushed aside in love stories. There’s humor, melancholy, and an undercurrent of hope that lingers long after the last page.
If you enjoyed The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society or Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand, this will be right up your alley. It’s a story about rediscovery, acceptance, and the courage to love again proof that it’s never too late to find beauty in connection.
November 20, 2025
I found this book surprisingly rich and engaging from the very first chapters. The author’s writing is clear and inviting, creating a world that feels both familiar and layered with emotion. As the plot unfolds, it moves with a natural rhythm that keeps you invested without ever feeling rushed. What stood out most to me was the depth behind the story, the kind of message that lingers quietly in your mind long after you stop reading. It reminds you why reading is such a rewarding escape: it offers not just entertainment, but perspective, connection, and heart. This book captures all of that beautifully.
July 8, 2021
This book was a very slow burner. It did however flow along and kept me reading.
Now I will say something that probably many will find odd, but for me, I just didn't find the sexual aspect of the story believable. I am in a loving, committed relationship with a man and our sex life is non-existent. It simply isn't important to either of us. So I found it very unbelievable that two people in the twilight of their years should be that obsessed with sex.
Sags, Bags, Wrinkles sure those I believe! But some of the inner dialogues just left me shaking my head saying to myself "are there actually people who are that insecure in themselves out there?" I've NEVER mourned my body, I'm 54 years old, overweight, and look like a goddess. Perhaps not the goddess I always imagined I'd look like, but non the less a goddess which my husband adores.
All that aside, it was a fun read, and while I felt it was a bit over the top with the way the geriatric lovers were acting at times, I enjoyed the book.
Now I will say something that probably many will find odd, but for me, I just didn't find the sexual aspect of the story believable. I am in a loving, committed relationship with a man and our sex life is non-existent. It simply isn't important to either of us. So I found it very unbelievable that two people in the twilight of their years should be that obsessed with sex.
Sags, Bags, Wrinkles sure those I believe! But some of the inner dialogues just left me shaking my head saying to myself "are there actually people who are that insecure in themselves out there?" I've NEVER mourned my body, I'm 54 years old, overweight, and look like a goddess. Perhaps not the goddess I always imagined I'd look like, but non the less a goddess which my husband adores.
All that aside, it was a fun read, and while I felt it was a bit over the top with the way the geriatric lovers were acting at times, I enjoyed the book.
October 21, 2025
Michael, you’ve written something extraordinary. You’ve shown that love isn’t a chapter that closes with youth, it’s a current that keeps moving through time, deepening, darkening, and then bursting back into light.
The way you wrote Alex and Samantha raw, aging, aching, rediscovering each other broke me open. You made me believe that passion doesn’t expire; it transforms. You’ve taken something most people are afraid to talk about love and lust in later life and treated it with reverence and flame.
This isn’t just your story. It’s ours.
The way you wrote Alex and Samantha raw, aging, aching, rediscovering each other broke me open. You made me believe that passion doesn’t expire; it transforms. You’ve taken something most people are afraid to talk about love and lust in later life and treated it with reverence and flame.
This isn’t just your story. It’s ours.
November 5, 2025
A Long Dark Rainbow is such a beautifully written and touching story. I was drawn in by how real and heartfelt it feels , love, regret, and hope all wrapped together.
My granny, who’s been through a lot in life, saw herself in the characters and said it reminded her that love can find you at any age. It truly lifted her spirits.
This book is emotional, inspiring, and full of quiet beauty , one of those reads that stays with you long after you finish it.
My granny, who’s been through a lot in life, saw herself in the characters and said it reminded her that love can find you at any age. It truly lifted her spirits.
This book is emotional, inspiring, and full of quiet beauty , one of those reads that stays with you long after you finish it.
June 23, 2021
I found this book hard to get into; for me it's a slow burner.
Alex in a chance meeting, meets someone (Samantha) he knew years back. This meeting and subsequent friendship/relationships brings up memories; some magical, some painful. Together the couple discover the joys of mature love and sexual relationship.
Alex in a chance meeting, meets someone (Samantha) he knew years back. This meeting and subsequent friendship/relationships brings up memories; some magical, some painful. Together the couple discover the joys of mature love and sexual relationship.
July 8, 2021
A very different book, I enjoyed the characters (in the main) and loved the way the author showed that there was still life left in them after 50.
I found the sexual part of the book ‘odd’ but in fairness I’m in my 30’s and cannot ‘imagine’ my life at 70 so I think the oddness is a reflection of my comfort zone
A good read
I found the sexual part of the book ‘odd’ but in fairness I’m in my 30’s and cannot ‘imagine’ my life at 70 so I think the oddness is a reflection of my comfort zone
A good read
November 20, 2025
This book pulled me in with its dynamic storytelling and thoughtful pacing. The characters feel alive, and the lessons woven throughout the story stay with you without ever feeling forced. As a book lover, I really appreciated how the author keeps the narrative engaging while still offering something meaningful to reflect on
July 17, 2021
A slow burner but a really pleasant read. It's a very different story in the way that books that involve quiet a lot of empathise on sex tends to involve younger people but this is showing physical contact can be important at any age
July 22, 2021
This was an interesting read. I enjoyed reading it and it's my first book by this author. The characters were intriguing.
Read
June 25, 2021“This decidedly British second-chance romance will charm fans of love in later life.” BookLife Reviews (Publishers Weekly: June 28, 2021)
Tappenden (Pegasus to Paradise: Trauma, Survival & the Power of Love in Post-War Britain) charms in this decidedly offbeat second-chance romance, pairing an eccentric, elderly artist and the woman who got away years earlier. Nearly 70, Alexander “Alex” James is a passionate artist in the twilight of his life. On a shopping trip, he runs into divorcée Samantha Reagan, whom he last saw 40 years earlier at a gallery party, and the two soon rekindle their acquaintance. Both are somewhat wary — they’ve both been independent for ages and have their secrets (including the children Alex’s ex put up for adoption without his consent, a theme woven throughout.)
The tale starts off a bit slow, but accelerates quickly, and Tappenden, a former graphic designer and principal lecturer at the University for the Creative Arts, proves adept at genuinely surprising plot twists, particularly at the book’s conclusion. Rich prose (“He had gawped at the huge open studios bathed in northern light, reeking of turpentine and the fat richness of oil paint”) invites the reader into a sensual, colorful world, and Tappenden’s expertise on art and design lend gravitas to his Alex’s musings on artists and his passion for the medium.
Perhaps the most refreshing aspect of the novel is Tappenden’s realistic take on geriatric dating, with the inevitable and completely believable worries about body image and performance anxieties. Readers of a certain age will certainly empathize with frank descriptions of sags, bags, and wrinkles. And while second chances in both life and love are a well-worn trope, Tappenden navigates them with relative ease, especially when sharing Alex’s inner dialogue (“Am I supposed to feel like this? A geriatric James Bond?”) and Samantha’s mourning of her younger body. Readers who enjoy their romances on the quirky side — and who want to believe in love at all stages of life — will find much to relish in this insightful tale.
Takeaway: This decidedly British second-chance romance will charm fans of love in later life.
Great for fans of: Elizabeth Berg’s Never Change, Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows’ The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society; Helen Simonson’s Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand.
''An enthralling read, thoroughly recommended.'' LoveReading review (April 14 2020)
I have been waiting to read this book for a long time, so long that I almost wrote it myself. Thank you Michael Tappenden for saving me the trouble and thank you 'A Long Dark Rainbow' for being a far better read than I could have ever made of it.
This is the story of Samantha and Alex, two septuagenarians, who meet each other again by chance after forty-odd years and realise that things could have been a lot better in their lives. Both very damaged by their previous relationships, they contemplate trying again though with serious concerns about the practicalities and fears surrounding self-image, physical capabilities and emotional adaptability. It follows their journey as they define, explore and finally, with mutual support, openness and honesty, expand their boundaries, building a healing and fulfilling relationship.
The writing is explicit without being gratuitous or offensive and displays a genuine understanding of how important and difficult personal interactions are at any age but that, with advancing years, there are added dimensions that younger people might not necessarily appreciate.
The author chose a quote from the Talmud to preface his work, which sets the tone completely and is very moving. 'For the unlearned, old age is winter. For the learned, it is the season of the harvest.' Readers of a mature age will find much here that will resonate and maybe inspire, whilst younger generations will hopefully see their readers in a different light.
Tappenden (Pegasus to Paradise: Trauma, Survival & the Power of Love in Post-War Britain) charms in this decidedly offbeat second-chance romance, pairing an eccentric, elderly artist and the woman who got away years earlier. Nearly 70, Alexander “Alex” James is a passionate artist in the twilight of his life. On a shopping trip, he runs into divorcée Samantha Reagan, whom he last saw 40 years earlier at a gallery party, and the two soon rekindle their acquaintance. Both are somewhat wary — they’ve both been independent for ages and have their secrets (including the children Alex’s ex put up for adoption without his consent, a theme woven throughout.)
The tale starts off a bit slow, but accelerates quickly, and Tappenden, a former graphic designer and principal lecturer at the University for the Creative Arts, proves adept at genuinely surprising plot twists, particularly at the book’s conclusion. Rich prose (“He had gawped at the huge open studios bathed in northern light, reeking of turpentine and the fat richness of oil paint”) invites the reader into a sensual, colorful world, and Tappenden’s expertise on art and design lend gravitas to his Alex’s musings on artists and his passion for the medium.
Perhaps the most refreshing aspect of the novel is Tappenden’s realistic take on geriatric dating, with the inevitable and completely believable worries about body image and performance anxieties. Readers of a certain age will certainly empathize with frank descriptions of sags, bags, and wrinkles. And while second chances in both life and love are a well-worn trope, Tappenden navigates them with relative ease, especially when sharing Alex’s inner dialogue (“Am I supposed to feel like this? A geriatric James Bond?”) and Samantha’s mourning of her younger body. Readers who enjoy their romances on the quirky side — and who want to believe in love at all stages of life — will find much to relish in this insightful tale.
Takeaway: This decidedly British second-chance romance will charm fans of love in later life.
Great for fans of: Elizabeth Berg’s Never Change, Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows’ The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society; Helen Simonson’s Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand.
''An enthralling read, thoroughly recommended.'' LoveReading review (April 14 2020)
I have been waiting to read this book for a long time, so long that I almost wrote it myself. Thank you Michael Tappenden for saving me the trouble and thank you 'A Long Dark Rainbow' for being a far better read than I could have ever made of it.
This is the story of Samantha and Alex, two septuagenarians, who meet each other again by chance after forty-odd years and realise that things could have been a lot better in their lives. Both very damaged by their previous relationships, they contemplate trying again though with serious concerns about the practicalities and fears surrounding self-image, physical capabilities and emotional adaptability. It follows their journey as they define, explore and finally, with mutual support, openness and honesty, expand their boundaries, building a healing and fulfilling relationship.
The writing is explicit without being gratuitous or offensive and displays a genuine understanding of how important and difficult personal interactions are at any age but that, with advancing years, there are added dimensions that younger people might not necessarily appreciate.
The author chose a quote from the Talmud to preface his work, which sets the tone completely and is very moving. 'For the unlearned, old age is winter. For the learned, it is the season of the harvest.' Readers of a mature age will find much here that will resonate and maybe inspire, whilst younger generations will hopefully see their readers in a different light.
March 14, 2021
This review is for A Long Dark Rainbow by Michael Tappenden which I reviewed in September 2020 for Online Book Club. I was slightly wary before beginning this novel as some of the reviews were fairly negative but I did in fact love it. I think it may have helped that I’m from the UK, as was the author, so some of the quirky language that other reviewers mentioned, may have made more sense to me.
The novel is labelled as ‘erotic’ on the front cover and in my opinion, the majority of the descriptions are beautiful and romantic rather than vulgar. There are very few profanity occurrences and it seems that the novel is professionally edited.
There are two main characters in the story, Alex and Samantha, both in their 70s, who have found each other again after many years. The story follows their relationship as they get to know each other, learning what makes the other happy, both intimately and in their everyday lives. We also learn about what has brought them to this stage in their lives and their journeys from teenagers through to old age.
I really enjoyed Alex sharing his love of art with Samantha as she slowly begins to appreciate it in the way that he does. Alex shares his experiences with the reader, seemingly explaining that every picture tells a story, which I loved, and will perhaps now make me stop and think and actually ‘see’ a painting.
I disliked the ending the most, the story seemed to just stop which was disappointing. I actually thought there were pages missing! In my opinion, there could have been another chapter just to finalise the novel.
I think the novel would appeal to a wide range of audiences, the story is gripping and definitely makes you wonder what is going to happen next as you turn a page. Whether it makes a difference to people, that the author is from the UK I’m not sure. In my opinion, authors from the UK definitely have a different way of writing from other authors, particularly to those in the US but this doesn’t detract from the enjoyment of the novel. If you are uncomfortable reading about sex then this may not be the book for you, but it only amounts to a small proportion of the book. I would recommend this book and I will definitely be reading any other novels by Michael Tappenden.
The novel is labelled as ‘erotic’ on the front cover and in my opinion, the majority of the descriptions are beautiful and romantic rather than vulgar. There are very few profanity occurrences and it seems that the novel is professionally edited.
There are two main characters in the story, Alex and Samantha, both in their 70s, who have found each other again after many years. The story follows their relationship as they get to know each other, learning what makes the other happy, both intimately and in their everyday lives. We also learn about what has brought them to this stage in their lives and their journeys from teenagers through to old age.
I really enjoyed Alex sharing his love of art with Samantha as she slowly begins to appreciate it in the way that he does. Alex shares his experiences with the reader, seemingly explaining that every picture tells a story, which I loved, and will perhaps now make me stop and think and actually ‘see’ a painting.
I disliked the ending the most, the story seemed to just stop which was disappointing. I actually thought there were pages missing! In my opinion, there could have been another chapter just to finalise the novel.
I think the novel would appeal to a wide range of audiences, the story is gripping and definitely makes you wonder what is going to happen next as you turn a page. Whether it makes a difference to people, that the author is from the UK I’m not sure. In my opinion, authors from the UK definitely have a different way of writing from other authors, particularly to those in the US but this doesn’t detract from the enjoyment of the novel. If you are uncomfortable reading about sex then this may not be the book for you, but it only amounts to a small proportion of the book. I would recommend this book and I will definitely be reading any other novels by Michael Tappenden.
October 15, 2019
Not my usual type of read. I found myself struggling to get into the story. Alex and Samantha had met many years ago. By chance Alex met Samantha again in the charity shop where she volunteers. Since their last meeting Samantha had married a wealthy man and had two daughters. Alex had a bad experience with his girlfriend getting pregnant while they were both young. Rachel goes into premature labour with twins Georgia and Jak. It was a time where unmarried Mum’s were not the done thing. The babies are adopted out and Alex never gets the chance to see them or Rachel again. Alex never married or had other children and was really quite lonely when he finds Samantha again. The book takes you through their time together as they explore their relationship in older age. I found the ended rather abrupt after the rest of the detail in the story.
December 11, 2025
A Long Dark Rainbow is such a tender and beautifully written story. It’s not your usual, it’s honest, reflective, and full of quiet emotion. I loved how it shows that love doesn’t fade with age; it just becomes deeper and more meaningful.
The characters feel real, their connection believable, and the writing has this calm, thoughtful rhythm that stays with you. A lovely read for anyone who enjoys stories that touch the heart and celebrate love at every stage of life.
📚 Adding this to my “heartfelt reads” shelf.
The characters feel real, their connection believable, and the writing has this calm, thoughtful rhythm that stays with you. A lovely read for anyone who enjoys stories that touch the heart and celebrate love at every stage of life.
📚 Adding this to my “heartfelt reads” shelf.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews