The Third Act

by Emily Banting

At the suggestion of her daughter, Amy, widowed Fiona attends an art course at the local college where she meets the confident, inspirational teacher, Raye.
Raye awakens feelings long suppressed, but as Fiona rediscovers her sexuality, fear grows over how Amy will react.
Can Fiona find the courage to follow her heart, or will she be destined to spend her third act alone?
Available to download on my website.

“We’re women of a certain age, from a bygone age, living in a new age. We owe it to ourselves to make our final years as full and authentic as we have the energy for.”

Genres: Romance, LGBT, Contemporary, Queer, Lesbian, Lesbian Fiction, Lesbian Romance

221 pages, ebook

Published September 1, 2021

About the author

Emily Banting is an award-winning and bestselling author of contemporary sapphic romance featuring LGBTQ+ characters and plenty of British humour. History obsessed, she throws her sapphic leading ladies into historic buildings and environments at every opportunity, and believes strongly in representing women over forty in literature.

Broken Beyond Repair received the following awards:

GOLDIE WINNER 2024: AUDIOBOOK NARRATOR (ANGELA DAWE)
GOLDIE WINNER 2023: THE ANN BANNON POPULAR CHOICE BRONZE AWARD
WINNER OF THE LESFIC BARD AWARD 2022: ROMANCE
WINNER OF THE LESFIC BARD AWARD 2022: COVER DESIGN
WINNER OF THE QUEER INDIE AWARDS 2022: CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE

And a 2023 GCLS Goldie finalist in
CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE LONG NOVEL

The second book in the South Downs Romance Series was a 2024 GCLS Goldie finalist in CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE LONG NOVEL 2024

Join her Readers’ Club and receive a free sapphic novella www.emilybanting.co.uk/freebook

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Find her here:

WEBSITE - emilybanting.co.uk

FACEBOOK - @emilybantingauthor

TWITTER - @Emily_Banting

INSTAGRAM - @emilybanting

TIKTOK - @emilybantingauthor

AMAZON - www.amazon.com/author/emilybanting

GOODREADS - goodreads.com/Emily_Banting

BOOKBUB - bookbub.com/authors/emily-banting

Reviews

[Loek Krancher · Rating 4 out of 5]

After a marriage of 50 years, moving on can be difficult and opening up again takes time but it's never too late for changes. I loved that the characters are both in their 70's and that they are still open to love and desire. The Third Act (free ebook) is a lighthearted, heartwarming and well written story and my first book (and certainly not the last) by this author. It was a very enjoyable read.

[Anna Avian · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very well written, heartwarming novella that challenges the absurd belief that people over a certain age are "too old" to crave intimacy, to start fresh and fall in love. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and I wish it was longer.

[AnnMaree Of Oz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this novella by signing up to the authors newsletter, and I'm looking forward to their next release later this month.
https://www.emilybanting.co.uk/freebook

This features older ladies in their 70's. Fiona is lonely after the passing of her husband of 50 years and joins an art class, only to find a long awakened attraction to the female teacher, Raye. Raye in turn is quite taken with Fiona, and the two struggle to overcome lifelong societal expectations to make a relationship work between them.

Very poignant.

[Agirlcandream · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent novella. Fiona, widowed after fifty years of marriage, is encouraged by her daughter to take some art classes to get her out of the house and hopefully meeting new people. Her night school instructor, Raye is drawn to this reserved woman, convincing Fiona that this third act in her life is one she should embrace fully. Can you follow your heart after decades of doing what was expected of you?

This one hit way too close to home. An engaging look into the small life of an elderly women given a second chance at love. Well done.

[Kay read by Gloria · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Third Act by Emily Banting: A beautiful story of love knowing no age. Fiona and Raye find themselves in an art class and making eye contact. 5 stars and very worth the read. It is very worth the read and make sure you bring the tissue. I will be reading more of Emily Banting.

[Guerunche · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars

I love seeing romances with characters in their advanced years! This was an enjoyable short story.

Also - Banting’s full length novels are great and I highly recommend them.

[Vita L. Licari · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love that this about 2 vibrant women in their 70s! Fiona is a widow of about 1 yr, after a 53 yr marriage. But, she'd had a girlfriend before she married her husband. Now, at the insistence of her daughter Amy, she takes an art class, and meets Raye an out lesbian. This is a glorious story!

[Lyn Denison · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable short read with interesting characters. Quite refreshing to read about older women. (We need love, too😀.) All very believable with a satisfying ending. Glad I read it.

[Misha · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was fine. I generally don't like romance novellas for exactly the reason I didn't enjoy this one as much: too short to have any kind of deeper character development or fleshing out of the relationship. It feels like the two women meet, are immediately interested in each other and ten pages later, suddenly throwing the L word around too. There is very mild conflict and none of it really sustained my interest but it was a really short and easy read.

[L A Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a story about older females. For me that is so nice. Fiona has lost the love of her life. A male. She is struggling to find purpose again. Raye an out and proud
lesbian is an art teacher. There is an immediate and strong connection. This book is well written and smooth read. I felt so for Fiona. I wanted her to have her new beginning. I could feel her fear. Raye is a wonderful strong person. I could tell how much she cares. I highly recommend.

[nehir · Rating 2 out of 5]

i really wanted to love this book as it is about two women in their seventies falling in love with each other, but i was very disappointed.
what i hated the most was the way raye acted towards fiona. she kept pushing fiona to things that fiona was not ready for and i felt so uncomfortable about it. she had a way of treating fiona like she was a little kid.
i know the whole "u-hauling" thing is common within the gay community but i thought it'd be different for women in their seventies. i really wanted to see the process of their interest towards each other but it all felt so rushed.
every part of the book felt so rushed and lacked depth in my opinion, even when raye and fiona were having "deep conversations" it felt like raye was patronizing towards fiona.
i literally read the whole book feeling sorry for how fiona was being treated.

[Emily Banting]

If you would like a copy of this free sapphic novella please visit my website https://www.emilybanting.co.uk

Also check out...

Lost in Love, the first book in the Nunswick Abbey Series
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09GDGYFZS

Book two in the series, Trust in Truth.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09H7R4MGX

Book three in the series, Forgive not Forget.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09MJ35KKK

The series will be available on ebook, paperback and Kindle Unlimited

I hope you enjoy reading about Anna and Katherine's journey together.

[Andie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book! Great story line, well developed characters and beautifully crafted.
It is really refreshing to see the older lesbian represented for a change ! I would definitely recommend Emily’s writing , she is very gifted. I can’t wait to read her next book!

[Lorraine Rusnack · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great story about women in their later years who still have desires. Rage is look for someone to love in the years she has remaining. Fiona wants to start living again and takes an art class that reminds her of her old self. It beautiful to see these two women fall in love and begin again.

[Amber · Rating 2 out of 5]

The premise of the book sounded interesting and I really wanted to like it. I did at first, but then the romance became so rushed there was barely any chemistry and it started feeling like these women really found “the one”. Also, the story is weird towards bisexuality. Raye’s friends are surprised Fiona was married to a man for 50+ years while she is bisexual, Raye herself calls herself a lesbian while she’s bi because she’s done with men, Fiona seems to believe that because she was with a man, she was never fully herself. At some point in the novella, Fiona literally hoovers up her husband’s ashes and that’s told to be a sign to move on… this was honestly quite weird to me. Raye being jealous because she sees the wedding pictures was also weird in my opinion. The worst thing, however, was when Fiona was basically wishing she’d not had her daughter because she met Raye’s friends. I also just felt like the characters didn’t authentically feel like their age sometimes, as if the intention to write a story about two older women falling in love was there, but then the writer just didn’t put herself into their shoes enough at times.

In short, while the story had a really promising premise, it fell short on its potential.

[Jamie (TheRebelliousReader) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars. This was beautifully written and emotional. I just wish it were longer because that ending left me wanting more. This is a later in life romance between widower Fiona and art teacher Raye. I liked the way Fiona’s sexuality was handled and how she had to come terms with it and I loved the way Raye was so patient and understanding. I liked their chemistry a lot and found their romance to be so sweet. The ending made me smile but like I said I want more of these two.

[Klarissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was absolutely wonderful, I only wish it were longer. It was very moving.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fiona has been widowed a year after a fifty year marriage. She has never worked outside the home. A typical woman of her times, she stayed home, raised her child and took care of her hubby and home. Her fifty something daughter encourages her to take an art course. Something she enjoyed before she married.

Her art teacher, Raye sees her great potential and the two older women immediately connect. Raye is out and proud, while Fiona has hidden away her desires all these years. Will she finally overcome societal expectations and take that leap of faith while she's in the third act of her life?

I love that these characters are in their seventies and still crave intimacy and connection. The human spirit is never too old for that! And it's good to remember that love is love. This story is beautifully written and makes this reader want to read something else by this new author to me!

[Maricarl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was really to give this book a chance for me to read. Although it was free a book I didn't expect what the story is all about of course until I read it.
I love how the story flows.
I love how art has been explored in the story and how it was very informative as well. I guess I have soft spot with art.
I guess it's true that on your third act you wouldn'twaste any time if find that connection with another person you will grab it and spend what was left of your life with that person❤

[Sidereal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first piece of romance literature I've read with characters in their later years, and I'm absolutely stunned. This gem gave me warm, fuzzy feelings as I read it all in one go. It gave me something to think about; something that stays with me.

I'm elated to know that it's getting a short film adaptation.

[Lynn (Tygeren70) Heilesen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Truly enjoyed this heartfelt novella about two older women in their 70's meeting each other and taking steps toward finding love. It's beautifully written and really focuses on Fiona's fears and Raye's hope as they learn more about each other. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author after getting this book free.

[Chloe Keto · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a sweet, older generation, sort of second chance but not quite love story. Raye, the eccentric art teacher and Fiona, the lost widow, are lovely characters who deserve happiness.

A low angst novella that gives you a warm glow of sweetness.

[Doreen HOWARD · Rating 4 out of 5]

So good to read a story about women loving women in their later year's. Well written and I may just read more of her work. 😊

[Marian · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book with a message that age doesn't matter and that you can love after loss and grief.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is very well written and touching. My only complaint is that it was too short! I look forward to reading more stories by this author.

[Candice · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very lovely story with relatable characters and a positive outcome! Thanks Emily!

[Charlotte · Rating 2 out of 5]

Loved the premise of the book but not the execution. I know it’s a novella but this was so rushed, that I really didn’t get the chance to feel any chemistry between Fiona and Raye

[Monique S. · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 10%.

I have only started this book and am already dropping it, because I have no time for the underlying belief, that growing older than 55 years of age means getting frail, ill, even.

I am 68 years of age and I still climb my best friends roof to mend storm damage, can walk a long distance path with a heavy backpack for hours, and work ouside building things with more endurance as a lot of people less than a third of my age, even males.

This whole old and frail thing in my opinion is nothing but a belief system of a society, that has become complacent, even loving vampyric structures like today's medicine, pharmaceutical industry and "corporate culture"!

So, no, the way this tale starts is not at all to my taste!

[Maya Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can say with total honesty: I have never read a book or novella like this. “This” being a romance between two women in their later years. And…I kind of really want more.

There was such a different feel compared to standard romances. The conflict felt natural: Fiona reflecting on her 50 year marriage as a newly widowed woman while working out her issues regarding her sexuality / how she both is perceived by others and how she perceives herself, with the added problem of her the possibility of her daughter learning about (and reacting negatively to) Fiona’s relationship.

Okay, so maybe I cannot summarize it as well as Emily Banting can write it. That does not faze me one bit. I adored “Broken Beyond Repair,” and very much look forward to the Nunswick Abbey series!!