Review by Dominik_G -- A Long Dark Rainbow
Posted: 30 Jul 2020, 14:38
[Following is a volunteer review of "A Long Dark Rainbow" by Michael Tappenden.]
Michael Tappenden's A Long Dark Rainbow is a romance novel following the story of an elderly couple: Alex, a retired art historian, and Samantha, a wealthy divorcee.
When Alex and Samantha run into each other at the charity shop where Samantha works, a dormant flame awakens between them almost immediately - one they've been carrying around for almost 40 years now. Even though they've both been living alone for a long time and have their set routines and the comfortable knowledge that they are the sole masters of their own space and lifestyle, they are also aware of the sacrifice this freedom comes with: loneliness. Cautiously but full of hope and wonder, they give their attraction a chance, and what follows is a heartfelt tale about how they navigate the many hardships and pleasures of a new relationship.
The book mostly focuses on the characters' emotional lives and thought processes, along with slowly emerging details of their past which still has a meaningful impact on their present actions and expectations.
What I enjoyed the most about the book was its eye-opening quality: in our society, it's natural to treat old people as almost invisible, as "less than" the younger ones still bursting with vitality. Alex and Samantha's story stands this notion on its head, and rightly so. Undoubtedly, their age plays a major role in how they perceive themselves and live through their experiences. However, their ultimate needs, desires, fears, and joys do not differ from anybody else's. They too long for intellectually and emotionally satisfying company, and physical closeness, even sex. Our own ignorance stares us in the face again and again as we read on, and forces us to reevaluate our beliefs and how we look at our fellow humans - and I believe this is exactly what a great book needs to do. Besides all this, I also found the two protagonists highly relatable and sympathetic, and I enjoyed their openness and willingness to explore themselves and each other.
All in all, I'm happy to give A Long Dark Rainbow a perfect rating of 4 out of 4 stars. It's a thought-provoking and gentle account of intimacy. I have only found a few typos or errors throughout the text, which did not diminish my enjoyment of it at all. There is occasional profanity but nothing excessive, and there are several scenes depicting in-depth erotic moments and actions. However, the author makes sure to portray them as meaningful and natural at all times, and they never become pornographic or exploitative.
I recommend Michael Tappenden's book to readers drawn to sensitively written, slow-paced romance and erotic novels, and to those who wish to give themselves over to a story which offers important lessons about being human.
******
A Long Dark Rainbow
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Michael Tappenden's A Long Dark Rainbow is a romance novel following the story of an elderly couple: Alex, a retired art historian, and Samantha, a wealthy divorcee.
When Alex and Samantha run into each other at the charity shop where Samantha works, a dormant flame awakens between them almost immediately - one they've been carrying around for almost 40 years now. Even though they've both been living alone for a long time and have their set routines and the comfortable knowledge that they are the sole masters of their own space and lifestyle, they are also aware of the sacrifice this freedom comes with: loneliness. Cautiously but full of hope and wonder, they give their attraction a chance, and what follows is a heartfelt tale about how they navigate the many hardships and pleasures of a new relationship.
The book mostly focuses on the characters' emotional lives and thought processes, along with slowly emerging details of their past which still has a meaningful impact on their present actions and expectations.
What I enjoyed the most about the book was its eye-opening quality: in our society, it's natural to treat old people as almost invisible, as "less than" the younger ones still bursting with vitality. Alex and Samantha's story stands this notion on its head, and rightly so. Undoubtedly, their age plays a major role in how they perceive themselves and live through their experiences. However, their ultimate needs, desires, fears, and joys do not differ from anybody else's. They too long for intellectually and emotionally satisfying company, and physical closeness, even sex. Our own ignorance stares us in the face again and again as we read on, and forces us to reevaluate our beliefs and how we look at our fellow humans - and I believe this is exactly what a great book needs to do. Besides all this, I also found the two protagonists highly relatable and sympathetic, and I enjoyed their openness and willingness to explore themselves and each other.
All in all, I'm happy to give A Long Dark Rainbow a perfect rating of 4 out of 4 stars. It's a thought-provoking and gentle account of intimacy. I have only found a few typos or errors throughout the text, which did not diminish my enjoyment of it at all. There is occasional profanity but nothing excessive, and there are several scenes depicting in-depth erotic moments and actions. However, the author makes sure to portray them as meaningful and natural at all times, and they never become pornographic or exploitative.
I recommend Michael Tappenden's book to readers drawn to sensitively written, slow-paced romance and erotic novels, and to those who wish to give themselves over to a story which offers important lessons about being human.
******
A Long Dark Rainbow
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon