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Turner's Rainbows Saga #1
The Rainbow Season
Luke Turner
An outcast, they called him "bad blood" from his boyhood in a tarpaper shack to his nights in a prison cell.
Sarah McGowan
Her roots were deep in the Texas soil. But her secret shameful love for her sister's husband kept her from happiness.
Pride and their love of the Texas land threw them together in an unlikely marriage. Then, as unexpectedly as a spring flood, long pent-up passion exploded in a storm that was to consume them both...
An outcast, they called him "bad blood" from his boyhood in a tarpaper shack to his nights in a prison cell.
Sarah McGowan
Her roots were deep in the Texas soil. But her secret shameful love for her sister's husband kept her from happiness.
Pride and their love of the Texas land threw them together in an unlikely marriage. Then, as unexpectedly as a spring flood, long pent-up passion exploded in a storm that was to consume them both...
320 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 1979
25 people are currently reading
914 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Gregory
15 books33 followersPseudonym of Candace Camp
Candace Pauline Camp was born on May 23, 1949 in Amarillo, Texas, U.S.A.. The youngest of three children born into a newspaper family -- her mother, Lula Mae (Irons) Camp, had been a reporter and her father, Grady Camp, was the business manager of the Amarillo, Texas, newspaper -- some of Candace's earliest memories are of making up stories which she played out on the floor of their den with whatever objects were handy. She cannot remember a time when she was not interested in creating stories. She began writing down her stories when she was about 10, and from then on writing was her favorite form of relaxation. Explains Candace: "I was always very shy and did not talk much. However, in written form, I could express all my thoughts and feelings."
Writing remained only a hobby, though, as Candace attended college at the University of Texas at Austin and West Texas State University, then became a secondary teacher in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. She later moved to North Carolina, where she worked in the trust department of a bank. It was there that she discovered the romance novel in modern form and started to write her first romance. She also began law school at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and while she was there, she finished her first novel, entitled Bonds of Love, that was published by Jove Publishing in 1978, under the pseudonym Lisa Gregory. Candace credits the rigorous training of law school with teaching her the discipline necessary to finish a book. She gave up the practice of law to devote her time to writing. Two pseudonyms later (Kristin James and Sharon Stephens), Candace writes under her own name Candace Camp-- and still loves creating stories.
Candace is married since 1980 with Pete Hopcus, and they had a daughter Anastasia Hopcus in 1982, who had started on her own career path in the field of acting and now also writes young adult novels.
Candace Pauline Camp was born on May 23, 1949 in Amarillo, Texas, U.S.A.. The youngest of three children born into a newspaper family -- her mother, Lula Mae (Irons) Camp, had been a reporter and her father, Grady Camp, was the business manager of the Amarillo, Texas, newspaper -- some of Candace's earliest memories are of making up stories which she played out on the floor of their den with whatever objects were handy. She cannot remember a time when she was not interested in creating stories. She began writing down her stories when she was about 10, and from then on writing was her favorite form of relaxation. Explains Candace: "I was always very shy and did not talk much. However, in written form, I could express all my thoughts and feelings."
Writing remained only a hobby, though, as Candace attended college at the University of Texas at Austin and West Texas State University, then became a secondary teacher in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. She later moved to North Carolina, where she worked in the trust department of a bank. It was there that she discovered the romance novel in modern form and started to write her first romance. She also began law school at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and while she was there, she finished her first novel, entitled Bonds of Love, that was published by Jove Publishing in 1978, under the pseudonym Lisa Gregory. Candace credits the rigorous training of law school with teaching her the discipline necessary to finish a book. She gave up the practice of law to devote her time to writing. Two pseudonyms later (Kristin James and Sharon Stephens), Candace writes under her own name Candace Camp-- and still loves creating stories.
Candace is married since 1980 with Pete Hopcus, and they had a daughter Anastasia Hopcus in 1982, who had started on her own career path in the field of acting and now also writes young adult novels.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
February 11, 2015
The Rainbow Season by Lisa Gregory (aka Candace Camp ) is one of the books that made me want to be a writer. As a matter of fact, I attended my first writer's conference because Candace Camp was going to be speaking. I won't tell you how long ago that was...but this book still sits on my keeper shelf! #RomanceWeek15
May 24, 2024
Talk about a misleading cover! Here I was, thinking this was going to be one of those trashy guilty pleasures, and it ended being one of the sweetest, small town, aw shucks, love stories with just cute as buttons, really likable protagonists. It reminded me in some ways of LaVyrle Spencer's Morning Glory, a highly rated romance with a similar plot and themes but that one fell short for me because it was too hokey and saccharine. Here, on the other hand, I feel that the sweetness was balanced in just the right way by the characterizations of two people who are far from perfect, who struggle with every-day human feelings of anger, jealousy, etc., and overcome real conflicts before obtaining their well-deserved rainbow.
September 9, 2018
This was quite a sweet read. Returned bad boy. The town looks down their noses at him. He always maintained his innocence and some folks believe him. He is given a second chance by the McGowan family.
"Wait a minute, boy," McGowan said. "If you want to work for me, you can't be so all-fired jumpy."
Luke was a bit jumpy alright. He felt the world was out to get him.
One of the reasons I picked it is that Karen loved it and SANDRA BROWN loved it too and she has been one of my favourite authors over the years.
For a book written nearly 40 years ago the sex scenes were quite intense!
Overall, an enjoyable read. I would love to read the next book about Luke's sister. Must check what the credit on Amazon is like!!
November 16, 2022
3.7 stars
*This is a TBRChallenge review, there will be spoilers, I don't spoil everything but enough, because I treat these reviews as a bookclub discussion.
"That Turner boy is back."
I originally had a different book picked out for this month's theme, Lies, but it was a HarperCollins and I'm not reading or reviewing any from that publisher until they agree to a deal that pays their employees a fair living wage. On short notice, I decided to go with The Rainbow Season, one that I have seen so many talk about. It's romance, it has to have a lie in there somewhere right? Well, I'm going to say this fits the theme of Lies because our main male character, Luke Turner, was accused and found guilty of rape when he was eighteen years old but he was innocent. Not a particular lie that feels great to read about right now and especially in the way the woman who accused him of the rape is talked about, she's apparently “loose” with her morals and known to sleep with a bunch of men, so the thought is, “Why would Luke have to rape her?”. I cringed every time that character and prevailing thought was mentioned but the author used Luke's jail time and false accusation more to bring in the discussion that because Luke was from the other side of the tracks, poor and having an alcoholic father, he must be guilty. Blood tells, right? Luke's whole struggle was internalizing that hate and disgust from the townspeople but trying to show he didn't care, while obviously feeling so, and eventually gaining strength from the trust and love he got from Sarah and her family.
"People always expected him to be bad, just because he was Turner's boy,"
The book starts with Luke getting out of jail, he was eighteen when he was found guilty and now twenty-three. The town gossip rushes to tell Sarah and her older sister Jennifer. This is where the author really pushes how Sarah pales in comparison in the looks department to her older sister and we learn that at sixteen, Sarah fell in love with Jennifer's eventual husband Stu. It's pretty obvious Sarah's love is more school girl crush, hero worship because Jennifer has a family, love and care, that Sarah wants and she sees Stu as the giver of that. At twenty-five Sarah feels like she's already an old maid and even though one of Stu's friends is trying to court her, she doesn't really like him. Sarah lives at home with her parents and it's a situation of idolizing Stu and Jennifer in school girl way and because of that focus on Stu, not being able to open her eyes to any other man.
Sarah felt a sort of kinship to outlaw types like Digger Turner. There were times when she, too, felt excluded and looked down upon, overshadowed as she had always been by her sister.
Luke goes around town trying to find a farm to hire out to and Sarah's father ends up being the only one to hire him. I loved Henry, the father. He has this little speech: How do you think you would have done, Stu, if you had grown up in a tarpaper shack instead of that nice house your parents own? Or if you had had a drunken loafer for a father instead of a respected citizen and store owner?"
Stu, of course, still can't look past his own prejudices, along with a lot of the town and some from Sarah's mom and sister, which leaves Henry and Sarah being the ones left to try and warm up to Luke. I loved how the author showed why Sarah might be open to Luke right away. Sarah feeling like she doesn't match up to her sister in the looks department but also giving us a look into Sarah's inner thoughts of how she's got a “dark side” to her thoughts and emotions. The dark side is mostly Sarah having sexual desire or the wicked thoughts of coveting her sister's husband, again, mostly the ideal of Jennifer's situation. Oh the wonders of sex ed and informing girls/women of their own bodies and not repressing or shaming; this is mostly Sarah's issues. It works to draw her and open her up to Luke.
It was just that sometimes he had to hit something or he would go crazy.
When Henry hires Luke on at the farm, we get a better look at him. How his pride has him trying to work twice as hard to prove he's not one of those “lazy good for nothing Turners” but this pride also works against him as the insults rile him up and the anger has him also wanting to show them all that they're right. Luke has a temper that has him either running away when he gets steamed or getting into fights. His young age and background of growing up with abuse give layers to his emotional immaturity and as he gets shown trust and love from Sarah and her family, you can see him grow from the experiences. He does have some volatility to his personality that caused a good amount of melodrama, especially in the latter second half. But what comes through the most, was his sweetness. He's that lost little hurt boy that is just begging for love and affection. Probably a thesis is required on how he fits the “But I can change him!”, the most important thing is that he never abuses Sarah in any physical or emotional way. His mess ups are running when his own insecurities take over his reason. His fighting men, is his release for all the emotional turmoil inside.
The dangerous Luke Turner, indeed— blushing and scrabbling for his shirt because a lady had seen him barechested.
Eventually, Luke breaks his foot and he's forced to stay in a room above the barn, making him stay in Sarah's orbit so they can get to know each other more. Sarah being older, by two years, and being the one coming from the loving family gave her the advantage with Luke, which I think was important since he has that rape accusation, even though the reader knows it is false. She's the one who has the edge and most of the control and Luke is almost scared of her because he doesn't want to lose how she looks at him, like a normal human being worthy of respect. He's of course physically attracted to her but places her respect above that. Lead by Henry and Sarah, her parents eventually grow to trust Luke enough that when they leave for a two day trip, they leave Luke to watch over Sarah alone. And as parents are wont to do in romances, they end up dying to help along our main couple's relationship. In a scene that was pretty emotionally powerful: Something broke in him at the wild, desperate look in her eyes, and he squatted beside her, taking her face between his hands. "I'll find her, Sarah. All right? Don't fret, I'll get her out."
It's pouring rain and Sarah's looking at the body of her father who drowned and people are saying it's too dangerous to find her mother's body but all Luke sees is no one comforting Sarah and how numb and lost she is and knowing how important it is to her that her mother's body is recovered. Luke slings a rope around his waist to dive repeatedly in the river, almost dying to recover her mother. It was a storm pounding rush feeling but the emotion underneath throbbed, I teared up.
He looked at her; for an instant Sarah saw the sparkle of a tear in his eye and she hurt for all his hard, lonely past.
With her parents gone, everyone around Sarah is saying she's going to have to sell the farm and live with Jennifer and Stu. Sarah hates this idea because she loves the farm and also thinks of how hard it would be to live with a man she covets. Sarah gets a little tipsy with Luke to drown some of her sorrow and they come up with the idea to marry. At 50% we get our marriage of convenience. Of course, everyone is up in arms over her wanting to marry Luke, which fires up her stubbornness and makes her want to do it even more. She ends up telling Luke her feelings for Stu and this crushes him a bit but he still agrees to marry her because while he has the beginnings of feelings for her, he's telling himself it's to protect her and he'll have a farm. These silly kids go for awhile liking their friendship marriage but slowly the sexual tension is getting too thick to breathe in.
She laughed, and he, after adjusting his gloves and wiping the sweat from his forehead, went back to cutting wood. Sarah sat down beneath the elm and leaned against the trunk, content to sit and watch the beautiful symmetry of his movement as he arched back and up, then flung his axe down to bite into the log. He split each piece neatly, then tossed it on the pile and set another in its place to be split. His motions were precise, economical, and steady. There were doubtless many things she ought to be doing, but Sarah decided not to think about them. She preferred to sit here lazily and dream and watch Luke work.
Honestly, everyone should just chop wood in front of whoever they want to attract, works every time. This middle second half got a little slow for me with some melodrama vibes but there were some good scenes in there with Sarah forcing Luke to introduce her to his family and new neighbors moving in to force a one bed situation. When Luke gets tipsy from a party at the neighbors, it makes all his pent up desire spill over and we get their first sex scene. Sarah's into it but battles those feelings of shame and fear because of her society's teachings and ignorance. Luke's too tipsy to go slow for Sarah to work through what she's feeling and the beginning has some uncomfortable vibes but Sarah physically likes the sensations, if not mentally and emotionally allowing herself too. Towards the end, she starts to get into it but then it's all over. The next morning has Sarah remembering the night in a positive light, which I'm not sure felt right but she's too embarrassed to face Luke and goes to the kitchen. Luke of course wakes up and starts the self-loathing and interrupts Sarah's feelings of embarrassment as fear for what he did and does his best to not be in her presence for days, the whole running from his emotions and situations thing. Sarah thinks Luke is disgusted with himself and her feelings of always paling in comparison to her sister has her interpreting his feelings as not being attracted to her.
To none of them could he confide his innermost dreams and fears and emotions, and so with them he always felt a certain separateness, aloneness.
Since Sarah is the one the author wisely gave control to, she's the one to try and break the disconnect and begins teasing Luke, trying to get him to touch her the way he did that night. The ending has them reconnecting, disconnecting as Sarah's confession of loving Stu misinterprets a moment for Luke, and finally through a drought reconnecting to their happily ever after. This was a very good story about impetuous young love, the newness of certain feelings having to be worked through because of immaturity and Luke not having a foundation and experience of love. What stuck out the most to me was how sweet, earnest, and gentle the tone of the story was, especially Luke's character. For me, a romance mostly shines by how much I believe in the leads' love, do they fit together, what draws and keeps them together, and their chemistry. Sarah and Luke had me tearing up and smiling, I felt and believed in their emotions. The sequel looks to be about Luke's sister Julia, we never meet this character but hear about she was forced into marriage to escape having a baby out of wedlock, and I'm definitely going to pick up that one after how good this one was.
*This is a TBRChallenge review, there will be spoilers, I don't spoil everything but enough, because I treat these reviews as a bookclub discussion.
"That Turner boy is back."
I originally had a different book picked out for this month's theme, Lies, but it was a HarperCollins and I'm not reading or reviewing any from that publisher until they agree to a deal that pays their employees a fair living wage. On short notice, I decided to go with The Rainbow Season, one that I have seen so many talk about. It's romance, it has to have a lie in there somewhere right? Well, I'm going to say this fits the theme of Lies because our main male character, Luke Turner, was accused and found guilty of rape when he was eighteen years old but he was innocent. Not a particular lie that feels great to read about right now and especially in the way the woman who accused him of the rape is talked about, she's apparently “loose” with her morals and known to sleep with a bunch of men, so the thought is, “Why would Luke have to rape her?”. I cringed every time that character and prevailing thought was mentioned but the author used Luke's jail time and false accusation more to bring in the discussion that because Luke was from the other side of the tracks, poor and having an alcoholic father, he must be guilty. Blood tells, right? Luke's whole struggle was internalizing that hate and disgust from the townspeople but trying to show he didn't care, while obviously feeling so, and eventually gaining strength from the trust and love he got from Sarah and her family.
"People always expected him to be bad, just because he was Turner's boy,"
The book starts with Luke getting out of jail, he was eighteen when he was found guilty and now twenty-three. The town gossip rushes to tell Sarah and her older sister Jennifer. This is where the author really pushes how Sarah pales in comparison in the looks department to her older sister and we learn that at sixteen, Sarah fell in love with Jennifer's eventual husband Stu. It's pretty obvious Sarah's love is more school girl crush, hero worship because Jennifer has a family, love and care, that Sarah wants and she sees Stu as the giver of that. At twenty-five Sarah feels like she's already an old maid and even though one of Stu's friends is trying to court her, she doesn't really like him. Sarah lives at home with her parents and it's a situation of idolizing Stu and Jennifer in school girl way and because of that focus on Stu, not being able to open her eyes to any other man.
Sarah felt a sort of kinship to outlaw types like Digger Turner. There were times when she, too, felt excluded and looked down upon, overshadowed as she had always been by her sister.
Luke goes around town trying to find a farm to hire out to and Sarah's father ends up being the only one to hire him. I loved Henry, the father. He has this little speech: How do you think you would have done, Stu, if you had grown up in a tarpaper shack instead of that nice house your parents own? Or if you had had a drunken loafer for a father instead of a respected citizen and store owner?"
Stu, of course, still can't look past his own prejudices, along with a lot of the town and some from Sarah's mom and sister, which leaves Henry and Sarah being the ones left to try and warm up to Luke. I loved how the author showed why Sarah might be open to Luke right away. Sarah feeling like she doesn't match up to her sister in the looks department but also giving us a look into Sarah's inner thoughts of how she's got a “dark side” to her thoughts and emotions. The dark side is mostly Sarah having sexual desire or the wicked thoughts of coveting her sister's husband, again, mostly the ideal of Jennifer's situation. Oh the wonders of sex ed and informing girls/women of their own bodies and not repressing or shaming; this is mostly Sarah's issues. It works to draw her and open her up to Luke.
It was just that sometimes he had to hit something or he would go crazy.
When Henry hires Luke on at the farm, we get a better look at him. How his pride has him trying to work twice as hard to prove he's not one of those “lazy good for nothing Turners” but this pride also works against him as the insults rile him up and the anger has him also wanting to show them all that they're right. Luke has a temper that has him either running away when he gets steamed or getting into fights. His young age and background of growing up with abuse give layers to his emotional immaturity and as he gets shown trust and love from Sarah and her family, you can see him grow from the experiences. He does have some volatility to his personality that caused a good amount of melodrama, especially in the latter second half. But what comes through the most, was his sweetness. He's that lost little hurt boy that is just begging for love and affection. Probably a thesis is required on how he fits the “But I can change him!”, the most important thing is that he never abuses Sarah in any physical or emotional way. His mess ups are running when his own insecurities take over his reason. His fighting men, is his release for all the emotional turmoil inside.
The dangerous Luke Turner, indeed— blushing and scrabbling for his shirt because a lady had seen him barechested.
Eventually, Luke breaks his foot and he's forced to stay in a room above the barn, making him stay in Sarah's orbit so they can get to know each other more. Sarah being older, by two years, and being the one coming from the loving family gave her the advantage with Luke, which I think was important since he has that rape accusation, even though the reader knows it is false. She's the one who has the edge and most of the control and Luke is almost scared of her because he doesn't want to lose how she looks at him, like a normal human being worthy of respect. He's of course physically attracted to her but places her respect above that. Lead by Henry and Sarah, her parents eventually grow to trust Luke enough that when they leave for a two day trip, they leave Luke to watch over Sarah alone. And as parents are wont to do in romances, they end up dying to help along our main couple's relationship. In a scene that was pretty emotionally powerful: Something broke in him at the wild, desperate look in her eyes, and he squatted beside her, taking her face between his hands. "I'll find her, Sarah. All right? Don't fret, I'll get her out."
It's pouring rain and Sarah's looking at the body of her father who drowned and people are saying it's too dangerous to find her mother's body but all Luke sees is no one comforting Sarah and how numb and lost she is and knowing how important it is to her that her mother's body is recovered. Luke slings a rope around his waist to dive repeatedly in the river, almost dying to recover her mother. It was a storm pounding rush feeling but the emotion underneath throbbed, I teared up.
He looked at her; for an instant Sarah saw the sparkle of a tear in his eye and she hurt for all his hard, lonely past.
With her parents gone, everyone around Sarah is saying she's going to have to sell the farm and live with Jennifer and Stu. Sarah hates this idea because she loves the farm and also thinks of how hard it would be to live with a man she covets. Sarah gets a little tipsy with Luke to drown some of her sorrow and they come up with the idea to marry. At 50% we get our marriage of convenience. Of course, everyone is up in arms over her wanting to marry Luke, which fires up her stubbornness and makes her want to do it even more. She ends up telling Luke her feelings for Stu and this crushes him a bit but he still agrees to marry her because while he has the beginnings of feelings for her, he's telling himself it's to protect her and he'll have a farm. These silly kids go for awhile liking their friendship marriage but slowly the sexual tension is getting too thick to breathe in.
She laughed, and he, after adjusting his gloves and wiping the sweat from his forehead, went back to cutting wood. Sarah sat down beneath the elm and leaned against the trunk, content to sit and watch the beautiful symmetry of his movement as he arched back and up, then flung his axe down to bite into the log. He split each piece neatly, then tossed it on the pile and set another in its place to be split. His motions were precise, economical, and steady. There were doubtless many things she ought to be doing, but Sarah decided not to think about them. She preferred to sit here lazily and dream and watch Luke work.
Honestly, everyone should just chop wood in front of whoever they want to attract, works every time. This middle second half got a little slow for me with some melodrama vibes but there were some good scenes in there with Sarah forcing Luke to introduce her to his family and new neighbors moving in to force a one bed situation. When Luke gets tipsy from a party at the neighbors, it makes all his pent up desire spill over and we get their first sex scene. Sarah's into it but battles those feelings of shame and fear because of her society's teachings and ignorance. Luke's too tipsy to go slow for Sarah to work through what she's feeling and the beginning has some uncomfortable vibes but Sarah physically likes the sensations, if not mentally and emotionally allowing herself too. Towards the end, she starts to get into it but then it's all over. The next morning has Sarah remembering the night in a positive light, which I'm not sure felt right but she's too embarrassed to face Luke and goes to the kitchen. Luke of course wakes up and starts the self-loathing and interrupts Sarah's feelings of embarrassment as fear for what he did and does his best to not be in her presence for days, the whole running from his emotions and situations thing. Sarah thinks Luke is disgusted with himself and her feelings of always paling in comparison to her sister has her interpreting his feelings as not being attracted to her.
To none of them could he confide his innermost dreams and fears and emotions, and so with them he always felt a certain separateness, aloneness.
Since Sarah is the one the author wisely gave control to, she's the one to try and break the disconnect and begins teasing Luke, trying to get him to touch her the way he did that night. The ending has them reconnecting, disconnecting as Sarah's confession of loving Stu misinterprets a moment for Luke, and finally through a drought reconnecting to their happily ever after. This was a very good story about impetuous young love, the newness of certain feelings having to be worked through because of immaturity and Luke not having a foundation and experience of love. What stuck out the most to me was how sweet, earnest, and gentle the tone of the story was, especially Luke's character. For me, a romance mostly shines by how much I believe in the leads' love, do they fit together, what draws and keeps them together, and their chemistry. Sarah and Luke had me tearing up and smiling, I felt and believed in their emotions. The sequel looks to be about Luke's sister Julia, we never meet this character but hear about she was forced into marriage to escape having a baby out of wedlock, and I'm definitely going to pick up that one after how good this one was.
October 3, 2015
I know this book is over thirty years old...but I still can't just ignore the Rape Culture perpetuation of this book. There's a time or two that Luke thinks of Tess and Sarah as bitches. There's also the grandmother thinking of Julia as the "sluttish sister." There's Sarah thinking about Luke being with some "unknown beautiful slut" and Stu saying that Luke will come home "reeking from some cheap slut's perfume."
The worst, though, was how Tess's character was panned in the book. The reader never meets her and we're only able to form an opinion based on what we're told or how the characters feel towards her. Tess's character is written as a sexually open woman who accuses Luke of raping her. It's written off that she basically sleeps with everyone and that she only said Luke raped her because she got pregnant.
And if it's not already obvious: Even if a woman is promiscuous, it doesn't mean she can't be raped. The author, however, writes things like:
That kind of stuff is what perpetuates Rape Culture. Even if a book is really old, this stuff shouldn't be excused and should, instead, be actively called out. Also, that BS about how a man can be so overcome with or adrift in passion that he can't stop or hear protest needs to stop.
There were times I wanted to like Luke but then he did something that just really showed me how terrible he actually was. In the beginning he's bitter, which might understandable considering he was supposedly jailed under a false charge, and I tried to look past him thinking of both Tess and Sarah as "bitches." He also got on my nerves with how he just was never satisfied. First it's written that he's fine just having a job. Then he's fine with just marrying Sarah and working the farm. Then he's fine with sleeping with Sarah even while she's in love with Stu. And then that still doesn't work for him and he gets angry over her lack of love for him. However, I just couldn't look past his anger. He gets into violent fights when he's angry (punching Stu, fighting outside the Feed store).
Oh, and then we get to Sarah and Luke finally being together. I read it as rape. In the scene, Sarah is scared and Luke chases after her, he's rough and drunk and just...it's rape. "She tried desperately to pull away" and begs for him to stop, saying "No, please, Luke, stop." I don't know how it can be taken as anything but rape when "Sarah felt as if she was being torn in two, and she struggled against him, flailing at him with her hands, but he pinned her arms to the bed and stopped her cries with his mouth."
The author tries to play it off at the beginning of the next chapter, writing it as if it wasn't rape because Sarah wakes up smiling and blushing the next morning and feeling "giggly" and wanting to be with him again. The author also later has Sarah recount that she had let Luke "have her body without protest," even though I'm pretty sure that struggling, having your arms pinned down and cries stopped, and having said "no" and "stop" would count as protest enough.
Later, Sarah is even shown thinking:
Like I said, a perpetuation of Rape Culture.
Oh, and it doesn't end there. At one point, Luke is so frustrated with holding back from going to Sarah again (because they both go on for pages and pages about how the other must be disgusted with them and not want to have sex again), he thinks the following:
Just let that sink in.
If the author wanted us to believe that he didn't rape Tess Jackson, she did a terrible job of it because all Luke's actions and thoughts have done is show me that he's more likely to be guilty than not.
The worst, though, was how Tess's character was panned in the book. The reader never meets her and we're only able to form an opinion based on what we're told or how the characters feel towards her. Tess's character is written as a sexually open woman who accuses Luke of raping her. It's written off that she basically sleeps with everyone and that she only said Luke raped her because she got pregnant.
And if it's not already obvious: Even if a woman is promiscuous, it doesn't mean she can't be raped. The author, however, writes things like:
"If you want my opinion," Sarah stuck in, "I don't think he accosted her, either. I never heard of anyone having to force Tessa. Why would he rape her when everyone knows he could have had her voluntarily, any time, like everybody else?"
Tessa Jackson. What a laugh. As if anyone would have to rape Tessa; she would spread her legs for anybody.
"I am perfectly well aware of what he was convicted for," Sarah cut in on him, furious at his indulgent, superior air and the slight directed at her father. "Rape, which is taking by force what everyone knows Tess Jackson gave away to anyone who asked."
That kind of stuff is what perpetuates Rape Culture. Even if a book is really old, this stuff shouldn't be excused and should, instead, be actively called out. Also, that BS about how a man can be so overcome with or adrift in passion that he can't stop or hear protest needs to stop.
There were times I wanted to like Luke but then he did something that just really showed me how terrible he actually was. In the beginning he's bitter, which might understandable considering he was supposedly jailed under a false charge, and I tried to look past him thinking of both Tess and Sarah as "bitches." He also got on my nerves with how he just was never satisfied. First it's written that he's fine just having a job. Then he's fine with just marrying Sarah and working the farm. Then he's fine with sleeping with Sarah even while she's in love with Stu. And then that still doesn't work for him and he gets angry over her lack of love for him. However, I just couldn't look past his anger. He gets into violent fights when he's angry (punching Stu, fighting outside the Feed store).
Oh, and then we get to Sarah and Luke finally being together. I read it as rape. In the scene, Sarah is scared and Luke chases after her, he's rough and drunk and just...it's rape. "She tried desperately to pull away" and begs for him to stop, saying "No, please, Luke, stop." I don't know how it can be taken as anything but rape when "Sarah felt as if she was being torn in two, and she struggled against him, flailing at him with her hands, but he pinned her arms to the bed and stopped her cries with his mouth."
The author tries to play it off at the beginning of the next chapter, writing it as if it wasn't rape because Sarah wakes up smiling and blushing the next morning and feeling "giggly" and wanting to be with him again. The author also later has Sarah recount that she had let Luke "have her body without protest," even though I'm pretty sure that struggling, having your arms pinned down and cries stopped, and having said "no" and "stop" would count as protest enough.
Later, Sarah is even shown thinking:
She wondered if he had had this effect on Tess Jackson, and if so, she wondered how the girl could ever have brought herself to lie and send him to jail. Sarah rather felt that she would lie to keep him out of jail.
Like I said, a perpetuation of Rape Culture.
Oh, and it doesn't end there. At one point, Luke is so frustrated with holding back from going to Sarah again (because they both go on for pages and pages about how the other must be disgusted with them and not want to have sex again), he thinks the following:
He flung the sheet aside and rose from his bed, impelled by some furious desire to prove himself. He would show her; she was his wife, and he would take her. Again and again he would force her to accept him, until, somehow, his body would fill her mind and heart, too. He would rape her, take her, force her until finally he drove Harper out of her thoughts, until at last she knew his touch and could not live without it.
Just let that sink in.
If the author wanted us to believe that he didn't rape Tess Jackson, she did a terrible job of it because all Luke's actions and thoughts have done is show me that he's more likely to be guilty than not.
August 18, 2018
Ok... WOW...how do I rate this book. I've got to say, it's very dated, but I really did love it! I couldn't seem to put it down. And it was an old yellowed paperback that someone sold at the Goodwill store. I couldn't find the Kindle version online so I went with the old crusty pages, and my trusty desk lamp.
I heard about the book through Sandra Brown, our favorite suspense/romance writer, who apparently read the book when she was young, stating that it was one of the books that inspired her to become a writer. So I thought, if it's good enough for SB, it's good enough for me. And I definitely was not disappointed.
The characters were incredibly well done, and the whole story was just brilliantly written. There are some of you out there who will roll your eyes at some of the chauvinistic ways of the past, and the prudish beliefs of some of these country folks, but underneath all that, you will find a great story. A heartwarming story. A true romance.
So if you ever get the inkling to carry an old paperback book around in your purse, one that you will seek out more often than your smartphone, I highly recommend this one. Does it really deserve 5 stars, I'm not sure, but in my mind it will stand out among many others, so yes, I think it does.
May 20, 2010
Have you ever read a book that captured your attention from the very first sentence, captivated you and took you to another place and time, and became more important to you than food or sleep? THIS is one of those kind of books. I read both this story and it's sequel Rainbow Promise back to back nights. While I am exhausted while writing this review, I have a grin on my face I as I recount this amazing love story.....(one that is CEMENTED on my keeper shelf!)
Luke "Digger" Turner has returned to his home town after serving a prison sentence for a rape that he did NOT commit. He was raised by an abusive alcoholic father and a grandmother that blamed him for his mother's death. He was raised in absolute poverty. He was raised without love or kindness. He is one of the most "tortured" heroes that I've ever read. Sadly, he spent much of his adolescence fighting, drinking, and sleeping with "loose women" as a way to cope with his reality.
Sarah McGowen has always lived in her sister's shadow..... not quite as pretty, not quite as smart, and not quite as charming. She considers herself an old maid at 25 years of age and spends her time helping her sister care for her children and pining over her brother-in-law. As much as she is jealous of her sister's personality and looks, nothing is as hard as watching her sister's marriage to the man she loves...and can never have.
When Luke gets out of prison he desperately needs a "break". He needs to earn money so that he can get to a place where he can sharecrop and carve out a life for himself. Luke's reputation is so damaged that no one will even look at him. He goes to Mr McGowen, Sarah's father for a job, and surprisingly is offered one on the spot.
I think one of the saddest parts of this story is seeing Luke's shame. He feels like a "nobody" and does not feel worthy of "anything" that resembles kindness. It is heartbreaking to see.
Sarah is EVERYTHING he's ever wanted. She is "good" and "kind" and "pure". Traits that he longs for but again....feels unworthy of. An attraction between the two starts very early, but hold on for the ride, because these two have much to overcome before they can ever be together. Their HEA comes late in the story, but the friendship that develops between them is the strength of this book. Sarah slowly and surely begins to chip away at the "hardness" of Luke, and Luke slowly shows Sarah what a treasure she is and leads her out of her sister's shadow. Remarkable transformations.
Please trust me and purchase this book. You won't be sorry! Also do yourself a favor and purchase The Rainbow Promise which is it's sequel. It is in essense continuing story of Sarah and Luke which is good.......(because I will guarantee you, you won't be ready to say goodbye!)
Luke "Digger" Turner has returned to his home town after serving a prison sentence for a rape that he did NOT commit. He was raised by an abusive alcoholic father and a grandmother that blamed him for his mother's death. He was raised in absolute poverty. He was raised without love or kindness. He is one of the most "tortured" heroes that I've ever read. Sadly, he spent much of his adolescence fighting, drinking, and sleeping with "loose women" as a way to cope with his reality.
Sarah McGowen has always lived in her sister's shadow..... not quite as pretty, not quite as smart, and not quite as charming. She considers herself an old maid at 25 years of age and spends her time helping her sister care for her children and pining over her brother-in-law. As much as she is jealous of her sister's personality and looks, nothing is as hard as watching her sister's marriage to the man she loves...and can never have.
When Luke gets out of prison he desperately needs a "break". He needs to earn money so that he can get to a place where he can sharecrop and carve out a life for himself. Luke's reputation is so damaged that no one will even look at him. He goes to Mr McGowen, Sarah's father for a job, and surprisingly is offered one on the spot.
I think one of the saddest parts of this story is seeing Luke's shame. He feels like a "nobody" and does not feel worthy of "anything" that resembles kindness. It is heartbreaking to see.
Sarah is EVERYTHING he's ever wanted. She is "good" and "kind" and "pure". Traits that he longs for but again....feels unworthy of. An attraction between the two starts very early, but hold on for the ride, because these two have much to overcome before they can ever be together. Their HEA comes late in the story, but the friendship that develops between them is the strength of this book. Sarah slowly and surely begins to chip away at the "hardness" of Luke, and Luke slowly shows Sarah what a treasure she is and leads her out of her sister's shadow. Remarkable transformations.
Please trust me and purchase this book. You won't be sorry! Also do yourself a favor and purchase The Rainbow Promise which is it's sequel. It is in essense continuing story of Sarah and Luke which is good.......(because I will guarantee you, you won't be ready to say goodbye!)
March 21, 2017
I have never read a hero like Luke Turner before - sullen, feral yet vulnerable and defensive like a hurt young animal. His character immediately grabs your loyalty and empathy like a h does usually. Life has never given him a chance, shaming and knocking him down for crimes and sins he didn’t commit. He is 2 years younger to the h, which only adds to the allure apart from his lean hungry sexiness, of course!
It is a heartwarming story of two very different people pushed by destiny into a moc. She has an unrequited and doomed tendresse for her brother in law and he is the local ‘white trash’ outcast, who come together to save and till her farm- a shared passion. I really love reading about historical western romances about farming/ranching people who work the land hard and whose hidden emotions and passions for each other parallels the ones they have for the land. It makes these characters so much more real and interesting.
It is a heartwarming story of two very different people pushed by destiny into a moc. She has an unrequited and doomed tendresse for her brother in law and he is the local ‘white trash’ outcast, who come together to save and till her farm- a shared passion. I really love reading about historical western romances about farming/ranching people who work the land hard and whose hidden emotions and passions for each other parallels the ones they have for the land. It makes these characters so much more real and interesting.
February 22, 2020
Naksed review is pretty spot-on. With that cover I was hoping for a raunchy read but this was quite a sweet tale of two misfits finding love. I read it in one go, not something I do lately, yet the lack of intimacy during most part was a major let-down after being lured by the cover.
July 22, 2010
Bad boy Luke Turner has been released from jail for a rape charge that he didn't commit. He has made a vow to himself that his life was going to change for the better. He comes out to the Texas farm of pretty, older Sarah McGowan and is hired on as an extra hand. Sarah at first doesn't think of Luke in a romantic sense, because she was filled with daydreams of her sister's husband.
But a tragedy brings Luke to the forefront of her mind and heart as they work together to save her farm. After they end up married, Luke starts to become the man that Sarah knew that he was capable of and Sarah realizes that all her hopes and dreams of a loving man are right there with her. All she has to do if find the strength of heart to reach out and grab it. This is one of the sweetest Texas Americana books.
But a tragedy brings Luke to the forefront of her mind and heart as they work together to save her farm. After they end up married, Luke starts to become the man that Sarah knew that he was capable of and Sarah realizes that all her hopes and dreams of a loving man are right there with her. All she has to do if find the strength of heart to reach out and grab it. This is one of the sweetest Texas Americana books.
March 27, 2012
Redemption Romance Texas Style...
First published in 1979, THE RAINBOW SEASON was a pioneering novel in the early years of modern historical romance. But you’d never know it. It reads like one that could be written today.
Set in a Texas farming community of strong Methodist values, likely in the late 18th century, it tells of 25-year-old Sarah McGowen, who secretly pines for her sister’s husband and has an active fantasy life. She wants her own family but has rejected suitors she doesn’t love. The McGowen family is rich in values and customs of shared warmth. Nothing like the family of Luke “Digger” Turner with his abusive, alcoholic father. Sent to prison for 5 years for a rape he didn’t commit, Luke returns at 23, poor and believing he is hated and feared by all. But Sarah’s father doesn’t believe the tales and gives him a job working their farm. Luke proves himself with hard work and revels in the small comforts the McGowen family shares with him while he fantasizes about having Sarah for his own. But he thinks of her as a “Sunday School woman,” too good for a man like him.
It’s a simple story set amidst the simple life of Texas farmland, but it is very well told. It is also a story of redemption as Sarah shows Luke the good man he is. She was the less pretty sister who wanted everything her sister had; he was the poor white trash who always did wrong. But together, they were very good. I recommend this one.
First published in 1979, THE RAINBOW SEASON was a pioneering novel in the early years of modern historical romance. But you’d never know it. It reads like one that could be written today.
Set in a Texas farming community of strong Methodist values, likely in the late 18th century, it tells of 25-year-old Sarah McGowen, who secretly pines for her sister’s husband and has an active fantasy life. She wants her own family but has rejected suitors she doesn’t love. The McGowen family is rich in values and customs of shared warmth. Nothing like the family of Luke “Digger” Turner with his abusive, alcoholic father. Sent to prison for 5 years for a rape he didn’t commit, Luke returns at 23, poor and believing he is hated and feared by all. But Sarah’s father doesn’t believe the tales and gives him a job working their farm. Luke proves himself with hard work and revels in the small comforts the McGowen family shares with him while he fantasizes about having Sarah for his own. But he thinks of her as a “Sunday School woman,” too good for a man like him.
It’s a simple story set amidst the simple life of Texas farmland, but it is very well told. It is also a story of redemption as Sarah shows Luke the good man he is. She was the less pretty sister who wanted everything her sister had; he was the poor white trash who always did wrong. But together, they were very good. I recommend this one.
April 9, 2016
Me encantan este tipo de historias. Que bonita es, me ha recordado algunas veces a MARAVILLA de Lavyrle Spencer. La recomiendo 100%
December 28, 2012
I have mixed feelings about this book. There were certain parts that were dubious. I for one, thought that the hero had forced the heroine the first time they were together. But I kept in mind, that the heroine and people in the past have repeatedly thought that forcing intercourse in marriage was not rape. That is not the case any more - if it had ever been - but this novel was published little over 20 years ago. I know that at that time there were still people who thought so, having read an Australian judge's judgement whereby he stated that a husband was allowed to use force to coerce the wife. This then received nation-wide criticisms and his judgement was reversed in the higher courts, but it didn't change his verdict.
Moreover, there was another scene where he is sick of his wife teasing him and he thinks that he will rape her continuously until she forgets all about her brother's wife. I couldn't stomach that. Yes, some might say that he would never have gone through with it, but the fact remains that he thought it and made to go to her room, but only stopped when he heard her crying from outside her room.
There were other times, before they were married, when he kept on thinking cruel thoughts, like when he saw how frightened and unsure she was of him, he wanted to hurt her. Of course, that was overwhelmed later by his devotion to her, and I think the author might have wanted to show how she had tamed him of his violent urges, but the fact still remains.
Moreover, there was another scene where he is sick of his wife teasing him and he thinks that he will rape her continuously until she forgets all about her brother's wife. I couldn't stomach that. Yes, some might say that he would never have gone through with it, but the fact remains that he thought it and made to go to her room, but only stopped when he heard her crying from outside her room.
There were other times, before they were married, when he kept on thinking cruel thoughts, like when he saw how frightened and unsure she was of him, he wanted to hurt her. Of course, that was overwhelmed later by his devotion to her, and I think the author might have wanted to show how she had tamed him of his violent urges, but the fact still remains.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 31, 2023
Si esto se publicara hoy, haría falta página y media de trigger warning. Se ve que los lectores de 1979 éramos más recios. O menos sensibles.
Cuando Luke Turner (23) sale de la cárcel, nadie le da una oportunidad, nadie... salvo el ecuánime señor McGowan. Por primera vez, alguien trata con respeto a Luke. No solo el señor McGowan, sino también su hija, Sarah (25), una que va para solterona.
La ambientación, y hasta algo del estilo, me recuerdan a esas historias del Oeste de una LaVyrle Spencer o Pamela Morsi, aunque en formato más corto.
Me ha encantado, por lo auténticos que suenan los personajes y lo bien trabada que me parece la historia. Agradezco que me la hayan recomendado tanto a lo largo de los años. He entendido por qué es un romance clásico, de esos que siguen ganando lectores con cada nueva generación.
Crítica más extensa, en mi blog.
Cuando Luke Turner (23) sale de la cárcel, nadie le da una oportunidad, nadie... salvo el ecuánime señor McGowan. Por primera vez, alguien trata con respeto a Luke. No solo el señor McGowan, sino también su hija, Sarah (25), una que va para solterona.
La ambientación, y hasta algo del estilo, me recuerdan a esas historias del Oeste de una LaVyrle Spencer o Pamela Morsi, aunque en formato más corto.
Me ha encantado, por lo auténticos que suenan los personajes y lo bien trabada que me parece la historia. Agradezco que me la hayan recomendado tanto a lo largo de los años. He entendido por qué es un romance clásico, de esos que siguen ganando lectores con cada nueva generación.
Crítica más extensa, en mi blog.
September 6, 2011
The first book in the Turner's Rainbows Saga series. An oldie and somewhat goodie. I've seen this listed as a fave and while it wasn't bad, it wasn't great either. I may just not be in the mood for dark romances. This wasn't really dark but had some tearjerker moments. Luke (Digger) has had a rough life and ended up in prison when a girl falsely accuses him of rape. But he's ready to pick himself back up and earn enough money to get out of town and start new. Sarah's father hires him to help on the farm. Their journey to love was paved with obstacles but they were able to overcome in the end.
February 24, 2020
Very enjoyable! Similarities to eyes of silver, eyes of gold. There was a great build up to these two getting together physically, emotionally there was a lot of miscommunication and if this isn't your thang! it can get a bit annoying. I think you have to appreciate the head space these two started off the marriage of convenience , she told him she loved someone else and he promised he would never sleep with her, these two statements haunt them throughout their marraige despite the fact the yearn for each other. I really enjoyed it and finished over a day (lazy sunday)
Ending was a little rushed for me and it left some side plots unresolved, hence the lack of the fifth star!
Ending was a little rushed for me and it left some side plots unresolved, hence the lack of the fifth star!
October 13, 2023
This was another vintage historical romance I have had on my to-read list for many years. It seemed as though readers either favored Luke or Sarah, but not both characters.
I had issues with Sarah obsessing over her BIL. It left me with a bad taste. Still, she had many good points, too.
Luke wasn't perfect either but at least I understood why he thought and acted the way he did (an awful childhood that followed him into adulthood, vindictive townspeople and time in prison for a rape he never committed). I believed he learned to truly loved Sarah after their marriage.
I had issues with Sarah obsessing over her BIL. It left me with a bad taste. Still, she had many good points, too.
Luke wasn't perfect either but at least I understood why he thought and acted the way he did (an awful childhood that followed him into adulthood, vindictive townspeople and time in prison for a rape he never committed). I believed he learned to truly loved Sarah after their marriage.
July 30, 2024
The Rainbow Season by Lisa Gregory, pseudonym for Candace Camp (1979), is one of those beautiful romantic stories that surrounds u with good feelings, and then you’re grateful to have read such a gem.
🍎Setting: East Texas, late 1890s.
🍎Luke Turner, 23 is the town’s bad boy.. grew up dirt poor, an outcast, recently released from prison after serving time for rape. Sarah McGowan lives with her parents on their farm, and at the age of 25 is lonely, as she lives vicariously thru her sister’s happily married life and children. Luke comes looking for a job on the farm, and Sarah’s dad hires him.
🍎The exquisite writing.., it’s spare… the sensual feel of it moves the story along perfectly as Luke learns to trust Sarah, and more importantly himself. Both overcome tragedy, prejudice and wrong assumptions about each other. I loved how the author included family meals, descriptions of food and preparation .., baking bread, chocolate cake for dessert, scrambled eggs, bacon, hot coffee etc all added to the warmth of the story
🍎The storyline and pacing are sheer perfection. It’s a timeless love story blessed by a rainbow at the end. I’ll definitely be rereading this book!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️+
🍎Setting: East Texas, late 1890s.
🍎Luke Turner, 23 is the town’s bad boy.. grew up dirt poor, an outcast, recently released from prison after serving time for rape. Sarah McGowan lives with her parents on their farm, and at the age of 25 is lonely, as she lives vicariously thru her sister’s happily married life and children. Luke comes looking for a job on the farm, and Sarah’s dad hires him.
🍎The exquisite writing.., it’s spare… the sensual feel of it moves the story along perfectly as Luke learns to trust Sarah, and more importantly himself. Both overcome tragedy, prejudice and wrong assumptions about each other. I loved how the author included family meals, descriptions of food and preparation .., baking bread, chocolate cake for dessert, scrambled eggs, bacon, hot coffee etc all added to the warmth of the story
🍎The storyline and pacing are sheer perfection. It’s a timeless love story blessed by a rainbow at the end. I’ll definitely be rereading this book!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️+
December 9, 2016
Sarah McGowan is the dutiful daughter, living with her parents and helping on the farm. She has reconciled herself to life as a spinster as she hides her shameful secret of being in love with her sister’s husband. Luke Turner is the local “bad boy” who grew up on the wrong side of town in a tarpaper shack and never had a chance. His wicked temper finally got him in trouble when he ended up going to jail for rape. After Luke is released from prison, he is hired by Sarah’s father as a farmhand. Soon after, disaster strikes the family farm. Sarah and Luke are forced into a marriage of convenience. This heartwarming story about two very different people follows Luke and Sarah as they learn to trust and then fall in love.
I really enjoy Lisa Gregory’s writing whether it’s as Lisa Gregory, Candace Camp or Kristin James. If you like historical romance, she’s an author to check out.
Rating: 4.25 Stars
I really enjoy Lisa Gregory’s writing whether it’s as Lisa Gregory, Candace Camp or Kristin James. If you like historical romance, she’s an author to check out.
Rating: 4.25 Stars
July 17, 2018
3.5 stars
June 7, 2018
despite the super tacky cover , it indeed is a cosy romance and the kind you remember long after you've read it
May 23, 2018
*** 4.5 Stars ***
Although this story is beautifully written and is a great one, I had to give it 4.5 stars instead of 5 for one simple reason. Being that it just seemed highly unrealistic for an ex-convict (hero) to be taken in by a respectable family (heroine's) in the old days and be treated like a real gentleman by them. Also, was unrealistic and a bit foolish was the fact that the heroine's father was actually able to entrust his daughter in the hands of the hero and leave them all alone on a farm. It just made me cringe. But overall, the story is definitely unique in the historical romance genre. I just wished Lisa Gregory could've spiced it up and added more drama into it without making the heroine's parents die. It would've been much more interesting to see our respectable heroine fall in love with our hero, an ex-convict, right under her parents' house.
What time period is this story set in? 1800? or 1900? I didn't quite capture this in the story.
Although this story is beautifully written and is a great one, I had to give it 4.5 stars instead of 5 for one simple reason. Being that it just seemed highly unrealistic for an ex-convict (hero) to be taken in by a respectable family (heroine's) in the old days and be treated like a real gentleman by them. Also, was unrealistic and a bit foolish was the fact that the heroine's father was actually able to entrust his daughter in the hands of the hero and leave them all alone on a farm. It just made me cringe. But overall, the story is definitely unique in the historical romance genre. I just wished Lisa Gregory could've spiced it up and added more drama into it without making the heroine's parents die. It would've been much more interesting to see our respectable heroine fall in love with our hero, an ex-convict, right under her parents' house.
What time period is this story set in? 1800? or 1900? I didn't quite capture this in the story.
July 4, 2015
4.5 Stars
October 9, 2018
"Un romance que se va desarrollando lentamente y que sabe cautivar. El principal fallo es que, inexplicablemente, la autora hace que el protagonista masculino tenga algunos pensamientos que estropean la magia de la historia y que impiden que ésta pueda ser considerada perfecta".
Reseña completa: http://entrelalecturayelcine.blogspot...
Si pudiera, es probable que le diera un 3,5/5, pero no le doy un 4/5 porque no puedo pasar por alto lo que me molestó. Considero que fue un fallo grave en la historia y no había nada que lo justificara.
Reseña completa: http://entrelalecturayelcine.blogspot...
Si pudiera, es probable que le diera un 3,5/5, pero no le doy un 4/5 porque no puedo pasar por alto lo que me molestó. Considero que fue un fallo grave en la historia y no había nada que lo justificara.
April 22, 2020
Sarah was such a doll. And Luke!! I love him. I’m so into heroes who think they’re trash and not good enough for the heroine.
October 20, 2022
I'm being liberal with my stars because even though I think this is more of a 3 star, its quality writing so....
Basically the story centers around two people. One, Sarah, is in love with her brother-in-law and refuses to let go of her feelings for him. However, she wants a life of her own, so she marries a local guy who spent time in prison for allegedly raping the town hoe. He (Luke) had a terrible, abusive childhood and it has made him bitter, angry and distrustful. She was raised by loving and understanding parents, she thinks positively and doesn't understand her husbands negativity. They struggle to find common ground as they begin their MOC together...
Based on previous reviews I'm clearly in the minority, but I stand by my assessment. I don't disagree that this is a sad emotional tale, but my cold little heart has read sadder, more depressing and much more angsty reads. Don't get me wrong, I felt bad for Luke & Sarah, but I wasn't moved to tears or anything. Like get your shit together, guys.
Sarah was fine, although her obsession with her bro-in-law was creepy and weird. But, she had a kind heart and made it work with Luke. She was fine...I guess...no I stand by my statement, she was creepy.
However, what really brought enjoyment down for me, was that it felt like we were reading a story about two 16 year old's. Sarah was 25 and Luke slightly younger than her, but they came across as two kids playing house. Luke was referred to by everyone as "boy" and Sarah lived vicariously through her sister, and the creepy little fantasy world she created for herself was very off-putting. I could see that being fine IF she was super young, but at 25 you're definitely old enough to know better. I truly understood what Lisa Gregory was doing with Luke's behavior and it did make sense to a point....but he never came across as a man. Even at the end of the book he was still firmly set on the shelf as a "boy". She failed to make him masculine, she made him tough and hard, but not masculine.
The intimacy was also lacking. It read like two kids saying "show me yours and I'll show you mine." I have zero desire to read about young people fooling around. When I say young, I mean teenagers. It's one of the reasons YA seriously turns me off. I KNOW these two weren't teenagers, but I just could not find passion reading about these two fumbling around. I felt like the creep!
Basically the story centers around two people. One, Sarah, is in love with her brother-in-law and refuses to let go of her feelings for him. However, she wants a life of her own, so she marries a local guy who spent time in prison for allegedly raping the town hoe. He (Luke) had a terrible, abusive childhood and it has made him bitter, angry and distrustful. She was raised by loving and understanding parents, she thinks positively and doesn't understand her husbands negativity. They struggle to find common ground as they begin their MOC together...
Based on previous reviews I'm clearly in the minority, but I stand by my assessment. I don't disagree that this is a sad emotional tale, but my cold little heart has read sadder, more depressing and much more angsty reads. Don't get me wrong, I felt bad for Luke & Sarah, but I wasn't moved to tears or anything. Like get your shit together, guys.
Sarah was fine, although her obsession with her bro-in-law was creepy and weird. But, she had a kind heart and made it work with Luke. She was fine...I guess...no I stand by my statement, she was creepy.
However, what really brought enjoyment down for me, was that it felt like we were reading a story about two 16 year old's. Sarah was 25 and Luke slightly younger than her, but they came across as two kids playing house. Luke was referred to by everyone as "boy" and Sarah lived vicariously through her sister, and the creepy little fantasy world she created for herself was very off-putting. I could see that being fine IF she was super young, but at 25 you're definitely old enough to know better. I truly understood what Lisa Gregory was doing with Luke's behavior and it did make sense to a point....but he never came across as a man. Even at the end of the book he was still firmly set on the shelf as a "boy". She failed to make him masculine, she made him tough and hard, but not masculine.
The intimacy was also lacking. It read like two kids saying "show me yours and I'll show you mine." I have zero desire to read about young people fooling around. When I say young, I mean teenagers. It's one of the reasons YA seriously turns me off. I KNOW these two weren't teenagers, but I just could not find passion reading about these two fumbling around. I felt like the creep!
September 11, 2018
Very dated - but worth the read. I love an old-fashioned horse and wagon love story. A farm with its growing season problems, an old house filled with the smells of down-home cooking that carries so many memories for a close-knit family. Add in a bad boy ex-con who has only been scorned and rejected his entire life who comes calling in hopes of landing a job and a chance to change his pitiful life. And the farmer's daughter might be the answer to all his desires.
The Rainbow Season is a touching and sweet story -- but it has its angst and heartbreak. It also has its sensual moments too -- much more than I expected, not that I'm complaining. The story kept me intrigued and entertained enough to want to continue with the second book in this duet. I was a bit disappointed with the ending here, as it just left me needing to know more about the new couple. A chance to see if the author redeems herself and where she takes this story next is too much of a temptation to not continue.
The Rainbow Season is a touching and sweet story -- but it has its angst and heartbreak. It also has its sensual moments too -- much more than I expected, not that I'm complaining. The story kept me intrigued and entertained enough to want to continue with the second book in this duet. I was a bit disappointed with the ending here, as it just left me needing to know more about the new couple. A chance to see if the author redeems herself and where she takes this story next is too much of a temptation to not continue.
July 18, 2013
Well, now, this was a really sweet little book. The old-style lightning-fast POV switches (listing definitely toward third-person omniscient) were a little tough to get used to (again), but gave a solid flavor to the book it might not have otherwise had.
I'm partial to the "hard work and pragmatism makes everything better" philosophy, so this was a real treat for me. I expected to see the later family introduced almost swayed to the town's point of view, but that didn't happen at all. Wasn't even hinted at as a possibility. BUT the neat trick with the rain was awesome.
I was amused by the fact the the back-cover copy hinted at danger! and exotic! and adventure! that never materialized, like, AT ALL, so the "risking everything" vibe wasn't all that risky. LOL
I'm partial to the "hard work and pragmatism makes everything better" philosophy, so this was a real treat for me. I expected to see the later family introduced almost swayed to the town's point of view, but that didn't happen at all. Wasn't even hinted at as a possibility. BUT the neat trick with the rain was awesome.
I was amused by the fact the the back-cover copy hinted at danger! and exotic! and adventure! that never materialized, like, AT ALL, so the "risking everything" vibe wasn't all that risky. LOL
October 28, 2024
My second time reading this book and still - 5 stars!!!
It's been a very long while since I gave any book a 5 star! This was definitely one for the books. Get it?
It's super duper angsty from the beginning until the end. I loved it!
So many, many misunderstandings, misconceptions. I lived for them.
The couple was at odds with each other. Their situation was so real, yet, I could feel their heartaches, their longing, their chemistry.
Ah - mazing!
You must read this. I am out of words and not good with them apparently, but you will not regret reading this.
It's been a very long while since I gave any book a 5 star! This was definitely one for the books. Get it?
It's super duper angsty from the beginning until the end. I loved it!
So many, many misunderstandings, misconceptions. I lived for them.
The couple was at odds with each other. Their situation was so real, yet, I could feel their heartaches, their longing, their chemistry.
Ah - mazing!
You must read this. I am out of words and not good with them apparently, but you will not regret reading this.
April 29, 2011
I fell in love with Luke and Sarah immediately. Luke truly was the down trodden hero that you wanted to come out ahead. Sarah was the dutiful sister and daughter who'd denied herself happiness. Once I began reading it was difficult to put the book down.
I read this book at age 15 and have kept it in my collection. Every now and again I must go back and relive Sarah and Luke's journey to love and confidence. A beautifully written story. Quite romantic.
I read this book at age 15 and have kept it in my collection. Every now and again I must go back and relive Sarah and Luke's journey to love and confidence. A beautifully written story. Quite romantic.
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