I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Author Karl Dunn shares with readers the ways in which his divorce spurred on a journey of self-discovery in the book “How to Burn a Rainbow”.

The Synopsis

What readers are calling the gay Eat, Pray, Love…

Sometimes, to find yourself, you must first burn everything down.

Karl had it all; a husband, a home in the Los Angeles Hills, success. When his marriage ended suddenly, his perfect life and sense of self were shattered.

His legal battles threatened everything he had, and he soon found himself working non-stop, leading to a downward spiral filled with anxious days and sleepless nights of rage and fear.

Ironically, Karl’s divorce ignited a journey of self-discovery—a quest for identity, love, and acceptance that took him from LA to a mid-divorce crash-landing in Berlin.

This raw and unflinching memoir welcomes readers into the heart of Karl’s transformative journey—burning the scripts written for him by both the gay and straight worlds, facing down his deepest fears, and forging his own path to self-love.

How To Burn A Rainbow is a gripping narrative of resilience and courage that dares to ask the hard questions about love, equality, and the price of happiness.

In the end, Karl’s marriage didn’t make him whole, his divorce did.

The Review

In a heartfelt and compelling book, the author truly presented a relatable and honest account of the experiences he went through. The nuances of marriage, in any relationship, can be difficult to navigate, and adding the extra pressure of societal expectations for those in the LGBTQ community who finally found their right to get married and yet still experienced those pitfalls of any relationship was emotional to read and see unfold in the pages of this book. The insight into the painful process of divorce and the detail the author gives to readers is remarkable to gain insight on.

The author’s use of humor and wit in his writing style, as well as incredible detail and pop culture references, helps add a well-roundedness and sense of self to the author’s story. The almost cinematic nature of the author’s writing style and the raw moments that the author shares with readers help showcase the growth and self-discovery the author finds within himself as the book grows and evolves over time.

The Verdict

Memorable, heartfelt, and engaging author Karl Dunn’s “How to Burn a Rainbow” is a must-read memoir meets relationship and divorce book. The turmoil and heartbreak that the author expresses and the teachable lessons that can be found in this book lead to a meaningful book that showcases that sometimes pain and heartbreak can lead to pivotal moments of self-discovery and brighter futures. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

About the Author

Sign up for Karl’s weekly newsletter “Friends of Karl” on his website – a pop-culture and current affairs mash-up with an LGBTQ+ lens every Tuesday in your inbox.

Karl Dunn was the Global Creative Director on several world-famous brands like MINI Cooper, Levi’s, and ASICS. He spent over two decades as a multi-award winning advertising creative working in Australia, Asia, Africa, Europe, and America. His career culminated as the Director of Innovation for a powerhouse global advertising network.

Then it all burned to the ground when he told his husband he wanted a divorce. Just a few months later, Karl was sleeping on an air mattress in a former squat in Berlin with no job, visas, or money left. Using his divorce as his crisis of identity, Karl chronicled the whole experience in his book How To Burn A Rainbow, where he gave up chasing everyone else’s dream to find his own.

It’s an Eat Pray Love style, riches-to-rags journey from LA to Berlin; an intimate, honest, and revealing story about divorce and self-love that questions and reframes the entire institution of marriage. As Karl writes in his book, “My marriage didn’t make me whole, my divorce did.”

Karl is a keynote speaker on DEI, self-love, and LGBTQ+ focused Family Law. Living between LA and Berlin, he also works as a freelance advertising consultant to brands.