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Bonds of Earth
In 1918, Michael McCready returned from the war with one goal: to lose himself in the pursuit of pleasure. Once a promising young medical student, Michael buried his dreams alongside the broken bodies of the men he could not save. After fleeing New York to preserve the one relationship he still values, he takes a position as a gardener on a country estate, but he soon discovers that the house hides secrets and sorrows of its own. While Michael nurses the estate’s neglected gardens, his reclusive employer dredges up reminders of the past Michael is desperate to forget.
John Seward’s body was broken by the war, along with his will to recover until a family crisis convinces him to pursue treatment. As John’s health and outlook improve under Michael’s care, animosity yields to understanding. He and John find their battle of wills turning into something stronger, but fear may keep them from finding hope and healing in each other.
John Seward’s body was broken by the war, along with his will to recover until a family crisis convinces him to pursue treatment. As John’s health and outlook improve under Michael’s care, animosity yields to understanding. He and John find their battle of wills turning into something stronger, but fear may keep them from finding hope and healing in each other.
240 pages, Paperback
First published January 9, 2012
13 people are currently reading
2362 people want to read
About the author
G.N. Chevalier
1 book70 followersG N Chevalier has lived in Ottawa, Toronto, Québec City, and Montréal, but currently resides in Nova Scotia with her partner of many years. A long-time student of history, she is particularly interested in helping to tell the hidden stories that are only now being rediscovered. Some of her hobbies include playing music, video remixing, and photography.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 190 reviews
April 17, 2015
Believe me, this one is astonishing.
Are you ever going to write more, dear author? Don't be that selfish keeping your talent away :( .
Are you ever going to write more, dear author? Don't be that selfish keeping your talent away :( .
March 22, 2019
This book REALLY deserves more attention. Two men surviving war and family, healing each other in turn. It has a sense of time, struggles and strength with characters you can believe in. No-one is perfect, the ending feels a well earned happy rather than idealised fantasy, not to spoil but I really liked how things worked out or them.
Continue to love this book and hope from more by this author (as of Jan a return to writing is promised! :D:D )
-- --
Surprised this book is not more popular. Still love it on re-read. Wish the author would publish more.
-- --
The beginning felt sparsely written, no flowery words or angst. It gave a gritty feel for a story of ex-soldiers in difficult times, the main character unapologetically male. From there we're taken to the country a la 'The Secret Garden' 'Beauty and the Beast' and countless gothic romances; yet this never felt like a gender switch, it progressed naturally while keeping the characters real. Healing took effort and time. Caring came with attitude rather than sentimentality.
Slow moving in many ways I'm not sure this can be classed as romance, it's not until past halfway attraction comes into play. It's a story of healing of getting to know each other. When they act on their desires it feels deeper, skipping candlelight to go straight to the heart. A story or survival and love.
As the story heats up emotions getting messy and alive the prose does fill out more, leaning a little towards purple compared to what has come before. The pacing also picks up. This worked for me because both were keeping time avoiding life but they bring each other alive and back into the rush.
There's some great side-characters; I loved Millie and the talk they have, young Sarah is endearing never precocious. They all appear enough to leave their mark, add colour but never take over the focus. Though there's certainly moments that bring a reaction.
The story could have finished nicely after the fourteenth chapter it felt rounded off there and it would be a good moment to leave them. At the same time I liked learning where they went next because I know it couldn't be easy and there were still things to be faced. The extra chapters showed not everything is smooth but that the strength and love are there for things to be good, it's what makes me champion them as a couple. There's both a lot of work and great things to come. I'd actually really like a glimpse from a year or so ahead. This author needs to write more.
Continue to love this book and hope from more by this author (as of Jan a return to writing is promised! :D:D )
-- --
Surprised this book is not more popular. Still love it on re-read. Wish the author would publish more.
-- --
The beginning felt sparsely written, no flowery words or angst. It gave a gritty feel for a story of ex-soldiers in difficult times, the main character unapologetically male. From there we're taken to the country a la 'The Secret Garden' 'Beauty and the Beast' and countless gothic romances; yet this never felt like a gender switch, it progressed naturally while keeping the characters real. Healing took effort and time. Caring came with attitude rather than sentimentality.
Slow moving in many ways I'm not sure this can be classed as romance, it's not until past halfway attraction comes into play. It's a story of healing of getting to know each other. When they act on their desires it feels deeper, skipping candlelight to go straight to the heart. A story or survival and love.
As the story heats up emotions getting messy and alive the prose does fill out more, leaning a little towards purple compared to what has come before. The pacing also picks up. This worked for me because both were keeping time avoiding life but they bring each other alive and back into the rush.
There's some great side-characters; I loved Millie and the talk they have, young Sarah is endearing never precocious. They all appear enough to leave their mark, add colour but never take over the focus. Though there's certainly moments that bring a reaction.
The story could have finished nicely after the fourteenth chapter it felt rounded off there and it would be a good moment to leave them. At the same time I liked learning where they went next because I know it couldn't be easy and there were still things to be faced. The extra chapters showed not everything is smooth but that the strength and love are there for things to be good, it's what makes me champion them as a couple. There's both a lot of work and great things to come. I'd actually really like a glimpse from a year or so ahead. This author needs to write more.
February 25, 2014
This is excellent, the strongest M/M historical I've read. The book is full of details that just feel authentic, all incorporated naturally without that aroma of the research note that too often distracts me in historical novels. I truly believed the book's portrait of what it would be like to be gay in this period, and also, even more miraculously, what it would be like to be a post-WWI vet. So many books these days play the PTSD card it has become a genre cliché, but I felt Chevalier knew what she was talking about. It helps that she doesn't overplay it: she clearly respects and empathizes with what veterans must have suffered, but she is careful not to exploit that suffering to win pity or merit-points for her characters. The war is a fact of life, just like Michael's Catholicism or lower-eastside upbringing or John's distant relationship with his father. Both heroes have suffered actual damage from the war--not the glamorous kind that turns novel characters into saints, but the real kind that rips apart families and leads to ugly, self-destructive behavior.
Perhaps the biggest miracle of all is that Chevalier actually gets New York City right. I am a life-long New Yorker, so lame, clichéd pictures of my hometown are a major pet peeve of mine. She never forgets what should be every novelist's cardinal rule: there is no such thing as "New York City"; there are only specific neighborhoods. I was fascinated by the picture of the early-20th-century Greenwich Village bath house scene, so much that I really hope the author revisits the period and locale to give us more of these wonderful stories.
Bottom line: best M/M historical I've read. Highest Recommendation.
Perhaps the biggest miracle of all is that Chevalier actually gets New York City right. I am a life-long New Yorker, so lame, clichéd pictures of my hometown are a major pet peeve of mine. She never forgets what should be every novelist's cardinal rule: there is no such thing as "New York City"; there are only specific neighborhoods. I was fascinated by the picture of the early-20th-century Greenwich Village bath house scene, so much that I really hope the author revisits the period and locale to give us more of these wonderful stories.
Bottom line: best M/M historical I've read. Highest Recommendation.
January 17, 2012
4,5 stars
Stunning debut novel from a new author.In an accurate historical setting this was a tale of two physically and emotionally damaged men finding love and comfort in a less than welcoming environment.It was an outstanding and stunningly well written story that felt more like gay fiction with romantic elements than a "simple" romance.Sad to say the epilogue put this novel down a notch.The sex scene at the end didn`t fit this saga-like story - as if the author was out of ideas at that point and didn`t know how to let it end...
Anyway,that was just a very small part of a great story - highly recommended!
Stunning debut novel from a new author.In an accurate historical setting this was a tale of two physically and emotionally damaged men finding love and comfort in a less than welcoming environment.It was an outstanding and stunningly well written story that felt more like gay fiction with romantic elements than a "simple" romance.Sad to say the epilogue put this novel down a notch.The sex scene at the end didn`t fit this saga-like story - as if the author was out of ideas at that point and didn`t know how to let it end...
Anyway,that was just a very small part of a great story - highly recommended!
July 14, 2016
Lovely; also uneven.
First third or so was engaging, if a little purple, with many beautiful touches.
But in the remainder, minor annoyances became even more irritating with repetition.
On the whole, a fairly decent period romance that never quite overcame its shortcomings.
First third or so was engaging, if a little purple, with many beautiful touches.
But in the remainder, minor annoyances became even more irritating with repetition.
On the whole, a fairly decent period romance that never quite overcame its shortcomings.
January 18, 2012
I have never been into historical/period piece much -- give me stories with computer and cellular phone anytime :). Plus this is by a new author; I'm a bit weary of trying a new one since few of them don't have a nice record in my book. However, a couple of positive reviews make me curious, especially from one who also has hesitation to read period piece. Turns out ... I'm GLAD that I give it a try.
First thing first ... the cover by Justin James, is simply stunning. I LOVE the elegance of black and white -- and it doesn't feature any men at all (I love the men, but a change is nice once in awhile), it looks like a cover for mainstream novel. It's simply a beauty.
Now, the story itself. I admit, I have a bit of struggle in the beginning. Getting into the story and to understand Michael as a character, including what is currently going on his life and why he is shipped into working as a gardener at a country estate. However, the story picks up its pace really nicely afterward. Not saying that it has a fast-pace, but it feels more comfortable to read. I enjoy the early day-to-day description, as Michael works his way as gardener, making friends with the granddaughter of the caretakers, and wondering about the reclusive employer. At one point, it feels slightly like "Beauty and the Beast", because John Seward, the employer, prefer to hide from the rest of the people in the house.
Their relationship is written with the right pace ... as Michael (who has a gift as massage therapist) works to help John gets back to his feet, and also helping him from his survivor's guilt. Both men are damaged from the war, and it is beautiful to read how they pretty much find each other and heal. I'm in love with both the writing and character development.
Until those last two chapters...
I totally agree with everybody that those two chapters are letting the story down. It doesn't 'fit' with the whole arc, it drags a wonderful story slightly too long. Those last two chapters will be better if released as a separate novella/short story. Since it is about their life 5 years in the future, the tone is different, and personally Michael's sudden lack of convidence about his worth becomes distracting. I don't know if the inclusion is needed to make the story categorized as a novel ... but I think the editor should do a better job and well, EDIT! Or make suggestion. Because, I think the novel will be perfect if it stops at Chapter 14 and will definitely give a lasting impression.
First thing first ... the cover by Justin James, is simply stunning. I LOVE the elegance of black and white -- and it doesn't feature any men at all (I love the men, but a change is nice once in awhile), it looks like a cover for mainstream novel. It's simply a beauty.
Now, the story itself. I admit, I have a bit of struggle in the beginning. Getting into the story and to understand Michael as a character, including what is currently going on his life and why he is shipped into working as a gardener at a country estate. However, the story picks up its pace really nicely afterward. Not saying that it has a fast-pace, but it feels more comfortable to read. I enjoy the early day-to-day description, as Michael works his way as gardener, making friends with the granddaughter of the caretakers, and wondering about the reclusive employer. At one point, it feels slightly like "Beauty and the Beast", because John Seward, the employer, prefer to hide from the rest of the people in the house.
Their relationship is written with the right pace ... as Michael (who has a gift as massage therapist) works to help John gets back to his feet, and also helping him from his survivor's guilt. Both men are damaged from the war, and it is beautiful to read how they pretty much find each other and heal. I'm in love with both the writing and character development.
Until those last two chapters...
I totally agree with everybody that those two chapters are letting the story down. It doesn't 'fit' with the whole arc, it drags a wonderful story slightly too long. Those last two chapters will be better if released as a separate novella/short story. Since it is about their life 5 years in the future, the tone is different, and personally Michael's sudden lack of convidence about his worth becomes distracting. I don't know if the inclusion is needed to make the story categorized as a novel ... but I think the editor should do a better job and well, EDIT! Or make suggestion. Because, I think the novel will be perfect if it stops at Chapter 14 and will definitely give a lasting impression.
May 31, 2016
4.25 stars
Set immediately after World War I, 'Bonds of Earth' tells the story of Michael McCready, a rentboy-turned-gardener, and John Seward, a badly wounded veteran. The two initially can't stand each other. Michael, who volunteered with the Red Cross during the war and helped rehabilitate wounded soldiers, hates being reminded of the war and its horrors. John insists on living as an infirm recluse, and treats everyone in his house poorly.
But once Michael forces John into physiotherapy, the two develop an uneasy truce. Slowly, they begin to heal.
This book is first and foremost a story about healing. Both Michael and John are broken, mentally as much as physically. Before they could give or receive love, the two had to learn how to handle what they saw and experienced in Europe. I thought the depiction of physical therapy and psychiatry, which were still developing during the interwar period, was pretty interesting.
The healing process is slow, and takes up the majority of the book, and there's no romance until the second half. Surprisingly, I didn't mind that at all, and it actually made sense for the relationship to take a back seat for a while.
Once Michael and John begin falling for each other, the romance was both sweet and heartbreaking. Beyond the damage they suffered during the war, Michael and John's childhoods weren't the best. The two find it difficult to let themselves be happy.
I loved seeing the two overcome their feelings of guilt, and accept that they did in fact deserve to be happy. Once Michael and John can see past their hang-ups, they dive right in. The happy-ever-after didn't come easy, but Michael and John kept at it until it worked.
Overall, I highly enjoyed 'Bonds of Earth'. It's an excellently written, and quite realistic, hurt/comfort romance. Recommended!
Set immediately after World War I, 'Bonds of Earth' tells the story of Michael McCready, a rentboy-turned-gardener, and John Seward, a badly wounded veteran. The two initially can't stand each other. Michael, who volunteered with the Red Cross during the war and helped rehabilitate wounded soldiers, hates being reminded of the war and its horrors. John insists on living as an infirm recluse, and treats everyone in his house poorly.
But once Michael forces John into physiotherapy, the two develop an uneasy truce. Slowly, they begin to heal.
This book is first and foremost a story about healing. Both Michael and John are broken, mentally as much as physically. Before they could give or receive love, the two had to learn how to handle what they saw and experienced in Europe. I thought the depiction of physical therapy and psychiatry, which were still developing during the interwar period, was pretty interesting.
The healing process is slow, and takes up the majority of the book, and there's no romance until the second half. Surprisingly, I didn't mind that at all, and it actually made sense for the relationship to take a back seat for a while.
Once Michael and John begin falling for each other, the romance was both sweet and heartbreaking. Beyond the damage they suffered during the war, Michael and John's childhoods weren't the best. The two find it difficult to let themselves be happy.
I loved seeing the two overcome their feelings of guilt, and accept that they did in fact deserve to be happy. Once Michael and John can see past their hang-ups, they dive right in. The happy-ever-after didn't come easy, but Michael and John kept at it until it worked.
Overall, I highly enjoyed 'Bonds of Earth'. It's an excellently written, and quite realistic, hurt/comfort romance. Recommended!
March 24, 2019
The first 60% or so was good, but then from there things just got boring and predictable.
I really enjoyed the writing and G.N. Chevalier's ability to weave words as if it were magic.
Overall story was alright, I DNF-ed around 70% as I got bored and the story became predictable. Altogether, it was an okay book with mediocre characters. Nothing to write home about.
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January 17, 2021
If I had to chart this book as a diagram, I'd draw a steeply rising curve, followed by a slump, followed by another steep rise - a bit like a rollercoaster ride.
The first 85% (in Kindle terms) of the novel - - kept me entirely gripped. The slow pacing of the story, the frank animosity between the two main characters and their tentative growing closer is incredibly well done.
Heavy issues such as shell-shock, the guilt of survival, isolation and sexual discrimination are all there but traced in a subtle and never overly dramatic manner. It may seem that nothing much happens in terms of external events in this first part of Bonds of Earth but the narrative tension and the characters are deeply absorbing. The slow pace needed by the garden to come back to life parallels John's gradual recovery. The soil becomes at the same time a powerful reminder of the possibility of a rebirth and of the rancid mud of the trenches stinking of death and decay.
As John points out to Michael towards the end of the book, these two men are much more similar than what they'd appear at first: the scarring, both physical and mental, is there confronting both of them in different yet equally brutal ways. They both struggle to express their feelings and can be unpleasant and self-absorbed. G.N. Chevalier, though, makes them always believable and worthy of our attention and affection.
After the 85% mark, however, the novel seems to fall a little apart at the seams. The hypnotically slow speed of the story suddenly jerks forward in a whirlwind of events that seemed a bit artificial and didn't convince me entirely. After this section, though, the novel recovers its original pace and right after the episode set in the alienist's office, we can focus again on the interior struggles and fears of the two main characters. The ending that focuses on is a rather bold way to finish their story on a note of hope and rebirth.
The book is extremely well written and never cheap in its portrayal of sentiments and characters and its whole point is not, at least in my personal opinion, simply its involving love story but more complex issues connected to guilt, healing, and identity.
Despite its slight unevenness, I highly recommend it.
===============
Update after reread (January 2021)
I cannot but confirm all the things I've said on this moving novel after completing a second read. I still think there's a small balance problem in the last section of the book, but its humanity and depth are truly beautiful, and so are the story and characters.
The first 85% (in Kindle terms) of the novel - - kept me entirely gripped. The slow pacing of the story, the frank animosity between the two main characters and their tentative growing closer is incredibly well done.
Heavy issues such as shell-shock, the guilt of survival, isolation and sexual discrimination are all there but traced in a subtle and never overly dramatic manner. It may seem that nothing much happens in terms of external events in this first part of Bonds of Earth but the narrative tension and the characters are deeply absorbing. The slow pace needed by the garden to come back to life parallels John's gradual recovery. The soil becomes at the same time a powerful reminder of the possibility of a rebirth and of the rancid mud of the trenches stinking of death and decay.
As John points out to Michael towards the end of the book, these two men are much more similar than what they'd appear at first: the scarring, both physical and mental, is there confronting both of them in different yet equally brutal ways. They both struggle to express their feelings and can be unpleasant and self-absorbed. G.N. Chevalier, though, makes them always believable and worthy of our attention and affection.
After the 85% mark, however, the novel seems to fall a little apart at the seams. The hypnotically slow speed of the story suddenly jerks forward in a whirlwind of events that seemed a bit artificial and didn't convince me entirely. After this section, though, the novel recovers its original pace and right after the episode set in the alienist's office, we can focus again on the interior struggles and fears of the two main characters. The ending that focuses on is a rather bold way to finish their story on a note of hope and rebirth.
The book is extremely well written and never cheap in its portrayal of sentiments and characters and its whole point is not, at least in my personal opinion, simply its involving love story but more complex issues connected to guilt, healing, and identity.
Despite its slight unevenness, I highly recommend it.
===============
Update after reread (January 2021)
I cannot but confirm all the things I've said on this moving novel after completing a second read. I still think there's a small balance problem in the last section of the book, but its humanity and depth are truly beautiful, and so are the story and characters.
November 13, 2024
Re-Read: Nov 2024
Original Read: July 2022
This was perfection! Ever since reading Sally Malcolm's The Last Kiss , I've been disappointed by post-WW1 MM romances that I've tried because none of them came close to The Last Kiss. I'm thrilled to say that this book not only met my expectations but it now joins The Last Kiss as my favorite post-WW1 romance.
I'm very picky when it comes to WW1 romances because there are so many elements I want the story to get right. In this case, the characters were all wonderful and I loved the dynamics between all the people living at the estate. I loved how John was the reclusive, grumpy lord of the manor recovering from horrendous injuries obtained during the war, while Michael was the blunt, working class Irish immigrant gardener. Both of them had served in the war but the author made the great decision of having John serve in the Army on the front lines while Michael served as an Army doctor who went back and forth from the front. In a way, Michael had the 'higher class' position when it comes to the war and his medical knowledge meant he is a voice of authority when it comes to John's various medical issues, but their class difference and John being the lord of the manor beautifully balanced this out. Due to these situations, both men considered the other their equal and their close ages combined with their war experiences meant their developing relationship was wonderful.
I loved how realistic the author was regarding John's medical condition. There aren't gruesome details, but the author had clearly done tons of research into this time period and wove that knowledge into the treatments that John got. For obvious reasons, there was a huge shift in the medical community during and after the war to focus on treating PTSD, amputations, severe scarring, chronic pain and many other conditions that had obviously existed before but had never presented in such huge numbers. The degree to which these serious conditions impacted nearly an entire generation of young men forced the societies they returned to to focus heavily on rehabilitation, accessibility issues and financial assistance, which caused big shifts in government policy and medical procedures, all of which was explored in the book.
Another thing that made this book stand out among the many other post-WW1 romances is that this author clearly understood what fighting in this war was like and how/why this war impacted society. There are some authors who don't understand why or how WW1 was so impactful and their stories are the ones that leave me unimpressed. But like Sally Malcolm, G.N. Chevalier had understood this and beautifully wove the changes that WW1 brought into the story. Like with The Last Kiss, this story uses a similar framework: having the son of lord serve on the front lines and return with a completely changed view of society and their place in it, while their older family members (who hadn't fought in the war) continue to cling to the old ways and stubbornly refuse to acknowledge that the world they had known has crumbled into dust.
I also adored the found family dynamic between the characters living on the estate. John and Michael's relationship progressed slowly and this wouldn't have provided enough material to make an interesting story, which is why I loved the inclusion of the Abbotts (the elderly couple who were the caretaker and housekeeper of the estate) and their young granddaughter, Sarah. The Abbott's had a long history with John and had basically raised him as their own son due to John's father being mostly absent and his mother having passed away. Sarah takes a liking to both Michael and John, and Michael immediately gets along with the Abbotts, which allowed for many beautiful family moments and many lovely scenes between all of these characters.
The whole theme of gardening was another thing that I enjoyed in the story. There were a lot of connections between this story and Frances Hodgson Burnett's The Secret Garden and I'm pretty sure the author drew inspiration from that story. Many of the characters have direct counterparts between the two stories and there were many common themes. For example, the act of gardening giving characters the chance to be outside, which provided the sunshine, exercise and purpose that most characters had been desperately needing (especially John). Or the metaphor of tackling an overgrown, dead garden that nobody had cared about for decades and nursing it back to health and beauty with patience, love and hard work.
On the other hand, the gardening also had some dark parallels that beautifully tied into the post-WW1 themes of the story, like when John had an intense PTSD flashback the first time he walked over the newly grown lawn and got covered in mud after falling. Not only did this connect to the miserable lives of the soldiers fighting in trenches, where being covered in filthy, cold mud was part of daily life but it made John flash back to having been buried alive when a trench had collapsed due to shelling. The themes of horror connected to mud is a common focus across all WW1 media and I love that the author acknowledged the horrors that mud/dirt could provide but deliberately used the act of gardening to bring a sense of warmth and beauty back to those things. During the war, dirt/soil represented death and suffering, while the act of gardening allowed that same soil to be used to grow beautiful flowers and bring joy and life back to not only plants but the people tending them. I'm not sure if I'm explaining this connection right, but it was one of my favorite aspects of the book and I'm pretty sure that's where the inspiration for the title and cover art came from.
This all being said, I have to say that the last two chapters aren't necessary for the story and I wish they hadn't been included. The actual story ends by the end of Chapter 14 and everything is beautifully wrapped up so the final two chapters feel like a sequel or a very long epilogue. They jump 6 years into the future, take place entirely in the city and focus on characters and situations that hadn't been at the core of the story. But the ending of Chapter 14 is beautiful and was the perfect ending so that's where I'll stop during re-reads.
If you're a fan of WW1 romances and especially if you liked Sally Malcolm's The Last Kiss , I highly recommend this one. Out of the many post-WW1 historical romances I've read so far, those two are the only ones that had everything I wanted.
Original Read: July 2022
This was perfection! Ever since reading Sally Malcolm's The Last Kiss , I've been disappointed by post-WW1 MM romances that I've tried because none of them came close to The Last Kiss. I'm thrilled to say that this book not only met my expectations but it now joins The Last Kiss as my favorite post-WW1 romance.
I'm very picky when it comes to WW1 romances because there are so many elements I want the story to get right. In this case, the characters were all wonderful and I loved the dynamics between all the people living at the estate. I loved how John was the reclusive, grumpy lord of the manor recovering from horrendous injuries obtained during the war, while Michael was the blunt, working class Irish immigrant gardener. Both of them had served in the war but the author made the great decision of having John serve in the Army on the front lines while Michael served as an Army doctor who went back and forth from the front. In a way, Michael had the 'higher class' position when it comes to the war and his medical knowledge meant he is a voice of authority when it comes to John's various medical issues, but their class difference and John being the lord of the manor beautifully balanced this out. Due to these situations, both men considered the other their equal and their close ages combined with their war experiences meant their developing relationship was wonderful.
I loved how realistic the author was regarding John's medical condition. There aren't gruesome details, but the author had clearly done tons of research into this time period and wove that knowledge into the treatments that John got. For obvious reasons, there was a huge shift in the medical community during and after the war to focus on treating PTSD, amputations, severe scarring, chronic pain and many other conditions that had obviously existed before but had never presented in such huge numbers. The degree to which these serious conditions impacted nearly an entire generation of young men forced the societies they returned to to focus heavily on rehabilitation, accessibility issues and financial assistance, which caused big shifts in government policy and medical procedures, all of which was explored in the book.
Another thing that made this book stand out among the many other post-WW1 romances is that this author clearly understood what fighting in this war was like and how/why this war impacted society. There are some authors who don't understand why or how WW1 was so impactful and their stories are the ones that leave me unimpressed. But like Sally Malcolm, G.N. Chevalier had understood this and beautifully wove the changes that WW1 brought into the story. Like with The Last Kiss, this story uses a similar framework: having the son of lord serve on the front lines and return with a completely changed view of society and their place in it, while their older family members (who hadn't fought in the war) continue to cling to the old ways and stubbornly refuse to acknowledge that the world they had known has crumbled into dust.
I also adored the found family dynamic between the characters living on the estate. John and Michael's relationship progressed slowly and this wouldn't have provided enough material to make an interesting story, which is why I loved the inclusion of the Abbotts (the elderly couple who were the caretaker and housekeeper of the estate) and their young granddaughter, Sarah. The Abbott's had a long history with John and had basically raised him as their own son due to John's father being mostly absent and his mother having passed away. Sarah takes a liking to both Michael and John, and Michael immediately gets along with the Abbotts, which allowed for many beautiful family moments and many lovely scenes between all of these characters.
The whole theme of gardening was another thing that I enjoyed in the story. There were a lot of connections between this story and Frances Hodgson Burnett's The Secret Garden and I'm pretty sure the author drew inspiration from that story. Many of the characters have direct counterparts between the two stories and there were many common themes. For example, the act of gardening giving characters the chance to be outside, which provided the sunshine, exercise and purpose that most characters had been desperately needing (especially John). Or the metaphor of tackling an overgrown, dead garden that nobody had cared about for decades and nursing it back to health and beauty with patience, love and hard work.
On the other hand, the gardening also had some dark parallels that beautifully tied into the post-WW1 themes of the story, like when John had an intense PTSD flashback the first time he walked over the newly grown lawn and got covered in mud after falling. Not only did this connect to the miserable lives of the soldiers fighting in trenches, where being covered in filthy, cold mud was part of daily life but it made John flash back to having been buried alive when a trench had collapsed due to shelling. The themes of horror connected to mud is a common focus across all WW1 media and I love that the author acknowledged the horrors that mud/dirt could provide but deliberately used the act of gardening to bring a sense of warmth and beauty back to those things. During the war, dirt/soil represented death and suffering, while the act of gardening allowed that same soil to be used to grow beautiful flowers and bring joy and life back to not only plants but the people tending them. I'm not sure if I'm explaining this connection right, but it was one of my favorite aspects of the book and I'm pretty sure that's where the inspiration for the title and cover art came from.
This all being said, I have to say that the last two chapters aren't necessary for the story and I wish they hadn't been included. The actual story ends by the end of Chapter 14 and everything is beautifully wrapped up so the final two chapters feel like a sequel or a very long epilogue. They jump 6 years into the future, take place entirely in the city and focus on characters and situations that hadn't been at the core of the story. But the ending of Chapter 14 is beautiful and was the perfect ending so that's where I'll stop during re-reads.
If you're a fan of WW1 romances and especially if you liked Sally Malcolm's The Last Kiss , I highly recommend this one. Out of the many post-WW1 historical romances I've read so far, those two are the only ones that had everything I wanted.
December 28, 2021
I enjoyed this book, but I read it last week and once I started this review I couldn't really remember what it was about. 😧😧
I guess this book has a somber vibe, a little bit of mystery and it is slow going, but I did love it, so I don't know what happened 🤔🤔.
Anyways, I wanted a solid read, with depth and a little bit of hut/comfort going on and I got that with Bonds of Earth, I think the characters were solid, the story was solid, it was well written and I SWEAR TO THE UNVIVERSE I LOVED IT.
Apparently I won't remember it much, but the moment I was reading it, I was invested 100%. So I dunno! I need memory pills or something. 😵😵😵
Fuck my life. 😪
I guess this book has a somber vibe, a little bit of mystery and it is slow going, but I did love it, so I don't know what happened 🤔🤔.
Anyways, I wanted a solid read, with depth and a little bit of hut/comfort going on and I got that with Bonds of Earth, I think the characters were solid, the story was solid, it was well written and I SWEAR TO THE UNVIVERSE I LOVED IT.
Apparently I won't remember it much, but the moment I was reading it, I was invested 100%. So I dunno! I need memory pills or something. 😵😵😵
Fuck my life. 😪
May 31, 2016
I loved this book. No, I adored this book. I don’t think of myself as a lover of historicals, at least not in the m/m genre. I love them elsewhere, but it’s been extremely rare for me to fall for one with two male romantic leads. But this smashed every idea I might have had about my previous tries and made me cry and laugh and swoon like a ridiculous person.
Michael McCready returned from the war and is working in bath houses in New York. With a year of medical school under his belt, he has given up the dream after seeing all of the terror and death from his fellow soldiers. The one relationship Michael will do anything to protect is the one he has with his beloved sister. So when his uncle makes him a deal to save that relationship as long as he takes a position as a gardener on a country estate, Michael takes off for a completely different kind of life.
There are the husband and wife striving to save the house they love and have worked in for decades and hopeful to save the man of the house’s life before he hides and drinks himself away. There is the little girl who has lost so much and clings desperately to the people she loves. And there is John (cue huge big, fat SWOON). John the man of privilege who gave it all away to join the front lines of the war, who can’t forgive himself for what he saw and felt he could have done, for the family he has lost, and the life he lost and felt he should have and could have had.
These people live and inhabit the mansion with Michael, but they don’t come alive until the combination of Michael and John’s growing friendship changes the mood and outlook of all five of them. This is a time when to love a man held far more risks than it does today. But their story wasn’t all about that and I’m so thankful. It wasn’t just a book about being a gay man in 1919. It’s a story about two men who had given up on many aspects in their lives, settled and then found another person who made them feel alive again. Found another person they would protect and who they wanted to be a better man for in the present and future. It was a slow journey of distrust, apathy, anger, fear, friendship, hope and love.
It’s a story of how to let someone close when it’s the one thing that scares you the most.
It’s a wonderful novel with a believable and slowly-unfolding plot, fully realized characters both main and secondary, and a simple but so very special love between them all.
I can’t recommend this enough for everyone.
Michael McCready returned from the war and is working in bath houses in New York. With a year of medical school under his belt, he has given up the dream after seeing all of the terror and death from his fellow soldiers. The one relationship Michael will do anything to protect is the one he has with his beloved sister. So when his uncle makes him a deal to save that relationship as long as he takes a position as a gardener on a country estate, Michael takes off for a completely different kind of life.
There are the husband and wife striving to save the house they love and have worked in for decades and hopeful to save the man of the house’s life before he hides and drinks himself away. There is the little girl who has lost so much and clings desperately to the people she loves. And there is John (cue huge big, fat SWOON). John the man of privilege who gave it all away to join the front lines of the war, who can’t forgive himself for what he saw and felt he could have done, for the family he has lost, and the life he lost and felt he should have and could have had.
These people live and inhabit the mansion with Michael, but they don’t come alive until the combination of Michael and John’s growing friendship changes the mood and outlook of all five of them. This is a time when to love a man held far more risks than it does today. But their story wasn’t all about that and I’m so thankful. It wasn’t just a book about being a gay man in 1919. It’s a story about two men who had given up on many aspects in their lives, settled and then found another person who made them feel alive again. Found another person they would protect and who they wanted to be a better man for in the present and future. It was a slow journey of distrust, apathy, anger, fear, friendship, hope and love.
It’s a story of how to let someone close when it’s the one thing that scares you the most.
It’s a wonderful novel with a believable and slowly-unfolding plot, fully realized characters both main and secondary, and a simple but so very special love between them all.
I can’t recommend this enough for everyone.
July 20, 2012
Michael grew up poor in the Bowery, escaping from the heavy hand of his uncle by finding a life on the streets; John was the son of a well-to-do physician. When they meet, Michael is employed as a gardener while John is the man of the house. But they turn out to have a lot in common.
Both men have been damaged by the horrors of the front lines in WWI, although John's scars are far more physical and visible. Both lost their mothers young and were effectively abandoned by their fathers, Michael in a physical sense, John emotionally. Both gave up the potential for a fulfilling career when they joined the armed forces. And both are attracted to other men, in a time when the penalties and risks were far higher than they are today.
Those similarities might have been a basis for friendship, despite their differences in status. However their first encounters are anything but auspicious. Michael is wary, self-contained, and still reeling from the blow of having his uncle force him into this gardening job on the threat of exposing his proclivities to his beloved sister and possibly to the law. John is locked in a dark miasma of guilt and pain, both emotional and physical, and has no desire to let anyone close.
This is a beautifully written book. The period detail is so complete it immerses the reader in American life after the Great War, and yet it's so skillfully integrated that it never overshadows the characters and the story. The emotions of these two men, with their traumatic pasts, isolated by their fears and desires, are clear and poignant but understated. The slow progression of understanding and healing that it takes to bring these men together is very realistic. The secondary characters add depth and interest to the story, and play vital roles in motivating the events that move Michael and John forward.
This book has everything I love in a historical romance - a story with a smooth, believable plot and deep slowly-evolving emotions which would be valid in any era, and yet a story which is informed at every turn of the page by the rich details of the time in which it is set. Highly recommended.
Both men have been damaged by the horrors of the front lines in WWI, although John's scars are far more physical and visible. Both lost their mothers young and were effectively abandoned by their fathers, Michael in a physical sense, John emotionally. Both gave up the potential for a fulfilling career when they joined the armed forces. And both are attracted to other men, in a time when the penalties and risks were far higher than they are today.
Those similarities might have been a basis for friendship, despite their differences in status. However their first encounters are anything but auspicious. Michael is wary, self-contained, and still reeling from the blow of having his uncle force him into this gardening job on the threat of exposing his proclivities to his beloved sister and possibly to the law. John is locked in a dark miasma of guilt and pain, both emotional and physical, and has no desire to let anyone close.
This is a beautifully written book. The period detail is so complete it immerses the reader in American life after the Great War, and yet it's so skillfully integrated that it never overshadows the characters and the story. The emotions of these two men, with their traumatic pasts, isolated by their fears and desires, are clear and poignant but understated. The slow progression of understanding and healing that it takes to bring these men together is very realistic. The secondary characters add depth and interest to the story, and play vital roles in motivating the events that move Michael and John forward.
This book has everything I love in a historical romance - a story with a smooth, believable plot and deep slowly-evolving emotions which would be valid in any era, and yet a story which is informed at every turn of the page by the rich details of the time in which it is set. Highly recommended.
November 21, 2025
✰ 3.25 stars ✰
I adored their banter, the biting back and forth, neither backing down. 🤌🏻🤌🏻 I don't deny the fanfiction-vibes, but I also can't deny how I smiled at Michael's cheeky comebacks and Seward's snappy retorts - that as much as they fussed and bristled, the slow simmers of a mutual attraction, if not, recognition of familiarity that undeniably drew them towards each other was also taking fruit.
Their individual PTSD of their time in the war was vivid and palpable. The memories they exchanged of their time on the battlefield, the way the author tied in the Bonds of Earth to how it resonated with the echoes of the horrors they witnessed when buried beneath the rabble was heartbreaking, but beautifully done. 🤧
“I don’t think I’ll ever be able to forget,” he said quietly. “I don’t know if I want to. Too many things I loved are buried there.”
Another pause, and this time Michael felt the touch of Seward’s fingertips on his chest, over his heart. “But there are other things I want to paint now.”
Uff, but the tension, the unspoken desire and the quiet craving, gave me ALL the tingles. 🥹 Despite harboring his own frustrated feelings of being here not quite of his volition, I loved how Michael got under Seward's skin with his willful stubbornness, Seward's reluctance to accept the choice of healing, brittle and prickly, but won over by his charm and rejected his reluctance not to be tamed, by embracing the parts of himself he'd closed off. 🫂
For it was more than just the magic in Michael's skilled touch that tightened their bond - not just of a patient-therapist, but one of likened spirits who've seen the worst and were in their own peculiar ways, intimately acquainted with loss and loneliness. Strengthened by his own bittersweet resolve o coax one so maddening and mercurial and haughty and patrician, but could still see an ailing youth, desperate to climb out of the dark shadows he'd trapped himself in. ❤️🩹❤️🩹
“Had they been living in some no-man’s-land, some middle ground that belonged to neither of them? Or had it belonged to both of them?”
I would have loved it if it had somehow avoided the potential of a third act break up, which thankfully, they quickly maneuvered their way out of, convincingly, so that Michael saw how much Seward meant to him. 🥺 Their tryst was a necessary escape, despite the quandary I found myself at how easily Seward was now able to move, which pushed the limits of credulity to some extent.
The swiftness in which Seward recovered was disbelieving; considering the severity of his injuries, his mental and physical health recovery was unlikely and too immediate for me and it hindered my chance to appreciate their sexual dalliances more. 🙆🏻♀️ His POV also would have been a welcome bonus to it, too, knowing how he did feel about Michael's casual conquests before settling his home and heart with him.
“That certainty was the greatest gift anyone had ever given him, and he would not risk losing it again, no matter how many fears he had to face.”
The time jump was also haphazardly done, not entirely fitting of Michael's character, either, with the focus on dealing with his trauma, along with the familial troubles that hurt to see him endure. John's own quiet, reserved embrace of his tumultuous feels was also slightly off-kilter, but it warmed my heart to see that they were still braving the waters together, a love stronger because they had each other. 🤍🩶
“... for the first time in his life, Michael realized that there was someone else who understood him, who wanted to know him, if he chose to allow it. If I choose.”
I adored their banter, the biting back and forth, neither backing down. 🤌🏻🤌🏻 I don't deny the fanfiction-vibes, but I also can't deny how I smiled at Michael's cheeky comebacks and Seward's snappy retorts - that as much as they fussed and bristled, the slow simmers of a mutual attraction, if not, recognition of familiarity that undeniably drew them towards each other was also taking fruit.
Their individual PTSD of their time in the war was vivid and palpable. The memories they exchanged of their time on the battlefield, the way the author tied in the Bonds of Earth to how it resonated with the echoes of the horrors they witnessed when buried beneath the rabble was heartbreaking, but beautifully done. 🤧
“I don’t think I’ll ever be able to forget,” he said quietly. “I don’t know if I want to. Too many things I loved are buried there.”
Another pause, and this time Michael felt the touch of Seward’s fingertips on his chest, over his heart. “But there are other things I want to paint now.”
Uff, but the tension, the unspoken desire and the quiet craving, gave me ALL the tingles. 🥹 Despite harboring his own frustrated feelings of being here not quite of his volition, I loved how Michael got under Seward's skin with his willful stubbornness, Seward's reluctance to accept the choice of healing, brittle and prickly, but won over by his charm and rejected his reluctance not to be tamed, by embracing the parts of himself he'd closed off. 🫂
For it was more than just the magic in Michael's skilled touch that tightened their bond - not just of a patient-therapist, but one of likened spirits who've seen the worst and were in their own peculiar ways, intimately acquainted with loss and loneliness. Strengthened by his own bittersweet resolve o coax one so maddening and mercurial and haughty and patrician, but could still see an ailing youth, desperate to climb out of the dark shadows he'd trapped himself in. ❤️🩹❤️🩹
“Had they been living in some no-man’s-land, some middle ground that belonged to neither of them? Or had it belonged to both of them?”
I would have loved it if it had somehow avoided the potential of a third act break up, which thankfully, they quickly maneuvered their way out of, convincingly, so that Michael saw how much Seward meant to him. 🥺 Their tryst was a necessary escape, despite the quandary I found myself at how easily Seward was now able to move, which pushed the limits of credulity to some extent.
The swiftness in which Seward recovered was disbelieving; considering the severity of his injuries, his mental and physical health recovery was unlikely and too immediate for me and it hindered my chance to appreciate their sexual dalliances more. 🙆🏻♀️ His POV also would have been a welcome bonus to it, too, knowing how he did feel about Michael's casual conquests before settling his home and heart with him.
“That certainty was the greatest gift anyone had ever given him, and he would not risk losing it again, no matter how many fears he had to face.”
The time jump was also haphazardly done, not entirely fitting of Michael's character, either, with the focus on dealing with his trauma, along with the familial troubles that hurt to see him endure. John's own quiet, reserved embrace of his tumultuous feels was also slightly off-kilter, but it warmed my heart to see that they were still braving the waters together, a love stronger because they had each other. 🤍🩶
February 11, 2012
I'm going through this phase where I choose MM books based on the cover, that is to say that I've been avoiding those awful, trite covers with stock photo-ed hunks leering at me from atop some incomprehensible background. Not that I mind leering hunks, mind you, it's just that I'm awfully tired of them. So I've been snapping up anything with an even remotely interesting cover. That is how I actually ended up reading this book, that and the fact that I am simultaneously going through a WWI/WWII phase. Anyways, my point, such as it is, is that I was disappointed with this book. It's not bad, but it certainly isn't extraordinary. It's has terrible pacing issues, but my main problem is that it doesn't really have a point, a theme, a denouement. Sure it's about two WWI veterans; and there's some PTSD, some medicine, some male prostitution, a bit of gardening; but ultimately, I didn't even care. It might have been a romantic saga, but it's too short for that and I never really got to like any of the characters enough for it. Liked the cover, though.
July 19, 2012
4.5 stars. What a lovely novel! It already has many good reviews but I just want to add my impressions. The authenticity of the setting and language, plus the attitudes and beliefs of the characters is a credit to the author's research. Her story is full of vivid imagery. I could almost feel the chill in the ground as Michael tends the garden, and see the lost look on the faces of the young soldiers in their hospital wards. I was also fascinated by the period (post WWI) and the sense that the old class and gender distinctions were starting to break down. It gave such a sense of hope to a period when gay relationships were often difficult to provide with a HEA. It's one of several m/m romances I've read lately that buck the trend when it comes to tropes and stereotypes in this genre. I thought the subplot about the sister was done extremely well. This author is definitely a shining star in the M/M Historical Romance category.
July 2, 2022
TL;DR: 4 stars - Good solid historical m/m.
Ok, I'm going to do something I don't usually do and talk about the physical book first.
I picked this up a few years ago in paperback because a number of my GR friends had rated it highly and it sounded like something I'd enjoy. This is one of only 2 or 3 m/m titles I've ever read in paperback as far as I recall. I very strongly prefer ebooks for fiction, but despite this being 2022 and there really not being any excuse for ebooks ever going "out of print" this book is. (Seriously, authors, if you've got an electronic copy of the final version and your rights have reverted, it's not that difficult.)
Now, I know a lot of these niche publishers like Dreamspinner, especially in romanceland, are primarily selling ebooks and the print versions are not the priority, but for fuck's sake have you never looked at a book?
The first line paragraph indents are comically oversized. And it's first line indents OR extra space between paragraphs. Never both. Never. Look up what a gutter is, cuz you need one. And if you're using InDesign please turn on "Optical Alignment" or whatever the equivalent is called in the software you're using. Please. And if the software you're using doesn't have an equivalent, then that's the definition of Trash, and you need to burn it to the ground and start over using actual typesetting software. Do not use MS Word. A pox on you and your children and your children's children if you use a word processor to prepare the pdf for your print book.
*Dramatic sigh*
Now that I've ranted, let's move on to the actual story.
I quite enjoyed this. The setup is post WWI, with both characters dealing with psychological damage from the war, and the love interest extensive physical damage as well.
POV is third person past tense and sticks to Michael, a sex worker who, thanks to the aid of a drag queen who's more of a parent figure to him than his actual parents, was completing his first year of medical school in Ireland when the war started and worked as an ambulance driver and physical therapist in the war. After the war he returned to New York and massage/sex work, but is blackmailed into taking a job as a gardner.
The prose, at least in the beginning, has a very distinct romance novel vibe. I wouldn't call it purple, but my inner narrator decided breathy southern lady from 1980's tv was the appropriate voice. Eventually it faded into my normal reading voice, but that may have just been me getting aclimated. There's also a very melodramatic soap opera style "Are you fucking him?" scene nearer the end, (which really almost felt out of character to me) so take that as an indication what you're in for.
I'll also mention it wasn't until somewhere around the halfway point that they both realize the other is gay and it had a vibe I don't recall ever encountering in m/m quite so clearly, very like that spiderman meme, with the two of them pointing at each other and going "you're a homosexual!" (Not literally ;)
If it sounds like I'm making fun, that's not the intention. I really did quite like it. It doesn't quite make it to a 5 star for me, and if I have to give a reason I think it's that I only "liked" the two MCs. I didn't really love either of them. The supporting cast was well done, I thought, I liked Millie/Henry especially. There are children around, FYI.
It's a shame the author seems to have disappeared off the face of the earth after this one book. I'd definitely try others if they had them.
Ok, I'm going to do something I don't usually do and talk about the physical book first.
I picked this up a few years ago in paperback because a number of my GR friends had rated it highly and it sounded like something I'd enjoy. This is one of only 2 or 3 m/m titles I've ever read in paperback as far as I recall. I very strongly prefer ebooks for fiction, but despite this being 2022 and there really not being any excuse for ebooks ever going "out of print" this book is. (Seriously, authors, if you've got an electronic copy of the final version and your rights have reverted, it's not that difficult.)
Now, I know a lot of these niche publishers like Dreamspinner, especially in romanceland, are primarily selling ebooks and the print versions are not the priority, but for fuck's sake have you never looked at a book?
The first line paragraph indents are comically oversized. And it's first line indents OR extra space between paragraphs. Never both. Never. Look up what a gutter is, cuz you need one. And if you're using InDesign please turn on "Optical Alignment" or whatever the equivalent is called in the software you're using. Please. And if the software you're using doesn't have an equivalent, then that's the definition of Trash, and you need to burn it to the ground and start over using actual typesetting software. Do not use MS Word. A pox on you and your children and your children's children if you use a word processor to prepare the pdf for your print book.
*Dramatic sigh*
Now that I've ranted, let's move on to the actual story.
I quite enjoyed this. The setup is post WWI, with both characters dealing with psychological damage from the war, and the love interest extensive physical damage as well.
POV is third person past tense and sticks to Michael, a sex worker who, thanks to the aid of a drag queen who's more of a parent figure to him than his actual parents, was completing his first year of medical school in Ireland when the war started and worked as an ambulance driver and physical therapist in the war. After the war he returned to New York and massage/sex work, but is blackmailed into taking a job as a gardner.
The prose, at least in the beginning, has a very distinct romance novel vibe. I wouldn't call it purple, but my inner narrator decided breathy southern lady from 1980's tv was the appropriate voice. Eventually it faded into my normal reading voice, but that may have just been me getting aclimated. There's also a very melodramatic soap opera style "Are you fucking him?" scene nearer the end, (which really almost felt out of character to me) so take that as an indication what you're in for.
I'll also mention it wasn't until somewhere around the halfway point that they both realize the other is gay and it had a vibe I don't recall ever encountering in m/m quite so clearly, very like that spiderman meme, with the two of them pointing at each other and going "you're a homosexual!" (Not literally ;)
If it sounds like I'm making fun, that's not the intention. I really did quite like it. It doesn't quite make it to a 5 star for me, and if I have to give a reason I think it's that I only "liked" the two MCs. I didn't really love either of them. The supporting cast was well done, I thought, I liked Millie/Henry especially. There are children around, FYI.
It's a shame the author seems to have disappeared off the face of the earth after this one book. I'd definitely try others if they had them.
January 24, 2012
This book took my breath away with its feeling of time and place. The glimpses I was granted into the half-world which gay culture was at that time were particularly fascinating to me, although the other settings, from the Bowery to the veteran clinic, were equally well worked out.
From the tone of the narrative, to the characters' mindsets, their way of talking, the very real threat of imprisonment or institutionalization that hung above homosexual relationships back then, every little detail added up to a consistent, harmonious whole. Despite the mountain of research that must have gone into this book, there’s nothing schoolmasterly about the historical details, they’re just smoothly woven into the story flow.
No attempt was made to explain the period or anything that went on in the greater whole of the world at that time. It was all just there, exactly like it would’ve been for Michael and Seward, and my level of knowledge, as the reader, didn’t exceed theirs. Michael, the narrator, just took me along for the ride, and I saw his world through his eyes and shared his thoughts on the things he encountered.
And I shared Michael’s memories. Flashbacks of what he experienced in the war popped up now and then, sometimes brought on by something he saw in the present time, but sometimes seemingly out of the blue, just as you’d expect with a badly traumatized survivor – which, again, added to the fascinating authenticity of Michael’s character. Some flashback sequences were there simply to wise the reader up about facts from Michael’s past, but some of those flashbacks were just that, memories fit to create nightmares.
This is the kind of book I can lose myself in, a book that’s all about the story and not in the least about the effect. Nothing in here seems forced, let alone put in just for playing to the gallery. Even the sex happens because it has to, almost like a force of nature, but never for its own sake. (in fact, when I came upon the first explicit scene, I almost wished it had been fade to black – I was so immersed in the intense emotions at that time that I’d have rather been left alone to dream my part instead of having to actually participate in the down and dirty. (Am I making sense here at all? ;-) ) It was intense, engrossing, poignant and amazingly well written, and I can’t recommend it highly enough. As far as I’m concerned, this book is a rare pearl and a precious find. Don’t miss it.
Review originally written for reviewsbyjessewave.com
From the tone of the narrative, to the characters' mindsets, their way of talking, the very real threat of imprisonment or institutionalization that hung above homosexual relationships back then, every little detail added up to a consistent, harmonious whole. Despite the mountain of research that must have gone into this book, there’s nothing schoolmasterly about the historical details, they’re just smoothly woven into the story flow.
No attempt was made to explain the period or anything that went on in the greater whole of the world at that time. It was all just there, exactly like it would’ve been for Michael and Seward, and my level of knowledge, as the reader, didn’t exceed theirs. Michael, the narrator, just took me along for the ride, and I saw his world through his eyes and shared his thoughts on the things he encountered.
And I shared Michael’s memories. Flashbacks of what he experienced in the war popped up now and then, sometimes brought on by something he saw in the present time, but sometimes seemingly out of the blue, just as you’d expect with a badly traumatized survivor – which, again, added to the fascinating authenticity of Michael’s character. Some flashback sequences were there simply to wise the reader up about facts from Michael’s past, but some of those flashbacks were just that, memories fit to create nightmares.
This is the kind of book I can lose myself in, a book that’s all about the story and not in the least about the effect. Nothing in here seems forced, let alone put in just for playing to the gallery. Even the sex happens because it has to, almost like a force of nature, but never for its own sake. (in fact, when I came upon the first explicit scene, I almost wished it had been fade to black – I was so immersed in the intense emotions at that time that I’d have rather been left alone to dream my part instead of having to actually participate in the down and dirty. (Am I making sense here at all? ;-) ) It was intense, engrossing, poignant and amazingly well written, and I can’t recommend it highly enough. As far as I’m concerned, this book is a rare pearl and a precious find. Don’t miss it.
Review originally written for reviewsbyjessewave.com
December 13, 2025
What happened to this author???
This has got to be the most well written m/m book I've read!
Bravo!
This has got to be the most well written m/m book I've read!
Bravo!
February 26, 2012
The Great War was not kind to any of the men who were involved, but those who survived came back with horrible scars, both mental and physical. And Michael McReady is no different. He was an ambulance driver, and worked with veterans of the war in a hospital as a rubber, a masseur, helping with physical therapy.
But the past couple of years he's been working in a bathhouse, doing massages and having an outlet for the desires that could get him arrested. Because sodomy is illegal in 1919 New York. When he runs afoul of his uncle, who threatens to tell his only sister about his...proclivities...he agrees to take a job out of the city as a gardener.
While there, he meets the nephew of the matron who owns the estate, John Seward. Another victim of the war, his wounds are physical as well as emotional. And when Michael sees him, he feels pity. Knows he can help. But John's personality and attitude makes sympathy difficult.
But when he finally breaks through and takes matters into his own hands, forces John to take his help, the results are amazing. Rewarding. As the two men learn to connect, their bond grows. And soon spills over into passion, which send Michael running away, the pain of caring too much.
Will these two men reconnect? Will either move past the ghosts of war that come between them?
Typically, I have not been one for historical books or romances, but I will definitely have to reconsider after reading this. G.N. Chevalier has given us a damned miracle here. This is a book that sings - a romance that grabs first at the mind, then at the heart. Treats both respectfully and with dignity.
Michael is a wonderful character. He is edgy, ahead of his time, and a wonder to behold. His bravado masks a huge wounded heart, and as we slowly get to see what caused that pain, we are amazed. Because he is such a wonderful, caring and loving man. But oh so very broken.
And John. All gruff and bark and sharp corners. But at heart, another sensitive broken romantic, loosed on the world only to have it break him. Wound his body and break his spirit. But not irreparably.
These two guys, they were made for each other. I hung on every work, every sentence, hoping for them. Because I was moved, so very moved, by the hurt and the pain and the passion and the rightness of them being together.
God, this book was just so good. I sound like a broken record, I know, but please, if you only buy one book this month, make it this one.
Tom
But the past couple of years he's been working in a bathhouse, doing massages and having an outlet for the desires that could get him arrested. Because sodomy is illegal in 1919 New York. When he runs afoul of his uncle, who threatens to tell his only sister about his...proclivities...he agrees to take a job out of the city as a gardener.
While there, he meets the nephew of the matron who owns the estate, John Seward. Another victim of the war, his wounds are physical as well as emotional. And when Michael sees him, he feels pity. Knows he can help. But John's personality and attitude makes sympathy difficult.
But when he finally breaks through and takes matters into his own hands, forces John to take his help, the results are amazing. Rewarding. As the two men learn to connect, their bond grows. And soon spills over into passion, which send Michael running away, the pain of caring too much.
Will these two men reconnect? Will either move past the ghosts of war that come between them?
Typically, I have not been one for historical books or romances, but I will definitely have to reconsider after reading this. G.N. Chevalier has given us a damned miracle here. This is a book that sings - a romance that grabs first at the mind, then at the heart. Treats both respectfully and with dignity.
Michael is a wonderful character. He is edgy, ahead of his time, and a wonder to behold. His bravado masks a huge wounded heart, and as we slowly get to see what caused that pain, we are amazed. Because he is such a wonderful, caring and loving man. But oh so very broken.
And John. All gruff and bark and sharp corners. But at heart, another sensitive broken romantic, loosed on the world only to have it break him. Wound his body and break his spirit. But not irreparably.
These two guys, they were made for each other. I hung on every work, every sentence, hoping for them. Because I was moved, so very moved, by the hurt and the pain and the passion and the rightness of them being together.
God, this book was just so good. I sound like a broken record, I know, but please, if you only buy one book this month, make it this one.
Tom
October 23, 2013
A very good historical romance set right after WWI about a former ambulance driver who, because his homosexuality if revealed, is forced by his family to leave New York City and take a gardening job upstate. There he struggles to remain disconnected, but finds himself drawn to the estate’s denizens, including a surly, arrogant young man who is also battle-scarred from the war.
What I liked: It was a nice change of pace to read an m/m romance set after WWI, and the author did a nice job with the setting and period details. All the characters are engaging and sympathetic, and the story really follows a slow healing process--for the MCs, for the house and gardens, for the other characters--it’s like each are being the sun for the other, to help bring them back up out of the despair or fear or trauma where they were locked in.
The romance is also a nice slow burn, and a good choice for anyone looking for an enemies-to-lovers book (since the MCs have little regard for each other at first) or for a slow, developing romance. (No insta-love here, kids.)
My only beef is that the pacing somewhat slows down in the last quarter, to add some sexy times and then some conflict. Somehow this didn’t mesh as well for me as the first three quarters.
But overall, I enjoyed it a lot. I thought it was very well-written, and also a real treat to get a snapshot of that time. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who digs m/m historicals. (And I hope this author will release another book.)
What I liked: It was a nice change of pace to read an m/m romance set after WWI, and the author did a nice job with the setting and period details. All the characters are engaging and sympathetic, and the story really follows a slow healing process--for the MCs, for the house and gardens, for the other characters--it’s like each are being the sun for the other, to help bring them back up out of the despair or fear or trauma where they were locked in.
The romance is also a nice slow burn, and a good choice for anyone looking for an enemies-to-lovers book (since the MCs have little regard for each other at first) or for a slow, developing romance. (No insta-love here, kids.)
My only beef is that the pacing somewhat slows down in the last quarter, to add some sexy times and then some conflict. Somehow this didn’t mesh as well for me as the first three quarters.
But overall, I enjoyed it a lot. I thought it was very well-written, and also a real treat to get a snapshot of that time. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who digs m/m historicals. (And I hope this author will release another book.)
June 24, 2012
Beautifully written, deeply rooted in time and place, with two wonderfully crafted damaged protagonists, Bonds of Earth is a book about surviving and healing, acceptance and abandonment, family you are born into and family you choose, love for others and for yourself. It's heartbreaking and heartwarming and I just can't find words good enough to describe this book. Rarely can we find a book in this little niche of ours that can easily compete with any mainstream book out there. Bonds of Earth is such a book. If you haven't already, read it now.
And, Ms. Chevalier... write, write like the wind.
And, Ms. Chevalier... write, write like the wind.
May 6, 2012
Michael McCready lives in two worlds. In one he is an ambulance driver and later a physical therapist or “rubber” as they were called in the war hospitals of World War 1. In the other, he is a man desperate to connect, longing for love, haunted by his unsavory sexual past and terrified by war-torn memories and nightmares. Overarching both these worlds is the very real guilt of having survived…of having managed to live one more day when so many others did not.
Bonds of Earth by G. N. Chevalier explores the very real torture that inhabits the hearts and souls of two men who have lived through the horror of a world war and now must cope with the half-life existence a post war America has to offer.
Michael has had a tortured past. After the death of his mother and the abandonment of his father he and his sister, Margaret, are sent to live with his alcoholic and abusive Uncle Paddy. At the age of 16, after having been knocked about for far too long, Michael escapes to the back alleyways of the Bowery and pleasures men for money. Somehow he manages to complete a year of Medical School prior to the war and then drives ambulance for the war effort. After, broken by the killing and death he has see on the battlefield, he takes work in an army rehabilitation hospital until the stench of severed limbs and moans of dying men drives him back onto the street and into a Men’s massage club…a place no better than a high paid brothel for men.
Up the Hudson River, on a wealthy, but crumbling estate, lives the wealthy John Seward. Returning home from the war after being buried alive in a trench that left some of his men dead and himself a cripple with multiple broken bones, he is now a recluse who drinks to forget, paints the demons that plague him and lives in a world that is full of shadows and death.
Michael’s Uncle Paddy, after finding out that Michael is a subversive—a “queer”, threatens to expose him to his sister Margaret—the one person who means the world to Michael. Not only that, but at this time in history it is a crime to be found in flagrante with another man and so Paddy holds the threat of turning Michael over to the police as well. Paddy needs money—and Michael is going to provide it. Paddy, a gardener, had trained a younger Michael all the tricks of the trade and now takes him to a small village outside the city to do menial gardening work for the very same John Seward mentioned above. Michael is blackmailed into doing Paddy’s bidding.
The two men meet…argue…fall in love…and fall apart. But all is not lost…no, there is redemption in this story…healing in its finest moment…love at it’s most sacrificial.
I wish I could sit with you, dear reader, and tell you this entire story—but my feeble words would barely do it justice! Instead I want to give you another remarkably beautiful passage for the amazing novel:
“And all at once, the weight that burdened him was lifted away, because for the first time in his life, Michael realized that there was someone else who understood him, who wanted to know him, if he chose to allow it. …It’s beautiful, Michael wanted to say. You’ve made me beautiful.”
Here is the “beauty” of this story. Ms Chevalier takes out and examines that small kernel of doubt…that small place inside us that cries out when confronted with another person’s love…I am not worthy…I will never be worthy. She masterfully draws it forth, wraps it in clearly fleshed out characters that we are compelled to fall in love with and shows us the way to push that doubt aside and embrace the love that waits for each of us.
I tore through this book, wanting…needing to know…to see what was going to happen to these men. How were they going to survive the horror their lives had been? How were they ever going to stand still long enough, waken fully enough from the nightmare their pasts had been and see the future, right there, in each other’s arms?
Oh, dear reader do not walk, but instead run to purchase this book. This is literature in its finest moment, with all the beauty and lyricism of a masterpiece that cries out begging to be read again and again. I highly recommend Bonds of Earth by G. N. Chevalier to you! It IS a 5 star read!
Bonds of Earth by G. N. Chevalier explores the very real torture that inhabits the hearts and souls of two men who have lived through the horror of a world war and now must cope with the half-life existence a post war America has to offer.
Michael has had a tortured past. After the death of his mother and the abandonment of his father he and his sister, Margaret, are sent to live with his alcoholic and abusive Uncle Paddy. At the age of 16, after having been knocked about for far too long, Michael escapes to the back alleyways of the Bowery and pleasures men for money. Somehow he manages to complete a year of Medical School prior to the war and then drives ambulance for the war effort. After, broken by the killing and death he has see on the battlefield, he takes work in an army rehabilitation hospital until the stench of severed limbs and moans of dying men drives him back onto the street and into a Men’s massage club…a place no better than a high paid brothel for men.
Up the Hudson River, on a wealthy, but crumbling estate, lives the wealthy John Seward. Returning home from the war after being buried alive in a trench that left some of his men dead and himself a cripple with multiple broken bones, he is now a recluse who drinks to forget, paints the demons that plague him and lives in a world that is full of shadows and death.
Michael’s Uncle Paddy, after finding out that Michael is a subversive—a “queer”, threatens to expose him to his sister Margaret—the one person who means the world to Michael. Not only that, but at this time in history it is a crime to be found in flagrante with another man and so Paddy holds the threat of turning Michael over to the police as well. Paddy needs money—and Michael is going to provide it. Paddy, a gardener, had trained a younger Michael all the tricks of the trade and now takes him to a small village outside the city to do menial gardening work for the very same John Seward mentioned above. Michael is blackmailed into doing Paddy’s bidding.
The two men meet…argue…fall in love…and fall apart. But all is not lost…no, there is redemption in this story…healing in its finest moment…love at it’s most sacrificial.
I wish I could sit with you, dear reader, and tell you this entire story—but my feeble words would barely do it justice! Instead I want to give you another remarkably beautiful passage for the amazing novel:
“And all at once, the weight that burdened him was lifted away, because for the first time in his life, Michael realized that there was someone else who understood him, who wanted to know him, if he chose to allow it. …It’s beautiful, Michael wanted to say. You’ve made me beautiful.”
Here is the “beauty” of this story. Ms Chevalier takes out and examines that small kernel of doubt…that small place inside us that cries out when confronted with another person’s love…I am not worthy…I will never be worthy. She masterfully draws it forth, wraps it in clearly fleshed out characters that we are compelled to fall in love with and shows us the way to push that doubt aside and embrace the love that waits for each of us.
I tore through this book, wanting…needing to know…to see what was going to happen to these men. How were they going to survive the horror their lives had been? How were they ever going to stand still long enough, waken fully enough from the nightmare their pasts had been and see the future, right there, in each other’s arms?
Oh, dear reader do not walk, but instead run to purchase this book. This is literature in its finest moment, with all the beauty and lyricism of a masterpiece that cries out begging to be read again and again. I highly recommend Bonds of Earth by G. N. Chevalier to you! It IS a 5 star read!
July 17, 2014
Adorable! A must-read.
August 3, 2023
Fab historical.
Convincing jazz age details,
epic love, real men.
Convincing jazz age details,
epic love, real men.
March 19, 2014
4.5
One of my favorite things about reading a romance novel is when I get to see well thought out characters move through the trials and tribulations in life and still have an enormous capacity to love...and allow themselves to be loved even when life has battered their spirit.
This historical novel kept me captivated and emotionally connected throughout the whole story. The pace was at a slow simmer, not full paced, but allowed the story to unfold naturally. So much life, and healing touched each of the characters (primary and secondary) which really helped keep everything in perspective.
My heart was so bound with Michael and Jon, they had so much depth and I think anyone could relate to any one of the many emotions felt by these men. Great read!
One of my favorite things about reading a romance novel is when I get to see well thought out characters move through the trials and tribulations in life and still have an enormous capacity to love...and allow themselves to be loved even when life has battered their spirit.
This historical novel kept me captivated and emotionally connected throughout the whole story. The pace was at a slow simmer, not full paced, but allowed the story to unfold naturally. So much life, and healing touched each of the characters (primary and secondary) which really helped keep everything in perspective.
My heart was so bound with Michael and Jon, they had so much depth and I think anyone could relate to any one of the many emotions felt by these men. Great read!
December 28, 2014
This was seriously the best romance I've read in months! Michael and John's story touched me on so many levels. The post WW1 setting, the great side characters and the beautiful plot really make this a gem on my bookshelf.
Thanks to Goodreads for recommending it to me!!
Thanks to Goodreads for recommending it to me!!
March 31, 2014
Bonds of Earth by G.N. Chevalier
I am a great fan of historical fiction, but only if it’s well done; only if I can get lost in the created past without constantly being reminded that what I’m reading is by a contemporary hand. G.N. Chevalier’s Bonds of Earth is a beautifully crafted historical romance that achieves its goal. It transports you to the years right after World War I in New York City, and it keeps you there effortlessly, without overelaborate description or anachronism.
Michael McCready is a Bowery-born Irishman, recently returned from a harrowing stint in the trenches of Europe. He’s also queer, and in order to avoid the law, takes a job as a gardener at an isolated estate up the Hudson River. Before his exile upstate, Michael had begun to dream of medical school; and his experience as a physical therapist in a British field hospital both broke his spirit and focused his desire to heal.
In classic romantic tradition, John Seward is the damaged and dispossessed scion of the family whose overgrown garens Michael is hired to resurrect. He lurks about the shabby mansion, giving attitude and generally being stereotypically upper crust and obnoxious.
But, Michael (and we) notice that the mansion’s aged caretaker, his wife, and their orphaned granddaughter all seem to love John anyway.
Hmmm…
I don’t mean to make light of this at all, because Chevalier paints a Hudson River landscape of vivid beauty for her readers. She takes this chestnut of a plot line (think: Anya Seton’s classic bodice-ripper, Dragonwyck) turns it into a fascinating and touching study of both the aftermath of World War I (the most destructive stupidest war ever fought) and the life of homosexual men in early-20th-century America.
The characters are strong and lovingly portrayed; the setting, both physical and historical, is authentic and vivid. The emotional fibers that entwine the ensemble who inhabit Chevalier’s pages are strong. The goodness radiates off the page and wraps the reader in a feeling that he has stumbled onto something long hidden and of great value.
Tamara Allen is one of the best writers of historical m/m fiction there is; but I’d class G.N. Chevalier right up there with her.
The only reason I did not give this a fifth star is because of the ending (and this is spoilerish, so stop if it bothers you).
After having tortured the reader and the main characters exquisitely with sexual tension, Chevalier does finally allow John and Michael to connect physically. She does it with amazing finesse and emotional beauty. But, for some reason, she ends the book in the middle of a sex scene, which put me off and disappointed me.
I have nothing against John and Michael having good sex, and of course that is part of the joy of this book—their discovery of love in physical union, and the emotional possibilities of a queer life. But the ending just felt to me like a bit of pandering to the expected demands of m/m readers who seem to insist that a certain amount of sex is required before a book fulfills its market function.
As a gay man, and a writer of m/m fiction, I obviously believe in sex; but as a gay man I know that the strongest, longest and happiest relationships are not built on sex, but on emotional connection, and on mutual forgiveness and compassion. Sex is one benefit of a successful gay relationship, not the purpose of it.
Don’t let my bitching stop you from reading this wonderful book. I’m just trying to reform the entire m/m world to obsess less about sex and focus more on the emotional and psychological side of what gay love can mean.
I am a great fan of historical fiction, but only if it’s well done; only if I can get lost in the created past without constantly being reminded that what I’m reading is by a contemporary hand. G.N. Chevalier’s Bonds of Earth is a beautifully crafted historical romance that achieves its goal. It transports you to the years right after World War I in New York City, and it keeps you there effortlessly, without overelaborate description or anachronism.
Michael McCready is a Bowery-born Irishman, recently returned from a harrowing stint in the trenches of Europe. He’s also queer, and in order to avoid the law, takes a job as a gardener at an isolated estate up the Hudson River. Before his exile upstate, Michael had begun to dream of medical school; and his experience as a physical therapist in a British field hospital both broke his spirit and focused his desire to heal.
In classic romantic tradition, John Seward is the damaged and dispossessed scion of the family whose overgrown garens Michael is hired to resurrect. He lurks about the shabby mansion, giving attitude and generally being stereotypically upper crust and obnoxious.
But, Michael (and we) notice that the mansion’s aged caretaker, his wife, and their orphaned granddaughter all seem to love John anyway.
Hmmm…
I don’t mean to make light of this at all, because Chevalier paints a Hudson River landscape of vivid beauty for her readers. She takes this chestnut of a plot line (think: Anya Seton’s classic bodice-ripper, Dragonwyck) turns it into a fascinating and touching study of both the aftermath of World War I (the most destructive stupidest war ever fought) and the life of homosexual men in early-20th-century America.
The characters are strong and lovingly portrayed; the setting, both physical and historical, is authentic and vivid. The emotional fibers that entwine the ensemble who inhabit Chevalier’s pages are strong. The goodness radiates off the page and wraps the reader in a feeling that he has stumbled onto something long hidden and of great value.
Tamara Allen is one of the best writers of historical m/m fiction there is; but I’d class G.N. Chevalier right up there with her.
The only reason I did not give this a fifth star is because of the ending (and this is spoilerish, so stop if it bothers you).
After having tortured the reader and the main characters exquisitely with sexual tension, Chevalier does finally allow John and Michael to connect physically. She does it with amazing finesse and emotional beauty. But, for some reason, she ends the book in the middle of a sex scene, which put me off and disappointed me.
I have nothing against John and Michael having good sex, and of course that is part of the joy of this book—their discovery of love in physical union, and the emotional possibilities of a queer life. But the ending just felt to me like a bit of pandering to the expected demands of m/m readers who seem to insist that a certain amount of sex is required before a book fulfills its market function.
As a gay man, and a writer of m/m fiction, I obviously believe in sex; but as a gay man I know that the strongest, longest and happiest relationships are not built on sex, but on emotional connection, and on mutual forgiveness and compassion. Sex is one benefit of a successful gay relationship, not the purpose of it.
Don’t let my bitching stop you from reading this wonderful book. I’m just trying to reform the entire m/m world to obsess less about sex and focus more on the emotional and psychological side of what gay love can mean.
February 13, 2012
Argh, this was good. It was filled with lots of angst, which I love.
The story takes place in New York the year after WWI ends, but the affects of war are still haunting those who fought in it. Michael was once a flourishing medical student, but the war did a number on him, and when he came back home, he didn't care what happened to him.
He finds himself working as a gardener on an estate, and discovers the reclusive young man who inhabits it was also put through the ringer, both physically and mentally. Like Michael, due to the war, John no longer cares for himself, and it shows.
Bonds of Earth was a story about healing. At times it was dark and gritty, but the story was real. It dealt with some heavy stuff, but there were lighter times as the story progressed. Michael and John end up helping each other, but it's no smooth sailing.
There was also a great set of side characters running about. One was a little girl named Sarah who had her own demons to conquer. She stole just about every scene she was in.
I was provided a galley of this from NetGalley. This didn't affect my opinions.
The story takes place in New York the year after WWI ends, but the affects of war are still haunting those who fought in it. Michael was once a flourishing medical student, but the war did a number on him, and when he came back home, he didn't care what happened to him.
He finds himself working as a gardener on an estate, and discovers the reclusive young man who inhabits it was also put through the ringer, both physically and mentally. Like Michael, due to the war, John no longer cares for himself, and it shows.
Bonds of Earth was a story about healing. At times it was dark and gritty, but the story was real. It dealt with some heavy stuff, but there were lighter times as the story progressed. Michael and John end up helping each other, but it's no smooth sailing.
There was also a great set of side characters running about. One was a little girl named Sarah who had her own demons to conquer. She stole just about every scene she was in.
I was provided a galley of this from NetGalley. This didn't affect my opinions.
October 31, 2012
I have to admit I was skeptical when I started reading this book. It sounded very boring and ordinary, but I loved it. Michael and John has so much in common and then at times they had nothing in common. Both characters were well represented and the dept to them was very good. At times the book left me feeling frustrated but then it would turn around for me. The themes of war and love were present in almost every page. It was hard not too see the effects the war had on both characters. It takes a long time for the characters to get together. But when they do its amazing and you are unable to look away or stop reading. This book had a very good effect on me and normally I find it hard to love a historical mm romance book. This was one of the major exceptions. G.N. Chevalier is an amazing author and has written a book that shows so many emotions without leaving you exhausted. I would highly recommend this book to all mm fans out there :)
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