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Blood & Milk
** LGBT Romance.Heath Crowley is an Australian man, born with two different coloured eyes and the gift—or curse—of having premonition dreams. He also has nothing left to live for. Twelve months after having his life upended, his dreams tell him where he needs to be. So with nothing―and no one―to keep him in Sydney, he simply boards a plane for Tanzania. Not caring if he lives or dies, Heath walks into a tribe of Maasai and asks to stay. Granted permission, he leaves behind the name and heartbreak of Heath and starts over with the new Maasai name of Alé.From the day of his birth, Damu has always been an outcast. The son of the chief and brother to the great warrior leader, Damu is reminded constantly that he’s not good enough to be considered a man in the eyes of his people. Ordered to take responsibility for Alé, Damu shares with him the ways of the Maasai, just as Alé shares with Damu the world outside the acacia thorn fence. But it’s more than just a cultural exchange. It’s about trust and acceptance, finding themselves, and a true sense of purpose.Under the African sky on the plains of the Serengeti, Heath finds more than just a reason to live. He finds a man like no other, and a reason to love.
326 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 23, 2016
66 people are currently reading
597 people want to read
About the author
N.R. Walker
133 books5,263 followersAuthor also writes as A. Voyeur
N.R. Walker is an Australian author, who loves her genre of gay romance. She loves writing and spends far too much time doing it, but wouldn't have it any other way.
She is many things; a mother, a wife, a sister, a writer. She has pretty, pretty boys who she gives them life with words.
She likes it when they do dirty, dirty things...but likes it even more when they fall in love. She used to think having people in her head talking to her was weird, until one day she happened across other writers who told her it was normal.
She’s been writing ever since...
https://www.facebook.com/N.R.WalkerAu...
N.R. Walker is an Australian author, who loves her genre of gay romance. She loves writing and spends far too much time doing it, but wouldn't have it any other way.
She is many things; a mother, a wife, a sister, a writer. She has pretty, pretty boys who she gives them life with words.
She likes it when they do dirty, dirty things...but likes it even more when they fall in love. She used to think having people in her head talking to her was weird, until one day she happened across other writers who told her it was normal.
She’s been writing ever since...
https://www.facebook.com/N.R.WalkerAu...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 159 reviews
June 28, 2016
~4.5~
Heath Crowley, a white man with different colored eyes, has prophetic dreams. A year after the brutal murder of his partner, Heath is not living, merely existing—until a dream vision leads him to a Maasai tribe in Tanzania.
Heath does not go to Africa to save "the natives." He goes to save himself.
The leader of the Maasai is a man named Kasisi. While Kasisi's eldest son, Kijani, is hostile toward Heath, who is dubbed Alé (Milk) because of the color of his skin, Kasisi allows Heath to stay. He believes Heath is the "ghost of Kafir," a mysterious being who also had different colored eyes. (Heath eventually learns the incredible legend of Kafir; I'm not going to spoil it here.)
Damu is ordered to be Heath's keeper. Without complaint or resentment, he shows Heath the ways of the Maasai. Damu, who is of "two hearts," is shunned by his village and belongs with neither the men (who are warriors and leaders) nor the women (who take care of the children and homestead). Damu is a gentle, intelligent man, and he calms Heath's dreams.
A great friendship grows between Damu and Heath. For much of the story, the connection between the MCs is about human touch, comfort, kindness, and self-discovery, not about sex.
Heath does not push or try to change Damu. He asks many questions and he listens. And when it's his turn, he shows Damu how to receive pleasure and give it in return.
I liked that the passion between the men is tenderly explored. There's no rushing here, no insta love.
Because homosexuality is punishable by death among the Maasai, Damu and Heath must hide their relationship, especially from the jealous, watchful Kijani who loathes Damu for an imaginary sin and is resentful of Heath's ability to foretell the future.
Heath has never seen elephants or giraffes in the wild, and he's like a child with his wonder at life in the Serengeti desert. He does not miss his old life in Australia and is eager to contibute to the village. He respects Maasai culture, even if he doesn't like all their customs (the way women are sold and tendered as property, for example), and is slowly accepted by the people.
The Maasai have their own ways, and the beauty of their traditions shines through. They're not other or exotic; they just are. The Maasai call Heath “white man” because he is that: a man with light skin. There is no judgement there.
There is a tension to the story, a sense of impending disaster, even during the peaceful moments. Heath's dreams warn him too late.
I was pleased that Walker did not hurry the ending. The HEA in Blood & Milk is a process, not a destination. There is so much love and understanding between the men, so much mutual respect.
Heath does not have all the power in the relationship and never at any point takes the choice away from Damu. When tragedy looms, Heath makes the only decision he can. He is sickened by the implications, but there's no time, no other way.
I will admit: All I know about the Massai is what I learned from my own research and from reading this book. I venture to say that those criticizing this book for its inauthentic portrayal of the Maasai have also never walked among them.
Is it impossible for two people from different races or cultures or social classes to have an equal relationship? I don't believe that. I can’t believe that.
I am not a person of color and will thus never fully grasp what it's like to suffer subtle and not-so-subtle racism because of skin color. But I am not a clueless white woman either. I am Jewish, a refugee, an immigrant. I do get what it's like to be an outsider.
I also understand that reactions to anything, much less fiction, are subjective, and Blood & Milk may not work for all readers. I am in no way discounting that.
But I read this as a book about love, not a book about race. Heath doesn't save Damu; they save each other.
Love isn't about big declarations; it's about the quiet moments: tending the goats, sharing your only bowl, bathing in the river at sunrise. It's patience and laughter. It's holding your lover's hand as you walk tall and proud in the sun.
Heath Crowley, a white man with different colored eyes, has prophetic dreams. A year after the brutal murder of his partner, Heath is not living, merely existing—until a dream vision leads him to a Maasai tribe in Tanzania.
Heath does not go to Africa to save "the natives." He goes to save himself.
The leader of the Maasai is a man named Kasisi. While Kasisi's eldest son, Kijani, is hostile toward Heath, who is dubbed Alé (Milk) because of the color of his skin, Kasisi allows Heath to stay. He believes Heath is the "ghost of Kafir," a mysterious being who also had different colored eyes. (Heath eventually learns the incredible legend of Kafir; I'm not going to spoil it here.)
Damu is ordered to be Heath's keeper. Without complaint or resentment, he shows Heath the ways of the Maasai. Damu, who is of "two hearts," is shunned by his village and belongs with neither the men (who are warriors and leaders) nor the women (who take care of the children and homestead). Damu is a gentle, intelligent man, and he calms Heath's dreams.
A great friendship grows between Damu and Heath. For much of the story, the connection between the MCs is about human touch, comfort, kindness, and self-discovery, not about sex.
Heath does not push or try to change Damu. He asks many questions and he listens. And when it's his turn, he shows Damu how to receive pleasure and give it in return.
I liked that the passion between the men is tenderly explored. There's no rushing here, no insta love.
Because homosexuality is punishable by death among the Maasai, Damu and Heath must hide their relationship, especially from the jealous, watchful Kijani who loathes Damu for an imaginary sin and is resentful of Heath's ability to foretell the future.
Heath has never seen elephants or giraffes in the wild, and he's like a child with his wonder at life in the Serengeti desert. He does not miss his old life in Australia and is eager to contibute to the village. He respects Maasai culture, even if he doesn't like all their customs (the way women are sold and tendered as property, for example), and is slowly accepted by the people.
The Maasai have their own ways, and the beauty of their traditions shines through. They're not other or exotic; they just are. The Maasai call Heath “white man” because he is that: a man with light skin. There is no judgement there.
There is a tension to the story, a sense of impending disaster, even during the peaceful moments. Heath's dreams warn him too late.
I was pleased that Walker did not hurry the ending. The HEA in Blood & Milk is a process, not a destination. There is so much love and understanding between the men, so much mutual respect.
Heath does not have all the power in the relationship and never at any point takes the choice away from Damu. When tragedy looms, Heath makes the only decision he can. He is sickened by the implications, but there's no time, no other way.
The fractured feeling was gone. I felt whole again, and I knew without doubt it was Damu's doing. He'd put me back together again. He hadn't just fixed me, he'd saved me.
I will admit: All I know about the Massai is what I learned from my own research and from reading this book. I venture to say that those criticizing this book for its inauthentic portrayal of the Maasai have also never walked among them.
Is it impossible for two people from different races or cultures or social classes to have an equal relationship? I don't believe that. I can’t believe that.
I am not a person of color and will thus never fully grasp what it's like to suffer subtle and not-so-subtle racism because of skin color. But I am not a clueless white woman either. I am Jewish, a refugee, an immigrant. I do get what it's like to be an outsider.
I also understand that reactions to anything, much less fiction, are subjective, and Blood & Milk may not work for all readers. I am in no way discounting that.
But I read this as a book about love, not a book about race. Heath doesn't save Damu; they save each other.
Love isn't about big declarations; it's about the quiet moments: tending the goats, sharing your only bowl, bathing in the river at sunrise. It's patience and laughter. It's holding your lover's hand as you walk tall and proud in the sun.
Want to read
June 7, 2016What's this? I want this. I really like the title. I shall now speculate what it's about.
*ahem*
A hitman and a dairy farmer meet and fall in love at a farming equipment conference when the hitman is there to murder dairy farmer's sister's husband.
A surgeon and a young man with perfectly creamy skin meet and fall in love when creamy-skinned man is brought into the ICU after a car accident.
A man must choose between his father's dream of him becoming a conservative politician, or going full-assed renegade like Harvey Milk.
More to come because why the fuck not. Something to do while I wait for the blurb!
-----
context: i wrote this review before there was a blurb or cover. soooooo, I'm not totally insane
*ahem*
A hitman and a dairy farmer meet and fall in love at a farming equipment conference when the hitman is there to murder dairy farmer's sister's husband.
A surgeon and a young man with perfectly creamy skin meet and fall in love when creamy-skinned man is brought into the ICU after a car accident.
A man must choose between his father's dream of him becoming a conservative politician, or going full-assed renegade like Harvey Milk.
More to come because why the fuck not. Something to do while I wait for the blurb!
-----
context: i wrote this review before there was a blurb or cover. soooooo, I'm not totally insane
dnf
July 17, 20167/17/16
I tried to read this book...
I really did.
Unfortunately I won't be able to finish reading it. Why, you may ask? Because there's so much false information and so many issues on each page that I can't help but call each problem out as I go along (as you can probably tell by my previous status updates). Doing that would mean that it would take me a long ass time to complete this book. I don't have the will or the energy to spend that much time on something I find to be not just problematic, but wrong-headed and crappily done.
If I go by what I've read so far and what other people have called out, I'd give it a 1 star review.
Edited again to add:
After reading some reviews...
1. World building is when an author makes up a world completely different to contemporary Earth societies, not when you describe what supposedly happened recently in a country that exists today. It's called fantasy or sci/fi or dystopian for a reason.
2. This review is spot on.
Edit to add:
This White Savior type of storyline is always heinous but, also, unless the author got some Maasai warriors to do her beta reading, she shouldn't assume that she "did this culture justice" in her book.
Blurb:
Heath Crowley is an Australian man, born with two different coloured eyes and the gift—or curse—of having premonition dreams. He also has nothing left to live for. Twelve months after having his life upended, his dreams tell him where he needs to be. So with nothing―and no one―to keep him in Sydney, he simply boards a plane for Tanzania. Not caring if he lives or dies, Heath walks into a tribe of Maasai and asks to stay. Granted permission, he leaves behind the name and heartbreak of Heath and starts over with the new Maasai name of Alé.
From the day of his birth, Damu has always been an outcast. The son of the chief and brother to the great warrior leader, Damu is reminded constantly that he’s not good enough to be considered a man in the eyes of his people. Ordered to take responsibility for Alé, Damu shares with him the ways of the Maasai, just as Alé shares with Damu the world outside the acacia thorn fence. But it’s more than just a cultural exchange. It’s about trust and acceptance, finding themselves, and a true sense of purpose.
Under the African sky on the plains of the Serengeti, Heath finds more than just a reason to live. He finds a man like no other, and a reason to love
I tried to read this book...
I really did.
Unfortunately I won't be able to finish reading it. Why, you may ask? Because there's so much false information and so many issues on each page that I can't help but call each problem out as I go along (as you can probably tell by my previous status updates). Doing that would mean that it would take me a long ass time to complete this book. I don't have the will or the energy to spend that much time on something I find to be not just problematic, but wrong-headed and crappily done.
If I go by what I've read so far and what other people have called out, I'd give it a 1 star review.
Edited again to add:
After reading some reviews...
1. World building is when an author makes up a world completely different to contemporary Earth societies, not when you describe what supposedly happened recently in a country that exists today. It's called fantasy or sci/fi or dystopian for a reason.
2. This review is spot on.
Edit to add:
This White Savior type of storyline is always heinous but, also, unless the author got some Maasai warriors to do her beta reading, she shouldn't assume that she "did this culture justice" in her book.
Blurb:
Heath Crowley is an Australian man, born with two different coloured eyes and the gift—or curse—of having premonition dreams. He also has nothing left to live for. Twelve months after having his life upended, his dreams tell him where he needs to be. So with nothing―and no one―to keep him in Sydney, he simply boards a plane for Tanzania. Not caring if he lives or dies, Heath walks into a tribe of Maasai and asks to stay. Granted permission, he leaves behind the name and heartbreak of Heath and starts over with the new Maasai name of Alé.
From the day of his birth, Damu has always been an outcast. The son of the chief and brother to the great warrior leader, Damu is reminded constantly that he’s not good enough to be considered a man in the eyes of his people. Ordered to take responsibility for Alé, Damu shares with him the ways of the Maasai, just as Alé shares with Damu the world outside the acacia thorn fence. But it’s more than just a cultural exchange. It’s about trust and acceptance, finding themselves, and a true sense of purpose.
Under the African sky on the plains of the Serengeti, Heath finds more than just a reason to live. He finds a man like no other, and a reason to love
July 9, 2016
3.5 Stars!
I feel kind of heartless saying this....but I just didn't buy in to this one. I know there was a lot of drama around this book. Whatever. Black, white, brown aside....I just didn't really feel the romance between Heath and Damu.
Bottomline I was bored. There were too many details. I couldn't even pronounce half of the words. They walked the goats. They got water. They made necklaces. At night Heath and Damu's "feelings" evolved. Rinse and repeat.
I almost DNFd around 40% but I wanted to see how the romance aspect was. Things picked up some at that point but I'd already kind of lost interest. I skimmed most of the last half because I wanted to see where Damu and Heath ended up.
Really I think this is more my fault then the books, it just wasn't my type of read.
I feel kind of heartless saying this....but I just didn't buy in to this one. I know there was a lot of drama around this book. Whatever. Black, white, brown aside....I just didn't really feel the romance between Heath and Damu.
Bottomline I was bored. There were too many details. I couldn't even pronounce half of the words. They walked the goats. They got water. They made necklaces. At night Heath and Damu's "feelings" evolved. Rinse and repeat.
I almost DNFd around 40% but I wanted to see how the romance aspect was. Things picked up some at that point but I'd already kind of lost interest. I skimmed most of the last half because I wanted to see where Damu and Heath ended up.
Really I think this is more my fault then the books, it just wasn't my type of read.
June 28, 2016
I unapologetically adored this book. It's sexy, it's romantic, it has loveable main characters, and it does something a lot of m/m books don't do -- it takes us into an environment not many of us know much about. New lands, new people, new customs. I love that. I'd also like to say that N.R. Walker's writing is absolutely beautiful. Great cover too. Just an exceptional book all around. It's the first story I truly lost myself in in quite a while, and that to me is the best compliment of all. I'd just also like to add, I spent the last 20 pages of this book with tears in my eyes. That's how touching it was to me.
June 26, 2016
DNF
I haven't loved everything from this author but I've read all her books.
I made it 10 pages in and that was being generous and I just couldn't anymore. I didn't like it.
Lesson of the day. No more auto-buys. Read the fucking blurb before you buy shit.
I haven't loved everything from this author but I've read all her books.
I made it 10 pages in and that was being generous and I just couldn't anymore. I didn't like it.
Lesson of the day. No more auto-buys. Read the fucking blurb before you buy shit.
maybe-not
June 29, 2016Not an N.R. Walker fan, but even if I was...
December 26, 2017
4.25 stars
I am in awe of the beautiful world that Ms. Walker created in this story. I began reading this book completely ignorant of anything about Tanzania. I will likely begin Googling the shit out of it because of the beauty described in this story.
Heath Crowley is a unique, but broken, man from Sydney, Australia. He experienced something so horrific, so vicious, it's a wonder he didn't fracture completely. A brutal hate crime against he and his partner, Jarrod, left his partner dead and Heath battered. But his suffering didn't end there. Neither of their families accepted their "homosexuality," and his partner's family blamed Heath for their son's death, kept him from his partner's side in his final days, and banned him from the funeral. I can't even imagine experiencing that kind of pain. What makes our Heath unique is that he dreams a lot, and some of those dreams are foreboding dreams that always come true. He can tell when it's one of those dreams, and if it is, the events in the dreams always come to pass.
Approximately one year after the horrific event leading to Jarrod's death (and Heath's death, he tells himself), he dreams of Jarrod. Jarrod tells him he must go to Tanzania and ask to live amongst the Maasai people. Given his experience with his premonitory dreams his entire life, and the utter devastation his current life is in, he makes arrangements and goes to Tanzania to do just that. And because his Jarrod tells him to.
After days of travel and bargaining, Heath is not welcomed, but allowed, into the village. Kasisi, the Chief and Diviner of the village, sees something in Heath because of his heterochromia. He is a seer, and knows that Heath is too, and he knows that Heath is supposed to be with them. The others aren't so sure, the lead warrior in particular, but they will follow their Chief's words. The Chief has Damu, one of the members, take responsibility for Heath.
The beauty of this story is in Damu and Heath's friendship, then relationship. Heath devotes himself to learning the culture this group. They clearly all work toward the betterment of the group as a whole. Everything is shared, which Heath wholeheartedly appreciates in with a warmth in his heart. But everything is not equal. The ingrained misogyny bothers Heath a lot, but he would never disrespect the people who didn't have to allow him to stay by making any references about it. Damu is clearly separate from the other men in the village, but it's not clear why. He is given daily tasks that are similar to the women of the group instead of the men.
Heath and Damu sleep in a tiny hut together: Damu on a thin mattress, Heath on the dirt ground. And Heath feels more at peace than he has felt in over a year. The simplicity of life while he learns of and gives to the Maasai brings him joy. His short conversations with Kasisi bring him joy. Teaching the children brings him joy. And Damu, above all else, brings him joy.
Damu has never left his village. He knows only that the men are rigidly told when it's time to marry and whom, when it's time to procreate for the village, when it's time to become a warrior, etc. And men never lay with men. Women never lay with women. The act is punishable by death.
The pacing of Heath and Damu's friendship and relationship was very nicely done. Damu has been treated differently from the other men in his village his entire life, and we come to understand why. It was unexpected, and nothing I would've predicted. Theirs is a special friendship and love story. I can't tell you how many FEELZ I got reading this story.
My only complaint with this story was the pacing and exploration at the end. I spent the whole book wondering how it would turn out. What would happen to them? Would they stay? Would they go somewhere else to be together? When I got my answer, I wanted more exploration for it.
Otherwise, I can't share much more without spoiling this. It truly was a beautiful story that Walker tells. Damu is an amazing man who brought Heath back to life. Their friendship brought stinging to my eyes more than once while reading. If you are a Walker fan, you will likely love this story. And for those who are wondering, Walker definitely brings the steam here!
I am in awe of the beautiful world that Ms. Walker created in this story. I began reading this book completely ignorant of anything about Tanzania. I will likely begin Googling the shit out of it because of the beauty described in this story.
Heath Crowley is a unique, but broken, man from Sydney, Australia. He experienced something so horrific, so vicious, it's a wonder he didn't fracture completely. A brutal hate crime against he and his partner, Jarrod, left his partner dead and Heath battered. But his suffering didn't end there. Neither of their families accepted their "homosexuality," and his partner's family blamed Heath for their son's death, kept him from his partner's side in his final days, and banned him from the funeral. I can't even imagine experiencing that kind of pain. What makes our Heath unique is that he dreams a lot, and some of those dreams are foreboding dreams that always come true. He can tell when it's one of those dreams, and if it is, the events in the dreams always come to pass.
Approximately one year after the horrific event leading to Jarrod's death (and Heath's death, he tells himself), he dreams of Jarrod. Jarrod tells him he must go to Tanzania and ask to live amongst the Maasai people. Given his experience with his premonitory dreams his entire life, and the utter devastation his current life is in, he makes arrangements and goes to Tanzania to do just that. And because his Jarrod tells him to.
After days of travel and bargaining, Heath is not welcomed, but allowed, into the village. Kasisi, the Chief and Diviner of the village, sees something in Heath because of his heterochromia. He is a seer, and knows that Heath is too, and he knows that Heath is supposed to be with them. The others aren't so sure, the lead warrior in particular, but they will follow their Chief's words. The Chief has Damu, one of the members, take responsibility for Heath.
The beauty of this story is in Damu and Heath's friendship, then relationship. Heath devotes himself to learning the culture this group. They clearly all work toward the betterment of the group as a whole. Everything is shared, which Heath wholeheartedly appreciates in with a warmth in his heart. But everything is not equal. The ingrained misogyny bothers Heath a lot, but he would never disrespect the people who didn't have to allow him to stay by making any references about it. Damu is clearly separate from the other men in the village, but it's not clear why. He is given daily tasks that are similar to the women of the group instead of the men.
Heath and Damu sleep in a tiny hut together: Damu on a thin mattress, Heath on the dirt ground. And Heath feels more at peace than he has felt in over a year. The simplicity of life while he learns of and gives to the Maasai brings him joy. His short conversations with Kasisi bring him joy. Teaching the children brings him joy. And Damu, above all else, brings him joy.
Damu has never left his village. He knows only that the men are rigidly told when it's time to marry and whom, when it's time to procreate for the village, when it's time to become a warrior, etc. And men never lay with men. Women never lay with women. The act is punishable by death.
The pacing of Heath and Damu's friendship and relationship was very nicely done. Damu has been treated differently from the other men in his village his entire life, and we come to understand why. It was unexpected, and nothing I would've predicted. Theirs is a special friendship and love story. I can't tell you how many FEELZ I got reading this story.
"What we do, is my only joy."
...."It is in all my life that I have something for me. That make sense of my heart. Not toward women, but to men, it make sense now. Because of you."
My only complaint with this story was the pacing and exploration at the end. I spent the whole book wondering how it would turn out. What would happen to them? Would they stay? Would they go somewhere else to be together? When I got my answer, I wanted more exploration for it.
Otherwise, I can't share much more without spoiling this. It truly was a beautiful story that Walker tells. Damu is an amazing man who brought Heath back to life. Their friendship brought stinging to my eyes more than once while reading. If you are a Walker fan, you will likely love this story. And for those who are wondering, Walker definitely brings the steam here!
November 5, 2017
*** ALL THE STARS UP THERE MY FRIENDS! ALL THE F. STARS !***
*BLURB*
Heath Crowley is an Australian man, born with two different coloured eyes and the gift—or curse—of having premonition dreams. He also has nothing left to live for. Twelve months after having his life upended, his dreams tell him where he needs to be. So with nothing―and no one―to keep him in Sydney, he simply boards a plane for Tanzania. Not caring if he lives or dies, Heath walks into a tribe of Maasai and asks to stay. Granted permission, he leaves behind the name and heartbreak of Heath and starts over with the new Maasai name of Alé.
From the day of his birth, Damu has always been an outcast. The son of the chief and brother to the great warrior leader, Damu is reminded constantly that he’s not good enough to be considered a man in the eyes of his people. Ordered to take responsibility for Alé, Damu shares with him the ways of the Maasai, just as Alé shares with Damu the world outside the acacia thorn fence. But it’s more than just a cultural exchange. It’s about trust and acceptance, finding themselves, and a true sense of purpose.
Under the African sky on the plains of the Serengeti, Heath finds more than just a reason to live. He finds a man like no other, and a reason to love.
*NO SPOILER REVIEW*
*I beta read this book for sensitivity matters*
I knew that Nic, at first considering NOT to release this book, because of the sensitive matters in the book. But after let some of Maasai natives read the book, and sent it to some of us to beta for this, she decided to finally release the book.
I was glad. Because this book is a gem. This is a different one from N.R. Walker, but still with NR Walker awesomeness that we love.
I never expected there's angst in Nic's books, not one. It's always sweet and adorable, fulfill my sweet teeth without giving me diabetes :)
But from the Prologue until almost the ending, I expected and felt like something is going to happen. You know the feeling, right?
When everything's are so smooth and fine and sweet, then... 'something' happened to our heroes. And it hit me hard and I started to cry. Not that I wasn't crying from the start, for this is one of the most beautiful story this author had been written. And I'm smitten with both Heath/Ale and Damu the Maasai guy, who never seen the world and lived in his own secluded place with his people.
I cried every time Damu threatened less than a man by his people. But Damu, that sweet, sweet boy, he's just accepted what his faith gave him, you know? Until Heath came into his life and change everything. And he knew that he's not living his life all this time.
I can say, Heath's love for Damu is unconditional. He's been through hard times, sacrificed everything to make Damu his.
The story told in a beautiful manners, as we know, NR Walker and her ability to make us swoon and cry at the same time, even for one unimportant scene or quotes.
So, if you need to find something a bit different read from this author, this book is worth to wait and read. And also, this kind of book, rare to find in OUR MM genre.
So, go for it. This one is one of my best read of this year !
---------------------------------------------------------------------
*Previously*
I am so NOT telling about this. This is going to be a surprise ! Ha!
*BLURB*
Heath Crowley is an Australian man, born with two different coloured eyes and the gift—or curse—of having premonition dreams. He also has nothing left to live for. Twelve months after having his life upended, his dreams tell him where he needs to be. So with nothing―and no one―to keep him in Sydney, he simply boards a plane for Tanzania. Not caring if he lives or dies, Heath walks into a tribe of Maasai and asks to stay. Granted permission, he leaves behind the name and heartbreak of Heath and starts over with the new Maasai name of Alé.
From the day of his birth, Damu has always been an outcast. The son of the chief and brother to the great warrior leader, Damu is reminded constantly that he’s not good enough to be considered a man in the eyes of his people. Ordered to take responsibility for Alé, Damu shares with him the ways of the Maasai, just as Alé shares with Damu the world outside the acacia thorn fence. But it’s more than just a cultural exchange. It’s about trust and acceptance, finding themselves, and a true sense of purpose.
Under the African sky on the plains of the Serengeti, Heath finds more than just a reason to live. He finds a man like no other, and a reason to love.
*NO SPOILER REVIEW*
*I beta read this book for sensitivity matters*
I knew that Nic, at first considering NOT to release this book, because of the sensitive matters in the book. But after let some of Maasai natives read the book, and sent it to some of us to beta for this, she decided to finally release the book.
I was glad. Because this book is a gem. This is a different one from N.R. Walker, but still with NR Walker awesomeness that we love.
I never expected there's angst in Nic's books, not one. It's always sweet and adorable, fulfill my sweet teeth without giving me diabetes :)
But from the Prologue until almost the ending, I expected and felt like something is going to happen. You know the feeling, right?
When everything's are so smooth and fine and sweet, then... 'something' happened to our heroes. And it hit me hard and I started to cry. Not that I wasn't crying from the start, for this is one of the most beautiful story this author had been written. And I'm smitten with both Heath/Ale and Damu the Maasai guy, who never seen the world and lived in his own secluded place with his people.
I cried every time Damu threatened less than a man by his people. But Damu, that sweet, sweet boy, he's just accepted what his faith gave him, you know? Until Heath came into his life and change everything. And he knew that he's not living his life all this time.
I can say, Heath's love for Damu is unconditional. He's been through hard times, sacrificed everything to make Damu his.
The story told in a beautiful manners, as we know, NR Walker and her ability to make us swoon and cry at the same time, even for one unimportant scene or quotes.
So, if you need to find something a bit different read from this author, this book is worth to wait and read. And also, this kind of book, rare to find in OUR MM genre.
So, go for it. This one is one of my best read of this year !
---------------------------------------------------------------------
*Previously*
I am so NOT telling about this. This is going to be a surprise ! Ha!
July 2, 2016
What a beautiful love story between 2 men from different cultures and background, each lonely in their own way and finding solace in each other.
After the brutal death of his partner, Heath is broken and lost. After a dream about Tanzania, he packed a few belongings, traveled to this country and was allowed to live among a Maasai tribe, given to the care of Damu.
Heath is overwhelmed with his grief and Damu is almost an outcast but together, they formed an unconventional bond, Heath being curious about all his surroundings and Damu exuding peacefulness and kindness (a real sunshine). Both slowly found their happiness, first from their friendship, then from their love.
This story is absolutely fascinating, like a balm to the heart. It’s comforting, kind, warm, but also sexy and romantic and I lost myself in this book.
One quote that resonated to me for personal reasons :
"Why do people worry about how other cultures and people live their lives ? Because some people weren’t happy unless they were sticking their noses into other people’s business, trying to convert their beliefs and way of life."
Highly recommended.
After the brutal death of his partner, Heath is broken and lost. After a dream about Tanzania, he packed a few belongings, traveled to this country and was allowed to live among a Maasai tribe, given to the care of Damu.
Heath is overwhelmed with his grief and Damu is almost an outcast but together, they formed an unconventional bond, Heath being curious about all his surroundings and Damu exuding peacefulness and kindness (a real sunshine). Both slowly found their happiness, first from their friendship, then from their love.
This story is absolutely fascinating, like a balm to the heart. It’s comforting, kind, warm, but also sexy and romantic and I lost myself in this book.
One quote that resonated to me for personal reasons :
"Why do people worry about how other cultures and people live their lives ? Because some people weren’t happy unless they were sticking their noses into other people’s business, trying to convert their beliefs and way of life."
Highly recommended.
July 4, 2016
4.5 Stars
Heath Crowley is a broken man. He lost his lover, Jarrod, in a tragic hate crime attack a year ago and he has been a shell of a man, ever since. He dreams of Jarrod every night; so present, but just out of reach. He's always had somewhat prophetic dreams and one night when Heath dreams, Jarrod tells him to go to Tanzania to live among the Maasai. So Heath drops everything and does just that. When Heath goes to live with the Maasai, he doesn't even care if he lives or dies. As far as he is concerned, he died in the brutal attack that killed Jarrod. But he trusts Jarrod, so he goes.
Though he isn't exactly welcomed into the tribe, the Chief sees Heath's different colored eyes - eyes of Kafir - and decides to let him stay, giving him the name "Alé", meaning "milk". Damu is given responsibility for Heath. Heath soon learns that Damu is set apart from the other men in the tribe. He isn't a warrior, so he will never marry or have children and he isn't treated with much respect. I wouldn't say that Damu is happy, exactly, but he is content.
As Heath and Damu get to know each other and Heath learns more and more about the Maasai, he and Damu become friends and that part of Heath that has been broken for so long starts to heal. And when their relationship starts to progress to being more than just friends, something clicks inside Damu, too. For the first time, he sees that he is not alone in his attraction to men. Heath helps Damu realize that he has worth. And as they explore each other, they both learn what love is. But they must keep their relationship very secret because to be discovered, would mean certain death.
Walker paints a vivid picture of the Maasai. Such proud and beautiful people. Their customs and traditions were very different than what Heath was used to, but he consciously tried to not judge the people by the standards of the western world. The ingrained misogyny was especially difficult, as was their stance on homosexuality. But Heath took the opportunity to learn from the people and through them, he found himself wanting to live again.
There is a reoccurring theme throughout Blood & Milk of Damu healing and saving Heath. Yeah, Heath does help the tribe by contributing knowledge and manual labor. He wasn't there on vacation, after all. And there was one instance where Heath quite literally saved Damu's life, and he was wrecked by how he had to do it, but given the choice of 'do nothing and Damu dies' or do what he did so that Damu can live on, he chose to do something. It was a desperate move born of love.
In the end, what I see in Blood & Milk is a beautiful love story where two men ultimately save each other. There is nothing one sided about their relationship and what they have is beautiful.
I realize that not everyone is going to read the book this way, and I will never tell anyone how they should react to anything. I, however, saw the affirmations of beauty and love and life.
For a much more eloquent review, read Dani's. Her thoughts mirror mine and she really says it all better than I can.
Heath Crowley is a broken man. He lost his lover, Jarrod, in a tragic hate crime attack a year ago and he has been a shell of a man, ever since. He dreams of Jarrod every night; so present, but just out of reach. He's always had somewhat prophetic dreams and one night when Heath dreams, Jarrod tells him to go to Tanzania to live among the Maasai. So Heath drops everything and does just that. When Heath goes to live with the Maasai, he doesn't even care if he lives or dies. As far as he is concerned, he died in the brutal attack that killed Jarrod. But he trusts Jarrod, so he goes.
Though he isn't exactly welcomed into the tribe, the Chief sees Heath's different colored eyes - eyes of Kafir - and decides to let him stay, giving him the name "Alé", meaning "milk". Damu is given responsibility for Heath. Heath soon learns that Damu is set apart from the other men in the tribe. He isn't a warrior, so he will never marry or have children and he isn't treated with much respect. I wouldn't say that Damu is happy, exactly, but he is content.
As Heath and Damu get to know each other and Heath learns more and more about the Maasai, he and Damu become friends and that part of Heath that has been broken for so long starts to heal. And when their relationship starts to progress to being more than just friends, something clicks inside Damu, too. For the first time, he sees that he is not alone in his attraction to men. Heath helps Damu realize that he has worth. And as they explore each other, they both learn what love is. But they must keep their relationship very secret because to be discovered, would mean certain death.
Walker paints a vivid picture of the Maasai. Such proud and beautiful people. Their customs and traditions were very different than what Heath was used to, but he consciously tried to not judge the people by the standards of the western world. The ingrained misogyny was especially difficult, as was their stance on homosexuality. But Heath took the opportunity to learn from the people and through them, he found himself wanting to live again.
There is a reoccurring theme throughout Blood & Milk of Damu healing and saving Heath. Yeah, Heath does help the tribe by contributing knowledge and manual labor. He wasn't there on vacation, after all. And there was one instance where Heath quite literally saved Damu's life, and he was wrecked by how he had to do it, but given the choice of 'do nothing and Damu dies' or do what he did so that Damu can live on, he chose to do something. It was a desperate move born of love.
In the end, what I see in Blood & Milk is a beautiful love story where two men ultimately save each other. There is nothing one sided about their relationship and what they have is beautiful.
I realize that not everyone is going to read the book this way, and I will never tell anyone how they should react to anything. I, however, saw the affirmations of beauty and love and life.
For a much more eloquent review, read Dani's. Her thoughts mirror mine and she really says it all better than I can.
June 22, 2016
Funfreakingtastic. Bravo, author. This was an amazing story, exceptionally written, and I’m happy to display it proudly on my favourites shelf.
Heath survived a despicable crime and lost his partner. Although ”survived” should be used loosely. Heath is devastated and he has pretty much lost his will to live. But, he’s always had this curse, as he calls it, to see his dreams become reality. So, Heath dreams of living with the Maasai people in Tanzania and off he goes.
A good 40% of the book is dedicated to showing Heath’s integration into the Maasai village. He was assigned a “babysitter”, Damu, who shares his hut with Heath. Damu becomes the person Heath interacts with from sunup to sundown. They talk about the differences in each other’s cultures, teach each other their respective languages, and become close. I really don’t want to give more details about it because it is so magical and unique to experience it for the first time that I would ruin it for everyone.
The primitive nature of life in the Maasai village and the mundaneness of their daily routine is breathing new life into Heath. I knew next to nothing about the Maasai people when I picked this up so I can’t speak for the accuracy of the depiction. But I have to say, the story, the set-up, the characters were all so original and unique, that I finished this whole thing in less than 5 hours with no breaks. I just could not stop reading.
As for the romance? There’s nothing quite like exploring the forbidden, let alone in a place that is so far removed from any semblance of civilisation. Every word, look, and touch was magnified because what Damu and Heath experienced was extraordinary, by modern or primitive standards. Their relationship was extremely emotional even though the words they exchanged were chosen carefully and always spoken where others could not overhear. Damu’s sexual awakening was a story for the ages, I kid you not. The sex between them was so very hot but always underpinned by the emotions gradually developing as the story went on. And I was pleasantly surprised to see so many sex scenes, always moving the plot forward, but still. I wasn’t expecting so much steam for this author.
So of course I’m reading along and I’m developing my own ideas about where I want this to go, and where I want the characters to end up. And it happened! Their HEA was everything I wanted for them and even though they had to work so very hard to earn it, the stress and worry was worth every skip of my heart as I was reading.
Hihgly highly highly recommend!
ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. see this review on Gay Book Reviews.
Heath survived a despicable crime and lost his partner. Although ”survived” should be used loosely. Heath is devastated and he has pretty much lost his will to live. But, he’s always had this curse, as he calls it, to see his dreams become reality. So, Heath dreams of living with the Maasai people in Tanzania and off he goes.
A good 40% of the book is dedicated to showing Heath’s integration into the Maasai village. He was assigned a “babysitter”, Damu, who shares his hut with Heath. Damu becomes the person Heath interacts with from sunup to sundown. They talk about the differences in each other’s cultures, teach each other their respective languages, and become close. I really don’t want to give more details about it because it is so magical and unique to experience it for the first time that I would ruin it for everyone.
The primitive nature of life in the Maasai village and the mundaneness of their daily routine is breathing new life into Heath. I knew next to nothing about the Maasai people when I picked this up so I can’t speak for the accuracy of the depiction. But I have to say, the story, the set-up, the characters were all so original and unique, that I finished this whole thing in less than 5 hours with no breaks. I just could not stop reading.
As for the romance? There’s nothing quite like exploring the forbidden, let alone in a place that is so far removed from any semblance of civilisation. Every word, look, and touch was magnified because what Damu and Heath experienced was extraordinary, by modern or primitive standards. Their relationship was extremely emotional even though the words they exchanged were chosen carefully and always spoken where others could not overhear. Damu’s sexual awakening was a story for the ages, I kid you not. The sex between them was so very hot but always underpinned by the emotions gradually developing as the story went on. And I was pleasantly surprised to see so many sex scenes, always moving the plot forward, but still. I wasn’t expecting so much steam for this author.
So of course I’m reading along and I’m developing my own ideas about where I want this to go, and where I want the characters to end up. And it happened! Their HEA was everything I wanted for them and even though they had to work so very hard to earn it, the stress and worry was worth every skip of my heart as I was reading.
Hihgly highly highly recommend!
ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. see this review on Gay Book Reviews.
June 25, 2016
+1 Star for not comparing his skin to food.
But. This. Was. Like. No.
"...Damu loved of this new and much bigger world: watermelon..."
& I got a white savior complex from Heath Crowley
I regret having read this.
But. This. Was. Like. No.
"...Damu loved of this new and much bigger world: watermelon..."
& I got a white savior complex from Heath Crowley
I regret having read this.
November 6, 2016
No doubt this is one of the most unusual m/m romances I've read. And one of the most touching.
After a harrowing event ends his life as he knows it, Heath has lost the will to live. On a whim he travels to the Serengeti to live in a Massai village. He has nothing to lose, not even himself when he arrives.
Damu is an outcast at the village and is given the task to look after Heath. He is the gentlest of men, unassuming, kind, modest and accepting of his 'fate'. I could feel his calm, his peace, the quiet dignity he exuded. And although he never complains about being left out by the other men in the village, he isn't really happy either.
I massively enjoyed watching the friendship blossoming between the two men, and when slowly, step by step, a deeper connection develops. Heath finds solace in the simple life of the Massai, in just 'being', and Damu's peace and affection bring him joy and laughter again. And when first tentative touches turn to more it is a natural progression of their bond.
I always love 'firsts' and there was certainly plenty of those in this book. Damu learning himself and his body was a joy to behold, and the happiness it brings him virtually glows off the pages.
As homosexuality is illegal in Tanzania and punished by death by the Massai, I did feel an ominous cloud hanging over the two men all the time, and, with a view what had happened in Heath's past, I worried about what would happen to them, particularly Damu, as he is the one more in danger from his people.
This was a really fascinating book because Heath and Damu have such a drastically different background and lives with a complete different set of morals and expectations. I enjoyed learning more about the Massai and their culture, just as Heath did. But, guys, believe me, I would have drawn the line at the 'blood and milk' (What an appropriate name for the book though!).
It was difficult to imagine how this would end. And it felt that the last third of the book was maybe a bit rushed. Everything fell into place so easily and neatly in the end. (and I could only conclude that Heath is pretty well off!) But there is no way I'm grudging these two guys their HEA!
I had only a couple of smaller issues.
This is a book about a gentle and quiet love, but it's nonetheless deeply profound and real.
A lovely book for a rainy Sunday!
Recommended.
After a harrowing event ends his life as he knows it, Heath has lost the will to live. On a whim he travels to the Serengeti to live in a Massai village. He has nothing to lose, not even himself when he arrives.
Damu is an outcast at the village and is given the task to look after Heath. He is the gentlest of men, unassuming, kind, modest and accepting of his 'fate'. I could feel his calm, his peace, the quiet dignity he exuded. And although he never complains about being left out by the other men in the village, he isn't really happy either.
I massively enjoyed watching the friendship blossoming between the two men, and when slowly, step by step, a deeper connection develops. Heath finds solace in the simple life of the Massai, in just 'being', and Damu's peace and affection bring him joy and laughter again. And when first tentative touches turn to more it is a natural progression of their bond.
I always love 'firsts' and there was certainly plenty of those in this book. Damu learning himself and his body was a joy to behold, and the happiness it brings him virtually glows off the pages.
As homosexuality is illegal in Tanzania and punished by death by the Massai, I did feel an ominous cloud hanging over the two men all the time, and, with a view what had happened in Heath's past, I worried about what would happen to them, particularly Damu, as he is the one more in danger from his people.
This was a really fascinating book because Heath and Damu have such a drastically different background and lives with a complete different set of morals and expectations. I enjoyed learning more about the Massai and their culture, just as Heath did. But, guys, believe me, I would have drawn the line at the 'blood and milk' (What an appropriate name for the book though!).
It was difficult to imagine how this would end. And it felt that the last third of the book was maybe a bit rushed. Everything fell into place so easily and neatly in the end. (and I could only conclude that Heath is pretty well off!) But there is no way I'm grudging these two guys their HEA!
I had only a couple of smaller issues.
This is a book about a gentle and quiet love, but it's nonetheless deeply profound and real.
A lovely book for a rainy Sunday!
Recommended.
do-not-read
August 23, 2018SPOILERS BELOW!
What I've gathered about this book from reading the 5-star reviews, as well as others that include screenshots:
A white man has prophetic dreams telling him to go to Tanzania and live among the Maasai so he can "find" and heal himself. It's "prophesied" so it's okay. (Because obviously, native cultures that have managed to retain a sense of themselves despite decades and centuries of white oppression, white conversion and land-grabbing are there solely for a white dude's convenience.) EDIT: An article of interest to this particular plot detail:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/esianoi...
The Maasai have never seen a white person before despite speaking English, knowing what paper money is and how to use it, and um... you know, having previously seen white people before. (White people aren't a new thing here so what gives? Their villages are actually TOURIST STOPS for white people, so... really, wtf?) EDIT: A friend is reading this and says no, this is not entirely correct to the text. When Aussie first arrives in the village,the children run up to him and surround him, as children tend to do, so he assumes they've never seen a white guy before and that's why they're flocking him. Apparently, some of the children actually haven't, but others have? I don't know how that works out, I'm still getting details.
Damu believes the white man is a "ghost" of one of their gods. Read that again. The WHITE DUDE is one of their GODS. (Because of course, native peoples always fall all over themselves whenever a white person shows up because clearly they must be divine entities.)
The white man BUYS Damu to save his life, which wouldn't need saving if the white dude wasn't there to begin with, and this is totally acceptable because tru wuv.
Well said, Emerson. Well said.
EDIT: Another article and website with some general info on the Maasai and some of the challenges they face today due to Westernization:
http://maasai-association.org/maasai....
What I've gathered about this book from reading the 5-star reviews, as well as others that include screenshots:
A white man has prophetic dreams telling him to go to Tanzania and live among the Maasai so he can "find" and heal himself. It's "prophesied" so it's okay. (Because obviously, native cultures that have managed to retain a sense of themselves despite decades and centuries of white oppression, white conversion and land-grabbing are there solely for a white dude's convenience.) EDIT: An article of interest to this particular plot detail:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/esianoi...
The Maasai have never seen a white person before despite speaking English, knowing what paper money is and how to use it, and um... you know, having previously seen white people before. (White people aren't a new thing here so what gives? Their villages are actually TOURIST STOPS for white people, so... really, wtf?) EDIT: A friend is reading this and says no, this is not entirely correct to the text. When Aussie first arrives in the village,the children run up to him and surround him, as children tend to do, so he assumes they've never seen a white guy before and that's why they're flocking him. Apparently, some of the children actually haven't, but others have? I don't know how that works out, I'm still getting details.
Damu believes the white man is a "ghost" of one of their gods. Read that again. The WHITE DUDE is one of their GODS. (Because of course, native peoples always fall all over themselves whenever a white person shows up because clearly they must be divine entities.)
The white man BUYS Damu to save his life, which wouldn't need saving if the white dude wasn't there to begin with, and this is totally acceptable because tru wuv.
Well said, Emerson. Well said.
EDIT: Another article and website with some general info on the Maasai and some of the challenges they face today due to Westernization:
http://maasai-association.org/maasai....
June 24, 2016
4.5 Stars so rounding up to 5
I was a little nervous about reading this book once I learned what it was about. If I am asked to read an NR Walker book, I do so without even asking for the synopsis…if she wrote it, I’ll read it. I was warned that this book isn’t for everyone. So with much trepidation, I dove in. And I will admit that after the prologue, the next 30 – 35% of the book read like a social studies textbook while we learned the history of the Maasai people. And I will also admit to skimming through some of it and that there were some things that made my stomach a bit queasy when reading but I tried not to focus on those as much as how difficult and different things were in this village. But at about the 45 – 50% mark, I couldn’t put the book down. I don’t want to give too much away but when they flee Damu’s home I literally didn’t blink until almost the end of the book.
While I was reading about Heath adapting to live in the Manyatta/Kraal it didn’t really dawn on me how much he was giving up and how little he learned to live with until they left the village. And as Heath showed the wonders of the modern world to Damu I was just as wide-eyed as Damu was as he experienced these things for the first time. I was utterly fascinated as I was shown just how little Damu lived with and how much Heath was actually suffering until they were brought back into the modern world.
It was remarkable to watch Damu discover himself and his sexuality with Heath’s help. Their love story was so raw and innocent that it was absolutely refreshing. They literally needed each other to truly live. The last couple of chapters were absolutely, endearingly perfect and I’m so glad I took a chance on this book.
I was a little nervous about reading this book once I learned what it was about. If I am asked to read an NR Walker book, I do so without even asking for the synopsis…if she wrote it, I’ll read it. I was warned that this book isn’t for everyone. So with much trepidation, I dove in. And I will admit that after the prologue, the next 30 – 35% of the book read like a social studies textbook while we learned the history of the Maasai people. And I will also admit to skimming through some of it and that there were some things that made my stomach a bit queasy when reading but I tried not to focus on those as much as how difficult and different things were in this village. But at about the 45 – 50% mark, I couldn’t put the book down. I don’t want to give too much away but when they flee Damu’s home I literally didn’t blink until almost the end of the book.
While I was reading about Heath adapting to live in the Manyatta/Kraal it didn’t really dawn on me how much he was giving up and how little he learned to live with until they left the village. And as Heath showed the wonders of the modern world to Damu I was just as wide-eyed as Damu was as he experienced these things for the first time. I was utterly fascinated as I was shown just how little Damu lived with and how much Heath was actually suffering until they were brought back into the modern world.
It was remarkable to watch Damu discover himself and his sexuality with Heath’s help. Their love story was so raw and innocent that it was absolutely refreshing. They literally needed each other to truly live. The last couple of chapters were absolutely, endearingly perfect and I’m so glad I took a chance on this book.
July 15, 2016
As an mm reader with an MA in anthropology, I sort of felt compelled to read this. Even though I was afraid, I tried to approach it with hope. But no. Using words like "primitive culture" shouldn't be possible if you have done a tiny bit of research on modern sources. I was happy to discover a review that thoroughly outlines a lot of other problematic aspects from this book, so I'll just refer to that: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
June 19, 2016
4.5 stars – N.R. Walker’s Red Dirt Heart quartet was among the first novels I read in the M/M genre, so when I picked up Blood & Milk, I had an idea of her writing style. But this novel far surpassed my expectations based on my previous experience. The plot is worth the read by itself, but the cultural aspect makes it fascinating.
Heath Crowley’s life has been in utter turmoil in the year since his boyfriend died a victim of a gay-bashing. Nothing that has happened since has given him any sort of solace, and his dreams are painful reminders of the life he no longer has. But sometimes his dreams foretell the future, and they have been telling him to leave. So with no reason to stay in Australia, he boards a plane and heads for the destination in his dreams, a small village of the Maasai people of Tanzania. Upon his arrival, the fact that he is a white man is concerning enough for the warriors of the Maasai, but his eyes being two different colors marks him as noteworthy to the chief. So he is allowed to stay with them, given the name Alé, and assigned to the care of one of the chief’s sons, Damu, who is and always been an outcast in his tribe. Together, they learn not only about the other’s culture but about themselves.
Since this is a romance, I’m not giving anything away by saying that Damu and Alé, whose names mean “blood” and “milk” in the language of the Maasai—a significance that becomes clear as the story progresses—fall in love over the course of the book. It’s also fairly safe to assume that the reader is familiar with the concept that in most African cultures, homosexuality is not just frowned upon, it is punishable by death. This fear of being found out, then, forms an important part of the story’s plot. Because of these concepts, I had two concerns about the book even before I started it. First, how realistic would the portrayal of the Maasai people and culture be considering the author is of Australian descent, and second, would this plot succumb to the pitfall, and a truly cringe-worthy one at that, of becoming a story of the “White Savior” rescuing the black man from his backwards traditional society or something like that.
To address these, for full disclosure in case you haven’t looked at my profile picture, I am a white man, and yes, I grew up in a lily-white town, so I freely admit that I know very little about traditional East African cultures. Thus, there’s no way for me to know whether or not the portrayal is accurate. To me, though, it felt like an honest portrayal of a people unburdened by the technological advances of white society. I assumed the Maasai would be highly suspicious of a white man, but Alé’s heterochromatic eyes turn out to be the key not only to a realistic rationale for the chief accepting him but also to the larger plot, something I must say I felt worked very well.
As far as the latter is concerned, again, the plot surrounding Alé’s eyes and his premonition dreams keeps his “rescue” of Damu from becoming an awful White Savior story. Because of the plot devices the author uses to develop the story in this manner, it’s abundantly clear upon reading it that this book is not about race. In order for me to justify this statement, I would need to go into spoiler-filled detail, but it would ruin the story for you, so suffice it to say that instead of it being about race, it is largely a character-driven story about two men discovering a mutual love for each other and then dealing with the consequences imposed upon them by the society where they live. It’s really not so different than the sorts of tragic stories from our own not-so-recent pasts (and in some cases, present day.)
So pushing these issues aside, the story itself is a beautiful progression for both of the main characters: for Alé to realize he has a reason to live and love again and for Damu to realize regardless of how he has been treated his entire life, he has value not only as a person but also as a man. Their love for one another is unconditional and transcends their physical and cultural differences. And it is a lovely story with an ending that fits both characters quite nicely.
If you can put aside any preconceived notion you might have about what Blood & Milk is about, I think you will agree with me that race is not the driving motivation for the plot but a consequence of the setting and that it contains a heartfelt story worth the investment in reading. Thank you, N.R. Walker, for deciding to release the book in spite of your ample fears for a negative reception. I look forward to seeing what you come up with next.
The author generously provided me a complimentary copy of Blood & Milk in exchange for this fair and honest review.
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Heath Crowley’s life has been in utter turmoil in the year since his boyfriend died a victim of a gay-bashing. Nothing that has happened since has given him any sort of solace, and his dreams are painful reminders of the life he no longer has. But sometimes his dreams foretell the future, and they have been telling him to leave. So with no reason to stay in Australia, he boards a plane and heads for the destination in his dreams, a small village of the Maasai people of Tanzania. Upon his arrival, the fact that he is a white man is concerning enough for the warriors of the Maasai, but his eyes being two different colors marks him as noteworthy to the chief. So he is allowed to stay with them, given the name Alé, and assigned to the care of one of the chief’s sons, Damu, who is and always been an outcast in his tribe. Together, they learn not only about the other’s culture but about themselves.
Since this is a romance, I’m not giving anything away by saying that Damu and Alé, whose names mean “blood” and “milk” in the language of the Maasai—a significance that becomes clear as the story progresses—fall in love over the course of the book. It’s also fairly safe to assume that the reader is familiar with the concept that in most African cultures, homosexuality is not just frowned upon, it is punishable by death. This fear of being found out, then, forms an important part of the story’s plot. Because of these concepts, I had two concerns about the book even before I started it. First, how realistic would the portrayal of the Maasai people and culture be considering the author is of Australian descent, and second, would this plot succumb to the pitfall, and a truly cringe-worthy one at that, of becoming a story of the “White Savior” rescuing the black man from his backwards traditional society or something like that.
To address these, for full disclosure in case you haven’t looked at my profile picture, I am a white man, and yes, I grew up in a lily-white town, so I freely admit that I know very little about traditional East African cultures. Thus, there’s no way for me to know whether or not the portrayal is accurate. To me, though, it felt like an honest portrayal of a people unburdened by the technological advances of white society. I assumed the Maasai would be highly suspicious of a white man, but Alé’s heterochromatic eyes turn out to be the key not only to a realistic rationale for the chief accepting him but also to the larger plot, something I must say I felt worked very well.
As far as the latter is concerned, again, the plot surrounding Alé’s eyes and his premonition dreams keeps his “rescue” of Damu from becoming an awful White Savior story. Because of the plot devices the author uses to develop the story in this manner, it’s abundantly clear upon reading it that this book is not about race. In order for me to justify this statement, I would need to go into spoiler-filled detail, but it would ruin the story for you, so suffice it to say that instead of it being about race, it is largely a character-driven story about two men discovering a mutual love for each other and then dealing with the consequences imposed upon them by the society where they live. It’s really not so different than the sorts of tragic stories from our own not-so-recent pasts (and in some cases, present day.)
So pushing these issues aside, the story itself is a beautiful progression for both of the main characters: for Alé to realize he has a reason to live and love again and for Damu to realize regardless of how he has been treated his entire life, he has value not only as a person but also as a man. Their love for one another is unconditional and transcends their physical and cultural differences. And it is a lovely story with an ending that fits both characters quite nicely.
If you can put aside any preconceived notion you might have about what Blood & Milk is about, I think you will agree with me that race is not the driving motivation for the plot but a consequence of the setting and that it contains a heartfelt story worth the investment in reading. Thank you, N.R. Walker, for deciding to release the book in spite of your ample fears for a negative reception. I look forward to seeing what you come up with next.
The author generously provided me a complimentary copy of Blood & Milk in exchange for this fair and honest review.
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June 21, 2016
Five stars earned for being perfect in my eyes.
Some days a book crosses your Kindle and you look at it and wonder, why the hell did I sign up for this? Am I crazy going outside the box? Blood & Milk was that book for me. When a friend bragged about how good it was, (JoAnna G, I owe you a world of thanks), I still shrugged and said, Hmm.
Yesterday I decided here was my opportunity to do my read, review and move on.
I am still off-kilter and cannot believe the awesomeness N.R. Walker penned. I am rarely stunned by my reads, but this one will stay with me forever. I. Simply. Loved. It.
Follow you dreams and your heart will catch up.
One year after the violent death of his partner, Australian Heath Crowley's dreams are encouraging him to do something he's never contemplated. Leaving it all behind, name, home, family and friends and starting over with anonymity. His dreams led him to Tanzania, to the Maasai tribe who are suspicious of the white man, but allows him to stay due to the fact that he has Heterochromia (two different coloured eyes). Apparently, the Chief is convinced Heath, whom they have named Alé, due to his white skin, is a reincarnation of someone who has saved their village once before.
Learning to heal.
Heath/Alé is left in the hands of Damu (meaning blood), the chief's son whose birth is implicated in the lost of his mother. Damu has never been allowed the privileges of the men of the village and as such have been ostracized his entire life. Heath and Damu grew through language barrier, accepting their fates, until the dreams occur and Damu allows comfort.
No man is an island, but he can offer refuge.
One year in the village and living with Damu sets Heath on the journey to self discovering and healing heart. Feelings evolve between the men, one that is forbidden but allowed to happen in the secret of their hut. What happens when they are discovered leads to one of the greatest love story of all time. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
This book has earned its space next to my love collection, which includes my favorite book of all time Jane Eyre. A definite must read.
ARC provided by N.R. Walker in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Cee from Alpha Book Club
Some days a book crosses your Kindle and you look at it and wonder, why the hell did I sign up for this? Am I crazy going outside the box? Blood & Milk was that book for me. When a friend bragged about how good it was, (JoAnna G, I owe you a world of thanks), I still shrugged and said, Hmm.
Yesterday I decided here was my opportunity to do my read, review and move on.
I am still off-kilter and cannot believe the awesomeness N.R. Walker penned. I am rarely stunned by my reads, but this one will stay with me forever. I. Simply. Loved. It.
Follow you dreams and your heart will catch up.
One year after the violent death of his partner, Australian Heath Crowley's dreams are encouraging him to do something he's never contemplated. Leaving it all behind, name, home, family and friends and starting over with anonymity. His dreams led him to Tanzania, to the Maasai tribe who are suspicious of the white man, but allows him to stay due to the fact that he has Heterochromia (two different coloured eyes). Apparently, the Chief is convinced Heath, whom they have named Alé, due to his white skin, is a reincarnation of someone who has saved their village once before.
Learning to heal.
Heath/Alé is left in the hands of Damu (meaning blood), the chief's son whose birth is implicated in the lost of his mother. Damu has never been allowed the privileges of the men of the village and as such have been ostracized his entire life. Heath and Damu grew through language barrier, accepting their fates, until the dreams occur and Damu allows comfort.
No man is an island, but he can offer refuge.
One year in the village and living with Damu sets Heath on the journey to self discovering and healing heart. Feelings evolve between the men, one that is forbidden but allowed to happen in the secret of their hut. What happens when they are discovered leads to one of the greatest love story of all time. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
This book has earned its space next to my love collection, which includes my favorite book of all time Jane Eyre. A definite must read.
ARC provided by N.R. Walker in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Cee from Alpha Book Club
June 20, 2016
**Originally Posted on Kiki's Kinky Picks**
4.5 Stars
Blood & Milk by N.R. Walker was a profound and moving book about the healing power of love.
Heath is so broken in the beginning of the story. He’s lost his whole life to an act of hatred and is lost. A prophetic dream leads him to a Maasai tribe. Even though he doesn’t know what he’s going to do there, he goes anyway.
While the premise may be a bit shaky, I couldn’t help but feel for Heath. His loss was so profound he can’t seem to move on.
With prose that were often as sweeping and majestic as the Serengeti, N.R. Walker succeeds in taking the reader on a journey of self-discovery. Damu and Heath find in each other acceptance, kindness, and love.
With so much to love in this book, it’s hard to pick a few things to highlight. My favorite part, though, had to be how Damu and Heath cared for each other. Through sickness, injury, and nightmares, they always put each other first.
This book won’t be for everyone and that’s fine, but I found the characters and setting to be nuanced and interesting. Blood & Milk isn’t like many other books but it does exemplify that things like love, family, and pain are universal.
Copy provided in exchange for a fair and honest review.
4.5 Stars
Blood & Milk by N.R. Walker was a profound and moving book about the healing power of love.
Heath is so broken in the beginning of the story. He’s lost his whole life to an act of hatred and is lost. A prophetic dream leads him to a Maasai tribe. Even though he doesn’t know what he’s going to do there, he goes anyway.
While the premise may be a bit shaky, I couldn’t help but feel for Heath. His loss was so profound he can’t seem to move on.
With prose that were often as sweeping and majestic as the Serengeti, N.R. Walker succeeds in taking the reader on a journey of self-discovery. Damu and Heath find in each other acceptance, kindness, and love.
With so much to love in this book, it’s hard to pick a few things to highlight. My favorite part, though, had to be how Damu and Heath cared for each other. Through sickness, injury, and nightmares, they always put each other first.
This book won’t be for everyone and that’s fine, but I found the characters and setting to be nuanced and interesting. Blood & Milk isn’t like many other books but it does exemplify that things like love, family, and pain are universal.
Copy provided in exchange for a fair and honest review.
June 24, 2016
What a fabulous story!
Kudos to NR Walker for tackling a story set in a country and way of life that is unfamiliar to most of us and bravo for seeking beta readers from the relevant communities to ensure the writing was not offensive.
This is indeed a beautifully written story of love and acceptance. Of love forming in spite of fear, in spite of local customs, and in spite of the past.
Reading the dreams and memories of Jarrod brought tears to my eyes every time. Such poignant and moving words.
I adored the slow development of the relationship between Heath and Damu from friends to lovers. Much of the book centres around Heath learning about this new community and the picturesque surroundings he finds himself living in. I felt as if I was there with him, experiencing this contrasting and rather repetitive way of life. In many ways it is idyllic albeit harsh and challenging.
I loved Damu’s selfless character and how he explored his sexuality with Heath. Their lovemaking scenes were truly special.
Yet all the time I was anticipating trouble for them both and, when it came, the resolution took an unexpected route. Yes, this is fiction and the story may not have ended this way if it were true to life, but I was perfectly happy with the HEA these two perfectly suited men enjoyed.
Kudos to NR Walker for tackling a story set in a country and way of life that is unfamiliar to most of us and bravo for seeking beta readers from the relevant communities to ensure the writing was not offensive.
This is indeed a beautifully written story of love and acceptance. Of love forming in spite of fear, in spite of local customs, and in spite of the past.
Reading the dreams and memories of Jarrod brought tears to my eyes every time. Such poignant and moving words.
I adored the slow development of the relationship between Heath and Damu from friends to lovers. Much of the book centres around Heath learning about this new community and the picturesque surroundings he finds himself living in. I felt as if I was there with him, experiencing this contrasting and rather repetitive way of life. In many ways it is idyllic albeit harsh and challenging.
I loved Damu’s selfless character and how he explored his sexuality with Heath. Their lovemaking scenes were truly special.
Yet all the time I was anticipating trouble for them both and, when it came, the resolution took an unexpected route. Yes, this is fiction and the story may not have ended this way if it were true to life, but I was perfectly happy with the HEA these two perfectly suited men enjoyed.
July 5, 2016
Ok this was very different, almost, National Geographic meets Cinderella. Heath loses his partner in a terrible incident and falls into a deep low. He receives a prophetic dream which takes him to a Maasai tribe in Tanzania where he meets Damu. Damu is an outcast within his tribe and while he is not treated badly, he is often isolated and ignored. Damu and Heath slowly become friends and then secret lovers knowing that any sign of intimacy could have them killed. Heath often has visions / dreams which impact the tribe and he becomes accepted by many of them for sharing his visions. Of course life is not easy, food is limited, there is a language barrier and certainly a very different cultural way of living and seeing things. Situations change after a terrible incident and Heath becomes Damus savior. Damu is faced with a dramatic change of life which he handles with his usual peace & grace.
I enjoyed this book simply as a story of romantic fiction. Both characters respected and saved each other while learning new life lessons. It stretched the boundaries because it was contemporary and not fantasy.
I enjoyed this book simply as a story of romantic fiction. Both characters respected and saved each other while learning new life lessons. It stretched the boundaries because it was contemporary and not fantasy.
August 2, 2016
I LOVED this book! It was so interesting to read how he lived with the Maasai. The cultural differences and how he had to bite his tongue on what he didn't agree with because it was part of their culture and he wanted to remain respectful of it. I absolutely loved it. I was hooked immediately and couldn't put the book down.
September 4, 2016
Title: Blood & Milk
Author:N.R. Walker
Publisher:Blue Heart Press
Reviewer:JoAnna
Release Date:June 23, 2016
Genre(s):LGBT, Multicultural, Romance
Page Count:
Heat Level: 4 flames out of 5
Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5
Blurb:
Review:
I will start with I love N.R. Walker as an author. I have been a proud follower of hers for a very long time. When I saw this book I wanted to jump on it, because it was, well N.R. Walker. Then when I read more about it I became a little apprehensive. It was out of the box for me. Not that it was bad, but different. Let me now say, I am so glad I read this book. I love love love this book. Yes, it was different in every aspect that I have read before. Some things were disturbing, and I thought, “is he really going to do that?” Well, he did. He doesn't have a choice, he needed to fit in. You take a man, native to Australia and toss him into a remote village in Tanzania, where they have no outside influence then top that with him being homosexual, which if found out can lead to his death. Homosexuality is forbidden, not just taboo, but a death sentence amongst the Maasai people.
Heath Crowley has set out on a journey to live with the Maasai. It comes to him in his dreams. His dreams have always happened. He leaves on his journey to find his purpose in life after he feels his left him. Once he arrives he meets Damu. He is an outcast with his people. He is ordered to share his way of life and look out for Heath. He then gets his Maasai name Alé. Damu is his guide and, teaches him a new way of life. Damu has no value as a warrior with his people. Alé learns that their bottom dollar is about material things, like buying a wife with a goat. They have no real money, their livestock and beads are their money. Damu has dreams of holding hands in the sunlight, where everyone can see them and not be judged or killed. These men must hide their feeling for one another or the results will be devastating.
Join these two men with their good times and bad to see if they can come through the other side, and find what they are looking for.
Review Copy of Blood & Milk provided by the N.R Walker/Blue Heart Press for an honest Review. *ARC provided by Author in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by JoAnna from Alpha Book Club
Author:N.R. Walker
Publisher:Blue Heart Press
Reviewer:JoAnna
Release Date:June 23, 2016
Genre(s):LGBT, Multicultural, Romance
Page Count:
Heat Level: 4 flames out of 5
Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5
Blurb:
** LGBT Romance**
Heath Crowley is an Australian man, born with two different coloured eyes and the gift—or curse—of having premonition dreams. He also has nothing left to live for. Twelve months after having his life upended, his dreams tell him where he needs to be. So with nothing―and no one―to keep him in Sydney, he simply boards a plane for Tanzania. Not caring if he lives or dies, Heath walks into a tribe of Maasai and asks to stay. Granted permission, he leaves behind the name and heartbreak of Heath and starts over with the new Maasai name of Alé.
From the day of his birth, Damu has always been an outcast. The son of the chief and brother to the great warrior leader, Damu is reminded constantly that he’s not good enough to be considered a man in the eyes of his people. Ordered to take responsibility for Alé, Damu shares with him the ways of the Maasai, just as Alé shares with Damu the world outside the acacia thorn fence. But it’s more than just a cultural exchange. It’s about trust and acceptance, finding themselves, and a true sense of purpose.
Under the African sky on the plains of the Serengeti, Heath finds more than just a reason to live. He finds a man like no other, and a reason to love.
Review:
I will start with I love N.R. Walker as an author. I have been a proud follower of hers for a very long time. When I saw this book I wanted to jump on it, because it was, well N.R. Walker. Then when I read more about it I became a little apprehensive. It was out of the box for me. Not that it was bad, but different. Let me now say, I am so glad I read this book. I love love love this book. Yes, it was different in every aspect that I have read before. Some things were disturbing, and I thought, “is he really going to do that?” Well, he did. He doesn't have a choice, he needed to fit in. You take a man, native to Australia and toss him into a remote village in Tanzania, where they have no outside influence then top that with him being homosexual, which if found out can lead to his death. Homosexuality is forbidden, not just taboo, but a death sentence amongst the Maasai people.
Heath Crowley has set out on a journey to live with the Maasai. It comes to him in his dreams. His dreams have always happened. He leaves on his journey to find his purpose in life after he feels his left him. Once he arrives he meets Damu. He is an outcast with his people. He is ordered to share his way of life and look out for Heath. He then gets his Maasai name Alé. Damu is his guide and, teaches him a new way of life. Damu has no value as a warrior with his people. Alé learns that their bottom dollar is about material things, like buying a wife with a goat. They have no real money, their livestock and beads are their money. Damu has dreams of holding hands in the sunlight, where everyone can see them and not be judged or killed. These men must hide their feeling for one another or the results will be devastating.
Join these two men with their good times and bad to see if they can come through the other side, and find what they are looking for.
Review Copy of Blood & Milk provided by the N.R Walker/Blue Heart Press for an honest Review. *ARC provided by Author in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by JoAnna from Alpha Book Club
January 25, 2019
I've been at a loss for words after finishing other books, but they all pale in comparison to this one. I'm not going to even try to write how this book made me feel because there's no way I can put it in words. If I could, I'd give this all the stars in the universe.
June 27, 2016
This story took my breath away...
Blood & Milk
"You are the beauty in those things for me. The sunrise every morning, how the breeze moves the tall grass, the rains to nourish the ground. Without you Damu, none of these things would exist for me. You make them beautiful.” <---- Are you kidding me right now?! D@mn, if that didn't make my heart flutter with butterflies.
✨I like that the love of Heath's life was not forgotten and was a profound part of his life to learn to live and love again.
✨The last words he said to his mother was perfection and should be laminated or put on T-Shirts and passed out in every Pride parade because the sadness, the anguish, and the over all humanity in that statement was harsh, but true.
✨And, I do so wish a model could have been found to have that image of the modern Caucasian in the arms of the history of an African; just the contrast of their skin color together on the cover would have been as beautiful as the story is to me. But please do not get me wrong, the cover is breathtakingly beautiful.
Ms. Walker was number one in my heart as my favorite story teller for a long time after I read the original Point of No Return (I still love Matt & Kira). But as life always does, new stories new authors took over my heart. So, it's such a pleasure to come back to the very first author who helped me fall in love with mm romance and completely take my breath away with an endearing-uniquely-told interracial love story.
UPDATE:
And for the record I'm African American and have absolutely no issues with this story. It's a beautiful story and it's sad all people want to see is a white guy saving a black guy. when both men saved each other.
I saw GREED, JEALOUSY, ENVY, SELFISHNESS, FEAR, CRUELTY, SADNESS, LOVE, COMPASSION, HOMOPHOBIC THINKING, EMOTION, CONNECTIONS, LUST, HAPPINESS, KINDNESS, and DESPERATION in this story. Racism was no where in this story.
*********People only choose to see the white man with money and the black man with nothing,
except it was the black man who saved the white man emotionally and physically. The focus of the
Maasai people's land being threatened, how horrible Damu was treated among his own
people, how the white man helped come up with ideas to help save their land, how the black people
saved the white man's life and on their land shared (what the Maasai people considered rich) their
riches with him...all these issues and situations have been
completely ignored in lieu of crying racism for a couple finding love in the harshest of
environment (by western standards). So for those who can actually look past wanting see racism in
every story, and every situation, you'll be able to see the true beauty of this story.
**********You will see that paper money for Heath is his riches but for the Maasai people; their
goats, their land, their ideas, their beliefs, how they build their homes, the way they eat, the
tradition
of beads, clothing, the Warriors staff, all of that is what they consider 'rich' to be. And they shared
all their riches with the 'white man' as the white man shared his paper money with them. How
anyone can see Heath and Damu exchange of riches with each other as racist is beyond me because
the white government forcing the Maasai people to pay taxes on their land that they lived on for
thousands of years is called GREED, it wouldn't matter what race they are!
Blood & Milk
"You are the beauty in those things for me. The sunrise every morning, how the breeze moves the tall grass, the rains to nourish the ground. Without you Damu, none of these things would exist for me. You make them beautiful.” <---- Are you kidding me right now?! D@mn, if that didn't make my heart flutter with butterflies.
✨I like that the love of Heath's life was not forgotten and was a profound part of his life to learn to live and love again.
✨The last words he said to his mother was perfection and should be laminated or put on T-Shirts and passed out in every Pride parade because the sadness, the anguish, and the over all humanity in that statement was harsh, but true.
✨And, I do so wish a model could have been found to have that image of the modern Caucasian in the arms of the history of an African; just the contrast of their skin color together on the cover would have been as beautiful as the story is to me. But please do not get me wrong, the cover is breathtakingly beautiful.
Ms. Walker was number one in my heart as my favorite story teller for a long time after I read the original Point of No Return (I still love Matt & Kira). But as life always does, new stories new authors took over my heart. So, it's such a pleasure to come back to the very first author who helped me fall in love with mm romance and completely take my breath away with an endearing-uniquely-told interracial love story.
UPDATE:
And for the record I'm African American and have absolutely no issues with this story. It's a beautiful story and it's sad all people want to see is a white guy saving a black guy. when both men saved each other.
I saw GREED, JEALOUSY, ENVY, SELFISHNESS, FEAR, CRUELTY, SADNESS, LOVE, COMPASSION, HOMOPHOBIC THINKING, EMOTION, CONNECTIONS, LUST, HAPPINESS, KINDNESS, and DESPERATION in this story. Racism was no where in this story.
*********People only choose to see the white man with money and the black man with nothing,
except it was the black man who saved the white man emotionally and physically. The focus of the
Maasai people's land being threatened, how horrible Damu was treated among his own
people, how the white man helped come up with ideas to help save their land, how the black people
saved the white man's life and on their land shared (what the Maasai people considered rich) their
riches with him...all these issues and situations have been
completely ignored in lieu of crying racism for a couple finding love in the harshest of
environment (by western standards). So for those who can actually look past wanting see racism in
every story, and every situation, you'll be able to see the true beauty of this story.
**********You will see that paper money for Heath is his riches but for the Maasai people; their
goats, their land, their ideas, their beliefs, how they build their homes, the way they eat, the
tradition
of beads, clothing, the Warriors staff, all of that is what they consider 'rich' to be. And they shared
all their riches with the 'white man' as the white man shared his paper money with them. How
anyone can see Heath and Damu exchange of riches with each other as racist is beyond me because
the white government forcing the Maasai people to pay taxes on their land that they lived on for
thousands of years is called GREED, it wouldn't matter what race they are!
June 21, 2016
***Powerful and Poignant***
I’m seeing a lot of criticism of this novel, and I’m not certain why, so I’m addressing that first. I know very little of the Maasai culture, but as this is a novel of fiction, I don’t find that detracting in the slightest. Being an author, Ms. Walker has the right to embellish and create any fiction she wants. Did she try to represent the Maasai accurately? She says yes. Did she succeed? Only the Maasai know for sure. Leave the judgment at the door. On to the actual review…
Heath Crowley is a foreseer. He dreams presciently, and he pays attention to them. The violent death of his partner and his own hospitalization and recovery have left him traumatized to the point of no return. As such, when Jarrod appears in his dreams and tells him to go to Africa, he packs up and goes, not knowing how he’ll survive, but also not particularly caring if he even does.
Damu is the ostracized Maasai instructed to attend to Heath. Having lost his mother during his own birth, Damu is considered less than a man, and he lives on the fringes of the manyatta. Having been relegated to such at a very young age, he fully accepts his place in their society, but Heath is horrified when he comes to understand the reasoning behind the tall man’s near-banishment.
The two develop a friendship that is encouraged by Damu’s father, Kasisi, another diviner and chief of the tribe, who dreamt that Damu would be saved by someone with the same heterochromia of a lion that Kasisi once faced.
The main portion of the book takes place over the course of one year, and while it is very slow to start, I eventually found myself locked in and unwilling to put it down. The pacing is very slow, but it almost has to be in order for everything necessary to play out in full detail. The characters are richly written, flawed and beautiful, main and peripheral alike. The coming alive of Damu for the first time in his life is incredible to witness. The chemistry is solid, but not too steamy. It has all the innocence expected of someone completely unused to human contact, and is like a budded flower unfurling the first time it is exposed to the sun.
I wasn’t certain in the beginning what I was going to think. By the end, I was completely enamored of both the characters and the harsh reality that is eking a nomadic existence in the unforgiving African plains. This is an incredible four star read that I most definitely recommend!
I’m seeing a lot of criticism of this novel, and I’m not certain why, so I’m addressing that first. I know very little of the Maasai culture, but as this is a novel of fiction, I don’t find that detracting in the slightest. Being an author, Ms. Walker has the right to embellish and create any fiction she wants. Did she try to represent the Maasai accurately? She says yes. Did she succeed? Only the Maasai know for sure. Leave the judgment at the door. On to the actual review…
Heath Crowley is a foreseer. He dreams presciently, and he pays attention to them. The violent death of his partner and his own hospitalization and recovery have left him traumatized to the point of no return. As such, when Jarrod appears in his dreams and tells him to go to Africa, he packs up and goes, not knowing how he’ll survive, but also not particularly caring if he even does.
Damu is the ostracized Maasai instructed to attend to Heath. Having lost his mother during his own birth, Damu is considered less than a man, and he lives on the fringes of the manyatta. Having been relegated to such at a very young age, he fully accepts his place in their society, but Heath is horrified when he comes to understand the reasoning behind the tall man’s near-banishment.
The two develop a friendship that is encouraged by Damu’s father, Kasisi, another diviner and chief of the tribe, who dreamt that Damu would be saved by someone with the same heterochromia of a lion that Kasisi once faced.
The main portion of the book takes place over the course of one year, and while it is very slow to start, I eventually found myself locked in and unwilling to put it down. The pacing is very slow, but it almost has to be in order for everything necessary to play out in full detail. The characters are richly written, flawed and beautiful, main and peripheral alike. The coming alive of Damu for the first time in his life is incredible to witness. The chemistry is solid, but not too steamy. It has all the innocence expected of someone completely unused to human contact, and is like a budded flower unfurling the first time it is exposed to the sun.
I wasn’t certain in the beginning what I was going to think. By the end, I was completely enamored of both the characters and the harsh reality that is eking a nomadic existence in the unforgiving African plains. This is an incredible four star read that I most definitely recommend!
June 29, 2016
Heath Crowley is an out and proud gay man in Australia when he is brutalized along with his lover, Jarrod, who ends up dying. Heath feels like he died right along side of Jarrod that day and mourns for a year, losing himself to his grief. Jarrod comes to Heath in his dreams and urges him to go to Tanzania (of all places) and so lost to his emotions, he pulls up and goes to live in a Maasai village.
At first Heath isn’t welcomed, but his two colored eyes (heterochromia) are a sign of “the sight” with the Maasai and he’s allowed to stay under the guidance of Damu, another “outcast”.
Damu should be a warrior but he isn’t. Instead he does the same work as the women but with grace and dignity. It becomes clear that Damu’s preference for men is the cause of his place in society.
Over the next year Damu and Heath grow ever closer and both find in themselves what it takes to heal the other. But when Damu and Heath’s relationship is found – both men have to make a decision.
**
What a brave book!
This is not a typical book by any standards. There are already people who are “upset” about an Australian woman talking about being gay in Tanzania. Well – I tell those people to read the book! Clearly NR Walker has done her research. This is an amazing look at a society that isn’t that well known (to me!) and is eons behind modern society when it comes to respect, equality and evolution of beliefs.
What made this book amazing to me (besides all that I learned about a new culture) was how beautiful an experience it was for both men. Both had so much to learn from the other. Damu makes things so simple – if you can’t change it why fight it? But Heath shows Damu that sometimes it’s worth the struggle.
Heath didn’t have anything to live for but with Damu it’s like he gets a second chance to do that which he most wished he’d been able to do.
I think the sex is handled well and is absolutely not the central focus of the story. The growth of the characters and their gradual emergence into a place where there is hope stands as the focus of this story.
If I have any complaints it’s the ending. It felt rushed in comparison to the achingly slow build up in the beginning and the slow burn of attraction in the middle. I really wanted to see more from Damu’s perspective at the end.
Highly recommended – but with a case of Kleenex!
4.5 of 5 stars
At first Heath isn’t welcomed, but his two colored eyes (heterochromia) are a sign of “the sight” with the Maasai and he’s allowed to stay under the guidance of Damu, another “outcast”.
Damu should be a warrior but he isn’t. Instead he does the same work as the women but with grace and dignity. It becomes clear that Damu’s preference for men is the cause of his place in society.
Over the next year Damu and Heath grow ever closer and both find in themselves what it takes to heal the other. But when Damu and Heath’s relationship is found – both men have to make a decision.
**
What a brave book!
This is not a typical book by any standards. There are already people who are “upset” about an Australian woman talking about being gay in Tanzania. Well – I tell those people to read the book! Clearly NR Walker has done her research. This is an amazing look at a society that isn’t that well known (to me!) and is eons behind modern society when it comes to respect, equality and evolution of beliefs.
What made this book amazing to me (besides all that I learned about a new culture) was how beautiful an experience it was for both men. Both had so much to learn from the other. Damu makes things so simple – if you can’t change it why fight it? But Heath shows Damu that sometimes it’s worth the struggle.
Heath didn’t have anything to live for but with Damu it’s like he gets a second chance to do that which he most wished he’d been able to do.
I think the sex is handled well and is absolutely not the central focus of the story. The growth of the characters and their gradual emergence into a place where there is hope stands as the focus of this story.
If I have any complaints it’s the ending. It felt rushed in comparison to the achingly slow build up in the beginning and the slow burn of attraction in the middle. I really wanted to see more from Damu’s perspective at the end.
Highly recommended – but with a case of Kleenex!
4.5 of 5 stars
June 24, 2016
*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie in exchange for a fair and honest review. ***
Heath Crowley was born with two different colored eyes and the curse of having premonitory dreams. His life is in shambles and he doesn't care if he lives or dies, so after having one of his dreams, he ends up in Tanzania, requesting to live with the Maasai people for as long as they'll have him. There he meets Damu, who they appoint as his guide and takes the name of Alé, learning to live as his hosts.
Damu has been an outsider all his life, but he's loyal, kind and considerate, happy with what he's been given. As he and Heath grow closer, Damu starts to discover what it is that he'd been missing his whole life and with Damu's help, Heath begins to heal and finds love and trust once again.
I loved Damu! He was fascinating, patient and trusting, content with his life, even if to Heath it was difficult to imagine why considering he was an outcast in his own village, relegated to doing women's chores. Still, Damu never complained, happy and proud of helping his people in any way he could.
I adored Heath, too, he was such a fantastic character. He was so strong, especially considering what he'd gone through before getting to Tanzania. I loved that he was open enough to give what he was feeling for Damu a chance and to fight for it, above all. I loved the two of them together, too. Yes, Damu helped Heath heal, but Heath also helped Damu when he needed him the most. They were sweet and hot, perhaps it wasn't electric, but it was the kind of love that just transcends the page and stays with you forever.
N.R. Walker's writing is stellar, as always, and she did an amazing job portraying what life in a Maasai village could be and show us how Heath adapted to live with them, without trying to change their ways to fit his needs. I loved the progression, not too fast or too slow, just perfect to showcase how Heath and Damu's feelings evolve in the time they live in the village. I loved to see them interact with most of the people there, except Kijani, Damu's brother, who was horrible to them.
The story is realistic, powerful, emotional, hopeful, angsty, romantic and hot all rolled into one of the most perfect books I've had the pleasure of reading. Definitely a must-read!
Rating: 5+ Stars!!!
Heath Crowley was born with two different colored eyes and the curse of having premonitory dreams. His life is in shambles and he doesn't care if he lives or dies, so after having one of his dreams, he ends up in Tanzania, requesting to live with the Maasai people for as long as they'll have him. There he meets Damu, who they appoint as his guide and takes the name of Alé, learning to live as his hosts.
Damu has been an outsider all his life, but he's loyal, kind and considerate, happy with what he's been given. As he and Heath grow closer, Damu starts to discover what it is that he'd been missing his whole life and with Damu's help, Heath begins to heal and finds love and trust once again.
I loved Damu! He was fascinating, patient and trusting, content with his life, even if to Heath it was difficult to imagine why considering he was an outcast in his own village, relegated to doing women's chores. Still, Damu never complained, happy and proud of helping his people in any way he could.
I adored Heath, too, he was such a fantastic character. He was so strong, especially considering what he'd gone through before getting to Tanzania. I loved that he was open enough to give what he was feeling for Damu a chance and to fight for it, above all. I loved the two of them together, too. Yes, Damu helped Heath heal, but Heath also helped Damu when he needed him the most. They were sweet and hot, perhaps it wasn't electric, but it was the kind of love that just transcends the page and stays with you forever.
N.R. Walker's writing is stellar, as always, and she did an amazing job portraying what life in a Maasai village could be and show us how Heath adapted to live with them, without trying to change their ways to fit his needs. I loved the progression, not too fast or too slow, just perfect to showcase how Heath and Damu's feelings evolve in the time they live in the village. I loved to see them interact with most of the people there, except Kijani, Damu's brother, who was horrible to them.
The story is realistic, powerful, emotional, hopeful, angsty, romantic and hot all rolled into one of the most perfect books I've had the pleasure of reading. Definitely a must-read!
Rating: 5+ Stars!!!
June 18, 2016
Wow. Blood & Milk is a simply beautiful and powerful read that was nothing like I expected and just blew me away with the emotion and feelings it evoked. With it's unique setting and difficult, even life-threatening circumstances, the story pulled me in right from the start and refused to let me go even after the end.
Heath Crowley has had his heart and soul ripped from him, and feeling that there's nothing left for him he leaves his home in Australia based on a dream. I found him to be incredibly brave, and even with his don't-care-if-I-live-or-die attitude he still shows strength of character, even if he is broken inside. Damu is an outsider amongst his people, never treated like a man due to events that were out of his control. He takes responsibility for Heath once he joins their village, and it is from their that an unlikely relationship starts.
Watching things develop between Damu and Heath (or Alé as he is named when he joins the Maasai), well it's really an amazing journey set against the backdrop of a society that is severely restricted in its thinking. The tension is palpable and the threat of the nature of their relationship being discovered as it evolves is a real danger-one that could result in the ultimately penalty of death. This keeps the drama and emotion set to the highest level for the majority of the book, and is most of the reason I could not tear myself away from reading.
There is so much depth to the characters, and compassion is discovered in some unexpected places. The intimate part of Heath and Damu's relationship is intense and for Damu quite eye-opening. As the story unfolded and the drama and tension reached a mentally exhausting drawn-out crescendo, I was overwhelmed with raw emotion and yes...the tears did fall.
I cannot recommend this story highly enough. Blood & Milk was a 5-star read for me and gets my top recommendation not just in the genre, but overall as well. It is filled with emotion and passion (and not just the intimate kind), character growth, and is a story that I will be definitely re-reading many times in the future. This book is for readers 18+ for adult language and situations, and M/M sexual content. Be prepared for heat, overpowering feelings, and true, pure love.
Heath Crowley has had his heart and soul ripped from him, and feeling that there's nothing left for him he leaves his home in Australia based on a dream. I found him to be incredibly brave, and even with his don't-care-if-I-live-or-die attitude he still shows strength of character, even if he is broken inside. Damu is an outsider amongst his people, never treated like a man due to events that were out of his control. He takes responsibility for Heath once he joins their village, and it is from their that an unlikely relationship starts.
Watching things develop between Damu and Heath (or Alé as he is named when he joins the Maasai), well it's really an amazing journey set against the backdrop of a society that is severely restricted in its thinking. The tension is palpable and the threat of the nature of their relationship being discovered as it evolves is a real danger-one that could result in the ultimately penalty of death. This keeps the drama and emotion set to the highest level for the majority of the book, and is most of the reason I could not tear myself away from reading.
There is so much depth to the characters, and compassion is discovered in some unexpected places. The intimate part of Heath and Damu's relationship is intense and for Damu quite eye-opening. As the story unfolded and the drama and tension reached a mentally exhausting drawn-out crescendo, I was overwhelmed with raw emotion and yes...the tears did fall.
I cannot recommend this story highly enough. Blood & Milk was a 5-star read for me and gets my top recommendation not just in the genre, but overall as well. It is filled with emotion and passion (and not just the intimate kind), character growth, and is a story that I will be definitely re-reading many times in the future. This book is for readers 18+ for adult language and situations, and M/M sexual content. Be prepared for heat, overpowering feelings, and true, pure love.
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