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By the Currawong's Call
A small town, a new arrival, and a love that is as undeniable as it is unlawful...
Victoria, Australia, 1891
Anglican priest Matthew Ottenshaw receives his first posting in tiny Dinbratten, two days’ ride from his Melbourne home. Determined to honour his calling as best he can, he throws himself into the footy mad, two-pub town, navigating the dusty streets, learning the gossip, and striking up a friendship with Jonah Parks, the resident police sergeant and local bona fide hero.
A police officer and a priest often find themselves needed at the same place, and Jonah and Matthew’s friendship deepens quickly, as they set about their business of protecting the bodies and souls of Dinbratten’s residents. When a bushfire threatens the town, and Matthew’s inexperience with fire endangers the church buildings, Jonah comes to the rescue, and a reckless kiss in the midst of the chaos takes their friendship to forbidden.
Neither Matthew nor Jonah can go back to the way things were before, but continuing their relationship puts everything at their jobs, their friends, even their lives. In the outback town of Dinbratten where everyone knows everything about everyone else, how can they ever expect to keep a secret this explosive?
398 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 1, 2017
81 people are currently reading
673 people want to read
About the author
Welton B. Marsland
5 books42 followersWelton B. Marsland grew up in a township even smaller than the one in "By the Currawong's Call". With a background in hospitals, WBM has also spent three years covering the Melbourne International Comedy Festival as a reviewer, has had a story displayed at the National Gallery of Victoria, and even been banned in the state of Queensland. A queer-punk history geek who flits between nature walks, dinky bars, footy matches and live music gigs, WBM lives in the great city of Melbourne with an ex-Army sword-slinger and three idiosyncratic cats.
In late 2015, Welton self-published “Melbourne Rooms”, a short story collection celebrating Melbourne’s pubs and punk clubs.
Recent releases include “Carrying On”, a poetry anthology inspired by the TV show Supernatural (Editor), and a short story in the erotic anthology “Like A Spell” for Circlet Press(USA).
Welton’s debut novel “By the Currawong’s Call”, a queer love story set in 1890s Australia, was released in November 2017 by Escape Publishing.
In late 2015, Welton self-published “Melbourne Rooms”, a short story collection celebrating Melbourne’s pubs and punk clubs.
Recent releases include “Carrying On”, a poetry anthology inspired by the TV show Supernatural (Editor), and a short story in the erotic anthology “Like A Spell” for Circlet Press(USA).
Welton’s debut novel “By the Currawong’s Call”, a queer love story set in 1890s Australia, was released in November 2017 by Escape Publishing.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 164 reviews
May 16, 2023
FAB-U-LOUS !!!!! Wow, what an excellent historical book with an amazing setting -1891/1892 Outback Australia .
The MCs?? A priest and a police sergeant (33/34 years old) .
Matthew, a young priest arrives in a small town in the Australian Outback. He is kind and gentle and you can’t help loving him from the first page.Also, his is the only POV in the book. Soon he meets the town’s police sergeant , Jonah, who is extremely popular with the ladies . He is forward, laidback and cares a great deal for the town and its ppl so between them,the town is in very good hands .And so they strike a tentative friendship at first, until Matthew,after an adrenaline inducing incident,kisses Jonah . From then on Matthew and Jonah start to change, to discover that there are more things in life then following the rules blindly and just survive. That they shouldn’t let the law (human and divine) dictate their future . And it’s a tender journey, and beautiful and a bit harsh because between being afraid for their lives (homosexuals acts were punished with jail and even hanging) and Matthew’s struggle to reconcile his love for God with his love for Jonah they also had to think about their future. I liked that the religion thing wasn’t overwhelming, it wasn’t annoying (I’m not religious and I can barely tolerate it in books) and it was dealt with in such an amazing way by Matthew. Jonah on the other hand was not at all interested in religion and their conversations on the subject were enthralling.
I loved everything about this book even though some events were a bit too convenient . I loved their conversations, I loved their friendship and their illicit encounters, I loved their love making -so tentative at first because none of them had been with a man before (Matthew was a total virgin even though unlike the Catholic one, the Anglican religion allowed priests to marry )I liked their quiet,subtle and gentle love and intimacy, their connection, and I loved their hopeful happy ending.And if I loved Matthew, I absolutely adored Jonah. Jonah who was so brave , so fierce in his love for Matthew so constant in his pursuit of a future together as impossible as it might have seemed. Ah, I loved it . I went to bed at 3 am because I couldn’t put it down.
Now, I wanna mention what I absolutely hate (I wanted to take away half a star for it but I couldn’t because I loved the book too much) and that was the epilogue. The author seem to not know what an epilogue is . We do have an epilogue in the book but it was so inane I didn’t understand what was the point of it. So, dear author, an epilogue is where you show us what are our MCs doing further into the future. Or how their life had been . Not rehashing all that happened throughout the book AGAIN. I already knew those things, I’ve literally just read them! I didn’t care about that lady, that Alson descendant ! Why do I wanna know what she thought about our guys?? I wanted to see our guys in California. I wanted to hear from their descendants (or rather from one of their friends’ descendants). I wanted to know if they’d been happy, I wanted to know what jobs they had.
Anyway, this is a wonderful wonderful book and I will probably reread it often .
The writing is excellent and very historically appropriate but I have to say that there were words I had to look for , Australian slang, and cultural references I had to research on Google but that gave the book exactly the right feel and the right historical vibe. Excellent book!
The MCs?? A priest and a police sergeant (33/34 years old) .
Matthew, a young priest arrives in a small town in the Australian Outback. He is kind and gentle and you can’t help loving him from the first page.Also, his is the only POV in the book. Soon he meets the town’s police sergeant , Jonah, who is extremely popular with the ladies . He is forward, laidback and cares a great deal for the town and its ppl so between them,the town is in very good hands .And so they strike a tentative friendship at first, until Matthew,after an adrenaline inducing incident,kisses Jonah . From then on Matthew and Jonah start to change, to discover that there are more things in life then following the rules blindly and just survive. That they shouldn’t let the law (human and divine) dictate their future . And it’s a tender journey, and beautiful and a bit harsh because between being afraid for their lives (homosexuals acts were punished with jail and even hanging) and Matthew’s struggle to reconcile his love for God with his love for Jonah they also had to think about their future. I liked that the religion thing wasn’t overwhelming, it wasn’t annoying (I’m not religious and I can barely tolerate it in books) and it was dealt with in such an amazing way by Matthew. Jonah on the other hand was not at all interested in religion and their conversations on the subject were enthralling.
I loved everything about this book even though some events were a bit too convenient . I loved their conversations, I loved their friendship and their illicit encounters, I loved their love making -so tentative at first because none of them had been with a man before (Matthew was a total virgin even though unlike the Catholic one, the Anglican religion allowed priests to marry )I liked their quiet,subtle and gentle love and intimacy, their connection, and I loved their hopeful happy ending.And if I loved Matthew, I absolutely adored Jonah. Jonah who was so brave , so fierce in his love for Matthew so constant in his pursuit of a future together as impossible as it might have seemed. Ah, I loved it . I went to bed at 3 am because I couldn’t put it down.
Now, I wanna mention what I absolutely hate (I wanted to take away half a star for it but I couldn’t because I loved the book too much) and that was the epilogue. The author seem to not know what an epilogue is . We do have an epilogue in the book but it was so inane I didn’t understand what was the point of it. So, dear author, an epilogue is where you show us what are our MCs doing further into the future. Or how their life had been . Not rehashing all that happened throughout the book AGAIN. I already knew those things, I’ve literally just read them! I didn’t care about that lady, that Alson descendant ! Why do I wanna know what she thought about our guys?? I wanted to see our guys in California. I wanted to hear from their descendants (or rather from one of their friends’ descendants). I wanted to know if they’d been happy, I wanted to know what jobs they had.
Anyway, this is a wonderful wonderful book and I will probably reread it often .
The writing is excellent and very historically appropriate but I have to say that there were words I had to look for , Australian slang, and cultural references I had to research on Google but that gave the book exactly the right feel and the right historical vibe. Excellent book!
Read
January 8, 2018I tweeted about how I wanted historical romance that wasn't UK/US, and this was one of the first books recced to me, a m/m set in 1890s Australian outback town. Local policeman discovers he's bi, new priest who already knows he's gay but has never acted on it. (Needless to say author doesn't use modern terms.) Both white, strong sense of how white Australian-ness is a very new thing still.
I really enjoyed this overall. Matthew, the priest, is a lovely character, compassionate but clear-sighted and hard working, courageous and honest. I adored his spiritual journey, as he makes peace between his sexuality and his faith without denying one or losing the other; the sequence where his dark night of the soul transmutes into a new certainty of God was beautifully done. I didn't like Jonah's role in this plot strand so much, in that he comes across at a couple of points as a mouthpiece for a familiar-to-moderns set of arguments against Christian homophobia. Not a bad thing in itself, but could have been integrated a lot more subtly. Otherwise Jonah is a lovely character, plain spoken, practical, and straightforward about who he is and what he wants, so it's a shame the editor didn't shake those few sequences up a bit more.
I thought the setting was very well done. It had a ton of small-town atmosphere and a sense of the outback and touched on racism against indigenous people and from white immigrants to Chinese immigrants. However, once Jonah and Matthew get together the centre of the story becomes a string of love scenes--I say this rather than sex scenes, because their relationship builds emotionally and physically at once--and it felt like we were contracting down to them in a room. That's probably exactly what the author intended, because as the story spools out, we realise that law and bigotry will indeed cut them off from the town around them, and their true lives can only really be the two of them in a room. So, that works, but I slightly regretted losing the wider context just because it was very well done and interesting.
The endgame here is brilliant. Serious spoilers follow.
One thing I didn't like: an epilogue, a transcript of a reality TV show with a famous celebrity descended from someone Matthew and Jonah saved doing a genealogy programme and finding out about them. It feels like the author planting a flag against the erasure of LGBT people from history and I couldn't agree more with that as a principle, but it didn't work for me as an artistic decision here. It felt a bit obtrusively point-making in the way the religious debate segment did, and I think the author could have trusted the character and story to do that work in both cases without spelling it out.
Overall a strong and interesting m/m histrom, as you can see because I seem to have written an essay, and I will be there for what the author does next.
I really enjoyed this overall. Matthew, the priest, is a lovely character, compassionate but clear-sighted and hard working, courageous and honest. I adored his spiritual journey, as he makes peace between his sexuality and his faith without denying one or losing the other; the sequence where his dark night of the soul transmutes into a new certainty of God was beautifully done. I didn't like Jonah's role in this plot strand so much, in that he comes across at a couple of points as a mouthpiece for a familiar-to-moderns set of arguments against Christian homophobia. Not a bad thing in itself, but could have been integrated a lot more subtly. Otherwise Jonah is a lovely character, plain spoken, practical, and straightforward about who he is and what he wants, so it's a shame the editor didn't shake those few sequences up a bit more.
I thought the setting was very well done. It had a ton of small-town atmosphere and a sense of the outback and touched on racism against indigenous people and from white immigrants to Chinese immigrants. However, once Jonah and Matthew get together the centre of the story becomes a string of love scenes--I say this rather than sex scenes, because their relationship builds emotionally and physically at once--and it felt like we were contracting down to them in a room. That's probably exactly what the author intended, because as the story spools out, we realise that law and bigotry will indeed cut them off from the town around them, and their true lives can only really be the two of them in a room. So, that works, but I slightly regretted losing the wider context just because it was very well done and interesting.
The endgame here is brilliant. Serious spoilers follow.
One thing I didn't like: an epilogue, a transcript of a reality TV show with a famous celebrity descended from someone Matthew and Jonah saved doing a genealogy programme and finding out about them. It feels like the author planting a flag against the erasure of LGBT people from history and I couldn't agree more with that as a principle, but it didn't work for me as an artistic decision here. It felt a bit obtrusively point-making in the way the religious debate segment did, and I think the author could have trusted the character and story to do that work in both cases without spelling it out.
Overall a strong and interesting m/m histrom, as you can see because I seem to have written an essay, and I will be there for what the author does next.
September 22, 2024
**** 3.5 stars ****
This quiet, low-key story of two men falling in love in 1890s rural Australia was the right book for me at the right time.
Jonah and Matthew are pillars of their community as the town's ranking police officer and its Anglican priest, respectively. Both men are in their early 30s when Matthew is assigned to the church in Jonah's small town. Matthew has no romantic or sexual history; Jonah, on the other hand, is quite the lady's man. But he's never indulged his self-acknowledged interest in men, because the risk has never seemed worth it... not until he meets and falls into friendship with Matthew.
The understated voice is what lured me in. I found it somewhat reminiscent of Tamara Allen's historicals. Told from Matthew's third-person POV, it's very much a story of his journey of self-discovery — although Jonah's personality shines brightly through as well. Their attraction simmers under the surface until at last it bursts out like the brushfires that periodically threaten the town, upending Matthew's life and forcing him to reevaluate the world — and his theology.
I appreciated how this played out, sensitively, without melodrama. No weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth, no self-indulgent theatrics... just a sober ongoing reassessment of his beliefs, sometimes in conversations with Jonah. There's no wallowing in dreary gloom-and-doom religious angst. And there's never a Big Misunderstanding to manufacture angst either; instead, the two of them communicate with each other, growing closer in the process.
What I didn't like was
Oh, and I realize I should say something about the epilogue, because it was different. So: The epilogue. It's different.
Those issues cost it ½ a star. But I'm still rounding up, because it's rare to find an m/m debut novel like this — quiet and thoughtful and well-written. I look forward to reading more by this author.
This quiet, low-key story of two men falling in love in 1890s rural Australia was the right book for me at the right time.
Jonah and Matthew are pillars of their community as the town's ranking police officer and its Anglican priest, respectively. Both men are in their early 30s when Matthew is assigned to the church in Jonah's small town. Matthew has no romantic or sexual history; Jonah, on the other hand, is quite the lady's man. But he's never indulged his self-acknowledged interest in men, because the risk has never seemed worth it... not until he meets and falls into friendship with Matthew.
The understated voice is what lured me in. I found it somewhat reminiscent of Tamara Allen's historicals. Told from Matthew's third-person POV, it's very much a story of his journey of self-discovery — although Jonah's personality shines brightly through as well. Their attraction simmers under the surface until at last it bursts out like the brushfires that periodically threaten the town, upending Matthew's life and forcing him to reevaluate the world — and his theology.
I appreciated how this played out, sensitively, without melodrama. No weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth, no self-indulgent theatrics... just a sober ongoing reassessment of his beliefs, sometimes in conversations with Jonah. There's no wallowing in dreary gloom-and-doom religious angst. And there's never a Big Misunderstanding to manufacture angst either; instead, the two of them communicate with each other, growing closer in the process.
What I didn't like was
Oh, and I realize I should say something about the epilogue, because it was different. So: The epilogue. It's different.
Those issues cost it ½ a star. But I'm still rounding up, because it's rare to find an m/m debut novel like this — quiet and thoughtful and well-written. I look forward to reading more by this author.
November 20, 2017
5+++
Imagine : 1891 a small Australian town, a police officer and a priest, a love.... forbidden.
Extraordinary read. Written in such a way while reading I could easily imagine the whole picture, the noise, smell...included all the feelings...
It was more than beautiful it was exquisite..the way of writing was deep emotional, sometimes desperate because of those circumstances.
Both kind and free spirits, understanding each other's opinions.
In a thoughtless moment, after some exhausting work against fire, in the back of the church father Matthew kisses his friend Sergeant Jonah and Jonah deepens it with his own mouth.
After that Matthew withdraws and it takes some time to reconnect...
Jonah is just so delicious shocking blunt and open toward Matthew....and Matthew....opened up instead of closing down and that was delicious too.
There is no hurry in this read. The steps they made...the realization of little endearing gestures were just so intimate, I felt sometimes like a voyeur and held my breath...
There were endearing funny parts I laughed and chuckled again and again.
I will not start about a sore face and a certain beard...and a falling helmet ....
‘That’s a lot of bloody buttons.’ ‘Thirty-nine,’ Matthew confirmed. ‘One for each of the Holy Articles.’
Always easy going, kind and humorous together they fit perfectly... equal in everything.
They explored each other bodies thoroughly and were blissfully at every discovery.
The love between them getting stronger and stronger, was so so right and beautiful....
I cried my eyes out at the end, thank you for giving them a HEA. I would not survived my broken heart.
It was an outstanding, overwhelming good written story. A diamond between all the books I read. All the stories entwined through this journey were just so well done.
This whole journey just took my breath away.
Their love, forbidden by law but, so right for human kind.
I can't say it enough......Highly yes HIGHLY recommended.
Kindly received an ARC from the publisher through Netgalley.
Imagine : 1891 a small Australian town, a police officer and a priest, a love.... forbidden.
Extraordinary read. Written in such a way while reading I could easily imagine the whole picture, the noise, smell...included all the feelings...
It was more than beautiful it was exquisite..the way of writing was deep emotional, sometimes desperate because of those circumstances.
Both kind and free spirits, understanding each other's opinions.
In a thoughtless moment, after some exhausting work against fire, in the back of the church father Matthew kisses his friend Sergeant Jonah and Jonah deepens it with his own mouth.
After that Matthew withdraws and it takes some time to reconnect...
Jonah is just so delicious shocking blunt and open toward Matthew....and Matthew....opened up instead of closing down and that was delicious too.
There is no hurry in this read. The steps they made...the realization of little endearing gestures were just so intimate, I felt sometimes like a voyeur and held my breath...
There were endearing funny parts I laughed and chuckled again and again.
I will not start about a sore face and a certain beard...and a falling helmet ....
‘That’s a lot of bloody buttons.’ ‘Thirty-nine,’ Matthew confirmed. ‘One for each of the Holy Articles.’
Always easy going, kind and humorous together they fit perfectly... equal in everything.
They explored each other bodies thoroughly and were blissfully at every discovery.
The love between them getting stronger and stronger, was so so right and beautiful....
I cried my eyes out at the end, thank you for giving them a HEA. I would not survived my broken heart.
It was an outstanding, overwhelming good written story. A diamond between all the books I read. All the stories entwined through this journey were just so well done.
This whole journey just took my breath away.
Their love, forbidden by law but, so right for human kind.
I can't say it enough......Highly yes HIGHLY recommended.
Kindly received an ARC from the publisher through Netgalley.
June 4, 2018
1/12/19 Currently 99c via most book retailers: https://www.romance.com.au/9781489251...
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Currawongs-Cal...
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/by-t...
Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/by-t...
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5 Stars
Consider me wowed and wooed by this lovely story. “By The Currawong's Call” is author Welton B. Marsland’s debut novel, and it was just awarded the Bi Writers Association’s 2018’s Bisexual Book Award for romance.
“By the Currawong’s Call" is set in a small 1890s Australian outback town and features a police hero who discovers he's bisexual, and an Anglican priest who is gay.
This is such a gentle, warm, and hopeful story. The small Victorian country town setting is fascinating, and there is a real sense of history and place shining through the narrative. At the start of the story, both reader and newly arrived Anglican priest Matthew Ottenshaw are given a tour of the tiny town by the resident police sergeant, Jonah Parks, as he goes about his daily walking patrol of town. Visiting the blacksmith (the town is too small to have a local doctor), the general store, the hotel/pub, and the police station (“cop shop”), and meeting the local residents, charmed the historical romance reader in me with all the interesting historical flavor.
Both MCs are admirable characters, and their burgeoning friendship is a delight to watch unfold. They connect right away, and I enjoyed seeing the plain-spoken and blunt Jonah engage with the more cultured and thoughtful Matthew. Neither man has been in a romantic relationship with another man before. The romance is slow burning, but once the two men decide to explore a sexual relationship, their clandestine meetings become passionate, sensual, and loving.
“Are you truly saying that I’m what you want for yourself? That I could be your … happiness?”
Both Matthew and Jonah are broadminded, liberal, forward thinking characters who demonstrate tolerance and compassion for others. Religion is a strong element in the story, but it does not overshadow the romantic narrative. Matthew has deep religious convictions, and his romance with Jonah forces him to re-examine and, eventually, make peace with his sexuality and his faith.
The HEA is slightly bittersweet as both men are forced to make compromises with their dreams, but I was smiling and a bit misty eyed at the close of the story. This is a romance that I look forward to revisiting as a lovely comfort read in the future.
Highly recommend.
Merged review:
6/1/18 Currently 99c via Amazon US https://amzn.to/2IlMoxp
5 Stars
Consider me wowed and wooed by this lovely story. “By The Currawong's Call” is author Welton B. Marsland’s debut novel, and it was just awarded the Bi Writers Association’s 2018’s Bisexual Book Award for romance.
“By the Currawong’s Call" is set in a small 1890s Australian outback town and features a police hero who discovers he's bisexual, and an Anglican priest who is gay.
This is such a gentle, warm, and hopeful story. The small Victorian country town setting is fascinating, and there is a real sense of history and place shining through the narrative. At the start of the story, both reader and newly arrived Anglican priest Matthew Ottenshaw are given a tour of the tiny town by the resident police sergeant, Jonah Parks, as he goes about his daily walking patrol of town. Visiting the blacksmith (the town is too small to have a local doctor), the general store, the hotel/pub, and the police station (“cop shop”), and meeting the local residents, charmed the historical romance reader in me with all the interesting historical flavor.
Both MCs are admirable characters, and their burgeoning friendship is a delight to watch unfold. They connect right away, and I enjoyed seeing the plain-spoken and blunt Jonah engage with the more cultured and thoughtful Matthew. Neither man has been in a romantic relationship with another man before. The romance is slow burning, but once the two men decide to explore a sexual relationship, their clandestine meetings become passionate, sensual, and loving.
“Are you truly saying that I’m what you want for yourself? That I could be your … happiness?”
Both Matthew and Jonah are broadminded, liberal, forward thinking characters who demonstrate tolerance and compassion for others. Religion is a strong element in the story, but it does not overshadow the romantic narrative. Matthew has deep religious convictions, and his romance with Jonah forces him to re-examine and, eventually, make peace with his sexuality and his faith.
The HEA is slightly bittersweet as both men are forced to make compromises with their dreams, but I was smiling and a bit misty eyed at the close of the story. This is a romance that I look forward to revisiting as a lovely comfort read in the future.
Highly recommend.
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Currawongs-Cal...
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/by-t...
Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/by-t...
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/by-t...
Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/d...
5 Stars
Consider me wowed and wooed by this lovely story. “By The Currawong's Call” is author Welton B. Marsland’s debut novel, and it was just awarded the Bi Writers Association’s 2018’s Bisexual Book Award for romance.
“By the Currawong’s Call" is set in a small 1890s Australian outback town and features a police hero who discovers he's bisexual, and an Anglican priest who is gay.
This is such a gentle, warm, and hopeful story. The small Victorian country town setting is fascinating, and there is a real sense of history and place shining through the narrative. At the start of the story, both reader and newly arrived Anglican priest Matthew Ottenshaw are given a tour of the tiny town by the resident police sergeant, Jonah Parks, as he goes about his daily walking patrol of town. Visiting the blacksmith (the town is too small to have a local doctor), the general store, the hotel/pub, and the police station (“cop shop”), and meeting the local residents, charmed the historical romance reader in me with all the interesting historical flavor.
Both MCs are admirable characters, and their burgeoning friendship is a delight to watch unfold. They connect right away, and I enjoyed seeing the plain-spoken and blunt Jonah engage with the more cultured and thoughtful Matthew. Neither man has been in a romantic relationship with another man before. The romance is slow burning, but once the two men decide to explore a sexual relationship, their clandestine meetings become passionate, sensual, and loving.
“Are you truly saying that I’m what you want for yourself? That I could be your … happiness?”
Both Matthew and Jonah are broadminded, liberal, forward thinking characters who demonstrate tolerance and compassion for others. Religion is a strong element in the story, but it does not overshadow the romantic narrative. Matthew has deep religious convictions, and his romance with Jonah forces him to re-examine and, eventually, make peace with his sexuality and his faith.
The HEA is slightly bittersweet as both men are forced to make compromises with their dreams, but I was smiling and a bit misty eyed at the close of the story. This is a romance that I look forward to revisiting as a lovely comfort read in the future.
Highly recommend.
Merged review:
6/1/18 Currently 99c via Amazon US https://amzn.to/2IlMoxp
5 Stars
Consider me wowed and wooed by this lovely story. “By The Currawong's Call” is author Welton B. Marsland’s debut novel, and it was just awarded the Bi Writers Association’s 2018’s Bisexual Book Award for romance.
“By the Currawong’s Call" is set in a small 1890s Australian outback town and features a police hero who discovers he's bisexual, and an Anglican priest who is gay.
This is such a gentle, warm, and hopeful story. The small Victorian country town setting is fascinating, and there is a real sense of history and place shining through the narrative. At the start of the story, both reader and newly arrived Anglican priest Matthew Ottenshaw are given a tour of the tiny town by the resident police sergeant, Jonah Parks, as he goes about his daily walking patrol of town. Visiting the blacksmith (the town is too small to have a local doctor), the general store, the hotel/pub, and the police station (“cop shop”), and meeting the local residents, charmed the historical romance reader in me with all the interesting historical flavor.
Both MCs are admirable characters, and their burgeoning friendship is a delight to watch unfold. They connect right away, and I enjoyed seeing the plain-spoken and blunt Jonah engage with the more cultured and thoughtful Matthew. Neither man has been in a romantic relationship with another man before. The romance is slow burning, but once the two men decide to explore a sexual relationship, their clandestine meetings become passionate, sensual, and loving.
“Are you truly saying that I’m what you want for yourself? That I could be your … happiness?”
Both Matthew and Jonah are broadminded, liberal, forward thinking characters who demonstrate tolerance and compassion for others. Religion is a strong element in the story, but it does not overshadow the romantic narrative. Matthew has deep religious convictions, and his romance with Jonah forces him to re-examine and, eventually, make peace with his sexuality and his faith.
The HEA is slightly bittersweet as both men are forced to make compromises with their dreams, but I was smiling and a bit misty eyed at the close of the story. This is a romance that I look forward to revisiting as a lovely comfort read in the future.
Highly recommend.
Read
December 1, 2017
Can't get into this.
Throwing the towel @37%
November 21, 2017
A Joyfully Jay review.
5 stars
Some of you may remember me posting my excitement when I first heard about this book a couple of months ago. It was pitched to me as “Thornbirds meets Brokeback Mountain” and that is pretty much all it took for me to snatch this one up immediately. Sigh. I still remember fondly watching the Thornbirds and swooning over the handsome priest, Father Ralph, caught in forbidden love. So I was curious to see if this story would evoke those same feelings of sweeping romanticism as that movie, and I have to tell you, I was completely blown away. I finished this story with the mother of all book hangovers, and I still get an emotional pang just looking at the cover and thinking about this book.
First off, I can not say enough about the writing. The story is listed as Welton B. Marsland’s debut novel, and I am just blown away by the beautiful, evocative writing. I felt transported in time to this tiny rural town. Marsland just brings Dinbratten and it’s people to life, and I could feel the rhythms of this small community, isolated in the Australian bush. There is a lushness to the writing, a sweeping, lyrical feeling to the story that just drew me in and kept me captivated. I wanted to just wrap myself up in this book and savor every moment.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
5 stars
Some of you may remember me posting my excitement when I first heard about this book a couple of months ago. It was pitched to me as “Thornbirds meets Brokeback Mountain” and that is pretty much all it took for me to snatch this one up immediately. Sigh. I still remember fondly watching the Thornbirds and swooning over the handsome priest, Father Ralph, caught in forbidden love. So I was curious to see if this story would evoke those same feelings of sweeping romanticism as that movie, and I have to tell you, I was completely blown away. I finished this story with the mother of all book hangovers, and I still get an emotional pang just looking at the cover and thinking about this book.
First off, I can not say enough about the writing. The story is listed as Welton B. Marsland’s debut novel, and I am just blown away by the beautiful, evocative writing. I felt transported in time to this tiny rural town. Marsland just brings Dinbratten and it’s people to life, and I could feel the rhythms of this small community, isolated in the Australian bush. There is a lushness to the writing, a sweeping, lyrical feeling to the story that just drew me in and kept me captivated. I wanted to just wrap myself up in this book and savor every moment.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
March 30, 2020
Giving this an extra half-star since I had a serious case of lockdown brain when I started this and had trouble concentrating, and I can't be certain if that didn't have something to do with my inability to connect to this story. So it's a 2 star + 0.5 "just-in-case" stars = 2.5 stars. I thought about rereading the first few chapters, but I think this should make up for that, if it needs to be made up for at all. Okay, onto the review...
I don't know about this one, y'all. It has a great premise - 1892 Australia, preacher comes to a podunk town to do preachy things and meets and falls for the police sergeant. It was right up my alley. Unfortunately, I just wasn't feeling it.
Despite this being from Matthew's POV (in third person), I never felt like I got to understand him. At the end of the story, I knew a lot more about Jonah's past, motivations, feelings and thoughts than I ever did about Matthew. He's just sort of there and reacts to things. We never see him doing his job except once near the end. We never find out why he went into ministry, what it meant to him, why he was called to it. There's an attempt to show what his budding relationship (sexationship?) with Jonah is doing to him, but that's soon resolved. And since nothing is set up, there's no pay off when things do happen, not just with Matthew's "growth" (I don't know if a character can really grow when he starts off as a blank canvas) over the book but with other stuff. And on top of that, the author can't do math.
I did like the characters, what we knew of them. They were swell blokes and all that. I liked some of the side characters, for the two or three pages anyone else is allowed to be in the story. And once they got to Melbourne, things got more interesting and seemed to gel better for awhile, but that wasn't until the last quarter of the book. When things are set up, they're generally interesting enough, and I liked that we actually got some tension near the end. But other than the setting, this read like any other contemporary M/M romance and I think I'm getting over romance books that only focus on the couple and nothing else. I need something more going on with the "story" because there really wasn't much of a plot to this one beyond "two dudes fall into bed and eventually in love" - and y'all should know by now how I feel about sex when I don't know enough about the characters as individuals, much less why I should root for them as a couple. I just didn't feel the chemistry at the start, even if they were a nice, sweet couple who actually talked about things.
This will no doubt work better for most of you than it did for me. There are a lot of glowing reviews, so go read some of those or just read the book.
Edit: Oh! And just assume 98% of your readers have no clue about cricket. Explain that crap, or they're just meaningless words on a page. And don't use all caps for emphasis. Use italics. That's what italics are for. (Or lack of italics if you're already using italics for another reason. Like a letter, for instance.)
I don't know about this one, y'all. It has a great premise - 1892 Australia, preacher comes to a podunk town to do preachy things and meets and falls for the police sergeant. It was right up my alley. Unfortunately, I just wasn't feeling it.
Despite this being from Matthew's POV (in third person), I never felt like I got to understand him. At the end of the story, I knew a lot more about Jonah's past, motivations, feelings and thoughts than I ever did about Matthew. He's just sort of there and reacts to things. We never see him doing his job except once near the end. We never find out why he went into ministry, what it meant to him, why he was called to it. There's an attempt to show what his budding relationship (sexationship?) with Jonah is doing to him, but that's soon resolved. And since nothing is set up, there's no pay off when things do happen, not just with Matthew's "growth" (I don't know if a character can really grow when he starts off as a blank canvas) over the book but with other stuff. And on top of that, the author can't do math.
I did like the characters, what we knew of them. They were swell blokes and all that. I liked some of the side characters, for the two or three pages anyone else is allowed to be in the story. And once they got to Melbourne, things got more interesting and seemed to gel better for awhile, but that wasn't until the last quarter of the book. When things are set up, they're generally interesting enough, and I liked that we actually got some tension near the end. But other than the setting, this read like any other contemporary M/M romance and I think I'm getting over romance books that only focus on the couple and nothing else. I need something more going on with the "story" because there really wasn't much of a plot to this one beyond "two dudes fall into bed and eventually in love" - and y'all should know by now how I feel about sex when I don't know enough about the characters as individuals, much less why I should root for them as a couple. I just didn't feel the chemistry at the start, even if they were a nice, sweet couple who actually talked about things.
This will no doubt work better for most of you than it did for me. There are a lot of glowing reviews, so go read some of those or just read the book.
Edit: Oh! And just assume 98% of your readers have no clue about cricket. Explain that crap, or they're just meaningless words on a page. And don't use all caps for emphasis. Use italics. That's what italics are for. (Or lack of italics if you're already using italics for another reason. Like a letter, for instance.)
March 30, 2020
Compelling, romantic and even militant, By The Currawong's Call by Welton B. Marsland was a delightful discovery.
Set in a very small village in the Australian Victoria around 1891, the book chronicles the encounter and relationship between Anglican priest Matthew Ottenshaw and police Sargeant Jonah Parks. I won't give any details of the plot away here because it's really worth it to discover on your own the tentativeness, fears and ultimate rebellion that Matthew and Jonah enact upon in the story.
I think it'd be enough to say that both characters really touched my heart - Matthew, apparently more indecisive, is portrayed as honest and true to his deepest beliefs but also ready to reconsider things and decisions in the light of the momentous events that take place in his life after meeting Jonah. And Jonah himself is a true force of nature, his commitment to Matthew steadfast and unwavering from the very beginning.
If Matthew is the voice of caution and spiritual thinking, Jonah is a modern and rational thinker who's capable of assessing their situation - and the unwelcome intrusion of state and church into private matters - with clarity and articulation that make him sound well ahead of his time. This slight anachronism appeared to me as a willing disregard for historical accuracy on the part of the writer and responds well to the militant tone that acts as an undercurrent throughout the novel and it's reinforced by the book's Epilogue that - although a bit contrived - celebrates the contribution of "invisible" queer people to the history and making of a nation.
Once Matthew and Jonah get together, there's really no doubt about the solidity of their love and all the uncertainty encroaching their relationship comes from the outside in the form of unwanted intrusiveness that could ruin not only their reputations but their entire lives. There's no shattering sense of guilt, no excruciating doubt in them - just quiet acceptance and constant growth and I really appreciated this aspect of their story.
The historical reconstruction of the Australian province and of Melbourne at the end of the 19th century is very interesting and really transmits a sense of stifling conformism and social scrutiny (despite some beautiful figures of rebellious women such as the Campbell sisters in Dinbratten or Myrtle in Melbourne) that makes you wish for a quick and definitive escape.
I really recommend this novel and Welton B. Marsland is a writer that I'll certainly continue to follow.
Set in a very small village in the Australian Victoria around 1891, the book chronicles the encounter and relationship between Anglican priest Matthew Ottenshaw and police Sargeant Jonah Parks. I won't give any details of the plot away here because it's really worth it to discover on your own the tentativeness, fears and ultimate rebellion that Matthew and Jonah enact upon in the story.
I think it'd be enough to say that both characters really touched my heart - Matthew, apparently more indecisive, is portrayed as honest and true to his deepest beliefs but also ready to reconsider things and decisions in the light of the momentous events that take place in his life after meeting Jonah. And Jonah himself is a true force of nature, his commitment to Matthew steadfast and unwavering from the very beginning.
If Matthew is the voice of caution and spiritual thinking, Jonah is a modern and rational thinker who's capable of assessing their situation - and the unwelcome intrusion of state and church into private matters - with clarity and articulation that make him sound well ahead of his time. This slight anachronism appeared to me as a willing disregard for historical accuracy on the part of the writer and responds well to the militant tone that acts as an undercurrent throughout the novel and it's reinforced by the book's Epilogue that - although a bit contrived - celebrates the contribution of "invisible" queer people to the history and making of a nation.
Once Matthew and Jonah get together, there's really no doubt about the solidity of their love and all the uncertainty encroaching their relationship comes from the outside in the form of unwanted intrusiveness that could ruin not only their reputations but their entire lives. There's no shattering sense of guilt, no excruciating doubt in them - just quiet acceptance and constant growth and I really appreciated this aspect of their story.
The historical reconstruction of the Australian province and of Melbourne at the end of the 19th century is very interesting and really transmits a sense of stifling conformism and social scrutiny (despite some beautiful figures of rebellious women such as the Campbell sisters in Dinbratten or Myrtle in Melbourne) that makes you wish for a quick and definitive escape.
I really recommend this novel and Welton B. Marsland is a writer that I'll certainly continue to follow.
November 5, 2023
Review slump continues so I’m just gunna leave a few quick notes for Future Kat in case I ever think about revisiting this one.
~Nicole~’s recommendation and her lovely review are what inspired me to read By the Currawong’s Call. I agree with pretty much every point she made: the romance was sweet and tender; the religious aspects weren’t overbearing and given my low tolerance for religion in stories, I was surprisingly into Jonah’s progressive ideas and the way Matthew processed those ideas within the context of his own faith; some things were a little too convenient; the epilogue was not what I wanted for an epilogue.
That said, I probably would have liked the story more if it had been 10-20% shorter. I wouldn’t necessarily say it dragged, but I got a bit bored at times with extraneous scenes that didn’t really add much to the plot or the romance 🤷🏻♀️ Additionally, though the intimate scenes were lovely, I could have done with half as many; not that there were tons, but I’m pretty ambivalent about intimate scenes in general and some of them felt unnecessarily repetitive.
3.5-3.75 stars
~Nicole~’s recommendation and her lovely review are what inspired me to read By the Currawong’s Call. I agree with pretty much every point she made: the romance was sweet and tender; the religious aspects weren’t overbearing and given my low tolerance for religion in stories, I was surprisingly into Jonah’s progressive ideas and the way Matthew processed those ideas within the context of his own faith; some things were a little too convenient; the epilogue was not what I wanted for an epilogue.
That said, I probably would have liked the story more if it had been 10-20% shorter. I wouldn’t necessarily say it dragged, but I got a bit bored at times with extraneous scenes that didn’t really add much to the plot or the romance 🤷🏻♀️ Additionally, though the intimate scenes were lovely, I could have done with half as many; not that there were tons, but I’m pretty ambivalent about intimate scenes in general and some of them felt unnecessarily repetitive.
3.5-3.75 stars
October 2, 2017
Beautifully told and evocative.
It is the turn of the 19th century in a small Australian outback town. The Reverend Matthew Ottenshaw has arrived in Dinbratten to lead the local parish church. Life in a small outback town is new for him but he is determined to work hard and be a compassionate priest. Matthew is determined to do right by his parishioners and he feels blessed to be fulfilling his vocation. He busies himself getting to know the town and it's people and one of the first people he meets is the local police constantable Sergeant Jonah Parks.
Jonah Parks is a local hero. He is a larger than life character and stories abound about his exploits. Jonah strikes up a friendship with Matthew and helps Matthew settle in. As time passes they develop a firm friendship, watching footy together, drinking together and having deep conversations together, but it is when they fight a bush fire together that they realise there is a more between them than a good friendship.
Same-sex relationships are illegal in 19th-century Australia and yet these two men embark on a gentle romance which is both comforting in its simplicity and dangerous, putting both of them at risk of imprisonment and losing their careers should they be discovered.
Neither man had ever envisaged life with another man. For Matthew his faith prevents this and for Jonas homosexuality is not something that he has ever really to dwelled on. As the two men explore the depth of the feelings they have for each other, they realise that they both want much more. They continue to develop their friendship but in the deep of the night Jonas and Matthew explore their attraction for each other. Knowing that this is illegal Jonas always makes sure he leaves Matthew's home at the call of the Currawong birds at dawn.
Despite this beautiful but gentle relationship both men are aware that they need to hide their feelings for each other. Their relationship will always need to be a secret and they realise that they have to take steps to change their lives if they are to have a future together.
I really enjoyed this story. It is a gentle and slow developing romance. It is your quintessential friends to lovers story but it takes a realistic view of both men as they think about what this could cost them should they be discovered. Matthew and Jonas have to decide whether this is a love that is worth sacrificing for and what it is that will need to be sacrificed.
I thought the story was really beautifully written. It is very evocative in the way that it transports the reader to life in the outback town. Both men serve the inhabitants of the town, sometimes risking their lives for the residents there but as they wrestle with their attraction for each other they both realise they are not prepared to sacrifice their love for one another. Matthew wrestles with his faith and Jonah with his duties to the town but is there really a future for an illegal and hidden relationship in small town 18th century Australia?
The story is told realistically but without angst. I enjoyed this because the reader gets to experience the ups and downs of the hidden relationship over time and all of this is set within the context of life in a small outback town. It is interesting to read although there are a few tense moments here and there. It is a lovely story and not overburdened by unnecessary sex scenes. Instead the sex scenes actually move the story along.
I also really appreciated the way the author portrays Matthew as a priest. I am an Anglican priest myself and I loved the way it just felt so realistic and integrated with Matthew's person. The whole issue of faith wasn't exaggerated with the 'homophobic preacher yelling from the pulpit', neither was it dismissive with the character giving up on faith. Instead it was a slow steady journey to an integration of faith and sexuality. I loved this because it is what I see in the lives of so many people and colleagues around me. Even though this would have been harder in 19th century Australia, I enjoyed reading about the struggles Matthew had and the way he groped and grappled until he managed to come to some form of peace.
At the end I really wanted to know what happened next. I really wanted more. I wanted to know about their lives afterwards. I guess I shall just need to let my imagination create that for me but a follow up novella would also be nice (big hint to author).
I loved these characters. The characterisation in the story is rich. Jonah is a bold man, a loud local hero but compassionate and caring. Matthew is a quiet reflective man who thinks deeply and has doubts but who is also quite brave and determined to do right by everyone. The writing style is also evocative bringing to life the sense of living in the Australian outback. The writing gently drew me in to the lives of both men and I found myself as I read hoping for the best for them. It is a truly beautiful story but also a very satisfying read. This is the first time I have read anything by this author and I am so glad I did. It is beautifully told and very enjoyable.
Copy provided via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
December 23, 2023
Rating: 3.5 stars (rounded down)
Sidenote: I'm tagging this as established relationship because the MCs get together and the majority of the book focuses on them navigating their new romance while living in their small town. Also - the story has a few unusual writing issues but they're not overly distracting. The first few pages have some odd word choices (a character 'elucidated') but these quickly disappear. Also, the author flips the use of single and double quotations from what's usually done but I got used to it within a few pages.
This was a tough one to rate. On one hand, the historical details and the Aussie-related things were great, the author's use of the small town dynamics were enjoyable and the characterization of Jonah was wonderful. On the other hand, Matthew was a bland character, there's little conflict throughout the story and the main conflict hinged on historical homophobia, which is a topic I'm tired of because it's been done so much. This is the author's first and only historical and it seems writing about Australia's queer history is a passion for them so I understand why they wanted to focus on that so much. I also understand why people not familiar with the genre would find this book impactful, but for someone very familiar with the genre, I found it boring and unoriginal.
One of the main positives was Jonah. It's clear that the author loved him as a character and he brought most of the excitement to the story. His strong Aussie accent, his larger-than-life personality and his involvement in all aspects of the small town community constantly held my attention, much like it did Matthew's. Another thing I adored was how the author used Jonah and Matthew's jobs (cop versus priest) as the perfect excuse to have both men not only interact with many different people and situations in their small town but also each other. Essentially every non-natural death required both of them to do their jobs, which was a great way for them to interact, bond and build their friendship.
Another small detail I enjoyed was that the act of penetrative sex was treated as a big deal for the MCs. I know some readers won't enjoy the smut scenes because many of them are FTB or are kept very vague (to the point where sometimes I had no idea what the MCs had been doing together) but the smut scenes that do get described in detail are well done and I loved the realistic progression of them.
Lastly, I loved how unapologetically Australian the book was. Aussie dialect, Aussie-specific wildlife/vegetation and Australian cultural staples (like rugby and football) come at the reader from all directions for the entire length of the story, which was great. Admittedly, there were some phrases and things that I didn't understand (there's a brief description of a rugby match and I have no idea what most of the words used meant) but I loved it. One of my proudest moments was when I finally understood what the book's title meant (in both a literal and figurative way) and why the author chose it. I could hear Jonah's Aussie accent in every line of his dialog and at no point did I forget that the story was taking place in Australia.
Something that could be seen as a positive or negative (depending on your preferences) is the low angst, cozy feel of the story. The only sources of conflict are related to Matthew dealing with some personal religious turmoil and later, the historical homophobia conflict takes over, but much of the story doesn't have conflict and I think that was done on purpose. Matthew arrives in the tiny Australian town in 1891 and readers get to experience what his life would have really been like throughout the 1890s in that setting. His life settles into quiet routines filled with his priestly obligations, participating in footy or rugby when those seasons come, dealing with seasonal issues like bushfires, meeting up with Jonah at a hotel bar for Friday drinks and dealing with many minor and a few major dramas that take place in their small town. Jonah's role as a cop is very similar to Matthew's and like I said, this allows them to spend lots of time together. Whether they're helping calm ruffled feathers during a town celebration when neighbors get irritated with each other over stupid reasons or they're teaming up to deal with the aftermath of domestic violence or murder, the author always has the MCs return to their quiet routines after things are settled. This calm, comfortable pace is something many readers would enjoy. Personally, I wanted more conflict and I wished that the little conflict which was present was a bit bigger and had more consequences than it did but the author wanted to tell a historically accurate tale of a cop and a priest living in a small Australian town in the 1890s and this story achieves that.
Now for the negatives.
Lack Of Conflict/Tokenized Diversity
As I said - I would have liked to have more conflict and for the conflict that we got to have bigger stakes. Having the homophobia plotline steer the last part of the story wasn't original and I found the predictability of it boring but I agree with other reviewers that this plotline injected the first bit of excitement that the story contained. In particular, I really liked how that arc was resolved because it incorporated a small detail that had been present throughout the entire story and was only memorable due to the slow, low angst nature of the MCs' lives. Other plotlines could have added equal levels of excitement to balance the low angst tone, but they weren't taken in that direction. For example - there's obvious tensions between many of the townspeople and Jonah's friend Albie, who has lived in the town for ages but happens to be a black man. Jonah and Matthew's association with Albie leads to some drama but nothing big ever comes out of it.
In addition, one of the more serious criminal situations that Jonah and Matthew deal with involves . Unfortunately, this entire plotline wasn't given the attention it really deserved and it ended up being used in ways that I didn't like.
This in addition to the author having Albie just be The Black Guy and then to randomly reveal near the end that made all of these things feel like forced diversity instead of respectful and interesting additions to the story. This story had plenty of room for more conflict and the fleshing out of more characters so I felt it was a miss to only give these other characters token page time.
Matthew = Mr. Cardboard Cutout
It's always a struggle making readers connect with a quiet character, especially when they're paired up with an extroverted, loud, big presence like Jonah. There are techniques the author can use to make the quieter character come to life and successfully share the spotlight with Mr. Larger-Than-Life, but none of those techniques were used here. While we learn plenty about Jonah's history and his personality through Matthew's eyes, we don't do the same with Matthew. He's mostly a quiet, bland narrator who the author uses to show readers other people in town but the author mostly forgets to show off the narrator himself. We don't know much about his history, he's content to be in the background and allow Jonah to be the hero in most situations and even when he and Jonah get involved, Matthew just floats along and seems to have little opinion about anything.
There's a bit of religious conflict for him but funny enough, the only interesting parts of this conflict involved Jonah (it was Jonah instead of Matthew who would go off on angry tirades about Christianity's view on homosexuality). When Matthew is struggling with these issues himself, he seems to quickly get over whatever was causing him anxiety. But even when the issue and Matthew's struggle with it is well crafted, I ended up not caring because the author spent too little time making me care about Matthew. For example, the guy is so deeply in the closet that he never allows himself to think about his attraction to men. While I get what the author was going for, this results in readers not knowing much about Matthew's past struggles with his homosexuality so when he suddenly has a meltdown due to his feelings for Jonah conflicting with his religious views, it's hard to connect with his difficulties. In general, I feel the author focused too much on Jonah and had Matthew play the role of bystander narrator too much for me to care about both MCs equally.
Jonah = Mr. Eager Beaver (aka Mr. Barges-Past-Personal-Boundaries)
Because Matthew was such a bland nobody and he just seemed to float along with everything, I never understood what attracted Jonah to him, except for Matthew being his only option in their tiny town. But hilariously, Jonah seems to noticed that Matthew never takes the initiative regarding their relationship and Jonah decides to run the show on his own when they go to Melbourne. For context: . Here's what happens next:
Oh...boy...I get what the author was going for. Matthew expresses awe and joy at Jonah's forward thinking and optimism. But...I couldn't get over how Jonah was just steering their entire relationship in the direction he wanted it without asking Matthew's permission or even interest in anything before doing it. This isn't how healthy relationships work. In fact, it would have made more sense for Matthew to freak out and distance himself from Jonah at that point because Jonah had overstepped so many personal boundaries. The whole thing was a mess.
A Terrible Epilogue
While the epilogue wasn't the worst part of the story, due to it taking place right at the end (obviously) and it being a bizarre storytelling choice, it lowered my enjoyment of the story even further. The author decides to do that thing that some new-to-historicals writers do where they jump into the present and have the descendants of random side characters reflect on the past. I get what the authors are trying to achieve with this, but it's not appropriate (IMO) for the ending of a romance.
We want to see what the MCs are doing later in their lives. I don't care about some random woman from the 21st century learning about the MCs love story during the filming of some documentary. It was supposed to be relevant because she's the great-great-whatever-granddaughter of some side characters who had been involved in the domestic violence situation that Jonah and Matthew had assisted with. But the problem is that those side characters didn't matter in the grand scheme of things (we never find out what happens to the abuser or how the family (consisting of many small children) survive in the aftermath of losing their only income bringer) and more importantly: I didn't care about this woman and her learning about the past. I had just finished reading a story about Jonah and Matthew so I didn't need to learn about the things they had done throughout the story. What I did want to know was I hate epilogues anyway but if you're going to do them then at least stick to genre conventions and give readers what they want and expect.
Conclusion
While the story had some strong elements and I get why others love it, the lack of originality meant my familiarity with the genre resulted in me not enjoying it nearly as much as I wanted to. In addition, I ended up not connecting with Matthew and that made the romance fall flat for me. Aussie historicals are rare and the Aussie aspects were done really well but I wish the story had been written by an author who is more familiar with the genre so we could have gotten something more interesting and unique.
Sidenote: I'm tagging this as established relationship because the MCs get together and the majority of the book focuses on them navigating their new romance while living in their small town. Also - the story has a few unusual writing issues but they're not overly distracting. The first few pages have some odd word choices (a character 'elucidated') but these quickly disappear. Also, the author flips the use of single and double quotations from what's usually done but I got used to it within a few pages.
This was a tough one to rate. On one hand, the historical details and the Aussie-related things were great, the author's use of the small town dynamics were enjoyable and the characterization of Jonah was wonderful. On the other hand, Matthew was a bland character, there's little conflict throughout the story and the main conflict hinged on historical homophobia, which is a topic I'm tired of because it's been done so much. This is the author's first and only historical and it seems writing about Australia's queer history is a passion for them so I understand why they wanted to focus on that so much. I also understand why people not familiar with the genre would find this book impactful, but for someone very familiar with the genre, I found it boring and unoriginal.
One of the main positives was Jonah. It's clear that the author loved him as a character and he brought most of the excitement to the story. His strong Aussie accent, his larger-than-life personality and his involvement in all aspects of the small town community constantly held my attention, much like it did Matthew's. Another thing I adored was how the author used Jonah and Matthew's jobs (cop versus priest) as the perfect excuse to have both men not only interact with many different people and situations in their small town but also each other. Essentially every non-natural death required both of them to do their jobs, which was a great way for them to interact, bond and build their friendship.
Another small detail I enjoyed was that the act of penetrative sex was treated as a big deal for the MCs. I know some readers won't enjoy the smut scenes because many of them are FTB or are kept very vague (to the point where sometimes I had no idea what the MCs had been doing together) but the smut scenes that do get described in detail are well done and I loved the realistic progression of them.
Lastly, I loved how unapologetically Australian the book was. Aussie dialect, Aussie-specific wildlife/vegetation and Australian cultural staples (like rugby and football) come at the reader from all directions for the entire length of the story, which was great. Admittedly, there were some phrases and things that I didn't understand (there's a brief description of a rugby match and I have no idea what most of the words used meant) but I loved it. One of my proudest moments was when I finally understood what the book's title meant (in both a literal and figurative way) and why the author chose it. I could hear Jonah's Aussie accent in every line of his dialog and at no point did I forget that the story was taking place in Australia.
Something that could be seen as a positive or negative (depending on your preferences) is the low angst, cozy feel of the story. The only sources of conflict are related to Matthew dealing with some personal religious turmoil and later, the historical homophobia conflict takes over, but much of the story doesn't have conflict and I think that was done on purpose. Matthew arrives in the tiny Australian town in 1891 and readers get to experience what his life would have really been like throughout the 1890s in that setting. His life settles into quiet routines filled with his priestly obligations, participating in footy or rugby when those seasons come, dealing with seasonal issues like bushfires, meeting up with Jonah at a hotel bar for Friday drinks and dealing with many minor and a few major dramas that take place in their small town. Jonah's role as a cop is very similar to Matthew's and like I said, this allows them to spend lots of time together. Whether they're helping calm ruffled feathers during a town celebration when neighbors get irritated with each other over stupid reasons or they're teaming up to deal with the aftermath of domestic violence or murder, the author always has the MCs return to their quiet routines after things are settled. This calm, comfortable pace is something many readers would enjoy. Personally, I wanted more conflict and I wished that the little conflict which was present was a bit bigger and had more consequences than it did but the author wanted to tell a historically accurate tale of a cop and a priest living in a small Australian town in the 1890s and this story achieves that.
Now for the negatives.
Lack Of Conflict/Tokenized Diversity
As I said - I would have liked to have more conflict and for the conflict that we got to have bigger stakes. Having the homophobia plotline steer the last part of the story wasn't original and I found the predictability of it boring but I agree with other reviewers that this plotline injected the first bit of excitement that the story contained. In particular, I really liked how that arc was resolved because it incorporated a small detail that had been present throughout the entire story and was only memorable due to the slow, low angst nature of the MCs' lives. Other plotlines could have added equal levels of excitement to balance the low angst tone, but they weren't taken in that direction. For example - there's obvious tensions between many of the townspeople and Jonah's friend Albie, who has lived in the town for ages but happens to be a black man. Jonah and Matthew's association with Albie leads to some drama but nothing big ever comes out of it.
In addition, one of the more serious criminal situations that Jonah and Matthew deal with involves . Unfortunately, this entire plotline wasn't given the attention it really deserved and it ended up being used in ways that I didn't like.
This in addition to the author having Albie just be The Black Guy and then to randomly reveal near the end that made all of these things feel like forced diversity instead of respectful and interesting additions to the story. This story had plenty of room for more conflict and the fleshing out of more characters so I felt it was a miss to only give these other characters token page time.
Matthew = Mr. Cardboard Cutout
It's always a struggle making readers connect with a quiet character, especially when they're paired up with an extroverted, loud, big presence like Jonah. There are techniques the author can use to make the quieter character come to life and successfully share the spotlight with Mr. Larger-Than-Life, but none of those techniques were used here. While we learn plenty about Jonah's history and his personality through Matthew's eyes, we don't do the same with Matthew. He's mostly a quiet, bland narrator who the author uses to show readers other people in town but the author mostly forgets to show off the narrator himself. We don't know much about his history, he's content to be in the background and allow Jonah to be the hero in most situations and even when he and Jonah get involved, Matthew just floats along and seems to have little opinion about anything.
There's a bit of religious conflict for him but funny enough, the only interesting parts of this conflict involved Jonah (it was Jonah instead of Matthew who would go off on angry tirades about Christianity's view on homosexuality). When Matthew is struggling with these issues himself, he seems to quickly get over whatever was causing him anxiety. But even when the issue and Matthew's struggle with it is well crafted, I ended up not caring because the author spent too little time making me care about Matthew. For example, the guy is so deeply in the closet that he never allows himself to think about his attraction to men. While I get what the author was going for, this results in readers not knowing much about Matthew's past struggles with his homosexuality so when he suddenly has a meltdown due to his feelings for Jonah conflicting with his religious views, it's hard to connect with his difficulties. In general, I feel the author focused too much on Jonah and had Matthew play the role of bystander narrator too much for me to care about both MCs equally.
Jonah = Mr. Eager Beaver (aka Mr. Barges-Past-Personal-Boundaries)
Because Matthew was such a bland nobody and he just seemed to float along with everything, I never understood what attracted Jonah to him, except for Matthew being his only option in their tiny town. But hilariously, Jonah seems to noticed that Matthew never takes the initiative regarding their relationship and Jonah decides to run the show on his own when they go to Melbourne. For context: . Here's what happens next:
Oh...boy...I get what the author was going for. Matthew expresses awe and joy at Jonah's forward thinking and optimism. But...I couldn't get over how Jonah was just steering their entire relationship in the direction he wanted it without asking Matthew's permission or even interest in anything before doing it. This isn't how healthy relationships work. In fact, it would have made more sense for Matthew to freak out and distance himself from Jonah at that point because Jonah had overstepped so many personal boundaries. The whole thing was a mess.
A Terrible Epilogue
While the epilogue wasn't the worst part of the story, due to it taking place right at the end (obviously) and it being a bizarre storytelling choice, it lowered my enjoyment of the story even further. The author decides to do that thing that some new-to-historicals writers do where they jump into the present and have the descendants of random side characters reflect on the past. I get what the authors are trying to achieve with this, but it's not appropriate (IMO) for the ending of a romance.
We want to see what the MCs are doing later in their lives. I don't care about some random woman from the 21st century learning about the MCs love story during the filming of some documentary. It was supposed to be relevant because she's the great-great-whatever-granddaughter of some side characters who had been involved in the domestic violence situation that Jonah and Matthew had assisted with. But the problem is that those side characters didn't matter in the grand scheme of things (we never find out what happens to the abuser or how the family (consisting of many small children) survive in the aftermath of losing their only income bringer) and more importantly: I didn't care about this woman and her learning about the past. I had just finished reading a story about Jonah and Matthew so I didn't need to learn about the things they had done throughout the story. What I did want to know was I hate epilogues anyway but if you're going to do them then at least stick to genre conventions and give readers what they want and expect.
Conclusion
While the story had some strong elements and I get why others love it, the lack of originality meant my familiarity with the genre resulted in me not enjoying it nearly as much as I wanted to. In addition, I ended up not connecting with Matthew and that made the romance fall flat for me. Aussie historicals are rare and the Aussie aspects were done really well but I wish the story had been written by an author who is more familiar with the genre so we could have gotten something more interesting and unique.
November 25, 2017
4.5 stars
I really enjoyed this historical! Felt very authentic to the time. A nice slow-building romance with some steam. Also, no unnecessary drama or plot machinations!
I really enjoyed this historical! Felt very authentic to the time. A nice slow-building romance with some steam. Also, no unnecessary drama or plot machinations!
September 9, 2020
By the Currawong’s Call
By Welton B. Marsland
Escape Publishing, 2017
Four stars
Matthew Ottenshaw is a thirty-four-year-old Anglican priest, just assigned to his first parish in a small town in rural Victoria, Australia. Jonah Parks is a year or two younger, and has been the Sergeant of Dinbratten’s two-man constabulary for nine years. Jonah is American-born, and the self-styled protector (and sometime hero) of this farming community. Somehow, it seems, Fate (or, possibly, God) put these two men in the same town at the same time.
For an American reader, one who loved the work of authors of the American west such as Willa Cather, it is wonderfully eerie to “see” the Australian bush, where kangaroos graze on cricket pitches and the call of the currawong offers musical background to everyday life. It is all alien, and yet terribly familiar. Welton Marsland has done a great job bringing his world to life.
Marsland has done something even more powerful, however, by placing the priest and the policeman in the Australia of 1891, when even suspicion of homosexuality could get you arrested, and conviction could result in three years at hard labor—which in those days, in those prisons, could be a death sentence. Knowing this, Matthew has energetically suppressed all sexuality, devoting his life to prayer and good works, doing his utmost to live out his calling as a priest. Jonah, on the other hand, has purposefully set aside his interest in good-looking men, sublimating all those impulses into the easier, and safer route of casual womanizing.
It is when Matthew and Jonah meet, that things begin to go pear-shaped. Marsland creates a classic kind of romance, within a setting that supercharges everything without necessary recourse to extremes—no horrible childhoods, no severe emotional disorders. These are just regular, good, generous-spirited men, trying their best to do what is right. The author uses their unexpected affection for each other, which only seems to grow as the danger increases, to spark conversations about morality, law, the church, and societal prejudices in general. In the end, Matthew and Jonah are men of reason, swept up in an emotion that they both thought they’d gotten under control—because they never really knew what it was.
For all its sleepy, small-town setting, there are little peaks of adventure that shine spotlights on both Jonah’s and Matthew’s natures, reminding us (and them, of course) that they are in fact good men. This is a story remarkably, and believably, free of guilt. There is fear, but that fear is not tainted by any self-doubt. It is that certainty that drives the plot to its (for me) surprising conclusion. There is a exquisitely painful little twist at the end, a reminder to the men (and to the reader) why it must happen as it does.
The author also uses the device of the epilogue in an unexpected and poignant way. It brought tears to my eyes, but also joy to my heart. This is fiction, of course, but it is an avatar for all those long-lost stories of same-sex lovers in the past who managed to survive and find happiness, against the odds.
By Welton B. Marsland
Escape Publishing, 2017
Four stars
Matthew Ottenshaw is a thirty-four-year-old Anglican priest, just assigned to his first parish in a small town in rural Victoria, Australia. Jonah Parks is a year or two younger, and has been the Sergeant of Dinbratten’s two-man constabulary for nine years. Jonah is American-born, and the self-styled protector (and sometime hero) of this farming community. Somehow, it seems, Fate (or, possibly, God) put these two men in the same town at the same time.
For an American reader, one who loved the work of authors of the American west such as Willa Cather, it is wonderfully eerie to “see” the Australian bush, where kangaroos graze on cricket pitches and the call of the currawong offers musical background to everyday life. It is all alien, and yet terribly familiar. Welton Marsland has done a great job bringing his world to life.
Marsland has done something even more powerful, however, by placing the priest and the policeman in the Australia of 1891, when even suspicion of homosexuality could get you arrested, and conviction could result in three years at hard labor—which in those days, in those prisons, could be a death sentence. Knowing this, Matthew has energetically suppressed all sexuality, devoting his life to prayer and good works, doing his utmost to live out his calling as a priest. Jonah, on the other hand, has purposefully set aside his interest in good-looking men, sublimating all those impulses into the easier, and safer route of casual womanizing.
It is when Matthew and Jonah meet, that things begin to go pear-shaped. Marsland creates a classic kind of romance, within a setting that supercharges everything without necessary recourse to extremes—no horrible childhoods, no severe emotional disorders. These are just regular, good, generous-spirited men, trying their best to do what is right. The author uses their unexpected affection for each other, which only seems to grow as the danger increases, to spark conversations about morality, law, the church, and societal prejudices in general. In the end, Matthew and Jonah are men of reason, swept up in an emotion that they both thought they’d gotten under control—because they never really knew what it was.
For all its sleepy, small-town setting, there are little peaks of adventure that shine spotlights on both Jonah’s and Matthew’s natures, reminding us (and them, of course) that they are in fact good men. This is a story remarkably, and believably, free of guilt. There is fear, but that fear is not tainted by any self-doubt. It is that certainty that drives the plot to its (for me) surprising conclusion. There is a exquisitely painful little twist at the end, a reminder to the men (and to the reader) why it must happen as it does.
The author also uses the device of the epilogue in an unexpected and poignant way. It brought tears to my eyes, but also joy to my heart. This is fiction, of course, but it is an avatar for all those long-lost stories of same-sex lovers in the past who managed to survive and find happiness, against the odds.
![Profile Image for annob [on hiatus].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1674812294i%2F68231680._UX200_CR0%2C0%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
July 30, 2021
4.5 stars!
A lovely character driven historical romance with slight bittersweet undertones. Beautifully paced, skilfully written. The world and characters come alive when reading. Definitely an author I want to read more from.
A lovely character driven historical romance with slight bittersweet undertones. Beautifully paced, skilfully written. The world and characters come alive when reading. Definitely an author I want to read more from.
December 1, 2017
Every now and again I stumble across a book that takes me completely by surprise in the best possible way. By the Currawong’s Call, was such a book for me. It was so very well written, and brought me a touching, and beautiful story with such apparent ease, and through such clear images that I’m still in awe now, days after finishing the book.
Matthew and Jonah are both wonderful characters. Neither of them are perfect, but both of them are the sort of men you’d like to count among your friends. And together they work, despite their different backgrounds and outlooks on life, death, and religion — or maybe because of those differences?
This is the story of these two men, but mostly Matthew, through whose eyes we’re experiencing events, coming to terms with something they never expected to have to deal with. And of course, with Matthew being a priest, his problem is even bigger than ‘just’ indulging in an illegal relationship. He somehow has to reconcile his faith, his view of God and religion, his visions for his life, with this love he feels for Jonah.
“We are a wonder together, Matthew thought. An absolute wonder.”
And yet, By the Currawong’s Call is anything but an angst-driven and drama-filled story. Of course, if ever there was a time and subject matter which would make a (very) angsty story-line acceptable, even in my eyes, this is probably it. And yet, the author managed to avoid that trap and provided me with a story in which issues are by no means swept under the carpet or ignored, but aren’t drawn out either. Problems are dealt with, solutions, as elusive as they may appear, are found. In fact, While both the reader and Matthew and Jonah are constantly aware of the risks they are taking as a result of giving into the attraction and feelings between them, for most of the story, that’s not where the tension comes from. Until very late in the story, third parties are only a potential, but never a direct, threat. If ever a story proved that love will find a way, this is it.
In short, By the Currawong’s Call is a beautiful, understated yet evocative, and very memorable story. Welton B. Marsland will be added to my list of authors to keep an eye out for.
Matthew and Jonah are both wonderful characters. Neither of them are perfect, but both of them are the sort of men you’d like to count among your friends. And together they work, despite their different backgrounds and outlooks on life, death, and religion — or maybe because of those differences?
This is the story of these two men, but mostly Matthew, through whose eyes we’re experiencing events, coming to terms with something they never expected to have to deal with. And of course, with Matthew being a priest, his problem is even bigger than ‘just’ indulging in an illegal relationship. He somehow has to reconcile his faith, his view of God and religion, his visions for his life, with this love he feels for Jonah.
“We are a wonder together, Matthew thought. An absolute wonder.”
And yet, By the Currawong’s Call is anything but an angst-driven and drama-filled story. Of course, if ever there was a time and subject matter which would make a (very) angsty story-line acceptable, even in my eyes, this is probably it. And yet, the author managed to avoid that trap and provided me with a story in which issues are by no means swept under the carpet or ignored, but aren’t drawn out either. Problems are dealt with, solutions, as elusive as they may appear, are found. In fact, While both the reader and Matthew and Jonah are constantly aware of the risks they are taking as a result of giving into the attraction and feelings between them, for most of the story, that’s not where the tension comes from. Until very late in the story, third parties are only a potential, but never a direct, threat. If ever a story proved that love will find a way, this is it.
In short, By the Currawong’s Call is a beautiful, understated yet evocative, and very memorable story. Welton B. Marsland will be added to my list of authors to keep an eye out for.
July 17, 2023
Oh my, it seems I like my holiday reads definitely epic and Australian! This was delightful! From the very first word of the book to the wonderful Mcs Jonah and Matthew, brave, intelligent, carved from real flesh and thinking ahead of their times. I loved the progress in their relationship, the moments and thoughts they shared, the impact they've had on the small community. And the epilogue, clever one, although I wanted more of Jonah's and Matthew's beautiful minds and souls in it, I guess it suited the story very well.
January 7, 2020
A fabulous historical read
I have to say By The Currawong’s Call is one of the best books that I’ve EVER read.
This story is set in rural Victoria, Australia, in the late 1800s. A handsome young Anglican priest, Matthew Ottenshaw, takes up residence in the tiny town of Dinbratten and is pleasantly accepted by everyone in town, especially the ladies (much to his disinterest).
Father Matthew makes it his mission to get to know all the townsfolk, including Sergeant Jonah Parks, one of the two coppers in town.
Jonah Parks is a legend and a hero to everyone around him. He is personable, brave, well-respected and, on top of it all, quite handsome and sought after by the local lasses as well. These two strike up a friendship that is, just that—a friendship. Jonah and Matthew become the dynamic duo it seems, leaving the town of Dinbratten in the best of hands. Fighting crime and saving souls, one would be surprised as to how closely their jobs become entwined.
And then one night, they become entwined. It’s frightening and confusing, especially for Father Matthew. There is so much at stake—no, let me make it clear: there is EVERYTHING at stake for these two pillars of this small town to continue their clandestine affair because homosexual relationships in the late 1800s in Australia are against the law. They’re gravely at risk carrying on in such a small town.
The author does an outstanding job giving the reader a full picture of life in this time period. Instantly, I was transported into the pages, my mind’s eye so clearly watching the footy games, the brushfire behind the church, the trotting of horses, the dust and grime of the dry season, the sounds and cheers in the pubs, and most importantly, I could feel the love and angst between Matthew and Jonah so deep within my soul.
Once the first page of this treasure is turned, I’d feel certain that anyone would have trouble putting it down. I couldn’t. By The Currawong’s Call is perfectly written and the editing is flawless. The chapters flow like a warm breeze. Jonah and Matthew become part of your soul. It’s about history. It’s about cherishing everything that is right in this world and the grieving and the sadness of what isn’t. How could loving someone, no matter their gender, be so wrong? Jonah and Matthew are my heroes.
I would implore everyone who loves M/M romance and finding and fighting for true love to read this work of art. Five stars just aren’t enough.
Merged review:
I have to say By The Currawong’s Call is one of the best books that I’ve EVER read.
This story is set in rural Victoria, Australia, in the late 1800s. A handsome young Anglican priest, Matthew Ottenshaw, takes up residence in the tiny town of Dinbratten and is pleasantly accepted by everyone in town, especially the ladies (much to his disinterest).
Father Matthew makes it his mission to get to know all the townsfolk, including Sergeant Jonah Parks, one of the two coppers in town.
Jonah Parks is a legend and a hero to everyone around him. He is personable, brave, well-respected and, on top of it all, quite handsome and sought after by the local lasses as well. These two strike up a friendship that is, just that—a friendship. Jonah and Matthew become the dynamic duo it seems, leaving the town of Dinbratten in the best of hands. Fighting crime and saving souls, one would be surprised as to how closely their jobs become entwined.
And then one night, they become entwined. It’s frightening and confusing, especially for Father Matthew. There is so much at stake—no, let me make it clear: there is EVERYTHING at stake for these two pillars of this small town to continue their clandestine affair because homosexual relationships in the late 1800s in Australia are against the law. They’re gravely at risk carrying on in such a small town.
The author does an outstanding job giving the reader a full picture of life in this time period. Instantly, I was transported into the pages, my mind’s eye so clearly watching the footy games, the brushfire behind the church, the trotting of horses, the dust and grime of the dry season, the sounds and cheers in the pubs, and most importantly, I could feel the love and angst between Matthew and Jonah so deep within my soul.
Once the first page of this treasure is turned, I’d feel certain that anyone would have trouble putting it down. I couldn’t. By The Currawong’s Call is perfectly written and the editing is flawless. The chapters flow like a warm breeze. Jonah and Matthew become part of your soul. It’s about history. It’s about cherishing everything that is right in this world and the grieving and the sadness of what isn’t. How could loving someone, no matter their gender, be so wrong? Jonah and Matthew are my heroes.
I would implore everyone who loves M/M romance and finding and fighting for true love to read this work of art. Five stars just aren’t enough.
I have to say By The Currawong’s Call is one of the best books that I’ve EVER read.
This story is set in rural Victoria, Australia, in the late 1800s. A handsome young Anglican priest, Matthew Ottenshaw, takes up residence in the tiny town of Dinbratten and is pleasantly accepted by everyone in town, especially the ladies (much to his disinterest).
Father Matthew makes it his mission to get to know all the townsfolk, including Sergeant Jonah Parks, one of the two coppers in town.
Jonah Parks is a legend and a hero to everyone around him. He is personable, brave, well-respected and, on top of it all, quite handsome and sought after by the local lasses as well. These two strike up a friendship that is, just that—a friendship. Jonah and Matthew become the dynamic duo it seems, leaving the town of Dinbratten in the best of hands. Fighting crime and saving souls, one would be surprised as to how closely their jobs become entwined.
And then one night, they become entwined. It’s frightening and confusing, especially for Father Matthew. There is so much at stake—no, let me make it clear: there is EVERYTHING at stake for these two pillars of this small town to continue their clandestine affair because homosexual relationships in the late 1800s in Australia are against the law. They’re gravely at risk carrying on in such a small town.
The author does an outstanding job giving the reader a full picture of life in this time period. Instantly, I was transported into the pages, my mind’s eye so clearly watching the footy games, the brushfire behind the church, the trotting of horses, the dust and grime of the dry season, the sounds and cheers in the pubs, and most importantly, I could feel the love and angst between Matthew and Jonah so deep within my soul.
Once the first page of this treasure is turned, I’d feel certain that anyone would have trouble putting it down. I couldn’t. By The Currawong’s Call is perfectly written and the editing is flawless. The chapters flow like a warm breeze. Jonah and Matthew become part of your soul. It’s about history. It’s about cherishing everything that is right in this world and the grieving and the sadness of what isn’t. How could loving someone, no matter their gender, be so wrong? Jonah and Matthew are my heroes.
I would implore everyone who loves M/M romance and finding and fighting for true love to read this work of art. Five stars just aren’t enough.
Merged review:
I have to say By The Currawong’s Call is one of the best books that I’ve EVER read.
This story is set in rural Victoria, Australia, in the late 1800s. A handsome young Anglican priest, Matthew Ottenshaw, takes up residence in the tiny town of Dinbratten and is pleasantly accepted by everyone in town, especially the ladies (much to his disinterest).
Father Matthew makes it his mission to get to know all the townsfolk, including Sergeant Jonah Parks, one of the two coppers in town.
Jonah Parks is a legend and a hero to everyone around him. He is personable, brave, well-respected and, on top of it all, quite handsome and sought after by the local lasses as well. These two strike up a friendship that is, just that—a friendship. Jonah and Matthew become the dynamic duo it seems, leaving the town of Dinbratten in the best of hands. Fighting crime and saving souls, one would be surprised as to how closely their jobs become entwined.
And then one night, they become entwined. It’s frightening and confusing, especially for Father Matthew. There is so much at stake—no, let me make it clear: there is EVERYTHING at stake for these two pillars of this small town to continue their clandestine affair because homosexual relationships in the late 1800s in Australia are against the law. They’re gravely at risk carrying on in such a small town.
The author does an outstanding job giving the reader a full picture of life in this time period. Instantly, I was transported into the pages, my mind’s eye so clearly watching the footy games, the brushfire behind the church, the trotting of horses, the dust and grime of the dry season, the sounds and cheers in the pubs, and most importantly, I could feel the love and angst between Matthew and Jonah so deep within my soul.
Once the first page of this treasure is turned, I’d feel certain that anyone would have trouble putting it down. I couldn’t. By The Currawong’s Call is perfectly written and the editing is flawless. The chapters flow like a warm breeze. Jonah and Matthew become part of your soul. It’s about history. It’s about cherishing everything that is right in this world and the grieving and the sadness of what isn’t. How could loving someone, no matter their gender, be so wrong? Jonah and Matthew are my heroes.
I would implore everyone who loves M/M romance and finding and fighting for true love to read this work of art. Five stars just aren’t enough.
May 18, 2024
I received an ARC through NetGalley
This is such a beautiful story! I just finished and I have tears in my eyes. Two men who fall in love at a time when it was illegal to love another of the same gender. Even though this story takes place in the late 1800’s so much of it resonated with me and what is still happening to so many today.
Matthew is an Anglican priest and comes to Dinbratten and meets the towns police Sergeant, Jonah. The two men start a friendship Hi immediately. Matthew is so much more demure and naive then Jonah and I was a bit protective of him. I was afraid Jonah, who was a bit of a womanizer, would break his heart. I had to warm up to Jonah, I didn’t trust him for awhile.
When their friendship turns to much more they are both all in. This is when Jonah started to prove to me he could be good to Matthew. He took risks to be with Matthew and really was so loving. They share so many beautiful moments.
Matthew, being a priest, turns to prayer often. His thoughts and prayers are so relatable and really solidified him as a character. Jonah is pretty funny because he is not religious and he has quite the colorful vocabulary, but Matthew never judges him for it. They just fit.
They are able to go to Melbourne to spend time alone together freely but once they get a taste for life together away from a small town they are hooked. This is when Jonah suggests something that would change their lives forever.
I was rooting for these men to get their hea. I read every beautiful word of this book and just soaked it all in.
This is such a beautiful story! I just finished and I have tears in my eyes. Two men who fall in love at a time when it was illegal to love another of the same gender. Even though this story takes place in the late 1800’s so much of it resonated with me and what is still happening to so many today.
Matthew is an Anglican priest and comes to Dinbratten and meets the towns police Sergeant, Jonah. The two men start a friendship Hi immediately. Matthew is so much more demure and naive then Jonah and I was a bit protective of him. I was afraid Jonah, who was a bit of a womanizer, would break his heart. I had to warm up to Jonah, I didn’t trust him for awhile.
When their friendship turns to much more they are both all in. This is when Jonah started to prove to me he could be good to Matthew. He took risks to be with Matthew and really was so loving. They share so many beautiful moments.
Matthew, being a priest, turns to prayer often. His thoughts and prayers are so relatable and really solidified him as a character. Jonah is pretty funny because he is not religious and he has quite the colorful vocabulary, but Matthew never judges him for it. They just fit.
They are able to go to Melbourne to spend time alone together freely but once they get a taste for life together away from a small town they are hooked. This is when Jonah suggests something that would change their lives forever.
I was rooting for these men to get their hea. I read every beautiful word of this book and just soaked it all in.
December 2, 2017
There are historical romances outside of London in the Regency and Victorian era! Yes! No ton, no balls, no valets! I like those, too but this here is a little different.
This is a nicely atmospheric, well-written book that doesn't fall into the magically-gay-okay category without being overly depressing. Well done! Recommended.
This is a nicely atmospheric, well-written book that doesn't fall into the magically-gay-okay category without being overly depressing. Well done! Recommended.
November 1, 2017
I received an eArc of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
What a lovely book!
By the Currawong's Call is warm and sweet and sympathetic and respectful, with skilled and lovingly descriptive prose. A really satisfying read for a rainy day when you want to feel like there is love and hope even through trying times.
I enjoyed most everything about this book, starting from the very first line:
This is a story set in small-town Victoria, Australia, in the closing years of the 19th century. Life is lived at a slower pace, and everyone knows everyone else's business. The narrative voice fits the story perfectly -- gentle, quiet, descriptive. And although some dramatic events occur throughout the story, there's not a lot of angsting going on -- with a few exceptions, the characters just get up and do what they need to do.
Speaking of the narrative voice, I was struck throughout by the warmth, sympathy, and respect that shines through the author's words. Marsland obviously cares about the characters, both the MCs (Matthew and Jonah) and the secondaries, and it shows in the way she tells her story. I was especially struck by that gentle and respectul tone in the love scenes -- I won't call them sex scenes, because they were much more than that. Sadly my ereader trashed the bookmarks I tried to save, so I won't provide any specific quotes, but they were very satisfying to read.
I only have a couple of smallish complaints. First, the discussions about homosexuality in the Bible between Matthew and Jonah were too facile and ignored important and relevant passages, which I found irritating because Matthew, as a priest, would have been well aware of them. Second, was too convenient, and made things much too easy for them -- I thought it stole from the dramatic tension . And third, while the epilogue was interesting, I'm not sure it really worked dramatically -- its abrupt shift in tone and viewpoint was jarring, and we still didn't. I wanted more closure there.
But those considerations didn't ruin the book for me at all. Good book, lots of warm fuzzies. I'll be looking forward to whatever Marsland writes next.
What a lovely book!
By the Currawong's Call is warm and sweet and sympathetic and respectful, with skilled and lovingly descriptive prose. A really satisfying read for a rainy day when you want to feel like there is love and hope even through trying times.
I enjoyed most everything about this book, starting from the very first line:
Two crows sat on the front gable of the little weatherboard church, telling each other terrible jokes.I knew right then I was in for a treat. :-)
This is a story set in small-town Victoria, Australia, in the closing years of the 19th century. Life is lived at a slower pace, and everyone knows everyone else's business. The narrative voice fits the story perfectly -- gentle, quiet, descriptive. And although some dramatic events occur throughout the story, there's not a lot of angsting going on -- with a few exceptions, the characters just get up and do what they need to do.
Speaking of the narrative voice, I was struck throughout by the warmth, sympathy, and respect that shines through the author's words. Marsland obviously cares about the characters, both the MCs (Matthew and Jonah) and the secondaries, and it shows in the way she tells her story. I was especially struck by that gentle and respectul tone in the love scenes -- I won't call them sex scenes, because they were much more than that. Sadly my ereader trashed the bookmarks I tried to save, so I won't provide any specific quotes, but they were very satisfying to read.
I only have a couple of smallish complaints. First, the discussions about homosexuality in the Bible between Matthew and Jonah were too facile and ignored important and relevant passages, which I found irritating because Matthew, as a priest, would have been well aware of them. Second, was too convenient, and made things much too easy for them -- I thought it stole from the dramatic tension . And third, while the epilogue was interesting, I'm not sure it really worked dramatically -- its abrupt shift in tone and viewpoint was jarring, and we still didn't. I wanted more closure there.
But those considerations didn't ruin the book for me at all. Good book, lots of warm fuzzies. I'll be looking forward to whatever Marsland writes next.
November 22, 2017
This book sounded really intriguing to me—an Anglican priest and a police sergeant fall in love in a small Australian town in the early 1890s—so I decided to give it a try even though I was unfamiliar with the author. I’m glad I did, because it’s a rather lovely romance.
The story is relatively simple: two men meet and become friends, and then that friendship deepens into something more. What adds drama is the fact that Matthew (the priest) and Jonah (the policeman) are pillars of their community who have a lot to lose if they are discovered. That includes not just the townsfolk’s respect and their livelihoods but potentially their freedom, since homosexuality is illegal. The threat of discovery is very real, and the author does a good job of describing the lengths they go to in order to avoid being found out.
There's a lot to like about this book. The pace of the story is rather slow at first, but that gives the author time to really explore the setting of the story in a small bush town. I thought that the relationship between Matthew and Jonah unfolded very naturally over the course of the book, progressing from friendship to attraction to love. It's easy to root for them to find a way to be together, in spite of all the obstacles they face. The story has a good balance between serious moments and humor, too.
The only thing about the storyline that didn’t ring quite true to me was the ease with which Matthew overcomes his religious scruples. Yes, he hesitates at first, and he does have a bit of a crisis of faith at one point. But overall, he throws aside the teachings of his church relatively quickly. And while the author obviously didn’t want to tell the story of a man wrestling deeply with his faith, choosing to focus on the romance instead, it seems unlikely to me that a priest wouldn’t agonize quite a bit about the choice that Matthew makes.
That aside, I really enjoyed this short novel. Readers who like historical gay romances should definitely give it try.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley for review; all opinions expressed are my own.
The story is relatively simple: two men meet and become friends, and then that friendship deepens into something more. What adds drama is the fact that Matthew (the priest) and Jonah (the policeman) are pillars of their community who have a lot to lose if they are discovered. That includes not just the townsfolk’s respect and their livelihoods but potentially their freedom, since homosexuality is illegal. The threat of discovery is very real, and the author does a good job of describing the lengths they go to in order to avoid being found out.
There's a lot to like about this book. The pace of the story is rather slow at first, but that gives the author time to really explore the setting of the story in a small bush town. I thought that the relationship between Matthew and Jonah unfolded very naturally over the course of the book, progressing from friendship to attraction to love. It's easy to root for them to find a way to be together, in spite of all the obstacles they face. The story has a good balance between serious moments and humor, too.
The only thing about the storyline that didn’t ring quite true to me was the ease with which Matthew overcomes his religious scruples. Yes, he hesitates at first, and he does have a bit of a crisis of faith at one point. But overall, he throws aside the teachings of his church relatively quickly. And while the author obviously didn’t want to tell the story of a man wrestling deeply with his faith, choosing to focus on the romance instead, it seems unlikely to me that a priest wouldn’t agonize quite a bit about the choice that Matthew makes.
That aside, I really enjoyed this short novel. Readers who like historical gay romances should definitely give it try.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley for review; all opinions expressed are my own.
January 31, 2018
This story followed the romance of an Anglican priest and police officer in a small Australian town in the late 19th century. This was a story that I really wanted to like, but fell short as a compelling romance. The characters were lovely and there was nothing that I disliked, but it lacked a "hook" for me. The romance suddenly started without any sense that they "longed" for each other and I did not feel their was much development in either their relationship or any hurdles to overcome. It was not until the last 25% of the book that the story picked up. I really enjoyed the story once it shifted to Melbourne, I think because suddenly there were some stakes to their relationship and its elicit nature for the time.
The book was okay, but since I never felt emotionally engaged with any of the characters, it left me with an overall feeling of 'meh'.
The book was okay, but since I never felt emotionally engaged with any of the characters, it left me with an overall feeling of 'meh'.
October 5, 2024
This was lovely. I felt completely immersed in the quiet, (mostly) gentle rhythms of this outback town in 1891. I liked both men; the way Matthew was able to accept that acting on his sexuality didn’t negate his faith or God’s love and the way Jonah didn’t change the way he spoke or behaved in front of a man of the cloth. They felt like real people and the gradual development of their relationship made it feel real too. I look forward to more by this author.
April 16, 2025
A- / 4.5 stars rounded up.
I ventured to the other side of the world for April’s Location, Location, Location TBR Challenge prompt, and a story set in late nineteenth century Australia. By the Currawong’s Call is a superbly written story set in 1891 in a small town in the outback, featuring two engaging, well-rounded protagonists, a beatifully developed romance and a wonderful setting with a real small-town atmosphere and strong sense of time and place. Because of this, please be aware that the novel includes some period-typical language, prejudices and attitudes.
Reverend Matthew Ottenshaw has travelled from Melbourne to take up his first posting in the tiny outback town of Dinbratten. He arrives to the sounds of loud music and off-key singing drifting from the main street; the coachman explains that there’d been an important football match that afternoon, adding that the townsfolk are football mad and that the local team – the Rats – is pretty good and looks set to win the local championship. Matthew follows the man to his new home, pleased to see that while small, it’s clean and comfortable, and then turns his attention to his new church, similarly pleased to discover its striking simplicity. He’s sure he can be happy here and is looking forward to serving his new community.
Matthew gets to work settling into his new home, although he doesn’t have a great deal of time to get out and meet his new parishioners to start with. It’s not until he receives a visit from local police sergeant Jonah Parks, who offers to show him the sights and have a bit of a chat, that Matthew finally gets a chance to start exploring the town and to meet some of its footy-obsessed residents. Jonah is excellent company and clearly knows Dinbratten – and the people in it - like the back of his hand, and Matthew enjoys the time they spend strolling the dusty streets, conversing with each other and chatting with the townsfolk. A visit to the small, two-man ‘cop shop’ is the final stop, where Jonah introduces Matthew to his constable, and, as Matthew says goodbye, invites him to stop in at the Victoria Hotel – one of Dinbratten’s two pubs – for a drink on Friday evening.
The friendship between the two men flourishes over the following weeks and months; once footy season is over, Matthew is roped into playing for the cricket team and life settles into a comfortable rhythm of services and visits and Friday nights at the Victoria with Jonah. But everything changes when the oppressive heat of Summer brings with it the threat of bushfires, and Matthew, a city dweller who has never experienced such a thing, can only watch, stricken and woefully unprepared for the devastation to come. But with only hours to go before the fire reaches the church, Jonah arrives with rakes and sacks of soil and immediately gets them working to build a fire-break. They’re a good team, working efficiently to extinguish the small, burgeoning blazes started by flying debris - until Matthew’s prayers are answered when the wind turns and begins blowing the flames towards the river. In a moment fuelled by adrenaline, relief, and gratitude, Matthew finally gives in to the impulse he’s been fighting for months when he pulls Jonah into the sacristy and kisses him passionately. Jonah responds enthusiastically, but when Matthew comes up for air, reason re-asserts itself and he asks Jonah to leave.
Jonah and Matthew are both decent, hard-working, conscientious men who want to do the best for those they’ve been appointed to serve. Matthew is lovely - compassionate, courageous and honest and Jonah is very down-to-earth, straightforward about who he is and what he wants, firmly believing that who he loves is nobody’s business but his. Matthew admires Jonah’s view and his ability to be so comfortable with his beliefs, but he can’t reconcile his feelings for another man with the tenets of his faith so easily, even as he doesn’t feel ‘wrong’ for loving Jonah or for what they do together behind closed doors. The author does an incredible job of taking the reader on Matthew’s spiritual journey, which culminates in a wonderful scene where he experiences a real come to Jesus moment and arrives at a place where he’s able to reconcile his sexuality with his faith without denying or losing either of them. And with this knowledge comes a new certainty:
Once he and Jonah decide that they want to be together however they can be, the middle of the story narrows its focus somewhat and becomes (almost) a series of love scenes that highlight the growing intimacy – both physical and emotional – between the two men while also showing how impossible it is for them to be fully themselves anywhere other than behind a closed door. But that’s their reality – the law and bigotry will ostracise them (if not worse) from the community around them unless they keep their true relationship hidden. And in such a small place, where everyone knows everyone else’s business, they know the clock is ticking and it’s only a matter of time before they’re found out.
The solution they arrive at means taking fairly drastic action, and I was pleased with the author for taking the story in that direction rather than arriving at some of the happy-clappy (and completely ridiculous) endings I’ve seen in some m/m historicals. It’s painfully honest and believable, and achieves the right balance between making the romance and the HEA work while also not just hand-waving away any of the very real problems Matthew and Jonah face.
The one thing about the book that didn’t really work for me was the final chapter however, which is the transcript of a Who Do You Think You Are kind of TV show in which some celebrity or other finds out they’re descended from someone Matthew and Jonah helped, and then learns a bit more about their history. I realise it’s a neat way of wrapping up an almost-400-page book without adding another hundred pages or so, but it feels a bit trite and out of place.
That’s my only real complaint, though. Otherwise I loved By the Currawong’s Call and would certainly recommend it to anyone looking for a deeply felt, superbly written queer historical romance set somewhere other than Regency or Victorian England.
Note: At time of writing the ebook edition of this title appears to be unavailable; hopefully it’s a temporary issue.
ETA: The author has said the ebook will be available again later in the year.
I ventured to the other side of the world for April’s Location, Location, Location TBR Challenge prompt, and a story set in late nineteenth century Australia. By the Currawong’s Call is a superbly written story set in 1891 in a small town in the outback, featuring two engaging, well-rounded protagonists, a beatifully developed romance and a wonderful setting with a real small-town atmosphere and strong sense of time and place. Because of this, please be aware that the novel includes some period-typical language, prejudices and attitudes.
Reverend Matthew Ottenshaw has travelled from Melbourne to take up his first posting in the tiny outback town of Dinbratten. He arrives to the sounds of loud music and off-key singing drifting from the main street; the coachman explains that there’d been an important football match that afternoon, adding that the townsfolk are football mad and that the local team – the Rats – is pretty good and looks set to win the local championship. Matthew follows the man to his new home, pleased to see that while small, it’s clean and comfortable, and then turns his attention to his new church, similarly pleased to discover its striking simplicity. He’s sure he can be happy here and is looking forward to serving his new community.
Matthew gets to work settling into his new home, although he doesn’t have a great deal of time to get out and meet his new parishioners to start with. It’s not until he receives a visit from local police sergeant Jonah Parks, who offers to show him the sights and have a bit of a chat, that Matthew finally gets a chance to start exploring the town and to meet some of its footy-obsessed residents. Jonah is excellent company and clearly knows Dinbratten – and the people in it - like the back of his hand, and Matthew enjoys the time they spend strolling the dusty streets, conversing with each other and chatting with the townsfolk. A visit to the small, two-man ‘cop shop’ is the final stop, where Jonah introduces Matthew to his constable, and, as Matthew says goodbye, invites him to stop in at the Victoria Hotel – one of Dinbratten’s two pubs – for a drink on Friday evening.
The friendship between the two men flourishes over the following weeks and months; once footy season is over, Matthew is roped into playing for the cricket team and life settles into a comfortable rhythm of services and visits and Friday nights at the Victoria with Jonah. But everything changes when the oppressive heat of Summer brings with it the threat of bushfires, and Matthew, a city dweller who has never experienced such a thing, can only watch, stricken and woefully unprepared for the devastation to come. But with only hours to go before the fire reaches the church, Jonah arrives with rakes and sacks of soil and immediately gets them working to build a fire-break. They’re a good team, working efficiently to extinguish the small, burgeoning blazes started by flying debris - until Matthew’s prayers are answered when the wind turns and begins blowing the flames towards the river. In a moment fuelled by adrenaline, relief, and gratitude, Matthew finally gives in to the impulse he’s been fighting for months when he pulls Jonah into the sacristy and kisses him passionately. Jonah responds enthusiastically, but when Matthew comes up for air, reason re-asserts itself and he asks Jonah to leave.
Jonah and Matthew are both decent, hard-working, conscientious men who want to do the best for those they’ve been appointed to serve. Matthew is lovely - compassionate, courageous and honest and Jonah is very down-to-earth, straightforward about who he is and what he wants, firmly believing that who he loves is nobody’s business but his. Matthew admires Jonah’s view and his ability to be so comfortable with his beliefs, but he can’t reconcile his feelings for another man with the tenets of his faith so easily, even as he doesn’t feel ‘wrong’ for loving Jonah or for what they do together behind closed doors. The author does an incredible job of taking the reader on Matthew’s spiritual journey, which culminates in a wonderful scene where he experiences a real come to Jesus moment and arrives at a place where he’s able to reconcile his sexuality with his faith without denying or losing either of them. And with this knowledge comes a new certainty:
He had merely experienced change. He was a good man, and the God he knew and loved would recognise that. He hadn’t lost anything but his fear.
Once he and Jonah decide that they want to be together however they can be, the middle of the story narrows its focus somewhat and becomes (almost) a series of love scenes that highlight the growing intimacy – both physical and emotional – between the two men while also showing how impossible it is for them to be fully themselves anywhere other than behind a closed door. But that’s their reality – the law and bigotry will ostracise them (if not worse) from the community around them unless they keep their true relationship hidden. And in such a small place, where everyone knows everyone else’s business, they know the clock is ticking and it’s only a matter of time before they’re found out.
The solution they arrive at means taking fairly drastic action, and I was pleased with the author for taking the story in that direction rather than arriving at some of the happy-clappy (and completely ridiculous) endings I’ve seen in some m/m historicals. It’s painfully honest and believable, and achieves the right balance between making the romance and the HEA work while also not just hand-waving away any of the very real problems Matthew and Jonah face.
The one thing about the book that didn’t really work for me was the final chapter however, which is the transcript of a Who Do You Think You Are kind of TV show in which some celebrity or other finds out they’re descended from someone Matthew and Jonah helped, and then learns a bit more about their history. I realise it’s a neat way of wrapping up an almost-400-page book without adding another hundred pages or so, but it feels a bit trite and out of place.
That’s my only real complaint, though. Otherwise I loved By the Currawong’s Call and would certainly recommend it to anyone looking for a deeply felt, superbly written queer historical romance set somewhere other than Regency or Victorian England.
Note: At time of writing the ebook edition of this title appears to be unavailable; hopefully it’s a temporary issue.
ETA: The author has said the ebook will be available again later in the year.
February 20, 2024
4.5 stars. I was looking for a grounded, more down-to-earth romance after the last few books I've read. I've mostly been picking up these gimmicky, tropey, overwrought novels and I just wanted something a bit quieter. This was just the thing. Set in late 19th century rural Australia, this is a slow-burn, meandering kind of story about a priest coming to fill his post in a small town and the police sergeant who befriends him. They develop at first a FWB situation, stealing moments together where they can, terrified of being caught. But it inevitably becomes something a lot sweeter and weightier. I really enjoyed our MCs; Matthew, the priest, is steady, kind, gentle and Jonah, the policeman, is brave, solid, humorous. They fit together so well, and their exploration of each other was written so beautifully. I also really enjoyed the aliveness of the setting and the time period. Definitely recommend if you're a fan of slow historical romances.
December 8, 2017
4.5 Stars
I knew this book was going to be special when I first saw the cover and read the blurb a few months ago. Welton B. Marsland was a new-to-me author, and I believe By the Currawong’s Call is their debut novel, but I just had a really good feeling about it. And I was right. By the Currawong’s Call, set in 1891 rural Australia, is a gorgeous story of forbidden love, and the goodness of these two men, Sergeant Jonah Parks and Father Matthew Ottenshaw. It’s a lovely, smart historical, with a total Thorn Birds vibe, and it was fantastic.
I absolutely adored both main characters. Jonah is truly the salt of the earth. A true, small-town hero, he is loved and respected by almost all who know him, and it’s obvious that he cares for the people of Dinbratten. Originally from Astoria, Oregon, Jonah ended up in Australia after his father went there in the gold rush. He didn’t have success as a prospector, but, fortunately, was good at cards and was able to send for nine-year-old Jonah and his mom. I chuckled when Jonah told Matthew that his family established itself in Australia on the proceeds of gambling. Jonah is an excellent policeman, extremely bright and astute, and a people person; all good qualities to have in his vocation. And, he is also very forward thinking, which was rare for the time, and someone in his position, but, of course, helped open him up for his relationship with the town’s new minister.
Matthew came from nearby Melbourne, obviously much larger than Dinbratten, but loved his new posting and his small church in the little town. As an Anglican priest, he was more open-minded than his Catholic peers, but aside from the occasional drink—perhaps a bit more than occasional once he became friends with Jonah—he was a fairly pious man. He cherished his relationship with God, and loved performing his duties and helping the people of Dinbratten. So, it came as a shock to him when his relationship with Jonah became more than simply friendship, but he felt no guilt at what the two of them were doing together. He never felt any shame, or felt that it was wrong. He, of course, felt fear—they both did—as the things they were doing were illegal, after all. But, they both decided early on that they were willing to risk everything to be together.
Matthew did have a moment, after a particularly heated night with Jonah, where he freaked out and thought he felt a hole in himself where God had been; but, after some heavy reflection, realized that’s not what he had experienced at all. I loved this:
The pacing of the story is perfect. Marsland expertly takes us through the stages of the relationship, and I love where they end up. The setting is also so wonderful. I keenly felt both the place and the era. And, there were two key subplots in the story that were very well-executed and intriguing. My only point of criticism would be regarding the epilogue. It was a cool idea, and I appreciate what the author was trying to do with it, but for whatever reason it didn’t entirely work for me. And, I thought it ended rather abruptly. But, honestly, that’s a minor complaint compared to what was overall an amazing and wonderful story.
Definitely check this one out, guys. I wholeheartedly recommend it. I’m such a huge fan of this book, and can’t wait to see what this author brings us next.
Reviewed by Jules for The Novel Approach
I knew this book was going to be special when I first saw the cover and read the blurb a few months ago. Welton B. Marsland was a new-to-me author, and I believe By the Currawong’s Call is their debut novel, but I just had a really good feeling about it. And I was right. By the Currawong’s Call, set in 1891 rural Australia, is a gorgeous story of forbidden love, and the goodness of these two men, Sergeant Jonah Parks and Father Matthew Ottenshaw. It’s a lovely, smart historical, with a total Thorn Birds vibe, and it was fantastic.
I absolutely adored both main characters. Jonah is truly the salt of the earth. A true, small-town hero, he is loved and respected by almost all who know him, and it’s obvious that he cares for the people of Dinbratten. Originally from Astoria, Oregon, Jonah ended up in Australia after his father went there in the gold rush. He didn’t have success as a prospector, but, fortunately, was good at cards and was able to send for nine-year-old Jonah and his mom. I chuckled when Jonah told Matthew that his family established itself in Australia on the proceeds of gambling. Jonah is an excellent policeman, extremely bright and astute, and a people person; all good qualities to have in his vocation. And, he is also very forward thinking, which was rare for the time, and someone in his position, but, of course, helped open him up for his relationship with the town’s new minister.
Matthew came from nearby Melbourne, obviously much larger than Dinbratten, but loved his new posting and his small church in the little town. As an Anglican priest, he was more open-minded than his Catholic peers, but aside from the occasional drink—perhaps a bit more than occasional once he became friends with Jonah—he was a fairly pious man. He cherished his relationship with God, and loved performing his duties and helping the people of Dinbratten. So, it came as a shock to him when his relationship with Jonah became more than simply friendship, but he felt no guilt at what the two of them were doing together. He never felt any shame, or felt that it was wrong. He, of course, felt fear—they both did—as the things they were doing were illegal, after all. But, they both decided early on that they were willing to risk everything to be together.
“Fuckin’ hell,” Jonah murmured, giving a slow shake of his head. “What we’ve got ourselves into, eh? Pillars of the bloody community and look at us! A right pair.”
Matthew did have a moment, after a particularly heated night with Jonah, where he freaked out and thought he felt a hole in himself where God had been; but, after some heavy reflection, realized that’s not what he had experienced at all. I loved this:
The absence within him that scared him so the night before was no longer devastating. He had merely experienced change. He was a good man, and the God he knew and loved would recognize that. He hadn’t lost anything but his fear.
The pacing of the story is perfect. Marsland expertly takes us through the stages of the relationship, and I love where they end up. The setting is also so wonderful. I keenly felt both the place and the era. And, there were two key subplots in the story that were very well-executed and intriguing. My only point of criticism would be regarding the epilogue. It was a cool idea, and I appreciate what the author was trying to do with it, but for whatever reason it didn’t entirely work for me. And, I thought it ended rather abruptly. But, honestly, that’s a minor complaint compared to what was overall an amazing and wonderful story.
Definitely check this one out, guys. I wholeheartedly recommend it. I’m such a huge fan of this book, and can’t wait to see what this author brings us next.
Reviewed by Jules for The Novel Approach
June 11, 2023
Cute historical novel about a priest and a police officer set in late 1900s Australia.
I loved the setting and the general historical vibe. I even really loved the individual characters and thought they were fun to read. There wasn’t as much angst as I thought there would be and the rationalization for the priest was even believable. Something still held me back from completely buying the two MCs as a couple.
Their first kiss was so sudden that it just didn’t work for me. It was almost like everything was just a little too flippant for me to get into it. Not that I particularly need a lot of angst, but there just wasn’t enough tension here and the MC’s interactions always felt surface level. Time passed quickly and the story felt more like it was telling me versus showing me. I skimmed a lot of the last third for that reason.
I loved the setting and the general historical vibe. I even really loved the individual characters and thought they were fun to read. There wasn’t as much angst as I thought there would be and the rationalization for the priest was even believable. Something still held me back from completely buying the two MCs as a couple.
Their first kiss was so sudden that it just didn’t work for me. It was almost like everything was just a little too flippant for me to get into it. Not that I particularly need a lot of angst, but there just wasn’t enough tension here and the MC’s interactions always felt surface level. Time passed quickly and the story felt more like it was telling me versus showing me. I skimmed a lot of the last third for that reason.
December 11, 2017
So I was with this story most of the way through, but the end went off the rails for me a little bit and it knocked it down a star. The final confrontation was a little absurd and the epilogue chapter didn't help the story one bit in my opinion. I would have much rather enjoyed a epilogue with the guys in their new life.
That being said I did like these two guys together. Matthew and Jonah were really sweet together. I liked watching them find their way to each other and around Matthew's faith. Simple story really and I wish it had stayed that way, the emotional turmoil was enough for me.
That being said I did like these two guys together. Matthew and Jonah were really sweet together. I liked watching them find their way to each other and around Matthew's faith. Simple story really and I wish it had stayed that way, the emotional turmoil was enough for me.
January 15, 2019
I want to wrap this book around me and roll around with it. I love this book wholeheartedly! I want to reread it immediately, it was that wonderful. Jonah and Matthew are beautifully written and are perfect together. I wasn't even bothered by Matthew being a priest, he is what I wish more religious people are like. Jonah is what I want to see in the police as well. I did worry about the "sisters" left in Dinbratten since George turned out to be such an asshole (couldn't he have left them be even if he thought less of Jonah). The only slight misstep for me was the epilogue because it comes out of nowhere. I was wondering if I had missed something because I had no idea what was happening at first, but it was very slight, and it fulfilled Jonah's wish in the end so I can forgive my slight confusion.
I wish this author was writing more, given that this was released over a year ago I fear they aren't, and I would love to read more from them.
Highly recommended!
I wish this author was writing more, given that this was released over a year ago I fear they aren't, and I would love to read more from them.
Highly recommended!
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