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The Matawapit Family #1
Blessed
It’s been ten years since Emery Matawapit sinned, having succumbed to temptation for the one thing in his life that felt right, another man. In six months he’ll make a life-changing decision that will bar him from sexual relationships for the rest of his life.
Darryl Keejik has a decade-long chip on his shoulder, and he holds Emery’s father, the church deacon, responsible for what he’s the loss of his family and a chance at true love with Emery. No longer a powerless kid, Darryl has influence within the community—maybe more than the deacon. Darryl intends on using his power to destroy Deacon Matawapit and his church.
Hoping to save the church, Emery races home. But stopping Darryl is harder than expected when their sizzling chemistry threatens to consume Emery. Now he is faced with the toughest decision of his please his devout parents and fulfill his call to the priesthood, or remain true to his heart and marry the man created for him.
This is very erotic book about a spiritual journey.
Darryl Keejik has a decade-long chip on his shoulder, and he holds Emery’s father, the church deacon, responsible for what he’s the loss of his family and a chance at true love with Emery. No longer a powerless kid, Darryl has influence within the community—maybe more than the deacon. Darryl intends on using his power to destroy Deacon Matawapit and his church.
Hoping to save the church, Emery races home. But stopping Darryl is harder than expected when their sizzling chemistry threatens to consume Emery. Now he is faced with the toughest decision of his please his devout parents and fulfill his call to the priesthood, or remain true to his heart and marry the man created for him.
This is very erotic book about a spiritual journey.
356 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 29, 2018
2 people are currently reading
278 people want to read
About the author
Maggie Blackbird
26 books342 followersAn Ojibway from Northwestern Ontario, Maggie resides in the country with her husband and their fur babies, two beautiful Alaskan Malamutes. When she’s not writing, she can be found pulling weeds in the flower beds, mowing the huge lawn, walking the Mals deep in the bush, teeing up a ball at the golf course, fishing in the boat for walleye, or sitting on the deck at her sister’s house, making more wonderful memories with the people she loves most.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
December 17, 2018
It's difficult for me to rate and review this book because I think it's an incredibly well researched and well written and worthy piece of work.
But I don't think I can honestly say I enjoyed reading it in a simple and pleasurable way as a means of entertainment for a couple of reasons.
Firstly, it's very theologically heavy and, as a lapsed Catholic, I found a lot of the discussions to be wearing and full of many of the reasons why I turned away from the church.
Secondly, it's not really a romance in the usual way people would expect imho. Yes there absolutely is a relationship which is picked up again and developed throughout the book. But the vast majority of the time Emery and Darryl spend together is discussing and debating faith and the traditional ways of the Ojibwe people.
However, on the positive side and one of the reasons why I enjoyed it as a piece of literature:
It provides a fascinating glimpse into the life of the First Nations Anishinaabe tribe and examines the deep cultural injustices which were inflicted on them by the Catholic Church's actions through the use of Residential Schools.
The narrative is also honestly written, without any bias being given to either side and the author quite clearly knows her stuff inside out.
It would make a great choice for a book club read as it does provoke a lot of questions. Personally though, I'd have liked a bit more of the book's time to have been spent with Emery and Darryl once they reconciled and reconnected and moved on with their relationship as husbands.
However, as this is only book one and there are hints left with the book's 'villain' that he hasn't stopped trying to cause dissent within the tribal council, I'm hoping we may get more.
It's not an easy read and there were times I nearly gave up, the pace is relentlessly slow and detailed with little to break up the sole driving plot point of whether Emery will leave his discernment and quit seminary and choose Darryl over priesthood.
But I am glad I finished and I think there is a lot of talent in this writer for touching the harder reads.
#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.
But I don't think I can honestly say I enjoyed reading it in a simple and pleasurable way as a means of entertainment for a couple of reasons.
Firstly, it's very theologically heavy and, as a lapsed Catholic, I found a lot of the discussions to be wearing and full of many of the reasons why I turned away from the church.
Secondly, it's not really a romance in the usual way people would expect imho. Yes there absolutely is a relationship which is picked up again and developed throughout the book. But the vast majority of the time Emery and Darryl spend together is discussing and debating faith and the traditional ways of the Ojibwe people.
However, on the positive side and one of the reasons why I enjoyed it as a piece of literature:
It provides a fascinating glimpse into the life of the First Nations Anishinaabe tribe and examines the deep cultural injustices which were inflicted on them by the Catholic Church's actions through the use of Residential Schools.
The narrative is also honestly written, without any bias being given to either side and the author quite clearly knows her stuff inside out.
It would make a great choice for a book club read as it does provoke a lot of questions. Personally though, I'd have liked a bit more of the book's time to have been spent with Emery and Darryl once they reconciled and reconnected and moved on with their relationship as husbands.
However, as this is only book one and there are hints left with the book's 'villain' that he hasn't stopped trying to cause dissent within the tribal council, I'm hoping we may get more.
It's not an easy read and there were times I nearly gave up, the pace is relentlessly slow and detailed with little to break up the sole driving plot point of whether Emery will leave his discernment and quit seminary and choose Darryl over priesthood.
But I am glad I finished and I think there is a lot of talent in this writer for touching the harder reads.
#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.
September 6, 2021
Set in Canada, "Blessed" is a very densely-packed story of two men who have loved each other since boys, but are torn apart by religion - Emery feels called to become a Catholic priest while Darrell works with the Traditionalist Society to strengthen First Nations rights. Both are of Anishinaabe (Ojibwe) blood but Emery's mother is white and his father is a Deacon in their Catholic church.
The Anishinaabe struggle with the legacy of Residential Schools which removed children from their homes and forbade them to speak their language or follow their traditional beliefs. Traditionalist societies work to restore and support the Anishinaabe culture. Emery's family is very staunchly Catholic and they are very involved with their church and while Emery's father very much believes he is always (emphasis on always) right, they are sincere in their wishes to help people and bring them closer to their God.
Emery has almost completed his course of study to become a priest but is in the process of discernment and is awaiting a clear message that God wants him to commit to becoming a celibate priest. He returns home and has to deal with his unresolved feelings for Darrell. This issue is the prism through which we view all of Darrell and Emery's interactions. It seems at times as if every action or reaction is based on how this affects Emery's decision, and Emery's father as well as Darrell is constantly questioning Emery's actions.
I like the romance and passionate love between Darrell and Emery, once they get past old hurts and recriminations (and once Darrell stops being a hot-headed jerk), and quickly realize that the bottom line is they love one another but just need to reconcile that with each man's religion and mission. The ending feels somewhat rushes into a HEA for Emery and Darrell and resolution of Emery's issues with his father, with a look to the future as Emery and Darrell work to strengthen and support their entire community.
While I appreciate the time and effort the author took to thoroughly present this conflict (and she does a wonderful job of doing so in giving credence to all viewpoints and opinions) as well as giving us an in-depth view of the issues of First Nations people, it made for a very intense and dense read. At times it feels like there are no lighthearted scenes or casual conversations - everything is subject to intense analysis by all parties involved - and as a result the pace of the story at times is very slow. I really struggled with the almost singular focus on Emery's discernment and its repercussions and personally felt it lent the entire story a complex feel. Of course, I realize this is just my own opinion. 3.5 stars for "Blessed."
Visit my blog, Sinfully Good Gay Book Reviews
The Anishinaabe struggle with the legacy of Residential Schools which removed children from their homes and forbade them to speak their language or follow their traditional beliefs. Traditionalist societies work to restore and support the Anishinaabe culture. Emery's family is very staunchly Catholic and they are very involved with their church and while Emery's father very much believes he is always (emphasis on always) right, they are sincere in their wishes to help people and bring them closer to their God.
Emery has almost completed his course of study to become a priest but is in the process of discernment and is awaiting a clear message that God wants him to commit to becoming a celibate priest. He returns home and has to deal with his unresolved feelings for Darrell. This issue is the prism through which we view all of Darrell and Emery's interactions. It seems at times as if every action or reaction is based on how this affects Emery's decision, and Emery's father as well as Darrell is constantly questioning Emery's actions.
I like the romance and passionate love between Darrell and Emery, once they get past old hurts and recriminations (and once Darrell stops being a hot-headed jerk), and quickly realize that the bottom line is they love one another but just need to reconcile that with each man's religion and mission. The ending feels somewhat rushes into a HEA for Emery and Darrell and resolution of Emery's issues with his father, with a look to the future as Emery and Darrell work to strengthen and support their entire community.
While I appreciate the time and effort the author took to thoroughly present this conflict (and she does a wonderful job of doing so in giving credence to all viewpoints and opinions) as well as giving us an in-depth view of the issues of First Nations people, it made for a very intense and dense read. At times it feels like there are no lighthearted scenes or casual conversations - everything is subject to intense analysis by all parties involved - and as a result the pace of the story at times is very slow. I really struggled with the almost singular focus on Emery's discernment and its repercussions and personally felt it lent the entire story a complex feel. Of course, I realize this is just my own opinion. 3.5 stars for "Blessed."
Visit my blog, Sinfully Good Gay Book Reviews
December 30, 2018
Review in English and Polish || Recenzja po angielsku i polsku
Many years ago, Darryl and Emery crossed the line between friendship and love, but their newly formed relationship broke into small pieces, leaving behind pain, grudge and unhealed wounds. And although they both decided to run away from their feelings and leave the past behind, they weren't able to do it. Even now, although more than a decade have passed since that first puppy love, Darryl and Emery still are unexpectedly attracted to each other. The real problem, however, is that while Darryl lives according to the traditions and beliefs of his ancestors, Emery wants to devote his life to the Church and God, in whom he believes with all his heart.
The first of the advantages of "Blessed", which I would like to mention in this review, is the fact that the novel revolves around one of the indigenous tribes of America – Ojibwe. Thanks to Maggie Blackbird, the readers have the opportunity to learn a little bit about some elements of culture, religion and history of these people, as well as to see some of the problems the tribe members have to deal with. Let's also note that the story presented by the author is not embedded in the past, but in the present, which I consider to be extremely important, as nowadays a great attention is paid to having a strong and believable representation in literature or media. I also admit that for me, as for a Polish girl, this book is all the more valuable because it allows me to take a look at a world I know very little about, and which I would really like to know better.
I must admit that there is another important subject that have prompted me to read "Blessed", and that is the topic of conflicts related to religion that the novel touches. On the one hand, the author analyzes the internal struggle between Christian upbringing, faith and homosexual orientation, what I consider to be extremely important not only in the novel, but also in our real life world. On the other hand, the same conflict was presented in a very precise and extensive way in relation not to the individuals this time, but to the "outside world", all believers. And finally, we can also find here a small clash of believes, as the lead characters take turns accepting and rejecting their religious views, in order to finally be able to work out a single, permanent approach to the subject of religion of this other person. I admit that all these struggles are very interesting and are described with great attention paid to detail, deep analysis of the problem and insight into character's psyche.
In a few words, I would also like to mention the way Maggie Blackbird presented Emery and Darryl's love story. I admit that when I was reading "Blessed", the tragedy "Romeo and Juliet" by William Shakespeare came to my mind more than once. And this is because our characters belong to two different "faith camps", that are in opposition to each other, and what is more, their relatives are to some extent against any relationship between these two. I think it gives the novel a bit of melancholic and classic overtones, but this is where any similarities end. And it undoubtedly works in the author's favor, as she is not showing us two love blind young people who are ready to do anything out of love, just because they put feelings above rational thinking. Maggie Blackbird offers us a novel in which the characters are thinking beings with complicated psyche, who are struggling not only with those of the same faith, but also with themselves and with this other, significant person. In short, I love Shakespeare, but in this case I think that he could really learn a lot from Maggie Blackbird.
Another great advantage of "Blessed" are the main characters, and more specifically the fact that they are so different from each other. Let's be honest, the author has done something fantastic by juxtaposing two men who are at opposite poles in many respects. Believe me, Emery and Darryl are really like two different worlds. They differ in terms of personality, faith, upbringing, views, plans for the future. And yet there is something that connects them – both have big, loving hearts and love each other. It should also be mentioned that Maggie Blackbird not only made her main characters very different from each other, but also presented them in an amazing way by making them extremely expressive and strongly outlined. I think it's really significant because it makes Emery and Darryl very believable and thus they have an even stronger impact on us. What's more, thanks to their sometimes extreme personality traits, the reader can feel the sexual tension between them, that complicates their lives so much, even more intensively. The leads of this novel are therefore perfectly created in every respect, and thanks to this fact reading this novel is a real pleasure.
To sum up, "Blessed" is an interesting and intelligent novel about faith and love, acceptance and constant changes taking place in a man, as one develops in a spiritual and personal way. It's an electrifying and addictive story that I've read with real pleasure and to which I will definitely come back. "Blessed" is undoubtedly a book worth recommending.
__________________________________
Przed wieloma laty Darryl i Emery przekroczyli granicę między przyjaźnią a miłością, jednak ich dopiero formujący się związek rozpadł się na drobne kawałki, pozostawiając po sobie ból, urazę i niezagojone rany. I chociaż obaj postanowili uciec od swoich uczuć i pozostawić przeszłość za sobą, nie byli w stanie tego zrobić. Nawet teraz, chociaż od czasów ich szczenięcej miłości minęła ponad dekada, Darryl i Emery wciąż czują to nieziemskie przyciąganie względem siebie. Prawdziwym problemem jest jednak to, że podczas gdy Darryl żyje w duchu tradycji i wierzeń swoich przodków, Emery pragnie powierzyć swoje życie Kościołowi i Bogu, w którego wierzy całym sercem.
Pierwszą z zalet „Blessed”, o której chciałabym wspomnieć w tej recenzji jest fakt, iż powieść obraca się wokół jednego z plemion rdzennych mieszkańców Ameryki – Odżibwejów. Dzięki Maggie Blackbird, czytelnicy mają okazję poznać elementy kultury, religii oraz historii tego ludu, jak również zaznajomić się z częścią problemów, z jakimi muszą się oni zmagać. Zaznaczmy również, że opowiedziana nam przez autorkę historia nie jest osadzona w przeszłości, ale w teraźniejszości, co uważam za niezwykle istotne, gdyż w dzisiejszych czasach przykłada się ogromną wagę do postaci będących silną, wiarygodną reprezentacją w literaturze i mediach. Przyznaję także, że dla mnie, jako dla Polki, książka ta jest tym bardziej cenna, gdyż pozwala mi rzucić okiem na świat, o którym wiem bardzo niewiele, a który naprawdę chciałabym lepiej poznać.
Muszę przyznać, że innym z istotnych z tematów, które skłoniły mnie do przeczytania „Blessed” był fakt pojawienia się w powieści konfliktów wiążących się z religią. Z jednej strony autorka analizuje wewnętrzną walkę chrześcijańskiego wychowania i wiary z homoseksualną orientacją, co jest niezwykle istotne nie tylko w powieści, ale również w naszym świecie realnym. Z drugiej strony, ten sam konflikt został w bardzo dokładny i rozległy sposób zaprezentowany w odniesieniu już nie do jednostki, ale do „świata zewnętrznego”, ogółu ludzi wierzących. I w końcu, mamy tu również niewielką walkę wyznań, jako że bohaterowie na zmianę akceptują i odrzucają swoje wzajemne poglądy religijne, aby ostatecznie móc wypracować sobie jedno, stałe podejście do tematu religii tej drugiej osoby. Nie ukrywam, że wszystkie te zestawienia są bardzo ciekawe i zostały opisane z dbałością o szczegóły, głęboką analizę problemu oraz wejście w psychikę postaci.
W kilku słowach, chciałabym także wspomnieć o sposobie, w jaki Maggie Blackbird przedstawiła historię miłości Emery’ego i Darryla. Przyznaję, że wielokrotnie podczas lektury „Blessed” przychodziła mi do głowy tragedia Williama Shakespeare’a „Romeo i Julia”. A to dlatego, że nasi bohaterowie należą do dwóch różnych i znajdujących się w opozycji do siebie obozów wiary, zaś ich bliscy w pewnym stopniu przeciwni są jakimkolwiek relacjom między tą dwójką. Uważam, że nadaje to odrobiny melancholijnego i klasycznego wydźwięku powieści, ale w tym miejscu jakiekolwiek podobieństwa się jednak kończą. I niewątpliwie działa to na korzyść autorki, która nie ukazuje nam dwójki ślepych z miłości młodych ludzi, którzy są gotowi na wszystko, ponieważ ponad racjonalne myślenie stawiają uczucia. Maggie Blackbird zaoferowała nam powieść, w której bohaterowie są istotami myślącymi o skomplikowanej psychice, które zmagają się nie tylko ze współwyznawcami, ale także z samymi sobą oraz z tą drugą osobą. Krótko mówiąc, uwielbiam Shakespeare’a, ale w tym wypadku myślę, że od Maggie Blackbird mógłby się naprawdę wiele nauczyć.
Kolejną ogromną zaletą „Blessed” są główni bohaterowie, a dokładniej mówiąc fakt, że tak bardzo się różnią. Bądźmy szczerzy, autorka zrobiła coś fantastycznego, zestawiając ze sobą dwóch mężczyzn, którzy pod wieloma względami są oddaleni od siebie niczym niebo i ziemia. Wierzcie mi, Emery i Darryl naprawdę są niczym dwa różne światy. Różnią się pod względem osobowości, wiary, wychowania, poglądów, planów na przyszłość. A jednak jest coś, co ich łączy – obaj posiadają wielkie, kochające serca i darzą się uczuciem. Należy także wspomnieć, że Maggie Blackbird nie tylko uczyniła swoje główne postaci bardzo różnymi od siebie, ale także fantastycznie je przedstawiła, czyniąc je niezwykle wyrazistymi i silnie zarysowanymi. Uważam, że to naprawdę istotne, ponieważ sprawia, że Emery i Darryl są bardzo prawdopodobni i tym silniej na nas oddziałują. Mało tego, dzięki ich skrajnym charakterom, czytelnik tym mocniej wyczuwa pojawiające się między nimi napięcie seksualne, które tak bardzo komplikuje ich życie. Główni bohaterowie tej powieści są więc pod każdym względem doskonale wykreowani, dzięki czemu czytanie tej powieści jest prawdziwą rozkoszą.
Podsumowując, „Blessed” to interesująca i inteligentna powieść o wierze i miłości, akceptacji oraz bezustannych zmianach zachodzących w człowieku, w miarę jego rozwoju duchowego i osobistego. To elektryzująca i uzależniająca historia, którą czytałam z prawdziwą przyjemnością i do której na pewno jeszcze powrócę. „Blessed” jest bezsprzecznie książką wartą polecenia.
Many years ago, Darryl and Emery crossed the line between friendship and love, but their newly formed relationship broke into small pieces, leaving behind pain, grudge and unhealed wounds. And although they both decided to run away from their feelings and leave the past behind, they weren't able to do it. Even now, although more than a decade have passed since that first puppy love, Darryl and Emery still are unexpectedly attracted to each other. The real problem, however, is that while Darryl lives according to the traditions and beliefs of his ancestors, Emery wants to devote his life to the Church and God, in whom he believes with all his heart.
The first of the advantages of "Blessed", which I would like to mention in this review, is the fact that the novel revolves around one of the indigenous tribes of America – Ojibwe. Thanks to Maggie Blackbird, the readers have the opportunity to learn a little bit about some elements of culture, religion and history of these people, as well as to see some of the problems the tribe members have to deal with. Let's also note that the story presented by the author is not embedded in the past, but in the present, which I consider to be extremely important, as nowadays a great attention is paid to having a strong and believable representation in literature or media. I also admit that for me, as for a Polish girl, this book is all the more valuable because it allows me to take a look at a world I know very little about, and which I would really like to know better.
I must admit that there is another important subject that have prompted me to read "Blessed", and that is the topic of conflicts related to religion that the novel touches. On the one hand, the author analyzes the internal struggle between Christian upbringing, faith and homosexual orientation, what I consider to be extremely important not only in the novel, but also in our real life world. On the other hand, the same conflict was presented in a very precise and extensive way in relation not to the individuals this time, but to the "outside world", all believers. And finally, we can also find here a small clash of believes, as the lead characters take turns accepting and rejecting their religious views, in order to finally be able to work out a single, permanent approach to the subject of religion of this other person. I admit that all these struggles are very interesting and are described with great attention paid to detail, deep analysis of the problem and insight into character's psyche.
In a few words, I would also like to mention the way Maggie Blackbird presented Emery and Darryl's love story. I admit that when I was reading "Blessed", the tragedy "Romeo and Juliet" by William Shakespeare came to my mind more than once. And this is because our characters belong to two different "faith camps", that are in opposition to each other, and what is more, their relatives are to some extent against any relationship between these two. I think it gives the novel a bit of melancholic and classic overtones, but this is where any similarities end. And it undoubtedly works in the author's favor, as she is not showing us two love blind young people who are ready to do anything out of love, just because they put feelings above rational thinking. Maggie Blackbird offers us a novel in which the characters are thinking beings with complicated psyche, who are struggling not only with those of the same faith, but also with themselves and with this other, significant person. In short, I love Shakespeare, but in this case I think that he could really learn a lot from Maggie Blackbird.
Another great advantage of "Blessed" are the main characters, and more specifically the fact that they are so different from each other. Let's be honest, the author has done something fantastic by juxtaposing two men who are at opposite poles in many respects. Believe me, Emery and Darryl are really like two different worlds. They differ in terms of personality, faith, upbringing, views, plans for the future. And yet there is something that connects them – both have big, loving hearts and love each other. It should also be mentioned that Maggie Blackbird not only made her main characters very different from each other, but also presented them in an amazing way by making them extremely expressive and strongly outlined. I think it's really significant because it makes Emery and Darryl very believable and thus they have an even stronger impact on us. What's more, thanks to their sometimes extreme personality traits, the reader can feel the sexual tension between them, that complicates their lives so much, even more intensively. The leads of this novel are therefore perfectly created in every respect, and thanks to this fact reading this novel is a real pleasure.
To sum up, "Blessed" is an interesting and intelligent novel about faith and love, acceptance and constant changes taking place in a man, as one develops in a spiritual and personal way. It's an electrifying and addictive story that I've read with real pleasure and to which I will definitely come back. "Blessed" is undoubtedly a book worth recommending.
__________________________________
Przed wieloma laty Darryl i Emery przekroczyli granicę między przyjaźnią a miłością, jednak ich dopiero formujący się związek rozpadł się na drobne kawałki, pozostawiając po sobie ból, urazę i niezagojone rany. I chociaż obaj postanowili uciec od swoich uczuć i pozostawić przeszłość za sobą, nie byli w stanie tego zrobić. Nawet teraz, chociaż od czasów ich szczenięcej miłości minęła ponad dekada, Darryl i Emery wciąż czują to nieziemskie przyciąganie względem siebie. Prawdziwym problemem jest jednak to, że podczas gdy Darryl żyje w duchu tradycji i wierzeń swoich przodków, Emery pragnie powierzyć swoje życie Kościołowi i Bogu, w którego wierzy całym sercem.
Pierwszą z zalet „Blessed”, o której chciałabym wspomnieć w tej recenzji jest fakt, iż powieść obraca się wokół jednego z plemion rdzennych mieszkańców Ameryki – Odżibwejów. Dzięki Maggie Blackbird, czytelnicy mają okazję poznać elementy kultury, religii oraz historii tego ludu, jak również zaznajomić się z częścią problemów, z jakimi muszą się oni zmagać. Zaznaczmy również, że opowiedziana nam przez autorkę historia nie jest osadzona w przeszłości, ale w teraźniejszości, co uważam za niezwykle istotne, gdyż w dzisiejszych czasach przykłada się ogromną wagę do postaci będących silną, wiarygodną reprezentacją w literaturze i mediach. Przyznaję także, że dla mnie, jako dla Polki, książka ta jest tym bardziej cenna, gdyż pozwala mi rzucić okiem na świat, o którym wiem bardzo niewiele, a który naprawdę chciałabym lepiej poznać.
Muszę przyznać, że innym z istotnych z tematów, które skłoniły mnie do przeczytania „Blessed” był fakt pojawienia się w powieści konfliktów wiążących się z religią. Z jednej strony autorka analizuje wewnętrzną walkę chrześcijańskiego wychowania i wiary z homoseksualną orientacją, co jest niezwykle istotne nie tylko w powieści, ale również w naszym świecie realnym. Z drugiej strony, ten sam konflikt został w bardzo dokładny i rozległy sposób zaprezentowany w odniesieniu już nie do jednostki, ale do „świata zewnętrznego”, ogółu ludzi wierzących. I w końcu, mamy tu również niewielką walkę wyznań, jako że bohaterowie na zmianę akceptują i odrzucają swoje wzajemne poglądy religijne, aby ostatecznie móc wypracować sobie jedno, stałe podejście do tematu religii tej drugiej osoby. Nie ukrywam, że wszystkie te zestawienia są bardzo ciekawe i zostały opisane z dbałością o szczegóły, głęboką analizę problemu oraz wejście w psychikę postaci.
W kilku słowach, chciałabym także wspomnieć o sposobie, w jaki Maggie Blackbird przedstawiła historię miłości Emery’ego i Darryla. Przyznaję, że wielokrotnie podczas lektury „Blessed” przychodziła mi do głowy tragedia Williama Shakespeare’a „Romeo i Julia”. A to dlatego, że nasi bohaterowie należą do dwóch różnych i znajdujących się w opozycji do siebie obozów wiary, zaś ich bliscy w pewnym stopniu przeciwni są jakimkolwiek relacjom między tą dwójką. Uważam, że nadaje to odrobiny melancholijnego i klasycznego wydźwięku powieści, ale w tym miejscu jakiekolwiek podobieństwa się jednak kończą. I niewątpliwie działa to na korzyść autorki, która nie ukazuje nam dwójki ślepych z miłości młodych ludzi, którzy są gotowi na wszystko, ponieważ ponad racjonalne myślenie stawiają uczucia. Maggie Blackbird zaoferowała nam powieść, w której bohaterowie są istotami myślącymi o skomplikowanej psychice, które zmagają się nie tylko ze współwyznawcami, ale także z samymi sobą oraz z tą drugą osobą. Krótko mówiąc, uwielbiam Shakespeare’a, ale w tym wypadku myślę, że od Maggie Blackbird mógłby się naprawdę wiele nauczyć.
Kolejną ogromną zaletą „Blessed” są główni bohaterowie, a dokładniej mówiąc fakt, że tak bardzo się różnią. Bądźmy szczerzy, autorka zrobiła coś fantastycznego, zestawiając ze sobą dwóch mężczyzn, którzy pod wieloma względami są oddaleni od siebie niczym niebo i ziemia. Wierzcie mi, Emery i Darryl naprawdę są niczym dwa różne światy. Różnią się pod względem osobowości, wiary, wychowania, poglądów, planów na przyszłość. A jednak jest coś, co ich łączy – obaj posiadają wielkie, kochające serca i darzą się uczuciem. Należy także wspomnieć, że Maggie Blackbird nie tylko uczyniła swoje główne postaci bardzo różnymi od siebie, ale także fantastycznie je przedstawiła, czyniąc je niezwykle wyrazistymi i silnie zarysowanymi. Uważam, że to naprawdę istotne, ponieważ sprawia, że Emery i Darryl są bardzo prawdopodobni i tym silniej na nas oddziałują. Mało tego, dzięki ich skrajnym charakterom, czytelnik tym mocniej wyczuwa pojawiające się między nimi napięcie seksualne, które tak bardzo komplikuje ich życie. Główni bohaterowie tej powieści są więc pod każdym względem doskonale wykreowani, dzięki czemu czytanie tej powieści jest prawdziwą rozkoszą.
Podsumowując, „Blessed” to interesująca i inteligentna powieść o wierze i miłości, akceptacji oraz bezustannych zmianach zachodzących w człowieku, w miarę jego rozwoju duchowego i osobistego. To elektryzująca i uzależniająca historia, którą czytałam z prawdziwą przyjemnością i do której na pewno jeszcze powrócę. „Blessed” jest bezsprzecznie książką wartą polecenia.
December 12, 2018
A Joyfully Jay review.
3.5 stars
When I read the blurb for Blessed, I was interested right away. Thanks to my father, I am sort of a history buff, especially when it comes to religion and indigenous tradition. I decided to give the book a chance, and while I liked the book, I found it to be overwhelming. I felt like I was in way over my head. It was looooooong and very detailed. In fact, I’m going to say there may have been too much detail. The subject matter is rather heavy, and certainly a history lesson in tribal tradition and Catholicism needed in order to understand what was happening and what was at stake. However, I found myself feeling lost. I wanted to skim quite a bit, and I hate to skim. It wasn’t even that I only wanted to get to the “good parts,” I just wanted to simply move on. Now, I’m not saying the subject matter wasn’t interesting. It was. I’ve even been googling and reading about it, but it was too much detailed information for me.
Read Kenna’s review in its entirety here.
3.5 stars
When I read the blurb for Blessed, I was interested right away. Thanks to my father, I am sort of a history buff, especially when it comes to religion and indigenous tradition. I decided to give the book a chance, and while I liked the book, I found it to be overwhelming. I felt like I was in way over my head. It was looooooong and very detailed. In fact, I’m going to say there may have been too much detail. The subject matter is rather heavy, and certainly a history lesson in tribal tradition and Catholicism needed in order to understand what was happening and what was at stake. However, I found myself feeling lost. I wanted to skim quite a bit, and I hate to skim. It wasn’t even that I only wanted to get to the “good parts,” I just wanted to simply move on. Now, I’m not saying the subject matter wasn’t interesting. It was. I’ve even been googling and reading about it, but it was too much detailed information for me.
Read Kenna’s review in its entirety here.
December 11, 2018
Maggie Blackbird's Blessed is one of those books that gripped me immediately. It follows two men who've loved once another since they were kids, but were separated by expectations and obligations.
Emery's ready to become a priest, but after years in the seminary, he keeps being tested by his friend Darryl. Their story is beautiful and raw, highlighting the struggles of deciding to continue the path you are on, or to follow your heart. It's deciding between your obligations and your desires.
The decision is painful, riddled with guilt, and indecisions. It's all wonderfully developed and written with compassion and heart. It's thorough, detailed, complex, and emotional.
Darryl and Emery are a passionate couple, who are clearly meant to be together. Their journey towards a happy ever after is a long one, as it's complicated, with Emery trying to find the courage needed to live the life he desires.
The author tackles some important, heavy and thought-provoking topics, and approaches them with knowledge and compassion.
Overall, Blessed seems to be more of a contemporary novel, rather than a romance. The romance does drive all the conversations, thoughts and struggles though. Maggie Blackbird set the bar high with this novel, and I feel she met all expectations. My only complaint is that sometimes it seems too drawn out, too slow.
Emery's ready to become a priest, but after years in the seminary, he keeps being tested by his friend Darryl. Their story is beautiful and raw, highlighting the struggles of deciding to continue the path you are on, or to follow your heart. It's deciding between your obligations and your desires.
The decision is painful, riddled with guilt, and indecisions. It's all wonderfully developed and written with compassion and heart. It's thorough, detailed, complex, and emotional.
Darryl and Emery are a passionate couple, who are clearly meant to be together. Their journey towards a happy ever after is a long one, as it's complicated, with Emery trying to find the courage needed to live the life he desires.
The author tackles some important, heavy and thought-provoking topics, and approaches them with knowledge and compassion.
Overall, Blessed seems to be more of a contemporary novel, rather than a romance. The romance does drive all the conversations, thoughts and struggles though. Maggie Blackbird set the bar high with this novel, and I feel she met all expectations. My only complaint is that sometimes it seems too drawn out, too slow.
March 10, 2021
4.5 stars.
This book is really something special. I’ll be thinking about it for a long time, and probably re-reading it sooner rather than later.
The first chapter was a little hard to get into, but once I got past that I couldn’t put the book down. It’s a really sweet love story, bittersweet to start with, but it’s so much more than that. Ms. Blackbird goes deep into questions of faith, romantic love, familial love, commitment, and the lasting legacies of colonization.
Really well worth it to read this,
This book is really something special. I’ll be thinking about it for a long time, and probably re-reading it sooner rather than later.
The first chapter was a little hard to get into, but once I got past that I couldn’t put the book down. It’s a really sweet love story, bittersweet to start with, but it’s so much more than that. Ms. Blackbird goes deep into questions of faith, romantic love, familial love, commitment, and the lasting legacies of colonization.
Really well worth it to read this,
September 10, 2019
Blessed was a thoroughly enjoyable experience. I’ve always loved reading books, fiction or not, that are steeped in cultures I’m unfamiliar with, and not being from either Canada or the US, I knew absolutely nothing about Anishinaabe people or culture before going in, making this honestly a real treat for me. I also have a deep respect for a) authors who write from personal experience and b) authors who clearly put in a lot of solid research in terms of their book’s setting, themes or subject matter. Blessed has both! I also liked how it wasn’t just a straightforward story with a straightforward HEA. The characters have to fight to get where they are at the end because of both external and internal conflict, so there’s a lot more to the story than just “and then they agreed on stuff and lived happily ever after” – it really is a complete emotional journey. The book was perhaps a bit long my for tastes (I just tend more towards around 80,000 words or under in my M/M, I don’t know why), and I also felt the story skewed a bit more towards Emery’s POV than Darryl’s, despite probably having roughly equal amounts of time each. These were only minor points for me though, and did nothing to really dim my enjoyment of the story in the long run. Great read!
October 13, 2018
This was a very brave choice for Maggie Blackbird's debut novel, and she handled all of the controversial and thought provoking subjects with kindness, empathy and inspiration. It would probably be best to shelf this as Mainstream more than Romance, although there are heavy romantic elements (adult only, due to the content). Her deep and accurate research on the injustices towards the indigenous people in North America makes this story an exciting book club discussion choice. So many times I wanted to contact Ms. Blackbird to talk about this or that, posing questions, offering my own opinions, research, experiences or insights. And she handled the story without adding a specific "agenda", attempting to express the good and bad from everyone's point of view in order to develop neutral ground, even at the end everyone learning to disagree in love and respect--a skill we all should practice on a regular basis. As I said, an excellent story for your next book club. Well done!
December 16, 2018
This is an extremely well researched read, it's a pretty mammoth tale and, I have to admit I found it pretty heavy going at times.
Some of the topics covered are extremely contentious, but are bravely tackled by the author. She writes with barely controlled emotion and obviously feels strongly about the content covered.
I liked the relationship between the two MCs, however, I wanted more of the two together romantically. They seemed to spend all of their time engaging in theological discussion. The whole thing was, on the whole, quite interesting, but I really wasn't in the mood for what sometimes seemed like a lesson. I read this genre for entertainment, not to receive instruction.
Still, I would recommend this if you want something a little more thoughtful than usual. It's very well written and an incredibly emotional read. It will certainly give you food for thought. I'd certainly consider future books by this lady. 3.5 stars.
Some of the topics covered are extremely contentious, but are bravely tackled by the author. She writes with barely controlled emotion and obviously feels strongly about the content covered.
I liked the relationship between the two MCs, however, I wanted more of the two together romantically. They seemed to spend all of their time engaging in theological discussion. The whole thing was, on the whole, quite interesting, but I really wasn't in the mood for what sometimes seemed like a lesson. I read this genre for entertainment, not to receive instruction.
Still, I would recommend this if you want something a little more thoughtful than usual. It's very well written and an incredibly emotional read. It will certainly give you food for thought. I'd certainly consider future books by this lady. 3.5 stars.
December 18, 2018
Blessed is the first book in The Matawapit Family Series by Maggie Blackbird. It is about a man's spiritual journey with heavy erotic notes. These men must discover what really matters to them and which path is true one for them. A well written book that gives the reader food for thought, while delivering heavy romance. Emery and Darryl's story will stay with you and make you feel so many emotions.
I received an advanced reader's copy of the book and I am voluntarily leaving my honest review and recommendation.
I received an advanced reader's copy of the book and I am voluntarily leaving my honest review and recommendation.
April 2, 2020
Absolutely Awesome Read, well written, great characters, Awesome story line, easy read to hold you on their journey, this genre might not be for everyone but its a really wonderful story cannot wait for more from this Author.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 13, 2022
Love, religion, friendship, revenge, Ojibwe life and culture, homosexuality, familial expectations, this story deals with all these topics and more through the lives of Emery and Darryl, two characters that will stay with you long after you've closed the book. The author has managed to explore all these topics not in a polemical way by talking at or lecturing the reader, but by letting us see them all playing out in the lives of characters we come to understand and care about and who become 100% real to us. Nothing in the story is rushed, the conflicts play out over time and the reader, just like the characters will find themselves asking what they believe and what they would do in the situations in the story. A meaty story to be savored and digested slowly.
October 27, 2021
This is a slow-burn, MM, second-chance romance. Darryl and Emery were childhood best friends from a Reserve in Canada. They were intimate in their teens, but their difference in faith made them separate when pressure was put on their relationship. Darryl, a man devoted to his Tribe's traditional religion, became openly gay. Emery, a man devoted to his family's Catholic legacy, decided to pursue becoming a more permanent role in the church, hiding his sexuality.
These two are brought back together when the Traditional tribal members decide that they no longer want to support the Catholic church on their Reserve. The thing is, this was a part of the book that I actually liked reading about. This book, while definitely a romance, brought in a lot of realism. The modern day struggle between Tribes and the actions committed against them by the colonizing people of their lands is one that's often hidden by history books. This book engages the reader in identifying past and current transgressions from both sides of the battle.
Emery, being biracial (white and Indigenous), wants to find a common ground and unite both sides. Darryl initially wants to side wholly with the Traditionalists and rid the Reserve of the church's influence. Things change when Emery and Darryl reconnect. Their friendship is rekindled, and their emotional connection quickly takes center stage. I don't want to give too much of the outcome away, but I love how Emery and Darryl were able to find a common ground and work through their differences. Largely, I love how Emery's sexual preference was dealt with and his journey to acceptance was played out.
I am definitely planning on reading the other books in this series because I feel invested in the outcome of this battle between Traditional/Christian, but also because I like the tone that this writer uses when bringing in the romantic aspects of the story.
These two are brought back together when the Traditional tribal members decide that they no longer want to support the Catholic church on their Reserve. The thing is, this was a part of the book that I actually liked reading about. This book, while definitely a romance, brought in a lot of realism. The modern day struggle between Tribes and the actions committed against them by the colonizing people of their lands is one that's often hidden by history books. This book engages the reader in identifying past and current transgressions from both sides of the battle.
Emery, being biracial (white and Indigenous), wants to find a common ground and unite both sides. Darryl initially wants to side wholly with the Traditionalists and rid the Reserve of the church's influence. Things change when Emery and Darryl reconnect. Their friendship is rekindled, and their emotional connection quickly takes center stage. I don't want to give too much of the outcome away, but I love how Emery and Darryl were able to find a common ground and work through their differences. Largely, I love how Emery's sexual preference was dealt with and his journey to acceptance was played out.
I am definitely planning on reading the other books in this series because I feel invested in the outcome of this battle between Traditional/Christian, but also because I like the tone that this writer uses when bringing in the romantic aspects of the story.
February 4, 2020
Two former lovers have to face each other again as one is about to take his formal vows into the priest hood over a fight to retain a church on the tribal lands.
Emery Matawapit has decided to come home to save the reservation’s Catholic church and to ask for forgiveness from the man he left behind. In a few months, he will become a priest and forever turn his life over to God. He feels he needs to make peace with the past before he can take this step.
Darryl Keejik has never forgiven Emery or his family for deciding their fate. Ten years ago Emery threw him away. Now all Darryl wants to do is serve the Council on the reservation and preserve the Native traditions. This puts him in direct opposition with the Matawapit family.
When Emery and Darryl meet face to face all of the old arguments are still the same...has ten years changed anything?
I loved the story and the journey. It has made me think and nod my head on multiple occasions. I loved both Darryl and Emery’s soul searching dialogues in Blessed. This is not to say that Blackbird did not include any romance! She did and she did it well as always.
I usually have some kind of snappy or witty ending to my reviews and I do not have one this time. Read Blessed if not for the Emery and Darryl’s spiritual journey than for their love story - it is worth it.
I received an ARC of this book and I am writing a review without prejudice and voluntarily.
Emery Matawapit has decided to come home to save the reservation’s Catholic church and to ask for forgiveness from the man he left behind. In a few months, he will become a priest and forever turn his life over to God. He feels he needs to make peace with the past before he can take this step.
Darryl Keejik has never forgiven Emery or his family for deciding their fate. Ten years ago Emery threw him away. Now all Darryl wants to do is serve the Council on the reservation and preserve the Native traditions. This puts him in direct opposition with the Matawapit family.
When Emery and Darryl meet face to face all of the old arguments are still the same...has ten years changed anything?
I loved the story and the journey. It has made me think and nod my head on multiple occasions. I loved both Darryl and Emery’s soul searching dialogues in Blessed. This is not to say that Blackbird did not include any romance! She did and she did it well as always.
I usually have some kind of snappy or witty ending to my reviews and I do not have one this time. Read Blessed if not for the Emery and Darryl’s spiritual journey than for their love story - it is worth it.
I received an ARC of this book and I am writing a review without prejudice and voluntarily.
October 14, 2021
I picked up Blessed by Maggie Blackbird because I'm anxious to introduce more Native romance written by Native writers into my reading listing. What really interested me about this one was it's a M/M romance, but there's a whole lot more here than a simple slow-burn second chance.
The story follows Emery and Darryl who have loved each other since they were boys, but family obligations and religious expectations clouded their emotions and separated them for a decade. Now grown men, they come together to reconcile their friendship, only to find their true feelings for one another never went away. Only problem is Emery is studying to become a Catholic priest.
Emery and Darryl's love story is a spiritual journey both in the traditional Ojibwe sense and in the Catholic sense as the two men from different factions of the tribe navigate painful tribal history, family and community expectations, and rigid church policy regarding homosexuality. It's a lot, and it's handled in a wonderfully thoughtful manner.
My one complaint might be that, as someone who is not religious, the biblical references and dense details about Catholic ritual sometimes lost me. But I don't feel that my lack of understanding hurt my ability to follow the story. And I really appreciate the depth of research.
It's a well-written and well-researched story that covers so much. I recommend it as a slow, thoughtful read.
The story follows Emery and Darryl who have loved each other since they were boys, but family obligations and religious expectations clouded their emotions and separated them for a decade. Now grown men, they come together to reconcile their friendship, only to find their true feelings for one another never went away. Only problem is Emery is studying to become a Catholic priest.
Emery and Darryl's love story is a spiritual journey both in the traditional Ojibwe sense and in the Catholic sense as the two men from different factions of the tribe navigate painful tribal history, family and community expectations, and rigid church policy regarding homosexuality. It's a lot, and it's handled in a wonderfully thoughtful manner.
My one complaint might be that, as someone who is not religious, the biblical references and dense details about Catholic ritual sometimes lost me. But I don't feel that my lack of understanding hurt my ability to follow the story. And I really appreciate the depth of research.
It's a well-written and well-researched story that covers so much. I recommend it as a slow, thoughtful read.
February 1, 2020
All you need is faith! Emery is 6 months from taking his vows. Darryl has lived a fruitful but resentful life the past 10 years since Emery's father, the Deacon came between them. Darry, is no longer powerless against the Deacon. He may be more powerful than the Deacon, and he wants his revenge. When Emery returns and meets up with Darryl, the passion is still there. How can they move forward with their individual plans? Do they fight or give in? How do they deal with the Deacon. Does Emery take the plunge? Strong story! Dives into many sensitive topics with Grace, sensitivity and respect. Absolutely informative, romantic, intriguing and enjoyable. This left this reader with good feels! Well done! I received an ARC from Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. Nice cover art!
December 24, 2019
Book one in The Matawapit Family Series, by an Author I have not read before. Ten years ago Emery Matawapit walked away from Darryl Keejik because of his father Deacon Matawapit and the feelings he held for another man. Now he is coming back because he is needed in his hometown. This story handles the issues, and injustices of the Native peoples and the love of one man for another with feelings and care. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 1, 2020
This is the 1st book I've read written by Maggie Blackbird; she has done a great job at writing a good book; I can’t wait to read more of her books.
The story line caught my attention at the very beginning and kept me interested throughout the entire book.
I loved the chemistry between the characters.
I received a free copy of this book via booksprout and I’m voluntarily leaving a review.
The story line caught my attention at the very beginning and kept me interested throughout the entire book.
I loved the chemistry between the characters.
I received a free copy of this book via booksprout and I’m voluntarily leaving a review.
February 4, 2020
by and1515
This is a really great book, this is the kind that really makes you
stop and think long after you finish reading. Darryl and Emery's relationship
suffered and survived many obstacles.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is a really great book, this is the kind that really makes you
stop and think long after you finish reading. Darryl and Emery's relationship
suffered and survived many obstacles.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 8, 2024
Emery Matawapit and Darryl Keejik grew up together on the reservation, roaming the woods, hunting and fishing, sharing bonds of friendship and later, physical passion. As they approach adulthood, though, their destinies tear them apart. The half-white son of a Catholic deacon, Emery feels called to the church, even though its doctrine tells him his desire for Darryl is a sin. After ten years of study and preparation, he’s now on the brink of taking his final vows as a priest. Before he does, however, he needs to reconcile with Darryl, to try to banish the bitterness that has grown up between them.
Darryl blames Emery for deserting the ways of the Objibway Elders and following the white man’s god. Underneath his anger lurks the pain and hurt of having been left behind by the one man he has ever loved. Over their years of separation, Darryl has acquired influence as a member of the tribal council, working to restore the native traditions ravaged by generations of government abuse, neglect and injustice. Now he’s tempted to use that influence to punish Emery and his father for what he sees as their betrayal of the tribe.
The reunion of the two men is anything but peaceful. However, despite their mutual animosity and confusion, their different spiritual beliefs and life trajectories, they’re still irresistibly drawn to one another. It will take courage, compromise and a willingness to listen to their respective inner voices to heal their rifts. Each one must learn that love means letting go and allowing the beloved to choose his own path.
I adored Blessed. The characters are vivid, believably flawed and sympathetic—even the apparently bigoted and dictatorial Deacon Matawit. The love between Darryl and Emery burns bright and true, finally enabling them to break through the barriers that keep them apart. Meanwhile the setting and background taught me a lot about the harsh realities that face First Nation people in Canada.
One of my biggest complaints about the romance genre is that the conflicts that drive the story are often trivial, not serious obstacles to a successful relationship. In Blessed, truly fundamental differences threaten to keep Emery and Darryl apart. Emery believes that Christ is guiding him. His vocation for the priesthood, his call to pastoral service, is something he feels deep in his soul. How can he abandon this, putting his personal happiness before the well-being of his future flock?
Meanwhile, Darryl is caught in the political crossfire between the Christians and the Traditionalists. He’s been taught not to trust the white man’s religion. Yet this religion governs the life of the man he loves. He wants to be a wise leader, which means opening his mind to the fact that there’s more than one path to truth.
I should mention that as an erotic romance, this book has some wonderfully steamy love scenes that any MM aficionado will enjoy. As the blurb says, this is an erotic book about a spiritual journey. Since I have always believed that the erotic and the spiritual are closely entwined, I applaud this aspect of the tale.
Overall, Blessed is a great read. If you like realistic MM romance with serious issues at stake, I highly recommend it.
Darryl blames Emery for deserting the ways of the Objibway Elders and following the white man’s god. Underneath his anger lurks the pain and hurt of having been left behind by the one man he has ever loved. Over their years of separation, Darryl has acquired influence as a member of the tribal council, working to restore the native traditions ravaged by generations of government abuse, neglect and injustice. Now he’s tempted to use that influence to punish Emery and his father for what he sees as their betrayal of the tribe.
The reunion of the two men is anything but peaceful. However, despite their mutual animosity and confusion, their different spiritual beliefs and life trajectories, they’re still irresistibly drawn to one another. It will take courage, compromise and a willingness to listen to their respective inner voices to heal their rifts. Each one must learn that love means letting go and allowing the beloved to choose his own path.
I adored Blessed. The characters are vivid, believably flawed and sympathetic—even the apparently bigoted and dictatorial Deacon Matawit. The love between Darryl and Emery burns bright and true, finally enabling them to break through the barriers that keep them apart. Meanwhile the setting and background taught me a lot about the harsh realities that face First Nation people in Canada.
One of my biggest complaints about the romance genre is that the conflicts that drive the story are often trivial, not serious obstacles to a successful relationship. In Blessed, truly fundamental differences threaten to keep Emery and Darryl apart. Emery believes that Christ is guiding him. His vocation for the priesthood, his call to pastoral service, is something he feels deep in his soul. How can he abandon this, putting his personal happiness before the well-being of his future flock?
Meanwhile, Darryl is caught in the political crossfire between the Christians and the Traditionalists. He’s been taught not to trust the white man’s religion. Yet this religion governs the life of the man he loves. He wants to be a wise leader, which means opening his mind to the fact that there’s more than one path to truth.
I should mention that as an erotic romance, this book has some wonderfully steamy love scenes that any MM aficionado will enjoy. As the blurb says, this is an erotic book about a spiritual journey. Since I have always believed that the erotic and the spiritual are closely entwined, I applaud this aspect of the tale.
Overall, Blessed is a great read. If you like realistic MM romance with serious issues at stake, I highly recommend it.
June 28, 2023
This is the author's first book and the prose is a bit sparse, the MCs emotions whipsaw back and forth, and it's more about competing theologies than the romance per se. But this is a book set on a Ojibway reservation in northern Canada, by an author who lives there and is Ojibway. The conflict is specific to that setting, and laced with old hurts and generational trauma.
Darryl Keejik is someone for whom the generational impact of the Catholic residential schools bites deeply. He had family raised in those schools, and they came out damaged, and self-medicated with alcohol and drugs. His parents and sibs died in a drunken accident and he lives with his aunt who suffers from end-stage alcoholism.
As a boy, he made friends with the son of the reserve's new Catholic deacon. The deacon is an Ojibway man who dealt with his own trauma by turning to the church, and who raised his son expecting him to do the same. Emery Matawapit and Darryl became boyfriends and lovers as teens, but Emery couldn't come out, and Darryl wasn't willing to hide. Their split was abrupt, bitter, and complete.
Darryl has become a leader among the traditionalists on the reservation, listening to tribal elders, to the Giche manidoo, and to nature for guidance, backing up two-spirit youth against the preachings of the church.
Emery went off to the seminary, feeling called to become a priest and serve others.
But before his ordination, events bring him back to the reservation, and to Darryl. Both men find that the feelings between them weren't changed by years of separation. But Emery is committed to celibacy and the priesthood, forbidden even to marry. That call still feels real and strong to him, perhaps as strong as his feelings for Darryl.
Darryl is angry at the church for its past crimes against his people, and the hold it still has on the reservation. With the rise of local anti-church sentiment, he may have the power to affect the local church's financial viability. Is that protecting his people, or damaging those who believe and want that sanctuary?
The conflict here is not between the MCs as much as between their conflicting views of life. Emery is on the cusp of an irrevocable decision, and he still holds to his faith. Darryl could probably seduce him, given how hot things run between them, but what would that do to their futures?
I really enjoyed the feel of the setting, the specifics of the characters, and the issues at hand.
The author also writes M/F, but I'm about to pick up another of her M/M; I'll be interested to see what she brings to another pair of First Nations MCs, a few more books into her career.
(I also wonder, from the one-star ratings on AZ for her books, with at most single word reviews, if this author got hit by the anti-gay brigade)
Darryl Keejik is someone for whom the generational impact of the Catholic residential schools bites deeply. He had family raised in those schools, and they came out damaged, and self-medicated with alcohol and drugs. His parents and sibs died in a drunken accident and he lives with his aunt who suffers from end-stage alcoholism.
As a boy, he made friends with the son of the reserve's new Catholic deacon. The deacon is an Ojibway man who dealt with his own trauma by turning to the church, and who raised his son expecting him to do the same. Emery Matawapit and Darryl became boyfriends and lovers as teens, but Emery couldn't come out, and Darryl wasn't willing to hide. Their split was abrupt, bitter, and complete.
Darryl has become a leader among the traditionalists on the reservation, listening to tribal elders, to the Giche manidoo, and to nature for guidance, backing up two-spirit youth against the preachings of the church.
Emery went off to the seminary, feeling called to become a priest and serve others.
But before his ordination, events bring him back to the reservation, and to Darryl. Both men find that the feelings between them weren't changed by years of separation. But Emery is committed to celibacy and the priesthood, forbidden even to marry. That call still feels real and strong to him, perhaps as strong as his feelings for Darryl.
Darryl is angry at the church for its past crimes against his people, and the hold it still has on the reservation. With the rise of local anti-church sentiment, he may have the power to affect the local church's financial viability. Is that protecting his people, or damaging those who believe and want that sanctuary?
The conflict here is not between the MCs as much as between their conflicting views of life. Emery is on the cusp of an irrevocable decision, and he still holds to his faith. Darryl could probably seduce him, given how hot things run between them, but what would that do to their futures?
I really enjoyed the feel of the setting, the specifics of the characters, and the issues at hand.
The author also writes M/F, but I'm about to pick up another of her M/M; I'll be interested to see what she brings to another pair of First Nations MCs, a few more books into her career.
(I also wonder, from the one-star ratings on AZ for her books, with at most single word reviews, if this author got hit by the anti-gay brigade)
June 7, 2023
This book is an excellent and complicated MM love story. Not only did Darryl and Emery get torn apart as teenagers, but family, religion, culture, and baggage make it hard for them to come back together now that the time seems right.
This tale also addresses issues facing the First Nation peoples and offers tantalizing glimpses of ways to overcome brutal oppression and bias. It was a treat reading a story involving the Ojibway written by an Ojibway.
The author opened her series highlighting Emery’s family with this book, with an MM romance as opposed to the more common “traditional” FM/MF coupling that often starts a romantic series. Too many romance series seem to focus on heterosexual love and only include a LGBTQ+ love story at the end or as an afterthought. Kudos!
Emery and Darryl are an endearing couple. Not only do they have great chemistry, it’s truly like they were made for each other. This is a great love story no matter the genders of the lovers, but I found it refreshing how “normal” and true this couple was to each other. I rooted for them the whole time.
For heat level, this one is steamy…very hot. The sex scenes are done well, suitably erotic, and you know exactly what’s happening without it getting pornographic. Like other reviewers, some of the descriptions seemed flowery, but I still liked the language. I also liked how sweat, mosquitoes, and other outdoorsy concerns reflected what it’s really like to have sex out in the “bush.”
This leads me to my single concern about this book…it is both spiritual and sexual. Like sex, God or the Creator is also addressed. Deep spiritual beliefs and carnal appetites clash and mesh here. Some readers could find this uncomfortable. It is NOT a clean romance, and it has more God than many clean romances I’ve read. The facts are that Emery is an aspiring Catholic priest and Darryl is an aspiring tribal leader. Both are gay. Both love each other, in the forever kind of way. How else could their story be written?
NOTE: I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I give this book 4 1/2 hearts because the MCs changed and matured into the men they were meant to be.
This tale also addresses issues facing the First Nation peoples and offers tantalizing glimpses of ways to overcome brutal oppression and bias. It was a treat reading a story involving the Ojibway written by an Ojibway.
The author opened her series highlighting Emery’s family with this book, with an MM romance as opposed to the more common “traditional” FM/MF coupling that often starts a romantic series. Too many romance series seem to focus on heterosexual love and only include a LGBTQ+ love story at the end or as an afterthought. Kudos!
Emery and Darryl are an endearing couple. Not only do they have great chemistry, it’s truly like they were made for each other. This is a great love story no matter the genders of the lovers, but I found it refreshing how “normal” and true this couple was to each other. I rooted for them the whole time.
For heat level, this one is steamy…very hot. The sex scenes are done well, suitably erotic, and you know exactly what’s happening without it getting pornographic. Like other reviewers, some of the descriptions seemed flowery, but I still liked the language. I also liked how sweat, mosquitoes, and other outdoorsy concerns reflected what it’s really like to have sex out in the “bush.”
This leads me to my single concern about this book…it is both spiritual and sexual. Like sex, God or the Creator is also addressed. Deep spiritual beliefs and carnal appetites clash and mesh here. Some readers could find this uncomfortable. It is NOT a clean romance, and it has more God than many clean romances I’ve read. The facts are that Emery is an aspiring Catholic priest and Darryl is an aspiring tribal leader. Both are gay. Both love each other, in the forever kind of way. How else could their story be written?
NOTE: I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I give this book 4 1/2 hearts because the MCs changed and matured into the men they were meant to be.
February 28, 2022
So the sex scenes were very yummy.
But also it was very very religious. It was very difficult to read at the beginning because I'm LGBTQIA and stepped away from Catholicism because the church my family went to didn't accept LGBTQIA folks.
The ending wasn't acceptable in my opinion.
I did like how Darryl and Emery grew as people and as people who love each other.
I'll have to ponder my feelings and thoughts a bit more and I'll update the review
But also it was very very religious. It was very difficult to read at the beginning because I'm LGBTQIA and stepped away from Catholicism because the church my family went to didn't accept LGBTQIA folks.
The ending wasn't acceptable in my opinion.
I did like how Darryl and Emery grew as people and as people who love each other.
I'll have to ponder my feelings and thoughts a bit more and I'll update the review
March 27, 2020
Darryl wants to use the power he has to destroy Deacon Matawapit and his church. The Deacon made him loss the love of his life his son.
Read
April 27, 2024Maybe it gets better, but the self-righteousness of the priest character was too off-putting. DNF.
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