What do you think?
Rate this book
The Bibliophile
Nathanial Goldsmith is the only son of the richest man in the Idaho territory, Jessum Goldsmith, the Silver Baron of the Western Lands, as he is called in all the newspapers. But life in the late nineteenth-century American West weaves no magic spell for Nathanial, who longs for the academic worlds his father has forced him to leave behind.
To toughen him up, Nathanial’s father has indentured him to a ranchman, Cayuse Jem, a large, raw-boned, taciturn man Nathanial’s father believes will help teach his son to “become a man.” Cut off from his books and the life he has always known, Nathanial is not only forced to co-exist with Cayuse Jem, but to truly get to know him. In doing so, Nathanial discovers there is more to this silent horseman than meets the eye. And, in the process, Nathanial also learns a few things about life, about human nature, and about the differences in being a man and a boy…
To toughen him up, Nathanial’s father has indentured him to a ranchman, Cayuse Jem, a large, raw-boned, taciturn man Nathanial’s father believes will help teach his son to “become a man.” Cut off from his books and the life he has always known, Nathanial is not only forced to co-exist with Cayuse Jem, but to truly get to know him. In doing so, Nathanial discovers there is more to this silent horseman than meets the eye. And, in the process, Nathanial also learns a few things about life, about human nature, and about the differences in being a man and a boy…
ebook
First published November 26, 2018
2 people are currently reading
46 people want to read
About the author
Drew Marvin Frayne
5 books10 followersDrew Marvin Frayne is the pen name of a long-time author (Lambda Literary Award finalist) who is finally taking the opportunity to indulge his more sentimental and romantic side. When not writing the author lives with his husband of 20+ years and their dog of 10+ years in a brick home in the Northeast.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
January 13, 2019
4 Stars
Well, this one snuck up on me. My love for historical romance pushed me over the edge on choosing The Bibliophile and I’m glad. It’s a unique, nineteenth century story told through journal entries for one of the main characters, Nathanial. This style might not work for some and even though I would have liked some more perspective, I enjoyed it and moved right along from entry to entry.
Nathanial has been ordered to leave his studies and take his place as the only son beside his rich father to learn the family business. He’s an academic at heart and feels the most joy spending his days surrounded by books and having intellectual discussions on anything and everything. Unfortunately, Nathanial becomes indentured as a ranch hand to toughen him up and make him “a man.” Luck is shining down on him because he’s dropped off with Cayuse Jem, a huge, burly man that is the complete opposite of his father.
Cayuse, man of very few words, is a horse trainer with a very patient and gentle hand. He doesn’t believe in bending a horse or person to his will, but to coax them gently. He uses this approach with Nathanial from the first day which builds trust and a deeply meaningful connection. Cayuse slowly built him up after Nathanial’s father and grandmother spent years tearing him down.
There's a sweetness to the relationship between Cayuse and Nathanial. Nathanial is a virgin in every way, including never being kissed. He finds safety and validation with Cayuse in just being his boy. During an era of reserved life, their relationship and love is simple and peaceful. Cayuse may be a man of few words but that doesn’t make what they have any less meaningful. There’s some erotic heat between the eager pupil Nathanial AKA Boy and Cayuse that helps get through some of the more difficult times.
The Bibliophile has relatively low angst for a M/M historical romance. The angst comes from other circumstances and a devastating loss to both men. The transition from indentured servant to lover was odd. I enjoyed the entries but would have liked Cayuse’s POV. We get to know him through Nathanial’s eyes but there’s so much missing. I think having that extra insight would have helped the transition not feel so abrupt when they become lovers and smoothed some of the other areas that lacked finesse.
Overall, I really enjoyed seeing Cayuse and Nathanial ride into the sunset with their HEA. Recommended for fans of historical romance and classic literature.
P.S. I clearly missed a TON of classics while taking Lit in HS/college because Nathanial is a lover of it all, references them throughout, and left me in the dust with anything beyond Shakespeare.
Well, this one snuck up on me. My love for historical romance pushed me over the edge on choosing The Bibliophile and I’m glad. It’s a unique, nineteenth century story told through journal entries for one of the main characters, Nathanial. This style might not work for some and even though I would have liked some more perspective, I enjoyed it and moved right along from entry to entry.
Nathanial has been ordered to leave his studies and take his place as the only son beside his rich father to learn the family business. He’s an academic at heart and feels the most joy spending his days surrounded by books and having intellectual discussions on anything and everything. Unfortunately, Nathanial becomes indentured as a ranch hand to toughen him up and make him “a man.” Luck is shining down on him because he’s dropped off with Cayuse Jem, a huge, burly man that is the complete opposite of his father.
Cayuse, man of very few words, is a horse trainer with a very patient and gentle hand. He doesn’t believe in bending a horse or person to his will, but to coax them gently. He uses this approach with Nathanial from the first day which builds trust and a deeply meaningful connection. Cayuse slowly built him up after Nathanial’s father and grandmother spent years tearing him down.
There's a sweetness to the relationship between Cayuse and Nathanial. Nathanial is a virgin in every way, including never being kissed. He finds safety and validation with Cayuse in just being his boy. During an era of reserved life, their relationship and love is simple and peaceful. Cayuse may be a man of few words but that doesn’t make what they have any less meaningful. There’s some erotic heat between the eager pupil Nathanial AKA Boy and Cayuse that helps get through some of the more difficult times.
The Bibliophile has relatively low angst for a M/M historical romance. The angst comes from other circumstances and a devastating loss to both men. The transition from indentured servant to lover was odd. I enjoyed the entries but would have liked Cayuse’s POV. We get to know him through Nathanial’s eyes but there’s so much missing. I think having that extra insight would have helped the transition not feel so abrupt when they become lovers and smoothed some of the other areas that lacked finesse.
Overall, I really enjoyed seeing Cayuse and Nathanial ride into the sunset with their HEA. Recommended for fans of historical romance and classic literature.
P.S. I clearly missed a TON of classics while taking Lit in HS/college because Nathanial is a lover of it all, references them throughout, and left me in the dust with anything beyond Shakespeare.
Copy provided for honest review.
December 8, 2018
I have a longer review up on the blog but, basically, this book is stealthy. I started out with some problems getting into the writing, the style, the writer of the journal, but somewhere along the way I was hooked. Nathaniel suddenly mattered to me, as did Cayuse Jem, a great deal, as did several other characters.
If you start this and think about bailing, hang in there. I suddenly went from tossing up about DNFing to not being able to put the book down. I went from not caring to caring a great deal, and I'm so glad I stayed with the book.
The Bibliophile really is a beautifully written, compelling story. Different - and I say that in the best possible way. Definitely worth every star.
More in depth review at -
If you start this and think about bailing, hang in there. I suddenly went from tossing up about DNFing to not being able to put the book down. I went from not caring to caring a great deal, and I'm so glad I stayed with the book.
The Bibliophile really is a beautifully written, compelling story. Different - and I say that in the best possible way. Definitely worth every star.
More in depth review at -
September 6, 2021
“The Bibliophile” is set in 1888 and written in the style of Nathanial Goldsmith’s journal as he is torn away from his beloved books and higher education and basically hired out to a ranchman, Cayuse Jem, to learns his father’s business and “become a man.” But Nathaniel wants to become “a man of letters, an intellect, someone who wrestles with idea – to me, that is a man – that defines a man.” It’s fascinating to see how Nathanial copes with living in a basic cabin, learns to cook and clean, do chores and slowly appreciate the pace of his life with Cayuse Gem. The plot and pace of this story kept my interest throughout and I especially like how Nathanial uses his education to save people.
What didn’t work as well for me is the relationship between Cayuse Jem and Nathanial, mostly because we only get Nathanial’s POV throughout and there is no background or insight into Cayuse Jem; for this reason the boy/sir relationship seemed to come out of nowhere. In this M/M historical romance, I enjoyed the historical much more than the romance. 3.5 stars.
I received an ARC from NineStar Press, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Visit my blog, Sinfully Good Gay Book Reviews
What didn’t work as well for me is the relationship between Cayuse Jem and Nathanial, mostly because we only get Nathanial’s POV throughout and there is no background or insight into Cayuse Jem; for this reason the boy/sir relationship seemed to come out of nowhere. In this M/M historical romance, I enjoyed the historical much more than the romance. 3.5 stars.
I received an ARC from NineStar Press, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Visit my blog, Sinfully Good Gay Book Reviews
November 26, 2018
A Joyfully Jay review.
3.75 stars
The Bibliophile explores the ideas of duty, knowledge, and the freedom to be found in being seen and appreciated for who and what you are. As the only son of the Idaho territory’s “Silver Baron”—a man who “insisted the world be shaped in his own image,” it is Nathaniel Goldsmith’s duty to fulfill his father’s plans and to cement the family name into the growing country’s history. As a self-made man who began his fortune with back-breaking work in the mines, Nathaniel’s father has little patience and no respect for “the learned.” Feeling he has indulged his son long enough in allowing him to go away to school for four years, he sees sending him to work with Cayuse Jem, the rancher who trains Appaloosas, as an expedient and overdue way to make Nathaniel a “real man.”
Read Jovan’s review in its entirety here.
3.75 stars
The Bibliophile explores the ideas of duty, knowledge, and the freedom to be found in being seen and appreciated for who and what you are. As the only son of the Idaho territory’s “Silver Baron”—a man who “insisted the world be shaped in his own image,” it is Nathaniel Goldsmith’s duty to fulfill his father’s plans and to cement the family name into the growing country’s history. As a self-made man who began his fortune with back-breaking work in the mines, Nathaniel’s father has little patience and no respect for “the learned.” Feeling he has indulged his son long enough in allowing him to go away to school for four years, he sees sending him to work with Cayuse Jem, the rancher who trains Appaloosas, as an expedient and overdue way to make Nathaniel a “real man.”
Read Jovan’s review in its entirety here.
November 27, 2018
I was a little surprised by the format in which the author chose to narrate the story. Being a diary, we only get one perspective and even though I would've like to delve more into the thoughts of Cayuse Jem, I really liked the story the way it was told.
Although, it felt like the ending was a bit rushed and convenient, I enjoyed reading about the evolution of Nat throughout his stay with Cayuse Jem and how their relationship developped.
Although, it felt like the ending was a bit rushed and convenient, I enjoyed reading about the evolution of Nat throughout his stay with Cayuse Jem and how their relationship developped.
Want to read
December 27, 201812/26/18 50% off at Smashwords ($3.00): https://www.smashwords.com/books/view...
November 28, 2018
I received an arc from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Nathaniel Goldsmith is bookish university student called home to rural Idaho in the 1880's. To a father who doesn't understand him and wants Nathaniel to grow up, to become "a man". He is sent to work for a quiet Scotsman named Cayuse Jem. In working together Nathaniel and Cayuse develop a close relationship that eventually turns into a romantic one.
There are many things that I really enjoyed about this book. The setting was one. I rarely read about the West in the 19th century and the author did a great job creating a world that seemed greatly flushed out. That and the relationship with Caysume and the local Native Americans was great. I liked seeing their friendships. The crisis that happened later in the book was really interesting too.
The characters were interesting, more so Nat. I'm always drawn to bookish types. He seemed so young and innocent. At the same time his elevated language drove me nuts. I understand the authors choice in doing so but if one isn't learned when it comes to history, literature and big SAT words I could see why a reader would get frustrated. Cayuse really was more of a mystery to me. I really wanted to know more about him. But we never got any backstory on him.
The book's format of a journal was awesome. It was a creative way to tell the story and seemed to fit the setting of the 19th century well.
I really enjoyed the first half of the book. Once Nat and Cayuse's relationship turned physical I was really wanting more plot. Also warnings for sir/boys relationships. If that is your thing, then you'll love the book but it didn't really work for me. So overall I really enjoyed parts of this story but the love story wasn't for me.
Nathaniel Goldsmith is bookish university student called home to rural Idaho in the 1880's. To a father who doesn't understand him and wants Nathaniel to grow up, to become "a man". He is sent to work for a quiet Scotsman named Cayuse Jem. In working together Nathaniel and Cayuse develop a close relationship that eventually turns into a romantic one.
There are many things that I really enjoyed about this book. The setting was one. I rarely read about the West in the 19th century and the author did a great job creating a world that seemed greatly flushed out. That and the relationship with Caysume and the local Native Americans was great. I liked seeing their friendships. The crisis that happened later in the book was really interesting too.
The characters were interesting, more so Nat. I'm always drawn to bookish types. He seemed so young and innocent. At the same time his elevated language drove me nuts. I understand the authors choice in doing so but if one isn't learned when it comes to history, literature and big SAT words I could see why a reader would get frustrated. Cayuse really was more of a mystery to me. I really wanted to know more about him. But we never got any backstory on him.
The book's format of a journal was awesome. It was a creative way to tell the story and seemed to fit the setting of the 19th century well.
I really enjoyed the first half of the book. Once Nat and Cayuse's relationship turned physical I was really wanting more plot. Also warnings for sir/boys relationships. If that is your thing, then you'll love the book but it didn't really work for me. So overall I really enjoyed parts of this story but the love story wasn't for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 27, 2018
Bibliophile,by Drew Marvin Frayne is a superb historical romance. I was immediately hooked and found myself sad to see it end.
Nathanial has grown up hearing about the importance of duty, honor and loyalty. All to his family. Unfortunately, he longs to escape his family's world and live in a world of books and academia.
When his father forces him to work for him, he's sent to train with Cayuse Jem. Having no interest in doing so, he's reluctant to start and is then confused by this introverted man.
As his stay continues, he starts to see Cayuse Jem in a new light, as the man is nothing like his father. Cayuse Jem is just perfect for Nathanial, and their slow burn romance is breath-taking.
This story contains a controlling father, the tough land owners and their fight for control, and the horrific treatment of the Native Americans. It's exceptionally representative of it's time, the 1880s, feeling extremely authentic. The author excels with placing us there and having us experience everything with these men, as danger comes from unexpected places.
One part that I absolutely loved is the way the author beautifully recognized sex as a form of communication. So well done and so wonderfully emotional.
Overall, I really love Bibliophile and highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical romances. Drew Marvin Frayne is a new-to-me author and I can only hope he writes many, many more.
February 8, 2019
It was intresting to the part where they started to have sex. This has a sir/boy relationship, that is not for everyone. I don’t like that kind of relationship, so when they took that turn, I lost intrest. The fact that the ”sir” said he was the only father Nathaniel needed, creeps me out.
November 21, 2018
As soon as I read the synopsis of this book (historical M/M romance! main character loves books!), I knew I had to read it. I ended up devouring it all in one night, and I still can't believe how fast it flew by - at one point I looked at the clock after what I thought was five minutes and an hour had passed.
It's definitely on the sentimental side, and sometimes that didn't work for me. For example, I found the scene where Chuslum and Motsqueh have sex (or "prepared to perform the great act of male love") beside Cayuse Jim and Nat on the banks of the pond while Motsqueh and Nat hold hands "in both solidarity and joy" to be just too over the top to keep me in the story. I never really reconnected with it fully after that.
That said, the characters and setting were fully realized, and it was an enjoyable read. Just not 100% my cup of tea.
I received a digital ARC from the publisher via Netgalley.
It's definitely on the sentimental side, and sometimes that didn't work for me. For example, I found the scene where Chuslum and Motsqueh have sex (or "prepared to perform the great act of male love") beside Cayuse Jim and Nat on the banks of the pond while Motsqueh and Nat hold hands "in both solidarity and joy" to be just too over the top to keep me in the story. I never really reconnected with it fully after that.
That said, the characters and setting were fully realized, and it was an enjoyable read. Just not 100% my cup of tea.
I received a digital ARC from the publisher via Netgalley.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 21, 2018
I would give it 100 stars if I could. Literally a top 5 book of all time for me.
Wow. WOW. Holy cow. This book was amazing. Have you ever read a book and when it is over you wish it wasn't. You wish that you had read it just a little slower so that you could enjoy it longer? That was this book.
I am not great with words but I will try for this book.
This book is so we'll written, it flows beautifully, it transformed you to another time period. I enjoyed the journal style it was written in. Nat is a beautiful character and his growth throughout is wonderful to see. Jem is everything Nat deserves and more. Their love is slow and perfect.
This book also made me cry like a baby. I just can't believe that happened!
This is a must read for anyone who likes historical gay romance. Hell this is for anyone who loves romance.
I really am sad that this is over. Maybe one day Nat will write another journal.
*I was given this book in return for a honest review*
Wow. WOW. Holy cow. This book was amazing. Have you ever read a book and when it is over you wish it wasn't. You wish that you had read it just a little slower so that you could enjoy it longer? That was this book.
I am not great with words but I will try for this book.
This book is so we'll written, it flows beautifully, it transformed you to another time period. I enjoyed the journal style it was written in. Nat is a beautiful character and his growth throughout is wonderful to see. Jem is everything Nat deserves and more. Their love is slow and perfect.
This book also made me cry like a baby. I just can't believe that happened!
This is a must read for anyone who likes historical gay romance. Hell this is for anyone who loves romance.
I really am sad that this is over. Maybe one day Nat will write another journal.
*I was given this book in return for a honest review*
November 27, 2018
A Joyfully Jay review
3.75
"The Bibliophile" explores the ideas of duty, knowledge, and the freedom to be found in being seen and appreciated for who and what you are. As the only son of the Idaho territory’s “Silver Baron”—a man who “insisted the world be shaped in his own image,” it is Nathaniel Goldsmith’s duty to fulfill his father’s plans and to cement the family name into the growing country’s history. As a self-made man who began his fortune with back-breaking work in the mines, Nathaniel’s father has little patience and no respect for “the learned.” Feeling he has indulged his son long enough in allowing him to go away to school for four years, he sees sending him to work with Cayuse Jem, the rancher who trains Appaloosas, as an expedient and overdue way to make Nathaniel a “real man.”
As Nathaniel learns to appreciate life on the ranch, makes friends with Motsqueh and Chuslum (members of a nearby Nez Perce tribe), and as the realities of rural life in a western territory become tangible actualities, he learns not only how to merge his book and experiential knowledge into something useful and fulfilling in his and Cayuse’s daily lives, but also his place in the world and the potential to make his own destiny.
“Why understand the nature of a thing if one cannot alter it?”
“So you may love it.”
As a bibliophile, it is Nathaniel’s nature to understand, learn, and explore the worlds opened to him from the pages of books. In his experience, everything he could ever need to know and want can be found there, and his father’s own lack of understanding and respect for the knowledge gained from others is shortsighted and ignorant. Yet, as his summer on Cayuse Jem’s ranch goes on, Nathaniel learns to appreciate learning and experiencing life first hand, and that not all knowledge worth having can be fully encapsulated in the pages of text. At a glance, Nathaniel believes that the taciturn, hard man Cayuse Jem appears to be makes him a man like his father, but Cayuse is the polar opposite. Where Nathanial’s father is a bully who enjoys breaking others under his will, Cayuse believes in nurturing and empathy, and as Cayuse has “all of [his] Father’s strength but none of his brutality,” he quickly captures Nathaniel’s admiration and heart.
The story is told from first-person POV through Nathaniel’s journal entries, a format that some may not like, and does have its shortcomings. For the most part, it works well for the time period, the characters, and the story. As a scholar who cannot speak the Nez Perce language and is thrown into an unknown environment, having Nathaniel chronicle the daily chores of ranch life and his encounters gives the story a more accurate and believable feel. Additionally, Frayne does a good job portraying the emotional magnitude of events in the narrative within the format.
The only time this format may pose a problem for some readers is that we only see Cayuse through Nathaniel’s eyes. Given Nathaniel’s inexperience, how differently Cayuse treats Nathaniel compared to Nathaniel’s father, and how the contrasts make him feel, without having an internal perspective from Cayuse, depending on how feels about daddy/boy dynamics, some of the dialogue, particularly towards the end, may come across more like grooming rather than an equal relationship between adults. Overall, "The Bibliophile" is a well-written and enjoyable historical romance.
3.75
"The Bibliophile" explores the ideas of duty, knowledge, and the freedom to be found in being seen and appreciated for who and what you are. As the only son of the Idaho territory’s “Silver Baron”—a man who “insisted the world be shaped in his own image,” it is Nathaniel Goldsmith’s duty to fulfill his father’s plans and to cement the family name into the growing country’s history. As a self-made man who began his fortune with back-breaking work in the mines, Nathaniel’s father has little patience and no respect for “the learned.” Feeling he has indulged his son long enough in allowing him to go away to school for four years, he sees sending him to work with Cayuse Jem, the rancher who trains Appaloosas, as an expedient and overdue way to make Nathaniel a “real man.”
As Nathaniel learns to appreciate life on the ranch, makes friends with Motsqueh and Chuslum (members of a nearby Nez Perce tribe), and as the realities of rural life in a western territory become tangible actualities, he learns not only how to merge his book and experiential knowledge into something useful and fulfilling in his and Cayuse’s daily lives, but also his place in the world and the potential to make his own destiny.
“Why understand the nature of a thing if one cannot alter it?”
“So you may love it.”
As a bibliophile, it is Nathaniel’s nature to understand, learn, and explore the worlds opened to him from the pages of books. In his experience, everything he could ever need to know and want can be found there, and his father’s own lack of understanding and respect for the knowledge gained from others is shortsighted and ignorant. Yet, as his summer on Cayuse Jem’s ranch goes on, Nathaniel learns to appreciate learning and experiencing life first hand, and that not all knowledge worth having can be fully encapsulated in the pages of text. At a glance, Nathaniel believes that the taciturn, hard man Cayuse Jem appears to be makes him a man like his father, but Cayuse is the polar opposite. Where Nathanial’s father is a bully who enjoys breaking others under his will, Cayuse believes in nurturing and empathy, and as Cayuse has “all of [his] Father’s strength but none of his brutality,” he quickly captures Nathaniel’s admiration and heart.
The story is told from first-person POV through Nathaniel’s journal entries, a format that some may not like, and does have its shortcomings. For the most part, it works well for the time period, the characters, and the story. As a scholar who cannot speak the Nez Perce language and is thrown into an unknown environment, having Nathaniel chronicle the daily chores of ranch life and his encounters gives the story a more accurate and believable feel. Additionally, Frayne does a good job portraying the emotional magnitude of events in the narrative within the format.
The only time this format may pose a problem for some readers is that we only see Cayuse through Nathaniel’s eyes. Given Nathaniel’s inexperience, how differently Cayuse treats Nathaniel compared to Nathaniel’s father, and how the contrasts make him feel, without having an internal perspective from Cayuse, depending on how feels about daddy/boy dynamics, some of the dialogue, particularly towards the end, may come across more like grooming rather than an equal relationship between adults. Overall, "The Bibliophile" is a well-written and enjoyable historical romance.
December 9, 2018
A Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Review
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
For the full review, visit https://wp.me/p220KL-fsU on 12/9
From that review: "I love historical fiction and romance but I'm also very aware of exactly how difficult it is to get it right. Not only does the author have to craft a splendid plot, create multidimensional characters, give them chemistry with each other, as well as a romance to root for, but then they must place all that within the structure of a certain time period without making it look like a information dump. Or that they haven't done any research at all (please don't get me started in on the use of Wikipedia as research).
So yes, rare is the author or novel that pulls it all together and gets it right.
The Bibliophile by Drew Marvin Frayne gets it right."
For all our reviews, check out http://scatteredthoughtsandroguewords...
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
For the full review, visit https://wp.me/p220KL-fsU on 12/9
From that review: "I love historical fiction and romance but I'm also very aware of exactly how difficult it is to get it right. Not only does the author have to craft a splendid plot, create multidimensional characters, give them chemistry with each other, as well as a romance to root for, but then they must place all that within the structure of a certain time period without making it look like a information dump. Or that they haven't done any research at all (please don't get me started in on the use of Wikipedia as research).
So yes, rare is the author or novel that pulls it all together and gets it right.
The Bibliophile by Drew Marvin Frayne gets it right."
For all our reviews, check out http://scatteredthoughtsandroguewords...
March 9, 2019
Set in 1888-90, Frayne's novel is the story of Nathaniel Goldsmith, the heir to "the richest man in the Idaho territory, Jessum Goldsmith, the Silver Baron of the Western Lands" (back cover). Nathaniel is forced by his father to leave what is to him, an an idyllic life of books and study at Harvard. Nathaniel must come home and prepare himself to take his place in his father's empire. But first, he has to be toughened up: he has to become a man.
To do so, his father apprentices him to rancher Cayuse Jem, "a large, raw-boned taciturn man" (back cover). No books, just constant hard work.
But things don't go as planned. Nathaniel finds there is much more "than meets the eye" about this rancher, and he finds there is more about than he ever knew. Nathaniel finds love and finds himself. He learns that love is love is love, in all its many permutations and forms.
To do so, his father apprentices him to rancher Cayuse Jem, "a large, raw-boned taciturn man" (back cover). No books, just constant hard work.
But things don't go as planned. Nathaniel finds there is much more "than meets the eye" about this rancher, and he finds there is more about than he ever knew. Nathaniel finds love and finds himself. He learns that love is love is love, in all its many permutations and forms.
February 28, 2019
** 4.5 Stars **
August 13, 2020
The Bibliophile is a really well done historical. It was unique and Nathaniel's voice throughout kept me totally immersed in the story. I'll be reading this one again.
November 28, 2018
the bibliophile is about a bookish young man who is sold into in servitude by his father. the man who is in charge of his is a rough, uncouth farmer, a man of few words, but also a man of great kindness. the whole thing is rather sweet, and somewhat strange and icky, but i suppose in the end nat belongs with cayuse jem and who am i to say otherwise. maybe if this had been in not-journal style i would have liked it a little more? i don't know. i didn't fall in love with this one.
**the bibliophile will publish on november 26, 2018. i received an advance reader copy courtesy of netgalley/ninestar press in exchange for my honest review.
**the bibliophile will publish on november 26, 2018. i received an advance reader copy courtesy of netgalley/ninestar press in exchange for my honest review.
December 1, 2018
This review is based on an advanced readers copy.
Nathaniel Goldsmith is a boy who loves books and learning in the late 1800s when book learning isn't respected in his family. I was immediately attracted to this book because of a book loving character. I also really enjoyed the setting of the real old west instead of the fantasy cowboys and shoot-outs version.
The journal style of this book was an interesting choice. It did give allowance for some of the more over the top language used as being a choice by the writer when otherwise it would have seemed too much. It did make it a but slow going at the beginning but it picked up reasonably well about 25% in. There are many details I would have preferred to get from a less biased perspective, but I think the bias was necessary in a lot of it.
Sir/Boy relationships are not something I particularly like reading personally. The overlap between father figure/lover was also a bit strange for me. For those who enjoy that type of relationship I think this would be a good read, but it was not really for me.
Nathaniel Goldsmith is a boy who loves books and learning in the late 1800s when book learning isn't respected in his family. I was immediately attracted to this book because of a book loving character. I also really enjoyed the setting of the real old west instead of the fantasy cowboys and shoot-outs version.
The journal style of this book was an interesting choice. It did give allowance for some of the more over the top language used as being a choice by the writer when otherwise it would have seemed too much. It did make it a but slow going at the beginning but it picked up reasonably well about 25% in. There are many details I would have preferred to get from a less biased perspective, but I think the bias was necessary in a lot of it.
Sir/Boy relationships are not something I particularly like reading personally. The overlap between father figure/lover was also a bit strange for me. For those who enjoy that type of relationship I think this would be a good read, but it was not really for me.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews