Of Pigs and Priests

by Nathaniel Gee

It's 1557, and Father Young and Bishop Goldheart are fated to be single for eternity.

As devoted priests of the Catholic church, the two men have committed themselves to vows
of celibacy. But while their minds and spirits are devoted to their faith, their hearts ache
with loneliness. Father Young has recently fallen for Fannie Porkshire, the daughter of the
newest family to come to the little town of Bridgecrest. And in the neighboring town of
Lushton, Bishop Goldheart has long admired Miss Denine, the owner of a local tavern.

As they both resign themselves to suffer with their feelings alone, they find new hope when
Queen Elizabeth comes to the throne and officially institutes the Church of England, which
now allows priests to marry. Overnight, Father Young and Bishop Goldheart become the
most eligible bachelors in town. Every mother wants their daughter matched with the
notable men of the church.

But as the two priests enter society in a way they never had before, they suddenly realize
that their vows were not the only thing keeping them from love. Love, while now legal, is
not necessarily easy.

176 pages, Paperback

Published June 12, 2022

Reviews

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was probably going to give the book 4 stars but finding out who the narrator was at the end, it became 5 stars. That was great! This is a book by a local author and I went to hear him speak at our local library. He was hilarious and I knew I needed his two books. I love historical romances and most of my Tudor England books are about the nobility of that time period. I have often wondered about the people and the clergy. We are Catholic, we are now Church of England, back to Catholic, no, back to Church of England. More importantly, Article 32 of the Book of Common Prayer that the Church of England follows, is that Bishops, Priests, and Deacons can all marry. So, we have a Bishop and a priest who can now act on the women they have admired from afar and hilarity ensues. The first chapter had me already laughing out loud. The pig farming family's last name is Porkshire so that tells you somewhat the feel of the book.

"The crisis was serious, so serious in fact that in his flurry of mind, he had ended his sentence with a preposition."

[Ledys · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is fabulous! There is a little of everything—comedy, drama, mystery, tragedy, you name it. The characters are extremely entertaining and lovable. The time period is intriguing and a very interesting one to explore in fiction. When you think you know where things are going—things are not going there! It’s a fantastic book and I highly, highly recommend it!

[the girl who reads a lot · Rating 4 out of 5]

“…even a man of steel can be reduced to jelly when around the woman he admires. Those in love must constantly struggle between the desire to see their love and their love and their dislike of existing in a gelatinous state.”

This is such a unique book! It has humor, romance, and history. It takes place in England in the 1500’s, which I’m not sure I have treat many books that take place back then. The narrator has such a unique voice and way of telling the story, which I wasn’t sure about at first, but a few chapters in, I really liked it. There were so many lines I loved! And I was shocked at the end when I found out who the narrator was! And I loved it! It did take me a little bit to really get into this story, but once I did, I ended up laughing a lot and I couldn’t figure out how on earth everyone would be happy in the end, but the ending was perfect!

Imagine you’re a priest who has sworn to a life of celibacy, when suddenly the rules have changed and you can now marry. The only problem is now all the parents in the village are throwing their daughters at you, and you have no idea what to do, especially since you have harbored feelings for a woman for some time. Such are the lives of poor, clueless (at least when it comes to matters of the opposite sex) Father Young and Bishop Goldheart.

I received a copy of this book from the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised with Of Pigs and Priests. It's a comedy of errors and reminded me a lot of the comedic mayhem that occurs in a Shakespeare play. The author does a good job at pulling in humor and intermingling it with the historical time period. It was really interesting to think about the confusion and trouble that could come from switching from Catholicism to the Church of England overnight and what that would do for the priests and their communities. The author described what could have occurred during that time period and how a community could change overnight. Overall, I thought it was a fun romantic comedy to read with plenty of humorous moments and amusing characters. I think a wide range of audiences would enjoy the book and find it entertaining from teens to adults, males and females. The author also did a good job with the pacing with the story and moving from one scene to the next. It's a fast read.

Please note that I received a free copy to review, however, this is my honest opinion.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

Different

This story is told by a narrator, which made the characters feel distant to me. Like I was being told about them instead of experiencing their story. As I said in my title, I found this style very different from what I usually read. It took some getting used to.
I like to read historical fiction, so I noticed that the narrator and character's use of modern language continually pulled me out of the context of the 1500's. I'm not sorry I read it, but I might give it 3.5 stars.

[Sarah Beth G. (a.neverending.tbr) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a delightfully witty read. The premise of a priest and bishop in 1500s England that suddenly have the freedom to marry the women they love was a unique premise in this historical romcom. There is plenty of comedy of errors and witty banter from the narrator. I smiled and laughed multiple times. The pacing got a little slow for me at the halfway mark but picked up nicely at the end.

Romantic Content: Kisses

[Library Lady · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all let me say I did not receive a free copy to review, nor do I know the author. I simply picked this book up at the library and loved it! The author has a unique voice and his subtle humor had me chuckling al the way through. This is a light hearted romance with a lot of ins and outs and a great surprise ending. I hope the author writes another, or like the narrator of Pigs and Priests, many more stories.

[Kira · Rating 4 out of 5]

This read was fresh. Though it's been awhile since I read it, the perspective on a single law continues to come up. The author puts us in an unexpected time and presents us with the difficulties of being a normal man restricted by shifting laws of kings. It is a fascinating subject to think on. He allows us to see the complexities of living in an age and culture restricting and directing the lives of priests.

[A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unique story, quirky yet intelligent humor

This unique historical rom-com has an intriguingly intelligent sense of humor. The author admits to prioritizing entertainment over historical accuracy, and the light-hearted story delivers. The narrator's voice is frequently directed toward the audience, breaking the proverbial fourth wall.

[Boryana Adcock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful story full of humour

I really enjoyed reading "Of pigs and priests". Such a lovely story full of humour. I was reading with a smile on my face the majority of the time. I truly enjoyed this book by Nathaniel Gee who should give up his day job and just write books for a living as he is a very talented writer.

[Victoria · Rating 3 out of 5]

As someone who knows history this book can be extremely annoying. Placed historically during the period when Catholic England is evolving into Anglican the social details are all Jane Austin England. Ie bonnets and corsets and people owning their land. Could have had the same book but without the anachronisms

[Vanessa Navarre · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you enjoyed reading the Unselected Journals of Emma M Lion, you will love this book too. It has similar tones and comic relief. Despite being written by a totally different author and about a completely different time period. I found it witty and endearing. Highly recommend!

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A charming comedic romantic historical. The story of love and misunderstandings. Don’t miss this sweet story. The side characters are just as charming as the main. Loved it.

[Ann · Rating 2 out of 5]

The premise of the book is interesting but the development was lacking. I didn't care for the humor, it was more silly than funny.

[Cindy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I giggled a few times...and I think it could make a cute movie. The book just wasn't for me I guess.

[Tamra · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book. The writing was good and I enjoyed the humor, but it just fell flat for me.

[Lauren Perotto · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a fun read!

[Victor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Got this book from my sister. The premise is really funny, and I like how everything is a snowball effect.

The twist in the ending was something I expected but it was still good