Book Review: V.B.’s impression of Blessed by Maggie Blackbird
The latest I Love Romance Blog review selection is by Maggie Blackbird. Take it away, V.B.!
Thanks!
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.
Book Info:
Universal Reader link: https://books2read.com/u/3k6X8n
Here’s a teaser from the book…
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 suffered: 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 life: 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.
The putter of a diesel engine carried to where they stood at the side of the house. “Sounds like the priest’s clunker.” Clayton puffed on the cigarette.
Don’t watch them go by.
Knots formed in Darryl’s stomach. Did Emery accompany Father Bennie? What the heck was the priest doing up at Long River? Darryl lived at the reserve’s most northern district, far from Grassy, where the Matawapits resided.
The car slowed and then turned into the driveway. Black, wavy hair appeared in the windshield. Hot tingles shot through Darryl’s arms and legs. He’d better get himself under control. Running into the coward was expected. It was the reason why he’d raced around the reserve like a fool earlier, trying to figure out what to say when they eventually crossed paths.
Had Emery come to apologize? Maybe reconnect?
Wait a second. Someone had probably sent him. In the past, he hadn’t possessed the testicular fortitude to initiate anything. Father Bennie and Deacon Matawapit were up to something.
“Is that Emery?” Clayton frowned.
“Yeah. Gimme a second.” Darryl marched around the side of the house. When the car door opened, he froze.
Emery’s long legs appeared. He straightened to a towering six-foot[1]something. His red lips, smooth, pale skin, and high cheekbones melted Darryl’s insides. Tight muscles filled out Emery’s blue polo shirt and white dress pants. His hair curled around his square shoulders. This wasn’t a skinny seventeen-year-old kid who’d favored worn jeans, hiking boots, and t-shirts, but a twenty seven-year-old elegant man. “Hello. I was hoping to catch you at home.” Emery doffed his sunglasses, exposing his thick black lashes and bright green eyes. He tapped his shades against firm thighs Darryl had caressed during the best time of his life. Although Emery’s voice was deeper, the feathery tone still stroked Darryl deep inside his jeans.
Quivering, he spat out a, “Hel-hi…” He cleared his throat of the damned frog making him sound like an idiot. “Hello.”
“I-I planned on stopping by sooner.” Emery’s gaze roamed in every direction. “I was busy… unpacking.”
Darryl motioned to the side of the house. “I was heading out for a drive once I finish talking to someone.”
“Oh…” Emery’s gaze settled on Clayton, who appeared around the corner. “I’ll come back another day when you’re not busy.” Disappointment lined his voice. “Have a good night.”
When Emery turned for the car, Darryl’s frozen heart churned into overdrive. The question jumped from his mouth. “Where’re you going?”
Emery pivoted. “Back to the rectory. It’s where I’m staying during my visit.”
Darryl stifled his groan. Call him a sucker for asking. “You came here for a reason. Why?”
“Uh… I-” Emery held a fist to his mouth and coughed. “Do you have time for a walk?”
A shiver careened along Darryl’s spine. Instead of being prodded, Emery, of all people, had initiated something.
Clayton’s slim brows twisted downwards. “I guess we’re done?”
Everyone knew how tight Emery and Darryl had once been. The cunning coyote had better not think of Darryl as a traitor who’d lose focus on the Traditionalists Society’s mandate now that Emery was back.
“We can finish our convo tomorrow. Stop by my office in the morning.”
“Never mind. I’m outta here.” Clayton stamped to his pick-up parked on the side of the road. He glowered at Emery, who returned the frown with a nod.
Fire crackled through Darryl’s veins. Hostility and rudeness to another wasn’t the purpose of the Traditionalists Society. “We can meet at the Treaty Grounds.” Darryl used an even tone, though his pulse points raced faster than a bear chasing down dinner. “Right now, my road’s pretty much the Trans Canada.” A truck pulling a skiff rambled by. “Everyone’s heading out for the evening fish.”
“Okay.” Emery’s mouth remained closed while his full lips moved upward. He had the same shy smile capable of melting Darryl’s limbs. “I’ll meet you there.”
“Sure.” Darryl slid on the four-wheeler.
Emery opened the car door and got in. He drove off and left a trail of dust in his wake.
Darryl turned the key. The machine’s engine roared to life.
This couldn’t be happening. Someone must have plopped him in the middle of a dream. Who was the courageous man who’d come of his own accord?
AUTHOR: Maggie Blackbird
TITLE: Blessed (Book 1 of The Matawapit Family Series)
GENRE: LGBT (MM) romance, inspirational romance, steamy romance, second chances, multicultural romance
RELEASE DATE: July 6, 2018
PUBLISHER: eXtasy Books
ISBN/ASIN: B07F6DL98W
REVIEWED BY: V.B. “Can Do Indie Author”
Reviewer Bio: VB is an indie author who writes romance and Sci Fi and voraciously reads anything (with some limits). When she’s not reading and writing, she’s working a day job to pay for her truck habit and puttering around her house.
Thanks for reading our latest book review on ILRB! ♥ Have a great weekend, everyone!
Originally published at http://iloveromanceblog.wordpress.com on June 8, 2023.
