By The Currawong's Call

What a fantastic book. 

I've really come to appreciate historical m/m lately, especially since I've been very lucky in my choices. And this was no exception. 

Set in 1891 in a small town a two day's ride away from Melbourne, this is both a great historical novel and the wonderful love story between Matthew, an Anglican priest and Jonah, the town's sergeant. 

The one tiny complaint I have is that in the beginning there is a bit too much telling, and it reads a little too much like a summary. However, that ends soon enough once the story between Matthew and Jonah really starts, and I loved everything about it. Considering the time and their position, especially Matthew struggles with their relationship, but the way he overcomes that felt convincing and genuine. I also loved how progressive Jonah was, in all his ways, and how that reflected in his behaviour. Basically I loved both Jonah and Matthew a lot, and I loved the way their story unfolded. 

What I find so powerful about historical novels about queer relationships is how for me they show how absurd it is to condemn someone for who they love. I also find it both heartbreaking and interesting how difficult it must have been how to figure out not only one's desires but one's feelings, too, without the framework of queer identity. If well done, historical novels can be very thought-provoking, and this certainly was. 

I absolutely loved this - I wouldn't necessarily call it a romance novel, since it felt more serious than that (not that romance cannot be serious as well, it's just that this didn't give me the same feelings romance tends to give me, but this is a bit difficult to out into words) but it a great love story in a historical setting and if you're at all interested in historical novels I highly recommend it.

I received an eArc of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

What a lovely book!

By the Currawong's Call is warm and sweet and sympathetic and respectful, with skilled and lovingly descriptive prose. A really satisfying read for a rainy day when you want to feel like there is love and hope even through trying times.

I enjoyed most everything about this book, starting from the very first line: 

"Two crows sat on the front gable of the little weatherboard church, telling each other terrible jokes."

I knew right then I was in for a treat. :-)

This is a story set in small-town Victoria, Australia, in the closing years of the 19th century. Life is lived at a slower pace, and everyone knows everyone else's business. The narrative voice fits the story perfectly -- gentle, quiet, descriptive. And although some dramatic events occur throughout the story, there's not a lot of angsting going on -- with a few exceptions, the characters just get up and do what they need to do.

Speaking of the narrative voice, I was struck throughout by the warmth, sympathy, and respect that shines through the author's words. Marsland obviously cares about the characters, both the MCs (Matthew and Jonah) and the secondaries, and it shows in the way she tells her story. I was especially struck by that gentle and respectul tone in the love scenes -- I won't call them sex scenes, because they were much more than that. Sadly my ereader trashed the bookmarks I tried to save, so I won't provide any specific quotes, but they were very satisfying to read.

I only have a couple of smallish complaints. First, the discussions about homosexuality in the Bible between Matthew and Jonah were too facile and ignored important and relevant passages, which I found irritating because Matthew, as a priest, would have been well aware of them. Second, the solution to their money problems (I won't spoil it here) was too convenient, and made things much too easy for them -- I thought it stole from the dramatic tension. And third, while the epilogue was interesting, I'm not sure it really worked dramatically -- its abrupt shift in tone and viewpoint was jarring, and we still didn't get real closure.

But those considerations didn't ruin the book for me at all. Good book, lots of warm fuzzies. I'll be looking forward to whatever Marsland writes next.

4 and 1/2 stars
This book was awesome. I melted for these two guys, the town's cop and the priest in a small Australian town in 1892. They couldn't be any sweeter. 
My only complaint was the epilogue! I wanted more! I wanted to hear about their HEA.
If you like Aussies and a forbidden love trope, this book is for you.
I recommend it.

By the Currawong's Call, Welton B. Marsland

Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre: LGBTQIA, Romance

I loved this book. Amazingly moving, so very realistic. 
When I read a romance I want something different, not just a cookie cutter A loves B story but something that creates emotion in me. this book delivers that. 

I love an occasional dip into a historical novel and it really suits this genre, with the draconian laws against homosexuality. ( Sadly in many areas laws like this still exist, and even when areas are more enlightened its still a battle against some people ).
The setting was perfect, had that small town feel, the way religion and priests were so respected. the snippet when one of the ladies mentions here suspicions about Jonah's sexuality to Matthew, and then apologises for talking about such matters to a man of the faith.....In little towns back then, as now, everyone knows everybody and rumours and gossip are what keeps life flowing. 

Jonah and Matthew are both such great characters, Matthew so very innocent, shamed of how he feels towards men so he's subjugated it for so long, ignored anything he feels, wrapped himself up in his work and God. He really is a staunch Believer, not someone I felt was paying lip service to religion, but God totally shaped his life. I loved his naivety, it was part of the person he was.  
Jonah too has a calling, he's been a policeman for a long time, worked his way up from the bottom and is so well respected by all the locals. He's a part of the community, not just the man who upholds the law.

For a small community they've had a few issues, Jonah was shot a few years back, and in this book he deals with a serious fire, assaults, runaway horse and a murder....a real Hero. And yet he can't be openly with the man he wants, they have to hide so carefully. If caught they face loss of both jobs, loss of standing in the community and not just that but a long spell of imprisonment. The way homosexuals were treated then they'd probably both get killed. Serious stuff. 
It amazes me how people can forget all the good others do in their judgmental views. Even if they didn't do anything particularly good, so long as they're not harming any one so what if they want to be together? 

Its a book that made me so sad, so angry, but which was so tender in the way the romance grew out of the blue. Jonah had spent time with lots of ladies but never really considered men sexually, though he knew a few from his police work and had a view that he'd turn a blind eye where he could. He had a good argument about the Bible and how we understand what's written. It IS very conflicting, it Is subjective and interpretive. 
Meeting Matthew and how he felt towards him came as a shock, and the relationship grew at a very natural for the time rate. 
Sometimes that's more tender, more romantic, more erotic even, that the more contemporary reads where it's lust at first sight, and they're hot and heavy before even getting to know each others names. A tiny touch, a careful glance can be so very sensual written properly, and this book is full of that.

Stars: five, Its a story to savour, a book to re-read later and had an epilogue I loved.     

ARC supplied for review purposes by Netgalley and Publishers

I received an ARC of By the Currawong's Call by Welton B. Marsland from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was fascinated by the idea of a police man and a priest finding love in historical Australia when it was illegal for two men to be in a relationship with each other. The way Marsland worked them into the relationship, through their struggle of how to continue this relationship was beautifully written. It wasn't just the imagery but their personalities, Johnah's brashness and Matthew's innocence made me want to keep reading and find out where these two men ended up. 

The romance aspect was tastefully done. It wasn't just sex for the two men, it was more. The way Marsland wrote the intimate scenes showed that to her readers. It may have started out in a moment of stress but they time and the journey they took together proved that they found something in each other that you would only be lucky to find today. 

I was worried about when the other shoe was going to drop but when it did, I was thankful for how ingenious Jonah was. The ending felt right and left me feeling hopeful for Jonah and Matthew. I so want to know how their lives ended up. 

Would I recommend this to friends? Oh yes! So much so. This was beautifully written and full of love and hope. When I finished reading, I felt lighter. It was a great read and I would love to read more by Marsland in the future.

I received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review. The story is about forbidden love between two men and the times they met and indulged.  Events happened that caused their bond to increase and develop into love for each other.  They decided to leave Australia and head to California to start a new life together.  The book was interesting and a good read.