D.W. Marchwell - Comfort

4½ stars - D.W. Marchwell excels with his novels, but he also does an amazing job with his short stories. In just a few pages he introduces us to, then gets us involved with, his characters. And he always leaves us utterly delighted. And while I would love to have more story to read, I can never figure out just how Mr. Marchwell could do it. The story may be short but it is complete as is.

Comfort is a tender, loving and, yes I'll say it, sweet story about Chris and Davis. These two young men didn't know each other for very long, but their connection was very potent. I loved the brief shared moments in their lives and the emotions came spilling across the pages [uh, virtual pages:] in an eminently satisfying manner.

Once again, D.W. Marchwell illustrates beautifully just why I not only buy his books as they're released, but also read them right away. And with my extremely large TBR that's saying something!

* * * * * *

Book info:
D.W. Marchwell; Comfort; Dreamspinner Press; May 2010

Summary:
Chris Egeto fled to Canada to avoid the Vietnam War with only fifty dollars in his pocket and a desire to stay alive and whole; he left everything he knows and loves behind. But when he is injured just after making it across the border, Chris doesn't have a choice: he will have to trust the stranger who offers him help, a decision tha will change both their lives forever.

BUY BOOK

Sins of the Father by D.W. Marchwell

Buying this book was a given; this is the third story by D.W. Marchwell that I've read and it totally blew me away. I've loved his other stories, but in Sins of the Father, he's surpassed himself. This is not a short story ~ I was up 'til 4:30 in the morning because I literally could not put this book down ~ but it read as though it were. Was it worth it? Oh heck yes! (I'm using much stronger language in my mind... just so you know.)
In fact just after I started reading the book I had to go back and buy the print version. This is one of those authors whose storytelling leaves me wanting his books in any form that I can get them... and, while I have a large list of favourite authors, the number whose books I have in all formats is much, much smaller.

Sins of the Father is amazingly rich in detail, the storyline is one that will stand the test of time and the characters? Dear heaven; they were phenomenal and... even thinking about them now leaves me feeling almost overwhelmed with emotion. Connected, involved with, interested in... none of these describe how I felt about them.
And the story ~ Wow! Even though I was merely an observer I felt as though I were there with all my senses involved and it and it totally rocked.

I'd like to say I'm speechless, but of course that won't wash... but it's taken me 6 hours before I felt capable of doing D.W. Marchwell's Sins of the Father any justice at all.

So run, do not walk, and buy yourself a copy... you won't be sorry!

D.W. Marchwell ~ Good to Know

D.W. Marchwell is a new-to-me author; I *found* him through a guest blog on Book Wenches. The post itself was fascinating reading; when he segued into mentioning his book and added how it was connected with his post, I was hooked and went straight away to Dreamspinner Press.  Didn't hurt either that I know the area that he wrote about quite well... beautiful, beautiful country.

So I bought Good to Know and read it within a day or so... with my backlog of TBR books that doesn't happen often, but I was particularly intrigued by the story synopsis and the post that Mr. Marchwell wrote.  I was completely enchanted, both by the characters and their stories that became their story. A heartwarming romance with two men and a boy all looking for somewhere to belong. It's about a search for friendship, family and love and about taking what they have made of their lives and learning to open themselves up and risk hurt.  But anything worthwhile is earned with tears, sweat and labour and in Good to Know, D.W. Marchwell shows himself to be cognizant and familiar with these concepts.

I'm now firmly in the D.W. Marchwell fan club and will be sure to acquire anything this most talented writer comes out with.  Fabulous!