Sequel to Good to Know It's been almost a year since William lost his parents and left the only life he knew for a new home in Canada. But now there's nothing William loves more than being with his two new dads. His uncle Jerry McKenzie adopted him and then married David Loewenberger, and William is learning what it means to be part of a family. But despite all the love and care the two men lavish on him, William is still lonely. It's isn't until he meets Cory, a high school student who is helping coach his soccer team, that William begins to think about what it would be like to have a brother. Little does he know that he might just get his wish, but first William will learn some very important lessons about love and loss.
An Earlier Heaven (Good To Know Series)
and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle. Learn more
| |||||||||||||||
Book Description
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
By Dr Max
TOP 100 REVIEWER
Format:Paperback
'An Earlier Heaven' is the sequel to 'Good to Know' and simply continues the story of gay partners, Jerry and David, their now-adopted 11-year-old son, William, and William's friend, 16-year-old Cory. There are no surprises and lots of repetitions but ultimately this is a feel-good book through and through that tells Cory's story and how he's offered a second chance at happiness
. That's not necessarily a bad thing especially in the m/m romance genre but readers looking for surprises and mystery will need to look elsewhere.
Almost a year after William comes into Jerry's life, David and Jerry are now legally married, William is adopted and calls Jerry 'dad'. Things seem to be going very well except that William is still a little small for his age and he doesn't seem to be making many friends. Cory has been helping the soccer coach after school and he's taken a particular interest in helping William so that William can make the team. William latches onto Cory with something like hero-worship and Cory, in turn, seems to enjoy the company of the 11-year-old. While this may seem strange at first, or even suspicious, there is nothing evil going on here. Cory likes to help and William is lonely.
As Jerry and David learn more about Cory's home situation it quickly becomes obvious that it's untenable. Sure enough, one day Cory's gone and William is worried. But much to their surprise William spies Cory busking on a street corner in Edmonton while they're in town for Jerry's big gallery show. He's run away from home and from Calgary but they persuade him to stay with them and then persuade him to return with them and to stay at the ranch. This is foreshadowed in any number of ways so it's no surprise when it happens. It's also no surprise that there will be a few bumps on the road but in the end the story has a happy conclusion, again as predicted.
This story is punctuated by graphic sexual encounters between partners David and Jerry, to the point where I simply paged forward to get on with the story. This was also a feature of the first book in the series and, frankly, it was boring to read the same explicit activities again and again. In the first book, they were new although they got old quick but by the time we're in book 2 they're little more than gratuitous. They no longer do anything to advance the story, characters, suspense, or anything other than providing prurient content for those who like that kind of thing.
I believe the author is a teacher himself and it shows in this book as in the previous one, especially when we meet Cory's high school principal. I'd say that the author has little or no respect for school administrators, probably drawn from his personal experiences with them. I'd have to agree in a large part with that assessment and for the same reasons.
Had this book been on its own I might have given it a 4-star rating but as a sequel, when the characters and situations are pretty familiar already and given the lengthy gratuitous bouts of sex, I think it's a 3-star effort. While that's by no means bad, it's also not brilliant. I wonder if we'll see book 3 in this series?
. That's not necessarily a bad thing especially in the m/m romance genre but readers looking for surprises and mystery will need to look elsewhere.
Almost a year after William comes into Jerry's life, David and Jerry are now legally married, William is adopted and calls Jerry 'dad'. Things seem to be going very well except that William is still a little small for his age and he doesn't seem to be making many friends. Cory has been helping the soccer coach after school and he's taken a particular interest in helping William so that William can make the team. William latches onto Cory with something like hero-worship and Cory, in turn, seems to enjoy the company of the 11-year-old. While this may seem strange at first, or even suspicious, there is nothing evil going on here. Cory likes to help and William is lonely.
As Jerry and David learn more about Cory's home situation it quickly becomes obvious that it's untenable. Sure enough, one day Cory's gone and William is worried. But much to their surprise William spies Cory busking on a street corner in Edmonton while they're in town for Jerry's big gallery show. He's run away from home and from Calgary but they persuade him to stay with them and then persuade him to return with them and to stay at the ranch. This is foreshadowed in any number of ways so it's no surprise when it happens. It's also no surprise that there will be a few bumps on the road but in the end the story has a happy conclusion, again as predicted.
This story is punctuated by graphic sexual encounters between partners David and Jerry, to the point where I simply paged forward to get on with the story. This was also a feature of the first book in the series and, frankly, it was boring to read the same explicit activities again and again. In the first book, they were new although they got old quick but by the time we're in book 2 they're little more than gratuitous. They no longer do anything to advance the story, characters, suspense, or anything other than providing prurient content for those who like that kind of thing.
I believe the author is a teacher himself and it shows in this book as in the previous one, especially when we meet Cory's high school principal. I'd say that the author has little or no respect for school administrators, probably drawn from his personal experiences with them. I'd have to agree in a large part with that assessment and for the same reasons.
Had this book been on its own I might have given it a 4-star rating but as a sequel, when the characters and situations are pretty familiar already and given the lengthy gratuitous bouts of sex, I think it's a 3-star effort. While that's by no means bad, it's also not brilliant. I wonder if we'll see book 3 in this series?
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4.0 out of 5 stars
8 reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
A nice, but not quite as compelling, sequel
Jan 3 2011
By Robert Carnevali
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
Using Amazon's rating system, I give this almost four stars as I liked it quite a bit.
In "An Earlier Heaven", Jerry wound up with custody of his cousin's quiet, emotionally-withdrawn child when William's parents were suddenly killed. Being a loner who lives for creating art and engaging in anonymous sex, Jerry is very much upset. But one look at the shy, frightened William and Jerry knew that this child would be a part of his life. Little did he expect that he would fall for David, William's teacher, and in a few months, he'd have an entire family!
"Good to Know" was a nicely compelling romance where not only do the two lost souls meet and become a couple, but an entire family was created. "An Earlier Heaven" picks up shortly afterward. It's a family drama, not a romance, because romance has already been established by the time the story picks up. Here, William is doing well in school and has even take to sports. The only thing he doesn't seem to be doing is making friends. He does have a non-romantic crush on an older student whom he admires, and the older Cory is very caring towards William, treating him like a younger brother. But Cory seems to come from a troubled home, and as these two men incorporate Cory into their life, they wonder if Cory's troubles will eventually hurt William and if they should be doing something about it.
Characters are nicely developed, the plot moves along, and the settings are realistic and organic. Dialog is crisp, and there are some very heartwarming moments. It's a very enjoyable read. The only drawback is that "Good to Know" was a very compelling romantic tale of the coming-together of a family, and this.... isn't quite that. Yes, there's the possibility that Cory will expand their family in some way, but the obstacles faced aren't as severe as in the first tale. There, the men had to battle with their own demons to admit their love for each other. Here, it's some external forces which don't quite seem as compelling. A slight focus on brand-names within the story distracts a little bit during that scene and seems almost like product-placement, but doesn't hurt the story overall.
In essence, this story balances between illustrating the pains and foibles of raising a young child, and helping another child in his time of need.
It's a nice, warm tale. If you enjoyed the first book, then you should enjoy this one. It moves the characters further along and makes you a part of their family, with all of the good and bad.
In "An Earlier Heaven", Jerry wound up with custody of his cousin's quiet, emotionally-withdrawn child when William's parents were suddenly killed. Being a loner who lives for creating art and engaging in anonymous sex, Jerry is very much upset. But one look at the shy, frightened William and Jerry knew that this child would be a part of his life. Little did he expect that he would fall for David, William's teacher, and in a few months, he'd have an entire family!
"Good to Know" was a nicely compelling romance where not only do the two lost souls meet and become a couple, but an entire family was created. "An Earlier Heaven" picks up shortly afterward. It's a family drama, not a romance, because romance has already been established by the time the story picks up. Here, William is doing well in school and has even take to sports. The only thing he doesn't seem to be doing is making friends. He does have a non-romantic crush on an older student whom he admires, and the older Cory is very caring towards William, treating him like a younger brother. But Cory seems to come from a troubled home, and as these two men incorporate Cory into their life, they wonder if Cory's troubles will eventually hurt William and if they should be doing something about it.
Characters are nicely developed, the plot moves along, and the settings are realistic and organic. Dialog is crisp, and there are some very heartwarming moments. It's a very enjoyable read. The only drawback is that "Good to Know" was a very compelling romantic tale of the coming-together of a family, and this.... isn't quite that. Yes, there's the possibility that Cory will expand their family in some way, but the obstacles faced aren't as severe as in the first tale. There, the men had to battle with their own demons to admit their love for each other. Here, it's some external forces which don't quite seem as compelling. A slight focus on brand-names within the story distracts a little bit during that scene and seems almost like product-placement, but doesn't hurt the story overall.
In essence, this story balances between illustrating the pains and foibles of raising a young child, and helping another child in his time of need.
It's a nice, warm tale. If you enjoyed the first book, then you should enjoy this one. It moves the characters further along and makes you a part of their family, with all of the good and bad.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Recommended Read - A Best Book!
Dec 17 2010
By LAS Reviewer
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
Two men deeply in love, one precocious boy, and a troubled teenager are the perfect combination in this sexy and heartwarming novel by D. W. Marchwell. An Earlier Heaven is the captivating sequel to Good to Know, and it is absolutely fabulous!
Jerry McKenzie and David Loewenberger are now married and settled into life on the ranch with Jerry's orphaned nephew and newly adopted son William. David is still teaching school, and Jerry is preparing for an upcoming art exhibit. William is a sixth grader, and he is quite happy with the new life he now has with his two dads. Will William's newfound friendship with Cory bring heartache or joy to this loving and close knit family?
An Earlier Heaven is realistic and engrossing, and Mr. Marchwell brings the characters vividly to life. David and Jerry are still in the honeymoon phase of their relationship, and it is a sheer joy to watch their day to day interactions with one another. Their lovemaking is intensely passionate and highly sensual. David and Jerry's concern and love for William is touching, and their patience with him is almost endless. The introduction of Cory into their lives is not without some risk given his abusive past, but David and Jerry are helpless to resist when it becomes apparent that Cory is in desperate need of their assistance.
While the overall tone of An Earlier Heaven is upbeat and positive, Mr. Marchwell keeps the novel firmly grounded in reality with some of life's harsher moments. William has to learn to deal with the inevitable deaths that are a fact of life. Cory's unfortunate home life is yet another sad truth that occurs in today's world more often than we would like. David and Jerry are still contending with the bigotry that sometimes faces those in same sex marriages and relationships.
D. W. Marchwell achieves an ideal blend of the good and bad times that come with life. There are a few moments that will bring tears and while the most of the tears are happy ones, there will be a few sad ones mixed in there as well. An Earlier Heaven is a beautiful reminder to count your blessings no matter how big or small, and it will linger in your heart and mind long after the last page is turned.
Originally posted at Whipped Cream Reviews
Jerry McKenzie and David Loewenberger are now married and settled into life on the ranch with Jerry's orphaned nephew and newly adopted son William. David is still teaching school, and Jerry is preparing for an upcoming art exhibit. William is a sixth grader, and he is quite happy with the new life he now has with his two dads. Will William's newfound friendship with Cory bring heartache or joy to this loving and close knit family?
An Earlier Heaven is realistic and engrossing, and Mr. Marchwell brings the characters vividly to life. David and Jerry are still in the honeymoon phase of their relationship, and it is a sheer joy to watch their day to day interactions with one another. Their lovemaking is intensely passionate and highly sensual. David and Jerry's concern and love for William is touching, and their patience with him is almost endless. The introduction of Cory into their lives is not without some risk given his abusive past, but David and Jerry are helpless to resist when it becomes apparent that Cory is in desperate need of their assistance.
While the overall tone of An Earlier Heaven is upbeat and positive, Mr. Marchwell keeps the novel firmly grounded in reality with some of life's harsher moments. William has to learn to deal with the inevitable deaths that are a fact of life. Cory's unfortunate home life is yet another sad truth that occurs in today's world more often than we would like. David and Jerry are still contending with the bigotry that sometimes faces those in same sex marriages and relationships.
D. W. Marchwell achieves an ideal blend of the good and bad times that come with life. There are a few moments that will bring tears and while the most of the tears are happy ones, there will be a few sad ones mixed in there as well. An Earlier Heaven is a beautiful reminder to count your blessings no matter how big or small, and it will linger in your heart and mind long after the last page is turned.
Originally posted at Whipped Cream Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
worth the price
Nov 8 2010
By A Customer
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Kindle Edition
this second book continues the story keeping the great flow and development of the main characters. the summary of the book fails to capture the romance of the main characters. if you loved the first book i highly recommend this as a must read.
›
Go to Amazon.com to see all 8 reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
- Books > Gay & Lesbian > Literature & Fiction > Fiction > Erotica
- Books > Gay & Lesbian > Literature & Fiction > Fiction > Gay
- Books > Gay & Lesbian > Literature & Fiction > Fiction > Romance
- Books > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction > Gay & Lesbian > Erotica
- Books > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction > Gay & Lesbian > Gay
- Books > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction > Gay & Lesbian > Romance
- Books > Romance > Contemporary
- Books > Romance > Erotica > Gay & Lesbian
Feedback
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
