Mark of Cain

Mark of Cain #1

by Kate Sherwood

When a man is consumed by hatred, is there anything left to love?

After a tough day of counseling sessions, Anglican priest Mark Webber is looking forward to a relaxing dinner at a local restaurant. When he sees who’s bellied up to the bar, though, he reaches for his cell phone to call the police.

It’s Lucas Cain, the man who killed Mark’s brother three years ago. Apparently he’s out of jail and hanging out with his old crowd, which has to be a breach of parole, right?

Pulled over upon leaving the bar, Lucas blows a clean breathalyzer and hopes this isn’t a harbinger of things to come. He’s ready to build a sober, peaceful life. His friends aren’t ready to let him move on, though, and he ends up taking refuge in an Anglican half-way house.

Thrown together, Mark and Lucas find common ground in the struggle to help a young gay man come to terms with his sexuality—and the fight against homophobic townsfolk. As attraction grows, the past is the last stumbling block between them and a future filled with hope.

Warning: Bad boys being good, good boys being bad.

Genres: M M Romance, Romance, Contemporary, Enemies To Lovers, Religion, Contemporary Romance, LGBT

338 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 20, 2014

Reviews

[Baba · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars. Review posted May 27, 2014







After having spent three years in a federal high-security prison and being a model prisoner, Lucas Cain is prematurely discharged. He'll be on parole for the next few years and has to obey rigorous rules. Cain comes back to his little hometown and it won't be long before Anglican priest Mark Webber runs into his brother's manslaughterer. Problems are bound to occur.

"I'm a convicted felon. And what I'm convicted of…what I did…to who…"
"Do you think I'm unaware of that?" Mark's voice was strained. "Honestly, you think I haven't struggled with all this?"
"You've struggled with it and come to the conclusion that we should go on a date? Fuck, Mark, you need to struggle some more!"
(…)
"I know all the reasons to walk away, but I also…" He reached out and ran his fingers gently, reverently along Lucas's jawline. "I also know this," he said, and he leaned in, his lips meeting Lucas's gently.



Mark of Cain is fiction. What is the likelihood that in real life an Anglican priest would fall in love with the man who killed his brother? I just don't know. I know, however, that Kate Sherwood did a fine job at developing both characters individually during the first half of the story. And even though Father Mark strongly believed in rehabilitation, forgiveness and altruism, the author depicted a man of God who wasn't beyond doing things out of an urge of vindictiveness and anger at the man who hurt his family. Father Mark is assuming the worst whenever an occasion arises and Lucas Cain is presumed guilty before he can even say a word to defend himself. But Lucas's law-abiding behavior as well as his reserved and level-headed demeanor are working in his favor and Father Mark is intrigued and wants to observe the quiet man.

The author also did a great job at portraying a convicted felon who left prison prematurely as a 'reformed' man who tried very hard to stay on the path of righteousness. He committed one deadly mistake. It won't ever be forgotten and he knew that he would regret it for the rest of his life, but at the same time he was done with his old life, yet he struggled to figure out how to make a new one. Being on parole, nothing simply dropped into his lap; he had to work hard to gain people's respect and Lucas was ready to make amends, to offer some kind of atonement. I'm aware that some felons can't be rehabilitated (most probably serial killers and incurable pedophiles) but let's face it, a majority can and will be reintegrated into society--at least that's the case in my home country. Even felons deserve a second chance. Mark of Cain also touched on ethics as well as the struggles of not only being a gay man but a gay priest in the Anglican church. It seems to be a given that it will take more time to overcome prejudices as well as to accomplish a change of mind.



During the second half of Mark of Cain the author dedicated much more page time to Mark and Lucas's blossoming relationship. Romance-wise I got what could be expected. No rush, just a steady and nice build up and their halting relationship definitely took off in a way that pleased me very much. Passion-infused lust went hand in hand with an endearing self-consciousness that led to cautious and sweet even funny and light-hearted dialogue. Sheepishness and boldness, you'll get both sides of the coin with this book and the author really made me fall for Lucas whom I found very likable. The romance kinda reminded me of Sherwood's Dark Horse because there was the same long build up that made me incredibly antsy to reach the peak that felt so far off. In hindsight Lucas’s character somehow reminded me of Dan. Both protagonists feel much more at ease dealing with animals than human beings.

Minor quibbles
I would have loved to get more page time for Lucas and Mark as a couple. Also, at the end I was left with 'unanswered' questions. The friendship between Sean and Lucas was still somewhat impaired. Will Sean come around eventually? What happened between Mark and his mother? Mark giving up his vocation as a priest was a big decision and I felt the author could have explored that angle a bit deeper.



Bottom line, Mark of Cain is not your run-of-the-mill M/M romance and definitely worth a try. I enjoy Kate Sherwood's writing because her stories offer so much more than sex. Compelling storytelling and great character development is the perfect foundation to draw me into a story and engage me emotionally.

Recommended read.

[Shile (Hazard's Version) on-hiatus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Huh! This one was just OK.



The characters Ok.

The Sex Meh! But i blame that on HR!

I didn't believe the relationship between the MC, IMO the story was just fine without the relationship.

I liked Lucas and his love for animals, i wish he was well developed, by the end of the book, i still didn't really know him.

I liked it, but something was missing.

[Kate Sherwood]

I think that as gay rights in the REAL world progress, m/m authors need to really challenge ourselves to ensure that we progress along with them. I'm not saying there are no challenges or heartaches associated with being gay anymore, but I do think that we need to at least sometimes find conflict for our stories that goes beyond homophobia or angst and self-doubt.

That's what I tried to do with this story. Being gay is a part of both of the MC's lives, but this isn't really a coming-out story, as such. They both face discrimination, but it's far from the major conflict. And neither one really has any doubt or self-loathing about being gay. They've got bigger things to worry about.

Three years ago, Lucas killed Mark's brother. THAT's what they need to worry about!

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

BR here with amazing Girls




There are so many moral issues in this story, but this author does a terrific job and is a compelling story, testing of faith, forgiveness and redemption!!

Lucas Cain a convicted man and Mark Webber a Anglican priest, two must unlikely souls to be together, but faith or destiny, puts Lucas in the path of Mark, and he´s faced with the man who hurts is family so deeply, but needs help, Mark is torn between the Anglican church believes and his own feelings… read it to find what happens! :D



The first time I read Kate Sherwood´s book and I´m really pleased with it, despite some unanswered questions, but overall it´s a story we don’t usually read and it´s nicely done!

Highly rec!!

[Cory · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sorry folks, I had a long ass review all typed up which just disappeared and I'm not retyping it :(

I will make this short and sweet:

1) I've never read anything by Kate Sherwood that I didn't love. I may have cried my eyes out while reading it (not in this particular book), but I loved it all the same.

2) I love enemies that come together. It's a secret pleasure of mine and that made this story so appealing to me.

3) I love a man that loves and takes care of animals. I mean, seriously, that puts them highest on the 'take me anytime you want' meter for me.

4) I loved how Lucas was determined to change his life around even though it meant turning away from his former friends while getting help from the one person who probably hated him the most.

5) I loved that Mark was able to put aside his feeling for Lucas to help him in the first place. I also loved that he was able to see how Lucas had changed.

I really did love this book. I thought the ending was a little rushed, but I'm hoping there might be a part II coming our way.

I think there is more to tell about Sean and I would definitely read more about Mark and Lucas! Two thumbs up for this book!

Two thumbs down for Goodreads eating my original review!

[Kaje Harper · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book opens with a pair of men who have every reason to stay away from each other. Anglican priest Mark Webber is openly gay, living and working within the somewhat-accepting home of his church and parish. The biggest tragedy of his life so far has been the death of his younger brother Jimmie in a bar fight. The killer cracked his brother's skull with a bottle, pled guilty to manslaughter, and is now being released on parole after just three years in prison. Even for a priest, forgiving and forgetting are not possible. And his parents are devastated, and angry.

Lucas Cain killed a man in a fight he barely remembers, on a drunken night out with a bunch of friends. He accepted his guilt, did his time, and now has to begin to live on the outside again. But he knows that three years in prison can't begin to make up for a man's life, and his friends don't seem to understand that he's been changed even more by what he did than by the time behind bars. He's not sure how to move on.

Neither man wants to be around the other, but it's a small town. They are going to meet up inevitably. And Mark's poisonous anger at the man who lived when his brother died leads him to shadow Lucas, hoping to see him break parole and end up back behind bars. Except that the more he watches, the less he understands this killer who destroyed his family. Because Lucas lives quietly, keeps his head down, and talks to squirrels...

I liked the set-up. I really liked that Mark did some understandable but unkind things in his bitter anger at the injustice of Lucas going free. I wasn't sure these two could ever come together convincingly, but Lucas's innate sweetness and Mark's compassion made it possible. I thought the drama was fairly well judged, for all the forces arrayed against these two men.

I do wish the book had been a chapter or two longer. Some of the events described in the epilogue would have been ones I wanted to see and feel, especially between Mark and his mother and his superior, and perhaps between Lucas and his friend Sean's mother. There was some pain that hovered, in those situations, that was diluted by simply hearing about how they were resolved. Kate Sherwood knows how to wring the heart, and angst-lover that I am, I wanted her to torture Mark just a bit more with his insoluble conflicts of loyalties. But the ending worked and was warm and complete.

I was interested in the obstacles facing Mark, as a gay priest whose acceptance fell in the grey zone for his church, particularly with regard to extramarital sex. The topic was somewhat blurred by the other factors including who Lucas was, how fast the physical side of their relationship happened, and the conflicts with parishioners. It fit this story, but someday I'd love to see that topic raised with a priest who doesn't give his superiors other excuses to clamp down on him, and perhaps parents who were his devoted champions within the church... Nonetheless, it was good to see the conflict between gay and church changing and shifting, becoming more complex, as religious tradition and modern realities meet.

A good, smooth, enemies to lovers story with some unique twists. I hope she writes teenager Alex's story someday. I really loved that kid, as a secondary character.

[Ami · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kate Sherwood has steadily entered my personal “author whose works are usually solid” list. I admit that I haven’t read her popular MMM series – mainly because I don’t like MMM – but the last few books of hers are satisfying.

“ Mark of Cain ” is quite complex but nonetheless a compelling read. The complexity comes from the situation in which how the two main characters connected. Lucas Cain killed Mark’s brother three years ago. Yes, this is a story about a killer and the victim’s brother. I think throughout the years of my reading MM romance, I can count only few titles offer similar situation (a killer and someone related to the victim). I think that premise is the one that pulls me in – even if I’m not exactly a fan of the religious element (Mark is an Anglican priest).

This is a slow-burned kind of relationship. So do NOT expect instant lust or instant connection. Lucas is adamant to turn his life around; he takes ownership of his crime and if he has to move away from his ‘old’ life, and be alone, so be it. My heart goes to Lucas – I know that he kills Mark’s brother, and I’m not trying to justify his crime, but I also think that people can truly regret things and try to be a better person. Lucas is doing his best and every time he seems to hit bumps on the road of redeeming himself. I’m just happy that he has people who believe in him, like his parole officer, or Elise, the owner of a farm where Lucas works.

Mark is definitely struggling with his growing sympathy with Lucas. It’s truly captivating to read this – because even if Mark wants to hate Lucas, he finds that the young man kind and he actually appreciate the later friendship. Mark is struggling with his own problem coming from the church; even though Anglican church accepts gay priest but it apparently there’s still politics playing and Mark has been stonewalled several times. His friendship with Lucas helps him – and later their growing attraction – makes Mark really feel happy and content and motivates him to do what is right.

There is a secondary plot – well, it’s a plot that brings Mark and Lucas to work together – with a gay teenager named Alex, which I also enjoy.

This is a long novel (my Kindle clocks it in more than 350 pages) but it never feels long. I read it on course of two days – darn working hour! – because I want to see how Mark and Lucas make it.

My only complaint for this book is basically the route that Ms. Sherwood takes when it comes to the church. I am a Muslim so I won’t pretend like I know about being an Anglican (or other form of Christianity) but it seems that the resolution for this just cements the perception that religion is bad and un-accepting when it comes to LGBT; since Mark ends up leaving the church and pursues his life calling in a different way. It might be true in real life, but heck, sometimes I wish for the story that defies this, you know? It gives me hope.

Oh, and maybe at times, Lucas’s martyr behavior frustrates me – although at the same time the fact that he indeed a killer makes me able to dismiss my frustration. It is understandable.

In overall, this is another satisfying read from Ms. Sherwood.






The ARC is provided by the publisher for an exchange of fair and honest review. No high rating is required for any ARC received.

[Elsa Bravante · Rating 3 out of 5]

He visto que voy a ser un garbanzo negro entre tanta buena review. Podría decir que soy yo y no el libro, pero con sinceridad, no pienso que sea así.
Luke y Mark se enamoran a pesar de que Luke mató hace unos años al hermano de Mark en una pelea de bar. Por si esto fuera poco, hay que añadir que Mark es un cura gay y ya sabemos que la Iglesia no se distingue por sus ideas progresistas... El festival de angst está asegurado. Y así es, hay angst, por cómo se siente Luke al salir de la cárcel, por cómo se siente Mark ante esta salida, por cómo se sienten ambos al encarar un enamoramiento que no será bien visto por la sociedad y por la Iglesia. La autora se entretiene en estos puntos, y es cierto que son puntos importantes, tanto para entender a los personajes como su camino. Pero, he encontrado un problema. Si bien es necesario que analice esos temas, creo que la historia de amor se diluye en ellos. No he visto ninguna química entre los personajes. La autora nos cuenta una y otra vez cómo se sienten en distintas circunstancias, pero a la hora de ver cómo se enamoran todo es: y pasaron mucho tiempo junto y se enamoraron. Mmmmm, no, no me gusta, quiero ser testigo de cómo eso ocurre, y aquí no lo he sido. Los personajes están acartonados, hay mucho que falta que nos cuenten, hay emoción, pero no entre ellos dos.
Nah, no me ha despertado nada a pesar de los temas difíciles que trata.

[Natasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars!

I've never read a book for Kate Sherwood that I didn't really love. Or one that hasn't made me cry.

Some parts made me really laugh, and some parts made me shed a few tears. There are some incredibly steamy parts, and some parts where I wanted to grab some people by the shoulders and shake them.

A beautiful story about forgiveness and humanity.

Would recommend.

[Alvin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is great work from Ms. Sherwood!

The only problem I had with this was it started VERY strong, then became weaker until the end. The ending was a little anti-climatic for me too.

But hell, the angst was PERFECT . That first part? It was so goddamn good! What I expected Mark and Lucas feel from each other happened. From beginning to end. Even at times I thought some stuff were a little convenient, but I got what I wanted. I was riveted from the beginning! This held my attention throughout. I keep on reading and reading because I wanna know what will happen and how it will happen. Btw, this is a (very) slow burn romance, understandably. So if you want a book with a lot of lovin', this might not be the one for you.

I loved both Mark and Lucas. I loved that I got both of their POVs. I enjoy both sides of their story: Lucas' guilt and regrets, and also Mark's faith and forgiveness. I never thought Alex would be this mini comic relief for the story. He's cool. And I also liked the secondary characters.

Aside from this, I've only read the Dark Horse series but I think this might be the BEST of her works yet.

RECOMMENDED!


4.5 STARS!


I wanted to make a review with "racy" pics (a.k.a naked men with religious figurines) for this book but since I already got 2 strikes from Goodreads, I will post it on my blog.
https://sappynoypi.wordpress.com/2015...

[Rosalinda *KRASNORADA* · Rating 4 out of 5]

I LOVED THIS BOOK BIG TIME!!! Plus I read it on my honeymoon so it will always be a special story for me ;)

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

When I first read the blurb for this I was more than curious with how in the hell are these two going to end up in a relationship? An ex-con who killed the younger brother of an Anglican Priest? It was an intense reaction that I had and that reaction was exactly why I had to read this. This need to know deal I have can prove to be troublesome but thank goodness Ms. Sherwood knows how to write her butt off and created one hell of a beautiful story.

“Do you ever feel like everything’s gone wrong? Like…like your whole life is you stuck in traffic on the highway and there’s no off-ramps and it sucks where you are and you aren’t even fucking moving…”

Told in the dual POV’s of Lucas and Mark… this story was a complete journey for sure. I loved how it was told, we get the story, the lives of these men so separately and yet so intimately through each time their paths cross or they are thrown together. It was heartbreaking to watch them both struggle with the situation and work toward the new normal that is now their life.

Lucas, tore my heart out. You know that the fight that landed him in jail for manslaughter was an accident and that the guilt hangs heavy on the young man’s shoulders. It was hard to watch him be so empty and just go through the yes, sir – no, sir - motions of the day trying to do everything his right to not violate his parole. The shitty situations he ends up in were frustrating and when the last one with his friend Sean and his minions almost caused Lucas to lose it all, what little he had made for himself… I saw red. Goodness. Poor Lucas.

“One man died in that fight. One life wasted. But you’re still alive, Lucas. For whatever reason, God took Jimmy and left you here. Now you need to find a way to make your life worth something."

Mark, I fell for Mark so damn fast. Usually in my romance, the less religion the better and yet with this, it was done perfectly. Mark’s faith is so strong and such a part of who he is, without it, he wouldn’t make sense. The religion is present yet not overwhelming and for me it not only humanizes the story but keeps it grounded and regulates it as well. I found the way Mark was handled, being a priest and openly gay, was profound. The church wasn’t this magical place that now revered homosexuality and they didn’t redeem it either, it’s this gray area that Mark lives in and tries to make better. Everything that Mark does comes from this place of faith and it’s in his faith that leads him to Lucas.

“I didn’t just wake up. That’s the thing, Lucas. You woke me up. I know what you’re saying about this not being a logical relationship. I get that. But I don’t feel like I really have a choice in the matter.”

I absolutely adored this story. It was just so well done that today, I spent the day in bed, in pajamas with green tea, vanilla coconut ice cream, chocolate Chex cereal and Mark and Lucas. That was the plan, to stay in bed and finish their story and that is what I did. Oh I can’t forget Alex with his bits of comic relief and Elise with her tough love who fully support the boys and the story. There was so much in this that worked in and out of the relationship as it builds from enemies, to kinda friends to more than either of them every thought would happen.

Speaking of the relationship, for those who like their instant gratification with sex scenes, you won’t get it with this book. This story has a slow build, a slow burn to it and jumping into the sack couldn’t work with this and yeah, you have to wait for it but that wait, it’s worth it. Really worth it.

This story it was heavy at times, even sad and yet there would be these moments that made me laugh out loud to break the tenstion and they were perfectly timed. I am still grinning over Lucas and his skills at negotiations with Mark… good lord boy, all you had to do was say yes! No matter what though, Mark and Lucas were great and I agree with Alex –

“Okay, this is pretty romantic… You guys are like an epic couple battling the odds. Romeo and Juliet, for sure.”

Mark of Cain, knowing those words and the story behind it from my days of being religion, the twist was amazing. There are so many ways you can take the passage from Genesis and make it significant to this romance yet anyway you do it, it will make you think and that’s what good reading does. What this story also does is make me want to go find a fat squirrel to have a conversation with, yup, I need to go find some woodland creatures to talk this out with.

[Eva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Complex and compelling tale about faith, forgiveness and redemption

"Bad boys being good, good boys being bad."

Mark and Lucas's story



Light



Faith



Angst



Love



Unexpected companions



And hope



This is not your usual MM romance but a fantastic story about how one tragic, stupid moment in time can change your life forever.

After what had happened Cain genuinely wants to be a better man. Mark and Cain struggle with their growing attraction to each other.

"Mark pulled himself away and somehow had the strength to keep Lucas from following. “That’s what I know,” he said intensely. “I’m going crazy thinking about you. There’s something here, and I want more of it, even if it is a bad idea."

This book has lots of angst and deals a lot with forgiveness. Have Lucas has really forgiven himself? Could Mark ever really forgive a man for taking the life of his brother? By the end of the story Mark and Cain have found their way to perhaps unexpectedly, yet very happy place.

"Sometimes when things seem to be falling apart, they’re actually falling together"

I liked it a lot. Recommended read.

Amazing BR here.

[Linda ~ they got the mustard out! ~ · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

It was just bad luck that I ended up reading this at the same time I was listening to Brothers of the Wild North Sea. The two books, despite being different genres and different time periods, deal with the same themes: enemies to lovers, a man of the cloth struggling with his faith and church, a wild man learning a new way to live his life. One of these books is successful at exploring these complex themes, the other...not so much.

Brothers of the Wild North Sea is like the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Mark of Cain is like a finger painting by a three-year old. Brothers of the Wild North Sea is like eating freshly ripe strawberries dipped in cream on a breezy, mild summer day. Mark of Cain is like an ice cream sandwich that's been out of the freezer too long. You know it'll still taste the same, but the texture's all wrong and the sandwich part sticks to your fingers and it's just not as satisfying as it could've been.

But anyway, enough with the unfair comparisons! Let's talk about the Mark of Cain!



A man struggling with his faith and church - There were good bones here. I did find most of Mark's storyline here to be superficial at best, but I did like how it highlighted the struggle that many fundamental churches have when trying to move forward with the times. They can talk the talk, but they trip and stumble when they try to walk the walk. Unfortunately, much of the meat of this was pushed to the back burner because of the Twu Wuv taking center stage halfway through. *sigh*

I mostly liked Mark. Except when he was being an ass. He loves his church but slowly comes to realize how much of himself he's given up for it and that it doesn't love him back. This could have been really intense, but in the end there wasn't all that much depth to these sections and they're breezed over for the Tru Wuv.



An excon trying to make amends and be better - I really liked Lucas. His story here is sad. Yes, he killed a guy, but he spent his stint in prison doing what he could to become a better person, one who doesn't drink too much and doesn't get into pointless bar fights because he's bored with his life. He was only 19 when this stupid thing happened, and it'll haunt him the rest of his life. When he's released, he tries to hold onto what the therapist taught him, but his friends are determined to pull him back into his old ways. And his friends are, for the most part, caricatures with no real nuance of their own, the exception of Sean.

Between Mark and Lucas, his actions made the most sense throughout the book and I was most interested to see where his story would go.

So what happens when these two "enemies" get together?



Well...not much. First, Lucas is placed in the half-way house that Mark supervises because his parole officer is terrible at his job - and despite Lucas's case being very high profile, to the point that random strangers know who Lucas is and what he did, none of the other ex-cons in this place have any clue about the connection between Mark and Lucas. Or maybe they do, but we just don't get to see it because we never actually meet any of the other guys in the house except when they're needed to play bit parts. But since even Lucas is unaware of this connection, I can only assume the other guys in the house don't know either. Yeah. Suuuure they don't.

Anyway, that ridiculous coinkydink aside, Mark's a jerk to Lucas, and he's completely unprofessional with his job. Like, on so many levels. And Lucas just takes everything that's thrown at him - from Mark and every other random person - because he knows he deserves it.

And then this thing happens with Alex, a teen boy that Mark is counseling at the church. Alex starts off as a character in his own right, and he's a mirror to Mark. Mark is constrained, careful. Alex is bold and upfront. And of course he's got the big crush on Lucas. But turns out his character is mostly just a bridge to Mark and Lucas burying the hatchet and forming a friendship of sorts, because Alex needed help and they're both willing to help him. Which is all great! I was ready to see where this went!

But then it kind of fizzles out. Alex fades into the background for awhile and Mark pretty much ignores him because of Tru Wuv. *sigh*



In the end, I needed a lot more time spent with these two as hesitant acquaintances/quasi-friends before they jumped into bed together. Years worth. Not just months, which are really more like a couple of weeks once they really start spending time together. The moment they started lusting is the moment this book became just another M/M Romance (™) and stopped being anything interesting. I just couldn't buy it. I was pretty much yelling (in my head) at Mark "Dude, he killed your brother, what are you doing?!" every other page. And I like Lucas! But seriously. He killed your brother. WHAT ARE YOU DOING!

Random stuff:

We meet Will in chapter two when he takes Mark to a bar to unwind after the news that Lucas got released on early parole. Will and Mark seem like good friends, so he should have shown up again at any point in this story to help out Mark or be a sounding board for him when his life was falling apart, but it's like Sherwood forgot this character even existed.

I thought we'd see a lot more of Mark's parents, since such a big deal was made over how upset they were about Lucas's release, but they're barely mentioned at all in the first half of the book, and we never even actually meet his dad. And his mom...okay, I'm going to keep this rant super short, but I really resent that Mark's mom was made to look like a villain at the end. This poor woman has lost everything, and to try to make her the mustache-twirling bad guy just felt disingenuous. Was that there to allow the reader to feel better about Mark being with Lucas? If so, that is beyond the pale. She has every right to be upset and want nothing to do with Lucas, and I frankly have to agree with her that Mark wasn't making wise decisions at this point.

There's also this weird subplot with Lucas's friend Sean towards the end that doesn't really go anywhere. Was this supposed to be a series at one point and she changed her mind? That's the only reason it makes sense to include all this stuff that really just takes time away from other things that should be getting more focus.

Anyway, there's good stuff here, good bones, but a lot of it felt haphazard and didn't go as in depth with the material as I wanted it to. This could have been glorious



but ended up just being kind of frumpy.



(Sorry, Chuck.) :D

[Jyanx · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as an ARC through NetGalley.

I really enjoyed this book. I was a bit apprehensive with the religious aspects of this book, but I was pleasantly surprised it wasn't preachy at all. Mark is deeply religious, but his is the sort of faith that he build his life on. It is his rock, his source of strength and comfort. He isn't the sort of person who feels the need to push his religion onto others, or judge others for their faith or lack thereof. He is a good man struggling to find his place in his church, his family, and his community. I loved how he much he struggled to hold himself to the principals and values he believes in. He struggled to be the kind of person he believes his God has called him to be. He fails, but he doesn't keep trying.

I really liked Lucas as well. His struggles to be a different, and a better person. He never excuses what he did. He never makes excuses, passes the blame, or expects people to forget His support system is nearly non existent, and his friends from before only make things worse, but he doesn't use it as an excuse for not trying to do better. He is bound and determined to be different, and does all he can to make it happen no matter how many people seem to be waiting for him to mess up even slightly.

I liked their connection. There was no hint of instant love, and it takes time for them to learn to understand each other. Mark needs to learn to see Lucas as he really is, and not as he imagined him to be. They both have to learn to trust each other, and seeing them fall in love was beautiful.

The plot was rich, and complicated. I appreciated that things were difficult, and messy. That there were no simple solutions or easy answers. Life isn't always about innocence or guilt or even right and wrong. I liked that the secondary cast was richly developed, and their stories were an integral part of the story. I liked that characters could, and did change, and not always for the better. It made Mark and Lucas's story feel more real, and more honest. The ending was well done, and didn't feel fairy tale happy or fake. It was a genuine sort of happy ending. Not an easy read, but a realy strong one.

[*P*u*r*p*l*e* Masochist · Rating 4 out of 5]

~ Arc provided via Netgalley by Samhain Publishing in exchange for honest review ~

4.5 stars

This review is posted on Way Too Hot Books.

Don't be misled by the synopsis, because this is not your typical mm contemporary romance about Anglican priest falling for ex prisoner. This story is so much more than that. Above all it's about acting reckless and immature and unintentionally making that one mistake and then dealing with the consequences til' the rest of your life. It's about forgiveness, sacrifice, faith and discrimination. It's about the bonds of family and friendship, and yes it's about love, an unlikely type of love which catches off guard both of the MCs when they are at the very bottom.

"It had felt like Lucas was being swept along in a powerful river and he'd reached out to grab hold of Mark, standing safely on the bank. But Lucas hadn't wanted to be rescued, he'd wanted to pull Mark into the current with him."

No one would have ever thought that people like Mark and Lucas could ever fall in love considering their background. An Anglican priest to fall in love with his worse nightmare and the person he hates the most? Impossible, right? I was really intrigued and to be honest skeptic after I read the synopsis about how the author is going to pull this through and I ended up pleasantly surprised. The author did a great job in my opinion in introducing and making acceptable a type of relationship upon which most of the people would frowned upon in real life.

The romance was excruciating slow-building and I think it was the smart and right way to approach to this sensitive subject. The story introduces us to the MCs at first separately and later on intertwines their life paths yet again. Once you get to know the characters it's impossible not to sympathize with the things they've been through and the things they are still going through. The story had me on the brink of tears at times, especially when it comes to Lucas, the ex prisoner whose life it seems ended even before it began and I don't think that anyone will stay indifferent to his story.

Religion and faith also present an important part of this book, mainly with the views of Anglican church regarding homosexuality, but many of the points explored here can apply to any type of religion (btw. for those who aren't familiar with anglicism- Anglican church approves homosexuality and Anglican priests can get married and have either heterosexual or homosexual relationships.) I'm a fairly religious person, but not exactly a fan when authors focus too much on church and its views in my books. It didn't bothered me here, because I felt that the author made some interesting and intelligent points important for the progress and understanding of the story and its characters.

"Anglicanism, in its structures, theology and forms of worship, is commonly understood as a distinct Christian tradition representing a middle ground between what are perceived to be the extremes of the claims of 16th-century Roman Catholicism and the Lutheran and Reformed varieties of Protestantism of that era. As such, it is often referred to as being a via media (or "middle way") between these traditions." (Wikipedia)

My favorite secondary character was definitely the witty, charming and simply adorable 16 years old boy Alex who brought a fair dose of humor to the story and who was also at times the only voice of reason despite his age and lack of experience when grown-ups started acting immature. I would love to read a book with him as the MC.

"And you were spraying me on purpose? I just thought you had the world's worst aim with a hose?"
"Ah, Luke," Alex said loftily. "You are so innocent."

Bitter-sweet, touching and thought-provoking.

You can forgive, but can you really forget and move on? Buy the book and find out. This was my first book by K. Sherwood, but definitely not the last. Highly recommended!

[Ezi Chinny · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will write my review tonight and settle on on a final rating but I loved this book. It had the right amount of angst and character growth that I require in my books. Much better than Dark Horse.

Lucas Cain is getting out of prison after 3 years for his role in accidental death. His friends are happy to have him back but Anglican priest Mark Webber is not. After all, Lucas Cain was responsible for his brother's death so it doesn't seem fair to Father Mark that Lucas is getting another chance in society. So Mark begins a personal crusade to make life as miserable Lucas.

One thing Mark and Lucas' old friends failed to recognize was that Lucas changed in the penitentiary. And Mark finds himself really see Lucas in a different light. Mark begins to question a lot of things about himself, his faith, the death of his brother and especially Lucas. What will Mark do about his growing feelings for Lucas, how will the society deal with the homosexual priest?

This story made me shed a few tears. I really liked it. The writing felt real and authentic. The pain both characters were experience was palpable. I enjoyed the gradual progression and the honesty they both tried to give other. It's always nice to have love and forgiveness grow out of pain and loss.

*Special Thanks to Saimhain Publishing via Netgalley

[Smith Barney · Rating 4 out of 5]

This writer is certainly fine-tuning her technique and craft. This was a very impressive quality-written story. Somewhat thought-provoking. Very slow-but-methodically moving.

Lucas is a sweetly humble character but streetwise-strong..protectively-gentle..with his endearing friendship with a squirrel.

I have an immense appreciation for the healing and rehabilitative connection portrayed between man and animal within this story. It's very much unspoken but effectively anchored within the movement of the story.

This isn't an earthshaking romance with bone-crushing orgasms. It's more of a patient humble blossoming into love-forgiveness..a precious kind-of-permanence. Nicely done.

[Shelby P · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was excellent!!! I had so many emotions throughout. The injustice Lucas suffered at the hands of his "friends." My heart went out to him. I was almost in tears at 20% and then again at 90%. I didn't know if I hated Mark at first or not but he was real. His thoughts were raw and honest, so what if he's a priest, he's human.

The story was unpredictable too. I wasn't even sure how Mark and Lucas would get into a relationship. The odds seemed so against them. Their journey was realistic and that's what I love in the books I read. The sex, when it came, was simple but very sensual and erotic.

I loved Alex and we can't forget about the squirrel either.

[M'rella · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am rating the first half of the book only. Even tho the story is extremely Amy Lane-ish with a strong religious theme thrown in, I did enjoy it.

However, the beginning of the second part of the book threw me off so much, that I couldn't get past the chapter. Another reminder why I do not attempt reading anything about religion (and people who think themselves to be Christians) and newly released convicts.


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This books was recommended to me in May Challenge.

[Macky · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Mark Of Cain came up for review, I wasn't really sure because normally I shy away from stories involving religion.That doesn't mean that I don't have faith, and I am 'spiritual' in my own way but I don't adhere to or follow any organised denomination. Therefore stories about conflicted religious figures tend to turn me off and get pushed away unless the blurb sounds interesting enough to get me past my 'block' and something about this did give me that vibe, plus it's Kate Sherwood - so that went a long way in its favour. I had a little bit of trepidation going in but it wasn't long before that drifted away as I became deeply engrossed in this amazing, thought provoking story surrounding long held blame and guilt, testing of faith, hypocrisy, forgiveness of past sins, forgiveness of self and ultimately...redemption(s).

Lucas Cain has been in prison for three years after killing a man in a bar-room brawl. The charge, reduced to manslaughter because witnesses said he was provoked by the man in question but all Lucas remembers is being drunk out of his skull, losing his temper, which had always been pretty volatile, picking up a bottle and striking the man over the head with it, killing him outright. However, as far as he's concerned he murdered a man and he just can't forgive himself for that.

His long standing best mate Sean and their other friends, Mikey and Tinker...all similar personalities to the Lucas of old have carried on in the same vein whilst he's been away. Drinking, brawling, sleeping with any willing female, no thoughts of settling down because for them its all about having a good time, and when Lucas is released, they're all there to meet him with the idea that everything will just go back to the way it was. As part of his release, he needs a place to stay so that he can honour the terms of his parole, so he ends up living with his quick tempered friend Sean who can't understand why he's sticking to the rules—curfew at 9pm, no drinking, no more putting himself in the path of trouble—as far as he's concerned Lucas has done his time, paid his dues and can just go back to being one of the lads again. So the three of them begin to hassle Lucas, egging him on to flaunt the rules and let loose. But Lucas' guilt lies heavy and that lifestyle holds no pleasure for him anymore, plus the feelings he's been hiding about his own sexual orientation are getting harder to hide from his reckless friends whose slurs about "Faggots and Queers" show exactly how they would react if they ever figured it out, although Sean isn't as blind to that side of Lucas as he makes out, and later on it becomes a huge factor when he refuses to revert to his old ways. Sean, Mikey and Tinker get pissed off with him and accuse him of being boring and safe, causing rifts to appear in the group and it all culminates in a violent, hate filled incident that finally blows their friendship apart, throwing Lucas further into the path of the man who has more reason to hate him than anyone in the town...Father Mark Webber, the priest and brother of the man he killed!

Mark is an Anglican priest who, because the Anglican faith supposedly recognises homosexuality in a more positive way, is openly out to his family, congregation and peers. As far as he's concerned it doesn't seem to hamper his life as a priest. As part of his duties he works with the church youth group, where he helps sixteen year old Alex come to terms with being gay, and being gay himself he also hopes he'll be chosen to be part of an Integrity Panel to speak out for the inclusion of the LGBTQ community within the church. His devotion to god, his vocation, and love of his religion is fairly solid and even though the tragedy surrounding his brother is still very raw for him and his parents, outside of it he still manages to preach forgiveness and the teachings of his faith. That is until one night he goes to a local bar with his friend and spots the man responsible (in his view) for the murder of his brother. It looks to him; wrongly in this case, that Lucas Cain is out of prison, laughing, drinking and having a good time and suddenly the deep-seated anger that's been simmering since he saw Lucas convicted, blinds him and fuelled by that anger he makes some rash decisions that go completely against the principles he lives by, inadvertently kicking up a storm that in the long run causes more conflict and trouble for Lucas, who hasn't been accepted back by the majority of the town. Those decisions end up rebounding back on himself, affecting his relationship with his understandably still grieving, unforgiving mother and his on-going role in the church, bringing to light hypocrisy not only within his congregation,who have never really accepted him being gay like he thought they had, but more importantly, the church hierarchy that up to that point he's believed have always supported his sexuality. Suddenly his faith and personal boundaries are being tested to the limit.

"I was always hyper-aware of my sexuality in terms of a social identity, you know? I was The Gay Priest. But the actual being gay? Like, letting myself be attracted to men, pursuing relationships with them? I didn't do any of that. I was theoretically gay, but in practice I was just celibate."

There are So many moral issues in this story to test your own beliefs and ideals, and of course I found myself exploring my own. If I hadn't been an outsider, seeing both sides of the coin, would I REALLY have found myself actually sympathising with, and liking Lucas? Would I not have been as dismayed at some of Marks actions, even though I felt so terribly sorry for him losing a loved one in such a terrible way, and if it had been my own sibling would I have done the same without thought? Would I have been incensed that Lucas hadn't been given a longer sentence? Would forgiveness ever be something I could contemplate, however guilty that person who had devastated me and my family's life felt? I know sometimes I've been the first one to say that criminals have been released far too soon after the enormity of their crimes, and bitched about it. So...those were just a few things to contemplate, but that's the thing about reading a story that gives you more insight into the personalities of the people involved, you know under normal circumstances you wouldn't or shouldn't find yourself caring for them, but if you don't find yourself rooting for Mark and Lucas then I'll be really surprised. By the end of the book I desperately wanted them to make it together, so much so that I found myself feeling niggled by the characters who at the start of the story had my sympathy, but who at times and for different reasons, either fanned the flames of Marks inner turmoil or used Lucas' guilt to try to push him away from Mark as they got closer.Thankfully some did redeem themselves, but I still had a few teeth gnashing moments!



There's a lot of emphasis on religion and the part it plays both physically and spiritually in Mark's life, which normally would be a no no for me, but I honestly never felt put off by it or preached at because it's so important, emotionally, to the story. It did however, reinforce for me why I do have certain issues with the church and its politics, especially around its policies about gay rights. However, that's not what I wanted to really bang on about because even though it is a big part of Mark and Lucas' journey, really this is a heartfelt, poignant story about two emotionally conflicted men, drawn to each other by unconscionable circumstance, learning to come to terms with a tragedy that has far reaching consequences — touching and shaping the way they both live their lives after the event and finally, healing each other's pain despite the origin of each of their sorrows. The romance grows slowly, emerging out of a shaky relationship that starts in a world of hurt and hatred, but after a decision of Marks turns sour, making him question his actions...and a shared attachment to Alex (the gay teen), who makes a friend of and ends up crushing on Lucas, conspires to brings them together, they begin to see each other in a different light. Mark sees the cold eyed, hard hearted man he thought Lucas Cain was in the trial, melt away with each passing contact and he realises that the guilt that's evidently pulling him down, is sincere and honest. Forgiveness isn't easy for him but something about this quiet, accepting younger man starts to break down the walls he's built around his heart and the same for Lucas...he finds himself pulled towards Mark, uneasy about how they could ever make a relationship work based on the fact that its core foundation is built around shame, blame and guilt, especially when others around them will never understand how a relationship between them could ever work. Both of them have to weather a lot in this story...separately and together...but being part of their journey and seeing them overcome each trial was what made this such a special story for me.....For more of my review follow link ~ http://bit.ly/1gvreK9

[Lyn❤Loves❤Listening to Real Voices Only!!!!❤️🎧📚 Addict ON HIATUS · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars

[Elizabetta · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

In Mark of Cain, Kate Sherwood delivers a very satisfying, thought-provoking, heart-tugging romance. This author can effectively wrap me around her literary finger and make me fall in love with, and yet, another intriguing, broken character.

Lucas Cain made a big mistake when he was eighteen years old. He got drunk one night and did a bad thing, the worst, he got in a bar fight and killed a man.

Is he a bad person? Reading his story will show that even good people can do bad things.

Does he pay for his crime? He’s put in a maximum security prison and does the time.

But his burden is carrying the weight of one act that changed forever the course of his life. And, really, is three years in lock-up enough payment for manslaughter? Lucas will be the first to say that he can never pay long enough for having taken a human life.

The question is, can he dig himself out of the dark hole in which he finds himself? That is the crux of the story. Can Lucas try to change the course of his young life? When he gets out of prison, can he make restitution and somehow find a way towards forgiveness?

The author comes close to making Lucas into a martyr. First off, he comes from nothing and nowhere. There is not one mention of parents or family. His only anchor in the world is the friendship of a guy who is just as broken and angry as he is. Lucas is released back into his hometown where he must deal with the censure of his community and dysfunction of his punk friends who don’t make things easier at all. Lucas’ quickness to lay down and take what he thinks he deserves for his crime… where any slight and injustice to him is seen as earned, where he has given up any hope for even the wish of happiness for himself, comes close to overdone. I felt that sometimes in reading the early part of his story.

But, I never once stopped caring about Lucas and hoping for the best for him. Under the hard, protective veneer is a gentle soul who wants to make things right. When he comes in close contact, consistently, with Mark, the brother of the guy he killed— when their paths habitually cross— it’s for a reason. It’s the most unlikely of paths towards redemption.

Mark is an Anglican priest (the kind who can marry), a gay clergyman who has his own problems, separate from his animosity for Lucas. Mark faces censure from many in his own church who don’t accept his sexuality. It is very sad to see how his church fails this essentially, kind, generous, deeply spiritual soul. But Mark and Lucas’ story isn’t all about being gay and facing bigotry, although there is a lot of that in the story. It’s as much about finding forgiveness. And this focus is refreshing.

This is a wrenching read at times. Mark and Lucas go through so much for their HEA, and ultimately Mark has to make as big a sacrifice as Lucas, he has his own lessons to learn. But the ending is so well earned and it is made that much sweeter for it. Recommended.

[Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is insanely good. I actually just bought a few hard copy editions to distribute among friends. That's how good this story is. It literally blew me away.

You'd think falling in love with the murderer of your brother wouldn't be an easy thing to fit into your life? Well, imagine you're a gay priest in a small town community on top of that. Not a Catholic one, thank God, but an Anglican priest (the ones without celibacy, obviously).

It's not gonna be much easier for sure, especially if you want the guy who is newly released from prison to suffer as much as possible before you even realize what's going on in your heart.

I am so in awe that this impossible love story was brought to life so beautifully and believably here.

Father Mark Webber is one of the good guys. A good listener, a youth counselor in his community and an openly gay 34 year old adult who hopes to be a rolemodel to struggling teens. Sure, his sex life is anything but thrilling, but that comes with being a priest, probably.

His only real weekness is his hatred for the man who killed his younger brother Jimmy in an alcohol induced bar fight several years earlier. Now Jimmy's murderer is out of prison early - on probation. And what wouldn't Father Mark give to see the asshole back behind bars rather sooner than later. So when a series of unfortunate circumstances brings the young felon, Lucas Cain, to his doorstep, or rather the doorstep of the supervised living home that he's in charge of, Mark tries his best to make Cain suffer for his crime.

Cain, who is a rather subdued young man, accepts any obstacle put in his way and swallows any snide remarks. He just tries to find a way back to life. A life he knows he doesn't deserve after that fight gone bad, leaving one man dead.

Of course, the authorities in charge soon realize that Webber and Cain must not be in contact and Father Mark is withdrawn from his duties.

However, it's actually Alex, a gay teen Father Mark is counseling, who brings these two back in contact and makes Mark realize that many of his prejudices against Cain were unfounded and simply wrong.

Of course, his suffering family, the publicity conscious Anglican church and Lucas' former friends are anything but happy to see Mark and Lucas interact, so it's a hard trip for these guys. But it makes them grow and realize things about their lives that they would not have discovered if they hadn't found each other.

“Okay, this is pretty romantic,” Alex was saying somewhere in the distance. “You guys are like an epic couple battling the odds. Romeo and Juliet, for sure.” For that, Mark would break the kiss. “Alex,” he growled, not taking his gaze away from Lucas, “you need to either read that play or stop using it as a literary reference.”

Oh, and one last thing, so cute:

[Aldi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reread Feb '24: One of my go-tos for rereading, especially when I'm in the mood for a good emotional whupping – between this and Captive Prince, apparently “shit, I’m attracted to the bloke who killed my brother” really hits my buttons? idek but it sure beats “contrived piece of miscommunication that we refuse to resolve like grown-ups for 60% of the book” as far as conflict goes, lol.

~~~

Just found out there's a new one (about Sean of all characters? this is gonna be interesting), so I happily grabbed the excuse to reread this one first :D

~~~

4.5 stars. I was basically glued to my screen until I was finished with this. I was really in the mood for something with a religious conflict angle (we watched Boy Erased the other day, then rewatched But I'm A Cheerleader and Latter Days in quick succession, so it's been a bit of a theme). This absolutely satisfied in that regard, but it also hit a whole bunch of other buttons for me - enemies-to-friends-to-lovers (proper enemies, none of that "mildly annoyed with each other" crap), carefully and richly developed characters, perfectly paced slow burn, deliciously complicated emotions, and a strong central conflict with no easy solutions (I mean, there's really no comparison between the sort of halfhearted faux-misunderstandings a lot of romance books try to serve up as conflict, and the stark, irrefutably massive issue presented by being attracted to your brother's accidental killer.) It's a rare feat to make me sympathise with a disapproving parent, but much as I was 100% rooting for Mark and Lucas, you genuinely can't blame Mark's mum for being anything but horrified at the notion of her son dating the guy who killed - however unintentionally - her other son. I loved the characters. Especially Lucas - his constant struggle between needing to atone, knowing there are things for which atonement may not be possible, and still preserving some kind of will to carry on and make the best of his current life whilst facing condemnation for his past from all sides kinda broke me.

So basically I loved this and will definitely be checking out more of this author's work. The only reason it didn't quiiite make it to 5 stars was that after everything the characters went through, for a change I would actually have liked a slightly longer epilogue, just to recover a bit more thoroughly from all the delicious painfest, lol.

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

As I do with all my favorite authors, I will begin by saying that I am a huge Kate Sherwood fan. Her Dark Horse books were among the first handful of MM romances that I read. She ushered me into the wonderful world of reading gay love stories. I think I would have loved Mark of Cain even if it had been written by someone, anyone, else though. The only reason it didn’t get a five star rating from me is because there were parts in the last third or so that dragged a little bit. It was so close, but I felt I had to give it four stars.
So many authors crank out book after book after book at such a rapid pace that they all begin to run together. That’s not always a bad thing. If the author is able to keep the quality up to their previous standards and the stories interesting, I say the more to read, the better. However, Kate Sherwood isn’t that kind of author. Her books are released less frequently and that fact makes the anticipation that much sweeter.
Mark of Cain was a challenging read for me. Not difficult to comprehend, but intellectually, emotionally and even morally challenging. We all have a belief system in place in our minds and hearts. Whether or not we realize it, most of us have internalized strong beliefs about certain things. They may have been what we were taught as children, or we developed a set of beliefs as adults based on our own experiences and those of our friends or chosen families. The conclusions we reach as adults may differ dramatically from those of our families. This is the case for me. After meeting so many new people and learning so much about the inequality afforded the LGBTQ community, I have a set of beliefs about it that go against everything I had ever been taught. I hold those beliefs just as firmly as my family holds their opposing ones.
Mark of Cain wasn’t so much about LGBTQ values being challenged, although there was a little of that. Most of us believe that murderers are bad and deserve to be punished. We believe that priests are men of God and somehow less apt to take part in activities or have feelings that are considered by most to be non-biblical in nature. There is the crux of the conflict in this book. Is the man, Lucas Cain, who murdered another man over three years ago a bad man who deserves to live the rest of his life in a prison of one form or another?
Is the dead man’s brother, Father Mark Webber, a “Godly” man who is immune to feelings of anger, hatred and revenge? Their situation in a small town where they were constantly crossing paths really threw me. I was torn for a good portion of the book. Is Lucas an evil man who can never change? Is Mark able to fulfill his duties as a priest and guide Lucas through his re-integration into society? I must mention that Mark is an Anglican priest. The Anglican Church doesn’t hold their priests to a vow of celibacy and is also somewhat accepting of gay clergymen.
Lucas is trying desperately to build a new, honorable life. He isn’t reverting to his old patterns of behavior. Mark is drowning in anger and hatred. He goes so far as to intentionally cause trouble for Lucas and derail his travel down the straight and narrow path. I literally stopped reading at many points to think about my own long-held beliefs about criminals being able to be truly rehabilitated and priests being capable of such despicable behavior. I cried for Lucas’s seeming inability to make good choices regardless of how desperately he wanted to. I cried for Mark’s broken heart and grief over the death of his only sibling.
Ms. Sherwood has written a very thought provoking book in Mark of Cain. All the while it is challenging the reader, it is also entertaining and emotionally satisfying. She finds a way to bring the two men together to help guide a gay teenager through his acceptance of his homosexuality and coming out process. In coming together, Mark and Lucas are able to get to know each other on a deeper level. They are each able to understand the other’s pain surrounding the events of the past and difficulty accepting the changes of the present. They come to the realization that both of them and their families were destroyed by the events of one night.
I realize I didn’t give much of a summary of the book here, but the blurb will do that for you. I want to relay the depth of emotion that was stirred up in my own heart while reading Mark of Cain. Ultimately, the book was great. The story and main characters were very original and fully developed. I can’t remember ever reading another romance novel with a priest and a murderer as the main characters. The discomfort of having to re-think my beliefs turned to happiness when Mark and Lucas were able to overcome the strongest of their old feelings to work together. A sequel is very possible as a few loose ends were left dangling. I would love to see one and I’d be quick to grab it.
I challenge you to challenge yourself by reading this well written and thought provoking book.

[LiveYourLife BuyTheBook · Rating 5 out of 5]

°•○★5 Stars ~ KAPOW!★○•°
A "Live Your Life, Buy The Book" Review

Lucas Cain is 22 and has been in prison for 3 years after killing a man in a bar fight. He has just got early parole, and is now a free man once more. But he has changed. Understandably so. He kept his head down in prison doing what he needed to do to survive and he is determined to not go back. As his crime was drink related that is one of the terms of his parole. No alcohol. Others are a 9pm curfew, a place to live, and a job. So, to his old friends, he is now dead boring. And oh my God this broke my heart. He is so desperate to tow the line, follow the rules, stay free – and yet everything works against him. :-(

Anglican Rev. Mark Webber lost his brother Jimmy 3 years ago, a victim of a violent crime. Killed in a bar fight. By Lucas Cain. He and his family are devastated to hear of Luke’s early release and when Mark sees Luke in town, in the pub, supposedly drinking and right back in the swing of it with his motley crew of friends, well, Mark loses it. He calls the police to dob Luke in. This starts a spiral of decline for Mark. The good guy is no longer so good. I thought Kate portrayed his struggle so well. He does so much in the community – including running the halfway house for ex-cons, but of course when it becomes personal it puts a whole different slant on things. Mark also has a lot of other stuff going on – he is openly gay and everything is fine with his bosses in the church. Or so it seems. Everything is unravelling for him :-(

This book could have been depressing. It wasn’t. The issues it dealt with had my mind racing! The hypocrisy of the church. The small mindedness of the community who are happy enough to embrace a gay minister so long as, you know, he doesn’t flaunt it by actually having a boyfriend. The audacity of it!! :-P It also focuses on forgiveness – by others you may have hurt, but as importantly by yourself. And of course we have rehabilitation. I could argue this til the cows come home. I believe so strongly in the absolute necessity of helping rehabilitate ex-prisoners so they can become contributing members once more, or maybe for the first time. *puts soap box away*

There are also some really sweet moments – pushy squirrels, stray hoses requiring the removal of wet t-shirts, and a cantankerous old lady whose bark is worse than her bite. Alex and Elise were wonderful side characters. And damn but I felt bad for Sean too – I always want redemption and he deserves a shot…… you will need to read the book to meet these characters, and see just how engaging they all are. :-) This book is highly recommended. Go. Buy the book!

[Manfred · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was incredibly good. I found it, as a suggestion, while reading another one of my favorites for this year and I was surprised that everyone of my goodreads friend who read this rated it 4 or 5 stars. However, the theme of a gay Anglican priest who falls in love with the murderer of his brother didn't sound like a light m/m romance, so I couldn't bring myself to start reading it. I am so glad, I finally did. This story had me hooked from page one. It felt real and both main characters were absolutely loveable. (actually the only reason, I will subtract half a star, is that Lucas - the "killer" was more of a Saint than a murderer, really too good to be true). Still this was so fascinating, probably rather slow with the romance, which had to be expected, reading the blurb. There was so much going on, that I really didn't mind. the story had everything I could wish for, except it could have been a lot longer, as often when you cannot put a book down, I could have continued reading a lot longer.
Maybe there will be (or is already?) another one about Sean out there - I would love to find out about his story as well...
4.5 stars and highly recommended

[Jennifer☠Pher☠ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5★'s - Pretty damn close to 4★'s. This isn't normally my kind of book but I was honestly intrigued so I gave it a go. I am very glad that I did. This was a very touching story. It was filled with much despair but just as much hope. The hope is what I clung to, desperately. I had no idea how this story would work, how it would play out and I was honestly nervous for all involved. So, yeah, that is good reading. I wish I could rate this higher than I am but there was just something off for me and I am not exactly sure what it is. Overall I felt like the story flowed and I felt a lot while reading it but, ugh, something. It is one of those books that will stick with me though so maybe I'll think on it.

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

How do you make a guy falling in love with his brother's killer believable? I don't know, but Kate Sherwood did it. This was a slow burn, which was absolutely necessary for that monumental a change in relationship.

I usually avoid books that focus on religiosity since I'm kind of bombarded with it in my RL social circle, but it fortunately didn't bother me in this case.

I really liked the MCs and sympathized with them both. Overall, it was a very satisfying read with well-developed characters. I find myself wishing for a sequel telling Sean's story because I so want a happy ending for him, but according to the author, it's unlikely to be written :(