A review by mslaura
Comfort and Joy by Jim Grimsley

4.0

Jim Grimsley is one of my favorite authors. He has a way of cutting me to the emotional core yet making me feel somehow bettered for having read his books. Reflecting on his writing generally conjures in my mind terms like "raw", "gritty" and "disturbing", but never have I described one of his books as "lovely". This one is lovely. It is plain and simply a love story, not in the saccharin sense of a romance novel but in the authentic sense of what it takes for two imperfect people to make love work in a far from perfect world. It is the tale of Dan and Ford, two young men who find their way to one another through the miasma of family, self-doubt, and societal expectations. It is a beautiful reminder that love comes in many forms and none is less valid than another. As with all of Grimsley's books, I feel bettered for having read this. But this one left me with a smile on my face as well. Again, just lovely.