Elizah J. Davis

The Hawk and the Rabbit is almost “innocent” in its development; the first impression I have of this story is that it has completely removed the concept of homosexuality as a sin. In this fantasy world, being gay, lesbian, bisexual or straight is like being a brunette or a blond, having brown or blue eyes, you are born with. If someone is complaining about something is, first that prince consort Henri is from a breed that is still using magic, while instead in Gaia’s kingdom magic was show more banned, and that Henri’s personal sorcerer, and advisor, Leal, is really too young, more a boy than a man (we will learn later that actually Leal is under a wrong spell and so his boyish looks don’t match his real age).

When Gaia falls under a dark blood spell, Leal isn’t capable alone to remove it and he has to ask help to the Dragon Knights’s Master, Hawk. Leal has a secret crush on Hawk, but the man despises magic and, in connection, he doesn’t trust Leal. Going together in a quest to retrieve some magic elementals that will help queen Gaia will allow to Hawk to understand that Leal is not a mean sorcerer, and that magic can be good (and even funny sometime).

As I said, this is quite the innocent tale, while Hawk and Leal will arrive to be intimate, it’s almost done in a “secretive” way, the reader will not take part to their intimacy. I had almost the feeling I was reading a young adult novel, or a fairy tale, it was more important the quest, and giving the change to Hawk and Leal to be alone and to know each other, other than “consuming” their love. Even the level of danger they encounter is mild, nothing cruel or really dark, and the worst it happens is to sprain a calf.

This one was a cute, light read, pleasant and smooth, and the fantasy setting wasn’t too heavy, so that I could actually enjoy the story without being distracted by the “surroundings”.

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OK, so I'm a sucker for enemies to lovers, but this one annoyed me and seemed to drag on. I'm annoyed that the two MCs didn't just talk to each other when they had issues. I know neither knew how the other ACTUALLY felt, but when Blake would get pissed, he's fight with Ryan, then just drop it, and Ryan was dumb enough to just let it go too. I dunno... it just really bugged me. I thought Ryan was harsh at the end and Blake's oh poor me routine got really old.

An absolutely charming story! I love that these two guys aren't perfect; don't have a perfect script to follow. They came across as real guys, in a real relationship, that was...good! Made me smile the whole way through!

Once we are adults, coming back home for Christmas can be a great return to childhood in the best sense, if our memories are good, or a task of epic proportions if we have left behind some unresolved issues of the familial kind. As Brandon figures out in this story, not all "issues" he remembers as such are insurmountable, and the "promise of snow" – for him – ends up being hope for a better future.

Brandon may have returned home, and his mother may be looking forward to him being at the show more neighborhood party, but Brandon cannot get in the spirit of things. The prospect of meeting AJ, his childhood nemesis, doesn't make it easier. Everyone seems to think they used to be good buddies, ut Brandon only remembers the bullying.

The whole situation is well on its way to a minor disaster until Brandon meets the grown-up AJ – and is rather impressed with the changes the man has gone through. And I don't just mean the physical ones, although those attract Brandon's attention first. When AJ actually shows an understanding of what he's done wrong, suddenly, there is not just the promise of snow, but the promise of newfound happiness for both Brandon and AJ.

If you like stories full of hope that are like a sketch that leaves you to fill in the details, if you enjoy reading about men who finally deal with their past, and if you're looking for a read that will make you smile, then you will probably like this short story.


NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews. show less