Book Reviews

Book Blurb

Grad student David is in love with Tulip, a kind and unusually quiet fairy. David is happy to be Tulip’s friend, but never risks more because he doesn’t believe a fairy could love him, and Tulip has never tried to “keep him”—as fairies refer to relationships. Everyone in their social circle knows Tulip doesn’t date humans, even if no one knows why. David is content to pine until, exhausted and more than a little tipsy at a Christmas party, he makes his feelings too obvious for Tulip to deny any longer.

Fairies are drawn to David, describing his great “shine” –a quality only visible to fairy eyes but which signifies something about a person’s character, but David knows only too well how quickly fairies can forget humans. He can’t see his own brilliance, or understand how desperately Tulip wants him, even if Tulip won’t act on it.

Because of a past heartbreak involving a human, Tulip is convinced someone as shiny as David could never want a “silly, stupid fairy” in his life. But from the moment they met, Tulip has wanted David’s shine for his own. Now, if he wants to keep David, he’ll have to be as brave as his shiny, careful human.

 

 

Note from the author: Being(s) in Love: Magical creatures known as beings emerged from hiding amid the destruction of the First World War. Since then they’ve lived on the margins of the human world as misunderstood objects of fear and desire. Some are beautiful, others fearsome and powerful. Yet for all their magic and strength, they are as vulnerable as anyone when it comes to matters of the heart.

First edition published by Dreamspinner Press, June 2016.

 

Book Review

The magical, supernatural world of R. Cooper’s ‘Being(s) In Love’ series has fascinated me since the first book – and my addiction has been growing more serious with each volume. Fairies have been around since the beginning of the series - in fact, one of the two main characters in the first book was a half fairy. But their specific behaviors and “rules” have been no more than hinted at, making them more than a little mysterious, possible flighty, and worth a second look. Imagine my delight when I discovered that ‘A Dandelion for Tulip’ has a human falling in love with a full fairy! I couldn’t wait to see what would happen.

David is halfway through the first year of obtaining his PhD, with his topic the role of fairies in classical human literature, so he is not stupid. His best friend is a fairy, so he knows a lot more about who they are than most humans, but the practical implications of all that knowledge elude him. Partly this is because he makes a lot of assumptions about fairies’ short attention spans, and partly he just does not know what signs to look for in Tulip’s behavior. David’s fairy friends all love him because he is so “shiny” – one of the highest compliment they can pay any human or being. He thinks he knows a lot about Tulip from watching him over the years, and he is certain that Tulip is not interested, could never love him, and doesn’t want to “keep him” – the fairy equivalent of mating. David could not be more wrong if he tried!

Tulip wants David desperately. The “shine” is part of it, but he also thinks David is brilliant. But Tulip has some self-confidence issues as well, and he cannot imagine a perfect human like David could possibly be interested in him. And even if he were – Tulip also thinks that David deserves better. Tulip has been involved with a human before, but this did not end well. It only confirmed, in Tulip’s mind, how unworthy he is in general, and that he does not deserve to be with David specifically. But once David’s feelings become evident at a Christmas party, Tulip has to admit that David may be interested in him. Then he has to figure out how to be courageous enough to overcome his reticence so he can respond in kind. I was rooting for him all the way!

These two men are exasperating in their efforts to downplay their own charms, abilities, and strength of character. Each could so clearly see how perfect the other was, but was unable to see the same qualities in themselves. The lack of self-confidence was oozing off the pages and all I could do was hang on for the ride and hope they’d get the message at some point before the end of the book. Their emotional suffering and heartache was so real and things seemed so hopeless… what an emotional roller coaster! As exhausting as it was to see David and Tulip struggle, I loved learning more about fairy culture and seeing these two beat the odds was extra rewarding.

If you like stories about supernatural beings with a somewhat mysterious culture, if you enjoy finding out more about two shy men who have to overcome their past experiences as well as their own nature if they want to be together, and if you’re looking for a love story that is as heartbreaking as it is sweet, then you will probably love this novel as much as I do. It’s deeply emotional, made me cry as well as laugh, and I have rarely cheered on two about-to-be-lovers as much as David and Tulip. They truly deserve their hard-won happy ever after!

 

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER: Books reviewed on this site were usually provided at no cost by the publisher or author. This book has been provided by the publisher for the purpose of a review.

Additional Information

Format	ebook and audio
Length	Novel, 202 pages/60000 words
Heat Level
Publication Date	14-April-2020
Price	$3.75 ebook, $17.96 audio book
Buy Link	https://www.amazon.com/Dandelion-Tulip-Being-Love-Book-ebook/dp/B084WXXNNL