Book Reviews

Book Blurb

Years ago, Martin Dyer nearly died in the woods outside Everlasting. A beautiful, inhuman creature saved his life, but Martin has done his best to forget it ever happened. He spends his time in a haze of weed as he avoids his emotionally abusive mother—and the way he feels about men. Martin is already a weirdo in his isolated small town; he doesn’t need a sexuality crisis, too. He’s a mess, but someone—or something—always seems to take care of him, usually a tall, sarcastic deputy by the name of Ian Forrester.

No one knows much about Ian, which is how he and his family have preferred it since before Everlasting existed. Ian has resigned himself to a lonely life. He might dream of Martin, but it’s only that—a dream. Martin doesn’t like men, and even if he did, he doesn’t like Ian. No one does, because Ian keeps his secret, and his distance, by being prickly.

But the dragons and their magic have returned to Everlasting, shaking the entire town and leaving Martin questioning what he might be able to have if he sobers up and faces the truth. Now, anything seems possible, even a happily ever after for two men who never expected one.

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, September 2017.

Book Review

None of the couples in the magical, supernatural world of R. Cooper’s ‘Being(s) In Love’ series have had an easy time of it, and none of them were of the insta-love type – at least in terms of any of the prospective partners doing something about their feelings. However, ‘His Mossy Boy’ is the slowest of the slow-burn romances I have encountered so far. The angst, doubts, special considerations, and hang-ups of both men truly reach epic proportions in this book. For me, at times this made it almost painful to read its over three hundred pages of anguish and doubting. And more than once, the only thing that kept me going was the pretty unshakable faith that the author was going to stick with the series tradition and make the characters’ (and my) suffering all worthwhile in the end. A promise R. Cooper kept in spades!

Martin has issues. He has no self-confidence (largely due to his nagging, overly critical mother and her bigoted beliefs), he doesn’t really know what he is good at or what he wants to do with his life. And while he is clearly in love with Ian from the first, he can’t/won’t admit it for the longest time – and that creates more than one problem. Martin works at the café, with Joe, and making coffee is one of the few things he is good at, so he sticks with it while he figures out what is going on with him and what his place in the world might be. And when he does? It’s glorious!

Ian is a bit of a mystery, almost as much as in the previous book, even though I got to see more of him since about half the story is told in his point of view. He is extremely secretive, and while it’s clear that, somehow, he plays an essential role in Everlasting’s safety and future, it isn’t clear what that is, exactly, for almost the entirety of the novel. What is obvious is that he is honorable, strong, up for a challenge, and extremely protective of Martin – who needs all the support he can get. But Ian also needs Martin more than he realizes – or will admit – and I loved that. There are few things I like as much as a vulnerable hero, and Ian is a perfect example.

Feelings, complicated characters, angst to the max, and very painful growth and acceptance for both main characters deliver a powerful emotional punch. But there is more to this book than Martin and Ian trying to figure out themselves, each other, and how to go on together. Zarrin and Joe (from the previous book) are back, and so are all the other characters of Everlasting (and some from further afield). The mystery around Everlasting’s “guardian” dragons plays a role, some new beings appear, a final confrontation is as unavoidable as a sunset at the end of a day, and I was on tenterhooks throughout to find out what was going to happen. Masterfully done!

If you like stories about slightly mysterious types of supernatural beings with a fascinating set of “rules” of behavior, if you enjoy watching two men redefine themselves and their role in the world, and if you’re looking for a slow-burn love story that is riddled with suspense, heart-wrenching setbacks, and lots of sweetness, then you will probably love this novel as much as I do. It made me cringe in empathy, laugh on occasion, cheer on the characters, and had me turning the pages as fast as I could. Totally fabulous awesomeness!

 

 

 

 

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
Length	Novel, 498 pages
Heat Level
Publication Date	12-May-2020
Price	$4.99 ebook
Buy Link	https://www.amazon.com/His-Mossy-Being-Love-Book-ebook/dp/B085N4BRM9