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"The Ugly Duckling is just a fairy tale...In real life, the swan always has a broken wing. It makes it impossible to fly.”
When Levi left college to convince his grandmother to pack up her off-the-grid life in the Northwoods of Minnesota and return to civilization, he never expected to lose an argument and stay. He didn’t expect to fall in love either. In the small Missouri farm town where he grew up, Levi was a skinny gay kid with glasses scared of his own shadow and the tormentors who lurked in the hallways of his high school. A rugged life on Lone Cedar Lake helped him blossom into an attractive, muscular young man, but the underlying insecurities remained.
Brandon fell in love with the lakes and woods during a spring break visit with a college friend. Upon graduation, he began building a wilderness guide business that gave him the capital to buy his first house at age 24. A downturn in the local economic atmosphere sent him scrambling to shore up the bottom line. He thought a new wilderness route to the mysterious Lone Cedar Lake would be just the ticket to lure in new clients.
While exploring for the new route, Brandon spotted Levi in another canoe. Their first encounter led to a physical battle on the forest floor, but soon, an attraction they couldn’t ignore blossomed. Unfortunately, romance won’t be so easy when the mysteries of the past threaten to stand in their way.
Heart of the Woods is a 55,000-word ugly duckling romance set in the Northwoods of Minnesota. It includes steamy scenes, a happily-ever-after ending, canoes paddling in the wilderness, and some of the best stargazing on earth.
REVIEW
My Rating - 3 Stars!
The Heart of the Woods is a cute little story by Grant C Holland.
I really enjoyed the character of Levi, who is sweet despite all the bullying he's had to endure. He has been living in the woods, off the radar helping his grandmother. Brandon's also a good guy, totally one with nature, even working in the woods.
When they first meet, Levi is terrified of Brandon finding his grandmother and disrupting her quiet life. It doesn't take long, however, for him to think Brandon is trustworthy, inviting him back to his place.
The outdoors were also a wonderful character in itself, described well, transporting you to the remote land.
Their story contains some mystery, some commitment issues, and some angst. In the end, their issues are nicely resolved, leaving both the characters and the readers happy.
The story didn't overwhelm me, but it was a pleasant, quick read.
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