GuestReview by B. A. Brock

TITLE: Heart of the Liliko’i

AUTHOR: Dena Hankins

PUBLISHER: Bold Strokes Books

LENGTH: 240 pages

RELEASE DATE: 6 October 2015

BLURB:

Human remains tangled in lilikoi roots bring the authorities to Kerala’s construction site. Native Hawaiians say the passion fruit vine marks an ancient burial ground protected by guardian spirits, the ’aumakua. But these aren’t ancestral bones. The fractured skull points to murder.

Secrets, sabotage, and indigenous sovereignty campaigns hinder the project Kerala leads: building an eco-dream vacation home for Ravi, CEO of a solar power company. Proud to be a tough dyke in the trades, Kerala can’t believe she’s so hot for the masculine genderqueer scientist. Their sexual connection is volcanic, but Ravi’s craving for love and family aggravates burn scars from Kerala’s past. As the lovers pursue justice for Hawaii and its people, Ravi turns his gift for harnessing the sun’s strength toward cultivating his own power, and Kerala wonders if building deep, lasting love could be even more satisfying than constructing a home to last the ages.

REVIEW:

I loved this book. It’s a fantastic Mystery/Thriller, sociologically relevant to Hawai’i, and has two incredible protagonists. One is a kick-ass lesbian, and the other is a transmasculine genderqueer man. Both are realistic and have incredible agency. I was deeply envious of how successful Ravi and Kerala had been in their lives, and how they each stood up for what they believed in to get where they were. It takes some tremendous guts and fortitude to withstand what they did and come out on top.

I also appreciated the consideration the author took in portraying a realistic relationship between two queer people, one that isn’t “cookie-cutter”, or designed to titillate the masses. As a transmasculine man, it also meant quite a bit to me to be able to see characters resembling me on some level, who were successful and attained happiness. I liked how neither Ravi or Kerala fussed over each other’s gender expression, or what parts they had between their legs. It wasn’t fetishized or made into an enormous ordeal. It was all incredibly gender-affirming and… very sexy and hot!

Let me just say, I was a bit jealous of how easy they made the physical part of their relationship look. They were as randy as teenagers. Holy cow. But then again, some parts of falling in love should be easy, right? The rest of their courtship certainly had its struggles. It’s very clear in the beginning that Ravi is one to dive right into a relationship, heart and soul, but Kerala needs more time to process. This dynamic is difficult for both of them, and greatly influences the plot, giving the story another meaningful layer.

The social aspects of this work were fascinating. There were strong implications by the author (using the voice of her characters) that Hawai’i should be left to the native Hawaiians, and be independent from the United States. To see this cultural position play out on a more intimate scale–for example, by using the building of Ravi’s house on Hawai’i–instead of dealing with this issue on a government level, was particularly eye-opening. Kerala’s struggles with the native people also made me wonder if the author had similar struggles in Hawai’i–it felt that real in the book. I would be incredibly surprised if this issue were merely a plot device. It seemed as if there was a thesis in there, and a powerful one at that.

The mystery aspects weren’t as intense as I usually take my thrillers, but I enjoyed them. It felt very realistic, grounded, and not at all fantastical in any way, even with the mention of spirits. Though they are fictional characters, and this is a work of fiction, it felt incredibly real. So, when the pacing was a bit slow, or the action not as dramatic, that was okay, and fit the story perfectly.

If you want a Mystery/Thriller that feels fresh and full of queer characters, consider this novel. The author clearly has respect for her readers, meaning she doesn’t dumb anything down for you, and you may just learn something (like I did!).

RATING:

BUY LINKS:

Amazon

Bold Strokes Books