Reviewed by True
TITLE: Winter of the Owl
SERIES: Seasons of the Lukoi #1
AUTHOR: Iris Foxglove
PUBLISHER: Belladonna Press
LENGTH: 224 pages
RELEASE DATE: December 21, 2021
BLURB:
Sava has the best house in all of Lukos. He built it himself, dreaming of the day when he and Milan, the man he loved, could live there and brave the harsh winters of Lukos together—only to be devastated when Milan was found dead in the spring. Fraught with grief, Sava resigns himself to spending his winters alone.
Then a stranger appears on his doorstep, and everything changes.
Victor is a scholar from Gerakia, a land known for its long summers and vibrant history, and he has never been more
unprepared in his life. Abandoned on the inhospitable island of Lukos after a disastrous relationship, Victor has to adapt quickly to survive. It helps, of course, that he’s taken in by Sava, who has the biggest heart of any man Victor has ever known. Victor and Sava start to make a home together, growing close as snow falls outside, but the true danger of a Lukos winter is closer than they suspect…
REVIEW:
Very occasionally I stumble across a really extraordinary story, this is one of them!
Victor was unprepared and unexpectedly expelled from where he lived, to an island named Lukos. Lukos is a place where winters are deadly for sure. Not the first time Victor was banned, he hopes his lover will come and get him back. Little does he know.
– “Sava Snow-Walker has the nicest house in Lukos,” people said. “His mate will be lucky, next winter.”-
Sadly Sava’s mate Milan died, he will spend the winter alone, grieving. Until Dragan Wolf-Breaker, kuvar of the Lukoi, asks Sava to take care of the stranded stranger who would have died from the cold.
Taking Victor in for the winter is just what people of Lukoi do, they take care of the other.
Sava and Victor speak different languages, luckily Victor knows a bit about the language Lukoi speak.
Emphasis on ‘a bit’, because the confusion about words and the meaning of them was endearing and sometimes so funny.
Sava learns, from what Victor says, that he has a mate. Throughout their time together he has to hold in his growing need to touch and comfort. He also learns Victor was left by his parents, was neglected in an orphan home, send to death by his lover, that he thinks he’s unwanted. The man is amazing with his big wondering eyes, he never saw real snow, he absorbs life to the fullest, a life he never fully lived.
The strong attraction between both men is something they can’t deny any longer or hold back from, thank goodness for winters and a warm house, and a nest full of fur meant for cuddles and much much more.
There’s a sort of bdsm woven into this story, about dominants and submissive, it’s a way of life in this story. It’s present as a natural way of living for everyone.
The biggest part of this narrative is quite mellow, warm and kind. At the end of the story, there’s some angst and thrill that cleared up all the mystery around certain matters.
Thank goodness for their hea, *wipes sweat from forehead*
The world created by the author was just breathtakingly fantastic. Imagine an isolated island, in a time where people’s lives and history are carved in caves, where they live of the land, use the herbs it gives them, where spoons are handmade carved of wood, where ice and snow are prominently unrelentingly present. Where people who survived winter at Lukos get named. The people are strong, warm, and loving! Read it, you will love them!
This story was pure poetry, gosh I loved the writing style, it absolutely spoke to my heart. The story was enthralling, enchanting, with breathtaking scenery.
All the stars for this deeply compelling journey!
RATING: 
BUY LINK: