Reviewed by Lady Macbeth
TITLE: Hansel and Gerhardt
AUTHOR: W.H. Lockwood
PUBLISHER: Self Published
LENGTH: 275 Pages
RELEASE DATE: September 18, 2025
BLURB:
Oh look! A house made entirely of sweets! Things finally seem to be looking up for Hansel and Gerhardt…
Dropped into a lonely cottage deep in the woods as a boy, Gerhardt would give anything to escape. He hates his life, he hates his abusive step father. He’s sure his irritatingly handsome step brother despises him for the share of food he takes, and even more for frequently angering their dangerous father. But Gerhardt’s never once learned to back down from a fight, no matter what it costs him.
Hansel is riddled with guilt for the life Gerhardt’s been forced to live. He knows his father’s actions aren’t his fault, but he’s sure Gerhardt hates him for it. Still, he can’t help but secretly adore the ferocity and defiance of his gorgeous step brother, even if it is likely to get them both killed any day now.
When their father finally snaps and chases them into the forest with an axe, Hansel and Gerhardt are forced to rely on each other in an incredibly dangerous place that’s bereft of food, inhabited by hungry wolves, and cursed by dark magic. As one adventure after another tests their bravery and their bond, Hansel and Gerhardt discover that maybe they don’t hate each other as much as they thought they did. In fact, maybe they even like each other. A lot. More than step brothers probably should… But who’s there in the forest to stop them exploring their explosive attraction?
And when they stumble upon the adorable little house made entirely of sweets… Well, what could possibly go wrong?
Hansel and Gerhardt is the spicy, action-packed, heart-wrenching, enemies to lovers, step-brothers MM Romance fairytale retelling of your most twisted and delightful imaginings. Light a candle, brew a hot cup of something tasty, and snuggle down beside the fire. It’s time for a queer spin on an old classic.
Each book set in the GriMM fairytale world can be read as a standalone and contains its own Happily Ever After story. But we do recommend reading each one, as the tales are connected to each other in multiple magical ways.
REVIEW:
This was a very good retelling of a classic story: Hansel and Gerhardt are stepbrothers who live with their abusive father. The awful man lets them starve and beats them constantly, until one day the two young men can’t take it anymore and run.
Gerhardt is younger, he came to live in the cottage when Hansel’s dad, widower, remarried his mother. Soon, though, Gerhardt’s mom died too and the two boys were completely alone with that monster. Gerhardt used to live in the city, while Hansel has only known the woods. He had dreams to return to the city and he doesn’t hesitate to male impulsive decisions to get his dream.
Hansel is a little older but definitely wiser and more cautious: he’s always protected his stepbrother even if Gerhardt never realised that until the day they run away.
In order to escape their father’s wrath and without thinking once, Gerhardt drags his stepbrother into the Dark Forest, subjecting both of them to horrible and deathly perils.
While they fought for their lives, their brotherly bond morphed into something deeper that will tie them together more than they can imagine.
This story follows Grimm’s tale so it’s not a spoiler that at some point the young men will find themselves trapped in a candy house. But despite being something we already know, I still believe the author put a lot of originality into this part. And I particularly appreciated Hansel’s pov: his feelings were very well written.
What prevented me from giving a higher rate:
The first 30% of the story was a bit dragged out and Gerhardt’s constant tantrum and brattiness were annoying.
I’m not sure about a particular topic revealed at the end: I know the brothers swore they would never go hungry again but I’m completely comfortable with their choice.
Anyway it was a nice read, especially because I totally adored Hansel and how loyal and committed to Gerhardt he was.
RATING: 
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