A Suitable Bodyguard
by R. Cooper
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Volume 2 of The Suitable 'Verse
Tags: Fantasy
Posted in Book Reviews on February 11, 2024
Zelli has always been a bit different. His family, which rules the valley where Zelli lives, has always mixed with the fae, and Zelli shows it more than most. His “condition” has made for a lonely life, and Zelli doesn't think he will be able to attract a suitor with his odd looks. Especially not the one he wants. Zelli has had a crush on one of the guards, Tahlen, since the day he arrived. Tahlen is too big and beautiful to want the likes of diminutive Zelli. However, there are more important things to worry about. There's been an ongoing power struggle among many of the ruling families for control of the throne. Their valley has so far remained peaceful, but Zelli's grandmother, the current head of the family, is old and frail.
Zelli lives in a medieval fantasy world ruled by feudal lords where fae really exist. It's the same world depicted in an earlier work by the same author, A Suitable Consort. There's minimal overlap between the two stories, so you can read this as a stand-alone. The fae are both sought after and feared. They're a lot like the old Monkey's Paw stories. The fae can grant wishes, but you need to be very careful what you wish for.
The story is related entirely from Zelli's point of view. In some respects, he seems more mature and thoughtful than you might expect. But in other ways, Zelli is quite innocent. It seems he has no peers his own age in the fortress, and his mixed heritage further isolates him from other people.
Zelli's limited exposure to common folk makes it even harder for him to deal with someone like Tahlen, who guards his emotions closely. Even when Tahlen makes his feelings clearer, it's hard for Zelli to believe a strong, beautiful man like Tahlen would be interested in him.
The romance between Zelli and Tahlen is a slow burn, but once it heats up, it's quite scorching. That's also true of the overall story, which slowly builds up to a Big Dramatic Scene near the very end.
“A Suitable Bodyguard” is available from Smashwords or Amazon (commissionable link).
