Dear Rival

by Robin White

Valtiel cannot stand humans. Humans are crude, blunt, unnecessarily violent, and they smell bad. As a frost elf, he has better things to do with his time than suffer one of them. But if it will get his friends to leave him alone about making nice with their allies, he'll at least talk to one.

That doesn't mean he has to like the human—even if Kero is beautiful, and smells good, and doesn't really act the way Valtiel expects. One conversation, and then Valtiel can go back to ignoring him.

Genres: Fantasy, Gay, M M Romance

35 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 22, 2012

Reviews

[Cole Riann · Rating 2 out of 5]

Review posted at The Armchair Reader.

Valtiel is a frost elf who absolutely hates humans, even the dragon knights who were once human and are now their allies. Though something about Kero, one of the dragon knights, seems to draw his eye, he refuses to get close to him in any way. Only when he does start getting to know Kero, he finds that he isn't at all as he expected.

While this story is rather short, it seemed much longer than it was. I felt like nothing much ever happened, and that we don't learn very much at all either. That's not to say that we don't learn anything about the history of the world and why the frost elves and the dragon knights have become allies. We do get that information, but for some reason I just didn't connect with the story or the characters in any way. The writing style is very subdued, with very subtle transitions from one scene to another, which made me unsure at times of setting and place. There was some forward motion, but just a little with Valtiel's changing perceptions of Kero and the dragon knights. I didn't really feel as if this was much of a romance, per se, maybe a prelude to one. And in the end, I just felt like this was the prologue to the real story, just the setup, before the characters really got to know each other, before anything really happened or there was any forward motion in the plot.

So it didn't really work for me. I think that's why this story felt longer than it was to me. 12k goes by really quick, but for me this story dragged, with Valtiel thinking the same things over and over (in relation to humans, the dragon knights, and Kero), as the bulk of the story. I can't recommend this one.

[Calathea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Valtiel is a frost elf. He hates humans. Kero is a dragon knight, not completly human but nearly so. Their tribes happen to be allies in the ongoing battle against the shadows. They are stationed in a big fortress at the frontline. Valtiel can't stand Kero but is egged on by his friends to have a look at him and talk to him. And so we can let take nature its course. ;)

My rating reads like this: 2 stars for writing style and absence of actual story, 1 additional star for the dragon knights. There was a lot of potential in this (e.g. how does a dragon knight fuse with the dragon spirit, what of their behavior is tradition and what is part of the bond with the dragon and so on), but nothing of it came into effect. I still wonder why a frost elf would get cold and I'm still mad that we get cheated out of an actual end. The whole thing aimed for them to fall in love and have mad monkey sex. And in case you wonder, no, I don't need a sex scene at the end of the story. But the way it was solved doesn't feel right. They kiss, they make out, they land in bed and then Kero finds that Valtiel isn't ready and states that he doesn't mind (in a matter of two or three sentences). Hu? It could have stopped with the kiss and everything would have been fine. This was just unnecessary. All in all it felt more like a sketch that needs a lot of filling out than a real selfcontained story.

[Pépin Pomme · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was expecting a lot because the plot looked good, but while it's not bad, it's clearly not good, maybe because of the shortness?

[blub · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story follows Valtiel, a frost elf, who hates humans. His friends keep pushing him to get to know Kero, a dragon knight (who isn't altogether human), but he keeps being stubborn about it even though he find the dragon knight fascinating. Valtiel's curiosity finally wins out and he finds himself wanting to get to know Kero.

This story has a bit of a pride and prejudice type theme going on with it, if that's your type of book then this story will probably really appeal to you. Unfortunately, the story didn't really work for me. I was looking for a bit more a plot and world and character development. The story left me with a few questions that were never addressed (e.g. Are there other ulterior motives for Etoille and Avalon to push Valtiel to talk to Kero besides for wanting him to get off their case about etiquette?, What happened to the shadows? did they die off or are they planning a surprise attack?, etc.).

[Katalina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok so I found that what there is of a story in this book is good it doesn't really end or have a point. The characters are in some sort of war but the only focus of the story is the two MCs getting together, which I think could have been expanded on to include some sort of, I dunno, plot? I think that's the word anyway.
I like this book but while it is a good short story it could definitely b a good full length book.

[Tailtiu · Rating 3 out of 5]

2,5* interesting, well written but unfinished story and I hope there will be a complete book in the future.

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad writing at all, it just feels like the start of something longer.

[Pixie Mmgoodbookreviews · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 1/2 Hearts

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