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The Suitable 'Verse #3
A Suitable Captive
The mysterious figure known as the Wild Dog has risen up to crush and humiliate the Earls who control the North. Fen, son of a powerful Earl, has been sent to form an alliance to benefit his father’s plans against the bold rebel. There are many kinds of alliances in the world of nobles, but political alliances often grow to include the intimacy of lovers or even marriage, and Fen has been ordered to use his famed beauty seduce his intended, regardless of what he feels. But Fen has no love for his cruel father or in forming any kind of alliance with a noble his father prefers. He takes his first chance to run, only to end up lost and hungry in vast wilderness… where he is found by the Wild Dog himself.
Lan, called Wild Dog by furious Earls who don’t like to be challenged, looms over Fen and most others, and yet carries Fen when Fen is too weak to walk any longer. He allows his friends to tease him and ensures his people are fed before he sits for his own meals. Fen, who has rarely known kindness, is captivated. But Fen is also an Earl’s cub, and if the Wild Dog can change rules that have always existed, then so can Fen. Without his father’s say he offers an alliance of his own, promising to use his knowledge of the nobles to help the Wild Dog achieve his aims. No seduction is required, although for the first time in his life, Fen considers it. Each time Lan listens to him, or pulls him close to share warmth as they sleep, or shows that he trusts Fen, Fen wants him in a way he barely understands.
But Fen is more powerful than he realizes or that his nickname of “Flower” would suggest. He sees destiny at work when he looks at Lan. The Wild Dog is something greater than a mere Earl, and fate, or the fae, have placed Fen in his path. Now it’s time for Fen-the-flower to decide if his agreement with Lan might become more—an alliance, or marriage, for the ages.
Lan, called Wild Dog by furious Earls who don’t like to be challenged, looms over Fen and most others, and yet carries Fen when Fen is too weak to walk any longer. He allows his friends to tease him and ensures his people are fed before he sits for his own meals. Fen, who has rarely known kindness, is captivated. But Fen is also an Earl’s cub, and if the Wild Dog can change rules that have always existed, then so can Fen. Without his father’s say he offers an alliance of his own, promising to use his knowledge of the nobles to help the Wild Dog achieve his aims. No seduction is required, although for the first time in his life, Fen considers it. Each time Lan listens to him, or pulls him close to share warmth as they sleep, or shows that he trusts Fen, Fen wants him in a way he barely understands.
But Fen is more powerful than he realizes or that his nickname of “Flower” would suggest. He sees destiny at work when he looks at Lan. The Wild Dog is something greater than a mere Earl, and fate, or the fae, have placed Fen in his path. Now it’s time for Fen-the-flower to decide if his agreement with Lan might become more—an alliance, or marriage, for the ages.
189 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 26, 2023
About the author
R. Cooper
83 books1,023 followersI'm R. Cooper, a somewhat absentminded, often distracted, writer of queer romance. I'm probably most known for the Being(s) in Love series and The Suitable 'Verse stories. Also the occasional story about witches or firefighters in love.
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You can visit my website for updates or sign up for my newsletter . My newsletter is free! And comes out once a month or once every two months or so.
Otherwise... have some social media links if you want updates and whatever the hell else I am talking about.
Tumblr
BlueSky
**With Meta's current policies, I do not use FB or Insta or Threads for anything but the bare minimum.**
Instagram and Threads
You can also support me on Patreon if you like
If you just want book release updates, I have a BookBub profile.
Also, I now have a Storygraph where I will try to track my reading in an organized fashion.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews
March 22, 2024
“A little cunning would go a long way. And much is forgiven for a pretty face.”
Even if I were to go back a year, I’d wholeheartedly think that authors putting a shirtless man on the cover was the ugliest thing you could put on a book jacket. If I happened to come across something that sounded interesting, I'd still have to give it a huge pass, simply because of Mr. Half-Dressed standing there. I don’t know, just the thought of reading them in public was absolutely mortifying to me. Nightmare fuel! Thankfully, after getting a Kindle, and getting used to all these six-packs on my Goodreads feed, I really don’t mind them all that much anymore. Nice! Is that character development or character regression? Eh, I'll let you decide. It’s not even like I’m out, out or anything (one foot in, one foot out, you know how it is), I just don’t have the energy to fret about it like I used to. Nothing more freeing than not giving a damn anymore! I thought I’d try being candid for a couple sentences, tops. Speaking of tops, this book’s shirtless man looks kind of silly, standing there, all mean-mugging and smoldering at us. Whenever I see a “shirtless-dude-book” now, it usually goes one of two ways; between me thinking they’re really hot or really funny. And I’ve got to say, this one is definitely more on the latter side. I couldn't help but laugh every time I closed out the book and was affronted with it. Mind you, it's also not at all befitting the story. Anyway, I should probably talk about the book now because… woah, this is starting to sound like my diary or something ha ha. I think what I was trying to get at is that the cover does the book a disservice, because what we actually get is a wonderfully emotional romance. The writing is simple and not too wordy but still conveys just as many dramatic highs-and-lows as any book overwrought with flowery prose. And while I sometimes thought that maybe Fen and Lan had a language barrier, accounting for the disjointed dialogue at points, I think that was just this novel’s particular style. I suppose it works because it’s a love story about two people who, until very recently, existed on different planes of life, and though there is a connection, they’re still learning how to be comfortable and stand on even ground with each other. In this regard, it’s very much like that classic hit, The Lake House, starring Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock! Am I just saying that to sneak in talking about 2006’s, The Lake House with Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock? Absolutely not.
What impressed me most about this story was how patient and natural the pacing of the romance between Fen and Lan, “The Wild Dog,” progressed. This isn’t a long book, but it somehow never felt like anything was rushed or contrived. At first, I wasn’t sure if I was a big fan of how little Fen changed from the first to the last pages, or the fact that he never actually grows out of his more submissive role in the story, but after thinking about it for a while (like a minute), I truly believe that this aspect is one of this book’s greatest strengths. I know that the “spunky and outspoken” archetype is flashier and more popular in these kinds of stories, but sometimes it’s nice when a character is allowed their demure nature without the narrative telling them that they need to become someone else entirely. Fen shows his strength in different ways and his development isn’t about him changing his personality to be less introverted, but rather him learning that being loved doesn’t equate to how useful he can be. Being shy isn’t something he should be ashamed of, or a character flaw that needs to be “grown out of.” Sheesh, I'm getting a little emotional here. I’ve got to tell you; I really didn’t go into this expecting a muted, tender love story. I thought I’d get ten pages max before Fen and Man-Mountain would be freaking it, sexual-style. I’m not mad about it though, this is better, I think. Sure, it’s not the sweetest, most beautiful love story ever told, as that title goes to the smash-hit, The Lake House, starring Keanu Reeves (opposite Sandra Bullock), but because of the dream-like quality to the prose, reading it had a very calming effect on me. I felt like a piece of driftwood floating serenely down river every time I turned the page. Ahhh. This book is good. Really, really good! Anyway, final thought, but I even enjoyed how the promised violence that was hinted at throughout the novel was handled off-screen. It might seem a little odd and disappointing to some, but I really think it ultimately wouldn’t have fit the mellow tone of the rest of the story. Besides, it’s nice to read a book where a queer person’s closure isn’t met through confronting their abusive parent, but rather in simply focusing on the people who do care about them. As they say: "to love, and be loved in return."
There was a boy / A very strange, enchanted boy / They say he wandered very far / Very far, over land and sea / A little shy and sad of eye / But very wise was he (Nature Boy – Nat King Cole).
Even if I were to go back a year, I’d wholeheartedly think that authors putting a shirtless man on the cover was the ugliest thing you could put on a book jacket. If I happened to come across something that sounded interesting, I'd still have to give it a huge pass, simply because of Mr. Half-Dressed standing there. I don’t know, just the thought of reading them in public was absolutely mortifying to me. Nightmare fuel! Thankfully, after getting a Kindle, and getting used to all these six-packs on my Goodreads feed, I really don’t mind them all that much anymore. Nice! Is that character development or character regression? Eh, I'll let you decide. It’s not even like I’m out, out or anything (one foot in, one foot out, you know how it is), I just don’t have the energy to fret about it like I used to. Nothing more freeing than not giving a damn anymore! I thought I’d try being candid for a couple sentences, tops. Speaking of tops, this book’s shirtless man looks kind of silly, standing there, all mean-mugging and smoldering at us. Whenever I see a “shirtless-dude-book” now, it usually goes one of two ways; between me thinking they’re really hot or really funny. And I’ve got to say, this one is definitely more on the latter side. I couldn't help but laugh every time I closed out the book and was affronted with it. Mind you, it's also not at all befitting the story. Anyway, I should probably talk about the book now because… woah, this is starting to sound like my diary or something ha ha. I think what I was trying to get at is that the cover does the book a disservice, because what we actually get is a wonderfully emotional romance. The writing is simple and not too wordy but still conveys just as many dramatic highs-and-lows as any book overwrought with flowery prose. And while I sometimes thought that maybe Fen and Lan had a language barrier, accounting for the disjointed dialogue at points, I think that was just this novel’s particular style. I suppose it works because it’s a love story about two people who, until very recently, existed on different planes of life, and though there is a connection, they’re still learning how to be comfortable and stand on even ground with each other. In this regard, it’s very much like that classic hit, The Lake House, starring Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock! Am I just saying that to sneak in talking about 2006’s, The Lake House with Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock? Absolutely not.
What impressed me most about this story was how patient and natural the pacing of the romance between Fen and Lan, “The Wild Dog,” progressed. This isn’t a long book, but it somehow never felt like anything was rushed or contrived. At first, I wasn’t sure if I was a big fan of how little Fen changed from the first to the last pages, or the fact that he never actually grows out of his more submissive role in the story, but after thinking about it for a while (like a minute), I truly believe that this aspect is one of this book’s greatest strengths. I know that the “spunky and outspoken” archetype is flashier and more popular in these kinds of stories, but sometimes it’s nice when a character is allowed their demure nature without the narrative telling them that they need to become someone else entirely. Fen shows his strength in different ways and his development isn’t about him changing his personality to be less introverted, but rather him learning that being loved doesn’t equate to how useful he can be. Being shy isn’t something he should be ashamed of, or a character flaw that needs to be “grown out of.” Sheesh, I'm getting a little emotional here. I’ve got to tell you; I really didn’t go into this expecting a muted, tender love story. I thought I’d get ten pages max before Fen and Man-Mountain would be freaking it, sexual-style. I’m not mad about it though, this is better, I think. Sure, it’s not the sweetest, most beautiful love story ever told, as that title goes to the smash-hit, The Lake House, starring Keanu Reeves (opposite Sandra Bullock), but because of the dream-like quality to the prose, reading it had a very calming effect on me. I felt like a piece of driftwood floating serenely down river every time I turned the page. Ahhh. This book is good. Really, really good! Anyway, final thought, but I even enjoyed how the promised violence that was hinted at throughout the novel was handled off-screen. It might seem a little odd and disappointing to some, but I really think it ultimately wouldn’t have fit the mellow tone of the rest of the story. Besides, it’s nice to read a book where a queer person’s closure isn’t met through confronting their abusive parent, but rather in simply focusing on the people who do care about them. As they say: "to love, and be loved in return."
There was a boy / A very strange, enchanted boy / They say he wandered very far / Very far, over land and sea / A little shy and sad of eye / But very wise was he (Nature Boy – Nat King Cole).
May 9, 2025
3,5 stars.
I adore the author's writing, enjoyed reading about Fen and Lan and their journey (literal and emotional).
The relationship development was slow but steady, I loved watching them getting closer.
The story is told in single pov (Fen) so it was very rewarding feeling alongside Fen every new small (and big) relevation of Lan's interest and devotion.
The ending was too abrupt for me, I had hoped for a more satisfying reunion, and the epilogue (set decades/centuries? in the future) was even more disappointing, only hinting at Fen and Lan's victories from afar.
On an eventual reread I'll better skip the epilogue entirely.
I adore the author's writing, enjoyed reading about Fen and Lan and their journey (literal and emotional).
The relationship development was slow but steady, I loved watching them getting closer.
The story is told in single pov (Fen) so it was very rewarding feeling alongside Fen every new small (and big) relevation of Lan's interest and devotion.
The ending was too abrupt for me, I had hoped for a more satisfying reunion, and the epilogue (set decades/centuries? in the future) was even more disappointing, only hinting at Fen and Lan's victories from afar.
On an eventual reread I'll better skip the epilogue entirely.
December 28, 2023
I'm just going to pretend there is more to this series (and that that complete departure of an epilogue didn't exist).
April 2, 2024
I absolutely adored the first half of this!
It fell off a little in the second half unfortunately. There is something about R. Cooper's dialogues that always seems a bit off to me. The characters have a specific way of almost intentionally talking past one another while never explicitly addressing the topic they actually want to talk about (and it usually happens about two thirds into the story). I like the general drama of it but it reads very unnaturally to me and always takes me out of the story, and unfortunately, this also happens in this story.
I wonder if some other R. Cooper readers feel the same or know what I'm talking about because I find it's hard to put to words.
It fell off a little in the second half unfortunately. There is something about R. Cooper's dialogues that always seems a bit off to me. The characters have a specific way of almost intentionally talking past one another while never explicitly addressing the topic they actually want to talk about (and it usually happens about two thirds into the story). I like the general drama of it but it reads very unnaturally to me and always takes me out of the story, and unfortunately, this also happens in this story.
I wonder if some other R. Cooper readers feel the same or know what I'm talking about because I find it's hard to put to words.
July 8, 2026
4.25 stars
Ok, so Fox of Fox Hall was not a fluke for me in terms of vibing with this author. Kind of baffling that my autistic brain really likes their writing, when I'm pretty sure if another human being spoke to me in this cryptic ass roundabout way irl I would cry. But I feel like I get it here?
I liked the weird political plot even though hardly anything happened the whole time. And I guess I really liked all the weird dialogue and the weirdly unsaid stuff, too. And I loved all the side characters.
While the setting and plot were totally different from Fox of Fox Hall, the MCs are vaguely Fox and Conall esque, in that one is a stunningly beautiful, clever, self deprecating obliviot who thinks the other couldn't possibly be interested in him, and the other is a startlingly competent, softly dominant, protector type who is completely devoted and only an obliviot because he doesn't realize that the other guy isn't aware of his affections. And I guess I'm into that.
This was safer for me than Fox on the OP front (FoFH was safe, just had more OP info than I like), but even so, it didn't quite live up to that glory for me. Besides liking the MCs more in that one, there were also two kind of unforgivable (or maybe just grump inducing) things in this one that knocked off star points for sure.
One was that a crucial sex scene was fade to black. Idc how horny that makes me sound, I stand by the fact that I will forever be mad. There was only one on page sex scene and it came fairly late in the book, but it fit perfectly. It was sexy and their dynamic was 🔥. I will never not love ropes and I will never not love a D/s situation, and the cultural element that was included was extra fucking sexy. And I would have been totally content with that scene being the only one, had there not been the tease of another at the very end of a chapter that turned out to be fade to black. Sorry, but, FOR SHAME. You mean to tell me that Fen just realized he was into what amounts to shibari, and also asked to be blindfolded, only for the next chapter to literally time jump? WHY?! It's not even just for horny reasons - the way the author writes intimate scenes has the MCs really deepen their connection during them, so it feels like I got cheated that.
And the second unforgivable act was the epilogue. I was excited to see one because I honestly thought the author might rectify the earlier error and include a scene there, but instead, the epilogue was from some random ass character's POV and it was set like generations after the story. It's a bad enough offense to have the epilogue not be about the main couple, but this guy had nothing to do with anything. There was mention of a song that showed that Fen and Lan's love story endured all that time but... I don't give a shit? Lol. I mean, it was nice and poetic and I kind of get what the author was going for but still. I'm salty about it.
Part of me wants to dive into more R Cooper books immediately because they obviously work for me, but I have a feeling it would be better to spread them out. Because, while I enjoy this particular kind of self deprecating obliviot they write, it would probably get old fast if I read them back to back. Maybe not all of their books have this character but, on the off chance they do, I'll wait a bit.
Pet names: cub, flower
*
*
*
*
*
Safety (may contain spoilers)
SA/rape: None
Other person drama: None! Fen was a virgin who'd never been interested in anyone before, and all Lan mentioned was that he hadn't had many lovers in the past as it hadn't been a priority for him.
Ok, so Fox of Fox Hall was not a fluke for me in terms of vibing with this author. Kind of baffling that my autistic brain really likes their writing, when I'm pretty sure if another human being spoke to me in this cryptic ass roundabout way irl I would cry. But I feel like I get it here?
I liked the weird political plot even though hardly anything happened the whole time. And I guess I really liked all the weird dialogue and the weirdly unsaid stuff, too. And I loved all the side characters.
While the setting and plot were totally different from Fox of Fox Hall, the MCs are vaguely Fox and Conall esque, in that one is a stunningly beautiful, clever, self deprecating obliviot who thinks the other couldn't possibly be interested in him, and the other is a startlingly competent, softly dominant, protector type who is completely devoted and only an obliviot because he doesn't realize that the other guy isn't aware of his affections. And I guess I'm into that.
This was safer for me than Fox on the OP front (FoFH was safe, just had more OP info than I like), but even so, it didn't quite live up to that glory for me. Besides liking the MCs more in that one, there were also two kind of unforgivable (or maybe just grump inducing) things in this one that knocked off star points for sure.
One was that a crucial sex scene was fade to black. Idc how horny that makes me sound, I stand by the fact that I will forever be mad. There was only one on page sex scene and it came fairly late in the book, but it fit perfectly. It was sexy and their dynamic was 🔥. I will never not love ropes and I will never not love a D/s situation, and the cultural element that was included was extra fucking sexy. And I would have been totally content with that scene being the only one, had there not been the tease of another at the very end of a chapter that turned out to be fade to black. Sorry, but, FOR SHAME. You mean to tell me that Fen just realized he was into what amounts to shibari, and also asked to be blindfolded, only for the next chapter to literally time jump? WHY?! It's not even just for horny reasons - the way the author writes intimate scenes has the MCs really deepen their connection during them, so it feels like I got cheated that.
And the second unforgivable act was the epilogue. I was excited to see one because I honestly thought the author might rectify the earlier error and include a scene there, but instead, the epilogue was from some random ass character's POV and it was set like generations after the story. It's a bad enough offense to have the epilogue not be about the main couple, but this guy had nothing to do with anything. There was mention of a song that showed that Fen and Lan's love story endured all that time but... I don't give a shit? Lol. I mean, it was nice and poetic and I kind of get what the author was going for but still. I'm salty about it.
Part of me wants to dive into more R Cooper books immediately because they obviously work for me, but I have a feeling it would be better to spread them out. Because, while I enjoy this particular kind of self deprecating obliviot they write, it would probably get old fast if I read them back to back. Maybe not all of their books have this character but, on the off chance they do, I'll wait a bit.
Pet names: cub, flower
"The Geon would not have recognized what you are and certainly wouldn't have known what to do with you - outside of his bedroom, that is." "And you do?" Fen didn't mean to ask it, but it floated between them, caught in the air until Lan faced away from him again and muttered, "I know what I'd like to do with you."
"You're mine. That remains the same, with or without this." His eyes were fixed on Fen, who stared at him, mesmerized. "Say it." "I'm yours," Fen echoed, then sank his teeth into his bottom lip. "But..." "You belong here and you're mine. Do you believe me? Then say it, cub." "I belong here," Fen whispered, watching Lan's face fill with color, "I'm yours."
"Good boy," falling from him when Fen shivered again before relaxing. "How do you feel?" Fen didn't wish for light. He didn't wish for anything. He would wait and Lan would decide. "Like yours."
"I could conquer all the known lands with this feeling." "But me first," Fen replied, halfway dreaming.
*
*
*
*
*
Safety (may contain spoilers)
SA/rape: None
Other person drama: None! Fen was a virgin who'd never been interested in anyone before, and all Lan mentioned was that he hadn't had many lovers in the past as it hadn't been a priority for him.
March 5, 2024
Don’t judge me I loved this. Tying up your lovers hands sexual style during an important political meeting is just A+ shit I truly don’t know what else to say.
January 23, 2024
The end of chapter seven made me say "Awwww!"
Okay, honestly, I tried to read this slowly, and mostly succeeded. It was very like enjoying a delectable box of fine chocolates. What I loved best about this one: delightful subtlety, with a core of devoted concern that satisfies me down to my bones.
I should've realized it's in the same universe as the two other "A Suitable..." books, but really that doesn't matter except it made me grin. I loved all three.
Okay, honestly, I tried to read this slowly, and mostly succeeded. It was very like enjoying a delectable box of fine chocolates. What I loved best about this one: delightful subtlety, with a core of devoted concern that satisfies me down to my bones.
I should've realized it's in the same universe as the two other "A Suitable..." books, but really that doesn't matter except it made me grin. I loved all three.
July 29, 2024
Another lovely slow burn by R Cooper with a surprise dash of praise & bondage kink. Fen, the Flower of the North, is a typical R Cooper MC - beautiful and oblivious. It’s my fave recipe and I will keep coming back for more 💜
December 28, 2023
Me, reading this book:
Oh cute
Ohhhh cuuute
D’aww
Oh whoa that’s…. kinkier than I was expecting???
Awwww cute
There’s that r cooper pining(tm) I’m here for
Ahh what a lovely love story.
Epilogue? Sweet- OH MY GOD IT’S A PREQUEL *elmo fire gif*
Oh cute
Ohhhh cuuute
D’aww
Oh whoa that’s…. kinkier than I was expecting???
Awwww cute
There’s that r cooper pining(tm) I’m here for
Ahh what a lovely love story.
Epilogue? Sweet- OH MY GOD IT’S A PREQUEL *elmo fire gif*
May 24, 2025
Simply amazing!
What a delight this book was! I loved it from start to finish and highlighted constantly. I hope this series continues!
What a delight this book was! I loved it from start to finish and highlighted constantly. I hope this series continues!
May 17, 2025
"Dol says it is plainly obvious what I feel. That you stir more than my body. That I..." Lan's gaze made him swallow and take his bound hands from Lan's chest to pat his own. "There is a sore, sweet feeling here. Do you have that too?"
"Yes." Lan's gaze said Fen had done well. "And heat, when I think of things I shouldn't. Then you offer them to me and... Mine. Is what you are—what I'd like you to be."
Fen runs away from his guards to escape arranged marriage, but ends up lost and hungry in the woods. He is found by a famous Wild Dog who rose against the nobles who abuse their position and power. But the title is very misleading, as Fen is more protected and taken care of by Lan (the Wild Dog), rather than being held captive. You could say that Fen is a willing captive, but Lan wants to give him all the freedom that Fen never knew while living with his own family.
I loved this. It has all the things I enjoy: historical fantasy, hurt/comfort, anxious MC, gentle love interest, praise kink, LOTS of consent. The worldbuilding is interesting and there are tidbits about different cultures and traditions that I enjoyed a lot, but the focus is primarily on romance and our main character Fen. Amazing side characters and strong found family vibes.
I had this same complaint in the previous book I read by this author, but sometimes I'm struggling to follow the dialogue. Characters are talking in circles and then they suddenly come to conclusions that gives us new information, but I don't understand how they connected that. This is not a big deal, though, definitely not enough for me to lower my rating.
The ending was a bit abrupt and it left me wishing to see more. The epilogue doesn't give us anything. It is set in the future (decades or even centuries later, I don't know) and barely hints at Fen and Lan's victories; there's only a mention of songs about them and their banner (last paragraph, a beautiful picture but it somehow left me sad), and the epilogue is mostly about two new characters, Fy and Peach, hooking up.
I still loved it, I just don't think I'd reread that epilogue again.
°•*⁀°•*⁀°•*⁀°•*⁀°•*⁀°•*⁀°•*⁀°•*⁀°•*⁀°•*
*General Notes*
-historical fantasy, anxious MC, gentle love interest, size difference, caretaking...
-MC is a willing captive (but he isn't a captive, really)
-CWs: past family abuse - physical, not sexual, and it's only hinted but it never goes into details.
*Intimacy Notes*
-Top/bottom/verse:
-Kinks/sex notes:
-Other:
•huge focus on consent
•handtimacy (lots of sweet touches; Fen has delicate hands & Lan has calloused, but gentle hands)
•Fen is and the reveal was so cute :)
•Fen lmao (it's cute, I promise)
•rope has important meaning for them
•Fen likes
•nicknames:
•snuggling up for warmth moments
•a nice "you're mine" and "I'm yours" moment
•caretaking
February 23, 2024
Other World-y
This was a first time for me reading a book set in this world that reminded me of Robin Hood and his Merry Men.
Wild Dog is a Robin Hood type MC fighting against the Earls of territory North, South.
Walking through the forest, returning from scouting adjacent territory, Wild Dog aka Killan, accompanied by Heni his sister and his friend Race, they discover a young man sleeping in the bushes.
This young man, Fenwit, turns out to be a man of Nobel birth and is taken to Wild Dog’s encampment hidden way in the forest.
Expecting to be used as a pawn in battle with the Earls Fen is surprised when he is warmly accepted by Wild Dog, who is happy to be taught by Fen in the ways of the Earls in preparing for future wars.
Something sparks big time between Wild Dog and Fen and I became engrossed in this whole new reading genre for me. I was drawn into this weird world of Killan and Fen and watched as their relationship developed.
A bit disappointed with the unexpected abrupt ending and an Epilogue that did not seem to relate to the story I had just read.
This was a first time for me reading a book set in this world that reminded me of Robin Hood and his Merry Men.
Wild Dog is a Robin Hood type MC fighting against the Earls of territory North, South.
Walking through the forest, returning from scouting adjacent territory, Wild Dog aka Killan, accompanied by Heni his sister and his friend Race, they discover a young man sleeping in the bushes.
This young man, Fenwit, turns out to be a man of Nobel birth and is taken to Wild Dog’s encampment hidden way in the forest.
Expecting to be used as a pawn in battle with the Earls Fen is surprised when he is warmly accepted by Wild Dog, who is happy to be taught by Fen in the ways of the Earls in preparing for future wars.
Something sparks big time between Wild Dog and Fen and I became engrossed in this whole new reading genre for me. I was drawn into this weird world of Killan and Fen and watched as their relationship developed.
A bit disappointed with the unexpected abrupt ending and an Epilogue that did not seem to relate to the story I had just read.
December 27, 2023
Excellent!
The third book in R Cooper's "Suitable" series. It's interesting that it is a prequel to the other two books, fleshing out the history and politics of the world setting. I would recommend reading the books in order. I adore R Cooper's books and she is an auto buy author for me. Her characters are fascinating, well developed, and complex.
The third book in R Cooper's "Suitable" series. It's interesting that it is a prequel to the other two books, fleshing out the history and politics of the world setting. I would recommend reading the books in order. I adore R Cooper's books and she is an auto buy author for me. Her characters are fascinating, well developed, and complex.
October 27, 2024
I think I would’ve preferred a little more text and a little less subtext because my dumb ass did not always get what they were really saying to each other lol
April 17, 2024
This is a love story for the ages with fantastic world-building and great character development. Fen is the son of a cruel earl, who has sent him as a gift to a neighboring earl to forge an alliance. Fen, known as the Flower for his notable beauty and soft demeanor, outwits his guards to escape before arrival at the new Hold. The earls hope to strengthen their power to fight against the Wild Dog, a marauder who has been having some success against several other earls.
Out in the wild and exhausted, he is awakened by a small group with a leader Fen is somehow drawn toward. Not wanting to return to his home and a sad fate, Fen suggests that he be taken captive by this small group. He meets the Wild Dog and hopes to slowly gain his trust. Can love bloom between these two men in their special relationship? This book has a beautiful story of strength and influence emerging from natural submission, the hidden magic of the fae, peace earned as much from diplomacy as battle, a slow-rising passion, and a deep love found in consent and choice.
Out in the wild and exhausted, he is awakened by a small group with a leader Fen is somehow drawn toward. Not wanting to return to his home and a sad fate, Fen suggests that he be taken captive by this small group. He meets the Wild Dog and hopes to slowly gain his trust. Can love bloom between these two men in their special relationship? This book has a beautiful story of strength and influence emerging from natural submission, the hidden magic of the fae, peace earned as much from diplomacy as battle, a slow-rising passion, and a deep love found in consent and choice.
November 29, 2024
Thank you to Peppermint Vixen for gifting this to me during the 2024 Secret Santa Book Exchange!
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3.5 rounded down
Enjoyable book in the Suitable 'verse! It's revealed in the epilogue of this book (which I didn't enjoy, because it introduces random characters I don't have any reason to care about) that this takes place a long, long time before the other books in the series, which I wish had been made clearer earlier. The reveal didn't add anything and I was distracted while reading wondering how to place this within the greater 'verse, but that's a small quibble overall.
But on the whole, I enjoyed this one! It does have Cooper's signature polarizing dialogue, where characters sort of seem to speak past each other, and it tends to bother me inconsistently -- I was fine with it for the first half of the book but it began to wear by the second.
Still, on the whole I enjoyed the characters and dynamic!
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3.5 rounded down
Enjoyable book in the Suitable 'verse! It's revealed in the epilogue of this book (which I didn't enjoy, because it introduces random characters I don't have any reason to care about) that this takes place a long, long time before the other books in the series, which I wish had been made clearer earlier. The reveal didn't add anything and I was distracted while reading wondering how to place this within the greater 'verse, but that's a small quibble overall.
But on the whole, I enjoyed this one! It does have Cooper's signature polarizing dialogue, where characters sort of seem to speak past each other, and it tends to bother me inconsistently -- I was fine with it for the first half of the book but it began to wear by the second.
Still, on the whole I enjoyed the characters and dynamic!
May 2, 2024
A promising and interesting story, not easy to read, and that unfortunately leaves you with a strong taste of unfinished work.
This was difficult to read because of the writing style. Not only are there numerous characters to follow, but most of the information about them are brought within dialogues that jump from one subject to another. As if that wasn't difficult enough, the dialogues have to be systematically read between the lines to be understood. I ended going frequently back one or several pages in the book to understand what I was reading. Even the description of the sex scenes left to be desired.
As for the story itself, it was all about discussing plots, not without dragging and repetition, and there was close to no action. The book ends on a few very slow chapters telling almost nothing about what happened as a consequence of all the plotting. Literally every thread is left unfinished. At 80 % the book could have ended up with "and they lived happily ever after" without losing anything, while according to the story's pace I expected at least 2 more books to tell the whole development.
And then there's an epilogue that falls out of nowhere, that is only remotely related to the rest of the story, that brings literally nothing, and that tells of another story that itself remains unfinished.
The main good thing in this book was the romantic aspect of the show burn. But then the more I think about it, the more I realize that the two MCs can only be characterized as "good people".
I liked the promise of an interesting story, of an angsty slow burn romance, but the way it was delivered left me deeply frustrated.
Not reading anything else by this author.
This was difficult to read because of the writing style. Not only are there numerous characters to follow, but most of the information about them are brought within dialogues that jump from one subject to another. As if that wasn't difficult enough, the dialogues have to be systematically read between the lines to be understood. I ended going frequently back one or several pages in the book to understand what I was reading. Even the description of the sex scenes left to be desired.
As for the story itself, it was all about discussing plots, not without dragging and repetition, and there was close to no action. The book ends on a few very slow chapters telling almost nothing about what happened as a consequence of all the plotting. Literally every thread is left unfinished. At 80 % the book could have ended up with "and they lived happily ever after" without losing anything, while according to the story's pace I expected at least 2 more books to tell the whole development.
And then there's an epilogue that falls out of nowhere, that is only remotely related to the rest of the story, that brings literally nothing, and that tells of another story that itself remains unfinished.
The main good thing in this book was the romantic aspect of the show burn. But then the more I think about it, the more I realize that the two MCs can only be characterized as "good people".
I liked the promise of an interesting story, of an angsty slow burn romance, but the way it was delivered left me deeply frustrated.
Not reading anything else by this author.
July 2, 2026
I enjoyed the story and I liked the characters but things definitely felt less developed than the first book and even the second. Again, I thought there were a lot of similarities and a bit repetitive.
I also felt the feelings were quite rushed. I've been impressed with this author because they seem to really show instead of tell, but in this it felt like a lot of telling. I just didn't feel the feelings really.
And I felt like Fen was super young??? They constantly talked about how young he was in the beginning. Just a year past becoming of age? And the constant cub talk/ nickname? Idk, that sort of thing is very much not for me. And honestly gave me a bit of the ick.
I also felt the feelings were quite rushed. I've been impressed with this author because they seem to really show instead of tell, but in this it felt like a lot of telling. I just didn't feel the feelings really.
And I felt like Fen was super young??? They constantly talked about how young he was in the beginning. Just a year past becoming of age? And the constant cub talk/ nickname? Idk, that sort of thing is very much not for me. And honestly gave me a bit of the ick.
April 18, 2024
4+⭐
I like this Suitable series very much. (Why isn't it marked as series anywhere?)
R. Cooper has these humble and quiet heroes, who don't really think much of themselves, but are still very capable and strong. In this series I think all the protagonists really shine with all these political schemes. And there's always the pining and the almost magical moments between the characters.
The final chapters were perhaps a little bit disconnected, and I would have wished them just a bit smoother or having something more, to make this 4.5⭐ or greater.
I like this Suitable series very much. (Why isn't it marked as series anywhere?)
R. Cooper has these humble and quiet heroes, who don't really think much of themselves, but are still very capable and strong. In this series I think all the protagonists really shine with all these political schemes. And there's always the pining and the almost magical moments between the characters.
The final chapters were perhaps a little bit disconnected, and I would have wished them just a bit smoother or having something more, to make this 4.5⭐ or greater.
January 3, 2025
Loved reading about how the Canamorra came about.
The epilogue made me feel like another book could be in the works. One could only hope so!
What I wouldn’t give for these books to have better covers. I hate them
The epilogue made me feel like another book could be in the works. One could only hope so!
What I wouldn’t give for these books to have better covers. I hate them
May 7, 2025
Thoroughly enjoyable.
February 21, 2024
I am not sure what possessed me to read this because the cover is highly suggestive of a BDSM relationship, which I’m not usually interested in reading. The book description hooked me, and the reviews posted used words like “sweet” and “adorable” so I bought it.
I had the strangest experience with this book because about half the time, I didn’t understand what was going on, but I was still totally hooked by the relationship, which is filled with sexual tension and longing.
The story is basically that Fen is the pretty, inexperienced son of an evil Earl (one of many in this world) who runs away into the woods and is rescued by Lan, a Robin Hood–esque character who is taking down the system one Earl at a time. Fen has a huge crush on Lan; Lan wants Fen but is determined not to take advantage of his innocence. There are many conversations about alliances and Lan’s role in reshaping society, and this was where I felt lost; but I sort of felt like I was reading about an unfamiliar culture and could accept their unfamiliar rules (sort of like when you read your first Victorian novel and think, “So they’re alone in the garden. Why is this a big deal?”). Also, Fen is narrating and his inexperience with the world affects the narration.
Technically there is some amount of Fen’s hands being tied up in this book, but it was always done in the most highly consensual way. I kept thinking, “I love how much consent is in this book, and every time it comes up, it seems to add to the sexiness of the scene.”
Also, while there is a background of battles and evil Earls, we don’t actually see any of that in the book, which is why I thought it counted as a cozy romantasy. The story starts with Lan finding Fen and stays with Fen at the rebels’ camp and home base, with the war happening off-page. So, the most stressful it gets is worrying about people making it home safely (which, given that it is a romance novel, I did not find too worrying).
I had the strangest experience with this book because about half the time, I didn’t understand what was going on, but I was still totally hooked by the relationship, which is filled with sexual tension and longing.
The story is basically that Fen is the pretty, inexperienced son of an evil Earl (one of many in this world) who runs away into the woods and is rescued by Lan, a Robin Hood–esque character who is taking down the system one Earl at a time. Fen has a huge crush on Lan; Lan wants Fen but is determined not to take advantage of his innocence. There are many conversations about alliances and Lan’s role in reshaping society, and this was where I felt lost; but I sort of felt like I was reading about an unfamiliar culture and could accept their unfamiliar rules (sort of like when you read your first Victorian novel and think, “So they’re alone in the garden. Why is this a big deal?”). Also, Fen is narrating and his inexperience with the world affects the narration.
Technically there is some amount of Fen’s hands being tied up in this book, but it was always done in the most highly consensual way. I kept thinking, “I love how much consent is in this book, and every time it comes up, it seems to add to the sexiness of the scene.”
Also, while there is a background of battles and evil Earls, we don’t actually see any of that in the book, which is why I thought it counted as a cozy romantasy. The story starts with Lan finding Fen and stays with Fen at the rebels’ camp and home base, with the war happening off-page. So, the most stressful it gets is worrying about people making it home safely (which, given that it is a romance novel, I did not find too worrying).
June 22, 2025
4.75 stars ⭐️
There’s just something about these barbarian type books that have me so tickled 😂 I love how Lan is known as the Wild Dog but has a literal heart of gold both for Fen and his people. Also WE NEED TO BRING YEARNING BACK?? Those months when Fen was waiting for Lan to come and get him from the safety of one of their holdings had me smiling like a loon 😭 This man literally conquered the entire world for him and went back as soon as he could even in the midst of a storm. I just loved these two so much and THE PRAISE?? Calling Fen flower, good cub and good boy? LIKE GOODBYE I’D FOLD TOO. I definitely needed more since the ending was so abrupt and the epilogue doesn’t seem to have anything to do with them 😭
There’s just something about these barbarian type books that have me so tickled 😂 I love how Lan is known as the Wild Dog but has a literal heart of gold both for Fen and his people. Also WE NEED TO BRING YEARNING BACK?? Those months when Fen was waiting for Lan to come and get him from the safety of one of their holdings had me smiling like a loon 😭 This man literally conquered the entire world for him and went back as soon as he could even in the midst of a storm. I just loved these two so much and THE PRAISE?? Calling Fen flower, good cub and good boy? LIKE GOODBYE I’D FOLD TOO. I definitely needed more since the ending was so abrupt and the epilogue doesn’t seem to have anything to do with them 😭
February 20, 2024
Now that is quite a terrible cover for such a lovely story where nothing much happened and yet everything happened and it was way too lovely for both of those things to make sense.
Fen is kidnapped although really, he run away first so maybe he is simply finding a new place where he can finally be himself. What he finds is Lan. There's travel and waking up and bringing food to people and then he sleeps and the wakes and he finds something useful to do and then they are at a camp and basically nothing happens but, well, everything was happening all along and now you can see it... a bit more clearly. The story feels like a poem for what we see on the surface is only the smallest part of what is happening.
This is a story of freedom, of an underdog, pardon my pan, freeing... it sounded like England although this is fantasy so it's about uniting a fractured territory and making things better for the common people. What actually happens is more of the above - some travel, some basically just surviving, some vague and specific and huge and ambitious plans and then it happens and there is love and oh my, I have very little idea why I liked this so much but moments like Lan uncovered that silly rope was more swoon-worthy than some other love interest declaring their undying love. There was a hint of kink in that poetic way so it just felt gentle and natural and unassuming and there was hint of action but 99% of that was not shown or even talked about...
I was also quite unaware this is from that particular universe but I guess it gives credit to the author that I remember the story mentioned in the epilogue despite thinking it was not a four-star material.
Definitely recommend, one of those hidden gems though I'd be the first to point out it might not be to everyone's taste or idea of romance.
Fen is kidnapped although really, he run away first so maybe he is simply finding a new place where he can finally be himself. What he finds is Lan. There's travel and waking up and bringing food to people and then he sleeps and the wakes and he finds something useful to do and then they are at a camp and basically nothing happens but, well, everything was happening all along and now you can see it... a bit more clearly. The story feels like a poem for what we see on the surface is only the smallest part of what is happening.
This is a story of freedom, of an underdog, pardon my pan, freeing... it sounded like England although this is fantasy so it's about uniting a fractured territory and making things better for the common people. What actually happens is more of the above - some travel, some basically just surviving, some vague and specific and huge and ambitious plans and then it happens and there is love and oh my, I have very little idea why I liked this so much but moments like Lan uncovered that silly rope was more swoon-worthy than some other love interest declaring their undying love. There was a hint of kink in that poetic way so it just felt gentle and natural and unassuming and there was hint of action but 99% of that was not shown or even talked about...
I was also quite unaware this is from that particular universe but I guess it gives credit to the author that I remember the story mentioned in the epilogue despite thinking it was not a four-star material.
Definitely recommend, one of those hidden gems though I'd be the first to point out it might not be to everyone's taste or idea of romance.
May 8, 2026
Beautiful. Written like an epic song. Heartwarming
I love how these stories (the books from
The saga) are woven, in an unexpected order that makes that much more interesting
I wish we could have gotten all of the wild wolf and his flower’s saga to conquer the land from sea to sea
The balance of their personalities is magnificent. How Fen is so intelligent and cunning and yet peaceful and unassuming, how he enjoys submitting to Lan, yet Lan also feels like he is submitting and is the first one to see Fen’s true potential. The slow burn. The organic building of trust and growing closer together. The well-thought strategy for conquering and uniting a restless land full of selfish earls. 10/10
The fact that so many people hated the epilogue surprised me (or made me think they didn’t get the story and it’s place in the series at all). So, spoilers, ahead, I’ll explain that
I love how these stories (the books from
The saga) are woven, in an unexpected order that makes that much more interesting
I wish we could have gotten all of the wild wolf and his flower’s saga to conquer the land from sea to sea
The balance of their personalities is magnificent. How Fen is so intelligent and cunning and yet peaceful and unassuming, how he enjoys submitting to Lan, yet Lan also feels like he is submitting and is the first one to see Fen’s true potential. The slow burn. The organic building of trust and growing closer together. The well-thought strategy for conquering and uniting a restless land full of selfish earls. 10/10
The fact that so many people hated the epilogue surprised me (or made me think they didn’t get the story and it’s place in the series at all). So, spoilers, ahead, I’ll explain that
November 7, 2024
R. Cooper's work is always beautiful-- melancholic yet still hopeful. Every once in a while, you'll notice a typo, but nothing too distracting. This book was not like that. It really could've used some editing – – the kind that catches typos and missing words and the kind that tightens up the store line and removes unnecessary elements.
The mistakes in this book were many and distracting. It's a shame because, like all our Cooper stories, this one had an interesting plot line and could've been something special but it wasn't. Also, the epilogue was weird. It was like it was just tacked on in an effort to tie this story to one of the author's previous works.
2 1/2 stars rounded up. Really, two stars rounded up and I think I'm giving it that much for nostalgia's sake since I'm such a big fan.
Don't judge Cooper by this work if it's the only thing you've ever read. Try Taiji from Beyond the Rings. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...
It is one of my all-time favorite romance novels. It might be my absolute favorite. I recommend that one highly.
The mistakes in this book were many and distracting. It's a shame because, like all our Cooper stories, this one had an interesting plot line and could've been something special but it wasn't. Also, the epilogue was weird. It was like it was just tacked on in an effort to tie this story to one of the author's previous works.
2 1/2 stars rounded up. Really, two stars rounded up and I think I'm giving it that much for nostalgia's sake since I'm such a big fan.
Don't judge Cooper by this work if it's the only thing you've ever read. Try Taiji from Beyond the Rings. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...
It is one of my all-time favorite romance novels. It might be my absolute favorite. I recommend that one highly.
June 18, 2025
I enjoy the world and plots created for this series but I’m afraid I found this book to be the least enjoyable of the three. The stories themselves were intriguing but the romance fell a bit flat.
The main characters in all three books have been far too similar, more similar to each other than they are different. Binge reading the books back-to-back, they got a bit…boring? It’s the same couple(/throuple) over and over. Their romances end up extremely similar too, with the obtuse obliviousness, despite multiple extremely obvious signals and declarations.
The other issue that I think correcting would improve this writer’s work leaps and bounds would be minimizing their use of unspoken conversations. If you’re going to make your MCs have whole conversations ‘between the lines’, you need to be 100% sure you’ve written in the context to lead the reader to be able to fill in those blanks. These books did not do that. As others have noted, you end up rereading a few times trying to figure out conversations.
Entertaining series, no regrets over reading. May look into more from this writer in the future but three was enough for now.
The main characters in all three books have been far too similar, more similar to each other than they are different. Binge reading the books back-to-back, they got a bit…boring? It’s the same couple(/throuple) over and over. Their romances end up extremely similar too, with the obtuse obliviousness, despite multiple extremely obvious signals and declarations.
The other issue that I think correcting would improve this writer’s work leaps and bounds would be minimizing their use of unspoken conversations. If you’re going to make your MCs have whole conversations ‘between the lines’, you need to be 100% sure you’ve written in the context to lead the reader to be able to fill in those blanks. These books did not do that. As others have noted, you end up rereading a few times trying to figure out conversations.
Entertaining series, no regrets over reading. May look into more from this writer in the future but three was enough for now.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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March 13, 2024This is the same world (and has the same type of protagonist) as Cooper's A Suitable Bodyguard and A Suitable Consort For the King and His Husband . They don't need to be read in any particular order. If you're only trying one I liked A Suitable Consort For the King and His Husband best. If you want to get a sense of the relationships without buying it, the author has an AU called "Nobody Needs to Tiktok" in which the kings are retired hockey players and Mattin is their social media intern. All the pining, none of the political intrigue.
August 21, 2024
Love the book, love the “suitable” ‘verse, and love the way R. Cooper characterizes the fae there. I tried to put it down for a while just so it would last longer - I didn’t want to have to stop reading it. But it was too good, I just gobbled it up. Going back to read the first book again.
Some of the things that were wonderful: how richly Fen and Lan (and others) were developed with so little said about them. (How does R. Cooper DO that? Say so much with so few words?) How Fen finds his place. How insightful Fen is about Lan, Lan’s motivation, and is able to articulate Lan’s goals and guide his campaign, despite being small, and quiet, and essentially downtrodden his whole life. How Lan feels and expresses his feelings. How Lan cares for his people and yet undervalues himself. I also love how this is the third book in the series, despite not being third in a timeline. The three books work SOOOOO well together when read in the order they were written.
The only thing I didn’t like is my autocorrect changing “Lan” to “LAN” every single time. 🤣😂🤣😂
Some of the things that were wonderful: how richly Fen and Lan (and others) were developed with so little said about them. (How does R. Cooper DO that? Say so much with so few words?) How Fen finds his place. How insightful Fen is about Lan, Lan’s motivation, and is able to articulate Lan’s goals and guide his campaign, despite being small, and quiet, and essentially downtrodden his whole life. How Lan feels and expresses his feelings. How Lan cares for his people and yet undervalues himself. I also love how this is the third book in the series, despite not being third in a timeline. The three books work SOOOOO well together when read in the order they were written.
The only thing I didn’t like is my autocorrect changing “Lan” to “LAN” every single time. 🤣😂🤣😂
June 8, 2024
4.5 stars
Ate this up. It took a little while to get used to the writing style and the way the characters seemed to do a lot of communicating through facial expressions and gestures, but I really ended up liking that--that Fen and Lan didn't need words to convey emotions because they were THAT close. Lan is the 'Wild Dog' unifier of the downtrodden and Fen is his 'Flower-of-the-North' plotter. This kind of read like a legend in the making, what with the ongoing references to the ballads being written about their love story. Ballads about the Wild Dog and his Flower that people would be singing about long into the future.
The ending is odd--the epilogue swerves to 2 completely different characters, but I did get the connection to Fen and Lan's story with the mentions of those very same ballads based on them. And the final chapter did give good closure to their story.
Oh... And I really don't like the cover. It doesn't do the story justice.
Ate this up. It took a little while to get used to the writing style and the way the characters seemed to do a lot of communicating through facial expressions and gestures, but I really ended up liking that--that Fen and Lan didn't need words to convey emotions because they were THAT close. Lan is the 'Wild Dog' unifier of the downtrodden and Fen is his 'Flower-of-the-North' plotter. This kind of read like a legend in the making, what with the ongoing references to the ballads being written about their love story. Ballads about the Wild Dog and his Flower that people would be singing about long into the future.
The ending is odd--the epilogue swerves to 2 completely different characters, but I did get the connection to Fen and Lan's story with the mentions of those very same ballads based on them. And the final chapter did give good closure to their story.
Oh... And I really don't like the cover. It doesn't do the story justice.
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