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Familiar Spirits #2
Holly and Oak
Once a year, the town of Ravenscroft celebrates the winter solstice by watching the Oak King symbolically slay the Holly King to ensure the death of winter. To most people, it’s a pagan ritual that has lost all meaning in the modern world, harmless fun during the week of Christmas. To the coven who founded the town, it’s a magic so important they entrusted it to the two strongest witches in generations.
Will Battle and Chester Sibley are opposites in every way, or so Ravenscroft residents insist. Quiet, polite Will is the town’s beloved adopted son, popular and admired. Defiant, outspoken Chester is disliked and avoided despite being a direct descendant of the town’s founders. It’s no wonder Will is the embodiment of spring and life as the Oak King and Chester was given the cold, dark Season of Holly. No one in town seems to realize their nice, well-mannered Oak King has iron at his core and their fearsome Holly King only wants to make people happy. Perhaps that’s also why not even the other witches suspect that Chester has been in love with Will for almost his entire life.
That’s how Chester wants it. He might dream of Will, but he’s learned to keep his dreams to himself. The trouble is Will. For all that he smiles and nods, Will has started quietly rebelling against both the town and the coven. With only days until the winter solstice, he issues Chester a challenge—to finally ask for what he wants. If Chester tells the truth, he risks losing Will and upsetting the ritual that has made the town prosperous. But there is more between them than magic, no matter how powerful or ancient, and Chester would do anything for Will, even, just maybe, coming in from the cold.
Will Battle and Chester Sibley are opposites in every way, or so Ravenscroft residents insist. Quiet, polite Will is the town’s beloved adopted son, popular and admired. Defiant, outspoken Chester is disliked and avoided despite being a direct descendant of the town’s founders. It’s no wonder Will is the embodiment of spring and life as the Oak King and Chester was given the cold, dark Season of Holly. No one in town seems to realize their nice, well-mannered Oak King has iron at his core and their fearsome Holly King only wants to make people happy. Perhaps that’s also why not even the other witches suspect that Chester has been in love with Will for almost his entire life.
That’s how Chester wants it. He might dream of Will, but he’s learned to keep his dreams to himself. The trouble is Will. For all that he smiles and nods, Will has started quietly rebelling against both the town and the coven. With only days until the winter solstice, he issues Chester a challenge—to finally ask for what he wants. If Chester tells the truth, he risks losing Will and upsetting the ritual that has made the town prosperous. But there is more between them than magic, no matter how powerful or ancient, and Chester would do anything for Will, even, just maybe, coming in from the cold.
119 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 5, 2017
49 people are currently reading
398 people want to read
About the author
R. Cooper
81 books996 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.
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.
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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.
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 88 reviews
March 29, 2024
I think I might have a thing for witches and magic … and I might be a bit in love with R. Cooper. Though the author is special, the writing is somewhat exhausting but also beautiful.
The narrative of this story is quite difficult, as are the characters. I think I said something similar about the first book in this series. But still, it's worth soldiering through. Once I finally understood the strange behavior of the characters, it was oh so wonderful. And so sad at the same time. Years of misunderstanding and all because some people thought Chester and William shouldn't be friends. Oh I was soooo angry.
And then there's their magic, which somehow doesn't seem to help either.
That was the way the magic worked—together they were strong enough to challenge anyone, if they ever wanted to, but if they fought one other, they would be left with nothing. Not even a town. Not even each other. 😢
Life and death, opposites, until they learn that they belong together.
“I like the tiny sleep shorts you wear to bed. You should wear them out sometime.” Chester put his nose in the air. “The day I wear shorts in public and expose my hideous lanky white legs is the day all the ravens leave Ravenscroft.”
“So your long legs are for me alone, then.” Will’s dimple shouldn’t be so charming after this many months together. 🥰
The narrative of this story is quite difficult, as are the characters. I think I said something similar about the first book in this series. But still, it's worth soldiering through. Once I finally understood the strange behavior of the characters, it was oh so wonderful. And so sad at the same time. Years of misunderstanding and all because some people thought Chester and William shouldn't be friends. Oh I was soooo angry.
And then there's their magic, which somehow doesn't seem to help either.
That was the way the magic worked—together they were strong enough to challenge anyone, if they ever wanted to, but if they fought one other, they would be left with nothing. Not even a town. Not even each other. 😢
Life and death, opposites, until they learn that they belong together.
“I like the tiny sleep shorts you wear to bed. You should wear them out sometime.” Chester put his nose in the air. “The day I wear shorts in public and expose my hideous lanky white legs is the day all the ravens leave Ravenscroft.”
“So your long legs are for me alone, then.” Will’s dimple shouldn’t be so charming after this many months together. 🥰
November 29, 2020
3 Stars
The blurb really says it all. Round and round and round and round and round Chester and Will go.
No doubt Cooper knows how to deliver on the angsty yearning as Chester contemplates his situation and his seemingly unrequited feelings towards Will.
The longing is definitely seen here as it was seen in its predecessor which I enjoyed more. Apparently, for me there’s a fine line, and these two seemingly take forever to get their act together with so much exposition between sparse action.
However, many loved this and if you’re in the mood, this has a fitting atmospheric seasonal feel as winter comes upon us. Regardless, this was still a palpable intense romance that Cooper fans should have no problem enjoying!
The blurb really says it all. Round and round and round and round and round Chester and Will go.
No doubt Cooper knows how to deliver on the angsty yearning as Chester contemplates his situation and his seemingly unrequited feelings towards Will.
The longing is definitely seen here as it was seen in its predecessor which I enjoyed more. Apparently, for me there’s a fine line, and these two seemingly take forever to get their act together with so much exposition between sparse action.
However, many loved this and if you’re in the mood, this has a fitting atmospheric seasonal feel as winter comes upon us. Regardless, this was still a palpable intense romance that Cooper fans should have no problem enjoying!
February 2, 2022
First: you can read this as a stand-alone! It's not a sequel to A Little Familiar, it's a similar *type* of story, for Winter Solstice rather than Samhain. I don't recall the name of the town in Little Familiar, but I think this is a different place in the same fictional-US. A really cold part! As poor lonely Chester says: nobody really likes winter. Not even him.
Just after I finished this somebody pointed me to this AU version the author wrote, so I'll read "What Winter is Like" next.
https://archiveofourown.org/works/357...
Just after I finished this somebody pointed me to this AU version the author wrote, so I'll read "What Winter is Like" next.
https://archiveofourown.org/works/357...
October 26, 2025
4 stars
Reread 2025
Still one of my favourite series
I love Chester in all his grumpy glory
The coven have a lot to answer for. How could they do that to one of their younger members
4 stars
Audio Review
The audio for this one is fabulous
4 stars
Reread 2022
I really feel for Chester here. He is actually very isolated from the coven and it's all the coven's fault. They made him the person he is. All he went through for them and he is still left all on his own
4 Stars
Re Read - Oct 2021
I loved this one this time. I felt for Chester and really noticed on this read how the coven and the towns people really isolated him and felt it was cruel, as he didn't have anyone.
Re read November 2019
Better in this read upping rating
4 ⭐️
Better
3.75 ⭐️
I liked this one better than the first one by a long way. I commented in my review of the first book that this author uses miscommunication and not talking to each other as a common tool. It didn’t work for me in the first book, but this is one of the cases where that tool works, because there was a reason behind it. Not just one of the characters believing that the other wouldn’t want them and not trying, but actual events that lead up to where they are now.
I connected easily with Chester as we were in his head and had a glimpse of where he was coming from, Will was a harder character to connect with, I liked him as a character but he was harder to get to know due to all of the half communications. That was the problem I had with this one and I did mark it down because of all of the half conversations where they didn’t really say what they wanted to made it harder to follow along and work out what was going on.
I still enjoyed the book and will probably upgrade the stars on the re read when all the nuances come out
Reread 2025
Still one of my favourite series
I love Chester in all his grumpy glory
The coven have a lot to answer for. How could they do that to one of their younger members
4 stars
Audio Review
The audio for this one is fabulous
4 stars
Reread 2022
I really feel for Chester here. He is actually very isolated from the coven and it's all the coven's fault. They made him the person he is. All he went through for them and he is still left all on his own
4 Stars
Re Read - Oct 2021
I loved this one this time. I felt for Chester and really noticed on this read how the coven and the towns people really isolated him and felt it was cruel, as he didn't have anyone.
Re read November 2019
Better in this read upping rating
4 ⭐️
Better
3.75 ⭐️
I liked this one better than the first one by a long way. I commented in my review of the first book that this author uses miscommunication and not talking to each other as a common tool. It didn’t work for me in the first book, but this is one of the cases where that tool works, because there was a reason behind it. Not just one of the characters believing that the other wouldn’t want them and not trying, but actual events that lead up to where they are now.
I connected easily with Chester as we were in his head and had a glimpse of where he was coming from, Will was a harder character to connect with, I liked him as a character but he was harder to get to know due to all of the half communications. That was the problem I had with this one and I did mark it down because of all of the half conversations where they didn’t really say what they wanted to made it harder to follow along and work out what was going on.
I still enjoyed the book and will probably upgrade the stars on the re read when all the nuances come out
May 24, 2023
DNF @ 32%
I don't think this author is for me. I had the exact same problems with this book as I did with A Little Familiar and those problems seem to be consistent in this author's work.
Chester annoyed me from the very first time he appeared on page. I love grumpy characters but he's not grumpy - he's whiny and immature. He's one of those people who has spent his entire life throwing himself a pity-party and everything he does and says revolves around his woe-is-me attitude. For example: the guy is in his 20s and has an adult job, yet his physical appearance is that of an emo teenager and he goes out of his way to avoid interacting with others, yet he constantly complains about 'not fitting in' and how 'nobody likes him'. The guy has stay-away-from-me signs basically plastered all over himself, yet he spends his time lamenting that nobody wants to get close. Other characters try to explain to him that the problem is with Chester, not with others but he refuses to listen because he's so devoted to his woe-is-me victim narrative.
I also didn't understand what the author was trying to do with William. He's the typical jock character who puts on a brave front to get the job done when things are tough but he's struggling internally. This isn't a complicated characterization. Yet, the author keeps talking about how William is a hypocrite or how he's two completely different people or...something? I didn't understand why the author (through Chester) keeps being annoyed at William for just existing. Personally, I felt Chester was jealous and deep down, Chester knows William has more friends and is more beloved because he actually puts effort into being a friendly person who cares about others.
I also had the exact same problems with the romance as I did with A Little Familiar. So these two guys have known each other since they were children. They've been very close for years, to the point where Chester comforted William when he went through a personal loss when they were 11/12 years old and in the present day, William frequently visits Chester at his ice cream shop where Chester always puts aside special ice cream for him. As for William, he always sticks up for Chester when others are rude or say rude things about him and William appears to enjoy spending time with Chester. They appear to be lifelong best friends, just with two opposing personalities. But we're supposed to believe that they're actually 'enemies' and that Chester thinks William doesn't like him? That their roles in this town's solstice celebration is something that everybody takes so seriously that they and the guys think they're enemies? This made no sense to me.
Plus - Chester's complaints about his role as the Holly King was just more woe-is-me teenage whining. If the guy doesn't want to participate in this magical ritual, he doesn't have to. He's not the only witch in town and just because some seer decided that Chester and William had to perform these roles doesn't mean they actually have to. How do I know this? Because Chester and William have only been doing this ritual for a few years and yet, the town has been fine for hundreds of years. Maybe the author clarifies this better further in the story and the situation makes more sense, but it wasn't the enemies to lovers setup I wanted.
Overall, the writing was enjoyable, the town was cute and the ideas were nice but the enemies to lovers aspect was terrible executed and I couldn't stand Chester so I'm going to quit.
I don't think this author is for me. I had the exact same problems with this book as I did with A Little Familiar and those problems seem to be consistent in this author's work.
Chester annoyed me from the very first time he appeared on page. I love grumpy characters but he's not grumpy - he's whiny and immature. He's one of those people who has spent his entire life throwing himself a pity-party and everything he does and says revolves around his woe-is-me attitude. For example: the guy is in his 20s and has an adult job, yet his physical appearance is that of an emo teenager and he goes out of his way to avoid interacting with others, yet he constantly complains about 'not fitting in' and how 'nobody likes him'. The guy has stay-away-from-me signs basically plastered all over himself, yet he spends his time lamenting that nobody wants to get close. Other characters try to explain to him that the problem is with Chester, not with others but he refuses to listen because he's so devoted to his woe-is-me victim narrative.
I also didn't understand what the author was trying to do with William. He's the typical jock character who puts on a brave front to get the job done when things are tough but he's struggling internally. This isn't a complicated characterization. Yet, the author keeps talking about how William is a hypocrite or how he's two completely different people or...something? I didn't understand why the author (through Chester) keeps being annoyed at William for just existing. Personally, I felt Chester was jealous and deep down, Chester knows William has more friends and is more beloved because he actually puts effort into being a friendly person who cares about others.
I also had the exact same problems with the romance as I did with A Little Familiar. So these two guys have known each other since they were children. They've been very close for years, to the point where Chester comforted William when he went through a personal loss when they were 11/12 years old and in the present day, William frequently visits Chester at his ice cream shop where Chester always puts aside special ice cream for him. As for William, he always sticks up for Chester when others are rude or say rude things about him and William appears to enjoy spending time with Chester. They appear to be lifelong best friends, just with two opposing personalities. But we're supposed to believe that they're actually 'enemies' and that Chester thinks William doesn't like him? That their roles in this town's solstice celebration is something that everybody takes so seriously that they and the guys think they're enemies? This made no sense to me.
Plus - Chester's complaints about his role as the Holly King was just more woe-is-me teenage whining. If the guy doesn't want to participate in this magical ritual, he doesn't have to. He's not the only witch in town and just because some seer decided that Chester and William had to perform these roles doesn't mean they actually have to. How do I know this? Because Chester and William have only been doing this ritual for a few years and yet, the town has been fine for hundreds of years. Maybe the author clarifies this better further in the story and the situation makes more sense, but it wasn't the enemies to lovers setup I wanted.
Overall, the writing was enjoyable, the town was cute and the ideas were nice but the enemies to lovers aspect was terrible executed and I couldn't stand Chester so I'm going to quit.
December 10, 2017
You definitely need to have a grasp of the Holly and Oak legend to appreciate the story fully, so read the blurb carefully, it gives good background that the story itself doesn't give until you're well in to the story.
I loved Chester and felt so bad for the raw deal he'd been dealt by the town. Getting to know he and Will as the story progresses is a treat and the two had so much more depth than the town gave them credit for. They truly embodied the characters in the legend and the author did a great job of turning it into a contemporary story.
I loved Chester and felt so bad for the raw deal he'd been dealt by the town. Getting to know he and Will as the story progresses is a treat and the two had so much more depth than the town gave them credit for. They truly embodied the characters in the legend and the author did a great job of turning it into a contemporary story.
June 18, 2020
I found through through a rec - someone mentioned that if you liked the character dynamics in ADSOM, this would be a good quick read, and boy were they right.
R. Cooper creates this really interesting push and pull between Chester and Will. It isn't the traditional enemies-to-lovers or friends-to-lovers, but somewhere in the middle of the two. I'm not usually a fan of significant and long held bad communication in romances, but in this book, it works.
That said, there's a lot of worldbulding that is kind of hand-waved here. The bare bones are there, but when the actual way and reason the magic in this world works forms such a deep part of the story, it's frustrating when it's constantly mentioned and then pushed aside, making the story frustratingly confusing in significant parts.
Because of this, objectively? I should give it 2.5 stars.
But here's the thing. This isn't a book I can be objective about.
Cooper writes the emotions of the main characters brilliantly, and you can feel them both - even Will, ostensibly the non-POV character. It's been a tough few weeks for me mentally, given the lockdown conditions here, and the characters in this story arre so thoughtfully written and developed that spent most of t bawling like a baby.
And it helped. It me helped me reset and re-centre. For all of the missing plot, this book touched me in a way that i sorely needed right now, so 5/5 stars for this one. This may have been the most necessary read i've had in a long while.
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R. Cooper creates this really interesting push and pull between Chester and Will. It isn't the traditional enemies-to-lovers or friends-to-lovers, but somewhere in the middle of the two. I'm not usually a fan of significant and long held bad communication in romances, but in this book, it works.
That said, there's a lot of worldbulding that is kind of hand-waved here. The bare bones are there, but when the actual way and reason the magic in this world works forms such a deep part of the story, it's frustrating when it's constantly mentioned and then pushed aside, making the story frustratingly confusing in significant parts.
Because of this, objectively? I should give it 2.5 stars.
But here's the thing. This isn't a book I can be objective about.
Cooper writes the emotions of the main characters brilliantly, and you can feel them both - even Will, ostensibly the non-POV character. It's been a tough few weeks for me mentally, given the lockdown conditions here, and the characters in this story arre so thoughtfully written and developed that spent most of t bawling like a baby.
And it helped. It me helped me reset and re-centre. For all of the missing plot, this book touched me in a way that i sorely needed right now, so 5/5 stars for this one. This may have been the most necessary read i've had in a long while.
December 21, 2021
I think I liked this one more than the first book. Sweet and lovely.
November 2, 2023
2023 Spring Bingo (#SpringIntoLoveBingo🌷): Queer Small Town Romance
This was sweet even though the worldbuilding was “vibes only.”
This was sweet even though the worldbuilding was “vibes only.”
January 16, 2018
Rating 2.5 After loving A Little Familiar so much I was really disappointed in this one. I just didn't buy the relationship--and especially its change--between these two. I never could make myself like Chester and didn't feel that, as stated in the blurb, he had any affinity for other people at all. He is extremely prickly and awful with Will, making me completely at a loss for how Will comes to have feelings for him. The love on Chester's part is more easily explained, and the story of how he's been pressured to hide and squelch it by the coven and his own parents is a bit sad. However, these guys are in their twenties, both business owners, powerful warlocks, and given a sacred and dangerous duty on behalf of the coven; they are old enough to have worked this stuff out before now. The whole enemies-to-lovers trope only works for me if there's a real change in the characters, a growing relationship, not an abrupt change. While many things about the story appealed to me, the core relationship just didn't ring true.
May 1, 2025
I read it too close to the first one which I loved and maybe it is as good as that one, but I should give a break between books in the same series. More small town, cottage core kind, double pining, being courted without being aware of it, the object of your crush showing signs of hidden feels. So much feels and small town, business vibes. I loved the first best, but maybe because I was not expecting to. I will definitely to the rest of the series (and more of the R. Cooper books I have not yet read) but I bettter give it a break before they start looking worse in comparison to each other.
Incidentally this is a great book to read December-ish, late autumn and pre-christmas (I read it in April hence the warning!)
Incidentally this is a great book to read December-ish, late autumn and pre-christmas (I read it in April hence the warning!)
January 6, 2018
This was lovely. I really enjoyed it. Not my favourite R. Cooper, but a goodie nonetheless.
February 14, 2019
Great but a little too subtle for me
I really liked this premise and the story, plus both main characters had layers and depth.
But, I got a bit lost, at no point do they really spell out what they are going on about, it is all inferred from their conversations and I think some of that ambiguity is part of the suspense in the book of waiting to find out the details and in a way it is a good reveal Nevertheless I had to reread several passages to twig what they were saying. (Or not saying) I don't usually have a problem with that so it could be the writing or just me. But I still only "think" I got the story which doesn't feel like a good book to me. So an ambiguous 3 stars..
I really liked this premise and the story, plus both main characters had layers and depth.
But, I got a bit lost, at no point do they really spell out what they are going on about, it is all inferred from their conversations and I think some of that ambiguity is part of the suspense in the book of waiting to find out the details and in a way it is a good reveal Nevertheless I had to reread several passages to twig what they were saying. (Or not saying) I don't usually have a problem with that so it could be the writing or just me. But I still only "think" I got the story which doesn't feel like a good book to me. So an ambiguous 3 stars..
November 11, 2024
Loved this one too. It took some effort to read - and please be aware that is a compliment, not a criticism. There is so much story in the story, it requires some careful attention. R. Cooper’s use of language is so brilliant. A lot more depth than one might expect from a book of this length. Unless, of course, you are familiar with this author’s ability to convey so much without a lot of lengthy descriptions.
January 19, 2018
Cute, short story. Although, some of it was very hard for me to follow. Things just weren't clicking and I felt I didn't know what was actually happening. I'm chalking it up to me being exhausted while reading the story.
3.5*
3.5*
January 18, 2019
4.5 stars.
Oh, I loved this. Chester and Will and their combative, yet sweet relationship were so good. I really liked the premise of Oak and Holly, and how they shared the power and what it meant for each of them to give it up.
I'm docking half a star because I felt, like in the first book, that too much was told rather than shown. I didn't really understand why Chester was kept away from Will, or why he was so hated by literally everyone.
Oh, I loved this. Chester and Will and their combative, yet sweet relationship were so good. I really liked the premise of Oak and Holly, and how they shared the power and what it meant for each of them to give it up.
I'm docking half a star because I felt, like in the first book, that too much was told rather than shown. I didn't really understand why Chester was kept away from Will, or why he was so hated by literally everyone.
November 2, 2019
I enjoyed this one, much like the first in the series. Again, I found the formatting made it a little difficult to read, especially when trying to follow who was speaking when (though I don't know if that is just a general formatting issue, or a Scribd formatting issue).
Read
August 2, 2021I recommend reading this at winter solstice rather than blazing summer like I just did. Although... It DID make me want to eat ice cream, so that worked.
January 11, 2024
Perfect Yule read. BL frienimies to lovers oak x holly king witch bois, forever bound by red string of fate of course. Ones fall is the others rise to power. Little death is still a death right? Gave charming small town vibes and adorable ice cream shop ftw.
April 26, 2018
3.5 stars
THIS WAS SO CUTE!!!! i wish it had been longer with a bit more plot but otherwise a nice light read
THIS WAS SO CUTE!!!! i wish it had been longer with a bit more plot but otherwise a nice light read
January 16, 2023
Cooper’s talent for creating absolutely immersive atmosphere is on full display in this crackling hot slow burn witchy romance.
July 18, 2018
Winter bows to Summer
This was beautiful and heartbreaking, a story of two boys kept apart by a childhood misunderstanding and a town's contempt but kept together by that same town's need. Now adults, choices have changed and they face a whole new world that will change them and the town.
William and Chester are two very powerful witches. They are the most powerful in many generations, so their town decidedto to use them to enact an old ritual of power to bring prosperity to the town, one of the Holly and Oak king. Oak, summer, is taken by William, a nd beloved by the small farming town. Meanwhile Holly, winter, is taken by Chester, and the already outspoken young boy is shunned by the town. With this separation the town also seeks to protect William from Chester, even though all Chester wants is a friend who understands the power and responsibility. William grows up beloved while Chester grows up ignored.
Chester was the lead to this story and while the first impression of him is prickly, it is very quickly clear that he is actually hiding how sweet and loving he is. He runs an ice cream parlour and delights in making perfect flavours to make people happy, even if just for a moment. The town ignoring and disliking him for som long has made him put up this cold and prickly outer shield to protect himself. He has given up leaving, the warmth and growth of summer, and even love to support the town that doesn't love him back. Yet his one love is William, Oak King, the man who hates him. William is surprisingly pushing Chester to seek more in love, leaving Chester confused and hopeful as friendship and maybe more slowly becomes possible. With how much Chester has put up with it is impossible not to hope for more in life for him and Williams as well. This story is a progression of Chester finally declaring what he wants and how it changes the town. A wonderfully moving story that will gives love a chance against all the odds.
This was beautiful and heartbreaking, a story of two boys kept apart by a childhood misunderstanding and a town's contempt but kept together by that same town's need. Now adults, choices have changed and they face a whole new world that will change them and the town.
William and Chester are two very powerful witches. They are the most powerful in many generations, so their town decidedto to use them to enact an old ritual of power to bring prosperity to the town, one of the Holly and Oak king. Oak, summer, is taken by William, a nd beloved by the small farming town. Meanwhile Holly, winter, is taken by Chester, and the already outspoken young boy is shunned by the town. With this separation the town also seeks to protect William from Chester, even though all Chester wants is a friend who understands the power and responsibility. William grows up beloved while Chester grows up ignored.
Chester was the lead to this story and while the first impression of him is prickly, it is very quickly clear that he is actually hiding how sweet and loving he is. He runs an ice cream parlour and delights in making perfect flavours to make people happy, even if just for a moment. The town ignoring and disliking him for som long has made him put up this cold and prickly outer shield to protect himself. He has given up leaving, the warmth and growth of summer, and even love to support the town that doesn't love him back. Yet his one love is William, Oak King, the man who hates him. William is surprisingly pushing Chester to seek more in love, leaving Chester confused and hopeful as friendship and maybe more slowly becomes possible. With how much Chester has put up with it is impossible not to hope for more in life for him and Williams as well. This story is a progression of Chester finally declaring what he wants and how it changes the town. A wonderfully moving story that will gives love a chance against all the odds.
December 28, 2021
I keep coming back to read different books in this series, even though the unspoken backstory between the characters always makes the beginning (most of the book, really) extremely confusing. The sensory detail and magical winter vibe are just too good to pass up! Even though I don't always get what's going on, I know the experience will make me feel grounded and present in the season.
December 17, 2020
T.T ouch but also yay
October 21, 2025
This was really sweet and I enjoyed the Holly and Oak legend being intertwined into this story. Chester and Will are polar opposites, Will's the towns darling and Chester is tolerated at best by most people. It's disconcerting for Chester as he's got secret feelings for Will and having the man stopping into his bakery most days around the end of the day is getting harder and harder to ignore.
This was lovely and watching these two figure out that they're both crushing on the other. Will's determination to get through Chesters shyness and avoidance was cute.
This was lovely and watching these two figure out that they're both crushing on the other. Will's determination to get through Chesters shyness and avoidance was cute.
December 11, 2017
3.5
What if summer and winter are just ordinary guys or maybe not that ordinary because they are witches and not really summer and winter but figures in a solstice ritual where the holly king and the oak king take the power and magic of the other depending on the solstice.
As the most powerful witches of the small town of Ravenscroft Chester and William are more or less forced into those roles for the benefit of the town and the surrounding area and act to their roles. Friendly and sunny Will liked by everyone and cranky, stubborn Ches kept apart by the coven members while Chester is hopelessly in love with Will.
In typical R. Cooper fashion every spoken word is heavy with meaning, every name is a sigh and then bright like snowflake humor sparkles in the most unlikely places and blows the emotional heaviness away before the guys built it again. Maybe it's the mix with the pagan ritual but this time Ms. Coopers magic doesn't touch me like it usually does.
What if summer and winter are just ordinary guys or maybe not that ordinary because they are witches and not really summer and winter but figures in a solstice ritual where the holly king and the oak king take the power and magic of the other depending on the solstice.
As the most powerful witches of the small town of Ravenscroft Chester and William are more or less forced into those roles for the benefit of the town and the surrounding area and act to their roles. Friendly and sunny Will liked by everyone and cranky, stubborn Ches kept apart by the coven members while Chester is hopelessly in love with Will.
In typical R. Cooper fashion every spoken word is heavy with meaning, every name is a sigh and then bright like snowflake humor sparkles in the most unlikely places and blows the emotional heaviness away before the guys built it again. Maybe it's the mix with the pagan ritual but this time Ms. Coopers magic doesn't touch me like it usually does.
October 14, 2018
FEELS!!!!!
Content Notes:
🐶 homomisia
🐶 people’s assumptions coloring actions
🐶 panic attack in past
🐶 masturbation
🐶 comment on weight, eating habits
🐶 death of uncle, mourning in past
🐶 bad high school feelings
🐶 small town possessiveness
🐶 alcohol consumption, inebriation
🐶 casual ableism
🐶 racism
🐶 gendered slurs (bitch)
🐶 on page sex
Oh my gawd, this story was just so BEAUTIFUL. I was misty eyed the entire time. The balance of Will and Chester and the contrast is so elegant and delicate~ I just love everything about this story, this pairing, the magic of this world. It’s delicate and soft and gentle, but still hits like a sledgehammer to the heart. So, so good~
Content Notes:
🐶 homomisia
🐶 people’s assumptions coloring actions
🐶 panic attack in past
🐶 masturbation
🐶 comment on weight, eating habits
🐶 death of uncle, mourning in past
🐶 bad high school feelings
🐶 small town possessiveness
🐶 alcohol consumption, inebriation
🐶 casual ableism
🐶 racism
🐶 gendered slurs (bitch)
🐶 on page sex
Oh my gawd, this story was just so BEAUTIFUL. I was misty eyed the entire time. The balance of Will and Chester and the contrast is so elegant and delicate~ I just love everything about this story, this pairing, the magic of this world. It’s delicate and soft and gentle, but still hits like a sledgehammer to the heart. So, so good~
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 21, 2021
Chilled to the bones but cozy and quiet... The second book in the series was as atmospheric as the first one. Maybe not so dreamy but I didn't mind. I admit I was sometimes lost and didn't know exactly what the real meaning hidden in the dialogue was. Usually, writing like this leaves me feeling frustrated (with myself, mostly) but in this case, somehow, I didn't mind.
Funny, though, that I found the book thanks to a certain list of LGBT books with the enemies-to-lovers trope. Nope, definitely not enemies. But if you like pining, there is plenty :)
Funny, though, that I found the book thanks to a certain list of LGBT books with the enemies-to-lovers trope. Nope, definitely not enemies. But if you like pining, there is plenty :)
December 4, 2025
A cozy holiday re-read that gets me in the mood for the season
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3.5/5. I really like how the author creates atmosphere in both this and the first book in the series, but I find these books slightly hard to follow. The lack of plot clarity, along with a few editorial errors, keep me from enjoying the beautiful, seasonal atmosphere and rich details as much as I'd like to.
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3.5/5. I really like how the author creates atmosphere in both this and the first book in the series, but I find these books slightly hard to follow. The lack of plot clarity, along with a few editorial errors, keep me from enjoying the beautiful, seasonal atmosphere and rich details as much as I'd like to.
January 30, 2018
Heartwarming tale
I really enjoy these Familiar Spirits books! I have reread the first one many times. The author just has a way of making your heart squeeze with the characters feelings. It’s a perfect mix of anxiety and cheer.
I really enjoy these Familiar Spirits books! I have reread the first one many times. The author just has a way of making your heart squeeze with the characters feelings. It’s a perfect mix of anxiety and cheer.
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