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Being(s) in Love #6

A Dandelion for Tulip

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Grad student David is in love with Tulip, a kind and unusually quiet fairy. David is happy to be Tulip’s friend, but never risks more because he doesn’t believe a fairy could love him, and Tulip has never tried to “keep him”—as fairies refer to relationships. Everyone in their social circle knows Tulip doesn’t date humans, even if no one knows why. David is content to pine until, exhausted and more than a little tipsy at a Christmas party, he makes his feelings too obvious for Tulip to deny any longer.

Fairies are drawn to David, describing his great “shine” –a quality only visible to fairy eyes but which signifies something about a person’s character, but David knows only too well how quickly fairies can forget humans. He can’t see his own brilliance, or understand how desperately Tulip wants him, even if Tulip won’t act on it.

Because of a past heartbreak involving a human, Tulip is convinced someone as shiny as David could never want a “silly, stupid fairy” in his life. But from the moment they met, Tulip has wanted David’s shine for his own. Now, if he wants to keep David, he’ll have to be as brave as his shiny, careful human.

Being(s) in Love:

Magical creatures known as beings emerged from hiding amid the destruction of the First World War. Since then they’ve lived on the margins of the human world as misunderstood objects of fear and desire. Some are beautiful, others fearsome and powerful. Yet for all their magic and strength, they are as vulnerable as anyone when it comes to matters of the heart.

202 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 24, 2016

36 people are currently reading
313 people want to read

About the author

R. Cooper

81 books1,000 followers
I'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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Displaying 1 - 30 of 100 reviews
Profile Image for Drache.... (Angelika) .
1,543 reviews229 followers
September 16, 2025
I love the author's writing, can get lost in their work.
This was a lovely slow burn romance between two oblivious idiots in love (David and Tulip).
I appreciate the way prejudice, misogyny and racism were addressed and incorporated in the fairy/human - romance - plot.

What I didn't really get though... what was so extraordinarily special about David (as all of his friends kept telling him again and again)? Besides being a caring and hardworking queer man, obviously.

And while I could see why David and Tulip weren't close friends with Clematis, I couldn't help but feel upset for him. Clematis was made to be this awful and selfish being when in reality he admitted he was lost and without any clues. Can't wait for his story, I hope he gets all the love he deserves.
Profile Image for SheReadsALot.
1,861 reviews1,268 followers
July 28, 2017
FOUR HEARTS--Fairies, dragons, glitter and shine?!

Contact glitter might possibly be a thing after reading A Dandelion for Tulip.



This was my first R. Cooper and after reading, it won't be my last. I read along as I listened to Michael Fell narrate. The story is within 4- 4.5 Hearts range, the narration is a 3-3.5 Hearts range. My rating is an average. The story was subtle slow burn. It used the smaller, quieter moments to get the point across. And it writhed in the angst...


"Ever see yourself doing the same thing over and over? And inside you're screaming, Why do I keep doing this? Why am I so stupid? Because you know how it will end, and yet you do it anyway. And more of you seems to get stripped away each time until all that's left is this hopeful idiot who never learns."


Great internal angst where the author has an excellent sense of their characters, characteristics and the setting.

Set in an alternate universe where beings, or supernaturals, are known and is closely related to our world (all of our historical events happened just with beings out in the open for the last hundred years or so). The beings are marginalized by humans and you could switch any present day marginalized group with beings and the same emotions and hurt comes across. The author showcases inclusiveness and present day marginalized groups without getting preachy or it coming across as looking for 'cool kid' points.

All the books in the Being(s) in Love series are standalone and I was not lost reading this. In fact, I'm so going back and reading the dragon book. (The couple from A Boy and His Dragon make an appearance)

David is an overworked PhD student and TA. He is also biracial and feels he has to prove himself just to get respect in his field and in his life. He works extra hard to be taken seriously, it is what his family pushes him to do and what he's learned he should be as there are others who will judge him for his skin color. (The author really excelled at getting David's challenges in life across) The subject of David's doctorate and programs doesn't make his life an easier...he studies beings. Humans are slowly warming up to their supernatural counterparts.

David's got his work cut out for him. And he doesn't make it easier for himself with who he is in love with, a quiet older fairy named Tulip who doesn't do humans. It's been years since David fell for the fairy with swirling gold eyes and black and pink glitter wings.

Side note: the cover is beautiful, but it doesn't really get the way the main characters are described. David is described as a biracial academic with auburn, curly hair. I don't know if the author based David off musician Jidenna (he's a biracial academic with a flair for preppy clothes - listen to his music--it's AWESOME)



But I couldn't stop picturing David as this. And Tulip's wings on the cover doesn't match either. But the sentiment is nice as it captures a pivotal scene. End side note.

The story is told exclusively through David's perspective. The self proclaimed nerd has a close knit circle of friends that includes his object of his love, his best friend Flor and his ex-hook-up Clematis. Fairies are known as the 'hippies' of the beings - they down sugar and sweets like it's alcohol, tell the truth all the time and clothing is optional (mostly not!) The total opposite of David's seriousness. But what David possess is a shine. Seen by only fairies, his "shine" draws fairies to him. But no one wants to "keep" him...



Through an embarrassing Christmas party, a drunk David finally lets his feelings known. And he's rebuffed gently. The author brings us through mutual pining and restraint, quiet touches and soul bearing. The angst, it aches at a point but overall it is a quiet, gentle story. A sweet romance with achingly sweet words, heady breaths and painstaking moments.


"Have you always wanted to do this?" David asked, slow as honey. "My bed waits for you," Tulip answered in a low serious tone, and wiped chocolate or sugar from David's chin. "Since the first time you fell asleep in it. Before then, even."


I have so many quotes saved on my Kindle. The slow burn is definitely turned on high. There were moments when I just wanted to grab Tulip and David and just shake them. It's so obvious their adoration for each other, but they're damaged and oblivious. But I wasn't bored at any point. There were a few lull moments, where it seemed the character was talking around the issue. Or the nerd was on full steam and the research subject would take precedence to the romance, but in a way it worked. I figured as I read it's the way the author told the story.



When the two finally get their act together... MAGIC.

Smutsers, there is sex. Hell, there was a surprising public sex scene that definitely hit the right notes. And a big guy bottoming! Yay! But it wasn't overly graphic, if it's what you're seeking. The moments were hot and it fit the entire vibe of the romance.

I did read along with the audio and if you dive into this standalone story, I'd suggest reading it first, or at least along with the audio. Fell was decent at narrating. I think he lost steam as the story progressed, but he did seem to read it and react accordingly to most moments. He did fail with pronunciation a lot, like he kept saying Cle-MAN-tis for Clematis, or NA-DREE-UH for Nadira. And he'd change words in the text a good number of times. Would I listen to him again? Yes. But I warn audio sticklers, I'd try reading if it's a major issue for you.

Because either way, the story is magical, quietly romantic and sweet. There was a light plot twist I didn't see and it made me understand why David was the way he is and how he views the world that surrounds him. Maybe it was also the reason he chose the field he studies?

After finishing, I want a fairy of my own. I definitely loved what David and Tulip brought to the table and think they'll continue being the best for each other for years to come.

Highly recommended for urban fantasy fans who like the romance with pining, internal angst and glitter.

Glitter smack!





A copy provided for an honest review.
Profile Image for Gabi.
705 reviews112 followers
July 12, 2020
I came to love this series, but I had little patience for this book (which admittedly was my fault).  I was confused throughout the book, no wonder, because the missing piece of the story got revealed in the last chapter. But up until then, I struggled.

On a positive note, I finally got to meet the infamous Clematis. He was first mentioned in book 2 and I was curious ever since. Now that curiosity ramped up.

Bertie and Arthur showed up too, which is always a delight.
Profile Image for Kristan.
379 reviews41 followers
August 4, 2016
Three things:

First off, I haven't read all of the books in this series. I have read A Boy and His Dragon. If you're in the same boat as me, you'll be happy to hear that Arthur and Bertie make an appearance near the end of this installment.

Secondly, these books are stand alone. I had no problem jumping into the world R. Cooper created.

Finally, I've come to realize that each book has a common theme: they all have that slow-burning, self-pitying, let's not talk about what we're really talking about way about them.

Now for the review.

Fairies: hippies of the preternatural world. They have a strong aversion to clothing, usually forget their keys, and phone, and the projects they're working on. They love sweets and often eat candy for meals. They are easily distracted and forget often. (You know, apart from the naked thing, I feel like I'm describing myself here...) They love happiness, burst with colorful glitter, and they rarely stay still. But sometimes... Sometimes they meet the right person, and they settle. They stay.

They keep that human and they treasure them.

Tulip has been there, done that, and has the broken heart to prove it. Now he's the fairy with the reputation for not dating humans. That's a complication when he only has eyes for David.

When we meet David, he's maudlin and lonely. Overworked and frazzled, he is the furthest thing from happy.

David also shines. He's the shiniest thing his fairy friends have ever seen, and they tell him all the time. Frankly, he's sick of it. What has being shiny ever done for him, besides break his heart and fuel his attraction to fairies - which is not a good thing, because fairies aren't known for their attention span. David can't take another beautiful, glittering creature getting bored of him and forgetting him.

Yet again, David finds himself in a hopeless situation. For three years, he and Tulip have been dancing around each other. Three years of want, and longing, and settling for friendship. He has all of these feelings for Tulip, and after having too much to drink, and not enough sleep, he asks Tulip for more.

And Tulip lets him down gently.

Welcome to the Pity Party. Population 2.

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There was so much angst!!

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The good kind of angst, though. The unrequited kind.

But my god, these two were drowning in it.

I just wanted to smash their faces together.

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To read the rest of this review, visit the blog below!


Profile Image for Chris, the Dalek King.
1,168 reviews154 followers
July 9, 2017
Tulup doesn’t date humans, and David has a rather bad history when it comes to love and fairies. Both of them are madly in love with each other, but their bad experiences mean that they don’t trust themselves to trust the other. It doesn’t help that the world around them is constantly pushing the idea that fairies and humans are great together when the sex comes with no-strings, but that humans shouldn’t trust fairies to stick around longer than the next cookie. The true love of a fairy is nothing to sneeze at, though. And if David can just take the chance, he might get the one thing he always wanted. Someone to call his own.

I am unabashedly in love with this series. There has not been a single book in it that I haven’t enjoyed (except Little Wolf–and that is only because I haven’t read it yet). I still think that The Firebird and Other Stories is one of the best things that R. Cooper has ever written. So it should come with little shock that I wanted to review this sixth book in the Beings in Love series.

Plot wise there is not a lot going on in this story. There are some forays into David’s work on his grad thesis, but overall this book is about the tumultuous relationship between Tulip and David. While I wish there had been more subplotting here in this book, I also can’t deny that I adored the slow-burn (and at times rather teary) relationship between these two MCs.

Yes, I do believe that this story could have been a lot shorter if they had figured their shit out a lot earlier…but what is the fun in that? Like the candy that fairies love so much, this book was a bit of a salty-sweet treat for people who like long-sighs and longing looks. Yeah, it is bit over the top at times…but it fit the whole fairy theme of the book. A little bit flighty but also with a true and honest spirit.

One of the things I really like about these books is they take on prejudice that is not unique to them…but by removing it a step from reality it gives us a chance to be more objective about it. These are fictional characters in fictional situations, but a lot about what this book and this series talks about it still true to our world today. The beauty of fiction is that it can make us see the truth about ourselves and our world…and not even realize it until the seed has already been planted.

I will probably go on wholeheartedly recommending this series to the end of time. Most of them are fairly light stories, but the characters and the world are totally enchanting to me. And I hope to you as well.

4.5 stars


This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for Love Bytes. Go there to check out other reviews, author interviews, and all those awesome giveaways. Click below.
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Profile Image for Serena Yates.
Author 104 books771 followers
April 15, 2020
The magical, supernatural world of R. Cooper’s ‘Being(s) In Love’ series has fascinated me since the first book – and my addiction has been growing more serious with each volume. Fairies have been around since the beginning of the series - in fact, one of the two main characters in the first book was a half fairy. But their specific behaviors and “rules” have been no more than hinted at, making them more than a little mysterious, possible flighty, and worth a second look. Imagine my delight when I discovered that ‘A Dandelion for Tulip’ has a human falling in love with a full fairy! I couldn’t wait to see what would happen.


Please find my full review of the second edition on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Profile Image for Eugenia.
1,909 reviews322 followers
August 8, 2017
Sixth in the Beings in Love series, this was my least favorite of the lot. Why? This 200 page book should have been a short story. The characters kept going around he the subject endlessly, repeating themselves in such a circuitous fashion that I was wondering if the author or editor forgot that we had read over the same points at least three times. It got old, and I got tired of reading what was essentially the same dialogue over and over again.

Highlight: Bertie with Arthur wearing their baby girl make a cameo appearance at the end of the book.
April 22, 2020
I was actually pretty surprised with this story. It actually made me tear up and that is something I don't normally do. Seeing as how this author's writing is unconventional and sometimes hard to follow, I thought it was damn good here. After reading The Firebird and Other Stories, I was concerned that it would go back to a lot of the repetition and stilted dialogue that were in the other novels in this series and it did somewhat but not too terribly.

David and Tulip were such gentle and sensitive characters that it was a nice change of pace from the "grr" of alpha males in so many MM books. What had me tearing up was that they were both damaged from past relationships and couldn't trust in others even though they were were drawn to each other but it was the yearning from both of them that was squeezing my heart. There was miscommunication and hurt feelings but not on purpose.

I do enjoy the author's take on racism and how marginalized people are depicted by others that sometimes they start to believe it themselves. It was well thought out certainly makes one think.

After not being sure if I was going to continue on with this series after the first book, I am very pleased that I did.
Profile Image for Serena Yates.
Author 104 books771 followers
April 15, 2020
The magical, supernatural world of R. Cooper’s ‘Being(s) In Love’ series has fascinated me since the first book – and my addiction has been growing more serious with each volume. Fairies have been around since the beginning of the series - in fact, one of the two main characters in the first book was a half fairy. But their specific behaviors and “rules” have been no more than hinted at, making them more than a little mysterious, possible flighty, and worth a second look. Imagine my delight when I discovered that ‘A Dandelion for Tulip’ has a human falling in love with a full fairy! I couldn’t wait to see what would happen.


Please find my full review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Profile Image for Georgie-who-is-Sarah-Drew.
1,371 reviews153 followers
March 23, 2017
All Cooper's virtues as a writer are here - gentle love, the ability to show depth of feeling with the smallest of gestures, slow-pacing working up to a decent HEA.

Unfortunately, all her weaknesses are here too. Structurally it's really difficult to work out what happened when -- backstories abound, but are rarely spelled out clearly enough to fit them into a timeline. And David and Tulip take to stupid lengths the inability to listen to what the other is saying, instead of making wild assumptions that serve to keep them apart even longer. That grew tiresome.
And - sorry - but fairies have to stay the right side of twee otherwise I'm outa here. Tulip makes flower garlands. 'Nuff said.
Profile Image for Relly.
1,664 reviews29 followers
January 1, 2019
One of my favourites

4.25 🌟

Re read Jan 19 in preparation for Clematis’ story.
I love both David and Tulip even when they are driving me nuts by going around and around. I understand why both are wary but I wish they would talk it out and listen to each other. David’s loneliness and belief that no one wants him is hard to read at times. I liked that David questioned people perceptions and he was pushing the boundaries in his studies. Seeing Bertie and Arthur again, Bertie was as hilarious as always.
I also loved the secondary characters and especially David’s relationship with Flor. I hope we get to see more of him in Clematis’ book.
Profile Image for Jilrene.
938 reviews80 followers
October 8, 2017
I'm writing a review for Gay.Guy.Reading and Friends. I'll add a link when it's available.

4.0 flower crowns and all the dandelions

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Ulysses Dietz.
Author 15 books717 followers
August 1, 2016
I do believe in fairies.

A Dandelion for Tulip
By R. Cooper
Dreamspinner Press, 2015
Cover by Paul Richmond
ISBN: 978-1-63477-314-0
168 pages
Five stars

I’m one of that select, lucky world who find R. Cooper’s “beings” novels completely enchanting. My favorite up until now has been her first, “Some Kind of Magic,” which features a werewolf falling in love with a half-fairy. But I think “A Dandelion for Tulip” has taken its place. Must be something about fairies…

Cooper’s world is American, but it is a United States that has had a century to deal with the emergence of magical beings during the cataclysmic destruction of World War I. Prejudice and ignorance still abound, but beings, for better or worse, are part of the social fabric. Cooper tells their stories, and weaves their history into that of their human kindred. In Cooper’s hands, being magical is analogous to being different, and being different in America has always been troublesome.

David MacKenzie is a PhD candidate is history, and his dissertation topic is the Influence of fairies on western literary traditions (think: Midsummer Night’s Dream). He has an uphill slog ahead of him, for the reasons of prejudice and ignorance mentioned above. But David is particularly open to fairies and other beings: he is mixed race, the child of one black parent and one white parent. But just as significantly, his best friend from childhood is Flor de Maga, a fairy of Puerto Rican ancestry (flor de maga is the state flower of Puerto Rico—I looked it up).

Aside from David’s academic struggles, there is his emotional conflict over his feelings for another fairy, Tulip. Those feelings have in no way been mitigated by a brief, disastrous affair with another fairy named Clematis. All of this drama is unveiled in the opening scene, a Christmas party at the home of an African American friend, Stephanie.

R. Cooper’s books are not for everyone; her intense romantic style is not florid, but it is very emotional and tightly strung. There is a great deal of internal dialogue, and very little real action. This book is, even more than the others, entirely about David and Tulip and their feelings. For me, it was like taking a bath in fairy glitter, and that’s probably not going to appeal to everyone.

What made this book particularly effective for me is that Cooper really delves into the minds of both David and Tulip. The single overarching goal is to make the reader understand the source of the barrier that is keeping them apart. It is, more or less, a case study in fairy psychology and behavior. What was hinted at in “Some Kind of Magic” is explored in depth here.

There are quite a few writers who explore the concept of a contemporary human world populated with paranormal creatures, and I enjoy all of them. R. Cooper, however, is really on her own—a subgenre within a subgenre. I find her books fascinating and emotionally compelling. They may not be for everyone but, like fairies, they can be addictive and extremely beautiful to experience.
Profile Image for Grace.
3,345 reviews216 followers
September 20, 2017
Another book in this series that I enjoyed more than I was expecting.

Loved the characters and the set up here. It definitely was a nice change in pace from the last two books, and I really enjoyed the Academia backdrop. David totally tugged at my heartstrings and I found him to be a wonderfully sympathetic character. Tulip was also lovely, and the side characters were equally awesome. Oh, and I was super excited to see the characters from book #2 make a cameo. :)

I will say, while I really appreciated the fact that one of the main characters was a POC, and that the author made an attempt to meaningfully include that fact and indicate how it would have an impact on David's life. But it felt a little forced at times, like the author was telling us, rather than showing us.

Additionally, I sort of felt like the big ~reveal~ of what happened to David in the past was sort of...weird? Like, it was almost too subtly mentioned throughout the book, that I barely even picked up on the fact that there *was* a big reveal to be had. I think the author could have done a better job weaving in the event/how it affected him more completely.
Profile Image for Elaine White.
Author 43 books261 followers
November 27, 2022
It's been a while since I last read this book, but I liked it much better this time. The characters and their choices made more sense to me. I enjoyed the natural progression from friends to lovers. It was also nice to see more of the fairies, like Cal from Book 1, who knew pain and hurt.

I still stand by my original review, but I definitely enjoyed it more this time.

-------------

Original Review

This was another nice addition to the series. With a human/fairy pairing, the dynamics were familiar, but I had some trouble getting into the story to begin with. Mostly, it was because the MC, David, had serious chemistry with Flor, his best friend. I was so confused, for the first 10% thinking about how much chemistry and history they had, the way Flor and David acted around each other, that I found it almost impossible to think of David with anyone else. Especially since Tulip was only mentioned briefly throughout that time and seemed secondary in David's attention, until he finally showed up wearing mistletoe at the party.

Again, there were no chapter headings anywhere and for a 200 page book, I just can't understand it. I mean, knowing how many chapters there are and being able to track how far into one you've gone so far, warns me that I can be heading for a break soon. I use these breaks to write my notes and stop to think about what I've read so far, but that's impossible when there are no chapter headings.

When it comes to characters, we get Frangipani and Adam in brief glimpses (from the very short story Frangipani and the Very Shiny Boy) but not enough to really warrant why they needed the short story on top of their mentions in this book. We also get to meet Clematis, who was Arthur's previous boyfriend/fling in A Boy and His Dragon. He's pretty slutty here, unfortunately, and that was something that kind of frustrated me. Despite all the talk about not stereotyping fairies in multiple books of the series, Clematis, Frangipani and Flor are the most stereotypical characters - flighty, slutty and with no filter.

I had an issue with some of the descriptions of David, who is mixed-race. First off, describing someone as "mixed" out of context was highly confusing and really didn't work for me. But then it was followed by constant coffee/food colour comparisons for his skin and it was just something that, personally, rubbed me up the wrong way. Next to the fairy stereotypes it just felt like it had been gone about in the wrong way.

Saying that, I did like the strength of David and Flor's friendship; I just wish it hadn't been based on a sexual/romantic history with each other, which was obvious from page one, but wasn't actually mentioned until about 80%. It kind of felt, in this story, that fairies couldn't be friends with other fairies or humans unless they'd had sex with each other (shown by the constant references of how slutty both Flor and Clem are, as well as Clem saying "it's their turn now" in regards to David having slept with most of them, and also the fact that Clem has slept with most of the group, too). It just felt like it undid all of that equality and 'we're not slutty' messages that were peppered throughout the series so far.

The story jumps from one big event to another, mostly months apart, perhaps to show how little time David gives to his friends or perhaps to show that they're still great friends no matter how little they see each other. Either way, it left me feeling a little uninterested in David, who wasn't a great friend and was put across as this lonely, shy geek, though he never came across that way to me in the same way that Arthur did, in book 2. It felt too much like David just wasn't interested in anyone else, that he was selfish and self-opinionated, that he only cared about his own life and opinions, proven multiple times where he questioned where people where when he needed them only to be reminded that he was unreachable himself.

I did cry at one point, when David and Tulip had their big confrontation, but that was because I really loved Tulip. He really reminded me of Cal, from book 1 in the way that he was a little bit of a flibbertigibbet, but he wasn't the typical stereotype and he fought back against them when he could. I totally connected with him, his feelings, his needs and he was what kept me reading. I especially loved the way that Flor and Tulip interacted with each other. I'd like to read Flor's story, eventually, because it would be interesting to see him away from being the stereotypical clingy-bestie always hanging off David. The times I loved him most were when he showed some maturity.

The 'mis-communication' theme for this series was still present, but in a much more subtle way that made it more interesting to follow. Although David and Tulip had spent years tiptoeing around each other, never really talking about the elephant in the room that they each only thought they could see, the mis-communication didn't continue long. It came up early in the story and was routinely argued about, though it was other people who stopped them from saying the important stuff, by interrupting at the right time.

I loved that Bertie and Arthur were back, even for a little while, but it's still frustrating to know that there's no hint of what the baby is or is called. We never got answers to that, so I'm hoping it will come up eventually. I found it interesting that Bertie wanted to meet Clematis and I'm intrigued to read his story, whenever it comes along.

Overall, it was a nice story but not as strong as the others. I'm going to keep reading, because I want to find out about the side characters that we've practically been promised will have their own story, but with only one novel left and one short, neither of which feature these characters, I think it's going to be a long wait.
Profile Image for Sadonna.
2,706 reviews47 followers
April 18, 2017
The full review can also be found at The Novel Approach

While this is technically the sixth book in this series, I read it without having read the previous books and it worked quite well. That being said, I’m definitely going back to the beginning and reading all of these stories.

This is an absolutely gorgeous love story between a human, David, and Tulip, the faery he is in love with. David is a mixed race human Ph.D. student who is working on his doctorate, specializing in reexamining the literature of the past, featuring beings—particularly faeries and such—in great works such as Shakespeare. Now that beings have come out of hiding and are “known” in the human world, David is trying to put the pieces together to show that these great writers, in fact, were in contact with beings and those actual beings were the inspiration for these works. Apparently this is quite unpopular with the “establishment,” as they seem to think that such a theory denigrates the “genius” of these writers. That hasn’t stopped David, though, and he’s forging ahead.

Tulip is a beautiful faery that lives in the same building as Flor, David’s childhood best friend. Tulip is a children’s librarian and he has always seemed to hold himself back from David a bit. But it is obvious to the others that Tulip and David have had some sort of attraction going on for years.

At a Christmas/housewarming party for another mutual human friend, David is a bit drunk and a bit embarrassed after a somewhat disastrous fling with Clematis, another faery. Clem has blabbed the details of their relationship and David feels pretty humiliated. In fact, he’s avoided his friends for weeks. He’s only acquiesced to attend Stephanie’s party because he can’t come up with an excuse. While he is there, he runs into Tulip, and they flirt, but once again Tulip pulls back.

During the next few months, David and Tulip have several more encounters where they sort of dance around each other. Tulip seems sad when he talks to David but still complements David and obviously cares about him. David knows—everyone knows—that Tulip doesn’t date humans. As the story builds, we finally find the reason for Tulip’s decision. When David realizes that Tulips has been devastated in the past, he understands, but it still hurts because he really has deep feelings for Tulip.

Flor, David’s best friend, has grown up with him. They have been friends since they were young boys. David’s family is not happy that his best friend is a faery; they think he already has enough strikes against him dealing with the prejudice and assumptions about his mixed race heritage. But David is always there for Flor, and Flor is there for David. Flor is encouraging about Tulip, but things are still difficult. They have agreed to be “friends,” but it hurts both of them.

When things come to a head, Tulip confesses that he needs more than friendship. Flor is a bit of a catalyst for David and Tulip to finally move forward in their relationship. They finally are willing to take a chance. Things aren’t perfect and they still have some issues to work through, but they definitely need each other. When David and Tulip are able to overcome their fears and get past their previous heartbreaks, they are able to achieve something neither thought was possible—a truly loving partnership.

I really enjoyed every bit of this story! I’ve been a huge fan of this author since I read one of her first stories at Dreamspinner, A Wealth of Unsaid Words, back in 2011. I was captivated by the blurb and tulips are my favorite flower . . . Highly recommended for fans of a slow building story between two damaged guys who are both afraid that they can’t really have what they want. I already own all the other books in this series, and I’m off to read them because this writing is just beautiful.

Review of Audiobook can be found at The Novel Approach

David has been in love with Tulip for some time, but he knows Tulip doesn’t date humans. He’s just had a disastrous liaison with Clematis, another fairy, and he’s not too excited to see anyone. He’s embarrassed and stressed and he’s got a lot on his plate with his research and his teaching and just trying to keep a low profile. But when he attends a holiday party at his friend’s apartment, he runs into Tulip and they have a very interesting conversation.

David’s best friend is also a fairy, and Flor wants to help David get what he wants. Flor and David have been friends since they were children. There is a lot of history there—some of which isn’t so great. David has had his heart broken before, so he’s quite reluctant to give anyone the chance to hurt him again. He’s extremely sensitive and he’s already gun-shy after the messy business with Clematis.

As the months pass, though, and David and Tulip continue to run into each other at various times and functions, it seems like they are dancing around each other; neither wants to put the other in a precarious position. David learns about Tulip’s past heartbreak, and he’s even more convinced that nothing can ever come of his feelings for Tulip. Flor, though, has finally figured out that there is something there and maybe, just maybe, he can help fix this whatever-it-is between David and Tulip.

I really enjoyed this story when I first read it. The slowly building relationship between David and Tulip was lovely. Unfortunately, the narration just didn’t work for me on this one. I’m not sure why, but I just didn’t connect with the voices for the various characters in this audio. There were some pronunciation issues that bothered me some and threw me out of the story a couple of times. I still love the story, but for me, the narration detracted rather than enhanced this particular book. As usual, YMMV.
Profile Image for Jaylee.
Author 16 books79 followers
January 15, 2019
Everything R. Cooper writes is amazing, so you know this was amazing. I love her fairies, and this book has so many of them. She draws a lot of analogies between the discrimination of Beings and racism/homophobia/etc. I love that she takes these flighty, colorful, silly, excitable creatures and gives them depth and power. I have so many feelings about the way she constructs the Beings in her books.

I have no coherent thoughts, only fangirling. Don't mind me.
Profile Image for Fatimama.
1,017 reviews65 followers
February 2, 2020
I’m a sucker for rejected mates and this was the book in the series that clicked with me. I may have even shed a few tears
Profile Image for The Novel Approach.
3,094 reviews137 followers
June 24, 2016
While this is technically the sixth book in this series, I read it without having read the previous books and it worked quite well. That being said, I’m definitely going back to the beginning and reading all of these stories.

This is an absolutely gorgeous love story between a human, David, and Tulip, the faery he is in love with. David is a mixed race human Ph.D. student who is working on his doctorate, specializing in reexamining the literature of the past, featuring beings—particularly faeries and such—in great works such as Shakespeare. Now that beings have come out of hiding and are “known” in the human world, David is trying to put the pieces together to show that these great writers, in fact, were in contact with beings and those actual beings were the inspiration for these works. Apparently this is quite unpopular with the “establishment,” as they seem to think that such a theory denigrates the “genius” of these writers. That hasn’t stopped David, though, and he’s forging ahead.

Tulip is a beautiful faery that lives in the same building as Flor, David’s childhood best friend. Tulip is a children’s librarian and he has always seemed to hold himself back from David a bit. But it is obvious to the others that Tulip and David have had some sort of attraction going on for years.

At a Christmas/housewarming party for another mutual human friend, David is a bit drunk and a bit embarrassed after a somewhat disastrous fling with Clematis, another faery. Clem has blabbed the details of their relationship and David feels pretty humiliated. In fact, he’s avoided his friends for weeks. He’s only acquiesced to attend Stephanie’s party because he can’t come up with an excuse. While he is there, he runs into Tulip, and they flirt, but once again Tulip pulls back.

During the next few months, David and Tulip have several more encounters where they sort of dance around each other. Tulip seems sad when he talks to David but still complements David and obviously cares about him. David knows—everyone knows—that Tulip doesn’t date humans. As the story builds, we finally find the reason for Tulip’s decision. When David realizes that Tulips has been devastated in the past, he understands, but it still hurts because he really has deep feelings for Tulip.

Flor, David’s best friend, has grown up with him. They have been friends since they were young boys. David’s family is not happy that his best friend is a faery; they think he already has enough strikes against him dealing with the prejudice and assumptions about his mixed race heritage. But David is always there for Flor, and Flor is there for David. Flor is encouraging about Tulip, but things are still difficult. They have agreed to be “friends,” but it hurts both of them.

When things come to a head, Tulip confesses that he needs more than friendship. Flor is a bit of a catalyst for David and Tulip to finally move forward in their relationship. They finally are willing to take a chance. Things aren’t perfect and they still have some issues to work through, but they definitely need each other. When David and Tulip are able to overcome their fears and get past their previous heartbreaks, they are able to achieve something neither thought was possible—a truly loving partnership.

I really enjoyed every bit of this story! I’ve been a huge fan of this author since I read one of her first stories at Dreamspinner, A Wealth of Unsaid Words, back in 2011. I was captivated by the blurb and tulips are my favorite flower . . . Highly recommended for fans of a slow building story between two damaged guys who are both afraid that they can’t really have what they want. I already own all the other books in this series, and I’m off to read them because this writing is just beautiful.

Reviewed by Sadonna for The Novel Approach Reviews
August 2, 2016
Because there's a huge dearth of M/M romances featuring PoC characters, I definitely wanted to give this one my full support. I loved the cover (which is a huge part of the reason I bought it. I don't care what some stupid publishers think, many readers want and need to see diversity reflected ON their books as well as IN them). The human hero was depicted in the book as being a lighter-skinned biracial Black man (He blushed. A lot).

Unfortunately, 23% into the book and the hero David was just too full of "woe is me". I just can't do that. I don't mind characters who are dealing with emotional issues, especially breakups, but not for endless pages of sad sack-dom. I just couldn't finish it, and too bad, the overall premise is actually very interesting. I love some well written urban fantasy. To my mind Angel Martinez actually does a better job with intermingling humans and fae without the unnecessary angst.
Profile Image for Elaine White.
Author 43 books261 followers
July 12, 2017
This was another nice addition to the series. With a human/fairy pairing, the dynamics were familiar, but I had some trouble getting into the story to begin with. Mostly, it was because the MC, David, had serious chemistry with Flor, his best friend. I was so confused, for the first 10% thinking about how much chemistry and history they had, the way Flor and David acted around each other, that I found it almost impossible to think of David with anyone else. Especially since Tulip was only mentioned briefly throughout that time and seemed secondary in David's attention, until he finally showed up wearing mistletoe at the party.

Again, there were no chapter headings anywhere and for a 200 page book, I just can't understand it. I mean, knowing how many chapters there are and being able to track how far into one you've gone so far, warns me that I can be heading for a break soon. I use these breaks to write my notes and stop to think about what I've read so far, but that's impossible when there are no chapter headings.

When it comes to characters, we get Frangipani and Adam in brief glimpses (from the very short story Frangipani and the Very Shiny Boy) but not enough to really warrant why they needed the short story on top of their mentions in this book. We also get to meet Clematis, who was Arthur's previous boyfriend/fling in A Boy and His Dragon. He's pretty slutty here, unfortunately, and that was something that kind of frustrated me. Despite all the talk about not stereotyping fairies in multiple books of the series, Clematis, Frangipani and Flor are the most stereotypical characters - flighty, slutty and with no filter.

I had an issue with some of the descriptions of David, who is mixed-race. First off, describing someone as "mixed" out of context was highly confusing and really didn't work for me. But then it was followed by constant coffee/food colour comparisons for his skin and it was just something that, personally, rubbed me up the wrong way. Next to the fairy stereotypes it just felt like it had been gone about in the wrong way.

Saying that, I did like the strength of David and Flor's friendship; I just wish it hadn't been based on a sexual/romantic history with each other, which was obvious from page one, but wasn't actually mentioned until about 80%. It kind of felt, in this story, that fairies couldn't be friends with other fairies or humans unless they'd had sex with each other (shown by the constant references of how slutty both Flor and Clem are, as well as Clem saying "it's their turn now" in regards to David having slept with most of them, and also the fact that Clem has slept with most of the group, too). It just felt like it undid all of that equality and 'we're not slutty' messages that were peppered throughout the series so far.

The story jumps from one big event to another, mostly months apart, perhaps to show how little time David gives to his friends or perhaps to show that they're still great friends no matter how little they see each other. Either way, it left me feeling a little uninterested in David, who wasn't a great friend and was put across as this lonely, shy geek, though he never came across that way to me in the same way that Arthur did, in book 2. It felt too much like David just wasn't interested in anyone else, that he was selfish and self-opinionated, that he only cared about his own life and opinions, proven multiple times where he questioned where people where when he needed them only to be reminded that he was unreachable himself.

I did cry at one point, when David and Tulip had their big confrontation, but that was because I really loved Tulip. He really reminded me of Cal, from book 1 in the way that he was a little bit of a flibbertigibbet, but he wasn't the typical stereotype and he fought back against them when he could. I totally connected with him, his feelings, his needs and he was what kept me reading. I especially loved the way that Flor and Tulip interacted with each other. I'd like to read Flor's story, eventually, because it would be interesting to see him away from being the stereotypical clingy-bestie always hanging off David. The times I loved him most were when he showed some maturity.

The 'mis-communication' theme for this series was still present, but in a much more subtle way that made it more interesting to follow. Although David and Tulip had spent years tiptoeing around each other, never really talking about the elephant in the room that they each only thought they could see, the mis-communication didn't continue long. It came up early in the story and was routinely argued about, though it was other people who stopped them from saying the important stuff, by interrupting at the right time.

I loved that Bertie and Arthur were back, even for a little while, but it's still frustrating to know that there's no hint of what the baby is or is called. We never got answers to that, so I'm hoping it will come up eventually. I found it interesting that Bertie wanted to meet Clematis and I'm intrigued to read his story, whenever it comes along.

Overall, it was a nice story but not as strong as the others. I'm going to keep reading, because I want to find out about the side characters that we've practically been promised will have their own story, but with only one novel left and one short, neither of which feature these characters, I think it's going to be a long wait.
Profile Image for Manlove.
591 reviews1 follower
September 25, 2016
Sometimes the emotional reticence in R. Cooper books can get a bit exhausting. But in this case, it was completely understandable once everything was (eventually) explained. I really, really enjoyed the deeper world-building via the main character's scholarly pursuits. And, of course, I loved the visits of some of my favorite beings from past works.

3.5 stars
Profile Image for Carly.
Author 5 books50 followers
September 12, 2018
I love all the books in this series but A Dandelion for Tulip is probably my favorite. Tulip and David bumble around each other, both are as sweet and kind as they can be, while hopelessly in love with each other but afraid to show it. It's one of those stories that I re-read just to make me smile.
Profile Image for Morgan  Skye.
2,775 reviews28 followers
June 1, 2017
I have enjoyed a couple of the books in this series, but I think – in general - that R Cooper’s writing style just isn’t for me. Or at least in audio format… I’m not sure if that would have made a difference – but listening to this just made me confused for a lot of the time.

On the one hand I really enjoyed the set up – post doc – fairies are part of society but “not” – David is the clueless human who attracts fairies but doesn’t realize it… But there were all these love triangles that confused me and made me frustrated.

I was also sick to death of David’s morose view of himself by the end. When two characters simply need a long discussion to settle things between them – The Big Misunderstanding – it makes me crazy- I kept thinking that if Tulip and David had just TALKED…

I loved the fairy magic and holidays and even the format for the story. Using the holidays as a way to move us forward through time was clever. What I didn’t like was the way our 2 MCs kept dancing around one another.

The narrator, Michael Fell, didn’t add much to this experience. He read nicely but didn’t add any extra flavor or zing – at times he was almost monotonous.

I don’t want to make it sound like this was horrible – it wasn’t. It just wasn’t that interesting – to me- and didn’t strike my fancy.

I highly suggest looking at other reviews – many others have enjoyed this. You don’t need to read the series in order, but I wonder if I’d read the book just before this “Frangipani and the Very Shiny Boy (Beings in Love, #5.5) “ if I’d have felt more strongly for this story. Frangipani and his Boy are in the story so…

In any case – I give this a 3 of 5 stars. Solid effort.
Profile Image for WhimsicalWords.
186 reviews
December 15, 2019
This is the first book in this series that I've read, and it started off okay. I liked the idea of the story. In the beginning, David was upset about being dumped by Clem who is a fairy. He claimed to not have a broken heart over it, but he sure acted like he did so that was kind of confusing. I was confused through a lot of this book, actually.
Apparently, David is "shiny" and all the fairies adore him, and yet he has no idea how great he is? Even though half the book is the fairies all telling him how special he is, and half of them are in love with him. David's cluelessness on this matter wasn't endearing, it was far fetched and annoying. He has zero self confidence even though he was apparently super attractive and an all around great guy? No. Sorry, I don't believe it. It also felt like the fairies were the cool kids, and David was the only human allowed to sit with them. What made him so special other than his shininess? I wasn't seeing much on the page other than the author just saying he was special. To me, he was boring.
Which brings me to another issue- the beginning. David thought that Clem had told everyone he was boring and Clem had basically broken up with him when he grew tired of playing with David.
Where did he come up with that?? Did I miss that part in the beginning where the rumor started? Because later on Clem talks about how amazing David was in bed, and THAT'S the real story everyone heard so where did the boring part come in? While we're on the subject of missing pieces, where the heck did his crush on Tulip come in? It goes from David being heartbroken over Clem, to him talking about always having wanted Tulip.
Maybe I missed all that as my eyes were glazing over while trying to get through this book. I ended up putting it down at about 80%. This one is a DNF for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Katherine.
2,870 reviews13 followers
April 25, 2019
This was another beautiful Beings book, much more angsty and fraught for the two to get together but well worth the time. Each of the men, Tulip and David, has a hard past with dating and getting their hearts broken. They have been broken and reshaped from these past hurts, both in unexpected places. But that is where they change.

David has been broken but has come out again and again. He continues to bring his warmth and caring to all those around him and remains steadfast and faithful to his friends. David is willing to put his love out there again, but at the same time he will not push it for fear of hurting others, not himself.

Tulip was hurt in the worst way possible and used that to change his life and love. He has built a wall for his love to keep himself safe from future hurts. Tulip does not give out his love in the same way to keep himself safe, no others.

David's bold and caring heart reaches out to Tulip but he has to be willing to break down his carefully built walls to receive and give in return. It is not an easy journey to this as David cannot see his worth and Tulip remains in fear of deception and pain. This book pulls your heartstrings, breaks you in two, and keeps you going for more. Fantastic!
Profile Image for Kaa.
614 reviews68 followers
Read
June 5, 2017
I'm getting increasingly frustrated with R. Cooper's books, but I can't seem to stop reading them! I absolutely love her characters (when they aren't too busy angsting) and settings; her writing style is often very enjoyable; and she tends to do a pretty good job with representation and inclusion - better yet, you can tell that she's put some thought into it. But it seems like EVERY SINGLE STORY that I've read by her centers on this dynamic of "I like you and you like me but neither of us think we deserve a relationship so we won't say anything to each other". And just. There is so much about that synopsis that has me rolling my eyes when it shows up in just one book, but I've now read four books by the author and that was the main obstacle to happily ever after in ALL of them. There is so much potential for amazingness in these books, I just wish there were better plotlines or more interesting romantic tension to go with it.
Profile Image for Kassu.
887 reviews22 followers
May 21, 2023
Very piny and angsty story with a kind and hardworking protagonist thinking himself unwanted. This is a common setting for R. Cooper but it often works.

I have a very soft spot for characters that are considered to be promiscuous or shallow but really have hearts of gold, so basically the whole concept of faeries in Beings in Love universe is made for me. I also love dragons, so I was happy to get a visit from the characters of A Boy and His Dragon.

This was not my favourite of the series but there was plenty of things that worked, including the whole Beings history and reseach part that was also present in the book 2. I am eager to read the rest of the series, though I am a bit wary of the longer books as the author's angst might make me overdose (even though I am a fan definitely).
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