The Elf and Shoemaker

M.L. Rhodes

What rating would you give it?
5+++++++++++++++ of 5 Stars
(I adore this book. Like, you do NOT even know. To me, this book can do no wrong asdfghjkl;lkhgfdsas)

Give us a summary.

(Taken from Goodreads)
Logan Shoemaker’s honest, hardworking, and loves what he does. Though he never expects to get rich, he’s fared well enough to stay comfortable with his quirky metaphysical store, Shoemaker’s Magick Shoppe. But when the economy falls on hard times, his store pays the price. As each month passes, slow sales turn into no sales, and soon Logan’s living off ramen noodles and sleeping in a freezing house during the cold winter nights as he struggles to make ends meet. His personal life isn’t much better—the worse business at the store grows, the more isolated and lonely he becomes. After a string of mishaps that wipe out the last of his small savings, he finally hits rock bottom the day he discovers the disconnection notice from the electric company hanging on his door. That night, desperate and in despair, he makes a plea to the universe, asking for help.

Needless to say, he never anticipates receiving a response so quickly. Not only does he awaken the next morning to find on his kitchen table four little bottles of a special potion labeled “PASSION,” but he keeps remembering the erotically charged dream he’d had during the night. A dream where a tall, gorgeous man with pointed ears comes to his bed and shows him just what kind of magick they can make together.

But was it a dream? All Logan knows is that his customers can’t get enough of the special potion—an aphrodisiac—and he can’t stop thinking about the sweet seduction of the nighttime visitor who made it. As he tries to sort out what’s real and what’s not, he discovers there’s a much bigger world out there than he’d ever believed, and his true heart’s desire might come in a most unexpected form…

What did you think of the book?

I honestly read this book at least a few times every year. Not for tradition or anything, simply because I love it so. Sometimes I’ll think back to it and say, “Oh, I wonder where it is…? I should read it again and see how they’re doing.” I kid you not. This little book has such a warm spot in my heart that I actually think of it and Logan and Hallan as old friends that I need to check on every so once in awhile. I just don’t know what it is about it… that’s just how I feel. :<

I don’t know what it is about the story that draws me to it so… It’s a romance, yes…. but there’s something else about it that’s so charming and… believable, too…. that I just can’t help going back for more. I’ve even created scenarios in my mind as to what’s happened to them since the end of the book. What adventures (or should I say misadventures) they’ve had trying to navigate their newly shared life together… this whole new world Hallan’s never been to before. For such a tiny book (barely a hundred pages) there’s SO MUCH WORLD-BUILDING, IT ISN’T EVEN FUNNNY. And it’s done tastefully so as not to overwhelm the reader with WAAAAY too much information all at once. In a short amount of pages, M.L. Rhodes has created an entire TWO WORLDS with substances and politics, history and depth. The magic actually makes sense, as does their romance. It’s kind of adorable too, because… though some (more cynical folk) might find some moments in it to be unbelievable, I would have to say – if you can watch a movie about a girl with magically enchanted HEALING HAIR that’s miles and miles long (AND HEAVY AS ALL HELL, TOO – LET’S NOT FORGET ABOUT THAT, even as she prances around like it weighs nothing) then you can read a short novella about a young man who finds out he has a magic mirror in his shop and a handsome elf on the other end just waiting to be able to reach through and finally meet him face to face (and body to body ehem *COUGHCOUGH*).

Sometimes I wish there was a sequel to this book… but then I realize I’m glad there isn’t one. It gives me the chance to make up whatever stories I see fit to follow this enchanted tale and lovely characters. asdfghjkl;lkjhg~~

Would you read this book again?

HA! You’re not seriously asking me that after I’ve just gushed all over this post, now are you?

Any warnings you wish to make for your readers?

None whatsoever. Except… y’know… beware of a possible and sudden onset of obsessive compulsion towards the book wherein you feel the urgent need to hold said book to your chest and stroke it muttering, “My preeeeccciiiooousssssssssss” upon completion OR DURING the reading of said book.

Because… y’know… that’s tend to happen. *EHEM* Occasionally. >.> Possibly every time I look at it on my bookshelf. *COUGHXOUGH* WHAAT? No! I don’t do that! What are you talking about? Ha ha ha… you must be mistaken. <A<;; You read no such thing only a moment ago.

No such thing. .____.

Does it count towards any reading challenges?

Yeah. I wasn’t really “reading” it for anything… but obviously it counts towards The Re-Read Reading Challenge, but also for these as well:

2015 GoodReads Reading Challenge
2015 LGBT Challenge (MM)
You Read How Many Books?
52 Books in 52 Weeks
Read A Million Pages
105 Reading Challenge (Categories: 3, 4, 5: ORANGE, 8, 9)
Ethereal 2015 (Elves, Magic, Otherworlds)
2015 Monthly Motifs & Keyword Reading Challenge (I’m skipping around with this one)
- Keyword: (NOV) And

Would you recommend this book?

What do you think?

Go read already!! XD

Reviewed by AMS (amomentsilence)

Publisher: Amber Quill Press / Amber Allure
Publication Date: 2009
Format: Paperback
Pages: 120
Genre & Themes: Love, M/M Romance,
QUILTBAG / LGBTQUI, Elves, Magical World,
Alternative World, Elf Mirror, Royalty, Magic,
Contemporary, Fantasy