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Heart of Water and Stone
Girin is a troll, content with his simple, quiet life in the forest—a life thrown into chaos when he stumbles across an unconscious human on one of the mountain paths. The human is not an ordinary one either, but a witch—tortured, branded, and mere steps from death when Girin finds him. Unable to leave him there to die alone, Girin takes the human home to nurse him back to health. But he quickly learns that keeping one stubborn human alive is a far more difficult task than he first surmised …
71 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 21, 2012
110 people want to read
About the author
E.E. Ottoman
29 books346 followerswrites romance novels, wears pretty clothes, does history stuff.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
June 12, 2016
Aww.... This story was the loveliest ever love story. EE is such a great story teller. This book made me very happy. The characters, the fantasy world, the plot, the slow building romance—oh my god, was this lovely. Recommended because so sweeeet and lovely and a little hot, too, and this is just... :-) go read!
December 23, 2019
Where a fantasy novel like this would usually be told by the human/witch's point of view, this one started somewhat in the middle, from the half-troll's point of view, somewhat after what would usually be the protagonist's story had started.
That was just part of what I loved about this story; the way that it switched expected viewpoints on us. The other thing I loved about it was that, not only was Girin the sweetest half-troll ever, but he also came from a mother, full blooded troll, who thought well of both humans and trolls and just wished to make sure the mountain she looked for was well looked after.
When Ronan then comes into Girin's life, injured from torture and imprisonment, all Girin wants to do is bring him back to health. Very quickly, he realises he's growing attached to the small human, and tries to manage his expectations with the knowledge that Ronan must go away again.
Okay so this was an adorable short fic. We are meant to think that the reason Ronan has to leave is because of a competing lover (or maybe that is just Girin's insecurities, and him being our narrator, that's what the reader is left to believe). However, it's Ronan's sister that he's wanting to save, and his own memories of his mother and his sister show him to be as sweet a character as Girin and therefore a perfect match.
Yeah, this story is incredibly full of insta-love, but for me it worked.
That was just part of what I loved about this story; the way that it switched expected viewpoints on us. The other thing I loved about it was that, not only was Girin the sweetest half-troll ever, but he also came from a mother, full blooded troll, who thought well of both humans and trolls and just wished to make sure the mountain she looked for was well looked after.
When Ronan then comes into Girin's life, injured from torture and imprisonment, all Girin wants to do is bring him back to health. Very quickly, he realises he's growing attached to the small human, and tries to manage his expectations with the knowledge that Ronan must go away again.
Okay so this was an adorable short fic. We are meant to think that the reason Ronan has to leave is because of a competing lover (or maybe that is just Girin's insecurities, and him being our narrator, that's what the reader is left to believe). However, it's Ronan's sister that he's wanting to save, and his own memories of his mother and his sister show him to be as sweet a character as Girin and therefore a perfect match.
Yeah, this story is incredibly full of insta-love, but for me it worked.
September 4, 2012
Review posted at The Armchair Reader.
Girin finds a human witch on his mountain. The pretty young thing is almost dead, starved and muddy with severely burned hands and feet. He takes him back to his cottage where he sets to heal him with his magic and with his care and attention. Soon, they grow to become roommates while Ronan is in his convalescence, and later friends. But, Ronan is secretive. He continually reminds Girin that he'll have to leave sooner rather than later and that the ones who hurt him will come looking for him. He won't speak of the reason he is hunted. The truth comes to light when a man comes to the mountain to bring Ronan back with him and with tales of the evil that Ronan has committed at his village.
I can't honestly say what is was about this short novella that I didn't connect with. Perhaps it is the characters. The writing itself is solid, but the slow pace, short plot and the lack of chemistry or much interaction between the two characters left me uninterested and without a stake in their future. The character and narration from Girin is good. Much of this story is a solitary journey for him; at least, that is the way I took it. I didn't feel much connection between the two, so it seemed more like the story was about Girin and finding companionship and growing into himself, rather than the specific person that fills that role.
It is a short and sweet story, if that is what you're in the mood for. I would have liked it to be filled out just a little bit more -- more progression of the plot, more information about the world, and specifically more interaction between the two main characters so that we could learn more about them.
Girin finds a human witch on his mountain. The pretty young thing is almost dead, starved and muddy with severely burned hands and feet. He takes him back to his cottage where he sets to heal him with his magic and with his care and attention. Soon, they grow to become roommates while Ronan is in his convalescence, and later friends. But, Ronan is secretive. He continually reminds Girin that he'll have to leave sooner rather than later and that the ones who hurt him will come looking for him. He won't speak of the reason he is hunted. The truth comes to light when a man comes to the mountain to bring Ronan back with him and with tales of the evil that Ronan has committed at his village.
I can't honestly say what is was about this short novella that I didn't connect with. Perhaps it is the characters. The writing itself is solid, but the slow pace, short plot and the lack of chemistry or much interaction between the two characters left me uninterested and without a stake in their future. The character and narration from Girin is good. Much of this story is a solitary journey for him; at least, that is the way I took it. I didn't feel much connection between the two, so it seemed more like the story was about Girin and finding companionship and growing into himself, rather than the specific person that fills that role.
It is a short and sweet story, if that is what you're in the mood for. I would have liked it to be filled out just a little bit more -- more progression of the plot, more information about the world, and specifically more interaction between the two main characters so that we could learn more about them.
October 2, 2012
Girin is half troll and half human. He has lived alone on his mountain since his mother's passing, not fully accepted by either humans or trolls. Although he is lonely, he is at peace with his life in the forest. When he finds Ronan, a male witch who has been starved and tortured, near death, he takes him home and helps him recuperate.
Ronan is initially distrustful of Girin, as Ronan has never known kindness. He's been a slave all his life and is now on the run. The more time he spends with Girin, however, the more he begins to trust and even care for him. But the day comes when Ronan must return to his former life to settle an old score, and it's when Girin insists on accompanying him, that the two grow even closer.
This was a delightful romance between two characters, both lonely and shunned for who and what they are. The world-building was intriguing--just enough description of the settings and the culture to pull me in without overdoing it. I fell in love with big oafish Girin right away, and was very satisfied with the HEA ending. I'm so happy he found the love and companionship (and family) he so deserved.
The heat level is low, but it feels just right for the story. No complaints here. I'm imagining all sorts of ways these two can have sexy fun together...
Ronan is initially distrustful of Girin, as Ronan has never known kindness. He's been a slave all his life and is now on the run. The more time he spends with Girin, however, the more he begins to trust and even care for him. But the day comes when Ronan must return to his former life to settle an old score, and it's when Girin insists on accompanying him, that the two grow even closer.
This was a delightful romance between two characters, both lonely and shunned for who and what they are. The world-building was intriguing--just enough description of the settings and the culture to pull me in without overdoing it. I fell in love with big oafish Girin right away, and was very satisfied with the HEA ending. I'm so happy he found the love and companionship (and family) he so deserved.
The heat level is low, but it feels just right for the story. No complaints here. I'm imagining all sorts of ways these two can have sexy fun together...
September 24, 2012
I really enjoyed this sweet gay fantasy romance, between a half-Troll and a witch.
It was a bit short, but you gets what you pay for. I'd love to read a novel-sized book by this new author.
It's an ideal read for the evenings, when you really don't need anything too angsty or complicated but just want to curl up with a nice m/m romance :)
It was a bit short, but you gets what you pay for. I'd love to read a novel-sized book by this new author.
It's an ideal read for the evenings, when you really don't need anything too angsty or complicated but just want to curl up with a nice m/m romance :)
April 24, 2025
Goodness comes in many forms.
Trolls aren’t common protagonists in fantasy, so I was excited to meet one here. It’s always nice when authors purposefully seek out themes and types of their genres that are not currently in vogue. Yes, it can be a risk in some cases depending on how audiences react, but I’d argue it’s one worth taking. It’s much more interesting to read tales that flip the reader’s expectations around and play around with who we’re supposed to sympathize with than it is to read one that sticks closely to the tropes. (Not that tropes are bad things, of course! There’s simply something to be said for thinking critically about why specific ones are being used).
I would have liked to see more world building in this piece, especially as it was related to Girin’s communication with the mountain during a point of conflict in one of the later scenes. There were so many things I wanted to know about how their relationship worked and what the mountain might be capable of doing to help him. If this had been explained better, I would have happily gone with a higher rating.
The slow-burn romance worked well for the characters and storyline. Both Girin and Ronan had plenty of reasons to be cautious about falling in love, so it made perfect sense for them to build a strong friendship first. This also meant that the romantic elements of the plot were often overshadowed by the fantasy and adventure themes which was a positive thing to this reader. A dash of this sort of content is plenty for my tastes most of the time.
Heart of Water and Stone made me smile.
Trolls aren’t common protagonists in fantasy, so I was excited to meet one here. It’s always nice when authors purposefully seek out themes and types of their genres that are not currently in vogue. Yes, it can be a risk in some cases depending on how audiences react, but I’d argue it’s one worth taking. It’s much more interesting to read tales that flip the reader’s expectations around and play around with who we’re supposed to sympathize with than it is to read one that sticks closely to the tropes. (Not that tropes are bad things, of course! There’s simply something to be said for thinking critically about why specific ones are being used).
I would have liked to see more world building in this piece, especially as it was related to Girin’s communication with the mountain during a point of conflict in one of the later scenes. There were so many things I wanted to know about how their relationship worked and what the mountain might be capable of doing to help him. If this had been explained better, I would have happily gone with a higher rating.
The slow-burn romance worked well for the characters and storyline. Both Girin and Ronan had plenty of reasons to be cautious about falling in love, so it made perfect sense for them to build a strong friendship first. This also meant that the romantic elements of the plot were often overshadowed by the fantasy and adventure themes which was a positive thing to this reader. A dash of this sort of content is plenty for my tastes most of the time.
Heart of Water and Stone made me smile.
November 17, 2013
To read my full review, please visit http://onsilverwingz.blogspot.com/201...
This is a sweet, familiar story set in a fantasy world. Girin, a half-troll, is lonely on his mountain and scorned by both humans and trolls. He finds a human injured on his mountain and as a healer, he is unwilling to leave him to his death. Ronan, the human, is anxious to leave because he still has a mission to accomplish. By that time, Girin is used to his company and wants Ronan to stay.
Girin and Ronan are supposedly in love but the romance is unconvincing. I cannot see them with beyond a caretaker relationship and friendship. However, they both benefit a lot by being together and they are very sweet towards each other.
The story gets more interesting when they leave to go save Ronan's sister from his former masters. Ronan has people hunting for casting a curse on his former masters' land. These evil people are holding Ronan's sister hostage until Ronan removes the curse. Unfortunately, Ronan does not have a way to break the curse and curses are not meant to be reversible. They have to attempt to steal Ronan's sister from the town. This is a very heroic part for Girin and it's interesting to see how he uses magic and weapons meant for pure-blood trolls.
I love the worldbuilding in this story. The domain and different types of magic these people control are fascinating. There is also a land far away that is more advanced in magic and uses books. The fact that Girin has a book is a rarity in this land. I would love to read the next book set in the land where magic is more advanced.
I really enjoyed reading this book and overall, this is a sweet story with romance first times set in a fascinating fantasy world.
This is a sweet, familiar story set in a fantasy world. Girin, a half-troll, is lonely on his mountain and scorned by both humans and trolls. He finds a human injured on his mountain and as a healer, he is unwilling to leave him to his death. Ronan, the human, is anxious to leave because he still has a mission to accomplish. By that time, Girin is used to his company and wants Ronan to stay.
Girin and Ronan are supposedly in love but the romance is unconvincing. I cannot see them with beyond a caretaker relationship and friendship. However, they both benefit a lot by being together and they are very sweet towards each other.
The story gets more interesting when they leave to go save Ronan's sister from his former masters. Ronan has people hunting for casting a curse on his former masters' land. These evil people are holding Ronan's sister hostage until Ronan removes the curse. Unfortunately, Ronan does not have a way to break the curse and curses are not meant to be reversible. They have to attempt to steal Ronan's sister from the town. This is a very heroic part for Girin and it's interesting to see how he uses magic and weapons meant for pure-blood trolls.
I love the worldbuilding in this story. The domain and different types of magic these people control are fascinating. There is also a land far away that is more advanced in magic and uses books. The fact that Girin has a book is a rarity in this land. I would love to read the next book set in the land where magic is more advanced.
I really enjoyed reading this book and overall, this is a sweet story with romance first times set in a fascinating fantasy world.
September 12, 2012
In a lot of ways this is a very familiar story: a good-hearted but misunderstood loner encounters a beautiful stranger with a troubled past and rescues him when he's in need. Far more about the romance than erotica, spending most of its time on the tension building between the characters and the longing they haven't yet admitted.
I liked the way the magic works in this story, the obvious and important connections that Girin has with the natural world from which he draws his power. But I had a hard time getting engaged with the characters, possibly because the blushing/pining/saying-nothing stage did feel so familiar rather than being unique to their circumstances. And there were a few points where my suspension of disbelief snagged, like the hot-springs-bathing episode where Girin first sees Ronan's tattoos -- despite dressing and undressing him while he was injured and feverish, somehow Girin had never actually noticed these marks before? Little things, but there were a few more of those; I think a tougher beta/editing process would have made the storytelling hold together more tightly.
I liked the way the magic works in this story, the obvious and important connections that Girin has with the natural world from which he draws his power. But I had a hard time getting engaged with the characters, possibly because the blushing/pining/saying-nothing stage did feel so familiar rather than being unique to their circumstances. And there were a few points where my suspension of disbelief snagged, like the hot-springs-bathing episode where Girin first sees Ronan's tattoos -- despite dressing and undressing him while he was injured and feverish, somehow Girin had never actually noticed these marks before? Little things, but there were a few more of those; I think a tougher beta/editing process would have made the storytelling hold together more tightly.
December 14, 2013
Lovely romance :)))
But what I most like is not the romance, but how the magic was described and works. I looooooove how the troll use his magic, and the wizard? Good, no doubt about it, but the troll is amazing. It was so well described! It's all from his point of view, so that gave me a great advantage to know how nature give its power to him.
Great story!
Ps: huge problems with the ePub file. I got it from the publisher, so it wasn't a problem change and read the PDF instead of ePub. I know sometimes it can happen doing the file conversion to many formats, but IMO it's something that publishers must be more careful about. I don't know the Mobi or Lit formats. I tried ePub because it's always my first choice... The positive thing: the PDF is perfect.
But what I most like is not the romance, but how the magic was described and works. I looooooove how the troll use his magic, and the wizard? Good, no doubt about it, but the troll is amazing. It was so well described! It's all from his point of view, so that gave me a great advantage to know how nature give its power to him.
Great story!
Ps: huge problems with the ePub file. I got it from the publisher, so it wasn't a problem change and read the PDF instead of ePub. I know sometimes it can happen doing the file conversion to many formats, but IMO it's something that publishers must be more careful about. I don't know the Mobi or Lit formats. I tried ePub because it's always my first choice... The positive thing: the PDF is perfect.
April 27, 2013
Truly enjoyed this walk through Girin's world. I was quite taken with the story, already enjoying both the characters and their backgrounds, when I was introduced to Girin's spirituality and relationship with the universe around him. From that point forward I was in love.
The interaction between Girin and Ronan is sensual, drawn out smoothly, and entirely believable. Not once did I get the feeling that things were rushed or the characters weren't allowed to find each other properly. The moments the two of them shared in the hut were cohesive and staged brilliantly.
Well-edited, nicely-paced, enjoyable read.
The interaction between Girin and Ronan is sensual, drawn out smoothly, and entirely believable. Not once did I get the feeling that things were rushed or the characters weren't allowed to find each other properly. The moments the two of them shared in the hut were cohesive and staged brilliantly.
Well-edited, nicely-paced, enjoyable read.
November 19, 2012
An entertaining read but nothing really special stood out to me. I thought the characters were sweet and the story itself was good. I would have loved a little more world building within the mountain (e.g. how would the mountain protect Girin and Ronan? does it rearrange itself? hide new footpaths etc.)
August 24, 2012
The plot is pretty interesting but somehow the execution of the story is so so...enough for 1 read.
September 8, 2012
I liked this story, I really liked the MC's, and felt for them, glad to see the HEA at the end.
March 2, 2015
Short and simple, but a delight to read. I lightly recommend picking up E.E Ottoman's work if you like a bit of fantasy tinged historicals with a lovely romance that has a slow build.
August 24, 2012
I liked it. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews