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Familiar Spirits #3
Nothing More Certain
Emery Elward returned to Trinity Creek with no intention of doing anything but repairing the farmhouse he grew up in, starting a business, and tending to the graveyard linked to his family’s property. He has no interest in renewing past friendships. But one old friend is determined to get Emery out from behind the cemetery’s iron gates.
Crafty, delicate Ezra Bell, who tailors his coal-black suits, knits gloves to warm his cold hands, and couldn’t make a plant grow if he tried, isn’t someone Emery can ignore. Ezra was Emery’s best friend all through school, his first crush, and his first kiss. Then Ezra stepped back without ever acknowledging that anything happened between them and Emery left town. But now Ezra is free to tell Emery the secret that kept them apart—the town is steeped in magic, the old families are witches, and some of them, like Ezra, are a little bit more.
Amid gray skies, falling leaves, and the paper cutouts of skeletons that decorate the town in anticipation of Halloween, Ezra is going to woo Emery back to the land of the living. If anyone can convince Emery that he is wanted, that Ezra still loves him, and that magic is real, it’s Ezra. Emery may be stubborn, but he is about to discover that nothing is more certain than Ezra.
Crafty, delicate Ezra Bell, who tailors his coal-black suits, knits gloves to warm his cold hands, and couldn’t make a plant grow if he tried, isn’t someone Emery can ignore. Ezra was Emery’s best friend all through school, his first crush, and his first kiss. Then Ezra stepped back without ever acknowledging that anything happened between them and Emery left town. But now Ezra is free to tell Emery the secret that kept them apart—the town is steeped in magic, the old families are witches, and some of them, like Ezra, are a little bit more.
Amid gray skies, falling leaves, and the paper cutouts of skeletons that decorate the town in anticipation of Halloween, Ezra is going to woo Emery back to the land of the living. If anyone can convince Emery that he is wanted, that Ezra still loves him, and that magic is real, it’s Ezra. Emery may be stubborn, but he is about to discover that nothing is more certain than Ezra.
159 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 2018
About the author
R. Cooper
61 books776 followersI'm a somewhat absentminded, often distracted, writer of queer romance. I'm probably most known for the Being(s) in Love series and the occasional story about witches or firefighters in love. Also known as, "Ah, yes, the one with the dragons."
Find me on social media: https://linktr.ee/thercooper
Or support me on Patreon: @rcoops
Or sign up for my newsletter! It's free and it's barely one a month. :)
Or just visit my website to find everything all in one place and also a few Free Reads: https://www.riscooper.com/
Find me on social media: https://linktr.ee/thercooper
Or support me on Patreon: @rcoops
Or sign up for my newsletter! It's free and it's barely one a month. :)
Or just visit my website to find everything all in one place and also a few Free Reads: https://www.riscooper.com/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
October 26, 2022
4 Stars
Re Read 2022
I felt for Em here. He felt so left out and on the outside of the group that it shaped him becoming so closed off.
Ez makes me want to start getting crafty and making things, every time, him and Pietr do it to me.
4 stars
Re read 2021
I enjoyed this one more on the reread. I still had the same frustrations as previous and felt for ‘Em with how he felt so isolated when he wasn’t included with the kids during high school. It really played to his belief that he wasn’t good enough.
Ez still makes me want to get crafty and start making things
Good addition
3.75 ⭐️
I find these books frustrating at times. With the style of writing using half conversations I find I need to read these in a quiet room so I can understand what is going on, and any break in concentration can make me loose the thread of the plot and I have to do a lot of rereading.
That being said even though there is confusion I find myself really enjoying these books and being highly entertained and needing to see where it was going.
I loved Em and it was easy to empathise with him in his feeling of isolation as we were reading from his perspective but at times his denial annoyed me and I wanted him the listen and understand what Ez was trying to say. His respect and care of the grave yard was lovely. Ez was a great character and I loved his quirky character. He makes me want to be more creative.
If you can get past the stop and start conversation style this is a good read. And I hope there is more to come from this universe
Re Read 2022
I felt for Em here. He felt so left out and on the outside of the group that it shaped him becoming so closed off.
Ez makes me want to start getting crafty and making things, every time, him and Pietr do it to me.
4 stars
Re read 2021
I enjoyed this one more on the reread. I still had the same frustrations as previous and felt for ‘Em with how he felt so isolated when he wasn’t included with the kids during high school. It really played to his belief that he wasn’t good enough.
Ez still makes me want to get crafty and start making things
Good addition
3.75 ⭐️
I find these books frustrating at times. With the style of writing using half conversations I find I need to read these in a quiet room so I can understand what is going on, and any break in concentration can make me loose the thread of the plot and I have to do a lot of rereading.
That being said even though there is confusion I find myself really enjoying these books and being highly entertained and needing to see where it was going.
I loved Em and it was easy to empathise with him in his feeling of isolation as we were reading from his perspective but at times his denial annoyed me and I wanted him the listen and understand what Ez was trying to say. His respect and care of the grave yard was lovely. Ez was a great character and I loved his quirky character. He makes me want to be more creative.
If you can get past the stop and start conversation style this is a good read. And I hope there is more to come from this universe
November 3, 2019
Same formatting issues in this one as with the previous two that made following who was speaking difficult to follow at times.
On top of that, I just didn't enjoy this story as much as the previous two. I felt like I was reading this forever, that it felt needlessly long. And I just didn't find Emery as charming a character as I'm used to with R. Cooper's stories.
On top of that, I just didn't enjoy this story as much as the previous two. I felt like I was reading this forever, that it felt needlessly long. And I just didn't find Emery as charming a character as I'm used to with R. Cooper's stories.
October 5, 2018
3.5
I'm reading R. Cooper since my early days here at GR and while a lot of the books of that time slowly lost their appeal to me, she didn't. Still looking forward to new books by her.
So somehow reading "Nothing More Certain" has this cosy coming-home feeling, home to half sentences full of meaning, to single words replacing a complete dialog and to charmingly weird characters but during the first half of this book there was also this other aspect of coming home: nothing much changed, only a little seasonal decoration and while I still enjoyed it my mood is currently more set for adventure and not so much for comfort.
I got my R. Cooper kind of adventure in the 2nd half when all of Ezra's secrets are revealed. A bit more of that Halloween feeling in the first half and it would have been more than 3.5
I'm reading R. Cooper since my early days here at GR and while a lot of the books of that time slowly lost their appeal to me, she didn't. Still looking forward to new books by her.
So somehow reading "Nothing More Certain" has this cosy coming-home feeling, home to half sentences full of meaning, to single words replacing a complete dialog and to charmingly weird characters but during the first half of this book there was also this other aspect of coming home: nothing much changed, only a little seasonal decoration and while I still enjoyed it my mood is currently more set for adventure and not so much for comfort.
I got my R. Cooper kind of adventure in the 2nd half when all of Ezra's secrets are revealed. A bit more of that Halloween feeling in the first half and it would have been more than 3.5
December 21, 2021
For such a short book it took those two forever to finally talk things through. :D I will say it was painful to read when Emery was remembering his high school time. No matter the reason, it's so hurtful when the "friends" don't bother to ask you to go with them to parties.
I would gladly read more books in this world.
I would gladly read more books in this world.
September 6, 2020
Pleasant and enjoyable, but not one of my favourites by this author. It's nice, but didn't wow me. It does have that lovely soft, warm, cosy tone that R. Cooper is so good at. One of the cool things about this book is that both main characters are Black, which is not something one sees very often in this genre, and it's awesome. I tend to be very hit-and-miss with this author--R. Cooper has written some completely brilliant books that I absolutely love, but also plenty that just didn't do it for me, and sadly, this one is one of the latter. I found the beginning to be a little confusing and it took me a while to get into the story. I loved the first book in this series, but the next two have not particularly excited me. I will continue to read R. Cooper in the hope of finding those rare treasures.
September 22, 2021
This is the slowest slow burn that ever burned. Glowing embers, rather. It was so slow I almost hated it in the middle of the book and wished it stopped running in circles. But as I continued, I got immersed in it, got used to the dancing the characters performed around each other, and started enjoying every second of it. It was sensual, in a way. And overly melodramatic. I loved it.
December 15, 2021
Emery has come home to live alone in his big empty house and take care of the cemetery. He's been avoiding his school friend Ezra for a year since he returned. Ezra's waiting for him. This is another R Cooper book I got tied up in and lost sleep over. Her prose is wonderful, sort of emotional and flowing...and this story is very closely tied in to the land and life and death and growing things, which suits it perfectly. Its a lovely read.
January 21, 2019
The chemistry in this was, uhhhhh, very good. I had the same problem with this one as I did with the rest of the series in that I spent a lot of time VERY CONFUSED as to why things were the way they were and that people should just TALK to each other, but you know what. The chemistry, she good.
October 3, 2018
Charming, enchanting, and blithe
These are the stories I read when I am tired and want to wallow in it and then be uplifted. Beautifully written and crafted. The whole series is one I return to often.
These are the stories I read when I am tired and want to wallow in it and then be uplifted. Beautifully written and crafted. The whole series is one I return to often.
October 3, 2018
Magic
I've enjoyed each installment of this series even more than the last. They keep getting better. Please keep them coming, Ms. Cooper!
I've enjoyed each installment of this series even more than the last. They keep getting better. Please keep them coming, Ms. Cooper!
July 28, 2019
The Cemetery Keeper and His Love
This was such a good book! The first one of the familiar spirits world to have someone outside of the witch world that has a relationship with a witch, this shows all of the complications that brings. It was a bit sad and slow at the start, but that slow burn built into an amazing heat and this astounding relationship!
Emery is not a witch. He does not know of witches or anything supernatural. He grew up in Trinity Creek friend with the 'weird kids' because no one normal wanted to be friends with the kid who lived in the cemetery. Even then, Emery was on the outside of the weird kids, kept out of inside jokes and parties he could never join. His first crush, Ezra, kept him outside too and Emery decided he wouldn't stay. But now he lives in Trinity Creek, still at the cemetery, and Ezra is back and trying to be in his life again. Emery has a lot to learn about the town and its people before he decides if he'll let his first love back in.
This was sort of a second chances story but not quite. It was a second chance for Emery and Ezra, that now as adults Ezra can finally make the decision to tell Emery everything and let him in to what he was always left out of. But at the same time it just feels like an extension of the first chance, that both of them have been waiting to find each other again. Trust is the main thing for both of them. Emery has to build the trust that he won't run again, leaving the town that Ezra will always stay at. Ezra needs to show Emery that he will always be there and will include him, that there is nothing more certain. Building that trust was difficult and beautiful, an amazing story of past hurts and new hurdles. As always this universe astounds with the reminder that love can be the greatest magic there is.
This was such a good book! The first one of the familiar spirits world to have someone outside of the witch world that has a relationship with a witch, this shows all of the complications that brings. It was a bit sad and slow at the start, but that slow burn built into an amazing heat and this astounding relationship!
Emery is not a witch. He does not know of witches or anything supernatural. He grew up in Trinity Creek friend with the 'weird kids' because no one normal wanted to be friends with the kid who lived in the cemetery. Even then, Emery was on the outside of the weird kids, kept out of inside jokes and parties he could never join. His first crush, Ezra, kept him outside too and Emery decided he wouldn't stay. But now he lives in Trinity Creek, still at the cemetery, and Ezra is back and trying to be in his life again. Emery has a lot to learn about the town and its people before he decides if he'll let his first love back in.
This was sort of a second chances story but not quite. It was a second chance for Emery and Ezra, that now as adults Ezra can finally make the decision to tell Emery everything and let him in to what he was always left out of. But at the same time it just feels like an extension of the first chance, that both of them have been waiting to find each other again. Trust is the main thing for both of them. Emery has to build the trust that he won't run again, leaving the town that Ezra will always stay at. Ezra needs to show Emery that he will always be there and will include him, that there is nothing more certain. Building that trust was difficult and beautiful, an amazing story of past hurts and new hurdles. As always this universe astounds with the reminder that love can be the greatest magic there is.
October 18, 2018
Write your review
This book shouldn't have been so good, but it was. Emery and Ezra grew up in the same small town and were best friends...until they kissed. Ezra faded away from their friendship and Emery started running around with the normal kids at school as he was always on the outside looking in with the "Weird Kids," the group that Ezra ran with. Emery owns the old farmhouse and the abandoned graveyards that were there at the beginning of the town. Now back in town, Emery settles in and two years later he is still by himself. Ezra shows up at odd times and tries to win his friendship back. Old hurts, jealousy and feeling abandoned, Emery is determined to have none of it. A story with very little action, a ton of angst in each line and paragraph, magic, the thought of magic, ghosts, familiars and something about Ezra that kept me going. I couldn't put it down wanting to learn the secrets of the town and those between Ezra and Emery. An excellent book that is magical in its writing.
This book shouldn't have been so good, but it was. Emery and Ezra grew up in the same small town and were best friends...until they kissed. Ezra faded away from their friendship and Emery started running around with the normal kids at school as he was always on the outside looking in with the "Weird Kids," the group that Ezra ran with. Emery owns the old farmhouse and the abandoned graveyards that were there at the beginning of the town. Now back in town, Emery settles in and two years later he is still by himself. Ezra shows up at odd times and tries to win his friendship back. Old hurts, jealousy and feeling abandoned, Emery is determined to have none of it. A story with very little action, a ton of angst in each line and paragraph, magic, the thought of magic, ghosts, familiars and something about Ezra that kept me going. I couldn't put it down wanting to learn the secrets of the town and those between Ezra and Emery. An excellent book that is magical in its writing.
October 22, 2018
4.44 stars -- I SO want to give it 5, but there are too many places that the editor missed, I just can't -- fix it, please, for the love of your pickiest reader! I was in the world, and then a wrong name or obviously partially corrected line shoved me out of the magic -- gah! I can't even!
Ok, rant done, on to the praise! I adore this whole series. Each one of these stories will be on my re-read shelf for years to come. The stories are gentle poetry, filled with people of integrity and depth, making their careful and courtly way towards peace. I'm reminded of both Practical Magic and Arthurian legends. Poor Emery, who thinks he has no place, no people, no one to value him, all because someone important counted him worth less than others. I want to wrap him up in softness and comfort, just like Ezra wants to do!
Thank you for the lovely Autumn love letter!
Ok, rant done, on to the praise! I adore this whole series. Each one of these stories will be on my re-read shelf for years to come. The stories are gentle poetry, filled with people of integrity and depth, making their careful and courtly way towards peace. I'm reminded of both Practical Magic and Arthurian legends. Poor Emery, who thinks he has no place, no people, no one to value him, all because someone important counted him worth less than others. I want to wrap him up in softness and comfort, just like Ezra wants to do!
Thank you for the lovely Autumn love letter!
December 29, 2018
Once again I'm not going to touch on the plot as with novellas so many little details tell so much. I will say that Ezra and Emery are a very intriguing pair that I quickly found myself rooting for. Sometimes the conversation felt a little disjointed with a stop/start atmosphere but I quickly realized that perhaps the author did that on purpose to help the reader connect to the characters, especially Emery to show how his feelings of isolation can effect one's people skills leaving them with feelings of awkwardness even around those they care about. Now whether that was something the author intended, I cannot say but it did help me connect with the character. I still think Holly & Oak is my favorite in the series but Nothing More Certain is a lovely addition to the Familiar Spirits series and hope to see more.
September 13, 2020
It occurred to me that if the people in these books actually spoke in real conversations, and told each other things they that they actually understood when they hear them, there would be zero relationship tension in these stories. Everything comes from some past misunderstanding, and the respective characters' complete inability to discuss that misunderstanding without continuing it/adding to it.
That being said, I still like these stories, although this one wasn't my favorite. I'm planing to try some of Cooper's other work, but if it's as cryptic-to-no-purpose as these, I'll probably give up.
That being said, I still like these stories, although this one wasn't my favorite. I'm planing to try some of Cooper's other work, but if it's as cryptic-to-no-purpose as these, I'll probably give up.
February 27, 2019
Ohhh... So all the usual things I love about R. Cooper and these stories in particular. Plus, Death as a character that felt natural and not creepy, how cool! I have my usual notes about not always being able to understand what is meant by what is being said (sometimes I get the feeling behind her writing more than I understand it), and also I can't always place the body positioning exactly. But I really liked this, and I liked the inclusion of non-witch perspectives in this world, which we haven't had in the two previous novellas.
September 25, 2019
a second chance love to make my heart weep omgggg. two confused & hurting black boys who reconnect as openly queer men, one of which had a popular youtube channel! awesome.
gruff caring, half understanding, a loving mom, quiet names, unburdenings of secrets, halloween, a graveyard, gardening and kind spirits.
if you're coming from the earlier books, this one has a witch and a non witch, which was exactly what i'd been wondering about so that made me really happy
gruff caring, half understanding, a loving mom, quiet names, unburdenings of secrets, halloween, a graveyard, gardening and kind spirits.
if you're coming from the earlier books, this one has a witch and a non witch, which was exactly what i'd been wondering about so that made me really happy
October 14, 2018
4 stars!
I liked the setting and the pacing of the book but kind of lost steam halfway thanks to a hectic schedule. There was a twist towards the end that I was not expecting (not a bad twist, just a surprise twist on the secret Ezra had). Overall loved the dynamics between Emery and Ezra. Would have loved to see more side characters other than Emery's mother though.
Overall a really sweet read.
I liked the setting and the pacing of the book but kind of lost steam halfway thanks to a hectic schedule. There was a twist towards the end that I was not expecting (not a bad twist, just a surprise twist on the secret Ezra had). Overall loved the dynamics between Emery and Ezra. Would have loved to see more side characters other than Emery's mother though.
Overall a really sweet read.
October 14, 2018
This was so soft~
Content Notes:
💀 spider
💀 graveyard
💀 mention of people not allowed to be buried on consecrated ground, including victims of suicide
💀 mention of vomiting
💀 parents’ divorce in past
💀 death of mother
💀 alcohol consumption
💀 on page sex
💀 ghost, destruction in graveyard
I’m honestly surprised at how soft this book was. I love how steeped in magic and gothic ideas it is, but it’s also full of domesticity and love. Just, such a wonderful story~
Content Notes:
💀 spider
💀 graveyard
💀 mention of people not allowed to be buried on consecrated ground, including victims of suicide
💀 mention of vomiting
💀 parents’ divorce in past
💀 death of mother
💀 alcohol consumption
💀 on page sex
💀 ghost, destruction in graveyard
I’m honestly surprised at how soft this book was. I love how steeped in magic and gothic ideas it is, but it’s also full of domesticity and love. Just, such a wonderful story~
April 24, 2019
Soft, luscious, magical
I'm in love with R. Cooper's writing style. It's all elegant hints and descriptions, and the unreliable narrator who, to quote BBC Sherlock, "sees but doesn't observe".
You don't know what exactly is going on, but it doesn't matter because what you can see is rich and gorgeous, powerful and passionate.
Seriously though, I'm going to send links to these to more of my queer witch friends because this whole series is amazing.
I'm in love with R. Cooper's writing style. It's all elegant hints and descriptions, and the unreliable narrator who, to quote BBC Sherlock, "sees but doesn't observe".
You don't know what exactly is going on, but it doesn't matter because what you can see is rich and gorgeous, powerful and passionate.
Seriously though, I'm going to send links to these to more of my queer witch friends because this whole series is amazing.
November 28, 2018
Absolute magic, a beautiful, charming and whimsical tale. There are only a couple of authors that I whose books I will always purchase as soon as they are released, R Cooper is one of those and I am never disappointed. Thank you once again for a marvelous tale, I'm off to read the series again (and again and again)
August 2, 2020
Similarly to book 2 in this series, I think this one was good, but not great. The characters were endearing, the writing and setting give off such a cozy vibe perfect for autumn. However, the romance felt dragged out and predictable and I just wanted Emery to get a grip and put us out of our misery.
August 21, 2021
R Cooper is one of those authors that are a comfort read--You might not understand everything of what you read at first, but before the book ends you understand and are in love with it. This is definitely one of those books. I felt so sorry for both the MCs, but I also wanted to reach through the page and shake them. It was a sweet romance and the ending was wonderful. Recmmend reading.
December 6, 2021
This one is written beautifully enough to feel like magi, despite the several editing typos in the last two chapters. Their sex scenes were very in keeping with the bygone era feel. But, I think it would have worked better as a shorter story, reducing the angsty passing of time. Regardless, don't miss it if you've enjoyed this series.
July 22, 2019
I think this is the most lyrical of the three, and the title is just perfect. I thought it was interesting to wait until the last book have a human discover the community of witches, but it worked for me.
February 23, 2021
3.5 stars. Another soft, cozy story from R. Cooper. This is sort of a second chance romance based on a past misunderstanding which is generally a trope I dislike, but I thought it worked well in this case. Their reasons for not talking felt real and not contrived.
November 7, 2022
A paranormal mm friends-to lovers story. Two guys who've known each other since childhood unintentionally hurt each other when young. They reconcile and move try to move past that, despite some new revelations from one of the guys.
Typo: "locs" (of hair) should be locks.
Typo: "locs" (of hair) should be locks.
October 6, 2018
2.5 stars
October 9, 2018
Wow
This book is so close to perfect, it makes no difference. It's just beautiful. Every moment, every word, is poetry.
This book is so close to perfect, it makes no difference. It's just beautiful. Every moment, every word, is poetry.
December 7, 2018
Rating 3.5
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews