4.5 stars
Nell Iris has quickly become one of those authors I can’t wait to read. Every little story is packed with some much. It’s always full of love and hope, even when the outlook is extremely grim. There’s always a little bit of angst, but the outcome is always more than worth it. And this little story is no different.

When two people who love each other more than life itself can’t be together, it is unbearable. For Nen and Anani both, they are in love. But as Anani grows older, he quickly realized that love between two men will never be accepted. As a guardian of the water element, his anguish came out in a way no one could stop. A snow and ice storm. Not even the mighty Vasilissa could stop the heartbreak and storm. So she sent her only son away, to try to stop the storm from completely demolishing everything. For fifteen years, Anani has been on his own, until the Vasilissa finally told Nen he could go to Anani and be together. Full of anguish at what Anani might think after all this time and hope that they can finally be together, he makes the journey. When they meet, the storms rise again. Anani is so conflicted. Happy, sad, angry, hopeful. And terribly afraid it is all a dream and Nen will leave again. And Nen doesn’t know if he can get past the storm to the man he loves before it takes over the land again.

Oh my heart. Being so in love with each other and never being able to touch, to kiss, to hold each other. Nothing. It’s another one of those times you want to reach in a book and smack people for being so stupid about being different. The love they had was so pure, so full of light. It’s a shame it was broken apart to die away. But Nen never gave up hope. Often times he wanted to, but he couldn’t. And I loved him more for it. He knew who his heart belonged to no matter what and he wouldn’t give that up for anyone.

For Anani, being such a child and being told you couldn’t have the one thing you loved more than anything…watching the light go out in his eyes and life. It’s a pain no one should ever know. But seeing Nen again, filled him with such happiness and joy. Even if he was torn and upset, not quite believing what he was seeing. The love he had never died either. Even at his lowest.

Even at both of their lowest times, they tried to hang on to hope. Through every ounce of despair, they loved like no other. That’s what made the difference. No one could take away their love. Even when everyone tried to steal their hope, they loved. Even in tears, they loved. And even through the worst of storms, their love knew no bounds. And I was ecstatic. What a beautiful story.