Bear My Heart
By Karen Lykkebo
I don’t know much about romance, but I know what I like, and I loved Bear My Heart.
In a way, it’s a straight up romance, but in another way, the romance is almost secondary. The story wouldn’t be what it is without the budding relationship between Terra and Sayran, but there’s so much more to Bear My Heart than the romance.
At it’s core, this is a story about change; how change is constant and inevitable, and how it can be both terrifying and reassuring. Change happens everywhere, for Terra, it’s not just Sayran entering her life, but also the changing of seasons, of her parents passing away, of the world in general, and of the old gods leaving their mountain.
So there’s romance and change, but what I think I’ll remember most of this book is how warm, beautiful, and personal it is.
The prose flows like the melody of a cherished song, and the depictions of Terra’s home, her forest, and her mountain, all burst with life and energy. There’s something comforting about it. Nothing feels rushed, there’s no stress, and there are no cheap thrills. Sure, there’s tension, and there’s a little drama and action, but that’s all part of what happens in the story. The story itself remains grounded and reassuring. Like a big friendly hug of a book.
What I’ll whine about
The romance. With this being a romance novella, I expected the actual romance to be given more attention. As it is, the relationship between Terra and Sayran mostly grows silently behind the scenes, and what we see of it are quiet moments the two spend together.
It fits with the vibe of the story, but I wouldn’t have minded seeing a bit more interaction between Terra and Sayran as their relationship grew. We barely see them talking. At the same time, this does give the story more room to be what it is, so I don’t think it’s a bad thing – just something to whine about.
What I’ll gush about
The prose. I mentioned it earlier, but the writing is a joy to read. I’m not sure melodicity is a word, but this book has a lot of it. It’s not that the language is particularly fancy, or that it uses elaborate turns of phrase or evocative words. Rather, it just flows really well. The language is plain and simple, but there’s a rhythm to it that brings Terra’s world to life in a way more intricate prose would have failed to replicate.
Final words
Bear My Heart is a wonderfully written story about change, disguised as a heartwarming romance.
