Well this book was suggested to me as a sweet read and I got exactly what I was after, as soon as I realised that a leshy was a Russian kind of protector of the forest. This was exactly what I was wanting to read today!

So, it's some random winter. The writer doesn't really establish a specific time or location for this story, but we have Isaak who is living with his mother and looking after his deceased brother's wife and two kids. Oh, also he's a woodcutter or, I guess, lumberjack as the alliteration of the title tells us!

Because of the stories his Babka has always told him, he's very well acquainted with the spirits of the forests. He leaves offerings for them, and isn't overly surprised when one day he meets the leshy of the forest where he works. What surprises him is the fact that this leshy seems very willing to flirt with him.

The rest, as they say, is history. There is the usual bigoted antagonist that gets taught his lesson. There's a very good community vibe to the story at large. It's nothing hugely groundshaking but if someone wants a short, sweet read, with Russian mythology, this is a very good contender.

*ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

This book was a wonderful fun read! I started out a little worried due to the fact that I was not sure what folklore this was pulling from. In the end, I didn't really care. The characters drew me in and I had to learn more about Isaak and Les. I loved the fact that while it was a shorter book there was still enough to make me love the characters and want them to have their happy ending while still not feeling rushed. Splitting the book into seasons helped with this situation drawing out time until everything seemed more natural. Isaak was a compelling character wanting to do good for his community while Les was someone I still want to know more about. All in all, I loved the characters and would certainly recommend this book to others.

I enjoyed this.

The story was well written, I liked Isaac the lumberjack and the Leshy. It would’ve been cool had there been more light she’d on both their past beyond what was shared in the book.

I also liked the way that despite there being no sex in this, you could still feel the connection between our MCs. It was a breath of fresh air.

I must say however, I think this book should’ve included a glossary be because a lot of the terms and references passed over my head. I managed well enough but my reading experience would’ve been much better had it been available.

While I fell in overwhelming love with the characters of this book, and the hints of worldbuilding that exist behind the scenes, I felt like the pacing could use a good deal of work and ultimately the ending left me wanting more.

★★★★☆

CHARACTERS
Isaak - I enjoyed the aspect that this character was introduced into this novel with the previous understanding of the world of the Leshy - I liked how he stood out from others but was shy. He took on the protector/mediator between the two sides. Honestly the fact he was so stinking adorable won me over in the first few seconds of the first chapter.
Les - one of my favorite aspects about this character is his understanding of human flaws, I like that he nearly punishes but doesn't kill because of human greed or lust. Les (aka leshy) was a character . . . creature? . . . meh - that stood his ground from the others, he wasn't under the restirctions of his father and protects with an understanding of those who enter his forest might not always have the greatest intentions.
THE STORY
i liked the simplicity of the story, as well as the fantasy aspects. I personally am not aware if this book was based off of true mythology aside from what a leshy is (which I googled and now obsess over this character) but it was entertaining enough for me to do the research into it after wards. I thought there was going to be more relationship time with these two characters, they have moments when they are described as 'lovers' but haven't really explored their boundaries with anything more than one kiss and a few conversations. I get that its fantasty and im totally on board for literally any instant love story, I think these characters were both adorablely designed and made for each other. That being said, I felt like I needed more from their relationship than a few conversations.

I really liked this. It had a beautiful tone of an opening that made me feel like I was bunkering down by the fireplace for another fairytale told by the village's storyteller. I loved the details, loved that despite it being less than 150 pages, it felt like a well-rounded story. It was mostly sweet, but it also was a little hot at times and I swear my heart beat faster with Isaak's, and it was also full of lurking danger and suspense that added to their growing relationship (because drama is always present). It just read as one of those really sweet stories with the ancient darkness that comes with monsters in the forest. It's a recommend if you love fantasy and have a thing for Slavic mythology.

The Leshy and the Lumberjack was written by Ginger Streusel. It is a paranormal m/m romance, and as soon as I saw it on Netgalley, I knew it sounded like something I would like.

Isaak is a humble woodcutter who lives in a village with his family. He spends his day in the forest chopping wood, and he’s very aware of the forest spirits. He doesn’t kill any of the forest animals, and there are certain parts of the forest he doesn’t venture into because it’s the Leshy’s domain.

Isaak eventually meets the Leshy, a humanoid type tree creature who has recently inherited the position of forest protector from his father. They have a lovely conversation, and Isaak goes back every to meet up with Les. They enjoy spending time together and kissing, and as implausible as it sounds, Isaak finds himself falling in love with Les. But not everyone respects the laws of the forest, and Les is not the only creature living in the woods.

This was more of a novella than a full-length novel, but Streusel manages to tell such a delightful story in such a short amount of time. I was fascinated by the way Streusel based her story around Eastern European folklore, and I actually looked up some of the folkloric creatures on the internet to learn more about them. I also liked how the focus of Les and Isaak’s relationship was based on friendship and mutual attraction rather than the mechanics of their sexual chemistry. This is not to say that there isn’t major chemistry afoot; Streusel just chooses to fade to black for Les and Isaak’s more intimate moments.

I would recommend The Leshy and the Lumberjack to fans of m/m romance and paranormal romance and everything in between. I didn’t know what to expect from this book, and I’m glad I took a chance on something slightly different from what I usually read. I’m absolutely looking forward to reading more of Streusel’s books in the future!




I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

A warmhearted, folklore-inspired story that combines danger, magic, and community. I really enjoyed the believable characterization, and I loved how Streusel's characters were portrayed in multiple settings.

This is such a sweet book, I think that the Leshy is such a loving monster and I'm enjoying this book incliding the dark aspects within.