Lawn Ornament Shifters, Book #2
Review of Lawn Ornament Shifters, Book #1
Heat Factor: There’s definite heat intermingled with some absurdity and puns. And absurd puns.
Character Chemistry: It’s spelled out WHY they click but it doesn’t really…feel like they do?
Plot: Harriet is an owl shifting orphan and an incredibly wealthy thief who covers her criminal activity with a cupcake business. Tobias is a gnome billionaire who figures out her game–and then has to convince Harriet to give in to their mate connection and try being together.
Overall: It’s short and sweet, but it certainly feels like a bridge and doesn’t feel entirely fully developed, perhaps for that reason.
Like all Elva Birch books, Gnome Sweet Gnome is a sweet story with a heavy dose of absurdity and magic. Harriet is attending a fancy gala with the intent of stealing some jewelry when she meets Tobias and immediately realizes she’s met her mate. Only Harriet carries significant trauma and is deeply invested in her life getting artisans set up with their own businesses and set up for success using the funds she earns from her life of crime.
Tobias is a billionaire who runs a lawn ornament business and is apparently just very handsome, funny, hairy, and short–and he immediately falls for Harriet, refusing to be pushed aside or put off. After hiring a PI, he finds out everything there is to know about Harriet and understands why she’s determined to isolate herself and live alone. But Tobias comes from a warm, loving Gnome family and is equally determined to envelope her with the love and support she deserves.
The book is short, and it definitely feels like it’s serving as a bit of a bridge between books in the series. So, there’s some meat missing that would likely fill in some of these gaps. There’s certainly some gaps in their relationship as well, which I think would normally be filled by the fated mates trope, but gnomes don’t have fated mates and while it’s touched on it’s not really fully fleshed out. Plus, because of the length there was a bit less emotional development and Harriet definitely has a lot of baggage to unpack.
Ultimately, it was cute and clever, and I absolutely adored the puns and Harriet’s messiness–but I ended it still a bit hungry and I wanted more from the couple. Maybe this is one of those books that needs the rest of the series? Based on the supporting characters I have to say that I’m inclined to believe the series when taken as a whole might very well be pretty juicy and interesting.
I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. We disclose this in accordance with 16 CFR §255.
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The Smut Report 
Great review. Haven’t heard of this one yet.
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