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E. J. Russell
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The Druid Next Door (Fae Out of Water Book 2) Kindle Edition

by E.J. Russell (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 out of 5 stars 737 ratings

The cranky exiled fae and the unawakened druid are out to save the world—right after they sort the recycling.

Professor Bryce MacLeod has devoted his entire life to environmentalism. But how effective can he be in saving the planet when he can’t even get his surly neighbor to separate glass from paper?

Former Queen’s Enforcer Mal Kendrick doesn’t think his life could get any worse: he’s been exiled from Faerie with a cursed and useless right hand. When he’s not dodging random fae assassins in the Outer World, he’s going toe-to-toe with his tree-hugging neighbor. And when he discovers that the tree hugger is really a druid, he’s certain the gods have it in for him—after all, there’s always a catch with druids. Then he’s magically shackled to the man and expected to instruct him in Supernatural 101.

All right, now things couldn’t possibly get worse.

Until a mysterious stranger offers a drunken Mal the chance to gain back all he’s lost—for a price. After Mal accepts, he discovers the real catch: an ancient secret that will change his and Bryce’s life forever.

Ah, what the hells. Odds are they won’t survive the week anyway.

The story text of this second edition of The Druid Next Door is identical to the first edition.

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  1. Book 2 of 3
    Fae Out of Water
  2. Print length
    316 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Accessibility
    Learn more
  5. Publication date
    August 31, 2023
  6. File size
    5.2 MB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Editorial Reviews

Review

**2018 RITA® Finalist**

**Winner, 2017 Rainbow Awards Best Gay Fantasy Romance**

"The Druid Next Door is the second book in E.J. Russell's Fae Out of Water series. I loved the first book, Cutie and the Beast, so I was really excited to continue the series. I am happy to say I found this book just as enjoyable, and Russell continues her creative world building and great characters with some fun banter and quirky humor. ... If you like fun fantasy with a bit of humor and snark, and some nice world building, definitely check this series out." --Joyfully Jay

"I am loving this series. The Druid Next Door had so many similar elements to the first story that it just made me love this series even harder. ... Again I really loved how everything is this story melded together to create this one cohesive book. The world was part of the characters and vital to the plot. The layers to the plot were necessary to enhance the character growth and the romance. And the romance was necessary to move the plot forward as it did. It was all just so well rounded and worked so well for me." --Love Bytes Reviews

"Oh how I love this series! ...the world building is wonderful. The realms that are involved, the magic, how it all incorporates with the outcome of everything... it's amazing. I highly recommend this book and series for those who adore high fantasy with a twist of real world!" --Diverse Reader

"I cannot even begin to describe how fabulous this book was. I spent all day reading and was so absolutely depressed that it ended. Not that it didn't feel complete but because I hated having to give up these characters!" --Nautical Star Books

"I absolutely loved this second book in the "Fae Out of Water" series... "The Druid Next Door" was chock full of intrigue, humor, banter and several steamy bits." --My Fiction Nook

"This is a great series! ...This book was even funnier than book one and had lots of magic and was maybe even a bit more steamy than Cutie as well... Highly Recommended!" --Open Skye Book Reviews

"Overall, this was a fantastic addition to the series! I absolutely adored Mal and Bryce and their love story, it was fun and sweet, with enough action, angst and hotness to keep me thoroughly entertained. So looking forward to more! Highly recommendable!" --Bayou Book Junkie

About the Author

E.J. Russell (she/her), author of the award-winning Mythmatched paranormal romance series, writes LGBTQ+ romance and mystery in a rainbow of flavors. Count on high snark, low angst, and happy endings.

Reality? Eh, not so much.

She's married to Curmudgeonly Husband, a man who cares even less about sports than she does. Luckily, C.H. also loves to cook, or all three of their children (Lovely Daughter and Darling Sons A and B) would have survived on nothing but Cheerios, beef jerky, and Satsuma mandarins (the extent of E.J.'s culinary skill set).

E.J. also writes traditional cozy mystery as Nelle Heran. She lives in rural Oregon, enjoys visits from her wonderful adult children, and indulges in good books, red wine, and the occasional hyperbole.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CH3ZBSDY
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Reality Optional Press
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 31, 2023
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ 2nd
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 5.2 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 316 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1947033610
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Book 2 of 3 ‏ : ‎ Fae Out of Water
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 out of 5 stars 737 ratings

About the author

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E. J. Russell

E. J. Russell

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Multi-Rainbow Award winner E.J. Russell holds a BA and an MFA in theater, so naturally she spent three decades as a financial manager, database designer, and business intelligence consultant (as one does). She’s married to Curmudgeonly Husband, a man who cares even less about sports than she does. Luckily, C.H. also loves to cook, or all three of their children (Lovely Daughter and Darling Sons A and B) would have survived on nothing but Cheerios, beef jerky, and satsuma mandarins (the extent of E.J.’s culinary skill set).

E.J.'s book, The Druid Next Door, was a 2018 RITA® finalist. She lives in rural Oregon, enjoys visits from her wonderful adult children, and indulges in good books, red wine, and the occasional hyperbole.

Join E.J.'s Facebook reader group, Reality Optional, at https://ejr.pub/fb-group. You can also find her online at https://ejrussell.com, on Instagram as @ej_russell_author, on Facebook at http://facebook.com/E.J.Russell.author, and on Twitter as @EJ_Russell.

E.J.'s books:

Mythmatched Universe

Fae Out of Water trilogy

Cutie and the Beast

The Druid Next Door

Bad Boy's Bard

Supernatural Selection trilogy

Single White Incubus

Vampire with Benefits

Demon on the Down-Low

Howling on Hold

Witch Under Wraps

Possession in Session (subscribers only)

Cursed is the Worst

Quest Investigations series

Five Dead Herrings

The Hound of the Burgervilles

The Lady Under the Lake

Death on Denial

Enchanted Occasions Universe

Best Beast

Nudging Fate

Devouring Flame

Legend Tripping Universe

Stumptown Spirits

Wolf's Clothing

Art Medium Universe

The Artist's Touch

Tested in Fire

Art Medium: The Complete Collection

Royal Powers Shared World

Duking It Out

Duke the Hall

King's Ex

Magic Emporium Shared World

Purgatory Playhouse

Contemporary Romantic Comedies

Clickbait

Mystic Man

For a Good Time, Call...

Historical

Silent Sin

Holiday Shorts

The Probability of Mistletoe

An Everyday Hero

A Swants Soiree

Christmas Kisses (box set)

Monster Till Midnight

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
737 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this book to be a fantastic read with wonderful world building and a fun, creative universe. They appreciate the romance elements, with one customer highlighting the tricky love stories, and praise the character development, with one review noting the real connection between the main characters. They enjoy the author's style, with one customer specifically praising Joel's performance.

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ReadabilityRomanceCharacter developmentEnjoymentBuilding qualityAuthor's style
24 customers mention "Readability"24 positive0 negative

Customers find the book readable and fantastic, with one customer specifically praising the well-done audiobook production.

"...It was engaging and entertaining. Pair that up with a well done audiobook production, I found this to be a great listening experience." Read more

"...David is hilarious, and of course, awesome...." Read more

"The author took things up a huge notch! I loved book one but book two is just totally awesome! Bryce and Mal are just incredible together!..." Read more

"...He does snark and voice differentiation very well...." Read more

20 customers mention "Romance"20 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the romance in the book, describing it as a wonderfully magical story with an engaging plot, and one customer highlights the exciting action moments.

"...I thought the plot of this book was really unique, and loved how E.J. Russell incorporated the traditional fairy and folk tales into her..." Read more

"...I loved the first book with David and Alun but I absolutely adored Mal and Bryce's story...." Read more

"...And what a story, so much suspense and so many amazing reveals! Can't wait to see what happens with Gareth in the next book!" Read more

"...I truly enjoyed reading about the Druid and fae matchups. Her world building is wonderful and the characters are always well thought out...." Read more

15 customers mention "Character development"11 positive4 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, with one mentioning the real connection between the two main characters and another noting the believable gay hero.

"...The characters were voiced perfectly and I really loved the performance Joel gave. It was engaging and entertaining...." Read more

"...I love the mystery, the characters, and the romance!..." Read more

"...Her world building is wonderful and the characters are always well thought out. Highly recommended" Read more

"...The biggest issue I have with it though is that the characters are sort of all talk...." Read more

11 customers mention "Enjoyment"11 positive0 negative

Customers find the book very entertaining with a fun and creative universe, and one customer mentions it provides a good adventure.

"...It was engaging and entertaining. Pair that up with a well done audiobook production, I found this to be a great listening experience." Read more

"...It was adorable and painful to watch him trying to navigate through what was developing between him and Mal...." Read more

"...Bryce has a couple imperfections, but is, in general, lovely & admirable...." Read more

"...the first book, with a compelling mystery and mission that provided a good adventure (interspersed with sexy scenes)...." Read more

5 customers mention "Building quality"5 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the world building in the book.

"...Her world building is wonderful and the characters are always well thought out. Highly recommended" Read more

"...Amazing world building by E.J. Russell!" Read more

"...Though at times the writing feels a little fan fic, ultimately the world building and the story pulled me in...." Read more

"...the series, it was a fine rip roaring tale. I really enjoy the world building. The characters are fascinating, and fun...." Read more

3 customers mention "Author's style"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the author's style, with one noting the wonderful world they've created, while another praises the Bard's work and Joel's performance.

"...The characters were voiced perfectly and I really loved the performance Joel gave. It was engaging and entertaining...." Read more

"...I guess this is a True Bard's work, it surely kept my heart beating to it's romantic rhythm, my breath caught between it's pages, my eyes eating up..." Read more

"...The world building that the author has created is wonderful and this book is absolutely fantastic." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • L.D.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Unexpected Soulmates
    Reviewed in the United States on March 19, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    The Druid Next Door is the second book in the Fae Out of Water series and a fantastic addition to the series. This book should not be read as a standalone since the events in the second book follows immediately from the first book.

    I thought the plot of this book was really unique, and loved how E.J. Russell incorporated the traditional fairy and folk tales into her worldbuilding but did it in such a distinctive manner that it made the story feel fresh and fascinating. The characters were also well crafted and with a lot of depth and layers. The romance was sweet and spicy with a lot of steamy, sexy moments.

    The audiobook was narrated by Joel Leslie who did a wonderful job with the narration. The characters were voiced perfectly and I really loved the performance Joel gave. It was engaging and entertaining. Pair that up with a well done audiobook production, I found this to be a great listening experience.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Jessica
    4.0 out of 5 stars This Book Was SO Great!
    Reviewed in the United States on August 22, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    4.5/5 Stars

    This review was originally posted to the Goldilox and the Three Weres blog.

    Oh! The Druid Next Door! Let me count the ways that I loved thee!

    I loved the first book with David and Alun but I absolutely adored Mal and Bryce's story. I read it all in one sitting and I was so sad when I ran out of pages. I love the mystery, the characters, and the romance! Thanks to all the worldbuilding in the first book, the plot in this one was able to be much more complex while still being a fun read. I loved learning more about the history of the Fae and how society is made up in both the Seelie and Unseelie worlds. I will say that I only figured out part of the mystery which was nice. I hate when romance books have overly predictable villains.

    I wanted Mal's book from the moment he showed up in Cutie and the Beast and it didn't disappoint! He's a confident playboy who has had to adjust to the new circumstances he found himself in after being cursed at the end of the last book. And he's struggling with it. His whole sense of self was tied into being the Queen's Enforcer and he is struggling to learn how to live outside of Faerie. Mal gets himself involved in a questionable quest in an attempt to reverse his curse without meeting the conditions to do so. He learns that there's more to himself than even he thought there was and I loved being along for the ride.

    While I loved Mal, I absolutely adored his love interest! Bryce is my kind of guy. He's a nerdy, introverted professor on sabbatical from teaching at the local university. He's the one who designed and helps maintain the environmentally sustainable wetlands habitat that's adjacent to the green neighborhood where him and Mal live. I love that he is SO dang proud of his home that has such a small carbon footprint. Finding out he's an actual druid was outrageous and hard for him but it made sense all at the same time. Like many introverts, he is a little bit insecure and doesn’t really have a lot of romantic experience. It was adorable and painful to watch him trying to navigate through what was developing between him and Mal.

    Watching Mal and Bryce grow and change, both individually and as a couple, was awesome and one of the things I loved the most about this book. The bonds between these two are strong both metaphorically and literally. I loved seeing Mal accept the parts of himself that needed to be explored. Watching him accept that Bryce was his everything and seeing Bryce grow from slightly awkward professor into a take charge druid was just beautiful. I also loved that this book was much, much steamier than book one.

    Overall, I adored this book! I'd highly recommend this series if you're looking for a fun paranormal m/m romance. I can't wait to get my hands on the next book about Gareth!

    ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • T. Jones
    5.0 out of 5 stars Furthering a great fantasy world via tricky love stories!
    Reviewed in the United States on April 12, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    If you have not already done so, please go read Cutie and the Beast so you know who David and Alun are - I promise it's worth it. David is hilarious, and of course, awesome. Alun's brother Mal has been stripped of power and kicked out of Fairie - and the swamp loving tree hugger next door? Well...

    I loved how all the plot elements came together in Mal and Bryce's story. But the best is how strong each is, despite his failings and blind spots. Sometimes an author wants to convey that but falls short. So not true here. Each learns, each grows (sometimes very belatedly) and I laughed when I saw where it was going to end.

    On to #3, Bad Boy's Bard!
    One person found this helpful
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  • Len Evans Jr
    5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderfully magical story!
    Reviewed in the United States on May 17, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    The author took things up a huge notch! I loved book one but book two is just totally awesome! Bryce and Mal are just incredible together! And what a story, so much suspense and so many amazing reveals! Can't wait to see what happens with Gareth in the next book!
    Helpful
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  • JEN
    4.0 out of 5 stars Magic & a little mayhem
    Reviewed in the United States on June 16, 2021
    Format: Audible AudiobookVerified Purchase
    I found this very entertaining. I'm sure Mal would irritate some people & he certainly has some not-great moments, but if I had been in his position, I'd be even more disagreeable than he was. I'd be wallowing with a jar of Nutella & a spoon, personally. He might have been snippy, moody & not all together honest, but he did leave the house. Bryce has a couple imperfections, but is, in general, lovely & admirable. I enjoyed seeing their admiration for one another's good points and how they understood one another, despite having seemingly nothing in common. Seeing characters from the previous books make appearances was a real bonus.

    I did figure out a bit of a riddle in the story WELL before the characters did & wanted to smack them on the head repeatedly for being so clueless. I'm sure most readers will want to yell at them as well. Maybe that's part of the fun?

    For the audiobook, it was very quintessential Joel Leslie, so you either like it or not, depending on how you feel about him as a narrator. If you haven't heard Joel Leslie before, I say give it a try. He does snark and voice differentiation very well. His sex scene voice acting isn't all my bag, (and this book as more & hotter scenes than the previous one), but it might be good for others. ;)

    I'm very much looking forward to starting the next book, as the Bard has definitely got my interest piqued.
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  • B. Hall
    5.0 out of 5 stars Just Wonderful!
    Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    This is the second book in E.J. Russell’s Fae out of Water series, and is just as imaginative and satisfying as the first book. I truly enjoyed reading about the Druid and fae matchups. Her world building is wonderful and the characters are always well thought out. Highly recommended
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Sieran Lane
    5.0 out of 5 stars Loved this even more than Cutie and the Beast
    Reviewed in Canada on June 16, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    It was exciting for me to read Druid Next Door, because it stars Mal, my favorite character from Book 1: Cutie and the Beast.

    For Mal’s love interest, Bryce, I enjoyed reading his backstory: he is a professor who is exceptionally passionate about preserving the environment. It was hilarious to see Bryce get pissed off at Mal for his apparent lack of concern for the environment.

    As well, I liked reading Mal and Bryce’s many exchanges and arguments. It was also interesting to read about their insecurities, where they each doubt that the other person would truly love them.

    Mal’s “middle-child syndrome” was intriguing. Alun is brilliant and exemplary in many ways, while Gareth is the last true bard. Maybe Mal isn’t “outstanding” in terms of titles and social positions, compared to his brothers, yet I still find him the most charming and interesting. Bryce evidently thinks the same. Mal admits that he puts in extra effort to look charming and carefree, to mask his insecurities inside. Nevertheless, I find Mal to be the most spirited and vivacious of the Kendrick brothers. (I’m a little confused about their last name, actually. Is it Kendrick or Cynwrig? Or is the former just an Outer World alias?)

    As for Bryce’s self-doubts, he keeps feeling that he’s a mere nerdy professor, boring and much less attractive, such that Mal would never want him for a serious, long-term partner. Wow, talk about self-doubts! First of all, even though Mal is extremely handsome, Mal thinks Bryce is beautiful and irresistible too. Second of all, lots of people would envy Bryce’s social position—he is a professor, for crying out loud! Mal also felt inferior to Bryce at one point, since Bryce was the clever one with a PhD and professorship. Mal, on the other hand, is a warrior rather than an academic. He isn’t dumb, but he prefers rapid action over deliberate thought.

    The plot around Steve was intriguing too. I enjoyed the mystery and suspense very much.

    The missions that Steve assigns to Mal were engaging to read about, though I felt that one of the solutions was too easy to be true.

    The Druid-Fae relationship was interesting to read about. We see Cassie, David’s aunt, again! She annoyed me sometimes, however, though not all the time.

    Nevertheless, I greatly enjoyed this story, both for the romance between Mal and Bryce, and for the fantasy and mystery plot. This is definitely a book I would like to re-read in the future.
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  • Jasmin Z.
    3.0 out of 5 stars Problematic in terms of consent...
    Reviewed in Germany on May 11, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    I enjoyed the first book a lot, but this one lacked both the humour and the romance a bit.

    I am not a fan of stories that lack consent between partners, and this one is indeed very problematic in terms of consent.

    I think it was supposed to be a cute enemies to lovers topic, but I personally felt uncomfortable reading how both of them didn't enjoy having to engage in a sexual relationship, especially regretting it afterwards.
    Later in the book, there's something about "having to really want it" for the magic to really force them, but in my opinion, this just wasn't enough to really justify the forced relationship.

    All in all, it could've been a good story, but started with a weird forced relationship until they seemingly gave in, and it just wasn't for me.
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  • K S
    5.0 out of 5 stars A very good book
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 12, 2023
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I really enjoyed the book. I wasn't sure if I would enjoy it as much as the first one in the series but it was really good. There were some moments when I had a chuckle. I liked Mal's humour. Looking forward to the next book in the series.
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  • Celpompom
    4.0 out of 5 stars Great story
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 10, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    I quite enjoyed this story.

    Bryce and Mal are opposites who have to work together because they don't have a choice. Some twists were added which gave the story even more depth.

    The way these two get together and have to build their relationship despite what's going was great to read.
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  • FiBeeN
    4.0 out of 5 stars Highly enjoyable
    Reviewed in Australia on August 25, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    This is a well crafted story. The characters are very engaging and the world is fascinating. The first book in the series was better though, as there was more emotional depth. I'm not sure why this book missed that mark, perhaps because the story was more complex, but overall, it didn't really spoil anything.
    I am definitely going to make a point of reading more by this author.
    Report

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