Heartbroken after the death of his beloved Nana, Hannes, the family outsider, finally allows himself to grieve. The legal battle over Nana’s quirky old house -- the only place he’s ever felt accepted and loved -- is over, and he moves in and finds a sense of peace. ... And a rabbit. An adorable bunny with a huge personality moves in, too, and refuses to leave. Hannes instantly falls in love with the sweet animal who helps heal his heart. But one morning, Hannes’ view of the world changes when the rabbit transforms into a man. A man named Mattis. After the initial shock, Hannes and Mattis discover a connection between them that runs deeper than it seems. Will their newfound feelings survive unraveling secrets and meddling families, and grow into something real? Something deep and everlasting?

9 Willow Street

When I ask about his job, he tells me about his life in the warren. It turns out they live not far from town in a huge compound everyone believes to be owned by some weird religious cult, an assumption the rabbits haven’t bothered to correct since it suits their need for privacy. Their community owns several hundred acres and Mattis doesn’t know exactly how many rabbits live there, but at least two thousand.


They grow most of their own food and have schools and libraries and other necessary community infrastructure, but married rabbits have jobs outside the compound and contribute a minor part of their income into a communal pool that helps sustain everyone. No one is starving, but they’re a long way from economical equality. Mattis’ family barely has enough to feed everyone, while the family of the woman he’s supposed to marry could give half of what they own to the others and still be incredibly rich.


Chapter 20