Isabelle Disraeli

Title: A Passion for Mushrooms

Author: Chrononautical

Canon: The Hobbit | Tolkienverse

Pairing: Thorin Oakenshield/Bilbo Baggins; side of Tauriel/Kíli

Rating: Teen [PG]

Word Count: 89,912

Summary: There are many trials for a hobbit attempting to make a life among dwarves. A hobbit wants a garden. A hobbit wants to eat regular meals. A hobbit wants friends, good books, and comfortable chairs. Bilbo does his best to carve out a little hobbit life for himself in the mountain. If only there were not one final obstacle. For a hobbit heart wants love, and among dwarves that is a sticky subject.

Recommendation: I love this SO MUCH! There is so much rich and lovely detail about dwarves, hobbits, gifts, and food. Oh, the food. Do not read this hungry, although even if you don't you probably will end up that way because of all of the lush descriptions of food. (That should not be unexpected from a story told from a hobbit's perspective.) The other main feature of this story is all of the cultural misunderstandings. Literally all of them. Bilbo's policy of "fake it until you make it" works only so well, as hobbits and dwarves are working from entirely different playbooks. Another thing that I adore about this story is all of the truly marvelous OCs, from Bilbo's apprentice to the princess of Rohan, they add so very much to this already delightful story. Last but certainly not least, the tension between Thorin and Bilbo is sweet torture as you the reader can see that they are both madly in love while remaining convinced of the other's friendly indifference. When the air is finally cleared and feelings are finally laid bear, *sigh* so sweet.