The Great Dane

by Suanne Laqueur

This book is dedicated to all of us.
At one point or another, all of us have wondered who we are.
All of us have scratched at a label put on us, feeling it didn't quite fit.
All of us have felt pressured to be something we're not.
All of us have wished we were someone else.
All of us have looked in a mirror and been confused at what we see.
All of us don armor to do brave things: a change in voice, a different accent, a favorite sweater, high heels, a good luck charm.
All of us are fluid.
I used to think all of us hear a voice when we talk to ourselves but I've since learned this is only some of us. But whether or not you have an inner monologue, the book is for you. The journey is for you. The quest and the game and the mystery and the solution: all for you.
And also for me.

THE GREAT DANE

After the sudden death of his only child, Liko Greenman is looking for any way to pass, waste or kill time. He becomes obsessed with a compelling mystery within his son's favorite video game, Three Hares, and is determined to solve it. The game travels along the Old Silk Road, following the triskelion motif of the Three Hares in art and architecture. The player's journey ends abruptly at Paderborn Cathedral in Germany, but fans are certain the game isn't over.

Liko receives a condolence letter from the gaming company, with a single clue that leads him to the rural town of Birch Island, New York and a farm called Schoenfeld's. There, Liko comes face-to-face with Danelaw Strong, who has one blue eye, one brown eye, and a compelling, dual personality.

For 22 years, Dane was intimately involved with Ethan Hasen, the creator of Three Hares, and Ethan's wife, Nomi. As three deeply bonded lovers, they made a life together at Schoenfeld's that defied convention. Now only Dane is left to work the farm, a single hare grieving the loss of soulmates and simply concentrating on doing the next thing.

Recognizing they're both killing time and each has something to give the other, Liko agrees to move to New York for the summer and Dane will guide him in solving the video game's mystery. So begins a journey of friendship, love and belonging that will show Liko there's more to the Three Hares game and more to Danelaw Strong than he could possibly imagine.

Suanne Laqueur's newest novel is a chimerical blend of romance, drama, identity, power and hope. Combining legend and folklore with her signature depth and understanding of the human experience, The Great Dane explores how we view the most profound human connection in pairs, when three is often love's most magical number.

Genres: Queer, LGBT, M M Romance, Fiction, Contemporary, Adult

500 pages, Paperback

Published January 13, 2026

About the author

A former professional dancer and teacher, Suanne Laqueur went from choreographing music to choreographing words, writing stories that appeal to the passions of all readers, crossing gender, age and genre. As a devoted mental health advocate, her novels focus on both romantic and familial relationships, as well as psychology, PTSD and generational trauma.

Laqueur’s novel An Exaltation of Larks was the grand prize winner in the 2017 Writer’s Digest Book Awards and took first place in the 2019 North Street Book Prize. Her debut novel The Man I Love won a gold medal in the 2015 Readers’ Favorite Book Awards and was named Best Debut in the Feathered Quill Book Awards. Her follow-up novel, Give Me Your Answer True, was also a gold medal winner at the 2016 RFBA.

Laqueur graduated from Alfred University with a double major in dance and theater. She taught at the Carol Bierman School of Ballet Arts in Croton-on-Hudson for ten years. An avid reader, cook and gardener, she started her blog EatsReadsThinks in 2010.

Suanne lives in Westchester County, New York with her husband and two children.

Reviews

[Marieke (mariekes_mesmerizing_books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes, words fail me when I try to express how a book makes me feel. Because the book is grand. Magnificent. Glorious. Stunning. Sublime. I could go on. The Great Dane is that kind of book, and I urge you all to read it. Just look at that cover!

I already had tears in my eyes while reading the dedication:
This book is dedicated to all of us. At one point or another, all of us have wondered who we are. All of us have scratched at a label put on us, feeling it didn’t quite fit. All of us have felt pressured to be something we’re not. All of us have wished we were someone else.

These are just a few lines but this dedication is so, so beautiful. Just like the book. Just like the cover. Just like Liko and Dane. Just like the hares…

Suanne Laqueur is my go-to author when I’m stuck. When none of the books I’m reading speak to me. When I’ve crashed into the deepest of deepest reading slumps. In those moments, I need to feel. A lot. And Suanne always delivers.

And maybe, because I read this ARC without being stuck, I felt even more. Two men bathing in grief: one who lost his lifemates, the other who lost his son. But there's more. Way more. There’s trauma, a search for identity and friendship. A beautiful friendship. And love. So much love.

This story is about memories that make you laugh, and cry, and laugh-cry. About Liko’s deceased son:
”What are you up to, kiddo?” Janelle asked.
“I’m seeing how many doughnuts I can stack on my penis,” Kyle said.
Nobody warned you about these things when you became a parent.

I couldn’t figure out who or what Dane was and I kept thinking about that cover. And then when Oscar, a kid, asked about touching Dane’s skin, something clicked. Oh, Dane…:
Oscar reached toward Dane’s chest, but Dane gently stopped his hand. “Good guys don’t touch without asking first. Right?”
“Can I touch?”
“If I say no, what does it mean?”
“No, don’t touch.”
“Does it mean no, I don’t like you, Oscar?”
“No. You like me. You just don’t want touching.”

I blinked and blinked because of a conversation about identity:
”You don’t have to identify today,” Jensen said. “Or in a week. Or a year or decade. You can take all the time you need to explore all this information.”

And I teared up again when Janelle and Liko talked about Kyle:
A long, aching pause before Janelle said, “Tell me what Kyle’s doing.”
Liko closed his eyes. “He’s sleeping.”
“Are you sure?”
“It was a long day in Heaven. All days in Heaven are jam-packed because you get to do everything you ever wanted.

And those two beautiful men, dancing around each other, knowing they would end up together but first had to heal first:
A rhythmic drone like spiritual white noise: my friend, I have a friend, my friend is here, my friend did a great thing for me, I can count on my friend, soon I will see my friend.

At times, my tears came from the rage that coiled in my gut. Be aware that this story is gruesome at times. Heartbreaking. So, check out the trigger warnings. But if you can handle it, I want to ask, please, please, read this beautiful, beautiful story!

Thank you so much, Suanne, for letting me read this book early! And I will keep shouting from the rooftops that everyone should pick it up!! Because this book is fantastic. Impressive. Exquisite. Superb.

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[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of course I’m in a bloody review slump when I finish an absolutely beautiful and stunning book 😭 I have no idea how to articulate how deeply layered and moving this story is but here goes.

I rarely read LitFic but was blown away by this authors storytelling. The lives of Dane, Liko and the supporting characters are so very intricate and will stay with me for a long time.

This is a beautiful journey of grief, healing, resilience, identity, friendship, peace, acceptance and love in all its forms. It made me feel far more intelligent than I am with every clever metaphor and layered connection. It had me thinking I should be into anagrams and to strive to add little elements of whimsy to my life wherever I can. It made me want to eat more fibre and get a leather vest, plant wisteria and rename my child something with more meaning. To get a cat and name it Saskia. To never lock the bathroom door and to find myself my very own Green Man statue.

It also widened my eyes to situations that occur for some people, to a level I’ve never contemplated before. There is a lot of trauma here, old and new, but it is very sensitively written and never felt gratuitous.

I’m probably not explaining this well at all but I simply urge everyone to read this and discover this deep thinking story for yourself.

As much as I adore Liko and Dane, I have to say I think Ethan is the character here than has left me wanting more, I would happily read a whole book about that man.

The cover is absolutely beautiful and I’d love this as a print in my home. The art inside the book is lovely and I thoroughly enjoyed getting to have pictures in an adult novel for once!

I will now be devouring everything else I can find by this amazing author (and again dragging Anita through them with me to hold my hand because I suck at emotions).

Thankyou so much to Suanne Laqueur for gifting me this incredible book.

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Updated.


I am not in a good place.

Officially, I am on holiday. In reality, there is nothing of a holiday here. My days are full of medical appointments (mine, and people I love). Besides, I am away from my hubby, who is also not very well.

So I have read this in borrowed and stolen moments from here and there, in waiting rooms.

I have finished it, and now that I’ve reached the last page, I feel… I don’t quite know how to explain it. Not distance. Not indifference. On the contrary, I feel overwhelmed. I feel like I devoured a morsel without having the time to chew it properly.



But let me be clear: I LOVED THIS BOOK.

My struggle is not with my response, but with my ability to articulate it, especially at this moment in my life, when my thoughts are scattered and my days are heavy.
So I'm afraid I can't explain the greatness of The Great Dane.

That said, do I have any doubts about this book's rating?



5 Brilliant, beautiful, emotional, and moving Stars.

[Suanne Laqueur]

Liko Greenman doesn’t think of himself as an introvert. He likes parties. He’s not afraid to join a group he doesn’t know. He makes small talk easily and more than once he’s been referred to as a social tether—someone who becomes the mothership of your party mingling and you often make your way back to him or her, just to catch your breath, process, collect yourself. Liko digs being that person. A beacon of social safety. Come stand next to me. Join my conversation. Or just stand here and siphon off some peace.

But this dude… The man whom Liko doesn’t yet know is named Danelaw Strong… He looks at Liko once, just a glance across a crowded room with a pair of illegally blue eyes, and Liko introverts.

Panicked, if we’re being honest, he thinks. He retreats a few steps to the living room’s bookshelves. Pretends to peruse. Glances at Dane, who is looking at him. Liko looks away, puts his nose into a random book, and introverts further.

Weird, he’s not even my type.

Liko likes to be thrown around a bed if he’s in it with a man. Bears are his type. Dane is not a bear. In fact it’s pissing Liko off he can’t get a bead on this guy, and that he’s even trying to classify Dane based on body type slang is pissing him off more.

Dane stands in his circle of conversation, head turning from one person to another. He’s a short man, so his chin is tilted up. His sandy hair is buzzed tight and he pulls the extreme style off well. Dressed in jeans and a V-neck sweater. A beer in one hand, the other fingers tucked in his pocket. He looks at the person on his right, and he’s a poet. He looks the other way, and he’s a construction worker. He’s whip-thin and sparse, then he moves or turns or shifts and he’s all fit muscle. Unsmiling, he looks early forties, tired after a long day, feeling his years. Then he smiles and he’s barely out of his twenties, rawboned and bristling with energy.

What is happening? Liko thinks.

Dane’s looking at him with those ridiculous blue eyes. Liko is used to being on the receiving end of eye compliments. His own are an intense purple-gray. Honest-to-god Liz Taylor violet peepers. Dane is competition. His gaze and Liko’s are two bucks circling each other, each believing they are the fairest of all, and they ought to take it outside and decide.

Or upstairs.

Don’t panic, Liko thinks, looking away.

He can’t get words to stick to his reaction. His ex-wife would probably call it a trauma response.

Don’t be dramatic. You’re digging someone. It’s been a while. Enjoy it.

He can’t. This isn’t enjoyable. He needs to get back to a mothership but he has no tether. He looks at Dane across a galaxy, walking free in space, placing his feet on nothing, aware of time and gravity and vastness and how everyone is a infinitesimal, insignificant speck of dust with no control over anything. At the mercy of a conniving universe who likes to put her cheek on the heel of her starry hand while with the other fingers she moves two motes into place.

You. Annnnnd you. Say hello.
Trust me. I know what I’m doing.

Some people you meet do an effortless end-run around your psychological constructs (or worse, around your chemical ones). One encounter and they’re suddenly wandering the emotional hinterlands of your soul, where the line between sad and wretched, or happy and manic, can’t be seen with the naked eye. These damn people not only see everything, but they make you feel shit to your bones.

The stupidly blue gaze of this impossible twink otter construction worker poet is slipping under Liko’s skin and throwing arms wide to encompass his entire emotional spectrum, right out to the hinterlands and beyond.

Some call this love at first sight.
Liko Greenman calls it pump the brakes, you moron.

In his twenties, Liko would fuck this guy in the next five seconds. Liko is fifty-four now and knows it’s wise not to eat this proffered delicacy in one sitting. He doesn’t even have to taste it.
Fine, universe, you obviously have a plan. Noted. I’ll take it from here. On my schedule, thanks very much. Bitch.

And so Liko Greenman walks away from the party. Grabbing his jacket from a pile on a bed, he goes up the stairs and down the hall to its end, where he opens a door to the attic steps. From the attic he opens another door, climbs a ladder and steps onto the widow’s walk. A railed-in space of maybe five feet by seven feet, with two Adirondack chairs, a little table, and Huff Jensen’s telescope. He clutches the rail and shivers, butthole clenched tight. Behind his closed lids he sees a million shades of blue. He puts an eye to the telescope, looking for the Universe.

“What are you doing,” he whispers. “What is this? Who is he?”
The Universe just shrugs.

Nothing for it, so Liko sits down, reaches for his vape and proceeds to get really fucking high.

[ivanareadsalot · Rating 5 out of 5]

***BEGGING FOR GRAMMAR FORGIVENESS BECAUSE I JUST WANT TO GET THIS OUT FOR NOW AND WILL RETURN TO SHARPEN WHEN THE VOICE (iykyk) SETTLES TF DOWN.***

An immense THANK YOU to Suanne Laqueur for the opportunity to read and review this book.

"GARDENS, NOT LAW"

There's something really special about experiencing someone else's love story, and after falling in love with Venery's Jav and Stef, Suanne Laqueur continues to be the absolute best at making that impactful reading experience more accessible than most.

Sitting here, days later, I still feel the effects of my heart getting the kind of stretch typically experienced after a physical workout. Still warm, muscle engaged, a palpable throbbing in the act of releasing a trip of highs and lows, and the ache and stretch from cultivating the endurance.

It's good for you.
Especially when it's not about you
and your feelings are feeling it anyway.

I keep coming back to the myriad times Liko or Dane just looked at each. Falling in love takes all the pieces coming together, but as much as this was about their love-to-grief-to-love emotional pipeline, it was the abundance of soft moments that really did it for me. The standing salads, brushing hair back from his forehead or tucking a strand behind an ear, taking him out in the wild and delighting in how good he fits when all the edges meet.

What I'm trying to say is that I'm still thinking about Liko's eyes filling up on Dane, breathing him in, taking a moment between learning about all the ways his man had been carved up and emptied before he came on the scene.

Reading this was such a deep, charismatic pleasure.
I ached after every sentence
And I still feel tender from being worked over.

This was a profoundly moving exploration of grief and love that felt very personal. Each dose of information, window into the soul, explanation of scars, visible or otherwise, unfolded as needed and built upon moment by moment. I loved how this story grew and evolved chapter by chapter, layer upon layer. I learned so much about so much, and Dane and Liko's sine wave of giving and receiving will stay with me for a very long time.

The Great Dane was made up of a million sparkling moments, but was also earnest and grounded in the gritty stuff, like farm-to-table, but make it about relationships.

It was also:

1 a 500pg love letter from a farm that had the power to call its pipple home.
2 a bunch of lessons in growing through cultivating luscious garden veg.
3 there was a charming nod to the "White Tree of Gondor" in the form of aspirational wisteria meeting its moment.
4 a gentle how-to main character your life via rl adventuring inspired by the magic of Three Hares/[insert your own rpg of choice] videogame questing.

Throw in a bit of lore, a few new/old/nostalgic nods to music, books, art, food, and emotional support beauties like Salma, the sweetest dog, and Liko's floofy duckling, and this was an easy win for me.

I absolutely cannot wait for more Suanne Laqueur, and I'm very much looking forward to rereading this in the future, whenever the Green Man calls me back to a black-dirt farm on Birch Island, because this was marvellous and I'll happily do it all again!

[a_n_i_t_a · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m not sure if my heart has shattered to a million pieces or if it just exploded from fullness.

I need to sit with this, but I do know that a re-read is non-negotiable.

Ultimate in hurt/comfort… RTC

~~~~~~~

Ok turns out I can’t hold my thoughts in…. May need to edit later 😆

At one point or another, all of us have wondered who we are.

All of us have scratched at a label put on us, feeling it didn’t quite fit.

All of us have felt pressured to be something we’re not.

All of us have wished we were someone else—whether in envy or despair or admiration.

All of us have looked in a mirror and been confused at what we see.

All of us don armor to do brave things: a change in voice, a different accent, a favorite sweater, high heels, a good luck charm.

All of us are fluid.

~~~~~~~

• litfic • amazing lgbtqia+ representation • grief/loss • self discovery/acceptance •

Danelaw Strong is The Great Dane

But first… can we just take a minute to admire this ABSOLUTELY STUNNING cover?! Seriously it is so beautiful I am in awe over it 😍

Bet you say that to all the Great Danes.

I really don’t want to give anything away. This one is best going in blind I think. Just know it is character driven, focused on Love. Loss. Grief. IDENTITY. Discovery of self, of strength. Queer fic, and while there are hugely romantic elements this is not what I would call your usual romance…

“Hey. Look at me.” His free hand reached to hold Dane’s chin. “I’m writing a story here, but it’s not a romance novel.”

This book is a LOT. I don’t know exactly what it is about this book but it’s like every page or two is hitting the feels hard. It’s just subtle things… but there is so much meaning behind it all. I don’t think I have ever read a more layered piece, written so artfully it feels carefully composed — every sentence is purposeful, meaningful and full of nuance.

This book kept me in a constant state of emote. Literally, a consistent thickness in my throat, a heaviness in my chest, a glassiness to my eyes. Our characters have painful pasts but this is not a painful read. There is the feeling of appreciation of truest family, and the understanding, closeness and vulnerability of the characters with each other is absolutely central to the story.

Such a deep and cleverly written book. It deserves to be savoured, fully absorbed in peaceful quiet and solitude. Let it sink in, allow it to resonate, to expand into all its meaning. And while I recognise this book may not on the surface seem to be suited to everyone, IT SHOULD BE READ BY EVERYONE. I said before it is the ultimate in hurt/comfort, but it is also the ultimate in peace and acceptance.

I didn’t find myself itching to pick this back up each day, it gives you plenty to think over, but I found it so so hard to put down each time I did pick it up.

I loved it wholly and completely. I have nothing critical to say.

“The mission of the Danelaw is peace.”
“Mission accomplished.”

Buddy read with Sarah. She gets me on this… 🥰

Masterful.
Beautifully written.
5⭐️.
Straight to the pool room.
A reread must.
PLEASE READ THIS BOOK 🙏



A HUGE thankyou to the author for my copy of this beautiful beautiful book.

______

[Emma Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I had to sum up this book in one word, I would say humanity. I know it’s a sign of the time that we’re in, but I’m so sick and tired of superficial judgmental bullshit. I’m so tired of people holding onto bigotry about people who identify differently or their pronouns, etc., etc. When the actual real life importance is what is on the inside. And when you’ve lost a child that perspective cuts like a knife. It cuts all the bullshit straight out. And the character of Liko represents that for me. He’s lost his son. I’ve lost my daughter, and when you’ve had that kind of loss the idea of being mad at someone because of who they love is so utterly ridiculous, it’s almost laughable.

I know that doesn’t really explain the plot or any of the richness that is involved in this book but that can’t really be explained unless you read it anyway. But the point is that human beings exist in this world in a spectrum of diversity and richness that cannot be pigeonholed or boxed in. And to abuse them, or judge them feels archaic as hell. And just wrong. And this book feels like a testament to that kind of freedom and celebration of life and pain and grief, joy and the myriad of emotions that come with living in this world as a human being. And I really feel sorry for anyone who holds onto such terrible closemindedness, and locks themselves out of the beautiful diversity that exists in this world.

This book is a tapestry of humanity and a snapshot of a few lives iintertwined and they may not look like what you think of as a typical life but they are just life. And it’s beautiful.

And on a personal note, Ethan is mine. I licked him and so he is mine. 5 stars

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ungh!

Superb. Superb. Superb.

10 stars. Would definitely recommend.

The Great Dane, just jumped to the top of the pedestal. The number one slot of the best reads of the year. Sorry Kingfisher. I love your cute pointy ears and your love of quicksilver but you’ve been usurped. My man Dane and my man Liko get to that top spot, do not pass go, do not collect £200.

I’m in awe of the brilliance of this book. I’ve cried, I’ve laughed, I’ve raged. I’ve craved carrots. At times, I wasn’t sure what was real and what was just a story. The research Suanne Laqueur must have done is immense. And the art work - it’s just magnificent. I want a fully illustrated, coloured version of this book to pet and stroke. The story of Dane and Liko is one of grief, of found families, and moving on after grief. It’s all spun together with perfection.

I may have a new obsession with green men and hares. They’ll live in harmony with my fish, birds and daisies. I’m so in love with Dane and Liko.

How do I move on from this book? I just don’t know what to do with myself. Pub it is then. Just need to go dry the tears and wipe the snot from my face.

[Renée · Rating 3 out of 5]

This wasn't Venery.

Look, this was beautifully written. You shouldn't expect less from this author. But it was long, slow, and unsatisfying. It wasn't the romance I was looking for. There was a massive loose end, in my opinion, and I just felt like, after 600+ pages, nothing ever really happened.

The bar is high with this author, and that's probably unfair, but it's reality. It's a journey that I'm sure a lot of people will enjoy going on.

I was left wanting.

[Annica ⚡️ annica_reads_books ⚡️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love is an artist, Liko thought. Its medium is the truth.

Holy crap, she did it again.

I knew almost immediately after meeting the characters in this novel that Liko’s grief would stir deep emotions in me because his grief is born from my worst nightmare. And I was right—the tears started flowing around the 20% mark. What I didn’t know was how much I’d come to feel for Dane. But wow, I felt so much for him (and cried for him too!). I will also say that it was damn refreshing to read about two adults falling in love that know how to communicate and are kind and patient with each other. And that’s the beauty of Suanne’s storytelling—her gift as a writer is writing characters so real and raw that they feel like real people. With every book, she somehow expands my well of empathy, and each one I read makes me a better person.

Thank you for this story, Suanne. It was a gift. 🥹 For you are an artist, and your medium is the truth.

[Maaike Nota · Rating 5 out of 5]

Correction; 10 stars

There are not enough words to express how beautiful this book is, yet again a masterpiece by Suanne Laqueur. The way the story is woven together by heartbreakingly and yet also powerful and strong people, is simply a pure form of art.
Dane and Liko are amazing, strong, sad, hurt, confused, beautiful, articulate, intelligent and a whole lot of other adjectives. Their background and how they are both going through grief hit me, but in a gentle way, a comforting manner and softening touch. Because of the three hare story line that connects the dots, which I won’t even attempt to explain, as you will have to experience it for yourself.
There is no question, please read this book when it comes out! 🩷

[Shel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel like so many of us are intimidated about writing a review for Suanne Laqueur's latest, The Great Dane, because how, exactly, do you write about it in any way that captures its many layers and do it any kind of justice? I truly don't know.

Here's what I do know.

I know that I recognized the bone deep grief that Dane and Liko carried with them. The way Laqueur conveyed that through Liko and Dane was so convincing that I could feel it in the back of my throat and the tremble of my lip as I'd flip to the next page. I've felt that grief. I feel that grief now as my mortality seems to be constantly flashing before my face these days.

I know that I recognized that feeling of pure happiness and joy that somehow sneaks in and settles in between the ribs of grief. As Dane and Liko recounted their pasts and their present, the relief that those happy moments provided were sweet and tender, edged with a little sad, which only made the happy that much more, well, happy.

I know that I recognized how painful and yet steadying it was/is to feel like you're living from breath to breath only to eventually realize you've somehow made it days or months and you're still here, somehow surviving. Liko was living that and the depiction of it was so accurate that I felt the phantom pains that it seemed like he was feeling.

I know that the world Laqueur created was so vivid that I wanted to live on that farm and read and write and plant and weed and sink to the bottom of the pool and hike around the property and soak in the tub and go to the pub and see all the things and feel all the feels.

I know that a few years ago over a Christmas break, I found and fell in love with Suanne Laqueur's writing and am so glad that she gifted us with the treasure that is The Great Dane.

[Papie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great Dane. Resilient. Strong. Lovely. Wonderful.

This book was not what I expected.

It’s an ode to the three hares. But only one hare remains. And it’s so sad.

I probably wouldn’t have picked it up if I knew.

It’s slow. So slow.

And while beautiful and lovely, I felt like Liko and Dame’s story was a second choice romance. Rebuilding. Peace.

But not the epic love story I live for as a romance reader.

Bittersweet is probably the most accurate feeling for it.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

6⭐️

✨This was a MASTERPIECE ✨
Stunning. Unique. Perfection. 10/10 no notes!
The writing was amazing and scratched an itch in my brain. 😊
The way the author tackles grief and personal identity was done beautifully.
Dane and Liko were wonderful characters to follow and I never wanted it to end.
My sad attempt at a review will not do this gorgeous book any justice. 😅

I’ll just leave a few of my favorite quotes here: (although they may not hit as hard out of context 🤷‍♀️)

“Today’s gonna be hard. You don’t have to do it perfectly. You just have to do it. And you can. You got this.”

“I will love you forever. Without purpose. Without an end goal. Something in me wants to adore you. Nothing will ever come of this and that’s fine. Just don’t ever ask me to stop.”

“I’d erase myself from your memory if it would bring her back.”

“He wonders if the way your spouse dies determines how you grieve them. If their death is sudden and violent, do you feel the loss like a constant surprise: an axe to the face, over and over again? If they die peacefully in their sleep at a satisfyingly old age, are the sharp edges of their absence padded, because their death is sad but it makes sense?”

“You gave my life back to me. You gave time back to me. I don’t want to waste or kill it anymore. I want to spend it.”

“Time is a thief…Grief is a bandit.”

“At one point or another, all of us have wondered who we are.
All of us have scratched at a label put on us, feeling it didn’t quite fit.
All of us have felt pressured to be something we’re not.
All of us have looked in a mirror and been confused at what we see.
All of us don armor to do brave things: a change in voice, a different accent, a favorite sweater, high heels, a good luck charm.
All of us are fluid”

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

This story will live rent free in my brain from now on.
I can’t wait to read more from this author.

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Give me a minute, I'm a wreck!

I still don't feel my words will be adequate for this book review. 


Grief is such a heavy subject and both Liko and Dane have suffered such losses but it's handled in such a beautiful way with heart and humour that it left me reeling.  Giving space to such raw emotion and allowing it to be expressed in so many ways is so important.


As always Suanne Laqueur writes a story with depth and emotion and takes us on an epic journey. The level of research that must have gone into the folklore of the green man and the hares and incorporating that into a quest that was so layered into their lives was immense. I was swept along on the journey and cannot wait to have a physical copy to study the beautiful artwork in print.


Dane has suffered trauma that nobody should be subjected to, and to see how he blossoms and finds his self and place in the world, surrounding himself with his people fills me with warmth.


Although at it's centre is a slow burn romance between 2 beautiful suffering men, it is so much more. It allows their past loves to inform their future without diminishing what they had before.  So much compassion in this story, so much that feels missing in the world right now.

[Darlene Avery · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Great Dane by Suanne Laqueur is not just a book, it’s a journey.

Laqueur is one of the few authors I know that can capture the human spirit in such a way, that her readers feel like they’re part of the storyline.

You become so immersed in Liko and Dane’s story, that you feel as though you’re a part of it.

Laqueur doesn’t hold back any punches.

She lets her readers feel the lows of grief and the highs of finding that one person who makes it all worth it.

The one who knows your soul, even when you don’t.

Get ready for Three Hares, the craving for carrots, the Green man gang, and the need to just sit and absorb all the feels.

Definitely one I’ll be reading again and recommending to everyone I know.

5 Stars times a thousand!

[Paula´s Brief Review · Rating 5 out of 5]

No es Venery, pero le va a la zaga.
No es un slow burn, es una brillante historia de amor que se bebe en pequeños tragos, aderezada con varias historias interconectadas, cada cual más emotiva y maravillosamente narradas.
Cuesta el principio, pero una vez enganchas ya no puedes parar.
De esos escritores de los envidias su imaginación y cómo saben convertirlo en letras para que te olvides de que en el fondo es todo ficción.
Me sigo preguntando cómo a nadie se le ha ocurrido traducir a esta mujer al español para llegar a un público mucho más grande, realmente se lo merece.

[Loosey Bork · Rating 5 out of 5]

I discovered Suanne Laqueur earlier this year and have read most of her books. I don’t want to say too much about the main themes in this review, because part of the beauty of The Great Dane is how she unveils them with such care and emotional precision. This is a story about two people, Dane and Liko, whose lives are marked by deep loss, trauma, and struggles with identity, and how those threads slowly intertwine into something profoundly healing.

She has an exceptional grasp of human experience and the complex, often contradictory ways people react to trauma. Laqueur manages to write about pain that can at times be so harrowing, and yet reading her books feels like a warm hug. This is a character driven story, and her characters are always refreshingly gentle, vulnerable, and excellent communicators. Her books often pair dramatic backstories with scenes of therapeutic psychological healing, and The Great Dane is no different, it explores not only love but the courage it takes to live authentically after trauma.

If you are new to Suanne Laqueur, I would suggest starting with the Venery Series and reading An Exaltation of Larks first (a six-star series).

I’m still left thinking about one of the very important side characters who plays a major role in Dane’s life, Ethan. I need to know his motivations for leaving and more about what’s going on inside his head. Fingers crossed Laqueur will make a series out of this, with Ethan as book two.

[Chay Charita Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Suanne Laqueur’s insanely powerfully crafted story is one that brilliantly encapsulates profound grief, incredible resilience and survival of life altering events. Insightfully exploring the essence of identity and what defines you or rather how you define and accept yourself makes it an incredibly powerful experience.

The words resonated with me making me feel a myriad of emotions completely captivating me and bringing about my own introspection of identity experiences throughout my early youth.

Its utterly unique, sublimely multi layered plot line epitomizes the intricacies of the human experience and leaves no doubt of its significance!

I adored these characters; Liko, Dane, Nomi, Ethan, Saskia, Maisie and Huff and their crucial roles in the development of this story. The underlying slow burn elements as a deeper meaningful friendship develops and leads Liko and Dane to a stronger bond of love without limits, acceptance and intimacy made my heart feel so many emotions. Honestly, I loved these characters and my heart ached for them each with their own loss.

I took my time reading this story savoring every moment and highlighting so many words that struck me. Even when I finished it, I took my time mulling over it all and tried to carefully gather my thoughts to formulate my feelings into coherent praise worthy words! My favorite of 2025!

[Sue Ouellet-Cofsky · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm truly having a hard time pulling words together after finishing this story. Talk about a story that completely tears you limb from limb-mind, soul, emotions, thoughts, feelings-and sews you back together so you can "feel your edges". This story did all of that and more. Is it easy? In absolutely no way whatsoever. It will make you look inside and see parts of you that you've kept hidden your entire life. It will make you look at the world (especially our current world) with completely different colored eyes. Is it one of the most beautiful stories (buried in a video game even) I have read in a really long time? Absolutely no doubt about it. I loved everything about the story - the history, the scenery, the characters, the love, the pain and the healing. Gosh darn it my man, what have you done to me?

[PaperMoon · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author's Trenery books introduced beautiful yet broken characters, whose back stories and current struggles battered my emotional walls and rendered me to sobbing messes repeatedly. I asked (pretty please) for another book in the series a couple of years ago. I didn't get that but she gave me this incredible book instead ... two broken men adrift with their individual grief, pain and losses ... and yet brought together by fate to have their stupendously similar/parallel life threads woven into a new thing. This is a long read, so much to process, so painfully hard to witness and digest ... and yet I could not put it down!

Very early on, the author snagged my attention by mentioning of Milo and The Phantom Tollbooth ... the very first grade reader text I had upon emigrating to Australia and a new culture / society. It took me back to a magical time of life which contained Narnia, The Weirdstone of Brisingamen, Susan Cooper and Diana Wynn-Jones books. Then there were the many musical and cultural references of the 1960s and 70s - again years of my childhood and youth. My goodness, when was the last time I heard the phrase "Schlemiel, Schlimazel, Hasenpfeffer Incorporated" being sung?!

And now ... the Green Man and the Great Dane are two more characters added to my cherished and unforgettable list. The artwork included at the start of each chapter proved just as mesmerizing - took me down rabbit-holes (pun intended) to explore the mythology and lore behind the three hares symbol. This could easily be my best read for 2026 - easily 5 plus stars.

[Michelle King-Best · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Just wow! 5 stars doesn’t feel like enough. I’ve tried rewriting this review 4 times but nothing I can say will encompass everything that this book is. It is a book to be savored slowly, in my humble opinion. Otherwise, so many important details will get missed or lost.

The story changes and evolves as you progress through its pages, not unlike the video game that Liko is playing, partly on tribute to his son and oartly for the discoveries he is making sbout himself.

The story covers so many topics not limited to the messiness & complications of life, love, relationships, grief, memory, identity and brilliant creativity, all while also finding beautiful moments in the depths of each. Its so difficult to write this review without spoilers. The detailed artwork in between the pages only further brings the story to life and draws you further into its puzzles. If you approach this book with a completely open mind, author Suanne Laqueur will take you on an emotional and thought provoking journey exploring Dane’s world that you will never forget.

[Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Darren Eliker's performance paired with Suanne Laqueur's prose is breathtaking. This is definitely one of my top audiobook recommendations!

Complex and stunning!
I can’t even begin to give voice to how brilliant this book is. Even the weakest of threads are made strong when they’re woven into a tapestry of love and care. Dane, Ethan, and Nomi were wounded hares, finding solace in each other. Now on his own, Dane is surprised to find a place in his heart for Liko Greenman. The Green Man. Their story is one of healing through the green sprouts springing from the black soil, and the fellowship of shared loss. The way the author unfurls Dane and Liko’s love is breathtaking. It’s a gorgeous thing to receive a peek at the building trust, not only between Dane and Liko, but also between Dane, Ethan, and Nomi in epic flashbacks.

[READER VIEWS · Rating 5 out of 5]

Suanne Laqueur’s The Great Dane was a very powerful and emotional read for me, and it will be for anyone who has dealt with loss and a difficult grieving process. It starts with a fantastic hook: “But fifteen months will pass until the two men meet again, and it will be Liko who comes to Dane. Bruised and smarting. Savaged and screwed. Not remembering they’ve met before.“

The story follows Liko, who has tragically lost a son, Kyle. Kyle was obsessed with a video game called The Three Hares, a mythic quest that takes place along the Silk Road. This fact will come to play a role later on, but the novel actually begins at a New Year’s Eve Party, where Liko and the recently widowed Dane meet and commiserate, deciding to connect again, same time next year.

Oddly, the author cleverly and ironically queers those Tom Hanks rom-com vehicles like You’ve Got Mail. Just imagine a polyamory version, but more emotionally and philosophically complex. Later, Dane, a transgender male, and Liko will establish a relationship with Ethan, forming a polyamorous unit.

Ethan, as we will see, is a video game developer, and he is actually the person who created The Three Hares, making the relationships even more complex. While Liko mourns the death of his son, he finds solace in the gaming community, which idolizes Kyle. Meanwhile, Ethan is tracing the path of The Three Hares game along the silk trail, depositing the ashes of his dead wife, Nomi, along the way:

China to Europe along the Silk Road. He’s in the UK already. If he’s following the route of the game, he’ll finish in Devon, then go back to the continent. France, Switzerland, Germany. The game ends in Paderborn Cathedral. At the Drei-Hasen-Fenster…

I found this to be a powerful and moving passage, illustrating just how deeply the grieving process can take over a person’s life. As things progress, we’ll come to see how Ethan, a videogame developer, is connected to Kyle’s death, and how Dane, Liko, and Ethan come to establish a relationship through bonding, commiseration, and common grieving.

The Great Dane does a fantastic job of exploring the process of mourning. It is also a very sharp look at queerness, alternative lifestyles, and relationships. It shows how queerness can be an architecture for different kinds of relationships, especially for people sharing grief and experiencing loss together, at the same time.

Another beautifully poetic part of the book is the postcard sequence. Ethan has taken the time to handcraft and send 52 beautifully rendered postcards, a sort of testament to the depth of his mourning and an honorarium for Nomi.

I once read something that perfectly sums up the central message of this book, but I cannot source it. In any case, the words are not mine, yet I once remember someone saying that you have to keep living life until you learn how to live, or at least learn how to survive. In The Great Dane, Suanne Laqueur shows us how that might be done, poetically and lyrically, suggesting that it just might be possible to keep on keeping on, with a little help from our friends.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

5 stars

I have read many of Suanne Laqueur’s books and she continues to produce exceptional characters and stories. There are times I randomly think of many of her characters and wonder about them, like an acquaintance you haven’t seen in while. If someone doesn’t like this book, I’ll say that this author’s style is simply not for them. This book is over 500 pages and the amount of research, detail, and connections made across those pages is astounding.

The allure of the story is in the way it and Dane reveal themselves. Dane is a fascinating character. There are scenes that happen as the book opens and characters that appear and they may feel like they have no place, but everything here is well placed. We learn Dane’s story, as well as Ethan and Nomi’s, as he tells it to Liko, and even though Dane has suffered incredible trauma, I never felt that his story got too heavy and there was a filter and a bit of distance built in. The Three Hares is a constant throughout the book and the research and commitment to the theme is admirable. The dedication to the anagrams and tying in history to the characters pulls the story together in ways that are unique, as there are reveals both large and small throughout the story. While I might not have been as interested in the lore of The Three Hares to go down a rabbit hole quite as far as the author, the way it frames the story is impressive.

Even with all of the pages in the book, there were a few areas I still wanted more from—definitely something from Ethan’s point of view to justify his actions, and more on Paul, as I would absolutely read a shorter book about him, both past and present as he ties into Dane. I would also be interested to read more of the details on the fall of Dane’s father. I also would read another scene with sweet Oscar, as long as he was still safe and protected.

While The Great Dane is a story of deep grief and horrendous abuse, it’s also a layered and nuanced story of found family, true love, and finding yourself even when you never expected to be lost. Dane and Liko have a story that resonates and has kept me thinking long after I closed their book. And, after that last page is read, you will look at the cover once more and see Dane’s story reflected back once again.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

How do I adequately put into words what a tapestry of brilliance that this story is? Suanne Laqueur pens it best in her dedication when she says this book is dedicated to all of us. It isn’t just an umbrella statement to include everyone as in each person, but for each personality or the multiple facets of our identity within us, too. And if that doesn’t resonate with the reader, I’m not sure that she could’ve written anything else to make one feel more “seen.”

Liko Greenman is still in the depths of grief over the tragic loss of his son. In an effort to remain close to the memory of his son, he tries to unravel the mystery behind the Three Hares, which was his son’s favorite video game and has a cult-like following. I want to take a moment to appreciate the breadth, research and detail that was put into the design of this Three Hares puzzle and artwork because Suanne doesn’t do anything in half measures. I was in awe of this aspect of the book, simply because it went above and beyond a world building that had to have required so much time and meticulous attention to create and was absolutely ingenious.

Liko meets Danelaw Strong, who is also experiencing grief upon the loss of his life partners, Ethan and Nomi. Ethan is the brain and artist behind the Three Hares. Nothing, and I emphasize absolutely nothing, about Dane or his history is what one would expect. Both of them are bonded by trauma and tragedy, as well as loneliness, and cannot deny their obvious chemistry either. While Liko tries to find the answers to the Three Hares riddle, he also spends a lot of time getting to know Dane, who throws in a few breadcrumb hints along the way.

There is a good amount of history to unpack for both characters, as well as getting to know the other characters who have helped to shape them into who they are today. Dane has truly been through it and then some, no exaggeration, which magnifies the impact of the absence of his partners even more. Yet even in these dark times, Liko and Dane form a meaningful bond through sharing and storytelling and it’s both simple and beautiful. Seeing Dane through Liko’s eyes and seeing Liko through Dane’s eyes, it’s incredible to behold how after so much that has not gone right, they dare to hope and dream again despite any cynicism. Also, the way that Liko treats Janelle and how Dane treats Ethan after everything says a lot about all of them as people with flaws, but also carrying strength and a beating heart after so many wounds. I finished this with a sense of a full circle moment and bravo to Suanne for creating this unconventional story with love and emotion for everyone who is human and vulnerable.

[Kenyah The Cultivated Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Great Dane is my new favorite love story. I am still staring at the wall, so this review might be a ramble, but I hope I make some sense. I don't usually believe in 6-star or breaking my rating scale, but this book would do it. It is one of the most immersive books I've ever read. I would fall asleep thinking of Dane and Liko, and I would wake up thinking of them. I felt like I was standing in the kitchen with them, walking on the farm beside them. I couldn't put this book down, and I often teared up at the thought of this experience ending. It was otherworldly how close I felt to this story.

The Great Dane is masterfully crafted with authentic language, beautiful imagery, and a seamless dual timeline. It has thoughtful LGBTQIA+ representation, illustrates the evolution of grief, and reveals the diversity of love and sexuality. I loved solving the puzzles alongside Liko and seeing how the game unfolded with the context offered gradually as trust grew. I cared for and rooted for every character. Suanne Laqueur writes the human experience in a way that feels indulgent and rich. It makes you want to live more, live bigger, to know love and feel the full spectrum of emotion that this world can offer. She writes conversations you could have with a friend or on a date tomorrow. She writes inside jokes that you both want to be a part of and don't want to intrude on because her characters feel like real people. Her prose is stunning; I was highlighting everything, bookmarking whole pages throughout. Reading this book felt like a feast of my favorite foods all at once. I'll never get over this story. I will read everything Suanne writes. I'm invested.

[Clockwork Chapters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most books about grief focus on the absence, the empty chair, the silence, the ache. The Great Dane is more interested in what comes after that. The strange detours. The unexpected connections. The way grief nudges you toward people you never planned to meet.

We follow Liko, a father frozen in the aftermath of losing his son, as he follows a digital echo that leads him out of his isolation and into the real world to a farm in New York and a man named Dane. Dane himself feels almost symbolic distinct personality, layered contradictions, and a past entwined with a polyamorous relationship that reads less like a love triangle and more like a living, breathing legend. This isn’t a neat mystery to be solved. It’s a quiet, aching question of how you keep living when the life you knew has already ended.

What stayed with me most wasn’t the grief itself, but the tenderness of the storytelling. Suzanne Laqueur doesn’t rush healing or tie emotional bows around her characters. She lets them sit in their pain, lets the silence stretch, and trusts the reader to stay. I went in expecting a story centered on a video game mystery, but what I found was a deeply human exploration of unconventional love, chosen family, and relationships that don’t fit into tidy boxes and somehow feel more real because of it.

This is not a binge-it-in-a-weekend kind of book. It asks you to slow down, to linger, to live alongside these characters for a while. But there’s also warmth here dry humor, gentle banter, and moments of connection that keep it from feeling overwhelmingly heavy. At its core, The Great Dane is about finding the right people at a time when you don’t even know who you are anymore and realizing that love doesn’t need to look familiar to be true.
It’s worth noting that this book tackles some heavy and triggering themes, so take care of yourself and check the content warnings before reading.

Thank you to @dartfrogbooks and @swainblqr for trusting me with this beautiful, thoughtful read.💖

[Janet | purrfectpages]

“All of us have wondered who we are.
All of us have scratched at a label put on us, feeling it didn’t quite fit.
All of us have felt pressured to be something we’re not.
All of us have wished we were someone else.
All of us have looked in a mirror and been confused at what we see.”

The Great Dane opens on the initial meeting of of Dane and Liko, two men at different points in their lives, but whose paths cross at a New Year’s party. Dane is still reeling after the loss of his partners-one deceased, the other a deserter. So he doesn’t know what to do with Liko’s straightforward optimism. Sensing this, Liko suggests meeting up again at the same spot in one year’s time.

Only the date comes and goes and Dane doesn’t get the reunion he was hoping for. It isn’t until a few months later that the two men run into each other with Liko now nursing the wounds of his own loss. As time passes, the pair forge a strong bond, not only in attraction, but in grief. Adding another layer to their relationship is a mystery that centers around a video game that tethers the two together.

The Great Dane is an artistic exploration of family, identity, and finding a way to move on. Beautifully written, author Suanne Laqueur has crafted a special story around memorable characters and the permanence of powerful connections.

[Maria Angie Mendoza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hauntingly beautiful!

What an incredible, emotionally raw and immersive story.
The is a story that will stay with me…forever!

Brilliantly written, the characters, the plot, the symbols, I was enthralled from beginning to end.

A story told in past and present the characters came to life and gave us a riveting story where I laughed I cried and I swooned.

This is a book that cannot be rushed. In fact, my only criticism was that it was somewhat slow paced.
However, as the story evolved and developed, I discovered, that, that’s was the point so that we the reader understood every nook and cranny of these characters’ riveting journey.

Complex, complicated and thought provoking, this story examined the human spirit and how it connects with others and with ourselves. Even though the story focused on main characters it really investigated our own resilience, and our innate instincts to survive and thrive. To make tough decisions and discover that there is wisdom in trying another direction. It takes courage to run against the tide. And maybe the wrong way is sometimes the most compassionate way!?

It’s a must read and my top read of 2026!