When Niann's mother died during child birth, he was taken in and raised by the Kehani tribe, but he has always felt like the tribe outcast. Jennar takes it upon himself to look after and protect the boy, and his feelings grow as Niann becomes a young man. After incurring a serious injury, Niann takes on the spirit guide, the kala deer, whose powers are gained through sex. The tribe's shaman Heyka sees a way to use Niann to leave his mortal body and ascend to the spirit plane. Niann is too weak to fight the shaman, and Jennar has been sent away to study carving with another tribe. Jennar returns to try to save Niann from Heyka's cruelty, but first he must discover who he is and accept his love for the younger man.

Nica Berry's HART AND SOUL is a moving and at times heartbreaking story of lore, love, and greed. It is firmly based in Native American mythology. Although I don't know enough about folklore to say if it's an accurate portrayal of certain Native American beliefs, I did find it intriguing and a solid foundation for the plot. Be forewarned however that much of the story focuses on the sexual nature of Niann's spirit guide. There is lots of sex throughout the book, most of it same-sex and some of it non-consensual. The sex is an integral part of the story and not gratuitous, but those who do not like graphic scenes should probably steer clear.

Berry does an outstanding job of showing both the good and evil within people. Niann and Jennar are not perfect, and each has his own flaws that impede their happiness. The "villains" in the book are not completely evil. Heyka has become greedy for power, but ultimately he is a healer at heart. The tribe's leader has lost his way, but it is ignorance that keeps him from doing what is most beneficial to the tribe, not malice. There is a dichotomy within each character and even the tribe as a whole that is seldom seen in traditional romance stories.

The story of Niann and Jennar is beautiful and pain- filled. Jennar has grown to love the young man he helped raised, but when Niann's life is in danger he is unable to help. His past lies prevent him from obtaining the help of the tribe, and he forced to watch Niann suffer. Niann's plight is worst of all, losing his mother at birth, being raised by people who never truly wanted him, becoming seriously injured, and then gaining a powerful spirit guide only to become a sexual object and have the power used against him. One can't help but wish for Niann to finally be able to live a life of freedom and happiness. I found it is the inner strength of these two characters that make this a book worth reading.