I think I latched onto it because nonsexual committed relationships like that (especially ones that are long-term and securely primary and don't have 'finding hetero romantic partners' as an endgame) were something I didn't see much of in fiction at the time (and *still* don't see nearly as much of as I'd like.) It was so nice to have a relationship where I wasn't constantly living in dread of the point at which there would inevitably be het/sexual/romance coming into it. Add that Tru and Bran are older, and it's cross-species, and also that they're *adorable*, and I pretty much latched on to them long before I knew why I was looking so hard for relationships like that.

And yes! Foster's books tend not to have anything spectacular in terms of plot, but if you just want to go out and explore wonderful and expansive new places and things, I don't know of any authors I like better.