Hawke got his favorite book for the holiday

He is a huge goop who loves romance, of course Swords & Shields is his favorite

Also bonus: pictures of his two best friends

His copy is super dog-eared and well traveled. He's even written little notes in some of the margins comparing Aveline to the protagonist.

Things like 'Varric she's going to kill you' or 'that sounds just like her'

yasssss

It's a lovely sentimental present

Playing around with a headcanon that Hawke gave this particular copy to a young apprentice when he and Anders were going around helping Circles free themselves in the Marches.

awww!!!

I love it!

Me too! I think it's the thing I asked for with the most emotional impact. The other two were his ice staff from home and a jar of rocks he collected from a bunch of planets in Drift Fleet

Less emotional impact from both of those things

The book, though, especially with the headcanon of having given it to an apprentice they helped to free, is tied up in his being torn about wanting to go home or not.

I'm such a sucker for quiet personal conflict