I really liked the Hurricane Wars by Thea Guanzon and when I saw the cover of Tusk Love, I was enchanted! One night I woke up at 4am and said to myself to read just a few pages of this story and I ended up finishing it in one go and going to work sleepless but happy!

Guinevere is a merchant’s daughter who is in grave danger when her caravan is destroyed by thieves and she is left stranded in the middle of nowhere. Oskar is a gruff orc who saves her but the last thing he needs is an innocent girl in his way. He has to postpone his plans though so he can accompany her for her wedding to a wealthy nobleman chosen by her parents.

This book won me over by its characters. Guinevere is kind, trusting and pure-hearted although sheltered by her parents. Oskar is a protective, loyal hero who does everything to just be there for her.

This story has adventure, passion, pining and yearning! I loved their relationship and despite their different upbringings, they complete each other. It is like watching your favorite fairytale movie!

This book is the perfect cozy romantasy about a grumpy half-orc and a sweet fair maiden! I wishThea could write more books like this because it was like a balm to my heart!

4,5 stars!

Thea Guanzon, the woman that you are. I absolutely adored Tusk Love. This cozy paranormal romance/monster romance feels like Legends and Lattes meets Studio Ghibli meets two scenes from LOTR. Plus a ton of spice. It has an epic quest component to it, and that forced proximity brings our two MCs inevitably together. They learn about themselves along the way and realize that the life designed for them by others is not necessarily the one they want to live. Absolute banger.

This was a quick and easy read. A fantasy with creatures where the mcs have a three year age gap?? Didn't know that was possible.

It was a little rough in the beginning. It felt like I got thrown into the story right away, the characters instantly met. I wish there was a little more build up with a few extra chapters. The story overall was easy to follow, sometimes too easy and I wish more happened. Just riding horses, bad guys, more horses and bad guys. Is this what a cosy fantasy is supposed to be like? If so it was definitely not for me. I started hating the book more and more every chapter.

Judging just from the cover, great character design. Now the characters itself were less likable for me. Guinevere felt childish at times, dumbed down (Cat from Victorious post lobotomy). I found her quite annoying. Oskar however, he was an okay guy apart from the fact he had a lot of horny thoughts about Guinevere basically right away, but I guess that's just how men are. Halfway through he also started to annoy me. Near the end, I stopped liking him altogether of something he said. I liked their friendship at first, but they got attached to each other unbelievable fast. You barely know each other, spend 2 days together, there's no chemistry whatsoever. I'd rather have a 7 year slow burn than this, it was boring and bland.

Giving this book 2 stars is me being kind.

Thanks Netgalley for letting me read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a wonderful romance that has all the best bits of the tropes we all know and love. The yearning and banter was so entertaining and kept me giggling throughout the book. I thoroughly enjoyed this one.

Couldn't have asked for a better collaboration! Thea has done such a fantastic job taking the narrative from the Critical Role team and transcribing onto page, whilst keeping it alive and fresh.

Tusk Love is the perfect summer read for romantasy fans seeking a standalone hit of all their favourite tropes. Forced proximity, ray of sunshine FMC, grumpy MMC, one bed at all the inns and so much more. Add in to the mix, lots of adventure akin to Buttercup and Wesley in The Princess Bride and you've got yourself a winner. Nothing about this book takes itself too seriously and the dialogue reflects this, meaning that sometimes it didn't work for me. However, the world building was not overly complicated, which allowed the adventure to just happen and that felt like the point.

*Thank you to the publisher and author for sending me an ARC via Netgalley*

I had no idea the backstory of this book before requesting it, but I'm a huge fan of The Hurricane Wars so I was very excited to read this and it did not disappoint!

This was such a fun and cute story, with a good mix of romance and fantasy. I loved how strong the fantasy element was within the last 20% of the book.

Guinevere and Oskar are two of the most loveable characters I've ever read. I adored the adventure they went on in this book. I haven't had a fun read like this for a while, and I greatly appreciated the humour.

Tusk Love is a wonderful, light-hearted read and I will definitely be purchasing a copy when it is released.

4.5/5⭐️

𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓼𝓬𝓪𝓻𝓼 𝓸𝓯 𝓱𝓮𝓻 𝓬𝓱𝓲𝓵𝓭𝓱𝓸𝓸𝓭 𝓼𝓮𝓮𝓶𝓮𝓭 𝓽𝓸.. 𝓷𝓸𝓽 𝓯𝓪𝓭𝓮, 𝓮𝔁𝓪𝓬𝓽𝓵𝔂, 𝓫𝓾𝓽 𝓼𝓸𝓯𝓽𝓮𝓷, 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓲𝓻 𝓾𝓰𝓵𝓲𝓷𝓮𝓼𝓼 𝓶𝓮𝓵𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓲𝓷𝓽𝓸 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓫𝓪𝓬𝓴𝓰𝓻𝓸𝓾𝓷𝓭 𝓸𝓯 𝓱𝓮𝓻 𝓫𝓮𝓲𝓷𝓰, 𝓻𝓮𝓶𝓪𝓲𝓷𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓪 𝓹𝓪𝓻𝓽 𝓸𝓯 𝓱𝓮𝓻 𝓫𝓾𝓽 𝓷𝓸 𝓵𝓸𝓷𝓰𝓮𝓻 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓵𝓸𝓷𝓰 𝓼𝓱𝓪𝓭𝓸𝔀 𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓻 𝓱𝓮𝓻 𝓵𝓲𝓯𝓮.

I loved this book! I absolutely adored Guinevere’s admiration for Oskar. She constantly makes him compliments and shows him how great he his. Oskar is not the typical MMC. He’s this grumpy guy, tough on the outside, but soft on the inside. And Gwen brings the best out of him. They both are so caring with each other, a relationship full of green flags.
The book is more focused on Guinevere character development, which I very much liked. Especially as Oskar resembles the missing piece in Gwen‘s life, by showing her what‘s really important. Trust, Love and Support.

The romantasy story of my dreams! I’ve been missing out without these characters in my life.
I adored this book so much. I loved its whimsy and its heart. Both Oskar and Guinevere are so well written and the fantasy world we get dropped into is so enjoyable. I loved the magic and the mystery and the romance. I’ll be rushing to catch up on Thea Guanzons backlog because if I adored her writing in this so much I have no doubt that I will love everything else she writes.

4.5 stars

This was such a delightful read. It was funny and swooney and so so good!
I live the romance in this. It felt natural and... real(?). And these two were so amazing together.
The pinning 🤌
The banter 🤌
The passion 🤌
Everything was just perfect 🥰 that plus a plot that was actually plotting and an interesting world with a fabulous magical system ✨️ This book was absolutely wonderful.
If you want a fantastically magical romantasy read, this one is definitely for you.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was absolute heaps of cuteness, spiciness and tongue in cheek fun!

I’d never heard of Critical Role until I read this book so I can’t attest to how it fits in to that and sometimes the lore was a little lost on me, but by no means did it hinder the reading experience!

I love a good grumpy x sunshine and this one hit the spot perfectly! I found the dynamic between Oskar and Guinevere so funny and loved watching Oskar soften to Gwen’s ridiculous ways! The spice was also very enjoyable 😏👌🏼

This was a classic fairytale romance that could have easily felt very unoriginal but instead feels super comforting and easy to read.

Tusk Love is a funny and cosy romantasy that I really enjoyed reading. I have to admit that I have no prior knowledge of Critical Role and did look up what it was before reading in case it would impact my appreciation of the book. With that said I thoroughly enjoyed the plot and characters and you do not need any information about Critical Role although I'm sure fans of Critical Role will have greater satisfaction and appreciation of the characters and lore behind it. The world building is well done and easy to understand. I quickly found myself loving the main characters and was rooting for them through out the book. This is an easy going, fun read that I would recommend to anyone looking for an enjoyable, low stakes romantasy.

Tusk Love is a delightful and heartwarming cosy romantasy that offers a perfect blend of sweetness and charm. The characters embody the classic sweet and grumpy dynamic, making their interactions both endearing and engaging. The plot is straightforward and easy to follow, yet manages to maintain a sense of intrigue that kept me invested from start to finish.

While I don’t usually gravitate towards cosy reads, this book feels like an excellent choice for fans of cosy romance who are looking to dip their toes into the realm of fantasy. The worldbuilding is approachable and effortlessly immersive, providing just enough detail to draw readers in without overwhelming them. The dynamics between the characters are particularly enjoyable, adding depth and warmth to the narrative.

Although the story wasn’t quite dark enough to align with my personal preferences, I can absolutely see why it would resonate with others. Its charming simplicity and feel-good nature make it an ideal escape, and I have no doubt it will captivate readers who seek a comforting yet magical love story. Overall, Tusk Love offers an enchanting experience that’s easy to appreciate.

This was so fun!
In this story we follow Guinevere a merchant’s daughter who gets attacked by bandits on her way to meet her betrothed. Oskar had previously left to look for his mother’s clan when he runs into Guinevere and saves her from the attack. The two start their journey together, through different towns and forests, but will love blossom as well?
I have to say that I don’t know anything about the lore behind this book, I just thought that the cover and the premise would be up my alley and I was absolutely right about it. I really like romantasy stories like this one, because they remind me of the cozy ones that I love. I have to say this was way more spicy than I thought it would be. The two MCs’ dynamic was really fun to follow and I really liked both of them individually as well. The plot was quite fun as well and I especially loved the two horses. Overall this was a super fun and easy read, a perfect palate cleanser in between the heavy books I’ve been reading! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc copy in exchange for an honest review.

I cannot believe just how good this book was, but I can say with absolute certainty that Thea Guanzon has just become one of my auto buy author's - it was that freaking good!!

Honestly, this book was everything that I wanted Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree to be. Where that book fell short this one did not, it was everything I could have ever wanted or expected for a book based in the same world as critical role (I think). It was just the most perfect cozy romance and I don’t think I’ll ever stop recommending it to anyone who wants to read cozy, D&D based fantasy romances.

This has got everything going for it to make it a seriously perfect autumn time read. Were talking;
- cozy yet engaging adventure
- interesting world building
- fab dynamic between the main characters
- slow burn romance 👌🏻
- low stakes
- range of magical beings

There are a lot of tropes for this one, but honestly I just think it helped to make this seem easier to read. On one hand this is a fantasy (think of it like a D&D campaign) so there are a lot of details to remember / things that the reader might not be familiar with. All that being said, even though there was a lot of detail, a lot of unique names and a lot happening within the plot, it was still super easy to follow and enjoyable. Everything was explained really well, and the descriptions of the places they were travelling to and living in were just sublime! Seriously everything seemed so alive and vivid on the page, and I think that just made the whole adventure that much more enjoyable.

The romance between Guinevere and Oskar was one that I wasn’t too sure about at the start because she seemed quite niece and snobby whereas he came across as prickly and mean, but oh my god did it freaking grow on me!!!
I think seeing their different sides come across really helped the romance to blossom, and seeing them both develop so much emotionally and personally while they were on this little journey together was just the sweetest thing to see. They really let themselves be their most real selves around each other because they didn’t have to act a certain way or put on a front anymore after everything that they had been through together!

Not only was the romance side of this so so so freaking cute and adorable, quite possibly the sweetest thing I have ever read, but the action / adventure and the plot was so interesting too!
It was a really low stakes one, where we were assured that nothing too bad was going to happen right from the start because both characters can protect each other and themselves, but it was still so much fun.
Guinevere was attacked by bandits when Oskar comes to the rescue, and they make an agreement that he will help escort her to the nearest town so that she can start making her way to her family. This obviously goes wrong and Oskar decides to stay on and help her all the way to a different city so she is safely back with her family, even though he was meant to be going in the opposite direction to meet his mother's clan! Immediately a green flag and the best mmc <3

On this little journey they bond loads, get to know each other and inevitably start to fall in some kind of infatuation/love with each other (even though they don’t want to admit it because they think their journey is going to end soon). There are a bunch of moments where fights take place because more bandits have been sent after Guinevere and a lot more moments between the two of them where there just being the absolute cutest. They have to share a bed more than once at an inn because THEY ONLY HAVE ONE BED AVAILABLE, they sleep out in the stars, join other travellers on the road, and have a whole moment in a lake and underneath a waterfall.

Everything about this was Divine, and I am so glad that they got their happy ending after nearly being torn apart. They make the cutest couple and reading this was just the most enjoyable experience.

This book was everything I wanted from a cosy romantasy. The adventure, the romance, the ambience, it was all perfect. Even though I’m not a fan of insta-love/lust, it really worked in this story and I thought that even though it was quick to happen, the romance developed further really nicely. It’s a very low/mid stakes story with a perfect balance of character and world building, even if you don’t know a lot about CR (I’ve only watched the Vox Machina show) it still is very easy to follow. The end felt a bit rushed, but I was okay with that.
Some tropes:
Grumpy x Sunshine
One bed
One horse

3.75 - 4 ⭐️
Read if you like: romantasy, half orc x human, adventure, grumpy x sunshine, close proximity, opposites attract, class differences, magic, secrets

This was a cozy grumpy x sunshine romantasy book. And the cover?? I was immediately sold

Guinevere has been raised as a lady, she’s sheltered and has always followed her parent’s rules. She’s left stranded when her guards are attacked in the middle of her journey. Oskar saves her and feels obliged to protect her until she can get to her destination. He’s not afraid to do anything it takes to survive - the two couldn’t have been raised more differently.

Both of the characters were lovely 🥹 I loved Guinevere’s character growth and how grumpy Oskar had such a soft spot for her. He was very protective and I found that their romance was sweet, but lacking chemistry. As they travelled together you could see their priorities shift, they had to decide between their romance or the life that they were supposed to live.

I think the magical elements did get confusing and I feel like her power could’ve been explored more. She didn’t get to practice it but suddenly used it in the climax of the story? I guess I wanted more of the lore behind it all
I also wasn’t that keen on the pacing, some parts were drawn out and others weren’t touched on long enough. The ending wrapped up easily and if you don’t mind a predictable plot, this one’s for you.

There’s family secrets, action, magic, betrayal, terrible parents, and a cozy atmosphere. I’d recommend reading this if you’re new and trying to get into romantasy

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for sending me an ARC in exchange for a honest review.

"Tusk Love" follows Guinevere (a merchants daughter who has little outside world experience but longs for so much more) and Oskar (a commoner half orc on a journey to fulfil the final wish of his dead mother). The two end up travelling the amber road, where sparks fly between them and mysterious bandits are hot on their trail. Just exactly where will this journey take them...

I loved the dynamic and relationship between our two leads. The grumpy x sunshine trope is one I am fond of and it is handled very well here. There is a healthily mix of general fantasy / travelling and romance / spice, so you never feel like you are getting too much of either part. There was even a few fairly funny moments throughout, mostly caused my Guinevere misunderstanding something (my favourite one being about the "fence"). The last 25% of the book goes at a much quicker pace than the rest of the story, which was a little jarring but ended with a satisfying conclusion.

I would recommend if you are looking for a medium stake fantasy with plenty of romance (and spice).

3,5 ⭐

While I loved the concept, I wish there was more time for the relationship development. I felt like it was a bit rushed, even though I love the main characters together. Plot wise was interesting and I would love to read more from this world!

The cover is beautiful, but the story is incandescent! Reading Tusk Love felt like falling in love. I had butterflies in my chest, giggled with glee at just a glance, and fell hard and fast.
Our main characters are Guinevere and Oskar. Gwen is a human with an inner fire spirit that likes to cause destruction whenever she is afraid, and Oskar is a grumpy half orc, hence the tusk mention in the title. Gwen is travelling with guards to meet her parents when the caravan is ambushed by bandits in the forest, causing her inner fire spirit to burst forth and set the surrounding trees, and bandits on fire. Oskar is nearby and hears the commotion. After pulling Guinevere from the flames and ashes he agrees to travel with her to his nearby town to procure some supplies before they part ways, well that was the original plan.
This book is spicy in all caps - SPICY! The book title originated from a broadcasted Dungeons and Dungeons campaign called ‘Critical Role’ and as a long time fan I was hesitant as to whether the real book would be able to do the fictional book justice. I need not have worried. Thea Guanzon’s writing has blown me away and the care she has for the story really shows and is sincerely appreciated.
It is worth mentioning that you don’t need to have played, or even have heard of Dungeon’s and Dragons or Critical Role to enjoy this book. If you like an immersive well-written steamy fantasy story then this will not disappoint!
Thank you to Random House UK and NetGalley for letting me read this incredible book early.