3.5 stars

As a big Critical Role fan, I had to check this out and I was so excited to be approved for the ARC! This was charming. It reminded me a lot of T Kingfisher's paladin books, and fans of those will probably enjoy this as well: lovable characters, good chemistry, snappy dialogue, big strong man with a heart of gold, and enough plot and worldbuilding to keep the fantasy element interesting.

The sex scenes are good overall, but this book still does the thing I hate where PIV sex is treated as some kind of definitive event (never mind all the other sex the characters have been having up to that point!) and so being "a virgin" is enough of a big deal to be worth mentioning. This book isn't especially weird about it, but I could always do without bringing that into it.

There were also some moments where the language took me out of the story - words that felt anachronistic, or at least out of place in a fantasy setting. The version I read is an uncorrected proof, so it's possible some of those will change in the final published version, but it happened often enough that it seemed worth mentioning.

I'm not a huge romance/romantasy fan, so in some ways I'm not the exact target audience, but this was a lot of fun to read and I really enjoyed it.

This book was amazing! It was so cute and whimsical, I totally fell for the characters. Oskar was adorable, a total golden retriever. Guinevere was sweet and naive, but also super brave. Their relationship was great, and the spicy bits were perfect. I devoured it – as a Vox Machina fan, I loved it. Thea Guanzon's world-building and writing are always fantastic, and this book is no exception. If you want a cute, whimsical story with spice, great characters, and amazing world-building, this is for you.

Loved the premise and the beginning— it truly felt like a romance straight out of a fantasy bookshop in a way that felt refreshing. (One might even say it felt like a book pulled straight from a Dungeons and Dragons game)

Halfway through it was just too meandering for me. I wanted a bit more character depth specifically in their conversations or them having to work together and learning more about each other in that way. Idk. The middle felt way too long… I was bored.

It was just strange that they felt like real characters until the second half—where they suddenly fell flat. Which was strange. There were still many fun moments, and yet I still found myself wanting more.

Thanks NetGalley UK and Publishers for an early ecopy.

The book involves Guinevere, a lost merchant’s daughter, and Oskar, half-orc who saves her life. It is setting in a ‘medieval’ fantasy and a mysterious world.. So mysterious that I didn’t fully understand the world building of the story. It lacks description and explication. I was confused because I felt that elements were thrown out of nowhere, between past and present in one paragraph, which was not helpful.

I found myself reading at comments of the book to understand the world building, and I didn’t have my answers. The book is supposed to be a one shot, but the writing and description was not enough to feel completely immersed. Was it a spin-off ? Because maybe that’s one of the reasons why I couldn’t succeed to read this book;

The meeting between the two characters was really fast and I didn’t get how they could have fallen in love. Too bad, because there was chemistry, even small, very small … they were riding horses for the most part of the book, or what I read. I Sorry but I skipped a majority of the book, it was hard for me to read despite the interest.

The book cover was the factor that influenced me to read it, but it ended it with being disappointing.

Okay I am officially obsessed with Thea. This is the third book I have read of hers and I can't describe how much I love her style of writing and story telling. I am a sucker for a romance book and this had it all. You must read this!!

“And what was grief, but a memory of love?”

Tusk Love left me with mixed feelings. I didn’t realize until I finished the book that it was based on a pre-existing universe and that explains probably the feeling I had during the whole reading that a very rich world building existed but that the author didn’t linger on it, as if assuming we already knew. This is, I realize now, the case for many people, but wasn’t my experience, which resulted in a cruel lack of world building on my side.
The rest of the story is pretty classical, built on the old-school historical romance novel patterns: boy meets girl when she’s in danger, he saves her, they travel together and fall in love, as they live their adventures. It was, however, a lot spicier than these classicals historical, and I loved Guinevere’s evolution as she started like a (stereotypical) spoiled damsel in distress but finally grew in the last pages.
I would have loved more of the story with that “grown up” Guinevere, because she was quite more interesting regarding the possibilities the character could offer. Oskar, on the other hand, is a stable character, and all green flags. I loved that about him, and loved to see him opening up. My favorite character, though, remains Vindicator –I won’t talk about him to avoid spoilers, but he owns a part of my heart.
In the end, even though it didn’t have many originalities, Tusk Love was an easy and quick read, and a well written story.

Thanks to the author and Del Rey for the eARC sent via NetGalley. My opinions are my own.

3.5/5

This was super a cute cosy romantasty. There was just the right amount of spice. Oskar and Guinevere were both adorable characters. Misunderstanding tropes are my least favourite, but I didn't mind it with these two. They are just so cute!

I loved the world building in each location and i felt Guinevere's pain during her travels.

I choose cosy fantasy when I want to relax and have a break from more serious fantasy and crime. This was the perfect book for that.

I thoroughly enjoyed this. A really fun fantasy with just the right amount of spice, set in the world of Critical Role.
Guinevere is not your typical damsel in distress, but she is one of the kindest and sweetest, and Oskar may not be your typical hero but he's an adorably gruff half Orc with a heart of gold. The characters are what makes this book so good, their adventure is full of action, romance and magic.
I'd love to read more from this author, especially if set in this world. This was sheer escapism.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Ok wow.

First ever Thea Guanzon book I’ve read and it was amazing!

I loved that we didn’t have to wait long for any action to happen. It was very full on from the beginning.

The character development and world building were very well done.
Oskar and Guinevere are well written and likeable main characters.

The plot was thought out and well executed.

The sweetness of both Oskar and Guinevere made the whole story that much better.
There were lots of twists and turns and quite a bit of sadness throughout the book.

The last few chapters were so good! I really did not want it to end and I hope we get another book set in this world!

As a lover of all things Dungeons and Dragons and Critical Roll this was the perfect book for me and I loved that in many ways it followed the path of a Dungeons and Dragons one shot that I could imagine myself playing with my D&D group (with lots of added romance and spice obviously!)

I admit I am not the biggest fan of cozy romantasy. I also prefer books with more fantasy than romance so this was a long shot for me. I know nothing about Critical Role but I did enjoy this book. The pacing felt a little off- it skipped over some scenes but also felt really long?

The romance was cute as was the relationship between the two MCs. A must read if you like cozy fantasy.

Thank you netgalley for an early copy of this book! I'm a big fan of Thea and this was such a cosy light hearted romance. Great world building and just a fun read.

Firstly, thank you to Netgalley, Random House UK, Cornerstone, Del Ray and the author for this eARC.

I am a massive fan of the series Critical Role and Vox Machina and let me just say I did a massive happy dance when I was approved for this ARC. I love Thea Guanzon’s writing style, the cosy, spicy elements to this book were top notch. Seriously, it took everything I love about Vox Machina and turned it into a perfect fantasy romance novel. Add in the vibes of Anastasia, Frozen and Tangled, it was always going to be one of the best books I’ve read all year.

As a side note, you do not need to know anything about the Critical Role/Vox Machina world to enjoy the book, so I would recommend it to anyone.

Tusk Love by Thea Guanzon was everything I hoped for and more! The romance was swoony, the world-building was rich, and the characters were unforgettable. It had just the right mix of magic, heart, and heat. I couldn’t put it down and didn’t want it to end. A must-read for fantasy romance lovers!

This was an INCREDIBLE read!

I went into this book with very little knowledge about Critical Role. Thea Guanzon just so happens to be one of my favourite authors and The Hurricane Wars is one of my all time favourite books so when I saw she was publishing something else I immediately wanted to read it... and lets just say she did not disappoint! This book is perfection!

Tusk Love had everything I love in a cosy romance,
- Whimsical world building
- It was hilarious (as Thea's writing often is)
- Grumpy x Sunshine
- Medium stake quest
- All the yearning with the perfect amount of spice
- Positive and relatable messages

Thea's writing style really lends itself to this style of slow-paced cosy romance as she is able to weave such an immersive story. The characters were all well developed and the world buildings was seamlessly integrated throughout so I never felt that there was a large section of info dumping.

The book is laugh out load funny I mean, it really had me giggling, even in the slower scenes there was always a quick witted remark from Oskar, that brought me to tears from laughing at times.

The real winner in this story was the lovable and well developed characters, Both Guinevere and Oskar's internal conflicts, fears and misbeliefs translate so well and they both go through such well timed and constructed characters arcs. Paired together they are the most adorable book couple, never had the grumpy x sunshine trope been done so well! I could have kept reading on and on about their adventures it was really a book I never wanted to end.

I loved the banter and interactions between our main characters as well as the perfect balance of interactions with side characters all of which really helped to drive the story forward.

Final Thoughts
This book was magical, honestly wish I could read it again for the first time. Beautifully written, perfect character development, such a cosy romantasy! Highly highly recommend this one being added to the TBR.... also can we just take a minute to admire the cover!! Stunning! I loved it all!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Del Rey, Random House UK for my eARC

Cosy, sweet and spicy 🌶️

3.5 ⭐️

This is just a lovely story of Oskar and Guinevere, the most unlikely of travel companions who turn out to be the most adorable pairing. I loved the bond that formed between the two of these characters. The self development they both achieved throughout the book, both Oskar and Gwen gained some self confidence on their journey together, like they learnt about themselves as well as each other.

The book is pretty atmospheric, you really feel apart of their journey across the country with them. We meet interesting characters along the way as well as some bandits out to get them.

There was little bit of everything that made for such a wholesome comforting easy read overall

Tusk Love was such a delight to read — a cozy romantasy, full of adventures.

Every page is packed with character growth, world‑building, and amazing side characters. I read it all in one day - I was so into it and really wanted to know what was going to happen next!

Guinevere is adorable —she knows her privilege and yet doesn’t come up at entitled at all. Oskar is such a great character too, and they complement each other so well. Their vulnerability is so wholesome - I was giggling to myself whilst reading it on the tube! Watching Guinevere blossom into a confident, independent woman and seeing Oskar learn to let his guard down was pure perfection.
Cozy, sweet, and just the right amount of spice, Tusk Love is utterly binge‑worthy. It deserves every star!

This was such a fun, cute, and cozy book and I had the best time reading it! The characters are loveable and the story was so heartfelt.
It's short but absolutely packed with charm. This was just a delightful ride from start to finish.
Thank you netgalley and Random House for this e-arc

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC.

Receiving this ARC was like having Christmas and my birthday on the same day. I love Thea Guanzon's Hurricane Wars series, so it should come as no surprise that I gobbled up her new romantasy novel like I was starving.

🌼So, what is Tusk Love about?🌼

Oskar, a grumpy orc traveller, meets the kind and pure-hearted Guinevere when her travelling party is ambushed by bandits. Realising that she won't be able to make the long journey to her betrothed in the southern lands alone, Oskar agrees to accompany her. No strings attached. What could possibly go wrong?
As it turns out, a whole lot can go wrong, and while travelling together, an attraction begins to blossom between these two unalike characters that may or may not change their fates.


I found this story incredibly heart-warming! While the biggest strength of this book is its lovable and funny cast of characters — I could go on and on about each character's incredible growth — I was also surprised by the depth of this story.

While Oskar and Guinevere's story initially seems to be a simple and enjoyable fantasy adventure, it soon becomes clear that it is also a story about prejudices, high expectations from loved ones, elitism, true friendship, and what truly matters in life — all the while maintaining its humour.

I adored it! Thea, you’ve outdone yourself again!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Tropes:
🌼Grumpy meets Sunshine
🍂Romantasy
🌼Adventure
🍂Cozy reads
🌼Dungeons & Dragons
🍂Only one bed trope
🌼Easy/feel-good reads

🌼Tusk Love releases on 1 July 2025🌼

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone, for providing this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

This is fun for fans of Critical Role, and also for those who are into cosy romantasy (seasoned liberally with spice and a dash of action).

This is a sweet love story between Oskar and Guinevere, who are unlikely travelling companions through the wilds of Exandria to reunite Guinevere with her family.

'Tusk Love' is the name of an infamous novel in the world of Critical Role (a well-known TTRPG series broadcast online with a huge fanbase). With input from the cast and crew, this is an official telling of that particular love story.

I expected this to be a bit more in the 'classic' romantic literature style, or even Mills and Boon-esque, but it read very much like a current, fashionable romantasy. This is a clever move, as it will probably have more appeal to modern readers.

I enjoyed the numerous easter eggs included for Critical Role fans, and some of the scenes were genuinely funny and endearing.

The characters went on predictable development journeys and I remained fairly indifferent to them for the most part. The writing was solid for this kind of story, though the 'romantic' scenes were written very generically and, interestingly enough given the author's literary background, like that of a fanfiction.

My rating is mostly based on my amusement that they actually are releasing a 'real' version of this novel, but I enjoyed it for what it was.