"The greatest love story of all time" – Jester was absolutely right.

As a huge Critical Role: Vox Machina fan, I had to read Tusk Love the moment I heard Thea Guazon was bringing Jester's infamous "smutty" romance novel to life and wow, it delivered everything I hoped for and more.

This story is funny, heartfelt, adventurous, and full of the kind of chaotic magic that feels like watching a one-shot session unfold in real time. You can almost guess what D&D spells are being cast as you go. It's a loving tribute to the fantasy-romance genre and to the spirit of storytelling that makes Critical Role so special.

We follow Gwenoveve, a merchant's daughter trying to make her way down the Amber Road to rejoin her family and secure a politically advantageous marriage to restore their fortunes. Instead, she gets rescued (and thrown completely off-course) by Oskar, a half-orc mercenary with a gruff exterior and a cinnamon-roll heart.

Their journey is one of self-discovery, desire, and adventure with just the right amount of tension, banter, and classic romance tropes. Gwen’s openness and trusting nature pull you in immediately. And Oskar? The brooding protector who can’t quite stay away? Say no more.

Add in a pair of horses with big personalities and the soft ache of forbidden love, and you’ve got a romance that feels rich and lived-in, but never too heavy.

Tusk Love is passionate, whimsical, and deeply satisfying—just like Jester promised. It balances heat, heart, and high fantasy in a way that feels utterly magical. Whether you're a Critter or a romance fan (or both), you’ll fall hard for Gwen and Oskar.

💬 "If you haven’t read it yet you must!"
💘 Steam level: 🔥🔥
⚔️ Fantasy elements: Travel, magic, monsters, and one glorious half-orc

Thank you netgalley and Randomhouse for my ARC copy.
I can't quite explain it but i absolutely adored this book, it really had me in a chokehold, like I could not put it down. It 100% got me out of my 2 month long reading Slump and I will 100% be rereading this soon. Everyone needs an Oskar in their life!!
Ive already recommended this to so many of my friends!!

Things I don’t know:

— Anything about Critical Role

Things I do know:

— That I loved this book

This book was mega fun!! I love Guinevere and Oskar!! They were such a great pairing. Loved their arguments, their banter, their love for each other. I loved watching them get to know each other and fall in love. I loved seeing both of them realise their true worth.

Despite not knowing a lick about Critical Role, I found this super easy to get in to. The world building was neither too little or too much. There may have been hints and nods and Easter eggs to the game that I didn’t notice, but it didn’t matter because none of it impacted my enjoyment with this book. I’d happily read more!!

Thank you to Random House UK, Cornerstone | Del Rey for this e-arc!

⭐️⭐️⭐️ — Rounded up for fans of romantasy and Critical Role

While Tusk Love wasn’t quite in line with my current reading mood, I can see it resonating with those who enjoy romantasy, especially stories leaning into steamy, bodice-ripper territory. There's a certain flair to it that makes me wonder whether it's meant to be a tongue-in-cheek tribute to romance tropes or a fully sincere take — either way, it delivers plenty of drama, heat, and action.

As someone only half-familiar with Critical Role, I still appreciated the nods to familiar names and locations woven throughout the worldbuilding. It adds a layer of charm and context that fans will likely enjoy, though newcomers might need a moment to find their footing.

A small wish on my part: how fun would it have been to have the audiobook narrated by Laura Bailey?

All in all, I suspect Tusk Love will land best with readers who are looking for escapism, fantasy smut, and a world tinted with recognizable CR lore.

---

Would you like me to tweak the tone or add a tagline at the top? Something like “For fans of spicy fantasy set in familiar realms”?

3.5 stars

Headlines:
It’s cosy
It’s cutesy
They’re opposites

Oskar and Guinevere are from different sides of the track. Guinevere was naive, posh, polite, trusting and overly optimistic. Oskar was big, grumpy, wary and working class. These two shouldn’t have worked but did, in a saccharine cutesy way.

This was a character-driven read, lighter on plot than I’d like that romped across the country. Bandits, trolls and friendlies were encountered and added to the colourful picture that was this book.

The heat was steaming, the chemistry was instant and you just had to give it to these two characters that they were destined to be.

I had fun with this book but it wasn’t as complex as I’d expected. Overall, an easy and cosy romantasy where romance truly was the centre.

Thank you to DelRey UK for the review copy.

This was a very cute read. Gwen was sweet, sunshiny and kind hearted. She was open, curious and willing to learn and not tied down by her privilege. Oskar was a wonder lead with the right amount of grump that totally fell apart because of Of Guinevere and her loveliness. Lovely chemistry, adventure and magic and fun characters along the journey all made for an enjoyable read. 3.5 ⭐

This is a proper grumpy x sunshine trope book!

If you haven’t guessed it already, yes, this is a five-star read! It’s fast-paced, full of adventure, incredibly emotive, and packed with surprises that had me cackling. I loved the shopping scene (iykyk 😂), and this book was spicy!

If you’re after a fun and cosy read that’ll make you feel, you’ve got to pick up Tusk Love!

Big thanks to Del Rey UK for the e-ARC via NetGalley. Now I just need to track down a physical copy in Thailand to keep on my shelf like a trophy.

This was silly goofy but hit ALL the feels for a releatively new critter like me, currently catching up on campaign 2.

I'm already a fan of this kind of 'light romantasy' genre, but having watched the majority of the series that inspired this, seeing the characters that Jester was self-inserting her and Fjord into and adventuring through places I'm familiar with, this really hit the spot for me. The combat was fun, the romance was silly but sweet, and the world building was of course next level because this world is already so fleshed out it's hard to believe it's *not* real. Reading this was literally like reading a mini DnD one shot, with sex.

This book has been my first real foray into the romantasy genre - I picked it up based mainly on my love for Critical Role and partly because I have heard good things about the author. I am happy to say that my gamble paid off and I really enjoyed this book!

If you haven't heard of Critical Role before, or you're not a fan of D&D, please don't let that put you off! There's no context required and the story is totally self-contained. The chapters are short and alternate between the POVs of the two main characters, Guinevere and Oskar, who meet by chance when Guinevere's caravan is attacked by bandits.

It's grumpy x sunshine done incredibly well, with lots of emotional depth and character development throughout. Their social backgrounds and family dynamics couldn't be more different from one another, and it was lovely to see them grow together as they learn more about each other.

There's a bit of something for everyone in this book - it feels generally cosy, with a sweet romance a the centre which never felt too over-the-top cutesy, but there is also a solid adventure plot involving mercenaries, magic, and mysterious items. On top of that, there are some spicy scenes! I wasn't totally sure what to expect (this is my first spicy read!) and I was a bit worried it would just make me cringe - but I was pleasantly surprised! The spice wasn't my favourite aspect of the book, but I wasn't bored or grossed out by it either and I felt that those moments fit quite naturally into the story.

Overall I would recommend this book to any romantasy fan who likes a bit of spice and any Critical Role fan who might want to explore a more romance-forward book. It felt like a good introduction to the genre to me and I'll be looking out for more of Thea Guanzon's work!

I'm a girl who loves her monster/human romances. I've read a fair share of Orc x Human, etc.
This started with a lot of promise, but sadly, I couldn't connect with either main character.
The storyline in itself was good and promising. It intrigued me enough to finish the book, but the rest just didn't click for me.
The spice was spicing, though. Props to the author for that one.

Although just because I didn't click with it, doesn't mean you won't. If characters based on D&D, grumpy x sunshine, forced proximity, Orc x human, is your thing, please give this a read.

Really really loved this fantasy romance novel. Bags of humour and plenty of spice! I need to read Thea Gurzon’s other novels now I enjoyed Tusk Love that much!!!

I adore critical role and who doesn’t critical role level of genius!

This book was sweet funny and very packed with fantasy .A tiny dash of spice.

Definitely what more authors should be doing is writing books from within books are tv shows it’s what all fans would love . Sure fan fic is good but sometimes it’s nice to hold a physical copy .

The cover art is beautiful, I can’t stop looking at it . Where is my half orc handsome tusks and silvering at the edges .

I’m on the orc train and it has left the station!

This was an absolute hoot. The whimsy, the adventure, the romance!

As Guinevere journeyed to the coast with Oskar weighed down with the dowry for her arranged marriage and fell in love, I fell in love with this story. I think it was properly cemented around the time Gwen endeared two rival gang leaders to her & went on a shopping spree wherein they carried her bags for her. Just a little bit silly in the best way.

Oskar was the ultimate (immediately protective) guide for Gwen on her fraught expedition and this was grumpy sunshine on crack, he only smiled for her - eeeee. Their connection was lovely, despite being thrown together so haphazardly they fell into an easy rhythm and made quite the pair. There were so many points in the story where they proved their unwavering loyalty to each other and moments where it was crystal clear they only wanted the best for the other person. They also broke class barriers and chose to follow their hearts. I was melting for them.

Cutesy-ness aside some scenes in here were simply white hot. I mean WOAH 🔥

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this revelation of an ARC. I’ll be reading more “monster” romance and more from Thea asap.

4.5

Brilliant and cosy and just a true fantasy romance! We should all give the ‘monsters’ more love! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book.

ೃ⁀➷ 4.5 stars *ੈ✩‧₊˚

This is grumpy x sunshine done RIGHT. No bc the way it was so scrumptious I couldn’t get enoughhh!

I wish this book has a sequel or smth bc wdym I can’t read about them forever????

Guinevere my absolute best girl. I wanna put her in my pocket and travel the world. She’s my care bear. I love her so much 😭🤚 the sweetest most precious lovable woman ever. It’s the way I wanna dote on her forever.

Oskar 🫦🫦🫦 the grump of my dreams. Every time he’d speak I’d just crash out bc like if mean and dangerous why so hot? Ugh and he is THE BIGGEST SOFTY EVER 😫 like deep deep deeeeeep inside that heart is the softest most caring guy ever. And hes onlyyyy ever shown that adoration to two ppl in his life, his mother and HER. Gwen. I’m actually gna start sobbing goodbye.

And when he blushes 😋😋😋 got me biting my fingers and twirling my hair giggling like a schoolgirl.

They’re so soulmatery coded. She’s the fluttershy to his discord. The cheer bear to his grumpy bear.

I love them your honour 🤚

ೃ⁀➷ Thank you NetGalley and Del Rey for the ARC! ♥︎

I have absolutely no idea what Critical was (still don’t) but this is the best fluffiest high-stakes fantasy romance I’ve ever read.

I adore Thea and her writing style is always 10/10.

Tusk Love had everything I adore - cinnamon roll but could kill you MMC, a shy, slightly naive FMC who has top tier character development, and the best smut I’ve read in a long time.

Absolute god tier book - and it’s SHORT!

I need my own Oskar, please and thank you.

I am so glad I stuck with this one!

I really did not gel with the first 40% of this book and all I could do was pray that Oskar was going to rub off on Gwen because I could not stand her at all which just shows how great the writing is in it.

This was the perfect cosy romantasy read with main characters I loved (you got there in the end Gwen, thank god), an action packed adventure, the sweetest blossoming love, and fabulous banter.

My first book by this author and I will absolutely be picking up more of their work. Thank you very much for the eARC, even if I'm a bit late to the party xo

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an eARC of Tusk Love by Thea Guanzon.

I’ll be the first to admit—this book completely surpassed my expectations! As a long-time Critical Role fan, Tusk Love has been a beloved in-joke for years, and I’ve always enjoyed revisiting its spontaneous creation within the campaign. Because of that, I went into this expecting a steamy, lighthearted romp through Exandria—fun, but not necessarily deep.

But I was so pleasantly surprised. While there is some heat, this story leans far more into rich character development, emotional depth, and a compelling plot than I ever anticipated. Even for readers (like me) who don’t usually go for spicy romance, there’s plenty here to enjoy—and honestly, it’s the emotional resonance that stands out most.

Oskar and Guinevere are both layered and flawed, shaped by their pasts, and their dynamic starts off as a tense clash of personalities due to their vastly different backgrounds. But watching that evolve into something tender and genuine was incredibly satisfying. I won’t spoil anything, but let’s just say there are a few characters I’d love to shout some choice words at!

All in all, this was an absolute joy to read. It’s such a treat that we now get to hold the real Tusk Love in our hands—something once purely fictional now made fully, wonderfully real. I’m thrilled it exists, and I know fans new and old will find something to love here.

genuinely now one of my all time favourite books!!

Is there a book 2!!?!??! PLEASE I NEED TO KNOW MORE

This book is honestly like a dream I never want to wake up from and I am overjoyed that it’s now officially published! 🥹✨

It’s light-hearted, a joy to read, full of swoon worthy romance, and it’s set in the beloved DnD world AND written by Thea Guanzon…. What more could I have asked for?!

I read this one over the weekend and honestly couldn’t stop myself smiling all the way through it, Oskar’s grumpy personality balanced with Guinevere’s heart of gold makes for a fantastic romance (both sweet and spicy!).

I loved the adventure in this one, it’s pretty low stakes and I loved learning about the magic within the book. As a particularly new fan of the Critical Role universe I ate this one up and will definitely be on the lookout for more!

If you love the one bed trope, a yearning MMC, and aren’t phased by a grumpy half orc as the love interest PLEASE add this one to your TBR!