I haven't indulged myself in Critical Role before, but I'm not saying no to a book with such a gorgeous cover.

The book is good. There is a great plot, enjoyable characters and a romance I rooted for. However, I'm a little let down by the fantasy aspect, as it's more of a side plot than a central theme throughout the story, making it feel more like a historically inspired fiction than a fantasy. And the main thing I missed was the focus on Oskar being a half-orc. I had hoped there would be more focus on this non-human appearance, but often it felt more like a big guy-little woman type of romance.

Thank you NetGalley and Del Rey for giving me access to an e-arc for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

God I needed a monster romance 🤭

Tusk Love is a Romantasy, Monster Romance set in the world of the game Critical Role. As a gamer I have heard of Critical Role but it is not something I have personally played but I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

Gwyn and Oskar are ADORABLE, grumpy x sunshine at its finest.. there were moments that had me giggling and kicking my feet and the spice … 😮‍💨 I am a monster lover and I have no shame for it!

Oskar in his grumpiness was just brilliant and HILARIOUS. His humour gave me Tairn vibes and I loved it!

Gwyn - sweet Gwyn! I loved her story and her confidence building throughout this. She’s fiery and I adored her!

Tusk Love is a romantic fantasy comedy set in the world of Exandria. Thea Guanzon delivers a light-hearted, witty, and sweetly romantic story, perfect for readers looking for a magical escape.

The story follows Guinevere, a young noblewoman tasked with transporting a mysterious cargo to the capital city. She’s bound to a fire spirit that’s been with her since birth, and she’s carrying more emotional baggage than she lets on. Along the way, she meets Oskar, a grieving half-orc warrior who reluctantly becomes her escort on the dangerous Amber Road. What begins as an uneasy alliance turns into a compelling connection filled with banter, tension, and heartfelt moments.

The true strength of the novel lies in Guinevere and Oskar’s relationship: their chemistry is sparkling, the banter is sharp, and their emotional journey feels natural and rewarding. The author gives both characters depth without weighing the story down. The already rich setting of Exandria adds flavor without ever overwhelming the romance.

Tusk Love is a fun, romantic, and heartfelt read, ideal for those who enjoy love stories with fantasy elements and a good dose of humor. Charming, adventurous, and full of heart: a perfect summer read.

4,25 ⭐️

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone | Del Rey for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Tusk Love is the cosy fantasy that I didn't know I needed. It is a funny, cute (and saucy) romance with a flair of D&D and a medium-stakes adventure.

Oskar and Guinevere are adorable and there were so many moments that made me squee and kick my feet.

I really enjoyed this book overall though I did find the pacing dragged a little bit in the middle.

Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for the ARC.

Tusk Love is the newest cozy romance by author of The Hurricane Wars Thea Guanzon. Set in the fantasy world of Exandria we follow maiden turned adventurer Guinevere and ex-warrior turned begrudging hero Oskar as they traverse the equally picturesque and dangerous Amber Road on a mission to deliver the lady Guinevere and her mysterious cargo to the capital of the Dwendalian empire, confronting their prejudices and maybe falling in love along the way.

‘There was no more time to argue. The stranger wretched the trunk form Guinevere’s grasp and tucked it under his left arm, then he scooped her up, satchel and all, and effortlessly slung her over his right shoulder. […] This is so undignified, Guinevere thought as the half-orc warrior carried her through the dark forest like a sack of potatoes.’

Guinevere, a merchant’s daughter, has been sent on a journey from her hometown to the capital city Rexxentrum carrying with her not only the mysterious and precious dowery imperative in securing a marriage to a wealthy noble saving her family from peasantry but a fiery, volatile spirit bound to her from birth. If that wasn’t enough add the burden of some deeply rooted childhood trauma thanks to her cloistered upbringing and terrible parents. Oskar, the half breed orc warrior, is grieving the recent death of his mother. As he leaves behind his apprenticeship to fulfil his mothers dying request; travel north to her homeland and reacquaint with his clan, the heroism buried deep down inside himself rears its head when he stumbles upon a maiden in need of some help. Even if it turns out she was the one who burned her own caravan and the bandits trying to steal her family’s precious goods to ashes. The least he could do is make sure she gets to the next village safely and then maybe the next one, and then maybe just the whole way and maybe unfortunately falling for her in the process.

Tusk Love’s truest strength is the romance and since it’s set in the already developed fantasy world Exandria (Critical Role), with a magic system taken from D&D, it doesn’t under perform it’s fantasy setting. Thea Guanzon writes Exandria beautifully and our beloved heroes have a magnetic cheesy romcom will-they-wont-they chemistry, their differences being as simple as class and upbringing, leading us to their disagreements naturally where they both teach each other to broaden their prejudices and widen their views.

‘The stranger took his sweet time studying her, as though she were a puzzle he couldn’t figure out. She lifted her chin, forcing herself not to flinch at his scrutiny. The corner of his mouth twitched like he was reluctantly amused by her defiance, one sharp, slender tusk gleaming in the moonlight.’

Oskar’s grievance gave him an extra depth outside of the orc ‘brute’ stereotype, the time spent with his emotion was heartwarming. His perspective brought out a heroic sensibility that harked back to Fjord (Critical Role) although additional backstory being discovered live in the novel, perhaps learning more about his clan, would bring further depth to his character. Guinevere’s ignorance could have quickly become tedious to read but as her social standing becomes clear there is a caricature in Guinevere that encapsulates the tone of the book well. Her relationship with Oskar and the quest they embark on releases her from the strains of her cloistered upbringing, showing her a sense of freedom she has never been allowed to access. Autonomy does wonders for her character, she tentatively seeks answers about her magic and although this frees her from much of her burdens in a longer version of this story I would’ve loved to see the training Guinevere undergoes to establish a stable connection with and therefore attune to Teinidh (the fire spirit bound to her) and her magic overall.

This whole book felt like a fun D&D session, full of laughs and swoons. The low stakes were the perfect backdrop to this story and allows the reader some extra development to the fantasy setting. Tusk Love brought to life the witty, childish, euphemistic humour of the original source material and of course some cheek warming moments that Jester (Critical Role) herself would have loved.

Despite Tusk Love coming from and being set within the wider world of popular Dungeons and Dragons group Critical Role’s second campaign, you do not need to know anything about Critical Role, the original lore of Tusk Love and even D&D itself to enjoy this book (though it does make it all the more fun). With the humour of A.K. Caggiano’s Throne in the Dark and the cosiness of Sarah Beth Durst’s The Spellshop, Tusk Love will be the perfect addition to romance lovers summer reading list.

Tusk Love is a sweet romantasy novel that follows Guinevere, a sheltered and dutiful merchant’s daughter, and her eventual guard Oskar, a reluctantly caring blacksmith’s apprentice, as they transport precious cargo to Guinevere’s uncertain fate in Nicodranas. Yet it seems not only her parents are desperate to acquire the valuables they carry.

As someone who is part of the Critical Role fandom, this instantly landed itself on my must-read radar for 2025. Now having read it, I was pleased to see that whilst a decent number of easter eggs cropped up, the book could easily be read without this prior knowledge which is absolutely ideal for Critical Role and romantasy fans alike.

The plot itself was relatively simple but engaging with most of the focus being geared towards whether Guinevere can development into an open and confident wild-magic wielder and if Oskar can find a purpose or person to fight for.

Guinevere and Oskar were loveable and endearing characters that felt unique, and even the side-characters felt like they had their own histories and distinct personalities. I loved the character development and for me his for me was a particularly nice take on the grumpy-sunshine dynamic.

The relationship that develops between Guinevere and Oskar is decently spicy – with an appreciated amount of steaminess and waterfalls. This nailed the bodice-ripper vibe that I associated with Jester (the Critical Role character) and her much prized possession. Yet it still tackles less light-hearted topics and I appreciate how they covered the family dynamics between Guinevere and her parents especially in contrast to Oskar’s experiences.

In a good way it was strangely cosy and low-stakes despite a decent amount of fighting and sharp implements being involved. I wouldn’t say it changed my opinion or perspective about anything in life, but it was certainly enjoyable to read.

I would recommend this to new or established romantasy readers looking for a lighter read that still has plot. I’d place this along the same lines as Legends and Lattes for the cosiness and action but highlight that more adventure and spiciness is involved.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Del Ray at Cornerstone, Random House UK for providing this e-book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, Del Rey UK for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

4.5⭐️ | 2.5 🌶️

“What do you mean there is only one bed??”

This book is just how I like my romance books, very sweet and a little bit spicy!

This book was everything you expect a cosy low-stakes romantasy to be. Thea’s writing is atmospheric and beautiful. It was funny, I loved the grumpy x sunshine dynamic between Guinevere and Oskar. These two are so loveable and I loved watching their relationship develop through this book. There were so many moments I found myself squealing for the both of them. It was only 384 pages so I absolutely flew through this and enjoyed every minute. THAT waterfall scene..

One thing this book does touch on surprisingly is themes of childhood trauma especially in a sense of having parents with high expectations of you. Was this a reference to strict Asian parents? Maybe, but regardless I related so much to Guinevere’s strained relationship with her parents due to their high expectations placed on her and how Oskar handles this.

You will enjoy this book if you like cosy romantasy with a bit of spice. Another review mentions that this is not not a monster romance and I can’t say I disagree.. Do what you will with that information. Please read this book!

P/s: You don’t have to know anything about Critical Role to enjoy this! ☺️

A superbly crafted fantasy adventure full of more thrills, wit, charm, intrigue and romance than you've ever seen - but in the best way possible.

Ahhhh this book. I have literally just finished and I’m not sure coming straight on to words my review was a sensible idea. I just cannot get over hope much I loved good book. This is my first monster romance so I wasn’t sure what to expect and how I was going to get on with it. But Tusk Love has opened my eyes to a whole new world. From now on if he hasn’t got tusks I’m not interested. I absolutely loved Oskar what a beautifully created character. Guinevere’s innocence just had me howling at times but I loved how the book told us her story and allowed the reader watch her grow into the person that she has alert wanted to be. I really enjoyed that the main focus wasn’t just the romance element but also the adventure. It was so much fun and had me engaged throughout. I did not want Tusk Love to end and I don’t think I’m ready to leave this world and these characters behind. If I had the time I would start again with this book and just devour it. I can’t wait until my exclusive edition comes so it can have pride of place on my shelf. Thank you so much for sending me an early copy.

—5 stars—

To quote Jester (AKA Laura Bailey) herself, Tusk Love is “the most beautiful love story you’ve ever heard in your entire life basically”. And it’s true. I genuinely don’t think i stopped smiling once and giggled more times than i could count. This cozy romantasy was such a sweet read, and i knew it was going to be a favourite from the very first chapter.

Despite Tusk Love’s short length (under 300 pages) not a single part felt rushed, and the pacing was perfect. Though there is fairly high stakes and a quest of sorts, this is entirely a book you can curl up with. Guanzon beautifully maintained the charm and adventure of D&D campaigns while flawlessly weaving tropes into the story with ease. As we all know, sometimes tropes can feel a little forced, but the ones in Tusk Love could not have felt more natural or well-placed!

In addition, the entire cast of characters were completely and utterly endearing. From the protagonists to a goblin musician with a fondness for lusty songs to a pair of dangerous criminals that somehow end up helping Guinevere with her shopping, each character had such vibrant personalities, and added so much to the surroundings and depth of the story. Of course, the main two are the most fleshed out, but the side characters all play their own parts.

Guinevere, merchant’s daughter and FMC, was such a delightful main character to read! She’s far from perfect, particularly at the start of the book, but her character development was incredible, and i loved seeing her prim and properness disappearing (a little) to make way for a hunger for adventure. Despite how she appears spoilt at first, her kind heart and ability to trust and care for everyone she meets made her an easy character to love.

Oskar, half-orc MMC, was the most sweet and grumpily stoic character of all time. How he slowly opened up to Gwen was so beautiful to read, and his own realisations about grief were just as important as hers on privilege. The two of them together was nothing short of adorable, and i loved how gentle and sweet they were with each other! The tension and pining was top tier, and their utter joy and love for each other almost had me tearing up. I don’t often struggle for words to describe how much i love a couple, but these two were just everything to me.

Finally, as a D&D and Critical Role nerd, the existence of this book makes me so happy! However, no knowledge whatsoever of those two topics is needed to read and love this book—though there are very small things that probably won’t be as meaningful without that background. I know i squealed ridiculously at the mentions of Tal’Dorei and the Raven Queen (and even more at the inclusion of a particular bodice-ripping scene).

This book really intrigued me to begin with and I enjoyed the beginning a lot. As the story progressed I feel as though we had a lot more development from Oskar, our MMC than Guinevere, the FMC.
He learned to adapt and compromise in order to make her feel better, comfortable and safe. However she had a large tendency to cry at pretty much everything and that did get a little repetitive.
I really wish I enjoyed it more as I love this author’s other books but unfortunately it just wasn’t for me.

A great blend of cozy and steamy, I was living the tusked half-orc dreamboat FANTASY. Loved going on this literal and emotional journey, and you definitely don't need Critical Role knowledge to enjoy this standalone romantasy.

Sweet and spicy
─..★.──────────

A wholesome little D&D romance with lovable characters and good pacing. This was a nice break from denser reads and was very accessible to someone not in the Critical Role fan space. Oskar and Guinevere had great chemistry. Their journey was full of funny side characters, romantic pining, and self discovery. Guanzon's writing was perfect for this tale.

PS: Pudding is the very best horse. Sorry Vindicator.

A quick read which was fun but… iIt felt like reading fan fiction. The plot was predictable and nothing new, and the fmc was, well, annoying. She didn’t feel real at all, one minute she was a shy dutiful ‘good girl’ the next she was stripping off with a man in lake?!
Sorry, but not for me.

🌾Tusk Love 🌾🧡

- Thea Guanzon @theagwrites

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I was a massive fan of the Hurricane Wars so of course, as soon as I saw that Thea Guanzon’s new book, Tusk Love, was available to request on NetGalley, I ran! I am not a video game girlie, so forgive me if I say something blunderingly stupid, but this is an adaptation of the video game Critical Role. I have never played it and have absolutely no knowledge of this, so I went into this book very blindly and a bit apprehensively that it would mention a ton of world building I don’t know about because I haven’t played the game!

However, let me set your minds to rest. I loved this, and never once did I feel lost or as though I was on the outside of an inside joke. Instead, it read as a wonderful standalone. We follow Guinevere, a wealthy merchant’s daughter. When her carriage is looted by bandits on her way to marry a man she’s never met, she finds herself with no other choice but to ally herself with Oskar, who rescued her from the bandits (he also happens to be half-orc). This had a strangely vintage feel to it; it was a good old-fashioned quest fantasy, while also having a banging romance plot. It was low stakes, bordering on cosy fantasy which I don’t normally like but, what can I say? This one hit the spot.

The romance is sweet and tender and I loved both Oskar and Guinevere so very much. The world building isn’t extensive, with the romance taking centre-stage but I didn’t mind this one bit. We got enough to carry the story and that was enough for me.

If you’re looking for a delightful, low-stakes, quest-vibes romantasy this summer, let me just gently push this into your open hands.

Tusk Love releases July 1st. Thanks to @penguinukbooks for the digital ARC!

#bookstagram #bookreview #arcreview #tusklove #criticalrole #theaguanzon #thehurricanewars #bookphoto

A standalone spicy romantic fantasy based in the world of Critical Role.
You don't need to have any knowledge of CR to enjoy this novel in its own right. Romantasy is not generally my genre, but I had a fun time with this.
The magic was interesting, the characters were endearing and I rooted for them throughout rather than rolling my eyes which is always a good sign!

I tend to like romantasy that has high stakes and traumatising twists, but Tusk Love is a wonderful cosy romance set in the world of Critical Role’s Exandria.

Whilst inspired by Laura Bailey’s devious mind you don’t have to be a critter to enjoy this grumpy x sunshine romance. Thea Guanzon’s incredible writing means you fall in love with Guinevere and Oskar instantly, as well as the various characters you meet along their journey. It is the perfect level of cosy romance, spicy scenes and loveable characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for granting me access in exchange for an honest review.

𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒊𝒏 𝑬𝒎𝒐𝒋𝒊𝒔: 💪💍🌲🍆🗺️💰📿

𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒊𝒕: A steamy Half-Orc x Human Romantasy with all the D&D vibes (it even has a free D&D oneshot to go with it!)

𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒕:
💖Rapunzel x Flynn Rider Vibes
💖but make it ✨spicy✨
💖 (and he’s a half-orc)
💖Grumpy x Sunshine
💖Magic & Mystery
💖Fantasy Road Trip
💖There’s only one… forest floor? 😂(They get it on outside😂)

𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘: As a huge fan of Critical Role I was THRILLED when it was announced that Tusk Love was becoming a reality, and that the author was going to be none other than Thea Guanzon (aka a critter, fellow Reylo Rat, author of The Hurricane Wars, mother of cats & all round icon).

Thea did a great job of bringing Guinevere and Oskar to life & made their story the classic swoony bodice ripper that Jester Lavorre loves so much! I really like how Thea managed to work within the world of Exandria in a way that felt faithful to Matt Mercer’s creation while also adding little touches & ensuring that there was a good sense of world building for readers who have never watched, listened to or even heard of CR.

The beauty of Tusk Love is that it could absolutely be read, appreciated & enjoyed as a romantasy in its own right which I love & I think would serve as a good introduction to half-orc romantasies for new readers as well as being a fun read for existing fans of the sub-genre.

I particularly enjoyed the spicy scenes in this, as well the character development & journey our loveable heroine goes through. And Oskar? What can I say except “Oh, Oskar” because not only is he pretty swoonworthy, he also has tusks & he isn’t afraid to use them 😏😏

While I was reading this I couldn’t help get Rapunzel & Flynn vibes from Gwen & Oskar🤭 Overall this was a fun fantasy read with a charming cosy feel & steam on the side!

𝑹𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3.75 rounded up)

Thea Guanzon has outdone herself with Tusk Love—this book is equal parts romantic, feral, and achingly tender.

Tusk Love is unlike anything I’ve read. It sinks its tusks (pun fully intended) into your heart with her intricate world building, deep emotional undertones, and a romance that is both wildly primal and delicately sweet. You will absolutely fall in love with Gwen and Oskar’s tension. Their chemistry is not just sizzling; it crackles with intensity.

This is a story for those who crave fantasy with tusks, romance with a good bite, and writing that will have you swept off your feet.

Guanzon has done it again in this beautiful book. You won’t regret picking it up.

As always thank you so much to DelRey UK for this book after and thank you NetGalley for the eARC.

As a critical Role fan, I obviously went running to request this as soon as I could, and it did not dissapoint; I know why Jester loved this book so much! Short and sweet, it was so much fun to read.