⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.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.

This was such a fun, spicy & a cosy read. It had me giggling, kicking my feet & definitely exceeded my expectations.

This book is perfect for anyone who’s looking for a lighthearted cosy fantasy!
I basically devoured this book in one sitting - absolutely adored the humour & the character development.

Thank you Penguin Random House Books & NetGalley for my ARC!

4.5 stars rounded up

Sweet, saucy, and full of adventure, this cozy-ish fantasy is an adorable romance that charmed me through and through.

When Guinevere is beset by bandits, she is terrified and desperate to uphold her duty as a lady. However, when a handsome half orc stranger comes to her rescue, she stumbles into a journey that might just change her life forever...

I enjoyed Gwen's sweetness and comically naive actions, and I loved the stark contrast between her innocence and the blunt nature of Oskar. Their relationship is utterly endearing (and also pretty spicy!), and I felt like the pacing for how it developed was perfect.

This story isn't just romance though - it has some heavier moments as well, like acknowledging grief, recognizing toxic traits in yourself, breaking free from expectations, coming to understand your sexuality, and more. I especially liked the supportive bond between Oskar and Gwen - they are really there for one another and help remind one another of their strengths.

The plot was pretty loose, but the atmosphere more than made up for that. Traveling across the country, meeting boisterous folk along the road, fighting off assassins... There was just so much fun packed into the book that I found it hard to put down.

Tusk Love surprised me with how cute the story is, and I'm desperate for more of their adventures!

God, I've been waiting for this for so long and now I actually got to read it early! It was exactly what I imagined it would be - a fun, sweet (and spicy) adventurous fantasy romp with lovable characters in the beloved Critical Role setting! Absolutely loved it.

This felt like a nice quick cosy read. It was easy to get into, the world building was easy to follow, the characters likeable. A good adventure to follow along with. A little predictable but a really enjoyable romantasy! I really enjoyed reading it and it was very easy to binge!

A charming romance set in the Dungeons and Dragons universe. I read an eARC of this book on Net Galley so thank you to the author and the publisher.

This is a story of two very nice people from different worlds. A wealthy daughter of a merchant travelling to meet her parents is attacked by robbers and is rescued by a dashing warrior. His noble personality means he feels he has to accompany her as she’s pretty helpless, even though he has a destination of his own he needs to get to. She is very naive and sheltered and gets a bit of a shock when exposed to the real one. She does come across as a bit selfish at times, but she does quickly recognise that and try to do better. She’s a nice person, just a bit clueless about how most people live. We do see character growth from her throughout the book, though it takes a while to get her to start questioning certain behaviours from certain characters!

It’s an easy romance to root for as they are both kind and decent people who need love and cherishing to help them overcome the pain inflicted on them in their pasts. This is romance in a fantasy setting rather than feeling like a Romantasy. Which was quite nice as it felt a bit different. There were recognisable aspects from Dungeons and Dragons in the book, but you could easily read this without being familiar with that world. It informs the setting more than the plot so no prior knowledge needed to enjoy the book. Though being familiar with Critical Role will give you another lens through which to appreciate the story. There is a bit of spice in this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc of this novel.

Unfortunately I did DNF this book @ 20%.
I really wanted to like it but I was so bored and I couldn’t get back into picking it up. I have tried to read from this author before and also gave it a low rating so I think part of it is that I just don’t like her writing style.

The characters personalities were flat, especially Guinevere and I was mentally rolling my eyes at everything she said. The humour from Oskar I just didn’t understand and even though it’s early in the book there just seemed nothing between them. I’m not talking about chemistry or romance but even their conversations were awkward and hard to read.

I’m sorry!

Cosy romantasy, involving a half-orc who steps in to help when he sees bandits robbing a merchants daughter. With her guards dead and no knowledge of navigation, Oskar decides to take on the task of getting her to her destination. Of course with shenanigans and some romance on the way.

I really enjoyed this. These were both good characters. Though I will admit the synopsis made me think that the FMC was going to be some hoity better than thou princess. But she wasn’t. Okay, yes she was spoiled and sometimes didn’t understand the concepts of the “normal man”, but at no point did I think she was cruel or thought herself above the MMC.

The plot for this was intriguing. There was mercenaries, magic, a fun insight into DND dynamics that I was surprised to see outside of playing it. And it was interesting, I was just as fascinated by what was happening plot wise than I was with the romance. They both helped push the book along and one didn’t falter when the other took place.

The romance was a lovely story, they are both just so lovely and care deeply. I appreciate being able to see a romance grow throughout the book and I love seeing the insight to each others POV.

I would recommend this to people who want a nice, albeit, small plot behind their romances. With low stakes, horrible parents, and loving characters.

Huge thanks to Thea Guanzon, Critical Role and NetGalley for providing me with an early e-copy of this book! As a Critical Role fan, I went into this book with high hopes, curiosity and maybe a pinch of bias. I am thrilled to say it exceeded my expectations.

The characters absolutely shine. They are vibrant, flawed, funny and deeply lovable. It helps that their chemistry is off the charts. What could have easily been a tongue in cheek nod to an in universe joke turns out to be a heartfelt and well crafted romantic fantasy with genuine emotional beats, excellent pacing and an engaging plot.

I found myself invested far more than I expected, although, I will admit that being a fan of the show likely enhanced my appreciation of some nuances and easter eggs sprinkled throughout.

Whether you are a Critter or just a fan of steamy fantasy romance with a strong narrative core, Tusk Love delivers. It is charming, a little wild and surprisingly moving.