A cute fun cozy grumpy orc romance.
A easy read love Jasimine and Mal.
Enjoyed reading.
Voluntarily reviewed

Dewberry Falls was a fun place to reside for the pages of this book. The dynamic between Mal and Jasmine was sweet and they had some great banter between them that was fun to read. The side characters were fun and the weaving of magic into the world was really well done. I also love a cute little dragon.

So this book was a fun and cosy monster romance read about a human who ends up with a young orc being her boss in the magical pet shop she manages. It’s fun, it’s cute, the characters are lovable. It’s small town which is always nice because it feels more intimate. It was low stakes, it also involved a baby dragon which I mean come on? What’s not to love? The only criticism I have is that sometimes the conversations felt very formal and stilted, it didn’t flow as well as I’d have liked and I felt like the main characters were speaking to each other in a professional manner even after they got together

I will never say no to a grumpy but lovable orc!! and I’m so glad I got to read this book early! I absolutely adore them! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book.

A cosy urban fantasy that gave me "Bookshops and Bonedust" vibes. I loved the world building and descriptive language, fantastical pet shop aspect and found Mal's character adorable, his interactions with Jasmine both amusing and sweet throughout the story (although, there were a few "what is wrong with these two?" moments when they were both being a little dense). That being said, the romance felt a little bit rushed, and the intimate scenes could have been written less graphically, and with different wording, but written in a way that still gives the reader a good idea of what's going on; the same level of intimacy conveyed and shown, yet in a slightly less wordy way. Overall though, I did enjoy reading this and would possibly pick up more by Montgomery in the future.

Very cute story. It was a quick & easy read and I really enjoyed how much of a secret softie Mal was, underneath his big grumpy orc outside. One look at Jasmine and he was fully gone, unable to deny her anything and willing to change his entire life to make her happy. It took me a minute to get into the book and especially the paranormal element, as at first I didn’t think it added much to the story, but once it started to make more sense and I really liked it. Jasmine was such a sweet and soft FMC, it was lovely to see her bloom and become more confident in herself and her abilities throughout the book and thanks to Mal’s support.

This story had so many of my favourite things! Small town, grumpy x sunshine, plenty of magic and (a new favourite) monster romance!

I loved delving into the world of Dewberry Falls and our main characters were so fun to read about.

It did also include one of my least favourite tropes though, miscommunication. I understand why the author decided to go with this trope, but I still think their problems could have been solved some other way.

This is a great introduction into the monster romance sub-genre, with a great fantasy world and a swoon-worthy romance!

The idea of a cosy small town monster romance drew me in, but unfortunately this just didn’t work for me and I DNF’d after chapter 5 (and those are relatively long chapters, roughly 19% or page x).

I think this book would be great for readers who enjoy a slow burn romance driven plot, want to dip their toes into monster riddance, and love a cosy fantasy-esc read with low stakes. However, that’s not me.

Plot:
As mentioned, this is a low stakes romance forward story, and as such very little happened at all, with a lot of conversations feeling like filler and repetitive descriptions of their day to day. A few other reviews point out that this picks up in the second half, hence why I can see why some would enjoy this. Personally, I just like my books to be fast paced from the get go.

World-building & Magic:
It was pretty clear that this was our world with magic and monsters added in, however there was very little explanation of the magic system or species. I would have loved to see more on how the magic and monsters meshed with the non-magic human world as well as the combination of magic and tech/everyday things.

Characters & Romance:
Though acknowledged that they both find the other hot, I didn’t feel any connection between the characters and had no investment into their relationship. Given this was a romance forward book, I’d have liked more chemistry and will they won’t they off the bat.

As stated, this was a me problem, and I think the right audience will love it.

Thank you to Net Galley and Headline Eternal for the eARC.

When Jasmine's boss dies and leaves his magical pet shop to his only surviving relative - grumpy Orc Mal - she isn't sure how things are going to go. But the broody, gorgeous Orc has her feeling all kind of things before long ...

This book is sweet and spicy and I loved it. The characters are really lovely and the magical animals were my absolute favourite part. A fun read for any romance lover!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

I’ve been really looking forward to reading this so it’s a shame to say I didn’t gel with the book. It started out ok, setting the scene with Jasmine and Mal’s meet cute of sorts and the grumpy vs sunshine trope and though there were a few cute moments I struggled with it. The book seemed to lack any substance, only giving surface attention to the different elements like the pet shop, their relationship and the town, leaving all elements feeling underdeveloped. The dialogue felt unnatural, there were sexist jokes, a random sort of stutter given to Jasmine’s character whenever the situation was awkward or surprising that I found grating and I wasn’t feeling the chemistry between these two at all. Though since the writing didn’t flow well, and the dialogue less so, that didn’t help to build any connection between these two. I’m sure this book will be a great fit for other readers but it wasn’t right for me.

I received a free copy of this book. All views are my own.

“Orc with a soft side just for her.”
I have been a long-time reader of Alicia Montgomery, and when I saw this new release, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this story. Alicia has a vivid way with words that puts the reader into the story. Horn in My Side was the perfect summer cozy romance (that’s what I’m calling it) to fall into. The entire town of Dewberry Falls felt like a magical place with unique residents of varying magical abilities living together.

Jasmine is keeping the local pet shop running after the passing of its owner, Virg. Mal, Virg’s nephew, comes to town to settle Virg's affairs. He didn’t plan on staying or Jasmine being Jasmine. What I loved most about Jasmine, was her growth in this story. As we read, Mal helps her to really blossom, trusting herself and her intuition in caring for the animals. I felt like Jasmine was adrift, not feeling like she truly belonged in the beginning. By the end, she finds her place, and it is swoon-worthy and heart-melting.

Mal the Orc arrives in Dewberry Falls intent on getting in and getting out. I LOVED his grumpy exterior that dissolved whenever Jasmine was near. He is the perfect grump with a soft squishy center for those he loves. Reading how he fell for Jasmine had me grinning and squealing in spots, kicking my feet with excitement.

There are so many moments throughout that move the flow and pace of the story well. They each build to culminate in an ending that will melt your heart. The steamy scenes here are H O T and you will need a fan. It’s a delicious slow burn that you want to snuggle under a blanket with some hot chocolate and indulge.

Alicia’s ability to create a unique world always leaves me coming back to read more of her stories. I haven’t read a cozy orc romance like this one, and I truly hope we see more of Dewberry Falls in the future.

This story was a five-star read for me, as I read it in a day, related to the emotions of the characters, and felt like all the plot lines were followed through to a wonderful ending. This story had humor beautifully splashed in between serious moments that I feel readers can relate to. If you are looking for your next magical read, I hope you will pick up Horn in my Side.

I was given an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I've been on a real romantasy kick lately, and this one was the perfect mix of comfort, romance, and the fantastical.

I loved the dual narrative, and I thought it was a really nice way to showcase both Jasmine's anxious optimism and Mal's shy aloofness. Both characters had a really strong presence throughout the story, and their relationship added to the cosy atmosphere of the whole read.

Sometimes with a cosy fantasy it's difficult to maintain the complexity you'd usually find in a fantasy setting, but this book did a really good job of integrating magic into each stage of the plot. I did find things moved slightly too quick for me in places, particularly towards the end of the book, and I would have loved to have seen extra detail here. I hope the author will write other books in this world, so I can explore it more in the future!

Books with similar vibes - The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst, The Honey Witch by Sydney J Shields, and The Baby Dragon Café by Aamana Qureshi.

I really liked this book. It was fun and cute. It is a first book and I can’t wait to see how the stories expand and grow. Jasmine is a strong woman with a good head on her shoulders. She grows and learns all through the story. Mal is grumpy and determined to do what he had planned.
I love how they grow together and actually listen to each other. I would have liked a little more magic, I mean it is a magical pet shop and an Orc.
The book flowed well and it was fun to read. I can’t wait for the next one!

Thank you to Netgalley and Headline for the ARC.

This was a cute and fun story, I enjoyed the premise of a magical pet store.
I have to say it wasn't quite as grumpy x sunshine as I would have wanted. It did feel a little lacking in some aspects of the dialogue and building the romance between the FMC and MMC.
However, it was sweet and low stakes - just fell a little flat for me.

Grumpy x Sunshine, small town, monster romance? Yes please! I just knew that I would enjoy this one, and it definitely did not disappoint!

This was such a cute and easy read, I just breezed through reading it. I loved the idea of a small town magical pet shop, and Jasmine, our sunshine FMC was perfect character to run it. She was so loveable and down to earth! Mal, our grumpy MMC is the new owner of the pet shop, and the dynamic between the two of them felt very natural. I would say that it was pretty much an insta lust kind of chemistry, but it really worked, and I very much enjoyed Mals POV chapters.

Although I did really enjoy the book, there was one section where I really cringed for our FMC, and to be honest, the book probably could have done without it. (She really didn’t have to go to the scene of the fire, felt very much like a teenager wanting to go to their boyfriend’s workplace just to watch them.)

However I really did enjoy the book, and the story definitely flourished during the second half. (Who knew Mal had such a filthy mouth) 😏 I love all things magical creatures too, so that was a huge bonus for me!

•Monster Romance
•Small Town
•Insta Lust
•Forced Proximity
•Grumpy x Sunshine
•Cute Magical Creatures
•Cosy Paranormal Romance
•Open Door Spice

There seem to be so many possibilities to this world. I can't wait to see more from it. Mal and Jasmine's antagonistic relationship is entertaining, though I did want to slap Mal once or twice. I really enjoyed Mal grow closer to the town as he and Jasmine grew closer. The pets in the pet shop were amazing!

I enjoyed this one but I really didn't love it. While it had plenty of redeeming features I felt that it just dragged on slightly.

“For orcs, home isn't a place. We believe we have two homes: our homeland where our people sprang from and our heart-home—ashak'roca—which we carry with us wherever we are.”

jasmine and mal's first meeting? top tier ✨️

this book has dual povs which i love and appreciate. i haven't fully delved into monster romances yet, so i wanted to give this one a try.

the couple have a “lust at first sight” thing going on, and that is totally okay. mal is tall and hot, and jasmine wonders if he's green all over—which, honestly, same!

however, there were things i didn't like. the pacing of the book was slow and dragged in a few places, particularly in the first half, and many conversations felt like fillers.
there's the school assembly scene where jasmine and mal’s thoughts while facing a room full of children felt… unethical? two adults had no control whatsoever over their desires and i'm? is this a species thing?? 🤨

i wanted to cringe when jasmine wanted to see mal during a dramatic scene. i suppose the moment was supposed to be romantic, but having watched too many first responder shows, i just couldn't buy it.

those negatives aside, the second half of the book was much more interesting and fun.
the fact that mal and jasmine both claimed they’d stay professional but failed anyway? we love predictable plots. there's also clawed or clawdia which was such a cute little addition to add to the story. this character was so sweet and even went so far as to give jasmine their favourite things when she was feeling down 😭

mal finding his place in the town was unexpected but welcomed. i lowkey thought we'd have some work calls and then it'll be all jasmine and the pet shop—not the case actually! instead, he gets involved with the community and has his own thing going on, just like jasmine.

i'm very curious about the world the author created, so it's a shame we didn't explore it more. overall, a good time and i'm happy i received this arc from netgalley.

—3.25

This was pretty cute! I did kind of expect more of a grumpy x sunshine effort from the blurb and the title and instead Mal is basically just socially awkward....defo wouldn't say grumpy by any means. That being said, and tropes aside, I did quite enjoy this!

It was a super easy read and I liked the two MCs together they had a nice dynamic and chemistry, pretty low stakes cosy fantasy romance and it delivered on that front :) I do wish there was more of other characters though? As she obviously had friends but they made almost no appearances aside of one scenario to create jealous tension - like I get it she likes animals but she could have OTHER interactions??

Will certainly read more of the authors work in future though. Thanks so much for the ARC

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC!

If you're looking for a fun and light-hearted paranormal romance, this should be on your TBR list.

Our two main characters are Jasmine and Mal. Jasmine is a Filipino-American whose dad moved her to the US when she was young, and she's since ended up working at a magical animal pet shop in a small town that features a mixed community of all races. Jasmine is human, but Mal is an orc who has come to sort out his now deceased uncle's assets that he's inherited. He wants to sell the shop, but agrees to give Jasmine six months to come up with the funds, and an orc never breaks his promise.

This is very low stakes, and it mainly focuses on characterisation. We get to learn about Jasmine and her dad, alongside her concerns and wants. We also learn about Mal and his love of building and architecture. I would have liked to delve deeper into the paranormal aspect of this, as it's the current world, but with added magical creatures. Of course, that's not the story's aim, so it's fine that it doesn't delve into that. Maybe in the future we'll see that?

The romance was pretty sweet, but it has its spicy moments that those looking for a little more will enjoy. The characters are pretty good at communicating with each other and act like adults instead of being childish like some books might have. Overall, I enjoyed this and would definitely read more from this author in the future!