3.5 stars

I love a fake dating story! Plus monster human romance 😍 this was a fun short read with good spice 🥵

I did feel like overall the plot fell short. I don’t mind a miscommunication trope but the third act break up + miscommunication was dragged on a bit longer than needed. I did like the way everything was resolved though.

For being 10 years out of high school they sure do think about things that happened in high school a lot more than I think is normal 😅 it also sounds like the Elderberry Falls is small so I find it hard to believe Mariah and Thorak haven’t had any interaction prior to him going to the Inn.

Aside from those things it was a fun quick read - I see this is a series I will check the others ones out!

Thank you NetGalley, Tantor Audio, author Cora Crane and narrators Jack Calihan and Rose Dioro.

Honestly, this for me was a good audiobook listen while I was working, didn't require much brainpower to follow the story line and gave some entertainment, as well as several sexy scenes that made me pause and listen for a moment.

Was the story line without fault, no. Was the story terrible, also no. Would I go back and physically read it, probably not. But as an audiobook for entertainment I felt it did it's job.

The HS bullying I felt was an odd choice and could have been done differently, but wasn't wholly offputting.

The human monster dynamic is one I always enjoy and I think stayed well in the normal tracks.

What I did really enjoy from the book was the commentary on speciesism and how this town is a safe haven for all. But I do feel like that felt a little disjointed when part of the plot was how humans are treated poorly. Had a lot of potential, but needed perhaps a little more buffing to get it right.

If you loved Legends and Lattes but were missing a more romantic aspect and some spice then this book is going to be for you!

Mariah is the innkeeper at the Moonflower Inn which she inherited from her Aunt. Thorak is the owner of Orc's Anvil a local brewery. Both characters know each other from high school where Thorak was Mariah's bully, singling her out because she was the only human in a school for magical beings. It wasn't spite that caused Thorak to bully Mariah, it was the fear of becoming a social pariah because Throak was actually enamored with Mariah. After years of not seeing each other Thorak ends up visiting Moonflower Inn to speak to a potential business investor staying there. Both Mariah and Thorak find themselves in sticky situations leading them to come together and put on a fake engagement to help one another achieve their goals. Through spending time together per their agreement Mariah finds herself falling in love with Thorak ( Who was already therte and always had been) . Together these two face prejudice, work through past traumas and choose love above all things.

This book was a great read from start to finish! There were some swoon worthy moments, I laughed out loud, and may have shed a few happy tears. I loved the world building and the banter between characters. This book started off as a cozy fantasy but became a sappy and slightly steamy romance! It does sound like the next book in this series is going to be about Mariah's best friend Ecco and although I am super interested to see how that goes, I hope that i get to see a little more from these characters because I don't think their story is done yet!
I recieved an ARC of The Orc and the Innkeeper, in exchange for my honest review. This book is now available on Amazon and Kindle Unlimited!

I strongly think the cover was made with AI, after searching through the author's account looking for the cover artist and I couldn't find it. I don't want to support any AI usage.

This was a huge miss. I thought it would be the cute and cozy sweeping tale. But in reality it was a bully romance with okay smut scenes. I hate enemies to lovers romances, or even worse bully romances. Bully romances to a point do work when trying to make us hate the guy. (It succeeds.) But that wouldn't be super hard because he such a jack ass. The relationship is half-baked at best. The FMC can't even properly take care of her Inn. So double failure. Just wish more time was spent making this book better.

This cozy fantasy romance has a lot of charm and some delightful banter, but it didn't quite sweep me off my feet. The setup is promising—an overworked innkeeper facing magical chaos and an orc brewmaster with a reputation problem teaming up in a fake engagement? That's classic rom-com gold with a fantasy twist.
Rose Dioro gives the innkeeper a spunky, endearing voice, and Jack Calihan brings a nice gruffness to Thorak that fits his broody, reluctant-hero vibe. Their narration works well together, and there's definite chemistry in the audio performance.
Where the story falters slightly is in its pacing and development. The emotional tension between the leads sometimes gets overshadowed by repetitive inner monologues and predictable misunderstandings. The conflict surrounding prejudice between species is touched on but not thoroughly explored satisfactorily. And while the pest infestation is a fun and quirky problem, it often feels more like a plot device than a real threat.
Still, there's plenty to enjoy—humour, heartfelt moments, and the unique spin of fantasy tavern life. It just doesn't quite dig deep enough into the romance or the world-building to leave a lasting impression. If you're looking for a light, low-stakes escape with orcs, ale, and a sprinkle of magical chaos, this might still be worth a listen.

I went in hoping for a cozy monster romance, but The Orc and the Innkeeper just didn’t land for me. The concept was solid small town vibes, fake engagement, orc brewmaster with a broody past. But the execution? Rough.

Let’s start with the audio. I usually enjoy audiobooks, but Jack Calihan’s narration was a major mismatch for this one. He has that older tone that might work for grandpas or fantasy wizards, but absolutely not for steamy romance scenes. It pulled me out of the moment every time, and not in a good way. The female narrator was fine, but she couldn’t save it.

As for the story itself, I could’ve overlooked the slow pacing and underbaked romance if the characters had won me over, but no dice. Mariah came off selfish and frustrating by the end, making emotionally reckless choices and still accepting $20k like it was nothing. Thorak had potential, but the whole “I bullied you in high school because I secretly liked you” angle felt lazy and outdated. That’s not romance. That’s therapy bait.

Also, if I had to hear the word “cozy” one more time, I was going to throw my phone. Repetition kills vibe. Show me the cozy, don’t just tell me about it every five pages.

The last straw was the miscommunication trope, which is already my least favorite. When done poorly, it just makes the characters look immature, and this one was no exception.

I can see this working for readers who want very low conflict and aren’t picky about depth or narration. But for me, it was a swing and a miss. Not sure I’d continue the series, but I’m open to trying the author again in print format, minus this narrator.

Special thanks to @NetGalley and @TantorAudio for the audio copy in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

4.25 Stars

This was cute! I thoroughly enjoyed the short cozy fantasy by Cora Crane. This was a perfect palette cleanser between some of my longer and darker fantasy reads.

Read this is you love:
- Low stakes cozy fantasy books
- Fake Dating
- Groveling MMCs
- Shrek vibes
- Bully Romance

Thank you to Tantor Audio, Core Crane, and NetGalley for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars

The Orc and the Innkeeper is a cozy fake dating fantasy romance. Mariah is a human innkeeper down on her luck and Thorak, an orc, is her old high school bully. They run into each other again when Thorak is trying to secure a business deal for his brewery with a guest at the inn. The human man Thorak is trying to convince to sell his Orc made ale wants reassurance that Thorak’s company has humans involved with the process. Thorak has to quickly make up a lie that his fiance is a human who he discusses business with. Mariah overhears this and thinks Thorak and her can work together to help both their businesses. Mariah will be fake engaged to Thorak if Thorak agrees to pay an enormous cleaning bill for the inn that she can’t afford at the moment. They agree and, while having to act like they are in love, learn more about each other and start to heal wounds from their past.

The book is set in the fictional town of Elderberry Falls. Elderberry Falls was one of my favorite aspects of the novel. The world is so cozy and feels very similar to something like Legends and Lattes. This world full of all creatures has coffee shops, cute inns, and breweries. There is even a pet pig named Snuffles. It was so easy to picture this world, and I can see myself picking the rest of the series up when I need a cozy escape.

I really enjoyed Mariah and Thorak’s relationship. They were very honest with each other about the past. Their characters felt realistic to the world they grew up in. Them being separate species was another hurdle they had to deal with in their relationship, mostly from others. A lot of characters had opinions on whether they should be together as different species. I appreciated that it wasn’t a problem for the main characters and they worked hard on getting other characters to see that as well.

I listened to the audiobook of The Orc and the Innkeeper, and I really enjoyed it. We had two narrators which I loved. They both were great and sounded perfect as Mariah and Thorak. I would recommend the audiobook, and it’s a quick audiobook! This is such an easy read when you are looking for a comforting and quick listen.

This was cute.

Was a very passable and short moster romance. I enjoyed their romance and the way that things developed. For the first book in the series it was very good foundational start.

I think it suffered from being a little more simplistic, but it overall was good time.

The narrators did a really good job, and I recognized them from other projects that I've enjoyed, so I knew I was in good times.

Thank you to Tantor Audio, Cora Crane and Netgally for an audiocopy.

Book:
⭐⭐⭐½
Audio:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Characters:
⭐⭐⭐

tropes:
- fake dating
- fmc's high school bully
- misunderstanding/miscommunication


first off, i just want to say, the audiobook? AMAZING. i loved the two readers, their voices felt natural yet enjoyable to listen to. if you're looking to read this book, i would highly recommend doing it via audiobook!

that being said, this book is a solid 3.5/5 stars for me. it was fun, but i really could've done without the 3rd act break-up/misunderstanding trope - but that's just a personal preference.
the characters weren't exactly standout for me, but i didn't hate them either.
if you're just looking for a quick read as a pick-me-up between series, something overall lighthearted, i would definitely recommend this. while i don't think i'll be continuing on with the rest of the books in the "elderberry falls" interconnected standalones, i definitely still enjoyed my time listening to this one.

thank you netgalley for the audiobook arc!

Cora Crane's The Orc and the Innkeeper is a richly imagined fantasy that blends grit, heart, and unexpected tenderness in a world where enemies are not always what they seem. With evocative prose and a steady hand on pacing, Crane invites readers into a tale of unlikely alliances, personal redemption, and the quiet bravery found in everyday choices.

The novel centers on a hardened orc warrior and a weary but resilient innkeeper whose lives intersect under extraordinary circumstances. What begins as a tense, cautious relationship slowly unfolds into something more profound, challenging both characters' assumptions about the world—and about each other. Crane’s character development shines, offering readers a nuanced portrayal of strength, vulnerability, and the healing power of companionship. The fantasy setting is vivid yet grounded, with just enough world-building to enrich the narrative without overwhelming it.

Whether you're a fan of romantic fantasy, character-driven storytelling, or tales that explore the softer sides of monstrous beings, The Orc and the Innkeeper delivers a satisfying and heartfelt experience. It’s a quiet but powerful story that lingers long after the final page.

If you're interested in romantasy or monster romance and don’t know where to start THIS is a great book to begin with!
This book reads like a cozy hallmark romance- human innkeeper makes a deal with the orc brewer to save his brewery. The fantasy elements are not too much and there isn’t a massive world you need to understand.
Considering I am NOT a big fan of bully romances I was okay with this one. It resolved itself quickly and the fake dating made up for it.

RECOMMENDED FOR:
Readers wanting to try romantasty/monster romance
Fans of CM Nascosta’s Morning Glory Milking Farm. Similar setting and vibes.

AUDIOBOOK:
Great duel narration and point of views changing every few chapters. Narrators Jack Calihan and Rose Dioro. Their voices were exactly what I’d pick for the characters! They really brought them to life.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for providing this advanced audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This was one of my first monster romance book and I really enjoyed it. I liked the cozy vibes and the low stakes nature of the story. The world wasn’t going to end and we weren’t information dumped a bunch of lore that we’ll need to hoard away for later. With that said the world was so cool I wanted to know more of it.

I liked that this audiobook was dual narrated. I felt the narrator’s voices were a good fit for the characters and the pacing was good. No complaints there.

Loved this story. Can’t wait to read more of the series.

Thank you to Netgalley, Cora Crane, and Tantor Audio for the ALC of the audiobook!

"Being a human in a magical town is never boring, that's for sure. Sometimes I get treated like a sideshow attraction by my date... But there are upsides: Monsters and magical beings are built differently from huma men. Usually, in good ways. Very good ways."

Well, I did not expect to fall into the hole of monster/magical being romances (I asked for this), but I reaaaally enjoyed this. (Of course I did.) It may be that Jack Calihan's Thorak has the voice of an absolute god and Rose Dioro made me imagine myself as a dainty, beautiful angel but we may never know the true answer for this.

If you need a deliciously, delightful and lighthearted palette cleanser, this book is for you.

"In my dreams, there's a chance this fake engagement can bloom into something real between us. That Mariah may be able to forgive me for how I treated her, and see the orc I've grown into. The one that wants nothing more than to worship her."
(I mean, come on... so yummy)

This was a fun and spicy romantic fantasy novel.

I love that the main characters come together as a response to prejudice and discover their own misunderstanding of each other. Thorak is such a softie and watching their relationship grow was aw inducing.

The ending was great and I can't wait to read the next book in the Elderberry Falls series; when it has been written and published.

Jack Calihan and Rose Dioro did a great job narrating this story. The alternating narrators made it easy to decipher whose point of view you were hearing.

A big thank you to Tantor Audio, Netgalley, and Cora Crane for giving me this audio ARC in return for my honest review!

If you're looking for a short and sweet monster romance, this might be the book for you! When Mariah finds her inn infested by magical pests, she isn't sure where she'll come up with the money to keep her business afloat. At the same time, her high school bully Thorak finds himself facing a business deal that could mean big things for his brewery. The only problem is that the human man he's doing business with is uncomfortable dealing with orcs. How does he solve this problem? Lie about a human fiancee, of course. Mariah overhears their exchange and comes up with a solution that will help them both. He covers the cost of repairs and she pretends to be his fiancee to help see the deal go through.

This book is dual POV and the male and female narrators really did a great job. They were both easy to listen to and put the right amount of emotion into the characters.

Pros:
* This book is very easy to listen to, follow along, and understand what's happening
* There's a big theme with discrimination and I think it's really interesting that the author shows it from both sides. Humans who do not like magical creatures and magical creatures that do not like humans. There's a lot of growth in this area, especially for some of the side characters.
* If you're new to monster romance this might be a good one since the “creative anatomy” is less creative than other books 😅

Cons:
* I'm not a big fan of bully romance and while there isn't really any on-page bullying between MCs, I have a hard time with “I know you caused me untold emotional trauma but now I love you”
* I felt like the emotional development, especially for the MMC could have been better. He's kind of just like “I've been in love with her for years” and there's really nowhere to go from there.
* The MMC claims he bullied the FMC because he was in love with her and he didn't want other people to bully her. I mean, I know high schoolers are young and dumb but that seems like a stretch to me.

Overall this book was cute, short, and sweet with some cozy vibes. I feel like it could have been better but it wasn't bad. I rated it 3 stars.

There are about three explicitly spicy scenes in this book which means I would rate it about 2 in terms of spice.

While it wasn't my favorite book, I think it could be a good read for others! If you read my review and didn't get turned off by anything, I would recommend you give it a listen.

The Orc and the Innkeeper was a cozy, easily digestible fantasy romance that hit the spot when I wanted something light and low-stakes. The story doesn’t have a ton of frills, but that worked in its favor—it’s straightforward, charming, and sweet in its simplicity.

I listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed the dual narration. The male narrator had a nice, gravelly voice that suited the orc character perfectly and added depth to the listening experience. The chemistry between the characters felt warm and natural, and the pacing made it easy to sink into the story without feeling rushed or overwhelmed.

If you're in the mood for a soft fantasy with a touch of romance and comfort, this is a great pick.

Thank you to Cora Crane, Tantor Audio, and NetGalley for the ARC!

This book was such a pleasant surprise! I don’t usually reach for cozy reads - or monster romance, for that matter - but The Orc and the Innkeeper completely charmed me from start to finish. It’s a sweet, low-stakes enemies-to-lovers story - though really, he’s already completely into her from the beginning, which makes his gruff-yet-devoted personality so endearing.

The cozy inn setting, the gentle humour, and their growing connection gave me all the comforting vibes I didn’t know I needed… and then there’s just the right amount of spice mixed in. Nothing overly explicit, but definitely enough that I found myself glancing around to make sure no one else could hear what I was listening to! That perfect balance of cozy and steamy worked really well for me, and I think I’ve just discovered a whole new niche genre I enjoy.

The audiobook was excellent. The dual narration brought the story to life, with both narrators perfectly matching their characters and adding real warmth and personality. The pacing and tone fit the story beautifully, and I was genuinely sad when it was over.

I enjoyed this so much that I’ll definitely be picking up a physical copy for my shelves. If you’re curious about monster romance or looking for something light, charming, and just a little bit spicy, I can’t recommend this enough.

I hate to do it but I really did not enjoy this book. I was drawn in by the cover of the book since it reminded me of another series that I do enjoy but it did not live up to that at all. It had very little heart or magic to it at all. There was no world building or character development and the spicy scenes were almost painful to read. I really wanted to enjoy this book and hate leaving a negative review but it was really unenjoyable.

I received early access to an audio book copy of this book through NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.