DNF at 46%

I am a sucker for the trope of "What happens after we defeat the bad guy?" in fantasy; that, combined with the promise of a forbidden romance between a solider duo, had me clicking Request so hard on this book. Yet again, however, I have been sucked into a book that I find just mid by fantastic marketing.

Skrutskie has definitely created something unique here, but the worldbuilding does not get enough space to grow. There are so many threads that we can focus in on and instead of delving into any of them deeply, we just get everything on a surface level. The romance is being told to me and not shown and whatever interesting character types we have are obscured by a focus on what is a rather uninteresting plot. While I gave it my best try, I ultimately found myself actively not wanting to read this book and that was the final death knell.

Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review!

This is really cute. It's fun, it's cozy. It kind of reads like a DnD campaign and I loved every bit. I just don't think it'll stick with me.

I wasn’t sure what to make of this book when I first started, and I love when books surprise me. A Legionnaire’s Guide to Love and Peace, while not without its rough edges, is a very cozy fantasy novel about life at the tail-end of a war and figuring out to do when you’ve survived against the odds. Emily Skrutskie writes with humour, depth, and compassion. I received an eARC from NetGalley.

Kat is a spear-bearer in the Third Century of the kingdom of Telrus. She fights alongside her shield-bearer and lover, Emory, as well as eight other members of her decade. Together, their army has waged a war to repel the invasion of demons from Hell. The book starts with the final battle of this war, and then most of the book concerns the aftermath, as the Third Century embarks on a road-building campaign.

Skrutskie’s characterization is deft and deep, with even many of the side characters taking on distinctive personalities. The camaraderie within Kat’s unit truly comes alive as a result. I loved hearing about each character’s hopes and dreams now that the war is over, from Kat and Emory’s list of culinary experiences to other characters’ hopes of settling down and starting a life or a business. Indeed, though I just opined in my review of The Incandescent that if a book has romance I want it to be sapphic, Kat and Emory’s romance is a great demonstration of how a good writer will make me make an exception. They are totes adorbs.

I’m also a sucker for stories set after the final battle and defeat of the Big Bad—this was the premise that initially drew me to the book. I love how Skrutskie lays out all the challenges that come during the aftermath. There are the bigger, political questions—but there are also so many personal ones, such as, “Do I stay in the army or do I take release?” When it turns out Kat and Emory might have slightly different aspirations, this creates an entirely understandable conflict. Suddenly, the bonds forged during battle and the impending threat of death might not last into peace.

Finally, throughout it all, this is Kat’s story of self-actualization in a world that grants privilege to those who can channel “angelic power.” I love how Skrutskie provides frustratingly little exposition into the angels, heaven, hell, demons, etc. They just are, and this is just the way the world is, and Aurean gold is just a thing. Deal with it! In less capable hands, such actions would have me complaining a heck of a lot. Yet Skrutskie makes me believe. She shows how this world works without giving me a ton of backstory, and it keeps the novel light and charming.

I hesitate to label A Legionnaire’s Guide to Love and Peace as “cozy” fantasy. There is a lot of conflict, a lot of fighting, and some death. Yet if it is not cozy, then it is definitely cozy-adjacent. This book delivers exactly what the title promises, and I think fantasy fans who like some romance and some humour and a glossy, stylized approach to high fantasy dipped in sword-and-sorcery will enjoy this a great deal.

3.75 rounded up

This was a fun little romance focused on two foot soldiers who have been fighting as a pair in the demon wars. I loved that this story chose to focus on regular people instead of the heroes (although the heroes do appear as side characters). I actually wish I'd gotten more time with the other solders in their unit - some of them seemed really endearing and I was a bit sad that we didn't double down on prioritizing the regular people stories over the Prince and his group of friends. But overall, I enjoyed this and found the grittiness of focusing on common soldiers to be a great change from many of the other fantasy stories on the market!

Spoilers for the ending...
My biggest drawback was that I didn't feel like the ending gave the main couple much agency in committing to their relationship. The male lead decides to step out of the way when Kat receives a marriage proposal, and I was a bit disappointed that he didn't fight to be with her more (although I understood his reasoning). On the flip side, even though it seemed like Kat might turn down the proposal, the decision is ultimately out of her hands because the Prince rescinds it first. Between these two events, it just left me feeling like the couple ended up together through outside influences rather than either intentionally choosing the other. It was still a sweet ending, but I wish they'd had more agency there.

Thank you to NetGalley and Del Ray for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

They were supposed to die heroes. Instead, they lived—and now they have to figure out what comes next.

Katrien never expected to survive the final battle. With the Demon Lord poised to destroy the realm, her plan was simple: fight hard, maybe die gloriously, and spend the night before in the arms of Emory—her maddeningly honorable, heartbreakingly handsome battle partner.

But the end of the world doesn’t happen.

Instead, a surprise band of heroes (complete with a hidden prince) saves the day, peace is on the horizon… and Kat is suddenly stuck figuring out her next move. And whether that unforgettable night with Emory was a one-time fluke—or the beginning of something real.

Thrown into the royal spotlight and a new mission to secure lasting peace, Kat and Emory must navigate fresh dangers, political intrigue, and their own uncertain futures. Because saving the world was only the beginning—now it’s time to decide what they’re fighting for.

Full of heart, heat, and hilarious banter, this fantasy debut is perfect for fans of found family, fierce heroines, and friends-to-lovers slow burns with an aftertaste of happily-ever-after.

Cute, but not my cup of tea. I was expecting more romance, but there’s just bits and pieces. This books reads like an epic fantasy, which isn’t bad but not what I expected. The descriptions of the battles are very long and detailed. I found reading this a chore. Adrien is a funny, Kat is strong, and Emory is precious- but marketing them as a himbo seemed off. I couldn’t bring myself to finish it. I hope this finds its audience!
THANK YOU Del Rey for the advanced egalley!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I will start off by saying that I don't think this book qualifies as a cozy romantasy as it didn't have enough cozy elements for me to feel that. Having said that, the stakes are low and the villains are not that scary.

I love how this book focuses on the "ignored" infantry, the first line of defence between the evil-doers and the typical fantasy hero(s). I liked how each relationship was crafted and the lightness soldiers saw their role. A lot of them drafted, they were there against their will but they still saw it best to make the most out of their experience. The friendships, teasing and camraderie were definitely capture in every interaction and made this feel like a "found family" book.

Another aspect I really respect and hope to see more of is an accurate description of female warriors. They're not the cliche skinny but badass fighters. They've battled enough that they've earned their muscles and shoulder strength, and they might even be taller than some of the guys. Yet, they're still adorable and look incredible in a dress. Because feminity is not narrow and actually encompasses any female presenting body type, so we should appreciate each of them equally. I feel like in romantasy, we're told these girls are incredibly strong and capable, but they're described in ways that don't match their abilities, whereby muscles would be expected.

Ok, now let's dive into what I disliked! I thought this book would be comparable to THIS WILL BE FUN, which was a very campy version of this. Similarly, we get a very funny prince and aristocratic camp, but that's where the humour sort of ends. The remainder of the book felt like it was taking itself too seriously, and I wish it had leaned into humor a lot more because then I wouldn't expect as much from the narrative.

As stated previously, the stakes are not high. Each Demon Lord is dispatched too quickly and easily for the reader to feel the dangers of these creatures. There is very little in the way of tension in the plot as a result. The worldbuilding is also not too developed because the main focus is the characters. This would have been fine if the prose was embedded with a lot more humor, but it felt too serious for this book.

Regarding the romance, I really enjoyed the small gestures and the sacrifices they made for each other. They see each other in ways others don't and they're so in-sync it's hard not to imagine how that works out of the battlefield. But the third-act conflict sort of felt unbelievable to me, I just didn't believe for a second that our FMC would take the prince up on his proposal and neither did I believe Emory, our MMC, would let go of her so easily. It felt a little forced and sort of broke the magic build up until then, but the ending was rewarding enough that I can overlook this.

The plot reveal at the end was easily guessable and I hated that a specific character never got to be held accountable as they're simply eliminated from the narrative. That would have made it all more worthwhile since the betrayal and guessing who it was that betrayed the prince within four suspects was truly the highlight of the plot, since the "threats" of the Demon Lords didn't feel that dangerous.

Finally, the pacing felt a little off for me. Whilst I enjoyed my reading experience overall, there were a lot of moments where nothing was happening and it only picks up at around the 75% mark which is quite late all things considered. The middle definitely dragged and I don't think that's what the author was going for.

A Legionnaire’s Guide to Love and Peace is a refreshingly original romantasy that blends military grit, magical stakes, and romance in a way that feels both entertaining and emotionally grounded. It kicks off with a chaotic, hilarious premise—a one-night stand before an epic battle—and from there, unfolds into a story full of heart, humor, and slow-burn connection.

Set in a queer-normative and gender-equal world, this story follows two soldiers thrown together by war and drawn together by mutual respect, trust, and shared survival. Their relationship builds beautifully on a foundation of friendship, with emotional weight behind every decision, glance, and moment of tenderness.

The worldbuilding is rich and unique—featuring demons, magical angel-infused coins, and a looming threat of destruction. The romance never overshadows the stakes of war and politics but instead coexists with it, creating a believable dynamic where love isn’t the escape—it’s part of the fight.

The side characters shine just as brightly, adding humor, heart, and tension to the story in all the right places. There’s a great balance of comedy and drama throughout, making the tone feel dynamic without being jarring.

If you’re tired of cookie-cutter romantasy or want something that blends military fantasy with a genuinely heartfelt romance, this one’s well worth the read.

Cute and not explicit fantasy romance, The forces of darkness were about to take over the world and a couple soldiers thinking it’s their last night alive get together. Then the day is saved and they have the long march back to the capital to figure out what’s next for them. Stands alone and fun read.

tfw you hook up with your battle partner who you totally aren't in love with because you're both going to die in battle the next day. except you survive and the war ends and oops, now you have to talk about your feelings ✌️

a legionnaire's guide to love and peace is a lighthearted fantasy romance set in the aftermath of the final battle. a team of heroes led by the realm's prince swoop in to save the day, and soldier kat is suddenly left to reckon with the future she didn't expect to have-and how her impulsive hookup with emory, the man who has been her battle partner for the last three years, may have changed things.

i know booksta loves an enemies-to-lovers romance, but my personal weakness is partners-to-lovers. call it the mulder and scully influence if you must. give me two idiots who would take bullets for each other, who know each other better than anyone else, who expect to die side-by-side, who secretly yearn for each other but can't be together because they're idiots and/or fraternization is forbidden. it's about the DEVOTION 👌 kat and emory didn't quillite live up to my expectations in that sense, although i still quite enjoyed their shield/spear dynamic. there's also a not-at-all subtle but still interesting theme of generational wealth and privilege woven into the story, although i think that could have been developed better (kat's realization near the end was abrupt).

while i found the first half much stronger than the second, overall this was an enjoyable fantasy romp that reminded me a little of ella enchanted in tone. and shoutout to the author for writing a tall, muscular woman who loved her body and didn't have to make herself smaller to find love!

I tried to read this multiple times but I was never able to get into it. I felt dropped into a story midway and I never got my balance. I really wanted to love it

I loved this book! Just the idea of the book alone was enough to interest me from the start. I love how the connections build throughout and how Katrien really comes into her own. The magic system was very interesting to explore and seeing how it was passed on definitely interested me. It's the little acts of service that had me kicking my feet during this book though, I won't say exactly what those are so everyone gets a chance to enjoy them. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the opportunity to read this Arc.

Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Well that was truly delightful. I have to admit I delayed starting this book due to the cover and the title- they led me to expect a little more world war/revolutionary war vibe which isn’t my thing. But this one is solidly fantasy battles and medieval-esque battle tactics which I absolutely can get behind. Somehow this book managed to have great action moments and yet also feel generally very cozy. It was a really enjoyable read with great characters who feel well developed, and a solid plot to bolster the associated character development. And the magic structure was a fun one too that didn’t feel too trite or overdone which can be rare.

A Legionnaire’s Guide to Love and Peace turns the basic premise of the romantasy novel on its head and that’s just the start!

The romantasy genre has been around long enough that I think most readers are familiar with the basic concept: the world is threatened by an evil dark lord, the hero must assemble all their magical prowess to save the world all while finding true love at the same time. Intersperse however many steamy love scenes are needed based on who is writing the story. It’s a by-now familiar premise, familiar enough that I was surprised to encounter a story that managed to turn the entire concept onto its head.

Imagine, if you will, a story that focuses, not on the hero and his circle of friends, but instead on the front line soldiers who’ve been battling the evil for years. It’s the eve of the last battle, no one is expected to survive the coming day, so two soldiers do what only seems natural and have a wild night of lovemaking before their inevitable deaths. Except, instead of dying to the forces of evil….surprise! The heroes of Good come swooping in, destroy the dark lord and the day is saved! The day is saved…and now the lovers have to suddenly talk about that thing they never thought they’d live to talk about.

Romantic fantasy awkwardness ensues.

In a nutshell, this is the basic plot of A Legionnaire’s Guide to Love and Peace by Emily Skrutskie. It is a highly entertaining read. After reading numerous stories focusing on “a lost royal” or the stereotypical golden hero, it was refreshing to see a story that takes the opposite approach. Legionnaire’s Guide follows Katrien and Emory, two front line soldiers who suddenly find themselves dealing with relationship questions they never thought they’d live to talk about. Throw in the complication of finding themselves suddenly following a (handsome) magic-imbued prince across the kingdom who is also something of an idiot, and you have quite the romantic complication at work.

This novel also goes to places few books of this genre do. If you think about it, most fantasy novels end with the dark lord being defeated and maybe a brief flash forward to show the surviving heroes planning the future before the story ends and the results are left to the reader’s imagination. Instead, this story starts with the dark lord’s defeat and we get to see a little of what rebuilding after the war against evil is over would actually look like.

It’s something you rarely think about but: what would it look like if the heroes of Good suddenly have to face life after their mission is over and that focus is no longer there? Not just for the heroes, but the common soldiers? When you’ve been focused on a single mission for so long, how does one get back to normal life, is that even possible? These are all very real questions and the author handles them beautifully.

What really draws me into this story is how fleshed out and vibrant the world feels. The author takes the time to describe the little details, like the heat of a summer’s day, the stickiness of mud, which all adds up to a world that feels real albeit removed from our own because of the magic that inhabits it. As a visual person, I could also appreciate the heavy descriptions given to food and various tastes encountered throughout the story.

Speaking of magic, A Legionnaire’s Guide to Love and Peace has one of the more unique magic systems I’ve seen in a story like this. I’ve become so used to fantasy stories that focus on “the power of this god” or “the power of THAT god” that reading a story where magical abilities are derived from angelic power feels refreshing and new.

Katrien is really the perfect character to lead this story because, being a front-line soldier, she is free to say out loud what the reader is frequently thinking. A notable case in point that occurs several times is, after witnessing a fantastic display of magical power, instead of being impressed Katrien is left asking “where was this power when we were dying on the front lines?” It really makes you question some of the taken-for-granted tropes of fantasy novels and wonder if Katrien is right, if these powers had been distributed equally instead of being concentrated on “the chosen heroes,” would the war against evil have potentially been won that much sooner?

In conclusion, if you’ve been looking for a romantic fantasy novel that runs at a different pace, A Legionnaire’s Guide to Love and Peace is the book for you. The narrative draws you in from the start, and while the story concludes fairly neatly, I wouldn’t mind visiting the world of Katrien and Emory again.

A Legionnaire's Guide to Love and Peace by Emily Skrutskie was a quick and entertaining read that I finished in a few hours.
A well written story that kept me hooked from the very beginning.
The characters draw you in and keeps you flipping the pages.
The characters were all realistic and very well developed.
I really enjoyed the writing style. I found myself hooked, turning the pages.

Tall muscular woman! Shorter muscular man!
I love you (said with food)!
Let's channel angels!
LET'S BUILD A ROAD

It be cuuuuuute y'all!

I adore cozy fantasies. They usually have interesting worldbuilding (we have that here), silly characters (yes), a low stakes plot (yes), and an overall message of love and hope (heck yes again). Cozies are meant to be a hug! I definitely feel hugged and loved. But also slightly annoyed by 19 year old royalty. Adrian, you're a snot and I bet your necklace would look lame in real life.

I really liked our MC Kat, but the love interest Emory could've used a bit more development. He was a little flat, particularly compared to Mira (who would've 100% been my soldier crush) or the 19 year old snot prince. But I still give points for this being a friends-to-lovers romance, which is light-years better than enemies-to-lovers I WILL DIE ON THIS HILL, and extra points for it being bi4bi.

Why eat a sugary dessert when you can just read this?

I loved the story, especially the part that seems very loosely based on the Roman legions and their work (remember, they were the main road builders in ancient times!)
The story of Katrien (Kat) and Emory begins somewhat ominously, just the night before what would be the battle where few of the legionaries expected to survive.
And just as Kat stares death in the face, the miracle no one expected happens, and the war ends. Basically, the book is about a love that, for one reason or another, is impossible: the rules of the legion, the slim chances of surviving a war against the forces of hell, among others.
An enjoyable and easy-to-read book, with an original plot full of adventures that makes it the ideal light read for a boring afternoon.
I thank the author and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
The opinion I have expressed above is based solely on what I think and feel about this book.

Okay, so I wanted to love this—battle-hardened soldiers, end-of-the-world hookup, friends-to-lovers angst? Yes, please. But something about A Legionnaire’s Guide to Love and Peace just didn’t click for me. The vibes were there, the banter was trying, but the pacing felt uneven and I never fully bought into the romance (even though I wanted to!). Kat and Emory had potential, but their chemistry kind of got lost in the political/military plot that didn’t feel fully fleshed out. It’s one of those books that had all the ingredients, but the recipe just didn’t bake right for me. Not a total flop—there were a few lines that made me smirk and moments that landed—but I definitely closed the book more “meh” than moved.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore for the eARC.

This book was such a unique premise I was so excited to read it. I was not disappointed! It worked for me on all fronts. I loved the characters, I loved the plot, I loved the entire thing. :)

3.5 stars!
This has a very unique beginning! It’s starts out at would normally be the ending battle and overall end of a novel but then continues on to what happens after. Because of this rest of the book did feel like a second novel in a duology. This isn’t necessarily bad because it did make the world building quite easy to understand and all of the character relationships/dynamics were already solid, but it felt like there was a lot of filler and not a lot was happening. There was a lot of action in the beginning but once you’re closer to the halfway mark even with the demon lords waiting to strike, it got boring to me. I liked every interaction Kat and Emory had but once those were over I wasn’t as into what was happening next.
The main theme in this book is war but it felt super low stakes so if that peaks your interest I think you’ll really like this one!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an arc for my honest review!