Heat Index: 5/10

—battle buddies to lovers

—"if it's our last night on Earth, we might as well..." except....

—man who likes to get manhandled

—babysitting the Chosen One

The Basics:

On the night before the battle that's supposed to end it all, Kat and her best friend and battle partner Emory throw caution to the wind and give in to their long-simmering attraction. After all, it's not like they'll have to confront what it all means after tomorrow, right? Except the long-lost heir to Telrus, Prince Adrien, shows up and defeats the Demon Lord at the last minute. Now he wants Kat's aid as he prepares to rule, and Emory... just wants Kat. But what does it all mean? Both in terms of the Demon Lord possibly being still out there, and, like? Her relationship with Emory? BIG QUESTIONS.

The Review:

In the author's note, Skrutskie talks about being inspired by all the guys on the battlefield who really thought they were going to die before Frodo swanned in. And yes, you absolutely get that here. This is a send-up to classic high fantasy, a little on the cozier end, a lot on the funnier side, yet still with both physical and emotional stakes. The threat to the realm may not be the true point of Kat's conflict, but it's still, like, an existential threat.

Is this a romance? There's a love story and there's an HEA, but I do feel that this leans a little more on the "romantic fantasy" side. I'd have no problem with recommending it to the right romance fan, but I don't know that the love story is QUITE as principal as the title, tagline, and synopsis would indicate. And that's not necessarily a bad thing—I just want to note it. Kat's personal journey is about as much about finding her place in realm's destiny as it is about figuring her love story.

But... nonetheless, shock of all shocks, the love story remained my favorite part of the book. I'm hard to sell on friends to lovers, but I ADORE a "ruin the friendship" moment. We meet Kat and Emory right after they've ruined the friendship (by banging it out on their commanding officer's cot) but BOY is the tension heavy. He's clearly besotted; she's clearly confused (albeit quite physically satisfied, go Emory). It's the perfect kind of push and pull, and I found it quite adorable.

Because this is so solidly Kat's POV and Kat's story, Emory doesn't have quite the degree of development she does. Yet, he's far from a hollow love interest. There's a great thread of exploring the career soldier we don't often talk about in these fantasy stories. And despite that, Emory is so sweet, so overwhelmed by Kat, so endearingly... in love. Also, he likes being manhandled, and I like that he likes being manhandled.

I wouldn't call it quite a love triangle, but the other person sort of... offering alternatives? Not quite romantic ones but destiny ones? To Kat is Adrien, the very Chosen One prince guy who defeated (or did he?) the Demon Lord. Possibly the funniest character in a funny book, Adrien knows he's not all that inspiring to the people, but he's been hidden away all his life to save the world and he's going to do it, goddammit. And also provide, like, infrastructure and stuff.

This novel is truly about what happens after the final battle, and why saving the realm goes beyond just defeating the Big Evil. A huge part of the conflict between Kat and Emory is that he never really imagined a future outside the army—in part because he assumed he wouldn't make it that long, really. What happens now that they have whole lives ahead of them? Options outside of fighting side by side until they can't fight anymore?

For all that this all sounds very serious, and it is thought-provoking... This is also truly funny (it has one of the better "hide his boner" scenes I've read in a while) and wonderfully queer-normative. When Adrien considers his potential consorts, he considers men and women; Kat and Emory, too, are casually queer. I think everyone is? It's great.

The Sex:

There isn't much sex on the page here—there's one full-ish sex scene, I'd say. Everything else is made up of brief flashbacks, allusions, and tension. But boy, is that tension hot. And what we do get is so well-written, conveying both passion and pent-up, well, love. There's also a rather fun term for magical birth control here (used by both Kat and Emory, yay).

The Conclusion:

I'd recommend this to those who like a bit of coziness in their fantasy, a lot of fun, and a somewhat milder but very real and very heartfelt romance arc. Freya Marske fans, look no further! I think this would be right up your alley. And a lot of other alleys, too. It's a lovely book.

Thanks to Del Rey and NetGalley for providing me with a copy fo this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this story

I really enjoy this fantasy world! I love the idea of a world finally knowing peace and seeing how the characters interact with this concept.

Emory has always wanted to be a solider while Kat got drafted in. Even so they both deal with the same anxieties about what their lives can be.

Their relationship was so strong and developed. I always love a book that throws us right into the story and we as readers get to figure the lore as we go. The whole decade had relationships with each other prior to what we know as a reader so going through the book you were always learning something new. Just like Emory and Kat, the reader has no clue about their feelings and seeing them finally realizing what they want.

Overall the story was lovely and I thought the characters were just so developed it felt like I could have had a whole series of them.

Thank you so much to Del Rey for sending me an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

Man, I've been on a cozy reads kick recently, and this book is no different. If you're a fan of Legends and Lattes, you're going to love this. Katrien and Emory are battle partners. She's the spear and he's the shield in a shield wall that fights against the demons of hell in a war that's been going on for a long time. So when the final battle comes, they think they're going to die. After all, they're just cogs in the Machine, nothing special, right? so what's the harm if they break regulation and spend their last night alive breaking all the furniture in their commanding officer's tent with....activities?

But at the last minute, a long lost prince and his super-powerful friends fly in to save the day and kill the Demon Lord--and Kat and Emory have to face the emotional consequences of their actions. And yet somehow, Kat also ends up in the prince's inner circle, because the battle isn't quite won yet.

I adored this book. The characters, the world,, the writing style. I had such a good time, laughed out loud, and fell in love with Kat and Emory. This felt like a standalone, but if Emily Skrutskie writes about any other characters in this world, I'm in.

"In this charming fantasy with a swoony friends-to-lovers romance, two soldiers must choose the futures they want in the wake of a last-chance hookup on the night before the world was supposed to end.

On the eve of the battle that will decide the realm of Telrus's fate, Katrien takes a hard look at her prospects. A mere legionnaire, she and her spear will be at the fore in the morning, facing off against the Demon Lord and his wretched army, and it's all but certain she'll perish in the fight. But if the end of the world is mere hours away, there's no reason not to hook up with her handsome, dedicated battle partner, Emory - despite any antifraternization policies their centurion may have in place.

Only the world doesn't end the next day. Instead, an insufferable prince raised in hiding comes out of nowhere with a plucky band of heroes, defeats the Demon Lord, and seals the rift to the hellish plane. The realm is saved. The war is over. And Kat suddenly has a lot more future than she knows what to do with. It's a future that could include Emory...if only he weren't so set on staying enlisted in the very army Kat was unwillingly drafted into.

And while the Demon Lord has been destroyed, peace is still a long march away. When Kat inadvertently catches the eye of the prince, she, Emory, and the rest of their motley unit are pulled to the fore of the formation - and the heart of the danger - as the army embarks on one last campaign. The mission: laying a road as a foundation for the prince's future rule. The real mission: scouring the last of the Demon Lord's servants from the material plane.

As Kat and Emory work to secure a lasting peace, they'll have to decide what they want their futures to look like - and if there's room for love at the end of the road."

Apocalypse hookups are so awkward when someone saves the day...

I did not expect to like this book as much as I did. The premise is simple: the army is going up against the Demon Lord for the final showdown that will certainly lead to their death, so two battle partners decide to sleep together the night before. Might as well if they are going to die in the morning... except when a "legendary hero" swoops in and saves everyone at the last possible moment. Huh. Now what?

The novel starts where most usually stop. Usually, we follow the big hero on their journey and lead up to the big battle, but Skrutskie turns the tables and takes us to the normally side characters and shines a light on them instead (pun intended, for those who read). We are in a world where tokens give a person access to the angels who then share their gifts or powers with that individual. Each token has a specific gift, and since these are made of gold, only the most elite and wealthy usually has tokens. The more tokens, the more powerful/privileged. The legendary hero, Prince Adrian, has 100 tokens.

Our main character Kat, a blacksmith's daughter, has one token gifted from her mother... that is completely empty of power. After the main battle, Kat is enlisted by Prince Adrian to help find the generals of the Demon Lord that escaped before they arrive back at the capital for his crowning. During this journey, she starts learning about her token and how to harness the gift while in this liaison position with her battalion and royalty... and while trying to figure out if that one night with battle partner Emory means more than either of them are willing to admit.

Overall, I enjoyed the story. The character were well written and developed in a believable fashion. The best for me was how seamlessly the LGBTQ was integrated in the story. This may get me some backlash, but some entertainment you can just tell the artist is checking off a list or shoving these relationships in the viewers face, but Skrutskie's writing made it so natural - these characters felt real and very human. I loved the interactions with Kat's whole troop who are a very tight unit, even with Kat & Emory keeping their fling/relationship/thing as secret as possible. I do love how tastefully the spice was kept as part of the story, not the main focus for pages on end. It made sense in those moments which is refreshing to see.

There were parts where I would have loved more information, such as Kat's training with her token. This was glossed over to focus more on the overall plot, but would have enhanced the story. Even a little more of the development with the relationship with Adrian would have been nice.

Honestly, I've already recommended this to other readers of this genre. Is it the greatest thing since sliced bread? No, but it is highly enjoyable. I might even need a physical copy for my library one day.

This book was slow-paced fun, with a diverse cast of characters who shone even apart from Kat and Emory, the main leads. I like it when authors choose to let us readers dive head-first into the world and figure things out along the way—it makes the story all the more rewarding when everything comes together.

There were definitely military action scenes that lost me, and just enough violence and political tension that I would hesitate to say this is outright a cozy romantic fantasy—but the warm camaraderie between Kat and her team, the undeniable chemistry between her and Emory, and especially the dedication to their pineapple and strawberry mead helped Legionnaire's teeter over the line.

I also loved the idea of focusing on the foot soldiers instead of the main heroes, because in this case, they were (as intended, probably) irritating, though the prince still had some redeeming traits. Thank you for the ARC!

Before I begin, I would like to thank Emily Skrutskie for allowing me to read a NetGalley copy of her upcoming book, A Legionnaire’s Guide to Love and Peace, which will be available on June 24th, 2025.

The night before legionnaire Katrien and her centurion fight the Demon Lord and his army, she sleeps with her handsome battle partner Emory, knowing that despite the anti-fraternization policy that their chances of survival are close to impossible. However, the world isn’t destroyed the next day. It’s saved by a snobby prince that’s been hiding all this time, his group of heroes, and the war’s over. The prince makes them endure one last campaign that on the surface establishes the road for the prince’s future reign. The actual objective is to defeat the remaining Lesser Lords from the material plane. As Kat and Emory work together to complete the campaign, they must decide what they want their futures to be, and whether or not love has a place in it all.

This was a great book. You have Kat, a strong, hardworking, clever, kind, and honest young woman that was drafted into the military and craves freedom. You have Emory, a thoughtful, loyal, dedicated, and handsome young man that signed up for the military and is protective of Katrien. The dynamics between Kat and Emory were charged, honest, thoughtful, and sweet. I liked the camaraderie they had with the other soldiers and how they looked out for each other. I appreciated how the author handled the differences in how people of different social and economic classes responded to the war. It was also interesting seeing the differences in the way that they thought about the foundations of magic in this world. The prince and his allies were proud and ignorant, and reflected how many leaders in our world continue making decisions but never suffer the consequences others with less wealth and influence do in the front lines. The characters’ struggles were relatable and I rooted for them as they found the paths that suited them best. Overall, if you like great worldbuilding, found family dynamics, complex characters, propaganda vs reality, and friends-to-lovers romance with spice, then I recommend this book.

I’ve always been fascinated by books that struggle with what happens after a Great War or adventure. This one did it masterfully and I felt brought together themes of love, questioning power, and empathy really well

The description of this book positions romance as a central focus of the story. However, it feels more like a minor thread. There isn’t a primary romance plot that involves feelings or intimacy. There are allusions to romance, but for the most part it has to be hidden.

Then, there’s a point where he separates himself from the FMC completely.

To me, this is a fantasy. There is a lot of world building to wrap your head around. It isn’t too foreign, but I find that stories focusing on war thrust you in and require more to get you caught up to speed.

It is also quite gory.

To be honest, I have no real idea what the main character looks like other than “big” — even that doesn’t have sufficient context. Is she curvy, is she athletic, is she just very tall with wide shoulders?

Ultimately, I had a hard time staying interested because there was so little romance, and for the primary plot, I felt that there weren’t major issues that warranted the continued shifts in focus. Of course I saw the conflicts, but to me each event didn’t warrant such serious reactions, i.e. isolating the FMC from her friends, or to completely overwrite any real opportunities for the romantic subplot to further develop. I also found all of the rich folk, particularly the prince incredibly annoying. The social politics of this world weren’t for me.

I don’t think this should be marketed as a romance. It is a great fantasy though! And a great war story, for folks interested in turmoil. I think the emphasis should lie more in friendship. That was the primary type of relationship I felt had real development throughout the first half of the book.

3.5 / 5 Stars
This is a very solid fantasy with a dash of romance. The synopsis in layperson terms: Katrien (Kat) and her fellow soldiers have been fighting the Demon Lord and his demon zombies for a long time. When they are on the eve of the ultimate battle, Kat and her battle partner, Emory, decide to break the anti-fraternization policy (and literally also break a cot) but they’re going to die the next day so YOLO. Except that they don’t die the next day and instead the Demon Lord is vanquished by a very magically powerful but emotionally unintelligent prince (can’t be book and street smart as a royal, it turns out). Now Kat and Emory have to navigate their feelings for each other while trying to navigate life after war.

There were a lot of things I really liked about this book. I found Prince Adrien, the least self-aware man alive, to be very funny. I really like Kat and Emory’s relationship. It is a slow burn so sometimes I was living off of crumbs like them looking at each other from a distance but I was fully invested nonetheless. I loved the LGBTQ+ representation in the book (we love that most folks were pansexual with no explanation needed – that’s just the world we live in). I really like Kat as our main character and liked reading about her family history and her connection to magic (there’s also magic and it makes sense).

I have been on a kick of reading really enticing and hard to put down fantasies and I found myself feeling okay putting this book down mostly because of the war aspect. Maybe others found it obvious but I would have benefited from a glossary of military and magic terms because I found myself a bit lost in the beginning which made it hard to visualize certain chapters. Also because they fight in formation and advance inches at a time, the beginning battles didn't feel dynamic and therefore, didn’t draw me in. And then when we moved to peace times, I just wasn’t as interested in continuing to read about the military dynamic in any capacity. The book got me back in the last 20% which is why I bumped the rating from 3 to 3.5 stars.

Thank you to Random House Publishing - Del Rey and NetGalley for providing this eARC! All opinions are my own.

This book was far more character-driven and emotional than plot-focused. I expected more romance and a clearer storyline, but instead got a read that leans heavily on feelings over action. The plot isn’t very strong, but if you enjoy a vibey read it’s a nice experience.

I feel like this is how more romantasy should be done, with an actual plot as well as the romance aspects of the novel. A sweet, fun read that still included stakes for everyone involved.

I’m trying to parse my feelings on this book. First, I was asked to read this by the publisher through NetGalley. From the email it was billed as a cozy fantasy about two people finding love after a war. That is…. Not what this book is.

It is mostly fantasy war between a kingdom and a demon realm. There’s a lot of talk of angels, demons, godly powers, etc. but no real talk of religious practices. The angels and demons were more for finding out how the powers worked and world building. The war itself is NOT over in the book, and it is spent almost entirely in the ranks of the army.

The army themselves are the only redeeming characters in this book. The prince, his friends, the authoritarian leaders were SO UNBEARABLE. I think this was supposed to be a comedic relief of some sort, but I found myself rooting for the prince’s assassination halfway through. Which sucks because that’s a plot point the main characters are actively trying to stop. This means at some point I was willing the villains to win, or at least someone to take out the nobles so I’d get to stop reading about them.

The book wasn’t bad. I found parts of it really enjoyable, the relationships were touching, and the found family was good. I just was not prepared for what it actually was.

What an absolute gem of a book!

Dropping right into the action, we get to follow a foot soldier after the big battle has been waged and what that means going forward.

The romance is swoon worthy! The found family is top tier. The world building was interesting and never overwhelming. An absolute joy from start to finish.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

I rated A Legionnaire's Guide to Love and Peace 4.5 stars and rounded up to 5 stars.

This story focuses on Kat, a drafted warrior, at the end of the war. She and her battle buddy give in to temptation the night before their deaths, but they somehow live through the final push and defeat the Demon Lord. What happens now that freedom is on the line?

I really enjoyed the magic system with angels, demons, and coins. The coins are remenants from when angels were a part of the realm and help protect people from demons. People need to hone and practice with the coins for them to work. The wealthy also hoard the coins so if lower class people have a coin, most people think it was stolen. The only way to be an officer in the war is to have a coin. I really like how Skrutskie showed the class inequality through the magic system.

The characters were well-written and believable. I could see being deployed with the decade and partaking in their antics. The love story and mystery woven throughout is great and keeps you reading until the end.

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

What an adventure this book is! I love the perspective of it being from the average foot soldier. I find Kat just as relatable as she is strong and capable! I really enjoyed following a main character that wasn’t the Destined One or anything of the sort. Kat’s ordinary life and goals as a drafted soldier brings in a fresh and gritty scope of the usual fantasy layout. I also enjoyed that even though this is a romantic fantasy, the romance isn’t overpowering the entire story. This book has a pinch of “oh no I’m in over my head”, a fun romp of a love story, and just enjoy heart wrenching moments to make you really question how it’ll all end up! Thank you to Del Ray team and NetGalley for inviting me to review this book. I definitely recommend picking it up and giving it a read!

A Legionnaire's Guide to Love and Peace was an interesting mix of action and romance. I think the author did a good job of incorporating and balancing the fantasy elements. There were times when the pacing of the story lagged but then became too fast. I liked the characters as well.

Thank you to Negalley and the publisher for letting me read an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
This was a solid good story that sadly just wasn't totally for me. This will be amazing for a lot of readers and i recommend picking it up as it was good writing with an interesting plot. It takes a look at life as a soldier after the chosen one has won, and what happens then. Cool premise but just had trouble connecting.

Oh. My. Stars.

This novel took me by surprise in more ways than one. For starters, this was the first ARC I didn't personally request, which honestly blew my mind when I received the email from the publisher. Second, this story and its narrative were so well-written that I experienced one hell of a roller-coaster of emotions.

I laughed. I cried. I swooned. And I've never felt hungrier while reading a book before.

Katrien is a spearbearer who was forcefully drafted into service as a legionnaire. Emory is her shieldbearer, who voluntarily enlisted into service when he came of age.

Together with their century, they spent the past three years marching across the whole of Telrus to defend the realm against a demonic army straight out of the Mouth of Hell itself.

On the eve of the final battle, with their survival not assured, Kat and Emory go against duty and break the rules by spending an intimate night alone together as more than just battle partners.

However, when the world doesn't end, Kat and Emory find themselves entangled in royal politics and intrigue.

As they work to ensure lasting peace, all while trying to navigate their partnership after their night of tryst, Kat and Emory must decide what they want their futures to look like - and if there is any room for each other in it.

I LOVED every bit of this novel from start to finish! It has a little bit of everything: from romance to comedy, political intrigue, war tactics, violence, the supernatural, novelty magic, and a touch of spice.

Skrutskie does a fantastic job of weaving a beautiful narrative that is not only gripping but also emotionally wrenching. I was able to experience a lifetime in just 300 pages.

The characters are the absolute best part of the entire story—every. single. one. I loved all the side characters as much as the MCs. Two in particular, Sawyer and Carrick, stole the show for me.

I also have to take a moment to mention how well the military aspect of the novel was written.

I know next to nothing about war tactics, especially Roman legions (which is what I was reminded of while reading). Still, the author somehow made me vicariously experience the physical struggles and emotional turmoil of going to war, as well as what it is like to survive and return home once it is over.

This is officially one of my favorite reads of the year! It’s perfect for readers who like D&D, romantacies, enemies/friends-to-lovers, demons & magic, military tactics, steamy hookups, and cozy reads.

Thank you to NetGalley, Emily Skrutskie, and Del Rey Books for sending me a digital advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

I've followed Emily Skrutskie's career ever since the wonderful Bonds of Brass. And while sometimes her work can be hit or miss for me - I didn't care how that series ended, with the couple spending most of that final book physically apart; but I loved The Salvation Gambit. I think she's a phenomenal writer who doesn't get the attention she deserves. She's one of those talented SFF writers who flies under the radar but has proven time and time again she'll be an auto-buy author for me.

In "A Legionnaire's Guide to Love and Peace," Skrutskie leaves sci-fi adventure behind for cozy romantic fantasy featuring a bi4bi m/f pairing (I need more of those in fantasy please!) in a queernormative world. Just loved how she showed each love interest was bi without ever saying it explicitly or showing it by throwing another distracting love interest into the mix. I've had enough of bi love interests in love triangles or who cheat on an established relationship. The focus was always on Kat and Emory, and their lovely, slow burn friends to lovers swoony love story.

The author takes on her usual tactic of twisting tropes in unexpected ways in this effort as well. This story takes the little explored concept of what happens when the Lord of the Rings style battle is done and soldiers find themselves with nothing else to fight. At times I really wished I had a military glossary because I know nothing about Roman military organization and there weren't many context clues to understand the terminology.

I enjoyed the hapless prince who at first seems like a pompous embarassment and then grows as a leader as he leads this battle-weary contingent of soldiers to the path of building a road and protecting him from Lesser Lords after the main Demon Lord was finished.

Many parts of this book made me smile, swoon and laugh out loud. It had a unique, irreverent tone that I appreciated.

I liked how there was still tension in Kat and Emory's romance without the only tension being sex constantly interrupted, which is often the case with friends-to-lovers. I appreciated that Emory had enlisted instead of drafting and was trying to figure out his calling instead of soldiering, which also provided nice moments of tension and interest.

That said this was a very cozy fantasy that was really more vibes than plot. The stakes were medium high but it was more like a buddy camping adventure. At times it definitely felt inspired by a D&D campaign.

Overall though this felt like a warm hug of a story. I loved Emory and Kat together and especially their cute bucket list of things to accomplish if they ever survived the war. They were just so cute together. I'm glad the slow burn wasn't an excruciating one. I also liked the conceit of them having a one night stand at the beginning of the book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.