A Legionnaire’s Guide to Love and Peace by Emily Skrutskie is a fantasy romance that follows two battle partners, Kat and Emory, on a friends-to-lovers journey. In a transitional time between war and peace, the soldiers navigate a future they never expected to live to see. They also begin to learn their place and purpose within the new, peaceful world forming around them. 

When I first heard about this book, I was immediately intrigued by the idea of a Dungeons and Dragons-inspired fantasy romance. I unexpectedly have grown to be a huge Bards of New York fan over the last two years, and it prompted a lot of research on my part into the D&D game world. I recently watched an outstanding interview with Deborah Ann Woll and John Bernthal where she briefly explains to him how the game is played. When John asks her if the goal of D&D is to win, she responds and says, “The goal is to tell a great story.” When I finished A Legionnaire’s Guide to Love and Peace, I felt like Emily Skrutskie truly achieved that objective when she took her inspiration from the game table and turned it into a novel.

Skrutskie writes such a tender account of the camaraderie and familial bond that forms between her characters while at war. We see all sorts of relationships play out in this story; however, the display of love and loyalty in the friendships is so comforting. The main characters have depth to their backstories, and the supporting characters are complementary and endearing.

The romantic storyline between Kat and Emory elicits a feeling that is very difficult to put into words. They have such a perfect blend of warmth, wit, and strength, and it is easy to root for them throughout the entire book. There is also a quiet yearning between them that I find to be very patient and sweet.  In addition to their pairing, there is LGBTQIA+ representation within the story, and the world is presented as one of inclusivity when it comes to love.

For a heartening novel, there are some weighty themes Emily Skrutskie addresses in her writing. Personal choice and obligation to country and family is discussed extensively. There is also substantial focus on class disparity. One’s social standing in Telrus hinges upon whether a person possesses magical tokens, how many they have, and how much wealth they come from. As a single-token magic wielder from a modest upbringing, Kat finds herself caught between the life of a common citizen and the life of a magical elite. As she drifts between fighting alongside the infantry and also helping the royal prince, we see the inequalities, problems, and choices that the people of Telrus face because of this divide. 

I highly recommend A Legionnaire’s Guide to Love and Peace for anyone looking to read a feel-good book with a side of suspense. I think you will be pleasantly surprised by how much depth and emotion is packed into this stand-alone fantasy romance. 

Thank you to NetGalley, Del Rey, and Emily Skrutskie for allowing me to read this copy in advance.

Thank you to Emily Skrutskie, Del Rey, and NetGalley for giving me an eARC of A Legionnaire's Guide to Love and Peace!

This novel follows the aftermath of a one-night stand between battle partners, Katrien and Emory, after surviving a war they both were not expecting to live from.

Tackling a fantasy world at the end of a long battle as a standalone is an enormous feat, especially when you add a layer of romance to it. I believe there is an incredible power in understanding one's strengths, which is why Skrutskie's ability to build a complex world in one book is nothing to sneeze about. But it does come with the price of the romance falling a bit into a subplot rather than the focal point of the novel.

I really enjoyed the plot, I found it interesting to explore the fallout of a war. After reading so many epic sagas, it was highly entertaining to read about what comes after the end credits. I think the author handled this premise very well, though at times I wished there would have been a glossary of terms or anything for us to use as reference- as terms would get confusing, as you're essentially being dropped in the middle of the chaos.

The romance felt a little lackluster, I was always waiting for more to happen. I did enjoy the tension between the characters, but just wished we had more scenes with them! I think with the plot being as involved as it was, the romance did feel at times like an afterthought.

Overall, regardless of my incessant need for more romance, the book was very enjoyable! It was a fun ride, with emotional scenes, an amazing array of diverse characters, and two hopeless idiots who deserve all the happiness of the world!

Rating: 3.75

very cute cozy romantasy that was generally very well written. the plotlines were cool and i loved the characters. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

Thank you to Emily Skrutskie, Del Rey, and NetGalley for giving me an eARC of A Legionnaire's Guide to Love and Peace.

I loved this book. Normally, in fantasy books, you follow the conflict and the war itself. But this book looks and what happens after? These characters thought they were going to die in the war, and now they are alive and have no idea what that means for them. They spent so long living day-to-day that the what's next question and future thinking did not exist. I loved watching the relationship grow between Katrien and Emory. They started off as battle partners and were dependent on each other to survive. On the night before they thought that they were going to die, they did something that was not allowed and hooked up, expecting that they would both be dead by the end of the next night. Now they are not dead, and the possibility of a future is presented. I enjoyed watching the development of Katrien and, through her perspective, Emory as well. You can see how the two have to grapple with a reality that they never thought was possible and figure out what they truly want for themselves moving forward.

This is a book where both the character development and the plot were done in synch perfectly. As readers, we got to see the aftermath of this war and through that, what the world is like. The worldbuilding was done throughout the plot in a way that makes sense. From chapter one, we are thrown into a conflict that we know little about, and as the story goes on, we learn more and more. I think that this is a great introduction book to fantasy romance because while there is a romance plot-line, there is also a fantasy-driven plot-line that we follow as well. Some issues need to be solved before the happily-ever-after can truly start, and that makes this a perfect candidate for those who are unsure. They can get a feel for what a fantasy romance is while still having key elements of an epic fantasy that they might enjoy.

Del Rey/Random House provided an early galley for review.

I am always willing to dive into fantasy novels, but this one also hints at a strong amount of romance as well (part of the new romantasy trend, perhaps?).

I liked where the author starts this tale, giving us some of the personal drama right out of the gate. Skrutskie then throws us right into battle with a painstakingly accurate portrayal of combat on the front lines. While this is not something that overly appeals to me as a reader or writer, I can appreciate her accuracy and skill in conveying that to the audience.

The challenge, for me, was caring about the conflict. We barely met a few of the members of the military squad only to be thrown into the center of the conflict with some Demon Lord and his hordes. I didn't feel a lot of stakes in it. It took the arrival of the prince for me eventually find a character to latch on to (and that was only because of his personality, not any of qualities). I just found that I didn't really care what happened to these characters or their world; I wasn't invested.

For the right audience, I suspect this one will click.

This was such a cute and cozy book, with equal parts action and romance. Overall a solid fantasy book with great world building, a unique magic system and very likeable (and unlikeable) characters. I would absolutely recommend this book and I will be buying it when it gets released.

I loved each of the character pairings, but especially the the friends-to-lovers slow burn between the main character and the male love interest. Each of the side characters were worthy of a full book, specifically the characters in the Third Century's first decade. The found family that they created was really wholesome with funny banter. It was insightful to see a the story taking place after a war (even though it wasn't technically over), seeing how each of the characters went about figuring out what their calling was after fighting in a brutal war for years and suddenly being presented with being released earlier than expected, notably Emory.

The magic system was interesting, as well as the main characters background and relationship to her magic, and how her character grows as she learns how to wield it. The terminology was a bit confusing at first but it was more explained as the story progressed. I was also bit confused as to what exactly the plot was at first and there was a lot of war terminology that I didn't understand, I had to look it up to fully grasp what was being said.

Thank you to netgalley and the author for providing me with an earc in exchange for an honest review. this book comes out June 24.

I enjoyed it. The romance was cute and really love the lot and characters. Kat is smart and Emory is sweet. I think the only reason why I couldn't really give it 5 stars is because I was confused a little with some scenes on the plot. Other then that, it was a great stand alone romantasy

Kat is just an ordinary legionnaire, not one of the nobles with extraordinary access to magical tokens who finally manage to defeat the Demon Lord after sacrificing countless legionnaires on the battle field. But in the aftermath of war, Kat has to navigate the attention of the prince who suspects the war isn't quite over and the romance she began with her battle partner Emory, when they both assumed they would die in battle.

I loved how this book took a common fantasy story line and told it from the perspective of one of the soldiers, rather than one of the stereotypical heroes. I also loved the mythology and magic system of the book.

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

A Legionnaire’s Guide to Love and Peace is what I would call cozy fantasy/adventure with moments of tension. Our MCs have a one night stand, thinking that this is their last night on earth so what the hell, except it turns out they survive and now the war is over….and that’s where our story starts.

I enjoyed a story that focused on infantry—heroes, but not THE hero of the story, ya know? The author did a great job giving us the viewpoint of regular soldiers following orders of people who sometimes treat them like pawns on a chess board. The relationship between our two MCs was wonderful and felt truly caring and based on their connection, not just a physical bond.

My gripe would be that the pacing sagged a bit in the middle—not that I need action all of the time but there are a lot of scenes that started to feel “samey” because the scenes just didn’t move the chains quite enough. But this was still enjoyable, and I think fans of cozy fantasy will really enjoy the story!

Thank you to the publisher & NetGalley for access to this earc.

I’m unfortunately going to dnf this one at 56%, but I do think I’ll come back to this in the future at some point (& will update the review). I feel like this was marketed as a cozy romantasy and I feel like it’s more of a low fantasy romance which I know isn’t super different BUT I’m such a mood reader and this is just not what I’m in the mood for and it’s making me slumpy… plus I feel like it’s about to become a love triangle and that’s going to piss me off lmao.

However the writing is great and the storyline and plot is interesting so I want to give this book a fair chance :)

Kat, sabiendo que probablemente no sobrevivirá, se permite un momento de vulnerabilidad con su compañero de batalla, Emory. Esta elección, más emocional que racional, marcará el tono de toda la historia: el conflicto constante entre el deber y el deseo, entre el sacrificio y la esperanza.

A lo largo de la novela, seguimos a Kat en la brutalidad del campo de batalla, enfrentándose a horrores sin pausa, pero también lidiando con su relación con Emory, que pone en peligro la disciplina de la unidad. Cuando la batalla se vuelve más caótica y los demonios los superan, Kat debe decidir si proteger su corazón o la línea que mantiene unido al ejército.





Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the arc of this book. All
Opinions are my own.

This was good! I enjoyed it. I read a lot of romance, but I always love new to me authors and this was one. I enjoyed the writing style and think this was super good! Definitely intrigued to read more.

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