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.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

This book is easily one of my favorites of the year! We’re dropped in the middle of a huge battle and quickly made to get our bearings. I’ll admit I was confused about the difference between a century, decade, etc. but that didn’t dampen my experience. I fell in love with Kat and Emory quickly and just needed them to catch up! I wish we had more from Emory, but it felt like Kat’s story arc made up for it. She started as a strong main character and only got better from there.

I loved the world building we get (although I could have had way more) and the world/magic is so unique. To me, this is a nice middle between cozy and fantasy. The stakes aren’t the highest, but I was still concerned about how things would shake out as they went, especially with the wonderful side characters/found family! I would love more books about literally any of the other decade members.

What a ride that was! This book explores the love and friendships forged between soldiers and the choices they face when they can finally lay down their weapons for good. The friends-to-lovers romance is cute and heartwarming as is the deep friendship that the soldiers share. The story is a very character driven slow burn that focuses on the evolving relationships and choices the soldiers have to make from love to what to do with the rest of their lives when the war is over. There are exciting battles and fighting too, but they aren't the main focus, rather this book is very much about exploring all the relationships and struggles faced by the soldiers. I can see this appealing to both romantasy and cozy fantasy readers.

I really appreciated the focus on the soldiers in this book and how the big heroes waltzing in to kill the demon lord effects them. It made for a nice change of pace to follow the infantrymen on the frontlines rather than the big shiny heroes. I was a little nervous when I saw the book was about the trope of killing the demon lord and his generals, but the focus on the soldiers and the end of the war was a refreshing take on that plot. The friendship between the soldiers also added a comforting layer to the story that worked well alongside the romance and brought cozy vibes to the book.

This was really cute!!
I love the friends to lovers trope. I think this one did it really well because both characters were trying to give themselves for the other person, before they were even completely sure what the other one felt.
The plot was a bit slow but it let us focus on the relationships, so it just depends what you’re looking for.
I will definitely try other books by this author!

There were some explicit scenes,

I enjoyed this book. Parts of the story did seem to drag a little, but the premise was good enough to keep me going. There wasn’t really an introduction to the story, it just dove right in. But then everything was explained later, which made the pacing feel off. The universe dynamics were pretty great, but a more thorough explanation on the military structure may have been helpful. Overall, I would recommend this to someone looking for a cozy story with some romantic and fantasy elements.

Short Summary:

🩶 A soldier and her battle partner have a one-night stand before they’re set to die in battle. But when circumstances change and they’re all saved, the future for the two of them is more uncertain than ever.

Best Parts:

🛡️ Character Building
🛡️ Universe Dynamics

Worst Parts:

🛡️ Pacing
🛡️ Weird Military Rules

This was my first read from this author but it definitely won’t be the last! Equal parts action and adventure and charming romance made for a fun read and had me devouring this in just one day! I really enjoyed not just Kat and Emory but all the side characters as well! Each contributed to this story as it progressed and that was wonderful!

Thank you for the opportunity to read early!

— 3.5 ✷


My experience reading this book was such a dichotomy.

I would be so invested in the story that it’s hard for me to put it down, but once I did, it took everything in me to pick it back up. But once I pushed through and forced myself to continue, I’d breeze through another 20% in one sitting. And thus the cycle went on.

I think it was a part of me that knew I could really really like this book if all the cards were played right. Like I was standing at the edge of a cliff and I was looking down at what could become one of my top 10 reads of the year. It was a sort of a funny, happy fear. The star rating spoils the result, but it was a book where I was particularly having difficulties in deciding how I felt about it.

Simply put, even though it didn’t end up being a favourite, I definitely liked it.


It was a unique plot where it begins with the end of a war, a war that the Chosen One ended, but the story is about the soldiers at the frontlines. It explores about what lies at the end of the road, after the war, after their purpose has been fulfilled, while grappling with romance with your longterm work partner. If this was the purpose, I think the execution was lacking. It was a bit too short to fully ground the starkness and unsureness of their situation. It’s not that I didn’t think both those objectives weren’t explored or fulfilled, I was just left wanting more (in a bad way) after closing the book.

It’s been awhile since I’ve picked up a romance that isn’t a reread but I really loved Emory and Kat’s story. There’s something really steady and comfortable in the way they interact with each other. The banter was charming and the sexual tension and chemistry was definitely palpable. I’ve always loved a love where you could also be best friends and this was exactly that.

I don’t like cozy fantasies so it always feel like a disservice whenever I describe a book I liked as cozy but this was cozy. Not in a boring way. This one had actual plot, stakes and great dynamics. It’s a book that happened to be cozy; it didn’t feel like it was projected, plotted and written to just be cozy. There’s a difference.

I didn’t necessarily have trouble with the pacing or immersing myself in the story. It flowed really well and the fact that I was subconsciously binging it whenever I picked it back up speaks volumes about the writing, I think. I’d be interested in reading another one of the author’s books where the plot devices worked out better. There was some parts that were obvious. There were also some small twists where, when you reached them, you realize the small foreshadowings you missed before, it was fun.


P.S. I would’ve loved a glossary for the military terms. I was forever confused and unsure about the centuries, decades and legions. I think I understood it correctly, but a confirmation would be nice.



Thank you to Del Rey, Emily Skrutskie and Netgalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A fun read that I devoured in a single day! I love its cozy, heartwarming feels while set against the backdrop of war and military life. Kat is a compelling protagonist, and her relationship with Emory is so sweet. If you love cozy romantasy, you should definitely check this one out!

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

A Legionnaire’s Guide to love and peace was a cozy quick read. This fantasy novel does a good balance between character development and world building in my opinion.

The hardest past of this book was me trying to figure out how to spell legionnaire’s.

I would recommend this book to those that understand finding a balance in life can be challenging, like a bit of romance, and love characters who take charge of their story.

Thanks NetGalley and publishers for this preview.