This was an adorable quest of a cozy romantasy that I found out is based on a roleplay game I know nothing about. I’d love to know more about it if anyone wants to share in the comments!

You don’t need to know to enjoy this sweet story with a hot romance. It is perfectly spicy and open door.

As the daughter of an ambitious merchant, Guinevere’s path has been predetermined: marry into a noble house of the Dwendalian Empire, raise her family’s station, and live quietly as a lordling’s obedient wife. But Guinevere longs for a life unbounded by expectations, for freedom and passion and adventure.

Those distant dreams become a sudden reality when her caravan is beset by bandits, leaving her guards slain and Guinevere stranded alone on the dangerous Amber Road. Her only chance of survival is to travel alongside Oskar, the aloof half-orc who saved her during the attack.

Unlike Guinevere, Oskar’s path is not so set in stone. With his mother dead and his apprenticeship abandoned, all that’s left is a long, lonely walk to a land he’s never seen to find family he’s never met. The last thing he needs is a spoiled waif like Guinevere slowing him down—even if the spark between them sizzles with promise.

Despite his cold exterior, Oskar is brave and thoughtful and unlike anyone Guinevere has ever met. And while Guinevere may be sheltered, she brings out a softness in him that he has never dared to feel before. As the flames of their passion grow, they realize that soon they’ll need to choose between their expected destinations or their blossoming romance.

Written at the behest of Critical Role’s Jester Lavorre, Tusk Love brings the most romantic story on Exandrian bookshelves to life.
QOTD- if you know what this means- please leave a comment OR OR what is your CR?
Guinevere was simply one of the kindest cozy romantasy characters ever written, and Oskar’s complete devotion to keeping her safe, both physically and emotionally, made me feel quite a bit of tusk love myself.

Read 𝙏𝙪𝙨𝙠 𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚 by Thea Guanzon. Out Now! Thank you @rhworlds & Thea for the opportunity to read the @netgalley ARC in exchange for my review. #books #tusklove #book #reading

Story time.

My mind has been in chaos these past few months, and I haven't been able to fully immerse myself in the books I've read. My current reads piled up, and I haven't been able to finish any of them.

One day, I just opened my reading trackers and deleted every current read I had recorded — except for this book. Funny how I still managed to request ARCs, biting off more than I could chew. Thus, this terribly late review. But I just knew this one was going to be good. It’s Thea Guanzon!

Ahhh, Tusk Love swept me away into a magical, fantastical adventure that held my full attention from start to finish! It's a perfect balance between action and romance, and I loved how easily I could absorb every detail even with just a vague idea of Dungeons & Dragons and Critical Role.

Tusk Love is a great introduction to Monster Romance. I was all in for this grumpy/sunshine trope. Oskar and Guinevere's chemistry was pure fireworks! I expected plenty of tension and pining, and it absolutely delivered!

What more can I say? This is definitely a 5⭐ star read.

Special thanks to @netgalley and @delreybooks for this ARC!

I was a bit nervous going into this, wondering if my lack of knowledge of Critical Role (a DND podcast I always meant to pick up but got intimidated by their backlog), but I was delighted that this happily stands on its own. While I'm sure there are plenty of references to the Critical Role universe that went right over my head, I never felt out of the loop.
With our naive merchant's daughter Guinevere & the kind (& hot) half-orc Oskar that saved her, this was a fun, sexy little romance. While the setup was classic romance, I thought Guanzon did a great job adding a bit more depth and emotion to the classic tropes. The inclusion of Oskar's grief, Guinevere's magic & tense relationship with her family, & the class struggles between them, added a lot more to the story. Plus, while the romance was a bit insta-lovey than I usually like, their banter was perfect. I felt like the characters played off each other really well. Overall, I highly recommend, especially to those who love DND (& obviously if you love Critical Role!)

4.5⭐️

Tusk love is a sweet wholesome and cozy story with a rom com feel to it. This is perfectly balanced with the fantasy elements and a healthy dose of spice 🌶️
Despite the lighthearted feel, I was very much emotionally invested. It takes you on a journey that will pull on your heartstrings. I don’t have any knowledge of critical role, but that absolutely wasn’t necessary to enjoy this feel good story.

The gorgeous cover is what initially drew me in, thought I’d dabble in my first monster romance, and I was very quickly sucked into this whirlwind of a book. Tusk love has excellent humour and banter, loveable characters, magical action scenes and more.

We’ve got the ultimate grumpy sunshine situation with Oskar and Guinevere. I could not love them more. Guinevere is very naive, but she was just the absolute sweetest. I’m also obsessed with the grumpy Oskar who is just so soft and mushy underneath his hard exterior.

The yearning is what made this book for me. I was sitting there giggling and kicking my feet over these two. The chemistry was next level and their connection really felt genuine. The spice was written SO well.

It was super easy to binge, you’ll want to devour this in one sitting.

Long awaited for by many fans of Critical Role, Tusk Love brings this story to life! Guanzon does an outstanding job at taking information from this D&D life play and adapting it into a fun and compelling romance novel. Excellent work!

"Tusk Love" is a wild, bold, and refreshingly original read that blends heartfelt romance with a dash of quirky humor and vivid characters. Thea Gunzon’s storytelling is vibrant and unapologetic, delivering a story that’s both emotionally engaging and thoroughly entertaining. Fans of offbeat, character-driven romances will definitely want to dive into this unique love story.

FANTASTIC!!! I was soooo here for this grumpy x sunshine romantasy between Oskar, an orc and Guineviere, a sheltered virgin noblewoman who meet on the road when her caravan is beset by thieves. What follows is an epic road trip, forced proximity adventure where the two slowly fall in love while fighting off attackers on the way to meet her betrothed. Steamy and AMAZING on audio narrated by two of my favs, Teddy Hamilton and Brittany Pressley. If you love D&D, this was the perfect embodiment of that kind of world. 10/10 chef's kiss, no notes. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review.

This was everything I wanted it to be! The romance between Gwen and Oskar was adorable and the fact that he fell first was even better, especially being that he's a big bad orc. He's in-tune with his emotions and isn't afraid of them, especially regarding his mom, made him feel more real and added to his appeal as the MMC. I liked that Gwen wasn't the standard baddie FMC that could take care of herself and didn't need help from anyone. That took me a second to get used to but overall I loved her growth and the confidence she gained by dealing with emotional abuse from her parents and embraced being the person she wanted to be. Overall, a great, short book I'd recommend to a lot of people.

Was ich erwartet habe: ein Schmuddelroman mit nicht sehr viel Tiefe. Was ich bekommen habe: einen fantastischen Einblick in die Welt von Exandria mit zwei ausgearbeiteten und facettenreichen Charakteren und einer zuckersüßen Romance. Und ein wenig Spice. Für mich die perfekte Mischung und eine sehr positive Überraschung, Thea Guanzon hat definitiv überzeugt!

This book took me out of a bookslump and then put me right back into one.

It was so emotional to travel through these places in my absolute favorite world with Gwen and Oskar.
And we could not have asked for a most adorable, endearing and hotter couple than them. They are complete opposites in the best of ways and complement each other so well.
I loved seeing them grow so much both as individuals and as a couple. Their development is amazing and they’re both layered, dimensional people. I also loved ALL the secondary characters that I keep referring to as NPCs.

A cozy fantasy with lots of adventure, and a fantastic blend of all your favorite tropes in this beautiful romance. Also, do you spice?
(‘Cause you will. A lot.)

WHERE IS MY EPILOGUE? I NEED MORE!!!!!!! (Could’ve done with a bit of groveling and more magical action at the end but it’s fine)

What a fun novel! Tusk Love is a fun romantic comedy about true love.

Gwen is on her way to meeting her betrothed. When Gwen’s party gets destroyed by a bunch of bandits trying to steal her treasure chest, Oskar comes racing to the rescue. He then decides to assist her in getting to her betrothed.

Along the way, things happen. I won’t spoil them for you, but it’s a very fun story.

I have never played Critical Role but have played Descent and Gloomhaven. I think readers don’t necessarily have to have played those games to understand the story. It was very straightforward.

The writing was excellently done and the characters were great grumpy/sunshine types of mixes. I love that although Gwen is the sunshine, she still has her moments of grumpy, giving her a 3 dimensional character.

The romance here feels earned and genuine. No insta-lust here. The spice is very interesting and sweet.

This is great for those wanting an easy rom-com under the backdrop of fantasy.

Thank you NetGalley, Random House Del Rey, and Thea Guanzon for the eARC. All thoughts are my own!

Guanzon expertly weaves a thrilling fast paced adventure story with loveable characters, deliciously swoon-worthy tension, and magic.

Tusk Love is THE cozy romance you've been waiting for. It perfectly captures the essence of a D&D adventure story, balancing high stakes action scenes and mysterious magic with romantic tropes that will have you in a CHOKEHOLD. I kept on thinking about Guinevere x Oskar's nights in the woods ...

I ended up listening to this and Brittany Pressley & Teddy Hamilton's performance is brilliant, hot 🥵, and engaging. I love how they used volume to signal moments of intimacy, disbelief, etc. It's an art that easily captured the mood of individual scenes.

Even if you are not a Critical Role fan or enthusiast, do not fret! Tusk Love is the kind of fantasy book that is easy to fall into.

Thank you Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read Tusk Love.

The perfect read for those readers needing something sweet, fun and romantic between high-tension romantasy books! Gwen and Oskar were great leads and I loved to see them falling in love with each other <3

Sweet and funny! This was a delightful read from start to finish, and I found myself being able to get into the world very quickly without needing to have any previous knowledge of the Critical Role storyline!

This was definitely my first Thea Guanzon book but I can guarantee that after this one, it won’t be my last.

This was such a fun read! I am not normally one who likes monster romance, but I felt that this was the perfect book to break me into the genre. A brooding, grumpy MMC? Sign me up. Accompanying the FMC to get home safely? Say less.

This book did everything right. Chemistry between the FMC and MMC? Check. Great plot? Check. Sublime romance? Check. Steamy scenes? Check. This book has it all. And has you rooting for both the MMC and FMC in equal measure.

If you’re looking for a cozy romantasy that is a great introduction to monster romance, this is the perfect book for you. I can not recommend it enough.

A very special thank you to Net Galley, Random House, and the author for a copy of an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was in the mood for a cozy romantasy when I read this and Tusk Love did not disappoint.

What you can expect from this:
Grumpy x Sunshine
Medium stakes adventure
Tension
PINING

I will admit, I have never watched critical role nor have I played DND but this book does an excellent job of immersing you in the world without having much prior knowledge.

I had a great time reading it and while I am usually not a fan of alternating the chapters between the female main character and the mmc (or reading from the mmc's POV in general), I had a blast reading Oskar's chapters. He is such a softy inside despite his gruff exterior and his inner thoughts and absolute devotion to Guinevere is heart-melting.

This book did have a lot of tropes included but they were all so well executed that they felt natural within the confines of the story.

The action scenes were all well executed fit the overall tempo of the novel. I do wish we got to explore the magic system a bit more because I was hooked and want more. Especially with Guinevere - I do wish what we got was slightly expanded upon.

All in all, I really enjoyed reading Tusk Love.

__________________________________________________

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC to read and review.

✨Thank you PRH Audio for the gifted audiobook & Del Rey Books for the digital galley!

WHERE DO I EVEN BEGIN??? This book was a burst of sunshine in a darkened sky. A breath of sweet summer air on a cold, dreary day. An absolute balm to my battered soul. It lifted me up and out of a dark place, for just a little while… and any book that can do that, earns my undying admiration.
The story was like Lord Of The Rings meets Tangled- all the action and angst of a traveling high fantasy adventure, but with MCs giving the most delicious Rapunzel/Flynn Rider vibes. I was kicking my feet, and laughing with my whole chest, as line after line of Thea’s hallmark banter was delivered flawlessly. There was heart, humor for days, mystery, and enough fantastical creatures to slake any true fantasy lover’s thirst for whimsy. Not to mention the heartwarming romance, and the sweet spice that burned like hot honey. I was in heaven, and never wanted it to end.
🎧The narration was SHEER PERFECTION. That’s really all there is to it. @britpressley & @narratedbyteddyhamilton gave the most INCREDIBLE duet performance- their chemistry and comedic timing were spot on. They were each brilliant in their individual portrayals, and together they created nothing short of magic. If you’re looking for for a book that will sweep you away in nostalgia and adventure, while also making you laugh, swoon and melt, THIS IS THE ONE. 🤌🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Love that more people of color and Filipino authors are finding more success! That said, I wish I liked this book more, but I feel when a book starts off with insta-lust, it pretty much ruins the book for me. I can see how this can be an entertaining and lighthearted read for some, though. Especially fans of D&D and Role playing table top games. So while it wasn't for me, I know others will enjoy it.

Absolutely loved this book! The characters were so well done, the plot was incredibly fun and interesting, and the romance was perfection! The mc’s were so sweet and perfect for each other, I would highly recommend this!

“Tusk Love” by Thea Guanzon

5⭐️/5⭐️
3🌶/5🌶

“He was more than just an escape from her dark dreams. He was freedom and adventure, the open road that would lead her to the ocean.”

My knowledge of Dungeons and Dragons is extremely limited, and I’ve never watched Critical Role. However, neither of that matters if you want to read this book. Simply put, “Tusk Love” is a delightful blend of cozy fantasy, sweeping romance, and adventure. Guinevere and Oskar’s dynamic is so much fun, they play off of each other’s personalities in a really entertaining way.

Guinevere is travelling with a small band of protection on her way to meet her betrothed. Along the way, bandits attack, resulting in Guinevere releasing powerful magic. This magic is supposed to be a secret, and she doesn’t have a firm grasp on how to handle it; it’s wild and untamed, and the results are devastating. Oskar, meanwhile, sees the destruction and goes to help her. His mother recently died and he’s on his own journey, to meet with her clan and properly grieve her loss. Oskar sees Guinevere is naïve, somewhat helpless, and needs his assistance if she’s going to make it to her destination. Thus, the two embark on a long journey, and along the way realize their paths were always destined to meet.

I thoroughly enjoyed both main characters. Sometimes in romance books I tend to like one character a bit more than the other, but this time I ended up really liking them an equal amount. They balance each other so well, with their humor, their strengths and weaknesses, their desires, etc.

I took my time reading it because it was one of those instances where I didn’t want the story to end. I’d read a little bit every day, and in the end it took me nearly a month to finish. I was quite sad to end Oskar and Guinevere’s story, and I know I’ll want to reread it again in the future. “Tusk Love” is the type of book you reach for when you’re needing a pick-me-up, it really captures the cozy fantasy aesthetics that are increasingly in demand.