I enjoyed this so much! It's very "cozy romantasy" but basically with one big adventure, a few fights, and magic! I don't often love both the fmc and mmc but they were so darn cute. I don't think I've ever kicked my feet while reading, so that was a first with this book.

Guinevere's self-discovery and embracing her power and independence is my favorite part of this!

There were some terms and jokes that were so funny to me. I also loved the few times when they mentioned getting out of the swamp just because it made me think of Shrek 😆 I have no idea what critical role is and haven't read the other books in the series but I think that gives a lot of credit to Thea Guanzon's writing

I read Tusk love in one sitting!
It was such a fresh, fun and sweet read that kept me hooked from start to finish. The world-building is immersive and the characters are so easy to love.

Perfect if you like:
- cozy romantasy with a perfect blend of magic and heartwarming moments
- grumpy x sunshine dynamic that’s both heartwarming and hilarious
- one bed that leads to some truly tender and funny moments
- one horse, quests, hurt/comfort and so much more!

Lovable characters, hilarious dynamics and vulnerable moments come together to create a brand-new novel full of heart!

It’s an absolute gem of a story that will make you smile and swoon.

I wholeheartedly recommend it!!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore for providing a digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts!!

Almost wrong a book should be this much fun! Snark, sparks, adventure, and determined mercenaries all abound on quite the road trip with a grumpy half orc and the perky, sunshine almost princess he escorts to meet her intended. Vibes of Shrek, but for adults and Shrek is hot, and there is definite spice. Fun from first page to the last, just read it!

This was such a fun and cozy romantasy and I enjoyed every minute. We have the mmc, the brooding stranger accompanying the fmc, a merchant's daughter, to safely go home. I loved the main characters so much; they were so fresh, and the chemistry was there. I love a good opposites attract, and I also like a grumpy mmc. I like that even though it's a monster romance, it was very beginner, especially for me, who hasn't gotten very into hardcore monster romance. Both the plot and the romance were great, but I loved the romance so much. There are steamy scenes, and ugh, it was good and I just wanted the best for both mcs. Overall, a good read, thank you, Random House, for this earc for an honest review.

I’ve emailed a thousand times probably to get my hands on the physical copy but this will have to do because I’m an obsessed freak with critical role. As a girl who grew up with the critical role universe whether it be the legend or box machina and most especially the mighty nein…this book is absolutely everything to me.

‘Tusk Love’ is a fantastical romance is the perfect blend of adventure, passion, and heart. Guinevere’s journey from a sheltered merchant’s daughter to a woman who craves freedom and excitement is beautifully told, and the chemistry between her and Oskar who is a brooding, mysterious half orc is off the charts. Their dynamic is electric, and the tension has you swooning like CRAZY. If you heard someone giggling really loudly in the middle of the night…it wasn’t me👀. The slow-burn romance that builds beautifully as they face danger and self-discovery together. The world-building is rich and immersive, and the plot has just the right mix of tension, humor, and spice hehe.

This isn’t just a 5-star read this is an infinity star read. I want more from this universe and critical role in general forevermore. It was heartfelt, adventurous, and absolutely sizziling. I’m already preparing for a reread because this might be my favorite book of ALL time.

4.5 🌟

I loved this story. This may be one of the coziest reads I've personally read and it far exceeded my expectations.

I adored Guinevere's sunshine to Oskar's grumpy. Their journey is swoon worthy.

✔️Arranged marriage
✔️Grumpy × Sunshine
✔️Magic
✔️Betrayals
✔️Growth and healing
🌶🌶

This book was so cozy and delicious and fun! I loved Guinevere so much. Girl just wants some freedom and fun and not to be bound to a loveless marriage and a family who doesn’t really care about her. She meets the brooding and manly Oskar, and they travel together. They were sexy and there was so much chemistry between them right away. They have to decide if it’s worth perusing and changing their paths to be together. I love them!

Honestly, one look at this cover while scrolling through social media and I was instantly intrigued. I probably would have read it for the cover alone even if the blurb didn’t shout at me that I needed to put it on my TBR. So, bravo to the art department at Random House Worlds.

Quick note- I am not a Critical Role fan and really had no idea how this story fit into that world until I finished reading and got to the author’s acknowledgment page and decided to find out. I urge you to go to your favorite search engine and find out for yourselves. It’s pretty interesting.

Tusk Love introduces Guinevere, a merchant’s daughter on her way to meet her parents when she is attacked by bandits. Her guards slain, and afraid that she will lose the last remaining valuables entrusted to her, she unwittingly unleashes her fire spirit and saves herself, but not before another man appears offering his aid. Oskar is on his way to fulfill his mother’s last wish when he comes across a woman in distress and stops to help. It soon becomes apparent that Guinevere is alarmingly naive, and unused to the dangers on the road. When he finds out where she intends to travel, he hesitantly decides to accompany her to at least the nearest town.

Let me tell you all the ways I adored this book and these characters. Guinevere is sheltered and innocent in the ways of the world, but she’s also kindhearted, gentle, and fair minded. Her thoughts always lean toward giving people the benefit of the doubt even when meeting obviously questionable people. Oskar is a half-orc who hides his own kindness behind a gruff demeanor. What starts out as a quick trip to take Guinevere to the nearest town, soon turns into a long journey to escort her all the way to her final destination. The trip is perilous with bandits along the road and thieves’ intent on stealing what Oskar soon finds out is Guinevere’s dowry. And even though Guinevere knows she is destined to marry a nobleman at the end of her trip, she and Oskar can’t help but fall in love along the way.

This is a classic grumpy/sunshine storyline and was executed so well it reminded me of why I love this trope so much. The banter and obvious chemistry between the two main characters was sublime. I was deeply invested in this couple’s journey and building relationship. Not to mention I just flat out liked both of them. I needed to know what was in that chest that Guinevere insisted was so important. I cheered Guinevere on as she blossomed underneath Oskar’s attention and protection and finally decided to connect with her magic. This story was charming, and romantic, and full of adventure. EXACTLY, what I needed to take my mind of current events. Even the ending and HEA were just about perfect.

I gave this book four stars on Goodreads right after I finished, but the more I think about it while writing this review, the more I think that this should be one of those rare 5 star/A ratings. I enjoyed it that much. Definitely recommend for readers who enjoy romantic fantasy.

3.5 Stars – This was giving cute cozy fantasy meets Dungeons & Dragons meets monster romance.

At first glance, this seemed like it would be completely my thing, and I feel like I should have loved it more than I did. I definitely had fun with it—a 3.5 rating isn’t bad!—but I also wasn’t blown away.

Based on Critical Role, the novel follows Guinevere and Oskar. After Guinevere’s caravan is attacked by bandits, she’s left stranded—though her mysterious magical powers allow her to hold her own. Enter Oskar, a half-orc who saves her during the attack. He agrees to escort her where she needs to go, and along the way, sparks fly. But love isn’t as simple as choosing the path they want. Full of fun tropes like grumpy-sunshine, forbidden romance, opposites attract, forced proximity, and a sprinkle of insta-love, this is an entertaining read.

I wasn’t familiar with Critical Role, but I don’t think you need to be to enjoy the book. The premise is great, and the writing is solid—it’s a cozy fantasy with an adventure and romance subplot, and I had fun reading it.

That said, my main issue (which might be a me problem) is that it lacked spark. Everything about this book is right up my alley, and yet I found myself not dying to pick it back up. There was no urgency, no irresistible pull, no something special that made me fully invested. I think this is just a personal thing with the author’s writing—there’s nothing technically wrong, but I felt similarly about The Hurricane Wars, which is wild considering it’s based on one of my all-time favorite ships (Reylo).

Overall, it’s a fun, cozy fantasy with a solid romance, but it just didn’t leave a lasting impression for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group – Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Tusk Love starting off 2025 by being my first SIX STAR read!! While I am a huge Critter (fan of Critical Role), it is not imperative that you need any knowledge of Critical Role or Dungeons & Dragons to enjoy this book. I had an absolute blast reading this book, but it may be me slightly biased by being a fan of both CR and Thea.

Tusk Love is the perfect summer romantasy read! It is quite binge-able at under 400 pages and easy to follow along in the story and world building. It is an outdoor adventure story packed with banter, some VERY steamy romance (and scandalous bodice ripping), and amazing character development with a satisfying ending.

I have so much to say about this book (ended with 35 highlights and I don't even think I ever highlighted that much before). Overall, this book was just so hilarious!! I was constantly in a state of laughing out loud and then swooning over Guinevere and Oskar (particularly Oskar). I loved the banter between Oskar and Guinevere, how naive Guinevere is, and the situations she gets herself into bc of that naiveness.

Oskar is really just a big ol' grump on the outside. Underneath, he is quite thoughtful and very caring (towards Guinevere), and is a man that obviously loves to worship his woman. Guinevere has my whole heart. She was raised with more uppity (formal) mannerisms, but is also kind hearted to everyone she meets. I particularly enjoyed her character development during their adventure to Nicodranas, where she's faced with actual reality outside of her home environment.


Thank you Del Rey and Random House Worlds for the eARC!

I was SO eager to read this one and WOW did it deliver! Guanzon did such a great job bringing this story to life. Guinevere and Oskar are perfect and I loved reading their story. There were so many emotions and moments: funny, sad, heartbreaking, adventurous... The ending was so satisfying with so much being wrapped up and explained I thought it was a very well written ending to a beautiful and fun story.

Thank you so much to Del Rey and NetGalley for the opportunity of a lifetime to read and review an e-arc of Tusk Love! As a long time fan of Critical Role, it has been an honour.

Perfect for fans and non fans of Dungeons and Dragons/Critical Role, Tusk Love is the perfect bodice ripping, swoon-worthy romantasy for a summer read. Actually this can be read year-round, but it just screams summer to me.

Thea’s writing has always been so shading and maybe I’m biased but I just love everything she writes! No matter what genre or fandom, she easily transports you anywhere with her aptitude/skills for writing. This book proves that she can write anything she wants to.

The plot and pacing of the book were so well done, making this an easily bingeable read. The plot is very straightforward, but also focuses heavily on our two main characters, Guinevere and Oskar. there’s no question who we’re rooting for and what we’re doing. However I had 0 clue what the totem and the secret of the trunk held, which was a wonderful surprise for me at the end. The mercenaries and menagerie of characters we meet on the road were also one of my favorite parts of the book.

Now onto Guinevere and Oskar, my absolute idiots in love. Throughout the journey we watch them fall in love and also open their hearts to the possibilities of more. More in life and more in what they both had expected given their very different lives. However, circumstances or fate brings them together and they are like gasoline poured on a fire. These two simply couldn’t get enough of each other and I couldn’t get enough of them. Oskar is completely transfixed by Guinevere and her personality. His POV was wonderfully sweet for a man who single handledly protects Guinevere at every opportunity. Oskar is a big softie, who is incredibly supportive of Gwen and loves her so much. He definitely falls first, but Gwen reminds him that it’s okay to live and laugh and smile. Similarly to what his mother says, she reminds him to be kind.

Guinevere is a ray of sunshine who is amusingly delighted by the unfortunate circumstances of her journey that speaks to the hidden part of her that longs for adventure. While sheltered from the world growing up, her character is extremely open and friendly towards everyone she meets on the road, including two gangsters, a few mercenaries and a clan of goblins. The mercenaries were not treated as kindly, but that’s what they deserve for making her cry. Her character development is subtle and powerful. Similar to her physical journey, her character makes great strides toward becoming someone she wants to be rather than what others want her to be/use her for. I think Oskar and the unexpectedness in their journey were influences to this, but her realization at the end of the story is all her own. Oskar brings out the wild and the free side. She’s free of the burden her parents have placed on her and is able to explore herself and the world around her.

10/10 recommend. I loved so many things about this book!! I’m very excited for it to be released to the masses- I feel that everyone will love Guinevere and Oskar as much as I do.

Thank you Del Rey and Random House Worlds team for this eARC in exchange for my honest review!

I'm a huge critical role fan and this story is a good edition to the franchise! This book is cosy and romantic with a fun plot. However, for a book that is an adult romance the writing was very juvenile. Especially from the fmc point of view. During spicy scenes it was very jarring to read from the pov of a 20 year old woman who felt much younger due to the author's writing style. Overall, I did enjoy the story, I just wish some dialogue was cut out and the characters were written to match their ages better. This is a light hearted romantasy with a beautiful world.

A really enjoyable mid stakes fantasy adventure with some cute romance. It was spicy, funny and a nice easy going read. There were some mysterious elements and a nice cosy journey with lovable characters. Having enjoyed some of Thea's other books I was excited to read this and it didn't disappoint. I'd love to see more of this sort of book from her.

4.5⭐

I loved this book so much, it was such a fun and quick read. I had a feeling I would love this book as I am such a fan of the authors writing and it didn't disappoint. The perfect mix of a cosy romantasy with a sweet and spicy story that starts straight away with action and keeps you engaged throughout, for a shorter book there is nothing missing the pacing was amazing and the story was so well developed, such an adorable read.

Grumpy/Sunshine is always one of my favourite things to read about so the way I adored the slow burn relationship between Oskar and Guinevere was everything. These two have my whole heart 🥹 Highly recommend!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read and review this book before publication, these are my honest thoughts and opinions.

✨𝓣𝓾𝓼𝓴 𝓛𝓸𝓿𝓮 𝓫𝔂 𝓣𝓱𝓮𝓪 𝓖𝓾𝓪𝓷𝔃𝓸𝓷 𝓡𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀✨

Rating: 3.75 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

What drew me to read this book was definitely the cover and the blurb. I didn’t realise or am familiar with Critical Role but I don’t think that impacted on my reading experience of this book.

I really enjoyed it, I thought the story was whimsical and felt more on the cosy fantasy vibes (which I have never read a cosy fantasy before but I enjoyed it). I enjoyed the progression of the story and I liked the fact that the story started straight away.

I enjoyed the chemistry and the relationship development between Guinevere and Oskar, I ship them together and I wish them a happily ever after 💖💫 I felt their joy and chemistry throughout the book and I loved it.

The descriptions of the world were detailed and easy to visualise.

I found the tropes to be: insta love, forbidden romance, damsel in distress, cinnamon roll MMC, cosy fantasy read.

𝓫𝓵𝓾𝓻𝓫
A merchant’s daughter who yearns for adventure gets more than she bargained for when she falls for a broodingly handsome stranger

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.

*I received this arc from NetGalley & Del Rey in exchange for an honest review. Thank you NetGalley & Del Rey for a copy of this book.
**blurb taken from Penguin’s website.

This isn’t always my go-to vibe but I ate this up. I knew from the cover I had to give it a shot and it did not disappoint! The romance was swoon-worthy, the vibe was great, the setting was “cozy” without being totally low stakes. This was perfect for someone newer to monster romance. They ended up being perfect for each-other and I found myself super invested in their budding romance after a rocky start. I definitely want to read more from Thea. My attention was grabbed early on and the pacing kept me invested!

Read if: you love Critical Role and you want to feel like Jester reading this book while giggling to yourself or you've never watched Critical Role and just want a swoonworthy, fun, romance read.

This book was so much fun to read. Oskar and Gwen are so loveable as main characters and their relationship was so sweet and addictive to read about. Both characters were so well developed and I loved watching them grow alongside their relationship. This is the perfect blend of cozy fantasy, medium stakes adventure, and spicy romance.

The writing in this was so good and I think even if you weren't familiar with this setting you would be able to picture Oskar and Gwen's adventure and fall in love with this world. I read this within a day and could easily have read another book again about these characters and this story. I haven't read Thea Guanzon's other books before, but will definitely be putting them on the priority list to read now - so grateful to Critical Role and this book for introducing me to yet another talented writer whose books I'm excited to read!

I fully agree with Jester that "It's the most beautiful love story you've ever heard in your entire life, basically."

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Review posted on Goodreads and Twitter and rating posted on Storygraph

This was such a fun, sweet read and was perfect to get me out of a bit of a reading slump!

Tusk Love is a great low-stakes story that delivers both cozy and romantasy vibes. Both of the main characters were super lovable, despite their initial flaws, and I loved the character development that happened as MCs character development felt realistic and not forced simply for the storyline.

I really enjoyed the humor in the story and it helped make the story fly by (in a good way)! The story is full of tropes that I love starting with the obvious sunshine x grumpy to only one bed. While there were parts of the story that were super soft and sweet, other parts were deliciously spicy. The plot itself, though relatively low-stakes, was interesting and felt well-thought out and was well paced.

I had no experience prior to reading Tusk Love with Critical Role or D&D, but I felt completely immersed in the world from the jump and never felt like any aspects of the story were too niche. I would absolutely read any more books by Thea Guanzon that are similar to Tusk Love!

This was such a fun read! Shrek with some spice and great writing! I thoroughly enjoyed this book and can't wait to read more by this author, I have Hurricane Wars on my TBR!