SO GOOD. This book is giving all of the Snow White and the Huntsman vibes that I could ever want. The pace was perfect, the characters were loveable and I enjoyed it all! I wish the ending wasn't so abrupt. I'd love to have heard more about their HEA but I know it's based off a game that I have not played, so I may be missing some context there. Such a good read over all!

I adore cozy romance books. I adore cozy fantasy books with a lovely and strong romance plot line too. Thea is one of my favourite authors of all time. Both as a fanfic writer and a published author. When I saw she was writing a book called Tusk love, I jumped at the opportunity to read it. This fulfilled my need for both a fantasy with all the elements I love and a romance. The story itself is wonderful, but the characters, Guinevere and Oskar were absolutely fantastic and a brilliant set of joyous characters to follow along. I hope everyone who picks this up loves it just as much as I did. 5 stars!

As a Critical Role fan, I've been hoping to get the chance to read this book for a while and I'm so glad that Thea Guanzon was the one to write it and make this little in-campaign joke a reality. I absolutely adore Guinevere and Oskar, the grumpy/sunshine dynamic was so well written and I was kicking my feet and screaming inside every time she made him smile. Whilst the 'conflict' of the story was a little rushed near the end, if you're a sucker for a cosy fantasy romance like me, then this will not affect your enjoyment whatsoever as the romance is the real shining star in this book (also with the spice in this book, you can see why it's a favourite of Jester's). If I could give this book more than 5 stars I would, easily my favourite book of the year

Guinevere's traveling to the city to meet her parents and her future husband when she is set upon by bandits. A wandering Oskar rescues her and decides to accompany her to town. As the two travel the roads of Exandria, they face many challenges as they try to deny their attraction to one another. What will happen when Guinevere reunites with her family?

Inspired by the world of Critical Role, this book represents a fictional title from a fictional world. Although it was interesting to see all the names of places in print, I did not really enjoy the plot of the novel. Your mileage may vary.

3.5⭐️
🌶🌶🌶

This was delightful!

The book follows Oskar, a half Ork and Guinevere, a spoilt and wealthy merchants daughter. Oskar begrudgingly agrees to deliver Guinevere to safety after mercenaries slaughter her guards and attempt to kidnap her. Guinevere years for adventure but gets more than she bargained for when she starts falling for Oskar.

This book made me smile so much. Absolutely loved Oskar and Guinevere! The story is very easy to read, fast-paced, super sweet, heartwarming, cosy, funny, and SPICY! The spice really surprised me - but in a good way! Still blushing after the waterfall scene 😂

However, I'm not a big fan of insta love and this was very insta lovey and lusty, not much build up to the romance, and the story was maybe a tad bit too fast paced for me.

It's still a fun read though, definitely recommend if you're after a cute, easy, cosy, spicy romantasy.

✨️cosy romantasy
✨️grumpy vs. sunshine
✨️one bed & one horse
✨️monster romance
✨️rich vs. poor
✨️adventurous

Publication date: 1st July 2025.

Thank you, Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group, for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book, very interesting and fun. It had a fun and interesting slew of characters and banter! Worth the read.

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

I'd like to request five thousand more of these please. This was so cute, so fun, so adventurous - just the right amount of everything to have me giggling and kicking my feet while also excited in anticipation. I absolutely cannot get enough of Guinevere and Oskar - they are the perfect two slivers of yin and yang which balance one another. Oskar brings out the adventurous in Guinevere, and she the soft and vulnerable in him. The side characters, the world they traveled through, it was just such a solid cozy romantasy.

Wow what was this an enjoyable and heart warming read that I would totally recommend! My bar was super high (I absolutely love Thea’s other books (hurricane wars and monsoon rising) and I gasped from utter delight when I received this arc. But I was absolutely not disappointed.

Like other reviewers I am not familiar with critical role, but honestly I don’t feel that this really blocked my enjoyment of the book. So that’s something I feel Thea did super well.

For me personally, the romance and devotion between Oskar (MMC) and Guinevere happened a little to quick even for me, you only just met, maybe it is a little to early to burn the world for the other (😉😆). But let’s be honest, I did not mind that to much, nor is it a very big complaint, as I do love these kind of things in my romantasy books haha.

And Oskar, oh my! No one writes grovelling, solitary (but still (severely of course) hungry for attention of their significant other), slightly morally grey, cinnamon buns as well as Thea. And honestly I need way more of them, they rule!

I did absolutely hate Guinevere’s parent and I hope Oskar and/or Guinevere did thump them in the face! The other side-characters luckily were better and I like they varied between people who we like/love and people we would throw under a bus, this made the story stronger in my opinion as well.

Lastly, the humour in this book is really good. I LOLed multiple times.


Thank you netgalley and delreybooks for entrusting me with an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is ok. Its nothing special and pretty clishe in many parts. I really liked the beginning and liked the characters and their romance. But some of the spicy scenes were really just like everything else these days :"Fuck "insert FMC name", youre so tight. Good girl. Youre taking me so well. Come on my c*ck" Its really boring to always read the same kind of dirty talk. If this stuff is your jam, you might enjoy it more.
The story itself isnt really special either and predictable but still a nice read. Some lovely side characters and some really heartfelt moments.
I would have wished for a bit more originality.

Thank you to netgalley and Random House Publishing for providing me with an ARC for this book.

Tusk Love is the book equivalent of being wrapped in a warm blanket, handed a cup of hot cocoa, and gently told, “Here, fall in love with a grumpy orc now.” And I did. Enthusiastically.

This book is so beginner friendly, you could hand it to a fantasy newbie and they’d still be giggling and swooning by the first couple of chapters. And most definitely perfect for lovers of D&D

Let’s break it down:

🔹️Monster romance? Check.
🔹️Grumpy/sunshine dynamic? Oh, absolutely.
🔹️Forbidden love? You know it.
🔹️Only one bed? Yes, please.
🔹️Hair washing and emotional comfort? I actually squealed.
🔹️A mini-quest that’s the perfect mix of tension and tenderness? I was so here for it.


Oskar and Guinevere are a dream pairing. He’s this emotionally constipated softie hiding behind all that gruffness ( HELLO MR. CINNAMON ROLL) and she’s a radiant beam of kindness who melts him like butter. Their chemistry is full of delicious pining and emotional depth, with some of the most natural feeling trope execution I’ve seen in a while.

And y’all the coziness? Off the charts. Medium stakes adventure meets fairytale whimsy. It's the kind of book that makes you feel something while still being easy to binge and impossible to put down.

Also, shoutout to how Tusk Love gently explores breaking down internalized prejudice and class divides it adds so much heart beneath all the swoony moments.

In short: this is peak cozy romantasy. Adorable, charming, and absolutely soul-soothing. I devoured every page like it was my favorite dessert and already want to re-read it just to bask in the warm fuzzies again.

Highly recommend if you want to smile like an idiot and believe in love (and orcs).

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC is was such an enjoyable read !

* will be making social media posts soon *

4.5⭐

Thank you to Thea Guanzon, Del Rey US & NetGalley for the ARC!

This was the perfect cosy romantasy book I've read till now! I had such a wonderful time with this book as it delivered on everything I had hoped it would. A grumpy-meets-sunshine dynamic paired with forbidden love and yearning?

Guinevere was such a delightful character to get to know as the journey we get to follow her on is one filled with discovery and growth.

Oskar was the token grump of this tale with his gruff exterior and often surly mood to match. Grief is an ever-present entity within his life after the sudden and tragic loss of his mother finds him stumbling through his days in pursuit of what comes next.

There is so much potential that I truly hope to see become utilised into a series, but for now this is an unmissable story for all Romantasy fans alike that I could not recommend any more.

I really enjoyed this. It was lighthearted and it was fun. The writing is also very easy to get into.

Tusk Love


-main character: Oskar (half orc) & Guinevere (magical human)
-She’s scared of her powers hurting people because she’s always pushed them down/covered them up but learns to love/control them through the book
-she’s in an arranged marriage and the whole adventure is getting her delivered to her soon to be husband
-her father & mother don’t really love her at all and have seen her as a tool to get what they want - hence arranged marriage
-Oskars mom just died and he is on the way to visit her homeland when he finds guin in trouble on the road in her carriage
-they both fall in love on their adventure
—only one bed happens TWICE
—spicy scene in the water while bathing
-they continue to get attacked along their journey and everyone wants her dowry that’s in a locked chest (even they don’t know what it is)
-ends with him dropping her off at her hubbys mansion but it turning out that her dowry is stolen magical items so she gets kidnapped by evil guy (not the husband shockingly) but he ends up coming to her rescue only for her to save them both
-they live happily ever after and her parents suck

Alright! This is exactly what I wanted when I first heard about it and listened to it in Critical Role. Also, I love Thea Guanzon's writing style and I will continue to recommending her books anytime. OH you had a bad day at work, read Thea. The train you are on is crashing, read Thea. Oh you have to go explore an undiscovered location, read Thea and also don't do that, it's a horror movie and you will unleash an unspeakable horror. Perfection. OOOOHHHH, Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this copy!

“What the hell happened to all the beds in Wildemount?” he thundered. “Are we in a shortage?”

Saucy, spicy, silly, and oh so sweet - this was a MARVELOUSLY fun read.

Our MCs both have strong arcs, while never losing the core of their character. Guinevere starts out painfully naive and lacking in self worth, Oskar is borderline misanthropic. He stays grumpy, she stays sweet, but they both bring out the best in each other. He teaches her self worth, she teaches him it’s okay to feel.

It’s a wonderfully spicy book, too. They are immediately smitten with each other, despite all the reasons not to be, and don’t do a very good job of talking themselves out of acting on it. It definitely qualifies as insta love, but they’re so adorkable about it that I kinda loved it.

The author is a dungeon master herself and devoted Critical Role fan, so while I only have a tangential knowledge myself I strongly suspect that there are many Easter eggs for mega fans. As only loosely familiar with the world of DnD (but a huge fan of the author’s other work), I was still able to follow the world-building without issue.

Rating: 5/5
Spice: 3/5

Tropes:
- Bodyguard
- DnD world
- Grumpy x sunshine
- One bed
- Touch her and die
- Forbidden romance
- One horse
- Fire magic
- Insta love
- Standalone romantasy

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the chance to read this delightful book early!

Thank you, NetGalley & Random House Publishing Group, for this eARC in exchange for my honest review!

4 stars – A charming, spicy romantasy with heart, humor, and a half-orc you’ll absolutely fall for.

Tusk Love by Thea Guanzon delivers everything I wanted: a grumpy x sunshine romance full of tension, tenderness, and just the right amount of spice. Guinevere is a spirited merchant’s daughter craving adventure; Oskar is the brooding half-orc with a tragic past and surprisingly gentle hands. Their chemistry is instant, but the slow burn is so worth it.

“If you keep looking at me like that, little flame, I might forget I’m trying to be a gentleman.” Sir??? Be serious. I melted.

Even if you're not a Critical Role fan, the story stands on its own, I had never heard of it before! The pacing is solid, the vibes are cozy-but-swoony, and Clan Bonecrusher deserves a spin-off, frankly.

The only reason it’s not a full 5 stars? The ending felt a little rushed—I wanted more time with these two and their blossoming bond. But overall, this is a fun, heartfelt read that balances spice, softness, and a sprinkle of magic.

Highly recommend for romantasy lovers, especially if you’re craving something warm, tropey, and wildly loveable.

This book made my little Critter heart so happy, it was a real delight to read. After being introduced to Critical Role by my partner and falling in love with Vox Machina and The Mighty Nein, I knew I had to get my hands on Jester’s favourite romance novel and it did not disappoint. ❤️‍🔥

This cosy, medium-stakes fantasy adventure was everything I wanted after my last heavy dystopian read. I haven’t read anything from this particular author before but she is definitely on my radar now and I’m excited to dive into her other works soon! The familiar magical world of Exandria, the pacing, the character development, the grumpy x sunshine romance - everything was done to perfection in my opinion. Whether you are a seasoned Critical Role fan or not, you can enjoy the story all the same, but the Easter eggs had me smiling.

The characters are the shining light of this story and Thea has crafted Guinevere and Oskar into such loveable opposites attract beings that I shipped from the moment Oskar saved her from the bandits and kept her secret to himself. The tension, the yearning, the TROPES, it had everything 😍 This was my first experience with a monster romance book and it was so much fun, I had a ball. Their journey was filled with open adventure, making friends (Clan Bonecrusher were the GOAT) and fighting off foes while finding love in unexpected places. A charming, atmospheric tale of finding oneself that I devoured and am hopelessly praying we get a sequel to where we follow their journey to Oskar’s mother’s homeland.

i adored this book so much! this book follows guinevere and oskar on their long journey to get to her betrotheds home.

this is a grumpy/sunshine, touch her and i’ll cut your hands off.

this book has great pacing, great world building, non cringy execution of the grumpy/sunshine trope (you know what i mean by the cringy type). i think this book was executed so well!

thea was the perfect author for a critical role book! and the cover?! absolutely perfect!

thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Oh, this was just fantastic! In every way! What a joy of a book!

Firstly, I have to say that I'm honoured and ecstatic to have received this ARC! I was over the moon to have received an email that I'd been accepted! As a huge fan of Critical Role and all things DnD thanks to my husband introducing me, I couldn't believe I'd gotten my hands on this.

I loved the start of this novel! We jumped right into the action, and I was instantly hooked. The imagery was perfectly described and phenomenal to imagine, and the fight that ensued was epic! This novel had great world building. I absolutely love a good DnD themed fantastical world. I enjoyed every unique creature and being and small magical detail we came across. The plot was also so engaging and perfectly paced too! I loved this author's writing style so much!

The scene in the beginning with the bandits crowded around Guinevere reminded me of Elisabeth Swan in the first Pirates of the Caribbean, which I loved! I think this moment helped set a good introduction to part of Guinevere's character, showing how posh she was against the roughness of the bandits, as well as how strong willed and brave she could be.

Oskar and Guinevere were amazing characters with lots of backstory and intrique to them, emotional depth, and good character development as the story progressed. They were such perfectly formed characters, and I adored them both equally. They were also simply perfect for each other, and the romance that bloomed between the two of them felt so natural and was beautiful to behold. The yearning was chefs kiss!

Oskar helped Guinevere to see the world in a different light and to understand her privilege. Guinevere lived a sheltered but comfortable life, but with Oskar, she experienced a grand and freeing adventure that forever changed her. Guinevere in all her wonderfulness also gave Oskar something to live for and brought back his light after the passing of his mother.

Oskar was so gentle and tender with Guinevere. She softened his harsh edges. I love the way his judgment towards her melted away as his heart began to warm at the sound of her voice, how sweet she was, and the cute little traits he noticed in her. I love a good soft hearted brute. And god was he s*xy.

The spice in this novel was next level! Guinevere and Oskar were on fire!

I won't spoil anything about the intrigue behind Guinevere's past and the secret she keeps, but it was a super exciting addition to this romance novel, and so unique and bad*ss. I loved every part of her character, both soft and gentle, and her fiery side.

I constantly caught myself smiling while reading this novel and had many laugh out loud moments. It was such a fun and comedic read, and so well written. It felt lighthearted and heartwarming and cosy, while at the same time packing an emotional punch. I cared deeply for the characters, and I felt so enveloped in the world that I was sad to see it end.

Thank you so much to the author Thea Guanzon, Critical Role, NetGalley, and the publisher Del Rey, for giving me the chance to read and review this! I had a wonderful time reading and am so grateful!

*I received this book as an Advance Reader Copy (ARC) for free in exchange for an honest review*

I went into this not really knowing what to expect from it was was hooked from the start. The front half of the book was absolutely charming and by the end I couldn't put it down. You can tell that Thea Guanzon is a fan of Critical Role and fans will love reading this piece of the show made real. That being said, I think any romance reader could pick this up and enjoy it. I was brought back to the cozy reading experience of Legends and Lates, though this one includes a bit more spice. For D&D players, there's a few species names that got changed (for copyright) but they explain enough that non-players can still follow along.

I'm absolutely thrilled that they made this book real. I felt like I could hear Jester and Ford the entire book and I can't wait to find out who the narrators for the audiobook will be (please be Laura and Travis).

Props to whoever at PRH greenlit the reversable book cover, that's absolutely brilliant and I can't wait to have a physical copy when this comes out!

Huge thank you to Random House Worlds and Netgalley for the early copy. This is one of my most anticipated books this year and I'm thrilled to read it so early.