Thea Guanzon’s writing is lush, immersive, and dripping with the kind of world-building that makes you want to live in it. The romance is deliciously angsty, the adventure is pulse-pounding, and the emotional depth is just chef’s kiss. I loved it.

I'm not that familiar with Critical Role, but I had such a fun time. It kinda had an anime/animation-like feel to it. It was highly entertaining and the romance was absolutely adorable. The only thing I found was that it was a bit too fast-paced, which affected the emotional impact of several scenes. The plot and world-building weren't very complex. It was straightforward and maybe a bit predictable at times. However, that didn't hinder my enjoyment overall.
Thank you so much Del Rey, Random House Worlds for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

Tusk Love was an adventure to read and reminded me of why I love Critical Role, especially the Mighty Nein! Just like their campaigns, this book had fully developed characters, thrilling action, and heartfelt sincerity.

From the start, this book hooked my attention when Guinevere was set upon by bandits and flees with Oskar. They start on a fast-paced trek to reunite Gwen with her family and run into lots of trouble on the way. There are plenty of references for D&D lovers, but even those without prior knowledge can still enjoy this romantasy!

This book sets the standard of grumpy/sunshine! I loved how Oskar was putty for Guinevere and let down his tough exterior for her. Guinevere was such a lovable main character, being so sweet while also finding her inner strength throughout their journey! Their romance was tender, steamy, and put a huge smile on my face while reading.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Tusk Love by Thea Guanzon is an absolute delight—a swoony, adventurous, and surprisingly heartfelt monster romance that’s equal parts spicy and sweet. I went into this book completely blind, I realized this story is set in some other universe that involves D&D but I know NOTHING about that, but don’t worry if you’re not familiar with it, like myself— the world-building is easy to follow, and the story stands perfectly on its own.

What really stood out to me was how much fun this book was. I found myself laughing out loud at the banter and grinning like an idiot during the romantic moments. The pacing is excellent, and the mix of adventure, romance, and mystery kept me hooked from start to finish. Plus, the spice is spicin’.

If you’re looking for a romance that’s equal parts heartwarming and steamy, with a side of adventure and a dash of humor, Tusk Love is a must-read, I loved every minute of it!

Utterly fantastic as I knew it would be!!
I completely geeked out reading all of the Critical Role references- it was so cool reading a book in a world I know with completely new characters.
The book also reads exactly like a DND campaign- an unfortunate event throwing a party together (this time just our main lovers), learning the backstories, shopping in the market to prepare for upcoming travels, adventure with an end destination in mind, and lots of friends made along the way. Several times I caught myself thinking “I wonder what they rolled to make this happen”.

I adored this read- DND with open door monster spice is my new favorite genre.

Thank you Netgalley and Del Rey/PRH for a eArc in exchange for an honest review.

It was cute! Does exactly what it says on the tin. Spicier than I expected but laughed quite a bit and had a silly grin on my face all the way through. Very cheesy and simple but fun.

D&D enthusiasts and monster romance lovers alike will enjoy Tusk Love.

Epic adventure, mysterious treasure, wild magic, forbidden love?? I had a blast reading this! It was witty, charming, wholesome - and with the right dash of sexual tension to boot. Guinevere is the most alluring FMC I’ve read about in some time, with a personality that makes me laugh. Oskar sounds snarky, rugged, and loyal. The grumpy-sunshine trope hit hard for me. Very cute banter here.

If you like some spice in your fantasy romance, but a plot that holds up without it, this is for you! I would recommend this to anyone. I have no background knowledge of Critical Role or Dungeon and Dragons, and I enjoyed every minute. I only wish we got a tiny little bit more at the end. Here is hoping for a novella to come?

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC! I feel lucky.

As a fan of Critical Role and Vox Machina, this was a highlyyy anticipated read for me!! I was even more excited for this book after the cover was revealed!!

The story is told through dual POV bouncing between Guinevere, a sheltered, kind and maybe a little too trusting daughter of a merchant, and Oskar, a half-orc that recently lost his mother and gruff attitude towards life. They meet after Gwen’s caravan is attacked by highwaymen on her way to meet her betrothed, a man she’s never met before, so that she can deliver herself and a trunk carrying precious cargo.

I will always fall heads first for a princess and the pauper situation… something about the other never feeling like they could be enough for the person they love is kinda endearing to me. I love the idea of always wanting to provide enough for the person you love, even if it scares you.

This is most definitely a grumpy x sunshine pairing. Some of my favorite moments during this read was when the characters brought out the best in one another without even realizing it.

Another thing I greatly enjoyed was the personalities of all the side characters the couple met through their journey. From rival gang leaders to an earth spirited mage and little goblins running about, I feel like they showed that change was possible to these characters. That a different life is achievable, where they can be happy.

I loved seeing elements of it’s inspiration take place. A perfect example is after something would happen on page, in my head, I would say “Oh that was probably a high roll” or “Oof I don’t think that attack role went well” which made the story all the more entertaining from my perspective.

I truly enjoyed seeing the MC’s come into their own skin and grow from the experiences along the journey.


Pub Date July 1 2025

ARC provided by Random House Publishing Group- Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore and NetGalley. Thank you.

review posted to NetGalley & Goodreads

'Tusk Love' is perfect for anyone looking for a ride through a cozy fantasy world. It's sweet, lighthearted, and amusing. This story has well-fleshed out characters, interesting creatures, and immersive worldbuilding. It includes an overarching mystery with bursts of action as the main characters face obstacles on the road.

Oskar and Gwen have a great romance, with lots of steam and room for them to get to know each other. The humour was entertaining and kept the plot from ever becoming too serious. Some elements of their story kept reminding me of Shrek (2001, film) and Tangled (2010, film).

My biggest criticism is that the writing could be overcomplicated or over-descriptive in places that didn’t need it. At times that ended up making the story seem slower paced than it was. Also, the heroine comes across as very young and naïve, so sometimes this reads like an age-gap romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for providing an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

"Tusk Love" is a Critical Role fan's dream. This is a short, simple romance story, but it was so much fun to read!

The chapters are short and the story flows quick and well. There was a magical element that I wasn't expecting (but obviously should have). Guinevere starts off naive, but I think she progresses well in the short time that we're with her. Oskar is the hero that Jester would have been proud of.

As a fan, this book is a treasure, but I will absolutely be sneakily recommending this to normal romance readers.

Rated 4 stars. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC ebook.

I went into this book not knowing a damn thing about D&D and thought this was just another monster romance! I asked a friend to explain to me what Critical Role was and the concept of this story and my god that is adorable! You definitely don’t need any other knowledge, the world building is fairly easy to follow. Of course if you are familiar with Critical Role, I’m sure you will enjoy this even more.

This book made me laugh out loud and smile so big. Both Oskar and Guinevere are great characters. Oskar is the half orc that saves Gwen when bandits attack her carriage and try to steal this mysterious chest. Gwen, who Oskar believes is a spoiled merchant daughter has some secrets of her own. The story has an opposite attract vibe, as well as, never judging someone based on what you think they are! The story has a good mixture of plot and romance! And let me tell you it has some fun swoony spicy romance! There was also an air of mystery throughout as well!

This was definitely a fun read and I would definitely recommend it to my monster romance friends!

4.25 ⭐️

4.5. I’ve never explored anything within Critical Role, but the idea of a story within a story intrigued me enough to pick up this book (and let’s be honest, the cover is fantastic). I’m happy to report that I had a really fun time with this read! It’s the perfect blend of monster romance and cozy fantasy, and you should definitely check it out if you’re looking for something heartwarming and funny.

Tusk Love is a high-fantasy romance between Guinevere, a wealthy merchant’s daughter who has lived a sheltered life, and Oskar, a half-orc blacksmith with a painful past. Despite their stark differences in social class, upbringing, and life circumstances, the pining between them is evident from the very first pages. I really loved the romantic dynamic between Guinevere and Oskar—though I’m weak for broody cinnamon-roll heroes, so who can blame me?

This novel is great if you enjoy the tropes featured in it, such as grumpy-sunshine, forbidden romance, and a sprinkle of insta-love. The characters are heavily shaped by these tropes, and while some readers might find certain traits frustrating, I personally really liked both the heroine and the hero. Their character development is rooted in these tropes as well, but it’s still well-executed and adds depth to the story.

All in all, this book does exactly what it promises—and it does so well. It’s not a very long novel, and the pacing is excellent, making it an easy and enjoyable read. Even if it’s not a groundbreaking piece of fantasy, it remains pure joy.

♾️ stars for Tusk Love 💞

I devoured this book in less than two days and fell for Oskar so hard 🥹

I just love Thea’s writing! She made me giggle, laugh out loud, gasp and also blush quite a few times!

This book was my most anticipated read of the year and I’m so happy it’s my best read too 💞

Thank you so much NetGalley and DelRey for a copy of this book 🥰

I wasn’t aware of Critical Roles Content but that didn’t stop me from wanting to read this story and dive into this adventure book about our naive maiden and her half-orc protector. While I enjoyed the concise writing style, short chapters, and overall story-arc, I think I’m personally just not the biggest fan of naive female main characters, Guinevere, that are very sheltered. I can appreciate her character development into independence tho.
Our male main character, Oskar, felt despite his background a little flat for me. Where are his dreams, his ambitions, his plans?
Additionally this books is pretty short and unfortunately I didn’t connect to their romantic journey. For everyone wanting spice tho; you’re good to pick it up!
This is definitely cozy, spicy and has the idea of a dnd campaign with an adventure story as its heart. I fear it just wasn’t completely for me.

Thank you to NetGalley, Thea Guanzon, Critical Role, and Del Rey for the E-ARC!

As a fan of Thea Guanzon's "The Hurricane Wars" I was very excited to read the advanced copy of her upcoming release! I will be candid that I don't consume any of Critical Role's content, but that didn't stop me from enjoying this story to the fullest!

This is a book filled with adventure, a mysterious wooden box, and two characters from opposing worlds. Guinevere is a merchants daughter who's been extremely sheltered. She's never had to do anything for herself, only learning how to be a prim and proper daughter. Oskar on the other hand as lived his life in poverty. He's had to work for everything he's gotten and even then that hasn't been enough. Together, they must traverse through dangerous terrain, all while being hunted by mercenaries, all in the hope of bringing Guinevere home safe.

I absolutely adored both Guinevere and Oskar as characters. Thea Guanzon is a master at character development, giving both of her MC's realistic personal journey's throughout this book. That's not even mentioning how well-written their romance is! I was invested in their stories, enjoying every moment of yearning between the two.

If you're looking for a cozy romantasy with spice, I would highly recommend you go pick this up on release!

Confession: Romantasy isn’t usually my go-to genre, but after hearing so much about this book and falling for its adorable cover, I decided to be adventurous and give it a try—thankfully, one of my best decisions, as I enjoyed it far more than I expected.

The book’s greatest strength lies in its lovable characters, particularly Guinevere—a kind, well-mannered, and self-sacrificing merchant’s daughter who always prioritizes others’ needs while hiding a powerful secret—and Oskar, a gentle, cinnamon-roll half-orc who masks his kindness behind a gruff, intimidating facade. Their fates intertwine when bandits ambush Guinevere’s caravan, triggering her hidden fire-wielding abilities just as Oskar steps in to save her.

Oskar, initially en route to honor his late mother’s wishes in the North, postpones his plans upon realizing that Guinevere—so trusting and pure-hearted—is in grave danger, especially given the valuable dowry she carries. Determined to protect her, he joins her journey to wed an older, wealthy nobleman handpicked by her parents. But as they travel together, the growing attraction between them complicates everything. Oskar longs for a future with her but fears he cannot provide the luxury she’s accustomed to, while Guinevere dreams of a life by his side yet remains bound by duty and afraid of her own burgeoning powers.

However, what if she’s been kept in the dark? What if her parents are hiding secrets that could change the course of her life forever?

Overall: The pacing, character development, world-building, and execution of the grumpy-meets-sunshine trope are all flawless. I devoured this book in one sitting, fell in love with the romantasy genre, and added the author to my auto-read list. You cannot miss this gem—five blazing stars for this adventurous, action-packed, and steamy read!

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