This reminds me of a jack and the beanstalk retelling except its a 'shrek' retelling about a Orc who was sent to earth like banished from his hometown to earth by a witch and all he needed was loves true kiss to break his curse of being a human an turning back into a orc so he goes on a mission and meets these two humans Rayna and her sister Juno who think at first hes a homeless man. The book had comedy it was funny and I loved how it made me laugh, Vultog is the orc's name. He just wants to go back to his hometown.
The book is funny, fast-paced, and full of fairy-tale mayhem. Think rom-com with a fantasy twist until the final act, when things get intense. Secrets come out, the spice level rises, and the emotional punches hit hard.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“Shrek but make it spicy, emotional and slightly traumatised”

Imagine you’re an orc. You had a home. A life. Then some greedy human named Jack climbs a beanstalk and steals your money and while following you fall into another world, fast forward, and you’re living in the woods, broke and lonely—until a witch zaps you straight into modern-day London… wearing the face and body of the lowly humans you despise.

Welcome to the chaotic tale of our poor displaced orc, now homeless and confused in a city that exactly welcoming to homeless, mentally deranged people.
All he wants is true love’s kiss to break the curse (as one does), but what he finds instead are Juno, a bit too trusting and helpful and Rayna: a sharp-tongued, no-nonsense Londoner who grew up in the foster system and is fiercely protective of her little sister. Trying to maneuver dating apps and making a living as a Viking impersonator challenges the strongest orc.

The book is fun, snarky, and doesn’t take itself too seriously—for the first two thirds, at least. Think rom-com meets fairy-tale chaos. But don’t be fooled: once we return to the fae realm in the final act, things get intense. Secrets are revealed, loyalties questioned, and the emotional stakes suddenly skyrocket. The spice gets spicy. The contrast works well and gives the story surprising depth.

The romance? Slow burn with heat. The banter? Chef’s kiss. The emotional damage? Unexpectedly real.

Oh, and the cover? Absolutely atrocious. But don’t judge this one by its art department.

Highly recommended if you like fairy tale twists, grumpy/sunshine dynamics, or just want to root for a cursed green man trying to make it back home with his true love….and yes, I know that Shrek is an ogre and not an orc IYKYK

Picking up the sequel for sure.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest opinion.

A delightfully strange and heartfelt monster romance that completely surprised me!

"The Orc’s True Love" blends humor, slow-burn tension, and emotional depth into a truly original fairy tale twist. Vultog is charmingly sincere (even when absurd), and Rayna’s cynicism makes their dynamic electric. Their banter crackles, the stakes feel real, and the slow build of trust is incredibly satisfying.
The “fated mates” trope is used smartly here—not as a shortcut, but as a foundation for real emotional conflict. Plus, the London setting adds a gritty, grounded contrast to all the magical chaos.
Yes, it ends on a cliffhanger. And yes, I’m already desperate for book two.
Big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC!

First of all, thanks so much to NetGalley for this ARC! It's very much appreciated.

This book for me was a solid 3.25 stars read!
The story follows Rayna and an Orc and from my experience, I could see an enemies to lovers relationship and tension. I thought it was a very cool plot and there are little fantasies featuring Orc's and I felt like I was reading something Disney themed! Or even Shrek which brought back childhood memories 😅 Overall, the book was very enjoyable, Rayna was hilarious and I loved her character. I also loved the mood of the book and the writing was entertaining. I wasn't bored at all and loved to read the dialogue!!

Though I knocked off some stars because:
I felt like this was a fantasy (based on the atmosphere) of something rather not that modern. So when dating apps were mentioned I got a bit annoyed. There's also mentions of slang and abbreviations like "tbh" that I didn't really enjoy. They'd be fine in a romance, but in a fantasy, I think not. Especially the Orc "vibe" if you will that really reminded me of a vintage foresty style.
I also loved the enemies to lovers relationship but there was a part about 20 percent in that he grabbed her from the waist, and she got butterflies and I wanted there to be more of a slow burn as it's enemies to lovers.

Though this is my personal opinion and I think overall this book was great and had a lot of thought. It's an enjoyable book and I think it's also great for people who want to get in the fantasy genre.

Anything I said shouldn't be taken to heart as it's my opinion, and how I interpreted it. I hope others enjoy those parts I didn't and I wish the author all possible success! Thank you again, this was a lovely experience.

Keep on writing Shay, you have lots of potential ❤️❤️

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.
I enjoyed the start of this book but I think that as much as it tried to have a plot, it was lost at the end of the day.
I did enjoy the banter and also loved the Nigerian names by the way made me smile. However, it felt very underwhelming and the end that was supposed to give shock value really fell short.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest opinion.

While I didn’t expect the fairytale retelling element in this story, it was a pleasant surprise.

I enjoyed the writing style and story overall, but I think it could be perfected with some more world building and plot work!

Good spice and a good time if you’re looking for something unserious and fun rather than a super detailed epic fantasy!

The cover art could use some work imo

This is definitely a new and interesting story. I loved the Jack and the Beanstalk retelling which such interesting twists on the different worlds. I am a huge fan of world building and this book was full of it.

This definitely feels like a book that doesn't take itself too seriously. It's a romcom mixed with a fantasy adventure. I really enjoyed the sibling relationship in the beginning, it felt incredibly realistic. I loved reading about Vultog's attempts to assimilate into London. I wish we had more time to really see how his perspective on "mortals" shifts. There are a lot of threads in this story with Rayna, Vultog, the Guild, Juno, Jack, and the overarching story of the realms. I'm definitely going to pick up book 2 and see how these threads are weaved together.

Amazing book loved the characters and plot. I couldn't stop reading I stayed up all night. I loved the book so much thank you for the arc.

A spicy monster romance that has been done so well it’s books like this that make me love monster romances and give me warped ideas on romance 🤣

The Orc's True Love is a dark fantasy romance that was a retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk. The first half of the book was enjoyable and I liked the characters immediately. Seeing Vultog's transformation was enjoyable as well. About midway through the pacing od the story changed and it seemed like the plot was all over the place. The world building was okay but I felt like something was missing. I think with some more editing the flow of the story could be improved in many ways.

The Orc's True Love by Shay Francis is the first story in her monster romance series. The book is separated into three distinct parts, and the story ends on a cliffhanger with the second book expected sometime in 2026. The book is an interesting mashup of various fairy tales (retellings) and fictitious characters along with references to actual historical figures. Some of the tropes Ms. Francis uses are proximity, monster romance, enemies to lovers, fated mates (true love), hidden identities, and cheating (he’s married). A ruthless orc in his own realm, Vultog has been transformed into a mere mortal and banished to the earth city of London, his only hope of returning to his home is through true love’s kiss. He soon meets Juno and her hostile sister Rayna; Rayna is beyond appalled when her sister brings Vultog home like a stray. He is odd and speaks like he is from medieval times! While off to a very shaky start, Rayna and Vultog (and Juno) soon find that they have an improbable and magical connection. As they try to unravel eons of deception and mysticism, curses, danger, intrigue and love come along for the ride. Ms. Shay gives her readers a complex, involved and occasionally convoluted story, crossing worlds and finding few friends but more enemies. As noted, the story ends on a cliffhanger and readers must continue the series to find out if our main characters survive (together) and in what form. I personally enjoyed their time in London more than Terraork. Truth be told, Vultog as an orc was slightly cringy😊.
Conclusion:
I enjoyed Ms. Francis’s world-building skills as a storyteller and her characters (in both forms) were interestingly realized. However, the story had many moving pieces and plot contrivances or twists which made it somewhat hard to follow. I hope that in part two, the loose ends are tied up and Vultog and Rayna can breathe and enjoy their connection. I rated this story at a 3.75 rounded to 4.
Favorite Lines:
When Jack had cut down the Beanstalk, he’d also destroyed the bridge connecting their two realms.
I’d been gravely insulted. We orcs were a majestic and ruthless race.
Hand to hand combat was forbidden under these rules, so cutting tones would have to do.
Your elder sister and I fought valiantly so that you could be here, alive and free, throwing this deplorable tantrum!
‘I see that you desire my presence so much, that you just had to run here and experience me some more.’
All I got was the beckoning call of his eyes, welcoming me, a kindred spirit, into the fold. Neither one of us were angels. That much was clear.
Vultog blinked and sniffled, struggling to keep his eyes dry. ‘The human body is deplorable.’
I am most grateful for you, it has been a privilege to fight the beasts of this world alongside you… and I think–no, I am confident–that you are my True Love.’
Her pride had prevented her from speaking her true feelings aloud, but she had a craving for me too.
However, I soon learnt that my transmutation was merely the opening act in a wider metamorphosis spectacle.
Our kiss had been highly enjoyable. I wanted more. But was I capable of being attracted to Vultog the Orc?
‘My vexation is momentary, but… but my love for you is eternal.’
‘I’ve met my match in you, haven’t I?’ Vultog muttered, half-delirious with awe.
‘I remember every single face in the mob that chased me out of Jack’s village.
‘Your beauty was wasted on Earth… how?’

I love a good orc romance haha. This one follows Vultog, an orc cursed and banished to Earth (or “London,” as he calls it) by a witch and Rayna a mortal woman who definitely doesn’t believe in magic. He’s on a mission to find his true love and break his curse and she’s just trying to protect her little sister from this weird, brooding guy who claims he’s an orc.It’s got slow burn tension, humor, and that perfect fated mates story I love in monster romances. The dynamic between them is snarky and the fantasy setup gives it that extra charm. It does end on a cliffhanger though so prepare yourself before diving in

ARC Review 📚

This book was a nice mix of cozy, fantasy, slow-burn romance!

The book goes back and fourth between the two main characters and has a dual-POV and it lets you see the story from both sides and see what each of them are going through.

I loved the slow burn romance, forced proximity as well, and the way they interacted and went from angry with each other to sharing cute moments together was nice. Shay also added humor in which I loved too.

The way she incorporated magic and classic fairytales and a little world building was nice as well, the POC representation in a fantasy is what drew me to it in the first place.

Overall a cute book, had a lot of chapters but they were quick! Made for a nice cozy fall read.


Thank you to NetGalley and Shay Francis for this ARC! 💚

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/🌶️.5

I’m a bit out of sorts with this one. I quite enjoyed the story premise; an orc banish from his home and stuck on Earth must seek out his True Love to break his curse, and two mortal sisters who have been recruited to help him navigate their world. I know it’s going to be a series so there are a lot of questions that I have that will hopefully be answered later on and I felt like this book could have been shorter. There was a lot of repeated information and I kept skimming. Beyond the little things, it really was a good book and I do look forward to reading the rest of the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Shay for providing me with an advanced copy of The Orc’s True Love. All opinions in this review are my own!

A retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk. The Giant in this story is an angry Orc named Vultog. Vultog is given a magic bean to find his true ❤️. He finds a friendship with sisters Rayna and Juno. As Vultog tries to reclaim what Jack has stolen from him, he discovers the King of the Orc's lies.. I received an advanced copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

The Orc's True Love is a lovely read that proves that true love can bloom if you let it. This story has vulnerability, acceptance and understanding love. The Orc yearns for connection but struggles with how he is viewed by others. Cursed by a man named Jack who climbs a beanstalk and steal from you now you are forced to find a true loves kiss to set you free. The relationship between the Orc and Juno grows authentically throughout the book. Think Shrek and Fiona. The romance and slow burn in this book is chef kiss. I recommend this book if you like fairy tale with a twist.

A tender and unexpected romance that charms from beginning to end

The Orc’s True Love by Shay Francis is a delightful, heartwarming read that blends gentle fantasy with sweet, slow-burn romance in the most unexpected and lovely way. At its core, this is a story about vulnerability, acceptance, and the kind of love that grows through quiet understanding and mutual respect.

Francis takes what could easily be a trope-driven concept and infuses it with genuine heart. The orc character is written with surprising emotional depth—more than just a “beast with a heart of gold,” he’s a layered, thoughtful being who yearns for connection but struggles with how the world sees him. His journey is touching and sincere, and it’s impossible not to root for him.

The romantic lead is just as charming, bringing warmth and patience to their growing relationship. Their bond develops slowly and believably, filled with tender moments, soft humor, and an undeniable chemistry that feels earned rather than rushed. Watching them navigate their differences and find common ground was such a joy.

The writing style is accessible and cozy, with a soothing pace that suits the emotional tone of the story. While there are moments of tension and uncertainty, the overall feeling is one of comfort and healing—a true “feel-good fantasy” experience.

If there’s any critique, it’s that some parts of the story could have been expanded a little more—particularly the world-building, which had potential for greater depth. But this doesn't take away from the emotional core of the story, which is what truly shines.

In summary, The Orc’s True Love is a beautifully soft and satisfying read that proves true love can bloom in even the most unlikely of places. Shay Francis has created something quietly magical, and it’s the kind of book that leaves you with a smile and a full heart. Highly recommended for readers who love gentle fantasy, wholesome romance, and stories that celebrate love in all its forms.