This is the book that broke me out of a month-long book slump with a whimsical heroine and a grumpy hero. I had NO clue that this was part of Critical Role until later. While admittedly this isn’t something that I personally watch, my spouse was quite tickled when he explained to me how our hobbies were crossing over. This book was a phenomenal read, and I genuinely couldn’t put it down as this story was fast paced with fascinating characters that I wanted to throttle one minute, and protect the next. I was charmed by Guinevere and Oskar’s journey into adventure and romance, and I highly encourage you to pick this up if you love fantasy and Critical Role.
Guinevere is a young woman whose life course has already been set for her. Marry into a noble house, raise the family status, and be ever the obedient wife. However, Guinevere longs for freedom and adventure. When her caravan is besieged by bandits on her way to marry said noble, and is rescued by Oskar, an aloof half-orc. As her only chance of survival, both of them set off on a quest to get her to the Dwendalian Empire. Their forbidden romance may be just one of their problems as they encounter a much larger problem at hand.
I am somewhat familiar with Critical Role as my husband watches it, however, now I am dying to know more. If I have it right, this is a book that was featured in a session that one of the characters had read (I think?), and now the book has been turned into reality! Not only is that enough for me to pick it up, but honestly, the characters truly drove this story home for me. Guinevere is sheltered and has the plucky naivety that a heroine of her nature should have. More than once she runs into characters of a more ruffian nature, only to turn them into glorified babysitters for her. She’s got charm and is quite recklessly selfless. I loved reading her interactions with secondary characters most. There is quite a bit of inner turmoil she is facing though, which adds a bit more to her character depth than one might think at first glance.
Oskar was the broody do-gooder love interest that I adored from the beginning. He doesn’t particularly want to help Guinevere, but after interacting with her and realising that someone ought to keep the poor woman alive, he decides the job should fall to him. Truly, what he seeks is companionship despite his tough and gruff exterior. I absolutely ADORED him together with Guinevere. Their banter made me actually laugh out loud. It didn’t feel forced, and we also got a lot of introspection from both characters about the world around them.
The romance was well executed with plenty of moments of tension and the build up to spice was exactly what was warranted in this story. I couldn’t get enough of it, and there was enough drama surrounding it too that it made everything so much more worthwhile in the end. In comparison to spicier books on a scale from slow-burn kiss to sexy scenes on every page, I would say it falls firmly in between, which was perfect for me.
Overall, not only did it get me out of my reading slump, but I felt like I could relate to the characters and I loved how quickly this story went. What made it even better was the realisation that this was a story within a story. For those that have experience with Critical Role, I think it’s going to take the story to a whole new level that grants the reader the ability to immerse themselves further into a world that they enjoy. While I read the physical book, I’m so curious about the audio, because this is a story that I could listen to when I’m wanting something both comforting and adventurous. I highly recommend picking this up when you’re out looking for your next read!
Tusk Love is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.
Will you be picking up Tusk Love? Tell us in the comments below!
Synopsis | Goodreads
A merchant’s daughter who yearns for adventure gets more than she bargained for when she falls for a broodingly handsome stranger in this saucy romantasy from the New York Times bestselling author of The Hurricane Wars.
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 by New York Times bestselling author Thea Guanzon at the behest of Critical Role’s Jester Lavorre, Tusk Love brings the most romantic story on Exandrian bookshelves to life.
